Tag: God

Habits of Faith: When Storms Come. Mark 4:35-41

Mark 4:35-41 New American Standard Bible 1995

Jesus Stills the Sea

35 On that day, when evening came, He *said to them, “Let us go over to the other side.” 36 [a]Leaving the crowd, they *took Him along with them in the boat, just as He was; and other boats were with Him. 37 And there *arose a fierce gale of wind, and the waves were breaking over the boat so much that the boat was already filling up. 38 Jesus Himself was in the stern, asleep on the cushion; and they *woke Him and *said to Him, “Teacher, do You not care that we are perishing?” 39 And He got up and rebuked the wind and said to the sea, “Hush, be still.” And the wind died down and [b]it became perfectly calm. 40 And He said to them, “Why are you [c]afraid? Do you still have no faith?” 41 They became very much afraid and said to one another, “Who then is this, that even the wind and the sea obey 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.

Anyone who has lived for much time at all knows that in life storms will surely come – these are not just the blizzards of winter or thunderous rains of spring.

Sometimes, other kinds of “thunder storms” make their presence felt and then seemingly out of nowhere, we are faced with an unexpected loss, be it our jobs, be it our marriages, a long standing BFF, a grim diagnosis, the painful passing of a loved one, or the sorrow of goodbyes – perhaps we are all here right now.

Looking for answers, looking for some kind of greater truth to sort out the host of negative thoughts, prayerfully turning first to our Bibles, to the Word of God for His Children, we pray to the Holy Spirit for any direction to locate our Jesus.

Mark 4:35-41 New King James Version

Wind and Wave Obey Jesus

35 On the same day, when evening had come, He said to them, “Let us cross over to the other side.” 36 Now when they had left the multitude, they took Him along in the boat as He was. And other little boats were also with Him. 37 And a great windstorm arose, and the waves beat into the boat, so that it was already filling. 38 But He was in the stern, asleep on a pillow. And they awoke Him and said to Him, “Teacher, do You not care that we are perishing?”

39 Then He arose and rebuked the wind, and said to the sea, “Peace,[a] be still!” And the wind ceased and there was a great calm. 40 But He said to them, “Why are you so fearful? How[b] is it that you have no faith?” 41 And they feared exceedingly, and said to one another, “Who can this be, that even the wind and the sea obey Him!”

Like the disciples caught in the storm on the Sea of Galilee, going from calm to the storm we can feel overwhelmed by these trials, as if our boat were sinking.

Mark 4:35-36 Easy-to-Read Version

Jesus’ Followers See His Power

35 That day, at evening, Jesus said to his followers, “Come with me across the lake.” 36 So they left the crowd behind and went with Jesus in the boat he was already in. There were also other boats that went with them.

Hearing the Word of God, convincing our hearts and souls toward listening to and choosing to follow Jesus does not insulate us from life’s storms, but we can take comfort from knowing that God promises to hold us fast through them.

He can give rest to our hearts, He may even quiet the very storms themselves.

Mark 4:37-39 Easy-to-Read Version

37 A very bad wind came up on the lake. The waves were coming over the sides and into the boat, and it was almost full of water. 38 Jesus was inside the boat, sleeping with his head on a pillow. The followers went and woke him. They said, “Teacher, don’t you care about us? We are going to drown!”

39 Jesus stood up and gave a command to the wind and the water. He said, “Quiet! Be still!” Then the wind stopped, and the lake became calm.

When storms come, we are often tempted to panic first, lose sight of our senses, freeze – or stumble over ourselves, watch the boat fill with water, to doubt God.

The thoroughly panicked disciples, most of them well trained fisherman, quite knowledgeable about the ways of the seas, hard questioned the ability of Jesus to care about them, even though they had each seen His miracles firsthand.

They looked Jesus in the eye with their souls, and they shared meals with Him every day—but when the storm arose, their raging souls took to panic stations of unbelief as if they’d forgotten who He was or what He was capable of doing.

Don’t we often find ourselves there too? As soon as the turbulence hits—as soon as life’s winds and waves rise—our doubts and weaknesses burst forth, and we forget who it is who dwells within us and what He is capable of doing.

God does not prevent storms from coming.

A sleeping Jesus did not prevent the storms from coming, from threatening the very lives of the disciples in his boat nor the lives of everyone else who followed.

But God is a God who is both present through them and sovereign over them.

Jesus not only stayed with the disciples during the storm, stood up in the face of the raging storm but, calmly, quietly, He displayed His full power by calming it.

John 1:1-5 New American Standard Bible 1995

The Deity of Jesus Christ

1 In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. 2 [a]He was in the beginning with God. 3 All things came into being through Him, and apart from Him nothing came into being that has come into being. 4  In Him was life, and the life was the Light of men. 5 The Light shines in the darkness, and the darkness did not [b]comprehend it.

As God, in the beginning, He was there, He had created the very sea itself.

Why would the sea, resting or raging, ever be a problem for Him?

Mark 4:40-41 New American Standard Bible 1995

40 And He said to them, “Why are you [a]afraid? Do you still have no faith?” 41  They became very much afraid and said to one another, “Who then is this, that even the wind and the sea obey Him?”

Did Jesus deliberately want them to become fearful?

Did Jesus intentionally want to test their so called confidence in themselves?

We are all quick to admit our allegedly high degree, measures of self confidence.

Our typical mindset is too often “we can be self assured” that we “always know what we are doing and can get through the day and any situation so long as we are not confronted by that moment of sudden upheaval we will survive the day.

But, sometimes, even for us, too, even circumstances that seem hopeless and insurmountable unfold exactly as He has planned – will we notice our Jesus?.

When difficulties, fear, pain persist, we can trust Him to give us a peace that “surpasses all understanding” (Philippians 4:7) and bring us through to a place of calm, whether it arrives in this life or only beyond the final tempest of death.

Reading this passage, the first question storming out of our mouths, then should not be “Who then is this, that even the wind and the sea obey Him?

The question, then, is also not “Will storms come in my life?” They surely will.

Rather, we must ask, “When the storms come, will I believe that Jesus Christ is able to deal with them—and will I let Him do that?”

He can lift the clouds of doubt fogging our minds.

He can mend broken hearts.

He can soothe our longings for love.

He can revive weary spirits. He can calm anxious souls.

When we read the Word of God, reassure ourselves with His truth, we see Jesus as the Creator of the universe, the one who calmed the sea, as the one in whom everything holds together, then we too can experience the calming of the storm.

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

Let us Pray,

Psalm 107:23-32 New American Standard Bible 1995

23 Those who go down to the sea in ships,
Who do business on great waters;
24 They have seen the works of the Lord,
And His [a]wonders in the deep.
25 For He spoke and raised up a stormy wind,
Which lifted up the waves [b]of the sea.
26 They rose up to the heavens, they went down to the depths;
Their soul melted away in their misery.
27 They reeled and staggered like a drunken man,
And [c]were at their wits’ end.
28 Then they cried to the Lord in their trouble,
And He brought them out of their distresses.
29 He caused the storm to be still,
So that the waves [d]of the sea were hushed.
30 Then they were glad because they were quiet,
So He guided them to their desired haven.
31 Let them give thanks to the Lord for His lovingkindness,
And for His [e]wonders to the sons of men!
32 Let them extol Him also in the congregation of the people,
And praise Him at the seat of the elders.

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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Habits of Faith: Praying the Prayer of Jabez -“God, Enlarge My Territory!” 1Chronicles 4:9-10

1 Chronicles 4:9-10 New American Standard Bible 1995

9 Jabez was more honorable than his brothers, and his mother named him Jabez saying, “Because I bore him with pain.” 10 Now Jabez called on the God of Israel, saying, “Oh that You would bless me indeed and enlarge my border, and that Your hand might be with me, and that You would keep me from harm that it may not pain me!” And God granted him what he requested.

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.

So 1 Chronicles 4:10 is a verse that has been used in a variety of ways and even abused in a variety of ways, taken out of context and applied in ways that are maybe, at best, questionable.

But the reality is, this is a beautiful verse, a picture of one man, Jabez, calling boldly upon God, asking for God’s blessing in his life.

“Oh God, that you would bless me, that you would enlarge my border.”

Even praying that is an acknowledgement that every good thing we have or could have comes from God and that God is our father in heaven.

And God delights in giving His children good things when they ask.

However, there are some observations we should consider about this prayer.

As we read his prayer, it seems rather selfish at first; it’s all centered on him. 

“Oh that you would bless me and enlarge my territory! Let your hand be with me, and keep me from harm so that I will be free from pain.” 

There’s a great deal of the word “me“ in there.

But if we look closer at this, especially in light of Jabez’s painful background, I believe we can see that this is not a self-centered prayer; it’s an agonizing plea for God’s help because of the deep consciousness of his own deep inadequacy.

“I need help,” he’s saying.

He’s saying, Oh God, amid all this sorry tale of shame and sin and Godlessness that is my background, “Lord, do something for me.”

“Take me out of this, remove me from this situation, help me in it, deliver me.”

It’s obvious that as Jabez prays, there’s an awareness of his need for provision.

Here is a humble young man who has grasped the fact that prosperity comes only from God; that things in themselves are of no value unless God gives them to us; that if we attempt to get them apart from Him, they become a curse to us.

And so Jabez prays, 

“Lord, in everything in my life, enter into it and bless it, and make it not a curse but a blessing to me, and enlarge me, be with me, for thou are the key to life.”

There’s also an awareness of his need for protection.

He says, “Keep me from harm so that I will be free from pain.” 

He is referring back to that blight on the family character, some hereditary weakness perhaps, that plagued him and threatened him as it threatens his brothers.

