Tag: christianity

While we are all too busy going our own ways, following the tunes of our own heart beats and ignoring others’, Are we Hearing the Heartbeat Of God? 1 Samuel 13:13-14

1 Samuel 13:13-14 The Message

13-14 “That was a fool thing to do,” Samuel said to Saul. “If you had kept the appointment that your God commanded, by now God would have set a firm and lasting foundation under your kingly rule over Israel. As it is, your kingly rule is already falling to pieces. God is out looking for your replacement right now. This time he’ll do the choosing. When he finds him, he’ll appoint him leader of his people. And all because you didn’t keep your appointment with God!”

The Word of God for the Children of God.

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

Have you ever laid your head down on top of someone’s chest and heard their heartbeat.

If you were to do that you had to be pretty close to the individual whose heart you heard.

Unless you were a Doctor or a Nurse or a related healthcare professional, You don’t just go up to someone on the street and say “May I listen to your heart?”

I can only begin to imagine the wild array and diversity of words and phrases that would come spewing out of peoples mouths in that moment of intrusion.

Many quote 1 Samuel 16:7 and say that David is a man after God’s heart but never tell us clearly what the heartbeat sounds like.

1 Samuel 16:7 The Message

7 But God told Samuel, “Looks aren’t everything. Don’t be impressed with his looks and stature. I’ve already eliminated him. God judges persons differently than humans do. Men and women look at the face; God looks into the heart.”

I want to do the best I can to try and help you the reader along with laying our heads on God the Fathers Chest, trying to hear His heartbeat over our very own.

What is God’s desire, what does He really want?

What do we learn as we hear the heartbeat of God?

The heartbeat of God is the heart of man.

Mark 7:14-23 The Message

14-15 Jesus called the crowd together again and said, “Listen now, all of you—take this to heart. It’s not what you swallow that pollutes your life; it’s what you vomit—that’s the real pollution.”

17 When he was back home after being with the crowd, his disciples said, “We don’t get it. Put it in plain language.”

18-19 Jesus said, “Are you being willfully stupid? Don’t you see that what you swallow can’t contaminate you? It doesn’t enter your heart but your stomach, works its way through the intestines, and is finally flushed.” (That took care of dietary quibbling; Jesus was saying that all foods are fit to eat.)

20-23 He went on: “It’s what comes out of a person that pollutes: obscenities, lusts, thefts, murders, adulteries, greed, depravity, deceptive dealings, carousing, mean looks, slander, arrogance, foolishness—all these are vomit from the heart. There is the source of your pollution.”

I. God desires men and women’s hearts

Why is Go so concerned with our hearts.

Is it just that God is a completely selfish tyrant that believes it belongs only to Him?

The answer is Yes and no.

As our creator our hearts belong to Him first and foremost.

It is not merely for Him that he desires our hearts.

Listen Closely to the words of Jesus.

Mark 7: 21-23 “For from within, out of the heart of men, proceed the evil thoughts, fornications, thefts, murders, adulteries, deeds of coveting and wickedness, as well as deceit sensuality, envy slander, pride and foolishness. All these evil things proceeds from within and defile the man.”

Jesus just gave the reason for evil in the World of man it is the hear t of man.

It is evil.

Jesus clearly told us why our upward, outward relationships are out of whack.

A) The Upward and Outward

Mark 12:28-34

Mark 12:28-34 The Message

The Most Important Commandment

28 One of the religion scholars came up. Hearing the lively exchanges of question and answer and seeing how sharp Jesus was in his answers, he put in his question: “Which is most important of all the commandments?”

29-31 Jesus said, “The first in importance is, ‘Listen, Israel: The Lord your God is one; so love the Lord God with all your passion and prayer and intelligence and energy.’ And here is the second: ‘Love others as well as you love yourself.’ There is no other commandment that ranks with these.”

32-33 The religion scholar said, “A wonderful answer, Teacher! So clear-cut and accurate—that God is one and there is no other. And loving him with all passion and intelligence and energy, and loving others as well as you love yourself. Why, that’s better than all offerings and sacrifices put together!”

34 When Jesus realized how insightful he was, he said, “You’re almost there, right on the border of God’s kingdom.”

After that, no one else dared ask a question.

If you remember the story a group of Pharisees, Sadducees, and scribes were trying to trap Jesus.

Now think about this with me.

If he were a man wouldn’t it have been terribly easy for them to trip Jesus up.

I mean this was a carpenter’s son.

Don’t Forget He is the Son of God.

One man asked him what some believe to be a sincere question.

What is the foremost commandment of all?

Jesus’ answer reflected Moses’ plus Leviticus: Hear O Israel, the Lord is one God Love Him with your all. All you heart, soul, mind, and strength. The second Is this, you shall love you neighbor as yourself, there is no other commandment greater.

It is clear and has been said that Jesus summarized the ten commandments.

He clearly showed us that our upward relationship to God must be right for our outward relationships to be right.

A relationship with God does not create murder, evil thought, theft, adultery, envy, deceit, pride or foolishness.

Are you at the end of your rope in your relationship with your husband, with you wife, with you children, friends, co-workers.

Realize if they are not a Christian then you have the very great opportunity of showing them what a real God can do for relationships.

B) The Kingdom of God

The Upward is where Matthew talks of the Kingdom of God.

The phrase Kingdom of God or Kingdom of Heaven is used more than 100 times in the New Testament.

The word Kingdom comes from a Greek word that means not territory but means dominion.

So we see that the domain of God is the heart.

The throne of the King of Kings is the heart of those who believe.

Why is this so important.

He is also the wonderful counselor, professional sessions every minute of every day. He is the prince of peace. For the peace of heart and mind He must sit on the throne. He is the Mighty God. The Great Physician. On and on we could Go.

If Jesus were authentically in complete dominion of all the hearts of churches there would be no division or rancor, no chaotic competition with our culture because there is One Lord, One Baptism, one Mission, The Kingdom of God.

That is what Home for you Heart for the world is about.

John 14:15-17 The Message

The Spirit of Truth

15-17 “If you love me, show it by doing what I’ve told you. I will talk to the Father, and he’ll provide you another Friend so that you will always have someone with you. This Friend is the Spirit of Truth. The godless world can’t take him in because it doesn’t have eyes to see him, doesn’t know what to look for. But you know him already because he has been staying with you, and will even be in you!

Letting God be at home within us so that our hearts will be shaped, reshaped and slowly, but inevitably transformed to care for others being our neighbors.

Romans 12:1-2 The Message

Place Your Life Before God

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

Transformation: Hearts of Stone into Hearts of Flesh

Ezekiel 36:26-28 The Message

24-28 “‘For here’s what I’m going to do: I’m going to take you out of these countries, gather you from all over, and bring you back to your own land. I’ll pour pure water over you and scrub you clean. I’ll give you a new heart, put a new spirit in you. I’ll remove the stone heart from your body and replace it with a heart that’s God-willed, not self-willed. I’ll put my Spirit in you and make it possible for you to do what I tell you and live by my commands. You’ll once again live in the land I gave your ancestors. You’ll be my people! I’ll be your God!

A Heart of Truth:

1 Timothy 2:4-7 The Message

4-7 He wants not only us but everyone saved, you know, everyone to get to know the truth we’ve learned: that there’s one God and only one, and one Priest-Mediator between God and us—Jesus, who offered himself in exchange for everyone held captive by sin, to set them all free. Eventually the news is going to get out. This and this only has been my appointed work: getting this news to those who have never heard of God, and explaining how it works by simple faith and plain truth.

This is an anonymous quote,

“The relationship between truth and holiness is similar to that between light and Vision. Light cannot create an eye or give a blind eye vision, but It is essential to seeing. Wherever light penetrates, it dissipates darkness and brings everything into view. In a similar manner, truth cannot regenerate or impart spiritual life, but it is essential to the practice of holiness. Wherever truth penetrates, it dissipates error and reveals everything for what it really is.”

When we have hearts of truth we see things as God sees them.

We no longer laugh at sin we hate sin. I don’t know about you but the longer I live the more uncomfortable I become in this world.

It seems that there is enormous untruth many places we turn.

The news media, social media, politicians, religious people, and ministers too.

God desires to create in us a heart of truth so that through our lives he can use us to reveal untruth to others.

A heart that is filled with truth will know mercy and will know forgiveness.

B) A Heart of forgiveness

I would say mercy and forgiveness is the long forgotten fruit of Christians.

Jesus on the Cross “father forgive them for they do not know what they do.”

I have the secret to all the problems in the church as well as our Christian lives;

Colossians 3:12-14 The Message

12-14 So, chosen by God for this new life of love, dress in the wardrobe God picked out for you: compassion, kindness, humility, quiet strength, discipline. Be even-tempered, content with second place, quick to forgive an offense. Forgive as quickly and completely as the Master forgave you. And regardless of what else you put on, wear love. It’s your basic, all-purpose garment. Never be without it.

A man named John Oglethorpe, while talking to John Wesley, once made the comment, ‘I never forgive.”

Mr. Wesley wisely replied, “Then Sir, I hope you never sin either.”

A heart of un-forgiveness cannot know the great God of mercy and grace.

Un-forgiveness starts out as a fortress yet ultimately becomes a prison with bars of bitterness and chains of hatred.

A heart filled with forgiveness will be a heart that yearns to serve.

C) A Heart of service

Acts 13:16-22 The Message

16-20 Paul stood up, paused and took a deep breath, then said, “Fellow Israelites and friends of God, listen. God took a special interest in our ancestors, pulled our people who were beaten down in Egyptian exile to their feet, and led them out of there in grand style. He took good care of them for nearly forty years in that godforsaken wilderness and then, having wiped out seven enemies who stood in the way, gave them the land of Canaan for their very own—a span in all of about 450 years.

20-22 “Up to the time of Samuel the prophet, God provided judges to lead them. But then they asked for a king, and God gave them Saul, son of Kish, out of the tribe of Benjamin. After Saul had ruled forty years, God removed him from office and put King David in his place, with this commendation: ‘I’ve searched the land and found this David, son of Jesse. He’s a man whose heart beats to my heart, a man who will do what I tell him.’

What does it mean to serve God.

What does it mean to have a heart of service.

It means no matter the cost no matter the distance we do God’s will.

The late 19th century Evangelist Reverend DL Moody once said, “The measure of a man is not how many servants he has, but how many men he serves.”

III. God desires to deploy people after His own heart

Romans 10:8-10 New American Standard Bible 1995

8 But what does it say? “The word is near you, in your mouth and in your heart” —that is, the word of faith which we are preaching, 9 [a]that if you confess with your mouth Jesus as Lord, and believe in your heart that God raised Him from the dead, you will be saved; 10 for with the heart a person believes, [b] resulting in righteousness, and with the mouth he confesses, [c] resulting in salvation.

Romans 10:10 “For with the heart a person believes resulting in righteousness. and with the mouth he confesses, resulting in salvation.”

A heart for the world begins with hearing the heart of God.

So God desires our hearts to always be ready, willing and able to serve so he can create in us a new heart of truth, true mercy forgiveness, and authentic service.

He is telling us in His word we should redeem the time for the days are evil.

Matthew 24:42-51 New American Standard Bible 1995

Be Ready for His Coming

42 “Therefore be on the alert, for you do not know which day your Lord is coming. 43 But [a]be sure of this, that if the head of the house had known at what time of the night the thief was coming, he would have been on the alert and would not have allowed his house to be [b]broken into. 44 For this reason you also must be ready; for the Son of Man is coming at an hour when you do not think He will.

