Tag: scripture

“So give your Servant a discerning heart …” A Prayer for a Wisdom, as Far as East is from the West, Greater than my own. 1 Kings 3:4-14

1 Kings 3:4-14 New International Version

4 The king went to Gibeon to offer sacrifices, for that was the most important high place, and Solomon offered a thousand burnt offerings on that altar. 5 At Gibeon the Lord appeared to Solomon during the night in a dream, and God said, “Ask for whatever you want me to give you.”

6 Solomon answered, “You have shown great kindness to your servant, my father David, because he was faithful to you and righteous and upright in heart. You have continued this great kindness to him and have given him a son to sit on his throne this very day.

7 “Now, Lord my God, you have made your servant king in place of my father David. But I am only a little child and do not know how to carry out my duties. 8 Your servant is here among the people you have chosen, a great people, too numerous to count or number. 9 So give your servant a discerning heart to govern your people and to distinguish between right and wrong. For who is able to govern this great people of yours?”

10 The Lord was pleased that Solomon had asked for this. 11 So God said to him, “Since you have asked for this and not for long life or wealth for yourself, nor have asked for the death of your enemies but for discernment in administering justice, 12 I will do what you have asked. I will give you a wise and discerning heart, so that there will never have been anyone like you, nor will there ever be. 13 Moreover, I will give you what you have not asked for—both wealth and honor—so that in your lifetime you will have no equal among kings. 14 And if you walk in obedience to me and keep my decrees and commands as David your father did, I will give you a long life.”

The Word of God for the Children of God.

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

Grow the Church or give God all the glory and satisfy the needs and the wants of my tiny congregation and close the church and transfer the deed onto another younger growing church with significant demographics in our neighborhood?

So, many was the occasion which I just sat there next to their altar, looking up at the eternal light the church has had hanging there since its inception 1956.

I was praying, reading Scripture, twisting my hands, my stomach in knots, feeling intense pressure to make a forward thinking decision for which I had literally no education or experience or wisdom of the ages for me to make.

This small little church with only seven ladies in the congregation – needed a Pastor except thy literally had no funds from which to compensate them from.

I have no degrees in Ministry or Theology or any related discipline to know just how I was going to proceed. Usually, I am a quick on my feet thinker. I pride myself on my decisiveness. Yet, in this case, I struggled with moving forward when I read both the best options and the final outcomes appeared beneficial.

I knew what my supervisors wanted me to do with the church – be done with it, let it disappear, let it be forgotten about, from the dust it came so let it return.

It did not seem to matter to anyone in charge how it got done as long as it was done quickly, quietly, with no fanfare – just move it out of the way of progress.

So much to do, so many questions I was not smart enough nor wise enough to ask, so many decisions and so many answers and choices I never had to make.

Leading worship … insurance matters when a steam pipe original to 1956 had burst sending hot steam and water in their kitchen destroying what vestiges of a functional church campus had to offer any other interested congregations.

On top of that was a severe snow and ice weather event over our region which played havoc with our power and our heating system – and we had an adjacent Children’s Preschool Center attached to the Church educating kids since 1965.

It played havoc with getting an insurance adjustor to assess the damage and issue any checks for clean up and repair and restoration. Then someone had barreled their car headlong through our church sign in front of the church. So, now there was the no small matter of insurance money for replacement for a church that was being closed out of existence or under a new management.

It only got even more complicated when we had to work with the incoming church and their Pastor to work out the logistics of transference of the deed and keep the Preschool functioning and the various other community organizations which had a long history of highly positive community and neighborhood roots.

“Holy Spirit … Where are You? God, are you anywhere near this neighborhood? Savior Jesus, where is your promise of hope for a future, growth, prosperity?”

I was far outside my league taking on this level of responsibility without any sufficient knowledge, experience or wisdom – failure was written everywhere.

So, this became my go to verse for my prayers …

1 Kings 3:9 The Message

9 “Here’s what I want: Give me a God-listening heart so I can lead your people well, discerning the difference between good and evil. For who on their own is capable of leading your glorious people?” [In the name of My Savior Jesus, Alleluia! Amen]

I learned from this experience; Scripture often speaks of making wise decisions and reading, studying and using Scripture helps guide us and direct our choices.

There are numerous topics on which we can point to specific verses and see a black-and-white answer how we should respond properly in those situations.

Do you have a question about whether you should forgive your neighbor?
Ephesians 4:32 says, “Be kind to one another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, as God in Christ forgave you.”

Do you wonder if God cares if you stop going to church?
Hebrews 10:25 shares,  “Not giving up meeting together, as some are in the habit of doing, but encouraging one another—and all the more as you see the Day approaching.”

Do you question if God desires for you to submit to authority? 
Romans 13:1 admonishes, “Everyone must submit himself to the governing authorities, for there is no authority except that which God has established. The authorities that exist have been established by God.” 

What if we simply do not believe in ourselves to take upon ourselves His calling?

Proverbs 3:5-12 The Message

5-12 Trust God from the bottom of your heart;
    don’t try to figure out everything on your own.
Listen for God’s voice in everything you do, everywhere you go;
    he’s the one who will keep you on track.
Don’t assume that you know it all.
    Run to God! Run from evil!
Your body will glow with health,
    your very bones will vibrate with life!
Honor God with everything you own;
    give him the first and the best.
Your barns will burst,
    your wine vats will brim over.
But don’t, dear friend, resent God’s discipline;
    don’t sulk under his loving correction.
It’s the child he loves that God corrects;
    a father’s delight is behind all this.

As one of my favorite devotional writers says, there are places where the Bible man shouts to God. But what about the areas in which the Bible only faintly, barely audibly whispers? How do we know what prayerful decision to make?

In 1 Kings chapter 3, we find the young King Solomon.

He had just taken over the throne from his father, David. Solomon was likely in his early twenties, lacked any experience, and was understandably nervous and anxious about being a new Head of State leading the great nation of Israel.

One night, the Lord came to Solomon in a dream.

God told Solomon to ask for whatever he wanted, and God would give to him.

In essence, God gave young King Solomon, a “blank check” which had God’s own signature on the bottom line. “Ask anything and ye shall receive it all!”

9 “Here’s what I want: Give me a God-listening heart so I can lead your people well, discerning the difference between good and evil. For who on their own is capable of leading your glorious people?” [In the name of My Savior Jesus, Alleluia! Amen]

In our key verse, we find Solomon’s wise response, “So give your servant a discerning heart to govern your people and to distinguish between right and wrong. For who is able to govern this great people of yours?” 1 Kings 3:9 NIV. 

Of all the things King Solomon could have asked for, he asked for wisdom and discernment to lead his nation for as long as God gave him the breath to do so.

Wisdom is the ability to use your given knowledge well, while discernment, specifically godly discernment, is the ability to unhesitatingly fully rely on God (FROG) when praying for the wisest decisions for even the very worst choices.

Solomon was already wise even before asking the Lord to give him wisdom. He knew that in his strength, he would fail at leading this great nation. But, with the Lord on his side, guiding and directing his steps, he would be prosperous. 

The Lord did grant Solomon wisdom, blessing him with wealth and honor.

While Solomon’s reign was successful, and there were times when he followed the Lord’s ways, there were other times when he turned from God.

