Tag: jesus

Despite my 999%’Awkward, Chaotic, Life-Defeating Limiting worldview’ I yet choose to Walk, March, Marathon forward, into the Category 5 winds of the Will of God. 2 Corinthians 4:16-18

2 Corinthians 4:16-18 The Message

16-18 So we’re not giving up. How could we! Even though on the outside it often looks like things are falling apart on us, on the inside, where God is making new life, not a day goes by without his unfolding grace. These hard times are small potatoes compared to the coming good times, the lavish celebration prepared for us. There’s far more here than meets the eye. The things we see now are here today, gone tomorrow. But the things we can’t see now will last forever.

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.

https://science.howstuffworks.com/nature/natural-disasters/experience-category-5-hurricane.htm

No Room for Despair

A fundamental lesson for believers is to learn that we need not despair but always be filled with hope.

Even in the extreme cases of addressing the death of loved ones, the apostle says, “Brothers and sisters, we do not want you to be uninformed about those who sleep in death, so that you do not grieve like the rest of mankind, who have no hope” (1 Thessalonians 4:13).

The reasons Paul did “not lose heart” is because he knew certain truths about God and His wonderful work—truths which are also true with us as believers.

Each of us can and should also master this lesson of “no despair.”

No one needs to lose heart.

Yes, each of us at specific points will be tested, tried, perhaps even tempted to give up our hope to live (like Paul 2 Corinthians 6:9), but we need not lose heart.

Losing heart is similar to losing hope.

We no longer possess the spirit to persist, endure and do our best.

“Lose heart” describes a perspective of the world where one no longer sees a way forward that works.

If we look around and live by sight, we can understand how such conclusions are made and accepted, but those that live by faith live in light of eternal truths and need not despair.

In Light of Eternal Truth

There are several steps to resist the loss of hope despite what trials one faces.

The first is to admit to our weaknesses.

Acknowledge Our Weakness

I don’t think we realize the importance of admitting to our weaknesses, but this is exactly where Paul began: “but though our outer man is decaying” (2 Cor 4:16).

The outer man no doubt refers to our physical bodies, though perhaps it also includes other things such as those elements that are linked to our bodies like our minds and emotions.

The secularists only consider the existence of our physical bodies and our life experiences, denying the spiritual world, but this aversion to spiritual matters was not true back then.

In any case, we can fully understand what he means.

One friend just fell and broke her ankle. Others still face seasonable allergies.

Still others, including me, are aging, and our strength, alertness, and memory, year by year deteriorate. Paul used the word decaying, which represents a daily decline and worsening of what otherwise was an excellent working system.

By recognizing our weaknesses, though Paul does not elaborate on this point, we can find the strength that we need.

Before something can be fixed, we need to study what is wrong, perhaps x-ray a broken part. This is the reason doctors take X-rays. I remember looking at my left hip’s X-ray depicting the 7 individual fragments all around the head of my femur. My hip was fixed with a partial prosthetic not a full complete prosthetic .

22 years later for MRIs; Helpful advice necessarily mentions one’s weaknesses.

This is true spiritually too because we need faith to come into God’s presence.

Satan seeks to make us doubt God’s good intention or His control of the world’s affairs so that our prayers—the real change agent—are ineffective.

On the other hand, when we trust God, by fixing our minds on God’s promises, it allows the Spirit to strengthen and nourish our faith and enable our souls to turn on the Light of Christ, entrust our souls to our true Creator (1 Peter 4:19).

By glancing—not staring—at our weaknesses, we can acknowledge them and aggressively seek out our Lord’s strength.

When we hide all our weaknesses, we tend to unwisely support our complaints with doubts and excuses about our passive pursuit of resurrection refreshment.

When this doubt is put aside, however, and we admit our weakness before the throne in faith, then we can sincerely ask Him for help.

Our peace with God (Romans 5:1) brings us to the place of extraordinary faith which in turn leads to awesome fortitude.

Romans 5:1-5 Living Bible

5 So now, since we have been made right in God’s sight by faith in his promises, we can have real peace with him because of what Jesus Christ our Lord has done for us. 2 For because of our faith, he has brought us into this place of highest privilege where we now stand, and we confidently and joyfully look forward to actually becoming all that God has had in mind for us to be.

3 We can rejoice, too, when we run into problems and trials, for we know that they are good for us—they help us learn to be patient. 4 And patience develops strength of character in us and helps us trust God more each time we use it until finally our hope and faith are strong and steady. 5 Then, when that happens, we are able to hold our heads high no matter what happens and know that all is well, for we know how dearly God loves us, and we feel this warm love everywhere within us because God has given us the Holy Spirit to fill our hearts with his love.

Our Strength

Without understanding how we get our hope and strength, we will be confused at Paul’s statement, “yet our inner man is being renewed day by day” (1 Cor 4:16).

Paul reveals the operation of this renewal process in the previous verses of Romans 5:3-5.

Paul was well-acquainted with his tribulations—a term which includes every affliction common to the human race.

Paul has somehow come to exult “in our tribulations” (Romans 5:3). He continues to express how this works in verses 4-5.

When troubling times come, the great, all-encompassing love of God is poured out through the Holy Spirit. This awesome love provides comfort and strength in our souls so that we persevere in our faith, seeing all sorts of fine fruit.

Paul, like us, did not seek for such trials, but when they come, we, like him, if and as we move forward, will also discover a shower of extra grace from God.

Paul refers to this renewal process when he mentions the inner man.

https://www.blueletterbible.org/esv/2co/4/16/t_conc_1082016

While the ability of our bodies can walk, swim, bike, run, defend, or otherwise help our distressful situations, God brings in His abundance of other resources to outfit our souls—which he refers to here with the term “inner man.”

Ezekiel 34:25-27 New American Standard Bible

25 “And I will make a covenant of peace with them and eliminate harmful animals from the land, so that they may live securely in the wilderness and sleep in the woods. 26 I will make them and the places around My hill a blessing. And I will make showers fall in their season; they will be showers of blessing. 27  Also the tree of the field will yield its fruit and the earth will yield its produce, and they will be secure on their land. Then they will know that I am the Lord, when I have broken the bars of their yoke and have saved them from the hand of those who enslaved them.

Paul did not seek such trials, but when they came (and they did come with a hard vengeance) we, like him, also discover a shower of extra grace from God.

But Paul doesn’t speak about improved circumstances here. There were no improved circumstances that helped his inner spirit.

It was while Paul was in a Philippian jailhouse that he instructed us to “Rejoice in the Lord always” (Phil 4:4).

The joy does not come from expected, unexpectedly good or easy circumstances but from the Lord Jesus Himself even though he is unjustly chained in a jail cell.

Nehemiah 8:10-11 New American Standard Bible

10 Then he said to them, “Go, eat the festival foods, drink the sweet drinks, and send portions to him who has nothing prepared; for this day is holy to our Lord. Do not be grieved, for the joy of the Lord is your [a]refuge.” 11 So the Levites silenced all the people, saying, “Be still, for the day is holy; do not be grieved.”

Faith, trust, hope in the indelible message of truth of God’s Word confers onto Paul a key biblical mindset that allowed him to discern his true circumstances.

One cannot see the spiritual world, at least usually, but it doesn’t matter.

He makes a comparison only possible through a deeper spiritual understanding of reality, including a picture of the spiritual world and all future tomorrows.

For example, Paul could only speak about his trials as “momentary, and light affliction” because he knew his suffering, though difficult, was quickly passing in light of eternity. The truth of the eternal age, adorned by its glory, makes all the events on earth, especially the difficult ones, as of minute consequence.