45 “Who then is the faithful and sensible slave whom his [c]master put in charge of his household to give them their food at the proper time? 46 Blessed is that slave whom his [d]master finds so doing when he comes. 47 Truly I say to you that he will put him in charge of all his possessions. 48 But if that evil slave says in his heart, ‘My [e]master [f]is not coming for a long time,’ 49 and begins to beat his fellow slaves and eat and drink with drunkards; 50 the [g]master of that slave will come on a day when he does not expect him and at an hour which he does not know, 51 and will  [h]cut him in pieces and [i]assign him a place with the hypocrites; in that place there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.

He is saying to all of our Churches: “I have appointed you for such a time as this.”

Just as an Army Ranger is told Go before they repel or parachute out of some air craft. Just as Air Force pilots are given the go ahead , just as marines are told go as they take to the field of battle, Navies sets sails. God has clearly told us to Go!

The real heart of God is the kingdom of God. The rule of God in the hearts, minds, and lives of people. Lord’s prayer, your kingdom come, your will be done, on earth as it is in heaven.

Conclusion:

The heartbeat of God is the heart of man.

It was in Jesus Christ that this good news really was communicated clearly.

Mark 1:14-17 New American Standard Bible 1995

Jesus Preaches in Galilee

14 Now after John had been [a]taken into custody, Jesus came into Galilee, [b] preaching the gospel of God, 15 and saying, “The time is fulfilled, and the kingdom of God [c]is at hand; repent and [d]believe in the gospel.”

16 As He was going along by the Sea of Galilee, He saw Simon and Andrew, the brother of Simon, casting a net in the sea; for they were fishermen. 17 And Jesus said to them, “Follow Me, and I will make you become fishers of men.”

Acknowledgement in our hearts to the summons from God; the Good news will come easily from your lips, when Jesus Christ reigns completely in your heart.

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

Let us Pray,

Psalm 61 New American Standard Bible 1995

Confidence in God’s Protection.

For the choir director; on a stringed instrument. A Psalm of David.

61 Hear my cry, O God;
Give heed to my prayer.
2 From the end of the earth I call to You when my heart is faint;
Lead me to the rock that is higher than I.
3 For You have been a refuge for me,
A tower of strength [a]against the enemy.
4 Let me [b]dwell in Your tent forever;
Let me take refuge in the shelter of Your wings. [c]Selah.

5 For You have heard my vows, O God;
You have given me the inheritance of those who fear Your name.
6 You will [d]prolong the king’s [e]life;
His years will be as many generations.
7 He will [f]abide before God forever;
Appoint lovingkindness and truth that they may preserve him.
8 So I will sing praise to Your name forever,
That I may pay my vows day by day.

How is your heart today?

Why is your heart feeling like it is today?

Where is your heart today?

Why is your located where it is today?

We can never have a heart for the world if God is not home in ours!!

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.

https://translate.google.com/

There is a Tension inside our Camps; The Church: God’s Imperfect People. Act 6:1-6

Acts 6:1-6 New Living Translation

Seven Men Chosen to Serve

6 But as the believers[a] rapidly multiplied, there were rumblings of discontent. The Greek-speaking believers complained about the Hebrew-speaking believers, saying that their widows were being discriminated against in the daily distribution of food.

2 So the Twelve called a meeting of all the believers. They said, “We apostles should spend our time teaching the word of God, not running a food program. 3 And so, brothers, select seven men who are well respected and are full of the Spirit and wisdom. We will give them this responsibility. 4 Then we apostles can spend our time in prayer and teaching the word.”

5 Everyone liked this idea, and they chose the following: Stephen (a man full of faith and the Holy Spirit), Philip, Procorus, Nicanor, Timon, Parmenas, and Nicolas of Antioch (an earlier convert to the Jewish faith). 6 These seven were presented to the apostles, who prayed for them as they laid their hands on them.

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.

There is definitely Tension inside our Camps

We don’t often enjoy tension. Whether it’s in an organization, a business, a family, a friendship, or even a church, tension can really mess with things. But what if we can each refocus the tension and see if it creates a new opportunity?

Things were getting a bit tense in the fast-growing group of Jesus’ followers.

Feelings were hurt, some people were left out, and some of them began to complain.

Another word for this is “grumbling.”

If you have heard the story of God’s people wandering in the desert after being freed from Egypt, you know that it did not take long for them to start grumbling (Exodus 16).

What unfolds in this moment in Acts 6 is an opportunity to decentralize the responsibilities of serving. The community has grown so large that it’s time to appoint leaders who can help take care of some needs that aren’t being met.

When we take time to pray in the tension, we are able to see new opportunities.

Ecclesiastes 3:9-13 New Living Translation

9 What do people really get for all their hard work? 10 I have seen the burden God has placed on us all. 11 Yet God has made everything beautiful for its own time. He has planted eternity in the human heart, but even so, people cannot see the whole scope of God’s work from beginning to end. 12 So I concluded there is nothing better than to be happy and enjoy ourselves as long as we can. 13 And people should eat and drink and enjoy the fruits of their labor, for these are gifts from God.

It’s easy to grumble.

It is easy to keep grumbling-grumbling has its own unique kind of momentum.

It’s also easy to find some people to grumble with.

It is easy too to form social clubs or social media chats to encourage world wide grumbling and in the process get everything more confused than it needs to be.

But if we step back and look at things from another angle, not ever our own but God’s alone, we might see grace, an opportunity to start something beautiful.

Too often in my life I have let the grumbling dictate the bulk of my actions and let my behaviors get in the way of what God may want to teach or reveal to me.

How can we take a few steps back and reframe what we are going through?

What new Kingdom of God things might arise from the mounting tension?

The Church: God’s Imperfect People

Acts 6:1-6 Easy-to-Read Version

Seven Men Chosen for a Special Work

6 More and more people were becoming followers of Jesus. But during this same time, the Greek-speaking followers began to complain against the other Jewish followers. They said that their widows were not getting their share of what the followers received every day. 2 The twelve apostles called the whole group of followers together.

The apostles said to them, “It would not be right for us to give up our work of teaching God’s word in order to be in charge of getting food to people. 3 So, brothers and sisters, choose seven of your men who have a good reputation. They must be full of wisdom and the Spirit. We will give them this work to do. 4 Then we can use all our time to pray and to teach the word of God.”

5 The whole group liked the idea. So they chose these seven men: Stephen (a man with great faith and full of the Holy Spirit), Philip,[a] Prochorus, Nicanor, Timon, Parmenas, and Nicolaus (a man from Antioch who had become a Jew). 6 Then they put these men before the apostles, who prayed and laid their hands on them.[b]

As I prepared for this devotional, I thought about the children’s story Goldilocks and the Three Bears.

Now Goldilocks and the Three Bears was not my favorite childhood story.

However, I thought about all the tensions that Goldilocks went through when she encountered the bears’ environment:

This porridge was too hot, this porridge was too cold. This bed was too hard, this bed was too soft. Having found the right porridge and right bed, she did not enjoy her stay too long because a situation filled with conflict confronted her in the form of the arrival of three unhappy and surprised bears and she took off.

I think that it safe to say that sometimes we the public have the same kind of terse feelings about the church just like Goldilocks had about the bears’ home.

On the one hand, we love the church and can’t live without her. On the other hand, we find sermons long and boring, the music either too old or too new, the people too friendly or too cold, the theology of the pastor too left or too right.

On one hand, we turn to the church in times of crisis and need to hear a word of hope. On the other hand, when things are going well the church seems to be an interruption and we find her message a bit disconcerting and uncomfortable.

On one hand, we expect the church, to be all things to all people all the time. On the other hand, we sometimes feel inconvenienced when we are asked to help.

Ideologically, theologically, philosophically, even politically, we all have mixed feelings about the church.

Why is that?

Well for one reason, the spiritual nature of the church.

The church is not a for profit organization. It is the called of God, the ecclesia.

The church deals more than just with a financial statements, business matters, and programming issues. It deals with deeper matters of our hearts and souls.

And those matters of the heart and soul are all about attitude, about priorities, about thoughts and behaviors.

Matters that go to the very core of our humanity. Matters that cannot be redesigned by engineering departments or discussed with human resources.

Another reason that we all have mixed feelings about the church has to do with conflict. It seems that when conflict rears its ugly head, we begin to have second third and fourth thoughts about the stability, purpose and role of the church.

Why is that?

Perhaps we expect the church to be conflict free.

Maybe we assume that once we are saved, then everything is all right and that there is no more conflict. That’s the ideal but not even close to being the real.

Or maybe we feel that conflict is “sinful” or we are too deep and steadfast in our righteousness and that to admit to conflict is to admit that we are not perfect.

Isaiah 53:6 Amplified Bible

6 
All of us like sheep have gone astray,
We have turned, each one, to his own way;
But the Lord has caused the wickedness of us all [our sin, our injustice, our wrongdoing]
To fall on Him [instead of us].

Not all conflict is wrong.

Some conflict is present because of the reality of good and evil in this world.

Which very much involves the church.

Unstoppable Tension! ‘Growth Can Cause Problems!’ 

Acts 6:1-6 Amplified Bible

Choosing of the Seven

6 Now about this time, when the number of disciples was increasing, a complaint was made by the [a]Hellenists (Greek-speaking Jews) against the [[b]native] Hebrews, because their widows were being overlooked in the daily serving of food.  2 So the [c]Twelve called the disciples together and said, “It is not appropriate for us to neglect [teaching] the word of God in order to serve tables and manage the distribution of food. 3 Therefore, brothers, choose from among you seven men with good reputations [men of godly character and moral integrity], full of the Spirit and of wisdom, whom we may put in charge of this task. 4 But we will [continue to] devote ourselves [steadfastly] to prayer and to the ministry of the word.” 5 The suggestion pleased the whole congregation; and they selected [d]Stephen, a man full of faith [in Christ Jesus], and [filled with and led by] the Holy Spirit, and Philip, Prochorus, Nicanor, Timon, Parmenas, and Nicolas (Nikolaos), a proselyte (Gentile convert) from Antioch. 6 They brought these men before the apostles; and after praying, they laid their hands on them [to dedicate and commission them for this service].

Tension is inevitable.

Tension is unavoidable.

Tension can be effectively managed, turned into significant kingdom growth.

The number of disciples increased rapidly as many people believed in Jesus as the Messiah!

Myriads upon Myriads of the new believers had traveled a great distance over land and sea to get to Jerusalem from their respective foreign lands (Acts 2:5-11), so it is inevitable that some, if not most of them, spoke foreign languages.

The needs of the Greek-speaking widows were not being met despite the believers’ earlier efforts to help all among them with needs (Acts 4:32-37).

Growth without loving concern causes problems that the evil one can exploit.

In the midst of the tension, we must listen and respond with grace and patience to address potentially any divisive problems lovingly, quickly, fairly, wisely!

Galatians 3:26-29 Amplified Bible

26 For you [who are born-again have been reborn from above—spiritually transformed, renewed, sanctified and] are all children of God [set apart for His purpose with full rights and privileges] through faith in Christ Jesus. 27 For all of you who were baptized into Christ [into a spiritual union with the Christ, the Anointed] have clothed yourselves with Christ [that is, you have taken on His characteristics and values]. 28 There is [now no distinction in regard to salvation] neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither slave nor free, there is neither male nor female; for you [who believe] are all one in Christ Jesus [no one can claim a spiritual superiority]. 29 And if you belong to Christ [if you are in Him], then you are Abraham’s descendants, and [spiritual] heirs according to [God’s] promise.