Throughout Solomon’s life, we see the consequences of choosing the very best of human wisdom over allowing the Lord alone to lead, guide and direct him.

Thankfully, the Lord quickly granted grace and mercy when Solomon strayed and asked for forgiveness. The Lord was more concerned with Solomon’s heart and the motivations behind his choices, not necessarily the choices themselves.

The same is true for us today.

The Lord desires we serve and submit to Him with our hearts, minds, and souls.

Mark 10:35-45 Disciples’ Literal New Testament

Two Disciples Jockey For Position In The Kingdom. He Says, It Is Not Mine To Give

35 And James and John, the sons of Zebedee, approach Him, saying to Him, “Teacher, we want You to do for us whatever we ask You”. 36 And the One said to them, “What do you want Me to do for you?” 37 And the ones said to Him, “Grant to us that we may sit one on Your right side and one on the left side in Your glory”. 38 But Jesus said to them, “You do not know what you are asking. Are you able to drink the cup which I drink, or to be baptized the baptism which I am baptized?” 39 And the ones said to Him, “We are able”. And Jesus said to them, “You will drink the cup which I drink. And you will be baptized the baptism which I am baptized. 40 But the sitting on My right side or on the  left side is not Mine to give, but it is for whom it has been prepared”.

Whoever Wants To Be First Shall Be Your Slave. Even I Came To Serve

41 And having heard-of it, the ten began to be indignant about James and John. 42 And having summoned them, Jesus says to them, “You know that the ones having-the-reputation-of [a] being rulers of the Gentiles are lording-over[b] them, and their great ones are exercising-authority-over[c] them. 43 But it is not so among you. But whoever wants to become great among you shall be your servant, 44 and whoever wants to be first among you shall be slave of all. 45 For even the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give His life as a ransom for many”.

So next time you face even the most difficult, even most controversial decision, precisely one where whatever you choose will be received with anger, vitriol or positive affirmations, take time to pick up your Bibles, Read the Scriptures, pray and ask the Lord for His wisdom, discernment. Lean into the Holy Spirit, listen for the ways He speaks to your heart, and whatever you decide, glorify the Lord.

Let’s Pray:

Psalm 111 Complete Jewish Bible

111 Halleluyah!

I will wholeheartedly give thanks to Adonai
in the council of the upright and in the assembly.
2 The deeds of Adonai are great,
greatly desired by all who enjoy them.
3 His work is full of majesty and splendor,
and his righteousness continues forever.
4 He has gained renown for his wonders.
Adonai is merciful and compassionate.
5 He gives food to those who fear him.
He remembers his covenant forever.
6 He shows his people how powerfully he works
by giving them the nations as their heritage.
7 The works of his hands are truth and justice;
all his precepts can be trusted.
8 They have been established forever and ever,
to be carried out truly and honestly.
9 He sent redemption to his people
and decreed that his covenant should last forever.
His name is holy and fearsome —
10 the first and foremost point of wisdom is the fear of Adonai;
all those living by it gain good common sense.
His praise stands forever.

Heavenly Father, we are thankful that we don’t have to experience life alone; we have the presence of the Holy Spirit inside our hearts. When we are at a crossroads, please guide us and let us feel at peace. Thank you for giving us the Bible; its timeless truths help us live daily to glorify You. We love you, Lord. May our heart’s desire be to always seek to bring you honor and glory, forever and ever. In Jesus’ Name. Amen. 

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

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There is a Tension inside our Camps; The Church: God’s Imperfect People. Act 6:1-6

Acts 6:1-6 New Living Translation

Seven Men Chosen to Serve

6 But as the believers[a] rapidly multiplied, there were rumblings of discontent. The Greek-speaking believers complained about the Hebrew-speaking believers, saying that their widows were being discriminated against in the daily distribution of food.

2 So the Twelve called a meeting of all the believers. They said, “We apostles should spend our time teaching the word of God, not running a food program. 3 And so, brothers, select seven men who are well respected and are full of the Spirit and wisdom. We will give them this responsibility. 4 Then we apostles can spend our time in prayer and teaching the word.”

5 Everyone liked this idea, and they chose the following: Stephen (a man full of faith and the Holy Spirit), Philip, Procorus, Nicanor, Timon, Parmenas, and Nicolas of Antioch (an earlier convert to the Jewish faith). 6 These seven were presented to the apostles, who prayed for them as they laid their hands on them.

The Word of God for the Children of God.

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

There is definitely Tension inside our Camps

We don’t often enjoy tension. Whether it’s in an organization, a business, a family, a friendship, or even a church, tension can really mess with things. But what if we can each refocus the tension and see if it creates a new opportunity?

Things were getting a bit tense in the fast-growing group of Jesus’ followers.

Feelings were hurt, some people were left out, and some of them began to complain.

Another word for this is “grumbling.”

If you have heard the story of God’s people wandering in the desert after being freed from Egypt, you know that it did not take long for them to start grumbling (Exodus 16).

What unfolds in this moment in Acts 6 is an opportunity to decentralize the responsibilities of serving. The community has grown so large that it’s time to appoint leaders who can help take care of some needs that aren’t being met.

When we take time to pray in the tension, we are able to see new opportunities.

Ecclesiastes 3:9-13 New Living Translation

9 What do people really get for all their hard work? 10 I have seen the burden God has placed on us all. 11 Yet God has made everything beautiful for its own time. He has planted eternity in the human heart, but even so, people cannot see the whole scope of God’s work from beginning to end. 12 So I concluded there is nothing better than to be happy and enjoy ourselves as long as we can. 13 And people should eat and drink and enjoy the fruits of their labor, for these are gifts from God.

It’s easy to grumble.

It is easy to keep grumbling-grumbling has its own unique kind of momentum.

It’s also easy to find some people to grumble with.

It is easy too to form social clubs or social media chats to encourage world wide grumbling and in the process get everything more confused than it needs to be.

But if we step back and look at things from another angle, not ever our own but God’s alone, we might see grace, an opportunity to start something beautiful.

Too often in my life I have let the grumbling dictate the bulk of my actions and let my behaviors get in the way of what God may want to teach or reveal to me.

How can we take a few steps back and reframe what we are going through?

What new Kingdom of God things might arise from the mounting tension?

The Church: God’s Imperfect People

Acts 6:1-6 Easy-to-Read Version

Seven Men Chosen for a Special Work

6 More and more people were becoming followers of Jesus. But during this same time, the Greek-speaking followers began to complain against the other Jewish followers. They said that their widows were not getting their share of what the followers received every day. 2 The twelve apostles called the whole group of followers together.

The apostles said to them, “It would not be right for us to give up our work of teaching God’s word in order to be in charge of getting food to people. 3 So, brothers and sisters, choose seven of your men who have a good reputation. They must be full of wisdom and the Spirit. We will give them this work to do. 4 Then we can use all our time to pray and to teach the word of God.”

5 The whole group liked the idea. So they chose these seven men: Stephen (a man with great faith and full of the Holy Spirit), Philip,[a] Prochorus, Nicanor, Timon, Parmenas, and Nicolaus (a man from Antioch who had become a Jew). 6 Then they put these men before the apostles, who prayed and laid their hands on them.[b]

As I prepared for this devotional, I thought about the children’s story Goldilocks and the Three Bears.

Now Goldilocks and the Three Bears was not my favorite childhood story.