He says, “Lord, I recognize my fear in the face of this thing. How can I escape this debilitating power in my life that threatens to degenerate and disintegrate my personality as it did in my father and in my brothers?“

He’s praying for protection against this thing, and believes there could be a greater lesson learned than the fact that the world in which we live is so silken in its subtlety, that we all are exposed in the weakness of our heredity to these disintegrating forces which will certainly seize upon us, unless we rest in the protecting grace of God and here is am ancient young man who discovered that.

God heard Jabez and answered his prayer.

Here is a young lad who from his birth began on the wrong side of the tracks, but over time and prayer he gained wisdom and he found his answer in God.

Life is utterly meaningless if we do not discover that God is the secret to its meaningfulness; that, as I found with my heart surgery, life may be suddenly altered in its course, when its course and direction are suddenly changed.

Psalm 139:23-24 New American Standard Bible 1995

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

We are now committed to following God wherever He leads.

That is the secret to the fulfillment and the enrichment of life, and that is one of the valuable lessons that the Prayer of Jabez has here for us.

1 Chronicles 4:10 also Teaches Us How to Pray

This is exactly what Jesus teaches about prayer.

So it is good to pray that God, our father, would bless us.

“Bless me, enlarge my border,” Jabez prays, “that your hand might be with me.”

What a great prayer to pray.

We should want to pray that all-encompassing prayer every day, that the hand of God might be with us, His hand is the only one leading us and guiding us and the only one which is directing us and the only protecting us and is blessing us.

And we should want to pray this over our life, our family’s, our spouses, and our children, grandchildren, neighbors, the members of the church we are a part of.

I am praying that right now, in just this exact moment, over all of us, that God’s hand might be with us – and that He would keep us from harm – that our God in heaven would expand our territories, expand the reaches of all our sanctuaries.

What a picture of looking to God as our protector.

Jesus taught us to pray like this, to pray to our Father in Heaven who desires to give His ultimate forgiveness to us, for all His grace and His mercy in our lives.

That God would, as Shepherd, lead us not into temptation, deliver us from evil.

Pray Boldly And Humbly

And 1 Chronicles 4:10 says after Jabez prayed this, God granted what he asked.

Why not, be as Jabez, be bold, be forthcoming, be honest, have integrity, in asking before God, obviously fully trusting that He is a lot wiser than we are?

And if we ask for something that would not be good for us, that he will not give it because he is a loving Father.

Hebrews 4:14-16 New American Standard Bible 1995

14 Therefore, since we have a great high priest who has passed through the heavens, Jesus the Son of God, let us hold fast our confession. 15 For we do not have a high priest who cannot sympathize with our weaknesses, but One who has been tempted in all things as we are, yet without sin. 16 Therefore let us  draw near with confidence to the throne of grace, so that we may receive mercy and find grace to help in time of need.

But it’s good to boldly come before God and ask Him.

According to his Word, it’s what this whole prayer of Jabez is based on, praying in the Word, asking for what God has said in His Word, and for things that are on our hearts before our loving, generous Heavenly Father.

So how bold are you in your asking in prayer right now in your life?

And please be emboldened, encouraged, inspired, based on 1 Chronicles, 4:10, to be forthcoming, be honest, humbled, needy, before God, our generous Father.

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

Let us Pray,

Psalm 16 New American Standard Bible 1995

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

A [a]Mikhtam of David.

16 Preserve me, O God, for I take refuge in You.
2 [b]I said to the Lord, “You are [c]my Lord;
I have no good besides You.”
3 As for the [d]saints who are in the earth,
[e]They are the majestic ones in whom is all my delight.
4 The [f]sorrows of those who have [g]bartered for another god will be multiplied;
I shall not pour out their drink offerings of blood,
Nor will I take their names upon my lips.

5 The Lord is the portion of my inheritance and my cup;
You support my lot.
6 The lines have fallen to me in pleasant places;
Indeed, my heritage is beautiful to me.

7 I will bless the Lord who has counseled me;
Indeed, my [h]mind instructs me in the night.
8 I have set the Lord continually before me;
Because He is at my right hand, I will not be shaken.
9 Therefore my heart is glad and my glory rejoices;
My flesh also will dwell securely.
10 For You will not abandon my soul to [i]Sheol;
Nor will You [j]allow Your [k]Holy One to [l]undergo decay.
11 You will make known to me the path of life;
In Your presence is fullness of joy;
In Your right hand there are pleasures forever.

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

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Habits of Faith: Does God Expect Us to Believe in Ourselves? Exodus 4:10

Exodus 4:10-13 New American Standard Bible 1995

10 Then Moses said to the Lord, “Please, Lord, I have never been [a]eloquent, neither [b]recently nor in time past, nor since You have spoken to Your servant; for I am [c]slow of speech and [d]slow of tongue.” 11 The Lord said to him, “Who has made man’s mouth? Or who makes him mute or deaf, or seeing or blind? Is it not I, the Lord? 12 Now then go, and I, even I, will be with your mouth, and teach you what you are to say.” 13 But he said, “Please, Lord, now [e]send the message by whomever You will.”

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.

Perhaps we have heard of Roger Bannister.

For years, experts said that it was impossible for a human to run a mile in less than four minutes.

And they appeared to be right, that is until 1954, when a young medical student proved them all wrong.

They had told him his heart would explode, but young Roger didn’t believe that.

He believed he could, and even had a special pair of lightweight leather shoes made to help him run.

When the shoemaker asked him how long he would need them, he responded “not very long…less than 4 minutes!”

That’s the power of believing in yourself!

You won’t always hear it from the pulpit, you wont always hear or have it taught in any bible study but I deeply believe that God expects each of us to develop a healthy measure of self assurance, self-confidence, self esteem, of self worth.

When God spoke miraculously from a burning bush and called Moses to lead the children of Israel out of Egypt, listen to how the aged Moses first responded:

Exodus 4:10 New American Standard Bible 1995

10 Then Moses said to the Lord, “Please, Lord, I have never been [a]eloquent, neither [b]recently nor in time past, nor since You have spoken to Your servant; for I am [c]slow of speech and [d]slow of tongue.”

Exodus 4:13 New American Standard Bible 1995

13 But he said, “Please, Lord, now [a]send the message by whomever You will.”

We might think God would be impressed by those humble responses; that Moses was showing himself to be truly humble. But we would be wrong!

The anger of the Lord was kindled against Moses.

Exodus 4:14 New American Standard Bible 1995

Aaron to Be Moses’ Mouthpiece

14 Then the anger of the Lord burned against Moses, and He said, “Is there not your brother Aaron the Levite? I know that [a]he speaks fluently. And moreover, behold, he is coming out to meet you; when he sees you, he will be glad in his heart.

Why was that? Because he didn’t believe in himself, even when God clearly did.

Exodus 4:11-12 New American Standard Bible 1995

11 The Lord said to him, “Who has made man’s mouth? Or who makes him mute or deaf, or seeing or blind? Is it not I, the Lord? 12 Now then go, and I, even I, will be with your mouth, and teach you what you are to say.”

God expected Moses to have faith that God is all he needed to succeed; and God likewise in these modern times expects us to respond in faith and belief as well.

When we don’t believe in ourselves, we are diminishing and questioning the quality of God’s handiwork.

Psalm 139:14-18 New American Standard Bible 1995

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

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

It’s not a sin to believe in yourself; it’s an expectation of the Creator God who formed you in His own image and likeness, filled you with His Holy Spirit, and has perfectly equipped you to perform every good work created for you to walk in. (Ephesians 2:8-10; Titus 3:1.)

In truth, we ought to believe it is a sin to not believe in yourself!

There are many Christians who think they are being humble, but they are simply listening to the voice of the adversary.

They are deceived about their identity in Christ, thinking they are just inadequate, insignificant, and therefore unable to succeed.

And because they see a predominance of failure in their future, such a measure of failure they don’t, wont even try to do the things God has called them to do.

In order to develop the faith that pleases God (Hebrews 11:6), we should first look into God’s mirror at ourselves and hear His voice on the matter:

James 1:22-25 New American Standard Bible 1995

22 But prove yourselves doers of the word, and not merely hearers who delude themselves. 23 For if anyone is a hearer of the word and not a doer, he is like a man who looks at his [a]natural face in a mirror; 24 for once he has looked at himself and gone away, [b]he has immediately forgotten what kind of person he was. 25 But one who looks intently at the perfect law, the law of liberty, and abides by it, not having become a forgetful hearer but [c]an effectual doer, this man will be blessed in [d]what he does.

When you read and meditate on God’s Word, you will learn to hear the voice of God speaking to you, giving you a true picture of who you really are in Christ:

1. Understand That We Are All Originals and Unique

Ephesians 2:8-10 New American Standard Bible 1995

8 For by grace you have been saved through faith; and [a]that not of yourselves, it is the gift of God; 9 not as a result of works, so that no one may boast. 10 For we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand so that we would walk in them.

Ephesians 2:8-10 New Living Translation

8 God saved you by his grace when you believed. And you can’t take credit for this; it is a gift from God. 9 Salvation is not a reward for the good things we have done, so none of us can boast about it. 10 For we are God’s masterpiece. He has created us anew in Christ Jesus, so we can do the good things he planned for us long ago.

What is a masterpiece?

The very best work of an artist!

It also describes a piece of art that earns recognition; a work of genius, one of a kind.

In other words, you are not an accident or an experiment, you are a work of genius that deserves recognition.

Anything that is a duplicate does not have the same value as an original, and does not qualify as a masterpiece.

What’s the point?

In order for you to truly believe in yourself, you need to celebrate your God created uniqueness as His masterpiece!

Allow your significance and originality to define you, not confine you.

Discover your uncommon message born from your unique purpose and begin to increase the significance of that message.

Since you are God’s creation and not an accident, your very existence on this planet is proof that the world needs that special something that God gave to you – so celebrate it, as God does – and never compare yourself with anyone else.