The little discomfort (though it doesn’t feel that way when enduring it) is seen in the light of the great rewards of the future.

The accompaniment of pain can produce an “eternal weight of glory far beyond comparison” if rightly lived out by faith. No pain, no gain—the old adage goes.

And so, by faith and trust, we see a greater set of truths enclose and swallow up the miseries and injustice experienced on earth.

This biblical perspective demonstrates the dramatic way truth can positively affect our lives. By situating each element side by side, which we experience on earth with the eternal, the suffering becomes incomparable or immeasurable.

In other words, we need not be overly concerned with the enormous pain like childbirth for the following joy will eclipse the momentary pain experienced.

Something Greater Here

In conclusion, I want to identify the greater principle(s) from these verses.

Paul first allows us to be genuinely broken and humbled by our circumstances.

Our true identity doesn’t come from how people mistreat us but by how God will treat us in the future.

Nor is our worth measured by what we have or don’t have here on earth for our circumstances are temporary.

They are momentary when viewed by the greater picture of the eternal world.

Besides, God will greatly reward us in the age to come for properly enduring the brief difficulties we suffered here on earth.

So we can use our sickness, trauma, loss of limb, fraying mind, and dire poverty to do the previously unthinkable, unrecognizable, action to bring glory to God.

They all become special opportunities to give praise to Him.

Let me give an example.

Maybe my arm starts troubling me as I get older.

I do what I can to lessen its pain and to make it better, but it remains troubling.

So for that indefinite time, God gives me the opportunity to especially praise Him by using my weakness as a prop to praise Him. (2 Corinthians 12:9)

If I live in faith, recognizing His great reward (Heb 11:3), then I can bring glory to His name through the use of my arm.

Though I admit my arm hurts, instead of complaining and living focused on its discomfort, I am cheerful and I am as busy as possible serving others.

When I see the Lord, my arm’s pain will become a relic from the distant past, but the Lord knows that I sacrificially used it in pain and faith to comfort or otherwise help other brothers and sisters.

And so the seeming ignoble times become glorifying moments, a time to wrestle our hearts, trust, and minds into a victory of trust in our Lord issuing forth eternal blessings.

I don’t run away, walk away, retreat, forget, minimize the present blessings of comfort and joy within these times of trials, but my focus is on the eternal here.

In a blink of an eye, time will end, God completely erases tears from your lives.

God will give His people their new bodies and kindly reward them (which is also pure grace).

We need to follow up this theological perspective by making life commitments to live by faith, so prepare to embrace any difficulties with the sword faith (Eph 6:17).

Our lives become marked men and women of faith, consciously journeying with the others listed in Hebrews 11, taking each hard moment and translating it into a beautiful, God-glorifying picture further ushering in God’s eternal kingdom and finds eternal remembrance in the rewards you obtain.

Conclusion

No believer’s situation, no matter how difficult or unpleasant, disables the believer from mastering these special opportunities to secure these eternal rewards. Difficult circumstances enable God’s people to gain these rewards at a quicker pace. No one but you and I can exclude ourselves from these rewards.

Jesus in John 15 speaks about bearing fruit.

We don’t live for the fruit, but it remains an important part of the image of every healthy fruit tree.

I know it’s too easy to get down over our circumstances, blame God for our problems, but the truth—heightened affliction increases our opportunities for eternal reward—lives on.

Instead of being glum, we can, like the eagle flying low in the valley, feel the rush of warm air and rise up in faith trusting that, one day, all will be good.

  1. Think of one or two people around you, maybe you, who have lost heart. What characteristics best describe them?
  2. Would you say, “lose heart” is the same as lost hope? Explain.
  3. What is our “outer man” (4:16)?
  4. Describe our “inner man.”
  5. How does one’s inner man become renewed?
  6. Why does our inner man need renewing?
  7. Why does Paul use the word “momentary” in verse 17?
  8. Was the “light affliction” light?
  9. Have you ever been hurt or received unjust treatment? How did you respond? How might your experience, if it was not by faith, differ if you responded in faith, considering it as an opportunity to gain reward?
  10. Give three personal examples to prove that you live for the eternal world which cannot be seen rather than this earthly world.

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

Praying …

The Works and the Word of God.

For the music director. A Psalm of David.

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

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

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

https://translate.google.com/

Changed by Resurrection; Behold, I will tell you a mystery: We shall not all sleep, but we shall all be changed. 1 Corinthians 15:50-58

1 Corinthians 15:50-58New King James Version

Our Final Victory

50 Now this I say, brethren, that flesh and blood cannot inherit the kingdom of God; nor does corruption inherit incorruption. 51 Behold, I tell you a [a]mystery: We shall not all sleep, but we shall all be changed— 52 in a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trumpet. For the trumpet will sound, and the dead will be raised incorruptible, and we shall be changed. 53 For this corruptible must put on incorruption, and this mortal must put on immortality.  54 So when this corruptible has put on incorruption, and this mortal has put on immortality, then shall be brought to pass the saying that is written: “Death is swallowed up in victory.”

55 “O[b] Death, where is your sting?
O Hades, where is your victory?”

56 The sting of death is sin, and the strength of sin is the law. 57 But thanks be to God, who gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ.

58 Therefore, my beloved brethren, be steadfast, immovable, always abounding in the work of the Lord, knowing that your labor is not in vain in the Lord.

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.

Now, imagine for a moment, if you will, a caterpillar.

This small, fuzzy earthbound creature spends its days crawling on the ground, limited by its physical form. But then, a transformation occurs.

The caterpillar enters a cocoon and emerges as a butterfly, no longer bound to the earth but free to soar in the sky.

This is not just a change; it is a complete transformation, a metamorphosis.

In a similar way, we too, as believers in Christ, will experience a miraculous transformation. But our transformation will not be from a caterpillar to a butterfly. It will be from mortal to immortal, from perishable to imperishable.

Just as Jesus was raised with a body, we too will be raised. We will have new bodies, bodies that are not bound by the limitations of this world, bodies that are free to live in the eternal glory of God’s kingdom.

So, as we embark on this journey today, let us keep this image in our minds.

Let us remember the promise of our future bodily transformation, the promise that just as Jesus was raised with a body, we too will be raised.

Let us hold on to this hope, for it is the hope of our faith, the surest hope of our salvation, and the hope of our eternal life in Christ.

What is the meaning of 1 Corinthians 15 50 58?

1 Corinthians 15:50–58 powerfully concludes Apostle Paul’s teaching on the resurrection of Christians: when the last trumpet blasts and Christ returns for those who belong to Him. In that moment, all believers in Jesus, living and dead, will be transformed into the glorified, eternal bodies God has promised.

What is the lesson of 1 Corinthians 15 51 58?

Main idea: The Resurrection gives followers of Jesus a hope that the world does not have nor can it gift or give. The victory of Jesus means the death of death, and though we can still grieve, we do not grieve as those without hope.

While we are alive, our spirits are united with our bodies.

When we die, our spirits depart, and our lifeless bodies return to the earth. Is that the final destiny for our bodies?

Some religions welcome death as a release from the “prison” of the body.

But, according to the Bible, God made us to have both souls and bodies; moreover, he made our bodies good (Psalm 139:14).

So when the two are separated by death, we cease to be as God made us.

For that reason, we say, with the Apostles’ Creed, “I believe in the resurrection of the body.”

How can that be?

Our bodies are vulnerable and frail.

They break down and eventually just give out.

Yet our bodies remain integral to who we are as God has made us.

Without our bodies, we are no longer fully ourselves.

For all of us who believe in Christ, we can take great comfort that when we die, our souls will immediately be with Jesus.

