Tag: faith

Where is that so called Flicker of Light on the Long Journey of Life? Who is in charge of keeping it lit? Hebrews 12:1-2

Hebrews 12:1-2 New Century Version

Follow Jesus’ Example

12 We are surrounded by a great cloud of people whose lives tell us what faith means. So let us run the race that is before us and never give up. We should remove from our lives anything that would get in the way and the sin that so easily holds us back. 2 Let us look only unto Jesus, the One who began our faith and who makes it perfect. He suffered death on the cross. But he accepted the shame as if it were nothing because of the joy that God put before him. And now he is sitting at the right side of God’s throne.

The Word of God for the Children of God.

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

For 17 months, I have been praying relentlessly for strength and even just a bit more motivation; to be set free from the chains of discouragement that seemed to be holding me down, zapping my energy, and paralyzing my will and way.

And to my momentary relief and honor this morning, I woke with a slight sort of spring to my step. A tiny touch of hope greeted my heart.

But only for a brief, flickering flash as reminders of previous disappointments began to spring to my mind that since my triple bypass open heart surgery had deflated many of my dreams, led to my self becoming increasingly frustrated.

At the break of day this morning, I temporarily felt something beneath the surface, ready to burst out and up into positive change and progress – perhaps the coming Christmas season. But the force of the enemy keeps coming on so strong my life’s fight felt threatened, and once again, I was tempted to cave.

Do you ever feel desperate for God’s power to push you onward? Dying for 1% more encouragement and hope to take deep root in your soul with persevering patience, joyful expectation, and certain tiny baby steps of confident purpose?

In my heart and in my soul I do know that God can’t be defeated. I know that his all-powerful spirit is alive and well within me. And so he can and will conquer the enemy trying to turn off, extinguish the light in my soul and surroundings.

But how do we shed even 1% of what is weighing us down, what is keeping our feet super glued to the floor, stand strong against the suppression of our souls?

I bet you’ve wondered something similar.

What is it?

Maybe you’re feeling down due to a past season that didn’t go quite as you hoped or planned.

Or in that lonely wilderness place with no spiritual food or drink to be found, depressed by a current situation that feels incredibly stagnant and hopeless.

Or disheartened by an uncertain future clouded with acute, chronic medical issues (for example – cancer, heart, diabetes, and so on) that looks dim, has no cure, will only get worse with time and feels so completely out of your control.

I get it.

Rising to better health following my heart surgery, constantly getting more tired, fighting Diabetes, I’ve been resisting the pull-down of darkness, too.

But when I step back and ask myself how I can resist, I remember how I’ve done it before. And I’m reminded that it’s in these wrestling places and spaces that we need to stand firm on God’s Word. His Word that says, I am with you.

His Word that says, “I will help you.” “I will keep watch over you day and night, “ And his trustworthy Word brightly proclaiming, “With me, we will conquer this.” 

We can and should look up to God, rise and stand up for Jesus, balance ourselves steady our thoughts, look forward, stand sturdy on the solid rock of scripture. 

Isaiah 41:10 and Romans 8:37 are verses worth memorizing and scripting on our hearts to fight and face such fragile moments.

They read, “So do not fear, for I am with you; do not be dismayed, for I am your God. I will strengthen you and help you; I will uphold you with my righteous right hand” (Isaiah 41:10) and, “No, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him who loved us” (Romans 8:37). 

And closing out the Eighth chapter of Romans … we read these powerful words;

Romans 8:37-39 New Century Version

37 But in all these things we are completely victorious through God who showed his love for us. 38 Yes, I am sure that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor ruling spirits, nothing now, nothing in the future, no powers, 39 nothing above us, nothing below us, nor anything else in the whole world will ever be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord.

We can grow wiser and more mature in God, the Father, God the Son and God the Holy Spirit, trust these words and truths of his presence, help, and victory.

They are his gifts to us and me as children of God.

Yes, in our moments of struggle, we need to listen to the voice of God saying, 

“I am here.”

“I always know exactly where you are and why and how you arrived there!”

We need to receive the subtle nudges of encouragement, strength, and light, he showers on us constantly through his creation, people, and presence, His Word!

And we need to never take our eyes off of him, shed what weighs us down which serves only to threaten the integrity of our connection, let go of his hand, while running with highest perseverance the race of life he has mapped out before us.

I know the race is long.

I know there are very few ultra marathoners capable of going on ahead without being consumed by the thoughts, feelings of physical exhaustion, like a never-ending, vision of the unpredictable, heights of a previously unknown marathon.

You’ll keep yourself looking and seeking taking a step forward, two back, three forward, and lose ground all over again. But keep your eyes open and toward the light. It’s always there. It’s always shining. It’s him. The almighty good God.

Ready to risk it?

Praying to God, pleading to God, crying out to God, that by His intercession, we are looking, moving forward. that if we look back far enough, we can see it.

And he will keep moving you on.

He will keep encouraging you, He always has with his presence, his help, and his victorious good and sovereign hand.

Intersecting Faith & Life:

Don’t take your eyes off the light of the Lord today.

And keep looking to him as you journey on.

He is always 100% with you.

He is for you. And he will fortify your fight and perfect your faith as you continue on with him through your life and to the finish line of eternity.

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

Let us Pray,

Psalm 121 New Century Version

The Lord Guards His People

A song for going up to worship.

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

3 He will not let you be defeated.
    He who guards you never sleeps.
4 He who guards Israel
    never rests or sleeps.
5 The Lord guards you.
    The Lord is the shade that protects you from the sun.
6 The sun cannot hurt you during the day,
    and the moon cannot hurt you at night.
7 The Lord will protect you from all dangers;
    he will guard your life.
8 The Lord will guard you as you come and go,
    both now and forever.

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

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From the time of our Beginnings, From our very first moments Our Happiness is always found in our being Created by God in His Image. Ephesians 2:1-10

Ephesians 2:1-10 Common English Bible

Saved from sin to life

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

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

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

The Word of God for the Children of God.

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

Can anyone answer the question; “Where and when did our happiness begin?”

If we had to take our best guess, our most educated guess, our best considered guess, our best biblical or theological guess when our happiness really began;

How would we be most likely to respond?

Contemplatively?

Considerately?

Compassionately?

Easily?

Instantly?

Quickly?

Immediately?

Joyfully?

Mockingly?

Scornfully?

Spitefully?

Spontaneously?

Snarky?

Mysteriously?

Cryptically?

Instinctively?

Laughingly?

Sadly?

Tearfully?

Angrily?

With as much malice and forethought as we could muster from inside our soul?

With a “wide eyed thousand mile stare into the depths of who knows where?”

Not answer the question at all?

Is it really that difficult a question to ask and then expect an honest answer to?

What time frame would we be most likely to assign to our answer?

Minutes ago?

Just a few seconds ago?

Hours ago?

Days, weeks, months, years, decades ago?

“I cannot remember when I last felt happiness?”

“I don’t believe I have ever experienced happiness!”

“What is happiness, anyway?”

If we were to ask Abraham or Sarah?

If we were to ask the Israelites being held in bondage in Egypt?

If we were to interview Moses – while a Prince of Egypt, while a fugitive on the run for murdering an Egyptian, wandering in the harsh wilderness with so little to eat, drink to keep him moving forward toward survival in who knows where?

When he was received and was welcomed in Midian, took a wife, had children, a steady job? Before or after his experience with God Himself and a burning bush?

What about an interview with King Saul, before and after he was anointed the first King of Israel and then suddenly lost it when he was disobedient to God?

David, standing in the presence of a scared stiff King Saul, listening to the day after day taunts of the giant Goliath? Then defending the honor of his nation in a simple shepherds tunic with only a sling and a few stones from a dried river?

Examine the moment when he lustfully eyeballed a naked bathing Bathsheba?

When David then conceived, then enacted, his plot to cover up his adultery?

Select and examine any moment in scripture … when did their happiness start?

Our Happiness began in our Being Created by God.

Genesis 1:26-28 Common English Bible

26 Then God said, “Let us make humanity in our image to resemble us so that they may take charge of the fish of the sea, the birds in the sky, the livestock, all the earth, and all the crawling things on earth.”

27 God created humanity in God’s own image,
        in the divine image God created them,[a]
            male and female God created them.

