Tag: jesus

Compelled by a Life of Urgency: so I may finish my task with Joy and the ministry which I received from the Lord Jesus Christ, to testify unto the Good News of God’s grace. Acts 20:24

Acts 20:22-24 Common English Bible

22 Now, compelled by the Spirit, I’m going to Jerusalem. I don’t know what will happen to me there. 23 What I do know is that the Holy Spirit testifies to me from city to city that prisons and troubles await me. 24 But nothing, not even my life, is more important than my completing my mission. This is nothing other than the ministry I received from the Lord Jesus: to testify about the good news of God’s grace.

The Word of God for the Children of God.

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

Compelled to Count My Life as Nothing?

Acts 20:24 Amplified Bible

24 But I do not consider my life as something of value or dear to me, so that I may [with joy] finish my course and the ministry which I received from the Lord Jesus, to testify faithfully of the good news of God’s [precious, undeserved] grace [which makes us free of the guilt of sin and grants us eternal life].

What an incredible 180 degree we are witnessing with Paul!

Earlier in Acts 9, Luke wrote that a young Pharisee named Saul had made it his only life’s mission to utterly eradicate all those who believed in Jesus as God.

Now, here in Acts 20:22-24 we read where he now counts his only life mission to be his freely going into harm’s way – not to arrest anyone, but, at all costs, up to and including his own arrest, even his own death, to be a faithful and true and overly joyful minister and preacher and a teacher of the Gospel of Christ.

As many times as I have studied this passage, for the first time I find myself as being in genuine awe of Paul’s transformation – 180 degree change is awesome.

Have you thought about what can hold people back from a deep sense of awe?

We could answer that question in a general way by saying that sin is what keeps us from enjoying a deeply compelling , full life of ministry and mission with God. But have you also wondered about how compelling, how subtle sin can be?

Sometimes we don’t realize how much our sinful tendencies can deceive us.

For example, I’ve noticed one thing that has a strong hold on many, many people, myself included: individualism. If you live in the West, you know that this frequently shows up in a phrase like “Do whatever makes you happy.”

I’m all for being happy, but what happens when that “happy” is taken too far?

We end up putting ourselves first in everything we do.

One of the hardest addictions to recover from is the selfie life.

Paul taught that he counted his life as nothing in comparison to what he had gained by following Jesus.

His deep sense of awe was grounded in setting aside his own plans, dreams, and desires so he could devote 100% of himself to God’s greater purpose for his life.

Paul was not consumed with creature comforts or conveniences, and he found contentment in fo­cus­ing on the life Jesus had in store for him.

The greatest battle we might be drawn into fighting in developing, maturing our faith can be against holding back from giving Jesus everything in our life.

For Paul, this was not masochism—some strange hatred of happiness, health, or physical life.

So what, then, did Paul mean by declaring his life valueless? Simply this: that he did not regard his life as so precious a possession as to be held on to at all costs.

People will too often say, “Well, as long as you’ve got your health, that’s all that matters!”

But that is not all that matters! Our bodies are passing away.

We’re crumbling even as we live and breathe.

We may have our health today, but a day will come when we do or will not.

Unless we’re able to say with Paul, “To live is Christ,” we cannot legitimately affirm with him, “and to die is gain” (Philippians 1:21).

The only way that death can be gain is if Christ is everything.

And if Christ is everything, as Paul says He is, then we can declare with him, 

My life is not ultimate. I don’t need to protect it as the most precious thing I have. I want to spend it for the most precious person I know.

What mattered most to Paul was that he finished his life trusting Christ and carried out to the best of his abilities the ministry Christ had given him.

He felt a compelling resolve to complete the task of testifying to “the gospel of the grace of God” everywhere he could reach. 

There’s a God sized task! 

There’s a God sized purpose, significance, an agenda, a God sized calling!

And this is a task that has been entrusted to all of us—the Great Commission to let everyone we meet to learn, to know the good news of God’s amazing grace.

In today’s context, how are any of us, like Paul, to live a life of urgency so that you might keep going until the end?

You must run your race with all your might, with the finish line in view.

Don’t look for an opportunity to bow out or slow down before the final lap is over. Run with all of your strength and run right through the tape, gripped by Christ’s compelling love, energized by God’s Spirit, and guided by God’s word.

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

Praying,

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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It’s just the same with our tongues! It’s a small muscle, capable of such marvelous and Fiery undertakings. James 3:3-6

James 3:3-6 New King James Version

3 [a]Indeed, we put bits in horses’ mouths that they may obey us, and we turn their whole body. 4 Look also at ships: although they are so large and are driven by fierce winds, they are turned by a very small rudder wherever the pilot desires. 5 Even so the tongue is a little member and boasts great things.

See how great a forest a little fire kindles! 6 And the tongue is a fire, a world of [b] iniquity. The tongue is so set among our members that it defiles the whole body, and sets on fire the course of [c]nature; and it is set on fire by [d]hell.

The Word of God for the Children of God.

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

Have you ever seen a roast?

I’m talking about the comedy performance, not the cut of beef.

A roast is when several comedians and celebrities “pay tribute” to a featured guest. The way they pay tribute is through insults.

The tradition started over a century ago at the Friars Club in New York City.

In the 1970s, Actor, Singer Comedian Dean Martin hosted several celebrity hosts as part of his television show. In recent years, however, celebrity roasts have gained notoriety for their quite literally anything-goes atmosphere.

It seems that nothing is sacred anymore, not when there’s roasting to be done.

No topic is off-limits.

No insult is too vile.

The further you push the envelope, the more memorable you are as a roaster.

Some comedians have become famous because of their funny, rather off beat, obnoxious no holds barred, barbs barred, tongues clamped roasting routines.

It makes you wonder why someone would volunteer to be roasted.

Those who do are praised as good sports and being able to take a joke.

Because, after all, it’s all in good fun.

Everything is said in jest.

So there’s no reason for anyone to get offended or take things personally.

But, of course, that’s not reality.

And in recent years, roast participants have talked about how they couldn’t really laugh off some of the things that were said about them. How a single comment had wrecked their self-confidence and even their mental health.

