The Gift of Godly Friends. Acts 27:1-8

Godly friendships are those special relationships between friends that are based on mutual respect, trust, support and a love for God.

These types of friendships are built on a strong foundation of shared values and common interests, and they are typically characterized by a very deep sense of loyalty and companionship with Christ directly at the exact center.

Godly friendships are not always easy to find, but they are definitely worth the effort to cultivate.

These are the types of relationships that can help you weather the storms of life and come out stronger on the other side.

You pray for each other through the messes of life.

If you are fortunate enough to have a godly friendship in your life, cherish it, always and forever exceedingly abundantly value it, never take it for granted.

Acts 27:1-8 English Standard Version

Paul Sails for Rome

27 And when it was decided that we should sail for Italy, they delivered Paul and some other prisoners to a centurion of the Augustan Cohort named Julius. ²And embarking in a ship of Adramyttium, which was about to sail to the ports along the coast of Asia, we put to sea, accompanied by Aristarchus, a Macedonian from Thessalonica. ³The next day we put in at Sidon. And Julius treated Paul kindly and gave him leave to go to his friends and be cared for. ⁴And putting out to sea from there we sailed under the lee of Cyprus, because the winds were against us. ⁵And when we had sailed across the open sea along the coast of Cilicia and Pamphylia, we came to Myra in Lycia. ⁶There the centurion found a ship of Alexandria sailing for Italy and put us on board. ⁷We sailed slowly for a number of days and arrived with difficulty off Cnidus, and as the wind did not allow us to go farther, we sailed under the lee of Crete off Salmone. ⁸Coasting along it with difficulty, we came to a place called Fair Havens, near which was the city of Lasea.

The Word of God for the Children of God.

Adeste Fideles! Laeti Triumphantes! Venite Adoremus! Dominum.

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

How Godly Friendships Work

Godly friendships are those special relationships between friends that are based on mutual respect, trust, support and a love for God.

Godly friendships are not always easy to find, but they are definitely worth the effort to cultivate.

These are the types of relationships that can help you weather the storms of life and come out stronger on the other side.

You pray for each other through the messes of life.

If you are fortunate enough to have a godly friendship in your life, cherish it, always and forever exceedingly abundantly value it, never take it for granted.

What Is The Importance Of Godly Friendships

The Bible tells us that as iron sharpens iron, so one person sharpens another (Proverbs 27:17).

In other words, we need godly friends in our lives to help us grow in our faith.

Just as our physical bodies need exercise and healthy food to stay strong, our souls need spiritual nourishment to stay healthy.

Godly friendships provide that spiritual nourishment. When we spend time with friends who love and follow Jesus, we are encouraged and challenged to do the same.

We learn from their example, and they help us to see things from a different perspective.

They also help us to hold on to our faith when things get tough.

So if you’re looking for ways to grow in your faith, seek out godly friendships.

These relationships will be a blessing to you, and you will be a blessing to them as well.

Because our relationship with God should be our priority, we should be seeking to please Him above all else.

Having godly friends means that we will have people in our lives who share our values and who will encourage us to grow in our faith.

This is an understated undervalued and ever so vital part of the Christian life, and it is something that we should, in these days of isolation, all be striving for.

Characteristics Of A Godly Friend

God the Father and God the Son and God the Holy Spirit is a God of perfect friendship and sets the only tone of how we should be friends to each other.

A godly friend is…

Encouraging
Focuses you back to God’s Word
Walks in love, forgiveness and healthy boundaries
Prays for you
Brings out your best
Sticks with you through the best of times and the worst of times.

Placing Proper Value on God’s Gift of Godly Friends.

The day had finally dawned, and Apostle Paul’s great longing to go to Rome was nearing its realization.

He was one of a number of prisoners whose destination was the great city at the center of the known world.

But at the outset of their journey, narrator Luke provides us with details that appear at first glance to be completely extraneous and mostly irrelevant.

He and Paul, he tells us, were “accompanied by Aristarchus, a Macedonian from Thessalonica.”

Aristarchus is not a well-known Bible character.

From the few places where he’s mentioned, we know that he was a good man to have around at any time, but especially during difficult times.

He first appears in Acts 19:29, where he ends up in harm’s way when Paul and his companions are set upon by a mob.

He is also mentioned at the end of Colossians (Colossians 4:10) and of Philemon (Philemon 24).

If these two epistles were written from Rome, while Paul was a prisoner there as is likely, then this companion named Aristarchus evidently remained with Paul throughout his entire journey to Rome and likely his subsequent imprisonment.

The mere mention of Aristarchus’s presence with Paul reminds us that even this great apostle to the Gentiles was not at all beyond the need of friendship.

Paul is such a significant figure that we may be tempted almost to deify him, assuming that he was echelons above and beyond such “worldly necessities.”

But in actual fact, he very much cherished friendship.

When he wrote his second letter to Timothy at the end of his life, he finished the epistle by asking not only for scrolls and his cloak (2 Timothy 4:13) but also the quick arrival of his young protégé Timothy (v 9).

The scrolls would stimulate his mind.

His cloak would deal with the cold.

But he needed Timothy because, to Paul, his friendship really mattered.

Paul’s need for friendship is revealed again when Luke tells us that, upon reaching Sidon on the way to Rome, Paul was allowed by the centurion Julius who kindly oversaw the prisoners; “to go to his friends and be cared for.”

Was it out so very of place for the mighty apostle to be cared for by others?

Not at all! Paul embraced his weakness and dependence on others because he knew that Christ’s “power is made perfect in weakness” (2 Corinthians 12:9).

The sooner we discover how powerless and weak we really are alone, the sooner we learn the value of friendship.

No matter how strong or gifted you and I may be, you and I are not Superman, nor are we expected by God to be Superman.

If this mighty apostle needed friends and companions in his life, then you and I do as well.

Friendship is a wonderful gift God has given so that we might be encouraged and supported as we journey through this life.

Today, then, consider the godly friends that the Lord has placed around you.

Offer thanks for their love and support.

And above all, do pray for their endurance and encouragement in the faith, knowing that just as you need them to point you to Christ, so they need you.

How Do You Build Godly Friendships

There are many ways to build godly friendships, but here are five key ways:

Pray together. This is a great way to get to know each other and to build a strong bond.
Study the Bible together. This will help you to grow in your faith together and to learn more about each other.
Serve together. Doing things for others is a great way to build friendships. You can serve at your church, in your community, or even in your neighborhood.
Hang out together. Just spending time together is a great way to build friendships. You can go for coffee, go for a walk, or even just have a conversation.
Encourage each other in the Lord. This is a great way to show that you care about each other and to build a strong friendship.

How Do We Know If A Friendship Is From God?

First and foremost, a friendship that is from God will be rooted in love, kindness, and respect.

It will be a friendship that honors God and seeks to reflect His character.

This means that your friend will encourage you to grow in your faith and will pray for you regularly.

They will also be a positive influence in your life and help you to become a better person.

Another sign of a friendship that is from God is that it will be based on mutual trust and transparency.

You should be able to share your thoughts and feelings with your friend without fear of judgment or condemnation.

Your friend should also be willing to share their own struggles and weaknesses with you, and together you can support each other and grow in your faith.

Finally, a friendship that is from God will be one that is marked by love, and joy, patience and peace, self-control and mutual understanding and contentment.

Even in difficult times, you will be able to find comfort and encouragement in your friendship.

Your friend will be a source of strength and encouragement to you, and together you can overcome any obstacle.

Ultimately, the best way to know if a friendship is from God is to pray about it and seek His guidance.

Ask God to reveal to you whether this friendship is from Him, and trust in His wisdom and guidance.

Remember that friendships that are from God are a gift, and they can be a powerful source of inspiration, support and encouragement in your life.

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

Let us Pray,

Abba Father, everlasting BFF, I pray for godly friendships in my life. I pray for friends who will be there for me through the good times and the bad. I pray for friends who will encourage me in my faith and help me to grow closer to You. I pray for friends who will be honest with me and who will challenge me to be the best that I can be. I pray for friends who will make me laugh and who will help me to enjoy life. I pray for friends who will be there for me when I need them, and who I can be there for in return. Also, Lord, make me this kind of friend. Thank You for the friends You have already given me, and I pray for many more blessed friendships soon. In Jesus’ name,

Adeste Fideles! Laeti Triumphantes! Venite Adoremus! Dominum.

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

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Wisdom of the Wiser: What God Chooses to Accomplish His Will. 1 Corinthians 1:26-31

In 1 Corinthians chapters 1 and 2, Paul assigned his readers an important task: the confident preaching of Christ crucified.

The Gospel message, he wrote, is foolishness to the world (1:18-25) and yet the undeniable truth of the message means quite literally everything to believers—and God chooses to use not the most powerful but the very weak to proclaim it.

Beginning in a process of conversion, the core of being a Christian is living a life of discipleship — of following Jesus in everything we do — so that we can step up and step out to help change the world into the Kingdom Jesus told us about.

This is the lifestyle Jesus chose to attract others to him that they might come to the moment where their desire to know Him and His Father, God is priority #1.

Stepping up and stepping into this lifestyle of witness ourselves prayerfully attracts others to our faith, gives us opportunities to explicitly share our faith.

1 Corinthians 1:26-31 New American Standard Bible

²⁶For ^[a]consider your calling, brothers and sisters, that there were not many wise according to ^[b]the flesh, not many mighty, not many noble; ²⁷but God has chosen the foolish things of the world to shame the wise, and God has chosen the weak things of the world to shame the things which are strong, ²⁸and the ^[c]insignificant things of the world and the despised God has chosen, the things that are not, so that He may nullify the things that are, ²⁹so that no ^[d]human may boast before God. ³⁰But it is ^[e]due to Him that you are in Christ Jesus, who became to us wisdom from God, ^[f]and righteousness and sanctification, and redemption, ³¹so that, just as it is written: “Let the one who boasts, boast in the Lord.”

The Word of God for the Children of God.

Adeste Fideles! Laeti Triumphantes! Venite Adoremus! Dominum.

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

In 1 Corinthians chapters 1 and 2, Paul assigned his readers an important task: the confident preaching of Christ crucified.

The Gospel message, he wrote, is foolishness to the world (1:18-25) and yet the undeniable truth of the message means quite literally everything to believers—and God chooses to use not the most powerful but the very weak to proclaim it.

This is the lifestyle Jesus chose to attract others to him that they might come to the moment where their desire to know Him and His Father, God is priority #1.

Stepping up and stepping into this lifestyle of witness ourselves prayerfully attracts others to our faith, gives us opportunities to explicitly share our faith.

What God Chooses to Accomplish His Will

1 Corinthians 1:27-29 New American Standard Bible

²⁷but God has chosen the foolish things of the world to shame the wise, and God has chosen the weak things of the world to shame the things which are strong, ²⁸and the ^[a]insignificant things of the world and the despised God has chosen, the things that are not, so that He may nullify the things that are, ²⁹so that no ^[b]human may boast before God.

When have you not ever felt the nudge to do something, say something, or try something that felt even .01% outside your ability to conceive?

As soon as the thought came into your head another did as well, discrediting your so called self perceived, self-conceived time limited “qualifications”.

Yet, somehow the very idea brought a momentary quickening in your heart.

The undeniable feeling this could be great.

The undeniable feeling this could be exciting.

The undeniable feeling this could be transformational.

The undeniable feeling this could be life changing to the utmost and uppermost.

The undeniable feeling this could be a major league professional difference maker.

These are those miracle moments when God wants to step in to do something bigger than what “we believe” is possible with our seemingly unqualified lives.

Isaiah 57:13-15 New American Standard Bible

¹³When you cry out, let your collection of idols save you.
But the wind will carry them all up,
And a breath will take them away.
But the one who takes refuge in Me will inherit the land
And possess My holy mountain.”

¹⁴And it will be said,
“Build up, build up, prepare the way,
Remove every obstacle from the way of My people.”
¹⁵For this is what the high and exalted One
Who ^[a]lives forever, whose name is Holy, says:
“I dwell in a high and holy place,
And also with the contrite and lowly of spirit
In order to revive the spirit of the lowly
And to revive the heart of the contrite.

The amazing truth is that we are never left to ourselves in these moments!

Miraculously, when God plants the thought into our thoughts, our souls, God lays something on our heart to do or brings on a challenge for us to conquer for Him, then God is the ONLY one who is going to be sufficient to see us through!

God pushes us into uncomfortable places so that we are able to recognize it is time for a difference to be made somewhere and recognize His power at work.

If God only called us to what we felt only barely capable to do, then would we even recognize God’s hand at work in our lives?

When we feel like we have it all together, when things make sense in our own minds then we stop seeking God for his help.

Our worldly malignant pride so easily raises up, steals our need for a Savior.

It is for this reason God allows us to face obstacles that feel insurmountable at the moment.

In these moments we must be faithful to take a step of faith.

God will meet us and miraculously provide so His glory can be seen in our lives.

God enables his people to accomplish what He desires them to do with their lives.

