Tag: christianity

Rebellious sinners; with and without a cause or calling! God’s Word comes unto the rebel’s heart and commands commitment and humble obedience. 1 Peter 1:22-25

1 Peter 1:22-25 New King James Version

The Enduring Word

22 Since you have purified your souls in obeying the truth [a]through the Spirit in [b] sincere love of the brethren, love one another fervently with a pure heart,  23 having been born again, not of [c]corruptible seed but [d] incorruptible, through the word of God which lives and abides [e]forever, 24 because

“All flesh is as grass,
And all [f]the glory of man as the flower of the grass.
The grass withers,
And its flower falls away,
25 But the [g]word of the Lord endures forever.”

Now this is the word which by the gospel was preached to you.

The Word of God for the Children of God

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

The gospel is not an exhortation to well-meaning people, inviting us to add a little religion to our lives every now and then.

Like a a hammer and chisel, God’s Word comes into our rebellious heart and is, hammer strike by hammer strike gradually chipped away revealing obedience.

It is a Word which brings the dead to life.

How is this work accomplished?

Only by God’s Spirit.

It is the Spirit’s work to achieve what cannot be done in any other way, by any other means: to bring about new life.

By nature, we are all rebels against God.

No one seeks after Him (Romans 3:11).

Even if I call myself an agnostic or a seeker or kind of open-minded, in reality I am rebelling.

And God “commands all people everywhere to repent” (Acts 17:30).

God calls every one of us to do an about-turn—to turn decisively from sin and rebellion and to come under His reins.

Apart from a miracle, we cannot do this.

Left to ourselves, we are dead and without hope for eternity.

Thankfully, it is the very task of God’s Spirit to perform that miracle for us.

New life is something God achieves, not something we engender.

The Spirit convicts us of sin and convinces us that Jesus, by His death on the cross, has decisively dealt with it.

Scripture is absolutely clear on this:

when we were dead in our sins, we were made alive in Christ (Ephesians 2:1-5).

The Spirit brings us to understand what by ourselves we are unprepared to face—namely, that we have a deep, endemic problem we cannot fix.

We need a miracle.

And that’s what God does.

He brings about new life.

He saves us by His grace.

Everything about us fades; as the grass, Peter says, all of us will one day fall.

But there is a seed which produces that which is imperishable, which is planted in us by the Spirit, which will bloom and thrive for all eternity: the life that has been born anew through the gospel.

The word of God remains forever, and so does the one who has been brought to new life as the Spirit works through it.

Once that has happened to us, we no longer see the Bible merely as some history book or inspiring story.

By the work of the Spirit, it becomes a light, illuminating true life, and our eyes are opened to understand who God is.

This is why we study the Bible: to better see and know the one who has saved us and with whom we will spend eternity.

1 Peter 1:22–25 teaches believers should purify their souls by obeying the truth and then love one another deeply and sincerely from the heart.

As followers of Christ, we often find ourselves navigating the complexities of our relationships and our own spiritual growth.

These verses from 1 Peter 1:22-25 help illuminate the profound relationship between love, truth, and our rebirth through the Word of God.

In these verses, the apostle Peter encourages us to continually reflect on our transformed nature and the covenant responsibilities which comes with it.

“Since ye have purified your souls in obeying the truth through the Spirit unto unfeigned love of the brethren, see that ye love one another with a pure heart fervently” (1 Peter 1:22).

This call to love is rooted in the incredible work the Holy Spirit accomplishes within us.

Purification of the soul occurs not merely through an act of will, but through our obedience to the truth, which the Spirit reveals.

This obedience is the refining process that leads us to sincere love—“unfeigned love of the brethren.”

As believers, we should ask ourselves: Are our actions a true reflection of this unfeigned love?

Love is the greatest commandment, and Jesus has modeled this for us.

It isn’t simply an emotion but is an active choice demonstrated through our behaviors and our attitudes toward others.

In a world flooded with all manner of deceit and superficiality, our love must be a genuine reflection, coming from the purity of a heart transformed by Christ.

Peter encourages us to love one another with greatest intensity: “with a pure heart fervently.”

This fervor highlights the significance of our love not being lukewarm or half-hearted.

It requires a relentless passion, a dedication that mirrors the fervency with which Christ first loved us.

Are there relationships in our lives that need more fervent love?

More patience?

More understanding?

As we purify our souls and align ourselves with the truth, we become vessels of His everlasting love.

The Word of God is the foundation of our new life, and it stands securely, and timeless against the backdrop of a transient world.

Peter references the frailty of human existence by stating,

“For all flesh is as grass, and all the glory of man as the flower of grass. The grass withereth, and the flower thereof falleth away” (1 Peter 1:24).

Here, Peter paints a vivid picture of the ephemerality of human status and accolades—an urgent reminder that apart from God, we too wither and fade.

How often do we chase after what is temporal, neglecting the eternal?

In our spiritual journey, we must maintain an enduring, eternal perspective, and understanding that our true worth is anchored in our relationship with God, not in worldly achievements. (Hebrews 6:19)

In contrast, Peter concludes with a powerful proclamation: “But the word of the Lord endureth for ever” (1 Peter 1:25).

This truth is our anchor and our hope.

Unlike the grass, which wilts and fades, the Word of God is alive, powerful, and everlasting. It feeds our spirit, strengthens our resolve, and guides our steps.

The verses remind us not just of the importance of reading the scriptures, but the necessity of allowing them to permeate our hearts and transform our lives.

It says new life comes through God’s living word, while people’s bodies are temporary like grass that withers, but the word of the Lord endures forever.

Peter’s exhortation culminates in action.

The gospel—recalling that the very Word that was preached to us—is not merely for our personal consumption but a living breathing message to share.

As we move out into the kingdom, embodying the love and truth of the gospel, let us remember in a fluid world that is ever-shifting, our faith grounded in His Word, our fervent love for one another is an enduring legacy that glorifies Him.

As we pray over these insights, may we live out this love,

remain anchored in His Word,

nurture the body of Christ fervently with renewed hearts purified by the Spirit.

So, may the love of Jesus draw you to Him.

May the joy of Jesus enable you to serve Him.

May the Shalom and contentment which comes in knowing Savior Jesus grant to you stability and clarity as you reflect on where you’ve been, consider where you are being lead to go, and diligently meditate upon where you are headed.

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

Praying …

A Psalm of Praise.

150 [a]Praise [b]the Lord!
Praise God in His sanctuary;
Praise Him in His mighty [c]expanse.
2 Praise Him for His mighty deeds;
Praise Him according to His excellent greatness.

3 Praise Him with trumpet sound;
Praise Him with harp and lyre.
4 Praise Him with tambourine and dancing;
Praise Him with stringed instruments and flute.
5 Praise Him with loud cymbals;
Praise Him with resounding cymbals.
6 Everything that has breath shall praise [d]the Lord.
[e]Praise [f]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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What have we achieved with God’s Generosity? Nakedness and Shame. What God has Wrought? Judgment, Exile, Clothing, Labor, Restoration. Genesis 3:1 – 11

Genesis 3:1-11 New King James Version

The Temptation and Fall of Man

3 Now the serpent was more cunning than any beast of the field which the Lord God had made. And he said to the woman, “Has God indeed said, ‘You shall not eat of every tree of the garden’?”

2 And the woman said to the serpent, “We may eat the fruit of the trees of the garden; 3 but of the fruit of the tree which is in the midst of the garden, God has said, ‘You shall not eat it, nor shall you touch it, lest you die.’ ”

4 Then the serpent said to the woman, “You will not surely die. 5 For God knows that in the day you eat of it your eyes will be opened, and you will be like God, knowing good and evil.”

6 So when the woman saw that the tree was good for food, that it was [a]pleasant to the eyes, and a tree desirable to make one wise, she took of its fruit and ate. She also gave to her husband with her, and he ate. 7 Then the eyes of both of them were opened, and they knew that they were naked; and they sewed fig leaves together and made themselves [b]coverings.

8 And they heard the [c]sound of the Lord God walking in the garden in the  [d]cool of the day, and Adam and his wife hid themselves from the presence of the Lord God among the trees of the garden.

9 Then the Lord God called to Adam and said to him, “Where are you?”

10 So he said, “I heard Your voice in the garden, and I was afraid because I was naked; and I hid myself.”

11 And He said, “Who told you that you were naked? Have you eaten from the tree of which I commanded you that you should not eat?”

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 Question of Innocence: Understanding Our Nakedness …

In the lush, untainted paradise of the Garden of Eden, Adam and Eve enjoyed a perfect communion with God.

They walked in innocence, unencumbered by shame or fear, until the fateful moment when their defiance introduced them to a new reality.

The verse from Genesis 3:11 opens a profound dialogue between God and man, encapsulating the unfolding of sin and the loss of innocence:

“And he said, Who told thee that thou wast naked? Hast thou eaten of the tree, whereof I commanded thee that thou shouldest not eat?”

This query is not merely rhetorical; but a deep, revealing question speaking volumes about the nature of sin, guilt, and our relationship with the Creator.

In coming to understand this passage, we embark on a journey that leads us inward, prompting us to reflect on our own lives.

