A Woman, a Slave and a Gentile

The Ladder of Faith

November 30, 2023

By Virginia Brandt Berg

Audio length: 09:05

The Second Coming of Jesus Christ
Book of the Future, Part 6
The Coming of the Kingdom (part 2)
26 Just as it was in the days of Noah, so will it be in the days of the Son of Man. 27 They were eating and drinking and marrying and being given in marriage, until the day when Noah entered the ark, and the flood came and destroyed them all. 28 Likewise, just as it was in the days of Lot—they were eating and drinking, buying and selling, planting and building, 29 but on the day when Lot went out from Sodom, fire and sulfur rained from heaven and destroyed them all— 30 so will it be on the day when the Son of Man is revealed. 31 On that day, let the one who is on the housetop, with his goods in the house, not come down to take them away, and likewise let the one who is in the field not turn back. 32 Remember Lot’s wife. (Luke 17:26-32) ESV
*In speaking to His disciples about a coming time of great destruction, Jesus mentioned what happened to Lot’s wife and the destruction of Sodom and Gomorrah. “Remember Lot’s wife!” He said. “Whoever tries to keep their life will lose it, and whoever loses their life will preserve it” (Luke 17:32–33).

The story of Lot and his wife is found in Genesis 19. God had determined to destroy Sodom and Gomorrah for their wickedness (Genesis 18:16–33), and two angels warned Abraham’s nephew Lot to evacuate the city so he and his family would not be destroyed. In Genesis 19 we read, The two [angels in the form of] men said to Lot, ‘Do you have anyone else here—sons-in-law, sons or daughters, or anyone else in the city who belongs to you? Get them out of here, because we are going to destroy this place. The outcry to the LORD against its people is so great that he has sent us to destroy it’” (verses 12–13).

At dawn the next day, the angels hurried Lot and his family out of Sodom so they would not be destroyed with the city. When Lot hesitated, “the men grasped his hand and the hands of his wife and of his two daughters and led them safely out of the city, for the LORD was merciful to them. As soon as they had brought them out, one of them said, ‘Flee for your lives! Don’t look back, and don’t stop anywhere in the plain! Flee to the mountains or you will be swept away!’” (Genesis 19:16–17).

As the family fled, “the Lord rained down burning sulfur on Sodom and Gomorrah—from the Lord out of the heavens” (Genesis 19:24). But, then, in disobedience to the angel’s command, “Lot’s wife looked back, and she became a pillar of salt” (verse 26).

Lot’s wife lost her life because she “looked back.” This was more than just a glance over the shoulder; it was a look of longing that indicated reluctance to leave or a desire to return. Whatever the case, the point is she was called to desert everything to save her life, but she could not let go, and she paid for it with her life. In Judaism, Lot’s wife became a symbol for a rebellious unbeliever.

Jesus cites this story in Luke 17, as He describes a future event: “It was the same in the days of Lot. People were eating and drinking, buying and selling, planting and building. But the day Lot left Sodom, fire and sulfur rained down from heaven and destroyed them all. It will be just like this on the day the Son of Man is revealed. On that day no one who is on the housetop, with possessions inside, should go down to get them. Likewise, no one in the field should go back for anything. Remember Lot’s wife! Whoever tries to keep their life will lose it, and whoever loses their life will preserve it” (verses 28–33).

When “the Son of Man is revealed,” it will be time for people to flee. There will be no time to take anything along. If you see the sign when you are on the roof (a rooftop deck with exterior stairs was a common feature of houses at the time), you should not even take time to go into the house to gather up your possessions. You need to get out and “don’t look back.” Lot’s wife is the example of what will happen if you do. If you try to save your life (that is, your things that your life is made up of), you will lose everything. Leave it all to save your life.

The scenario is similar to a person who wakes up in the middle of the night to find the house in flames. That person might be tempted to run around and gather up valuable items, but the delay might prevent escape—all the things will be lost, as well as the person’s life. It is better to leave it all behind and get out with your life. The principle is clear, but the exact referent is more difficult to discern.

The revelation of the Son of Man is the event in view in Luke 17. Mark 13:14–16 records much the same message without the mention of Lot’s wife. There, the sign is “the abomination that causes desolation” (see also Matthew 24:15–18). Finally, Jesus mentions a similar situation in Luke 21:20–21: “When you see Jerusalem being surrounded by armies, you will know that its desolation is near. Then let those who are in Judea flee to the mountains, let those in the city get out, and let those in the country not enter the city.”

The above passages are open to several different approaches to interpretation, centered on when this will take place. If we are correct that all of these passages describe roughly the same event(s), it would seem that “the day the Son of Man is revealed,” “the abomination that causes desolation,” and “Jerusalem surrounded by armies” all refer to the signal that it is time to flee.

Outside of Luke 17, the warnings to flee are found in the context of the destruction of the temple in Jerusalem (see Luke 21:5–7 and Mark 13:1–4). In Matthew 24:1–3, Jesus also deals with the destruction of the temple, except there the disciples also ask specifically about “the sign of your coming and the end of the age.” So, at least some of the prophecy was fulfilled in the first century with the destruction of the temple, but that does not preclude a future, fuller fulfillment at the second coming. The wording in Luke 17, in which Jesus speaks of the revelation of the Son of Man, certainly seems to suggest the second coming (see Colossians 3:4).

Jewish believers in the first century faced persecution from Rome, often at Jewish instigation. As long as Christians were considered a sect of Judaism, they enjoyed religious freedom as Jews. However, as they were denounced by Jewish leaders and no longer considered part of Judaism, the full force of Roman expectations applied to them, including the requirement to affirm the creed “Caesar is Lord” and offer sacrifices to Caesar. If Christians failed to do this, they could be punished, imprisoned, or even killed. As a result, believing Jews faced continual pressure to “go back to the temple.” The book of Hebrews encourages believing Jews to remain true to Christ and not return to the Old Covenant system of the temple, priests, and sacrifices. Hebrews explains that the Old Covenant has passed.

A similar sentiment is expressed by Jesus in other contexts, although Lot’s wife is not mentioned. Jesus said, “No one who puts a hand to the plow and looks back is fit for service in the kingdom of God” (Luke 9:62). In context, Jesus is talking about people who want to follow Him but are hindered by their concern for other things. It is not just that they look back, but they have divided loyalties, like Lot’s wife.

Jesus also used the statement “whoever wants to save his life shall lose it” in a number of different contexts (Matthew 10:39; 16:25; Mark 8:35, Luke 9:24; 17:33). Regardless of the specifics of the context, following Jesus requires turning our backs on the “life” that this world offers. Attempting to “save your life” is the same as “looking back.” Attachment to our “old life” will cause us to lose our lives, and Lot’s wife is the illustration and example that we would do well to remember. * (Gotquestions.org)

< The Second Coming of Jesus Christ Book of the Future, Part 6 The Coming of the Kingdom (part 2) 26 Just as it was in the days of Noah, so will it be in the days of the Son of Man. 27 They were eating and drinking and marrying and being given in marriage, until the day when Noah entered the ark, and the flood came and destroyed them all. 28 Likewise, just as it was in the days of Lot—they were eating and drinking, buying and selling, planting and building, 29 but on the day when Lot went out from Sodom, fire and sulfur rained from heaven and destroyed them all— 30 so will it be on the day when the Son of Man is revealed. 31 On that day, let the one who is on the housetop, with his goods in the house, not come down to take them away, and likewise let the one who is in the field not turn back. 32 Remember Lot's wife. (Luke 17:26-32) ESV *In speaking to His disciples about a coming time of great destruction, Jesus mentioned what happened to Lot’s wife and the destruction of Sodom and Gomorrah. “Remember Lot’s wife!” He said. “Whoever tries to keep their life will lose it, and whoever loses their life will preserve it” (Luke 17:32–33). The story of Lot and his wife is found in Genesis 19. God had determined to destroy Sodom and Gomorrah for their wickedness (Genesis 18:16–33), and two angels warned Abraham’s nephew Lot to evacuate the city so he and his family would not be destroyed. In Genesis 19 we read, The two [angels in the form of] men said to Lot, ‘Do you have anyone else here—sons-in-law, sons or daughters, or anyone else in the city who belongs to you? Get them out of here, because we are going to destroy this place. The outcry to the LORD against its people is so great that he has sent us to destroy it’” (verses 12–13). At dawn the next day, the angels hurried Lot and his family out of Sodom so they would not be destroyed with the city. When Lot hesitated, “the men grasped his hand and the hands of his wife and of his two daughters and led them safely out of the city, for the LORD was merciful to them. As soon as they had brought them out, one of them said, ‘Flee for your lives! Don’t look back, and don’t stop anywhere in the plain! Flee to the mountains or you will be swept away!’” (Genesis 19:16–17). As the family fled, “the Lord rained down burning sulfur on Sodom and Gomorrah—from the Lord out of the heavens” (Genesis 19:24). But, then, in disobedience to the angel’s command, “Lot’s wife looked back, and she became a pillar of salt” (verse 26). Lot’s wife lost her life because she “looked back.” This was more than just a glance over the shoulder; it was a look of longing that indicated reluctance to leave or a desire to return. Whatever the case, the point is she was called to desert everything to save her life, but she could not let go, and she paid for it with her life. In Judaism, Lot’s wife became a symbol for a rebellious unbeliever. Jesus cites this story in Luke 17, as He describes a future event: “It was the same in the days of Lot. People were eating and drinking, buying and selling, planting and building. But the day Lot left Sodom, fire and sulfur rained down from heaven and destroyed them all. It will be just like this on the day the Son of Man is revealed. On that day no one who is on the housetop, with possessions inside, should go down to get them. Likewise, no one in the field should go back for anything. Remember Lot’s wife! Whoever tries to keep their life will lose it, and whoever loses their life will preserve it” (verses 28–33). When “the Son of Man is revealed,” it will be time for people to flee. There will be no time to take anything along. If you see the sign when you are on the roof (a rooftop deck with exterior stairs was a common feature of houses at the time), you should not even take time to go into the house to gather up your possessions. You need to get out and “don’t look back.” Lot’s wife is the example of what will happen if you do. If you try to save your life (that is, your things that your life is made up of), you will lose everything. Leave it all to save your life. The scenario is similar to a person who wakes up in the middle of the night to find the house in flames. That person might be tempted to run around and gather up valuable items, but the delay might prevent escape—all the things will be lost, as well as the person’s life. It is better to leave it all behind and get out with your life. The principle is clear, but the exact referent is more difficult to discern. The revelation of the Son of Man is the event in view in Luke 17. Mark 13:14–16 records much the same message without the mention of Lot’s wife. There, the sign is “the abomination that causes desolation” (see also Matthew 24:15–18). Finally, Jesus mentions a similar situation in Luke 21:20–21: “When you see Jerusalem being surrounded by armies, you will know that its desolation is near. Then let those who are in Judea flee to the mountains, let those in the city get out, and let those in the country not enter the city.” The above passages are open to several different approaches to interpretation, centered on when this will take place. If we are correct that all of these passages describe roughly the same event(s), it would seem that “the day the Son of Man is revealed,” “the abomination that causes desolation,” and “Jerusalem surrounded by armies” all refer to the signal that it is time to flee. Outside of Luke 17, the warnings to flee are found in the context of the destruction of the temple in Jerusalem (see Luke 21:5–7 and Mark 13:1–4). In Matthew 24:1–3, Jesus also deals with the destruction of the temple, except there the disciples also ask specifically about “the sign of your coming and the end of the age.” So, at least some of the prophecy was fulfilled in the first century with the destruction of the temple, but that does not preclude a future, fuller fulfillment at the second coming. The wording in Luke 17, in which Jesus speaks of the revelation of the Son of Man, certainly seems to suggest the second coming (see Colossians 3:4). Jewish believers in the first century faced persecution from Rome, often at Jewish instigation. As long as Christians were considered a sect of Judaism, they enjoyed religious freedom as Jews. However, as they were denounced by Jewish leaders and no longer considered part of Judaism, the full force of Roman expectations applied to them, including the requirement to affirm the creed “Caesar is Lord” and offer sacrifices to Caesar. If Christians failed to do this, they could be punished, imprisoned, or even killed. As a result, believing Jews faced continual pressure to “go back to the temple.” The book of Hebrews encourages believing Jews to remain true to Christ and not return to the Old Covenant system of the temple, priests, and sacrifices. Hebrews explains that the Old Covenant has passed. There may have been some believing Jews in Judea who still had some attachment to the temple. In Luke 17, Jesus warns that there will come a time when they see a symbol of impending judgment, and they will need to get out of the area as quickly as possible. Just as God rained down wrath on Sodom and Gomorrah, He will judge Jerusalem. The coming wrath is no time for divided loyalties. While many believed that God would never allow the temple to be destroyed, Jewish Christians knew that the usefulness of the temple had passed and its days were numbered. They could stay on in Jerusalem and witness of the resurrected Christ, but when they saw that judgment was about to fall, they knew to get out. Eusebius in his Church History records that they did escape. By abandoning everything and getting out of the city, the Christians not only saved their lives but also gave testimony to the fact that the Old Covenant had been replaced by the New. A similar sentiment is expressed by Jesus in other contexts, although Lot’s wife is not mentioned. Jesus said, “No one who puts a hand to the plow and looks back is fit for service in the kingdom of God” (Luke 9:62). In context, Jesus is talking about people who want to follow Him but are hindered by their concern for other things. It is not just that they look back, but they have divided loyalties, like Lot’s wife. Jesus also used the statement “whoever wants to save his life shall lose it” in a number of different contexts (Matthew 10:39; 16:25; Mark 8:35, Luke 9:24; 17:33). Regardless of the specifics of the context, following Jesus requires turning our backs on the “life” that this world offers. Attempting to “save your life” is the same as “looking back.” Attachment to our “old life” will cause us to lose our lives, and Lot’s wife is the illustration and example that we would do well to remember. * (Gotquestions.org) href="https://anchor.tfionline.com/attachment/TFI_Devotional_The_Ladder_of_Faith.mp3">Download Audio (8.3MB)

If we are to climb up the ladder of faith to the great and mighty things God’s Word promises us and which are spoken of in Jeremiah 33:3, where God says, “Call upon me and I will answer thee, and show thee great and mighty things ye know not,” the ladder must first rest on a firm foundation, which is the Word of God. For the Bible says, “Heaven and earth shall pass away, but my word shall never pass away” (Matthew 24:35). The two legs of the ladder are God’s faithfulness, for He will never fail His Word, and His power, which enables Him to fulfill His Word.

It’s useless to start up the ladder unless you are going to take God at His Word and have your ladder firmly planted on His truth. It takes effort and wisdom to climb the ladder of faith and receive answers to prayer. Many people are satisfied with a very mediocre, common existence, but the Lord has said, “I have come that ye might have life and have it more abundantly” (John 10:10).

That climb up the ladder takes effort; it also takes a clean heart and perseverance.

The first rung in our ladder is a definite cleansing of the heart. If you come to God in prayer and expect the fulfillment of His promises, you must have a clean heart. He can’t pour His blessing into an unclean vessel. His Word says, “If our hearts condemn us not, then we have boldness to come to the throne of mercy and receive help in the time of need” (1 John 3:21; Hebrews 4:16). It’s impossible to have boldness in prayer if there’s hidden sin in your heart; it robs the heart of that confidence. God sees the things that are hidden. He can’t bless you as long as there’s unrepented sin in your heart.

So eager is God to forgive the repentant heart that His Word says, “The broken and contrite heart He’ll not despise” (Psalm 51:17). But there’s one thing God can’t do, He cannot forgive sins which are not repented of.

God asks obedience to 1 John 1:9, which says: “If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and cleanse us from all unrighteousness.” Sin has to be brought with humility into the light. Confess your sins to the Lord, and oh, how quickly He forgives and cleanses you the moment He sees genuine repentance.

Prayer is hindered when there’s condemnation in your heart—that awful pressure in your soul when you go to pray and you think, “God doesn’t hear me! God doesn’t answer my prayers like He does for other people. I’m not as good as other people. I’m so unworthy!” And that condemnation will definitely hinder your faith and take away your boldness in prayer.

Therefore, by a definite act of confession and repentance, you can clear away all such hindrances, and rid yourself once and for all of condemnation. To the one who, by a definite act of faith, puts his past and every sin beneath the blood of Calvary, there is no condemnation. True, the enemy of God will try to put condemnation in your heart, but if you obey 1 John 1:9, he can’t do so. God’s Word says, “There is therefore now no condemnation to them that are in Christ Jesus” (Romans 8:1). That’s the reason a clean heart is so necessary, so that you can come boldly to the throne of mercy.

The second rung of the ladder of faith is knowledge of God’s Word. I know I have mentioned this many times, but it is so very important. For faith is born in the heart by knowing God’s will for you, which is made known through His Word.

Many times, people say, “Please pray that I can have faith.” But God’s Word tells us that faith comes by hearing the Word of God (Romans 10:17). As you live in the Word of God, faith comes instinctively, and as you learn God’s promises, conviction is born in your heart.

Do you have a real hunger for God’s Word? Or do you just nibble at it once in a great while when something reminds you of it? His Word says, “I found thy words and I did eat them” (Jeremiah 15:16). Some people want everything God has to give them, but they’re not willing to take the time to read what God has to say. Faith is born by reading God’s Word, because there we find the authority that God has given us.

Read God’s promises, commit them to memory. The promises in the Bible are real. I’ve found them to be so practical. I’ve proven them so many times. How I wish I had time to tell you all about it; I know it would strengthen your faith.

But it was not always so. I can remember so well the university that I was attending. We were studying the poetry of the Bible and having as our lesson the 23rd Psalm. And I recall the way our modernist teacher brought out the beauty of the poetry of the Bible. But not once, in all those lessons, did he even hint that the promises of the 23rd Psalm were real, or that they could be appropriated for practical living! He never even hinted that the Lord, as a real Shepherd, would lead us; or that His Word and His will for us would truly become “green pastures.” Neither did he even suggest that we could walk with our Shepherd through life, and that He would bring such peace in our everyday walk that we would indeed be led “beside still waters.”

So, the 23rd Psalm was to me in those days just beautiful poetry and a picture of a lovely rural scene. And many Christians today treat the promises of God as if they were just that—not to be appropriated, not to be put into practical use, but just lovely poetry. But there are riches untold for us in God’s promises—physically, mentally, and spiritually—spiritually most of all, of course—if we would take hold of them! But we must lay hold of them. There they lie in the Word of God, unused by so many, just beautiful poetry, lovely literature.

Oh, what a pity that is when we know what God could do if we would really trust Him and believe His Word. To very few people there comes a deep realization that there is real life in the Word of God. If you’re sick in body, this scripture will mean a great deal to you: “The life of Christ shall be manifest in your mortal body” (2 Corinthians 4:11). And that life is in God’s Word.

When a farmer sows a seed, it’s buried in the bosom of mother earth and warmed there by the great sun. Likewise, when the seed is given to a human mother by the father, it’s warmed by the mother and brings forth life, because there was life in the seed. It’s the same in the spiritual realm. Our Father God gives us the seed of His Word, and it’s warmed by the Holy Spirit and it brings forth life, because there is life in the seed—God’s Word. There’s living, vibrant, abundant life in the Word of God.

Other books have lots of pages and words, but there’s no life in them as there is in the Word of God. The Bible says, “In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us, and we beheld His glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father, full of grace and truth” (John 1:1,14). These verses speak of Christ, the living Word, God manifest in the flesh, the Word coming to earth wrapped about with human flesh.

The Bible is the written Word of God. Christ was the Word manifest in the flesh, but they’re one and the same. And when that Word grows in your heart, that’s life, and it quickens your spirit, soul, and body.

God grant that you will so fill your mind with God’s Word that the Spirit of truth will make you impregnable against the lies of the Devil. God grant that in your hour of any trial, you’ll not waver, but will steadfastly hold on to God’s promises until the victory is gained.

The victory is for you, my friend. Believe the Word of God. May God give you the courage to stand on His Word against every doubt, and with determined importunity, hold on until the promise is fulfilled and you have the desire of your heart. Live in God’s Word, and faith will grow until you can live by the Word of God.

God bless you. He’s still on the throne and prayer changes things.

From a transcript of a Meditation Moments broadcast, adapted. Published on Anchor November 2023. Read by Lenore Welsh.

Death Is Not the End

November 29, 2023

By Gloria Cruz

Losing a loved one is very hard, and I know it well.

The Ladder of Faith
November 30, 2023
By Virginia Brandt Berg
Audio length: 09:05

Download Audio (8.3MB)
If we are to climb up the ladder of faith to the great and mighty things God’s Word promises us and which are spoken of in Jeremiah 33:3, where God says, “Call upon me and I will answer thee, and show thee great and mighty things ye know not,” the ladder must first rest on a firm foundation, which is the Word of God. For the Bible says, “Heaven and earth shall pass away, but my word shall never pass away” (Matthew 24:35). The two legs of the ladder are God’s faithfulness, for He will never fail His Word, and His power, which enables Him to fulfill His Word.
It’s useless to start up the ladder unless you are going to take God at His Word and have your ladder firmly planted on His truth. It takes effort and wisdom to climb the ladder of faith and receive answers to prayer. Many people are satisfied with a very mediocre, common existence, but the Lord has said, “I have come that ye might have life and have it more abundantly” (John 10:10).
That climb up the ladder takes effort; it also takes a clean heart and perseverance.
The first rung in our ladder is a definite cleansing of the heart. If you come to God in prayer and expect the fulfillment of His promises, you must have a clean heart. He can’t pour His blessing into an unclean vessel. His Word says, “If our hearts condemn us not, then we have boldness to come to the throne of mercy and receive help in the time of need” (1 John 3:21; Hebrews 4:16). It’s impossible to have boldness in prayer if there’s hidden sin in your heart; it robs the heart of that confidence. God sees the things that are hidden. He can’t bless you as long as there’s unrepented sin in your heart.
So eager is God to forgive the repentant heart that His Word says, “The broken and contrite heart He’ll not despise” (Psalm 51:17). But there’s one thing God can’t do, He cannot forgive sins which are not repented of.
God asks obedience to 1 John 1:9, which says: “If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and cleanse us from all unrighteousness.” Sin has to be brought with humility into the light. Confess your sins to the Lord, and oh, how quickly He forgives and cleanses you the moment He sees genuine repentance.
Prayer is hindered when there’s condemnation in your heart—that awful pressure in your soul when you go to pray and you think, “God doesn’t hear me! God doesn’t answer my prayers like He does for other people. I’m not as good as other people. I’m so unworthy!” And that condemnation will definitely hinder your faith and take away your boldness in prayer.
Therefore, by a definite act of confession and repentance, you can clear away all such hindrances, and rid yourself once and for all of condemnation. To the one who, by a definite act of faith, puts his past and every sin beneath the blood of Calvary, there is no condemnation. True, the enemy of God will try to put condemnation in your heart, but if you obey 1 John 1:9, he can’t do so. God’s Word says, “There is therefore now no condemnation to them that are in Christ Jesus” (Romans 8:1). That’s the reason a clean heart is so necessary, so that you can come boldly to the throne of mercy.
The second rung of the ladder of faith is knowledge of God’s Word. I know I have mentioned this many times, but it is so very important. For faith is born in the heart by knowing God’s will for you, which is made known through His Word.
Many times, people say, “Please pray that I can have faith.” But God’s Word tells us that faith comes by hearing the Word of God (Romans 10:17). As you live in the Word of God, faith comes instinctively, and as you learn God’s promises, conviction is born in your heart.
Do you have a real hunger for God’s Word? Or do you just nibble at it once in a great while when something reminds you of it? His Word says, “I found thy words and I did eat them” (Jeremiah 15:16). Some people want everything God has to give them, but they’re not willing to take the time to read what God has to say. Faith is born by reading God’s Word, because there we find the authority that God has given us.
Read God’s promises, commit them to memory. The promises in the Bible are real. I’ve found them to be so practical. I’ve proven them so many times. How I wish I had time to tell you all about it; I know it would strengthen your faith.
But it was not always so. I can remember so well the university that I was attending. We were studying the poetry of the Bible and having as our lesson the 23rd Psalm. And I recall the way our modernist teacher brought out the beauty of the poetry of the Bible. But not once, in all those lessons, did he even hint that the promises of the 23rd Psalm were real, or that they could be appropriated for practical living! He never even hinted that the Lord, as a real Shepherd, would lead us; or that His Word and His will for us would truly become “green pastures.” Neither did he even suggest that we could walk with our Shepherd through life, and that He would bring such peace in our everyday walk that we would indeed be led “beside still waters.”
So, the 23rd Psalm was to me in those days just beautiful poetry and a picture of a lovely rural scene. And many Christians today treat the promises of God as if they were just that—not to be appropriated, not to be put into practical use, but just lovely poetry. But there are riches untold for us in God’s promises—physically, mentally, and spiritually—spiritually most of all, of course—if we would take hold of them! But we must lay hold of them. There they lie in the Word of God, unused by so many, just beautiful poetry, lovely literature.
Oh, what a pity that is when we know what God could do if we would really trust Him and believe His Word. To very few people there comes a deep realization that there is real life in the Word of God. If you’re sick in body, this scripture will mean a great deal to you: “The life of Christ shall be manifest in your mortal body” (2 Corinthians 4:11). And that life is in God’s Word.
When a farmer sows a seed, it’s buried in the bosom of mother earth and warmed there by the great sun. Likewise, when the seed is given to a human mother by the father, it’s warmed by the mother and brings forth life, because there was life in the seed. It’s the same in the spiritual realm. Our Father God gives us the seed of His Word, and it’s warmed by the Holy Spirit and it brings forth life, because there is life in the seed—God’s Word. There’s living, vibrant, abundant life in the Word of God.
Other books have lots of pages and words, but there’s no life in them as there is in the Word of God. The Bible says, “In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us, and we beheld His glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father, full of grace and truth” (John 1:1,14). These verses speak of Christ, the living Word, God manifest in the flesh, the Word coming to earth wrapped about with human flesh.
The Bible is the written Word of God. Christ was the Word manifest in the flesh, but they’re one and the same. And when that Word grows in your heart, that’s life, and it quickens your spirit, soul, and body.
God grant that you will so fill your mind with God’s Word that the Spirit of truth will make you impregnable against the lies of the Devil. God grant that in your hour of any trial, you’ll not waver, but will steadfastly hold on to God’s promises until the victory is gained.
The victory is for you, my friend. Believe the Word of God. May God give you the courage to stand on His Word against every doubt, and with determined importunity, hold on until the promise is fulfilled and you have the desire of your heart. Live in God’s Word, and faith will grow until you can live by the Word of God.
God bless you. He’s still on the throne and prayer changes things.
From a transcript of a Meditation Moments broadcast, adapted. Published on Anchor November 2023. Read by Lenore Welsh.
Copyright © 2023 The Family International

The first time I faced the death of someone I loved was when I was nine years old. My grandmother, who lived with us, became seriously ill. One day she breathed her last breath when my mother and I were alone with her in the house. My mother, who was a believer, immediately began to pray. I did not fully understand what was happening.

My second encounter with death was when my husband passed away. He had contracted cancer. We were fighting the disease for several years, until he left us at the young age of 26.

Needless to say, that experience marked my life heavily. By this time, I’d already had a spiritual experience that led me to believe in a loving God and in Jesus as His representation on earth. My husband was also a believer. It goes without saying that believing in life after death helped us tremendously in coping with cancer in a more positive way, although it was still a very difficult battle.

My Christian beliefs also helped me with the sad outcome when my husband died. At that moment, the only thing I could hold on to was my faith that death was not the end of the road, but the beginning of something new and even better.

Of course, I fell apart at first. How could God take someone away in the prime of his life? And how could I be a widow at age 25? It was a tremendous blow.

What I did then—and still do when I face difficult moments—was to go to the many wonderful promises in God’s Word that talk about death and how it is the entrance to the next world. (You can find a selection of scriptures on this topic below.) I spent days in my room reading and rereading those promises, because that helped me to see the positive side of what had happened, such as he was in a better place, we would see each other again, nothing happens without a purpose, and God has a plan for everything. Slowly, my priorities and the way I saw life were changing.

But the moment I stopped meditating on those promises, my thoughts went to the negative: How could it be that God had taken him? Why did it have to be this way? I was not going to be able to overcome it. The pain felt unbearable and my heart was broken!

Little by little, God started to heal the wound with His balm of love, and through His Word, He was helping me to accept what had happened and to even turn it into something positive in my life. I also found comfort in reading the testimonies in the book Life After Life by Dr. Raymond Moody, and other similar writings.

Romans 8:28 says: “And we know that all things work together for good to those who love God, to those who are the called according to His purpose.” God can use what you’ve been through—including the loss of a loved one—to bring about something very positive in your life, and if you filter your heartache through that verse, you can gain a new perspective.

God is good and He loves you. Trust Him. Believe that heaven is real. Life does not end with death.

Here are some thoughts that helped me to accept death as something natural:

Leaving this life is just like going from one room to another and closing the door.

I am standing on the seashore. A ship spreads her white sails to the morning breeze and starts for the ocean. I stand watching her until she fades on the horizon, and someone at my side says, “She is gone.” Gone where? The loss of sight is in me, not in her. Just at the moment when someone says, “She is gone,” there are others who are watching her coming. Other voices take up the glad shout, “Here she comes!” That is dying.—Henry Van Dyke

I encourage you to trust and believe that, as a born-again believer, your loved one has not disappeared! You will see him or her again. Think of the transformation you see happen with a caterpillar. It seems that when it locks itself in a cocoon, it has died, and it will never be a worm again. But no, it only underwent a transformation and now is a beautiful butterfly full of color. That’s how it is going to be when we die!

* * *

Ecclesiastes 3:1–2: For everything there is a season, and a time for every matter under heaven: a time to be born, and a time to die…

Psalm 116:15: Precious in the sight of the Lord is the death of his saints.

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

Job 1:20–21: Then Job … said, “Naked I came from my mother’s womb, and naked shall I return. The Lord gave, and the Lord has taken away; blessed be the name of the Lord.”

2 Corinthians 4:16–18: So we do not lose heart. Though our outer self is wasting away, our inner self is being renewed day by day. For this light momentary affliction is preparing for us an eternal weight of glory beyond all comparison, as we look not to the things that are seen but to the things that are unseen. For the things that are seen are transient, but the things that are unseen are eternal.

Psalm 23:4: Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil, for you are with me; your rod and your staff, they comfort me.

Romans 14:8: For if we live, we live to the Lord, and if we die, we die to the Lord. So then, whether we live or whether we die, we are the Lord’s.

John 11:26: Everyone who lives and believes in me shall never die. Do you believe this?

John 5:24: Truly, truly, I say to you, whoever hears my word and believes him who sent me has eternal life. He does not come into judgment, but has passed from death to life.

Isaiah 25:8: He will swallow up death forever; and the Lord God will wipe away tears from all faces.

Luke 1:78–79: Because of the tender mercy of our God, whereby the sunrise shall visit us from on high, to give light to those who sit in darkness and in the shadow of death, to guide our feet into the way of peace.

The Greatest Riches

November 28, 2023

A compilation

Audio length: 13:41

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As a child, I loved to visit my grandmother Sabina’s small house in the mountains. Aunt Iota lived next door, so my sister and I would spend our days exploring with our cousins, going to the waterfall, swimming in the river that ran behind the property, or climbing the many mountains in the Mantigueira Ridge. It was heaven on earth for a city girl like me.

Their family didn’t have as much materially as ours did. Once, my cousin Anette said, “I may not be rich in things, but I am rich in my heart, and Grandma told me that is the most important!” That was a new thought for me. Was there another kind of riches other than material ones?

When I first read the Gospels, one of the stories that stood out to me was the one of the jeweler who discovered a pearl of great price and immediately sold all that he had in order to buy it. (See Matthew 13:45–46.) Jesus explained that this pearl was the kingdom of God, and when I read that, I felt a burning in my heart. I too wanted that pearl!

Jesus taught: “Do not lay up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust destroy and where thieves break in and steal; but lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust destroys and where thieves do not break in and steal. For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also” (Matthew 6:19–21). Being from a metropolitan beach city with a high crime rate, I understood that concept very well.

As I matured, I came to understand more clearly that true riches are not things of this earth; they are joy, peace, love, goodness, faith, and all the other real valuables that God wants to give each of us daily. Ours is the easy part, opening our souls to receive His gifts. If our treasures are in heaven, we will experience God’s joy now and in the life to come.—Rosane Pereira

“This is eternal life, that they know you, the only true God, and Jesus Christ whom you have sent” (John 17:3).

Life is not things. Life is knowing God. Jesus told a parable: “The land of a rich man produced plentifully, and he thought to himself, ‘What shall I do, for I have nowhere to store my crops?’ And he said, ‘I will do this: I will tear down my barns and build larger ones, and there I will store all my grain and my goods. And I will say to my soul, Soul, you have ample goods laid up for many years; relax, eat, drink, be merry.’ But God said to him, ‘Fool! This night your soul is required of you, and the things you have prepared, whose will they be?’ So is the one who lays up treasure for himself and is not rich toward God” (Luke 12:16–21).

It is not a bad thing when your “land produces plentifully.” It is not a bad thing when your business prospers. It is not a bad thing to receive a promotion and with it a pay increase. It is not a bad thing when your investments increase in value. That is not the evil in this parable. He is not called a fool for being a productive farmer. God knows this broken world needs productive farmers and profitable businesses.

Why, then, is he called a fool? …

By the way he used the increase of his riches, he gave no indication of being rich toward God. He kept building bigger barns. That might be OK—if you’re storing the grain for a use that shows God is your treasure. But what does the farmer say? Verse 19: “I will say to my soul, ‘Soul, you have ample goods laid up for many years; relax, eat, drink, be merry.’” The use he plans to make of his wealth says one thing: “My treasure is relaxing, eating, drinking, and fun.” That is my life. And the riches in my barns make it possible.

What’s wrong with that? Nothing, if there is no infinitely valuable God and no resurrection. That’s why Paul said in 1 Corinthians 15:32, “If the dead are not raised, ‘Let us eat and drink, for tomorrow we die.’” But there is a God, and there is a resurrection. So what’s wrong with this man’s way of handling his riches is that he fails to use them in a way that shows he treasures God more than riches.

Here’s the key concluding verse that makes the point most clearly (verse 21): “So is the one who lays up treasure for himself and is not rich toward God.” What does it mean to be “rich toward God”? The meaning is plain from the contrast: It is the opposite of laying up earthly treasure for yourself. Being rich toward God is the opposite of treating the self as though it were made for things and not for God. Being rich toward God is the opposite of acting as if life consists in the abundance of possessions, not in the abundance of knowing God.

Being rich toward God, therefore, is the heart being drawn toward God as our riches. …

Again the issue isn’t that the man’s fields prospered. The issue is that God ceased to be his supreme treasure. If God had been his treasure, what would he have done differently? Instead of saying, “Soul, you have ample goods laid up for many years; relax, eat, drink, be merry,” he would have said something like this:

“God, this is all yours. You have made my fields prosper. Show me how to express with my riches that you are my treasure, and the riches are not. I already have enough. … I want the fullest blessing of giving. Because you taught me, Lord, it is ‘more blessed to give than to receive.’” (See Acts 20:35.)—John Piper¹

Temporary success may often crown the efforts of the godless, but even their greatest achievements cannot bring complete satisfaction. That was Solomon’s theme when he said, “the expectation of the wicked shall perish” (Proverbs 10:28). If unrepentant sinners should view their most brilliant accomplishments in the light of eternity, they would find them to be as lasting and as valuable as bursting bubbles.

The 19th-century Bible scholar G. S. Bowes pointed out the ultimate futility of ambition that isn’t accompanied by dedication to God. Citing four powerful world rulers of the past, he wrote:

“Alexander the Great was not satisfied, even when he had completely subdued the nations. He wept because there were no more worlds to conquer, and he died at an early age in a state of debauchery.

“Hannibal, who filled three bushels with the gold rings taken from the knights he had slaughtered, committed suicide by swallowing poison. Few noted his passing, and he left this earth completely unmourned.

“Julius Caesar, staining his garments in the blood of one million of his foes, conquered 800 cities, only to be stabbed by his best friends at the scene of his greatest triumph.

“Napoleon, the feared conqueror, after being the scourge of Europe, spent his last years in banishment.”

No wonder Solomon warned of the poor prospects for anyone who strives to succeed without relying on God.—H.G.B., Our Daily Bread ²

The only things we can keep are the things we freely give to God. What we try to keep for ourselves is just what we’re sure to lose.— C. S. Lewis

Money never made a man happy yet, nor will it. The more a man has, the more he wants. Instead of filling a vacuum, it makes one.—Benjamin Franklin

If you want to feel rich, just count the things you have that money can’t buy.—Author unknown

It is preoccupation with possessions, more than anything else, that prevents us from living freely and nobly.—Bertrand Russell

A man’s bank account doesn’t indicate whether he is rich or poor. It is the heart that makes a man rich. A man is rich according to what he is, not according to what he has.—Henry Ward Beecher

“One’s life does not consist in the abundance of the things he possesses” (Luke 12:15.)

Living, the real thing, doesn’t consist of things, because things cannot truly satisfy. They may temporarily satisfy the body, but they can never satisfy the soul or the spirit of man that cries out to God the Father for the joy and happiness and eternal fulfillment that only He can give.

“Life,” Jesus says, “is more than things.” It’s what’s inside that really counts—love and joy and true happiness in your heart, and peace of mind. The greatest of all riches are yours for the asking. The most valuable thing you can possibly have is Jesus, and He’s the key to all the rest. (See Romans 8:32.)

Whatever this life and this world have to offer, it’s only for a little while. But salvation, souls won, and service for the Lord are forever; they are eternal. “And the world is passing away, and the lust of it; but he who does the will of God abides forever” (1 John 2:17). “For the things which are seen are temporary, but the things which are not seen are eternal” (2 Corinthians 4:18).

Moses esteemed the reproach of Christ greater riches than the treasures in Egypt, which could have been his, because he looked to the reward. (See Hebrews 11:26.) He looked beyond his day and all its problems and temptations and saw Jesus. He had an eye on eternity and its great rewards, and counted the riches of Christ greater than all the riches of Egypt, the richest, most powerful nation on earth in that day, of which he could have been pharaoh. (See Hebrews 11:24–27.)

By giving our all to the Lord, we are going to receive so much more. What a small price to pay for all we’re getting in return!—David Brandt Berg

Published on Anchor November 2023. Read by Gabriel Garcia Valdivieso. Music by Michael Fogarty.

¹ https://www.desiringgod.org/messages/lets-be-rich-toward-god

² https://www.sermonsearch.com/sermon-illustrations/6317/expectations-of-the-wicked-shall-perish

Seek First

November 27, 2023

Treasures

Audio length: 11:21

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When Jesus was preparing His disciples for His imminent death, He reassured them with these words: “If anyone loves me, he will keep my word, and my Father will love him, and we will come to him and make our home with him” (John 14:23). When you invite Jesus into your life, He comes into your heart spiritually and takes up residence in your heart.

We were all lost in our sins before Jesus found us and rescued us in His love. “While we were still sinners, Christ died for us … so that you may belong to another, to Him (Jesus) who has been raised from the dead” (Romans 5:8, 7:4). The Bible expresses this love of God for the people He saves using a marital metaphor: “As the bridegroom rejoices over the bride, so shall your God rejoice over you” (Isaiah 62:5). Such love! No wonder the Apostle John wrote that “we love Him because He first loved us” (1 John 4:19).

But sadly, just as the initial vibrant love in which many marriages are born cools off after a while until the relationship becomes a routine formality, so it sometimes happens with Christians. They forget how much the Lord has done for them, and that first wonderful love they had for Him gradually fades. They neglect to make their relationship with God and His kingdom their first priority, as Jesus taught His followers to do (Matthew 6:33).

Jesus taught His followers how important it was to honor God first and foremost in their lives. He knows that only by putting Him first in our lives are we going to have the strength and conviction to help other people to find Him. He knows that we won’t be committed, strong and fruitful Christians if we are not placing Him at the center of our lives.

What practical steps can we take to not only put Jesus first in our lives, but also to keep Him in that place? It starts with our daily walk with Him. We can commit our day, our time, and our lives to the Lord in prayer and ask Him to guide us in His will. This prayer principle holds true in our everyday work as well. When faced with pressing deadlines, the temptation is often to crowd the Lord out of our lives and concentrate solely on our work. But relegating our relationship with the Lord to a place of lesser priority is not the solution.

The successful inventor and industrialist, Robert G. LeTourneau (1888–1969), was a committed Christian who gave 90% of his income to God and missions, while he and his family lived off the remaining 10%. He is well known for saying, “Put God first, and he’ll take care of everything else.” He once wrote:

“By accepting God as your partner, no limit can be placed on what can be achieved. But God is no remote partner, satisfied if you go to church on Sunday and drop some religious money—the small change that goes to church—on the platter. He isn’t overwhelmed if you read the Bible once in a while and obey the Golden Rule. That isn’t active Christianity, but just a half-hearted way of getting along. When you go into partnership with God, you’ve got a Partner closer and more active than any human partner you can ever get. He participates fully in everything you let Him do” (Movers of Men and Mountains).

Another famous Christian who gave God first place in his life and everyday decisions was William Gladstone, who was England’s prime minister four times and was one of the most famous British political leaders of the 1800s. The story is told of how every day as he went up the steps of the parliament building, he would stop and share the Good News with the little newsboy there.

But one day as he and his secretary were going into parliament, another little newsboy rushed up to them, exclaiming, “Please, sir, you know the boy who sells you papers here? Yesterday he was run over by a carriage, and he’s badly hurt. He’s going to die, and he’s asking for you to come and get him in.” The prime minister questioned, “What do you mean, ‘get him in’?” The lad replied, “You know, get him in to heaven!”

His secretary, however, protested, “You don’t have time to go see a dying newsboy! You know how important your speech today is. It could change the course of history!”

Gladstone hesitated only a moment, then said, “One immortal soul is worth more than my speech in parliament.” So off to the little garret he went, where the newsboy lay crushed and dying on a rough mat in the corner. With tears streaming down his face, Gladstone led the boy in a prayer to receive Jesus as his Lord and Savior. The newsboy looked up into the great man’s face and whispered, “I knew you’d come. Thank you for getting me in.” Then he closed his eyes and went to be with Jesus.

Great Christians are great not only because of their service to God, but also because of their close relationship and fellowship with Him. The more they grow in their faith and walk with the Lord, the more like Him they become. Unfortunately, a common mistake we can make as Christians is to become so engrossed in the work of the Lord that we neglect the Lord of the work! Jesus says, “He who abides in Me, and I in him, bears much fruit; for without Me you can do nothing” (John 15:5).

We cannot do the Master’s work without the Master’s power, and to receive His power, we must spend time with the Master. Sometimes we get so busy serving Him, we forget to love Him! God appreciates the service we offer Him and He needs it, but He wants our attention and adoration and intimate communication too.

The Bible tells us the story of two sisters, Mary and Martha. When Jesus came to visit, Mary “sat at Jesus’ feet and heard His word. But Martha was cumbered about with much serving.” Martha was weighed down, so busy serving the Lord that she didn’t have time to listen to the Lord. So Jesus gently chided her and said, “Martha, Martha, you are worried and troubled about many things. But one thing is needed, and Mary has chosen that good part, which will not be taken away from her” (Luke 10:39–42).

To neglect your fellowship with the King of kings can be disastrous to your spiritual life and walk with the Lord. Placing Jesus first in our lives not only involves His work in sharing the gospel with others and leading people to Him, but also putting His Word first in our life. In fact, the Bible says that Jesus is the Word. “In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God and the Word was God. And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us” (John 1:1, 14). What’s more, Jesus said, “The words that I speak to you are spirit, and they are life” (John 6:63). God’s Word is food for the soul, and it’s essential to our spiritual growth.

We also put Jesus first in our lives through prayer. We can do so by taking prayer time every morning to start the day off right. When you first wake up, before talking to anybody, talk to Jesus first. Commit your day to Him, cast all your cares on Him, and ask Him to direct your path that day.

Take the time to read His Word in the Bible and seek His guidance to strengthen your faith for the day. We all need a daily dose of God’s Word and prayer to be prepared for whatever we may face in a day. On the one hand, Jesus says, “Without Me you can do nothing,” but on the other hand, the Bible says, “I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me” (Philippians 4:13). That strength starts by seeking God through prayer and the reading of His Word.

Do you have Jesus and His Word and prayer in the proper perspective in your life? Do you give them first place? Or do you let other things crowd God and His Word into second or third place? In every area of our lives, we are called to put God in first place and to commit all things to Him in prayer and worship (Philippians 4:6–7). The Bible tells us to “Rejoice always, pray without ceasing, give thanks in all circumstances; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you” (1 Thessalonians 5:16–18).

Jesus said, “Do not be anxious, saying, ‘What shall we eat?’ or ‘What shall we drink?’ or ‘What shall we wear?’ Your heavenly Father knows that you need these things.” And He went on to say: “But seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness, and all these things will be added to you” (Matthew 6:31–33). To “seek first” means to put God and His kingdom first and foremost in our lives, above everything else.

Are you seeking the kingdom of God first and doing your part to share the gospel or to support others who do so? You’ll never lose by seeking first the kingdom of God!

Only one life, ’twill soon be past.
Only what’s done for Christ will last.
—C. T. Studd (1860–1931)

From an article in Treasures, published by the Family International in 1987. Adapted and republished November 2023. Read by Reuben Ruchevsky.

06 The Second Coming of Jesus Christ

Book of the Future, Part 6

Book of the Future

Compiled from the writings of David Brandt Berg

1983-03-28

“For yet a little while, and He that shall come will come, and will not tarry” (Hebrews 10:37).

The rule and reign of the Antichrist is going to look like the final triumph of man without God. It will look as if God has been defeated, and the church will look as if it’s been destroyed. But what the Antichrist and his forces are not counting on is the supernatural, omnipotent power of God! God is going to get His greatest victory out of the seeming greatest of all defeats.

Just at the hour when the fiendish Antichrist thinks he has everything under control, at last he’s worshipped by the whole world and he “sitteth in the temple of God, as God, showing himself that he is God” (2 Thessalonians 2:4), suddenly like a bolt from the blue, Jesus comes and snatches all of His children out of this world.—All believers who refused the Mark of the Beast in either their forehead or their hand and refused to worship him, but preferred to love and live and even die for Jesus.

Just after that darkest hour in world history will come the brightest dawn. Jesus is going to come back and rescue His own, His church, His people, all those who love Him and know Him and have Him in their hearts, who believe He is the Son of God, the Messiah. He’s going to come back and He’s going to rescue His own out of this world. He’s going to say, “Stop the world! I want them to get off.” And they that are alive and remain are going to be caught up together with Him in the clouds, to meet the Lord in the air, and so shall we ever be with the Lord (1 Thessalonians 4:17).

We will rise in immortal victory over the forces of the Devil and the Antichrist, right before their eyes, out of their reach forever as we rise to be with Jesus. So, beloved, although the outlook for us in this world and our future here could hardly be darker, the uplook could hardly be brighter or more glorious! As the world gets worse and worse in those days and the fires of hell get hotter and hotter, His children are going to have to keep fleeing from that old Dragon and his crowd (Revelation 12), until one of these days He’s going to stop the world so we can get off. Praise God!

Jesus’ Second Coming is the major prophetic endtime event for Christians, as it will signify the end of this world as we now know it, as well as our place in it in these present physical bodies. Following His Coming will be our complete translation and Rapture as we’re caught up together with Him in the air and taken off into heavenly places. His Coming is the pivotal point, the end of this present life and work on earth, when “time shall be no more” for us, and we will enter the great eternal now (Revelation 10:6–7).

The times and seasons of the Second Coming

According to the scriptures we covered in our previous chapter on the Antichrist, the coming of the Lord marks the end of the Great Tribulation, that last three and a half years of the Antichrist’s seven-year reign, during which time all Christians and believers in God will be hounded, hunted, persecuted, and even killed by the bestial Antichrist and his anti-God forces.

But thank God, He has a set time and schedule for the return of His Son, Jesus Christ, to this earth to rescue His people. He’s going to come right on the button, just like these space launches which have a pre-set countdown. Only there aren’t going to be any problems to delay His countdown. Jesus is going to fulfill His Word. You can rest assured that He is not going to change plans and come contrary to all the things that He taught and that the prophets and the apostles wrote. He is not going to misfire, but is going to fulfill the specific, detailed prophecies of His Word regarding endtime events which must come to pass before He returns.

The final countdown to Christ’s Second Coming will start after the Antichrist has been revealed as the great world leader who “confirms the covenant with many for seven years” regarding Jerusalem and Jewish temple worship (Daniel 9:27). It’ll be exactly 1,260 days until he breaks it and abolishes it and begins the “Great Tribulation” period by setting himself and his image up in the holy place to be worshipped, and commanding that everybody receive his Mark in their forehead or hand. (For more details on this covenant and the Great Tribulation period, see part 4, “The Rise and Reign of the Antichrist.”)

Jesus Himself said, “When ye therefore shall see the abomination of desolation, spoken of by Daniel the prophet, stand in the holy place, then shall be Great Tribulation, such as was not since the beginning of the world to this time, no, nor ever shall be” (Matthew 24:15,21). When that image of the antichrist is set up in the temple at Jerusalem in the midst of that seven-year covenant period, then will begin the Great Tribulation period for which His Word gives us the exact 3½-year length over and over again in so many different ways that you cannot possibly misunderstand it—three and a half years (Daniel 7:25; 9:27; 12:7; Revelation 12:14), 42 months (Revelation 11:2; 13:5), 1,260 days (Revelation 11:3; 12:6). It is repeated so many times in so many different ways—days, months, and years—so that we can know exactly how long it’s going to last.

Why do you suppose the Lord revealed this so specifically and so exactly in His Word? Because it’s going to be such a terrible time that we’re going to be counting the days. That’s one thing that will help to keep you going, to know that it is not going to last much longer. The fact that you’re able to count the days is going to be tremendously encouraging. “Look up,” He says, “for your redemption draweth nigh” (Luke 21:28).

“The sign of the Son of Man” (Matthew 24:30)

Jesus warned us not to expect His return any sooner than has been predicted. He also warned that there will be false Christs and false prophets who will try to deceive people into thinking either that they are Christ or that Christ is coming nearby somewhere, that He is here or there. “If any man shall say unto you, Lo, here is Christ, or there; believe it not. For there shall arise false Christs, and false prophets, and shall show great signs and wonders; insomuch that, if it were possible, they shall deceive the very elect” (Matthew 24:23–24).

“Wherefore if they shall say unto you, Behold, He is in the desert; go not forth: behold, He is in the secret chambers; believe it not” (Matthew 24:26). He says, “Don’t believe any of them, because when I come, you’ll know it.” The sky will light up like permanent lightning from one end to the other, and there will be such a sign in the heavens that you couldn’t possibly mistake the fact that Jesus is coming.

“For as the lightning cometh out of the east, and shineth even unto the west; so shall also the coming of the Son of Man be” (Matthew 24:27). He says there’s going to be light shining from the east to the west in the sky like lightning. The whole sky’s going to light up and stay lit when Jesus comes, while we’re gathered up to meet Him in the air, and the whole world is going to watch it.

“For wheresoever the carcass is, there will the eagles be gathered together” (Matthew 24:28). He’s speaking in cryptic, very puzzling language, saying, “Wherever the body is, there are those going to be that feed on Christ.” A rather unsavory comparison that we, like vultures, feed upon the body of Christ. But He said, “Except you eat of My flesh and drink of My blood, you’re not going to have any part in Me” (John 6:53–58). So here He’s speaking of our gathering together or Rapture unto Him.

And that’s the surest way you’re going to know when Jesus comes, because you’re going to be there. Wherever you are, you’re going to be drawn like a magnet, like the eagles to the carcass, like vultures to the body, as those who have to eat and feed upon Christ to live spiritually. Wherever the carcass is, there will all of us little eagles be gathered together.

“Immediately after the tribulation of those days shall the sun be darkened, and the moon shall not give her light, and the stars shall fall from heaven, and the powers of the heavens shall be shaken: And then shall appear the sign of the Son of Man in heaven: and then shall all of the tribes of the earth mourn, and they shall see the Son of Man coming in the clouds of heaven with power and great glory. And He shall send His angels with a great sound of a trumpet, and they shall gather together His elect from the four winds, from one end of heaven to the other” (Matthew 24:29–31).

What could be more cataclysmic, catastrophic, noisy, dramatic, terrific, and more obvious than the coming of the Lord as described here by Jesus Himself? The whole sky will be lit up like lightning, the saved of all ages will be literally “gathered together” in the air, the sun and the moon will be darkened and meteors will be falling, and Jesus Himself will appear in the atmospheric heavens, causing the unsaved to mourn and weep as they see His coming in the clouds “with power and great glory.”

“But of the times and the seasons, brethren, ye have no need that I write unto you. For yourselves know perfectly that the day of the Lord so cometh as a thief in the night. For when they shall say, Peace and safety; then sudden destruction cometh upon them, as travail upon a woman with child; and they shall not escape” (1 Thessalonians 5:1–3).

It will be like a sudden destruction, suddenly, without warning. Their false prophets have been telling them, “Everything’s okay now; you don’t have to worry about anything. We have our world government, we have our Antichrist, we have our messiah, we have our superman to run the world now, and everything’s going to be okay. Peace and safety.” And then sudden destruction hits them. Jesus returns, rescues His Bride, and God begins pouring out His final wrath and judgments on the Antichrist’s world empire.

“But ye, brethren, are not in darkness, that that day (of Christ’s Second Coming) should overtake you as a thief” (1 Thessalonians 5:4). Christians who know His Word and have “discerned the signs of the times” (Matthew 16:3) are not going to be surprised. You may not know the precise day or hour, but you’ll certainly know when approximately 3½ years has passed after the placing of the abomination of desolation, and will be looking for and anxiously awaiting Jesus’ return.

“Ye are all the children of light and the children of the day: we are not of the night, nor of darkness. Therefore let us not sleep, as do others; but let us watch and be sober. For they that sleep, sleep in the night; and they that be drunken are drunken in the night. But let us, who are of the day, be sober, putting on the breastplate of faith and love; and for an helmet, the hope of salvation” (1 Thessalonians 5:5–8).

Jesus’ magnificent Second Coming won’t catch His children by surprise, like a thief in the night, as it will the rest of the world. They won’t be expecting it. They’ll be surprised, especially when Jesus comes. They will be shocked when they see the graves open and the bodies of the dead rise in the Resurrection. And the people they’ve been persecuting and trying to kill and torture and imprison, trying to make them take their Mark of the Beast and worship his image, will suddenly rise up in the air.

It says that “They shall see the Son of Man coming in the clouds of heaven with power and great glory” (Matthew 24:30). Our rapture, our resurrection, is part of our triumph, our God-given victory, our great exodus from this world. In Revelation it says, “Behold, He cometh with clouds; and every eye shall see Him” (1:7). That’s going to be our great, glorious day of victory when we rise right out of the hands of our persecutors and the forces of the Antichrist. What greater witness could there be than the Resurrection and the Rapture? That’s the final witness, when they actually see Jesus and see us rise from the dead and from the earth to meet Him in the air.

“And all kindreds of the earth shall wail because of Him” (Revelation 1:7). Then they’ll know that they have been wrong. They’ll know that Jesus has come to rescue us and to save us out of their persecution and the terrible tribulation that they have caused us.

Don’t let anyone fool you with the so-called “secret rapture” doctrine. When Jesus comes, this world is going to know about it. Suddenly the sun’s going to be darkened and the stars shall fall from heaven. On the day side of the earth the sun will be darkened, and on the night side of the earth the moon shall not give her light and the stars will be falling. No matter whether it’s day or night, no matter which side of the earth you’re on, there are going to be signs in the sky, signs in the heavens. God’s going to blot out all the other lights so that Jesus can shine.

“And the powers of the heavens shall be shaken” (Matthew 24:29). There’ll be a great earthquake. Let me tell you, people will know something’s happening. They’ll see the whole sky light up with permanent lightning from one end to the other, and then Jesus is going to appear in the clouds of heaven in power and great glory. The whole world’s going to know something very unusual and very apocalyptic is happening. It’s going to be the Apocalypse—the revelation of Jesus Christ Himself coming in the clouds.

“Then shall appear the sign of the Son of Man in heaven, and then shall all the tribes of the earth mourn, and they shall see the Son of Man coming in the clouds of heaven with power and great glory” (Matthew 24:30). Lights. Trumpets. Voices. Thunder. Earthquakes. Noises. Dead rising from the graves. Live saints rising from the ground, floating right up through the ceilings and the buildings and the cars and right up into the clouds to be with Jesus. That’s no secret rapture. (to be continued)

Sanctification

David Brandt Berg

1980-04-01

The word “saint” is a noun from the same word from which we get “sanctify,” and that comes from a Greek word meaning “to be sanctified,” to be washed clean. The meaning goes even further than that; it is to be washed clean and set aside in a clean place, like you wash the dishes.

There’s a name for those who are so washed and set aside for the Master’s use. Obviously if you washed them and set them aside, it’s for a purpose. For what purpose? To stay that way forever? To be used again. They have to get dirty again and they have to be washed and set aside again and again and again. So the process of sanctification—entire sanctification, as the Holiness people call it—really in a way has several phases or stages repeated over and over again.

Holiness people teach that it’s a one-time thing. They go through this experience of entire sanctification; the Pentecostals call it the baptism of the Holy Spirit. Again we have the word “baptism” there, which signifies washing. Only this time by the fire of the Spirit, so to speak, purified, purged by the power of the Lord. They teach that it is once and it’s over with forever. Baptists teach that it has to be constantly repeated, that you’ve got to keep being washed. The fact of the matter is they’re both right!

What did Jesus say to Peter when at first Peter refused to let Him wash his feet? “If I wash you not, you have no part in Me” (John 13:8). He said, “If you don’t let Me wash your feet, you’re not one of Mine, Peter.” Peter was an extremist, so he immediately said, “Not my feet only, but my hands and my head.” First he wouldn’t even let Him wash his feet; next thing he wants Him to give him a full bath! He goes from one extreme to another.

Peter was a real extremist! He was a man of great force; he was impulsive, impetuous. He was quite a character. If I had a favorite disciple of all Jesus’ disciples, I think I would just about choose Peter because he was so funny, sometimes he was absolutely ridiculous. You could laugh out loud at some of his antics, and sometimes he made you want to cry, you felt so sorry for him, when he denied the Lord and went out and wept. But the Lord loved him.

Did you ever notice what the Lord said after He rose from the dead? He said, “Go tell the disciples and Peter” (Mark 16:7). Why did He say that? Wasn’t Peter a disciple? Had he lost his salvation through his denial of Christ? Why do you suppose He said “and Peter”? To encourage him. Peter probably thought he had lost his salvation. He probably thought he’d forfeited his discipleship through his denial. The Lord wanted to let him know he was still a disciple.

The love of the Lord, the mercy of Jesus! Isn’t that beautiful? My grandfather used to preach a whole sermon on that. “And Peter,” it was called, bringing out how much the Lord loved him to reassure him that when He called for His disciples to come, He wanted to see them all and manifest Himself. They hadn’t all seen Him yet. He said “and Peter” because He wanted to reassure Peter that he was forgiven.

When Peter said, “Wash me all over, wash my head too,” what did the Lord say? “He that is washed needeth not save to wash his feet, but is clean every whit” (John 13:10). He was speaking symbolically, spiritually. He was as good as telling Peter, “I’ve already washed you entirely. Now I just need to wash your feet, that’s all.”

When you were saved, you were washed from all your sins, and by faith, all your future sins too. But in this process of sanctification, you wash the dish. Then it’s used and in the process of use, it gets dirty, so it has to be washed again.

Jesus was carrying on a simple ceremony which had deep spiritual significance. He was telling Peter, “You’ve been washed once and for all and really in a way forever, but I still have to keep washing you a little bit to keep you clean.” Daily! Is there ever a day that passes that we don’t sin? No, none of us are perfect. How often do we miss the mark? How often do we make a mistake? Even a mistake is a sin, in a way, missing the mark. So the Lord has to constantly be cleaning us. Every day He has to cleanse us. We’re human, we’re in these vile bodies of flesh, and daily He has to cleanse us—our minds, our thoughts, our bodies, our actions, our words!

So sanctification is both a one-time thing and a constant process, and both of these schools of thought that have argued over this theological doctrine for centuries, whether it was once and for all or whether it was continuous, are both right. And another thing I’m quite convinced is that the sanctification that Paul’s talking about is not at all the baptism of the Holy Spirit, but salvation.

The Holiness people spend most of their lives trying to get sanctified, which to them means to be made pure and sinless and perfect, to never sin again, and of course they never make it. Actually what they’re talking about has already happened. They have already been sanctified, they have already been saved. The pity of it is, they don’t know it, they’re never sure of it. Eternal insecurity!

There are many religions in which you have to partly save yourself and it partly depends on your own works. If it even depends on one little tiny work, then it’s a work religion. But we know that Jesus did it all, “The blood of Jesus Christ cleanses us from all sin” (1 John 1:7). It has cleansed us from all past sin, it cleanses us from sins every day, and from all future sin as well, otherwise we’d never make it. It’s Christ’s work that’s already done, and yet it’s constantly being done by Him daily.

As Mary Baker Eddy (the founder of Christian Science) said about sin, “Every fall in a way is a fall upward.” She was trying to say that we even learn by our mistakes. So therefore we even learn by our sins too, don’t we? That’s why she said every fall with a saint is a fall upward. Because even though we make a mistake, we learn by it.

So according to that, if you have been sanctified by the Lord and His blood and salvation, the noun for a person so sanctified is a saint! As you put the sanctified dish, washed, cleaned, and dried, back on the shelf, it’s only temporarily on the shelf, right? It was sanctified, so now it’s become a saint.

It’s not going to stay clean very long; it gets dirty again. But actually underneath it’s always clean. It just has to be washed off a little bit. That was what the Lord was trying to show Peter through that experience, that the major work had been done. He was now a saved sinner, a saint, and cleansed once and for all, past, present, and future.

Using Humor to Get Through the Best and Worst of Times

November 24, 2023

Focus on the Family with Kenn Kington

Comedian Kenn Kington tells a poignant story about the cancer journey of his three-year-old daughter Kennedy. Kenn emphasizes the importance of trusting God, and encourages listeners to take initiative and be the hands and feet of Jesus to help those who are hurting.

Run time for this video is 26 minutes.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uh6YzdtXTa0

Note: This is a continuation of the first part, so it starts a little abruptly.

In part one, Kenn pokes fun at the differences between men and women, and offers delightful examples of the ways people mangle the English language. It doesn’t have devotional content, but would be fun relaxation. Run time is 24 minutes. (If you’re planning to watch both parts, you may want to watch them in order.)

A Thankful Heart: A Thanksgiving Message

Dan Weaver-White

2018-11-21

As we all busily prepare for Thanksgiving each year, we find ourselves using words like thankful and grateful. They seem to flow out of our mouths with such ease that it seems that we use them every single day. There is something about preparing the biggest meal of the year and gathering with our friends and families that puts the words thankful and grateful at the forefront of our minds. When we gather together on Thanksgiving, many of us relay to others all of the blessings that we have in our lives. We go around the table and each person recites his list of things for which he is thankful. In school, we encourage our students to tell us what they are thankful for, and in our churches we sing songs and give testimonials about all the blessings that we have received from God. We seem to think that it would not be Thanksgiving if we did not go through this yearly ritual.

Being thankful on Thanksgiving is a hugely important thing to do, but often once the turkey is eaten, the pumpkin pie has been sliced, and the dishes are washed, we go back to not being as thankful as we know we should be. It is not that we do not have anything to be thankful for, but the ordinariness of our lives and the negative things of the world begin to quickly weigh us down again, and we find ourselves focusing more on the negative things associated with this life than the positive things.

Having a thankful heart and being grateful for all that we have should not be something that we do once or twice a year. It should be a way of life for all of us. When we have a grateful heart, we have more peace in our lives. When we have a grateful heart, we have less negativity in our lives, and we see events and situations in a different light. When we live our lives with a thankful heart, we feel lighter and happier. We feel that life has meaning and that we can overcome all the obstacles that come our way.

I know that in my own life there have been times when it has been a struggle for me to think of something that I am grateful for, but looking back on the valleys of my life now, I can see that there certainly were many things to be grateful for. If the valleys of life do nothing more for us, they teach us just how much we have to be thankful for. Of course, the valleys of life teach us far more than that. They teach us to have faith, to be strong, and to lean on God. They show us that God is still in the miracle- making, prayer-answering business, and soon we realize that had we not walked through the valley we would not have all the blessings that we now have.

I, like so many people, become very reflective during this time of year, and I have increasingly found myself being thankful for the valleys in my life. When we gather on Thanksgiving, we find ourselves being thankful for the same things year after year. The things that we list are so very important, and they certainly are blessings from God that we should be thankful for, but maybe we should try something a little different this year.

Maybe in addition to reciting our usual list of things for which we are thankful, we should find ourselves reflecting more on the things that we did not think were blessings when they first occurred. Maybe we should say that we are thankful for the valleys and turbulent times in our lives. Maybe we should say that we are thankful for the pain that we endured this year, be it physical, mental, or emotional. Maybe we should list the times we have been disheartened or depressed as a blessing that happened to us this year. I believe that if we all would do this, we would see just how far we have come because of those trials. I believe we would see how much God was with us during those times, and I believe that other people would begin to see their own struggles in a very different way. When they see that we can actually be thankful for the valleys in our own lives, they will begin to see the valleys of their lives differently.

We have all been called to bring light to the world. We have all been called to show what miracles God is capable of doing, and sharing our struggles and being truly thankful for them is one of the many ways that we can answer our calling. Being thankful for the struggles in this life and realizing that with God’s help we can overcome those struggles and be better, stronger people because of them will help all of us live every day with a grateful heart. We will find ourselves sharing what we are grateful for, not just on Thanksgiving Day, but every day that we live. Being grateful and truly living with an attitude of thankfulness will lead to peace, and peace matters.

The 5 Super Foods That Make Thanksgiving

November 22, 2023

By Steve Graves

Can you remember the first television show you saw that featured food and cooking? Although the official Food Network did not start until April 19, 1993, there were a few early cooks in the kitchen broadcasting their savory delights. For example, Julia Child released a television special February 11, 1963, on how to make an omelette.

If there ever was a holiday built around the kitchen, it is Thanksgiving. And if there ever was a cultural quality in need of widespread revival, it is a thankful heart. Somewhere along the road to rugged individualism, many of us outgrew gratefulness. So, in the spirit of Thanksgiving recipes, I have listed five ingredients that are 100% organic and will help grow a healthy, thankful heart.

Reflection: An honest parade of the past

Our Western world isn’t very good at reflection. We’re too busy enjoying the present or strategizing for the future or getting things done. The ability to stop, think deeply and drink in the days behind us is not a natural muscle set for most of us. Everything is about efficiency, productivity, and winning.

Thanksgiving, however, requires reflection. Look back and thank God for the things He has done for you—the people He has put in your life, the experiences He has given you, the heights you saw, and the depths you learned from. You don’t have to get handcuffed to nostalgia, but looking back can be such a powerful spice for the heart.

Humility: Get my photo off center stage

I’m not talking about a “humble brag,” as in the old, “I can’t believe I made CEO at 27. I was just trying to do my job as well as I could.” I’m talking about real humility, humility like Tim Keller defines it (referencing C. S. Lewis) in his phenomenal (and short) book The Freedom of Self-Forgetfulness: “Humility isn’t thinking less of yourself. It’s thinking of your self less.” [Editor: The quote is actually from Rick Warren, but C. S. Lewis also wrote eloquently on humility.]

I’m honestly not sure how it all works, but it does. Sit quietly and listen to your kids laugh, watch your direct reports solve a big problem on their own, facilitate the praise of a peer, and without even trying, you will find yourself becoming more thankful. Thankful for what God is doing with, in, and for someone else. Thankful that you even get to ride along with Him a bit. Thankful that He lets you watch.

Appreciation: Especially for the small stuff

Here’s a practice to try for the rest of November; at the end of the day, as you lie in bed about to go to sleep, review your day. Take 3 minutes and mentally work through your day. Every time you remember something good, give thanks for it. Every time you remember a failure, face it and move on.

The practice of saying “thank you” for small things makes you realize how many seemingly small blessings actually play a huge role in the presence of joy in your life. We often price or size ourselves out of appreciation. In other words, if the gifts don’t keep growing, and the value doesn’t keep increasing, we are not immediately appreciative.

Sifting: Strain out the poison

Have you ever put the wrong ingredient in a recipe? A pinch of the wrong thing can totally ruin the entire blueberry coffee cake. Or, have you ever pulled out the bread to make a sandwich and you notice a green spot of mold staring at you? Certain things creep into our thinking or even our behavior that dramatically poison the thankful heart. Here are a couple of reminders:

This is what the Lord says: The wise man must not boast in his wisdom; the strong man must not boast in his strength; the wealthy man must not boast in his wealth. But the one who boasts should boast in this, that he understands and knows Me.—Jeremiah 9:23–24

Finally brothers, whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is just, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is commendable—if there is any moral excellence and if there is any praise—dwell on these things.—Philippians 4:8

Contentment: Focus on what I have, not what I don’t

I’ve been an entrepreneur for three decades now, so I know from firsthand experience the craving for something new, something else, something more. It’s not bad to look to improve things, but chronic dissatisfaction kills thanksgiving. We spend so much time focusing on what we don’t have (bigger income, better boss, newer house and stuff in it, etc.) that we never just sit grateful with what we do have.

It’s like Peppermint Patty says in A Charlie Brown Thanksgiving, ”What kind of a Thanksgiving is this, Chuck? Where’s the turkey? Where’s the mashed potatoes? Where’s the cranberry sauce? Where’s the pumpkin pie?”

Thanksgiving is just a day, but it is a day that pushes us to God. The opposite is what G. K. Chesterton, paraphrasing an earlier British poet, described when he wrote, “The worst moment for an atheist is when he is really thankful and has no one to thank.” If you’ll let it, Thanksgiving has the potential to change your life and connect you to God as never before.

https://www.stephenrgraves.com/blog/the-5-super-foods-that-make-thanksgiving

Little Things Make a Big Difference

November 21, 2023

A compilation

Audio length: 11:23

Download Audio (10.4MB)

Matthew 17:20 says, “If you have faith as small as the mustard seed, nothing will be impossible to you.” That’s not a lot of faith; in fact, it’s just a little faith. But what else does that verse teach? “If you have faith as the mustard seed, you can say to the mountain, ‘Move,’ and it will be moved.”

Mustard seed faith moves mountains. Don’t get this reversed. We like to read this verse backward. We want it to say, “If you have faith like a mountain you can move a mustard seed”—as if it takes enormous faith to do a very little task. …

God wants you to start with the faith you have, and based on the example of the mustard seed, you don’t need a whole lot of faith to do great things for God. You just need a little.

So here’s a trustworthy equation:
Little faith + Big God = Huge results

You take your little faith; “Lord, I believe! Help me with my unbelief!” and you put it in our big God. And then he’ll show you how he works out huge results.—Rick Warren¹

The Parable of the Mustard Seed is a short one: “The kingdom of heaven is like a mustard seed, which a man took and planted in his field. Though it is the smallest of all seeds, yet when it grows, it is the largest of garden plants and becomes a tree, so that the birds come and perch in its branches” (Matthew 13:31–32). …

In this parable, Jesus predicts the amazing growth of the kingdom of heaven. The mustard seed is quite small, but it grows into a large shrub—up to ten feet in height—and Jesus says this is a picture of kingdom growth. The point of the Parable of the Mustard Seed is that something big and blessed—the kingdom of God—had humble beginnings. How significant could the short ministry of Christ be? He had but a handful of followers, He was a man of no rank and without means, and He lived in what everyone considered a backwater region of the world.

The life and death of Christ did not catch the world’s attention any more than a mustard seed would lying on the ground by the road. But this was a work of God. What seemed inconsequential at first grew into a movement of worldwide influence, and no one could stop it. (See Acts 5:38–39.) The influence of the kingdom in this world would be such that everyone associated with it would find a benefit—pictured as the birds perched on the branches of the mature mustard plant.—GotQuestions.org²

Isn’t it easy to overlook small opportunities to help others because we don’t think it would make a real difference?

Little acts of kindness, chances to help another person, will pass us right by if we’re not carefully paying attention.

These things might seem meaningless, but when we get to heaven, I think we will be surprised by what mattered the most. What actually changed the world. What fulfilled the purposes for which we were created. The small places we showed up and served in obedience will prompt Jesus to say, “Well done. Remember when you took the time to share encouraging words with someone who needed them? That’s the day you helped change the world.”…

God has the most beautiful, powerful ability to take the little we have, offered to Him in obedience, and magnify it for His glory in a big way.

I also know when you feel unseen, unheard, and unnoticed, it can feel incredibly hard to muster up encouraging words for others. However, no matter what we may be facing, we have an opportunity not to overlook the small, mustard-seed opportunities where we can invest in others—in heaven—today.

Here’s what I want you to try with me:

If you feel unseen, help one person feel seen by reminding them how uniquely beautiful and gifted they are today.
If you feel unheard, help one person feel heard by holding space to listen when they’re speaking to you, and prayerfully ask God how you can encourage them.
If you feel unnoticed, help one person feel noticed by honoring the amazing little things they do every single day to make the world a better place.

And why do all of this? Because I’ve found as we purposefully ease the ache in others, we will see it is beautifully eased in us. …

It doesn’t have to be big to be significant. We can show up, listen, and lean in. We can pray. We don’t have to push or prove or earn anything. We can plan something joyful. We can plan for some moments that matter. We can plan to do something for another person that will simply be kind and honor God. …

And sometimes God is inviting us to be a part of great things He is doing all around us, but we may miss the invitation because of its appearance of smallness or insignificance. … Each day we can look for His invitation to leave our plans behind to join Him in His wondrous work through small steps of obedience.

Let’s start with the people right in front of us today. And watch how God turns something small into something big and beautiful in His timing.—Lysa TerKeurst³

If you ever wonder if you’re too small to be of help to someone, remember that there are many small things that make a big difference. A little bee has an important job of helping to pollinate plants. A little acorn can grow into a large oak tree. It takes many tiny grains of sand to cover the beaches, and many small nails to build a big house. A little smile can brighten the hardest of days.

Little things matter! Even if you feel insignificant, you can make a difference. Look around and see what you can do to bring a little bit of cheer, happiness, help, and love to someone else. Say a kind word, be thoughtful in your actions, and show others you care. All of these little things are important, and so are you! Everybody has something special that can be used to help others. No matter how little you are, remember that even little things have a part to play!—Shanna Landon

Be encouraged today. God is not calling you to bigger or better or more extraordinary. He is calling you to Himself. And He wants to take the small and the little and seemingly unimportant things in your life and inject them with His eternal glory. We do not need to be anxious, pressured souls. So rest in your commonness, your ordinariness, your smallness. We are but dust. Oh, but He, He is worthy of all praise and honor and glory and power, and He inhabits your dust, and He will fill you with His glory.—Diane Langberg

Published on Anchor November 2023. Read by John Laurence. Music by John Listen.

¹ https://pastors.com/little-faith-big-god-huge-results.

² https://www.gotquestions.org/parable-mustard-seed.html.

³ https://proverbs31.org/read/devotions/full-post/2022/12/29/planting-small-seeds-that-reap-big-rewards.

God in Three Persons: The Trinity

November 20, 2023

By Peter Amsterdam

Audio length: 13:02

Download Audio (11.9MB)

For the uninitiated, the impression could be that Christianity believes in three Gods—the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit. But that’s not the case. Christians believe that there is only one God. The doctrine that explains the concept of how the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit are one God is called the doctrine of the Trinity.

This doctrine explains that God has always existed as three persons in one being. This is very different from humans, as we exist as one person in one being—we are uni-personal. God exists as a tri-personal being—three persons, each distinct from the other, the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit—and yet one being. While God is tri-personal, each of the persons is fully God, having all of the attributes and the complete essence of God.

Our experience as human beings is that where you have a person, you also have a distinct individual essence. Every person we know is a distinct and separate entity, in whom human nature is individualized. But in God there aren’t three individuals alongside of, and separate from, one another. Rather, there is one divine being, one essence, with three personal self-distinctions.

The concept of three persons in one God was not something that was explicitly expressed in the Old Testament, though there are Old Testament verses which infer that there is more than one person in God. The understanding of the three persons in one God became clearer in the New Testament because of the life, death, and resurrection of Jesus, and the outpouring of the Holy Spirit on the believers. The followers of Jesus came to understand that Jesus was God, but was distinct from the Father, and that the Holy Spirit was also God, but was distinct from the Father and the Son. So it was in New Testament times that the truth of the Trinity unfolded and was revealed.

While the Old Testament does not reveal that God is a triune being, some Old Testament passages do speak in a manner that suggests that God is more than one person: “Then God said, ‘Let us make man in our image, after our likeness’” (Genesis 1:26). “Then the Lord God said, ‘Behold, the man has become like one of us in knowing good and evil’” (Genesis 3:22). (See also Genesis 11:7; Isaiah 6:8.)

In these next verses, also from the Old Testament, the speaker is either God the Father or God the Son, and they make reference to each other or to the Spirit, again inferring different persons in the Godhead. “Who has ascended to heaven and come down? Who has gathered the wind in His fists? Who has wrapped up the waters in a garment? Who has established all the ends of the earth? What is His name, and what is His Son’s name? Surely you know!” (Proverbs 30:4). “The Spirit of the Lord God is upon Me, because the Lord has anointed Me to bring good news to the poor” (Isaiah 61:1).

One of the great scriptures from the Old Testament which is fundamental to Judaism is “Hear, O Israel: The Lord our God is one Lord” (Deuteronomy 6:4). Judaism is a monotheistic religion which believes there is only one God. This belief was by and large unique to Israel in the time of the Old Testament, as virtually all cultures in the region were polytheistic, including all of Israel’s neighbors throughout history until the time of Christ.

Christianity is monotheistic as well. Christians believe there is only one God, and affirm this same Bible verse, “the Lord our God is one Lord.” However, unlike Judaism, Christians believe in the tri-personal God, three persons in one Being.

Developing the doctrine

Developing and articulating the understanding of this doctrine was done progressively in early church history. Although the word Trinity doesn’t appear within the biblical text, Scripture reveals the doctrine, and the word Trinity conveys the concept.

Augustine (AD 354–430), one of the greatest figures of Christianity in the western part of the Roman Empire and considered the most important Christian writer next to the Apostle Paul, summarized the fundamental logic of the Trinity in seven short statements. These statements are:

The Father is God.
The Son is God.
The Holy Spirit is God.
The Father is not the Son.
The Son is not the Holy Spirit.
The Holy Spirit is not the Father.
There is only one God.

The first three statements express that each member of the Trinity is God. The second three statements assert that each member of the Trinity is distinct one from another. The last statement declares that there is only one God.

While all of this may be difficult to fully understand, if we build from Augustine’s foundational seven statements, it’s plain to see that the Bible lays out the case for the Trinity—three distinct persons as one God.

The Father is God. The following verses express that the Father is God: “Thou, O Lord, art our Father, our Redeemer; Thy name is from everlasting” (Isaiah 63:16). “After this manner therefore pray ye: Our Father which art in heaven, hallowed be Thy name” (Matthew 6:9). “He received from God the Father honour and glory, when there came such a voice to Him from the excellent glory, This is My beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased” (2 Peter 1:17).

John chapter 17 is a prayer that Jesus prays to the Father, showing that He considered the Father as God.

The Son is God.The following verses express that Jesus is God: “In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. He was in the beginning with God. All things were made through Him, and without Him was not any thing made that was made” (John 1:1–3). “For in Christ all the fullness of the Deity lives in bodily form” (Colossians 2:9). “No one has ever seen God, but the one and only Son, who is himself God and is in closest relationship with the Father, has made him known^”(John 1:18).

The Holy Spirit is God. Psalm 139 shows that the Holy Spirit is omnipresent, something that only God is. “Where shall I go from Your Spirit? Or where shall I flee from Your presence? If I ascend to heaven, You are there! If I make my bed in Sheol, You are there!” (Psalm 139:7–8).

1 Corinthians 2 shows the Holy Spirit as omniscient, knowing everything, one of the attributes of God alone. “These things God has revealed to us through the Spirit. For the Spirit searches everything, even the depths of God. For who knows a person’s thoughts except the spirit of that person, which is in him? So also no one comprehends the thoughts of God except the Spirit of God” (1 Corinthians 2:10–11).

This next verse shows that the Holy Spirit was present from before the creation of the world and played a role in some manner: “Now the earth was formless and empty, darkness was over the surface of the deep, and the Spirit of God was hovering over the waters” (Genesis 1:2).

The following verse shows the Holy Spirit working along with Jesus in our lives as Christians. “You were washed, you were sanctified, you were justified in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ and by the Spirit of our God” (1 Corinthians 6:11).

Three distinct Persons

In 2 Corinthians, Paul lists the three persons of the Trinity in a manner that shows they are distinct from one another: “The grace of the Lord Jesus Christ and the love of God and the fellowship of the Holy Spirit be with you all” (2 Corinthians 13:14).

Jesus, just before ascending into heaven, commands the disciples to baptize in the name of each person of the Trinity, thus showing He saw them all as equal, all as God. “Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit” (Matthew 28:19.)

The way the New Testament authors refer to Father, Son, and Holy Spirit shows their distinctness—that they are different from one another and that they interact in ways that show they are not the same person. For example, Jesus asks the Father to send the Spirit, which shows three different Persons interacting together: “I will ask the Father, and He will give you another Helper, to be with you forever, even the Spirit of truth” (John 14:16–17). (See also Matthew 11:27; Matthew 3:16–17.) These verses help to show that the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit are distinct one from another.

Both the Old and New Testaments, as well as Jesus Himself, affirm that there is only one God (Mark 12:28–29; Isaiah 45:5). Augustine’s statements, which are based on Scripture, make it clear that God is three persons—the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit—that they are distinct from each other, and that there is only one God.

In truth, the concept of Father, Son, and Holy Spirit being one God is impossible for us as humans to completely understand. We have nothing like it in our world. It’s completely beyond our experience. That might be disconcerting, but it’s also consistent with our belief that an all-powerful, all-knowing creator God exists. As He reveals Himself to us, it stands to reason that understanding some aspects of Him might be beyond our human experience and understanding. So if you feel you can’t fully understand it, don’t worry about it. The important things are to know that there is one God, that there are three Persons in God, that God loves you and Jesus died for your salvation, and that the Holy Spirit is with you as a helper and counselor.

The apostles and disciples—who were all Jewish and who had all their lives believed there was only one God, and for whom believing otherwise was blasphemy—came to understand, especially after His resurrection, that Jesus, this man they knew and lived with, was God. They knew He wasn’t God the Father, but that He was God. Once Jesus had ascended into heaven and the promised Holy Spirit powerfully came into their lives at Pentecost, these same men came to understand the Holy Spirit as God, yet they knew that the Spirit was neither the Father nor the Son.

The writers of the New Testament understood, accepted, and wrote in terms of one God, and of the distinct persons of the Godhead. The early church believed it, and Christians today believe it. It’s at the heart of our faith.

Originally published May 2011. Adapted and republished November 2023. Read by Jon Marc.

The Sacrifice of Thanksgiving

A compilation

2020-11-26

“Oh that men would praise the LORD for His goodness, and for His wonderful works to the children of men! And let them sacrifice the sacrifices of thanksgiving, and declare His works with rejoicing.”—Psalm 107:21–22 ¹

The sacrifice of thanksgiving is mentioned several times in the Old Testament. It is first mentioned in Leviticus 7:11–15. These verses seem to indicate that the sacrifice of thanksgiving is actually a peace offering that is motivated by thanksgiving. This type of offering included an animal sacrifice as well as various sorts of cereal or bread offerings.

There are several features that characterize this sacrifice of thanksgiving. The first is that, like all peace offerings, it was a voluntary offering. It was not prescribed or required by God. It was offered by the worshiper on those occasions when he was motivated to express thanksgiving to God. The sacrifice was willingly presented to the Lord with a heart of joy and gratitude.

In addition, the sacrifice of thanksgiving, again like all peace offerings, was shared among the Lord, the priest, and the worshiper. This contrasted with other types of offerings, which were either entirely consumed (except for the skin) on the altar as an offering to the Lord or partly burned on the altar and partly consumed by the priest. …

Through this sacrifice, then, the worshipers celebrated together before God the blessings enjoyed through a relationship with God characterized by peace and wholeness. A sense of communion with and nearness to God resulted from the presentation of a gift to God, a portion of which God then graciously shared with the worshiper. This sense of generosity and communion was expanded as the worshiper in turn shared his portion of the offering with family and friends.

While the Old Testament system of animal sacrifice is now obsolete for the Christian due to the sacrificial death of Jesus, there are some principles here that continue to speak to us today. Though thankful hearts honor God and benefit us, God does not coerce or demand sacrifices of thanksgiving. Expressions of thanksgiving that flow freely from the depths of the heart are profound and meaningful for all concerned. And so God encourages and provides a vehicle for communicating and demonstrating the intensity of our gratitude.

In addition, it is appropriate and advantageous for us to express our thankfulness in such a way that it spills over to others. Certainly gratitude should be felt and expressed to God, who is the ultimate source of all beneficence and blessing in our lives. But maybe it shouldn’t stop there. Maybe the kindness and generosity of God should be an impetus to get us to express to others the same kindness and generosity that we have experienced.—Joy Mosbarger²

Sacrifices that cost

“I will offer to you the sacrifice of thanksgiving and call on the name of the LORD.”—Psalm 116:17³

A sacrifice is a thing that costs. … If thanksgiving, then, is described as a sacrifice, then biblical thanksgiving costs. It isn’t an overflow of the extra. … We have been given so much, from the daily provision of breath and existence to the provision of eternal security through the labor of Jesus Christ. If true thanksgiving is a sacrifice, what are we sacrificing? Anything that takes away or diminishes the favors God has shown to us.

We sacrifice our complaints. It is one thing to be aware of a situation that is not right and try to correct it, but it is another to grow bitter about something that you cannot change. It’s not good to be complacent, but many times God places His children in situations in order for them to grow and mature. If discontentment is our response to the will of God, then we have no room in our hearts for true thanksgiving. We have to realize we have no right to complain about things that God Himself ordained for our ultimate benefit and for His glory. Instead, give thanks that He cares enough to strengthen us in our spiritual walk.

We sacrifice our fears. If God feeds the sparrows and clothes the flowers,⁴ do we really have a right to live in distress? There are times when concern is appropriate, and it is foolish to go through life in the fantasy that everything is going to be sunshine and rainbows. But … He has said that He is the protector of His children. We have no right or reason to live as if He is too weak to control our situation. True thankfulness requires that we sacrifice our fears.

We sacrifice our wants. This is a tough one for anybody. We all have things we want to achieve, and most of the time these are good things. Wealth, good health, security, all these things are beneficial. But all too often these desires can become a distraction from God’s provision and will for our lives. … True thankfulness requires that we sacrifice our wants.

What is truly needed is an eternal perspective. Think on this: God, the one who is completely satisfied in Himself and had no need of us at all, has condescended to set His love on us and rescue us from eternal just condemnation. Not only that, but every day we are surrounded by evidence of His grace, and led onward by the promise of being made like Jesus Christ, able to dwell in the presence of God without a barrier or mediator to go between.

Suddenly the cares and concerns of our daily lives shrink. When our eyes are finally open to God’s provision, both for our earthly and eternal lives, our complaints, fears, and selfish wants become so trivial.—Jordan Chamblee⁵

A continual offering

“At his sanctuary I will offer sacrifices with shouts of joy, singing and praising the LORD with music.”—Psalm 27:6⁶

I was listening to the Bible, and something struck me as very interesting and inspiring. In Psalm 50, starting in verse 9, God points out that He has no need for meat sacrifices. In fact, everything is His already. However, what He really desires is that we offer to Him the “sacrifice of thanksgiving.”⁷ Thanksgiving comes from the Hebrew word yadah and can mean “adoration, a choir of worshippers, confession, praise, thanks (-giving, offering).”⁸

At first, I asked myself, how is it a sacrifice to give God thanks? Well, the truth is, sometimes it isn’t easy. … We are to thank God “in all circumstances” because this is God’s will for us.⁹ It is God’s will for us to thank Him always, every day, no matter what we are going through. …

It isn’t a sacrifice to thank God when everything is going great. In fact, it is pretty easy to thank Him when we are joyful and happy. However, does being thankful during the good times make us any different than the rest of the world? We are to be set apart, a unique people, His people, etc. What better way to show the world that we are different than by being thankful, even if from all outside appearances we “shouldn’t” be. Just think how different we are from the world when we praise our Father and Christ during trials rather than grumbling or complaining. …

Therefore, “let us continually offer up a sacrifice of praise to God, that is, the fruit of lips that give thanks to His name. And do not neglect doing good and sharing, for with such sacrifices God is pleased.”¹⁰ So, instead of … giving in to the negativity of the world, look around to find something to be thankful for, because as long as we have the breath of life within us, we should use it for God’s glory.—Brandy Webb¹¹

Prayer of thanksgiving

Jesus, thank You for life and all it involves. When something goes wrong, we often say, “That’s life!” But life is so much more than the little things that don’t turn out the way we wish they had.

Waking up each morning with eyes that see and ears that hear—that’s life!

Talking with a child and catching a glimpse of the world through those innocent eyes—that’s life!

Pausing in the middle of a hectic day to watch a bird soar or a butterfly flit among the flowers—that’s life!

Chatting with an old friend and remembering just how special that friendship is—that’s life!

Receiving an unexpected word of encouragement—that’s life!

Holding a newborn baby and catching his first smile—that’s life!

Walking in nature, taking in its sights and sounds, and breathing that fresh air—that’s life!

Lying down to sleep at night and thanking God for all the blessings that the day brought—that’s life!—Bonita Hele

Published on Anchor November 2020. Read by Jon Marc. Music by Michael Dooley.

¹ KJV.

² www.biola.edu/blogs/good-book-blog/2013/the-sacrifice-of-thanksgiving

³ ESV.

⁴ Matthew 6:26–34.

⁵ https://engagemagazine.net/starting-blog/worldview/the-sacrifice-of-thanksgiving.

⁶ NLT.

⁷ V. 14.

⁸ Strong’s Concordance.

⁹ 1 Thessalonians 5:18.

¹⁰ Hebrews 13:15–16 NAS.

¹¹ https://www.cgi.org/news-and-events/2016/7/12/avjp86riqjc2lg5b4zlirvwfc0ua2p.

Universal Reconciliation

A Third Chance?

David Brandt Berg

1981-11-01

This is the age of grace in which God is demonstrating that people really have to make their own decision to love Him and serve Him voluntarily. They have to choose to be righteous, choose the Lord and His way, His Word. The next age, the Millennium, is a thousand years of the enforced rule of God and His saints over the unsaved.

God will show in every way how the world ought to be run and what people ought to be like during the Millennium, by His personal rule. They will see the Lord, in a way, and see His angelic officers and know His righteousness and the beauty of a restored creation without curse and even with very little death for a thousand years!

It appears that the Millennium could be an additional period of grace for those who didn’t have a chance to really hear the Gospel or know the Lord, perhaps through the failure of Christians to reach the whole world with the Gospel, or at least to reach everybody we should have.—Particularly lots of children and young people who never had a chance to know any better, people in rural areas who never heard, or non-Christian cultures, to give them a chance to hear and see and know the Lord, and to sort of give them another chance. “For no man shall say, ‘know the Lord’: for all shall know Him” (Jeremiah 31:34).

Obviously God has had mercy on those who survived the Tribulation, the wrath of God, and Armageddon, and has helped them to survive it and live into the Millennium. It says, “Blessed are those that endure until that day” (Daniel 12:12). Why has He helped them survive all those horrors? Why has He allowed them to survive the Tribulation and the wrath of God and the extermination of the Antichrist kingdom in the Battle of Armageddon? Why has He allowed any of the unsaved to survive? It appears to me that it’s God’s mercy on some who didn’t know any better or didn’t hear the Gospel.

It says, “Those who have done things worthy of stripes who knew not their master’s will shall be beaten with few stripes” (Luke 12:48). Compared to hell, even the Tribulation, the wrath of God, and the Battle of Armageddon are very few stripes.

There are probably millions of people in the world who’ve never heard or understood the Gospel—even some people in churches. They go to church and still have not heard or understood how to get saved, how to receive Jesus in their heart. What’s going to happen to these people? Apparently God’s going to have another sifting time during the Millennium to give a chance to those who, if they had heard, would have received Him.

It looks to me like the Millennium is another testing time or trying time, a proving ground. We, the saints, who heard the Gospel and voluntarily received the Lord, are saved and are running the world under the Lord. But all of the people who survived the age of man, the Tribulation, wrath of God, and Battle of Armageddon, are blessed. How are they blessed? It looks like they’re given another chance to obey through the personal rule and reign of Christ and His children and the universal knowledge of the Lord and His love.

If there is a choice given at that time, to me that indicates that some people will choose what’s right when they are presented with a full knowledge of the Lord, the personal appearance of the Lord, and His angelic, mighty, supernatural power, the proof of His existence and authority. The Lord Himself said to Thomas, “Because you have seen Me, you have believed.”—Or in the case of the Millennium, shall believe. But He said, “More blessed are they who have not seen, yet have believed” (John 20:29).

So we’re the most blessed, because we have not yet seen the Lord and His mighty, powerful kingdom. Although we have experienced Him in our hearts and we experience Him by the miracles He does, it is still all by faith, not by sight. So having believed, we have received and seen, and therefore, more blessed are we, the Lord Himself said: “Who, though having not seen, have believed.” Nevertheless, the people who must have the proof, who must see the proof like Thomas, are still blessed. The Lord chided him a little for his doubts, and to some of the other apostles He said, “O fools and slow of heart to believe all that the prophets have spoken” (Luke 24:25).

In one case, He said of the Pharisees, “They have Moses and the prophets”—in other words, they have the Word—“if they will not believe them, neither will they believe though one should come back from the dead” (Luke 16:31). There are some people who won’t believe even if they see it! But there are those who, like the Jews, seek a sign (1 Corinthians 1:22), who will believe if they can just see some sign or some proof.

When the Lord was here on earth, He did everything He could to help people believe, and multitudes of them did believe. But in spite of His doing all kinds of miracles and even raising the dead, He said that there were some who, even though He raised the dead, still wouldn’t believe. God keeps presenting the opportunity, the Word, the truth, the signs, the wonders, the miracles, raising the dead—even though some still won’t believe.

There are some who believe God’s Word without the signs and wonders and miracles. There are others who were encouraged to believe when they saw the signs and wonders and miracles. Seeing was believing. There were still others who were so hard in heart, like the self-righteous scribes and Pharisees, who wouldn’t believe even though He raised the dead.

I think the Millennium is probably not only for the purpose of showing the world how it should’ve been run and how God would’ve run it and how it would have been if people had voluntarily accepted His laws and His righteousness and His love and loved one another. I believe that God will also give, in a sense, not a second chance but a first chance to a lot of people who have never before heard.

Look at the hundreds of millions in China who’ve never heard about Jesus and don’t know who He is, especially children. They have never been taught about God or Jesus or His love. Look at the hundreds of millions in India and other places where they’ve been steeped in heathen darkness for ages, so that probably the vast majority of them have never heard. What about all those children and innocent victims of their system and their culture and religion, don’t they deserve some kind of chance? I’m sure God’s got a place for them too, to give them a chance. If He went to the heart of the earth and preached to the spirits in prison (1 Peter 3:19), that program is probably still being carried on, to give people who die without hearing the Gospel their chance to receive and believe.

