Romans 15:4 "For whatever was written in earlier times was written for our instruction, so that through perseverance and the encouragement of the Scriptures we might have hope."
22 Immediately He [a]made the disciples get into the boat and go ahead of Him to the other side, while He sent the crowds away. 23 After He had sent the crowds away, He went up on the mountain by Himself to pray; and when it was evening, He was there alone. 24 But the boat was already [b]a long distance from the land, [c]battered by the waves; for the wind was [d]contrary. 25 And in the [e] fourth watch of the night He came to them, walking on the sea. 26 When the disciples saw Him walking on the sea, they were terrified, and said, “It is a ghost!” And they cried out [f]in fear. 27 But immediately Jesus spoke to them, saying, “Take courage, it is I; do not be afraid.”
28 Peter said to Him, “Lord, if it is You, command me to come to You on the water.” 29 And He said, “Come!” And Peter got out of the boat, and walked on the water and came toward Jesus. 30 But seeing the wind, he became frightened, and beginning to sink, he cried out, “Lord, save me!” 31 Immediately Jesus stretched out His hand and took hold of him, and *said to him, “You of little faith, why did you doubt?” 32 When they got into the boat, the wind stopped. 33 And those who were in the boat worshiped Him, saying, “You are certainly God’s Son!”
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.
He Saw the Wind, He Saw the Waves, and He Sank
The story of Peter’s attempt to walk on water is definitely one of my favorites.
Along with all the other disciples, Peter first fears the ghostly figure looming in the night, through the rain storm and walking on the waves toward their boat.
When Jesus reassures them that he is the one walking out there, courageously, quite impulsively Peter wants to be first to get in on a piece of the action too.
“Lord, tell me to come to you on the water,” he says. “Come,” invites Jesus.
Like a child taking his first tottering steps toward his parents, Peter gets out of the boat, against all the winds and the waves, walks toward Jesus on the water.
But when for but the briefest of moments, he gets distracted, he takes his eyes off Jesus and sees the wind and waves, the unsure Peter suddenly begins to sink.
So Jesus reaches out and catches him.
Then Jesus looks directly into his eyes and asks Peter, “Why did you doubt?”
I like this story so much because I know the same feeling of taking my eyes off Jesus and “seeing the wind,” feeling the weight of the crashing waves instead.
In the crushing weight of my doubts, when my thoughts are clearly elsewhere, I get distracted from faith so easily by my frustrations, insecurities, temptations.
In such burdened moments I can read this passage over and over again and I can relate to Peter, and thank God this story has been preserved in Scripture.
I also love how it turns out.
Jesus challenges Peter’s lack of faith, but then he lifts, helps him into the boat.
Peter gets a second chance, and he will also need more. I thank God for too the many second chances he has given me. My weakness is covered by his strength.
Leaning on His Everlasting Arms: Dealing With Doubt
Psalm 56 Complete Jewish Bible
56 (0) For the leader. Set to “The Silent Dove in the Distance.” By David; a mikhtam, when the P’lishtim captured him in Gat:
2 (1) Show me favor, God; for people are trampling me down — all day they fight and press on me. 3 (2) Those who are lying in wait for me would trample on me all day. For those fighting against me are many.
Most High, 4 (3) when I am afraid, I put my trust in you. 5 (4) In God — I praise his word — in God I trust; I have no fear; what can human power do to me? 6 (5) All day long they twist my words; their only thought is to harm me. 7 (6) They gather together and hide themselves, spying on my movements, hoping to kill me. 8 (7) Because of their crime, they cannot escape; in anger, God, strike down the peoples. 9 (8) You have kept count of my wanderings; store my tears in your water-skin — aren’t they already recorded in your book? 10 (9) Then my enemies will turn back on the day when I call; this I know: that God is for me.
11 (10) In God — I praise his word — in Adonai — I praise his word — 12 (11) in God I trust; I have no fear; what can mere humans do to me?
13 (12) God, I have made vows to you; I will fulfill them with thank offerings to you. 14 (13) For you rescued me from death, you kept my feet from stumbling, so that I can walk in God’s presence, in the light of life.
Doubt can cast a shadow on our faith, causing us to question God’s faithfulness and promises.
But in the midst of bludgeoning doubt we can find assurance by anchoring ourselves in the unwavering truth of God’s Word.
Hebrews 6:17-20 New American Standard Bible 1995
17 [a]In the same way God, desiring even more to show to the heirs of the promise the unchangeableness of His purpose, [b]interposed with an oath, 18 so that by two unchangeable things in which it is impossible for God to lie, we who have [c]taken refuge would have strong encouragement to take hold of the hope set before us. 19 [d]This hope we have as an anchor of the soul, a hope both sure and steadfast and one which enters [e]within the veil, 20 where Jesus has entered as a forerunner for us, having become a high priest forever according to the order of Melchizedek.
When doubt arises, we turn to God in prayer, pouring out our hearts honestly.
As we read in the Psalms, We express our fears, uncertainties, and questions, knowing that the Lord welcomes our honesty.
In his presence we find reassurance, comfort, and the strength to persevere.
It’s very important to for each of us to remember that doubt is not a sign of weakness but an invitation for growth and maturity in the Lord our God alone.
It presents an opportunity to seek a deeper understanding of God’s character and of his plans for our lives.
We can lift our bibles up and find a host of encouragement in the testimonies of others who have experienced God’s faithfulness in the midst of all their doubts.
As we experience doubt, we hold fast to the promises of God.
We remind ourselves of his past faithfulness and lean on his unfailing love.
We ought to be inviting God as the praying Psalmist did to reveal himself to us, to increase our faith, dispel those shadows of doubt with the light of his truth.
In the name of God, the Father and God the Son and God the Holy Spirit,
Let us Pray,
Jesus, my eyes get distracted by the wind and waves instead of seeing you. Please, Lord, help me stay focused on you alone. I need your strength always.Faithful God, when I am in doubt, guide me to trust your unwavering faithfulness. Help me to bring all my doubts to you, seeking comfort. Increase my faith. Reveal yourself in profound ways. Grant me the strength to overcome my doubts and to walk in truth.
Psalm 23 Complete Jewish Bible
23 (0) A psalm of David:
(1) Adonai is my shepherd; I lack nothing. 2 He has me lie down in grassy pastures, he leads me by quiet water, 3 he restores my inner person. He guides me in right paths for the sake of his own name. 4 Even if I pass through death-dark ravines, I will fear no disaster; for you are with me; your rod and staff reassure me.
5 You prepare a table for me, even as my enemies watch; you anoint my head with oil from an overflowing cup.
6 Goodness and grace will pursue me every day of my life; and I will live in the house of Adonai for years and years to come.
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.
46 1-3 God is a safe place to hide, ready to help when we need him. We stand fearless at the cliff-edge of doom, courageous in seastorm and earthquake, Before the rush and roar of oceans, the tremors that shift mountains.
Jacob-wrestling God fights for us, God-of-Angel-Armies protects us.
4-6 River fountains splash joy, cooling God’s city, this sacred haunt of the Most High. God lives here, the streets are safe, God at your service from crack of dawn. Godless nations rant and rave, kings and kingdoms threaten, but Earth does anything he says.
7 Jacob-wrestling God fights for us, God-of-Angel-Armies protects us.
8-10 Attention, all! See the marvels of God! He plants flowers and trees all over the earth, Bans war from pole to pole, breaks all the weapons across his knee. “Step out of the traffic! Take a long, loving look at me, your High God, above politics, above everything.”
11 Jacob-wrestling God fights for us, God-of-Angel-Armies protects us.
The Word of God for the Children of God.
Glory be to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Ghost; as it was in the beginning, is now, and ever shall be, world without end. Amen, amen.
One of the greatest privileges as a child of God is that we can have the heart of our heavenly Father.
We don’t have to wonder how he feels about us. We don’t have to wonder if he will guide us. We don’t have to question whether he loves us or cares about us.
Through the Holy Spirit we have continual, free access to the heart of God.
God longs to be known by you.
He longs for you to make time to simply seek his face and get to know his personality, the nature of his love, and the availability of his presence.
You don’t have to live without a real, revelatory knowledge of God’s heart.
You don’t have to live with the uncertainty of whether you are cared for, provided for, and loved.
In the life, death, and resurrection of Jesus, God proved his longing to be known by us. Jesus took on flesh not just so he could save and redeem us, but so he could usher in a better, truer revelation of who the Father is.
In John 17:3 Jesus says,
“Now this is eternal life: that they know you, the only true God, and Jesus Christ, whom you have sent.” And later in verse 26 Jesus prays to the Father, “I have made you known to them, and will continue to make you known in order that the love you have for me may be in them and that I myself may be in them.”
Jesus came that we might know the love of the Father. He came that we might have communion—continuous unhindered relationship with our Creator.
Through Jesus you’ve been granted eternal, real access to your heavenly Father. And in the Holy Spirit you can search the deep places of God’s heart and grow in restored relationship with him.
1 Corinthians 2:10-12 says:
For the Spirit searches everything, even the depths of God. For who knows a person’s thoughts except the spirit of that person, which is in him? So also no one comprehends the thoughts of God except the Spirit of God. Now we have received not the spirit of the world, but the Spirit who is from God, that we might understand the things freely given us by God.
God has made the way for you to know his heart.
You can know him in infinitely deeper and more transformative ways than you can know even your best friend or spouse.
The Holy Spirit, God himself, dwells within you and longs to reveal the “deep things of God” to you.
All that’s left for you to do is have faith in God’s ability to reveal himself when you seek him and set aside time to know the heart of your heavenly Father.
May you make time to do exactly that today as you enter into guided prayer.
Guided Prayer:
1. Meditate on what Scripture says about the knowability of God’s heart.
Let God’s word fill you with faith to seek deeper relationship with your Father.
“For the Spirit searches everything, even the depths of God. For who knows a person’s thoughts except the spirit of that person, which is in him? So also no one comprehends the thoughts of God except the Spirit of God. Now we have received not the spirit of the world, but the Spirit who is from God, that we might understand the things freely given us by God.” 1 Corinthians 2:10-12
“Now this is eternal life: that they know you, the only true God, and Jesus Christ, whom you have sent.”John 17:3
“I have made you known to them, and will continue to make you known in order that the love you have for me may be in them and that I myself may be in them.” John 17:26
2. Ask God to reveal an aspect of his heart that you need to know.
Ask him how he feels about you in this moment.
