Tag: faith

Body and Soul and Secrets; when I kept silent, my bones wasted away through my groaning all day long. Psalm 32:3 – 4

Psalm 32:3-4  English Standard Version

3 For when I kept silent, my (A)bones wasted away
    through my (B)groaning all day long.
4 For day and night your (C)hand was heavy upon me;
    my strength was dried up[a] as by the heat of summer. Selah

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.

Psalm 32:3-4 expresses the emotional and physical toll of keeping silent about one’s sins, stating that

“when I kept silent, my bones wasted away through my groaning all day long; your hand was heavy upon me, and my strength was sapped like in the heat of summer.

Those who work in the fields of psychology, psychiatry, and social services are often confronted with a strong correlation between what is happening in a person’s heart and mind and what is being displayed in that person’s body.

God’s word speaks into this connection and then goes deeper, for it tells us that there is a connection between the state of our body and the state of our soul.

Psalms 32:3-4 is about creating a portrait displaying the anguish and burden of our unconfessed sins weighing down on our souls, contrasting the freedom and relief comes from acknowledging and seeking forgiveness for transgressions.

In the scene described in Psalms 32:3-4, we envision King David in a moment of deepest reflection and confession before the Lord.

The setting is a quiet private chamber within the royal palace, where David has sought solitude to pour out his heart to God.

The room is dimly lit by flickering oil lamps, casting long shadows on the walls adorned with colorful intricate tapestries depicting scenes from Israel’s history.

David, the beloved king of Israel, is seated on a cushioned chair, his head bowed in deep contemplation.

His heart is heavy with the weight of his sins, and he can no longer bear the burden of his guilt.

As he speaks, his words are a mixture of emptiness, sorrow and repentance, as he acknowledges his long held silent transgressions before the Almighty.

Surrounding David are a few trusted advisors and courtiers, who have gathered to offer support and counsel to their king in his time of need.

They listen intently as David bares his soul, seeking absolution, forgiveness and redemption from the God he has faithfully served.

The atmosphere in the chamber is one of solemnity and reverence, as the group unites in prayer and supplication, seeking the mercy and grace of the Lord.

What is Psalms 32:3-4 talking about?

This verse speaks to the power of confession the relief it can bring to our souls.

When we hold onto our sins and mistakes without acknowledging them, they can burden us and weigh heavily on our hearts and minds.

Have we ever felt the weight of a secret sin or wrongdoing, carrying it with us like a heavy stone?

Confessing our hidden faults can lighten this load and free us from the guilt and shame that accompany unconfessed sins.

Confession is not just about admitting our wrongs to others, but also about being honest with ourselves and taking responsibility for our actions.

When we confess, declare our sins, we acknowledge our humanity and our imperfections, allowing us to seek forgiveness and start the healing process.

Have we ever experienced the sense of relief that comes from sharing a burden with someone else or admitting to a humiliating occurrence, or big mistake?

Scripture teaches us that confession is a powerful tool for personal growth, accountability, and inner peace. It reminds us that we are not alone in our struggles and that there is always a path to our redemption and forgiveness.

In the broader context of Psalms 32, the verses preceding 3-4 underscore the blessedness of forgiveness, setting the stage for the honest exploration of the consequences of concealing sin.

Cross-references such as Proverbs 28:13, 1 John 1:9, and James 5:16 further stress the importance of confession and merciful nature of God’s forgiveness.

In Psalm 32, David speaks very personally to God, acknowledging the heaviness he had experienced when he hid in the shadows and refused to confess his sin against Bathsheba and the murder of her husband, Uriah (see 2 Samuel 11).

And through David, the Spirit teaches us that there is a link between a tortured conscience and lack of repentance, and our physical wellbeing.

Those who were in David’s immediate company may not have been aware of what was going on inside him spiritually, but they could not have avoided the all too obvious indications of what was happening to him physically.

The description he provides adds to the account he gives elsewhere:

“My heart throbs; my strength fails me, and the light of my eyes—it also has gone from me. My friends and companions stand aloof from my plague, and my nearest kin stand far off” (Psalm 38:10-11).

It’s a quite devastating picture.

David recognized his condition for what it was: a punishment.

The Bible makes it clear there is a natural unpleasant outcome to lust, excess, and a disregard for the commands of God (see Romans 1:24-25)—all of which David was guilty of.

Frailty, fear, weight loss, weight gain, sleeplessness, a sense of rejection, melancholy, anxiety, and despair often haunt individuals who are seeking to hide their sin from God and deny it to themselves.

What restored David was not a health kick or getting to bed earlier but rather dealing with the root cause—his sin:

“I acknowledged my sin to you … and you forgave the iniquity of my sin” (Psalm 32:5).

God kept His hand heavy upon David until David placed his sin into God’s hands and asked Him to deal with it.

It is a blessing to us when God does not allow us to forget our sin—when we feel physical heaviness because of our spiritual sickness. It is His means of bringing us to do what we most need: to confess it and ask for forgiveness for it.

Are we harboring sin?

Do not cloak it; confess it.

David experienced liberating relief from his pain and distress when he sought God’s forgiveness.

We too can know that joy, for the promise of God’s word is that

“if we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness” (1 John 1:9).

The timeless relevance of this Psalms is evident in today’s society, where many grapple with hidden burdens that impact their mental and physical well-being.

The act of confession and seeking forgiveness not only offers emotional release but also paves the narrow way for our spiritual healing and physical restoration.

Consider a scenario where a person is carrying the crippling weight of their past mistakes, affecting every aspect of their life.

Upon opening up his bible, seeking forgiveness, a profound sense of relief and peace washes over them, illustrating the transformative power of confession.

The phrases within Psalms 32:3-4, such as “When I kept silent” and “My bones wasted away,” vividly depict the harsh consequences of withholding confession and the physical toll of continually swallowing huge gulps of unaddressed guilt.

These expressions serve as poignant reminders of the internal strife caused by continually suppressing our unconfessed sin and our needs for repentance.

The imagery of bone crushing groaning and the heaviness of God’s hand upon the psalmist highlight the relentless nature of guilt and the concurrent loving discipline inherent in God’s conviction without which our physical self suffers.

The metaphor of strength being sapped as in the heat of summer underscores the exhausting effects inflicted on our mental health of carrying unconfessed sin, drawing a parallel between our spiritual burden and physical depletion.

Ultimately, Psalms 32:3-4 stands as a compelling call to confront our sins, seek God’s mercy, and experience the profound healing that comes with forgiveness.

It offers us a timeless message of hope and restoration, extending compassion to all who struggle under their self-imposed weight of their unconfessed sins.

Choosing to hide our sins also erects an enormous barrier between us and God.

Concealing our transgressions hinders our relationship with Him, as we are not fully open and honest in our dealings with the divine.

God calls us to be truthful and repentant, by attempting to keep our sins in the shadows, we disregard this call, distancing ourselves from His grace and mercy.

It is only through sincere heartfelt confession and repentance that we can truly experience the freedom and forgiveness and salvation which God offers us all.

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

Praying ….

Psalm 130  English Standard Version

My Soul Waits for the Lord

A Song of (A)Ascents.

130 Out of (B)the depths I cry to you, O Lord!
2     O Lord, hear my voice!
(C)Let your ears be attentive
    to (D)the voice of my pleas for mercy!

3 If you, O Lord, should (E)mark iniquities,
    O Lord, who could (F)stand?
4 But with you there is (G)forgiveness,
    (H)that you may be feared.

5 I (I)wait for the Lord, (J)my soul waits,
    and (K)in his word I hope;
6 my soul (L)waits for the Lord
    more than (M)watchmen for (N)the morning,
    more than watchmen for the morning.

7 O Israel, (O)hope in the Lord!
    For (P)with the Lord there is steadfast love,
    and with him is plentiful redemption.
8 And he will (Q)redeem Israel
    from all his iniquities.

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

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If a righteous God is my strength and my portion forever, how is it that the unjust are so often prospering while the godly are suffering all too much? Psalm 73

PPT - Psalm 73:2 PowerPoint Presentation, free download - ID:3452130

Psalm 73 New Living Translation

A psalm of Asaph.

1 Truly God is good to Israel,
    to those whose hearts are pure.
2 But as for me, I almost lost my footing.
    My feet were slipping, and I was almost gone.
3 For I envied the proud
    when I saw them prosper despite their wickedness.
4 They seem to live such painless lives;
    their bodies are so healthy and strong.
5 They don’t have troubles like other people;
    they’re not plagued with problems like everyone else.
6 They wear pride like a jeweled necklace
    and clothe themselves with cruelty.
7 These fat cats have everything
    their hearts could ever wish for!
8 They scoff and speak only evil;
    in their pride they seek to crush others.
9 They boast against the very heavens,
    and their words strut throughout the earth.
10 And so the people are dismayed and confused,
    drinking in all their words.
11 “What does God know?” they ask.
    “Does the Most High even know what’s happening?”
12 Look at these wicked people—
    enjoying a life of ease while their riches multiply.

13 Did I keep my heart pure for nothing?
    Did I keep myself innocent for no reason?
14 I get nothing but trouble all day long;
    every morning brings me pain.

15 If I had really spoken this way to others,
    I would have been a traitor to your people.
16 So I tried to understand why the wicked prosper.
    But what a difficult task it is!
17 Then I went into your sanctuary, O God,
    and I finally understood the destiny of the wicked.
18 Truly, you put them on a slippery path
    and send them sliding over the cliff to destruction.
19 In an instant they are destroyed,
    completely swept away by terrors.
20 When you arise, O Lord,
    you will laugh at their silly ideas
    as a person laughs at dreams in the morning.

21 Then I realized that my heart was bitter,
    and I was all torn up inside.
22 I was so foolish and ignorant—
    I must have seemed like a senseless animal to you.
23 Yet I still belong to you;
    you hold my right hand.
24 You guide me with your counsel,
    leading me to a glorious destiny.
25 Whom have I in heaven but you?
    I desire you more than anything on earth.
26 My health may fail, and my spirit may grow weak,
    but God remains the strength of my heart;
    he is mine forever.

27 Those who desert him will perish,
    for you destroy those who abandon you.
28 But as for me, how good it is to be near God!
    I have made the Sovereign Lord my shelter,
    and I will tell everyone about the wonderful things you do.

Word of God for the Children of God

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

There are seasons when evil seems to be winning.

Proud men strut.

Corrupt people rise.

The shameless appear comfortable, loud, wealthy, and untouchable.

Meanwhile, those who are trying to walk uprightly often carry grief, pressure, and affliction.

Psalm 73 speaks directly to that tension.

It does not pretend the struggle is imaginary.

It tells the truth about how easy it is to look at the wicked and wonder whether faithfulness is worth it.

But it also tells the deeper truth.

What looks like prosperity is not the whole story, and what looks like loss for the righteous is not the end of the matter.

Psalm 73 explores the contrast between the prosperity of the wicked and the struggles of the righteous, highlighting how envy can distort one’s perception of God’s goodness.

The psalmist ultimately realizes that true value lies in God’s presence rather than material wealth, emphasizing that the apparent success of the wicked is temporary and deceptive.

What Psalm 73 is about ….

At the center of Psalm 73 is a hard question:

Where is God when the wicked seem to have the upper hand?

an all to familiar question countless numbers of people have asked since ….

Where is God when …. ?

Where was God when ….?

One of those questions virtually no one can give a satisfactory, nor meaningful, nor quick fix, nor calming, quieting, nor comforting, nor pastoral response to.

One seriously rhetorical question for which there are no responses to offer.

So, what does the Psalmist offer us for assurance or reassurance of heart?

Our Psalmist opens with a settled confession.

God is good to His people, to those who are pure in heart.

That is the fixed point.

But almost immediately the psalmist admits his own feet had nearly slipped.