How much more so in the Millennium, which is again a time of testing, a time of trial, a time of giving people an opportunity to believe and receive. And if so, then of course there are going to be those who never heard. There’s a big argument over it among theologians, but I believe—because I know the Lord and know His love—that He’s probably going to give those people a chance then to receive Him. Having seen Him, they’re going to believe.

Even some of the saints of the Old Testament didn’t have the advantage of having heard about the coming and death of Christ, except by prophecy, and yet they believed. No wonder God honored Abraham and Moses and others, because they had to look forward to something that hadn’t even happened yet, and believe it (Hebrews 11:13).

They’re even more blessed, in a way, because they didn’t have the life of Christ and the Holy Spirit and His Word and Calvary as a known fact in past history. How much more blessed were they who believed, though having not seen! I believe in the Millennium there are going to be a lot of people who are going to be given their first chance. Maybe they’re the only ones that are going to survive.

The Lord even says in one passage of some of the Jews, “They shall look on Him whom they have pierced and shall mourn for Him” (Zechariah 12:10). In other words, some are going to believe then. I don’t know if that mourning is going to do them any good or not, or whether it’s going to bring repentance, and as a result, having seen the Lord coming, they’re then going to be saved because they receive Him. We hope that’s godly sorrow, godly repentance, and that when they finally see Him when He comes—which is the beginning of the Millennium—they’ll be saved. There are certain scriptures which seem to indicate that.

I think the Millennium is the time when God gives what I would call not a second chance, but a first chance to a lot of people who didn’t have a chance before, because we Christians failed to give them the Gospel.

Apparently, some will be saved when they finally see and therefore they can believe—when they finally hear for the first time and therefore they believe and receive, and others who finally see and believe. But there are going to be some who will still be so hard and so rebellious against the rule of God, just as there are today!

I believe during the Millennium there is again going to be a sifting and a separation of the sheep from the goats. Those who never had a chance will be given a chance then to receive the Gospel, with the very strong persuasion of “seeing is believing”; those who perhaps would’ve believed if they could’ve seen some evidence of some kind or some sign.

They might have believed if they had seen a manifestation of the love of God in people who were supposed to love Him and be His people. We’ve had lots of people testify that they went for years in the church and never believed because they never saw God in anybody or a manifestation of His love.

In the face of the visible rule and reign of Christ on the earth, His personal appearance to man, His second coming in mighty power and glory, and His wiping out of the Antichrist and his kingdom and the imprisonment of Satan and His obvious visible rule and reign of firm love with a rod of iron, I think some are going to believe and receive who perhaps never heard before. And maybe there are some who might have heard but didn’t understand or couldn’t believe until they saw. They may be sort of second-class Christians, you might say.

There will still be the hard-hearted wicked who, the minute the Devil’s let out of his prison, will run after him as their evil leader to lead them in open rebellion against the kingdom of God and the government of God on earth. It says they even “surround the camp of the saints” (Revelation 20:9). In other words, they literally try to overthrow the kingdom of Christ on earth. They are so deceived by the Devil into thinking that they can actually do it if they try! (Psalm 2).

God will have again sifted the wheat from the tares, the sheep from the goats. By giving the wicked who want to rebel a chance to rebel, they will come out into the open at the end of the Millennium and follow Satan into the Battle of Gog and Magog. They will openly show the rebellion they’ve had in their hearts the whole time, their refusal to be citizens of the kingdom of God, or to be in subjection to the rule and reign of Christ and His saints on earth. In spite of all the visible power and presence of God and His saints, they still didn’t like it. In this heaven on earth of Christ’s kingdom on earth, they’re going to be uncomfortable misfits, oddballs, constantly resenting it and grumbling and complaining against it, and finally being deceived by the Devil to openly rebel against the Lord and His government, for which cause God will then wipe them all out!

I think the Millennium in a sense is going to be an extension of this day of grace for the sake of those who never heard or perhaps were too weak in faith to believe without seeing, as well as to manifest the heinous sin of the confirmed rebels, the utter reprobates. God in His wrath and vengeance is going to wipe them out like He does Satan’s forces in that final Battle of Gog and Magog at the end of the Millennium.

I don’t think the people who have heard and rejected deserve another chance; I don’t think He’s going to have mercy on them. Why should He? They wouldn’t accept the love and forgiveness and sacrifice of Christ. So they deserve to go to hell and to suffer a while for their hardness and rejection.

But even for some of those, I think hell is going to be a purgatory. Even some of those are going to be purged from their rebelliousness and their unbelief and their hardness and rejection. Just like a child being punished or chastised, they’re going to be given a chance there to repent and have some kind of restoration and restitution, if not actual salvation, some kind of eventual reconciliation.

They may have no right to the Heavenly City—heaven come down to earth, wherein only the saints and the saved shall walk—but apparently God is going to restore them to the surface of the heavenly earth in His mercy and His forgiveness, because through punishment and suffering in hell and purgatory, they’ve been purged from their wickedness.

They’ve repented and they have been humbled and they have begged for forgiveness and have been restored in some sense to life outside the Heavenly City on the surface of the earth. Some will still need healing by the leaves of the Tree of Life, evidently brought by the saved. We’re the only ones allowed inside the City, so naturally we’re the only ones to harvest the leaves of the Tree of Life to take them outside to heal the nations.

I believe that God’s plan is not going to be defeated; God is not going to be defeated. He is going to redeem mankind. As the Bible says, “Who will have all men to be saved, and to come unto the knowledge of the truth” (1 Timothy 2:4). In a sense they’ll be saved, with no right to the Holy City, but they will still be allowed outside and be healed from whatever sins and sicknesses remain, so that it is a constant process and a constant renewal of the mercy of God. Once again, in the Millennium He has mercy on those who’ve never heard, and maybe those who needed to see some proof, and yet even greater wrath on those who still reject Him in the face of it.

Then again in the new heaven and new earth, there are people on the surface who were former idolaters, liars, and all kinds of things, yet He allows them outside the City, outside the walls thereof (Revelation 22:15). And He allows us to go out and minister to them with the leaves from the Tree of Life to heal the nations (Revelation 22:2).

I believe that the Lord’s going to have us ministering to the final remaining people who still need complete healing from their sins and sicknesses to restore them to some state of reconciliation as we give them the leaves of life, the Good News of His everlasting love! Leaves from the Book of Life, the Word of God. “The Lord is not slack concerning His promise, as some men count slackness; but is longsuffering to us-ward, not willing that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance” (2 Peter 3:9).

Walking with God through Trials

November 17, 2023

Focus on the Family with Michele Cushatt

We all strive to have a strong faith. But then, our world is rocked by adverse circumstances. On this Focus on the Family broadcast, cancer survivor Michele Cushatt shares her story of walking through difficult times and how faithful God was throughout. She explores practices that help to build and strengthen our faith so we can weather those stressful seasons with God.

Run time for this video is 31 minutes.

(Note: There is also a second part to this program that can be accessed here.)

https://youtu.be/Y_ihQc83jEA?si=Uva6jumzYdgnKNB1

Paradise

David Brandt Berg

1983-05-05

Most Bible students agree that at one time before the Resurrection of Christ there was a place called paradise. It’s confirmed by the scripture when Jesus said to the dying thief, “This day shalt thou be with Me in paradise,” and yet it says He spent three days and three nights in the heart of the earth (Luke 23:43, Matthew 12:40). So there you have what sounds like a contradiction but isn’t; it just shows there are several different places there, as even the Catholics teach. There’s the lake of fire, purgatory, the bottomless pit, paradise, and limbo.

There are three different words translated as “hell.” One of them is “gehenna,” the lake of fire. Another is “the grave,” which as interpreted from the original means the “spirit state” or the “spirit world.” And another is “death,” which obviously means some type of punishment or life hereafter that is more like death, which is the part of the spirit world to which the evil spirits and bad people evidently go, but it’s obviously not as bad as the lake of fire. There’s “gehenna,” “sheol,” and “hades.” “Gehenna” is the “lake of fire,” “sheol” is the grave or death, and “hades” is the spirit world and is sometimes even translated as paradise, particularly in mythology. Hades was some form of paradise inside the world in the underworld—at least during Old Testament times before the resurrection of the Old Testament saints.

Obviously if Jesus was going to spend three days and three nights in the heart of the earth, as it says, immediately after His crucifixion to the time of His resurrection, and yet He said to the dying thief, “This day shalt thou be with Me in paradise,” there must have been some kind of paradise down there too.

The Bible said He preached to the spirits in prison (1 Peter 3:19), but how could He have been in prison and in paradise at the same time? Obviously He must have done a little traveling while He was there. If He went to paradise and He also visited the prison, then He got around a little bit. Some people seem to think that the reason Jesus went to the heart of the earth was to suffer the torment of the sinner, but that wouldn’t sound like paradise. Obviously those prisoners were in some kind of detention for their sins and the lives that they had lived on earth. Jesus went and preached to them, and I can’t see what else He would have preached but the gospel, that He died for their sins and now they could be released if they’d believe and accept His forgiveness.

I believe that He preached them the gospel, and that if they believed it, they were released and were probably resurrected and raptured at the time of His Resurrection just two or three days later—as were the other Old Testament saints (Matthew 27:52–53).

Those Old Testament saints resurrected at the time of Jesus’ resurrection would have had to have some kind of a rapture. Maybe we could believe in three raptures! One at the time of Jesus’ resurrection, one at the time of the Resurrection and Rapture at the Second Coming, and a rapture of the millennial saints at the Battle of Gog and Magog.

Of course, the word “rapture” isn’t even in the Bible. But it’s a good word. It’s a popular theological term describing the ascension of the New Testament saints to be with the Lord. Every time a saint dies, he ascends to be with the Lord. We’ve got after-death testimonies to attest to that, as well as lots of scriptures that when we die, we go to be with the Lord (Psalm 116:9; 2 Corinthians 5:8; Revelation 14:12–13). We ascend to some heavenly place where the Lord is. So with every saint that dies and goes to be with the Lord, it is in a sense a rapture. So why worry about there being any more raptures; there have been millions of raptures already!

That’s what comes of solidifying your terminology and becoming dogmatic about some of these theological names and terms for certain events of the Bible, even names and terms that are not in the Bible, such as the “Trinity.” That word you cannot find in the Bible, nor can you find “rapture.” And I don’t think you’ll find “second coming” or “first coming” either.

If you start tying yourself down to some of those traditional terms for some of these events, confining yourself to certain set names for certain set events, you’re going to find yourself boxed in and limited in your theology and interpretation of the Bible.

So it doesn’t pay to get yourself tied down to being too dogmatic and too set in your specifics, as you may later find out that your interpretation was mistaken, as I’ve sometimes discovered. Leave yourself open, with an open mind that can be changed by the facts or the truth or the Scriptures at a later date if necessary, and that’s certainly true of my interpretations of Bible prophecy.

We don’t want to get too dogmatic or so set in our interpretation that we can’t change our minds when the Lord shows us something different. I think I’ve really tried not to be too dogmatic about some of these things. I’ve said “probably” and “may” and “I think” and “it’s my opinion, my interpretation, my view,” without necessarily being too dogmatic, except where the Scripture is very, very clear. There you can put your foot down. You can say, “That’s the way it’s got to be because that’s what the Bible says.” But getting into all these interpretative details in trying to define everything, to describe everything, you’re apt to put your foot in your mouth! That’s why I’m never too certain about some of these details.

I usually try to put them forth as my opinion, my interpretation, my guess or guesstimate. I’ve often said, “You don’t have to believe what I say, because I can’t necessarily prove it by the Bible. But I believe it because that’s my conviction.” But what I can’t prove by the Bible is my personal opinion or private interpretation.

*Paradise is a place of blessing where the righteous go after death. The word paradise is usually used as a synonym for “heaven” (Revelation 2:7).

When Jesus was dying on the cross and one of the thieves being crucified with Him asked Him for mercy, Jesus replied, “I tell you the truth, today you will be with me in paradise” (Luke 23:43). Jesus knew that His death was imminent and that He would soon be in heaven with His Father. Therefore, Jesus used “paradise” as a synonym for “heaven.” The apostle Paul wrote of someone (probably himself) who “was caught up to paradise” (2 Corinthians 12:3). In this context, paradise obviously refers to heaven.

There has always been a separation of believers and unbelievers after death (Luke 16:19-31). The righteous have always gone to paradise; the wicked have always gone to hell. For right now, both paradise and hell are “temporary holding places” until the day when Jesus Christ comes back to judge the world based on whether or not individuals have believed in Him. The first resurrection is of believers who will stand before the Judgment Seat of Christ to receive rewards based on meritorious service to Him. The second resurrection will be that of unbelievers who will stand before the Great White Throne Judgment of God. At that point, all will be sent to their eternal destination—the wicked to the lake of fire (Revelation 20:11-15), and the righteous to a new heaven and a new earth (Revelation 21—22).

There are cases in which paradise can refer to the Garden of Eden, such in the Douay-Rheims translation of Genesis 3:8, which speaks of Adam and Eve hiding “amidst the trees of paradise.” The context of the word will determine whether it refers to heaven or Eden.

What did Jesus mean when He said, “Today you will be with me in paradise”?

It is common knowledge that punctuation, including commas, was introduced into the biblical manuscripts centuries after the books were completed. Therefore, commas are not authoritative.

However, the placement of commas can affect our understanding of a text. For example, in Luke 23, one of the thieves crucified next to Jesus says, “‘Jesus, remember me when you come into your kingdom.’ Jesus answered him, ‘I tell you the truth, today you will be with me in paradise’” (verses 42-43). Commas help us keep the original phrasing intact. Was Jesus saying, “I tell you the truth, today you will be with me . . .” (meaning that “today” is when the thief would be in paradise)? Or was He saying, “I tell you the truth today, you will be with me . . .” (meaning that “today” is when Jesus was speaking”)?

First, we note that every major Bible translation inserts the comma before the word today. Thus, the KJV, NKJV, NASB, NIV, ESV, and RSV all agree that Jesus was speaking of the time that the thief would enter paradise. The thief would be in paradise with Jesus on that very same day.

Also, Jesus prefaced His response with the phrase, “I tell you the truth” (“Verily I say unto thee” in the KJV). Many scholars have noticed that Jesus uses this as a prefix phrase when He is about to say something that should be listened to with care. Seventy-six times in the New Testament, Jesus uses the phrase. Interestingly, no one but Jesus ever says it. When the Lord says “I tell you the truth,” He is affirming that what He is about to say is worthy of special attention. It was Jesus’ way of saying, “Listen up! What I’m about to say is very important and should be listened to carefully.” We’re too used to hearing the phrase to appreciate the astonishing authority it expresses and the often solemn nature of the announcement that follows. In every one of the 76 times Christ uses this introductory phrase, He simply says it and then makes a startling statement.

It would be strange indeed if, in this one instance, Jesus departed from His normal way of making His signature statement by adding the word today to it. In every case where this sort of introductory phrase is used, Greek scholars add a punctuation break after the phrase in question and before the rest of the statement. So, the translators have it right. The comma in Luke 23:43 belongs where they put it.

This brings us to another question. If Jesus was buried and rose after three days and then many days later ascended to heaven, how could He have been in paradise with the thief?

After Christ died, it was His body that was buried in the tomb. However, Jesus’ spirit/soul was not in the tomb. Jesus’ spirit was in the Father’s presence (Luke 23:46; Ephesians 4:8). See more information in our article here.

As Jesus was hanging on the cross, paying our penalty for sin, He made a promise to a dying, repentant thief. By the grace of God and the power of Christ, that promise was kept. The thief’s sins were washed away, and his death that day was his entrance to paradise.

What is the difference between Sheol, Hades, Hell, the lake of fire, Paradise, and Abraham’s bosom?

ANSWER

The different terms used in the Bible for heaven and hell—sheol, hades, gehenna, the lake of fire, paradise, and Abraham’s bosom—are the subject of much debate and can be confusing.

The word paradise is used as a synonym for heaven (2 Corinthians 12:3–4; Revelation 2:7). When Jesus was dying on the cross and one of the thieves being crucified with Him asked Him for mercy, Jesus replied, “I tell you the truth, today you will be with me in paradise” (Luke 23:43). Jesus knew that His death was imminent and that He would soon be in heaven with His Father. In His words of comfort to the penitent thief, Jesus used paradise as a synonym for heaven, and the word has come to be associated with any place of ideal loveliness and delight.

Abraham’s bosom is referred to only once in the Bible—in the story of Lazarus and the rich man (Luke 16:19–31). Abraham’s lap was used in the Talmud as a synonym for heaven (Seder Nashim, Kiddushin 72b). The image in the story is of Lazarus reclining at a table leaning on Abraham’s breast—as John leaned on Jesus’ breast at the Last Supper—at the heavenly banquet. The point of the story is that wicked men will see the righteous in a happy state, while they themselves are in torment, and that a “great gulf” that can never be spanned exists between them (Luke 16:26). Abraham’s bosom is obviously a place of peace, rest, and joy—in other words, paradise.

In the Hebrew Scriptures, the word used to describe the realm of the dead is sheol. It simply means “the place of the dead” or “the place of departed souls/spirits.” The New Testament Greek equivalent to sheol is hades, which is also a general reference to “the place of the dead.” Sheol/hades is divided into a place of blessing (where Lazarus was in Luke 16) and a place of torment (where the rich man was in Luke 16). Sheol also seems to be a temporary place where souls are kept as they await the final resurrection. The souls of the righteous, at death, go directly into the presence of God—the part of sheol called “heaven,” “paradise,” or “Abraham’s bosom” (Luke 23:43; 2 Corinthians 5:8; Philippians 1:23).

The Greek word gehenna is used in the New Testament for “hell” (see Matthew 5:29; 23:33). The word is derived from the Hebrew word ge-hinnom, which designated a valley south of Jerusalem—a repulsive place where trash and refuse were burned. Jesus referenced Gehenna as a symbol of the place of judgment after death.

The lake of fire, mentioned only in Revelation 19:20 and 20:10, 14-15, is the final hell, the place of eternal punishment for all unrepentant rebels, both angelic and human (Matthew 25:41). It is described as a place of burning sulfur, and those in it experience eternal, unspeakable agony of an unrelenting nature (Luke 16:24; Mark 9:45-46). Those who have rejected Christ and are in the temporary abode of the dead in hades/sheol have the lake of fire as their final destination.

But those whose names are written in the Lamb’s book of life should have no fear of this terrible fate. By faith in Christ and His blood shed on the cross for our sins, we are destined to live eternally in the presence of God. *(GotQuestions.org)

Dancing with the Wind

November 15, 2023

By Marty

As the dawn broke on that rainy morning, I could see the trees waving in the wind. For a moment they appeared to be dancing in the storm, embracing it joyfully with open arms.

Life’s difficulties often appear negative at first. As a young Christian, I’d assumed the goal was to get on top of them and stay there, avoiding the lows. Then, beginning to understand that’s not the plan, I discovered the benefits of embracing those times as opportunities to grow. And I’ve been learning to do that ever since.

The Lord has given some important keys to help, one being the principle of giving thanks in everything (1 Thessalonians 5:18). When a new storm arrives and our path forward is obscured by present circumstances, thanking God even in what we don’t understand is pivotal. With some determination to endure, and often before circumstances change, peace returns to lift our spirit and carry us forward.

The Bible refers to this quiet kind of miracle as “the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding” (Philippians 4:7). This process has also been called the art of rising above. Sounds mystical, but it’s very real, and as we learn how, instead of barely surviving the stress of life’s storms, we become like those trees in the wind.

Recent years have refreshed these things for me. I suppose it began with concerns about money for tomorrow, or my perceived lack of it as time marches on. In the past, while engaged in volunteer mission work and raising our family, new financial demands were constant. Believing the promise “Seek first the kingdom … and all these things will be added” (Matthew 6:33) worked very well. Money always arrived on time, though often not before.

Another thing we were very accustomed to was frequent change and learning to adapt to present circumstances. So, when our children began to reach their teen years and grow more independent, as teenagers do, we decided to move to Canada. New goals were set to establish a more stable home base while they finished their studies and set out on their own.

This required a higher income, and the solution we settled upon was to start our own business. An exciting new chapter was born that kept us in prayer and working hard. Though plenty of mistakes were made as we learned, God backstopped and blessed our efforts. Slowly a foundation was laid, followed by a few years of growth and steady income.

The kids did their part too with studying, part-time jobs, and making friends along the way. We enjoyed this season of our lives together, and then the graduations passed one by one, and glimpses of our senior years began to appear on the horizon. Prior to this I don’t recall ever giving much thought to getting old. But by 2019 two things had begun to grow: daydreams of retirement and unease about money.

My desire to further God’s kingdom was still burning, and having more time to contribute seemed good. It was fun to imagine what I might do after retiring from my current responsibilities. Having great wealth doesn’t appeal to me, but a little more would be nice. I felt I was on the right track; I hoped God would make it happen.

Money is no guarantee of more time; I knew that, but not seeing a better plan, the question became how to get more. Time and life seemed to run faster even as my body was slowing with age. And so, with the passing of another birthday, I concluded the answer must be the success of our business.

In hindsight I see that was my best guess and it missed the bull’s-eye. Peter Amsterdam touched on why when he wrote:

As time passes, we can sometimes start living on autopilot. When that happens, we may miss something the Lord is doing in our lives. Familiarity with well-known spiritual principles can dampen our sensitivity to God’s whispers, especially regarding truths that have been part of our foundation of faith for decades. With this in mind, it is helpful to periodically take stock of our lives, to examine and think about how we’re doing in the areas of generosity and willingness to sacrifice and trust the Lord.¹

Jesus saw my desire to continue running the race, and He also knew of my need for deeper trust in His ability to take care of us. And He had a plan to help. It required stopping everything while He realigned my steering, and through another storm that in due time would carry me back to solid ground. It was a different script than mine, a longer one of discovery and genuine renewal. It was what my heart was longing for but had not understood was needed.

The year 2019 finished well for our business, and expectations were high going into the new year. That changed in March with the pandemic announcements around the world and the rapid lockdowns that followed. Doors closed, sales abruptly stopped, and our income dried up. By the end of the year, savings were depleted and some debt was incurred, and still the government-mandated closures continued off and on for another year.

We hung on while many other businesses were forced to close. Desperate to make money but with no jobs available, feelings of helplessness were real. Imagining failure and the potential despair to follow, I longed for a return to how things were before. The weeks became months, and there wasn’t much to do but wait.

Current events were fascinating for a while, but then the Lord drew my interest away. There were matters of my heart and relationship with Him that needed attention. For years I had been busy with getting somewhere; my mind was often filled with such thoughts. Acknowledging Him had become like pulling over for a quick look at the map, engine idling and ready to go. Now the engine was off and it was time to look up and listen.

This well-known spiritual principle is an essential block in my foundation of faith. I enjoyed a time of devotion each morning and thought I was doing okay, but in truth my priorities and passions had become many. I needed help to take stock of my life and sort those out before eventually stepping back into the race.

Keep in mind this was not my idea and I had my own plan. And though the external world stopped in early 2020, another year passed before I did so inwardly. It took that long for me to lay aside the weights and recognize how they were affecting me (Hebrews 12:1; 2 Corinthians 10:5). A renewal I didn’t realize was needed had begun to wash over my mind and regenerate my spirit (Titus 3:5).

It’s long been my habit to start the day reading devotional material. With always more to learn, it’s easy to dive into something of interest. For years I would begin with a short prayer asking for His blessing, but now it seemed Psalm 100:4 was lodged in my mind: “Enter into His gates with thanksgiving, and into His courts with praise.” Starting with asking no longer felt right, and so I made a conscious effort to begin with only thanksgiving and praise. It was a small adjustment that brought a different result.

In his letter Temple Time, David talked about going swiftly from out in the busy wings of service to the beauty under the dome of God’s temple via prayer. I was a little surprised now by the faster entrance I experienced with this emphasis on praise. Doing so consistently took some effort, including militantly shutting the door behind me, but got easier with practice. (See Matthew 6:6; Hebrews 4:11.)

I found myself waiting more often in His courts, and it wasn’t long until I began to hear the whispers of His Spirit more readily. Good and merciful, encouraging and strengthening. New thoughts and ideas were instilled, others confirmed, and some old ones dispatched. Soon this kind of prayer enriched my reading too, directing my thoughts and speaking to my heart in timely ways. I was being helped, and my desire to go often and remain there longer was growing.

I’ve known that first place in my heart and time belongs to Jesus, thus the early morning devotional habit. Hearing from and following God is one of the most important principles of our faith, and an integral part of loving Him. But with many priorities on my mind, familiarity with that truth had snuck in to dampen my sensitivity to God’s whispers.

Searching for a definition of priority, this popped up: “Most important. So, you can have a most important thing, and a second most important thing. But you can’t have two things that are both the most important thing. At least not at the same time.” Reading God’s Word is a priority, but stopping to hear what God’s still, small voice is saying through it is the most important.

I was giving God more time to talk to me now, and He did, helping me consider other areas of my life. For example, that conundrum with money and Matthew 6:33: “Seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness, and all these things shall be added to you.” My mindset has been that I am called to work for Him, and as long as I do, He’ll take care of us. But in recent years I’d become fixated on concern for what happens when I can’t.

Now a whisper of truth highlighted that “seek first” means God first. And what I’d been working on, learning to listen to and love just being with Him again, is a legitimate part of this promise. In fact, it’s the first and most important part. The other, loving and helping others into the kingdom, is the second most important. Seeking first means both, in that order.

Many scriptures are intimate to me, having memorized them when I was young. And it’s quite magical how their power continues to bring change. The same light, shining through the prism of God’s Spirit just a bit differently now, brought fresh perspective. This beloved promise was never broken. The issue was that my trust in God’s veracity had been weakened by doubt which crept in over time through familiarity.

The dots began to reconnect back to solid ground, and the bridge is grace. The acronym I remember for GRACE is Gifts Received At Christ’s Expense. We are His bride, and His love is eternal. His promises continue for life, including in our senior years, should we have some. He will never leave nor forsake us (Hebrews 13:5). He is with us always, to the end of the age (Matthew 28:20).
Well, that spiritual journey has brought some practical changes too. Realizing that Jesus really means every word has returned me to a place of surrender and greater joy. Thinking more about His plans, and worrying less about mine, is a relief. Learning how to better love people now has gained importance. And instead of dreaming about retirement, I am grateful for this place of service in the kingdom today.

Remnants of the storm of 2020 still linger, and others loom on the horizon. There will always be much about tomorrow that I don’t understand, and I am so grateful the Lord pulled me aside now to work on my trust and confidence in Him. I am reassured that control of the future is not my part to play. Mine is to draw ever closer to Him and follow His lead. When I do, I can embrace each day joyfully and dance with the wind.

¹ https://anchor.tfionline.com/post/life-balance-check-part7-generosity.

The Sacred of the Ordinary

November 14, 2023

A compilation

Audio length: 11:08

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“And whatever you do, in word or deed, do everything in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through him” (Colossians 3:17).

Whatever you do.

The truth is sometimes I really love “whatever I’m doing,” and sometimes I really hate it. Isn’t that life in every season? There are parts we relish, parts we tolerate, and parts we despise. Parts that make us laugh and parts that make us cry and parts that make the veins in our forehead pop out. And yet through all of it, God urges, “Whatever you do … do it in my name! Do it for my glory! Do it to serve Me.” Colossians 3 actually goes on to promise that we will receive a reward when we work with our whole hearts as unto the Lord (Colossians 3:23–24).

Do you realize what that means? It means there is value in the most menial corners of our lives. It means we have purpose always. We have the opportunity to worship always. I meditated on these verses all day long as I scrubbed dishes and cleaned countertops. I thought about Jesus as I checked homework and brushed hair and swept floors and packed lunch boxes. And right around the time I was pulling that little lint trap out of the dryer, I felt it. Overwhelming gratitude.

I paused with a huge ball of lint in my fist, and I told God, “I don’t deserve to serve You. I don’t deserve to be part of Your work or to stand in Your presence and offer You any gift at all!” In my stale little laundry room, I felt the staggering weight of God’s generosity—that He would allow me to be part of His story, that He would redeem the most insignificant moments of my day, that He would stoop down to take a gift out of my dirty hands.

Standing in my laundry room, I realized that I serve a God so generous that He’s willing to make ordinary moments sacred. He’s willing to commune with me in the humdrum of everyday life. He’s willing to credit my faithful folding of underwear as service to Himself. Doesn’t that just blow your mind? It blows mine!

I wonder today, what is the “whatever” that you have to do? Is it menial chores, like me? Is it taking care of someone who is sick? Is it praying (again) for a child who is breaking your heart? Is it going to another day of work? …

Whatever you do … you have the opportunity to worship Jesus today. So today, “Whatever you do, work heartily, as for the Lord and not for men, knowing that from the Lord you will receive the inheritance as your reward. You are serving the Lord Christ” (Colossians 3:23–24). Dear friend, it is the Lord Christ you are serving.—Jeanne Harrison¹

See the invisible kingdom

I once heard of a man who split black ash and wove baskets. And he wove prayer through every basket. The man wore faded plaid and old denim and lived alone high up in the Appalachians where the dirt didn’t grow crops, but it could grow basket trees.

He lived such a distance up in the hills that he really didn’t think the profits from selling his baskets would exceed the cost of transportation to some Saturday morning market. Nevertheless, each day he cut trees and sawed them into logs and then pounded the logs with a mallet, to free all the splint ribbons from those trees. Splint slapped the floor.

And the basket-making man, he simply worked unhurried and unseen by the world, his eyes and heart fixed on things unseen.

“When the heart is at rest in Jesus—unseen, unheard by the world—the Spirit comes, and softly fills the believing soul, quickening all, renewing all within,” writes Robert Murray McCheyne.

Day after day, the man cut ash, pulled splint, stacked baskets. He said that as he held the damp splint and he braided—under and over, under and over—that God was simply teaching him to weave prayers into every basket, to fill the empty baskets, all the emptiness, with eternal, unseen things.

It was as if, under all the branches of those basket-growing trees, he knew what that clergyman James Aughey wrote, “As a weak limb grows stronger by exercise, so will your faith be strengthened by the very efforts you make in stretching it out toward things unseen.” …

It doesn’t matter so much what we leave unaccomplished—but that our priority was things unseen. … “Pray to your Father, who is unseen. Then your Father, who sees what is done in secret …” (Matthew 6:6). The things that are seen are transient, but the things that are unseen are eternal (2 Corinthians 4:18).

It’s the things unseen that are the most important things. … When the heart and mind focus on things unseen, that’s when there’s a visible change in us. The outward and the visible only become like Christ to the extent we focus on the unseen and invisible Person of Christ.

It is precisely what John Calvin implored: “We must make the invisible kingdom visible in our midst.”— Ann Voskamp²

When an extraordinary God comes to an ordinary world

For many years, I’ve failed to recognize the gravity of [the Christmas] story. … Even when I stop to read the Christmas story, I fail to let the eternal significance of these powerful words sink in. In one sentence, this is what Christmas means:

Our extraordinary God came down to this ordinary world to dwell among us.

Our God cared enough to enter into this broken world in the most vulnerable state and walk through each of the developmental years just like we did. All throughout His life, Jesus made Himself obedient to God’s plan, even to the cross. What a remarkable God we serve!

If you struggle to find God in the ordinary of your life (I’m right there with you; it’s not always easy!), remember that He came down to the ordinary so that you could one day be lifted up to His extraordinary home in heaven.—Mikayla Briggs³

God at work in the ordinary

The British writer Gilbert Keith Chesterton wrote a series of short stories about a parish priest, Father Brown, with a knack for forensics. This lowly priest investigated criminal cases while maintaining compassion and understanding toward the guilty. Father Brown also prays for unjust situations to be found out. The local chief inspector resents the priest’s intruding into his investigations, but while Father Brown bows out of taking any credit for solving the mysteries, he repeatedly proves himself indispensable.

In the series, Father Brown is depicted as making the most of one’s humble station in life and being content and useful there. He doesn’t own a car, but he often wears a smile while riding his bicycle. If others insult him, he’s hardly moved and will often reply with a simple compliment for the other person or point out something that they can together be grateful for. He just keeps moving forward with what he believes he should do each day.

God made each of us with a specific place and purpose in mind. Perhaps we could find deeper fulfillment in our station in life if we could learn to make the most of our position by equipping ourselves to do our best, wherever we find ourselves in life’s journey.

There’s nothing wrong with aspiring to be good at what we do and receiving recognition for it, but we can become disheartened and discontent if we belittle our own place in life and long for a seemingly more preeminent position. Certainly there are many individuals who excel in positions of great usefulness or prominence. But most of us fill a place in life that would be considered more common and ordinary.

Peer pressure, this world’s culture, and the human mind can often work together to cause us to belittle our place and position when it is a seemingly more ordinary and common one. But no place or position is really common or ordinary if it is the place and position God meant us to have, and where He meant for us to serve Him and others.

Our place in life may not be one with lucrative income nor a position in the limelight, but it becomes a very special place and one of deep fulfillment when we put the principal values in first place—loving God with all our heart, soul, mind, and strength, and loving our neighbor as ourselves (Mark 12:29–31). Wherever He has us placed in this world, and for whatever length of time or purpose, we can be His salt and light to the world. That is what Father Brown did.—William B. McGrath

Published on Anchor November 2023. Read by Gabriel Garcia Valdivieso.

¹ https://www.reviveourhearts.com/blog/dear-god-i-dont-want-serve-you-way.

² https://www.desiringgod.org/articles/see-the-invisible-kingdom

³ https://www.findinggodintheordinary.com/blog/when-an-extraordinary-god-comes-to-an-ordinary-world

The Holy Spirit

November 13, 2023

Treasures

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Everyone who receives Jesus as their Savior, who is saved and born again, receives a measure of the Holy Spirit. In fact, you cannot be saved without the Holy Spirit, because salvation is a work of God, which the Bible refers to as being “born again of the Spirit” (John 3:8). Salvation is a gift of God. We cannot earn it by our own efforts or good works (Titus 3:5).

Jesus said, “Whoever believes in me, as the Scripture has said, ‘Out of his heart will flow rivers of living water.’ Now this he said about the Spirit, whom those who believed in him were to receive, for as yet the Spirit had not been given, because Jesus was not yet glorified” (John 7:38–39).

Shortly before His crucifixion and resurrection, Jesus promised His disciples that He would send them a comforter and an advocate, the Holy Spirit, to strengthen, empower, lead and guide them in their spiritual lives and relationship with Him. “But the Comforter, who is the Holy Ghost whom the Father will send in My name, He shall teach you all things and bring all things to your remembrance, whatsoever I have said unto you. … And when the Spirit of truth is come, He will guide you into all truth” (John 14:26; 16:13).

Receiving the anointing, infilling, or baptism of the Holy Spirit may be a subsequent experience to that of salvation (when we decide to believe on and receive Jesus as our Lord and Savior). In the book of Acts, the apostle Paul inquired of certain disciples that he met, “‘Did you receive the Holy Spirit when you believed?’ And they said, ‘No, we have not even heard that there is a Holy Spirit’” (Acts 19:2).

The Greek word baptizo means to be fully covered or completely immersed. Thus to be “baptized” in the Holy Spirit means to be filled to overflowing with the Spirit of God. We all certainly need this baptism of the Holy Spirit to live the life of a disciple of Jesus.

The baptism of the Holy Spirit is a baptism of love—love for the lost, love enough to witness, love enough to win others to the Lord, a love for all people and a desire for their salvation. In fact, the Holy Spirit is love, because God is love (1 John 4:8). At the same time, it’s a baptism of the power of God, the power that enables you to tell others about Jesus, to be a witness, to share the gospel with others. When you feel compelled to tell someone about Jesus—this is the result of the baptism of God’s Spirit.

Jesus told His disciples, “You will receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you, and you will be My witnesses” (Acts 1:8). We read about this power to witness in the book of Acts in the New Testament, on the Day of Pentecost when the first disciples received the Holy Spirit, and they stood up and boldly preached to the people, resulting in the salvation of 3,000 souls. (See Acts Chapter 2.)

Peter, who had been so fearful when Jesus was arrested that he denied Him three times, preached fearlessly and with boldness to the multitudes after he was filled with the Holy Spirit. This showed that whatever Peter accomplished was not of him, but of Christ that lived first with him and then in him. “For we have this treasure in earthen vessels, that the excellence of the power may be of God, and not of us” (2 Corinthians 4:7). We all need the baptism of the Holy Spirit in order to have the love, power, and strength to be what He wants us to be.

The gifts of the Spirit

When we receive this wonderful infilling of the Holy Spirit, God not only fills us with His love and power, but also gives us what the Bible calls “gifts of the Spirit.” The most common gifts are listed in 1 Corinthians chapter 12: wisdom, knowledge, faith, healing, miracles, prophecy, discerning of spirits, other tongues and interpretation (1 Corinthians 12:8–10). These are all gifts from a loving heavenly Father to His children, to help us to understand Him and His will, and to grow in our personal relationship with Him.

As is the case with salvation, we receive the Holy Spirit by faith—which means you do not always get immediate evidence of the work of the Holy Spirit in your life. For example, not everybody receives the gift of speaking in other tongues (or unknown languages) when they receive the Holy Spirit, and you don’t have to have this gift to prove that you are filled with the Spirit.

The Bible tells us, “There are different kinds of gifts, but the same Spirit distributes them. There are different kinds of service, but the same Lord. There are different kinds of working, but in all of them and in everyone it is the same God at work” (1 Corinthians 12:4–6). The Holy Spirit will manifest Himself in your life—it may be at that very moment or it may not be until later. “Now to each one the manifestation of the Spirit is given for the common good” (1 Corinthians 12:7).

Once you have received the divine anointing of God’s Spirit, if you continue to abide in God’s Word in the Bible and are obedient to Jesus’ commands, you’ll be led by His Spirit. “For those who are led by the Spirit of God are the children of God” (Romans 8:14).

When you ask God for the Holy Spirit, you’ll know you have received the promised infilling just as you know you are saved—because the Bible says so. “For faith comes by hearing the Word of God” (Romans 10:17). Jesus said, “Ask, and it will be given to you; seek, and you will find; knock, and it will be opened to you. For everyone who asks receives, and the one who seeks finds” (Matthew 7:7–8). “If you then, who are evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will the heavenly Father give the Holy Spirit to those who ask him!” (Luke 11:13).

If you haven’t yet received or been infilled with the Holy Spirit, you can do so right now by praying the following prayer: Dear Jesus, please fill me to overflowing with Your Holy Spirit so that I can love You more, understand Your Word in the Bible, follow You more closely, and have greater power to tell others about Your love and salvation. Amen.

From an article in Treasures, published by the Family International in 1987. Adapted and republished November 2023. Read by Reuben Ruchevsky.

Daniel 12: Rapid Review

David Brandt Berg

1985-05-02

(Verse 1:) “And at that time shall Michael stand up, the great prince which standeth for the children of thy people.” Michael is a great archangel. He’s called a great prince, a prince of God. In Daniel’s time, of course, he thought “thy people” was only the Jews, but Michael stands for God’s people, whether they are Jews or Gentiles, male or female. Daniel couldn’t have dreamed that the Gentiles would have ever been God’s people too.

“And there shall be a time of trouble, such as never was since there was a nation even to that same time”—to the time of that trouble. The Great Tribulation. Jesus said there would never be a time after it like that either, thank God!

“At that time thy people shall be delivered, every one that shall be found written in the book.” God’s got a book of all the saved. They’re written in Christ’s Book of Life, and they’re saved and are going to be raptured.

(Verse 2:) “And many of them that sleep in the dust of the earth shall awake, some to everlasting life, and some to shame and everlasting contempt.” Jesus said, “Whosoever shall be ashamed of me and my words in this adulterous and sinful generation, of him also shall the Son of man be ashamed, when he cometh in the glory of his Father with the holy angels” (Mark 8:38).

(Verse 3:) But “they that be wise shall shine as the brightness of the firmament.” The firmament is the physical heavens. They shine with the sun, moon, and stars. And one of these days it’s going to shine with heaven. We’re going to shine like the stars! We’re going to shine as the brightness of the firmament. “And they that turn many to righteousness as the stars forever and ever.”

(Verse 4) “But thou, O, Daniel, shut up the words, and seal the book, even to the time of the end.” How long was it to be shut up, this book of Daniel? To the time of the end. Daniel didn’t understand it. The Lord told him to shut it up to the end. But now it’s open.

What’s the time of the end like? “Many shall run to and fro, and knowledge shall be increased.” People have never traveled so much in all history. They have traveled more miles and by more means in just the past few years than they did in the previous millenniums.

If you’d take all the passenger miles that all the people who lived before this century traveled in buggies and wagons, and on horseback and camels and ships, and compare it to the passenger miles that the billions who live on this earth right now have traveled in just these past years, I’ll bet it’s more than they’ve traveled in all the centuries before.

“Many shall run to and fro, and knowledge shall be increased.” Man has discovered more, invented more, produced more, and learned more in the past hundred years than in all the previous millenniums of his history. Think of it! Knowledge has increased.

Verses 5–9: How long shall it be?

(Verse 5:) “Then I Daniel looked, and, behold, there stood other two”—two more, somebody besides the one that was apparently talking to him—“the one on this side of the bank of the river, and the other on that side of the bank of the river.”

(Verse 6:) “And one said to the man clothed in linen, which was upon the waters of the river.” There’s an angel standing on each bank and one standing out in the middle of the river on the water. Apparently one on the bank said to the man out in the middle of the river, “How long shall it be to the end of these wonders?” And he gives a rather cryptic answer.

(Verse 7:) “And I heard the man clothed in linen, which was upon the waters of the river”—sounds a little bit like Jesus—“when he held up his right hand and his left hand unto heaven, and sware by him that liveth for ever that it shall be for a time, times, and an half.” Three and a half years. “And when he [the Antichrist] shall have accomplished to scatter the power of the holy people, all these things shall be finished.” How long shall it be to the end of the Antichrist’s reign, or at least to the end of the Tribulation? It will be three and a half years from the midpoint of his seven-year reign.

(Verse 8:) “And I heard, but I understood not: then said I, O my Lord, what shall be the end of these things?” Daniel still didn’t understand. “What do you mean, Lord? What’s the end? When?”

(Verse 9:) “And he said, go thy way, Daniel; for the words are closed up and sealed till the time of the end.” In other words, He was as good as telling him, “You wouldn’t understand even if I told you.” In fact, then He did tell him, but he still didn’t understand! It was “closed up and sealed till the time of the end.”

You’re a privileged generation. You’re blessed that you can be in this time of the end when these things are understood and the book is open.

The first question was, “How long shall it be?” And He answers, three and a half years. And Daniel’s next question was, “What will be the end?” He’s still trying to get some kind of specific answer from the Lord, even though the Lord’s told him, “It doesn’t do any good to tell you, Daniel. It’s not going to happen in your day, and you wouldn’t understand anyhow.” But look at the patience and the mercy of God! He knew the time was coming when others would read this and would understand.

Verse 10: The wise shall understand

(Verse 10:) “Many shall be purified and made white and tried, but the wicked shall do wickedly.” Usually we apply this to the Tribulation period, and it’s true of the Tribulation. But this has been true down through generations; for thousands of years God’s people and Christians have been tried and made white, purified and purged. “But the wicked shall do wickedly.” That’s also been true for thousands of years, so don’t apply it only to the Tribulation; only it’s going to be worse in the Tribulation than any other time.

“And none of the wicked shall understand; but the wise shall understand.” “None of the wicked shall understand.” It’s a good thing God doesn’t reveal to them all these secrets or they’d try to stop it or do something about it. He speaks in code and cryptic language.

Verse 11 and 12: 1,290 days and 1,335 days

(Verse 11:) “From the time that the daily sacrifice shall be taken away”—the sacrificial offering on the altar before the rebuilt temple—“and the abomination that maketh desolate set up.” That refers to the setting up of the image, which is called in Daniel the abomination of desolation, and Jesus repeats it in Matthew 24. It’s the image of the Antichrist.

“What shall the end be?” From that exact point when the sacrificial worship is stopped there at the rebuilt temple in Jerusalem and the Antichrist’s image is set up, you’ll know when the end is. (See the 2,300-day prophecy of Daniel 8:13–14.)

He asked, “How long will be the end? What shall be the end?” The man clothed in linen first said three and a half years. But now He says, “There shall be a thousand two hundred and ninety days.” He’s giving it in exact days. He told it to Daniel, but Daniel didn’t understand, of course. He’s giving it in actual exact days, which you cannot misinterpret nor misunderstand.

So we know exactly how long the Tribulation is going to last because the Lord gave it not only in years, three and a half years; not only in months, 42 months, because you can misinterpret that; but He finally gave it in days. We know it’s going to be 1,260 days.

But there’s a little problem here; it says 1,290 days, which is 30 days longer. “From the time the daily sacrifice is taken away and the abomination that maketh desolate set up, there shall be a thousand two hundred and ninety days.” And as though that wasn’t complicated enough, (Verse 12:) “Blessed is he that waiteth, and cometh to the thousand three hundred and five and thirty days.” 1,335 days.

He’s already answered the question of how long the Tribulation was going to be from the abomination of desolation till the end, the coming of Christ, end of the Tribulation—half of the seven years, 1,260 days. But now He says both 1,290 days and 1,335 days.

Since the Lord is coming at the end of 1,260 days and the end then is going to be 1,290 days, 30 days later, this could be the end of man’s rule on earth at the end of the Battle of Armageddon. The starting point is always the same. Apparently it’s going to be such a sensational phenomenon worldwide when they stop the Jewish sacrificial worship and set up the image and the whole world, or a good deal of the world, starts worshipping that idol.

That starting point is going to be on a given day, an exact day in the middle of that seven years, from which it will be exactly 1,260 days until the Rapture. And then 1,290, 30 days more until the end, according to Scripture. The end is going to be 1,290 days from that point, from the setting up of the image, until the end—only 1,260 days until the coming of Jesus in the Rapture, but 1,290 days till the end of man’s domination and rule on earth, including the Antichrist. So you could say that from the time of the Rapture, it’s only going to be 30 days later. You could say that according to this prophecy, the Battle of Armageddon is going to begin just 30 days after the Rapture.

Things are going to be a mess. They might really wish it was the end when it happens. Because even after it’s over, things are going to be in such a mess, just digging out from under all the dead bodies. Jeremiah says they’re going to be piled up like heaps of dung, neither lamented nor buried, there are going to be so many dead people (Jeremiah 16:4). It’s going to take seven months in Israel alone to bury the dead, and seven years to burn up all the rubbish (Ezekiel 39:9,12). What a mess!

1335 days: 45 days more

Then what in the world is this 1,335 days, 45 days more? The first question was, “How long shall it be to the end of these matters, how long to the end?” First of all, He said it was 1,260 days; that’s your end here on earth when Jesus comes. Then He says again, 1,290 days, and that’s their end here on earth—in power, that is. But then Daniel says, “What shall be the end” He might as well have said, “How long is the end going to last? How long will this ending last? What will it be?”

Three answers are given to these questions. The first question is, “How long shall it be to the end?” First of all, 1,260 days or three and a half years, which we know from other places is the end of our stay here when we’re raptured. Then there’s the question, “How long shall it be to the end of these wonders?” Not only your end here on earth when you’re raptured, the resurrection, but to the end of these wonders, including the Antichrist’s reign and the wrath of God, the end of man’s rule on earth 30 days later.

Then the next question, “What shall be the end of these things?” And the next answer is, “forty-five days later.” It sounds to me like that’s how long the end’s going to last. Even though God is miraculous and can do anything, and anything is possible with the Lord, the Battle of Armageddon is going to take a while.

The souls under the altar cried, “Lord, how long, how long shall it be until you avenge our blood, the blood of the martyrs?” The Lord said, “Just wait a little while, rest a while” (Revelation 6:9–11). To Him another 2,000 years was just a little while. So just wait a little while. Of course, we don’t know at what point in time this scene was under the altar with all these martyrs; it could have been right at the end.

“Blessed is he that waiteth and cometh to the thousand, three hundred and five and thirty days.” So that’s when the end shall be. Praise God!

Daniel’s lot

(Verse 13:) “But go thou thy way,” Daniel, “till the end be. For thou shalt rest and stand in thy lot at the end of the days.” “Go thou thy way till the end be.” What end is that? His end, Daniel’s end. “For thou shalt rest”—when your end comes, you’re going to rest and “stand in thy lot at the end of the days.” You mean Daniel’s got a lot in heaven? So have I, so have you!

Daniel’s already long gone. He’s gotten his reward and he has enjoyed heaven, and he certainly deserved it after all he went through for us. He went through the lion’s den and had all kinds of trouble with kings. He certainly deserved a rest when he got done. And so will you! Praise the Lord!

Learning to Be Content

November 10, 2023

By Colin Smith

I have learned in whatever situation I am to be content. I know how to be brought low, and I know how to abound. In any and every circumstance, I have learned the secret of facing plenty or hunger, abundance and need. I can do all things through him who strengthens me.—Philippians 4:11–13

What we have here are the words of personal testimony. Paul refers to himself and to his own experience five times in three verses, and he does it without the faintest hint of pride. This is the language of personal experience, “Here is what I have found in my life. Here is what I have proved in my journey, and what has been true for me can be true for you as well.”

Paul had experienced the best and the worst of life in this world.

He knew what it was to be “brought low” and he knew what it was to “‘abound.” He knew what it was to have “plenty” and he knew what it was to be in “need.” Paul had experienced life at the top and life at the bottom.

You may find yourself saying, “I don’t think I have been either of these places. My life has been lived somewhere in the middle.” If that is your experience, be very thankful, because there are special temptations that come with when you have plenty and there are special trials when you are in need.

In the book of Proverbs we read: “Give me neither poverty nor riches; feed me with food that is needful for me, lest I be full and deny you and say, ‘Who is the Lord?’ or lest I be poor and steal and profane the name of my God” (Proverbs 30:8–9). Paul knew the full range of human experience and he says, “In every circumstance, I have learned to be content.”

Contentment is a grace learned over time.

(Listen to the 36-minute audio or continue reading a polished transcript here.)

https://openthebible.org/sermon/learning-content/

Current Events: Speculations and Opinions

November 9, 2023

By Maria Fontaine

Audio length: 7:39

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In Matthew 25:13, in referring to His Second Coming, Jesus told His disciples to “Watch therefore, for you know neither the day nor the hour.” Throughout history, Christians have weighed world events to determine if they were signs of the endtime, or the beginning of the Antichrist’s reign or the Great Tribulation. It is not uncommon to encounter different views, speculations, and opinions about current events or trends in the world, as to how they might fit into endtime scenarios and biblical prophecy about Jesus’ Second Coming.

In recent times, questions have been raised as to whether certain technologies, such as the cashless society, the rise of artificial intelligence, the developing nanotechnology in vaccinations, or globalization could be the beginnings of the “mark of the beast” (Revelation 13:16–17). As will always be the case when individuals are looking at what is an important topic for them, there will be many opinions and interpretations.

One day, we’ll understand how all these events played a part in God’s plan. Too often, however, these individual interpretations can become so important in the minds of their developers that they start to conclude that their perspective is absolutely right and others are most likely wrong. That can lead to division if being right about this begins to override what are our highest priorities in this life.

As Christians, our overarching responsibility is the same as it has always been: “By this all people will know that you are My disciples, if you have love one for another” (John 13:35). We don’t have to agree on all the details of the endtime to love one another and to carry out our great commission to share the gospel with everyone we can (Mark 16:15). We are all free to have our opinions about such things, but the moment our interpretations or opinions cause division, then that is no longer manifesting Jesus’ love to others.

I once heard an interesting interview with the son of the late conservative U.S. Supreme Court judge, Justice Scalia. He described the long-term friendship between his father and the strongly liberal and now deceased U.S. Justice Ginsburg. Though they were on opposite ends of the spectrum in many of their political and legal opinions over the years, they were known to be good friends who often enjoyed each other’s company. The key was that they both had chosen to focus on the things that they agreed on rather than on those things that they disagreed on. They held to their own convictions, but each respected the right of the other to have their own opinions.¹

As Christians, we are very diverse in backgrounds, languages, cultures, and in many other ways, yet as long as we focus on Jesus, respecting Him in one another, we can turn what might be a potential source of contention and disagreement into an opportunity to learn from one another. That takes humility. That takes having enough love to listen to each other, even when we don’t see eye-to-eye on some issues, and focusing on the important issues that we do agree on.

When will the end come?

When considering the pros and cons of knowing and declaring specific endtime details and interpretations, an important question to ask ourselves is “Why are we so desperate to know the exact details of how the endtime will unfold? Would it somehow make the Tribulation go better if I were to know the date it would begin? If I were to know the trigger that would cause the world economic crash or that would begin the last seven years, would that somehow bring me greater comfort and peace, and enable me to clearly decide what my next actions should be? Would it cause me to do more passionately what I’m supposed to be doing with all my heart anyway?” I don’t think so.

I pondered what information about the endtime would somehow result in me being a better example of God’s love if I were to know that information before others. I couldn’t think of a single thing. In fact, knowing more details than the Lord has chosen to give us would lay a massive responsibility on us. If it weren’t perfectly synced with the training, wisdom, and experience that Jesus needed to prepare us with, the burden of knowing those things would very likely cause incredible stress, panic, and fear. But He promised not to give us burdens greater than we are able to bear. So if He wants to provide advance knowledge about the events leading up to His return, I’m ready to accept it by faith, but if not, I’m content to wait until He knows that it’s the right time.

Sometimes, setting aside our own eagerness and instead getting quiet with Him, ready to accept whatever He knows we need to know, can help us to see the wisdom of His ways and plans. Knowing how future events will unfold without the wisdom that we need to apply it correctly could be more harmful than helpful. Unlike Jesus, we aren’t all-knowing, all-powerful, or all-loving.

I am confident that whether current events appear to be the beginning of the events leading to the last seven years before Jesus’ Second Coming, or at least a precursor to that time, God will show us at the time when we need to know, and He will provide His grace at the time for whatever world events we may face. We just need to remain faithful to Him and obedient to His Word, and stay by His side, our hand firmly in His, trusting Him for the future.

Many current events and world conditions seem dire. Many issues have the potential to ignite and create times of trouble, and we do need to walk circumspectly, trusting God that He will take care of His children whenever the endtime events occur. He has promised to protect and lead His children in ways that will enable Him to shine through us beyond our understanding in this moment.

As Christians, we all love Jesus, and we all want to help others. We all want to follow Jesus the best we can. We all want the truth, and we all want to defeat evil. We all want to learn all we can in the process, in preparation for the times ahead when we will rule and reign with Him in love and truth. We need one another, and God most of all, to learn as much as possible. We need to respect the fact that we each have something to contribute that can enhance our overall understanding. We may not always agree with another’s opinion, but we can always prayerfully look to the Lord to show us what we can agree on and emphasize that.

We need the unity of His Spirit to accomplish the most important tasks that we are here to do. It’s our job to abide in Jesus, to keep our eyes and our hearts fixed on Him, and to follow Him when and wherever He calls us.

Jesus said, “If I be lifted up from the earth, I will draw all men unto Me” (John 12:32). Others need to see Jesus in our lives, in our words and actions, and in our love for one another. We don’t have to hold the same opinions on how the events of the endtime will unfold, but we need to see our commonality through God’s Spirit that is in each of us.

Originally published October 2020. Adapted and republished November 2023. Read by Carol Andrews.

¹ https://www.foxnews.com/opinion/ruth-ginsburg-antonin-scalia-relationship-friends-christopher-scalia.

God’s Explosions

David Brandt Berg

2023-07-31

“There is no power but of God: the powers that be are ordained of God” (Romans 13:1). For it is “not by might, nor by power, but by My Spirit, saith the Lord” (Zechariah 4:6). Everyone whom God has used throughout the history of the world has been ordained of God, with special charisma, gifts, or talents, and that divine spark of inspiration which ignites the fuse that explodes the bomb of their accomplishments. It’s that special endowment of power from on high, and insight, foresight, and divine wisdom that is a gift of God.

These chosen vessels fit for the Master’s use had that God-given fire and vision which burned like a flame, that dynamic force which spurred them on even in spite of themselves. They could not contain it; it was the power of God, that sense that you’ve got to fulfill your destiny, that there’s something important you’re supposed to do, and you’ve just got to find it. And when you do, you’re like an electric current that has suddenly found its ground. It’s like the teakettle on the fire: If you can’t find an outlet for that steam, you’ll explode! It’s like kinetic, static electricity which is built up until it cannot be contained, and it’s like somebody has thrown the switch and found an outlet for that tremendous power of God.

The power was there all the time, pent-up and smoldering—the kind that would nearly tear the prophets apart if they didn’t give their message. But suddenly the valve was released and there was a blast of the foghorn of warning or message of impending doom, exploding with thunderous fury, blowing away all the flimsy debris and the chaff of this world, and leaving only that which is solid remaining. Such was the life of the prophets of God throughout the Old Testament, and such is the life of all the men and women that God has mightily used throughout all time.

God has always had His anointed men of power for the hour, who came first to beg the people to repent and to warn them of their doom; as well as the ones who rescued them by the mercy of God when they repented. We find them throughout the Bible and history.

The book of Job is the result of such an explosion—one of the oldest, deepest, and most amazing books of the Bible. Job was a man who had obviously lived a godly life for many years, but it took the force of the power of God from without to put the pressure on by means of the afflictions of the devil, before the power that was within exploded into some of the most beautiful poetry in the Bible.

Job’s song of suffering has echoed down through the ages to encourage countless millions with its reverberations of faith, patience, and praise in the midst of adversity. Job’s response to his affliction brought forth a light which has lit up our skies with his faith ever since. “Though He slay me, yet will I trust Him” (Job 13:15). The faith, the patience, and the final tremendous victory of Job is an inspiring example for generations to come!

Another one of God’s greats was Noah—a man who preached 120 years without results and didn’t find his calling until he was 600 years old. Then God lifted him up on the crest of a mighty tide of His judgment—the Great Flood. After 600 years, Noah’s mission had arrived, and his obedience saved the human race and all living creatures. He and his tiny family and all the living creatures survived—all in the same boat together. The anointing was upon him for that hour, and he didn’t fail!

Abraham was such a man, living for many years in the midst of the wickedness of his generation, son of a father who was frustrated in his attempt to obey God, Terah, who was bound for the Promised Land when he left home but never made it. But Abraham didn’t settle down comfortably like his father amongst the Assyrians and the heathen of Haran. There came that electric day when he heard the voice of God, “Get thee out of thy country and from thy kindred, and from thy father’s house unto a land that I will show thee; and I will make of thee a great nation, and I will bless thee, and make thy name great, and thou shalt be a blessing … and in thee shall all families of the earth be blessed” (Genesis 12:1–3).

Abraham was such a man of faith, so empowered by God and anointed with His vision that he obeyed and moved in God’s direction even though he never got to see the fulfillment of these promises. What a man of faith! What an explosion he ignited!

Joseph was another man called by God, who spent years as a mere shepherd, hated of his brethren, an outcast, a slave, and a prisoner of Egypt, containing all the pent-up force of God which began to explode on that fateful day of his release from prison by the king of Egypt. He, too, burst in a blaze of glory that saved his people from extinction and even saved the world around them for a while, and caused Egypt to bless and prosper them and enlarge them, until it was time for another man to explode.

That great prophet of God, Moses, was called by God to release His people from the bondage of Egypt and to sever all ties with its worldly system, coming out from among them and being separate, called out from the world of their day by faith. It took the obedience of one man, with a powerful anointing—a man who had been nothing but a failure under his own power, who had to wait 80 years before the coming of his day to explode with God’s power. Eighty years of rejection, humiliation, separation, and isolation from the work that God had called him to do, until the task seemed utterly hopeless and he was utterly helpless, and only God could do it!

Then God lit his fuse—and he exploded in such a blaze of glory that six million children of God were liberated, and the laws of the lands of the world were enlightened by God’s voice through him, though he never got to see the complete fulfillment of God’s children possessing the Promised Land. But this explosion has echoed around the world ever since and is still a powerful sample to us to this day! It was left for two other old men of faith, Joshua and Caleb, the only remaining ones of that older generation, the only ones left with enough faith to lead the possession of the land. Their hour finally came, whey they stepped across the Jordan by faith.

Elijah and Elisha were so full of the power of God that they performed more miracles than any other prophets in the Bible. They changed the weather, defied kings and their armies, and even survived to see the nation saved a little longer because of their obedience.

When a little shepherd boy exploded with the force of a catapult when his day finally came, the giants of the Philistines began to fall, along with their dominance of Israel. His explosion carried him to the pinnacle of power and fame as Israel’s greatest leader, King David, prophet, psalmist, and king.

Then, as the people began to forget the God who had made them great during the decadence of the great empire God had given them, His prophets began to explode with the blinding light of spiritual atomic fission and fusion, predicting the nation’s downfall that was to come upon them because of their sins. Isaiah, Ezekiel, Daniel, and others, one after the other came to the fore with the power and message of God, trying to deter the nation from its sins and bring it back to God, without avail. If you were to judge Jeremiah by his success, he was a flat failure, but he was faithful and he delivered his soul.

One by one the prophets of God have exploded through the ages. There are so many we couldn’t possibly name them all here, but some of my favorites are St. Augustine, St. Francis, Savonarola, Luther, Calvin, Tyndale, Knox, Cromwell, Wesley, Booth, Moody, Sunday, Finney, Gypsy Smith, Bryan, and my grandfather, Dr. John L. Brandt, who was a pioneer and crusader in his day who traveled far and wide to share the gospel. Some have been considered heroes by some, and villains by others—but one thing is certain: They had that spark of genius, that explosion of supernatural power that produced some of the major changes in history. And as you can see by that verse in Romans, all the powers that be are of God; whether a blessing or a curse, they are sent by God to do His will and accomplish His purpose (Romans 13:1).

God filled us with the dynamite of His Spirit and lit the fuse and blew us around the world in an explosion to reach the world and set people on fire with Jesus! They call it the Jesus Revolution, and it’s making headlines around the world. It’s a worldwide witnessing revolution for Jesus! Are you with us?

Originally published May 1971. Adapted and republished July 2023. Read by Reuben Ruchevsky.

Don’t Panic! —Trust the Lord!

November 7, 2023

A compilation

Audio length: 11:38

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Christians aren’t immune to difficulties—family problems, fears, uncertainty, too much to do, financial needs, and so much more. It’s not that having faith keeps us from facing difficulties, but we know the Lord, and we can avail ourselves of His promises, test them, and prove them. This knowledge—that my faith is a help to me in times of trouble—gives me conviction to put my faith into action and dedicate my life to serving others and helping them to find His love and answers, too.

So what are some things that help me during difficult times?

First, the knowledge I have that character is often forged in adversity. The ABCs of spiritual growth: Adversity Builds Character. It’s part of life; it’s one of God’s laws. All those who have done great things for God and mankind have experienced difficulties and obstacles, and have been challenged by all manner of hurdles. In fighting to overcome, they have become strong. As all of us have experienced, it isn’t pleasant to go through adversity, but I know that once I’ve gotten through it, I have gained wisdom, patience, understanding, experience, and I’ve become better equipped for the future.

When I reflect on the advantages of adversity, I know that it’s not just a wasted period of meaningless pain. Think of the example of Joseph, only one of the many millions in history whose character and potential were formed in the furnace. Someone put it this way: “If Joseph had not been Egypt’s prisoner, he would have never been Egypt’s governor. The iron chains around his feet ushered in the golden chains around his neck.”¹

There is an African proverb that says, “Smooth seas do not make skillful sailors.” Another thing I do which helps me to carry on is to pray for faith. There are scriptural examples of praying for faith—and I know God always answers the hungry heart: “And straightway the father of the child cried out, and said with tears, Lord, I believe; help Thou mine unbelief” (Mark 9:24).

And in another instance, “[They] said unto the Lord, Increase our faith” (Luke 17:5). Something else I do is review past experiences of how Jesus has never failed me, which is always a faith booster, because there are so many of them. There is never one in which He didn’t bring me out of the storm into a peaceful place in His time. I know that no matter how bleak the circumstances, God is able to do miracles. He’s not limited by circumstances. Another thing that helps me a lot: I do all I can to believe that things will get better. I try to look beyond the present difficult circumstances because I know that pleases the Lord. I know if I have faith that He’s going to work things out and He’s going to bring me through and He’s going to make things better, then He will, because He honors me for having that trust in Him.

So that’s what helps me when my head is barely above water and I’m about ready to panic because I feel like I’m going to drown!

When I incorporate these faith-building principles and practices into my daily walk—even if it’s thought action or prayer action—they activate my faith and it goes from being theoretical faith to living faith.—Maria Fontaine

Great faith is not the faith that walks always in the light and knows no darkness, but the faith that perseveres in spite of God’s seeming silences, and that faith will most certainly and surely get its reward.—Father Andrew (1869–1946)

Sometimes the situation in front of you seems impossible. You may be out of resources. You may be out of options or hope.

The truth is, most of us have no idea how to navigate impossible situations.

But we can learn how to overcome tough situations by looking at the life of Daniel.

In Daniel 2, King Nebuchadnezzar had gone to his astrologers with a desperate need for them to interpret a dream. When they couldn’t do it, he planned to execute them. Then he sent someone to get Daniel. Daniel didn’t panic. Instead, he worshiped God.

That’s a great model for how we can respond to impossible situations in our ministries. It’s not natural. You’ll have plenty of other people in your church who will recommend all kinds of other actions when your church faces the impossible.

But worshiping God in the middle of the impossible is the best response.

Worship is much more than just music. There are thousands of ways to worship. Anytime you turn your attention to God, that’s worship. When you express your love to God, that’s worship. You don’t have to be in church to worship.

When you worship God, you move your focus off of your problem and onto God.

The Bible says of Daniel, “That night the secret was revealed to Daniel in a vision. Then Daniel praised the God of heaven.” The passage shows you how to worship God in the midst of a crisis (Daniel 2:19–23). Specifically, Daniel did three things:

He praised God for who he is.
He honored God for what he does.
He thanked God for his help.

That’s worship. Do that and you’ll move the focus off of you and your problems and put it on God.

And he’s always where our focus should be.— Pastors.com

Some years ago, when our children were small, my husband and I were on a freighter sailing from Europe to our new field of service in South America. Due to long delays in the loading of the ship’s cargo, we found ourselves setting sail in the dead of the Mediterranean winter, close to the time of year when the apostle Paul was shipwrecked off the coast of Malta (Acts chapter 27; 28:1). We prayed that our fate would not be the same as his.

Two days out of port, we were caught in a storm. Even though our ship was heavily laden and lying deep in the water, the Force 12 gales caused it to reel violently. The children thought it was great fun, but the rest of us struggled to keep our composure. Even the seasoned crew members were seasick.

We heard radio reports that a couple of other ships had already sunk. Would this be our end? If so, I wasn’t going to go down without a fight. There was nothing I could do physically to change the situation, but I could pray. And so I prayed like I had never prayed before! “Jesus, please help us!” I implored. “You’re our only hope! Calm the sea! Give our captain the wisdom, faith, and courage he needs to get us through this.”

“Go to the bridge.” I recognized that voice in my mind immediately. It was Jesus. “The captain is also praying. Pray with him and encourage his faith.”

When I stood up, Jesus gave me the strength to make my way to the bridge. The captain was alone there, and yes, he was also praying desperately. We held vigil together until we passed below Sicily, where we found refuge from the storm. The ship and its contents had sustained some damage, but no one had been hurt. Our prayers had been answered.

The Lord reminded me of this experience after some recent difficulties, and He showed me an important lesson from it: Face the storms of life unafraid. Climb up on top of the situation. Get up there on the bridge, and take firm hold of the Captain’s hand. Jesus is our pilot, and together we will soon be in safer waters. It takes faith to pray and gumption to act on those prayers, but faith coupled with action gets results.

It’s human nature to resist difficulty, to hide from it and hope it goes away, but that’s not the way of victors. Don’t take the storms of life lying down. Get up and fight! The battles of life may sometimes seem overwhelming, but the victory is yours, waiting right around the corner, and it is worth fighting for!—Anne Spring

Then they cry out to the Lord in their trouble, and He brings them out of their distresses. He calms the storm, so that its waves are still. Then they are glad because they are quiet; so He guides them to their desired haven.—Psalm 107:28–30

I am good—a refuge in times of trouble. I care for those who trust in Me. Even though you inhabit a world full of trouble, I assure you that I am completely, 100 percent good! I am Light, and in Me there is no darkness at all. Seek in Me the perfection you have longed for all your life.

Because of the brokenness of this world, you always need a refuge—but especially in times of trouble. When you are hurting, I yearn to shelter you in My powerful, loving Presence. So, turn to Me in tough times, and you will find Me faithful.

Many of My children fail to receive My help during difficult times because they don’t really trust Me. When adversity strikes, they either lash out angrily at Me or become so focused on their problems that they forget I am with them. An essential element of trusting Me is remembering My promise to be with you always. Trust in Me, My child, and I will take care of you.—Jesus²

Published on Anchor November 2023. Read by Lenore Welsh. Music by John Listen.

¹ William Secker.

² Sarah Young, Jesus Today (Thomas Nelson, 2012).

Personal Conversation with Christ

November 6, 2023

By Virginia Brandt Berg

Audio length: 10:07

Download Audio (9.2MB)

Greetings, and the Lord bless you and make you a blessing. I want to talk with you about our conversation and fellowship with Jesus Christ.

If I were asked what the world, the flesh, and the Devil want most to prevent us from doing, I would say, “Having personal conversation with Christ, really talking to the Lord Jesus!” I know this from my own experience, and also that of other people. A quiet, unhurried fellowship with Jesus Christ alone and then waiting to hear what He has to say is what every Christian needs every day. But this is something that some of us only get once a month or less often or even never. I wonder, when was the last time you talked to the Lord Jesus Christ, when you had a real personal conversation with Him?

It’s so easy to go to church, and to listen to others pray, and to join in with them. It’s easy to sing to the Lord, to pray with others, but what if we were mistaken to think that we were conversing personally with Him at those times, but instead, we really were only talking or singing to be heard by ourselves and other people?!

Some people only pray when they’re in church or at prayer meetings or when others are present. The danger is that if you don’t converse with Him alone each day, you can suddenly wake up to the fact that you and your Savior are strangers to each other. The words in the Bible “without Me you can do nothing” (John 15:5) are sometimes forgotten. Jesus meant that you should talk with Him continually, about everything you do, and everything you care about. You should always be conscious of His truth and mercy and the working of His Spirit.

He meant for you to have told Him about your anxieties, and He would have given you peace. But when you only consult with friends and co-workers, matters can get worse. He meant for you to ask Him for insight about that doctrine that you could not understand; He can give you wisdom if you go to Him personally.

He meant for you to have confessed that secret sin to Him, and He would have forgiven you and cleansed you. But when you only confess it to a companion, you will never find relief. He meant you to have asked Him personally how much money you were to give away, but you settled that yourself, and perhaps you didn’t settle it right. He wants to be your counselor about the profession you choose, the employees you hire, the books you read, and the fellowship you engage in.

Oh, may God help you to talk to Christ, your personal friend and counselor! Conversation with Him will make all the difference in the world. I want to ask, Is Jesus your personal friend? Do you talk to Him personally about all these things?

Recently a young husband came back to an empty house where he had spent happy days when he was first married. His wife had left him over some petty quarrel. He said that he went back to that emptiness and he pinned little slips of paper in every room, hoping that when she came back for her belongings she would see them. On those slips of paper he wrote the words: “Without you here, it is all emptiness,” because he said it was all emptiness without her presence there. She did come back and her heart was touched.

I could pin a sign on every creed and doctrine and ordinance and church that says: “It’s emptiness without You, dear Lord.” It’s all empty without Christ Himself. For life itself is but one long round of anxiety without a personal relationship with Jesus Christ.

So I will say over again what I’ve said many times: It’s only as you come into this personal relationship with Jesus that you will have peace for your troubled soul. And also in prayer, it’s this fellowship with Him, this personal conversation with Him, that makes all the difference.

John Oxenham wrote these wonderful words:

Not what, but whom, I do believe
That in my darkest hour of need
Hath comfort that no mortal creed
To mortal man may give.

Not what, but whom,
For Christ is more than all the creeds
And his full life of gentle deeds
Shall all the creeds outlive.

Not what I do believe, but whom
Who walks beside me in the gloom
Who shares the burden wearisome;
Who all the dim way doth illumine

And bids me look beyond the tomb
The larger life to live.
Not what I do believe but whom.

Isn’t that wonderful? And isn’t that true? Not what, but whom! It isn’t what church, it’s whom. The important thing is whether you meet Christ, if He is exalted there.

You say, “I can’t feel His presence, but I really want to. I don’t seem to reach Him, but I want to.” Bishop Simpson once said, “Reach up as far as you can and God will reach down the rest of the way.” Oh, that is true!

He says, “You will seek Me and find Me, when you search for Me with all your heart” (Jeremiah 29:13). He says, “Call to Me, and I will answer you, and show you great and mighty things, which you do not know” (Jeremiah 33:3). I know this is true, because out of deep darkness I once called to Him, and He answered. He never turns away a seeking soul.

I want to read a poem that’s so precious to my heart. It comes from an old hymn.

In the secret of His presence how my soul delights to hide!
Oh, how precious are the lessons which I learn at Jesus’ side!
Earthly cares can never vex me, neither trials lay me low;
For when Satan comes to tempt me, to the secret place I go.

When my soul is faint and thirsty, ’neath the shadow of His wing,
There is cool and pleasant shelter, and a fresh and crystal spring;
And my Savior rests beside me, as we hold communion sweet
If I tried, I could not utter what He says when thus we meet.

When it says “we hold communion sweet,” that’s the personal conversation with Jesus that I’m talking about. The poem goes on to say:

Only this I know: I tell Him all my doubts, my griefs, and fears;
Oh, how patiently He listens! And my drooping soul He cheers.
Do you think He ne’er reproves me? What a false friend He would be,
If He never, never told me of the sins which He must see.

Would you like to know the sweetness of the secret of the Lord?
Go and hide beneath His shadow: this shall then be your reward;
And whene’er you leave the silence of that happy meeting place,
You will bear the shining image of the Master in your face!¹

And so it’s in the secret of His presence that your soul shall delight to hide, and that personal conversation with the living Christ will be the joy of your life.

I want to assure you that He never turns away a seeking soul. Someone listening who has never met Jesus Christ might say, “Well, give me something to lay hold of, something concrete, something I can see, and I’ll believe in Jesus.” He answers that heart cry with these words: “Only believe” (Mark 5:36; Luke 8:50). If you will believe, you will quickly find something to lay hold of, and you’ll see also that He is wonderfully concrete and real.

The Lord Jesus Christ must first be received by faith, then will come the glorious assurance of salvation. But it will be forever hidden to you unless you reach out toward Him and believe that He is what He says He is. “He that cometh to God must believe that he is, and that he is a rewarder of them that diligently seek him,” it says in Hebrews 11:6. To believe is to see! And I want to tell you, beloved, that He will reveal Himself.

The quickest, surest way to enter into sweet fellowship with God is to confess that you’re a sinner and call upon Him for mercy. Accept His gift of salvation, and then your rebellious, unbelieving nature will be empowered to recognize the claims of Jesus Christ and take God at His Word. God’s Word says, “Therefore, having been justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ” (Romans 5:1). Also, “He who has the Son has life; he who does not have the Son of God does not have life” (1 John 5:12).

You say you want life in abundance? Jesus said, “The thief does not come except to steal, and to kill, and to destroy. I have come that they may have life, and that they may have it more abundantly” (John 10:10). Without Jesus, you’re forfeiting the only real and lasting joy there is in this old sin-cursed world. And added to this joy, He gives you eternal life.

Won’t you give Him a chance to show you what He can do? Won’t you commit your all to Him and let Him take all your frustrations and failures and give you a life of victory and satisfaction?

Give God a chance, won’t you? If you will, what a change there will be in your life! God bless you! He’s still on the throne and prayer really does change things.

From a transcript of a Meditation Moments broadcast, adapted. Published on Anchor November 2023. Read by Lenore Welsh.

¹ Adapted from “In the Secret of His Presence,” by Ellen L. Goreh, 1883.

Daniel 12, Part 2

The Days of the End

David Brandt Berg

1981-03-02

“The entrance of Thy Word giveth light” and wisdom and understanding (Psalm 119:130). When we delve into His Word we bring forth treasures, both old and new, as we study the marvelous prophecies regarding the days in which we are now living, those upon whom the ends of the earth are come—we upon whom this endtime is happening.

The Lord told Daniel to close up the book, it wasn’t for him, that it wouldn’t be opened again until the time of the end. And for nearly 2,500 years these secrets have been closed and hidden from the world and even from Christians, theologians, preachers and teachers until this time of the end, the endtime.

We’ve been studying Daniel and we’re now on the last three verses of the book: Daniel 12, the 11th, 12th, and 13th verses.

He says, “And from the time that the daily sacrifice shall be taken away, and the abomination that maketh desolate set up, there shall be a thousand two hundred and ninety days.” The Antichrist stops all religious worship and has his image set up in the holy place at the midpoint of the seven years. We’ve already learned that the Tribulation will end 1,260 days later and that Jesus is going to come for us and end the Tribulation.

Until all of a sudden in this last chapter Daniel drops this bomb! God dropped it, really, because Daniel’s not the one that’s speaking. It’s an angel that’s in the middle of a river hovering over its surface with two other angels, standing beside the river asking this angel questions, kind of acting as Daniel’s spokesman because Daniel’s almost struck dumb by this time; he’s bewildered by the whole thing.

All of a sudden it gives you another number; in fact, two or three more numbers. From the time it’s taken away and the abomination that makes desolate is set up shall be a thousand two hundred and ninety days. Instead of 1,260 days, he says 1,290 days. That’s a month longer, so what’s that? Let’s look back at the question that was asked in the sixth verse, to which this is the reply: “How long shall it be to the end of these wonders?”

The Lord has been speaking not only about the reign of the Antichrist, the first three and a half years of peace and the second three and a half years of Tribulation, 1,260 days, but in the first few verses, He says, “At that time”—the time of the end—“there shall be a time of trouble such as never was since there was a nation, even to that time.” We know that time of trouble lasts exactly 1,260 days.

Then he says, “At that time thy people shall be delivered.” Jesus has to come and save us out of this old world. He’s got to stop the persecution, stop the Tribulation, and the only way He can do it is by resurrecting us, rapturing us, taking us up into the air to be with Him.

What are all the wonders going to be? Not only the Antichrist, the Tribulation, but the rapture of His saints at the end of the Tribulation, and we know that’s exactly when it occurs (Matthew 24:29–31). So what is this extra 30 days? And if that weren’t bad enough, He talks about some more days. He says, “Blessed is he that waiteth, and cometh to the thousand three hundred and five and thirty days” (Daniel 12:12). When is the end then?

“How long”—it says in the last part of verse 6—“shall it be to the end of these wonders?” The coming of the Lord is certainly going to be one of those wonders. The Lord will come for His saints, and at the end of the 1,260 days will be the rapture, the resurrection, the coming of Jesus Christ for His children, and “so shall we ever be with the Lord” (1 Thessalonians 4:17). We’re going to go up and have a wedding reception, the Marriage Supper of the Lamb. Isn’t that wonderful? There are a lot of wonders!

“And one said to the man clothed in linen which was upon the waters of the river, How long shall it be to the end of these wonders?” (verse 6). First he says, “It shall be for a time, times, and half a time.” Here he gives us that bit about three and a half years again, the 1,260 days in the 7th verse.

Then Daniel says in verse 8: “I heard, but I understood not.” What are you talking about, Lord? “Then said I, O my Lord, what shall be the end of these things?” He wants to know when the real end is going to be. Not just the end of the Tribulation, but the end of all the events that are going to happen there at the end of the world as we now know it.

There are 1,260 days from the Abomination of Desolation to the coming of the Lord. But that’s not the end; that’s just the end of the Tribulation. That’s not the end of all the events. The angel is almost beginning to get a little bit impatient with Daniel and says: “Go thy way, Daniel: for the words are closed up and sealed till the time of the end” (verse 9).

Other places in the Bible tell us that while we’re having that Marriage Party of the Lamb in heaven, there’s going to be hell on earth as God pours out His judgments upon the Antichrist’s kingdom—the Wrath of God. (See Revelation 16.)

The Antichrist and all his followers, all those that have the Mark of the Beast, are going to suffer the seven vials of God’s wrath spoken of in the 16th chapter of Revelation. There are going to be seven vials of wrath poured out on the earth after the Lord takes all the saints out of it. And in Revelation 19, we’re going to come back on white horses and fight what Antichrist people are left. After all these plagues that God has sent upon the Antichrist’s kingdom, they still curse God, they wish they could die but can’t, they just suffer—apparently for many days after the Rapture, after the end of the Tribulation.

There are two periods of time here that are mentioned that extend beyond the Tribulation. The first one is 1290 days, which is 30 days beyond the Tribulation, and the other one is 1335 days, 45 days longer. So we’ve got a total of 75 days past the end of the Tribulation and the coming of the Lord.

The Rapture’s going to be instantaneous; it may take a little time for us to go wafting up through the air to meet Jesus in the clouds, but it’s not going to take much time to get to the heavenly city. It’s not important how long it takes us to get from the grave to Jesus, but I’m sure it’s not going to take 30 days, because we’re all going to see Him and rise to meet Him from all sides of the earth and join Him in the air.

But what’s going to take a little time? The Marriage Supper of the Lamb in heaven and the judgments of God, the vials of His wrath on the wicked world that we’ve left behind. We know that the Marriage Supper of the Lamb in heaven will be going on at the same time as the Wrath of God on earth, because the Wrath of God and the Marriage Supper of the Lamb begin with Jesus’ second coming. So there are two periods concurrently running together, two major events happening in heaven and earth that are leading us up to the very end.

I’m just assuming or theorizing. I can’t prove it, but I’m just taking it as simple logic that these important events are going to take these specific time periods. He didn’t make it very plain to Daniel, but He said it’s going to be 1,260 days to the end of the Tribulation, then there’s going to be 30 more days to the end of some of these wonders, and another 45 days until the end of all of them. And since there are two wonders to occur immediately after the Rapture—the Wedding and the Wrath—my theory is that means 30 days of Wedding and Wrath

He says in the 12th verse, “Blessed is he that waiteth, and cometh to the thousand three hundred five and thirty days.” Whoever manages to last that long will be blessed. Of course we’re blessed; we’re in heaven with the Lord since the Rapture. But what about the survivors of the Wrath of God and the great Battle of Armageddon? Will there be survivors?

There will be those that survive the Wrath of God, the 30 days of Wrath, and they’ll have 45 more days of the Battle of Armageddon.

This is what comes to me as being these periods of time, because these are the only major events remaining to the very end. It’s logical to me that it must mean the 30 days that He’s first speaking about is the Marriage Supper of the Lamb and the Wrath of God, and then 45 more days during the Battle of Armageddon when we come down and destroy the kingdom of the Antichrist.

A battle takes time, and to overcome all the Antichrist forces and his kingdom all over the world, which will consist of millions of people, is going to take some time. And then He says, “Blessed is he that waiteth and cometh to the thousand three hundred, five and thirty days”—1335 days, or 45 days later than those 30 days. Blessed if you were one of the survivors that the Lord in His mercy sees fit to spare through the Wrath of God, and not only that, you survive the Battle of Armageddon.

We know there are going to be some survivors because we wouldn’t have anybody to rule over if everybody died, because the second resurrection hasn’t happened yet. The resurrection of the unsaved doesn’t happen until the end of the Millennium. They’re not raised to the Great White Throne Judgment of God until the thousand years is over.

So, blessed is he that lasts to the 1335 days! They can be thankful if they make it through the Wrath of God and the Battle of Armageddon, because that will be the beginning of the Millennium, the rule of Jesus Christ and His saints on earth. Hallelujah!

That’s my theory, that the Wedding Supper and the Wrath of God are going to last 30 more days after the Tribulation, after the coming of Christ, and then we’re going to come back with Jesus on white horses and destroy the Antichrist and his kingdom in 45 days of war during the Battle of Armageddon. Then He’s going to give the rest of the world a thousand years of another chance and goodness and peace on earth, and the mercy of God and the very presence of Jesus Christ Himself. Perfect government, plenty for all, peace on earth. A thousand years to prove the love and mercy and power and fear of God. And yet there are many who will not believe! Though one should come back from the dead, yet they will not believe, Jesus said (Luke 16:31).

Millions are going to come back from the dead, perhaps billions. God’s going to rule over them personally in the form of Jesus Christ for a thousand years, and yet they will not believe. “Let mercy be showed unto the wicked,” Isaiah says, “and yet they will not learn righteousness” (Isaiah 26:10). Yet they will not repent. They’re going to rise up in rebellion again at the end of the thousand years under the Devil himself and they’re going to fight us again.

Then why the Millennium? To try to teach those that survived, those who were worth saving, the love and mercy of God. It will show God’s judgment is righteous and right, because they still rejected after a thousand years more of mercy and His kingdom on earth. Think of it! I’d say the people that last all through the Millennium and then still rebel against Jesus, they’re almost the worst rejecters! After having that much light, love, and mercy, they are going to deserve the world’s final flood, which will be a flood of fire which will totally destroy the surface of the earth, along with the wicked and all the pollution and the nuclear radiation.

We’ll probably be spending a lot of that thousand years trying to clean up the planet. Even with the help of the whole world, it’s an impossible job to completely restore the earth and make it what it ought to be. It’s an impossible job to reform some, and the earth is an impossible job to clean up, as much as we do and as much as we try. This is why God has got to burn it all up, the whole thing, and create a whole new earth and a new heaven.

The “last days,” as used in the Bible, started with the first coming of Christ, so the last days have been occurring now for 2,000 years. But the final end of all these things he’s talking about, surely that’s when the Lord sets up His kingdom on earth and the Antichrist’s kingdom is destroyed. That’s the end of man’s rule and reign on earth, and God completely takes over.

In the last verse of chapter 12, it says, “But go thou thy way till the end be: for thou shalt rest, and stand in thy lot at the end of the days.” He said, “But don’t worry about it, Daniel. Go your way, do whatever else you have to do. You’re going to rest until the last day, and then you’re going to stand in your lot at the end of the days.” They’re going to have real estate in heaven, and Daniel’s going to stand in his lot at the end of the days. I’m going to stand in my lot, and you’re going to have your lot, and everybody’s going to have his own lot.

“In My Father’s house,” Jesus said, “are many mansions. If it were not so, I would have told you. I go to prepare a place for you, that where I am, there you may be also.” In your mansion, on your lot (John 14:2–3).

Thank You, Lord, for Your wonderful Word that tells us these beautiful mysteries! Thank You for revealing their meaning, and for telling us when it’s going to happen, how it’s going to happen, how long it’s going to last, and exactly to the very day how long each of these things is going to last, so that we’ll have the courage and the faith and the endurance to know Thy Word is true as we see things happen exactly as You said and exactly the length of time You said to encourage our faith.

We won’t have to say, “How long, O Lord, how long?” like Daniel and the angel did. We’ll know how long, because You told us. Thank You for telling us so we’d be encouraged to know when the end of all these things would be.

God bless and keep you till Jesus comes. Better to die for something than live for nothing. What are you living for? Let’s live and die for Jesus! Amen?

Daniel 12, Part 1

The Endtime

David Brandt Berg

1981-03-02

The 12th chapter of Daniel, and the first verse reads: “And at that time shall Michael stand up, the great prince which standeth for the children of thy people.” Michael is one of the archangels of God, along with Gabriel. (See Daniel 12:1; Jude 9; Revelation 12:7–9.)

This happens when the end is about to come, when all has happened that is described in the 11th chapter of Daniel about the Antichrist, how he arises, how he conquers nation after nation, how he was called the king of the north, how he invades the south, how the kings of the south and the kings of the west oppose him, and even some of the kings of the east—although most of the kings of the east cooperate with him and fight with him against the kings of the west and the south.

He finally conquers Israel and the various countries mentioned in the 11th chapter and he sets up his headquarters in Jerusalem, the religious capital of the world—the most sacred place on earth to the world’s three greatest religions: Christianity, Judaism and Islam.

The last part of the 11th chapter tells us that he has conquered all this territory and become ruler of the world, the world dictator, in a world government. This Antichrist, this demon or Devil-possessed man has now conquered the world, has taken charge of it all, and has placed his palace and headquarters at Jerusalem.

We also read that he got fed up with the religious quarrels, so in the midst of the seven years of his reign he breaks that seven-year covenant and proclaims himself as God. He sits in the temple of God, claiming that he is God (2 Thessalonians 2:4), and he causes an image of himself to be made—or his false prophet does—and to be placed in that holy place. He commands everyone to worship him and to take his mark, the Mark of the Beast, 666, in their forehead or palm of their hand, and without which they cannot buy or sell (Revelation 13:16–18).

In other words, he has the whole world under his control, and he has abolished all other religions, or tried to, and has set up his image of blasphemy, this Abomination of Desolation, in this holy place. If not in the actual temple itself where he sits, at least out in front of the temple between the various holy buildings that stand upon Mount Moriah in the heart of Jerusalem.

But not all is peace, and there are quite a few different rebellions. First there is a rebellion in the south, and then there is an attempted coup at home. When they see he has conquered the world, jealous leaders there try to take it away from him. But he takes care of that in short order.

Finally, he has everything under control, but in the process there has been all kinds of trouble and rebellion, from the west and the south and even the north from which he comes, and things get worse until it says in the 11th chapter, “He shall come to his end and none shall help him” (Daniel 11:45). How does that happen?

In the beginning of the 12th chapter it says, “At that time shall Michael stand up, the great prince which standeth for the children of thy people: and there shall be a time of trouble, such as never was since there was a nation, even to that same time” (Daniel 12:1). In other words, when the Abomination of Desolation is set up, as Jesus Himself said, then there will be a great time of trouble (Matthew 24:15,21).

Israel’s going to have a lot of trouble then. But Christians are also going to have a lot of trouble. Even the Muslims are going to have a lot of trouble, because he’s going to try to abolish all religion and put himself up as God and cause everyone to worship his image. But, notice the next phrase of this verse: “And at that time thy people shall be delivered, every one that shall be found written in the book.”

Who are “thy people”? Daniel is the one to whom He’s speaking. Daniel is His prophet to whom He’s giving this revelation, and He says that “at that time thy people shall be delivered, every one that shall be found written in the book.”

Who are Daniel’s people? Daniel was a man of God, a man of faith; Daniel was a child of Abraham by faith just as we are, not merely by blood (Galatians 3:7). The flesh no longer makes any difference whatsoever to God. The mere fact that the Jews are descendants from Abraham and Daniel by blood, by lineage, makes absolutely no difference (Matthew 8:12). The only people of God left in the world today are those who have received Jesus, the Messiah, Yeshua Ha Messiah, as their Savior! They are the people of God! The people of Daniel today are all Christians.

God says to you and Daniel, “At that time, thy people, Daniel, the children of God by faith, those that have received your Messiah, those who believe on Jesus, at that time thy people shall be delivered!” Christians, above all, will be persecuted, and Jews too if they refuse to worship the Antichrist and obey him and take his mark and worship his image.

“At that time, thy people, Daniel, shall be delivered.” Thank God! Out of this awful time of great trouble for not only Jews, but for the Christians and Muslims of the world and all believers in God. It shall be a terrible time of trouble because the Antichrist will attempt to stamp out all religion, all faith in anything but himself.

By this time, in the midst of the seven years, when he breaks the covenant, decides to set up an image of himself and command that the whole world worship him, at this time God’s Word tells us in another passage in Revelation 12 that he will become possessed of Satan. He will become the Devil in person, and he will run the world for the next three and a half years as the Devil himself, just as Jesus Christ was God Himself in the flesh of man!

During those last three-and-a-half years of the Antichrist’s reign, he will run the world ragged, to ruin when he finally gets complete control over the entire earth and the world is in his grasp and he has become truly the god of this world, causing them to take the Mark of the Beast in their forehead or in their hand and fall down and worship his image there in the holiest place on earth of the world’s three greatest religions. He abolishes all other religions. He says, “Fall down and worship me! Take my mark or die!”

At that time, thank God, Michael, the prince of the children of God, shall arise, “and at that time thy people shall be delivered, every one that shall be found written in the book.”—God’s book, the Book of Life in which He inscribes the name of every single child of God who accepts Jesus as his Savior and is born again (Revelation 13:8).

Verse 2: “And many of them that sleep in the dust of the earth shall awake”—those who love Jesus, those who died in Christ. “Some to everlasting life, and some to shame and everlasting contempt.” Here is the resurrection spoken of by Isaiah, by Daniel, that great resurrection of the righteous. Not of the wicked, not the evil; that has to wait for another thousand years (Revelation 20:5). But the righteous are raised at this time, the believers in Jesus.

God’s going to let His great archangel overcome the powers of Satan and raise you who have died in the Lord, raise you from the dead, and rapture you and those Christians who are still alive up into the air to meet the Lord. Hallelujah! What a wonderful time that’ll be—a reunion!

That’s the resurrection and rapture of the saints! All of us, both dead and alive, will be raised to meet Jesus in the air when He comes back in the clouds with great power and glory to rule and reign. But first He’s going to take us up with Him into the heavenlies, the heavenly city.

We have absolute eternal salvation. Once you’ve received Jesus Christ and you have Him in your heart and you know Him and you believe on Him as your Savior, there are no ifs, ands, buts, or exceptions of any kind; you are a saved child of God as long as you have faith and know that Jesus Christ is the Savior, the Son of God, and have received Him. You’re going to live forever!

You’ll be in the resurrection; you’ll be in the Rapture. You’ll rise to meet Jesus in the air with the rest of us. Because God’s Word is true, and God is impartial when it comes to salvation. There’s no difference, God’s Word says, when it comes to salvation. “For all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God” (Romans 3:23). You’ll be resurrected like those who passed away into death or sleep in Jesus, if they die before Jesus comes, or if you last till the very coming of Christ.

I don’t doubt that a lot of people who have gone back on the Lord and are not serving the Lord are going to see in that day what fruitless, empty lives they’re living. Those are going to be days that try men’s souls, and God’s going to purify you. Thank God for the Tribulation! It’s going to cause a lot of people to wake up and get back to the Lord and His will and be willing to die for Him.

“And they that be wise shall shine as the brightness of the firmament; and they that turn many to righteousness as the stars forever and ever” (Daniel 12:4). Think of that! If you’re wise, you’re going to shine like the stars of God, the stars of heaven. If you turn many to righteousness, if you win many souls, you’re going to shine as the stars of God forever and ever! Isn’t that beautiful?

“But thou, O Daniel,” he says, “shut up the words, and seal the book, even to the time of the end: many shall run to and fro, and knowledge shall be increased” (Daniel 12:4). He said, “Daniel, this vision is not for your time; it’s not for your people now. It’s for an endtime when many shall run to and fro and knowledge shall be increased.” People are traveling more today than ever. Did you know that more has been discovered by science in the last 100 years than has been discovered or invented in the previous 6,000 years!

“Knowledge shall be increased.” It has increased within this past hundred years almost beyond imagination, to the point that machines have gotten so complicated that only the best scientists can understand them. Machines are able to do feats of thinking and calculation and memory and computation far beyond the limits of man’s mind.

Computers with silicon chips that are so small you almost have to see them with a magnifying glass; so small, and yet each can hold thousands of bits of information and memory. It guides man’s thoughts to the stars; it guides man’s rockets and spaceships out into space. It guides man’s missiles as well, zeroing in on their targets—the horrors that science has created, as well as the blessings of some of man’s inventions.

That’s the age in which we live. “Evil men and seducers shall wax worse and worse” (2 Timothy 3:13), He says, in these last days, “and many shall run to and fro.”