When you compare yourself against others, your self perception will become skewed; you will either get an unrealistic sense of inferiority, or an equally unrealistic idea of superiority – neither of these circumstances is ever true.

Your measure of success is not how you are doing compared to someone else, it’s how you are doing compared to what God intends for you to accomplish!

2. Understand That You Are Priceless

Many people think that the value of a work of art is determined by what others will pay for it.

There is some measure of truth in that, but I think the better understanding is that the true value of a thing is determined by what the master artist is willing to sell it for!

If someone is offered millions, even billions, for the purchase of a particular piece of art, say the Mona Lisa, and yet says, Sorry, not for sale, never for sale, then that item is actually absolutely priceless to them.

And here is the truth about us – when sin entered the world, Satan’s deception stole us away from our Father, the Master.

But there is even more deeper truth we can witness to from Peter who lost all of his confidence in himself when he refused to publicly acknowledge being with Jesus in the courtyard three times, looked into Jesus’ eyes and so betrayed Him. (Matthew 26:69-75)

Then Peter got his confidence back as he shared some very intimate time with the resurrected Jesus by the seashore. (The Love Motivation – John 21:15-17)

Peter admonished the followers to “Prepare your minds for action, be sober in spirit and fix your hope completely on the grace to be brought to you at the revelation of Jesus Christ, to not be conformed to the former lusts which were yours in your ignorance, … but like the Holy One … be holy yourselves also in all your behaviors …” because it is written, “You shall be holy, for I am holy.”

God does not lack any confidence in Himself and neither did Jesus, His Son.

Peter recognized that self confidence which Jesus publicly exhibited as he wrote to the Jewish followers the ultimate ransom required for our return would be our testimony, the testimony of the priceless blood of the Son of God himself:

1 Peter 1:13-19 New American Standard Bible 1995

13 Therefore, [a]prepare your minds for action, [b]keep sober in spirit, fix your hope completely on the grace [c]to be brought to you at the revelation of Jesus Christ. 14 As [d]obedient children, do not [e]be conformed to the former lusts which were yours in your ignorance, 15 but [f]like the Holy One who called you, [g]be holy yourselves also in all your behavior; 16 because it is written, “You shall be holy, for I am holy.”

17 If you address as Father the One who impartially judges according to each one’s work, conduct yourselves in fear during the time of your stay on earth; 18 knowing that you were not [h]redeemed with perishable things like silver or gold from your futile way of life inherited from your forefathers, 19 but with precious blood, as of a lamb unblemished and spotless, the blood of Christ.

In other words, God said to the enemy… we are all priceless and not for sale! 

Yes, we are all a 100% priceless, original creation.

When we start seeing ourselves as such, we will too start believing in ourselves!

3. Understand We Are Each Bursting with Potential

Potential is a dormant ability, reserved power, untapped strength, unused success, hidden talents, and uncapped capability -it’s all you could ever be, including what you have yet to become and the things you have not yet done.

It’s the length of your reach, before you have begun to stretch; it’s how far you can go, before you’ve even started to pack for the trip, topped off the gas tank!

Potential is unexposed ability and latent power, and you are overflowing with it.

Moreover, you are all full of max potential the Kingdom of God is desperately waiting to experience.

John 14:10-14 New American Standard Bible 1995

10 Do you not believe that I am in the Father, and the Father is in Me? The words that I say to you I do not speak on My own initiative, but the Father abiding in Me does His works. 11 Believe Me that I am in the Father and the Father is in Me; otherwise believe because of the works themselves. 12 Truly, truly, I say to you, he who believes in Me, the works that I do, he will do also; and greater works than these he will do; because I go to the Father. 13 Whatever you ask in My name, that will I do, so that the Father may be glorified in the Son. 14 If you ask Me anything in My name, I will do it.

How can we begin to understand and access our potential?

Realize the potential of a thing is related to its source.

We know that a tree can never be more than a tree, because it comes from a tree; a dog can never be more than a dog, because it comes from a dog, etc.

In other words, the potential of a thing is directly related to its source.

In fact, it is the source of a thing which ultimately determines the capacity of its potential.

Fortunately, the book of Genesis tells us who our source is:

Genesis 1:26-28 New American Standard Bible 1995

26 Then God said, “Let Us make man in Our image, according to Our likeness; and let them rule over the fish of the sea and over the birds of the [a]sky and over the cattle and over all the earth, and over every creeping thing that creeps on the earth.” 27 God created man in His own image, in the image of God He created him; male and female He created them. 28 God blessed them; and God said to them, “Be fruitful and multiply, and fill the earth, and subdue it; and rule over the fish of the sea and over the birds of the [b]sky and over every living thing that [c]moves on the earth.”

Knowing this then, that the potential of a thing is related to its source, and that our source is God, we know that our potential is actually unlimited because our source is unlimited!

To access your potential, you must stay connected to your Source!

A grape vine is an interesting plant.

The vine, which is the thick wooden part running from the ground up the pole, is the only part of the plant that contains life ability.

None of the life of the plant is found in the branches, or those little green tendrils on the side with the grapes hanging from them.

If you were to break one of those green branches off and plant it in the ground, it would wither and die because there is no life ability in it.

Each small branch depends on life flowing up from the vine, to survive.  

And as Jesus said:

John 15:5-7New American Standard Bible 1995

5 I am the vine, you are the branches; he who abides in Me and I in him, he  bears much fruit, for apart from Me you can do nothing. 6 If anyone does not abide in Me, he is thrown away as a branch and dries up; and they gather them, and cast them into the fire and they are burned. 7 If you abide in Me, and My words abide in you, ask whatever you wish, and it will be done for you.

In order for us to realize our full potential, we must stay connected to our Source – God, Jesus, the Holy Spirit – otherwise yes, we will all fall short.

But if we stay connected, we can indeed accomplish much.

That’s who we are.

As odd as it may seem to the natural mind, the fact is we are a child of Almighty God, and we have each been created with the potential to do powerful things.

When we are connected to the Source, we have our Heavenly Father’s ability on the inside of us to do every good work He has destined for each one of us to do.

4. Understand What God Sees Is Completely True

God doesn’t see like man sees.

God sees the diamond in the rough, the potential amidst the problem, the prize at the bottom of the cracker jack box.

It is not what you or anyone else sees that actually matters, but what God sees.

He sees the end from the beginning of our lives, knows our potential even when we’re not acting like it, are faithless, are off track, or have no track record at all!

When we focus on these temporary things, we have a hard time believing in ourselves and in also accepting that we are what God sees and says we are.

But the fact is – God knows better! He knows exactly who He created us to be.

And that’s the message we will get when we look into the mirror of God’s Word.

God always believes in us, and therefore, we must also believe in ourselves.

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

Let us Pray,

Psalm 16 New American Standard Bible 1995

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

A [a]Mikhtam of David.

16 Preserve me, O God, for I take refuge in You.
2 [b]I said to the Lord, “You are [c]my Lord;
I have no good besides You.”
3 As for the [d]saints who are in the earth,
[e]They are the majestic ones in whom is all my delight.
4 The [f]sorrows of those who have [g]bartered for another god will be multiplied;
I shall not pour out their drink offerings of blood,
Nor will I take their names upon my lips.

5 The Lord is the portion of my inheritance and my cup;
You support my lot.
6 The lines have fallen to me in pleasant places;
Indeed, my heritage is beautiful to me.

7 I will bless the Lord who has counseled me;
Indeed, my [h]mind instructs me in the night.
8 I have set the Lord continually before me;
Because He is at my right hand, I will not be shaken.
9 Therefore my heart is glad and my glory rejoices;
My flesh also will dwell securely.
10 For You will not abandon my soul to [i]Sheol;
Nor will You [j]allow Your [k]Holy One to [l]undergo decay.
11 You will make known to me the path of life;
In Your presence is fullness of joy;
In Your right hand there are pleasures forever.

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

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Habits of Faith: Loving Ourselves and Loving Others as God First Loved Us is Going to Take Time. 1 John 4:7-10

1 John 4:7-10 The Message

God Is Love

7-10 My beloved friends, let us continue to love each other since love comes from God. Everyone who loves is born of God and experiences a relationship with God. The person who refuses to love doesn’t know the first thing about God, because God is love—so you can’t know him if you don’t love. This is how God showed his love for us: God sent his only Son into the world so we might live through him. This is the kind of love we are talking about—not that we once upon a time loved God, but that he loved us and sent his Son as a sacrifice to clear away our sins and the damage they’ve done to our relationship with God.

The Word of God for the Children of God.

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

As Christians, we are encouraged to love one another which includes ourselves.

So in a world where love is defined in many different ways, who better to look at and follow His example than God, who is love (1 John 4:8)? 

Like 1 John 4:16 explains, “And so we know and rely on the love God has for us. God is love. Whoever lives in love lives in God, and God in them.

1 John 4:7-10 New King James Version

Knowing God Through Love

7 Beloved, let us love one another, for love is of God; and everyone who loves is born of God and knows God. 8 He who does not love does not know God, for God is love. 9 In this the love of God was manifested toward us, that God has sent His only begotten Son into the world, that we might live through Him.  10  In this is love, not that we loved God, but that He loved us and sent His Son to be the propitiation for our sins.

Please, in this moment, stop what you are thinking about to take a few seconds or minutes and think about all the undefinable depths of love Jesus has for you.

Depending on the day, the time of day, circumstances of the day, perhaps you feel a barrier, because we may know all too well, how we often fail, falter, take our eyes off our King, and at times maybe even want nothing to do with Him.

But God is here to tell all of us right now that in those exact moments, Christ’s all-encompassing love is yet all the more present and there to sustain you!

For He has chosen all of us, though we each will fail, called each of us His own, though we will certainly falter, that we all have a place at His table even when our gaze is not perfectly fixed and laser focused on the divine host. 

