Tag: jesus

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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A God-Given Burden: “yet so that he cannot find out what God has done from the very beginning to the end.” Ecclesiastes 3:9-13

Ecclesiastes 3:9-13 Revised Standard Version

The God-Given Task

9 What gain has the worker from his toil?

10 I have seen the business that God has given to the sons of men to be busy with. 11 He has made everything beautiful in its time; also he has put eternity into man’s mind, yet so that he cannot find out what God has done from the beginning to the end. 12 I know that there is nothing better for them than to be happy and enjoy themselves as long as they live; 13 also that it is God’s gift to man that every one should eat and drink and take pleasure in all his toil.

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.

To believe or not to believe in God … that is the most troubling of questions.

Ultimately, I believe there are no true atheists. Those who do claim atheism may be unwilling to publicly or privately acknowledge this about themselves, but God has given to every person a heavy burden. In the deep recesses of their being, they know that God is—and it is the very “is-ness” of God which creates a tug of war dilemma in men’s and women’s hearts and minds.

God created the world, and He made it beautiful in all of its perfection. God also made mankind to know Him, to commune with Him, to walk with Him in the garden, to and to enjoy all the benefits of His companionship. But man turned his back on the Designer, and as a result the perception of eternity that has been implanted within us is one which now largely taunts, tyrannizes and tests us.

People naturally seek to repress a knowledge of God (Romans 1:18-19), but a knowledge of God is inescapable. God has created us for a divine purpose—to know and worship Him—and unless we discover and fulfill that purpose, we will never be fully satisfied with anything else offered along life’s journey.

No relationship with a child, parent, spouse, lover, or friend can fulfill this great longing, nor can any experience, any possession, or any achievement.

This is the unacknowledged burden that God has laid on humanity: we will be forever dissatisfied until we do come to know the only thing that can bear the weight of our eternity—namely, to know Him and live in fellowship with Him.

You and I, who are creatures of time, were made for eternity.

We were made for God’s presence.

It should therefore be no surprise to us that when we turn away from Him, our lives are marked by frustration and confusion. When we choose to live in the dark, we lose our sight. The day that we finally acknowledge this is a great day.

The burden of being without God will weigh you down until you realize there has to be an answer somewhere, in someone else. And, of course, there is.

There are many things in this life that are beautiful, and we are free to enjoy them in accordance with the way God designed us to.

But there is nothing in this life that is ultimate, and we will not be free until we not only acknowledge this intellectually but live it out in our experience.

Is there something that you are determined to have, or to get, in your life because you think it will make you truly alive and fulfilled?

What is it that you feel you could not live, or could not be happy, without?

Be careful not to allow something good to become your god.

Instead, pray, place your ultimate hopes on the shoulders of the only one who is strong enough to bear them: the Eternal One.

To believe or not to believe in God … that is the most troubling of questions.

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

Praying …

Psalm 31 Revised Standard Version

Prayer and Praise for Deliverance from Enemies

To the choirmaster. A Psalm of David.

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

3 Yea, thou art my rock and my fortress;
    for thy name’s sake lead me and guide me,
4 take me out of the net which is hidden for me,
    for thou art my refuge.
5 Into thy hand I commit my spirit;
    thou hast redeemed me, O Lord, faithful God.

6 Thou hatest[a] those who pay regard to vain idols;
    but I trust in the Lord.
7 I will rejoice and be glad for thy steadfast love,
    because thou hast seen my affliction,
    thou hast taken heed of my adversities,
8 and hast not delivered me into the hand of the enemy;
    thou hast set my feet in a broad place.

9 Be gracious to me, O Lord, for I am in distress;
    my eye is wasted from grief,
    my soul and my body also.
10 For my life is spent with sorrow,
    and my years with sighing;
my strength fails because of my misery,[b]
    and my bones waste away.

11 I am the scorn of all my adversaries,
    a horror[c] to my neighbors,
an object of dread to my acquaintances;
    those who see me in the street flee from me.
12 I have passed out of mind like one who is dead;
    I have become like a broken vessel.
13 Yea, I hear the whispering of many—
    terror on every side!—
as they scheme together against me,
    as they plot to take my life.

14 But I trust in thee, O Lord,
    I say, “Thou art my God.”
15 My times are in thy hand;
    deliver me from the hand of my enemies and persecutors!
16 Let thy face shine on thy servant;
    save me in thy steadfast love!
17 Let me not be put to shame, O Lord,
    for I call on thee;
let the wicked be put to shame,
    let them go dumbfounded to Sheol.
18 Let the lying lips be dumb,
    which speak insolently against the righteous
    in pride and contempt.