And when Jesus returns, our bodies and souls will be reunited.

Then we will again be fully ourselves.

On that day, though, our ­bodies will no longer be frail and mortal.

Death will be conquered, and we will have “­glorified” bodies, just like Jesus’ body at his resurrection.

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

Praying …

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

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

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

9 Lord, our Lord,

How majestic is Your name in all the earth!

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

https://translate.google.com/

The Necessity of Resurrection: And if Christ hasn’t been raised, our faith is worthless; we are all still in our sins. 1 Corinthians 15:12-19 

1 Corinthians 15:12-19 Christian Standard Bible

Resurrection Essential to the Faith

12 Now if Christ is proclaimed as raised from the dead, how can some of you say, “There is no resurrection of the dead”? 13 If there is no resurrection of the dead, then not even Christ has been raised; 14 and if Christ has not been raised, then our proclamation is in vain, and so is your faith.[a] 15 Moreover, we are found to be false witnesses about God, because we have testified wrongly about God that he raised up Christ—whom he did not raise up, if in fact the dead are not raised. 16 For if the dead are not raised, not even Christ has been raised. 17 And if Christ has not been raised, your faith is worthless; you are still in your sins. 18 Those, then, who have fallen asleep in Christ have also perished. 19 If we have put our hope in Christ for this life only, we should be pitied more than anyone.

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.

Today, people refer to “canceling” as a way of expressing their disapproval of something or someone in a public forum.

People cancel others to try to stop the spread of objectionable ideas. And those who have been canceled see it as the suppression of their right to speak freely.

Followers of Christ have always faced pressure from those who disapprove of aspects of the gospel message.

Historically, Christians have believed that the resurrection of Jesus was an actual historical event.

Even the apostle Paul wrote that if the resurrection didn’t happen, Christianity as an entire belief system would be false. He wrote, “And if Christ has not been raised, your faith is futile and you are still in your sins” (1 Corinthians 15:17).

But this is not so important in progressive Christianity.

Today, the metaphor of resurrection stands for many Christians as a symbol of the call to new life, as an appeal to practice resurrection here and now.

According to this counterfeit truth, it’s not necessary for a Christian to believe in the miracles of Jesus—including his resurrection. Rather, it’s enough to just simply focus on the meaning, ethical and moral lesson behind these narratives.

In Corinth, this disapproval was aimed at the gospel’s emphasis on bodily resurrection, which seemed incompatible with a dualistic philosophy that saw the material world as being incompatible with the spiritual.

Such scorn caused some Corinthians to suppress the unpopular aspects of the gospel they had received from Paul.

One result was their assertion that there was no bodily resurrection (v. 12).

Paul’s method of dealing with this error was to start with their premise and explain what it would mean if that were actually true.

He does this with a series of “if…then” assertions which show that once the foundation of the bodily resurrection of Christ is removed, the hope of the gospel collapses entirely (vv. 13–19).

Without the resurrection, faith in Christ is “useless” (v. 14).

Apostolic authority for the gospel is eliminated (v. 15).

If Christ did not rise “you are still in your sins,” and those “who have fallen asleep in Christ are lost” (vv. 18–19).

Paul summarizes with this blunt conclusion in verse 19:

“If only for this life we have hope in Christ, we are of all people most to be pitied.”

The good news is that Jesus “has indeed been raised from the dead” (v. 20).

We are now waiting for the full effect of the victory Christ has already achieved to become a reality (vv. 22–28).

Go Deeper

What unpopular aspects of the gospel message do you feel pressured to suppress? How does their cancellation, removal, distort God’s message?

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

Praying …

Psalm 33

Praise to the Creator

1 Rejoice in the Lord, you righteous ones;
praise from the upright is beautiful.
2 Praise the Lord with the lyre;
make music to him with a ten-stringed harp.
3 Sing a new song to him;
play skillfully on the strings, with a joyful shout.

4 For the word of the Lord is right,
and all his work is trustworthy.
5 He loves righteousness and justice;
the earth is full of the Lord’s unfailing love.

6 The heavens were made by the word of the Lord,
and all the stars, by the breath of his mouth.
7 He gathers the water of the sea into a heap;[a]
he puts the depths into storehouses.
8 Let the whole earth fear the Lord;
let all the inhabitants of the world stand in awe of him.
9 For he spoke, and it came into being;
he commanded, and it came into existence.

10 The Lord frustrates the counsel of the nations;
he thwarts the plans of the peoples.
11 The counsel of the Lord stands forever,
the plans of his heart from generation to generation.
12 Happy is the nation whose God is the Lord—
the people he has chosen to be his own possession!

13 The Lord looks down from heaven;
he observes everyone.
14 He gazes on all the inhabitants of the earth
from his dwelling place.
15 He forms the hearts of them all;
he considers all their works.
16 A king is not saved by a large army;
a warrior will not be rescued by great strength.
17 The horse is a false hope for safety;
it provides no escape by its great power.

18 But look, the Lord keeps his eye on those who fear him—
those who depend on his faithful love
19 to rescue them from death
and to keep them alive in famine.

20 We wait for the Lord;
he is our help and shield.
21 For our hearts rejoice in him
because we trust in his holy name.
22 May your faithful love rest on us, Lord,
for we put our hope in you.

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

https://translate.google.com/

The Gospel of Christ’s Resurrection: For I had passed on to you as of first importance what I also received, that Christ died for our sins according to that which the Scriptures foretold. 1 Corinthians 15:1-11

1 Corinthians 15:1-11 Christian Standard Bible

Resurrection Essential to the Gospel

15 Now I want to make clear for you, brothers and sisters, the gospel I preached to you, which you received, on which you have taken your stand 2 and by which you are being saved, if you hold to the message I preached to you—unless you believed in vain. 3 For I passed on to you as most important what I also received: that Christ died for our sins according to the Scriptures, 4 that he was buried, that he was raised on the third day according to the Scriptures, 5 and that he appeared to Cephas, then to the Twelve. 6 Then he appeared to over five hundred brothers and sisters at one time; most of them are still alive, but some have fallen asleep. 7 Then he appeared to James, then to all the apostles. 8 Last of all, as to one born at the wrong time,[a] he also appeared to me.

9 For I am the least of the apostles, not worthy to be called an apostle, because I persecuted the church of God. 10 But by the grace of God I am what I am, and his grace toward me was not in vain. On the contrary, I worked harder than any of them, yet not I, but the grace of God that was with me. 11 Whether, then, it is I or they, so we proclaim and so you have believed.

Word of God for the Children of God.

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

The Great Mystery of Faith …

Christ Has Died, Christ Is Risen, Christ Will Come Again!

That is our statement of faith—that Jesus Christ died for our salvation, Christ rose from the dead, and Christ will return again in glory.

Questions surrounding death and dying have faced mankind ever since the fall:

“What will happen when I die?

Will I go somewhere when I die, or is this it?

Is there any significance to my life?

What does it all mean?”

All of God’s Scripture is timelessly relevant, and it provides answers to these questions.

Paul, for example, addresses the issues of resurrection and eternal life in 1 Corinthians 15. Without the resurrection, he says, our faith would be in vain.

Our salvation would be false, for we would still be living in sin.

Death would prove to be stronger than God. Jesus’ claims would be untrue: He would not be Lord, and He would not be returning.

History would have no goal or purpose, and the human race would be going nowhere.

Since that’s the “reality” in which unbelievers live, it’s no wonder there is so much angst in our world!

But the Christian can say, “Hey, not so fast! Don’t say history is going nowhere and all is meaningless! Consider the resurrection.” We believe Christ rose from the dead and promises each of His followers full resurrection—not a resurrection only of soul but one of body and soul (1 Corinthians 15:42-49).