⁵What then is Apollos? And what is Paul? Servants through whom you believed, even as the Lord gave opportunity to each one. ⁶I planted, Apollos watered, but God was causing the growth. ⁷So then neither the one who plants nor the one who waters is anything, but God who causes the growth. (1 Corinthians 3:5-7 NASB)

Making Sense of the Value of our Christian Witness

God’s plan for humanity is not one that we can make sense of on our own.

God came in a form that no one expected, performed miracles no one would have considered to be possible, died a criminal’s death, and yet used these lowly circumstances as the tool to free humanity from the chains of sin and death.

If we are to be ones called away by God, separated by God from the world who accomplishes God’s plan or even be among those few who are able to accept the truth of the cross, we have to be obedient, willing to lay aside our expectation, known limitations, and step out in faith that God will meet us where we are.

Two thousand some years ago, God used a foolish cross to redeem our lives.

He gives us the strength we need to minister to those who need His love in our daily lives.

God will carry us through dark days.

He will provide for our families when we see no way forward.

God is infinitely able and uses our vast measures and degrees of powerlessness to show His great ability to carry us through whatever it is that He calls us to.

Pause for just a few precious moments to prayerfully consider how you need to invite God to “tap your shoulder” to show His mighty hand at work in your life?

Are you only relying on what “makes sense” to you or is there an area in your life in which God is nudging you to step out in faith so He can do something great?

God only gave the Israelites in the desert the manna and Quail they needed each day so that they would have to learn to trust in God as their only true provider.

Pray and Learn: how is God teaching you to trust in him as your daily provider?

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

Let us Pray,

Dear Father, God Almighty, Creator of all things, you alone of whom we now boast,

Why have you chosen the weak, the foolish, the despised? You have done this so that no human being can boast. And we do not! We cast our lives at your feet. You alone are worthy! You are above all things, you alone are the source of our lives in Christ Jesus, whom you made to be everything to us. He alone is our wisdom and He alone is our righteousness. He alone is our sanctification and He alone is our redemption. Therefore, as it is written, “Let him who boasts, boast of the Lord” – and we do! In the name of Savior Jesus, by his wisdom and authority, I ask these things. Amen.

Adeste Fideles! Laeti Triumphantes! Venite Adoremus! Dominum. Gloria! In Excelsis Deo! Alleluia, Alleluia, Alleluia, Amen.

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Authentic, Transparent Christian Living and Ministry. Acts 20:18-27

In his meeting with the Ephesian elders, prior to returning to Jerusalem, Paul reminded his brothers in the faith that the manner of his living and teaching among them had been authentic, transparent and sincere.

In no way had his conduct resembled that of a dishonest salesman who desperately hopes you will purchase the used car and then drive it away from the lot before you notice the brakes do not quite brake and the rusted floor beneath the mats.

Acts 20:18-27 English Standard Version

¹⁸And when they came to him, he said to them:

“You yourselves know how I lived among you the whole time from the first day that I set foot in Asia, ¹⁹serving the Lord with all humility and with tears and with trials that happened to me through the plots of the Jews; ²⁰how I did not shrink from declaring to you anything that was profitable, and teaching you in public and from house to house, ²¹testifying both to Jews and to Greeks of repentance toward God and of faith in our Lord Jesus Christ.^[a] ²²And now, behold, I am going to Jerusalem, constrained by^[b] the Spirit, not knowing what will happen to me there, ²³except that the Holy Spirit testifies to me in every city that imprisonment and afflictions await me. ²⁴But I do not account my life of any value nor as precious to myself, if only I may finish my course and the ministry that I received from the Lord Jesus, to testify to the gospel of the grace of God. ²⁵And now, behold, I know that none of you among whom I have gone about proclaiming the kingdom will see my face again. ²⁶Therefore I testify to you this day that I am innocent of the blood of all, ²⁷for I did not shrink from declaring to you the whole counsel of God.

The Word of God for the Children of God.

Adeste Fideles! Laeti Triumphantes! Venite Adoremus! Dominum.

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

In no way had his conduct resembled of a dishonest salesman who desperately hopes you will purchase the used car and then drive it away from the lot before you notice the brakes do not quite brake and the rusted floor beneath the mats.

Let Our Lives Preach Louder Than Our Lips

Paul’s time in Ephesus wasn’t a flying visit by a traveling evangelist who shot into town, like a carnival, endearing himself to the people, and then left again.

No, he had spent at least two years there, staying involved, teaching the gospel, planting and building the church (Acts 19:1 – 20:1).

The people in Ephesus had seen him in the streets and in the marketplace.

Many had seen, heard him, teaching and preaching in the local synagogues.

Many of them had had the opportunity to have private conversations with him.

They would have known that when he said that he served the Lord with great humility, he was telling the truth.

They had seen and heard about the tears he’d wept over them and the trials he’d faced among them.

In other words, Paul’s ministry and Paul’s heart were openly transparent.

There was nothing to hide, and he would never have sought to do so.

Paul later wrote to the Corinthian church about the need for transparency, saying,

“We have renounced disgraceful, underhanded ways. We refuse to practice cunning or to tamper with God’s word, but by the open statement of the truth we would commend ourselves to everyone’s conscience in the sight of God” (2 Corinthians 4:2).

He also has emphasized the great importance of transparency to his protégé, Timothy: “Keep a close watch on yourself and on the teaching” (1 Timothy 4:16).

Paul exceedingly, abundantly fervently believed that Christians ought to close the gap between what they said then, what they say now, how they now live.

The power and effectiveness of preaching God’s Word can be undermined if there is not any transparency on the part of the one bearing the good news.

When one shares the hope and truth of the gospel, those who listen should be able to investigate the authenticity of your life and confirm that you genuinely believe the truths you are proclaiming – your Christian talk is also your walk.

Inside and outside the church, the way you live should commend the gospel just as much as the words you say.

This doesn’t mean you will be without errors in judgment, failure, mistakes both small and large and sin; it does mean, however that your life will reflect that you a “work of God in progress,” have been transformed by God’s grace.

Pray that God would lead, guide, direct and help you, by His grace, to be a living testimony, defender of the faith, the truthfulness of the message you proclaim.

Authenticity, Transparency in Paul’s Words?

There are many things Paul says in Acts 20:18-27, but I just want to point out authenticity and transparency, humility in trials and and serving like Christ.

Being authentic, transparent, is not something that many of us Christ followers allow ourselves to be these days.

We live lives of seclusion and don’t want anyone holding us accountable for how we can become stronger in our walks or stop letting ourselves sin.

Paul was authentic.

Paul was transparent.

As a leader he needed to be transparent.

As a leader he needed to be authentic.

He was an example of what it was to walk in the Holy Spirit and follow Christ.

He repeatedly tells the elders of the church in Ephesus that they watched, they observed, know how he lived since he lived among them in Asia (Acts 20:18).

Paul also selflessly served.

I know that sadly is not something common in this “gimme gimme” society we live in, but a leader of the church spreading the word of Christ was serving.

He served with humility and with visible tears and trials for all the things that happened to him while spreading the word of Christ and avoiding capture from the Jews (Acts 20:19).

Authentic Transparent Christian Ministry

Acts 20:32-35 English Standard Version

³²And now I commend you to God and to the word of his grace, which is able to build you up and to give you the inheritance among all those who are sanctified. ³³I coveted no one’s silver or gold or apparel. ³⁴You yourselves know that these hands ministered to my necessities and to those who were with me. ³⁵In all things I have shown you that by working hard in this way we must help the weak and remember the words of the Lord Jesus, how he himself said, ‘It is more blessed to give than to receive.’”

In verse 35 he really breaks down the true essence of serving and quotes Jesus.

He says he has shown them that when you work hard you must also help the weak, remember what Jesus said that “It is more blessed to give than to receive.”

For anyone who is a believer and is not authentically serving from their heart to honor God’s will for their lives and show love and be caring be loving to others, then they may have missed the most authentic point of being a Christ follower.

Philippians 2:1-11 English Standard Version

Christ’s Example of [Authentic] Humility

2 So if there is any encouragement in Christ, any comfort from love, any participation in the Spirit, any affection and sympathy, ²complete my joy by being of the same mind, having the same love, being in full accord and of one mind. ³Do nothing from selfish ambition or conceit, but in humility count others more significant than yourselves. ⁴Let each of you look not only to his own interests, but also to the interests of others. ⁵Have this mind among yourselves, which is yours in Christ Jesus,^[a] ⁶who, though he was in the form of God, did not count equality with God a thing to be grasped,^[b] ⁷but emptied himself, by taking the form of a servant,^[c] being born in the likeness of men. ⁸ And being found in human form, he humbled himself by becoming obedient to the point of death, even death on a cross. ⁹Therefore God has highly exalted him and bestowed on him the name that is above every name, ¹⁰so that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth, ¹¹and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.

As Paul continually, repeatedly reminds the Ephesian elders about his ministry with them, he is also giving us all a good list of the traits of authentic ministry:

Humbly doing the Lord’s work.
Willingness to display emotion and love for those one serves.
Faithfulness in the face of adversity, opposition, and persecution.
Doing ministry both publicly and privately as circumstances and opportunities warrant.
Consistently teaching the full message of Christ to all who will listen.
Calling people to turn from sin and commit to living for Jesus.
Giving the highest priority to one’s mission given by God.
Commitment never to stop life’s mission of sharing the Good News about God’s wonderful grace.

I don’t know about you, but that list is an authentic challenge worthy of my life!

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

Let us Pray,

Heavenly Father, thank You for my great salvation. Thank You that when I was deep in sin, I was convicted of my sinfulness and turned to Christ for forgiveness of sin and life everlasting. Thank You that the gospel of grace is not complicated, but simple to understand. Keep the eyes of my heart on Jesus, I pray, lest I turn away from Him and dishonor to Your holy name. I pray that when I allow myself to be enticed away from my focus on Christ that I would be authentic enough to quickly repent, acknowledge my sin, and return to You for forgiveness, knowing that if I confess my fault to You – You are faithful to forgive and return me into fellowship. Thank You for showing me that repentance towards God is synonymous with faith in Christ. May I authentically live and authentically work for Your praise and glory. This I ask in Jesus’ name.

God, my Father, Author of Consolation and Mercy forgive me when I lose sight of my goal as your child. Pray Convict me and reawaken me to the high purpose you have for my life. I want to live with purpose, mission, and meaning. Stir my passions and pray teach me how to fulfill your mission for me. I pray this in Jesus’ name. Amen.

Adeste Fideles! Laeti Triumphantes! Venite Adoremus! Dominum. Gloria! In Excelsis Deo! Alleluia, Alleluia, Alleluia, Amen.

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A Lifestyle of Urgency. Acts 20:22-24

As Paul took his leave of the Ephesian elders in Acts 20, the Apostle felt an urgent compulsion from the Holy Spirit to go back to the city of Jerusalem.

He declared to all present he had no idea what would happen to him when he got there, but he had a clear sense hard times and imprisonment awaited him.

Then he made this incredibly valuable and impossibly staggering statement:

“I do not account my life of any value.”

Acts 20:22-24 The Message

^22-24“But there is another urgency before me now. I feel compelled to go to Jerusalem. I’m completely in the dark about what will happen when I get there. I do know that it won’t be any picnic, for the Holy Spirit has let me know repeatedly and clearly that there are hard times and imprisonment ahead. But that matters little. What matters most to me is to finish what God started: the job the Master Jesus gave me of letting everyone I meet know all about this incredibly extravagant generosity of God.

The Word of God for the Children of God.

Adeste Fideles! Laeti Triumphantes! Venite Adoremus! Dominum.

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

As Paul took his leave of the Ephesian elders in Acts 20, the Apostle felt an urgent compulsion from the Holy Spirit to go back to the city of Jerusalem.

He declared to all present he had no idea what would happen to him when he got there, but he had a clear sense hard times and imprisonment awaited him.

Then he made this incredibly valuable and impossibly staggering statement:

“I do not account my life of any value.”

“I do not account my life of any value.”

What an incredibly shocking statement summarizing Paul’s own deep, abiding passion for the urgent way he personally views the sum total of his valued life.

“If my life isn’t of any value, it’s not precious to me, I got one thing I’m focused on, and that’s the ministry I have received from the Lord Jesus, testifying to the gospel of his grace.”

This was not first century mindset of masochism—some strange utter hatred of personal joy, happiness, self control, peace, or spiritual health, or physical life.

So what, then, did Paul mean by declaring his life completely valueless?

Simply this:

that solely for the sake of His Savior Jesus and the Kingdom of God, he did not regard his own life as so precious a possession as to be held on to at all costs!

What value we assign to our lives is summarized by people often nonchalantly saying, “Well, as long as I have got breath, and health, that’s all that matters!”

“I am happy I am still breathing, my heart is still beating and I am standing!”

Yes!

Absolutely!

Value all of these things and so much more!

Be happy you are still breathing, your heart is beating and you are standing!

But that is not all that is to be valued, all that matters in the Kingdom of God!

Be Comforted but also recall our invaluable bodies are steadily passing away. (Isaiah 40:1-9)

We are crumbling even as we live and breathe.

We may have our health today, but a day will come when we do not.