Ask him to reveal just how near and loving he is. Rest in his presence.
3. Thank God for how available he is to you.
Worship him because he’s paid the ultimate price simply for you to know him.
As you pour out thankfulness on him, watch as he pours his presence out over you.
What a tragedy it is to not take full advantage of what Jesus paid so high a price to accomplish. What a waste to live this life as if God isn’t fully with us, fully for us, and fully available to us. He couldn’t make the way to his heart any clearer.
The Holy Spirit dwells within you as close to your heart as he could possibly be.
Knowing God is as simple as acknowledging how close, available he already is. bolde
May your life be changed, inspired, empowered, emboldened by the light of the highest possible knowability of your perfect Shepherd, loving heavenly Father.
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.
1 Timothy 6:11-16 New American Standard Bible 1995
11 But flee from these things, you man of God, and pursue righteousness, godliness, faith, love, [a]perseverance and gentleness. 12 Fight the good fight of faith; take hold of the eternal life to which you were called, and you made the good confession in the presence of many witnesses. 13 I charge you in the presence of God, who [b]gives life to all things, and of Christ Jesus, who testified the good confession before Pontius Pilate, 14 that you keep the commandment without stain or reproach until the appearing of our Lord Jesus Christ, 15 which He will [c]bring about at the proper time—He who is the blessed and only Sovereign, the King of [d]kings and Lord of [e]lords, 16 who alone possesses immortality and dwells in unapproachable light, whom no man has seen or can see. To Him be honor and eternal dominion! 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.
When God made the world He created humanity, and first created a man He named Adam.
Then He made a woman that Adam named Eve.
God intended for men and women to be different, and to play different roles in the world.
After the fall, men and women both became capable of sin, and both had to strive to be more righteous, as God intended before sin entered the world.
A man who pursues that righteousness, and strives to live for the Lord, is sometimes called a man of God.
It can be difficult to define what that kind of man looks like, but the Bible provides insights into how a man can conform to the image of God, and help others identify them.
Some of the traits of a man of God include faith, a consistent relationship with God, patience, and temperance, among other things. (Galatians 5:19-23)
19 Now the deeds of the flesh are evident, which are: [a]immorality, impurity, sensuality, 20 idolatry, sorcery, enmities, strife, jealousy, outbursts of anger, disputes, dissensions, [b]factions, 21 envying, drunkenness, carousing, and things like these, of which I forewarn you, just as I have forewarned you, that those who practice such things will not inherit the kingdom of God. 22 But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, 23 gentleness, self-control; against such things there is no law.
What Is a “Man of God”?
A man of God is not one stereotype of a man.
It is not a scholar who has memorized all the Scriptures.
It is not a man who can lift very heavy objects and fight back any enemy at the gate-more powerful than a locomotive, with no effort able to leap tall buildings.
Instead, it is a consistent public and private display of his character which the Bible highlights, attempting to avoid the above mentioned temptation and sin.
A man of God values the things of Heaven over the things of the flesh.
He will not be perfect until he is with the Lord in heaven above, but he makes his personal relationship with the Savior the very first priority in his life.
He loves justice, wisdom, and discretion.
He is also not a hypocrite like the Pharisees who, “clean the outside of the cup and the plate, but inside they are full of greed and self-indulgence” (Matthew 23:27b). He does not just exhibit good behavior, surrenders himself before God and pursues a clean conscience, pursuing a real relationship with Jesus Christ.
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.
In many ways, a man of God is someone who strives to live by the following verses from Proverbs 3:5-8,
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.
Bible Verses about Being a Man of God
There are many verses that outline the character traits that God wants both men and women – as well as just men – to possess or strive to exhibit.
These verses include:
1 Timothy 6:11 “But as for you, O man of God, flee these things. Pursue righteousness, godliness, faith, love, steadfastness, gentleness.”
1 Corinthians 16:13 “Be watchful, stand firm in the faith, act like men, be strong.”
Romans 12:2“Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewal of your mind, that by testing you may discern what is the will of God, what is good and acceptable and perfect.”
Proverbs 1:7“The fear of the Lord is the beginning of knowledge; fools despise wisdom and instruction.”
Micah 6:8“He has told you, O man, what is good; and what does the Lord require of you but to do justice, and to love kindness, and to walk humbly with your God?”
Psalm 2:2-4“‘I am about to go the way of all the earth. Be strong, and show yourself a man, and keep the charge of the Lord your God, walking in his ways and keeping his statutes, his commandments, his rules, and his testimonies, as it is written in the Law of Moses, that you may prosper in all that you do and wherever you turn, that the Lord may establish his word that he spoke concerning me, saying, ‘If your sons pay close attention to their way, to walk before me in faithfulness with all their heart and with all their soul, you shall not lack a man on the throne of Israel.’”
Ephesians 5:25-28“Husbands, love your wives, as Christ loved the church and gave himself up for her, that he might sanctify her, having cleansed her by the washing of water with the word, so that he might present the church to himself in splendor, without spot or wrinkle or any such thing, that she might be holy and without blemish. In the same way husbands should love their wives as their own bodies. He who loves his wife loves himself.”
Who Were Some Men of God in the Bible?
It becomes clear through a diligent study of the Bible that an important part of what it means to be a man of God is pursuing righteousness, being familiar with God’s Word, being kind to others, knowing when, how to exert one’s strength, and being willing to worship God and sacrifice the same way the Lord Jesus did.
There are many examples of godly men in the Scriptures.
Men identified as men of God include:
King David: Literally called a man after God’s own heart.
He trusted the Lord as a shepherd, as a man fleeing a king’s wrath, and as a king himself. He was not close to perfect, and succumbed to lust with Bathsheba, but repented (Psalm 51). He loved God, wrote many Psalms about that relationship.
Abraham: The father of the Jewish nation, his faith in God was so great he was willing to obey God’s command to sacrifice his son, believing that God could bring Isaac back from the dead. He followed God from his homeland to another.
There were points in his life where his faith definitely lapsed and he acted out of fear, but he always tried to put his relationship with God above all else. He also advocated for his relatives with God, and humbly asked God to spare Sodom and Gomorrah for the sake of just a few righteous, willing to see mercy extended.
Nehemiah: A Hebrew in exile who had high authority in Babylon, and he trusted God to leave the comfort of his post and go back to Jerusalem to rebuild the wall.
He rebuilt the walls, defended the borders of his city while maintaining a godly character that served to testify to God’s truest glory to the people around him.
He demonstrated leadership, sacrifice, wisdom, tactical skills, and wisdom.
Boaz: Certain men played roles in God’s plan that foreshadowed the role Christ would play for all of humanity.
Boaz served as a kinsman redeemer for Ruth, redeeming her and her deceased husband’s family from poverty.
Despite having a Gentile mother, he was known as a godly man who deeply loved the Lord. He was sacrificial, kind to people who were of lesser status than him in society, loved one woman, and displayed great generosity.
Noah – the only righteous man – steadfast and immovable, obedient to God,
Moses – the great leader, intercessor, law giver,
Joshua (Joshua 1:1-9, 24:15)
Job – Prayed for his children everyday. Refused to Curse God even when his whole world quite literally, quite suddenly, unexpected, collapsed around him.
Jesus: Called the Last Adam, Jesus lived the life intended for Adam, but without sin. The Lord came in the body of a man, clothing His divine nature in flesh.
He obeyed his earthly parents, worked hard as a carpenter, learned the Scriptures, and perfectly sacrificed, submitted self to the will of the Father.
In many ways, He is a model for manhood.
He displayed perfect righteousness, something every man should strive for, even if they fail.
How Can I Grow into More of a Man of God?
Becoming more of a man of God involves becoming Christ-like in character.
It is not something that can happen by force of will, but by the influence of the Holy Spirit.
Prayer is the first step to growing into the person God intended.
Studying the Gospels and modelling Christ is also important.
Learning from the men of God in the Bible, from their successes and failures, is also a part of that journey.
Another way men grow in their character and their faith is through fellowship, being discipled and discipling one another.
Studying verses about good character and asking God to help grow those is another way.
The fruits of the Spirit are foundational to building a character like the Lord has;
“But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control; against such things there is no law” (Galatians 5:22-23).
Ultimately, it will require a daily walk with the Lord and getting to know Him personally to experience the lifetime journey toward becoming a Man of God.
1 Timothy 6:11-12 New American Standard Bible 1995
11 But flee from these things, you man of God, and pursue righteousness, godliness, faith, love, [a]perseverance and gentleness. 12 Fight the good fight of faith; take hold of the eternal life to which you were called, and you made the good confession in the presence of many witnesses.
Paul is giving this encouragement to Timothy about what he should pursue.
Six things: Righteousness, godliness, faith, love, endurance, and gentleness.
That’s a lot to think about.
In fact, these in themselves can truly keep one busy. But I can’t help but think that is the purpose.
To keep ourselves focused on Him.
Then verse 12 seems to stick out even more.
He said, “Fight the good fight of faith.” “Take hold of the eternal life.”
We’ve all heard people say “This is the life.” when referencing something they are truly enjoying. Meaning, they are truly taking hold of that moment.
The true question is, are we doing that with the eternal life He has given us?
Take some time today and reflect on your everyday life.
Are you pursuing these things given to us?
Are you fighting the good fight?
Are you taking hold of the life He has given us?
Let this be a focus in your time of meditation throughout the day.
Until next time, Shalom.
In the name of God, the Father and God the Son and God the Holy Spirit,
Let us Pray,
Holy Father,
Thank you for the life you have given me. As the Bible says, “you formed me in my mother’s womb,” making me the man I am today. Thank you for loving me enough to die for me on the cross, and that I will share in Your resurrection. I pray that you will take my life and use it for Your glory, for the expansion of Your Kingdom, and as the man You created me to be. Lord, take my life and guide it. Help me to pursue You sincerely and fully. You gave me life and salvation, so help me use that life to make a difference for eternity. Whether that is as a husband or a single man, as a father or a mentor, however You want to use me, I pray that my life will only glorify Your name.