When God asks, “Who told thee that thou wast naked?” we must consider the implications of knowing one’s nakedness.

To be “naked” in this context is not merely a physical state of no clothing; it symbolizes a loss of innocence, a revelation of one’s exposed, vulnerable self.

Prior to disobedience, Adam and Eve experienced life without shame, their nakedness was simply an aspect of their existence, not a cause for concern.

However, through sin, they became aware of their nakedness—a profound realization that is often mirrored in our own lives when we too confront our unworthiness and imperfection. This awareness leads us down a rocky path of hiding from God, something we instinctively replicate because of our shame.

His question also highlights the necessity of accountability.

God’s inquiry seeks to bring Adam and Eve to a moment of realization about their choices. They had free will, and with that freedom came responsibility.

By eating from the forbidden tree, they made a conscious choice that directly contradicted God’s command.

In a world where moral relativism often reigns, we are challenged to grapple with the hard core truth that our actions have very real consequences.

We are reminded of the importance of heeding God’s guidance—not just for our own comfort and safety but for the sanctity of our relationship with Him.

Moreover, God’s words evoke a sense of grace amidst judgment.

The divine inquiry shrouded in gentleness rather than wrath allows us to ponder the complexities of God’s character.

Rather than immediately condemning Adam and Eve, He chooses instead to ask questions that invite introspection and dialogue. This interaction encourages us to bravely, humbly come before God rather than hide away, even when we fail.

Reflecting upon this, we find ourselves in similar situations when we too are confronted with our own nakedness—moments when we are made painfully aware of our shortcomings, vulnerabilities, faults, failures, and sins.

In those times, we question, “Who told you that you are unworthy or flawed?”

Just as God approached Adam and Eve, He approaches us today with loving inquiry, urging us to acknowledge our actions and their consequences.

We must understand that God’s desire is not to cast us away, but to draw us closer into the light of His truth.

As we meditate on Genesis 3:11, let us examine our own lives in light of God’s questions:

– Who or what informs our sense of shame?

– In what ways have we strayed from God’s commandments?

– How do we respond to God’s gentle nudges urging us back into His embrace?

Instead of succumbing to the fear of exposure, may we choose vulnerability before God, seeking reconciliation and restoration.

The beauty of the Gospel is that despite our nakedness, we are invited to be wrapped in the righteousness of Christ.

Our nakedness strips us bare, but God’s mercy covers us, offering us hope and renewal.

In returning to Him, we honor the grace that brings redemption from the fall.

Thus, as we reflect upon this powerful question from God, may we choose honesty over shame, confessing our disobedience while trusting in the restoration offered through Jesus Christ.

Let our response echo the desire to be known, loved, and redeemed—naked yet unashamed in His presence.

Where Are You?

“Where are you?” God asks Adam. This question is not about where Adam and Eve are hiding. Something bigger than that is happening here.

Genesis 1 and 2 give the glorious account of our creative God creating everything—including us human beings. Then Genesis 3 tells of Adam and Eve’s disobedience, their fall into sin, which now infects all of us. The fruit looked delicious and desirable, but all it revealed was that they were naked. They tried to hide from God in their shame, making simple garments of fig leaves. Where were they? To answer God’s question, they were lost.

God’s footsteps echoed in the garden, and his voice boomed, “Where are you?”

God knew, but they needed to know they were lost.

“Who told you that you were naked?” God asked.

Like naughty children, they tried the blame game.

“The woman you put here gave me the fruit,” whimpered Adam.

“The serpent (you made) fooled me,” Eve whined.

Today God still asks, “Where are you?”

I heard it when I was in my Officer Basic Course in San Antonio on our land navigation course; even with my compass I was lost, vulnerable, and scared.

God pursued me into my wilderness, where the haunting question suddenly turned comforting.

He wasn’t out to get me into trouble but to give me the promise that he had provided the least, the lost and most vulnerable a Savior, his Son.

“Stay where you are. I’ve sent my Son for you!” God assured me.

Even in our embarrassment, our nakedness, our loss of innocence unclothed state do we know the fullest magnitude of this God, who desires be with us?

“What is this that you have done?”

We have all believed the lie that our way is better than God’s.

He has gone to the extreme of sending His Son in order that the hardness of our hardest rebellion be overwhelmed by His kindness, which “is better than life”

He has shone His word right into our hearts, that we might see His splendor now and forevermore, and that we might be remade in His image and restored to the glory God always intended His image-bearing creatures to have.

Seeing His goodness and faithfulness coming under His rule are what liberates each of us from the mastery of deceit, darkness, despair, and, yes, even death.

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

Praying …

The Sovereignty of the Lord in Creation and History

33 Rejoice in the Lord, O you righteous!
For praise from the upright is beautiful.
2 Praise the Lord with the harp;
[a]Make melody to Him with an instrument 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 right,
And all His work is done in truth.
5 He loves righteousness and justice;
The earth is full of the goodness of the Lord.

6 By the word of the Lord the heavens were made,
And all the host of them by the breath of His mouth.
7 He gathers the waters of the sea together [b]as a heap;
He lays up the deep 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 stood fast.

10 The Lord brings the counsel of the nations to nothing;
He makes the plans of the peoples of no effect.
11 The counsel of the Lord stands forever,
The plans of His heart to all generations.
12 Blessed is the nation whose God is the Lord,
The people He has chosen as His own inheritance.

13 The Lord looks from heaven;
He sees all the sons of men.
14 From the place of His dwelling He looks
On all the inhabitants of the earth;
15 He fashions their hearts individually;
He [c]considers all their works.

16 No king is saved by the multitude of an army;
A mighty man is not delivered by great strength.
17 A horse is a [d]vain hope for safety;
Neither shall it deliver any by its great strength.

18 Behold, the eye of the Lord is on those who fear Him,
On those who hope in His mercy,
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 shall rejoice in Him,
Because we have trusted in His holy name.
22 Let Your mercy, O Lord, be upon us,
Just as we hope 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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What future in God? With temporary, transient, worldly truth, or the Holy, everlasting, indelible, Words of God? 1 Peter 1:13-21

1 Peter 1:13-21 The Message

A Future in God

13-16 So roll up your sleeves, get your head in the game, be totally ready to receive the gift that’s coming when Jesus arrives. Don’t lazily slip back into those old grooves of evil, doing just what you feel like doing. You didn’t know any better then; you do now. As obedient children, let yourselves be pulled into a way of life shaped by God’s life, a life energetic and blazing with holiness. God said, “I am holy; you be holy.”

17 You call out to God for help and he helps—he’s a good Father that way. But don’t forget, he’s also a responsible Father, and won’t let you get by with sloppy living.

18-21 Your life is a journey you must travel with a deep consciousness of God. It cost God plenty to get you out of that dead-end, empty-headed life you grew up in. He paid with Christ’s sacred blood, you know. He died like an unblemished, sacrificial lamb. And this was no afterthought. Even though it has only lately—at the end of the ages—become public knowledge, God always knew he was going to do this for you. It’s because of this sacrificed Messiah, whom God then raised from the dead and glorified, that you trust God, that you know you have a future in God.

22-25 Now that you’ve cleaned up your lives by following the truth, love one another as if your lives depended on it. Your new life is not like your old life. Your old birth came from mortal sperm; your new birth comes from God’s living Word. Just think: a life conceived by God himself! That’s why the prophet said,

The old life is a grass life,
    its beauty as short-lived as wildflowers;
Grass dries up, flowers wilt,
    God’s Word goes on and on forever.

This is the Word that conceived the new life in you.

Word of God for the Children of God

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

We live in a “disposable” culture.

We use things for a moment and then toss them away.

We see fashions change, buildings crumble, and even our own bodies feel the effects of time.

It is easy to get caught up in the “temporary”—the things that won’t matter in a hundred years.

But Peter concludes his first chapter by pointing us to the only two things on this earth that are eternal:

The Word of God and the souls of people.

Because these two things are eternal, they are where our focus should be.

In this passage, Peter explains that because we have been changed by an eternal Word, we must now practice an eternal love.

The Proof of Purification: Unfeigned Love (v. 22)

Peter begins with a statement of fact: you have “purified your souls.”

How did this happen?

It happened through our “obeying the truth.”

When we responded positively to the Gospel, the Holy Spirit began a work of inward cleansing.

But what is the evidence of that cleansing?

Is it how many verses we know?

Is it how long we pray?

Peter says the evidence of that purification is “unfeigned love of the brethren.”

The word “unfeigned” means “without a mask” or “not hypocritical.”

Because the Spirit has started this work, Peter gives a command:

“see that ye love one another with a pure heart fervently.”

The word “fervently” in Greek is a dynamic word; it means “stretched out” or “at full capacity.”

It’s the image of an athlete straining every last muscle to reach the finish line.

Our love for each other shouldn’t be “if I feel like it” or “if they deserve it.”

It should be an intense, deliberate, and sincere effort.

The Source of the New Life: Incorruptible Seed (v. 23)

Why are we capable of this kind of love?

Why can we love when it’s hard?

Because our nature has changed.

Peter reminds us that we are “born again.”

This isn’t any human makeover; it’s a divine miracle.