However, I thought about all the tensions that Goldilocks went through when she encountered the bears’ environment:

This porridge was too hot, this porridge was too cold. This bed was too hard, this bed was too soft. Having found the right porridge and right bed, she did not enjoy her stay too long because a situation filled with conflict confronted her in the form of the arrival of three unhappy and surprised bears and she took off.

I think that it safe to say that sometimes we the public have the same kind of terse feelings about the church just like Goldilocks had about the bears’ home.

On the one hand, we love the church and can’t live without her. On the other hand, we find sermons long and boring, the music either too old or too new, the people too friendly or too cold, the theology of the pastor too left or too right.

On one hand, we turn to the church in times of crisis and need to hear a word of hope. On the other hand, when things are going well the church seems to be an interruption and we find her message a bit disconcerting and uncomfortable.

On one hand, we expect the church, to be all things to all people all the time. On the other hand, we sometimes feel inconvenienced when we are asked to help.

Ideologically, theologically, philosophically, even politically, we all have mixed feelings about the church.

Why is that?

Well for one reason, the spiritual nature of the church.

The church is not a for profit organization. It is the called of God, the ecclesia.

The church deals more than just with a financial statements, business matters, and programming issues. It deals with deeper matters of our hearts and souls.

And those matters of the heart and soul are all about attitude, about priorities, about thoughts and behaviors.

Matters that go to the very core of our humanity. Matters that cannot be redesigned by engineering departments or discussed with human resources.

Another reason that we all have mixed feelings about the church has to do with conflict. It seems that when conflict rears its ugly head, we begin to have second third and fourth thoughts about the stability, purpose and role of the church.

Why is that?

Perhaps we expect the church to be conflict free.

Maybe we assume that once we are saved, then everything is all right and that there is no more conflict. That’s the ideal but not even close to being the real.

Or maybe we feel that conflict is “sinful” or we are too deep and steadfast in our righteousness and that to admit to conflict is to admit that we are not perfect.

Isaiah 53:6 Amplified Bible

6 
All of us like sheep have gone astray,
We have turned, each one, to his own way;
But the Lord has caused the wickedness of us all [our sin, our injustice, our wrongdoing]
To fall on Him [instead of us].

Not all conflict is wrong.

Some conflict is present because of the reality of good and evil in this world.

Which very much involves the church.

Unstoppable Tension! ‘Growth Can Cause Problems!’ 

Acts 6:1-6 Amplified Bible

Choosing of the Seven

6 Now about this time, when the number of disciples was increasing, a complaint was made by the [a]Hellenists (Greek-speaking Jews) against the [[b]native] Hebrews, because their widows were being overlooked in the daily serving of food.  2 So the [c]Twelve called the disciples together and said, “It is not appropriate for us to neglect [teaching] the word of God in order to serve tables and manage the distribution of food. 3 Therefore, brothers, choose from among you seven men with good reputations [men of godly character and moral integrity], full of the Spirit and of wisdom, whom we may put in charge of this task. 4 But we will [continue to] devote ourselves [steadfastly] to prayer and to the ministry of the word.” 5 The suggestion pleased the whole congregation; and they selected [d]Stephen, a man full of faith [in Christ Jesus], and [filled with and led by] the Holy Spirit, and Philip, Prochorus, Nicanor, Timon, Parmenas, and Nicolas (Nikolaos), a proselyte (Gentile convert) from Antioch. 6 They brought these men before the apostles; and after praying, they laid their hands on them [to dedicate and commission them for this service].

Tension is inevitable.

Tension is unavoidable.

Tension can be effectively managed, turned into significant kingdom growth.

The number of disciples increased rapidly as many people believed in Jesus as the Messiah!

Myriads upon Myriads of the new believers had traveled a great distance over land and sea to get to Jerusalem from their respective foreign lands (Acts 2:5-11), so it is inevitable that some, if not most of them, spoke foreign languages.

The needs of the Greek-speaking widows were not being met despite the believers’ earlier efforts to help all among them with needs (Acts 4:32-37).

Growth without loving concern causes problems that the evil one can exploit.

In the midst of the tension, we must listen and respond with grace and patience to address potentially any divisive problems lovingly, quickly, fairly, wisely!

Galatians 3:26-29 Amplified Bible

26 For you [who are born-again have been reborn from above—spiritually transformed, renewed, sanctified and] are all children of God [set apart for His purpose with full rights and privileges] through faith in Christ Jesus. 27 For all of you who were baptized into Christ [into a spiritual union with the Christ, the Anointed] have clothed yourselves with Christ [that is, you have taken on His characteristics and values]. 28 There is [now no distinction in regard to salvation] neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither slave nor free, there is neither male nor female; for you [who believe] are all one in Christ Jesus [no one can claim a spiritual superiority]. 29 And if you belong to Christ [if you are in Him], then you are Abraham’s descendants, and [spiritual] heirs according to [God’s] promise.

The early disciples took hold of the tension and did just that and the Gospel did spread, and the people got served and their whole host of needs had gotten met.

So, over the coming days, following General Conference, in the diversity of and in all the seriousness of the tensions created please pray, study how they did so.

Their Acts 6:1-6 solutions to the problem is an excellent example for us today.

How can this passage of Scripture be a catalyst to start the necessary debates?

How can the church continue in its great commission amidst todays’ tension?

Will we choose to be part of the problem or choose to continue and fester the problem or will we find that One way, One someway – God is saying “go forth.”

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

Let us Pray,

O Father, may we be known as people who love each other as family. Please do not let racial, cultural, socio-economic status, political, or ethnic differences divide us and allow Satan a foothold to destroy the spread of the Good News of Jesus. Amen.

Psalm 80 New American Standard Bible 1995

God Implored to Rescue His People from Their Calamities.

For the choir director; set to [a]El Shoshannim; [b]Eduth. A Psalm of Asaph.

80 Oh, give ear, Shepherd of Israel,
You who lead Joseph like a flock;
You who are enthroned above the cherubim, shine forth!
2 Before Ephraim and Benjamin and Manasseh, stir up Your power
And come to save us!
3 O God, restore us
And cause Your face to shine upon us, [c]and we will be saved.

4 O Lord God of hosts,
How long will You [d]be angry with the prayer of Your people?
5 You have fed them with the bread of tears,
And You have made them to drink tears in [e]large measure.
6 You make us [f]an object of contention to our neighbors,
And our enemies laugh among themselves.
7 O God of hosts, restore us
And cause Your face to shine upon us, [g]and we will be saved.

8 You removed a vine from Egypt;
You drove out the [h]nations and planted it.
9 You cleared the ground before it,
And it took deep root and filled the land.
10 The mountains were covered with its shadow,
And [i]the cedars of God with its boughs.
11 It was sending out its branches to the sea
And its shoots to the River.
12 Why have You broken down its [j]hedges,
So that all who pass that way pick its fruit?
13 A boar from the forest eats it away
And whatever moves in the field feeds on it.

14 O God of hosts, turn again now, we beseech You;
Look down from heaven and see, and take care of this vine,
15 Even the [k]shoot which Your right hand has planted,
And on the [l]son whom You have [m]strengthened for Yourself.
16 It is burned with fire, it is cut down;
They perish at the rebuke of Your countenance.
17 Let Your hand be upon the man of Your right hand,
Upon the son of man whom You made strong for Yourself.
18 Then we shall not turn back from You;
Revive us, and we will call upon Your name.
19 O Lord God of hosts, restore us;
Cause Your face to shine upon us, [n]and we will be saved.

