Tag: Word of God Speak

No Condemnation in Christ Jesus. Romans 8:1

Romans 8:1 Amplified Bible

Escape from Bondage

8 Therefore there is now no condemnation [no guilty verdict, no punishment] for those who are in Christ Jesus [who believe in Him as personal Lord and Savior].

The Word of God for the Children of God.

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

Romans 8 shows how to live by the Spirit and let peace rule in our hearts.

The Holy Spirit within us continually testifies to us that we are children of God.

He gives us assurance with God to convince us that nothing will ever separate us from His love.

This is a passage of 100% hope because we know our future is bright in Christ.

Romans 8:1 New King James Version

Free from Indwelling Sin

8 There is therefore now no condemnation to those who are in Christ Jesus, who [a] do not walk according to the flesh, but according to the Spirit.

Why did the Apostle Paul feel the need to write to the followers living in Rome of their need to know and understand they have one ultimate source of hope?

Freedom from Sin

Sin is our mortal enemy.

Our battle against sin is ongoing and constantly wounding us in some way.

No matter how hard we fight against sin, we cannot keep from being hurt.

The wounds just keep coming from every directional point on the compass.

No matter our personal resolve to never surrender, we get tired of the battle.

Our wounds, our guilt, shame, remorse from our weaknesses are debilitating.

These like a diagnosis of heart disease or diagnosis of cancer threaten our will to keep going, keeping us motionless, defeated and unworthy of our calling.

If we are unable to move on, move past our wounds, move past what we have done in life, we will never fully grasp God’s grace, loving kindness towards us.

We feel the mounting urge to surrender to sin, acknowledge our defeat by sin.

Raise the white flag and wave it high and and wave it weakly for all to see that – Sin WINS.

Sin’s love for the battle is too much for us.

Our love for the battle is done – gone.

We have No love of self left to fight with.

Where now is our hope that while our love feels thoroughly depleted, that all love is not thoroughly depleted, indeed, is not, has not been utterly defeated?

God loves us, He sent Jesus to die for you and He has completely forgiven you.

So any condemning feelings you have toward yourself are not from God.

His utmost desire for us is that we become free from indwelling sin and to live and to be ultimately moving ever forward in our life fulfilling His destiny for us.

Not only so, but He wants us to ultimately experience this freedom daily, fully and completely, this Holy Spirit driven ability to stand up on our two feet again.

To walk as Christ walked.

That is why the Apostle Paul penned these words… 

“Therefore, there is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus, who walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit” ( Romans 8:1 ).

What a glorious verse!

Paul has just unequivocally given us the answer posed in Romans 7… Who will rescue us from the left over effects of the sin nature that trips us up in life?

Praise be to God, it happens by Jesus, through the power of the Holy Spirit.

When we live according to the Spirit of God, he gives us the power to escape all the condemnation and guilt that our war like sinful nature throws into our way.

Because of Jesus, there is no condemnation unless we void this amazing gift by condemning ourselves.

Understanding this grace is the key to living free, pursuing the life that the Lord has set you apart for.

This is one of the incredible foundations of Christianity.

We are freed from the effects of guilt and shame because of the blood of Jesus, but sadly many do not know this wonderful truth.

God does not, nor will not condemn us.

We will never face judgment or punishment for our sins because Jesus has paid for each and every one of them upon the cross.

God placed all judgment and all sin upon his Son once for all in order that we would never have to bear it.

By faith in his blood, we are completely forgiven.

He has reconciled us to God the father and brought us incredible peace in the process.

We, as believers should experience this right here and right now and not let guilt or unworthiness hinder us. 

(John 3:16-18, Romans 5:1, 2 Corinthians 5:21, Colossians 2:13-15, Hebrews 10:12, Hebrews 10:18, Hebrews 10:22, I John 2:2, I John 3:5, I John 3:16, I John 3:19-20 )

God provided everything with your redemption to enable you to live a life worthy of your calling.

He wants you to live a victorious life by the Spirit of God.

You are worthy on the basis of the value that Jesus assigns you.

He died for you to bring you into fellowship with the Father, who are we to disagree with such a wonderful gift.

Today, it is my prayer that you will drop whatever burdens you are carrying at the feet of Jesus.

He has already bore them so you should not have to.

Grace sets us free in Jesus from our most destructive bondage, our fear of God’s judgment.

God’s grace and our faith in Jesus liberated us from the law, which convicts and leads to death.

The Holy Spirit sets us free, not just to fulfill what the Law intended but also to deliver us from the penalty of death that the Law required.

In Jesus, by the power of his Spirit, God sets us free to be his children forever!

May you understand this incredible grace to which you were called, sanctified and set apart. Amen!

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

Let us Pray,

Abba Father, thank you for your deliverance. I know you paid a very high price to give it to me. Forgive me for not letting that deliverance make my heart soar with confident joy. Lead me by the power of your Spirit so that I can experience the freedom and joy of your salvation — not just at the end of my days, but in the moments of today. In Jesus’ name, I pray. Alleluia, Alleluia, Alleluia, Amen.

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

Days are filled with sorrow
Days are filled with sorrow and care
Hearts are lonely and drear
Burdens are lifted at Calvary
Jesus is very near

Burdens are lifted at Calvary
Calvary, Calvary
Burdens are lifted at Calvary
Jesus is very near

Troubled soul, the Savior can see
Every heartache and tear
Burdens are lifted at Calvary
Jesus is very near

Burdens are lifted at Calvary
Calvary, Calvary
Burdens are lifted at Calvary
Jesus is very near

Burdens are lifted at Calvary
Calvary, Calvary
Burdens are lifted at Calvary
Jesus is very near
Jesus is very near

Source: Musixmatch

Songwriters: John M. Moore

Burdens Are Lifted At Calvary lyrics © New Spring Publishing Inc.

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A Witness to the Faith. A Testimony, Theology for Our Life. Acts 26:25-29

Acts 26:25-29 Amplified Bible

25 But Paul replied, “I am not out of my mind, most excellent and noble Festus, but [with a sound mind] I am uttering rational words of truth and reason. 26 For [your majesty] the king understands these things, and [therefore] I am also speaking to him with confidence and boldness, since I am convinced that none of these things escape his notice; for this has not been done in a corner [hidden from view, in secret]. 27 King Agrippa, do you believe the [writings of the] Prophets [their messages and words]? I know that you do.” 28 Then Agrippa said to Paul, “In a short time [and with so little effort] you [almost] persuade me to become a Christian.” 29 And Paul replied, “Whether in a short time or long, I wish to God that not only you, but also all who hear me today, might become such as I am, except for these chains.”

The Word of God for the Children of God.

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

A Theology, A Witness, A Testimony: Christ-Like Life

A lifetime faithfully lived believing in God, Paul was convinced that both his short-term future and his eternal future were securely in the hands of Jesus.

Because of this lifetime of belief, faith, Paul — a prisoner facing a potential death sentence — could pray for his rich, powerful, and influential captors to become like him, staunch believers, except for his difficult circumstances.

Acts 26:29 Amplified Bible

29 And Paul replied, “Whether in a short time or long, I wish to God that not only you, but also all who hear me today, might become such as I am, except for these chains.”

These powerful closing words of verse 29 were Paul’s bold invitation for King Agrippa and the Roman governor, Festus, all of the other Romans present to come to believe and become faithful, faith-filled followers of Jesus Christ.

What else did he have to lose except his very life which was going to happen anyway at any time the Romans decided they had enough of Paul’s mouth.

Paul’s beliefs were forged in the furnace of life.

What had not happen to Paul during His life which did not serve to challenge his self professed beliefs in himself, in his fellow man, in his God and in his Savior?

From witnessing Stephen’s incomparable defense of God and Jesus before he was stoned to death.

Finding his staunch faith in God challenged to the extreme by this man Jesus, he went on to become a hyper zealous much feared persecutor of the followers.

Until his hard experience on the Damascus Road when the Resurrected Jesus appeared directly in his path, stopped him cold and took his sight from him.

Three days blind, Paul found himself completely helpless until his sight was miraculously restored by Ananias – told then what his new life’s mission was.

Along this new way, what had he not experienced but plots against his life, an array of severe beatings, shipwrecks, bitten by poisonous snake, imprisonment on several occasions, betrayals, long journey’s across the globe, # of illnesses.

When his legs were virtually cut out from underneath him, he learned all the more that he had no control over what happened to him – God is in control.

It was during Paul’s two-year imprisonment in Rome that he wrote letters to the Ephesian, Philippian, and Colossian churches and to his friend Philemon.

It was during this season of suffering that God mightily inspired, encouraged him, to write of Savior Jesus, “In him all things hold together” (Colossians 1:17).