Psalm 16 New American Standard Bible 1995
The Lord the Psalmist’s Portion in Life and Deliverer in Death.
16 Preserve me, O God, for I take refuge in You. 2 [b]I said to the Lord, “You are [c]my Lord; I have no good besides You.” 3 As for the [d]saints who are in the earth, [e]They are the majestic ones in whom is all my delight. 4 The [f]sorrows of those who have [g]bartered for another god will be multiplied; I shall not pour out their drink offerings of blood, Nor will I take their names upon my lips.
5 The Lord is the portion of my inheritance and my cup; You support my lot. 6 The lines have fallen to me in pleasant places; Indeed, my heritage is beautiful to me.
7 I will bless the Lord who has counseled me; Indeed, my [h]mind instructs me in the night. 8 I have set the Lord continually before me; Because He is at my right hand, I will not be shaken. 9 Therefore my heart is glad and my glory rejoices; My flesh also will dwell securely. 10 For You will not abandon my soul to [i]Sheol; Nor will You [j]allow Your [k]Holy One to [l]undergo decay. 11 You will make known to me the path of life; In Your presence is fullness of joy; In Your right hand there are pleasures 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.
27 “Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For you are like whitewashed tombs which on the outside appear beautiful, but inside they are full of dead men’s bones and all uncleanness. 28 So you, too, outwardly appear righteous to men, but inwardly you are full of hypocrisy and lawlessness.
29 “Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For you build the tombs of the prophets and adorn the monuments of the righteous, 30 and say, ‘If we had been living in the days of our fathers, we would not have been partners with them in shedding the blood of the prophets.’ 31 So you testify against yourselves, that you are [a]sons of those who murdered the prophets.
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.
Façade … a false, superficial, or artificial appearance or effect. (verse 28)
Façade … any face of a building given special architectural treatment. (verse 27)
The earliest meaning of the word Façade in English was in reference to the front portion of a building, its “face,” so to speak (and face itself is sometimes used to describe this part of a structure as well).
Somewhere along the highways of history the word façade took on a figurative sense, referring to a way of behaving or appearing that gives other people a false idea of your true feelings or situation.
This is similar to the figurative use of veneer, which originally had the simple meaning of a thin layer of wood that was used to cover something, and now may also refer to a sort of deceptive behavior that masks one’s actual feelings (as in, “he had a thin veneer of politeness”).
Honesty is more than the words we say. It’s a posture of the heart.
We weren’t made to try and be something we’re not. God never asks us to keep up appearances. He longs for us to have the real courage to be vulnerable. He longs for us to be so founded in his unconditional love that we will live honestly.
Matthew 23:24-32 The Message
23-24 “You’re hopeless, you religion scholars and Pharisees! Frauds! You keep meticulous account books, tithing on every nickel and dime you get, but on the meat of God’s Law, things like fairness and compassion and commitment—the absolute basics!—you carelessly take it or leave it. Careful bookkeeping is commendable, but the basics are required. Do you have any idea how silly you look, writing a life story that’s wrong from start to finish, nitpicking over commas and semicolons?
25-26 “You’re hopeless, you religion scholars and Pharisees! Frauds! You buff the surface of your cups and bowls so they sparkle in the sun, while the insides are maggoty with your greed and gluttony. Stupid Pharisee! Scour the insides, and then the gleaming surface will mean something.
27-28 “You’re hopeless, you religion scholars and Pharisees! Frauds! You’re like manicured grave plots, grass clipped and the flowers bright, but six feet down it’s all rotting bones and worm-eaten flesh. People look at you and think you’re saints, but beneath the skin you’re total frauds.
29-32 “You’re hopeless, you religion scholars and Pharisees! Frauds! You build granite tombs for your prophets and marble monuments for your saints. And you say that if you had lived in the days of your ancestors, no blood would have been on your hands. You protest too much! You’re cut from the same cloth as those murderers, and daily add to the death count.
The greatest testimony you and I could possibly give to honor God, to give to the Kingdom of God and our neighbor is to have the audacity to live honestly.
It takes enormous courage to be yourself.
It takes genuine security in the unconditional love of your heavenly Father to acknowledge not just your strengths and successes, but also your weaknesses and failures.
But in doing so your life will proclaim the powerful, beautiful work of God.
And in doing so you will experience the peace and joy only freedom from building a façade can produce.
A façade is “an outward appearance that is maintained to conceal a less pleasant or creditable reality.”
So often, to cover up what we know to be imperfect we devote ourselves to creating a false picture for others.
We even devote so much energy to building a façade that we try and deceive ourselves.
We muster up our pride and look only at what we’ve done well, all the while ignoring what we need help with.
As a result, we will spend all our time living a life apart from reality.
And to live apart from the reality of God, Jesus Christ and the Holy Spirit is to live far apart from the grace and love of our ever-present, wholly real Father.
Matthew 23:27-28, Jesus passionately rebukes those who try and build facades:
27 “Woe to you, [self-righteous] scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For you are like whitewashed tombs which look beautiful on the outside, but inside are full of dead men’s bones and everything unclean. 28 So you, also, outwardly seem to be just and upright to men, but inwardly you are full of hypocrisy and lawlessness.
God solely cares about the heart.
1 Samuel 16:6-11 New American Standard Bible 1995
6 When they entered, he looked at Eliab and thought, “Surely the Lord’s anointed is before Him.” 7 But the Lord said to Samuel, “Do not look at his appearance or at the height of his stature, because I have rejected him; for [a] God sees not as man sees, for man looks at the outward appearance, but the Lord looks at the heart.”8 Then Jesse called Abinadab and made him pass before Samuel. And he said, “The Lord has not chosen this one either.” 9 Next Jesse made [b]Shammah pass by. And he said, “The Lord has not chosen this one either.” 10 Thus Jesse made seven of his sons pass before Samuel. But Samuel said to Jesse, “The Lord has not chosen these.” 11 And Samuel said to Jesse, “Are these all the children?” And he said, “There remains yet the youngest, and behold, he is tending the sheep.” Then Samuel said to Jesse, “Send and [c]bring him; for we will not sit down until he comes here.”
He’s not worried about our perception.
He’s not worried about status or societal acceptance.
He cares about what is authentic.
He cares about what is genuine.
He cares about what is real.
He knows that any energy spent devoted to building a façade is energy you can’t devote to receiving help, healing, and grace for what’s real and important.
He knows that all your efforts to be accepted pf men aren’t of value because the opinions of others are nothing in comparison to his unconditional love for you.
And he knows that ultimately all facades will inevitably be torn down, and we will be publicly exposed, seen and known by him for who we really, truly are.
What does it mean to be whitewashed tombs?
To be whitewashed means to be cleaned so well that there is not a speck of dirt to diminish the shining brilliance of the tombs. In His example, the outside of the sepulcher tombs appears beautiful as it catches and reflects pure light. But inside they are full of rotting corpses—dead men’s bones and all uncleanness.
God longs for you, me, the church to live fully alive, fully known and fully loved.
He longs for us to live in and to live outward from a revelation of his love and grace rather than striving for affection and acceptance by building up facades.
Take time to experience his love and grace today.
Assess your heart and tear down your walls. May freedom burst forth in your life today as you proclaim the glory of God’s grace by being who you really are.
Guided Prayer:
1. Reflect on the importance of living in reality.
Allow Jesus’ words to stir up your desire to tear down any façade you’ve built up.
“Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For you are like whitewashed tombs, which outwardly appear beautiful, but within are full of dead people’s bones and all uncleanness.” Matthew 23:27
2. Where are you striving for acceptance or affection by building up facades?
Where are you portraying yourself to be something you aren’t?
Why are you doing it?
3. Ask the Holy Spirit for the courage to be yourself today.
James 5:14-18 New American Standard Bible 1995
14 Is anyone among you sick? Then he must call for the elders of the church and they are to pray over him, [a]anointing him with oil in the name of the Lord; 15 and the prayer [b]offered in faith will [c]restore the one who is sick, and the Lord will raise him up, and if he has committed sins, [d]they will be forgiven him. 16 Therefore, confess your sins to one another, and pray for one another so that you may be healed. The effective [e]prayer of a righteous man can accomplish much. 17 Elijah was a man with a nature like ours, and he prayed [f]earnestly that it would not rain, and it did not rain on the earth for three years and six months. 18 Then he prayed again, and the [g]sky [h]poured rain and the earth produced its fruit.
Psalm 103:1-5 New American Standard Bible 1995
Praise for the Lord’s Mercies.
A Psalm of David.
103 Bless the Lord, O my soul, And all that is within me, bless His holy name. 2 Bless the Lord, O my soul, And forget none of His benefits; 3 Who pardons all your iniquities, Who heals all your diseases; 4 Who redeems your life from the pit, Who crowns you with lovingkindness and compassion; 5 Who satisfies your [a]years with good things, So that your youth is renewed like the eagle.In the
Tell others of your weaknesses today.
Don’t be afraid to be yourself with all your strengths, successes, weaknesses, and failures.
May God’s grace and love empower you today as you live honestly.
May you stop devoting your energy to falsely manufactured appearances and give yourself and to God to what’s real. And in doing so may you genuinely encounter the unconditional acceptance and affection of your loving Father.
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.
8 However at that time, when you did not know God, you were slaves to those which by nature are no gods. 9 But now that you have come to know God, or rather to be known by God, how is it that you turn back again to the weak and worthless [a] elemental things, to which you desire to be enslaved all over again? 10 You observe days and months and seasons and years. 11 I fear for you, that perhaps I have labored [b]over you in vain.
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.
This section speaks of the Galatians turning their backs to God.
Paul is feeling like he wasted his time and effort with them since they have reverted to how they were before they knew God.
Paul seems to not be able to understand how they could so easily go back.
When he was with them to bring them the gospel the first time, they were a blessing to him, but now, not so much as they are causing him great distress.
Paul even goes as far as to compare it to the pains of childbirth as he is waiting for Christ to be formed in them again.
As someone who went through it a few times last year with my heart surgery, my sarcastic side thinks “Really, Paul? What do you truly know about that?”
