All of us have gone through times when we have wondered where God was or if He had time to care for us.  With over 8 billion people on our planet, we might feel that we are rather insignificant to the Lord.  But just the opposite is true.  God knows everything about His creation and cares for every aspect of it…us included.  He knows when a sparrow falls, and God tells us that we are of much more value than many sparrows.  (Matthew 10:29-31)

The Apostle Peter tells us that God cares for us when he writes in 1 Peter 5:7, “Casting all your care upon Him, for He cares for you.”  God cares deeply for each of us.  Literally Peter is saying, “It matters to Him about you.”  We as God’s children are objects of His care and love.  He watches over us with great interest and affection.  God is interested in every detail of our lives.  The things that are of concern to us are of concern to God.  No matter how large or small.  God wants us to know that He is always there, and it matters to Him.

Warren Weirsbe in his commentary on 1 Peter states that there are four ways in which God shows us His love and care.  I would like to share those points with you and include my thoughts about each of them.

1.  “He gives us the courage to face the stress producing problems of our life honestly and not run away.”  (Warren Weirsbe)  

“Fear not, for I am with you; Be not dismayed, for I am your God. I will strengthen you, Yes, I will help you, I will uphold you with My righteous right hand.” Isaiah 41:10

It is difficult at times to deal head on with the areas of life that produce stress for us.  We often run away from them or medicate ourselves in ways to relieve the pain or fear that we feel.  We need to recognize through God’s Word that He is there with us, and He is upholding us in those difficult times.  He holds us with His righteous right hand, the hand of His strength and power.  He will never abandon us but will always be there in our time of need.

2.  "He gives us the wisdom to understand the situation.”  (Warren Weirsbe)

“If any of you lacks wisdom, let him ask of God, who gives to all liberally and without reproach, and it will be given to him.” James 1:5
 
When we face the problems and cares of life, we need to be able to see them for what they really are.  We need God’s wisdom to understand the situation and see it truthfully.  Often stress and fear come as a result of not seeing things clearly.  We tend to look at things from a skewed perspective.   Only God’s wisdom can bring understanding and reality to what we face in life.

3.  “He gives us the strength to take action.” (Warren Weirsbe)  

“I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me.” Philippians 4:13

Instead of being frozen in fear or inaction, God gives us strength to do what needs to be done.  In those weakest moments, God is there, and He gives us strength.  God loves to show Himself strong in our weakness because then we give Him the glory for what He has done.  We know it wasn’t about us but about Him.  In our times of fear or stress, we need to always remind ourselves that God is here right now, and He wants to give me strength so I don’t have to be stressed out or afraid.  We can trust Him always, even though we don’t understand, and He will hold us up in His strong right hand.

4.  “He gives us the faith to trust Him to do the rest.” (Warren Weirsbe)

“Commit your way to the LORD, Trust also in Him, And He shall bring it to pass.” Psalm 37:5

As we trust the Lord with all the cares of life, we can have the confidence He will take care of all the things that are beyond our control.  We can be thankful that nothing is beyond His ability to control.  Often our problem is that we can only see this moment in life.  God can see and knows everything from eternity past to eternity future.  He sees the big picture.  We need to commit to the Lord what we know and understand now with the confidence that He will do the rest.  As we trust Him with our present and future, we will experience a lot less stress and fear.  We can know that God always has our best at heart, and we can trust Him.
 
I appreciate what the Psalmist writes in Psalm 55:22, “Cast your burden on the LORD, And He shall sustain you; He shall never permit the righteous to be moved.”  God invites me to cast or throw my burden onto the Lord.  In other words, I can entrust it to the Lord who deeply cares for me.  My burden is the portion God has given me to bear.  I am so thankful God encourages me to give them to Him.  He wants to bear the load of life with me.  He doesn’t make fun of me, tell me I am such a spiritual weakling, or tell me just to suck it up and go on.  He invites me to give my burdens to Him and He lovingly takes them.  As a result, He keeps me from becoming disturbed, shaken, or unsettled in my faith.  I grow in my faith and confidence in Him as I trust Him with the cares of my life.

Prayer:  Lord, help me to understand how much You care for me.  My life is in Your hands, and I trust you with it.  Help me to accept your invitation to give You my burdens and not hold onto them.  Thank you for the strength You will give. Amen

New Living Translation (NLT)
Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Inc., Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.
New International Version (NIV)
Holy Bible, New International Version®, NIV® Copyright ©1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.® Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide.

You ever have those days where you feel you just can’t do it. Maybe you can do some of it but there is just too much, or it’s too hard, or too out of reach. Whatever it is, your best does not seem to be good enough. It’s a sinking feeling, it deflates us and causes us to withdraw back within ourselves. But while we feel at our lowest, it is at this place that God can work wonders through us. God loves to take broken people and use them mightily for His glory. The Bible is full of stories of men and women who were not good enough, but God worked through them to accomplish His great purpose. Sometimes we have to be broken before we can step out of our own way for God to use us.

God says here in 2 Corinthians that always have all sufficiency in all things! Wow, what an amazing statement. Although it doesn’t always feel like that. But I think the point we need to take away from this is that God is the one giving us sufficiency for every good work. Its not coming from within us, or ourselves, it’s God. When we try to do things in our own power, our way, it often does not end well. However when we put our trust in God and lean on His power we are often amazed at what can be accomplished.

I’m very technically minded and can easily get lost in the troubleshooting of a problem when up against a deadline. I am so blessed by those around me like Laurel who will stop everything in the midst of things not working to say “we need to pray.” Its times we notice our own power and abilities are not getting it done to stop and pray. We need to refocus on the One who is able to accomplish abundantly more than we can ask or imagine and rely on His power and strength to accomplish His purpose.

God calls us to do good works, but He doesn’t stop there. He gives us the grace and power to do those good works when we rely on Him and not on ourselves. I’m reminded of Philippians 4:13 “I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me.”

New King James Version (NKJV)
Scripture taken from the New King James Version®. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson. Used by permission. All rights reserved.

I enjoy taking personality tests. Not the BuzzFeed “what type of cupcake would you be?” articles, but the ones that deepen my understanding of myself and those around me, like the Myers-Briggs “16 Personalities” test. (If you’re curious, I’m an INTJ-A.) These tests sort of run in my family; when I was a preteen, my grandfather ran me through a series of “inventories” addressing everything from conflict resolution to style of influence to cross-cultural ministry readiness(!).

I’ve often pondered how the Christian should approach personality tests–and the concept of personality in general. On the one hand, personality tests can aid in the process of identifying strengths, weaknesses, tendencies, and temptations. That makes them a helpful tool in the life-long process of sanctification. Understanding mine and others’ style of influence, method of conflict resolution, and so on also helps me to “love my neighbor as myself” (Matthew 22:39). On the other hand, I think we can pretty safely assume God isn’t sitting up in heaven creating people with a Myers-Briggs personality template in hand. There are 8 billion people on this planet, each “fearfully and wonderfully made” by their Creator. Reducing people to a set of personality-test-inspired stereotypes can cause us to miss this truth.

But for the sake of argument, why doesn’t God only make 16 (or 9, or 32, or any number really) types of people? Why do personality differences exist at all? As C.S. Lewis writes in The Problem of Pain, chapter 10, “If He had no use for all these differences, I do not see why He should have created more souls than one.”

I think one reason why God makes everyone different is service. You’re probably familiar with the concept of “spiritual gifts,” how the indwelling Holy Spirit empowers every Christian for a specific function within the Body of Christ, the Church. (The New Testament has examples in Romans 12:6-8 and 1 Corinthians 12:8-10; there is also an excellent spiritual giftings test in Pastor Jim’s Men in Action handbook, which we’ve adapted for our youth leadership teams.) But I think that not just your spiritual gift, but your other talents, your personality, everything that makes you unique, is given you by God “to equip the saints for the work of ministry” (Ephesians 4:12). My grandparents explain this using the analogy of a suitcase. Imagine everything that makes you “you”–your family background, education, talents, passions, hardships, failings, and even personality–in an invisible suitcase that you carry with you. As you go through life, God will present you with opportunities to use what He’s put in your suitcase for His glory. In essence, personality differences exist to maximize the ministry of the Body of Christ. Understanding our personality makes us better ambassadors of the Kingdom.