He says, “Daniel, close up the book.” Daniel’s message wasn’t even for Daniel. Think of that! He said, “As far as you’re concerned, Daniel, this information is not for you; it’s for God’s people who’ll live then in the endtime.”

Daniel wasn’t quite satisfied; there’s still a little information he wanted to know, and he as good as said, “Wait a minute, Lord. Before You end this vision, tell me, how long shall it be to the end of these wonders?”

Daniel 12:5 says, “Then I Daniel looked, and, behold, there stood other two, the one on this side of the bank of the river, and the other on that side of the bank of the river.” Two other angels besides the one that was talking to him. Verse 6: “And one said to the man clothed in linen, which was upon the waters of the river”—he asked the question that was on Daniel’s heart—“How long shall it be to the end of these wonders?”

Verse 7: “And I heard the man clothed in linen, which was upon the waters of the river, when he held up his right hand and his left hand unto heaven, and sware by Him that liveth for ever, that it shall be for a time” (this is a term used in the old Hebrew meaning one year), “times” (two times) “and a half” (half a time). Three and a half years. What he was asking, apparently, was how long it shall be from this time the Antichrist takes over fully and sets up his image and places this abomination that maketh desolate in the holy place, tries to force everybody to worship it, take the Mark of the Beast and tries to kill everybody that doesn’t. How long shall it be to the end of these final wonders of the Tribulation? And he tells us three and a half years. The rest of the seventh verse:

“And when he shall have accomplished to scatter the power of the holy people, all these things shall be finished.” Who are the holy people? Only the people of God, only the Christians who have received Jesus as their Messiah. In Jesus there’s no longer any male or female, Jew or Gentile, bond or free, or any difference (Galatians 3:28). We are all the children of God, all Christians, all God’s people, Daniel’s people, the ones to whom He’s speaking here.

The power of the church on earth is going to be destroyed before Jesus comes (Daniel 8:24). The Lord is going to allow the Devil in person, in the Antichrist, to destroy the power of the church and Christendom throughout the world—except for a few powerful witnesses of God who are going to last to the very bitter end. He said, “When he shall have accomplished to scatter the power of the holy people, all these things shall then be finished.”

Verse 8: “And I heard, but I understood not.” Daniel didn’t understand what God was speaking through him in this book. “Then said I, O my Lord, what shall be the end of these things?” What shall be the end? And God said to him, “Go thy way, Daniel.” That’s all you need to know, and you don’t understand it anyhow; for the words are closed up and sealed to the time of the end.

For nearly 2,500 years, nobody understood the book of Daniel, though many tried to interpret it. “And he said, go thy way, Daniel: for the words are closed up and sealed till the time of the end.” When the time of the end came, He said, “Many shall be purified, and made white, and tried; but the wicked shall do wickedly: and none of the wicked shall understand; but the wise shall understand” (Daniel 12:10).

He says the wicked won’t understand. They don’t understand the simple things of the Bible, much less complicated prophecies like this, which even Daniel didn’t understand, which God said He wouldn’t let anybody understand till the time of the end. But now we understand because God’s Word said we would understand at the time of the end “when many shall run to and fro and knowledge is increased.”

Power Through Weakness

November 3, 2023

By John Stott

“We pray for one another that this mind be in us which was and is in Christ Jesus. The Christian leaders who are needed in the church today are those who have seen the Lamb on the throne, and follow the Lamb wherever He goes, knowing that power is best displayed in weakness.”

Run time for this video is 49 minutes.

https://youtu.be/cpY-C8hJO-4

Go into All the World

November 2, 2023

By Maria Fontaine

Audio length: 8:42

Download Audio (7.9MB)

Some years ago, Peter woke up one night with severe heart pains, and during a period of four hours he experienced times of excruciating pain. I held him in my arms as we continually prayed. After a time of crying out desperately to the Lord, I asked Peter if he thought maybe the Lord wanted to speak to us, as I thought that the Lord might want to encourage him in his distress.

Unexpectedly, the message the Lord gave to us was of how His heart was pained many times over because of the millions who had never heard of His love and had an opportunity to come to Him. He reminded us of the spiritual agony of the millions of people who sit in darkness, never having seen His light or known His truth. Following is the message the Lord gave:

My heart is pained for those who are lost and brokenhearted! My heart grieves for the war-torn and the weary and those who thirst in the desert, and those who freeze in the cold and seek for warmth and love. My heart aches and breaks for these lost ones for whom I gave my life.

My heart yearns for the lost and for the lonely, for the hurting and for the sick, for the dying and for those who do not know Me, who are searching for truth. I long for them to enter into My kingdom, but they must hear of Me and My Word if they are to receive Me. And how can they receive My Word and know the truth that will set them free unless someone shares it with them?

My Word is the light that will shine in the darkness to heal broken hearts and lives and to quench their thirst so that they will never thirst again for truth. So many people in the world hurt and suffer and their hearts ache, and the void of their heart is not filled with Me because they have not heard My Word and experienced My love and learned of the eternal life I offer them.

I see their hearts and I know that they suffer and are in need of My Word and truth. So I have commissioned each of My followers to go into the world and preach the gospel to every creature (Mark 16:15). This is the calling that I have given: to preach the gospel, to share the good news, to heal the brokenhearted, to bind up their wounds, to give them the oil of gladness. And this is the fast that I have chosen, that you pour forth your bread to the hungry, and your water to the thirsty; that you share your light and your love with the lost and the lonely; that you give them the direction that you have been given, that they may find the way (Isaiah 58:6–7).

Share the good news of salvation with the lost, preach the gospel. Give and it shall be given unto you. I have poured forth My love in abundance to you. Be faithful to share this love with those who have yet to hear and learn of Me. Do not allow yourself to become secluded in your blessings but look outward to those who suffer and thirst for the truth, and are desperate and spiritually impoverished without My Word and truth. Freely you have received—freely give (Matthew 10:8)!

Give, and it will be given to you in great measure, pressed down, shaken together, and running over (Luke 6:38). I will pour forth My love to you and I will give you My anointing as you preach My gospel and share My love.

(Maria:) The Lord’s heart breaks for the lost—for those He died for in such agony, who still have not had the opportunity to hear of God’s great sacrifice of love for their eternal salvation and forgiveness of sin. And so He continues to weep and yearn for those who still do not know Him. Will you go to the rescue of the lost ones everywhere in the world who are dying in anguish of spirit, with tortured hearts and minds because they do not know Jesus? He needs each of us to do our part to reach them, and He has commissioned us to be His ambassadors:

“How then will they call on him in whom they have not believed? And how are they to believe in him of whom they have never heard? And how are they to hear without someone preaching? And how are they to preach unless they are sent? As it is written, ‘How beautiful are the feet of those who preach the good news!’” (Romans 10:14–15).

Here is another message received in prophecy about our Great Commission:

Preach the gospel to every creature everywhere in the world, for this is the Great Commission that I have given to My disciples. The world lies in confusion and darkness (1 John 5:19). Bring the light of My Word to those in darkness so that they can see the light that shines into the darkest places.

Share the message in the ways I lead you to in the place where I have called you in your part of the world, in your city, your community, your neighborhood. Do your part to bring others into My kingdom, for I died for every person, that they may have the opportunity to believe and live with Me forever.

Do not be afraid to step out and share the good news, for there is nothing to fear when you are in My will and obeying My call to be witnesses to Me through the power of My Spirit (Acts 1:8). Follow Me day by day, step by step, in sharing My gospel in your part of the world.

Be faithful and willing to be a conduit of My Spirit and love to bring the water of My Word to those who hunger and thirst for truth. Be attentive to the voice of My Spirit and let Me lead you to those who will receive My Word with joy. As you are faithful to share the good news with others, I will bless your witness and make it fruitful.

(Maria:) I’m encouraged how the Lord calls each of us to share the good news and bring people to salvation. Some people are called to do so in one place and others in another, but we are all called to reach people right where we are.

It’s wonderful how He has called each of us in our unique situations and He has a calling for us wherever He has placed us, and if we will seek Him, we can trust that He will show us what approaches and methods to use in our particular situation. As David wrote many years ago: “The greatest thing we can teach our new disciples and children—and each new generation has to learn for itself—is to follow God and hear from Him fresh every day. Moment by moment learn something new every day, because only God is way out there in front and knows what’s going to happen, and is able to lead you and guide you and show you what to do.”¹

We are called to be men and women of prayer and faith and of listening to and following the voice of God. Let’s be prayerful, and listen to the Lord’s voice in His Word, through the brethren, the still small voice in our hearts, and in prophecy, and continue to follow Him fresh day by day. God bless you!

Originally published April 1995. Adapted and republished November 2023. Read by Debra Lee.

¹ “New Bottles” (June 1973).

The Book of Galatians: Chapter 4 (verses 1–20)

By Peter Amsterdam

October 24, 2023

Paul ended Galatians chapter 3 with the statement: If you are Christ’s, then you are Abraham’s offspring, heirs according to promise.¹ In Galatians 4, he goes on to explain the significance of being Abraham’s heirs.

I mean that the heir, as long as he is a child, is no different from a slave, though he is the owner of everything, but he is under guardians and managers until the date set by his father.²

Paul gives an illustration from daily life about the receiving of an inheritance. A minor who isn’t of legal age to receive an inheritance will be under supervision, and only when he has reached a specific age, which is determined by his father, will he receive the inheritance. Prior to his coming of age, the minor has no right to dispose of the property that he will inherit.

In the same way we also, when we were children, were enslaved to the elementary principles of the world.³

Here Paul applies the illustration to the Galatians, teaching them that they were likewise enslaved to the spiritual forces and powers of this world before Christ came. The period of infancy, when we were children, refers to the period when the Mosaic law was in force. Paul says that the reign of the law ended when Christ came.

But when the fullness of time had come, God sent forth his Son, born of woman, born under the law.⁴

A new era in salvation history had arrived with the coming of God’s Son, who was human and who lived under the law. Paul describes the period of the Mosaic law as compared to when one is a minor, and he also compares it to slavery. So, too, the growing up and maturing of a child is likened to the fulfillment of God’s promises through sending His Son, Jesus. Now that Jesus has come, the fulfillment of the ages has come. Saying that Jesus was “born of a woman” doesn’t refer to the virgin birth; rather it emphasizes Jesus’ full humanity.

To redeem those who were under the law, so that we might receive adoption as sons.⁵

God’s plan that people would be delivered from the power of sin has been realized in the sending of His Son. Jesus has redeemed “those who were under the law,” so that believers are now God’s sons and daughters. Paul portrays the power of sin with the word “under” in Galatians. Those who are “under the law” (3:23, 4:4) are “under a curse” (3:10), “under sin” (3:22), “under a custodian” (3:25), and under the elements (4:3). Sin had placed people under its dominion.

God’s Son lived under the law and took the curse of sin on Himself by His death on the cross, thereby redeeming those who were under the dominion of sin. The word “redeemed” was used earlier in Galatians 3:13: Christ redeemed us from the curse of the law. Its use points to His death on the cross on behalf of sinners, while also showing that liberation for those under the law came at the cost of Jesus’ death on the cross. Those who have been redeemed from slavery to sin are adopted as God’s children. As such, believers are God’s children through Jesus’ death. Paul made the point that Gentiles are now adopted into God’s family as His children. They are the offspring of Abraham because they are one with Christ.

And because you are sons, God has sent the Spirit of his Son into our hearts, crying, “Abba! Father!”⁶

The main proof that the Galatians are truly God’s adopted children is that God has given them the Holy Spirit, and their sonship is seen by their acclamation that God is their Father. Paul goes back to the theme of Galatians 3:1–5, where the presence of the Spirit marks the Galatians as part of the people of God. In Galatians 4:4 we read that God “sent” His Son. Here we read that He has also “sent” the Spirit. The close relationship between the Father, the Son, and the Spirit is reflected in the phrase “the Spirit of his Son.”

Paul introduces the sending of the Spirit to confirm that they are truly the sons of God. The Spirit confirms their sonship. This is similar to what Paul wrote in Romans: You have received the Spirit of adoption as sons, by whom we cry, “Abba! Father!” The Spirit himself bears witness with our spirit that we are children of God.⁷

The word crying in the phrase, crying, “Abba! Father!” signifies a loud or earnest cry. Due to the working of the Holy Spirit, the believers exclaim that God is their Father. The word “Abba” is the Aramaic term for “Father,” which Jesus used in addressing God (Mark 14:36). It signifies that God is the loving Father of those who believe in Jesus, His Son. The Galatians know that they are believers, for the Spirit confirms it in their hearts.

So you are no longer a slave, but a son, and if a son, then an heir through God.⁸

This sentence brings this section to an end. The Galatian believers are no longer slaves to sin. They have now reached full adulthood as God’s sons. They have been redeemed from the law and have received the Holy Spirit. As they are sons, they are also heirs to the promises of Abraham.

Formerly, when you did not know God, you were enslaved to those that by nature are not gods.⁹

Before the Galatians were converted, they were enslaved to false gods. Life under the law is likened to humans living under the dominion of sin (Galatians 3:22), held captive under the law (3:23), or enslaved under the elements of the world (4:3). However, Paul writes that they have been freed from the bondage that ensnared them and are no longer slaves.

As unbelievers, they served idols rather than the true God. The so-called gods were not truly gods. As Paul wrote in 1 Corinthians 8:4: We know that “an idol has no real existence, and that there is no God but one.” The reason the Galatians had been subjugated to false gods was that they did not know God.

But now that you have come to know God, or rather to be known by God, how can you turn back again to the weak and worthless elementary principles of the world, whose slaves you want to be once more?¹⁰

Paul addresses conversion here, as he contrasts their former lives and their lives in Christ. Previously, they didn’t know God, but when they were converted, they came to know Him. They now call Him their beloved Father (Abba, Father). The Galatians came to know God because God knew them first, because He loved them and chose them to be His own.

Paul was surprised that the Galatians were reverting to their old ways. He saw their returning to the Mosaic law as a form of paganism, as they were renouncing their faith in Christ. He was astonished¹¹ and perplexed¹² that the Galatians would trade in their freedom for bondage and were returning to the gods they previously served. Paul’s words, which essentially equated subjection to the Torah with paganism, were probably a shock to the Judaizers.

You observe days and months and seasons and years!¹³

The Galatian believers were beginning to follow the Old Testament calendar, which indicated that they were reverting to the Old Testament law. The “days” refer to the observance of the Sabbath, though he may also have other special days in mind. Paul uses a number of terms to show the Galatians’ observance of the Jewish calendar. While before their conversion to Christ they were devoted to false gods (4:8), Paul sees their attraction to Judaism as the same as paganism.

I am afraid I may have labored over you in vain.¹⁴

Paul wonders if perhaps his work with them was in vain. If the Galatians strayed from the message of the grace of God, then they would face a curse, as he wrote earlier. But even if we or an angel from heaven should preach to you a gospel contrary to the one we preached to you, let him be accursed. As we have said before, so now I say again: If anyone is preaching to you a gospel contrary to the one you received, let him be accursed.¹⁵

Elsewhere in Paul’s writings, we see that only those who continue in the faith will receive the inheritance. Therefore, Paul considers the possibility that his work will be in vain if those who became believers do not continue on in the faith. This warning was designed to counter the Galatians’ lethargy and to bring them back to Paul’s teachings.

Brothers, I entreat you, become as I am, for I also have become as you are. You did me no wrong.¹⁶

Paul shows his love for the Galatian Christians by referring to them as brothers, and by entreating them and instructing them as one who wants to see them grow and mature in the faith. Paul appeals to the Galatians to be like he is, free from the Mosaic law. He explains why the Galatians must not submit to circumcision or be bound to the Mosaic law. In entreating the believers to imitate him, he means that they should not live under the Mosaic law. In a sense, Paul had become like the Gentiles, in that he is free from the law. Accordingly, it makes no sense for the Gentiles, the Galatians, to live like the Jews and to be bound by the Old Testament laws.

The good relations between Paul and the Galatians are seen as Paul refers to his initial preaching of the gospel to the Galatians. Their warm reception of Paul didn’t just represent their kindness; it also had theological significance, as Paul came as an apostle who proclaimed the gospel. Their response to him signified their reaction to Christ. However, though they did not wrong Paul when he was with them, the circumstances had now changed.

You know it was because of a bodily ailment that I preached the gospel to you at first.¹⁷

When Paul first preached to the Galatians, he was apparently suffering from some ailment or sickness. Some scholars have speculated on what Paul’s ailment was. It has been suggested that it was an eye disease; others think that it was epilepsy or malaria. However, these are just conjectures, since there isn’t sufficient information to know. Whatever it was, it didn’t keep him from spreading the gospel. Paul didn’t consider his ailment and sufferings a reason to stop his ministry. His weakness, manifested in sickness, was a way that Christ’s strength was manifested through him, as he wrote elsewhere.

So to keep me from becoming conceited because of the surpassing greatness of the revelations, a thorn was given me in the flesh, a messenger of Satan to harass me, to keep me from becoming conceited. Three times I pleaded with the Lord about this, that it should leave me. But he said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.”¹⁸

And though my condition was a trial to you, you did not scorn or despise me, but received me as an angel of God, as Christ Jesus.¹⁹

Paul’s weakness was probably a cause of temptation for the Galatians, as it could seem to be a sign that his message was not from God. However, they did not reject him because of his suffering. They realized he was God’s messenger and that Jesus was speaking through him.

What then has become of your blessedness? For I testify to you that, if possible, you would have gouged out your eyes and given them to me.²⁰

This question again refers to the Galatians’ salvation and the beginning of their relationship with Paul. When Paul first came with sickness, they welcomed him, and his presence was a blessing. Some commentators feel that this verse confirms that Paul had some kind of eye disease. However, this is not certain, as the expression is more likely a way of saying that the Galatians were willing to give what was precious to them for Paul’s benefit. In saying this, Paul highlights the warm relationship between himself and the Galatians.

Have I then become your enemy by telling you the truth?²¹

Paul’s close relationship with the Galatians was now strained due to their turning from the gospel. Paul’s question was rhetorical. He wasn’t accusing them of being enemies, but asking whether the situation had reached the point where he had become an opponent instead of a friend. His hope was that his strong words would bring them back into fellowship with him and would cause them to align themselves with him once again.

They make much of you, but for no good purpose. They want to shut you out, that you may make much of them.²²

The zeal of the Judaizers was not pleasing to God. They had a desire to remove the Galatian believers from the church. Three times in this letter Paul refers to the desires of the false teachers, who sought to turn the believers away from Paul so that the Galatians would look to them as teachers. The Judaizers had a strong desire to be praised and honored. Their motives were corrupted by their desire for praise from the believers. The Galatians were faced with a choice: they could either follow the Judaizers or Paul; either they would show zeal for the true gospel or they would follow the false gospel, which required circumcision.

It is always good to be made much of for a good purpose, and not only when I am present with you.²³

The meaning of this verse is not easy to understand. Different Bible translations give varying interpretations. In my source for this study of Galatians, the author comments: Zeal is a commendable quality, as long as it is directed to the right object. If one is zealous for what is good, one’s life will be pleasing to God. In other words, Paul was not jealous for his own reputation. If others had arrived in Galatia, preached the gospel, and strengthened the Galatians in the faith, he would have rejoiced.²⁴

My little children, for whom I am again in the anguish of childbirth until Christ is formed in you!²⁵

Paul, as a man, says he is in labor, in pain as one who is about to give birth. He goes on to speak of Christ as the one who is going be born, and the Galatians as the mother. Paul intentionally shifts the image, as he fears that the Galatians are moving back toward paganism. He portrays himself as their spiritual mother, as one who needs to endure birth pains for a second time. Paul’s reference to his labor pains refers to the suffering he has endured as an apostle.

The word again recalls the suffering that Paul endured when he first witnessed to the Galatians. Now such suffering must apparently be repeated, since the Galatians are tempted by a different gospel. The weakness of the Galatians affects Paul, so that he is worried about their future.

I wish I could be present with you now and change my tone, for I am perplexed about you.²⁶

Paul would prefer to be visiting with the Galatian believers in person; being face-to-face with them would be much better, as he would be able to respond to their questions immediately and could address their issues. Since he was absent from them, he had to communicate with them in writing, which was much more difficult. He was puzzled over the Galatians’ attraction to Judaism and the Old Testament law. Nevertheless, he continued to address the issues in his letter to them.

(To be continued.)

Note

Unless otherwise indicated, all scriptures are from the Holy Bible, English Standard Version, copyright © 2001 by Crossway Bibles, a division of Good News Publishers. Used by permission. All rights reserved.

¹ Galatians 3:29.

² Galatians 4:1–2.

³ Galatians 4:3.

⁴ Galatians 4:4.

⁵ Galatians 4:5.

⁶ Galatians 4:6.

⁷ Romans 8:15–16.

⁸ Galatians 4:7.

⁹ Galatians 4:8.

¹⁰ Galatians 4:9.

¹¹ Galatians 1:6.

¹² Galatians 4:20.

¹³ Galatians 4:10.

¹⁴ Galatians 4:11.

¹⁵ Galatians 1:8–9.

¹⁶ Galatians 4:12.

¹⁷ Galatians 4:13.

¹⁸ 2 Corinthians 12:7–9.

¹⁹ Galatians 4:14.

²⁰ Galatians 4:15.

²¹ Galatians 4:16.

²² Galatians 4:17.

²³ Galatians 4:18.

²⁴ Thomas R. Schreiner, Exegetical Commentary on the New Testament: Galatians (Zondervan Academic, 2010), 288.

²⁵ Galatians 4:19.

²⁶ Galatians 4:20.

On the Authenticity of the Bible

October 31, 2023

A compilation

Audio length: 13:41

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Of the Divine character of the Bible, I think, no man who deals honestly with his own mind and heart can entertain a reasonable doubt. For myself, I must say, that having for many years made the evidences of Christianity the subject of close study, the result has been a firm and increasing conviction of the authenticity and plenary inspiration of the Bible. It is indeed the Word of God.—Simon Greenleaf (1783–1853), A Treatise on the Law of Evidence

If we compare the present state of the New Testament text with that of any other ancient writing, we must … declare it to be marvelously correct. Such has been the care with which the New Testament has been copied—a care which has doubtless grown out of true reverence for its holy words—such has been the providence of God in preserving for His Church in each and every age a competently exact text of the Scriptures, that not only is the New Testament unrivaled among ancient writings in the purity of its text as actually transmitted and kept in use, but also in the abundance of testimony which has come down to us for castigating its comparatively infrequent blemishes.—Benjamin Warfield (1851–1921), Introduction to Textual Criticism of the New Testament

Even though the two copies of Isaiah discovered … near the Dead Sea in 1947 were a thousand years earlier than the oldest dated manuscript previously known (A.D. 980), they proved to be word for word identical with our standard Hebrew Bible in more than 95% of the text. The 5% of variations consisted chiefly of obvious slips of the pen and variations in spelling.—Gleason Archer (1916–2004), A Survey of Old Testament Introduction

It is a matter of wonder that through something like a thousand years the text underwent so little alteration.—Millar Burrows (1889–1980), The Dead Sea Scrolls of St. Mark’s Monastery

The impact of this discovery [of the Dead Sea Scrolls] is in the exactness of the Isaiah scroll (125 BC) with the Masoretic text of Isaiah (916 AD) [over] 1,000 years later. This demonstrates the unusual accuracy of the copyists of the Scripture over a thousand-year period.—Josh McDowell, Evidence That Demands a Verdict (1979)

It cannot be too strongly asserted that in substance the text of the Bible is certain. Especially is this the case with the New Testament. The number of the manuscripts of the New Testament, of the early translations from it, and of quotations from it in the oldest writers of the Church, is so large that it is practically certain that the true reading of every doubtful passage is preserved in some one or other of these ancient authorities. This can be said of no other ancient book in the world. Scholars are satisfied that they possess substantially the true text of the principal Greek and Roman writers whose works have come down to us of Sophocles, of Thucydides, of Cicero, of Virgil; yet our knowledge of their writings depend on a mere handful of manuscripts, whereas the manuscripts of the New Testament are counted by hundreds, and even thousands.—Sir Frederic Kenyon (1863–1952), Our Bible and the Ancient Manuscripts

It is reassuring at the end to find that the general result of all these discoveries [of ancient manuscripts] and all this study is to strengthen the proof of the authenticity of the Scriptures, and our conviction that we have in our hands, in substantial integrity, the veritable Word of God.—Sir Frederic Kenyon, The Story of the Bible

More and more the older view that the biblical data were suspect and even likely to be false, unless corroborated by extra-biblical facts, is giving way to one which holds that, by and large, the biblical accounts are more likely to be true than false.—H. M. Orlinsky (1908–1992), Ancient Israel (1954)

After more than two centuries of facing the heaviest scientific guns that could be brought to bear, the Bible has survived, and is perhaps the better for the siege. Even on the critics’ own terms—historical fact—the Scriptures seem more acceptable now than they did when the rationalists began their attack.—Time Magazine: How True Is the Bible? (December 30, 1974)

It is the only volume ever produced by man, or a group of men, in which is to be found a large body of prophecies relating to individual nations, to Israel, to all the peoples of the earth, to certain cities, and to the coming of One who was to be the Messiah. The ancient world had many different devices for determining the future, known as divination, but not in the entire gamut of Greek and Latin literature, even though they use the words prophet and prophecy, can we find any real specific prophecy of a great historic event to come in the distant future, nor any prophecy of a Savior to arise in the human race.—Wilbur M. Smith (1894–1976), The Incomparable Book (1961)

As a literary historian, I am perfectly convinced that whatever else the Gospels are they are not legends. I have read a great deal of legend and I am quite clear that they [the Gospels] are not the same sort of thing.—C. S. Lewis (1898–1963), What Are We to Make of Jesus Christ? (1950)

Jesus of Nazareth, without money and arms, conquered more millions than Alexander the Great, Caesar, Mohammed, and Napoleon; without science and learning, he shed more light on things human and divine than all philosophers and scholars combined; without the eloquence of school, he spoke such words of life as were never spoken before or since, and produced effects which lie beyond the reach of orator or poet; without writing a single line, he set more pens in motion, and furnished themes for more sermons, orations, discussions, learned volumes, works of art, and songs of praise than the whole army of great men of ancient and modern times.—Philip Schaff (1819–1893), The Person of Christ

The New Testament is the very best book that ever was or ever will be known in the world, because it teaches you the best lessons by which any human creature who tries to be truthful and faithful to duty can possibly be guided.—Charles Dickens (1812–1870), Selected Letters of Charles Dickens

In regard to this Great Book [the Bible], I have but to say it is the best gift God has given to man. All the good the Saviour gave the world was communicated through this book. But for it, we could not know right from wrong. All things most desirable for man’s welfare, here and hereafter, are to be found portrayed within it.—Abraham Lincoln (1809–1865), Collected Works of Abraham Lincoln. Volume 7

The Bible, and that alone, with nothing added to it nor taken away from it by man, is the sole and sufficient guide for each individual, at all times and in all circumstances.—Michael Faraday (1791–1867), British scientist

The Christian can take the whole Bible in his hands and say without fear or hesitation that he holds in it the true Word of God, handed down without essential loss from generation to generation, throughout the centuries.—Sir Frederic Kenyon

The words of the Lord are pure words: as silver in a furnace of earth, purified seven times. Thou shalt keep them, O Lord, thou shalt preserve them from this generation for ever.—Psalm 12:6–7 KJV

Heaven and the earth shall pass away, but my words shall not pass away.—Matthew 24:35

Compiled by Dennis Edwards. Published on Anchor October 2023. Read by John Laurence. Music by Michael Dooley.

Eternal Salvation

October 30, 2023

Treasures

Audio length: 12:21

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The Bible tells us that “God is love” (1 John 4:8). It also tells us that “God so loved the world”—you and me—”that He gave His only Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life” (John 3:16). God loved you so much that He gave Jesus, who suffered and died for the sins of all mankind. “In this the love of God was made manifest among us, that God sent his only Son into the world, so that we might live through him” (1 John 4:9). Jesus is the manifestation of the love of God.

Some people ask, “Why can’t you just leave Jesus out of it? Why do you have to use that name? Why can’t you just say God and speak only of God? Then we could accept it much easier, if you wouldn’t insist on using that name of Jesus.”

If Jesus really is God’s Son, and God has chosen Jesus to reveal Himself to the world and to show His love, then God Himself has insisted on it. “No one who denies the Son has the Father. Whoever confesses the Son has the Father also” (1 John 2:23). Jesus Himself said, “I am the way, and the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me” (John 14:6).

None of us can really grasp how great and marvelous and how wonderful God our Father is, so far beyond the mind of man, for He and His Spirit surpass the whole universe. But He has stooped to send us His Son, Jesus Christ, to show us what He Himself is like. This, then, is the most important will of God for every person: to recognize Jesus as the Son of God and believe in Him as Lord and Savior and receive His love, manifested in His death on the cross when He took the punishment for our sins demanded by God’s perfect laws, so that we could be forgiven and saved.

Why do we need to be forgiven? Because we are all sinners. The Bible says that “all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God” (Romans 3:23), and “the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ, His Son” (Romans 6:23).

We must first confess that we know we’re sinners. But we could be tempted to say, “I’m pretty good. God will surely give me credit for being pretty good, at least a lot better than many others.” That’s not enough, because you can’t go to heaven unless you’re perfect, and nobody is perfect. Everybody makes mistakes; everybody has sinned.

Jesus died because we’re all sinners and it is impossible for us to be perfect or to keep God’s perfect laws in the Bible and the Ten Commandments. Only Jesus is perfect, and that’s why He could pay the price of our sins through His death, and God could forgive us, because Jesus took our punishment for us. We could never earn it. We have all sinned, we all need God’s love and mercy to be saved, and we find that love and mercy in Jesus Christ.

We cannot save ourselves by our own works, our own goodness, our own attempts to keep God’s laws and to love Him, or our own endeavors to find and follow His truth. Salvation is a gift of God performed by a transformation of our lives when we accept His truth in the love of His Son Jesus by the work of His Holy Spirit.

“For by grace you have been saved through faith, and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God, not of works, lest anyone should boast” (Ephesians 2:8–9). You have to humble yourself and acknowledge that you don’t deserve salvation, that you’re a lost sinner, and that there’s no way you can be saved except by the grace of God. We receive salvation as a pure gift, not because we’re good enough or because we deserve it or earn it, and not by any works we have done. We receive salvation just because He loves us, and all we have to do is believe and receive. It is the gift of God.

No amount of church attendance or prayers or anything else is going to save us; only Jesus saves. “For there is one God, and one mediator between God and men, the man Christ Jesus” (1 Timothy 2:5). “Nor is there salvation in any other: for there is no other name under heaven given among men by which we must be saved” (Acts 4:12).

Only Jesus can free us from sin and its power and its condemnation. “For if we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness” (1 John 1:9). No matter what you’ve done! God will forgive you for every sin in the book, except one, and that’s rejecting Jesus Christ. “This is the condemnation, that light is come into the world, and men loved darkness rather than light, because their deeds were evil” (John 3:19).

But if you come to the light—Jesus, “the light of the world” (John 8:12)—”there is no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus” (Romans 8:1), who have received Christ and His forgiveness.

Jesus said, “Truly, truly, I say to you, unless one is born again he cannot see the kingdom of God” (John 3:3). When you receive Jesus as your Savior, you are spiritually born again and become a “new creation” in Christ Jesus. “The old has passed away and the new has come” (2 Corinthians 5:17).

Once you have received Jesus, He will never cast you out! “Whoever comes to me I will never cast out” (John 6:37). “I give them eternal life, and they will never perish, and no one will snatch them out of my hand” (John 10:28).

Salvation is forever. Once you’ve received Jesus Christ and asked Him into your heart and life, and you love Him and believe in Him as your Savior, you are a saved child of God and you’re going to live forever. Once you are “born again” as His child, you will always be His child. You can’t be unborn. You can’t lose your salvation. “Whoever believes in the Son has eternal life” (John 3:36).

We can have rest and peace of mind, knowing that we don’t have to worry about whether we’re good enough or if we’ve been too bad or if we’re going to go to heaven or not. Of course, we have to work to pattern our lives according to God’s will and His Word, and follow the example Jesus set for us of loving God and loving others. But you can’t keep yourself saved. Jesus did that once and forever, and His gift is eternal life!

Grace plus faith plus nothing. That’s salvation! This does not mean that you can live as you please once you are saved. If you are truly a Christian, you will always be saved, but if you commit sins against the Lord and others which are unconfessed, not repented of, and not made right, you will suffer for them in some way, “for the Lord disciplines the one he loves, and chastises every son whom he receives” (Hebrews 12:6).

When you receive Jesus, your whole life will be changed, and there will be a transformation. You may actually feel different and think differently and experience greater peace and joy than ever before. The “old you” has passed away and there is a whole “new you,” much better and happier than ever before. Jesus’ entrance into your life not only renews and purifies and regenerates your spirit, but it also renews your mind, breaking old connections and reflexes, and gradually rebuilding and rewiring you into a person with an utterly different outlook on life, a new way of looking at the world, and new reactions to nearly everything around you.

If you “abide in Him and He abides in you, then you will bear much fruit” (John 15:5). If you are genuinely saved, if you have received Jesus, you’ll find a change in your spirit, in your thoughts, in your heart, and in your direction. If you have Jesus, you have love, for God is love.

Have you received Jesus and been born again? If your heart is humble before God and you know you’re a sinner and need His help, all you have to do is ask Jesus into your heart and life.

Jesus said, “Behold, I stand at the door and knock: if anyone hears My voice and opens the door, I will come in to him, and will dine with him, and he with me” (Revelation 3:20). God will not force salvation on anyone. His love is all-powerful, but He won’t make people receive it. Jesus knocks at the door; He doesn’t kick it in. You have to invite Him into your heart and life.

Will you accept Jesus Christ as your personal Savior? Gentle Jesus stands at the door of your heart, in loving patience. Perhaps He has been knocking at the door of your heart for years. God has left the majesty of choice up to the individual, and each person has to personally choose to accept Jesus Christ. You can receive Jesus as your Lord and Savior by sincerely praying this simple prayer:

Lord Jesus, please forgive me for all my sins. I believe that You died for me and that You are the Son of God. I now ask You to come into my life. I open the door to my heart and I invite You into my life. Please fill me with Your Holy Spirit and guide me in the way of truth. Thank You for dying on the cross for me and for Your free gift of eternal life. Amen.

Jesus promised that if you believe in Him and receive Him, He will come in. Faith is based on God’s Word, not feelings. Your feelings may change from day to day, but the Bible, God’s Word, never changes. So put your faith in His Word, for “faith comes by hearing the Word of God” (Romans 10:17).

“Believe in the Lord Jesus Christ and you will be saved” (Acts 16:31). May you experience His love and salvation—now and forever!

From an article in Treasures, published by the Family International in 1987. Adapted and republished October 2023. Read by Reuben Ruchevsky.

Daniel 11, Part 2

Verses 36–45

David Brandt Berg

1981-03-02

“And the king shall do according to his will; and he shall exalt himself, and magnify himself above every god, and shall speak marvelous things against the God of gods, and shall prosper till the indignation be accomplished: for that that is determined shall be done” (Daniel 11:36). This king is going to do according to his will; he’ll exalt himself, not God, and magnify himself. He’s going to put himself above every god!

The Antichrist tries to magnify himself above every god, but all he can do is talk against God, because he can’t make himself higher or more powerful than our God.

“And he shall prosper”—He’ll grow and have more power “till the indignation be accomplished.” The Antichrist is going to continue to prosper until God destroys him. That’s how God accomplishes His indignation, His wrath; that’s another name for it, the Wrath of God. “For that that is determined shall be done.” When God is determined to do something, He’s going to do it, and it shall be done.

“Neither shall he regard the God of his fathers, nor the desire of women, nor regard any god: for he shall magnify himself above all. But in his estate shall he honor the God of forces: and a god whom his fathers knew not shall he honor with gold, and silver, and with precious stones, and pleasant things” (verses 37–38). It says he’ll not regard any god or the God of his fathers, but the King James Version capitalizes “God of forces” when it should not have. The translators didn’t make very many mistakes; there may, however, be a few little mistakes of punctuation, and in this case of capitalization.

The Antichrist is not going to honor God; he is going to dishonor God, and the first few verses have already told us that he’s going to speak blasphemous things against Him. He’s going to try to debunk God. When it says “in his estate,” it means “in his place.” In place of honoring the true God, he is going to honor the god of forces, or power.

Of course, our God is a God of power! He is the greatest force in the universe, and the power of His love is the greatest of all forces. But this is talking about the forces which constitute armies and navies and air forces, and tanks and guns and planes and bombs; those are the kinds of forces he is going to honor.

“In his estate”—in God’s place—“shall he honor the god of forces. And a god whom his fathers knew not shall he honor with gold, and silver, and with precious stones, and pleasant things.” They’re putting billions of dollars into creating these forces, forces that his fathers knew not.

Verse 39: “Thus shall he do in the most strong holds with a strange god.” He’s going to be able to destroy the strongest holds in the world. He’s going to be a power-worshipper, a militant military man who worships force and power and covets it for himself. When the time comes at the very beginning of the Tribulation, in the midst of that seven years the Devil possesses this man and he becomes the Devil himself; but meanwhile he is going to worship the Devil and his power and these hell bombs that the Devil has inspired men to invent.

Atomic power is the power of God and the power of the universe and what makes it stick together. But man has figured out how to make it fall apart—in fact, how to blow itself apart—and is therefore misusing the power of God to destroy God’s creation instead of preserving it. “Thus shall he do in the most strong holds with a strange god, whom he shall acknowledge and increase with glory.” The more armaments and atomic bombs he has, the better he likes it, because he knows that’s going to help him conquer the world.

“And he shall cause them to rule over many.” As a result of this power, with the Devil’s help he’s going to rule over many, “and shall divide the land for gain.” There are a lot of meanings you can apply to that “divide the land for gain,” or distribute the spoil, as it says in an earlier verse.

The Antichrist is going to come along like a great hero, a great messiah, the Devil’s own false Christ, and show the world true righteousness—his brand—and do the things that he knows God wants done. He’ll start sharing the wealth of the rich with the poor, dividing the land, not only for the gain of the poor, but to gain his own power and popularity. Because he knows if he imitates God and imitates what Jesus is going to do in the Millennium when that’s really going to be done fairly, he can set up an imitation Millennium and be its imitation Messiah and persuade people that he is God because he’s doing the kind of things that they would have expected God to do for them.

He finds that by dividing and sharing and giving away, he makes himself even more powerful and gains even more. He gives away the wealth of the rich to the poor, and the poor give him the world and its government and its power, and he becomes the god of this earth in person.

God’s principles work no matter who uses them. He’s going to obey some of God’s basic fundamental laws such as sharing, distributing to the poor, and dividing the land for gain.

“And at the time of the end shall the king of the south push at him” (Daniel 11:40). Who’s the king of the south? Directions in the Bible are determined from their relationship to Israel. The Mideast was the location of the prophets when they were doing this prophesying. Daniel was there when he had this prophecy and revelation, so Egypt and Africa were south of him then.

Africa is certainly due south of there, and when it turns out that this king of the north is a tyrant and not exactly what they expected him to be and he’s going to make slaves out of them again, the African nations are going to start revolting and pushing against him. But when they do, “the king of the north shall come against him like a whirlwind, with chariots, with horsemen, many ships; and he shall enter into the countries.” The countries between the north and the south are usually called the Mideast.

There’s another country that’s south, Saudi Arabia, as well as most of the rich Arab oil states, and they’re not going to like this king of the north taking over. But who’s going to win? He’s going to have so many ships, so many horsemen, so many chariots, that like a whirlwind he’s going to overflow all these countries and pass over. He’s going to conquer them all.

We still have ships—not just sea ships, but airships, and we’ve got gigantic chariots called tanks today. He’s going to take all those forces and mighty forces far superior to theirs and he’s going to overflow these lands.

“He shall enter also into the glorious land, and many countries shall be overthrown.” That’s going to be a great battle, a very great battle which we could consider or interpret as being an atomic war. This king of the north, presumably from Russia, the Antichrist, will round up all the power of every kind he can get, including Eastern nations that are going to help him, God’s Word says.

“But these shall escape out of his hand, even Edom, and Moab, and the chief of the children of Ammon.” Edom, Moab and Ammon are today the little country of Jordan “He shall stretch forth his hand upon the countries: and the land of Egypt shall not escape.” He says Jordan will escape, but Egypt won’t escape. When the showdown comes, Egypt is obviously going to be fighting against the Antichrist government. “He shall stretch forth his hand upon the countries”—in other words, against those countries that have fought against him, including Egypt.

Verse 43: “But he shall have power over the treasures of gold and silver and all the precious things of Egypt; and the Libyans and the Ethiopians shall be at his steps.” Here are two countries that are going to be “at his steps” when the Antichrist walks in, meaning in a place of submission, a place of subservience, agreement, and cooperation.

Verse 44: “But tidings out of the east and out of the north shall trouble him: therefore he shall go forth with great fury to destroy, and utterly to make away many.” Apparently while he’s busy fighting this war down in the Mideast, as so often happens to a king away from home, somebody tries to cause him trouble at home. A lot of kings have been deposed while they were out of the country or absent on a conquest.

The Antichrist is going to have trouble with some of these countries in the East; he’s even going to have a little trouble with his own country in the North. He turns around in fury and he wins the war anyhow, even over his own country and the Eastern nations that arise against him, the Southern nations that arise against him, and of course the Western nations that arise against him. He’s going to utterly make away many. Is he going to win this war?

Verse 45: “And he shall plant the tabernacles of his palace between the seas in the glorious holy mountain.” Jerusalem is between the Dead Sea and the Mediterranean. And there’s only one mountain in the world that all three faiths could call a glorious holy mountain. The prophet that’s talking is a Jew and so much of their history has revolved around that place. So much of what God did and was going to do and is yet going to do happens there.

The land of Israel is very precious to the Lord, because His prophets and His patriarchs and His people dwelt there for millenniums and some of the greatest of Bible history occurred there. Jesus lived and died there, so the land itself is precious to the Lord. That mountain upon which the rock still stands where Abraham started to sacrifice Isaac, and the place where the temple once stood, don’t you think that and the history revolving around it are precious to the Lord?

Israel is precious to the Lord because of its place in history and because of the terrific historical events that have occurred there and the people that He loved who lived there once upon a time—the patriarchs, the prophets, Jesus, the apostles. More Christian history has centered on that little tiny spot than any other place on earth, and therefore is important to the Lord and to the Antichrist because it is the center of the world’s three greatest religions.

This is the holiest place on earth to all three of the world’s greatest religions: Christianity, Judaism, and Islam. Therefore the Antichrist, when he takes over the world, is going to make that his capital, his palace, his headquarters. He is going to plant his palace between the seas in the glorious holy mountain—Mount Moriah, Jerusalem, where today stands the Muslim shrine, the Dome of the Rock, and where will stand the rebuilt temple of the Jews when the covenant is made and they’re permitted to rebuild it.

The Devil knows the significance of that spot geographically, strategically, religiously, politically, and historically. It is the most important spot on the face of the earth to both God and the Devil and the world’s three greatest religions. So it’s going to be the spot from which he plans to rule the world and dominate those religions and the world and its government.

It will look to many people like the wrong side has won. That’s why the Lord throws in a little encouragement here to these Jews to whom he was talking, to Daniel in particular: “But don’t worry, Daniel. This guy who is the enemy of Israel and the enemy of God, he is not going to win the final battle! He has won this battle and one stage of the war and he has taken over the world, but only temporarily.”

For, “Yet he shall come to his end, and none shall help him” (verse 45). The time will come when the Antichrist comes to his end, and nobody will be able to help him.

The beautiful and encouraging final chapter of Daniel, chapter 12, tells you what the real end is going to be like and who’s going to really win in the end.

Daniel 11, Part 1

The Rise of the Antichrist

David Brandt Berg

1981-01-02

Daniel 11 is a deep chapter, and I don’t understand it all. You can go through the first twenty verses of this chapter and read it and not know what you read. But those twenty verses are actually a description of outstanding world events, historical characters from Daniel’s day on. I could give you the historical interpretations, but that’s all ancient history; it’s already been fulfilled. It was still in the future in Daniel’s day, but it’s past now, so there’s not much point in going into it, except that it does prove that the Bible is true and God’s Word is true because these are prophecies that were fulfilled to the letter historically.

All of these things happened, the events recorded in the first part of the chapter, and it describes the most important kings of Rome, Greece, Syria, and Egypt, etc. But then finally we come to a special very strange king in the 21st verse. It says, “In his estate shall stand up a vile person, to whom they shall not give the honor of the kingdom: but he shall come in peaceably, and obtain the kingdom by flatteries.”

A lot of kings did that sort of thing; they cheated and lied, and they pretended to be peacemakers and flattered the people so that when they invaded, the people hailed them as a savior and a liberator. Russia invaded Afghanistan and said that they were liberating Afghanistan, and different nations have gone into countries invading them, intervening, and said they were liberating them. It depends on who does it as to whether it’s an invasion and aggression or it’s a mere intervention. One calls it invasion, the other calls it protection; one calls it conquest, the other calls it liberation.

Verse 22: “And with the arms of a flood shall they be overflown from before him, and shall be broken; yea, also the prince of the covenant.” It says that because of these clever practices or propaganda and peaceful persuasion with an ideology, a lot of people would be overthrown, a lot of countries. It’s like a flood. In Revelation 12 it says out of the mouth of the dragon would come a flood that virtually the whole world would swallow (Revelation 12:15).

He can’t just talk his way in without firing a shot, he can’t just persuade people with his propaganda. But he’s also the prince of the covenant. “Yea, also the prince of the covenant.” We hear about this covenant for the first time in Daniel 9: “He shall confirm the covenant with many for one week” (Daniel 9:27). Then we’re finding out that beginning in the 21st verse of Daniel 11, it’s talking about this prince that confirms the covenant.

Verse 23: “And after the league made with him he shall work deceitfully: for he shall come up, and shall become strong with a small people.” It’s possible that this league is also speaking of the covenant, because it’s after the Antichrist makes the covenant that he becomes powerful and rules the world. A league means partnership or a deal or a union, something that’s agreed upon together. The Antichrist works deceitfully, deceives the people, and promises them things. The covenant promises the world peace, religious freedom, and Jerusalem internationalized and no more war between the Israelis and the Arabs and the Christians. But right in the middle of this seven-year covenant, he breaks it.

Verse 24: “He shall enter peaceably even upon the fattest places of the province; and he shall do that which his fathers have not done, nor his fathers’ fathers; he shall scatter among them the prey, and spoil, and riches: yea, and he shall forecast his devices against the strong holds, even for a time.” This is speaking, of course, of the Antichrist himself. Very few world conquerors, kings, or invaders have gone into a country and then divided the land and the riches among the people of the country, taken it away from the rich and given it to the poor. Not many of their fathers or their fathers’ fathers did it. But this kind of conqueror is going to scatter the prey, divide the spoil and the riches, something very unusual that hasn’t usually been done before.

It’s the Devil’s own system, the Devil trying to be like God. He’s going to take it away from these oppressive rich and give it to the poor, and he’s going to be more fair than God! Or pretend to be! So the Antichrist marches in for peace and lies to the people, and he obtains it with flatteries. He’s going to make peace, solve the economic problems, feed the poor, stop the wars, and who wouldn’t want a government like that? Who wouldn’t want a great, wise leader that solves all the problems? So naturally the world’s going to fall down and worship him as their savior and messiah, the one who saved the world! Not for democracy, not necessarily for freedom, but at least for peace and plenty. Lots of people are willing to go without freedom as long as they can have peace and plenty.

Verse 25: “He shall stir up his power and his courage against the king of the south with a great army; and the king of the south shall be stirred up to battle with a very great and mighty army; but he shall not stand.” The Antichrist is going to fight the king of the south. In fact, there are going to be quite a few kings of the south fighting together with Israel, and even the kings of the west are going to fight together with Israel. But though he’s got a very great army, because the west is helping the kings of the south in this battle against the kings of the north and east, they’re going to fall.

Verse 26: “Yea, they that feed of the portion of his meat shall destroy him.” The very ones who were fighting with the Israelis are going to turn on them and destroy them. “And his army shall overflow: and many shall fall down slain.” There’s going to be another big slaughter in the Battle of Armageddon that starts later at Megiddo in the northern part of Israel and goes down to the south.

Verse 27: “And both these kings’ hearts shall be to do mischief, and they shall speak lies at one table; but it shall not prosper: for yet the end shall be at the time appointed.” These world leaders are going to meet at one table in Jerusalem as they set up this worldwide government of the Antichrist, and they’re going to lie and make promises they’re not going to fulfill, “for yet the end shall be at the time appointed.” They think they’re going to have it forever, but God says it’s going to come to an end; even the Antichrist kingdom is going to come to an end.

Verse 28. “Then shall he return into his land with great riches; and his heart shall be against the holy covenant; and he shall do exploits, and return to his own land.” He’s come down and conquered Israel, he’s captured a lot of wealth and great riches, and he’s going to have Jerusalem for his capital. He’s going to have all that oil in the Sinai Peninsula and all the riches of Egypt. It says the treasures of Egypt are going to be in his hand (Daniel 11:43). And he’s going to go back triumphant; he’ll do exploits and then return to his own land.

Verse 29: “At the time appointed he shall return, and come toward the south; but it shall not be as the former, or as the latter.” He goes home with all his riches and conquests now that he’s conquered the Mideast and the oil. He conquers all those oil-producing countries along with Israel, and he’s got Jerusalem. The Antichrist is going to have Jerusalem for a while, but we’re going to have it in the end!

He comes back again at the time appointed, but it’s going to be different this time, not like it was in the former or the latter. Why is it going to be different?

Verse 30: “For the ships of Chittim shall come against him: therefore he shall be grieved, and return, and have indignation against the holy covenant: so shall he do; he shall even return, and have intelligence with them that forsake the holy covenant.” While he’s gone, rebels against his world government come and try to take it back—the ships of Chittim. Some of your Bible dictionaries will tell you that’s Cyprus, but you know Cyprus hasn’t got enough ships to take over in a case like this. It has a much more far-reaching meaning than that. They try to come up and start a war against them to take it back, and he returns and has intelligence with them that forsake the holy covenant.

He had made a promise; he had made a covenant with the world that Jerusalem would be an international city. They could have their places of worship, their temple and their mosques and their churches, and the Christians and the Muslims and the Jews could worship there in freedom. But they started fighting against him, so he came down and broke the covenant he had made with the religions. He has intelligence, spies! He’s spying on the religionists so he can overthrow the covenant.

Verse 31: “And arms shall stand on his part, and they shall pollute the sanctuary of strength, and shall take away the daily sacrifice, and they shall place the abomination that maketh desolate.” He’s promised them this seven-year covenant of freedom, peace, and religious worship, and they break it because they rise up against him. So he comes back with armies and he stops all this sacrifice and worship. The Jews have rebuilt the temple and they’ve started sacrificial worship again, and he stops the whole thing.

He stops not only the worship of the Jews, but he stops the worship of the Muslims and the Christians! He takes the abomination of desolation to where the temple in Jerusalem has been rebuilt and the Jews have started sacrificing again, and he pollutes the sanctuary. Jesus says you’ll see it stand in the holy place in Matthew 24:15, and in Revelation it says he’s going to make an image that can command people to be killed. He decides the only way to bring peace is to abolish these religions and to set up his own religion. He says, “Worship me! Worship my statue, my big idol of me!”—and he sets up the Abomination of Desolation, “the abomination which maketh desolate.” Jesus said that’s when the Tribulation begins, “Great Tribulation such as was not since the beginning of the world, no, nor ever shall be” (Matthew 24:21). The worst time in the world’s history, the time of Jacob’s or Israel’s trouble (Jeremiah 30:7), when the Jews are going to have more trouble than they’ve ever had!

A time of trouble such as was not since the world began, and never will be again! Thank God it’s just going to be 3½ years. Not 35, not 350, not 3,500, thank God, but only 3½ years. It’s specific in the Bible; it says so several times so that you’ll know exactly how long it is. He says a year and two years and half a year, a time, times, and half a time, 3½ years. He says 1,260 days. He says 42 months. Time and again He tells you exactly how long the Tribulation is going to be so you will know it is going to come to an end soon.

Verse 32: “And such as do wickedly against the covenant shall he corrupt by flatteries.” He’s going to win a lot of friends and there are going to be a lot of people who agree with him. He’s going to stir up the wicked and the godless and the atheists to fight all the religions, “such as do wickedly.”

But, “the people that do know their God shall be strong, and do exploits.” The people who know Jesus are going to be strong—in spite of the Antichrist and the Image of the Beast, in spite of all that persecution and that computerized image ordering everybody that doesn’t worship him to be killed, and everybody to wear the Mark of the Beast in their forehead or their hand. In spite of that, we’re going to be able to be strong and do exploits by knowing our God!

Verse 33: “And they that understand among the people shall instruct many.” There are going to be lots of people who wouldn’t read the Bible, who wouldn’t study Bible prophecy, who all of a sudden are going to be very interested. They’re going to want the truth then; they’re going to want the gospel. They’re going to really want the Bible then. We shall instruct many.

Yet what’s going to happen to a lot of us that love the Lord? “They shall fall by the sword, and by flame, by captivity, and by spoil many days.” He’s going to really persecute the Christians. He’s going to try to wipe us all out because we’re telling the truth; we’re exposing him. He pretends to be the Messiah, the Savior of the world. But we’re telling the world he is the Antichrist, the Devil in person! When the Beast and his image are telling everybody to take the mark or be killed, we say, “Don’t take the Mark of the Beast! Don’t take the 666! Don’t let them put it in your hand or on your forehead, or you’re going to be damned.” He’s going to try to kill us all, but he can’t.

Verse 34: “Now when they shall fall, they shall be holpen with a little help.” When some are going to fall, we’re going to be helped with a little help. Even a little help from Jesus is big help! “But many shall cleave to them with flatteries. And some of them of understanding shall fall, to try them, and to purge, and to make them white, even to the time of the end: because it is yet for a time appointed.” Even some of those of understanding, Christians around the world who love Jesus and are teaching the Bible and preaching the gospel, are going to be persecuted and slain to try them, to test their faith and see if they’re willing to die for Jesus and witness in spite of the Antichrist and his kingdom.

“Even to the time of the end, because it is yet for a time appointed.” He was telling Daniel it’s at the time of the end, which is “yet for a time appointed.” Another place he tells Daniel, “Close up the book, Daniel; it’s not going to be in your time. It’s a long way ahead, but I’m telling you this now so you can tell it to those people through the book you’re going to write, and they’ll know what’s happening!” And here it is, preserved for thousands of years so we could read what’s going to happen.

But we’re going to have lots of victories and wonderful witnessing and win lots of souls, and you won’t even mind dying! After all, when you die, you get out of this big mess. So you’ll be thankful even if they do kill you; you can be thankful to get out of this horrible Tribulation. The Lord’s going to be with us, and they that understand shall instruct many. The people that know God shall be strong and do exploits! The Antichrist isn’t going to be able to conquer us. He may kill us, but so what? They kill the body, and after that, they have nothing more that they can do. They just liberate our spirit to go to be with Jesus!

And then when all that horrible time is over, Jesus is going to come, praise God, and put an end to the Antichrist. And He’s going to raise us from the earth and from the dead and we’re all going to go up to be with Jesus in heaven. Hallelujah!

“Just Not Feeling It”

October 27, 2023

How Routine Awakens Devotion

By Scott Hubbard

“Not feeling like it.” In the daily pursuit of Christ, I fear no phrase has hindered me more.

A few moments’ reflection reminds me of the silliness of such a feelings-based spirituality. A farmer will find nothing at harvest if he sets aside his plow with a wave of “not feeling like it.” A pianist will end her performances embarrassed if she takes a “not feeling like it” attitude to her practices. A couple will greet their anniversary with an unromantic sigh if they allow “not feeling like it” to govern their marriage.

Yet how often have I sidestepped habits of grace with a subtle, unspoken “not feeling like it”—and have expected to somehow still mature in faith and love and feel the spontaneous joy of the Spirit?

(Read or listen to the article here.)

https://www.desiringgod.org/articles/just-not-feeling-it

Faithful and Blessed

October 26, 2023

Words from Jesus

Audio length: 10:28

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Then Jesus told him, “Because you have seen me, you have believed; blessed are those who have not seen and yet have believed.”—John 20:29

You are amongst those who are blessed because having not seen Me, you have believed. You have believed My Word about the emptiness and husks of the world and have decided to take up and carry your cross for Me every day. The times you have drifted from Me‚ you have fought hard to return to your first love (Jeremiah 2:2).

You have been willing to occupy a place that is lowly in the eyes of the world to gain the true riches. You have esteemed Me above all the fame and fortune, worldly success, and material things of this world (Hebrews 11:26). This is a sign of your dedication to discipleship, as you have set your sights on eternity and the many souls that need rescuing, and you’ve set your hand to My plow and are not looking back.

You have persevered through some hard tests—tests that made your cross feel heavy‚ and you have carried it bravely. You have turned to Me for the strength you needed‚ for comfort and understanding and peace when your heart was breaking and heavy. You have committed your deepest concerns and cares to Me.

You have suffered the loss of loved ones who have left their earthly lives behind and are now eternally in My hands. You take hope in the knowledge that one day you will be reunited in fellowship and love for eternity.

You are living fruit of My Word. Your life has borne the fruit of your blood, sweat, and tears invested in obeying My commission to go into all the world, preaching the gospel and leading many people to Me. You have such great love for Me that you have followed Me to the ends of the earth.

You give hope to people entangled in the brambles of the world, that they can find true freedom through discovering that I am the way, the truth, and the life. Your personal testimony and life of faith is undeniable and powerful—a treasure beyond measure.

You are beautiful in My sight. I love you and will continue to use you to shine My light into the world.

Qualities and gifts of My disciples

For this very reason, make every effort to add to your faith goodness; and to goodness, knowledge; and to knowledge, self-control; and to self-control, perseverance; and to perseverance, godliness; and to godliness, mutual affection; and to mutual affection, love. For if you possess these qualities in increasing measure, they will keep you from being ineffective and unproductive in your knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ.—2 Peter 1:5–8

Through your life of commitment and service to Me, you have gained many excellent qualities and grown in your faith, for which I commend you.

You were willing to forsake your own life for My sake and for the gospel to answer the call of discipleship (Mark 10:29–30). You saw the eternal crown as something of much greater worth than the temporal glimmer of this world. You had your eyes fixed on Me and the promises of the better place that I said I had prepared for you (John 14:2).

You have held on to the crown promised to all who believe and endure to the end, and remained steadfast during times of trial (James 1:12). You have believed in what I said in My Word and placed your trust in Me. You have entrusted your life into My hands. I will honor this great faith.

You have learned patience. You have experienced trials and challenges‚ but the testing of your faith has helped you to cultivate the patience you need to run this race.

You have a healthy fear of and respect for My Word. You have sought to pattern your life around My Word. You know that I am the Good Shepherd‚ and I lead you to the still waters where your soul can be replenished.

You are full of thankfulness for the gift of salvation and your life of service, and your enthusiasm makes you an effective witness to the lost of the world. You have been a faithful witness and have sought to share My love and truth with others. You have given much to be My disciple, and I highly honor you for it. I will continue to strengthen you, and My Spirit will continue to work in your life to transform you from one degree of glory to another until that perfect day (2 Corinthians 3:18).

Faithful servant

Whoever serves me must follow me; and where I am, my servant also will be. My Father will honor the one who serves me.—John 12:26

I created each of you as a unique individual, and the things I bring into your life are tailored just for you. Each of you is unique and has certain characteristics, your own special flavor which I love about you.

Even if you feel you cannot do much at your current stage of life or situation, your example speaks to the people you meet every day. Your smile reaches out to people who would not have otherwise had the opportunity to see My light. Your love for others touches people’s lives and encourages them and gives them hope for the future.

I have placed beautiful gifts within you‚ which continue to grow as you do your best to live your life for Me. I also take your lacks and weaknesses and can make something beautiful out of them. I will continue to strengthen you in your weak areas and help you to grow.

Your efforts to learn more about Me, to pray and worship Me, to take time to seek Me are pleasing to Me. You live your faith when you ask Me to lead and guide you, or when you pray in faith and believe that I will answer and supply your needs. You are an example of faith as you read My Word and believe it, and trust in My promises.

You are each so precious to Me. You may not see the fruits of your labors or sacrifices of love, but I am stocking up a reward in heaven for you, whether you receive any credit or visible rewards on earth or not. As My faithful servant, you are going to receive a reward in heaven that you will enjoy for eternity!

A spacious place

He brought me out into a spacious place; he rescued me because he delighted in me.—2 Samuel 22:20

I brought you out into a spacious place; I rescued you because I delighted in you. No matter what your circumstances, if you belong to Me, you are in a spacious place of salvation. You may be feeling cramped in your current situation, but your salvation is an ever-expanding gift.

My Spirit lives inside you, and He is always working to sanctify you—making you more like Me. This is an inner expansion, and it will continue till I call you home to Glory.

Heaven is a wondrously spacious place; you will never feel cramped or frustrated there. I will wipe away every tear from the eyes of My people. There will be no more death, nor sorrow, nor crying, and no more pain. Everything and everyone in heaven will be perfect.

My limitless ocean of Love will wash over you and fill you to overflowing. You will finally be able to love Me—and other people—with perfect Love untainted by sin. This heavenly experience will continue to expand in ever-increasing gladness throughout eternity!¹

Originally published October 2005, unless otherwise indicated. Adapted and republished October 2023. Read by Jon Marc. Music by Michael Fogarty.

¹ Sarah Young, Jesus Today (Thomas Nelson, 2012).

Overcomers

October 25, 2023

By Curtis Peter Van Gorder

Although the world is full of suffering, it is also full of the overcoming of it.—Helen Keller

Perhaps you have heard some of the famous stories of men or women who overcame great difficulties before they made some outstanding achievement. Each of their stories provides insights into what it takes to overcome in the midst of great struggles.

Don’t give up! Edison tried thousands of different materials unsuccessfully before discovering the carbon filament that lit the first practical lightbulb.

It was he who said things like, “I have not failed. I’ve just found 10,000 ways that won’t work.” “Many of life’s failures are people who did not realize how close they were to success when they gave up.” “Our greatest weakness lies in giving up. The most certain way to succeed is always to try just one more time.”

Edison’s lab was once completely destroyed in a fire. As the fire blazed, he reportedly turned to his son and said, “There go all our mistakes [failures]!”

From the ashes, he rebuilt his lab and went on to become one of the world’s most famous and prolific inventors.

As the saying goes, “Our greatest glory is not in never failing, but in rising up every time we fail.”

Be joyful. Beethoven wrote the famous Ninth Symphony when he was completely deaf by transferring the music he heard in his heart to written musical notes. Consider these opening lines of the chorale of the Ninth Symphony, which were written by a deaf man.

Oh friends, not these tones!
Rather let us sing more cheerful and more joyful ones.
Joy! Joy!
Joy, thou glorious spark of heaven.

Helen Keller, who became a famous lecturer despite being deaf and blind, said, “Your success and happiness lies in you. Resolve to keep happy, and your joy and you shall form an invincible host against difficulties.”

Forget about your own problems and reach out to others. What did Helen Keller think about the tragic loss of her sight and hearing? This is what she wrote as a young girl: “Sometimes a sense of loneliness covers me like a cold mist—I sit alone and wait at life’s shut door. Beyond, there is light and music and sweet friendship, but I may not enter. Silence sits heavy upon my soul. Then comes hope with a sweet smile and says softly, ‘There is joy in forgetting one’s self.’ And so I try to make the light in others’ eyes my sun … the music in others’ ears my symphony … the smile on others’ lips my happiness.”

Turn setbacks into stepping stones. Did you know that John Bunyan wrote much of his masterpiece, Pilgrim’s Progress, while serving time in prison? And Cervantes drew on his experiences in captivity for Don Quixote?

Byron Pitts is a renowned American journalist and author. He was still illiterate at the age of 12 and had a terrible stuttering problem, which he worked hard to overcome. In a commencement speech to college graduates he said, “There are stepping stones in life. Everything you perceive as bad is God preparing you for some task.” And in an interview, he said, “My mother raised us to believe, as the Bible says, ‘Count it all joy.’ Everything in life is meant to grow us. There are no stumbling blocks; there are stepping stones.”

Learn from your problems to have sympathy for others. One of the most famous singers of all time was the Italian tenor Enrico Caruso (1873–1921). Caruso’s favorite saying was, “Bisogna soffrire per essere grandi.” Which means, “To be great, it is necessary to suffer.” Caruso’s early life was full of difficulties. His mother gave birth to seven children. Only Caruso and two of his siblings survived. His family was poor. It wasn’t until he was 18 that he was able to buy his first pair of new shoes with the money he earned from singing at a resort. In one of his first publicity photographs he is wearing a bedspread, draped like a toga, because his only dress shirt was being washed at the time.

Perhaps his poverty contributed to the richness of his character and his voice. There was something magical about his voice that brought him great riches and fame. A fellow performer observed, “His is a voice that loves you, but not only a voice, a sympathetic man.” An amusing illustration of Caruso’s sympathetic nature can be found when during an opera performance, one of his fellow singers lost his voice and could no longer sing. Caruso sang his part while the hoarse singer mouthed the song.

See beauty in the mud. Surely, there are many more stories waiting to be discovered of people who overcame their difficulties. They give us hope that, if they could do it, so can we. Here is one I recently uncovered:

I was asked to lead a demonstration in a science museum that was opening in our city. I was to perform various experiments and to explain them to the children. In preparing for one of the experiments of blowing soap bubbles using three-dimensional frames, I came across the story of Joseph Plateau. While studying the aftereffects of the sun on the retina, he looked directly at the sun for 25 seconds, and he eventually went blind.

However, he did not give up in despair, but continued in his scientific studies. He went on to write books on the nature of liquid surfaces by asking others to tell him what they observed during his experiments and then had someone else write his findings down. The laws of liquids that he discovered are still being used today, such as the law that a liquid surface will always go the smallest area possible.

I was amazed at this man’s fortitude. He must have felt extremely remorseful that he had caused his own blindness due to his mistake, yet if he did, he did not surrender to condemnation, but continued on with the help of others.

It was also very interesting to note that related to his findings, they have since found protozoan creatures that live deep in the ocean mud that have similar structures to the results Plateau discovered with his soap bubble experiments.

I went online and was in awe at the beautiful creatures that live deep in the ocean mud. God didn’t have to make them so beautiful, but perhaps He was trying to show us a lesson through these simple microscopic creatures that He can take our lowly mud and make something wonderful from it.

But in the mud and scum of things,
There always, always something sings.
—Ralph Waldo Emerson

The Lord Will Fight for You

October 24, 2023

A compilation

Audio length: 9:02
Download Audio (8.2MB)

There have been many times in my life when I knew, without a shadow of a doubt, that the Lord was fighting on my behalf. The hard times I would not have asked for were the times that taught me most about God’s character, and I slowly learned how to trust Him with the unexpected. …

I discovered along the way that God was not surprised by my circumstances; He knew and loved me deeply. God never once stopped fighting for me as a child in Romania. And He has not stopped fighting for me as an adult who, like the Israelites in Exodus, encounters my own “Red Sea” moments. What might have been unexpected for me was already part of His plan.

In reading Exodus, I learned some good lessons from the Israelites. They were facing unexpected circumstances, and God had a big plan in place for it all. …

The Israelites, who were spiritually and emotionally weak, stood staring into the Red Sea with no choice but to wait for God to act. Moses told the Israelites, “Do not be afraid. Stand firm and you will see the deliverance the LORD will bring you today. The Egyptians you see today you will never see again. The LORD will fight for you; you need only to be still” (Exodus 14:13–14). Then God parted the Red Sea.

Can you imagine? Standing still and keeping silent with an army behind you and a sea before you? Then can you imagine the unfolding of God’s plan that followed as they watched the Red Sea part before them?

The God we serve can do that! He has promised to fight for us just as He fought for His people at the Red Sea. … The challenges we face are important opportunities for our faith to grow. What might be a huge roadblock or heartache to us is still redeemable in the unfolding of His plan.

Be encouraged and find rest in the promise of His Word that He loves and cares for each one of us. And today, trust Him with the unexpected.

Heavenly Father, thank You for fighting on our behalf in every battle we face. You are never surprised by our circumstances. Help us to trust You and the unfolding of Your plans daily. Help us to stand still and recognize You in every battle. In Jesus’ Name, Amen.—Izabella McMillon¹

“Our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against … the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms” (Ephesians 6:12). “The weapons of our warfare are not carnal but mighty in God for pulling down strongholds” (2 Corinthians 10:4). We need a lot more than mere physical weapons to fight and win this spiritual war. To tear down the spiritual strongholds of the evil forces that oppose God and His people and His purposes, we need to wield the powerful spiritual weapons of God’s love and Word.

This is a fight that we’re destined to win. As long as we stay on guard spiritually, as long as we stay close to Jesus and His Word, we can’t be beaten. How can we be so sure? Because He who is in us—Jesus—is greater than he who is in the world—the Devil (1 John 4:4).

When the Devil tempts you, what’s the first thing you should do? Ask the Lord for a scripture to counter his lie. That’s what Jesus did. He quoted the Scriptures. Memorize and quote God’s promises to bolster your faith. Put the Devil out of action with God’s Word. Bury him in a flood of the truth! God will fight for you through His Word!—David Brandt Berg

That God will fight our battles means we do not have to anguish, be anxious, or be discouraged when bad things happen in our lives. When it seems that a situation is hopeless or the matter at hand is too overwhelming, we may be tempted to doubt God. But Christians must remember that… [God] has promised to take care of us (Philippians 4:19), make good plans for us (Jeremiah 29:11), and love us beyond measure (Romans 8:37–39).

In Exodus 14:14 Moses tells the children of Israel, “The LORD will fight for you; you need only to be still.” At that moment, they were standing at the edge of the Red Sea, hemmed in by the sea before them and the Egyptian army behind… The lessons believers can learn from the Exodus account can be powerful and life-changing. When Christians trust God to fight their battles, it enables them to circumvent what often accompanies conflict; i.e., panic, fear, and hopelessness (Exodus 14:11–12).

There are times when we can see absolutely no way around a problem, just like Israel when they were cornered. It’s quite probable not one of the Israelites ever imagined that the massive sea was going to split down the middle, providing their way of escape. When Christians believe God’s Word (2 Chronicles 20:17), they learn that no battle is too formidable or monumental for God to handle (Joshua 1:5). …

Our confidence is in God, who will fight our battles and bring us safely home (Jude 1:24–25).—GotQuestions.Org²

I will fight for you, you need only to be still. I know how weary you are, My child. You have been struggling just to keep your head above water, and your strength is running low. Now is the time for you to stop striving and let Me fight for you. I know this is not easy for you to do. You feel as if you must keep struggling in order to survive, but I am calling you to rest in Me. I am working on your behalf, so be still, and know that I am God.

Quieting your body is somewhat challenging for you, but still in your mind may often seem downright impossible. In your striving to feel secure, you have relied too heavily on your own thinking. This struggle to be in control has elevated your mind to a position of autonomy. So you need the intervention of the Holy Spirit. Ask Him to control your mind more and more—soothing you from the inside out. Take time to rest in the shadow of the Almighty while I fight for you.—Jesus³

Published on Anchor October 2023. Read by Jerry Paladino. Music by John Listen.

¹ https://proverbs31.org/read/devotions/full-post/2021/10/20/trust-him-with-the-unexpected

² https://www.gotquestions.org/God-fights-our-battles.html

³ Sarah Young, Jesus Today (Thomas Nelson, 2012).

Discerning the Signs of the Times

October 23, 2023

By Peter Amsterdam

Audio length: 11:23

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We have certainly witnessed “times of trouble” for many people around the world in recent times—at an unprecedented level in some ways, due to modern technology that enables us to see events unfold in real time all around the globe. We have seen struggles related to racism, discrimination, and bias; questions about authority and violence; corruption in high places; and interrogations about the boundaries between personal freedom and civic responsibilities. We certainly are living in troublous times in many ways.

Of course, it is important to remember that every generation has experienced its own unique set of challenges, struggles, and growing pains. If we look through history, we see this constant pattern. This is not surprising to Christians, as we know that we live in a fallen world and that sin is a reality that must be confronted in every generation, as it manifests in the evils of poverty, oppression, war, and inhumanity. In that sense, as it was written in Ecclesiastes, “What has been is what will be, and what has been done is what will be done, and there is nothing new under the sun” (Ecclesiastes 1:9). We are not surprised by world conditions, as we know the cause: humanity’s broken relationship with God and the effects of that brokenness.

As Christians, however, our ultimate hope isn’t in this world or its political systems, as we know these are temporal and will pass away. We count ourselves amongst those described in Hebrews who have no lasting city on this earth but desire “a better country, that is, a heavenly one” (Hebrews 11:16). We eagerly look forward to Jesus’ Second Coming, when all the pain, suffering, evils, and injustice will be made right and “the earth will be filled with the knowledge of the Lord as the waters cover the sea” (Isaiah 11:9). Nearly 2,000 years have passed since John wrote at the end of the book of Revelation, “Amen. Come, Lord Jesus!” and believers have wholeheartedly echoed this sentiment since then and continue to do so today.

Many Christians have been seeking to understand the relevance of current events and contemporary culture as they relate to the timetable for Jesus’ Second Coming. Are current world conditions—including modern technology, globalization, the widespread preaching of the gospel, the move toward cashless economies and worldwide digital currencies—signs that we have entered, or are entering, the final seven years that will precede the Second Coming of Jesus Christ? How are we to interpret current events in light of their relevance to the endtime, and what conclusions can we draw?

The answers to such questions are to be drawn first and foremost from Scripture and what the Bible cumulatively teaches us about the period immediately leading up to Jesus’ Second Coming. Of course, the exact details of how these events will play out are not as detailed as we would like, but the Bible does provide a clear outline of what we can expect to see, collectively referred to as “the signs of the times.” Let’s review some of these.

Signs of the times

“And you will hear of wars and rumors of wars. See that you are not alarmed, for this must take place, but the end is not yet. For nation will rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom, and there will be famines and earthquakes in various places. All these are but the beginning of the birth pains” (Matthew 24:6–8). The version in the Gospel of Luke also includes pestilences in the list of signs (Luke 21:11).

As we look through history, we can see that the “beginning of birth pains” have been occurring since the time of Jesus, referred to in the Bible as the “last days” to describe the period of time between Jesus’ first and second coming (1 John 2:18). There have been wars and rumors of wars, though in some periods of history much more so than today, such as during the world wars of the first half of the 20th century. There have been, and continue to be, famines, pestilences, and earthquakes. Jesus referred to all these as being only the beginning of sorrows.

When discerning the signs of the times, we need to look at the cumulative signs of the times, all these things, and not just one sign in isolation. These signs are found throughout the New Testament and Bible prophecy, primarily in the books of Daniel and Revelation, as well as Matthew 24, 1 and 2 Thessalonians.

However, the Bible describes some clear signs that we will see and thus know that the end is “at the very gates” (Matthew 24:33). Among other things, the Bible tells us that we will see the following:

Lawlessness will increase and the love of many will grow cold (Matthew 24:12).
The gospel will be preached in all the world (Matthew 24:14).
There will come a great falling away from God (2 Thessalonians 2:3).
A world dictator, known in the Bible as the Antichrist, will rise and will sign an agreement, referred to as the “covenant,” which will temporarily bring a measure of peace and security to the world and usher in the last seven years before Jesus’ Second Coming (2 Thessalonians 2:3–4).
People will be required to receive “the mark of the beast,” some form of electronic monetary system and identification with this world government, without which they will not be permitted to buy or sell (Revelation 13:16–18).
There will be a time of great tribulation and persecution of Christians for the final three and a half years before Jesus’ Second Coming (Matthew 24:21–22).

When we hear of various interpretations of current events and conditions, or that certain political events or cashless monetary systems indicate that we are now in the last seven years, such things can raise concerns. When considering such interpretations, our first step should be to measure these against what Scripture tells us about the period leading up to Jesus’ Second Coming. We need to look at the specifics concerning a particular sign that are described in the Bible. For example, what does Scripture say about the mark of the beast? Is it possible that it has already been instituted secretly?

According to the information we have been given in Scripture, the mark of the beast is instituted after the covenant is broken and is tied to acceptance of the Antichrist and his reign, and worship of his person (Revelation 11:13–18). Have we seen the signs that would precede the mark of the beast, such as the revelation of the “man of sin” [the Antichrist] who “exalts himself above God” and “takes his seat in the temple of God, proclaiming himself to be God”? (2 Thessalonians 2:3–4)

We read in Revelation 14:9–11: “If anyone worships the beast and his image and receives his mark on his forehead or on his hand, he himself shall also drink of the wine of the wrath of God.” From what we can gather from the Scriptures about receiving the mark of the beast, it is clearly tied to worship of the beast and worship of his image.

Could the mark of the beast be administered when the Antichrist has not risen, his reign is not visible, and people are not being faced with a choice to worship the Antichrist by receiving his mark? These are the types of questions we must ask ourselves when considering different theories and interpretations. We must study and weigh the Scriptures to ensure that we are “accurately handling and skillfully teaching the word of truth” (2 Timothy 2:15).

How to be prepared

There is no question that every day that passes brings the world closer to Jesus’ return, and as Christians, we await this triumphant event with eager anticipation, and we want to be prepared for it. Will we experience His Second Coming in our lifetimes? We can’t know that until we see the fulfillment of the definitive signs Jesus and others gave us in the Bible.

So what is the type of preparation that we should be concerned with as followers of Jesus? In Matthew 24, after describing what His followers will face during those final days, Jesus tells the disciples: “Therefore you also must be ready, for the Son of Man is coming at an hour you do not expect.” And Jesus, as if in answer to their unspoken question of how to live in that state of constant readiness, goes on to say,

“Who then is the faithful and wise servant, whom his master has set over his household, to give them their food at the proper time? Blessed is that servant whom his master will find so doing when he comes. Truly, I say to you, he will set him over all his possessions” (Matthew 24:45–47).

Jesus refocuses the conversation on faithfulness with this reference to the faithful and wise servant, who has been given a responsibility for the master’s household and performs his job diligently. He doesn’t know when his master is going to return, but that doesn’t matter to him; he is focused on being faithful in his work. When the master returns, that servant will be blessed.

May we all be faithful to pattern our lives according to God’s Word, to follow Him closely, and be faithful to share the good news of salvation through faith in Jesus Christ with as many people as we can. Whether or not we will personally live to see the final seven years of world history in our lifetime, how we live our lives during the time God gives us on earth is what ultimately counts.

We are called to love God, love others, share the gospel, do our best to live the teachings of Jesus, and teach them to others. If we are faithful to do these things, we can trust that we will be prepared for whatever comes.

Originally published May 2021. Adapted and republished October 2023. Read by Jon Marc.

Clarifying Daniel 11

David Brandt Berg

1986-05-02

Daniel 11 has always been a mysterious chapter. There are only a few absolutely certain things about this chapter, and one is that it is obviously talking about the Antichrist. It has to be the Antichrist because he is the one who makes and breaks the covenant.

There are certain known factors in this equation, because they’re mentioned time and again or referred to many times throughout the prophetic scriptures. One is that there is going to be an Antichrist; all the scriptures confirm it. He is going to make a covenant for seven years, some kind of covenant, and usually covenants are for the sake of peace. Treaties, covenants, charters and contracts specifically imply an agreement. If it is an agreement between political powers or military powers, obviously it means some kind of peace.

He makes the covenant, which brings some kind of peace, but then he breaks it in the middle of the week. He then sets up the Abomination of Desolation, his image in the holy place, at which time he stops sacrificial worship at the temple and installs himself in the temple. He claims to be God and has all the people fall down and worship his image. This also brings on the Great Tribulation, because he is trying to enforce his worship on people; obviously it causes a lot of trouble, because a lot of people won’t accept it. He therefore has a number of wars with the people who rebel, until the very end. Now those are the specifics we know and can prove by Scripture. These are all scripturally based and backed up from the Scripture.

Just exactly when he makes the covenant, we cannot prove, except that we can prove definitely that it begins the last seven-year period; that’s all we know. When he makes it and how he gets such powers to be able to make it, and how he gets into power and how many wars it takes him, we don’t know specifically. We know that he does have wars, and to me it is quite obvious that if he is the prince of the covenant, as it says in verse 22, and in the same verse it says, “with the arms of a flood shall they be overthrown,” that although he comes in peaceably and obtains the kingdom by flatteries, then he suddenly seizes it.

We don’t know exactly when that covenant is made in this chapter; we only know when he breaks it. We can’t count the days; we can’t specify exactly when the covenant is going to be made, and how many wars come before or after. The only thing in this chapter that we know about the covenant is that he is the prince of the covenant. Therefore he had something to do with making it, and we know that his heart turns against the covenant. It doesn’t say when the covenant was made and it doesn’t say when his heart turned against it, except it does say that after this he returns to his land and that his heart turns against the covenant.

In the 28th verse his heart turns against the covenant. In the 30th verse he works with those who are also against the covenant. In the 31st verse is the crucial breaking of the covenant when he pollutes the sanctuary, takes away the daily sacrifice, and sets up his image. We know, therefore, that obviously the covenant has been made before this 31st verse, because it is in existence and he has indignation against it. It has also obviously been made before the 28th verse, because he has turned his heart against the holy covenant.

In the 23rd verse it says “after the league,” so if the league is the covenant, it has already been made. He works deceitfully, he becomes strong with a small people, and he grabs things like nobody has ever done before, even peaceably. Many countries fall prey peaceably, although not all. He scatters the prey; like communism, he divides the prey amongst the poor.

Then he has another war in the 25th verse. “He stirs up his power and his courage against the king of the south with a great army, and the king of the south shall be stirred up to battle with a very great and mighty army; but he shall not stand: for they will forecast devices against him. Yea, they that feed of the portion of his meat shall destroy him.” Traitors, in other words, that helped him forecast his devices. “And his army shall overflow, and many shall fall down slain.” Here is another big war.

It sounds like the covenant comes into being at the end of the first war in the 22nd verse. Then he fights another war with the king of the south after the covenant has been made, and they sit at one table speaking lies after this war.

(Verse 28:) “Then shall he return to his land”—this is the Antichrist—“with great riches.” He has beaten the king of the south and he has taken away a lot of his riches, his lands. “And his heart shall be against the holy covenant,” which sounds to me like they had made it clear back in the 22nd verse, and he is most likely fighting a second war with the same fellow who rebelled against him. Because he rebelled against the agreement they had made, the covenant, now the Antichrist’s heart is turning against the covenant.

In verse 29, “At the time appointed he shall return, and come toward the south”—and this time, he is going to crush the south and break the covenant because he is fed up with it; they don’t keep it and they finally rebel.

Verse 30: He comes back now to have “intelligence with them that forsake the holy covenant.” Now he is siding with some of the people who are against the covenant.

In the 30th verse he’s returning because of the ships of Chittim, and he comes against the holy covenant to break it. Then in the 31st verse, “arms shall stand on his part.” It is a war in which he crushes the forces of opposition. It sounds like he crushes Israel, because he pollutes the sanctuary and takes away the daily sacrifice—that’s obviously in Israel—and he places the “abomination that maketh desolate.” This pinpoints it as the beginning of the Tribulation, which Jesus talks about in Matthew 24, the same thing that is talked about here and other places (Matthew 24:15; Revelation 13:14–15).

So the first war in this chapter is to get him into power, and this war ends with the covenant. The Antichrist is the prince of the covenant. Then the next war, verse 25, is apparently a rebellion against the government by the king of the south. Then this turns his heart against the covenant. The second war, in the 25th verse with the king of the south, sounds like he is dealing with a rebellion against the covenant. They sit at the same table and speak lies, apparently trying to reinstitute the covenant, but now the Antichrist is turning against it. After he has gone home, he hears of more trouble down south, so this time he comes and invades and crushes all opposition, and he pollutes the sanctuary, takes away the daily sacrifice, and places the Abomination of Desolation.

There are three specific wars which precede the breaking of the covenant: one before the making of the covenant and two after that, ending with breaking the covenant. Then after that, there are more wars.

40th verse, “At the time of the end shall the king of the south push at him.” There’s the fourth specific war. “And the king of the north shall come against him like a whirlwind, with chariots, horsemen, many ships, and he shall enter into the countries, shall overflow and pass over.” Here you have another invasion of Israel because, verse 41, “He shall enter also into the glorious land, and many countries shall be overthrown.” Verse 42: “He stretches forth his hand upon the countries.”

Then there’s a possibility of a fifth war in verse 44: “Tidings out of the east and out of the north shall trouble him.” He is down south by this time, and he’s hearing bad news from home and bad news from the east. “Therefore he shall go forth with great fury to destroy and utterly to make away many.”

Exactly when the covenant is made is not very clear, but to me it is clear that it is quite specifically at the end of the first war. And the next two wars are rebellions from the king of the south against the covenant, which also turns the Antichrist against the covenant, so he comes out in the third war and crushes Israel.

Then after that, the king of the south rebels again in the fourth war. The Antichrist comes down and licks them again. And then the fifth war; there his trouble doesn’t come from the king of the south anymore. The king of the south is pretty well finished; the Antichrist is occupying Israel, he has his palace there, and that’s his capital. But the next trouble comes from the north and the east, which means that there is then a fifth war.

Maybe I shouldn’t even give alternatives, but do you know why I do it? Because I’ve heard Bible teachers teach dogmatically that “this can only be this way” and never even mention the other possibilities or theories. It’s just like they teach evolution in the public schools; they don’t even mention creation, that there is another possible way. And I’ve heard many Bible prophecy teachers teach like that, teaching only their own interpretation.

I have tried not to be dogmatic about things, that it has to be this way, it has to be that way, because sometimes I just don’t know, except for things that are very clearly so in the Bible. My opinion could be wrong and it might turn out some other way. Praise the Lord? What do you think?

Antichrist Wars Before the Covenant

David Brandt Berg

1986-05-02

The Antichrist may already be in power when he signs the seven-year pact, the covenant. We usually think of the Antichrist’s rule beginning with the covenant, but that isn’t necessarily so. It’s possible he will be in power for more than seven years.

It’s a little ridiculous to suppose that he would have enough power to get the world to sign the seven-year covenant unless he already had enough power and influence to persuade them to sign that covenant. He’s not just some nobody who suddenly stands up and offers the world the solution on a silver platter without already being known and having some influence and some power. Otherwise they wouldn’t listen to him. So he’s got to get into some position of power before that, and from reading over Daniel 11 again, I’m convinced that he is even having wars before he finally persuades them to sign the covenant.

In Daniel 11, verse 21, that’s where he really begins. “And in his estate shall stand up a vile person, to whom they shall not give the honor of the kingdom: but he shall come in peaceably and obtain the kingdom by flatteries.”

(Verse 22:) “And with the arms of a flood shall they be overflown from before him.” He carries on a war or God knows how many wars or against whom, in order to establish his worldwide power. “And shall be broken; yea, also the prince of the covenant.” Here again, we remember that they will be broken, not him. “And yea, he’s also the prince of the covenant.” That doesn’t necessarily mean the covenant’s been made yet; it could be just identifying him as the one being talked about, although it’s quite possible this is when the covenant is made.

(Verse 23:) “And after the league made with him, he shall work deceitfully.” Now this probably implies the covenant, “the league made with him.” “For he shall come up and shall become strong with a small people.”

(Verse 24:) “He shall enter peaceably even upon the fattest places of the province; and he shall do that which his fathers have not done, nor his fathers’ fathers; he shall scatter among them the prey, and the spoil, and riches.” Spoil is something you rob from somebody. Prey is something you usually kill. And he takes it by the arms of a flood. In other words, he’ll come in with arms like a flood; he’ll conquer.

It says, “They shall be overflown from before him, and shall be broken.” There are arms, he comes in like a flood, they’re overthrown, they’re broken. And then they’re apparently forced to sign a covenant or a league, “the league made with him.”

Then he stirs up his great army against the king of the south, and it sounds like he defeats him. But then they sit down and lie at one table and make some kind of pact. Maybe that’s the covenant. The covenant is made, but it is made by force. The first league is forced. Then sitting down at the same table with the king of the south that he’s just defeated, that’s obviously a forced covenant, if that’s the covenant. Whichever one it is, it’s got to be by force, by war, or threat of war, or by the preponderance of arms.

This idea that there can’t be any war before the covenant is signed is a misconception. There are already a bunch of wars, and apparently he’s going to come to power with more show of force. When the Antichrist arises, he’s apparently going to be powerful enough to be feared by the religions, and that’s why they insist that he confirm the covenant. Then he goes on with his climb to power and his war with the south, and when he’s finished that and made peace, he is ready to attack the covenant and break it and introduce the Tribulation.

But just how and when he’s revealed, or just exactly how and when he signs the covenant and with whom, these are points that are not too clear. It’s clear that they’re going to happen, but it’s not too clear when. It appears to me to be fairly clear that he’s got to be a world leader before he can sign such a covenant with all the religions of the world. Therefore I don’t see how his signing of this covenant could be secret, because to have any effect it’s got to be known worldwide, both by him and by the religions.

God bless and keep you to the end! Or as far as the Lord wants you to go. In Jesus’ name, amen.

Prayer in the Psalms: Discovering How to Pray

October 20, 2023

By Timothy Keller

Timothy Keller preaches on the Psalms as the prayerbook of the Bible in this pre-conference message at TGC’s 2016 Women’s Conference in Indianapolis, Indiana.

“The Lord’s Prayer tells you, in a nutshell, what you should pray, but it’s the book of Psalms that teaches you how you should pray. … One of the things prayer is a means to is friendship with God.”

(Run time for this video is 40 minutes.)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QgwzuFG5LCk

Never Give Up

By Maria Fontaine

October 19, 2023

A tribute to Sarah Young (1946–2023)¹

Recently, I learned of the passing of a dear woman who has touched many lives and given encouragement and comfort to millions through a series of books that feature messages from Jesus that she received while meditating on Him and opening her heart to His presence and voice. Her name is Sarah Young.

She began what was to become her most fruitful ministry by getting quiet before the Lord and writing down what Jesus said to her in her times of prayer. She started this practice for her own encouragement, but then she decided to share some of these messages with friends and associates.

It wasn’t until some years later that one of these messages that she had shared with a friend came to the attention of her friend’s husband, who was a book publisher. He had the idea to put these uplifting messages in a daily devotional book, and asked Sarah to compile the messages for this project that eventually became her first book, entitled Jesus Calling.

The book had a slow beginning because Sarah was living in Perth, Australia, where she was virtually bedridden due to a double infection of Lyme disease and other conditions. However, after a few years, the publishing company was bought by a larger international publishing firm that offered Jesus Calling to the world.

Sarah described these messages from Jesus in this way:

A rich relationship with Jesus is so much more than presenting Him with a list of requests.

Jesus speaks to my heart when I spend ample time with Him. Of course, we don’t have audible conversations. It’s a quiet and personal time of praying, Bible reading, and seeking the guidance of the Holy Spirit.

By reading my Bible and spending time quietly with the Lord—listening and then writing what I feel He is placing on my heart—I grow closer to Him.²

Maria: Sarah opened her heart and, as Jesus has promised, He filled it with expressions of His love, care, vision, and hope. These are not revelatory prophecies; they are the Lord speaking to Sarah and to the hearts of His people, strengthening their faith and drawing them close to Him. Sarah expressed it this way:

My books tend to speak to different people in different ways, meeting them right where they are. I think that’s because the books help people connect with Jesus, and He meets us right where we are. The books are designed to help people connect not only with Jesus, the living Word, but also with the Bible, the written Word.

Becoming a bestselling author has meant that I have a lot more people to pray for than I did at first! And that has motivated me to pray at length every day for the readers of all my books. I consider this a sacred responsibility and a delightful privilege.³

When I first began listening and writing from Jesus’ perspective, it was solely for my personal benefit. However, in the midst of a spiritual retreat several years later, I felt strongly led to write for others. I began compiling the messages into daily readings and sharing them with friends who shared them with others. It was many years later that Jesus Calling was actually published.⁴

Maria: When we set aside the affairs of this life to come into the presence of Jesus with an open and receptive heart, He loves to fill us with what we need so that we can access His strength, power, and purpose.

I know that many of you, dear Family, have found your times in God’s presence to be invaluable opportunities to gain His perspective on whatever you are facing in your lives. Amidst the pressures and fast pace of life, it can help to be reminded of just how important it is to have these times of communion with the Lord.

We don’t have to be great or eloquent speakers, preachers, or evangelists to share with others what Jesus has spoken to our hearts. Sarah suffered from poor health for many years, but like many who face major struggles and learn to turn to the Lord, He gave her a way to touch countless lives. He can use our struggles and afflictions to do the same if we allow them to motivate us to look to the Lord. Sarah said:

From the perspective of a healthy person, my life may seem quite limited. I have many dietary restrictions and allergies; I need much more rest and sleep than most adults. However, after living in one room in our home in Perth for about 20 hours a day, my current life feels amazingly free to me. I also know that God has used my hardest times for good.

I could not have written Jesus Today: Experience Hope Through His Presence if I had been healthier. The writing of this book helped me grasp in the depths of my being that Jesus is my hope, and He is sufficient.⁵

Maria: When we look to Jesus and the Holy Spirit with an open heart, Jesus has promised to communicate to us the comfort, guidance, hope, etc., that we need. He told us that the Holy Spirit would guide us into all truth, and His words to us, however He chooses to provide them, are what He knows we need.

One of my co-workers said that she has Sarah’s book Jesus Calling and reads the devotional for the day each morning. She said that the Lord often points out things from it that help as she goes through her day. Each of the devotionals includes several Bible verses that are at the heart of the messages from Jesus that she shares.

Another example of how sharing what Jesus communicates with us can draw others to Him is the back page of the Activated magazines that many faithfully distribute, which contains a message from Jesus to the reader. This can help the readers focus on Jesus and can motivate them to look to Him for His personal words of hope.

God will speak to us when our hearts are attuned to Him and when we are open to whatever He wants to show us. It may be through a Bible verse, or a message of encouragement shared with us, or by Him speaking to our hearts as we wait in quietness and confidence.

Sarah Young described her calling in this way:

My journey began with a devotional book (God Calling) written in the 1930’s by two women who practiced waiting in God’s Presence, writing the messages they received as they “listened.” I had been writing in prayer journals for years, but this was one-way communication—a “monologue.” I knew that God communicates through the Bible (and I treasure His Word), but I wondered what He might say to me personally on a given day. So, I decided to “listen”’ to God with pen in hand, writing down whatever I sensed He was saying. I was seeking the “still, small voice”’ of God in my mind/heart.

Maria: I believe that pausing to take time like this in our daily lives, and then taking to heart what the Lord shows us, allows His Spirit to permeate our minds and thoughts and provide the guidance we need.

I’m reminded of the verse, “Trust in the LORD with all your heart, and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways acknowledge Him, and He will make your paths straight” (Proverbs 3:5–6).

Sarah Young spent a number of years as a missionary in Japan and Australia with her husband. Her deep love for Jesus and her desire to be as close to Him as she could were what guided her life. Even when it looked like her ministry was finished, when her health deteriorated and for 12 years she was unable to pursue her goals, the Lord was preparing her to accomplish a task beyond what she had expected. He is never through with us, and many times what seems like the end is, as that song says, just a bend in the road.⁶

We just need to be faithful to look to Him, trusting that as long as we are here in this earth life, our job for the Lord is not yet finished. He still has a purpose that He is working through us and in us. So let Him continue to guide you right on up to the day when, as Virginia Brandt Berg’s mother described her passing, “Earth recedes, heaven opens, today is my coronation day.”

