Tag: Meditating on God's Word

Tune My Ears, God! I Will Choose to Listen and Believe the Voice of Truth. John 10:1-5

John 10:1-5 Amplified Bible

Parable of the Good Shepherd

10 “I assure you and most solemnly say to you, he who does not enter by the door into the sheepfold, but climbs up from some other place [on the stone wall], that one is a thief and a robber. 2 But he who enters by the door is the shepherd of the sheep [the protector and provider]. 3 The [a]doorkeeper opens [the gate] for this man, and the sheep hear his voice and pay attention to it. And [knowing that they listen] he calls his own sheep by name and leads them out [to pasture]. 4 When he has brought all his own sheep outside, he walks on ahead of them, and the sheep follow him because they know his voice and recognize his call. 5 They will never follow a stranger, but will run away from him, because they do not know the voice of strangers.”

The Word of God for the Children of God.

Adeste Fidelis! Venite Adoremus! Dominum.

Gloria! In Excelsis Deo! Alleluia, Alleluia! Alleluia! Amen.

Whose Voice Are We Following?

Internet, iPad, iPod—the “I”s certainly have it today!

At home and at work we call on Siri, we talk into our phones, we sit or stand or lie down in our living rooms or dining rooms, of kitchens or even bathrooms.

We will talk into our television remotes and search for a particular favorite channel or programming station, for whatever it is they call entertainment.

We call out to some voice identified only as Siri and ask her or tell her to call up some random search parameter – a recipe, or a song or list of vacation spots or whatever happens to land into our wandering randomized thought processes.

And in an instant a disconnected computer voice from our phones or Alexa chimes in with “okay, this is what I found…!” and we are on our way to read whatever information was “found” in less time it took to type this sentence.

At the beach, in the department store, on the college campus, everywhere people have “earbuds” wireless listening devices planted deep in their ears.

While both technology and music are gifts of God, I hope we also take time to listen to the springtime chatter of robins or to the hoot cry of a Barn Owl.

What we hear and what and who we listen to makes a difference in our lives.

What information we hear, and who we hear it from, will end up profoundly influencing our thought processes and will inevitably guide our actions, into how we respond to a particular life altering, life transforming circumstance.

How we make decisions, how we judge what is morally and ethically right and wrong, how we interpret whether what we see and hear is truth or a deception.

People will tell us anything to sell their products and increase their profits and their bank accounts, to sell us a bill of goods which ultimately has little value.

Do you read or listen to, or hear the lyrics of the songs your children listen to?

Do you take any quality time with your children to discuss their song choices?

Together, do you come to a place where you can share your thoughts with them, they can share their thoughts with you – come unto an “acceptable boundary?”

Do you know what they are hearing and how it impacts what both of you have both come to be known as “morally and ethically right versus wrong” truth?

Jesus is the good shepherd.

Jesus is the Way and the Truth and the Life. (John 14:6)

He laid down his life for us on the Good Friday cross.

If we are to follow Jesus and avoid impostors, we must recognize his voice clearly and quickly in every situation we encounter.

To do that, we ought to be considering counseling others away from technology and spending more time studying, hearing, listening, to his Word in the Bible.

Spending quality devotional time with the children (whatever their ages are).

Talking about current events, their impacts on what is understood to be true.

There are words spoken through whatever social media medium which are worded with the intent of moving their version of truth into our forefronts.

“Words of someone else’s truth” specifically spoken, specifically manipulated, of what someone else desperately wants us to unequivocally believe as gospel.

Differentiating between the voice of someone else’s truth and God’s truth?

What possible difference could it make, what possible influence could it have to one life knowing what the difference is between the world’s truth and God’s?

Love Letter to my Ears, “Whose Truth Guides Us?”

John 10:1-5 The Message

He Calls His Sheep by Name

10 1-5 “Let me set this before you as plainly as I can. If a person climbs over or through the fence of a sheep pen instead of going through the gate, you know he’s up to no good—a sheep rustler! The shepherd walks right up to the gate. The gatekeeper opens the gate to him and the sheep recognize his voice. He calls his own sheep by name and leads them out. When he gets them all out, he leads them and they follow because they are familiar with his voice. They won’t follow a stranger’s voice but will scatter because they aren’t used to the sound of it.”

When I became a new Christian, hearing and knowing God’s voice and differentiating from the world were the things I struggled the most with.

How could I know whether I was hearing from God when I didn’t know His voice?

How could I be sure the Lord was speaking to me while reading Scripture, listening to a sermon, or going to Sunday school or a Bible study lesson?

I was so afraid of missing God’s instructions, warning, and encouragement that I often found myself paralyzed by raging questions of faith, my truth and doubt.

Sorting through what I had “known and believed” was truth and what the Word of God, the often complicated “Parable” teachings of Jesus and Paul was tough.

Unraveling and un-weaving of the mess I made of my own interpretation of the word truth along the long, winding and hardened concourse of my life – was a complex time of hardcore self introspection, challenging my life against God’s.

As I began studying the Bible, I learned how God’s voice matched the Scriptures.

Thus, if I wanted to know what God had to say on a particular topic, I had to devote considerable time to studying, to know what the Bible said on that topic.

If I heard a voice and was unsure whether or not that voice was the Lord’s, the Bible through Holy Spirit, would work with me to confirm whether it was Him.

I have learned the hard and soft way God’s voice will never contradict the Bible.

If the voice you’re hearing is encouraging you to take Scripture out of context to make it fit your situation, the voice is not of God and the truth is not of God too.

We can grow, we can mature to learn and discern God’s voice by studying the Holy Scriptures, praying, and asking and pleading with our Savior to teach us.

God invites us (not forces us) to ask and answer the question on all our minds:

In this time when our available resources are stretched nigh to invisibility;

Isaiah 55:1-5 The Message

Buy Without Money

55 1-5 “Hey there! All who are thirsty,
    come to the water!
Are you penniless?
    Come anyway—buy and eat!
Come, buy your drinks, buy wine and milk.
    Buy without money—everything’s free!
Why do you spend your money on junk food,
    your hard-earned cash on cotton candy?
Listen to me, listen well: Eat only the best,
    fill yourself with only the finest.
Pay attention, come close now,
    listen carefully to my life-giving, life-nourishing words.
I’m making a lasting covenant commitment with you,
    the same that I made with David: sure, solid, enduring love.
I set him up as a witness to the nations,
    made him a prince and leader of the nations,
And now I’m doing it to you:
    You’ll summon nations you’ve never heard of,
and nations who’ve never heard of you
    will come running to you
Because of me, your God,
    because The Holy of Israel has honored you.”

Jesus, the good shepherd, says, “Listen, listen to me … that you may live.”

Those who have ears, let them truthfully hear and let them truthfully live!

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

Let us Pray,

Precious Holy Spirit, I come to you today asking for guidance. I feel lost and overwhelmed, and I need your help in finding my way. Please open my eyes and heart to the direction you want me to take. Help me to make wise decisions that will lead me closer to your path for my life. Give me the strength and courage to persevere when times are difficult. Lead me with your truth and love, so that I may live a life that brings glory to your name. Thank you for your guidance and protection. Amen.

Adeste Fidelis! Venite Adoremus! Dominum

Gloria! In Excelsis Deo! Alleluia, Alleluia, Alleluia, Amen.

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Hearing God’s Voice? 1 Samuel 3:1-10

1 Samuel 3:1-10 English Standard Version

The Lord Calls Samuel

3 Now the boy Samuel was ministering to the Lord in the presence of Eli. And the word of the Lord was rare in those days; there was no frequent vision.

2 At that time Eli, whose eyesight had begun to grow dim so that he could not see, was lying down in his own place. 3 The lamp of God had not yet gone out, and Samuel was lying down in the temple of the Lord, where the ark of God was.

4 Then the Lord called Samuel, and he said, “Here I am!” 5 and ran to Eli and said, “Here I am, for you called me.” But he said, “I did not call; lie down again.” So he went and lay down.

6 And the Lord called again, “Samuel!” and Samuel arose and went to Eli and said, “Here I am, for you called me.” But he said, “I did not call, my son; lie down again.” 7 Now Samuel did not yet know the Lord, and the word of the Lord had not yet been revealed to him.

8 And the Lord called Samuel again the third time. And he arose and went to Eli and said, “Here I am, for you called me.” Then Eli perceived that the Lord was calling the boy. 9 Therefore Eli said to Samuel, “Go, lie down, and if he calls you, you shall say, ‘Speak, Lord, for your servant hears.’” So Samuel went and lay down in his place.

10 And the Lord came and stood, calling as at other times, “Samuel! Samuel!” And Samuel said, “Speak, for your servant hears.”

The Word of God for the Children of God.

Adeste Fidelis! Venite Adoremus! Dominum.

Gloria! In Excelsis Deo! Alleluia, Alleluia, Alleluia, Amen.

Hearing the voice of God is something that everyone, Christian or not, wants to experience.

Although we all want to hear God, actually doing it, for most of us, is sort of a mysterious process.

We often don’t know how to hear God consistently, if at all.

Yet hearing and understanding what God is saying is critical for our spiritual development.

As we look at people in the Bible who heard from God, Samuel was one of the best.

The story of Samuel is found in 1 Samuel 3:1-10.

Samuel, who was just a boy, was living and serving the priest in the temple.

We are told that, “the word of the LORD was rare in those days” (v.1 ESV).

Not many people were hearing the voice of God.

Yet this rare young man was about to experience something people in the land of Israel had not seen nor had heard for quite some time; Samuel was about to clearly and succinctly hear his name called from the LORD three times.

As we look at this story about Samuel, we can discern there are six steps which can take some of the mystery out of clearly, succinctly hearing the voice of God:

1. Position Yourself Close to God

Samuel set his bed up in the temple, “where the ark of God was” (v.3 ESV).

Samuel had never heard God speak before.

Samuel did not know what to expect, but what he did know was that if he hung around the temple, God would eventually show up.

Through Bible Study, personal devotions, times of fellowship, and regular church attendance, are we now putting ourselves in a place where God is?

2. Find a Place of Regular Service to God

In v.1 it says, “Samuel was ministering to the LORD in the presence of Eli” (ESV).

If we want to hear the voice of God, we have to be doing the things of God.

If we’re not serving, don’t wonder why we are not hearing the voice of God.

3. Listen for God’s voice

Eli was “lying down in his usual place” (v.2 NIV), too set in his own ways, too set, too accepting in the past lack, the rarity of revelation, too preoccupied with his own, son’s interests, his own physical and spiritual limitations to hear God.

When God began speaking, he was not used to listening.

He too easily accepted the unchangeable; the precious rarity of God’s voice.

Status Quo was the Status Quo …

Who before him had taught and mentored him on how to listen for God?

Many times to hear what God is saying we have to slow down and take time to get close to God.

We have to put aside our interests and lean in to hear what God is saying.

How close was Eli to God?

How accepting was Eli that even at his current season and stage and condition of life, he could still get closer to God – “teaching an old soul new ‘God’ truths?