The early disciples took hold of the tension and did just that and the Gospel did spread, and the people got served and their whole host of needs had gotten met.

So, over the coming days, following General Conference, in the diversity of and in all the seriousness of the tensions created please pray, study how they did so.

Their Acts 6:1-6 solutions to the problem is an excellent example for us today.

How can this passage of Scripture be a catalyst to start the necessary debates?

How can the church continue in its great commission amidst todays’ tension?

Will we choose to be part of the problem or choose to continue and fester the problem or will we find that One way, One someway – God is saying “go forth.”

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

Let us Pray,

O Father, may we be known as people who love each other as family. Please do not let racial, cultural, socio-economic status, political, or ethnic differences divide us and allow Satan a foothold to destroy the spread of the Good News of Jesus. Amen.

Psalm 80 New American Standard Bible 1995

God Implored to Rescue His People from Their Calamities.

For the choir director; set to [a]El Shoshannim; [b]Eduth. A Psalm of Asaph.

80 Oh, give ear, Shepherd of Israel,
You who lead Joseph like a flock;
You who are enthroned above the cherubim, shine forth!
2 Before Ephraim and Benjamin and Manasseh, stir up Your power
And come to save us!
3 O God, restore us
And cause Your face to shine upon us, [c]and we will be saved.

4 O Lord God of hosts,
How long will You [d]be angry with the prayer of Your people?
5 You have fed them with the bread of tears,
And You have made them to drink tears in [e]large measure.
6 You make us [f]an object of contention to our neighbors,
And our enemies laugh among themselves.
7 O God of hosts, restore us
And cause Your face to shine upon us, [g]and we will be saved.

8 You removed a vine from Egypt;
You drove out the [h]nations and planted it.
9 You cleared the ground before it,
And it took deep root and filled the land.
10 The mountains were covered with its shadow,
And [i]the cedars of God with its boughs.
11 It was sending out its branches to the sea
And its shoots to the River.
12 Why have You broken down its [j]hedges,
So that all who pass that way pick its fruit?
13 A boar from the forest eats it away
And whatever moves in the field feeds on it.

14 O God of hosts, turn again now, we beseech You;
Look down from heaven and see, and take care of this vine,
15 Even the [k]shoot which Your right hand has planted,
And on the [l]son whom You have [m]strengthened for Yourself.
16 It is burned with fire, it is cut down;
They perish at the rebuke of Your countenance.
17 Let Your hand be upon the man of Your right hand,
Upon the son of man whom You made strong for Yourself.
18 Then we shall not turn back from You;
Revive us, and we will call upon Your name.
19 O Lord God of hosts, restore us;
Cause Your face to shine upon us, [n]and we will be saved.

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

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“If we are truly the Body of Christ?” those Ninety-nine and One: God and the Unthinking Sheep of His Pasture. Luke 15:1-7

Luke 15:1-7 New American Standard Bible 1995

The Lost Sheep

15 Now all the tax collectors and the [a]sinners were coming near Him to listen to Him. 2 Both the Pharisees and the scribes began to grumble, saying, “This man receives sinners and eats with them.”

3 So He told them this parable, saying, 4 “What man among you, if he has a hundred sheep and has lost one of them, does not leave the ninety-nine in the [b]open pasture and go after the one which is lost until he finds it? 5 When he has found it, he lays it on his shoulders, rejoicing. 6 And when he comes home, he calls together his friends and his neighbors, saying to them, ‘Rejoice with me, for I have found my sheep which was lost!’ 7 I tell you that in the same way, there will be more joy in heaven over one sinner who repents than over ninety-nine righteous persons who need no repentance.

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.

Ninety-nine and One

Luke 15:1-2 Amplified Bible

The Lost Sheep

15 Now all the tax collectors and sinners [including non-observant Jews] were coming near Jesus to listen to Him. 2 Both the Pharisees and the scribes began muttering and complaining, saying, “This man accepts and welcomes sinners and eats with them.”

There is this famous saying among Jewish rabbis:

“Whoever saves one soul, saves the whole world.”

Its wisdom is deeper than what is called “common sense.”

It is deeper than the famous Zen saying,

“Imagine the sound of one hand clapping,” which is designed to jar a person into moving beyond the limits of reason.

Some people are “numbers people,” and their contribution to the orderly functioning of society and the body of Christ is indispensable.

But in order to understand Luke’s Gospel narrative, Jesus’ story of the shepherd who leaves a flock of 99 to go search for just one lost sheep, we must remember how God made each of us in his own image.

From the first words of Genesis to the last words of Revelation, holy scripture repeatedly emphasizes and speaks about the infinite value of one single human being because each and every single one of us humans are made in God’s image.

C. S. Lewis rightly criticized the vulgarity of those who will seek to make us feel as insignificant as the dust because the universe is so huge and we are so small.

Christian Missionaries definitely treasure this single parable because they must sometimes work many years in a stubborn land to lead one lost person to Christ.

Never allow yourself to think that you count for nothing.

Think instead upon: Christ who lived, ministered among us and died to rekindle the spark of the image of God placed within His church that makes us human.

God and all of those Unthinking Sheep of His Pasture

Luke 15:3-7 Amplified Bible

3 So He told them this parable: 4 “What man among you, if he has a hundred sheep and loses one of them, does not leave the ninety-nine in the wilderness and go after the one which is lost, [searching] until he finds it? 5 And when he has found it, he lays it on his shoulders, rejoicing. 6 And when he gets home, he calls together his friends and his neighbors, saying to them, ‘Rejoice with me, because I have found my lost sheep!’ 7 I tell you, in the same way there will be more joy in heaven over one sinner who repents than over ninety-nine righteous people who have no need of repentance.

There is something unusual about sheep.

Unlike other animals they do not often deliberately run away.

A cat or dog who wants to be free, given a chance, will leave, just like that.

But sheep do not.

They only wander away.

They do not mean to.

This is the picture our Lord gives us of certain people who do not intend to get lost; they do not originally intend to wander or run away and waste their lives.

They do not intend to wander off into something dangerous and destructive.

But, little by little, concentrating only on the now, present, they wander away.

Eventually they wake up to realize they are lost, that life is suddenly empty, that their hearts are burdened, heavy with guilt — will not know how it happened.

They are not happy to be lost; they hate it.

They long to belong.

There are millions like this today.

Some are poor and obscure.

Some are intent on simply making a living, on feeding themselves.

Some are rich and prominent.

All over this vast globe, people are suffering from destination sickness, i.e. the sickness of those who have already arrived at their destination, who have all they want; but they sadly discover that they do not want anything they have.

Notice the shepherd’s response.

He left the ninety and nine in the wilderness and went after the one.

That pictures the activity of God, as expressed in the person of the Lord Jesus himself. He left everything to come and find us.

As Paul states it so wonderfully in the letter to the Philippians, he did not count the fact that he was equal with God a thing to be held on to, but instead emptied himself, took upon himself the form of a servant, and was found in the likeness of men (Philippians 2:6-7). He left, and he came.

Philippians 2:5-11 Amplified Bible

5 Have this same attitude in yourselves which was in Christ Jesus [look to Him as your example in selfless humility], 6 who, although He existed in the form and  unchanging essence of God [as One with Him, possessing the fullness of all the divine attributes—the entire nature of deity], did not regard equality with God a thing to be grasped or  asserted [as if He did not already possess it, or was afraid of losing it]; 7 but emptied Himself [without renouncing or diminishing His deity, but only temporarily giving up the outward expression of divine equality and His rightful dignity] by assuming the form of a bond-servant, and being made in the likeness of men [He became completely human but was without sin, being fully God and fully man]. 8 After He was found in [terms of His] outward appearance as a man [for a divinely-appointed time], He humbled Himself [still further] by becoming obedient [to the Father] to the point of death, even death on a cross. 9 For this reason also [because He obeyed and so completely humbled Himself], God has highly exalted Him and bestowed on Him the name which is above every name, 10 so that at the name of Jesus [a]every knee shall bow [in submission], of those who are in heaven and on earth and under the earth, 11 and that every tongue will confess and openly acknowledge that Jesus Christ is Lord (sovereign God), to the glory of God the Father.

In worship services it is common to sing songs of praise and hymns to God our Savior.

In many ways, the Apostles’ Creed is like a hymn, and many songs have been composed from the words of this creed.

The Bible includes many song texts as well, and this reading from Philippians 2 includes one of them.

This text in verses 6-11 appears to be a hymn (or part of one) that was recited and sung by early Christians in the first century.

And the apostle Paul uses it to summarize a number of important teachings as he urges readers to “have the same mindset as Christ Jesus.”

In some ways like the Apostles’ Creed, this ancient hymn tells us who Jesus is, what he willingly sacrificed for us, and what will happen when he comes again.

Imagine yourself in a worship service 2,000 years ago, surrounded by sisters and brothers in the Lord and singing these words together.

Then reread (or even sing) this ancient hymn that has echoed down through the centuries. Reflect long and meditate much upon the deep, life-changing truths we can each celebrate only because of “Jesus, Christ, God’s only Son, our Lord.”

This hymn in Scripture, like the Apostle’s Creed, allows God’s Word to settle deep into our hearts and souls. And it calls us to humble ourselves like Jesus in all our relationships as we seek to live for God by loving and serving each other.

Finally, notice Luke emphasizes all the rejoicing over the recovery of the lost.

Luke 15:5-7 Amplified Bible

5 And when he has found it, he lays it on his shoulders, rejoicing. 6 And when he gets home, he calls together his friends and his neighbors, saying to them, ‘Rejoice with me, because I have found my lost sheep!’ 7 I tell you, in the same way there will be more joy in heaven over one sinner who repents than over ninety-nine righteous people who have no need of repentance.

This reveals the high value that God sets his sights on all lost men and women.

They are never worthless in his sight. They are made in his image and are of unspeakable value to God. They bear his own image, marred and ruined as that image may be, and he longs to find them and reach them all, restore them all.

Do I feel the same spirit of compassion as the God who longs to reach the lost?

Am I involving myself in this greatest enterprise of God to find these people?

Matthew 28:16-20 Amplified Bible

The Great Commission

16 Now the eleven disciples went to Galilee, to the mountain which Jesus had designated. 17 And when they saw Him, they worshiped Him; but some doubted [that it was really He]. 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.”

To what degree, measure of Spirit does the Body of Christ, the Church which is supposed to go to all the ends of the earth (Acts 1:8) authentically participate?

To what degree, measure of Spirit does the Body of Christ, the Church which is supposed to go to all the ends of the earth (Acts 1:8) authentically value all life?

IF, and that is definitely a GOD sized IF, we ARE the authentic Body of Christ …

What of all those “99’s?”

What of all those “1’s?”

What of our 100% rejoicing for God with the same measure God rejoices for us?

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

Let us Pray,

For the ninety nine and the one. Jesus, out of love, you poured out your life for us; now help us, out of love, to pour out our lives for each other. In your name, Amen.

Psalm 139 New American Standard Bible 1995

God’s Omnipresence and Omniscience.

For the choir director. A Psalm of David.

139 O Lord, You have searched me and known me.
2 You know [a]when I sit down and [b]when I rise up;
You understand my thought from afar.
3 You [c]scrutinize my [d]path and my lying down,
And are intimately acquainted with all my ways.
4 [e]Even before there is a word on my tongue,
Behold, O Lord, You know it all.
5 You have enclosed me behind and before,
And laid Your hand upon me.
6 Such knowledge is too wonderful for me;
It is too high, I cannot attain to it.

