Tag: jesus

The peace of God, which transcends all understanding; Finding that place of real Tranquility in God’s Presence. Philippians 4:4-7

Philippians 4:4-7 The Message

4-5 Celebrate God all day, every day. I mean, revel in him! Make it as clear as you can to all you meet that you’re on their side, working with them and not against them. Help them see that the Master is about to arrive. He could show up any minute!

6-7 Don’t fret or worry. Instead of worrying, pray. Let petitions and praises shape your worries into prayers, letting God know your concerns. Before you know it, a sense of God’s wholeness, everything coming together for good, will come and settle you down. It’s wonderful what happens when Christ displaces worry at the center of your life.

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.

Our culture surrounds us with things that subtract from our ability to find peace and tranquility.

Let’s be honest—we live in an instant generation—we literally despise waiting for anything. Tranquility is not instantaneous and neither is it always welcome.

We would not be able to handle dial-up Internet.

Today, if it doesn’t load in less than two seconds, then something is wrong.  

Earbuds, iPads, social media, sports, shopping and work.

All of these contribute to our busyness.

They are not bad in and of themselves, but they detract us from our tranquility.  

Tranquility is an inner sense of calm that “surpasses all understanding” (Philippians 4:7).

This is from God and, I believe, that it’s mostly found through relational, intimate prayer. 

Finding tranquility in moments of still prayer is not easy to do in our instant culture, so here are a few tips.

Slow down

In John Ortberg’s book, Soul Keeping, he suggests that the challenges of the world test the depths and elasticity of the soul.

Like a computer’s operating system, our soul integrates everything—the will, body, emotions and seeks harmony.

When we overload the system, it is bound to crash. 

We need to slow down.

We’re so busy doing life, that we forget about life.

In our packed schedules, we have one gear—fast.

Slowing down allows us to carve out intentional time to get alone with the Creator.

We can’t find tranquility in crammed calendars.

A friend of mine made an acrostic for the word, busy—“bent under Satan’s yoke.”

I like that.

I learned that slowing down for intentional times of prayer, increased my peace and ability to wait on God.

As it’s been said, we were created for camel time, for horse and buggy time.

Right up until 1900, mankind rode upon horseback or walked.

This allowed times for processing and time for prayer.

We had intentional alone time with God.

Nowadays, we shut our car doors, turn on the XM satellite, and away we go.

What is the concept of tranquility?

The noun tranquility means “a state of peace and quiet,” like the tranquility you feel in the woods, at the shore of a quiet lake or inside a beautiful cathedral.

Tranquility can also describe a person’s disposition …

What does tranquility in my heart mean?

I suggest it means a peaceful, calm state, without noise, violence, worry, etc.: living in peace and tranquility.

What is the spiritual meaning of tranquility?

It is a state of mind that transcends external circumstances, enabling we as individuals to experience serenity, harmony, and a deep sense of contentment.

Why is tranquility important?

Tranquility has also been suggested to improve mental health and reduce psychological distress by reducing stress and anxiety, allowing one to have more control over their thoughts, helping one to sleep better and to take more time to carefully consider, derive new solutions, to manage difficult situations.

What is the difference between peace and tranquility?

Peace is a broader concept that encompasses societal and global harmony, while tranquility primarily relates to an individual’s inner state of calmness and serenity.

Peace can involve resolving conflicts, while tranquility focuses on achieving a peaceful and tranquil state of mind.

Lets take it a step or two further …

What does the Bible say about tranquility?

10 
“Be still and know (recognize, understand) that I am God.
I will be exalted among the nations! I will be exalted in the earth.”
11 
The Lord of hosts is with us;
The God of Jacob is our stronghold [our refuge, our high tower]. Selah. Psalm 46:10-11

Jesus Comforts His Disciples

14 “Do not let your heart be troubled; [a]believe in God, believe also in Me. 2 In My Father’s house are many dwelling places; if it were not so, I would have told you; for I go to prepare a place for you. 3 If I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again and receive you to Myself, that where I am, there you may be also. John 14:1-3

Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication, with thanksgiving, let your requests be made known to God; and the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus. Philippians 4:4-7

25 “These things I have spoken to you while abiding with you. 26 But the Helper, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in My name, He will teach you all things, and bring to your remembrance all that I said to you. 27 Peace I leave with you; My peace I give to you; not as the world gives do I give to you. Do not let your heart be troubled, nor let it be fearful. John 14:25-27

What is the meaning of divine tranquility?

Divine Tranquility is a graceful tribute designed to convey solace, compassion, and unwavering support during times of loss.

All this GOD depth of meaning to be found in that single word – TRANQUILITY!

Having read these meanings, have you the reader begun to feel any Tranquility?

Finding Tranquility in God’s Presence

Philippians 4:4-7 Amplified Bible

4 Rejoice in the Lord always [delight, take pleasure in Him]; again I will say, rejoice! 5 Let your gentle spirit [your graciousness, unselfishness, mercy, tolerance, and patience] be known to all people. The Lord is near. 6 Do not be anxious or worried about anything, but in everything [every circumstance and situation] by prayer and petition with thanksgiving, continue to make your [specific] requests known to God. 7 And the peace of God [that peace which reassures the heart, that peace] which transcends all understanding, [that peace which] stands guard over your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus [is yours].

n a world filled with uncertainty and turmoil, the peace of God offers us solace and tranquility.

It is a peace that surpasses all understanding, guarding our hearts and minds in Christ Jesus.

To experience the peace of God, we surrender our anxieties and worries to him in prayer.

We present our requests with thanksgiving, knowing God cares deeply for us.

In God’s presence we find comfort, assurance, and a quiet confidence that he is in control.

The peace of God is not dependent on our circumstances but on our trust in him.

It is a supernatural peace that defies logic and goes echelons beyond our human understanding.

As we focus on the Lord and on his great mercy, care, and faithfulness to us, we find peace that transcends the chaos around us.

In every situation, let’s turn to God, seeking his peace.

May we cultivate a heart of gratitude, knowing that God is our truest source of strength and security. As we abide in him, his peace will guard our hearts and minds, enabling us to navigate life’s challenges with grace and confidence.

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

Let us Pray,

Psalm 23 Amplified Bible

The Lord, the Psalmist’s Shepherd.

A Psalm of David.

23 The Lord is my Shepherd [to feed, to guide and to shield me],
I shall not want.
2 
He lets me lie down in green pastures;
He leads me beside the still and quiet waters.
3 
He refreshes and restores my soul (life);
He leads me in the paths of righteousness
for His name’s sake.

4 
Even though I walk through the [sunless] [a]valley of the shadow of death,
I fear no evil, for You are with me;
Your rod [to protect] and Your staff [to guide], they comfort and console me.
5 
You prepare a table before me in the presence of my enemies.
You have anointed and refreshed my head with [b]oil;
My cup overflows.
6 
Surely goodness and mercy and unfailing love shall follow me all the days of my life,
And I shall dwell forever [throughout all my days] in the house and in the presence of 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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Trust in the Lord with all your heart, as it will be healing to your body and it will be refreshment to your bones. Proverbs 3:5-8

Proverbs 3:5-8 Complete Jewish Bible

5 Trust in Adonai with all your heart;
do not rely on your own understanding.
6 In all your ways acknowledge him;
then he will level your paths.

7 Don’t be conceited about your own wisdom;
but fear Adonai, and turn from evil.
8 This will bring health to your body
and give strength to your bones.

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.

By these timeless words of Scripture, God invites each of us to implicitly trust in him, to be still, surrender our worries, doubts, and fears into his capable hands.

On our parts, this involves our sacrifice, our conscious choice to rely on God’s wisdom and guidance rather than leaning on our own limited understanding.

In a world filled to overflowing with uncertainty, we will wander around, we stumble everywhere, can we find solace in the unchanging character of God?

Based on the measure and degrees of his own personal experience, intrigue, Solomon’s response is ultimately clear: the Lord is faithful, steadfast, and true.

Our being more aware of his presence, He will fulfill every promise he has made.

From within that raised awareness of his presence, when we place our trust in the Lord, we will be tapping into the wellspring of his grace, strength, peace.

Trusting God doesn’t mean that we will never face challenges or hardships.

But it does mean that we can confidently face hard times, knowing that God is with us, working all things together for our good. We can rest in the blessed assurance that Almighty God is in control and that his plans for us are perfect.

Trusting God requires humility—a recognition his ways are higher than ours.

It involves sacrificing, surrendering our understanding of our wisdom, our need for self control, reshaping our thoughts, embracing HIS divine wisdom, timing.

Day to day, as we submit the fullness of our lives unto the Lord, he directs our paths, leading, guiding, directing us, on a journey of purpose and fulfillment.