How accepting are we ourselves, in our current seasons, stages and conditions of life, that we too can still get closer to God – “teaching us new ‘God’ truths?

4. When God Calls, Respond Eagerly

When we hear our parents calling to us, we look to respond eagerly.

When we hear our spouses calling to us, we look to respond eagerly.

When we hear our children calling to us, we look to respond eagerly.

When Samuel first heard his name called, even in the middle of the night he got out of his bed, rushed to Eli’s bedside to inquire of Eli: “why have you called?”

This repeated itself three times until Eli finally realized it was truly God calling.

When Samuel heard, recognized the voice of the Lord he was immediately up and moving (v.4) and declaring – “Speak Lord, for Your Servant is Listening!”

If we want to hear the voice of God, we need to be not just ready to put ourselves into action eager to do what He tells us – we need to be obedient enough to do it!

James 1:17-22 English Standard Version

17 Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of lights, with whom there is no variation or shadow due to change.[a]  18 Of his own will he brought us forth by the word of truth, that we should be a kind of first fruits of his creatures.

Hearing and Doing the Word

19 Know this, my beloved brothers: let every person be quick to hear, slow to speak, slow to anger; 20 for the anger of man does not produce the righteousness of God. 21 Therefore put away all filthiness and rampant wickedness and receive with meekness the implanted word, which is able to save your souls.

22 But be doers of the word, and not hearers only, deceiving yourselves.

5. When God Speaks, Obey Him

Starting in this passage and throughout the rest of his life, Samuel consistently obeyed the Lord.

No matter what God told him, Samuel did it.

From that point on, “the LORD was with him and let none of his words fall to the ground” (1 Samuel 3:19 ESV).

For us, probably the quickest way to turn off God’s voice is to disobey him.

6. Read and Study the Word of God

After God spoke to him in this passage, the Bible tells us,

“The LORD continued to appear at Shiloh, and there He revealed Himself to Samuel through His Word” (1 Samuel 3:21 NIV).

If you want to hear from God, you have to know what the Bible says.

God is speaking.

God wonders to what extent we are genuinely listening.

God wonders to what extent we are genuinely hearing Him.

He wants to give you wisdom to lead your family, at your job, in your church, and in every area of life.

The questions we have to be asking ourselves is not whether God is speaking, but whether or not we are hearing Him, and whether or not we are listening?

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

Let us Pray,

Savior Jesus, Giver of boundless peace and wisdom, I so easily get distracted when I’m trying to focus and hear your Holy Spirit. Help me to quiet my mind in the middle of my busy life. Help me to pause and to make space to listen to the most important voice of all. Empower me to be a good listener to the gentle whispers of your Spirit. Help me follow the example of Jesus, who would slip away in the evening or the early morning to be alone with you. Teach me to listen, to hear and to abide in you. Amen.

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Jesus Christ is Able to Save Completely Because He Has Permanent Priesthood. Hebrews 7:23-25

Hebrews 7:23-25 Amplified Bible

23 The [former successive line of] priests, on the one hand, existed in greater numbers because they were each prevented by death from continuing [perpetually in office]; 24 but, on the other hand, Jesus holds His priesthood permanently and without change, because He lives on forever. 25 Therefore He is able also to save forever (completely, perfectly, for eternity) those who come to God through Him, since He always lives to intercede and intervene on their behalf [with God].

The Word of God for the Children of God.

Adeste Fidelis. Venite Adoremus. Dominum

Gloria. In Excelsis Deo. Alleluia, Alleluia, Alleluia, Amen.

Daylight Savings time is here which means Spring is just around the corner.

A time of freshly blooming flowers and the appearance of green leaves on trees.

Which means for those with a taste for something and someplace other than the insides of their homes after a cold winter – a new fresh taste for being outdoors.

During a nature hike, it can be exciting, refreshing and rewarding to follow side trails that veer away from the main trail looking for the signs of the new Spring.

Finding hidden parts of freshly leaved trees and patches of wild flowers, forests or meadows, valley’s, mountains that few have seen before can be exhilarating.

But traveling in unmarked territory can sometimes be dangerous.

Authorities put up boundary signs for good reasons – [Poison Ivy anyone?].

We should obey those signs because they are usually posted to help keep us safe.

Unfortunately, we will sometimes hear about people who were hurt or killed because they ignored warning signs and went into the places of great danger.

Warning signs also exist in our spiritual life.

In particular, Scripture points us to Jesus Christ as “the way and the truth and the life” (John 14:6).

In our reading from Hebrews 7 today we see that through Jesus we have access to God.

He is not any temporary Savior; He continually intercedes for us—that is, He continues to mark a clear and 100% safe trail for us in this life and into the next.

Our pilgrimage as Christians is not simply for a period in this life.

It is a journey that stretches forward into the joys and exciting discoveries God has prepared for us with him in eternity.

Are you walking safely today—that is, with God?

Completely Safe

Hebrews 7:23-25New American Standard Bible

23 [a]The former priests, on the one hand, existed in greater numbers because they were prevented by death from continuing; 24 [b]Jesus, on the other hand, because He continues forever, holds His priesthood permanently. 25 Therefore He is also able to save [c]forever those who come to God through Him, since He always lives to make intercession for them.

One of the most amazing truths in the Bible is Jesus is able to save completely, perfectly, to the uttermost because of His resurrection from the dead.

In fact our entire belief system hinges on this truth.

Without the resurrection we would die in our sin, shame and guilt.

Apostle Paul said in Romans 4, “He was delivered over to death for our sins and was raised to life for our justification” (Romans 4:25), 

meaning that His resurrection is the positive proof that we have been restored to a state as if we had never sinned in the first place. 

The payment for sin was satisfied once for all when Jesus was delivered over to death to make atonement.

Since it was satisfied and all debts forgiven, death no longer had claim on Jesus and had to release him from the grave.

This has incredible implications for us, because through Jesus, the grave has no claim on us either. 

Jesus has been appointed by God as our High Priest on oath that He would remain as such eternally.

Before this time, death had been a problem in the Levitical priesthood because it continually interrupted this office.

The position of High Priest was a lifetime position (Numbers 35:25).

So it was like starting over every time a new High Priest was appointed following the death of the previous High Priest. 

However, since death has no claim on Jesus (Romans 6:9), His priesthood cannot be interrupted, therefore He is able to complete the work assigned to Him as High Priest.

The High Priest’s job was to make atonement for the people once a year.

He was mankind’s representative before God in all things.

The problem was that he first had to sacrifice for his own sins, disqualifying him from approaching God to make atonement in the first place.

Jesus on the other hand was sinless so His sacrifice for sin, when offering himself as payment, was more than enough to permanently wipe out the debt that sin created. 

In fact the writer of Hebrews has stated over and over that our sins are paid for, forgiven and forgotten (Hebrews 9:12, Hebrews 9:14, Hebrews 9:26, Hebrews 9:28, Hebrews 10:10, Hebrews 10:12, Hebrews 10:14, Hebrews 10:18, Hebrews 10:22).

Which means Jesus’ atonement as High Priest worked the first and only time it was given.

And if it worked, then by no means does it need to be made again (Hebrews 10:10-14).

In fact, Jesus now sits at the right hand of God the Father because His work is finished and complete (Hebrews 1:3, Hebrews 10:12).

Since this work is finished and death has no claim on Jesus, he resides as High Priest forever.

And if He lives forever with this office, He is also able to save for all time and eternity those who come to Him by faith.

In fact, God promised Jesus on oath this would always be the case which is why he promised Him He would provide a High Priest, not after the Levitical line perpetuated by death, but after Melchizedek who had no such record of death.

(Hebrews 7:1-3 NASB)

Melchizedek’s Priesthood like Christ’s

7 For this Melchizedek, king of Salem, priest of the Most High God, who met Abraham as he was returning from the slaughter of the kings and blessed him, 2 to whom also Abraham apportioned a tenth of all the spoils, was first of all, by the translation of his name, king of righteousness, and then also king of Salem, which is king of peace. 3 Without father, without mother, without genealogy, having neither beginning of days nor end of life, but made like the Son of God, he remains a priest perpetually.

This is incredible news and very important to know because it assures our hearts before God.

In fact these things have been written to give us insight and confidence in approaching God by faith (John 20:31, 1 John 5:13).

Knowing we have been saved, forgiven and restored to a state where we are justified and righteous before God should give us boldness in approaching Him without the consciousness of sin and resulting guilt (Hebrews 4:16, 10:22 ).

Then knowing Jesus lives forever to assure this relationship, making petitions and intercession on our behalf, should prayerfully usher each and every single one of us into a state of heart peace and empower us to live a life like no other.

These blessed and unyielding truths have been written for our eternal benefit; so that we may all understand all we have access to is only through Christ Jesus.

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

Let us Pray,

Father in heaven,
You made humanity in Your image
that we might show forth who You are to the world.
Thank You that although we fell into sin
and failed in our created calling,
You sent Your Son, Jesus, to redeem us
as both the once-for-all Sacrifice
and the Eternal Priest who offers that great gift.
Our lives have been bought with a price –
they are Yours, our God –
so fill us with Your Holy Spirit
that we might live in the fullness of Your power
and display the fullness of Your character
to the far reaches of this world
until the fullness of Your kingdom.

All this we pray, through Jesus Christ your Son our Lord
to whom, with You and the Holy Spirit
be honor and glory, now and forever. Amen.

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What Does it Really Look Like to ‘Honor Your Father and Mother’? Exodus 20:12, Deuteronomy 5:16

    Honoring your father and your mother is the only commandment out of the Ten Commandments that is followed by a promise, Honor your father and your mother, as the Lord your God has commanded you, that your days may be long, and that it may be well with you in the land which the Lord your God is giving you. (Deuteronomy 5:16)

    Exodus 20:12Amplified Bible

    12 “Honor (respect, obey, care for) your father and your mother, so that your days may be prolonged in the land the Lord your God gives you.

    The Word of God for the Children of God.

    Adeste Fidelis. Venite Adoremus. Dominum.

    Gloria. In Excelsis Deo. Alleluia, Alleluia, Alleluia, Amen.

    Most Christians are very familiar with the verse “honor your father and mother”, but few actually know of it’s origin in the Bible.

    The command to honor your father and mother actually comes from the Old Testament book of Exodus 20 in the story of the 10 Commandments.

    However, it is also a command that is repeated several times in both the Old and New Testament. 

    Chapter 20 of the Book of Exodus serves as a powerful reminder of the intimate relationship God has with humankind.

    This passage specifically reveals the intense care and concern that God shows toward His Children.

    Today this chapter remains popular because of a very special occurrence – the Ten Commandments.

    At eighty plus years old, after venturing up to Mount Sinai, Moses, a father, brought down the Ten Commandments, rules given Him directly from God.

    The Ten Commandments described ten precepts for how God expected His people to behave.

    This monumental moment follows after the Israelites fled Egypt. 

    Chapter 19 in the Book of Exodus details how the Israelites camped in the wilderness, now living a life outside of slavery for a few months.

    God informs Moses that He desires to bless the nation of Israel.

