Tag: jesus

For Levi 100% Change is inevitable, For Matthew, Resistance to change was inevitably, virtually nonexistent. Luke 5:27-39

Luke 5:27-39 New American Standard Bible

Call of Levi (Matthew)

27 After that He went out and looked at a tax collector named [a]Levi sitting in the tax office, and He said to him, “Follow Me.” 28 And he left everything behind, and got up and began following Him.

29 And Levi gave a big reception for Him in his house; and there was a large crowd of tax collectors and other people who were reclining at the table with them. 30 The Pharisees and their scribes began grumbling to His disciples, saying, “Why do you eat and drink with the tax collectors and [b]sinners?” 31 And Jesus answered and said to them, “It is not those who are healthy who need a physician, but those who are sick. 32 I have not come to call the righteous to repentance, but sinners.”

33 And they said to Him, “The disciples of John often fast and offer prayers, the disciples of the Pharisees also do [c]the same, but Yours eat and drink.”  34  And Jesus said to them, “You cannot make the [d]attendants of the groom fast while the groom is with them, can you? 35 But the days will come; and when the groom is taken away from them, then they will fast in those days.” 36 And He was also telling them a parable: “No one tears a piece of cloth from a new garment and puts it on an old garment; otherwise he will both tear the new, and the patch from the new  garment will not match the old. 37 And no one pours new wine into old wineskins; otherwise the new wine will burst the skins and it will be spilled out, and the skins will be ruined. 38 But new wine must be put into fresh wineskins. 39 And no one, after drinking old wine wants new; for he says, ‘The old is fine.’”

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, we are going to look at the challenge of change in our spiritual lives.

We see Levi, a tax collector, who chose to leave his comfortable but corrupt life to follow Jesus.

This decision highlights the significant shifts we might face when we commit to living for Christ.

Change can be difficult, as it often meets resistance both from within ourselves and from the World.

Like Levi, we also have the choice to let go of our past and embrace a new, unknown path of faith.

As we reflect on Levi’s story, we can ask ourselves what holds us back from fully responding to God’s call.

Are we stuck in habits, relationships, or mindsets that prevent our spiritual growth?

Jesus encourages us to let go of the old ways and make space for new faith.

He invites us to rethink what makes us comfortable and to envision what it means to live in His grace.

Today, let us open our hearts and spirits unto the .001% possibility of change, knowing that while it will 100% be mightily challenging, to giving ourselves, to surrendering to change, Jesus can lead us to a life filled with hope and purpose.

Luke 5:27-28

Change your…

1. Association.

The calling of Levi (Matthew) highlights how changing our associations can transform our spiritual lives.

When Jesus asked Levi, a despised tax collector, to follow Him, it not only changed Levi’s job but also placed him in a new community centered on faith and purpose.

This scene illustrates God’s desire for us to leave behind past associations and accept a new identity in Christ.

Just like Levi left his old life, we need to examine the relationships in our lives and see if they bring us closer to God or pull us away.

On a practical level, changing our associations means looking at the influences around us, (our friends, social and professional circles) making solid choices that reflect our faith.

This doesn’t mean we have to cut ties with those who don’t share our beliefs, but rather we should seek out relationships that help us grow spiritually.

By surrounding ourselves with people who encourage us to be better, we can create an environment that fosters change.

Being part of a community of believers provides the support we need to reflect Christ’s love in our lives.

Embracing these changes can lead to much stronger relationships and a clearer understanding of our identity in Christ, showing that even the most hard core, and soul rending challenges of change are both deeply personal and communal.

Luke 5:29-30

Change your…

2. Perspective.

Levi/Matthew invited Jesus and His disciples to a feast at his home, illustrating a significant change in perspective.

As a tax collector, Levi was often viewed as an outcast, but he embraced his new identity in Christ and shared this transformative moment.

In contrast, the Pharisees represent a narrow-minded view that limits God’s grace to the inherently “righteous.”

This story teaches us that changing our perspective allows us to experience God’s love more fully and share it with others. Jesus calls us to shift from exclusion to inclusion and from judgment to compassion, encouraging us to rise above traditional societal norms and personal biases in our faith journey.

On a practical level, altering our perspective means making a conscious effort to understand and empathize with others.

We should challenge our preconceived ideas and approach people with grace, recognizing that everyone has their own unique struggles.

This could involve reaching out to someone we find difficult to connect with or engaging with marginalized individuals in our community.

By doing this, we follow Christ’s example of love and acceptance, creating spaces where others can feel the Gospel’s warmth.

A changed perspective not only transforms our own hearts but also fosters a more inclusive and compassionate community, enabling us to authentically live out our faith and reflect Christ’s love in our everyday actions.

Luke 5:31-32

Change your…

3. Priorities.

Jesus showed how His Ministry changed the priorities of those who follow Him.

He teaches that repentance is not just about stopping sinful behaviors; but about rethinking what is truly important in our lives.

By spending time with tax collectors and sinners, Jesus revealed that God’s grace is for everyone.

This challenges us to reconsider who we prioritize, encouraging us to focus less on status and wealth, more on love, mercy, and compassion for those in need.

Shifting our focus from rituals to relationships can foster spiritual growth and create a genuine community.

To change our priorities in line with Jesus’ teachings, we must intentionally take action that reflects His values.

This means dedicating time to service, building connections with those who struggle, and examining our commitments to ensure they align with our faith.

We can start by identifying areas where we might be prioritizing pursuits that don’t align with Christ’s heart.

Regular reflection through prayer, studying Scripture, engaging with mentors can help us determine where God wants us to invest our time and resources.

By aligning our priorities with Jesus’ mission, we not only respond to His call but also become instruments of His love and grace in a World that needs it.

Luke 5:33-35

Change your…

4. Traditions.

Jesus confronts the problems that arise when long-held traditions clash with the life-changing message of the Gospel.

The Pharisees were fixated on their customs, especially regarding fasting.

This passage teaches us that while traditions can be helpful, they shouldn’t obstruct God’s work in our lives.

The challenge to “change your traditions” encourages believers to examine whether these practices, (although well-meaning) are hindering their spiritual growth or pushing away those wanting to know Christ.

Jesus reminds us that His presence introduces something new, urging us to regularly reassess our rituals and allow the Holy Spirit to guide our choices.

Practically, changing traditions can happen in different ways within our lives and communities.

It might involve rethinking how Church Services are held or how outreach is conducted, focusing on the very heart beat of the Gospel instead of rigid forms.

Additionally, individuals should regularly reflect on their personal worship habits- Are there routines that have become dry and disconnected from God?

Embracing change can foster a welcoming environment for new believers, deepen relationships, and enhance genuine worship experiences.

Ultimately, this change honors the past while ensuring our traditions truly express Christ’s transformative love rather than mere routine.

Luke 5:36-39

Change your…

5. Heart.

Jesus illustrates the need for an inner transformation through the parables of new wine and old wineskins.