So, in the coming moments, in the hours, days ahead do think about how Christ’s love for you is like a consuming ocean you cannot swim away from. 

Do think about that He is the greatest joy in times of both defeat and triumph. 

Do think about that He is your deepest comfort, hope, in your most trying of sorrows. Oh, what love he has for his children…Oh, what love he has for you!

So, now is as good a time as any, join me in praising God, for His persistent love.

Praise God, that He continually reveals to us what love is even right now.

Praise God, that he first loved us which enables us to, therefore, go and love on others exactly where they are. 

So today, remainder of this week, continually, let there be no shortage of love from the children of God especially during the times we are all experiencing.

Ask Jesus right now, to reveal to you how to love others through you as He has so graciously, so indelibly, covered you in his love.

Love Others First – but be sure to include yourself because you matter to God.

For many, love is a reciprocal response.

Someone loves us, so we love them back.

This all started with God, as 1 John 4:19 tells us, “We love because He first loved us.”

So what if, like God, we just start loving other people first?

So, what if, like God, while loving others, we also included ourselves – first?

Often this is easier said than done.

Especially if, maybe like me, you’ve experienced a time when someone decided they just didn’t like you or when that someone was YOU not loving yourself.

In these cases, we usually don’t know why or what is the reason behind their feelings or even our own feelings for that matter. 

When something like this happens, we can choose to overlook their attitudes toward us and love them anyway.

Sometimes our unconditional love will win them over, but sometimes it doesn’t. 

Still, that’s the risk we take when we choose to love others first.

In these situations, we get a taste, a very small glimpse of what God has been dealing with down through the ages in loving those who don’t love Him back. 

In everyday life, we’re given countless opportunities to step out and love others in our homes, churches, workplaces, and communities.

We have countless opportunities where we can choose to even overlook our own feelings in the matter-considering God’s love for His own Son through the ages.

Love others and ourselves Even When It’s Messy

God knows loving men and women in their sins is pretty messy. 

God knows exactly how well we love others, how well we will love others.

God knows how well we love ourselves, how well we will love ourselves.

But, God cuts through all that messiness with this indelible truth …

Romans 5:8 explains, “But God demonstrates His own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us.” 

Likewise, parenthood helps many men and women understand how God could love us in our messes.

It’s also good training ground for learning how to love others in their disarray. 

All around the world, moms and dads face unpleasant scenarios in taking care of children.

From diaper disasters, food mishaps, exploring incidents, and more, parents push through the chaos to keep loving and caring for their children.

Likewise, loving others can be messy, especially when walking through various situations with them that are uncomfortable, unpleasant, or inconvenient.

Love others and ourselves Sacrificially

Real-life TV shows of love, romance, and marriage often give insight into how individuals view love and what they believe loving one another involves.

Frequently when a prospective bride or groom is asked how they fell in love with the other person, his or her answer involves how the other person’s love makes them a better person or feel special and loved.

But what if once married, the other person stops making them feel like a better person – what happens if they stop feeling loved by their spouse or children?

For many couples, whether married for a few years or longer, with children or not, they start to realize that love isn’t about how a spouse makes us feel but rather establishing just what costs are we willing to pay to show them love.

Are we willing to give up our pride, selfishness, resources, plans, and more if needed to love our husband or wife or dare to go ahead, including ourselves?

John 3:16 describes the high cost God was willing to pay to demonstrate His love to us “For God so loved the world that He gave His one and only Son, that whoever believes in Him shall not perish but have eternal life.” 

God demonstrated the high cost of loving others and how to love sacrificially.

He deliberately, intentionally, paid the ultimate price to prove His love to us. 

As the Author, Creator, and only Source of love, He modeled what it means to express love to those around us by loving us first, loving us in our messiness of our breakdowns, break ups, faults, failures and sin, and loving us sacrificially.

Intersecting Faith and Life:

Are you willing to lovingly reach out to others this week?

Are we willing enough, daring too, to lovingly reach out to ourselves this week?

If so, ask God to help you love others, being sure to include loving yourself like He loves you by loving self and them first, sacrificially, and in their messiness.

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

Let us Pray,

Psalm 23 New King James Version

The Lord the Shepherd of His People

A Psalm of David.

23 The Lord is my shepherd;
I shall not [a]want.
2 He makes me to lie down in [b]green pastures;
He leads me beside the [c]still waters.
3 He restores my soul;
He leads 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 You are with me;
Your rod and Your staff, they comfort me.

5 You prepare a table before me in the presence of my enemies;
You anoint my head with oil;
My cup runs over.
6 Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me
All the days of my life;
And I will [d]dwell in the house of the Lord
[e]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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Habits of Faith: Our Commitment to Prayer! Daniel 6:10

Daniel 6:10 The Message

10 When Daniel learned that the decree had been signed and posted, he continued to pray just as he had always done. His house had windows in the upstairs that opened toward Jerusalem. Three times a day he knelt there in prayer, thanking and praising his God.

The Word of God for the Children of God.

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

Habits of Faith

Spiritual disciplines can be an important part of our finding God through the fog of our lives.

That’s what helped sustain Daniel in his faith.

A spiritual discipline is a habit that people develop to deepen their relationship with God.

Personal devotions may combine one or more disciplines into a daily routine: praise, worship, prayer, Bible reading, and perhaps meditation or journaling.

Other spiritual disciplines may include joining together for worship or studying the Bible in a small group.

The discipline of fasting can help us rediscover what really feeds us, and the discipline of tithing our share can help us all recall who really pays our bills.

Spiritual disciplines help us to practice finding God during times when the fog has cleared.

It’s hard to find God in a moment of panic, but it’s much easier if we’ve already developed a daily pattern of centering ourselves in Him.

It’s easier to release our worries to God at the end of a tough day if we have learned to release every other day to him in an evening prayer.

And it’s a lot less difficult to remain steadfast to God’s call when you have been serving Him in a deliberate and intentional way for months or even for years.

When you encounter a sudden fog bank in life, it can be almost impossible to figure out how to find God in the midst of it all.

Spiritual disciplines help us to reorient us so we can find God’s strength and peace, even in the thickest fog.

What Does Daniel 6:10 Teach Us?

What does Daniel 6 10 teach us?

One of the things it teaches us is that Daniel was committed to serve God even if he was going to suffer for it.

For Daniel, a daily habit of his humbling himself, giving thanks to God was not something that was dispensable.

Daniel is committed to give God thanks even if it was going to cost him his life.

He considered it the single greatest commitment, the single greatest discipline to serve His great God.

Habit of Faith: A Commitment to Prayer

Daniel 6:10 Amplified Bible

10 Now when Daniel knew that the document was signed, he went into his house (now in his roof chamber his windows were open toward Jerusalem); he continued to get down on his knees three times a day, praying and giving thanks before his God, as he had been doing previously.

Making that short-termed commitment is not too hard.

It is moving that short termed commitment into that disciplined consistency that comes harder to us—yet it is an essential key to mature spiritual growth.

The often sporadic nature of our commitment is seen in short-lived exercise programs, Bible memorization, reading plans, and New Year’s resolutions.

How many of us start something well, only to later abandon it!

But equally, you and I have probably encountered people who are incredibly consistent and disciplined.

They arrive at work, they walk their dog at the exact same time every day or collect their mail with such precise timing that you could set your watch by it; and when they set themselves to undertake a task or learn a new skill, they do so with a diligence that leaves you in no doubt that they will surely complete it.

“he continued to get down on his knees three times a day, praying and giving thanks before his God, as he had been doing previously.” Daniel was a man who had exhibited such disciplined consistency when it came to his prayer life.

His life was not marked by bursts of enthusiasm followed by chronic inertia.

He clearly prayed whether he felt like it or not.

There were probably times when he got up from his knees feeling really blessed and other times when he left feeling really flat, but in spite of it all, he kept on.

He prayed and he prayed and he prayed, no matter the circumstances.

That’s discipline!

When a crisis hit, it didn’t create Daniel’s disciplined lifestyle; it revealed it.

After King Darius issued an edict that made it illegal to pray to any god or man other than him for thirty days (Daniel 6:7), Daniel could have rationalized his obedience to the king rather than to the Lord.

He could have reasoned that because he’d stored up such phenomenal credit on the strength of all his years of prayer, he could be let off for a month.

Apparently, though, such a thought never even crossed his mind.

Instead, he continued in prayer just “as he had done previously.”

Surely there was a definite and direct and indelible link between Daniel’s life of prayer and the bravery he showed in obeying the God of Israel rather than the “do it now or die” commands of the most powerful king in the known world.

Our Lord told us, too, that we “ought always to pray and not lose heart.”

Luke 18:1 Amplified Bible

Parables on Prayer

18 Now Jesus was telling the disciples a parable to make the point that at all times they ought to pray and not give up and lose heart,

We are not to close prayer down for a while if we don’t feel like it or have little spare time for a season.

If we want to live for Jesus, minister in His name, participate in His Kingdom work even when we are under pressure, our prayer lives must be consistent.

We must come to regard prayer as a fundamental element of our faith, not merely a nice supplement.

The door is wide open for you to demonstrate the same kind of consistent commitment to prayer as Daniel did.

Through regular discipline, prayer can become your natural reaction to every situation in your life.

Be it still resolved, do you still need to set aside a time each day when you will pray and give thanks to your God, come what may?

Wherever God takes us, whatever we do, however His plan unfolds, may our prayers be unceasing.

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

Let us Pray,

God of truth, sometimes I not sure if I’m actually hearing your voice, or if it’s just my own thoughts or even another spirit. Sharpen my spiritual hearing, Lord, so I can recognize your words when you are speaking to me. Help me know it’s really you, with no doubt or second-guessing. When I’m asking for your guidance in important decisions, give me your peace that surpasses understanding with your answer. Help me remember that your words to me will never go against your written word in the Bible. Give me a clear mind and push out all my confusion. God, help us to practice finding you, help us to discipline our life, may our day begin and end with you. Amen.