When he wrote to the Ephesian followers, he urged them to see that God, who is sovereign over all, has put all things under Savior Jesus’ feet (Ephesians 1:22).

Ephesians 1:20-23 The Message

20-23 All this energy issues from Christ: God raised him from death and set him on a throne in deep heaven, in charge of running the universe, everything from galaxies to governments, no name and no power exempt from his rule. And not just for the time being, but forever. He is in charge of it all, has the final word on everything. At the center of all this, Christ rules the church. The church, you see, is not peripheral to the world; the world is peripheral to the church. The church is Christ’s body, in which he speaks and acts, by which he fills everything with his presence.

These truths were not just rhetorical.

These truths were not just theoretical.

Paul heavily relied upon them during the most difficult seasons of his life.

Paul’s experiences doubtless helped him to understand more deeply that he continuously needed all of the gospel not just for salvation but for all of life.

We, too, when confronted by the faults, failings and sinfulness of the world which distract and tempt us daily, absolutely need the maximum gospel daily—the good news that for love alone, Jesus died in the place of sinners, He was raised for our justification, that He sent the Spirit to sanctify us and to fill us.

The gospel creates within us a confident anticipation, confident expectation of the return of Jesus -it causes us to view the world from a heavenly perspective.

Reverend Dr. John Stott, who was unparalleled in his ability to synthesize and succinctly condense vast amounts of material, summarized the impact of Paul’s imprisonment upon his theology in this way:

“Paul’s perspective was adjusted, his horizon extended, his vision clarified and his witness enriched.” 

His chains did not become an occasion for disappointment or regret. Rather, his trials, which kept him in a state of weakness and dependency upon God, altered his perspective and shed light on the horizon.

He was able to stand before a Roman governor, a king, and a queen, and say, What you have you cannot keep. What I have I cannot lose. I wish you could become like me—a sinner saved by grace, an heir to eternal life. I would not like for you to share my chains, but I would just love for you to share my faith in my Savior.

Paul experienced the very truth that he had written to the Romans years earlier:

“We know that for those who love God all things work together for good, for those who are called according to his purpose” (Romans 8:28).

This was so not only true for Paul but is also true for all who have placed their faith in Jesus Christ.

Are you blinded by life?

Are you challenged by life?

Are you confronted by life?

Are you confused by life?

Are you facing a discouraging trial?

Did life just “blindside” you right across your jaw?

Did life just slug you in your solar plexus?

Ask as many questions about living life as you can dare to contrive.

Take courage!

God, the Father and God the Son and God the Holy Spirit are 100% here.

God, the Father and God the Son and God the Holy Spirit are 100% alive.

You have all you truly need, no matter what, you can’t be separated from them.

Romans 8:31-39 The Message

31-39 So, what do you think? With God on our side like this, how can we lose? If God didn’t hesitate to put everything on the line for us, embracing our condition and exposing himself to the worst by sending his own Son, is there anything else he wouldn’t gladly and freely do for us? And who would dare tangle with God by messing with one of God’s chosen? Who would dare even to point a finger? The One who died for us—who was raised to life for us!—is in the presence of God at this very moment sticking up for us. Do you think anyone is going to be able to drive a wedge between us and Christ’s love for us? There is no way! Not trouble, not hard times, not hatred, not hunger, not homelessness, not bullying threats, not backstabbing, not even the worst sins listed in Scripture:

They kill us in cold blood because they hate you.
We’re sitting ducks; they pick us off one by one.

None of this fazes us because Jesus loves us. I’m absolutely convinced that nothing—nothing living or dead, angelic or demonic, today or tomorrow, high or low, thinkable or unthinkable—absolutely nothing can get between us and God’s love because of the way that Jesus our Master has embraced us.

All the riches and comfort that this world can offer do not compare to what you have in the gospel—“Christ in you, the hope of glory” (Colossians 1:27).

Christian theology is not for an ivory tower but for the prison cell, for the trials.

Let those undeniable truths of the gospel strengthen your soul and shape your life’s perspective as you cling to the hope that Christ has purchased for you.

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

Let us Pray,

Psalm 19:11-14 The Message

11-14 There’s more: God’s Word warns us of danger
    and directs us to hidden treasure.
Otherwise how will we find our way?
    Or know when we play the fool?
Clean the slate, God, so we can start the day fresh!
    Keep me from stupid sins,
    from thinking I can take over your work;
Then I can start this day sun-washed,
    scrubbed clean of the grime of sin.
These are the words in my mouth;
    these are what I chew on and pray.
Accept them when I place them
    on the morning altar,
O God, my Altar-Rock,
    God, Priest-of-My-Altar.

Dear ABBA Father, as your children, may we have a bold faith like Paul’s. Help us when our faith wavers because of our circumstances. May we be strong in our trust, whether times are great or hard. Thank you for giving us reasons to believe and such a glorious hope in our future because of Jesus, in whose name I pray. Amen.

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

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What Does It Mean That We Are All “Image Bearers”? Genesis 1:26-27

Genesis 1:26-27Amplified Bible

26 Then God said, “Let Us (Father, Son, Holy Spirit) make man in Our image, according to Our likeness [not physical, but a spiritual personality and moral likeness]; and let them have complete authority over the fish of the sea, the birds of the air, the cattle, and over the entire earth, and over everything that creeps and crawls on the earth.” 27 So God created man in His own image, in the image and likeness of God He created him; male and female He created them.

The Word of God for the Children of God.

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

Uniqueness

People are unique.

We all have things that make us who we are as individuals.

Yet, there is something that unites all of humanity: we are all “image bearers” who are made in the image of God (Genesis 1:27).

All throughout history and the world, in different times and in different places, our humanity connects us to our Creator.

In James 3:9 it says that human beings have been made in God’s likeness.

Being human sets us apart from the rest of creation, but it draws us together as image bearers who were originally designed to reflect their Maker.

Reflecting God’s Image from the Beginning

It was always God’s intention to create us to bear His image.

From the beginning, God said, “Let us make mankind in our image, in our likeness…” (Genesis 1:26).

The Father, Son and Holy Spirit were in perfect fellowship together from before the world began and have always been.

This is why it says “us” and “our.”

We worship one God in three persons: Father, Son and Holy Spirit. God is spirit (John 4:24), but when Jesus came into our world as a baby, He became flesh and blood; He was God incarnate – God with us (Matthew 1:23).

When God created man, He breathed life into him:

“Then the Lord God formed a man from the dust of the ground and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life, and the man became a living being” (Genesis 2:7).

We are distinct from the natural creation around us that we were mandated to steward and take care of.

We were created to be in fellowship with God, to dwell with and walk with Him.

God also created a man and a woman who are both made in the image of God (Genesis 1:27).

The woman was to be a helper suitable for the man (Genesis 2:18) and she was created by being taken out of man (Genesis 2:23).

Both man and woman were created by God, for God, and with a purpose that God had planned out from the very beginning.

Complementing the Created Order

It is said that God is a God of order and not chaos.

In 1 Corinthians 14:33 it says, “For God is not a God of disorder but of peace” and we see this consistency in the order of creation.

He placed the earth in the perfect conditions for life and habitation.

The pattern of day and night, the rhythms of the seasons and the sequence of how He created everything was brought into perfect order.

Within the order of creation, it was beautifully and intricately designed.

When God created humanity, He had an order and a purpose within that.

He gave the instruction for the man and woman to increase in number, fill and subdue the earth, and rule over the creatures on land, in the sea and the sky. (Genesis 1:28)

Through the first man, Adam, came the fall of all mankind into sin and death.

Yet, this was still under the divine purpose of God, with a clear, ordered plan to rescue the image bearers He made. 

Romans 5:17-18 says,

17 For if by the trespass of the one (Adam), death reigned through the one (Adam), much more surely will those who receive the abundance of grace and the free gift of righteousness reign in [eternal] life through the One, Jesus Christ.

18 So then as through one trespass [Adam’s sin] there resulted condemnation for all men, even so through one act of righteousness there resulted justification of life to  [a]all men.

Jesus took on flesh and lived the life that Adam did not.

God became fully human; living and breathing like those made in His image from the beginning.

The mind can barely fathom the wonder and the mystery of God coming down into the world He had made, as flesh and blood,

“who being in the very nature God, did not consider equality with God something to be used for his own advantage; rather, he made himself nothing by taking the very nature of a servant, being made in human likeness” (Philippians 2:6-7).

The one who is the

“exact imprint” of God’s nature and “upholds the universe by the word of his power” (Hebrews 1:3) was made to be like us in order to reconcile us to Himself.

Disfigured, but not Destroyed by Sin

Since sin and death entered the world through Adam, the image of God in us has been disfigured.