The Quality of the Seed:

Every plant grows according to its seed.

If you plant a corruptible (perishable) seed, you get a plant that dies.

But we were born of “incorruptible seed.”

That seed is “the word of God.”

The Word entered our hearts, took root, and produced a new kind of life—a life that is eternal because its source “liveth and “abideth for ever.”

Because we have “eternal DNA” in us through the Word, we have the capacity to practice “eternal love.”

The Contrast of Two Worlds (vv. 24–25)

To drive home the point, Peter quotes the ancient prophet Isaiah to show us the difference between man’s best and God’s Word.

Isaiah 40:1-8 New American Standard Bible

The Greatness of God

40 “Comfort, comfort My people,” says your God.
2 “Speak [a]kindly to Jerusalem;
And call out to her, that her [b]warfare has ended,
That her [c]guilt has been removed,
That she has received of the Lord’s hand
Double for all her sins.”

3 The voice of one calling out,
“Clear the way for the Lord in the wilderness;
Make [d]straight in the desert a highway for our God.
4 Let every valley be lifted up,
And every mountain and hill be made low;
And let the uneven ground become a plain,
And the rugged terrain a broad valley;
5 [e]Then the glory of the Lord will be revealed,
And all flesh will see it together;
For the mouth of the Lord has spoken.”
6 A voice says, “Call out.”
Then [f]he answered, “What shall I call out?”
All flesh is grass, and all its [g]loveliness is like the flower of the field.
7 The grass withers, the flower fades,
[h]When the breath of the Lord blows upon it;
The people are indeed grass!
8 The grass withers, the flower fades,
But the word of our God stands forever.

The Frailty of Man: “All flesh is as grass.”

A wise person once said, “You live in the presence of God; act accordingly.”

Those words capture the essence of God’s will: to be holy in everything we do.

Unlike a life driven by endless do’s and don’ts, a holy life is both gift and a goal.

The Bible tells us much about God’s holiness.

The Bible praises God’s infinite holiness and celebrates his steadfast love and care, making clear that we owe the Lord all praise and honor.

God’s holiness sets us apart from him and exposes our sin.

But the Father has given us Jesus, his Son, to set us free from our guilt.

God’s gift to us is a holiness we receive through faith in the Savior.

Set apart by God for service, we become “eager to do what is good” (Titus 2:14).

Our goal then becomes holiness, like that of our heavenly Father.

God’s gift becomes our passion.

The psalmist asks, “How can those who are young keep their way pure?”

And God’s child willingly answers,

“I seek you with all my heart; do not let me stray from your commands. I have hidden your word in my heart that I might not sin against you” (Psalm 119:9-11).

God’s great love invites us to live in his holy presence.

We show our love by joyfully embracing a life lived before God’s face.

Is this the measure of wisdom of our life?

Consider the most powerful leaders, famous celebrities, the greatest athletes.

Peter says their glory is like a wildflower.

It’s beautiful for a day, but then the sun scorches it, and it’s gone.

Everything the world produces is subject to decay.

The Endurance of the Word:

The Works and the Word of God.

For the music director. A Psalm of David.

19 The heavens tell of the glory of God;
And their expanse declares 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 into all the earth,
And their words to the end of the world.
In them He has placed a tent for the sun,
5 Which is like a groom coming out of his chamber;
It rejoices like a strong person 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.

But in stark contrast, “the word of the Lord endureth for ever.”

Governments fall, languages change, civilizations disappear, but God’s Word remains exactly as it has it always has been.

It does not go out of style.

It does not lose its power.

Peter brings it home:

“And this is the word which by the gospel is preached unto you.”

This isn’t just an abstract “Word” in the heavens; it is the very Gospel message we heard and we believed.

The same message that saved us is the message that will sustain us forever.

Investing in What Lasts

As we arrive at the finish of Chapter 1, we are left with a choice.

Where will we invest our lives?

Will we spend our energy on the “grass” and the “flowers”—the temporary riches and reputations of this world?

Or will we invest in the eternal?

To live lives which matter, anchor our souls to the Word of God that never fails, pour ourselves out as a tall drink offering into the people who will live forever.

Purify our hearts, roll up our sleeves, love our brothers and sisters “fervently.”

When everything else has withered and fallen away, the love we shared in Christ and the Truth of the Gospel we stood upon, will be the only things still standing.

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

Praying …

The Voice of the Lord in the Storm.

A Psalm of David.

29 Ascribe to the Lord, [a]sons of the mighty,
Ascribe to the Lord glory and strength.
2 Ascribe to the Lord the glory [b]due His name;
Worship the Lord in holy attire.

3 The voice of the Lord is on the waters;
The God of glory thunders,
The Lord is over [c]many waters.
4 The voice of the Lord is powerful,
The voice of the Lord is majestic.
5 The voice of the Lord breaks the cedars;
Yes, the Lord breaks the cedars of Lebanon in pieces.
6 He makes Lebanon skip like a calf,
And Sirion like a young wild ox.
7 The voice of the Lord divides [d]flames of fire.
8 The voice of the Lord [e]shakes the wilderness;
The Lord shakes the wilderness of Kadesh.
9 The voice of the Lord makes the deer give birth
And strips the forests bare;
And in His temple everything says, “Glory!”

10 The Lord sat as King at the flood;
Yes, the Lord sits as King forever.
11 [f]The Lord will give strength to His people;
[g]The Lord will bless His people with peace.

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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Confronting, Overcoming, Tearing Down the Barriers and Strongholds, Erected high against the truth of God. 2 Corinthians 10:1-6

2 Corinthians 10:1-6 The Message

Tearing Down Barriers

10 1-2 And now a personal but most urgent matter; I write in the gentle but firm spirit of Christ. I hear that I’m being painted as cringing and wishy-washy when I’m with you, but harsh and demanding when at a safe distance writing letters. Please don’t force me to take a hard line when I’m present with you. Don’t think that I’ll hesitate a single minute to stand up to those who say I’m an unprincipled opportunist. Then they’ll have to eat their words.

3-6 The world is unprincipled. It’s dog-eat-dog out there! The world doesn’t fight fair. But we don’t live or fight our battles that way—never have and never will. The tools of our trade aren’t for marketing or manipulation, but they are for demolishing that entire massively corrupt culture. We use our powerful God-tools for smashing warped philosophies, tearing down barriers erected against the truth of God, fitting every loose thought and emotion and impulse into the structure of life shaped by Christ. Our tools are ready at hand for clearing the ground of every obstruction and building lives of obedience into maturity.

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.

Some mornings feel like you wake up to a battle you didn’t see coming.

The coffee is perfect, but the thoughts are as loud as 76 trombones and drums.

A whisper worries you.

A memory needles you.

A headline makes your heart heavy.

Your calendar says Tuesday, but your soul says “tired.”

Ever been there?

The pressure you can’t put your finger on?

The tug-of-war in your mind you can’t quite name?

You love Jesus, yet the waves keep rising.

You pray, yet the wind still howls.

Friend, you’re not alone.

And you’re not powerless.

Psalm 119:105-112 The Message

105-112 By your words I can see where I’m going;
    they throw a beam of light on my dark path.
I’ve committed myself and I’ll never turn back
    from living by your righteous order.
Everything’s falling apart on me, God;
    put me together again with your Word.
Adorn me with your finest sayings, God;
    teach me your holy rules.
My life is as close as my own hands,
    but I don’t forget what you have revealed.
The wicked do their best to throw me off track,
    but I don’t swerve an inch from your course.
I inherited your book on living; it’s mine forever—
    what a gift! And how happy it makes me!
I concentrate on doing exactly what you say—
    I always have and always will.

Scripture sheds light into the darkness, lifts the curtain on this moment.

It names what you face and supplies what you need.

The Word tells us our true struggle isn’t staged on streets or screens; it plays out in thoughts and in the will.

The battleground is between the ears and within the chest.

But here’s the good news: God arms His people.

He gives weapons that work, truth that steadies, and grace that guards.

He strengthens soldiers, renews minds, and teaches hearts to hold the line.

“Prayer is, beyond any question, the highest activity of the human soul.” — Martyn Lloyd-Jones.

If that is true—and it is—today we are calling on the Author and Creator of our salvation.

We will pick up what He hands us: His mighty strength, His renewing mercy, His living Word.

We’ll speak to fear with faith.

We’ll answer lies with Scripture.

We’ll lift our thoughts to Christ and watch Him lift our heads.

Ephesians 6:13-18 The Message

13-18 Be prepared. You’re up against far more than you can handle on your own. Take all the help you can get, every weapon God has issued, so that when it’s all over but the shouting you’ll still be on your feet. Truth, righteousness, peace, faith, and salvation are more than words. Learn how to apply them. You’ll need them throughout your life. God’s Word is an indispensable weapon. In the same way, prayer is essential in this ongoing warfare. Pray hard and long. Pray for your brothers and sisters. Keep your eyes open. Keep each other’s spirits up so that no one falls behind or drops out.

Take that in.

Weapons that are mighty through God.

Minds made new.

Armor for the evil day.

Steady, steel-spined standing.

This is not fantasy language.

This is family language—your Father speaking courage to His children.

Can you picture it?

