Change Your Mind

"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."—(Romans 12:2)

One of the most climactic passages in the Bible (in my opinion) is found near the middle of Paul’s letter to the Romans. Romans wasn’t the first epistle Paul wrote, but it is definitely regarded as one of the most profound and probably the most referenced defense of the Gospel addressed to believers. One of the important things we gain from reading it is to see how Paul addresses real-life arguments and misunderstandings of the role of Christ for humanity. 

The truth is that we all have things we don’t understand well about what it means to live for Christ. Even Paul and the other apostles struggled with understanding at times and doing what the good news reveals about God’s will for us and what that means in everyday life. 

The Jews thought they understood being a Jew pretty well. In fact, they took a lot of pride in that idea without realizing what it all really meant. Eventually, those who were seeking to worship the Father in spirit and in truth realized they would have to change the way they thought about…everything in order to do the will of the Father. 

Being a Jew wasn’t bad, any more than being a Pharisee; it was acting rebellious or hypocritical that was bad. It seemed their titles blinded them from what God was calling them to be. Nothing is different for us. Being an American isn’t bad, any more than being of a particular race, or having a certain IQ, or earning however much money you earn. It’s thinking differently that is the real challenge. 

God had a very important ritual that He established for those living prior to Christ’s arrival: The Day of Atonement (Leviticus 16). Atonement just means reparation for a wrong or injury, which in humanity’s case is sin! God was willing to atone (cover over) sin on our behalf. It was a day that involved many prayers of thanksgiving and sacrifices to demonstrate their understanding of the importance of that event. Sadly, they struggled with really getting it; they hadn’t changed their minds yet! 

It took Jesus coming to the earth to model for us how to live, and being willing to be the perfect sacrifice, the lamb who would take away the sins of the world! Once He lived and was sacrificed for us, this could finally make more sense. The challenge still remains, though, that we must change the way we think about life and godliness. 

Romans 12 highlights many amazing practices that help us in that. “Let love be genuine. Abhor what is evil; hold fast to what is good. Love one another with brotherly affection. Outdo one another in showing honor. Do not be slothful in zeal, be fervent in spirit, serve the Lord. Rejoice in hope, be patient in tribulation, be constant in prayer. Contribute to the needs of the saints and seek to show hospitality…” (Romans 12:9-13)

Grandparenting

Acts 2:39, "The promise is for you and your children and for all who are far off–for all whom the Lord our God will call." 

A gray-haired woman in her 70s walked down the aisle of a plane, stopped by an empty seat, and asked the person sitting next to it, “Excuse me, do you have any grandchildren?” When the very surprised person responded, “Yes, I do!” the woman moved on down the aisle. Asking the same question, the person next to the empty seat stammered, “No, but we wish we did.” Sitting down, the woman said, “Wonderful! Now, I will tell you about mine!” Does that sound like you? 

Bragging on your grandkids is a blessing I hope you don’t take for granted. But that time as a grandparent is more than showing off pictures to strangers, it’s about showing Christ to those precious little people who bring you so much joy. Yet, a growing number of grandparents are on repeat mode of parenting. For them, those little people aren’t just weekend visitors but permanent residents and their responsibility. Whether or not this describes your situation, grandparents play a huge role in the emotional and spiritual development of a child. 

I’m speaking from the perspective of a parent just entering the teenage phase. Although I have no experience as a grandparent, I can see the tremendous value of their presence in my kids' lives. What should young parents expect from their parents' involvement in the lives of their children? Here are a few things that grandparents' experience and wisdom can do to aid the parent in the heat of the battle:

Be proactive and seek ways to get involved and stay involved in their life. Many times, a younger person will end up mimicking the actions of those who are constantly in their life. This may also require you to become familiar with texting, Facebook, Instagram, Tik-Tok, etc. Besides, that may be a great opportunity to spend time with your grandkids letting them teach you a thing or two about technology. (You may also be able to introduce them to the art of sending cards and writing letters.) 

Keep the main thing, the main thing. There’s nothing more important than for all of us to hear, “Well done, good and faithful servant” (Matthew 25:21. 23). However, that means we never quit trying to shape, encourage, inspire, train our children to put God first. Psalm 71:18, “Even when I am old and gray, do not forsake me, O God, till I declare your power to the next generation, your might to all who are to come.” How are you doing with that? 

Surround your grandchildren with a hedge of prayer, when you’re with them and when you’re alone. Listen to them. Invite them into your life, but remember that they will want you to be part of their life, too. Do your giving while you are living. Send a grandchild to Bible School. Help as many families as you can find with the support and hope they need by your actions. Although grandparenthood sounds amazing, it’s important to remember that it’s not over until we are called home. Stay in the action, help those who need it, and love others passionately.

What Does That Mean?

Have you ever read a passage in the Bible and wondered what it meant? Sure, all of us have. There are things that are said in Scripture that require a little digging to understand. “Exegesis” is a word used to describe a careful study of Scripture to discover the original and intended meaning of what was written. You’ve probably heard someone say, “Back in those days...” when referring to something Paul said to a congregation. Exegesis tries to overcome the gaps between an ancient text and modern understandings. There’s a reason we don’t feel compelled to “greet one another with a holy kiss” (1 Peter 5:14, Romans 16:16), or bring out the foot-washing basin when we have someone over to the house (John 13:14). Exegesis can help us understand why we don’t literally pluck out our right eye or cut off our right hand if they cause us to sin (Matthew 5:29-30). 

2 Timothy 2:15, “Do your best to present yourself to God as one approved, a worker who does not need to be ashamed and who correctly handles the word of truth.” In Acts 18:26, Aquila and Priscilla used some kind of exegetical model to help Apollos understand “the way of God more accurately.”

Occasionally, we’ll come across passages that really leave us scratching our heads: “For this reason that a woman ought to have authority over her own head, because of the angels.” (1 Corinthians 11:10). Although there may be many speculations, good exegesis takes into account the overall theme and purpose of God’s inspired word for us. We should feel confident that God wants us to know His will, which includes repentance, following Him, being clothed with Christ, and loving our neighbor, just to name a few things. 

So, does God intend for us to understand passages like 1 Corinthians 11:10? Yes, but with maturity. Perhaps we need to also consider there are things in the Bible we don’t really need to know at this time. Eve sought knowledge that wasn’t helpful to her walk with God (literally), David sought after knowledge that was harmful to his kingdom in 1 Chronicles 21 when he took the census. In both of these examples (Genesis 3 and 1 Chronicles 21) the reader can understand by looking deeper into the text that God wanted them to be grateful and content with what they had. 

It takes a lot of wisdom to slow down and try to grasp the bigger picture before we start detailing it out. Studying God’s Word can seem overwhelming, but when you remember this is His message to help reveal what He’s looking for in us, that can make a big difference. Remember these words from Paul in Philippians 4:8, “Finally, brothers and sisters, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable—if anything is excellent or praiseworthy—think about such things.”

God of Risks

Financial advisors often ask their clients about their risk tolerance. Risk tolerance is defined as the acceptable level of loss of any particular asset (time, money, reputation, etc.) a person is willing to take. People who are risk-averse do everything in their power to not subject any part of their life to loss. While that may be responsible, it's not realistic. We are constantly surrounded by risks, some more detrimental than others, but the challenge is understanding when a risk is unnecessary. 

Have you ever considered the many risks God has taken with mankind, and that He asks us to take as well? From the very beginning, God took a risk by creating a being with free will that could rebel. Even beyond that, of all the people in the world, He chose the Israelites as a people to call His own. Deuteronomy 7:7-8, “The Lord did not set His affection on you and choose you because you were more numerous than other peoples, for you were the fewest of all peoples. But it was because the Lord loved you and kept the oath, He swore to your ancestors…” Or the multiple times He chose the weakest, youngest, most insignificant people to be His messengers, prophets, and most inspirational people. Not to mention His choice of the apostles! He knew all of these risks and their outcomes before He even began, yet this shows you what He thinks about taking a long shot. 