He had begun to descend into envying the arrogant because he saw the apparent injustice of the prosperity of the wicked versus suffering of the impoverished.

Where is that promise from God that all people are equal in His sight?

That is what makes this psalm so useful.

It does not come from a man who has not been untouched by temptation.

It comes from a man who nearly lost his footing, then recovered it by seeing reality through the truth of God.

The problem is not particularly hard to understand.

The wicked often seem to have what many people want.

  • Ease
  • Influence
  • Power
  • Recognition
  • Entitlement
  • Abundance
  • Freedom to sin without immediate consequences or judgment.
  • Resources …. Money, Property, Protected Status – friends in high places.
  • Shielded Untouchables …. “Diplomatic Immunity” “No Jurisdiction”

Psalm 73 describes them as entitled, proud, violent, boastful, and full of abundance, rich beyond the dreams of avarice. conceited, untouchable.

They speak as though even heaven itself were beneath their notice.

They act as if God is less than, does not see, does not know, and will not judge.

That socio-economic cultural perception, that combination is what stings.

It is not merely that wicked people sin.

It is that they are free to sin as much as they want and seem to get away with it.

If you have ever looked around and thought, “The dishonest are advancing, while the obedient are burdened,” then you are standing in the same place the psalmist once stood.

The first danger: envying what should be pitied

The psalmist says plainly that he was envious.

That is the first trap of our adversary.

Envy does not, will not always announce itself.

Sometimes it sounds more respectable.

  • “Why do they get away with everything?”
  • “Maybe compromise is the only practical way to live.”
  • “What is the use of trying to stay clean?”
  • “Maybe faithfulness just makes life harder.”
  • “Maybe God really does not care about anyone or anything.

But underneath all that is a bottomless cistern called envy.

It is the maturing desire for the apparent advantages of rebellion.

This is why Psalm 73 is not merely about “those bad people out there.”

It presses much closer than that.

Before using the psalm to identify public villains, it is better to let it search your own heart. The dividing line in the psalm is not simply between religious people and irreligious people. It is between those who desire God and those who do not.

Psalm 73 gives an all to vivid portrait of unhinged pride, raging ungodliness.

Pride is not a side issue here.

It hangs on them like a Monarchy’s crown jewels at coronation time.

They wear self-exaltation openly.

They do not blush over it.

They display it without conscience, without any semblance of shame.

The threat of violence born of power, of influence covers them like a garment.

That does not only mean physical aggression, though it can include that.

Also includes social cultural economic political, force of arms oppression, torture, cruelty, hard-heartedness, and the use of power to crush others.

Their desires rule their Hearts and Souls

They have more ambition, avarice, than heart could ever contain.

Their lives are driven by appetite.

They do not merely enjoy what God gives.

They organize themselves around getting more.

Their mouths and their words will betray them

They speak eloquently, with charisma.

They speak confidently.

They speak loftily.

They speak as if they are immune, untouchable from prosecution.

They speak against heaven.

They speak against God.

Their words reveal the harder than diamonds nature of their hearts and souls.

Man talks as if he answers to no one is telling you exactly what he thinks of God.

This matters because Scripture consistently treats speech as a window into the dark heart. What comes out of a person tells you much about what lives within.

Are they really prospering?

Here is where careful rigorous critical thinking is needed.

Do their words speak the Gospel truth?

Are they consistent with what Scriptures say?

Psalm 73 records the psalmist’s perception before his understanding was corrected.

Things appeared smooth for the wicked.

They looked untroubled.

They looked secure.

They looked stronger than everyone else.

But appearances are not the same as reality.

A person can project confidence while being inwardly tormented.

Someone can look established while living one step from collapse.

Wealth, influence, and public applause are not proof of peace. In many cases, they only hide turmoil better.

More importantly, even if the wicked truly enjoy temporary ease, Psalm 73 insists this is not lasting prosperity.

It is brief, it is fleeting like the winds, it is as fragile as a newborn child..

It belongs to this age only.

By the Word of God it will end, come undone as a house built on loose sand. (Matthew 7:24-28, Luke 6:46-49, 1 Corinthians 3:10-15, 2 Timothy 2:15-19)

Why the righteous can be tempted to despair

Further, he psalmist reached a dark conclusion for a time.

He began to believe that he “lost touch” had kept his heart clean in vain.

Had sought innocence, yet felt plagued, chastened while the wicked grew fat.

That is the second danger.

Not just envy, but weariness in obedience.

When a believer starts measuring God’s goodness only by immediate outward circumstances, confusion follows quickly.

If your standard is “good people should have the easiest lives now,” then much of providence will seem upside down.

That mistake is still common.

People see a hard season, an unanswered prayer, or the temporary success of evil, and then begin quietly putting God in storage boxes then storage facility.

They assess Him by their limited sight.

That is what the psalm corrects.

The key turning point: understanding comes in the sanctuary

The hinge of Psalm 73 is one of the most important lines in the whole psalm: the confusion lasted until the psalmist went into the sanctuary of God.

Then he understood the inevitable end of the wicked by God’s own hand.

This means his thinking was corrected where God’s truth was declared.

He stopped interpreting reality through envy, frustration, and raw observation.

He began interpreting reality through the Word of God.

That is the remedy – the Word of God. (Isaiah 55:8-13, Hebrews 4:12)

When providence is hard to read, do not trust your first emotional draft.

Bring your confusion under the electron microscope of Scripture.

God’s truth does not erase the difficulty, but it puts it in its proper focus.

What the psalmist finally understood about the wicked

Once his perspective was corrected, the psalmist saw several things clearly.

1. The wicked stand on slippery ground

The very people he had envied were not standing on solid footing at all. They were in slippery places. Their downfall could come swiftly and decisively.

That is a devastating reversal. The one who thought he was slipping discovers that the wicked are the ones in true peril.

2. Their end is sudden

Their ruin can arrive in a moment. What looked permanent can vanish quickly. Their confidence is paper thin and fragile. Their security is false, imaginary.

3. Their prosperity is temporary

Even at its brightest, worldly success for the ungodly lasts only for this life. It is as good as it gets for them. Beyond that comes judgment – God’s judgment!

4. God is not indifferent

The wicked may talk as if heaven is silent, but heaven is not asleep. (Psalm 121)

Divine patience is not divine approval.

Delay is not indifference.

God sees, and God will judge.

How to read present success in light of final judgment

One of the clearest lessons of Psalm 73 is that we must not treat temporary comfort as the highest category.

If all we can see is the present moment, then the wicked may seem enviable.

But if we include their end by the Word of God, envy dies.

This is why Scripture repeatedly trains believers to think beyond appearances.

A life can be full and empty at the same time.

A man can be celebrated and cursed.

An individual can be envied and miserable.

A movement can be fashionable and doomed.

If God is absent, all such “success” is thin ice.

The psalmist’s repentance

After seeing rightly, the psalmist looks back on his earlier thoughts with shame.

He says he had been foolish and ignorant, like a beast before God.

That is strong language, but it is fitting.

To judge reality only by immediate sense experience is to live beneath what God has given man to do.

Feelings matter, but they are not safe guides by themselves.

Instinct is not wisdom.

Outrage is not understanding.

The believer must be governed by God’s counsel. (Proverbs 3:1-35)

What kept him from falling completely

One of the most comforting notes in Psalm 73 is this: although his feet had nearly slipped, he did not ultimately fall away.

Why not?

Because God held him.

The psalmist says, “You hold me by my right hand.” (Psalm 16, Isaiah 43:1-28)

That is a wonderful line for troubled saints.

If perseverance rested on the strength of our grip on God, all would be lost.

But the psalmist points us to the other direction.

The believer endures because God keeps hold of His own.

That does not make drifting harmless.

The psalmist came close enough to know the danger of drifting away was real. (Parable of the Prodigal Son Luke 15:11-32)

But it does mean that divine keeping is much stronger than human wavering.

What the righteous actually have

Once his eyes were cleared, the psalmist no longer measured life by the wicked man’s abundance.

He measured it by possession of God.

This leads to one of the great confessions in all of Scripture:

“Whom have I in heaven but You? And there is none upon earth that I desire besides You.” (Psalm 73:25-26)

Psalm 73:25-26 English Standard Version

25 (A)Whom have I in heaven but you?
    And there is nothing on earth that I desire besides you.
26 (B)My flesh and my heart may fail,
    but God is (C)the strength[a] of my heart and my (D)portion (E)forever.

This is the true dividing line.

Not church language alone.

Not outward respectability alone.

Not mere avoidance of scandal.

The real question is this: Do you desire God above all?

The righteous are not defined simply by cleaner behavior.

They are defined by rightly ordered love.

How to know if Psalm 73 is pressing on our conscience

This psalm invites self-examination.

That should be done honestly, not morbidly.

The aim is not endless self-obsession, but truth.

Ask yourself questions like these:

  • Do I mainly want God, or do I mainly want His gifts?
  • Would I still count Him enough if earthly comforts were stripped away?
  • Do I envy, resent the success of the wicked because I secretly want their life?
  • When I think of heaven, is God Himself the great attraction?
  • Am I content in Him, or am I always demanding something else complete me?

These are not small questions.

Psalm 73 does not let a man hide behind a religious shell.

It asks whether God is truly his portion.

Psalm 139:23-24 English Standard Version

23 Search me, O God, and know my heart!
    (A)Try me and know my thoughts![a]
24 And see if there be any grievous way in me,
    and (B)lead me in (C)the way everlasting![b]

“God is the strength of my heart and my portion forever”

This line is the answer to envy.

Our flesh may fail.

Our heart may fail.

Our body may weaken, our plans may collapse, our outward circumstances may remain difficult.

But if God is our portion, then we have not been robbed of our true inheritance.

This is how believers have endured poverty, persecution, and even martyrdom with steadiness.

They were not pretending pain was pleasant.

They simply knew union with God outweighed everything they could lose.

A man who has God is not empty, even if he is poor.

A man without God is not rich, even if he has every last dollar in circulation.

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

Praying …

Psalm 16 English Standard Version

You Will Not Abandon My Soul

A (A)Miktam[a] of David.

16 Preserve me, O God, for in you I (B)take refuge.
2 I say to the Lord, “You are my Lord;
    (C)I have no good apart from you.”

3 As for (D)the saints in the land, they are the excellent ones,
    in whom is all my delight.[b]

4 The sorrows of those who run after[c] another god shall multiply;
    their drink offerings of blood I will not pour out
    or (E)take their names on my lips.

5 The Lord is (F)my chosen portion and my (G)cup;
    you hold my (H)lot.
6 (I)The lines have fallen for me in pleasant places;
    indeed, I have a beautiful inheritance.

7 I bless the Lord who (J)gives me counsel;
    in (K)the night also my (L)heart instructs me.[d]
8 (M)I have (N)set the Lord always before me;
    because he is at my (O)right hand, I shall not be (P)shaken.

9 Therefore my heart is glad, and my (Q)whole being[e] rejoices;
    my flesh also dwells secure.
10 For you will not abandon my soul to (R)Sheol,
    (S)or let your (T)holy one see (U)corruption.[f]

11 You make known to me (V)the path of life;
    in your presence there is (W)fullness of joy;
    at your right hand are (X)pleasures forevermore.

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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Rest for that soul that feels crowded. As that herd of deer seeks after those waters of a peaceful stream, my soul longs for the Courtyards of the Lord. Psalm 84

Psalm 84  New International Version

Psalm 84[a]

For the director of music. According to gittith.[b] Of the Sons of Korah. A psalm.