In the meantime, stay busy, keep fighting the good fight of faith, and let His still, small voice lead you to where His love can shine brightest.

¹ Sarah Young, author of the daily devotional Jesus Calling, died August 31, 2023, of leukemia at her home in Brentwood, Tennessee, at the age of 77.

² https://www.biblegateway.com/blog/2015/10/jesus-calling-an-interview-with-sarah-young/

³ https://anabaptistworld.org/sarah-young-publicity-shy-superstar-author-of-jesus-calling-dies-at-77/

⁴ https://www.biblegateway.com/blog/2015/10/jesus-calling-an-interview-with-sarah-young/.

⁵ https://www.biblegateway.com/blog/2015/10/jesus-calling-an-interview-with-sarah-young/

⁶ https://www.nubeat.org/abodtt.html

13 Times Jesus Amazed His Hearers in 2 Words or Less

October 18, 2023

By Lois Krogh

That Jesus had many things to say while he lived on this earth and that his disciples came to understand the significance of his words is obvious by looking at the red letter edition of the Bible! There are pages of verses in red. Treasure-filled treatises. What less would we expect from the Word that spoke creation into existence, who became flesh and dwelt (and spoke) among us?

But sometimes, Jesus gave a full, significant, amazing, life-giving answer in two words or less. With only a few words, Jesus could speak with a quiet gentleness or with an authority that thundered in its confidence.

(Read the article here.)

https://www.crossway.org/articles/13-times-jesus-amazed-his-hearers-in-2-words-or-less/

Aging with Grace

October 17, 2023

A compilation

Audio length: 13:55

Download Audio (12.7MB)

The righteous will flourish like a palm tree, they will grow like a cedar of Lebanon; planted in the house of the Lord, they will flourish in the courts of our God. They will still bear fruit in old age, they will stay fresh and green, proclaiming, “The Lord is upright; he is my Rock.”—Psalm 92:12–15

The world tells us aging is our enemy, and we should fight it; the Bible says it’s our friend: “Wisdom is with the aged, and understanding in length of days” (Job 12:12).

Let’s be real—aging doesn’t feel very friendly. Change is disorienting, because we settle into our roles and responsibilities and they become our identity and purpose. And now we face almost daily changes of diminishing physical abilities and energy.

We need something bigger and better to make sense of it all. We need an identity and purpose that transcends it all, which is exactly what God provides in the gospel. The gospel is big enough, good enough, and powerful enough to make every moment of every season of life significant and glorious.

The one who created us promises we can flourish and bear fruit, we can be full of sap and green, even in old age (Psalm 92:12–14). These lively words indicate growth and vitality. They seem to contradict my reality as an eighty-year-old who suffers with inflammation of the connective tissue in my body that causes pain and weakness in my muscles. But this promise of growth does not mock my physical reality; it transcends it.

The gospel imperative to “grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ” (2 Peter 3:18) does not have an age limit. The same grace that gives us new life in Christ empowers that life to develop, mature, and flourish. We never finish growing. There is always more grace to experience and more to know of Christ’s love. This growth is gradual. We don’t produce it, but as we trust and obey God’s Word, we can anticipate it.

The psalmist’s unbridled joy in God is contagious. His God-centeredness is compelling.

What is the first thing that comes to your mind when you think about God? Our answer is one of the most important things about us because it reveals the arc of our life. It determines the choices we make and shows whether we understand that our identity is not based on what we do but on who we are in Christ. The psalmist leaves no doubt that his knowledge of God is not a product of his imagination or his circumstances; it is the product of God’s revelation of himself in His Word.—Sharon W. Betters and Susan Hunt¹

Not for sissies

I never thought I would live to be this old.

All my life I was taught how to die as a Christian, but no one ever taught me how I ought to live in the years before I die. I wish they had because I am an old man now, and believe me, it’s not easy. …

No, old age is not for sissies. But that isn’t the whole story, nor did God intend for it to be.

While the Bible doesn’t gloss over the problems we face as we grow older, neither does it paint old age as a time to be despised or a burden to be endured with gritted teeth (if we still have any). Nor does it picture us in our latter years as useless and ineffective, condemned to spend our last days in endless boredom or meaningless activity until God finally takes us home.

Instead the Bible says that God has a reason for keeping us here; if He didn’t, He would take us to Heaven far sooner. But what is His purpose for these years, and how can we align our lives with it? How can we not only learn to cope with the fears and struggles and growing limitations we face but also actually grow stronger inwardly in the midst of these difficulties? How can we face the future with hope instead of despair?

These are some of the questions I have been forced to deal with as I have grown older; perhaps the same is true of you as well. …

Someday our life’s journey will be over. In a sense we all are nearing home. As we do so, I pray that you and I may not only learn what it means to grow older but, with God’s help, also learn to grow older with grace and find the guidance needed to finish well. …

Growing old has been the greatest surprise of my life. The young live for the here and now. Thinking ahead seems to be in the form of dreams that promise fairy-tale endings. Though I am nearing ninety-three, it doesn’t seem so long ago that I was one of those dreamers, filled with great expectation, planning a life that would satisfy my every desire. Since there were few things in life that I loved more than baseball, as a young man I dedicated myself to the sport and hoped that my passion for the game would lead me straight to the major leagues. My goal was simple: stand at home plate, with bat in hand, immersed in an important game.

I often pictured myself hitting a big-league grand slam into the stadium seats and hearing the crowd roar with thunder as I ran the bases—nearing home.

I never would have guessed what lay in store. After giving my heart to the Lord Jesus Christ—repenting of my sin and putting my entire life into His hands—I laid down my dreams, along with my bat, and fully embraced God’s plan by faith, trusting that He would lead me all the way. He did, He is, and He will.

As I look back, I see how God’s hand guided me. I sense His Spirit with me today, and most comforting is the knowledge that He will not forsake me during this last stretch as I am nearing home.—Billy Graham²

Finding the blessings

While the aging process can bring about difficulties, it also brings some things which from a Christian perspective can be seen as blessings. For example, with age comes a lessening of physical and perhaps some mental strength; however, this can result in a deeper relationship with God and can lead to greater spiritual strength. The apostle Paul experienced some kind of weakness or affliction (a thorn in the flesh) which God didn’t remove, even though Paul sought deliverance from it.

“Three times I pleaded with the Lord about this, that it should leave me. But he said to me, ‘My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.’ Therefore I will boast all the more gladly of my weaknesses, so that the power of Christ may rest upon me. For the sake of Christ, then, I am content with weaknesses, insults, hardships, persecutions, and calamities. For when I am weak, then I am strong” (2 Corinthians 12:7–10).

As we age and our body becomes weaker, we can learn from Paul’s teaching and apply the principles which he expressed—that in weakness we can become strong, that God’s grace is there for us in time of need, and that Jesus’ power will rest upon us in our weakness. Though the way in which the Lord uses us may change as we age and our strength and stamina lessen, the power of Christ will still rest upon us, and He can use us to share His message and love with others.

The apostle Paul also wrote about some measure of weakness in his body which seemed to be continually increasing. “Though our outer self is wasting away, our inner self is being renewed day by day. For this light momentary affliction is preparing for us an eternal weight of glory beyond all comparison, as we look not to the things that are seen but to the things that are unseen. For the things that are seen are transient, but the things that are unseen are eternal” (2 Corinthians 4:16–18).

It is inevitable that as we grow older our physical body will age, weaken, and eventually die. However, our “inner man,” our spirit, is renewed day by day, and it will never die. As we age, we can expect physical decline; however, we can look forward to continual inner renewal and spiritual growth as we faithfully draw near to God, and He draws near to us (James 4:8).

As we age, we will likely be faced with age-related challenges that will bring some hardships for which we will need to trust God. Such circumstances will call for us to pray and put our trust in the Lord while seeking Him for the right solution for the challenges we face. As the aging process causes a weakening of our bodies, we can ask Him for the grace and strength to live in a manner that glorifies and praises Him.

The apostle Paul compares our human bodies to tents and points out that “in this tent we groan, longing to put on our heavenly dwelling” (2 Corinthians 5:2). He wrote that we, as believers “groan inwardly as we wait eagerly for adoption as sons, the redemption of our bodies” (Romans 8:23). The older we get, the more we will long for our resurrection bodies, which we will be given upon Christ’s return—bodies which will be very different from the weak “tents” we are presently living in.—Peter Amsterdam

It is at the end of life, not only at the beginning, that Christians are most different from the rest of the world. Then the true beauty of a woman, the true character of a man, is seen for what it really is. That is why there sometimes seems to be a touch of glory and light about the lives of elderly Christians. They have remained “fresh and green” as Psalm 92 suggests, because their hearts have been given to the Lord in worship. … True worship puts character into our lives, humility into our bearing, strength and confidence into our witnessing. … Let us learn to worship God, with the faithfulness and joy of the author of Psalm 92.—Sinclair Ferguson³

Published on Anchor October 2023. Read by Gabriel Garcia Valdivieso. Music by Michael Dooley.

¹ Sharon W. Betters and Susan Hunt, Aging with Grace: Flourishing in an Anti-Aging Culture (Crossway, 2021).

² Billy Graham, Nearing Home: Life, Faith, and Finishing Well (Thomas Nelson, 2011).

³ Sinclair Ferguson, A Heart for God (NavPress, 1985).

The Greatest of These Is Love

October 16, 2023

By David Brandt Berg

Audio length: 8:55

Download Audio (8.1MB)

(Camp Laurentide, Canada, 1969)

Christ spoke words of judgment to the Scribes and the Pharisees, and I don’t recall that He ever had a good word to say for them, except that they were the custodians of the Word. He said, “Do as they say, but not as they do!” (Matthew 23:2–5), and He said that unless your righteousness exceeds theirs, you’ll never enter the kingdom of heaven (Matthew 5:20).

But with the common people and the publicans and the sinners, His words were full of love and compassion. Are you showing people the love of Jesus, who said, “Come unto Me, all ye that labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest? Take My yoke upon you, and learn of Me: for I am meek and lowly of heart: and ye shall have rest unto your souls. For My yoke is easy, and My burden is light” (Matthew 11:28–30).

He also said of Jerusalem, speaking of the whole city and the populace: “Jerusalem, Jerusalem, O thou that killest the prophets, and stonest them which are sent unto thee, how oft would I have gathered thee.” Jesus was weeping over Jerusalem! “But ye would not” (Matthew 23:37).

How much have you wept over the lost? Don’t forget: “God is love” (1 John 4:8). He’s also not mocked (Galatians 6:7). God is also a consuming fire (Hebrews 12:29). But God is love and mercy, as well as justice, so let’s make sure to always preach the love of Jesus to people!

Of course, there are some people that want to preach nothing but love and peace and pacifism, and “God wouldn’t hurt a flea!” and Jesus never did anything forceful. They certainly haven’t read the Bible! Jesus cast out the moneychangers, whom He said were turning a house of prayer into a den of thieves (Matthew 21:13). But let’s remember that a major part of Jesus’ ministry wasn’t going through the temple breaking up the furniture and throwing the money on the floor and tossing the moneychangers out of the temple.

Anyone who says that there’s any other way to God but Jesus is not saved. They are not born again, nor do they have the Spirit of God. If someone says that Buddha is another way to God, that’s not the truth, no matter how many good things Buddha taught—and he had many good sayings. “Neither is there salvation in any other: for there is none other name under heaven given among men, whereby we must be saved” (Acts 4:12). And “Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ and thou shalt be saved” (Acts 16:31).

The word “believe” in the New Testament comes from a Greek word, pisteuo, which means “I drink in.” It means that you have received Jesus Christ personally into your own mind and heart and body! That’s what “believe” really means. This is what “believe” in the New Testament means, not the easy-believism of a mere mental assent.

Are you preaching the love of Jesus to people? If you show a real love for people, you won’t have a hard time winning friends and reaching the lost who need God’s love! When we went down and showed love to the most despised, rejected, and discriminated class of people in the world of our day, the hippies, they responded and received our message.

“And the greatest of these is love” (1 Corinthians 13:13). Above all the gifts outlined in 1 Corinthians 13, love was above all, greater than any gift, because God is love. The baptism of the Holy Spirit is a baptism of love! If “you speak with the tongues of men and of angels, and have not love, you’d become as sounding brass and a tinkling cymbal.” And though you understand all mysteries and all prophecies and have faith to remove mountains, even if you have faith like that, “if you don’t have love, you’re nothing” (1 Corinthians 13:2).

So have love! “And above all have fervent love one toward another” (1 Peter 4:8). “Love one another as I have loved you” (John 15:12). In Jesus’ last message to His disciples at the Last Supper, before He was arrested, taken to jail, beaten, and killed, He talked about love. (See John 13:34–35).

The Bible says that “wisdom is the principal thing; therefore get wisdom, and with all thy getting, get understanding” (Proverbs 4:7). Wisdom is love, did you know that? Because God is wisdom, and He’s also love. What is the greatest commandment?—To love God! What’s the next greatest commandment? To love thy neighbor as thyself, which He said is like unto the first one (Matthew 22:37–39).

To love your neighbor is to love God. Although you have a great spirit of sacrifice—you are sacrificial, you want to serve God, you have forsaken all to follow Jesus—if you “have not love, it profits you nothing” (1 Corinthians 13:3). If you didn’t do those things because you love lost souls and want to see them won to Christ, it profits you nothing! If you weren’t motivated by your love for Jesus and others, it profits you nothing!

One of the most tragic pictures in human life is the picture of the man who says in “Invictus,” “I am the captain of my fate, I am the master of my soul. My head is bloody, but unbowed.” How sad! Trials can either melt you or harden you! Watch out they don’t harden you and make you bitter. But if you let your trials humble you and melt you and draw you close to God, you’ll be a lot happier, and you’ll discover more about the love of Jesus.

Pride is a problem we all have and is one of our most common temptations. What does the Bible say is the three-fold appeal of the world? “For all that is in the world, the lust of the flesh, and the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life, is not of the Father, but is of the world” (1 John 2:16). What caused the fall of Satan? Pride! Since pride caused the fall of Satan, therefore we can conclude that pride is the root of all evil!

God only uses broken people, broken lives, broken hearts, because only a broken heart gives you love and compassion for others! Only a broken life can help you sympathize with others. Only brokenness can give you humility. Love is humble. Love is humility, and humility is the opposite of pride. Love is the Spirit of God, and “the greatest of these is love.”

Originally published in 1969. Adapted and republished October 2023. Read by John Laurence.

Ezekiel 38, Part 2

David Brandt Berg

1981-03-06

The Bible is really the only newspaper in the world, because the daily newspaper you read tells you what has happened; it’s just a history book. The Bible is the only book that tells you what’s going to happen.

We’ve been talking about this 38th chapter of Ezekiel, and we found in the first few verses that the invasion of Israel and the Mideast by the Antichrist and his forces is very clear. It tells you that Gog is going to lead Magog. Gog, or the Antichrist, is going to be the leader and he’s going to invade the Mideast and the lands around Israel.

Some of these countries that are going to be with him and be his friends and allies are going to be Persia (which is today Iran), Ethiopia, and Libya. They’re going to be a great company assembled together.

Verse 8: “After many days thou shalt be visited; in the latter years thou shalt come into the land that is brought back from the sword.” Now he’s talking to Gog, the Antichrist leader of Magog. You’re going to “come into the land that is brought back from the sword, and is gathered out of many people, against the mountains of Israel.” The Jews certainly have been brought back from suffering persecution throughout the world and gathered out of many people, many nations all over the world. And into the mountains of Israel—

“Which have always been waste, but it is brought forth out of the nations, and they shall dwell safely all of them.” Israel was a wasteland, a desert until the Jews began to come back and improve it and irrigate it and water it and cultivate it, and they have caused the desert to blossom like a rose (Isaiah 35:1).

Now he is again speaking to this Antichrist leader who will invade Israel as a punishment for its sins: “Thou shalt ascend and come like a storm, and thou shalt be like a cloud to cover the land, thou, and all thy bands, and many people with thee.”

Verse 10 says, “Thus saith the Lord God; it shall also come to pass, that at the same time shall things come into thy mind, and thou shalt think an evil thought.” He’s talking directly to the Antichrist. “And thou shalt say, I will go up to the land of unwalled villages: I will go to them that are at rest, that dwell safely, all of them dwelling without walls, and having neither bars nor gates, to take a spoil, and to take a prey; to turn thine hand upon the desolate places that are now inhabited, and upon the people that are gathered out of the nations.”

This is a very strange thing, because villages and towns and cities had walls and gates until the last hundred years or so. Even after the invention of gunpowder and cannons, walls were still an effective protection against enemy forces, and fortifications, forts, various bastions of that kind were still used as protection against enemies.

Today walls are no protection or help whatsoever, because planes can fly over and drop bombs inside the walls, or rockets can be fired over walls. There’s no use building walls around towns and villages today.

This is the first time in almost 6,000 years that cities and towns and villages have been built without walls for protection. Here it describes how the Jews have come back to Israel, restored the land, and built villages and towns and cities without walls. So this is the time of this prophecy. Ezekiel is talking about the present day and the future.

He’s saying, “Antichrist, I know what you’re going to do. I can read your mind. You’re thinking, ‘I’m going to go down into that little country with all those unwalled villages, towns, cities without walls. It’d be very easy for me to go in and conquer it.’” Is anybody going to object to this invasion?

Verse 13: “Sheba and Dedan.” Sheba and Dedan are in Arabia, the various Arabian nations. Along with “the merchants of Tarshish, with all the young lions thereof.” Tarshish has been interpreted by some Bible students as being the British and the British Isles. They’re merchants, they operate a lot of ships, and the animal symbol of Britain is a lion. So “all of her young lions” could refer to Great Britain’s former colonies scattered throughout the world, all kinds of former possessions known today as the British Commonwealth, which used to be known as the British Empire.

The young lions are going to oppose this invasion. Britain, the U.S., Canada and the British Commonwealth, former British Empire, are going to be against this invasion of Israel. It doesn’t say that they do very much. Maybe they’re just going to diplomatically object in the United Nations. First of all they issue their diplomatic protests: “Art thou come to take a spoil? Hast thou gathered thy company to take a prey? To carry away silver and gold, to take away cattle and goods, to take a great spoil?”

Verse 14: “Therefore, son of man, prophesy and say unto Gog”—now He’s telling Ezekiel, His prophet, to tell the Antichrist: “Thus saith the Lord God; In that day when My people of Israel dwelleth safely, shalt thou not know it? Thou shalt come forth from thy place out of the north parts.” What direction is Russia from Israel? Due north.

“Thou, and many people with thee, all of them riding upon horses, a great company, and a mighty army.” And what are the modern horses? Tanks, guns, planes, etc. “A great company and a mighty army: And thou shalt come up against My people of Israel, as a cloud to cover the land; it shall be in the latter days. And I will bring thee against My land, that the heathen may know Me, when I shall be sanctified in thee, O Gog, before their eyes” (Ezekiel 38:15–16).

He’s saying here that He’s bringing Gog, the Antichrist, and Magog down there to conquer Palestine, or Israel, and make a just and peaceful settlement, to fairly settle this major problem, which is Israel’s possession of Palestine, refusing to share it with its original inhabitants and occupants, the Palestinians.

Verse 17: “Thus saith the Lord God”—he’s talking to the Antichrist—“art thou he of whom I have spoken in old time by My servants the prophets of Israel, which prophesied in those days many years that I would bring thee against them?” “Didn’t I tell My prophets a long time ago? I’m not only telling Ezekiel, I’ve told many of My prophets about you, Gog. I’ve prophesied about you for centuries, that I would bring you against them.”

So he says, “And it shall come to pass at the same time when Gog shall come against the land of Israel, saith the Lord God, that My fury shall come up in My face.” Now we’re on the 19th verse: “For in My jealousy and in the fire of My wrath have I spoken. Surely in that day there shall be a great shaking in the land of Israel.”

The Lord is talking to the Antichrist and his people and warning them that He’s going to then judge Gog and Magog for their sins. This is a procedure God has often followed. He has used the wicked of the world to judge and punish His people. But then He has turned around and judged the wicked as well.

The Antichrist and his forces are going to invade and take over the land of Israel. And as we have already studied in Daniel 11, it says that he will set up his palace, his tabernacle, there in Jerusalem (Daniel 11:45). The Antichrist will not only invade Israel, but he will make Jerusalem his capital. He will set up his headquarters there, his palace, and he will rule the world from there for three and a half years. He makes this invasion in the middle of his reign, at the end of the first three and a half years, because of the rebellion of the Jews against his Holy Covenant.

Finally the Antichrist gets so furious with the religions that he abolishes them all and forces them all to kneel down and worship him as their god, and sets up his image right in their holiest of holy places on top of Mount Moriah where their major temples are located. That’s when this invasion is taking place that we’re reading about here.

Most of the countries in that area will be his friends. Ethiopia and Iran and Turkey and Jordan and Libya are going to be on his side. The only ones that are going to buck him or try to fight with U.S. help are going to be Egypt and Saudi Arabia and Israel.

It’s explained in other places in God’s Word, both in Daniel and in even more detail in Revelation 13, that the Antichrist makes this invasion in the midst of the seven years, in the middle of the seven-year pact, and he sets up a new religion and he occupies Israel and the Holy Land for 42 months (Revelation 13:5).

God permits the Antichrist to take over Israel for three and a half years, 42 months, 1260 days to be specific, according to the Jewish year, and rule the world from Jerusalem for three and a half years. But the Lord says that’s going to be a time of trouble such as the world knew not since the world began, and never will again. The time of Jacob’s trouble, Israel’s trouble. The time of Great Tribulation for all the world, because the Antichrist will then try to force the whole world to worship and obey him and take his mark, and he’ll kill those who won’t.

A good deal of this passage from there on tells about what God does afterward, at the end of this time of terrible trouble in which the Antichrist is trying to run the world and dominating Israel.

He says there’s going to be a great shaking when God’s judgments finally fall after the Antichrist has taken over Israel. He’s been there for three and a half years, it’s his headquarters, he’s been running the world from there, but finally he’s caused so much trouble—he’s persecuted the people of God, Christians, Jews, Muslims and the world over—that God puts a stop to it.

Verse 19: “For in My jealousy and in the fire of My wrath have I spoken, Surely in that day there shall be a great shaking in the land of Israel.” God starts judging the Antichrist and his worldwide kingdom, his anti-God, anti-Christ, anti-religious kingdom of which he’s made himself god, and God’s going to send great earthquakes to Israel, because it has become his capital.

Verse 20: “So that the fishes of the sea, and the fowls of the heaven, and the beasts of the field, and all creeping things that creep upon the earth, and all the men that are upon the face of the earth, shall shake at My presence, and the mountains shall be thrown down, and the steep places shall fall, and every wall shall fall to the ground.” This sounds like the wrath of God.

Verse 21: “And I will call for a sword against him throughout all My mountains, saith the Lord God; every man’s sword shall be against his brother.” It’s going to be a horrible chaotic worldwide war.

Verse 22: “And I will plead against him with pestilence and with blood.” These are the things He’s going to rain upon the Antichrist and his kingdom, his worldwide government. “I will rain upon him, and upon his bands, and upon the many people that are with him, an overflowing rain, and great hailstones, fire, and brimstone.” What kind of a war does that sound like? It can be atomic bombs, or it can be volcanic eruptions, earthquakes, hailstones from heaven.

Verse 23: “Thus will I magnify myself”—the Lord’s saying—“and sanctify myself; and I will be known in the eyes of many nations, and they shall know that I am the Lord.” Again, God’s going to manifest His justice, His righteousness to the world. Because by this time the world will know that the Antichrist has gone too far, and if there is a God in heaven, that he ought to be punished. So God’s going to punish him.

Chapter 39: “Therefore thou son of man, prophesy against Gog, and say, Thus saith the Lord God; Behold, I am against thee, O Gog, the chief prince of Meshech and Tubal. And I will turn thee back, and leave but the sixth part of thee.” Now we’re beginning to jump into the future, clear up to the end of the Antichrist’s reign and the end of the world, in fact. We’re going to the wrath of God and the Battle of Armageddon.

When we get to the 39th chapter of Ezekiel, we’re getting into the final great war of Armageddon, the wrath and judgments of God. If you want to know how bad this war’s going to be, Armageddon, when Jesus Christ leads the saints of God from heaven to fight against the Antichrist and his kingdom on earth, a direct war with the forces of God and His angels against the forces of the Devil and his people, then you’ll find it in this 39th chapter of Ezekiel.

We don’t have time to read it now, but He says five-sixths of the Antichrist forces are going to be destroyed. It says that there’s going to be so many dead people that it’s going to take seven months to bury them all! There’s going to be so much ruin and wreckage from it all that people won’t even have to gather wood or try to find any fuel for seven years; they’ll just be burning the wreckage and the weapons that were used in that war.

That’s how horrible that last war’s going to be, the worst of all!—The war against the Antichrist conducted by the forces of God from heaven.

Ezekiel 38, Part 1

David Brandt Berg

1981-03-05

This is a series of studies on Bible prophecy, and we’re studying the book of Ezekiel regarding events which are yet to occur. We won’t be going back into Bible history and fulfilled Bible prophecies, which is a very marvelous, interesting, inspiring, encouraging, faith-building study to help you believe the ones which we’re studying now about the future.

If so many prophecies have already been fulfilled, so many things the Bible has predicted have already happened, this encourages your faith to know that these other prophecies which we are studying are also going to happen just as accurately and just as certainly and in just as great detail as did the ones which have already been fulfilled in the past, for thousands of years.

God’s Word says that “not one shall lack her mate” (Isaiah 34:16), and the mate of every prophecy is its fulfillment. Isn’t that a good term to use for a fulfilled prophecy?

Through the Bible studies that we’ve already done, we’ve studied how many of these prophecies in God’s Word have been fulfilled. Seeing how its predictions, prophecies of the future which are now history and have been so faithfully and so perfectly fulfilled, it won’t be hard for you to believe that what we’re reading is going to be fulfilled as well.

We have been studying the most important period to come in all history, and that is the last seven years of world history; the last seven years of the reign of man; the last seven years, the reign of the Antichrist. The passage which we have to deal with is Ezekiel 38 and 39. These chapters have particularly to do with the war in which the Antichrist invades Israel and conquers it and sets up his anti-God government, an atheistic government in which he proclaims himself god and sets up his image to be worshipped.

The prophet Ezekiel starts by saying: “And the word of the Lord came unto me” (Ezekiel 38:1). Ezekiel wasn’t saying things out of his own ideas and his own imagination; it was the Word of the Lord!

Verse 2: “Son of man, set thy face against Gog, the land of Magog.” “The land of Magog is the ancient name for Russia [currently the region comprising Russia, the Ukraine, and Kazakhstan].

He said, “Set your face against Gog”—the leader of Magog—“the chief prince of Meshech and Tubal, and prophesy against him”—this Gog who will be the coming Antichrist leader.

“Thus saith the Lord God; behold, I am against thee, O Gog, the chief prince of Meshech and Tubal. And I will turn thee back, and put hooks into thy jaws, and I will bring thee forth, and all thine army, horses and horsemen, all of them clothed with all sorts of armor, even a great company with bucklers and shields, all of them handling swords” (v. 3–4).

You could say that this doesn’t sound like any modern warfare today. It sounds pretty ancient and antiquated to be fighting an army with horses and swords and shields and armor. Well, what kind of words could the prophet use for our modern armies and soldiers? In fact, if you see riot police marching out today to try to control riots, they’ve gone back to helmets and armor and shields and swords or batons and horses.

The automobile is the modern horse, and it has drivers which therefore are horsemen, driving modern gasoline-powered horses. They even still classify them according to their horsepower. So these tanks and armored personnel carriers and so on are the horses of today.

How else could the prophet describe them? He no doubt saw these things in his visions, these strange carriages and chariots puffing smoke, and probably thought they were some kind of dragons, not only horses. He must have really been mystified. He also saw these great birds flying in the air spitting fire! Wait till you get to Revelation; they’re all described there. It’s so mysterious, he calls them locusts flying in the air, and he calls them these iron horsemen on the ground and so on.

Another prophet said that the chariots shall jostle one another in the broadways. “They shall run like the lightning, and jostle one another in the broadways” (Nahum 2:4). Cars at night with their headlights look like lightning, and they’re chariots, and they certainly jostle one another in the broadways! Thousands of people are killed every year from this jostling and all the auto accidents.

The prophet has to use words he knows. He has to use the terminology he knows. He never heard of a tank, a plane, or a gun.

In verse 5, it starts telling us about some of the countries that are going to be on his side and who’s going to fight against him: “Persia, Ethiopia, and Libya with them; all of them with shield and helmet.” Persia is Iran. Ethiopia, that’s part of ancient Abyssinia. “And Libya with them.”

Which way is Iran going to go? You don’t have to guess; it’s right here in the Bible! It’s been here for 2,500 years since Ezekiel prophesied it, that when the Antichrist forces begin to invade the Near East to capture Israel, Palestine, Jerusalem, and put down this war between the Jews and the Arabs and settle the whole issue, Persia, Iran, is going to be with them.

Who else is going to be with the Antichrist? Here we have the 6th verse: “Gomer, and all his bands.” Also, “the house of Togarmah of the north quarters, and all his bands.” I’m inclined to believe that means Turkey.

All these countries talked about in the Bible are going to be on Russia’s side when she marches in: Ethiopia, Libya, Turkey, Iran … and we’ll read about some more in Daniel 11.

Daniel chapter 11, verse 41: “He shall enter also into the glorious land” (that’s Israel, and this is the Antichrist invasion of the Mideast)—“but these shall escape out of his hand, even Edom and Moab and the chief of the children of Ammon.” Right now the chief of the children of Ammon is Jordan and its rulers, and they live in the city of Amman; that’s the capital of the kingdom of Jordan.

“He”—this anti-Christ leader, Gog—“shall stretch forth his hand also upon the countries: and the land of Egypt shall not escape. But he shall have power over the treasures of gold and of silver, and over all the precious things of Egypt.” It sounds like Egypt is going to try to fight the Antichrist.

But then it says “the Libyans and the Ethiopians shall be at his steps” (Daniel 11:42–43). The Ethiopians and the Libyans are going to be with him, along with the Iranians, similar to the passage in Ezekiel.

Back to Ezekiel 38, verse 7: “Be thou prepared, and prepare for thyself, thou, and all thy company that are assembled unto thee, and be thou a guard unto them.” The Antichrist is going to guard all these friendly nations.

Thank You Jesus for Your Word; bless it and make it a blessing. We thank You that we believe this holy book, the holy Bible, to be Thy Word spoken by Thy prophets in ancient times, even talking about times long past their day, past their death—really their life, their second life to be with Thee. Prophecies You gave them then so we’d read them and hear them now and know what’s going to happen tomorrow. You promised in those last days that the wise should instruct many, so we ask Thee to help them to understand.

“They of understanding shall instruct many” (Daniel 11:33), and only the wise should understand. So give them the wisdom of Thy Word from these studies now that they may in the future understand and instruct many about what’s going to happen to prepare them for it, in Jesus’ name.

Being True to Yourself

October 13, 2023

By Danielle Strickland

Danielle Strickland is a Christian author with the Salvation Army who works with charities focused on overcoming human trafficking. Using biblical examples, Danielle talks about biblical heroes and how they may be defined as people who leverage what they have and who they are on behalf of other people.

Run time for this video is 36:18 minutes. The message starts at 2:35 minutes.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HHfO1hUtkIA

Payback or Protection?—Part 2

October 12, 2023

By Maria Fontaine

Audio length: 9:11

Download Audio (8.4MB)

To recap the points in Part 1 of this article, I’m going to repeat the last two paragraphs:

We cannot fully understand, much less judge, someone else with our own understanding. It takes desperate prayer to let go of those feelings of anger at injustice. It takes faith to trust in Jesus’ love and righteousness so much that we can know that the wrongs will eventually be made right by Him.

Sometimes it is hard for us to grasp this truth in our own understanding, and we might balk at it. Why would we want anything good for people after all the evil they’ve done? We think it will make us feel better to make them suffer as payback for what they did. But does it really?

I know from experience that it doesn’t. However, I still had some questions. I’m simply sharing what has helped me to understand certain things.

One question that I struggled with in the past was why I should have to forgive people who have done horrific things against humanity, so much harm to so many, both His children and others. I can understand why many might wonder this. We know that God forgives us all when we repent and turn to Him, but do I also need to forgive others who have done such terrible things? What if I or a loved one was among those who suffered?

I know that Jesus said, “Love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you, that you may be sons of your Father in heaven. He causes his sun to rise on the evil and the good, and sends rain on the righteous and the unrighteous. … Be perfect, therefore, as your heavenly Father is perfect” (Matthew 5:44–45, 48).

Clearly, I was missing something that Jesus understood. I had read these verses most of my life, but had passed over these points thinking they are too difficult to understand. Why would God not exact judgment on those doing wrong? Why would He keep blessing them with these things that they obviously didn’t deserve? When I asked Jesus to make this simple and clear for me, He posed a question for me to ponder.

“The Bible says that whatever is not of faith is sin, and that without faith it is impossible to please God. So, what are the effects of faith on your relationship with Me compared to the effects of sin?” (Romans 14:23, Hebrews 11:6)

The answer seemed simple enough. Faith brings us closer to God, into a deeper relationship with Him. Hebrews chapter 11 shows us that faith was what made the greats of the Bible able to stand strong, face virtually anything, and still keep trusting Him. So sin, which is the opposite of faith, would separate us from God.

“Exactly!” was His response. “Sin is you separating yourself from Me! Whether the outward manifestation of sin is big or small, it has the same impact of you putting something in your life in a position of greater importance than Me. Whether it’s your pride or worldly possessions or your allowing reactions of anger and hatred toward others for their wrongdoings, these things separate you from Me, the source of all life. The wages of sin is death, because sin separates you from Me. That’s why I came to you, died for you, rose from the dead for you, and provided the freely chosen gift of eternal life. My mercies are from everlasting to everlasting.”

Jesus sees the harm that sin brings. We who have received Him are not exempt from sinning and going astray just because we have received His gift. We still need His mercy renewed every morning. So whether it is one who is trapped in the darkness and needs Jesus to bring them to the light of salvation, or one who has already received Jesus but who has wandered away into the darkness and needs His light to guide them back to His fold, His love reaches out to offer each one whatever will eventually bring them to a complete relationship with Him, and through Him to the Father.

So how can I react in anger or by praying for judgment or condemnation on someone? Who knows, if I had endured what they have faced, without the upbringing of faith that I was blessed with, maybe I would have grown angry or bitter or vengeful, and I might have done terrible things too. When I look at things in this way, His admonition to love and pray even for those who hate and persecute us begins to take on a deeper meaning. It’s in His hands to judge those matters. When I pray for my enemies, I’m not praying for Jesus to prosper them in their wrongdoing; I’m placing them in His hands to do what He knows is best.

The Bible even goes so far as to say:

“To whom much has been forgiven, the same loves much” (Luke 7:47).

“All have sinned and fallen short of the glory of God” (Romans 3:23).

“While we were yet sinners, Christ died for us [all of us]” (Romans 5:8).

“There is none righteous, no, not one” (Romans 3:10).

His mercy and His forgiveness have saved me. How can I say that it cannot do the same for others? Only God knows each of us completely. How can I do less than place them in His hands? When I pray for them, I will ask for the same mercy and grace for them that He has bestowed on me.

What greater prayer could we pray for them than to ask that He will somehow bring about His highest purpose? What greater blessing for them could we ask for than that they could be changed into a force for good for God? That prayer might take a lot of faith to pray at times, but what a tremendous victory could be gained as a result. Is there anything too hard for God?

God can overcome the terrible things that might seem unforgivable or irreversible to us. He can overcome evil and wash away its damage. How? In my limited understanding of the fullness of God’s love, I can’t grasp how, but I know He can.

We all need God’s mercy and forgiveness. Without it, none of us would find our way through this life and into the eternity of all that He wants us to have.

The Bible explains how we came to love Jesus. It says that we love Him because He first loved us. His love was exemplified in His forgiveness, His mercy, His grace, and His sacrifice for us. We were all sin-sick, blind to the truth, deaf to the shepherd’s voice and lost in the darkness of this world, but He sacrificed Himself to come to us to offer us the answers to everything. How can we help others learn how to love Him unless we do our best to love them as He does?

It’s not easy for me to get past my natural mind. It takes His supernatural power and my yielding to God to let Him guide my reactions.

I feel anger at evil just like anyone else. But what Jesus calls us to do is to separate the sin from the sinner. We certainly should pray against the evil, but only God knows the future of the person who at this time is being used to perpetrate the wrongs. To do this required my letting Jesus’ example and His Spirit have sway in my life and my reactions. That is what my relationship with Jesus and learning to become more like Him is gradually developing in me in this life. It’s part of the “new creature” that I am becoming in Him.

I’m not saying that there won’t be times of judgment for the wicked. I’m saying that those things are for God to determine. We don’t see the whole picture, and there’s no guarantee that our judgment would be righteous judgment.

There may be times when we have to protect others from harm, when Jesus will tell us to stand up as He did against the money changers in the temple or to manifest the role of the shepherd who is protecting the sheep.

But the point I’m making is how we should pray. Did Paul and Silas shout curses or prayers calling for judgment against those who beat them and threw them in prison? Or did they resort to something infinitely greater that gave the Lord an opportunity to show His power in even more outstanding ways? Instead of turning to anger and hatred, they turned to Jesus with praise and song (Acts 16:25). Evil isn’t overcome by our attempts, in prayer or otherwise, at judgment and getting even, but by the power of God’s Spirit.

Getting to see retribution for wrongdoings “feels” like it will be right. But Jesus came to help us move beyond just the flesh, to something infinitely greater and more powerful, something that, unlike the flesh and the carnal perspectives of this life, is eternal.

So how should we pray? Yes, our prayers need to call for the protection of those in need or danger. We also need to fight in prayer against evil. But I believe we need to leave the judging of others in God’s hands.

Originally published January 2021. Adapted and republished October 2023. Read by Lenore Welsh.

Thirsty for the Water of Life

October 11, 2023

George Sosich

Just before He gave up the ghost at His crucifixion, Jesus uttered the words “I thirst” (John 19:28). There’s no doubt that He was physically thirsty. But was there also a deeper symbolism behind His thirst? Did this reveal His deepest longing for His father’s presence, the soothing and comforting presence of the water of life, the Spirit of God in what was His most desperate and agonizing hour?

And let him who thirsts come. Whoever desires, let him take the water of life freely (Revelation 22:17).

What is this water of life and how can we get it freely?

The Bible often likens our craving for relief from life’s hardships to a physical and spiritual thirst. It uses the image of the water of life or living water as a metaphor for God’s Spirit, which brings us the comfort and respite we yearn for.

Water is crucial for sustaining human life. Around two-thirds of our body weight consists of water, and it serves a variety of vital functions, such as:

Regulating body temperature
Flushing out waste products
Moistening tissues in the eyes, nose, and mouth
Protecting body organs and tissues
Carrying nutrients and oxygen to cells to support their growth and reproduction
Lubricating joints
Dissolving minerals and nutrients to make them accessible to your body
Aiding digestion and brain function

You can live without food for up to one or even two months, but only for about three days without water. And it’s our sense of thirst that prompts, almost forces us, to desire fluid intake, especially water, in order to fulfill the need for hydration.

I tell you now, I know a lot about being thirsty because I’ve been battling thirst all day every day for more than eight years of my life, the whole time I’ve been living on kidney dialysis. Why? Because one of the consequences of kidney failure is losing the ability to pass urine. So I haven’t urinated for years. Any fluid I take in, rather than being eliminated from my body by my kidneys, has to be filtered out of my bloodstream during the dialysis treatments I have three times a week. Because there are limits on how much water my body can handle between treatments, and how much can be filtered out during dialysis, I’m restricted to being able to drink only two moderate cups of any kind of fluid per day. So I constantly struggle with thirst. And when I have a drink, I make sure I enjoy it and I savor every drop. During summer especially, I long for more cool drink, but I can’t have it. When I’m around fresh water, like a swimming pool, a river, or a stream, I just want to dive into it, immerse myself in it and revel in it just to feel some sense of refreshment, even if I can’t drink any.

This constant struggle with thirst has taught me some spiritual lessons about the human condition and our desperate need for God. Just as my body yearns for relief through drinking water, so does my spirit long for respite from life’s daily struggles by drinking in God’s Spirit. The writer of Psalm 42 shared similar sentiments when he wrote the following:

As a deer longs for flowing streams, so my soul longs for you, O God. My soul thirsts for God, for the living God. When shall I come and behold the face of God? (Psalm 42:1–2)

The illustration in this Psalm is of a severely distressed person who likens his desperate need for God to a deer wandering through dry land searching for life-giving water.

Have you ever felt like that? Do you feel like that now? The water of life, the living water that God provides will give you the relief you need. And thankfully, there’s an unlimited supply; He pours it out freely to anyone who wants it. Jesus so desperately desired to get the people to understand this that He virtually shouted it out to them in the middle of a heaving crowd at a religious festival.

On the last day, that great day of the feast, Jesus stood and cried out, saying, “If anyone thirsts, let him come to Me and drink. He who believes in Me, as the Scripture has said, out of his heart will flow rivers of living water.” But this He spoke concerning the Spirit, whom those believing in Him would receive (John 7:37–39).

The water of life, the living water, is the Spirit of God. And those distressing feelings in times of weakness and trouble are symbolic of your spiritual thirst for the Spirit of God.

So how do you get this living water? By coming to Jesus, by taking time to get alone with Him to read His Word and pray. That’s how you get refreshed and refilled, rehydrated with the cool waters of His Spirit.

And once you get spiritually refilled then, as that scripture says, out of your heart will flow rivers of living water that can overflow on to those around you so that they too can have their spirits refreshed by the Spirit of God.

Ezekiel 38 and the Five Ws of Journalism

David Brandt Berg

1985-02-05

Ezekiel is one of the major prophets; the major prophets are Isaiah, Jeremiah, Ezekiel, and Daniel.

The first verse of Ezekiel 38 says, “The word of the Lord came unto me, saying, Son of man, set thy face against Gog, the land of Magog, the chief prince of Meshech and Tubal, and prophesy against him.” Now actually it should have said “against Gog of the land of Magog” or “and the land of Magog,” because Gog is the leader, the king. Magog is his country, and Meshech and Tubal are two of his greatest cities.

In the study of Bible prophecy or Bible history, what’s important besides knowing the subject and what the subject is doing? What’s the famous standard of journalism?

In writing a story, journalists are told to be sure to cover as much as they possibly can: Who are they talking about, what did they do, when did they do it, where did they do it, and how or why did they do it? They call it the five Ws. Who, what, when, where and why is the essence of every story.

It’s essential to know when it happened. If this has already happened, what’s the use of reading about it now? It might be interesting from the standpoint of history, but who cares what happened thousands of years ago? Only people interested in history.

Obviously, from reading these passages, Gog is invading Israel; he’s making war “against the mountains of Israel” (verse 8). If you want to know whether it’s history or Bible prophecy, you’ve got to know when it is. How do we know it isn’t just ancient history? In verse 8 it says “in the latter years.”

The 11th verse also begins to tell us when: “And thou shalt say, I will go up to the land of unwalled villages; I will go to them that are at rest, that dwell safely, all of them dwelling without walls, and having neither bars nor gates.” It’s only been in modern times that cities and villages no longer have walls. With modern warfare, walls wouldn’t do a bit of good. Why go to all the trouble to build a wall around the place when they can shoot and bomb inside, wall or no wall, and even destroy the wall?

The ancient cities of Israel all had walls. Even the villages had walls. Any village worth its salt had a wall to try to keep out any unfriendly people or enemies. Therefore we know that this passage is not talking about ancient Bible history here; this never happened in Bible times. It is either talking about the present, when there are no walls, or the future.

You’ve got to be a pretty good student of ancient history to know this, but do you recall if there has been any occasion in which Russia has marched into Israel accompanied by the countries listened in verses 5 and 6— Persia, Ethiopia, Libya? You can’t think of any time in ancient or modern history when Russia’s invaded Israel, much less with this strange assortment of countries. So all those people are fighting alongside Russia, “many people with thee” (Ezekiel 38:6). It’s a big war, with many people fighting.

One reason we know it’s Russia is they came from the north: “out of the north parts” (verse 15). And it keeps on raving about how many there are: a great company, a mighty army, lots of horses, many people.

Verse 16 says, “I will bring thee against my land, that the heathen may know me, when I shall be sanctified in thee, O Gog, before their eyes.” God is speaking! Didn’t He call Israel the chosen land at one time, and even the chosen people?

They were a chosen people and they were put in a chosen land by God. People didn’t understand spiritual things very well, so He had to have an actual nation of people who worshipped Him. All the other nations had gods. All the other nations had kings. They each had their religions. He had to try to get a bunch of people to worship Him, and He started off with just one man and his family. In fact, they became a whole host of nations. Abraham, the father of the faithful. The sad part about Abraham was that he was also father to a lot of unfaithful; in fact, it seems like almost more unfaithful than faithful. So God is talking about His chosen land of the chosen people.

In the 16th verse it says, “And thou shalt come up against my people of Israel, as a cloud to cover the land.” “And I will bring thee against my land.” Who is Gog? The New Testament name that we call him today is the Antichrist.

He says in verse 16 that he’s bringing them down “that the heathen may know me.” The Lord says, “The heathen are going to know that I’m just when I come down and afflict you, Gog, on my people Israel.”

The Covenant has preceded this invasion, so obviously the Jews have not been keeping their part of the bargain. Apparently they cause so much trouble that he gets furious, because they’re breaking the Covenant. So he says, “You want to break the Covenant? I’ll conspire with those people who want to break the Covenant, people who don’t like the Covenant anyhow. We’ll throw the whole thing away and we’ll have a new religion!” Worship of the Antichrist and his image.

So that’s the story of what’s happening here, and in the 18th verse it talks about His fury. “And it shall come to pass at the same time when Gog shall come against the land of Israel, saith the Lord God, that my fury shall come up in my face.” The Antichrist comes down in his fury on Israel, but by and by, God says it’s enough.

Verse 19: “For in my jealousy and in the fire of my wrath have I spoken, Surely in that day there shall be a great shaking in the land of Israel.” There’s going to be an earthquake. Doesn’t Armageddon end with some kind of big earthquake? It says so several places in the Scripture.

“Surely in that day there shall be a great shaking in the land of Israel; so that the fishes of the sea, and the fowls of the heaven, and the beasts of the field, and all creeping things that creep upon the earth, and all the men that are upon the face of the earth shall shake at my presence. And the mountains shall be thrown down and the steep places shall fall, and every wall shall fall to the ground.”

And then in verse 21 God calls for a sword against Gog. “Throughout all my mountains, saith the Lord: every man’s sword shall be against his brother. And I will plead against him with pestilence and with blood; and I will rain upon him, and upon his bands, and upon the many people that are with him, an overflowing rain.” What kind of rain? “Hailstones, fire, and brimstone.” Sometimes when there’s a great earthquake there’s also a great volcanic eruption. God is going to punish the Antichrist for his sins and all the people with him.

“Every man’s sword shall be against his brother.” The Antichrist’s forces are going to be in such confusion, they’re going to be killing each other. Several times in Bible history it tells about how they got so confused in the middle of the night that the guys woke up and were killing each other in the dark. This occurred in the story of Gideon, with all that racket he made, and another time an angel slaughtered thousands.

(Verse 22:) “And I will plead against him with pestilence and with blood; and I will rain upon him, and upon his bands.” Who’s this “him” the Lord is talking about? The Antichrist, Gog. “And I will rain upon him, and upon his bands, and upon the many people that are with him, an overflowing rain and great hailstones, fire, and brimstone.” That could be atom bombs or volcanic explosions or both.

In Revelation, the Lord said He’s going to have hailstones coming down in the last days as big as a talent (Revelation 16:21). A talent is the standard of measurement and weight of the old Bible. The talents they used then weighed 104 pounds.

(Verse 23:) “Thus will I magnify myself and sanctify myself; and I will be known in the eyes of many nations, and they shall know that I am the Lord.” How are they going to know by that that He’s the Lord? They’re going to know, for one thing, that probably only God could have done such a thing in such magnitude, in such a magnificent manner, to have the whole earth shake and to have the skies rain down fire and brimstone and hailstones and red-hot rocks upon the forces of the Antichrist. But they’re going to know for sure it’s the Lord because in the Battle of Armageddon Jesus appears on His white horse, and we appear with Him. Here’s a great, supernatural, magical appearance of these forces coming down, riding out of the sky on horses! Praise the Lord!

What We Can Learn from the Pandemic (Part 6): Putting Things in Perspective

What We Can Learn from the Pandemic

Peter Amsterdam

2021-09-28

Putting Things in Perspective

We have covered several topics in this series, including overcoming isolation and loneliness, dealing with financial stress, caring for our mental and emotional well-being, and rediscovering joy. As I close this series, let’s try to put things in perspective.

We can start by recognizing what we can and cannot change. Many things are not within our control, and we have to commit those into God’s hands and trust in Him to work as He knows best. But we can change our perspective, which will help us enter into the peace that the Lord has for us. The starting point for adjusting our perspectives is managing our thoughts and what we allow to occupy them.

David used to say, “You are what you read.” This principle is even more relevant today, as our access to information of every type is nearly limitless. Your perspectives and your peace of mind and spirit are not only affected by what you read but also by what you watch, the podcasts you listen to, who you follow online, and who you spend time with.

The importance of managing our thoughts and the information we allow to enter our minds and spirits brought to mind a Cherokee legend of two wolves.

An old Cherokee is teaching his grandson about life. “A fight is going on inside me,” he said to the boy. “It is a terrible fight and it is between two wolves. One is evil—he is anger, envy, sorrow, regret, greed, arrogance, self-pity, guilt, resentment, inferiority, lies, false pride, superiority, and ego.”

He continued, “The other is good—he is joy, peace, love, hope, serenity, humility, kindness, benevolence, empathy, generosity, truth, compassion, and faith. The same fight is going on inside you—and inside every other person, too.”

The grandson thought about it for a minute and then asked his grandfather, “Which wolf will win?”

The old Cherokee simply replied, “The one you feed.”

That is a good question to ask ourselves periodically: “Which wolf am I feeding?”

We need to guard our thoughts, as one version of Proverbs 4:13 says: “Be careful how you think; your life is shaped by your thoughts.”¹ This is a well-known biblical principle that we have been practicing for decades. But it is helpful to periodically examine your thoughts for a couple of days to assess your “thought habits” and see if there are areas that you need to shore up. This is even more important during times when you are preoccupied with overwhelming situations such as uncertainty, lack of control, illness, financial needs, political unrest, fatigue, heartache, loss and stress that have continued over an extended period of time.

At times like the present, it is critical that we adjust our perspective and make a deliberate effort to reflect on the Lord’s goodness, His faithfulness, and the fact that He has never failed us. In spite of this time of trials and testing, we can give thanks for the many times we have seen the Lord fulfill His promises. He doesn’t always act according to our expectations or preferred timeframe, but we can look back and see His hand in our lives and give thanks.

While we cannot control the circumstances or events related to the pandemic or the changes it has brought about in our lives, we can control our emotions and our reactions.

If you have been battling fears and worries, if you are feeling stressed and anxious, take it to the Lord in prayer and ask Him to give you His perfect peace. Rebuke the enemy and start praising the Lord and quoting Scripture and singing songs of praise. Ask the Lord to establish your thoughts and to help you set your mind on the things that matter and will last, the “things that are above, not on things that are on earth.”² Choose to use your time and energy in positive ways that promote health and peace and build your faith. Take some time to think of ways that you can nourish the “good wolf” of joy, peace, love, hope, serenity, humility, kindness, benevolence, empathy, generosity, truth, compassion, and faith!

It is helpful to remind ourselves that God is good. God is love. God has never failed. God works in our lives to perfect that which concerns us, and it usually takes time. Anticipating God’s goodness leads us to and is the foundation of hope. “‘For I know the plans I have for you,’ says the LORD. ‘They are plans for good and not for disaster, to give you a future and a hope.’”³

God has your best interests at heart. He’s not in a hurry, and He will cause all things to work together for good for you, because you love Him and you are called according to His purpose.⁴

If you are struggling to adjust your mindset, take time with the Lord. He wants to share His perspective with you, and He will do so through the Bible and through His still small voice speaking to your heart. Time spent with Jesus helps to shift our perspective as He gives us insight into how He views things. The more time we spend with the Lord and in His Word, the more we will adopt His perspective and thoughts.

Let’s reflect on Psalm 23,⁵ one of the most beloved and quoted psalms. Most of us memorized this psalm decades ago!

¹The Lord is my shepherd, I lack nothing.

Jesus is our Good Shepherd. He has always cared for us, He has always supplied all of our needs, even in difficult and trying circumstances.

²He makes me lie down in green pastures,
he leads me beside quiet waters, …

We have been in many situations that were troubling or dangerous or unsettling over the years, but the Lord has led us and protected us, and He will continue to do so. He can give us peace in spite of the circumstances, as we keep our minds stayed on Him.⁶

³he refreshes my soul.

He guides me along the right paths
for his name’s sake.

When we are weary, we can rest in the Lord and find renewed strength and resilience. We can know that He watches over us. As portrayed in the very well-known poem, when it seems we are alone and we don’t see His “footprints in the sand” by our side, that is when He is carrying us.

We can trust that the Lord will establish our thoughts and guide our steps and lead us in a path that will glorify Him and advance His kingdom.

⁴Even though I walk
through the darkest valley,
I will fear no evil,
for you are with me;
your rod and your staff,
they comfort me.

We may feel like we’re going through the darkest valley, but we don’t need to be afraid because we can be confident that Jesus is with us and His staff wards off the enemy’s attacks and comforts us.

⁵You prepare a table before me
in the presence of my enemies.

You anoint my head with oil;
my cup overflows.

We have a glorious heritage of trusting the Lord to supply our needs. He prepares a table before us in spite of difficulties and attacks of the enemy. If He is with us, no one can overpower us. It’s truly amazing how in troubling situations the Holy Spirit can comfort us, causing us to overflow with the peace that transcends all understanding.⁷

⁶Surely your goodness and love will follow me
all the days of my life,
and I will dwell in the house of the Lord forever.

We can rest in this promise that God’s goodness and love are unchanging and will be with us all the days of our lives, and we can look forward to the day when we will be together with the Lord in heaven forever. He is preparing a glorious place for us. He will wipe away all tears from our eyes, and there will be no more death, crying, mourning, or pain.⁸ Praise the Lord!

Recently, I came upon a prayer that Maria published over 10 years ago, and I was inspired by how relevant the prayer still is today. As you read and pray this prayer, think about all the ways the Lord has answered this prayer in your life. And the great news is that Jesus isn’t going to stop answering our prayers and working on our behalf now!

(Prayer:) Dearest Jesus, I pray for all of our Family members who are in need right now. Each one is in a different situation, but many are facing physical challenges. And, Lord, You know these challenges aren’t easy. Some don’t have enough personnel to keep their mission works going. Some don’t have sufficient financial support. Some are battling with ill health or searching for the assistance they need to care for their children. So many are in need, dear Lord.

We know that facing these challenges and finding workable solutions is a part of life, and it’s also part of processing and working through the changes we’re experiencing. But You are not limited by our circumstances, and I desperately call out to You for their needs. You are the one who is “moved with compassion” toward us.⁹ You are the one who has Your eye on every sparrow, yet You value each one of Your children so much more, and You care about every hair on our head.¹⁰ You are the one who has promised to care for Your own. I know You hear. I know You care. I ask for Your mercy and Your grace to be poured down upon each one in great abundance.

I praise You for the Family, and that we are a network of believers who can help to support and uphold one another, whether through prayer, or through our friendship and encouragement, or through other practical means. It inspires me every time I hear a story about one of our members helping someone else in need. It reminds me of You, Jesus. It reminds me of Your love.

During this time of change, help each of us to do whatever we can to help others. Even if we feel desperate and are in need and struggling ourselves, help us to be open to Your nudges. When You impress a need on our heart, give us faith to give, even if it hurts. If we don’t have much, help us to remember we still have a lot, because we can give some time to prayer for others; that in itself can make a world of difference.

As the song says, “Somebody prayed and my burdens were lighter. Somebody prayed and my path became clear. Clouds rolled away and the sunshine was brighter. Jesus, my wonderful Savior, was near.” Help us to be that “somebody” who prayed, who helped to make someone else’s burdens lighter, someone else’s path clearer, and their circumstances more pleasant in some way. As we share what we have with others, even if we don’t have much, You will see to it that our needs are met in return.

Thank You, dearest Jesus, for loving and caring for us and for all Your children all of these years. We know that You won’t fail us now. Not only are You alive and caring and attuned to our needs, but we have Family members all around the world who have a lot of love to give, and who are exercised in giving that love to others. Their sacrifices are beautiful. I praise You for their acts of love and kindness toward others. I know that You see each one, and that You will mightily repay and reward.¹¹

¹ GNT.

² Colossians 3:2 ESV.

³ Jeremiah 29:11 NLT.

⁴ Romans 8:28.

⁵ NIV quoted.

⁶ See Isaiah 26:3.

⁷ See Philippians 4:6–7.

⁸ See Revelation 21:4.

⁹ Matthew 14:14 KJV.

¹⁰ Matthew 10:29–30.

¹¹ Maria Fontaine, “Bringing Love to Life,” Directors’ Corner, October 17, 2010, https://library.tfionline.com/?viewId=2850&treeId=2143

What We Can Learn from the Pandemic (Part 5): Rediscovering Joy

What We Can Learn from the Pandemic

Peter Amsterdam

2021-09-21

Rediscovering Joy

Most of us have felt the cumulative impact of the COVID pandemic on our everyday lives as it has continued over an extended period of time. For some of us, this has resulted in a lessening of our daily activities, whereas for others, it has resulted in a larger workload or additional responsibilities. Since many of the avenues for activities or interactions with others that provide a reprieve and inject novelty into our daily routines haven’t been readily available, a sense of boredom or tediousness can set in.

Over the past year and a half, circumstances have been different in our lives. Some of you are in countries where life is returning to normal little by little, whereas others of you are still in the throes of the full pandemic restrictions. But regardless of the details of your situation, you might be experiencing a sense of dullness or monotony or lack of joy. Someone I communicate with described it like this:

This is a strange feeling to describe and it’s hard to put your finger on what causes it, but sometimes it feels as if the joy has been sucked out of your life and you’re now on autopilot, just going through the humdrum motions, day after day. You know what you need to do, but you don’t want to do it. You’re not in the mood. You’re in a funk. You don’t have the motivation to move forward. You feel grumpy and negative about yourself, and you wonder if you’ll ever get your motivation and joy back.

I realized recently that being bored can become a habit. You get used to it and kind of resign yourself to a boring existence. Then you stop trying. Your flame of enthusiasm becomes a little ember that’s just flickering. You kind of die inside.

When you’re feeling this way, it’s easy to default to available, comfortable, feel-good pastimes. If you’re looking for excitement, change, variety and fun, it can lead to engaging in shallow pleasures such as binge watching, gaming, drinking, etc. Eventually you find yourself spending more and more time in these activities, but still not feeling much better.

Granted, that is just one person’s experience. Maybe you can relate somewhat to that description, or maybe not. I do hope that you’re not suffering from boredom or monotony to that extent. Such feelings are understandable, given the significant changes and challenges we’ve experienced these past many months in our work and interactions with others, due to COVID restrictions and health concerns.

But the good news is that no matter what our circumstances and what losses we have sustained, we can rediscover our joy!

It’s important to remind ourselves that Jesus is the source of our joy. Knowing Him, staying close to Him and His Word, being filled with the Holy Spirit, and walking in obedience to our calling can infuse our lives with joy that is not dependent on physical circumstances.

We read this in Psalm 43:3, “Send out your light and your truth; let them guide me. Let them lead me to your holy mountain, to the place where you live.” (NLT) [The psalmist] sought after God, then committed to praise and trust Him no matter what, which is what we read in the next verse, “There I will go to the altar of God, to God—the source of all my joy. I will praise you with my harp, O God, my God!” (Psalm 43:4 NLT)

Despite his heartache and overwhelming emotions, the psalmist remembered God truly was his only help and that GOD was always there, never forsaking him even when it felt like it.

If you’re feeling forgotten, by others or by God, let your hope swell and your joy return by intentionally believing that God will never leave you and is always by your side. Make a commitment to focus on God’s presence and the blessings He has given you, and let God be the source of your joy.—Tracie Miles ¹

And the disciples were filled with joy and with the Holy Spirit.—Acts 13:52

The joy of the Lord is your strength.—Nehemiah 8:10

The Lord has done great things for us, and we are filled with joy.—Psalm 126:3 NIV

Besides centering our lives on the Lord and His Word, and seeking to be filled with His Spirit, there are also practical “joy boosters”; that is, practical approaches that we can implement to enhance or recapture our joy. Let’s look at some ways in which we might do that. I’ll note a few ideas here, but this is by no means a complete list. If you’ll take some time to think and pray about this, the Lord can give you ideas that will work well for you personally.

Notice the little things. Try to pay attention to even brief moments that bring joy; these could be the result of little things. Take a moment to intentionally thank and praise the Lord for the little wonders that inspire you. Once you are aware of the things that produce joy, think about how you can intentionally build more of those moments into your life.

It could be such things as hearing a baby laugh, seeing a beautiful butterfly or playful puppy, laughing at a joke, eating a delicious dessert, hearing a beautiful song, or feeling invigorated after a walk or exercise session, creating or appreciating a work of art, and so on. Let small things bring you joy!

Many people are so disconnected from joy that they aren’t even really familiar with what joy feels like in their body or what types of things bring them joy. A joy journal is a good place to start: Pay attention for a week or two to all the moments when you find yourself smiling or laughing or feeling a sense of joy wash over you. Notice where you are, whom you’re with, and what you’re doing—those can all be clues to the kinds of things that might bring you more joy. … The goal is to notice them, and once you notice what is causing them, you can re-create those conditions in your life.²

Allow time to do what brings you joy. Maybe some of the things you enjoy doing don’t seem important enough to take the time; it’s not a priority. Perhaps it feels like a self-indulgent waste of time or a distraction to your more important goals. But it is important to consciously make time and space to enjoy life as you are able.

Take a minute to remember what you used to love to do before the pandemic and find a way to pick it up again. If things are different now and that activity is not possible, or you find that it doesn’t “bring you joy” now, try something else. Just try! When you’re in a blah state of mind, you often can’t think of anything that would make you feel better, but don’t resign yourself to that mindset. Stir yourself up, give yourself some time, find something you like to do and enjoy it!

Make a difference. No matter how limited your circumstances, there is always something you can do to make things better. And making things better can give you a sense of fulfilment and enjoyment. Doing something for someone else, even something small, can bring you both joy. One of you shared the following, which I think illustrates this point well. She wrote:

I had just read “Willie and the Five-Minute Favor” by Iris Richard (in Kenya) in the July 2021 Activated mag.³ In the testimony Iris said:

We were just finishing up the distribution of 50 ten-kilo care packages to poor people … at the edge of one of the largest slums in East Africa.

Happy to have completed the project, I turned to leave when my colleague Sally held up the last package, saying, “Before we close, let’s quickly deliver this one to Willie up the hill. He isn’t able to walk down here.”

I was tired and sweaty, and my back ached. … I was about to postpone this task for another time when I remembered my new resolution of “five-minute favors,” which was inspired by something I read online:

“Want to make the world a better place? … Enter the five-minute favor concept that is no more complicated than its name alludes: take five minutes out of your day to do something that’ll benefit another person. … It doesn’t cost you much, but it can make a big difference in somebody’s life.”

Iris went on to explain how she decided to make the climb to deliver the care package to this needy man. He was alone in a one-room shack. His house had been destroyed in a flood, he had lost his leg in a hit-and-run accident, and consequently, he had lost his job.

She wrote: “Willie received our care package with a big smile. ‘God sent you!’ he said, and a tear ran down his cheek. … ‘I found new hope and purpose because of you,’ Willie said, when donated items for his new little roadside business were delivered by well-wishers.”

I was so touched by that testimony that I decided that I would also incorporate the idea of the “five-minute favor” in my life. I don’t live in Africa or have a ministry with the very poor, but I figured I’d give it a shot. I needed a new challenge, I was bored.

Soon after this commitment, I went to the grocery store. To give a bit of the back story: In a previous visit to this store a week or two earlier I had been trying to make a return at the customer service desk. I was having trouble with the transaction as I didn’t have my glasses and I kept entering the credit card number incorrectly. I noticed I was being attended by the store manager. The store was busy. While helping me, the manager was constantly approached by all kinds of people—customers, employees, suppliers, etc., and he was kind and polite with each one. He kept smiling as he’d turn to me and with a kind voice say, “Shall we try it again?” He never once lost his composure or seemed bothered at all.

While at the store on this recent occasion, I walked by the manager, and I thought, “Ah, here’s an opportunity for a five-minute favor.” But I quickly started to talk myself out of it. “I’m in a hurry. And besides, he’s busy.”

But no! I turned around and walked up to him. Standing there with my mask on, social distancing, I asked, “Are you the manager?” His serene expression quickly changed, and he got a concerned look on his face that seemed to say, “Oh no, what’s wrong now?!”

I reminded him of our previous encounter. He immediately looked relieved. Then I said, “I just want to compliment you on your kindness. You make a difference in people’s lives every day with the patience and consideration you show and with that constant smile of yours.”

He was literally speechless! After a few seconds, all he could say was, “Oh wow! Thank you for telling me.”

That was it. This just took a couple of minutes, but it made a difference not only for him but for me, too. I felt a sense of joy. I felt like that tiny thing meant something! I enthusiastically told my friends about this. The “five-minute favor”—I highly recommend it!

Take inventory of what saps your joy. Happiness can be circumstantial and fleeting, but joy is a gift from God, and we can have joy even in difficult circumstances. “The joy of the Lord is your strength.”⁴ But it’s important to realize that there may be things in our lives that steal our joy. Those are sometimes referred to as “killjoys.” Here is an excerpt of a helpful article:

Life, even for the best of us, has its ups and downs. That is not going to change, but there is a way to make the “ups” far more common than the “downs.” The key is to strive for joy rather than happiness.

The difference between the two is significant. Happiness is based on circumstances. If things are going well, we are happy, if they’re not, we are unhappy. Unfortunately, circumstances in today’s world are usually poor, so happiness is becoming more and more elusive.

Joy, on the other hand, is not tied to circumstances. Rather, it is the positive confidence one feels from knowing and trusting God regardless of circumstances. Joy is a key component of what Galatians 5 calls the “fruit of the Spirit.” It is a gift from God, but we must prepare our hearts to receive it by first identifying and eliminating those things that are robbing us of joy. There are three primary killjoys: selfishness, resentment and fear.⁵

We will come through the pandemic, and we will be different in some ways. We will have deepened our relationship with the Lord through the suffering and difficulties we endured. By God’s grace, we will be more mindful of our blessings and more appreciative of our family and friends. Possibly we will have learned some new skills, such as how to use the internet more effectively for our work and ministries. Many of you have discovered new ways to witness to others and bring people along in their discipleship—through an online witness, Zoom classes, and chat rooms to share the Good News.

It is important that we not allow any negative emotions, thoughts or moods to take hold in our lives. The killjoys mentioned—selfishness, resentment, and fear—can grow with time and become habits or automatic reactions. If you have allowed any of these killjoys to take root in your life, it’s important to take the time to seek the Lord, study the Word, and ask for His forgiveness. You can have a fresh start beginning today! The Lord can cleanse your mind and spirit and fill you with His joy.

When anxiety was great within me, your consolation brought me joy.—Psalm 94:19 NIV

May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace as you trust in him, so that you may overflow with hope by the power of the Holy Spirit.—Romans 15:13 NIV

This time of the pandemic can be a Beauty for Ashes experience. These difficult months may cause us to reevaluate our lives and priorities. Painful times can prompt us to open our hearts to the Lord, helping us to discover valuable truths that we might have missed otherwise. This is a great time to ask yourself and seek the Lord, “Is there any area I need to change in? Or any course correction needed in my life?”

Remember that the source of our joy is Jesus. In the world, happiness is often associated with appearance, wealth, relationships, possessions, etc. The message the world is sending is that happiness comes from outside ourselves. We’re bombarded with messages that circumstances control our sense of joy. But in reality, our joy comes from Jesus. Love, joy, and peace are all fruits of the Holy Spirit. Jesus is the source of our joy! Praise the Lord! As we seek the Lord and allow the Holy Spirit to reign in our lives, we can rediscover our joy.

Yet I will rejoice in the Lord; I will take joy in the God of my salvation.—Habakkuk 3:18 ⁶

They lift up their voice; together they sing for joy; for eye to eye they see the return of the Lord to Zion.—Isaiah 52:8

Though you have not seen him, you love him. Though you do not now see him, you believe in him and rejoice with joy that is inexpressible and filled with glory, obtaining the outcome of your faith, the salvation of your souls.—1 Peter 1:8–9

(To read the next article in this series, click here.)

¹ Tracie Miles, “I Feel Forgotten,” Proverbs 31 Ministries, November 23, 2018, https://proverbs31.org/read/devotions/full-post/2018/11/23/i-feel-forgotten

² Ingrid Fetell Lee as quoted in “How to Rediscover Joy—and Eliminate Killjoys,” Goop, https://goop.com/wellness/mindfulness/how-to-rediscover-joy/

³ https://activated.org/en/relationships/anyone-and-everyone/caring/willie-and-the-five-minute-favor/

⁴ Nehemiah 8:10.

⁵ “Are There Any Joy-killers in Your Life?” Gilroy Dispatch, November 4, 2006, https://gilroydispatch.com/are-there-any-joy-killers-in-your-life/

⁶ This verse and the following verses are ESV.

How to Be Happy No Matter What Happens

October 6, 2023

By Rick Warren

Pain, pressure, people, and problems can kill your joy, but when you approach every situation with faith and not fear, God will be the ultimate source of your happiness. In this message, Pastor Rick shares four principles for being happy no matter what happens in your life. Learn how God can bring good out of anything, and how to stay focused on your purpose, and not problems.

Run time for this video is 44 minutes.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=30c2T3XGbw4

Payback or Protection?—Part 1

October 5, 2023

By Maria Fontaine

Audio length: 7:41

Download Audio (8.7MB)

We’re seeing troublous times and evil men and deceivers growing worse in this world, as the Bible warned us they would (2 Timothy 3:1–7). Seeing the suffering and harm that people like this cause, we can be tempted to react out of anger and to pray for retribution and judgment against them. These kinds of “judgment” prayers are usually referred to as imprecatory prayers. The dictionary defines imprecatory as calling down evil or judgment on another person.

Imprecatory prayers are most often associated with verses in several Psalms written by King David,¹ though other Psalms also contain imprecatory portions.²

It’s important to distinguish the difference between these “judgment” prayers and a prayer to the Lord to intervene in whatever way is needed to protect someone from harm or to accomplish God’s purpose. The imprecatory prayer involves a person passing judgment on others based on what he can perceive of their actions and calling on God to inflict evil on them as payback. On the other hand, the prayer for protection is a prayer for deliverance from evil, leaving the responsibility for judgment in God’s hands. In this case, you are calling on God for His protection. You’re not telling God to destroy someone, because only He knows the whole picture.

We have to remember that while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us. That, of course, also included Paul (formerly Saul), who was a prime example of someone who was considered evil and wicked by the early church. Of course, they were right. His actions were evil and wicked! I wouldn’t be surprised if many of those folks who were being so persecuted by him were tempted to pray for his destruction, but Jesus knew that Paul would become one of His very fruitful disciples.

As Christians, our prayer should be that Jesus will likewise transform the lives of those who cause us harm, which only He can do in His way and time.

I studied this topic of imprecatory prayers several years ago, in response to some terrible event inflicted on the innocent, the details of which I no longer recall. However, the Lord indicated at the time that I should wait on presenting it in a post. Then, with the spiraling violence and troubled times that we are experiencing in so many places around the world, He reminded me of this topic and indicated that it’s important for us to be reminded of how Jesus has taught us to respond in prayer and to others regarding these kinds of situations.

I asked the Lord to confirm if my and Peter’s thoughts on this subject were correct. Here is His response:

I laid out in My own words the right approach to take when you are faced with those who perpetrate evil: “You have heard that it was said, ‘You shall love your neighbor and hate your enemy.’ But I say to you, love your enemies, bless those who curse you, do good to those who hate you, and pray for those who spitefully use you and persecute you, that you may be children of your Father in heaven; for He makes His sun rise on the evil and on the good, and sends rain on the just and on the unjust. For if you love those who love you, what reward have you? Do not even the tax collectors do the same? And if you greet your brethren only, what do you do more than others? Do not even the tax collectors do so? Therefore you shall be perfect, just as your Father in heaven is perfect” (Matthew 5:43–48).

Jesus’ death and resurrection ushered in a new era and a new covenant. He fulfilled the old covenant made with Abraham when He took upon Himself the sins of the world and paid the price of death to redeem humankind. And, when He rose from the dead, He provided the path to eternal life for any who would receive Him. As the apostle Paul explained, “For the law made nothing perfect, but the bringing in of a better hope did; by the which we draw nigh to God” (Hebrews 7:19).

Under the era of the Mosaic Law in the Old Testament, there was no path to salvation, because people could not save themselves. Through the Mosaic Law, God was showing how impossible it would be for us to do enough to redeem ourselves from the wages of sin. We couldn’t be good enough in ourselves, so all that remained was judgment and retribution for sin.

When we received Jesus’ mercy and forgiveness, the need for retribution for the wrongs against us committed by others was replaced with something far greater. His love provided us a way to overcome evil with good. That’s why He taught us to pray for those who hate us and wrong us. His power can then be manifested through us to help in the transformation of lives for the better (Romans 12:21).

So how can our prayers express our desire to overcome evil? Would it be by praying for Jesus to avenge every wrong? How would that show forth the greatest power of all, the power of Jesus’ love for you and for me and all mankind, which is shown in His desire to bring all men to repentance so they can become His children? (2 Peter 3:9)

Though King David sometimes prayed in anger and fury against his enemies, he often ended in prayers with praise to God for His goodness. He didn’t yet have the gift of God to empower him with Jesus’ supernatural forgiveness, because Jesus had not yet brought that reality to earth.

Jesus brought the emphasis back to the greatness of the power of God’s love and mercy. When a Samaritan city rejected Him and His disciples, James and John were furious and were ready to call down fire out of heaven to teach that town and its residents a lesson.

But how did Jesus respond? “And when His disciples James and John saw this, they said, ‘Lord, do You want us to command fire to come down from heaven and consume them, just as Elijah did?’ But He turned and rebuked them, and said, ‘You do not know what manner of spirit you are of. For the Son of Man did not come to destroy men’s lives but to save them’” (Luke 9:54–56).

I think of how many times in the past I’ve had the same attitude, thinking that God must want to rain down retribution. But instead, here is Jesus saying, “You don’t know what manner of spirit you are in.”

Jesus is right and He is true. He gave us a different way to look at these situations. Regardless of what wrongs have been committed, even in the worst situations, could revenge undo the damage done, the lives lost, the grief, pain, and suffering caused? Could it rebuild unity, or embody truth or compassion or mercy or forgiveness? Could it ever bring peace of mind or contentment of heart?

Originally published December 2020. Adapted and republished October 2023. Read by Lenore Welsh.

¹ See Psalms 7, 35, 55, 58, 59, 69, and 109.

² See Psalms 5, 6, 11, 12, 37, 40, 52, 54, 56, 79, 83, 94, 137, 139, and 143.

October 4, 2023

What Holds the Key to Your Heart?

By Lysa TerKeurst

When Jesus heard this, he said to him, “You still lack one thing. Sell everything you have and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven. Then come, follow me.”—Luke 18:22

I long to be a woman who follows hard after Jesus.

I want the kind of soul-satisfying closeness that can only come from daily keeping pace with Him, not a life full of “good Christian” boxes I check off.

The checklist can be such a tempting routine to fall into, can’t it?

Rules and regulations were an everyday reality for God’s people in the Old Testament. There were lists of do’s and don’ts to help sinful people maintain fellowship with a holy God. First the Ten Commandments. Then law after law about sacrifices and ceremonies, food and cleanliness.

But in the New Testament, Jesus fulfilled the law (Matthew 5:17–18) and turned everything upside down with His message of grace. …

(Read the article here.)

What Holds the Key to Your Heart? (proverbs31.org)

Be Salt and Light!

October 3, 2023

A compilation

Audio length: 8:14

Download Audio (7.5MB)

Manifesting God’s love to those whom He places in our path each day is at the heart of Christian life. Writing about this, the apostle Paul went so far as to say, “the love of Christ compels us” (2 Corinthians 5:14) to do so. In whatever specific ways God leads each of us to reach our part of the world with His love, He has called us to be “the light of the world” and to “let [our] light shine before people, so that they will see [our] good works and give glory to [our] Father who is in heaven” (Matthew 5:14, 16).

Throughout the centuries—in fact, since the earliest days of Christianity—Christians have often reached the world through becoming known as a “force for good” in their community. Even when others didn’t necessarily embrace the Christians’ faith or understand their religion, or when the Christians were persecuted and maligned, their kind deeds and good works shone brightly before all men, resulting in people wanting to know what made them so different from much of society. As the apostle Peter instructed, “Live such good lives among the [unbelievers] that, though they accuse you of doing wrong, they may see your good deeds and glorify God” (1 Peter 2:12).

As we each strive to reach out and offer a helping hand in our local communities; as we provide assistance—spiritual or practical, or both—to those God puts in our path; as we do our part to bring His love to others and to better their lives in whatever ways we are able, our good example will grow and serve as a “candle on a candlestick” (Matthew 5:15).

By reaching our neighbors, and translating our faith into tangible actions that express our love and concern, we can be living examples of God’s love. Even if you don’t have a lot of time and resources, you can still reach out to your community and take the initiative to fill a need, showing solidarity when possible, and an interest in the welfare and quality of life of others. In so doing, you’ll be putting God’s love into action.—Peter Amsterdam

Christians, living under the guidance of the Holy Spirit and in obedience to Christ, will inevitably influence the world for good, as salt has a positive influence on the flavor of the food it seasons. Where there is strife, we are to be peacemakers; where there is sorrow, we are to be the ministers of Christ, binding up wounds, and where there is hatred, we are to exemplify the love of God in Christ, returning good for evil (Luke 6:35).

In the analogy of light to the world, the good works of Christ’s followers are to shine for all to see. “You are the light of the world. A city set on a hill cannot be hidden; nor does anyone light a lamp and put it under a basket, but on the lampstand, and it gives light to all who are in the house. Let your light shine before men in such a way that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father who is in heaven” (Matthew 5:14–16). … The presence of Christians in the world must be like a light in the darkness, not only in the sense that the truth of God’s Word brings light to the darkened hearts of sinful man (John 1:1–10), but also in the sense that our good deeds must be evident for all to see. …

The status of salt and light is something that follows naturally from the Christian’s humble obedience to the commandments of Christ. It is when we depart from the Spirit-led lifestyle of genuine discipleship that the distinctions between ourselves and the rest of the world become blurred and our testimony is hindered. Only by remaining focused on Christ and being obedient to Him can we expect to remain salt and light in the world.—GotQuestions.org¹

The biblical fact is that you and I are called to be “prepared to make a defense to anyone who asks you for a reason for the hope that is in you” (1 Peter 3:15). We are commanded to bring our light into the darkness (Matthew 5:14–16), following the example of our Lord by going to those who need biblical truth rather than waiting for them to come to us (Mark 1:39).

As Paul addressed the cultural and spiritual issues of his day (cf. Acts 17:16–31), so must we. His questions are still relevant: “How then will they call on him in whom they have not believed? And how are they to believe in him of whom they have never heard? And how are they to hear without someone preaching?” (Romans 10:14).

Retreating from our post-Christian society is not an option for those who would obey our Lord’s Great Commission (Matthew 28:18–20). While cultural engagement can be uncomfortable and our cultural opponents can be rancorous, we owe everyone we meet the privilege of hearing the truth that changed our lives (cf. Romans 1:14).

In this sense we are cultural missionaries, not cultural warriors. Warriors fight an enemy they believe to be in the wrong and seek to defeat their opponents. Missionaries know they are no better than those they serve and seek to share the good news that has been shared with them.

As we choose the latter, we must never lose sight of the fact that the good news is indeed good news. Henri Nouwen observed: “Joy does not come from positive predictions about the state of the world. It does not depend on the ups and downs of the circumstances of our lives. Joy is based on the spiritual knowledge that, while the world in which we live is shrouded in darkness, God has overcome the world. Jesus says it loudly and clearly: ‘In the world you will have troubles, but rejoice, I have overcome the world.’

“The surprise is not that, unexpectedly, things turn out better than expected. No, the real surprise is that God’s light is more real than all the darkness, that God’s truth is more powerful than all human lies, that God’s love is stronger than death.”

Will the people you meet today see such light, hear such truth, and experience such love through you?—Jim Dennison²

Published on Anchor October 2023. Read by Jerry Paladino. Music by Michael Fogarty.

¹ https://www.gotquestions.org/salt-and-light.html

² The Daily Article (December 16, 2022).

Cultivating Generosity

October 2, 2023

By Peter Amsterdam

Audio length: 10:45

Download Audio (9.8MB)

If we develop the attitude that the accumulation of wealth and possessions is necessary to our happiness, and that becomes our focus, we begin to give our material goods first place in our lives instead of God, who rightly deserves it. Paul called covetousness idolatry, because it takes the place in our heart that belongs to God alone (Colossians 3:5).

Money and possessions are not evil in themselves. The eighth commandment, “you shall not steal” (Exodus 20:15), and the tenth, which tells us not to covet what belongs to our neighbor (Exodus 20:17), both indicate that private property is sanctioned. However, when we place undue importance on material things, our desire for possessions and money becomes our priority, which Jesus clearly warned against:

Do not lay up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust destroy and where thieves break in and steal, but lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust destroys and where thieves do not break in and steal. For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also. … No one can serve two masters, for either he will hate the one and love the other, or he will be devoted to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve God and money (Matthew 6:19–21, 24).

When our possessions or the inordinate desire for more occupy first place in our heart, when our happiness hinges on material things, we need God’s help to reverse course, so we can focus on how He has already blessed us. We may want to ask ourselves, “Have I set my mind on earthly instead of heavenly things? Do I trust in finances for security instead of God’s love and promises? Do I have an inordinate desire for money and material things?” It helps to remind ourselves that everything we have ultimately belongs to God and is His gift to us, and that He is generous.

By cultivating generosity, we focus on storing up treasure in heaven (Luke 18:22). It also helps to remember that life is short and when we die we leave behind all of our possessions, status, titles, and wealth. Neither our material possessions nor our status will ever fully satisfy us, as true satisfaction is found only in God. Jesus, when offered the kingdoms of the world and all of its wealth, rejected the offer, as He had no intention of turning away from what was most valuable—loving and serving His Father (Matthew 4:8–10).

When we think of God in the context of generosity, we realize just how extravagant His giving is. We see His generosity in giving His Son to die for us so that we can experience forgiveness and eternal life. He gives us salvation as a gift: “For by grace you have been saved through faith. And this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God” (Ephesians 2:8).

He is generous with His grace: “In him we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of our trespasses, according to the riches of his grace, which he lavished upon us” (Ephesians 1:7–8).

We also see God’s generosity every day in the world around us, in the natural beauty of creation, the magnificent colors, beautiful sunsets, the melody of a bird’s chirping, and so much more. And then there’s heaven: “Things which eye has not seen and ear has not heard, And which have not entered the heart of man, All that God has prepared for those who love Him” (1 Corinthians 2:9).

When we understand that God is generous by nature, that all He has given us is both valuable and undeserved, then in our desire to be like Him, we too should be generous with others.

Another key to generosity is having the right understanding of ownership—recognizing that as the creator of all things, ultimately God owns everything, and what He has entrusted to us is under our stewardship (Job 41:11). Even though we may earn the money to purchase things, it’s the Lord who ultimately gives us our life, abilities, and everything we have, which enables us to do what we do. This concept can be seen in Deuteronomy 8:10, where the Israelites were instructed to thank God for the food that they grew, as God was the one who gave them the land, the means by which they were able to grow food. Though they worked to produce the food, God provided the means.

When we accept that we are stewards of what God has blessed us with and that He is the ultimate example of generosity, we’ll want to align our attitude about giving with His. Let’s look at some of what Scripture tells us about God’s outlook on giving.

Whoever is generous to the poor lends to the Lord, and he will repay him for his deed (Proverbs 19:17).

Give, and it will be given to you. Good measure, pressed down, shaken together, running over, will be put into your lap. For with the measure you use it will be measured back to you (Luke 6:38).

Each one must give as he has decided in his heart, not reluctantly or under compulsion, for God loves a cheerful giver (2 Corinthians 9:7).

We must help the weak and remember the words of the Lord Jesus, how he himself said, “It is more blessed to give than to receive” (Acts 20:35).

Many of us don’t have much money, but giving isn’t limited to money. We can generously use our God-given abilities, time, talents, gifts, as well as finances when we have them, to help others. While we don’t all have the same amount of material goods or time to spare, we all can find ways to sacrificially carve out some time for the benefit of others. We each have some God-given gifts, talents, and abilities to offer, so we might want to consider giving some of them back to Him through using them to help others in some way.

As the stewards of all He has given us, when we use our gifts, talents, skills, and finances in alignment with God’s generosity, we honor Him. While giving of our time or our finances or our God-given gifts or skills can be a sacrifice, Scripture teaches that those who make this sacrifice are rewarded in this life and the life to come. “They are to do good, to be rich in good works, to be generous and ready to share, thus storing up treasure for themselves as a good foundation for the future, so that they may take hold of that which is truly life” (1 Timothy 6:18–19).

Of course, some people are able to give more than others, as they have more. The blessings for those who give aren’t connected to the amount they give. Jesus made this point when He “looked up and saw the rich putting their gifts into the offering box, and he saw a poor widow put in two small copper coins. And he said, ‘Truly, I tell you, this poor widow has put in more than all of them. For they all contributed out of their abundance, but she out of her poverty put in all she had to live on’” (Luke 21:1–4).

Developing generosity calls us to believe that we are stewards of our material belongings—not owners—and that we are expected to be good stewards of what is entrusted into our care. As stewards, we are to look to the Lord for His direction regarding how to use what He’s blessed us with. This means asking Him how He wants us to use what we have for His glory.

We can find much of that direction in Scripture. We know we are to provide for our family (1 Timothy 5:8), to do what we can to help those in need, to give to the Lord, to live within our means, to be content, and to be prayerful. We’re to trust God to provide for us and to thank Him whether we are abased or abounding (Philippians 4:12).

When we are thankful to the Lord, it shows Him that we recognize His goodness and faithfulness to provide and care for us. It tells Him that we know that we are totally dependent on Him, and that all that we have comes from His hand. When we are grateful to Him, we acknowledge His majesty, His generosity, His love and His care for us.

When writing the Colossians about some of the fundamentals of living their faith, Paul included thankfulness: “So then, just as you received Christ Jesus as Lord, continue to live in him, rooted and built up in him, strengthened in the faith as you were taught, and overflowing with thankfulness” (Colossians 2:6–7).

Gratitude is an integral part of our walk with God. Sadly, we sometimes don’t acknowledge and thank God for our blessings. It’s easy to get used to our blessings, or even to not consider God’s hand in them. We must put in the effort to make ourselves much more aware of the abundance of God’s blessings in our lives by developing the habit of recognizing our blessings, both big and small, and regularly praising and thanking Him for them; “giving thanks always and for everything to God the Father in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ” (Ephesians 5:20).

Originally published January 2017. Adapted and republished October 2023. Read by Gabriel Garcia Valdivieso.

What We Can Learn from the Pandemic (Part 4): Caring for Our Mental and Emotional Well-Being

What We Can Learn from the Pandemic

Peter Amsterdam

2021-09-14

Caring for Our Mental and Emotional Well-Being

In the second part of this series, I covered the topic of some of the emotional challenges of loneliness, isolation, and worry that many have experienced as a result of the pandemic and the impact it has had on our everyday lives. Some of you have shared that you have battled depression and a sense of hopelessness, as these difficult times have continued on for an extended period of time. You may have been tempted to wonder if life will ever go back to “normal.”

Maybe you have been feeling like you are just going through the motions. I think it’s easy to try to ignore these feelings and just keep pushing through the days, one after another. Then everyday life starts to feel like a grind, lacking in joy and a sense of purpose and new possibilities. These emotions and feelings can come as a result of many circumstances, but the pandemic seems to have pushed many people into this state over time. This can take a toll on our mental and emotional well-being, and can affect how we cope with the everyday events of life.

If you have experienced this, you can be encouraged that you’re not alone; others have had similar struggles. And the good news is that there is nothing we can face in this life that is too hard for the Lord or beyond His reach or outside His care and provision for us. “I am the Lord, the God of all mankind. Is anything too hard for me?”¹ Thank the Lord that He has called us to hope and the riches of His glorious inheritance in His holy people.²

It goes without saying that our first line of defense when we are battling emotional issues of any kind is seeking the Lord’s guidance and comfort in His Word, reading devotional writings that lift our spirits and give us a clearer perspective, committing all our burdens and cares to the Lord, and seeking Him for any specific guidance He may have for us.

Because of your faith, rooted in God’s Word and decades of experience in His service, you are in a good position to endure the circumstances of the pandemic with courage and resilience. But even the strongest people can burn out and be affected by discouraging circumstances that continue over long periods of time, to the point that you don’t have the same bounce in your step or hope for the future. This is not weakness or spiritual apathy or because you’ve done something wrong. These types of struggles are the result of living in a fallen world and facing the many complications and difficulties that bring about stress, sadness, and a loss of vision or hope.

I’m not an expert on the topic of mental health and emotional well-being, so I did some research online and found some helpful coping strategies. I’ll touch on some of the main ones. Several of these strategies are not new to us, as they are related to healthy living, which as we know is an important part of living a balanced life.

Stay connected with people. As noted previously in this series, loneliness is a major factor that affects mental and emotional well-being. One article explained it as follows:

Loneliness not only negatively impacts your mental health, but it has also been linked to cardiovascular diseases, high blood pressure and memory problems. It can even interfere with sleep. When it comes to mental health, loneliness feeds symptoms. Loneliness exacerbates the symptoms of illnesses like depression, social anxiety and alcoholism. As difficult as it is to do, try to take the initiative to reach out to others. If you’re feeling down, you really need to push yourself even when it’s hard. The best way to meet other people is by getting involved with something you like. … Over time, the loneliness will fade.³

Granted, you might not be able to do the exact same things you’ve done before, but with some ingenuity and perseverance, you can find new ways to stay connected to friends and family. While face-to-face time is preferred, and a warm hug from a friend or loved one can work wonders, if that’s not possible, seeing their face and hearing their voice on the phone or over Skype, FaceTime, or Zoom is a wonderful alternative. You can still keep each other updated, pray together, encourage one another, and share one another’s burdens.

When making an effort to connect with people, it is helpful to spend time with those who have a positive impact on you, those who appreciate and value you. Notice how someone makes you feel, and continue to build bonds with those who leave you feeling positive, enriched, and challenged.

Speak encouraging words to each other. Build up hope so you’ll all be together in this, with no one left out, and no one left behind. I know you’re already doing this; just keep on doing it!—1 Thessalonians 5:11 MSG

Keep active. Even with the restrictions of the pandemic (or other emergencies in your area), you can still keep active. You might not be able to do the group activities you prefer, but hopefully you can still exercise and enjoy the outdoors. Being in nature, breathing fresh air, keeping fit, having a change of scenery, and benefiting from movement and exercise have a positive impact on your emotional health.

Walking, running, cycling, swimming, dancing and even gardening can all help reduce symptoms of anxiety and depression. Try not to think about it as exercise and think about moving instead. Start out with something small, like walking to the neighborhood coffee shop, then the next day try to go a little further. Slowly work your way up to a brisk walk every day. The combination of fresh air and movement will help your mind and body.⁴

Be kind to yourself. When you are experiencing times of discouragement or depression, try to be kind to yourself. Don’t beat yourself up in your thoughts. Be gentle with yourself instead of critical. Make a conscious effort to stop the negative self-talk and don’t feel guilty for taking care of yourself.

Being mindful of your positive attributes helps to develop healthy self-esteem. For example, you can remind yourself of what you’re good at. You can keep in mind the nice things that people have said about you.

Most importantly, remember that our identity as Christians, our sense of worth and self-esteem, is based on the fact that we are fearfully and wonderfully made by a God who created us specifically in love. He came to this world and gave His life for us. Not only that, but He has promised that we will live in an eternal world of beauty and joy in eternal bodies. When our view of ourselves is fully grounded in God’s unconditional love, and our identity is that of a child of God with an eternal destiny, regardless of our faults and failings, that helps to build positive feelings about your full potential when you are in sync with Him.

How the Lord sees you is expressed beautifully in the song by Lauren Daigle called “You Say.” Here are some of the words of this song:

I keep fighting voices in my mind that say I’m not enough
Every single lie that tells me I will never measure up
Am I more than just the sum of every high and every low
Remind me once again just who I am, because I need to know

You say I am loved
When I can’t feel a thing
You say I am strong
When I think I am weak
You say I am held
When I am falling short
When I don’t belong
You say I am Yours
And I believe
I believe
What You say of me
I believe

You can find the official video of the song here ⁵ on YouTube, where it’s been viewed by over 220 million people!

Try something new. You might feel nervous about doing something new, especially if you’ve been isolated for an extended period of time and are out of practice with stepping outside of your comfort zone. But if the Lord leads you to take the plunge, even if it’s scary initially, you can find renewed confidence and a greater sense of well-being and faith for the future.

This also includes learning new skills. This doesn’t have to be complicated or expensive. A sense of well-being and achievement can be gained by attempting new things, such as learning to cook a new recipe, trying a do-it-yourself (DIY) project, taking on a new hobby, studying a new subject via online videos and tutorials. Choose something you enjoy that is free or affordable and easy to implement, and go for it!

Give to others. Acts of kindness and generosity do wonders for your mental and emotional well-being. You can give of your time by helping someone in need or by being a listening ear. You can volunteer in your community. “The generous prosper and are satisfied; those who refresh others will themselves be refreshed.”⁶

Participation in social and community life has attracted a lot of attention in the field of wellbeing research.

Individuals who report a greater interest in helping others are more likely to rate themselves as happy.

Research into actions for promoting happiness has shown that committing an act of kindness once a week over a six-week period is associated with an increase in wellbeing.⁷

Focus on the moment. Staying present in the moment, being conscious of others around you and your circumstances, helps to avoid your thoughts drifting to dwelling on the past or worrying about the future. We can’t change the past, and we can’t control tomorrow.⁸ Today is what we have to work with and what the Lord gives us faith for,⁹ so let’s make the most of it by giving the demands of the day and the good things around us our full attention.

Sometimes introducing small changes into your daily routine can help your thoughts stay focused. This can be as simple as taking a new route on your walk, having your coffee iced instead of hot, greeting someone on your walk who you’ve seen but haven’t said hello to before, etc.

Studies have shown that being aware of what is taking place in the present directly enhances your well-being and savoring “the moment” can help to reaffirm your life priorities.¹⁰

Take care of your body. We are all aware of the importance of our health. Self-care is not selfish. Jesus wants us to stay healthy in order to be good ambassadors for Him. We can increase our sense of well-being when we take the steps necessary to stay healthy, which includes eating nutritious food (limiting sugar and processed foods), drinking enough water, getting sufficient exercise, and having a regular schedule that allows for sufficient sleep (ideally eight hours each night).

