Romans 15:4 "For whatever was written in earlier times was written for our instruction, so that through perseverance and the encouragement of the Scriptures we might have hope."
9 After this manner therefore pray ye: Our Father which art in heaven, Hallowed be thy name. 10 Thy kingdom come. Thy will be done in earth, as it is in heaven. 11 Give us this day our daily bread. 12 And forgive us our debts, as we forgive our debtors. 13 And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil: For thine is the kingdom, and the power, and the glory, for ever. Amen. 14 For if ye forgive men their trespasses, your heavenly Father will also forgive you: 15 but if ye forgive not men of their trespasses, neither will your Father forgive your trespasses.
Word of God for the Children of God
Glory be to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Ghost; as it was in the beginning, is now, and ever shall be, world without end. Amen, amen.
Foundational biblical truths found in The Peace Prayer of St. Francis of Assisi: Lord, Make Me an Instrument of Your Peace.
Lord, make me an instrument of Your peace.
Where there is hatred, let me sow love;
where there is injury, pardon;
where there is doubt, faith;
where there is despair, hope;
where there is darkness, light;
and where there is sadness, joy.
O, Divine Master,
grant that I may not so much seek
to be consoled as to console;
to be understood as to understand;
to be loved as to love;
for it is in giving that we receive;
it is in pardoning that we are pardoned;
and it is in dying that we are born to eternal life.
Today we are going to look at: Where there is injury, pardon.
Have you ever been injured by someone?
Have you ever caused injury to someone?
Injury:
Words spoken. Failed relationships. Life circumstances – minimal to horrific.
Injury is everywhere. In the church, in the world. At work. In marriages. In families. It is very easy to take offense and to cause offense. We don’t easily let go of our offenses. We keep that someone in jail so to speak. The incident locked tight in our heart. Injury is common, pardoning is not.
Here are a few common responses when we have been injured.
Where there is injury let me – have at it.
Where there is injury, let me pardon and then let them pay.
Where there is injury, let me major on the minors.
Where there is injury, let me always have the last word.
Where there is injury, let me always be right.
Knowing that these responses are not very Jesus – like:
What does Jesus have to say about this?
Matthew 6: 9-15
“This, then, is how you should pray: “ ‘Our Father in heaven, hallowed be your name, 10) your kingdom come, your will be done on earth as it is in heaven. 11) Give us today our daily bread. 12) Forgive us our debts, as we also have forgiven our debtors. 13) And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from the evil one.’ 14) For if you forgive men when they sin against you, your heavenly Father will also forgive you. 15) But if you do not forgive men their sins, your Father will not forgive your sins.
Sobering stuff.
We are asking in this prayer for Jesus to pardon us just as much as we choose to pardon those who have injured us. No more. No less.
For us it is about settling accounts.
Being right.
For Jesus it is about pardoning.
Being reconciled.
Matthew 18: 21-22“Then Peter came to Jesus and asked, ‘Lord, how many times shall I forgive my brother when he sins against me? Up to seven times? Jesus answered, ‘I tell you, not seven times, but seventy-seven times.’
Seventy-seven means times without number.
No limit how many times we are to pardon, forgive those who have injured us.
It is clear that Jesus means business.
There is no wiggle room when it comes to pardoning.
The cool part about that challenge is that Jesus didn’t just tell us to do it but He modeled it for us.
The ultimate act of forgiveness was going to the cross for all of us.
The ultimate pardon.
When He hung on the cross, He said, “Father forgive them, for they do not know what they are doing. Luke 23:34
Is it more important to you to be right than to reconcile?
Is it more important to you to hold onto your grudges and injuries than it is to be pardoning?
To hold on to your offenses rather than pardon?
To hold that person in the jail of your heart?
Not far from dying, in a condition of unspeakable sufferings, we have Jesus’ spoken words about pardoning as well as His model, yet as we stand here today with our injuries and the memories of injuries that we have afflicted on others.
We may end up looking like the elder son in the Prodigal story.
Let’s look at the Rembrandt painting “The Return of the Prodigal Son.”
Let’s put a face on this.
The elder son was angry, cold hearted, unforgiving. He was one that kept his heart locked tight. Kept his younger brother locked in the jail of his hard heart.
We don’t know what happened to the elder son. Scary.
He would rather be right in his own thinking, to hang on to his offenses than trying to welcome home and forgive his brother.
BEING RIGHT VS. BEING RECONCILED.
Remember: Forgive us our sins as we forgive those who have sinned against us.
We are asking for Jesus to pardon us just as much as we are willing to pardon all those who have injured us.
“Search us, Help us Lord to stop settling accounts, stop holding our offenders prisoners in our jails and to pardon out of obedience to You and Your word.”
PRAYER: “Lord, show us where we are hanging on at all costs as if our very lives would utterly crumble to being right and are unwilling to be reconciling.” “Show us areas where we have been injured and have chosen to carry the grudge until…that person comes to us and apologizes.” “Show us where we have now hardened our hearts to receive forgiveness from You, there by passing up the attempts of the Father to love up on us.”
Our Kingdom Living for What Purpose? God’s Kingdom to Come ….
Matthew 6:9-10 Authorized (King James) Version
9 After this manner therefore pray ye: Our Father which art in heaven, Hallowed be thy name. 10 Thy kingdom come. Thy will be done in earth, as it is in heaven.
From simple to complex, most of us face many, many choices each day.
What clothes will I wear?
What will I have for breakfast?
What route will I take to work?
What do I need at the store?
Which projects, which tasks will I focus on?
There is one choice, however, far more important than all the others:
Which kingdom will I serve?
How will I spend my money, time; on what efforts—the kingdom of God or the kingdom or domain or country or community or family that I am dwelling in?
Jesus teaches us to pray, “Father . . . your kingdom come.”
As we pray these words, we are making a true commitment to living God’s way.
“Your kingdom come” means, first of all,
“Rule over me! Master my soul. Make me a loyal citizen of your kingdom.”
It means,
“Lord, rule in my whole life, master me such a way my deepest desire is to walk only with you. May your principles and ways be the only air that I breathe.”
“Your kingdom come” also means God’s Kingdom alone.
“Help me to see your kingdom advance in the people around me—my family, friends, classmates, coworkers, and neighbors, to foster a love and a depth of integrity, truth and highest respect for thy kingdom, living in them as well.”
This also means seeing churches, High Schools, institutions and organizations align with the principles of God’s kingdom. And as the Lord’s kingdom comes, any forces that dare to revolt against him will be overwhelmed and shattered.
11 “For this commandment which I command you today is [a]not too mysterious for you, nor is it far off. 12 It is not in heaven, that you should say, ‘Who will ascend into heaven for us and bring it to us, that we may hear it and do it?’ 13 Nor is it beyond the sea, that you should say, ‘Who will go over the sea for us and bring it to us, that we may hear it and do it?’ 14 But the word is very near you, in your mouth and in your heart, that you may do it.
15 “See, I have set before you today life and good, death and evil, 16 in that I command you today to love the Lord your God, to walk in His ways, keep His commandments, His statutes, and His judgments, that you may live and multiply; and the Lord your God will bless you in the land which you go to possess. 17 But if your heart turns away so that you do not hear, and are drawn away, and worship other gods and serve them, 18 I announce to you today that you shall surely perish; you shall not prolong your days in the land which you cross over the Jordan to go in and possess. 19 I call heaven and earth as witnesses today against you, that I have set before you life and death, blessing and cursing; therefore choose life, that both you, your descendants may live; 20 that you may love the Lord your God, that you may obey His voice, and that you may cling to Him, for He is your life and the length of your days; and that you may dwell in the land which the Lord swore to your fathers, to Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, to give them.”
Word of God for the Children of God
Glory be to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Ghost; as it was in the beginning, is now, and ever shall be, world without end. Amen, amen.
When I first became a Christian, I decided I would somehow find a way to live in two different worlds.
I was planning to hang out with my old friends and still be a Christian.
For a time, I felt as though I were in a state of suspended animation.
I wasn’t comfortable with my old buddies, but I wasn’t quite comfortable with the Christians, either.
So, I decided to be Mr. Solo Christian.
I even said to my friends,
“Don’t worry about me. You’re thinking that I’ll become a fanatic and carry a Bible, spontaneously say, ‘Praise the Lord.’ It will never happen. I’m going to be cool about this. I won’t embarrass you, but I’m going to believe in God now.”
However, as God became more real to me, I began to follow Him more closely, He changed my life and my outlook. As a result, my priorities began to change.
Without exception, on our Christian journey, we’ll find that there are always going to be people who will impede, discourage us, from growing spiritually.
They’ll say things like,
“I think it’s truly wonderful that you’re a Christian. I go to church too—but only at Christmas and Easter and for weddings. But you’re getting a little too fanatical. You brought a Bible to work the other day. That’s going a little too far. We were both so embarrassed. You’re no fun anymore. We are glad you’ve made changes in your life, but we’re afraid that you’re going to become too extreme.”
When we’re confronted with people like this, we have the choice of either to do what God wants us to do or to go with the flow of their lukewarm commitment.
We’ll find that there are biblical consequences for each option.
Deuteronomy 30:19
“Today I have given you the choice between life and death, between blessings and curses. Now I call on heaven and earth to witness the choice you make. Oh, that you would choose life, so that you and your descendants might live!” Choosing life includes choosing people who encourage you to live the life God offers.
Luke 18:9-14 New American Standard Bible
The Pharisee and the Tax Collector
9 Now He also told this parable to some people who trusted in themselves that they were righteous, and viewed others with contempt: 10 “Two men went up into the [a] temple to pray, one a Pharisee and the other a tax collector. 11 The Pharisee stood and began praying this in regard to himself: ‘God, I thank You that I am not like other people: swindlers, crooked, adulterers, or even like this tax collector. 12 I fast twice a week; I pay tithes of all that I get.’ 13 But the tax collector, standing some distance away, was even unwilling to raise his eyes toward heaven, but was beating his chest, saying, ‘God, be [b]merciful to me, the sinner!’ 14 I tell you, this man went to his house justified rather than the other one; for everyone who exalts himself will be humbled, but the one who humbles himself will be exalted.”
Which Would We Despise, Be Discouraged By Today?
Tax collectors were despised for two reasons.
They are traitors because they collected taxes for the oppressive Roman Empire.
And they knowingly overcharged their fellow Jews and kept the extra money for themselves.
Because of these sins against God’s people, tax collectors were considered unclean. So it’s a surprise that in his parable Jesus speaks of a tax collector observed, set apart, praying at the temple, where he wouldn’t be welcome.
The Pharisees, however, worked hard to be pure and spotless, to be able to say, with
Psalm 26:4-5, “I do not sit with the deceitful … I … refuse to sit with the wicked.”
If any of the Jews were righteous, it was the Pharisees.
But Jesus says the tax collector in this story was justified—and not the Pharisee.
That surely shocked his first listeners!
Today, however, we may have to avoid a similar pitfall.
We might tend to despise the Pharisee and treat the tax collector as a hero.
But that would be a mistake.
We have to be careful not to be like the Pharisee, the one who despises others, even as we see that he’s a hypocrite.
Jesus’ judgment in this parable raises the question of how our assessment of people squares with God’s assessment.