7 Where can I go from Your Spirit?
Or where can I flee from Your presence?
8 If I ascend to heaven, You are there;
If I make my bed in [f]Sheol, behold, You are there.
9 If I take the wings of the dawn,
If I dwell in the remotest part of the sea,
10 Even there Your hand will lead me,
And Your right hand will lay hold of me.
11 If I say, “Surely the darkness will [g]overwhelm me,
And the light around me will be night,”
12 Even the darkness is not dark [h]to You,
And the night is as bright as the day.
Darkness and light are alike to You.

13 For You formed my [i]inward parts;
You wove me in my mother’s womb.
14 I will give thanks to You, for [j]I am fearfully and wonderfully made;
Wonderful are Your works,
And my soul knows it very well.
15 My [k]frame was not hidden from You,
When I was made in secret,
And skillfully wrought in the depths of the earth;
16 Your eyes have seen my unformed substance;
And in Your book were all written
The days that were ordained for me,
When as yet there was not one of them.

17 How precious also are Your thoughts to me, O God!
How vast is the sum of them!
18 If I should count them, they would outnumber the sand.
When I awake, I am still with You.

19 O that You would slay the wicked, O God;
Depart from me, therefore, men of bloodshed.
20 For they speak [l]against You wickedly,
And Your enemies [m]take Your name in vain.
21 Do I not hate those who hate You, O Lord?
And do I not loathe those who rise up against You?
22 I hate them with the utmost hatred;
They have become my enemies.

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

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

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Addition, Subtraction, Multiplication and Division from our God’s Garden. John 12:20-26

John 12:20-26 New American Standard Bible 1995

Greeks Seek Jesus

20 Now there were some Greeks among those who were going up to worship at the feast; 21 these then came to Philip, who was from Bethsaida of Galilee, and began to ask him, saying, “Sir, we wish to see Jesus.” 22 Philip *came and *told Andrew; Andrew and Philip *came and *told Jesus. 23 And Jesus *answered them, saying, “The hour has come for the Son of Man to be glorified. 24 Truly, truly, I say to you, unless a grain of wheat falls into the earth and dies, it remains alone; but if it dies, it bears much fruit. 25 He who loves his [a]life loses it, and he who hates his [b]life in this world will keep it to life eternal. 26 If anyone [c]serves Me, he must follow Me; and where I am, there My servant will be also; if anyone [d]serves Me, the Father will honor him.

The Word of God for the Children of God.

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

Mathematics in God’s Garden

John 12:23-25 Amplified Bible

23 And Jesus answered them, “The hour has come for the Son of Man to be glorified and exalted. 24 I assure you and most solemnly say to you, unless a grain of wheat falls into the earth and dies, it remains alone [just one grain, never more]. But if it dies, it produces much grain and yields a harvest. 25 The one who loves his life [eventually] loses it [through death], but the one who hates his life in this world [and is concerned with pleasing God] will keep it for life eternal.

Plants and bushes multiply in a variety of amazing ways.

Raspberry bushes send out runners from their roots and start new shoots.

Grape vines, strawberry plans, potatoes, pumpkins and cucumbers and carrots all seem to need no help in producing a bounty of produce when one is planted.

So raspberry and blackberry patches are constantly ever expanding, and we are able to cut away plants easily for friends and family to start their own patches.

Planting eight cloves of garlic before winter produces eight new garlic plants, and each plant produces seven or eight cloves of garlic the next summer—a promise of good increase.

Jesus, an astute observer of life in God’s garden, chooses wheat as an example of amazing multiplication.

As he said, one kernel “produces many seeds.”

Today we know that one seed of wheat planted in the ground yields 20-25 kernels of new wheat.

Further, Jesus was making a more profound point.

Jesus is speaking of himself in this parable.

He is the grain of wheat.

He is the Son of God, compelling, compassionate, living the life of God in the midst of men, and yet wholly as a man.

Crowds everywhere left their work and followed him.

They sensed that here was a man who possessed the secret of life.

He had nothing that men thought was necessary to living.

He had no material possessions.

He did not even have a place to lay his head.

He had no influence with the authorities. Yet, everywhere he went, people sensed that he understood the secrets of life. So he was like a single grain of wheat, alone amidst other grains of wheat, sharing nothing with the others.

He could have remained that way.

He did not need to die.

He was no martyr to a failing cause.

He was not forced to the cross.

He had no need to lay down his life, for he could have returned to the Father.

There would have been no blame attached to him if he had.

He could have chosen to return to the Father, having demonstrated before all men exactly what God wanted man to be, and left us with that demonstration and gone back to heaven.

But, as he says, if he had done that he would have remained alone.

For the rest of eternity, though he would have been thronged with angels and all the other created beings of God’s universe, he would have been alone.

There would have been no one else like him in all the universe.

John 10:11-18 New American Standard Bible 1995

11 “I am the good shepherd; the good shepherd lays down His life for the sheep. 12 He who is a hired hand, and not a shepherd, who is not the owner of the sheep, sees the wolf coming, and leaves the sheep and flees, and the wolf snatches them and scatters them. 13 He flees because he is a hired hand and is not concerned about the sheep. 14 I am the good shepherd, and I know My own and My own know Me, 15 even as the Father knows Me and I know the Father; and I lay down My life for the sheep. 16 I have other sheep, which are not of this fold; I must bring them also, and they will hear My voice; and they will become one flock with one shepherd. 17 For this reason the Father loves Me, because I lay down My life so that I may take it again. 18 No one has taken it away from Me, but I lay it down on My own initiative. I have authority to lay it down, and I have authority to take it up again. This commandment I received from My Father.”

This is very important, because it gives us our first clue as to what our Lord is really unveiling here, the problem that affects so many of us — loneliness.

There is a difference between being alone and being lonely.

One can be alone and not be at all lonely.

Or you can be in the midst of a crowd, and be utterly lonely.

This is what Jesus is referring to.

He is not talking about being alone; he is talking about being eternally lonely.

Dr. F. B. Meyer once said, Many people complain of lonely and solitary lives.

They suppose their condition is due to the failure of other people.

It is, however, attributable to the fact that they have never fallen into the ground to die, but have always consulted their own ease and well-being.

They have never learned that the cure for loneliness comes from sowing oneself in a grave of daily sacrifice. 

There he puts his finger upon the cause of this distressing loneliness that still bothers so many today.

It is an attempt to hold on to life, to grasp it for oneself, and this results in an undeveloped life.

Our Lord knew the deepest craving of the Father’s heart; that he might bring many sons to glory.

1 Timothy 2:1-6 New American Standard Bible 1995

A Call to Prayer

2 First of all, then, I urge that entreaties and prayers, petitions and thanksgivings, be made on behalf of all men, 2 for kings and all who are in [a] authority, so that we may lead a tranquil and quiet life in all godliness and [b] dignity. 3 This is good and acceptable in the sight of God our Savior, 4 who desires all men to be saved and to come to the [c]knowledge of the truth. 5 For there is one God, and one mediator also between God and men, the man Christ Jesus, 6 who gave Himself as a ransom for all, the testimony [d]given at [e]the proper time.

But to do that it was necessary that he die.

There was no other way by which what he was could be given to us.

John 1:11-13 New American Standard Bible 1995

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

John 1:11-12 says, he came to his own and those who were his own did not receive him. As many as received him, to them gave he power to become the sons of God. As many as received him, to them he gives the power to share in the abundance of his own life.

But how is that life made available?

John 12:23-26 New American Standard Bible 1995

23 And Jesus *answered them, saying, “The hour has come for the Son of Man to be glorified. 24 Truly, truly, I say to you, unless a grain of wheat falls into the earth and dies, it remains alone; but if it dies, it bears much fruit. 25 He who loves his [a]life loses it, and he who hates his [b]life in this world will keep it to life eternal. 26 If anyone [c] serves Me, he must follow Me; and where I am, there My servant will be also; if anyone [d]serves Me, the Father will honor him.

It is only available by dying to ourselves.

But we fear such dying, do we not?

What the Lord Jesus is saying to us in John 12:23-26 is that there will be, can be, no authentic deliverance from the loneliness and emptiness of this world’s life until we Psalm 51 learn to renounce that kind of living then live into Psalm 32.

Psalm 32 New American Standard Bible 1995

Blessedness of Forgiveness and of Trust in God.

A Psalm of David. A [a]Maskil.

32 How blessed is he whose transgression is forgiven,
Whose sin is covered!
2 How blessed is the man to whom the Lord does not impute iniquity,
And in whose spirit there is no deceit!

3 When I kept silent about my sin, my [b]body wasted away
Through my [c]groaning all day long.
4 For day and night Your hand was heavy upon me;
My [d]vitality was drained away as with the fever heat of summer. [e]Selah.
5 I acknowledged my sin to You,
And my iniquity I did not hide;
I said, “I will confess my transgressions to the Lord”;
And You forgave the [f]guilt of my sin. Selah.
6 Therefore, let everyone who is godly pray to You [g]in a time when You may be found;
Surely in a flood of great waters they will not reach him.
7 You are my hiding place; You preserve me from trouble;
You surround me with [h]songs of deliverance. Selah.

8 I will instruct you and teach you in the way which you should go;
I will counsel you with My eye upon you.
9 Do not be as the horse or as the mule which have no understanding,
Whose trappings include bit and bridle to hold them in check,
Otherwise they will not come near to you.
10 Many are the sorrows of the wicked,
But he who trusts in the Lord, lovingkindness shall surround him.
11 Be glad in the Lord and rejoice, you righteous ones;
And shout for joy, all you who are upright in heart.

Just as a single wheat seed “falls to the ground and dies” then “produces many seeds,” his own death and his resurrection produces an over abundance of new life, acres and uncountable acres of harvested souls in a multitude of followers.

1 Corinthians 3:5-9 New American Standard Bible 1995

5 What then is Apollos? And what is Paul? Servants through whom you believed, even as the Lord gave opportunity to each one. 6 I planted, Apollos watered, but God was causing the growth. 7 So then neither the one who plants nor the one who waters is anything, but God who causes the growth. 8 Now he who plants and he who waters are one; but each will receive his own [a]reward according to his own labor. 9 For we are God’s fellow workers; you are God’s [b]field, God’s building.

From the first words of Genesis to the last verse of Revelation, we can trust in his sure promise of multiplication and eternal life as we follow him in dying to ourselves and serving others out of the over abundance of our new life in him.

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

Let us Pray,

Father of all life, let us thank you for sending your one and only Son to die, rise, and multiply his life in all who follow him. Inspire and ­strengthen me to lay down my life and serve others. Lord, thank you for showing me that the way to life is through my dying to myself. I confess I fear such dying, so I ask that you help me to live this out.

Psalm 16 New American Standard Bible 1995

The Lord the Psalmist’s Portion in Life and Deliverer in Death.

A [a]Mikhtam of David.

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.

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Our Glorifying and Our Praising for the Creator of the Heavens and Earth. Psalm 33

Psalm 33 New American Standard Bible 1995

Praise to the Creator and Preserver.

33 Sing for joy in the Lord, O you righteous ones;
Praise is becoming to the upright.
2 Give thanks to the Lord with the lyre;
Sing praises to Him with a harp of ten strings.
3 Sing to Him a new song;
Play skillfully with a shout of joy.
4 For the word of the Lord is upright,
And all His work is done in faithfulness.
5 He loves righteousness and justice;
The earth is full of the lovingkindness of the Lord.