Jesus said in Matthew 7:13-14, “Enter through the narrow gate. For wide is the gate and broad is the road that leads to destruction, and many enter through it. But small is the gate and narrow the road that leads to life, and only a few find it.” And yet, He took the risk. Time after time Jesus invested in those the world said were not worth the risk. His bold actions proved He wasn’t concerned about staying within His social group or encountering opposition. In fact, Jesus modeled very well the statement we read about many times in scripture, “Be strong and courageous and do not be afraid, the Lord your God goes with you wherever you go” 

It wasn’t just risks in getting God’s message to His creation; it was eventually asking the creation to continue the sharing of the promise of God to all those people in the world. His great commission speaks of going out into the “unknown” parts of the world, “...into all the world…”, therefore, as we realize we’ve been made in the image of God, then we realize we must act as God acts—and He is bold. Ephesians 6:10, “Finally, be strong in the Lord and in His mighty power…” Perhaps it's the command seen in 1 Peter 5:6 that seems to be the riskiest move for us, “Humble yourselves, therefore, under God’s mighty hand, that He may lift you up in due time.” Humility is risky; it makes us vulnerable, but it's an essential part of being with God in eternity (1 Peter 5:5, Proverbs 3:34). Being humble is completely in your power, and it’s through that act that we see great rewards. 

Titus 2:11-14, “For the grace of God has appeared that offers salvation to all people. It teaches us to say 'No' to ungodliness and worldly passions, and to live self-controlled, upright, and godly lives in this present age, while we wait for the blessed hope—the appearing of the glory of our great God and Savior, Jesus Christ, who gave Himself for us to redeem us from all wickedness and to purify for Himself a people that are His very own, eager to do what is good.” His risk is our reward!

Culture of Christ's Mission

What’s the hardest thing about starting something new? Fear of failure? For many folks, starting something new means there is an entirely new set of rules, norms, customs, relationships, etc., that have to be considered in order to be successful. While starting new things can be exciting for some, it’s scary for many others. However, like most things, the more you do it (experience), the more you feel comfortable with what you’re doing and who it’s with. 

In Hebrews 5:11-14, we’re reminded that there is a point when we should be able to share this message or encourage others with the truth about Jesus. “We have much to say about this, but it is hard to make it clear to you because you no longer try to understand. In fact, though by this time you ought to be teachers, you need someone to teach you the elementary truths of God’s word all over again. You need milk, not solid food! Anyone who lives on milk, being still an infant, is not acquainted with the teaching about righteousness. But solid food is for the mature, who by constant use have trained themselves to distinguish good from evil.” 

We have a responsibility to share this good news with the world (Matthew 28:19-20). After all, that’s how the kingdom of God began (people spreading the good news about it), and as Paul says in Romans 10:14-15, “How, then, can they call on the one they have not believed in? And how can they believe in the one of whom they have not heard? And how can they hear without someone preaching to them? And how can anyone preach unless they are sent? As it is written: 'How beautiful are the feet of those who bring good news!'” 

As Christianity declines in the U.S., we need to ask why. How much of the neglect of the good news is because we don’t try? Or, how much of it is because we don’t know how to express it to a culture that we’re not used to? 

Communicating truth to a culture that doesn’t believe in truth seems challenging, but is it impossible? The early Christians had their own cultural obstacles to overcome in order to teach and preach the good news. Paul knew he was speaking primarily to people of the Greek-thinking culture. They didn’t think in the monotheistic Judaism model that the Jews did. Those teachers of the truth would have to learn how to communicate with the Hellenistic culture of those influenced by the Roman empire. So do we. No excuses! 

1 Peter 2:11-12, “Dear friends, I urge you, as foreigners and exiles, to abstain from sinful desires, which wage war against your soul. Live such good lives among the pagans that, though they accuse you of doing wrong, they may see your good deeds and glorify God on the day He visits us.” 

“Let us consider how we may spur one another on toward love and good deeds…” (Hebrews 10:24). This may end up thinking of fresh, new ideas in order to accomplish it. “If God is for us, who can be against us?” (Romans 8:31)

Inspiration

One of the fundamentals of Christianity is believing the good news about Jesus, the Messiah, and His sacrifice for our sins. “For I resolved to know nothing while I was with you except Jesus Christ and Him crucified” (1 Corinthians 2:2). The gospel (good news) is revealed to us through the Bible. If we didn’t have anything written down about the events that led up to Jesus fulfilling the promises of God, we wouldn’t have a very reliable understanding of what defines the good news. “By this gospel, you are saved, if you hold firmly to the word I preached to you.... According to the scriptures” (1 Corinthians 15:2-4). We have been given the written accounts of Jesus’ life and ministry to help give us confidence in his claims to be the savior of the world, the only way to achieve eternal life.

2 Timothy 3:16-17, “All Scripture is God-breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness, so that the servant of God may be thoroughly equipped for every good work.”

Yet, upon this fundamental fact that God’s words outline His will for us, we see such misunderstanding or complete ignorance about how to use the teaching, or the rebukes, or the correcting, or being trained in righteousness; and we see how that has impacted our culture. Therefore, an important question we must ask is, “Do I believe ALL of these words are from the Creator?”

The word inspiration (God-breathed) becomes the focus of this dilemma. One definition of the word is, “the process of being mentally stimulated to do or feel something, especially to do something creative.” Others might focus on this influencing and motivating power being based on God ﹘ divinely imparting His will so we can know what to do. 

Peter says in 2 Peter 1:20-21, “Above all, you must understand that no prophecy of Scripture came about by the prophet’s own interpretation of things. For prophecy never had its origin in the human will, but prophets, though human, spoke from God as they were carried along by the Holy Spirit.” 

1 Corinthians 2:12-13, “What we have received is not the spirit of the world, but the Spirit who is from God, so that we may understand what God has freely given us. This is what we speak, not in words taught us by human wisdom but in words taught by the Spirit, explaining spiritual realities with Spirit-taught words.”

Many people have difficulty understanding how the Bible helps them with personal problems now, which brings inspiration into question. While many believe in the idea of the Bible being inspired, they live as if they have to still search elsewhere to find solutions to their problems. The Bible is filled with hundreds of examples of people rejecting or accepting God’s teaching (through prophets, priests, or kings), His rebukes (2 Samuel 12), His correcting (Hebrews 12:9-11), or His training towards righteousness (Hebrews 5:14; John 13:13-15; 1 Peter 2:21). But, just like Eve should have used discernment to determine if what the snake was telling her was true or not, we too have to seek discernment to understand the essence of the Biblical examples and teachings we read. This takes being mature, “...solid food is for the mature, who by constant use have trained themselves to distinguish good from evil.”

Paul's Persuasion

Luke 1:68-79 records a praise from Zechariah, John the Baptist’s dad, for seeing how he never should have doubted God’s blessing of a child. God is faithful! His situation reminds us of Abraham and Sarah and their lack of children to carry on their family line. Just as the history of God’s people really begins with Abraham and continues throughout the Israelite’s continued disbelief in his promises, the Gospel of Luke picks up with a similar theme, and yet that’s where the “good news” comes in. 

Zechariah’s name means “The Lord has Remembered.” Yet it was really Zechariah who had forgotten God’s ability to fulfill His promises. As a priest, Zechariah was familiar with the rituals of worship, but apparently, he wasn’t persuaded of God’s power. However, after several months of silence, he was persuaded that God had not forgotten them. John, his son, would be the forerunner for the Messiah—Immanuel, “God with us.” 

Sometimes in our lives, we need persuasion to accept the hand of God in our lives. It’s easy to focus on the negative, or the fearful, or the failures of ourselves or the people around us, but God has demonstrated that there is no power able to keep Him from doing what He said He would do. 