If we judge people as less than ourselves—whether Pharisee or tax collector—we are in serious danger of excluding ourselves from God. It’s that serious.
The apostle Paul’s instructions in 1 Thessalonians 5:11 are clear:
“So encourage each other and build each other up, just as you are already doing.”
The believers who take those instructions to heart are the ones we should be surrounding ourselves with.
The Christian life is a challenge.
The people who recognize that and offer words of comfort, wisdom, and encouragement along the way are extremely valuable resources. They counteract the negativity and discouragement that others throw our way.
Why are we going to let people hold us back?
Why are we going to let people discourage us from wholehearted commitment to Jesus Christ?
Reflection question:
Where can we find encouragement and support in our walks with Christ?
Jesus Chooses Life for Us
Deuteronomy 30:15-20 Complete Jewish Bible
(RY: iv, LY: vii)15 “Look! I am presenting you today with, on the one hand, life and good; and on the other, death and evil — 16 in that I am ordering you today to love Adonai your God, to follow his ways, to obey his mitzvot, regulations and rulings ; for if you do, you will live and increase your numbers; and Adonai your God will bless you in the land you are entering in order to take possession of it. 17 But if your heart turns away, if you refuse to listen, if you are drawn away to prostrate yourselves before other gods and serve them; (LY: Maftir)18 I am announcing to you today that you will certainly perish; you will not live long in the land you are crossing the Yarden to enter and possess.
19 “I call on heaven and earth to witness against you today that I have presented you with life and death, the blessing and the curse. Therefore, choose life, so that you will live, you and your descendants, 20 loving Adonai your God, paying attention to what he says and clinging to him — for that is the purpose of your life! On this depends the length of time you will live in the land Adonai swore he would give to your ancestors Avraham, Yitz’chak and Ya‘akov.”
In Deuteronomy, Moses is giving his farewell speech to God’s people Israel.
So he tells the Israelites straight up: “You can go one of two ways—the way of blessings and life, or the way of curses and death. Choose life!”
The choice seems rather simple and obvious, right?
I can’t imagine people saying, “Well, I’ll choose curses and death.”
But some do.
Some people reject or ignore the choice that God gives them.
The same thing happens today.
People reject or ignore the choice to follow Christ.
In Moses’ day, God laid the choice in front of Israel in terms of a “covenant.”
That was a pact between God and his people—a pledge of fidelity on both sides.
God promised to be faithful to his people, and the people were summoned to reciprocate.
They needed to be faithful to God.
They needed to keep the terms of the covenant.
Those terms made up the law, summarized in the Ten Commandments:
do not worship or serve other gods; do not harm your neighbor; and so on.
Yet no human could keep the terms of that covenant perfectly—till Jesus came.
John 3:16-21 Complete Jewish Bible
16 “For God so loved the world that he gave his only and unique Son, so that everyone who trusts in him may have eternal life, instead of being utterly destroyed. 17 For God did not send the Son into the world to judge the world, but rather so that through him, the world might be saved. 18 Those who trust in him are not judged; those who do not trust have been judged already, in that they have not trusted in the one who is God’s only and unique Son.
19 “Now this is the judgment: the light has come into the world, but people loved the darkness rather than the light. Why? Because their actions were wicked. 20 For everyone who does evil things hates the light and avoids it, so that his actions won’t be exposed. 21 But everyone who does what is true comes to the light, so that all may see that his actions are accomplished through God.”
Jesus is, will be, the only human who kept every stipulation of the covenant.
And he not only chose life for himself but, once and for all time, also made it available to all who would choose life in him.
Thanks to Jesus, we have blessings and life!
In summation ….
In the name of God, the Father the Son and the Holy Spirit …..
Praying …..
Psalm 40 Complete Jewish Bible
40 (0) For the leader. A psalm of David:
2 (1) I waited patiently for Adonai, till he turned toward me and heard my cry. 3 (2) He brought me up from the roaring pit, up from the muddy ooze, and set my feet on a rock, making my footing firm. 4 (3) He put a new song in my mouth, a song of praise to our God. Many will look on in awe and put their trust in Adonai.
5 (4) How blessed the man who trusts in Adonai and does not look to the arrogant or to those who rely on things that are false.
6 (5) How much you have done, Adonai my God! Your wonders and your thoughts toward us — none can compare with you! I would proclaim them, I would speak about them; but there’s too much to tell!
7 (6) Sacrifices and grain offerings you don’t want; burnt offerings and sin offerings you don’t demand. Instead, you have given me open ears; 8 (7) so then I said, “Here I am! I’m coming! In the scroll of a book it is written about me. 9 (8) Doing your will, my God, is my joy; your Torah is in my inmost being. 10 (9) I have proclaimed what is right in the great assembly; I did not restrain my lips, Adonai, as you know. 11 (10) I did not hide your righteousness in my heart but declared your faithfulness and salvation; I did not conceal your grace and truth from the great assembly.”
12 (11) Adonai, don’t withhold your mercy from me. Let your grace and truth preserve me always. 13 (12) For numberless evils surround me; my iniquities engulf me — I can’t even see; there are more of them than hairs on my head, so that my courage fails me. 14 (13) Be pleased, Adonai, to rescue me! Adonai, hurry and help me! 15 (14) May those who seek to sweep me away be disgraced and humiliated together. May those who take pleasure in doing me harm be turned back and put to confusion. 16 (15) May those who jeer at me, “Aha! Aha!” be aghast because of their shame.
17 (16) But may all those who seek you be glad and take joy in you. May those who love your salvation say always, “Adonai is great and glorious!”
18 (17) But I am poor and needy; may Adonai think of me. You are my helper and rescuer; my God, don’t delay!
Glory be to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Ghost; as it was in the beginning, is now, and ever shall be, world without end. Amen, amen.
1 Thessalonians 5:12-18 New American Standard Bible
Christian Conduct
12 But we ask you, brothers and sisters, to recognize those who diligently labor among you and [a]are in leadership over you in the Lord, and give you [b] instruction, 13 and that you regard them very highly in love because of their work. Live in peace with one another. 14 We urge you, brothers and sisters, admonish the [c]unruly, encourage the fainthearted, help the weak, be patient with everyone. 15 See that no one repays another with evil for evil, but always seek what is good for one another and for all people.
16 Rejoice always, 17 pray without ceasing, 18 in everything give thanks; for this is the will of God for you in Christ Jesus.
Word of God for the Children of God
Glory be to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Ghost; as it was in the beginning, is now, and ever shall be, world without end. Amen, amen.
1 Thessalonians 1:2-5 New American Standard Bible
2 We always give thanks to God for all of you, making mention of you in our prayers; 3 constantly keeping in mind your work of faith and labor of love and [a] perseverance of hope [b]in our Lord Jesus Christ in the presence of our God and Father, 4 knowing, brothers and sisters, beloved by God, His choice of you; 5 for our gospel did not come to you in word only, but also in power and in the Holy Spirit and with full conviction; just as you know what kind of men we proved to be among you for your sakes.
1 Thessalonians 2:14-16 New American Standard Bible
14 For you, brothers and sisters, became imitators of the churches of God in Christ Jesus that are in Judea, for you also endured the same sufferings at the hands of your own countrymen, even as they did from the Jews, 15 who both killed the Lord Jesus and the prophets, and [a]drove us out. [b]They are not pleasing to God, [c]but hostile to all people, 16 hindering us from speaking to the Gentiles so that they may be saved; with the result that they always[d]reach the limit of their sins. But wrath has come upon them [e]fully.
1 Thessalonians 3:1-8 New American Standard Bible
Encouragement of Timothy’s Visit
3 Therefore, when we could no longer endure it, we thought it best to be left behind, alone at Athens, 2 and we sent Timothy, our brother and God’s fellow worker in the gospel of Christ, to strengthen and encourage you for the benefit of your faith, 3 so that no one would be [a]disturbed by these afflictions. For you yourselves know that we have been destined for this. 4 For even when we were with you, we kept telling you in advance that we were going to suffer affliction; [b]and so it happened, [c]as you know. 5 For this reason, when I could no longer endure it, I also sent to [d] find out about your faith, for fear that the tempter might have tempted you, and our labor would be for nothing.
6 But now that Timothy has come to us from you, and has brought us good news of your faith and love, and that you always think kindly of us, longing to see us just as we also long to see you, 7 for this reason, brothers and sisters, in all our distress and affliction we were comforted about you through your faith; 8 for now we really live, if you stand firm in the Lord.
1 Thessalonians 4:13-18 New American Standard Bible
Those Who Died in Christ
13 But we do not want you to be uninformed, brothers and sisters, about those who [a]are asleep, so that you will not grieve as indeed the rest of mankind do, who have no hope. 14 For if we believe that Jesus died and rose from the dead, so also God will bring with Him those who have fallen asleep [b]through Jesus. 15 For we say this to you by the word of the Lord, that we who are alive [c]and remain until the coming of the Lord will not precede those who have fallen asleep. 16 For the Lord Himself will descend from heaven with a [d]shout, with the voice of the archangel and with the trumpet of God, and the dead in Christ will rise first. 17 Then we who are alive, who remain, will be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air, and so we will always be with the Lord. 18 Therefore, [e]comfort one another with these words.
1 Thessalonians 5:15-18 New American Standard Bible
15 See that no one repays another with evil for evil, but always seek what is good for one another and for all people. 16 Rejoice always,17 pray without ceasing, 18 in everything give thanks; for this is the will of God for you in Christ Jesus.
What message was Paul trying so hard to convey to the Thessalonian church he planted with his constant repetition and implications, of the word “always?”
First Question … What does always from 1 Thessalonians 5:12-18 mean?
Paul says that we must always seek after that which is good for them.
This word “always” tells us that we cannot pick and choose when or to whom we will do this. It doesn’t distinguish from who did or did not commit an evil act against you. It doesn’t depend on how many times they did it. It doesn’t depend on how much it hurt or how much it may have blessed, healed or rewarded you.
Do you ever think the Bible’s commands seem impossibly all-encompassing?
Paul’s first letter to the Thessalonians is chock-full of such directives:
“Rejoice always” (1 Thessalonians 5:16).
“Pray without ceasing” (v 17).
Sometimes verses like these seem to raise far more rhetorical questions than provide authentic true biblical answers for.
A bit of detail or a few caveats couldn’t hurt, could they?
And what about the command in verse 15? “Seek to do good.”
For whom? “Everyone.”
When? “Always.” That’s a whole lot of good to a whole lot of people for a whole lot of applied effort, a whole lot of sacrifices of time and material resources!
But perhaps instead of thinking of a command like this as impossibly general, a better way to think of it is that it is abundantly generous.
We have a God who gives and gives and keeps on giving.
No matter how many times we fail Him, He still meets us with both guidance, inspiration, kindness and sometimes fatherly discipline (Hebrews 12:4-11).
Along with Paul, we should ask ourselves,
“What do you have that you did not receive?” (1 Corinthians 4:7).
The answer, of course, is absolutely nothing. It is simply in God’s nature and disposition to overflow with kindness, mercy, and grace—and as His children, we should be always, continually, learning to imitate Him as best we can.