6 By the word of the Lord the heavens were made,
And by the breath of His mouth all their host.
7 He gathers the waters of the sea together [a]as a heap;
He lays up the deeps in storehouses.
8 Let all the earth fear the Lord;
Let all the inhabitants of the world stand in awe of Him.
9 For He spoke, and it was done;
He commanded, and it [b]stood fast.
10 The Lord nullifies the counsel of the nations;
He frustrates the plans of the peoples.
11 The counsel of the Lord stands forever,
The plans of His heart from generation to generation.
12 Blessed is the nation whose God is the Lord,
The people whom He has chosen for His own inheritance.

13 The Lord looks from heaven;
He sees all the sons of men;
14 From His dwelling place He looks out
On all the inhabitants of the earth,
15 He who fashions [c]the hearts of them all,
He who understands all their works.
16 The king is not saved by a mighty army;
A warrior is not delivered by great strength.
17 A horse is a false hope for victory;
Nor does it deliver anyone by its great strength.

18 Behold, the eye of the Lord is on those who fear Him,
On those who [d]hope for His lovingkindness,
19 To deliver their soul from death
And to keep them alive in famine.
20 Our soul waits for the Lord;
He is our help and our shield.
21 For our heart rejoices in Him,
Because we trust in His holy name.
22 Let Your lovingkindness, O Lord, be upon us,
According as we have [e]hoped in You.

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

Though I wasn’t a carpenter by trade, in my youth I loved to work with wood.

I enjoyed the effort of taking pieces of scrap wood of any size or shape and condition and just transforming them into something useful and pleasing.

As creatures made in the image of God, (Genesis 1:26-28) we all have an inborn desire to make things useful and lovely.

In this stewardship we imitate God, who created the heavens and the earth.

For the reader Psalm 33 recalls God’s almighty power in creating everything around us: the sky, the sun, the stars, the mountains, the rivers, the oceans.

God not only created all that we see; he also created good things we can’t see—like air, gravity, and sound, as well as forgiveness, love, goodness, and justice.

God did this, as the psalm says in verse 6, through the power of his spoken word.

When we say, with the Apostle’s Creed, that God is the “creator of heaven and earth,” we are acknowledging, declaring and recalling that the same God who made the mountains, forests, the rivers and oceans made each one of us too.

Psalm 139:13-18 New American Standard Bible 1995

13 For You formed my [a]inward parts;
You wove me in my mother’s womb.
14 I will give thanks to You, for [b]I am fearfully and wonderfully made;
Wonderful are Your works,
And my soul knows it very well.
15 My [c]frame was not hidden from You,
When I was made in secret,
And skillfully wrought in the depths of the earth;
16 Your eyes have seen my unformed substance;
And in Your book were all written
The days that were ordained for me,
When as yet there was not one of them.

17 How precious also are Your thoughts to me, O God!
How vast is the sum of them!
18 If I should count them, they would outnumber the sand.
When I awake, I am still with You.

What’s more, we are declaring and praising that this God hasn’t stepped back from what he has made; no, he still delights in preserving and in sustaining it.

We can each take great comfort in knowing that the all-powerful Creator and sustainer, God Almighty, is the one that we also call our heavenly Father.

There is never a time or a single moment that God does not care for us and too about us; he knows what we need; he will never let us slip from his tender care.

How Can We Use Our Creative Talents to Glorify God?

Genesis 1:1-5 New American Standard Bible 1995

The Creation

1 In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth. 2 The earth was [a] formless and void, and darkness was over the [b]surface of the deep, and the Spirit of God was [c]moving over the [d]surface of the waters. 3 Then God said, “Let there be light”; and there was light. 4 God saw that the light was good; and God separated the light from the darkness. 5 God called the light day, and the darkness He called night. And there was evening and there was morning, one day.

It is written in the very first line of the Bible: “In the beginning God created…” (Genesis 1:1, emphasis added).

Creativity begins with God.

He had a very definite plan and design for the cosmos and spoke it into being.

We have a written account of how creation came to be, and how the very first people were made by God. God spoke, made, and revealed it all through the written word. He was behind the entire creative order that we see around us.

When we do look at the intricacy of a human being, the intricacy of a snowflake, the symmetry of a butterfly, or the perfect location of the earth’s position in the rest of the solar system, we see the deep intricate handiwork of our Creator God.

He also planned that we would be made in His image (Genesis 1:26), so it is no surprise that we get to experience the wonder and joy of creativity ourselves.

With all of this God given uniquely individualized creative potential, do we ever wonder exactly how we can all use our uniquely creative talents to glorify God?

Give All the Glory and Praise to God Alone

Whatever we do, we are to do it to the glory of God (1 Corinthians 10:31).

That includes our creative endeavors.

As the apostle Paul shared,

“Whatever you do, work at it with all your heart, as working for the Lord, not for human masters, since you know that you will receive an inheritance from the Lord as a reward. It is the Lord Christ you are serving” (Colossians 3:23-24).

In Colossians 1:16 it says: “For in him all things were created: things in heaven and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or powers or rulers or authorities; all things have been created through him and for him.”

It is through Jesus that everything has been made and it is all for Him (John 1:3).

God made the universe through His Son (Hebrews 1:2) and it is by faith that “we understand that the universe was formed at God’s command, so that what is seen was not made out of what was visible” (Hebrews 11:3). It is right and good and joyful to give all glory to the One who made it all and for whom it is all for.

It also fulfills the command to “love the Lord your God with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your mind, and with all your strength” (Luke 10:27).

What we create should not be worshiped, nor should we glorify ourselves or others in our creative pursuits.

That does not mean that we do not enjoy or appreciate what we create, but we acknowledge, remember to keep our love and affections in their rightful place.

Not Only Praise but Participate in God’s Masterpiece

Genesis 2:19-23 New American Standard Bible 1995

19 Out of the ground the Lord God formed every beast of the field and every bird of the [a]sky, and brought them to the man to see what he would call them; and whatever the man called a living creature, that was its name. 20 The man gave names to all the cattle, and to the birds of the [b]sky, and to every beast of the field, but for [c]Adam there was not found a helper [d]suitable for him. 21 So the Lord God caused a deep sleep to fall upon the man, and he slept; then He took one of his ribs and closed up the flesh at that place. 22 The Lord God [e] fashioned into a woman the rib which He had taken from the man, and brought her to the man. 23 The man said,

“This is now bone of my bones,
And flesh of my flesh;
[f]She shall be called [g]Woman,
Because [h]she was taken out of [i]Man.”

We all have the immense privilege of joining with God in His creative purposes for the world. It was God’s wonderful idea to create people and to get the first man to name the livestock, the birds and the wild animals (Genesis 2:20).

God “brought them to the man to see what he would name them; and whatever the man called each living creature, that was its name” (Genesis 2:19).

From the very beginning every moment of this was God’s idea to involve us in the creative stewardship of His creation, it was not an idea of our own making.

God made the first woman as a helper, creating her from the rib of the man, and he named her too (Genesis 2:21-23). They would work together in the world.

God invites every single one of us to uniquely participate in His grand design on earth, and His kingdom purposes.

We are made in His image and formed by Him, and God has a plan and a purpose, establishing our steps (Proverbs 16:9).

We can each use our creative talents for good or for ill, but as we look to Jesus, our desires will become more and more like His. Using our creativity enables us to uniquely express a part of who God has designed us to be (Psalm 139:13-16).

That will look different for each person, as we are all individuals with unique gifts and abilities, yet we are all “fearfully and wonderfully made” by Him (Psalm 139:14).

Glorify God by Our Love for Others with Our Creativity

Mark 12:28-34 New American Standard Bible 1995

28 One of the scribes came and heard them arguing, and recognizing that He had answered them well, asked Him, “What commandment is the [a]foremost of all?”  29 Jesus answered, “The foremost is, ‘Hear, O Israel! The Lord our God is one Lord; 30 and you shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your mind, and with all your strength.’ 31 The second is this, ‘You shall love your neighbor as yourself.’ There is no other commandment greater than these.” 32 The scribe said to Him, “Right, Teacher; You have truly stated that He is One, and there is no one else besides Him; 33 and to love Him with all the heart and with all the understanding and with all the strength, and to love one’s neighbor as himself, is much more than all burnt offerings and sacrifices.” 34 When Jesus saw that he had answered intelligently, He said to him, “You are not far from the kingdom of God.” After that, no one would venture to ask Him any more questions.

It is important to remember the first two commandments as we create: love the Lord your God and love your neighbor as yourself.

Loving the Lord comes first. We need to spend time with Him regularly; it is vital to build and nurture a relationship with our Heavenly Father. As we do this, it will truly transform our longings and desires to love and serve others. 

God loves the people whom He created, and He designed us to be in community together. As we create to the glory and honor of God and out of love for Him, it will spill over into how we use our talents, our time, our resources for others.

This might look like caring for those in need, volunteering our skills, designing something to the best of our ability with utmost integrity, photographing or painting beautiful landscapes to show God’s work on display, so much more.

There are endless opportunities to be creative.

The people in our homes, communities and our churches and the wider world can be mightily blessed, uplifted and too inspired by our God-given creativity.

Manage Our Creative Talents Well

James 1:12-17 New American Standard Bible 1995

12 Blessed is a man who perseveres under trial; for once he has [a]been approved, he will receive the crown of life which the Lord has promised to those who love Him.  13  Let no one say when he is tempted, “I am being tempted [b]by God”; for God cannot be tempted [c]by evil, and He Himself does not tempt anyone. 14 But each one is tempted when he is carried away and enticed by his own lust. 15 Then when lust has conceived, it gives birth to sin; and when sin [d]is accomplished, it brings forth death. 16 Do not be [e]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 [f]shifting shadow.

We are to steward what God has given us and remember that all good gifts come from Him (James 1:17).

Even as we are diligent with our time, resources and creative talents, we can continue to learn and develop in our creativity.

As we look to Him who is the giver and provider of all we need, we worship Him alone, rather than anything that we create.

Throughout the Bible, there are examples of humans using their gifts and abilities to create things to worship other than God.

We see it when the Israelites created a golden calf to worship (Exodus 32) and in the construction of the Tower of Babel (Genesis 11:1-4).

In both cases, they made a god or a name for themselves, demonstrating the skill, but also the deep-rooted pride of mankind.

Even idolizing people made in the image of God lends itself to the worship of the creation rather than the Creator (Romans 1:25).

There is risk and temptation to pursue and follow created things and step into idolatry, rather than to worship God.

Therefore, we must bring our creativity before the Lord, knowing it is Him that we are serving, and we should use our talents wisely.

Embrace the Skills Given to Us

Exodus 35:10-19 New American Standard Bible 1995

Tabernacle Workmen

10 ‘Let every skillful man among you come, and make all that the Lord has commanded: 11 the [a]tabernacle, its tent and its covering, its hooks and its boards, its bars, its pillars, and its [b]sockets; 12 the ark and its poles, the [c] mercy seat, and the curtain of the screen; 13 the table and its poles, and all its [d]utensils, and the bread of the [e]Presence; 14 the lampstand also for the light and its utensils and its lamps and the oil for the light; 15 and the altar of incense and its poles, and the anointing oil and the fragrant incense, and the screen for the doorway at the [f] entrance of the tabernacle; 16 the altar of burnt offering with its [g]bronze grating, its poles, and all its [h]utensils, the [i]basin and its stand; 17 the hangings of the court, its pillars and its [j]sockets, and the screen for the gate of the court; 18 the pegs of the tabernacle and the pegs of the court and their cords; 19 the [k]woven garments for ministering in the holy place, the holy garments for Aaron the priest and the garments of his sons, to minister as priests.’”

God gives skills to different people. We are all given certain abilities, even if it might take us a little while to discover or develop what they are.