1 How lovely is your dwelling place,(A)
    Lord Almighty!
2 My soul yearns,(B) even faints,
    for the courts of the Lord;
my heart and my flesh cry out
    for the living God.(C)
3 Even the sparrow has found a home,
    and the swallow a nest for herself,
    where she may have her young—
a place near your altar,(D)
    Lord Almighty,(E) my King(F) and my God.(G)
4 Blessed are those who dwell in your house;
    they are ever praising you.[c]

5 Blessed are those whose strength(H) is in you,
    whose hearts are set on pilgrimage.(I)
6 As they pass through the Valley of Baka,
    they make it a place of springs;(J)
    the autumn(K) rains also cover it with pools.[d]
7 They go from strength to strength,(L)
    till each appears(M) before God in Zion.(N)

8 Hear my prayer,(O) Lord God Almighty;
    listen to me, God of Jacob.
9 Look on our shield,[e](P) O God;
    look with favor on your anointed one.(Q)

10 Better is one day in your courts
    than a thousand elsewhere;
I would rather be a doorkeeper(R) in the house of my God
    than dwell in the tents of the wicked.
11 For the Lord God is a sun(S) and shield;(T)
    the Lord bestows favor and honor;
no good thing does he withhold(U)
    from those whose walk is blameless.

12 Lord Almighty,
    blessed(V) is the one who trusts 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.

Psalm 84 is a lament of longing for the house of the Lord, probably written by a Levite who normally served in the temple but was now barred from it.

It is one of several “psalms of Zion,” and its dominant note is yearning for the courtyards of God’s house and the blessings which were to be found there.

The Psalmist is using the language of “soul,” “heart,” and “flesh” to express completeness of desire.

He even expresses a deep sorrowful envy for all of the small birds which have unhindered access to construct their nests all over the temple and the altar.

The central section affirms God will bless all who make the pilgrimage to Zion, as their joyful expectations of blessings rather than curses transform those very difficult ways into places of much needed rest, refreshment, spiritual reflection.

A prayer for the king follows, since as the king rests, prospers in Jerusalem, the faithful can more easily come to God’s house.

The psalmist ends his lament by declaring that one short day in God’s presence is better than a thousand elsewhere, reflecting a main theme of the Psalter: that recognizing our own weaknesses, trusting in the Lord and taking refuge in him.

For Christians, it points to the overwhelming joy of those gathering with other believers for worship and prayer which provides strength to keep faith going.

Rest is something we certainly all desire – crave, even – but it is difficult to find in today’s lightening fast-paced life.

It so often feels like the demands just keep coming.

Our schedules are all full, our to-do lists seem to grow longer – between work, our families, the kids, the chores, and …well, you name it – not to mention the subtle and not so subtle trials that kick in our front doors and come our way.

We even stay busy on weekend getaways and vacations.

How often do we need a vacation from our vacation?

Yeah…me too.

What if the rest we’re chasing is right there in front of us?

What if there is a better way?

Psalm 16 NIV

A miktam[a] of David.

1 Keep me safe,(A) my God,
    for in you I take refuge.(B)

2 I say to the Lord, “You are my Lord;(C)
    apart from you I have no good thing.”(D)
3 I say of the holy people(E) who are in the land,(F)
    “They are the noble ones in whom is all my delight.”
4 Those who run after other gods(G) will suffer(H) more and more.
    I will not pour out libations of blood to such gods
    or take up their names(I) on my lips.

5 Lord, you alone are my portion(J) and my cup;(K)
    you make my lot(L) secure.
6 The boundary lines(M) have fallen for me in pleasant places;
    surely I have a delightful inheritance.(N)
7 I will praise the Lord, who counsels me;(O)
    even at night(P) my heart instructs me.
8 I keep my eyes always on the Lord.
    With him at my right hand,(Q) I will not be shaken.(R)

9 Therefore my heart is glad(S) and my tongue rejoices;
    my body also will rest secure,(T)
10 because you will not abandon me to the realm of the dead,(U)
    nor will you let your faithful[b] one(V) see decay.(W)
11 You make known to me the path of life;(X)
    you will fill me with joy in your presence,(Y)
    with eternal pleasures(Z) at your right hand.(AA)

We are looking for real rest – rest that refreshes our exhausted souls and, in turn, refreshes everything else.

We already know that kind of secure rest is found in only one place – when we truly find rest in the Lord.

Jesus extended the invitation to us all in Matthew 11:28: “Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest.”

In the very next verse 29, Jesus promises, “…you will find rest for your souls.”

The Lord’s invitation was not meant just for the people of Jesus’ day  – it was for all of us.

Today. Right here, right now.

Jesus said “all.”

But…how do we get there?

How do we find that rest that we know is waiting for us?

Let’s remember that after six days of creation, God rested on the seventh day (Genesis 2:2-3) – with that, confirmed rest as a fundamental part of our lives.

Clearly, our Creator does not grow weary; He was modeling for us an essential that would be part of scripture – a part of our lives – forever – our Sabbath rest.

The scriptures set aside a special day for worship and for rest from physical labor.

But Sabbath rest was merely a foreshadowing of the true Sabbath that was to come – Jesus.

Jesus invites us to something much greater than a day off from our work.

He invites us to Himself.

Jesus fulfilled the command for a Sabbath rest – as He fulfilled the entire Old Covenant Law.

Leviticus 23:3  New International Version

The Sabbath

3 “‘There are six days when you may work,(A) but the seventh day is a day of sabbath rest,(B) a day of sacred assembly. You are not to do any work;(C) wherever you live, it is a sabbath to the Lord.

Matthew 12:1-8  New International Version

Jesus Is Lord of the Sabbath(A)(B)

12 At that time Jesus went through the grainfields on the Sabbath. His disciples were hungry and began to pick some heads of grain(C) to eat them. 2 When the Pharisees saw this, they said to him, “Look! Your disciples are doing what is unlawful on the Sabbath.”(D)

3 He answered, “Haven’t you read what David did when he and his companions were hungry?(E) 4 He entered the house of God, and he and his companions ate the consecrated bread—which was not lawful for them to do, but only for the priests.(F) 5 Or haven’t you read in the Law that the priests on Sabbath duty in the temple desecrate the Sabbath(G) and yet are innocent? 6 I tell you that something greater than the temple is here.(H) 7 If you had known what these words mean, ‘I desire mercy, not sacrifice,’[a](I) you would not have condemned the innocent. 8 For the Son of Man(J) is Lord of the Sabbath.”

The author of Hebrews told us,

“There remains, then, a Sabbath-rest for the people of God; for anyone who enters God’s rest also rests from their works, just as God did from his.” (4:9-10)

Jesus is our Sabbath – He is our rest.

Finding rest for our souls is as simple as stepping into the peace, joy, freedom, assurance, and grace which only Jesus provides.

As they say, simple but not easy.

Life can indeed feel like a never-ending treadmill, can’t it?

So often – too often – we carry what seem like very heavy burdens.

Stress about our work, our finances, our families.

We feel self-inflicted constant pressure to function to meet expectations.

And yet, 2026, Jesus’ invitation still speaks directly to our hearts – to our souls crowded by weariness.

He speaks with words which are both powerful and tender

– “Come to me…and I will give you rest.”

Resting in God does not mean that we are to ignore life’s responsibilities, or that we can pretend our challenges no longer exist.

It means that we lean on our Lord to carry the weight that we were never meant to carry alone.

While in this life we turn to temporary rest – like vacations, weekend getaways, or even the gym – Jesus offers us so much more.

He offers a spiritual rest – one which quiets our souls.

It replaces our anxiety with His peace.

In Psalm 84, the writer compares being in the house of God – even as a lowly doorkeeper for one day – to a thousand days in the swirling evil of this world.

Finding rest there for that day.

In Psalm 23, David tells us,

“The Lord is my shepherd, I lack nothing. He makes me lie down in green pastures. He leads me beside still waters.”

Both are imagery of a shepherd bringing calm and peace to his flock.  

In John 10:11, Jesus tells us He is the “good shepherd” – and we will find that calm, peace, comfort, and rest in His hands.

The Gift of Rest

Leviticus 23:3  English Standard Version

The Sabbath

3 (A)“Six days shall work be done, but on the seventh day is a Sabbath of solemn rest, a holy convocation. You shall do no work. It is a Sabbath unto the Lord in all of your dwelling places.

Our culture tends to wear busyness like a badge of honor.

We work long hours; we juggle family, church, and school responsibilities; and we take our work with us when we go on vacation.

When people ask us how we are doing, though exhausted, we take pride in our sighing, “Busy!”

We need to ask, “Are we doing all this just to be seen, valued, and affirmed?”

Leviticus 23 opens a section about feasts and festivals that God called his people to observe.

These events created a sense of rhythm and structure for God’s people, and the first of these was the weekly Sabbath.

Every seven days, the people were to set their work aside and rest.

As noted in Exodus 20:8-11, resting reminded Israel that God, not their labor, sustained the world, and Deuteronomy 5:12-15 made clear that God, not their labor, was their salvation.

Today most Christians observe Sunday as their day of rest and worship.

Why? Because Jesus, who rose on the first day of the week, gives us a greater rest than the people of Israel had in the time of Leviticus.

Jesus’ death and resurrection means that the work of perfect obedience has been completed; he has provided the rest that our souls long for.

In Jesus we are free from the relentless work of trying to earn our worth and to live as if we bear the weight of the world on our shoulders.

Are we weary and burdened?

Weak and heavy laden?

Jesus invites you to find rest in him.

Set aside time this week to enjoy the rest and worship God graciously gives us.

What Does Shabbat Shalom Mean? Explained Simply 2025-26

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

Praying …

Psalm 23 English Standard Version

The Lord Is My Shepherd

A Psalm of David.

23 The Lord is my (A)shepherd; I shall not (B)want.
2     He makes me lie down in green (C)pastures.
He leads me beside still waters.[a]
3     He (D)restores my soul.
He (E)leads me in (F)paths of righteousness[b]
    for his (G)name’s sake.

4 Even though I (H)walk through the valley of (I)the shadow of death,[c]
    I will (J)fear no evil,
for (K)you are with me;
    your (L)rod and your staff,
    they comfort me.

5 You (M)prepare a table before me
    in (N)the presence of my enemies;
you (O)anoint my head with oil;
    my (P)cup overflows.
6 Surely[d] goodness and mercy[e] shall follow me
    all the days of my life,
and I shall (Q)dwell[f] in the house of the Lord
    (R)forever.[g]

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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This Is Serious Business, Rebels; Go! Always Keep Your Eyes upon Eternity, living with His Kingdom in focus and trusting the fullness of His promises. Isaiah 46:1-4

Isaiah 46:1-4  The Message

This Is Serious Business, Rebels

46 1-2 The god Bel falls down, god Nebo slumps.
    The no-god hunks of wood are loaded on mules
And have to be hauled off,
    wearing out the poor mules—
Dead weight, burdens who can’t bear burdens,
    hauled off to captivity.

3-4 “Listen to me, family of Jacob,
    everyone that’s left of the family of Israel.
I’ve been carrying you on my back
    from the day you were born,
And I’ll keep on carrying you when you’re old.
    I’ll be there, bearing you when you’re old and gray.
I’ve done it and will keep on doing it,
    carrying you on my back, saving 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.

Carried by Grace: A Reflection on Isaiah 46:3

In the hustle and bustle of today’s technological life, it is all too easy to feel unnoticed, unsupported, and even lost and abandoned.

Yet, in Isaiah 46:3, we encounter a profound truth of God’s unwavering care:

“Hearken unto me, O house of Jacob, and all the remnant of the house of Israel, which are borne by me from the belly, which are carried from the womb.”

This verse not only summons us to listen but also serves as a much needed reminder of God’s enduring presence and compassion throughout our lives.

To truly grasp the depth of this verse, we must first understand the context in which it was written.

The Israelites faced tumultuous times; they were in exile, contending with oppression, and experiencing uncertainty about their future.

God, through His prophet Isaiah, addresses them as a tender father would his children.

Isaiah 46:3  King James Version

3 Hearken unto me, O house of Jacob, and all the remnant of the house of Israel, which are borne by me from the belly, which are carried from the womb:

The phrase “hearken unto me” signifies more than mere listening; it calls for profound attention and response.