Christ, with kindness in His eyes, teaching you to marshal your thoughts, to lace up the gospel boots, to lift the shield, to breathe steady under pressure.

He trains our arms and hands, legs and feet for war, our hearts for worship.

He is with you in your Monday meeting and your midnight worries.

He knows the friction you feel and the fatigue you carry.

He supplies a calm that holds in a crisis and a courage that holds on in the night.

So, as we begin, let’s set our hearts to receive.

Let’s let the Lord teach us how to fight the unseen battle through His power, to renew our thinking until our thoughts are taken prisoner by Savior Jesus, and to endure with grace, standing ready in His armor.

If your mind has been noisy, if your heart has been heavy, lean in.

The Shepherd is here.

The Word is living.

The Spirit is near.

Strength is on the way.

We prepare ourselves to fight the unseen battle through God’s power

There is more going on in your day than what your eyes can see.

Thoughts move.

Desires pull.

Words shape the minutes and hours and the days.

In all of this, real help comes from God. He gives strength that holds.

He gives light that guides.

He gives wisdom that works in real life.

We cannot force our way through on willpower.

We receive what God gives.

We ask for help.

We act on His Word.

We keep in step with His Spirit.

We keep going when it is quiet and simple.

That is where strength grows.

This shows up in normal places.

In the kitchen.

In the car.

In the meeting.

In the text thread.

In the habit you keep choosing.

God meets you there.

He does not run away nor hide from pressure.

He walks into it with you.

Call things by their right name.

A thought can be a lie.

A mood can be fear.

An excuse can be pride.

A pattern can be sin.

When you name it, you can bring it to God.

He is ready to deal with it.

His Word is living.

His Spirit is working.

They move together.

They change how you think.

They shape how you choose.

They set your mind on Christ.

Little by little, you see what is true and good.

This takes practice.

You will repeat many small steps.

Pray again.

Read again.

Speak truth again.

Ask for help again.

Over time, your reflexes change.

You reach for God faster.

You also need people.

A friend who prays.

A group that cares.

A leader who teaches the Bible with clarity.

We fight side by side.

We do not make excuses when someone asks hard questions.

We tell the truth and we keep going.

Expect pushback.

Expect fresh mercy.

Expect the Lord to keep His word.

Take today as it comes.

Take the next right step.

God supplies what He commands.

Paul says the tools God gives carry His power.

Human tools cannot move a heart or break patterns that have hardened over years.

God’s tools can.

Think of deep grooves in your mind.

Certain lies run through them like water in a channel. “I am alone.” “I cannot change.” “God won’t care about this.”

The passage speaks of tearing down prideful ideas and every claim that sets itself up against the knowledge of God.

So here is what you can do.

Catch a thought as it starts to form.

Hold it up to what God has said.

Ask, “Does this sound like the Lord’s voice?”

If it does not, do not give it your trust or your time.

Speak a better word from Scripture.

Pray it out loud.

Tell a brother or sister what you’re thinking, ask them to answer you with the Bible.

Keep a small list of verses near you, in your notes or on a card.

When an old lie walks in, meet it at the door with God’s truth.

This is hard at first.

It becomes quicker with practice.

You are not arguing with air.

You are handing thought over to Christ like a guard hands a captive to the king.

He rules there.

He decides what stays and what goes.

Over weeks and months, the channels in your mind change course.

New grooves form.

Hope runs in them.

Trust runs in them.

The Lord trains you to think with Him.

God wants your whole self.

Your body, your plans, your energy, your time.

Place it all before Him as a living act of worship.

This is a daily discipline.

It happens in errands and emails as much as in church.

Then comes the inner work.

God renews your mind.

He is not only adding facts.

He is reshaping the way you see.

He is tracing over your old maps with a better map.

When you let Him correct you, He also heals you.

When you sit under Scripture often, your thoughts begin to agree, align with His thoughts.

You begin to sense what He calls “good” without a tug of war inside.

You can test a choice and weigh it with a clear head.

You learn how to ask simple questions. “Will this honor Jesus?” “Will this help me love people?” “Is this wise for me right now?”

You start to notice which inputs shape you.

Some music, shows, feeds, and friendships pull your mind away from the Lord.

Others push you toward Him.

Set patterns that give God access to your thinking.

Read the Bible out loud.

Meditate slowly on small parts.

Memorize a line and carry it through the day.

Far from noise.

Serve someone in secret.

Thank God on purpose.

As your mind is renewed, obedience feels less like a push and more like a path you know how to walk.

Ephesians speaks to a rough day and a firm stance.

There are hours when pressure hits from many sides.

God tells you to take up everything He provides and to hold your ground.

This is not passive.

It is active trust.

Readiness is part of it.

Before the hard hour comes, build habits that fit the fight.

Tell the truth when a small lie would be easy.

Keep clean hands when corners look tempting.

Let the good news of Jesus settle your steps so you can walk into tense rooms with peace.

Raise trust like a shield when false claims fly at you.

Keep the rescue of God in front of your mind so shame does not set the tone.

Speak Scripture, not as a slogan, but as a sharp, timely word.

There are going to be days when all you can do is stand.

That still honors God.

Plant your feet.

Breathe.

Pray simple prayers. “Lord, help.” “Lord, lead.” “Lord, guard my mouth.”

Picture a soldier staying at his post while the wind rages.

He is not flashy.

He is faithful.

By grace, so are you.

God’s supply does not run thin in the late hour.

He holds you up when your own strength shakes.

When the surge passes, you will still be there.

Paul also talks like a field commander to a younger man.

“Endure hardship” is straight talk.

Hard seasons come.

Do not look for the nearest escape hatch every time pressure rises.

Stay under the weight you are meant to carry, and let God make you stronger.

Then he warns about the snare of a busy life that is full of good things but empty of focus.

Picture cords around your ankles.

You keep trying to run and keep getting yanked.

Untie the cords.

Clear the clutter.

Decide what you are about in Christ, and then order your days around that aim.

Create margins.

Set limits on screens.

Choose a few deep friendships.

Be early to church.

Keep a short list of debts and sins.

Pay and confess quickly.

Make room for prayer and the Word at the top of the day.

A soldier cares what his commander thinks.

So ask often, “Lord, what would please You here?”

This brings a steady peace.

You will make hard calls and let go of lesser gains.

You will miss some trends.

You will gain a free heart.

The Lord sees that kind of single-minded life.

He gives grace and mercy to live it.

Friends, go with this: God is good, and His love won’t let you go.

When your thoughts press in, He’s the voice that steadies; when your strength runs out, He’s the hand that holds.

You’re not facing the fight alone—Jesus is with you, faithful in the trenches and gentle in the quiet.

Let that truth settle into your spirit and soul and shape the next step you take.

Rest in His goodness.

Walk in His love.

Keep lifting your thoughts to Christ.

In the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit. Amen

Praying …

Psalm 25 The Message

25 1-2 My head is high, God, held high;
I’m looking to you, God;
No hangdog skulking for me.

3 I’ve thrown in my lot with you;
You won’t embarrass me, will you?
Or let my enemies get the best of me?

Don’t embarrass any of us
Who went out on a limb for you.
It’s the traitors who should be humiliated.

4 Show me how you work, God;
School me in your ways.

5 Take me by the hand;
Lead me down the path of truth.
You are my Savior, aren’t you?

6 Mark the milestones of your mercy and love, God;
Rebuild the ancient landmarks!

7 Forget that I sowed wild oats;
Mark me with your sign of love.
Plan only the best for me, God!

8 God is fair and just;
He corrects the misdirected,
Sends them in the right direction.

9 He gives the rejects his hand,
And leads them step-by-step.

10 From now on every road you travel
Will take you to God.
Follow the Covenant signs;
Read the charted directions.

11 Keep up your reputation, God;
Forgive my bad life;
It’s been a very bad life.

12 My question: What are God-worshipers like?
Your answer: Arrows aimed at God’s bull’s-eye.

13 They settle down in a promising place;
Their kids inherit a prosperous farm.

14 God-friendship is for God-worshipers;
They are the ones he confides in.

15 If I keep my eyes on God,
I won’t trip over my own feet.

16 Look at me and help me!
I’m all alone and in big trouble.

17 My heart and mind are fighting each other;
Call a truce to this civil war.

18 Take a hard look at my life of hard labor,
Then lift this ton of sin.

19 Do you see how many people
Have it in for me?
How viciously they hate me?

20 Keep watch over me and keep me out of trouble;
Don’t let me down when I run to you.

21 Use all your skill to put me together;
I wait to see your finished product.

22 God, give your people a break
From this run of bad luck.

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

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It is 2026. Fight or Flight? Publicly acknowledge God’s power, publicly recognize, testify, of His authority. Identifying the credentials of Jesus. Mark 11:27-33

Mark 11:27-33 New International Version

The Authority of Jesus Questioned

27 They arrived again in Jerusalem, and while Jesus was walking in the temple courts, the chief priests, the teachers of the law and the elders came to him. 28  “By what authority are you doing these things?” they asked. “And who gave you authority to do this?”

29 Jesus replied, “I will ask you one question. Answer me, and I will tell you by what authority I am doing these things. 30 John’s baptism—was it from heaven, or of human origin? Tell me!”