He teaches that changing our hearts is essential to embracing new ways of living according to the Gospel, which emphasizes love, grace, and mercy.

A heart stuck in quicksand’s of old traditions cannot fully accept this fresh message, so we must be open to God’s transformative power.

This change isn’t just about altering our behavior; it’s all about realigning our desires with God’s will. With the help of the Holy Spirit, we can break free from outdated ways of thinking and living, evangelizing, praying and worshiping.

Practically, changing our hearts means committing to activities that promote spiritual growth.

This could involve regular prayer, reading, studying Scripture, worshiping with community, and serving others in love.

When our hearts are aligned with God’s, we are driven by hope rather than fear, allowing us to welcome positive changes in our lives.

Additionally, being in a supportive community encourages, inspires our growth and helps us navigate struggles together.

As we release those past hurts and hardened fears, we inevitably make room for God’s new teachings, empowering, enriching our faith journey and deepening our relationships with Him and with one another.

Conclusion:

The challenge of change is a wide open invitation from Christ to transform our hearts and minds, not just our circumstances.

Almost immediately Levi, the tax collector, left his old life behind to follow Jesus, and we too are called to almost immediately step out of our own comfort zones and embrace the uncertainty that comes with faith.

While change can be intimidating, it is in these moments we experience God’s grace, who walks with us, encourages us, to trust Him as we move forward.

Additionally, we recognize that change is not something we face alone; it involves our community of believers supporting one another.

Just as Jesus reached out to Levi and the outcasts, we are called to extend grace to those around us.

In embracing change, we become sources of hope and transformation in our families and communities.

Let us authentically accept this challenge with the love of Christ empowering us to live authentically, trusting that through Him, we can turn fears into faith.

May we move forward with courage, ready to embrace the new life He offers us.

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

Praying …

Psalm 8 Complete Jewish Bible

8 (0) For the leader. On the gittit. A psalm of David:

2 (1) Adonai! Our Lord! How glorious
is your name throughout the earth!
The fame of your majesty
spreads even above the heavens!

3 (2) From the mouths of babies and infants at the breast
you established strength because of your foes,
in order that you might silence
the enemy and the avenger.

4 (3) When I look at your heavens, the work of your fingers,
the moon and stars that you set in place —
5 (4) what are mere mortals, that you concern yourself with them;
humans, that you watch over them with such care?

6 (5) You made him but little lower than the angels,
you crowned him with glory and honor,
7 (6) you had him rule what your hands made,
you put everything under his feet —
8 (7) sheep and oxen, all of them,
also the animals in the wilds,
9 (8) the birds in the air, the fish in the sea,
whatever passes through the paths of the seas.

10 (9) Adonai! Our Lord! How glorious
is your name throughout 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.

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For that person must never suppose that they will receive anything from the Lord; he is a double-minded man, doubting all, unstable, in all his ways. James 1:5-8

James 1:2-8 J.B. Phillips New Testament

The Christian can even welcome trouble

2-8 When all kinds of trials and temptations crowd into your lives my brothers, don’t resent them as intruders, but welcome them as friends! Realise that they come to test your faith and to produce in you the quality of endurance. But let the process go on until that endurance is fully developed, and you will find you have become men of mature character with the right sort of independence. And if, in the process, any of you does not know how to meet any particular problem he has only to ask God—who gives generously to all men without making them feel foolish or guilty—and he may be quite sure that the necessary wisdom will be given him. But he must ask in sincere faith without secret doubts as to whether he really wants God’s help or not. The man who trusts God, but with inward reservations, is like a wave of the sea, carried forward by the wind one moment and driven back the next. That sort of man cannot hope to receive anything from God, and the life of a man of divided loyalty will reveal instability at every turn.

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.

Truth or False: There is a kind of prayer that receives nothing from God?

It is the prayer of the doubter, the one who does not “ask in faith.”

When James says we are to make our requests to God “with no doubting,” he’s not saying we must never have any uncertainty or confusion in our minds, ever.

To doubt in the sense that James uses the term here is more than simply saying, “I am struggling, wavering to be certain about this” or “I guess almost know this to be maybe 1% true but, ugh however, maybe sometimes I wonder it is not even less”; refusing to firmly ground themselves, entrust ourselves to our Father’s care.

It is to make a back-up plan that relies on our efforts even as we ask God for His intervention, or to ask for something that deep down we do not really want.

https://www.blueletterbible.org/lexicon/g1252/nasb95/mgnt/0-1/

J.B. Phillips paraphrases this verse in a helpful way: “He must ask in sincere faith without secret doubts as to whether he really wants God’s help or not.”

James is addressing the issue of divided loyalty, describing the doubter as one whose prayers and desires are clearly at hard core odds with each other.

This person comes before God and asks for things that he or she has no intention of doing, much as the great 5th-century theologian Augustine famously prayed prior to his conversion: “Lord, make me pure, but not yet.”[1]

1 Confessions, 8.7.17.

God knows exactly when we are simply playing the game, using the language, singing the song without any truth or desire to match up our lives to our words.

He knows whether we really want His help, are secretly reserving the right to do only exactly what we feel like doing if His wisdom does not lead, move, us in the only direction we naturally desire.

Faith says no to this kind of deliberate insincere hypocrisy, which prays for wisdom but acts only in complete foolishness. The faith James describes is therefore more than comprehension; it is an expression of trust and devotion.

Honesty lies at the heart of any genuine appeal, whether to an earthly father or our heavenly Father.

When you come before God, you must “draw near with a true heart in full assurance of faith” (Hebrews 10:22).

With this kind of sincerity, you will make it clear in your own soul and to God that you are fully trusting Him to be faithful to His promises and that you are serious about acting on whatever wisdom He provides.

In what area of your life are you particularly aware that you absolutely need God’s wisdom?

Entrust yourself to your heavenly Father and be ready to follow His guidance, so you will walk steady in your faith and joy, and not be tossed about by the wind.

When You Not so Simply Don’t Know What to Do

James 1:5-8 Amplified Bible

5 If any of you lacks wisdom [to guide him through a decision or circumstance], he is to ask of [our benevolent] God, who gives to everyone generously and without rebuke or blame, and it will be given to him. 6 But he must ask [for wisdom] in faith, without doubting [God’s willingness to help], for the one who doubts is like a billowing surge of the sea that is blown about and tossed by the wind. 7 For such a person ought not to think or expect that he will receive anything [at all] from the Lord, 8 being a double-minded man, unstable and  restless in all his ways [in everything he thinks, feels, or decides].

Throughout my ministry I’ve had people come to me and say, “I just don’t know what to do. I want to do God’s will, but I don’t know what he wants for me.”

And, really, how do you know for sure what school to go to, or what job to take? How do you know when to move, or not to move, what cars, homes to buy?

How do you know what person you should marry, when to start a family, or whether you should adopt?

More than once when we had to make an important decision, I found myself wishing that God would send a clear message to guide us.