But I think personality differences are ultimately about worship. I often wonder: if Jesus took the Myers-Briggs test, what would his results be? I guess (and I admit, this is speculative) that He is, in some sense, every personality rolled into one. Each personality, when glorified and free from sin, dimly reflects some part of the Divine Personality. In other words, my personality influences the way in which I praise my Creator. The “God-shaped hole” in my heart, to borrow a phrase from Pascal, is filled by God in a way slightly different than anyone else’s God-shaped hole. I’ll quote Lewis and The Problem of Pain again: “Each of the redeemed shall forever know and praise some one aspect of the divine beauty better than any other creature can. … For doubtless the continually successful, yet never completed, attempt by each soul to communicate its unique vision to others…is also among the ends for which the individual was created.” In eternity, the philosopher may praise God for his perfection, the physicist for His power, the farmer for His faithfulness, the teacher for His truth, the judge for His justice, the jester for His joy, the parent for His patience, the felon for His forgiveness, and the little child for His love. Like a wave of light in a prism, splitting into its many colors, refracting, reflecting from surface to surface, the many personalities that make up the Body of Christ collectively illuminate the personality and character of God.

Should the Christian be cautious of putting too much weight in personality tests? Absolutely. Many promise a path to self-discovery or “enlightenment,” which is only found in Jesus. Psychoanalysis is no substitute for sanctification. But knowing who I am, who God has made me to be, can help me not just serve God better, but worship Him better. Today, take some time to consider these questions:
What has God put in my suitcase? How has He equipped me to serve Him?
Why is God worthy of my praise today? How has He equipped me to worship Him?

"English Standard Version (ESV)
The Holy Bible, English Standard Version. ESV® Text Edition: 2016. Copyright © 2001 by Crossway Bibles, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers."

As I have been reading through the life of David there have been so many times that "David inquired of the Lord" or that David acknowledged that it was the Lord that helped him. I wonder what David's upbringing was like? When you look at how his brothers acted when he reacted to Goliath's mocking of God you wonder how he had such a strength of faith that seemed to be different from theirs.

It reminds me how each of us are uniquely individual. Siblings can be brought up by the same parents but see our upbringing with a totally different view. And when it comes to our faith in God, our decision to follow Him has to be our own. John 1:12-14 makes that clear…"But as many as received Him, to them He gave the right to become children of God, to those who believe in His name: who were born, not of blood, nor of the will of the flesh, nor of the will of man, but of God." It is not because we have parents who believe in Him, or we go to church or have friends who encourage us or even because we are good people. We have to be born of God. It has to be our own decision and based on our belief in Him alone.

From my perspective as a parent that can be so hard. You try your very best to instill your faith in the Lord into your children. Teaching His words diligently," talking of them when you sit in your house, when you walk by the way, when you lie down and when you rise up" (Deuteronomy 6:7). Encouraging them to memorize scripture and make it their own at an early age so that when they are old they won't depart from it (Proverbs 22:6). But the time comes when you take the back seat and wait to see who they choose to be their driver. Sometimes that wait is short and some are still praying and waiting.

I'm thankful that the Word of God is full of stories of individuals that had journeys of growth and then there's some like Paul who was confronted in a huge burst of God's presence. Those stories give me hope and faith that God will always be ready and willing to transform lives. So I continue to wait and pray as I learn and grow in the Lord myself.

In His Presence | Dick Tunney, Melodie Tunney

Verse 1
In the quiet of this hour
As I kneel before You now
I believe Your promise to be faithful
I don't always understand
What Your perfect will demands
But I've learned to trust You more
In Your presence Lord

Chorus 1
In Your presence there is comfort
In Your presence there is peace
When we seek to know Your heart
We will find such blessed assurance
In Your holy presence Lord

Verse 2
There can be such sweet reward
When we wait upon the Lord
As we take the time
He gives His perfect wisdom
To be found in Him alone
All our deepest secrets known
We're surrounded by His grace
When we seek His face

© 1988 Dick And Mel Music; Universal Music - Brentwood Benson Publishing; Pamela Kay Music | For use solely with the SongSelect® Terms of Use.  All rights reserved. www.ccli.com
CCLI Song #18589 CCLI License #144020

New King James Version (NKJV)
Scripture taken from the New King James Version®. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson. Used by permission. All rights reserved.

English Standard Version (ESV)
The Holy Bible, English Standard Version. ESV® Text Edition: 2016. Copyright © 2001 by Crossway Bibles, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers.

The Disney classic Toy Story is a great movie about friendship. In the movie, Woody and Buzz are on quite an epic adventure next door at Sid's house. At one point, both characters find themselves trapped in positions with no way out. Buzz sees the situation as hopeless, yet when his friend needed him most, Woody saw an opportunity to challenge Buzz. The challenge was not aggressive or hostile; it was clear and direct, and it communicated in a way that showed how deeply he cared for his friend, as he invited Buzz to consider a new perspective.
 
When individuals truly care for one another, they know how to push each other for the better. And striving toward better sometimes includes either tough or uncomfortable conversations. We typically like our relationships to stay in the fun and simple category, but it's not always fun when someone challenges us on something we don't want to hear. However, the best kind of relationships are those that help each other become the best versions of ourselves as we journey together. Someone said to me recently, “The healthiest people I know have a small circle of folks that they can share anything with.”
 
As Jesus' disciples are in trouble, He comes walking on the water. They think they have seen a ghost. Then something interesting happens: Jesus accepts a challenge from Peter. To prove that it really was Jesus standing before them, Peter asks Jesus to allow him to walk on the water, too. Then, when Peter starts to flounder, Jesus presents a challenge to Peter. He asks the question why do you doubt?  At one point, Peter had all the faith in the world, which kept him above water, but when he thought about what was happening, his faith dissipated, and he began to sink. Peter first challenges Jesus to prove His identity by displaying His power. Jesus then takes the opportunity to challenge Peter to demonstrate his faith. When Peter followed and trusted Jesus, he ended up walking on water, an impossible achievement, but without faith, Peter sank. May we also accept challenges from the Master and from those we know truly care about us. When we do, we open ourselves up to new opportunities to grow into the best versions of ourselves as we put our faith in the Lord and all that He calls us to.

English Standard Version (ESV)
The Holy Bible, English Standard Version. ESV® Text Edition: 2016. Copyright © 2001 by Crossway Bibles, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers.

If I were to ask you, “Could you use some more wisdom today?”, what would you say? It sounds like a silly question, because I don’t think anyone would say, “No…I’m good.” All of us could use more wisdom. We need wisdom in dating, communication, marriage, parenting, finances and conflict. We make decisions every day. And God will give us wisdom if we ask Him for it.

James 1:5 "But if any of you lacks wisdom, let him ask of God, who gives to all generously and without reproach, and it will be given to him."

That word “if” always gets me because it’s not a matter of “if” I lack wisdom, because I do. So I like to use the word “since”...“since you lack wisdom.” And James does not give any exceptions to this statement. It doesn’t matter if you are a new believer or a mature believer, you always need wisdom to go through the challenges of life. This is personal, so make it personal.

In my quiet time today I was reading about the extent of Solomon’s wisdom in 1 Kings 4:20-34. After David made his son Solomon King of Israel, God appeared to Solomon and said, “Ask what you wish Me to give you.” (1 Kings 3:5). And Solomon responded, “So, give Your servant an understanding heart to judge Your people to discern between good and evil. For who is able to judge this great people of Yours?” God responded “Because you have asked this thing and have not asked for yourself long life, nor have asked riches for yourself nor have you asked for the life of your enemies, but have asked for yourself discernment to understand justice, behold I have done according to your words. Behold, I have given you a wise and discerning heart, so that there has been no one like you before you, nor shall one like you arise after you. I have also given you what you have not asked, both riches and honor, so that there will not be any among the kings like you all your days.” (1 Kings 3:11-13).