Their experiences highlight the truth of what James says in James 3:5:

“In the same way, the tongue is a small thing that makes grand speeches. But a tiny spark can set a great forest on fire” (NLT).

People will come back and snidely say, “Sticks and stones may break my bones, but words will never hurt me.”

But, from personal experience that is so not true.

You can probably remember words that hurt you deeply.

Maybe someone said you would never amount to anything. Or that there is something very wrong with your appearance. Those things are hard to forget.

The good news is, so are heartfelt compliments and words of encouragement.

Think of some of the beautiful things your spouse—or your family members or other loved ones—said that still resonate with you today.

That’s the point Proverbs 18:21 makes: “The tongue can bring death or life; those who love to talk will reap the consequences” (NLT).

The choice is always going to be our own – what is said, what is heard, believed.

Proverbs 25:11 says, “The right word at the right time is like precious gold set in silver” (CEV).

Saying the right thing at the right time is a gift whose value will increase over time. Your words and my words have the greatest potential to change lives. Ask God, cry out, plead with God, for the wisdom to use them to the best advantage. 

Your tongue can leave a wide path of destruction in its wake—or it can leave a cherished legacy of encouragement, healing, confidence-building, and love.

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

Lets Pray,

Glory from Heaven and Torah

Psalm 19

1 For the music director, a psalm of David.

2 The heavens declare the glory of God,
and the sky shows His handiwork.
3 Day to day they speak,
night to night they reveal knowledge.
4 There is no speech, no words,
where their voice goes unheard.
5 Their voice has gone out to all the earth
and their words to the end of the world.[a]
In the heavens He pitched a tent for the sun.
6 It is like a bridegroom coming out of his bridal chamber.
It is like a strong man rejoicing to run his course.
7 It rises at one end of the heavens
    and makes its circuit to the other end.
Nothing is hidden from its heat.

8 The Torah of Adonai is perfect,
    restoring the soul.
The testimony of Adonai is trustworthy,
    making the simple wise.
9 The precepts of Adonai are right,
    giving joy to the heart.
The mitzvot of Adonai are pure,
    giving light to the eyes.
10 The fear of Adonai is clean,
    enduring forever.
The judgments of Adonai are true
    and altogether righteous.

11 They are more desirable than gold,
    yes, more than much pure gold!
They are sweeter than honey
    and drippings of the honeycomb.
12 Moreover by them Your servant is warned.
In keeping them there is great reward.
13 Who can discern his errors?
Cleanse me of hidden faults.
14 Also keep Your servant from willful sins.
May they not have dominion over me.
Then I will be blameless,
    free from great transgression.
15 May the words of my mouth
and the meditation of my heart
be acceptable before You,
Adonai, my Rock and my Redeemer.

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

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Like Father, Like Children? if all you hard-hearted, sinful men know how to give good gifts to your children. Matthew 7:7-11

Matthew 7:7-11 Revised Standard Version

Ask, Search, Knock

7 “Ask, and it will be given you; seek, and you will find; knock, and it will be opened to you. 8 For every one who asks receives, and he who seeks finds, and to him who knocks it will be opened. 9 Or what man of you, if his son asks him for bread, will give him a stone? 10 Or if he asks for a fish, will give him a serpent? 11  If you then, who are evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father who is in heaven give good things to those who ask him!

The Word 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 be Told, being around considerate people is nice and very refreshing.

They seem to know what you’re going through, and they gently offer help and comfort to make your path easier.

They see how tired you are, and they offer to cook or buy a meal and some rest, even putting a blanket over you so you won’t get chilly as you lie down to rest.

Is it that they’re not just thinking about themselves all the time? Not exactly. They know what would make them rest comfortably, so they do it to you! As Jesus commanded, they do to others what they would like done to themselves.

Apostle Paul elsewhere describes another example:

“Husbands ought to love their wives as their own bodies. He who loves his wife loves himself. After all, no one ever hated their own body, but they feed and care for their body, just as Christ does the church” (Ephesians 5:28-29).

But let’s slow down, not get Jesus and Paul wrong.

They’re not telling us to be considerate just because it benefits us.

We are called to love others without conditions, with no strings attached.

If we stop being considerate to someone because they aren’t considerate in return, our motives probably are selfish.

In a world of what I would call malignant selfishness, being truly considerate is a great big breath of fresh air. It up warms the heart and ties us together in love.

When someone is born again, they begin a new life and are adopted into the family of God. This new child of God, in whom the Holy Spirit now dwells, begins increasingly to display characteristics of God the Father. In other words, over time God’s children should grow to resemble their heavenly Father.

One prominent feature of who God is—an aspect of His character displayed throughout Scripture—is His constant indescribably radical generosity.

James says, “Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father” (James 1:17).

Paul makes a similar point with a rhetorical question:

“He who did not spare his own Son but gave him up for us all, how will he not also with him graciously give us all things?” (Romans 8:32). 

Our Father is generous, and it is the assumption of Scripture that God’s people will be too. This applies to all of our lives—including, of course, our finances.

God-honoring generosity is displayed in response to God’s grace.

This is important, because so much talk of and thinking about finances goes awry at this very point.

Any attempt to encourage ourselves to give to gospel work that doesn’t begin with the grace of God is flawed from the start.

It almost always results in the kind of giving in which God has no interest: the joyless type. If we give because we’ve been coaxed into it, we will be giving not with gladness but with a grudge.

Begrudging giving says, “I have to.” Dutiful giving says, “I need to.” But thankful giving says, “I want to.” That is the approach we should aim to take.

Growing in this kind of generosity requires growing in gratitude for God’s grace. If you want to be more Christlike in your giving, you need to understand that you have absolutely nothing that you did not receive, from your physical existence to your faith in God and everything in between (1 Corinthians 4:7).

Matthew 13:44-50 Revised Standard Version

Three Parables

44 “The kingdom of heaven is like treasure hidden in a field, which a man found and covered up; then in his joy he goes and sells all that he has and buys that field.

45 “Again, the kingdom of heaven is like a merchant in search of fine pearls, 46 who, on finding one pearl of great value, went and sold all that he had and bought it.