    However, He also wants them to keep a covenant with Him (Exodus 19:5-6).

    The Ten Commandments serve as part of that covenant.

    One of these commandments spoke to the relationship between a child and parent and is a guideline we as Christians still ought to be following today.

    Exodus 20:12The Message

    12 Honor your father and mother so that you’ll live a long time in the land that God, your God, is giving you.

    The reason this commandment in addition to the other nine is still relevant today is because Jesus indicated such to later believers (Matthew 5:17-20).

    Jesus did not abolish the law, but rather came to fulfill it.

    The Apostle Paul wrote to the followers at the church at Ephesus;

    Ephesians 5:1-2 Amplified Bible

    Be Imitators of God

    5 Therefore become imitators of God [copy Him and follow His example], as well-beloved children [imitate their father]; 2 and walk continually in love [that is, value one another—practice empathy and compassion, unselfishly seeking the best for others], just as Christ also loved you and gave Himself up for us, an offering and sacrifice to God [slain for you, so that it became] a sweet fragrance.

    We are to do our part yet today in abiding in Jesus, by these commandments.

    Today, I do not believe there is little to no controversy about whether or not the Ten Commandments are still relevant.

    What has been up for rather contentious debate in the meaning of “honor” in the context of parents and children.

    There are many instances of children being the victims of incest, abandonment, neglect, or other severe and seriously exploitive forms of ultra damaging abuse.

    In these situations, how does a child honor a parent, when the parent lacks any concept or context of abiding in God, His Son Jesus and have honor for the child.

    To understand this commandment, we have to examine the original context.

    What Is the Original Meaning of Honor Your Father and Mother in Exodus 20?

    The commandment to honor our father and mother is the fifth of the ten mentioned.

    The commandment to precedes this one is honoring the Sabbath, followed by the commandment to not murder.

    Scripture explains the reason why the commandment should be followed.

    Exodus 20:12Amplified Bible

    12 “Honor (respect, obey, care for) your father and your mother, so that your days may be prolonged in the land the Lord your God gives you.

    The benefit of abiding by this commandment is longer life, specifically for the Israelites venturing on toward the Promised Land.

    Dennis Prager [https://dennisprager.com/] emphasizes that though this could be viewed as a reward, this is also a reason.

    And many of the other commandments are not given explicit reasons to be followed.

    Prager suggests in a society where parents are honored by children, the society is bound to survive longer, than a society with a weaker family structure.

    This commandment in Exodus is mentioned a number of other times in the Bible, each time as an admonishment to God’s people to better establish them. 

    Deuteronomy 5:16 tells us, “Honor your father and your mother, as the LORD your God has commanded you, so that your days may be long and that it may go well with you in the land that the LORD your God is giving you.”

    Ephesians 6:2 states: “Honor your father and mother” – which is the first commandment with a promise”

    God blesses the people when their parents are honored, but the people are punished when they do not.

    To honor is to hold someone in high regard or reverence.

    The word honor does not mean agree with or even obey, but does suggest in this context a child should hold the highest utmost respect for both of their parents.

    Now that we better understand the original context and interpretation of the commandment to honor thy mother and father, we can try to discern how this precept applies to modern-day life.

    How Can Christians ‘Honor Your Father and Mother’ Today?

    With an understanding of the word honor, there need not be a change in how parents are respected by children today.

    However, with modern cultural shifts, this commandment for some has taken on a different interpretation.

    We can perhaps better, more prayerfully understand the proper ways of honoring parents by first understanding how honoring should not appear.

    As Dennis Prager discusses in his video analysis of the commandment, some parents yearn to be loved, rather than honored.

    The visual example given in his video is that of a parent showering their child with gifts in order to receive affection.

    This same parent when trying to discipline their child instead receives severe retaliation from them.

    This is definitively not an example of a child honoring their parent because instead of respecting them as an “authority” figure, they are simply seeking what else, exactly how much more they can manipulate, gain from the parent.

    Much like the Bible commands us to love others, the call to honor our parents is an outward action – something we do for others.

    Honoring our parents is therefore not contingent upon what they give in return.

    Within the Ten Commandments, verse 12 of Exodus 20 gives no clarification as to what parents are to be honored or even how.

    We can conclude then that all parents are deserving of honor, and we can use the context of love within the Bible to discern appropriate ways to show honor.

    We can even in some instances see how people have honored God as Father as an example.

    Ways we can appropriately honor our parents include:

    Expressing Gratitude
    Parents invest time and effort into raising children.

    Those reasons alone are enough to show them gratitude for the sacrifices they make.

    Parents provide shelter, food, clothing.

    For every action they do in their support of their child is in itself a far more than sufficient reason for expressing their appreciation and gratitude.

    Spending Time Together
    When physically possible, children can and should get together with their parents.

    This acknowledges their existence and places a level of importance upon the relationship.

    If being together physically is not an option, calling a parent on the phone for a check-in is also beneficial.

    Dennis Prager shares with fellow believers he called his parents once a week.

    Serve
    Another way for children to honor their parents is to find creative ways to serve their desires, wants and needs, much like parents perform on behalf of children.

    To Honor or Not to Honor

    It goes without saying and preaching to the choir that modern parenting is not equivalent to the parenting in ancient biblical Jewish culture.

    Children today learn differently and have certain responsibilities such as owning a cell phone [I never did], which was not true for past generations.

    No matter the time, parents should always be honored.

    One concern followers, nonbelievers have with the commandment is the issue of bad parents, individuals who have abused their children by various means.

    The Bible does not qualify which parents deserve honoring.

    Additionally, Jesus mentions we are to love others as ourselves (Matthew 22:39) and to bless those who persecute us (Romans 12:14).

    We, therefore, know that even when seemingly impossible, we should all do our best to express love for our parents, our children as we express love for our God.

    This fifth commandment, however, does not advocate for putting ourselves in danger with bad parents.

    Applying this commandment for children who have been abused will look different in terms of how they show their honoring.

    Spending time together may be an impossibility but talking on the phone or writing a letter could prayerfully be an option depending on the circumstance.

    Sometimes we have to set boundaries in relationships, and whenever that is the case we have to pray unto our ABBA God for wisdom, so that we may honor His commandment and honor our parents while keeping ourselves safe (James 1:5).

    There are no easy or set human answers how to be complete, perfect parents.

    As Mom’s and Dad’s together …

    The very best we can do is diligently consult the Word of God for His Children.

    Study it …

    Like Jesus did, intentionally plumb its depths, its ways, its truths and its life.

    Pray without ceasing over every aspect of it, revelation from it …

    Koinonia, Fellowship with our ABBA Father, His Son Jesus, Holy Spirit, other Parents …

    Finally,

    Be Still, Be Quiet, know only God is God, and can, should be, exalted as God.

    Matthew 6:25-33New King James Version

    Do Not Worry

    25 “Therefore I say to you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat or what you will drink; nor about your body, what you will put on. Is not life more than food and the body more than clothing? 26 Look at the birds of the air, for they neither sow nor reap nor gather into barns; yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not of more value than they? 27 Which of you by worrying can add one [a]cubit to his [b] stature?

    28 “So why do you worry about clothing? Consider the lilies of the field, how they grow: they neither toil nor spin; 29 and yet I say to you that even Solomon in all his glory was not [c]arrayed like one of these. 30 Now if God so clothes the grass of the field, which today is, and tomorrow is thrown into the oven, will He not much more clothe you, O you of little faith?

    31 “Therefore do not worry, saying, ‘What shall we eat?’ or ‘What shall we drink?’ or ‘What shall we wear?’ 32 For after all these things the Gentiles seek. For your heavenly Father knows that you need all these things. 33 But seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness, and all these things shall be added to you.

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

    Let us Pray,

    Heavenly Father, thank You for my parents and for giving me life. Thank You for the pleasant and harsh lessons I have learned and the good times and the bad we have shared together. Forgive me for the times when I have not sufficiently honored my father and mother as I ought – for I am now acutely aware that this is dishonoring to You. From this day forward, I pray that I should honour You in all my interactions with my own family and with my friends, and may my life be honoring to You.

    Adeste Fidelis. Venite Adoremus. Dominum.

    Gloria. In Excelsis Deo. Alleluia, Alleluia, Alleluia, Amen.

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    The Fourth Commandment: Our Rest, Our Witness. Remember the Sabbath. Exodus 20:8-11

    Exodus 20:8-11 Amplified Bible

    8 “Remember the Sabbath (seventh) day to keep it holy (set apart, dedicated to God). 9 Six days you shall labor and do all your work, 10 but the seventh day is a Sabbath [a day of rest dedicated] to the Lord your God; on that day you shall not do any work, you or your son, or your daughter, or your male servant, or your female servant, or your livestock or the temporary resident (foreigner) who stays within your [city] gates. 11 For in six days the Lord made the heavens and the earth, the sea and everything that is in them, and He rested (ceased) on the seventh day. That is why the Lord blessed the Sabbath day and made it holy [that is, set it apart for His purposes].

    The Word of God for the Children of God.

    Adeste Fidelis. Venite Adoremus. Dominum.

    Gloria. In Excelsis Deo. Alleluia, Alleluia, Alleluia, Amen.

    Keep the Sabbath [verse 8]

    Remember the Sabbath day, to keep it holy. Exodus 20:8

    Throughout history there have been well-meaning, earnest Christians who have, perhaps without their ever knowing it, who have come to functionally believe the Ten Commandments are really only the Nine Commandments.

    Somewhere along the way, some have decided the fourth commandment is not like the rest of the commandments but rather as a relic that belongs in the past.

    In truth, though, the ancient command to remember the Sabbath and keep it holy has abiding significance for us all, even today.

    Why has this simple command fallen on such hard times?

    Some have claimed that its regulations and penalties were tied to the old covenant, so it must no longer be relevant.

    Yet we do not treat the other commandments this way.

    Others have said that the way Jesus spoke of being “lord of the Sabbath” (Matthew 12:8) diminished the commandment’s significance and force.

    What about Jesus’ apparent intent here?

    What the man Rabbi Jesus sought to overturn was not the Sabbath itself but the host of hypocritical external rules of the Pharisees.

    I have long suspected what keeps most Christians from thinking of the fourth commandment as we ought to is simply that we do not like its implications.

    We do not like, nor appreciate all of the subtle and not so subtle ways it intrudes into our lives, into our leisure and whatever else takes precedence in our hearts.

    So we act as though this command is in a different category from the other nine.

    However, If we truly want to grasp the significance of the Sabbath and respond to it in a God-honoring way, we must all embrace, as a conviction, the real truth that God has intentionally set aside the Sabbath day as distinct from the rest.

    This was the case in the week of creation, with God resting on the seventh day and declaring it sanctified.

    The church, in the age of the new covenant, then changed the day from the seventh day of the week to the first day to mark the resurrection of Christ.

    In both cases, we see that the distinction of the day is woven into God’s work of creation and redemption.

    With that conviction in place, we can see that the day is not simply a day set apart from other days, but it is, in Gospel Truth, a day set apart unto the Lord.