Is wisdom your most important need? Yes it is. “The beginning of wisdom is: Acquire wisdom; Add with all your acquiring, get understanding.” (Proverbs 4:7) In other words, God places such high value on acquiring wisdom that if it were possible to buy wisdom, He recommends that you sell everything you have and buy it. “By wisdom a house is built, and by understanding it is established.” Proverbs 24:3. That includes your life, business, career, marriage, relationships, parenting, etc.
 
So, how do I ask God for wisdom? Pray. Every morning when I’m spending time alone with God, I pray “God, please give me wisdom in my decision-making today. May these decisions honor You.” And God does not disappoint. Now, have there been mornings I’ve forgotten to pray for wisdom? Sure. Did that mean I made dumb decisions that day? Maybe, but it’s hard to know. See, I also have my Mom and Dad praying for me every day. And I trust that if I forget to ask God for wisdom, maybe they remembered. Either way, God is faithful. He will always fulfill His promises to me.

I love asking God for wisdom because it shows my total reliance on Him to help me make good decisions. And I love opening God’s Word to help me make decisions consistent with His will, because that’s where His will is found.

Have you asked God for wisdom today? Take a moment and do it now. He will give it to you.

New American Standard Bible®, Copyright © 1960, 1971, 1977, 1995 by The Lockman Foundation. All rights reserved.

When I was in elementary school, my parents made me attend different types of  AWANA programs around town. One of the first verses that I learned as a child was  Romans 3:23: “for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God.” That verse was usually at the beginning of the booklet I had to get to attend these types of programs at different churches. It’s why it’s one of the main verses that I remember learning, and it is why it has stuck with me for so many years. Romans 3:23 is an important verse to learn because it deals with our sin, but without Romans 3:24, I felt a lot of shame in my life.

 I understand in the gospel why that is one of the first verses that you would learn in a verse learning type booklet, because it deals with humanity’s key issue, that we are sinners who have been separated from God. What I understood about myself, though, fundamentally was that I was totally undeserving of God’s grace, that it was hard for me to believe that Jesus would ever die for sins and resurrect from that grave three days later, and that I might have new life with God. What should have brought me to see my need for Jesus led me to believe that I should be kept away from Jesus.

Even in the good deeds I did, it felt like I was just going through the motions of following Jesus, so that maybe I could be worthy of having my sins forgiven by Jesus and get to go to Heaven. But that’s where I am glad for Romans 3:24, which says, “and are justified by his grace as a gift, through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus, (ESV)” Jesus came for us to be made right with Him. We are not justified by anything we can do or could do, but only justified by what Jesus has done for us to be made right with God.

My shame has been wiped away because Jesus has redeemed me, and I am justified by Jesus. My life is to be lived with Him forever and ever because of what He’s done. In reading Romans 3:23-3:24 together, we’re reminded of how breathtaking the gospel is.

We are sinners who can do nothing to earn our way back to God, for we are far outside of His glory, but by His grace, we are made right with God to be children of His forever. In ministry, we can only rely on God’s grace to save people. We should never tire of reflecting on the gospel, as it is the primary way for us to have salvation.

My fear is that at times we find the gospel boring, focus only on getting to Heaven, or say we believe the gospel but live in ways that seek our own glory to make us right with God. The gospel is what all of scripture is pointing to; the only reason to be in Heaven is to be with Jesus, and we are only right and do the good things that God has set up in our lives to make us new creations (2 Corinthians 5:17; Ephesians 2:10). Let us never tire of the gospel, and doing good deeds because of what God has done for us.

English Standard Version (ESV)
The Holy Bible, English Standard Version. ESV® Text Edition: 2016. Copyright © 2001 by Crossway Bibles, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers.

I’ll never forget the day I almost fell off a wall like Humpty Dumpty.  I must have been around 8 years old, and I was outside playing with my friend Stephen.  For some reason we thought it would be fun to sit on top of a block fence and shoot the breeze.  But as we talked and laughed, I lost my balance and literally fell over backwards.  It was one of those slow-motion moments where my adolescent life passed before my eyes.  But amazingly my friend Stephen grabbed hold of my feet and pinned me to the wall.  I was hanging upside down, which was a bit of a dilemma.  But at least I didn’t break my neck.

In these well-known verses from Ecclesiastes, Solomon ponders the proverbial question of what would have happened to me if I had been on that fence alone.  The answer: I probably wouldn’t be here writing this devotional.

In verse 9, he declares the principle that “two are better than one.”  Then he gives three examples to support his claim.

1. If a person falls down, he has someone to help him up.
2. If a person lies down, he has someone to keep him warm.
3. If a person is attacked, he has someone to protect him.

Today I’m struck with the simple truth that we need friends in our lives.  As Solomon says: “Two are better than one.”
 
For many that special person may be a spouse.  But the principle is stated here in general terms, not marital terms.  (It uses business terms to be exact.)

So I believe these verses are about relationships in general.  They’re exhorting us to make sure we have special people in our lives who love us and care about us, rather than trying to go it alone.  There are too many loners in the world, and the church is no exception.

Here are three helpful questions to ask yourself today:

• When I fall down (sin, fail, make a mistake), who is there to help me up?
• When I feel cold (lonely, numb, discouraged), who is there to warm and cheer me up?
• When I’m under attack, who do I know that will fight for me and guard my back?

I hope and pray some names came to your mind.  (Maybe you need to call them today to let them know how much they mean to you.)  

But no matter what, remember there is a friend who sticks closer than a brother (Proverbs 18:24).  “A cord of three strands is not quickly broken.”  The third strand – Jesus – is always there for you, and he will strengthen all of your relationships when he is at the center of your life.

The Berean Bible (www.Berean.Bible) Berean Study Bible (BSB) ©
2016, 2020 by Bible Hub and Berean.Bible. Used by Permission. All rights Reserved.

English Standard Version (ESV)
The Holy Bible, English Standard Version. ESV® Text Edition: 2016. Copyright © 2001 by Crossway Bibles, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers.

One of the things I enjoy doing in the early morning is going out into our subdivision for a walk.  Now I will be honest, I started walking for exercise because I wanted to improve my physical health.  When you get to my age, I have come to realize the reality of the statement, “Use it or lose it.”  What I forced myself to do in the beginning has now become something I enjoy.  Our subdivision has over 2.5 miles of roads, so it gives me ample area to walk each morning.  Since I live in the foothills it also gives me the opportunity to see God’s handy work as I look at His creation.  I often start my walks when it is just verily light enough to see.  As I look up into the morning sky, I can see a sliver of a moon rising with the planet Venus shining brightly.  At other times I see a harvest moon setting in the horizon.  As the sun rises, it illuminates the table mountains in our area with great beauty.   In the spring when the wildflowers are blooming, I see the intricate work of God’s hands.  My thoughts turn to how amazing is our Creator God.  He has made our world and universe and holds it together for us to visually enjoy, creating wonder as we look at the beauty around us.  I am reminded that He has created all this for me and others to enjoy as we walk through life.

The Psalmist, as he contemplated God’s creative activity, exhorts us to praise the Lord with our whole being.  There is an excitement about the beauty and wonder of creation.  It all points us to the reality that there is a Creator.  “The heavens proclaim the glory of God.  The skies display his craftsmanship.” (Psalm 19:1)   It causes us to respond in worshiping the Creator.  Creation proclaims that there is a God and that we can know Him.  “For ever since the world was created, people have seen the earth and sky. Through everything God made, they can clearly see his invisible qualities—his eternal power and divine nature. So they have no excuse for not knowing God.” (Romans 1:20) Creation is a witness to God’s reality and is inviting us to know the One Who made it all.  As the Psalmist was drawn into God’s presence through the creation around Him, we too can be drawn to worship the Lord as His creation proclaims His glory.  The Word of God reveals God to us and how to know Him.  Creation also witnesses to God’s existence.  What a privilege we have to respond in praise and worship, as God declares His greatness in all that He has created and His Word.  What assurance this brings into my life that I know the Lord because He has revealed Himself to me through His Word and all that He has made.