Paul speaks of the death, resurrection of Christ as being “of first importance” in the gospel message (v. 3). The proclamation that Jesus died for our sins, was raised on the third day, and appeared in the flesh to the apostles and disciples was the foundation of everything Paul taught (vv. 3–7).

Even though it was something that happened in history, this was more than just a summary of historical facts. Paul says this is the message that we must stand upon, hold to firmly, and by which we are saved (vv. 1–2).

It is the only message that can actually save us because it calls us to believe in the One who has died for our sins and rose again.

Paul preached this gospel of resurrection both as something he had “received” and as a fact that he had witnessed.

Both are important.

The gospel that Paul proclaimed was handed down to him, not by the other apostles but by revelation from Christ (Galatians 1:12).

Although Paul spoke of it as “my gospel,” it is really Christ’s gospel (see Rom. 2:16; 16:25; 2 Tim. 2:8).

Paul also encountered the living Christ who called him to be His special messenger or apostle (vv. 9–11). We do not believe in fables but in something that is a matter of history and revelation. Christ is risen. He is risen indeed!

Go Deeper

John Locke, 18th-century British philosopher, wrote of Christ’s resurrection that it is “truly of great importance in Christianity; so great, that his being, or not being the Messiah, stands or falls with it.”[1] 

1 “A Second Vindication of the Reasonableness of Christianity” in The Works of John Locke, in Nine Volumes (Rivington, 1824), 6:341-42.

It is the resurrection that proves that Jesus is who Scripture claims He is, the resurrection that seals our salvation, and the resurrection that transforms our lives.

You can visit the burial sites of Buddha’s ashes, Muhammad’s body, and Gandhi’s urn, but the tomb of Jesus of Nazareth is an empty one.

Belief in the resurrection is the narrow gate through which we enter, and it’s the only one that leads to life (Matthew 7:13-14).

All our hope hangs on this fact: Jesus is alive!

Because of this hope, we can say that this life is not all there is; it is simply the appetizer, the first course.

Shadows fall on our greatest successes on this earth.

We lose loved ones.

We’re confronted by sin.

Even our best days leave us longing for something more.

But the fact is that we are only preparing for a day yet to come, when these former things will pass away and the new, resurrected kingdom will come.

The resurrection of Jesus is what gives purpose to all you do today, and comfort in all your trials, and hope for all your tomorrows.

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

Praying …

Psalm 16 Complete Jewish Bible

16 (0) Mikhtam. By David:

(1) Protect me, God,
for you are my refuge.
2 I said to Adonai, “You are my Lord;
I have nothing good outside of you.”
3 The holy people in the land are the ones
who are worthy of honor; all my pleasure is in them.

4 Those who run after another god
multiply their sorrows;
To such gods I will not offer
drink offerings of blood
or take their names on my lips.

5 Adonai, my assigned portion, my cup:
you safeguard my share.
6 Pleasant places were measured out for me;
I am content with my heritage.

7 I bless Adonai, my counselor;
at night my inmost being instructs me.
8 I always set Adonai before me;
with him at my right hand, I can never be moved;
9 so my heart is glad, my glory rejoices,
and my body too rests in safety;
10 for you will not abandon me to Sh’ol,
you will not let your faithful one see the Abyss.
11 You make me know the path of life;
in your presence is unbounded joy,
in your right hand eternal delight.

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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Raised by God to Be His Holy Temple! God is going to raise our bodies from the dead by his power just as He had first raised up the Lord Jesus Christ. 1 Corinthians 6:12-20.

1 Corinthians 6:12-20 New American Standard Bible

The Body Is the Lord’s

12 All things are permitted for me, but not all things are of benefit. All things are permitted for me, but I will not be mastered by anything. 13 Food is for the stomach and the stomach is for food, however God will do away with both [a]of them. But the body is not for sexual immorality, but for the Lord, and the Lord is for the body.  14 Now God has not only raised the Lord, but will also raise us up through His power. 15 Do you not know that your bodies are parts of Christ? Shall I then take away the parts of Christ and make them parts of a prostitute?  [b]Far from it! 16 Or do you not know that the one who joins himself to a prostitute is one body with her? For He says, “The two shall become one flesh.” 17 But the one who joins himself to the Lord is one spirit with Him. 18 Flee sexual immorality. Every other sin that a person commits is outside the body, but the [c]sexually immoral person sins against his own body. 19 Or do you not know that your body is a [d]temple of the Holy Spirit within you, whom you have from [e]God, and that you are not your own? 20 For you have been bought for a price: therefore glorify God in your body.

Word of God for the Children of God

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

The Christian hope is a hope with skin on it.

From the moment He left the tomb, Jesus took greatest pains to prove that the resurrection He underwent was bodily in nature.

“Look at my hands and my feet. It is I myself!” Jesus told the disciples in Luke 24:39. “Touch me and see; a ghost does not have flesh and bones, as you see I have.”

Why did Jesus do that?

The bodily resurrection of Jesus is proof not only of Jesus’ continued life but of the important role of the body in God’s plan for redeemed humanity.

Jesus’ resurrected body is the truest guarantee that our physical bodies will one day be resurrected.

This means that Christian spirituality is embodied spirituality.

God’s plan for the body in the life to come underscores the importance of the body in the present. Some of the Corinthian believers felt that the body was incidental to their spiritual lives.

They believed they could do whatever they pleased with it because it was only a body. Paul captures their philosophy with two of their own slogans.

One was an extreme view of liberty: “I have the right to do anything” (v. 12). The other denied the moral importance of bodily behavior: “Food for the stomach and the stomach for food, and God will destroy them both” (v. 13).

The apostle corrected both errors by pointing to the body’s future destiny and what that implies about its present use.

The body is meant solely “for the Lord” and even now functions as His temple through the indwelling presence of the Holy Spirit (vv. 13, 19).

The indwelling Holy Spirit is a mark of God’s ownership. Those who are in Christ have been united to Christ by the Spirit. Their body belongs to Him.

Our freedom is the freedom to obey and not do whatever we want.

Dare Yourself to Go Deeper Yet …

Why does Paul say that our body is not our own?

How can you glorify God with your body today?

In understanding our bodily existence as believers, it is essential to recognize that our bodies serve a divine purpose far removed from the cultural norms of Corinth, where just about every manner of immorality was running rampant.

Paul emphasizes that the body is not intended for immorality but for the Lord.

This assertion addresses a very significant misunderstanding among the Corinthians who wrongly equated physical appetites, akin to the desire for food, with spiritual liberty. Instead, Paul clarifies that the body is meant to exclusively reflect God’s glory and be a vessel wholly suitable for His service.

The importance of our physical bodies is further underscored by the reality of resurrection. God raised Christ and promises to raise us, granting our bodies value and purpose today. The life we lead in our bodies should thus align with this eternal hope, so as not to degrade what God has deemed honorable.

Engaging in sexual immorality not only disrespects our bodies but also insults the sacred union we share with Christ. This foundational truth is absolutely 100% crucial for Christians, as our bodies are seen as members of Christ, and our decisions, choices with them bear eternal significance (1 Corinthians 6:14).

Pray with Us

Lord, You’re conceived of the Holy Spirit, were born of a woman, had a real human body when You had walked, lived on the earth, and Your resurrection was bodily in nature. This tells us a lot about our own bodies: You created them, have a unique plan for them in Your kingdom. Teach us to value our bodies.