Let’s trust God with all our heart. In every circumstance, may we lean on his understanding and submit to his will. As we do trust God, we experience his faithfulness, and our lives become that testimony to his goodness and grace.

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

Let us Pray,

Psalm 23 Complete Jewish Bible

23 (0) A psalm of David:

(1) Adonai is my shepherd; I lack nothing.
2 He has me lie down in grassy pastures,
he leads me by quiet water,
3 he restores my inner person.
He guides me in right paths
for the sake of his own name.
4 Even if I pass through death-dark ravines,
I will fear no disaster; for you are with me;
your rod and staff reassure me.

5 You prepare a table for me,
even as my enemies watch;
you anoint my head with oil
from an overflowing cup.

6 Goodness and grace will pursue me
every day of my life;
and I will live in the house of Adonai
for years and years to come.

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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What have I to doubt, what have I to fear leaning on the everlasting arms? Matthew 14:22-33

Matthew 14:22-33 New American Standard Bible 1995

Jesus Walks on the Water

22 Immediately He [a]made the disciples get into the boat and go ahead of Him to the other side, while He sent the crowds away. 23 After He had sent the crowds away, He went up on the mountain by Himself to pray; and when it was evening, He was there alone. 24 But the boat was already [b]a long distance from the land, [c]battered by the waves; for the wind was [d]contrary. 25 And in the [e] fourth watch of the night He came to them, walking on the sea. 26 When the disciples saw Him walking on the sea, they were terrified, and said, “It is a ghost!” And they cried out [f]in fear. 27 But immediately Jesus spoke to them, saying, “Take courage, it is I; do not be afraid.”

28 Peter said to Him, “Lord, if it is You, command me to come to You on the water.” 29 And He said, “Come!” And Peter got out of the boat, and walked on the water and came toward Jesus. 30 But seeing the wind, he became frightened, and beginning to sink, he cried out, “Lord, save me!” 31 Immediately Jesus stretched out His hand and took hold of him, and *said to him, “You of little faith, why did you doubt?” 32 When they got into the boat, the wind stopped. 33 And those who were in the boat worshiped Him, saying, “You are certainly God’s Son!”

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.

He Saw the Wind, He Saw the Waves, and He Sank

The story of Peter’s attempt to walk on water is definitely one of my favorites.

Along with all the other disciples, Peter first fears the ghostly figure looming in the night, through the rain storm and walking on the waves toward their boat.

When Jesus reassures them that he is the one walking out there, courageously, quite impulsively Peter wants to be first to get in on a piece of the action too.

“Lord, tell me to come to you on the water,” he says. “Come,” invites Jesus.

Like a child taking his first tottering steps toward his parents, Peter gets out of the boat, against all the winds and the waves, walks toward Jesus on the water.

But when for but the briefest of moments, he gets distracted, he takes his eyes off Jesus and sees the wind and waves, the unsure Peter suddenly begins to sink.

So Jesus reaches out and catches him.

Then Jesus looks directly into his eyes and asks Peter, “Why did you doubt?”

I like this story so much because I know the same feeling of taking my eyes off Jesus and “seeing the wind,” feeling the weight of the crashing waves instead.

In the crushing weight of my doubts, when my thoughts are clearly elsewhere, I get distracted from faith so easily by my frustrations, insecurities, temptations.

In such burdened moments I can read this passage over and over again and I can relate to Peter, and thank God this story has been preserved in Scripture.

I also love how it turns out.

Jesus challenges Peter’s lack of faith, but then he lifts, helps him into the boat.

Peter gets a second chance, and he will also need more. I thank God for too the many second chances he has given me. My weakness is covered by his strength.

Leaning on His Everlasting Arms: Dealing With Doubt

Psalm 56 Complete Jewish Bible

56 (0) For the leader. Set to “The Silent Dove in the Distance.” By David; a mikhtam, when the P’lishtim captured him in Gat:

2 (1) Show me favor, God;
for people are trampling me down —
all day they fight and press on me.
3 (2) Those who are lying in wait for me
would trample on me all day.
For those fighting against me are many.

Most High, 4 (3) when I am afraid,
I put my trust in you.
5 (4) In God — I praise his word —
in God I trust; I have no fear;
what can human power do to me?
6 (5) All day long they twist my words;
their only thought is to harm me.
7 (6) They gather together and hide themselves,
spying on my movements, hoping to kill me.
8 (7) Because of their crime, they cannot escape;
in anger, God, strike down the peoples.
9 (8) You have kept count of my wanderings;
store my tears in your water-skin —
aren’t they already recorded in your book?
10 (9) Then my enemies will turn back
on the day when I call;
this I know: that God is for me.

11 (10) In God — I praise his word —
in Adonai — I praise his word —
12 (11) in God I trust; I have no fear;
what can mere humans do to me?

13 (12) God, I have made vows to you;
I will fulfill them with thank offerings to you.
14 (13) For you rescued me from death,
you kept my feet from stumbling,
so that I can walk in God’s presence,
in the light of life.

Doubt can cast a shadow on our faith, causing us to question God’s faithfulness and promises.

But in the midst of bludgeoning doubt we can find assurance by anchoring ourselves in the unwavering truth of God’s Word.

Hebrews 6:17-20 New American Standard Bible 1995

17 [a]In the same way God, desiring even more to show to the heirs of the promise the unchangeableness of His purpose, [b]interposed with an oath, 18 so that by two unchangeable things in which it is impossible for God to lie, we who have [c]taken refuge would have strong encouragement to take hold of the hope set before us. 19  [d]This hope we have as an anchor of the soul, a hope both sure and steadfast and one which enters [e]within the veil, 20 where Jesus has entered as a forerunner for us, having become a high priest forever according to the order of Melchizedek.

When doubt arises, we turn to God in prayer, pouring out our hearts honestly.

As we read in the Psalms, We express our fears, uncertainties, and questions, knowing that the Lord welcomes our honesty.

In his presence we find reassurance, comfort, and the strength to persevere.

It’s very important to for each of us to remember that doubt is not a sign of weakness but an invitation for growth and maturity in the Lord our God alone.

It presents an opportunity to seek a deeper understanding of God’s character and of his plans for our lives.

We can lift our bibles up and find a host of encouragement in the testimonies of others who have experienced God’s faithfulness in the midst of all their doubts.

As we experience doubt, we hold fast to the promises of God.

We remind ourselves of his past faithfulness and lean on his unfailing love.

We ought to be inviting God as the praying Psalmist did to reveal himself to us, to increase our faith, dispel those shadows of doubt with the light of his truth.

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

Let us Pray,

Jesus, my eyes get distracted by the wind and waves instead of seeing you. Please, Lord, help me stay focused on you alone. I need your strength always. Faithful God, when I am in doubt, guide me to trust your unwavering faithfulness. Help me to bring all my doubts to you, seeking comfort. Increase my faith. Reveal yourself in profound ways. Grant me the strength to overcome my doubts and to walk in truth.

Psalm 23 Complete Jewish Bible

23 (0) A psalm of David:

(1) Adonai is my shepherd; I lack nothing.
2 He has me lie down in grassy pastures,
he leads me by quiet water,
3 he restores my inner person.
He guides me in right paths
for the sake of his own name.
4 Even if I pass through death-dark ravines,
I will fear no disaster; for you are with me;
your rod and staff reassure me.

5 You prepare a table for me,
even as my enemies watch;
you anoint my head with oil
from an overflowing cup.

6 Goodness and grace will pursue me
every day of my life;
and I will live in the house of Adonai
for years and years to come.

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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Yes! We CAN ALL Know God! “Cease striving and KNOW that I am God.” Psalm 46

Psalm 46 The Message

46 1-3 God is a safe place to hide,
    ready to help when we need him.
We stand fearless at the cliff-edge of doom,
    courageous in seastorm and earthquake,
Before the rush and roar of oceans,
    the tremors that shift mountains.

    Jacob-wrestling God fights for us,
    God-of-Angel-Armies protects us.

4-6 River fountains splash joy, cooling God’s city,
    this sacred haunt of the Most High.
God lives here, the streets are safe,
    God at your service from crack of dawn.
Godless nations rant and rave, kings and kingdoms threaten,
    but Earth does anything he says.

7     Jacob-wrestling God fights for us,
    God-of-Angel-Armies protects us.

8-10 Attention, all! See the marvels of God!
    He plants flowers and trees all over the earth,
Bans war from pole to pole,
    breaks all the weapons across his knee.
“Step out of the traffic! Take a long,
    loving look at me, your High God,
    above politics, above everything.”