    By not seeing it this way, we’ll be tempted to view our spiritual exercises on the Lord’s Day as something to “get over with” in order to “get on with” our week.

    If this is our mentality, we stand condemned by the fourth commandment.

    The Sabbath ought to be treasured for what it is: a gift of a day on which we enjoy, uninterrupted by leisure commitments or (if possible) by employment, the privilege of God’s presence, the study of God’s word, and the fellowship of God’s people.

    Seen like that, this command becomes an invitation: not only to just something we should do but something we will each come to learn how to love to do.

    If this is not how you have been viewing God’s Sabbath, then ask yourself:

    What’s preventing you from honoring the Lord’s Day?

    Take stock of your habits and receive the gift of the Sabbath.

    From that next Sunday, be sure that your priority is not to make the Lord’s Day convenient but to make the Lord’s day exclusively about God, to keep it holy.

    Keep the Sabbath [verses 9-10]

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

    Having established the fourth commandment remains what it has always been—a commandment of the Lord—and as such it is relevant to our lives, we can now turn our hearts, souls, minds, to thinking profitably about how to keep it.

    But we must be careful as we get specific about honoring the Sabbath.

    The Lord Jesus, after all, had some very harsh, strong words for the Pharisees regarding the way their moral specificity had become a means not of obedience but of self-righteousness (Mark 2:23 – 3:6).

    With “quaking and trembling knees” and maturing humility, let’s take some quality time to consider how are we to remember the Sabbath and keep it holy.

    Let us try to explore: How do we prevent worldly concerns—those of leisure, recreation, and work—from infringing on our enjoyment and worship of God?

    Let’s think first of public worship.

    What kinds of conversations do you typically have prior to the worship service?

    Are they concerned at any point with exclusively the things of God, or only ever with sports – making it to the home team game, family, and every other thing?

    It takes a conscious and a thoroughly intentional act of the will to give eternal matters the very highest measure of maxed priority in our minds and mouths.

    If you were to determine that in your preparation for worship you would set aside every priority which looms, loomed so large on other days, I guarantee the focus of your time at church would be changed.

    The same goes for after the service.

    When the last song has been sung and the service is over, how long does it take for your mind and conversation to return to worldly matters?

    If we were instead to:

    commit to spending time after the service speaking to one another about the greatness of God, the truth of His word, and the wonder of His dealings with us,

    and praying with one another about the week ahead and the trials we face, then we would begin to understand better the “one another” passages in the New Testament about:

    encouraging one another (Hebrews 10:25),

    speaking the truth to one another (Ephesians 4:25), and

    building one another up (1 Thessalonians 5:11)

    —for we would then be prioritizing ourselves to actually living them out.

    Similarly, in our private affairs on the Lord’s Day, spiritual improvement should still take priority.

    That may mean additional family worship, reading edifying books, prayer, discussion of what was preached that morning, and more—but whatever it means, we should make it our aim not to let the cares of the other six days push into our efforts of growing our spiritual enjoyment of the first day of the week.

    If we want to profit from keeping the Sabbath, and if we want to take the fourth commandment more seriously, then our convictions must fuel our actions, and our daily aspirations must turn into daily practices.

    Avoid making unique rules that only serve to foster self-righteousness, but consider whether anything worldly needs to change, be re-prioritized Godly.

    How would, should, could you change to keep the Sabbath holy the next time Sunday comes round, then Monday, then Tuesday then Wednesday and so on?

    Our Sabbath Rest as Our Witness

    [sermon illustrations]

    The college student broke down in tears over his coffee.

    Driven by competition for limited space in a pre-law program, he had just poured himself into studying virtually nonstop, eight hours a day seven days a week. After seven months he found he lost the ambition for learning—and nearly for life itself.

    Driven by the desire for promotion and the prospect for more money for him an his growing family, [……….] takes extra work home every single night to get the one up on his fellow workers – he stays up till midnight every night for weeks. Taking no time for dinner with his wife or leisure time his young kids, he hears them crying.

    Our reading today states that “in six days the LORD made the heavens and the earth … but he rested on the seventh day.”

    The ambition and creativity we bring to work is a reflection of our mindset on our Creator’s sovereignty over our lives and over the lives we genuinely value.

    It’s part of how we reflect his image and a big part of how we serve as witnesses for him.

    God also rested on the seventh day, however, and he calls us to do the same.

    For us, good work hinges on good rest.

    Without good rest our good work suffers.

    The discipline of regular rest is a witness in our fast-paced world, especially when that time is focused on enjoying our Creator.

    It speaks of God’s love to command what’s good for us.

    Our ambitions would otherwise serve only to distract us from him and drive us into the ground if we let them.

    How will you take our rest the rest of this week and this next weekend?

    For the sake of good work later, let’s rest.

    For the sake of sanity, let’s rest.

    For the sake of glory to God in regular worship and fellowship, let’s rest.

    God blesses those who “work hard” at resting in the Lord Jesus Christ.

    Let’s trust him to establish the work and rest of our hands (see Psalm 90:17).

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

    Let us Pray,

    God, grant us and all our loved ones true rest on this Sabbath Day. May Your Holy and Sacred Presence drive out from among us anger and fear, worry and regret. Send your blessing upon us, that we may be people of the Word. Lord of work and of rest, thank you for these gifts. Help us to work hard and rest well. Please provide work where we need it. Please also bless whatever years of retirement rest we may have.

    Adeste Fidelis. Venite Adoremus. Dominum.

    Gloria. In Excelsis Deo. Alleluia, Alleluia, Alleluia, Amen.

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    The Second Commandment: Have or Make No Image Engraved or in Mind. Exodus 20:1-4

    Exodus 20:1-4 Amplified Bible

    The Ten Commandments

    20 Then God spoke all these words:

    2 “I am the Lord your God, who has brought you out of the land of Egypt, out of the house of slavery.

    3 “You shall have no other gods before Me.

    4 “You shall not make for yourself any idol, or any likeness (form, manifestation) of what is in heaven above or on the earth beneath or in the water under the earth [as an object to worship].

    The Word of God for the Children of God.

    Adeste Fidelis. Venite Adoremus. Dominum.

    Gloria. In Excelsis Deo. Alleluia, Alleluia, Alleluia, Amen.

    The Ten Commandments

    The Ten Commandments are the supreme expression of God’s will in the Old Testament and merit our close attention.

    They are to be thought of not as the ten most important commands among hundreds of others, but as a digest of the entire Torah.

    The foundation of all of the Torah rests in these Ten Commandments, and somewhere within them we should be able to find all the law.

    Jesus expressed the essential unity of the Ten Commandments with the rest of the law when he summarized the law in the famous words,

    “ ‘You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your mind.’ This is the greatest and first commandment. And a second is like it: ‘You shall love your neighbor as yourself.’ On these two commandments hang all the law and the prophets” (Matthew 22:37-40). 

    All the law, as well as laws of the prophets, is indicated whenever the Ten Commandments are expressed.

    The essential unity of the Ten Commandments with the rest of the law, and their continuity with the New Testament, invites each and every on us to apply them to today’s ministries broadly in light of the rest of the Holy Scriptures.

    That is, when applying the Ten Commandments, we will take into account related passages of Scripture in both the Hebrew [Old] and New Testaments.

    “You Shall Have No Other Gods before Me” (Exodus 20:3)

    The first commandment reminds us that everything in the Torah flows from the love we have for God, which in turn is a response to the love he has for us.

    This unconventional, inexpressible miracle of love was demonstrated by God’s deliverance of Israel “out of the house of slavery” in Egypt (Exodus 20:2).

    In our heart of hearts, from within the deepest depths of our souls, nothing else in our lives should concern us more than our desire to love and be loved by God.

    If we do have some other concern stronger to us than our love for God, and who of us does not have other “stronger concerns,” they are not so much that we are breaking God’s rules, but that we are not really in relationship with Father God.

    The other concern—be it money, power, security, recognition, sex, or anything else—has become our god.

    These gods will have their own commandments at odds with God’s, and we will inevitably violate the Torah as we try to comply with these god’s requirements.

    Observing the Ten Commandments is only conceivable for those who start by being determined to diligently study, to pray at having no other god than God.

    In the realm of work, this means that we are not to let work or its requirements and fruits displace God as our most important concern in life.

    “Never allow anyone or anything to threaten God’s central place in your life,” as Dr. David W. Gill [https://www.davidwgill.org/] puts it. 

    Because many people work primarily to make money for their and their family’s future, we might just conclude that an inordinate desire for money is probably one of the most common work-related dangers to the first commandment.

    Jesus warned of exactly this danger. “No one can serve two masters…. You cannot serve God and wealth” (Matthew 6:24).

    But almost anything related to work can become twisted in our desires to the point that it interferes with our love for God.

    How many promising up and coming, careers come to a tragic end because the means to accomplish things for the love of God—such as political power, financial sustainability, steadfast commitment to the job, status among peers, or superior performance—become their alpha to omega ends in themselves?

    When, for example, recognition on the job becomes simply far more important than character on the job, is it not a sign that their reputation is displacing their love of God the Father, Son, Holy Spirit, as ultimate Alpha to Omega concern?

    A practical touchstone in balancing life lived in the world of man and God is to just ask whether our love of God is shown by the way we treat people on the job.

    “Those who say, ‘I love God,’ and hate their brothers or sisters, are liars; for those who do not love a brother or sister whom they have seen, cannot love God whom they have not seen. The commandment we have from him is this: those who love God must love their brothers and sisters also” (1 John 4:20-21).

    If we put our individual concerns ahead of our concern for the people we work with, for, and among, then we have made our individual concerns our god.

    In particular, if we treat other people as things to be manipulated, obstacles to overcome, instruments to obtain what we want, or simply neutral objects in our field of view, then we starkly demonstrate that we do not love God with all our heart, soul, and mind as required by the Word of God for the Children of God.

    In this context, we can begin to list some work-related actions that have a high potential to interfere with our love for God.

    Doing work that violates our conscience.

    Working in an organization where we have to harm others to succeed.

    Working such long hours that we have little time to pray, worship, rest, and otherwise deepen our relationship with God.

    Working among people who demoralize us or seduce us away from our love for God.

    Working where alcohol, drug abuse, violence, sexual harassment, corruption, disrespect, racism, or other inhumane treatments mar the image of God in us and the people we encounter in our work – our co-workers and our neighbors.

    If we can find ways to avoid these dangers at work—even if it means finding a new job—it would be wise for us to seek God, study, pray, to consider to do so.

    If that is not possible, we can at least be aware that we need help and support to maintain our love of God in the face of our work.

    “You Shall Not Make for Yourself an Idol” (Exodus 20:4)

    The second commandment raises the issue of idolatry.

    Making and then Naming our Golden calves then marketing them for all to see.

    Idols are gods of our own creation, gods that have nothing to them that did not originate with us, gods that we feel we control.

    In ancient times, idolatry often took the form of worshiping physical objects.

    But the issue is really one of trust and devotion.

    On what “shirt” do we ultimately pin our hope of well-being and success upon?