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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Let Us Lean into God’s Compassion. Psalm 86:11-17

Psalm 86:11-17 The Message

11-17 Train me, God, to walk straight;
    then I’ll follow your true path.
Put me together, one heart and mind;
    then, undivided, I’ll worship in joyful fear.
From the bottom of my heart I thank you, dear Lord;
    I’ve never kept secret what you’re up to.
You’ve always been great toward me—what love!
    You snatched me from the brink of disaster!
God, these bullies have reared their heads!
    A gang of thugs is after me—
    and they don’t care a thing about you.
But you, O God, are both tender and kind,
    not easily angered, immense in love,
    and you never, never quit.
So look me in the eye and show kindness,
    give your servant the strength to go on,
    save your dear, dear child!
Make a show of how much you love me
    so the bullies who hate me will stand there slack-jawed,
As you, God, gently and powerfully
    put me back on my feet.

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 truly say that they are slow to anger?

We strive to be slow to anger, but we are all always a work in progress.

It helps when we remember we need mercy and grace every day.

We must all confess that we miss the mark, but I know God is slow to anger.

And when we are angry at ourselves for being quick to anger, we know that God looks on us with an unmatched and much undeserved kindness.

His eyes fill with steadfast love, and He helps us through the mess our anger creates for ourselves and anyone else who is in the very near vicinity of it.

We will so freely admit around others we’re so grateful God is compassionate.

To be compassionate means their is within us an empathy to feel sorrow for someone else’s suffering, with a longing, a stirring desire and effort to help.

We see God’s compassion for us in the person of Jesus Christ.

Through Jesus, we can have forgiveness and salvation.

Our lives change when we meet Jesus so that we can know of God’s great compassion – His compassion helps us live for him alone in our day to day.

There is always an action behind compassion.

As we lean into God’s compassion, we begin to see his actions in our lives.

We experience His mercy when we mess up once again.

We know his grace when he encourages us to fall forward into his arms, and He helps us to have courage to be able to stand again when the floor is all we want.

All through the Old Testament, we see how full of mercy God was to his people.

Then in the New Testament, we see Jesus’s compassion on the crowds.

Jesus delivered his good news of freedom, healed the brokenhearted, and gave sight to the blind of eyes and heart.

From the Old Testament we should recall God’s Prophet Jonah who did not understand the Lord’s compassion for the Ninevites and why he, Jonah should be the only one from God to communicate that message of compassion.

He ranted and raved against God, vowed that he would do everything in his power to avoid fulfilling God’s command, ran away from God’s command and ended up spending three days and nights in the belly of a whale before he finally obeyed God, fervently warned the people of Nineveh of imminent destruction.

The Ninevites repented, and God extended compassion to them.

He did not destroy them. Instead of rejoicing, Jonah thought this was very wrong and in the end He pouted in anger because God was compassionate.

We can learn much from Jonah.

For one, to obey right away.

Second, to remember how much we need mercy and grace.

We are not perfect.

We do not have it all together.

Yet, it’s so easy to look at everyone else’s failings and refuse to see our own.

We want to experience God’s compassion, but do we want everyone even our greatest enemy to experience His compassion?

Truth be told, In our most honest moments, we struggle to say yes.

We want God’s acts of compassion toward us.

We want Him to forgive us, to help us, to bless us.

But when we have been angered, when we have been wounded by someone’s betrayal – as Judas betrayed Jesus, we (humanity) want punishment for them.

If there are 100 people out there who are reading this devotional out there in the world, it is reasonably safe to believe no one can confess that “I am not slow to anger,” and when pressured a tiny bit they struggle to show mercy and grace.

But God. by His living Word, He steps in to our anger and answering our prayers reminds us all that we need His compassion just as much as everyone else does.

This truth from Psalm 86:15 keeps us humble and fully reliant on his grace.

Throughout my Cardiac Rehab struggles I’m prayerful for his steadfast love and His strength to extend compassion when I could be compassionless like Jonah.

First, compassionate with myself to not be so angry at myself for my setbacks.

Second, compassionate towards my wife, family and friends who try to help me.

It’s tempting to respond like Jonah – to get flaming angry, want to run away.

But, maybe Jonah did not fully realize how compassionate and merciful God was towards him in letting him live in the belly of the fish while being guided to the shores of his final destination being Nineveh that he could fulfill his mission.

Perhaps He knew God’s nature because he experienced for himself, but he was slow to learn as he grew angry when God showed compassion to the Ninevites.

People whom in his mind he still believed and still felt didn’t deserve it.

We know the Ninevites gave up their evil and violent ways.

They humbled themselves before God, and He responded in compassion.

But, how much did Jonah actually humble himself before seeing God’s victory?

Humility is key in learning to let go of our anger and to receive God’s strength to extend compassion to others.

The book of Jonah ends with God asking Jonah a question, (Jonah 4) and we’re left wondering what happened to him and whether or not there was any change.

Why did Jonah stay angry?

Why did he still harbor resentment toward God?

Why was Jonah so slow to learn to be slow to anger and abounding in mercy?

Intersecting Faith and Life:

The next time we find ourselves struggling with anger, remember Jonah.

Let him be an example of how not to respond so quickly, so often, with anger.

Jonah appreciated God’s compassion for himself, but he grew angry when God showed compassion to people he felt did not deserve it.

What about us in 2024?

God’s compassion extends to all. 

Lean into it and encourage others to lean into it as well.

As we do, we will experience God’s grace, mercy, steadfast love, and strength.

In turn, we will learn to be slower to anger and be quicker to show compassion.

Lord Have Mercy, Christ Have Mercy, Mercy on Me

Psalm 103:7-12 New King James Version

7 He made known His ways to Moses,
His acts to the children of Israel.
8 The Lord is merciful and gracious,
Slow to anger, and abounding in mercy.
9 He will not always strive with us,
Nor will He keep His anger forever.
10 He has not dealt with us according to our sins,
Nor punished us according to our iniquities.

11 For as the heavens are high above the earth,
So great is His mercy toward those who fear Him;
12 As far as the east is from the west,
So far has He removed our transgressions from us.

When Jesus said on the cross, “They do not know what they are doing” (Luke 23:34), he was teaching us a lot about ourselves – what we do with our anger.

We have an uncanny ability to remain blind to our sin and how deeply it cuts God’s fatherly heart.

But when Jesus said, “Father, forgive them,” he was also teaching us about God.

“Father, forgive. …”

These words go well together because the Bible affirms that, above all else, God is a God of mercy!

“The Lord is compassionate and gracious, slow to anger, abounding in love.”

As our heavenly Father, it is in God’s very character to forgive.

Again and again, when we come back from the strange ways of our ignorance, our anger and foolishness, we find God waiting for us with a welcoming heart.

He is ready—even eager!—to forgive us when we return home.

God’s heart is not quick to condemn but, rather, to forgive.

“God did not send his Son … to condemn the world, but to save the world through him” (John 3:17).

In Jesus’ plea from the cross, then, we have both the hard brutal truth about ourselves and the glorious truth about God:

“Father, forgive them, for they do not know what they are doing.”

Thanks be to God that still today Jesus prays, “Father, forgive them,” on our behalf (see Romans 8:34; Hebrews 7:25).

Practice leaning into God’s Compassion – for the sake of self and for others.

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

Let us Pray,

Our Father, which art in heaven, Hallowed be thy Name. Thy Kingdom come. Thy will be done in earth, As it is in heaven. Give us this day our daily bread. And forgive us our trespasses, As we forgive them that trespass against us. And lead us not into temptation, But deliver us from evil. For thine is the kingdom, The power, and the glory, For ever and ever. Amen.

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Our Question for Today: How DO We Know Our God Is Good? Mark 10:18

Mark 10:17-19 New King James Version

Jesus Counsels the Rich Young Ruler

17 Now as He was going out on the road, one came running, knelt before Him, and asked Him, “Good Teacher, what shall I do that I may inherit eternal life?”

18 So Jesus said to him, “Why do you call Me good? No one is good but One, that is, God. 19 You know the commandments: ‘Do not commit adultery,’ ‘Do not murder,’ ‘Do not steal,’ ‘Do not bear false witness,’ ‘Do not defraud,’ ‘Honor your father and your mother.’ ”

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.

Jesus’ reply to the rich man here is full of surprises.

First, in response to being called “Good teacher,” Jesus says, “only God is good.”

Was Jesus saying that he is not God?

No, Jesus answered this way because the rich man saw him as just a man—a good man, but still just a man.

As the rich man stood before Jesus, he was also confronted with the fact that he himself was just a man and not as good as he had thought.

Ultimately, only God is good. (And, of course, Jesus himself is good because he too is God, but he is not drawing attention to himself here.)

In our everyday lives, we use the word good to describe all kinds of things.

We say, “Good morning.” We appreciated a good breakfast. Seeing that the weather is good, we go out to work or to play or meet with our good friends.

The Bible, however, mainly uses the word good to refer to what is pure and holy.

The point Jesus is making is that only the perfect and holy God is truly good.

And yet, as we each find forgiveness through Jesus and we are restored to a right relationship with God, we gain the ability to do good and to be good.

All who are clothed in the righteousness of Christ and act for his glory will one day hear the words “Well done, good and faithful servant!” (see Matthew 25:21, 23).

Question for Today: How We Know That God Is Good?

Mark 10:17-18 Amplified Bible

The Rich Young Ruler

17 As He was leaving on His journey, a man ran up and knelt before Him and asked Him, “Good Teacher [You who are essentially good and morally perfect], what shall I do to inherit eternal life [that is, eternal salvation in the Messiah’s kingdom]?” 18 Jesus said to him, “[a]Why do you call Me good? No one is [essentially] good [by nature] except God alone.