Unless we are able to say with Paul, “To live is Christ,” we cannot legitimately affirm with him, “and to die is gain” (Philippians 1:21).

The only way that death can be a valued gain is if Christ is urgently everything.

And if Savior Christ is valued as urgently everything, as Paul says He is, then we can declare with him, My life is not ultimate. I don’t need to protect it as the most precious thing I have. I want to spend it for the most precious person I’ll ever know.

What mattered most to Paul was that he finished his life trusting Christ and carried out to the best of his abilities the ministry Christ had given him.

He felt a compelling, overwhelming resolve to complete the task of testifying to “the gospel of the grace of God” everywhere he could reach by foot or by boat.

There’s a task!

There’s a purpose, significance, an agenda, a calling!

There is a Christian lifestyle which matters to the Kingdom of God!

There is a Christian lifestyle worthy of being valued!

And this is the task entrusted to all of us—the Great Commission to (Matthew 28:16-20) to let everyone we meet know the good news of God’s amazing grace.

Matthew 28:16-20 English Standard Version

The Great Commission

¹⁶Now the eleven disciples went to Galilee, to the mountain to which Jesus had directed them. ¹⁷And when they saw him they worshiped him, but some doubted. ¹⁸And Jesus came and said to them, “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. ¹⁹Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in ^[a] the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, ²⁰teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you. And behold, I am with you always, to the end of the age.”

“If Only I May Finish My Course …”

Acts 20:22-24 Amplified Bible

²²And now, compelled by the Spirit and obligated by my convictions, I am going to Jerusalem, not knowing what will happen to me there, ²³except that the Holy Spirit solemnly [and emphatically] affirms to me in city after city that imprisonment and suffering await me. ²⁴But I do not consider my life as something of value or dear to me, so that I may [with joy] finish my course and the ministry which I received from the Lord Jesus, to testify faithfully of the good news of God’s [precious, undeserved] grace [which makes us free of the guilt of sin and grants us eternal life].

From time to time, I will silently pray about each of these verses in Acts 20:22-24 and as I do quietly pray through them I will find myself constantly driven, then more urgently praying for the spread of the gospel through all our lives.

It then feels like every chapter and verse I can recall and prayer that flows from every verse and every chapter has got to help me to faithfully share the gospel.

That’s exactly what Paul is expressing here.

Think about it.

Paul knows he’s on this earth specifically for the spread of the gospel.

He urgently desires, and he says later, “I want to depart and be with Christ, but it’s better that I’m here.

Philippians 1:21-24 Amplified Bible

To Live Is Christ

²¹For to me, to live is Christ [He is my source of joy, my reason to live] and to die is gain [for I will be with Him in eternity]. ²²If, however, it is to be life here and I am to go on living, this will mean useful and productive service for me; so I do not know which to choose [if I am given that choice]. ²³But I am hard-pressed between the two. I have the desire to leave [this world] and be with Christ, for that is far, far better; ²⁴yet to remain in my body is more necessary and essential for your sake.

In God’s wisdom. He’s left me here for the spread of the gospel. This is what I want to do. I want to testify of his grace.”

Acts 20:24 Reminds Us of the Bible’s Teaching

Let’s look at our lives in a similar way.

I’m not saying this is the only thing we do in the world.

This is obviously not what the Bible is teaching, but the Bible is teaching that this is primary.

We are here on this earth for the spread of the gospel of the grace of God.

We are here exclusively to help other people know how good, and great, and gracious, and glorious and invaluable God, Jesus and the Holy Spirit are to all.

This is the opportunity God has given us every day and the place where he has put us in the world to make this good news to others.

A billion years from now what’s going to matter most is whether or not we have made this good news known to as many others as is possible in ones lifetime.

Acts 20:24 Leads Us to Have a Right Perspective

God, we ought to be urgently praying:

“Please give us a right perspective on our lives here.”

“God, Help us not to miss this glorious purpose you’ve entrusted to us.”

“We want to be a part of testifying to the gospel of your grace, telling other people about your love in Christ.”

“Lord, we don’t want to get to the end of our lives and look back and not have done this, not have given our whole lives to this, not having spent our lives doing this.”

In all the places I find myself, and I think about my life, my schedule this week.

I think about each person who’s praying this and their lives, their schedule, the different workplaces where they are, the different places where they live, the different people around them who probably don’t know Christ as their Savior.

“Lord, help us all. Help us all, we pray, to be faithful to testify to the gospel of your grace. And, Lord, help us not to neglect this most important ministry.”

This Reminds Us of Our Duty to Proclaim the Gospel

Obviously, we know we are not Paul in the same way that he was an apostle in the New Testament.

But we do know that, like the Apostle Paul, we have been urgently sent out by Christ with an urgent message, a gospel of God’s abundant and eternal life so to proclaim.

“Dear God, Help us urgently, we pray, to do it faithfully.”

“May I say in my own hearts my life I don’t count of any value.”

“Precious unto myself.”

“If only by your grace, I may finish this race and complete this ministry that I have been given from you, this opportunity that you have given to me, to urgently testify to, and witness exclusively unto, the gospel of your exceedingly amazing grace.”

“God, help me to be faithful to run that race today and to do this work today.”

“For the exclusive glory of your name and for the exclusive and urgent spread of your gospel, we pray, in Jesus’ name. Amen.“

Living Out and Into A Lifestyle of Urgency

In these most contemporary of “lets hurry up and wait” how are you and I, like Paul, to live a life of urgency so that you and I might keep going until the end?

You and I must run our race with all our might, with the finish line in view.

Do not look for any opportunity to bow out or slow down before the final lap is over and urgently run with all our strength and running right through the tape, gripped by Christ’s love, energized by God’s Spirit, and guided by God’s Word.

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

Let us Pray,

Heavenly God, Author of my life, Perfecter of my faith, be with me as I run the race of becoming more like your son Jesus. I pray God that you remove my selfishness so I follow what’s best for You, not what’s best for me. When I am tired, please give me strength to finish the race with joy. Let my actions, my witness and my testimony show the meaning of the gospel, reveal the invaluable message of Christ my Savior.

Adeste Fideles! Laeti Triumphantes! Venite Adoremus! Dominum.

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

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Simply Learning How to Live! Simply Learning How to Serve Others with Love. Romans 12:10-13

“Be Devoted to One Another in Brotherly Love …”

These commanding words of Paul are so simple and yet so very profound.

As Children of God, as Christians, we are all to covenanted by God to love one another and be devoted to each other as cherished members of the same family.

We should consider each other over our own self interests and give precedence, shared support, uplifting and honor to our brothers and sisters in Christ Jesus.

There should be no quarreling or factions between us, and we should consider how to build up in the faith and encourage each other continually in the Lord.

This image of God’s family is what we are expected to outwardly portray to the world; united by grace, loving, caring, and abundantly devoted to one another.

Romans 12:10-13 New American Standard Bible

¹⁰Be devoted to one another in brotherly love; ^[a]give preference to one another in honor, ¹¹not lagging behind in diligence, fervent in spirit, serving the Lord; ¹² rejoicing in hope, persevering in tribulation, devoted to prayer, ¹³contributing to the needs of the ^[b]saints, ^[c]practicing hospitality.

The Word of God for the Children of God.

Adeste Fideles! Laeti Triumphantes! Venite Adoremus! Dominum.

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

“Be Devoted to One Another in Brotherly Love …”

These commanding words of Paul are so simple and yet so very profound.

As Children of God, as Christians, we are all to covenanted by God to love one another and be devoted to each other as cherished members of the same family.

We should consider each other over our own self interests and give precedence, shared support, uplifting and honor to our brothers and sisters in Christ Jesus.

There should be no quarreling or factions between us, and we should consider how to build up in the faith and encourage each other continually in the Lord.

This image of God’s family is what we are expected to outwardly portray to the world; united by grace, loving, caring, and abundantly devoted to one another.

Called Away, and Separated by God, to Serve Others with Love

Mark 1:16-20 English Standard Version

Jesus Calls the First Disciples

¹⁶Passing alongside the Sea of Galilee, he saw Simon and Andrew the brother of Simon casting a net into the sea, for they were fishermen. ¹⁷And Jesus said to them, “Follow me, and I will make you become fishers of men.”^[a] ¹⁸And immediately they left their nets and followed him. ¹⁹And going on a little farther, he saw James the son of Zebedee and John his brother, who were in their boat mending the nets. ²⁰And immediately he called them, and they left their father Zebedee in the boat with the hired servants and followed him.

Many new cars today are equipped with a global positioning system (GPS).

These little gadgets-with soothing voices and readable maps-once these things are programmed with an address, it can tell you how to get from here to there.

Except that Jesus did not provide Simon and Andrew with anything like a GPS or even a map.

Instead, without social media he simply walked by the lake where they were conducting their day to day business of providing for their families and their community, invited them to follow him on an adventure with a risky Teacher.

Our passage from Mark’s Gospel today pulls us into our immediate response to the call to “come away,” following Jesus, without knowing the way ourselves.

In Galilee, Jesus began telling others that God’s kingdom had arrived in him.

The good news of Jesus came after a four-hundred-year silence since the last Hebrew Testament prophets had brought the words of the Lord.

Immediately Jesus wanted to announce, to introduce people to God’s plan: in him, God is among us; in him, God’s kingdom has come; and the call to believe in him is the best invitation people will ever receive, be honored to respond to.

This Itinerant Master Rabbi Jesus was intervening into their lives, calling men and women into places where there would be little, if any, comfort and security.

An intervention, an adventure with Jesus led his disciples to places they would never have imagined, witnessing to all of God’s miraculous redemptive work .

Could they have known what miracle signs and wonders were ahead of them?

Despite their not knowing the magnitude of what they would witness, they all would testify that following Jesus would mean plenty of risk and inconvenience.

They would testify “inconvenience with Jesus” makes living life worth living.

Learning to Serve Others with Love

Romans 12:9-13 The Message

^9-10Love from the center of who you are; don’t fake it. Run for dear life from evil; hold on for dear life to good. Be good friends who love deeply; practice playing second fiddle.

^11-13Don’t burn out; keep yourselves fueled and aflame. Be alert servants of the Master, cheerfully expectant. Don’t quit in hard times; pray all the harder. Help needy Christians; be inventive in hospitality.

“Ministry” is derived from the Greek word diakoneo, meaning “to serve.”

Every believer is called into ministry to serve Jesus and His body.

Jesus came to earth to serve others and calls us to follow His lead in selflessness and compassion for others, especially our brothers and sisters in Christ.

It is human to seek after the cravings of our flesh, but in Christ Jesus, we can turn away from old ways (Colossians 3:10; 2 Corinthians 5:17; Ephesians 4:24).

The Holy Spirit empowers us to set our selfishness aside to follow Savior Jesus’ example of being in service of others.

That Kind of Lifestyle Begins by Giving Our Mindset Unto God.

Psalm 119:1-8 The Message

119 ^1-8You’re blessed when you stay on course,
    walking steadily on the road revealed by God.
You’re blessed when you follow his directions,
    doing your best to find him.
That’s right—you don’t go off on your own;
    you walk straight along the road he set.
You, God, prescribed the right way to live;
    now you expect us to live it.
Oh, that my steps might be steady,
    keeping to the course you set;
Then I’d never have any regrets
    in comparing my life with your counsel.
I thank you for speaking straight from your heart;
    I learn the pattern of your righteous ways.
I’m going to do what you tell me to do;
    don’t ever walk off and leave me.

Bible study and prioritizing spiritual discipline of prayer allow the Holy Spirit to go to work, renew our minds, shifting our focus to eternal and spiritual matters.

The longer we walk with the Lord, the more we discipline ourselves to walk with the Lord, the more we train and retrain our eyes and ears, hearts, minds, souls, hands and feet and the rest of our bodies the more able we are to hold up under the impossible array of temptations of our worldly thinking and fleshly desires.

Our behavior and attitude change as God gives us the desire to love, obey, and serve Him fervently!

Selfish living isn’t an option for Christ followers!

The Apostle Paul encouraged believers to become committed to the Lord and our brothers and sisters in Christ:

Romans 12:9-13 English Standard Version

Marks of the True Christian

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

Paul wrote to the church at Thessalonica, “We loved you so much that we were delighted to share with you not only the gospel of God but our lives as well, because you had become so dear to us” ( I Thessalonians 2:8 ).

The Gospel is what brought them together and gave them a common bond.

What grew from that foundation was a great friendship with Savior Christ as the center.

The Apostle Paul rejoiced that he was able to share in their lives also because these people were so dear to him.

This bond transcends time and distance because it is based on the groundwork of God’s redemption, salvation work, through His Son Jesus Christ at Calvary.

This is why it is so important to surround yourselves with other brothers and sisters in Christ Jesus, who are readily willing and able to share of their lives.

Proverbs says, “As iron sharpens iron, so one man sharpens another” (Proverbs 27:17).

“As for reputation, though it be a glorious instrument of advancing our Master’s service, yet there is a better than that: a clean heart, a single eye, and a soul full of God. A fair exchange if, by the loss of reputation, we can purchase the lowest degree of purity of heart.” Reverend John Wesley (founder of Methodism)

Being in the company of other believers will encourage you and everyone who is around you in your personal connection, fellowship, relationship with the Lord.