31 They discussed it among themselves and said, “If we say, ‘From heaven,’ he will ask, ‘Then why didn’t you believe him?’ 32 But if we say, ‘Of human origin’ …” (They feared the people, for everyone held that John really was a prophet.)

33 So they answered Jesus, “We don’t know.”

Jesus said, “Neither will I tell you by what authority I am doing these things.”

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 power of God is a theme that runs through the entire Bible.

It’s seen in the creation of the world, the creation of man and women and the parting of the Red Sea, the resurrection of Jesus from the dead, countless more.

This power isn’t just something that was only active in the far past, but it’s also something that is very much at work in our lives today.

God’s power is seen in the way He provides for our needs.

Think about the times when you were in need, when you didn’t know how you were going to make ends meet, or facing any situation that seemed impossible.

In those moments, did you acknowledge, recognize, testify, God provisions?

Acknowledge, recognize, testify He made a way where there seemed to be none?

His power is also seen in the way He changes lives.

We have all heard stories of people who were lost in their struggles against sin, who were living lives that were so far from any connection with God, but then encountered the power of God and their lives were completely transformed.

They were set free from the power of sin and became new creations in Christ.

But God’s power isn’t just about what He does for us, it’s also about what He does in us. He gives us the power to live godly lives, to resist temptation, to stand strong in the face of high risk adversity, even right up to life threatening.

That’s His power at work in us.

And finally, God’s power is seen in the way He works through us.

He uses us to accomplish His purposes, to spread the Good News of His love and forgiveness, His indelible Words of truth unto a world that desperately needs it.

He uses us to be His hands and feet, to be His voice, to be His love in real action.

Kneading Our Will

Consider the gathering of religious leaders in our passage.

They were men who held respected positions of authority, power and influence.

They were used to having their own way, to being in control.

But when confronted with Jesus, their will was challenged. Their responses reveals a will that was hardened, resistant to the kneading hands of God.

This brings us to the first aspect of kneading our will: the utter necessity of softening. As a lump of dough needs to be softened before it can be kneaded, so our wills needs to be softened before it can be shaped by God.

This softening process often involves experiences and circumstances that breaks us down, humble us, which makes us realize our greatest need for God.

It’s in these moments of vulnerability and surrender that God can begin to knead our will, to shape us according to His purposes.

The second aspect of kneading our will involves the process of shaping.

Once the dough is softened, the baker can begin to shape it.

This shaping process is not always comfortable.

It involves pressure, folding, stretching.

Similarly, the shaping of our will often involves harsh trials and challenges which stretches us, that push us far outside of our comfort zone.

But it’s through these experiences that our will becomes more aligned with God’s will. We begin to desire what He desires, and to value what He values.

Next is the proofing stage.

After the dough is shaped, it needs to rest.

It needs time to rise, to expand.

This is a crucial stage in the baking process.

Without it, the bread will not have the right texture and flavor.

In the same way, our will needs time to be proofed by God.

This involves periods of waiting, of trusting in God’s timing.

It’s in these moments of quiet trust that our will is strengthened and solidified, ready to be used by God.

Returning to our metaphor of kneading dough, there’s an additional aspect worth considering: the role of heat.

Once the dough has been kneaded, shaped, proofed, it’s placed in a hot oven.

Heat causes the dough to rise and solidify, transforming it into a loaf of bread.

In our lives, heat often comes in the form of trials and difficulties.

These experiences, while painful, can serve to harden, solidify our wills, to work it to temper it’s blade and make it sharper, more resilient and steadfast.

Keeping to God’s Way

The first aspect of Keeping to God’s Way we need to consider is the importance of obedience.

Obedience is not a popular word in our culture.

We value independence, autonomy, freedom to do what we want when we want.

But the Bible paints a different picture.

Biblically, obedience isn’t a burden or restriction; it’s a blessing and a privilege.

Next is the necessity of perseverance.

The Christian life is not a sprint; it’s a marathon.

It’s not about how fast we run, but about how long we keep running.

It’s about staying the course, about pressing on, about not giving up.

The third aspect of Keeping to God’s Way is the power of prayer.

Prayer is not just about asking God for things.

It’s about aligning our hearts with God’s heart.

It’s about seeking His will, not our own.

In James, we read, ‘The prayer of a righteous person is powerful and effective.’ (James 5:16)

This is a promise, a promise that our prayers make a difference. But it’s also a challenge, a challenge to pray consistently, to pray fervently, to pray with faith.

The fourth and final aspect of Keeping to God’s Way is the call to love.

Love is the hallmark of the Christian life.

It’s the distinguishing mark of a follower of Jesus.

It says in John 13:34-35, ‘A new command I give you: Love one another. As I have loved you, so you must love one another. By this everyone will know that you are my disciples, if you love one another.’

This is not a suggestion but a command, a command to love as Jesus loved.

But it’s also a challenge, a challenge to put love into action, to demonstrate our love in practical, tangible ways.

Let’s remember that God’s authority is not something to be questioned, but rather, it’s something to be embraced.

His power is not a threat to us, but a promise.

He’s not a distant deity, but a loving Father who wants the best for us.

He’s not a harsh taskmaster, but a gentle Shepherd guiding us along the right paths.

We’ve been reminded today that knowing God’s power is the key to truly living. It’s not about our strength, our wisdom, or our abilities.

It’s all about Him.

It’s about our surrendering our will to His, allowing Him to shape us and mold us into the people He needs us to be, he requires us to be and he wants us to be.

It’s about walking in His ways, even when the path seems difficult or uncertain.

Remember, we serve a God who loves us with an everlasting love, a God who is for us, not against us.

He’s our greatest cheerleader, our most faithful friend.

He’s the one who picks us up when we fall, who comforts us with an everlasting love us when we’re hurting, who guides us when we’re lost.

What do we believe, what do we think of Jesus’ authority and credentials?

Do we accept Jesus as the Son of God, sent into the world by the Father as our Savior?

So, as we go from here, let’s go with confidence, knowing that we are loved, we are cherished, and we are held in the mighty hands of our God.

And now, may the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, the love of God, and the fellowship of the Holy Spirit be with us all, now and forevermore. Amen.

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

Praying …

Psalm 8 New American Standard Bible

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

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

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

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

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

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True or False or I do not know nor do I even care that trauma and loss make believing we’re all loved, challenging. Job 16:6-17

Job 16:6-17 New American Standard Bible

Job Says God Shattered Him

6 “If I speak, my pain is not lessened,
And if I refrain, what pain leaves me?
7 But now He has exhausted me;
You have laid waste all my group of loved ones.
8 And You have shriveled me up,
[a]It has become a witness;
And my infirmity rises up against me,
It testifies to my face.
9 His anger has torn me and [b]hunted me down,
He has gnashed at me with His teeth;
My enemy [c]glares at me.
10 They have gaped at me with their mouths,
They have [d]slapped me on the cheek with contempt;
They have massed themselves against me.
11 God hands me over to criminals,
And tosses me into the hands of the wicked.
12 I was at ease, but He shattered me,
And He has grasped me by my neck and shaken me to pieces;
He has also set me up as His target.
13 His arrows surround me.
He splits my kidneys open without mercy;
He pours out my bile on the ground.
14 He breaks through me with breach after breach;
He runs at me like a warrior.
15 I have sewed sackcloth over my skin,
And thrust my horn in the dust.
16 My face is flushed from weeping,
And deep darkness is on my eyelids,
17 Although there is no violence in my hands,
And my prayer is pure.

Word of God for the Children of God

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

We are loved!

We are held together by God’s love!

We are held together by God’s unbreakable, unshakeable perfect love.

We are genuinely loved!

We are authentically loved!

We are perfectly loved!

We are loved with an everlasting love! (Jeremiah 31:3)

We are unconditionally loved by God the Father, the Son, God the Holy Spirit!

1 John 4:7-12 New American Standard Bible

God Is Love

7 Beloved, let’s love one another; for love is from God, and everyone who loves has been born of God and knows God. 8 The one who does not love does not know God, because God is love. 9 By this the love of God was revealed [a]in us, that God has sent His only Son into the world so that we may live through Him. 10 In this is love, not that we loved God, but that He loved us and sent His Son to be the [b]propitiation for our sins. 11 Beloved, if God so loved us, we also ought to love one another. 12 No one has ever seen God; if we all love one another, God remains in us, and His love is perfected in us.

These are simple sounding, deeply comforting, reassuring biblical truths that we all too often, tragically, catastrophically, we always remember to forget.

For some reason our believing we are loved, secure, precious, forgiven, and too created for a purpose, are inevitably something we will all have to struggle with.

Abraham … ordered by God to take the only son of his body, the one to whom Abraham would pass his inheritance to, Isaac, up a mountain, to be sacrificed.

Jacob who in his old age, learning that his youngest son, Joseph, had just been ravaged by a wild animal and was killed. Except his other sons had lied to him showing him a blood soaked garment, lied to, by his envious sons to cover up a conspiracy to kill Joseph, when in fact they had sold him into slavery in Egypt.

Then they had deliberately concealed the truth from their father for many long years until they needed food to stave off a severe famine throughout the region.