God invites His people into a deeper relationship, one centered, founded, upon understanding and trust.

In our own lives, when we face such a magnitude of difficulties, do we stop, take the time cease our striving, hands over our ears to “hearken” to God’s voice?

The metaphor of being “borne by me from the belly” and “carried from the womb” paints an image of intimacy.

God is not a distant deity; He is present from our very beginnings.

The Hebrew people, as descendants of Jacob, are reminded that from the very first moments of their conception, they have been under His watchful eye and loving care.

This speaks to us as well, reminding us that before we ever took our first breath, we were known and beloved by God.

As Psalm 139:13-14 proclaims,

“For thou hast possessed my reins: thou hast covered me in my mother’s womb. I will praise thee; for I am fearfully and wonderfully made.”

How reassuring it is to know that God is intimately involved in our lives even before they unfold fully.

Moreover, the imagery of being carried suggests a gentle guidance and provision.

In our most vulnerable states, when we feel like we cannot move forward, we are reminded that God is the one who carries us.

Life can feel overwhelming, especially when we face loss, heartache, or the daily struggles that wear us down.

In those moments, God is there to cradle us, much like a mother carries her child, providing safety and reassurance.

Our trials do not go unnoticed; they are met with divine support.

1 Peter 5:7 encourages us to “Cast all your care upon him; for he careth for you.”

This reveals not only the invitation to bring our burdens but also affirms His readiness to carry them alongside us.

Reflecting on this verse also brings forth the notion of preservation.

The phrase “remnant of the house of Israel” signifies a group that remains after calamity, suggesting on going hope even in difficult circumstances.

To be part of a remnant means to be preserved for a unique future purpose.

Just as the Israelites were promised restoration, so we too have the assurance that God is constantly working in our trials to bring about His divine plans.

Even when we feel small amidst the chaos of life, we are part of something much larger—a promise and purpose that transcends our understanding.

Our reflection on Isaiah 46:3, lets us take an intentional moment to recognize our dependence on God.

We are not alone in our struggles, nor are we forsaken in times of distress.

Instead, we are cradled by grace, borne from our very beginnings, and carried through every season of our lives.

I pray we allow this truth to resonate deep within us, drawing us closer to the heart of our Heavenly Father.

Let us learn to hearken—open our ears and hearts—to the gentle whispers of His love, support, and guidance.

In doing so, we find peace, purpose, and a lasting assurance that we are not just existing, but thriving under His 24×7 caring embrace.

It has always been a great comfort for believers to realize that we are fearfully and wonderfully made and embraced and that the Lord knows us before we are born, for He forms us in our mother’s womb.

Indeed, He has scheduled every day of our lives, watches over our every move and fully, faithfully remains with us, even when we wander far away from Him.

But this verse 4 assures us that it is not only our early years about which the Lord is interested.

He is with us every day of our lives, from the cradle to the grave.

He cares for us from the womb to the tomb, from start to finish, from birth to death, and for every day and season in between.

The Lord is not only interested in us during the first flush of youth, our years of vigorous actions, or our blushing adult activities when we are motoring along through the prime of life.

He also is deeply interested in us as we stumble forward, advancing into our twilight years, and even on into the frailty of old age.

The Lord loves and cares for each one of us when our hair has turned grey, or silver or turned snowy white or flat fallen off of our heads in total baldness.

Our knees have grown feeble, and our faces have become furrowed with huge wrinkles. He cares for us when our hands start to tremble, our mouths begin to dribble, and our minds become increasingly confused and forgetful.

He has promised to carry us and care for us in every season of life, including our very last season, because He is our Heavenly Father and we are His people.

He has made us and He has promised to faithfully carry us, care for us, help us, and deliver us all the days of our life.

At our very last breaths, the end of our life, He will take us home to be with Himself in heavenly glory, for He has promised:

“And even to your old age I am he; and even to hoar hairs will I carry you: I have made, and I will bear; even I will carry, and will deliver you.”

There is No One Like God

This can be summed up by declaring, proclaiming, this …

The Lord God is unique.

There is no one like him.

He is the Lord, “and there is no other.”

God is incomparably great.

He is above and beyond all creation.

He did not have to create the universe to be God; he was already God before the foundation of the earth.

God is not an idol made by human imagining; he is the one who gives life to all.

God is not vulnerable or fleeting like the rulers of this world.

His throne is unshakable.

His kingdom is eternal.

He cannot be challenged nor defeated by any enemy or coalition.

God is the undefeated victor in all battles.

He does not share his glory with anyone.

He does not decentralize his power.

On the contrary, in God’s hands are all power and authority.

The Lord is incomparably holy, separate from everything and everyone.

In him there is no fault.

He is pure in who he is and perfect in all he does.

Moses declared, “Who among the gods is like you, LORD? Who is like you—majestic in holiness, awesome in glory, working wonders?” (Exodus 15:11).

We can trust in God because his sovereignty is unlimited.

His love is eternal, and no one can separate us from that love.

His wisdom is perfect, and therefore none of his plans can be thwarted.

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

Praying …

Psalm 29

A Psalm of David.

1 Give unto the Lord, O ye mighty,
give unto the Lord glory and strength.
2 Give unto the Lord the glory due unto his name;
worship the Lord in the beauty of holiness.

3 The voice of the Lord is upon the waters:
the God of glory thundereth: the Lord is upon many waters.
4 The voice of the Lord is powerful;
the voice of the Lord is full of majesty.
5 The voice of the Lord breaketh the cedars;
yea, the Lord breaketh the cedars of Lebanon.
6 He maketh them also to skip like a calf;
Lebanon and Sirion like a young unicorn.
7 The voice of the Lord divideth the flames of fire.
8 The voice of the Lord shaketh the wilderness;
the Lord shaketh the wilderness of Kadesh.
9 The voice of the Lord maketh the hinds to calve,
and discovereth the forests:
and in his temple doth every one speak of his glory.

10 The Lord sitteth upon the flood;
yea, the Lord sitteth King for ever.
11 The Lord will give strength unto his people;
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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Do not be naive. Do not be fooled nor fall into a pit of deepest complacency. Immoral and disobedient times with one’s who boast of an allergy to God are on our horizons. 2 Timothy 3:1-5

2 Timothy 3:1-5 New Living Translation

The Dangers of the Last Days

3 You should know this, Timothy, that in the last days there will be very difficult times. 2 For people will love only themselves and their money. They will be boastful and proud, scoffing at God, disobedient to their parents, and ungrateful. They will consider nothing sacred. 3 They will be unloving and unforgiving; they will slander others and have no self-control. They will be cruel and hate what is good. 4 They will betray their friends, be reckless, be puffed up with pride, and love pleasure rather than God. 5 They will act religious, but they will reject the power that could make them godly. Stay away from people like that!

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.

A long time ago, in a garden far far away, the serpent whispered to humanity’s unsuspecting souls “There’s no worry, there is plenty of time” but Christians know they need to live every single day for the Lord as if it could be their last.

Don’t they?

8 Then I heard the Lord asking, “Whom should I send as a messenger to this people? Who will go for us?”

I said, “Here I am. Send me.”

9 And he said, “Yes, go, and say to this people,

‘Listen carefully, but do not understand.
    Watch closely, but learn nothing.’
10 Harden the hearts of these people.
    Plug their ears and shut their eyes.
That way, they will not see with their eyes,
    nor hear with their ears,
nor understand with their hearts
    and turn to me for healing.”[b]

11 Then I said, “Lord, how long will this go on?”

And he replied,

“Until their towns are empty,
    their houses are deserted,
    and the whole country is a wasteland;
12 until the Lord has sent everyone away,
    and the entire land of Israel lies deserted.
13 If even a tenth—a remnant—survive,
    it will be invaded again and burned.
But as a terebinth or oak tree leaves a stump when it is cut down,
    so Israel’s stump will be a holy seed.”

Perhaps we do not know?

Perhaps we do not bother to care?

Perhaps we are too busy taking life for granted?

Perhaps we are too busy taking God for granted?

Perhaps we are too busy believing God is long since dead and buried?

Perhaps we are too busy listening to the serpent whispering in our ears?

Are we observing, do we have situational awareness … something is not kosher?

Has the serpent dulled our senses to that final nth degree of imperceptibility?

So many questions being asked … but who is the One asking these questions?

Genesis 1:1-5 Amplified Bible

The Creation

1 In the beginning God ([a]Elohim) [b]created [by forming from nothing] the heavens and the earth. 2 The earth was [c]formless and void or a waste and emptiness, and darkness was upon the face of the deep [primeval ocean that covered the unformed earth]. The Spirit of God was moving (hovering, brooding) over the face of the waters. 3 And God said, [d]“Let there be light”; and there was light. 4 God saw that the light was good (pleasing, useful) and [e]He affirmed and sustained it; and God separated the light [distinguishing it] from the darkness. 5 And God called the light day, and the darkness He called night. And there was [f]evening and there was [g]morning, one day.

Where are the curious ones who bother to look, observe, to hear, to be obedient?

Where are the ones publicly declaring; “my heart was strangely warmed?”

Psalm 19 Amplified Bible

The Works and the Word of God.

To the Chief Musician. A Psalm of David.

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

7 
The law of the Lord is perfect (flawless), restoring and refreshing the soul;
The statutes of the Lord are reliable and trustworthy, making wise the simple.
8 
The precepts of the Lord are right, bringing joy to the heart;
The commandment of the Lord is pure, enlightening the eyes.
9 
The fear of the Lord is clean, enduring forever;
The judgments of the Lord are true, they are righteous altogether.
10 
They are more desirable than gold, yes, than much fine gold;
Sweeter also than honey and the drippings of the honeycomb.
11 
Moreover, by them Your servant is warned [reminded, illuminated, and instructed];
In keeping them there is great reward.
12 
Who can understand his errors or omissions? Acquit me of hidden (unconscious, unintended) faults.
13 
Also keep back Your servant from presumptuous (deliberate, willful) sins;
Let them not rule and have control over me.
Then I will be blameless (complete),
And I shall be acquitted of great transgression.
14 
Let the words of my mouth and the meditation of my heart
Be acceptable and pleasing in Your sight,
O Lord, my [firm, immovable] rock and my Redeemer.

In uncertain turbulent times, God calls each and every one of us to steadfast faith, resilient hope, and genuine godliness, authentic humility, anchored in Savior Jesus Christ, His indelible truth, not swayed by counterfeit spirituality.

God has spoken through His Prophets and His Son and His Apostles – “I AM.”

He has not left us guessing or grasping in the dark.

He places His hand on our shoulder through the apostle Paul and whispers, Steady now. Take courage. I see what you see, and I will guide you through.

2 Timothy is a letter from an older shepherd to a younger one—a seasoned saint encouraging a timid pastor.

Picture Paul, weathered and wise, passing the torch to Timothy, who faces a congregation and a culture churning with confusion.

The ink of this letter feels warm, like a father’s arm around a son.

It names the ache of the age and points us to the Anchor who holds in every storm.

Hebrews 6:17-20 Amplified Bible

17 In the same way God, in His desire to show to the heirs of the promise the unchangeable nature of His purpose, intervened and guaranteed it with an oath, 18 so that by two unchangeable things [His promise and His oath] in which it is impossible for God to lie, we who have fled [to Him] for refuge would have strong encouragement and indwelling strength to hold tightly to the hope set before us. 19 This hope [this confident assurance] we have as an anchor of the soul [it cannot slip and it cannot break down under whatever pressure bears upon it]—a safe and steadfast hope that enters within the veil [of the heavenly temple, that most Holy Place in which the very presence of God dwells], 20 where Jesus has entered [in advance] as a forerunner for us, having become a High Priest forever according to the order of [a]Melchizedek.