19 O how abundant is thy goodness,
    which thou hast laid up for those who fear thee,
and wrought for those who take refuge in thee,
    in the sight of the sons of men!
20 In the covert of thy presence thou hidest them
    from the plots of men;
thou holdest them safe under thy shelter
    from the strife of tongues.

21 Blessed be the Lord,
    for he has wondrously shown his steadfast love to me
    when I was beset as in a besieged city.
22 I had said in my alarm,
    “I am driven far[d] from thy sight.”
But thou didst hear my supplications,
    when I cried to thee for help.

23 Love the Lord, all you his saints!
    The Lord preserves the faithful,
    but abundantly requites him who acts haughtily.
24 Be strong, and let your heart take courage,
    all you who wait for the Lord!

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

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Brothers and Sisters, Guess What? You are not now and never have been, never will be, a Mistake or Accident. Psalm 139:13-16

Psalm 139:13-16 The Message

13-16 Oh yes, you shaped me first inside, then out;
    you formed me in my mother’s womb.
I thank you, High God—you’re breathtaking!
    Body and soul, I am marvelously made!
    I worship in adoration—what a creation!
You know me inside and out,
    you know every bone in my body;
You know exactly how I was made, bit by bit,
    how I was sculpted from nothing into something.
Like an open book, you watched me grow from conception to birth;
    all the stages of my life were spread out before you,
The days of my life all prepared
    before I’d even lived one day.

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.

SOMETHING TO PONDER

Have you felt at times that you were born at the wrong time or wrong place? Do you feel like God misplaced you, thinking you were meant to live in a different family, another country, or time period in history, where you believe you would have fit in better, enjoyed living more, prospered, had a better quality of life?

Or, maybe like one of the many homeless I counseled, been told your entire life that you were an accident or a mistake a waste, you’ve grown up believing it?

But it isn’t true because God doesn’t make mistakes. He doesn’t put us in the wrong time and place. As well, He hasn’t given people the power to accidentally create another human or assign worth or personal value. Men and women may not have planned the lives of their children, but we know from His word Psalm 139:13-16, that God does plan for all of our eternities which wait far far ahead.

As Psalm 139:16 describes, “Your eyes saw my unformed body; all the days ordained for me were written in Your book before one of them came to be.”

God carefully created each one of us, as Psalm 139:13 describes, “For You created my inmost being; You knit me together in my mother’s womb.”

No matter the circumstances of our conception or birth, Psalm 139:14 reassures us of God’s plan for us. “I praise you because I am fearfully and wonderfully made; Your works are wonderful, I know that full well.”

Even so, we may continue to still feel like we don’t know which way to turn in life; some may feel lost, but when we’re not sure which way to go, we ask God to lead us, and He will, like Psalm 32:8 assures, “I will instruct you and teach you in the way you should go; I will counsel you with My loving eye on you.”

Life Makes Sense: God’s Story of You

Psalm 139:16 Living Bible

16 You saw me before I was born and scheduled each day of my life before I began to breathe. Every day was recorded in your book!

We love stories, but it’s surprising how easily we can end up missing the stories God has written for our lives.

Winston Churchill once famously claimed that history was simply “one . . . unpredictable pathway after another over which we have little, no control.”

In other words, he claimed there was no story behind our experiences in life, only a vast series of unpredictable events over which no one has any control.

Few things are more deadening to your soul than thinking that your life ulti­mately means little more than one unpredictable thing after another.

Yet that’s how we often feel.

On many days we view our jobs or careers or families as where we have “ended up” in life.

In fact, it can seem a bit presumptuous to think there’s some master plan behind whatever situation you are in right now.

But the Bible tells us that the events of our lives make sense because they are part of a much larger story.

The struggles of last month or the victories that we may claim in the next few weeks are not simply chance occurrences.

They are part of a story line that is going somewhere.

The work you do, the people you share life with, the abilities you have, and the weaknesses you struggle with are all part of a diverse collection of ele­ments intended to make for a really good story—the story of you. God’s story of you. 

Do you believe this?

Do you believe God?

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

Praying …

Psalm 8 The Message

8 God, brilliant Lord,
    yours is a household name.

2 Nursing infants gurgle choruses about you;
    toddlers shout the songs
That drown out enemy talk,
    and silence atheist babble.

3-4 I look up at your macro-skies, dark and enormous,
    your handmade sky-jewelry,
Moon and stars mounted in their settings.
    Then I look at my micro-self and wonder,
Why do you bother with us?
    Why take a second look our way?

5-8 Yet we’ve so narrowly missed being gods,
    bright with Eden’s dawn light.
You put us in charge of your handcrafted world,
    repeated to us your Genesis-charge,
Made us stewards of sheep and cattle,
    even animals out in the wild,
Birds flying and fish swimming,
    whales singing in the ocean deeps.