Then there is the 400 years of hardcore dehumanizing murderous unrelenting bondage in Egypt meant to destroy spirits, to starve a nation into submission.

The magnitude of the trauma cannot be imagined, measured nor quantified.

The short and long-term significance of God’s absence upon the spirits of the enslaved humanity believing there would be no relief, rescue and no freedom, redemption, likewise cannot be conceived, imagined, measured, nor quantified.

The promised love of God … transformed into what magnitude of anger, hatred?

Great is thy faithfulness, O’ God my Father?

Greater still thy faithlessness, O God!

Greater still shall be my growing hatred, growing disbelief, growing mistrust!

What about all that always faithful, always available love?

Wait, God … I will ask my taskmaster if he knows where your “love” went!

He said … “right here in my whip, right there on your breaking, laboring, body.”

So, Lord … just keep your alleged love to yourself … I cannot long bear it nor can I long survive it. Your love is literally killing me and my brethren. Please, STOP!

Please Lord, stop loving me so much…it is hard enough for me to just stay alive.

God, get out of my life!

I do not need nor do I want or desire your kind of love!

God, your “love” just brutalizes me, demeans me, hurts me too much!

God … just keep your love locked away in your house!

No one wants any part of it, anymore!

Get lost! God …

And stay lost … forever and ever … Amen!

 In the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit. Amen

Praying ….

An Experience of the Captivity.

137 By the rivers of Babylon,
There we sat down and wept,
When we remembered Zion.
2 Upon the [a]willows in the midst of it
We hung our [b]harps.
3 For there our captors [c]demanded of us [d]songs,
And our tormentors, jubilation, saying,
“Sing for us one of the songs of Zion!”

4 How can we sing the Lord’s song
In a foreign land?
5 If I forget you, Jerusalem,
May my right hand [e]forget its skill.
6 May my tongue cling to the roof of my mouth
If I do not remember you,
If I do not [f]exalt Jerusalem
Above my chief joy.

7 Remember, Lord, against the sons of Edom
The day of Jerusalem,
Those who said, “Lay it bare, lay it bare
To its foundation!”
8 Daughter of Babylon, you [g]devastated one,
Blessed will be one who repays you
With [h]the retribution with which you have repaid us.
9 Blessed will be one who seizes and dashes your children
Against the rock.

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

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Do not be obsessed with getting more material things? Be relaxed with what we have? We never require any castle. Hebrews 13:5-6

Hebrews 13:5-6 New American Standard Bible

5 Make sure that your character is free from the love of money, being content with what you have; for He Himself has said, “I will never desert you, nor will I ever abandon you,” 6 so that we confidently say,

“The Lord is my helper, I will not be afraid.
What will man do to me?”

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.

Did you ever read the story, The Fisherman’s Wife? 

https://americanliterature.com/childrens-stories/the-fisherman-and-his-wife

It’s a wonderful story published by the Brothers Grimm in about 1812 about a fisherman who catches a magic flounder fish.

When the fisherman shared this with his wife she called him foolish, told him go have the fish give them a cottage instead of the small house they lived in.

The fisherman obeyed and came home to a nice cottage.

But a day later, the wife was dissatisfied and insisted he go back and ask for a castle.

The fisherman reluctantly did that, and there was a castle in place of their cottage.

A day later, the wife wanted to be the queen of the whole land.

Once again, the husband went to the fish and told him what his wife wanted.

And even though that wish was also granted, the wife wanted to be ruler over the sun and moon.

When the husband left the fish after telling him that, he came home to find something that surprised him. He found his wife in the very same little house they first had. The story’s moral is: We should be content with what we have.

It’s easy to look around and see what others own and to be dissatisfied with what we have at the moment. We get envious, we get jealous, and depressed.

In this age of technology, we are forever being shown things we should own.

We are shown houses, estates, mansions of the rich and famous.

When I was in Scotland and London several years ago, a church tour we toured Edenborough Castle, we toured many other castles which were in complete and utter ruins barely recognizable as castles.

We finally returned to London there was the Royal House of Windsor Castle the oldest castle in the world.

Of course, we dare not miss mentioning the grandeur of Buckingham Palace.

Being owned by the Royal Family King Charles III, none of the above stately properties will ever go up for sale to anyone especially any of us commoners.

For all us regular folks, even millionaires and billionaires and trillionaire, the whole psychology behind real estate marketing is to make the potential buyer feel like he/she is missing out, if they do not have the newest of everything. 

Instead of the glut and lure, temptation of material things, all the latest highest technologies, God’s Word is what we should be immersed in, not the world and modest, low budget, fancy and 5 star expensive AI generated advertisements.

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.

Read Romans 12:1-2 very carefully.

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 all 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.

God wants us to not be conformed to this world.

We should not have to follow the world’s pattern.

If we read, study, apply God’s Word, we see how important it is to be content.

When we think we lack things we’re entitled to, it’s a very real temptation to be dissatisfied with God’s provision.

Philippians 4:10-14 The Message

Content Whatever the Circumstances

10-14 I’m glad in God, far happier than you would ever guess—happy that you’re again showing such strong concern for me. Not that you ever quit praying and thinking about me. You just had no chance to show it. Actually, I don’t have a sense of needing anything personally. I’ve learned by now to be quite content whatever my circumstances. I’m just as happy with little as with much, with much as with little. I’ve found the recipe for being happy whether full or hungry, hands full or hands empty. Whatever I have, wherever I am, I can make it through anything in the One who makes me who I am. I don’t mean that your help didn’t mean a lot to me—it did. It was a beautiful thing that you came alongside me in my troubles.

Read Philippians 4:18-20.

Philippians 4:18-20 New American Standard Bible

18 But I have received everything in full and have an abundance; I am [a]amply supplied, having received from Epaphroditus [b]what you have sent, [c]a fragrant aroma, an acceptable sacrifice, pleasing to God. 19 And my God will supply [d]all your needs according to His riches in glory in Christ Jesus. 20 Now to our God and Father be the glory [e]forever and ever. Amen.

God says he will supply all our needs.

And he does this according to the riches in Christ Jesus.

That’s Radical Generosity.

When we are discontent, it’s easy to have quarrels about material possessions.

The Bible calls us to be thankful for and be content with everything we have.

Our family, health, meals, resources we can share with loved ones, and of course life itself— all are precious gifts from the Lord.

But our discontentment, envy, jealousy, greed, or fears doesn’t allow us to fully appreciate and treasure the precious gifts of life.

We don’t know what the future holds.

We might have to go through difficult times of having “no food on the tables, in the cupboards or shelves”—or worse.

But as the beloved children of God we are each assured of his continuous love and care. The Lord himself is our helper and our provider in this perilous life.

In the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit. Amen

Praying …

Psalm 23 Complete Jewish Bible

(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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Guarding Against Unbelief: Now, if we can only keep a firm grip on this massive infusion of bold confidence? Hebrews 3:1-11

Hebrews 3:1-11 New Living Translation

Jesus Is Greater Than Moses

3 And so, dear brothers and sisters who belong to God and[a] are partners with those called to heaven, think carefully about this Jesus whom we declare to be God’s messenger[b] and High Priest. 2 For he was faithful to God, who appointed him, just as Moses served faithfully when he was entrusted with God’s entire[c] house.

3 But Jesus deserves far more glory than Moses, just as a person who builds a house deserves more praise than the house itself. 4 For every house has a builder, but the one who built everything is God.

5 Moses was certainly faithful in God’s house as a servant. His work was an illustration of the truths God would reveal later. 6 But Christ, as the Son, is in charge of God’s entire house. And we are God’s house, if we keep our courage and remain confident in our hope in Christ.[d]

7 That is why the Holy Spirit says,

“Today when you hear his voice,
8     don’t harden your hearts
as Israel did when they rebelled,
    when they tested me in the wilderness.
9 There your ancestors tested and tried my patience,
    even though they saw my miracles for forty years.
10 So I was angry with them, and I said,
‘Their hearts always turn away from me.
    They refuse to do what I tell them.’
11 So in my anger I took an oath:
    ‘They will never enter my place of rest.’”[e]

Word of God for the Children of God

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

When we study the Book of Hebrews, we must be reminded that it is written with three groups in mind.

Parts of it are directed right at those new Christians.

Parts of it are directed at those non-Christians who aren’t really accepting anything and parts of it – this part, for example – are directed toward those non-Christians who have an intellectual understanding, who know the gospel, and who are hanging right on the knife edge of decision.

And this passage that we come to now is one of those critical passages by which the Holy Spirit wants to give a great big supernatural shove to anybody hanging on the edge of faith in Jesus Christ, hasn’t yet committed themselves to faith.

Hebrews 3:7-9 Do not harden your hearts

My heart aches over the lack of belief in God that has become rampant in our younger generations, and the falling away of those believing in a false gospel.

Sadly, all it takes to keep some from believing is to hear another laugh at those who believe in what the scorners don’t.

It isn’t particularly hard to find the statistics to show this waning belief, even from within our most evangelical Christian churches.

Hebrews 3:7-11, the author warns his readers to not harden their hearts, using the example of the Israelites in the wilderness who rejected God at the edge of the promised land, proceeded to harden their hearts at the waters of Meribah.