Romans 8:31-39, “If God is for us, who can be against us? He who did not spare His own Son, but gave Him up for us all—how will He not also, along with Him, graciously give us all things? Who will bring any charge against those whom God has chosen? It is God who justifies... (38) For I am convinced that neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither the present nor the future, nor any powers, neither height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord.” 

When you read through Luke’s effort to persuade Theophilus to either follow Jesus (or have more understanding of who he is following), we can see some amazing parallels that pull Theophilus, or any reader, back to the motif (design patterns) of God fulfilling His promise way back in the Old Testament. Throughout that effort to persuade us to trust Him, Satan constantly tries to put obstacles in the way of us understanding this. “We are not ignorant of His schemes” (2 Corinthians 2:11). 

The goal of the Gospel accounts is to help us see how Jesus is the fulfillment of God’s promise, and that by believing in Him, there is hope for tomorrow. “Praise be to the Lord, the God of Israel, because He has come to His people and redeemed them. He has raised up a horn of salvation for us in the house of His servant David (as he said through his holy prophets of long ago), salvation from our enemies…” (Luke 1:68-71).

Play by the Rules

The Olympics are essentially the greatest contest of athleticism between nations of the world. Going to the Olympics is a dream for athletes of all ages. But getting there is no accident. It takes a lot of hard work, a love for the sport, good technique, financial support...to name a few things. But, like many contests, there are rules that have to be followed. This year there have already been protests concerning the rules—specifically Rule 50. 

Rule 50 is about framing a neutral venue at the Olympics: “No kind of demonstration or political, religious or racial propaganda is permitted in any Olympic sites, venues or other areas.” In an age of limited speech and cancel culture due to offensive icons, why would this be an issue at the Olympics? Paul says in 2 Timothy 2:5, "Anyone who competes as an athlete does not receive the victor’s crown except by competing according to the rules." What are the rules for the Christian in a culture that is both easily offended, and blatantly materialistic? 

Regardless of the actual issues in the media right now concerning Olympic protests, consider the “stand for your rights” from a spiritual perspective. I’m not downplaying any motivation behind any kind of protest; at the heart of it, there is a message on their mind that they believe the world needs to hear. Jesus showed up to a culture that was politically super-charged. A lot of anxious and violent energy was brewing in the hearts of many Jewish people as they anticipated the Messiah’s arrival to bring liberation! 

Yet, Jesus showed us how to conduct ourselves many times, and He spoke extensively about it in His Sermon on the Mount (Matthew 5-7). That sermon echoed Moses’ sermon by saying, “If you fully obey the Lord your God and carefully keep all His commands that I am giving you today, the Lord your God will set you high above all the nations of the world” (Deuteronomy 28:1). 

Peter tells us in 1 Peter 2:11-12, “I warn you as temporary residents and foreigners to keep away from worldly desires that wage war against your very souls. Be careful to live properly among your unbelieving neighbors. Then even if they accuse you of doing wrong, they will see your honorable behavior, and they will give honor to God when He judges the world…” (NLT) 

Expressing ourselves is important to many people, but knowing when and how to share your innermost thoughts and feelings is vital to social stability. Jesus often told those He healed to tell no one what happened but to go show themselves to the priest (Matthew 8:4; Luke 5:14). 

Satan is deceitful and works within our minds to convince us to throw caution and respect to the wind and “say what’s on our mind” at any cost. Sadly, that brings more pain than peace. Consider how you can demonstrate the proper spiritual restraint at the right time.

The Lamb of God

"Behold, the lamb of God, who takes away the sins of the world!" What a powerful statement by John the Baptist (John 1:36). This claim ties several things in our faith to events that happened in the Old Testament. 

Do you think people who lived prior to Jesus' arrival, would have been able to recognize that John's statement revealed the role of the messiah? 

2 Timothy 3:16-17, "All Scripture is God-breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness, so that the servant of God may be thoroughly equipped for every good work." 

These inspired teachings help us have confidence in knowing what the will of God really is. Paul said, "don't be foolish but understand the will of the Lord." (Ephesians 5:17) 

As we reflect on the scriptures that helped to reveal this fact about Jesus to John, we can better understand God's will. The history of the Jews was built on these fundamental teachings, or demonstrations of God. First, Abraham was given a promise of a son that would lead to an inheritance of a nation. (Genesis 12). After Abraham received his son, God asked Abraham to sacrifice his "inheritance," (Genesis 22) but God spared his son and offered him a substitute sacrifice… a ram! 

Later, God delivered the Israelites (the nation that came from Abraham) from Egyptian bondage (Exodus 11-15), after the last plague. The Israelites were told to offer a substitute for their lives by offering a lamb in their place. 

So, when John the Baptist identifies Jesus as "the lamb of God who takes away the sins of the world," he's identifying Jesus as the substitutionary lamb that had been seen all throughout the Torah (old testament). Revelations 5:6,9, "Then I saw a Lamb, looking as if it had been slain, standing at the center of the throne, encircled by the four living creatures and the elders... And they sang a new song, saying: “You are worthy to take the scroll and to open its seals, because You were slain, and with Your blood, You purchased for God persons from every tribe and language and people and nation."

Purity

As responsible parents, giving our children ‘pure’ things is important. We wouldn’t want to tell our kids to go get a drink out of the pond or go rummage through the dumpster for lunch, nor would we endorse a sexually active lifestyle, because all of these things aren’t good for them on many different levels (physical and spiritual). God also does not want His children engaged in activities that bring upon them the effects of impurity. 

Purity is an important part of God’s instructions to the Israelites after they left the Egyptian culture and were preparing to enter into the Canaanite culture. These purity laws weren’t just to ward off diseases, although as we read those dietary laws especially, we can see the value in that. However, the purity guidelines pointed towards something else that predates Egypt, or even civilization–the choice. By clearly defining the foods and practices that ultimately pollute the mind or the body, they had a better idea of how to honor God. So, Leviticus was given as a guide or a map that was filled with laws and rituals that point to purity, which revealed God’s nature as well. 

Leviticus 11:44-45, “Do not make yourselves unclean by any creature that moves along the ground. I am the Lord, who brought you up out of Egypt to be your God; therefore, be holy, because I am holy.” These were more than a list of laws and practices to ‘observe or die!’ 

These were intended to help reshape our thinking about the things humans choose to come in contact with every day. Throughout the book of Leviticus, most foods or actions were avoidable. Occasionally, there were situations that were beyond their control, but there were instructions on how to indemnify their purity. 

Ultimately, these laws are about choices. In our culture, we recognize that our “pure” foods are presented as choices. Organic? Processed? Natural? Artificial? Those are all choices that you have to make to determine a future result in your body. God’s laws are intended to do the same thing but on a different level. Not just concerned with the glow of your skin or the flow of your blood, but about the way you think about life all around you. 

Sadly, the ritual takes precedence over the function, or blessing of purity. Paul said in Romans 1:24-25, “Therefore God gave them over in the sinful desires of their hearts to sexual impurity for the degrading of their bodies with one another. They exchanged the truth about God for a lie, and worshiped and served created things rather than the Creator—who is forever praised. Amen.” 

They failed to see the blessing of purity in life. They made choices like Eve made in the garden; choices that caused them to lose something she had in her midst but traded it for a lie! Sometimes the rituals we engage in help to remind us of a future goal (physically but especially spiritually). Leviticus helps to point to the concept of delayed gratification. This is choosing to say “no” to something now, so I will be positioned to enjoy something else later. Jesus showed us a way of life that blesses us both now and forever

Freedom

Independence Day not only represents the creation of a new nation, but also the creation of a new civilization, one founded on the principles of freedom, self-government, and equality from a different angle. 

In Patrick Henry’s “Give me liberty or give me death” speech in 1775, he begins by saying, “In vain, after these things, may we indulge the fond hope of peace and reconciliation. There is no longer any room for hope. If we wish to be free… we must fight! I repeat it, sir, we must fight! An appeal to arms and to the God of Hosts is all that is left us!” 