So how do we know God’s will?

James 1:5 gives the answer, at least in part: “If any of you lacks wisdom, you should ask God …” By ourselves we don’t have the wisdom to know what God plan has in mind for us. And that’s the reason we need to ask God, “who gives generously.” If you don’t know what to do, ask God for wisdom.

God gives us his wisdom through the Bible.

“Your Word is a lamp to my feet and a light for my path” (Psalm 119:105).

God gives us wisdom through the people in our lives. Don’t be afraid to ask other people for their insight. God gives us wisdom through open and closed doors and through doors closing, doors slamming, changing life circumstances.

We have to ask, and then we need to observe closely as God provides answers.

Truth or Nonsense?

When praying …

12 I assure you and most solemnly say to you, anyone who believes in Me [as Savior] will also do the things that I do; and he will do even greater things than these [in extent and outreach], because I am going to the Father. 13 And I will do whatever you ask in My name [[b]as My representative], this I will do, so that the Father may be glorified and celebrated in the Son. 14 If you ask Me anything in My name [as My representative], I will do it.

Authenticity (Psalm 51) of our hearts 100% does not, will not, matter to God?

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

Praying …

Psalm 137 Complete Jewish Bible

137 By the rivers of Bavel we sat down and wept
as we remembered Tziyon.
2 We had hung up our lyres
on the willows that were there,
3 when those who had taken us captive
asked us to sing them a song;
our tormentors demanded joy from us —
“Sing us one of the songs from Tziyon!”

4 How can we sing a song about Adonai
here on foreign soil?
5 If I forget you, Yerushalayim,
may my right hand wither away!
6 May my tongue stick to the roof of my mouth
if I fail to remember you,
if I fail to count Yerushalayim
the greatest of all my joys.

7 Remember, Adonai, against the people of Edom
the day of Yerushalayim’s fall,
how they cried, “Tear it down! Tear it down!
Raze it to the ground!”

8 Daughter of Bavel, you will be destroyed!
A blessing on anyone who pays you back
for the way you treated us!
9 A blessing on anyone who seizes your babies
and smashes them against a rock!

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

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God is gracious—it is He who makes things right, our most merciful and compassionate God. God takes the side of the helpless; when at the end of my rope, Yes! He saved even me! Psalm 116

Psalm 116 Complete Jewish Bible

116 I love that Adonai heard
my voice when I prayed;
2 because he turned his ear to me,
I will call on him as long as I live.

3 The cords of death were all around me,
Sh’ol’s constrictions held me fast;
I was finding only distress and anguish.
4 But I called on the name of Adonai:
“Please, Adonai! Save me!”

5 Adonai is merciful and righteous;
yes, our God is compassionate.
6 Adonai preserves the thoughtless;
when I was brought low, he saved me.
7 My soul, return to your rest!
For Adonai has been generous toward you.
8 Yes, you have rescued me from death,
my eyes from tears and my feet from falling.
9 I will go on walking in the presence of Adonai
in the lands of the living.
10 I will keep on trusting even when I say,
“I am utterly miserable,”
11 even when, in my panic, I declare,
“Everything human is deceptive.”

12 How can I repay Adonai
for all his generous dealings with me?
13 I will raise the cup of salvation
and call on the name of Adonai.
14 I will pay my vows to Adonai
in the presence of all his people.

15 From Adonai’s point of view,
the death of those faithful to him is costly.
16 Oh, Adonai! I am your slave;
I am your slave, the son of your slave-girl;
you have removed my fetters.
17 I will offer a sacrifice of thanks to you
    and will call on the name of Adonai.
18 I will pay my vows to Adonai
in the presence of all his people,
19 in the courtyards of Adonai’s house,
there in your very heart, Yerushalayim.

Halleluyah!

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.

Believing, Even When We Are Afflicted

Psalm 116:5-11 New American Standard Bible

5 Gracious is the Lord, and righteous;
Yes, our God is compassionate.
6 The Lord watches over the simple;
I was brought low, and He saved me.
7 Return to your rest, my soul,
For the Lord has dealt generously with you.
8 For You have rescued my soul from death,
My eyes from tears,
And my feet from stumbling.
9 I shall walk before the Lord
In the [a]land of the living.
10 I believed when I said,
“I am greatly afflicted.”
11 I said in my alarm,
“All people are liars.”

We long for tranquil lives. We often pray for health, prosperity, and success.

And yet it is often times of physical or spiritual affliction, struggle and difficulty are those which quiet us, push us, bring us, plant us, root us, that much closer to God, along with a significantly greater desire to connect with Him, to humble ourselves to serve Him. That’s a lesson the psalmist brings out in this section.

Afflictions can all too easily result in bitterness, robbing us of joy. As we have already read in Psalm 116, the psalmist has experienced far more than his fair share hardcore trials at the hands of his enemies. Instead of tumbling into the black hole of bitterness, however, the writer gives thanks to God for two things.

First, he has developed a trusting dependence on God. Despite his trials, the psalmist confesses to God: “You are good, and what you do is gracious; I trust you to always be there to watch over me during my times of weaknesses.”

Second, the experience of affliction has driven the psalmist closer to God and more deeply into God’s Word. I long to be obedient, he says. And his search for knowledge and good judgment leads him to affirm the priceless value of God’s Word, saying it is more precious “than thousands of pieces of silver and gold.”

How well do we handle our hardest afflictions? We all experience them, and no, they are not easy. In difficult situations—whatever they may be—we can grow closer to God when we search his Word for the comfort and guidance we need.

God’s ear is turned toward us.

Just as my ears heard right away the screams arising from inside my soul, I too knew the sound of my own cries and almost immediately went towards God.

You and I will certainly face devastating trials and afflictions year after year.

Maybe you are in a season right now where it is all about one affliction after another which always seem to be piling up. It would be easy to avoid God during these times or even be angry with God. What if we, instead, we ran to God? 

Over the last twenty five years I have learned that running to God is actually the best thing I can do. Why? Because I know, I will trust that God’s ear is always turned toward us. Just as my ears heard right away the scream from my insides , I knew the sound of my cries and prayed they immediately went towards him.

The next verses in Psalm 116 details how much the psalmist suffered in body, mind, and spirit, even facing imminent death, but trusted God was his helper.

I love verse ten because it seems to be the pinnacle of the psalm. He says, “I believed, even when I said, ‘I am severely afflicted.’”

What the psalmist is saying is that he did not shy away from telling God all about his afflictions. The worst pain did not keep him from crying out to God.

And the heartache didn’t keep him from believing in God either. There are many critical truths here, that the psalmist hung onto, even when he was afflicted. 

The truths here are things like God’s grace, righteousness, and compassion. (Psalm 116:5)

Where do we those characteristics of God come out in our lives today? Jesus!

Jesus was afflicted, He suffered far more than is imaginable or describable!

Jesus was God’s righteousness for us.