The Psalmist is overwhelmed by what he sees.  He stands in awe of God.  The only way he can respond is, “O Lord my God, how great you are!”   He has come to an understanding of how great God is!  In the true sense of the word, God is “awesome.”  There is no one who compares to Him.  There are no other gods.  He is the only true God.  Today God is inviting us to come to Him in true worship.  Many times, in the morning I return home after my walk and realize this was not just exercise for my physical body, but this was a deeply spiritual exercise of seeing my Lord for Who He is.  It has been a time of worship as the Holy Spirit has recalled Scripture verses and songs that reinforce the wonder of creation that I see all around me.  Truly we can say with the Psalmist, “How great You are!”   

I want to encourage you over the next weeks to take time to get away from the routines of life and spend time worshiping the God of creation.  This may mean taking a drive, going for a walk or just sitting in your backyard, focusing on the handywork of God as declared in Psalm 19.  Take the time with me to see what a truly “awesome” God we know and serve.


Prayer:  Lord, I admit that so often in life I have become so busy that I have not taken the time to see and meditate on how great You are.  Help me to take those moments in my day when I can stop and focus on You.  Thank You for the privilege of being Your child and knowing You.  Amen     

New International Version (NIV)
Holy Bible, New International Version®, NIV® Copyright ©1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.® Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide.

I recently had the privilege of attending my dad’s commencement from Re:Gen, which is a Christ-centered discipleship and recovery program designed to help individuals find healing from any kind of life struggle, addiction, or brokenness. And while I’m immensely proud of my dad for having the courage to confront his struggles, and be open about them, it serves as a good reminder that as Christians, we are all broken in some way. Now that’s not a reason to celebrate, but it should cause us to want to help and encourage one another in our brokenness rather than to view it as some great scandal.

Once saved we are not automatically free from our sin nature, in fact we will continue to struggle with our flesh until we are given our new glorified bodies in the resurrection. So this side of Heaven while we may sometimes be referred to as the “saints” we definitely are not saints in the sinless sense. We need to remember that the Church is not a club for perfect people, far from it, it is rather a hospital for sinners. For better or for worse that sin is often very well hidden from anyone but ourselves. To continue with the hospital analogy, some of us have very obvious wounds, sins that everyone can see, but we all have some stage of cancer, which is often far deadlier. The visible sin, while shocking and attention grabbing is often the easiest to treat, it’s known, others know how to come alongside to help address it, and to pray for it. But the cancer that goes unseen, goes untreated, undealt with, and grows unchecked.

It’s very easy to think of sins in levels, like we do with crime. A little lie for instance is nothing compared to sexual immorality or even adultery. This is how we view our criminal system, petty left isn’t seen as a big issue compared to armed robbery or murder. But with God all sin is equally separating from His holiness. God doesn’t see sin in levels, He sees it as sin, pure and simple. You may look really good on the outside, especially compared to someone who’s sin is very obvious, but God knows your heart, your innermost thoughts, and whatever you are struggling with, and you have something, makes you just as wretched a sinner as the one who you see.

That’s why the Gospel is so important, it is the only remedy, it’s nothing we can do, only what Jesus did for us on the cross. His righteousness is credited to us if we only accept His gift of salvation and believe and confess that He is Lord. We can’t clean up our own life, but with Jesus’ help we can strive to be more like Him, and when we fail in our own strength, His free gift of salvation carries us home. Further in James 5:16 it says “Confess your trespasses to one another, and pray for one another, that you may be healed. The effective, fervent prayer of a righteous man avails much.” So pray for each other that when we stumble, fall, and fail, that we would be lifted up and return to Jesus, the only source of our salvation. 

New King James Version (NKJV)
Scripture taken from the New King James Version®. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson. Used by permission. All rights reserved.

When my wife and I first started dating, we banned a phrase that we (mostly me) were using too often. That phrase was “you can do it,” including variations like “you got this.” Why in the world would we do something like that?

We found ourselves using “you can do it” or “you got this” to encourage each other when facing a difficult task or situation (an irritating roommate, a daunting assignment, etc.). It’s a pretty common admonition in our world today. There are many times where, for whatever reason, we hesitate in the face of difficulty. Sometimes we are fearful about a challenge ahead and need to be reminded to be “strong and courageous… for the Lord your God is with you wherever you go” (Joshua 1:9). At other times, the obstacle might be our own laziness, and we need to be challenged to “work heartily, as for the Lord and not for men” (Colossians 3:23). So what’s the problem with using “you can do it” as shorthand for these biblical reminders? After all, Philippians 4:13 says “I can do all things through Him who strengthens me.”

What Lauren and I found was in using “you can do it”, we emphasized the “I can do all things” part of Philippians 4:13 and forgot “through Him who strengthens me.” When facing a problem, my tendency was to muscle up enough confidence and determination to tackle it in my own strength. When I tried to encouraged Lauren with “you can do it,” what I usually meant was “Pull yourself up by your bootstraps and work harder.”

This philosophy is everywhere in our culture. How many movies reach a resolution because the main character learns to “believe in yourself?” Psychologists and social media personalities assure us that all our problems are surmountable through the power of self-belief. It’s the American mythos: with enough hard work, determination, and self-confidence, the world can be yours. “God helps those who help themselves,” right? Like the Little Engine that Could, chanting “I think I can! I think I can!” enough times can get us over any metaphorical hill. But is this true?

If we look at Scripture, the answer is a resounding “no.” Scripture says not to lean on our own understanding (Proverbs 3:5). God’s power is made perfect in weakness, not strength (2 Corinthians 12:9). Jesus puts it simplest: “apart from me you can do nothing” (John 15:5). Nothing! In other words, as depraved sinners, whose best deeds are no better than “polluted garments” (Isaiah 64:6), the only way we are capable of living a life that pleases God is through the power of the indwelling Holy Spirit (Romans 8:5-8). If our response to life’s challenges is “I got this,” without recognizing our total and utter dependence on God’s strength, we commit the sin of pride. We aren’t saved by grace to be sanctified by our own effort; “apart from me you can do nothing” makes that pretty clear. Thus, the self-reliant worldview hiding in the phrase “I can do it” is antithetical to the reliance on God that is at the core of godly living.

So for Lauren and I, “you can do it” represented trying to do things in our own strength instead of depending on God, a sort of “bootstrap Christianity.” To remind ourselves that we can do nothing apart from God, we opted to replace “you can do it/ you got this” with “you can’t do it/ you don’t got this.” It reminded us that, like Paul, to “boast all the more gladly of my weaknesses, so that the power of Christ may rest upon me… for when I am weak, then I am strong” (2 Corinthians 12:9-10). “I can’t do it” is a cry to God to step into the midst of our fears, failings, and frailties and empower us to live for Him.

Maybe you’re a spiritual tryhard, like me, and need to be reminded that “I can’t do it.” Do I recognize my dependence on God? Has my Christian worldview been infected by the “self-believism” that our culture hawks at every street corner? Do I try to face life’s challenges in my own strength, or in the strength that God provides? Maybe all of us could benefit from hearing “you can’t do it” more often then “you can do it.”

"English Standard Version (ESV)
The Holy Bible, English Standard Version. ESV® Text Edition: 2016. Copyright © 2001 by Crossway Bibles, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers."

I've been reading a book by Daniel Henderson entitled Old Paths, New Power. While highlighting how the apostles put men "in charge" in Acts 6:3, Henderson states,"Believers are all set apart to God, for official kingdom-oriented service. It made me think of 1 Chronicles 15 where the musicians were appointed to their positions. They were put in charge because they were skillful (Chron. 15:22).