We all have bad days, of course.
Inevitably, we will displease, or even hurt, someone at some point.
But what if we went through today or tomorrow with the aim of always seeking to do good to everyone?
What do you think would change?
How would others respond?
Perhaps instead of seeing others as obstacles or roadblocks, we’d see them more as men and women with dignity, who are worthy of love and respect?
Or perhaps instead of us treating some people like enemies, we would begin to try to understand their positions and even genuinely begin to appreciate them.
Whatever the specific situations we encounter, God has placed us in this world for good.
It is our privilege and our good pleasure to share His always abundant kindness and His always abundant goodness with anyone and everyone we possibly can.
Gratitude in Community
1 Thessalonians 5:12-18 The Message
The Way He Wants You to Live
12-13 And now, friends, we ask you to honor those leaders who work so hard for you, who have been given the responsibility of urging and guiding you along in your obedience. Overwhelm them with appreciation and love!
13-15 Get along among yourselves, each of you doing your part. Our counsel is that you warn the freeloaders to get a move on. Gently encourage the stragglers, and reach out for the exhausted, pulling them to their feet. Be patient with each person, attentive to individual needs. And be careful that when you get on each other’s nerves you don’t snap at each other. Look for the best in each other, and always do your best to bring it out.
16-18 Be cheerful no matter what; pray all the time; thank God no matter what happens. This is the way God wants you who belong to Christ Jesus to live.
One of the most gratifying experiences in life, I believe, is to see all of Christ’s followers living as Christ’s followers.
I often get glimpses when I visit a person who is sick and I see the many cards they have received, about a meal someone brought the night before, learn that another church member will be bringing them to an appointment the next day.
I get glimpses when I see Christ’s followers teaching Sunday school, sharing their resources with people in need, leading Bible studies in prisons, serving meals to people who are struggling to pay for their next meals for themselves or homeless, or working toward justice and peace in our world. I could go on.
As Paul describes the way we should live and serve and be the church together, I feel both challenged and thankful and regretful I didn’t try harder to help them.
I’m challenged in realizing that living for Jesus is hard work. Perhaps the Lord’s hardest instruction is to live peacefully together and to always strive to do good to others, including, those with whom we deeply disagree. (Matthew 5:38-48)
It must be why Paul calls us to always remember our rootedness in Christ.
Jeremiah 17:8 New American Standard Bible
8 For he will be like a tree planted by the water That extends its roots by a stream, And does not fear when the heat comes; But its leaves will be green, And it will not be anxious in a year of drought, Nor cease to yield fruit.
like a tree planted by the water That extends its roots by a stream, always rejoice and always pray and always be thankful, always and continually to honor God.
To be clear, ‘continually’ isn’t about skipping through life with our head buried in the ground or so haughty that we can smell and taste and touch the clouds.
It’s about remembering, in all we do, the sacrificial love and grace we’ve been shown in Christ.
Carrying gratitude around with us daily, as Christ carried his Cross, helps to shape our testimony and our witness of Christ’s true saving love to the world.
In the name of God, the Father the Son and the Holy Spirit ……
Praying ….
The Excellency of Brotherly Unity.
A Song of Ascents, of David.
133 Behold, how good and how pleasant it is For brothers to live together in unity! 2 It is like the precious oil on the head, Running down upon the beard, As on Aaron’s beard, The oil which ran down upon the edge of his robes. 3 It is like the dew of Hermon Coming down upon the mountains of Zion; For the Lord commanded the blessing there—life forever.
Glory be to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Ghost; as it was in the beginning, is now, and ever shall be, world without end. Amen, amen.
Psalm 119:73-80 New Revised Standard Version Updated Edition
73 Your hands have made and fashioned me; give me understanding that I may learn your commandments. 74 Those who fear you shall see me and rejoice, because I have hoped in your word. 75 I know, O Lord, that your judgments are right and that in faithfulness you have humbled me. 76 Let your steadfast love become my comfort according to your promise to your servant. 77 Let your mercy come to me, that I may live, for your law is my delight. 78 Let the arrogant be put to shame, for they have subverted me with guile; as for me, I will meditate on your precepts. 79 Let those who fear you turn to me, so that they may know your decrees. 80 May my heart be blameless in your statutes, so that I may not be put to shame.
Word of God for the Children of God
Glory be to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Ghost; as it was in the beginning, is now, and ever shall be, world without end. Amen, amen.
How Much More Knowledge Shall We Receive From the Lord?
God knows us so well that he knows the best way to teach us what he wants us to know. Let’s celebrate when we learn the lesson, believe the promise, obey the command or trust in faith. We are all learning how to selflessly follow our Lord.
Which verse or passage in the Bible – or maybe it’s an entire book – do you find too difficult to understand? What parts of the Bible do you feel you have to wade through every word trying figure out exactly what’s being said?
The reality is that there are some things that our human minds simply cannot grasp – such as the true grandeur of heaven – until we pass from this life and into eternity and we are able to see things as God sees them.
But the Bible is God’s letter to us and his instructions for how to live. He wants us to understand it.
The good news is that because God is the one that created us, he understands the limitations of our understanding.
So when we get frustrated with trying to understand something in the Bible, we can first remember God is our creator and already knows we are struggling.
The same God that fashioned and created us with His own hands, paying attention to every minute little detail even to the point of every human being having different fingerprints, is the same God who understands our weaknesses and frailties.
But God did not leave us alone to figure things out.
At the moment we became a Christian, the Holy Spirit moved in and took up residence within us.
Part of the job of the Holy Spirit is to help us understand the Bible.
In Psalm 119:73, the psalmist is asking God to give him understanding so he could learn God’s commandments.
In essence, saying, “God you are the one you made me, now help me understand.”
Any time we open God’s Word, we should begin with a prayer before reading the first word – a prayer asking the Holy Spirit to help us understand.
1 John 2:27 says, “The anointing you received from Him remains in you, and you don’t need anyone to teach you. Instead, His anointing teaches you about all things and is true and is not a lie; just as He has taught you, remain in Him.”
1 Corinthians 2:10 “Now God has revealed these things to us by the Spirit, for the Spirit searches everything, even the depths of God.”
So when you are having a difficult time understanding the Bible, stop where you are and ask the Holy Spirit to help you.
Another element to understanding God’s Word is that we must have a heart that is willing to do whatever God is saying to us.
We don’t just read it so we can check the box on our daily Bible reading plan.
We should be reading with the expectation that God will reveal something new to us – whether that is something about His character, the way He expects us to live as His children, or He uses His Word to convict us of sin.
Whatever He reveals, the purpose is to make us more and more like Christ and to grow us as Christians as He prepares us to do His will.
James 1:22“Be doers of the word and not hearers only.”
John 7:17 says, “If anyone wants to do His will, he will understand whether the teaching is from God or if I am speaking on My own.”
So be sure you are willing to do whatever God might reveal to you as you are asking the Holy Spirit to help you understand.
We also have to be willing to give up our own ideas.
In Isaiah 53:6, we find that “we have all turned to our own way.”
We can’t take a single verse out of the Bible and make it say what we want it to say to fit what we want to do.
Proverbs 16:25 teaches, “There is a way that seems right to a man, but its end is the way to death.”
Satan is called the “deceiver” in the Bible.
From the very beginning of the Bible we find Satan deceiving Eve and he continues to deceive all the way through to Revelation.
2 Corinthians 11:14 says, “And no wonder, for Satan himself masquerades as an angel of light.”
And in Revelation 12:9, the Bible tells us what will happen to Satan:
“The great dragon was hurled down – that ancient serpent called the devil, or Satan, who leads the whole world astray.”
Satan knows that because you have been saved, that you do not belong to him.
But if he can insert a spike strip in your roadway, and trip you up so you don’t understand the Bible, then you may not live the abundant, victorious life God intends for you or perhaps it will keep you from winning someone else to Christ.
He wants to deceive us so we do not have a good understanding of the Bible.
Rather than bringing our own creative clever ideas to the table when we open God’s Word, we should initially have a desire, a passion, to understand God’s Word His way, digging into the context and depend on Him to reveal it to us.
If we expect to truly understand God’s Word, we can’t just sit down and read it – we have to study it.
You might say, I go to church on Sunday and listen to the preacher and I’m part of a small group too.
But how do you know if what they are teaching is Biblical truth if you are not studying it for yourself?
2 Timothy 2:15 teaches, “Study to show thyself approved unto God, a workman that needeth not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of the truth.”
If you want to truly understand the Bible, you have to study it in depth so that you can understand it accurately.
Don’t just depend on your pastor to do the study work.
Study it for yourself!
As we are studying God’s Word, we need to compare spiritual things with spiritual (1 Corinthians 2:13).
In other words we use the Bible to interpret the Bible.
Let’s say you wanted to put a complex puzzle together or a modeled car.
With all the pieces lying around you, how do you know what the finished product is supposed to look like?
You look at the picture on the box.
Studying God’s Word is much like that.
When we come to a part we don’t understand we need to take the main topic of what we are studying, search the entire Bible for everything it has to say about that topic.
There are many online helps for this.
One of the easiest ways to see verses all on a single topic is go to openbible.info.
The search bar will say, “What does the Bible say about” and you type in the topic. The website will pull up all the verses that pertain to that topic.
You can then begin to study each verse in it’s own scriptural context. We can then get a full picture about what God has to say on the topic you are studying.
Sometimes, we just need a sounding board too so we can process the thoughts that are revealed as we study.
So we can maybe make an appointment with our pastors or another Godly saint more spiritually mature than us and talk with them about what we are studying.
God can use these people to help us connect all the dots so we can understand what He is saying to us. Again, we should not just rely on their understanding.
We have to do our own study work.
We need to follow the teaching in Proverbs 3:5-6,
“Trust in the Lord with all thine heart; and lean not unto thine own understanding. In all thy ways acknowledge him and he shall direct thy paths.
Understanding God’s Word requires us to trust God with all that we are, to set aside our own biased and faulty thinking as we acknowledge God and His truth. Then he alone will direct our paths and bring the understanding He wants to reveal to us.
Lastly, remember God’s Word is “living and active, and sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing even to the dividing asunder of soul and spirit, and of the joints and marrow, and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart.”
Because it is living, each time we come to study it, we can learn something new from it.
Never think nor believe you will reach the maximum point of understanding the entirety of God’s Word.
As we live and move through life and face different problems or seasons of life, God will assuredly reveal to us just what we need for that moment – then in the next moment, He will certainly show us something new to ponder and reflect.
So, if you find yourself praying like the psalmist, “Give me understanding” remember:
Remember that God’s Word is living and active.
We can never stop studying His Word for each time we study it, he will reveal something new.
God is our creator, He understands all of the limitations of our human minds.
God didn’t leave us on our own to figure it out – He gave us the Holy Spirit to guide us into truth.
We must have the heart to do His will as He reveals His truth to us.
We must be willing to give up our ideas, trade them for understanding it God’s way
We must be willing to study it – in depth – not just read it and we need to study it for ourselves rather than only depend on what someone else is saying.
When trying to understand God’s Word we must compare spiritual things with spiritual by leaning hard into what the entire Bible has to say on a topic rather than a single verse.