It is impossible to be around another person who is excited about God and not have a measure of that excitement rub off on you.

“I have seen (as far as it can be seen) many persons changed in a moment from the spirit of horror, fear, and despair to the spirit of hope, joy, peace; and from sinful desires, till then reigning over them, to a pure desire of doing the will of God.” John Wesley (Founder of Methodism)

We are called to speak to each other, see each other, hear each other, listen to and love each other and to be devoted to one another, as a close knit family.

We now belong to one another.

We have been adopted into the family of God and our lives now reflect His life.

No longer do we ‘go it alone’, instead we are called into fellowship with other brothers and sisters in Christ.

The writer of Hebrews said, “And let us consider how we may spur one another on toward love and good deeds. Let us not give up meeting together, as some are in the habit of doing, but let us encourage one another-and all the more as you see the Day approaching” (Hebrews 10:24-25).

We are to share our lives, encourage and serve each other in the Word and spur each other random acts of radical hospitality, and towards love and good deeds.

This is a most wonderful thing about being part of God’s family, having other brothers and sister to encourage us and help us grow, that we may reciprocate.

Intersecting Faith and Life:

In dying to our selfish ways, our lives bring glory to God.

We may feel pain and joy as the light of God shows up in other people’s lives.

He does not leave us to our strength to follow the command to love and serve one another.

God empowers us to surrender to Him and His ways entirely. Our love for Him and others will steadily grow stronger and disciplined with each obedient step.

Every passing day, by God’s grace, we mature and cultivate a heart to serve others for His glory!

Who is God asking you to serve?

What selfish desires do you need to put aside to put someone else’s life before yours?

Are you too busy or distracted to serve or pray for others?

Let’s take some time and write down those who might come to mind.

Being “devoted to another in brotherly love” requires our church talk — we are family, brothers and sisters, children of God — must be more than mere words.

We must enter each others lives, getting to know one another so that we can serve, love and bless each other.

What have any of us done lately to get more involved in the lives of your fellow Christians?

Devotion to others follows a commitment to know and be known by them!

Who can you minister to, even if it is just a simple phone call to encourage someone or simply invite a new couple from your church over for dinner?

May God empower us His Children to choose others above ourselves and show their love of Christ over their love for the world, with ever greater compassion.

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

Let us Pray,

Almighty Father, thank you for giving me a world wide family. Thank you for loving me so completely. Father I ask that you help me be more open with myself and my time to those in your family. Lord, help me to assess my value in terms of living for you. I need your courage to lead me and guide me into places where I can make a difference today. Give me a contrite and disciplined heart which burns to bless others and be blessed by those you have made your children. Through Savior Jesus I pray.

Adeste Fideles! Laeti Triumphantes! Venite Adoremus! Dominum. Gloria! In Excelsis Deo! Alleluia, Alleluia, Alleluia, Amen.

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Abundantly Prayerfully Exceeding Your Expectations: Expecting Infinitely More From God. Ephesians 3:20-21

Ephesians 3:20-21 The Message

^20-21God can do anything, you know—far more than you could ever imagine or guess or request in your wildest dreams! He does it not by pushing us around but by working within us, his Spirit deeply and gently within us.

Glory to God in the church!
Glory to God in the Messiah, in Jesus!
Glory down all the generations!
Glory through all millennia! Oh, yes!

The Word of God for the Children of God.

Adeste Fideles! Laeti Triumphantes! Venite Adoremus! Dominum.

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

A lack of, or troubled faith may make us expect far less than God is willing to do.

An unexpectant faith may make us feel far less able to be bold and courageous in these days when too many people do not hold God in high regard or at all.

Too many people, believers and non believers alike have the idea that with so much turmoil going on, so much division and rancor, strife of every imaginable description behind every single blade of grass every weed, both alive and dead, it is simply not possible for everyone to believe God cannot raise to the moment.

Yet the Word of God from Paul’s letter to the new followers at Ephesus is clear when it tells us to exceedingly expect our God to answer when we pray in faith.

But, nowadays, who is it with any exceeding boldness and abundant courage does anything to go above and beyond to raise OUR expectations beyond ZERO?

What are your expectations?

Specifically, what are your expectations of God and what are your expectations of yourself this day?

Consider these words from Ephesians chapter 3:

Now all glory to God, who is able, through his mighty power at work within us, to accomplish infinitely more than we might ask or think. Glory to him in the church and in Christ Jesus through all generations forever and ever! Amen. (Ephesians 3:20-21 NLT)

Now to Him who is able to do exceedingly abundantly above all that we ask or think, according to the power that works in us, to Him be glory in the church by Christ Jesus to all generations, forever and ever. Amen. (Ephesians 3:20-21 NKJV)

Apostle Paul is writing to both believers and skeptics God is able to accomplish infinitely more or do exceeding abundantly more than we can ever ask or think.

Matthew Henry commenting on this truth wrote:

“There is an inexhaustible fullness of grace and mercy in God, which the prayers of all the saints can never draw dry. Whatever we may ask, or think to ask, still God is still able to do more, abundantly more, exceedingly abundantly more. Open your mouth ever so wide, still he has the wherewithal to fill it.”

What are your expectations?

What are your all too human expectations of God?

What are your eternal expectations from God

Do your all too human expectations of God include the steadfast belief God is able to do more in your life and mine than we can hope or think or imagine?

There may be many things we believe we can not ever do in our own strength or our own ability as we acknowledge what Jesus said in Matthew 19:26 “Humanly speaking, it is impossible. But with God everything is possible.”

When we pray according to God’s will all things are possible.

Perhaps our problem when we pray is we often put limits on what God can do.

Often we can think our problem or circumstance or situation is beyond the scope of God’s ability.

If we think that our problems are bigger than God is able or willing to handle,

then we show a lack of faith in the God who loves us and cares for us.

A lack of faith may make us expect far less than God is willing to do.

Yet the Word of God is clear when it tells us to expect God to answer when we pray in faith.

Luke 18:1-8 English Standard Version

The Parable of the Persistent Widow

18 And he told them a parable to the effect that they ought always to pray and not lose heart. ²He said, “In a certain city there was a judge who neither feared God nor respected man. ³And there was a widow in that city who kept coming to him and saying, ‘Give me justice against my adversary.’ ⁴For a while he refused, but afterward he said to himself, ‘Though I neither fear God nor respect man, ⁵yet because this widow keeps bothering me, I will give her justice, so that she will not beat me down by her continual coming.’” ⁶And the Lord said, “Hear what the unrighteous judge says. ⁷And will not God give justice to his elect, who cry to him day and night? Will he delay long over them? ⁸I tell you, he will give justice to them speedily. Nevertheless, when the Son of Man comes, will he find faith on earth?”

Listen to these verses to encourage your expectation:

Psalm 16:11 – You make known to me the path of life;
in your presence there is fullness of joy;
at your right hand are pleasures forevermore.

Psalm 23:1 – The Lord is my shepherd; I shall not want.

Isaiah 43:1-3 – But now thus says the Lord,
he who created you, O Jacob,
    he who formed you, O Israel:
“Fear not, for I have redeemed you;
    I have called you by name, you are mine.
²When you pass through the waters, I will be with you;
    and through the rivers, they shall not overwhelm you;
when you walk through fire you shall not be burned,
    and the flame shall not consume you.
³For I am the Lord your God,
    the Holy One of Israel, your Savior.
I give Egypt as your ransom,
    Cush and Seba in exchange for you.

Jeremiah 33:1-3 –

The Lord Promises Peace

33 The word of the Lord came to Jeremiah a second time, while he was still shut up in the court of the guard: ²“Thus says the Lord who made the earth,^[a] the Lord who formed it to establish it—the Lord is his name: ³Call to me and I will answer you, and will tell you great and hidden things that you have not known.

Matthew 18:19– “I also tell you this: If two of you agree here on earth concerning anything you ask, my Father in heaven will do it for you.

Matthew 21:22 – You can pray for anything, and if you have faith, you will receive it.”

Mark 11:24 – I tell you, you can pray for anything, and if you believe that you’ve received it, it will be yours.

John 14:13 – You can ask for anything in my name, and I will do it, so that the Son can bring glory to the Father.

John 15:7 – But if you remain in me and my words remain in you, you may ask for anything you want, and it will be granted!

John 15:16 – You didn’t choose me. I chose you. I appointed you to go and produce lasting fruit, so that the Father will give you whatever you ask for, using my name.

John 16:23-24 – At that time you won’t need to ask me for anything. I tell you the truth, you will ask the Father directly, and He will grant your request because you use my name. You haven’t done this before. Ask, using my name, and you will receive, and you will have abundant joy.

James 1:5-6 – If you need wisdom, ask our generous God, and He will give it to you. He will not rebuke you for asking. But when you ask Him, be sure that your faith is in God alone. Do not waver, for a person with divided loyalty is as unsettled as a wave of the sea that is blown and tossed by the wind.

James 1:17 – Whatever is good and perfect is a gift coming down to us from God our Father, who created all the lights in the heavens. He never changes or casts a shifting shadow.

1 John 3:22 – And we will receive from Him whatever we ask because we obey Him and do the things that please Him.

1 John 5:14-15 – And we are confident that He hears us whenever we ask for anything that pleases Him. And since we know He hears us when we make our requests, we also know that He will give us what we ask for.

Fellow Children of God, the eternal truth of the matter is this: when we pray, we need to pray in faith, we all need to pray expectantly, expect God to do infinitely more, exceedingly and abundantly above all that we all ask or think or imagine.

Be exceedingly and abundantly honest with God who 100% already knows what is going on, when you pray, what are all those things you think about, that you do not, wont, pray about because you are too worried that God will not answer?

Are there things that you do not pray about because in your heart you do not want or do not expect our exceedingly abundant God to answer your prayer?

What?

Let me give a couple of examples:

What if the thought of sharing your faith with other people scares you, you may choose not to pray for God to provide those exceedingly abundant opportunities to share the truth of Jesus with others.

If you are exceedingly, abundantly comfortable being in a small church where everybody knows your name, you will never pray for God to grow your church.

The truth is we may expect many things of God, but He also highly expects us to be abundantly willing to follow His purpose for us, our church, our community.

We need to pray in an abundantly expectant faith, trusting God, obedient to His plans, His Word, His Truth, His life, His covenanted precepts, His perfect will.

We can expect God to answer prayer in the right way at the perfect time.

One thing God keeps teaching me through prayer is patience.

His timing is perfect in every situation.

God will act at the right time and He is willing to do far more than we ever ask, or think, or imagine.

What is going on in your life right now that needs a touch from the King of Kings and Lord of Lords?

Your health… your relationships… your family…

your work… your prayer life… your faith…

your daily walk… your witness for our Lord.

Don’t try and carry it on your own, don’t let it draw your attention away from God.

Joseph Scriven wrote some very appropriate words in his hymn ‘What a Friend we have in Jesus’:

What a Friend we have in Jesus, All our sins and griefs to bear! What a privilege to carry Everything to God in prayer!

O what peace we often forfeit, O what needless pain we bear, All because we do not carry, Everything to God in prayer!

Whatever the situation, whatever the circumstances, take it to the Lord in prayer.

Pray and ask God to speak, to act, to move, to bless.

Pray in faith and expect God to move.

Here is another question:

How Big are Your Expectations of God?

How big is your expectation of God?

When you pray do you limit your expectation of what God can do?

Are you praying for someone in your family who as yet does not know God?

Are you praying in faith that God will change their heart?

Or have you given up praying for that person because your expectation is they will never turn to Jesus and be saved?

The Bible from our passage from Ephesians 3 is clear when it says God can and will do infinitely more, exceedingly abundantly above all that we ask or think.

Don’t let your expectations limit your prayers.

Don’t limit what God can and will do!

Remember the words of Jesus in Matthew 16:20,

“I tell you the truth, if you had faith even as small as a mustard seed, you could say to this mountain, ‘Move from here to there,’ and it would move. Nothing would be impossible.”

Throughout the Bible, we can read of many people who dared to ask God to do make the impossible possible.

God answered their prayers.

Maybe in your own life you have experienced God doing the impossible.

When you thought there was no hope,

when you thought the odds were against you,

when you thought it was impossible for circumstances to change,

when you expected the worst,

God stepped in and everything changed.

God stepped in and did infinitely more, exceedingly abundantly above all that you could ask or think or imagine.

God is Almighty, God is exceedingly incredible, God’s mighty power works an exceedingly abundant array of miracles in this messed up world every day.

God’s love and mercy is poured out into our lives every day; we are His children; our salvation is secure and certain in Jesus Christ; we are empowered by the Holy Spirit; God listens when we come to Him in prayer, God answers prayer.

God can abundantly exceed our expectation in every area of our everyday lives.