God has uniquely appointed or put each of us "in charge" of an area of ministry. Ephesians 2:10 says, "For we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand that we should walk in them." Do you realize that no one has your DNA. God prepared beforehand just how unique you would be and has an appointment that He has selected you to do. It's pretty incredible!

Do you know what your appointment is, what you are to be "in charge" of? The first step in finding out is believing in Jesus Christ as you Savior and Lord, The next is spending time with Him, learning what He says about you and what He plans for you (Romans 12:1-2 "I appeal to you therefore, brothers, by the mercies of God, to present your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and acceptable to God, which is your spiritual worship. Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewal of your mind, that by testing you may discern what is the will of God, what is good and acceptable and perfect." And then you have the joy of discovering what He has appointed for your to do!!

He has designed you to do something that you are the best one to do! I love that! It's also an amazing thing to remember as we fellowship with each other. We are all important in the eyes of the Lord. Unique and best suited for His appointment:)

Who Else 
Abbie Gamboa, Josiah Funderburk, and Zac Rowe
Verse 1
I am an instrument of exaltation
And I was born to lift Your name above all names
You hear the melody of all creation
But there's a song of praise that only I can bring

Chorus 1
Who else is worthy who else is worthy
There is no one only You Jesus
Who else is worthy who else is worthy
There is no one only You Jesus

Verse 2
You are the infinite God of the ages
Yet You chose to make my heart Your dwelling place
You healed my brokenness showed me Your glory
So I have songs of thanks not even angels sing

Bridge 1
Lamb of God anointed one
Who was and is and is to come
Seated on the throne above
Holy holy
Righteous One who shed His blood
You proved to us the Father's love
Jesus Christ be lifted up
(Holy holy)

2023 Gateway Music Global Publishing (Admin. by Music Services, Inc.)
and Remaining portion is unaffiliated
CCLI Song #7223119 License #144020

New King James Version (NKJV)
Scripture taken from the New King James Version®. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson. Used by permission. All rights reserved.

If you grew up in the 1990s, you probably remember the faith-based T-shirt called “The LORD’s Gym.” It was a Christian spin on the iconic Gold’s Gym logo. Beneath The LORD’s Gym emblem was an image of Christ’s hand pierced by a nail, blood flowing from the wound, a powerful reminder of His crucifixion. Underneath that image were the words: “His Pain, Your Gain!” As a teenager, I loved that shirt. I bought one and wore it proudly for years.

Nowadays, I often wonder what ever happened to that crusty old, sweat-stained, T-shirt. But even more, I’ve found myself thinking about that phrase: “His Pain, Your Gain.” I believe there is profound truth in those words. Through Christ’s suffering, we have received forgiveness, redemption, and the hope of eternal life.

Yet lately, another question has been weighing on my heart…What about my pain? I realize that can sound selfish. It is, in many ways, a very human response to the reality of suffering. And I’m not confused about where pain comes from. I believe what Scripture teaches about living in a fallen world. I know suffering is part of the human experience. Still, knowing the theology of pain and enduring pain are two very different things.

Recently, I’ve been dealing with physical ailments that have been both frustrating and demoralizing. Some days the pain feels relentless. I’ve spent more time in doctors’ offices than I care to admit, only to be prescribed more medication, undergo more tests, and given the ol’ “It’s tough getting older” reminder.

I’ve found myself repeatedly asking the Lord to remove these thorns and allow me to do what He has called me to do without pain. At times, I’ve even caught myself bargaining with Him…as if He doesn’t already know exactly what I’m thinking.

Yesterday, I happened to be talking on the phone to one of my best friends on our Security team, who had reminded me of a verse that the Lord had been pressing on his heart, and he wanted to share it with me as a blessing due to the ailments he knows I’ve been battling. The verse is Psalm 16:11 “You will make known to me the path of life; In Your presence is fullness of joy; In Your right hand there are pleasures forever.”

At that moment, it hit me like a ton of bricks!  That I am to have deep confidence in God. God is the one who guides me along the path of life, providing direction, purpose, security, and health. He is the source of true joy when circumstances are terrible. In fellowship with Him, there is a fullness of joy that nothing in this world can match. To enjoy God's very presence and allow Him to glory in my weakness!  

Wait!!  Did I just remind myself of another verse?  Yes!  2 Corinthians 12:9-10 “…And He has said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you, for power is perfected in weakness.”  Most gladly, therefore, I will rather boast about my weaknesses, so that the power of Christ may dwell in me!”  

Prayer Point:
Thank you, Lord, for this reminder of your amazing Grace!  And from now on, I want MY pain to point people to the very one that perfects and sustains life! I want YOU to be glorified in my weakness until YOUR strength is revealed in me!  For “my pain is HIS GAIN” through me!  

New American Standard Bible®
Copyright © 1960, 1971, 1977, 1995 by The Lockman Foundation. All rights reserved.

Around this time every year, summer vacation season kicks into full gear. Suitcases come out, flights get booked, road trips begin, and parents suddenly become part-time travel agents, snack distributors, and professional luggage carriers.

Vacations are a gift from God. Rest is healthy. Time with family is valuable. Even Jesus regularly stepped away from the crowds to rest, pray, and spend time with His disciples away from the constant demands of ministry.

But one thing that can quietly happen during vacation season is that while we step away from our normal routines, we can also begin to drift spiritually.

Our schedules change. Normal routines disappear. Bedtimes get later. Mornings start slower. Days become filled with activities, restaurants, travel plans, and trying to make memories together. None of those things are bad. In fact, many of them are good gifts from God.

The challenge is that when life loses structure, spiritual habits are often the first thing to disappear. Bible reading becomes inconsistent. Prayer becomes rushed. Church attendance becomes optional. We may never consciously decide to distance ourselves from God, it just slowly happens while life feels “out of routine.”

But perhaps summer can become more than just an escape from busy life. Maybe it can become an opportunity to notice God more clearly.

Long drives create space for conversation. Quiet mornings away from work create time for prayer. Mountains, oceans, sunsets, and star-filled skies remind us of the greatness of the God who made them all. Sometimes the very moments meant for relaxation can also become moments of renewed spiritual clarity.

The encouraging truth is this: God does not stay behind when we travel. He is just as present in hotel rooms, airports, beaches, mountain cabins, campsites, and unfamiliar places as He is in our normal routines at home.

So enjoy the vacation. Rest well. Laugh often. Make memories with the people God has given you.

Just don’t leave your walk with God packed away at home.

Prayer Points:
• Ask God to help you remain spiritually present even when your routines change this summer.
• Thank Him that His presence faithfully goes with you wherever you travel.

New American Standard Bible®
Copyright © 1960, 1971, 1977, 1995 by The Lockman Foundation. All rights reserved.

Road trips are hit or miss for me. Much of it has to do with the other individuals who are in the car. But the place(s) that we are going to, the type of music we're going to listen to, and MOST IMPORTANTLY, the type of snacks we are going to eat are all vital aspects of my enjoyment of the road trip. In general, a road trip with friends can be a representation of our relationships with others. Those relationships will go many places and take us many places together, but with so many unique needs and perspectives and opinions, moments along the journey can be hard. The reality is it's so much easier for us to focus on fulfilling our own needs, and in doing so, we miss opportunities to see the needs of those around us.
 
And yet caring for others was at the core of who the Master was. Jesus taught His disciples and teaches us that loving others, including our enemies, is part of following Him. In the text, we are reminded that one of the most challenging things to live by is to do for others as you would want them to do for you. And I don't know about you, but I know at times I get pretty self-focused and self-centered. I often think of and care for myself first, and unfortunately, caring for others isn't always the first thing on my mind. I think that we want to care, but don't always know how.
 