He lived a perfect sinless life because we could not. He allowed His life to take our place so that when God sees you and me, He sees Jesus’ righteousness. 

Jesus is also God’s grace to us. 

Ephesians 2:8-9 say, “For you are saved by grace through faith, and this is not from yourselves; it is God’s gift— not from works, so that no one can boast.”

Jesus brought grace because He died on the cross, taking all of our places and punishment for us.

Now, we are saved and brought into God’s family through grace once we accept Him as Savior. 

God’s compassion is also evident in Jesus’ life.  

Jesus healed the sick, cured the lame, and even rose people from the dead.

It says in Matthew 20:34, “Moved with compassion, Jesus touched their eyes. Immediately they could see, and they followed Him.” 

Even today, Jesus sits on the throne beside God interceding for us. 

Romans 8:34 says, “Who is the one who condemns? Christ Jesus is the One who died, but even more, has been raised; He also is at the right hand of God and intercedes for us.”

What unknowable, unsearchable depths’ of compassion for us to think that Christ is always praying and speaking to God the Father about you and me!? 

The troubles and hardships we all face, can sometimes cause us to doubt these truths about God.

Does He love me?

Does He care?

Is He really in control?

Those questions can lead us to look to the Bible. 

This psalm is a great comfort to us because it does not deny that hard things happen.

Psalm 116 points us to the truth that God is loving, righteous, compassionate, and full of grace. In prayer, we can all come to God and remember these things. 

Intersecting Faith & Life:

Romans 15:1-13New American Standard Bible

Self-denial in behalf of Others

15 Now we who are strong ought to bear the weaknesses of those without strength, and not just please ourselves. 2 Each of us is to please his neighbor [a]for his good, to his edification. 3 For even Christ did not please Himself, but as it is written: “The taunts of those who taunt You have fallen on Me.” 4 For whatever was written in earlier times was written for our instruction, so that through perseverance and the encouragement of the Scriptures we might have hope. 5 Now may the God [b]who gives perseverance and encouragement grant you to be of the same mind with one another, according to Christ Jesus, 6 so that with one purpose and one [c]voice you may glorify the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ.

7 Therefore, [d]accept one another, just as Christ also accepted [e]us, for the glory of God. 8 For I say that Christ has become a servant to the circumcision in behalf of the truth of God, to confirm the promises given to the fathers, 9 and for the Gentiles to  glorify God for His mercy; as it is written:

“Therefore I will [f]give praise to You among the Gentiles,
And I will sing praises to Your name.”

10 Again he says,

“Rejoice, you Gentiles, with His people.”

11 And again,

“Praise the Lord all you Gentiles,
And let all the peoples praise Him.”

12 Again Isaiah says,

“There shall come the root of Jesse,
And He who arises to rule over the Gentiles,
In Him will the Gentiles hope.”

13 Now may the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace in believing, so that you will abound in hope by the power of the Holy Spirit.

After reading Psalm 116, and some verses about Jesus, and from Romans 15 how does this give you any hardcore confidence, go to God with your cries for help?

Knowing God listens to you and hears your prayers, does this cause you to pray more or less? trust more or less? Hope more or less? more fervently or timidly?

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

Praying …

Thirsting for God in Trouble and Exile.

For the music director. A [a]Maskil of the sons of Korah.

42 As the deer [b]pants for the water brooks,
So my soul [c]pants for You, God.
2 My soul thirsts for God, for the living God;
When shall I come and [d]appear before God?
3 My tears have been my food day and night,
While they say to me all day long, “Where is your God?”
4 I remember these things and pour out my soul within me.
For I used to go over with the multitude and walk them to the house of God,
With a voice of joy and thanksgiving, a multitude celebrating a festival.

5 Why are you [e]in despair, my soul?
And why are you restless within me?
Wait for God, for I will [f]again praise [g]Him
For the [h]help of His [i]presence, my God.
6 My soul is [j]in despair within me;
Therefore I remember You from the land of the Jordan
And the [k]peaks of Hermon, from Mount Mizar.
7 Deep calls to deep at the sound of Your waterfalls;
All Your breakers and Your waves have passed over me.
8 The Lord will send His goodness in the daytime;
And His song will be with me in the night,
A prayer to the God of my life.

9 I will say to God my rock, “Why have You forgotten me?
Why do I go about mourning [l]because of the oppression of the enemy?”
10 As a shattering of my bones, my adversaries taunt me,
While they say to me all day long, “Where is your God?”
11 Why are you [m]in despair, my soul?
And why are you restless within me?
Wait for God, for I will again praise [n]Him
For the [o]help of His presence, my God.

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

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Any Significance to even minimally keeping God’s Covenant of Sabbath Rest? Does Sabbath mean anything? exodus 20:8-10

Exodus 20:8-10 Amplified Bible

8 “Remember the Sabbath (seventh) day to keep it holy (set apart, dedicated to God). 9 Six days you shall labor and do all your work, 10 but the seventh day is a Sabbath [a day of rest dedicated] to the Lord your God; on that day you shall not do any work, you or your son, or your daughter, or your male servant, or your female servant, or your livestock or the temporary resident (foreigner) who stays within your [city] gates.

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.

I recall a few time when I purposely neglected God’s day of rest and found myself overwhelmed by busyness and stress. A friend (my wife) read Exodus 20:8-10 with me and encouraged me (as I had previously encouraged her) to set aside time each week for rest and reflection, trusting that God’s commandment to rest is not just for physical rejuvenation but also for spiritual renewal.

This Sabbath is a sacred covenant from God, a time set apart for rest, worship, and reflection. It reminds us of God’s creative power and his desire for us to take a day, removed from our chaos to experience his peace. In a culture that exclusively values 110% productivity and constant activity, observing Sabbath requires intentional commitment, sacred discipline, trust in God’s provision.

When we authentically honor the Sabbath, we accept our dependence on God and his faithfulness. We genuinely cease from our usual work day to delight in God’s presence and to exclusively prioritize relationships with him and others.

Sabbath rest allows us to recharge physically, emotionally, and spiritually to serve God and others throughout the week. Each Sabbath day is an invitation to enjoy God’s rest and to align our hearts and souls with his rhythms of grace.

If you long for spiritual refreshment and deeper intimacy with God, consider embracing the gift of Sabbath rest.

Observe the Sabbath day, to keep it holy. Work six days and do everything you need to do. But the seventh day is a Sabbath to God, your God. Don’t do any work—not you, nor your son, nor your daughter, nor your servant, nor your maid, nor your animals, not even the foreign guest visiting in your town. For in six days God made Heaven, Earth, and sea, and everything in them; he rested on the seventh day. Therefore God blessed the Sabbath day; he set it apart as a holy day.

Set aside time to worship, pray, and reflect on God’s goodness. May each day of authentic Sabbath remind you of God’s love and his desire for us to rest in him.

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

Praying …

23 1-3 God, my shepherd!
    I don’t need a thing.
You have bedded me down in lush meadows,
    you find me quiet pools to drink from.
True to your word,
    you let me catch my breath
    and send me in the right direction.