As I was reflecting on this devotional message, God laid an important truth on my heart to share with you:

Philippians 2:5-11 English Standard Version

⁵Have this mind among yourselves, which is yours in Christ Jesus,^[a] ⁶who, though he was in the form of God, did not count equality with God a thing to be grasped,^[b] ⁷but emptied himself, by taking the form of a servant,^[c] being born in the likeness of men. ⁸And being found in human form, he humbled himself by becoming obedient to the point of death, even death on a cross. ⁹Therefore God has highly exalted him and bestowed on him the name that is above every name, ¹⁰so that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth, ¹¹and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.

With the Like Mind of our Savior Christ, We must always make time to pray.

It is equally important for us to pray in times of joy as well as times of trouble.

Expectant Prayer Builds Abundant Relationship With God

Romans 12:12 simply tells us we should:

Rejoice in our confident hope. Be patient in trouble, and keep on praying (Romans 12:12)

This is an essential command for each of us to follow isn’t it?

Joyful hope and patience in affliction go against the grain of our own natures.

Excessive Despair and exceedingly abundant self-pity come much more easily.

In times like that, it’s important to turn to God in prayer.

We pray for many reasons: to thank God for blessings, to praise God, to confess sins, to seek God’s exceedingly abundant leading, guidance and direction for us.

In good times and bad we are to speak to God,

we are to draw near to Him,

grow in our relationship with Him.

The truth of the matter is this: Sometimes God answers our requests for help exactly as we ask, but sometimes not – sometimes the answer comes back: NO!

Either way, the Bible calls us to be faithful in prayer.

Prayer—thanking, praising, confessing, asking for help—connects us with God.

Prayer builds relationship.

Prayer strengthens the bond between God and us.

When we all have a good relationship with someone, hopefulness and patience become a little easier, especially when Someone is the Creator and Sustainer of the universe.

We can have a confident and expectant hope in God.

The fact that you are here this devotional suggests that you have hope in God,

it suggests you want to know more of our exceedingly abundant God,

that you want to draw exceedingly and abundantly closer to Him,

that right now you want to be in a real relationship with Him,

that right now you are expecting God to be abundantly active in your life today.

How is your relationship with God?

Have you felt His presence and experienced His touch upon your life today?

When you woke up this morning was it with an expectant heart?

Were you thrilled by the thought God would work in you, through you today?

Did you come to this devotional writing today with an utterly expectant heart?

Expecting to worship an exceedingly abundant God…

Expecting to feel His exceedingly abundant presence…

Expecting to the Word of God speak into your life…

Expecting to see and believe in the exceedingly abundant miracles of God …

Expecting to feel your life changed, transformed by the power of the Holy Spirit…

Expecting to be uplifted, refilled, renewed, restored, revitalized…

Expecting an exceedingly abundant revival get all revved up inside you …

Did you expect to come to “church” today expecting infinitely more, far exceedingly abundantly above all that you could ask or think or imagine?

What is God’s Abundant Expectation of You Today?

What is God’s exceedingly abundant expectations of you today?

As disciples of Jesus, God expects our daily commitment to Him.

God expects us to trust Him.

God expects us to follow Him.

God expects us to love Him.

God expects us to serve Him.

God expects us to speak to Him in prayer.

God expects us to learn more about Him.

God expects us to think about the things of God.

God expects us to tell others about Him.

God expects us to give Him first place in our lives.

God expects many things of each and every one of us.

Are you meeting God’s expectation of you?

One more thing God exceedingly and abundantly expects is for us to fill our minds, hearts with the #1 hard core Truth of God’s Word: “God is 100% #1!”

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

Let us Pray,

Almighty God, we serve and worship you, the One, True, Everlasting God, Who, when we are in absolute surrender to your Holy Will, show your incredible Power, your Omnipotence, Omnipresence and Omniscience, which is beyond limits of description and human comprehension. Your exceedingly abundant wonders and miracles, your exceedingly abundant love, goodness and mercy, exceeds all known perceptions and expectations goes beyond borders and boundaries into unlimited infinity.

You can create, recreate, do or undo anything, for the end of the greatest length of any of man’s abilities, is just the beginning of the endless possibilities and the wondrous working of your Mighty Hands. This amply demonstrates that for those who walk exceedingly abundantly according to your Holy Will and find favor in your eyes by their dedicated faith, your great outpourings of graces and blessings manifest your vast Glory and are exceedingly and abundantly visited upon them endlessly.

Lord, we are grateful beyond measure to worship and serve you, who dares the impossible and does the unthinkable. You work in us through the power of your Holy Spirit to increase our faith, and preserve to salvation all believers in Christ our Lord. His immense sacrifice of washing us pure of all sin, has made the gift of eternal life available and attainable by all who give Christ the glory in his Church, and in his far exceedingly abundant Name forever and forever and forever more. Amen.

Adeste Fideles! Laeti Triumphantes! Venite Adoremus! Dominum.

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

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Finding the Courage to Be Different. John 15:18-19

John 15:18-19 The Message

Hated by the World

^18-19“If you find the godless world is hating you, remember it got its start hating me. If you lived on the world’s terms, the world would love you as one of its own. But since I picked you to live on God’s terms and no longer on the world’s terms, the world is going to hate you.

The Word of God for the Children of God.

Adeste Fideles! Laeti Triumphantes! Venite Adoremus! Dominum.

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

A Hated People

John 15:18 Amplified Bible

Disciples’ Relation to the World

¹⁸“If the world hates you [and it does], know that it has hated Me before it hated you.

This may be one of Jesus’ hardest teachings—especially if anyone of us tends to prefer being a people pleaser.

Jesus wants us to understand that his followers will sometimes be at odds with the values of the world.

As a result, there will be times when we pay a relational price for following him.

But will we be hated?

Disliked? Probably.

Misunderstood? Sure.

But hated? That sounds pretty extreme.

Well, hatred is a pretty extreme and polarizing emotion.

Hatred is a high energy radically divisive way of immediately shutting down the course of events of that moment – say the words “I hate you” and life just stops.

Yet Jesus deliberately chooses this strong language here for a reason.

And Jesus knew that it absolutely had to be said and Jesus knew his disciples had to be prepared to receive the hatred – even to the point of their death on a cross.

Putting God first in our life will absolutely create friction—being different from everyone around you — well, guess what? it’s going to be a significant threat to people and unto world systems which have a deep and vested interest in their own selfish ambitions and much preferred ways of doing “their own” things.

Jesus invited people into the kingdom of God, to hate the world, and this will result in his arrest, public humiliation and his suffering and death on a cross.

Why? Because his teachings represented a threat to the religious leadership.

Following Jesus meant great personal sacrifice, having less power, status, and attention, so their response was to get rid of the competition and protect their own interests (see John 11:48 Amplified).

⁴⁸If we let Him go on like this, everyone will believe in Him, and the Romans will come and take away both our [holy] place (the temple) and our nation.”

Since we read in Scripture this is how Jesus was treated, should we be surprised to encounter such a hardship in our own lives because of our faith in him? No.

Yet, in spite of resistance in this world, God remains faithful to his people.

Through the Holy Spirit, we can be emboldened, empowered and inspired and refreshed to continue the most challenging of Kingdom work God calls us to do.

And in community we can find the prayer and support to keep following Jesus, no matter what it costs us.

John 17:6-12 Amplified Bible

⁶“I have manifested Your name [and revealed Your very self, Your real self] to the people whom You have given Me out of the world; they were Yours and You gave them to Me, and they have kept and obeyed Your word. ⁷Now [at last] they know [with confident assurance] that all You have given Me is from You [it is really and truly Yours]. ⁸For the words which You gave Me I have given them; and they received and accepted them and truly understood [with confident assurance] that I came from You [from Your presence], and they believed [without any doubt] that You sent Me. ⁹I pray for them; I do not pray for the world, but for those You have given Me, because they belong to You; ¹⁰and all things that are Mine are Yours, and [all things that are] Yours are Mine; and I am glorified in them. ¹¹I am no longer in the world; yet they are still in the world, and I am coming to You. Holy Father, keep them in Your name, the name which You have given Me, so that they may be one just as We are. ¹²While I was with them, I was keeping them in Your name which You have given Me; and I guarded them and protected them, and not one of them was lost except ^[a]the son of destruction, so that the Scripture would be fulfilled.

With the power and strength of Such deep Prayerful Support – what becomes possible?

The COURAGE to be DIFFERENT!

John 15:19 Amplified Bible

¹⁹If you belonged to the world, the world would love [you as] its own and would treat you with affection. But you are not of the world [you no longer belong to it], but I have chosen you out of the world. And because of this the world hates you.

Against the Grain

My father who grew up in the Depression era and was a combat veteran of the Korean Conflict, used to say the times have changed, a sentiment I now echo.

A child of the sixties and seventies, the world looked so very different during my own childhood; some resulted from my idyllic imaginings, and some from a much darker more brutal and bullied reality now most thankfully long past.

Today, the world, especially whether it is my country, or most anyone else’s country, looks darker, uncertain, bullied, terrorized and war-like and divided.

My Judeo-Christian faith now shines brighter than ever, and too many days I have never felt so alone, misunderstood and out of place.

Born and baptized a Christian, My family and I grew up Jewish when being Christian was much more in fashion, even ubiquitous.

Kids pretended to be Christian even when they weren’t.

I do not guess that is as true now as it was then – Not anymore.

It was the sixties and seventies – Haight Ashbury, the Vietnam War, Protests, Anti War Sentiments and campus riots were 5 minutes from my parents home.

There was the iconic transformative Woodstock on a farm in Bethel New York.

There was the Watergate Scandal and a US President was compelled to Resign.

This was our era – which we and my family lived, grew up in, were shaped by.

Each era seems to have its own iconic mind-bending, setting, transformative events which served to change the thinking of those who were born and raised.

Nowadays, many people hide their faith for fear of being offensive.

There seem to be fewer open prayers when out in public and less mention of God in school.

The challenges are mind bending, mind setting, controversial, transformative, divisive, politically high charged: Abortion. Homosexuality. Race. Transgender.

Violence, school shootings, walk into a church or any other place and spray bullets and bombs all over, among many other things which could easily take their place in bending, breaking, shaping, transforming billions of minds.

Uttering an unpopular opinion or a fact that goes against the grain is far more consequential than just merely taboo.

So for those of us seeking to stand firm in the faith, our absolute belief in God, the Father, God the Son and God the Holy Spirit, what exactly are we left to do?

Finding the courage to be different today comes with consequences like job loss, public ostracization with threats of physical violence, legal repercussions, fines, and maybe at some point, death.

From those first century days, it is not too far fetched to believe or wonder if it’s not significantly more counter-cultural to be that faithful, faith-filled, hopeful hope-filled, publicly prayerful, publicly praying Christian in today’s society.

The question is, do we have even the the minimal courage to be max different?

Intersecting Faith and Life:

The world hated Jesus.

There should be no surprise when we receive the same treatment.

If you are a Christian who finds yourself in harmony with the world, that’s an indication to rethink your faith.

We are called live differently, like Christ.

He didn’t have an easy life.

Why would we?

Why should we?

Christ told His disciples there would be suffering in the world.

Yet, despite suffering, through Him, they could find peace.

Through Him, they found the strength needed to live out their faith.

That same peace and strength are available to us today.

We’ll need it if we are to be different.

Different in the Way We Talk

Scripture prescribes a certain way to communicate.

Our words are supposed to build another up, those in the faith and outside.

That doesn’t mean every word spoken from our mouths is soft and gentle, but that also doesn’t mean our words should be extremely harsh and ultra divisive.

Where the world seeks to offend, we should make peace.

Where the world stresses peace, we should boldly speak the truth of the Gospel of our Lord, Savior Jesus Christ in “tough” love to people who need to hear it.

Different in the Way We Walk

Modern society glorifies the value of an individual’s happiness, priorities, needs, and wants. Our faith prioritizes the values of God.

We recognize we are not the center of the universe, which causes us to value getting married and starting families.

We value impartially serving others as opposed to serving ourselves. (James 2:1-13)

We value children in and outside of the womb. (Psalm 139:13-18)

Different in How We Think

Our primary motivations as Christians should be to love God and, secondly, to love our neighbors as much or as little as God commands us to love ourselves.

These are the greatest commandments.

Society commands the love of self.

If we aren’t happy, the culture encourages us to change our circumstances through divorce, jobs, etc.

Scripture helps us understand happiness is not just transitory but something we are not entitled to for simply existing.

God blesses us with good, but He also blesses us, allows for the bad and even the catastrophic and for very good reasons!

Different in What We Believe

Those in the world reject God when they can’t see the evidence but are quick to believe science without viewing the evidence – the methodology, the variables, the data, etcetera.

Knowing ‘the science’ proves something is enough for some people.

As Christians, we believe science helps us understand the natural world, but we also recognize there is also a supernatural one.

God allows us to see where conventional insight fails or deceives.

Being different is a challenge today, but walking with God was never meant to be easy.

Jesus’ life, death, and resurrection are proof.

Proverbs 29:18Amplified Bible

¹⁸
Where there is no vision [no revelation of God and His word], the people are unrestrained;
But happy and blessed is he who keeps the law [of God].

Choosing courage over comfort means embracing the unknown.

It pushes you to new experiences and makes you open and accommodating when you are tired of working for world instead of working for Savior Jesus.