After multiple attempts to resolve the dispute between Great Britain and America, a fight was inevitable. Paul reminds us in Romans 12:17-19, “Never pay back evil with more evil. Do things in such a way that everyone can see you are honorable. Do all that you can to live in peace with everyone. Dear friends, never take revenge. Leave that to the righteous anger of God…” 

Thankfully, we realize that when we stand for Godliness, we’re not standing alone. In fact, we’ve been given many promises concerning our struggle and the victory we can have hope in when God is with us. Deuteronomy 20:4, “For the Lord your God is the one who goes with you to fight for you against your enemies to give you victory." 

There are many encouraging scriptures that remind us that we are not fighting against evil on our own. God’s spirit guides us daily in the truth for the sake of His kingdom. Jeremiah 20:11, “But the Lord stands beside me like a great warrior. Before Him, my persecutors will stumble. They cannot defeat me. They will fail and be thoroughly humiliated…” 

The main thing to remember is why. Why oppose another? Why go to war? Throughout history, many nations have had to fight for their freedom; but when we consider the nation of “the church,” we have to understand how different it is from a nation about self. In fact, even freedoms like “life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness” must come to defer to God’s kingdom. 

As Jeremiah 29:11 says, “For I know the plans I have for y
ou,” declares the Lord, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.” That future is in the Lord. It is a kingdom He fights for that doesn’t function the way other nations do. His kingdom celebrates new life where His citizens “really love others. [They] hate what is wrong, [and] hold tightly to what is good. [They] love each other with genuine affection, and take delight in honoring each other…” (Romans 12:9-10). 

The Praise Psalms (the last 5 psalms in the book) are designed to focus on why we praise God for all his many attributes. In Psalms 148:13-14, amidst a praise for creation, it concludes with a reminder for all people to “let them all praise the name of the Lord. For His name is very great; His glory towers over the earth and heaven! He has made His people strong, honoring His faithful ones…”

What is Holy?

You might be thinking of the Holy Bible,, or a Holy-day (Holiday), or maybe when you think of Holy, you think of purity, goodness, or righteousness. All of these resemble some aspect of ‘Holy,’ but it’s hard to say that any one of these things accurately defines holiness.

Holy is defined as “something dedicated or consecrated to God; sacred.” Although the word is almost exclusively used in religious settings, it isn’t necessarily limited to religious things. Ultimately, holiness is reserved for something set apart from the regular or normal for the purpose of reflecting on something highly esteemed. Psalms 99:9, “Exalt the Lord our God and worship at His holy mountain, for the Lord our God is holy.”

Therefore, we must be careful not to assume that just because it’s done in a church building, or in the name of Jesus, that it fits the criteria of Holy. Holiness has more to do with a deep genuine relationship than ritualistic actions. Jesus helped the woman at the well (John 4) understand that when she asked,  "Which place was more holy?" He described to her the kind of people that God is looking to be in a relationship with. He said, “A time is coming and has now come when the true worshipers will worship the Father in the Spirit and in truth, for they are the kind of worshipers the Father seeks.” (4:23)

How would you describe your ‘seeking process’? Are God’s desires highly esteemed in your eyes? Within Jesus’ answer, He points to the way through which God has made pleasing worship available—through Jesus (John 14:6, Hebrews 11:6), but within His words, He also describes a heart that is eager to love God, passion in devotion to Him, and in a way that aligns with who God is and what pleases Him. 

Consider this passage from Rom 12 as a description of what Holiness really looks like, and how that display of Holiness is, at least in part, a good definition of what it means to worship him in Spirit and in truth. Rom 12:9-12, “Love must be sincere. Hate what is evil; cling to what is good. Be devoted to one another in love. Honor one another above yourselves. Never be lacking in zeal, but keep your spiritual fervor, serving the Lord…”

The Lord's Prayer

The path of righteousness was illustrated, in a literal journey, with Jesus during His ministry. People joined His travels from town to town; they came out to one place or another to hear him preach and teach. Jesus often invited people to “follow me” (Matthew 4:19), recalling Moses making a journey to the Promised Land.

There were times when Jesus sent people out to ultimately see if they could point others to Jesus (Luke 10), and they came back excited that others listened to them and demons even obeyed them! But Jesus seems to softly rebuke them by reminding them that He had watched “Satan fall from heaven” (10:18-20). Then Jesus said a prayer to His Heavenly Father… “I praise you, Father, Lord of heaven and earth, because You have hidden these things from the wise and learned, and revealed them to little children. Yes, Father, for this is what you were pleased to do.”

What did they hear in this prayer? Jesus tells a story of the Good Samaritan as an iconic view of acting Christlike on this journey of life.

Then His followers asked Jesus a question about prayer that many people still would like to know. They asked in Luke 11:1, “Lord, teach us to pray, just as John taught his disciples.” A reader’s natural question might be, “What did John teach about prayer?”

But the Bible doesn’t really say what John taught; however, like Jesus’ parable about the Good Samaritan, John taught how we are to treat others (Luke 3:10-14). Jesus doesn’t quote anything that John taught, but He focused on the coming kingdom and offering thanksgiving just like John did. Jesus said in Luke 11:2-4, “Father, hallowed be Your name, Your kingdom come. Give us each day our daily bread. Forgive us our sins, for we also forgive everyone who sins against us. And lead us not into temptation, [but deliver us from the evil one].”

How does this prayer reflect Jesus’ love and appreciation for His father? How does it help you to do the same for your father? We focus on Fathers on Father’s Day; consider how their example of provisions, mercy, and protection have changed your journey for the better.

What is Hope?

What is hope? It’s been defined as a feeling of expectation and desire for a certain thing to happen. The key is that it is something that hasn’t happened yet. Hebrews 11:1 describes faith in a similar way, “Now faith is confidence in what we hope for and assurance about what we do not see.”

Faith, like hope, is something that may require a lot of patience before its fully realized. As Paul says in 2 Corinthians 4:18 concerning the importance of faith through trials, “We fix our eyes not on what is seen, but on what is unseen, since what is seen is temporary, but what is unseen is eternal.”

But what if you had no promises of a better tomorrow? No relief from suffering, no peace! As Proverbs 13:12 says, “hope deferred (delayed—indefinitely) makes the heart sick…” In other words, we need hope to get through the day-to-day grind that drives us into depression or to help us persevere.

In essence, that’s the story of God’s promise to a people (now all people) who follow and trust Him. Jesus came to become the hope of salvation, the avenue of peace, the way to heaven! But prior to His arrival, the Israelites didn’t have a lot of hope. They’d lost their kingdom and their prosperity, and they even lived in captivity for several generations. Once “free,” they only had a broken-down dream of peace and prosperity. They were hopeless, but they made efforts to rekindle that hope.

One thing they did was rebuild Jerusalem in an attempt to restore the worship that was done there (in part—read Malachi for a picture of how it wasn’t up to God’s standard). It was during this time that many historians believe that the Psalms of Ascent were written and sung. They were a series of 15 Psalms from 120-134 that reflected the trials of life while going to Jerusalem, the place of their hope. These Psalms still carry a lot of hope for us, regardless if it isn’t about Jerusalem. Their “Jerusalem” was where God’s promises had been visually recognized in earlier times. The hope was that it would one day be restored to its former glory. Thankfully, we’re not waiting on a town to be rebuilt in order to have hope; we know that hope comes through Christ!

Romans 5:1-5, “Therefore, since we have been justified through faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom we have gained access by faith into this grace in which we now stand. And we boast in the hope of the glory of God. Not only so, but we also glory in our sufferings, because we know that suffering produces perseverance; perseverance, character; and character, hope. And hope does not put us to shame, because God’s love has been poured out into our hearts through the Holy Spirit, who has been given to us.”