11     Jacob-wrestling God fights for us,
    God-of-Angel-Armies protects us.

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 greatest privileges as a child of God is that we can have the heart of our heavenly Father.

We don’t have to wonder how he feels about us. We don’t have to wonder if he will guide us. We don’t have to question whether he loves us or cares about us.

Through the Holy Spirit we have continual, free access to the heart of God. 

God longs to be known by you.

He longs for you to make time to simply seek his face and get to know his personality, the nature of his love, and the availability of his presence.

You don’t have to live without a real, revelatory knowledge of God’s heart.

You don’t have to live with the uncertainty of whether you are cared for, provided for, and loved.

In the life, death, and resurrection of Jesus, God proved his longing to be known by us. Jesus took on flesh not just so he could save and redeem us, but so he could usher in a better, truer revelation of who the Father is.

In John 17:3 Jesus says, 

“Now this is eternal life: that they know you, the only true God, and Jesus Christ, whom you have sent.” And later in verse 26 Jesus prays to the Father, “I have made you known to them, and will continue to make you known in order that the love you have for me may be in them and that I myself may be in them.” 

Jesus came that we might know the love of the Father. He came that we might have communion—continuous unhindered relationship with our Creator.

Through Jesus you’ve been granted eternal, real access to your heavenly Father. And in the Holy Spirit you can search the deep places of God’s heart and grow in restored relationship with him. 

1 Corinthians 2:10-12 says:

For the Spirit searches everything, even the depths of God. For who knows a person’s thoughts except the spirit of that person, which is in him? So also no one comprehends the thoughts of God except the Spirit of God. Now we have received not the spirit of the world, but the Spirit who is from God, that we might understand the things freely given us by God.

God has made the way for you to know his heart.

You can know him in infinitely deeper and more transformative ways than you can know even your best friend or spouse.

The Holy Spirit, God himself, dwells within you and longs to reveal the “deep things of God” to you.

All that’s left for you to do is have faith in God’s ability to reveal himself when you seek him and set aside time to know the heart of your heavenly Father.

May you make time to do exactly that today as you enter into guided prayer.

Guided Prayer:

1. Meditate on what Scripture says about the knowability of God’s heart. 

Let God’s word fill you with faith to seek deeper relationship with your Father.

“For the Spirit searches everything, even the depths of God. For who knows a person’s thoughts except the spirit of that person, which is in him? So also no one comprehends the thoughts of God except the Spirit of God. Now we have received not the spirit of the world, but the Spirit who is from God, that we might understand the things freely given us by God.” 1 Corinthians 2:10-12

“Now this is eternal life: that they know you, the only true God, and Jesus Christ, whom you have sent.” John 17:3

“I have made you known to them, and will continue to make you known in order that the love you have for me may be in them and that I myself may be in them.” John 17:26

2. Ask God to reveal an aspect of his heart that you need to know. 

Ask him how he feels about you in this moment.

Ask him to reveal just how near and loving he is. Rest in his presence.

3. Thank God for how available he is to you. 

Worship him because he’s paid the ultimate price simply for you to know him.

As you pour out thankfulness on him, watch as he pours his presence out over you.

What a tragedy it is to not take full advantage of what Jesus paid so high a price to accomplish. What a waste to live this life as if God isn’t fully with us, fully for us, and fully available to us. He couldn’t make the way to his heart any clearer.

The Holy Spirit dwells within you as close to your heart as he could possibly be.

Knowing God is as simple as acknowledging how close, available he already is. bolde

May your life be changed, inspired, empowered, emboldened by the light of the highest possible knowability of your perfect Shepherd, loving heavenly Father. 

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

Let us Pray,

Psalm 23 New American Standard Bible 1995

The Lord, the Psalmist’s Shepherd.

A Psalm of David.

23 The Lord is my shepherd,
I [a]shall not want.
2 He makes me lie down in green pastures;
He leads me beside [b]quiet waters.
3 He restores my soul;
He guides me in the [c]paths of righteousness
For His name’s sake.

4 Even though I walk through the [d]valley of the shadow of death,
I fear no [e]evil, for You are with me;
Your rod and Your staff, they comfort me.
5 You prepare a table before me in the presence of my enemies;
You [f]have anointed my head with oil;
My cup overflows.
6 [g]Surely goodness and lovingkindness will follow me all the days of my life,
And I will [h]dwell in the house of the Lord [i]forever.

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

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Postured Hearts of a Servant: What does it look like to be a ‘Man of God’? 1 Timothy 6:11-16

1 Timothy 6:11-16 New American Standard Bible 1995

11 But flee from these things, you man of God, and pursue righteousness, godliness, faith, love, [a]perseverance and gentleness. 12 Fight the good fight of faith; take hold of the eternal life to which you were called, and you made the good confession in the presence of many witnesses. 13 I charge you in the presence of God, who [b]gives life to all things, and of Christ Jesus, who testified the good confession before Pontius Pilate, 14 that you keep the commandment without stain or reproach until the appearing of our Lord Jesus Christ, 15 which He will [c]bring about at the proper time—He who is the blessed and only Sovereign, the King of [d]kings and Lord of [e]lords, 16 who alone possesses immortality and dwells in unapproachable light, whom no man has seen or can see. To Him be honor and eternal dominion! Amen.

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.

When God made the world He created humanity, and first created a man He named Adam.

Then He made a woman that Adam named Eve.

God intended for men and women to be different, and to play different roles in the world.

After the fall, men and women both became capable of sin, and both had to strive to be more righteous, as God intended before sin entered the world.

A man who pursues that righteousness, and strives to live for the Lord, is sometimes called a man of God.

It can be difficult to define what that kind of man looks like, but the Bible provides insights into how a man can conform to the image of God, and help others identify them.

Some of the traits of a man of God include faith, a consistent relationship with God, patience, and temperance, among other things. (Galatians 5:19-23)

19 Now the deeds of the flesh are evident, which are: [a]immorality, impurity, sensuality, 20 idolatry, sorcery, enmities, strife, jealousy, outbursts of anger, disputes, dissensions, [b]factions, 21 envying, drunkenness, carousing, and things like these, of which I forewarn you, just as I have forewarned you, that those who practice such things will not inherit the kingdom of God. 22 But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, 23 gentleness, self-control; against such things there is no law.

What Is a “Man of God”?

A man of God is not one stereotype of a man.

It is not a scholar who has memorized all the Scriptures.

It is not a man who can lift very heavy objects and fight back any enemy at the gate-more powerful than a locomotive, with no effort able to leap tall buildings.

Instead, it is a consistent public and private display of his character which the Bible highlights, attempting to avoid the above mentioned temptation and sin.

A man of God values the things of Heaven over the things of the flesh.

He will not be perfect until he is with the Lord in heaven above, but he makes his personal relationship with the Savior the very first priority in his life.

He loves justice, wisdom, and discretion.

He is also not a hypocrite like the Pharisees who, “clean the outside of the cup and the plate, but inside they are full of greed and self-indulgence” (Matthew 23:27b). He does not just exhibit good behavior, surrenders himself before God and pursues a clean conscience, pursuing a real relationship with Jesus Christ.

Psalm 139:23-24 New American Standard Bible 1995

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

In many ways, a man of God is someone who strives to live by the following verses from Proverbs 3:5-8,

5 Trust in the Lord with all your heart
And do not lean on your own understanding.
6 In all your ways acknowledge Him,
And He will make your paths straight.
7 Do not be wise in your own eyes;
Fear the Lord and turn away from evil.
8 It will be healing to your [a]body
And refreshment to your bones.

Bible Verses about Being a Man of God

There are many verses that outline the character traits that God wants both men and women – as well as just men – to possess or strive to exhibit.

These verses include:

1 Timothy 6:11 “But as for you, O man of God, flee these things. Pursue righteousness, godliness, faith, love, steadfastness, gentleness.”    

1 Corinthians 16:13 “Be watchful, stand firm in the faith, act like men, be strong.”

Romans 12:2 “Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewal of your mind, that by testing you may discern what is the will of God, what is good and acceptable and perfect.”

Proverbs 1:7 “The fear of the Lord is the beginning of knowledge; fools despise wisdom and instruction.”

Micah 6:8 “He has told you, O man, what is good; and what does the Lord require of you but to do justice, and to love kindness, and to walk humbly with your God?”

Psalm 2:2-4 “‘I am about to go the way of all the earth. Be strong, and show yourself a man, and keep the charge of the Lord your God, walking in his ways and keeping his statutes, his commandments, his rules, and his testimonies, as it is written in the Law of Moses, that you may prosper in all that you do and wherever you turn, that the Lord may establish his word that he spoke concerning me, saying, ‘If your sons pay close attention to their way, to walk before me in faithfulness with all their heart and with all their soul, you shall not lack a man on the throne of Israel.’”      

