Romans 15:4 "For whatever was written in earlier times was written for our instruction, so that through perseverance and the encouragement of the Scriptures we might have hope."
6 Therefore as you have received Christ Jesus the Lord, walk in [union with] Him [reflecting His character in all the things you do and say—living lives that lead others away from sin], 7 having been deeply rooted [in Him] and now being continually built up in Him and [becoming increasingly more] established [a]in your faith, just as you were taught, and overflowing in it with gratitude.
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.
Christ-like or Christ-less?
What does it mean to fake it till you make it?
Fake it till you make it refers to the idea of
projecting a level of self-confidence in order to convince yourself that you can attain a goal that you feel as though you do not yet have the skills to achieve.
In behavioral psychology, the idea of “act as if” and “fake it till you make it”can be a pivotal therapeutic intervention.
This is simply because it is much easier to act ourselves into feeling better than to think ourselves into feeling better, be talked by someone into feeling better.
What causes fake life?
Being dishonest with yourself creates a fake life.
If you are not being honest and lying to yourself about the state of health, or the state of your peace, or happiness, you are living a fake life. The repertoire of lies that we say to others do not harm us as much as the lies we say unto ourselves.
It’s very likely you have heard the famous Las Vegas advertising tagline: “What happens in Vegas, stays in Vegas.”
Think for a moment about what this actually implies.
Hey, you want to cheat on your spouse in Vegas? No problem, it all stays there.
Want to gamble away all your savings? Vegas will never tell.
Want to party until you puke? Fine. The smell will never make it to your home.
The implication of this approach is that it’s okay, even desirable, to live one way in complete secrecy in Las Vegas, then another “normal” way at home.
I fear that for Christians, too many live out their faith in a similar way.
“What happens away from church, stays away from church.”
This reveals a weak, shallow, empty faith that attracts an enormous weight of guilt and frankly, is a lousy way to live.
It’s a compartmentalized faith – a pick-and-choose lifestyle in which a person basically wanders and weaves at will in around and between a Christlike life and a Christ-less life.
Typically, such a person chooses to live God’s way when the church lights are on, sermons are preached, prayers are prayed and Christian friends are looking, but behind closed car and house doors, when no eye can see him, all bets are off.
Here’s my own personal experience following my open heart surgery: when I’m spiritually empty, I will naturally gravitate toward a compartmentalized faith.
I hate to admit it, but when I’m not feeling close to God, the actions of the world are attractive and even seductive to me. Thankfully, as I have matured in my faith, I have also learned how to recognize the signs of my spiritual emptiness.
Now I can usually catch myself before I experience the negative consequences of my actions.
I talk to a lot of Christians who believe living for God means not blowing it in big areas of life: committing adultery, stealing money, murder—kind of thing.
Wrong!
A non-compartmentalized, fully integrated faith means obedience in the small areas too.
Obedience to a managed thoughtful life, speaking kind words and the call to follow God’s way.
It’s what we think at night when no one is around.
It’s that extra jab we do (or don’t) when we have an argument with a friend or spouse. It’s the degree to which we keep (or lose) our cool while fighting traffic.
What’s the solution?
Obedience is much easier when we’re living topped off and spiritually refueled.
When we are consistent in connecting with God, our hearts are full and we’ll desire to live a consistent (non-compartmentalized) faith.
Today, Psalm 46:10-11 it, take time to refuel, by stopping, by being quiet and by making a connection with God.
This can take seconds or hours and it can take place anywhere and at any time.
GOING DEEPER:
In what areas of your life do you find yourself most likely to compartmentalize your faith?
Write out three reasons why you need to be spiritually refueled and focus on the one that gives you the biggest challenge.
In the name of God, the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit…
Praying …
Psalm 12 Easy-to-Read Version
To the director: With the sheminith. A song of David.
12 Save me, Lord! We can no longer trust anyone! All the good, loyal people are gone. 2 People lie to their neighbors. They say whatever they think people want to hear. 3 The Lord should cut off their lying lips and cut out their bragging tongues. 4 Those people think they can win any argument. They say, “We are so good with words, no one will be our master.”
5 They took advantage of the poor and stole what little they had. But the Lord knows what they did, and he says, “I will rescue those who are poor and helpless, and I will punish those who hurt them.”[a]
6 The Lord’s words are true and pure, like silver purified by fire, like silver melted seven times to make it perfectly pure.
7 Lord, take care of the helpless. Protect them forever from the wicked people in this world. 8 The wicked are all around us, and everyone thinks evil is something to be praised!
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.
4 Jesus[a] knew the Pharisees had heard that he was baptizing and making more disciples than John 2 (though Jesus himself didn’t baptize them—his disciples did). 3 So he left Judea and returned to Galilee.
4 He had to go through Samaria on the way. 5 Eventually he came to the Samaritan village of Sychar, near the field that Jacob gave to his son Joseph. 6 Jacob’s well was there; and Jesus, tired from the long walk, then sat wearily beside the well aboutnoontime.
Word of God for the Children of God
Glory be to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Ghost; as it was in the beginning, is now, and ever shall be, world without end. Amen, amen.
Jesus took the “shortcut” between Judea in the south and Galilee in the north.
He went through no-mans land Samaria. He was tired from his journey.
He rested by the historic site of Jacob’s well.
So much history and promise come together in this moment.
We expect something grand to happen.
Jesus has come to the well dug by Father Israel. (Jacob’s name was changed to Israel. [1]) [1] Genesis 32:22-28.
What great word do we hear from Jesus? None.
What triumphant deed does he do? None.
At least, not at first.
Jesus’ primary initial action was simply to sit down.
He was a weary Savior.
He was tired.
Sounds almost bizarre as our hearts exalt and hold Jesus in the highest of places.
At the same time, something wondrous is once again revealed to us: Jesus became flesh.
Human flesh.
Mortal flesh.
Wearying flesh.
He knows us not only because he is God, but also because he was one of us whose body got weary from a long journey, whose feet got dirty, whose legs grew weak and sore and tired, whose stomach growled when it was empty.
Jesus is a Savior who knows us; not just because he is God, but also because he has lived among us, in our world, sharing our burdens, feeling our weariness.
All of us will have times when we will have to care for our loved ones.
Maybe this is due to a parent going to a nursing home or a sibling getting sick.
I remember whenever my sisters got sick when I was a kid my mother made sure to separate us (in case it was contagious) and then she would have us help each other in various ways (cooking soup) while still keeping proper distance.
This could also be coloring a picture for the person who was sick or to bring them fresh soup while they were resting and recovering their strength.
However, as we get older, caring for our loved ones can get harder still because most of the time, it is something more than a cold or a flu.
It could be a chronic medical condition, cancer diagnosis or an incurable illness flare-up. Other times, it might be that unexpected diagnosis of Alzheimer’s or dementia. Any one of these things can be hard and they can all lead to burn out.
This is why we need to know how to care for our loved ones in Christ-like ways without burning out.
If we burn out, we will not be a good support system for anyone.
We will only become short tempered and more prone to get aggravated by any little inconvenience.
Rather than giving in to anger, frustration, or tiredness, we need ways to extend Christ-like love to others while also establishing our boundaries for self-care, to maintaining our own emotional, mental, physical, and spiritual well-being.
1. Serving Your Loved Ones
“Just as the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many” (Matthew 20:28).
Jesus tells us that He came to this earth to serve others, not to serve Himself.
In the same way, we need to serve others.
If we are going to extend Christ-like actions to our loved ones, we are going to have to serve them as Jesus did.
Jesus never saw a task as being too inferior to Him, but rather, He healed the sick, the blind, and the crippled (Matthew 4:23-25; Luke 4:38-41).
Because of His love, He was always going far out of His way to serve us.
Your loved one might be living with a chronic debilitating illness where they cannot get around anymore.
Whenever you start to grow frustrated, remember what the Lord says in Matthew 20:28.
Also, try to put yourself in your loved one’s shoes and see things from their perspective.
It is really hard to live with a chronic debilitating illness and that might make a person hard to be around sometimes.
Try to reflect upon all these things and carry your cross (Matthew 16:24-26).
2 Corinthians 12:8-10 Amplified Bible
8 Concerning this I pleaded with the Lord three times that it might leave me; 9 but He has said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you [My lovingkindness and My mercy are more than enough—always available—regardless of the situation]; for [My] power is being perfected [and is completed and shows itself most effectively] in [your] weakness.” Therefore, I will all the more gladly boast in my weaknesses, so that the power of Christ [may completely enfold me and] may dwell in me. 10 So I am well pleased with weaknesses, with insults, with distresses, with persecutions, and with difficulties, for the sake of Christ; for when I am weak [in human strength], then I am strong [truly able, truly powerful, truly drawing from God’s strength].
PRAY! PRAY! PRAY!