Mission Work

What is the work of the church? Ultimately, most would describe it as the Great Commission mentioned in Mathew 28:19-20. But “going out in the world” has plenty of challenges. As Jesus said in John 15:20-27, “Remember what I told you: ‘A servant is not greater than his master.’ If they persecuted Me, they will persecute you also. If they obeyed My teaching, they will obey yours also. They will treat you this way because of My name, for they do not know the One who sent Me... When the Advocate comes, whom I will send to you from the Father—the Spirit of truth who goes out from the Father—he will testify about Me. And you also must testify, for you have been with Me from the beginning.” 

The Apostles may not have fully grasped the dangerous mission Jesus was commissioning them to undertake, but no doubt about it, it was dangerous. In fact, the danger is still there. As John said in his Gospel concerning the True Light, “Light is come into the world, but people loved darkness instead of Light because their deeds were evil...” (John 3:19)

One of the dangers might be our attitudes that develop after constant rejection, constant rebellion, and constant abuses among those who claim to be followers. Paul addressed this many times throughout his Epistles. The challenges, therefore, us to maintain godliness even when there’s opposition. Preaching the truth is important, but living the truth is truly impactful. 

This is where, as they say, “The rubber meets the road.” This has always been an issue; from the early history of the Israelite nation who constantly rebelled and had many prophets try to set them straight, all the way to today. A tremendous way to end problems that impact our effectiveness in spreading the Word of God is to follow Jesus’ example. This passage from Philippians 26 is believed to have been an early Christian hymn sung in worship. Meditate on the humility modeled by Jesus and ultimately the impact it had on the world: 

“Who, being in the very name God, 

 did not consider equality with God 

something to be used to His advantage; 

rather, He made Himself nothing 

 by taking the very nature of a servant, 

 being made in human likeness. 

 And being found in appearance as a man, 

He humbled Himself 

by becoming obedient to death— 

Therefore God exalted Him to the highest place 

 and gave Him the name that is above every name, 

that in the name of Jesus every knee should bow, 

 in heaven and on earth and under the earth, 

 and every tongue knowledge 

 that Jesus Christ is Lord 

 to the glory of God the Father.” 

This is an upside down way to do mission work in a world that hates the very light that will save them. But thank God, we have been shown the way!

A Hero's Journey

John 14:27, “Peace I leave with you; my peace I give to you; I do not give it to you as the world does. Do not let your hearts be distressed or lacking in courage.” 

When most of us think of graduation, we think of kids. Whether it’s kindergarten, high school, or college, the connection with graduation seems inextricably linked to the young. And this makes sense because the thing we think about most with young people is what they are going to do. Who they are going to become. Where they are going to go. There’s so much potential and future, and it’s exciting to consider. The future is where hope dwells, the future is where dreams are possible, it’s where people can become someone, or do something that will greatly bless others. 

We all have futures, and we are always graduating into new opportunities and seasons of life. To think we only have exciting futures when we are young, well, that isn’t from God. (Remember Abraham and Sarah. They had their whole future change around the age of 99!) 

So as you go, whether you are young or old, go boldly and seize every opportunity that comes before you. Why? Because we have a peace in us that is greater than anything we can find in this world, and we can take courage in the fact that no matter what “maybe” our future turns out to be, Christ will be there with us every step of the way. 

Most of these words come from a devotional thought from the Skit Guys, a pair of comedians who share a long-time friendship encouraging people along the journey of life. In our Hero’s Journey, the real test of life happens after we decide to become a bonafide follower of Jesus. 

It seems that, not too long after coming up out of the water, when we feel so relieved, the temptations show up with increased intensity, emotions may feel more polarized than before, and even our convictions can be an obstacle on the Hero’s Journey. 

Remember these words of Paul, at the end of his life, “I have fought the good fight. I have finished the race. I have kept the faith. Now there is a crown waiting for me. It is given to those who are right with God. The Lord, who judges fairly, will give it to me on the day he returns. He will not give it only to me. He will also give it to all those who are longing for him to return.” (2 Timothy 4:7-8)

The Hero's Journey

Imagine you’re spending the first days of your summer relaxing by the pool, or working in the flowerbed, or just trying to take it easy, when a stranger approaches you and invites you on a special mission. After the initial “stranger danger” reaction, let’s assume this person is sane and really believes there’s a special prize for whoever finishes this mission. What do you do? It could be risky, it could be expensive, and you might be ridiculed for going on the journey. 

It doesn’t take much imagination to realize that’s kind of the invitation to follow Jesus. While the first invitation may remind you of some kind of action/adventure movie, the invitation to follow Christ is often very tranquil or symbolic in comparison—or so it seems. 

Joseph Campbell wrote a book called The Hero with a Thousand Faces, in which he describes the Hero's Journey, a common pattern in nearly every hero story, especially the ones involving a quest. His model starts with the status quo, someone who isn’t looking for change but has a call to adventure. This is where faith begins to take place (Romans 10:17), believing that the quest truly is a worthy one. 

Once the proper gear is obtained and assistance, the hero begins the journey. The cycle continues through departure, trials, facing danger, crisis (James 1:2-4). Although this is only the first half of his model, it makes a great place to stop and think about this pattern in our journey with Christ. Once we’ve come to a sense of contentment, or humility, or genuine love for others, the remainder of the journey should seem to be more rewarding. However, for many people, the journey up to these moments of conflict causes them to abandon the quest. Or as Jesus illustrated in the parable of the soils in Matthew 13, some seed fell on the rocky soil and had no roots, and some fell among the weeds and briars and were choked out by the worries of the world. 

It takes great perseverance and determination to face the giants on this journey. It takes great faith to see beyond the dangers to the prize ahead. As Paul said in Philippians 3:12-14, “Not that I have already obtained all this, or have already arrived at my goal, but I press on to take hold of that for which Christ Jesus took hold of me. Brothers and sisters, I do not consider myself yet to have taken hold of it. But one thing I do: Forgetting what is behind and straining toward what is ahead, I press on toward the goal to win the prize for which God has called me heavenward in Christ Jesus.” 

On this hero’s quest, there is a clear goal and a clear mission. We’re reminded in Matthew 28:18-20 of the Great Commission. Many other stories and letters reveal the seriousness of the mission, the stakes involved, and the reward for staying with it. This scenario really is true. 

Do you believe it? 

Will you join the quest?

Acknowledgement

Life is filled with challenges—family, faith, work, extracurricular, etc. Nearly every aspect of our life will have the occasional setbacks, fears, disappointments, or unknowns. The question is how will we reflect on those events when they are over? 

After Jesus was betrayed and during His crucifixion, He demonstrated an amazing example of respect even while going through a storm. He said in John 19:25-27, “Woman, here is your son,” and to [John], “Here is your mother.” From that time on, John took her into his home. This was Jesus' way of caring for His mother after He was be gone. 

There have been many people that have helped each of us overcome something bad or to achieve something great. Paul said in Galatians 6:6, “The one who receives instruction in the word should share all good things with their instructor.” 

Frequently, Paul ends his epistles, “instructions in the word,” by acknowledging those who have been a blessing to him by their contribution to his work in some way. Romans 16 is one of the longest lists of those he wanted to thank. Paul gave his greetings to Rufus, who he says is “chosen in the Lord, and his mother, who has been a mother to me, too.” (16:13) 

It’s easy to thank our mothers, because they typically are the ones that nurture us, cheer us on, console us, encourage us. Their contribution to our success may be behind the scenes at times, but it’s such a beautiful thing to be able to honor them for what they’ve done for us. 

It may be tempting to skip over the acknowledgments in a book, or to ignore the “thank you's” to people we don’t know in a graduation or an acceptance speech, but each of those names represents someone who made a contribution to getting someone to the point of being recognized as a hero, a survivor, or a success.