But my somewhat more logical side can recognize that he is using that language to convey the seriousness of his concern – both in how much he cares for them as if they were his own children, and also how very hurt he is by the turning of their backs on what he taught them.
I imagine that the Galatians were not intentionally turning away from God.
But by not being intentionally focused on God, that was the result.
I know I am guilty of this.
It takes incredible work to keep your mind and life exclusively set on God.
You may not be actively doing things that would displease Him, but by not actively doing things that do please Him, you are still going to be drifting further and further from Him.
Paul’s Concern for the Galatians
Galatians 4:8-9 New International Version
Paul’s Concern for the Galatians
8 Formerly, when you did not know God, you were slaves to those who by nature are not gods. 9 But now that you know God—or rather are known by God—how is it that you are turning back to those weak and miserable forces[a]? Do you wish to be enslaved by them all over again?
While slavery still exists in parts of the world, for the most part slavery has been done away with. It is looked upon as a bad thing.
No one wants to be a slave to anyone for any reason.
Regardless of what the national rules and regulations are, the majority of people in this world are enslaved to sin.
They are bound up in sin that will keep them sinning more and more.
Selfish desires overcome them and causes them to sin.
This is a conscious choice of most people to live that way.
They see it as freedom of choice.
Every believer is taken out of that type of lifestyle.
They are removed from the bondage and slavery of sin when Jesus had died and rose from the dead.
He placed the powers of this world under His feet.
They are no longer a slave to those forces.
Yet, there are many believers who turn back to those weak and miserable forces and allow themselves to be enslaved again.
This is done when a believer turns back to an old way of living or begins to live like the world again.
He allows sin back into his life by choice on a regular basis.
He refuses to turn away from sin. Lying, stealing, cheating, cursing, hating, porn, violence, hatred all become a part of his life again, a way of living.
This is allowing the dark powers of this world to rule again in his life.
If you have accepted Jesus into your life and what He has done for you, you are known by God and also know God. He has set you free from the power of sin. He has pulled you out of that enslaved life of sin. Do not allow yourself to go back.
Take a look at your life on a regular basis and see you or what is enslaving you.
Who or what has control over your life?
God should be the only one who has control over your life. Do not allow the things and sin of this world to enslave you again and have control over you.
Turn away from the sin of this world and back to God.
“But if anyone loves God, he is known by God.”
1 Corinthians 8:1-3 The Message
Freedom with Responsibility
8 1-3 The question keeps coming up regarding meat that has been offered up to an idol: Should you attend meals where such meat is served, or not? We sometimes tend to think we know all we need to know to answer these kinds of questions—but sometimes our humble hearts can help us more than our proud minds. We never really know enough until we recognize that God alone knows it all.
While we absolutely serve an all-knowing, omnipotent, omnipresent God, there is a truly stark difference between God’s knowledge of everything and allowing ourselves to be known by him.
To be known by God is a two-way street.
It’s a conscious decision to open our hearts to this all-knowing God that we might experience him in even the deepest, most secret places of our lives.
Galatians 4:8-11 says,
Galatians 4:8-11 The Message
8-11 Earlier, before you knew God personally, you were enslaved to so-called gods that had nothing of the divine about them. But now that you know the real God—or rather since God knows you—how can you possibly subject yourselves again to those tin gods? For that is exactly what you do when you are intimidated into scrupulously observing all the traditions, taboos, and superstitions associated with special days and seasons and years. I am afraid that all my hard work among you has gone up in a puff of smoke!
Being known by God is the birthplace of freedom.
When we allow our Creator and Savior to truly know us he brings with him all his power, love, and deliverance.
Only when we allow him to know the wounds of our past do we truly position ourselves to receive his healing.
Only when we discover that he cries, mourns, laughs, and celebrates with us will our hearts be finally founded on the reality of true relationship with him.
Your God doesn’t just want to teach you, lead you, empower you, or use you—he wants to know you.
You don’t have to go through this life on your own.
You don’t have to process decisions, pains, relationships, doubts on your own.
You can be known by your Creator and know Him.
Unhindered relationship with your perfect, loving Father can be your source.
Psalm 139:23-24 The Message
23-24 Investigate my life, O God, find out everything about me; Cross-examine and test me, get a clear picture of what I’m about; See for yourself whether I’ve done anything wrong— then guide me on the road to eternal life.
It is entirely possible to go through this life as a believer without letting God fully know you.
As tragic as it may be, many Christians do it every day.
We live as if God is distant from us.
We live as if we don’t have full access to his heart, will, love, and presence in the Holy Spirit.
We live as if all Christ came to do was give us a “get out of Hell free card” rather than restore us to right relationship with the Father.
And when you fully live fully known by God you will experience a love more sure, more real, and more transcendent than any love you’ve experienced.
Dear Reader; I pray today you will know what Jesus has done for you; that you will know the freedom you have in Jesus; that you will give to God full control of your life; and that you will fully choose to turn from sin to God every time.
In the name of God, the Father and God the Son and God the Holy Spirit,
Take time as you enter into guided prayer to truly let God know you.
Open up the secret places of your heart.
Tell him about your insecurities, fears, doubts, and wounds. May you find a deeper level of intimacy with your loving Father than you thought possible.
Guided Prayer:
1. Meditate on the importance of being known by God.
“Formerly, when you did not know God, you were enslaved to those that by nature are not gods. But now that you have come to know God, or rather to be known by God, how can you turn back again to the weak and worthless elementary principles of the world, whose slaves you want to be once more?” Galatians 4:8-9
“But if anyone loves God, he is known by God.” 1 Corinthians 8:3
2. Are you living your life known?
Or are you hiding pieces of your life from your heavenly Father?
3. Tell God about anything in your life that’s stayed in the dark.
Bring it to the light with him. Allow him to fully know you. And experience powerful freedom as he reveals the depths of his love for you.
“The spirit of man is the lamp of the Lord, searching all his innermost parts.” Proverbs 20:27
Ephesians 5:8 says, “For at one time you were darkness, but now you are light in the Lord. Walk as children of light.”
You can live with confidence and joy today.
When you are fully known by God and still fully accepted and loved, your heart is unshakable.
God will not reject you.
He has loved you at your worst.
Trust in him today and experience life in the light of his presence.
Psalm 139 The Message
139 1-6 God, investigate my life; get all the facts firsthand. I’m an open book to you; even from a distance, you know what I’m thinking. You know when I leave and when I get back; I’m never out of your sight. You know everything I’m going to say before I start the first sentence. I look behind me and you’re there, then up ahead and you’re there, too— your reassuring presence, coming and going. This is too much, too wonderful— I can’t take it all in!
7-12 Is there anyplace I can go to avoid your Spirit? to be out of your sight? If I climb to the sky, you’re there! If I go underground, you’re there! If I flew on morning’s wings to the far western horizon, You’d find me in a minute— you’re already there waiting! Then I said to myself, “Oh, he even sees me in the dark! At night I’m immersed in the light!” It’s a fact: darkness isn’t dark to you; night and day, darkness and light, they’re all the same to you.
13-16 Oh yes, you shaped me first inside, then out; you formed me in my mother’s womb. I thank you, High God—you’re breathtaking! Body and soul, I am marvelously made! I worship in adoration—what a creation! You know me inside and out, you know every bone in my body; You know exactly how I was made, bit by bit, how I was sculpted from nothing into something. Like an open book, you watched me grow from conception to birth; all the stages of my life were spread out before you, The days of my life all prepared before I’d even lived one day.
17-22 Your thoughts—how rare, how beautiful! God, I’ll never comprehend them! I couldn’t even begin to count them— any more than I could count the sand of the sea. Oh, let me rise in the morning and live always with you! And please, God, do away with wickedness for good! And you murderers—out of here!— all the men and women who belittle you, God, infatuated with cheap god-imitations. See how I hate those who hate you, God, see how I loathe all this godless arrogance; I hate it with pure, unadulterated hatred. Your enemies are my enemies!
23-24 Investigate my life, O God, find out everything about me; Cross-examine and test me, get a clear picture of what I’m about; See for yourself whether I’ve done anything wrong— then guide me on the road to eternal life.
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.
22 Then Moses [a]led Israel from the [b]Red Sea, and they went out into the wilderness of Shur; and they went three days in the wilderness and found no water. 23 When they came to Marah, they could not drink the waters [c]of Marah, for they were [d]bitter; therefore it was named [e]Marah. 24 So the people grumbled at Moses, saying, “What shall we drink?” 25 Then he cried out to the Lord, and the Lord showed him a tree; and he threw it into the waters, and the waters became sweet.
There He made for them a statute and regulation, and there He tested them. 26 And He said, “If you will give earnest heed to the voice of the Lord your God, and do what is right in His sight, and give ear to His commandments, and keep all His statutes, I will put none of the diseases on you which I have put on the Egyptians; for I, the Lord, am your healer.”
27 Then they came to Elim where there were twelve springs of water and seventy date palms, and they camped there beside the waters.
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.
Yahweh Rapha: “the Lord Who Heals”
In the desert at Marah, we have another story of God’s provision and testing.
With empty water sacks, standing before a pool of bitter water, the people of Israel begin to grumble.
Although they complain bitterly against Moses, they are really complaining against God.
Their grumbling seems very shortsighted.
Only a few days earlier God had parted the Red Sea and saved them from Pharaoh’s army! (Please Read Exodus 14-15.)
But again, as we see in this story, God delivers his people, making the water fit to drink.
At Marah, the Israelites learn God is Yahweh Rapha, “the LORD who heals.”
This name comes from the Hebrew word raphe, meaning “to heal, to make healthy.”
The people also learn that God expects his people to trust him in all things, and he expects them to be devoted, obedient, holy, as he is holy.
Indeed, a few chapters (Ch. 20) later at Sinai, he lays out a code for holy living.
In the New Testament, however, we will discover an irony about Yahweh Rapha.
There we learn that “the LORD who heals” suffers to heal us and to forgive our sins.
In the words of Isaiah 53:5, “He was pierced for our transgressions, he was crushed for our iniquities.”
These words refer to Jesus, the Son of God. “By his wounds we are healed.”
” … for I, the Lord, am your healer.”
God progressively revealed the many facets of His eternal character throughout the pages of Scripture and it was to His Servant Moses that the Lord God has now just revealed Himself as Jehovah-Rapha – “I am the God Who heals you.”