4 Even when the way goes through
    Death Valley,
I’m not afraid
    when you walk at my side.
Your trusty shepherd’s crook
    makes me feel secure.

5 You serve me a six-course dinner
    right in front of my enemies.
You revive my drooping head;
    my cup brims with blessing.

6 Your beauty and love chase after me
    every day of my life.
I’m back home in the house of God
    for the rest of my life.

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 New Kind of Peace is now standing in our Midst: Jesus came and stood in their midst, and said to them, “let My Peace be with you.” John 20:19-21

John 20:19-21 Amplified Bible

Jesus among His Disciples

19 So when it was evening on that same day, the first day of the week, though the disciples were [meeting] behind barred doors for fear of the Jews, Jesus came and stood among them, and said, “[a]Peace to you.” 20 After He said this, He showed them His hands and His side. When the disciples saw the Lord, they were filled with great joy. 21 Then Jesus said to them again, “Peace to you; as the Father has sent Me, I also send you [as My representatives].”

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.

Many of us who have lost someone, suddenly or in an expected way; can recall evenings in the aftermath of loss when it felt difficult even to breathe. We sat there with others, grieving in a silence punctuated every so often by reflection.

On the Sunday evening following Jesus’ death, we can imagine His disciples going through a similar experience.

Maybe one casually said, Do you remember how excited and hopeful we were when He walked on water? Perhaps another sullenly added, I remember Him weeping at the tomb of Lazarus. I won’t ever forget it. 

In all their reminiscence, they doubtless felt a stabbing awareness that they would never again on earth see Jesus’ face.

Of that they were convinced.

They were fearful of the future.

They had just witnessed Christ’s brutal execution, and they had locked the door behind them (John 20:19), mightily worried that they would be the next targets.

Jesus knew this.

Therefore, when He appeared quietly among them that night, the first word to come out of His mouth was “Peace,” or Shalom.

This was a customary Semitic greeting that came with warmth and without rebuke, blame, or disappointment.

Then He showed them His hands and His side. It was Him. The Jesus whom they were convinced they would never see again was actually standing among them!

“Peace be with you” gave the disciples an indication not simply that their gladness should be prompted by the awareness that He was no longer dead but of something far greater: that by His visible resurrection, Jesus had now come to bestow a new kind of peace as a result of His blood shed upon the cross.

And the peace with which He greeted them is the same peace that He gives to every pardoned sinner.

Shalom takes on a whole new meaning for those who discover this peace.

In our weary world, bowing under the weight of all that is difficult and broken, tainted by indifference toward or denial of Almighty God in all His majesty, we know that He still seeks us out.

Just as He came up behind Mary Magdalene at the open tomb (John 20:11-18) and the two disciples on the road to Emmaus (Luke 24:13-35), so He pursues you and me in love, bidding us find peace in Him, the one at whose birth the angels sang, “Peace on earth, good will towards men” (Luke 2:14, CSB).

In the face of our fear, our world aches for any semblance of peace.

But longing for it and singing about it will not create it. Peace can only be found in Jesus’ words: “In me you may have peace” (John 16:33; emphasis added).

The resurrection doesn’t simply mean there is a Christ. It means that Christ is alive forever and that He gives us peace with the Father and peace in ourselves, today and forever. Whatever storms are raging around you or inside you, make sure you hear the voice of your risen Savior today, saying, “Peace be with you.”

Stuck in Fear, Sent Out With Peace

On Easter Sunday Jesus’ disciples gathered in a room and locked the door. They were so afraid that the people who had killed Jesus would want to get them too.

But Someone came in anyway, as if the door weren’t even there! And the one who came in was Jesus! He said, “Peace be with you!” And he might well have meant, “Peace be with you, you cowering scared, door-locking disciples.”

Then he showed them his hands and side.

For on them were the scars of battle between life and death, between God and the enemy. Jesus had taken everything the enemy could throw in his way and overcame brutality And there he was, alive! “The disciples were overjoyed.”

Then Jesus said again, “Peace be with you!”

And he gave his followers a mission:

“As the Father has sent me, I am sending you.”

Where was Jesus sending them?

Into the world, where people live and die.

Into the world, where men and women are easily overwhelmed and defeated.

Into the world, where it’s hard to experience true peace amidst total chaos.

Jesus doesn’t want his disciples hiding in locked rooms; he wants us out in the world with the message of life on our lips and acts of life in our hands.

And as we tentatively go forth into the chaos, he says, “Peace be with you!”

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

Praying …

Psalm 27 New American Standard Bible

A Psalm of Fearless Trust in God.

A Psalm of David.

27 The Lord is my light and my salvation;
Whom should I fear?
The Lord is the [a]defense of my life;
Whom should I dread?
2 When evildoers came upon me to devour my flesh,
My adversaries and my enemies, they stumbled and fell.
3 If an army encamps against me,
My heart will not fear;
If war arises against me,
In spite of this I am confident.

4 One thing I have asked from the Lord, that I shall seek:
That I may dwell in the house of the Lord all the days of my life,
To behold the [b]beauty of the Lord
And to [c]meditate in His temple.
5 For on the day of trouble He will conceal me in His [d]tabernacle;
He will hide me in the secret place of His tent;
He will lift me up on a rock.
6 And now my head will be lifted up above my enemies around me,
And I will offer sacrifices in His tent [e]with shouts of joy;
I will sing, yes, I will sing praises to the Lord.

7 Hear, Lord, when I cry with my voice,
And be gracious to me and answer me.
8 When You said, “Seek My face,” my heart said to You,
“I shall seek Your face, Lord.”
9 Do not hide Your face from me,
Do not turn Your servant away in anger;
You have been my help;
Do not abandon me nor forsake me,
God of my salvation!
10 [f]For my father and my mother have forsaken me,
But the Lord will take me up.

11 Teach me Your way, Lord,
And lead me on a level path
Because of my enemies.
12 Do not turn me over to the [g]desire of my enemies,
For false witnesses have risen against me,
And the violent witness.
13 I certainly believed that I would see the goodness of the Lord
In the land of the living.
14 Wait for the Lord;
Be strong and let your heart take courage;
Yes, 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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A Temple With Surest Foundations: God hasn’t moved, hidden Himself from us into the mountains; His holy address has never changed. Psalm 11

Psalm 11 New Living Translation

Psalm 11

For the choir director: A psalm of David.

1 I trust in the Lord for protection.
So why do you say to me,
    “Fly like a bird to the mountains for safety!
2 The wicked are stringing their bows
    and fitting their arrows on the bowstrings.
They shoot from the shadows
    at those whose hearts are right.
3 The foundations of law and order have collapsed.
    What can the righteous do?”