It has been marred because of the ugliness and depravity that sin works in the lives of us and those around us.

Yet, thanks be to God, this is not the end of the story.

Adam and Eve were not destroyed on the spot for their decision to disobey and destroy the relationship with their loving Creator.

There were, however, serious, life-altering, eternity-shifting consequences for their first choices which has been passed through generation to generation.

However, what Satan did to tempt the first image bearers in the Garden of Eden and unravel the order and peace, Jesus came and regenerated and restored.

He lived the perfect life and died the death that we all should have died.

He took the wrath of God upon Himself; all the judgment and condemnation our sins deserved was imputed from us to Him.

His body was crushed for our iniquities (Isaiah 53:5).

We live because of what Jesus did for us when we went catastrophically astray.

Adam and Eve walked out of the presence of God in Eden, but not before God had mercy on them and clothed them with animal skins.

God is the one to make the sacrifice of mercy, taking the animal’s life, covering their shame.

It is all a part of His plan, pointing to another time when He would provide the ultimate sacrifice – His body and His own life blood poured out on the cross to cover our shame and give us mercy and forgiveness, eternal life in His presence.

Created to Reflect the Image of God

We are made in the image of God, but because of sin, that image has been distorted.

All of us are still image bearers and we need to live with that in mind as we interact with others, we reflect God’s love and love our neighbor as ourselves (Mark 12:31).

Setting biases and prejudices aside, as we are covenanted by God to do, from the very beginning all lives absolutely matter to God, without exception, and those around us DO bear the image of God and Jesus died for their sin as well as ours.

Galatians 3:23-29 Amplified

23 Now before faith came, we were kept in custody under the Law, [perpetually] imprisoned [in preparation] for the faith that was destined to be revealed, 24  with the result that the Law has become our tutor and our disciplinarian to guide us to Christ, so that we may be [c]justified [that is, declared free of the guilt of sin and its penalty, and placed in right standing with God] by faith. 25  But now that faith has come, we are no longer under [the control and authority of] a tutor and disciplinarian. 26 For you [who are born-again have been reborn from above—spiritually transformed, renewed, sanctified and] are all children of God [set apart for His purpose with full rights and privileges] through faith in Christ Jesus.  27 For all of you who were baptized into Christ [into a spiritual union with the Christ, the Anointed] have clothed yourselves with Christ [that is, you have taken on His characteristics and values]. 28 There is [now no distinction in regard to salvation] neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither slave nor free, there is neither male nor female; for you [who believe] are all one in Christ Jesus [no one can claim a spiritual superiority]. 29 And if you belong to Christ [if you are in Him], then you are Abraham’s descendants, and [spiritual] heirs according to [God’s] promise.

Seeing all people, without any exception, as Father, Son and Holy Spirit do, as image bearers should change how we view human dignity, the sanctity of life.

There are ethical, moral and spiritual implications to our understanding of all that it means to be dignified and respected as an image bearer of the living God.

From the moment of our Baptisms, we are to forward reflect His image to a sin disfigured world needing to be reconciled with their Creator and their Savior.

Those who trust in Christ’s finished work on the cross have become a new creation (2 Corinthians 5:17); they have been “born again to a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead” (1 Peter 1:3).

He has “reconciled us to himself through Christ and gave us the ministry of reconciliation: that God was reconciling the world to himself in Christ, not counting people’s sins against them” (2 Corinthians 5:18-19).

Those who look to Jesus for salvation, behold His glory “are being transformed into his image with ever-increasing glory, which comes from the Lord, who is the Spirit” (2 Corinthians 3:18).

It is transformational to us and others as we begin to look more and more like our Savior.

It is all the Spirit’s work in us, transforming us to be like Jesus, reflecting His image to a broken world.

It was all part of His plan of redemption, as it says in Romans 8:29:

“For those whom he foreknew he also predestined to be conformed to the image of his Son, in order that he might be the firstborn among many brothers.”

Restoration of the Image Bearer

Sin has affected God’s original design of humans being made in His image.

Preacher, theologian and writer, Dr. Sinclair B. Ferguson spoke at ‘Made in the Image of God’ (Ligonier Ministries online event, 2020) of how the image of God has disintegrated within society.

He said we no longer know who we are and when we remove God, we take away our identity – the image of God. But one day we will bear the image of the man from heaven, Jesus, and all will be restored.

There is hope for the people of God in a broken, fragmented and distorted world where it seems chaos and disorder dominate.

Pastor and theologian John Piper describes well how the image of God in us has been defaced but not destroyed.

It is worth reading his description of being like a mirror which gives a clear illustration of how we reflect God as image bearers has become distorted since the fall, where “Satan persuaded [us] that [our] image is more beautiful than God’s image.”

Yet, by His life, death, resurrection and ascension. Jesus has made salvation eminently possible and because of Him we can see all God’s glory once again and we can begin to reflect the beauty of the Lord Jesus unto those around us.

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

Let us Pray,

My Heavenly Father, I stand in awe of Your grace and wisdom. Thank You for my creation, salvation, and the glories that you have prepared for me in the eternal ages to come. Glory to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit. Dearest Heavenly Father, I thank You that I was created in Your image. Help me to see the reflection of Your beauty in my life. Help me to reflect Your beauty through my life. Thank You for sustaining me by Your divine DNA imprint in my life. May Your likeness, and the likeness of your Son, be reflected in all that I am, and all that I do. Alleluia, Amen.

Revelation 4:11 Amplified Bible

11 
“Worthy are You, our Lord and God, to receive the glory and the honor and the power; for You created all things, and because of Your will they exist, and were created and brought into being.”

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

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Growing, Maturing, to Look More Like Jesus – (2 Corinthians 3:15-18)

2 Corinthians 3:15-18Amplified Bible

15 But to this day whenever Moses is read, a veil [of blindness] lies over their heart; 16 but whenever a person turns [in repentance and faith] to the Lord, the veil is taken away. 17 Now the Lord is the Spirit, and where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is liberty [emancipation from bondage, true freedom]. 18 And we all, with unveiled face, continually seeing as in a mirror the glory of the Lord, are progressively being transformed into His image from [one degree of] glory to [even more] glory, which comes from the Lord, [who is] the Spirit.

The Word of God for the Children of God.

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

You may be familiar with the passage in Paul’s letter to the Christians in Galatia that compares and contrasts those characteristics of a worldly person and then lists for us the much more desirable characteristics of the fruits of the Spirit:

Galatians 5:19-23 Amplified Bible

19 Now the practices of the [a]sinful nature are clearly evident: they are sexual immorality, impurity, sensuality (total irresponsibility, lack of self-control) , 20 [b]idolatry, [c]sorcery, hostility, strife, jealousy, fits of anger, disputes, dissensions, factions [that promote heresies], 21 envy, drunkenness, riotous behavior, and other things like these. I warn you beforehand, just as I did previously, that those who practice such things will not inherit the kingdom of God. 22 But the fruit of the Spirit [the result of His presence within us] is love [unselfish concern for others], joy, [inner] peace, patience [not the ability to wait, but how we act while waiting], kindness, goodness, faithfulness, 23  gentleness, self-control. Against such things there is no law.

In Galatians 5:22, the word “fruit” is translated from the Greek word karpos.

According to Mounces Complete Expository Dictionary, karpos refers to the natural product of a living thing.

Primarily used to describe the literal physical product of trees, vines, and crops, karpos is also used metaphorically to refer to the natural product of a spiritual being.

Paul used karpos to help us understand the natural product of the Holy Spirit, who lives inside every believer.

The fruit of the Spirit then is produced by the Spirit, not by the Christian.

Obviously, an individual cannot display the “fruit of the Spirit” unless the Spirit is present in that person’s life.

The Bible tells us that when a person places his or her faith in Jesus as Savior and Lord, God provides and guarantees their salvation by placing His Spirit within them (Titus 3:4-7 and Ephesians 1:13-14).

The Holy Spirit takes up residence or “indwells” every person who has a saving relationship with Jesus.

If we are Christian, we have the Holy Spirit living within us (Romans 8:9-11).

Yet, like physical fruit needs time to grow, the fruit of the Spirit will not ripen in our lives overnight.

Like a successful gardener must battle against weeds and disease to enjoy the sweet fruit they desire, we must constantly work to rid our lives of the “weeds” of our sinful natures that want to choke out the work of the Holy Spirit.

The great news is, the Holy Spirit gives us the power we need to reject those sinful desires and yield our wills to what the Spirit wants in our lives.

We can say “no” to sin and accept the “way out” God faithfully provides (1 Corinthians 10:13) by following the Holy Spirit’s leading.