Ephesians 5:25-28 “Husbands, love your wives, as Christ loved the church and gave himself up for her, that he might sanctify her, having cleansed her by the washing of water with the word, so that he might present the church to himself in splendor, without spot or wrinkle or any such thing, that she might be holy and without blemish. In the same way husbands should love their wives as their own bodies. He who loves his wife loves himself.”

Who Were Some Men of God in the Bible?

It becomes clear through a diligent study of the Bible that an important part of what it means to be a man of God is pursuing righteousness, being familiar with God’s Word, being kind to others, knowing when, how to exert one’s strength, and being willing to worship God and sacrifice the same way the Lord Jesus did.

There are many examples of godly men in the Scriptures.

Men identified as men of God include:

King David: Literally called a man after God’s own heart.

He trusted the Lord as a shepherd, as a man fleeing a king’s wrath, and as a king himself. He was not close to perfect, and succumbed to lust with Bathsheba, but repented (Psalm 51). He loved God, wrote many Psalms about that relationship.

Abraham: The father of the Jewish nation, his faith in God was so great he was willing to obey God’s command to sacrifice his son, believing that God could bring Isaac back from the dead. He followed God from his homeland to another.

There were points in his life where his faith definitely lapsed and he acted out of fear, but he always tried to put his relationship with God above all else. He also advocated for his relatives with God, and humbly asked God to spare Sodom and Gomorrah for the sake of just a few righteous, willing to see mercy extended.

Nehemiah: A Hebrew in exile who had high authority in Babylon, and he trusted God to leave the comfort of his post and go back to Jerusalem to rebuild the wall.

He rebuilt the walls, defended the borders of his city while maintaining a godly character that served to testify to God’s truest glory to the people around him.

He demonstrated leadership, sacrifice, wisdom, tactical skills, and wisdom. 

Boaz: Certain men played roles in God’s plan that foreshadowed the role Christ would play for all of humanity.

Boaz served as a kinsman redeemer for Ruth, redeeming her and her deceased husband’s family from poverty.

Despite having a Gentile mother, he was known as a godly man who deeply loved the Lord. He was sacrificial, kind to people who were of lesser status than him in society, loved one woman, and displayed great generosity. 

Noah – the only righteous man – steadfast and immovable, obedient to God,

Moses – the great leader, intercessor, law giver,

Joshua (Joshua 1:1-9, 24:15)

Job – Prayed for his children everyday. Refused to Curse God even when his whole world quite literally, quite suddenly, unexpected, collapsed around him.

Jesus: Called the Last Adam, Jesus lived the life intended for Adam, but without sin. The Lord came in the body of a man, clothing His divine nature in flesh.

He obeyed his earthly parents, worked hard as a carpenter, learned the Scriptures, and perfectly sacrificed, submitted self to the will of the Father.

In many ways, He is a model for manhood.

He displayed perfect righteousness, something every man should strive for, even if they fail.

How Can I Grow into More of a Man of God?

Becoming more of a man of God involves becoming Christ-like in character.

It is not something that can happen by force of will, but by the influence of the Holy Spirit.

Prayer is the first step to growing into the person God intended.

Studying the Gospels and modelling Christ is also important.

Learning from the men of God in the Bible, from their successes and failures, is also a part of that journey.

Another way men grow in their character and their faith is through fellowship, being discipled and discipling one another.

Studying verses about good character and asking God to help grow those is another way.

The fruits of the Spirit are foundational to building a character like the Lord has;

“But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control; against such things there is no law” (Galatians 5:22-23).

Ultimately, it will require a daily walk with the Lord and getting to know Him personally to experience the lifetime journey toward becoming a Man of God.

1 Timothy 6:11-12 New American Standard Bible 1995

11 But flee from these things, you man of God, and pursue righteousness, godliness, faith, love, [a]perseverance and gentleness. 12 Fight the good fight of faith; take hold of the eternal life to which you were called, and you made the good confession in the presence of many witnesses.

Paul is giving this encouragement to Timothy about what he should pursue.

Six things: Righteousness, godliness, faith, love, endurance, and gentleness.

That’s a lot to think about.

In fact, these in themselves can truly keep one busy. But I can’t help but think that is the purpose.

To keep ourselves focused on Him.

Then verse 12 seems to stick out even more.

He said, “Fight the good fight of faith.” “Take hold of the eternal life.”

We’ve all heard people say “This is the life.” when referencing something
they are truly enjoying. Meaning, they are truly taking hold of that moment.

The true question is, are we doing that with the eternal life He has given us?

Take some time today and reflect on your everyday life.

Are you pursuing these things given to us?

Are you fighting the good fight?

Are you taking hold of the life He has given us?

Let this be a focus in your time of meditation throughout the day.

Until next time, Shalom.

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

Let us Pray,

Holy Father,

Thank you for the life you have given me. As the Bible says, “you formed me in my mother’s womb,” making me the man I am today. Thank you for loving me enough to die for me on the cross, and that I will share in Your resurrection. I pray that you will take my life and use it for Your glory, for the expansion of Your Kingdom, and as the man You created me to be. Lord, take my life and guide it. Help me to pursue You sincerely and fully. You gave me life and salvation, so help me use that life to make a difference for eternity. Whether that is as a husband or a single man, as a father or a mentor, however You want to use me, I pray that my life will only glorify Your name.

Psalm 16 New American Standard Bible 1995

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

A [a]Mikhtam of David.

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

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

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

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

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Seeking God is never meant to be a one-time event! 1 Chronicles 16:8-11

1 Chronicles 16:8-11 New American Standard Bible 1995

Psalm of Thanksgiving

8 Oh give thanks to the Lord, call upon His name;
Make known His deeds among the peoples.
9 Sing to Him, sing praises to Him;
[a]Speak of all His [b]wonders.
10 [c]Glory in His holy name;
Let the heart of those who seek the Lord be glad.
11 Seek the Lord and His strength;
Seek His face continually.

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.

Continual Revelation

Seeking God is not meant to be a one-time event.

We’re not meant to run off the fuel of an occasional encounter with our Father’s love. Rather, seeking, finding, God’s heart is to be the foundation of all we do.

It’s to be intertwined in our thoughts, actions, and emotions.

He longs to reveal himself to us whether we’re at home, working, watching movies, in a church service, or out with friends.

Life with God is meant to be about continual revelation of his heart.

In Jeremiah 29:13-14 God says, “You will seek me and find me, when you seek me with all your heart. I will be found by you, declares the Lord.” 

God longs to be found by us.

He longs for us to seek out a revelation of his invisible nature, unconditional love, and abounding grace.

He longs for us to taste and see that he is good (Psalm 34:8).

Psalm 34:8-14 New American Standard Bible 1995

8 O taste and see that the Lord is good;
How blessed is the man who takes refuge in Him!
9 O fear the Lord, you His saints;
For to those who fear Him there is no want.
10 The young lions do lack and suffer hunger;
But they who seek the Lord shall not be in want of any good thing.
11 Come, you children, listen to me;
I will teach you the fear of the Lord.
12 Who is the man who desires life
And loves length of days that he may see good?
13 Keep your tongue from evil
And your lips from speaking deceit.
14 Depart from evil and do good;
Seek peace and pursue it.

When you seek out God you won’t be met with nothingness.

When you seek to know the will, attributes, feelings, and reality of your heavenly Father, you will find what you seek. His presence is his promise.

We go through too much of our days apart from a revelation of God’s heart.

We suffer through insecurities, disappointments, fear, doubt, and worry as if we are continually on our own.

We take too much of our own lives into our own hands and work to feel valued, continually fight for what we feel is owed to us, we feel like quitting when we fail, and wallow in our inabilities to live life perfectly, when all the while our heavenly Father waits, beckoning us with his grace to simply ask for his heart.

All the while he longs to root and ground me in his love that isn’t based on what we do, but based on his unwavering, unchanging character.

The best news we have today is that God is continually available to us.

He’s continually ready and continually willing to pour out a love so rich, so real, and so continually powerful that everything continually changes.

He’s continually knocking on the door of our hearts, continually hoping that we will simply and continually take the time to continually open up and let him in.

Please take an extended period of time today as we will now enter into guided pray to seek a fresh revelation of God’s heart.

Begin a lifestyle of continually seeking God by giving God all you have right now: yourself.

May you be continually empowered and set free today to live in continual communion with your loving heavenly Father.