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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Thinking Deeply for God’s Sake! ‘Do Consider what I say, for the Lord will give you understanding in all things.’ 2 Timothy 2:1-7

2 Timothy 2:1-7 The Message

Doing Your Best for God

2 1-7 So, my son, throw yourself into this work for Christ. Pass on what you heard from me—the whole congregation saying Amen!—to reliable leaders who are competent to teach others. When the going gets rough, take it on the chin with the rest of us, the way Jesus did. A soldier on duty doesn’t get caught up in making deals at the marketplace. He concentrates on carrying out orders. An athlete who refuses to play by the rules will never get anywhere. It’s the diligent farmer who gets the produce. Think it over. God will make it all plain.

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.

It is not unusual—in fact, it’s quite common—for Christian faith to be regarded as a kind of illogical belief in utterly improbable events. For some, faith is seen as a crutch to prop up less rational people as they navigate life’s challenges.

Such critics may be surprised to learn that in reality, Christianity calls on its followers not to neglect their minds but unconditionally critically engage  them.

Psalm 139:23-24 The Message

23-24 Investigate my life, O God,
    find out everything about me;
Cross-examine and test me,
    get a clear picture of what I’m about;
See for yourself whether I’ve done anything wrong—
    then guide me on the road to eternal life.

When we read the Bible, we discover that it never invites us simply to feel things; it never attempts merely to sweep us up in an emotional surge. God never once asks for or endorses the disengagement of our thinking processes.

Instead, God’s word repeatedly shows us that Christianity is actually a call to think rightly and deeply about God, His world, His covenants and our place in it.

When the apostle Paul addressed the Ephesians, we read that he was “reasoning daily in the hall of Tyrannus,” which was likely a school for philosophy or rhetoric (Acts 19:9).

Paul wasn’t just singing songs or attempting to stir up some high emotional experience. No, he essentially said, Citizens of Ephesus, I want you to think and reason with me today. 

In Thessalonica, too, Acts tells us that Paul “reasoned” with the people, “explaining and proving that it was necessary for the Christ to suffer and to rise from the dead” (17:2-3). The book of Isaiah begins with a similar call to think earnestly: “Come now, let us reason together, says the LORD” (Isaiah 1:18).

This exhortation to think and reason isn’t just for proclaiming the gospel but for growth in Christian maturity too. Writing to the Corinthians, Paul said, “Brothers, do not be children in your thinking” (1 Corinthians 14:20).

He wanted the church to think intently and intensely about the issues they were facing.

Paul was even more direct when he wrote to Timothy: “Think over what I say, for the Lord will give you understanding in everything.”

We do need God’s Spirit to be at work in order to think rightly (Luke 24:45; 1 Corinthians 12:3), for our intellects are as affected by sin as every other part of ourselves (Ephesians 4:17).

But it is as we expend mental energy to consider the wisdom of the Scriptures that God will give us greater and greater understanding.

To follow Christ, then, is not to take a step of blind faith into the darkness but to have your eyes opened to the light of rigorous truth.

It will take a disciplined lifetime—and more!—to unearth the riches of the truth you encounter in God’s Word about His Son, but one thing is sure: today, as every day, God wants you to know Him and honor Him with all your mind.

In the journey of faith, understanding is imperative for spiritual growth and application of God’s truths.

The apostle Paul, writing to Timothy, emphasizes the importance of deep contemplation on the teachings he imparts.

He encourages Timothy to actively engage his mind with what has been said and seeks divine help for clarity and insight. Such understanding is not merely intellectual but transformative, influencing one’s actions and spiritual life.

Hebrews 4:12-13 The Message

12-13 God means what he says. What he says goes. His powerful Word is sharp as a surgeon’s scalpel, cutting through everything, whether doubt or defense, laying us open to listen and obey. Nothing and no one can resist God’s Word. We can’t get away from it—no matter what.

Consideration and contemplation are both repeated themes in the scriptures, underscoring that true knowledge of God comes from disciplined meditation on His Word and allowing the Holy Spirit go to work and to illuminate our hearts.

This aligns with the recurring biblical principle that wisdom and understanding are gifts from God, necessary for fulfilling our calling. (Proverbs 3:5-8)

By inviting Timothy to reflect and pray for divine guidance, Paul stresses that God alone can grant the understanding needed to navigate life’s challenges and to serve effectively in ministry.

In essence, our own thoughtful and prayerful approach to Scripture leads us to a far deeper understanding and more fruitful living, highlighting the significance of seeking God’s truth, God’s Life, God’s Way, also God’s wisdom in all matters.

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

Praying …

Psalm 1 The Message

1 How well God must like you—
    you don’t walk in the ruts of those blind-as-bats,
    you don’t stand with the good-for-nothings,
    you don’t take your seat among the know-it-alls.

2-3 Instead you thrill to God’s Word,
    you chew on Scripture day and night.
You’re a tree replanted in Eden,
    bearing fresh fruit every month,
Never dropping a leaf,
    always in blossom.

4-5 You’re not at all like the wicked,
    who are mere windblown dust—
Without defense in court,
    unfit company for innocent people.

6 God charts the road you take.
The road they take leads to nowhere.

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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Why Does the Resurrection Continue to Matter two thousand years Later? Mark 16:1-7

Mark 16:1-7 New American Standard Bible

The Resurrection

16 When the Sabbath was over, Mary Magdalene, Mary the mother of [a]James, and Salome bought spices so that they might come and anoint Him. 2 And very early on the first day of the week, they *came to the tomb when the sun had risen. 3 They were saying to one another, “Who will roll away the stone from the entrance of the tomb for us?” 4 And looking up, they *noticed that the stone had been rolled away;  [b]for it was extremely large. 5 And entering the tomb, they saw a young man sitting at the right, wearing a white robe; and they were amazed. 6 But he *said to them, “Do not be amazed; you are looking for Jesus the Nazarene, who has been crucified. He has risen; He is not here; see, here is the place where they laid Him. 7 But go, tell His disciples and Peter, ‘He is going ahead of you to Galilee; there you will see Him, just as He told you.’”

Word of God for the Children of God.

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

The Hope of the Resurrection

For many of us, the fear of our moment of death is our greatest fear. No matter how hard we try, maybe pray it away we won’t avoid death’s frightening reality.

Death seems like the last and greatest enemy.

But the good news is that in Jesus’ resurrection God has provided the solution to death and to the fear of death.

In our reading for today, what the women planned to do was not pretty, but it was an act of devotion to Jesus to see that he had a proper burial.

Because he had been crucified just before sundown on Friday, there hadn’t been time to properly anoint and prepare his body for his burial before their holy Sabbath day. So “when the Sabbath was over,” the women bought spices and went to anoint Jesus’ body, according to their custom.

But things didn’t go as planned.

Arriving at the tomb, the women were greeted by an angel, who told them something that quickly transformed their lives and changed the world.

“You are looking for Jesus the Nazarene, who was crucified,” said the angel. “He has risen! He is not here.”

In an instant their entire understanding of life and death began to change.

Jesus had gone from life to death to new life.

His resurrection became death’s defeat, and in the light of that, Paul could write, “Death has been swallowed up in victory” (1 Corinthians 15:54).

Christ is risen—for you!

Do you still believe that in 2025?

Why Does the Resurrection Matter?

What if the resurrection isn’t just about what happens after you die—but everything about how you live right now?

If we’re in Christ, we know that one day, God will bring us to a renewed, eternal physical kingdom where we will experience a glorified and perfected version of every beautiful thing we love about the world down here. 

1. Because of the resurrection, death has no more sting.

Death—whether our own or of a loved one—is life’s hardest experience because it feels so permanent.

But if the resurrection is true, it’s not permanent.

It’s temporary because Jesus took the sting out of death, its permanence.