Then, as we yield ourselves, give the Holy Spirit more and more control of our lives, He begins to do in and through us what only He can do.

The Holy Spirit’s endgame – His primary goal – is to shape us and mature us and grow us to look more and more like Jesus with each passing moment of life.

From the moment of salvation until the end of our lives on this earth, the Holy Spirit works to transform our nature, character to reflect Christ’s love of life.

Since God’s goal for all His children is for us to be like Jesus (Romans 8:29), the Holy Spirit constantly works to move us toward repentance to rid our lives of those “acts of the sinful nature” (Galatians 5:19-21), display His fruit instead.

Therefore, the presence and outward manifestation of the “fruits of the Spirit” is evidence our character is being transformed, becoming more like Christ’s.

Our renewal depends on the power and wisdom of God in the cross of Christ. But that brings up a deeper question: How many of us actually want to be renewed?

Apparently many Christians ask, “Why should I change?”

I’ll give you the simple answer of our text—because God is continually involved in a change project that is centered in you.

“We … are being transformed into his image with ever-increasing glory, which comes from the Lord, who is the Spirit.”

We should change—indeed, we should want to change, because the crucified and risen Lord is changing us.

That changes our view toward change, doesn’t it?

It should not be thought of as a chore, a grind, grim duty, a tedious obligation, an unnecessary expenditure of energy or a too heavy burden we must pick up.

No, change is a privilege, an opportunity, a joy. In a world that thinks we are all locked into an endless chain of cause and effect, this text gives us incredible good news. We are free to change in ways the world cannot begin to imagine.

The root word for “transformed” in our text is the Greek word metamorpho, also used to describe the forced work of change of a caterpillar to a butterfly.

By His grace, by the power of his crucifixion, the evidence of His empty tomb, and glorious resurrection, Jesus is transforming us into his beautiful likeness.

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

Let us Pray,

My Dear Father God, Creator and transformer of my life,

Lord God, I thank you for your Spirit, for the Lord, and for the freedom I have in them. Thank you that I, with unveiled face, can look freely and intently on the glory of the Lord, and be changed into his likeness, from one degree of glory to another. Help me remember that such transformation comes, not by my inherent wisdom or efforts, but only from the Lord who is the Spirit. Make me like Jesus! Help me want to share in his sufferings so that I can also share in his glory and his resurrection life! In the name of my Savior Jesus and because it is his will, I make these requests. Amen.

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

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The Power of Our Proper Thinking. Philippians 4:4-9

Philippians 4:4-9 The Message

4-5 Celebrate God all day, every day. I mean, revel in him! Make it as clear as you can to all you meet that you’re on their side, working with them and not against them. Help them see that the Master is about to arrive. He could show up any minute!

6-7 Don’t fret or worry. Instead of worrying, pray. Let petitions and praises shape your worries into prayers, letting God know your concerns. Before you know it, a sense of God’s wholeness, everything coming together for good, will come and settle you down. It’s wonderful what happens when Christ displaces worry at the center of your life.

8-9 Summing it all up, friends, I’d say you’ll do best by filling your minds and meditating on things true, noble, reputable, authentic, compelling, gracious—the best, not the worst; the beautiful, not the ugly; things to praise, not things to curse. Put into practice what you learned from me, what you heard and saw and realized. Do that, and God, who makes everything work together, will work you into his most excellent harmonies.

The Word of God for the Children of God

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

Many of us begin the day with anxious thoughts.

The “peace of God, which surpasses all understanding” (Philippians 4:7) never seems to reach us in the middle of the night or when we first open our eyes.

Instead, as the morning comes we say to ourselves,

“There is so much to think about. So much is happening. So many things are dancing around in my mind and I never learned how to dance. I’ve got so many challenges.” 

Thoughts such as these so easily produce anxiety and stultify our commitment to prayer.

Apostle Paul helps us to overcome these draining, even crippling feelings by directing our gaze toward those virtues which will truly liberate our thinking.

A mind that is filled with the content described in Philippians 4:8 will have little space for anxiety-producing, peace-disrupting, joy-destroying notions.

What Paul was encouraging his readers to adopt is a distinctly Christian way of thinking.

A Christian mind, he taught, is not a mind that is trained to think only about “Christian topics” but one that has learned to think about everything from a Christian perspective.

Ultimately, we are what we think about.

It is in our minds that our affections are stirred, and it is through our minds that our wills are directed.

It is in the mind that we conceive of and produce every action.

It is therefore imperative that we learn to think about what is right and godly.

The Bible is not concerned with mere mental reflection for its own sake.

The Christian is not called to sit on a high hill and think blessed thoughts in abstraction, removed from the routines of everyday existence.

Rather, Paul provides us with a list that will establish us in our motives, our manners, and our morals.

Each of and every one of us is called to live in the realm of the real, not the phony; the serious, not the frivolous; the right, not the convenient; the clean, not the dirty; the loving, not the discordant; and the helpful, not the critical.

In short, we are called to think like Jesus.

Paul is not simply calling you to pull yourself up by your bootstraps, though.

This is not a rallying cry to try your best to perform the list.

Sanctification by self-effort is not God’s agenda.

The multifaceted virtue Paul speaks of is the fruit which grows on the tree of salvation.

This fruit is brought forth by those whose roots are embedded in grace.

So, let your heart be gripped by God’s grace, and train your mind to think on that which is truly praiseworthy.

When those influences converge, your life will be one that brings glory to God.

Practice aiming your thoughts towards the throne room of God to make His grace, this fruit, the first thing you think about when you wake up tomorrow.

Think about good things for personal victory in any situation

It’s easy to dwell on the negative when life is hard, disappointing, or painful.

That’s why it’s so important to follow this passage of instructions; it’s here to help us through the inevitable tough times and appreciate the great moments.

When Satan wants to get to you, he’ll often start with lies and condemnation whispered into your mind until you (maybe not even realizing Satan was doing so) start to believe them and then react with anxieties, despair, sadness, anger, fears or any other thing ultimately seeking to separate us from the love of God.

But with this passage of text, Paul gave a way to combat Satan’s efforts.

We are to feed our minds with blessings from God and the good things we can find in our lives or situations.

We are to think about what is true through the living word of God rather than the lies Satan would hardcore teach us, ram down our throats and have us believe.

We are to steadfastly and diligently dwell on what the word of God teaches us is noble and right and truthful so our words and actions will follow our thoughts.

We are to feed our minds with whatever God reveals and teaches us is pure, lovely, admirable, excellent, or praiseworthy—all the things that help us stay centered upon, laser focused on God’s love for us and Christ’s sacrifice for us.

This thoroughly radical way of filling our minds with truth and all good things is an enormous spiritual challenge, especially during these most trying times.

But as we actively practice this, even in the most difficult moments, we can fight painful situations, trials, and all the difficult things we face.

It’s a way to rebuild, rebound, reclaim, restore and live out our lives with love, hope, faith, and gratefulness in the full blessings and love of God our Father.

As Christians, by our baptism we have a been brought into a family relationship with God through our union with Christ – by faith.

But we are also expected to take full responsibility for walking in spirit and truth, living as unto the Lord, fully trusting in the truth of the Word of God, depending on our Heavenly Father, submitting to the Holy Spirit, abiding in Christ, and appropriating all that is ours in Him – by faith.

This can only be done as we diligently practice to focus the eyes of our heart upon our Savior Christ alone and so throughout Scripture, we are directed to pray, seek God’s face and take control of our thoughts and our imaginations.

We are told to take every thought captive to the Lord, to let the mind of Christ dwell in us richly, and not to allow the thoughts of our heart to control us.

Paul puts it this way: “Whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is of good repute, if there is any excellence and if anything worthy of praise, dwell on these things.”

Righteous living depends on right teaching and right thinking, and God has promised to keep in perfect peace the one whose MIND is stayed on Him.

What about Parents Raising the Coming Generations?

Psalm 119:9-16 The Message

9-16 How can a young person live a clean life?
    By carefully reading the map of your Word.
I’m single-minded in pursuit of you;
    don’t let me miss the road signs you’ve posted.
I’ve banked your promises in the vault of my heart
    so I won’t sin myself bankrupt.
Be blessed, God;
    train me in your ways of wise living.
I’ll transfer to my lips
    all the counsel that comes from your mouth;
I delight far more in what you tell me about living
    than in gathering a pile of riches.
I ponder every morsel of wisdom from you,
    I attentively watch how you’ve done it.
I relish everything you’ve told me of life,
    I won’t forget a word of it.

This is very important to teach our children as we raise them, as we model Christ for them as they grow and mature in their thinking: He promised to garrison our heart, our minds, our emotions, our innermost thoughts, as we practice centering our prayers, praises upon Him alone – with thanksgiving!