Guided Prayer:

1. Reflect on the importance of continually seeking God that he might be continually found.

“You will seek me and find me, when you seek me with all your heart. I will be found by you, declares the Lord.” Jeremiah 29:13-14

“Seek the Lord and his strength; seek his presence continually!” 1 Chronicles 16:11

2. Ask God for a fresh revelation of his heart today. 

Take an extended time to quiet yourself and open your heart to receive.

3. Spend some time in solitude simply being with God. 

Rather than asking him questions, journal what you are discovering about God.

Write down how you feel, aspects of his character you are noticing, and what he seems to be speaking to you.

“Be still, and know that I am God.” Psalm 46:10

Sometimes simply being with God teaches us more than a thousand questions he could answer.

In being still and knowing he is God we learn the reality of his presence and the communion we have with him.

We discover his personality and learn to trust in his quiet, calm assurance.

There’s nothing as comforting as sitting with him and simply knowing that he has us. May you find continual peace and comfort in the nearness of God today.

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

Let us Pray,

Psalm 34 New American Standard Bible 1995

The Lord, a Provider and Deliverer.

A Psalm of David when he [a]feigned madness before [b]Abimelech, who drove him away and he departed.

34 I will bless the Lord at all times;
His praise shall continually be in my mouth.
2 My soul will make its boast in the Lord;
The humble will hear it and rejoice.
3 O magnify the Lord with me,
And let us exalt His name together.

4 I sought the Lord, and He answered me,
And delivered me from all my fears.
5 They looked to Him and were radiant,
And their faces will never be ashamed.
6 This [c]poor man cried, and the Lord heard him
And saved him out of all his troubles.
7 The angel of the Lord encamps around those who fear Him,
And rescues them.

8 O taste and see that the Lord is good;
How blessed is the man who takes refuge in Him!
9 O fear the Lord, you His saints;
For to those who fear Him there is no want.
10 The young lions do lack and suffer hunger;
But they who seek the Lord shall not be in want of any good thing.
11 Come, you children, listen to me;
I will teach you the fear of the Lord.
12 Who is the man who desires life
And loves length of days that he may see good?
13 Keep your tongue from evil
And your lips from speaking deceit.
14 Depart from evil and do good;
Seek peace and pursue it.

15 The eyes of the Lord are toward the righteous
And His ears are open to their cry.
16 The face of the Lord is against evildoers,
To cut off the memory of them from the earth.
17 The righteous cry, and the Lord hears
And delivers them out of all their troubles.
18 The Lord is near to the brokenhearted
And saves those who are [d]crushed in spirit.

19 Many are the afflictions of the righteous,
But the Lord delivers him out of them all.
20 He keeps all his bones,
Not one of them is broken.
21 Evil shall slay the wicked,
And those who hate the righteous will be [e]condemned.
22 The Lord redeems the soul of His servants,
And none of those who take refuge in Him will be [f]condemned.

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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Honesty is far more than the words we say. It is a posture of our hearts. Matthew 23:27-28

Matthew 23:27-31 New American Standard Bible 1995

27 “Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For you are like whitewashed tombs which on the outside appear beautiful, but inside they are full of dead men’s bones and all uncleanness. 28 So you, too, outwardly appear righteous to men, but inwardly you are full of hypocrisy and lawlessness.

29 “Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For you build the tombs of the prophets and adorn the monuments of the righteous, 30 and say, ‘If we had been  living in the days of our fathers, we would not have been partners with them in  shedding the blood of the prophets.’ 31 So you testify against yourselves, that you are [a]sons of those who murdered the prophets.

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.

Façade … a false, superficial, or artificial appearance or effect. (verse 28)

Façade … any face of a building given special architectural treatment. (verse 27)

The earliest meaning of the word Façade in English was in reference to the front portion of a building, its “face,” so to speak (and face itself is sometimes used to describe this part of a structure as well).

Somewhere along the highways of history the word façade took on a figurative sense, referring to a way of behaving or appearing that gives other people a false idea of your true feelings or situation.

This is similar to the figurative use of veneer, which originally had the simple meaning of a thin layer of wood that was used to cover something, and now may also refer to a sort of deceptive behavior that masks one’s actual feelings (as in, “he had a thin veneer of politeness”).

Honesty is more than the words we say. It’s a posture of the heart.

We weren’t made to try and be something we’re not. God never asks us to keep up appearances. He longs for us to have the real courage to be vulnerable. He longs for us to be so founded in his unconditional love that we will live honestly.

Matthew 23:24-32 The Message

23-24 “You’re hopeless, you religion scholars and Pharisees! Frauds! You keep meticulous account books, tithing on every nickel and dime you get, but on the meat of God’s Law, things like fairness and compassion and commitment—the absolute basics!—you carelessly take it or leave it. Careful bookkeeping is commendable, but the basics are required. Do you have any idea how silly you look, writing a life story that’s wrong from start to finish, nitpicking over commas and semicolons?

25-26 “You’re hopeless, you religion scholars and Pharisees! Frauds! You buff the surface of your cups and bowls so they sparkle in the sun, while the insides are maggoty with your greed and gluttony. Stupid Pharisee! Scour the insides, and then the gleaming surface will mean something.

27-28 “You’re hopeless, you religion scholars and Pharisees! Frauds! You’re like manicured grave plots, grass clipped and the flowers bright, but six feet down it’s all rotting bones and worm-eaten flesh. People look at you and think you’re saints, but beneath the skin you’re total frauds.

29-32 “You’re hopeless, you religion scholars and Pharisees! Frauds! You build granite tombs for your prophets and marble monuments for your saints. And you say that if you had lived in the days of your ancestors, no blood would have been on your hands. You protest too much! You’re cut from the same cloth as those murderers, and daily add to the death count.

The greatest testimony you and I could possibly give to honor God, to give to the Kingdom of God and our neighbor is to have the audacity to live honestly.

It takes enormous courage to be yourself.

It takes genuine security in the unconditional love of your heavenly Father to acknowledge not just your strengths and successes, but also your weaknesses and failures.

But in doing so your life will proclaim the powerful, beautiful work of God.

And in doing so you will experience the peace and joy only freedom from building a façade can produce.

A façade is “an outward appearance that is maintained to conceal a less pleasant or creditable reality.”

So often, to cover up what we know to be imperfect we devote ourselves to creating a false picture for others.

We even devote so much energy to building a façade that we try and deceive ourselves.

We muster up our pride and look only at what we’ve done well, all the while ignoring what we need help with.

As a result, we will spend all our time living a life apart from reality.

And to live apart from the reality of God, Jesus Christ and the Holy Spirit is to live far apart from the grace and love of our ever-present, wholly real Father.

Matthew 23:27-28, Jesus passionately rebukes those who try and build facades: 

27 “Woe to you, [self-righteous] scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For you are like whitewashed tombs which look beautiful on the outside, but inside are full of dead men’s bones and everything unclean. 28 So you, also, outwardly seem to be just  and upright to men, but inwardly you are full of hypocrisy and lawlessness.

God solely cares about the heart.

1 Samuel 16:6-11 New American Standard Bible 1995

6 When they entered, he looked at Eliab and thought, “Surely the Lord’s anointed is before Him.” 7 But the Lord said to Samuel, “Do not look at his appearance or at the height of his stature, because I have rejected him; for [a] God sees not as man sees, for man looks at the outward appearance, but the Lord looks at the heart.” 8 Then Jesse called Abinadab and made him pass before Samuel. And he said, “The Lord has not chosen this one either.” 9 Next Jesse made [b]Shammah pass by. And he said, “The Lord has not chosen this one either.” 10 Thus Jesse made seven of his sons pass before Samuel. But Samuel said to Jesse, “The Lord has not chosen these.” 11 And Samuel said to Jesse, “Are these all the children?” And he said, “There remains yet the youngest, and behold, he is tending the sheep.” Then Samuel said to Jesse, “Send and [c]bring him; for we will not sit down until he comes here.”

He’s not worried about our perception.

He’s not worried about status or societal acceptance.

He cares about what is authentic.

He cares about what is genuine.

He cares about what is real.

He knows that any energy spent devoted to building a façade is energy you can’t devote to receiving help, healing, and grace for what’s real and important.

He knows that all your efforts to be accepted pf men aren’t of value because the opinions of others are nothing in comparison to his unconditional love for you.

And he knows that ultimately all facades will inevitably be torn down, and we will be publicly exposed, seen and known by him for who we really, truly are.

What does it mean to be whitewashed tombs?

To be whitewashed means to be cleaned so well that there is not a speck of dirt to diminish the shining brilliance of the tombs. In His example, the outside of the sepulcher tombs appears beautiful as it catches and reflects pure light. But inside they are full of rotting corpses—dead men’s bones and all uncleanness.

God longs for you, me, the church to live fully alive, fully known and fully loved.