James 5:13-18 Amplified Bible
13 Is anyone among you suffering? He must pray. Is anyone joyful? He is to sing praises [to God]. 14 Is anyone among you sick? He must call for the elders (spiritual leaders) of the church and they are to pray over him, anointing him with [a]oil in the name of the Lord; 15 and the prayer of faith will restore the one who is sick, and the Lord will raise him up; and if he has committed sins, he will be forgiven. 16 Therefore, confess your sins to one another [your false steps, your offenses], and pray for one another, that you may be healed and restored. The heartfelt and persistent prayer of a righteous man (believer) can accomplish much [when put into action and made effective by God—it is dynamic and can have tremendous power]. 17 Elijah was a man with a nature like ours [with the same physical, mental, and spiritual limitations and shortcomings], and he prayed [b]intensely for it not to rain, and it did not rain on the earth for three years and six months. 18 Then he prayed again, and the sky gave rain and the land produced its crops [as usual].
1 Thessalonians 5:14-19 Amplified Bible
be very patient with everyone [always controlling your temper]. 15 See that no one repays another with evil for evil, but always seek that which is good for one another and for all people. 16 Rejoice always and delight in your faith; 17 be unceasing and persistent in prayer; 18 in every situation [no matter what the circumstances] be thankful and continually give thanks to God; for this is the will of God for you in Christ Jesus. 19 Do not quench [subdue, or be unresponsive to the working and guidance of] the [Holy] Spirit.
Jesus will give you the strength that you need to support and care for your loved ones. He knows some days will be harder than others, yet He will forever give you the strength you need to continue.
Jesus is faithful and He will help you as you continue to help your loved one. It pleases Him to see us all following in His footsteps and obeying His teachings.
As Paul says in his passage, we need to consistently be praying for all of the Lord’s people. This includes our loved ones and the struggles they are facing.
We don’t need to cast off or discount nor ignore nor abandon the infinite power of prayer because a mustard seed prayer can move mountains (Matthew 17:20).
Denying, Disregarding Doubting God’s ability will only hinder our own life. We need to trust in Him and pray on behalf of our loved ones, even if their health is deteriorating. God can do all things—we just need to wait on Him (Luke 1:37).
When you pray for your loved ones, you will notice your own strength will increase as well as your love for them.
This will help you to keep going without burning out.
Pray for yourself also and ask the Lord to keep you strong.
You want to be there for your loved one and help them in the best possible ways.
Continue to lean heaviest on Jesus, follow Him, pray for your loved ones, and be the best source of support that you can be.
Burn out will eventually come for all of us, but we have to remember that this is part of the process.
Sometimes it will be impossible not to run ourselves ragged, especially when a loved one is becoming acutely ill, or is that much closer to their passing away.
Therefore, don’t get too hard on yourself if you do face burn out. It doesn’t mean you have failed, it just means you are human. Extend grace to yourself, take time to rest and recover, and ask the Lord to show you what to do next.
2. Showing Up When Nobody Else Does
“So in everything, do to others what you would have them do to you, for this sums up the Law and the Prophets” (Matthew 7:12).
The Lord speaks of the importance of treating others the way you want to be treated in this passage.
Similar to how we would want somebody there for us, we need to be there for our loved ones. Even if nobody else is there for them, we need to be present.
We need to show up, be there, and extend support for our loved ones even when it is exceptionally dangerous, or hardcore or potentially lethal unto ourselves.
While we need to be careful not to burn out, we also don’t need to feel like we cannot do that much for our loved ones.
Find your balance and avoid all extremes.
It can be easy to restrain from doing anything to protect our own mental well-being, but we need to ensure we are doing all we can to help others.
Being there when a loved one is in the hospital can be a heavy strain, yet it is vitally important for us to be there. In the same way, it can be hard to see our grandparents in a memory care unit, but we need to be right there for them.
Just as Jesus is with us when nobody else is, we need to strive to be the physical hands and feet of Jesus to our loved ones in order for them to know that they are sincerely cared about, unconditionally loved, that they all do absolutely matter.
3. Listening to Your Loved Ones
“My dear brothers and sisters, take note of this: Everyone should be quick to listen, slow to speak and slow to become angry”(James 1:19).
As the Apostle James tells us, we need to be quick to listen, slow to speak, and slow to become angry.
Being quick to listen requires wisdom because it is all too common that we begin to speak before listening.
Rather than saying the first thing that comes to mind or something that we believe might help, we need to listen and see what they truly need.
This will help our loved ones to know that they can rely on us and be open with us about anything.
Our loved ones need us to truly listen to them.
They don’t need us to only half listen or to be doing something in addition to listening to them.
We need to give them our full attention.
Sit with them, put all distractions away, and truly listen to them.
Don’t interrupt or add in any advice unless they ask for it.
Sometimes all our loved ones need is for us to listen to them rather than to start a game plan of what they should do next.
If your loved one wants advice, they will ask for it.
However, it is more important to be a listening ear than it is to be a speaker of advice.
It will also prevent burn out because you will be paying more attention to what they are saying rather than trying to come up with a plan to fix it.
Release the temptation to fix the situation and allow yourself time to simply sit quietly and attentively listen to your loved one.
4. Sitting With Them in the Pain
“Rejoice with those who rejoice; mourn with those who mourn” (Romans 12:15).
The Apostle Paul tells us that we need to rejoice with those who rejoice and mourn with those who mourn.
This helps others know that they are not alone.
Sitting with our loved ones will not burn us out because we are simply being there for them as Jesus does. We don’t have to do anything strenuous or hard.
All we have to do is to sit with them in their pain.
Whenever I am struggling with my chronic illnesses, I need someone to sit with me and by me in the distressing moments.
Sometimes this is all that I need.
I need to know that there is someone who is willing to simply exist with me in the pain and to help me overcome the worries that the pain will never end.
With your own loved ones, it is important that you do this as it will help them feel more comfort, hope, and peace with their own daily struggles.
You never know how much this can help someone and bring renewed strength into their life.
Servant Leadership
Matthew 20:25-28 Amplified Bible
25 But Jesus called them to Himself and said, “You know that the rulers of the Gentiles have absolute power and lord it over them, and their great men exercise authority over them [tyrannizing them]. 26 It is not this way among you, but whoever wishes to become great among you shall be your servant, 27 and whoever wishes to be first among you shall be your [willing and humble] slave; 28 just as the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give His life as a ransom for many [paying the price to set them free from the penalty of sin].”
In a world that often values power and authority, servant leadership stands as a powerful model for those who seek to make a lasting impact.
Jesus, our ultimate example of servant leadership, has shown us that greatness is found in humble service and selfless sacrifice.
Servant leaders place the needs of others before their own.
They lead with compassion, empathy, a genuine desire to uplift and empower the people they serve.
Instead of seeking to be served, they willingly serve others, pouring out their time, talents, and resources for the well-being of the team or community.
Servant leadership is not about the accumulation of titles or accolades, but about making a positive difference in the lives of others.
It involves active listening, fostering an inclusive environment, and also our recognizing the highest value and greatest contributions of each person.
As followers of Christ, we are called to embrace servant leadership.
By imitating Jesus’ selflessness and humility, we reflect his love to the people around us.
We strive to lead by example, showing integrity, compassion, and grace in our interactions and decisions.
As we embrace the call to servant leadership, may we follow in the footsteps of Jesus, who came not to be served but to serve.
May our lives inspire others to live this way too, bringing positive change to our families, friends, workplaces, neighborhoods, our churches and communities.
In the name of God, the Father the Son and the Holy Spirit,
Praying …
Psalm 25 Christian Standard Bible
Psalm 25
Dependence on the Lord
Of David.
1 Lord, I appeal to you.[a] 2 My God, I trust in you. Do not let me be disgraced; do not let my enemies gloat over me. 3 No one who waits for you will be disgraced; those who act treacherously without cause will be disgraced.
4 Make your ways known to me, Lord; teach me your paths. 5 Guide me in your truth and teach me, for you are the God of my salvation; I wait for you all day long. 6 Remember, Lord, your compassion and your faithful love, for they have existed from antiquity.[b] 7 Do not remember the sins of my youth or my acts of rebellion; in keeping with your faithful love, remember me because of your goodness, Lord.
8 The Lord is good and upright; therefore he shows sinners the way. 9 He leads the humble in what is right and teaches them his way. 10 All the Lord’s ways show faithful love and truth to those who keep his covenant and decrees. 11 Lord, for the sake of your name, forgive my iniquity, for it is immense.
12 Who is this person who fears the Lord? He will show him the way he should choose. 13 He will live a good life, and his descendants will inherit the land.[c] 14 The secret counsel of the Lord is for those who fear him, and he reveals his covenant to them. 15 My eyes are always on the Lord, for he will pull my feet out of the net.
16 Turn to me and be gracious to me, for I am alone and afflicted. 17 The distresses of my heart increase;[d] bring me out of my sufferings. 18 Consider my affliction and trouble, and forgive all my sins. 19 Consider my enemies; they are numerous, and they hate me violently. 20 Guard me and rescue me; do not let me be disgraced, for I take refuge in you. 21 May integrity and what is right watch over me, for I wait for you.
22 God, redeem Israel, from all its distresses.
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.
13-19 Now I’m returning to you. I’m saying these things in the world’s hearing So my people can experience My joy completed in them. I gave them your word; The godless world hated them because of it, Because they didn’t join the world’s ways, Just as I didn’t join the world’s ways. I’m not asking that you take them out of the world But that you guard them from the Evil One. They are no more defined by the world Than I am defined by the world. Make them holy—consecrated—with the truth; Your word is consecrating truth. In the same way that you gave me a mission in the world, I give them a mission in the world. I’m consecrating myself for their sakes So they’ll be truth-consecrated in their mission.