We can discuss what we are studying with spiritually mature Christians who can help us process our thoughts – but not to depend on them to give us the answer.
We can utilize Bible study tools to help guide our study, but they should never replace the hard work of study or work of the Holy Spirit in our lives and they should not be our sole source of truth – only God can be our source of truth.
We need walk ourselves to that place from which to trust God to bring us to the understanding He wants for us rather than leaning on our own understanding.
in the name of God, the Father and God the Son and God the Holy Spirit …
Praying …
Psalm 119:105-112 The Message
105-112 By your words I can see where I’m going; they throw a beam of light on my dark path. I’ve committed myself and I’ll never turn back from living by your righteous order. Everything’s falling apart on me, God; put me together again with your Word. Adorn me with your finest sayings, God; teach me your holy rules. My life is as close as my own hands, but I don’t forget what you have revealed. The wicked do their best to throw me off track, but I don’t swerve an inch from your course. I inherited your book on living; it’s mine forever— what a gift! And how happy it makes me! I concentrate on doing exactly what you say— I always have and always will.
* * *
Glory be to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Ghost; as it was in the beginning, is now, and ever shall be, world without end. Amen, amen.
23 And when they[a] were released, they went to their own people and reported all that the chief priests and the elders had said to them. 24 And when they[b] heard it, [c] they lifted their voices with one mind to God and said, “Master, you are the one who made the heaven and the earth and the sea and all the things in them, 25 the one who said by the Holy Spirit through the mouth of our father David, your servant,
‘Why do the nations[d] rage, and the peoples conspire in vain? 26 The kings of the earth stood opposed, and the rulers assembled together at the same place, against the Lord and against his Christ.’[e]
27 For in truth both Herod and Pontius Pilate, together with the Gentiles and the peoples of Israel, assembled together in this city against your holy servant Jesus whom you anointed, 28 to do all that your hand and plan[f] had predestined to take place. 29 And now, Lord, concern yourself with their threats and grant your slaves to speak your message with all boldness, 30 as you extend your hand to heal and signs and wonders are performed through the name of your holy servant Jesus.” 31 And when[g] they had prayed, the place in which they were gathered was shaken, and they were all filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak[h] the word[i] of God with boldness.
Word of God for the Children of God.
Glory be to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Ghost; as it was in the beginning, is now, and ever shall be, world without end. Amen, amen.
Danger and threats come against people in many different ways. It can be from other people threatening someone or it can be just natural disasters occurring.
When a person’s life, a person’s life of faith and service is being threatened, people run to others scared; and race into hiding out of fear (1 Kings 19:1-8.)
Having the boldness to face (fight or flight) the mounting gravity of the danger is something that many people do not have.
Fear of dying or going against something larger and stronger, and experienced, than them overcomes their ability to face it.
Luke records in Acts 4:23-31 that when the church was being threatened with persecution, the people prayed to God to address the threats being presented and to give His people more boldness to be able to continue to speak His Word.
With the many threats of the religious rulers lingering over them, Peter and John return to their church family and report what has just happened. And in response to these threats, the community of believers prays together to God.
I am always struck by what they did not pray.
They did not ask God to bring destruction on the religious leaders.
They did not ask God to take them out of their time of trouble.
Instead, they prayed that God would consider the threats against them and enable them to speak with much more boldness. That prayer was specifically answered as the Holy Spirit filled them and the place they were in was shaken.
How could the believers come to pray such a prayer?
The prayer itself gives us the insight that they looked not just to the moment but also surveyed the history of God’s people.
They knew the promises and prophecies of God.
They placed their current situation within the setting of Scripture.
For us, that would be like having the Bible’s teachings in mind as we sift through the daily news.
What’s more, at the beginning of their prayer, the believers put all of their troubles and threats in perspective under the umbrella of God’s sovereignty.
They knew that God was still in control.
What they prayed was they would be able to keep being inspired, empowered, witnesses to the Sovereign Lord, who was still at work in the world he so loved.
The world hates God and anyone who has anything to do with Him. As a result, the world will do what it can to persecute believers in any way possible.
They want to stop all believers from spreading the truth about Jesus.
Inside the church, many people are praying and seeking God for many things.
Most common things being sought for are healing and provision in different ways for self and others.
Some will also pray for God to remove those who are evil and persecuting believers.
While all these types of prayers are good, very seldom do believers pray for boldness in the face of evil.
God has a plan for every believer to be His witness to this fallen world. No one can come to the Lord if no one is willing to speak the truth with boldness.
During times of trouble and hardship, the first thing believers should seek is for God to give them boldness to be His witness.
As one testifies for God, He will be able to do mighty miracles and touch the hearts of the lost.
Trouble is guaranteed to come your way, sometimes as a threat, other times just as difficulties. Facing all of those troubles can be scary and intimidating.
In a world where truth is often vigorously challenged and compromise feels easier, standing for hardcore true and iron clad biblical values requires courage, clarity, and deep reliance on the Holy Spirit.
Just like the early church, we are called to speak His truth—not arrogantly, but boldly and graciously (2 Timothy 2:14-19, 2 Timothy 3:10-17, Hebrews 4:12).
This devotional offers a prayer for those who want to be faithful in word and witness—unafraid to represent Christ in their homes, communities, culture.
Lord God, Thank You for the truth of Your Word that never changes. In a time when biblical truth is often opposed or misunderstood, I ask for boldness to stand for biblical values with both conviction and compassion. Help me not to be silent when I should speak. Let my words reflect Your wisdom and my actions reflect Your grace. When fear rises, remind me that I am not alone—
Your Spirit empowers and goes before me. Teach me to speak the truth in love. To hold fast to righteousness without becoming self-righteous. To represent You well in how I live, love, and lead.
Let me be like those in Acts 4:29 who prayed for boldness—not comfort—when faced with resistance. May my life point others directly to Jesus and stand firm in the foundation of Scripture. In Your mighty name, Amen.
Seek God’s boldness to stand up to those troubles and speak His Word. Jesus has already overcome the world and you have His strength to do the same. You have something the world will never have, the promise of salvation and eternal life.
In the name of God, the Father and God the Son and God the Holy Spirit …
84 How lovely are your dwelling places, O Yahweh of hosts! 2 My soul longs and even fails for the courtyards of Yahweh. My heart and flesh sing for joy to the living God. 3 Even a bird finds a home, and a swallow a nest for herself, where she may lay her young, near your altars, O Yahweh of hosts, my king and my God. 4 Blessed are those who dwell in your house;[b] they can ever praise you. Selah 5 Blessed is the man whose strength is in you; in their heart are the highways to Zion. 6 Passing through the Valley of Baca,[c] they make it a spring. The early rain covers it with blessings[d] as well. 7 They go from strength to strength, until each appears before God in Zion.[e] 8 O Yahweh, God of hosts, hear my prayer; give ear, O God of Jacob. Selah 9 Look at our shield, O God, and have regard for the face of your anointed one. 10 Because better is a day in your courtyards than a thousand elsewhere. I would rather be at the threshold of the house[f] of my God than to dwell in the tents of wickedness. 11 Because Yahweh God is a sun and a shield; Yahweh gives grace and honor. He does not withhold good from those who walk blamelessly. 12 O Yahweh of hosts, blessed is the man who trusts you.
Glory be to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Ghost; as it was in the beginning, is now, and ever shall be, world without end. Amen, amen.
17 O God, you have taught me from my youth, and up to now I have proclaimed your wonderful deeds. 18 And even when I am old and gray, O God, do not abandon me until I proclaim your strength[a] to this generation, your power to every one that comes after. 19 And your righteousness, O God, is to the height of heaven. You who have done great things, O God, who is like you? 20 You who have caused me[b] to see many troubles and evils, you will again revive me.[c] And from the depths of the earth you will again bring me up. 21 You will increase my greatness, and you will comfort me all around.[d] 22 On my part, I will praise you with a stringed instrument, and your faithfulness, O my God. I will sing praises to you with a lyre, O Holy One of Israel. 23 My lips will sing for joy when I sing praises to you, and my soul, which you have redeemed. 24 My tongue also will speak of your righteousness all the day, because they have been put to shame, because they have been humiliated who seek my harm.
Word of God for the Children of God
Glory be to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Ghost; as it was in the beginning, is now, and ever shall be, world without end. Amen, amen.
As you grow older, you may get tired more often than you used to.
Maybe your schedule is less busy than before because you’ve retired and your children are grown. It can be easy to feel like your best days are behind you.
But the truth is, every day of life that God gives you is valuable and full of potential.
Psalm 71:17-18 New Living Translation
17 O God, you have taught me from my earliest childhood, and I constantly tell others about the wonderful things you do. 18 Now that I am old and gray, do not abandon me, O God. Let me proclaim your power to this new generation, your mighty miracles to all who come after me.
WANTED: MATURE PEOPLE FOR YOUTH MINISTRY!
That’s the message contained in these verses.
The Psalmist exclaims God needs him for youth ministry even though he is an old and gray haired man.
The Psalmist reasons that a person of maturity who has known and benefited, blessed from God’s grace and mercy for a long time is the person best prepared to declare God’s power to the next generation.
It almost seems like the Psalmist is saying that youth ministry is the responsibility of the more mature.
But maybe you think you and your gray hairs are too old for youth ministry.
Now I don’t mean that you have to hold a position as a youth minister in a church.
What I mean is that God needs the older people to testify to the younger people about how God has worked in their lives.
However you choose to do it, God has assigned all us older people to tell the younger people about Jesus.
The younger people need the older people to pass on the message of how Jesus has changed their lives and older people need to be around the younger people to stay young at heart.
Proverbs 22:6 Amplified Bible
6 Train up a child in the way he should go [teaching him to seek God’s wisdom and will for his abilities and talents], Even when he is old he will not depart from it.
Maybe your youth ministry is telling your own children, your grandchildren, even your great grandchildren about Jesus. Or maybe your youth ministry is working in the nursery or children’s church or with the youth group at your local church or even teaching a Sunday School class for children or youth.
Whatever your youth ministry is and however the Holy Spirit leads guides and directs your steps, you absolutely should be proclaiming the wonderful works of God in your life to the incoming younger generations, to all those youth who are coming after you, because you are never too old to tell people about Jesus!
No matter how old you are, you can still make a positive, eternal impact through your choices.
God is not limited by age, nor are you when you walk with him!
Here are seven reminders that you’re never too old to make an eternal impact.
1. God is Not Finished with You Yet
It’s painful to feel forgotten or overlooked because you’re aging. But God will never forget or overlook you. God sees you, knows you, and is still working through you.
Isaiah 46:4, God says: “Even to your old age and gray hairs I am he, I am he who will sustain you. I have made you, and I will carry you.”
God’s purposes for you don’t expire with age.
He doesn’t stop loving or working with any of his children when they grow older.
Some of God’s most significant work can happen in the later chapters of your life.
There are still new lessons to learn, people to love, and ways to serve.
Each day you wake up is a gift and a calling from God.
So be encouraged you are still God’s beloved child, with important work to do.
Ask God daily to help you live into your purpose well, so you can keep shining your light as brightly as possible into the darkness of our fallen world.
Pray specifically about all the ways God wants you to keep loving and serving people, and keep moving forward as God leads you daily.