“Why do you call me good?” Jesus asked. “Only God is truly good.” Mark 10:18

God is good in so many ways–the way He provides for us, He guides us, and He watches over us–but it goes even deeper than that.

God’s goodness is who he is, and we are created in his image, so, therefore, we share his goodness.

God’s goodness shows up in our lives every single day.

Although we often think of His goodness when something big happens, His goodness abounds all the time–in every hour, minute, and second of the day, in the smallest of things around us – but how do we recognize this goodness?

Here are five examples of God’s goodness in our everyday lives.

1. Waking Us Up

Psalm 5:1-3 New King James Version

A Prayer for Guidance

To the Chief Musician. With [a]flutes. A Psalm of David.

5 Give ear to my words, O Lord,
Consider my [b]meditation.
2 Give heed to the voice of my cry,
My King and my God,
For to You I will pray.
3 My voice You shall hear in the morning, O Lord;
In the morning I will direct it to You,
And I will look up.

Every day that God wakes us up is an example of his goodness.

This means we are still working towards the purpose and gifts He has given us.

It shows us that He isn’t finished with us yet and that we still have a mission to fulfill.

We shall not grumble and complain about getting out of bed and going to work.

We should be happy that we are still breathing and living for him.

Many are worse off than us who need to see our light shining in the world every day.

2. Pouring His Favor on Us

Psalm 5:11-12 New King James Version

11 But let all those rejoice who put their trust in You;
Let them ever shout for joy, because You [a]defend them;
Let those also who love Your name
Be joyful in You.
12 For You, O Lord, will bless the righteous;
With favor You will surround him as with a shield.

On the days when we are surrounded by the smallest and most significant of blessings, we know that God is pouring his favor on us.

This can be anything from your coworker bringing you your favorite coffee to your boss calling you in their office to discuss a project or raise or promotion.

We need to pay attention to all the little things in our day, both big and small, that are a blessing to us. A lot of times, it’s the little things that mean so much.

3. Protecting Us

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.

Every continent on earth has mountains.

Some are cold, rugged, and difficult to climb. Others are favorite vacation spots.

Still others are sources of water, timber, and other natural resources.

Those who live within view of a mountain range are reminded daily of God’s greatness and our smallness.

Psalm 121 asks us to consider that same contrast.

Setting out for their trip to Jerusalem for a festival, pilgrims often sang this song to remind each other of the dangers of the journey ahead and of the assurances of God’s protection.

God is greater than any so-called god of the hills or mountains—the Lord God is earth’s Creator.

God is more powerful than any force of the sun or moon—the Lord created them too.

The false gods of other ­nations might have had to take vacations, but not the Lord God Almighty, who never slumbers or sleeps.

When we set off on a journey—whether it is a trip of hundreds of miles or only a few steps—we can remind ourselves, as those pilgrims did, we travel with God.

We need not fear the dangers of the road or threats from others; every step of our way is seen by God, who watches over us.

Our God, the Creator of earth’s highest mountains and deepest valleys—and everything in between—is also the protector of our small lives.

4. Speaking to Us through Prayer

Psalm 66:16-20 English Standard Version

16 Come and hear, all you who fear God,
    and I will tell what he has done for my soul.
17 I cried to him with my mouth,
    and high praise was on[a] my tongue.[b]
18 If I had cherished iniquity in my heart,
    the Lord would not have listened.
19 But truly God has listened;
    he has attended to the voice of my prayer.

20 Blessed be God,
    because he has not rejected my prayer
    or removed his steadfast love from me!

Prayer is our most powerful connection to God.

It is how we express our thanks and gratitude, make our petitions known, and intercede for others.

Sometimes we get an answer of “yes,” sometimes, “no” and sometimes, “wait.”

Sometimes, He gives us specific instructions and, sometimes, He is silent.

Other times, He speaks to us and provides us with an answer in the most surprising of ways.

No matter what, He always answers, and we need to look for those answers every day.

In issues big and small, He will often nudge our hearts and draw our attention in the right direction.

5. Guiding Us

Psalm 31:1-4 English Standard Version

Into Your Hand I Commit My Spirit

To the choirmaster. A Psalm of David.

31 In you, O Lord, do I take refuge;
    let me never be put to shame;
    in your righteousness deliver me!
2 Incline your ear to me;
    rescue me speedily!
Be a rock of refuge for me,
    a strong fortress to save me!

3 For you are my rock and my fortress;
    and for your name’s sake you lead me and guide me;
4 you take me out of the net they have hidden for me,
    for you are my refuge.

We make a thousand little decisions a day, everything from deciding whether we will do our tasks well or whether or not to take on a ministry or a mission.

Sometimes, in our decision making we have to slow down, determine whether an opportunity is right or wrong for us and if we should follow a particular path.

In these moments, God is guiding us.

We need to stop, take a breath and pay attention.

How do we feel in our hearts?

How do we feel in our gut?  

We need to be still and listen to that small voice we know so well.

Listen to him whispering to our hearts about what choices are right for us.

Pay attention to the signs He sends us.

This is his way of guiding us and nudging us to our best selves, so that we may live in the gifts and graces we have been given and the purpose He has for us.

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

Let us Pray,

Psalm 23 English Standard Version

The Lord Is My Shepherd

A Psalm of David.

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

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

5 You prepare a table before me
    in the presence of my enemies;
you anoint my head with oil;
    my cup overflows.
6 Surely[d] goodness and mercy[e] shall follow me
    all the days of my life,
and I shall dwell[f] in the house of the Lord
    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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Recognition of Reverend Dr. Martin Luther King Day; As His Message, as God’s Message, Is Now Committed Unto All Of Us. 2 Corinthians 5:16-20

2 Corinthians 5:16-20 Easy-to-Read Version

16 From this time on we don’t think of anyone as the world thinks of people. It is true that in the past we thought of Christ as the world thinks. But we don’t think that way now. 17 When anyone is in Christ, it is a whole new world.[a] The old things are gone; suddenly, everything is new! 18 All this is from God. Through Christ, God made peace between himself and us. And God gave us the work of bringing people into peace with him. 19 I mean that God was in Christ, making peace between the world and himself. In Christ, God did not hold people guilty for their sins. And he gave us this message of peace to tell people. 20 So we have been sent to speak for Christ. It is like God is calling to people through us. We speak for Christ when we beg you to be at peace with God.

The Word of God for the Children of God.

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

Dr. Martin Luther King and the Kingdom Of God

In the United States today we commemorate the life and work of Reverend Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. (MLK).

As well we should.

Dr. King stood before the thousands who had gathered – said he had a dream …

A significant God-sized dream …

Dr. King dreamed about the kingdom of God—where the children of former slaves and the children of former slaveowners would see each other as family, and the message; where everyone would share equally in freedom and justice.

Dr. King also did what he could to influence people to refocus their mindsets into God, so to make that kingdom dream real, even at the cost of his own life.

Even today, we are challenged mightily to be true unto that same dream to see all people not by the color of their skin as Christ saw people, but God’s children.

In a word, reconcile the world to God.

As if God Himself is communicating to His Creation … through His Son and through his messengers like Dr. Martin Luther King … His desired message …

Apostle Paul writes to the Corinthian followers that the word of reconciliation has been committed to us by God and that God makes His appeal through us.

He is in us.

Emmanuel, God with Us …

Emmanuel, God within us …

John 14:15-17 Easy-to-Read Version

The Promise of the Holy Spirit

15 “If you love me, you will do what I command. 16 I will ask the Father, and he will give you another Helper[a] to be with you forever. 17 The Helper is the Spirit of truth.[b] The people of the world cannot accept him, because they don’t see him or know him. But you know him. He lives with you, and he will be in you.

And He’s doing it, and that is what saves us from fear and from uncertainty and stumbling from mistakes in the work of witnessing.

Our reasoned logic, our wisest arguments, and so on are of no effect whatsoever in this topic, except as they be the living expression of the Holy Spirit within us.

He will do his work; all we need to be is to be bold enough, courageous enough, ready enough to respond to the situation, depending on Jesus to do His work.

This relieves one of the greatest fears that keep people from witnessing.

It should help us tremendously to realize that we do not have to pump up our courage, “to gird our own loins” and tackle a situation in which we hardly know what we are coming into at all – because we know that God is already on the job.

We may be talking to somebody that is a stranger to us.

We do not know what their background is, what their ability is, what their mental acumen is, or anything of the sort.

We do not need to know.

All we need to know about or do is just carry on a normal conversation about ordinary things.

If we can but look to the Lord to find an opening to insert just a word that will switch the conversation over toward the things of Christ, that may lead the time towards deeper conversation about the deeper things, more meaningful things.

If this is a prepared heart, that person will respond.

If it is not one that the Holy Spirit has prepared, then they just won’t respond.

Therefore, the work of testifying and witnessing to God’s message is impossible until the Holy Spirit has made the person ready to receive God’s message alone.

We do not practice this work of witnessing without realizing that sometimes the initial response is sometimes different than what we would hope, expect.

One may discover that the person is often belligerent at first, but has a hungry heart underneath.

One learns to be quick at perceiving that and paying no attention to what he says, but instead speaking to what he is displaying in their own inner hunger.

But any kind of response is a good response, an open door opportunity as long as it is an open door by which you could pursue the subject deeper and further.

We do not need to pray for the Holy Spirit to prepare hearts.

He is already preparing them.

He has them prepared all around us.

Jesus said, Don’t you have a saying, ‘It’s still four months until harvest’? I tell you, open your eyes and look at the fields! They are ripe for harvest (John 4:35).

These prepared, hungry hearts, hearts yearning for answers, are all around us.

Our ministry and mission is simply to be so available to the Lord, that as we have the kingdom opportunity to make contact from day to day, we can be used of Him to find who they are, learn about them, and carry this witness forward.