28 God blessed them and said to them, “Be fertile and multiply; fill the earth and master it. Take charge of the fish of the sea, the birds in the sky, and everything crawling on the ground.”

Why are we here?

What is our purpose for living here and now?

Maybe you have asked or heard these questions before.

These are philosophical questions that have kept the brightest people busy.

Do you have an answer?

The Bible teaches that we are created by God and made in his image.

“We are God’s handiwork,” and he sent Jesus to redeem and renew us so that we can have eternal life with him.

God renews us so that we can do good, and this is our purpose in life.

With the new life that God makes possible for us in Christ, we seek to live God’s way and to do good so that we can show others the way to know God.

We find true happiness in being created by God for an extraordinary purpose.

We are not a piece of wood floating aimlessly through the ocean of life.

We are not like a loose leaf carried by the wind.

Life has a truly meaningful purpose.

We are created by God to have full life with God and to shine the light of his love to others. God is the source and the destiny of our life.

The very meaning of eternal life is to know God and his Son, Jesus Christ, through the life-giving work of his Holy Spirit.

There lies our greatest and most complete happiness.

What is the origin, the real source of our happiness in our life?

In our current emotional, multi-emotional condition, what are we doing here to help ourselves connect to that moment when our happiness genuinely began??

How will you happily help someone happily answer these questions?

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

Let us Pray,

Psalm 16 New Century Version

The Lord Takes Care of His People

A miktam of David.

16 Protect me, God,
    because I trust in you.
2 I said to the Lord, “You are my Lord.
    Every good thing I have comes from you.”
3 As for the godly people in the world,
    they are the wonderful ones I enjoy.
4 But those who turn to idols
    will have much pain.
I will not offer blood to those idols
    or even speak their names.

5 No, the Lord is all I need.
    He takes care of me.
6 My share in life has been pleasant;
    my part has been beautiful.

7 I praise the Lord because he advises me.
    Even at night, I feel his leading.
8 I keep the Lord before me always.
    Because he is close by my side,
    I will not be hurt.
9 So I rejoice and am glad.
    Even my body has hope,
10 because you will not leave me in the grave.
    You will not let your holy one rot.
11 You will teach me how to live a holy life.
    Being with you will fill me with joy;
    at your right hand I will find pleasure forever.

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

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From before the beginning of all Creation, our hopes began in great darkness and greater emptiness and inexorably surges forward, yet today. Genesis 1:1-2

Genesis 1:1-2 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.

The Word of God for the Children of God.

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

Beginnings are important. Backgrounds about characters in novels and movies help us see the start of situations that have helped shaped them. Sometimes we introduce ourselves by telling about our ancestors or about relevant events that have shaped our family history. We pray that we recognize that who we are has a lot to do with the array of situations, the diverse people who came before us.

We ourselves have no memory of our beginnings. Memories do not begin to take shape until we are 4 years old-mine is the memory of my mom making my bed.

However, God was there at our very beginning when we were conceived in the darkness inside our mother’s womb (Psalm 139) in greatest detail, weaving us together within that darkness into who and where we all are walking today.

Similarly, the Bible’s first words about the earth are that it was “formless and empty” and that indescribable “darkness was over the surface of the deep”—a poetic way of saying that the world did not exist before God started creating.

Have you ever been in a cave without any flash lights on? It can be so dark that you can’t see your hands even when you touch your nose. The Bible begins with a darkness that is deeper than that. It’s the deepest darkness the Bible writers could possibly imagine: the depths, empty darkness, of the world not existing.

As we begin our time through this Advent 2024, looking forward to the light of Jesus’ coming, there is something very comforting about the Bible’s beginning.

John 1:1-5 Amplified Bible

The Deity of Jesus Christ

1 In the beginning [before all time] was the Word ([a]Christ), and the Word was with God, and [b]the Word was God Himself. 2 He was [continually existing] in the beginning [co-eternally] with God. 3 All things were made and came into existence through Him; and without Him not even one thing was made that has come into being. 4 In Him was life [and the power to bestow life], and the life was the Light of men. 5 The Light shines on in the [c]darkness, and the darkness did not understand it or overpower it or appropriate it or absorb it [and is unreceptive to it].

However heavy and impossible our current circumstances may feel, the Bible reminds us that our story begins with the God who creates life in the midst of the deepest darkness imaginable. In other words, with God there is always hope the light of our salvation is already there, has always been there, will always be there and there is nothing even the darkest of darkness can do to change that.

Contemplate the Darkness as it was in the beginning of all things before God spoke and Creation responded – How the darkness could do nothing about it.

Contemplate the Hope before God spoke creation into being, the hope that began to be revealed as creation responded and the hope which surged like biggest Tsunami we could ever conceive of in our finite minds that despite the greatest efforts of the darkness to overcome that surging hope, it did not work.

Even in the greatest darkness anyone could conceive today – God has long since proven that hope has existed from the very beginning, Jesus is alive, is eternal!

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

Let us Pray,

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.

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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From my affliction, I wish my soul had prayed to my God, “The LORD is my portion; therefore I wait quietly for Him.” Lamentations 3:24-25 

Lamentations 3:19-33 English Standard Version

19 Remember my affliction and my wanderings,
    the wormwood and the gall!
20 My soul continually remembers it
    and is bowed down within me.
21 But this I call to mind,
    and therefore I have hope:

22 The steadfast love of the Lord never ceases;[b]
    his mercies never come to an end;
23 they are new every morning;
    great is your faithfulness.
24 “The Lord is my portion,” says my soul,
    “therefore I will hope in him.”

25 The Lord is good to those who wait for him,
    to the soul who seeks him.
26 It is good that one should wait quietly
    for the salvation of the Lord.
27 It is good for a man that he bear
    the yoke in his youth.

28 Let him sit alone in silence
    when it is laid on him;
29 let him put his mouth in the dust—
    there may yet be hope;
30 let him give his cheek to the one who strikes,
    and let him be filled with insults.

31 For the Lord will not
    cast off forever,
32 but, though he cause grief, he will have compassion
    according to the abundance of his steadfast love;
33 for he does not afflict from his heart
    or grieve the children of men.

The Word of God for the Children of God.

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

A Prayer for Steadfast Patience for the Good God Promises

Lamentations 3:22-27 Easy-to-Read Version

22 We are still alive because
    the Lord’s faithful love never ends.
23 Every morning he shows it in new ways!
    You are so very true and loyal!
24 I say to myself, “The Lord is my God,
    and I trust him.”[a]

25 The Lord is good to those who wait for him.
    He is good to those who look for him.
26 It is good to wait quietly
    for the Lord to save them.
27 It is good for a man to wear his yoke
    from the time he is young.

How is it with your soul, today?

I have to confess that it’s been a really hard year for me and my wife.

One of the hardest we can remember actually.

And right now, our inner sense is that the hope-light within us seems to be dimming a little more each day.

We know God is good.

We know He has us both etched in the palm of his righteous hands. But, as the disappointment and difficulties linger longer and longer, our patience thins.

How do we hold on?

How do we swell with hope and joy, peace and love when our shared hurts seems to overpower all the encouragement we desperately try to cling to?

I don’t know about you, but as a whole, humanity is really good at wearing an “all is well” smile.”

I mean, who wants to be hanging around with a perpetual frowner anyway? But on the inside, regardless of how justified we seem to feel defeated and deflated, the long depressing struggles of life over these last 18 months can eat us alive.

Do any of you readers feel any of this as we enter both Advent and Christmas?

Getting through Thanksgiving was a tough ride. Do you know God is good and still trust he has good in store for you, but right now, through a tough season or situation, you’re really struggling to rest in patience for his promises to prevail?

For specks of the promised goodness and peace you long for.

For relief from the struggle and deep breaths of refreshment to renew your sorrowful soul?

I know.

My Wife knows.

My Wife and Me echo this longing too. We all want the good God has promised.

And we all wish we could be more patient.

So what do we do? I believe we need to keep clinging… to God.

Patience is extremely difficult for us too, but we must keep clinging.

I recently placed a bookmark in my Bible, in Lamentations 3, highlighting verses 24 and 25 to remind us both that the Lord is our portion.

We all need to remember this.

Holding on to reassurance that he is and will provide our exact needs each day.

True, maybe not all of our wants—though some may come our way—but God provides the perfect portions of “perfect peace” we all need now, and he will assuredly provide every necessary portion for all our tomorrows. Those days and places ahead that deep down we question will hold any speck of light at all.