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

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Our Heart Versus Our Awesome God! God’s Hammer Will Soften Our Heart. Jeremiah 23:29

Jeremiah 23:28-29 The Message

28-29 “You prophets who do nothing but dream—
    go ahead and tell your silly dreams.
But you prophets who have a message from me—
    tell it truly and faithfully.
What does straw have in common with wheat?
    Nothing else is like God’s Decree.
Isn’t my Message like fire?” God’s Decree.
    “Isn’t it like a sledgehammer busting a rock?

The Word of God for the Children of God.

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

In this ancient text, the Prophet Jeremiah uses two startling images to describe the Word of God.

It is like a fire and it is like a sledge hammer.

Both are images of power -almost of danger.

The point is that this Word of God, the Message of God is not to be treated lightly, or indifferently, but handled with extreme care.

In the context Jeremiah is preaching against false prophets.

And the warning in v28 is serious news for all preachers: “Let the one who has my word speak it faithfully.”

The analogy used here by Jeremiah of God’s Word being “like a hammer which shatters a rock” likely has the sense of the power of God’s Word in shattering and breaking up the hardness of our hearts.

John Gill, a Puritan writer commented on this passage,

“to which the heart of man may be compared, being hardened by sin, confirmed in it; destitute of spiritual life; stupid and senseless; stubborn and inflexible; on which no impressions are made, and is impenitent and inflexible; see (Zechariah 7:12); now the word of the Lord, in the hand of the Spirit, is a means of breaking such hard hearts.”

In a word, God’s Word breaks the rock of “SELF” into pieces, so God can shape, break apart, break down and then work His purposes out in our life, making it possible for us to be sculpted into usefulness for His own kingdom purposes.

I am sure we have all dealt with a hard heart and so need the hammer of God’s Word to do a major softening work in breaking down the hardness of our heart.

God’s Hammer Softens Our Hearts

Jeremiah 23:28-29 Amplified Bible

28 The prophet who has a dream may tell his dream; but he who has My word, let him speak My word faithfully. What has straw in common with wheat [for nourishment]?” says the Lord. 29 “Is not My word like fire [that consumes all that cannot endure the test]?” says the Lord, “and like a hammer that breaks the [most stubborn] rock [in pieces]?

Have you heard of God’s indestructible hammer as described in Jeremiah 23:29?

If not, you may never have thought or been taught or preached to of God’s Word being like a powerful hammer.

The Old Testament often describes how at times, the Israelites hearts had hardened towards God. 

Zechariah 7:12 explains, “They made their hearts as hard as flint and would not listen to the law or to the words that the Lord Almighty had sent by His Spirit through the earlier prophets. So the Lord Almighty was very angry.”

To have an adamant or hard heart describes a person who simply refuses to be persuaded, who is steadfast and unmovable or unshakeable in their thinking.

In Scripture, it refers to the spiritual condition of a person who is rebellious towards God’s law and His words.

By describing their heart condition as hard as flint, the hardest of stones and used to cut other rocks, meant their hearts were hardened to the point where they were too hard to receive God’s law, to be carved or to receive His words.

Yet God’s hammer, His Word, is able to judge the hardest of heart. It’s able to infiltrate into the deepest part of man’s heart and bring to light true motives, thoughts, and attitudes.

Can we imagine such a hammer, His hammer is able to break the unbreakable kind of rock, to utterly shatter man’s stubbornness and arrogance against God.

As Hebrews 4:12 describes, “For the word of God is alive and active. Sharper than any double-edged sword, it penetrates even to dividing soul and spirit, joints and marrow; it judges the thoughts and attitudes of the heart.”

R.C. Sproul writes, “God’s hammer smashes not just the icons of the world around us; it also smashes the idols of my heart. It is hard, heavy, even painful, precisely because of the love of the One who wields it. He has promised to forgive me for my hard heart but has also promised to soften it.”

Ezekiel 36:26 reveals God’s desire towards men, “I will give you a new heart and put a new spirit in you; I will remove from you your heart of stone and you a heart of flesh.”

Like a physical hammer shatters when hard swung, God’s hammer demolishes spiritual strongholds as 2 Corinthians 10:4 explains “The weapons we fight with are not the weapons of the world. On the contrary, they have divine power to demolish strongholds.”

With God’s hammer, as 2 Corinthians 10:5 describes, “We demolish arguments and every pretension that sets itself up against the knowledge of God, and we take captive every thought to make it obedient to Christ.”

God’s Word in Our Heart Comes Alive in Our Lives

There is power in the Word of God.

It is empowered with His living energy.

In the pages of Scripture, we read the story of life… life as God created it… life as God sustains it… life as God will forever reign over it.

All Scripture is inspired by God (2 Timothy 3:16). 

Its origin is divine… originating in the mind of the all-wise and omniscient One.

It is Truth in its purest form.

The Holy Spirit gave God’s true and holy words to the authors of Scripture.

God’s Word has been cherished by believers throughout history.

We, too, are to treasure it as the very words of God for us personally.

By it we learn to grow in His love and grace.

“’Is not My word like fire?’ says the Lord, ‘And like a hammer that breaks the rock in pieces?’” – Jeremiah 23:29

How is God’s Word like fire?

Fire burns away the brush, the chaff in our lives.

All wrong thinking, beliefs, ideas, motives are set ablaze as we read God’s Word.

False doctrine is reduced to ashes as as we are correctly taught the truth, as we learn how to live the Truth (1 Corinthians 3:13).

Fire melts away the dross, the sin in our lives (Zechariah 13:9). 

When silver is melted and the impurities burned away, it gleams and reflects light.

As we become more pure, more Christlike by applying God’s Word to our lives, we better reflect our Savior.

Fire gives light to open our eyes to our own unrighteousness (Romans 3:23). 

We see how desperately we need a Savior.

God’s Word shows us how we are to live.

It enlightens our spiritual path (Psalm 119:105). 

Through it, God reveals His will for our lives.

Fire radiates the warmth of God’s love for us.

In God’s Word we discover His undying love and faithfulness.

In its richness, we find His comfort and encouragement (Zephaniah 3:17).

Our faith is strengthened.

Fire sets a flame in our hearts for God.

Through His Word our spiritual zeal is ignited (Jeremiah 20:9). 

We desire to share all that God has done for us. We long to tell the Good News of salvation in Christ to the lost.

How is God’s Word like a hammer?

A hammer breaks up the hardened, unhumble heart… a heart hardened by sin.

The Truth of God’s Word reveals our need for repentance.

Our hearts of stone crumble in the presence of our Redeemer (Ezekiel 36:26).

A hammer shatters all pride and stubbornness.

In God’s Word, we see how far we fall short of His holiness and perfection.

We read of our humble, loving Savior who was bruised and broken for us.

With broken and contrite hearts (Psalm 51:17), we seek to emulate Him.

A hammer smashes the worldliness in our lives.

God’s Word shows us how kingdom values contrast with worldly values.

It crushes our earthly, temporal desires.

We come to live life with God’s perspective… storing up heavenly, eternal treasures (Matthew 6:20).