On the topic of sleep, I found the following information to be of interest:

Sleep is one of the most important elements of self-care. It affects neurotransmitters, stress hormones, thought processes and emotional regulation. Too little can make it difficult to make decisions, solve problems and control your emotions and behavior. Simply put, everything seems worse when you don’t get enough sleep. You may feel more anxious, agitated, depressed. Whatever symptoms you typically experience are amplified. Additionally, even though you may feel like you are functioning fine with little sleep, you aren’t. Studies have found that drowsy driving can impair your functioning behind the wheel as much, if not more than, drunk driving.¹¹

Learn how to deal with stress. Stress is a part of life that we have to learn to deal with so it doesn’t control us. Stress can have serious consequences for our physical and mental health, and it is important that we take steps to recognize and reduce stress in our lives.

It’s helpful to be aware of your stressors. They could include such things as work pressures, financial worries, health concerns, or your loved ones’ situations. During these difficult times of the pandemic, we are all under additional stress due to concerns related to the situation. I’ve found it helpful to not watch or read so much news, as so much of what is published is bad news these days.

You will probably need to experiment until you find what best helps you to cope with stress. You might consider meditation, journaling, watching a funny movie or stand-up comedian, closing your eyes and breathing deeply, stretching, getting or giving a massage, doing a crossword puzzle or Sudoku, going on a picnic, watching a sunrise or sunset, stargazing, reading a good book, playing an instrument, putting together a jigsaw puzzle, etc.

As Christians, the act of prayer and committing our cares to the Lord is a vital component in our ongoing battle against stress. The peaceful mindset we seek is a gift from God, and He promises to give us His comfort and peace to combat uncertainty and unsettledness. There are many Bible verses ¹² that I find especially helpful when facing anxiety, such as:

I have said these things to you, that in me you may have peace. In the world you will have tribulation. But take heart; I have overcome the world.—John 16:33

In peace I will both lie down and sleep; for you alone, O Lord, make me dwell in safety.—Psalm 4:8

Peace I leave with you; my peace I give to you. Not as the world gives do I give to you. Let not your hearts be troubled, neither let them be afraid.—John 14:27

May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace in believing, so that by the power of the Holy Spirit you may abound in hope.—Romans 15:13

And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.—Philippians 4:7

May mercy, peace, and love be multiplied to you.—Jude 1:2

Thankfully, we have access to an abundance of information and instruction online and in books, which can be very helpful in identifying and applying coping strategies that can help us when we are going through challenging times. However, it’s of utmost importance that we remember that in this season of the pandemic, our greatest avenue for mental and emotional well-being is living in and staying obedient to God’s Word, seeking His presence in prayer, and being filled with His Spirit. As we do so, we can trust that He will fulfill His promises to care for us and bring us through the valleys into the light of brighter days.

Even youths grow tired and weary, and young men stumble and fall; but those who hope in the Lord will renew their strength. They will soar on wings like eagles; they will run and not grow weary, they will walk and not be faint.—Isaiah 40:30–31 NIV

(To read the next article in this series, click here.)

¹ Jeremiah 32:27.

² Ephesians 1:18.

³ Cheryl Bundy, “7 Elements of Self-Care,” Silver Hill Hospital blog, June 12, 2020, https://silverhillhospital.org/community/blog-post/7-elements-of-self-care/

⁴ Bundy, “7 Elements of Self-Care.”

⁵ https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sIaT8Jl2zpI

⁶ Proverbs 11:25 NLT.

⁷ “Five ways to wellbeing,” Mind website (UK), https://www.mind.org.uk/workplace/mental-health-at-work/taking-care-of-yourself/five-ways-to-wellbeing/

⁸ James 4:13–15.

⁹ Matthew 6:34.

¹⁰ “Five ways to wellbeing,” Mind website.

¹¹ Bundy, “7 Elements of Self-Care.”

¹² Verses which follow are ESV, unless indicated otherwise.

What We Can Learn from the Pandemic (Part 3): God’s Supply in Times of Financial Challenges

What We Can Learn from the Pandemic

Peter Amsterdam

2021-09-07

God’s Supply in Times of Financial Challenges

One thing that has been very challenging during the COVID pandemic has been the impact it has had on many people’s financial stability, employment, regular income, and support for mission projects. We likely all know people who have lost their jobs; possibly some of you reading this have been laid off from your job or your work hours have been drastically reduced. Perhaps the regular fundraising activities that provided for you and your family on the mission field are closed doors now. Many of the people who have supported mission works for years have had to cut back on their offerings, or suspend them temporarily as their businesses have suffered losses or have had to close.

It can be very stressful when you have financial commitments such as car payments, rent or mortgage, insurance, or ongoing medical expenses, and you don’t know where the money will come from. In fact, you might have had increased expenses at this time due to helping out family members, friends, and needy people in your community, or if someone in your family has had medical issues and required ongoing care. Maybe you had been trying to save money little by little, but you have had to spend from your meager savings, and hence are lacking a buffer for emergencies.

Some industries that were thriving for years have dried up, and we don’t know whether they’ll come back. Many people lost their jobs in such fields as retail, the service industry, entertainment, personal trainers, hospitality (hotels, events, conferences), etc. While these sectors are starting to open up again in some countries, the impact has been significant and there’s no guarantee how much stronger local economies will become overall.

For those of you who are involved in mission works with the poor and needy, you are face-to-face with hunger, extreme poverty, and have been dealing with the many difficulties of ministering to those who are in such grave predicaments. Not only have more people been living in dire straits since the onset of the pandemic, but you also have had to contend with COVID restrictions that have limited your ability to minister to and help provide for those in need. Some countries where members have fruitful mission works are experiencing unprecedented political unrest, protests, violence, and chaos. These and other factors can quickly bring about financial strain and challenges, which we all know can create a huge amount of stress and fear of the future.

There is also “vicarious stress” that you can experience when hearing about the difficulties of other people you know or even don’t know. Even just reading the headlines can affect your spirit and peace of mind.

During these difficult times of trouble, we can find encouragement for the future by looking to the past, as the authors of the Bible so often did in their writings. Just as they found hope in God’s works in the past, we can encourage ourselves in the Lord by reflecting on His faithfulness in our lives in the past and reminding ourselves of how God has come through for us before.

We each have a deep and meaningful history of trusting the Lord. Through our many years of following Jesus, pioneering and living on foreign fields, winning souls and training new disciples, having and raising children, learning new languages and customs, and making ends meet in a variety of circumstances, we have each gathered a bucketload of testimonies of how God has never failed us and has come through for us every time! It has not always been an easy journey and we have all experienced times of testing, pain, and loss. But God has worked all things together for good in ways both seen and unseen, and we can look back and see His mighty hand at work over and over to provide for us.

A Family member shared with me about a new personal project she started, in which she is creating two lists. One list, called “Outstanding Miracles,” is a compilation of all the amazing things the Lord has done in her life over the years. The other list is called “Everyday Grace and Loving Kindness.” It’s a day-to-day accounting of the Lord’s touches of love, open doors, answers to prayer, etc.—the little things that show her that God is present in her life and taking care of her. She started these two lists recently when she was experiencing a particularly difficult time in her life to remind herself that the Lord has never failed her! “And God is able to bless you abundantly, so that in all things at all times, having all that you need, you will abound in every good work.”¹

I was reminded by this of the well-known story about Corrie ten Boom.

One night, three days before Betsie died, while sleeping next to her sister in the cot they shared at Ravensbrück concentration camp, she said:

“Are you awake, Corrie?”

Corrie: “Yes, you wakened me.”

Betsie: “I had to. I need to tell you what God has said to me… Corrie, there is so much bitterness. We must tell them that the Holy Spirit will fill their hearts with God’s love … we will travel the world bringing the gospel to all—our friends as well as our enemies.”

Corrie: “To all the world? But that will take much money.”

Betsie: “Yes, but God will provide. We must do nothing else but bring the gospel, and He will take care of us. After all, He owns the cattle on a thousand hills. If we need money, we will just ask the Father to sell a few cows.”

Corrie: “What a privilege … to travel the world and be used by the Lord Jesus.”²

Reading this story brought to mind once again the blessing of remembering God’s goodness to us in the past. I have a dear friend who frequently refers to Corrie ten Boom as she says with a twinkle in her eye, “Okay, Lord, it’s time to have a cattle sale … again!”

I’m sure you’ve had many conversations in which someone says enthusiastically, “Remember when…” and then goes on to tell an amazing testimony of the Lord’s supply, open doors, healing, or intervention. It’s good for our spirits to bring to remembrance the ways the Lord has led and guided us and how He has blessed our lives. It reminds us that what has happened before can happen again. The Lord has not changed. “Jesus Christ is the same yesterday and today and forever.”³ We can count on Him and His promises to provide for us today and every day. Praise the Lord!

Of course, with each new challenge we face, we need to commit our situation to the Lord and seek Him for His solutions. As we take all our burdens and challenges to Him and lay them at His feet, we can claim His promises that He will keep us in perfect peace and give us rest, because we are trusting in Him.⁴ We can trust that when we cast our burdens on the Lord, He will sustain us and will never suffer us to be moved.⁵

Of course, we may need to seek the Lord for ways to change our approach or consider adjustments to meet the particular circumstances of the times we are living in. That is certainly true for today with the unusual conditions brought on by the pandemic.

Maria and I have been very encouraged to read of the different ways that many of you have adapted your ministries in light of the changing landscape of the world today in order to continue to minister to others and raise support. There was a great feature in the year-end report for 2020 called “Making the Best of It” that highlighted both new and old avenues of outreach and fellowship that members have implemented or carried on throughout the difficulties of the pandemic. In brief, those included:

Online Bible studies
Facebook group and YouTube channel for parents
Facebook page for Bible stories
WhatsApp and Zoom witnessing
Helping struggling mothers raise money and start businesses
Distributing literature and Activated mags
Teaching parents about homeschooling
Hosting outdoor summer camps
Teaching English
Providing aid for those in need
Tutorials for children in need
Using the STEPS program
Audio/video ministry
Couriering gifts to elderly people
Driving for Lyft
Fundraisers
Distributing aid parcels
Selling gospel literature and products
Running schools
Conducting Skype and Zoom fellowship and prayer meetings

We are impressed by how, despite your own challenges, so many of you have continued to reach out and give to others. What a beautiful example of innovation, faith, and perseverance. God bless you!

Besides adapting their ministries for today’s “new normal,” many of our members have also taken on other kinds of new employment that have provided income as well as opportunities to witness. Maria and I have heard from members who are advertising their talents on Upwork,⁶ Fiverr, TaskRabbit, and other popular freelancing websites. Some of these job opportunities include translating, dog walking and dog/house sitting, driving services (such as Uber and Lyft), teaching English as a second language (in person or virtually), tutoring children, babysitting, being a personal shopper, yard work, being a virtual assistant, transcribing, etc.

It’s very encouraging to see how the Lord is coming through for members around the world, and if you’re currently in need, He’ll do it for you too. Pray, keep knocking on doors, try new things, and trust that He will make a way. We have His promise that “those who seek the Lord lack no good thing.”⁷

Maria and I also want to express how very grateful we are for how you have continued to give your tithes and offerings even during these difficult times. We are so grateful, as that has made it possible for TFI Services to continue to provide inspirational posts, audios, and other tools for your ministries to others. Thank you for your generous giving! Jesus said, “Give, and it will be given to you. A good measure, pressed down, shaken together and running over, will be poured into your lap. For with the measure you use, it will be measured to you.”⁸ We pray that as you continue to give, the Lord will give back to you abundantly!

A skill that we have all developed over the years serving the Lord is frugality. We have the advantage of knowing how to economize and be saving. Our background has taught us how to do more with less. We can adjust and acclimate faster than people who have not had as varied a life experience as we have. We have learned to “abound and abase” and to trust in the Lord for His supply in whatever circumstances we find ourselves. Many members, and even former members, have commented that they have found that this shared life experience has helped them to be more resilient in challenging times.

What we have learned through these challenging times by the grace of God will serve us well in the future. Thank the Lord that the spread of COVID is starting to lessen in some parts of the world! Let’s continue to pray for the end of this pandemic and for the alleviation of the suffering of those most affected. If you find yourself in a difficult position financially, make sure to share your prayer requests with others. Maria and I are keeping each of you in our prayers, for the Lord’s continued supply through this pandemic and beyond. May we all take courage in the Lord’s promises, knowing that God has always come through for us in the past, and His promise still holds true that He will “supply all our needs according to His riches in glory in Christ Jesus.”⁹

Sometimes I like to think about the lives of Christian “greats” from times past. One person whom I draw a lot of encouragement from is George Müller, whose story is familiar to us all.¹⁰

George Müller (1805–1898) was a Christian missionary evangelist and a coordinator of orphanages in Bristol, England. Through his faith and prayers (and without asking for money), he had the privilege of helping over 120,000 orphan children. He also traveled over 200,000 miles (by ship) to preach the Gospel of Jesus Christ in 42 countries and to challenge believers about world missions and trusting God. In his journals, Müller recorded miracle after miracle of God’s provision and answered prayer.

That’s an amazing legacy! I’d like to highlight one such miracle.

One morning, all the plates and cups and bowls on the table were empty. There was no food in the larder and no money to buy food. The children were standing, waiting for their morning meal, when Müller said, “Children, you know we must be in time for school.” Then lifting up his hands he prayed, “Dear Father, we thank Thee for what Thou art going to give us to eat.”

There was a knock at the door. The baker stood there, and said, “Mr. Müller, I couldn’t sleep last night. Somehow, I felt you didn’t have bread for breakfast, and the Lord wanted me to send you some. So I got up at 2:00 a.m. and baked some fresh bread, and have brought it.”

Mr. Müller thanked the baker, and no sooner had he left, when there was a second knock at the door. It was the milkman. He announced that his milk cart had broken down right in front of the orphanage, and he would like to give the children his cans of fresh milk so he could empty his wagon and repair it.¹¹

Here is a message from George Müller’s writings that can speak to the heart of each of us:

My dear Christian reader, will you not try this way? Will you not know for yourself … the preciousness and the happiness of this way of casting all your cares and burdens and necessities upon God? This way is as open to you as to me. … Everyone is invited and commanded to trust in the Lord, to trust in Him with all his heart, and to cast his burden upon Him, and to call upon Him in the day of trouble. Will you not do this, my dear brethren in Christ? I long that you may do so. I desire that you may taste the sweetness of that state of heart, in which, while surrounded by difficulties and necessities, you can yet be at peace, because you know that the living God, your Father in heaven, cares for you.¹²

God has never failed us. We have a rich treasure chest of memories of the innumerable times when He came through for us. Let’s not forget what God has done for us in the past and let’s allow our experience of His faithfulness to strengthen our faith for what He’s going to do in the future. God bless and keep you!

I have been young, and now am old, yet I have not seen the righteous forsaken or his children begging for bread.—Psalm 37:25 ESV

Since he did not spare even his own Son for us but gave him up for us all, won’t he also surely give us everything else?—Romans 8:32 TLB

(To read the next article in this series, click here.)

¹ 2 Corinthians 9:8 NIV.

² Corrie ten Boom, Tramp for the Lord (excerpt), https://www.facebook.com/corrietenboommuseum/posts/one-night-three-days-before-betsie-died-while-sleeping-next-to-her-sister-in-the/733550346662069/

³ Hebrews 13:8 NIV.

⁴ Isaiah 26:3; Matthew 11:28.

⁵ Psalm 55:22.

⁶ Formerly known as Elance.

⁷ Psalm 34:10 ESV.

⁸ Luke 6:38 NIV.

⁹ Philippians 4:19.

¹⁰ You can read an accounting of the Lord’s miracles of supply on the George Muller.org site here: https://www.georgemuller.org/devotional/trusting-god-for-daily-supplies

¹¹ “George Muller: Trusting God for Daily Bread,” https://harvestministry.org/muller

¹² George Muller, A Narrative of Some of the Lord’s Dealings with George Müller, Vol. 2 (London, 1886), 168.

The Best Use of Your Short Life

September 29, 2023

By John Ensor

My mother-in-law, Joni, lives with my wife and me. She’s in relatively good health for being 100 years old. She laughs. She cries. She jokes a bit. Her grandchildren and great-grandchildren love to visit. They’re intrigued by her stories from her youth. …

Joni’s husband is gone. Her firstborn has passed. Her sister lived to 108 but left us last December. Her joints ache. She grieves over the dramatic moral collapse of our society. She’s ready to go home. So the question returns: “Why am I still here?”

(Read the article here.)

Living in God’s Word

September 28, 2023

Words from Jesus

Audio length: 9:15

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I have not departed from the commands of his lips; I have treasured the words of his mouth more than my daily bread.—Job 23:12

Take time in your day to meditate on My Word and everything it is to you. It is love and truth and power and light. It gives you strength and satisfaction for your soul, a purpose in life, and a reason to live. In My Word are the answers to the big questions of life. It never fails and it never lets you down. My Word stands forever. It is comfort, peace, and life. It brings enlightenment, knowledge, and wisdom.

As you order your life according to My Word and act on it, My Word will dwell in you and help you to not allow the cares of this life to choke out My joy in your life. You can become a living example of My Word to others as you allow My Spirit to work in you.

If you are feeling burdened and heavy laden, come to Me in prayer and seek for answers and strength in My Word. Take time to commune with your own heart, and ask yourself: “Am I taking the time to study and live in God’s Word? Do I testify to others about His Word? Am I learning from His Word and growing in my faith? Am I proclaiming His Word throughout my day, through my actions and in my life?”

Many people are seeking for truth, they are searching for meaning, and although it would seem that many are not interested in faith, they do want the answers that only My Word has to offer. But you must help them to learn the truth by sharing My Word with them and letting your light shine to draw them to Me. So don’t hide your light and witness under a bushel, but let it shine!

Let My Spirit flow in you and through you and around you, richly and fully and completely. Stir up the Spirit that is within you to reach the lost and share My Word with those who wander in the world without access to the truth that will set them free!

Receive of My Word each day, and let its truth flow in you and through you so that those around you may see My Word in action. Take the time to meditate on My Word and to act on it.

Spirit and life

The Spirit alone gives eternal life. Human effort accomplishes nothing. And the very words I have spoken to you are spirit and life.—John 6:63

My Words are Spirit and they are life, and they give life to all that find them. As you study My Word and put it into practice, your faith will grow and be strengthened. As you live the Word and pattern your life according to its teachings and share it with others, My Word will not return unto Me void. It will accomplish that which I send it to do (Isaiah 55:11). As you do your part to share My Word with others, My Word will bear fruit in the lives of those who receive and embrace it.

Do not worry about those who seem indifferent or unreceptive to your witness. Do not become weary in well-doing as you share the gospel with others who don’t appear to receive it or when you cannot see the results. Remember that My Word will always accomplish what I sent it to do.

If those who know Me drift away from My Word and allow other things to become prominent in their lives, I can continue to work through the Word that is hidden in their hearts. They will remember My Word in a time of need and will have the opportunity to draw close to Me again.

Those who allow My Word to be choked out by the cares of this world will still have the opportunity to learn through experience that My Word is life and spirit. As they pass through times of challenges, struggle, or trouble, they will be reminded that My Word is the truth that can set them free. My Spirit is continually at work to seek and save every person and to bring them eternal life!

Magnify My Word

I will bow down toward Your holy temple and give thanks to Your name for Your lovingkindness and Your truth; For You have magnified Your word according to all Your name.—Psalm 138:2

As I have magnified My Word with My name, so I would that you do the same. Consider your priorities and seek to reflect the light of My Word in all you do. Let My Word dwell in you richly and abundantly (Colossians 3:16).

There are many ways that you can live in My Word throughout the day and apply it in your actions and conversations, and your everyday business and work. Let My Word be intertwined with all you do and say and think throughout the day.

Filter the world around you through the lens of My Word. There are many spiritual poisons and toxins in the world that continually seek to pollute and destroy minds and hearts. Strive to constantly administer the antidote of My Word and be strengthened with a daily washing and regeneration of My Word.

My Word is the secret to power and life and strength as you strive to act on it and live it and apply it to the situations you face. As you let My Word dwell richly in you, it becomes a part of you and the way you live and think. It will work in and through you to bring truth and light to the people you encounter. You will be the living proof and example of My Word and truth.

Do not be discouraged about those who seem to have no reaction or interest when you share the Word with them! Do your part and seek to implant the seeds of My Word in people’s hearts and trust Me to accomplish My purpose in My time. Do not be weary in well-doing, for the harvest will be reaped in due season (Galatians 6:9). My sheep will hear My voice, and not one of them will be lost (John 10:27–29).

Trust that as you live in My Word and allow it to dwell in you, and you are faithful to pour it out to others, it will accomplish that which I have sent it to do. Freely I have given, and freely you have received, so freely give to others and proclaim the kingdom of heaven (Matthew 10:7–8). There are many who will come alive to My Word through the witness they receive, so share the good news that will ignite the hearts of many!

Originally published September 1996. Adapted and republished September 2023. Read by Gabriel Garcia Valdivieso. Music by Michael Dooley.

What We Can Learn from the Pandemic (Part 2): Overcoming Isolation and Loneliness

What We Can Learn from the Pandemic

Peter Amsterdam

2021-08-31

Overcoming Isolation and Loneliness

One of the major pandemic-related challenges that many of us have faced has been the drastic way that it has affected our interactions with other people. Depending on where you live, the restrictions have varied from inconvenient to immobilizing, and from frustrating to devastating. I think it’s safe to say that most of us have experienced a sense of isolation to varying degrees. Maybe you have missed group fellowship and in-person worship, working at the office with your co-workers, recreational get-togethers with family and friends, interacting with others at the gym, hearing live music, going to a restaurant, or seeing a movie in the cinema, etc.

Many have commented that they have had too much “alone time” since the onset of COVID, and if you happen to live alone, this feeling would probably be more prevalent. Maria and I are blessed to share companionship and conversations together, and we cherish each other’s support, including our joint prayer times. While I am not alone most of the time, I have talked with and heard from many people who are alone and/or who feel very lonely. For many people, the pandemic has represented a season of solitude in their lives.¹

People who are not accustomed to being constantly alone have suddenly been isolated due to the pandemic, and many have had a hard time coping. Many have been unable to visit with their families and friends. It’s a big change, and the result can be sadness, tears, and even depression. You might also feel the lack of physical touch and hugs and bonding with people in person. The sense of loneliness can be cumulative to the point that you are tempted to stop getting dressed in the morning, thinking, “What’s the point?!” Eventually, your emotional health can start to suffer.

Many children and teens have also been greatly impacted by loneliness and isolation. With many having had their classes online at home, they haven’t been able to spend time in person with their friends, or participate in sports, clubs, and other extracurricular activities. This has inevitably resulted in more screen time, boredom, and in some cases, depression. Parents have also had to manage working from home and keeping their kids occupied while helping them with their schooling.

Both young and old have been affected to varying degrees because we haven’t been able to do many of the enjoyable things we used to do. We have felt a loss of rhythm and routine. For example, you might have enjoyed regular activities such as having your morning coffee and going for a run with a friend. That companionship was motivating and valuable, and suddenly you could no longer do that for an extended period of time.

Feeling alone and having restrictions placed on you that you have no control over can create a sense of hopelessness and despair. God created us from the very beginning of the Bible story to live in community with others. Our interactions with others, in particular with other believers, provides accountability, encouragement, appreciation, and brings joy and inspiration to our lives. It can shape and form the contours of our daily routines and add meaning to our everyday tasks.

But when that community structure falls away or is inaccessible, there can be a domino effect. As good habits and self-discipline fall to the wayside, you may not connect it to being alone. Then it’s easy to beat yourself up because you “can’t keep it together.” You think, “I’m just lazy.” In reality, as certain things you depended on falter, these losses can affect your emotional, physical, and spiritual well-being.

Isolation can also result in trying to fill the void with other things such as television, food, alcohol, gaming, internet surfing, or social media. When you’re sad, alone, or bored, it’s natural to try to find comfort in distraction, to keep your mind focused on something else. It is human nature to want to forget the anxiety and to choose the momentary enjoyment of the “dopamine high.” But we all know that’s not the solution.

As Christians, we are blessed with the certainty that no matter what challenges and threatening situations we face in life, we have been given the gift of grace and the promise of hope. First Peter tells us that “the God of all grace, who called you to his eternal glory in Christ, after you have suffered a little while, will himself restore you and make you strong, firm and steadfast.”² Even during those times when it seems we can’t hold on one more minute, we have His promise that in His faithfulness, God will provide a way out so that we can endure.³ The author of Hebrews further encourages us to “hold unswervingly to the hope we profess, for he who promised is faithful.”⁴ It is at times like these that we most need to run to our Rock for refuge from the storms.

Loneliness can be a silent killer. People often don’t tell you when they’re lonely. They may be embarrassed by their situation or feel that no one seems to care about them. They may have taken on a defeatist attitude that there’s nothing that can be done about the loneliness they are experiencing during lockdown constraints. Through this prolonged time of restrictions and limitations on our interactions with others, I’ve come to realize how important it is to check in on people, to touch base with them and see how they’re doing.

When someone asks you, “How are you doing?,” if things are not going well, it’s important to be honest enough to say, “I’m not okay” and to ask for prayer and support. It takes a lot of humility to be vulnerable, to let others know your needs. But that’s a good starting point when you’re suffering under the dark cloud of isolation and loneliness. Letting others know how you are feeling opens the door for them to offer comfort and help.

When I go out on necessary business, I try to keep in mind that familiar adage “everyone fights their own secret war.” We don’t know what people are experiencing in their private lives, and it can be easier to not pay attention to others, to assume they’re fine, or to jump to negative conclusions, or even to judge them. Instead, we would do well to look at each person with compassion. “Therefore, as God’s chosen people, holy and dearly loved, clothe yourselves with compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness and patience.”⁵

A friend of mine told me about a time when she misjudged a woman who worked in a grocery store. This woman was notoriously grumpy and always upset, answered customers gruffly, and was generally unpleasant to be around. It was common knowledge that she was disliked by her coworkers and customers alike.

My friend eventually adopted a very uncomplimentary nickname for this woman, until one day she had a more in-depth conversation with her and learned about her serious health issues and her overwhelming fear of catching COVID. This woman lives alone and was so afraid of COVID that when the lockdown restrictions were declared, she voluntarily did not leave her house for five months. Imagine her fear, loneliness, and sense of hopelessness. How very sad.

Learning how this woman had suffered such extreme fear shed a new light on her situation, and my friend walked away from the conversation feeling convicted for not being more compassionate and giving this woman the benefit of the doubt. She was reminded that there is often a lot more to a person’s situation than meets the eye, so it is wise to not make snap judgments or form opinions based on outward circumstances.

This was a good reminder to me of our calling as ambassadors for Christ ⁶ to always strive to reflect the Lord’s love and mercy, and make a difference in someone’s life, even if you are only in contact with that person in passing. The Lord can help our interactions with others, no matter how brief, to be a witness of His love and compassion. We can speak words of faith and hope even in a one-time meeting. These simple acts of kindness can help alleviate someone’s loneliness and help them feel that someone cares. “Be kind and compassionate to one another, forgiving each other, just as in Christ God forgave you.”⁷

It’s not much of a stretch to think that a difficult woman would be fighting her own “secret war” as a result of feeling fearful, isolated, and lonely. But we should also remember that we don’t know what even a seemingly cheerful, positive person might be going through.

For example, another friend of mine told me about a cleaning lady in the building where she works who is always attentive, pleasant, and friendly. One day she casually asked this woman, “How is your family?” The woman recounted a very sad story, sharing that her cousin had recently died and her father was extremely ill. Due to COVID travel restrictions, the woman and her family were unable to travel to visit with their father and feared he would die in another country without them by his side. My friend stopped and talked with her for a while, and as they parted, she told her she would pray for her. She later followed up to see how the woman was doing. I believe this small demonstration of concern helped that woman to feel seen and heard, and to not feel so alone.

We ought not to be weary of doing little things for the love of God, who regards not the greatness of the work, but the love with which it is performed.―Brother Lawrence, The Practice of the Presence of God

“The Lord is gracious and righteous; our God is full of compassion.”—Psalm 116:5

We might be surprised at what an impact even small interactions can have in not only alleviating someone else’s loneliness, but also giving us a sense of fulfillment and purpose. Making contact with another person, even someone you don’t know, can enrich your life and can help both the ones we minister to as well as ourselves to feel connected and less isolated.

And there’s another important piece of the puzzle that can serve as an anchor for our faith when we are enduring a season of solitude in our lives. We are never alone! No matter what our circumstances, we are not alone. Jesus is with us constantly, every second of every day. “And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age.”⁸

We can avail ourselves of this time of greater solitude to become more intimate with the Lord and aware of His constant companionship as we “practice the presence of Christ,” a term attributed to Brother Lawrence, a 17th century monk in France. Brother Lawrence worked in the kitchen in a monastery, where he spent his days cooking and cleaning. As he went about his work, he determined he would maintain an ongoing conversation with God. He believed God’s presence could be enjoyed anytime and all the time.

Lawrence encourages the people of God to sustain—livingly, intentionally, and without ceasing—an attentiveness to God’s close presence. The believer understands that in this presence, and ultimately nowhere else, is fullness of joy; at God’s right hand are the deepest and most enduring pleasures of all.⁹

He has said, “I will never leave you nor forsake you.”—Hebrews 13:5

If you have found yourself in a season of solitude during these challenging pandemic times, may the Lord’s constant companionship bring you comfort, hope, and fill up the empty places. As we cultivate a deeper awareness of the presence of Christ, we will find comfort, companionship, and a sense of belonging that will never fail us, no matter what any pandemic or other disaster might bring into our lives! Praise the Lord! God bless and keep you close to Him!

(To read the next article in this series, click here.)

¹ Ecclesiastes 3:5.

² 1 Peter 5:10 NIV.

³ 1 Corinthians 10:13 NIV.

⁴ Hebrews 10:23 NIV.

⁵ Colossians 3:12 NIV.

⁶ 2 Corinthians 5:20.

⁷ Ephesians 4:32 NIV.

⁸ Matthew 28:20 NIV.

⁹ Glen G. Scorgie, ed., Dictionary of Christian Spirituality (Zondervan, 2011), 690.

Getting Through the Storms of Life

September 26, 2023

A compilation

Audio length: 11:41

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“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” (Romans 8:38–39). That is one of the most outstanding proclamations of faith ever made, and it was made by a man who endured years of troubles and tribulations that most of us, thank God, will never have to go through, the apostle Paul.

His story is told in the Bible’s book of Acts. Church history and his letters to congregations of early Christians fill in some gaps. What is clear is that Paul, in his zeal to share the good news about Jesus, met opposition on countless occasions. He was beaten, imprisoned, stoned, shipwrecked, persecuted, and destitute (2 Corinthians 11:23–27). Where did he get the strength to not only carry on, but to come through those trials even more appreciative of Jesus’ ultimate sacrifice and more resolute in his faith? If we could interview Paul today, perhaps it would go something like this:

Interviewer: You certainly had a remarkable turnaround following your salvation experience—from attacking the budding Christian faith following Jesus’ crucifixion and resurrection, to playing a large part in spreading that faith and strengthening its early followers. But you also ran into a lot of opposition yourself. What happened?

Paul: One incident around AD 52 was typical. I had fled from enemies in what is now Turkey, sailing across the Aegean Sea to Athens, Greece, and journeyed down to Corinth, an important trade center.

I started preaching in the local synagogue, and things went okay at the beginning. Even the leader of the synagogue, Crispus, became a Christian. But another man, Sosthenes, began spreading rumors, and soon I was expelled from the synagogue—Crispus too. So I took my message to the Greeks of that city, and a large number received Jesus. This made Sosthenes and his cohorts even more furious. They kept spreading lies, and I kept on preaching and teaching.

After about a year and a half, Sosthenes got a mob together and came after me. They would have stoned me on the spot, but they were afraid of the Roman authorities. So they marched me down to the palace of the Roman proconsul, who, at that time, was Junius Annaeus Gallio, the elder brother of Seneca, the famous Roman philosopher, and they accused me to him. But when Gallio realized this was simply a religious controversy, he refused to listen any more. I was set free, and the mob turned on Sosthenes (Acts chapter 18).

On that occasion you got off relatively easy. Was that generally the case?

No, it wasn’t. I was beaten a number of times, which resulted in some permanent injuries. I was whipped and stoned as well, and was imprisoned on several occasions.

You also encountered perils on some of your travels. Surely that must have been discouraging.

An understatement! I was shipwrecked three times, and only by God’s intervention did I live to tell the tale. Many times I was so discouraged that I felt like giving up, but I knew I had to keep going because Jesus had called me to spread the gospel far and wide. I knew that if I quit, I would be failing God. Also, others looked up to me, so if I had failed, I could have caused them to fail. So I carried on, even when I was discouraged and felt defeated. The troubles didn’t always end when I wished they would, but Jesus was always there for me (Acts 18:9–10; Hebrews 13:5).

It sounds as though you lived quite a stressful life.

I was blessed with a long and fruitful life, but it was under almost continual pressure. In addition to the challenges we’ve already discussed, I felt compelled to share the love of God in Jesus with the whole world (1 Corinthians 9:16). That was good pressure, of course, but pressure nonetheless. But regardless of where the pressure came from, I knew I didn’t have to manage it alone. Jesus always gave me the grace and strength I needed to go on (2 Corinthians 4:8–9; 12:9–10). I never could have endured what I did on my own. I had to rely on Jesus.

Do you think it is inevitable that believers must suffer for their faith?

Jesus didn’t call us to a life of ease, but to a life of service to others, and service always involves some personal sacrifice. In addition, anyone who tries to live a truly godly life for Jesus is going to run into opposition (2 Timothy 3:12). Jesus said so. “If they persecuted Me, they will also persecute you” (John 15:20). And history has proven Him right. But it’s not all pain and suffering, either. There are more than enough rewards in this life, as well as in the life to come, to put the troubles in perspective (Romans 8:17–18; Philippians 4:11–12; 1 Peter 1:6–8).

Do you have a final thought for us?

No matter what you face in life, trust Jesus to bring you through! He’s always there, and He won’t allow you to be tempted beyond what He knows you can take. He always makes a way to escape—not necessarily an escape from troubles, but through them (1 Corinthians 10:13). Hold on to Him, and He will hold on to you!—Marge Banks

God’s strength will carry you through every storm. Sometimes we experience storms that push us to the limit. The apostle Paul would agree. He was once so depressed by his circumstances, he felt like he was out of options. Paul had come to the end of his strength. On his own, he could no longer endure.

How did Paul get through that difficult time? He plugged into God’s power—the same power that raised Jesus from the dead.

How about you? Have you come to the end of your own strength? Are you out of options and wondering where you’ll find the power to take another step forward?

There is just one condition for receiving God’s power in your life: humility.

God doesn’t give his power to arrogant people. Humility is simply admitting to God, “You are God, and I am not. I am powerless to change this situation, so I am giving it to you.” The moment you do, God brings his resurrection power into your situation.

What’s dead in your life? If God can raise a dead man, he can certainly raise a dead marriage, a dead career, or a dead dream. God specializes in turning crucifixions into resurrections.

Where do you need God’s resurrection power in your life? When you learn to rely on him instead of yourself, you will begin to see just how much God can do.—Rick Warren¹

Remember the time when I calmed the sea? My disciples were panicking and thought that they would certainly perish. But when they looked to Me for help, rather than looking at their circumstances, I came to their rescue in spite of the waves and the storm.

It’s the same for you. There are many waves, and you may even see storms brewing on the horizon of your life, but if you look to Me and the assurances of My love and care for you, of My wisdom to guide you, you will find the answers you need. These worries about the future are like the waves washing over you and your little boat. The situation around you is like a menacing storm. At times you might be tempted to think you will capsize.

If you ask Me to calm the storm, I will. Or I will show you how to weather it. I will do it, just as I have always done it for all those who have trusted in Me.—Jesus

Published on Anchor September 2023. Read by John Laurence. Music by John Listen.

¹ https://pastors.com/you-can-rely-on-gods-power

God’s Healing Balm in Times of Grief

September 25, 2023

By Maria Fontaine

Audio length: 9:11

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Dear one, my heart breaks with you whose heart is broken during your time of grief. My eyes weep for you who weep. My heart aches for you in your time of loss. At times like these, sometimes all we can do is cry out to Jesus for His comfort in our pain, and for strength to go on another day. I pray that even in your sorrow you can know His peace. It is so very hard when we lose someone who was dear on Earth to us. I have experienced this too, and I know what it feels like to suddenly realize that things are never going to be the same again.

Sometimes we don’t get a chance to say goodbye to our loved one, or to ask forgiveness for the ways that we may have failed them. We yearn for one more chance to put our arms around them and assure them of how much we love them and how much they meant to us. We may feel condemnation or remorse when we lose a loved one or wish that we had done things differently or better, and it is at such times that we need to receive the Lord’s abundant supply of grace in time of need, His peace that passes all understanding, His strength to go on, and trust for brighter days.

The most important thing we can do in times of grief and loss is turn to Jesus and His Word for comfort. We can also pray for those experiencing these times and seek His comfort for them. We can pray that in spite of the loss, in spite of the tears and the heartache, in spite of the questions, they will experience His peace and love.

The most important thing to remember in times of grief is that the Lord loves you. No matter how painful the loss, the confusion, and the heartbreak, you must hold on to the knowledge that He loves you. His love is unending, unfailing, unchanging.

No matter what happens in this life, no matter how dark it looks, no matter how difficult the battle, no matter how dark the tunnel, no matter how long the suffering, Jesus loves you! He gives you His overwhelming love. He doesn’t give His love stingily, He doesn’t mete it out a little bit here or a little bit there as you earn it, and then stops pouring out His love if you are not good enough or you make mistakes or you’re not prayerful or not dedicated enough. The Lord always pours His love forth freely and abundantly! He never, ever stops pouring forth His love. He never turns His back. He never closes His eyes or His ears to your cries and your needs.

When you feel the most desperate and you feel the situation is the darkest, when you feel the most confused and you hardly even know how to pray, the Lord will pour forth His love even more abundantly, not less. The Bible says that the Spirit will intercede on our behalf in these times with “groans too deep for words” (Romans 8:26–27). Not only that, but Jesus Himself is also interceding for us (Romans 8:34)!

He wants to wash away the pain and to wipe away the tears and to comfort your broken heart. But the only thing that can heal your heart is your faith and trust in the Lord’s love, and your knowledge from years of experience that He has never failed you, that He does all things well (Mark 7:37), and that all things really do work together for good to them that love Him (Romans 8:28)—and you do love Him.

So no matter how hard it is to go through these times of grief and loss, you can know that even this will work together for good. Rest in the assurance that Jesus loves you very much and that He hasn’t abandoned you in your time of grief. Even when you can’t feel or see His love, by faith you can know that He is with you and hold on to His promises.

Your faith in His love is the only thing that is strong enough to quench these fires of sorrow. Right now you may feel that this loss is some kind of sign of God’s displeasure, or you may be filled with remorse for the things left undone or the words left unspoken. In this life, you won’t be able to tell your loved one all the things that you wish you had told them, or kiss them and hug them or spend more time with them as you may wish you had.

But you don’t need to worry about all the things that you weren’t able to do, or your failures and how you fell short. We don’t have to pay any penance for our failures and mistakes and shortcomings and the things we wished we had done better or differently. We don’t have to suffer; we don’t have to endure condemnation or remorse and regrets. We can find the peace of the Lord in His forgiveness and love and in His promise that He works all things together for good for those who love Him. “Death is swallowed up in victory!” (1 Corinthians 15:54).

When we are overwhelmed with feelings of guilt or condemnation, it keeps us from dwelling on the good memories of sweet times and blessings! When we look back at the past, we can become overwhelmed with sorrow for our failures, but when we refuse to dwell on the past, but instead focus our attention on the present and the bright future to come, we can feel the assurance of Jesus’ love. Our loved ones would want us to continue on in our lives by faith, looking toward the bright future!

His Word tells us that “there is no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus. For the law of the Spirit of life has set you free in Christ Jesus from the law of sin and death” (Romans 8:1–2). What a beautiful promise!

The past is over, it’s done, and we’re forgiven, and we must not concentrate on it if we are to continue onward by faith. Our failures are blotted out, and our loved ones who are now in heaven have forgiven us for any failures. They understand. Thankfully, this separation will not be for long; it will be only a “moment,” and then we will be reunited forever, nevermore to be separated or to feel such loss and pain!

But in spite of our pain right now, we are so blessed, because we have hope and knowledge of heaven and the Lord! So while our loss is great and our grief is deep, it is small compared to the loss of those who do not know Jesus. They have no lasting consolation or comfort. They feel they have no hope of seeing their loved ones again and being reunited. But we have been blessed with the truth of the Bible, and we do not “grieve as those who have no hope” (1 Thessalonians 4:13). This separation is only for a time, and then our pain and our tears will be forgotten.

Thank You, precious Jesus, our wonderful Savior and Shepherd, for Your promises of comfort that we need so desperately and appreciate so very much. You are our “refuge and strength and very present help in trouble” (Psalm 46:1). Thank You for giving us hope for the future, strength to carry on during times of grief and loss, and the confidence to know that our loved ones are safe in Your arms. Help us to trust in Your precious promises and look to the future in faith, knowing that You will fill all the empties, as You have promised in Your Word.

Originally published July 1995. Adapted and republished September 2023. Read by Debra Lee.

Better Days Ahead—Part 1: All Things Work Together for Good

Better Days Ahead

Peter Amsterdam

2021-10-19

—All Things Work Together for Good

And we know [with great confidence] that God [who is deeply concerned about us] causes all things to work together [as a plan] for good for those who love God, to those who are called according to His plan and purpose.—Romans 8:28 AMP

God is good. He does all things well. He doesn’t overlook or forget things. He is all-knowing. He never says, “Whoops, I didn’t see that one coming.” He is never late. He is sovereign, and His providence touches every aspect of each of our lives.

The tests, trials, and losses we endure in life can work together for good for us as we place our trust in the Lord, follow Him, and allow the Holy Spirit to work in our lives to bring about His plan. No matter how difficult things are, no matter how much we suffer, by His grace, we can continue to trust the Lord. We know that we have a glorious eternal future ahead.

Maria wrote:

Because “many are the afflictions of the righteous,”¹ it’s certainly comforting to know that “all these things work together for good to them that love the Lord, to them who are called according to His purpose.”² In fact, in order to come through our many trials, difficulties, battles, and temptations victoriously, it is imperative that we make this promise in Romans 8:28 a vital part of our lives.

If we don’t send the events of our daily lives through the filter of Romans 8:28, if we don’t constantly view our disappointments, hurts, tests, illnesses, opposition, battles, etc., through the perspective that Romans 8:28 gives us, we will sadly miss many valuable lessons the Lord is trying to teach us. And we will rob ourselves of the peace that comes from absolute trust in this precious promise and principle.

If we learn the simple equation, “Trials equal good,” our lives will be richer, our lessons greater, and our minds more tranquil, and we will more easily recognize the Lord’s hand in the events of our lives. It makes all the difference in the world whether you look at a flood of problems, trials, and tribulations just waiting to see the worst happen, or if you look at them with anticipation to discover all the good that you know the Lord will bring out of them.—Maria Fontaine

It is such a privilege to know that we can trust the Lord no matter what difficulties, hardships, or challenges come into our lives. George Mueller once said: “In one thousand trials it is not five hundred of them that work for the believer’s good, but nine hundred and ninety-nine of them, and one beside.”

Romans 8:28 isn’t a “feel good” slogan or a mantra that helps us get through a rough day by visualizing a better day. It is a promise from our Father, given to those of us who love Him and who, by His grace, are doing our best to follow Him. The following excerpt explains a couple of important caveats about this well-known promise.

First, Romans 8:28 doesn’t mean we can live any way we choose, and God will fix our messes. To understand the truth of Romans 8:28, we can’t just quote the part of the verse we like: “And we know that in all things God works for the good…” and skip the rest, “of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose.”

Romans 8:28 is a promise for believers. Real believers. Those who are living for Christ… This verse says to those who love God and are doing their best to obey his commands, “Even though bad/sad/evil/wicked things will touch your life, I (God) will use them to ultimately bring about good, both in your life and in the world.”

Joni Eareckson Tada, an inspirational speaker, author, and singer, is a quadriplegic who has been confined to a wheelchair for more than 40 years. When people ask her why God allows suffering, she often says, “God allows what he hates to accomplish what he loves.” And what does God love? For people to enter into relationship with himself and become more like him. Joni’s life and ministry are a stunning testimony of how God can use a tragedy like a paralyzing diving accident to impact the lives of millions.

Romans 8:28 tells us God can use all things together for good. He doesn’t say all things are good… The truth of Romans 8:28 reminds us that although sin and Satan are powerful, God is more powerful. He is able to redeem and restore anything for our good and his glory. All things may not be good, but God can and will use all things for good.—Lori Hatcher³

Some people have really good imaginations and they find it easier to understand a spiritual principle if there’s something in the explanation that they can see in their mind’s eye. I recently read the following article, which I found to be an edifying and encouraging word picture.

I have a life preserver, which is my most valued possession. While sailing on the sea of life, so many times I have looked out to see a storm brewing on the horizon. I grab my life preserver and tie it on securely, then brace myself for the unforgiving blast that approaches.

When the storm hits, my little craft is tossed by the angry waves. They threaten to swamp and drown me, but with my life preserver, I know I will survive. No, more than survive. I will rise again, bruised and beaten perhaps, but victorious.

Sometimes the storms creep up on me from behind. Caught unawares in the raging fury, my boat capsizes, throwing me into the icy waters. I choke, sputter, and gasp for air, and find myself caught in a whirlpool. The more I struggle, the tighter the water holds me in its grip.

Alone, helpless, and defeated, I wait for the end, hope flickering like a melted candle. As I sink under the waters for the last time, a Voice comes over the sound of the storm. “Grab the life preserver! It is your only hope.”

Straining to see in the darkness, I catch sight of something floating on the water. It is my life preserver—always there when I need it most. I tie it on and immediately begin to float.

The darkness still envelops me. The sea still churns and foams and its angry waves threaten to pull me under. The rain continues to sting my cheeks. But I am buoyant once again. With complete trust, secure in my life preserver, I am content to wait out the storm.

What is the secret of my life preserver? It is so simple that you may dismiss it. It is a verse from the Bible: “We know that all things work together for good to those who love God, to those who are the called according to His purpose” (Romans 8:28 NKJV). ALL things—storms, rain, and winds included—are for our GOOD. Someday, somehow we will understand.—S. Jade

I have to admit, it’s a whole lot easier to trust the Lord when things are going well—when we’re in good health, we have what we need, and we and our loved ones are safe and secure. But when things are not going well, it can be a whole lot harder to trust the Lord. The temptation is to worry, stress, complain, work harder, and try to “fix” the problems in any way we can. But we know that’s not the solution.

We don’t always understand at the time why the Lord allows some heartbreak or tragedy in our lives, and in many cases, we have to trust Him in spite of not being able to see the full picture. Edward Teller reminds us: “When you come to the end of all the light you know, and it’s time to step into the darkness of the unknown, faith is knowing that one of two things shall happen: Either you will be given something solid to stand on or you will be taught to fly.” Here is some excellent insight on this from the late Reverend Billy Graham:

It’s easy to believe that God loves us and cares about us when things are going well, but when life turns against us, it becomes much harder to believe He cares.

Why should we keep trusting in God, even when nothing seems to change, and it looks like He isn’t even listening? One reason is because no matter how many changes have taken place in our lives, God has not changed. The Bible’s statement is true: “I the Lord do not change” (Malachi 3:6).

And if God doesn’t change, then that means His promises don’t change, either. He promised to be with you in the past—and He still is. He promised to guide you in the past—and He still will. Know His promises, study His promises, believe His promises, and trust His promises. In the Bible “he has given us his very great and precious promises” (2 Peter 1:4).

Don’t let your faith be overcome by your circumstances, but let your circumstances be overcome by your faith.⁴

If you’re suffering with a debilitating illness or a loved one has passed away, quoting and meditating on Romans 8:28 doesn’t change the situation and may not do much to ease the pain immediately. We live in a fallen world, and when we or those we love suffer loss or tragedy, it hurts! We weep. We grieve. And it usually takes time for us to see the good that comes from the bad things that happen, which often test our faith as we continue to trust in Him in trying times.

Of course, we may not personally experience such a visible manifestation of the good that God has promised to work in our lives. During such times when our faith is being sorely tested, it comes down to placing our lives, our loved ones, our health and livelihood in God’s hands, and trusting Him to care for us. Even when the Lord appears to be silent and the trials seem to be endless, or the losses we suffer are major, God is merciful and faithful, and He will never leave us nor forsake us.

In the story of Joseph in the Old Testament, we are given a beautiful example of how God brought good out of a seemingly hopeless situation. As R. W. De Haan commented:

[I am reminded] of the biblical truth that there are no accidents in the lives of God’s children. In Scripture, we read how Joseph interpreted a difficult experience that had seemed like a great calamity. He had been thrown into a pit and then sold as a slave. This was a great test of his faith, and from the human standpoint it appeared to be a tragic case of injustice, not a providential means of blessing. But Joseph later learned that “God meant it for good” (Genesis 50:20).⁷

We can also take a lesson from the prophet Habakkuk, as we review these well-known verses:

Though the fig tree does not bud and there are no grapes on the vines, though the olive crop fails and the fields produce no food, though there are no sheep in the pen and no cattle in the stalls, yet I will rejoice in the Lord, I will be joyful in God my Savior. The Sovereign Lord is my strength; he makes my feet like the feet of a deer, he enables me to tread on the heights.—Habakkuk 3:17–19 NIV

It’s important to remember that there was a lot of evil going on in Habakkuk’s time, and the future did not look bright. In fact, the situation looked pretty grim. But in spite of such trying circumstances, Habakkuk proclaimed his trust in God, saying, “Yet I will rejoice in the Lord.” He was not only trusting God, he was rejoicing and remembering that the Lord was his strength. He acknowledged that while he might lack his basic food needs, he would never be without God.

I think it’s most challenging to trust the Lord to cause all things to work together for good when you feel it’s your fault that you are in a difficult predicament. When you feel you’ve made mistakes or misjudged a situation or made unwise decisions, and therefore things have taken a turn for the worse, you can feel like you deserve to suffer the negative consequences. You get that sinking feeling in your gut and you can feel you are not “qualified” to receive God’s grace and mercy in the form of Romans 8:28. But we need to remember that this fulfillment of God’s Word is a manifestation of His grace! I am encouraged by the concept of “divine reversals” in the following message from Jesus.

I am the God of divine reversals. I can derive good out of evil: My master plan brings victory out of an apparent defeat. Come to Me just as you are—wounded from battle—and expose your wounds to My healing Light…

When you experience a divine reversal in your life, you are thrilled to observe how masterfully I operate in the world. Your suffering gains meaning because you know I can—and do—bring good out of evil. Ultimately, My plans will not be thwarted. I have the last word! As you see how utterly beyond you are My wisdom and ways, you get a glimpse of My Glory. This inspires you to worship Me—bowing before My infinite intelligence and limitless Power. As you open your soul to Me in worship, you gain assurance of My unfailing Love. “I know the plans I have for you: plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future” (Jeremiah 29:11 NIV).⁸

No matter what is going on in our lives, no matter what difficulties we are facing, we need to remind ourselves that we still have God. He will never leave us or forsake us! God is good! He is love! He allows us to experience difficulties, tests, and trials, but it doesn’t end there. He also brings forth beautiful blessings. So, if we are tempted to doubt and wonder why things are not going as we hoped, we can take a lesson from Arthur Ashe, as explained in the following testimony:

Tennis superstar Arthur Ashe died of AIDS, which he contracted from a blood transfusion during heart surgery. More than a great athlete, Ashe was a gentleman who inspired and encouraged many with his exemplary behavior on and off the court. Ashe could have become embittered and self-pitying in the face of his disease, but he maintained a grateful attitude.

He explained, “If I asked, ‘Why me?’ about my troubles, I would have to ask, ‘Why me?’ about my blessings. Why my winning Wimbledon? Why my marrying a beautiful, gifted woman and having a wonderful child?” Ashe’s attitude rebukes those of us who often grumble, “Why me? Why is God allowing this to happen?”

Even if we’re suffering acutely, we must not forget the mercies God pours into our lives—such things as food, shelter, and friends—blessings that many are deprived of. And what about spiritual blessings? We can hold the very Word of God in our hands and read it. We have the knowledge of His saving grace, the comfort of His Spirit, and the joyful assurance of life everlasting with Jesus. Think about God’s blessings and ask, “Why me?”—Vernon C. Grounds⁹

What an important reminder! We have so many blessings in our lives. Praise the Lord! As you place your trust in the Lord and wait patiently for Him, you can be confident that He will strengthen you, bless you, provide for you, and lead you in His will, and one day, whether in this life or the next, you will see the fulfillment of His unfailing promise to cause all things to work together for your good!

(To read the next article in this series, click here.)

¹ Psalm 34:19.

² Romans 8:28.

³ “‘All Things Work Together for Good’—3 Things You Never Noticed About Romans 8:28,” https://www.preaching.com/articles/things-work-together-good-3-things-never-noticed-romans-828/

⁴ Billy Graham, “Don’t let your faith be overcome by your circumstances,” Gaston Gazette, October 12, 2012, https://www.gastongazette.com/article/20121012/Lifestyle/310129772

⁵ https://www.preceptaustin.org/romans_828-39

⁷ https://www.preceptaustin.org/romans_828-39

⁸ Sarah Young, Jesus Lives (Thomas Nelson, 2009).

⁹ https://www.preceptaustin.org/habakkuk-devotionals-and-sermon_illustrations

00 – Introduction to the “Better Days Ahead” Series

Better Days Ahead

Peter Amsterdam

2021-10-19

Over these last weeks I have been sharing with you some of my thoughts and reflections on what we can learn from the pandemic. I believe that the Lord can and will use the tests and trials of the COVID pandemic to strengthen our faith and cause us to grow closer to Him. Recently I came to the conclusion that the lessons we have learned, the greater intimacy with the Lord we have enjoyed, and the comfort we have felt in our hearts, minds, and spirits through this time will serve us well in the days, months, and years to come. We will carry these life lessons with us as we face the challenges that are ahead, and we will continue to be strengthened in our faith until that perfect day (Proverbs 4:18). Praise the Lord!

I’m confident that there will come a time when we’ll look back on the many months of the COVID pandemic and we’ll be grateful for how God took all that we experienced—the good, the bad, and the ugly—and caused it to work together for good in each of our lives.

The topics that I covered in the “What We Can Learn from the Pandemic” series can be applied to our lives in general. That counsel is not only for COVID. Life is a struggle, and we’re bound to have times in the future when we experience loneliness, discouragement, boredom, anxiety, stress, worry, fear, or financial need. There will be times when we face uncertainty, unexpected change, lack of control over our situations, sickness, or the death of a loved one. There will be tragedies, loss, and natural disasters.

In order to provide more material for your encouragement now and in the future, and for you to use in ministering to others, I am preparing follow-up posts addressing various topics that were covered in the pandemic series. This new series is called “Better Days Ahead” and it is for the general public. The posts in this series can be shared with others as you feel led and can be used in your classes, ZOOM meetings, etc.

These posts will not address COVID specifically. They will be in the form of compilations of excerpts from TFI publications and other sources. I will include some portions of the original series (which was designated for members) when a particular excerpt or story might be beneficial for the people you are ministering to or the general public.

As we know from our many years of serving the Lord, the tests, trials, and losses we endure can work together for good for us as we place our trust in the Lord, follow Him, and allow the Holy Spirit to work in our lives to bring about His plan. No matter how difficult things are, no matter how much we might suffer, by His grace, we can continue to trust the Lord!

Fear not, for I am with you; be not dismayed, for I am your God; I will strengthen you, I will help you, I will uphold you with my righteous right hand.—Isaiah 41:10 ESV

Maria and I pray that the posts in the “Better Days Ahead” series are a blessing and encouragement to you and those you minister to. God bless and keep you and continue to make you a blessing to many!

(To read the first article in this series, click here.)

Hurry and Worry

September 22, 2023

By Fr. Mike Schmitz

Hurry is the greatest threat to the spiritual life and the way of Jesus.

We constantly experience the temptation to “max out” our lives by racing from event to event, task to task. The goal of life is union with God, and anything that takes us away from this goal is a major threat to this goal … including hurry.

Run time for this video is 25 minutes.

https://youtu.be/SDdf22MLPe0?si=NlD4ab4cCjO4oBPm

One Thing Before All Things

September 21, 2023

By Virginia Brandt Berg

Audio length: 6:40

Download Audio (6.1MB)

We are going to talk about Mark 9:23 today. You remember the story of the father who had the afflicted son. This son had been brought to the disciples, but they could do nothing for him. Then you remember that the man said to Jesus, “If thou canst do anything, have compassion on us, and help us” (Mark 9:22).

And Jesus replied, “If thou canst believe, all things are possible to him that believeth” (Mark 9:23). Now this thought, “All things are possible,” seems to stir the heart with the grandest hopes, and the mind leaps to high visions of mighty miracles and great achievements and manifestations of God’s power.

“All things are possible.” That just opens such vistas of possibility, doesn’t it? I want to fully assure you that I believe that, because I’m going to say something that might appear to be contrary. I believe that all things are possible, and they are possible to you. But God’s Word also says, “But one thing is needful,” and the one thing needful has to come before the all things that are possible (Luke 10:42).

There are many disappointed people who have rushed into the presence of God and demanded the “all things” before they had met the requirement of the “one thing” that is necessary. This one thing is a humbling thing, in comparison with the vistas of power and possibility when the door of hope swings open on the all things.

“But one thing is needful.” You know that you can’t neglect the one thing that is needful and expect to climb up some other way to a God-blessed, empowered ministry.

There are some Christians who have sacrificed everything, but they have an unfruitful ministry because they didn’t realize that it takes the one thing needful to make the all things possible. I say again, you can’t neglect the one thing needful. Unless you first do the thing that Jesus referred to when He spoke to Mary and Martha.

You remember He said to Martha, “Thou art troubled about many things” (Luke 10:41). And then He spoke of Mary in this way: “But one thing is needful: and Mary hath chosen that good part, which shall not be taken away from her” (Luke 10:42).

Jesus said that of Mary, not because Mary was any better than Martha; we don’t believe that. We believe Martha loved the Lord dearly. But Mary had chosen eternal things that never disappoint, that never fail. Martha had her mind on different things. “What shall we eat, or what shall we drink, or wherewithal shall we be clothed?” (Matthew 6:31).

What is your choice today? Some will say, “This thought of all things being possible, that just thrills my soul. I want more faith so I can grasp for the all things. Faith is so wonderful.” Some people will say, “Think of what faith can do! All things are possible.” You can hardly comprehend the truth that all things are possible to him that believes.

Well, I believe it, too. Many times, my own heart has been lifted up and thrilled as I’ve seen faith bring to pass the “all things.” I’m ashamed to confess, however, that numbers of times I’ve reached for the “all things” and grasped only emptiness. My plans were frustrated and hopes were blasted because I didn’t put the “one thing needful” first—to sit at Jesus’ feet and learn of Him.

That is what this whole meditation is about: Don’t reach out for the “all things” until you first sit down with Jesus and partake of the one thing. If you had asked Martha if she took time to pray and talk to her Lord, she might have answered, “Why certainly, a few minutes here and there.” Like so many of us, she would offer Jesus just the ragged minutes that are left over in the day, not time that is definitely planned, when there are no distractions. In these days, we too try to crowd so many things into the space where we should fit just the “one thing.”

Mary didn’t. She took the one thing that is needful and put it in its rightful place, and that’s first.

I do say, beloved, that it’s true that this opens a door of hope to everyone, and that includes you and your need at this time. Don’t let me hurt your faith. Don’t exclude the thing that is your particular need, no matter how hopeless it looks, because God’s Word says, “All things are possible to him that believes.”

So often I think of those who have had some chronic illness for many, many years, until they’ve sunken into a state of conscious helplessness, and they just simply endure. They’ve no real expectancy at all, just no fight left in them. They’ve accepted their affliction as just part of them, something they have to live with. But God says, “All things are possible.”

How many times have I seen this verse bring release and victory when the conditions have been met! What are the conditions? “If thou canst believe.” How are you going to believe? You’ll only believe by living in God’s Word. I’ve seen miracles. I believe it, for my own life has been a miracle of God’s grace and healing power. But there has to come this “first things first.” You have to live before God in the one thing that’s needful before the all things that are possible.

Do you have a need today? God wants to supply that need. He says in Philippians 4:19: ^“But my God shall supply all your need according to his riches in glory by Christ Jesus.”

God will not fail you. Your door of hope swings wide open with this wonderful verse. Do you believe? Is your faith strong to take hold of God’s promise for your need? Your faith will grow strong only as you learn of God and read His Word. Give more time to prayer and seeking Him—the one thing that’s needful.

Beloved, we are living in dangerous times. Live in prayer. There is a great ministry for you there. God bless you and make you a blessing. Amen.

From a transcript of a Meditation Moments broadcast, adapted. Published on Anchor September 2023. Read by Carol Andrews.

Three Ways to Respond to Failure

September 20, 2023

By Rick Warren

Because we live in an imperfect world, we all will fail in ministry at times. Church leaders don’t get off the hook.

But failure doesn’t need to be fatal. Both Judas and Peter denied Christ and failed miserably in the last hours of Jesus’ earthly life.

Judas rejected the mercy of God and killed himself. But Peter accepted the mercy of God and became the leader of the church.

Peter illustrated three keys to recovering from personal failures. Follow Peter’s example next time you experience a failure.

(Read the article here.)

https://pastors.com/three-ways-to-respond-to-failure/

Faith Like Gold

September 19, 2023

A compilation

Audio length: 11:30

Download Audio (10.5MB)

It seems to be second nature for some people to have faith and show trust in God. They somehow see the good in difficult people or trying situations. To them, the glass is always half full. You’ll often hear them say things like, “God will supply,” and, “Don’t worry, everything will work out.” Upon meeting a person like this for the first time, you’d probably think their life was pretty peachy—with very few problems and everything going their way.

It might surprise you, though, to discover that people with such exemplary personalities didn’t necessarily become faith-filled and positive because life floated along like a song. Many people have developed this nature as a result of facing difficult, trying, sometimes heartbreaking and painful circumstances, and choosing to wait to see how the Lord would come through for them—even though it sometimes took a while.

They may have fought battles with their health, or watched their children battle an enduring sickness, or lost a loved one. Whatever it was, these faith-filled people came through strong, courageous, and compassionate. I take my hat off to them. They give life and meaning to the word faith and showed me that no matter how bad things get, the Lord will be there to help me through; all I have to do is hold on to Him and to that faith I have received through His Word, which will keep doubts and discouragement at bay.

God promises in Romans 8:28, “All things work together for good to them that love God.” It took me a while to realize that the verse doesn’t say, “All things are always good,” but that “All things work together for good.” To me, that means that even though bad things do happen to all of us, God works it into the story of our lives to bring out the best results as we yield to His will. When I take this approach in life, I also realize that we can’t thank Him for all the good in our lives and then blame Him for the bad things. It means we can trust Him through the bad and be absolutely confident that He’ll make our difficulties become something good, or through them bring something good into our lives.

In Psalm 86 King David says to the Lord, “For you are great and do marvelous deeds; you alone are God. … I will praise you, Lord my God, with all my heart; I will glorify your name forever. For great is your love toward me; you have delivered me from the depths, from the realm of the dead” (Psalm 86:10–13). In that chapter he’s desperately praying yet again for God to deliver him from his enemies, but he also knows and is confident in God’s protection and care for him, so it appears that his faith is not shaken but is stronger than ever.

Faith is compared to gold in the Bible. And like gold, faith has high value. Faith that depletes when it is tested would be like having a currency with little or no value, which would be pretty useless. But like gold, faith is precious, rare, costly, and lasts a lifetime.

In my own life, I can look back at situations and events that weren’t easy to experience, or that I definitely wouldn’t want to relive again, but I realize that if I hadn’t gone through the tough times I would have missed some of the wonderful things that I gained along the way. Having this knowledge and experience has strengthened my faith and given me the assurance that no matter what emotional storms I go through, I know the sun is behind it waiting to shine through and give me exactly what I need to move forward with grace and strength, ready to face whatever else life throws at me.

Faith is knowing that God is looking out for you and that He won’t ask you to do more than what you’re capable of, which, when God is by your side, means there is nothing you can’t do (Philippians 4:13).

Patrick Henry was the governor of Virginia in the 1700s. He was also an attorney, an orator, and a politician, and together with his cousin he owned a 10,000-acre plantation. He’s mostly remembered for his “Give me liberty or give me death” speech. But I read a quote of his which shows how highly he valued faith in the Lord above all his other accomplishments.

He said, “I have now disposed of all my property to my family. There is one thing more I wish I could give them, and that is the Christian religion [faith]. If they had that and I had not given them one shilling, they would have been rich: and if they had not that, and I had given them all the world, they would be poor indeed.”¹—Nina Kole

Faith that has been tested

James 1:3 explains that God intends trials to test our faith and produce spiritual perseverance. … If we were to walk through life on easy street and never face hardship, our Christian character would remain untested and underdeveloped. Trials develop our spiritual muscles, giving us the stamina and endurance to stay the course (Romans 5:2–5). We can count it all joy in trials because in them we learn to depend on God and trust Him.

Faith that is tested becomes genuine faith, rugged faith, uncompromising faith: “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” (1 Peter 1:6–7).—GotQuestions.org²

The smallest coin

Just before I left for India, where I was going to spend a number of years as a volunteer, a friend gave me a very original and, I thought, useful farewell present. “I’m kind of worried for you,” she confided. “You’re going to a difficult country and this might come in handy.”

On the little box was an inscription that read: “The smallest gold coin in the world.”

I packed it away and took it with me to India, and later on to Nepal.

My friend was right—things weren’t always easy, and we often encountered hardships of all kinds, from the climate to tropical sicknesses to financial challenges. We never lacked any of our basic necessities, but we did often have to skip the extras.

My husband and I sometimes talked about selling the coin, but we’d agreed it was to be our emergency fund, and that it wouldn’t be touched unless absolutely necessary. Whenever the topic came up, we always came to the conclusion that it wasn’t really such a desperate situation, and I’d put it back in my suitcase.

After eight years, we returned to Europe, and one day I walked past a numismatic store and wondered just how much my gold coin had been worth all this time. A few days later, I brought it in to be examined.

My heart and everything in me dropped when the kind clerk examined my coin and told me that it had no value besides the gold weight—and as it was “the smallest gold coin in the world,” it obviously didn’t weigh very much.

So all those years when we’d thought we had an emergency fund, were we just being naïve? A mix of disappointment and embarrassment overwhelmed me, and I actually almost threw the coin away. It seemed like that would hardly be a loss.

But later on, I realized that little coin was symbolic of our faith. We’d kept it with us all the time; we’d never lost it. And as we walked by faith, God never failed to provide for us.

We still have the coin, and it’s now a treasured memento. As far as I’m concerned, it’s actually gained value.—Anna Perlini

Published on Anchor September 2023. Read by Reuben Ruchevsky. Music by Michael Fogarty.

¹ https://www.goodreads.com/quotes/9986581-i-have-now-disposed-of-all-my-property-to-my

² https://www.gotquestions.org/count-it-all-joy.html

The Energy of Heaven

September 18, 2023

By Maria Fontaine

Audio length: 14:42

Download Audio (13.4MB)

“The spirit indeed is willing, but the flesh is weak” (Matthew 26:41). So often our limited strength and physical abilities fall far short of what is needed to fully implement the vision of what we want to accomplish for the Lord. This can skew our perspectives and cause us to feel like we’re failing compared to all we’d like to be doing.

It can be helpful to remind ourselves that Jesus has promised to provide what we need as we trust in Him. It’s not a matter of us doing more than our circumstances, our resources, or our bodily strength permit us to do. It’s a matter of trusting Him that if He wants us to do more, then He’ll supply His heavenly energy, which is unlimited. He remembers that we are dust, and all He asks of us is that we do what we can, and His power will do what we can’t.

In these trying times we’re learning to lean on Him more and trust in Him with all our heart, rather than leaning on our own understanding and physical stamina. He wants us to acknowledge Him in all our ways, and He will direct our paths (Proverbs 3:6). When that mustard seed of faith that Jesus talked about moves mountains, it certainly isn’t our strength doing it. It’s the power of the Spirit of God.

Science overall has concluded that everything in this world is made up of energy, including the things that we can touch and feel. When energy vibrates at a precise speed, it takes on specific characteristics that determine how we see it or interact with it. The thesaurus describes “energy” using words such as life, spirit, vitality, animation, vivacity, spiritedness, verve, enthusiasm, zest, vibrancy, spark, sparkle, effervescence, exuberance, buoyancy, strength, stamina, forcefulness, power, dynamism, drive, fire, passion, ardor, zeal, zip, zing, pep, pizzazz, punch, bounce, oomph, get-up-and-go, vim, and vigor. Of course, those words describe some of the visible manifestations of energy in our bodies, emotions, and the things around us.

You could say that God’s Spirit is the energy that brought everything into being. His Spirit of love is the essence of life and existence. But God went even further in His love for His human creations, who are distinct from His other creations in this world. He did the most amazingly wonderful thing. He created us in His own image and gave us the ability to make choices and discover the secrets of His spectacular creation. He has been helping us, both through the good times and the hard times, to gain wisdom from our experiences and the choices we make.

We are cared for by Him, and even our challenges in this life have a purpose. We’re not here just to scrape by and survive. We’re here to progress and grow and overcome. There’s pain and sorrow and troubles galore, but none of that can defeat us as long as we keep on trusting in Him. In fact, those experiences can strengthen us, which in turn can help us spread His love even further.

When our response to troubles is looking to Jesus, it can become a testament to His power and love. When others see that our troubles, which might be some of the same ones that they also face, don’t cause us to collapse, but rather drive us closer to Jesus, it encourages them to do the same.

God’s energy never wears out or gets used up. It will never cease to exist. It continues to manifest itself in wonderful ways to fulfill His plan. As John said, it does not yet appear what we shall be, but when He appears we shall be like Him, for we shall see Him as He is (1 John 3:2). Though the outward man perish (these time-bound bodies), yet the inward man is renewed day by day (2 Corinthians 4:16).

Even when we leave this earthly life, we are only changing forms. That spark of His life and power that has become our spirit will carry on. Here in these time-bound bodies we only see tiny glimpses of what will be, but even those brief peeks into what awaits us can be awe-inspiring, amazing, and wonderful.

For those of us who seek to have Jesus’ energy pulsing through our lives here and now in the fullest ways possible, it begins with building a direct connection with Him. That’s our part.

God can use us in tremendous ways, regardless of what we see as our weaknesses. As we do what we can, His Spirit working in us will accomplish what we cannot. Because we have been given the responsibility of free choice, we are the ones who choose to enhance or diminish the flow of God’s love and Spirit in our lives by how much we are willing to obey Him, trust Him, and depend on His power. He has promised His children that He will never leave nor forsake us, and that even when we are faithless, yet He abides faithful. (See Hebrews 13:5 and 2 Timothy 2:13.) If He is willing to go that far, even when we fail to stay close to Him, imagine how much more we can have available to us as we look to Him continuously for help.

When God’s Spirit pours through a yielded vessel, people are drawn to Him, even when they can’t understand why. I love to contemplate what becomes possible when we seek to be conduits of God’s Spirit and love. I love to ask the Lord for more compassion, strength, wisdom, power, and all the manifestations of His Spirit in me. He wants to fill us to overflowing with His Spirit, so that we can fulfill our calling to the best of our abilities.

Below are some thoughts I’ve considered and things that the Lord has said in various prophecies about some aspects of the love of God.

Through Jesus we have been given the priceless privilege of availing ourselves of God’s Spirit so we can help others. Men and women have struggled for millennia with their natural reasoning and logic to try to understand many of the aspects of God’s Spirit, but that hasn’t proven to be sufficient. It often comes down to faith and trust. And as we trust in Jesus, we can be granted the privilege of benefiting from what we don’t fully understand. We know His unconditional love for us. We know He will never fail us. We know He loves us and we love Him. Our faith welcomes His heavenly energy, which we know by faith will accomplish whatever God knows is needed.
God’s love for us is so vast that we will spend our lives on earth and on into eternity learning how to grasp the fullness of it. Yet it can be encapsulated in the simple verse John 3:16. God’s love for us is manifested in an endless variety of ways—from the moment He gave us life, through Jesus’ sacrifice for our sakes, to the Holy Spirit helping us bring truth to others. It reminds me of the verse in Psalm 8: “He has made us a little lower than the angels and has crowned us with glory and honor.” Sometimes I feel like we are God’s most profound miracle of all. It is amazing that He can take something as flawed and hopeless as human beings, and with the power of His love and grace, we can become His vessels to help accomplish His will on earth.
God has given us so many ways to access the life-giving power of His Spirit: through praise and prayer; through the music that portrays His Spirit; through miracles; through the still, small voice of God whispering in our hearts; through godly counselors; and so many more. God’s Spirit provides encouragement and support to us in many forms, even in those times when we can’t see the next step to take.
The eternal, life-giving Spirit of God can never be used up. The more we reflect His love to others, the more it can expand and grow in our own lives. God’s Spirit blesses the lives of those we reflect it to without it diminishing in our own hearts. I believe that every act of love is a burst of the energy of God that exists for eternity.
God’s love is the greatest force in the universe, yet as vast as it is, God is intimately attuned to the most minute details. His care extends to the tiniest flower and gently holds the hand of a tiny baby to offer comfort and care.
God’s love is often manifested in giving. It began with God, in love, creating life in all its forms. It continued in Jesus, who sacrificed Himself to bring us to the Father through salvation. And His love continues to inspire us to give our time and resources in order to share the truth we’ve found with others.
We often consider His love as something we can never hope to repay, but love isn’t meant to be repaid. A helpful way to look at how love operates is described in the concept of paying it forward. In a sense, we can only “repay” God, the source of all love and life, by giving as much of Him away as we can. Even what seems like a small gift of love given to another person can grow to touch many others. If you feel like the love you are able to share seems small compared to all you wish you could do, remember that the smallest act of love and kindness can ultimately grow and bear fruit.
If you are feeling sad, unloved, lonely, or empty, I suggest you reach out to give to someone else who is in need, and you will sense the light of the life of God within you start to grow stronger. His peace and contentment in your heart will begin to provide more of what you need. Lift up someone else, and you will find that He will lift you up. Show mercy and compassion to someone, and trust that God’s Spirit will provide what youneed as well.
The Spirit of God in us grows stronger as we do what we can to live in accordance with the truth of His Word and what Jesus is showing us to do. It was His sacrifice of love for us that reached our hearts. It’s what spurs us to offer what we have to others in need. When you manifest the love that Jesus has shown you to others who are seeking His truth, that love can then begin to grow in their hearts, changing them, too.
(Jesus:) Each part you play in the process of sharing My love and truth with someone else is important. Perhaps you give them a boost of encouragement until their faith begins to grow again or their hope is restored. When I inspire you to take a step to help someone else, to pause in your busy life to say something that expresses compassion for someone, you are offering them a touch of My Spirit and love. That may be the impetus that is needed to inspire them to move in a new direction. Your faithfulness to share My love and truth with others is the part you are called to play in bringing people to Me.

I want to use every opportunity to pour down My blessing on your life. I love to see the glow of My Spirit of love shining within you when you see the need of others and respond. I give you opportunities to invest your time, attention, prayers, and support to lift the burdens of others and make their paths easier to traverse. Your freewill choice to manifest My love for others is building on what I have begun. It provides Me with the opportunity to say, “Well done, My good and faithful friend; enter into the joy of My heavenly kingdom!”

Originally published November 2020. Adapted and republished September 2023. Read by Debra Lee.

What We Can Learn from the Pandemic (Part 1): Introduction

What We Can Learn from the Pandemic

Peter Amsterdam

2021-08-24

Introduction

It goes without saying that our world has been turned upside down in many ways since early 2020. This time period has been unlike anything we have experienced in our lifetimes. The onset of COVID-19 has presented circumstances and challenges that have tested our faith in new ways and often brought to the fore emotions that we may not have been used to dealing with for such extended periods of time.

Some of the factors that we’ve each been faced with to some degree or another include:

A loss of control. You might have felt like the rug had been pulled out from under you. The lockdowns were unexpected, and there was little that you could do to prepare.
The circumstances were a shock. The restrictions were widespread and far-reaching, and they were outside your personal control.
Fear of the unknown. You may have experienced fear of contracting the illness or losing a loved one. And there were constant reminders of the threat with daily unrelenting news of the rampant spread of the virus and the required social distancing and use of masks.
Plans were thwarted. Everything seemed to come to a standstill for lengthy periods of time, which affected travel, moves, advances of your mission projects, plans to visit your families or start new careers, etc.
Businesses closed and many never reopened. Millions of people lost their jobs and consequently their means of providing for their families. While many businesses have reopened and jobs are reappearing in some business sectors, in others they have not rebounded.
Children and teens have suffered loss as schools were closed and studies were conducted largely online. This was a major setback for families who could not afford computers for their children or who did not have proper internet connectivity. Children were isolated from their friends and could not participate in activities and sports, and parents often had to try to balance working from home with caring for and schooling their children full-time at home.
Many people were gravely ill, and many died. Some of you contracted the virus and were very sick, even hospitalized and in the ICU. Some experienced loved ones being hospitalized and you were not able to visit them. Others experienced the death of a loved one and were not able to see them, pray with them, or say goodbye. That was truly heartbreaking. Memorial services couldn’t be planned due to restrictions for social gatherings.
The sense of uncertainty has been very stressful, due to not knowing how long the restrictions would last. At the time of writing this, many countries are still experiencing uncertainty related to the economic impact, reopening of borders, and travel restrictions, and many countries are still in lockdown or just went under a new lockdown.

While praying and asking the Lord about what we’ve experienced these last many months, I thought it would be helpful to explore what we could learn from this experience and the unique challenges it has brought to our lives. I felt that the Lord must have much that we could glean from this time, in fulfillment of His beautiful promise that “all things work together for good to those who love the Lord and are the called according to His purpose.”¹ Of course, that is not at all to say that the pandemic or the difficulties and tragedies it has resulted in are good in and of themselves. But the tests, trials, and losses we have endured can work together for good for us as we place our trust in the Lord, follow Him, and allow the Holy Spirit to work in our lives to bring about His plan.

As I prayed about what we’ve each been through in our personal lives and as a body, I came to the conclusion that no matter what we have endured, no matter how difficult it has been, no matter how much we have suffered or lost, by His grace, we can continue to trust the Lord! We can trust in Him with all our hearts, and not lean on our own understanding. We can acknowledge Him and submit to Him in all our ways, knowing that He will continue to direct our steps.²

I have to admit, it’s a whole lot easier to trust the Lord when things are going well—when we’re in good health, we have what we need, and we and our loved ones are safe and secure. But when things are not going well, it can be a whole lot harder to trust the Lord, as the story of Job attests to. The temptation is to worry, stress, complain, work harder, and try to “fix” the problems in any way we can. But we all know that’s not the solution.

During such times when our faith is being sorely tested, like Job, it comes down to placing our lives, our loved ones, our health and livelihood in God’s hands, and trusting in Him to care for us. Even when the Lord appears to be silent and the trials seem to be endless, or the losses we suffer are major, Job’s story reminds us that God is merciful and faithful, and He will never leave us nor forsake us.

Here is some poignant advice on this topic from the late Reverend Billy Graham:

It’s easy to believe that God loves us and cares about us when things are going well, but when life turns against us, it becomes much harder to believe He cares.

And if God doesn’t change, then that means His promises don’t change, either. He promised to be with you in the past—and He still is. He promised to guide you in the past—and He still will. Know His promises… study His promises… believe His promises… and trust His promises. In the Bible “he has given us his very great and precious promises” (2 Peter 1:4). …

Don’t let your faith be overcome by your circumstances, but let your circumstances be overcome by your faith.³

We can also take a lesson from the prophet Habakkuk. There was a lot of evil going on in his time, and the future did not look bright. In fact, the situation for Habakkuk looked pretty grim. He had no figs, no grapes, no olives, no crops from the fields, no sheep, and no cattle! But in spite of these trying circumstances, he proclaimed his trust in God. He was not only trusting God, he was rejoicing and being joyful.

This is such an amazing declaration of faith. Let’s take a closer look and see what we can learn about trusting God from Habakkuk.

First, Habakkuk commits to praising God regardless of external circumstances. The opening of his hymn delineates a catastrophe… After this doleful description, the prophet says, “Yet I will rejoice in the Lord.”

Habakkuk’s joy was not dependent on physical blessings. Even if Habakkuk suffered extreme loss, he was determined to praise God. Habakkuk remembered God’s goodness in times past and concluded God was worthy of praise. The prophet might lack olives and grapes [basic food needs], but he would never be without God.

Second, Habakkuk praises God specifically for salvation: “I will take joy in the God of my salvation.” God not only could save; God is salvation…

Third, Habakkuk recognizes the Lord as His strength: “GOD, the Lord, is my strength.” … The truth of God’s present strength caused Habakkuk to trust God even during the most difficult times. Like Habakkuk, we can choose to praise God even in the face of desolation. Like Habakkuk, we can praise God for the salvation He provides in Jesus Christ. And, by seeing God as our source of strength, we, like Habakkuk, can trust God’s promises.⁴

It is so encouraging to consider that even when our most elemental needs, such as food and shelter, are threatened, we still have God. He will never leave us or desert us! We can trust Him even in the bleakest situations.

I know things have been very challenging this last year and a half. Maria and I have heard from many of you who have asked for prayer in the midst of truly difficult circumstances. And I want to assure you that we pray fervently for you, and we are confident that, as you trust in the Lord and wait patiently for Him, He will strengthen you, bless you, provide for you, and lead you in His will.

The Lord himself goes before you and will be with you; he will never leave you nor forsake you. Do not be afraid; do not be discouraged.—Deuteronomy 31:8 NIV

(To read the next article in this series, click here.)

¹ Romans 8:28.

² Proverbs 3:5–6.

³ Billy Graham, “Don’t let your faith be overcome by your circumstances,” Gaston Gazette, October 12, 2012, https://www.gastongazette.com/article/20121012/Lifestyle/310129772

⁴ “How can we learn to trust God like the prophet Habakkuk (Habakkuk 3:17–19)?” https://www.gotquestions.org/Habakkuk-trust-God.html

Flesh or Spirit?

David Brandt Berg

1971-02-01

The most raging religious controversy the world has ever known has always been between the do-it-yourself religions and the God-alone-can-save-you kind. Man has always been trying to save himself with just a little help from God thrown in, so he doesn’t have to thank God too much but can give himself most of the credit, and do his own thing and go his own way.

The first murder was committed by a religionist of the do-it-yourself kind when Cain killed Abel—a man who was trusting God—the beginning of the persecution of the true religion by the false religion. Cain was religious, very religious, and he was trying very hard to save himself in his own way, even sacrificing to God and claiming to worship God, and doing his best to ask God to help him earn his own salvation. But his best wasn’t good enough.

His way was not God’s way. It was the way of all false religions. They are all dependent upon self-righteousness and their own way. Most of them claim to be worshiping God and seeking a little help from Him to make it, but working so hard to earn it that they figure they deserve it, with or without His help, and are quite offended if He doesn’t seem to appreciate their goodness. “Why, look at all I’ve done for You, God. You really ought to give me a medal. I really deserve to be saved. If You’re ever going to save anybody, You should save me. If anybody’s going to make it, I should certainly make it!”

On the other hand, Abel just did what God told him to do, “and offered unto God a more excellent sacrifice than Cain” (Hebrews 11:4), the sacrifice of pure faith in the Word of God—the blood sacrifice of a lamb typifying salvation only through the blood of Christ, showing that he was trusting God alone to do it and that only the righteousness of God could save him. He knew he had only God’s righteousness and none of his own, and it was purely a gift from God.

This made such a fool out of the hard-working Cain, the self-made man and devout religionist devoted to his own form of worship, and so totally exposed the futility of it all, that he was furious at this exposure of his sincere hypocrisy. It so blew his whole thing after all his hard work, the labors of the flesh, his legalistic reasoning, his demands for salvation for all he was doing and his insistence on earning his own way that he tried to wipe out the awful truth of the failure of his religion to save him by killing the man whose simple faith in God’s grace had exposed him (Genesis 4:1–8).

Thus began the battle royal between pride and humility, between the legalistic religionists and the saved sinners, the perpetual warfare that has been waged ever since between carnal Babylon and spiritual Jerusalem, the flesh and the Spirit, works and faith, law and grace, self and God.

This has resulted in some of the greatest misunderstandings and misinterpretations of the Scriptures that have ever existed. People have been trying to save themselves ever since, with as little thanks to God as possible and wresting the Scriptures to prove they could do it.

Since God can’t help you to save yourself, and you can’t save yourself, no matter how much you try to get His help, and you cannot serve two masters, yourself and God—you cannot serve God and mammon (Matthew 6:24)—the religionists wound up serving mammon alone without God, and were destroyed in the flood of His judgments. Noah and his family alone were saved by the grace of God in the Ark, a type of Christ, and the very waters which destroyed the working world delivered the trusting believers.

But still they didn’t learn. As the saying goes, “The only thing we ever learn from history is that we never learn from history.”^[1] They were soon at it again, this time building themselves a tower to try to get to heaven by their own works to make a name for themselves and get credit for their greatness. But that didn’t work either. It only resulted in Babel, or total confusion, and we’ve been suffering from this babbling of many voices ever since (Genesis 11:1–9).

Even Abraham tried to pull a few tricks to save himself and his posterity, until God had to show him it was all by faith and the miracle-working power of God, not his own flesh. And yet, his natural children of Jewish descent are still claiming to be saved by his natural fatherhood.

Moses tried it and fell flat on his face before God in the desert when he found he couldn’t make it on his own. The children of Israel tried it, and were defeated many times when they thought their own arm could save them.

Even Samson found he was a weakling without the power of God. And Saul and David and Solomon all found that they only made fools of themselves whenever they tried to go it on their own, whenever they failed to recognize that only God could save them, that it was all God and nothing else.

This was the biggest source of contention among the early Christians: whether you could just believe and be saved, or whether you had to keep the law too. The Jewish Christians just couldn’t help but believe that Jews were a little bit better than Gentiles, even among Christians. “Sure, we believe that Jesus is the Messiah,” they said, “but we still have to help Him save us by keeping the old Law.” This obnoxious mixture of works and grace so nauseated Paul that he bawled Peter out publicly for it (Galatians 2:11–21), and he spent most of his years fighting it in epistle after epistle.

For a few years as a young Christian, I too was deceived, and after years of insecurity and lack of assurance, discouragement, and defeat, I found all I had to do was believe to be saved, and that did it. “He that believeth on the Son hath everlasting life” (John 3:36). Right now!—No ifs, ands, or buts about it. No “providing you’re a good boy and go to church every Sunday,” none of this sinless perfection of the sanctimonious, self-righteous, holier-than-thou, so-called holiness saints.

I just hadn’t been able to make it, and I knew it. It seemed like the harder I tried to be good, the worse I got. “Oh, who shall deliver me from the body of this death? I thank God, through Jesus Christ our Lord” (Romans 7:24–25). And that’s all there is to that—nothing else, no other way, no righteousness of your own, none of your own good works. None of these can keep you saved any more than they can save you in the first place. Only Jesus can do it! He not only saves you, but He also does the works through you. It’s all Jesus; none of your own self-righteousness, just Jesus. And was I relieved, because I knew I could never make it otherwise. It had to be God. I just couldn’t do it.

I didn’t need any further doctrinal arguments to convince me, and I couldn’t figure out why Paul had to spend so much time harping on the issue with the Jews until I got to Israel and had this revelation from the Lord. Paul knew his Jews! Even we modern Jewish Christians have always had the feeling we had a slight edge on the rest of the Christians. God had just a little bit more preference for us—just a little more respect of persons in our case, that we were just a little more Christian than any other kind since we had our salvation from both directions. Even though it plainly says, “There’s neither Jew nor Greek in Christ Jesus” (Galatians 3:28), that we’re all one and all equal in Him, we Jewish Christians have always felt a little elite, for whom all other Christians should be very thankful and give due deference.

Even the fanatically Jewish apostle Paul seems to have had a hint of a hangover of this Jewish advantage kick in some places, but I guess we’ll have to forgive him for it. Just as we’ll have to forgive the rest of the Jewish Christians for their “Behold, I am a Jewish Christian” attitude, because there’s no difference, except they were the first to hear and believe, first in chronology, in time, not in preference or prestige.—Which is what is meant by, “To the Jew first” (Romans 1:16). Their advantage was purely chronological and geographical, not in any way spiritual.

For years I had been persuaded by the pro-Jewish Christian doctrinaires, like most of the rest of the church, that the Jews still had some kind of advantage over Christians—that God was still going to somehow bless them without Christ, and they would be somehow received by God without Christ. Humbug! “God is no respecter of persons” (Acts 10:34). He doesn’t love you or me any more than anybody else.

The trouble with too many Christians today is that they’re still living in the Old Testament and making of it a works religion. When our missionaries first went to Japan, the Japanese would ask them, “Are you Old Testament or New Testament Christians?” At first they didn’t understand what they meant, but they soon found out that an Old Testament Christian meant those whose major emphasis was on temples, cathedrals, ceremonies, formalism, and tradition, and particularly a religion of works. But a New Testament Christian meant one whose major emphasis was not on buildings and pomp and circumstance and the things which are seen, but rather on the simple life of everyday Christian living, like Jesus and His disciples, and the unseen things of the Spirit. What a comparison, and how true.

Too many religions and religionists are still living in the past, even a pagan past, in which they have inherited too many hangovers from the idolatry of heathenism with its love of buildings, temple worship, sanctimonious priesthood, elaborate trappings, complicated ceremonies, superstitious traditions, and a dictatorial stranglehold on the souls of men, making merchandise of them through their insistence on salvation by works—their kinds of works, their particular religion, the special corner on God that they claim to have.

Even God had a hard time getting the children of Israel out of the idolatry of Egypt and had to lead them through Moses, with the Law as their schoolteacher, by childish little illustrations and rituals, little material object lessons—the Tabernacle, the Ark, animal sacrifices, and the blood of beasts.—Types and shadows, mere pictures of the spiritual realities and eternal verities He was trying to lead them into, almost ridiculous little analogies, like flannelgraphs and motion songs designed to show spiritual truths to little children. He had to take what they understood, the things with which they were familiar in the religions of Egypt and other heathen nations around them, in a fatherly attempt to audio-visualize for them the genuine spiritual truths of the mature adult worship of God Himself. As the apostle says, these were all “figures of the true” (Hebrews 9:24), mere visual likenesses or illustrations of the real unseen things of the Spirit.

The types and shadows, pictures of the Old Testament, are a whole study in themselves. As Paul says, “For now we see through a glass darkly, but then shall I know even as also I am known.” “For when I was a child, I spake as a child, I understood as a child, I thought as a child: but when I became a man, I put away childish things” … “But when that which is perfect is come, then that which is in part shall be done away” (1 Corinthians 13:10–12).

Paul was saying that even the gifts of the Spirit of this enlightened era are almost like childish toys—gifts from a loving Father to His simple little children to help communicate understanding of Himself and His will. How much more, then, were the materialistic object lessons of the Temple worship of the Old Testament even more childish toys for even tinier children spiritually to help them understand the Father’s love.

But “God who at sundry times and in divers manners spake in time past unto the fathers by the prophets, hath in these last days spoken unto us by His Son” (Hebrews 1:1–2). And when Jesus came, He told the woman at the well of Samaria, “The hour cometh, when ye shall neither in this mountain, nor yet at Jerusalem, worship the Father, … but the hour cometh, and now is, when the true worshipers shall worship the Father in spirit and in truth: for the Father seeketh such to worship Him. God is a Spirit: and they that worship Him must worship Him in spirit and in truth” (John 4:21–24). And this is the spiritual stage in which we are now living in the Lord.

Paul goes even further than this in his prediction to the Corinthians, and says that the time is coming when we shall see Jesus face to face, and put away even these childlike gifts of communication in the Spirit. For “whether there be prophecies, they shall fail; whether there be tongues, they shall cease; whether there be knowledge, it shall vanish away. For we know in part, and we prophesy in part. But when that which is perfect is come, then that which is in part shall be done away” (1 Corinthians 13:8–10). Even what we have now is only a sample of glorious realities to come.

In the Old Testament were the illustrations; in the present New Testament time are the spiritual truths which we have now by faith alone (John 1:17). But when Jesus comes again, we shall see him as He is, and be literally like Him, face to face, actually experiencing the fullness of the realities of God and the world to come (1 John 3:2; Philippians 3:21). Hallelujah. Now you only have your salvation by faith and in the spirit; then, it will become a living, visible, tangible reality, including a new body and a new world—complete.

^[1] Friedrich Hegel, German philosopher, 1770–1831.

Learning About God’s Mercy

September 15, 2023

By Brant Hansen

Can you earn God’s love? Brant Hansen explores God’s grace and what it means to us as believers in Him. He shares what he learned after 30 that changed his view of God, ministry, and what truly matters.

Brant Hansen is a nationally syndicated radio host, does extensive work for CURE International, and is author of Unoffendable and Blessed Are the Misfits.

Run time for this video is 35 minutes.

https://youtu.be/giCMfv4UO84?si=T6yuM7fsU8DNDG1a

“Shtick!”

September 14, 2023

By David Brandt Berg

Audio length: 7:38

Download Audio (6.9MB)

1 Corinthians 7 tells us: “Let every man abide in the calling wherein he was called. … If one has been called to be a servant, seek not to be loosed; if you’re free, seek not to be bound” (1 Corinthians 7:20–21). One of the lessons we learn in life is to stick to a job or calling and endure the hardships that may come with it. As Paul said, “Endure hardness as a good soldier of Jesus Christ” (2 Timothy 2:3).

The people who accomplished something that the world has heard about persevered at their calling through thick and thin, even during those times when they were exhausted or frustrated and felt like giving up. Nobody particularly enjoys sticking to their job for 20, 30, or 40 years. I think everybody gets fed up with a job and bored with it sometimes, and maybe even sick of it. But if you don’t stick to it, you’ll never pull through that stage and accomplish all that the Lord has for you.

One of the saddest scriptures in the New Testament is “Demas hath forsaken me, having loved this present world” (2 Timothy 4:10). It’s a lesson I learned the hard way when I was young. I wanted to go into the army to get away from my mother and the Lord’s work. I’d never seen what the world was like, and I wanted to get out there and see it.

My time in the army cured me, especially when I was so sick and was three days unconscious with double pneumonia. If I hadn’t prayed for the mercy of God, I would have died! But I’ll tell you, I never tried to leave my ministry with my mother again until she finally retired.

I don’t think I ever quit a job for the Lord from that time on. Then after my mother retired, the Lord gave me that little church job out in Arizona, which was one of the toughest jobs I’ve ever had. But I stuck to the job until the Lord made it very clear I had to leave, whether I liked it or not.

Then the Lord gave me a job in Los Angeles driving a Christian school bus, and then both driving the school bus and teaching school. Though I had one of the toughest classes in the whole school, which five teachers had already quit, I stuck it out for three years. When I was practically weeping in the mirror one morning while shaving, saying, “Lord, I can’t stand any more, I can’t take it any longer, I just can’t!” the Lord said, “Endure hardness as a good soldier of Jesus Christ, that you may please Him who hath called you to be a soldier” (2 Timothy 2:3).

If it’s a job or calling that you know God has placed you in, where you have a good ministry and you’re helping souls or being a blessing and you know it’s the Lord, you should be very cautious of quitting it until God says, “You’re finished, it’s time to go.” It’s better to stick it out until you know God wants you to leave a job and you know He’s got something else He wants you to do.