4 But the Lord is in his holy Temple;
    the Lord still rules from heaven.
He watches everyone closely,
    examining every person on earth.
5 The Lord examines both the righteous and the wicked.
    He hates those who love violence.
6 He will rain down blazing coals and burning sulfur on the wicked,
    punishing them with scorching winds.
7 For the righteous Lord loves justice.
    The virtuous will see his face.

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’s possible for all of us to read certain passages or verses of Scripture many times yet miss goldmines of truth. Sometimes we pass by and or skim over because we think we’re overly familiar with what we’ve read, and other times it’s because we don’t take the time to meditate and savor the wealth before us.

So let’s take this glorious opportunity God has just gifted to us to dwell on the truth that “the LORD is in his holy temple.” This simple truth offers both comfort and chastening. Its reality is 100% affirmed in many places in the Old Testament (for example Habakkuk 2:20; Psalm 18:6; Micah 1:2), but David provides some additional angles from which to consider it here in Psalm 11.

The first is that “the LORD’s throne is in heaven,” absolutely making Him the exalted Lord. He reigns not as a mortal with limited perspective and control but as the all-powerful, immortal, all-knowing God, Creator of heaven and earth.

He always and forever outlasts all rulers, all nations are as nothing before Him.

Second, God is the observing Lord: “His eyes see.”

From the exalted position of His heavenly throne, nothing is hidden from God’s sight. No good thing done in His name goes unobserved, and no impure motive or thought is secret to Him. (Psalm 139)

What a comfort to know every day of our lives, going back to when we were merely “unformed substance,” is visible to God (Psalm 139:15-16)!

And what a sobering reality to realize every word, thought, and deed is laid bare before Him!

Third, God is the examining Lord: “The LORD tests the righteous.”

His tests are not always or often easy, but they are always precisely what we need. None of us will ever reach heaven without tests and trials along the way.

This may be our all time most unpleasant reality to consider, but it should be most precious to us, for it means we will not panic when God, in His sometimes inscrutable wisdom, narrowly routes a path thru a valley shadowed by death.

God’s tests are never sent without a glorious purpose; they are always for the sake of preparing us for the day when we too shall see Him in His holy temple.

Keep the truth of this verse in mind the next time you feel as though “the foundations are destroyed” (Psalm 11:3).

The instability we sometimes feel is meant to remind us that worldly stability is only an illusion and that true security is found in God alone. He alone is exalted, He alone sees all, and He alone directs our lives and tests us for our good.

When our foundations tremble, crumble, we can remember that this world is not our home and that our sovereign God is leading us to one day inhabit a city with foundations that will not shake (Hebrews 11:10; 12:28). You can know that He is in His holy temple—and He has promised to bring you to that very place.

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

Praying …

Psalm 46 Authorized (King James) Version

Psalm 46

To the chief Musician for the sons of Korah, A Song upon Alamoth.

1 God is our refuge and strength,
a very present help in trouble.
2 Therefore will not we fear, though the earth be removed,
and though the mountains be carried into the midst of the sea;
3 though the waters thereof roar and be troubled,
though the mountains shake with the swelling thereof. Selah.
4 There is a river, the streams whereof shall make glad the city of God,
the holy place of the tabernacles of the most High.
5 God is in the midst of her; she shall not be moved:
God shall help her, and that right early.
6 The heathen raged, the kingdoms were moved:
he uttered his voice, the earth melted.
7 The Lord of hosts is with us;
the God of Jacob is our refuge. Selah.
8 Come, behold the works of the Lord,
what desolations he hath made in the earth.
9 He maketh wars to cease unto the end of the earth;
he breaketh the bow, and cutteth the spear in sunder;
he burneth the chariot in the fire.

10 Be still, and know that I am God:
I will be exalted among the heathen,
I will be exalted in the earth.
11 The Lord of hosts is with us;
the God of Jacob is our refuge. 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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May God who gives us each patience, steadiness, and encouragement help us to live in complete harmony with each other—each with the attitude of Christ toward the other. Romans 15:6

Romans 15:5-7 Authorized (King James) Version

5 Now the God of patience and consolation grant you to be likeminded one toward another according to Christ Jesus: 6 that ye may with one mind and one mouth glorify God, even the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ. 7 Wherefore receive ye one another, as Christ also received us to the glory of God.

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.

One of the greatest obstacles to the spread of the gospel today is divisiveness in the church. This problem is not new, but that doesn’t make it any less serious. Paul indicates that the division between Jew and Gentile followers of Jesus was problematic in the early church.

Though we need not agree or know about everything, the Bible emphasizes that all followers of Jesus Christ should demonstrate unity. We can achieve this by following the example of Jesus as we serve one another. We should pray that God will give us “the same attitude of mind toward each other that Jesus Christ had.” We should also praise God for the privilege of Christian relationships.

This will bring glory to God.

Paul instructs his readers to praise, rejoice, and sing hymns to express their unity and to glorify God for his mercies.

Shouldn’t we who have received God’s great salvation in the one Savior, Jesus Christ, lift up our voices to praise him in unity?

One of my great privileges has been to listen to that worship of God with sisters and brother from many different lands, but also to participate. Though often I cannot understand the words being sung nor the culture and traditions from which it is being inspired from, I know we are one in the Spirit and in the Lord.

It thrills my heart to no end to not just sing praises to God, but also to preach the Gospel with these believers because I was invited to. I know the fiery power of the Holy Spirit is 100% there with us as we worship Savior, Jesus, together.

What is the meaning of Romans 15 5?

All Christians must please each other and not themselves.

After all, Christ didn’t come to please Himself.

With God’s help and encouragement, everyone in the church can live together in harmony and glorify God with one, unified voice, as they all serve each other ahead of themselves.

What is the meaning of Romans 15 6?

Romans 15:6, “that with one accord you may with one mouth glorify the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ,” emphasizes the importance of unity, harmony among believers, calling them to praise God with a unified voice and heart. 

Unity of Mind and Voice: The verse highlights the need for Christians to be united in their thinking and expression, both in their hearts and in their words. 

  • Glorifying God: The ultimate purpose of this unity is to glorify God, the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ. 
  • Harmony and Agreement: The verse suggests that Christians should strive for harmony and agreement in their worship and actions, reflecting the unity they share in Christ. 
  • Transcendence of Differences: This unity should transcend cultural, ethnic, and other differences, allowing believers to come together in praise and service to God. 
  • A Prayer for Unity: Some interpret this verse as a prayer from Paul, seeking that the church in Rome would be united in their faith and worship. 
  • Importance of Worship: The verse emphasizes the importance of public worship and the need for believers to come together to praise God with one voice. 
  • Serving God Together: The idea of unity in worship and service is also linked to the concept of serving one another, as Christians are called to live in harmony and support each other. 
  • Reflecting Christ’s Love: The unity called for in this verse is a reflection of the love and unity Christians share in Christ, and its intended to bring glory to God. 

In what ways do you and I strive for unity and community with other believers?

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

Praying …

Psalm 133 Authorized (King James) Version

Psalm 133

A Song of degrees of David.