    On whose “lapel” should we ultimately pin our hopes of well-being and success upon?

    Anything, Anyone, which is not capable of fulfilling our hope—that is, anything other than God—is an idol, whether or not it is a physical object, even a person.

    The story of a family forging an idol with the intent to manipulate God, and the disastrous personal, social, and economic consequences which then tragically follow, are memorably told in Judges 17-21.

    In the world of work, it is common to speak of money, fame, and power as potential idols, and rightly so.

    They are not idolatrous, per se, and in fact may be utterly necessary for us to accomplish our roles in God’s creative and redemptive work in the world.

    Yet when we then imagine that we have ultimate control over them, or that by achieving them our safety and prosperity will be secured, we have begun the so inevitable “foot to shovel to earth to digging our grave” descent into idolatry.

    The same may occur with virtually every other element of success, including our preparation, hard work, creativity, risk, wealth and other resources, and favorable circumstances.

    As Christian workers, we have to recognize how important these are.

    As God’s people, we must recognize when we begin to idolize them.

    By God’s grace alone, we can overcome the temptation to worship these good things in their own right.

    The development of genuinely godly wisdom and skill for any task is “so that your entire trust may be in the Lord alone” [Proverbs 22:19].

    The distinctive element of idolatry is the human-made nature of the idol.

    At work, a danger of idolatry arises when we mistake our power, knowledge, and opinions for reality.

    When we stop holding ourselves accountable to the standards we set for others, cease listening to others’ ideas, or seek to crush those who disagree with us, are we not beginning to make and shape, obsess over our graven idols of ourselves?

    No Image Engraved or in Mind [eXODUS 20:4]

    Exodus 20:4 Amplified Bible

    4 “You shall not make for yourself any idol, or any likeness (form, manifestation) of what is in heaven above or on the earth beneath or in the water under the earth [as an object to worship].

    If the first commandment

    —“You shall have no other gods before me” (Exodus 20:3)—deals with the object of our worship, the second commandment deals with the manner of our worship.

    What the second commandment tells us is that it is not enough that we worship the correct God; we must also worship Him correctly.

    The crystal clear and immediate meaning of the command is that God is to be worshiped without any visual symbols of Him.

    Why the prohibition?

    Because God is spirit: infinite and unfathomably great.

    No physical representation could ever do justice to His glory and grandeur.

    The problem with statues, shrines, and pictures is not that they don’t look good but that no matter how good they look, they will all inevitably severely blur the truth about God’s nature and character.

    Such images will tend to distract men and women from genuinely worshiping the true and living God, [John 4:20-24] instead leading them to naively worship whatever physical representation of God is placed before them in the sanctuary.

    Yet the second commandment takes us beyond mere images and idol-making and into our own thought life.

    Our hands may be innocent of the skills and craftsmanship of hand making graven images, but our thoughts and imaginations are so seldom unskilled.

    Any conception of God in our minds and hearts that is not derived from Scripture runs foul of this command.

    When God gave strict instructions for the building of the temple, He ordered that the ark of the covenant, on which His presence would dwell, should reside in the Most Holy Place (Exodus 26:34).

    What was inside the ark?

    Perhaps most significant is what was not in it: it contained no visible, physical, hand shaped representation of God.

    Instead, there were the two tablets of the Ten Commandments.

    It was as if God was saying to His people, as He says to us, Don’t look for Me in shrines, paintings, or statues. I’m not there. Look for Me in My word.

    So we take our cues from God. If we want to worship Him—if we want to meet with Him and know what He is like—we must conform our minds to His word.

    Our own attempts to conceive of God apart from divine revelation will utterly, invariably fail.

    He has published His truth in His word, and so we are to tether ourselves to what is revealed there.

    What’s at stake in this is the integrity not only of our worship but also of our lives—because when people go wrong in their worship, they’ll end up going wrong in their living.

    Anything and anyone that encourages us to worship the correct God incorrectly will prove to be a detriment to our spiritual growth.

    What an absolute tragedy it would be to embrace an image and miss the person of Christ, to sit at a shrine and miss the Savior, to worship a misconception and fail to know our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ through the Holy Words of God.

    Instead, resist the temptation to modify God in your mind or to conform Him to your own graven image, and be sure to KNOW Him as He has revealed Himself.

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

    Let us Pray,

    The Joy of Integrity Prayer

    God, my Father, my Guide and Guardian of my life, illuminate my mind so I can better understand just how you want me to live. Your Living Word tells me that people of integrity who diligently follow after your instructions are joyful. You have said that those who obey your laws and search for you with all their hearts are blessed and happy. I plead with you for my own share of that indescribable joy! Intercessor Holy Spirit, please guard me and my thoughts against allowing evil to influence what I believe and do. Help me walk only in your paths. May my actions, and my worship more consistently reflect what you have said is right, good.

    Adeste Fidelis. Venite Adoremus. Dominum.

    Gloria. In Excelsis Deo. Alleluia, Alleluia, Alleluia, Amen.

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    What is God Like? He is Merciful and Gracious, Slow to Anger, Abounding in Steadfast Love, in Goodness, and Truth. Exodus 34:5-9

    Exodus 34:5-9Amplified Bible

    5 Then the Lord descended in the cloud and stood there with Moses as he proclaimed the Name of the Lord. 6 Then the Lord passed by in front of him, and proclaimed, “The Lord, the Lord God, compassionate and gracious, slow to anger, and abounding in lovingkindness and truth (faithfulness); 7 keeping mercy and lovingkindness for thousands, forgiving iniquity and transgression and sin; but He will by no means leave the guilty unpunished, visiting (avenging) the iniquity (sin, guilt) of the fathers upon the children and the grandchildren to the third and fourth generations [that is, calling the children to account for the sins of their fathers].” 8 Moses bowed to the earth immediately and worshiped [the Lord]. 9 And he said, “If now I have found favor and lovingkindness in Your sight, O Lord, let the Lord, please, go in our midst, though it is a stiff-necked (stubborn, rebellious) people, and pardon our iniquity and our sin, and take us as Your possession.”

    The Word of God for the Children of God.

    Adeste Fidelis. Venite Adoremus. Dominum.

    Gloria. In Excelsis Deo. Alleluia, Alleluia, Alleluia, Amen.

    What is God Like?

    A little boy was working hard on drawing a picture from his Sunday School and his daddy came up from behind, asked him what he was working so hard on.

    The son replied, “Drawing a picture of God.”

    His daddy said, “You can’t do that, son, Nobody knows what God looks like.”

    But the little boy remained undeterred, continued to draw for several minutes.

    Without stopping his work, he looked at his picture with satisfaction and said very matter-of-factly, held it in his daddy’s face : “They will in a few minutes.”

    We may never know what God’s physical features are, but from the beginning, He does reveal His attributes to us so we can each know what He is about, like.

    In Exodus 34:6-7, rather than painting a picture a visual description of God, he writes a list about God’s invisible qualities.

    From this, we learn God is merciful and gracious.

    Keeping mercy and lovingkindness for the thousands.

    He is slow to anger and abounding in steadfast love.

    He is abounding in goodness and truth

    He is longsuffering and willing to forgive.

    Forgiving iniquity, transgression and sin.

    We also learn that God will not spare the wicked from punishment.

    We also learn that God expects us to automatically respond to who He is with an attitude of repentance and with worship that is worthy of being in His Presence.

    “Show Me Your Ways Lord, That I May Find Favor”

    Exodus 33:12-13Amplified Bible

    Moses Intercedes

    12 Moses said to the Lord, “See, You say to me, ‘Bring up this people,’ but You have not let me know whom You will send with me. Yet You have said, ‘I know you by name, and you have also found favor in My sight.’ 13 Now therefore, I pray you, if I have found favor in Your sight, let me know Your ways so that I may know You [becoming more deeply and intimately acquainted with You, recognizing and understanding Your ways more clearly] and that I may find grace and favor in Your sight. And consider also, that this nation is Your people.”

    In Exodus 33:12-13, Moses asked God to teach him more about God’s ways.

    Moses said,

    “See, You say to me, ‘Bring up this people.’ But You have not let me know whom You will send with me. Yet You have said, ‘I know you by name, and you have also found grace in My sight.’ Now therefore, I pray, if I have found grace in Your sight, show me now Your way, that I may know You and that I may find grace in Your sight.”

    In gracious response to Moses’ request for God to show him more about who He was, God shows Moses favor, God passes by Moses and proclaims the attributes about Himself, revealing to a much humbled Moses more about His character.

    God wanted Moses (and us) to know that He is not an angry, impersonal God.

    Instead, He is a God that loves us, unconventionally, while also being a just God who will hold His Children to account for their words and deeds and punish sin.

    The result of God’s revelation to Moses was that Moses bowed to the ground at once and worshiped God because Moses knew all he needed to accomplish the task God had called him to do was to be in and remain in, the presence of God.

    “Hear My Cry Lord, Show Me More of Your Ways”

    When was the last time we cried out to God and said,

    “Lord show me more of your ways?”

    Just as God answered Moses, God will answer us today.

    It might be through the Words of truth and life found through scripture that you read and study or in a sermon from your pastor or a song on the radio.

    When our desire to know more about God is a longing that is from the heart, God will most abundantly, decisively, definitely and directly reveal Himself.

    Where are the “Crying Christians?”

    Isaiah 2:2-3 Amplified Bible

    2 
    Now it will come to pass that
    In the last days
    The mountain of the house of the Lord
    Will be [firmly] established as the [a]highest of the mountains,
    And will be exalted above the hills;
    And all the nations will stream to it.
    3 
    And many peoples shall come and say,
    “Come, let us go up to the mountain of the Lord,
    To the house (temple) of the God of Jacob;
    That He may teach us His ways
    And that we may walk in His paths.”
    For the law will go out from Zion
    And the word of the Lord from Jerusalem.

    “All nations” is one of my favorite phrases in the Bible.

    God is an inclusive God. When he established a beachhead in our fallen world by starting a little nation called Israel, he was already thinking big.

    God’s plan was to reach out through Israel to call all nations to himself.

    Now, in 2023, Revival has broken out quite literally all over the world.

    Thousands upon thousands are responding … they are crying out to God …

    Onto the street Corners, into the streets of cities all across the globe …

    Into College Campuses …

    Into Churches whose pews had more accumulated dust than congregants.

    Into malls and supermarkets …

    Into the maximum security prisons …

    Into the incarcerated for life hearts of violent life long criminals …

    Into countries where Jesus Christ is not necessarily the most favored name.

    The Word of God for the Children of God goes forth …

    Repentance and Baptisms …

    “Show us Your Ways, O’ Lord, that we may find Grace and Favor IN THY sight.”

    Transformations …

    The Message of Salvation through Christ and Christ alone.