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.
John 17:15-17 Amplified Bible
15 I do not ask You to take them out of the world, but that You keep them and protect them from the evil one. 16 They are not of the world, just as I am not of the world. 17 Sanctify them in the truth [set them apart for Your purposes, make them holy]; Your word is truth.
Jesus makes it good and clear those who have set their hopes in Him and gone on to follow Him are not going to fit in too well with the world around them.
If we think about it does it make sense?
Those so bold as to devote themselves to seeking Christ are shifting their center interest away from all that the worldly men will chase.
Yet there may be a growing trend developing in many churches to blend in with our society as Christians.
The religious concept behind this movement may appear to have good motives.
We might think we could reach more people by rubbing shoulders with them.
We could imagine ourselves to be more effective witnesses if we do not stand out as freaks to society.
Although true to some degree could these kinds of sentiments hide clever tricks intelligently placed within the path of the true servants of the Lord?
Could Jesus be bracing us for this movement by deliberately praying for us not to be taken out of the world, but to be shielded, be protected while we are in it?
For many years Christians were pleased to stand out on their faith in the Scriptures.
They saw that a higher level of morals and going to church brought their hearts better in tune with God.
For them, to wear the mantra of Christian meant to make this great distinction.
Some took it further and ran to the hills in their devout effort to please God and prepare for Jesus´ second coming.
They figured why flee in some future day when we can get out of society early by finding a more remote setting in which to live.
They, like the Christian who embraces society with the idea of witnessing to it would like to think they are doing what they do to please God.
So which one is right?
Neither? Or both?
If we dig a little deeper we could argue both extremes.
Christians today could seek to remove themselves from their society and there are sufficient texts in the Bible to give them the notion that they should.
At the same time the opposite is also clearly asked of Jesus´ followers to go to the world and give their testimony.
So what does this mean?
Do we have a contradiction?
Are God´s children given conflicting instructions?
Or would the Lord have us know what we are talking about when we are not of the world but must be in it?
The answer of our race is still the same.
Jesus is our answer.
He always was needed and He is still needed now.
Old Testament religion looked forward to His day.
New Testament religion heralded His arrival and His Sacrifice.
Modern time religion will have to take its stand upon nothing less.
Therefore our brothers and sisters who live in the big cities need their Savior just as much as those who are living in the most removed corners of the world.
Everyone will need to come humbly to Christ.
This is not a stand on doctrines but a real and personal, intimate encounter!
Our distinction will never save us if it is a distinction of geographic, social or denominational sort.
Our distinction can place us under the protection of God through Jesus´ priestly prayer only if we are truly right with Him. What then should we pray for today?
“As you sent me into the world, I have sent them into the world.” John 17:18
Many churches send teams of young people on short-term mission trips.
As they serve, God uses them to bless others, but these young people often note that they are the ones who benefit most from the experience.
Their eyes are opened to the physical and spiritual needs of people of different cultures and races.
They also learn that we don’t need to get on an airplane to visit a mission field.
Jesus prays for his followers in John 17.
He asks not that we be taken out of the world but that God would protect us as he sends us into the world around us.
The call may be to another far off country, but let’s be careful not to ignore our classrooms, workplaces, neighborhoods which we already know many people.
As you manage your business, or teach the students in your class, or serve on a committee in your community, or follow up with a co-worker in the lunchroom about a rebellious child, be aware that that is our primary places of our mission.
People today are hungry for God.
We need to know how to engage people in conversations and relationships that don’t have a fake worldly “agenda” other than to simply show the love of Jesus.
Ask God today to give you listening ears and to give others an open heart that will respond. As he sends you, know that Jesus continues to work through you.
In the name of God, the Father the Son and the Holy Spirit,
Praying …
Psalm 121 English Standard Version
My Help Comes from the Lord
A Song of Ascents.
121 I lift up my eyes to the hills. From where does my help come? 2 My help comes from the Lord, who made heaven and earth.
3 He will not let your foot be moved; he who keeps you will not slumber. 4 Behold, he who keeps Israel will neither slumber nor sleep.
5 The Lord is your keeper; the Lord is your shade on your right hand. 6 The sun shall not strike you by day, nor the moon by night.
7 The Lord will keep you from all evil; he will keep your life. 8 The Lord will keep your going out and your coming in from this time forth and 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.
12 1-2 Honor and enjoy your Creator while you’re still young, Before the years take their toll and your vigor wanes, Before your vision dims and the world blurs And the winter years keep you close to the fire.
3-5 In old age, your body no longer serves you so well. Muscles slacken, grip weakens, joints stiffen. The shades are pulled down on the world. You can’t come and go at will. Things grind to a halt. The hum of the household fades away. You are wakened now by bird-song. Hikes to the mountains are a thing of the past. Even a stroll down the road has its terrors. Your hair turns apple-blossom white, Adorning a fragile and impotent matchstick body. Yes, you’re well on your way to eternal rest, While your friends make plans for your funeral.
6-7 Life, lovely while it lasts, is soon over. Life as we know it, precious and beautiful, ends. The body is put back in the same ground it came from. The spirit returns to God, who first breathed it.
8 It’s all smoke, nothing but smoke. The Quester says that everything’s smoke.
Word of God for the Children of God
Glory be to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Ghost; as it was in the beginning, is now, and ever shall be, world without end. Amen, amen.
Today, we will explore an intriguing question raised by a passage of Scripture:
Why should young people remember God and serve Him in their youth?
Let us delve into Ecclesiastes 12:1, which urges us to remember our Creator in the days of our youth, before the challenges of old age arise.
Reason 1: The Vision – Knowing Your Creator
Understanding that there is a God who loves us, created us, and has a purpose for our lives is crucial.
Having this vision for our lives is wise and helps us make the most of our time on earth.
Many young people who have dedicated their lives to the Lord have never regretted doing so.
Conversely, older individuals who come to faith often express regret for not having done so earlier.
Reason 2: The Vigor – Bringing Energy to the Church
Young people inject vitality and enthusiasm into the church.
They play a vital role in its programs and activities.
The Apostle Paul encouraged a young man named Timothy to be an example to believers in word, conduct, love, spirit, faith, and purity.
Young people are not just the future of the church; they are an active part of it right now.
Reason 3: The Venture – Finding Fulfillment in Christ
Living for Jesus brings joy, encouragement, fulfillment, and contentment that no other lifestyle can provide.
It is an exciting adventure that brings daily excitement and anticipation.
Choosing to live as a child of God is the path to an abundant life filled with purpose and meaning.
Reason 4: The Victory – Experiencing Triumph in Christ
Paul reveals the secret to total victory in 2 Timothy 4:6-8.
He declares that he has fought the good fight, finished his course, and kept the faith. As a result, he anticipates receiving a crown of righteousness from the Lord.
Imagine standing before Jesus on that final day, knowing that you walked faithfully with Him throughout your life.
This is the ultimate victory.
Conclusion
Many people today want to “get high” on God, in a big crowd, with big music, in an experience as mesmerizing as the effects of a powerful drug.
While true worship should never be dull or monotonous, it’s meaningless to pursue feelings of ecstasy.
God calls us to be devoted to his Word and to follow the example of Jesus, taking up the cross of kingdom service.
Being found in Christ is what perfects human life.
When found in Christ, we come to terms with his death as well as our own.
Christ’s wisdom grounds us like embedded nails, helping us to make peace with our frailties even when we are young and we feel immortal.
In Christ, we also find life to the fullest— with freedom from fear, shame, and soul-crushing perplexities.
Life becomes a meaningful adventure, a race, a journey filled with awareness of God’s love for us all.
Don’t get lost in your high powered, neon flashing bright light, loud religion.
Get found in Savior Christ.
Young people should Honor and enjoy their Creator while they are still young, to serve God because it provides them with a vision for their lives, brings energy and vitality to the church, offers fulfillment in Christ, leads to ultimate victory.
Living for Jesus is an exciting and purposeful journey that brings abundant life.
So, let us honor, remember our Creator in our youth, serve Him wholeheartedly.
So, let us honor, remember our Creator in our maturity, serve our youth and Him wholeheartedly.
Discussion Questions for our Youth
1. How has knowing your Creator impacted your life and decisions?
Share a personal experience where your faith guided you. (Proverbs 3:5-8)
2. In what ways can you contribute your energy and enthusiasm to serve the church and its community?
Discuss your talents and how they can be used for God’s glory. (1 Peter 4:10)
3. Share a moment when you experienced fulfillment and joy in your walk with Christ. How can you encourage others to find the same fulfillment? (John 10:10)
John 15:18-25 The Message
Hated by the World
18-19 “If you find the godless world is hating you, remember it got its start hating me. If you lived on the world’s terms, the world would love you as one of its own. But since I picked you to live on God’s terms and no longer on the world’s terms, the world is going to hate you.
20 “When that happens, remember this: Servants don’t get better treatment than their masters. If they beat on me, they will certainly beat on you. If they did what I told them, they will do what you tell them.