God had already revealed Himself to Abraham as ‘the Lord God’ ‘the Almighty God’ and ‘the everlasting God’.
He also identified Himself as Abraham’s ‘Provider’, when He spoke those words, which are pregnant with meaning, “I will Provide Myself – a Lamb.”
Genesis 22:6-8 New American Standard Bible 1995
6 Abraham took the wood of the burnt offering and laid it on Isaac his son, and he took in his hand the fire and the knife. So the two of them walked on together. 7 Isaac spoke to Abraham his father and said, “My father!” And he said, “Here I am, my son.” And he said, “Behold, the fire and the wood, but where is the lamb for the burnt offering?” 8 Abraham said, “God will [a]provide for Himself the lamb for the burnt offering, my son.” So the two of them walked on together.
It was God Who saved His people Israel, after 400-years of bondage in Egypt, when they applied the shed blood of the Passover lambs onto the lintels of their doors – a striking picture of the true Passover Lamb,
Whose shed blood at Calvary would provide the means of healing the nation that was saving His people from slavery to sin and its terrible consequences.
And as the attributes of the God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob continued to be revealed to His chosen people, as the years rolled by, so each of God’s revealed characteristics, was one more beautiful picture of the coming Messiah
– the Mighty God and Prince of Peace, Who would also be the one Who would heal His people Israel, the nation whom Isaiah described as being sick, ‘from the crown of their head to the sole of their foot’.
Isaiah 9:1-7 New American Standard Bible 1995
Birth and Reign of the Prince of Peace
9 [a]But there will be no more gloom for her who was in anguish; in earlier times He treated the land of Zebulun and the land of Naphtali with contempt, but later on He shall make it glorious, by the way of the sea, on the other side of Jordan, Galilee of the [b]Gentiles.
2 [c]The people who walk in darkness Will see a great light; Those who live in a dark land, The light will shine on them. 3 You shall multiply the nation, You shall [d]increase [e]their gladness; They will be glad in Your presence As with the gladness [f]of harvest, As [g]men rejoice when they divide the spoil. 4 For You shall break the yoke of their burden and the staff on their shoulders, The rod of their oppressor, as [h]at the battle of Midian. 5 For every boot of the booted warrior in the battle tumult, And cloak rolled in blood, will be for burning, fuel for the fire. 6 For a child will be born to us, a son will be given to us; And the government will [i]rest on His shoulders; And His name will be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Eternal Father, Prince of Peace. 7 There will be no end to the increase of His government or of peace, On the throne of David and over his kingdom, To establish it and to uphold it with justice and righteousness From then on and forevermore. The zeal of the Lord of hosts will accomplish this.
He would come as the Horn of salvation for the lost sheep of the house of Israel.
He would come to heal the nation from their spiritual sickness, awake them from their spiritual slumber, He will remove the blinkers from their spiritual blindness… for He said to them,
“If you will give earnest heed to the voice of the LORD your God, and do what is right in His sight, and give ear to His commandments, and keep all His statutes, I will put none of the diseases on you which I have put on the Egyptians; for I, the LORD, am your Healer.”
He would save His people from the hands of their enemies and rescue them from those that hated them.
He would come in holiness and righteousness to bind up their wounds and heal His people from the sin and the suffering that has plagued this world since the fall of Adam and Eve and their forceful expulsion from the Garden of Eden.
He would come as the Promised one, Who would fulfil the covenant God made with His people. He would come as God’s ‘perfect Lamb’ Sacrifice for their sin.
Jesus is the one Who heals the brokenhearted and Jesus is the one Who sets the captives free. Jesus is the one who made the deaf to hear, the lame to walk, the blind to see, and the dead to rise into newness of life
– for every attribute of the Almighty, Everlasting God, pointed towards the coming of the Lord Jesus Christ, the incarnate God, and perfect Man –
The Lord our Healer.
It was to Moses, in the nation’s infancy, that God revealed Himself to His people as Yahweh-Rapha – “I am the Lord that heals you.”
David expanded this glorious truth in so many of his psalms, for we read:
“He forgives all your sins and heals all your diseases. He redeems your life from the pit and crowns you with love and compassion.” Psalm 103:1-5 –
“How blessed is he whose transgression is forgiven – whose sin is covered.”Psalm 32
He is the one Who rights all wrongs, and He is the one who performs righteous deeds and judges the oppressed in righteousness.
And as with all of God’s good and perfect gifts, the healing He gives to all the redeemed is beyond our understanding and has an eternal perspective.
James 1:16-18 New American Standard Bible 1995
16 Do not be [a]deceived, my beloved brethren. 17 Every good thing given and every perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of lights, with whom there is no variation or [b]shifting shadow. 18 In the exercise of His will He brought us forth by the word of truth, so that we would be [c]a kind of first fruits [d]among His creatures.
God often heals the physical wounds and earthly diseases that trouble our mortal bodies, and play heavily on our minds and emotions.
But oft-times He whispers into our hearts, “My grace is sufficient, for My strength is made perfect in your weakness… in your sickness, in your hardship – in your loss, and your pain.”
But the incomprehensible truth of Jehovah-Rapha, is that His healing touch also spans the eternal sphere and the spiritual realm.
I am the Lord Who heals you SPIRIT, SOUL, and BODY.
I am the one Who heals your spirit – when you were justified, through initial faith in Jesus as Savior – PAST salvation.
I am the one Who heals your soul – through the sanctification process, as you walk in faith and grow in grace – ONGOING salvation.
I am the one Who heals your body – at the Rapture of the church and resurrection of the dead-in-Christ – FUTURE salvation.
God’s gradual unveiling of His perfect character throughout the pages of Scripture, progressively reveals His eternal plan of redemption, which is perfected and completed in the Lord Jesus.
Let us always remember that our eternal healing took place at the cross – and if physical healing is withheld, there is a reason that God alone knows about – and His grace is and will always remain sufficient.
May you have peace today, knowing that all your sins have been forgiven.
In the name of God, the Father and God the Son and God the Holy Spirit,
Let us Pray,
Psalm 103 New American Standard Bible 1995
Praise for the Lord’s Mercies.
A Psalm of David.
103 Bless the Lord, O my soul, And all that is within me, bless His holy name. 2 Bless the Lord, O my soul, And forget none of His benefits; 3 Who pardons all your iniquities, Who heals all your diseases; 4 Who redeems your life from the pit, Who crowns you with lovingkindness and compassion; 5 Who satisfies your [a]years with good things, So that your youth is renewed like the eagle.
6 The Lord performs [b]righteous deeds And judgments for all who are oppressed. 7 He made known His ways to Moses, His acts to the sons of Israel. 8 The Lord is compassionate and gracious, Slow to anger and abounding in lovingkindness. 9 He will not always strive with us, Nor will He keep His anger forever. 10 He has not dealt with us according to our sins, Nor rewarded us according to our iniquities. 11 For as high as the heavens are above the earth, So great is His lovingkindness toward those who [c]fear Him. 12 As far as the east is from the west, So far has He removed our transgressions from us. 13 Just as a father has compassion on his children, So the Lord has compassion on those who [d]fear Him. 14 For He Himself knows [e]our frame; He is mindful that we are but dust.
15 As for man, his days are like grass; As a flower of the field, so he flourishes. 16 When the wind has passed over it, it is no more, And its place acknowledges it no longer. 17 But the lovingkindness of the Lord is from everlasting to everlasting on those who [f]fear Him, And His [g]righteousness to children’s children, 18 To those who keep His covenant And remember His precepts to do them.
19 The Lord has established His throne in the heavens, And His [h]sovereignty rules over [i]all. 20 Bless the Lord, you His angels, Mighty in strength, who perform His word, Obeying the voice of His word! 21 Bless the Lord, all you His hosts, You who serve Him, doing His will. 22 Bless the Lord, all you works of His, In all places of His dominion; Bless the Lord, O my soul!
Heavenly Father, thank You, that You are the great healer. I am thankful I can lay my burdens at Your feet. I pray for Your healing touch in my life. You are my Jehovah-Rapha, and Your grace is sufficient. O God, you are the one who heals. Through your Son, Jesus Christ, Your Perfect Lamb, Your Perfect sacrifice, we have been healed and have been forgiven. Help us to live fully with this blessed assurance. In Jesus’ 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.
9 As he went along, he saw a man blind from birth. 2 His disciples asked him, “Rabbi, who sinned, this man or his parents, that he was born blind?”
3 “Neither this man nor his parents sinned,” said Jesus, “but this happened so that the works of God might be displayed in him. 4 As long as it is day, we must do the works of him who sent me. Night is coming, when no one can work. 5 While I am in the world, I am the light of the world.”
6 After saying this, he spit on the ground, made some mud with the saliva, and put it on the man’s eyes. 7 “Go,” he told him, “wash in the Pool of Siloam” (this word means “Sent”). So the man went and washed, and came home seeing.
8 His neighbors and those who had formerly seen him begging asked, “Isn’t this the same man who used to sit and beg?” 9 Some claimed that he was.
Others said, “No, he only looks like him.”
But he himself insisted, “I am the man.”
10 “How then were your eyes opened?” they asked.
11 He replied, “The man they call Jesus made some mud and put it on my eyes. He told me to go to Siloam and wash. So I went and washed, and then I could see.”
12 “Where is this man?” they asked him.
“I don’t know,” he said.
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.
They Come Across A Man Born Blind
The disciples see a man who was born blind, and they assume that his blindness is someone’s fault.
This was a common way of thinking about suffering in those days. Sickness and disability were often believed to be a result of sin somewhere in the family line.
If we think about it, we can see how people could fall into that kind of thinking.
It has happened in many cultures.
If a person has a disability or a terrible disease, if they are mentally challenged or if they are down and out in some kind of hardship too, it can be convenient to point fingers, blame them or their family or even their friends or community.
It calms our fears if we can state a reason or a cause for something we don’t understand—or don’t want to, or gives us a sense of “I am glad I am not like that” or gives us the sense that we are better than others, we are the strongest.
In this story Jesus complicates things even more by implying that God allowed the man to be born blind so that through his healing by Jesus, could help people see the miraculous works of God being done, that God is indeed in their midst.