47 “Again, the kingdom of heaven is like a net which was thrown into the sea and gathered fish of every kind; 48 when it was full, men drew it ashore and sat down and sorted the good into vessels but threw away the bad. 49 So it will be at the close of the age. The angels will come out and separate the evil from the righteous, 50 and throw them into the furnace of fire; there men will weep and gnash their teeth.

It is all of grace.

Knowing it, how could you and I respond with anything but joyful generosity?

This means that if we are stingy with our investment in gospel ministry, it may reflect a glaringly shallow effectual grasp of God’s character and goodness.

The what, where, when, why, and how of our giving says something about our relationship with God and our commitment to Jesus Christ.

Our “banking habits” records can speak volumes.

Ask yourself, then: What do my “financial, stewardship” habits say about my “treasured above all else” commitment to Christ and my grasp of God’s grace?

What will change if my giving is an overflow of my gratitude to God for all He has given me?

God is a giver of every good and perfect Gift.

He gives His children the calling and the joy of being like Him.

Like Father like Children?

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

Let us Pray,

Psalm 100 Revised Standard Version

All Lands Summoned to Praise God

A Psalm for the thank offering.

100 Make a joyful noise to the Lord, all the lands![a]
2     Serve the Lord with gladness!
    Come into his presence with singing!

3 Know that the Lord is God!
    It is he that made us, and we are his;[b]
    we are his people, and the sheep of his pasture.

4 Enter his gates with thanksgiving,
    and his courts with praise!
    Give thanks to him, bless his name!

5 For the Lord is good;
    his steadfast love endures for ever,
    and his faithfulness 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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An Expression of Love: “And it is my fervent prayer your love may abound more and more, with knowledge and discernment, leading unto holiness.” Philippians 1:7-11

Philippians 1:7-11 English Standard Version

7 It is right for me to feel this way about you all, because I hold you in my heart, for you are all partakers with me of grace,[a] both in my imprisonment and in the defense and confirmation of the gospel. 8 For God is my witness, how I yearn for you all with the affection of Christ Jesus. 9 And it is my prayer that  your love may abound more and more, with knowledge and all discernment, 10 so that you may approve what is excellent, and so be pure and blameless for the day of Christ, 11 filled with the fruit of righteousness that comes through Jesus Christ, to the glory and praise of God.

The Word of God for the Children of God

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

One of the things my late grandmother used to say as I bade him farewell was “I’ll always be thinking fondly about you.” It always struck me as a strange thing to say. But by it she meant, “I will always care about how you are. I’m under the burden of praying for what you’re doing. I’m interested in where you’re going.”

Paul, here used similar phraseology when he wrote words like “feel,” “heart,” “yearn,” “affection” to the Philippian church. 

https://www.blueletterbible.org/lexicon/g5426/esv/mgnt/0-1/

The Greek word used Phronein, (Philippians 1:7) which means “to think,” is translated in the ESV as “to feel” because this verb is expressive not simply of a mental focus but also of a sympathetic interest and genuine concern.

PHRONÊSIS

Often translated as “practical wisdom,” the Greek word phronêsis derives from the verb phronein, meaning “to have understanding,” “to be wise or prudent.”

In its earliest uses the word is normative only in the sense that it signifies a correct cognitive grasp of some kind; only gradually does it come to be used in ethical contexts for a correct grasp of what ought to be done. For Plato and the other Socratics, phronêsis represents that aspect of our rational faculty that derives genuine knowledge about values and norms, that is, about our virtues …

 https://www.encyclopedia.com/humanities/encyclopedias-almanacs-transcripts-and-maps/phronesis#:~:text=Often%20translated%20as%20%22practical%20wisdom,come%20to%20be%20used%20in

Paul was communicating to the Philippians that although he was physically separated from them, they were very near and very dear to him and always remained in his thoughts and prayers. He was “thinking away” about them.

Paul—that man who had once been consumed by a hatred for Jesus’ followers—came to have this affection because Jesus gave it to him. He and his fellow believers were now bound together by God’s amazing love toward them.

The standard, source, of his affection was none other than Lord Jesus Himself.

As Bishop Lightfoot wrote, Paul’s “pulse beats with the pulse of Christ; his heart throbs with the heart of Christ.”[1]

1 Joseph Barber Lightfoot, Saint Paul’s Epistle to the Philippians (Macmillan, 1898), p 85.

Because the Philippian believers were such an important part of Paul’s life, his love for them moved him to prayer, for Paul understood that prayer is one of the key expressions of love continuously being taught by the Lord Jesus Christ.

His love was not revealed in a cozy sentimentalism or in fine-sounding words.

Instead, he fervently prayed for his friends, and he did so daily.

When “God’s love has been poured into our hearts through the Holy Spirit” (Romans 5:5), we will find ourselves immediately drawn to others who love in the same way. It is the love of family life, for we share the same Father—and one of the fundamental ways in which we will express that love is to pray.

How much do you love your family? Pray for them. Do you love your church? Pray for them. As Christ’s love expands your heart and flows through you, the affection you have for those you hold dear will move you to prayer. Be “thinking away” about those “families” you love—and be “praying away” for them too!

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

Let us Pray,

Psalm 92 English Standard Version

How Great Are Your Works

A Psalm. A Song for the Sabbath.

92 It is good to give thanks to the Lord,
    to sing praises to your name, O Most High;
2 to declare your steadfast love in the morning,
    and your faithfulness by night,
3 to the music of the lute and the harp,
    to the melody of the lyre.
4 For you, O Lord, have made me glad by your work;
    at the works of your hands I sing for joy.

5 How great are your works, O Lord!
    Your thoughts are very deep!
6 The stupid man cannot know;
    the fool cannot understand this:
7 that though the wicked sprout like grass
    and all evildoers flourish,
they are doomed to destruction forever;
8     but you, O Lord, are on high forever.
9 For behold, your enemies, O Lord,
    for behold, your enemies shall perish;
    all evildoers shall be scattered.

10 But you have exalted my horn like that of the wild ox;
    you have poured over me[a] fresh oil.
11 My eyes have seen the downfall of my enemies;
    my ears have heard the doom of my evil assailants.