    God has a Plan …

    Jeremiah 29:11-14Amplified Bible

    11 For I know the plans and thoughts that I have for you,’ says the Lord, ‘plans for peace and well-being and not for disaster, to give you a future and a hope. 12 Then you will call on Me and you will come and pray to Me, and I will hear [your voice] and I will listen to you. 13 Then [with a deep longing] you will seek Me and require Me [as a vital necessity] and [you will] find Me when you search for Me with all your heart. 14 I will be found by you,’ says the Lord, ‘and I will restore your fortunes and I will [free you and] gather you from all the nations and from all the places where I have driven you,’ says the Lord, ‘and I will bring you back to the place from where I sent you into exile.’

    Jeremiah 29:13 says,

    “You will seek me and find me, when you seek me with all your heart.”

    How bad do you really want to know more about the Exodus 34:6-7 God?

    How badly do you want people to know more about the Exodus 34:6-7 God?

    How much do you long for the presence of the Exodus 34:6-7 God to lead you to what He’s called you to do?

    With what effort do you seek the Goodness and Mercy, the Slow to Anger and abounding in Steadfast Love, the Faithful and Forgiving and Max Truth of God?

    What effort do you bring your Worship, cry out to God: “Show Me Your Ways?”

    What strength of plea arises from your heart and soul: “If I have found Favor?”

    What percentage of your prayer life includes … “That I May Know God’s Grace?”

    What percentage of your heart is “firmly prostrated” before the Lord, your God?

    What percentage of thy soul is “squarely grounded” in the life of Savior Christ?

    Percentage of thy only hope is saturated in nothing less than the blood of Jesus?

    God’s promise of a gospel that reaches “to the ends of the earth” is being realized (Acts 1:8).

    All nations are streaming toward the mountain of the Lord’s temple—not by pilgrimage to a physical temple in Jerusalem, but by coming to Jesus, the one alone who fulfills the temple’s deepest meaning of God’s presence among us.

    Praise God for the amazing things He alone is doing right now within us.

    Praise God for the amazing things He alone is doing right now among us.

    Praise God for the amazing things He alone is doing within our homes.

    Praise God for the amazing things He alone is doing within our families.

    Praise God for the amazing things He alone is doing among our friends.

    Praise God for the amazing things He alone is doing among our neighbors.

    Praise God for the amazing things He alone is doing within our schools.

    Praise God for the amazing things He alone is doing upon, within our streets.

    Praise God for the amazing things He alone is doing upon, within our prisons.

    Praise God for the amazing things He alone is doing within our communities.

    Praise God for all the amazing things He alone is doing within our country.

    Praise God for the amazing things He alone is doing right now in our world.

    And thank Him that in a tragically shrinking world we can yet experience, be a thriving community with fellow believers from across all cultures and nations.

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

    Let us Pray,

    Psalm 150 The Message

    150 1-6 Hallelujah!
    Praise God in his holy house of worship,
        praise him under the open skies;
    Praise him for his acts of power,
        praise him for his magnificent greatness;
    Praise with a blast on the trumpet,
        praise by strumming soft strings;
    Praise him with castanets and dance,
        praise him with banjo and flute;
    Praise him with cymbals and a big bass drum,
        praise him with fiddles and mandolin.
    Let every living, breathing creature praise God!
        Hallelujah!

    Adeste Fidelis. Venite Adoremus. Dominum.

    Gloria. In Excelsis Deo. Alleluia, Alleluia, Alleluia, Amen.

    https://translate.google.com/

    Psalm 46 Be Still and Ponder Upon the Importance of How We Each View God.

    Psalm 46 Amplified Bible

    God the Refuge of His People.

    To the Chief Musician. A Psalm of the sons of Korah, set to soprano voices. A Song.

    46 God is our refuge and strength [mighty and impenetrable],
    A very present and well-proved help in trouble.
    2 
    Therefore we will not fear, though the earth should change
    And though the mountains be shaken and slip into the heart of the seas,
    3 
    Though its waters roar and foam,
    Though the mountains tremble at its roaring. Selah.

    4 
    There is a river whose streams make glad the city of God,
    The holy dwelling places of the Most High.
    5 
    God is in the midst of her [His city], she will not be moved;
    God will help her when the morning dawns.
    6 
    The nations made an uproar, the kingdoms tottered and were moved;
    He raised His voice, the earth melted.
    7 
    The Lord of hosts is with us;
    The God of Jacob is our stronghold [our refuge, our high tower]. Selah.

    8 
    Come, behold the works of the Lord,
    Who has brought desolations and wonders on the earth.
    9 
    He makes wars to cease to the end of the earth;
    He breaks the bow into pieces and snaps the spear in two;
    He burns the chariots with fire.
    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.

    The Word of God for the Children of God.

    Adeste Fidelis. Venite Adoremus. Dominum.

    Gloria. In Excelsis Deo. Alleluia, Alleluia, Alleluia, Amen.

    Be Still and Know that I Am God.

    We will tend to believe of being “busy” as something positive—something of a measure of our true success in life, maybe even a compliment—especially when we consider the negative implications of its opposites, being “idle” or “lazy.”

    But we should not always assume, consider “busyness” as a Christian virtue.

    Have you ever thought that busyness might just be a sign of Christian betrayal rather than Christian commitment?

    We should definitely be thankful that many believers are busy for the Lord.

    Giving, sacrificing our time and ourselves in service to God’s kingdom is an absolutely essential part of the believer’s life and the Christian experience.

    But mere busyness does not necessarily equal faithfulness in the Christian life.

    In a time of great social economic political upheaval and national crisis, God emphatically urged his people to simply “be still” and know that he was God.

    Twice in Psalm 46, God’s people heard the assurance that the Lord Almighty was with them.

    He would be their comfort and mighty fortress.

    The key to experiencing that assurance, though, would be to approach God with a stilled heart and quiet trust.

    When we actually withdraw from our busy lives to spend time with God, we find ourselves discovering, enjoying, experiencing the truest reality of his presence.

    While we are not called by God to be either lazy or idle, neither are we called to a life of non-stop activity and service.

    God’s gently emphatic invitation, “be still” unlocks for us the opportunity to experience the maximum allowable joy of actually, genuinely, knowing him.

    What a blessed comfort this verse has been to multitudes of believers in Christ, down through the ages, who have heeded God’s invitation and rested on these words of the Psalmist and had their hearts stilled in the presence of the Lord.

    What refreshment these simple words have bestowed on many little lambs who have listened to the voice of their Good Shepherd – that Great Shepherd of the sheep Who opens His arms wide to embrace all who will truly trust in His name.

    But in context, we see another component to these words of reassurance.

    We see a genuine plan to glorify His Name and to exult His Person among the nations of the world who rage against the God of heaven and His anointed King.

    He is our Defense and our Defender against the enemies of our soul, and all who rest in Him find courage and strength.

    He is our impenetrable refuge from the storms of life and our shelter in the midst of oppression, and we are called to be still and to know that He is God – for His purposes will never fail, He will be glorified throughout the whole earth.

    It is of the greatest encouragement, both to His people Israel, and to His children of every age, that men who follow their own atheistic ‘will’ and construct their own anti-God plans, will finally be brought to nothing.

    For God, and God alone will be exulted among the heathen and His purposes alone will come to fruition – but we who have trusted Him for salvation are to sit serenely in His presence, in quiet assurance, confidence and in godly trust.

    Like the people of Israel in times past, Church-age believers are invited, called upon to ponder, remember the mighty deeds that God has done and to recall the myriad beyond myriads of miraculous, wondrous works that He has performed.

    We are to rest confidently in the knowledge that He is our faithful God – the supreme Creator of all and Commander of the armies of heaven Who redeems us by faith in the shed blood of Christ, and will never leave us nor forsake us.

    We are to:

    rest peacefully in the truth of His Word and be still in His holy presence.

    We are to know in our heart, by faith with thanksgiving, that He is the Lord our God Who alone pardons all our iniquities, heals all our diseases, Who redeems our life from the pit, and Who crowns us with lovingkindness and compassion.

    He alone is our God Who satisfies our years with good things, renews our youth like the eagle.

    He performs righteous deeds and judgments for all who are oppressed.

    The LORD is compassionate and gracious… slow to anger and abounding in steadfast and immovable lovingkindness.

    He is our Redeemer our Saviour and Friend.

    He alone is our hope and strength, He will be exalted, for it is He who has made us, not we ourselves, for we are His beloved people, the sheep of His pasture.

    Although the nations rage like the billows of the sea and the people imagine a vain thing against the Lord God Almighty, we are invited, called to be still in the presence of the Lord and to know Him in our heart by faith, with thanksgiving.

    May we ponder what it means to be still in His presence and cease from all our strivings… and truly be at peace in His company – Whom to know is life eternal.

    The Importance of How I View God

    In light of the past few weeks’ of worldwide revival events, I have been taking more time to reflect and ponder.

    My emotions have created a mixed bag, from skepticism to doubt, disbelief, questions, and indescribable awe. 

    On one hand, I decisively, definitely praise God if He is using these services to truly speak and to deeply ignite and inspire and move to transform lives.

    I have not been to any of the services, but I have watched many of the streams and videos and I have been “stilled” and moved to tears of indescribable joy.

    I know that God is powerful and can do anything He chooses, especially when we are not expecting it – but witnessing those students, images of people into the streets of our nation’s cities, into prisons and many international cities?

    Such an inexplicably powerful experience to see the people acting on their belief that God, the Father and God the Son and God the Holy Spirit is “on the move.”

    On the other, however, I think it’s a good and righteous thing to be cautious and careful with what we quickly interpret as come to believe to be the Spirit of God. 

    Even the Bereans in Acts 17 do this when Paul presents the gospel message to them.

    Though eager to hear Paul’s teachings, they move to test them themselves in the Holy Scriptures, Study, Pray, Ponder, and then decide what is from God. 

    “As soon as it was night, the believers sent Paul and Silas away to Berea. On arriving there, they went to the Jewish synagogue. Now the Berean Jews were of more noble character than those in Thessalonica, for they received the message with great eagerness and examined the Scriptures every day to see if what Paul said was true. As a result, many of them believed, as did also a number of prominent Greek women and many Greek men” (Acts 17:10-12, NIV). 

    Paul was known as an excellent teacher and an even better friend.

    He truly cared that every person heard and had access to the Bible after his conversion from Saul to Paul.

    This is why Paul felt called to attend as many missionary journeys as he did!

    But no matter how great the speaker, one’s credibility and ability to represent the gospel should always be prudently studied analyzed in light of the Bible.

    People are not the source of light themselves but are the ones pointing to the Light. 

    For this reason, 1 Thessalonians 5:19-22 further notes,

    “Do not quench the Spirit. Do not treat prophecies with contempt but test them all; hold on to what is good, reject every kind of evil” (NIV). 

    While I am not one to debate or judge if these revival services are real or not, their appearance has caused me to think about how I view God.

    And more importantly, if I understand Him. 

    How Do You View God?

    I was born into the Evangelical United Church of the Brethren.

    Growing up, I was raised in a traditional EUB Church until 1968 when the churches merged to become the United Methodist Church.

    I remember every service, worship session, and layout for an event looked exactly the same.

    Over time, I didn’t know why I was doing or saying what I did.