In the great example in the feeding of the 5,000, as Jesus was teaching, it got late in the day, His disciples started worrying about what would happen if thousands of people suddenly got hangry. But their solution was for Jesus to send the people away so they could take care of their own needs. Yet Jesus had a different proposal, “You give them something to eat.” As they listened and obeyed, Jesus provided food for everyone. Today, may we focus on putting Jesus at the center of our relationships and allow Him to help us see others’ needs. As we do this over time, we become more like Him. Becoming people who understand that we should never miss a chance to care for each other.

English Standard Version (ESV)
The Holy Bible, English Standard Version. ESV® Text Edition: 2016. Copyright © 2001 by Crossway Bibles, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers.

I was in elementary school when America celebrated its bicentennial on July 4th, 1976. My teachers did a great job explaining that it had been 200 years since the signing of the Declaration of Independence. They explained that the American Revolutionary War began in Massachusetts with the battles of Lexington and Concord on April 19th, 1775. The Continental Congress did not officially adopt the Declaration of Independence until more than a year later on July 4th, 1776. By putting their signature on the bottom of the Declaration of Independence each of the signers was committing an act of treason against the British Crown. This was punishable by death. Benjamin Franklin summed it up this way, “We must indeed all hang together, or most assuredly we shall all hang separately.”

I remember watching President Gerald Ford on TV leading official observances on July 4th, 1976. He was delivering his address at Valley Forge, PN. And he signed the Bicentennial Day Declaration at Independence Hall in Philadelphia. Our church in Chicago did patriotic concerts every summer in the park. Thousands attended as our choir and orchestra sang beautiful songs about our country. And the Pastor came up at the end and talked about the privilege we have to be citizens in a free country, but that freedom wasn’t free. And he said, “The same is true for our freedom in Christ. That freedom, while free to us, was paid in full by our Lord Jesus Christ when He died on the cross for our sins. And as a result of accepting Christ as our Savior, our citizenship is not only here in America, it is in heaven.

Philippians 3:20 says “For our citizenship is in heaven, from which we also wait for a Savior, the Lord Jesus Christ."

Then the Pastor would close by saying, “If you’re here this evening as a citizen of America, but you don’t have citizenship in heaven, then you need Jesus Christ. Would you like to receive Him as your Savior right now?” And after he gave the invitation, many would choose to accept Jesus Christ into their hearts, asking Him to forgive them for their sins and to give them life anew.

As we prepare to celebrate America’s 250th birthday, let’s take this opportunity to pray for America…
Thank the Lord for 250 years of freedom and opportunity.
Thank the Lord for the men and women who fought and died so we could have these freedoms.
Pray for unity, that God would unite our country around the Word of God and what it teaches.
Pray for wisdom for our leaders as they guide this country.
Pray for peace in our communities and cities.
Pray for justice, that our nation would be fair and righteous, especially to the underprivileged.
Pray for healing, that divisions and broken relationships would be restored.
Pray for faith, that God would renew spiritual hunger among all Americans.
Pray for our families, that marriages and homes would be strengthened.
Pray for our youth, that God would guide the next generation with biblical purpose and hope.
Pray for our churches, that they would be the light of Christ to their communities.
Prayer of Dedication, asking God to guide America to do His will for another century.

At our Memorial Day Picnic, Pastor Wil quoted Psalm 33:12 “Blessed is the nation whose God is the LORD.” What an appropriate verse for the moment. If America truly is “One nation, under God’, then we will be blessed by the Lord. So may that be our prayer, that God will send revival to our nation starting with me. And that we will strive to live lives consistent with what the Word of God says.

New American Standard Bible®, Copyright © 1960, 1971, 1977, 1995 by The Lockman Foundation. All rights reserved.

A while back a group of men at our church finished studying the Book of Ecclesiastes. We spent 21 fascinating and exciting weeks discussing Solomon’s enigmatic message, and I’ve come to the conclusion that it’s one of the most misunderstood books in the Bible.

When most people think of Ecclesiastes, this is the kind of verse that comes to mind: “Vanity of vanities, says the Preacher, vanity of vanities! All is vanity” (Ecclesiastes 1:2).
 
The Hebrew word for vanity is hebel, which can be translated as vanity, futility, emptiness, or meaningless.

Does Solomon really believe everything in life is meaningless?  Was he a depressed, defeated, broken, bitter and cynical man who had given up on life?

The key to answering that question is found in the term “under the sun,” used about 30 times in the book.
 
One author wrote: “Under the sun means viewing life at ground level without any thought of higher values, omitting any light from revelation, and any notion of God.”

It refers to mankind’s foolish attempt to live independently from our Creator, trying to find meaning, purpose and happiness in the things of this world.

From that perspective everything is vanity, because God is the source of happiness.  Apart from him, life is empty, lonely, transient and ultimately meaningless.

The purpose of Ecclesiastes is to help us learn this lesson.
 
Augustine once said the ultimate objective of the book is “to make us yearn for another kind of life” – a life with God at the center of everything.

That’s why Solomon included 7 exhortations to rejoice in the book!  Over and over again, he says things like: be happy, do good, eat and drink, find satisfaction, this is the gift of God.

In the final analysis, the message of Ecclesiastes is not that life is vanity.  It’s that life is vanity without God!

“Now all has been heard; here is the conclusion of the matter: Fear God and keep his commandments, for this is the duty of all mankind” (Ecclesiastes 12:13).

English Standard Version (ESV)
The Holy Bible, English Standard Version. ESV® Text Edition: 2016. Copyright © 2001 by Crossway Bibles, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers.

 "BLESSED ARE THE PEACEMAKERS, FOR THEY WILL BE CALLED SONS OF GOD."
Matthew 5:9

If someone asked you to give a one-word job title for the Christian, what might you say? I like the term peacemaker which I think is as good as anything you can suggest.  If it works as our job title, then it is important how you describe what is entailed in doing the job correctly.  All that we have learned from the previous Beatitudes is all prep work for this job.  To be effective in serving the Lord, maturity is a key ingredient and the Beatitudes give us the steps toward that maturity.

What did you sign up for at Salvation? Too many people act like becoming a Christian has as its primary purpose, the obtaining of fire insurance. But while I like the insurance, there is something much bigger that you did. You enlisted in the Lord’s Army.

What type of soldier are you? Are you a gold brick? Are you AWOL most of the time? Are you just biding your time until discharge?  Hopefully, you are someone who takes pride in your enlistment. Truth is each and every one of you enlisted to be in the Lord’s peacekeeper army.

Imagine Jesus was interviewing you to be His peacemaker to the world what questions might He ask? He might run you right back through the prior Beatitudes:

So how did you do with your interview before Jesus?

What does it mean to be a peacemaker? First, it involves a real concern for the well-being of others. The focus is what God would want for a situation (you cannot look to your own selfish needs in a situation).

Notice it says peacemaker not peace-lover. How would you describe the difference?  It indicates an action to make peace not avoidance of conflict. You don't become a peacemaker by simply avoiding a situation and hoping it will get better. Passivity is not always the route to making peace, often it takes bravery and boldness. There are four ways to be a peacemaker:

1. Between ourselves and God – For the non-Christian this is step one.  Even for the Christians, it should be a primary concern.  While as the redeemed our long-term situation vis-a-vis God is settled and assured, it does not mean our momentary circumstances are always in good shape.  We are capable as Christians of falling or deliberately stepping into sin and finding ourselves estranged from God in a temporal sense.  We should daily be seeking to maintain a strong peaceful relationship with Him.  While He will never abandon us, we can be under His discipline.

“The Lord disciplines the one he loves.”
 Hebrews 12:6

2. Between others and God – While we can save no one since that is the exclusive convicting work of the Holy Spirit, we can provide the material that the Holy Spirit will use to do His work. We may have no greater work as peacemakers than to be evangelistic to the world around us. As I have said before we act as ambassadors or PR persons for God. By word and action, we provide material the Holy Spirit can use in drawing folks

“But in your hearts revere Christ as Lord. Always be prepared to give an answer to everyone who asks you to give the reason for the hope that you have. But do this with gentleness and respect,”
1 Peter 3:15

“We are therefore Christ’s ambassadors, as though God were making his appeal through us. We implore you on Christ’s behalf: Be reconciled to God.”
2 Corinthians 5:20

3. Between ourselves and others – A key part of our witness is how we interact with the folks around us.  While some people are in a closer relational circle to us than others, how are you doing in all circles?  Do you let things fester or do always attempt to resolve conflict?  Do you have the humility to always make the first move?