21-25 “They are going to do all these things to you because of the way they treated me, because they don’t know the One who sent me. If I hadn’t come and told them all this in plain language, it wouldn’t be so bad. As it is, they have no excuse. Hate me, hate my Father—it’s all the same. If I hadn’t done what I have done among them, works no one has ever done, they wouldn’t be to blame. But they saw the God-signs and hated anyway, both me and my Father. Interesting—they have verified the truth of their own Scriptures where it is written, ‘They hated me for no good reason.’
4. What challenges – (peer pressure for example) have you faced in your faith journey, and how did you contend with it and plan to overcome them?
How can our youth empower, encourage, inspire, support, mentor, each other in their pursuit of victory in Christ? (1 Corinthians 15:57-58)
In the name of God, the Father the Son and the Holy Spirit,
Praying …
Psalm 119 The Message
119 1-8 You’re blessed when you stay on course, walking steadily on the road revealed by God. You’re blessed when you follow his directions, doing your best to find him. That’s right—you don’t go off on your own; you walk straight along the road he set. You, God, prescribed the right way to live; now you expect us to live it. Oh, that my steps might be steady, keeping to the course you set; Then I’d never have any regrets in comparing my life with your counsel. I thank you for speaking straight from your heart; I learn the pattern of your righteous ways. I’m going to do what you tell me to do; don’t ever walk off and leave me.
* * *
9-16 How can a young person live a clean life? By carefully reading the map of your Word. I’m single-minded in pursuit of you; don’t let me miss the road signs you’ve posted. I’ve banked your promises in the vault of my heart so I won’t sin myself bankrupt. Be blessed, God; train me in your ways of wise living. I’ll transfer to my lips all the counsel that comes from your mouth; I delight far more in what you tell me about living than in gathering a pile of riches. I ponder every morsel of wisdom from you, I attentively watch how you’ve done it. I relish everything you’ve told me of life, I won’t forget a word of it.
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.
15 till the Spirit is poured out on us from above, and the desert becomes a fertile field, with the fertile field regarded as a forest. 16 Then justice will dwell in the desert, and righteousness abide in the fertile field. 17 The effect of righteousness will be peace; the result of righteousness, quiet trust forever. 18 My people will live in a peaceful place, in secure neighborhoods and tranquil dwellings. 19 Just as the forest will surely come down, the city will surely be laid low. 20 Happy are you who sow by all streams, letting oxen and donkeys roam freely.
Word of God for the Children of God
Glory be to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Ghost; as it was in the beginning, is now, and ever shall be, world without end. Amen, amen.
In Isaiah 32, God shares a wonderful announcement.
This comes in the midst of warnings to God’s people, who have turned away from him to rely on the power of other nations (see Isaiah 28-31).
But even though the people have been unfaithful, Isaiah reminds them that God has promised a kingdom of righteousness.
Today we know that the King who “will reign in righteousness” is Jesus, and leaders who follow his ways will rule with justice.
This means that everyone—young and old, men and women, parents and children—all will be able to flourish and learn, mature and grow in peace.
God’s kingdom is a refuge from the storms and troubles of life.
The Savior, Jesus, has given us new life and promises it “to the full”(John 10:10).
We need not fear or dread the future.
Families and communities can thrive.
And our King invites us to welcome others in from the storm.
Isaiah 32:18 declares: ‘My people will live in peaceful homes, in secure dwellings, and in undisturbed places of rest.’
In this verse, the prophet Isaiah foretells of a future time when God’s people will experience peace and security in their homes and dwellings. The imagery evokes a lasting sense of tranquility, safety, and well-being, contrasting with the chaos, turmoil and uncertainty that often characterize human existence.
The phrase “peaceful dwelling places” clearly speaks to the absence of conflict, violence, and fear. It describes an environment where God’s people can live in harmony with one another and with their surroundings, free from the threat of harm or disturbance.
The mention of “secure homes” emphasizes the idea of stability and protection.
God’s people will dwell in homes that are fortified and safeguarded, providing a sense of security and refuge in times of trouble.
Isaiah 32:18 reflects the longing of God’s people for a world characterized by peace, security, and rest.
It points to a future reality that God promises to bring about, where His people will dwell in the fullness of His shalom, or peace.
This vision serves as a lasting source of hope and encouragement for believers, reminding them of God’s faithfulness, His promise to bring about the ultimate restoration and renewal of all things.
Ultimately, Isaiah 32:18 invites us to implicitly trust in God’s promises and to live in anticipation of the day when His kingdom of peace will be fully realized on earth.
It inspires believers to work towards promoting peace and justice in the world, as they eagerly await the fulfillment of God’s kingdom, the actual realization of His perfect peace.
With all the unsettledness taking place in our world over the past years, some individuals find it difficult to feel safe and secure in their own homes, even with the installation and use of security systems, electric fences, lighting, alarms, big guard dogs, ring cameras, surveillance cameras, deadbolts, and more.
Nightly, many families find it difficult to lay their heads on their pillows for a good night’s rest.
Yet, despite living in an unstable world, God offers us His peace, calling us to keep close and find our rest in Him, so we can sleep calmly and secure in the middle of a restless world that offers no peace of its own.
He is the One who is our fortress, our security in troubled times.
Psalm 46:1 reminds us “God is our refuge and strength, an ever-present help in trouble.”
So what does it take on our part to find this restful calmness in order to sleep during the long, dark nights?
Nahum 1:7 spells it out for us, letting us know it involves trusting Him. “The Lord is good, a refuge in times of trouble. He cares for those who trust in Him.”
Trusting sounds so simple, yet it is where many of us trip up, trying to convince ourselves that we trust God to take care of us, while still holding on to our fears.
It takes us to purposefully choose to let go of our fears and trust what God tells us in His word, we need to do.
Isaiah 26:3 assures us, “You will keep in perfect peace those whose minds are steadfast, because they trust in You.”
In a changing, shaky, unreliable world, there is only one place where we can go to find shelter from its terror and craziness; one completely secure.
Proverbs 18:10 explains, “The name of the Lord is a fortified tower; the righteous run to it and are safe.”
Running to and standing on the name of the Lord is where we find our peace, security, and rest.
As Psalm 20:7 proclaims, “Some trust in chariots and some in horses, but we trust in the name of the Lord our God.”
In the name of God, the Father the Son and God the Holy Spirit
Praying ….
Psalm 20 Complete Jewish Bible
20 (0) For the leader. A psalm of David:
2 (1) May Adonai answer you in times of distress, may the name of the God of Ya‘akov protect you. 3 (2) May he send you help from the sanctuary and give you support from Tziyon. 4 (3) May he be reminded by all your grain offerings and accept the fat of your burnt offerings. (Selah) 5 (4) May he grant you your heart’s desire and bring all your plans to success.
6 (5) Then we will shout for joy at your victory and fly our flags in the name of our God. May Adonai fulfill all your requests.
7 (6) Now I know that Adonai gives victory to his anointed one — he will answer him from his holy heaven with mighty victories by his right hand.
8 (7) Some trust in chariots and some in horses, but we praise the name of Adonai our God. 9 (8) They will crumple and fall, but we will arise and stand erect.
10 (9) Give victory, Adonai! Let the King answer us the day we call.
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.
15 God, who gets invited to dinner at your place? How do we get on your guest list?
2 “Walk straight, act right, tell the truth.
3-4 “Don’t hurt your friend, don’t blame your neighbor; despise the despicable.
5 “Keep your word even when it costs you, make an honest living, never take a bribe.
“You’ll never get blacklisted if you live like this.”
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.
O Lord, who shall sojourn in your tent? Who shall dwell on your holy hill? He who walks blamelessly and does what is right and speaks truth in his heart?
Who are the invited?
Who may dwell in your sanctuary?
Where are the invited who may dwell in your sanctuary?
Where is that Heavenly Angelic chorus singing …?
Psalm 23:6Authorized (King James) Version
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.
What is God’s sanctuary?
Probably too many of us think of it only as a church building.
In its widest, richest sense, God’s sanctuary is wherever we experience God.
It is the place where our heart is.
On Sunday a church building becomes a sanctuary as God’s people gather, make up the building blocks of God’s spiritual temple (2 Corinthians 6:16; 1 Peter 2:5).
There we are strengthened for another week of work, another week of serving God—out in the sanctuary of God’s vast world.
Psalm 15 reminds us that what pleases God is not rituals but a life that seeks to live God’s way.
When we walk with God on a daily basis, we will do what is right, speak the truth, refuse to slander others, and not harm our neighbors in any way.
What’s more, we won’t be impressed by people who delight in doing wrong or in mocking God, and we will honor those who faithfully serve God.
We will keep our promises, even when it hurts. And we will help the poor and protect the innocent, taking no part in any bribery, fraud, or other corruption.
When we live as the psalmist describes, we experience God’s presence.
This happens not only in church gatherings but also in our everyday activities.
Those who live God’s way are building the foundation of a life which cannot be shaken—regardless of uninvited trials try shifting the ground under our feet!
Who Shall Dwell on Your Holy Hill?
“Who shall dwell on your holy hill?”
The question David poses in the first verse is of the utmost importance. It may strike us as a question that’s tied only to worship in ancient Israel, but in truth it takes us to the very doorstep of heaven and asks us, Who will enter these gates?