As Paul concludes his letter to the Colossians, he takes the time to thank those who made a difference to him. No matter how his letters started, it was part of his discourse to take the time to recognize those who helped him, those who he misses, and the great examples among those he’s writing to. Be sure to take the time to thank, or at least acknowledge those who have made a difference to you—especially your mother!

Unity Over Tolerance

What’s the difference between unity and tolerance? One definition of tolerance could be putting up with someone, or something, you are not particularly in favor of, for the sake of fellowship with other people. While that’s not altogether a bad thing, it could be potentially dangerous; Paul reminded us that “bad company corrupts good morals” (1 Corinthians 15:33). Yet, it’s our association with others that allows the gospel to be shared. Paul also said in 1 Corinthians 5:11-13, “I wrote to you in my letter not to associate with sexually immoral people—not at all meaning the people of this world who are [immoral]... In that case, you would have to leave this world. But now I am writing to you that you must not associate with anyone who claims to be a brother or sister [who is immoral].” 

Therefore, there is a higher standard for those of us who belong to Christ’s kingdom. “His ways are higher than our ways” (Isaiah 55:8), and we now live and think like Christ—at least that’s the goal. But we’re reminded often of how often we sin, how often we criticize, how often we lust, how often we hold a grudge, how often we cheat in some way. While we sin often, and while we’ve been warned about the dangers of associating with ungodly people, we are still called to be unified! This seems nearly impossible, and from a worldly perspective, it seems many “believers” are not very unified. 

Unity is a huge theme throughout the Bible. In fact, after God made humans and then they rebelled, the entire rest of the Bible is the efforts God is going through so that we can be unified again.

Paul’s letter to the Colossians addresses some key principles needed for people prone to sin, need to practice in order to obtain Christ-likeness. When you only “put up with” others, the opportunities to plant eternal seeds into the hearts of people is overlooked. To achieve unity, you must continually remind yourself what you have in common, what your goals are. 

Colossians 3:1-4, “Since, then, you have been raised with Christ, set your hearts on things above, where Christ is, seated at the right hand of God. Set your minds on things above, not on earthly things. For you died, and [our] life is now hidden with Christ in God. When Christ, who is [our] life, appears, then [we] also will appear with Him in glory.” 

Thankfully Jesus desired more than to simply tolerate us; He sought for unity with us (John 17). Hebrews 4:14-16, “Therefore, since we have a great high priest who has ascended into heaven, Jesus the Son of God, let us hold firmly to the faith we profess. For we do not have a high priest who is unable to empathize with our weaknesses, but we have one who has been tempted in every way, just as we are—yet He did not sin. Let us then approach God’s throne of grace with confidence, so that we may receive mercy and find grace to help us in our time of need."

"How many times do I have to tell you?" said every parent

What is it about cleaning a house that’s so hard? What is it about sharing your things that is so tough? What is it about forgiving people that is so challenging? From birth to death, we all struggle with these. The reality is that these aren’t difficult—as long as our pride and ego don’t get in the way

When reading the handful of letters written by the Apostles to congregations to encourage them to live more fully to the will of God, we should notice something: many churches struggled with the same problem(s). If the Apostles were still writing letters to congregations, probably most churches would receive a letter encouraging them to continue in demonstrating genuine love and respect for others.

This simple message cuts to the core, dividing the Godly from the ungodly. Yet this simple message can get cluttered by teachings that don’t highlight the Greatest Command (Matthew 22:37-39). There is a real danger of people explaining the Truth in ways that cause a person to misunderstand God’s mission.

Ironically, the seeds of false teaching impact how confident we are about sharing it with others. The incorrect teachings, plans, and theories about God’s will floating around out there can cause us to be timid about sharing our hope of eternal life!

Paul said in Colossians 2:8, “See to it that no one takes you captive through hollow and deceptive philosophy, which depends on human tradition and the elemental spiritual forces of this world rather than on Christ.”

Jesus said about the Pharisees in Matthew 5:20, “For I tell you that unless your righteousness surpasses that of the Pharisees and the teachers of the law, you will certainly not enter the kingdom of heaven.” And as He continues in the Sermon on the Mount, He outlines how we should respond to others: help out, share, forgive, etc. Matthew 7:12 could serve as a summary of His sermon, “So in everything, do to others what you would have them do to you, for this sums up the Law and the Prophets.”

Paul said to the Corinthian congregations, “You yourselves are our letter [of recommendation], written on our hearts, known and read by everyone…” (2 Corinthians 3:2). What a tremendous goal: to be a “light on a hill,” to be a picture of Truth being lived out amongst our communities!

The Colossian Christ

Have you ever wondered what it would be like to receive an instructional letter from one of the apostles? Paul wrote a majority of the letters to the congregations included in our New Testament, many of which were addressing issues amongst the believers—especially the divisive issues between Jews and Gentiles.

Gentile just means "nations," which could refer to “other” nations not part of the Abrahamic Covenant. It was part of God’s plan from the very beginning to “save” any nation that will trust in Him by following Him. Obviously, that was best seen beginning with Jesus’ ministry. Although the official invitation for all nations to join the Jesus Movement wouldn’t be until the days of Cornelius, Acts 10, the message was already being clearly defined for anyone listening to Jesus.

This inclusion of the Gentiles, other nations, was offensive to the Jew because of how they interpreted the promise made to Abraham. In their mind, the promise we read about in Genesis 12 was an exclusive one. However, when we read what God said to Abraham, it is virtually undeniable of God’s plan. He says, “I will make you into a great nation, and I will bless you; I will make your name great, and you will be a blessing. I will bless those who bless you, and whoever curses you I will curse; and all peoples on earth will be blessed through you.”

Later, God told Moses on Mt. Sinai, “Now if you obey Me fully and keep My covenant, then out of all nations you will be My treasured possession. Although the whole earth is Mine, you will be for Me a kingdom of priests and a holy nation.’” (Exodus 19:5-6).

After Jesus’ death, burial, and resurrection, and ascension, the church would be born (Acts 2), and it was then that the true understanding of God’s kingdom began to take shape. To have a kingdom, means you have a king, a territory, and subjects to that king. But who would qualify to be part of the kingdom? Paul’s many letters to congregations helped shed some light on this issue. The kingdom wasn’t exclusive to Jews, but instead was open to all the nations—the Gentiles!

Paul’s letter to the Colossians was helping them to see the supremacy of Christ throughout the entire world. Therefore, he makes a lot of connections for these believers, both Jew and Gentiles, between God’s creation and all people’s invitation to join this wonderful kingdom. 

Crescendo

What is a crescendo? The loudest point reached in a gradually increasing sound, especially a song. It’s that point in the song that has the most powerful, emotional part. It’s not just in songs though; life has crescendo moments. You can probably hear a lot of crescendo moments when you go to a funeral, and you hear the eulogy. We highlight the greatest points in a life. 

But what if our greatest moment in life was after we die? We talk about that in worship, but sometimes it’s difficult to believe. When we read Scripture, although people saw the amazing things Jesus said and heard life-changing wisdom, they too had trouble believing that after death is where our greatest moments lie. 

At Lazarus’ funeral wake, Mary and Martha both expressed how things could have been different (better) if Jesus had been there when their brother was sick. Jesus, however, knew that it was at that particular moment when He could demonstrate the crescendo of life—resurrection! 

He said in John 11:25-26, “I am the resurrection and the life. The one who believes in Me will live, even though they die; and whoever lives by believing in Me will never die. Do you believe this?” Paul would later say that this concept is what his entire Gospel message is built upon, “For I resolved to know nothing while I was with you except Jesus Christ and Him crucified.” (1 Corinthians 2:2; 1 Corinthians 15) “If Christ has not been raised, our preaching is useless and so is your faith.” 

The resurrection of Lazarus was a huge turning point in Jesus’ ministry. Once people realized that He had power over death, following Him had a different appeal. Until those who were jealous of Him were able to have him killed. After all, a person can’t raise themselves from the grave! Right? 