God is not finished with you yet.
Let every day be a brand new opportunity to walk with God in fresh ways and participate in God’s work, bringing hope to our world.
2. God Still Has Work for You To Do
You may easily assume that getting older means stepping aside from the most critical job in God’s kingdom, but the Bible tells a much different story. God often used older men and women to accomplish something significant. Moses was 80 + years old when God called him to lead the Israelites out of Egypt.
Exodus 7:7 reports: “Moses was eighty years old and Aaron eighty-three when they spoke to Pharaoh.”
Age didn’t disqualify them.
Participating in that vital meeting was part of God’s plan for them.
You may not be leading a nation, but you can lead others in powerful ways through prayer, Scriptural studies wisdom, and Godly encouragement.
Colossians 3:1-4 Amplified Bible
Put On the New Self
3 Therefore if you have been raised with Christ [to a new life, sharing in His resurrection from the dead], keep seeking the things that are above, where Christ is, seated at the right hand of God. 2 Set your mind and keep focused habitually on the things above [the heavenly things], not on things that are on the earth [which have only temporal value]. 3 For you died [to this world], and your [new, real] life is hidden with Christ in God. 4 When Christ, who is our life, [a]appears, then you also will appear with Him in glory.
You have decades and decades of invaluable life experience that younger people can learn from.
You know how to seek God in both good and bad times.
That kind of faith is valuable in a world that often moves too fast and tends to forget what truly matters. So, set your mind on what has eternal value and let that empower, and inspire you to do whatever work God is leading you to do.
Don’t underestimate the power of any small service projects you take on, or of any times you encourage younger believers as they work in God’s kingdom in their ways.
Philippians 1:6 points out that you can be confident: “… that he who began a good work in you will carry it on to completion until the day of Christ Jesus.”
Even if your physical strength has changed, your spiritual strength can grow stronger. You can still listen, support, study, teach, and pray. God still has work for you, and the world still needs the contributions that only you can make.
3. Your Wisdom Is a Gift to the Next Generation
One of the most powerful contributions you can make as an older Christian is sharing God’s wisdom and showing those younger people how to be lifelong learners. You have walked with God through all seasons, and that strong faith is invaluable to teach others how to trust God through different seasons in their own lives.
Titus 2:2-3 urges: “Teach the older men to be temperate, worthy of respect, self-controlled, and sound in faith, in love and in endurance. Likewise, teach the older women to be reverent in the way they live … to teach what is good.”
Your example can help younger believers live wisely by discovering and fulfilling God’s purposes for them day by day.
You know what it means to endure and trust God through years of change. Sharing stories of how God has worked in your life through the years may be the encouragement someone else needs.
Mentoring, teaching a Bible study, or simply listening and advising during conversations are other important ways to share your wisdom with others who can benefit from it.
Don’t worry that you have little to offer; you have plenty of wisdom gained through years of walking with Jesus. You can tell others lovingly about God in ways less experienced people can’t. You can also help younger believers learn how to pray and faithfully wait for God’s answers in all circumstances.
Psalm 92:14 says about righteous people: “They will still bear fruit in old age, they will stay fresh and green.”
Your life will still be fruitful when you share what God has done in your life.
Don’t keep that treasure to yourself!
Your experience holds lessons that younger generations need to hear.
4. Prayer Is a Powerful Ministry
You may not be able to do the same ministry work you did as a younger person, but you can always do something vitally important: pray. Prayer is one of the most powerful and far-reaching ways to serve God.
James 5:16 declares, “The prayer of a righteous person is powerful and effective.”
Through fervent meditation and prayer, you can make an eternal impact on people worldwide, and even across time. You can pray for your children, grandchildren, church, community, and others anywhere and anytime!
So, make prayer a high priority in your schedule every day.
Plan to pray regularly at certain times (such as when you start your day in the morning or end your day in the evening at bedtime), but also ponder praying spontaneously whenever a person or a topic crosses your mind. God wants you to pray about everything that concerns you.
Give it all to God and trust God to work in every situation you ask him to help.
Many older people in the Bible served God through prayer.
For example, Anna was an elderly widow who spent her days in the temple worshipping and praying.
Luke 2:37 says: “She never left the temple but worshiped night and day, fasting and praying.”
God honored her devotion and allowed her to meet the infant Jesus.
Your prayer life is compelling.
You can pray for countless important topics and those who need your prayer support.
You may never see all the results, but God will always answer your prayers.
Even when you feel unseen, God sees your heart and hears your prayers. You make a positive, eternal impact every time you speak with God through prayer.
5. Your Life Testifies to God’s Faithfulness
Living a long life with God is a powerful testimony.
Every wrinkle and gray hair you have speaks to your life experiences as a person in a long relationship with Jesus.
Psalm 71:18“Even when I am old and gray, do not forsake me, my God, till I declare your power to the next generation, your mighty acts to all who are to come.”
You may not always feel strong, but your life proves God keeps his promises.
When you tell others how God carried you through loss or change and met all your needs, you remind them of God’s character. People need to hear stories of lives lived with real authentic trust in God. You have those stories to share.
They‘re more powerful than any sermon because you live them out daily.
When you share your stories of how God has been faithful to you, you inspire people to keep trusting God in all the circumstances they’re going through in their own lives.
You become a living example of how our loving Heavenly Father helps his children with whatever we need.
Your faithful life shows others walking with God through the years is possible and worthwhile.
6. Encouragement Is a Lasting Gift
Encouraging someone in a conversation or through a note or phone call may seem simple, but it can significantly change someone’s life.
Hebrews 3:13 advises: “But encourage one another daily, as long as it is called ‘Today,’ so that sin’s deceitfulness may harden none of you.”
As someone who has seen life’s ups and downs, you deeply understand how much a kind word or action can encourage people.
When you encourage people, you remind them they are seen and loved.
You help them keep going.
You can encourage people in various ways, as God leads you.
You can share a Bible verse, listen without judgment, let people know you’re praying for them, help them with a practical need when they’re going through a crisis.
You can also encourage people by showing up and showing more interest in their lives.
People need to know they’re not alone.
Encouragement builds community and strengthens relationships between God’s beloved children.
You can be a part of that excellent work every day, no matter how old you are!
7. Your Legacy Can Point People to Jesus
Leaving a legacy involves passing on love, faith, and values to others after completing your earthly life.
Your Legacy Can Point People to Jesus.
Leaving a legacy involves passing on love, faith, and values to others after completing your earthly life.
Proverbs 13:22 “A good person leaves an inheritance for their children’s children.”
That inheritance is spiritual.
So, no matter how much money or material things you can give to others when you go to heaven, what matters most is what you leave for people spiritually.
Every act of kindness you do, every lesson you teach, and every prayer you pray adds to the legacy you leave.
You are building something that will outlast your earthly years.
So, do your best daily to live a good life, set a good example after you pass away.
Make choices to help future generations know Jesus better as they remember your life. It’s never too late to build a legacy.
If your life leads even one soul that much closer to Jesus, it will make an eternal impact!
Your age doesn’t have to limit you.
It can be a valuable platform to make an eternal impact in God’s kingdom.
You carry valuable life experience from walking with Jesus for many years, and younger people can benefit from what you share with them. So even when you feel tired or discouraged, trust that God is still working through you.
Keep doing all you can as you can to let your life inspire people and make an eternal difference for the better!
Proverbs 13:22 “A good person leaves an inheritance for their children’s children.”
In the name of God, the Father and God the Son and God the Holy Spirit,
Praying …
Psalm 71 International Children’s Bible
An Old Person’s Prayer
71 In you, Lord, is my protection. Never let me be ashamed. 2 Because you do what is right, save and rescue me. Listen to me and save me. 3 Be my place of safety where I can always come. Give the command to save me. You are my rock and my strong, walled city. 4 My God, save me from the power of the wicked. Save me from the hold of evil and cruel people. 5 Lord God, you are my hope. I have trusted you since I was young. 6 I have depended on you since I was born. You have been my help from the day I was born. I will always praise you.
7 I am an example to many people. You are my strong protection. 8 I am always praising you. All day long I honor you. 9 Do not reject me when I am old. Do not leave me when my strength is gone. 10 My enemies have made plans against me. They meet together to kill me. 11 They say, “God has left him. Go after him and take him. No one will save him.”
12 God, don’t be far off. My God, hurry to help me. 13 Let them be ashamed. Destroy those who accuse me. They are trying to hurt me. Cover them with shame and disgrace. 14 But I will always have hope. And I will praise you more and more. 15 I will tell about how you do what is right. I will tell about your salvation all day long, even though it is more than I can tell. 16 I will come and tell about your powerful works, Lord God. I will tell only about you and how you do what is right.
17 God, you have taught me since I was young. Even until today I tell about the miracles you do. 18 Even though I am old and gray, do not leave me, God. I will tell the children about your power. I will tell those who will live after me about your might.
19 God, your justice reaches to the skies. You have done great things. God, there is no one like you. 20 You have given me many troubles and bad times. But you will give me life again. When I am almost dead, you will keep me alive. 21 You will make me greater than ever. And you will comfort me again.
22 I will praise you with the harp. I trust you, my God. I will sing to you with the lyre. You are the Holy One of Israel. 23 I will shout for joy when I sing praises to you. You have saved me. 24 I will tell about your justice all day long. And those who want to hurt me will be ashamed and disgraced.
Glory be to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Ghost; as it was in the beginning, is now, and ever shall be, world without end. Amen, amen.
9-16 How can a young person live a clean life? By carefully reading the map of your Word. I’m single-minded in pursuit of you; don’t let me miss the road signs you’ve posted. I’ve banked your promises in the vault of my heart so I won’t sin myself bankrupt. Be blessed, God; train me in your ways of wise living. I’ll transfer to my lips all the counsel that comes from your mouth; I delight far more in what you tell me about living than in gathering a pile of riches. I ponder every morsel of wisdom from you, I attentively watch how you’ve done it. I relish everything you’ve told me of life, I won’t forget a word of it.
Word of God for the Children of God
Glory be to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Ghost; as it was in the beginning, is now, and ever shall be, world without end. Amen, amen.
As parents, hopefully, we are all concerned for our children’s spiritual growth.
I’m assuming you’ve read this far into this article because you want tangible ways to nurture this growth. The great news is that caring is half the battle.
You’ve cared enough to lay the foundation in their formidable years, but now, as your children enter their adolescence it’s time to pivot. Our children are now critical thinkers and questioning their worldviews.
They will have serious questions about faith, the world, culture, themselves.
It’s time to create a culture within our homes for conversation and even doubt.
In her book Saving Leonardo, Professor Nancy Pearcey references a Fuller Youth Institute study that backs the idea that when adolescents are given their space to wrestle with their doubts, it actually deepens and strengthens their faith.
Becoming a safe space to wrestle with doubts might sound scary to us as parents, but it turns out that our children really, desperately, need this.
So, how do we brave the waters of becoming a safe place for doubt without accidentally wading into deconstructionism?
What is the main idea of deconstructionism?
Deconstruction denotes the pursuing of the meaning of a text to the point of exposing the supposed contradictions and internal oppositions upon which it is founded, grounded—supposedly showing that those foundations are 100% irreducibly complex, unstable, or impossible.