While the answer is explained in the rest of Psalm 15, the general point is one we find throughout Scripture.
The writer of Hebrews advised his readers to “strive for … the holiness without which no one will see the Lord” (Hebrews 12:14).
The Lord Jesus similarly instructed that “the gate is narrow and the way is hard that leads to life, and those who find it are few” (Matthew 7:14).
Isaiah 2:1-5 Lexham English Bible
The Mountain of Yahweh
2 The word that Isaiah son of Amoz saw concerning Judah and Jerusalem:
2 And it shall happen in the future of the days the mountain of the house[a] of Yahweh shall be established; it will be among the highest[b] of the mountains, and it shall be raised from the hills. All of the nations shall travel to him; 3 many peoples shall come. And they shall say, “Come, let us go up to the mountain of Yahweh, to the house[c] of the God of Jacob, and may he teach us part of his ways, and let us walk in his paths.” For instruction shall go out from Zion, and the word of Yahweh from Jerusalem. 4 He shall judge between the nations and he shall arbitrate for many peoples. They shall beat their swords into ploughshares and their spears into pruning hooks. A nation shall not lift up a sword against a nation, and they shall not learn war again.
Those who’ll stand on the holy hill of the Lord, enjoy His presence for eternity, then, are those who arrive there by the narrow way, striving after holiness.
The sad truth is that too many assume they will dwell on God’s holy hill because they once said a prayer, walked down an aisle, or are a member of a church.
It is a grave mistake to think that those acts on their own will merit eternal life if they are accompanied with a way of life that gives no evidence of knowing Christ as Lord.
Charles Spurgeon once preached,
“If the man does not live differently from what he did before … his repentance needs to be repented of, and his conversion is a fiction.”[1]
1“What Is It to Win a Soul?,” The Sword and the Trowel (December 1879), p 561.
So, who will ascend the hill of the Lord?
It is the one who “walks blamelessly,”
In a way that cannot be confused with that of an unbeliever, and whose life manifests the reality that God has saved him or her.
It is the one whose talk is not marked by slander but who “speaks truth in his heart.” This is someone who doesn’t merely say what is correct but says what is correct and true, with no gap between what is said and what is lived, is done.
The combination of reading Psalm 15 and looking honestly at ourselves will very likely be discouraging.
Only the Lord Jesus embodies the psalm’s portrayal of holiness to perfection.
John 3:19-21 Amplified Bible
19 This is the judgment [that is, the cause for indictment, the test by which people are judged, the basis for the sentence]: the Light has come into the world, and people loved the [a]darkness rather than the Light, for their deeds were evil. 20 For every wrongdoer hates the Light, and does not come to the Light [but shrinks from it] for fear that his [sinful, worthless] activities will be exposed and condemned. 21 But whoever practices truth [and does what is right—morally, ethically, spiritually] comes to the Light, so that his works may be plainly shown to be what they are—accomplished in God [divinely prompted, done with God’s help, in dependence on Him].”
He deserves to dwell on His Father’s holy hill,
and only because He chose to die for His people’s sins and clothe them with His perfection are we invited to live with Him there.
It is always good and right to let the light of God’s word shine on our hearts and expose, and reveal, against the desires of the darkness what is there, for it will steadily move us towards authentic repentance and to gratitude to our Savior.
And those who know they will stand there because of Him will seek to be like Him. Consider your walk and your words, and pray that you would be ever more conformed to the image of Christ until you dwell with Him on God’s holy hill.
In the name of God, the Father the Son and the Holy Spirit …
Praying …
Psalm 14 New King James Version
Folly of the Godless, and God’s Final Triumph
To the Chief Musician. A Psalm of David.
14 The fool has said in his heart, “There is no God.” They are corrupt, They have done abominable works, There is none who does good.
2 The Lord looks down from heaven upon the children of men, To see if there are any who understand, who seek God. 3 They have all turned aside, They have together become corrupt; There is none who does good, No, not one.
4 Have all the workers of iniquity no knowledge, Who eat up my people as they eat bread, And do not call on the Lord? 5 There they are in great fear, For God is with the generation of the righteous. 6 You shame the counsel of the poor, But the Lord is his refuge.
7 Oh,[a] that the salvation of Israel would come out of Zion! When the Lord brings back [b]the captivity of His people, Let Jacob rejoice and Israel be glad.
28 “Come to Me, all [a]who are weary and heavy-laden, and I will give you rest. 29 Take My yoke upon you and learn from Me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. 30 For My yoke is [b]easy and My burden is light.”
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.
Confession time …
Oh man, am I the king of all kings of setting unrealistic expectations or what!
Almost every day, I wake up with a mental to-do list that far exceeds the time the day ahead offers.
I often feel I’m starting at a deficit, enormously stressing myself out before my mind is alert, aware, my feet haven’t had the chance to hit my hardwood floors.
And then those special days, when things are supposed to be a little bit over-the-top, things are made even worse by my heightened sense of urgency.
Too many times, I’ve spent every available moment of my day in a “panicked ” state before realizing my lofty expectations did not match what the day held.
The sad part is that I missed out on what good the day offered because of grief over incomplete, unspoken, unrealistic, unfinished unnecessary expectations.
It’s so easy to over rationalize, imagine and even believe that our lives should be much grander than simply goal directed achievable practical realistic ones.
I like to imagine a much tidier life than what is possible with recovering from Open Heart Surgery and I am constantly struggling between what I want to see our home look like and what is possible with more organization in living space.
Ultimately, living with these overwhelming expectations is a part of our pride manifesting; we live with a clearly mistaken, premature belief that we are super people, able to do so much more than what we were designed to do, or that we should be served or of service in ways that we, others, may not be able to oblige.
Realistically, we must bring our plans to the Lord to find rest and contentment.
We are far too accustomed to laboring in vain on our own, but with Jesus, we can more closely trust him with the details, embrace his gracious gift of rest.
Are You Tired Out?
Matthew 11:25-30 The Message
25-26 Abruptly Jesus broke into prayer: “Thank you, Father, Lord of heaven and earth. You’ve concealed your ways from sophisticates and know-it-alls, but spelled them out clearly to ordinary people. Yes, Father, that’s the way you like to work.”
27 Jesus resumed talking to the people, but now tenderly. “The Father has given me all these things to do and say. This is a unique Father-Son operation, coming out of Father and Son intimacies and knowledge. No one knows the Son the way the Father does, nor the Father the way the Son does. But I’m not keeping it to myself; I’m ready to go over it line by line with anyone willing to listen.
28-30 “Are you tired? Worn out? Burned out on religion? Come to me. Get away with me and you’ll recover your life. I’ll show you how to take a real rest. Walk with me and work with me—watch how I do it. Learn the unforced rhythms of grace. I won’t lay anything heavy or ill-fitting on you. Keep company with me and you’ll learn to live freely and lightly.”
Jesus had been busy teaching, healing people, answering questions, and mentoring his followers.
Yet in spite of all his efforts, challenges remained.
There was not enough help to get the work done (see Matthew 9:37).
Even John the Baptist began to have doubts about him (see Matthew 11:3),
and in those places where Jesus had done most of his miracles, people refused to repent of their sins (Matthew 11:20).
It has been said,
“It’s not what life throws at you; it’s how you deal with it that makes all the difference.”
How did Jesus deal with discouragement?
In the moment, He drew close to God.
He praised God for his goodness and grace.
Jesus, whom the Bible says is “the exact representation of [God’s] being” (Hebrews 1:3), clearly knows the pressures and frustrations of our lives.
He constantly, continuously, invites us to come to him and learn from him, so that we too may have rest for our souls.
Life is not easy, but God is always good.
Let him lead, guide and direct your steps and give you the rest you need today.
In the name of God, the Father the Son and the Holy Spirit,
Praying …
Psalm 61 The Message
61 1-2 God, listen to me shout, bend an ear to my prayer. When I’m far from anywhere, down to my last gasp, I call out, “Guide me up High Rock Mountain!”
3-5 You’ve always given me breathing room, a place to get away from it all, A lifetime pass to your safe-house, an open invitation as your guest. You’ve always taken me seriously, God, made me welcome among those who know and love you.
6-8 Let the days of the king add up to years and years of good rule. Set his throne in the full light of God; post Steady Love and Good Faith as lookouts, And I’ll be the poet who sings your glory— and live what I sing every day.
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.
Philippians 2:1-4 New Revised Standard Version Updated Edition
Imitating Christ’s Humility
2 If, then, there is any comfort in Christ, any consolation from love, any partnership in the Spirit, any tender affection and sympathy, 2 make my joy complete: be of the same mind, having the same love, being in full accord and of one mind. 3 Do nothing from selfish ambition or empty conceit, but in humility regard others as better than yourselves. 4 Let each of you look not to your own interests but to the interests of others.
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.
You know the feeling when you’re in a room full of people, each one struggling to be heard, and the pressure builds in your chest, a quiet, metallic fear. You keep hearing a whisper in your heart that says if you don’t speak a little louder, laugh a little quicker, or sell your story a little better, you will simply… vanish. You’ll become a ghost in your own life.