Therefore, we are to wait for him. Because we know—and his trustworthy word says so— that God’s portion is now and then.

This is the surest hope we can cling to. He is the surest hope we can cling to.

A sure and certain hope that will fortify our patience as we hold tight to it.

Proverbs 27:17 Complete Jewish Bible

17 Just as iron sharpens iron,
    a person sharpens the character of his friend.

And we keep  seeking him.

Because these words of truth also remind us the Lord is good to those who do.

And yes, we will find goodness even today as we seek him, day to day cling to him, and moment by precious moment we still keep placing our hope in him.

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

Let us Pray,

Psalm 16 English Standard Version

You Will Not Abandon My Soul

A Miktam[a] of David.

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

3 As for 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 take their names on my lips.

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

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

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

11 You make known to me the path of life;
    in your presence there is fullness of joy;
    at your right hand are 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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God, the Good and Vigilant Shepherd, Standing His Watch, On Guard in the Shadows of our Very Darkest Valley’s. Psalm 23

Psalm 23 Authorized (King James) Version

Psalm 23

A Psalm of David.

1 The Lord is my shepherd; I shall not want.
2 He maketh me to lie down in green pastures:
he leadeth me beside the still waters.
3 He restoreth my soul:
he leadeth me in the paths of righteousness for his name’s sake.
4 Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death,
I will fear no evil: for thou art with me;
thy rod and thy staff they comfort me.
5 Thou preparest a table before me in the presence of mine enemies:
thou anointest my head with oil; my cup runneth over.
6 Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life:
and I will dwell in the house of the Lord for ever.

The Word of God for the Children of God.

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

In some translations of the Bible, the “darkest valley” in Psalm 23:4 is called “the valley of the shadow of death.”

Regardless of the translation, the vision of a dark shadow-cast valley can be frightening. This imagery can remind us of a catastrophic, traumatic loss or a difficult crisis, and our memories of such things can be fearful and frightening.

I recall a conversation I had with a homeless man not long after his spouse of nearly 25 years had walked away without even a note, her suitcases all gone.

While sitting dining area of the homeless shelter, he surrounded himself with photos and stories of their married life together, he shared with me his insight on Psalm 23. He spoke about the “valley of the shadow of death,” how dark and foreboding it can be when confronted by sudden unexpected loss of a loved one.

He talked about how cold, quiet, still, the house had become; how hard it was to remain in the home they built together filled with an abundance of memories.

So, about two weeks after she walked out of his life, he walked out of his home, threw the only keys he had far into the nearby lake they always walked around.

It was heartbreaking story to hear, how he had just given up, yet he also shared a small glimpse of hope he had discovered while traveling through that valley.

The only way for a shadow to exist, he said, is for a source of light to be present.

A shadow is not the absence of light, but rather the evidence of a light nearby.

He also noted that the greater the source of light, the smaller the shadow cast.

All of us travel through them from time to time.

There is no way around them.

You cannot wish them away.

You cannot pray them away – God will not allow them to passover or pass us by.

Life can’t always be lived on mountaintops, ignored by rowing across vast deep lakes, sprinting through sun lit fair meadows, pleasant travels ALL the time.

I wish we could skip over the experience of being swallowed by the dark valleys in life. But, they seem to be a very necessary part of our journey through life.

David knew about dark valleys back in the Bible days.

In Psalm 23:4, he talks about them,

“Even though I walk through the darkest valley…”

Though we will walk through dark valleys…

Since there is no way around or over or underneath them…

Only through them …

Because they are part of life…

Pacing Ourselves; Standing on the Promises of God

Promise 1: God is our FORTRESS & RESCUER!

Psalm 18:16-19 Authorized (King James) Version

16 He sent from above, he took me,
he drew me out of many waters.
17 He delivered me from my strong enemy,
and from them which hated me:
for they were too strong for me.
18 They prevented me in the day of my calamity:
but the Lord was my stay.
19 He brought me forth also into a large place;
he delivered me, because he delighted in me.

Promise 2: God is GOD!

‘Attention, all! See the marvels of God! He plants flowers and trees all over the earth, Bans war from pole to pole, and breaks all the weapons across his knee. “Step out of the traffic! Take a long, loving look at me, your High God, above politics, above everything.”’

Psalm 46:10, MSG

Promise 3: God will SHOW US THE WAY to walk!

Isaiah 35:8-10 Authorized (King James) Version

8 And an highway shall be there, and a way,
and it shall be called The way of holiness;
the unclean shall not pass over it; but it shall be for those:
the wayfaring men, though fools, shall not err therein.
9 No lion shall be there,
nor any ravenous beast shall go up thereon,
it shall not be found there;
but the redeemed shall walk there:
10 and the ransomed of the Lord shall return,
and come to Zion with songs
and everlasting joy upon their heads:
they shall obtain joy and gladness,
and sorrow and sighing shall flee away.

Promise 4: God will ACT on our behalf!

Proverbs 3:5-10 Amplified Bible

5 
Trust in and rely confidently on the Lord with all your heart
And do not rely on your own insight or understanding.
6 
[a]In all your ways know and acknowledge and recognize Him,
And He will make your paths straight and smooth [removing obstacles that block your way].
7 
Do not be wise in your own eyes;
Fear the Lord [with reverent awe and obedience] and turn [entirely] away from evil.
8 
It will be health to your body [your marrow, your nerves, your sinews, your muscles—all your inner parts]
And refreshment (physical well-being) to your bones.
9 
Honor the Lord with your wealth
And with the first fruits of all your crops (income);
10 
Then your barns will be abundantly filled
And your vats will overflow with new wine.

Promise 5: God is WITH us!

John 14:1-6 Amplified Bible

Jesus Comforts His Disciples

14 “Do not let your heart be troubled (afraid, cowardly). Believe [confidently] in God and trust in Him, [have faith, hold on to it, rely on it, keep going and]  believe also in Me. 2 In My Father’s house are many dwelling places. If it were not so, I would have told you, because I am going there to prepare a place for you. 3 And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come back again and I will take you to Myself, so that where I am you may be also. 4 And [to the place]  where I am going, you know the way.” 5 Thomas said to Him, “Lord, we do not know where You are going; so how can we know the way?” 6 Jesus said to him, “[a]I am the [only] Way [to God] and the [real] Truth and the [real] Life; no one comes to the Father but through Me.

Promise 6: God is ABLE to deliver us!

Daniel 6:19-23 Amplified Bible

19 Then the king arose at dawn, at the break of day, and hurried to the den of lions. 20 When he had come near the den, he called out to Daniel with a troubled voice. The king said to Daniel, “O Daniel, servant of the living God, has your God, whom you constantly serve, been able to rescue you from the lions?”  21  Then Daniel spoke to the king, “O king, live forever! 22 My God has sent His angel and has shut the mouths of the lions so that they have not hurt me, because I was found innocent before Him; and also before you, O king, I have committed no crime.” 23 Then the king was greatly pleased and ordered that Daniel be taken out of the den. So Daniel was taken out of the den, and no injury whatever was found on him, because he believed in and relied on and trusted in his God.

Friends, I pray that whatever valley or sealed room with ravenous hungry lions, you may be in today or at some other time or season, the light of Jesus Christ may shine bigger and brighter—and that he may be the source of your strength.

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

Let us Pray,

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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Just some Biblical thoughts about our bonding with our families, friends, at times bonding isn’t our first thought neither Thanksgiving nor Christmas. 1 Thessalonians 5:16-18

1 Thessalonians 5:16-18Amplified Bible

16 Rejoice always and delight in your faith; 17 be unceasing and persistent in prayer; 18 in every situation [no matter what the circumstances] be thankful and continually give thanks to God; for this is the will of God for you in Christ Jesus.

The Word of God for the Children of God.

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

Happiness(?!?) of the United Family

One of the greatest blessings we have is our family. A happy marriage is worth more than any fortune; a united family is worth more than any wealth. A family that honors God is a valuable testimony to the richness of God’s blessing in life.

A family dedicated to serving the Lord and is devoted to each other in all things and at all times and during all seasons and under all circumstances, is a family that at all times, during all seasons, under all circumstances knows happiness.

The husband who fears the Lord and wants to live God’s way works with all his energy for a safe and well behaved godly home for all of his family members.