It’s a slippery slope and there is no warning that one is only one step ahead.

More than I care to tell, I’ve been on the edge in my weaker moments as well.

How hoakey to think some “god” would come to earth to die for our sins as if that would really change things.

Intellectuals have the greatest problems with disbelief because they resolve to fully understand and prove anything to believe it.

Intelligence, or our lack of use of it is one of many traits of the human mind.

Proverbs 2:1-6New American Standard Bible

The Pursuit of Wisdom Brings Security

2 My son, if you will receive my words
And treasure my commandments within you,
2 Make your ear attentive to wisdom;
Incline your heart to understanding.
3 For if you cry out for insight,
And [a]raise your voice for understanding;
4 If you seek her as silver
And search for her as for hidden treasures;
5 Then you will understand the fear of the Lord,
And discover the knowledge of God.
6 For the Lord gives wisdom;
From His mouth come knowledge and understanding.

Notice that word “if” the author uses in the first verse?

“If” carries a connotation of skepticism, of not likely and worse … never.

Willingness to acquire wisdom requires a depth of spirit, an ability to recognize one’s own shortcomings in understanding, and the willingness to admit that its possible there is an intelligence beyond what man is capable of understanding.  

Hebrews 11:6 says, “Without faith it is impossible to please God.”

Hardness of heart – lack of faith – however you say it, God does not see it as a frivolous or trivial matter.

What is the lesson learned in Hebrews 3?

Being negative or complaining or stubborn does not glorify God and it is not what we were put on earth to do: Glorify God, Serving God and our neighbors.

In Hebrews 3:7-19, the author invites us to hear an urgent warning .

He reminds us how the human heart is bent toward evil.

Like the Israelites who longed to go back to Egypt (Exodus 16:3,17:3), our sinful hearts can delude us into believing we’re more secure apart from God who is nowhere to be found as we pray for assistance than we are walking with Him.

“You will seek me and find me when you seek me with all your heart.” (Jeremiah 29:13 NIV)

This verse is precious to me, a very powerful promise by God Himself.

He can be found.

But there is a prerequisite: one must sincerely want to find him.

As long as our hearts are hardened by our will to believe only what we can get our finite minds around, our wills to hold the reins of our lives with assistance only from our iron clad determination and not from the will of the One who created us, we are immune from discovering the Almighty All-Powerful God.

To be honest, I pride myself in my intelligence and wisdom and stubbornness.

I’ve seen my ‘scores’ as well as the results of certain accomplishments of mine.

But my relationship with my hardcore stubbornness pales in importance to the depth of my faith, trust, strength of my abiding in my relationship with Jesus.

I am continually humbled, impressed with the joy and freedom that comes through knowing God and dwelling in his Word.

How my heart aches for those whose hearts refuse to “taste and see that the Lord is Good.” (Psalm 34:8)

In other concluding words for the author of Hebrews, the wilderness generation is an historical example of those spiritual realities we face today in the church.

Just as most in the wilderness generation started out well but didn’t cross the finish line, so too there are those in the church who appear to start out well with us, who we break bread with, who can speak Christian lingo like we do, but who eventually faithfully walk away from Christ, from his church, and never finish.

As unbelief grits the hearts and minds of those in the wilderness generation, so too unbelief can grip the hearts and minds of those in the church today.

Just as that unbelief or severe consequences for the wilderness generation, so too perpetual unbelief in the church also bears consequences even more severe than simply temporal death in a wilderness, It bears eternal consequences too.

In the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit. Amen

Praying …

Praise to the Lord and Warning against Unbelief.

95 Come, let’s sing for joy to the Lord,
Let’s shout joyfully to the rock of our salvation.
2 Let’s come before His presence with a song of thanksgiving,
Let’s shout joyfully to Him in songs with instruments.
3 For the Lord is a great God
And a great King above all gods,
4 In whose hand are the depths of the earth,
The peaks of the mountains are also His.
5 [a]The sea is His, for it was He who made it,
And His hands formed the dry land.

6 Come, let’s worship and bow down,
Let’s kneel before the Lord our Maker.
7 For He is our God,
And we are the people of His [b]pasture and the sheep of His hand.
Today, [c]if you will hear His voice,
8 Do not harden your hearts as at [d]Meribah,
As on the day of [e]Massah in the wilderness,
9 “When your fathers put Me to the test,
They tested Me, though they had seen My work.
10 For forty years I was disgusted with that generation,
And said they are a people who err in their heart,
And they do not know My ways.
11 Therefore I swore in My anger,
They certainly shall not enter My rest.”

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

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Jesus looked and pointedly asked His disciples; “Okay, now how about all of you, who do each of you say I am?” Matthew 16:13-18

Matthew 16:13-18 English Standard Version

Peter Confesses Jesus as the Christ

13 When Jesus came into the district of Caesarea Philippi, he asked his disciples, “Who do people say that the Son of Man is?” 14 And they said, “Some say John the Baptist, others say Elijah, others Jeremiah or one of the prophets.” 15 He said to them, “But who do you say that I am?” 16 Simon Peter replied, “You are the Christ, the Son of the living God.” 17 And Jesus answered him, “Blessed are you, Simon Bar-Jonah! For flesh and blood has not revealed this to you, but my Father who is in heaven. 18 And I tell you, you are Peter, and on this rock[a] I will build my church, and the gates of hell[b] shall not prevail against it.

Word of God for the Children of God

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

In Matthew 16, Jesus asked His disciples who people say that He is. Some claimed he was a teacher, a prophet and a number of other possible theories.

Then Jesus brought the question home, “But who do you say that I am”.

This one question must be answered by every man or woman who will ever walk the earth.

How we answer this question determines whether or not Jesus is our Savior or just another teacher we pass by.

This single question is the foundational issue of Christianity.

In preparation for this message, I did a brief study and found the first time the word “church” is used in the Bible is in the passage we are currently studying.  

Matthew 16:18 First verse in the Bible where we find the word “church” used.

In that verse, Jesus promises to build His church and He says, “The gates of hell will not prevail against it.”

Imagine that!

Jesus said the gates of Hell could not stop His church, could not win against His church, could not win against His Bride.

The gates of hell themselves could not stop the church’s progress.

Sadly, I am afraid to contend that it isn’t the gates of hell which are prevailing against many churches.

I am afraid that many churches are failing, are having trouble today because we have forgotten our purpose, we have forgotten our mission.

We have forgotten why we exist.

We have become too afraid to ask each other; “who do we say Jesus is?”

Who will be the one’s who confess, ““Some say John the Baptist, others say Elijah, others Jeremiah or one of the prophets.”“?

Who will be the one’s who confess, ““You are the Christ, the Son of the living God.””

First I would like you to see with me the commission of the church.

I. THE COMMISSION OF THE CHURCH

– Matthew 28:18-20

In these verses Jesus gives the purpose of the church and some of the steps to fulfilling that purpose.

In verse 18 Jesus says:

Go and do what? Make disciples.

The Commission of the church is to make disciples.

I believe that we as a church are leading people to the Lord.

I believe we are being salt and light in the world. I believe we are helping people to grow, but I fear that we are not producing many true disciples of Jesus Christ.

We may do many things as a church.

We may sing together.

We can reach out.

We can visit.

We can encourage one another and do all of those other things, but if we are not making disciples, we are not effectively fulfilling the commission Jesus gave us.

Now, many of you would probably consider yourselves disciples.

Let me give you 7 marks of a true disciple and as I do, let me ask you to put a check mark by the ones that accurately describe you.

True disciples:

1. Embrace salvation by grace through Jesus Christ

2. Learn and understand the principles of Christian living

3. Obey God’s laws and commands

4. Represent God to the world

5. Serve other people

6. Reproduce themselves in Christ, become more like Christ.

7. Worship God with sincerity, intensity, and consistency.

In order to make disciples, we must first, be disciples.

The commission of the church is to make disciples.

As we think of the church and our commission, we look at the functions a church and its members must be involved in order to fulfill our commission.

I believe there are 7 primary functions a church and its members must be involved in.

II. THE FUNCTIONS OF A CHURCH

1. Worship – The first function of the church and of Jesus’ disciples is worship.

> Matthew 4:10 …Worship the Lord your God, and serve only Him.

My friends, worship should be a priority in this church and in the life of every believer, in the life of every disciple of Jesus Christ.

We are to worship daily, regularly, faithfully, and with all of our heart.

> Psalm 68:19 Blessed be the Lord, who daily bears us up; God is our salvation. 

> John 4:24 God is spirit, and His worshippers must worship Him in spirit and in truth.

Let me ask, when we come for “worship services” on Sunday morning, are we worshipping Him in our spirit or are we just going through the motions?

Have we prepared our hearts?

Have we gotten the rest we need so we won’t be irritated and distracted by the people encounter before the service begins?

Have we asked God to let Him be pleased with us and our worship during the service?

When we leave, do we pray God will be pleased with our sacrifice of worship?

Or of much greater concern, whether we were pleased with us and our worship.

2. Giving – The second function of the church and of Jesus’ disciples is giving.

> 1 Corinthians 16:2 On the first day of the week, each one of you should set aside a sum of money in keeping with his income.