    Being so young as I was [7 years old] I didn’t even understand the Apostle’s Creed that I recited by heart every Sunday.

    Quickly, God and my relationship with Him became routine, just rehearsed words that needed to be prayed to maintain my perfection status. 

    By the time I reached high school, my father had remove us from the Methodist Church and we then became members of a local conservative Jewish Synagogue.

    My view of a God as my father became fractured was immensely distorted, and I truly started to wonder and ask, where is God, Jesus in the midst of my separation? 

    Verses that call God our Abba, or Father, have been an enormous challenge for me to understand and accept.

    I have wrestled for years with how God can be “One God,” for everyone, angry and loving, forgiving and punishing, reachable, yet above and beyond us all. 

    But it wasn’t until a recent “live” revival streaming session that I realized I should give my current view of God so much more contemplation – and that led me to todays verse, to ask these questions: “Be Still?” “Do I Understand Him?”

    Do I Understand Him?

    While I might dare to believe we would all like to say we know and understand God fully, from how He works to why things happen the way they do, I do not think nor do I believe that “understanding God” is even remotely possible. 

    It is possible to know and have an intimate, close, and personal relationship with Jesus Christ.

    This is why Jesus came and died for us, so we could partake in this personal relationship with Him.

    That’s the core essence of the gospel message.

    However, God never expected us to try and figure out all His ways. 

    Isaiah 55:8-9 notes, “For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways, declares the Lord. For as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways and my thoughts than your thoughts” (Isaiah 55:8-9, ESV). 

    1 Corinthians 2:15-16 furthers this point when it says:

    “The spiritual person judges all things, but is himself to be judged by no one. “For who has understood the mind of the Lord so as to instruct him?” But we have the mind of Christ” (ESV). 

    While we can obtain a mind like Christ’s, in purity, hope, and love, this does not mean that we will know and understand all that He does.

    He is still God, and we are not.

    He is still all-powerful, and we are not.

    His ways are not our ways, and that is for a reason.

    Should We Know It All?

    When I was younger, and far more naïve than I am right now, I used to believe that if I knew “everything that would happen to me”, my life would be better.

    If I always knew exactly what God wanted me to do, where He wanted me to go, and what He was doing, my life would be easier.

    I look back now over the course of the last 43 years and I can only laugh. 

    As an anxious person, not only would I find all of this information to be rather overwhelming and paralyzing, but I’m confident that if I indeed “knew it all,”

    two things would happen:

    one, I would not rely on God to get through them,

    two, I would try to convince Him, like Moses or Jonah, that I was never ever going to be the right person for whatever task He “dared” called me into. 

    In Jonah 1, beginning in verse 1, Jonah runs from God because of his fears.

    God calls him to a high-caliber task, but Jonah doesn’t feel up for the journey.

    Even later, when he runs back to God, he becomes angry at God for His grace, the same grace that was given to him earlier in the chapter. 

    Countless people in the Bible tried to understand God.

    From Abraham, to Moses to Aaron, Job, and David and all the biblical writers.

    But if I’ve learned anything from their interactions, it’s that God cannot be entirely understood, and while we can have a close fellowship with Him, He will still be above and beyond anything we could fully comprehend here on earth.

    What Have I Learned About How I View God?

    So what have I learned about how I view God?

    I have learned that while God is a loving Father figure.

    He is also so much more than I will ever be able to grasp. 

    He is unpredictable. 

    He is unlikely. 

    He moves in ways we’d think He would and ways we wouldn’t. 

    He is a quiet, still whisper but also a mighty and powerful storm.

    He’s an oxymoron to those who don’t believe in Him and a mystery to those who do.

    Today, I am learning that I have many more years of learning to go.

    I will not understand Him entirely, but I’m choosing every day to grow closer to Him through prayer, reading the Bible, studying, meditating, and experiencing Him as I live – and something tells me that it’s okay-This is a life-long process.

    How I view God is still growing.

    I anticipate your view of God is growing as well.

    I want to know Him as a Father.

    I want you the reader to know Him as a Father.

    I’ve known Him as a Friend.

    I want you the reader to know Him as a Friend.

    And I want to know and view Him for all that He is.

    And I want you the reader to know and view Him for all that He is.

    Even if it takes the maxed our entirety of a thousand lifetimes to experience:

    “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 AMP]

    The predicted and the unpredicted. 

    The known and the unknown.

    However He is, that’s how I want to know and view Him.

    Why ever He is, that is how I want to know and view Him.

    Whenever He is, that is how I want to know and view Him.

    Where ever He is, that is how I want to know and view Him.

    Perhaps, you the reader, from wherever you are, will join in the joy?

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

    Let us Pray,

    Lord God Almighty, we rejoice that you are with us. Teach us to be still so that increasingly we can experience your presence in our lives through your Holy Spirit within. Father, I praise You that Your Word stands fast for ever and ever and that Your precious promises encourage me to rest in Your love and drink deeply from the Rock of my salvation. Draw near to every member of Christ’s Body and protect Your people Israel against the increasing roar of the nations. I pray for the salvation of the lost and for Your soon return, when Your name be exalted throughout all the earth and the nations will KNOW that You are God. I ask in the name of my Savior Jesus.

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    20/20 Hindsight. The “Right Ways” and The “Wrong Ways,” All the “Ways” that Seem So Right to Us. Proverbs 14:11-13

    Proverbs 14:11-13 The Message

    11 Lives of careless wrongdoing are run-down shacks;
        holy living builds soaring cathedrals.

    12-13 There’s a way of life that looks harmless enough;
        look again—it leads straight to hell.
    Sure, those people appear to be having a good time,
        but all that laughter will end in heartbreak.

    The Word of God for the Children of God.

    Adeste Fidelis. Venite Adoremus. Dominum.

    Gloria. In Excelsis Deo. Alleluia, Alleluia, Alleluia, Amen.

    Reflections: 20/20 Hindsight and Run Down Cabins in the Woods

    Many of us have had moments when we have looked back on a past decision and wondered, “How did I ever think that was a good idea?”

    Yet at the time, that decision or choice probably seemed right to us.

    There’s a reason why people say, “Hindsight is 20/20.”

    This means that you and I can often see a situation more clearly (as with 20/20 vision) after it has passed and you have had time to learn and also lament from some of the choices or lack of choices you have or have not made.

    Our own ability to see clearly in the present moment is limited.

    And what appears to be a right decision or right thinking in the moment can sometimes do more harm than good.

    There is a reason why people also seriously lament that “Hindsight is 20/20.”

    Paint a portrait “Hindsight is 20/20” for your living room wall might look strikingly, an infinity mirrored vision of one man looking at his own back.

    illustration of man reflecting himself in the mirror, loop surreal concept

    9-13 But in the end, does it really make a difference what anyone does? I’ve had a good look at what God has given us to do—busywork, mostly. True, God made everything beautiful in itself and in its time—but he’s left us in the dark, so we can never know what God is up to, whether he’s coming or going. I’ve decided that there’s nothing better to do than go ahead and have a good time and get the most we can out of life. That’s it—eat, drink, and make the most of your job. It’s God’s gift. [Ecclesiastes 3:11-13 Message]

    Solomon was a wise son who paid attention to his father, David.

    He also sought to be a wise father by sharing his wisdom with his own sons and compiling his own set of righteous guidelines and the learned sayings of others, into a compendium, then, today, and tomorrow, is called the Book of Proverbs.

    He did this to encourage his own children towards righteous living.

    Reverence for the Lord our God and trust in His Word is the foundation upon which true wisdom is based and we in the Church age have discovered that in our Savior Christ Jesus are hidden all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge.

    Living and Learning from our wise and foolish choices in life are of a true and lasting benefit and these ‘Proverbs of Solomon’ are an amazing collection of maxims for profitable living – ancient learning from the wisest of the wise.

    They cover an extraordinarily wide range of subject matter which can surely help the reader to prevent foolish behaviour and ungodly decisions in areas like relationships and friendships, laboring, working, finances, and a fruitful life.

    This not only pleases God and demonstrates faith in His Word, but gives every day measured advice on peaceful living while avoiding troublesome situations.

    Like much of the book of the Proverbs, Chapter 14 is written in couplets which contrast wise and foolish behaviour.

    We read a wise woman builds her home, but the foolish woman tears it down; the one who walks in uprightness fears God, while the devious despises Him.

    This chapter also compares and contrasts a trustworthy witness with a false one, bitterness with joy, also foolish and wise attitude towards sin, and the inevitable destruction of wicked men with the upright man, who will flourish.

    In this verse the couplet has a poignant twist, demonstrating the truly chilling consequences of self-deception.

    It explains that a bad decision… which may seem to be a good and wise choice from a human perspective, will in fact result in disaster.

    “There is a way which seems right to a man, but its end is the way of death.”

    The collection of people in this proverb are deluded and devoid of true wisdom and understanding, which comes from God alone.

    By falsely judging a situation to be beneficial, they find that the thing which appeared so enticing and which they thought was so right, had the opposite effect and only brought them to disaster. 

    This saying is a ‘stand-alone’ truth that is applicable to every man, but in order to discover the godly way to go, the correct choices to make, the true path that leads to life and light, peace and hope… the entire book of Proverbs needs to be seriously taken into account for it records every aspect of living a godly life.

    Perhaps the key to the entire book of Proverbs, upon which all every piece of good advice is founded, is the truth Solomon taught his son in chapter 3,

    Proverbs 3:5-8 English Standard Version

    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 straight your paths.
    7 Be not wise in your own eyes;
        fear the Lord, and turn away from evil.
    8 It will be healing to your flesh[a]
        and refreshment[b] to your bones.

    Guidance for godly and ungodly living can be found throughout these Proverbs and it is attributed to lifelong observations of Solomon – the wisest of the wise by God’s gift [1 Kings 3:5-15] but also the very pinnacle of fools [1 Kings 11:1-4]

    Illustration of man, face hidden, looking down at the end of his life’s surreal path

    Jesus also spoke to the interested, disinterested, about 20/20 hindsight …

    20/20 Examining Our Faith and How We Choose to Look at Things

    Matthew 6:25-34 New King James Version

    Do Not Worry

    25 “Therefore I say to you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat or what you will drink; nor about your body, what you will put on. Is not life more than food and the body more than clothing? 26 Look at the birds of the air, for they neither sow nor reap nor gather into barns; yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not of more value than they? 27 Which of you by worrying can add one [a]cubit to his [b] stature?

    28 “So why do you worry about clothing? Consider the lilies of the field, how they grow: they neither toil nor spin; 29 and yet I say to you that even Solomon in all his glory was not [c]arrayed like one of these. 30 Now if God so clothes the grass of the field, which today is, and tomorrow is thrown into the oven, will He not much more clothe you, O you of little faith?

    31 “Therefore do not worry, saying, ‘What shall we eat?’ or ‘What shall we drink?’ or ‘What shall we wear?’ 32 For after all these things the Gentiles seek. For your heavenly Father knows that you need all these things. 33 But seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness, and all these things shall be added to you. 34 Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about its own things. Sufficient for the day is its own trouble.