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

Let us Pray,

Psalm 19:11-14 The Message

11-14 There’s more: God’s Word warns us of danger
    and directs us to hidden treasure.
Otherwise how will we find our way?
    Or know when we play the fool?
Clean the slate, God, so we can start the day fresh!
    Keep me from stupid sins,
    from thinking I can take over your work;
Then I can start this day sun-washed,
    scrubbed clean of the grime of sin.
These are the words in my mouth;
    these are what I chew on and pray.
Accept them when I place them
    on the morning altar,
O God, my Altar-Rock,
    God, Priest-of-My-Altar.

Heavenly Father, keep me, I pray, from anxious thoughts. Help me to garrison my thought life on all that is commendable and good, and help me to keep the eyes of my heart fixed on Jesus. May I make a conscious choice to dwell on those things that are worthy of praise, knowing that the light of Christ and the darkness of all that is evil, cannot abide together. This I ask in Jesus’ name, Alleluia, Alleluia, AMEN.

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

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Envision: The Path Toward Rejoicing. Philippians 4:4

Philippians 4:4 Amplified Bible

4 Rejoice in the Lord always [delight, take pleasure in Him]; again I will say, rejoice!

The Word of God for the Children of God.

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

Worldly happiness is not the same as godly happiness.

Godly happiness is called joy.

In the Bible, the word joy is a celebration term.

Thus, Paul is calling for everyone’s everlasting unrelenting celebration of God.

Except for the inescapable reality of our sinful humanity is such a goal realistic?

Reality teaches that the difference between joy and secular happiness is that the latter depends on what happens; it’s circumstantially driven forward by human responses which we have learned, incorporated into us, by all life’s experiences.

So, if things are going in an upward direction in life, you raise up from your bed in the morning and feel up, but if things are going down, you feel down and sad.

This life cycle ordered by God keeps you and me on an emotional roller coaster.

Biblical joy, by contrast, has to do with stability and celebration on the inside regardless of circumstances on the outside.

We must choose to rejoice in order to experience the joy God promises us.

Remember, our happiness cannot always be turned on like a tap.

Remember too, our joy does not always come at the flip of a switch.

As Christians, we have highs and lows like anyone else.

Sometimes we feel great; other times we feel stuck.

So, in that case, what are we supposed to do we do with a biblical command that tells us to be joyful continually—or, as the text has it, to “rejoice … always”?

Some people conceive of joy as something that, like the tides of the oceans are responding to the moon, joy ebbs and flows according to our circumstances.

If this were so, the path to joy would be to ensure that all of our circumstances contain as many good things as possible and that we rigorously, vigorously cut out and avoid anything, and anyone, that by its occurrence, will bring us down.

But the apostle Paul offers us a different take.

The Christian joy he describes is intended to be steady and stable.

Paul clues us in to the source of this joy here:

“Rejoice in the Lord always; again I will say, rejoice.”

The key is the phrase in between “Rejoice” and “always”—“in the Lord.”

Those three little words make all the difference in the world!

If we let our joy ebb and flow with our circumstances, then we’re inevitably going to find ourselves in trouble.

Hard times always will come, sooner or later.

But, joyful times will always come also, sooner or later – Ecclesiastes 3:1

But if we make it our mission and ministry in life to rejoice in the Lord, who is “the same yesterday and today and forever” (Hebrews 13:8), then our joy is covenanted and anchored in someone unchanging, and so it will be unfading.

Christian joy is a joy which can also coexist with deep sadness.

Our circumstances may bring us diverse degrees and measures of grief, but they need not diminish nor to extinguish our joy if you find it exclusively “in the Lord” alone —in who He is, how He loves us, and what He has promised us.

Today, practice, place your hope in Him and remind yourself of His unchanging nature and you will walk on true path toward rejoicing always, even in hardship.

Today, no matter your circumstances, you can find solace, rest, and, yes, even joy in the glorious truth that God, the Father and God the Son and God the Holy Spirit is with you, beside you, through it all, will one day, set all things aright.

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

Let us Pray,

Psalm 16 The Message

16 1-2 Keep me safe, O God,
    I’ve run for dear life to you.
I say to God, “Be my Lord!”
    Without you, nothing makes sense.

3 And these God-chosen lives all around—
    what splendid friends they make!

4 Don’t just go shopping for a god.
    Gods are not for sale.
I swear I’ll never treat god-names
    like brand-names.

5-6 My choice is you, God, first and only.
    And now I find I’m your choice!
You set me up with a house and yard.
    And then you made me your heir!

7-8 The wise counsel God gives when I’m awake
    is confirmed by my sleeping heart.
Day and night I’ll stick with God;
    I’ve got a good thing going and I’m not letting go.

9-10 I’m happy from the inside out,
    and from the outside in, I’m firmly formed.
You canceled my ticket to hell—
    that’s not my destination!

11 Now you’ve got my feet on the life path,
    all radiant from the shining of your face.
Ever since you took my hand,
    I’m on the right way.

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

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Where do we run, who do we turn to, when our own thoughts go negative? 1 Samuel 27:1

1 Samuel 27:1 Amplified Bible

David Flees to the Philistines

27 But David said in his heart, “Now I will die one day by the hand of Saul. There is nothing better for me than to escape to the land of the Philistines. Then Saul will give up searching for me inside the borders of Israel, and I will escape from his hand [once and for all].”

The Word of God for the Children of God.

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

Sometimes, Our Thoughts are Our Greatest Enemy

However difficult his circumstance at any given time, David had always placed his confidence in the promises of God – God would deliver him from troubles.

Indeed, in the final conversation that ever took place between King Saul and David, David declared to Saul that although he didn’t know what would happen, he knew that God would deliver him from his troubles (1 Samuel 26:23-24).

23 The Lord will repay each man for his righteousness and his faithfulness; for the Lord handed you over to me today, but I refused to put out my hand against the Lord’s anointed. 24 Now behold, just as your life was precious in my sight this day, so let my life be precious in the sight of the Lord, and may He rescue me from all distress.”

David had good reason for thinking and verbalizing such a level of confidence: deliverance from his vast array of enemies was a big theme throughout his life.

Throughout his life, whether it was from the lion, the bear, or the Philistine giant (1 Samuel 17:37) Goliath, or, later, from Saul’s murderous pursuit of him, David was always rather quick to attest to the promises of God’s rescues.

It is surprising, then, that having just avowed his commitment to the delivering hand of God, David had then somehow convinced himself in his heart that Saul would not give up his murderous pursuit and would eventually come to kill him.

Rather than continually and continuously reflecting on God’s goodness and faithfulness, as was his habit, he allowed his thoughts to enter into dark places.

His confidence gave way to depression and his faith gave way to fear, and so he sought escape, he went to seek security in the company of the enemy (1 Samuel 27:2)—a decision that would lead to a mess of deceit and difficulty (v 8-11).

The direction of our thoughts really matter; for they give rise to our actions.

An old saying reminds us of this principle: Sow a thought, reap an action. Sow an action, reap a habit. Sow a habit, reap a character. Sow a character, reap a destiny.

We may be able to look back on chapters in our own life when, like David, we began to have long two way conversations with ourselves, talk nonsense to ourselves, talk ourselves into foolish choices, and then find ourselves trapped.

We may be in that place right now, where we are struggling mightily to stop our thoughts from spiraling downwards and then leading ourselves into a course of action we know, deep down, in our souls, is 100% irrational, unwise or wrong.

David didn’t just need saving from threats to his life; this time he needed saving from himself—from the direction of his own mind and perhaps so do you and I.

But the good news is that we can’t exhaust what God constantly thinks of each and everyone of us, of God’s kindness and mercy, even if our thoughts have gone in the wrong direction and even if our actions have taken us off course.

As God rescued David then, so He has rescued us through the Cross of Christ.

Each and everyone of us were on His mind when He gave His life’s blood for us.

When we find our own thoughts turning to dark places, then, we can all remind ourselves of God’s goodness, deliverance, and faithfulness, let our thoughts of that Cross at Calvary shape our heart’s response to the difficulties we face, and shape the course of the narrow road we each take as we navigate them with him.

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

Let us Pray,

Psalm 23 Amplified Bible

The Lord, the Psalmist’s Shepherd.
A Psalm of David.

23 The Lord is my Shepherd [to feed, to guide and to shield me],
I shall not want.
2 
He lets me lie down in green pastures;
He leads me beside the still and quiet waters.
3 
He refreshes and restores my soul (life);
He leads me in the paths of righteousness
for His name’s sake.