So you straighten your back, summon your accomplishments like a shield, and perform. And at the end of the night, you come home to the quiet, and the exhaustion is a different kind—a hollow one. Well, that’s the tiredness of a soul that has been working overtime to just be seen.
But what if the very thing we’re fighting for—that undeniable, magnetic attraction we feel toward certain people—is found not in building ourselves up or bragging about our accomplishments, but in the sacred, counterintuitive act of letting go?
If we are being honest, you would realize that the people who have drawn you in have done so not with flash or noise but with a profound and quiet presence. These are the ones who listen in a way that makes you feel like you are the only person in the world. They don’t need to prove their intelligence; it reveals itself in thoughtful questions.
They don’t demand your respect; they quietly command it by giving theirs so freely. Their strength isn’t loud, but it’s a deep, still river. This isn’t weakness. This is the rarest form of strength. And that, everyone, is true humility. And trust me, it is utterly attractive.
You may wonder; isn’t humility just thinking I’m worthless?”
I bet many of us feel that when you practice humility, it means you think you’re worthless. And society does a great deal in projecting this feeling. But the truth is that we’ve all collectively gotten this so terribly wrong.
We’ve confused humility with humiliation.
With thinking less of ourselves.
With walking around with slumped shoulders, muttering about our own inadequacies.
That’s not humility; that’s pride wearing a mask of insecurity.
It’s still all about us. It’s just a different costume.
My dear believers, true humility isn’t thinking less of yourself. It is thinking of yourself less. C. S. Lewis
Proverbs 22:4 Amplified Bible
4 The true reward of humility [that is, having a realistic view of one’s importance] and the [reverent, worshipful] fear of the Lord Is riches, honor, and life.
It’s the liberation of no longer being the star, the victim, or the hero of your own exhausting movie.
It’s the unshackling of your attention so it can finally flow outward—toward another person, a moment of beauty, most importantly, toward the divine.
It’s the posture the Apostle Paul pointed to when he wrote in
Philippians 2:3, “Let nothing be done through strife or vainglory; but in lowliness of mind let each esteem other better than themselves.”
That word, “lowliness of mind,” doesn’t mean a self-hating mind.
Rather, it means a mind that is free from the fever of rivalry.
A mind that isn’t constantly keeping score.
It’s the ability to see the other person—their struggles, their image-bearing glory, their inherent worth—and to esteem them. To hold them in high regard.
This isn’t a downgrading of self; it’s an upgrading of everything else.
Where Did This Heavy Yoke of Pride Come From?
For us as christians to truly cultivate humility, we have to first understand what we’re pulling up by the roots.
That knot in your stomach before you walk into a party?
The urge to namedrop?
The quickness to share your side of the story first in a conflict?
That’s not you.
That’s an ancient, primal algorithm for survival.
It’s the flesh crying out, as stated in
1 John 2:16, “For all that is in the world, the lust of the flesh, and the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life, is not of the Father, but is of the world.”
The pride of life.
What a perfect phrase.
This is basically the operating system of an ancient.
Pride is the belief that our life is our resume.
Our value is our valuation.
Our safety is in our status. It’s a heavy yoke, and we are the beasts of burden, constantly pulling the weight of our own imagined insignificant importance.
This worldly system known as pride teaches us that to be humble is to lose.
To be quiet is to be overlooked.
To serve is to be subservient.
But have you ever thought to yourself, what if the opposite is true?
What if laying down that weight is the only way to truly stand?
So What Does Humility Actually Feel Like?
We all need to understand that humility isn’t a theory; It’s a practice.
A felt experience.
It’s what happens in the mundane moments when the spotlight is off and no one is watching.
Humility in the purest form feels like the ability to say “I was wrong” without the world ending.
It feels like listening to someone’s story without mentally composing your own, better one.
It’s the quiet confidence to celebrate a friend’s success without a single, secret pang of jealousy comparing it to your own.
It’s asking for help.
It’s receiving a compliment with a simple “thank you,” without needing to deflect it or use it as a springboard to list more accomplishments of yours in that very moment.
It is, as the prophet Micah described, walking in a certain way.
Micah 6:8 , “He hath shewed thee, O man, what is good; and what doth the LORD require of thee, but to do justly, and to love mercy, and to walk humbly with thy God?”
To walk humbly.
Not to run frantically.
Not to stride arrogantly.
To walk.
A steady, grounded, present-tense pace.
This is that special kind of walk that notices the cracks in the pavement, the person next to you, and the sky above you, all at once.
Because you’re not looking at your own reflection in every window you pass.
How Do We Cultivate Genuine Humility?
The big question is, how can we achieve this genuine humility?
Well, we don’t achieve humility; rather, we attend to it.
We create the conditions for it to grow, like preparing soil for a seed.
It’s a daily, gentle practice of pulling weeds and planting truth.
1. Practice Curious Listening.
Next conversation you have, go in with a mission:
to be fascinated. Your only job is to discover one new thing about the person you’re talking to.
Ask a question that goes beyond the weather. “What’s something that’s made you smile recently?” “What’s been the biggest challenge in your project?”
Listen to their answer. Then listen to the answer behind the answer.
This act of focused attention is an act of warfare against the pride of life.
It dethrones you and crowns the other person with dignity.
2. Seek Out the Small and Hidden.
We are trained all our lives by the worldly system to chase the big, the loud, and the celebrated.
So, counteract this.
Deliberately find beauty in what the world ignores.
The precise engineering of a spiderweb on a dewy morning.
The patient, unseen work of a root system.
The quiet faithfulness of a person who shows up, day after day, with no fanfare.
This recalibrates your value system.
It whispers that importance isn’t measured in decibels.
3. Embrace the Gift of Limits.
Our culture screams that limits are to be overcome.
But what if they are to be embraced?
Your fatigue, your finitude, and your inability to be everywhere and know everything—these are not curses.
They are gentle reminders that you are a creature, not the Creator.
They are invitations to depend, to rest, and to receive.
So, the next time you fail, instead of spiraling into self-condemnation, try a quieter prayer: “I am human. And that is okay.”
4. Sit With the Prose of Others.
We live in a world of hot takes and reactive opinions.
If you must learn humility, then choose to immerse yourself in the deep, patient wisdom of those who have walked before.
Read the old books.
The poetry of the Psalms, where every human emotion is laid bare before God.
There is a humbling effect in realizing your deepest anxieties and greatest joys were felt by people thousands of years ago.
You are part of a grand, human story, not a solo act.
5. Follow the Pattern.
At its heart, humility is not a self-help technique.
It is a reflection.
It is seeing the ultimate act of strength in laying down and realizing it is the most attractive force in the history of the world.
Philippians 2:5-8 says about our Lord and savior Jesus,“
Let this mind be in you, which was also in Christ Jesus: Who, being in the form of God, thought it not robbery to be equal with God: But made himself of no reputation and took upon him the form of a servant… he humbled himself.”
Christ made himself of no reputation.
He unwrote his own press release.
He didn’t clutch his status; he released it. And in that downward motion, he became the most magnetic center of love the world has ever known.
The path to humility is not upward.
It is inward and downward, into the quiet, solid ground of your own beloved humanity.
And it is only after you have let go of your need to be great that you will finally feel weightless.
And attractive.
Not because you are shining, but because you are finally reflecting a light that is not your own.
Ecclesiastes 5:1-2 Amplified Bible
Your Attitude Toward God
5 Guard your steps and focus on what you are doing as you go to the house of God and draw near to listen rather than to offer the [careless or irreverent] sacrifice of fools; for they are too ignorant to know they are doing evil. 2 Do not be hasty with your mouth [speaking careless words or vows] or impulsive in thought to bring up a matter before God. For God is in heaven and you are on earth; therefore let your words be few.
So, I’ll leave you with this question.
What might you selflessly lay down today to feel lighter?
In the name of God, the Father the Son and the Holy Spirit …
Praying …
Psalm 113 Amplified Bible
The Lord Exalts the Humble.
113 [a]Praise the Lord! ([b]Hallelujah!) Praise, O servants of the Lord, Praise the name of the Lord. 2 Blessed be the name of the Lord From this time forth and forever. 3 From the rising of the sun to its setting The name of the Lord is to be praised [with awe-inspired reverence]. 4 The Lord is high above all nations, And His glory above the heavens.
5 Who is like the Lord our God, Who is enthroned on high, 6 Who humbles Himself to regard The heavens and the earth? 7 He raises the poor out of the dust And lifts the needy from the ash heap, 8 That He may seat them with princes, With the princes of His people. 9 He makes the barren woman live in the house As a joyful mother of children. Praise the Lord! (Hallelujah!)
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.
10 Now Jesus was teaching in one of the synagogues on the Sabbath. 11 And [a] there was a woman who for eighteen years had had a [b]sickness caused by a spirit; and she was bent over double, and could not straighten up at all. 12 When Jesus saw her, He called her over and said to her, “Woman, you are freed from your sickness.” 13 And He laid His hands on her; and immediately she stood up straight again, and began glorifying God. 14 But the synagogue leader, indignant because Jesus had healed on the Sabbath, began saying to the crowd in response, “There are six days during which work should be done; so come during them and get healed, and not on the Sabbath day.” 15 But the Lord answered him and said, “You hypocrites, does each of you on the Sabbath not untie his ox or donkey from the stall and lead it away to water it? 16 And this woman, a daughter of Abraham as she is, whom Satan has bound for [c]eighteen long years, should she not have been released from this restraint on the Sabbath day?” 17 And as He said this, all His opponents were being [d] humiliated; and the entire crowd was rejoicing over all the glorious things being done by Him.