This is why if our loved ones were in Christ, we don’t say things like, “I’ll never hold my baby again,” or “I’ll never see my wife again,” or “I’ll never hug my grandmother again.” Because in the new world, we will certainly hold, see, and hug them again, with our physical arms.

But what about our loved ones who weren’t saved?

That’s a hard reality to confront, and a question I don’t exactly know how to answer. What I do know is that in heaven, our capacity for love will increase.

I also know that Scripture says God will wipe away every tear from our eyes and make every sad thing come untrue.

With this in mind, I assume that somehow this means we’ll be at peace with the decisions that people made for themselves.

I don’t know how all that is going to work, but I’ve learned to trust Jesus in it.

In the meantime, I plead with everyone I know and love to come to Jesus.

2. Because of the resurrection, our worst pain is only light and momentary.

God promises that your pain actually becomes part of the beautiful thing he’s making you.

Paul writes that death is swallowed up in victory (1 Corinthians 15:54).

When you swallow something, you digest it, and it becomes a factor in making you, well, you.

That’s what God’s going to do with our pain. It’s not just that we had pain on earth, and now we’re at the theme park of heaven and forget all about it.

No, in heaven, we’ll see how the pain we went through produced in us the incredible beauty and weight of glory we become.

Your situation may feel permanent, but it’s not.

Whatever situation you’re in—chronic pain, chronic illness, or disappointed dreams, a bad marriage, being alone—it’s all temporary.

Paul calls it light and momentary. 

That doesn’t mean we make light of our pain or live charmed lives free from pain. Paul experienced some of the worst pain possible for us to experience—betrayal, abandonment, torture, loneliness, and chronic illness. “But,” he said, “even the worst of the worst is all light and momentary, compared to the weight of glory that’s coming to me in the resurrection.” In the meantime, we live with abundant hope and persistent prayer that God can and will heal us from all of our pain, now or in the future.

3. Because of the resurrection, we can press forward with risk-taking, trial-enduring, death-defying obedience to Jesus.

For every missionary who has walked away from family and fortune and friends to carry the gospel to unreached places, the resurrection says, “It’s going to be worth it.

Your sacrifice was only temporary. Jesus is going to repay you one-hundred-fold in the kingdom to come.” 

Though it’s costly now, you’ll soon be home in eternity forever with Jesus and the ones you love. And you’ll be glad you gave your life so that other families could be there, too. Imagine what it will be like when you’ve been there for 10,000 years, knowing those who came to Christ because of your sacrifice.

You don’t know who they are now, but you will then.

So be bold, and death-defying in your obedience.

 1 Corinthians 15:58 Authorized (King James) Version

58 Therefore, my beloved brethren, be ye stedfast, and unmoveable, always abounding in the work of the Lord, forasmuch as ye know that your labour is not in vain in the Lord.

4. Because of the resurrection, living for Jesus is the only thing that makes sense.

Every one of us has a soul and a body.

For those of you who die united to Christ, your souls will immediately enter the presence and joy of God as you await the glorious resurrection of your bodies.

For those of you who die apart from Christ, your souls will immediately enter the judgment of God as you await the resurrection of your body.

But make no mistake, this resurrection isn’t unto eternal happiness, but eternal judgment and misery.

Jesus said in John 5, “The hour is coming when all who are in the tombs will hear his voice and come out, those who have done good to the resurrection of life, and those who have done evil to the resurrection of judgment” (vv. 28–29).

Friend, I cannot emphasize to you enough the utmost importance of what you do with Jesus.

He offers his resurrection to you if you repent of your sin and submit to him as Lord and Savior.

For those of you in Christ, this world is as close to hell as you will ever come.

For those of you outside of Christ, this world is as close to heaven as you’ll get.

Which resurrection do you want to be included in?

The resurrection to judgment or the resurrection to life? 

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

Praying …

Psalm 19 Authorized (King James) Version

Psalm 19

To the chief Musician, A Psalm of David.

1 The heavens declare the glory of God;
and the firmament sheweth his handywork.
2 Day unto day uttereth speech,
and night unto night sheweth knowledge.
3 There is no speech nor language,
where their voice is not heard.
4 Their line is gone out through all the earth,
and their words to the end of the world.
In them hath he set a tabernacle for the sun,
5 which is as a bridegroom coming out of his chamber,
and rejoiceth as a strong man to run a race.
6 His going forth is from the end of the heaven,
and his circuit unto the ends of it:
and there is nothing hid from the heat thereof.

7 The law of the Lord is perfect, converting the soul:
the testimony of the Lord is sure, making wise the simple.
8 The statutes of the Lord are right, rejoicing the heart:
the commandment of the Lord is pure, enlightening the eyes.
9 The fear of the Lord is clean, enduring for ever:
the judgments of the Lord are true and righteous altogether.
10 More to be desired are they than gold, yea, than much fine gold:
sweeter also than honey and the honeycomb.
11 Moreover by them is thy servant warned:
and in keeping of them there is great reward.
12 Who can understand his errors?
cleanse thou me from secret faults.
13 Keep back thy servant also from presumptuous sins;
let them not have dominion over me: then shall I be upright,
and I shall be innocent from the great transgression.

14 Let the words of my mouth, and the meditation of my heart,
be acceptable in thy sight, O Lord,
my strength, and my redeemer.

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

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When we are not even close to being capable trust God is exceedingly able. Ephesians 3:20-21 

Ephesians 3:20-21 The Message

20-21 God can do anything, you know—far more than you could ever imagine or guess or request in your wildest dreams! He does it not by pushing us around but by working within us, his Spirit deeply and gently within us.

Glory to God in the church!
Glory to God in the Messiah, in Jesus!
Glory down all the generations!
Glory through all millennia! Oh, yes!

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.

Fact or Fiction: God Should Be the Biggest Influencer of Your Wellness Journey?

Many people refer to God as “The Great Physician.”

Certainly, that’s one of many appropriate and valid ways to think of Him.

Since He created us and is all-powerful, He can certainly arrange for us to be healed when we need it.

He’s also willing and able to come alongside us and bring healing through the hands of healthcare providers, and He likely intervenes and protects us from sickness from time to time. 

Since His ways are immeasurably higher than ours, His thoughts higher than ours (Isaiah 55:8-9), we’ll never know exactly why He may choose one option over another. Those reasons are probably as varied as the people He has created.

That being said, it’s always appropriate to go before Him and ask for whatever it is we need, whether that’s healing or we just want Him involved in helping us to enjoy staying healthy (Hebrews 4:16), Kingdon living into His Spiritual Gifts.

Suggested here are five reasons (of many) God should be the biggest influencer of your wellness journey.  

1. God Knows Our Bodies Better than We Do

In addition to being “The Great Physician,” God is also “The Great Creator.”

I once told a friend to whom I was witnessing that God is “The Great Engineer” because my friend’s background is engineering, and I believed he’d get a kick out of the connection.

It’s also true that God engineered our bodies with many complex systems and processes that keep us alive.

For example, there’s the cardiovascular system, nervous system, respiratory system, circulatory system, and so much more.

There’s a very intricate blend of many minerals and vitamins that are needed to keep the body functioning at top capacity.

If anything gets out of balance for any reason, we will all experience health problems. Truly, He “formed our inward parts,” and we are both “fearfully and wonderfully made” (Psalm 139: 13-14). He knows how to restore order and can reveal that through healthcare providers, His Word, or a combination of both.

2. God Designed Us to Thrive in His Service

The healthier we are, the easier it is to be involved in the work of the Lord with the talents, skills, and gifting’s He has given to us. God has put many types of fruits, vegetables, and herbs on this earth for our benefit.