What is the core concept of deconstruction?
It challenges the traditional notions of language, meaning, and truth by exposing the contradictions and inconsistencies within texts and ideas.
At its core, deconstruction argues that all texts and ideas are composed of a series of oppositions or binary pairs, such as good/evil, presence/absence, or male/female.
What do deconstructionists believe?
Essentially, deconstructionists think they can interpret the real meaning of Scripture using their finite, fleshly understanding. They deny the existence of absolute truth because they are filled with confusion, conflict, and doubt.
Deconstructionism argues that logical structures based on binaries, or binary pairs, are the bones of society and language.
What is an example of deconstructionism?
A binary consists of two concepts that are presented as being at odds with each other. Examples include life/death, mind/body, and masculine/feminine.
3 Ways to Help Your Children’s Faith Grow This Summer
Step One: Open Up Your Heart
If you are a parent, which I assume you are because you’re still reading this article, you have an opportunity to meet your child on their terms.
We’ve already discussed all the factors that adolescents are currently facing, but the reality is that we just don’t know what we don’t know.
We don’t know what young people today are internalizing.
We likely don’t know what it’s like to be challenged with worldviews antithetical to a Christian worldview.
We don’t know what it’s like to have LGBTQ+ literature in our middle school libraries (if your child is in public school), we don’t know what it’s like to have gender-neutral bathrooms in our school or to have to compete against trans-athletes or forfeit, and we don’t know what it’s like to our gender challenged by our own peers at such a critical time of physical and cognitive development.
Sure, we had our own challenges in our upbringing, but the challenges our children face are almost incomprehensible to us. Given these factors and more, our hearts must be incredibly tender towards our children and their friends.
Keeping a tender heart opens us up in empathy to pray over the intricate aspects of our children’s lives. It helps us orient ourselves towards prayer, not just for our children but for their friends, the other children in their schools—and by extension—families in our communities.
Step Two: Open Up Your Home
I’ll be completely transparent when I tell you that this part is hard for me. Opening up my home means that I’m inviting loud, messy, stinky and sometimes crude teenage boys into my home.
And when I say stinky, I really mean it. I love a clean house. I love order.
I really love quiet.
Becoming “the house” means that my house is going to get messy, disorderly, and very loud, but becoming “the house” also means that I get to walk out my Christian faith right in front of my children.
Through meals and conversation the gospel is shared.
My children observe that a life dedicated to Christ is a life lived in action.
We do not close ourselves off from the rest of the world, instead we dig in, get messy and become as inclusive as possible.
This summer, consider starting a prayer journal in which you record your prayers over your children and all of their friends.
Next, model this for your children.
Engage your children in prayer, praying with them, over them, and for their friends.
Modeling an active prayer life for your children may have a massive ripple effect.
Step Three: Open Up Your Head
Okay, so you’ve become “the house,” now what?
Now, you listen, serve, and attend to the needs of your children and their friends. You feed them, stay engaged, invite them (youth group or Bible study), and create an environment where your children and their friends can ask the hard questions.
This part may feel somewhat tedious, but creating a safe environment in which young people can ask questions about faith will be fundamental in their spiritual development.
Now, this part might make you feel nervous.
“What if I don’t have all the answers?”
“What if my own child stumps me?”
My 11-year-old grandson stumps me all the time, but I’m willing to engage in a conversation with him.
Sometimes the best response is, “I don’t know the answer, but I’d love to research and pursue that with you.”
The reality is that we don’t have to know it all, but Christian responsibility means being open to learning and wrestling.
Don’t be in a rush to answer questions; instead be humble and willing to grow alongside your children.
Who knows, their questions might actually drive you to a deeper faith.
Bonus Step: Open Up Your Wallet
In opening up my heart, home, and head, I quickly learned that a fourth step was necessary.
I had to open my wallet, because snacks and tacos are expensive.
Gas money for driving all the kids everywhere they want to go is expensive.
Engaging our children and facilitating spiritual growth will always come at a cost, and, more often than not, that cost is monetary.
Additionally, the cost can be our time, or our preferences when we make choices that benefit our children and their friends more than ourselves.
Scripture reminds us time and time again, walking in faith is costly, but hopefully, when it comes to our children’s spiritual growth, we count that cost as gain.
In the name of God, the Father and God the Son and God the Holy Spirit
Praying …
Psalm 19 New American Standard Bible
The Works and the Word of God.
For the music director. A Psalm of David.
19 The heavens tell of the glory of God; And their expanse declares the work of His hands. 2 Day to day pours forth speech, And night to night reveals knowledge. 3 There is no speech, nor are there words; Their voice is not heard. 4 Their [a]line has gone out into all the earth, And their words to the end of the world. In them He has placed a tent for the sun, 5 Which is like a groom coming out of his chamber; It rejoices like a strong person to run his course. 6 Its rising is from [b]one end of the heavens, And its circuit to the [c]other end of them; And there is nothing hidden from its heat.
7 The Law of the Lord is [d]perfect, restoring the soul; The testimony of the Lord is sure, making wise the simple. 8 The precepts of the Lord are right, rejoicing the heart; The commandment of the Lord is pure, enlightening the eyes. 9 The fear of the Lord is clean, enduring forever; The judgments of the Lord are true; they are righteous altogether. 10 They are more desirable than gold, yes, than much pure gold; Sweeter also than honey and drippings of the honeycomb. 11 Moreover, Your servant is warned by them; In keeping them there is great reward. 12 Who can discern his errors? Acquit me of hidden faults. 13 Also keep Your servant back from presumptuous sins; Let them not rule over me; Then I will be innocent, And I will be blameless of great wrongdoing. 14 May the words of my mouth and the meditation of my heart Be acceptable in Your sight, Lord, my rock and my Redeemer.
Glory be to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Ghost; as it was in the beginning, is now, and ever shall be, world without end. Amen, amen.
Psalm 17 New Revised Standard Version Updated Edition
Psalm 17
Prayer for Deliverance from Persecutors
A Prayer of David.
1 Hear a just cause, O Lord; attend to my cry; give ear to my prayer from lips free of deceit. 2 From you let my vindication come; let your eyes see the right.
3 If you try my heart, if you visit me by night, if you test me, you will find no wickedness in me; my mouth does not transgress. 4 As for what others do, by the word of your lips I have avoided the ways of the violent. 5 My steps have held fast to your paths; my feet have not slipped.
6 I call upon you, for you will answer me, O God; incline your ear to me; hear my words. 7 Wondrously show your steadfast love, O savior of those who seek refuge from their adversaries at your right hand.
8 Guard me as the apple of the eye; hide me in the shadow of your wings, 9 from the wicked who despoil me, my deadly enemies who surround me. 10 They close their hearts to pity; with their mouths they speak arrogantly. 11 They flush me out;[a] now they surround me; they set their eyes to cast me to the ground. 12 They are like a lion eager to tear, like a young lion lurking in ambush.
13 Rise up, O Lord, confront them, overthrow them! By your sword deliver my life from the wicked, 14 from mortals—by your hand, O Lord— from mortals whose portion in life is in this world. May their bellies be filled with what you have stored up for them; may their children have more than enough; may they leave something over to their little ones.
15 As for me, I shall behold your face in righteousness; when I awake I shall be satisfied, beholding your likeness.
Word of God for the Children of God
Glory be to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Ghost; as it was in the beginning, is now, and ever shall be, world without end. Amen, amen.
The world is filled with injustice.
Just turn on the news or scroll through social media.
It doesn’t take long to see all of the problems everyone faces.
Everyone is going through something, and most of it is unfair.
Even as Christians, we are not immune to times when people have deliberately acted unfairly towards us. The Bible says in the New Testament that we should sometimes expect to be mistreated because we believe in Jesus as Lord, Savior.
How do we trust God, whom we believe is all-powerful, when we face injustice?
Psalm 17 helps teach us how to trust God when we have been hurt by others.
David is the author of Psalm 17, and this chapter is described as a prayer of David. A brief look at David’s life poignantly paints a clear picture of injustice.
David was told he would be king by God, anointed by the prophet Samuel, and for a time loved by King Saul.
Throughout the first part of David’s life, Saul changed his view of David.
Saul began slandering, pursuing, and attacking David. In all this, David had every reason to doubt God’s hand in his life.
Yet in Psalm 17, we read a prayer from a man who obviously still trusted God.
In this psalm, we can see clearly that prayer is the key.
David doesn’t go to his friends, the people in charge, or even an army.
David was wronged, but he went directly to God.
Not only does David cry out to God, but he also calls on God to act.
How many of us hesitate to call out to God?
Maybe we struggle to believe that God is all-powerful.
If God were omnipotent, couldn’t he have stopped the injustice?
Or if he allowed it, doesn’t he have the power to make it right?
Maybe it is because we believe that God doesn’t care.
Do you think God hasn’t stepped in to make your situation fair because maybe God doesn’t love you?
We might be guilty of believing both things about God, but not David.
David’s prayer cuts right to the chase.
In verse 2, David says, “Let my vindication come from Your presence; Let Your eyes look on the things that are upright” (NKJV).
He is saying, “God, I know you care about me, and you know what they did was wrong, so do something!”
David recognized that vengeance would not come from himself, but God would make things right!
God would avenge the wrongs.
Only God has the power to do so, and David truly believed God loved him.
David also tells God that he hasn’t done anything wrong.
We quickly pray for forgiveness, forget that we are innocent in some situations.
Being treated unjustly means a wrong was done to us, without it being our fault.
It is not prideful to tell God, “I didn’t do anything wrong!”
God knows, of course, but reminding ourselves and saying it aloud to God helps to keep our hearts pure.
David must have examined his heart to be able to pray, and after doing so, he declared his innocence.
The rest of the psalm is focused on David declaring who God is and what God will do and has done.
This is so important when we pray!
It is easy to tell God, “This is what is wrong.”
We also like to tell God how we think He should punish the wicked people.
But David doesn’t focus on this.
Instead, David declares to God,
“You will hear me, you will save, you will keep me safe from my enemies.”
These are things that reflect God’s character and His actions.
Focusing our prayers on God’s character and His past and future actions helps us have peace in the present moment.
David tells God to punish those who have acted wickedly against him, but then David settles in his heart that, eventually,everything will be made right.
The last verse says, “As for me, I will see Your face in righteousness; I shall be satisfied when I awake in Your likeness.” (Psalm 17:15 NKJV)
Many scholars believe that David is talking about how everything will be made right when he dies.
Others think he is talking about simply going to sleep at night and waking up knowing God will take care of things.
Both can be true.
When we pass from this life to the next, God will make all things right.
All evil will be punished, and God will be the judge.
Although it is hard, and we want to judge or take matters into our own hands, we can trust God.
Ultimately, we can rest in the fact that God loves us and He will punish for us.
Intersecting Faith & Life:
David, in Psalm 17:6-7,
“I have called upon You, for You will hear me, O God; Incline Your ear to me, and hear my speech. Show Your marvelous lovingkindness by Your right hand, O You who save those who trust in You.”
Pray unto God today, pleading Him of your innocence and how you have been wronged. Call upon God to act and rest, knowing He will execute perfect justice.