1 Behold, how good and how pleasant it is
for brethren to dwell together in unity!
2 It is like the precious ointment upon the head,
that ran down upon the beard, even Aaron’s beard:
that went down to the skirts of his garments;
3 as the dew of Hermon, and as the dew that descended upon the mountains of Zion:
for there the Lord commanded the blessing,
even life for evermore.

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

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The Freedom of His Rule, Our witness to His truth, The Forever Freedom of His Way, and His Truth, and His Life. John 18:33-38

John 18:33-38 Common English Bible

Pilate questions Jesus

33 Pilate went back into the palace. He summoned Jesus and asked, “Are you the king of the Jews?”

34 Jesus answered, “Do you say this on your own or have others spoken to you about me?”

35 Pilate responded, “I’m not a Jew, am I? Your nation and its chief priests handed you over to me. What have you done?”

36 Jesus replied, “My kingdom doesn’t originate from this world. If it did, my guards would fight so that I wouldn’t have been arrested by the Jewish leaders. My kingdom isn’t from here.”

37 “So you are a king?” Pilate said.

Jesus answered, “You say that I am a king. I was born and came into the world for this reason: to testify to the truth. Whoever accepts the truth listens to my voice.”

38 “What is truth?” Pilate asked.

Release of Barabbas

After Pilate said this, he returned to the Jewish leaders and said, “I find no grounds for any charge against him.

Word of God for the Children of God

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

Jesus’ statement here about truth is in line with everything he has taught. Jesus stands before Pilate “full of grace and truth” (John 1:14). He is the bread of life; the living water; the way, the truth, and the life; the only way to know God the Father (John 6:35; 7:38; 14:6).

As he stands before this Roman governor, Jesus offers Pilate the chance to experience the truth and enter into a relationship with him—like one of his disciples.

But doing that would be very costly for Pilate. If Pilate were to accept what Jesus has to say, he would have to make the truth more important than Rome. Or political power. Or wealth. If Pilate accepted Jesus’ claims and set Jesus free, he would be throwing away his credibility with the Jews, if not his entire career.

In this book John has been helping us to understand that all we possess on this earth—all our power, influence, and wealth—pales in comparison to the truth of Jesus. The offer Jesus extends is the chance to experience life with God the way we are created to live it. Nothing is more important than that.

Sadly, Pilate rejects Jesus’ offer.

By nature, we rigorously, vigorously believe we have the absolute right to rule and control every last facet of our own lives.

Like Pilate we think that absolutely nobody has the authority to tell us what to do or to rule over us. We legislate our own laws, make all of our own rules, we alone will decide for ourselves, define who we are, and mold our own future.

Yet this is a dreadful path, and it leads only to despair.

For when we let down our guards, look within ourselves, and decide we have to absolutely know what this thing called truth is, against however much we have been told to think positively and to believe in ourselves, we are still confronted by our true needs, our failure, our finite selves, our frailty, and our inadequacy.

And when we look without, we see a divided culture and flawed institutions.

To what, then, should we look?

The Old Testament records Israel’s repeated rebellion against God’s rule.

In an attempt to look just like the nations around them, the Israelites demanded an earthly king (1 Samuel 8:5).

Tragically, all of Israel’s kings eventually crumbled to dust: the mighty Saul, the great David, and the wisest of the wise Solomon, all had failed politically, morally, ethically, religiously and any and all other ways we corrupt our lives.

Surely, the people in the streets were making the same complaints that we hear today: “This is not what we were led to believe, nor to expect, when this person became our leader! There must be someone, anyone who is better than this!”

What about you?

Who or whom makes, legislates, enacts, enforces the rules of your life?

Your “Way, your Truth and your life” means what to you or anyone else?

What might you need to let go of in order to embrace the truth of Jesus?

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

Praying …

Psalm 8 Living Bible

8 O Lord our God, the majesty and glory of your name fills all the earth and overflows the heavens. 2 You have taught the little children to praise you perfectly. May their example shame and silence your enemies!

3 When I look up into the night skies and see the work of your fingers—the moon and the stars you have made— 4 I cannot understand how you can bother with mere puny man, to pay any attention to him!

5 And yet you have made him only a little lower than the angels[a] and placed a crown of glory and honor upon his head.

6 You have put him in charge of everything you made; everything is put under his authority: 7 all sheep and oxen, and wild animals too, 8 the birds and fish, and all the life in the sea. 9 O Jehovah, our Lord, the majesty and glory of your name fills 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.

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Listening, Learning about Living in, with, the Family of Faith Hospitably. Hebrews 13:1-8

Hebrews 13:1-8 The Message

Jesus Doesn’t Change

13 1-4 Stay on good terms with each other, held together by love. Be ready with a meal or a bed when it’s needed. Why, some have extended hospitality to angels without ever knowing it! Regard prisoners as if you were in prison with them. Look on victims of abuse as if what happened to them had happened to you. Honor marriage, and guard the sacredness of sexual intimacy between wife and husband. God draws a firm line against casual and illicit sex.

5-6 Don’t be obsessed with getting more material things. Be relaxed with what you have. Since God assured us, “I’ll never let you down, never walk off and leave you,” we can boldly quote,

God is there, ready to help;
I’m fearless no matter what.
Who or what can get to me?

7-8 Appreciate your pastoral leaders who gave you the Word of God. Take a good look at the way they live, and let their faithfulness instruct you, as well as their truthfulness. There should be a consistency that runs through us all. For Jesus doesn’t change—yesterday, today, tomorrow, he’s always totally himself.

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: Hospitality Bridges Barriers?

True or False: Hospitality Builds “easy for anyone – soggy paper bag, house of overused cards etcetera, to knock down, no prayer to God required” Barriers?

True or False: Hospitality Builds tall privacy fences between neighbors which promote “friendly but unseen, unheard, unbothered, anonymous relationships?

True or False: Hospitality Builds unknown, hidden, underwater, underground Minefields – waiting for any number of people to blindly, confidently, secretly (with sincerity, with the best of intentions, walk or run into or stumble upon?

True or False: Hospitality can only Build empty Abandoned Haunted Houses?

True or False: Hospitality builds magnificent palatial mansions nobody or just 1 somebody has financial, material resources, to actually occupy as their home?

True or False: Hospitality is a Chivalrous or Warlike White Knight riding a White Majestic Stallion in front of a heavily fortified Castle politely, or not so politely, asking or demanding for the drawbridge to be lowered by the evil Black Knight?

True or False: Hospitality has no self-confidence or self-esteem to even start a building project of any magnitude and stays behind, preferring its anonymity?

True or False: Hospitality is a malicious, evil, serial, malignant liar and a fraud?

True or False: Hospitality is serving a well deserved Life plus eternity, prison sentence in the ultimate inescapable underground maximum security prison?

True or False: We can authentically say with conviction that Hospitality is an authentic Best Friend Forever, or in reality, our very worst all time, enemy?