My mother once asked Dr. Wiseman, who ran a mission in San Francisco that hardly ever had many people there, “How could you stay here so many years when you seem to be accomplishing so little?” He said, “Sister, it iss von ting yust to shtick!” Apparently, he felt called there to stick it out, and he just stuck. Of course, if God makes it plain to you that you should make a change or a move or this is not the place for you, you’ll want to follow God wherever He leads you.

But “it iss von ting yust to shtick!” The Lord often uses these situations to help you to learn lessons on faithfulness and how to “stick” to a job, no matter how boring or how tiresome or how fed up you get, or offended sometimes, or you feel like you’re unappreciated and all the rest. It’s one thing just to stick, at least until God tells you it’s time to go. I was often afraid that I would jump the gun and leave before God’s time, to the point that I usually waited until I got kicked out or I got fired or forced out, to make sure it was God’s will and time for me to go.

It’s one thing just to stick and be faithful in the job that God has given you, no matter what happens, if it’s of the Lord and you know it’s God’s will. Sometimes you may even doubt that, but you will want to make sure that it’s God’s will first before you take it upon yourself to make the decision to leave your job or place of service.

Sometimes I’d figure, “My time of working with my mother is up, and I think it’s about time I got out and learned to be an evangelist and make something of myself.” But I’d promised God that as long as my mother was serving the Lord and fruitful in her ministry, I would stick with her, and I did for 20 years!

There are so many stories in the Bible of people who went through many trials, but they stuck to their job. King David worked under such a difficult boss as Saul, but God told him to stick with Saul, and he did, until the Lord let him know it was time to go. It’s better to be sure that it’s God’s timing, and trust that He will let you know when it’s time for a change. Or if you’re not sure, just wait till you know for sure.

God help us to be faithful and just to stick! Praise You, Lord! Help us to have some stick-to-itiveness, Lord, some determination to endure during the tough times. Help us to know that it’s one thing just to stick to the task that You have given us, determined not to quit, but to keep going whether we succeed or fail. Help us to stay put in the job You’ve given us until You tell us it’s time to move on.

In Jesus’ name, we ask You to help us all to remember that it’s one thing just to stick to the job or calling You have given us and to be faithful. “Moreover, it is required in stewards that they be found faithful” (1 Corinthians 4:2). And the one thing that the Master said to the servants as they entered heaven was “Well done, good and faithful servant … enter into the joy of your Lord” (Matthew 25:21).

Help us to remember that the most important thing in our service and our lives for You, and the most important thing to You, is our faithfulness.

Originally published May 1978. Adapted and republished September 2023. Read by Reuben Ruchevsky.

Trusting Through the Silence

September 13, 2023

By William B. McGrath

Throughout our lives, it is almost a given that there will arise some critical situations. If you’re a Christian, you will instinctively want to tell the Lord all about it and try to leave those issues that you can’t do anything about with Him. It unburdens your heart when you can take it all to Him and then simply believe and trust in His faithfulness. Yet sometimes the wait can be long, and ever more contrary voices and contrary circumstances can arise during your wait. There have been times when it has seemed that God has just left me alone.

There are various accounts in the Bible of individuals who kept their faith despite such feelings, such silence, and contrary circumstance.

It has ever been and always will be the Father’s will that we trust only Him. God demands to be called the Almighty; He insists we place our confidence in Him. … He has made it clear in His dealings with men that all power is His, and He will not share His glory with any other: “Neither fear ye their fear, nor be afraid, [but] sanctify the Lord of hosts himself” (Isaiah 8:12–13). And not only in the midst of a marvelous display of His might. In the darkest hour, in the least likely circumstances, faith must run to the Father with praise for His greatness.—William Gurnall ¹

Reviewing accounts in the Bible helps me to strengthen my faith when I am in an extensive waiting period or surrounded by contrary voices or thoughts.

God was displeased with Zacharias when he voiced doubt concerning the decree of God’s angel. Zacharias had asked the angel how his wife could have a child, being so old herself, and he was struck dumb (Luke 1:18–20). We find other accounts in the Bible where it would seem that God purposely chose difficult circumstances in which to fulfill His plans and to prove His power to be well above human endeavor.

God could have chosen to bring the Children of Israel out of Egypt while Joseph had favor in the king’s court. Then their departure would have been without much difficulty.

Mary and Martha were both godly women, but when Jesus didn’t show up to heal their brother Lazarus until days after his death, they both voiced doubt. “Lord, if You had been here, my brother would not have died” (John 11:32); “Lord, by this time there is a stench, for he has been dead four days” (John 11:39). As with Martha and Mary, I know my faith can easily weaken when time passes and things seem to only grow worse. But the ideal is to go on trusting and to persist in holding strong faith, despite the circumstances.

His Word teaches us to “be strong in the faith” (Romans 4:20), and this same Word tells us to “look to Jesus, the founder and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross … so that you may not grow weary or fainthearted” (Hebrews 12:2–3). Faith gives me deep joy and deep trust.

In John 17 I read that Jesus’ will for me is to know His Father’s love. And I see clearly in the Bible that my heavenly Father keeps His promises. He is a covenant-keeping Father, who willingly shares abundantly with all His children. By humble repentance we are instantly received into God’s family, and we are given promises that His strength will be given to us, in order that we might complete our earthly pilgrimage. It doesn’t really matter if some of my earthly brothers and sisters have wonderful talents, and some, like myself, might seem to be without so many; we are all accepted of the Beloved (Ephesians 1:6), and it’s only through His grace that any of us can carry on. God has sworn His oath to us, that each one of us who flee to Him for refuge will have strong consolation (Hebrews 6:17–18).

So, I always try to remember that God expects me to hang on and continue to trust Him, though He may at times seem to be silent toward me or allow me to be faced with difficult circumstances.

There are other accounts in the Bible that encourage me along these lines. When the Canaanite woman came pleading to Jesus for mercy for her daughter who was “vexed with a devil,” we read that Jesus “answered her not a word.” But she persisted anyway, and then worshipped Him. Then, it would seem, Jesus discouraged her further, by telling her in so many words that she is an outsider. She takes another step of humility in the way she continues with her request. And then Jesus says: “‘O woman, great is thy faith: be it unto thee even as thou wilt.’ And her daughter was made whole from that very hour” (Matthew 15:21–28). The only other time Jesus commended someone for their great faith is when He commended the Roman centurion, who was also very much an outsider, but who likewise demonstrated humility (Matthew 8:5–13).

One last account I love to remember is that of Naaman, the captain of the Syrian army, a real outsider (2 Kings 5). Like Naaman, as a young man, after I had learned about God’s spiritual family with brothers and sisters, I wanted to see God do something “special” for me. But I’ve found that God always works on our behalf as we obey His will the best we can, and like Naaman and others, we are willing to do the humble thing; to persist in humble obedience, even through the long waits when God might seem to be silent, or when we are somehow buffeted with discouragement and/or disapproval. Like Naaman, I may have thought at one time that I could be some sort of special “trophy” for God’s family, but I know now that I was really always an outsider, seeking refuge and finding mercy in my Savior.

¹ The Christian in Complete Armour, Vol. 1, 1658.

A Life Well Lived, Today and for the Future

September 12, 2023

A compilation

Audio length: 10:22

Download Audio (9.5MB)

A key to enjoying abundant life is to truly “live in the now,” but also to be sure that you don’t neglect looking into the future now and again. Don’t live today thinking about what others will say about you. Live thinking about what YOU will say to them when you get older! …

I had a delightful conversation with a friend of mine this morning. He’s in a similar situation as I am with young children and is super busy with a budding career. He was sharing with me some of his struggles, which seem very much like mine.

As a business owner, husband, and father of four, I can appreciate the craziness of a season many are traveling through. During our conversation, I shared with my friend how I have come to appreciate the importance of living in the future, while still appreciating “the now”—something that recently dawned on me while I was reading an article by Michael Hyatt. …

This article stood out to me because Michael was looking back to a time in his life to which I can currently relate. … Michael shared the importance of time management, the importance of priorities and how balance is key. While Hyatt was looking back 25–30 years, to where I am now, I couldn’t help but look forward 25–30 years to where he is now and where I could be.

“What will I be saying when I’m Michael Hyatt’s age?” I thought to myself. …

I have found myself receiving consolation, comfort, wisdom, and guidance by having a forward-gazing perspective. I’m sure that you have heard of the practice of living life today as if it were your last day alive. Essentially, to live with no regrets and put your all-in-all in everything that you do. Or, maybe you’ve heard of people living their lives in a way that they design what people are going to say at their funeral.

What are people going to say at YOUR funeral? Sobering thought, isn’t it?

Personally, I don’t live today thinking about what others will say about me. I live thinking about what I will say to them when I get older!

What will I tell people about the experiences that I am living through right now 30 years from now?
What lessons will I pass along to them?
Will I share sage advice about how I didn’t just “survive,” but how I learned to THRIVE through the challenges of life?
Will I give tips about how I learned to honor God, in spite of the worldly temptations around me?

That’s how I am trying to live right now. I am trying to live not in the moment as much as I am now trying to live up to a standard I will uphold in the future as a wise old man. I am trying to learn from the mistakes before they happen. Trying to see others who have gone through this path, and I am trying to embrace this season, realizing it will change very soon. …

My hope and prayer are that we seek out God’s hand, seek out wisdom from His spirit, and push forward in a way that we can look back 20–30 years from now and be proud of how we lived.

Most importantly, I pray that we live in a way that God will look at us and say, “Well done, My good and faithful servant. You have been faithful with little, I will now entrust you with much.”—From Natural Living Family, a Bible Health Ministry¹

Whoever finds his life will lose it, and whoever loses his life for my sake will find it.—Matthew 10:39

Our family watches an artist on television paint his masterpieces. He begins with a blank canvas and builds the scene one color at a time. His painting looks like an unorganized collection of lines and hues as he works. But as time goes on, he adds the finishing details, and suddenly a beautiful landscape emerges. The artist creates with the end in mind, and each step of the process works together to accomplish the final picture.

In the same way, as God’s disciples, we are called to live with the end in mind, understanding our lives on earth are meant to advance God’s Kingdom.

As I read through Jesus’ words to His disciples in Matthew 10, I can’t help but wonder how they felt about their mission. Jesus’ instructions for the disciples were challenging and required great sacrifice (Matthew 10:9–10; Matthew 10:16–18). If the disciples focused only on their earthly circumstances, it would have seemed Jesus was setting them up for failure. Yet woven through Jesus’ warnings is the promise of an eternal future filled with great reward (Matthew 10:40–42). …

The original disciples set aside the desires of this world for the promise of the world to come. As disciples of Christ today, we are called to share the same eternal perspective:

Disciples understand that hardship and struggle offer an opportunity to demonstrate to those around them what it means to have faith in God’s power (Matthew 10:39).
Disciples recognize the importance of proclaiming God’s Truth wherever they are (Matthew 10:7).
Disciples trust God’s sovereignty and obey Him at any cost (Galatians 2:20). …

Living as a disciple in this world requires sacrifice. We may pass up career advancement to ensure we have time to serve God. We give generously to God’s work instead of ourselves. We may lose status and popularity as we stand firm on God’s Truth in today’s culture. As we loosen our grasp on the things of this world, we fix our eyes on eternity.

God is the Artist, and we are His instruments. Through our obedience, He uses our lives to build His Kingdom. One day, He will reveal His masterpiece to us in eternity, and we will marvel at its beauty.

Prayer: Heavenly Father, thank You for the promise of eternal life in heaven through Jesus’ death on the cross. Give me an eternal perspective, and help me see the places in my life where I am more focused on this world than Your Kingdom. I want to be a disciple who honors You with my life. In Jesus’ name, amen.—Trisha Hawk²

You have passed many of life’s most difficult tests. You survived and even thrived through the things that came your way. Sometimes, though, you wonder if you have spent your life as wisely as you could have, and wish you had more to show for yourself. But I don’t focus on your past. I look at what you can yet become, your present and future.

I want you to experience the fullness of My joy, but first you must let go of your regrets and sorrow over the past. Don’t fall into the trap of remorse, thinking that you failed or fell short and therefore don’t deserve to be happy and fulfilled now or ever. That is not true!

I can help you make things right and to make amends where needed. Then you can look forward to a fulfilling future, free of remorse and regrets.

I’ve seen everything that you have ever done for others, and I haven’t forgotten any of it. I am like a faithful accountant. Every kind word, every bit of love, and every unselfish deed is entered into My book. I also see every affliction, every hardship, every wrong you endure, and every trying of your faith. These are also recorded in My book.

In all of these things, you have been investing in eternity. You don’t realize how much you have invested or how much interest your investment is earning for you. In the day of accounting, when I tally the books and you see how much you have stored up in the next life, you just might be surprised at the rewards that await you!—Jesus

Published on Anchor September 2023. Read by Jerry Paladino. Music by Michael Dooley.

¹ https://naturallivingfamily.com/living-with-the-future-in-mind/

² https://app.first5.org/book/Matthew%202022/ff_matthew_2022_14

Pacing Yourself in Stressful Times

September 11, 2023

By Maria Fontaine

Audio length: 7:23

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In response to a letter I received from one of our dear Family members some time ago, I wrote the following, which I pray will be an encouragement to you as well if you find yourself in a similar situation today.

Dear one,

I’m sorry that this last year has been tough in many respects. I can certainly see why you’ve been feeling so spent and tired. It’s only natural, because of the challenges you have been facing.

You’ve certainly persevered through the challenges, and you have weathered the storms. You have kept a close connection with the Lord that has kept you through the tough patches. I admire that you keep looking to Him, seeking Him, hearing from Him, and going to His Word for your strength. No matter how rough things get, you are committed to doing your part, and you are trusting that the Lord will keep you.

It’s wonderful, too, that the Lord is teaching you that it’s okay sometimes to just stop, to rest in Him, because the pauses and times of rest are so important. Sometimes valuable victories are gained when you have the faith to stop, to let down your weights and burdens, and to take the time to be renewed in spirit.

It takes faith to do that when there’s so much to be done, when there are so many needs around you. But it’s absolutely essential to take that time with Him—stepping out of the wings and taking those life-saving hours in His presence, so that we can then have the physical and spiritual strength and energy to keep fighting the good fight of faith.

It can actually be a relief when we get to those points in our lives when we realize that we just can’t do it in our own strength, when we know deep in our hearts how much we need Jesus in order to live for Him and serve others. I know it doesn’t feel good when we get to those crisis points, but the end result can be good for us and our walk with the Lord. It’s such a relief when we let our weight down fully on Jesus and cast all our cares on Him and trust Him to work in situations according to His will and plan.

When you’re going through very challenging times in life, sometimes you just have to focus on surviving. Sometimes you have to put a priority on just making it through these times. At such times, it may actually be wise to do few things and do them well, without worrying or feeling like you’re failing the Lord or anyone else.

If you run yourself into the ground, that won’t do anyone any good. It can help to ask the Lord for a “survival plan” at such times. Ask Him what you should personally do to make it through.

Sometimes it’s wisdom to decline a request in order to protect yourself, to preserve your strength for the long term. That’s hard to do when you see all that needs to be done and people that need to be reached or helped around you, but there will always be more to do than you’ll ever get done. You can only do what you can do, and when there are too many “extras” on your plate, some of the “good” and “better” things end up being set aside.

None of this is new information, but we all need reminders from time to time of some of these principles. You may be able to keep up with a high-powered pace for a while, but then what? It’s better to keep going at a steady and consistent pace, with some measure of stability in your personal and spiritual life, than to burn yourself out. You have to pace yourself, be honest with yourself, and be willing to adjust your expectations, especially when you’re working through challenges, until things are more stable and settled.

Let the Lord carry the weight. Do what you can do, but then trust Him for the rest. He can heal your heart, body, and spirit, as you pace yourself and do your part to live as balanced a life as possible.

Coping with cycles of change

If you’re feeling a bit unsettled, or if you’re having a difficult time coping with a certain aspect of change that you’re facing in your life, here’s a message from the Lord about walking through the stages of change.

(Jesus:) Life has its cycles of change and growth. Although they become a part of your character development, your spiritual growth, and your practical knowledge, it still takes a steel will to face each cycle of change with an attitude of faith and to accept what that change is bringing into your life.

What makes change so challenging is that you naturally have a sense of comfort and safety in your current knowledge and acceptance of your circumstances, and sometimes even just the idea of venturing beyond what you know and are familiar with can place you in a somewhat vulnerable position. You don’t know what to expect. You realize that you’re going to have to develop new skills, which will take some effort on your part, and your current base of experience and understanding will likely need to be expanded beyond its present limitations.

However, there’s also an innate desire within the human mind and spirit to experience change. In fact, it’s a need; it’s part of the way I’ve created you. But even though it’s a basic element within each human being, that doesn’t necessarily make the position that change puts you in any easier.

You might find it helpful to look at change as part of your development, whether it’s thrust into your life unexpectedly or whether it’s a gradual change that is slowly integrated into your everyday life. When you are faced with the need for change, or when you are aware of potential changes on the horizon, it takes objectivity in your approach to them and a mental stalwartness to move onward, trusting that I will work every circumstance you face together for your good.

For all the uncertainty that change brings, it can also serve to define the immovable factors in your life—the pivotal one being Me and My love and care for you. No matter what changes around you, I never change. My love for you remains constant, no matter what the circumstances. My Word stands as a fortress wherein your confidence and faith can remain resolute.

Regardless of how you view a specific change, one thing must remain steadfast in your heart, mind, and spirit, and that is that I can bring good out of every situation in your life. Though the winds of change may bring with them uncertainty for a time, as you put your trust in Me, I will keep you steady and stable; I will bring you through.

Don’t be rattled by the prospect of change in your life. Although there may be some instability in the initial stages, trust that with My grace, you can adjust and that things will stabilize. Remember, changes are a part of the cycle of life.

By holding on to Me through periods of change, you’ll find the lasting stability you need, no matter what circumstances you face. I will be the anchor that keeps you safe despite what comes up over the horizon. I am always here for you, and I will never let you go. Hold tightly to Me, and remind yourself that I am with you through every cycle of your life.

Originally published in 2010. Adapted and republished September 2023. Read by Lenore Welsh.

01 A More Sure Word of Prophecy (2 Peter 1:19)

Book of the Future, Part 1b

Book of the Future

Compiled from the writings of David Brandt Berg

1983-03-28

All the way through the prophecies of Jeremiah, Daniel, Ezekiel, Isaiah, John, and Jesus, there are specific detailed descriptions of the last days on earth before Christ’s Second Coming. Has the Lord given us these signs for a reason? Does He want us to know about the soon coming of His kingdom? Does He want us to be prepared for it? Does He want us to have that knowledge and be able to teach others so? If He doesn’t, He’s sure wasting an awful lot of time throughout both the Old and New Testament telling us all the signs of His coming.

In fact, in one of the most descriptive endtime prophecy books of the Bible, the Lord told Daniel to close up the book and seal up the prophecy until the end: “But thou, O Daniel, shut up the words, and seal the book, even to the time of the end: many shall run to and fro, and knowledge shall be increased. For the words are closed up and sealed till the time of the end. And none of the wicked shall understand; but the wise shall understand” (Daniel 12:4, 9–10).

For almost 2,500 years the book of Daniel has been virtually a sealed book, and it’s only recently that men have begun to open the book, break the seals, and understand the prophecies and what Daniel was saying. Although they had the Bible for thousands of years, they still didn’t understand endtime Bible prophecy. But now we’re supposed to open the book, break the seals, and read it and understand it, because we live in the time of the end.

God’s Word says, “Blessed is he that readeth, and they that hear the words of this prophecy” (Revelation 1:3). It takes an effort; it’s work to try to understand Bible prophecy and to “study to show thyself approved unto God, rightly dividing the word of truth” (2 Timothy 2:15). But you’ll find that “the entrance of Thy words giveth light” and wisdom and understanding (Psalm 119:130). When we delve into God’s Word, we “bring forth treasures, both new and old” (Matthew 13:52). You’ll discover how wonderfully the Lord can weave His Word together like a beautiful tapestry, filling in the whole picture to give you His vision of His plans. “For where there is no vision, the people perish” (Proverbs 29:18).

Of course, some Bible professors and students are going to say, “Jesus told His disciples that ‘no man knoweth the day or the hour when the Son of Man cometh, not even the angels in heaven.’ And ‘it’s not for you to know the times or the seasons’” (Matthew 24:36; Acts 1:7). When all the dramatic, climactic, final events of world history begin to unfold, let me tell you, you’re going to need to know. You are going to want to know and you are going to know, because God promised it in His Word.

If the Lord did not intend for us to know the times and the seasons, then why did He give us Matthew 24, Mark 13, Luke 21, John 14, Acts 1, 1 Thessalonians 4 and 5, 2 Thessalonians 2, 1 Timothy 4, 2 Timothy 3, 2 Peter 1 and 3, and the whole book of Revelation, as well as multitudes of prophecies in the Old Testament, including many in the historical books, as well as the poetical books, and 17 books of the prophets with prophecies and specific predictions of the future. If God didn’t want His children to know anything specific about the future, then He wasted half the Bible talking about it, and we ought to throw that half away.

But He does want us to know, and throughout the Bible He continues to give us multitudes of literal, specific predictions of the future and what its times and seasons will be like. In fact, the Lord makes it extremely explicit many times in many places regarding the exact number of years and months, and even days, during the crucial last seven years of the endtime.

In Matthew chapter 24 and Luke chapter 21, Jesus Himself gives one of the most descriptive and specific of all resumes of future endtime events of any prophet in the Bible. After giving a long list of predictions and coming signs of the times, He tells us, “When you see these things or these signs come to pass, look up, for your redemption draweth nigh.” “The generation that sees these things come to pass is not going to pass away till all these things are fulfilled” (Luke 21:28; Matthew 24:34). So obviously He wants us to “see” and “look” at the signs of His coming being fulfilled before He returns so that we can “discern the signs of the times” (Matthew 16:3).

“For as the days of Noah were, so shall also the coming of the Son of Man be. For as in the days that were before the Flood they were eating and drinking, marrying and giving in marriage”—going on, business as usual—“until the day that Noah entered into the ark, and they knew not until the Flood came and swept them all away; so shall also the coming of the Son of Man be” (Matthew 24:37–39). Who knew not? The wicked. Who knew? Noah! He knew what was going to happen; he was expecting it.

“For unto you it is given to know the mysteries of the kingdom of God, but to others it is not given, because they seeing, see not; and hearing they hear not, neither do they understand. But blessed are your eyes, for they see: and your ears, for they hear. For verily I say unto you, many prophets and righteous men have desired to see those things which ye see, and have not seen them; and to hear those things which ye hear, and have not heard them” (Matthew 13:11–17).

“For ye, brethren,” the apostle Paul tells us, “are not in darkness, that that day (of Christ’s Second Coming) should overtake you as a thief.” In other words, it shouldn’t take you by surprise. “Ye are all the children of light, the children of the day: we are not of the night, nor of darkness.” We’re not in the dark on this question. We know Jesus is coming, and from His Word we know how He’s going to come. The Bible tells us plainly! (1 Thessalonians 5:1–5).

“Therefore let us not sleep, as do others; but let us watch and be sober.” He says, “You’re not children of the night. You’re not supposed to be sleepy and asleep when it happens. You’re the children of the day, children of light. You’re supposed to be wide awake and have the light on these things” (1 Thessalonians 5:6).

You’re supposed to know what’s happening and when it’s going to happen. God’s children are not supposed to be in the dark about all these Bible prophecies. If you know His Word, you won’t be surprised when you hear about the rise of a new powerful world leader and one-world government, the new credit-only computerized economic system and the dramatic ending of man’s governments on earth with the Second Coming of Jesus Christ.

To be foretold is to be forewarned. We who know His Word and His prophecies and promises for the future will never be surprised with a “mighty widening of the eyes” like those who have not discerned the signs of the times. We will be prepared.

We don’t have to be in doubt and confusion and in darkness, wondering what’s going on like the rest of the world, “men’s hearts failing them for fear, for looking after those things which are coming on the earth” (Luke 21:26). We can know exactly what’s going to happen, exactly the way things are going to go. We may not like it and it may look pretty bad, but we know the happy ending, and all is well that ends well.

Thank God we have the preparation that prepares us for anything that’s going to happen, and that’s salvation, knowing Jesus and knowing that we’re saved. Then no matter what happens, even sudden death is sudden glory! No matter what anyone does to you, even if they kill you, “after they’ve killed the body, they have no more that they can do” (Luke 12:4–5), because God will take you into His spirit world with Him until we return to rule and reign here on this earth with Jesus.

Are you prepared? Have you personally received Jesus into your heart? I hope you’ve accepted Him. I hope you’ve received Him so that you can look forward to these marvelous future events not with fear and trembling, but with hope and faith and assurance that God’s going to see you through, He’s going to save you and rescue you out of it all and take you to be with Him, to live with Him forever.

You don’t have to know the future and all the marvelous details of endtime prophecy. These events will happen whether you know them or not. But it’s a good thing to know and to understand these things so that you’ll be able to know what’s going on and what’s happening, as well as be able to teach and warn others. The main thing you need to know is summed up in one verse, John 3:16: “For God so loved the world, that He gave His only begotten Son (Jesus), that whosoever believeth in Him should not perish, but have everlasting life.”

So receive salvation now; then you’ll be ready for the revelation of the future. Otherwise, knowing the future wouldn’t make much difference to you, because your future will be all bad news. You probably won’t even want to hear about what’s going to happen if you’re not saved. But if you are saved, then God has got some marvelous, wonderful, encouraging, thrilling revelations of the future in store for you.

Knowing Him and His Word, that’s what’s going to carry you through. The vision of what’s coming will give you the faith to believe God and the courage to launch out and march victoriously through the plagues of this world, through Great Tribulation, and right on through to the coming of Jesus Christ and our loving reign with Him forever.

01 A More Sure Word of Prophecy (2 Peter 1:19)

Book of the Future, Part 1a

Book of the Future

Compiled from the writings of David Brandt Berg

1983-03-28

So many people today are worried about the future, wondering what’s going to happen. Most of today’s youth seem to almost instinctively realize that they are living on borrowed time. After all, we are the first generation that has had to live with the knowledge that we could completely destroy ourselves. People want to know what to do about it, or if there is any way to avoid it or prepare for it, to survive it.

Psychologists tell us that uncertainty and the fear of the unknown is the worst fear of all—not knowing what’s going to happen. It’s sad that so few people realize that they can know the future, that they can know what’s going to happen—accurately and in detail. Even the exact number of years, months, and days of parts of it.

How could this be? By what means can mortal man possibly transcend the bounds of time and peer into the future? By tuning in to God and His wonderful Word, the Bible. For He alone is the great “I AM,” who dwells in the eternal now where there is no past nor future and “time shall be no more” (Revelation 10:6). It all looks the same to God, and He can easily reveal to His prophets and seers the mysteries of the future. “For surely the Lord God will do nothing, but He revealeth His secret unto His servants the prophets” (Amos 3:7).

“For thus saith the high and lofty One that inhabiteth eternity, whose name is Holy: Behold, the former things are come to pass, and new things do I declare: before they spring forth I tell you of them. For I am the Lord: I will speak, and the word that I shall speak shall come to pass; for I say the word, and will perform it, saith the Lord God” (Isaiah 57:15; 42:9; Ezekiel 12:25).

“Seek ye out of the book of the Lord, and read: no one of these shall fail, none shall want her mate: for My mouth it hath commanded them” (Isaiah 34:16). The mate of every prophecy is its fulfillment. God’s Word finds its mate in fulfilled Bible prophecy, and the ones which have already occurred and been fulfilled, foretold hundreds of years in advance, have been fulfilled. Every prophecy the Bible has uttered has been fulfilled except the ones that are yet to come, and they’ll be fulfilled just as surely as the ones that have been fulfilled in the past.

It’s a marvelous, thrilling study to deal with fulfilled prophecies, and it encourages your faith to know that those regarding the future will be fulfilled just as accurately and just as perfectly and just as surely as every prophecy of the past. But we are particularly interested in those which are yet to be fulfilled.

You’ll find that God’s Word is specific and clear. Its prophecies tell you exactly who and where and even when. So if you’ve been wondering, “Where did we come from? Where are we going? What’s happening?” this wonderful book, the Bible, tells you all about it, exactly what’s going to happen. You don’t have to worry about it; you don’t have to fear. You don’t have to guess at it. It’s all here just as plain as can be.

“For that that is determined shall be done” (Daniel 11:36). What God has determined and prophesied, He’s going to do. Whatever God has said He’s going to do, He is going to do. Not one shall lack her mate. Not one prophecy shall be without fulfillment; every single one shall be fulfilled.

“We have also a more sure word of prophecy; whereunto ye do well that ye take heed, as unto a light that shineth in a dark place, until the day dawn, and the day star arise in your hearts: Knowing this first, that no prophecy of the scripture is of any private interpretation. For the prophecy came not in old time by the will of man: but holy men of God spake as they were moved by the Holy Ghost” (2 Peter 1:19–21).

“And now I have told you before it come to pass, that, when it is come to pass, ye might believe. Heaven and earth shall pass away, but My words shall not pass away” (John 14:29; Matthew 24:35).

“Pearls of great price” (Matthew 13:45–46)

God has warned us time and again almost since the beginning of man, and certainly throughout the Bible, that there’s coming an end to things as far as man’s rule on this earth is concerned, and that his governments are going to eventually end so that God can set up His heavenly kingdom of peace on earth.

God has given man thousands of years to try to solve his own problems and run the world and bring peace and happiness, and he has brought nothing but war and misery. God has given man his chance and he has done nothing but make a mess of the world. And now, finally, man is able to destroy it. And if God did not step in and intervene in this last hour of history, man could completely destroy it and totally annihilate himself.

If God didn’t step in, mankind could commit suicide. We could either blow ourselves up with the bomb or we could gradually kill ourselves with famine. Let’s face it, man is destroying himself. He’s killing himself with his pollution and with his destructive nature, and if God doesn’t intervene and stop it, man would eventually wipe himself off the map! This is why Jesus prophesied of the last days: “Except those days be shortened, there should no flesh be saved” (Matthew 24:22).

The Bible predicts that in the last days of man-made regimes on earth, a totally godless, anti-Christ world government will arise, led by a Devil-possessed dictator, Satan incarnate, who will bring a temporary false peace on earth and a counterfeit utopia. Its price will be enforced worship of him as the imitation Messiah. All of his subjects will be branded with a credit number in order to buy or sell or obtain food or employment, and all those who refuse to cooperate will be hunted, persecuted, and slaughtered by his commandment. This will be a time of Great Tribulation.

This anti-Christ government of anti-Christ forces under the leadership of the Antichrist himself, this superhuman world dictator of man’s last one-world godless government, will then set up its headquarters in Jerusalem, his capital, and unite all peoples of the world into a one-world worship of this demon-demagogue and his magical image which can speak.

These startling events will immediately precede the Second Coming of Jesus Christ, which is the major endtime event, the grand climax, as the Lord Himself returns and wipes out the Antichrist and his followers and sets up the last and most lasting and only perfect government the world has ever known, and “the meek shall inherit the earth” (Psalm 37:11).

Most Christians seem to have rightly gathered from reading their Bibles and hearing various preachers that in the last days, times are going to wax worse and worse, and not get better. A lot of them believe that the end is going to be a time of very bad trouble and tribulation. And, of course, all real Bible-believing Christians believe that Jesus is coming again. They have also gathered the fundamental idea that there’s going to be a heavenly time on earth at some time or other. But a lot of them have it pretty mixed up and they don’t know how, where, or when these events will take place.

They’ve got the knowledge of these events and these priceless truths like a handful of pearls, but they don’t realize exactly how they ought to be strung, in what order and in what sequence, to make them a beautiful string of pearls in proper order to, you might say, wear around their neck of knowledge. They don’t realize the chronological sequence, which is necessary to understand what’s going to happen, how it’s going to happen, when it’s going to happen, etc.

True, the Bible admonishes us not to fret for tomorrow, which means we’re not to worry about tomorrow, but the Lord sure has had a lot to say about tomorrow, so He certainly must want us to be informed about tomorrow! That’s the whole point of prophecy: to let you know what’s going to happen so you won’t worry about it. You’ll know what’s going to happen.

To be forewarned is to be forearmed. To understand what’s going to occur is to be prepared to face it and take it as it comes and hopefully survive it.—At least certainly to understand what you’re going through and to know what’s happening. You may not understand it all in advance; you may not know everything that’s going to happen. But we can know enough from God’s Word that we can know the major events and their characteristics, the major characters in these events, and in some cases when they’re going to happen, the exact time periods predicted in the Bible, so that when the time comes you’ll know exactly when certain events are going to take place, because God has already said so in His Word, plain as day.

It’s wonderful to be able to read a newspaper that tells you what’s going to happen—not just what’s already happened. Anybody can tell you what’s already happened, but the Bible tells you what’s going to happen. Newspapers are not really newspapers; they’re history papers. They tell you what’s already happened—past news. But God has given us a lot of later news about today, the time in which we’re living right now, and what’s going to happen next. So the Bible is not just a history book, it’s a news book. It not only tells you about yesterday, it also tells you about tomorrow. (to be continued)

Experiencing God’s Healing Hand

September 8, 2023

By Duane Miller

Overcome by a seemingly permanent, debilitating injury to his vocal cords, Duane Miller was forced to give up the life he loved as a pastor and teacher. Then, with breakthrough technology, he was able to begin teaching Sunday school again. But each short session was a grueling ordeal of shouting into a microphone placed on his lips. That was until God miraculously healed him while teaching one Sunday morning … a miracle caught on tape!

Run time for this video is 32 minutes.

(20) Experiencing God’s Healing Hand – Duane Miller – YouTube

Blessings and Rewards of Marriage

September 7, 2023

Words from Jesus

Audio length: 11:35

Download Audio (10.6MB)

A marriage that is grounded in faith magnifies Me in the lives of the people involved and their children. The combining of two hearts as one can be a powerful force for good. The spirit of the world attempts to tear down traditional family, stating that independence means strength and power, when the opposite is true. Humility, teamworking, loving another as yourself, committing yourself to another person and to your children are building blocks to a strong bond which helps you to face the problems of life.

The blessings of marriage will increase as you seek to manifest the fruits of My Spirit—love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith, meekness, and temperance. When you receive Me and My Spirit dwells in you, you receive a measure of these attributes. But the more you abide in Me and draw close to Me, the more these qualities manifest themselves in your life, and with time, they grow and come to full fruition.

As you love each other and love Me with all your heart, soul, and mind, your marriage will grow and blossom. As you commit your marriage to Me, the potential for it to bear fruit is present, but it is still up to you to tenderly care for and nurture your marriage so that it may grow strong.

Marriage will teach you humility. When you are married, you face your spouse every day and night, and you must constantly strive to manifest your love and My love to them, in the good times and the bad, when you feel like it and when you don’t. Your husband or wife sees you as you really are—both the strengths and the faults and failings that others may not see because they are not so close to you. Married life is a daily lesson in love and humility and a constant learning experience.

Marriage can also teach you to be unselfish. Today’s world promotes self over others, and it’s the natural tendency of people to be self-centered and look out for themselves. Through marriage, you learn to think and act unselfishly.

Marriage can help you to learn to serve and care for others, as you grow in your understanding of what it means to lay down your life for your spouse and children daily. You learn lessons of love, unselfishness, concern, and sacrifice that are also invaluable in ministering to your brethren and to the lost.

As you experience the trials and triumphs, the sacrifices and joys of marriage and raising children, you will find that you are able to relate to people in deeper ways.

Building a fruitful marriage

When you begin your married life, there are certain things you can do and principles you can keep in mind to create a solid foundation for your union in the years to come. If you start off with the right expectations and foundation, you will grow stronger in your loving relationship, more secure in your love for each other.

It’s a mistake to model your expectations for a fruitful marriage after movies, which tend to romanticize marriage in an unrealistic way. If you expect your wife or husband to always be ravished by your presence and ready to romance you with words of passion, then your expectations are not realistic. It is not wise to set your standard for married life according to the movie industry, novels, or soap operas, or to feel that if your husband or wife doesn’t live up to some standard that you have in your mind, they or your marriage are failing.

Even a young marriage that has romance and passion where the partners are deeply in love will eventually experience human failure, weaknesses, and mistakes. To build a strong foundation for your marriage, you need to be willing to accept this as part of life and not be discouraged because the spouse you once thought was practically perfect starts showing signs of being imperfect. It’s important to accept that your loved one is not perfect and never will be perfect.

It is not realistic to expect that your husband or wife will never make mistakes, or get upset, or have trials, or be hard to understand, or do things you don’t like or that even hurt you sometimes, because these things will happen. This is when you must remember that “love covers a multitude of sins” (1 Peter 4:8). At such times, you need to determine to fight for your marriage and for unity, to forgive your spouse, and to come to Me in prayer for the grace, strength, and help you need.

Place Me at the center

The most important factor in any marriage is your relationship with Me. Couples should start their relationship realizing that I must be in the center from the beginning, as well as throughout their years together. A marriage is happiest when both people start with the premise that they belong to Me first and foremost.

I have bought and paid for your life with My own life, and I desire your love to be set upon Me above all. Although I have blessed you with a relationship and marriage, in essence you still belong to Me and it is My will that should be supreme in your lives.

I set people in marriages to help each other to do My will, to uphold, to support, to complement each other, and to help each other to be fruitful in My service. You join together as one because of your love for one another, which is a gift from My hand, in order to be a more fruitful team for Me.

In order to keep Me first in your lives, take the time to pray together, to hear from Me together, to read and study and absorb My Word together. Determine to keep Me at the center of your lives, bring your questions and problems to Me in prayer, seek answers in My Word, and receive My personal direction for you.

You are one, and I call you to come to Me, seek Me, read My Word together, commune with Me, and fellowship with Me. Determine to make Me a central part of your everyday lives.

It may seem such a simple principle—that of keeping Me in the center of your marriage—but a strong marriage that will stand the tests of time depends on this. For you belong to Me, and your marriage is in My hands. As you look to Me, acknowledge Me, and keep Me in first place, I will anoint and bless and strengthen your marriage.

Rejoicing in My will

My will for other people may not be My will for you. Each person is different and has a unique calling and purpose. Your life is in My hands, and if you don’t have someone to call your husband or wife right now, that does not mean that I love you any less. I love you, and I am with you, whether you are married or single.

Married people sometimes yearn for the days when they had more time to themselves and more freedom, while single people may ache for companionship and someone to share their lives with. The secret is to learn to be content whatever your circumstances and in any and every situation. (See Philippians 4:11–12.) I have ordained your life, whether you are married or single, and as you thank Me for even the seeming “stones” of your life, you will find them transforming into the “bread” they have been all along.

When you’re in My will, you can abide in My peace and joy. Seek My will above all and abide in Me, placing Me at the center of your life, whether you are single or married. I love you, and I will never leave you nor forsake you. I am always there for you, and I have promised to give you the desires of your heart as you love Me and delight yourself in Me. (See Psalm 37:4.)

Originally published April 1998. Adapted and republished September 2023. Read by John Laurence. Music by Michael Fogarty.

How God Gave Me a Home

September 6, 2023

By Neil Weiss

The personal testimony of Neil Weiss, who went from a Jewish upbringing to homelessness to finding Jesus at The Father’s Heart, a homeless shelter.

“I didn’t have that aha moment, those angels in the background, the trumpets. It was just that it started to make sense to me. I saw Jesus in the people at The Father’s Heart—not fire and brimstone, but the Word of God as love, as hope. I saw care and compassion. And so I started to follow Jesus. It just made sense, and I started to understand what it means to have a personal relationship with him.”

(Read and/or watch a short video of Neil’s testimony here.)

Setting Our Affections on Things Above

September 5, 2023

A compilation

Audio length: 14:09

Download Audio (12.9MB)

If then you have been raised with Christ, seek the things that are above, where Christ is, seated at the right hand of God. Set your minds on things that are above, not on things that are on earth. For you have died, and your life is hidden with Christ in God.—Colossians 3:1–3

What has been, and is now, one of the strongest feelings in the human heart? Is it not to find some better place, some lovelier spot, than we have now? It is for this that men are seeking everywhere; and they can have it if they will; but instead of looking down, they must look up to find it. As men grow in knowledge, they vie with each other more and more in making their homes attractive, but the brightest home on earth is but an empty barn, compared with the mansions in the skies.

What is it that we look for at the decline and close of life? Is it not some sheltered place, some quiet spot, where, if we cannot have constant rest, we may at least have a foretaste of the rest that is to be? What was it that led Columbus, not knowing what would be his fate, across the unsailed western seas, if it were not the hope of finding a better country?

This it was that sustained the hearts of the Pilgrim Fathers, driven from their native land by persecution, as they faced an iron-bound, savage coast, with an unexplored territory beyond. They were cheered and upheld by the hope of reaching a free and fruitful country, where they could be at rest and worship God in peace. Somewhat similar is the Christian’s hope of heaven, only it is not an undiscovered country, and in attractions cannot be compared with anything we know on earth. …

It is said by travelers that in climbing the Alps the houses of far distant villages can be seen with great distinctness, so that sometimes the number of panes of glass in a church window can be counted. The distance looks so short that the place to which the traveler is journeying appears almost at hand, but after hours and hours of climbing, it seems no nearer yet. This is because of the clearness of the atmosphere. By perseverance, however, the place is reached at last, and the tired traveler finds rest.

So sometimes we dwell in high altitudes of grace; heaven seems very near, and the hills of Beulah are in full view. At other times the clouds and fogs caused by suffering and sin cut off our sight. We are just as near heaven in the one case as we are in the other. …

When a man is going up in a balloon, he takes in sand as ballast, and when he wants to mount a little higher, he throws out some of it, and then he will mount a little higher … and the more he throws out, the higher he gets, and so the more we throw out of the things of this world, the nearer we get to God. Let go of them; let us not set our hearts and affections on them, but do what the Master tells us—lay up for ourselves treasures in heaven.—Dwight L. Moody¹

What are the things above?

In Colossians 3:2, the words “set your affection on things above” means to place your mind and thoughts on them, to show favor towards them, and to be affectionately desirous of them. For example, because I have affection toward my family, my thoughts are occupied with them as well.

What kind of things consume your thoughts? If you deeply ponder the answer, you’ll know where your real affections lie. … It’s a good thing to love our family and friends, but beyond our loved ones, what consumes our minds most of the time?

Today, the world has many things that consume their minds: Money, Electronics, Food, Entertainment, TV Programs, Travel, Clothing, … Sports and more.

None of these earthly things will we get to take with us to Heaven. We are certainly to enjoy the life that God’s granted us here on earth, but without setting our affections on things above, our mind, thoughts and actions will only be on the temporary things. Setting our affections on the “here and now” of what we can get out of life will profit us NOTHING in our future in Heaven.

What are the things above?

Our Heavenly Father; our Savior, Jesus Christ
Our eternal home
Our Christian loved ones who have passed on before us
A place of no pain, suffering, sorrow, nor tears
A place of rest and peace
A place without sin and evil

When we start to set our affections on things above, the “here and now” hardships aren’t so dreadful … the “here and now” becomes more “temporary” in our minds. The suffering, the sorrow, the pain, the tears … they’re temporary.

Our goals are no longer to work more for here on earth, but to please our Heavenly Father above. Your affection as a child of God should be on things above … things eternal.—Rhonda White²

Rising above

Some days can feel like a struggle. We get weary in the battles, stuck in tough places, or feel pressure in the heat of hard times. And though it’s true, we can never fully escape all the mess this world may bring our way because we live in a fallen place, we can choose to rise above. And right in the midst of whatever we face, we can remain steadfast, strong, and faithful. Not because we are strong in ourselves, but because He is strong, and as believers, God’s Spirit lives powerfully within us.

Being able to rise above the fear, temptations, and hard places of this life is wrapped around the truth of who we are in Christ. We are redeemed. We are set free. We are being renewed day by day. We are His workmanship in Christ Jesus. We are a new creation. …

In the book of Colossians, Paul reminds us that we have everything we need when we have Christ. He is all-sufficient, He is the head over all, He is supreme, He is greater than any other power or authority. Because of this, as Christ followers, we have His Spirit within us to equip and empower us to walk in freedom and light.

The Greek word used for “set” in this verse means “to seek after, strive for, be intent on.” It tells us this must be a way we choose to live, not something that just occurs one time and we can forget about it. It’s a way of living that allows us to be set free from the things of this world that would seek to hold us back and keep us down.

To “set your minds on things above” is to: Look at life from God’s perspective. And to seek after what He desires. …

The number one way to begin to see things from God’s perspective is to come before Him daily, or many times through each day, learning to walk with Him and recognize His power and presence in our lives. God loves us more than we could ever fully know. He longs to help us and is always there. His words of life remind us that He is our strong tower. He promises to draw near to those who are seeking Him and is faithful to see us through the struggles of this world. …

God never asks us to figure it all out on our own or to live in our own strength. He just asks us to trust Him, to recognize His leadership and sovereignty in our lives, and to set our minds and attention on Him. And He promises to fill our lives with the power of His Spirit, to go before us, and to make our footsteps firm. …

His Truth reminds us that He’s with us, always. Our “with us” God will never leave us or turn away. He holds us through the fiercest struggles and brings peace to uncertain times.—Debbie McDaniel³

Keeping the heavenly vision

In His Word, the Lord tells us that if we’ll look ahead more, if we’ll step back and see the big picture more, if we’ll keep our eyes on heaven more, we’ll have an easier time with the difficulties of today. It’s about perspective. If you’re only looking at what’s happening around you right now, things can seem pretty rough. That’s true for everyone.

Paul said something that we’d do well to take note of: “If in this life only we have hope in Christ, we are of all men most miserable” (1 Corinthians 15:19). In other words, we have to look beyond what we’re going through today to the long term: the rewards, the eternal joy, the surcease from life’s battles. We have to look to the time when we will be with the Lord forever, and that will give us the strength to keep going. All of that is part of keeping the heavenly vision.

We have so much to look forward to, and if we stay focused on that, the little day-to-day bumps in the road will be easier to bear.—Maria Fontaine

Keeping the heavenly vision means stepping back from the small, day-to-day tasks and to-dos and remembering the big picture of why you’re on earth. It’s remembering that you are on earth for a very short time, and that soon you will come to the place where all the struggles, difficulties, and problems won’t matter anymore, and only the eternal and lasting things will come with you.

Don’t lose the heavenly vision by becoming too wrapped up in the cares and trials of earth. Your present existence is such a fleeting thing; your life is but a vapor. Soon, so many of the things that seem so difficult for you are going to be wiped away, and in their place you will receive a crown of life and everlasting rewards for having kept the faith.

In the next life, you’re truly going to be glad that you lived for Me. You’re going to shine as the stars if you’ve been wise and turned many to righteousness (Daniel 12:3). You’re going to be eternally glad for all the times that you laid down your own will so that My will could be done. You’re going to someday count the things of this earth as dung compared to the eternal riches of heaven (Philippians 3:8).—Jesus

Published on Anchor September 2023. Read by Gabriel Garcia Valdivieso. Music by John Listen.

¹ Dwight L. Moody, Heaven (first published 1887).

² https://herchristianhome.com/what-is-really-means-to-set-your-affection-on-things-above.

³ https://www.ibelieve.com/faith/how-to-set-your-mind-on-things-above-6-ways-to-let-go-of-earthly-things.html.

Greatness Through Obedience

September 4, 2023

By Maria Fontaine

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God calls each of us to fulfill the purpose He has created us for during our time here on earth. I want to share with you a beautiful example of how Jesus can work through a person who is willing to let Him reveal what He knows is best. This testimony has a powerful message. It brings up an example of the kind of open, interactive relationship that enables us to accomplish God’s “maximum.” It’s an example of how, in spite of our own humanity and struggles, we have to be willing to say, as Jesus did to His Father: “Nevertheless, not My will but Thine be done.”

* * *

Dr. T. E. Koshy

I had great plans to become a high-powered lawyer and reach the educated elite of my country, India, for Christ or to become a foreign correspondent and travel the world, covering the great events shaping our times.

My destiny was not—I was convinced—on the dusty, dirty, poverty-stricken streets of India. It was in receiving a world-class education and walking the halls of power in the world’s most important capitals. …

But my mentor, Brother Bakht Singh, frequently challenged me. “The only thing God is building in this world is his church,” he would say. “Why write about history when you can make it? Why spend your life reporting about the lives of the rich and famous when you can invest your life helping the humble and the needy meet the God who loves them and gave himself for them?” Such were the questions that seemed to ring in my ears.

It took me many years to understand how I was supposed to apply the lessons I was learning from Bakht Singh to the unique plan and purpose God had for my life. For one thing, when it came to being a practicing lawyer or journalist, God made it clear to me his answer was “No.” He wanted me to go to Bible college in England and prepare for the ministry. I struggled with that, but eventually I went in obedience.

While in England, some people connected with InterVarsity Christian Fellowship who knew I’d been discipled by Brother Bakht Singh invited me to embark on a speaking tour through all the major universities of England, including Oxford and Cambridge. I couldn’t believe it.

I arrived at Oxford University to speak to a group of doctoral candidates, most of whom were not Christians. I was assigned a subject to speak on, specifically, the uniqueness of Christ and the futility of philosophy. I brushed up on my reading of all the great philosophers such as Socrates, Aristotle, and Plato. I gathered quotations from all these important people and prepared a twelve-page lecture to present the next day.

At midnight, I was on my knees praying, asking the Lord to bless my presentation. After all, I had seen Brother Bakht Singh pray about everything—absolutely everything—and I was seeking to follow his example. But something happened I didn’t expect—and didn’t like.

The Lord said to me very clearly, “Throw that lecture in the dustbin.”

“What? Lord, what do you mean by that?” I asked, stunned. “Then what shall I speak about?”

“Tell them about your personal experience with me,” the Lord said.

“Lord,” I argued, “I came to know you at ten years old. I was not a murderer. I was not a drug addict. I don’t have exciting stories to tell these people. Lord, don’t you know? These are not Sunday school kids. They are brilliant. This is Oxford University.”

But the Lord said to me, “Listen, who knows better, you or me? If you know better than I do, why are you asking me to bless this lecture that you’ve written? If you want me to bless your talk, then tell them your experiences with me.”

“Lord, you are giving me a very hard task,” I said glumly.

I must confess, that night I had a real hard time with the Lord. Here I was on a speaking tour for him, but I didn’t want to do God’s work God’s way. All night, I wrestled with what God was asking of me, my pride battling against my faith.

The next day I arrived at the lecture hall, and the chairman introduced me—very formally, as they do in England—explaining the subject I was assigned to speak on. Imagine, then, his surprise when I stood and said, a bit sheepishly, “Yes, I was going to speak on that subject. In fact, I prepared this lecture …” I held it up because I wanted them to know I could do better than what I was about to do—my ego at work. “But I’m not going to deliver it.”

A hush settled over the crowd. My stomach was tied up in knots.

“As I was praying last night, the Lord asked me to tell you about my experiences with Jesus. Perhaps some of you may not like it,” I said, having little doubt about that.

I was already seeing my Waterloo, my downfall and humiliation. Okay, I thought. These fellows will never invite me back to Oxford. This is the end of it. But yes, Lord, I will obey (however begrudgingly). I continued speaking: “So I prayed and asked the Lord, ‘What do you want me to speak on?’ He said, “Christ the Savior, Christ the Sovereign, Christ the Sufficiency, Christ the Strength, Christ the Supplier, Christ the Security, Christ the Soon-coming King. He gave me the outline last night while I was on my knees.”

Then I shared from my heart how the Lord had become real to me in each of these seven ways. After speaking, I just wanted to hide myself.

When it was over, the audience clapped in their traditional, formal way. The chairman of the lecture said, very politely, “Well, thank you, Mr. Koshy, for coming and enlightening us. Now, if any of you would like to talk to him about anything further, he will be available.”

I was sure nobody would stay.

But no one left. To my utter astonishment, not a single student left the lecture hall. Instead, each and every one of them formed a line to ask me questions. Many teared up as they shook my hand, barely controlling their emotions, and said, “Come back again; we want to hear more of this kind of lecture.” I couldn’t believe my eyes or ears.

Then I noticed one Indian—the only other Indian in the entire room—standing at the end of this long line of students waiting to talk with me. I knew this young man had to be somebody important, to have the education and wealth and influence to be here at Oxford University. I desperately wanted to meet him and talk with him. …

Though it took more than half an hour before his turn came, this young Indian man came and grabbed me by the hand and said, “Sir, I want to thank you for coming and speaking on your experiences with Jesus. Ever since I came to Oxford, I have been going to churches to hear about Jesus Christ. All I have been hearing have been philosophical discourses, far removed from the realities of God.”

(Inside, as I listened to this enthusiastic, grateful student, I felt ashamed. For that was exactly what I was going to tell this audience. That was exactly what I had prepared: a philosophical discourse.)

“But today you came,” he continued. “You spoke to us from your heart about your own personal experiences with Jesus. Perhaps many may not agree with you. But no man can refute what you said.”

“What is your name?” I asked him eagerly.

“My name is Ramchandran,” he said.

“What is your last name?” I pressed.

“Please don’t ask me that,” he replied. “The moment people hear my last name they behave as though I have no first name. …”

I asked him again, but he resisted.

“Please,” I implored him. “Please.”

He hesitated, but then he lowered his voice and said, “If you insist, it is Gandhi.”

I was stunned. …

“You are Mahatma Gandhi’s grandson?”

“That is what I told you. See, now you are talking about Mahatma Gandhi. Now you are not interested in me.”

I was speechless.

Here was one of the grandsons of the renowned Mahatma Gandhi, the father of India, who had led the nonviolent revolution for freedom from the British and sought, though unsuccessfully, to create a sense of harmony and unity between Hindus and Muslims. And Mahatma Gandhi was this young man’s father’s father. His mother’s father was the last governor-general of India, who took the reins of power for India back from the British via Lord Mountbatten in 1947, when India became an independent country. Here I was speaking with—indeed, sharing the gospel of Jesus Christ with—a grandson of two of the most influential Indians of all time.

I immediately assured him that I was most definitely interested in him personally, and we continued chatting for some time. Unfortunately, however, it got late. I had to get back to my college. So I thanked Ramchandran Gandhi, and we parted ways.

The secretary of the organization who invited me began driving me back to my room. He was a blue-eyed young Englishman. I still remember that night, for as he was driving, he broke down crying.

“The moment when you got up and said that you were changing the subject and you were going to speak on your experiences with Jesus, I said to myself that I wished we had not invited you.

“But,” he quickly added, trying to hold back his tears, “that message was for me. I am a Christian. I was backsliding. That message challenged my heart.” He started weeping so hard he had to pull the car to the side of the road. Then he controlled himself, continued driving, and dropped me off at the railway station.

Sometime later I received a letter from Oxford.

“Will you consider coming and spending three months with us to give more lectures?”

As true disciples of Jesus Christ, we must always be willing to do God’s work in God’s way. We must be willing to go where he sends us and say what he tells us to say. We must always be ready to share our faith—always ready for “divine appointments”—because we never know who is listening.

Here I had wanted to become a great lawyer or journalist to reach the influential elites of India for Jesus. I had argued with the Lord when he said no to my own plans and strategies.

But what happened? The Lord Jesus himself took me thousands of miles away from India, to a Bible college in England of all places, on a speaking tour to Oxford, just to meet and share the gospel with the grandson of Gandhi.

Our God is an awesome God.

He works in mysterious ways. The question is, will we let him work that way in our lives? Or will we rebel, thinking we know better?

Some years later, I was passing through Delhi. I picked up the phone and called the home of Dr. Gandhi. His wife answered. …

I explained who I was and said that we once met at Oxford. Suddenly the young man was on the line.

“Dr. Gandhi,” I explained, “you may not remember me. My name is Koshy.”

This was thirteen years later. But you know what he said? “Are you the Koshy who came to Oxford and spoke on the subject of the uniqueness of Jesus Christ and your personal experience with him?”

“You mean you still remember that?” I asked, amazed.

“How can I ever forget it? Do you have time to have a meal with me?”

The next day he came and picked me up and took me to a restaurant in New Delhi. We had lunch. What he said humbled me. “Jesus Christ is God’s ultimate incarnation. He alone could identify with the sufferings of the masses.” The more we talked, the more amazed I grew, for the grandson of Mahatma Gandhi had become a believer in Jesus Christ.¹

* * *

(Maria:) You can find fascinating stories of the work of Dr. Koshy and his wife in their personal testimonies in their YouTube presentation (run time 28 minutes).

Originally published December 2020. Excerpted and republished September 2023. Read by Lenore Welsh.

177 – Jesus—His Life and Message: The Resurrection (Part 1)

Jesus—His Life and Message

Peter Amsterdam

2022-06-07

(You can read about the intent for and overview of this series in this introductory article.)

After His crucifixion, Jesus’ body was taken down from the cross and laid in the tomb of Joseph of Arimathea. A large stone was rolled over the entrance of the tomb. According to Jewish law, the type of work involved in burying a body couldn’t be performed during a Sabbath, nor could the body be left unburied over the Sabbath, so it was essential that Jesus’ body be placed in the tomb that evening.

Throughout His ministry, Jesus made reference to His death and His resurrection. The Gospel of Mark says that Jesus began to teach them that the Son of Man must suffer many things and be rejected by the elders and the chief priests and the scribes and be killed, and after three days rise again.¹ Although Jesus’ words seem quite clear to us now, the events that transpired show that it seems that the disciples didn’t fully understand what He had meant.

Due to the Sabbath requirements, Jesus was placed in the tomb some time between the ninth hour (about 3 p.m.) on Friday and sunset, which would have occurred around 8 p.m. at that time of year in Palestine. His body would have spent 4 to 6 hours in the tomb that first day. Once the sun set, the new day (Saturday) began. Jesus’ body remained in the tomb throughout Friday night and all of the next day, (Saturday). He then remained in the tomb through the night (which the Jews considered the first half of Sunday, approximately 12 hours) and rose from the dead in the morning on Sunday. Therefore, the three days that Jesus’ body was in the tomb didn’t amount to 72 hours (3 × 24), but rather expressed the Jewish method of reckoning time, which considered any part of the first day, all of the second day, and any part of the third day each as a full day; so Jesus’ body was in the tomb for three days.

Each of the four Gospels tells of the women who came to Jesus’ tomb early on Sunday morning. The Gospel of Luke explains that earlier, after the women saw the tomb where Jesus’ body was placed, they returned and prepared spices and ointments. On the Sabbath they rested according to the commandment.² The Gospel of Mark says that when the Sabbath was past, Mary Magdalene and Mary the mother of James and Salome bought spices, so that they might go and anoint him.³ Once the Sabbath day ended (at sunset on Saturday), the shops would reopen and the women would be able to purchase the spices needed to anoint Jesus’ body.

The Gospel of Luke tells us that on the first day of the week, at early dawn, they went to the tomb, taking the spices they had prepared.⁴ The Gospels of Matthew and Mark agree that it was about dawn that the women went to the tomb so that they might go and anoint him.⁵ The Gospel of John only mentions Mary Magdalene, while Mark mentions Mary Magdalene and Mary the mother of James and Salome, and Luke speaks of Mary Magdalene and Joanna and Mary the mother of James and the other women with them who told … the apostles.⁶

Each of the four Gospels tells us that the large stone which covered the entrance to the tomb where Jesus had been laid on Friday was rolled away. The book of Matthew explains:

Behold, there was a great earthquake, for an angel of the Lord descended from heaven and came and rolled back the stone and sat on it. His appearance was like lightning, and his clothing white as snow. And for fear of him the guards trembled and became like dead men.⁷

Only the Gospel of Matthew mentions the earthquake occurring at that time. He indicates that the reason there was an earthquake was because an angel of the Lord came from heaven and rolled away the stone.

The Gospel of Mark tells us that when the women came to the tomb, they were saying to one another, “Who will roll away the stone for us from the entrance of the tomb?” And looking up, they saw that the stone had been rolled back—it was very large.⁸ The Gospel of Luke says that the women went to the tomb, taking the spices they had prepared. And they found the stone rolled away from the tomb.⁹ The Gospel of John tells us:

Now on the first day of the week Mary Magdalene came to the tomb early, while it was still dark, and saw that the stone had been taken away from the tomb.¹⁰

Besides the stone being rolled back, each of the Gospels tells of the presence of heavenly beings near the tomb. As mentioned earlier, the Gospel of Matthew speaks of the angel of the Lord.¹¹ The Gospel of Mark tells us that when the women entered the tomb they saw a young man sitting on the right side, dressed in a white robe, and they were alarmed.¹² The Gospel of Luke says:

When they went in they did not find the body of the Lord Jesus. While they were perplexed about this, behold, two men stood by them in dazzling apparel.¹³

The Gospel of John places the appearance of two angels later in the story, after Peter and “the other disciple” had seen that Jesus was not in the tomb and returned to their home.

Mary stood weeping outside the tomb, and as she wept she stooped to look into the tomb. And she saw two angels in white, sitting where the body of Jesus had lain, one at the head and one at the feet.¹⁴

One author comments on the number of angels:

It seems clear that all these are references to angels; the small differences should not disconcert us unduly. Each of the Evangelists is saying in his own way that when the women came to the tomb they encountered an angelic visitation. It is not surprising that they speak of what happened in slightly different ways, for different people may well have had different perceptions. The important thing is that there were unusual angelic visitations and what the angels said concerning Jesus’ rising from the dead.¹⁵

The Gospel of Matthew tells us that those who were guarding the tomb saw the “angel of the Lord.”

And for fear of him the guards trembled and became like dead men.¹⁶

The guards who were there to guard the dead man (Jesus) themselves became like corpses in the presence of the angel. In contrast, the One who had died was now risen.

The three Synoptic Gospels ¹⁷ tell us that the angel (or angels) spoke to the women and instructed them not to be afraid. They then told them the good news that Jesus had risen from the dead.

But the angel said to the women, “Do not be afraid, for I know that you seek Jesus who was crucified. He is not here, for he has risen, as he said. Come, see the place where he lay” (Matthew).¹⁸

And entering the tomb, they saw a young man sitting on the right side, dressed in a white robe, and they were alarmed. And he said to them, “Do not be alarmed. You seek Jesus of Nazareth, who was crucified. He has risen; he is not here. See the place where they laid him” (Mark).¹⁹

And as they were frightened and bowed their faces to the ground, the men said to them, “Why do you seek the living among the dead? He is not here, but has risen. Remember how he told you, while he was still in Galilee, that the Son of Man must be delivered into the hands of sinful men and be crucified and on the third day rise.” And they remembered his words (Luke).²⁰

The Gospel of John presents the same events in a slightly different order, which will be addressed later.

In the Gospel of Mark, we read that the angel told the women:

“Go, tell his disciples and Peter that he is going before you to Galilee. There you will see him, just as he told you.”²¹

The Gospel of Luke tells us that the women remembered Jesus’ words about His crucifixion and His rising on the third day.

And they remembered his words, and returning from the tomb they told all these things to the eleven and to all the rest. Now it was Mary Magdalene and Joanna and Mary the mother of James and the other women with them who told these things to the apostles, but these words seemed to them an idle tale, and they did not believe them.²²

In the Gospel of John, discovery that Jesus was no longer in the tomb and the appearance of angels is told in a different order.

Now on the first day of the week Mary Magdalene came to the tomb early, while it was still dark, and saw that the stone had been taken away from the tomb. So she ran and went to Simon Peter and the other disciple, the one whom Jesus loved, and said to them, “They have taken the Lord out of the tomb, and we do not know where they have laid him.”²³

Upon seeing that the stone had been taken away from the entrance to the tomb, the first thing Mary Magdalene did was to run to town to tell Peter and the other disciple (probably John) that someone had taken Jesus’ body out of the tomb. Since the stone had been rolled away and Jesus wasn’t there, she assumed His body had been taken. She may have thought that someone had stolen His body or perhaps He had been reburied somewhere else.

So Peter went out with the other disciple, and they were going toward the tomb. Both of them were running together, but the other disciple outran Peter and reached the tomb first. And stooping to look in, he saw the linen cloths lying there, but he did not go in. Then Simon Peter came, following him, and went into the tomb. He saw the linen cloths lying there, and the face cloth, which had been on Jesus’ head, not lying with the linen cloths but folded up in a place by itself. Then the other disciple, who had reached the tomb first, also went in, and he saw and believed; for as yet they did not understand the Scripture, that he must rise from the dead. Then the disciples went back to their homes.²⁴

Once the men had left, Mary looked into the tomb.

Mary stood weeping outside the tomb, and as she wept she stooped to look into the tomb. And she saw two angels in white, sitting where the body of Jesus had lain, one at the head and one at the feet. They said to her, “Woman, why are you weeping?” She said to them, “They have taken away my Lord, and I do not know where they have laid him.”²⁵

(To be continued.)

Note

¹ Mark 8:31. See also Mark 9:30–31, 10:32–34, John 2:19–21.

² Luke 23:56.

³ Mark 16:1.

⁴ Luke 24:1.

⁵ Mark 16:1–2; Matthew 28:1.

⁶ Luke 24:10–11.

⁷ Matthew 28:2–4.

⁸ Mark 16:3–4.

⁹ Luke 24:1–2.

¹⁰ John 20:1.

¹¹ Matthew 28:2.

¹² Mark 16:5.

¹³ Luke 24:3–4.

¹⁴ John 20:11–12.

¹⁵ Morris, The Gospel According to Matthew, 735.

¹⁶ Matthew 28:4.

¹⁷ Matthew, Mark, and Luke.

¹⁸ Matthew 28:5–6.

¹⁹ Mark 16:5–6.

²⁰ Luke 24:5–8.

²¹ Mark 16:7.

²² Luke 24:8–11.

²³ John 20:1–2.

²⁴ John 20:3–10.

²⁵ John 20:11–13.

Amazing Grace

Compiled from the writings of David Brandt Berg

1984-09-22

In the beginning, God created man to freely and willingly choose to love and obey Him as His grateful, thankful children. That was His original plan. But as man became more and more disobedient and wicked, God had to give him more and more laws and rules and regulations. These laws were not made for the righteous, because the righteous person doesn’t harm or do wrong to his neighbor.

The laws were given for the people who do evil, unloving, harmful things. The Bible says that “the law is not made for a righteous man, but for the lawless and disobedient, for the ungodly and for sinners, for unholy and profane, for murderers of fathers and murderers of mothers, for manslayers” (1 Timothy 1:9).

The Mosaic law makes every one of us a sinner, because not one of us can keep it. “For by the deeds of the law there shall no flesh be justified in God’s sight: for by the law is the knowledge of sin” (Romans 3:20). In fact, it is impossible for anyone to be free of sin according to the laws of Moses. The scripture says that “God loveth a cheerful giver” (2 Corinthians 9:7). He far prefers that we willingly and cheerfully obey Him and do what He asks because we want to do what’s right and because we love Him and others, rather than just because it’s the law or because of fear of punishment or fear of judgment, etc.

The law was our teacher, our instructor or “schoolmaster” to show us that we’re sinners, to bring us to God for mercy, and to show us His absolute perfection and perfect righteousness, which was impossible for us to attain: “Wherefore the law was our schoolmaster to bring us unto Christ, that we might be justified by faith” (Galatians 3:24).

Then along came Jesus with His grace, mercy, forgiveness, love, and truth—our salvation: “For the law was given by Moses, but grace and truth came by Jesus Christ” (John 1:17). He came and showed us that salvation and true righteousness was not by works, but by grace. That “the Lord is also Lord of the sabbath, and that it was made for man, not man for the sabbath” (Mark 2:27–28).

When the hypocritical religious leaders questioned Him, “Master, which is the great commandment in the Law?” Jesus replied, “Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind. This is the first and great commandment. And the second is like unto it, Thou shalt love thy neighbor as thyself” (Matthew 22:37–39).

He then shocked them by continuing to say, “On these two commandments hang all the law and the prophets” (Matthew 22:40). They had thousands of religious laws, but Jesus said that on this one simple law, love, depends all the law as well as all the prophets! That’s pretty broad coverage! That takes in the entire Old Testament, “the law and the prophets.” Jesus said that’s the whole works, the whole Bible, that’s all the law—love! In other words, if you love God and you love others, you’re not going to hurt anybody, you’re not going to be selfish, you’re not going to do anything that will hurt anybody else.

Therefore Jesus’ Law of Love frees us from the old law and is all-encompassing, all-absorbing, all-fulfilling, and above and beyond any other law. The Bible says, “The fruit of the Spirit is love…, and against such (love) there is no law” (Galatians 5:22–23). Against the love of God, the unselfish, sacrificial love of God and your fellow man, there is no law.

Jesus said, “I am not come to destroy the law or the prophets, but to fulfill” (Matthew 5:17). And by fulfilling it, He ended it; therefore we are no longer required to keep the laws of Moses of the Old Testament. “For Christ is the end of the law for righteousness to every one that believeth” (Romans 10:4). By the old law, God showed man that he couldn’t make it on his own. By His new Law of Love, God showed that now you must have more love, more goodness, more righteousness—more than justice, you must have mercy.

Jesus said to the self-righteous, hypocritical religious leaders of his day, “Go ye and learn what this meaneth: I will have mercy, and not sacrifice” (Matthew 9:13). In other words, God’s idea of righteousness is not the self-righteous, holier-than-thou hypocrite who tries to earn merit with God through dutiful keeping of the law. God’s idea of righteousness is the pitiful, helpless, lost, humble, loving, sinful sinner who knows he can’t make it on his own and knows he needs God and His grace and mercy.

Through God’s Law of Love we are freed from the bondage of the old law into freedom of life and liberty through love! It’s the liberating Law of Love that gives life—not the “letter of the law that killeth” (2 Corinthians 3:6). “There is therefore now no condemnation to them which are in Christ Jesus. For the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus hath made me free from the law of sin and death” (Romans 8:1–2).

God’s grace through Jesus’ Law of Love is the end of the old law. Paul preached sermon after sermon and wrote letter after letter showing that the old law was finished, it was done with, period. The Mosaic law is done away with for the Christian who is living under grace and under the Law of Love. “Now we are delivered from the law, that we should serve in newness of spirit, and not in the oldness of the letter. Christ hath redeemed us from the curse of the law” (Romans 7:6; Galatians 3:13).

God’s law now, the law of Jesus, the Law of Love is “to love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and thy neighbor as thyself” (Matthew 22:36–39).

Of course, this infuriated the Jews of Jesus’ day and their religious leaders, who said of His doctrine, “This is against Moses and against the law” (Acts 6:13–14; 21:28). This was the most raging controversy between Jesus and the Jews. It was also the most raging controversy between St. Paul and the legalists, the “concision,” the converted Jews who said, “Yes, we now believe in Jesus, but we still have to keep all the old law. We still have to keep the Mosaic law, the Sabbath, etc.” (Galatians 3).

Thus the early Christians were liberated spiritually, they found spiritual freedom, but they were still somewhat in bondage to some of the old customs, traditions, and laws which were hangovers from their Jewish past and background that they couldn’t quite shake. Remember, the first Christian church was just coming out of the Jewish temple and they almost had to make a compromise, because some of them were still under the bondage of the old law and weren’t able to break completely free.

But according to Jesus Himself and every book of the New Testament, God’s children today are no longer under the laws of Moses. We are under grace and under love. For us the old law is gone forever. Thank God! “For all the law is fulfilled in one word, even in this; thou shalt love thy neighbor as thyself” (Galatians 5:14). “Therefore all things whatsoever ye would that men should do to you, do ye even so to them: for this is the law and the prophets” (Matthew 7:12). We are to “owe no man anything, but to love one another: for he that loveth another hath fulfilled the law” (Romans 13:8).

There are no Mosaic laws any longer, as far as we’re concerned. They are only to regulate the ungodly, as He says in 1 Timothy 1:9, and by which the unrighteous who are violating God’s Law of Love will be judged. “For if ye be led of the Spirit, ye are not under the law” (Galatians 5:18). “If ye fulfill the royal law according to the scripture, Thou shalt love thy neighbor as thyself, ye do well” (James 2:8).

“Whatsoever you do in word or in deed, do all to the glory of God” (Colossians 3:17; 1 Corinthians 10:31). That’s our rule, God’s rule.

We are delivered from the old Mosaic law and no longer bound by it. Knowing this, realizing this, and practicing this gives us a lot of freedom. But in another way, His Law of Love is the most binding law of all. Because God’s Law of Love not only says you can’t steal, can’t kill, can’t do this, can’t do that, but that you’ve also got to love everybody—which is one of the hardest things to do!

In many ways the Law of Love is even more strict than the Mosaic law. The Ten Commandments said that we were to do that which was just and righteous, but under Jesus’ Law of Love we are to do more than justice and righteousness; we are to have love and mercy.

Love is more than righteousness, and mercy is greater than justice. So the Law of Love is greater, and we are to be more kind and more forgiving. Jesus says, “Do unto others what you want them to do to you” (Matthew 7:12)—not just whatever they do to you, but what you want them to do to you. This is love. Jesus went right down the line in Matthew and said, “You have heard that it has been said, but I say unto you”—and told them something entirely different. He said, “But I say unto you, love your enemies, forgive them” (Matthew 5:38–44).

Jesus’ law is much stricter, much more difficult to keep—in fact, impossible! That’s why He says, “Without Me, ye can do nothing” (John 15:5). But He also says that we “can do all things through Christ which strengtheneth us” (Philippians 4:13). For “His grace is sufficient for us, His strength is made perfect in our weakness” (2 Corinthians 12:9).

You can’t possibly keep his Law of Love unless you’re saved and you have Jesus in your heart, the Spirit of God’s love within you, to give you the power and the strength to love others more than you love yourself, to “love your enemies, bless them that curse you, do good to them that hate you, and pray for them that despitefully use you and persecute you” (Matthew 5:44).

We have to receive Jesus first, then His Spirit in us will cause us to do the humanly impossible: love God and man. We have a truly graceful salvation and a graceful life of love for the Lord—full of grace. It has nothing to do with our own sinlessness or any kind of perfection or self-works or law-keeping of our own. We all make mistakes, we all sin, and any righteousness we have is only the grace of God. It’s only His love and His mercy and His grace.

We have been freed from the bondage of the old law and the condemnation of sin by Jesus’ sacrifice on the cross. The Scripture says that Jesus “blotted out the handwriting of ordinances that was against us (the law), which was contrary to us, and took it out of the way, nailing it to His cross” (Colossians 2:14). It was on the cross, at the very end of His ministry on earth, that He proclaimed, “It is finished” (John 19:30).

However, the scripture also warns us that “whatsoever is not of faith is sin” (Romans 14:23). If you think something is a sin or you believe it is unlawful, then to you it is sin and unlawful. An awful lot has to do with your spiritual and mental attitude. It’s all in how you approach things and whether you do things by faith in love, “faith which worketh by love,” as the Scripture says (Galatians 5:6).

“Hast thou faith? Have it to thyself before God. Happy is he that condemneth not himself in that thing which he alloweth” (Romans 14:22). It’ll make you happier if you’re not doing things about which you feel condemned or guilty or have a guilt complex, things that you’re not sure are right. In fact, if you’re afraid maybe it’s wrong, then it is wrong for you.

Have you accepted God’s love in Jesus Christ as your own personal savior? Do you have God’s Spirit in your heart? Do you love Him and others as much as you do yourself? Do you do unto others as you would have them do unto you? If so, you are free from the old Mosaic laws. Now all you must do is keep Jesus’ Law of Love. But it is even greater and stricter than the old Mosaic law, because now everything you do must be done in His love. You must have mercy and love (Matthew 9:13).

But if you do not have Jesus and his love in your heart, you are still under the old Mosaic law, guilty of all its infractions and judged by the same. They are not passed away for you.

Choose ye this day whom ye will serve (Joshua 24:15). As for me and my house, we will serve the Lord Jesus Christ and His living Law of Love!

Bitterness and Vengeance

August 31, 2023

By Virginia Brandt Berg

Audio length: 7:05

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Greetings, and God bless you and make you a blessing. We’ve received some interesting letters recently, and because a number of them tell about how people have been mistreated or misjudged or received unjust treatment of some kind, I would like to talk about this matter.

I found a little tract by Mr. Nathaniel Olsen, and he begins it this way: “A small boy prayed, ‘Lord, make all the bad people good, and then, Lord, make all the good people nice.’” Well, unfortunately, many good Christian people aren’t nice.

A lady advertised for a young woman to be her traveling companion, and she closed the advertisement in this way: “Christian wanted; cheerful, if possible.” Evidently this woman had found that some Christian souls lacked a cheerful disposition. Sometimes we have to live with people like that, and that seems to be the problem expressed in quite a number of these letters. Some of the letters show that resentment is building up in the heart, and one even reveals a little of almost hatred. Another has a judging spirit towards someone who they feel is mistreating them.

I turned to Scripture, and Matthew 7:1 says, “Judge not, that ye be not judged.” We need to be careful about that, for verse two says, “For with what judgment ye judge, ye shall be judged: and with what measure ye mete, it shall be measured to you again.” That should make us thoughtful about the way we criticize others, for what we give will be what we receive.

Regarding that person who you feel is so unjust to you, don’t take the matter into your own hands. It is better to be hesitant about judging. It is better to have mercy on that person, for the Bible states in James 2:12–13: “So speak ye, and so do, as they that shall be judged by the law of liberty. For he shall have judgment without mercy, that hath showed no mercy.” It’s better to judge by God’s Law of Love.

These next verses are even more sobering, Romans 2:1–4: “Therefore, thou art inexcusable, O man, whosoever thou art that judgest: for wherein thou judgest another, thou condemnest thyself; for thou that judgest doest the same things. But we are sure that the judgment of God is according to truth against them that commit such things. And thinkest thou this, O man, that judgest them which do such things, and doest the same, that thou shalt escape the judgment of God? Or despisest thou the riches of His goodness and forbearance and longsuffering; not knowing that the goodness of God leadeth thee to repentance?”

Oh, what an awful thing to bear a grudge or a critical spirit or hatred for another! If you are a professing Christian, it is far better to forgive that injustice, that awful thing that’s been done against you, than to have the condemnation of God upon you.

Beloved, don’t take vengeance into your own hands; don’t hit back. Don’t let bitterness creep into your heart. Nothing will so ruin your disposition as to let bitterness get into your heart. God’s Word says, “Beware lest there be even any little root of bitterness found in you” (Hebrews 12:15). God will take care of that situation in due time, if you leave the whole matter in His hands. Romans 12:19 says, “Dearly beloved, avenge not yourselves … for it is written, Vengeance is mine; and I will repay, saith the Lord.”

Perhaps you feel you have to do something about the wrong that’s been done to you and the slandering you’ve suffered and the cruel words that were flung at you. Maybe you think God is too slow, and you’re going to have to take it into your own hands and hurt them as they’ve hurt you, and bring vengeance on them. But if you do that, you’ll only hurt yourself, and disobey God, and get out of His will and have a broken fellowship with Him, and that’s going to make things a whole lot worse.

The Lord knows all about the wrongs done, and He speaks with finality regarding your forgiving that person, no matter how unfair it seems. He says, “If you forgive not men their trespasses, neither will your Father forgive you your trespasses” (Matthew 6:15).

Beloved, I know that you can’t do that yourself, not in the natural. It has to be the Spirit of Christ working in and through you. Lay the whole problem at Jesus’ feet. Tell Him about it, then definitely commit it to Him and leave it with Him. He’ll begin to work. This isn’t what you feel like doing, but this is what the world needs to see—God’s love manifested through His born-again children.

This is a true test of discipleship, for it says in John, “By this shall all men know that ye are my disciples, if ye love one another” (John 13:35). It’s God’s love working through you, as you yield it all to Him. It’ll be a miracle if you can love that person, a miracle of God’s grace, but that’s His promise to you and it is His grace that is available to you.

He waits to help you, He wants to. How wonderful it will be when there will be no veil or cloud between you and Him, when the indwelling Holy Spirit can work out through you the full purpose of His will and His plan for your life, because you’re utterly surrendered to Him, in spite of all your problems and the things which harass you. God knows about it, and He cares and He loves you.

I know that this isn’t entirely applicable, but a little girl had been abused in an orphan’s home. She left a note on a tree. They went out to see what the note said, because it was against the rules of the home to do that. And this is what it said: “To anybody who finds this note, I love you.” Oh, that’s the spirit to have, to love everybody as God loves you!

My weakened will, Lord, Thou canst renew;
My sinful nature Thou canst subdue;
Fill me just now with power anew;
Power to pray and power to do!

Teach me to pray, Lord, teach me to pray;
Thou art my pattern day unto day;
Thou art my surety, now and for aye;
So teach me to pray, Lord, teach me to pray.

Living in Thee, Lord, and Thou in me,
Constant abiding, this is my plea;
Grant me Thy power, boundless and free,
Power with men and power with Thee.
—From “Teach Me to Pray, Lord” by Albert Simpson Reitz, 1879–1966

Remember, God is still on the throne, and prayer will change things.

From a transcript of a Meditation Moments broadcast, adapted. Published on Anchor August 2023. Read by Lenore Welsh.

Through the Pain

August 30, 2023

By Iris Richard

Does every cloud really have a silver lining? I questioned.

To paint the picture, I will have to step back in time, when during a school physical examination I was diagnosed with scoliosis of the spine at the age of nine. Both my parents and I were not aware of this condition as it wasn’t very noticeable, but from the time I was diagnosed, the word “scoliosis” took on a profound and threatening reality. One that would stay with me my entire life.

All throughout my teenage years, the scoliosis kept worsening until my backbone took on the shape of an S, which affected my posture and developed into a hump on one side of my back. In those days, the usual course of action was a surgery, where they would place rods along the spine to stabilize it. This procedure wasn’t without risk, and my parents decided against moving forward with it. In an effort to slow down the worsening of my condition, I was prescribed regular sessions of physiotherapy and I wore a cumbersome plastic brace.

The prospect of having children with my kind of scoliosis was not promising. I was told that pregnancy would put too much strain on my back, especially if the scoliosis continued to progress. My teenage years were filled with regrets and anxiety, as well as a bleak outlook regarding my future.

My dream of becoming an air hostess was shattered due to my health, and the nursing college I enrolled in was cut short, as the job at the hospital proved to be too strenuous.

By the time the seventies came around, the blossoming hippie era spread like wildfire throughout Europe, and our village was not left behind. My physical condition and my defiance against its grim prospects became the starting point of my vulnerability to rebellion.

All around me, I saw signs of a new style of life—freedoms, long hair, bohemian fashions, protests, and an invigorating liberalism. These concepts had an immediate appeal for me and fed a sense of recklessness, since I felt that I had been dealt a bad stack of cards. I became increasingly disillusioned, and drugs offered an escape and welcome recreation away from judgement and criticism. An intriguing new world beckoned me, ready to be discovered.

Then I met my soul mate and together we went on a journey in search of our destiny that took us over 20,000 kilometres, through parts of Europe, the Middle East, and onward. We trudged along many dusty paths on a purposeful pilgrimage of peace and purpose, a journey that often led me to the edge and at the end left me empty.

However, God had a plan for me, and He was about to mend all these broken pieces of my life when He led me across the path of a group of young missionaries way out in a small town in North India. After I received Jesus as my Savior, I decided to give my life in service to those in need. I joined the mission, which was a turning point in my life for the better. I was hoping that my newfound faith in God would help me to receive the healing I so desperately wanted. I repeatedly prayed for complete healing, hoping that one day I would wake up with my spine straightened, like some of the miraculous healings I had read about in the Bible. I was impatient to receive this blessing, and only later I started to realize that God had other plans for me. Namely, a step-by-step journey to learn valuable lessons of patience, thankfulness, and endurance, as well as empathy for those who suffer chronic illnesses.

Even though the scoliosis stopped progressing, still, it left me with a very crooked back, which was distressing, awkward, tiring, and painful. However, against all odds, I was able to bear seven children, all with natural deliveries, which was truly a miracle in my condition.

With time, I learned to manage my back problem with the help of specific exercises, occasional painkillers, and massages, but just recently, I encountered a setback that left me devastated.

I fell and severely injured my back. I could hardly walk or swim or do my usual exercise routine; in short, I could barely cope. A visit to a chiropractor confirmed that I had a soft tissue injury and that something in my back got dislocated. The treatment was painful and initially didn’t bring any relief, which left me no choice but to take daily pain medication. I was desperate. My physiotherapist kept telling me that I needed patience and that the healing process would take time.

Time it took, and my patience was really tested during the six weeks before I started to feel better. There were days when I was tempted to give in to frustration, pain, and discouragement, but I learned to push through all these negative emotions through prayer and claiming God’s promises in His Word. Having to slow down gave me time to reflect and to tweak my mode of operation—to learn to rely more on the Lord to work on my behalf, instead of relying so heavily on my own strength, which I’m prone to do.

My journey with chronic illness has been a growing process to make me a better vessel, more fit for the Master’s use! Looking back, I now see that each of my dark clouds did have a silver lining after all and that God saw fit to bring me through every test and challenge of living with a chronic health condition. Even though I have not received total healing, I am thankful for all the lessons and the treasures I’ve discovered along the way, which, had things been different, I might never have found.

* * *

“We can choose to become bitter about our illness, or we can choose to use it as a catalyst for growth. We can choose to focus on what we cannot do, or we can look for opportunities to use the abilities we have to honor God. We can choose to believe that the most significant seasons of our lives are past, or we can choose to believe God’s Word‚ that He delights in using the weak to confound the wise and that His power is made perfect in our weakness.”—Mary J. Yerkes

“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.”—Romans 5:3–5

“My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.”—2 Corinthians 12:9

Growth Requires Change

August 29, 2023

A compilation

Audio length: 13:16

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We know that change is inevitable. We also know that change, in the Christian life, is desirable. In fact, it is God’s plan for us. He makes all things new (Revelation 21:5), and the old is dispensed with. We want to become more like Christ; we want to change. Second Corinthians 4:16 says, “Inwardly we are being renewed day by day.” When we submit to God, good change happens. So how do we overcome our resistance to change?

We can lessen our resistance to change by keeping a divine perspective on life. God’s work of renewal in us is compared to that of a refiner’s fire and to a gardener’s pruning shears.¹ … If we trust that God is at work through changes and that His desire is to sanctify us, then we may more willingly submit. This perspective is what brought Job peace in Job 23:10.

We recognize the work of the refiner’s fire or the gardener’s shears. We can usually identify the character traits God is building in us or winnowing out of us. … And there are times when we feel the conviction of the Holy Spirit and work with God to make changes in ourselves. As we yield to the Spirit, we will begin to overcome our natural resistance to change.

But what about the undesirable changes? We have no control over them. … It is in these times that Romans 8:28 becomes a firm foundation. We know that God is working all things according to His purpose, and we know that His purpose is always good. So we can trust that He is using even undesirable changes for our benefit. …

Growth requires change. So, when change occurs, just consider it to be a season of growth. When our human nature protests the change and begs to resist, remember that God has not changed. He is up to something good.—GotQuestions.org²

Resistance to change—perspective is key

Change is inevitable in nearly every aspect of our lives—physically as we age, relationally with others, financially, emotionally, and even spiritually. …

If you struggle with resistance to change, you can work to understand that change can be God’s way of making you more like Him. … Even in difficult changes and changes we would never have anticipated or desired, we can trust that God is working to fulfill His good purposes (Romans 8:28). We don’t necessarily have to enjoy the process, but we can choose not to resist the work He may be doing in our hearts through whatever circumstance we find ourselves in.

In the midst of change, pray and ask God to give you wisdom and understanding (James 1:5). Listen for His response. Read the Psalms—they reflect nearly every emotion a human can experience. We, too, can express all of our emotion to God, including our distaste for change. And, as we see reflected in the Psalms, we can also remind ourselves of God’s faithful character and give Him thanks in all circumstances. First Thessalonians 5:16–18 tells us to “Rejoice always, pray without ceasing, give thanks in all circumstances; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you.”

It is comforting to remember that God does not change (James 1:16–18). No matter what changes our lives bring, we can be assured that our God is unchanging, eternally faithful, good, and loving. But becoming like Him requires that you change. So rather than resist, try to rest in His firm hands and allow Him to mold you into His image.—CompellingTruth.org³

Through the fog

Changes are awfully unsettling for me. I like my little nest, where everything is just so and nothing jostles me too much. I like my routines and schedules, the comfort of knowing what’s going on—both immediately and in the future.

All that was thrown up in the air when my husband and I found ourselves moving away from family and friends. We knew where we were going, but beyond that, the future was a big blank. And that was scary.

Maybe you’ve experienced something similar. Maybe everything you’ve known has been thrown up in the air, and you’re floundering, trying to find your footing.

If you’re going through something like that, I do sympathize. Change is exciting sometimes, but mostly it’s really tough. It’s tough leaving behind stuff you know and love, and it’s scary looking forward and not knowing what’s ahead. That’s the position I was in as we drove away from what had been “home” for eight years.

Our trip took us through mountain roads at night, and as we drove, thick fog set in. There were no lights near the road; no houses either. Just our headlights against the dark road shrouded in fog.

I squinted into the fog, leaning forward against my seat belt, trying to see where we were going. I couldn’t see a thing, and I got more and more worried that we were going the wrong way. As I said, I don’t like uncertainty.

Of course, my imagination went hyperactive, creating all kinds of awful scenarios.

Finally, I quit trying to see through the fog and settled back in my seat. I looked over at my husband, and he was confidently driving on, not worried about the fog, but just slowly following the road that he could see.

I felt Jesus nudge me as I heard His familiar voice in my heart say: I’m your Driver, you know. You’re struggling to plan for your future, to “organize” everything just so, but right now I’ve put you in the fog. I’ve told you to go, but all you can see is the little bit of road ahead of you. I know this makes you worry, but just relax. Sit back and let Me do the driving.

I did just that. I sat back, and I trusted. We got safely through the fog and back on to clear roads again.

I thought about it all as we drove on. My life was exactly like that dark and clouded road. Try as I might, I couldn’t see what was ahead for my husband and me. No road lights were around—in the form of our family or friends—to help guide our way or to give their advice. All I could see was the light ahead of me, illuminating one little patch of the way at a time. But I can trust in my Driver. He’s got a perfect driving record, and He’s always gotten me safely to my destination, and though sometimes I think we’re lost, He always knows exactly where we’re headed.

Do you remember how God led the children of Israel through the desert?⁴ They didn’t have a map. They didn’t have a compass. They didn’t have an iPhone with built-in GPS telling them when to turn. All they knew was that they were supposed to leave Egypt.

God said “Go!” and off they went. As they obeyed and followed Him, He took care of them. When they ran into a dead end at the Red Sea, He opened a road for them right through the water. When they ran out of food and got hungry, He sent them food straight from the sky. When they were thirsty, He poured water out of a dry rock. When they didn’t know which way to go, He put a cloud right in front of them to lead the way.

Yet even after all that, they still doubted God. They still complained and didn’t trust Him to take care of them. I never understood why; it was obvious that God had been with them all along. Why would they question His abundance and care after He had shown them again and again what He was capable of? But then, I end up doing the same thing. God has never failed me, and yet I still end up fretting when things aren’t clearly mapped out ahead.

Proverbs 3:5–6 tells us to “Trust in the Lord with all your heart, and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways acknowledge Him, and He will direct your paths.” That means that even if everything’s dark ahead, if you feel like you’re in a fog and you don’t know which way to go, if you acknowledge—or turn to—the Lord, He’ll guide your paths. He’ll keep you on the right track, and bring you through to your personal “Promised Land.”

The future still isn’t totally clear, and I know it may never be. I’m not sure how everything’s going to turn out in the end, but that’s okay. I know who is in control, and I know His plan is perfect.

So, if you’re anything like me—a little lost, and freaking out because you don’t know what’s ahead—settle down and remember who is in the driver’s seat. You may not be able to see the road through the fog, but He can, and He’ll bring you safely through to your destination.—Marie Story

An open road ahead

There is an open road ahead of you—all the way to heaven. I am your traveling Companion, and I know every twist and turn of your path. You see problems and limitations impeding your progress no matter which direction you look. But your vision is ever so limited. All I ask of you is to take the next small step—refusing to give up, refusing to stop trusting Me.

Your life is truly a faith-walk, and I am absolutely faithful! Though your understanding will fail you, I never will. The challenge before you is to stop focusing on your problems and limitations—and to believe that the way ahead really is an open road, in spite of how it looks.

I am the Way to the Father in heaven. Remember how much I had to suffer in order to open up the path of Life for you. No one else will ever have to endure what I went through. When you are struggling, simply take the next step and thank Me for clearing the way before you—all the way to heaven.—Jesus ⁵

Published on Anchor August 2023. Read by Jerry Paladino. Music by Michael Dooley.

¹ See Zechariah 13:9; Malachi 3:2; Isaiah 48:10; 1 Peter 1:7; John 15:2.

² https://www.gotquestions.org/resistance-to-change.html.

³ https://www.compellingtruth.org/resistance-to-change.html.

⁴ See Exodus chapters 12–40.

⁵ Sarah Young, Jesus Today (Thomas Nelson, 2012).

God’s Footprint in Nature

August 28, 2023

By Maria Fontaine

Audio length: 14:11

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No matter what topic I write about, one of the challenges I face is presenting the points in a way that will relate to as many of you, my readers, as possible. This post where I focus on the important role that nature plays in our lives is no exception. Many of us have frequent opportunities to be in nature and to enjoy many of its benefits, and if so, this post might be a reminder of the importance of incorporating more of this valuable asset that the Lord has blessed us with into your schedule. But for others, the prospect of getting out in the great outdoors may not be much of an option. In that case, you might feel a little frustrated or unhappy that, as much as you want to, you just can’t spend the time you would like in God’s creation.

If getting out into nature seems like one of those “impossible dreams” for you, please don’t despair. These benefits are still very much worth reading about as a reminder of God’s great love and care. You can reframe this from something disappointing into a reason to ponder the wonders of the God of love and goodness.

If you’re able to, a walk through a lush forest or a picturesque field of wildflowers or a stroll along a sandy beach can help wash away pressure, stress, negative thoughts, or worries. You can even find an impressive array of benefits from relaxing in your backyard on the porch or terrace or under a shade tree, as a gentle breeze helps to soothe away the tensions of your day.

There’s something intangible about nature that can calm our spirits if we take the time to allow it to do so. It can have a positive impact on everything from our eyesight to our overall health and mental state.

You might think, “That sounds nice, but only God can do the things you’re talking about.” And yes, you’d be right! Only God can do this, but He often uses the creation that He has made with so much care to be part of the healing, regenerative process.

Pause to watch the Creator as He paints the sky with the vivid colors of a sunrise or sunset. As we watch in awe, our stress, ragged nerves, and weariness of spirit can start to fade. Unfortunately, though, for many of us in this fast-paced, stress-filled, artificial world, the wonders of God’s creation all around us seem to be some of the easiest things to overlook.

The pressures of life can be like a fast-moving river that sweeps us relentlessly onward. It takes effort not to be carried away by the currents of pressure and stress and the fear of missing out on something. Just staying afloat can gradually drain our strength, and eventually we have to break free of its force or we’ll be pulled under. We have to make the conscious effort to keep fighting to reach the river’s bank, that place of calm and peace where we can regain our strength. Taking time in God’s creation is one of the major ways we can intentionally break free from a stress-filled life.

Of course, we know that heaven will be filled with many good things like beauty, music, praise, color, peace of heart and mind, and eternal life, but in His great love, God offers us a foretaste of heaven here in this world. Often, we forget to take time to use the senses that He has given us to see the heavens declaring the glory of God; and the firmament showing His handiwork (Psalm 19:1 NKJV).

I’ve always loved the word pictures in the Scriptures that so aptly describe the wonders and realities of God. I’ve also praised the Lord along with the many songs, old and new, that describe Him in terms of the beauties in nature. I want to do that even more.