The Bible teaches we should tithe, give a 10th of our income to God, and that’s before our offerings even kick in.

In a recent survey of “born-again believers” it was discovered that only 8% of them tithe, and twice as many 16% give nothing.

> Malachi 3:8 Will a man rob God? Yet you rob Me. But you ask, “How do we rob You?” In tithes and offerings.

3. Evangelism

> Romans 10:14 How, then, can they call on the one they have not believed in? And how can they believe in the one of whom they have not heard?

God sent His Son, Jesus Christ, into the world so that people could be saved.

And the only way people are going to be able to hear that news is if you and I are diligently working, sharing the Good News of Jesus Christ.

Recall Matthew 28:18. Jesus says, Go into all the world and make disciples. My friend, you and I must be going in order to share.

True or False?

Less than 1 out of every 10 Born Again Believers have ever intentionally built a friendship with a non-Christian in order to share their faith.

We must be diligent in the assignment Jesus gave us.

4. Fellowship

The church and Christ’s disciples are to fellowship.

Christians need to belong to a family.

Christians need the fellowship of other believers.

> Acts 2:42 They devoted themselves … to the fellowship, to the breaking of bread.

> Hebrews 10:25 Let us not give up meeting together, as some are in the habit of doing.

> Galatians 6:2 Carry each other’s burdens.

We are to fellowship together.

We are to spend time together, getting to know one another, encouraging one another, and helping one another.

It breaks my heart when the church holds fellowships are scantily attended.

I understand things come up.

I understand we have other commitments, but church families must spend time together in order to remain a family.

I hear folks talk about how little they know about other people in the church, or about how few people speak to them.

Listen, if you want a friend, be a friend.

If you desire people to shake your hand, you shake their hand.

If you want people to know and care about you, then get to know those other people and care about them.

The church and Jesus’ disciples fellowship.

5. Teaching

– Matthew 28:18-20 The Great Commission

Part of making and being a disciple is teaching and learning.

> Acts 2:42 They devoted themselves to the apostles’ teaching.

My friends, we need to continue to learn, to continue to study.

God’s Word is shallow enough the newest Christian can wade in it without harm, but deep enough the most mature Christian can never reach its depths.

Moving quickly, 6th, God’s church and His disciples are involved in prayer.

6. Prayer

> Matthew 21:13 My house will be called a house of prayer.

Jesus, quoting the Old Testament, said God’s house would be known as a house of prayer.

When we work, we accomplish what we are able to do with our strength; but when we pray, we can accomplish what can be done through God’s strength.

The Bible records Jesus often went off by Himself to pray.

The Church God uses will unerringly recognize it’s dependence on Him and will make prayer a major part of its work and ministry.

7. Ministry

>John 13:35 By this may all men know that you are My disciples, if you have love, one for another.

We are to fulfill the commission God has given us as a church.

We must be involved in ministries and missions of sacrifice and service if we are going to consider ourselves true disciples of Jesus Christ.

*** Take a minute. Look over this list.

Which would we say are the areas our churches are strongest in, weakest in?

What are we going to do about it?

So, we think about what that means for our lives today.

Jesus is still building his church.

How is he doing it?

He’s doing it through you and me proclaiming Jesus as the son of the living God.

The church grows today through you and me making this good news known where we live and wherever God leads us in the world.

So realize the parts, roles, God has given us to play in the building of his church.

Proclaim this promise “God is Alive!” as the people of God proclaim the Gospel of Christ, declare everywhere Jesus builds his church and nothing can stop it. 

In the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit. Amen

Praying …

Unless the Lord Builds the House

A Song of Ascents. Of Solomon.

127 Unless the Lord builds the house,
    those who build it labor in vain.
Unless the Lord watches over the city,
    the watchman stays awake in vain.
2 It is in vain that you rise up early
    and go late to rest,
eating the bread of anxious toil;
    for he gives to his beloved sleep.

3 Behold, children are a heritage from the Lord,
    the fruit of the womb a reward.
4 Like arrows in the hand of a warrior
    are the children[a] of one’s youth.
5 Blessed is the man
    who fills his quiver with them!
He shall not be put to shame
    when he speaks with his enemies in the gate.[b]

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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Once we were buried deep in our sins. Now made fully alive in Christ Jesus. No more used to be, or wannabe’s, or more never can be. Ephesians 2:1-10

Ephesians 2:1-10 Common English Bible

Saved from sin to life

2 At one time you were like a dead person because of the things you did wrong and your offenses against God. 2 You used to live like people of this world. You followed the rule of a destructive spiritual power. This is the spirit of disobedience to God’s will that is now at work in persons whose lives are characterized by disobedience. 3 At one time you were like those persons. All of you used to do whatever felt good and whatever you thought you wanted so that you were children headed for punishment just like everyone else.

4-5 However, God is rich in mercy. He brought us to life with Christ while we were dead as a result of those things that we did wrong. He did this because of the great love that he has for us. You are saved by God’s grace! 6 And God raised us up and seated us in the heavens with Christ Jesus. 7 God did this to show future generations the greatness of his grace by the goodness that God has shown us in Christ Jesus.

8 You are saved by God’s grace because of your faith.[a] This salvation is God’s gift. It’s not something you possessed. 9 It’s not something you did that you can be proud of. 10 Instead, we are God’s accomplishment, created in Christ Jesus to do good things. God planned for these good things to be the way that we live our lives.

Word of God for the Children of God

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

No Longer Dead, but Alive!

From Death to Life

2 And you were dead in your trespasses and sins, 2 in which you formerly walked according to the age of this world and according to the prince of the power of the air, the spirit who now works in the sons of disobedience,

Nothing is more basic and universal to humanity than the desire to live.

But we don’t want merely to exist.

We want a life that is long in years and rich in quality.

No wonder!

We are told in Genesis that God created human beings in his own image and likeness (Genesis 1:27).

Since God is the source of true life, people created in his image are naturally inclined toward desiring life.

The alternative to life is death, and we go to great lengths to avoid it.

Most observers recognize that increasing healthcare costs are putting immense strain on our households, governments, insurers and our healthcare providers – and too that the money spent is not translating into better health outcomes.

In 2021 alone, global spending on health reached a staggering $9.8 trillion, accounting for 10.3% of global Global Domestic Product.

Yet, last decade, life expectancy has stagnated in too many countries, including the United States (US), which alone spends over $4 trillion annually on health.

Understanding the True Cost of End-of-Life Care …

When someone receives a diagnosis of serious or terminal illness, the most immediate focus naturally centers on medical treatment, quality of life, and time with loved ones. Yet lurking beneath these urgent concerns is a question many families will mightily struggle to address: how will we pay for this?

For many people with terminal illnesses, hospital care represents the largest single expense. The final year of life often involves multiple hospitalizations, emergency room visits, intensive care stays, each carrying substantial costs.

The cost of end-of-life care represents most significant financial challenges families face, yet it’s a topic often shrouded in confusion, shame, and silence. 

How Much Does Hospice Cost Without Insurance?

Hospice care without insurance can range anywhere from $150–$500 per day, or $5,000–$15,000 per month, depending on the level(s) of care you agree to.

What is the overall average cost of death?

Among the eye-opening facts discovered: The average total expense of a loved one’s death is a hefty $12,70o –$15,000 or more depending on arrangements.

But Paul understood that there’s another kind of death that’s just as real as physical death but not as obvious. When the apostle Paul writes, “You were dead in your transgressions and sins,” he is referring to spiritual death.

In the Bible, spiritual death is caused by people’s separation from, and rejection of, fellowship with God, their Creator.

Because every person is created in God’s image, we all share a desire for life.

Because every person is trapped in rebellion against God, we all are alienated from the God of life.

Spiritual death is universal.

The Bible says every person without Christ is spiritually dead.

But when we look around us, this doesn’t seem to ring true. Some people might look totally corrupt, but many others look like decent people and appear very much alive. Isn’t it extreme to say that all people without Jesus are dead in sin?

Well, a carefully embalmed body may appear to be less shocking than a mangled or decaying corpse, a corpse is still a corpse, no matter what cosmetics are used.

In the same way, one person’s sinful condition may be much less offensive than another’s.

There may be different degrees of spiritual decay, but all are equally dead in sin.

Once a person is dead, the degree of decay makes little difference.

Dead is dead.

That’s why believers talk like this:

“On my own, I would ignore the Bible and be indifferent to Christ. But because God’s Spirit has breathed new life into my soul, I trust in Jesus and believe his Word. It is by grace I have been saved.”

“At just the right time, when we were still powerless, Christ died for the ungodly… While we were still sinners, Christ died for us” (Romans 5:6-8).

When we were dead and decaying, Jesus overcame sin and death.

Then he breathed the life of his Spirit into our souls and created in us the faith to believe in him.

We did nothing.

God has done it all.

But that’s not the end of the story.

The book of Ephesians introduces us to the answer to death in all its forms.

This is good news …

Embracing the good-news message of Jesus means life for all who believe.

In the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit. Amen

Praying ….

The Lord’s Glory and Mankind’s Dignity.

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

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

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

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

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

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