12 The righteous flourish like the palm tree
    and grow like a cedar in Lebanon.
13 They are planted in the house of the Lord;
    they flourish in the courts of our God.
14 They still bear fruit in old age;
    they are ever full of sap and green,
15 to declare that the Lord is upright;
    he is my rock, and there is no unrighteousness in him.

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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In bondage to, In confirmation of, In defense of, God’s Gospel of Salvation. Philippians 1:7-8

Philippians 1:7-8 Amplified Bible

7 It is right for me to feel this way about you, because [you have me in your heart as] I have you in my heart, since both in my imprisonment and in the defense and confirmation of the good news [regarding salvation], all of you share in [His matchless] grace with me. 8 For God is my witness, how I long for all of you with the affection of Christ Jesus [whose great love fills me].

The Word of God for the Children of God.

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

As believers in Christ, we are all invaluable parts of His Body.

As Christians in this age of grace, we are all members of the Church of Christ.

As fellow-believers who have trusted in the finished work of Christ on the Cross, we are all partakers of God’s heavenly grace.

We who were once dead in our trespasses and sins and estranged from God by sin, have been forgiven of our sins and brought near to His throne of grace by through faith in Christ Jesus our personal Savior.

Reality: God has begun a good work in each of his children, for we are all being conformed into the image and likeness of Christ, and we will all one day stand together in His excellent presence in our risen, ascended, and glorified bodies.

How important, therefore, that we too should have a godly measure of His love within our heart towards all our brothers and sisters in Christ, no matter where we find ourselves, and irrespective of what our present situation happens to be.

Philippians 1:7-8 Christian Standard Bible

7 Indeed, it is right for me to think this way about all of you, because I have you in my heart,[a] and you are all partners with me in grace, both in my imprisonment and in the defense and confirmation of the gospel. 8 For God is my witness, how deeply I miss all of you with the affection of Christ Jesus.

Commitment to each other is absolutely nonnegotiable in the Christian life.

We see this again and again in the life and writing of the apostle Paul.

As he wrote to the church in Philippi, he unhesitatingly wrote that he was unashamed of sharing with them just how he felt about them, because he was so appreciative of the fellowship he enjoyed with them.

Indeed, the word “partakers” in this verse actually comes from the Greek word koinonia, a word Paul frequently used to describe a sharing partnership.

Paul described the Philippian church as his “joy and crown” (Philippians 4:1).

His heart was filled with love for all the churches who were under his care, but he regarded these brothers and sisters in a special way.

They stood out, for they had stuck with Paul through thick and thin.

Separated as the Philippians were from Paul when he wrote to them while under arrest in Rome, they could quite possibly have been swept away by other lesser informed, lesser experienced teachers with far more impressive personalities, more striking characters, or more eloquent, glib use of their language skills.

But they, instead, took a stand for the Gospel, continued to stand with Paul.

Their depth of fellowship was strengthened by their constancy, which filled the apostle with joy and stimulated his outburst of affection.

The example of this early church is an interesting, quite a challenging call to contemporary Christianity, which, if we’re honest, often marked by fickleness.

Many Christians tend to be uncommitted when times are good and unreliable when times are bad.

We so easily treat the opportunities of fellowship, worship, and the hearing of God’s word with an arm’s-length approach.

If a teacher or a book appeals to our sense of need, scratches where we itch, or tickles our fancy, then we engage with them for a while—but if things go awry, or if we find our way of life challenged, or if being alongside another Christian becomes costly rather than easy, then the temptation for many of us is to head for new pastures where the harvest fields have already been, are being worked.

Paul shows us a better way—a more Christlike way.

We are called to choose commitment to one another through the ups and downs of life. The binding element between Paul and the Philippians is the exact same element which can bind our hearts – the Gospel of our Lord, Savior Jesus Christ.

In observing one another endure difficulties, in running to one another in the experience of loss, and in receiving from one another the enjoyment of real restoration, we will discover our hearts are actually being molded together in the bonds of the gospel.

Through such constancy, we will find God strengthening our fellowship and increasing our joy with other believers.

So, does commitment describe your attitude to those the Lord has placed in fellowship around you?

Do they know that you are there for them in the downs as well as the ups?

To whom could you write an encouragement, and for whom will you say a prayer, right now?

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

Psalm 16 Christian Standard Bible

Psalm 16

Confidence in the Lord

A Miktam of David.

1 Protect me, God, for I take refuge in you.
2 I[a] said to the Lord, “You are my Lord;
I have nothing good besides you.”[b]
3 As for the holy people who are in the land,
they are the noble ones.
All my delight is in them.
4 The sorrows of those who take another god
for themselves will multiply;
I will not pour out their drink offerings of blood,
and I will not speak their names with my lips.

5 Lord, you are my portion[c]
and my cup of blessing;
you hold my future.
6 The boundary lines have fallen for me
in pleasant places;
indeed, I have a beautiful inheritance.

7 I will bless the Lord who counsels me—
even at night when my thoughts trouble me.[d]
8 I always let the Lord guide me.[e]
Because he is at my right hand,
I will not be shaken.

9 Therefore my heart is glad
and my whole being rejoices;
my body also rests securely.
10 For you will not abandon me to Sheol;
you will not allow your faithful one to see decay.
11 You reveal the path of life to me;
in your presence is abundant joy;
at your right hand are eternal pleasures.

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 Great Multitudes. The Great Promise of Completion. When our God begins a work, He completes it. Revelation 7:9-17

Revelation 7:9-17 New King James Version

A Multitude from the Great Tribulation

9 After these things I looked, and behold, a great multitude which no one could number, of all nations, tribes, peoples, and tongues, standing before the throne and before the Lamb, clothed with white robes, with palm branches in their hands, 10 and crying out with a loud voice, saying, “Salvation belongs to our God who sits on the throne, and to the Lamb!” 11 All the angels stood around the throne and the elders and the four living creatures, and fell on their faces before the throne and worshiped God, 12 saying:

“Amen! Blessing and glory and wisdom,
Thanksgiving and honor and power and might,
Be to our God forever and ever.
Amen.”