The vitamins, minerals, fiber, and natural sugar these items provide help the body maintain its health and even make some repairs on its own.

Even the animals are for our benefit since many of them provide the protein our bodies need to function properly.

Believe it or not, even a reasonable amount of carbohydrates and fats are necessary.

Getting enough water and sleep are likely the most important parts of a healthy lifestyle. 

Experts generally break down essential nutrients for a healthy lifestyle into two categories: macronutrients and micronutrients.

Macronutrients are what provide our bodies with energy, and in general, those are made up of protein, carbohydrates, and fat.

Micronutrients are basically made up of vitamins and minerals, which support the immune system, metabolism, cells, and more, according to Healthline. 

3. God Modeled and Encourages Rest for Our Renewal

God set up the idea of adequate rest from the very beginning of time.

In the book of Genesis it specifically states that God “rested” from creating everything on the seventh day (Genesis 2:2).

When Elijah had been extremely busy with God’s work and was very tired and possibly even feeling burned out, he went and slept under a broom tree for a while (1 Kings 19:5-8). 

Today, it’s just as important for us to get adequate sleep.

When we’re sleep deficient, we’re more vulnerable to colds, the flu, and even more serious ailments.

When we get adequate sleep (about 7-8 hours per night), it benefits our mental health, heart health, blood sugar regulation, our ability to function mentally, benefits our immune system, reduces stress, helps with physical functioning, helps with weight management and control, according to the Sleep Foundation. 

4. God Created Us to Move and Be Active

We live in a day and time when many of us spend our work day behind a desk.

So it’s important to take time to exercise.

Not only does adequate exercise lower stress levels, but the release of endorphins enhances our mental health and the physical activity puts us at a lower risk for serious diseases.

Adequate exercise can also help with a better quality of sleep, according to Healthline.

In general, about 30 minutes five times per week is considered the minimum amount for maintaining your present weight, according to Harvard Health Publishing.

That can also be broken up into 15 minutes twice per day if that’s a better scheduling fit.

5. God Offers Health Guidance through His Word

The Lord was very involved in even the practical aspects of the lives of the Hebrews in the Old Testament.

Many of the laws He instructed them to keep in the Old Testament were connected to helping them maintain their health in practical ways.

In the 11th chapter of the book of Leviticus, the Lord was very specific about what the Hebrews should and shouldn’t eat. 

Today, many people refer to this specific diet (with minor alterations) as The Mediterranean Diet.

It has been linked to being especially beneficial to those who struggle with heart disease or come from a background that puts them at much high risk for heart disease, according to The Cleveland Clinic.

It’s also believed that this diet may help stabilize blood sugar and lower cholesterol and triglycerides, according to Medline Plus.

In addition, The Endocrine Society has found the Mediterranean Diet may help reduce the symptoms of menopause.

For more information on the Mediterranean Diet, check out The Bible Cure by Dr. Reginald Cherry.

While the focus of this passage is on God, on “him who is able,” I want to draw our attention to one other key phrase in this passage — “his power that is at work within us.” 

Paul has earlier prayed that God would “strengthen you [the Ephesians and us] with power through his Spirit in your inner being” (Ephesians 3:16).

While the Holy Spirit is far more than just God’s power, the Spirit clearly does live in us to bring us God’s power!

As we journey through this year, each day we will remind ourselves of God’s personal presence in our lives through the Holy Spirit.

The Spirit within us is a powerful blessing that empowers us and transforms us.

Let’s never forget that we are not only saved by grace but that we are also vastly empowered by this gracious gift of the Holy Spirit within us to live for Jesus!

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

Praying …

Psalm 103 The Message

103 1-2 O my soul, bless God.
    From head to toe, I’ll bless his holy name!
O my soul, bless God,
    don’t forget a single blessing!

3-5     He forgives your sins—every one.
    He heals your diseases—every one.
    He redeems you from hell—saves your life!
    He crowns you with love and mercy—a paradise crown.
    He wraps you in goodness—beauty eternal.
    He renews your youth—you’re always young in his presence.

6-18 God makes everything come out right;
    he puts victims back on their feet.
He showed Moses how he went about his work,
    opened up his plans to all Israel.
God is sheer mercy and grace;
    not easily angered, he’s rich in love.
He doesn’t endlessly nag and scold,
    nor hold grudges forever.
He doesn’t treat us as our sins deserve,
    nor pay us back in full for our wrongs.
As high as heaven is over the earth,
    so strong is his love to those who fear him.
And as far as sunrise is from sunset,
    he has separated us from our sins.
As parents feel for their children,
    God feels for those who fear him.
He knows us inside and out,
    keeps in mind that we’re made of mud.
Men and women don’t live very long;
    like wildflowers they spring up and blossom,
But a storm snuffs them out just as quickly,
    leaving nothing to show they were here.
God’s love, though, is ever and always,
    eternally present to all who fear him,
Making everything right for them and their children
    as they follow his Covenant ways
    and remember to do whatever he said.

19-22 God has set his throne in heaven;
    he rules over us all. He’s the King!
So bless God, you angels,
    ready and able to fly at his bidding,
    quick to hear and do what he says.
Bless God, all you armies of angels,
    alert to respond to whatever he wills.
Bless God, all creatures, wherever you are—
    everything and everyone made by God.

And you, O my soul, bless God!

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

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Treasures from Darkness: “Cyrus, I will give you all the treasures of the darkness, all the hoarded treasures and all of the hidden riches of secret places, that you may know I am God.” Isaiah 45:3

Isaiah 45:1-7 Easy-to-Read Version

God Chooses Cyrus to Make Israel Free

45 This is what the Lord said to Cyrus, his chosen king[a]:

“I took you by your right hand to help you defeat nations,
    to strip other kings of their power,
    and to open city gates that will not be closed again.
2 I will go in front of you
    and make the mountains flat.
I will break the city gates of bronze
    and cut the iron bars on the gates.
3 I will give you the wealth that is stored in secret places.
    I will give you those hidden treasures.
Then you will know that I am the Lord,
    the God of Israel, who calls you by name.
4 I do this for my servant, Jacob.
    I do it for my chosen people, Israel.
Cyrus, I am calling you by name.
    You don’t know me, but I know you.[b]
5 I am the Lord, the only God.
    There is no other God except me.
I put your clothes on you,[c]
    but still you don’t know me.
6 I am doing this so that everyone will know
    that I am the only God.
From the east to the west, people will know that I am the Lord
    and that there is no other God.
7 I made the light and the darkness.
    I bring peace, and I cause trouble.
    I, the Lord, do all these things.

Word of God for the Children of God.

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

In Isaiah 45, God promised the Israelites release from bondage to Babylon and deliverance for his wayward people through a Persian king named Cyrus.

He says to Cyrus, “I will give you the treasures of darkness, riches hidden in secret places, so that you may know that I am the Lord, the God of Israel, who summons you by name” (Isaiah 45:3 NIV).

During his conquest, Cyrus literally found treasures that the Jews had buried as they were taken into captivity.

Like King Cyrus, who found treasures hidden in the darkness, you, too, can find treasures—hope in the unexpected places of darkness, those painful places of suffering where you would very much like not to be.

God gives you these treasures for two reasons.

First, he does it so you would know that he has the power to intervene in your darkness.

In this verse, God reveals himself as the Lord, the God of Israel.

Over and over in Scripture, he says that he is the Creator, the Sustainer, the Master, the Ruler, and the Deliverer.

He is transcendent, which means he’s above time, space, and matter, and his existence is not dependent on anything outside of himself.