Paul tells us plainly: there would be days marked by both pressure and peril, by counterfeit spirituality and a carousel of teachers who dazzle but do not deliver.

It sounds familiar, doesn’t it?

Our calendars are crowded, our newsfeeds are loud, and our spirits can feel thin.

And yet, right here—right now—God calls us to walk in clarity, courage, and compassion. He calls us to be a people of resilient hope and rugged holiness.

He calls us to hold truth with tenderness and to trust Christ with tenacity.

J. I. Packer once wrote, “A little knowledge of God is worth more than a great deal of knowledge about him.”

That lands near the center of our passage today.

So many words swirl.

So much content streams.

Yet the living knowledge of God—knowing Him, loving Him, listening to Him—gives ballast to the soul and brightness to our steps.

Today, we sit under a 2000 years old text identifying the times and lifts our eyes unto the heavens which God took from chaos’ iron clad grasp to hope and love.

It will help us to better understand the crisis of the last days, teach us how to face sham spirituality and false teaching, and strengthen our resolve to keep step with the truth while we wait for the appearing of our Savior and King.

The point is not panic; the point is preparation.

The goal is not fear; the goal is faithfulness.

The goal is not inaction, sitting playing video games; The goal is obedience.

And do we know what faithfulness looks like in an age like ours? It looks like a steady heart, a sound mind, a soft word, and a stubborn hope in Jesus Christ.

Psalm 81:15 Amplified Bible

15 
Those who hate the Lord would pretend obedience to Him and cringe before Him,
And their time of punishment would be forever.

And dare we know what authentic obedience would look like in an age like ours?

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

Praying …

Psalm 128 Amplified Bible

Blessedness of the Fear of the Lord.

A Song of [a]Ascents.

128 Blessed [happy and sheltered by God’s favor] is everyone who fears the Lord [and worships Him with obedience],
Who walks in His ways and lives according to His commandments.
2 
For you shall eat the fruit of [the labor of] your hands,
You will be happy and blessed and it will be well with you.
3 
Your wife shall be like a fruitful vine
Within the innermost part of your house;
Your children will be like olive plants
Around your table.
4 
Behold, for so shall the man be blessed and divinely favored
Who fears the Lord [and worships Him with obedience].

5 
May the Lord bless you from Zion [His holy mountain],
And may you see the prosperity of Jerusalem all the days of your life;
6 
Indeed, may you see your [family perpetuated in your] children’s children.
Peace be upon Israel!

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

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The blessings of persecution? “Count yourself blessed every time someone cuts you down or throws you out, and every time someone smears you or so blackens your name to discredit me.” Luke 6:17-23

Luke 6:17-23 The Message

You’re Blessed

17-21 Coming down off the mountain with them, he stood on a plain surrounded by disciples, and was soon joined by a huge congregation from all over Judea and Jerusalem, even from the seaside towns of Tyre and Sidon. They had come both to hear him and to be cured of their diseases. Those disturbed by evil spirits were healed. Everyone was trying to touch him—so much energy surging from him, so many people healed! Then he spoke:

You’re blessed when you’ve lost it all.
God’s kingdom is there for the finding.

You’re blessed when you’re ravenously hungry.
Then you’re ready for the Messianic meal.

You’re blessed when the tears flow freely.
Joy comes with the morning.

22-23 “Count yourself blessed every time someone cuts you down or throws you out, every time someone smears or blackens your name to discredit me. What it means is that the truth is too close for comfort and that that person is uncomfortable. You can be glad when that happens—skip like a lamb, if you like!—for even though they do not like it, I do . . . and all heaven applauds. And know that you are in good company; my preachers and witnesses have always been treated like this.

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.

Blessed in our Brokenness? Our Embracing the High Cost of Discipleship?

In a world that often equates happiness with acceptance, Luke 6:22 challenges our understanding of what it means to be blessed.

The verse states, “Blessed are ye, when men shall hate you, and when they shall separate you from their company, and shall reproach you, and cast out your name as evil, for the Son of man’s sake.” (KJV).

At first glance, these words may seem perplexing, especially in a culture that idolizes popularity and social approval.

The idea of being blessed in the face of hatred and rejection is counterintuitive and can elicit deep feelings of bewilderment or dread.

However, to fully grasp the depth of Jesus’ message from Luke 6:22, we must explore the context in which these words were spoken and what they mean for us as followers of Savior Christ today.

In the Sermon on the Mount, where this teaching appears, Jesus addresses His disciples and offers them a deep radical perspective on the nature of blessings.

He contrasts societal norms with the Kingdom values that He is instituting.

Being blessed by God is not confined to moments of prosperity or public acclaim; it includes the experience of trials and tribulations for His sake.

In a sense, this passage invites us to consider, redefine what it means to be blessed, urging us to find solace in our pain and strength in our weakness.

The phrase “when men shall hate you” speaks to the reality of persecution that often accompanies a life dedicated to the teachings of Jesus.

Followers of Christ, we will find ourselves at odds with the values of the world.

Our beliefs may lead to violent hostility from those who do not share our faith or understanding of righteousness.

This is not merely a theoretical statement.

It is a call to recognize and prepare for the inevitable conflicts that can arise when we choose under all conditions to stand steadfast and firm in our faith.

The next part of the verse, “and when they shall separate you from their company,” adds another hardcore layer to our calling as Jesus’ disciples.

Jesus acknowledges that enduring persecution, rejection, comes at a price—perhaps that price is exclusion, alienation from friends, family, or community.

This separation can be one of the hardest experiences to endure, as human beings are inherently social creatures.

This very separation, painful as it may be, can serve to draw us closer to Christ.

When we lay down our earthly affiliations for the sake of following Him, we open ourselves up to a new reality; a much deeper, more intimate fellowship with Jesus, who identified with betrayal, rejection and understood our pain.

To be reproached and to have one’s name cast out as evil is a daunting prospect.

It resonates with the image of the early Christians, who faced scorn, contempt, persecution, even publicly humiliating painful deaths for their steadfast faith.

In today’s context, while perhaps not facing physical persecution, many still encounter slander, misunderstanding, or even hostile environments stemming from their Christian beliefs and values — some will even face being murdered.

We may have experienced such persecution at school; maybe we took a stand for the Bible, then we suddenly found ourselves isolated from your peer group.

We may have tasted the pain of being ostracized by a friend, friendship group, or passed over for promotion at work, because we explained to someone who Jesus is, why He died, and what that means. Why we do have legitimate hope.

We may even know the pain of being spurned by members of our own family because of our faith.

If we stand up, stand out for Christ, then ever so subtly and yet so very clearly the hatred begins to spill out, and the sense of scorn is nearly overwhelming.

There is nothing easy or enjoyable about being maligned or left out when we choose to live in obedience to God.

Indeed, there is great heartache that accompanies rejection.

How, then, are we to find blessing and comfort in its midst?

We must cling to the truth Jesus speaks of here: that when we find ourselves on the receiving end of the world’s hatred as a response to our faithfulness to the Son of Man, nothing has gone wrong: we are, truth, in a place to know blessing.

In other words, this sort of mistreatment is tangible evidence of our genuine faith and relationship with the Lord.

Furthermore, Jesus promises that if we acknowledge Him before men, He will also acknowledge us before His Father in heaven (Matthew 10:32-33).

32-33 “Stand up for me against world opinion and I’ll stand up for you before my Father in heaven. If you turn tail and run, do you think I’ll cover for you?

The man or woman who leads a holy life—who is prepared to speak and obey God’s word with boldness, who refuses to seek the narrow middle way between an obedient life and a popular one—will eventually collide head-on with the diesel locomotive destination the ungodly and incur the enmity of the world.

How are we being called to risk rejection in order to speak of Christ or live for Christ?

Do not lose heart!

Instead, respond to slander against you or dislike of you on account of the gospel with grace by rejoicing, “for behold, your reward is great in heaven.”

The world has nothing to offer that comes close to comparing with that.

The fact Jesus directly identifies with these experiences as a sign of blessing is transformative.

He invites us to embrace trials, they are indicators of our commitment to Him.

Ultimately, understand the key phrase in this verse “for the Son of man’s sake.”

Our suffering is not arbitrary; it is directly tied to our relationship with Christ.

When we endure hardship for His name, we align ourselves with His mission and express our steadfast, immovable commitment to His life and teachings.

In this context, our pain becomes purposeful.

When faced with hatred, ostracization, and reproach, we remind ourselves that we share in the greater narrative of Christ’s redemptive work, which is framed by betrayal, public humiliation, near complete rejection and unconditional love.

In a society that often dismisses or diminishes the personal cost of discipleship, Luke 6:22 serves as a vital reminder that our only true identity and worth are not determined by the acceptance of the world, but by our status as children of God.

Thus, let us rejoice in our trials and take comfort in the assurance that, through our endurance of, perseverance, the pain and ridicule, we are indeed “blessed.”

As we reflect on this verse, let us ask ourselves:

How do we respond to moments of betrayal, humiliation, scorn, rejection?

Do we allow our response to drive us deeper into the arms of Christ, or do we seek validation elsewhere?

May we first strive to seek out, look directly into, the face of God.

Let the intensity of our gaze strive to reflect a steadfast faith in Savior Christ, knowing every single trial for His name’s sake draws us closer to Him and also inspire us to sacrifice self, enriching our inheritance in the Kingdom of Heaven.

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

Praying ….

Psalm 19 The Message

19 1-2 God’s glory is on tour in the skies,
    God-craft on exhibit across the horizon.
Madame Day holds classes every morning,
    Professor Night lectures each evening.

3-4 Their words aren’t heard,
    their voices aren’t recorded,
But their silence fills the earth:
    unspoken truth is spoken everywhere.

4-5 God makes a huge dome
    for the sun—a superdome!
The morning sun’s a new husband
    leaping from his honeymoon bed,
The daybreaking sun an athlete
    racing to the tape.

6 That’s how God’s Word vaults across the skies
    from sunrise to sunset,
Melting ice, scorching deserts,
    warming hearts to faith.

7-9 The revelation of God is whole
    and pulls our lives together.
The signposts of God are clear
    and point out the right road.
The life-maps of God are right,
    showing the way to joy.
The directions of God are plain
    and easy on the eyes.
God’s reputation is twenty-four-carat gold,
    with a lifetime guarantee.
The decisions of God are accurate
    down to the nth degree.

10 God’s Word is better than a diamond,
    better than a diamond set between emeralds.
You’ll like it better than strawberries in spring,
    better than red, ripe strawberries.

11-14 There’s more: God’s Word warns us of danger
    and directs us to hidden treasure.
Otherwise how will we find our way?
    Or know when we play the fool?
Clean the slate, God, so we can start the day fresh!
    Keep me from stupid sins,
    from thinking I can take over your work;
Then I can start this day sun-washed,
    scrubbed clean of the grime of sin.
These are the words in my mouth;
    these are what I chew on and pray.
Accept them when I place them
    on the morning altar,
O God, my Altar-Rock,
    God, Priest-of-My-Altar.

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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Hezekiah; “It is an easy thing for the shadow to lengthen ten steps. Rather allow the shadow go back ten steps.”  2 Kings 20:1-11

2 Kings 20:1-11 Holman Christian Standard Bible

Hezekiah’s Illness and Recovery

20 In those days Hezekiah became terminally ill. The prophet Isaiah son of Amoz came and said to him, “This is what the Lord says: ‘Put your affairs in order,[a] for you are about to die; you will not recover.’”

2 Then Hezekiah turned his face to the wall and prayed to the Lord, 3 “Please Lord, remember how I have walked before You faithfully and wholeheartedly and have done what pleases You.”[b] And Hezekiah wept bitterly.