In the building of the Tabernacle, there were many who had different skills given to them by God which would be used to complete it: “All who are skilled among you are to come and make everything the Lord has commanded” (Exodus 35:10).

It is a beautiful picture of some of God’s people who were “willing and whose heart moved them” and brought materials and offerings to God for this work (Exodus 35:21-22).

Men and women all participated together, and there was willingness and skill involved to make what God had commanded come to be. Are we also willing to offer our unique skills in whatever way is needed for God’s glory and purpose?

God Equips Whose He Calls

Exodus 35:30-35 New American Standard Bible 1995

30 Then Moses said to the sons of Israel, “See, the Lord has called by name Bezalel the son of Uri, the son of Hur, of the tribe of Judah. 31 And He has filled him with the Spirit of God, in wisdom, in understanding and in knowledge and in all [a] craftsmanship; 32 [b]to make designs for working in gold and in silver and in [c] bronze, 33 and in the cutting of stones for settings and in the carving of wood, so as to perform in every inventive work. 34 He also has put in his heart to teach, both he and Oholiab, the son of Ahisamach, of the tribe of Dan. 35 He has filled them with [d]skill to perform every work of an engraver and of a designer and of an embroiderer, in [e]blue and in purple and in scarlet material, and in fine linen, and of a weaver, as performers of every work and makers of designs.

God also equips those whom He calls to a specific task.

In the building of the Tabernacle, the Lord chose Bezalel of the tribe of Judah, and filled him with the Spirit of God, with wisdom, understanding, knowledge and all kinds of skills, to make artistic designs (Exodus:35:30-35).

He also equipped him and Oholiab of the tribe of Dan to be able to teach others. God is the one who fills us with the skills for the tasks that He has called us to.

The creative process means walking through trials and frustrations at times, but can also develop our perseverance and character.

God can use our creativity to shape and transform us into the likeness of Jesus as we seek to use our creative talents for His glory.

He is interested in our hearts.

As we create, we can ask Jesus to help us honor Him in our pursuits.

We can use our creativity to build up believers, spread the good news to those who do not know Jesus, support those in need, and use it as a way to provide an income for our families.

As we surrender, yield to God, continually thinking “not my will but yours be done,” He can take our creative offering, transform it for His glory, purposes.

God saw the two loaves and five fish, and He was the One who filled the crowd.

Give Him your creative talents, no matter how big or small, and let Him deeply satisfy your every need.

As pastor and theologian Reverend Dr. John Piper said:

“God is most glorified in you when you are most satisfied in him.”

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

Let us Pray,

Psalm 148 New American Standard Bible 1995

The Whole Creation Invoked to Praise the Lord.

148 [a]Praise [b]the Lord!
Praise the Lord from the heavens;
Praise Him in the heights!
2 Praise Him, all His angels;
Praise Him, all His hosts!
3 Praise Him, sun and moon;
Praise Him, all stars of light!
4 Praise Him, [c]highest heavens,
And the waters that are above the heavens!
5 Let them praise the name of the Lord,
For He commanded and they were created.
6 He has also established them forever and ever;
He has made a decree which will not pass away.

7 Praise the Lord from the earth,
Sea monsters and all deeps;
8 Fire and hail, snow and clouds;
Stormy wind, fulfilling His word;
9 Mountains and all hills;
Fruit trees and all cedars;
10 Beasts and all cattle;
Creeping things and winged fowl;
11 Kings of the earth and all peoples;
Princes and all judges of the earth;
12 Both young men and virgins;
Old men and children.

13 Let them praise the name of the Lord,
For His name alone is exalted;
His glory is above earth and heaven.
14 And He has lifted up a horn for His people,
Praise for all His godly ones;
Even for the sons of Israel, a people near to Him.
[d]Praise [e]the Lord!

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

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The Only Higher Glory; The Rightly Exalted; The Only Higher Exaltation. Philippians 2:5-11

Philippians 2:5-11 New American Standard Bible 1995

5 Have this attitude [a]in yourselves which was also in Christ Jesus, 6 who, although He existed in the form of God, did not regard equality with God a thing to be [b] grasped, 7 but [c]emptied Himself, taking the form of a bond-servant, and being made in the likeness of men. 8 Being found in appearance as a man, He humbled Himself by becoming obedient to the point of death, even death [d]on a cross. 9 For this reason also, God highly exalted Him, and bestowed on Him the name which is above every name, 10 so that at the name of Jesus every knee will bow, of those who are in heaven and on earth and under the earth, 11 and that every tongue will confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.

The Word of God for the Children of God.

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

The Only Higher Glory

Philippians 2:9 Amplified Bible

9 For this reason also [because He obeyed and so completely humbled Himself], God has highly exalted Him and bestowed on Him the name which is above every name,

We have been talking about our having the mindset of Christ and following his example of ­humility.

When it comes to humility, no one can be humbler than Christ, who gave up his own life so that all who call on his name can be saved to have new life forever.

And because Jesus did that, the Word of God says that God also raised him from the grave and “­exalted him to the highest place.”

He started out as the Son of God in heaven.

Then he willingly became a suffering servant who swooped down to the lowest of depths by dying on a cross for our sake.

Then God, as only God is able, reversed it all and swung Jesus upward to rule in heaven over everything.

The words Apostle Paul uses to ­describe this position have to do with the power of the highest name: “God . . . gave him the name that is above every name.” And what is that name? It is Jesus (meaning “Savior”), and it is Christ (meaning “Anointed One”). Jesus Christ is the Lord, the sovereign ruler, over all things.

His name is so glorious the day will come when every knee will bow to honor him, every tongue will sing songs to “acknowledge that Jesus Christ is Lord.”

Jesus Christ, who died and rose again, is Lord of the cosmos.

All glory be to him forever and ever!

The Only Rightly Exalted, The Only Greater Exaltation

Philippians 2:5-8 Amplified Bible

5 Have this same attitude in yourselves which was in Christ Jesus [look to Him as your example in selfless humility], 6 who, although He existed in the form and  unchanging essence of God [as One with Him, possessing the fullness of all the divine attributes—the entire nature of deity], did not regard equality with God a thing to be grasped or asserted [as if He did not already possess it, or was afraid of losing it]; 7 but emptied Himself [without renouncing or diminishing His deity, but only temporarily giving up the outward expression of divine equality and His rightful dignity] by assuming the form of a bond-servant, and being made in the likeness of men [He became completely human but was without sin, being fully God and fully man]. 8 After He was found in [terms of His] outward appearance as a man [for a divinely-appointed time], He humbled Himself [still further] by becoming obedient [to the Father] to the point of death, even death on a cross.

Philippians 2:5-8 is a beautiful statement concerning Christ’s humanity, deity, ministry, and humiliation.

Having mapped the humility of the incarnate Son of God all the way to His death on a cross, where does your mind go next? Naturally, we think of the resurrection. But Paul does not. He takes us directly to Christ’s exaltation.

There is, Paul says, a logical connection between Jesus’ humiliation and His exaltation: “Therefore God has highly exalted him” (v 8, emphasis added).

What is this exaltation?

It is that the Father has given His Son the throne and ordered this world so that one day

“at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth, and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father” (v 10-11).

But why is His exaltation fitting?

Scripture gives us several answers.

First, Christ’s exaltation is fitting because it fulfills Old Testament prophecy and demonstrates that God keeps His word.

The worldwide recognition of Jesus as Lord will occur because God promised it would.

Six hundred years before Jesus arrived on the stage of human history, Isaiah recorded these words from God: “Behold, my servant shall act wisely; he shall be high and lifted up, and shall be exalted” (Isaiah 52:13).

And so Christ came to bear the pain and sin of the world, fulfilling the role of Suffering Servant, lifted up on a cross, then raised to be exalted on His throne.

As Paul wrote elsewhere,

“All the promises of God find their Yes in him” (2 Corinthians 1:20).

Second, Christ’s exaltation is fitting because He is God.

The Bible teaches us all that the Son is One with the Father. On account of His divinity, exaltation is an absolute necessity; there is nowhere else for God to sit!

No other seat is suitable for the Son except at His Father’s right hand.

Finally, Christ’s exaltation is fitting because He is the dear Son of His Father.

God the Father watched the Son obediently go to the cross to fulfill the covenant of redemption and heard Him cry out in pain,

“My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?” (Matthew 27:46).

The Father knew that the Son underwent that agony out of love for the Father and love for His people.

Matthew 23:37 Amplified Bible

Lament over Jerusalem

37 “[a]O Jerusalem, Jerusalem, who murders the prophets and stones [to death] those [messengers] who are sent to her [by God]! How often I wanted to gather your children together [around Me], as a hen gathers her chicks under her wings, and you were unwilling.

The Father would not leave His perfect Son in that dire condition.

How could the Father’s love do anything other than exalt the Son from His lowly state?

Christ’s humiliation for us and exaltation above us are surely enough to bring us to the point where we bow in joyful submission to Him.

They show us that there is only one who has the absolute unchallengeable status to demand our obedience and the character to deserve our adoration.

They remind us that the best thing about heaven will be the most glorious person in heaven:

I will not gaze at glory, but on my King of grace;
Not at the crown He giveth, but on His pierced hand;
The Lamb is all the glory of Immanuel’s land.[1]

1 Anne R. Cousin, “The Sands of Time Are Sinking” (1857).

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

Let us Pray,

Dear God, please help us to bow our knees and confess with our mouths the truth about Jesus’ cosmic glory. Make us witnesses of this splendid gospel truth. Amen.

Psalm 19 New American Standard Bible 1995

The Works and the Word of God.

For the choir director. A Psalm of David.

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

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

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

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Imitating Christ’s Humility; “but with humility of mind regard one another as more important than yourselves … ” Philippians 2:1-4

Philippians 2:1-4 New American Standard Bible 1995

Be Like Christ

2 Therefore if there is any encouragement in Christ, if there is any consolation of love, if there is any fellowship of the Spirit, if any [a]affection and compassion, 2 make my joy complete [b]by being of the same mind, maintaining the same love, united in spirit, intent on one purpose. 3 Do nothing [c]from [d] selfishness or empty conceit, but with humility of mind regard one another as more important than yourselves; 4 do not merely look out for your own personal interests, but also for the interests of others.

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 followers of Christ, we are called to embrace a servant attitude, putting the needs of others far before our own.

This humility echoes the very heart of Jesus, who came not “to be served, but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many” (Mark 10:45).

In a world that far too often exalts self-promotion and personal gain, we stand apart by valuing others far above ourselves. Our mindsets; we seek to meet the needs of people around us, extending all kindness, empathy, and compassion.

A servant attitude begins with a heart shaped and transformed by God’s love.

As we live in all the selfishness around us, in God’s presence, we learn how to lay down our ambitions and egos, making room for selflessness and sacrificial love. We act with grace and with love toward others, just as God has done for us.

By Paul’s words in Philippians, in every interaction, let’s consider the interests of others, seeking greater opportunities to serve in the both big and small ways.

Contrasting against worldly selfishness, may we be better known not by our alleged accomplishments and achievements and successes but by our love and by our humility and by our servant hearts that follow only the example of Jesus.

Disciples and the World and Lights in the Darkness?

Matthew 5:13-16New American Standard Bible 1995

Disciples and the World

13 “You are the salt of the earth; but if the salt has become tasteless, how [a]can it be made salty again? It is no longer good for anything, except to be thrown out and trampled under foot by men.