    Six years ago, in the atrium of our church one Sunday, I noticed one of our senior members standing quietly.

    Her face wasn’t happy, but it was welcoming. I understood the look of tiredness and concern he showed.

    Her husband of 63 years had just recently passed away from Lung Cancer.

    She told me her 60 year old son was battling several serious health issues.

    At 88 years of age, it was obvious that her own health was not robust.

    And yet he was there, at church among the worshipers.

    I reached out to shake her hand and asked, “How are you doing?”

    Her less-than-enthusiastic response: “Okay, I guess.”

    After a pause she stated bluntly, “I don’t care about anything anymore.”

    Caught by Surprise, I asked, “Nothing?”

    She shifted a bit and then said, “There was a time when I liked boats and cars and lots of things.

    I got excited about them.

    They kept our family together, gave our lives genuine meaning,

    But they don’t mean anything to me anymore.”

    I began to understand.

    Material things no longer grabbed her attention.

    Desire for stuff no longer preoccupied her.

    As her husband suffered for so long with cancer, lost his ability to relate to others, and as he increasingly depended on others to care for his every need, she had grown to know the wearing and weary­ing effects of caring for him.

    That she had to sometimes also care for her ailing son at the same time,

    Her outlooks and perspectives on life had drastically changed.

    Things decreased in importance, and relationships—with God, with family, with church—became her priority.

    This sister was learning more deeply the meaning of seeking first the kingdom of God and his righteousness and her quiet strength was truly heartwarming.

    That at any age we should come to such a time in life where we are able to sit down long enough with ourselves and our Savior Jesus and seriously converse.

    20/20 Hindsight … All Those Choices that Seemed Right to Us

    Jesus warned his disciples that following him would not be easy or even look like a good idea at times.

    He spoke about the costs of being his disciple, but he also promised that his way leads to life.

    He said, “Enter through the narrow gate. For wide is the gate and broad is the road that leads to destruction, and many enter through it. But small is the gate and narrow the road that leads to life, and only a few find it” (Matthew 7:13-14).

    In other words, there will be many right and wrong choices that appear to be right (even religiously) and seem more attractive than the way of Jesus, but in the end they will bring grief and misery and destruction, poverty and despair.

    We cannot just stop living life, making choices and making decisions simply because we fear for the future – we first line up all our infinite regrets in a row.

    A spiritually stagnant Christian …

    A steadfastly immovable, ice cold, immobile, spiritually stagnant Christian …

    A steadfastly immovable, ice cold, immobile, spiritually stagnant Church …

    Struggling mightily to rediscover their first choice, and how and why and where and when all salvation came by grace alone through faith alone in Christ alone, for there is no other name given among men whereby we must each be saved…  

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

    Let us Pray,

    Heavenly Father, thank You for my great salvation in Christ and that in Him is found all wisdom and knowledge. Thank You for the many principles and precepts that are so helpful and encouraging in the book of Proverbs. I pray that throughout my life, I would Come to more wisely apply its wise concepts and trust in You in all things, and not seek to choose to do anything according to my own limited understanding. Give me discernment I pray, keep me from all forms of self-delusion and self-deception. May I never be foolish enough to journey along the paths that may seem right to me but ends in destruction. Thank You that You have promised to guide my steps and may my ear be ever open to Your direction. This I ask in Jesus’ name, AMEN.

    Adeste Fidelis. Venite Adoremus. Dominum.

    Gloria. In Excelsis Deo. Alleluia, Alleluia, Alleluia, Amen.

    One Possible Choice When Choosing Your Source for Help In Daily Living

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    Lenten Preparation for Repentance: When Our Defenses Crumble, Where Will We Run to take Refuge? Psalm 11

    Psalm 11 Amplified Bible

    The Lord a Refuge and Defense.

    To the Chief Musician. A Psalm of David.

    11 In the Lord I take refuge [and put my trust];
    How can you say to me, “Flee like a bird to your mountain;
    2 
    For look, the wicked are bending the bow;
    They take aim with their arrow on the string
    To shoot [by stealth] in darkness at the upright in heart.
    3 
    “If the foundations [of a godly society] are destroyed,
    What can the righteous do?”

    4 
    The Lord is in His holy temple; the Lord’s throne is in heaven.
    His eyes see, His eyelids test the children of men.
    5 
    The Lord tests the righteous and the wicked,
    And His soul hates the [malevolent] one who loves violence.
    6 
    Upon the wicked (godless) He will rain coals of fire;
    Fire and [a]brimstone and a dreadful scorching wind will be the portion of their cup [of doom].
    7 
    For the Lord is [absolutely] righteous, He loves righteousness (virtue, morality, justice);
    The upright shall see His face.

    The Word of God for the Children of God.

    Adeste Fidelis. Venite Adoremus. Dominum.

    Gloria. In Excelsis Deo. Alleluia, Alleluia, Alleluia, Amen.

    What does it mean to ‘rend the heart,’ and not just the clothing?

    Much more than simply giving a whole array of apologies for bad behaviour.

    David the Psalmist is urging the people to remember God’s covenant promises.

    It’s easy to make outward shows of penitence without reaching inward to the heart.

    David calls for the same depth of repentance which Jesus calls for.

    To that end, as we once again prepare ourselves for tomorrow, Ash Wednesday for me to reminds each of us that Lent is so very much more than simply a time apologize for our “weaknesses” so just to ‘get my life back on track,’ as it were.

    Lent is a time of focusing what ought to be our habit of seeing the heart anyway.

    Above all, Lent reminds us of the character of God, which we all too easily lose sight of when we stray from those habits of the heart: forgiving and gracious, merciful and compassionate, slow to anger and abounding in steadfast love.

    But, once we commit ourselves to the works of God, the Father, Son and Holy Spirit, once we send our hearts into engaging with the sword of God’s Word,

    It is promised by the Lord that changes and transformations will take place.

    When those changes and transformations start and God is getting under our skins, into our souls, there is no stopping God from achieving His desired ends.

    It is only a matter of choosing our desired response – run to self or run to God.

    Build our own Castles, taking safe refuge in our own self defense mechanisms, or as the Prophet Isaiah predicted would one day have to happen to humanity;

    Isaiah 2:2-5Amplified Bible

    2 
    Now it will come to pass that
    In the last days
    The mountain of the house of the Lord
    Will be [firmly] established as the [a]highest of the mountains,
    And will be exalted above the hills;
    And all the nations will stream to it.
    3 
    And many peoples shall come and say,
    “Come, let us go up to the mountain of the Lord,
    To the house (temple) of the God of Jacob;
    That He may teach us His ways
    And that we may walk in His paths.”
    For the law will go out from Zion
    And the word of the Lord from Jerusalem.
    4 
    And He will judge between the nations,
    And will mediate [disputes] for many peoples;
    And they will beat their swords into plowshares and their spears into pruning hooks.
    Nation will not lift up the sword against nation,
    And never again will they learn war.

    5 
    O house of Jacob, come, let us walk in the light of the Lord.

    In our hearts an in our souls …

    The Mountain of the Lord is firmly established as the Highest Mountain.

    When the people say … come, let us go up to the Mountain of the Lord,

    To the House of the God of Jacob;

    That He may teach us His ways …

    That we may walk in His paths…”

    Then the Revival of our Hearts and our Souls may truly have their re-birth.

    O’ House of Jacob …

    O’ Body of Christ …

    O’ Child of God …

    COME …

    Choose This Day Where You Should Run For Refuge

    11 In the Lord I take refuge [and put my trust];
    How can you say to me, “Flee like a bird to your mountain;     [Psalm 11:1]

    When it comes to degrees and measures of crises in our life, it is not a matter of whether they will come but when and then just how hardcore they will be.

    When they do arrive in whatever capacity and catastrophe, our response will be to flee to a safe refuge— a safe haven somewhere or something or someone we implicitly trust will keep us safe and protect us from all the pounding storms.

    So the question then will not be whether we will flee but where we will flee to.

    Some of us will take the advice of David’s friends in Psalm 11.

    These advisors urged him to “flee like a bird to your mountain.”

    Difficulty had come for David, seemingly in the form of threats to his life, with wicked people preparing to aim their arrows at him (Psalm 11:2).

    The counsel he received was essentially to head for the hills, to get away, to go somewhere that removed him from adversity as fast as he could if not faster.

    David did not heed this advice.

    But what about you?

    But what about me?

    While you and I likely will never face armed foes threatening you with violence, and for those whose lives intersected with combat zones, crisis will come to you someday, in one form or another, in some measure and some degree or another.

    It could be social pressure, peer pressure, to compromise biblical convictions, an unwanted diagnosis, or intense relational or financial or an personal strife.

    Where will you flee?

    Where will I flee?

    Will we too head for the hills, finding some form of escapism, be it an effort at numbing yourself with endless media consumption or abusing a substance, or throwing yourself into hyperdrive, frenetic activity in another part of your life?

    Or will you and I be able to say with David, “In the LORD I take refuge”?

    David had seen God deliver him from bears, lions, and a Philistine giant.

    The Lord had more than sufficiently proven Himself to be a trustworthy refuge, and David remembered those moments and took that to heart, relying on God.

    David knew the Lord was a mighty refuge; that had been borne out again and again in his life – his trust in God was grounded and rooted deep in experience, making it sturdy enough to withstand life’s darkness and the Evil One’s darts.

    Have your eyes been opened to God’s trustworthiness?

    Have you trusted Him in response?

    If you are a Christian, remember that your new life began by taking refuge in the Lord Jesus Christ.

    Once, you were facing the wrath of an eternal God, with no hope to be found.

    The only hope you had was to cast yourself on God’s mercy and embrace the salvation offered in Christ, and so you fled to Him and found eternal refuge.

    God desires for you and me to seek refuge in Him not only at the beginning of the journey but until Christ returns or calls us home, and not only for eternal salvation but in the measures and degrees of storms of this concourse of life.

    Trouble will come—and when it does, you can either head for the hills or you can lift up your eyes beyond the hills and to the Lord “who made heaven and earth” (Psalm 121:2), facing the crisis with 100% confidence and, yes, even joy.

    100% Trust, Confidence and yes, even Joy … in God, the Father.

    100% Trust, Confidence and yes, even Joy … in God, the Son.

    100% Trust, Confidence and yes, even Joy … in God, the Holy Spirit.

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

    Let us Pray,

    Lord God Almighty, shaper and ruler of all creatures, we pray for your great mercy, that you guide us towards you, for we cannot find our way. And guide us to your will, to the need of our soul, for we cannot do it ourselves. And make our mind steadfast in your will and aware of our soul’s need. Pray, Lord, to shield us against our foes, seen and unseen. Teach us to do your will, that we may inwardly love you before all things with a pure mind. For you alone are our maker and our redeemer, our help, our very best friend, comfort, our trust, our hope; praise and glory be to you now and forever.

    Adeste Fidelis. Venite Adoremus. Dominum.

    Gloria. In Excelsis Deo. Alleluia, Alleluia, Alleluia, Amen.

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