His ways are higher than your ways and his thoughts higher than your thoughts. “Great is our Lord and mighty in power; his understanding has no limit” (Psalm 147:5 NIV).

God is huge and powerful, and he can intervene in your darkness in ways only a transcendent God can do.

You can probably tell amazing stories of the ways God has intervened in your finances, your health, your family, or your career, just when you thought there was no hope of restoration or salvation. He revealed himself as he moved into your darkness and changed everything.

We ask for miracles every single day because we know he is God and we are not.

Sometimes God intervenes in ways that we have begged for.

Other times, he does not.

He may not have intervened in the darkness that has surrounded you or your family in the ways that you desired.

So, what then?

This verse reveals that God will be close to you in your darkness.

He is the Almighty God.

He’s huge, but he is also imminent, which means he is intimate.

He is personal.

He is your helper, your healer, your Savior, your friend, the lover of your wounded soul. This personal and intimate God will be close to you in your darkness because he promised he would be. He’s as close as your next breath.

Something other than Darkness to Ponder 

SOMETHING TO PONDER 

Psalm 112 English Standard Version

The Righteous Will Never Be Moved

112 [a] Praise the Lord!
Blessed is the man who fears the Lord,
    who greatly delights in his commandments!
2 His offspring will be mighty in the land;
    the generation of the upright will be blessed.
3 Wealth and riches are in his house,
    and his righteousness endures forever.
4 Light dawns in the darkness for the upright;
    he is gracious, merciful, and righteous.
5 It is well with the man who deals generously and lends;
    who conducts his affairs with justice.
6 For the righteous will never be moved;
    he will be remembered forever.
7 He is not afraid of bad news;
    his heart is firm, trusting in the Lord.
8 His heart is steady;[b] he will not be afraid,
    until he looks in triumph on his adversaries.
9 He has distributed freely; he has given to the poor;
    his righteousness endures forever;
    his horn is exalted in honor.
10 The wicked man sees it and is angry;
    he gnashes his teeth and melts away;
    the desire of the wicked will perish!

Darkness is generally something we avoid.

It feels unknown, chaotic, and sometimes even hopeless.

The dark seasons that we endure in our lives are usually the ones we want to forget. We don’t want to revisit those struggles, often, we wonder how anything good could come from our pain.

Yet God is able to transform our dark moments into something beautiful.

This is how we know his light is greater than the darkness that plagues our world! His word says, “I will give you treasures from those dark moments.”

He unpacks rich blessings from those difficult, secret moments.

As he meets us in the dark, it’s then that we will know beyond a shadow of a doubt that He is the Lord! 

There is so much beauty in God’s power to make treasures out of our ashes.

There is so much grace when we realize our failures, in Christ, are the places where we have met God, and he carried us forward.

The lessons that come when we walk through the valley of the shadow become the ones that most profoundly define our character and shape our testimonies. 

If you feel stuck in the dark, remember there are treasures to be gained even in this struggle to find even the smallest pinpoint of light. God is greater than the darkness that covers us. He uses our pain for his glory and our good.  (John 1:5)

Talk It Over

  • When in your life has God intervened in a seemingly hopeless situation?
  • Do you regularly ask God for a miracle because of what you know about his character? Why or why not?
  • How does God show you that he is near when you are walking through a dark time in your life?
Three additional things to meditate and pray upon 

1. Is there a part of your story that you are ashamed of? Ask God to help you release that shame and embrace the promise that he can use our failures for glory.

2. What lessons have you learned through the challenging circumstances you have walked through?

3. Give God thanks for how he has worked out all the pieces of your story for your good. 

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

Praying …

Psalm 139:1-18 English Standard Version

Search Me, O God, and Know My Heart

To the choirmaster. A Psalm of David.

139 O Lord, you have searched me and known me!
2 You know when I sit down and when I rise up;
    you discern my thoughts from afar.
3 You search out my path and my lying down
    and are acquainted with all my ways.
4 Even before a word is on my tongue,
    behold, O Lord, you know it altogether.
5 You hem me in, behind and before,
    and lay your hand upon me.
6 Such knowledge is too wonderful for me;
    it is high; I cannot attain it.

7 Where shall I go from your Spirit?
    Or where shall I flee from your presence?
8 If I ascend to heaven, you are there!
    If I make my bed in Sheol, you are there!
9 If I take the wings of the morning
    and dwell in the uttermost parts of the sea,
10 even there your hand shall lead me,
    and your right hand shall hold me.
11 If I say, “Surely the darkness shall cover me,
    and the light about me be night,”
12 even the darkness is not dark to you;
    the night is bright as the day,
    for darkness is as light with you.

13 For you formed my inward parts;
    you knitted me together in my mother’s womb.
14 I praise you, for I am fearfully and wonderfully made.[a]
Wonderful are your works;
    my soul knows it very well.
15 My frame was not hidden from you,
when I was being made in secret,
    intricately woven in the depths of the earth.
16 Your eyes saw my unformed substance;
in your book were written, every one of them,
    the days that were formed for me,
    when as yet there was none of them.

17 How precious to me are your thoughts, O God!
    How vast is the sum of them!
18 If I would count them, they are more than the sand.
    I awake, and I am still with you.

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It’s God’s power in times of real Pain: “We were so utterly burdened beyond our strength that we despaired of life itself.” 2 Corinthians 1:8–10

2 Corinthians 1:8-10 English Standard Version

8 For we do not want you to be unaware, brothers,[a] of the affliction we experienced in Asia. For we were so utterly burdened beyond our strength that we despaired of life itself. 9 Indeed, we felt that we had received the sentence of death. But that was to make us rely not on ourselves but on God who raises the dead. 10 He delivered us from such a deadly peril, and he will deliver us. On him we have set our hope that he will deliver us again.

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.

True or False: Christians do not have to pretend life feels great all the time?

The apostle Paul certainly didn’t mind admitting to hardship.

In fact, Paul’s enormous trials led him to say of his troubles in Asia, “We despaired of life itself. Indeed, we felt that we had received the sentence of death.”

Trials and troubles of all magnitudes will inevitably come—and, like Paul, we don’t have to act as though everything is always fine.

As we are honest with ourselves and others about our trials, we must also remind ourselves that God has a purpose in our pain.

Paul says of his burden that “this was to make us rely not on ourselves.”

Isn’t it true that when life is going great, when everything seems rosy, we tend to just cruise along?

Then trouble hits, and suddenly we’re forced back to reliance on God.

He purposes affliction—illness, loss, difficulty in the workplace, a wayward child—that we might not rely on ourselves but on Him alone.

And what kind of God does Paul say we rely on in our trouble?

One “who raises the dead.”

In every death—both in the deaths of dreams, hopes, and health in life and then in death itself at the end of life—we can cling to God who has 100% triumphed over death and will lead us to fullness of life in eternity.

It is through the resurrection of Jesus Christ that God delivers us from sin now and frees us to hope in a final deliverance from all suffering and death.

As we await our full experience of resurrection hope, God uses our trials and weaknesses to keep us close to Him.

In Jesus’ own life, resurrection power came after crucifixion pain.

The same pattern holds for us.

It is in dying that we live.

It is in weakness that we are strong. It is in emptiness that we are full.

It is in self-forgetfulness that we find true security and confidence in God.

When God sovereignly allows affliction to shake up your life, remember He has designed that very trial for us to draw closer to Him and rely more fully on Him.

And as you learn to rely on Him more and more, His strength will shine through your weakness, and you will know true spiritual power, even through the pain.

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

Praying …

Psalm 16 English Standard Version

You Will Not Abandon My Soul

A Miktam[a] of David.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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