One of the original endings to the Gospel of Mark ends like this: “Don’t be alarmed,” [the angel] said. “You are looking for Jesus the Nazarene, who was crucified. He has risen! He is not here. See the place where they laid Him. But go, tell His disciples and Peter, ‘He is going ahead of you into Galilee. There you will see Him, just as He told you.’” Trembling and bewildered, the women went out and fled from the tomb. They said nothing to anyone, because they were afraid!” [The End] (Mark 16:6-8)

Most scholars believe this would be intended to leave the reader with a desire to know what happened next, and then go investigate. Whether that was the intent or not, we are left wondering what we do with the message of resurrection. We must decide if we believe it enough to follow Jesus or ignore it. But even a skeptic would agree that resurrection from death would truly be an amazing crescendo to this life! 

“Do you believe this?” (John 11:26).  

Approved by God

Praise is an expression of approval or admiration for someone. We all like to receive praise because it lifts us up. It is a human desire to be admired or approved of by others. The reality is oftentimes we don’t return praise to others—whether it’s from not knowing what to say or perhaps simply being so self-involved to not notice the need they have to be admired or approved of.

But Jesus came to show us a different way. His way drew people into the beauty that comes with recognizing people in difficult times and encouraging them. For instance, the Woman at the Well, whose story is told in John 4, powerfully benefited by Jesus showing a kind of approval towards her. He didn’t endorse sin, but He saw the need for value and He genuinely offered that to her. But others also received a kind of “praise” from Jesus: Zaccheus (Luke 19), Bartimaeus (Mark 10:46-52), or any of the many people He healed along His way to Jerusalem.

Jesus was on the way to make us “approved” by God. That would require giving up His life to do it. The lengths Jesus went to for us to be able to stand with God someday is truly inspirational.

Mercy Me sang a song called “I Can Only Imagine,” and the lyrics echo the struggle we may have at times in knowing how to praise God appropriately. But in the end, it’s about trusting Him, longing to follow Him, serve Him, honor Him. The chorus of that song says, “Surrounded by Your glory, what will my heart feel? Will I dance for you Jesus or in awe of You be still? Will I stand in Your presence or to my knees will I fall? Will I sing hallelujah? Will I be able to speak at all? I can only imagine…”

As we better understand what’s at the heart of praise, we are more likely to offer praise to God and to others that truly reflects Jesus’ selflessness. Try to reflect on the meaning in this Psalm and see how it applies to your own life.

“I will praise You, Lord, with all my heart; before the “gods” I will sing Your praise. I will bow down toward Your holy temple and will praise Your name for Your unfailing love and Your faithfulness, for You have so exalted Your solemn decree that it surpasses Your fame. When I called, You answered me; You greatly emboldened me. May all the kings of the earth praise You, Lord, when they hear what You have decreed. May they sing of the ways of the Lord, for the glory of the Lord is great. Though the Lord is exalted, He looks kindly on the lowly; though lofty, He sees them from afar. Though I walk in the midst of trouble, You preserve my life. You stretch out Your hand against the anger of my foes; with Your right hand, You save me. The Lord will vindicate me; Your love, Lord, endures forever— do not abandon the works of Your hands.” (Psalms 138)

Psalms for Praise

The old saying, “Sticks and stones will break my bones, but words will never hurt me,” isn’t very true. Words can be powerful tools for either evil or good. It’s amazing how often certain words show up in Scripture that point to something we instantly recognize as godly. These may be words we use almost exclusively with worship. Words like: sanctify, devotional, righteous, and holy, are just a few. 

Paul sums up the proper attitude to have in worship, and in life for that matter, in 1 Corinthians 13:13, “And now these three remain: faith, hope and love. But the greatest of these is love.” As he shares the three qualities that should be utmost in our lives, these words also reflect an attitude of praise that God longs to see in us. 

But there was a collection of Hebrew poems and songs that were made into five books that focus on lamentations and praises. It’s a book we typically know as Psalms. Oftentimes attributed to David even though only 73 actually bear his name, they all help us better know how to praise God. In fact, the first two chapters remind us that those who meditate on God’s words, His promises, and even His laws will be blessed. Therefore, those who take refuge in Him will find comfort during difficult times (songs of lament) as well as fuel for praise for all times. 

There are a few words that we see periodically throughout Psalms that may not be common words for us in our language, but they were quite impactful in the Hebrew culture. Two words I want to share with you are: Selah and Hallel. Selah’s meaning is not completely understood, but most scholars agree that it’s a word that describes taking a rest and meditating. This might be equivalent to a guitar solo in a song. But it serves as a reminder to slow down! 

The word Hallel means to praise, and we are more familiar with the command version of it, Hallelujah, which means "Praise the Lord!" In the book of Psalms, the last five Psalms (146-150) are designed to focus exclusively on praising God. However, at the end of each book there’s a common ending that serves as a reminder to praise God regardless of our circumstances, “Praise be to the Lord, the God of Israel, from everlasting to everlasting. Amen and Amen.” (Psalms 41:13, 72:18-19, 89:15, 106:48). 

It’s not always easy to be in the mindset to praise God, but having a constant meditation on His character and His promises will definitely help motivate us to reflect on His most precious Word that God ever gave us—Jesus!

The Hardest Part?

In the board game Clue and in the online game Among Us, the objective is to determine who the killer is. Thankfully, determining who is the gruesome killer is not a decision most of us ever have to worry about. But that doesn’t mean doing investigative work to make sure WE aren’t the bad guy is a decision we are free from. Unfortunately, many people choose not to look too deep into who they are, how they treat others, or how they respond to temptations.

Jesus gave a powerful summary of the entire Bible in Matthew 22:37-39, “‘Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.’ (Deuteronomy 6:5) This is the first and greatest commandment. And the second is like it: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’” (Leviticus 19:18)

At face value, this seems like an oversimplification of 66 inspired books that outline laws, rituals, and examples of good and bad followers of those laws and rituals. However, when we ponder the depth of what Jesus is revealing, we see a self-directed investigation of our own thoughts and motives.

First, a clearer picture of that command is given in 1 John 4:19-21, “We love because He first loved us. Whoever claims to love God yet hates a brother or sister is a liar. For whoever does not love their brother and sister, whom they have seen, cannot love God, whom they have not seen. And He has given us this command: Anyone who loves God must also love their brother and sister.”

So, loving our neighbor is key to truly loving God. But loving our neighbor is obviously the more challenging command. However, what makes loving my neighbor so difficult? Consider the endless examples of greed, jealousy, lust, or revenge we read about in the Scriptures. Those are emotions that can dominate our life, unless we do as God told Cain in Genesis 4:7, “If you do what is right, will you not be accepted? But if you do not do what is right, sin is crouching at your door; it desires to have you, but you must rule over it.” In other words, we have to control ourselves. That part of us that can’t accept who we are because we’re constantly comparing ourselves to someone else. That part of ourselves that only sees our failures and can’t see the blessings in life.

What if we were the source of division and hatred towards our brothers and sisters? It’s an awful thought, but David realized the need to examine himself to make sure that wasn’t so. Psalms 139:23-24, “Search me, God, and know my heart; test me and know my anxious thoughts. See if there is any offensive way in me, and lead me in the way everlasting.”

James 4:1-3, “What causes fights and quarrels among you? Don’t they come from your desires that battle within you? You desire but do not have, so you kill. You covet but you cannot get what you want, so you quarrel and fight. You do not have because you do not ask God. When you ask, you do not receive, because you ask with wrong motives, that you may spend what you get on your pleasures.”

Stay With the Plan

Throughout Jesus’ ministry, there were often times when those who made the choice to follow Him weren't clear about His real mission (John 6:35-59, Mark 8:14-38). Their lack of understanding caused them to question His motives, or maybe even His sanity. Yet, Jesus stayed true to the plan; He kept pursuing the way to redeem humankind.