When I was growing up, two of my favorite things to do were to lie in the grass under the tall trees in an old, no-longer-used cemetery, and to walk with one or two of my friends along a stream through the woods. I loved the beauty I saw and the countless sounds I heard. I felt enraptured by the fragrances that enveloped me. There was a sense of peace and contentment, and I felt like God was with me and my problems were far away as I shuffled through the leaves or leaned against a log to rest.

The simple pleasures of being held in God’s arms as a child or teen gave way to new treasures as I grew older, and I realized that the wonders of our God that are often manifested in His creation go so much further than just what our five senses can measure. Now, when I meditate on this wonderful gift of His creation, the Holy Spirit is able to use it to illustrate many spiritual principles and to help me to understand how to apply them in my daily life.

Seeing how God’s plan is interwoven into every strand of the tapestry of life, from the simplest of organisms to His ultimate creation of humankind, confirms His compassion for us. It strengthens my faith in His love that brings peace and beauty, strength and healing, and even turns the negative things in this world into a greater good in the end.

The vast range of diversity found in nature parallels how God created us. There’s something for everyone. Every perspective on life is manifested in a way that will capture the interest of someone. There’s always something that can inspire someone to know a little more about God if they are willing to.

God offers us constant reminders of His glory, majesty, love, and wonders in many ways, including through His creation. I love to take the phrase from the opening line of the well-known song by John Denver,¹ which says “You fill up my senses,” and begin a prayer to Jesus with it. When one of my co-workers heard me comment about this line from the song and how I often use it to begin my prayers, he showed me a quote from John Denver’s wife. She said, “Initially it was a love song and it was given to me through [John], and yet for him it became a bit like a prayer.”²

The first stanza of this song is a beautiful tribute to the glory of God’s creation. It says:

You fill up my senses
Like a night in a forest
Like the mountains in springtime
Like a walk in the rain
Like a storm in the desert
Like a sleepy blue ocean
You fill up my senses
Come fill me again.

That is so fitting, because that is what God often does for us through His creation—He fills up our senses with reminders of His presence.

Jesus expressed something similar in this way:

People benefit from a connection with creation. You draw inspiration from the sunlight, the clouds, the stars, and the moon. When you’re in nature you take in a whole range of benefits from the plant and animal life around you. Your emotions are uplifted by the sights, smells, and fresh air that nature immerses you in. Even the colors around you affect your emotions and can have a positive influence on your bodily functions.

In fact, even being reminded of something beautiful in nature triggers positive reactions in your body. Nature is not simply there for the sake of food, clothing, and shelter. It manifests My power and glory, which can uplift your spirit, calm your nerves, release stress, and help bring the negative things in your life into a better balance. That is very important to your well-being, just like the fluids and all that the womb contains is essential to the life of the baby.

Humankind has created many artificial environments in this world, which cannot provide all that you need, but instead cause added strain on your body and mind. This can take a toll on your emotions and health, which can result in such things as disease, anxiety, depression, anger, and mental illness. People need a connection with Me to fully flourish, and one important source of that connection comes through nature. When cut off from nature, man tends to become isolated, lonely, and depressed. Why? Because you were not meant to live in isolation from the rest of My creation.

(Maria:) We can sense the positive impact on our lives when we are in God’s creation. Nature is a part of the blessings He has bestowed upon humankind, and He intends it for our benefit and well-being. Many studies have shown that existing in a mostly or totally artificial environment can have a detrimental effect on your body, mind, and spirit.

Below is a list of points from various studies on the positive influence that nature can have on our well-being.

Exposure to nature not only tends to leave you feeling better emotionally, it contributes to your physical well-being by increasing oxygen levels, activating beneficial hormones; reducing blood pressure, heart rate, and muscle tension; and hindering the production of harmful stress hormones.³
Being in nature can help improve your short-term memory and working memory.⁴ (“Working memory” refers to memory that your brain provides quick access to, which is retained from several hours to a day or two.)
Exercising in a park instead of inside a gym may provide mental health benefits such as a greater sense of well-being.
Walking for 20 minutes a day in a green space has been shown to help children with ADHD improve their concentration as much or more than medication.
People who live in more natural settings tend to have better overall health, even when research has taken into account economic differences.⁵
Nature can help us cope with pain. This was demonstrated in a now-classic study of patients who underwent gallbladder surgery; half had a view of trees and half had a view of a plain wall in their hospital room. The patients with the view of trees generally experienced less pain, appeared to nurses to have fewer negative side effects, and on average spent less time in the hospital.⁶
Spending three days and two nights in a forested area was shown to significantly increase the number of immune cells in the body, while inversely decreasing stress hormones. Phytoncides, a volatile chemical released from trees, may also play a role in boosting the immune system.⁷
It has been shown that there can be a decrease in PTSD (post-traumatic stress disorder) symptoms after exposure to nature.⁸
Children exposed to nature tend to show increases in creativity.
Nature can provide a calming influence and help in concentration.
When inflammation goes into overdrive, it’s associated with a wide range of ills, including autoimmune disorders, inflammatory bowel disease, depression, and cancer. Spending time in nature may be one way to help keep that in check.
In one study, students who spent time in the forest had lower levels of inflammation than those who spent time in the city. In another, elderly patients who had been sent on a weeklong trip into the forest showed reduced signs of inflammation. There were some indications that the woodsy jaunt had a positive effect on those patients’ hypertension levels as well.⁹
Being outside may help protect your vision. For example, one of the most serious risks to our eye health comes from something called Computer Vision Syndrome (CVS), which occurs when we spend long periods of time in front of our laptops, desktops, tablets, and smartphones. This can be reduced by spending more time outside, allowing your eyes to focus on objects further away. Being outside also appears to help nearsightedness, when you are in a natural place free from artificial light.¹⁰
One intensive study of 280 participants in Japan found that along with decreasing stress hormone concentrations by more than 15%, a walk in the forest lowered participants’ average pulse by almost 4% and blood pressure by just over 2%.¹¹ A recent study published in Environmental Health Perspectives found a similar connection: greater exposure to a natural environment was associated with a 12% lower mortality rate. The biggest improvements were related to reduced risk of death from cancer, lung disease, and kidney disease.¹²

(Maria:) Science is discovering and acknowledging more and more of what God has blessed His creation with. As many truths as they have come to understand, scientists are only just beginning to uncover the astronomical realities of this physical world.

God has placed an endless expanse of wonderful things around us to discover. Let’s enjoy the adventure as we search out the marvels of God’s footprint in nature.

Originally published August 2020. Republished on Anchor August 2023. Read by Carol Andrews.

¹ “Annie’s Song” (beginning with the words, “You fill up my senses…) https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=C21G2OkHEYo

² “Annie’s Song: Background,” Wikipedia, https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Annie%27s_Song#Background.

³ https://www.takingcharge.csh.umn.edu/how-does-nature-impact-our-wellbeing.

⁴ https://www.theshoresoflakephalen.com/benefits-of-being-in-nature.

⁵ https://news.mongabay.com/2011/04/what-does-nature-give-us-a-special-earth-day-article.

⁶ https://www.takingcharge.csh.umn.edu/how-does-nature-impact-our-wellbeing.

⁷ https://www.businessinsider.com/why-spending-more-time-outside-is-healthy-2017-7#being-outdoors-has-a-demonstrated-de-stressing-effect-2. Also https://www.forbes.com/sites/alicegwalton/2018/07/10/forest-bathing-really-may-be-good-for-health-study-finds/#579ce454508e.

⁸ https://news.berkeley.edu/2018/07/12/awe-nature-ptsd.

⁹ https://www.businessinsider.com/why-spending-more-time-outside-is-healthy-2017-7#spending-time-outside-reduces-inflammation-3.

¹⁰ https://www.myopencountry.com/benefits-being-outside.

¹¹ https://www.businessinsider.com/why-spending-more-time-outside-is-healthy-2017-7#spending-time-outside-lowers-blood-pressure-7.

¹² https://ehp.niehs.nih.gov/doi/10.1289/ehp.1510363.

Faith for Tomorrow

May 5, 2022

By David Brandt Berg

Audio length: 9:04

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The Bible says that we’re not to fret for tomorrow, which means we’re not to worry about tomorrow. But the Lord has had a lot to say about tomorrow, so He must want us to be informed about tomorrow and prepare for it as well.

They say uncertainty and the fear of the unknown is the worst fear of all—people fearing the unknown and not knowing what’s going to happen. The Scripture says that some people live all their lives in fear, fear of death.¹ “O death, where is thy sting? O grave, where is thy victory?”² It has no sting for us as Christians, and certainly the grave has no victory, because we’re going to be with the Lord.

God has been so good to us to tell us in His Word what’s going to happen in the future, so that we won’t be worried about it, or frightened or shocked when it happens. When it comes to Bible prophecy and what the Bible teaches us about events to come, we know more about the endtime than we do about the present! The Lord has even told us the number of days to the very end before His coming—exact days, months, and years. Think of that! We know more about what’s going to happen in the endtime than we do right now.

Many people spend a lot of their time worrying. What did Jesus say that people tend to worry about? Mostly about tomorrow. He said, Don’t worry! If I feed the birds and I clothe the flowers, don’t you think I’m going to take care of you? “Fret not thyself for the morrow, you know not what a day will bring forth. Sufficient unto the day is the evil thereof.”³

He said not to worry about “What shall we eat, what shall we drink, or wherewithal shall we be clothed? For your heavenly Father knows that you have need of all these things.”⁴ And what did He say after that? What was that wonderful promise at the end of the sixth chapter of Matthew? “But seek ye first the kingdom of God and His righteousness, and all these things will be added unto you.”⁵

The Bible says, “Thou shalt keep him in perfect peace whose mind is stayed on Thee, because he trusteth in Thee.”⁶ We have the Lord, so we know the Lord’s going to take care of us; we know He’s going to feed us, clothe us, even house us. We have learned how to be in want and how to abound, and we rejoice in the Lord through it all. We have so much to be thankful for!

Just think of all the things that you don’t have to worry about. You don’t have to worry about the present. We need to be concerned about it in some respects; we’ve got to be careful and wise about our conduct and our business and our finances, and we have to work and we have to take care of these things, but we don’t have to worry about them.

Thank God we’ve got a sure thing with Jesus—we can trust Him! We’ve got Somebody we know will take care of us no matter what happens. Praise the Lord! You don’t have to worry about whether you will have a job in the future. God will take care of you whatever your expenses are, and that’s that!

The great multi-millionaire, R. G. LeTourneau, started out as a poor man, broke—worse than broke—bankrupt, with thousands of dollars in bills he couldn’t pay. He asked God what God wanted him to do, and the Lord told him He wanted him to make money for His work. He was an engineer, who designed and built construction machinery, and who eventually made some of the biggest earthmoving machinery in the world. God made him a success at it, and he made millions.

He started off promising God 10% of his income if He’d pull him out of the hole. So God did, and then he started giving 20%, and he kept upping it and upping it, since he didn’t need any more to live on. Finally, he was giving 90% of his income and living on the other 10%. Praise the Lord!

While we are not to worry about tomorrow or next year or how or when the events of the endtime will occur, we are to work the works of Him that sent us while it’s yet day ⁷ and do everything we can to love and serve Him today. One thing we can know for certain—if the Lord keeps us alive, He’s going to use us somehow. He doesn’t give you a life for no reason, and God is going to keep you alive as long as He wills to fulfill His purpose for your life. So you don’t even have to worry about your life, as that is also in His hands.

Bless and keep us, Jesus, as we place our trust in You. We know You will always have a place for us. You even promised a place of refuge, Lord, a place where Your children will rest the soles of their feet. “There is therefore a rest for the children of God.”⁸ You’ve got a place prepared for us in our eternal home, Lord, and a hiding place for us in this life!⁹ You have promised that You will never fail to care for Your own.¹⁰

You said, “Fret not thyself for tomorrow; sufficient unto the day is the evil thereof, for tomorrow shall take care of the things of itself.”¹¹ Help us not to be encumbered with the burden of the fear of what is going to happen tomorrow, Lord. We are to be concerned about today and that we are doing Your will today, fulfilling our mission now, not worrying about tomorrow—trusting that You love us and our heavenly Father will take care of us and You’ll never let anything happen to us that is more than we can bear. You’ll give us the grace to bear whatever we face.

Help each one of us in our responsibilities, whatever these may be, Lord, to do our part to help Your work to continue and the gospel to be spread throughout the world, and bless all sincere Christians of Your great family everywhere. In Jesus’ name. Amen. Hallelujah!

Be not dismayed whate’er betide,
God will take care of you;
Beneath his wings of love abide,
God will take care of you.

God will take care of you,
through every day,
o’er all the way!
He will take care of you!
God will take care of you!
—Civilla D. Martin

As you do your best to love and follow Him so that His light will shine through you in this world, He’s promised to take care of you!—Unless your job on earth is done, and then He’ll take care of you forever by taking you home to heaven! God bless you!

Originally published December 1982. Adapted and republished May 2022.
Read by Reuben Ruchevsky.

¹ Hebrews 2:15.

² 1 Corinthians 15:55.

³ Matthew 6:34, Proverbs 27:1.

⁴ Matthew 6:31–32.

⁵ Matthew 6:33.

⁶ Isaiah 26:3.

⁷ John 9:4.

⁸ Hebrews 4:9.

⁹ John 14:2; Revelation 12:6, 14.

¹⁰ Hebrews 13:6.

¹¹ Matthew 6:34.

Renewal

March 23, 2023

By Virginia Brandt Berg

Audio length: 06:38

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“When you pray, go into your room and shut the door and pray to your Father who is in secret. And your Father who sees in secret will reward you” (Matthew 6:6). The secret place of prayer is also a place of renewal; that is, renewing of the mind.

Romans 12 speaks clearly of this. “I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that ye present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable unto God, which is your reasonable service. And be not conformed to this world: but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect, will of God” (Romans 12:1–2).

Out of the wonderful cluster of truths in these verses, we take one little nugget of gold; that is, the phrase “the renewing of your mind,” for there is no place where the mind can be so fully renewed as alone with God in the secret place. When you come aside from temporal things which distract and harass you, and there in the presence of God put your mind on the things of God, His majesty and glory, then the transforming power of God begins to work.

We are indeed transformed by the renewing of our mind. Now this is vital, because it is in the mind that sin is first conceived. The devil attacks us first in our thoughts; this is the door through which he finds entrance. But thank God we can close that door. You have found, as I have, that in the hard places, amidst severe trial, the Enemy tries to put discouraging thoughts in your mind.

The renewing of the mind will strengthen us to run the race, and as God’s Word says, to “not faint in our minds.” Our mind is where we faint first and become discouraged. Hebrews 12:3 says, “Consider him that endured such contradiction of sinners against himself, lest ye be wearied and faint in your minds.”

It’s no use to talk victory, using cheerful words, but think thoughts of defeat and discouragement. We can by an act of our will take our minds off such thoughts and put them on God and the many wonderful things He says in His Word.

It’s vital that you have certain scriptures memorized so that you can quickly wield the sword of the Spirit when the Enemy attacks. Soon you will be lifted out of dark, discouraging thoughts and feel God’s transforming power renewing your mind. The one who has not learned to thus renew his mind when he sees his thoughts are pulling him down cannot claim the promise in this verse, that he shall “prove what is the good and acceptable and perfect will of God” (Romans 12:2). That’s a tragedy, because it’s a tragedy not to know God’s will for your life.

So when the Enemy tempts you with evil thoughts of any kind, and you slam the door, stay your mind on Christ and the truths of Scripture; then the uplifting and transforming power promised in today’s verse will give you victory over every ugly thought, and you will partake more and more of the divine nature. As you form the habit of thinking Godward from His Word, thinking God’s thoughts after Him, gradually, according to 2 Corinthians 10:5, this will be fulfilled: “Casting down imaginations, and every high thing that exalts itself against the knowledge of God, and bringing every thought into captivity to the obedience of Christ.”

It is the word “Christ” that makes all the difference in this verse. Last year I visited in the home of a woman who was deep in the study of science of the mind, and she was constantly struggling to think positively, but was always being defeated in her positive thinking. She reminded me of the little boy whose mother told him at long last that if he did not sit down, she would punish him. Well, he sat down, but soon he said in a rebellious voice, “I’m sitting down, all right, but I just want you to know that I’m standing up on the inside!”

This dear woman would put on a veneer of control, but inwardly she would be boiling! She wasn’t a Christian, and when she gave up her negative thinking, she had nothing factual to hold into. She did not have Christ to help her or all the wonderful truths of God’s Word to think on. What an advantage the Christian has.

Note this verse again: “Casting down everything that exalts itself against the knowledge of God, and bringing into captivity every thought to the obedience of Christ.” I believe in positive thinking, and there is a science of the mind, but there is no salvation or eternal life in either.

God’s Word says there is no other name given among men under heaven whereby we can be saved, and in none other is there salvation. (See Acts 4:12.) Meditate upon these scriptures. David said, “Thy testimonies are my meditation” (Psalm 119:99). And 2 Corinthians 11:3 says, “I fear, lest by any means, as the serpent beguiled Eve through his subtilty, so your minds should be corrupted from the simplicity that is in Christ.”

At first it is not easy to deliberately, by the act of the will, put your mind on God, His Word, His love, His truths. But gradually, by the principle of repetition, your thoughts will be brought into captivity to Christ. Remember, God never asks you to do what can’t be done! He never asks us to do what we’re unable to do.

This is His Word, and His Word is true. God cannot lie. His Word stands unchanging, everlasting, steadfast. God says it, and it’s so because God says so.

Let’s have a word of prayer about it. We thank Thee, Father, for this precious Word of Thine, so wonderful in its helpfulness, so true! We pray that You will quicken faith for Thy blessed Word, that when we will read it we will know that it’s God that is speaking, and its truths will take hold of our hearts.

We pray, Lord, that nothing in our lives shall be exalted or lifted up above the mind of God, but we might have that mind in us which is also in Christ Jesus (Philippians 2:5), until at last we can say with the psalmist, “I rise before dawn and cry for help; I hope in your words. My eyes are awake before the watches of the night, that I may meditate on your promise” (Psalm 119:147–148).

God bless you and make you a blessing. Remember, He is still on the throne and prayer changes things.

From a transcript of a Meditation Moments broadcast, adapted. Published on Anchor March 2023. Read by Lenore Welsh.

Two Truths to Remember When You’re Battling Depression

August 25, 2023

By Craig Groeschel

When we’re battling depression, it can be easy to isolate ourselves. But church is a place we can go when we don’t have it all together. This week, we’re learning how to fight depression from a spiritual perspective. Don’t miss this hope-filled message!

Run time for this video is 38 minutes.

https://youtu.be/pQ3_GI2H0wY?si=hLbRCKfD6VDiKVnQ

God’s Makings Through Breakings

August 24, 2023

Treasures

Audio length: 10:48

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For those of us who know and love Jesus, our whole experience in this life is like a great schooling. The Lord is our teacher who wants to teach each of us about Himself and His love, salvation and service, and to help us to grow in faith and in His Word and be transformed into His likeness (2 Corinthians 3:18).

God knows that none of us will ever be able to truly accomplish His will apart from Him in our own strength. In fact, Jesus said, “Without me you can do nothing” (John 15:5). But the Bible also says that we “can do all things through Christ” (Philippians 4:13). If we will surrender our hearts and lives to the Lord, and are willing to become whatever God may want us to become—not what we are, but what God wants us to become—then He can use us for His glory!

Of course, to put the Lord in first place in our lives and to submit ourselves to Him is not something that we learn overnight. It takes time, it takes breakings, and it takes lessons and experiences that cause us to draw closer to Him.

The list is almost endless of all the people in the Bible who God had to humble before He could use them, of all the leaders God had to bring down to the depths before they could be greatly used—lest they would have taken credit to themselves and not given God the glory.

Consider the life of Joseph, for example. Of Jacob’s 12 sons, he was his father’s favorite. His elder brothers finally became so jealous of him that they nearly killed him, threw him into a pit, and then sold him into slavery! But that’s what the Lord used to humble him and prepare him to fulfill God’s purpose for him. Joseph had to experience being made a slave and a prisoner and being condemned as a criminal before God was able to exalt him to become a savior for His people during a time of famine (Genesis 37–41).

Another example is Moses. For 40 years he was groomed in the courts of Pharaoh, and rose to become the second most powerful man in the mighty world empire of ancient Egypt. The Bible says he was “educated in all the wisdom of the Egyptians” (Acts 7:22), but God could not yet use him to lead His people to freedom, for he was full of the ways of the world and not the ways of God. Moses had to be broken first. God allowed him to become a fugitive from Pharaoh, and he had to spend 40 years in the wilderness tending sheep before he was humble enough for God to use him for the great task He had designed him for! (See Exodus 2–3.)

And consider King David, the greatest king that Israel ever had. When he fell in love with Bathsheba, purposely had her husband killed in battle, and then tried to lie and cover up the entire crime, God had to expose him, humble him, and severely chastise him. After that, he was driven from the throne by his own traitorous son, Absalom. (See 2 Samuel 11, 12 and 15).

But was David’s fall really a fall downward, or a fall upward? God’s way up is sometimes down—often, in fact! David was humbled, and the whole kingdom was humbled, and they were all reminded that it was only the Lord who made them great. From that squeezing and twisting of David’s life came forth the sweet honey of the psalms, and the fragrance of his praises to the Lord for His mercy.

The brave and mighty prophet Elijah was able to call down fire from heaven to confound the false prophets of Baal and to demonstrate the power of God (1 Kings 18). But afterwards, he panicked and ran away from one woman, the wicked Queen Jezebel! Hiding out in the wilderness, he became so discouraged that he wished that he might die. But there in his time of desperation, this prophet of fire and thunder became a meek man who learned to listen to the still, small voice of God (1 Kings 19:11–12). And he became a much better, humbler instrument in the hands of the Lord—a prophet who fearlessly returned to face not only the queen, but the king and all of their soldiers.

The Apostle Peter is yet another example of God’s makings through breakings. He swore to Jesus, “Though all others forsake You, I am ready to go with You both to prison and to death” (Luke 22:33). But just a few hours later, when Jesus was seized by the temple guards and hauled before the Jewish religious court, some people outside of the building recognized Peter and pointed him out as a friend of Jesus. Peter vehemently denied that he even knew the Lord, cursing and swearing that he had no idea what they were talking about (Mark 14:66–71).

As he was denying the Lord the third time, Jesus, who was being led by His captors to another part of the building, turned and gazed upon Peter, and Peter remembered how he had sworn that he would never deny Him. The Bible tells us that Peter then “went out and wept bitterly” (Luke 22:62). Was this the end of Peter’s service for the Lord? No! It was shortly after this humiliating defeat, this great failure, that the Lord used Peter to become the leader of the early church.

Or consider the Apostle Paul. He was a zealous Jewish Pharisee and had personally taken it upon himself to put an end to the fast-growing sect of the followers of Jesus of Nazareth. Journeying by horseback to Damascus, where he intended on capturing, imprisoning, and executing as many Christians as he could find, God had to literally knock him off his horse and blind him with the brilliant light of His presence! Trembling, helpless, and blind, he had to be led by the hand into the city, where he was so astonished that he was unable to eat or drink for three days! A disciple of the Lord then came to give him God’s message and pray for his eyes, and Saul was converted and became the great Apostle Paul. But God had to humble and break him first and make him a new man before He was able to use him. (See Acts 9.)

So even if you don’t always understand why you’re going through tests, trials, hardships, and breakings, remember, God knows what He’s doing. He knows all the purposes and reasons behind each test, trial, or trouble we face. He promises that “All things work together for good to them that love the Lord and are called according to His purpose” (Romans 8:28). He is not going to allow anything to happen to you, His child, except that which will somehow work for your good. Of course, we often feel like a lot of things happen to us that don’t look very good. But sooner or later (whether in this life or the next) you will find out that somehow they worked together for your good.

You will find that God gets some of His greatest victories out of seeming defeats.—Victories of submission, brokenness, humility, and utter dependence on Him, which you must have if you’re going to become all that God wants you to be. So take heart from these examples from the Bible, and don’t be discouraged when things seem to go wrong and your hopes are disappointed.

Everyone who has ever been used of the Lord had to first be broken, humbled, and brought virtually to the end of themselves. Otherwise, they would have been too self-confident in their own wisdom and natural abilities and would have been tempted to take the glory to themselves if God were to use them. This is why He chooses to use the weak things and the foolish things, “that no human being might boast in His presence” (1 Corinthians 1:25–29).

God does not always see things as we see them, “For His thoughts are not our thoughts, neither are His ways our ways” (Isaiah 55:8–9), and He does not judge or reward us according to our success or failure, but according to our faithfulness. In heaven one day He’ll say to those who are true to Him, “Well done, good and faithful servant” (Matthew 25:21). He won’t say “failure servant” or “successful servant,” but He’ll say “faithful servant.”

So above all, stay faithful to Jesus! And remember, your seeming defeats can become victories for the Lord if you will humble yourself and learn the lessons that He is trying to teach you, as these men in the Bible did. “Now these things happened to them as an example, but they were written down for our instruction, on whom the end of the ages has come” (1 Corinthians 10:11).

From an article in Treasures, published by the Family International in 1987. Adapted and republished August 2023. Read by Reuben Ruchevsky.

Keep Moving with the Cycle of God

September 16, 2010

By Jesus, speaking in prophecy

Audio length: 4:52

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I have kept you through all things—through the trying times, the testing times, the purging times. And there are cycles—cycles in which things go well, and then they go bad, and then I bring forth victories and they go well again. You must hold on to Me, seek Me, and follow Me through each phase of the cycles. For I lead you, and I guide you, and I bring you through these things.

So think it not strange concerning the fiery trials which test you and try you. For I allow these things—to move you, to change you, to test you, to purge you, to cause you to seek Me, to make you face the challenges, to make you pull out the sword of the Spirit of My Word, to make you hold up the shield of faith and to make you fight!

So when you are faced with these obstacles, these tests, these trials, do not let them discourage you. Do not be downcast about them, or worried that they will not be solved, or that victories will not be won; for I say to you, they will, for it is part of the cycle. But you must go through this portion of the cycle to come out at the other end with victory.

Look back upon the past and think of the times of testing, the times when it looked like you were defeated, the times when you felt like giving up, the times when the problems swirled about you. But because you hung on, you went through the cycle, you sought Me, you fought, you received My answers and you implemented them, victory was brought about. Remember this; always remember this.

Remember that there are cycles that you pass through. But when you are in the lowest part of the cycle, that is when you must cry out to Me and hang on to Me and trust Me the most, because all about you looks like tests and trials, like defeat and discouragement. That is when you must look to Me, and I will guide you and direct you to bring you out of that portion of the cycle, and into the victorious portion.

When all is dark and you cannot see, when all seems to be defeat, or when there are problems that you are facing that you do not see the answers to, just seek Me and trust Me, for I will show you. I promise you this: If you call out to Me, I will answer, and I will show you great and mighty things that you know not!

So do not look at these setbacks, these tests, these difficulties as defeat; look at them as stepping stones to the victory, stepping stones to progress. If you did not have some of these tests, these trials, you would become complacent, you would not strive to move forward, you would not try to solve the problems, you would not desperately seek Me for the solutions.

That’s the purpose of the cycle: that when the problems and the difficulties arise, you rise up to meet them in faith. You fight and you win, and that brings forth the next portion of the cycle: the victory, the progress, the forward movement. And then you are faced with new challenges, new fights and new tests, and you must once again fight and take up the challenge and seek Me, cry out to Me, that you may overcome these tests and trials, and that you may then move out of that portion of the cycle and again into the victory.

Like a wheel, the top goes down to the bottom and comes up to the top again, and that is motion, and that moves the vehicle forward. And that’s what these cycles do—they move you forward. So do not look at them as defeats or weights but as challenges, as a way to make forward motion. And yes, I know it is difficult to fight your way through. I know it is difficult to face the problems, to face the challenges, to seek Me for solutions and to implement them; but as you do, it brings you out of the decline of the cycle, the low point of the cycle, upward to the victory, the high point of the cycle.

So take up the challenge! Seek Me! Love Me! Stand strong in faith and in My Word! Implement it! Live it and do it, so that you will be ever moving with the cycle of God, the cycle of victory.

Keep seeking Me, keep obeying Me, and keep moving forward, onward and upward, until you arrive at your final destination, which is in My arms, together forever with Me!

Originally published September 1996. Excerpts republished September 2010.
Read by Joy Cox.

Being Clothed with the Lord Jesus

August 22, 2023

A compilation

Audio length: 9:56

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Therefore, as God’s chosen people, holy and dearly loved, clothe yourselves with compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness and patience.—Colossians 3:12

In Romans 13:14, the apostle Paul instructs believers to “put on the Lord Jesus Christ, and make no provision for the flesh, to gratify its desires.” The phrase put on Christ means to figuratively clothe oneself with the Lord Jesus Christ to reveal the glory of God to the world. …

The expression put on Christ occurs again in Galatians 3:27: “For as many of you as were baptized into Christ have put on Christ.” As in Romans 13, putting on Christ here speaks of having clothed oneself with the new nature; believers are taught “to put on the new self, created to be like God in true righteousness and holiness” (Ephesians 4:24). We put on Christ when our old ways are nailed to the cross and we wear the grace and forgiveness of Jesus as a glorious garment for all the world to see. …

Putting on Christ means letting the Lord be our armor, embracing Him over and over, and daily trusting Him in faith, thankfulness, and obedience. … Putting on Christ means abiding in Jesus and living to please Him. John Wesley described it as “a strong and beautiful expression for the most intimate union with Him, and being clothed with all the graces which were in Him.”¹ We are clothed in Christ when we become so closely united with Jesus that others see Him and not us.—GotQuestions.org²

On the topic of letting others see Jesus in you, there is a true story about a Christian and an atheist who were walking down the street together, discussing God. The atheist was ridiculing God and said, “If there were a God, there would be some proof. There should be a difference between us that people could see. If you really have God and I haven’t, that beggar there, for example, should know just by looking at us. Let’s see who he asks alms of.” And as they walked by, the beggar leaned clear across the atheist who was walking closest to him and stretched out his hand to the other man and said, “Oh man with God in your face, please give!” People need to see Jesus in us. We need to let the light and love of His Spirit shine through. The way to do that is to stay close to Him, constantly loving Him and thanking Him for all His goodness to us.—David Brandt Berg

In seminary years ago, we students were given some practical advice: “You’ll be physically close to people, so make sure you look good and smell good.” I laughed but never forgot those words.

After telling us what we are to put off, Paul tells us what to put on. He reminds us we are God’s chosen, holy, and dearly loved ones. As such, we must spiritually “dress up” in qualities that will not only influence our human relationships, but also will model Jesus. Christ followers in the ancient world often were set apart by their compassion. Today your “random act of kindness” may speak volumes. How our world needs humility to counter self-love, gentleness to show strength under control, and patience to endure trouble!

Until we are in heaven, we will struggle to “wear” these garments well. Praise God that though we cannot be perfectly compassionate, kind, humble, gentle, or patient, Jesus is! And His robe of righteousness is freely given to us. Because of Him, we’ll “look good” in our garments of His grace!—haventoday.org³

I have a new coat. It was designed by God and given to me by Jesus Christ. All I had to do to receive this coat was to believe in God’s only Son.

I find it fits me perfectly unless I allow myself to become puffed up with foolish pride, then it’s too tight. If I walk with my head high, trying to be above those about, then it is too short. But if I walk humbly as I should before God, it fits me just right.

How is the coat made?

The shoulders are wide and roomy so that I can help my fellow man carry his burdens.

The collar is made of God’s mercy; yes, the mercy of God’s promises. First that I may become His child, and second, that I will one day dwell with Him in that home prepared for His saints.

The cuffs are narrow, so that there is no room to tuck away grievance and hard feelings toward my neighbors.

The pockets are oversized. One is for the love of God; the other is to hold my love for my fellow man and all humanity.

There are three buttons on my coat, which stands for faith, hope, and charity. I check on them often so that none becomes loose or lost.

The lining is made of God’s forgiveness, which I need so often that I want it next to me at all times.

The belt is made of God’s love, which encircles me every day.

The material is thick enough to protect me when the storms of life come my way, but not too thick that I will not be able to feel the presence of the Holy Spirit who guides me.

There are many threads in my new coat, but not one thread of doubt that God’s promises are true.

Do you wonder about the color of my coat? Why, it’s the color of Jesus’ eyes that must sparkle when a lost soul accepts Him.

I will need my coat all through life. When I travel through the valley of death and when I view the future, I will always wear my new coat.—Author unknown⁴

[God] is holding out the garments of peace, love, mercy, grace, favor, and blessing, opening them up so we may step into all He has for us. He desires that we reflect His beauty and that we wear the righteousness embodied in Himself.

Our Heavenly Father asks only that we accept the Sacrifice He made to make His garments available—the Lamb offered on the cross, His perfect and spotless Son, Jesus.

Prayer: Lord, I desire Your garments to become my wardrobe. I desire to step into all You promise through Your Son. Thank You for the Sacrifice You made on my behalf. I lay my regrets, fears, and sin at Your feet. Wash from me the stains of this world and clothe me anew in Your robes of life and love. In Jesus’ precious name, Amen.—Kaylene Yoder ⁵

Published on Anchor August 2023. Read by Jon Marc. Music by John Listen.

¹ Quoted by Leon Morris in The Epistle to the Romans (InterVarsity Press, 1988), 473.

² https://www.gotquestions.org/put-on-Christ.html.

³ https://haventoday.org/anchor/garments-of-christs-grace.

⁴ http://www.frtommylane.com/stories/christian_living/coat.htm.

⁵ https://kayleneyoder.com/becoming-clothed-in-gods-mercy.

Love for All Eternity

August 21, 2023

Words from Jesus

Audio length: 9:19

Download Audio (8.5MB)

When I say I love you, I am speaking to you personally. I’m speaking to those who feel far away and distant from My love. I am talking to you who feel that you have failed and there is no forgiveness to be found, or who feel as if there is no hope. If you feel like this, the following message is for you.

If you feel unworthy, as if there is no way back to Me; if you feel weak and weary, as if you don’t have one ounce of strength left to walk another mile; if you feel tired and plain tuckered out—this message is for you. If you feel you’ve lost your inspiration; if you feel you’ve lost that driving motivation to make it one more day, one more step, one more hour, these words are for you. If you feel you’ve turned your back on Me and that I couldn’t possibly understand the pain and the burdens of your heart, this message is for you.

If you feel like giving up, and wonder what’s the use of trying, I’m speaking to you. If you feel like a great big mess, I want you to know that I love you. If you feel like you don’t have it in you to reach the goals set before you, this message is for you. If you feel lost and lonely and confused, and if you are doubting, I love you in spite of it all.

If you feel you have failed Me time and again, draw close to Me and let My peace encompass you. If you feel inadequate and too sinful to be worthy of My love, I want you to remember that I love you and gave My life for you! If you feel overwhelmed, as if you’re drowning in an ocean of woes, I love you and am with you.

My love is reaching out to you. My forgiveness and mercy are yours to have, if you will only receive them. My love for you cannot be quenched by the flood waters. My love for you reaches up to the highest star and down to the depths of the deepest sea! My love for you is always and forever.

If you feel weak and battle-worn and weary, this message is for you. If you feel you are fainting in your mind, fainting in heart and soul, this message is for you. If you think your zeal has left you and you feel like you are all washed up, remember that I love you from now until eternity!

If you have toiled long and hard through the years, and you stand looking in the mirror, wondering what you have to show for your life, this message is for you—My love for you is unfailing and unchanging.

If you are standing on the threshold of new horizons, feeling overwhelmed at the challenges ahead, anxious about the future, if you feel you don’t have it in you to meet the need that lies before you, I want you to know that My love will see you through.

I love you as if you were the only one—so much so that I was willing to go to the cross and die for you. I see your love and faithfulness to Me and your labors of love for others. I am not stacking up all your faults and failures, or mistakes and blunders. I see the good and the possibilities that others may not see. I only see your precious heart—and I love you.

I see your every tear. I hear your every cry. I feel your every frustration, your every worry, your every burden, your every desire. I know everything about you—all your wants, all your lacks. I see your heart and all that is in it, and you are precious to Me.

I long to comfort, to soothe, and to heal your every heartache and calm your every worry and fear. I wish to bring clarity to your confusion and to soothe your ruffled nerves. I am with you always—through whatever deep, dark experience or dense fog you find yourself in or confusion or frustration you have bottled up inside.

My precious child who feels far away, I long for you to know that I am always with you. I have never left you, and I will never, ever forsake you.

I have called you and I long to draw you close to My bosom of love. You are Mine. I fought for you, I bled for you, I died for you, and now My Spirit dwells in you! You are Mine for all eternity.

Loved all the way to the cross

My love for you is so great that it caused Me to undertake My mission on Earth to reclaim you and raise you up to new life. For this I died, that you might find the way, the truth, and the life, that you might discover to whom you belong and your eternal identity in Me.

As I suffered, as I bled and died for you, My great love for you sustained Me. As Pilate’s lashes thrashed My back, your redemption was ever before Me. As the soldiers spat on Me and mocked Me and thrust the crown of thorns onto My head, your salvation gave Me strength to endure. As I carried the cross through the streets, and as I fell to My knees, weak and weary with the burden of it all, My love for you gave Me the strength to carry on. As I hung on the cross in shame and pain, I remembered that through this death you would live for all eternity in heaven.

I have loved you from everlasting to everlasting, so great a love story is My love for you! I have implanted My love and Spirit deep in your heart to sustain you on your journey through life—that you might find strength and faith and hope to carry on.

I placed a void in your heart so you could be full to overflowing with My love—so that you would have love enough and the power of My Spirit to sustain you until the day when you come home at last to the place that I have prepared for you.

When you feel alone and you have fallen on hard times, that is the time to come to Me, to rest and find peace in My presence. And when you are discouraged and you feel like you have made a mess of things, look up into My face and see Me smile upon you with My unconditional love that never leaves or forsakes you.

When you feel worried or anxious, bring all your cares to Me. If you feel that no one can possibly understand the trials that you are passing through, I always understand. Bring Me every problem or burden, and all the worries and the cares of life, and you will find rest for your soul.

When you feel weak, I will be Your strength. When you feel confusion, I will give you My peace that surpasses all understanding. When you feel fearful, I will comfort your heart. When you feel strain, I will bring relief. When all seems dark and stormy, I will be your shining light.

When you are in need of direction and guidance, I will lead the way and light your path. When you feel tired, I will be your rest. When you feel lost, I am with you to remind you that you have already been found for all eternity.

My love for you is so vast, and I love you like no other ever will! I love you now and I will love you forever.

Originally published September 1996. Adapted and republished August 2023. Read by Jerry Paladino. Music by Michael Dooley.

Be So Happy

David Brandt Berg

1972-04-01

The poor hippie wanted to impress the lady of the house with how hungry he was, thinking he’d get a handout in the way of a good meal, so he got down on his hands and knees on the front lawn pretending to be eating grass. When the lady came out on the front porch and saw him, she said, “Oh my dear, you poor boy! Why don’t you go round in the backyard? The grass is much longer back there.” The generosity of some people!

The poor hippie was standing on the street corner giving out newspapers in return for twenty-five-cent donations when a man walked up, took two papers, and handed him a quarter, saying grandly, “I want you to know, young man, that I don’t give you this because I feel that I have to or because I think it’s my duty or because I even think your paper’s worth it. I just enjoy giving.” To which the hippie replied, “Well, mister, why don’t you give us a dollar and have a real good time!”

We all need a good sense of humor. “A merry heart doeth good like medicine” (Proverbs 17:22). God created us with a sense of humor and the ability to laugh at things that are funny. So I’m sure He Himself has a sense of humor, especially when I look at some of the things and people He has created and the funny situations He lets them get into.

Someone has said that a sense of humor is the ability to see the funny side of a serious situation and to laugh at things when they’re not the way they ought to be. Like the very formal preacher I knew who always wore a formal frock coat in the pulpit, or what we used to call “tie-n-tails,” similar to our modern tuxedo. He was so particular about the crease in his trousers that, while waiting in his study for his part of the service to begin, during Sunday school he would take them off and hang them up rather than sit down in them. (This actually happened.)

Then one Sunday morning he suddenly remembered, just as they were dismissing Sunday school, that he was supposed to make an important announcement to the children, so he quickly jumped up and dashed out of his office onto the platform shouting, “Children, children, just a moment! I have something very important to show you!” As the kids turned around and looked back at him on the platform, for a moment there was a stunned silence, followed by a roar of laughter as they looked at the preacher standing there with the announcement in his hand held high in the air and his bare knees clearly visible above the altar rail.

His congregation obviously had a good sense of humor. However, he did not. For when he looked down to see what they were laughing at, he nearly fainted, and barely managed to stumble back into his office, where he collapsed, instead of being able to laugh at himself and his own ridiculous failure to remember to put his pants on before he went on the platform.

There is such a thing as being too serious and too sober about some things and taking some things too seriously, especially yourself. The ability to laugh at yourself and your own silly mistakes is a great asset and helps keep you humble. But he who can’t laugh at his own mistakes or take the mistakes of others with a sense of humor either has too much pride or too severe a sense of life.

God intended for us to enjoy living, and He has given us the ability, the senses, and the environment to enjoy it, including Himself, and our main purpose in life, as Martin Luther said, is “to love God and enjoy Him forever.” And I might add, to help others enjoy life by helping them to do the same by telling them of God’s love and the happy life we live.

If there’s anything that people notice and remark about when they meet us, it’s the joy, the happiness, the laughter, the smiles, radiant faces, cheerful voices, and happy praises. And it’s this very joy and happiness and loving fellowship which is so attractive to others. Praise the Lord.

God created you to enjoy the life He’s given you and to love and enjoy Him forever and to try to help others to do the same. Even the martyrs didn’t die sadly or sorrowfully, but singing and shouting and praising God. If there’s anything in this world we’re supposed to be, it’s a happy people, because we’ve got more to be happy about than anybody else in the world. We have the happy love of Jesus, who takes all our burdens, carries all our cares, even lightens our sorrows; and even of our service for Him He says that His yoke is easy and His burden is light (Matthew 11:30), and that it is the way of the transgressor that’s hard (Proverbs 13:15).

If you’re finding His yoke too hard or the burden of His service too heavy to bear, then maybe you’re transgressing by not obeying Him, not “casting all your cares upon Jesus, for He careth for you” (1 Peter 5:7). “Cast thy burden on the Lord and He shall sustain thee” (Psalm 55:22). You’re trying to carry too much and pull too hard. Let go and let God.

Let Jesus do it. Don’t work so hard. Just let the Lord do it through you. Maybe you’re trying too hard instead of letting God do it by His power, His love, His grace, and His strength. We’re not the Christian Endeavour Union. In other words, we’re not “Christian Triers” but “Lord Letters”. For without Him we are nothing and can of our own selves do nothing.

So quit trying so hard. Let go and let God. Take it easy. Quit working so hard in your own strength. Quit taking yourself so seriously. Stop and praise the Lord and have a good laugh at your own weaknesses and ridiculous inability to do anything or accomplish anything for the Lord, knowing that if anything’s going to get done, it’s the Lord that’s got to do it through you.

Relax. Quit trying so hard in your own strength. Smile! You’re on candid camera—God’s candid camera—and He wants you to be happy. Cheer up! Things could be a lot worse, and they probably will be, but why worry about it now. Fret not thyself for tomorrow. Sufficient unto the day is the evil thereof. (Matthew 6:34).

I heartily agree with the young man who wrote me that Christians need to have more of a sense of humor, to be able to laugh at something funny, and mostly themselves, instead of, as he put it, practicing with balls and chains and thumbscrews today so they’ll be able to bear them tomorrow. That’s not the way God does things. He doesn’t make you try to practice suffering today what you’re going to have to suffer tomorrow.

He says, “Sufficient unto the day is the evil thereof.” You’re not to add more to it in preparation for tomorrow, or to try to toughen yourself up for more evil tomorrow. You’re to enjoy today and take things as they come and let tomorrow take care of itself. “As thy days, so shall thy strength be” (Deuteronomy 33:25). God gives you power for the hour, grace for the trial—at the hour and when it comes, not before. So don’t worry about it.

When you’re weak, then you’re strong, and His strength is made perfect in your weakness (2 Corinthians 12:9). For His grace is sufficient for you, and He takes the weak things to confound the mighty and the foolish things to confound the wisdom of the wise (1 Corinthians 1:27). For He’s not revealed these things unto the wise and prudent, but unto babes (Matthew 11:25). You’ve got to be a baby!

We’re a real laugh, thinking we can save the world with no theological education, no seminary degrees in theology and philosophy, no billions of dollars in church property, no influential big wheels, no powerful denominational organization, and no millions of church-goers every Sunday. But we’re doing it. What a sense of humor God has. That ought to cheer anybody up.

If God can use us, He can use anybody, because we’re nobody, and you ought to absolutely crack up laughing at yourself and how ridiculous you are instead of trying to be too sober and taking yourself too seriously. If He can use you and me, He could even use Balaam’s ass. And He did. Or even cause the rocks to cry out. And He has. For He has raised up of these stones children unto Abraham. Hallelujah.

So for God’s sake and His work’s sake and your own sake, and especially for the sake of those around you, don’t try so hard and take yourself so seriously. It’s got to be God or we’ll never make it. That’s why He called us. And that’s why they marvel, beholding the man, knowing that it’s only because we’ve been with Jesus that we can do these things (Acts 4:13). They know it’s got to be God. They know it’s only Jesus. They know it’s a miracle of God that has changed our lives. So why not have a good laugh at yourself and admit that it’s God that’s doing it all through you.

I once knew a dear old missionary who had evangelized the forbidden country of Tibet for twenty-five years, four years of it behind communist lines, and I marveled at his humility, his grace, and blithely cheerful spirit as he did dishes with me. I thought what a great man he was and what a great work he had done and how famous he should have been, and yet here he was doing dishes with me for the rest of the kids.

Since I was planning to be a missionary myself, I asked him a question which I considered he of all people ought to know: “What do you think a missionary needs the most?” I was expecting some solemn and profound answer from his greatly superior wisdom and vast wealth of years of experience. So you can imagine how shocked I was when he said simply, pausing with his hands in the sink and looking at me with a sly smile: “A sense of humor—to be able to laugh when you feel like crying.”

He said that, often, under the almost unbearable tension of the most frightening circumstances, a good laugh nearly saved their lives and their nerves. After all, if you know the Lord’s going to take care of it somehow, you can afford to smile and to laugh at how impossible the situation is, how ridiculous the circumstances are, as you know God’s got to do a miracle. So why not laugh about it?

I remember what a thrill we used to get when we got down to our last penny, because we knew it was time for God to do a miracle. We got so excited we could hardly wait, looking expectantly in this direction and that with the greatest of happy anticipation, wondering joyfully where it was going to come from and what unusual or different thing He was going to do this time to save us. Sometimes it was really comical! We’d find a bill in an old purse or the bottom of a drawer or a dollar lying in the street, or meet an old and unexpected friend who invited us to dinner and gave us a place to lay our heads for the night.

I can remember one time when we needed a dime for a quart of milk for breakfast, and didn’t have a penny. My mother said, “Don’t worry, children, the Lord will supply. Let’s go for a walk before breakfast.” And as we stood on the corner, a brand-new dime literally fell out of the sky and tinkled to the sidewalk. We never could figure out how it got there or where it fell from or who dropped it, unless it was God Himself.

What a joke! How funny can you get, dropping dimes from the sky? Who else would run His business that way? But God likes to do it differently and in many ways that to us are downright ridiculous, outlandishly funny, seemingly impossible, and outright laughable, just to show His power, that He’s not bound by conventions, traditions, customs, the world, or any kind of impossibilities.

If there was ever a saint who has one of the greatest soul winners I ever knew and who had some marvelous gifts of the Spirit and for whom God performed many mighty miracles, it was my mother. And yet she was one of the funniest women I ever knew, keeping us constantly in stitches and sometimes literally doubled up in laughter at some of her funny antics, peculiarities, absent-mindedness, and sense of humor.

There was nothing she enjoyed as much as a good joke on herself. She used to say, “I guess God made me so funny just to show what He could do with someone as ridiculous as I am.” Sometimes, to give God all the glory, she would have us virtually rolling on the floor with laughter at some of her funny stories about herself and the crazy things she’d done absentmindedly.

We do have other things to do besides laugh, but for God’s sake, laugh while you’re doing them. And most of all, be able to laugh at yourself and a good joke on yourself, because you’re the funniest thing God ever made, and you couldn’t be any more ridiculous. So this ought to help keep you humble.

Humor certainly does help to humble you. There’s nothing like the humiliation of a good joke on yourself to help keep us from getting so self-righteous and super sober and severely serious that we can’t enjoy a good joke on ourselves and can’t see how funny we are, how ridiculous we are, how nothing we are, and what a joke we are.

For God’s sake, why don’t you break down that stupid self-righteous pride and laugh at yourself, at how ridiculous and foolish you are to think you can save the world, when it’s only God that’s doing it through you, showing that even the foolishness of God is greater that the wisdom of men (1 Corinthians 1:25). Hallelujah. Have a good laugh at all your troubles. It’ll do you good, and it’ll do God good, because it’ll show Him that you’re not worried but you’re still trusting Him. Praise the Lord.

We all need a good laugh. Have a sense of humor. Keep humble with good humor. Laugh at yourself. Just don’t let’s overdo it, as there’s a time for everything. There’s a time to laugh, and a time to weep—a time for everything (Ecclesiastes 3). But let’s always be able to smile through our tears. A ray of sunshine is even more beautiful in the midst of rain. Let’s have a little more sunshine and laughter and not so much gloom and doom. Instead of giving them so much hell, let’s give them a little more heaven. “Laugh and the world will laugh with you.—Cry, and you’ll cry alone.”^[1]

The world knows enough hell. Let’s show them a little more heaven—“Love and laughter and peace ever after,” and that today you can be free.^[2] Hallelujah. Praise the Lord. Amen? Let’s have some holy laughter! Laugh in the Spirit! Rejoice and be exceeding glad, for great is your reward in heaven (Matthew 5:12).

^[1] From Solitude by Ella Wheeler Wilcox, 1850–1919.

^[2] From “The White Cliffs of Dover” by Nat Burton, 1941.

The Coming of the Kingdom

²⁰Being asked by the Pharisees when the kingdom of God would come, he answered them, “The kingdom of God is not coming in ways that can be observed, ²¹nor will they say, ‘Look, here it is!’ or ‘There!’ for behold, the kingdom of God is in the midst of you.”^[h]

²²And he said to the disciples, “The days are coming when you will desire to see one of the days of the Son of Man, and you will not see it. ²³And they will say to you, ‘Look, there!’ or ‘Look, here!’ Do not go out or follow them. ²⁴For as the lightning flashes and lights up the sky from one side to the other, so will the Son of Man be in his day.^[i] ²⁵But first he must suffer many things and be rejected by this generation. ²⁶Just as it was in the days of Noah, so will it be in the days of the Son of Man. ²⁷They were eating and drinking and marrying and being given in marriage, until the day when Noah entered the ark, and the flood came and destroyed them all. ²⁸Likewise, just as it was in the days of Lot—they were eating and drinking, buying and selling, planting and building, ²⁹but on the day when Lot went out from Sodom, fire and sulfur rained from heaven and destroyed them all— ³⁰so will it be on the day when the Son of Man is revealed. ³¹On that day, let the one who is on the housetop, with his goods in the house, not come down to take them away, and likewise let the one who is in the field not turn back. ³²Remember Lot’s wife. ³³Whoever seeks to preserve his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life will keep it. ³⁴I tell you, in that night there will be two in one bed. One will be taken and the other left. ³⁵There will be two women grinding together. One will be taken and the other left.”^[j] ³⁷And they said to him, “Where, Lord?” He said to them, “Where the corpse^[k] is, there the vultures^[l] will gather.” (Luke 17:20-37) ESV

*In speaking to His disciples about a coming time of great destruction, Jesus mentioned what happened to Lot’s wife and the destruction of Sodom and Gomorrah. “Remember Lot’s wife!” He said. “Whoever tries to keep their life will lose it, and whoever loses their life will preserve it” (Luke 17:32–33).

There may have been some believing Jews in Judea who still had some attachment to the temple. In Luke 17, Jesus warns that there will come a time when they see a symbol of impending judgment, and they will need to get out of the area as quickly as possible. Just as God rained down wrath on Sodom and Gomorrah, He will judge Jerusalem. The coming wrath is no time for divided loyalties. While many believed that God would never allow the temple to be destroyed, Jewish Christians knew that the usefulness of the temple had passed and its days were numbered. They could stay on in Jerusalem and witness of the resurrected Christ, but when they saw that judgment was about to fall, they knew to get out. Eusebius in his Church History records that they did escape. By abandoning everything and getting out of the city, the Christians not only saved their lives but also gave testimony to the fact that the Old Covenant had been replaced by the New.
A similar sentiment is expressed by Jesus in other contexts, although Lot’s wife is not mentioned. Jesus said, “No one who puts a hand to the plow and looks back is fit for service in the kingdom of God” (Luke 9:62). In context, Jesus is talking about people who want to follow Him but are hindered by their concern for other things. It is not just that they look back, but they have divided loyalties, like Lot’s wife.

God Knows All About Me

August 18, 2023

By Alistair Begg

The first six verses of Psalm 139 convey the staggering truth that the Lord knows us better than we know ourselves. He knows what we do, where we go, what we think, what we say, all that we long for, and all that we need. Alistair Begg reminds us that there’s no safer place to put our trust than in God, who doesn’t love from a distance but searches us and knows us, sending His Son to lay down His life for us in order that we may also know Him.

Run time for this video is 40 minutes.

https://youtu.be/n-Gl3YmFAfk

024 – Jesus—His Life and Message: Authority

Jesus—His Life and Message

Peter Amsterdam

2015-06-16

(You can read about the intent for and overview of this series in this introductory article.)

As believers, we are well aware that Jesus is the Son of God who died for our sins so that we could be in relationship with God. When we read the events of Jesus’ life, we know the whole story from beginning to end. Because of this, we can miss the sense of awe and wonder that was felt by those who heard Him speak and witnessed His life. When we read of His miracles, we’re not surprised or shocked, as we know that Jesus had authority and power to perform them. Those in Jesus’ day, on the other hand, didn’t know what we do now about Him. It wasn’t clear to them initially who He was, and it only became clear gradually, as they heard Him teach, as they witnessed the miracles. Even then, for the most part they were slow to understand and believe.

Throughout His ministry, Jesus revealed who He was through His teaching and actions. He didn’t outright proclaim Himself the Messiah or the one mightier than John the Baptist.¹ However, through what He taught, the healings and other miracles He performed, His symbolic actions, and His descriptions of His relationship with the Father, He made it possible for those with listening ears and seeing eyes to slowly grasp His true identity. One of the ways He revealed Himself and His purpose was by means of His authority in His teaching and actions.

In all the Synoptic Gospels, we’re told that those who heard Him teach were amazed at His teaching. Luke’s Gospel states:

They were astonished at his teaching, for his word possessed authority.²

Mark wrote:

They were astonished at his teaching, for he taught them as one who had authority, and not as the scribes.³

The scribes were the experts in the Mosaic Law, and were responsible for its interpretation and application. They were the established guardians of legal tradition, the authorized teachers of the Law, who because of their training and office had a right to expect the people to accept their legal rulings.⁴ Their authority was based on their formal training and familiarity with the earlier interpreters of the Law, so they appealed to those who came before them. An example is often used regarding the great Jewish teacher Hillel who died when Jesus was a boy: He had spoken on a matter all day, yet the other rabbis did not receive his teaching until he said, “Thus I heard from Shemaiah and Abtalion.” For the scribes, the continuity of tradition was what gave the authority to settle issues.⁵ Besides knowing the written Scripture and its interpretation, they were also authorities on the oral traditions, referred to by Jesus as the “tradition of the elders.”⁶

Jesus didn’t receive the formal training that the scribes had, yet He had learning. His authoritative teaching wasn’t based on what others had previously taught. He taught with an inherent authority, one based on who He was and on His Father.

The Jews therefore marveled, saying, “How is it that this man has learning, when he has never studied?” So Jesus answered them, “My teaching is not mine, but his who sent me.”⁷

We see this authority in the 73 times He used the phrase “Verily I say to you.” The Greek word amen is translated as verily, assuredly, truly, I tell you the truth, I assure you, in various English translations. Throughout all four Gospels, Jesus used this phrase to emphasize the significance of the words He was about to speak. In essence He was saying, “You must listen to what I have to say, because the words that I speak are not mine; they are the very words of God!”⁸ (In the Gospel of John, it’s always doubled: Truly, Truly.) This usage of truly in the manner Jesus used it is unparalleled in Jewish literature.⁹ Jesus alone used this word to introduce and strengthen the statements He made. He always followed it with, “I say to you.” It was His way of making the point that these were definite truths.

Manson says:

A single phrase, the frequent and emphatic “Verily I say unto you,” is enough to set Jesus as a teacher in a class apart from either prophets or scribes. When a prophet spoke with authority, it was as the messenger of God; and the message which he had to deliver was properly introduced by the formula, “Thus saith the Lord.” When the scribe spoke authoritatively it was to declare what Scripture or tradition had to say. When Jesus speaks with authority the formula is “I say unto you.”¹⁰

Jesus, as God’s Son, spoke with the authority of His Father.

Jesus’ authority was shown both in His teaching and in His powerful deeds. Throughout the Gospels we read of numerous miraculous acts at the hand of Jesus. These include specific healings of a variety of diseases and illnesses such as blindness,¹¹ leprosy,¹² paralysis,¹³ fever,¹⁴ and hemorrhaging.¹⁵ Besides specific healings, we are given summaries of His healings in different places:

They brought him all the sick, those afflicted with various diseases and pains, those oppressed by demons, epileptics, and paralytics, and he healed them.¹⁶ Great crowds came to him, bringing with them the lame, the blind, the crippled, the mute, and many others, and they put them at his feet, and he healed them, so that the crowd wondered, when they saw the mute speaking, the crippled healthy, the lame walking, and the blind seeing. And they glorified the God of Israel.¹⁷ They sent around to all that region and brought to him all who were sick and implored him that they might only touch the fringe of his garment. And as many as touched it were made well.¹⁸

Jesus generally healed people without praying to God or invoking His name. He had the inherent authority to heal. (The one exception was when He prayed to His Father for the benefit of others just prior to raising Lazarus from the dead.

Jesus lifted up his eyes and said, “Father, I thank you that you have heard me. I knew that you always hear me, but I said this on account of the people standing around, that they may believe that you sent me.” When he had said these things, he cried out with a loud voice, “Lazarus, come out.”¹⁹)

Jesus used an example of His authority to heal in order to prove that He also had the authority to forgive sins. When a paralytic was brought to Him, Jesus told him:

“Man, your sins are forgiven you.”²⁰ The scribes and Pharisees present thought to themselves, “Who is this who speaks blasphemies? Who can forgive sins but God alone?” When Jesus perceived their thoughts, he answered them, “Why do you question in your hearts? Which is easier, to say, ‘Your sins are forgiven you,’ or to say, ‘Rise and walk’? But that you may know that the Son of Man has authority on earth to forgive sins”—he said to the man who was paralyzed—“I say to you, rise, pick up your bed and go home.” And immediately he rose up before them and picked up what he had been lying on and went home, glorifying God. And amazement seized them all, and they glorified God and were filled with awe, saying, “We have seen extraordinary things today.”²¹

Jesus asked His question to make the point that if He had the authority to heal the paralytic, then He also had the authority to forgive sins. The scribes understood that only God could forgive sins, which is why they said Jesus was blaspheming.

Bock explains:

The logic of the question is easy to follow: it is easier to say something that cannot be visually verified than to say something that can be visually substantiated. The easier claim from the observer’s point of view is the claim to forgive sins, since one cannot prove it wrong. The issue is this: Is Jesus’ claim an empty word or the real thing? Does Jesus’ declaration of forgiveness have God’s word and power behind it? … The man’s being able to walk home attests to his healing, and it should cause the observer and the reader to reflect on what this healing says about Jesus and what Jesus’ claim to have authority over sin really means.²²

Jesus shows through His ability to heal that He also has the authority to forgive sins.

The centurion whose servant was in need of healing expressed the concept of Jesus’ authority to heal. When Jesus said He would come to the man’s house to heal the servant, the centurion replied:

“Lord, I am not worthy to have you come under my roof, but only say the word, and my servant will be healed. For I too am a man under authority, with soldiers under me. And I say to one, ‘Go,’ and he goes, and to another, ‘Come,’ and he comes, and to my servant, ‘Do this,’ and he does it.” When Jesus heard this, he marveled and said to those who followed him, “Truly, I tell you, with no one in Israel have I found such faith.”²³

The centurion understood that Jesus was operating under the authority of the God of Israel, in the same way that he was operating under the authority of his military superiors.²⁴

We read that Jesus cast out unclean spirits through His authority as well:

They were all amazed and said to one another, “What is this word? For with authority and power he commands the unclean spirits, and they come out!”²⁵

Besides healings and exorcisms, the Gospels tell of Jesus’ power and authority over nature. He calmed storms and winds with His command;²⁶ He twice multiplied a handful of loaves and fish to feed thousands of people who had been listening to Him;²⁷ and He raised the dead.²⁸ Jesus’ manifestations of power and authority caused those who witnessed them to ask the key question, “Who is this man”?²⁹

The same question is raised in some of Jesus’ statements, such as how He was “the Lord of the Sabbath”;³⁰ how He was given authority to execute judgment;³¹ how He is going to come with his angels in the glory of his Father, and then he will repay each person according to what he has done;³² and how whoever hears my word and believes him who sent me has eternal life. He does not come into judgment, but has passed from death to life.³³

God’s Son came into the world in order to save those who believe in Him from the ultimate effects of sin. He made it possible for us to be filled with the Spirit of God, lead lives which glorify Him, and dwell eternally in God’s presence. It wasn’t immediately evident to those who knew Jesus in His lifetime who He was. Throughout His ministry, His disciples and others asked “Who is this man?” and only gradually did they come to recognize that He was the Messiah. It can be difficult to understand how some of those who were awed by the sick being healed, the multitudes being fed, and many other miracles, didn’t become His followers, but clearly, many didn’t. Yet over time, those who not only saw His miracles but also listened to what He taught began to understand and believe, and they changed the world.

They knew Jesus; they witnessed the authority of His words and deeds. They told others about His life, death, and resurrection, and in turn others also believed. The Gospel writers recorded some of Jesus’ words and events within their Gospels, preserving them for all following generations. As the Gospels are read today, the question is still asked: Who is this man? We who have come to know Him understand that He is God incarnate, who laid down His life for us and radically changed our lives forever. It’s up to each of us who has been blessed with faith to share Him with others.

As He said to His first disciples, He still says today:

All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you. And behold, I am with you always, to the end of the age.³⁴

Note

¹ Matthew 3:11; Mark 1:7; Luke 3:16.

² Luke 4:31–32.

³ Mark 1:22. Also Matthew 7:28–29.

⁴ France, The Gospel of Matthew, 298–99.

⁵ Talbert, Reading the Sermon on the Mount, 145.

⁶ Keener, The Gospel of Mark, 90.

⁷ John 7:15–16.

⁸ Hawthorne, G. F., Amen, in Dictionary of Jesus and the Gospels, 8.

⁹ Jeremias, New Testament Theology, 34.

¹⁰ Manson, The Teaching of Jesus, 106.

¹¹ Matthew 9:27–30; 20:29–34.

¹² Matthew 8:1–4.

¹³ Matthew 9:2–8; 8:5–13.

¹⁴ Matthew 8:14–15.

¹⁵ Matthew 9:20–22.

¹⁶ Matthew 4:23–24.

¹⁷ Matthew 15:30–31.

¹⁸ Matthew 14:34–36.

¹⁹ John 11:41–44.

²⁰ Luke 5:20.

²¹ Luke 5:21–26.

²² Bock, Luke 1:1–9:50, 485–86.

²³ Matthew 8:8–10.

²⁴ France, The Gospel of Matthew, 315.

²⁵ Luke 4:36.

²⁶ Mark 4:36–41; Luke 8:24; Matthew 14:26–32.

²⁷ Matthew 14:16–21; 15:33–39; Mark 6:34–44; 8:1–9; Luke 9:12–17; John 6:5–13.

²⁸ John 11:39–44; Luke 7:11–16; Matthew 9:18–19, 23–26; Mark 5:22–24, 35–43; Luke 8:40–42, 49–56.

²⁹ John 4:29; 9:16; 10:20–21; Luke 5:21.

³⁰ Mark 2:28.

³¹ For as the Father has life in himself, so he has granted the Son also to have life in himself. And he has given him authority to execute judgment, because he is the Son of Man (John 5:26–27).

³² Matthew 16:27.

³³ John 5:24.

³⁴ Matthew 28:18–20.

S.L.O.W.

August 16, 2023

How to Love Suffering People

By Vaneetha Rendall Risner

We all want to help when our friends are hurting, but we may not be sure where to begin. Do we give them space and tell them to call if they need anything, or do we dive in and try to fix everything? Do we ask questions, or do we wait for them to initiate and speak? While the answers are unique to each person and situation, I’ve learned a great deal from my ministry to suffering people (as well as from my own experiences of loss).

The first thing God calls us to do for our hurting friends is to pray. …

(Read the article here: https://www.desiringgod.org/articles/s-l-o-w.)

Let All Your Things Be Done in Love

August 15, 2023

A compilation

Audio length: 12:58

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Let all that you do be done in love.—1 Corinthians 16:14

In one of the last instructions Paul gives the church in Corinth he encourages them to “do everything in love.” After much advice regarding serious issues in the church, Paul summarized everything in one last statement. Just love one another, in everything that you do.

As we read and study the first letter to the Corinthian church, it is made obvious that there are a lot of issues and struggles that they are walking through, some that they seem not even aware that they are experiencing. And even though Paul gives long, thorough and instructive solutions to these problems, his heart is for them to understand that if they are to succeed in facing these issues, they need to be motivated by love and love alone.

To do things through love we need to look at the Creator and master of love, God. God is love, and by being motivated by love as a people of God, we also glorify and honor God. …

The Christians in Corinth are encouraged not to just seek their own good and their selfish desires in life; they are encouraged to seek the good of their neighbor. Paul even goes so far as to write: “Whether you eat or drink, or whatever you do, do all to the glory of God” (1 Corinthians 10:31). Even as they eat and drink, they should honor and love others and in that glorify God.

Loving others means putting away our selfish desires and to “simply get over ourselves.” And if there is unwillingness in that, we need to ask ourselves the question: what are we willing do for God and for the salvation of others?

As Paul encourages the Christian Corinthians to be imitators of Christ and to be motivated by love and love alone, so are we to encourage each other of the same.—YWAM Turner Valley¹

How to let all you do be done in love

Love. It’s a word that can mean so many things. We can say: “I love God,” “I love my mom,” and “I love spaghetti and meatballs,” and mean all three. The biblical idea of love is also multifaceted, but—unlike in the English language—there were different Greek words to express the nuances of different kinds of love.

The unconditional love of God for us which the indwelling Holy Spirit empowers us to show back to God and toward others is called agape love. This is the kind of love Paul is talking about at the end of his first letter to the Corinthians when he says: “Let all you do be done in love” (1 Corinthians 16:14). In the lengthy letter, Paul has been giving the believers many instructions for how to live in the world as Christians and how to handle many thorny issues they have been facing, and now he is summing up before signing off with his own expression of love: “My love be with you all in Christ Jesus. Amen” (1 Corinthians 16:24). …

Earlier in his letter to the Corinthians, Paul has spent an entire chapter showing them the “still more excellent way” (1 Corinthians 12:31) of love. Paul details what love is in chapter 13, which is often read at weddings but has an application on every day of a Christian’s life: “Love is patient and kind; love does not envy or boast; it is not arrogant or rude. It does not insist on its own way; it is not irritable or resentful; it does not rejoice at wrongdoing, but rejoices with the truth. Love bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things. Love never ends” (1 Corinthians 13:4–8). …

1 John 4:19 reminds us that “we love because He first loved us.” This is not simply a nice idea or a historical happening, but a real, moment-by-moment reality in which we live and by which we are empowered. We can “know and rely on the love God has for us” because “God is love. Whoever lives in love lives in God, and God in them” (1 John 4:16). It is in the atmosphere of God’s love that we are filled up and enabled to love Him back and love others, giving freely what we have been freely given. Love is the core of the gospel, and it never loses relevance in our lives. As J. I. Packer said: “We never move on from the gospel; we move on in the gospel.” …

Because of God’s incredible love, which has been and continues to be lavished on us, we can overflow with that same love. This love can undergird all the actions of a believer, showing the world what God is like. This love is a haven for us that casts out fear, empowers us to do hard things, and fills life with rich relational meaning both now and for eternity!—Jessica Udall²

How to do all things in love

Love is the mode of operation in which our lives as Christians move and flourish. Paul instructed the Romans, “Be devoted to one another in love. Honor one another above yourselves” (Romans 12:10). Paul taught the Ephesians, “Be completely humble and gentle; be patient, bearing with one another in love” (Ephesians 4:2). And furthermore, “Be kind and compassionate to one another, forgiving each other, just as in Christ God forgave you” (Ephesians 4:32). Love is the disposition that Christians are to manifest toward one another and all humankind.

Christ Himself said that His followers are to be known by their love: “A new command I give you: Love one another. As I have loved you, so you must love one another” (John 13:34). Jesus establishes the standard of how we are to love one another. Husbands and wives should love one another as Christ loved the church and sacrificed Himself for it (Ephesians 5:22–33). When we correct or reprove another, we must do it from a place of genuine love for them (1 Timothy 5:1). If we must speak a difficult truth to a brother or sister in Christ, our motive must come from a position of love (Ephesians 4:15). We are always to work together as one body, inseparably joined for the purpose of building one another up in a spirit of unity and love (Ephesians 4:16).

We acquire love by emulating the example Christ demonstrated through His life: “By this we know love, that he laid down his life for us, and we ought to lay down our lives for the brothers. But if anyone has the world’s goods and sees his brother in need, yet closes his heart against him, how does God’s love abide in him? Little children, let us not love in word or talk but in deed and in truth” (1 John 3:16–18). “Let all that you do be done with love” proposes that we love as Jesus loved.

Dear God, thank you that you are a loving, gracious God. Thank you that you’ve offered us forgiveness and the gift of new life in you. Thank you that your love is perfect, it never fails, and that nothing can separate us from your love.

We pray that our lives would be filled and overflowing with the power of your love so we can make a difference in this world and bring honor to you. We ask for your help in reminding us that the most important things are not what we do outwardly, it’s not based on any talent or gift, but the most significant thing we can do in this life is simply to love you and to choose to love others. …

Lord, thank you that your love bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things; thank you that your love never fails.—Debbie McDaniel³

Today I took time to love

And above all these put on love, which binds everything together in perfect harmony.—Colossians 3:14

God loved you so greatly that even though He had to make the supreme sacrifice and leave His Father and His home to suffer, to be condemned, to endure all the evils of sinful men, He did it because He loves you. And if you had been the only one ever born into this world, He still would have done it—for you! He did it because He saw that underneath all that filth and sin, there was a beautiful creation of His.

In turn, He says that we must love others with the same love that He loved us with; that we must look beyond people’s faults and failings and sins and look for the beauty that He has placed there—to try to look inside their heart and to love others with His love.

The world is dry and thirsty for God’s Spirit and needs a massive infusion of His love. The world needs to feel God’s healing touch, warm concern, and compassion. Now is the time not to just read about His love or talk about it, but to live it, by loving God and everyone we can in every circumstance.

Taking the time to love people is not time wasted, no matter how many other important things we have to do. It can bring joy, comfort, and security to others and to those whom their lives touch. You may think that what you can do is meager, but “little is much if God is in it,” and His Spirit can work through even the smallest acts of love.

By loving people, we are practicing what we preach, and our preaching will therefore be more powerful. If we can say, “Today, I took time to love,” we can feel like we have accomplished something that will last forever and that will please the Lord.—Maria Fontaine

Published on Anchor August 2023. Read by Gabriel Garcia Valdivieso. Music by Michael Fogarty.

¹ https://ywamturnervalley.org/2016/01/05/let-all-that-you-do-be-done-in-love-1-corinthians-1614/

² https://www.crosswalk.com/faith/spiritual-life/how-to-let-all-you-do-be-done-in-love.html

³ https://www.christianity.com/wiki/bible/let-all-you-do-be-done-in-love-1-corinthians-16-14.html

Developing a Gratitude Mindset

August 14, 2023

By Peter Amsterdam

Audio length: 12:26

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Becoming more Christlike is about becoming a better Christian through a more committed application of the teachings of Scripture coupled with the guidance and grace of the Holy Spirit. This application of Scripture cuts two ways: first, it calls for doing away with ungodliness, for believing that what the Bible calls sin is in fact sin and needs to be resisted and overcome as much as possible. Second, it calls for us to put on Christ (Romans 13:14), to embrace the godly virtues spoken of in Scripture, the fruit of the Spirit, and live in a manner which strengthens these virtues within our lives.

Growing in godliness is a lifelong pursuit. It requires intentional change, commitment, and willingness to regularly put in effort to positively alter our actions, thoughts, desires, and outlooks. It’s a spiritual transformation, a renewal of mind, becoming a new creation, and determination to “put off your old self, which belongs to your former manner of life … to be renewed in the spirit of your minds, and to put on the new self, created after the likeness of God in true righteousness and holiness”⁽Ephesians 4:22–24).

In his book Cultivating Christian Character, Michael Zigarelli conducted a survey of 5,000 Christians and found indicators of which virtues seem to help in the growth and development of Christian character. He identified three attributes which appear to be major building blocks in developing Christlikeness: gratitude, joyful living, and God-centeredness.¹

This combination of joy, God-centeredness, and gratitude is seen in what the apostle Paul wrote: “Be joyful always; pray continually; give thanks in all circumstances, for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus” (1 Thessalonians 5:16–18).

Gratitude or gratefulness is expressed in Scripture as thankfulness and thanksgiving. It’s based on the concept that everywhere and in every situation, God’s people should continually give thanks to God, the one who has created and redeemed them. The giving of thanks in the Old Testament is indicated most often by the Hebrew word todah, which is translated thanks, thankfulness, and thanksgiving. It’s also how you say “thank you” in modern Hebrew. The word todah is found most often in the book of Psalms, which contains a great deal of praise and thanksgiving to God.²

The New Testament is also full of examples of expressing thankfulness to God, as well as instruction to do so. We read of Jesus’ example of giving thanks and of believers giving thanks to Christ (Matthew 11:25, 26:27; John 11:41). In fact, we’re told to give thanks to God for everything and always (Ephesians 5:20). Gratitude is meant to be a way of life. While we express our gratefulness to other people as well, our ultimate gratitude is toward God, who has given us life.

As we focus on cultivating gratitude, it changes our outlook on life, as over time it produces a new context or lens through which we process our circumstances. We begin to see our experiences and everything we have in the light of God’s love, and thus we can be thankful. This changes our perspective, as we recognize that no matter what our situation, it could be worse—but it isn’t. This doesn’t mean we don’t do what we can to improve our situation, but we view it with thankfulness, being thankful for what we have; that we are alive, that though there may not be abundance and we may not have what others do, we have sufficient.

In a sense, gratitude is a mindset, a worldview. No matter what our circumstances, we choose to see through the lens of thankfulness to God for His love, care, and supply. Rather than comparing with others or bemoaning our lot in life, we thank God for what we have. This requires thinking in a new way, focusing our thoughts on our blessings instead of what’s missing from our lives or having the attitude of how much better life could be “if only …” Gratitude causes us to be content with whatever state we are in, and to regularly thank the Lord for our blessings, whether they’re meager or abundant.

Developing a mindset of gratitude requires conditioning our minds to put off thoughts which cause us to be disgruntled with our circumstances. The more we compare ourselves with others, wanting what they have, the less satisfied we become with our situation, which blinds us to God’s love and care for us, causing us to be unappreciative of what He has done and continues to do in our lives. If we don’t rid ourselves of disgruntled and envious thoughts, we will be trapped in a mindset which steals the joy and happiness that comes from awareness of God’s presence and blessings.

Through Zigarelli’s survey, he found that Christians who rated high in gratitude were those who learned to be content, who rarely desired what others had. They consistently, throughout the day, remembered how much God had blessed them. It’s interesting that those in the survey who were most grateful generally came from a lower economic bracket, so their material possessions weren’t what drove or sustained their grateful heart.

Developing a grateful mindset is based on trust in God’s unfailing love for us. It’s often difficult to feel grateful when we face adversity in our lives, when it seems life doesn’t make sense, and when our prayers seem to go unanswered. But a grateful attitude isn’t based on events around us, it’s anchored in faith that God loves us, that He hears our prayers; and a belief that even if circumstances don’t change, there are always things to be thankful for even in the worst of situations.

One way to cultivate gratitude is to keep track of the things you are thankful for. Keeping a gratitude journal helps you to take account of and focus on your blessings. We each have numerous things that we are thankful for, yet we rarely take time to realize that we are thankful for them. Since we don’t acknowledge them, they don’t consciously register in our minds as blessings and something we are thankful for.

There are so many things in our lives, both small and great, which we can identify as God’s blessings: our gifts and talents, goals we’ve achieved, opportunities which have come our way, our health, and much more. Some things are more everyday blessings, such as food on the table, water in the faucet, and a toilet to use. Then there is our family and friends who love us, as well as people who have helped or cared for us in some way. There are countless things to be grateful for, yet we often don’t take the time to acknowledge them. Keeping a journal helps us to do that; and as we do, we begin to train our mind to recognize them, and eventually our mindset can change so that gratitude becomes part of who we are, putting us on the pathway to greater Christlikeness.

There is also a link between the confession of sin and greater gratitude. When we regularly bring our sins before God, it reminds us of our flaws and of His mercy. Knowing that we have been forgiven and are recipients of His gift of mercy generates feelings of thanksgiving. Confessing our sins to the Lord is part of the process of putting off the old self and putting on “the new self, which is being renewed in knowledge after the image of its creator” (Colossians 3:9–10).

Remembering the poor in our prayers can also enhance gratitude. When we pray for those who have less than we do, it reminds us of how difficult life is for some and makes us grateful for our lives. When we pray for refugees who have to leave everything behind and risk their lives to get somewhere safe, it helps keep our situation in perspective. Zigarelli wrote:

Our frame of reference becomes the impoverished widow, the hungry child, the jobless father, the disease-ridden infant, the refugee forced from home by war, the third-world neighbor without electricity or running water. Praying daily for these people is a practice that illuminates our own existence in the blazing light of God’s providence, and as a result, one may experience a stunning series of reversals. Envy gives way to fulfillment. Resentment gives way to contentment. Complaints give way to praise. The catalyst through it all is gratitude, born of a clearer perspective that’s generated by reflecting on the poor.³

As Christians, we possess the ultimate blessing—salvation, the knowledge that we will live forever with God. We are in relationship with the Creator and sustainer of all things. Our God is also our Father, who knows what we need and promises to take care of us. No matter our circumstances, we are in His presence. Ours should be a life of gratitude, of thanksgiving to God, “giving thanks always and for everything to God the Father in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ” (Ephesians 5:20).

Originally published January 2017. Adapted and republished August 2023. Read by John Laurence.

¹ Michael Zigarelli, Cultivating Christian Character (Colorado Springs: Purposeful Design Publications, 2005).

² E. E. Carpenter and P. W. Comfort, in Holman Treasury of Key Bible Words: 200 Greek and 200 Hebrew Words Defined and Explained (Nashville: Broadman & Holman, 2000), 188.

³ Zigarelli, Cultivating Christian Character, 36.

According to Your Faith

David Brandt Berg

1977-07-01

I remember a story about the famous singing evangelist Mordecai Ham, who won Billy Graham to the Lord. He smoked big fat cigars, but he said that every time he got down to pray, “That big cigar would come up between me and God as big as a telephone pole. It condemned me and was coming between me and the Lord, because I felt guilty about smoking.” So he quit smoking.

You see, “Whatsoever is not of faith is sin” (Romans 14:23). “Happy is he that condemneth not himself in that thing which he alloweth” (Romans 14:22).

Ham had a guilty conscience about the cigar, since he thought it was bad. He said he knew it wasn’t merely the nicotine in the cigar, but it was just because it was something he hadn’t yielded to the Lord, so the Devil used it to condemn him.

The Devil is God’s prosecutor, and quite frequently he condemns you for things you do, sometimes justly, sometimes unjustly. There’s a difference between the conviction of the Holy Spirit and the accusations of the Enemy. You’re not convicted of a sin until the judge, God, has made a decision. But frequently the Enemy will come and accuse you of sins or accuse you of some things which aren’t even sins and condemn you for it.

First John 3:21 says: “Beloved, if our heart condemns us not, then have we confidence (or faith) toward God.” In other words, if you have such strong faith in the Spirit and in the Word that you know what you’re doing is right, and you feel convinced in your own heart that what you’re doing is the right thing because of the Word and the Holy Spirit, you can do things that some other Christians would feel condemned about doing.

I knew a man who said he couldn’t be a Christian because he had to work on Sunday. He was being condemned by his own ignorance, because he didn’t know that working on Sunday was no sin. The church had taught him that working on Sunday was a sin, that Sunday was the Sabbath. Well, it’s not even the Sabbath.

I tried to enlighten him on it, that Sunday was not the Sabbath and you could work on Sunday or the Sabbath, but he wouldn’t listen. He was wrong all the way around. In the first place, Sunday isn’t even the Sabbath, and in the second place, we don’t have to observe the Sabbath anymore. So it was no sin for him to work on Sunday, and I tried to convince him of that.

But because of his ignorance of the Word, his own heart and conscience condemned him. He thought it was wrong, so it was wrong for him; it was a sin for him. If you’re doing something you think is wrong, then it is wrong for you; it is a sin for you. He thought it was wrong, so it was a sin for him. Because he was condemned in his own heart that it was wrong, he couldn’t have the faith for it.

It was probably wrong for Ham to smoke in public, and it probably did cause some weaker brethren to question it or stumble. The scripture on it is very clear in Romans 14: “Him that is weak in the faith receive ye, but not to doubtful disputations. For one believeth that he may eat all things; another, who is weak, eateth herbs” (Romans 14:1–2).

People have to operate the way their faith goes. They have to follow their faith, and they cannot operate outside of the limitations of their faith or they go beyond their faith for things they don’t have faith for, and then to them it is sin. And that’s what Paul says further down in this chapter:

“I am persuaded by the Lord Jesus that there is nothing unclean of itself. But to him that esteemeth anything to be unclean, to him it is unclean!” Remember this, Romans 14:14, and watch out. Because if you think it’s wrong, then to you it is wrong, and you’d better not do it. That’s why you need the Word to clarify some of these points.

“Whatsoever is not of faith is sin”—if you haven’t got the faith for it, then it is a sin for you. “For the kingdom of God is not meat and drink”—it’s not fleshly nor earthly, but it’s “righteousness and peace and joy in the Holy Ghost” (Romans 14:17)—no matter what things you eat or drink.

But, “for meat destroy not the work of God. All things indeed are pure; but it is evil for that man who eateth with offence” (Romans 14:20). In other words, it may be perfectly all right for you to do a certain thing because you have the faith for it and you know it’s scriptural and so on. But if somebody else who thinks it’s wrong sees you do it and you cause him to stumble, then that’s bad.

“It is good neither to eat flesh nor to drink wine nor any thing whereby thy brother stumbleth or is offended or is made weak” (Romans 14:21). In other words, even though it’s right for you, it can be wrong for him because he hasn’t got the faith for it, and therefore he can think that it’s wrong for you, and if he sees you do it, you could cause him to stumble.

“Hast thou faith? Have it to thyself before God.” In other words, if it’s something that might cause your brother to stumble, then keep it private just between you and the Lord. “Happy is he that condemneth not himself in that thing which he alloweth” (Romans 14:22). It’ll make you happier if you’re not doing things which you feel condemned about, or about which you feel guilty or have a guilt complex, things that you’re not sure are right. In fact, if you’re afraid maybe it’s wrong, then it is wrong for you.

But every Christian on earth cannot forgo everything that other people condemn and accuse them for, or they couldn’t do anything. It’s just like the old story about the man, the boy, and the donkey: When they were both riding on the donkey, people condemned them for being so cruel to the poor little donkey to make it carry them both. So he made his little boy get off, but then they said, “Oh, look how cruel you are, making your little boy walk!” So the man got off himself and put the little boy on the donkey. But then they said, “Oh, look how cruel that little boy is to let his poor old father walk!” So then they both got off and walked, but people said, “Look how ridiculous they are. They’ve got a donkey, but they’re both walking.” Finally, as the story goes, they both wound up carrying the donkey!

So you can’t please everybody in everything. You can please some of the people all the time, and all the people some of the time, but you can’t please everybody all the time.

It makes it pretty clear in this passage (Romans 14), that if you have faith for it between yourself and God—in other words, in private—it’s perfectly all right for you. It may be a bad testimony outside in public, but if it’s something you know it is fine to do or you’re supposed to do, you can’t let it always bother you even though it’s going to sometimes stumble some.

The best cure of doubts is the Word. “Faith cometh by hearing the Word of God” (Romans 10:17). And faith is the opposite of doubt.

So when in doubt, don’t—but when in faith, do! “According to your faith be it done unto you” (Matthew 9:29).

Amazing Grace

Compiled from the writings of David Brandt Berg

1984-09-22

God’s law now, the law of Jesus, the Law of Love is “to love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and thy neighbor as thyself” (Matthew 22:36–39).

“Whatsoever you do in word or in deed, do all to the glory of God” (Colossians 3:17; 1 Corinthians 10:31). That’s our rule, God’s rule.

But if you do not have Jesus and his love in your heart, you are still under the old Mosaic law, guilty of all its infractions and judged by the same. They are not passed away for you.

Choose ye this day whom ye will serve (Joshua 24:15). As for me and my house, we will serve the Lord Jesus Christ and His living Law of Love!

Christ’s Inheritance in Us

August 11, 2023

By Charles Price

Charles Price unpacks the meaning of Ephesians 1:17–18 and what it means to be Christ’s inheritance, bought with a price. “I keep asking that the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the glorious Father, may give you the Spirit of wisdom and revelation, so that you may know him better. I pray that the eyes of your heart may be enlightened in order that you may know the hope to which he has called you, the riches of his glorious inheritance in his holy people.”

Run time for this video is 30 minutes.

A Matter of Importance—Part 1

August 10, 2023

By Maria Fontaine

Audio length: 7:53

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So, what is this “matter of importance”? It’s actually something you are quite familiar with and you use often. Here’s a little riddle: Without it, many things would seem impossible to consider doing. But with it, even the impossible becomes a catapult to launch you over the biggest challenges. It has the power to transform crises into celebrations and confrontations into unity. It can expand your own understanding when implemented wholeheartedly. And it enables you to have fun while moving toward your desired goals.

Here are some more “clues.”

It enhances discipleship, enriches your witness, helps you learn godly wisdom, and grows a deeper, more positive understanding of many things that you might not otherwise realize about God’s love, about others, and even about yourself.

Ready? The answer is gratitude.

Do these claims sound too enormous, too all-encompassing, to be true for a “little thing” like gratitude? After the Lord gave me these descriptions above of the amazing things that gratitude can do, I decided to look online to see what science has discovered about the subject of gratitude. I was amazed at how in almost every area of life the benefits of gratitude seem to be backed up by scientific evidence, or at least some pretty solid findings.

* * *

We already know from the Scriptures that a positive attitude is very powerful. We usually don’t have a difficult time when it comes to giving gratitude to Jesus. Sometimes, however, we need more impetus when it comes to appreciating others.

It seems to take more effort for me to write a thank-you note to someone who has helped me. Sometimes I’ve missed my opportunities, but I always know that putting forth the effort to write a thank-you note is definitely worth doing.

After I’d had some dental work done, I was quite impressed with the dentist and his team, so I wrote them the following note.

Dear Doctor, I want to give credit where credit is due. That is why I am writing this thank you to both you and your skilled team. You deserve credit for having such high standards of professionalism, cleanliness, and friendliness (with a smile!).

Thank you for taking the time to carefully assess what was needed for me personally. I felt that above all you were putting my needs first. This helped me to trust your counsel.

You were open to answering whatever questions I had and you took them seriously. You were open to finding a simpler solution, when the more expensive procedures weren’t really necessary in my case.

I feel that you are balanced and honest, admitting when something will be more difficult and may not always work out easily. This gives me confidence that I can trust what you tell me. I believe that you have my best interests at heart.

I appreciate very much that you are a man of faith and that you depend on God’s help in whatever work you do!

Again, I want to express a wholehearted thank you to you and your team for your efforts to serve. You explained once about your mission; I can tell that a part of it is to positively impact the life of each person who comes to you and your team for help.

A representative of their staff called me right away, wanting to let me know that the dentist and all of them had been very touched by my note. It’s true that we don’t always get that kind of enthusiastic response from those who we go out of our way to thank, but we have to believe that kind deeds done in the name of love are never wasted.

* * *

There’s another group of people that it’s important to appreciate. These are folks that, even though they’re not doing something for you, they’re doing something nice for someone.

Maybe one of your children or grandchildren is being extra patient with their little brother. Maybe you see that someone is taking the time to help another who is struggling with loading something into their car, or maybe you hear someone making an effort to express the bright side of a situation in order to cheer up others.

In such situations, the moment it takes to thank someone for being kind to other people can turn their whole day around. And what does it do for you? If you’ve been able to encourage someone, that makes you happy too! In fact, if a person’s actions or example touch you in any way, it’s worthwhile making an effort to tell that person. It will encourage both them and you.

Sometimes you don’t see what a person is doing, but you still get very encouraged. Here’s an example of how I was greatly encouraged just by hearing a testimony of someone else’s happiness in the Lord! A woman wrote me the other day, telling me her testimony of how during this difficult time of the lockdowns and the COVID problems and the fears here and there and everywhere, she was learning to pray more and study the Word more. She was telling me how the Lord is helping her to make new habits, physical and spiritual, and to pursue the ones she has already progressed in. She was full of praise for how God was answering her prayers.

I happened to know, even though she didn’t mention it, that this woman hasn’t had it easy. Her husband had been quite ill and there had been financial troubles. They had just barely enough to get by. But in spite of all that, she ended her note by saying, “This year so far has been the best year of my life.” There was no mention of her problems, just praise to God for His wonderful ways toward her. You know how this affected me? It made me want to thank her, commend her, and show her a lot of gratitude.

Of course, she hadn’t been doing any of this for me, but she had encouraged me in a very big way. When I told her that unbeknownst to her, she had encouraged me, then she was encouraged.

* * *

(Some thoughts by David L. Weatherford.)

This is a praise to God for all that He teaches us through the years.

What Should I Fear?

I used to live in perpetual fear of losing things I had, or never having the things I hoped to acquire.

What if I lose my hair?
What if I never get a big house?
What if I become overweight, out of shape or unattractive?
What if I lose my job?
What if I am disabled and cannot play ball with my child?
What if I get old and frail and have nothing to offer those around me?

But life teaches those who listen, and now I know:

If I lose my hair, I will be the best bald guy I can be, and I will be grateful that my head can still stimulate ideas, if not follicles.
A house does not make a person happy. The unhappy heart will not find contentment in a bigger house. The heart that is merry, however, will make any home a happy one.
If I spend more time developing my emotional, mental, and spiritual dimensions, rather than focusing solely on my physical self, I will be more beautiful with each passing day.
If I don’t have work that provides wages, I still work for the Lord—and his benefits package is unmatched.
If I am physically unable to teach my child to throw a curve ball, I will have more time to teach him to handle the curves thrown by life, and this shall serve him better.
If aging robs me of my strength, mental alertness, and physical stamina, I will offer those around me the strength of my convictions, the depth of my love and the spiritual stamina of a soul that has been carefully shaped by the hard edges of a meaningful life.

No matter what losses or broken dreams may lie in my destiny, I will meet each challenge with dignity and resolve. For God has given me many gifts, and for each one that I may lose, I will find ten more that I never would have cultivated had the course of my life always run smoothly.

When I can no longer dance, I will sing joyfully; when I haven’t the strength to sing, I will whistle with contentment; when my breath is shallow and weak, I will listen intently and shout love with my heart; and when the bright light approaches, I will pray silently until I no longer need to pray, for I will be where all prayers find their answers.

When it is time for me to go to the Lord, what then should I fear?¹

Originally published November 2020. Adapted and republished August 2023. Read by Lenore Welsh.

¹ David L. Weatherford, “What Should I Fear?” in Chicken Soup for the Unsinkable Soul (Health Communications, 1999), 315–316.

The Woman at the Well

August 9, 2023

Treasures

Although most of us have often heard the term “good Samaritan,” we may not be aware of who the Samaritans were and the enmity that existed between the Jewish people and the Samaritans. To the Jews of Jesus’ day, the word “Samaritan” was an insult. (See John 8:48.) This enmity was rooted in history.

In the year 720 BC, Shalmaneser, the king of the Assyrian Empire, had invaded Israel and carried the ten northern tribes away as captives to the land of Assyria. He then brought in foreign people from the faraway lands of Babylon, Cuthah, Ava, Hamath and Sepharvaim to inhabit the cities of northern Israel where the Jews had once lived, which then became known as Samaria (2 Kings 17:22–34).

Many inhabitants of this region were descendants of the northern kingdom of Israel, but had intermarried and assimilated into the non-Jewish culture of the people who came to settle there. These people came to worship the God of the Jews, but they did not consider Jerusalem to be a holy city, nor did they worship in the Jewish temple there. To them, Mount Gerizim in Samaria was the holiest spot where God was to be worshipped, and they built a temple atop it. Because the Samaritans were a mixed race and their customs and religious worship were different, the Jews avoided associating with them.

One time, when fleeing from His religious enemies in the land of Judea, Jesus decided to go north to His home province of Galilee. The shortest, most direct route between Judea and Galilee was through Samaria, but since the Jews would have no dealings with the Samaritans, they would cross the Jordan River and make a long detour around Samaria to avoid crossing through their land. But to His disciples’ surprise, Jesus ignored such conventions and led them straight through Samaria.

Jesus and His disciples had walked through Samaria for many miles over rough and rugged terrain since early morning, and it was nearly noon and the sun was hot overhead as they trudged along the high road that wound between Mount Gerizim and Mount Ebal. As they came around a curve in the road, they saw an inviting sight: Jacob’s well, which the great patriarch Jacob and his sons had dug nearly 2,000 years earlier.

The thirsty, travel-weary band gathered round the famous well, longing to slake their thirst, but they had no water jug to draw water with and the well was over 100 feet deep. They were also out of food. Only half a mile ahead, in the beautiful valley between the two mountains, lay the Samaritan city of Sychar (called Shechem in the Old Testament), so it was decided that the disciples would go on into the city to buy food. But Jesus was weary from the journey, so as His disciples continued on down the road into the city, He sat down by the well to rest (John 4:5–6).

After the disciples had left, Jesus heard footsteps approaching. He looked up and saw a woman coming down the road toward the well, carrying an empty water jug in her hands. As the woman approached the well, she was surprised to see a stranger sitting in the shade nearby. She looked at him suspiciously a couple of times. “Obviously a Jew,” she thought. Hoping he wouldn’t bother her, she prepared to lower her bucket into the well.

“Will you give me a drink?” Jesus asked (John 4:7).

Surprised, the woman looked at Him. “How is it that You, a Jew, ask me, a Samaritan woman, for a drink?” she asked. According to Jewish tradition, it was forbidden for a Jew to drink out of a vessel that an “unclean” Samaritan—and especially a Samaritan woman—had touched. The Jews had no dealings with the Samaritans (John 4:9).