Word of God for the Children of God
Glory be to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Ghost; as it was in the beginning, is now, and ever shall be, world without end. Amen, amen.
Everyone probably knew her as the bent-over woman.
She came to worship at the synagogue regularly.
But she was recognized by her condition, not her identity as a child of God or even by her name.
Her neighbors saw her through eyes of pity.
The religious leaders saw her as an example of someone who was not right with God and deserved her plight.
She came into the synagogue every Sabbath crippled with pain, bent over in her shame and humiliation, lack of self esteem, and thirsty for the living water of healing from God. Yet no one paid, no one paying attention or really saw her.
For an astonishing eighteen years the religious leaders, one after the other neglected their office, failed to pray with her on the six days when they had every opportunity to comfort, anoint her with oil and pray for God’s healing.
They were more focused on keeping their religious rules than seeing the need to be compassionate, kind, bring a daughter of Israel before the mercy seat of God.
But Jesus saw her.
When he called her forward, she might have thought he meant someone else.
But Jesus was speaking to her, and she slowly shuffled toward him, who saw her as a reject in need of being set free from her unimaginable measure of burden.
Do we see people this way—burdened and distressed?
Do we bring them to Jesus for healing?
In what ways can you offer comfort and prayer for someone like that today?
As we look closer we should also notice this woman, along with the woman with the 12 year issue of blood had one of the worst illnesses recorded in the Bible.
She had a severe illness; she was stricken by a severe infectious disease.1
But beside her having issues going on in her body, she had just got healed, she really had some other problems going on, specifically problems with the people.
But if you notice the problems didn’t arise because our Lord Jesus healed her, but the primary problem arose because the Lord healed her on the Sabbath day.
They were upset because this healing that the Lord was doing was not just a onetime deal, but because the Lord healing of people on the Sabbath day was a reoccurring source of big contention between Himself and the religious rulers.
And if we really looked at this, the rulers of the synagogue were a bunch of hypocrite because they treated animals better than he treated people. They would rather take extra care of animals then the men and women of God.
And let’s be honest here.
Because suppose the woman would have come to the synagogue on another day.
Could Jesus had healed her on another day without any issues?
Of course not, because there are some people that no matter what you do, or what you say they will always have something bad to say.
No matter how many people are getting healed, no matter how many people are getting saved, no matter how many people are being delivered there will always be some haters in the crowd.
And that makes me wonder.
I wonder how many needy people come to church looking for love, looking help and relief, and go away disappointed because of some hypocrites and some hell raisers, or people keeping up dissension or discord.
How many people are leaving the church because church members are fighting against one another? Lying on one another and just being too hypocritical?
And one of the great tragedies of religion is that religious needs are often placed before man and their needs. But what I love is Jesus met this problem head-on.
My question is, when are we going to trust God, and not how things look. When are we going to believe the Word of God, and not lean to our on understanding?
This woman had a spirit of infirmity that had plagued her for eighteen years.
Dr. Luke described her condition as “this spirit of infirmity” as thou she had a curvature, a curving, a bend, a twisting or a bending of the spine.
This really sounds like some form of arthritis where the joints of the spine were fused together.
Her illness was chronic, and incurable, and because of it she was bowed down low by Satan or, you could say “bent double.”
This poor woman could not lift herself up.
Here was a woman in a desperate condition.
She was an unfortunate victim who was an object of pity. This was probably one of the most terrible cases of physical infirmity that the Lord dealt with on earth.
And only Luke mentions this bent-over woman who had spent the previous eighteen years staring at the floor.
She was unable to stand up, sit up, look up, or even straighten up.
Her back was crooked, arched and humped.
Here is the text.
Jesus and His disciples had traveled through her city on their way from Galilee to Judea.
They entered the synagogue on the Sabbath to teach, that was the Lord’s practice; to be in the Synagogue, or in church if you will every Sabbath. (pause)
Notice that when Jesus saw her, he called her to him.
It does not appear she made any request to him for healing, or that she expected anything from him; but Jesus called her and she answered.
And I think that’s where we’ve got to get to today.
And that is whenever the Lord calls us we’ve got to learn to answer the call.
We’ve got to learn to move when the Lord is beckoning for us, because if God is calling us then that means that there is a blessing in the call. There is a blessing on the way; and there is a blessing in the response to Jesus.
She came to Jesus, and after Jesus tender touch, he spoke the words, women thou art loose, for the first time in eighteen years, this “daughter of Abraham” straightened her back, stretched to her full height.
So, among the sons of Abraham, who perhaps now hung their heads in shame, here she held her head high to the glory of God.
What an amazing word, when the Lord touches us things will straighten up in our life. And then we need to give God the glory.
And the second word for you this morning, knowing some of you have been going through some issues down through the years, I’ve come to tell you this day that thou are loose.
Turn to your neighbor and help me free somebody in here this morning, tell them neighbor you art free.
3X’s neighbor you are healed, come on tell you neighbor that you are delivered.
Whatever you are going through thou are free, whatever is ailing you thou are free, whatever is keeping you down thou are free, whatever has you bound thou are free, has you bent over, straighten up because thou are loose, and set free.
And watch this: nothing honors the Savior any more than a heart of gratitude and a spirit of praise.
And there is something I think that you all ought to know about this woman.
And that is before Jesus healed this woman, this woman was a worshipping.
Despite her agony, it remained her habit to worship, and to seek the face of God.
In other words, she was where she was supposed to be there on this particular Sabbath: she was supposed to be there in worship. She was supposed to be at church. She was scheduled to be in praise and worship – no agony too great!
And because she was there that she received this special touch from God.
Somebody might ask why her, why did she receive the blessing.
Why did she get the Lord attention?
It was because she was so sincere in seeking God and His care.
And this blessing was fulfilling what the scripture said in Psalms 146:8 which says, “The Lord raiseth them that are bowed down.”
And for somebody who is bowed this morning, I tell you are in the right place at the right time, you might be bowed down in your body, in your spirit, but if you are sincere in seeking the Lord, His promise is to lift up your bowed down head.
Psalm 113:7-9 New King James Version
7 He raises the poor out of the dust, And lifts the needy out of the ash heap, 8 That He may seat him with princes— With the princes of His people. 9 He grants the [a]barren woman a home, Like a joyful mother of children.
Praise the Lord!
I don’t know why this woman had been bound by Satan.
Because apparently she was not a wicked person, she was not a immoral person, she was not known for showing up every not every now and then, but she was known as a regular steady attendant at the synagogue despite her condition.
She didn’t care about how she looked or felt, she showed up for worship, she didn’t care who liked her and who didn’t like her, she showed up for church.
She didn’t worry about the gossipers, she showed up in the house of the Lord.
It was at the synagogue that the Great Physician (the Lord himself) said to her, “Be loosed.”
And then He laid His hands on her and immediately she was made straight and glorified God.
The bible said that he touched her. The reason He touched her was to aid her faith. And I believe that somebody just need a touch for the Lord this morning.
But here was the amazing part.
After such a good day at church here comes the hater.
Has anyone ever had a great worship experience at church and before you get home it just seems like there is someone with their negative attitude, spoiled and all with their messy, extra messy self, and they just ruin all of the goodness that you just receive that day?
Look at the haters after she has received, her miracle that she had been waiting on for over eighteen years, the ruler of the synagogue rebuked her sharply.
The reaction of the religious ruler was strange.
Because they were more interested in the rule, than the fact a poor woman, who had been shackled for eighteen long years with an infirmity, had been freed.
The Sabbath rules were far more important issue to these religious rulers then the healing of a poor soul.
And still until there are people who are more concerned about paper work than they are souls.
This day the Sabbath question is still one of heated debate today.
Jesus’ reply was that the Sabbath was not intended to prevent the works of necessity or mercy.
But I love what the Lord said.
The Lord then answered him, and said, Thou hypocrite, doth not each one of you on the Sabbath loose his ox, or their asses from the stall, and lead him away to watering? And ought not this woman, being a daughter of Abraham, whom Satan hath bound these eighteen years shouldn’t she be loosed from this bond on the Sabbath day?
It is odd that Jesus referred to the woman as “a daughter of Abraham,” since such a description is usually reserved for the “sons” of Abraham.
But in front of all the upright religious people, Jesus gave this humble woman a place of honor when He confirmed she, too, belonged to the family of Abraham.
(Luke 13:17) And when he had said these things, all of his enemies were ashamed: and all the people of God rejoiced for all the glorious things that were done by him.
And I write to tell somebody this day, don’t let nobody get in the way of you being blessed by God.
Don’t let nobody get in the way of you receiving your miracle.
I came to tell you woman
I came to tell you man
I came to tell child
I came to tell you boy
And I came to tell you girl
You are freed in the Lord
And I don’t know who you are this day but if you need a touch from the Lord just reach up and grab it.
If you need a blessing from the Lord please just reach up and grab it.