Serving as Jesus did? It requires courage and confidence to do what your mind would otherwise assume and ignore because it anticipates failure or challenges.

Comfort will keep you back from pursuing your goals, fulfilling your dreams, and living up to your potential.

Courage, on the other hand, gives us prophetic vision (Proverbs 29:18) to see what others cannot see, to pursue what others would not dare to go after.

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

Let us Pray,

God Almighty, God my Father, I come before you now with a fresh anointing of your Gospel from John 15:18-19, with a plea and a prayer for courage. Please be with me on these dark and challenging days. No matter how alone I may feel, remind me you are my ever-present company. Whatever obstacles I face and my mindset faces, help me to live out the faith consistently and constantly. When the world seeks hate me as it hated your Son Jesus, seeks to deceive and sell me on falsehoods as Satan did your Son, direct me again towards truth. Please direct me to you. Being different is hard and scary, and some days God, I wonder what life would be like to be of the world. But I want to remain steadfast. I wish to remain with you. So, Lord, please give me the courage to be different, especially when I need it the most. In Jesus’ name. Amen.

Adeste Fideles! Laeti Triumphantes! Venite Adoremus! Dominum.

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

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Where Can We Find Hope if ‘All Is Vanity’ According to Ecclesiastes? Ecclesiastes 1:1-11

Ecclesiastes 1:1-11 The Message

The Quester

1 These are the words of the Quester, David’s son and king in Jerusalem:

^2-11Smoke, nothing but smoke. [That’s what the Quester says.]
    There’s nothing to anything—it’s all smoke.
What’s there to show for a lifetime of work,
    a lifetime of working your fingers to the bone?
One generation goes its way, the next one arrives,
    but nothing changes—it’s business as usual for old planet earth.
The sun comes up and the sun goes down,
    then does it again, and again—the same old round.
The wind blows south, the wind blows north.
    Around and around and around it blows,
    blowing this way, then that—the whirling, erratic wind.
All the rivers flow into the sea,
    but the sea never fills up.
The rivers keep flowing to the same old place,
    and then start all over and do it again.
Everything’s boring, utterly boring—
    no one can find any meaning in it.
Boring to the eye,
    boring to the ear.
What was will be again,
    what happened will happen again.
There’s nothing new on this earth.
    Year after year it’s the same old thing.
Does someone call out, “Hey, this is new”?
    Don’t get excited—it’s the same old story.
Nobody remembers what happened yesterday.
    And the things that will happen tomorrow?
Nobody’ll remember them either.
    Don’t count on being remembered.

The Word of God for the Children of God.

Adeste Fideles! Laeti Triumphantes! Venite Adoremus! Dominum.

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

The timelessness of Ecclesiastes is evident in our modern, existential age of excess with every possible pursuit, pleasure, and provision readily available through the click of a mouse or touch screen, and yet, people are still miserable.

Money cannot buy happiness.

The Preacher in Ecclesiastes clearly demonstrates this point by cataloging all his attempts to gain meaning and joy in life, and still concludes, “All is vanity” (Ecclesiastes 1:2).

But what is vanity?

Is vanity just a piece of bathroom furniture with a countertop and mirror for getting ready in the morning?

My mental image for vanity is the witch in Snow White, seeking affirmation for her beauty and worth with her magic mirror every morning, expecting to be the center of attention to her daily request of “Who is the fairest of them all?”

Does vanity mean that life is empty, worthless, or meaningless?

It is like washing your car in the rain or polishing the brass on the Titanic as it sinks – “What’s the point?”

The first chapter of Ecclesiastes seems to present a hopeless image of life, reporting “I have seen everything that is done under the sun, and behold, all is vanity and striving after the wind” (Ecclesiastes 1:14).

All Is Vanity

The author explains the cycle of life, noting how each generation will come and go, striving and seeking meaning and purpose, but die all the same, not even leaving behind a lasting memory (Ecclesiastes 1:11).

The author proceeds to detail his vast wealth and pursuits for pleasure and meaning, describing how nothing was outside his access or ability, and yet, he concludes this pursuit of pleasure by saying,

“What has a man from all the toil and striving of heart with which he toils beneath the sun? For all his days are full of sorrow, and his work is a vexation. Even in the night, his heart does not rest. This also is vanity” (Ecclesiastes. 2:22-23).

If all of life is meaningless and we simply strive to suffer and struggle each day, what is the point?

Where is our hope and where is our purpose to be found in life if ultimately life is meaningless?

There seems to be no hope in life.

If this were the meaning of vanity, life would be meaningless, but the Preacher is instead explaining a critical truth that we have yet to grasp these thousands of years later.

Vanity does not refer to absolute meaninglessness, but instead to a cyclical repetitiveness.

Our experience of life is such a small slice across all of human history, the value of our contribution and purpose for living gets utterly lost in this broader scope without an anchor for context to the bigger plan across time.

Hope is found in the meaning and purpose God provides to connect us to His story as integral players for His purpose and glory.

The theme of Ecclesiastes is that life is short, death is certain, and seeking meaning apart from God is like attempting to grasp the wind or wrangle vapor.

Meaning is not something we can control. Hope is found in the meaning and purpose provided as a free gift in love from God through His Son.

The Genre and Authorship of Ecclesiastes

Ecclesiastes sits at the end of the Wisdom literature in Scripture, preceded by Job and Proverbs, but all three tied together to provide critical lessons about the meaning of life.

Mirroring the virtues of faith, hope, and love, with love as the greatest (1 Corinthians 13:13), Ecclesiastes, Job, and Proverbs provide meaning to these ultimate questions of boredom or empty pursuit with the necessity of faith in God’s provision (Ecclesiastes), suffering is resolved through hope in God’s care (Job), and love as the ultimate meaning of life (Song of Solomon) demonstrated through God’s pursuit of us as His beloved.

Proverbs unites all these themes with a contrast between Wisdom and folly, or pursuit of God versus pursuit of self, proclaiming faith, hope, and love are found in a life lived in pursuit of Wisdom (Proverbs. 3:1-8).

Historically attributed to Solomon because of the opening credential of the author as “the son of David, king in Jerusalem” (Ecclesiastes. 1:1), the writing style, language differ from Proverbs and Song of Solomon, which are directly attributed to Solomon within the texts (Proverbs. 1:1; Song of Solomon 1:1).

While the exact dating and authorship are uncertain, the timelessness of Ecclesiastes is evident in its vivid descriptions of our modern struggle for meaning and purpose.

The book introduces the content of the book as “the words of the Preacher” (1:1), used alternatively throughout the book as Qoheleth (which is the Hebrew word for preacher, convener, or collector), suggesting that an editor or disciple of Qoheleth has compiled his teaching for this book at an uncertain date.

This authorship does not negate the possible influence or content from Solomon, but just that the book is not directly from Solomon but compiled and edited by another to provide a call to elevate faith in God for the people of Israel.

How Does Hope Play a Part in a World of Vanities?

If life is just vapor or breath, like “chasing after the wind” (Ecclesiastes. 1:14), from where does our hope come from?

The Preacher described his ceaseless pursuit for knowledge, self-indulgence, and pleasure, wisdom for wisdom’s sake, and work, concluding that everything comes from the hand of God and attempting to live apart from God is “vanity and a striving after wind” (Ecclesiastes 2:26).

Ecclesiastes 3:9-13 provides the context and answer to this issue.

The Preacher combats the cyclical repetitiveness inherent in vanity by proclaiming there is a fixed and appointed time for everything and it is according to this timeframe, which is outside of our control, that God orchestrates His purpose and plan provided to us as a gift (Ecclesiastes 3:13).

Life is short with our appearance on the planet like a breath compared to eternity, but this awareness of scope is given to us by God to provide an unsettling or discomfort in this place as a distant reminder of a home we have lost, a motivation to pursue God who controls time, place, purpose (3:14-15).

As C. S. Lewis stated, “If we find ourselves with a desire that nothing in this world can satisfy, the most probable explanation is that we were made for another world” (Mere Christianity).

Eternity in our hearts is the echo of the Garden, the place of perfect relationship with God, self, others, and creation.

We were made in the image of God, designed to be “naked and unashamed” (Genesis 2:25) with the purpose to image God through our creating, ordering, and sustaining His creation (Genesis 1:28).

Hope is the recognition of this glimmer, this reminder of God’s continued connection, continued relationship with all of us, as is realized through the incarnation and provision of new life through Christ’s death and resurrection.

Ecclesiastes is the echo of the Gospel message that we are more sinful than we ever thought but more loved than we could ever imagine.

In the Fall, we sought independence from God in desiring to define good and evil for ourselves, seeking meaning and purpose apart from our Creator.

God demonstrated mercy and grace by limited our lives in this empty pursuit in blocking continued access to the Tree of Life (Genesis 3:24), providing hope in the promise of a Savior (Genesis 3:15).

The message of the Gospel is the message of an upside kingdom because our values and desires have flipped with the influence of sin.

Our pursuit of independence and pleasure leaves us isolated and in despair while our dependence on God provides a connection to Him in His love for us and for the world (John 15:9-12).

Mark 8:35-37 summarizes Ecclesiastes well by noting,

“For whoever would save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for my sake and the gospel’s will save it. For what does it profit a man to gain the whole world and forfeit his soul? For what can a man give in return for his soul?”

While our lives feel short and quick, our hope is found in the timing and plan of God, who has ordered our lives and “every matter under heaven” (Ecclesiastes 3:1).

How to Live with Hope in the ‘Already but Not Yet’

Hebrews 11 provides a glorious parade of faithful followers of God designed to bolster the endurance of the author’s audience and reinforce their faith in God’s promises.

The author of Hebrews is speaking to an audience struggling to retain the truth of God’s promises within the overwhelming appearance of reality as enveloped by meaninglessness and vanity.

Suffering and struggles are real and in the midst of these experiences we lose sight of the bigger picture and the “now” feels all-consuming.

The author of Hebrews seeks to encourage his audience by reminding them of God’s bigger plan and purpose while providing concrete examples of those who lived according to this faith and assurance in unseen things.

Hebrews demonstrates scope and context for God’s provision and plan, opening our eyes again to the hope of our calling to something greater (Ephesians 1:18).

The suffering, struggle, and death of these saints did not consume their vision.

They did not lose sight of the bigger purpose of God even when the breath of their life exhausted without receiving what was promised, their faith remained (Hebrews 11:39) because their hope was on something more permanent, an “anchor within the veil” (Hebrews 6:19).

The faith and hope of these saints looked backward to the promise of the Messiah (Genesis 3:15) with a culmination in their future, fulfilled in Jesus Christ (Mark 8:29).

Our faith and hope also look backward to Christ’s death and resurrection and forward to His return (1 Peter 5:10-11; Revelation 22:20).

We live in the joyful expectancy of the “already but not yet.”

We live in the Saturday of passion week, assured in the provision of redemption through the cross and resurrection while awaiting our own resurrection and glorification to follow Christ (1 Corinthians 15:20-23).

In the same way that the saints of Hebrews 11 endured in their faith, waiting in “the assurance of things hoped for” (Hebrews 11:1), we retain our purpose and meaning in time, awaiting our own resurrection, looking to Jesus as the anchor point to “run with endurance the race that is set before us” (Hebrews 12:1).

Because we only perceive life through this finite experience, it is so easy for anyone and everyone to get caught up inside the vanity of repetitive pursuit, feeding our desire for independence and pleasure.

The Preacher calls us to attention, however, to remind us that because life is short, this reality should spark our motivation to get working and make sure our direction and desires align with God’s purpose and plan for us.

It is easy to become distracted and lose sight of the hope of our calling and the author and perfecter of our faith.

The scope of our task and role is bigger than us and extends beyond us.

Just as we have the hopeful, hope-filled example and encouragement of a great crowd of witnesses who have gone before us (Hebrews 12:1), so too we are all now leading others in the hopeful, hope-filled treads of our footsteps as well.

Maintain your hopeful, hope-filled, faithful faith-filled perspective as meaning it all comes from God and in spite of all the “vapor-ness” of life, motivates us all to significantly fruitful, fruit-filled Kingdom of God action in this short time.

Our hope in God is unaffected by circumstance or situation because God is always in control and we receive what He provides as from His hand, both, whether good or bad or completely catastrophic all is for His glory alone. (Ecclesiastes 7:13-15; Job 2:10; Romans 9:22-24).

Keep your eyes on Jesus.

Look full into His Wonderful Face.

And the Things of This Earth Grow Strangely Dim.

In the Light of His Glory and Strength.

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

Let us Pray,

Lord, my teacher, I’m often confused when I need to make important decisions about my life, my family, my work, my relationships, my health, or finances. Show me the way I should go when I don’t know which way to turn. Help me remember to come to you, rather than trying to figure everything out on my own. Guide me along the best pathway, your pathway for my life. Lead me and Advise me and watch over me. Help me to give both of my ears to listen to your guidance and not resist it as much as I have been. I thank you that your unfailing love surrounds those who trust you. Amen.