A hammer destroys the evil in our lives.

God’s Word is the sword of the Spirit we use to resist the evil one (Ephesians 6:17). 

The power of His Word demolishes the strongholds of the enemy (2 Corinthians 10:4).

Nothing can stand against His mighty Word.

“My word that comes from My mouth will not return to Me empty, but it will accomplish what I please and will prosper in what I send it to do.” – Isaiah 55:11

God reveals Himself to us through His Word.

His revelations give our finite minds a glimpse into all that is infinite… holy… eternal – we gain not just head knowledge but Spirit wisdom.

Anyone can read the Bible and gain information.

Yet only the divine inspiration and revelation of the Holy Spirit can take this information and cause transformation in our lives.

We begin to transform into the likeness of Christ from the inside out.

“Blessed are those who hear the word of God and follow it.” – Luke 11:28

In His Word, God not only gives us the guidelines for a life in His favor, protection and blessing.

He also promises to come alongside us personally through His Spirit, giving us the power and courage to live out His guidelines in our daily walk.

For when God’s mighty Word lives in our hearts, it comes alive in our lives.

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

Let us Pray,

Living Word, Lord of wisdom, I sometimes, well, actually most times, I am finding understanding the Bible to be difficult. I know you want me to apply your word to my life. I thank you for giving me your word so I can grow in my relationship with you. Holy Spirit, Help me grasp what you want me to know as I read your revealed word. Open my eyes to see the wonderful truths in your instructions. Be my teacher, so I can learn to apply them, live and obey your word. Thank you for your wise advice. Amen.

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

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Advent Reflection: “Listen to What I Say; Praying for Peace Everywhere!” But Can We Each Really Pray Without Ceasing? 1 Thessalonians 5:16-18

1 Thessalonians 5:16-18 Easy-to-Read Version

16 Always be full of joy. 17 Never stop praying. 18 Whatever happens, always be thankful. This is how God wants you to live in Christ Jesus.

The Word of God for the Children of God.

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

On my mind exactly right now is the word ‘Peace.’

Heavy on my soul exactly right now is the phrase: “Pray for Peace Everywhere!”

As I am allowing that phrase to weave in and out of my conscience, the words and music to my favorite Advent/Christmas Hymn start playing – calming me.

Do You Hear What I Hear? Song by Bing Crosby

Do you hear what I hear?

Said the night wind to the little lamb
Do you see what I see?
(Do you see what I see?)
Way up in the sky, little lamb
Do you see what I see?
(Do you see what I see?)
A star, a star, dancing in the night
With a tail as big as a kite
With a tail as big as a kite

Said the little lamb to the shepherd boy
Do you hear what I hear?
(Do you hear what I hear?)
Ringing through the sky, shepherd boy
Do you hear what I hear?
(Do you hear what I hear?)

A song, a song high above the trees
With a voice as big as the sea
With a voice as big as the sea

Said the shepherd boy to the mighty king
Do you know what I know? (Do you know what I know?)
In your palace warm, mighty king
Do you know what I know? (Do you know what I know?)

A Child, a Child shivers in the cold
Let us bring him silver and gold
Let us bring him silver and gold

Said the king to the people everywhere
Listen to what I say! (Listen to what I say!)
Pray for peace, people, everywhere
Listen to what I say! (Listen to what I say!)
The Child, the Child sleeping in the night
He will bring us goodness and light
He will bring us goodness and light

Source: Musixmatch

Songwriters: Noel Regney / Gloria Shayne

Do You Hear What I Hear? lyrics © Regent Music Corp., Jewel Music Publishing Co. Inc.

“Said the king to the people everywhere …”

“Listen to what I say! Listen to what I say!

“Pray for Peace, people everywhere …!”

Psalm 85:8 Easy-to-Read Version

8 I heard what the Lord God said.
    He said there would be peace for his people and his loyal followers.
    So they must not go back to their foolish way of living.

Psalm 85:8 Names of God Bible

8 I want to hear what El Yahweh says,
    because he promises peace to his people, to his godly ones.
        But they must not go back to their stupidity.

Well, I definitely want to hear what El Yahweh says, because I definitely want to live long enough to bear witness to the works of El Yahweh achieving His Peace.

Because I want to live long enough to bear witness to El Yahweh’s fulfillment of this great promise of His Perfect Peace to His imperfect people, His Godly ones!

Because I am, as so many other of His people are, so utterly tired of stupidity!

And it goes without saying, that El Yahweh, is utterly fed up with our stupidity!

Getting away from our stupidity to that place of perfect peace with El Yahweh is admittedly a onerous task, an impossible for us to accomplish on his own task.

Admittedly, too great a proportion of humanity loves their stupidity more than they love their El Yahweh and they refuse to give up their foolishness for Him!

But with El Yahweh, slow to anger and abounding in steadfast love for His most wayward of His stupid children, nothing is impossible-if God’s people will Pray.

2 Chronicles 7:11-18 English Standard Version

If My People Pray

11 Thus Solomon finished the house of the Lord and the king’s house. All that Solomon had planned to do in the house of the Lord and in his own house he successfully accomplished. 12 Then the Lord appeared to Solomon in the night and said to him: “I have heard your prayer and have chosen this place for myself as a house of sacrifice. 13 When I shut up the heavens so that there is no rain, or command the locust to devour the land, or send pestilence among my people, 14 if my people who are called by my name humble themselves, and pray and seek my face and turn from their wicked ways, then I will hear from heaven and will forgive their sin and heal their land. 15 Now my eyes will be open and my ears attentive to the prayer that is made in this place. 16 For now I have chosen and consecrated this house that my name may be there forever. My eyes and my heart will be there for all time. 17 And as for you, if you will walk before me as David your father walked, doing according to all that I have commanded you and keeping my statutes and my rules, 18 then I will establish your royal throne, as I covenanted with David your father, saying, ‘You shall not lack a man to rule Israel.’

El Yahweh Gives His Command: Pray Without Ceasing

1 Thessalonians 5:17 Amplified Bible

17 be unceasing and persistent in prayer;

This is the spoken Word of God for we who are the Children of God.

Apostle Paul affirms the significance of prayer, and wrote in one of the epistles, “Rejoice always, pray without ceasing, give thanks in all circumstances; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you” (1 Thessalonians 5:16-18).

Prayer is a powerful way to connect with God, to develop a relationship with Him, and to cast your cares upon Him.

There are countless examples of prayer throughout Scripture.

It is apparent that prayer is significant to the faith of a believer.

When we read about the life and ministry of Jesus in the Gospel accounts, we find that He prayed often and made this spiritual discipline a priority in His life.

Jesus deliberately took time to get away and spend time with God.

Prayer is incredibly important for every believer’s spiritual growth.

To pray is God’s will for us.

But, as inspiring as that sounds, is it possible to pray without ceasing?

What did Paul mean by such a statement?

Praying without ceasing means to have a heart inclined to prayer, to pray often, and to make the spiritual discipline of prayer a high priority, just as Jesus did.

What Does “Pray without Ceasing” Mean?

The Apostle Paul wrote the epistle we know as 1 Thessalonians to the church of Thessalonica.

He sent it shortly after he had established the congregation there.

In the letter, he affirmed and commended their ongoing love and passion for Jesus.