He loves his wife “just as Christ loved the church and gave himself up for her” (Ephesians 5:25); he is united to and faithful to his wife, who is “like a fruitful vine.” They love, respect, show open affection and care for one another too.

And if they are blessed with children, their children are “like olive shoots,” fruitful in bringing more blessing into their lives. Godly parents teach their children in the ways of the Lord so that they may be blessed all the days of their lives. Mothers and fathers are not antagonizing nor provoking their children.

And if God wills it, as long as he tarries, they may live to see their children’s children, receiving even more abundant blessings and joys from God’s hand.

With blessing the Lord brings prosperity, peace, and joy to families who seek to honor him. Coming together as a family is a wondrous time of faith, fellowship.

When you each honor God in your home, you will always have him as an ally.

The Word of God for the Children of God, for the Body of Christ, our own church family and our neighbors is neatly set before each one of us on our meal tables.

1 Thessalonians 5:16-18 Amplified Bible

16 Rejoice always and delight in your faith; 17 be unceasing and persistent in prayer; 18 in every situation [no matter what the circumstances] be thankful and continually give thanks to God; for this is the will of God for you in Christ Jesus.

But we know that in the Kingdom of God, not all is always going so “ideally.”

Grateful When You Aren’t Where You Want to Be …

November and December are months we see lots of pictures and quotes and Bible verses about thanksgiving appearing all across social media platforms.

But for all too many years my heart on those November and December days and nights in the dark, emptiness and quiet of my apartment and currently my own home would 100% suffer mightily to be acknowledged, recognized as thankful.  

This wasn’t how life was supposed to go. I wasn’t at all where I wanted to be.

For years I struggled with giving thanks. Family tragedies occurring in too close a proximity. My heart wanted to praise and be joyful in these circumstances, but I knew that I wasn’t happy with where God was leading our family at the time.

In fact, it felt like God wasn’t leading us at all. The quietness and the lack of direction from God was disheartening, further magnifying my thanklessness.

In my head I “knew” God had not left me, and this was part of His perfect plan. I even told people that I was thankful just to be “home.” But deep down I wasn’t.

One day, I read those verses in 1 Thessalonians 5:16-18.

“16 Be rejoicing always, 17 be praying unceasingly, 18 be giving-thanks in everything. For this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you.“

Paul was writing to the church in Thessalonica.

If you were to read Acts 17, you would see the hostile environment in which this church was founded.

Their circumstances hadn’t much improved since Paul had left them.

Maybe some of the believers felt like I did.

Maybe they thought to themselves, “I don’t really like it here… this isn’t where I thought I would be.”

In the middle of those hard situations, Paul writes and tells the believers always to give thanks. Not only just a general “Hi, give thanks”-but a specific covenant call to give thanks in all circumstances. 

Even the hard, harder and hardest ones.

Paul tells the church to give thanks because first this is the will of God.

We give thanks because God commands it. We don’t have to feel joyful when we do, but we can rejoice in God despite how we feel. Paul also tells the church to “pray without ceasing.” (1 Thessalonians 5:17) Prayer has a way of aligning our hearts, connecting our minds to the truth of who God is, His plan for our lives.

Prayer connects us to God and that is a great reason to give thanks.

In verse twenty-four of that chapter, Paul says, “He who calls you is faithful; he will surely do it.”

Paul also says something similar in Philippians 1:6. He says,

“And I am sure of this, that he (meaning God) who began a good work in you will bring it to completion at the day of Jesus Christ.”

God will work out our lives according to His plan.

Those plans include His glory and our good. 

Romans 8:28-29 tells us this. Paul tells the Romans that they can trust that all things are for their good, which is to be conformed into the image of Christ.

The truth is God is always working and we can give thanks that He never leaves us. We can come to Him in prayer, and He is shaping us to be more like Christ.

Although the circumstances might not be good, we can give thanks to a God who has a purpose even when we find ourselves in a place we don’t want to be.

Today, I have come to the Throne of God to thank God for changing my plans.

These truths from the Bible help me give thanks.

I’ve been told by God to give thanks, that God has a definite direction, purpose, for my life, God will never leave me nor misguide me.  I have learned that being grateful isn’t about our surroundings, but about the God who surrounds us all.

Intersecting Faith & Life:

Paul also talks about giving thanks in Philippians 4:6. It says,

“Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God.”

How are we to not be anxious?

The answer is prayer.

Two types of prayer are mentioned here in Philippians 4.

The first is supplications. These are the prayers we pray on behalf of others and for ourselves. They are the prayers we pray when asking God to meet our needs.

Maybe you are not in a place you want to be, so ask God to change things.

Who better to ask to intervene in a bad situation than God Himself?

After asking God to help you, the next phrase says, “with thanksgiving…”.

As we ask God to help us we also give thanks.

This is the second type of prayer. If you are struggling to give thanks, look up the additional scriptures and find reasons even today to give thanks to God!

What about your current situation feels less than joyful?

How has God shown up in your life recently?

Take your cares and concerns to God, thanking Him for being with you.

Enjoy your Thanksgiving casting your burdens and cares upon the Lord!

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

Let us Pray,

Psalm 84 English Standard Version

My Soul Longs for the Courts of the Lord

To the choirmaster: according to The Gittith.[a] A Psalm of the Sons of Korah.

84 How lovely is your dwelling place,
    O Lord of hosts!
2 My soul longs, yes, faints
    for the courts of the Lord;
my heart and flesh sing for joy
    to the living God.

3 Even the sparrow finds a home,
    and the swallow a nest for herself,
    where she may lay her young,
at your altars, O Lord of hosts,
    my King and my God.
4 Blessed are those who dwell in your house,
    ever singing your praise! Selah

5 Blessed are those whose strength is in you,
    in whose heart are the highways to Zion.[b]
6 As they go through the Valley of Baca
    they make it a place of springs;
    the early rain also covers it with pools.
7 They go from strength to strength;
    each one appears before God in Zion.

8 O Lord God of hosts, hear my prayer;
    give ear, O God of Jacob! Selah
9 Behold our shield, O God;
    look on the face of your anointed!

10 For a day in your courts is better
    than a thousand elsewhere.
I would rather be a doorkeeper in the house of my God
    than dwell in the tents of wickedness.
11 For the Lord God is a sun and shield;
    the Lord bestows favor and honor.
No good thing does he withhold
    from those who walk uprightly.
12 O Lord of hosts,
    blessed is the one who trusts in you!

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

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What if someone had asked us for all the ways which God’s Gentleness has the Greatest Impact on all our Lives? Psalm 18:31-42

Psalm 18:31-42 English Standard Version

31 For who is God, but the Lord?
    And who is a rock, except our God?—
32 the God who equipped me with strength
    and made my way blameless.
33 He made my feet like the feet of a deer
    and set me secure on the heights.
34 He trains my hands for war,
    so that my arms can bend a bow of bronze.
35 You have given me the shield of your salvation,
    and your right hand supported me,
    and your gentleness made me great.
36 You gave a wide place for my steps under me,
    and my feet did not slip.
37 I pursued my enemies and overtook them,
    and did not turn back till they were consumed.
38 I thrust them through, so that they were not able to rise;
    they fell under my feet.
39 For you equipped me with strength for the battle;
    you made those who rise against me sink under me.
40 You made my enemies turn their backs to me,[a]
    and those who hated me I destroyed.
41 They cried for help, but there was none to save;
    they cried to the Lord, but he did not answer them.
42 I beat them fine as dust before the wind;
    I cast them out like the mire of the streets.

The Word of God for the Children of God.

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

In the early Christian church a man named Marcion pitted the “God of the Old Testament” against Jesus, the “God of the New Testament.” He said that the Old Testament God was hard fierce and demanding and that the New Testament Jesus was merciful, loving, and gentle.

The church rightly rejected that idea as a contradiction of the Bible’s teaching.

In more recent contemporary times, the reverse has taken place. Among people who want rapid social change, the gentleness of Jesus is treated with scorn, as if he was a mere weakling, easily manipulated, used by the corrupt establishment.

However, the careful and diligent reading of the Bible teaches that God is both.

He is full of wrath against evil, unconvinced by lame excuses, demanding true justice and goodness.

At the same time he is gentle, humble, and mild toward all who become his disciples, because he empathizes “with our weaknesses” (Hebrews 4:15).