“If it is possible, as far as it depends on you, live at peace with everyone.”
Romans 12:18

“As a prisoner for the Lord, then, I urge you to live a life worthy of the calling you have received. Be completely humble and gentle; be patient, bearing with one another in love. Make every effort to keep the unity of the Spirit through the bond of peace.”
Ephesians 4:1-3

4. Between others and others – This can be a tricky one.  You do not want to stick your nose where it does not belong.  You certainly do not want to be a busybody.  However, you are legitimately called on here at times; usually where because of the situation or your relationship with one or more of the folks involved, you have a reason to step in.

"Let us therefore make every effort to do what leads to peace and to mutual edification."
Romans 14:19

New International Version (NIV)
Holy Bible, New International Version®, NIV® Copyright ©1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.® Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide.

“Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses, let us throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles. And let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us, fixing our eyes on Jesus, the pioneer and perfecter of faith. For the joy set before him he endured the cross, scorning its shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God. Consider him who endured such opposition from sinners, so that you will not grow weary and lose heart.”  Hebrews 12:1-3

As I observe my own life and the lives of others, I have come to realize that our life paths are all different.  God has set before us, as if it were, a unique race to run. There are a lot of similarities to our races, but similarity does not mean identical.  The course we travel through life will at times have detours, potholes, construction zones, and difficulties that make a difference in how we traverse what God has designed for our life.  What I have found to be true is that the detours, potholes and constructions zones, are the difficult times in which I grow spiritually.  I grow some when life is going well, but I grow a lot more when I go through the difficult times.

When we struggle to keep running spiritually, the writer of Hebrews encourages us to remember the men and women of Scripture that ran their God designed course by faith.  They kept their eyes on the faith-inspired goal that God had given them.  Nothing detoured them but they continued faithfully following their spiritual path.  These men and women are described in Hebrews 11 and are in what many have called “God’s Hall of Faith.”  Today, these heroes of the faith encourage us to keep going and to continue to live by faith.
Since everyone’s journey is different, difficult times will come in our course, and we will often look at others.  The temptation is to look at the race they are running and feel that their course is easier.  We would rather run their race, but we don’t see the whole course they will run.  We need to remember that God is the one who has marked out the race planned for us.  The course may seem easy at times but also very difficult at other times, making it a struggle to keep going.

There are many things in life that can hinder us from running effectively and can easily entangle us.  They tend to trip us up and keep us from running our race well.  The hinderances are not usually big things but are often little things that we hang on to, weighing us down and taking our eyes off the goal.  To run well, we need to set these things aside and fix our eyes on Jesus.  He is the pioneer, the One who blazes the trail in front of us.  Jesus experiences all the hardships of our course in front of us.  As we follow Him, He matures our faith.  We grow to trust Him more as He takes us through every hardship and struggle.  Jesus is our example to follow.  He has endured the shame, suffering and temporary rejection of the Father to pay the penalty for all sin. He was able to do this because of the joy that was set before Him.  Jesus completed the Father’s will, rose from the dead and is exalted at the Father’s right hand. When life doesn’t make sense and we face the rough places, we need to keep our focus on Christ and follow His example of endurance.  It is helpful to ask ourselves these questions:

• What areas of unbelief entangles us and hinders us from effectively running the race of life?
• How is Christ’s example an encouragement to us?
• What steps can we take this week to keep from giving up?
• How can we apply these truths to our family life?

Prayer: “Lord, when the things of life seem so difficult, remind me of the men and women who lived a life of faith and remained faithful to You as they endured the worst of circumstances.  When I feel weak, strengthen me and help me to keep my eyes on Christ, following His example.”  Amen

New International Version (NIV)
Holy Bible, New International Version®, NIV® Copyright ©1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.® Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide.

As some of you may know, I have been facilitating a class here at Campus Bible Church for a number of years now called Financial Peace University. It’s a nine week course by Dave Ramsey to help people get a handle on their finances, including getting out of debt, budgeting, and learning how to save and spend appropriately. I first took the class myself back in 2014 and it made such a difference for me that I decided I wanted to help bring the program to more people.

One of the tenants of Financial Peace is to learn to do a budget, every month, for the rest of your life. If we don’t designate where our money will go and keep control of it, it will go away. I know this from personal experience. When doing our budget, we are taught to budget our giving first. Now this might seem backwards to some of you. You might be saying, shouldn’t we make sure all of our bills and necessities are met first before we start giving money away? But if you budget like that, you will more often find that there is simply no money left over to give. There is always something more important (in our mind) to spend our money on. But God wants our first fruits, not our leftovers.
 
God has blessed us with all that we have and asks us to give a portion of that back to Him. It’s about faith, that we will trust Him knowing He will provide for our needs. So in our budgets we give out of faith first, then spend the rest. Now I want to be clear, this is not a magical formula or cosmic investment. God does not say give me $10 and I’ll bless you with $1000 dollars. To be fair He might, or He may decide to call you to become even more dependent on Him. The Lord gives and the Lord takes away, but either way blessed be the name of the Lord. We don’t give to God in order that we may get back, we give out of love, reverence, trust, and obedience.

God calls us to give but He wants us to give cheerfully, not out of obligation or grudgingly. Think back to when you have given someone else a gift. Did you wish you hadn’t or did it bring you joy to see the look on their face? Giving is some of the most fun you can ever have with money. And as Christians giving to God and to others should be a part of our daily lives. And when you learn to manage your money you will find you have a lot more to give than you thought you did.
 
I really like the verse that follows this one, verse 8 says: “And God is able to make all grace abound toward you, that you, always having all sufficiency in all things, may have an abundance for every good work.” Become a cheerful giver and see what God does in your life!

New King James Version (NKJV)
Scripture taken from the New King James Version®. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson. Used by permission. All rights reserved.

While studying at Hillsdale College in southern Michigan, I spent three years in an all-guys dorm, two of them as a resident assistant (RA). My dorm, Galloway, housed around 80 guys, giving it a similar feel to what a fraternity might be at a large state school… minus the booze and partying. (Hillsdale was an uber-conservative nerd school.) The men of Galloway were mostly studious, composed, even subdued… until Thursday nights at 10 PM.

Every Thursday night, a majority of the dorm would gather around our fire pit for an event we called FEAST. It was an hour-long fusion of rock music, grilled meats, and fireside conversation. The event included several rituals. First was the “call to arms” of a dozen guys running through the dorm blasting AC/DC’s “Thunderstruck” while shouting “FEAAAST!!!”. Second was the 10:30 FEAST Run, a coordinated jog around campus to showcase our camaraderie. Third was the closing ceremony, where all the guys linked arms in a circle around the fire and sang John Denver’s “Take Me Home, Country Roads.”  The final and most important ritual, however, was that most of the guys participating did so sans shirts, regardless of the weather. Huddling with around a fire in sub-freezing temperatures with other shirtless men was an experience I’ll never forget.

FEAST baffled many on-campus observers. Some might call it a display of “toxic masculinity.” Why on earth did we perpetuate this bizarre ritual? Why did I, an aspiring minister, participate in something borderline scandalous? While I was initially skeptical about FEAST, I discovered that behind the trappings of college boy stupidity, FEAST was really a celebration of male friendship. My closest college friends ended up being the fellow Bible study leaders in that dorm.

Male friendship is a lost art in today’s world. Women have “girl time” and “girl talk;” the male equivalent is rarer. Frankly, men are less likely to have deep friendships than women. This is evident in statistics; for example, a 2021 survey determined that only 27% of men had at least six close friends, compared to 55% in 1990. Conventional wisdom says that by middle age, men lose touch with up to 90% of their friends from their younger years.