Paul also warned the church of Thessalonica to be prepared for the second coming of Jesus by keeping their hearts pure and holy for His return.

It is in this context that we find Paul’s assertion to “pray without ceasing.”

Here in the fifth chapter of Thessalonians, Paul urged the church to cling to the Gospel message they had received, to hold onto what was good and righteous.

They were to continue living holy lives and the spiritual discipline of prayer was essential to that instruction.

Paul reminded them of the importance of prayer to keep their faith strong, to stay connected to God’s truth so they would not be deceived by false messages.

The Greek word translated to “without ceasing” is (adialeíptōs), which means constantly or without intermission.

In most Bible translations, this word is interpreted as “without ceasing,” but other versions also translate to continually (NIV) or all the time (The Message).

Whichever version of the Bible you read, the meaning remains the same and consistent with the Greek word.

The various translations of the Bible help emphasize the same message, which is to pray often and pray diligently.

Can We Really Pray without Ever Stopping? 

Throughout the Bible, there are many kinds of prayers demonstrated.

In our own lives, we may also be accustomed to saying a variety of prayers.

The verses and prayers that we read throughout Scripture can become the prayers we use in our time with God.

Realistically, it would be impossible to actually pray without ever stopping.

We have thoughts, we read, we sleep, we eat, we converse with others, we work, and have a whole host of responsibilities to tend to throughout the day that would quite naturally and obviously disrupt our attempts at constantly praying.

There are an over abundance of tasks and roles we need to participate in that would naturally hinder our ability to ever be able pray without ever stopping.

When we take into account the context of what Paul wrote, we recognize that Paul wasn’t instructing believers to give up their responsibilities and only pray.

Rather, the Apostle Paul teaches us in this passage that we each need to commit ourselves to maturing our discipline to prayer, make it top priority in our lives.

By doing so, we will remain holy and pure, living lives consecrated to El Yahweh making our life paths straight – having our hearts ready for when Jesus returns.

Prayer helps us stay accountable to living righteously.

Can We Realistically Apply This Verse to Our Lives?

The verse 1 Thessalonians 5:17 serves as a serious reminder to all believers how significant prayer is to our faith.

Prayer is the way we talk to God, hear from God, and keep our minds on Him.

Prayer is the channel in which we can let go of fears and concerns, and how we lift up our praises and thanks to God.

Prayer is vital to our spiritual formation and growth.

Just as Jesus was often seen taking time away to go pray, we should do the same.

Paul knew prayer was key to guarding our hearts against evil and to keeping ourselves in line with God’s will.

Proverbs 4:23 English Standard Version

23 Keep your heart with all vigilance,
    for from it flow the springs of life.

As Christians, it bears continual repeating that it is important to pray to God and to carve out time throughout the day to speak to Him and worship Him.

Paul was right when he wrote to the church of Thessalonica, urging them to pray often because prayer is what helps us find our way through difficult times, tough decisions, or expressing our hopes for a lasting peace and everlasting joy.

Prayer draws us closer to God and helps us practice our faith.

Prayer has been a spiritual practice since the beginning of time and the point Paul made was that the spiritual discipline of prayer is still something each and every Christians needs to spend quality time maturing, integrating in our lives.

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

Let us Pray,

“This, then, is how you should pray: ‘Our Father in heaven, hallowed be your name, your kingdom come, your will be done, on earth as it is in heaven. Give us today our daily bread. And forgive us our debts, as we also have forgiven our debtors. And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from the evil one’”

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

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Advent Reflection: Tis the Season for Us To Cling Tightly to What is Good. Romans 12:9-13

Romans 12:9-13 English Standard Version

Marks of the True Christian

9 Let love be genuine. Abhor what is evil; hold fast to what is good. 10 Love one another with brotherly affection. Outdo one another in showing honor. 11 Do not be slothful in zeal, be fervent in spirit,[a] serve the Lord. 12 Rejoice in hope, be patient in tribulation, be constant in prayer. 13 Contribute to the needs of the saints and seek to show hospitality.

The Word of God for the Children of God.

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

Tis the season for Good News!

Tis the season for glad tidings – for inexpressible indescribable heights of joy!

Unless, for you – it is not!

Tis the season also for inexpressible, indescribable depths of greatest sadness.

Such a depth of sadness will soon teach us to cling to what is good for survival.

In the ugly cry moments that always seem to arise in our lives, we can all cling, hold tightly to Christ Jesus, and know He absolutely understands how we feel.

Paul’s words in the verses above are often the very reason we are clinging as we cry, holding tightly to the comfort Christ Jesus provides. 

“Don’t just pretend to love others,” he wrote to the Romans, “really love them.” 

As iron sharpens iron (Proverbs 27:17), when we then take Paul’s words to heart, when we really give “tough” love unto others, it’s bound to get painful at times.

Paul wrote earlier in his letter to the Roman church, “we all fall short of the glory of God.” (Romans 3:23) 

We are all flawed human beings-but we are flawed human beings covenanted by an absolutely Holy God to imitate Him, love each other as God first loved us.

Clinging to His Love, Living in Harmony Is Necessary

Wise believers acknowledge when Jesus said, “A new command I give you: Love one another” (John 13:34-35), this was not simply a suggestion for getting along.

So too, the Bible’s commands us as to how we each treat one another shouldn’t be considered minimally optional – that’s not the nature of God’s commands.

As Christ’s followers, we must cling to the Word of God, cling to the life Jesus revealed to us throughout His Gospels, cling to His miracles, remember exactly how our very relationship with God affects our relationships with each other.

When we pray, “Our Father,” we acknowledge before God, our Father, Creator of heaven and earth, we are part of a family that includes sisters and brothers.

We are called to cling to the example set by Jesus – live in harmony together.

Today’s reading mentions specific ways of doing so, such as honoring one another above ourselves, holding tightly to what is good, praying faithfully, sharing with people in need, showing hospitality, and our not being proud.

When believers cling to harmony, live in harmony, expressing their love for one another by sharing tears of sadness in times of sorrow, expanding their joy by celebrating together, they become appealing witnesses to their hope in Christ.

When a family member or friend or a stranger or a coworker observes, “It’s amazing how you guys love each other,” the cause of Christ moves forward.

John 13:34-35 Easy-to-Read Version

34 “I give you a new command: Love each other. You must love each other just as I loved you. 35 All people will know that you are my followers if you love each other.”

Jesus went even further when He was alone with His Father, taught this when he prayed that all believers “may be one” “may be brought to complete unity.”

Then, ”He prayed unto the Father, “the world will know that you sent me and have loved them even as you have loved me” (John 17:22-23).

John 17:22-23 Easy-to-Read Version

22 I have given them the glory that you gave me. I gave them this glory so that they can be one, just as you and I are one. 23 I will be in them, and you will be in me. So they will be completely one. Then the world will know that you sent me and that you loved them just as you loved me.

Now Comes the Hard Part – Actually Clinging to God!

Deuteronomy 31:6 says, “So be strong and courageous! Do not be afraid and do not panic before them. For the LORD your God will personally go ahead of you. He will neither fail you nor abandon you.” Deuteronomy 31:6 NLT

Joshua was about to take over for Moses who had just died, and God’s people were the most fickle and finicky to lead.

Long years with Moses had taught Joshua – always rebelling and losing faith.

The Lord faithfully clung to Joshua, encouraging him in his coming conquests.