4 
Even though I walk through the [sunless] [a]valley of the shadow of death,
I fear no evil, for You are with me;
Your rod [to protect] and Your staff [to guide], they comfort and console me.
5 
You prepare a table before me in the presence of my enemies.
You have anointed and refreshed my head with [b]oil;
My cup overflows.
6 
Surely goodness and mercy and unfailing love shall follow me all the days of my life,
And I shall dwell forever [throughout all my days] in the house and in the presence of the Lord.

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

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The Hopeful, Hope-Filled Truth of the Timeless Verse “For Everything There Is a Season.” Ecclesiastes 3:1

Ecclesiastes 3: Bible

A Time for Everything

3 There is a season (a time appointed) for everything and a time for every delight and event or purpose under heaven—

The Word of God for the Children of God.

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

“God allows us to experience both the high and low points of life in order to teach us lessons that we could learn in no other way.” – C.S. Lewis

Contemplating the greatest part of God’s great design to this earth: its seasons.

We experience wet and dry seasons, the typical four seasons of winter, spring, summer, and fall, and there are planting seasons and harvesting seasons.

We see creation moving through seasons each year, and we ourselves live through seasons, as well.

In these seasons we learn to depend on and come to anticipate, expect things.

So, too, we find in the Bible that our lives go through seasons.

Seasons of happiness and sadness, loss and joy, hope, newness, and growth.

Seasons of health and seasons when acute and chronic illness seems to prevail.

All of these life seasons are intentional and God’s influence in them should be acknowledged and counted on.

We find this often quoted verse in the book of Ecclesiastes, which is believed to have been written by Solomon, the son of King David.

When Scripture declares that for everything there is a season, this means that the various circumstances we go through in life are not by incident, but they are orchestrated or allowed by God with His great purpose and His intentionality.

What Does The Bible Mean ‘For Everything There Is a Season’?

Ecclesiastes 3 verse 1 affirms two important reminders.

  1. The things we go through in life are not in vain.
  2.  Our situations will not last forever.

If we are in a certain season of life, we can be confident the season will come to an end at some point.

This verse serves as a reminder that our circumstances will change and that is something we can come to reliably anticipate and expect in life.

Whatever God takes us through has a definitive purpose, perhaps that purpose is to deepen our faith or to help us to achieve a breakthrough in an area of life.

We will have our sorrows.

We will get over our sorrows.

We will enter the valley by some means.

We will get out of the valley by another means.

We will go through hardships.

And whatever season of life we find ourselves in, it will always have a beginning and it will always have an end.

We will always leave the old seasons behind.

We will always enter new seasons, too.

Ones that bring relief, hope, or a deeper sense of faith.

I believe it’s helpful to also read other translations of this verse to get a better idea of its meaning:

  • “Everything that happens in this world happens at the time God chooses”. – Good News Translation
  • “Everything has its own time, and there is a specific time for every activity under heaven” – God’s Word
  • “There’s an opportune time to do things, a right time for everything on the earth” – The Message
  • “There is a time for everything, and a season for every activity under the heavens” – NIV
  • “There is a right time for everything, and everything on earth will happen at the right time.” Easy to Read Version
What Is the Verses’ Context: ‘For Everything There Is a Season’?

As you read the book of Ecclesiastes, you may get the impression that Solomon had somewhat of a grave, pessimistic outlook on life.

The book begins with Solomon’s declaration that everything is meaningless (see verse 1:1).

He had seen the ups and downs of life, yet could not quite make sense of life. 

Why was there so much suffering?

Where was God in the midst of life?

What is the meaning of the mundane days we live? 

In this book, Solomon reflected on his understanding of God and how that fits with what he knew and the life he was experiencing.

Perhaps you have found yourself wondering or reflecting like Solomon did.

In the third chapter, we find perhaps some clarity around the mysteries of life.

When nothing in life seems to make sense anymore, if we dare to look, to find God’s presence in life, that’s when real meaning and satisfaction will emerge.

Life without God is hopeless, but a life lived for God and in acknowledgement of his divine presence, sovereignty, is one marked by fruitfulness and significance.

In this third chapter, Solomon affirmed the seasons of joys and the seasons of hardships, the high and low seasons, the valleys of despair and peaks of honor.

This is the natural ebb and flow of life that we can anticipate, and when we keep God at the center, purpose will emerge and refining of our hearts will take place.

Why Is There always a Time for Bad Things?

The basic reality is that life always gets hard.

As we know, bad things happen even to those who follow Jesus as their Lord and Savior.

Sinful nature has left nothing untouched, and this is why we await the second coming of Jesus.

But until then, we know that we will always enter tough seasons, go through tough seasons, leave tough seasons as much as we go through joyful seasons.

Even Jesus reminded us that we will always have troubles, but we can still have peace in him (see John 16:33).

The hope found in this Ecclesiastical passage is that these seasons of suffering, hate, and death will come to us but they will also come to an end. (Psalm 23)

God will bring us through to better days marked by comfort, love, and new life.

Through it all, we can rest in the peace Jesus has given us.

Regardless of what seasons we face, we can fully and completely trust that God always remains in absolute control and is the author of our days.

How Does God Make Everything Beautiful in Its Time?

Ecclesiastes 3:11 Amplified Bible

God Set Eternity in the Heart of Man

11 He has made everything beautiful and appropriate in its time. He has also planted eternity [a sense of divine purpose] in the human heart [a mysterious longing which nothing under the sun can satisfy, except God]—yet man cannot find out (comprehend, grasp) what God has done (His overall plan) from the beginning to the end.

God is our Redeemer.

To redeem something means to offset its negative traits.

In a biblical sense, redemption means that Jesus’ work on the cross has covered our sin.

His sacrificial love has offset and delivered us from sinfulness, death, and guilt.

God’s redemptive work makes us beautiful and it makes all things beautiful.

This concept of redemption that we find in Scripture teaches us that God will redeem us from despair and work all things together for the good of those who love him (see Romans 8:28).

We find this promise written that God will make everything beautiful in its due season.

God will judge right from wrong and bring about justice (Ecclesiastes 3:16-17).

16 Moreover, I have seen under the sun that in the place of justice there is wickedness, and in the place of righteousness there is wickedness. 17 I said to myself, “God will judge both the righteous and the wicked,” for there is a time [appointed] for every matter and for every deed.

God will make things right.

We may not always know how or when or where he will make things beautiful or when he will do that, but we can 100% count on it, pray for it to happen, and put all of our trust fully in God to redeem even the worst of our circumstances.

What to Learn from Ecclesiastes 3:1 about Change and Timing?

Solomon, author of Ecclesiastes, goes to great lengths to preach that we must put our trust in God’s sovereignty which means he is in control of all things.

God is always with us in the hardest battles.

He guides our steps from one season to the next.

He sees what is coming ahead for us and will provide what we need to get through.

No matter what seasons lay behind us or ahead of us, God is always present and always leading us through each – for the purpose of His glory.

The greatest hope we have in seasons of trouble or change is that God will never leave us nor forsake us (see: Hebrews 13:5).

5 Let your character [your moral essence, your inner nature] be free from the love of money [shun greed—be financially ethical], being content with what you have; for He has said, “I will never [under any circumstances] desert you [nor give you up nor leave you without support, nor will I in any degree leave you helpless], nor will I forsake or let you down or relax My hold on you [assuredly not]!”

We may experience God’s timing as difficult, or late, or hard to understand, or different than what we’d expect or hope for.

But truly, over time, we will learn that all of God’s timing is perfect and always comes to pass in a way that will bring us goodness rather than hopelessness.

How Can We Learn to Apply “For Everything There is a Season” to Everyday Lives?

When we wake up, we can trust that whatever season we are in is not by accident, nor will God allow it to unfold without bringing out a grander purpose and drawing us closer to him.

Every season is purposeful in leading us into a deeper relationship with God and creating unshakeable faith.

We can hope that the Lord will give us seasons of joy, and know that he wants us to enjoy life (see Ecclesiastes 3:12-13).

12 I know that there is nothing better for them than to rejoice and to do good as long as they live; 13 and also that every man should eat and drink and see and enjoy the good of all his labor—it is the gift of God.

We should savor the goodness of life and the ways God has gifted us with his favor.

Through fellowship, disciplined reading, studying, and praying, apply this verse to your life by trusting that God knows the seasons in your life in which you will relish and endure, and God will be with you every step of the way.

Therefore, we should lean into God regardless of the situation because he loves us and will journey with us each moment, each day, and each season.

Like Solomon, we can go through our seasons, and take the opportunity to pause to reflect on our lives and how we see God’s presence and direction.

God is the author of our time and the seasons we go through.

Though life does not always make sense, or may even feel insignificant at times, rather than getting lost in despair, we can find comfort and hope in God.