If you need some burden just lifted up of your hands unto the Lord and just reach up and grab.
Because I heard when praises goes up blessing will come down.
Is there anybody in the room that needs a blessing?
Please don’t let nobody get in your way from a blessing, don’t let anybody hold you back from receiving what God has for you.
Because the haters will come and hate whatever and the haters will go but just know that as long as you have got Jesus on your side you are in good shape.
In fact that’s what he died on an old rugged cross.
And if Jesus can heal this woman surly he can heal you.
In the name of God, the Father the Son and the Holy Spirit …
Praise the Lord, O my soul! 2 While I live I will praise the Lord; I will sing praises to my God while I have my being.
3 Do not put your trust in princes, Nor in [b]a son of man, in whom there is no [c]help. 4 His spirit departs, he returns to his earth; In that very day his plans perish.
5 Happy is he who has the God of Jacob for his help, Whose hope is in the Lord his God, 6 Who made heaven and earth, The sea, and all that is in them; Who keeps truth forever, 7 Who executes justice for the oppressed, Who gives food to the hungry. The Lord gives freedom to the prisoners.
8 The Lord opens the eyes of the blind; The Lord raises those who are bowed down; The Lord loves the righteous. 9 The Lord watches over the strangers; He relieves the fatherless and widow; But the way of the wicked He [d]turns upside down.
10 The Lord shall reign forever— Your God, O Zion, to all generations.
Praise 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.
18 While he was saying these things to them, behold, a ruler came in and knelt before him, saying, “My daughter has just died, but come and lay your hand on her, and she will live.” 19 And Jesus rose and followed him, with his disciples. 20 And behold, a woman who had suffered from a discharge of blood for twelve years came up behind him and touched the fringe of his garment, 21 for she said to herself, “If I only touch his garment, I will be made well.” 22 Jesus turned, and seeing her he said, “Take heart, daughter; your faith has made you well.” And instantly[a] the woman was made well. 23 And when Jesus came to the ruler’s house and saw the flute players and the crowd making a commotion, 24 he said, “Go away, for the girl is not dead but sleeping.” And they laughed at him. 25 But when the crowd had been put outside, he went in and took her by the hand, and the girl arose. 26 And the report of this went through all that district.
Word of God for the Children of God
Glory be to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Ghost; as it was in the beginning, is now, and ever shall be, world without end. Amen, amen.
Jesus’s regard for women was much different from that of his contemporaries.
Jesus’s approach to women as “revolutionary” for his era.
But was his treatment of women out of character with Old Testament revelation, or with later New Testament practice?
For Christ, women have an intrinsic value equal to that of men.
Scripturally, Jesus said, “. . . at the beginning the Creator ‘made them male and female’” (Matt. 19:4; cf. Gen. 1:27). Women are created in the image of God just as men are. Like men, they have self-awareness, personal freedom, a measure of self-determination, and likewise, personal responsibility for their actions.
Scholars point out that Jesus came to earth not primarily as a male but as a person. He treated women not primarily as females but as human beings.
Jesus recognized women as fellow human beings.
Disciples come in two sexes, male and female.
Females are seen by Jesus as genuine persons, not simply as the objects of male desire.
Scholars believe the foundation-stone of Jesus’s attitude toward women was his vision of them as persons to whom and for whom he had come. He did not perceive them primarily in terms of their sex, age, or marital status; he seems to have considered them in terms of their relation (or lack of one) to God.
Three Clear Examples
Examples of this even-handed treatment of women by Jesus are found in the four Gospels.
First, Jesus regularly addressed women directly while in public.
This was unusual for a man to do (John 4:27).
The disciples were amazed to see Jesus talking with the Samaritan woman at the well of Sychar (John 4:7-26).
He also spoke freely with the woman taken in adultery(John 8:10–11).
Luke, who gives ample attention to women in his Gospel, notes that Jesus spoke publicly with the widow of Nain (Luke 7:12–13), the woman with the bleeding disorder (Luke 8:48; cf. Matt. 9:22; Mark 5:34), and a woman who called to him from a crowd (Luke 11:27–28).
Similarly, Jesus addressed a woman bent over for eighteen years (Luke 13:12) a group of women on the route to the cross (Luke 23:27-31) also giving Mary Magdalen the first preeminent mission at the empty tomb. (John chapter 20)
A second aspect of Jesus’s regard for the full intrinsic value of women is seen in how he spoke to the women he addressed.
He spoke in a thoughtful, caring manner.
Each synoptic writer records Jesus addressing the woman with the bleeding disorder tenderly as “daughter” (references above) and referring to the bent woman as a “daughter of Abraham” (Luke 13:16).
Also notice that Jesus called the Jewish women ‘daughters of Abraham’ (Luke 13:16), thereby according them a spiritual status equal to that of men.
Third, Jesus did not gloss over sin in the lives of the women he met. He held women personally responsible for their own sin as seen in his dealings with the woman at the well (John 4:16–18), the woman taken in adultery (John 8:10–11), and the sinful woman who anointed his feet (Luke 7:44–50).
Their sin was not condoned, but confronted.
Each woman had the personal freedom and a measure of self-determination to deal with the issues of sin, repentance, and forgiveness.
Jesus’s Valuation of Women Today
Even though clear role distinction is seen in Christ’s choice of the apostles and in the exclusive type of work they were given to perform, no barriers need exist between a believer and the Lord Jesus Christ, regardless of gender.
Jesus demonstrated only the highest regard for women, in both his life and teaching. He recognized the intrinsic equality of men and women, and Jesus continually showed the inherent worth and dignity of women as persons.
Jesus valued their fellowship, friendship, prayers, service, financial support, testimony and witness. He honored women, taught women, and ministered to women in thoughtful ways.
As a result, women responded warmly to Jesus’s ministry.
Have things changed too drastically today for us to see this same Jesus?
Not at all. Modern women can find the same rich fulfillment in serving Christ as did the Mary’s and Martha’s of Judea, or the Joanna’s and Susanna’s of Galilee.
Why and How He Healed
Luke 8:40-48 English Standard Version
Jesus Heals a Woman and Jairus’s Daughter
40 Now when Jesus returned, the crowd welcomed him, for they were all waiting for him. 41 And there came a man named Jairus, who was a ruler of the synagogue. And falling at Jesus’ feet, he implored him to come to his house, 42 for he had an only daughter, about twelve years of age, and she was dying.
As Jesus went, the people pressed around him. 43 And there was a woman who had had a discharge of blood for twelve years, and though she had spent all her living on physicians,[a] she could not be healed by anyone. 44 She came up behind him and touched the fringe of his garment, and immediately her discharge of blood ceased. 45 And Jesus said, “Who was it that touched me?” When all denied it, Peter[b] said, “Master, the crowds surround you and are pressing in on you!” 46 But Jesus said, “Someone touched me, for I perceive that power has gone out from me.” 47 And when the woman saw that she was not hidden, she came trembling, and falling down before him declared in the presence of all the people why she had touched him, and how she had been immediately healed. 48 And he said to her, “Daughter, your faith has made you well; go in peace.”
When Jesus came to live among us, he brought healing.
Jairus’ daughter was only 12 years old and she was dying.
The woman we read about today is another example of that healing power.
She crawled, snuck around the crowd touched Jesus and was instantly healed.
Jesus turned around and asked who had touched him.
He had felt healing power go out from him.
The woman came forward trembling, and “in the presence of all the people, she told Jesus why she had touched him and how she had been instantly healed.”
She was desperate in her approach, She testified to the healing power of Christ.
If you are a Christian, whether man or woman, you too have been healed by Christ in some way.
Even if you haven’t been healed physically, you have been healed spiritually.
The Bible tells us that at one time we (man and woman) were all dead in sin and blind to the truth of God.
As the hymn Amazing Grace states, “I once … was blind but now I see.”
We were all spiritually blind without Christ.
But he healed the eyes of our hearts (Ephesians 1:18) so that we can see.
Christ also calls all of us who are Christians to give testimony to his healing power in our lives.
That isn’t always easy.
We may be ashamed or embarrassed by the sins and character flaws that have infected our hearts before Christ healed us.
But without pointing to what was wrong with us, we can’t point back to his greatness and healing power.
In the name of God, the Father the Son and the Holy Spirit
Praying …
Psalm 113 English Standard Version
Who Is like the Lord Our God?
113 Praise the Lord! Praise, O servants of the Lord, praise the name of the Lord!
2 Blessed be the name of the Lord from this time forth and forevermore! 3 From the rising of the sun to its setting, the name of the Lord is to be praised!
4 The Lord is high above all nations, and his glory above the heavens! 5 Who is like the Lord our God, who is seated on high, 6 who looks far down on the heavens and the earth? 7 He raises the poor from the dust and lifts the needy from the ash heap, 8 to make them sit with princes, with the princes of his people. 9 He gives the barren woman a home, making her the joyous mother of children. Praise 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.
Loving God, Living God, Loving Hope, Living Hope, Loving Living Life His Way! "Many things are possible for the person who has hope. Even more is possible for the person who has faith. And still more is possible for the person who knows how to love. But everything is possible for the person who practices all three virtues." - Brother Lawrence (1605-1691), Practicing the Presence of God (1692). 