Romans 5:6-8, “You see,. at just the right time, when we were still powerless, Christ died for the ungodly… (8) God demonstrates his own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us.”

Sometimes we are put in awkward situations, stressful situations, or scary situations where we must press on towards the prize, even when no one else “gets it.” Philippians 3:13-14, “Brothers and sisters, I do not consider myself yet to have taken hold of it. But one thing I do: Forgetting what is behind and straining toward what is ahead, I press on toward the goal to win the prize for which God has called me heavenward in Christ Jesus.”

Each of us has to decide to continue to follow God’s plan even when it seems risky or insane. All throughout the story of God’s guidance to the Promised Land, those who chose to follow had to go against human fear and even against logic at times.

The more we “see” His plan, the more we can see how our obedience to that plan isn’t risky or careless or insane. God knows that when we trust Him enough to do what he told us to do and modeled through His son, that we will reach the prize we all long to have: eternal life! No more death! Peace!

1 Peter 1:3-7, “Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ! In His great mercy, He has given us new birth into a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead, and into an inheritance that can never perish, spoil or fade. This inheritance is kept in heaven for you, who through faith are shielded by God’s power until the coming of the salvation that is ready to be revealed in the last time. In all this, you greatly rejoice, though now for a little while you may have had to suffer grief in all kinds of trials. These have come so that the proven genuineness of your faith—of greater worth than gold, which perishes even though refined by fire—may result in praise, glory, and honor when Jesus Christ is revealed.” 

Fighting for Faith

A fundamental verse in regards to evangelism and apologetics is found in 1 Peter 3:15, “but in your hearts sanctify Christ as Lord. Always be ready to make your defense to anyone who demands from you an accounting for the hope that is in you…” It’s upon this principle that many Christians have armed themselves with the Biblical knowledge needed to defend the truth and stand for what’s right.

Although standing for the truth can be an enormous struggle and even dangerous, it’s important. It also takes the right motivation to fight. Webster defines a Fight as “contending against or in battle or physical combat” with someone. But who? And when?

Jude 3, “Beloved, while eagerly preparing to write to you about the salvation we share, I find it necessary to write and appeal to you to contend for the faith that was once for all entrusted to the saints.”

The contention of our faith might be said something like “We must make an effort to win a debate about our faith.” But a debate with who? Those who oppose the truth about Jesus? Or the doubts we have in our own minds? The reality is that we often find ourselves engaged in battles that can’t be won on the outside and fail to fight the battles that can only be fought inside our hearts.

Remember the words of God to Cain in Genesis 4:6, “Why are you angry, and why has your countenance fallen? If you do well, will you not be accepted? And if you do not do well, sin is lurking at the door; its desire is for you, but you must master it.”

Paul described our fight this way in 2 Corinthians 10:4-5, “For the weapons of our warfare are not merely human, but they have divine power to destroy strongholds. We destroy arguments and every proud obstacle raised up against the knowledge of God, and we take every thought captive to obey Christ.” EVERY THOUGHT CAPTIVE is not an easy task, but it might be the most powerful way to defeat the tricks of the devil. Because, as Paul said in 2 Corinthians 2:11, “We do this so that we may not be outwitted by Satan; for we are not ignorant of his schemes.”

Consider the ways the devil has won the battles in your life before, but then consider how God’s ways have proven to be more powerful. We must constantly be reminded of the power that works within us (Ephesians 3:20) and take comfort in knowing that “you are from God, and have conquered them; for the one who is in you is greater than the one who is in the world” (1 John 4:4).

Art is Everywhere

Art is everywhere, and it changes style over time and cultures. But the thing about Art is that it tells a story. As the old saying goes, "A picture is worth a thousand words." Therefore, art isn't always in portraits of people or things; portraits may be in the words themselves.

In the case of the Bible, the Word became flesh and dwelt among us (John 1:14). The Word shows us the beauty of God.

Psalm 27:4, "One thing I have asked from the Lord, that I shall seek: 'That I may dwell in the house of the Lord all the days of my life, to behold the beauty of the Lord and to meditate in His temple.'"

Isaiah 33:17, "Your eyes will see the King in His beauty…" And yet, Isaiah goes on to describe the beautiful king in a different than expected way in Isaiah 53:2-3, "...He had no beauty or majesty to attract us to Him, nothing in His appearance that we should desire Him. He was despised and rejected by mankind..."

What is the beauty of Jesus? How is His life an expression of God's artistic nature?

Just as art is interpreted differently by different people, so is the image of Christ.

Psalms 18:25-26, "To the faithful you show yourself faithful, to the blameless you show yourself blameless, to the pure you show yourself pure, but to the devious you show yourself shrewd."

Jesus' disciples had trouble seeing God's beautiful design, when they were drawn to the beautiful buildings (Luke 21), but despised Mary's sacrificial gift of perfume in Matthew 26:10, "Why are you bothering this woman? She has done a beautiful thing to Me."

How we see Him has a lot to do with our own heart; theirs changed, so can ours. Jesus said in Matthew 6:21, "For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also."

So, the beauty of Christ focuses on what God was willing to do for us to be part of His family, His kingdom, His life! Be an "art critic" that can see the beauty in God's love for us.

Role of Unity

The Corinthians wrote a letter to Paul asking several questions about daily life as a follower of Christ. Questions about marriage, association with anything pagan, and resurrection, to name a few.

Today, nearly 2,000 years after their questions, we still have the same concerns about our involvement in a culture that doesn't honor God as the creator of all life.

Truth is that there are plenty of scenarios that we are faced with that we don't have a clear-cut answer for. That seemingly ambiguous nature of God's will might actually be a big part of our dying to ourselves and learning to think like God (Isaiah 55:8-9).

Jesus explains this in one way in Luke 9:23-26, “Whoever wants to be My disciple must deny themselves and take up their cross daily and follow Me. For whoever wants to save their life will lose it, but whoever loses their life for Me will save it. What good is it for someone to gain the whole world, and yet lose or forfeit their very self? Whoever is ashamed of Me and My words, the Son of Man will be ashamed of them when He comes in his glory and in the glory of the Father and of the holy angels."

What is it about "ourselves" that we need to deny? What is it about His ways that we may be ashamed of? Perhaps the temptation to put our desires over those of someone else. Jesus advocated that we be willing to even die for others (John 15:12-14, 1 John 3:7-10, Matthew 22:37-39).

This is at the heart of the matter: What does God expect from us concerning being unified with those who are not like us: ethnically, religiously, or any other way? 

What is the Tree of Life?

What is the tree of life? That has been a question that many people would like to know the answer to. We read about it in the beginning scenes of the Bible. Genesis 2:9, "In the middle of the garden were the tree of life and the tree of the knowledge of good and evil."

It might seem that humans had to choose between living eternal life OR receiving the gift of knowledge. Some might recognize the test of obedience presented early on; like a parent does with a toddler. Others might recognize the basic struggle all of us must deal with soon after showing up on earth—making choices!

God has given us enough to know what His will is for us. He wants us to trust His guidance throughout life, but that takes our involvement in the process.

Hebrews 5:12-14, "... solid food is for the mature, who by constant use have trained themselves to distinguish good from evil."

The Tree of Life gives life like an apple tree gives apples. The real question is where do I find life? Jesus addresses that, “I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me. "(John 14:6)

But consider the imagery of life presented through trees in the Bible. From Genesis to Revelation, trees are highlighted…perhaps for an interesting reason.

God often uses symbolic imagery to convey a message. And the Hebrew language is full of plenty of imagery. For instance, the Hebrew word for ‘tree’ is ‘Etz’ { }עץwhich is spelled and pronounced almost identically as the Hebrew word ‘Etzah’ { – {עצהwhich means ‘advice.’

Ponder the significance of that.