He longs for us to live in and to live outward from a revelation of his love and grace rather than striving for affection and acceptance by building up facades.

Take time to experience his love and grace today.

Assess your heart and tear down your walls. May freedom burst forth in your life today as you proclaim the glory of God’s grace by being who you really are.

Guided Prayer:

1. Reflect on the importance of living in reality. 

Allow Jesus’ words to stir up your desire to tear down any façade you’ve built up.

“Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For you are like whitewashed tombs, which outwardly appear beautiful, but within are full of dead people’s bones and all uncleanness.” Matthew 23:27

2. Where are you striving for acceptance or affection by building up facades? 

Where are you portraying yourself to be something you aren’t?

Why are you doing it?

3. Ask the Holy Spirit for the courage to be yourself today. 

James 5:14-18 New American Standard Bible 1995

14 Is anyone among you sick? Then he must call for the elders of the church and they are to pray over him, [a]anointing him with oil in the name of the Lord;  15  and the  prayer [b]offered in faith will [c]restore the one who is sick, and the Lord will raise him up, and if he has committed sins, [d]they will be forgiven him. 16  Therefore, confess your sins to one another, and pray for one another so that you may be healed. The effective [e]prayer of a righteous man can accomplish much. 17 Elijah was a man with a nature like ours, and he prayed [f]earnestly that it would not rain, and it did not rain on the earth for three years and six months. 18 Then he prayed again, and the [g]sky [h]poured rain and the earth produced its fruit.

Psalm 103:1-5 New American Standard Bible 1995

Praise for the Lord’s Mercies.

A Psalm of David.

103 Bless the Lord, O my soul,
And all that is within me, bless His holy name.
2 Bless the Lord, O my soul,
And forget none of His benefits;
3 Who pardons all your iniquities,
Who heals all your diseases;
4 Who redeems your life from the pit,
Who crowns you with lovingkindness and compassion;
5 Who satisfies your [a]years with good things,
So that your youth is renewed like the eagle.In the

Tell others of your weaknesses today.

Don’t be afraid to be yourself with all your strengths, successes, weaknesses, and failures.

May God’s grace and love empower you today as you live honestly.

May you stop devoting your energy to falsely manufactured appearances and give yourself and to God to what’s real. And in doing so may you genuinely encounter the unconditional acceptance and affection of your loving Father.

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

Let us Pray,

Psalm 8 New American Standard Bible 1995

The Lord’s Glory and Man’s Dignity.

For the choir director; on the Gittith. A Psalm of David.

8 O Lord, our Lord,
How majestic is Your name in all the earth,
Who have [a]displayed Your splendor above the heavens!
2 From the mouth of infants and nursing babes You have established [b]strength
Because of Your adversaries,
To make the enemy and the revengeful cease.

3 When I [c]consider Your heavens, the work of Your fingers,
The moon and the stars, which You have [d]ordained;
4 What is man that You [e]take thought of him,
And the son of man that You care for him?
5 Yet You have made him a little lower than [f]God,
And You crown him with glory and majesty!
6 You make him to rule over the works of Your hands;
You have put all things under his feet,
7 All sheep and oxen,
And also the [g]beasts of the field,
8 The birds of the heavens and the fish of the sea,
Whatever passes through the paths of the seas.

9 O Lord, our Lord,
How majestic is Your name in all the earth!

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

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That Courage of our Convictions or the Cowardice of our Compromises? John 19:1-15

John 19:1-15 New American Standard Bible 1995

The Crown of Thorns

19 Pilate then took Jesus and [a]scourged Him. 2 And the soldiers twisted together a crown of thorns and put it on His head, and put a purple robe on Him; 3 and they began to come up to Him and say, “Hail, King of the Jews!” and to give Him slaps in the face. 4 Pilate came out again and *said to them, “Behold, I am bringing Him out to you so that you may know that I find no guilt in Him.” 5 Jesus then came out, wearing the crown of thorns and the purple robe. Pilate  *said to them, “Behold, the Man!” 6 So when the chief priests and the officers saw Him, they cried out saying, “Crucify, crucify!” Pilate *said to them, “Take Him yourselves and crucify Him, for I find no guilt in Him.” 7 The Jews answered him, “We have a law, and by that law He ought to die because He made Himself out to be the Son of God.”

8 Therefore when Pilate heard this statement, he was even more afraid; 9 and he  entered into the [b]Praetorium again and *said to Jesus, “Where are You from?” But Jesus gave him no answer. 10 So Pilate *said to Him, “You do not speak to me? Do You not know that I have authority to release You, and I have authority to crucify You?” 11 Jesus answered, “You would have no authority [c]over Me, unless it had been given you from above; for this reason he who delivered Me to you has the greater sin.” 12 As a result of this Pilate [d]made efforts to release Him, but the Jews cried out saying, “If you release this Man, you are no friend of Caesar; everyone who makes himself out to be a king [e] opposes Caesar.”

13 Therefore when Pilate heard these words, he brought Jesus out, and sat down on the judgment seat at a place called [f]The Pavement, but in [g]Hebrew, Gabbatha. 14 Now it was the day of preparation for the Passover; it was about the [h]sixth hour. And he *said to the Jews, “Behold, your King!” 15 So they cried out, “Away with Him, away with Him, crucify Him!” Pilate *said to them, “Shall I crucify your King?” The chief priests answered, “We have no king but Caesar.”

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.

Whose praise will you live for?

When Christ was put on trial before Pilate, the Roman governor repeatedly declared His innocence—and yet he paired his declarations with dreadful acts against Him.

Pilate said, “I find no guilt in him”—and then handed Jesus over to be brutally flogged, a beating so intense that it sometimes caused gashes and lacerations where veins, arteries, and internal organs would be exposed.

Pilate said, “I find no guilt in him”—and then let the soldiers humiliate Jesus with a mock coronation, placing a crown of thorns upon His head, dressing Him up, and scornfully “worshiping” Him.

Pilate said, “I find no guilt in him”—but did he release Jesus?

No, he surrendered Jesus to a vicious execution squad to be killed.

There was never a more tormented individual that met Christ than Pilate.

Here was a man who possesses great authority, everyone around him is afraid, a man of great power who utterly lacked the courage to stand by his convictions.

Here was a man with great political influence, with the power of life and death in his words, of great success but who also ultimately compromised all of his authority, showing himself under the trappings of his position to be a coward.

Here was a governor who was governed on the outside by his office, his uniform and an Emperors appointment, edict, but in the inside by his own weaknesses.

We cannot be neutral nor passive or indecisive regarding who Christ is to us.

We cannot be neutral nor passive or indecisive regarding who the world is and what the world represents to us and to what the world would prefer to do to us.

Is He the Savior or is He no one?

To abstain from a decision about this, to not be accountable, to not be even minimally responsible as Pilate sought to do and be, in the presence of those crowds who wrongfully brought Christ, is to abstain from Christ altogether.

Pilate stands as a great challenge to each of us.

Matthew 16:24-27 Amplified Bible

Discipleship Is Costly

24 Then Jesus said to His disciples, “If anyone wishes to follow Me [as My disciple], he must deny himself [set aside selfish interests], and take up his cross [expressing a willingness to endure whatever may come] and follow Me [believing in Me, conforming to My example in living and, if need be, suffering or perhaps dying because of faith in Me]. 25 For whoever wishes to save his life [in this world] will [eventually] lose it [through death], but whoever loses his life [in this world] for My sake will find it [that is, life with Me for all eternity]. 26 For what will it profit a man if he gains the whole world [wealth, fame, success], but forfeits his soul? Or what will a man give in exchange for his soul? 27 For the Son of Man is going to come in the glory and majesty of His Father with His angels, and then He will repay each one in accordance with what he has done.

Mark 8:34-38 Amplified Bible

34 Jesus called the crowd together with His disciples, and said to them, “If anyone wishes to follow Me [as My disciple], he must deny himself [set aside selfish interests], and [a]take up his cross [expressing a willingness to endure whatever may come] and follow Me [believing in Me, conforming to My example in living and, if need be, suffering or perhaps dying because of faith in Me]. 35 For whoever wishes to save his life [in this world] will [eventually] lose it [through death], but whoever loses his life [in this world] for My sake and the gospel’s will save it [from the consequences of sin and separation from God]. 36  For what does it benefit a man to gain the whole world [with all its pleasures], and forfeit his soul? 37 For what will a man give in exchange for his soul and eternal life [in God’s kingdom]? 38 For whoever is ashamed [here and now] of Me and My words in this adulterous and sinful generation, the Son of Man will also be ashamed of him when He comes in the glory of His Father with the holy angels.”