The Lord is faithful to encourage us today, too. When life gets hard, and we find ourselves clinging …turn to the only One who can mend the cracks in our hearts.

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

Let us Pray,

Father, 

Praise You for the way You faithfully place people around us. When the hurt is so bad, and the fear of connecting with others is paralyzing, please remind us who we are in Christ Jesus. More than conquerors, we are Your children, equip us with hearts full of encouragement. Fill us with the love we need to cling to You, heal and move forward and pour out and spill onto others who are discouraged and in need of a faith-filled friend. Help us to be encouraged by the same words Moses encouraged Joshua with:

Deuteronomy 31:7-8 Easy-to-Read Version

7 Then Moses called Joshua. All the Israelites watched while Moses said to Joshua, “Be strong and brave. You will lead these people into the land that the Lord promised to give to their ancestors. You will help the Israelites take that land and divide it among them. 8 The Lord will lead you. He himself is with you. He will not fail you or leave you. Don’t worry. Don’t be afraid!”

Intersecting Faith and Life:

There is no one person we can guarantee will love us perfectly, but You do, Father. Help us to gain a clear understanding of who we are in Christ, and allow others grace. Help us to see the good in each of us, created in Your image. Father, when we find ourselves clinging too tightly to ourselves, it can cause us to fear. Remind us in those moments, tis always the good season You have placed people in our lives to encourage and love us, even at times when we’re having trouble loving ourselves. 

Father of all forgiveness, mercy grace and compassion, when our hurts are too big to think of or talk about, we know the Holy Spirit takes them to you in prayer, and You meet us right where we are at. We confess our disobedient tendency to quit and run on people, God. It’s hard to cling to You alone, and You don’t shame or blame us for our feelings of fear. But help us to stick it out more, God. To stay with You as You stay with us, to stay with people, and learn the remarkable relationships which grow out from clinging to Your ageless example of forgiveness, mercy, grace, and compassion.

Mature us to be strong and courageous and to cling to the good. Allow us each to see people the way You do, Father, fearfully and wonderfully made. Father, we want to cling to You and we want to live with others in such a way that shows we are in a life-giving relationship with you. Grant us your Spirit to do so. In Jesus’ Name,

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

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This Advent Reflection: About Being That Person With a Prophetic Vision of Our God In and Within Our Lives. Proverbs 29:18

Proverbs 29:18 Names of God Bible

18 Without prophetic vision people run wild,
    but blessed are those who follow God’s teachings.

The Word of God for the Children of God.

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

We serve a God of boundaries.

In God’s limitless capacity, endless creativity, and boundless existence God still chose to create boundaries which man cannot hope to pass. (Genesis 3:22-24)

Genesis 3:22-24 New King James Version

22 Then the Lord God said, “Behold, the man has become like one of Us, to know good and evil. And now, lest he put out his hand and take also of the tree of life, and eat, and live forever”— 23 therefore the Lord God sent him out of the garden of Eden to till the ground from which he was taken. 24 So He drove out the man; and He placed cherubim at the east of the garden of Eden, and a flaming sword which turned every way, to guard the way to the tree of life.

Even so, God still had vision for what was good, right, pleasing, and perfect.

And as children made in His image, we are to live, think, and create as he does.

In this time of year leading up to Christmas marked by busyness and infinite distractions from seemingly infinite opportunities to be more like our God, it’s important now more than ever for us to create boundaries, establish priorities.

May we find our vision of God, find freedom and joy these days ahead as we receive His vision and set boundaries under the leadership of the Holy Spirit.

About Being The Person Who Sees What God is Doing

Proverbs 29:18 The Message

18 If people can’t see what God is doing,
    they stumble all over themselves;
But when they attend to what he reveals,
    they are most blessed.

The world we live in constantly bombards us with its attempts to define who we are and what we should do.

The internet and television are bombarded with advertisements hard selling all their products telling us why we fall short of expectations, sell us what we need.

Our jobs tell us how we should spend our time and find a sense of self-worth.

Our families and friends often define us by what we’ve done or said in the past.

And even our churches will sadly define us according to how we can best meet the needs of the worlds cultures rather than getting to know who God truly is.

TBTG, we serve ONE God who knows us even better than we know ourselves. 

Psalm 139:1-4 says, “O Lord, you have searched me and known me! You know when I sit down and when I rise up; you discern my thoughts from afar. You search out my path and my lying down and are acquainted with all my ways. Even before a word is on my tongue, behold, O Lord, you know it altogether.” 

And then later in Psalm 139 verse 16 David writes, “Your eyes saw my unformed substance; in your book were written, every one of them, the days that were formed for me, when as yet there was none of them.”

Then as we try to plumb the depths of God’s words, we simply have no concept so, instead of trying to reach the ends of understanding, grasping God’s Words,

David concludes with blessed words which accept His humanities limitations –

Psalm 139:17-18 English Standard Version

17 How precious to me are your thoughts, O God!
    How vast is the sum of them!
18 If I would count them, they are more than the sand.
    I awake, and I am still with you.

From the foundation of the earth, God knew He would make us.

On the day we took our first breath He already had perfect, pleasing plans for us.

He has known our every thought and looked upon our every action with grace.

We could not be more known than we are right now by our heavenly Father.

And there could not possibly be anyone better, Shepherd us through the chaos, morass, of this life than God, the Father and God the Son, God the Holy Spirit.

Psalm 23 Authorized (King James) Version

Psalm 23

A Psalm of David.

1 The Lord is my shepherd; I shall not want.
2 He maketh me to lie down in green pastures:
he leadeth me beside the still waters.
3 He restoreth my soul:
he leadeth me in the paths of righteousness for his name’s sake.
4 Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death,
I will fear no evil: for thou art with me;
thy rod and thy staff they comfort me.
5 Thou preparest a table before me in the presence of mine enemies:
thou anointest my head with oil; my cup runneth over.
6 Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life:
and I will dwell in the house of the Lord for ever.

Reading, envisioning those ancient words of Psalm 23, to be that person with healthy, life-giving, God first boundaries starts with being a person of vision.

And the only place to get true vision is from the only One who truly knows us.

God longs to be the true north on our compass.

The Word of God which stands as the only Global Positioning System we need.

Through His Words, He longs to give us honest insight into how He’s made us.

He longs to give us a prophetic vision of how He sees us and feels about us.

And in our receiving a prophetic revelation of who we are we will each be better equipped to envision God, follow his leadership into his perfect, pleasing will.

As we take the Word of God into the next week of Advent, proceed into this week of vision and boundaries by a fresh meeting with our heavenly Father in prayer.

From Alpha to Omega, Our God longs to help us see ourselves, this world, and vision opportunities before us, as He does that we might gain wisdom, insight.

We can choose to become more like God – become that person of Godly visions.

We can choose to pick our heads up and put on the lens of the Holy Spirit.

We can Ask God questions.

We can inquire of God about our vision of our life and our “God” opportunities.

In response God will provide the leadership we all need, exactly how we need it.

May we be overwhelmed by fresh revelation of how loved we are-just as we are.

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

Let us Pray,

1. Meditate on the simple truth that God truly knows you. 

Allow Scripture to lead you to a place of faith, trust, in God’s knowledge of you.