4 Isaiah had not yet gone out of the inner courtyard when the word of the Lord came to him: 5 “Go back and tell Hezekiah, the leader of My people, ‘This is what the Lord God of your ancestor David says: I have heard your prayer; I have seen your tears. Look, I will heal you. On the third day from now you will go up to the Lord’s temple. 6 I will add 15 years to your life. I will deliver you and this city from the hand of the king of Assyria. I will defend this city for My sake and for the sake of My servant David.’”

7 Then Isaiah said, “Bring a lump of pressed figs.” So they brought it and applied it to his infected skin, and he recovered.

8 Hezekiah had asked Isaiah, “What is the sign that the Lord will heal me and that I will go up to the Lord’s temple on the third day?”

9 Isaiah said, “This is the sign to you from the Lord that He will do what He has promised: Should the shadow go ahead 10 steps or go back 10 steps?”

10 Then Hezekiah answered, “It’s easy for the shadow to lengthen 10 steps. No, let the shadow go back 10 steps.” 11 So Isaiah the prophet called out to the Lord, and He brought the shadow[c] back the 10 steps it had descended on Ahaz’s stairway.[d]

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.

God answers Hezekiah; Faith That Turns Back Time

In 2 Kings 20:10, we encounter a truly remarkable moment in the life of King Hezekiah: “And Hezekiah answered, It is a light thing for the shadow to go down ten degrees: nay, but let the shadow return backward ten degrees.”

This verse reveals not just Hezekiah’s situation but also the depth of his faith and the power of God’s promises.

Psalm 56:8 Revised Standard Version

8 Thou hast kept count of my tossings;
    put thou my tears in thy bottle!
    Are they not in thy book?

Psalm 56:12-13Revised Standard Version

12 My vows to thee I must perform, O God;
    I will render thank offerings to thee.
13 For thou hast delivered my soul from death,
    yea, my feet from falling,
that I may walk before God
    in the light of life.

Hezekiah was facing a dire situation—he was terminally ill and on the brink of death. God sent the prophet Isaiah to deliver a message of impending death, but after Hezekiah’s earnest tearful prayer, God extended his life by fifteen years.

In this moment of divine grace, Hezekiah’s soul searching request to make time itself reverse its course is striking and profound.

To appreciate the enormity of Hezekiah’s request, we must understand the ancient context.

The movement of the sun was a critical measure of time; it dictated daily life and the agricultural calendar.

For Hezekiah to pray that the shadow could go backwards interfered with the natural order, showcasing a kind of faith that went beyond what was deemed possible.

In a time when people measured their lives against the certainty of the sun’s path in the sky, Hezekiah was challenging the very laws of nature, all in faith.

What impels a man to ask for such a thing?

A relationship with the Almighty.

**The Weight of Faith**

Hezekiah’s response, “It is a light thing for the shadow to go down ten degrees,” reflects a profound insight—a huge difference between what man perceives as substantial versus what “that’s impossible” God can accomplish.

Hezekiah recognizes while it is easy for God to allow the shadow to descend—an adjustment barely noticeable in the grand scheme of things—He knew that for God, reversing the sun’s position was no less feasible.

This moment reveals where faith meets possibility; that God can indeed do what seems impossible to humankind.

Hezekiah’s request for a backward shadow was about demonstrating that he truly believed wholeheartedly, in God’s sovereign power over the cosmos.

**God’s Response**

God’s response to Hezekiah’s bold request was deeply affirming.

According to Isaiah 38:8, God inclined His ear, and the shadow returned ten degrees backward.

Isaiah 38:1-8 The Message

Time Spent in Death’s Waiting Room

38 At that time, Hezekiah got sick. He was about to die. The prophet Isaiah son of Amoz visited him and said, “God says, ‘Prepare your affairs and your family. This is it: You’re going to die. You’re not going to get well.’”

2-3 Hezekiah turned away from Isaiah and, facing the wall, prayed to God: “God, please, I beg you: Remember how I’ve lived my life. I’ve lived faithfully in your presence, lived out of a heart that was totally yours. You’ve seen how I’ve lived, the good that I have done.” And Hezekiah wept as he prayed—painful tears.

4-6 Then God told Isaiah, “Go and speak with Hezekiah. Give him this Message from me, God, the God of your ancestor David: ‘I’ve heard your prayer. I have seen your tears. Here’s what I’ll do: I’ll add fifteen years to your life. And I’ll save both you and this city from the king of Assyria. I have my hand on this city.

7-8 “‘And this is your confirming sign, confirming that I, God, will do exactly what I have promised. Watch for this: As the sun goes down and the shadow lengthens on the sundial of Ahaz, I’m going to reverse the shadow ten notches on the dial.’” And that’s what happened: The declining sun’s shadow reversed ten notches on the dial.

This miracle of time being turned back was not only a testament to God’s power but also a profound expression affirming King Hezekiah’s deep genuine faith.

The request mirrored a desperate heart yearning for more time to serve the Lord and ensure the future of his people. It illustrates that God rewards those who earnestly seek Him, even making what is improbable a real possibility.

**An Invitation to Believe**

Reflecting on this extraordinary event, we are invited to examine our own faith.

What shadows in our lives feel insurmountable?

What situations appear fixed and immovable?

As we earnestly petition God, we sinfully hold back the enormity of our prayer request—limited by what we see as impossible but what God knows as possible.

Hezekiah teaches us to expand our expectations of God. When we approach Him in sincere faith, we should embrace the idea no situation is beyond God’s reach.

**Conclusion**

Through Hezekiah’s story, we learn that faith is not merely accepting what is but daring to believe in what could be united with God’s will.

It demands we approach Him with both a recognition of His power and an expectation of His miracles.

Just as God answered Hezekiah’s request, He invites us to bring our deepest needs before Him.

May we, like Hezekiah, dare to challenge the shadows in our lives, believing that through faith, God can turn them not only back but make all things new.

Let us go forth, holding fast to the idea that faith is not just for survival but for thriving against the odds, encouraging ourselves and all others that with God, even our shadows can accomplish the worlds fastest tap dance in God’s light.

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

Praying …

Psalm 30 The Message

30 I give you all the credit, God—
    you got me out of that mess,
    you didn’t let my foes gloat.

2-3 God, my God, I yelled for help
    and you put me together.
God, you pulled me out of the grave,
    gave me another chance at life
    when I was down-and-out.

4-5 All you saints! Sing your hearts out to God!
    Thank him to his face!
He gets angry once in a while, but across
    a lifetime there is only love.
The nights of crying your eyes out
    give way to days of laughter.

6-7 When things were going great
    I crowed, “I’ve got it made.
I’m God’s favorite.
    He made me king of the mountain.”
Then you looked the other way
    and I fell to pieces.

8-10 I called out to you, God;
    I laid my case before you:
“Can you sell me for a profit when I’m dead?
    auction me off at a cemetery yard sale?
When I’m ‘dust to dust’ my songs
    and stories of you won’t sell.
So listen! and be kind!
    Help me out of this!”

11-12 You did it: you changed wild lament
    into whirling dance;
You ripped off my black mourning band
    and decked me with wildflowers.
I’m about to burst with song;
    I can’t keep quiet about you.
God, my God,
    I can’t thank you enough.

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’ compassion, God’s abundant provision. Public demonstration of grace through action; feeding those 5000 hungry souls. Matthew 14:13-21

Matthew 14:13-21 Revised Standard Version

Feeding the Five Thousand

13 Now when Jesus heard this, he withdrew from there in a boat to a lonely place apart. But when the crowds heard it, they followed him on foot from the towns.  14  As he went ashore he saw a great throng; and he had compassion on them, and healed their sick. 15 When it was evening, the disciples came to him and said, “This is a lonely place, and the day is now over; send the crowds away to go into the villages and buy food for themselves.” 16 Jesus said, “They need not go away; you give them something to eat.” 17 They said to him, “We have only five loaves here and two fish.”  18 And he said, “Bring them here to me.” 19 Then he ordered the crowds to sit down on the grass; and taking the five loaves and the two fish he looked up to heaven, and blessed, and broke and gave the loaves to the disciples, and the disciples gave them to the crowds. 20 And they all ate and were satisfied. And they took up twelve baskets full of the broken pieces left over. 21 And those who ate were about five thousand men, besides women and children.

Word of God for the Children of God

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

This story about miraculously feeding more than 5,000 people is usually told from the viewpoint of the disciples.

Except, it is now 2026 and I wonder what it was like to be a person in the crowd.

I try to imagine being surrounded by thousands of people—men and women of all shapes, sizes, and ages.

You would probably also see young children running around as parents tried to corral them along the shoreline.

Teenagers and young adults just hanging out because this is where the crowd is.

And seniors slowly shuffling to find a place close enough to Jesus so they could sit and hear him speak.

It was probably a very similar example of what our contemporary people have called “organized chaos.”

Even Jesus’ disciples didn’t know what to do with the hungry followers (see vv. 15-17).

What was it like to see the calm and measured face of Jesus in the midst of such a hectic scene?

How did Jesus know he could feed all those hungry people with just “five loaves of bread and two fish”?

Jesus knew he could feed the starving crowd because he was and is the Son of God, who not only provided the bread and fish but also created the earth and established everything in it, from the waters where the fish lived to the land that provided miraculous manna from heaven, the grain used to bake bread.

Having faith and trust in His connection to His Father, knowing the power of His Father, would give Jesus the opportunity to invite others to know him too.

Physical hunger is very real in our world today.

Nearly 32% of the world’s population does not have access to a healthy diet. actionagainsthunger.org

Global Food Insecurity Statistics

Current Estimates

  • Total Number of People Facing Hunger: Approximately 673 million people faced hunger in 2024, which represents about 8.3% of the global population.
  • Food Insecurity Levels: Around 2.3 billion people experienced moderate or severe food insecurity in 2024, a significant increase from pre-pandemic levels.

Statistics highlight the ongoing global food insecurity crisis, affecting millions, underscoring the need for urgent action to improve access to nutritious food.

 World Health Organization (WHO) data.unicef.org

However, as tragic, enraging and horrifying as those numbers truly are, an overlooked, undervalued and very different kind of hunger is even far more common: that hunger is identified as spiritual emptiness and insecurity.

It crosses all socio-economic, cultural boundaries, demographics don’t matter.

It encompasses all known social horizons, extends from the poor to the rich, and from the young to the old – no one is immune, everyone is at high risk.

Of course, precise statistics on spiritual hunger are impossible to determine.

But it’s safe to ­assume the number of those who are spiritually hungry in this world is significantly higher than 2.5 billion. Where is the bread and fish now?

In today’s narrative from Matthew, Jesus reaches out to people who are both physically and spiritually hungry.

Taking those five loaves and two fish, he looks to heaven and gives thanks.

After breaking the loaves, he gives them to his disciples to distribute to the large crowd of people.

And the miracle happens!

Everyone eats and is satisfied, and there are baskets of leftovers.

How big were those twelve baskets full of the broken pieces left over?

The exact size of the twelve baskets is not specified, but they were likely small baskets carried by hand, commonly used by travelers to hold their food.

These baskets were known as “cophinus” in the Jewish tradition.

What were the typical dimensions of small hand-carried baskets in ancient times?

Small hand-carried baskets in ancient times varied in size, but they were often designed to be easily manageable, usually around 12 to 18 inches in diameter.

These dimensions allowed for eminently practical use in gathering and carrying and distributing the remaining leftover items more efficiently.

After they ate and were satisfied, what was left over was picked up.

Twelve baskets of broken pieces, one basket for each apostle, now filled with the faith that Jesus will provide.

Not only provision for the apostles but for each and every person they seek to serve and save in the name of Jesus Christ.

For each fish or half loaf distributed, a full basket was returned.

In the Bible, twelve is a perfect number, a symbol of God’s ultimate power and authority or a number of completion.

Having 12 baskets left over tells us this was no error; this is irrefutable proof of the Holy Spirit’s hand in this miracle.

But why was there left-over food?