Luke 9:18-26 Amplified Bible

18 Now it happened that as Jesus was praying privately, the disciples were with Him, and He asked them, “Who do the crowds say that I am?” 19 They answered, “John the Baptist, and some say, Elijah; but others, that one of the ancient prophets has come back to life.” 20 And He said to them, “But who do you say that I am?” Peter replied, “The Christ (the Messiah, the Anointed) of God!” 21 But He strictly warned and admonished them not to tell this to anyone, 22 saying, “The Son of Man must suffer many things and be rejected [as the Messiah] by the elders and chief priests and scribes (Sanhedrin, Jewish High Court), and be put to death, and on the third day be raised up [from death to life].”

23 And He was saying to them all, “If anyone wishes to follow Me [as My disciple], he must deny himself [set aside selfish interests], and take up his cross daily [expressing a willingness to endure whatever may come] and follow Me [believing in Me, conforming to My example in living and, if need be, suffering or perhaps dying because of faith in Me]. 24 For whoever wishes to save his life [in this world] will  [eventually] lose it [through death], but whoever loses his life [in this world] for My sake, he is the one who will save it [from the consequences of sin and separation from God]. 25 For what does it profit a man if he gains the whole world [wealth, fame, success], and loses or forfeits himself? 26 For whoever is ashamed [here and now] of Me and My words, the Son of Man will be ashamed of him when He comes in His glory and the glory of the [heavenly] Father and of the holy angels.

Pilate’s conduct compels us to ask ourselves some very serious questions:

In what situations do I, do we, like Pilate, know the right thing to do in some way and yet fear what other people will say if I do it?

In what situations do we, the church, like Pilate, know the right thing to do in some way and yet fear more what the world will do to us, crucify us publicly for?

Are there ways in which my words or conduct or convictions are governed more by the expectations and reaction of great clouds of others, or by considerations of wealth, position, or promotion, than by God’s uncompromising commands?

Let’s not compromise on our position regarding Christ.

If we let the opinions of our colleagues, our neighbors, or our families concern us too much, we may find ourselves giving up forgiveness, peace, heaven, and Christ Himself in exchange for an easier life now. Instead, let’s be courageous.

Joshua 1:1-9 New American Standard Bible 1995

God’s Charge to Joshua

1 Now it came about after the death of Moses the servant of the Lord, that the Lord spoke to Joshua the son of Nun, Moses’ [a]servant, saying, 2 “Moses My servant is dead; now therefore arise, cross this Jordan, you and all this people, to the land which I am giving to them, to the sons of Israel. 3 Every place on which the sole of your foot treads, I have given it to you, just as I spoke to Moses. 4 From the wilderness and this Lebanon, even as far as the great river, the river Euphrates, all the land of the Hittites, and as far as the Great Sea toward the setting of the sun will be your territory. 5 No man will be able to stand before you all the days of your life. Just as I have been with Moses, I will be with you; I will not fail you or forsake you. 6 Be strong and courageous, for you shall give this people possession of the land which I swore to their fathers to give them. 7 Only be strong and very courageous; [b]be careful to do according to all the law which Moses My servant commanded you; do not turn from it to the right or to the left, so that you may [c]have success wherever you go. 8 This book of the law shall not depart from your mouth, but you shall meditate on it day and night, so that you may [d]be careful to do according to all that is written in it; for then you will make your way prosperous, and then you will [e]have success. 9 Have I not commanded you? Be strong and courageous! Do not tremble or be dismayed, for the Lord your God is with you wherever you go.”

Look again at Christ: flogged, mocked, and killed out of love for you.

Then look at those who, perhaps vociferously or perhaps politely, scoff at His truth. Who would you rather offend? Whose “well done” would you rather hear?

“the Emperor is the ONLY King that matters to us!” “crucify! crucify! crucify!

Do we even want to hear or listen to the words of Pilate: “Not guilty!”  

“Not Guilty!” “I Can Find No Guilt in Him!”

That’s the true verdict on Jesus.

However, he assumed our guilt and sin on the cross so that we can be freed from them.

He lived, loved, died as a sacrifice for our sins and the sins of the whole world so that everyone who truly comes to him can be declared “not guilty” before God.

Praise God for his incredible grace, and praise Jesus for his incredible sacrifice!

Christ is continuously beckoning us to Him so we all might go out, live for Him.

1. “Are ye able,” said the Master,
“to be crucified with me?”
“Yea,” the sturdy dreamers answered,
“to the death we follow thee.”
Refrain:
Lord, we are able. Our spirits are thine.
Remold them, make us, like thee, divine.
Thy guiding radiance above us shall be
a beacon to God, to love, and loyalty. Text: Earl Marlatt, 1892-

Will you come?

and will you go?

or will you do exactly nothing?

Or will you turn your back, join the crowds, run with the cultural masses?

How long do you need to think about what actions you are going to take?

Whose love and attention do you crave more?

God, the Father God the Son God the Holy Spirit …. or something someone else?

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

Let us Pray,

Psalm 16 New American Standard Bible 1995

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

A [a]Mikhtam of David.

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

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

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

Father, I praise you and your Son for the incredible gift of forgiveness and freedom from sin that are mine through Jesus bearing my sins on the cross. May my life show that I appreciate this incredible gift and that I take sin very seriously and commit to learning more of Your truth and staying away from it. In Jesus’ name, I pray. Amen.

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

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What Will We Do With the King of All Truth that hasn’t already been done? John 18:36-37

John 18:36-37 New American Standard Bible 1995

36 Jesus answered, “My kingdom [a]is not of this world. If My kingdom were of this world, then My servants would be fighting so that I would not be handed over to the Jews; but as it is, My kingdom is not [b]of this realm.” 37 Therefore Pilate said to Him, “So You are a king?” Jesus answered, “You say correctly that I am a king. For this I have been born, and for this I have come into the world, to testify to the truth.  Everyone who is of the truth hears My voice.”

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.

https://www.hymnal.net/en/hymn/h/1041

1Jesus is standing in Pilate’s hall—
Friendless, forsaken, betrayed by all:
Hearken! what meaneth the sudden call?
  What will you do with Jesus?
 What will you do with Jesus?
  Neutral you cannot be;
Some day your heart will be asking,
    “What will He do with me?”
2Jesus is standing on trial still,
You can be false to Him if you will,
You can be faithful through good or ill:
  What will you do with Jesus?
3Will you evade Him as Pilate tried?
Or will you choose Him, whate’er betide?
Vainly you struggle from Him to hide:
  What will you do with Jesus?
4Will you, like Peter, your Lord deny?
Or will you scorn from His foes to fly,
Daring for Jesus to live or die?
  What will you do with Jesus?
5“Jesus, I give Thee my heart today!
Jesus, I’ll follow Thee all the way,
Gladly obeying Thee!” will you say:
  “This will I do with Jesus!”

What will you, would you do with Jesus?

What will I, would I do with Jesus? 

What will the church, would the church do with Jesus?

Who is the King of Truth …

On the morning of what is today known as the first Good Friday, the Jewish religious authorities took Jesus to continue His trial before Pontius Pilate, the Roman governor.

We can see in the details of the Gospel accounts how God sovereignly orchestrated all of these events.

The Jews’ determination to secure Christ’s death by crucifixion would actually fulfill God’s plan from eternity.

God had also planned Christ’s interaction with Pilate.

As they stood before one another, Pilate asked significant questions about Jesus’ identity and authority.

These questions formed an examination with eternal ramifications—an examination we all must make. Consider how the hymn writer puts it:

Jesus is standing in Pilate’s hall—
Friendless, forsaken, betrayed by all;
Hearken! What meaneth the sudden call?
What will you do with Jesus?  

Pilate from his position of high authority, as representative of the Emperor, believed he was holding an examination on a purely intellectual, natural level.

But anyone answering the question “Who is this Jesus standing as prisoner before all these decision makers, those with the power to decide life and decide death?” is always going to be confronted by a spiritual, supernatural matter.

Jesus wasn’t any political king, as Pilate believed, but he was the heavenly King.

He essentially told Pilate, 

My kingdom doesn’t find its origin in this world. The concern of My kingdom is the spiritual transformation that is brought about in the hearts of My people. The very reason why I was sent by my Father, born as a King, was to testify to God’s truth. 

But Pilate, blind in his unbelief, did not grasp that, had already made up his mind – after all, he had the positions of authority, he was conquering Roman and therefore, in that exact moment he was all the truth that ever mattered.

Jaded and disdainful, he sought to avoid the fundamental question we all must ask: “What will I do with Jesus?”

But in trying not to answer, he nevertheless gave his answer: I shall reject His claim on me and His authority, rule over me, and therefore His offer to rescue me.