13 Then one of the elders answered, saying to me, “Who are these arrayed in white robes, and where did they come from?”

14 And I said to him, [a]“Sir, you know.”

So he said to me, “These are the ones who come out of the great tribulation, and washed their robes and made them white in the blood of the Lamb. 15  Therefore they are before the throne of God, and serve Him day and night in His temple. And He who sits on the throne will dwell among them. 16 They shall neither hunger anymore nor thirst anymore; the sun shall not strike them, nor any heat; 17 for the Lamb who is in the midst of the throne will shepherd them and lead them to [b]living fountains of waters. And God will wipe away every tear from their eyes.”

The Word of God for the Children of God.

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

Every Nation, People, and Language

What are we to believe about the promises contained in the Book of Revelation?

How and When and Where will it all be revealed?

How and When and where will it all be completed?

Will I be there to witness it as John was?

Will I be one among the Great Multitudes?

Will there really be a Great Multitude – how many of us must just be skeptical?

In our text today, God gave the apostle John a magnificent vision of a far distant diverse multitude—people from every diverse, every nation, every part of the human family—visualized as coming together forming a great multitude, a great chorus worshiping the Lord and proclaiming his victory over evil.

This vision portrays what believers in Christ have been laboring and praying for through the centuries.

The goal of God’s mission in Christ is that people from all over the earth will receive his salvation and worship him. But this great chorus is not yet complete.

Not all of God’s people are gathered in; many are missing. There are still many language groups and people groups that have no followers of Jesus.

The original Greek word used for “nation” in the New Testament is ethnos, from which our word “ethnic” comes.

Sometimes ethnos refers to major countries in Bible times, like Egypt, Syria, and Persia. Sometimes it is translated as “Gentiles,” referring to non-Jewish groups of people. And sometimes ethnos refers to smaller cultural, linguistic groups.

One country can include many such groups.

So even though there are Christians in every country on earth today, there are still many people and language groups that have no Christians.

https://oll.libertyfund.org/publications/reading-room/2023-10-05-urban-banning-and-censoring-bible

As Jesus’ followers, we need to bring, to take, sometimes by hand, backpacks, the gospel (the good news of Jesus) to them.

What role does God want His Body to play in this great multitudinous task?

Philippians 1:6-11 New King James Version

6 being confident of this very thing, that He who has begun a good work in you will complete it until the day of Jesus Christ; 7 just as it is right for me to think this of you all, because I have you in my heart, inasmuch as both in my chains and in the defense and confirmation of the gospel, you all are partakers with me of grace. 8 For God is my witness, how greatly I long for you all with the affection of Jesus Christ.

9 And this I pray, that your love may abound still more and more in knowledge and all discernment, 10 that you may approve the things that are excellent, that you may be sincere and without offense till the day of Christ, 11 being filled with the fruits of righteousness which are by Jesus Christ, to the glory and praise of God.

True or False?

Fact versus Fiction?

Convinced or Unconvinced?

Wishful thinking?

When God begins a work, He always completes it.

In Acts 16, we meet Lydia, a successful woman with her own business and a nice house in Philippi.

She had an interest in religion—and then she was changed (Acts 16:14-15).

What happened?

God began a work.

Later in the same chapter, we see a Philippian jailer come off his night shift also radically changed (v 30-34).

What happened?

Again, God began a work.

We can imagine, then, that when Lydia or the jailer were tempted to give up, the word of God through Paul’s letter to Philippi was there to remind them:

“He who began a good work in you will bring it to completion at the day of Jesus Christ.”

In other words, 

You didn’t start the work within you, and you aren’t going to finish it. If you feel you can’t keep going, you’re right. You can’t. But God did, and He can, and He will.

God has a long-term plan for His people: that each of us will see and share in the glory of His Son.

That is the end to which He is working (Romans 8:28-30).

So we, like Lydia and the jailer, like the original apostles, Like Saul to Paul, Luke each have both the need and ability to stay in the race of faith for the long haul.

While it always remains true that God gives all of us many gifts, our finite lives nonetheless can seem to be filled with disappointments.

We continue to give in to sin.

We struggle with doubts, and life’s circumstances make it hard to keep going in faith. But we can and will continue on the journey, because Scripture promises us over and over that our God “began a good work” and that He will finish it.

As we stumble along the way and face difficulties, we’re tempted to go back down to the bottom of the mountain, trade our hiking boots for slippers, and head back home.

But there’s a view at the top that’s worth every ache and pain along the way!

And so the word of God comes to us again and again, saying, 

Revelation 1:8 New King James Version

8 “I am the Alpha and the Omega, [a]the Beginning and the End,” says the [b]Lord, “who is and who was and who is to come, the Almighty.”

Revelation 22:13-14 New King James Version

13 I am the Alpha and the Omega, the [a]Beginning and the End, the First and the Last.”

14 Blessed are those who [b]do His commandments, that they may have the right to the tree of life, and may enter through the gates into the city.

Come on, just a little farther. Don’t be concerned about all of your tomorrows. God Himself is helping you. Keep walking the way today.

From Genesis 1:1 through Revelation 22:21, God 100% finishes what He starts. And if you are trusting Christ, then He has started something eternal in you.

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

Let us Pray,

Psalm 19 New King James Version

The Perfect Revelation of the Lord

To the Chief Musician. A Psalm of David.

19 The heavens declare the glory of God;
And the firmament[a] shows [b]His handiwork.
2 Day unto day utters speech,
And night unto night reveals knowledge.
3 There is no speech nor language
Where their voice is not heard.
4 Their [c]line has gone out through all the earth,
And their words to the end of the world.

In them He has set a [d]tabernacle for the sun,
5 Which is like a bridegroom coming out of his chamber,
And rejoices like a strong man to run its race.
6 Its rising is from one end of heaven,
And its circuit to the other end;
And there is nothing hidden from its heat.

7 The law of the Lord is perfect, [e]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 forever;
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 [f]honeycomb.
11 Moreover by them Your servant is warned,
And in keeping them there is great reward.