Why has male friendship eroded culturally? Perhaps the American ideal of “rugged individualism” perpetuates a twisted vision of the “real man” as one who never cries, never talks about his feelings, who has no one and needs no one. Perhaps in the digital age, it’s easier for men to spend time on TV or video games rather than building relationships with other men (or to substitute virtual, Call-of-Duty-lobby friendships for real ones). I would also argue that in our hypersexualized culture, men are afraid that relational intimacy with other men might be labeled or interpreted as “gay.”
 
But male friendship is biblical; God created men to need relationships with other men. The favorite verse of men’s Bible studies, Proverbs 27:17, says that “iron sharpens iron, and one man sharpens another.” Or consider the friendship between Jonathan and David. 1 Samuel 18:1 says Jonathan loved David “as his own soul.” David mourns Jonathan’s death by saying “your love to me was extraordinary, surpassing the love of women” (2 Samuel 1:26). Don’t mistake this relational intimacy for anything sexual. Jonathan and David had a deep friendship, one that all men would do well to imitate.  Finally, as the joke goes, the least-talked-about miracle of Jesus was that he had 12 close male friends in his 30s.

Women, are you encouraging the men in your life—husbands, brothers, sons, fathers—to form deep, meaningful relationships with other men? Men, are you prioritizing building relationships with other men, like David and Jonathan did? It’s one thing to “hang out” with other guys and do things together; to get to the point of loving one another “as your own soul” requires some intentionality. This should include accountability, which is tremendously important, but accountability is not the same as relational intimacy. I think all Christian men could use a little more celebration of male friendship… even if it’s not as outlandish an example as FEAST.

"English Standard Version (ESV)
The Holy Bible, English Standard Version. ESV® Text Edition: 2016. Copyright © 2001 by Crossway Bibles, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers."

I finished reading 2 Kings the other day and although I could relate to all the congitive information, I was struggling to find a deep spiritual connection with what I was reading. But I learned some interesting things. It seemed like the evil kings lived shorter lives than the ones who did right in the Lord's eye. And it also seems like the mothers of the evil kings were mentioned more than the ones who did right. Made me take note of the influence those moms had on their sons. Also, it was of interest to learn that Joram, King of Israel and Ahaziah, King of Judah fough against Haziel, king of Syria together. I wondered why they would do that as they were usually on opposing sides of a battle. And then it said that Ahaziah went and visited Joram because he was sick. It made me look back and discover that they were brother-in-laws descending from Ahab, an evil king. Sometimes I forget that people and families were the same then as they are now. 

Then I started reading in 1 Chronicles. And the first 11 chapters are all about descendants starting with Adam. It made me think about a conversation I had with a friend who was reading a book about the life of Corrie Ten Boom. She was talking about the amazing importance of the Word of God. She said, "If all you had was a page torn out of the first chapters of 1 Chronicles and you hid it in a laundry basket and could only sneak it out every so often to read it, what kind of impact would it have?"

I thought about that and realized that as I read through those first chapters, I recognized names and could attach them to the lives of those men and how the Lord used them (or didn't). The Word of God came alive because I had been spending time with the Lord and learning His love and character through His people. They weren't just names in a line of descendents. They were real people with real lives.

So I guess what I continue to learn and pray you are too, is that the Word of God is stronger than any two-edged sword, rightly dividing the Word of Truth."  No matter how tiny of a patch we meditate on,  it teaches, inspires, exhorts and molds us into the Lord's image. 


Speak O Lord - Keith Getty and Stuart Townend

Verse 1
Speak O Lord as we come to You
To receive the food of Your holy word
Take Your truth plant it deep in us
Shape and fashion us in Your likeness
That the light of Christ might be seen today
In our acts of love and our deeds of faith
Speak O Lord and fulfill in us
All Your purposes for Your glory

Verse 2
Teach us Lord full obedience
Holy reverence true humility
Test our thoughts and our attitudes
In the radiance of Your purity
Cause our faith to rise
Cause our eyes to see
Your majestic love and authority
Words of power that can never fail
Let their truth prevail over unbelief

Verse 3
Speak O Lord and renew our minds
Help us grasp the heights of Your plans for us
Truths unchanged from the dawn of time
That will echo down through eternity
And by grace we'll stand on Your promises
And by faith we'll walk as You walk with us
Speak O Lord till Your church is built
And the earth is filled with Your glory

© 2005 Thankyou Music | CCLI Song #4615235 CCLI License #144020
 

New King James Version (NKJV)
Scripture taken from the New King James Version®. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson. Used by permission. All rights reserved.

Verses 6 through 10 go on to describe the directions Jesus gives that leads to the miraculous turning of water to wine.  Verse 11 concludes:

"This beginning of His signs Jesus did in Cana of Galilee, and manifested His glory, and His disciples believed in Him."

This first sign is one of Jesus’ well known, even if only by the adage “turning water to wine”, used to describe accomplishing the seemingly impossible.  It was something unique, perhaps also making it memorable.  Compared to the other signs, it might make us at least curious at why it was included.  Some may even just view it as Jesus helping to keep a party going!
 
The wedding ceremonies in those days were major community events, usually spanning over many days, involving not just extended family but the whole village.  Wine was not just some side option, it was a centerpiece together with feasting, music and joy.  Couple all that with hospitality being really a sacred social obligation, and you have a major crisis brewing.  There could be embarrassment and even lasting shame due to the host failing in preparation.

When Jesus’ mother speaks to Him about it, His response may seem a little blunt at first.  However, the phrase at the end is what gives us pause: “My hour has not yet come”.  This phrase always signifies His death and resurrection.  What a peculiar time to bring this up!  I remember when I held my first baby girl, Carissa, in that hospital room a few short hours after birth.  Of all the beautiful thoughts that came into my head, one very strange one hit me: “Wow, I could be a grandpa”.  The clock had started, and even though it wouldn’t be something to realistically think about for probably a couple of decades, in that moment it seemed so near.  I believe in this passage, the Savior of this wedding feast is stepping onto the path leading to His ultimate sacrifice as Saviour of the world.  In this first sign, there was a degree of solemnity similar to what Jesus experienced in Gethsemane, like a shadow cast back.
 
But there is still the question: why a wedding feast for this first sign?  Why not a healing, a miraculous feeding, a raising of the dead, or a powerful calming of the sea?  All these would seem to point more powerfully to His person and work as the Son of God.  It was not displayed before rulers, religious leaders or the masses at large, and even the guests didn’t appear to know it was happening (just the servants and the disciples).  In the wedding we see a picture of the joyful end God truly desires: intimate fellowship with the crown of His creation.  We see this theme from the first “God-ordained union” in Eden, when He walked in joyful fellowship with Adam and Eve, to the final marriage supper of the Lamb in Revelation.  That’s what’s on His heart for us to enter into, beloved.  As you read these next verses, let your mind imagine the experience of this!

Rev. 21:2-3:
And I saw the holy city, New Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God, prepared as a bride adorned for her husband.  And I heard a loud voice from the throne, saying, “Behold, the tabernacle of God is among the people, and He will dwell among them, and they shall be His people, and God Himself will be among them”

Hebrews 12:2 states Jesus endured the cross because of the joy set before Him.  Even under the shadow of that sacrifice, He brought joy and restoration at a humble wedding in Cana.  We can remember that God is often working toward eternal purposes even through ordinary moments and difficult paths. As His betrothed, let us not allow our affections to be pulled to any other loves in this world.  Like the servants at the wedding feast, we may not always understand what He is doing, but we are called to faithfully obey whatever He says to us, trusting that the One who began the good work will also bring it to a glorious completion.

New American Standard Bible (NASB)
Copyright © 1960, 1962, 1963, 1968, 1971, 1972, 1973, 1975, 1977, 1995 by The Lockman Foundation