True or False: As Christians we can easily recognize Hospitality according to the Word of God for the Children of God – and to obediently listen, and learn about living in hospitality and with hospitality, among our neighbors, family of faith?

Hebrews 13:1-8 Amplified Bible

The Changeless Christ

13 Let love of your fellow believers continue. 2 Do not neglect to extend hospitality to strangers [especially among the family of believers—being friendly, cordial, and gracious, sharing the comforts of your home and doing your part generously], for by this some have entertained angels without knowing it. 3 Remember those who are in prison, as if you were their fellow prisoner, and those who are mistreated, since you also are in the body [and subject to physical suffering]. 4 Marriage is to be held in honor among all [that is, regarded as something of great value], and the marriage bed undefiled [by immorality or by any sexual sin]; for God will judge the sexually immoral and adulterous. 5 Let your character [your moral essence, your inner nature] be free from the love of money [shun greed—be financially ethical], being content with what you have; for He has said, “I will never [under any circumstances] desert you [nor give you up nor leave you without support, nor will I in any degree leave you helpless], nor will I forsake or let you down or relax My hold on you [assuredly not]!” 6 So we take comfort and are encouraged and confidently say,

“The Lord is my Helper [in time of need], I will not be afraid.
What will man do to me?”

7 Remember your leaders [for it was they] who brought you the word of God; and consider the result of their conduct [the outcome of their godly lives], and imitate their faith [their conviction that God exists and is the Creator and Ruler of all things, the Provider of eternal salvation through Christ, and imitate their reliance on God with absolute trust and confidence in His power, wisdom, and goodness]. 8 Jesus Christ is [eternally changeless, always] the same yesterday and today and forever.

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

Praying,

Psalm 100 Amplified Bible

All Men Exhorted to Praise God.

A Psalm of Thanksgiving.

100 Shout joyfully to the Lord, all the earth.
2 
Serve the Lord with gladness and delight;
Come before His presence with joyful singing.
3 
Know and fully recognize with gratitude that the Lord Himself is God;
It is He who has made us, [a]not we ourselves [and we are His].
We are His people and the sheep of His pasture.

4 
Enter His gates with a song of thanksgiving
And His courts with praise.
Be thankful to Him, bless and praise His name.
5 
For the Lord is good;
His mercy and lovingkindness are everlasting,
His faithfulness [endures] to all generations.

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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Where is our Total Satisfaction with nothing but a young boy’s five loaves of bread and two fish? Mark 6:41-42

Mark 6:33-44 New American Standard Bible

Five Thousand Men Fed

33 The people saw them going, and many recognized them and ran there together on foot from all the cities, and got there ahead of them. 34 When Jesus went [a]ashore, He saw a large crowd, and He felt compassion for them because they were like sheep without a shepherd; and He began to teach them many things. 35 And when it was already late, His disciples came up to Him and said, “[b]This place is secluded and it is already late; 36 send them away so that they may go into the surrounding countryside and villages and buy themselves [c]something to eat.” 37 But He answered them, “You give them something to eat!” And they *said to Him, “Shall we go and spend two hundred [d]denarii on bread, and give it to them to eat?” 38 But He *said to them,  “How many loaves do you have? Go look!” And when they found out, they *said, “Five, and two fish.” 39 And He ordered them all to recline by groups on the green grass. 40 They reclined in groups of hundreds and fifties. 41 And He took the five loaves and the two fish, and looking up toward heaven, He blessed the food and broke the loaves and He gave them to the disciples again and again to set before them; and He divided the two fish among them all. 42 And they all ate and were satisfied; 43 and they picked up twelve full baskets of the broken pieces of bread, and of the fish. 44  There were five thousand [e]men who ate the loaves.

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 Jesus directed the disciples to feed a crowd of 5,000 men, plus women and children, with nothing but a young boy’s five loaves of bread and two fish, they faced a seemingly impossible situation.

As Andrew questioned, “What are they for so many?” (John 6:9).

But the Twelve did as Jesus directed them: they sat the people down, separated them into groups, and then they divided the loaves and fish. And divided. And divided. And before they knew it, a miracle of satisfaction had just unfolded.

The five loaves and two fish managed to feed thousands—and not just with the tiniest servings of food but with such an abundance that “they all ate and were satisfied.”

In truth, in a rather miraculous turn of events, there were even twelve wicker baskets of leftovers – 1 for each of the disciples to carry over their shoulders and go among the roadways and back alleys of neighboring villages to feast upon.

Just as God had done centuries earlier with the manna in the barren wilderness (Exodus 16), here the Great Shepherd of Israel proved His identity and provided for His people’s needs, both literally and symbolically.

It should be impossible for us to consider this story and not recognize that God takes unmanageable situations and unbelievably limited resources and greatly multiplies them for the well-being of others and the glory of His name. And He can miraculously do this with our lives and with our neighbors lives as well.

Perhaps, if you are the only Christian, practicing Christian, in your family, in your class, or at your job, you may rigorously, vigorously wonder, like Andrew, “What am I to do among so many? What should I say? What can I hope do?”

Mark 12:41-44 New American Standard Bible

The Widow’s Coins

41 And Jesus sat down opposite the treasury, and began watching how the [a] people were putting [b]money into the treasury; and many rich people were putting in large amounts. 42 And a poor widow came and put in two [c]lepta coins, which amount to a [d]quadrans. 43 Calling His disciples to Him, He said to them, “Truly I say to you, this poor widow put in more than all [e]the contributors to the treasury; 44 for they all put in out of their [f]surplus, but she, out of her poverty, put in all she owned, [g] all she had to live on.”

Jesus and His disciples watch a widow put coins into the treasury offering box.

But here is the real question to ask:

“Have I truly offered up my “meager” resources to God—my time, talents, my energy, gifts, and finances?” They may not be much. But He can multiply them!

https://www.google.com/search?q=Gladys+Aylward&sourceid=chrome&ie=UTF-8

Christian missionary Gladys Aylward lived in London with no education and no savings.

What she had, though, was a passionate longing to go to China to share the gospel.

This small-statured lady, who had long, straight, black hair, thus began a journey by train and then by ocean liner, and eventually ended up in Shanghai.

As she stood on the deck, looking out on the city, she saw all the small-statured Chinese people with their straight, black hair, and suddenly realized that God had had a plan and purpose for her all along.

He’d even established her DNA in such a way she would be perfectly suited to become the “Little Woman” who would reach countless tiny children with the gospel—because she offered up her life to God He multiplied it for His glory.

As you look out on your day and your week, offer yourself to God. Your inability is His opportunity. Your weaknesses and your sense of dependence will form the very basis upon which He shows Himself to be stronger. With nothing but mere loaves and fish, He satisfied thousands. Be in no doubt that He can use you to do great and miraculous things of eternal worth, if you will only pray to Him.

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

Praying …

Psalm 23 Authorized (King James) Version

Psalm 23

A Psalm of David.

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

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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