“Because he himself suffered when he was tempted, he is able to help those who are being tempted” (Hebrews 2:18).

He is the perfect Teacher for us, if we authentically, seriously take his yoke on our shoulders to sit still. to learn, understand and grow into how to be godly.

We have a lot to learn from this God we worship, for we often tend to be angry when we should be gentle, and gentle when we should be fierce enemies of evil.

What we could be learning of God’s Gentleness …

David in Psalm 18:35 wrote,

“thou hast also given me the shield of thy salvation: and thy right hand hath holden me up, and thy gentleness hath made me great.”

David had full recognition of the vast mercies provided by the Lord.

The provisions, protection, and empowerments were full contemplations and gentle manifestations of a righteous and sovereign God. As we inspect our own lives, we can see that the Lord’s gentleness has indeed made all the difference. 

1. He Is Our Sure Defense

The gentleness of our God has the attributes of love, grace, mercy as well as judgment. He can exercise each office concurrently while at the same time not neglecting any of the other attributes.

Certainly, God would have been justified in allowing the enemies of David to prevail against him as judgment for his indiscretions.

He was an adulterer, murderer, and bad father.

No doubt he was punished for the consequences of his sins, but the providence of our Lord had a greater eternal plan for the life of David.

His testimony was one of a lowly shepherd boy who was most unlikely to wear the most powerful crown in the world.

He was anointed and trained for over ten years before he was fully equipped, however, to reign over the land.

The patience of this process exhibited God’s gentleness as David was not thrusted into the position prior to the “fullness of time.”

In the first section of Psalm 18, David wrote about the strategies and ways of his enemies and Saul.

Notice in verse one that “enemies” and Saul were separated, contemplating certain respect endowed to the fellow king irrespective of his evil motives and tendencies. David painted a hopeless picture of being compassed about with “sorrows of death” and being afraid of the “floods of ungodly men.”

Even worse than death, David describes the “sorrows of hell” and the “snares of death.”

Immediate and eternal death would certainly be a more desirable position than being tortured and tormented by the prospect of hell and vices capable of death but falling short.

David called upon the Lord in his condition from the temple.

It was not in the plan of God for David to succumb to the throws of his enemies or especially Saul as he was promised as much.

Today, we have the same promise about the snares and the evils of the day. 

Isaiah 54:14-17 reminds us that “in righteousness shalt thou be established: thou shalt be far from oppression; for thou shalt not fear: and from terror, for it shall not come near thee. No weapon that is formed against thee shall prosper.”

Indeed, we give Him all the praise because “this is the heritage of the servants of the Lord, and their righteousness is of me, saith the Lord.”

2. Our Prayers to Our Gentle Savior Make It “Even into His Ears”

Not only did David’s plea for help make it to the throne of Heaven, but “even into his ears” indicating the plea penetrated the being of the Lord.

The same can be said about our pleas, prayers and petitions summoning the attention from the Most High.

Until the enmity between us and the throne of heaven was removed by our mediator Jesus Christ, cries could not reach the heights necessary for action.

1 Peter 3:12 assures the New Testament saint that, “the eyes of the Lord are over the righteous, and his ears are open until their prayers: but the face of the Lord is against them that do evil.”

Thus, we cannot neglect the privilege of reaching the ears of our Savior by crying out with our prayers and concerns.

3. God Is Gentle to His Children, but Powerful to Their Enemies

In verses 7-15, David reflected the sheer force and might of a covenant God when in defense of His covenant man.

The Lord God made “the earth shook and tremble” to such a degree that “the foundations also of the hills moved and were shaken.” His person blew out “smoke out of his nostrils and fire out of his mouth devoured.”

The Creator “bowed the heavens also, and came down: and darkness was under his feet.” Even though the consequences of His power reached the earth severely, “he rode upon a cherub, and did fly” “upon the wings of the wind.”

Certainly, the creator of creation and the maker of man has the power to call upon His creation in subserviency.

Jesus is quoted in Matthew 12:29, “or else how can one enter into a strong man’s house, and spoil his good, except he first bind the strong man?”

When we are being opposed, we view our enemies as mighty and strong.

Thanks be to our Heavenly Father, however, the believer has access to that “stronger man” who is able to bind the “powers of this dark world” and the “spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms.” (Ephesians 6:12.)

4. His Gentleness Is Our Deliverance

The strength of the enemy was so great David fully recognized it was the Lord who “delivered [him] from [his] strong enemy” because “they were too strong for [me].”

The gentleness of Lord preached messages of love, forgiveness, and a need for spiritual cleansing to the masses despite a world who hated Him.

Regardless of his unpopularity, His gentleness led Him to a cross on Calvary.

He had access to the highest throne in heaven, but His gentleness permitted our sins to be thrusted into His skin.

Even with His innocence, His gentleness died upon this cross of judgment.

Despite physical death, His gentleness fought the grave and delivered unto us our salvation.

The strength of man’s sin was too much of an enemy for our meager will power and great desires of the flesh.

It was the gentleness of our Lord and Savior who had convicted our soul of our lost and defeated condition.

5. His Gentleness Guides Us to Obedience

David understood the importance of obedience and the cleanliness.

He wrote in verse 20, “the Lord rewarded me according to my righteousness; according to the cleanness of my hands.”

Even our obedience is not glory attributable to us via our own abilities.

The cleansing and empowerment of the Holy Ghost gives us the desire and the instruction necessary for obedience.

Thus, our obedience is nothing of ourselves and is effortless from our own hands.

In Hebrews 5:8, we see that “though [Jesus Christ] were a Son, yet learned he obedience by the things which he suffered.”

Therefore, through Jesus’s suffering obedience we are granted with the gentleness of His guide.

6. His Gentleness Gives Us a Strong Footing

David understood the importance of a foundation for strong and agile footing when we wrote in verse 31, “who is a rock save our God?”

He gave us the strength and safe passage upon the journey because

“He maketh my feet like a [feet] hinds’ feet, and setteth me upon my high places.”

It is the position of the high places that we can fully appreciate our ascension through the power of Christ.

Just as the church, our foundation is established in the sure footing through Christ.

By the provisions of His Word and the Holy Spirit, “thou has also given [us] the shield of thy salvation.”

These armaments “teacheth my hands to war, so that a bow of steel is broken by mine arms.”

Our feet may physically progress, but it is He that “hast enlarged my steps under me, that my feet did not slip.”

When we take a position in accord with the Word of God, it is “He [who] gives power to the faint, and to him who has no might he increases strength.”

Thus, not only does our Lord have all power, but He has the ability and desire to bestow power.

The gentleness from both His mercy and grace culminates from the gift of “the shield of salvation.”

Our reliance is His righteousness as it is His “right hand [that] hath holden me up.”

David writes about his greatness solely because of what the Lord did throughout his life.

All of our greatness and righteousness is found from Jesus Christ and His work on the cross.

His gentleness is what “hath made me great.”

7. His Gentleness Guarantees Our Victory

The Psalmist then changes tone from being mired against prey unto a state of victorious enablement.

Such as us when we were neck-deep living in a lost sin dominated life and without hope.

Paul in Romans 8:37 declared us “more than conquerors through [Jesus Christ] that loved us.”

In Psalm 18 verse 37, David wrote that he pursued his enemies and overtook them because his “feet did not slip.”

He was not fatigued by the fight but was given persistence unto victory until the enemy was consumed.

Accordingly, the Holy Spirit seals us until the time of redemption until our ultimate realization of salvation and the glorification of our bodies.

In this ultimate victory, we will be able to declare just as Paul wrote in 1 Corinthians 15:55, “O death, where is thy sting? O grave, where is thy victory?”

Our daily spiritual victories upon this earth in this fleshly body will pale in the comparison to the victory over death as our “vile body” will be “fashioned like unto his glorious body.”

8. His Gentleness Is Our Praise

David concludes with verses 49 and 50 by giving “thanks unto thee, O Lord, among the heathen, and sing praises unto thy name.”

The psalm began with a desperate plea for help but ends with the singing of “praises unto thy name.” The praise is personal as David wrote, “great deliverance giveth he to his king; and sheweth mercy to his anointed.”

Indeed as our Savior, Lord, and King, Jesus is due all of our praise and adoration.

He did not forcibly enter the chamber of our heart in order to procure our salvation.