God brings us to new seasons, changes our circumstances, and adds fullness to our existence.

God alone creates and sustains and God alone will make all things beautiful in due season and God alone will cause all our lives to be abundant in meaning.

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

Let us Pray,

Psalm 16 The Message

16 1-2 Keep me safe, O God,
    I’ve run for dear life to you.
I say to God, “Be my Lord!”
    Without you, nothing makes sense.

3 And these God-chosen lives all around—
    what splendid friends they make!

4 Don’t just go shopping for a god.
    Gods are not for sale.
I swear I’ll never treat god-names
    like brand-names.

5-6 My choice is you, God, first and only.
    And now I find I’m your choice!
You set me up with a house and yard.
    And then you made me your heir!

7-8 The wise counsel God gives when I’m awake
    is confirmed by my sleeping heart.
Day and night I’ll stick with God;
    I’ve got a good thing going and I’m not letting go.

9-10 I’m happy from the inside out,
    and from the outside in, I’m firmly formed.
You canceled my ticket to hell—
    that’s not my destination!

11 Now you’ve got my feet on the life path,
    all radiant from the shining of your face.
Ever since you took my hand,
    I’m on the right way.

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

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Be Still My Soul, Be Still My Heart! Truly Be Still and Truly Trust God. Psalm 46:10-11

Psalm 46:10-11 English Standard Version

10 “Be still, and know that I am God.
    I will be exalted among the nations,
    I will be exalted in the earth!”
11 The Lord of hosts is with us;
    the God of Jacob is our fortress. Selah

The Word of God for the Children of God.

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

Sometimes in life, things suddenly happen which leaves us feeling dismayed, fearful, and overwhelmed.

Worse than that, these same situations we encounter are out of our control.

Worse than that, these situations which arise can even be life threatening.

Calamity happens before our very eyes, deep within our own bodies and despite how much we protest, all we can do is feel the weakness, wait, watch the clock.

All we can do is experience the true reality of the moment we are locked into.

All we can do is instinctively respond with the coping skills we know best.

This happens when we lose a relationship, a job, or a loved one, through no fault of our own.

Things happen that we don’t understand, and we and our loved ones are left to try to recover and rehabilitate and keep moving forward and pick up the pieces. 

When things happen that are out of your control, where do you turn?

I was blindsided recently when my heart nearly reached the point of no return.

That’s far from the first time in my life when I encountered something out of my control, but I was reminded of something important – my life was at stake.

One of my arteries was 99% blocked, five others were in imminent danger.

In an instant, life became a slow and slower and slowed walk as I was admitted to a cardiac telemetry unit floor, hospital for open heart surgery – triple bypass.

Admitted on a Friday for urgent surgery on the following Monday morning.

In a moment frozen in time, my life limited to the confines of a single hospital room because I could not walk any distance without getting short of breath.

The surgeon was going to saw open my sternum, spread my rib cage apart, he was going to quite literally stop my heart for an extended period of time as they harvested veins from my leg, my chest wall to “rework the internal plumbing.”

They would put me on a heart lung machine and a ventilator to support my life.

My life literally hung in the balance of both of those machines working 100%.

Over five hours of surgery,

Something people have always reminded me of throughout all the years and something, with all of my now repaired heart, I want to share with you today.

In matters of life and in matters of death,

When balance is something that seems like something which will never return;

Be still, and know that He is God.

God is the One who is exalted.

Chances are, you can pull from many examples in your own life where things suddenly happened that were very fearful, unfortunate and uncontrollable.

Where we turn when these situations arise says a lot about our character.

We learn more about our faith, where we are strong, and where we are weak.

In the suddenness of the moment, no where else to turn, choices must be made, choices which quite literally physically altering, life altering, life saving choices

We consent, we learn where we place our trust, in whom we place 1000% trust.

If we genuinely surrender our earthly and worldly fears and concerns to God, these bad experiences can be an opportunity to build a greater trust in God.

That’s what I decided to do this week when I had to let go of my friend.

In the past, I would have cried and yelled and questioned God all night long.

Deep down, I would have doubted God could help and blamed Him for all these bad occurrences.

After all, if He loved me, how could He let these things happen to my heart?

This time, however, I decided to be still.

I decided to max trust.

Max trust beyond the skill of the surgeon and his team and the machines keeping me alive even while my heart was literally stopped for 80 minutes.

God had His eyes on my physical heart, His hands around my physical heart.

God went echelons beyond good even when my life was literally in His hands.

There’s still plenty of life in my life to appreciate, even amidst all the bad stuff. 

That’s what I fervently pray that you to see in your own life today.

There’s good waiting for you just around the bend, even if you can’t see it yet.

And there’s good that will come out of the bad, even if you don’t believe it yet.

Sometimes we just have to lay ourselves down, be still and know that He is God.

For some practical ways to do that, here are some hard lessons I have learned since July 17, 2023 – the day God had mercy on me and He gave me a new life.

1. Stop Striving

One of my flaws is a desire for exercising too much control over me.

As a doer, there’s a certain way I like to do things and have things done.

I have to practice humility, I have to practice surrender, I have to practice God and remember that my way is not always the best way or even the right way.

That’s especially true when needing to trust God.

Too often have I questioned why He allowed something to happen, what good could come out of a situation only to down the road experience the goodness.

How much evidence do I need to trust?

Sometimes, despite our desire to handle a situation, sometimes God just wants us to lay still, to be still, to rely on Him. In that act of trust, we develop our faith.

2. Pray Without Ceasing

Proverbs 4:23 English Standard Version

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

Naturally, when bad things happen, we think about them.

We question whether situations could have occurred differently, whether bad situations could, can be, undone, and we wonder what to do next for ourselves.

Thinking isn’t bad, but we would be wise not to dwell on the negativity.

Instead, where we ought to dwell is in prayer, talking to God about our angst.

He cares and wants to hear.

Not only that, but prayer helps mold us into the image of Christ.

We invite God to speak to us and protect our hearts and to change our hearts.

3. Be Still and Rest

As we pray and as we stop striving, we should aim for rest.

Losing a friendship, a marriage, a loved one, all of that carries weight.

Losing our spiritual hearts, even worse our physical hearts quite literally carries the full weight and responsibility of our moral and ethical and physical lives.

The more we care, the greater the pain.

We cannot get rid of the pain even if you desire such.

Nor can we so easily dismiss the shortness of breath on physical exertion.

Nor can we undo the situation we are trying to gain control of, balance in.

What you can manage for yourself is resting.

Take time to do something fun and relaxing.

Don’t think over much about the sad stuff, the fearful stuff, the stuff that makes you mad, but set your mind on something distracting and positive.

That includes real physical exercise, reading, and other recreational activities.

4. God’s Ways Will Always Be Greater Than Our Own

Psalm 139:1-6English Standard Version

Search Me, O God, and Know My Heart

To the choirmaster. A Psalm of David.

139 O Lord, you have searched me and known me!
2 You know when I sit down and when I rise up;
    you discern my thoughts from afar.
3 You search out my path and my lying down
    and are acquainted with all my ways.
4 Even before a word is on my tongue,
    behold, O Lord, you know it altogether.
5 You hem me in, behind and before,
    and lay your hand upon me.
6 Such knowledge is too wonderful for me;
    it is high; I cannot attain it.

There’s no way for us to be still and to trust God if we have no reason to do so.

While we could and should remind ourselves of the good things He has done in our lives, we should also be ever mindful of what God’s Scripture reminds us of.

The issue we face is that when bad things happen, sometimes we all forget the good, we forget the absolute sovereignty God has over all things good and bad.

The solution, then, is to read, study, pray over and know the truth of Scripture because that’s a time honored, time tested, undeniable truth we cannot dispute.

Psalm 46 says that God is in full, complete command over all things in nature.

So, we can steadfastly believe in God’s authority and sovereignty over our life.

5. Keep Trying, Keep Laboring, Keep Living for God

1 Corinthians 15:57-58 English Standard Version

57 But thanks be to God, who gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ.

58 Therefore, my beloved brothers, be steadfast, immovable, always abounding in the work of the Lord, knowing that in the Lord your labor is not in vain.

If you’re not used to being still, don’t be surprised when you struggle to do just that. What’s instead important is to keep trying. When you fail once, try again.

After the second time, you try again. God is after our hearts, not perfection. 

And thankfully, practice makes perfect.

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

Let us Pray,

1. Breathe on me, Breath of God,
fill me with life anew,
that I may love what thou dost love,
and do what thou wouldst do.