As children of God, we represent the family of God, whether we are aware of it or not.

The world will judge our Father based on our words, behaviors, and attitudes.

Jesus challenges his followers to let their light shine into the world’s spiritual darkness.

Our deeds, good or bad, beautiful or ugly, will reflect an image of the Father that others will see.

If we are a Christian, we each, without exception, bear the name of Christ.

We represent Jesus quite literally wherever we go.

The Bible goes as far as to call us “Christ’s ambassadors” to the world.

Christ made His appeal to the world through Reverend Dr. Martin Luther King.

In 2024 and beyond, Christ is now making His appeal to the world through us.

He sends us forward to share his transforming love with our neighbors, friends, relatives, coworkers—through every single one we encounter on any given day.

We carry the family name of Jesus Christ wherever we go, in whatever we do.

On this Martin Luther King Day 2024, How well do we carry the name of Jesus?

Walk through today expecting the Holy Spirit to give you opportunities to share the truths of Jesus and be an ambassador of reconciliation.

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

Let us Pray,

Here is a prayer of Dr. King’s prayers from a collection titled, “Thou, Dear God”: Prayers That Open Hearts and Spirits (edited by Lewis V. Baldwin):

1)  Prayer to forgive us for what we could have been but failed to be

O Thou Eternal God, out of whose absolute power and infinite intelligence the whole universe has come into being, we humbly confess that we have not loved thee with our hearts, souls and minds, and we have not loved our neighbors as Christ loved us. We have all too often lived by our own selfish impulses rather than by the life of sacrificial love as revealed by Christ. We often give in order to receive. We love our friends and hate our enemies. We go the first mile but dare not travel the second. We forgive but dare not forget. And so as we look within ourselves, we are confronted with the appalling fact that the history of our lives is the history of an eternal revolt against you. But thou, O God, have mercy upon us. Forgive us for what we could have been but failed to be. Give us the intelligence to know your will. Give us the courage to do your will. Give us the devotion to love thy will. In the name and spirit of Jesus we pray. Amen. (p. 7)

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

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Our Heart Versus Our Awesome God! God’s Hammer Will Soften Our Heart. Jeremiah 23:29

Jeremiah 23:28-29 The Message

28-29 “You prophets who do nothing but dream—
    go ahead and tell your silly dreams.
But you prophets who have a message from me—
    tell it truly and faithfully.
What does straw have in common with wheat?
    Nothing else is like God’s Decree.
Isn’t my Message like fire?” God’s Decree.
    “Isn’t it like a sledgehammer busting a rock?

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 this ancient text, the Prophet Jeremiah uses two startling images to describe the Word of God.

It is like a fire and it is like a sledge hammer.

Both are images of power -almost of danger.

The point is that this Word of God, the Message of God is not to be treated lightly, or indifferently, but handled with extreme care.

In the context Jeremiah is preaching against false prophets.

And the warning in v28 is serious news for all preachers: “Let the one who has my word speak it faithfully.”

The analogy used here by Jeremiah of God’s Word being “like a hammer which shatters a rock” likely has the sense of the power of God’s Word in shattering and breaking up the hardness of our hearts.

John Gill, a Puritan writer commented on this passage,

“to which the heart of man may be compared, being hardened by sin, confirmed in it; destitute of spiritual life; stupid and senseless; stubborn and inflexible; on which no impressions are made, and is impenitent and inflexible; see (Zechariah 7:12); now the word of the Lord, in the hand of the Spirit, is a means of breaking such hard hearts.”

In a word, God’s Word breaks the rock of “SELF” into pieces, so God can shape, break apart, break down and then work His purposes out in our life, making it possible for us to be sculpted into usefulness for His own kingdom purposes.

I am sure we have all dealt with a hard heart and so need the hammer of God’s Word to do a major softening work in breaking down the hardness of our heart.

God’s Hammer Softens Our Hearts

Jeremiah 23:28-29 Amplified Bible

28 The prophet who has a dream may tell his dream; but he who has My word, let him speak My word faithfully. What has straw in common with wheat [for nourishment]?” says the Lord. 29 “Is not My word like fire [that consumes all that cannot endure the test]?” says the Lord, “and like a hammer that breaks the [most stubborn] rock [in pieces]?

Have you heard of God’s indestructible hammer as described in Jeremiah 23:29?

If not, you may never have thought or been taught or preached to of God’s Word being like a powerful hammer.

The Old Testament often describes how at times, the Israelites hearts had hardened towards God. 

Zechariah 7:12 explains, “They made their hearts as hard as flint and would not listen to the law or to the words that the Lord Almighty had sent by His Spirit through the earlier prophets. So the Lord Almighty was very angry.”

To have an adamant or hard heart describes a person who simply refuses to be persuaded, who is steadfast and unmovable or unshakeable in their thinking.

In Scripture, it refers to the spiritual condition of a person who is rebellious towards God’s law and His words.

By describing their heart condition as hard as flint, the hardest of stones and used to cut other rocks, meant their hearts were hardened to the point where they were too hard to receive God’s law, to be carved or to receive His words.

Yet God’s hammer, His Word, is able to judge the hardest of heart. It’s able to infiltrate into the deepest part of man’s heart and bring to light true motives, thoughts, and attitudes.

Can we imagine such a hammer, His hammer is able to break the unbreakable kind of rock, to utterly shatter man’s stubbornness and arrogance against God.

As Hebrews 4:12 describes, “For the word of God is alive and active. Sharper than any double-edged sword, it penetrates even to dividing soul and spirit, joints and marrow; it judges the thoughts and attitudes of the heart.”

R.C. Sproul writes, “God’s hammer smashes not just the icons of the world around us; it also smashes the idols of my heart. It is hard, heavy, even painful, precisely because of the love of the One who wields it. He has promised to forgive me for my hard heart but has also promised to soften it.”

Ezekiel 36:26 reveals God’s desire towards men, “I will give you a new heart and put a new spirit in you; I will remove from you your heart of stone and you a heart of flesh.”

Like a physical hammer shatters when hard swung, God’s hammer demolishes spiritual strongholds as 2 Corinthians 10:4 explains “The weapons we fight with are not the weapons of the world. On the contrary, they have divine power to demolish strongholds.”

With God’s hammer, as 2 Corinthians 10:5 describes, “We demolish arguments and every pretension that sets itself up against the knowledge of God, and we take captive every thought to make it obedient to Christ.”

God’s Word in Our Heart Comes Alive in Our Lives

There is power in the Word of God.

It is empowered with His living energy.

In the pages of Scripture, we read the story of life… life as God created it… life as God sustains it… life as God will forever reign over it.

All Scripture is inspired by God (2 Timothy 3:16). 

Its origin is divine… originating in the mind of the all-wise and omniscient One.

It is Truth in its purest form.

The Holy Spirit gave God’s true and holy words to the authors of Scripture.

God’s Word has been cherished by believers throughout history.

We, too, are to treasure it as the very words of God for us personally.

By it we learn to grow in His love and grace.

“’Is not My word like fire?’ says the Lord, ‘And like a hammer that breaks the rock in pieces?’” – Jeremiah 23:29

How is God’s Word like fire?

Fire burns away the brush, the chaff in our lives.

All wrong thinking, beliefs, ideas, motives are set ablaze as we read God’s Word.

False doctrine is reduced to ashes as as we are correctly taught the truth, as we learn how to live the Truth (1 Corinthians 3:13).

Fire melts away the dross, the sin in our lives (Zechariah 13:9). 

When silver is melted and the impurities burned away, it gleams and reflects light.

As we become more pure, more Christlike by applying God’s Word to our lives, we better reflect our Savior.

Fire gives light to open our eyes to our own unrighteousness (Romans 3:23). 

We see how desperately we need a Savior.

God’s Word shows us how we are to live.

It enlightens our spiritual path (Psalm 119:105). 

Through it, God reveals His will for our lives.

Fire radiates the warmth of God’s love for us.

In God’s Word we discover His undying love and faithfulness.

In its richness, we find His comfort and encouragement (Zephaniah 3:17).

Our faith is strengthened.

Fire sets a flame in our hearts for God.

Through His Word our spiritual zeal is ignited (Jeremiah 20:9). 

We desire to share all that God has done for us. We long to tell the Good News of salvation in Christ to the lost.

How is God’s Word like a hammer?

A hammer breaks up the hardened, unhumble heart… a heart hardened by sin.

The Truth of God’s Word reveals our need for repentance.

Our hearts of stone crumble in the presence of our Redeemer (Ezekiel 36:26).

A hammer shatters all pride and stubbornness.

In God’s Word, we see how far we fall short of His holiness and perfection.

We read of our humble, loving Savior who was bruised and broken for us.

With broken and contrite hearts (Psalm 51:17), we seek to emulate Him.

A hammer smashes the worldliness in our lives.

God’s Word shows us how kingdom values contrast with worldly values.

It crushes our earthly, temporal desires.

We come to live life with God’s perspective… storing up heavenly, eternal treasures (Matthew 6:20).

A hammer destroys the evil in our lives.

God’s Word is the sword of the Spirit we use to resist the evil one (Ephesians 6:17). 

The power of His Word demolishes the strongholds of the enemy (2 Corinthians 10:4).

Nothing can stand against His mighty Word.

“My word that comes from My mouth will not return to Me empty, but it will accomplish what I please and will prosper in what I send it to do.” – Isaiah 55:11

God reveals Himself to us through His Word.

His revelations give our finite minds a glimpse into all that is infinite… holy… eternal – we gain not just head knowledge but Spirit wisdom.

Anyone can read the Bible and gain information.

Yet only the divine inspiration and revelation of the Holy Spirit can take this information and cause transformation in our lives.

We begin to transform into the likeness of Christ from the inside out.