As a prerequisite to salvation, he did not place the onerous burden of abiding the law upon us by requiring its recantation and its physical manifestation adorning our clothing as a constant reminder.

God forbid.

No, it was His worldly paradoxical power of might combined with His greatest gentleness that performed the greatest miracle by the twain of two opposite forces of perfection and sin into “one new man, so making peace” as Paul wrote in Ephesians 2:15.

By this witness, we can testify that truly “thy gentleness hath made me great!”

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

Let us Pray,

Psalm 5 English Standard Version

Lead Me in Your Righteousness

To the choirmaster: for the flutes. A Psalm of David.

5 Give ear to my words, O Lord;
    consider my groaning.
2 Give attention to the sound of my cry,
    my King and my God,
    for to you do I pray.
3 O Lord, in the morning you hear my voice;
    in the morning I prepare a sacrifice for you[a] and watch.

4 For you are not a God who delights in wickedness;
    evil may not dwell with you.
5 The boastful shall not stand before your eyes;
    you hate all evildoers.
6 You destroy those who speak lies;
    the Lord abhors the bloodthirsty and deceitful man.

7 But I, through the abundance of your steadfast love,
    will enter your house.
I will bow down toward your holy temple
    in the fear of you.
8 Lead me, O Lord, in your righteousness
    because of my enemies;
    make your way straight before me.

9 For there is no truth in their mouth;
    their inmost self is destruction;
their throat is an open grave;
    they flatter with their tongue.
10 Make them bear their guilt, O God;
    let them fall by their own counsels;
because of the abundance of their transgressions cast them out,
    for they have rebelled against you.

11 But let all who take refuge in you rejoice;
    let them ever sing for joy,
and spread your protection over them,
    that those who love your name may exult in you.
12 For you bless the righteous, O Lord;
    you cover him with favor as with a shield.

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

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God, our Great Provider; “Don’t ever be fearful nor ever be worried about how you’ll defend yourselves or what you will say, for the Holy Spirit will be teaching you at that hour what you should say.” Luke 12:11-12

Luke 12:11-12 New American Standard Bible 1995

11 When they bring you before the synagogues and the rulers and the authorities, do not worry about how or what you are to speak in your defense, or what you are to say; 12 for the Holy Spirit will teach you in that very hour what you ought to say.”

The Word of God for the Children of God.

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

Luke 12:11 (KJV) states, “And when they bring you unto the synagogues, and unto magistrates, and powers, take ye no thought how or what thing ye shall answer, or what ye shall say.”

Today I went to the movie theatre with my wife to watch the Bonhoeffer film.

https://www.britannica.com/biography/Dietrich-Bonhoeffer

I was inspired and stirred up by a quote “Silence in the face of evil is evil itself.“

Faced with such a horrific circumstance as he was, he could have chosen to have remained quiet, safe, not stirred up a lethal level of trouble with the authorities.

But, with the heavy burden of conscience which comes with the indelible reality of living into and through the sacrifice of our Lord and Savior Jesus at the cross, he chose to stand above those who chose silence and safety over to be a martyr.

I searched for a scriptural basis for the enormous measure of holy courage he displayed before everybody, tried to contemplate; “would I have been so vocal?”

This verse from chapter 12 comes from the Gospel narrative of Luke, which was written by Luke, a Physician and faithful mission companion of Apostle Paul.

This particular passage is part of a larger discourse in which Jesus is instructing his disciples about the hard challenges they’ll face as they spread his message.

In this verse, Jesus is preparing his disciples for the inevitable persecution and opposition they will encounter as they go out far and wide to share the gospel.

The verse begins with the phrase “And when they bring you unto the synagogues, and unto magistrates, and powers…”

This indicates the various levels of authority and opposition the disciples will encounter in their mission – the hardcore brutal reality that Bonhoeffer faced.

Luke’s message is as we willingly walk into the Great Commission, we also do acknowledge the highest risks, the highest accountability, responsibility before God, which we will risk, as we could be brought before religious leaders in the synagogues, civil authorities such as magistrates, and even powerful rulers.

This foreshadows the highest risks of lethality, trials and tribulations the early Christians faced as they journeyed through Rome, spread the teachings of Jesus.

The next part of the verse states, “take ye no thought how or what thing ye shall answer, or what ye shall say.”

This is a powerful message that encourages the disciples to innately set aside their fears, to trust in the Holy Spirit to guide them in their words and actions.

They are not to worry or be anxious or be fearful about how to respond when they are arrested, brought before these authorities. Instead, they are to rely on the wisdom and guidance of the Holy Spirit to speak God’s truth through them.

This verse also speaks to the broader theme of trust and faith in God’s provision and guidance. The disciples are being instructed to surrender their own worries and fears, in times of highest risks and to trust in the leading of the Holy Spirit.

This theme of trust and reliance on God’s wisdom and strength is a central message throughout the New Testament, and speaks to the 100% unyielding importance of faith in all degrees of circumstances in the life of a believer.

The context of this verse is also important to consider.

At the time of Jesus, the very early Christians faced intense persecution and opposition from both the religious and secular authorities.

They were often grabbed off the streets and from their homes, brought before the synagogues, Roman officials to give an account for their beliefs and actions.

In the face of this hair triggered hostility, Jesus’s words would prayerfully have been a highly valuable, highly valued source of great comfort, empowerment, and encouragement for his followers as they became called to defend the faith.

The powerful symbolism in this verse can be seen in the imagery of being brought before synagogues and powers.

This represents the conflict and opposition Christians may face when they are faithful to their beliefs. The synagogues represent the religious establishment, while the powers and magistrates symbolize the ruling secular authorities.

The message here is that followers of Jesus should expect to encounter a whole lot of hardened resistance, challenges as they live out their faith in the world.

In conclusion, Luke 12:11 is a powerful and timely reminder for Christians to trust in the guidance of the Holy Spirit in the face of opposition, persecution.

The verse speaks to the themes of trust, reliance on God’s wisdom, and the reality of encountering life threatening challenges for the sake of the gospel.

It provides encouragement for believers to stand firm in their faith, knowing that God will empower them to speak boldly and act in ways that honor him.

This verse continues to be a source of comfort and strength for believers facing opposition and hostility for their beliefs even today in the face of cancel culture.

About Taking Up Our Scriptures, Speak truth to Power

I am convinced that there is a common misunderstanding in many churches.

Many Christians think there is a big difference between proclaiming God’s Word from a pulpit and sharing his truth in a conversation.

Similarly, lots of “Christians” believe the apex of evangelism happens on a Sunday morning in a sanctuary and not in a coffee shop or in a car ride to work.

As Christians, we often think that to share the gift of salvation with someone, we first have to be qualified academically or be trained in some special way. As a result, we can get tangled up in our inabilities, bogged down by our insecurities, and overwhelmed with fears of failing ourselves, others, or—even worse—God.

But you and I aren’t called because we are qualified; we are qualified because we have been called by God into a lifetime of love everyone by sacrifice and service.

My life and your life, regardless of secular vocation or secular or too religious education or ability to speak in public, is a “as iron sharpens iron” testimony in itself. It’s the story of God’s relentless redemption and restoration plan in you.

God knew you even before he established the foundations of the earth.

He created you, wired you, and walked into your life, called you by name.

Luke 24:13-35 New American Standard Bible 1995

The Road to Emmaus

13 And behold, two of them were going that very day to a village named Emmaus, which was [a]about seven miles from Jerusalem. 14 And they were talking with each other about all these things which had taken place. 15 While they were talking and discussing, Jesus Himself approached and began traveling with them. 16 But their eyes were prevented from recognizing Him. 17 And He said to them, “What are these words that you are exchanging with one another as you are walking?” And they stood still, looking sad. 18 One of them, named Cleopas, answered and said to Him, “Are You [b]the only one visiting Jerusalem and unaware of the things which have happened here in these days?” 19 And He said to them, “What things?” And they said to Him, “The things about Jesus the Nazarene, who was a prophet mighty in deed and word in the sight of God and all the people, 20 and how the chief priests and our rulers delivered Him to the sentence of death, and crucified Him. 21 But we were hoping that it was He who was going to redeem Israel. Indeed, besides all this, it is the third day since these things happened. 22 But also some women among us amazed us. When they were at the tomb early in the morning, 23 and did not find His body, they came, saying that they had also seen a vision of angels who said that He was alive. 24 Some of those who were with us went to the tomb and found it just exactly as the women also had said; but Him they did not see.” 25 And He said to them, “O foolish men and slow of heart to believe in all that the prophets have spoken! 26 Was it not necessary for the [c]Christ to suffer these things and to enter into His glory?” 27 Then beginning [d]with Moses and [e]with all the prophets, He explained to them the things concerning Himself in all the Scriptures.