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Today’s Legitimate Dose of Life’s Reality: When God is Excluded from our Life, All Our Things Are Vanity. Ecclesiastes 1:1-11

Ecclesiastes 1:1-11 English Standard Version

All Is Vanity

1 The words of the Preacher,^[a] the son of David, king in Jerusalem.

²Vanity^[b] of vanities, says the Preacher,
    vanity of vanities! All is vanity.
³What does man gain by all the toil
    at which he toils under the sun?
⁴A generation goes, and a generation comes,
    but the earth remains forever.
⁵The sun rises, and the sun goes down,
    and hastens^[c] to the place where it rises.
⁶The wind blows to the south
    and goes around to the north;
around and around goes the wind,
    and on its circuits the wind returns.
⁷All streams run to the sea,
    but the sea is not full;
to the place where the streams flow,
    there they flow again.
⁸All things are full of weariness;
    a man cannot utter it;
the eye is not satisfied with seeing,
    nor the ear filled with hearing.
⁹What has been is what will be,
    and what has been done is what will be done,
    and there is nothing new under the sun.
¹⁰Is there a thing of which it is said,
    “See, this is new”?
It has been already
    in the ages before us.
¹¹There is no remembrance of former things,^[d]
    nor will there be any remembrance
of later things^[e] yet to be
    among those who come after.

The Word of God for the Children of God.

Adeste Fideles! Laeti Triumphantes! Venite Adoremus! Dominum.

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

When God is Excluded All of Our Things Are Vanity

From start to finish, the book of Ecclesiastes declares the utter futility and complete meaninglessness of life without God.

Whether it is referring to work or pleasure, or wisdom or wealth, power or prestige, entertainment or virility, life or death, ALL is considered futile and worthless whenever God is excluded from the equation.

It is Solomon who is credited with the authorship of Ecclesiastes.

He was chosen by God to succeed his father, King David as Israel’s anointed king, and when faced with the great responsibility of leading the nation, he humbly confessed that he was unable to do so without help from the Lord.

Despite his humble confession to God and his magnificent prayer at the dedication of the Temple, Solomon set out to discover the meaning of life using his own reasoning power and without the leading, guidance, direction of God.

The conclusion he was forced to reach was: “Vanity of vanities! All is vanity.”

At the end of his life, Solomon discovered his long search for fulfilment through his many accomplishments, was nothing more than just chasing after the wind.

Despite his great wisdom, power, fame, and fortune, his search for the meaning in life proved completely, ultimately profitless – because he had chosen to set out to explore the meaning of life, its significance, in his own human strength.

The entire book of Ecclesiastes amounts to Solomon’s discovery that when God is excluded from one’s existence, the benefits of wisdom and learning are futile.

Small achievements, great achievements, vast possessions, no possessions skillful work, also linguistic expertise, and various accomplishments prove to be ultimately profitless and quite futile when that is ALL that life has to offer.

Solomon recognized that death is the ultimate equalizer of both the king in his palace and the beggar at his gate.

He realized that competition between one person and another is profitless and life is very transitory, like the grass of the field which is here today but come a single moment of next tomorrow is almost immediately cast into the bonfires.

“Vanity of vanities,” says the Preacher, “Vanity of vanities! All is vanity.”

In Romans, Paul reminds us that the whole of the creation was made subject to vanity because of sin and its consequences.

The whole premise of the Preacher of Ecclesiastes is true – for there is truly NOTHING that can be pursued or gained on earth that can provide everlasting fulfilment for a man’s soul.

The Preacher in Ecclesiastes states his conclusion that “all is vanity,” at the very beginning of his dialogue and again at the end.

Were it not for a little verse tucked away in the middle of Ecclesiastes, his whole treaties could become very depressing for anyone who reads it, because without God, literally everything is vain and futile for this is the condition of every man.

Yet, there is one last verse that identifies well the meaning and purpose of life:

“When all has been heard, the conclusion of the matter under consideration is: fear God and keep His commands, for this is the whole duty of all mankind.” (12:13-14)

A Legitimate Dose of Reality Regarding Change

Twenty years ago when I was visiting an ancient abbey on the Isle of Iona in Scotland, I wandered upon an ancient graveyard with many Celtic Crosses.

As I walked among the tombstones, I observed a variety of ages chiseled into their surfaces.

As near as I could tell with many stones barely or nearly unreadable, some of the people appeared to had lived to be quite old, while others not live past 30.

Yet when all these ages were taken together, it seemed that the average life span was around 65-70—just as the Bible says:

“The years of our life are seventy, or even by reason of strength eighty” (Psalm 90:10).

And more time than that had gone by since most of these people had passed.

This sobering reminder of life’s brevity returned me to a question that all of us ask at one point or another: Is this pursuit of all things in life all there is?

The book of Ecclesiastes addresses this deep question by giving us a solid dose of legitimate reality.

Truthfully, most of us don’t do well with reality; we prefer fantasy, mirage, and distraction.

Yet the author of Ecclesiastes, Solomon, begins his discourse by encouraging us to carefully, thoughtfully and completely reflect upon the absolutely mindless, utter meaninglessness of life, stating bluntly, “Vanity of vanities! All is vanity.”

Solomon seeks to prove his thesis by showing us life is marked by drudgery:

“What does man gain by all the toil at which he toils under the sun? A generation goes, and a generation comes, but the earth remains forever” (Ecclesiastes 1:3-4).

Life, in other words, is just a perpetual series of clocking in and clocking out until we die.

No matter who you are—whether you are an executive, a schoolteacher, or a stay-at-home mom—life “under the sun” contains much toil, and then it ends.

Does this leave you thoroughly depressed?

It should—if you rule out the existence of God.

When God is taken out of the equation, life truly has no meaning.

There is a reason why some people desire to escape reality through a drug-induced stupor or through mindless indulgence in pleasure and entertainment.

What may seem like strange behavior to us may actually be the best considered response of the one who has gotten a heavy, albeit incomplete, dose of reality.

Studying the book of Ecclesiastes forces us to try and consider the deep, deeper, deepest implications, meanings of life without God, in view of inevitable death.

But such an image is seldom if ever given even the most minimal measure or degree of consideration because nowadays too many Christians discount God.

Not just discount God but openly state in a pulpit that “God is 100% nothing!”

Not just declare from a church pulpit on a regular Sunday morning worship service that “God is 100% nothing!” but God never existed or is “100% dead.”

But read the rest of the Bible and you will discover that you may receive eternal life by trusting in Him, Him being Jesus, who said, “I am the way, and the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me” (John 14:6).

Only through God, the Father, God the Son, our Savior Jesus and the Holy Spirit will we 100% discover life’s true meaning, find the reason why all is not vanity.

Only if you remember the undeniable reality of Christ’s Resurrection, there absolutely is life beyond the grave, will we be able to live with joy, meet with all the ups and downs of life with a healthy perspective, on this side of the grave.

Life Changing Dose of Legitimate Reality: Everything Absolutely Revolves Around Father God, Son, Spirit.

Ecclesiastes 1:1-3 New American Standard Bible

The Futility of All Endeavors

1 The words of the Preacher, the son of David, king in Jerusalem.

²“Futility of futilities,” says the Preacher,
“Futility of futilities! All is futility.”

³What advantage does a person have in all his work
Which he does under the sun?

And thus begins one of the more depressing books in all of the Bible, but I would submit depressing in a good way, and here’s the reason I would say that.

When we come to Ecclesiastes, we read in these words, in these dispassionate chapters, a picture of life lived apart and separate from belief God.

Of life apart, of life separate from the reality of who God is, and all that’s in His character, of His love, His forgiveness, His justice, His mercy, His power, of His incomparable presence and indomitable and unsearchable wisdom.

Apart from the wisdom, power, love, justice, mercy of God, indeed, all is vain.

Ecclesiastes 1:2–3 Teaches Us Our Life is Vain Apart from God

The author of Ecclesiastes says this five times in one verse.

“Vanity of vanities. All is vanity.”

The point is clear, that all is in vain, everything lacks meaning apart from the reality of who God is.

The world revolves around God.

You take away the center around which the world revolves, and everything falls apart and so as you read through Ecclesiastes, as we likewise pray study and we pray through these different verses in Ecclesiastes, let’s all be reminded of the God-centeredness of the universe, and the need in each of our lives for God to be at the center of it all, knowing everything is meaningless apart from him.

The complete absence of God in our life is the Ultimate expression of Vanity!

Ecclesiastes 1:2–3 Reminds Us God is Our Rest

And so let’s pray based on Ecclesiastes 1:2–3.

Oh God, you are our everything, and we fix our eyes, our minds, our hearts on you today and we say that apart from you, everything is vain. You are our life, you are the author of our life, you are the Creator of our lives, you’re the sustainer of our lives, you’re the only one who can satisfy our lives. God, you are everything to us, oh God. You are our Creator, our Savior, our One and Only true King, our Ruler, our Lord.

You are literally everything and we are as nothing without you. And we pray that you would help us to live today with our intemperate minds and sin laden hearts and tiny attention span and fickle affections centered around you, as we do for you, oh God to infuse meaning and purpose into everything we do. And fulfillment in our hearts. Our hearts, as Saint Augustine said years ago, are restless until they find their rest in you.

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

Let us Pray,

Our Heavenly Father, thank You for this honest assessment and exploration of living life in this fallen world, without our ever living Savior Jesus Christ. I pray this day to please keep me from chasing after any of the inevitably vain things this world offers, knowing that there is nothing on earth that has lasting value except to know You. May I place You in the center of my life, knowing that the whole duty and delight of man is to worship and praise You for Your goodness, grace to all men. In Jesus’ name.

Adeste Fideles! Laeti Triumphantes! Venite Adoremus! Dominum.

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

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Can We Give Any Timely Answer: What About the Kingdom of God? Mark 1:14-15

Mark 1:14-15 Common English Bible

Jesus’ message

¹⁴After John was arrested, Jesus came into Galilee announcing God’s good news, ¹⁵saying, “Now is the time! Here comes God’s kingdom! Change your hearts and lives, and trust this good news!”

The Word of God for the Children of God.

Adeste Fideles! Laeti Triumphantes! Venite Adoremus! Dominum.

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

Your Kingdom Come

Mark 1:15 Amplified Bible

¹⁵and saying, “The [appointed period of] time is fulfilled, and the kingdom of God is at hand; repent [change your inner self—your old way of thinking, regret past sins, live your life in a way that proves repentance; seek God’s purpose for your life] and believe [with a deep, abiding trust] in the good news [regarding salvation].”

Jesus was the greatest preacher who ever lived.

Do we know the main topic of his sermons?

Jesus’ most important theme, undoubtedly His most important message, was to announce the good news of the kingdom of God.

This declaration captured the core of his teaching.

He boldly announced God had broken into the affairs of human history, that through Jesus himself God’s rightful reign over creation, human history, and every human being had arrived – and was now ready to be personally engaged.

All of Jesus’ sermons, talks, and healings revolved around this good news of God’s kingdom coming.

When we pray the second petition of the Lord’s Prayer, “Your kingdom come” (Matthew 6:10), we long for God’s rule to be more fully realized in our world.

As Jesus Himself taught us – we pray, we plead, we cry out, we ask, God to show everyone who He is through his Word and through his Holy Spirit.

We ask that the Body of Christ, His church in the World, His children spread throughout the world, may prosper and grow.

We ask God to push away and protect against any power that works against his good and perfect will.

Jesus announced that the kingdom has come, but we are still waiting for the kingdom to come fully.

How do we know that will happen?

We know because Jesus has risen from the dead, has ascended to rule in heaven, and will come again to bring his kingdom fully on the earth (Revelation 21-22).

In all our work and prayer today, the longing for God’s kingdom should be in our hearts and on our lips as we pray, “Your kingdom come.”

Can We Give Any Timely Answer to the Question: What About the Kingdom of God?

What is the Kingdom of God really?

Where will it be established?

When will it come?

How can we prepare for the Kingdom of God and enter into it?

Is the Kingdom of God a literal place?

Yes!

The Kingdom of God is an actual Kingdom that will be established on the earth after Christ’s second coming.

What is the Kingdom of God in the Bible?

In short, the Kingdom of God is the central theme of Jesus’ teaching and the fundamental message of the Church founded by Him through His disciples.

As Mark explains in his Gospel account,

“Now after John was put in prison, Jesus came to Galilee, preaching the gospel of the kingdom of God, and saying, ‘The time is fulfilled, and the kingdom of God is at hand. Repent, and believe in the gospel.’”

The Gospel of the Kingdom of God

Matthew and Luke likewise record that Jesus’ message was the “gospel,” or “glad tidings,” of the Kingdom (Matthew 4:23; Luke 8:1).

Even though Matthew referred to it as “the kingdom of heaven” (Matthew 4:17; Matthew 5:3, 10, 19-20) and Paul once called it “the kingdom of Christ and God” (Ephesians 5:5), the predominant name in Scripture is “the kingdom of God.”

Jesus consistently taught this same message of hope—“gospel” means good news—of the Kingdom throughout His ministry.

His parables—stories with spiritual lessons—often dealt with this Kingdom, which God the Father and His Son had prepared prior to the existence of man at “the foundation of the world’” (Matthew 25:34).