14 “You are the light of the world. A city set on a [b]hill cannot be hidden; 15 nor does anyone light a lamp and put it under a [c]basket, but on the lampstand, and it gives light to all who are in the house. 16 Let your light shine before men in such a way that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father who is in heaven.

In response to knowing the heart of God we are called to share the wonders of his invisible nature with a world in desperate need of him. God has chosen to use us to reveal himself. He’s filled us with the Spirit and empowered us to proclaim the good news of salvation and restored relationship with our Creator.

Jesus’ teaching on salt and light in the Sermon on the Mount is truly one of my favorite passages of Scripture related to sharing the heart of God with the world around us.

In Matthew 5:13-16 The Message Jesus taught:

Salt and Light

13 “Let me tell you why you are here. You’re here to be salt-seasoning that brings out the God-flavors of this earth. If you lose your saltiness, how will people taste godliness? You’ve lost your usefulness and will end up in the garbage.

14-16 “Here’s another way to put it: You’re here to be light, bringing out the God-colors in the world. God is not a secret to be kept. We’re going public with this, as public as a city on a hill. If I make you light-bearers, you don’t think I’m going to hide you under a bucket, do you? I’m putting you on a light stand. Now that I’ve put you there on a hilltop, on a light stand—shine! Keep open house; be generous with your lives. By opening up to others, you’ll prompt people to open up with God, this generous Father in heaven.

One of the most powerful, empowering aspects of this passage is how Jesus begins by speaking identity over us.

God doesn’t tell us to go get some salt and share it.

He says we are salt.

He doesn’t tell us to go get a light and shine it.

He says we are a light.

Sharing God’s heart is a part of who we are.

As believers we’ve been redeemed—washed clean of our sins—that we might proclaim the excellencies of our Savior by living in line with our new identity.

The world is a dark place.

It is without hope.

It’s filled with the blind leading the blind and the needy seeking fulfillment from the needy. Our only hope is Jesus. The one, true Guide is the Holy Spirit.

We are called to a humble lifestyle of expelling the darkness around us with the powerful proclamation of God’s heart to love, provide for, and redeem all those who would simply say yes to him. We are each called to respond to Jesus’ call

We are summoned to cease putting a basket over the light he’s placed within us.

We don’t have to be apologetic for the hope we have.

We don’t have to fear the opinion of man.

We can love relentlessly, offer grace unexpectedly, and sacrifice ourselves so that others might see a glimpse of God’s heart. 

“Let your light shine before others” today.

Don’t cover up who you are in Christ.

Seek to reveal God’s heart in all say and you do. And watch as the world around you is drawn to the light of God’s unconditional love revealed through your life.

Guided Prayer:

1. Meditate on Jesus’ words in the Sermon on the Mount. 

Renew your mind to who you are in Christ.

Matthew 5:13-16 Easy-to-Read Version

You Are Like Salt and Light

13 “You are the salt of the earth. But if the salt loses its taste, it cannot be made salty again. Salt is useless if it loses its salty taste. It will be thrown out where people will just walk on it.

14 “You are the light that shines for the world to see. You are like a city built on a hill that cannot be hidden. 15 People don’t hide a lamp under a bowl. They put it on a lampstand. Then the light shines for everyone in the house. 16 In the same way, you should be a light for other people. Live so that they will see the good things you do and praise your Father in heaven.

2. In what ways are you covering up your light? 

In what ways are you living in fear or according to the ways of the world?

Take time to engage in confession and receive God’s forgiveness and love.

3. Receive courage from God to live in accordance with your new identity as salt and light. 

Ask God how you can be light in the darkness today. Ask him for specific ways you can reveal the hope you have in Jesus to others. Journal his response.

Oftentimes we see the things of God as a part of our life.

As soon as God starts trying to change the way we live day-to-day, we put a wall up over our hearts so we don’t have to change.

But to sequester God is to value this life over eternity.

To care more about the world’s opinion of us than who God says we are is to try and make God a servant of the world and its systems.

God is the Creator.

He alone is King.

And he alone knows best as our loving Father.

To section off your life and allow God only into parts is to live foolishly.

Crown God as King over every part of you.

Choose to live as salt and light. And experience life where God is allowed to manifest himself, bless you in every way he can, and use your life to change the world for the better. May your day today be filled with all the fullness of God. 

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

Let us Pray,

Spirit of God, mold my heart in humility and love to imitate the Lord Jesus. Help me to value others above myself and to serve selflessly. May I reflect Christ’s love for the benefit of others in this world each day. In Jesus’ name, Alleluia! Alleluia! Amen.

Psalm 46 New American Standard Bible 1995

God the Refuge of His People.

For the choir director. A Psalm of the sons of Korah, [a]set to Alamoth. A Song.

46 God is our refuge and strength,
[b]A very present help in [c]trouble.
2 Therefore we will not fear, though the earth should change
And though the mountains slip into the heart of the [d]sea;
3 Though its waters roar and foam,
Though the mountains quake at its swelling pride. [e]Selah.

4 There is a river whose streams make glad the city of God,
The holy dwelling places of the Most High.
5 God is in the midst of her, she will not be moved;
God will help her [f]when morning dawns.
6 The [g]nations made an uproar, the kingdoms tottered;
He [h]raised His voice, the earth melted.
7 The Lord of hosts is with us;
The God of Jacob is our stronghold. Selah.

8 Come, behold the works of the Lord,
[i]Who has wrought desolations in the earth.
9 He makes wars to cease to the end of the earth;
He breaks the bow and cuts the spear in two;
He burns the chariots with fire.
10 “[j]Cease striving and know that I am God;
I will be exalted among the [k]nations, I will be exalted in the earth.”
11 The Lord of hosts is with us;
The God of Jacob is our stronghold. Selah.

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

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How should we know that it is a New Beginning, if it’s truly a ‘God Thing?’ Mark 1:1-8

Mark 1:1-8 New King James Version

John the Baptist Prepares the Way

1 The beginning of the gospel of Jesus Christ, the Son of God. 2 As it is written in [a]the Prophets:

“Behold, I send My messenger before Your face,
Who will prepare Your way before You.”
3 “The voice of one crying in the wilderness:
‘Prepare the way of the Lord;
Make His paths straight.’ ”

4 John came baptizing in the wilderness and preaching a baptism of repentance [b]for the remission of sins. 5 Then all the land of Judea, and those from Jerusalem, went out to him and were all baptized by him in the Jordan River, confessing their sins.

6 Now John was clothed with camel’s hair and with a leather belt around his waist, and he ate locusts and wild honey. 7 And he preached, saying, “There comes One after me who is mightier than I, whose sandal strap I am not worthy to stoop down and loose. 8 I indeed baptized you with water, but He will baptize you with the Holy Spirit.”

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.

Do I need a fresh start with God?

Do you need a fresh start with God?

Do we, being the Body of Christ, being the Church, need a fresh start with God?

If we do, in as much as we are going to be authentic and honest in the presence of a knowing God the opening verse of the gospel of Mark has something for us.

It speaks of Jesus Christ, the Son of God, who came to offer new beginnings to all who seek God’s mercy and strength in a time of need.

Mark’s opening words immediately remind us of the first verse of the Bible: “In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth” (Genesis 1:1).

Mark apparently wanted his readers to immediately remember that God is always present and always at work in the very beginning of all good things.

When God created the world, everything was good.

But Adam and Eve sinned against God, and things began to go wrong.

But that was not the end of the story, for God immediately set out to restore what was lost, and his work centered on the coming of His Son, Jesus Christ.

Individually and Corporately (the church), what does this mean for us?

Well, we know God loves us and did not turn away from his rebellious creation.

God came into the world through Christ Jesus to save us from our sin and its consequences.

Because Jesus came to die in our place, paying the price for our sin, all who believe in him are not under sin’s curse anymore.

They are given a new beginning, and that is what the gospel (“good news”) is all about.

Have you, have we (the church) received a new beginning through Jesus Christ?

How would we know we have received a new beginning through Jesus Christ?

How are we to Tell if Something Is truly a ‘God Thing’

Exodus 3:14-15 Complete Jewish Bible

14 God said to Moshe, “Ehyeh Asher Ehyeh [I am/will be what I am/will be],” and added, “Here is what to say to the people of Isra’el: ‘Ehyeh [I Am or I Will Be] has sent me to you.’” 15 God said further to Moshe, “Say this to the people of Isra’el: ‘Yud-Heh-Vav-Heh [Adonai], the God of your fathers, the God of Avraham, the God of Yitz’chak and the God of Ya‘akov, has sent me to you.’ This is my name forever; this is how I am to be remembered generation after generation.

“It’s a God thing” is a common enough way, believers and non-believers, to describe an event or situation people believe was influenced or guided by God.

The circumstances that surround what happened occur in such a way that only God himself could have orchestrated them, or that is at least how it appears. 

Yet, like Moses, how can we ever decipher if something is a “God thing” or not?

To be clear in answering this question, I will only speak to the way God moves in the lives of his children.

I am doing this because God’s primary motive in the lives of unbelievers is to bring them to salvation in Christ.

1 Timothy 2:1-7 New King James Version

Pray for All Men

2 Therefore I [a]exhort first of all that supplications, prayers, intercessions, and  giving of thanks be made for all men, 2 for kings and all who are in [b] authority, that we may lead a quiet and peaceable life in all godliness and [c]reverence. 3 For this is good and acceptable in the sight of God our Savior, 4 who desires all men to be saved and to come to the knowledge of the truth. 5 For there is one God and one Mediator between God and men, the Man Christ Jesus, 6 who gave Himself a ransom for all, to be testified in due time, 7 for which I was appointed a preacher and an apostle—I am speaking the truth [d]in Christ and not lying—a teacher of the Gentiles in faith and truth.

However, once you and I and the church gets saved, God desires to make you more like Christ and to position you to accomplish his purpose for your life.

So, with that context established, let’s consider a few different ways we can know if something is a “God thing.”

1. When it brings our attention, focus back to Christ

John 15:26-27 New American Standard Bible 1995

26 “When the [a]Helper comes, whom I will send to you from the Father, that is the Spirit of truth who proceeds from the Father, He will testify about Me, 27 [b] and you will testify also, because you have been with Me from the beginning.

In the world today, it is not the politicians nor the global power brokers but it is the Holy Spirit who is the one who shifts and orchestrates the events in our life.

When he is at work, he will always point your focus and attention back to Christ.

The Holy Spirit does this because salvation is found only in Jesus’ name.

Acts 4:8-12 New American Standard Bible 1995

8 Then Peter, [a]filled with the Holy Spirit, said to them, “[b]Rulers and elders of the people, 9 if we are [c]on trial today for a benefit done to a sick man, [d]as to how this man has been made well, 10 let it be known to all of you and to all the people of Israel, that [e]by the name of Jesus Christ the Nazarene, whom you crucified, whom God raised from the dead—[f]by [g]this name this man stands here before you in good health. 11 [h]He is the stone which was rejected by you, the builders, but which became the chief corner stone. 12 And there is salvation in no one else; for there is no other name under heaven that has been given among men by which we must be saved.”

However, Jesus Christ is also our model and the one we strive to be like.

As Christians, when the Holy Spirit is at work in your life, he aims to transform you so you look like Christ.

For this reason, everything he does brings Christ into the center.

If you can’t point to Christ, if you can’t glorify Christ, or if it doesn’t challenge you to become more like Christ, then you must question if God is really in it.

One of the simplest ways to know if something is God is to look at who is getting the glory.

If Christ is not being glorified, then God is not in it.

It does not matter how “spiritual” an experience you have; if Jesus is not at the center, then God has no part in it.