Why didn’t Jesus just feed the 5,000 and say “Hooray! We had enough food!”

No – he went above and beyond.

His miracle reached beyond the 5,000 men, women and.

It proved to the disciples through their faith in giving of the 5 loaves and 2 fish, their generosity and faith was returned with a blessing of food in abundance.

When giving in sacrificial faith, heartfelt compassion, the Lord provides. 

Now let’s talk about those leftovers that were gathered in broken pieces.

Jesus broke bread, performed the miracle, multiplied the food, fed the people… and the disciples are left picking up the pieces.

I can’t help but compare this to how some of the individuals seeking assistance feel… broken, lost or in pieces, physically and spiritually starving or starved.

Just as no food is left to waste, no food left on our meal plates – no person is left to waste – even a physically, mentally broken person is worth being picked up.

Together, with faith in His provision, as a body of Christ, we can come together and provide. We can use our God given gifts to pick up the broken pieces and put them in our basket – our community – our church – provide spiritual support.

By sharing this miraculous narrative, we as disciples are able to faithfully support the lost, the last and the least as we are taught through the Gospel.

God promised with the coming of the true Shepherd, the wilderness would become a rich pasture where his sheep would be gathered and fed (Ezekiel 34:23-31).

Jesus is the only true Shepherd who miraculously provides for all our needs.

Please accept his invitation if you struggle with hunger in your belly, heart!

Psalm 34:8-10 Amplified Bible

8 
O taste and see that the Lord [our God] is good;
How blessed [fortunate, prosperous, and favored by God] is the man who takes refuge in Him.
9 
O [reverently] fear the Lord, you His saints (believers, holy ones);
For to those who fear Him there is no want.
10 
The young lions lack [food] and grow hungry,
But they who seek the Lord will not lack any good thing.

He alone can satisfy!

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

Praying ….

Psalm 107:1-9 New King James Version

BOOK FIVE

Psalms 107–150

Thanksgiving to the Lord for His Great Works of Deliverance

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

4 They wandered in the wilderness in a desolate way;
They found no city to dwell in.
5 Hungry and thirsty,
Their soul fainted in them.
6 Then they cried out to the Lord in their trouble,
And He delivered them out of their distresses.
7 And He led them forth by the right way,
That they might go to a city for a dwelling place.
8 Oh, that men would give thanks to the Lord for His goodness,
And for His wonderful works to the children of men!
9 For He satisfies the longing soul,
And fills the hungry soul with goodness.

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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Lord, we do not know what to do, but rest assured, our eyes are firmly upon yours. The Advantages of Weakness? The Disadvantages of our Strengths? 2 Chronicles 20:10-20

2 Chronicles 20:10-23 New King James Version

10 And now, here are the people of Ammon, Moab, and Mount Seir—whom You  would not let Israel invade when they came out of the land of Egypt, but they turned from them and did not destroy them— 11 here they are, rewarding us by coming to throw us out of Your possession which You have given us to inherit. 12 O our God, will You not judge them? For we have no power against this great multitude that is coming against us; nor do we know what to do, but our eyes are upon You.”

13 Now all Judah, with their little ones, their wives, and their children, stood before the Lord.

14 Then the Spirit of the Lord came upon Jahaziel the son of Zechariah, the son of Benaiah, the son of Jeiel, the son of Mattaniah, a Levite of the sons of Asaph, in the midst of the assembly. 15 And he said, “Listen, all you of Judah and you inhabitants of Jerusalem, and you, King Jehoshaphat! Thus says the Lord to you: ‘Do not be afraid nor dismayed because of this great multitude, for the battle is not yours, but God’s. 16  Tomorrow go down against them. They will surely come up by the Ascent of Ziz, and you will find them at the end of the [a]brook before the Wilderness of Jeruel. 17 You will not need to fight in this battle. Position yourselves, stand still and see the salvation of the Lord, who is with you, O Judah and Jerusalem!’ Do not fear or be dismayed; tomorrow go out against them, for the Lord is with you.”

18 And Jehoshaphat bowed his head with his face to the ground, and all Judah and the inhabitants of Jerusalem bowed before the Lord, worshiping the Lord. 19 Then the Levites of the children of the Kohathites and of the children of the Korahites stood up to praise the Lord God of Israel with voices loud and high.

20 So they rose early in the morning and went out into the Wilderness of Tekoa; and as they went out, Jehoshaphat stood and said, “Hear me, O Judah and you inhabitants of Jerusalem: Believe in the Lord your God, and you shall be established; believe His prophets, and you shall prosper.” 21 And when he had consulted with the people, he appointed those who should sing to the Lord, and who should praise the beauty of holiness, as they went out before the army and were saying:

“Praise the Lord,
For His mercy endures forever.”

22 Now when they began to sing and to praise, the Lord set ambushes against the people of Ammon, Moab, and Mount Seir, who had come against Judah; and they were defeated. 23 For the people of Ammon and Moab stood up against the inhabitants of Mount Seir to utterly kill and destroy them. And when they [b]had made an end of the inhabitants of Seir, they helped to destroy one another.

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.

2 Chronicles details the history of the southern Kingdom of Judah, from King Solomon’s glorious reign, the construction of the Temple to the Babylonian exile.

It evaluates the nation’s spiritual history, emphasizing that faithful worship and obedience to God lead to prosperity, while turning away brings judgment.

These verses come from the Old Testament book of 2 Chronicles, which is part of the historical books of the Bible.

The context of this verse is a battle between the people of Judah and their enemies, the Ammonites, Moabites, and Edomites.

The chapter recounts the story of King Jehoshaphat, who faced a great multitude of enemies who were coming to make war against him and his people.

Jehoshaphat’s initial response was to seek the Lord and to proclaim a fast throughout all Judah. He led the people in prayer, confessing their dependence on God and seeking His intervention in the face of their far stronger enemies.

Verse 15, the Lord speaks through a prophet and assures Judah that the battle is not theirs, but God’s.

They are instructed to go out against their enemies the next day, but they will not need to fight in the battle.

God promises to be with them.

When the battle takes place, the children of Ammon and Moab turn on the inhabitants of mount Seir, intending to utterly slay and destroy them.

This betrayal among the enemies results in a chaotic turn of events, as they end up fighting and destroying each other.

This turn of events is an example of God’s faithfulness to His people and His promise to bring about deliverance in surprising and also unexpected ways.

One of the themes of this verse is the undeniable sovereignty and power of God.

Throughout the 20th chapter, the focus is on the people of Judah seeking God’s intervention and acknowledging His complete control over the tense situation.

The events described in this passage demonstrate God’s ability to turn the plans of the enemy against themselves and to bring about deliverance for His people in unexpected ways.

This theme is a consistent thread throughout the Bible, highlighting the unmistakable importance of trusting in God’s sovereignty and seeking His intervention in times of trouble.

Another theme present in this passage is the faithfulness of God to His people.

Despite the overwhelming odds they faced, the people of Judah turned to God in prayer and fasting, acknowledging their dependence on Him.

In response, God not only assured them of His presence and help but also by orchestrating a miraculous deliverance for them by causing their enemies to turn on each other.

This theme serves as a powerful reminder of God’s faithfulness to those who seek Him and rely on His help.

The symbolism in this passage can be seen in the way God works through the inherent distrust and chaos of human conflict to bring about His purposes.

The betrayal and infighting among the enemies of Judah resulted in their own mutual destruction, showing how God can use the plans of the enemy against themselves.

This serves as a symbol of God’s ability to bring order out of chaos and to use even the most dire situations for His glory and the deliverance of His people.

The Advantage of Weakness … Disadvantages of Strength

2 Chronicles 20:10-12 Contemporary English Version

10  You can see that the armies of Ammon, Moab, and Edom are attacking us! Those are the nations you would not let our ancestors invade on their way from Egypt, so these nations were not destroyed. 11 Now they are coming to take back the land you gave us. 12 Aren’t you going to punish them? We won’t stand a chance when this army attacks. We don’t know what to do—we are begging for your help.

It does not take too much for us to see our inadequacies and shortcomings—especially in living for and serving God.

Joshua 1:7-9 New International Version

7 “Be strong and very courageous. Be careful to obey all the law my servant Moses gave you; do not turn from it to the right or to the left, that you may be successful wherever you go. 8 Keep this Book of the Law always on your lips;  meditate on it day and night, so that you may be careful to do everything written in it. Then you will be prosperous and successful. 9 Have I not commanded you? Be strong and courageous. Do not be afraid; do not be discouraged, for the Lord your God will be with you wherever you go.”

When life’s circumstances press in on us, we become painfully aware of the challenge set before us and can quickly sense ourselves recoiling from it.

We grow weary of people telling us what we can do when we know that we just cannot; but at the same time we are unwilling to face up to our weaknesses in a world that calls us to be a leader who is assertive, bold, strong and confident.

When we do find ourselves in such predicament, take courage.

We are never alone – pick up The Word of God …. Do not stray from its truth!

King Jehoshaphat of Judah was a phenomenon who implemented changes that helped God’s people rediscover God’s law (2 Chronicles 19).

He reminded them of the importance of understanding and obeying God’s word so they could serve the Truth of God faithfully, wholeheartedly, courageously.

Nevertheless, Jehoshaphat was not immune to fear.

When Judah’s enemies threatened his nation, he was acutely aware of their superiority and of the inadequacies of his own people.

Yet he also knew that the proper response to inadequacy was to depend entirely upon God.

As he confronted the reality of his powerlessness and uncertainty, he kept his gaze firmly fixed above, praying,

“We do not know what to do, but our eyes are on you.”

When the enemy whispers to us that we are a disaster or completely useless, we can set their lies against the truth of God’s word and say,

Thanksgiving for the Lord’s Favor.

A Psalm of David.

138 I will give You thanks with all my heart;
I will sing Your praises before the gods.
2 I will bow down toward Your holy temple
And give thanks to Your name for Your mercy and Your [a]truth;
For You have made Your [b]word great [c]according to all Your name.
3 On the day I called, You answered me;
You made me bold with strength in my soul.

4 All the kings of the earth will give thanks to You, Lord,
When they have heard the words of Your mouth.
5 And they will sing of the ways of the Lord,
For great is the glory of the Lord.
6 For the Lord is exalted,
Yet He looks after the lowly,
But He knows the haughty from afar.

7 Though I walk in the midst of trouble, You will [d]revive me;
You will reach out with Your hand against the wrath of my enemies,
And Your right hand will save me.
8 The Lord will accomplish what concerns me;
Your faithfulness, Lord, is everlasting;
Do not abandon the works of Your hands.

When we feel that we are powerless in our battle against temptation, we can rest on the truth of God’s word and say to ourselves,

“God is faithful, he will not let you be tempted beyond your ability, but with the temptation he will also provide the way of escape, that you may be able to endure it” (1 Corinthians 10:13).

When we wonder if we have been left alone, we can be assured that

“he has said, ‘I will never leave you nor forsake you’” (John 14:18, Hebrews 13:5).

When we finally admit our weakness, our mighty Savior will use it for our good and His glory. (Romans 10:9-13, Philippians 2:1-11)

Romans 8:26-28 English Standard Version

26 Likewise the Spirit helps us in our weakness. For we do not know what to pray for as we ought, but the Spirit himself intercedes for us with groanings too deep for words. 27 And he who searches hearts knows what is the mind of the Spirit, because [a] the Spirit intercedes for the saints according to the will of God. 28 And we know that for those who love God all things work together for good,[b] for those who are called according to his purpose.

When we do not know what to do, we can keep our eyes on Him and ask Him to guide us and deliver us, just as He did Jehoshaphat and the whole of Judah (2 Chronicles 20:14-17, 22-25).