This is a very hard teaching to understand—there is no getting around that.
Human suffering is a lot more complicated than we would like to believe.
Sin has broken this world in ways that goes way far beyond our understanding.
But at the same time, this story offers comfort because we see that God can and will work to bring good out of challenges and suffering. God works for our good in all things (Romans 8:28)—and he has redeemed us in Christ (Isaiah 43:1-7).
When the works of God shine through all manner of conceivable adversity, he shows in a unique way that he is good and merciful and loves us without limit.
A Prayer to Help Us Understand How Jesus Heals Us
God’s ways and thoughts are not the same as ours (Isaiah 55:8-13).
We can can expend every available ounce of energy and money to try and ‘work’ life out all the time and we’ll run the danger of missing what’s really important.
Healing is a case example.
Prayer for the miraculous can be boxed in, and we may have an agenda for it.
Line up this way, kneel that way, read these words, worship with these tunes, come forward for prayer IF you have true faith, and hold your hands out, etc.
It almost sounds like a pharmacy prescription!
And if nothing supernatural happens, some believers think God has not lifted a finger or a thought to relieve that person’s ordeal. They may refuse medicines in their own lives, too, seeing hordes of tablets, pills, and injections as worldly.
Yet our passage in John 9:1-12 seriously challenges this view.
Let’s take some time here to contemplate what happened.
Jesus rubbed clay into a man’s eyes to heal him!
Why?
What an unusual thing to do.
Other blind men in the Bible were healed by the Lord instantly, without mud on the eyeballs (Mark 10:46-52, Luke 18:35-42).
Jesus said this particular healing would bring glory to God by the works of the Holy Spirit in this man.
That was destiny.
But why did he use mud?
What was Jesus saying by doing this?
He always did things for a reason.
Is there an underlying message here?
I believe there is.
The same Lord God who formed the first man “from the dust of the ground and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life” (Genesis 2:7) used dust, dirt, of the ground to bring life to this blind man’s eyes.
Jesus is reminding us that he is the Creator.
The image of the invisible God with the authority to create and recreate.
He is the master sculptor who uses ordinary things like mud to regenerate.
And, of course, if Christ used clay to heal – how can that be interpreted by the world of modern-day medicine?
If ethically developed, it means that medical treatment is approved by God for our welfare here and now.
Antibiotics, cancer drugs, insulin – all these things are like clay used by God to bring healing to our temporary earthly bodies.
Medicine is essentially the stewardship of the fruits of all God’s creation from the earth reshaped for healing purposes.
That is why we can expend ceaseless amounts of our praise the Lord for non-supernatural, ordinary medicine, as well as miraculous healings from prayer.
So, if your doctor is suggesting a certain medicine today – respect his or her wisdom! Praise the Lord for using clay, the fruits of His creation to bring you healing! And if or as you are healed through prayer – praise Him for that too!
Lastly, whatever your health struggles, never forget the bird song.
Jesus once said (Matthew 10:29) that “not one [sparrow] will fall to the ground outside your Father’s care.” Trust Him.
In the name of God, the Father and God the Son and God the Holy Spirit,
Let us Pray,
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.
Father God – dearest Creator, Healing can seem like a subject too big for my understanding. Thank you for the truth that you look after us here and now through prayers and miraculous healings and via ordinary medicine. I marvel at the fact this body I wear cannot be compared to my future state when you return. 2 Corinthians 5:1 compares it to moving from a tent to a house! What a thought. Your grace is sufficient for me with any thorns in my flesh, here and now. I trust you for your goodness to me. Thank you for your ever-present lovingkindness. In Jesus’ precious name. Amen.
25 With the kind You show Yourself kind; With the [a]blameless You show Yourself blameless; 26 With the pure You show Yourself pure, And with the crooked You show Yourself [b]astute. 27 For You save an afflicted people, But haughty eyes You abase. 28 For You light my lamp; The Lord my God illumines my darkness. 29 For by You I can [c]run upon a troop; And by my God I can leap over a wall.
30 As for God, His way is [d]blameless; The word of the Lord is tried; He is a shield to all who take refuge in Him. 31 For who is God, but the Lord? And who is a rock, except our God, 32 The God who girds me with strength And [e]makes my way [f]blameless? 33 He makes my feet like hinds’ feet, And sets me upon my high places. 34 He trains my hands for battle, So that my arms can bend a bow of bronze. 35 You have also given me the shield of Your salvation, And Your right hand upholds me; And Your [g]gentleness makes me great. 36 You enlarge my steps under me, And my [h]feet have not slipped.
The Word of God for the Children of God.
Glory be to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Ghost; as it was in the beginning, is now, and ever shall be, world without end. Amen, amen.
As David recounts the works of God in his life, he acknowledges that everything comes from the Lord – oil for his lamp, military help, strength to climb a wall.
His great song rises out of his many years of trusting God and seeing him deliver, whether it was when David defeated Goliath with God’s help, five stones and a sling, or when the Lord gave him a hiding place from Saul.
These testing times provided David with a choice; he could trust God to take him through the difficulties or blame him because things weren’t going to plan.
As we read throughout the books of Samuel and Kings, David wasn’t perfect, high energy intrigue, bad decisions, was too often his best friend but he learned from his mistakes and sought after God. And after a long lifetime of seeing God make good on his promises, he wants to attribute all the glory, honor to him.
Our Westernized world is so vastly different from that of David’s. We have the conveniences of modern life such as travel, communication, and technology.
With all of these things making our lives easier (but more complicated), we can be ever so easily tempted to think that we have all of the control over our lives.
But if our hearts are tender towards God, we see that he is the source of all we have and do. Sometimes, however, we only turn to God as a last resort because of disaster, calamity, or sickness and our utter failures to bring control to any.
Today, how can we follow David’s lead in attributing all the glory to the Lord?
Perhaps it is in offering to God that misunderstanding with a friend.
To seek his wisdom when the circumstances of our lives go far off the rails.
To ask him to help us see all those annoying circumstances as he sees them.
To, without any hesitation whatsoever, say thank you when we complete a project, have a joyous time with a loved one, make it to our destination safely.
God’s help is as present today as it was for David.
As we come to learn how, when to trust in him moment by moment, we too will be able to say he has provided for our needs and turned our darkness into light.
A Prayer to See God’s Light in the Darkness
Psalm 18:28 Amplified Bible
28 For You cause my lamp to be lighted and to shine; The Lord my God illumines my darkness.
I sit here at my computer right now, wanting to type, but not really knowing what and how much to say.
So many things, circumstances and places and events and people are on my surgically repaired heart, with so precious little that I know to do to help out.
The world as a whole, as well as our little worlds around us, can look so very bleak, and incomprehensively dark at times – wars and conflicts just abound.
So, I do the only thing I can: I go to God’s Word for reassurance of who He is.
I remind myself of all that He’s done, and I find hope in all that He is able to do.
If you are near or in, those places today, read over this list, mark these verses in your Bible, and know, without a doubt, these things are true and can be trusted:
The Lord is here in our midst (Zephaniah. 3:17).
17 “The Lord your God is in your midst, A Warrior who saves. He will rejoice over you with joy; He will be quiet in His love [making no mention of your past sins], He will rejoice over you with shouts of joy.
In the middle of dark, messy, incredibly painful things.
I know that He illuminates all of the darkness when nothing and no one else can (2 Samuel 22:29).
29 “For You, O Lord, are my lamp; The Lord illumines and dispels my darkness.
I know He will never change, and He is the same yesterday, today, and forever (Hebrews 13:8).
8 Jesus Christ is [eternally changeless, always] the same yesterday and today and forever.
I know that the same Jesus who walked this earth thousands of years ago is here with us now (Matthew 28:20).
18 Jesus came up and said to them, “All authority (all power of absolute rule) in heaven and on earth has been given to Me. 19 Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations [help the people to learn of Me, believe in Me, and obey My words], baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, 20 teaching them to observe everything that I have commanded you; and lo, I am with you always [remaining with you perpetually—regardless of circumstance, and on every occasion], even to the end of the age.”
In our hearts, in our homes, in our day-to-day moments when we invite Him in (Revelation 3:20).
20 Behold, I stand at the door [of the church] and continually knock. If anyone hears My voice and opens the door, I will come in and eat with him (restore him), and he with Me.
I know that with each year that passes the hard things don’t seem to get any less…maybe even more (Ecclesiastes 7:14).
14 In the day of prosperity be joyful, But in the day of adversity consider that God has made the one as well as the other, So that man will not find out anything that will be after him.
And I know that the Lord has sustained me and those I love through them all (Psalm 54:4).
4 Behold, God is my helper and ally; The Lord is the sustainer of my soul [my upholder].
I know that when I am weak, He is strong (2 Corinthians 12:8-10).
8 Concerning this I pleaded with the Lord three times that it might leave me; 9 but He has said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you [My lovingkindness and My mercy are more than enough—always available—regardless of the situation]; for [My] power is being perfected [and is completed and shows itself most effectively] in [your] weakness.” Therefore, I will all the more gladly boast in my weaknesses, so that the power of Christ [may completely enfold me and] may dwell in me. 10 So I am well pleased with weaknesses, with insults, with distresses, with persecutions, and with difficulties, for the sake of Christ; for when I am weak [in human strength], then I am strong [truly able, truly powerful, truly drawing from God’s strength].
That when I am weary, He gives me rest (Matthew 11:28-30).
28 “Come to Me, all who are weary and heavily burdened [by religious rituals that provide no peace], and I will give you rest [refreshing your souls with salvation]. 29 Take My yoke upon you and learn from Me [following Me as My disciple], for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest (renewal, blessed quiet) for your souls. 30 For My yoke is easy [to bear] and My burden is light.”
That when all else fails, He doesn’t (Psalm 121).
121 I will lift up my eyes to the hills [of Jerusalem]— From where shall my help come? 2 My help comes from the Lord, Who made heaven and earth. 3 He will not allow your foot to slip; He who keeps you will not slumber. 4 Behold, He who keeps Israel Will neither slumber [briefly] nor sleep [soundly].