12 Who can understand his errors?
Cleanse me from secret faults.
13 Keep back Your servant also from presumptuous sins;
Let them not have dominion over me.
Then I shall be blameless,
And I shall be innocent of [g]great transgression.

14 Let the words of my mouth and the meditation of my heart
Be acceptable in Your sight,
O Lord, my [h]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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A Meditation: Lord regretted that He had made human beings on the earth, and his heart was deeply troubled. Genesis 6:5-8

Genesis 6:5-8 New King James Version

5 Then [a]the Lord saw that the wickedness of man was great in the earth, and that every intent[b] of the thoughts of his heart was only evil [c]continually. 6  And  the Lord was sorry that He had made man on the earth, and He was grieved in His heart. 7 So the Lord said, “I will destroy man whom I have created from the face of the earth, both man and beast, creeping thing and birds of the air, for I am sorry that I have made them.” 8 But Noah found grace in the eyes of the Lord.

The Word of God for the Children of God.

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

This text is challenging.

Let’s try to break the text down ….

Genesis 6:6 Authorized (King James) Version

6 And it repented the Lord that he had made man on the earth, and it grieved him at his heart.

https://www.blueletterbible.org/lexicon/h5162/kjv/wlc/0-1/

Heb: nāḥam to be sorry, console oneself, repent, regret, comfort, be comforted

  1. (Niphal)
    1. to be sorry, be moved to pity, have compassion
    2. to be sorry, rue, suffer grief, repent
    3. to comfort oneself, be comforted
    4. to comfort oneself, ease oneself

Ancient Greek philosophers imagined a perfect supreme being.

It would know everything and be in control of everything too. It could not be influenced by people or other creatures, because that would imply weakness or lack of control. It could not have any emotions, be truly responsive to humans.

The Greeks called this supreme being God.

The early Christian church slowly developed in a culture, in a society, that was heavily influenced by this Greek thinking. So Christian theologians often used those ideas to explain Christian teachings to the gentile Greek-minded people.

Even today, our concepts of God tend to be influenced by those perspectives.

So when we come to a passage like Genesis 6:6, we might think,

“What?! God regretted what he had done? He changed his mind? Human sin hurt God to the depths of his heart?”

That doesn’t fit well with our Greek-minded ideas of a perfect supreme being.

One can surmise that this verse would be a “gotcha” verse to counter Paul’s arguments when in Athens (Acts 16:16-31).

I am not a Greek Philosopher outside of what I learned well over 40 years ago during an World Literature class in my first days of College.

And I personally do not know any Greek Philosophers today.

This being typical in too many places…

We try to explain such verses away and not take them at any face value and leave such verses in higher academia for those with PhD’s to explain better.

But I know God wants us to realize that our actions—good and bad—affect him.

When I hurt a friend, that puts a barrier between me and that person.

Similarly, our wrongs against God set up a barrier between us and him.

As we confess our sins to God and receive his forgiveness through Jesus, let us give God a healthy sacrifice of pause, realize that those sins have truly hurt him.

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

Let us Pray,

Psalm 42 Authorized (King James) Version

Psalm 42

To the chief Musician, Maschil, for the sons of Korah.

1 As the hart panteth after the water brooks,
so panteth my soul after thee, O God.
2 My soul thirsteth for God, for the living God:
when shall I come and appear before God?
3 My tears have been my meat day and night,
while they continually say unto me, Where is thy God?
4 When I remember these things, I pour out my soul in me:
for I had gone with the multitude,
I went with them to the house of God,
with the voice of joy and praise,
with a multitude that kept holyday.

5 Why art thou cast down, O my soul?
and why art thou disquieted in me?
hope thou in God:
for I shall yet praise him for the help of his countenance.

6 O my God, my soul is cast down within me:
therefore will I remember thee from the land of Jordan,
and of the Hermonites, from the hill Mizar.
7 Deep calleth unto deep at the noise of thy waterspouts:
all thy waves and thy billows are gone over me.
8 Yet the Lord will command his lovingkindness in the daytime,
and in the night his song shall be with me,
and my prayer unto the God of my life.
9 I will say unto God my rock, Why hast thou forgotten me?
why go I mourning because of the oppression of the enemy?
10 As with a sword in my bones, mine enemies reproach me;
while they say daily unto me, Where is thy God?

11 Why art thou cast down, O my soul?
and why art thou disquieted within me?
hope thou in God: for I shall yet praise him,
who is the health of my countenance, and 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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I have always pondered why Jesus wept. “When Jesus therefore saw her weeping, and the Jews also weeping which came with her, he groaned in the spirit, and was sorely troubled.” John 11:32-37

John 11:32-37 Authorized (King James) Version

32 Then when Mary was come where Jesus was, and saw him, she fell down at his feet, saying unto him, Lord, if thou hadst been here, my brother had not died. 33 When Jesus therefore saw her weeping, and the Jews also weeping which came with her, he groaned in the spirit, and was troubled, 34 and said, Where have ye laid him? They said unto him, Lord, come and see. 35 Jesus wept. 36 Then said the Jews, Behold how he loved him! 37 And some of them said, Could not this man, which opened the eyes of the blind, have caused that even this man should not have died?

The Word of God for the Children of God.

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

I’ve always pondered why Jesus wept.

My confusion about this nugget of information is very telling.

When I examine my confusion, I realize it’s because I don’t believe God to be particularly compassionate even though the Bible tells us that He is.

Many scriptures describe God as compassionate, but the truth is, it’s difficult for me to believe.

I don’t believe God is unnecessarily cruel; He has shown His love to me and others countless times that I can witness and testify to.

I have my doubts of His compassion because He’s perfect and omniscient. If you already know how it all comes about, what is the sense of writing Jesus cried?

My ‘opinion’ on the matter is dead wrong, but I was inspired to write this piece because I am confident others share similar doubts about God’s compassion.

God Keeps Track of Our Tears

The Bible tells us that when we cry, God cares by keeping track of our tears (Psalm 56:8).

We know Jesus was moved to tears when his friend Lazarus died (John 11:35), but Jesus knew He would raise Lazarus from the dead, so why shed tears?