When it comes to our hiding in God’s protective embrace, both CEOs and the homeless stand in the same line. Both the exalted and the lowly among all the earth’s people find refuge in the shadow of God’s wings (Psalm 36:7).
Psalm 36:7-9 The Message
7-9 How exquisite your love, O God! How eager we are to run under your wings, To eat our fill at the banquet you spread as you fill our tankards with Eden spring water. You’re a fountain of cascading light, and you open our eyes to light.
It doesn’t matter how isolated, or how lonely, or how afraid of emotions you might be: the Bible invites you to imagine God, in part, as the Lord who not only governs the universe but also shelters you with comforting, bird-like wings.
Isaiah 40:27-31 The Message
27-31 Why would you ever complain, O Jacob, or, whine, Israel, saying, “God has lost track of me. He doesn’t care what happens to me”? Don’t you know anything? Haven’t you been listening? God doesn’t come and go. God lasts. He’s Creator of all you can see or imagine. He doesn’t get tired out, doesn’t pause to catch his breath. And he knows everything, inside and out. He energizes those who get tired, gives fresh strength to dropouts. For even young people tire and drop out, young folk in their prime stumble and fall. But those who wait upon God get fresh strength. They spread their wings and soar like eagles, They run and don’t get tired, they walk and don’t lag behind.
This God not only covers and protects you but also watches and carry’s you too.
In the name of God, the Father and God the Son and God the Holy Spirit …
Praying …
Psalm 121 The Message
121 1-2 I look up to the mountains; does my strength come from mountains? No, my strength comes from God, who made heaven, and earth, and mountains.
3-4 He won’t let you stumble, your Guardian God won’t fall asleep. Not on your life! Israel’s Guardian will never doze or sleep.
5-6 God’s your Guardian, right at your side to protect you— Shielding you from sunstroke, sheltering you from moonstroke.
7-8 God guards you from every evil, he guards your very life. He guards you when you leave and when you return, he guards you now, he guards you always.
Glory be to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Ghost; as it was in the beginning, is now, and ever shall be, world without end. Amen, amen.
23-26 As soon as Peter and John were let go, they went to their friends and told them what the high priests and religious leaders had said. Hearing the report, they lifted their voices in a wonderful harmony in prayer: “Strong God, you made heaven and earth and sea and everything in them. By the Holy Spirit you spoke through the mouth of your servant and our father, David:
Why the big noise, nations? Why the mean plots, peoples? Earth’s leaders push for position, Potentates meet for summit talks, The God-deniers, the Messiah-defiers!
27-28 “For in fact they did meet—Herod and Pontius Pilate with nations and peoples, even Israel itself!—met in this very city to plot against your holy Son Jesus, the One you made Messiah, to carry out the plans you long ago set in motion.
29-30 “And now they’re at it again! Take care of their threats and give your servants fearless confidence in preaching your Message, as you stretch out your hand to us in healings and miracles and wonders done in the name of your holy servant Jesus.”
31 While they were praying, the place where they were meeting trembled and shook. They were all filled with the Holy Spirit and continued to speak God’s Word with fearless confidence.
Word of God for the Children of God
Glory be to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Ghost; as it was in the beginning, is now, and ever shall be, world without end. Amen, amen.
The apostles, Peter and John, were arrested for healing a man who was lame and giving credit to Jesus.
After spending a night in jail, they boldly claimed that the religious leaders who imprisoned them were murderers.
They tell the religious leaders to their face that Jesus, whom they crucified, is the fulfillment of God’s promises.
He is the Messiah who provides salvation. There is no other name by which we must be saved.
These statements were bold enough to offend the religious leaders, but they could not harm these apostles because they had just healed a man who was lame in front of the temple for the last forty years!
Peter and John went to their friends to let them know the details about what happened.
Imagine how you would feel after going through this.
Would you be excited to be set free?
Would you complain about how you were treated?
Notice that they don’t turn to their friends to complain.
They aren’t angry or rebellious.
They and their friends lift their voices together in praise and prayer unto God.
What do they say?
When it comes to our prayer life, sometimes we start off passionately praying only to end up with routine lifeless prayers or nothing at all.
I along with many others have experienced this.
The reasons we may have dull prayer lives are vast.
Maintaining fervency in prayer is often difficult to do every day, especially during a challenging season.
We may feel as though our words are insufficient and stop short of the ceiling: never making it to God’s ears.
At times, we might even feel like our prayers are ineffective because life’s situations seem to remain the same.
Although this is sometimes our reality it doesn’t have to stay this way.
Fervent prayer doesn’t rest on what we can do alone but it is impacted by the power of God.
When our prayer life seems powerless, we can ask God to make them powerful through the intervention of the Holy Spirit.
We see this in Acts chapter 3 and 4.
Peter healed a lame beggar and then he and John taught the people and also proclaimed in Jesus the resurrection of the dead.
This displeased the priest, captain of the temple guard and the Sadducees so they came up and seized Peter and John and put them in jail until the next day.
They threatened them but ultimately let them go because of the crowd.
Once they were released the immediate and collective response of the believers was prayer to God.
They acknowledged the sovereignty of God, the plots of mankind, and then asked the Lord to enable His servants to speak His word with great boldness.
At a time when they could have been fearful of what might happen to them they boldly prayed to God.
They did not shrink back.
These believers chose to pray more fervently in the midst of a dangerous time.
In Acts, 4:30 they said, “Stretch out your hand to heal and perform miraculous signs and wonders through the name of your holy servant Jesus.”
What does shaken mean in Acts 4:31?
The place was shaken – The word which is translated “was shaken” commonly denotes “violent agitation,” as the raging of the seas, the convulsions of an earthquake, or trees vigorously shaken by the wind, Matthew 11:7; Acts 16:26; Hebrews 12:26. The language here is suited to express the idea of an earthquake.
The believers moved forward, surged forward, indeed marched, courageously and in Acts 4:31 we see the whole place where they were meeting was shaken.
This illustrates the power of prayer in a physical way.
Our prayers have the power to shake the very hardest grounds of our heart and the circumstances of our lives.
Just like the early believers we must trust in God and not doubt.
We must make a conscious decision to pray bold prayers.
As we grow closer to God, He, by the power of His Holy Spirit, causes us to pray these types of prayers.
Our prayer life is not meant to solely focus on us and our problems.
It is meant to be a global battleground where we lay the foundation for God to work in and through us.
If our prayers have grown route and lifeless we can take our cues from the believers in Acts 4.
In doing so we also will acknowledge the sovereignty of God, man’s failed plots to stop the spread of the Gospel, to keep praying and asking the Holy Spirit to enable us to keep speaking the Word of the living God with a great boldness.
This will ensure our faith and our prayer life is anything but dull and boring. Choosing to pray this way might cause us to have the same type of hang-on-by-the-seat-of-your-pants adventures that the early believers experienced.
What is the significance of Acts 4 31?
The emphasis in Acts 4:31 is on “speaking” the Word.
This was the validation of being filled with the Holy Spirit.
I have emphasized this point previously; miracles and signs and wonders are not random. They are uniquely sacred opportunities given by God to either open the door for a verbal gospel witness or confirm the message and the messenger.
Why Should We Speak?
So often, we refuse to speak. Why?
Is it because we know that the world is going to reject it?
Do we think telling people the truth will destroy our relationship with them?
If we speak the truth in love, their rejection is their fault.
If we stay humble, they shouldn’t be proud.
They will be proud and reject the truth, but that’s not on you!
Please don’t feel guilty because people reject the truth.
Please do not be surprised by this or disheartened by this.
Look at the disciples.
They understand that this is to be expected.
But did you know that you will fail to reap if we refuse to spread seed?
Ecclesiastes (Spread your seed)
Luke (Cast your nets on the other side)
Romans (The power is in the gospel)
In Nehemiah, there was an excellent resistance to building the wall.
The greatest thing a church can have?
Are a few people who are persistently bullheaded about evangelism, like Nehemiah was bullheaded about building the wall.
We build anyway.
Conclusion
Acts 4:1-12 New American Standard Bible
Peter and John Arrested
4 As they were speaking to the people, the priests and the captain of the temple guard and the Sadducees came up to them, 2 being greatly disturbed because they were teaching the people and proclaiming [a]in Jesus the resurrection from the dead. 3 And they laid hands on them and put them in prison until the next day, for it was already evening. 4 But many of those who had heard the [b]message believed; and the number of the men came to be about five thousand.
5 On the next day, their rulers and elders and scribes were gathered together in Jerusalem; 6 and Annas the high priest was there, and Caiaphas, John, and Alexander, and all who were of high-priestly descent. 7 When they had placed them in the center, they began to inquire, “By what power, or in what name, have you done this?” 8 Then Peter, [c]filled with the Holy Spirit, said to them, “[d]Rulers and elders of the people, 9 if we are [e]on trial today for a benefit done to a sick man, as to [f]how this man has been made well, 10 let it be known to all of you and to all the people of Israel, that [g]by the name of Jesus Christ the Nazarene, whom you crucified, whom God raised from the dead—[h]by [i]this name this man stands here before you in good health. 11 [j]He is the stone which was rejected by you, the builders, but which became the chief cornerstone. 12 And there is salvation in no one else; for there is no other name under heaven that has been given among mankind by which we must be saved.”
Before we close, please understand and pray through these poignant Acts 4 scriptures that, ultimately God will accomplish his will through evil people.
Isaiah 55:8-11 New American Standard Bible
8 “For My thoughts are not your thoughts, Nor are your ways My ways,” declares the Lord. 9 “For as the heavens are higher than the earth, So are My ways higher than your ways And My thoughts than your thoughts. 10 For as the rain and the snow come down from heaven, And do not return there without watering the earth And making it produce and sprout, And providing seed to the sower and bread to the eater; 11 So will My word be which goes out of My mouth; It will not return to Me empty, Without accomplishing what I desire, And without succeeding in the purpose for which I sent it.
He will spread His Word, His purpose whether it’s through us or someone else.
He will create a love for him, his word, his people, the lost world in someone.
It will be with a denomination up the road if it’s not you.
1 Corinthians 15:50-58 English Standard Version
Mystery and Victory
50 I tell you this, brothers: flesh and blood cannot inherit the kingdom of God, nor does the perishable inherit the imperishable. 51 Behold! I tell you a mystery. We shall not all sleep, but we shall all be changed, 52 in a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trumpet. For the trumpet will sound, and the dead will be raised imperishable, and we shall be changed. 53 For this perishable body must put on the imperishable, and this mortal body must put on immortality. 54 When the perishable puts on the imperishable, and the mortal puts on immortality, then shall come to pass the saying that is written:
“Death is swallowed up in victory.” 55 “O death, where is your victory? O death, where is your sting?”
56 The sting of death is sin, and the power of sin is the law. 57 But thanks be to God, who gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ.
58 Therefore, my beloved brothers, be steadfast, immovable, always abounding in the work of the Lord, knowing that in the Lord your labor is not in vain.
If you lack boldness, ask for it.
If you are afraid, I understand why you are afraid.
But don’t pray for people to stop resisting the light.
That’s not going to happen.
Instead, let’s ask for boldness to speak the truth in the face of resistance.