5 The Lord is your keeper; The Lord is your shade on your right hand. 6 The sun will not strike you by day, Nor the moon by night. 7 The Lord will protect you from all evil; He will keep your life. 8 The Lord will guard your going out and your coming in [everything that you do] From this time forth and forever.
I know that when I am afraid, I can trust in Him (Psalm 56:1-4).
56 Be gracious to me, O God, for man has trampled on me; All day long the adversary oppresses and torments me. 2 My enemies have trampled upon me all day long, For they are many who fight proudly against me. 3 When I am afraid, I will put my trust and faith in You. 4 In God, whose word I praise; In God I have put my trust; I shall not fear. What can mere man do to me?
I know that He has been faithful in the past and He will be in the future (Hebrews 10:23).
A New and Living Way
19 Therefore, [a]believers, since we have confidence and full freedom to enter the Holy Place [the place where God dwells] by [means of] the blood of Jesus, 20 by this new and living way which He initiated and opened for us through the veil [as in the Holy of Holies], that is, through His flesh, 21 and since we have a great and wonderful Priest [Who rules] over the house of God, 22 let us approach [God] with a true and sincere heart in unqualified assurance of faith, having had our hearts sprinkled clean from an evil conscience and our bodies washed with pure water. 23 Let us seize and hold tightly the confession of our hope without wavering, for He who promised is reliable and trustworthy and faithful [to His word]; 24 and let us consider [thoughtfully] how we may encourage one another to love and to do good deeds, 25 not forsaking our meeting together [as believers for worship and instruction], as is the habit of some, but encouraging one another; and all the more [faithfully] as you see the day [of Christ’s return] approaching.
I know that He holds all things together…He holds me together (Colossians 1:17).
15 He is the exact living image [the essential manifestation] of the unseen God [the visible representation of the invisible], the firstborn [the preeminent one, the sovereign, and the originator] of all creation. 16 For [a]by Him all things were created in heaven and on earth, [things] visible and invisible, whether thrones or dominions or rulers or authorities; all things were created and exist through Him [that is, by His activity] and for Him. 17 And He Himself existed and is before all things, and in Him all things hold together. [His is the controlling, cohesive force of the universe.] 18 He is also the head [the life-source and leader] of the body, the [b]church; and He is the beginning, [c]the firstborn from the dead, so that He Himself will occupy the first place [He will stand supreme and be preeminent] in everything. 19 For it pleased the Father for all the fullness [of deity—the sum total of His essence, all His perfection, powers, and attributes] to dwell [permanently] in Him (the Son), 20 and through [the intervention of] the Son to reconcile all things to Himself, making peace [with believers] through the blood of His cross; through Him, [I say,] whether things on earth or things in heaven.
I know that His power is made perfect in my weakness (2 Corinthians 12:9).
I know that He bends down to listen when I pray, so I will never stop (Psalm 116:2).
Thanksgiving for Rescue from Death.
116 I love the Lord, because He hears [and continues to hear] My voice and my supplications (my pleas, my cries, my specific needs). 2 Because He has inclined His ear to me, Therefore I will call on Him as long as I live.
I know that He hurts when I hurt (Isaiah63:9).
God’s Ancient Mercies Recalled
7 I will tell of the lovingkindnesses of the Lord, and the praiseworthy deeds of the Lord, According to all that the Lord has done for us, And His great goodness toward the house of Israel, Which He has shown them according to His compassion And according to the abundance of His lovingkindnesses. 8 For He said, “Be assured, they are My people, Sons who will not be faithless.” So He became their Savior [in all their distresses]. 9 In all their distress He was distressed, And the [a]angel of His presence saved them, In His love and in His compassion He redeemed them; And He lifted them up and carried them all the days of old.
I know that He wants all of us to come to Him (1 Timothy 2:4).
A Call to Prayer
2 First of all, then, I urge that petitions (specific requests), prayers, intercessions (prayers for others) and thanksgivings be offered on behalf of all people, 2 for [a]kings and all who are in [positions of] high authority, so that we may live a peaceful and quiet life in all godliness and dignity. 3 This [kind of praying] is good and acceptable and pleasing in the sight of God our Savior, 4 who [b]wishes all people to be saved and to come to the knowledge and recognition of the [divine] truth.
I know that He created me with a purpose that every situation in my life is a part of (Ephesians 2:10).
10 For we are His workmanship [His own master work, a work of art], created in Christ Jesus [reborn from above—spiritually transformed, renewed, ready to be used] for good works, which God prepared [for us] beforehand [taking paths which He set], so that we would walk in them [living the good life which He prearranged and made ready for us].
I know that He fights for me if I will only be still (Exodus 14:14).
The Sea Is Divided
13 Then Moses said to the people, “Do not be afraid! Take your stand [be firm and confident and undismayed] and see the salvation of the Lord which He will accomplish for you today; for those Egyptians whom you have seen today, you will never see again. 14 The Lord will fight for you while you [only need to] keep silent and remain calm.”
I know that He is the Rock I can build my life on (Psalm 18:2).
18 “I love You [fervently and devotedly], O Lord, my strength.” 2 The Lord is my rock, my fortress, and the One who rescues me; My God, my rock and strength in whom I trust and take refuge; My shield, and the horn of my salvation, my high tower—my stronghold.
I know that if I grow my roots down into Him my faith will not be shaken when hard things come (Jeremiah 17:7-8).
5 Thus says the Lord, “Cursed is the man who trusts in and relies on mankind, Making [weak, faulty human] flesh his strength, And whose mind and heart turn away from the Lord. 6 “For he will be like a shrub in the [parched] desert; And shall not see prosperity when it comes, But shall live in the rocky places of the wilderness, In an uninhabited salt land. 7 “Blessed [with spiritual security] is the man who believes and trusts in and relies on the Lord And whose hope and confident expectation is the Lord. 8 “For he will be [nourished] like a tree planted by the waters, That spreads out its roots by the river; And will not fear the heat when it comes; But its leaves will be green and moist. And it will not be anxious and concerned in a year of drought Nor stop bearing fruit.
I know that the work I do for Him is not in vain (1 Corinthians 15:57-58).
57 but thanks be to God, who gives us the victory [as conquerors] through our Lord Jesus Christ.
58 Therefore, my beloved brothers and sisters, be steadfast, immovable, always excelling in the work of the Lord [always doing your best and doing more than is needed], being continually aware that your labor [even to the point of exhaustion] in the Lord is not futile nor wasted [it is never without purpose].
I know that He’s real (Romans 1:19).
Unbelief and Its Consequences
18 For [God does not overlook sin and] the wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men who in their wickedness suppress and stifle the truth, 19 because that which is known about God is evident within them [in their inner consciousness], for God made it evident to them.
I know that His Word is Truth (2 Timothy 3:16-17).
14 But as for you, continue in the things that you have learned and of which you are convinced [holding tightly to the truths], knowing from whom you learned them, 15 and how from childhood you have known the sacred writings (Hebrew Scriptures) which are able to give you the wisdom that leads to salvation through faith which is in Christ Jesus [surrendering your entire self to Him and having absolute confidence in His wisdom, power and goodness]. 16 All Scripture is God-breathed [given by divine inspiration] and is profitable for instruction, for conviction [of sin], for correction [of error and restoration to obedience], for training in righteousness [learning to live in conformity to God’s will, both publicly and privately—behaving honorably with personal integrity and moral courage]; 17 so that the [a]man of God may be complete and proficient, outfitted and thoroughly equipped for every good work.
I know that He can make impossible situations possible (Mark 10:27), unbearable situations bearable, and the unthinkable thinkable.
24 The disciples were [a]amazed and bewildered by His words. But Jesus said to them again, “Children, how difficult it is [for those who place their hope and confidence in riches] to enter the kingdom of God! 25 It is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for a rich man [who places his faith in wealth or status] to enter the kingdom of God.” 26 They were completely and utterly astonished, and said to Him, “Then who can be saved [from the wrath of God]?” 27 Looking at them, Jesus said, “With people [as far as it depends on them] it is impossible, but not with God; for all things are possible with God.”
I know that He will be with us wherever we go, that we don’t have to be afraid (Joshua 1:9). Ever.
7 Only be strong and very courageous; be careful to do [everything] in accordance with the entire law which Moses My servant commanded you; do not turn from it to the right or to the left, so that you may prosper and be successful wherever you go. 8 This Book of the Law shall not depart from your mouth, but you shall read [and meditate on] it day and night, so that you may be careful to do [everything] in accordance with all that is written in it; for then you will make your way prosperous, and then you will be [a]successful. 9 Have I not commanded you? Be strong and courageous! Do not be terrified or dismayed (intimidated), for the Lord your God is with you wherever you go.”
I know that He is the light of the world and darkness cannot overcome Him (John 1:5).
The Deity of Jesus Christ
1 In the beginning [before all time] was the Word ([a]Christ), and the Word was with God, and [b]the Word was God Himself. 2 He was [continually existing] in the beginning [co-eternally] with God. 3 All things were made and came into existence through Him; and without Him not even one thing was made that has come into being. 4 In Him was life [and the power to bestow life], and the life was the Light of men. 5 The Light shines on in the [c]darkness, and the darkness did not understand it or overpower it or appropriate it or absorb it [and is unreceptive to it].
And you can know these scriptural truths too. John 14:5-6
5 Thomas said to Him, “Lord, we do not know where You are going; so how can we know the way?” 6 Jesus said to him, “[a]I am the [only] Way [to God] and the [real] Truth and the [real] Life; no one comes to the Father but through Me.
In the verse from Psalm 18:28 at the top, David said “my God” and “my darkness” because they were his personally.
We all have dark places at times.
Hard things can leave us feeling lost and unseen.
But you are not lost, and you are not unseen by Jesus.
He is the light you are looking for.
He is the One, the only One who can make things right in your world.
Neither you nor I don’t sit alone in those hard places.
Call out to Jesus, your personal Savior, to bring you out of the darkness and into the light with Him-in the fullest assurance, I fully know He will meet you there.
In the name of God, the Father and God the Son and God the Holy Spirit,
Let us Pray,
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.