28 And they approached the village where they were going, and He acted as though He were going farther. 29 But they urged Him, saying, “Stay with us, for it is getting toward evening, and the day [f]is now nearly over.” So He went in to stay with them.  30 When He had reclined at the table with them, He took the bread and  He blessed it, and breaking it, He began giving it to them. 31 Then their eyes were opened and they recognized Him; and He vanished from [g]their sight. 32 They said to one another, “[h]Were not our hearts burning within us while He was speaking to us on the road, while He was [i]explaining the Scriptures to us?” 33 And they got up that very hour and returned to Jerusalem, and found gathered together the eleven and those who were with them, 34  saying, “The Lord has really risen and has appeared to Simon.” 35 They began to relate [j]their experiences on the road and how He was recognized by them in the breaking of the bread.

God has adopted you as his child into his eternal family, and he has entrusted you with his kingdom work, which simply means courageously sharing with someone the good news of forgiveness from sin, of new life in Christ forever.

So share the good news today!

Do not worry if you have the right words – the Holy Spirit will provide them!

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

Let us Pray,

Psalm 40 New American Standard Bible 1995

God Sustains His Servant.

For the choir director. A Psalm of David.

40 I waited [a]patiently for the Lord;
And He inclined to me and heard my cry.
2 He brought me up out of the pit of destruction, out of the [b]miry clay,
And He set my feet upon a rock making my footsteps firm.
3 He put a new song in my mouth, a song of praise to our God;
Many will see and fear
And will trust in the Lord.

4 How blessed is the man who has made the Lord his trust,
And has not [c]turned to the proud, nor to those who lapse into falsehood.
5 Many, O Lord my God, are the wonders which You have done,
And Your thoughts toward us;
There is none to compare with You.
If I would declare and speak of them,
They would be too numerous to count.

6 [d]Sacrifice and meal offering You have not desired;
My ears You have [e]opened;
Burnt offering and sin offering You have not required.
7 Then I said, “Behold, I come;
In the scroll of the book it is [f]written of me.
8 I delight to do Your will, O my God;
Your Law is within my heart.”

9 I have proclaimed glad tidings of righteousness in the great congregation;
Behold, I will not restrain my lips,
O Lord, You know.
10 I have not hidden Your righteousness within my heart;
I have spoken of Your faithfulness and Your salvation;
I have not concealed Your lovingkindness and Your truth from the great congregation.

11 You, O Lord, will not withhold Your compassion from me;
[g]Your lovingkindness and Your truth will continually preserve me.
12 For evils beyond number have surrounded me;
My iniquities have overtaken me, so that I am not able to see;
They are more numerous than the hairs of my head,
And my heart has [h]failed me.

13 Be pleased, O Lord, to deliver me;
Make haste, O Lord, to help me.
14 Let those be ashamed and humiliated together
Who seek my [i]life to destroy it;
Let those be turned back and dishonored
Who delight [j]in my hurt.
15 Let those be [k]appalled because of their shame
Who say to me, “Aha, aha!”
16 Let all who seek You rejoice and be glad in You;
Let those who love Your salvation say continually,
“The Lord be magnified!”
17 Since I am afflicted and needy,
[l]Let the Lord be mindful of me.
You are my help and my deliverer;
Do not delay, O my 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.

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There is always time for everything, a time and season for endless vanities, chasing the wind with a net, a season for every activity under the heavens. Is there any time being left for God? Ecclesiastes 3:1-14

Ecclesiastes 3:1-14 Revised Standard Version

Everything Has Its Time

3 For everything there is a season, and a time for every matter under heaven:

2 a time to be born, and a time to die;
a time to plant, and a time to pluck up what is planted;
3 a time to kill, and a time to heal;
a time to break down, and a time to build up;
4 a time to weep, and a time to laugh;
a time to mourn, and a time to dance;
5 a time to cast away stones, and a time to gather stones together;
a time to embrace, and a time to refrain from embracing;
6 a time to seek, and a time to lose;
a time to keep, and a time to cast away;
7 a time to rend, and a time to sew;
a time to keep silence, and a time to speak;
8 a time to love, and a time to hate;
a time for war, and a time for peace.

The God-Given Task

9 What gain has the worker from his toil?

10 I have seen the business that God has given to the sons of men to be busy with. 11 He has made everything beautiful in its time; also he has put eternity into man’s mind, yet so that he cannot find out what God has done from the beginning to the end. 12 I know that there is nothing better for them than to be happy and enjoy themselves as long as they live; 13 also that it is God’s gift to man that every one should eat and drink and take pleasure in all his toil. 14 I know that whatever God does endures for ever; nothing can be added to it, nor anything taken from it; God has made it so, in order that men should fear before him.

The Word of God for the Children of God.

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

God, the Eternity Setter

I can still remember the sound of the little tiny bird that popped out of the old cuckoo clock on the back wall at the now gone clock store. Every hour, on the hour, a red faded bird would announce the time. I also recall that when the bird was quiet, I could yet hear the second hand ticking away the seconds of the day.

It’s often said that you can’t get time back, you cannot reset time to the better life you had however many years ago you had them, you can’t return to the days when you first saw your spouse, so it’s best to make use of the time you have.

And you certainly cannot go back to the first days of creation when God spoke and there was light, there was dark, there were the first stars, first life on earth.

You cannot return to the days of David and Goliath and witness that victory.

You cannot interview any of the ancient heroes of the faith, Moses, Abraham, Joshua, Gideon or Samuel or Elijah or Elisha, the psalmists or all the prophets for your school essays, master’s thesis, college dissertations, next sermons.

There will be no eye witness accounts of Mary’s encounter with Angel or the virgin birth, the shepherds being shocked in the middle of the night by angels.

As much as we would certainly welcome the opportunity, we will never hear our names really being spoken out loud by an itinerant Master Rabbi named Jesus.

There is no chance we will witness the miraculous healings, stilling of the great storm from the Gospel of Mark chapter 4:35-41, nor encounter the one named legion before and after his encounter with Jesus. We will not observe their faces.

There is no way we will see Lazarus walk out of his tomb or hear those words which were spoken by Jesus which called Lazarus back to the land of living.

Who would not want to be in that Upper Room when Jesus celebrated that last Passover, to see him wash all those feet, break his body the bread, pour out his blood from the central cup? Walk with him to the Garden of Gethsemane to be witnesses to his tears of blood shed as he prayed to his Father for his release?

His betrayal? Everyone running away naked into the night to avoid arrest? If we were on the scene with all those disciples, would our devotion to Jesus’ own life be enough for us to stay and get between him, the mob of Temple authorities?

Would we have done anything to intervene, intercede, to start a great riot to somehow stop the life threatening injustices being perpetrated upon Jesus?

What about stopping the meeting with Pilate – would we step forward to be Jesus’ advocate, speak for him who did not speak one word to defend himself?

Would we have willingly helped Jesus carry his cross as Simon of Cyrene did?

Would we have done anything at Golgotha to save Jesus’ broken body, would we have rushed forward, whatever weapon was available, overpower the guards?

All of these biblical moments which we can only interpret with our 21st century eyes, act for benefit of all – take Jesus away, heal him, so he keeps ministering?

The bible is so very full of exciting and miraculous moments and words which seek to draw us into those excited moments penned by the original narrators who had their own on the scene at the exact moment of its first occurrences.

No, there is no time for anyone in the present to do anything fantastic to go back into time and bring back to us all today, an actual eye witness account.

I am writing this devotion today. though the author of Ecclesiastes didn’t write those words , they sound like something he might have said. In Ecclesiastes we hear the words of a person who has had the opportunity to look back on his life and recall the joys, concerns, victories, and defeats he has experienced. We hear someone who reflects how important each season was to our 21st century time.

Notably, wise King Solomon, who penned Ecclesiastes, ends his short detailed reflection by commenting that God makes all things beautiful in their time and sets eternity in the human heart (v. 11). That brings me back to those days in an old clock makers store with the cuckoo clocks, and I remember stories that they shared around the jewelers cabinets with clocks ticking and birds singing away.