It has legitimately puzzled me for many years now. The death of a loved one is excruciating, but for Jesus to cry has always been odd to me. Not only was He going to raise up Lazarus body, but He was the conqueror of death itself.

The only logical explanation I can come to is that Jesus wept because He has compassion for us.

He is a compassionate God, and His compassion is deeper than I’ll probably ever be able to fathom.

We know that if Jesus has compassion, so does God the Father because He and the Father are one (John 10:30.)

Even though the Bible describes God as compassionate, it can be difficult to see between all the wrath and slaughtering in the Old Testament.

This is the second reason it’s difficult for me to believe He is compassionate.

The evidence is there, but to see it, we need the right lens.

It’s much easier to see God’s compassion in Jesus when He walked on earth, and because of that, many Christians will separate the much older, harder to grasp, text of the Old Testament from the New, which gives us an incomplete picture.

Since it’s more difficult to see God’s compassion in the Old Testament, we’ll start there.

God Is Compassionate

The word compassion shows up 41 times in the Bible.

The first time we see the word is in Exodus 2:6 when Pharaoh’s daughter takes pity (chamal, in Hebrew) on Moses. She spared the baby; she took him in.

She felt bad for Moses and was moved to action. That is what compassion is, feeling for others in their tragic situation and being moved to action.

That action could be a prayer, a hug, an act of service, or, like Jesus, we are moved to tears.

In Exodus 34:6 God is described as compassionate and gracious, slow to anger, and abounding in lovingkindness and truth. The Bible tells us that God is 100% compassionate (Psalm 32, Psalm 103), but can we see it in these stories?

When I learned about the Hebrew word chamal, it made me remember God’s regret in Genesis 6:6-7 (NASB) when He destroyed the earth with a flood.

The scripture says, “The LORD was sorry that He had made man on the earth, and He was grieved in His heart. The LORD said, ‘I will blot out man whom I have created from the face of the land, from man to animals to creeping things and to birds of the sky; for I am sorry that I have made them.’”

I looked up the word “sorry” to see if it meant pity or compassion in Hebrew just like the word chamal.

The Hebrew word used here is nacham, and it often means regret.

The idea, the thought, that God regretted making humans is extremely disturbing because it may lead people to believe that God makes mistakes, which is why we know that can’t be the true meaning because if God makes mistakes, He wouldn’t be the perfect God.

As I suspected, the word can often mean pity or compassion, and that certainly changes things.

I believe that all things work together for good for those who love the Lord and are called according to His purpose (like Romans 8:28 tells us), but in times of suffering, can be mighty difficult to believe in the existence of that compassion.

There is a lot of destruction in the Old Testament, as I mentioned, but when we apply the lesson about destruction in Genesis and see the earth was flooded out of pity and compassion, it begins to change the colors of the lens from which we see compassion.

God is the Creator of all things. He is the one who defines everything.

To see things correctly we must find what is true in His Word.

God’s compassion or pity shown in Genesis is a great example of how it can appear confusing from the surface. But other examples of compassion make more sense to us.

One of those examples is in Jeremiah 14:17-18.

God says to Jeremiah:

“Now, Jeremiah, say this to them: ‘Night and day my eyes overflow with tears. I cannot stop weeping, for my virgin daughter—my precious people—has been struck down and lies mortally wounded. If I go out into the fields, I see the bodies of people slaughtered by the enemy. If I walk the city streets, I see people who have died of starvation. The prophets and priests continue with their work, but they don’t know what they’re doing.’”

In this passage, God feels sorrow for the state of His people being mortally wounded and defiled, even though it was the consequences of their actions.

This example feels extremely similar to Jesus weeping for Lazarus. God knew how things would work out for Israel, yet He took the time to feel sorrow.

I find this comforting.

Sometimes we must suffer because we are called to it like Christ.

Sometimes it’s because we’ve made the wrong choice.

Either way, God has compassion for us, He feels our pain, just like the scripture suggests in Psalm 56:8 (NLT): “You keep track of all my sorrows. You have collected all my tears in your bottle. You have recorded each one in your book.”

Christ Cares for Us

God sees our life in the context of creation: beginning, middle, and end, yet He takes time to feel sorrow for us and with us.

It’s still a difficult concept for me to accept, just like His love for us is difficult for me to accept, but through faith, we believe it.

When you break faith down it seems insane, but it’s by our faith that we have salvation in Christ!

It’s in our best interest to believe in God’s love and compassion for us.

As I’ve already admitted, I struggle with it through painful times, but God tells us to have faith and not doubt Him.

Jesus weeping is supposed to make us pause—and for very good reason.

The fact that He wept over his friend’s temporary death is shocking because Jesus knew Lazarus would be back, but He wept anyway.

I believe now more than ever that He visibly wept to show us how much He cares for every one of us.

He wanted us to see His compassion and trust in it so that we would lean on Him in all things and thereby teach and model for others to aid in recovery.

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

Let us Pray,

Psalm 13 New King James Version

Trust in the Salvation of the Lord

To the Chief Musician. A Psalm of David.

13 How long, O Lord? Will You forget me forever?
How long will You hide Your face from me?
2 How long shall I take counsel in my soul,
Having sorrow in my heart daily?
How long will my enemy be exalted over me?

3 Consider and hear me, O Lord my God;
Enlighten my eyes,
Lest I sleep the sleep of death;
4 Lest my enemy say,
“I have prevailed against him”;
Lest those who trouble me rejoice when I am moved.

5 But I have trusted in Your mercy;
My heart shall rejoice in Your salvation.
6 I will sing to the Lord,
Because He has dealt bountifully with me.

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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Go ahead, I dare You! Try to Convince Me God really identifies with us about what it feels like to faithfully live into this experience: bury His own child? Job 1:13-22

Job 1:13-22 Common English Bible

Job passes the test

13 One day Job’s sons and daughters were eating and drinking wine in their oldest brother’s house. 14 A messenger came to Job and said: “The oxen were plowing, and the donkeys were grazing nearby 15 when the Sabeans took them and killed the young men with swords. I alone escaped to tell you.”

16 While this messenger was speaking, another arrived and said: “A raging fire fell from the sky and burned up the sheep and devoured the young men. I alone escaped to tell you.”