“O Lord, you have searched me and known me! You know when I sit down and when I rise up; you discern my thoughts from afar. You search out my path and my lying down and are acquainted with all my ways. Even before a word is on my tongue, behold, O Lord, you know it altogether.” Psalm 139:1-4

“Your eyes saw my unformed substance; in your book were written, every one of them, the days that were formed for me, when as yet there was none of them.”  Psalm 139:16

Psalm 139:17-18 Authorized (King James) Version

17 How precious also are thy thoughts unto me, O God!
how great is the sum of them!
18 If I should count them, they are more in number than the sand:
when I awake, I am still with thee.

2. Ask God to give you a revelation of how he sees you. Ask Him for a revelation of his nearness and love. Begin to talk to Him about any imperfections you have.

Psalm 23 Authorized (King James) Version

Psalm 23

A Psalm of David.

1 The Lord is my shepherd; I shall not want.
2 He maketh me to lie down in green pastures:
he leadeth me beside the still waters.
3 He restoreth my soul:
he leadeth me in the paths of righteousness for his name’s sake.
4 Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death,
I will fear no evil: for thou art with me;
thy rod and thy staff they comfort me.
5 Thou preparest a table before me in the presence of mine enemies:
thou anointest my head with oil; my cup runneth over.
6 Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life:
and I will dwell in the house of the Lord for ever.

“Are not two sparrows sold for a penny? And not one of them will fall to the ground apart from your Father. But even the hairs of your head are all numbered. Fear not, therefore; you are of more value than many sparrows.” Matthew 10:29-31

3. Ask God for a revelation of what God has called you to. 

Ask Him about your role in your family and His calling on your life as a spouse, child, parent or grandparent.

Ask Him for vision for your work, for your roles with your co-workers and even with that “connection” those “relationships” you have with your Supervisors.

Ask Him for vision for your relationship with His Son – Journal His responses.

God my Creator, God my Father, pray restrain me to your will and vision for my life. Father I will wait expectantly for your vision and the steps I should take according to your will. I will go forth in faith as I step because I surrender my will to you. Amen.

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

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An Advent Reflection: “On Them, the Great Light has Shone.” Isaiah 9:2-7

Isaiah 9:2-7 English Standard Version

2 [a] The people who walked in darkness
    have seen a great light;
those who dwelt in a land of deep darkness,
    on them has light shone.
3 You have multiplied the nation;
    you have increased its joy;
they rejoice before you
    as with joy at the harvest,
    as they are glad when they divide the spoil.
4 For the yoke of his burden,
    and the staff for his shoulder,
    the rod of his oppressor,
    you have broken as on the day of Midian.
5 For every boot of the tramping warrior in battle tumult
    and every garment rolled in blood
    will be burned as fuel for the fire.
6 For to us a child is born,
    to us a son is given;
and the government shall be upon[b] his shoulder,
    and his name shall be called[c]
Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God,
    Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace.
7 Of the increase of his government and of peace
    there will be no end,
on the throne of David and over his kingdom,
    to establish it and to uphold it
with justice and with righteousness
    from this time forth and forevermore.
The zeal of the Lord of hosts will do this.

The Word of God for the Children of God.

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

From Alpha to Omega, the Bible never ever disguises just how dark life can get.

The Scriptures are clear that when sins multiply, when evil is celebrated, when God is left out, darkness ensues, darkness spreads to every corner it can reach.

And yet, over and over in the Bible’s storyline, we are abundantly reminded that God is not afraid of, not shy about His thoughts of or defeated by such darkness.

In fact, He makes an everlasting habit of drawing near and turning it into light.

We see Him drawing near in the third chapter of Genesis.

Sin had entered the world; the only two people alive had rebelled against their Maker, and when God came near to them they ran, they were hiding in shame.

Thinking about it, it would have been completely understandable for God to have shown up in Eden, dropped a hammer of His hardcore judgment on Adam and Eve, picked up more dust, and started over with another man and woman.

But that’s not what He did.

That is not what we read and learn in the Word of God for His Children.

He arrived in the garden, came near and asked, “Where are you?” (Genesis 3:9).

And when He found them naked and ashamed, He stayed on the scene, and He put enmity, open hostility, between the serpent and all mankind in mercy, He provided animal skin covering for them, and expelled them from the Garden.

So, too, with His people Israel.

By the time Isaiah began his ministry, there was again an established history of the people forgetting God and ignoring His prophets – all would lead to exile.

As a result, they labored long and hard under the wicked kings they deserved and found themselves “greatly distressed and hungry,” leading them to “speak contemptuously against their king and their God” (Isaiah 8:21).

Again, it would have been reasonable for the Lord to have done away with His people at this point, start over – leaving them to experience the “distress and darkness, the gloom of anguish and defeat” (v 22), without a hope or a future.

After all, by their words and their actions, they were communicating that they didn’t want Him around in their garden of the knowledge of both good and evil.

Imagine God’s thought process here – Why would He, should He, stick around?

But the next chapter of Isaiah begins with a glorious, even miraculous reversal:

“There will be no more gloom for her who was in anguish” (Isaiah 9:1).

The Lord would not leave His people, and He would not allow them to remain in misery – No, for these people in darkness, “on them has a great light shone.”

The light of the grace of God was breaking into their self-inflicted gloom of sin.

Centuries after the words of Isaiah were written, spoken, preached and taught, that endless cycle of sin – the people of God again found themselves in anguish.

There were again foreign rulers over them, and now came something different from God – there had been no prophetic word heard for too many, many years. 

Imagine the thought of the people – “Perhaps He’s really finally done it this time, the people may have thought – the Lord has finally had enough of us, turned His back.

In these contemporary of days, we know better.

We believe that into this darkness a child was born.

We believe a glorious once in a lifetime has light shone in the sky, leading to the discovery of a baby who would prove to all to be the light of the entire world.

The question for us this Advent season, in any season, is whether the light has dawned in our own hearts or whether we have let the darkness of sin creep in.

The good news of this season of Advent and Christmas is that the God of the Bible is the God of grace, the God of Light who comes into the darkness and emptiness of our hearts to bring His light, His love, His joy, and His peace.

It is a great certainty we are each walking in darkness today, whether that is the darkness of our own sin, our fear or the darkness caused by the sin of others.

God’s promise is this: God is neither afraid of nor defeated by, these things.

In Immanuel, God with us, God is within us – in Jesus, He has drawn near.

By His Spirit, He can bring light to the dark.

Look to Him and look for Him for He wants to be found – and walk in His light.

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

Psalm 8 Names of God Bible

Psalm 8

For the choir director; on the gittith;[a] a psalm by David.

1 O Yahweh, our Adonay, how majestic is your name throughout the earth!

Your glory is sung above the heavens.[b]
2 From the mouths of little children and infants,
    you have built a fortress against your opponents
        to silence the enemy and the avenger.

3 When I look at your heavens,
    the creation of your fingers,
    the moon and the stars that you have set in place—
4         what is a mortal that you remember him
            or the Son of Man that you take care of him?
5         You have made him a little lower than yourself.
        You have crowned him with glory and honor.
6         You have made him rule what your hands created.
        You have put everything under his control:
7             all the sheep and cattle, the wild animals,
8             the birds, the fish,
            whatever swims in the currents of the seas.

9 O Yahweh, our Adonay, how majestic is your name throughout the earth!

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

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