That’s why you can’t always judge something by how it makes you feel or the result. It would be best to consider whose direction that event is moving you in.

2. When it confirms God is aware of your situation

Isaiah 38:1-6 New American Standard Bible 1995

Hezekiah Healed

38 In those days Hezekiah became [a]mortally ill. And Isaiah the prophet the son of Amoz came to him and said to him, “Thus says the Lord, ‘Set your house in order, for you shall die and not live.’” 2 Then Hezekiah turned his face to the wall and prayed to the Lord, 3 and said, “Remember now, O Lord, I beseech You, how I have walked before You in truth and with a whole heart, and have done what is good in Your sight.” And Hezekiah wept [b]bitterly.

4 Then the word of the Lord came to Isaiah, saying, 5 “Go and say to Hezekiah, ‘Thus says the Lord, the God of your father David, “I have heard your prayer, I have seen your tears; behold, I will add fifteen years to your [c]life. 6 I will deliver you and this city from the hand of the king of Assyria; and I will defend this city.”’

There may be times in our lives when we pray secretly for things, and God responds to our secret cries.

In Isaiah 38, the prophet Isaiah told Hezekiah he would die.

In response, he cried out to God and wept bitterly before the Lord in prayer.

Isaiah had no knowledge that Hezekiah was praying for God’s mercy, yet when he came to Hezekiah, he brought an answer to the prayer that Hezekiah prayed.

It was a God Thing – God was at work. 

There may be things you pray for or situations you are going through.

In this season, maybe someone brings the right word or even the right provision that you need.

Especially when you have never expressed it to anyone else.

You could go for prayer, and someone prays for your need without you telling them what your need is.

Or, you could sit in church one day, the pastor “reads your mail,” meaning they preach as if they know exactly what we are going through, we never told them.

Situations like these are what God uses to show that he is completely aware of your situation and that he has not forgotten you. 

3. When it meets a need at just the right time

Ecclesiastes 3:11 New American Standard Bible 1995

God Set Eternity in the Heart of Man

11 He has made everything [a]appropriate in its time. He has also set eternity in their heart, [b]yet so that man will not find out the work which God has done from the beginning even to the end.

When God is truly in something, he has a way of showing up at just the right time and providing exactly what you need.

It is not a coincidence when you hear the right word, the right song, the right encouragement, or receive the right provision at the moment you need it.

I know sometimes we wish we didn’t have to experience it this way. However, the only way you will ever know God is authentically faithful is if you must be in a situation where he can prove his faithfulness to you and you praise God for it.

4. When it Rightly aligns with the word of God

2 Timothy 2:14-19 New King James Version

Approved and Disapproved Workers

14 Remind them of these things, charging them before the Lord not to [a]strive about words to no profit, to the ruin of the hearers. 15 Be diligent to present yourself approved to God, a worker who does not need to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth. 16 But shun profane and [b]idle babblings, for they will [c]increase to more ungodliness. 17 And their message will spread like cancer. Hymenaeus and Philetus are of this sort, 18 who have strayed concerning the truth, saying that the resurrection is already past; and they overthrow the faith of some. 19 Nevertheless the solid foundation of God stands, having this seal: “The Lord knows those who are His,” and, “Let everyone who names the name of [d]Christ depart from iniquity.”

A recent blog I read celebrated the idea of a “never-ending vacation.”

Faced with all the ugly long term prospects of an unfulfilling relationship, an unfulfilling job, and the constant demands of everyday life, many people dream of “just leaving it all behind” and heading for a place with no responsibilities.

While it can surely be good and desirable thing to have a change of pace in life, the temptation to run away from all our responsibilities will lead to trouble and will inevitably and perhaps permanently, damage the relationships in our lives.

In 2 Timothy 2 the apostle Paul mentions two individuals who ran away from home spiritually.

Apparently they got caught up in false teachings about the resurrection and undermined the hope that believers had in Christ.

The false teachers aggressively painted a picture that misled people to wander from the good news of Jesus—that we are saved by grace through faith in Jesus Christ, who died for our sins and rose again so that we can live forever with him.

No matter how much we might enjoy learning new things in life, we need the “solid foundation” of scriptural truth that we can depend on to provide us with our spiritual home. We need a place where we are known and accepted in grace.

2 Timothy 3:10-17 New King James Version

The Man of God and the Word of God

10 But you have carefully followed my doctrine, manner of life, purpose, faith, longsuffering, love, perseverance, 11 persecutions, afflictions, which happened to me at Antioch, at Iconium, at Lystra—what persecutions I endured. And out of them all the Lord delivered me. 12 Yes, and all who desire to live godly in Christ Jesus will suffer persecution. 13 But evil men and impostors will grow worse and worse, deceiving and being deceived. 14 But you must continue in the things which you have learned and been assured of, knowing from whom you have learned them, 15 and that from childhood you have known the Holy Scriptures, which are able to make you wise for salvation through faith which is in Christ Jesus.

16 All Scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for [a]instruction in righteousness, 17 that the man of God may be complete, thoroughly equipped for every good work.

Let’s be careful about the stories we tell and the “chatter” we might engage in.

This means we are responsible for knowing and correctly applying what God has said in his word. When you know what his word says, here is what happens.

Ephesians 4:11-16 New King James Version

11 And He Himself gave some to be apostles, some prophets, some evangelists, and some pastors and teachers, 12 for the equipping of the saints for the work of ministry, for the [a]edifying of the body of Christ, 13 till we all come to the unity of the faith and of the knowledge of the Son of God, to a perfect man, to the measure of the stature of the fullness of Christ; 14 that we should no longer be children, tossed to and fro and carried about with every wind of doctrine, by the trickery of men, in the cunning craftiness of deceitful plotting, 15 but, speaking the truth in love, may grow up in all things into Him who is the head—Christ— 16 from whom the whole body, joined and knit together by what every joint supplies, according to the effective working by which every part does its share, causes growth of the body for the edifying of itself in love.

So many people easily deceive themselves and believe that God is orchestrating activities that contradict his word.

Unfortunately, because they are not studious, they are unfamiliar with his word, they don’t and wont always recognize that God is not any part of it.

If you want to be sure if something is a genuine God thing, check to see how it aligns with the holy scripture. If it doesn’t, then you know what the answer is.

In all that we say, do, we should ask ourselves, “Does it point people to Christ?”

5. When you look at the results (but not always)

Isaiah 55:8-11 New American Standard Bible 1995

8 “For My thoughts are not your thoughts,
Nor are your ways My ways,” declares the Lord.
9 “For as the heavens are higher than the earth,
So are My ways higher than your ways
And My thoughts than your thoughts.
10 “For as the rain and the snow come down from heaven,
And do not return there without watering the earth
And making it bear and sprout,
And furnishing seed to the sower and bread to the eater;
11 So will My word be which goes forth from My mouth;
It will not return to Me empty,
Without accomplishing what I desire,
And without succeeding in the matter for which I sent it.

One Thanksgiving, our pastor once told this story to the children in our church.

He showed the children and the congregation a pumpkin and an acorn, and he said he could never figure out why God had created such a small seed for a large tree and why he had created such a large oversized gourd for such a small plant.

It seemed that in a creation that was proportional an oak tree should have a large seed, about the size of a pumpkin, and a small plant like a pumpkin vine should have a small seed, about the size of an acorn.

But then he went on to explain to the church that one day while he was walking through the woods, looking at the leaves an acorn fell and hit him on the head–and suddenly he realized that God must always know exactly what he is doing.

Often in our life we see and experience things that don’t seem to make sense to us, just as often we are all called to trust that God truly knows what he is doing.

God reminds us of this when he says, “My thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways … As the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways and my thoughts than your thoughts.”

Even in the confusion of life, we can be assured that when things do not make sense to us, God knows what he is doing and we can all trust him to care for us.

John 19:28-30 New American Standard Bible 1995

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

For example, Jesus followed the Father in perfect obedience, getting him nailed to a cross. In the short term, that outcome did not look so good. However, in the long term, “It is Finished” meaning that his obedience paid for our salvation.

So yes, results absolutely matter, but not more than your obedience to what God desires you to do.

While results can indicate that God is doing something supernatural, we must measure those results according to God’s standards and not worldly priorities.

Otherwise, we may consistently think God is doing something he is not part of.

Little is much when we know God is absolutely in it – it is His thing – not ours!

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

Let us Pray,

Psalm 84 New American Standard Bible 1995

Longing for the Temple Worship.

For the choir director; [a]on the Gittith. A Psalm of the sons of Korah.

84 How lovely are Your dwelling places,
O Lord of hosts!
2 My soul longed and even yearned for the courts of the Lord;
My heart and my flesh sing for joy to the living God.
3 The bird also has found a house,
And the swallow a nest for herself, where she may lay her young,
Even Your altars, O Lord of hosts,
My King and my God.
4 How blessed are those who dwell in Your house!
They are ever praising You. [b]Selah.

5 How blessed is the man whose strength is in You,
In [c]whose heart are the highways to Zion!
6 Passing through the valley of [d]Baca they make it a [e]spring;
The early rain also covers it with blessings.
7 They go from strength to strength,
[f]Every one of them appears before God in Zion.

8 O Lord God of hosts, hear my prayer;
Give ear, O God of Jacob! Selah.
9 Behold our shield, O God,
And look upon the face of Your anointed.
10 For a day in Your courts is better than a thousand outside.
I would rather stand at the threshold of the house of my God
Than dwell in the tents of wickedness.
11 For the Lord God is a sun and shield;
The Lord gives grace and glory;
No good thing does He withhold [g]from those who walk [h]uprightly.
12 O Lord of hosts,
How blessed is the man who trusts in You!

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

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Trust in the Lord with all your heart, as it will be healing to your body and it will be refreshment to your bones. Proverbs 3:5-8

Proverbs 3:5-8 Complete Jewish Bible

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

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

The Word of God for the Children of God.

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

By these timeless words of Scripture, God invites each of us to implicitly trust in him, to be still, surrender our worries, doubts, and fears into his capable hands.

On our parts, this involves our sacrifice, our conscious choice to rely on God’s wisdom and guidance rather than leaning on our own limited understanding.

In a world filled to overflowing with uncertainty, we will wander around, we stumble everywhere, can we find solace in the unchanging character of God?

Based on the measure and degrees of his own personal experience, intrigue, Solomon’s response is ultimately clear: the Lord is faithful, steadfast, and true.

Our being more aware of his presence, He will fulfill every promise he has made.

From within that raised awareness of his presence, when we place our trust in the Lord, we will be tapping into the wellspring of his grace, strength, peace.

Trusting God doesn’t mean that we will never face challenges or hardships.

But it does mean that we can confidently face hard times, knowing that God is with us, working all things together for our good. We can rest in the blessed assurance that Almighty God is in control and that his plans for us are perfect.

Trusting God requires humility—a recognition his ways are higher than ours.

It involves sacrificing, surrendering our understanding of our wisdom, our need for self control, reshaping our thoughts, embracing HIS divine wisdom, timing.

Day to day, as we submit the fullness of our lives unto the Lord, he directs our paths, leading, guiding, directing us, on a journey of purpose and fulfillment.

Let’s trust God with all our heart. In every circumstance, may we lean on his understanding and submit to his will. As we do trust God, we experience his faithfulness, and our lives become that testimony to his goodness and grace.

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

Let us Pray,

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.

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What have I to doubt, what have I to fear leaning on the everlasting arms? Matthew 14:22-33

Matthew 14:22-33 New American Standard Bible 1995

Jesus Walks on the Water

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.

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