Preaching the Kingdom of God

After training His 12 disciples, Jesus sent them out “to preach the kingdom of God and to heal the sick” (Luke 9:2).

After His crucifixion and resurrection, Jesus appeared before His disciples and continued “speaking of the things pertaining to the kingdom of God” (Acts 1:3).

Later, the apostle Paul likewise many times described his ministry as preaching “the kingdom of God” (Acts 14:22; Acts 19:8; Acts 20:25; Acts 28:31; 1 Corinthians 6:9-10; 1 Corinthians 15:24) and referred to his fellow ministers as “workers for the kingdom of God” (Colossians 4:11).

Kingdom of God a Literal or a Figurative Kingdom?

What is the real meaning of the Kingdom of God?

Is it a literal or a figurative kingdom?

Since Jesus came preaching the Kingdom was “at hand” (Mark 1:15), some think it is literally here on earth through the Church or figuratively in our hearts.

Others, recognizing that “flesh and blood cannot inherit the kingdom of God” (1 Corinthians 15:50), say it is not yet here.

“And in the days of these kings the God of heaven will set up a kingdom which shall never be destroyed; and the kingdom shall not be left to other people; it shall break in pieces and consume all these kingdoms, and it shall stand forever” (Daniel 2:44).

The Kingdom of God will thus replace the governments of this earth. Jesus himself termed it a “mystery.”

Mark 4:11-12 Amplified Bible

¹¹He said to them, “The mystery of the kingdom of God has been given to you [who have teachable hearts], but those who are outside [the unbelievers, the spiritually blind] get everything in parables, ¹²so that they will continually look but not see, and they will continually hear but not understand, otherwise they might turn [from their rejection of the truth] and be forgiven.”

So what did the disciples understand?

What did Jesus and the prophets foretell?

The Bible answers the question, What is the Kingdom of God?

The Kingdom of God is a literal kingdom.

God gave King Nebuchadnezzar a dream of an image of a man with a head of gold, chest and arms of silver, belly and thighs of bronze, legs of iron and feet partly of iron and partly of clay.

God revealed the meaning of the dream through Daniel, showing that there would be four world-ruling empires (Daniel 2:31-43).

History has shown these to be the Babylonian, Medo-Persian, Greco-Macedonian and Roman empires.

Concluding this explanation, Daniel wrote: “And in the days of these kings the God of heaven will set up a kingdom which shall never be destroyed; and the kingdom shall not be left to other people; it shall break in pieces and consume all these kingdoms, and it shall stand forever” (verse 44).

The Kingdom of God is a real government that will thus replace the governments of this earth.

The Kingdom of God will be established on earth when Jesus returns.

The time that the Kingdom is established will be after Christ’s return to earth. Revelation 11:15 states: “Then the seventh angel sounded: And there were loud voices in heaven, saying, ‘The kingdoms of this world have become the kingdoms of our Lord and of His Christ, and He shall reign forever and ever!’”

Jesus told His disciples that when the Kingdom is established, they will

“sit on twelve thrones, judging the twelve tribes of Israel” (Matthew 19:28, also compare Luke 22:30).

We prepare for the Kingdom by living according to the rules of the Kingdom now.

Explaining how one might enter the Kingdom of God, Jesus told Nicodemus that one must be “born again” (John 3:1-8).

This process begins with baptism, which signifies the death of the former sinful man and the beginning of a new life dedicated to Christ (Romans 6:1-4).

It culminates in a change from mortal flesh and blood to immortal spirit at Christ’s return (1 Corinthians 15:50-53; 1 Thessalonians 4:16-17).

Once we embark on this process, we are symbolically “conveyed” into the Kingdom (Colossians 1:13), and our “citizenship” is now described as being in heaven (Philippians 3:20).

At the completion of the process of being born again, we will be changed into immortal beings and become kings and priests serving in God’s Kingdom on earth (Revelation 1:6; Revelation 5:10).

What is the Kingdom of God like?

An insightful overview of Christ’s rule in the coming Kingdom of God is found in Isaiah 2:2-4:

“Now it shall come to pass in the latter days that the mountain of the LORD’s house shall be established on the top of the mountains, and shall be exalted above the hills; and all nations shall flow to it.

“Many people shall come and say, ‘Come, and let us go up to the mountain of the LORD, to the house of the God of Jacob; He will teach us His ways, and we shall walk in His paths.’ For out of Zion shall go forth the law, and the word of the LORD from Jerusalem.

“He shall judge between the nations, and rebuke many people; they shall beat their swords into plowshares, and their spears into pruning hooks; nation shall not lift up sword against nation, neither shall they learn war anymore.”

This prophecy—also repeated in Micah 4:1-3—describes a time when God’s laws will be the standard of conduct for all peoples.

People will want to learn God’s ways because they will see the many benefits of doing so.

Peaceful Kingdom

The world will truly be at peace; human sicknesses and ailments will be healed (Isaiah 35:5-6); and the ground will become abundantly productive (Isaiah 35:1-2; Amos 9:13).

More importantly, Christ’s rule on earth will offer all humans the opportunity to receive God’s Spirit and have a relationship with Him leading to eternal life (Jeremiah 31:31-34).

Worship of God in the Kingdom of God

Worship of God during this 1,000-year period will include the same basic practices God expects of people today.

God states the seventh day of the week, the Sabbath will be the weekly day of worship.

Speaking of this time, God says, “And it shall come to pass … from one Sabbath to another, all flesh shall come to worship before Me” (Isaiah 66:23).

God’s annual holy days, the ones given to ancient Israel and the ones observed by Jesus and His apostles, will also be observed.

As Zechariah notes, “And it shall come to pass that everyone who is left of all the nations which came against Jerusalem shall go up from year to year to worship the King, the LORD of hosts, and to keep the Feast of Tabernacles” (Zechariah 14:16).

How To Enter The Kingdom of God

In the Kingdom parables of the Bible (ones that often begin, “The kingdom of heaven is like …”), Jesus explained what the Kingdom will be like and what we must do to enter the Kingdom.

Some of the lessons include understanding the universal rule of God’s coming Kingdom (Matthew 13:33) and the importance of valuing one’s invitation to be in that Kingdom (verses 44-46).

Believing and following Jesus’ instructions about how to live is our pathway to eternal life (John 3:15-16; 14:15; Matthew 19:17).

Our understanding this point is critically important in terms of entering the Kingdom of God because “flesh and blood cannot inherit the kingdom of God” (1 Corinthians 15:50).

Even though Jesus will establish the Kingdom of God on earth and rule over physical human beings, only those who have been changed into spirit will be able to actually inherit His Kingdom.

Seek Ye First the Kingdom of God

Now that we prayerfully have an expanded knowledge of what the Kingdom of God is, we need to come to understand how to follow Jesus’ command to seek first the Kingdom of God and His righteousness (Matthew 6:33).

Your task is to learn what God’s laws are and then to begin living in accordance with the rules of His Kingdom.

Faith—How We Look At Things

In the atrium of our church one Sunday, I noticed one of our senior members standing quietly just off to the side, all alone and obviously, deep in thought.

His face wasn’t happy, but it was welcoming.

I understood the look of tiredness and concern he showed.

His wife was now permanent resident in a long term memory-care center.

He had taken care of her for several years, but now, he no longer could.

His own health was not robust having had at least two heart attacks.

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

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

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

After a pause he stated bluntly,

“I don’t really believe I care about anything anymore as much as I did my wife.”

Surprised, I asked, “Nothing?”

He shifted a bit and then said,

“There was a time when we liked boats, sailing and cars and randomly traveling anywhere a tank of gas would take us and lots and lots of things. We got excited about them. But right now, they do not mean anything to me or her anymore.”

I began to understand.

Material things no longer grabbed his attention.

Desire for stuff no longer preoccupied him.

As his wife of 65 years lost her ability to relate to others, and as she increasingly depended on others to care for her most basic needs, he realized he had grown used to her memory loss, feeling the wearing, wearying effects of caring for her.

His perspective on life had changed.

Outside of caring for her, things decreased in importance, and relationships—with God, with family, with church—slowly, achingly became his new priority.

This brother in Christ was learning more deeply the meaning of seeking first the kingdom of God and his righteousness.

Even in his obvious weariness, His quiet strength was felt, was a heartwarming testimony to those of us who had grown to know him and his wife’s zest for life.

Then he bowed his head and quietly broke into song,

O soul are you weary and troubled
No light in the darkness you see
There’s light for a look at the Savior
And life more abundant and free

Turn your eyes upon Jesus
Look full in his wonderful face
And the things of earth will grow strangely dim
In the light of his glory and grace

Mark wanted us to see that Jesus’ baptism by John, Jesus’ temptations in the wilderness, John’s arrest immediately led to the beginning of Jesus’ ministry.

Jesus went to Galilee, the place of ministry in Mark’s Gospel.

He began to preach “God’s Good News” about the nearness of God’s Kingdom.

This nearness of the Kingdom and this presentation of Good News means that people must respond by their repenting, and the turning away from their sins.

God’s will must reign in our hearts if we are to receive this Kingdom.

God’s Good News must call us from our sin if we are to experience the power of this Kingdom in our own lives.

So the question comes to you and to me: Have I welcomed Jesus and the Good News of eternal salvation and turned from my sins?

Perhaps it is time we each considered our own search for the Kingdom of God.

For the Kingdom of God has come near to us.

For the Kingdom of God is always very near to us.

“Turn Your Eyes Upon Jesus …”

“Turn Your Ears Upon Jesus …”

“Turn Your Hearts Upon Jesus …”

“Release Your Souls Upon Jesus …”

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

Let us Pray,

Holy and righteous Father, God of mercy and grace, I believe that your Son has brought to my ears the message of your Good News. I believe you want to have the power of your Kingdom reign in my heart and be seen in the fruit of righteousness produced in my life. I gladly offer you my heart, soul, strength, and mind to show you my love for you and for others and show you my desire to honor you. In Jesus’ name.

Adeste Fideles! Laeti Triumphantes! Venite Adoremus! Dominum.

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

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Acts 27:1-8 English Standard Version

Paul Sails for Rome

How Godly Friendships Work

What Is The Importance Of Godly Friendships

Characteristics Of A Godly Friend

Placing Proper Value on God’s Gift of Godly Friends.

How Do You Build Godly Friendships

How Do We Know If A Friendship Is From God?

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1 Corinthians 1:26-31 New American Standard Bible

What God Chooses to Accomplish His Will

1 Corinthians 1:27-29 New American Standard Bible

Isaiah 57:13-15 New American Standard Bible

Making Sense of the Value of our Christian Witness

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Acts 20:18-27 English Standard Version

Let Our Lives Preach Louder Than Our Lips

Authenticity, Transparency in Paul’s Words?

Authentic Transparent Christian Ministry

Acts 20:32-35 English Standard Version

Philippians 2:1-11 English Standard Version

Christ’s Example of [Authentic] Humility

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Acts 20:22-24 The Message

“I do not account my life of any value.”

Matthew 28:16-20 English Standard Version

The Great Commission

“If Only I May Finish My Course …”

Acts 20:22-24 Amplified Bible

Philippians 1:21-24 Amplified Bible

To Live Is Christ

Acts 20:24 Reminds Us of the Bible’s Teaching

Acts 20:24 Leads Us to Have a Right Perspective

This Reminds Us of Our Duty to Proclaim the Gospel

Living Out and Into A Lifestyle of Urgency

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Romans 12:10-13 New American Standard Bible

“Be Devoted to One Another in Brotherly Love …”

Called Away, and Separated by God, to Serve Others with Love

Mark 1:16-20 English Standard Version

Jesus Calls the First Disciples

Learning to Serve Others with Love

Romans 12:9-13 The Message

That Kind of Lifestyle Begins by Giving Our Mindset Unto God.

Psalm 119:1-8 The Message

Romans 12:9-13 English Standard Version

Marks of the True Christian

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Ephesians 3:20-21 The Message

Luke 18:1-8 English Standard Version

The Parable of the Persistent Widow

The Lord Promises Peace

How Big are Your Expectations of God?

Philippians 2:5-11 English Standard Version

Expectant Prayer Builds Abundant Relationship With God

What is God’s Abundant Expectation of You Today?

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John 15:18-19 The Message

Hated by the World

A Hated People

John 15:18 Amplified Bible

Disciples’ Relation to the World

John 17:6-12 Amplified Bible

With the power and strength of Such deep Prayerful Support – what becomes possible?

The COURAGE to be DIFFERENT!

John 15:19 Amplified Bible

Proverbs 29:18Amplified Bible

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Ecclesiastes 1:1-11 The Message

The Quester

All Is Vanity

The Genre and Authorship of Ecclesiastes

How Does Hope Play a Part in a World of Vanities?

How to Live with Hope in the ‘Already but Not Yet’

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Ecclesiastes 1:1-11 English Standard Version

All Is Vanity

When God is Excluded All of Our Things Are Vanity

A Legitimate Dose of Reality Regarding Change

Life Changing Dose of Legitimate Reality: Everything Absolutely Revolves Around Father God, Son, Spirit.