I can’t get that precious time back, can almost remember the clock makers face but the beauty of those memories lives on, and thoughts of reuniting with those moments in God’s presence in eternity brings me 1000% joy, now and forever!

Take some special time today and through Thanksgiving and Christmas, and New Years to dig deep into the stories of the Bible, mine them for truths they reveal, to get rich on the presence of God, the Father, the Son and Holy Spirit.

Precious Memories … How they Linger … How they ever Flood my Soul … In the stillness, of the midnight … Precious Sacred Scenes unfold … Alleluia! Amen!

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

Let us Pray,

Psalm 113 Complete Jewish Bible

113 Halleluyah!

Servants of Adonai, give praise!
Give praise to the name of Adonai!
2 Blessed be the name of Adonai
from this moment on and forever!
3 From sunrise until sunset
Adonai’s name is to be praised.
4 Adonai is high above all nations,
his glory above the heavens.
5 Who is like Adonai our God,
seated in the heights,
6 humbling himself to look
on heaven and on earth.

7 He raises the poor from the dust,
lifts the needy from the rubbish heap,
8 in order to give him a place among princes,
among the princes of his people.

9 He causes the childless woman
to live at home happily as a mother of children.

Halleluyah!

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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So Overflowing With Thankfulness, Transformed by the Truth; Planted, Rooted, Watered, Built Up In Christ. Colossians 2:6-7

Colossians 2:6-7 New International Version

Spiritual Fullness in Christ

6 So then, just as you received Christ Jesus as Lord, continue to live your lives in him, 7 rooted and built up in him, strengthened in the faith as you were taught, and overflowing with thankfulness.

The Word of God for the Children of God.

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

If we walk around with a full glass of water, and someone ‘accidently’ bumps into us unexpectedly, whatever water is inside it will come flying, spilling out.

The same principle also applies to our Christian character: if we are filled with water flavored with hair triggered bitterness, ingratitude, envy, or jealousy too, then it won’t take much (.001%) of a “bump” for what is within us to overflow.

As Paul wrote to the Colossian Christians, whom he has never seen or interacted with in on the ground ministry, he encouraged them in his writings, instead to be marked by a grateful, thankful heart, a key characteristic of the Christian life.

The word Paul uses to describe this thankfulness, “abounding,” comes from a fairly common Greek word, perisseuo.

https://www.blueletterbible.org/kjv/col/2/6-7/t_conc_1109007

https://www.blueletterbible.org/lexicon/g4052/kjv/tr/0-1/

In other places in Scripture and in other English translations, its root is translated as “overflowing.” Paul’s meaning is clear: when people “bumped into” these believers, the overspill, he instructed, was to be thankfulness.

When men and women have not been transformed by Christ, ingratitude—along with its resulting bitterness, complaining, anger, and malice—often marks their lives. In Christ Jesus, however, believers trade ingratitude for abounding, overflowing thanksgiving, bitterness for joy, and anger for peace.

Having heard of God’s grace in all its truth and having turned to Him in Psalm 51 repentance and faith, we have all of our sins forgiven. We have the Holy Spirit dwelling in us. We have a new family in the church of God. We have eternal life ahead of us. We have complete access to the heavenly throne room in prayer.

In other words, we have so very much to be grateful to God for. Abounding, Overflowing Thankfulness becomes the song, the overflow, of the Christian.

This kind of gratitude has significant effects. It turns our gaze to God and away from ourselves and our circumstances. It defends us against the devil’s wiles, whispers, which incites us to despair and to distrust what God has said.

It also protects us from pride, eradicating from our vocabulary phrases like “I deserve more than this” or “I don’t deserve this.”

And it allows us to rest in the knowledge God works out His loving purpose not only in pleasant and encouraging experiences but also in unsettling and painful ones. It is only by grace alone we all learn how to “give abounding, overflowing thanks in literally all  circumstances” (1 Thessalonians 5:18, emphasis added).

The antidote to thanklessness is found only in union with Christ. Do you see in yourself any lingering ingratitude over what God has chosen not to give you?

Bring it to the foot of the cross, seek Christ’s forgiveness, and ask for His help to see all that you have been freely given in His gospel. Set aside a time each day to write down and recount to yourself the blessings from God you have received.

Then you will authentically, truly, abound and overflow with thanks be to God.

Overflowing with Gratitude

Colossians 2:6-7 Amplified Bible

6 Therefore as you have received Christ Jesus the Lord, walk in [union with] Him [reflecting His character in the things you do and say—living lives that lead others away from sin], 7 having been deeply rooted [in Him] and now being continually  built up in Him and [becoming increasingly more] established [a]in your faith, just as you were taught, and overflowing in it with gratitude.

Here is a biblical guide to living an exciting, zestful life: Obey him, follow him, converse with him, draw upon his grace, lean on him, look to him for comfort.

That is how to continue to live in him.

Three things have happened to you, says Paul.

You have been rooted in Christ.

Like a deeply rooted tree, you have been planted in Christ and those strong roots will hold you.

Secondly, you have been built up in him. Not only are the roots going deep, but you are growing up as well. You are increasing in faith and experience.

And thirdly, you have been strengthened in the faith.

You have tested it, put it to work in your home, in your neighborhood.

You have had to face problems which were tests, your faith was strengthened by them.

As these three things take place, we are to add one more:

we are to be overflowing with thankfulness. 

Be grateful to God for everything he has given you, no matter what it is.

Have you learned yet to be thankful in everything?

That means you do not grumble, complain and criticize.

You cannot have it both ways.

To be thankful means to find something in every situation for which you can genuinely be grateful.

The great Bible commentator, Dr. Matthew Henry, once was robbed as he walked along a highway.

Afterwards, he told his friends there were four things for which he gave thanks.

First, he was grateful that he had never been robbed before.

Secondly, he said, Though they took all my money, I am glad they did not get very much. That was something to be thankful for.

Thirdly, he said, Though they took my money, they did not take my life, and I am grateful for that. 

Finally, he suggested, I am thankful it was I who was robbed, not I who robbed. 

There was a man who had learned how to be overflowing with thankfulness!

Have you ever learned to talk to yourself and ask yourself questions?

If you read the Psalms, you will often find you are listening to a man talking to himself. 

Why are you cast down, O my soul? And why are you so disquieted within me?

The psalmist is standing at a mirror shaving, feeling blue, and asking himself, What’s the matter with you? Why are you like this? That is a good thing to do.

When you ask yourself questions about yourself you must also ask, why didn’t worse things happen?

Look beyond what has occurred and realize it could have been much worse.

Then discover all the things which God has supplied and which you have been taking for granted: his care, his love, the shelter of your home (whatever fits your situation), and begin to give an over abundance of thanks for those.

If you do, expect something will happen: you will find yourself turned on, not turned off about everything. You will find your life filled with zest, vitality and excitement. You will have discovered the answer to abundant boredom is God!

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

Let us Pray,

Psalm 30 Revised Standard Version

Thanksgiving for Recovery from Grave Illness

A Psalm of David. A Song at the dedication of the Temple.

30 I will extol thee, O Lord, for thou hast drawn me up,
    and hast not let my foes rejoice over me.
2 O Lord my God, I cried to thee for help,
    and thou hast healed me.
3 O Lord, thou hast brought up my soul from Sheol,
    restored me to life from among those gone down to the Pit.[a]

4 Sing praises to the Lord, O you his saints,
    and give thanks to his holy name.
5 For his anger is but for a moment,
    and his favor is for a lifetime.
Weeping may tarry for the night,
    but joy comes with the morning.

6 As for me, I said in my prosperity,
    “I shall never be moved.”
7 By thy favor, O Lord,
    thou hadst established me as a strong mountain;
thou didst hide thy face,
    I was dismayed.

8 To thee, O Lord, I cried;
    and to the Lord I made supplication:
9 “What profit is there in my death,
    if I go down to the Pit?
Will the dust praise thee?
    Will it tell of thy faithfulness?
10 Hear, O Lord, and be gracious to me!
    O Lord, be thou my helper!”

11 Thou hast turned for me my mourning into dancing;
    thou hast loosed my sackcloth
    and girded me with gladness,
12 that my soul[b] may praise thee and not be silent.
    O Lord my God, I will give thanks to thee for ever.

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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