Psalm 27:7-9 English Standard Version

7 Hear, O Lord, when I cry aloud;
    be gracious to me and answer me!
8 You have said, “Seek[a] my face.”
My heart says to you,
    “Your face, Lord, do I seek.”[b]
9     Hide not your face from me.
Turn not your servant away in anger,
    O you who have been my help.
Cast me not off; forsake me not,
    O God of my salvation!

As with the men and women who served the Lord throughout the Bible, God still chooses to use unlikely, timid, and hesitant people.

1 Corinthians 1:18-31 English Standard Version

Christ the Wisdom and Power of God

18 For the word of the cross is folly to those who are perishing, but to us who are being saved it is the power of God. 19 For it is written,

“I will destroy the wisdom of the wise,
    and the discernment of the discerning I will thwart.”

20 Where is the one who is wise? Where is the scribe? Where is the debater of this age? Has not God made foolish the wisdom of the world? 21 For since, in the wisdom of God, the world did not know God through wisdom, it pleased God through the folly of what we preach[a] to save those who believe. 22 For Jews demand signs and Greeks seek wisdom, 23 but we preach Christ crucified, a stumbling block to Jews and folly to Gentiles, 24 but to those who are called, both Jews and Greeks, Christ the power of God and the wisdom of God. 25 For the foolishness of God is wiser than men, and the weakness of God is stronger than men.

26 For consider your calling, brothers: not many of you were wise according to worldly standards,[b] not many were powerful, not many were of noble birth.  27  But God chose what is foolish in the world to shame the wise; God chose what is weak in the world to shame the strong; 28 God chose what is low and despised in the world, even things that are not, to bring to nothing things that are, 29  so that no human being[c] might boast in the presence of God. 30 And because of him[d] you are in Christ Jesus, who became to us wisdom from God,  righteousness, sanctification and redemption, 31 so that, as it is written,  “Let the one who boasts, boast in the Lord.”

What sets these individuals apart was not their strength or their ability or self-confidence, they were not consumed, nor overwhelmed, by their weaknesses; instead, they boldly embraced them and relied on God’s power to overcome.

Will we utterly surrender ourselves, grant ourselves permission to do the same?

In conclusion, 2 Chronicles 20:23 is a powerful example of God’s sovereignty, faithfulness, and ability to bring deliverance in miraculous, unexpected ways.

It serves as a reminder of the importance of seeking God in times of trouble and our trusting in His ability to work all things for the good of those who love Him.

This passage provides timeless lessons and encouragement for all us believers, highlighting the undeniable importance of faith and absolute dependence upon God in the face of adversity. (Psalm 16, Psalm 23, Psalm 46:10-11, Proverbs 3:5-8)

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

Praying …

Psalm 121 English Standard Version

My Help Comes from the Lord

A Song of Ascents.

121 I lift up my eyes to the hills.
    From where does my help come?
2 My help comes from the Lord,
    who made heaven and earth.

3 He will not let your foot be moved;
    he who keeps you will not slumber.
4 Behold, he who keeps Israel
    will neither slumber nor sleep.

5 The Lord is your keeper;
    the Lord is your shade on your right hand.
6 The sun shall not strike you by day,
    nor the moon by night.

7 The Lord will keep you from all evil;
    he will keep your life.
8 The Lord will keep
    your going out and your coming in
    from this time forth and forevermore.

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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Any possibility that we are somehow related to each other? But he replied to the man who told him, “Who is my mother, and who are my brothers?” Matthew 12:46-50

Matthew 12:46-50 English Standard Version

Jesus’ Mother and Brothers

46 While he was still speaking to the people, behold, his mother and his brothers[a]  stood outside, asking to speak to him.[b] 48 But he replied to the man who told him,  “Who is my mother, and who are my brothers?” 49 And stretching out his hand toward his disciples, he said, “Here are my mother and my brothers!  50 For  whoever does the will of my Father in heaven is my brother and sister and mother.”

Word of God for the Children of God.

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

Have we ever noticed how our family refrigerators becomes a gallery of grace?

Smudged fingerprints.

Crayon drawings.

Photos held up by a magnet that looks like a banana.

Report cards with coffee stains.

A wedding or birthday invitation tucked next to a grocery list.

That door tells a story.

We want to belong.

We want to know there’s a table where our chair is waiting, where our name is known, where our face is welcomed, what things the kids or the wife needs.

Some of us carry rich memories—bedtime prayers, board games, grandpa’s jokes, our grandma’s favorite recipes all written out and heavily marked up.

Others carry wounds—empty seats at holiday tables, phone calls that never came, words that bit and stayed, business meetings everyone ‘forgot’ about.

Our story matters.

And today, we open our hearts to the One who, from beginning to end, sees the whole story and still sets another place at the table.

Jesus knows the sweetness and the strain of family.

He honored His mother.

He cared for His disciples.

He understands the complicated calendar of weddings, funerals, newborn cries, and late-night arguments.

There is a line from J. I. Packer that whispers hope into this moment:

“Adoption is the highest privilege that the gospel offers.” (J. I. Packer, Knowing God)

Adoption means God wants you in His family.

It means you’re not a guest on probation; you’re a son or daughter by grace. It means our story is held by a Father who is wise, kind, and wonderfully present.

When Jesus spoke in our passage from Matthew’s narrative, He was surrounded by people with first and last names, lineages, and loyalties.

He didn’t cancel those ties.

He called people into something even larger—something that carries us when our circles feel thin and strengthens us when our circles feel strong.

He set the family table of the kingdom, invited each one us to sit close to him.

Can we picture this scene?

A crowded room.

Dust in the sunlight.

Whispers about His family waiting at the door.

Then Jesus lifts His hand toward ordinary followers—fishermen, tax collectors, quiet hearts and curious minds—and speaks the language we ache to hear:

“Here.”

Here is home.

Here is kinship.

Here is a place in the circle for anyone who says, “Father, Your will first.”

He doesn’t shrink the family; He stretches it.

He opens the circle to include weary and exhausted singles and big families, grandmothers and teens, introverts and extroverts, the steady and the shaky.

He forms a family out of faith and obedience, where love is learned, where respect forgiveness is practiced, and where priorities point to the Father.

So, friend, bring your scrapbook of smiles and scars.

Bring your Saturday soccer, Sunday football schedule and your sleepless nights.

Bring the name you can’t stop praying for.

Bring the grief you thought would never lift.

There’s grace for parents and patience for prodigals, lepers, and Samaritans.

There’s comfort for empty nests and calm for crowded houses.

There’s wisdom for reunions and healing for rifts.

Jesus isn’t far from your family.

He stands in the middle of everyday life—between work, errands and emails—and says, “Here are my family members.”

And with that word, He hands you a place to belong and a purpose to live: the will of God the Father.

He creates a new family, extended family circles, around the Father’s will, how His kingdom shapes the way we care for those folks under our roof, the “who are the people in our neighborhood?” people seated beside us in His churches.

If our souls and stomachs are empty, come feast on the manna from heaven.

If our hearts feels tired, take a breath.

If our faith feels thin, take a seat.

There is a chair with our names on it, and God our Father is glad we are here.

Picture the moment in your mind’s eye.

Jesus is teaching inside a packed house.

A message comes from the edge of the crowd.

His mother and brothers want to speak with Him.

Every ear tilts toward the door.

Every eye eagerly anticipates, listens and looks for His response.

He does not brush past the weight of family ties.

He speaks with family words.

He asks a question that makes everyone think.

Then He points to His learners and names them with the same words people used for the folks outside.

His reply is not cold.

It is careful. He is showing what belonging looks like when God leads the way.

This scene carries the scent of home life.

There is a mother who cares.

There are brothers who act with concern.

There is timing, and there is need.

Matthew wants us to see all of that.

Our human bonds are real.

They absolutely matter.

In this moment Jesus does not make them small.

He makes God’s purpose shine right in the middle of them.

We also hear the echo of God’s commands.

Scripture calls for honor toward parents.

Scripture blesses children and ties households together.

Jesus never scraps those words.

He confronts people who look for loopholes to dodge care for their families.

He tells the truth about vows that pretend to be holy but starve a mother or a widow or an orphan, diminish father’s covenant status in tirelessly raising, and teaching and defending and leading and nurturing, giving his all to his family.

So when He speaks here, He is not making a new rule that cancels the old ones.

He is showing the heart behind them.

The Father’s will must guide the way we care, the way we schedule, the way we answer the knock at the door.

Notice the simple gesture in the room.

He aims attention toward the people at His feet.

He gives them family names.

That is not a dismissal of kin outside.

That is a window into the heart of God.

The Father builds a household through faith and obedience.

God’s family grows as people listen and live by His words.

Jesus is not shrinking love.

He is showing exactly where it comes from and exactly where it is all going.

Look again at the key line.

“Whoever does the will of my Father in heaven is my brother and sister and my mother.”

Action matters.

Not loud claims.

Not loud emotions.

The will of the Father named in teaching, prayers, and daily choices.

When a person follows that will, Jesus uses family words for that person.

He is not trading one clan for another.

He is raising the flag over a new home that can hold every kind of story.

This is a word of grace.

Think of people in that room with no famous last name.

Think of people with messy pasts.

Think of people who were always outside the important doors.

Jesus points to them and gives them a place near His heart, at His meal table.

This is also a word of clarity.

Kinship with Jesus does not come by standing close or hearing a lot.

It shows up in trust that becomes obedience.

It shows up in doing what the Father wants, even when it is quiet and unseen.

That helps us read the tension in the scene.

Some might ask, “Is He pushing His mother away?”

The text does not say that.

The text shows a Teacher who refuses to let earthly claims direct His mission.

He is not driven by pressure.

He is led by the Father.

When He gives new names to His followers, He is not swapping love. He is opening a home that sits higher than our bloodlines and holds them steady.

This word shapes the way we treat the people in our homes.

If the will of the Father is the mark of true kinship, then the best way to love our relatives is to lead one another toward that will.

We speak truth with patience.

We forgive in real time.

We keep our word.

We repent when we are wrong.

We pray, not as a last resort, but as regular breath.

These acts honor family because they honor God.

There are days when family plans press hard.

There are days when hurt feelings cloud the room.

Matthew’s scene shows a calm center.

The Father’s will sets the pace.

We make time for worship, work and rest in ways that reflect God’s wisdom.

That means we set boundaries that guard love from manipulation.

That means we guard the weak.

We do not return insults.

We do not nurse grudges.

We carry one another’s needs to the Lord and move our feet toward peace.

It also means we see marriage, singleness, parenting, caregiving, and aging as places to do the Father’s will.

These are not side jobs.

These are places where obedience takes shape.

We do not need grand gestures.

We need faithful steps.

We need gentleness that answers anger with a soft word.

We need courage that tells the truth when silence would be easier.

We need patience that keeps serving when thanks are slow.

This word changes how we see the people sitting around us as we follow Jesus.

He names His followers with family terms.

That is not a metaphor tossed in the air.

That is a call to real care.

Look around a local church with that in mind.

We are not customers.

We are kin.

We do not pass each other like ships.

We show up.

We notice needs.

We carry burdens.

We celebrate small steps.

We make space for tears.

The scene in Matthew gives us a pattern.

Jesus identifies those who do the Father’s will as His own family.

So our shared life cannot be thin.

We spend time together.

We learn names.

We break bread.

We make phone calls.

We share rides.

We show up in waiting rooms.

We pray in living rooms.

We are not in a rush to move on when someone is hurting.

We treat one another like family because that is what Jesus says we are.

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

Praying …

Psalm 133 English Standard Version

When Brothers Dwell in Unity

A Song of Ascents. Of David.

133 Behold, how good and pleasant it is
    when brothers dwell in unity![a]
2 It is like the precious oil on the head,
    running down on the beard,
on the beard of Aaron,
    running down on the collar of his robes!
3 It is like the dew of Hermon,
    which falls on the mountains of Zion!
For there the Lord has commanded the blessing,
    life forevermore.

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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