What will you do with Jesus?
Neutral you cannot be;
Someday your heart will be asking,
“What will He do with me?” [1]

1 Albert B. Simpson, “What Will You Do with Jesus?” (1905).

Neutral you cannot ever dare to be!

Neutral I cannot ever dare to be!

Neutral the church cannot ever dare to be!

You and I and the church will either live under Jesus’ rule or we will not.

So do not close your Bible in the morning and then live out your day as though this world and its changing concerns and kings are all that is or all that matters.

Do not proceed as though Jesus has no place or interest in your life in this world.

The King of Truth stood friendless and forsaken before the Temple Authorities, Pilate, so that we all might be welcomed as His friend into His eternal kingdom.

There is no option of neutrality—but why would we want there to be?

What Jesus Did had nothing to do with being Neutral!

John 18:36-37 Amplified Bible

36 Jesus replied, “My kingdom is not of this world [nor does it have its origin in this world]. If My kingdom were of this world, My servants would be fighting [hard] to keep Me from being handed over to the Jews; but as it is, My kingdom is not of this world.” 37 So Pilate said to Him, “Then You are a King?” Jesus answered, “You say  [correctly] that I am a King. This is why I was born, and for this I have come into the world, to testify to the truth. Everyone who is of the truth [who is a friend of the truth and belongs to the truth] hears and listens carefully to My voice.”

Jesus came as King.

He did not come as a king in robes of royalty or with a fine palace and a royal court.

Instead, Jesus came as the King of Truth in simplicity and with a band of everyday folks called apostles.

His mission was not to conquer the political landscape, but for God’s truth to win the hearts of the people — all people, not just the Jewish people.

Truth, however, is extraordinarily dangerous for some people to hear, listen to.

Every pretender to a powerful position and those who misuse the power that they have are threatened by one who is genuinely qualified and powerful in ways that they don’t understand.

Pretenders fear the truth.

So the true King was murdered so that they could feel secure in the power that they had.

The only problem was that once the truth was out there, no political pretender and no earthly power could keep truth from triumphing.

Where is Pilate’s power today?

Where would Pilate’s power be today?

What’s left of Herod’s thirst for royal recognition?

And Caesar’s rule?

And the Roman Empire?

All are gone, even those who actually had royal and powerful positions.

Hebrews 13:5-9 Amplified Bible

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.  9 Do not be carried away by diverse and strange teachings; for it is good for the heart to be established and strengthened by grace and not by foods [rules of diet and ritualistic meals], which bring no benefit or spiritual growth to those who observe them.

On the other hand, one TRUTH always remains inviolable: one King still reigns over the hearts of all men and women of all races — Jesus, the King of Truth!

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

Let us Pray,

Father, thank you for the blessing of an everlasting Kingdom and a triumphant King — your Son and my Savior, Jesus. May his inviolable truth and his Kingdom come to complete triumph in my life and the life of Your church in these ever changing days.

Psalm 24 New American Standard Bible 1995

The King of Glory Entering Zion.

A Psalm of David.

24 The earth is the Lord’s, and [a]all it contains,
The world, and those who dwell in it.
2 For He has founded it upon the seas
And established it upon the rivers.
3 Who may ascend into the hill of the Lord?
And who may stand in His holy place?
4 He who has clean hands and a pure heart,
Who has not lifted up his soul [b]to falsehood
And has not sworn deceitfully.
5 He shall receive a blessing from the Lord
And [c]righteousness from the God of his salvation.
6 [d]This is the generation of those who seek Him,
Who seek Your face—even Jacob. [e]Selah.

7 Lift up your heads, O gates,
And be lifted up, O [f]ancient doors,
That the King of glory may come in!
8 Who is the King of glory?
The Lord strong and mighty,
The Lord mighty in battle.
9 Lift up your heads, O gates,
And lift them up, O [g]ancient doors,
That the King of glory may come in!
10 Who is this King of glory?
The Lord of hosts,
He is the King of glory. 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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“Whoever wants to become great among you must be your servant.” Mark 10:41-45

Mark 10:41-45 New American Standard Bible 1995

41 Hearing this, the ten began to feel indignant with [a]James and John. 42 Calling them to Himself, Jesus *said to them, “You know that those who are recognized as rulers of the Gentiles lord it over them; and their great men exercise authority over them. 43 But it is not this way among you, but whoever wishes to become great among you shall be your servant; 44 and whoever wishes to be first among you shall be slave of all. 45 For even the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give His [b]life a ransom for many.”

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.

While walking with the Lord of glory on His sacrificial journey towards the Cross and the glorious Resurrection, and having been forewarned by Jesus of the future suffering and tribulation both He and all His followers were to face, we discover the disciples overly preoccupied, squabbling about who was be the most important person in Christ’s coming kingdom!

They were automatically expecting the Lord to set up His kingdom on earth at that time, and the deep bewilderment they must have felt when He announced that He was to suffer and die, only adds to the depths of this pitiful scenario.

And so, another important lesson to all of us began to be taught, that the world may seek after pride of place, power, and prestige, but in Christ’s economy: it’s all about “Whoever wants to become great among you must be your servant.”

We sometimes look at the foolish actions and attitudes of the disciples and the many selfish comments they made, and, with an air of automatic superiority, we will quickly think to ourselves: “I would never say such unspiritual remarks or engage in such carnal actions and attitudes.”

But every lesson that the disciples were taught in their brief but untense three-year sojourn with the Lord, is an equally important lesson that we too must be about the daily business of learning and applying in our journey through life.

Mark 10:41-45 Amplified Bible

41 Hearing this, the [other] ten became indignant with James and John. 42  Calling them to Himself, Jesus said to them, “You know that those who are recognized as rulers of the Gentiles lord it over them; and their powerful men exercise authority over them [tyrannizing them]. 43 But this is not how it is among you; instead, whoever wishes to become great among you must be your servant, 44 and whoever wishes to be first and most important among you must be slave of all. 45 For even the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give His life as a [a] ransom for many.”

Let us take to heart the truth we’re in the world but we’re not to be of the world.

The world may relish the achievement, important positions and seek to exercise authority over others: “But it should not be this way among you, for whoever wishes to become great among you is to be servant of all.”

Leadership is not about exerting power and control but about serving others with humility and love. Jesus, our ultimate example of leadership, taught us that true greatness lies in our sacrificial servanthood and selfless influence.

In a world that often values ambition and self-promotion, leadership that is rooted in humility and compassion stands out.

A servant leader seeks the well-being and the spiritual development of the people they lead, empowering them to reach their full potential. A servant leader is available, listens, supports, and guides with empathy and grace.

True leadership is not defined by titles or positions but by the impact we have on others. Every interaction, decision, and action provides an opportunity to lead with honesty, integrity, authenticity, and a genuine concern for others.

As leaders, we are called to follow Jesus’ example.

We are called to lead with love, inspiring and empowering the people around us to grow and flourish. Our influence should reflect the character of Jesus Christ, nurturing an environment of truth, trust, collaboration, and mutual respect.

May we embrace the call to leadership with humility and grace.

May we put the needs of others ahead of our own, seeking to serve rather than be served.

As we lead with His compassion and His integrity and His truth, let’s not dare hesitate to point others to the truth of our ultimate servant leader, Jesus Christ.

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

Let us Pray,

Psalm 143 New American Standard Bible 1995

Prayer for Deliverance and Guidance.

A Psalm of David.

143 Hear my prayer, O Lord,
Give ear to my supplications!
Answer me in Your faithfulness, in Your righteousness!
2 And do not enter into judgment with Your servant,
For in Your sight no man living is righteous.
3 For the enemy has persecuted my soul;
He has crushed my life to the ground;
He has made me dwell in dark places, like those who have long been dead.
4 Therefore my spirit [a]is overwhelmed within me;
My heart is [b]appalled within me.

5 I remember the days of old;
I meditate on all Your doings;
I muse on the work of Your hands.
6 I stretch out my hands to You;
My soul longs for You, as a [c]parched land. [d]Selah.

7 Answer me quickly, O Lord, my spirit fails;
Do not hide Your face from me,
Or I will become like those who go down to the pit.
8 Let me hear Your lovingkindness in the morning;
For I trust in You;
Teach me the way in which I should walk;
For to You I lift up my soul.
9 Deliver me, O Lord, from my enemies;
[e]I take refuge in You.

10 Teach me to do Your will,
For You are my God;
Let Your good Spirit lead me on level [f]ground.
11 For the sake of Your name, O Lord, revive me.
In Your righteousness bring my soul out of trouble.
12 And in Your lovingkindness, [g]cut off my enemies
And destroy all those who afflict my soul,
For I am Your servant.

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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