9 God, brilliant Lord,
    your name echoes around the world.

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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Ancient expectations, Contemporary expectations: Why do you and I seek the living among the dead? He is not in the grave anymore, but has risen! Luke 24:4-8

Luke 24:1-8 Christian Standard Bible

Resurrection Morning

24 On the first day of the week, very early in the morning, they[a] came to the tomb, bringing the spices they had prepared. 2 They found the stone rolled away from the tomb. 3 They went in but did not find the body of the Lord Jesus. 4  While they were perplexed about this, suddenly two men stood by them in dazzling clothes. 5 So the women were terrified and bowed down to the ground.

“Why are you looking for the living among the dead?” asked the men. 6 “He is not here, but he has risen! Remember how he spoke to you when he was still in Galilee, 7 saying, ‘It is necessary that the Son of Man be betrayed into the hands of sinful men, be crucified, and rise on the third day’?” 8 And they remembered his words.

Word of God for the Children of God

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

When we consider Jesus as Messiah, most of us think immediately in personal terms: 

Jesus is my Messiah.

He forgives my sins. He lives in me. 

All of which, of course, is true.

But 1st-century Jewish expectations concerning the messiahship of Jesus were far broader than that.

If we had talked with a 1st-century Jew about his or her messianic expectations, we would have discovered hopes that were, in a real sense, far grander in scope.

The Jews anticipated that their long-awaited Messiah would come to defeat the pagans by overwhelming force of presence or force of arms, who held sway over them, to rebuild the temple, and to establish God’s just reign upon the earth.

Theirs was a nationalistic hope—a hope that the Messiah would come and vindicate the nation of Israel.

Jesus’ arrival, along with the miracles He performed, stories He told, and the prophecies fulfilled, built to a great crescendo of the highest expectation among His followers. But just when they began to think He really would be the one to militaristically, politically overthrow Rome and redeem the people of Israel.

Hosanna! Hosanna! Hosanna! to the Son of David “Save us, we Pray!

However, at Calvary they saw all their messianic hopes hanging up on a Roman gibbet. When Jesus was so badly beaten and bloodied and nailed, and then when Jesus cried out, “It is finished” (John 19:30), many of them must have agreed.

How, then, did this group of believers, whose messianic hopes had been buried in a tomb, not only continue to believe that Jesus was the Messiah but stand in the streets near where He had been executed, make an unashamed declaration of His messiahship?

The answer which comes reverberating through the pages of the New Testament is found in the bodily resurrection of Jesus.

The angelic announcement to the women who had brought spices to embalm a corpse provoked a radical reassessment of what the believers had witnessed on the Friday and a complete change in their view of their lives and futures.

When the Messiah reappeared among them, as alive as ever, these previously sad, sorrowful, defeated, and brokenhearted disciples were transformed into bold, joyful witnesses.

They now bore testimony to the reality of Christ resurrected with a body that could be seen, handled, and touched, and yet possessing capacities to do what His pre-resurrection body had not done.

His work of salvation was finished; His life and His reign were most certainly not!

Only in the disciples’ recognition of His risen presence did Christ’s messiahship finally make sense.

Indeed, what the early Jewish believers discovered when they “found the stone rolled away from the tomb” (Luke 24:2) and saw that “Jesus himself stood among them” (v 36) was that an eternal hope, joy, and power ignited within their hearts.

And these remain available to all who put their trust in Jesus, the resurrected Messiah. It is the resurrection, and only the resurrection, that changes sadness, sorrow, and defeat into hope, joy, and power.

It is the resurrection, and only the resurrection, that declares our Messiah will defeat His enemies, will restore His people, and will rule from sea to sea.

The resurrection of Jesus will absolutely change everything about how you and I will go about your day today, tomorrow and as many tomorrows as God gifts us.

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

Praying …

Psalm 24 Complete Jewish Bible

(0) By David. A psalm:

(1) The earth is Adonai’s, with all that is in it,
the world and those who live there;
2 for he set its foundations on the seas
and established it on the rivers.

3 Who may go up to the mountain of Adonai?
Who can stand in his holy place?
4 Those with clean hands and pure hearts,
who don’t make vanities the purpose of their lives
or swear oaths just to deceive.
5 They will receive a blessing from Adonai
and justice from God, who saves them.
6 Such is the character of those who seek him,
of Ya‘akov, who seeks your face. (Selah)

7 Lift up your heads, you gates!
Lift them up, everlasting doors,
so that the glorious king can enter!
8 Who is he, this glorious king?
Adonai, strong and mighty,
Adonai, mighty in battle.

9 Lift up your heads, you gates!
Lift them up, everlasting doors,
so that the glorious king can enter!
10 Who is he, this glorious king?
Adonai-Tzva’ot —
he is the glorious king. (Selah)

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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