Let’s be bullheaded about God’s mission for us.
If the government tells us, threatens us to be silent about God, let’s speak out courageously, even if it means people won’t understand what we are doing.
In the name of God, the Father and God the Son and God the Holy Spirit,
Praying …
Psalm 27 English Standard Version
The Lord Is My Light and My Salvation
Of David.
27 The Lord is my light and my salvation; whom shall I fear? The Lord is the stronghold[a] of my life; of whom shall I be afraid?
2 When evildoers assail me to eat up my flesh, my adversaries and foes, it is they who stumble and fall.
3 Though an army encamp against me, my heart shall not fear; though war arise against me, yet[b] I will be confident.
4 One thing have I asked of the Lord, that will I seek after: that I may dwell in the house of the Lord all the days of my life, to gaze upon the beauty of the Lord and to inquire[c] in his temple.
5 For he will hide me in his shelter in the day of trouble; he will conceal me under the cover of his tent; he will lift me high upon a rock.
6 And now my head shall be lifted up above my enemies all around me, and I will offer in his tent sacrifices with shouts of joy; I will sing and make melody to the Lord.
7 Hear, O Lord, when I cry aloud; be gracious to me and answer me! 8 You have said, “Seek[d] my face.” My heart says to you, “Your face, Lord, do I seek.”[e] 9 Hide not your face from me. Turn not your servant away in anger, O you who have been my help. Cast me not off; forsake me not, O God of my salvation! 10 For my father and my mother have forsaken me, but the Lord will take me in.
11 Teach me your way, O Lord, and lead me on a level path because of my enemies. 12 Give me not up to the will of my adversaries; for false witnesses have risen against me, and they breathe out violence.
13 I believe that I shall look[f] upon the goodness of the Lord in the land of the living! 14 Wait for the Lord; be strong, and let your heart take courage; wait for the Lord!
Glory be to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Ghost; as it was in the beginning, is now, and ever shall be, world without end. Amen, amen.
1 1-2 Before anything else existed,[a] there was Christ, with God. He has always been alive and is himself God. 3 He created everything there is—nothing exists that he didn’t make. 4 Eternal life is in him, and this life gives light to all mankind. 5 His life is the light that shines through the darkness—and the darkness can never extinguish it.
Word of God for the Children of God
Glory be to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Ghost; as it was in the beginning, is now, and ever shall be, world without end. Amen, amen.
In Him Was Life
The first of these theme-words appears at the beginning of John 1:4, “In him was life.”
The wordlife appears 36 times in the gospel of John, far more than any other New Testament book. It is one of his most important themes.
The preceding verses say that “the Word was with God” and “was God,” and that “all things were made through him” (John 1:1–3).
The second person of the Godhead, the “Word,” who is the subject of this gospel, is the source of all life in this universe.
Not merely does he possess life, but life itself is found in him and also comes through him. Jesus said, “For as the Father has life in himself, so he has granted the Son also to have life in himself” (John 5:26).
This is what John wants us to see in Christ: “In him was life.”
Are you and I really truly living?
Do you and I feel that our lives matter for something important?
Are you and I excited about things, or just keeping occupied?
Jesus has life to give to those who trust in him. “I came that they may have life,” he said, “and have it abundantly” (John 10:10).
So, just how much or how little do you and I actually, authentically, trust Him?
The Light Shining
This is the very connection John makes, that the life in Christ comes as a light shining in the darkness.
“In him was life, and the life was the light of men. The light shines in the darkness”(John 1:4–5).
Light is another of John’s great themes.
The first recorded words of God are, “Let there be light” (Gen. 1:3). Light is an image that everyone understands, and it brings a rich array of meaning.
The first thing light does is reveal.
When you walk into a dark room, you turn on the light to see.
This is what Isaiah prophesied about the coming of Jesus: “The people who walked in darkness have seen a great light; those who dwelt in a land of deep darkness, on them has light shined” (Isa. 9:2).
Man was living in a spiritual darkness, ignorant about God and living in superstition.
So Jesus came to reveal God. “Whoever has seen me has seen the Father,” he said (John 14:9).
“Jesus is revealed as the One who knows God the Father and who makes him known.… Before Christ came into the world, the world was in darkness. The world did not know God. Christ came. His light shone before men. Then men had light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ.”
Do you and I know God?
Do you and I know what God is like?
Do you or I know Jesus came to reveal God to us.
Do you and I know God by personal acquaintance, by his presence within your spirit?
Do you and I know Jesus came also to bring us into fellowship with God as worshipers in spirit and in truth?
Light not only reveals but it also warms.
To “walk in the darkness” is to walk in sin and moral depravity, but the light of Christ warms the heart so that it is changed.
This spiritual transformation is what Jesus meant in John 12:46, “I have come into the world as light, so that whoever believes in me may not remain in darkness.”
Thirdly, light not only reveals and warms, but it also guides.
We think of the glory cloud of light that guided Israel through the desert during the exodus from Egypt.
Psalm 119:105 says, “Your word is a lamp to my feet and a light to my path.”
Likewise, Jesus said, “I am the light of the world. Whoever follows me will not walk in darkness, but will have the light of life” (John 8:12).
If you come to Jesus Christ in faith and follow as his disciple, he will be a light to guide you “in paths of righteousness for his name’s sake” (Ps. 23:3).
Fourthly, light conveys and stimulates life.
If you want a plant to grow, you place it in the sunshine.
Likewise, you will grow upward as the light of Christ’s Word shines in you.
His light shines with the power of his life through his Word.
“In him was life, and the life was the light of men”(John 1:4).
This great verse summarizes what it means for us to be Christ-like.
Jesus wants you to be a lamp that reflects his light in the world.
He wants you to reveal God to those around you; he wants you to warm others so they will seek after truth and love; he wants you to be a guide to others; and he wants his light shining in and through you to bring others to life.
He said: “Let your light shine before others, so that they may see your good works and give glory to your Father who is in heaven” (Matt. 5:16).
Darkness against the Light
The third image John uses is darkness.
This is the absence of light.
If light stands for the knowledge of God, darkness represents the fullness of all our spiritual ignorance in which the world is perishing.
If light stands for warmth and goodness, then the darkened world is that which is enslaved in sin and evil.
If the light breaks through, leads us in good paths, darkness is the realm of the lost and blind. If light brings true life, then darkness is the true realm of death.
Darkness is opposed to light.
John 1:5 says, “The light shines in the darkness, but the darkness has not overcome it.”
This indicates that the coming of Christ as the light meets the opposition of the darkened world.
Jesus said, “This is the judgment: the light has come into the world, and people loved the darkness rather than the light because their deeds were evil” (John 3:19).
Nothing has ever condemned this world more than its response to the coming of Jesus Christ.
If people tell you the world or the human race is basically good, remind them what it did to Jesus.
He came without any sin, healing and teaching the way to God.
He was a light shining in the darkness.
But for that very reason the world hated him.
The hypocritical Pharisees resented him for exposing their legalism.
The priests and scribes envied his popularity.
The power-hungry Romans thought him a threat to their military domination.
And it wasn’t just the elite, for the ordinary people also called out for Jesus’ blood: “Away with him, away with him, crucify him!” they demanded of Pontius Pilate (John 19:15).
When God’s Son came into the world, the world nailed him to a cross—the cruelest form of execution they could possibly devise—to suffer and die.
For our 21st century People today similarly despise Jesus; for all their supposed “admiration” they refuse, refute, mock and scorn his exclusive claim to be our Savior and Lord and resent his holy example that exposes their sin.
The Light of Christ
“In him was life, and the life was the light of men. The light shines in the darkness and the darkness has not overcome it.”
These are great themes that John unfolds all through his gospel: life, light, and darkness.
But remember that John is really pointing to Jesus.
What matters in life, then, is not what we are and have been, not what others have done, not what challenges or trials the future might hold.
What matters is that Christ has come with life through his light that shines in the world, and the darkness cannot overcome it.
That is the way to life and light: to cease trusting in yourself or in anything else of this world that might commend you to God, and surrender your case into the hands of Jesus.
“I have come into the world as light,” he said, “so that whoever believes in me may not remain in darkness” (John 12:46).
That light is still shining, and through him you can have life everlasting, life abundant, life in Christ.
Jesus Christ, the Word of God, created the world with God in the beginning.
He also came into the world to save it, because it was broken by the curse of sin and death.
When Adam and Eve disobeyed God in Eden, they brought this curse on all of God’s creation (Genesis 3).
The world that God once called “good” has been afflicted with chaos, conflict, isolation, sickness, and grief ever since. And sin has estranged us from the God who created us. Even worse, no matter how hard we try, we cannot make things right. Our sin continually forms a barrier between us and our Creator.
Maybe you are reading this devotion because you are feeling sin’s effects in your life.
Perhaps something has happened which has left you feeling lost or confused.
Maybe you feel you are groping in the dark, looking for light to guide your way.
The Bible promises that the darkness you face—whatever it might be—will never overcome the light of Christ.
Like a lighthouse on a rocky shore, Jesus offers us hope and a clear path to God.
There is no sin or enemy of God big enough, powerful enough to snuff out the light of Christ.
He will always shine brightest, always be victorious, and if we place our fullest measure of authentic faith in him, he invites all of us to share in his victory.
In the name of God, the Father, God the Son and God the Holy Spirit,
Praying, …
Psalm 19 Complete Jewish Bible
19 (0) For the leader. A psalm of David:
2 (1) The heavens declare the glory of God, the dome of the sky speaks the work of his hands. 3 (2) Every day it utters speech, every night it reveals knowledge. 4 (3) Without speech, without a word, without their voices being heard, 5 (4) their line goes out through all the earth and their words to the end of the world.
In them he places a tent for the sun, 6 (5) which comes out like a bridegroom from the bridal chamber, with delight like an athlete to run his race. 7 (6) It rises at one side of the sky, circles around to the other side, and nothing escapes its heat.
8 (7) The Torah of Adonai is perfect, restoring the inner person. The instruction of Adonai is sure, making wise the thoughtless. 9 (8) The precepts of Adonai are right, rejoicing the heart. The mitzvah of Adonai is pure, enlightening the eyes. 10 (9) The fear of Adonai is clean, enduring forever. The rulings of Adonai are true, they are righteous altogether, 11 (10) more desirable than gold, than much fine gold, also sweeter than honey or drippings from the honeycomb. 12 (11) Through them your servant is warned; in obeying them there is great reward.
13 (12) Who can discern unintentional sins? Cleanse me from hidden faults. 14 (13) Also keep your servant from presumptuous sins, so that they won’t control me. Then I will be blameless and free of great offense.
15 (14) May the words of my mouth and the thoughts of my heart be acceptable in your presence, Adonai, my Rock and Redeemer.
Glory be to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Ghost; as it was in the beginning, is now, and ever shall be, world without end. Amen, amen.
Loving God, Living God, Loving Hope, Living Hope, Loving Living Life His Way! "Many things are possible for the person who has hope. Even more is possible for the person who has faith. And still more is possible for the person who knows how to love. But everything is possible for the person who practices all three virtues." - Brother Lawrence (1605-1691), Practicing the Presence of God (1692). 