Dear Jesus, Life can feel so very dark at times, not just for the world around me but for me personally. Help me to turn my eyes to you, to remember the truth of who you are, and to put my hope in you and your Word. Thank you for lighting up my darkness and meeting me where I am.Yours, Lord, is the greatness and the power and the glory and the majesty and the splendor, for everything in heaven and earth is yours.
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.
18 Now as Jesus was walking by the Sea of Galilee, He saw two brothers, Simon who was called Peter, and Andrew his brother, casting a net into the sea; for they were fishermen. 19 And He *said to them, “[a]Follow Me, and I will make you fishers of men.” 20 Immediately they left their nets and followed Him. 21 Going on from there He saw two other brothers, [b]James the son of Zebedee, and [c]John his brother, in the boat with Zebedee their father, mending their nets; and He called them. 22 Immediately they left the boat and their father, and followed Him.
Ministry in Galilee
23 Jesus was going throughout all Galilee, teaching in their synagogues and proclaiming the [d]gospel of the kingdom, and healing every kind of disease and every kind of sickness among the people.
24 The news about Him spread throughout all Syria; and they brought to Him all who were ill, those suffering with various diseases and pains, demoniacs, [e] epileptics, paralytics; and He healed them. 25 Large crowds followed Him from Galilee and the Decapolis and Jerusalem and Judea and from beyond the Jordan.
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 Jesus quietly walked by the Sea of Galilee, he faced them, he called his disciples, he issued an invitation that went far beyond mere companionship.
He called for a radical commitment to follow him immediately, completely.
This call echoes through time, age to age, generation to generation extending to us as his devoted followers today, urging us to embrace the path of discipleship.
Discipleship is significantly more than attending church, learning about Jesus.
It is a transformative journey of surrender, obedience, and growth.
Just as he called his first disciples to follow him, Jesus invites us to do the same.
This might even mean changing the work we do.
This might mean looking at our own family members differently whether they be our spouses, or our in-laws, and our children and even our grand-children.
This might even mean looking at people (even complete strangers) differently.
This might even mean we have to do something we do not necessarily like to do and that is get into the middle of someone else’s life in the name of Jesus Christ!
The main point is to let go of pursuits that would hinder our devotion to him.
Our aim as disciples is to follow our Master by living out his teachings.
Through an intimate relationship with Jesus, we are transformed into his likeness and empowered to make an impact for good in the world around us.
Discipleship isn’t without its exceedingly great challenges, but it also offers abundant life and eternal purpose. We discover the joy of knowing Jesus deeply, experiencing his presence, and becoming agents of the harvest of his kingdom.
In this context our faith is refined, our character is shaped, and our lives bear lasting fruit and by the fruitful witness of our character, someone else is God’s.
Today let’s shake the trees of someone else’s heart and soul a little bit harder, walk onto someone’s beach front, call out to them to leave their cultural nets behind them, and just respond to Jesus’ call with wholehearted commitment.
And may our lives testify, witness, to his love, grace, and transformative power.
In the name of God, the Father and God the Son and God the Holy Spirit,
Let us Pray,
Lord Jesus, My ever living Savior Jesus, thank you for your summons to discipleship. Transform us with your love to follow you faithfully, knowing you are with us. Amen.
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.
28 Now after the Sabbath, as it began to dawn toward the first day of the week, Mary Magdalene and the other Mary came to look at the grave. 2 And behold, a severe earthquake had occurred, for an angel of the Lord descended from heaven and came and rolled away the stone and sat upon it. 3 And his appearance was like lightning, and his clothing as white as snow. 4 The guards shook for fear of him and became like dead men. 5 The angel said to the women, “[a]Do not be afraid; for I know that you are looking for Jesus who has been crucified. 6 He is not here, for He has risen, just as He said. Come, see the place where He was lying. 7 Go quickly and tell His disciples that He has risen from the dead; and behold, He is going ahead of you into Galilee, there you will see Him; behold, I have told you.”
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.
Happy Easter!
The morning has indeed come – exactly as it has since the beginning when God created the heavens and the earth and gave his everlasting order unto the earth.
Early on that first Easter morning, just before the sunrise, some of the same women who had stood weeping at the cross quietly made their way through the narrow streets of Jerusalem to the garden where their Jesus had been buried.
Their eyes were heavy with tears.
Their whole world had come to an abrupt halt.
Their dreams had been shattered.
The one on whom they had placed their hope was dead.
They had seen it with their own eyes.
They had witnessed his crucifixion.
The jeers of the people who had told Jesus to come off the cross and save himself were still ringing in their ears.
Jesus’ friends had not understood his cry: “It is finished!”
All they knew was that their beloved Master and Teacher was dead.
The women were going now to embalm the body of their Lord.
They wondered how they would remove the large stone at the tomb’s entrance.
But as they got ever closer to the grave, one miracle followed another.
They found the stone rolled away and an angel sitting on top of it.
Why was the stone rolled away?
As scholars have noted, it was not to let Jesus out, but to show everyone else that he was no longer inside.
He has risen!
And that makes all the difference in the world.
In a world with so many cemeteries, where death always seems to have the last word and laugh, Jesus has conquered death. Knowing that changes everything.
Celebrate, We Will!
John 3:26-30 New American Standard Bible 1995
26 And they came to John and said to him, “Rabbi, He who was with you beyond the Jordan, to whom you have testified, behold, He is baptizing and all are coming to Him.” 27 John answered and said, “A man can receive nothing unless it has been given him from heaven. 28 You yourselves [a]are my witnesses that I said, ‘I am not the [b]Christ,’ but, ‘I have been sent ahead of Him.’ 29 He who has the bride is the bridegroom; but the friend of the bridegroom, who stands and hears him, rejoices greatly because of the bridegroom’s voice. So this joy of mine has been made full. 30 He must increase, but I must decrease.
“He must increase, but I must decrease!”
As we have just walked through the Easter season, looking at Jesus and His life, I find myself so often wondering what it would have been like for me to be there watching his life happen, watching this incredible drama unfold before my eyes.
We read through the length and breadth of all of Scripture and we glimpse into the amazing things about Jesus’ life and all that happened to those around him.
I get chills when I think about watching his display of love, grace, truth sharing, his measured obedience to whatever his Heavenly Father directed him to do.
So, each Easter season, I find myself in a posture of awe and wonder.
The hope-filled joy of knowing who holds the pen to the pages of my life and who walks alongside me through all my seasons. This my friends, is good news.
If you are like me, I simply love thinking of Jesus’s whole life, not just his years of ministry.
I can hardly imagine watching Jesus take his first steps as a wobbly toddler or watching him walk up to be baptized by John the Baptist or to see him feed the 5,000, or to have the honor of hearing Him teach the Sermon on the Mount.
All of these amazing things we hear and picture but wow, to actually see them in the flesh sounds like such a gift, a gift that I’d give just about anything to see.
And while that would be an amazing gift, I am ever so reminded that we have the greatest gift of living on this side of the cross.
This side of the cross allows his Spirit to live inside you and me, this side of the cross is where death has no more sting.
The gift of living on this side of the cross is a gift that we cannot overlook.
We have the Word of God in written form that at anytime we are able to dig into it to learn more about who our Creator is, what his son’s life was really like, and exactly why we needed a Savior to take our place.
It’s sitting in that awe and wonder that I am reminded of one of my favorite verses, one that has changed my life forever:
John 3:30. “He must increase, but I must decrease.”
These are seven life-changing, powerful, needed words spoken by John the Baptist.
These seven words continue to be a reminder to me of the gift Jesus is to all of us daily.
Because of Jesus and His life we are able to live our lives in the posture of decrease so that our lives increase in Him.
How amazing is that?
Our Heavenly Father sent His perfect, sinless son Jesus to come and take on the penalty of all we would ever do just so we would have the opportunity to be made right with Him and live eternally together.
This leaves me speechless!
Jesus had to come and take on all you and I would ever do so we could be eternally right with God forever.
He had to.
What a powerful, all-consuming love story this is and it’s freely offered to you and me and, without exception, the rest of humanity – for all the ages to come.
We get the choice to accept Christ and all His life was, is, and is to come.
Because, Jesus’s life, death, and resurrection is what tethers us all to eternity.
Without one part of it, there would be no opportunity to have the gift of grace and mercy.
There is no defeated grave without the cross.
The sheer magnitude of John 3:30 carries so much importance of who Jesus is and what His life means to us.
Everything He calls us to is so that our lives would be ones that soak up all of the goodness of God and all that He has for us, this means we have to decrease.
His life calls us to not be afraid to pick up our cross and follow Him.
It calls us to love Him more than anyone or anything and walk to always hand in hand with His spirit as we point others back to Him.
This is what an increase of Christ looks like in our lives.
When we die to self to make Him known. This is what we get invited into, and this my sweet friends is something to forever celebrate and celebrate we will!
In the name of God, the Father and God the Son and God the Holy Spirit,
Let us celebrate with Prayer,
Psalm 146 New American Standard Bible 1995
The Lord an Abundant Helper.
146 [a]Praise [b]the Lord! Praise the Lord, O my soul! 2 I will praise the Lord while I live; I will sing praises to my God while I have my being. 3 Do not trust in princes, In [c]mortal man, in whom there is no salvation. 4 His spirit departs, he returns to [d]the earth; In that very day his thoughts perish. 5 How blessed is he whose help is the God of Jacob, Whose hope is in the Lord his God, 6 Who made heaven and earth, The sea and all that is in them; Who keeps [e]faith forever; 7 Who executes justice for the oppressed; Who gives food to the hungry. The Lord sets the prisoners free.
8 The Lord opens the eyes of the blind; The Lord raises up those who are bowed down; The Lord loves the righteous; 9 The Lord [f]protects the [g]strangers; He [h]supports the fatherless and the widow, But He [i]thwarts the way of the wicked. 10 The Lord will reign forever, Your God, O Zion, to all generations. [j]Praise [k]the Lord!
Glory be to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Ghost; as it was in the beginning, is now, and ever shall be, world without end. Amen, amen.
Loving God, Living God, Loving Hope, Living Hope, Loving Living Life His Way! "Many things are possible for the person who has hope. Even more is possible for the person who has faith. And still more is possible for the person who knows how to love. But everything is possible for the person who practices all three virtues." - Brother Lawrence (1605-1691), Practicing the Presence of God (1692). 