“Blessed are those who hear the word of God and follow it.” – Luke 11:28

In His Word, God not only gives us the guidelines for a life in His favor, protection and blessing.

He also promises to come alongside us personally through His Spirit, giving us the power and courage to live out His guidelines in our daily walk.

For when God’s mighty Word lives in our hearts, it comes alive in our lives.

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

Let us Pray,

Living Word, Lord of wisdom, I sometimes, well, actually most times, I am finding understanding the Bible to be difficult. I know you want me to apply your word to my life. I thank you for giving me your word so I can grow in my relationship with you. Holy Spirit, Help me grasp what you want me to know as I read your revealed word. Open my eyes to see the wonderful truths in your instructions. Be my teacher, so I can learn to apply them, live and obey your word. Thank you for your wise advice. Amen.

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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As We Have Accepted Christ Into Our Lives: Freedom From Worldly Rules. Colossians 2:6-7

Colossians 2:6-7 New Living Translation

Freedom from Rules and New Life in Christ

6 And now, just as you accepted Christ Jesus as your Lord, you must continue to follow him. 7 Let your roots grow down into him, and let your lives be built on him. Then your faith will grow strong in the truth you were taught, and you will overflow 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.

Parents quickly understand the necessity of rules in order to keep children safe.

Six years ago, when I ventured into pre-school teaching for four and five year old’s, I learned for toddlers, the rules are very simple but often life or death!

Rules like listen to your mom and dad, listen to your teachers, sit up straight, don’t run out into the street; don’t touch a hot stove; don’t run into a burning campfire; don’t jump into the water without a life jacket before you can swim …don’t get lost.

When they reach school age, the rules include manners- respecting their teachers and other adults in their lives; and honesty, reading, and studying hard for tests instead of their peering over onto another classmate’s paper.

As they grow older, and they observe people, the rules become a more tangled mess of life, morality we, ourselves, struggle alongside our kin to maintain.

At any age, rules more often allow us to frame how we become the best version of ourselves rather than always inhibiting us from experiencing life to the full. 

A rule, as a noun, is defined as a principle or regulation governing conduct, an action, procedure, arrangement, etc.

As a verb, to rule means to control or direct; to exercise domination power, to have authority, or influence over; to govern.

I found it interesting that the heading before today’s verses, in the NLT translation of the Bible, reads: “Freedom from Rules and New Life in Christ.” 

Jesus didn’t come to abolish the necessary growth we obtain through following rules; He came so we would have freedom, “to be free indeed,” to benefit from complete obedience, though we cannot obtain perfection this side of heaven.

Christ Jesus makes up for our lack.

Freedom From Rules?

Matthew 5:17-18 The Message

Completing God’s Law

17-18 “Don’t suppose for a minute that I have come to demolish the Scriptures—either God’s Law or the Prophets. I’m not here to demolish but to complete. I am going to put it all together, pull it all together in a vast panorama. God’s Law is more real and lasting than the stars in the sky and the ground at your feet. Long after stars burn out and earth wears out, God’s Law will be alive and working.

Two spiritual poisons are deadly to the soul: legalism and lawlessness.

Legalism implies that God loves and accepts us because of our performance.

We ingest this toxin when we look favorably at our own brief history of good behavior and think and then (gasp) come to believe that’s why God loves us.

Lawlessness says we are free to live however we wish because God’s love is not based on our good works.

We ingest this toxin anytime we brush aside the importance of obedience to God or we self reason and self rationalize then (gasp) minimize some sin in our life.

Jesus warns against both.

To those who insist that God’s law is unimportant, Jesus says he has come to obey God’s law perfectly.

Obedience to God matters so absolutely much that Jesus had to keep God’s commandments perfectly (fulfilling the law) so that we might have salvation.

At the same time, also Jesus warns that if we try to gain God’s approval based on our moral and ethical performance, our goodness must then surpass that of the Pharisees and teachers of the law – “be the wisest above everyone’s eyes.”

They were high and mighty religious authorities and experts famous for their “obedience to the law” but still so far from perfect, as Jesus often pointed out.

The Gospel is that although we cannot obey God’s law, Jesus fulfilled it for us.

Then he was punished for our sake as a law-breaker so that God might view us as law-keepers!

As the gospel truly lives in us, may we live a life of obedience to God that flows from deep gratitude to Jesus, who frees us from both legalism and lawlessness.

Freedom from rules, through Christ, releases the pressure of a burden we can never hope live up to. Jesus was the perfect sacrifice, willing to walk out the will of His Father to free us from the burden of our own sin …and lack of obedience.

Though our hearts are often in the right place as we wake each day to follow Jesus, we carry with us a hopeless entanglement of sin that trips into our daily lives and then, prayerfully rolls over into our confession of them in the next.

Grace-filled and unfailing in love for us, God made a way for us to be forgiven and a chance to repent …to change. 

From the Parable of the Sower, we know that seedling planted in the ground slowly makes its way up through the soil and breaks through to see the sun.

Our lives are a continual process of blooming where we are planted.

Paul uses the illustration of our “being rooted in Christ,” the Life Application Bible explains, “Just as plants draw nourishment from the soil through their roots, we draw our life-giving strength from Christ.

Colossians 2:6-7 The Message

From the Shadows to the Substance

6-7 My counsel for you is simple and straightforward: Just go ahead with what you’ve been given. You received Christ Jesus, the Master; now live him. You’re deeply rooted in him. You’re well constructed upon him. You know your way around the faith. Now do what you’ve been taught. School’s out; quit studying the subject and start living it! And let your living spill over into thanksgiving.

The more we raise up, draw our strength from him, the less we will be fooled or entangled by those who falsely claim to have life’s answers apart from Christ.”

Our Life Now On God’s Terms, New Life In Christ.

Romans 8:1-2 The Message

The Solution Is Life on God’s Terms

8 1-2 With the arrival of Jesus, the Messiah, that fateful dilemma is resolved. Those who enter into Christ’s being-here-for-us no longer have to live under a continuous, low-lying black cloud. A new power is in operation. The Spirit of life in Christ, like a strong wind, has magnificently cleared the air, freeing you from a fated lifetime of brutal tyranny at the hands of sin and death.

Today’s verses from Paul’s letter to the Colossians I pray encourage us to keep raising up, a life straining for the light and to let our roots grow down into Him.

Perennials are those plants that return year after year and spread out each time they come back to life in the Spring.

I like to plant things that tend to grow and spread out without my obvious lack of a green thumb to hindering their life cycle.

What begins as a spacious garden soon overflows with fresh wildflowers.

I love giving nature a space to take over in my yard and plodding out to pick fresh blooms each day as more and more cut through to the light of the sun. 

Our lives are new every day, just as God’s mercy is new every day.

He is faithful to complete His promise of our new life in Christ.

We are a new creation in Him, and it doesn’t happen overnight!

A bulk of the change occurs progressively over time, season after season, and year after year.

“New life in Christ starts and continues when we acknowledge Him as leader over all we are and do,” just as the Life Application Study Bible explains;

“Then we must accept his leadership daily by being rooted, built up, and strengthened in the faith.” 

Intersecting Faith and Life

Ephesians 2:16-22 The Message

16-18 Christ brought us together through his death on the cross. The Cross got us to embrace, and that was the end of the hostility. Christ came and preached peace to you outsiders and peace to us insiders. He treated us as equals, and so made us equals. Through him we both share the same Spirit and have equal access to the Father.

19-22 That’s plain enough, isn’t it? You’re no longer wandering exiles. This kingdom of faith is now your home country. You’re no longer strangers or outsiders. You belong here, with as much right to the name Christian as anyone. God is building a home. He’s using us all—irrespective of how we got here—in what he is building. He used the apostles and prophets for the foundation. Now he’s using you, fitting you in brick by brick, stone by stone, with Christ Jesus as the cornerstone that holds all the parts together. We see it taking shape day after day—a holy temple built by God, all of us built into it, a temple in which God is quite at home.

Today’s verses talk of freedom in Savior Christ overflowing with thankfulness as a result of the truth we are being taught.

Gratitude is a natural by-product of knowing God.

It’s impossible to know Him and not be able to grasp gratitude, even in the worst and hardest of times.

Today’s beautiful verses, written by the apostle Paul, I pray remind us all of the amazing gift of freedom we have as we embrace life within the love of Christ.

If ever we find ourselves feeling burdened by rules, we can be assured the guilt is not rooted in Him!

But freedom is.

We are free to admit our weaknesses, run to Him in our lack, and know without a doubt He sacrifices His perfect life so we could live ours to the full.

He is with us, always.

Let’s release the pressure, follow Jesus, allow our roots to grow down in Him, and our lives be built on Him.

Let’s proclaim freedom, embrace the promise Paul penned: Then our faith will grow strong in the truth we are taught, and we will overflow with thankfulness.

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

Let us Pray,

Psalm 16 The Message

16 1-2 Keep me safe, O God,
    I’ve run for dear life to you.
I say to God, “Be my Lord!”
    Without you, nothing makes sense.

3 And these God-chosen lives all around—
    what splendid friends they make!

4 Don’t just go shopping for a god.
    Gods are not for sale.
I swear I’ll never treat god-names
    like brand-names.

5-6 My choice is you, God, first and only.
    And now I find I’m your choice!
You set me up with a house and yard.
    And then you made me your heir!

7-8 The wise counsel God gives when I’m awake
    is confirmed by my sleeping heart.
Day and night I’ll stick with God;
    I’ve got a good thing going and I’m not letting go.

9-10 I’m happy from the inside out,
    and from the outside in, I’m firmly formed.
You canceled my ticket to hell—
    that’s not my destination!

11 Now you’ve got my feet on the life path,
    all radiant from the shining of your face.
Ever since you took my hand,
    I’m on the right way.

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

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