17 While this messenger was speaking, another arrived and said: “Chaldeans set up three companies, raided the camels and took them, killing the young men with swords. I alone escaped to tell you.”

18 While this messenger was speaking, another arrived and said: “Your sons and your daughters were eating and drinking wine in their oldest brother’s house, 19 when a strong wind came from the desert and struck the four corners of the house. It fell upon the young people, and they died. I alone escaped to tell you.”

20 Job arose, tore his clothes, shaved his head, fell to the ground, and worshipped. 21  He said: “Naked I came from my mother’s womb; naked I will return there. The  Lord has given; the Lord has taken; bless the Lord’s name.” 22 In all this, Job didn’t sin or blame God.

The Word of God for the Children of God.

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

A messenger came to his door … your livestock has just been stolen and their tenders were found dead – about a hundred yards away – they put up a fight.

Another messenger follows the first about an hour later. Marauders had also struck where your sheep were being sheered for their wool and your goats are being milked – these marauders stole all of the animals, took all of the wool and milk you were going to sell at the market next week. The workers were killed.

Then while that messenger was talking, another messenger came running to the door with the news that a sudden wind storm destroyed the home of your children while they were celebrating the arrival of another child – all now dead.

The Lord Giveth … The Lord taketh Away … Blessed be the name of the Lord?!?

What is Job talking about …

Bless the name of the Lord when I have suddenly lost literally everything, up to, including my children and grandchildren? What is all that supposed to mean?

I would not be the first person to walk up to Job to repeat that line with my hand upon his shoulders – this just seems to be adding more grief, pain at a bad time.

Praise God or Curse God…What Comes Next?

Asking the Question; What comes next … praising God or cursing God begins a monumental self examination of the strength versus weakness of their faith?

Psalm 139:23-24 Common English Bible

23 Examine me, God! Look at my heart!
    Put me to the test! Know my anxious thoughts!
24 Look to see if there is any idolatrous way[a] in me,
    then lead me on the eternal path!

From here, I am going to back away because what needs to take place here is not subject to even 1% manipulation through my wisdom and personal experiences.

This is where we are to engage God with all hard questions we want to shout.

This is where you and God can authentically, honestly, come together eye to eye face to face, heart to heart, in full weakness strengthen what’s left of your faith.

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

Let us Pray,

Psalm 119:25-32 Common English Bible

ד dalet

25 My life is stuck in the dirt.
    Now make me live again according to your promise!
26 I confessed my ways and you answered me.
    Now teach me your statutes!
27 Help me understand what your precepts are about
    so I can contemplate your wondrous works!
28 My spirit sags because of grief.
    Now raise me up according to your promise!
29 Remove all false ways from me;
    show mercy to me by means of your Instruction.
30 I’ve chosen the way of faithfulness;
    I’m set on your rules.
31 I’m holding tight to your laws, Lord.
    Please don’t let me be put to shame.
32 I run the same path as your commandments
    because you give my heart insight.

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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Thankful, Prayerful, Joyful, for you have been my partners in spreading the Good News about Christ from the time you had first heard it until now. Philippians 1:3-6

Philippians 1:3-6 Common English Bible

Thanksgiving and prayer

3 I thank my God every time I mention you in my prayers. 4 I’m thankful for all of you every time I pray, and it’s always a prayer full of joy. 5 I’m glad because of the way you have been my partners in the ministry of the gospel from the time you first believed it until now. 6 I’m sure about this: the one who started a good work in you will stay with you to complete the job by the day of Christ Jesus.

The Word of God for the Children of God.

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

I’ve often been reminded that the gospel message is all about people being in community, people supporting each other in community, ministering to the people in community, partnering with people in community (Acts 2:43-47).

I have to agree, but only if it is first of all about three Persons: the triune God—God, the Father, God the Son, and God the Holy Spirit. Paul reveals that his own memory of Philippian believers leads him right back to their Creator, Savior, and Counselor.

The gospel begins with the Father, God for us. God revealed his loving character to Moses: “I have indeed seen the misery of my people … I have heard them crying out … and I am concerned … So I have come down to rescue them” (Exodus 3:7-8).

The Father then sent Jesus, God with us (John 3:16-17). Because he deeply loves his people, Jesus offers the invitation: “Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest” (Matthew 11:28).

Today we receive God’s love through the Holy Spirit, God in us! The Bible asks, “Do you not know that your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit, who is in you, whom you have received from God?” Then the Bible also affirms for us, “You were all bought at a price. Therefore honor God” (1 Corinthians 6:19-20).

The Christian gospel reveals the unrelenting compassion of the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit toward all people.

Therefore, we can declare;

John 10:26-30 English Standard Version

26 but you do not believe because you are not among my sheep. 27 My sheep hear my voice, and I know them, and they follow me. 28 I give them eternal life, and they will never perish, and no one will snatch them out of my hand. 29 My Father, who has given them to me,[a] is greater than all, and no one is able to snatch them out of the Father’s hand. 30 I and the Father are one.”

Therefore, we can ask, with Romans 8:31, “If God is for us, who can be against us”? This God does not need explanation so much as he deserves our joyful adoration.

Therefore, we can dare to emphasize;

Romans 8:37-39 English Standard Version

37 No, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him who loved us. 38 For I am sure that neither death nor life, nor angels nor rulers, nor things present nor things to come, nor powers, 39 nor height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus our Lord.

How about partnering, being in mission and ministry with the churches in your neighborhood?

How about partnering, being in mission and ministry with the churches in your community?

How those prayers about partnering, being in mission and ministry with the new church plants, the struggling, smaller Churches in your communities?

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

Let us Pray,

Psalm 133 English Standard Version

When Brothers Dwell in Unity

A Song of Ascents. Of David.

133 Behold, how good and pleasant it is
    when brothers dwell in unity![a]
2 It is like the precious oil on the head,
    running down on the beard,
on the beard of Aaron,
    running down on the collar of his robes!
3 It is like the dew of Hermon,
    which falls on the mountains of Zion!
For there the Lord has commanded the blessing,
    life 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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