2. Breathe on me, Breath of God,
until my heart is pure,
until with thee I will one will,
to do and to endure.

3. Breathe on me, Breath of God,
till I am wholly thine,
till all this earthly part of me
glows with thy fire divine.

4. Breathe on me, Breath of God,
so shall I never die,
but live with thee the perfect life
of thine eternity.

Edwin Hatch, 1835-1889

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

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By the Word of God: Renewing Our Hearts of Worship. Nehemiah 8:5-6

Nehemiah had rebuilt the walls of Jerusalem, and many Israelites had returned to their homeland following the nation’s 70-year exile in Babylon. It was the first day of their new year (the feast of trumpets), and the apostate nation of Israel stood in the city square and started to listen to Ezra the priest reading the Word of the Lord. He read from the book of the Law that had been given by God to Israel.

As they listened God’s Word being read to them, this errant nation as one man realized how far they had wandered from their God. Oh, at first, they started to rejoice and cried out “AMEN, AMEN,” but as Ezra continued to read the Scriptures, they started to realize how deeply they had fallen into sin and how far they had wandered away from the truth of God’s Word, and both men and women began to mourn and grieve deeply.

The people wept as they heard the Scriptures being read, for they acknowledged their sin, but Nehemiah the governor stood up and reminded the people that this first day of the new year was a special feast day of the Lord. He comforted them, saying, “Go, eat of the fat, drink of the sweet, and send portions to him who has nothing prepared; for this day is holy to our Lord. Do not be grieved, for the joy of the LORD is your strength.”

Nehemiah 8:5-6 Amplified Bible

5 Ezra opened the book in the sight of all the people, for he was standing above them; and when he opened it, all the people stood up. 6 Then Ezra blessed the Lord, the great God. And all the people answered, “Amen, Amen!” while lifting up their hands; and they knelt down and worshiped the Lord with their faces toward the ground.

The Word of God for the Children of God.

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

“Will you stand with me?” is a question I asked my congregation each week.

They would rise, open their hymnals to the hymn and the music begins to play.

Our few voices joined together as one voice and one heart to worship our God.

I was a worship leader for several years, and as few or as many as we were, I was always amazed every week at how our God would meet us right where we are at.

Whatever was going on, we might be dealing with frustrating circumstances or excruciating disappointments, or high joy, but God met us in the middle of it all.

When we enter His presence with Word and song, and prayer and through the lifting up of our hands, and our hears two things happen: love and adoration for God stirs in our hearts, and He inhabits our praise, He inhabits our worship.

With platform ministry, however, comes the risk of personal ambitions vying for central focus – the value of “our worship” is more our own entertainment.

We will plan the very best worship based on our own need to hear some much Words of healing our wounds and uplifting us up after a rather long hard week.

Congregations can set those on the stage on a pedestal and forget that worship leaders are just like them bringing their own weeks trials and internal battles.

Bringing ourselves and our seasons into it – we can lose sight of true worship.

It is all about exalting God the Father and God the Son and God the Holy Spirit.

The English word for worship comes from the Old English word “worthship.”

This word describes our actions and attitudes that honor God’s worthiness.

God is absolutely worthy of every single ounce of our praise and adoration.

True worship is God-centered, God-prioritized and not human-centered.

Our exclusive focus needs to be on who God is and his attributes.

Some of those attributes are faithfulness, omnipresent, eternal, unchangeable, compassionate, merciful, unconventional loving and patient.

We worship him when we know and confess that God is the only Lord in our life.

When we engage in God-centered worship through singing songs that remind us of who God is, we become equipped to face our difficulties with robust faith.

God-centered worship helps us grow and mature in our spiritual walk because it prioritizes God, it centers us on God, our hearts upon what is true about God.

This is important because the cares and complexities of life can easily choke out what we know to be true about God because all our cares loom large in our path.

The Book of Nehemiah

Nehemiah 8:1-8 English Standard Version

Ezra Reads the Law

8 And all the people gathered as one man into the square before the Water Gate. And they told Ezra the scribe to bring the Book of the Law of Moses that the Lord had commanded Israel. 2 So Ezra the priest brought the Law before the assembly, both men and women and all who could understand what they heard, on the first day of the seventh month. 3 And he read from it facing the square before the Water Gate from early morning until midday, in the presence of the men and the women and those who could understand. And the ears of all the people were attentive to the Book of the Law. 4 And Ezra the scribe stood on a wooden platform that they had made for the purpose. And beside him stood Mattithiah, Shema, Anaiah, Uriah, Hilkiah, and Maaseiah on his right hand, and Pedaiah, Mishael, Malchijah, Hashum, Hashbaddanah, Zechariah, and Meshullam on his left hand. 5 And Ezra opened the book in the sight of all the people, for he was above all the people, and as he opened it all the people stood. 6 And Ezra blessed the Lord, the great God, and all the people answered, “Amen, Amen,” lifting up their hands. And they bowed their heads and worshiped the Lord with their faces to the ground. 7 Also Jeshua, Bani, Sherebiah, Jamin, Akkub, Shabbethai, Hodiah, Maaseiah, Kelita, Azariah, Jozabad, Hanan, Pelaiah, the Levites,[a] helped the people to understand the Law, while the people remained in their places. 8 They read from the book, from the Law of God, clearly,[b] and they gave the sense, so that the people understood the reading.

The book of Nehemiah chronicles rebuilding of Jerusalem’s walls, the worship of God, the return of the Word of God and the exiled people’s hearts to the Lord.

Ezra the scribe stood before the people on a wooden platform and opened the Book of the Law, read it before them for the first time since who knows when.

Revival began with a renewed desire for God’s Word and a serious effort to understand it – and the people responded with lifted hands and bowed heads.

God longs for us to express our deep love to him with regular times of worship.

God longs for us to experience and relate and connect to His very deepest love.

Two very key principles help direct our worship. 

John 4:23 tells us that “true worshipers will worship God in spirit and in truth.”

God’s main concern is with our hearts.

True worship comes from within a heart that max agrees with all that God is and a heart which instinctively chooses to live in maximum obedience to Him.

Our heart reflects godly character traits, reveals a deep inner devotion to Him.

We can worship God when we praise Him.

God provides different expressions of how to praise him throughout the ancient Words of both the Old and New Testaments.

It can be lifting of hands, shouting and singing, praying and confession of sin.

When Ezra and Nehemiah realized how the people had neglected God’s Word, they led the entire community in Word and in a passionate prayer of confession.

Prayer is another important aspect of worship.

We can pray publicly, privately, personally, or intercede for others.

Worship also includes the public reading of God’s word and preaching its truth.

Practical Reading, Practical Study, Practical Explanation, Practical Application of God’s Word, disciplining ourselves to live out our lives, is an act of worship.

One of the most beautiful aspects of a spiritually renewed heart of worship is the bringing about the “God” community it creates within a body of believers.

When we gather together in community, for a service, a time of bible study and prayer, we all come from different journeys and levels of personal difficulties.

These can distract us and serve to pull us away from intimacy with God.

One of the ways we can combat this is through worshiping together.

There is indescribable, miraculous power when we collectively lift our voices in God’s Words and God’s songs that remind us of who God is and what he can do.

Intersecting Faith and Life

Nehemiah 8:9-11Amplified Bible

“This Day Is Holy”

9 Then Nehemiah, who was the governor, and Ezra the priest and scribe, and the Levites who taught the people said to all the people, “This day is holy to the Lord your God; do not mourn or weep.” For all the people were weeping when they heard the words of the Law. 10 Then Ezra said to them, “Go [your way], eat the rich festival food, drink the sweet drink, and send portions to him for whom nothing is prepared; for this day is holy to our Lord. And do not be worried, for the joy of the Lord is your strength and your stronghold.” 11 So the Levites quieted all the people, saying, “Be still, for the day is holy; do not be worried.”

Challenges of every complexity can and do fill our lives, chip away at our faith.

Often, we drift away from God through times of doubt, fear, disappointments.

But if we will all desire the challenge to step forward for God, refocus on God’s Word and prioritize and desire to know him better, we renew a heart of worship.

Whatever you find yourself facing today, pause and acknowledge God.

Bend the knee, bow your spirit, lift your hands and your voices to show 100% you fully trust in him and bow your head to prostrate and humble your heart.

He longs to connect with you right exactly where you are. Come to him today.

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

Let us Pray,

God of truth, sometimes I not sure if I’m actually hearing your voice, or if it’s just my own thoughts or even another spirit. Sharpen my spiritual hearing, Lord, so I can recognize your words when you are speaking to me. Help me know it’s really you, with no doubt or second-guessing. When I’m asking for your guidance in important decisions, give me your peace that surpasses understanding with your answer. Help me remember that your words to me will never go against your written word in the Bible. Give me a clear mind and push out all my confusion. Alleluia, Amen.

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

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