Jesus answered, “If you knew the gift of God and who it is that said to you, ‘Give me a drink,’ you would have asked Him, and He would have given you living water!”

The woman, amazed at Him, replied, “Sir, you have nothing to draw with, and the well is deep. Where can you get this ‘living water’ from?” Perhaps seeking to put this Jewish stranger in his place, she added, “Are you greater than our father Jacob, who gave us the well and drank from it himself, as did also his sons and his flocks and his herds?” (John 4:10–12).

Jesus rose, and walking over to the well, rested His hand upon it, and said, “Everyone who drinks of this water will be thirsty again, but whoever drinks the water that I give him shall never thirst; but the water that I will give him will become in him a spring of water welling up to eternal life!”

Now here was an extraordinary statement, the woman thought. Imagine!—Having an inner water supply so she would never thirst again! Not quite sure if she understood Him, she answered, “Sir, give me this water so that I won’t get thirsty and have to keep coming all the way here to draw water” (John 4:13–15).

Jesus unexpectedly replied, “First go call your husband, and come back,” to which she replied, “I have no husband.” Jesus then said to her, “You are right when you say you have no husband. The fact is, you have had five husbands, and the one you now have is not your husband. What you have just said is quite true” (John 4:16–18).

The woman was shocked. How could this total stranger know such details of her private life? How could He know unless He was a prophet? Suddenly an inspiration came to her. Here then would be a good person to ask the most controversial and disputed religious question of the day!

“Sir,” she said, “I can see that you are a prophet.” She paused a second, then pointing up to the temple atop nearby Mount Gerizim, said, “Our fathers worshipped on this mountain, but you Jews claim that Jerusalem is the place where men ought to worship.”

Jesus said to her, “Woman, believe Me, the time is coming when you will worship the Father neither on this mountain, nor even in Jerusalem. But the time is coming—and has now come—when the true worshippers will worship the Father in spirit and in truth, for the Father seeks such to worship Him. God is spirit, and they that worship Him must worship Him in spirit and in truth” (John 4:19–24).

The woman was astonished at His answer. “How wonderful,” she thought, “if we could just worship God in our hearts wherever we are!” Given the response she received to her previous question, she decided to ask a greater question about the long-awaited coming of the Savior, the Messiah.

“I know that the Messiah is coming, he who is called the Christ. When he is come, he will tell us all things.”

Jesus looked deeply into her eyes and said, “I who speak to you am He” (John 4:25–26).

The woman looked at Jesus in amazement. Could He really be the Messiah, the Christ?

Just at that moment, they were suddenly interrupted by the sound of Jesus’ disciples, returning from town. As they approached, the woman jumped up, and leaving her water pot, ran back up the road toward the town a half mile away.

Gasping for breath, she came running back into Sychar. Shoppers still crowded the busy marketplace and men sat in the shade of the city gates, resting and talking. “Come!” she called out excitedly, drawing a crowd, “Come and see a man who told me everything I ever did! Can He be the Christ?!” (John 4:28–29). Seeing her conviction and enthusiasm, many of the people believed her that the man she had met at the well was the long-awaited Messiah.

It wasn’t long before Jesus’ disciples saw a large crowd of people rushing down the road from the city toward them, the woman in their midst, still talking excitedly. The crowd came up to the well where Jesus and His disciples were, and immediately began to urge Jesus to please stay with them in their city and teach them. Jesus consented to stay with them for a couple of days, and the Samaritans, rejoicing, led them back to Sychar and gave them the finest food and lodgings they could prepare.

For two days, Jesus taught in their city, and hearing the beautiful words of truth that He taught, many people came to believe in Him, and marveling, remarked to the woman, “We no longer believe just because of what you said; for now we have heard for ourselves, and we know that this man is indeed the Christ, the Savior of the world!” (John 4:39–42).

On the last day, as Jesus and His disciples were preparing to continue on their journey to Galilee, a great multitude from the city gathered to bid them farewell and give them gifts of food and wine for their journey. The Samaritan woman, her heart full of love for Jesus, came up through the crowd to bid Him goodbye. A smile of joy was on her face, for now she fully understood the meaning of His words that day at the well, and a spring of living water now welled up in her soul.

From this beautiful story in the book of John, we learn that Jesus did not hesitate to break the traditions of His day to reach lost and lonely souls with God’s love and truth. Not only did He look past the cultural, racial, and religious differences of the Samaritans to offer them the truth, but He also looked past the sins of the woman at the well to see a soul that earnestly longed for God’s love and salvation.

Jesus told the woman that if she knew what the gift of God was, she would have asked for the living water that would spring up in her for eternal life. This is one of the most beautiful promises in the Bible—God’s gift of salvation, eternal life. Romans 6:23 says, “The gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord.” The living water symbolizes not only eternal life but also the Holy Spirit of God, which Jesus promised would live in our hearts if we believe in Him (John 7:37–39).

The Bible tells us that “the Most High does not dwell in temples made with hands” (Acts 7:48). The true temple of God dwells within us, as 1 Corinthians 6:19 says, “Do you not know that your body is the temple of the Holy Ghost who is in you, whom you have from God?”

If you haven’t already received God’s wonderful gift of eternal life through belief in Jesus, and His death on the cross for our forgiveness, you can do so by asking Him for His gift of salvation and that His Spirit will dwell within you!

From an article in Treasures, published by the Family International in 1987. Adapted and republished August 2023.

God’s Plans for Good

August 8, 2023

A compilation

Audio length: 11:53

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God’s plans may not always make us glad, but they are good! His plans may not always seem pleasant, but they are perfect! Paul describes the will of God as being “his good, pleasing and perfect will” (Romans 12:2). When we see it to be good and we acknowledge it to be perfect, we will discover it to be pleasing. Sometimes the plans of God have taken His people through pain and suffering as they have allowed themselves to be the means of His will being accomplished.

The Lord Jesus Himself went through agony as He ruthlessly carried out the will of His Father with no regard for His own comfort. In the Garden of Gethsemane, shortly before His crucifixion, He said to His disciples, “My soul is overwhelmed with sorrow to the point of death” (Matthew 26:38), and then He prayed, “My Father, if it is possible, may this cup be taken from me. Yet not as I will, but as you will” (Matthew 26:39).

We must be honest and we must be realistic. There is a price to pay for obedience. It takes us to the front line of the battle with Satan and his cohorts, and we are not exempt from danger, tears, or pain. But through it, beyond the immediate suffering, beyond the unanswered questions, beyond the pain of battle, there is good that God is accomplishing, and it is perfect, and when we see the whole picture, there will be no doubt that it is pleasing. …

Job, who suffered as much as anyone in the Old Testament, had no idea of what God was allowing to take place in his experience, and although he said he could not see God anywhere at the time, he … stated at the beginning of his kaleidoscope of troubles, “Shall we accept good from God, and not trouble?” (Job 2:10). God’s ultimate work is good, and its ultimate effect is good.

We have to see God’s working on a wider canvas than that which has to do with our own comfort and good. What God does with me personally may be for the good of someone else and primarily for the good of God. That of course is good for us too, when we begin to live for the benefit of God and others as a primary concern.

I want to be realistic. To be surrendered to God does not mean everything is going to be comfortable. A Christian is not exempt from difficulties. If anything, he is equipped for them. He is able to go through life knowing that nothing touches him without the permission of God, and that he is in business not to be comfortable and cozy but to be effective and significant in God’s overall purposes. The hardships, the difficulties, and the tears are not the end of the story, for God is working out something good, something perfect, and something pleasing.—Charles Price¹

Sure, true, and faithful

God has a purpose and plan for you. His plans are sure, true, and faithful. This doesn’t mean that you will never experience problems or trials in life, but you do have an eternal future in Christ spiritually. God’s plan for you is to prosper and grow spiritually in Christ in the very situation you are in right now. …

Many people focus on verse 11 [in Jeremiah 29]: ‘“For I know the plans I have for you,’ declares the Lord, ‘plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.’” And they think God does not care about them when some trouble comes their way. When in fact it is quite the opposite. Many times we cannot understand what God is doing.

This verse is not intended to give you the idea that the Lord will keep you from ever being tested or from having a future without difficulty. It is not a verse that implies that you will not experience physical harm, sickness, relational troubles, employment layoffs or any number of circumstances that can come against you in this life. Rather, this is a word that is speaking of spiritual blessings and plans of God that are greater than any physical blessing and future here on earth. It is a word that speaks of a hope and a future that the people of God (the Christian) can have in Christ.

Don’t try to force your plans or shortcut God’s plan or timing. Throughout scripture God’s desire is the redemption of all mankind. It is for the people of God to have fellowship and eternal life with Him. God’s plan for you is the same; it is to prosper and grow spiritually in Christ. His plan to give you a hope and future has never changed. Your hope and future are in Jesus. All creation’s hope and future are in Jesus.

God has made the mystery of salvation known to you, that He purposed in Christ. You have a hope and future in Jesus. A hope and future of eternal life with Him in glory. A hope and future that is beyond anything you know or understand.

Do not put your hope in this life. Do not place your hope in what you can do with your hands. The situation you are in will not last forever. Look to the Lord, where your hope and help come from. …

You have a hope and a future in Christ. … Regardless of your mistakes or the difficulty that comes your way, God has a purpose for you. No matter what happens, God is in control and He will continue to draw you back to the plan for your life.—Richard Rogers²

Holding on to hope

In one of ancient Israel’s most difficult and discouraging times, God said to them, “The plans I have for you [are] to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future” (Jeremiah 29:11).

The nation of Israel whom God had given the Promised Land to, and whom He said were His people, and for whom He set up His temple in which He dwelt and where they were able to worship Him, were all defeated by the kingdom of Babylon. The land was taken away, the temple was destroyed, and the majority of the people were forced to relocate to Babylon. The promises of God seemed to be rescinded due to their sins. They no longer possessed the Promised Land. They were without a temple, and they didn’t know how to worship and how to find forgiveness of sins without the temple. They struggled with the question of whether God still loved them. Were they still His people? Their dreams and their faith and their hope were all totally shattered.

During this defeat and disappointment, the prophet Jeremiah wrote them a letter and sent it to Babylon, and he told them what God had to say to them at that time when their faith was in crisis. He told them to carry on with life, to build houses, plant gardens, get married, have children, and that in His time God would deliver them from their situation, that He would bring a change for the better. He didn’t promise that it would happen today, but He did promise that it would happen. He said, “I know the plans I have for you, declares the Lord, plans for welfare and not for evil, to give you a future and a hope. You will call upon me and come and pray to me, and I will hear you. You will seek me and find me when you seek me with all your heart” (Jeremiah 29:11–13).

Shattered hopes and dreams are not final destinations. God says He has plans for you, plans for good and not for evil. One Bible version translates it as, “For I know the thoughts I think toward you, says the Lord, thoughts of peace and not of evil, to give you a future and a hope” (Jeremiah 29:11).

God doesn’t desert us in our times of disappointment. Instead, He’s there. He’s thinking good thoughts of us. He has plans for our future. He wants us to carry on with life and not give up, to have hope for what’s ahead, even if things seem so awful today. The key is to look to Him, to know that He loves and cares for us, that He will carry us into the future. We aren’t meant to stop living, to give up hope, but rather to carry on in faith and trust. He will heal. Things will change. Life will continue on, and there is hope ahead.

It’s good to remember that there are times when something looks like a great defeat, a terrible and permanent loss, which makes you feel you can’t possibly recover it, but often there’s more to the situation than meets the eye. Sometimes God works very mysteriously, in ways that we can’t comprehend.

A lot depends on how we respond to disappointments. Do we rise to the occasion and fight?—Trusting to see good and blessings from a God who loves us? Or do we wallow in pity and whine? As Rick Warren talked about in The Purpose Driven Life, during times of tribulation, we should “pray fewer ‘Comfort me’ prayers”—you know, the kind, “Lord, help me to feel good” type prayers—“and more ‘Conform me’ prayers.” In other words, “Use this to make me more like You, Jesus.”

We don’t always see all that God sees. He may very well be answering our prayers in ways that we don’t yet comprehend. Don’t lose faith. God will not fail; He will keep His word. His plan might be different than what we expect, but He does all things well. You may not see your answer for some time, but nevertheless we should keep our faith and trust in God and not give up. His plans for those who love and follow Him are plans of good and not evil.

Remember: God loves you. He’s on your side. He has your best interests at heart. No one’s more powerful than God, and no one loves you more than God does.—Peter Amsterdam

Published on Anchor August 2023. Read by Carol Andrews. Music by Michael Fogarty.

¹ Charles Price, Christ for Real (Marshalls, 1985).

² https://agfaithchapel.org/sermons-messages/going-through-something-difficult-gods-plan-for-you-is-great.

Living in Hope

August 7, 2023

Words from Jesus

Audio length: 10:20

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When you experience concern for the future and start to visualize all that could go wrong, the answer is to commit every care to Me and trust in Me. Trust that no matter what unexpected factors come your way, they will all work together for your good because you love and follow Me. This includes mistakes you might have made and the unexpected turns the path of your life might take. Ultimately, it will all work toward My plan being accomplished in your life.

Remember that your mind is limited when it comes to understanding the many aspects and layers of My plan. Focus on strengthening your faith, walking in My will and calling for you, and leave everything in My hands. Don’t worry or try to figure it all out. Be content to trust in Me and know that I’ve got your future covered.

Through every new challenge you face in every stage of life, you keep learning and growing. I know there is uncertainty and apprehension, and you wonder if you’ve got what it takes to weather future tests or storms, but remember that I won’t ask anything of you that you can’t do. If I set a task before you or call you to a particular mission, it’s because I know that you’re right for the job and you can do it. It takes work, and it’s uncomfortable sometimes, but with Me you can do it!

I have called you and given you all that you need to fulfill your particular destiny. So look to the future with expectation and hope, and prepare for it by seeking Me and bravely meeting the challenges you face each day. Everything you experience in this life is preparation for the next stage of life and your eternal life to come. What you learn today will be important for tomorrow.

In times of uncertainty, you learn patience. Patience is a lifelong lesson. Patience takes faith—faith to wait for My timing and My will and plan. I never forsake My own, and I have a plan for each generation and for each individual. Pray for My will to be done in your life, pray for the issues that concern you, and commit it all into My hands.

Never in vain

A life lived in love will never be in vain. A life lived in caring for others is a life worthy of great honor. Everyone who has faithfully given of themselves to care for others will receive much in return. In giving to others and sacrificing your personal desires, you have gained some of the most beautiful and priceless attributes that you now possess.

What stands out to people and what makes people sit up and take notice of My disciples is often some of the qualities gained through learning how to care for others. Those who go forth with a mission and willingness to make personal sacrifices for My kingdom are modern-day heroes of faith.

Many men and women who have traveled down this path never felt they were doing anything great or momentous at the time. They felt compelled and driven by the needs of those around them and they couldn’t rest until they did something about it.

As an example, William Wilberforce faced many obstacles in his day. He had a lot of opposition. He faced a multitude of personal tests, including health problems that could have given him a reason to take an easier road. But he was driven out of love for Me and for My children, those whom he saw being mistreated and enslaved, and he could not rest until he had enacted change. In his mind and heart, William was doing his reasonable service (Romans 12:1).

He is just one example of the many men and women who are now looked up to for their achievements. But what is often forgotten is the path that each of these traveled and the sacrifices that they made along the way. The obstacles and sacrifices and times of decision-making where they were compelled to make choices to care more for others than themselves shaped their lives. Those choices were hard ones to make, and they always came with a cost.

Nothing you give out of love for others will ever be in vain. None of those moments spent over the years making sacrifices in order to fulfill what I asked of you will ever be wasted. Such sacrifices have shaped your character and the characters of all those you love and admire.

The inner qualities you have cultivated through many years of choosing to put the needs of others before your own have beautified your spirit, and those you seek to reach with the light of the gospel will see your good works and give glory to your Father who is in heaven (Matthew 5:16).

Come unto Me

I am the Good Shepherd, and you are My precious lamb whom I watch over with a tender eye. My arm is outstretched to you, inviting you to come and rest in My presence, and drink out of the still waters that I lead you to by My Spirit. Eat from the rich green pastures of My Word. When you are weary, rest within the safety of My fold. I have many sheep, and I care for each of them as if they were My one and only lamb, the most precious thing to Me.

When I see that you are encumbered about with heavy wool which you do not need, in My love, I shear this wool and free you from it. Trust Me as I do this and lighten your load.

Always remember that I will never ask more of you than you are able to bear. I will never require more of you than you are able to do. Whenever you reach the point that you feel it is too much, come to Me and I will give you the strength and faith that you need! Come to Me, you who are weary and heavy laden, and I will give you rest (Matthew 11:28).

Faith for tough times

Times of trouble can be a hard school, but My promise is that such times will bring forth the peaceable fruits of righteousness, and you will learn many valuable lessons (Hebrews 12:11). Though the battles are rough, the problems very real, and the frustration and exhaustion bring tears, I call you to bring all your cares to Me and trust in Me to sustain you. In the midst of your heartbreak and sorrow, and your burdens and cares, sing songs of thankfulness and praise, and you will find that it will be a soothing balm to your soul and a comfort.

In spite of how sorely you are tested and how weary you are, as you come to Me and rest in My arms, I will lift the burdens and bring peace to your heart. I will dispel the questions as you rest in My presence. For I will never leave you nor forsake you (Hebrews 13:5). I will never fail you!

As you lift up your eyes and seek Me in prayer, I will give you grace and strength, and make the way clear before you. You cannot carry the burdens or heal the hurt and sorrow in your own strength. But I can make the mountains melt away as you rest in Me and commit all your cares to Me.

When I see you weep in loneliness, when I see you cry during your desperate moments in the night seasons, My heart weeps with you! I know what loneliness is like. I, too, experienced the pain of separation from My Father. Just know and believe that your faith will be rewarded in My heavenly kingdom to come. You are a special and beloved friend. I will rejoice when we can see each other face to face.

Compiled from material originally published in 2009 and 1997. Adapted and republished August 2023. Read by Jon Marc. Music by Michael Fogarty.

How Long, O Lord, How Long?—Before the End

David Brandt Berg

1980-10-01

The Bible speaks of the Antichrist having all kinds of wars and troubles after the first three and a half years of his rule (Daniel 11:40–45), trying to put down rebellions and uprisings in various parts of the world, until things get in such chaos that only God Himself can stop it and rescue the world through the coming of Jesus Christ. And then He will win and rule the world!

It sounds like a pretty big assignment and a tough job—and I’m sure it will be, but with supernatural bodies and supernatural power and the wisdom of God and His direct direction, organization, and international government, I’m sure it won’t be too difficult for us. We will probably even enjoy it—particularly as we glorify God and the Lord Jesus Christ as the rulers of the earth.

We will enjoy seeing righteousness established on the earth, and “righteousness shall cover the earth as the waters cover the seas” (Isaiah 11:9; Habakkuk 2:14). We shall find a certain satisfaction in seeing the wicked punished and subjugated, if nothing else, conquered and suppressed at least for a thousand years, while His followers run the world.—Until the Lord decides to give them their final chance and lets the Devil out of his prison to deceive them once again (Revelation 20:7–8), to prove that “even though mercy be shown unto the wicked, yet will he not learn righteousness” (Isaiah 26:10). The wicked will then rise up again under Satan and try to conquer the righteous and the camp of the saints and their worldwide government under Jesus Christ in the Millennium (Revelation 20:9).

Then God will have to completely destroy them and wipe them out, the Devil and the Antichrist and the False Prophet too, and burn the whole surface of the earth and the atmospheric heavens. They will be destroyed in one great final horrible holocaust that will burn up all the wicked and all the filth and everything foul and vile throughout both the earth and the atmospheric heavens (Revelation 20:9–10).

Then God can rebuild the world on the ashes of the old—“a new heaven and a new earth wherein dwelleth righteousness” (2 Peter 3:13), with His great Heavenly City coming down out of heaven. For God will come and make His residence with man on earth—the New Earth, the new paradise. (See Revelation 21 and 22.)

What a wonderful final victory we have to look forward to and a great thousand-year victory during the Millennium! It’s a beautiful prospect not far away after the coming of the Lord, as soon as the wicked have completely taken over the earth under the Antichrist and are destroying it and trying to wipe out God’s people, till the cup of their iniquity is full. (See Revelation 12 and 13.) God turns around and wreaks His wrath on the unrighteous, and destroys them and the Antichrist and his False Prophet and their kingdom.

The sooner the Antichrist forces are victorious and the sooner the world government of the Antichrist is set up and the sooner the Devil is made king and tries to make people fall down and worship him, the sooner the Lord and His kingdom will come, and we “shall rule and reign with Him upon the earth a thousand years.” God’s Word says so. (See Revelation 19 and 20.)

Those who live through those times are going to go through a trying period, through these times of greatest troubles. Those who love Jesus will survive. They’ll survive spiritually even if they don’t survive physically. They’ll return with the Lord, triumphant, after the days of wrath in which He wipes out the Antichrist and his kingdom and restores the whole earth—something the Antichrist tried to do but couldn’t.

Then there will be genuine peace on earth and good will toward men throughout the world, and “righteousness shall cover the earth as the waters cover the seas.” How do the waters cover the seas? The seas are all water, aren’t they? So the world will be completely covered with the righteous kingdom of Jesus Christ! “And the Word of the Lord shall go forth from Jerusalem, from the mount of the Lord” (Isaiah 2:3).

Jesus Christ is going to set up His throne in Jerusalem and make it His capital. And He will rule and reign over the earth and we shall rule and reign with Him. “He shall rule the nations,” it says, “with a rod of iron” (Revelation 2:27; 19:15). It’s going to be an enforced rule, an iron dictatorship. It has to be, otherwise the wicked would never obey.

So there’s going to be a wonderful outcome after what’s going to happen, and it won’t be long. “Surely I come quickly.” The sooner the better. “Even so, come quickly, Lord Jesus” (Revelation 22:20).

But He cannot come soon unless the events transpire that must precede His coming. Of course, it’s not going to be over any faster than He has said. The Antichrist has to have seven years to rule and reign in order to do his dirty work and win followers to believe that he’s the messiah and the savior of the world, until he demands worship and the Mark of the Beast and death to all those who refuse to worship him.

Then Christians will be praying it’ll be over quickly, but it still won’t be over for three and a half more years. Just pray it will pass quickly without too much suffering or persecution. Amen. Even so, come quickly, Lord Jesus!

God’s Tribulation Triumphs

David Brandt Berg

1983-12-01

The awesome Great Tribulation period, that last 3½ years of the reign of the Antichrist which immediately precedes the Second Coming of Jesus Christ, has been misinterpreted and misunderstood by millions of Christians. Some Christian writers hold to the Pre-Tribulation Rapture doctrine, whereby they believe that Christ’s Second Coming to rapture His church will occur before this final 3½ years of Great Tribulation—thus they hope to be wafted off into the arms of Jesus before this time of trouble, trial, and testing takes place—a completely false, unscriptural doctrine.

Then others, although they have correctly understood and realized from the Scriptures that the church will be here for and go through the 3½ years of Great Tribulation—have envisioned and pictured this period as a time of defeat and destruction for Christians, a terrifying time of nothing but hell and horrors and defeats for God’s children—which I can prove to you from the Bible is not the case.

True, it’s going to be a time of terrible and awesome events. Yes, it’s going to be a time of great persecution and great battles. But it’s also going to be a time of miraculous victories that will spare us and protect us and help us to survive and witness till the very Coming of the Lord, when “we which are alive and remain shall be caught up, to meet the Lord in the air” (1 Thessalonians 4:17). So you shouldn’t be afraid of the Tribulation! The Lord is going to take care of His children and He’s going to lead us and protect us and help us win victories over the Enemy, to continue our witness until the very end and the Coming of the Lord. Hallelujah!

The Tribulation is actually something to look forward to in a way, because of the mighty events that are going to take place and the marvels of the Lord and the miraculous protection and preservation and provision, and the Lord’s wonderful manifestation of Himself and His power and His angels. They’ll be thrilling, exciting days, when grace still abounds even more than all the Devil can possibly do when he pulls out all his big guns and tries to destroy everything. “Where sin abounded, grace did much more abound” (Romans 5:20). It’s going to be glorious to see how the Lord’s going to keep His children

I think we need to see that picture of the Tribulation, that it’s not going to be a time of nothing but horror and defeat for God’s people, but that it will be a time of horror and defeat for the world and for the forces of Satan.

“The people that do know their God shall be strong and do exploits” (Daniel 11:32). The people who know Jesus and know the Lord are going to be strong—in spite of the Antichrist, in spite of the Image of the Beast, and in spite of all their persecution. The worse things get, the more God’s Spirit is going to be poured out from on high to help us withstand the evil forces that will be warring against us. “As thy days, so shall thy strength be” (Deuteronomy 33:25).

Revelation 11 says that the Antichrist forces won’t be able to do anything against God’s two final witnesses until the very end, because His witnesses will have power to bring curses and plagues upon the wicked and to actually call down fire from God to devour their enemies. What a picture of mighty men and women of God fighting victorious battles over the demons of hell!

There will be nothing the Antichrist can do against them, nothing he can do to stop them, until just 3½ days before the Lord comes. Then he will finally be allowed to kill them, that the cup of iniquity of the wicked may be filled. And then, while the wicked are rejoicing over their death, suddenly the Lord will return in power and great glory and will resurrect and rapture them—a mighty triumph showing that God even has victory over death!

I think these two witnesses of Revelation 11 are symbolic of all witnesses, in a way. I believe all His children will have greater “power for the hour” in that day to help us survive as long as possible. He says, “Where sin doth abound, grace doth much more abound” (Romans 5:20). And where satanic power is going to abound, God’s power is going to much more abound to protect His own! God’s purpose is not going to be defeated; He’s going to have millions of witnesses right up to the end.

It has happened throughout time. All through the Bible there are stories about how the Lord miraculously empowered and protected His prophets and apostles. If you would go back through all the various miracles of the Bible, you’d realize that if they had these powers and were able to exercise such powers in the past, His final witnesses will also be able to exercise such powers. If His children have had them throughout history, certainly God will endue them with such powers in full in those last days for our defense and protection and deliverance. You’ll have what it takes when the time comes—power for the hour, and every hour. Even at the darkest hour you’ll still have power to meet every difficulty and every problem and opposition—the supernatural, miraculous power of God!

God’s Word even says that the Lord will defend His children during those very last days with monsters and plagues that will be on our side to afflict our enemies. In Revelation chapters 8 and 9, where we’re told about the Trumpets of Tribulation and the judgments that they unleash during the Great Tribulation, we read about some horrible monsters released from “the bottomless pit,” sent by God to torment the ungodly, the wicked, the unsaved. But He gives them a strict command not to hurt those who have the seal of God in their forehead. He says, “Hurt not any green thing, neither any tree, but only those men which have not the seal of God in their foreheads” (Revelation 9:4). In other words, they were not to hurt the men who did have the seal of God in their foreheads.

During this Tribulation period when the Antichrist and his followers are attacking the followers of Jesus Christ, God is going to let loose pestilences and plagues and monsters to attack them. They’ll have so much on their hands defending themselves from these monsters and plagues that they won’t have much time to persecute God’s followers.

Some will die and suffer martyrdom even as they do today, but we’re still marching on. So don’t look on the Tribulation as a horrible defeat with nothing but persecution and suffering. There will be some of that, but I’m convinced from both the Scripture and the nature of God and His dealings with man, that it’s going to primarily be a time of victory over the forces of Satan and triumph over the anti-Christ wicked. Although they will be difficult days, His children are going to witness and shine brighter than ever before and be greater witnesses than ever! Even with all the Antichrist’s power and miraculous abilities and signs and wonders, he will not be able to put an end to us nor kill us until God has ordained it to be so.

So don’t worry about the Tribulation. It’s not going to be all lopsided, a rampaging victory for the Devil. Most of us are not going to be cowering, but powering in our fight and battle and defense of the Gospel right up to the end—with all the forces of heaven on our side. Although there’s going to be the most hell the world has ever known, there’s also going to be the most heavenly power and defense and help and protection. We can look forward to it as a time when His children are going to fight evil face to face and defeat it with the power of God!

Not only has God promised this power, but He’s promised it for now and He’s promised it for ages, and it’s been done before. I want to encourage you and inspire you that God has empowered ordinary people just like you and me to do the same things before, and we’re not only going to be able to do them in the future, but we can do them now if we’ll only believe God’s promises. Maybe it will even encourage your faith for what to expect right now—expect miracles.

“Jesus Christ is the same yesterday, today, and forever” (Hebrews 13:8). I want to inspire and encourage you that God is still the God of miracles, and what He’s done before, He can do again, not only later, but right now if you need it and have faith for it. Men and women of God have always had these powers available to them from the very beginning to defeat and oppose and defend themselves against the powers of the Devil. The same miracles of power and protection that occurred back in Bible times can happen now. And they’re certainly going to happen during that trying time ahead when they’ll be more needed than ever. He’s going to give us protection and power for our defense and deliverance.

The forces of God cannot be defeated and the plan of God cannot be frustrated.

Trusting God in Worrisome Times

August 4, 2023

By Lee Strobel

Lee Strobel encourages listeners to overcome worry by seeing it for what it is: spiritual amnesia (forgetting what God has done for us in the past). The antidote, based on Philippians 4, is prayer and thanksgiving—remembering what God has done. Lee discusses our living hope, grounded in Jesus’ resurrection from the dead, which gives us hope for today and in the face of death.

Run time for this video is 21 minutes.

https://youtu.be/FWaKzCZ1bXw

The Book of Galatians: Chapter 1 (Verses 11–24)

By Peter Amsterdam

August 1, 2023

In verse 10 of Galatians chapter 1, Paul posed the question of whether he was seeking the approval of man or of God, and stated that if he were trying to please men, he wouldn’t be a servant of Christ. He continued with:

For I would have you know, brothers, that the gospel that was preached by me is not man’s gospel.¹

Paul’s teaching wasn’t merely human, but rather had a divine origin. He was probably responding to accusations made about him by his Jewish Christian opponents. They believed that Paul’s gospel was human in nature, that it had no authority or validity; that it was a gospel which pleased people by leaving out some important and essential elements—such as the need to be circumcised and keep the Mosaic law.

For I did not receive it from any man, nor was I taught it, but I received it through a revelation of Jesus Christ.²

While Paul emphasized that his teaching did not come from human beings, this doesn’t mean that no other believers ever taught Paul anything about Christian belief. His point here is that the central teaching of the gospel was given to him by Jesus on the Damascus road (see Acts 9:1–22). It is likely that he had some understanding of what Christians believed when he was persecuting the church before his conversion. But as an unbeliever, he didn’t understand the message being preached by the Christians and was convinced that the Christian faith endangered the importance of the Mosaic law. It was only after becoming a believer that he understood that belief in Jesus as the Messiah and Son of God didn’t threaten Old Testament teaching, but rather fulfilled what the Old Testament taught.

For you have heard of my former life in Judaism, how I persecuted the church of God violently and tried to destroy it.³

Paul refers to his “former life in Judaism” before he met Christ on the road to Damascus, and contrasts this with his life after conversion. He was both called and converted when Christ appeared to him. During his former life, he held to Jewish beliefs and followed its practices as they were codified in the Mosaic law and the Torah. After his conversion, he remained Jewish ethnically, but he no longer took part in Judaism. Some of his Christian opponents believed that faith in Christ included adherence to the Mosaic law; however, Paul vehemently disagreed with this view.⁴

Paul’s statement about persecuting the church reflects what is written in the book of Acts,⁵ and elsewhere in his letters.⁶ This gives further evidence that Paul was both called and converted on the Damascus road.

Before Paul was converted, he believed that persecuting Christians showed his zeal for God.⁷ He was convinced that Jesus was not the Messiah, and that those who believed that He was were wrong. Therefore, when God revealed Jesus to him while he was traveling to Damascus, he was astonished that his passion had been misdirected and he had been completely wrong about Jesus and His followers.

I was advancing in Judaism beyond many of my own age among my people, so extremely zealous was I for the traditions of my fathers.⁸

Paul was a young and upcoming star in Judaism who was advancing beyond his fellow students. He was a pupil of Gamaliel, who was an influential Pharisee and a member of the highest Jewish council, called the Sanhedrin. (In Acts 5:34 we read of Gamaliel defending Peter and other apostles before the Jewish council that intended to kill them.) As a Pharisee, Paul sought to please God in every area of his life. He was zealous for the Jewish traditions, which meant that he followed the way of life of the Pharisees. He believed that his persecution of Christians showed his commitment to Judaism.

But when he who had set me apart before I was born, and who called me by his grace, was pleased to reveal his Son to me, in order that I might preach him among the Gentiles, I did not immediately consult with anyone.⁹

The change in Paul’s life as he turned from being a persecutor of believers in Christ to being an apostle of Christ came about by the hand of God. There is no reason why he, an active opponent of Jesus and those who believed in Him, would suddenly embrace Him as Lord. Paul refers to Jesus as God’s Son here, as he does seventeen times throughout his letters. Jesus’ sonship implies His preexistence, as well as points to His unique and special relationship to God.

Paul continues to emphasize that his transformation was the work of God, who had destined him from his mother’s womb to be an apostle and who had called him at such a particular time in history. His language here echoes the calling of Isaiah and Jeremiah as prophets. In Isaiah 49 we read: The LORD called me from the womb, from the body of my mother he named my name.¹⁰ In the book of Jeremiah we read that God said to Jeremiah: Before I formed you in the womb I knew you, and before you were born I consecrated you; I appointed you a prophet to the nations.¹¹

God called Paul by his grace, and that call was effective, as Paul responded. He didn’t volunteer to be an apostle; rather he was summoned by God. His ministry as an apostle was due to the grace of God, who forgave the sins he committed prior to his conversion.

God had called Paul so that he could preach the gospel. He was very conscious of his commission to go to the Gentiles. In the book of Acts we read that a disciple named Ananias received instructions from the Lord, telling him to lay his hands on Paul, who had been struck blind. Go, for he is a chosen instrument of mine to carry my name before the Gentiles and kings and the children of Israel.¹² Paul had been persecuting Christians, but that changed when Ananias laid hands on him and said, “Brother Saul, the Lord Jesus who appeared to you on the road by which you came has sent me so that you may regain your sight and be filled with the Holy Spirit.” And immediately something like scales fell from his eyes, and he regained his sight. Then he rose and was baptized.¹³

When God called Paul as an apostle and revealed the gospel to him, he did not immediately consult with anyone. He didn’t rush off to ask others about the legitimacy of the revelation. While the false teachers in Galatia questioned the legitimacy of his apostleship, from the onset Paul knew without a doubt that he was called to be an apostle and that he was to preach among the Gentiles.

…nor did I go up to Jerusalem to those who were apostles before me, but I went away into Arabia, and returned again to Damascus.¹⁴

Besides not consulting with anyone, Paul also didn’t rush off to Jerusalem to check the legitimacy of the revelation God had given him by seeking the apostles’ validation. Since he had received his gospel by a revelation from Jesus Christ, he didn’t need others to validate its truth. After spending some time in Damascus, Paul went to Arabia, and then returned to Damascus. Although the book of Acts doesn’t mention Paul’s travels to Arabia, Paul’s letter to the Galatians includes this information.

Then after three years I went up to Jerusalem to visit Cephas and remained with him fifteen days.¹⁵

Paul preached his gospel for three years before traveling to Jerusalem to meet with the apostle Peter, also known as Cephas, for the first time. With only two exceptions (Galatians 2:7–8), Paul refers to Peter as Cephas, which was his Aramaic name.¹⁶

The gospel that Paul taught was not dependent on the apostles, as he had already been proclaiming the good news to the Gentiles in Arabia and Damascus. The three years Paul refers to likely means the years since his conversion, which aligns with the account in Acts 9:26–30 of Paul’s visit to Jerusalem, when Barnabas presented him to the apostles.

Commentators have differing views as to why Paul went to Jerusalem to see Peter. Some say Paul was seeking information from him. Others believe that he went to become acquainted with Peter, with no thought of acquiring information. Either way, the main point is Paul’s independence from Peter in proclaiming the gospel. Paul didn’t go to Peter with the goal of acquiring information about the gospel, as he had received it independently on the road to Damascus.¹⁷ However, he probably asked Peter for information about Jesus and was thankful to learn more about His teachings and actions. It’s likely that Peter also learned from Paul regarding what Jesus had taught him on the road to Damascus.

But I saw none of the other apostles except James the Lord’s brother.¹⁸

Not only did Paul have very limited time with Peter (15 days), he also didn’t see the other apostles, except for Jesus’ brother James. Before Jesus’ death, James and his other brothers Joseph, Simon, and Judas didn’t believe Jesus was the Messiah. For not even his brothers believed in him.¹⁹ When his family heard it, they went out to seize him, for they were saying, “He is out of his mind.”²⁰ However, after Jesus’ death and resurrection, they believed and James became the leader of the Jewish Christians in Jerusalem.²¹ We’re told that Jesus appeared to James after His resurrection.²²

Paul goes on to say,

(In what I am writing to you, before God, I do not lie!)²³

This oath, swearing that he is telling the truth, shows the importance of this discussion to Paul. It also shows that the Judaizers were questioning his apostolic authority. Paul uses oaths elsewhere when he wants to point out the importance of what he says or when he thinks the listeners will dispute or doubt what he says.²⁴

Then I went into the regions of Syria and Cilicia.²⁵

Paul explained his itinerary to defend the independence of his gospel. He was only in Jerusalem for a short period of time, and he went there three years after his conversion. After this short visit in Jerusalem, he left Palestine and went to Syria and Cilicia. These two regions were a single Roman province at the time Paul wrote the letter to the Galatians. Paul’s travels to Syria and Cilicia align with Acts 9:30. When the brothers learned this, they brought him down to Caesarea and sent him off to Tarsus.²⁶ Tarsus was in the region of Cilicia.

And I was still unknown in person to the churches of Judea that are in Christ.²⁷

Paul included this line to emphasize the short time he spent in Jerusalem, and in Palestine in general. He didn’t spend time seeking out others. Most of the believers in Judea didn’t meet or know Paul personally.

They only were hearing it said, “He who used to persecute us is now preaching the faith he once tried to destroy.”²⁸

While not many of the Judean churches saw Paul, they did hear of him, as the report about him went throughout Judea. They had heard that Paul had a dramatic change in his life, going from being a persecutor of Christians to one who proclaimed the gospel.

We’re told that Paul was now preaching the faith, meaning in this context that he was teaching the Christian faith, the “body of doctrine.”

And they glorified God because of me.²⁹

The Judean churches were witnesses to the transformation Paul experienced, even though they didn’t know him personally. They didn’t doubt his conversion or call, nor did they question his experience on the road to Damascus. Rather they praised God for Paul’s conversion. They understood that God deserved the glory, as He was the one who had rescued Paul from the “present evil age.”³⁰

(To be continued.)

Note

¹ Galatians 1:11.

² Galatians 1:12.

³ Galatians 1:13.

⁴ Galatians 1:8–9.

⁵ Acts 7:58–8:3; 9:1–2, 13–14, 21; 22:3–5, 19–20; 26:4–5, 9–11, 14–15.

⁶ 1 Corinthians 15:9; Philippians 3:6; 1 Timothy 1:13–16.

⁷ Philippians 3:6.

⁸ Galatians 1:14.

⁹ Galatians 1:15–16.

¹⁰ Isaiah 49:1.

¹¹ Jeremiah 1:5.

¹² Acts 9:15.

¹³ Acts 9:17–18.

¹⁴ Galatians 1:16–17.

¹⁵ Galatians 1:18.

¹⁶1 Corinthians 1:12; 3:22; 9:5, Galatians 2:9, 11, 14.

¹⁷ Acts 9:3–19.

¹⁸ Galatians 1:19.

¹⁹ John 7:5.

²⁰ Mark 3:21.

²¹ Acts 12:17; 15:13–21; 21:18–25.

²² 1 Corinthians 15:7.

²³ Galatians 1:20.

²⁴ Romans 1:9; 9:1; 2 Corinthians 1:23; 11:10; 1 Timothy 2:7.

²⁵ Galatians 1:21.

²⁶ Acts 9:30.

²⁷ Galatians 1:22.

²⁸ Galatians 1:23.

²⁹ Galatians 1:24.

³⁰ Galatians 1:4–5.

August 2, 2023

Don’t Stop Too Soon

By Sharon Jaynes

Can I make a confession? Sometimes I quit too soon. I’ve quit when what I really needed to do was press on and press through. Sometimes I’ve gotten tired of trying. Sometimes I’ve gotten tired of the struggle. And you know what? I’ve missed many blessings because I got tired of the battle. I don’t want to do that any longer. I’m taking my cues from Joshua.

The battle plan to take the Promised Land was as simple as it was strange. March around the city of Jericho with all the armed men. Do this in silence, once a day for six days. Then on the seventh day, walk around seven times with the priests blowing the trumpets. Have the whole army give a loud shout; then the wall of the city will collapse and the army will go straight in.

Now, that was a strange plan. …

(Read the article here.)

https://blogs.crossmap.com/stories/don%E2%80%99t-stop-too-soon-ZbT2QhoUe7JWbl5NyHwOB

The Joy of the Lord: Our Strength

August 1, 2023

A compilation

Audio length: 15:43

Download Audio (14.3MB)

Joy is an emotion everyone wants but which remains elusive for many. In a world that’s often dark and grim, how can we look to God as our source of joy? And how can that joy strengthen us to persevere through life’s trials? The book of Nehemiah tells a story that introduces the concept of the joy of the Lord being our strength.

Nehemiah was a royal cupbearer (Nehemiah 1:11) during the time of his people’s exile in Persia, and he was intensely interested in the state of “the Jewish remnant that had survived the exile, and also about Jerusalem” (Nehemiah 1:2) When his brother Hanani came from Judah to visit, Nehemiah was saddened to learn that there was great trouble in Jerusalem, and its wall and gates were in ruins. Nehemiah then fasted and prayed, then sought and gained permission from King Artaxerxes to return to Jerusalem to help rebuild it. The following chapters of the book of Nehemiah tell of the struggles and ultimate success of Nehemiah and many others who worked to rebuild Jerusalem.

After “the wall had been rebuilt” (Nehemiah 7:1) and “the Israelites had settled in their towns” (Nehemiah 7:73), the people gathered to hear Ezra (who was a teacher of the Law) read the Law of Moses aloud. Though it took hours to read, “the people listened attentively to the Book of the Law” (Nehemiah 8:3), responding enthusiastically by lifting their hands, saying amen, bowing down, and worshipping God.

After Ezra finished, the Levites began to teach the people regarding what had just been read, “making it clear” to them (Nehemiah 8:8). Because the people had been weeping, Nehemiah, who had become governor, told them not to mourn but instead instructed them: “Go and enjoy choice food and sweet drinks, and send some to those who have nothing prepared. This day is holy to our Lord. Do not grieve, for the joy of the Lord is your strength” (Nehemiah 8:10). …

Joy is an idea that sparkles throughout the Bible. In the Old Testament, it is “a religious emotion … including the feeling of exultant gladness which often finds outward expression in such actions as leaping, shouting, and singing” which is “the natural outcome of fellowship with God.” …. In the New Testament, joy is “the appropriate response of the believer to the ‘good tidings of great joy’ which constitute the gospel” (Luke 2:10).¹…

But how can we experience joy when the world is so full of struggle and suffering? … Rejoicing in the Gospel of Jesus Christ above all, believers can be grateful for the earthly joys with which God has blessed us. We can also continue to hold on to joy even when circumstances become difficult because our wellsprings of joy run as deep as the love of God for us expressed in His kindness to us in Christ Jesus and His indwelling Holy Spirit!—Jessica Udall²

The original Hebrew for “joy” in Nehemiah 8:10 is “chedvah,” meaning joy or gladness. The root word for joy in this context means to rejoice or to make glad. “Strength” in the same verse is a Hebrew word meaning “a place or means of safety, protection, refuge, or stronghold.” The root word of strength means “to be strong, prevail; to make firm, strengthen.” The joy of the Lord is a constant gladness and cause to rejoice. It stems from an inner strengthening from our relationship with Him. When Jesus died for us, He restored us to a peace with God that cannot be undone. …

Joy isn’t something we create, earn, or deserve. Though we have nothing to give, and no ability to stop sinning, Christ reached down. … He came down and died for us.

Like Nehemiah, we need a plan to reconstruct ourselves from the inside out. Christ’s sacrifice on the cross allows us the opportunity to come to the end of ourselves and submit our efforts to “fix” and “do” with His strength to carry out God’s purpose in our lives. Joy doesn’t just happen. It’s a product of a plan to restore our souls. An active choice to seek God’s wisdom in exchange for our own. …

Joy in Christ isn’t a giddy feeling of cracking up at a joke or a triumphant banner of victory when we accomplish a goal or soar ahead in an area of struggle. Joy is there in those moments, but true joy stems from the unwavering strength of the Lord. It remains to remind us how far we have come and encourages us throughout the long road of refinement we have yet to travel. The hope of salvation in Christ is rooted in what has already been done. “It is finished.”

Nehemiah knew that to experience joy, an inner restoration had to supersede the exterior rebuilding of the city. We, too, must rebuild from within, so that the joy of the Lord, our strength, can radiate through and propel us to the next step on God’s path of purpose for our lives. …

Joy shifts our hearts to a position of worship regardless of current circumstance. It doesn’t change, fade, or expound based on anything we do or go through. He is a constant safety and peace in our lives. A safe harbor, in a tumultuous world. Through the filter of His joy and by the power of His strength, we are able to witness the surrounding beauty of life in deep and complex layers … all in His time.—Meg Bucher³

There are many different types of joy described throughout Bible scripture, most notably found in Psalms 16 and 23, where David describes his experience with joy during life events such as being near water or walking through fields full of grass. It’s important to note that joy in this instance is not the same joy of the Lord I’m discussing here.

The joy being referred to in Nehemiah chapter 8 and Philippians chapter 4 are biblical terms called “the joy of the Lord” or “everlasting joy,” also known as salvation.

This type of joy refers specifically to eternal life with Christ after death when all sins have been forgiven through God’s grace alone because Jesus paid for them on His cross (John 19:30). This is why we rejoice constantly and celebrate due to our relationship with an everlasting source of happiness—it gives us strength!

The joy experienced by Jesus’ followers after he ascended into heaven was also from God’s Holy Spirit. … And because of this great joy within them, the church grew rapidly.

It isn’t joy in life or joy based on our emotions. It isn’t joy that lasts only for a moment. This joy is everlasting because it comes from God, who has no beginning and no end (Psalm 90:2). And this joy doesn’t originate with us; we can’t conjure up more joy than what he provides (Lamentations 3:22–25). …

The joy of the Lord is a powerful thing. It’s something we all need in our lives, especially when times are tough. But what do we need to make the joy of the Lord our strength?

First, we need to know who Jesus Christ is and what He has done for us. We need to have faith in Him as our Savior and put our trust in Him. Without faith, it’s impossible to please God (Hebrews 11:6).

Second, we need the Holy Spirit living inside us. The Holy Spirit gives us power and strength (Acts 20:32) and helps us live a godly life (Galatians 5:22–23). And finally, we need to have a joy that comes from God. This joy is a fruit of the Spirit (Galatians 5:22) and it’s a sign that we belong to Him.

When we have all these things, the joy of the Lord will be our strength. We can rely on Him when times are tough and He will give us the power we need to get through anything. Praise God for His amazing grace and for giving us everything we need!—Gerald Forrest⁴

The Bible teaches that “The fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control” (Galatians 5:22–23).

We all know what it’s like to have our lives beset by problems. Financial difficulties, inclement weather, or even rush-hour traffic can cast a pall over our spirits. But it doesn’t have to be that way. The Holy Spirit can help us to rise above our problems, big or small, and cause us to experience the joy of the Lord in spite of circumstances. Nehemiah 8:10 tells us that “the joy of the Lord is your strength.”

A secret to having the joy of the Lord is taking the time to fill up on God’s Word, so that you have a reservoir to draw from in stressful times. “These things I have spoken to you,” Jesus told His disciples, “that My joy may remain in you, and that your joy may be full” (John 15:11).

So if you feel down or discouraged, try spending more time with Jesus, reading and studying His Word. Take the time to “cast all your cares on him, because he cares for you” (1 Peter 5:7). It also helps greatly to count your blessings, to think about all the good things the Lord has given you and done for you.

James Hudson Taylor (1832–1905), a British missionary to China, wrote the following about the joy that is our unique possession as Christians: “It is the consciousness of the threefold joy of the Lord, His joy in ransoming us, His joy in dwelling within us as our Saviour and Power for fruit bearing, and His joy in possessing us as His Bride and His delight; it is the consciousness of this joy which is our real strength. Our joy in Him may be a fluctuating thing: His joy in us knows no change.”—Rafael Holding

Published on Anchor August 2023. Read by John Laurence. Music by Michael Dooley.

¹ International Standard Bible Encyclopaedia.

² https://www.crosswalk.com/faith/bible-study/ways-to-make-the-joy-of-the-lord-your-strength.html.

³ https://www.biblestudytools.com/bible-study/topical-studies/what-does-the-joy-of-the-lord-is-my-strength-mean.html.

⁴ https://gospelchops.com/the-joy-of-the-lord-is-my-strength.

God’s Explosions

July 31, 2023

By David Brandt Berg

Audio length: 11:33

Download Audio (10.5MB)

Originally published May 1971. Adapted and republished July 2023. Read by Reuben Ruchevsky.

016 – Jesus—His Life and Message: Teaching Methods

Jesus—His Life and Message

Peter Amsterdam

2015-03-23

(You can read about the intent for and overview of this series in this introductory article.)

(This article is my summary of points expounded on by Robert H. Stein in The Method and Message of Jesus’ Teachings.)

Jesus was a tremendous teacher who knew how to captivate His audience and powerfully deliver His message. There was something about the way He taught that attracted people to listen—so much so that crowds of thousands would stay for days at a time listening to Him.¹

All throughout the Gospels, Jesus refers to and quotes the Old Testament in His teachings. However, unlike the scribes and rabbis, whose teaching was generally based on Scripture interpretations which other rabbis of the past had taught, Jesus taught with unique authority which came from His Father.² Throughout the Sermon on the Mount, for example, He repeatedly said, You have heard that it was said … But I say to you….³ And when Jesus finished these sayings, the crowds were astonished at his teaching, for he was teaching them as one who had authority, and not as their scribes.⁴ His actions of healing and casting out demons also reinforced His authority to teach.

Jesus rebuked him, saying, “Be silent, and come out of him!” And the unclean spirit, convulsing him and crying out with a loud voice, came out of him. And they were all amazed, so that they questioned among themselves, saying, “What is this? A new teaching with authority! He commands even the unclean spirits, and they obey him.”⁵

In addition to speaking with authority, Jesus used a number of different teaching techniques in order to deliver His message in an interesting and captivating manner. Being aware of the different styles of teaching He used can help us to better understand the meaning of the message He shared. Let’s take a look at some of them.

Overstatement

Jesus would sometimes overstate a truth. By using exaggeration, He would emphatically make His point. Making such overstatements was characteristic of the Semitic speech of the day.⁶

One such example of Jesus’ use of overstatement is:

If your right eye causes you to sin, tear it out and throw it away. For it is better that you lose one of your members than that your whole body be thrown into hell.⁷

Jesus wasn’t promoting self-mutilation; He was using overstatement to vividly point out that we should tear out anything from our lives which is causing us to sin, no matter how painful. Using overstatement was a tool to convey in stark terms the point He was making.

Hyperbole

Similar to overstatement and exaggeration, Jesus used hyperbole, which portrays an action that is impossible. An example is when Jesus called the scribes and Pharisees blind guides: “You blind guides, who strain out a gnat and swallow a camel!”⁸ Clearly one cannot possibly swallow a camel, but this impossible word picture strongly makes His point. Another example is when Jesus instructs us to first take the log out of your own eye, and then you will see clearly to take the speck out of your brother’s eye.⁹ The meaning of the word picture is clear, though obviously impossible.

Pun

Jesus also used puns, or plays on words, where two similar-sounding words have different meanings, or where the same word may have two different meanings. Jesus’ puns aren’t detected in English or other language translations, but they exist in the original Aramaic which Jesus spoke.

One of the verses quoted above is an example. “You blind guides, who strain out a gnat and swallow a camel!” In Aramaic, the word for camel was gamla and the word for gnat was galma. So the pun was “You blind guides, who strain out a galma and swallow a gamla.” Another example is “The wind blows where it wishes, and you hear its sound, but you do not know where it comes from or where it goes. So it is with everyone who is born of the Spirit.”¹⁰ In Aramaic, the word ruah is used for both wind and spirit. So the ruah blows where it wishes … So is everyone who is born of the ruah.

Simile

A simile is a comparison between two things that are unlike each other and are introduced by a connector such as “like,” “as,” “than,” or by a verb like “seems.” An example is: “Behold, I am sending you out as sheep in the midst of wolves, so be wise as serpents and innocent as doves.”¹¹ Another example is:

“Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For you are like whitewashed tombs, which outwardly appear beautiful, but within are full of dead people’s bones and all uncleanness.”¹²

In these similes the comparison and the differences are clearly seen. In the first simile, believers are likened to sheep and are supposed to be like serpents in wisdom and as doves in blamelessness. In the second, the Pharisees who look righteous on the outside but are inwardly corrupt are likened to tombs which are outwardly clean and impressive, but inside are full of corruption.

Metaphor

A metaphor is a comparison of two essentially unlike things. Metaphors don’t use connectors like similes do, saying that something is like something else; instead they make an implicit comparison. A simile would say “the eye is like the lamp of the body,” while a metaphor would say “the eye is the lamp of the body.”

Examples of Jesus’ metaphors include “You are the salt of the earth”¹³ and “You are the light of the world.”¹⁴ Another example is “The harvest is plentiful, but the laborers are few; therefore pray earnestly to the Lord of the harvest to send out laborers into his harvest.”¹⁵ With these metaphors, Jesus makes a direct comparison between two dissimilar things. He likens His disciples to salt and light, and the harvest to the masses that need to hear God’s message. Likewise, the “I am” sayings in the Gospel of John are metaphors: “I am the bread of life;” “I am the light of the world;” “I am the vine; you are the branches.”¹⁶

Proverb

Jesus used numerous proverbs—short pithy sayings, generally one sentence, that contain a memorable statement made in a striking manner. The following sayings of Jesus can be considered proverbs: For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.¹⁷ For all who take the sword will perish by the sword.¹⁸ “A prophet is not without honor, except in his hometown and among his relatives and in his own household.”¹⁹

Riddle

A riddle within Scripture is a typical form of wisdom saying which challenges the individual to discover the hidden meaning of the saying. Some examples of Jesus’ use of riddles are:

“I will destroy this temple that is made with hands, and in three days I will build another, not made with hands.”²⁰ Wherever the corpse is, there the vultures will gather.²¹ For if they do these things when the wood is green, what will happen when it is dry?²²

A Fortiori (Lesser to Greater)²³

A fortiori (ah-for-she-ory) statements are a type of logical argument that makes a case that if one thing is true, then it can be inferred that a second thing is even more certainly true.²⁴ It was a teaching technique used by Jewish rabbis to teach “from the lesser to the greater” or “the light to the heavy,” meaning that if a conclusion applies in a lesser case, it also applies in a more important one. This lesser-to-greater argument is recognized when the text says something like “If … how much more ….”

For example:

Which one of you, if his son asks him for bread, will give him a stone? Or if he asks for a fish, will give him a serpent? If you then, who are evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father who is in heaven give good things to those who ask him!²⁵ A second example is: He said to them, “Which one of you who has a sheep, if it falls into a pit on the Sabbath, will not take hold of it and lift it out? Of how much more value is a man than a sheep! So it is lawful to do good on the Sabbath.” Then he said to the man, “Stretch out your hand.” And the man stretched it out, and it was restored, healthy like the other.²⁶

Use of Questions

Jesus used questions in a variety of ways in His teachings. One way was to help His listeners affirm or crystalize their own thoughts, beliefs, or position on an issue by causing them to reflect and come to the right conclusion through their own thought processes. By asking the question, He impressed His point more firmly in the minds of listeners. An example used at a turning point in His ministry was when He asked His disciples:

“Who do people say that I am?” And they told him, “John the Baptist; and others say, Elijah; and others, one of the prophets.” And he asked them, “But who do you say that I am?” Peter answered him, “You are the Christ.”²⁷ A second example is found in the parable of the good Samaritan when Jesus asked, “Which of these three, do you think, proved to be a neighbor to the man who fell among the robbers?” He (the lawyer Jesus was speaking to) said, “The one who showed him mercy.” And Jesus said to him, “You go, and do likewise.”²⁸

Jesus sometimes used counter questions as a means of making His point when He was expected to give an answer in hostile situations. One such example was when He was in the temple and the chief priests, scribes, and elders asked Him:

“By what authority are you doing these things, or who gave you this authority to do them?” Jesus said to them, “I will ask you one question; answer me, and I will tell you by what authority I do these things. Was the baptism of John from heaven or from man? Answer me” … So they answered Jesus, “We do not know.” And Jesus said to them, “Neither will I tell you by what authority I do these things.”²⁹

He also sometimes asked rhetorical questions—which are asked not for the purpose of drawing out a verbal answer, but to produce an effect. Sometimes that effect was to get His listeners to mentally agree with the point He was making. One such case was when the scribes said that “by the prince of demons he casts out the demons.” Jesus responded with “How can Satan cast out Satan”?³⁰

Sometimes His rhetorical questions were used to add weight to a statement, such as:

For what does it profit a man to gain the whole world and forfeit his soul? For what can a man give in return for his soul?³¹

Sometimes He used questions to express His frustration:

“O faithless generation, how long am I to be with you? How long am I to bear with you?”³² He said to him, “Man, who made me a judge or arbitrator over you?”³³

Figurative Actions

Jesus sometimes conveyed His message in a nonverbal way. He allowed His actions to express what He intended to say. One such example was His encounter with the rich chief tax collector, Zacchaeus, who was trying to see Jesus but because of the crowds was unable to. Zacchaeus ran ahead and climbed a tree. When Jesus saw him, He said: “Zacchaeus, hurry and come down, for I must stay at your house today.” So he hurried and came down and received him joyfully.³⁴ Jesus’ action of dining with the hated tax collector preached the message that salvation was available to sinners.

When John the Baptist’s disciples conveyed John’s message, asking if Jesus was the one who was to come, Jesus’ response was: “Go and tell John what you hear and see: the blind receive their sight and the lame walk, lepers are cleansed and the deaf hear, and the dead are raised up, and the poor have good news preached to them.”³⁵ When Jesus healed people, and performed other miracles, His actions preached the presence of God’s kingdom and stated that Jesus was the Messiah.

As Jesus taught through both His words and actions, many of those who heard began to believe that He was the Messiah, the one sent from God. His resurrection from the dead would prove that He was.

(To read the next article in this series, click here.)

Note

¹ Mark 8:1–3, Matthew 15:32.

² For I have not spoken on my own authority, but the Father who sent me has himself given me a commandment—what to say and what to speak. And I know that his commandment is eternal life. What I say, therefore, I say as the Father has told me (John 12:49–50).

Do you not believe that I am in the Father and the Father is in me? The words that I say to you I do not speak on my own authority, but the Father who dwells in me does his works (John 14:10).

³ Matthew 5:21–22, 27–28, 33–34, 38–39, 43–44.

⁴ Matthew 7:28–29.

⁵ Mark 1:25–27.

⁶ Stein, The Method and Message of Jesus’ Teachings, 8.

⁷ Matthew 5:29.

⁸ Matthew 23:24 NAS.

⁹ Matthew 7:3–5.

¹⁰ John 3:8.

¹¹ Matthew 10:16.

¹² Matthew 23:27.

¹³ Matthew 5:13.

¹⁴ Matthew 5:14.

¹⁵ Matthew 9:37–38.

¹⁶ John 6:35, 8:12, 15:5.

¹⁷ Matthew 6:21.

¹⁸ Matthew 26:52.

¹⁹ Mark 6:4.

²⁰ Mark 14:58.

²¹ Matthew 24:28.

²² Luke 23:31.

²³ The phrase a fortiori is Latin for “from [something] stronger,” or with stronger reason.

²⁵ Matthew 7:9–11.

²⁶ Matthew 12:11–13.

²⁷ Mark 8:27–29.

²⁸ Luke 10:36–37.

²⁹ Mark 11:28–30, 33.

³⁰ Mark 3:22–23.

³¹ Mark 8:36–37.

³² Mark 9:19.

³³ Luke 12:14.

³⁴ Luke 19:5–6.

³⁵ Matthew 11:3–5.

030 – Jesus—His Life and Message: The Sermon on the Mount (The Beatitudes, Part 2)

Jesus—His Life and Message

Peter Amsterdam

2015-08-25

(You can read about the intent for and overview of this series in this introductory article.)

The Beatitudes (Part 2)

Having covered the first three Beatitudes in the Sermon on the Mount, we now move on to the remaining five.

Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they shall be satisfied.¹

A key to understanding this Beatitude is the meaning of the word righteousness as used here. The Greek word dikaiosynē, translated in the New Testament as righteousness, is often used in reference to our being in right standing with or declared righteous before God due to Jesus’ life, death, and resurrection—especially when it’s used in Paul’s epistles. However, in the context of this Beatitude, as well as throughout the Gospel of Matthew, it is used in reference to behavior which conforms to God’s will.² The righteousness spoken of here is best understood as being eager to live as God desires, having the attitude that Jesus expressed: My food is to do the will of him who sent me.³

To hunger and thirst is used metaphorically and means to seek with eager desire, to ardently crave. It mirrors Jesus’ response to Satan when He said: “Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that comes from the mouth of God.”⁴ Those who deeply desire to live in accordance with God’s will shall be satisfied.

Satisfied, sometimes translated as filled, means “sated,” “slaked,” “bloated,” “filled to overflowing.” Those who hunger and thirst for living as God desires, who live in accordance with the teachings of Jesus, will be filled with God’s presence in their lives.

Blessed are the merciful, for they shall receive mercy.⁵

Who are the merciful that are blessed? The Greek word translated as merciful derives from the root word eleos, which means kindness or good will toward the miserable and the afflicted, joined with a desire to help them. Mercy is compassion for people in need. It’s not just pity for the needy and miserable—it’s pity plus action, endeavoring to do something to relieve a need. A good example of mercy is seen in the action of the Samaritan in the parable of the good Samaritan.⁶

Throughout the Old Testament, we read that God is merciful.

The Lord is gracious and merciful.⁷ The Lord is merciful and gracious, slow to anger and abounding in steadfast love.⁸

The Hebrew word used for merciful in these verses is defined as compassionate. We see an example of God’s mercy and compassion in His sending Jesus to die for our sins. Our God is a merciful God and shows mercy continuously, and as citizens of His kingdom we are to show mercy too.⁹ We are to be merciful, because we have been shown His mercy. He reached out to us in our miserable state, forgave our sins, and brought us into a relationship with Him.

The merciful who are blessed are those who are compassionate at heart, who have an attitude of mercy which moves them to act for the benefit of those in need. The actions stem from a heart filled with the love of God. Because they have received God’s mercy, they are transformed into people who do to others as they would have others do to them. They have experienced God’s merciful love and are moved by God’s Spirit to empathize with and show compassion to others.¹⁰

Blessed are the pure in heart, for they shall see God.¹¹

Today we see the heart as a physical organ, as well as a way of referring to emotions. In the Jewish understanding of Jesus’ day, it was considered even more—the center of one’s inner state, one’s thoughts and will, as well as emotions. It was the seat of their decision-making, their moral choices, their feelings; the center of their personality. So Jesus speaking of being “pure in heart” is speaking about having purity at the center of our being.

Jesus spoke of the condition of our inner being when He said:

What comes out of the mouth proceeds from the heart, and this defiles a person. For out of the heart come evil thoughts, murder, adultery, sexual immorality, theft, false witness, slander. These are what defile a person.¹²

These words show the state of the heart of all humans, as due to sin, we all are impure. Yet drawing near to God through faith and salvation cleanses our heart.

God, who knows the heart, bore witness to them, by giving them the Holy Spirit just as he did to us, and he made no distinction between us and them, having cleansed their hearts by faith.¹³ Draw near to God, and he will draw near to you. Cleanse your hands, you sinners, and purify your hearts.¹⁴

Purity of heart in the context of this Beatitude also has to do with our relationship with God and others. As David wrote in the Psalms:

Who shall ascend the hill of the LORD? And who shall stand in his holy place? He who has clean hands and a pure heart, who does not lift up his soul to what is false and does not swear deceitfully.¹⁵

The person who keeps focused on God, who doesn’t lift up his soul to things which are false (idols—anything that takes the place of God in one’s life), who is single-minded toward God, is the one who stands in the holy place. He does not swear deceitfully; he is free from falsehood in his relations with God and others. The Hebrew word for clean used in this Psalm is also translated as innocent, so those with clean hands are those who have acted innocently toward others. Likewise, the pure heart is one that is cleansed of all unworthy motives toward other people.¹⁶

Those with a pure heart are those who will see God. We see Him now with the eyes of faith, and in the future we will see Him face to face. Exactly how is not fully explained in Scripture. However, we see Him now in a variety of ways—in the beauty of His creation, in His answers to our prayers, in the guidance He gives us, in the love we have in our lives, in our family and friends, in our many blessings. The pure of heart, those who have entered the kingdom of God, who are living under His reign, see God participate in their lives. This seeing, though, is only a foretaste of our seeing God in heaven.

Blessed are the peacemakers, for they shall be called sons of God.¹⁷

Peacemakers bring reconciliation between those who are in conflict. God is the author of peace and reconciliation, as He has made reconciliation possible between Himself and humanity through the sacrifice of His Son.

For in him [Jesus] all the fullness of God was pleased to dwell, and through him to reconcile to himself all things, whether on earth or in heaven, making peace by the blood of his cross.¹⁸

When Christians are peacemakers, they are the “sons of God,” as they reflect the attribute of God’s reconciliation.

Christians are called to be peacemakers. While we are meant to live peaceably with all,¹⁹ that isn’t the same as being a peacemaker. Peacemaking is an active involvement with conflicting parties for the purpose of creating reconciliation and peace.²⁰ It’s not taking one party’s side over another, but being willing to recognize their differences and attempting to bring reconciliation between them. It may be a husband and wife who are struggling in their relationship, or parents and children who don’t trust one another, or coworkers at strife. Being a peacemaker can also mean taking the first step in overcoming any conflicts you may have with others.

As believers, we are also involved in the process of bringing peace between humanity and God, as we make efforts to bring others into reconciliation with their Creator through sharing the message of the gospel with them.

In Scripture, the phrase “the son(s) of” is sometimes used to connect a person with an attribute. For example, in the parable of the wheat and the weeds,²¹ the weeds are called “the sons of the evil one,” meaning they have the attributes of the Devil. Later in the Sermon on the Mount, Jesus tells His disciples:

Love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you, so that you may be sons of your Father who is in heaven.²² In loving our enemies, Christians reflect an attribute of God, who is love.

Blessed are those who are persecuted for righteousness’ sake, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. Blessed are you when others revile you and persecute you and utter all kinds of evil against you falsely on my account. Rejoice and be glad, for your reward is great in heaven, for so they persecuted the prophets who were before you.²³

These two Beatitudes are combined as one, since they both deal with the same subject. Having expressed the attributes and attitudes that the disciples, as participants in the kingdom of God, were to have, Jesus then spoke of the cost of living in God’s kingdom. Those who hunger and thirst for righteousness will be persecuted because of that. Disciples are engaged within society; however, their center, worldview, and ultimate purpose are aligned with God and His ways, which puts them at odds with society at large. When one adopts the values of the kingdom, one will stand out. This difference can, and often does, result in persecution. Later in Matthew’s Gospel, Jesus makes this very clear.

Behold, I am sending you out as sheep in the midst of wolves, so be wise as serpents and innocent as doves. Beware of men, for they will deliver you over to courts and flog you in their synagogues, and you will be dragged before governors and kings for my sake, to bear witness before them and the Gentiles. … Brother will deliver brother over to death, and the father his child, and children will rise against parents and have them put to death, and you will be hated by all for my name’s sake. But the one who endures to the end will be saved. A disciple is not above his teacher, nor a servant above his master. If they have called the master of the house Beelzebul, how much more will they malign those of his household.²⁴

While persecution doesn’t necessarily result in physical suffering or death, it can be manifested in harassment, mistreatment, and hostility. Jesus spoke of verbal abuse, of others “reviling you,” railing at you, taunting you. He also spoke of disciples being lied about and falsely accused of things they didn’t do.

Jesus said that such persecution will occur not only because of righteousness, the distinctive lifestyle of the disciples, but more specifically “because of me.”²⁵ Disciples who live the teachings of Jesus will pay a price in this life. However, Jesus said that those who experience persecution, who are railed against, are blessed. They can rejoice and be glad for two reasons. The first is that your reward is great in heaven. Those who suffer persecution are promised good things hereafter. The blessing is not in the suffering in itself, but in its promised outcome. The source of the disciples’ celebration is the recognition that the good which is promised to them far outweighs the bad that they may experience now.²⁶

The second reason to rejoice is that being persecuted for the sake of Jesus is a badge of honor. In saying rejoice and be glad, for your reward is great in heaven, for so they persecuted the prophets who were before you, Jesus was putting those who are persecuted in the same category as the Old Testament prophets who were also persecuted in their day.

Believers are called to follow Jesus’ teachings, to enter the kingdom of God. Doing so means giving our allegiance to God and His truth and adopting His set of values. The result is the blessings of God’s reign in our lives. At the same time, living in alignment with God’s Word opens us up to various levels of harassment and suffering. When it does, we are called to rejoice and be glad, for our reward will be great.

This brings us to the end of the Beatitudes, the opening section of the Sermon on the Mount. The Beatitudes are a general picture of what all Christians are supposed to be like as we endeavor to pattern our life after Jesus.

As we compare the Beatitudes with Jesus’ life, we see that He set the example we are to follow. We read that Jesus was meek and lowly in heart: Take my yoke upon you, and learn from me, for I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls.²⁷ He mourned over Jerusalem and the unrepentant cities of the land: O Jerusalem, Jerusalem, the city that kills the prophets and stones those who are sent to it! How often would I have gathered your children together as a hen gathers her brood under her wings, and you would not!²⁸ He showed mercy: As Jesus passed on from there, two blind men followed him, crying aloud, “Have mercy on us, Son of David.” He touched their eyes, saying, “According to your faith be it done to you.”²⁹ He was a peacemaker: “You have heard that it was said, ‘You shall love your neighbor and hate your enemy.’ But I say to you, Love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you.”³⁰He was ridiculed as a false prophet: They spit in his face and struck him. And some slapped him, saying, “Prophesy to us, you Christ! Who is it that struck you?”³¹

The Beatitudes give us the general overview of how we are to live our faith. The rest of the Sermon on the Mount, which we will look at in upcoming articles, gives us further principles and more detailed descriptions of life as it is to be lived in God’s kingdom.

(To read the next article in this series, click here.)

Note

¹ Matthew 5:6.

² McKnight, Sermon on the Mount, 44.

³ John 4:34.

⁴Matthew 4:4.

⁵ Matthew 5:7.

⁶ Luke 10:30–37. See also: The Stories Jesus Told: The Good Samaritan.

⁷ Psalm 111:4.

⁸ Psalm 103:8.

⁹ Stott, The Message of the Sermon on the Mount, 47.

¹⁰ McKnight, Sermon on the Mount, 44.

¹¹ Matthew 5:8.

¹² Matthew 15:18–20.

¹³ Acts 15:8–9.

¹⁴ James 4:8.

¹⁵ Psalm 24:3–4.

¹⁶ The ESV Study Bible (Wheaton, IL: Crossway Bibles, 2008), 967.

¹⁷ Matthew 5:9.

¹⁸ Colossians 1:19–20.

¹⁹ Romans 12:18.

²⁰ McKnight, Sermon on the Mount, 47.

²¹ Matthew 13:24–30, 38.

²² Matthew 5:44–45.

²³ Matthew 5:10–12.

²⁴ Matthew 10:16–18; 21–22, 24–25.

²⁵ As translated in the NIV and NAU.

²⁶ France, The Gospel of Matthew, 172.

²⁷ Matthew 11:29.

²⁸ Matthew 23:37. See also Matthew 11:20–24.

²⁹ Matthew 9:27, 29. See also Matthew 9:13; 20:30–34; 17:14–18; Luke 17:12–14; 18:38–43.

³⁰ Matthew 5:43–44. See also Matthew 26:50.

³¹ Matthew 26:67–68.

The Most High on His Knees

July 28, 2023

Learning humility from the Last Supper

By Greg Morse

What thoughts raced through the angels’ minds as they beheld their Creator stoop down to wash human feet? How much those burning seraphim must have wondered. They themselves blushed to expose such creatureliness before their King—worshiping the Son around the throne with feet wing-covered (Isaiah 6:2). What did they think now to watch the Holy One take water and clean those calloused, sweaty, unbeautiful toes?

(Read the article here. There is an audio version available on the page.)

The Most High on His Knees: Learning Humility from the Last Supper | Desiring God

Life Balance Check, Part 7: Generosity and Giving Back

July 27, 2023

By Peter Amsterdam

Audio length: 9:23

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I have been reflecting on living generously. We know that true happiness comes from living unselfishly, as we put the Lord first and work to make this world a better place. If we step back, however, and take a more in-depth look at generosity and giving back and think about our current plans, goals, and lifestyle, the Lord can show us if there are areas in our lives where we could do better.

We can evaluate our generosity with our time, our finances, and in our interactions with others by asking ourselves searching questions such as: Do I consistently give to God’s work and to people in need? Do I reach out to those who could benefit from my talents, resources, and service? Do my words and actions regularly show that I am generous and willing to give back?

Having served the Lord as missionaries, we are well acquainted with sacrifice. In choosing to serve the Lord full-time and put Him first in our lives, we gave up careers and education, forsook our families, friends, and home countries to take the gospel to foreign lands and much more. Living a sacrificial lifestyle was at times difficult and sometimes heartbreaking.

Sacrifice is not just a vague concept or principle for us, because we understand what it costs to give our all! But as time passes, we can sometimes start living on autopilot. When that happens, we may miss something the Lord is doing in our lives. Familiarity with well-known spiritual principles can dampen our sensitivity to God’s whispers, especially regarding truths that have been part of our foundation of faith for decades.

With this in mind, it is helpful to periodically take stock of our lives, to examine and think about how we’re doing in the areas of generosity and willingness to sacrifice and trust the Lord. Often, we get so busy that sometimes the first thing to go is giving to and helping others. We can easily think, “Well, I’ve been doing that my whole life.” But generosity and giving back never go out of style, and embracing this lifestyle helps keep the blessings flowing.

Generosity with finances

When it comes to generosity with finances and faithfulness in giving, you are heroes! Maria and I are very grateful for your continued gifts, tithes, and offerings to TFI that make it possible for our mission to continue, as well as the financial support that many of you give directly to mission works. Thank you so much! Many of us have seen the blessings that come with giving and have had our faith muscles strengthened over the years. We have seen God’s promises fulfilled in Scripture such as “Give, and it will be given to you. Good measure, pressed down, shaken together, running over, will be put into your lap. For with the measure you use it will be measured back to you” (Luke 6:38).

Of course, it is important to remember that your most important financial responsibility is to make sure that those you are personally responsible for—such as yourself, your spouse, and your children who are still in your care—are cared for.

Small beginnings grow

Big results can come from small steps. We don’t have to have a lot of money to begin a campaign or ministry that serves others. Here is a short account of someone who started small, with only $25, and is now changing the world:

It’s often said the biggest changes come from the smallest beginnings. For social entrepreneur Adam Braun, a single pencil changed the trajectory of his life, leading him to stray from a career on Wall Street to start the nonprofit Pencils of Promise, which has built more than 200 schools and provided education to 20,000 underprivileged youth in developing countries around the world.

While traveling in India, Braun encountered a young boy begging on the street. When he asked the boy what he wanted most in the world, the boy answered simply “a pencil.” This request became the inspiration behind Pencils of Promise, which Braun founded in 2008 with only $25.¹

Being intentional about giving back

We know that giving and generosity are not limited to finances. Making an effort to give of yourself by sharing time and giving attention to someone, by showing respect toward and being kind and helpful to others, is being generous. I really enjoy being around people who have a generous, giving spirit. I feel enriched by the time we spend together and am blessed as I recognize their consistent way of interacting with others (both friends and strangers) intentionally with kindness, respect, and generosity as they offer their service, help, time, or simply a listening ear.

I believe we can learn to be more aware of opportunities to bless others if we determine to live intentionally. Along with making the decision to be generous with our finances, we can be generous with our time, attention, encouragement, service, prayers, etc., so we can help others live better, happier lives. We could look for opportunities for volunteering in our community—tutoring children, helping elderly neighbors, pitching in with busy parents’ errands, and the list goes on. Here is some helpful advice on this topic from one of my favorite authors, John C. Maxwell:

Intentional living is about approaching each day with the goal of adding value to others to make a difference in their lives. … During a trip to Washington D.C., I challenged the two young children of one of my team members to think about how they could add value to people during the day. One of the kids decided he would open doors for people throughout the day. The other decided she would leave thank-you notes for people to express her appreciation. Then, they went out and did it! At the end of the day, both children came back and enthusiastically shared with me how people positively responded to their intentional acts of kindness.

In addition to thinking ahead about ways to add value, people who live with intentionality are also on constant lookout for spontaneous ways to help others. They have an outward focus as they go through their lives, ready to do something that makes someone’s day. These actions don’t have to be big or expensive; small meaningful actions can make a big difference. The key is to open your eyes and be ready to seize opportunities as they present themselves.

To keep myself accountable to this, at the end of each day, I ask myself one question: “Did I add value to people today?” That’s a great question to ask yourself—and intentional actions allow you to answer “Yes.”²

The rewards are many

Making a difference in others’ lives through generosity and giving back is not just good for them, and doesn’t just make us feel content because we know we’re living according to God’s Word, but it brings concrete blessings to us as well.

We have so much to gain as we seek to live in a giving, generous way, actively looking for ways to serve and bless others. Some of the blessings we receive as a result will become obvious in this life. There will be times, however, when there will be no clear recompense for our generosity, either with our finances or our acts of kindness and service to others. But we can rest assured that we will eventually receive a blessing in return, if not in this life, then in the world to come. Praise the Lord!

The King will answer them, ‘Truly, I say to you, as you did it to one of the least of these my brothers, you did it to me’ (Matthew 25:40).

His master said to him, ‘Well done, good and faithful servant. You have been faithful over a little; I will set you over much. Enter into the joy of your master’ (Matthew 25:21).

Originally published March 2020. Adapted and republished July 2023. Read by Jon Marc.

¹ Lisa Evans, “Lessons From A Guy Who’s Changing The World One Pencil At A Time,” Fast Company, March 12, 2014.

² John C. Maxwell, “How to Intentionally Add Value to Others This Christmas,” December 15, 2015.

Being “Instant”

July 26, 2023

By Steve Hearts

There are many natural human tendencies that are easy to fall into, but which end up being hazardous in some way. One of these is the tendency to procrastinate—to put things off, telling ourselves that we’ll get to them “later” or “tomorrow.” We come up with plenty of excuses for our procrastination: Our schedules are too busy, our obligations are demanding, we’re too tired, to name a few.

When I was a boy, sometimes I didn’t do the things my mother would ask me to do right away. She would often tell me, “Delayed obedience is disobedience.” Second Timothy 4:2 tells us how to remedy the tendency to procrastinate: “Be instant in season, out of season.” In other words, we are compelled to take care of our responsibilities and obey the voice of the Lord instantly, regardless of how we feel or don’t feel.

I recall an experience when I felt a strong inner urge to call and check up on a friend who was having severe depression and who had turned to my family and me for help. I wasn’t too excited about this nudge to call as I didn’t feel capable of offering help. But the more I resisted the urge, the stronger it grew. Without knowing about this inner urge of mine, my dad had also encouraged me to call this man. Unable to deny the Lord’s insistence any longer, I called him.

Our friend was glad to hear from me, and he seemed to be doing just fine. A day or so later, we heard from his daughter. She told us that after receiving my call, he’d phoned her and asked if she had asked me to call him. She had not. He then said that at the moment I called, he had been considering ways to end his life. He knew the phone call was a godsend. I praised the Lord for helping me do the right thing at the right time, wondering what would have happened had I not been “instant.”

Sometimes the Lord puts us in unexpected situations that test our obedience to Him and show where our priorities lie.

William Gladstone was Britain’s prime minister four times between 1868 and 1894. He was also known for being an active Christian. A story is told of how one day he was scheduled for an important speaking engagement at Parliament. Upon arriving, he had expected to run into a young newsboy whom he bought a newspaper from daily, but the boy was nowhere to be seen. This surprised Gladstone.

Suddenly, a friend of the newsboy came running up and informed him that the boy had been run over by a carriage the day before and would soon die. “He wants you to come and get him in,” said the lad frantically.

“What do you mean ‘get him in’?” asked the puzzled statesman.

“You know, get him into heaven,” replied the lad.

I imagine that Gladstone’s mind was racing as he quickly weighed his options. Should he tell the lad he’d go immediately after finishing his speech? Or should he put his important speech on hold?

His secretary was quick to add his two cents. “You can’t get tied up in this. You know how important the speech is.”

“Yes,” said the minister. “But one immortal soul is worth far more than my speech in Parliament.”

Gladstone went with the lad to the tiny flat where the dying newsboy was. The boy prayed with him to receive Jesus and then immediately died. Mr. Gladstone not only “got him in,” but he also returned to Parliament in time to give his important speech and win his campaign.

This is an excellent story to point out the importance of being willing to obey the Lord, to be “instant” in season and out of season.

There are times when God also wants to use us to get His message across, although the situation may not seem quite as critical as in the earlier examples.

One day, while I was preparing to leave for an appointment, the Lord impressed on my heart to call a man we’d been witnessing to. Although I didn’t know why, I felt strongly that I should tell him of my having learned recently to be thankful in all situations, including the painful moments in my life. I called him and shared with him how the resentment I’d felt toward the Lord for taking my mother home to heaven was replaced by peace and acceptance.

When I finished, there was a long pause. Finally, my friend told me that this happened to be his birthday, and that I had given him a message that he knew was from God. He’d been holding resentment against the Lord for the loss of his father, as well as other painful losses. He now clearly saw how the Lord wanted him to learn how to use praise and gratitude to help him overcome the strong resentment he felt. He tried doing that, and saw a huge improvement in his attitude and his relationship with his family.

I could have easily put that call off for a later time. After all, I was getting ready to go out. But had I procrastinated, it’s possible that the message would not have reached his heart at God’s appointed time.

Another story tells of a young boy whose scout club decided to take on a new project. The idea was for each scout member to choose a shut-in (a person who never leaves their house, usually for health reasons) and visit that person weekly.

The boy thought that this was a great idea; however, he didn’t know any shut-ins. When he asked his mother for ideas, she suggested an old disabled lady who lived just a few blocks away. Since she had recently gotten some of the boys from his school in trouble by reporting on them, he didn’t like his mother’s idea. But she reminded him that these boys had been annoying the lady and making a nuisance of themselves.

Reluctantly, the boy decided to give it a try. He went to the disabled woman’s house the next afternoon with a bag of homemade cookies. The old lady greeted him crossly, accusing him of trying to poison her with the cookies. When he offered to mow her lawn for free, she slammed the door in his face. With his mother’s encouragement, the boy continued to visit the old woman and mow her lawn every Thursday afternoon after school.

The woman gradually warmed up to him and came to look forward to his weekly visits. One Thursday afternoon, as the boy was headed toward the woman’s house, one of his friends caught up with him and invited him to the park to play a game of baseball. He told him that this was the day he visited his neighbor.

“Why don’t you just do it tomorrow?” his friend asked. “One day won’t make any difference.”

The boy decided to at least check on the old woman and then head over to the park if there was nothing special that he needed to do for her.

When he arrived at her house, he saw that it was on fire. He frantically knocked on the door and called her name, but she didn’t answer. Since the screen door was locked, he kicked it down. When he entered the living room, he found the woman slumped on the floor next to her wheelchair, unconscious. He managed to get her back in her chair and wheel her outside, away from the fire.

When the lady came to, having not been seriously hurt in the fire, she told the boy she wasn’t even afraid when the fire started, because she knew today was Thursday and that he’d be there right after school. He replied, “And I had wondered if one day would make any difference.”

What would have become of us if Jesus had postponed His coming to earth to bring us salvation? In spite of the difficulty and sacrifice, He didn’t delay. Why should we delay when His voice calls us? If we procrastinate, there may never be a second chance. If we are not “instant,” no matter what the season, there is a chance that we may regret it for eternity.

Adapted from a Just1Thing podcast, a Christian character-building resource for young people.

Do Less, Accomplish More!

July 25, 2023

A compilation

Audio length: 10:34

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One morning recently I felt discouraged and bone weary. Many things in my life were going very well, but there were a few areas where I felt very hopeless.

As I looked at my reflection in the mirror, I heard God speak four words to me: I will deliver you!

I didn’t hear an audible voice, but in my spirit God’s voice was unmistakable. I was startled by the clarity of the message.

I thought, How will God deliver me from this?

Looking back, I realized that how was ridiculous in light of the who.

All God was asking me to do was receive his promise and trust him. Nothing more.

He was offering me much more than a quick fix or rescue; he was offering me a whole new way to live. But I wasn’t sure if I was ready or even had the stamina for the journey that might lie ahead. Even so, the choices were painfully clear. I could continue to struggle all alone, pushing myself through one more day, or I could take God at his word—and let go.—Sheila Walsh¹

Ministry is full of stressful moments. … Fortunately, we’ve got a great model for ministry in Jesus. His life was under constant demands. … But through it all, Jesus never got depressed or discouraged. He never gave up.

How did he manage to be at peace under pressure? And how can you experience that kind of peace, too? …

Know what you’re trying to accomplish. “Jesus answered, ‘Even if I testify on my own behalf, my testimony is valid, for I know where I came from and know where I am going’” (John 8:14).

Jesus knew exactly what he wanted to accomplish. You should, too. … Having a plan keeps you from being a victim of the tyranny of the urgent—just going around and putting out fires. No one likes to get to the end of the day and wonder if they accomplished anything meaningful. …

When stress comes our way, Jesus is our best model for dealing with it.

Focus on one thing at a time. “But [Jesus] said, ‘I must preach the good news of the kingdom of God to the other towns also, because that is why I was sent’” (Luke 4:43). Jesus focused on one priority at a time—despite all the interruptions that came his way.

If you try to focus on dozens of things at one time, you’ll go in a dozen different directions. It’s like light. Light has a diffused effect, but if you focus light, it becomes a laser. …

Don’t try to do it all yourself. “[Jesus] appointed twelve—designating them apostles—that they might be with him and that he might send them out to preach” (Mark 3:14).

Stress often comes because we think the whole world depends on us. … Jesus enlisted and trained 12 other people to help him out. He did his ministry with others and delegated his work. …

Make a habit of personal prayer. “Very early in the morning, while it was still dark, Jesus got up, left the house and went off to a solitary place, where he prayed” (Mark 1:35).

Look at Jesus’ life. Even though he was extremely busy and had a lot to do, Jesus made time to get alone with God on a daily basis. He would go away and wait on God for instructions. If Christ needed to do that, how much more do we need to get alone and let God speak to us and give us direction? …

Take time off to enjoy life. “The apostles gathered around Jesus and reported to him all that they had done and taught. He said to them, ‘Come away by yourselves to a remote place and rest for a while.’ For many people were coming and going, and they did not even have time to eat” (Mark 6:30–31).

When Jesus said what he did in Mark 6:30, his followers had been out working hard … Jesus comes to them and says, “You deserve a break today.”—Rick Warren²

I’ve always been an accomplishment-oriented person. I prided myself in knowing what to do, having my to-do list all prioritized, with the most important tasks highlighted, circled, or written in large print. I’d zip around town, stopping here and there, knocking off the “minors” while on my way to accomplish another “major.”

I used to spend much of my quiet time with God with pencil and daily planner in hand, writing down the multitude of things I needed to do. I usually came out of my “quiet time” with my prioritized plan of action, chomping anxiously at the bit, ready to tackle the day. Getting my plan for the day constituted a big part of my personal time with God.

But some time back, I found myself in a prolonged situation where it wasn’t humanly possible for me to accomplish all that there was to do. My daily to-do lists were far too long with too many variables; there were too many priorities and way too many other stresses. To top things off, I was physically exhausted.

My situation was so overwhelming, in fact, that I really couldn’t think about a to-do list. All I wanted was to be close to God. I knew that only He could satisfy my soul and still the raging storm. It was at this point that I experienced what Jesus described in John 15: “I am the vine; you are the branches. Those who remain in me, and I in them, will produce much fruit. For apart from me you can do nothing” (John 15:5).

I realized for the first time that Jesus doesn’t want my to-do list, nor does He even want me to let Him be the author of my to-do list. He wants me to abide in Him, being nourished by His Word.

I still have and make to-do lists, but not with the same intensity. It’s no longer top priority. Touching Jesus is my top priority. Often that’s when I hear the faintest of whispers to my soul, usually about matters that are important to God. If my head and spirit are too crammed with my own thoughts, I might not hear those whispers and might miss something that’s a must-do on God’s to-do list.—Phillip Martin

Demonstrate your trust in Me by sitting quietly in My Presence. Put aside all that is waiting to be done, and refuse to worry about anything. This sacred time together strengthens you and prepares you to face whatever the day will bring. By waiting with Me before you begin the day’s activities, you proclaim the reality of My living Presence. This act of faith—waiting before working—is noted in the spirit world, where your demonstration of trust weakens principalities and powers of darkness.

The most effective way to resist evil is to draw near to Me. When you need to take action, I will guide you clearly through My Spirit and My Word. The world is so complex and overstimulating that you can easily lose your sense of direction. Doing countless unnecessary activities will dissipate your energy. When you spend time with Me, I restore your sense of direction. As you look to Me for guidance, I enable you to do less but accomplish more.—Jesus³

Published on Anchor July 2023. Read by Reuben Ruchevsky. Music by Michael Dooley.

¹ Sheila Walsh, Daily Gifts of Grace (Thomas Nelson, 2012).

² https://pastors.com/3-secrets-to-a-less-stress-ministry.
https://pastors.com/4-more-secrets-to-a-less-stress-ministry.

³ Sarah Young, Jesus Calling (Thomas Nelson, 2010).

All Things Work Together for Your Good

July 24, 2023

Treasures

Audio length: 11:09

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One of the most encouraging and comforting things that a Christian needs to constantly remember—particularly when going through times of trouble, trials, and tribulations—is that our heavenly Father loves us and is in sovereign control in our lives. Even if we don’t always understand exactly why we’re going through such trials, God has promised in His Word that “All things work together for good to them that love God, for those who are called according to his purpose” (Romans 8:28).

He will never permit anything to happen to you, His child, that He will not somehow work together for your good. Of course, you may be tempted to feel like a lot of things have happened that don’t look very good to you. But with time, you finally found out sooner or later that somehow or another they did work together for good.—Or you will yet discover that, whether in this life or in the next!

The following true story illustrates this principle:

One chilly winter morning, a fishing fleet launched out from a small harbour on the east coast of Newfoundland. In the afternoon there arose a great storm. When night settled, not a single vessel of all the fleet had found its way back into port. All night long, wives, mothers, children, and sweethearts paced up and down the windswept beach, wringing their hands and calling on God to save their lost loved ones. To add to the horror of the situation, one of their cottages caught fire. Since the men were away, it was impossible to put out the blaze and save it.

When morning broke, to the joy of all, the entire fleet had returned safely to harbour in the bay. But there was one face which was a picture of despair—the wife of the man whose home had been destroyed in the fire. Meeting her husband as he landed, she cried, “We are ruined! Our home and everything in it were destroyed by fire!” But the man exclaimed to her surprise, “Thank God for that fire! It was the light of our burning cottage that safely guided the whole fleet into port.”

Jesus has told us, “I am with you always, even unto the end of the world” (Matthew 28:20). He also promises, “I will never leave you nor forsake you” (Hebrews 13:5). Even through the darkest and most trying times, the Lord is always “a friend who sticks closer than a brother” (Proverbs 18:24). “Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil, for You are with me” (Psalm 23:4).

No matter what hard turns your road may take, Jesus is with you. He cares, and He will somehow work even the seemingly darkest and most discouraging circumstances and conditions together for your good, just as He has promised.

Sometimes we stand at life’s crossroads
And view what we think is the end;
But God has a much bigger vision,
And He tells us it’s only a bend.

For the road goes on and is smoother,
And the pause in the song is a rest;
And the part that’s unsung and unfinished,
Is the sweetest and richest and best.

So rest and relax and grow stronger,
Let go and let God share your load;
Your work is not finished or ended,
You’ve just come to a bend in the road.
—Helen Steiner Rice

We know that the Lord loves us and that He is our place of refuge and ever present help in times of trouble (Psalm 46:1). Therefore, when we are facing times of trouble, tragedy, discouragement, and loss, our first response should be to seek the Lord in prayer for His answers, guidance, strength, and encouragement for our time of need. No matter what we face or what seemingly bad things befall us as Christians, we can trust that God will work these together for our good, although it may not always be revealed or understood by us immediately or even in this life.

Sometimes the Lord allows seemingly bad things to happen to us—such as injury, illness, or loss—to draw us closer to Him, to keep us humble and more dependent on Him. For this reason, the Bible tells us: “My brethren, count it all joy when you fall into various trials, knowing that the testing of your faith produces patience. But let patience have its perfect work, that you may be perfect and complete, lacking nothing” (James 1:2–4).

At other times, the Lord allows us to experience the consequences of our sin or poor choices, and He allows this to correct us and keep us from straying from His path and ways. “‘For the Lord disciplines those he loves, and he corrects each one he accepts as his child.’ As you endure this divine discipline, remember that God is treating you as his own children” (Hebrews 12:6–7).

Of course, most of us don’t usually feel that discipline is very good news, but the Lord says, “No discipline seems pleasant at the time, but painful. Later on, however, it produces a harvest of righteousness and peace for those who have been trained by it” (Hebrews 12:11).

The Lord uses chastisement at times in our lives because He loves us and He knows it is needed to keep us close to Him. Although this is hard for us to take sometimes, it is a token of His love, what C. S. Lewis has termed God’s “intolerable compliment”—a necessary part of our training to help us to grow in our faith and to become more Christlike.

Sometimes God may allow things to happen to us to get our attention, particularly if we become distracted or too concerned or burdened about the cares of this life to where our minds are not stayed on the Lord. Such times remind us once again of the real eternal values: God and His Word and His work!

The great psalmist, King David, came to this realization when he was afflicted, and he wrote, “Before I was afflicted, I went astray; but now I keep Your word. It is good for me that I have been afflicted, that I might learn Your statutes” (Psalm 119:67,71).

Sometimes the Lord allows things to happen that disappoint us or look bad to us because He mercifully wants to spare us from serious danger or trouble or something that would not fulfill His will and purpose. Often He does not answer our prayers the way we have requested Him to because He sees the future and knows what will best fulfill His plan for our lives and for the lives of others.

The Lord’s answers to our prayers are infinitely perfect, and when we ask for bread, He will not give us a stone. Sometimes we may ask for a stone that looked to us like bread, and all the while He was giving us bread that to our limited perspective looked like a stone! (See Matthew 7:7–11.) The following story illustrates this:

One stormy winter night in 1910, a group of travelling Christian musicians arrived at the city of Riga, on the Baltic Sea, to fulfil a concert engagement. The weather was so bad, however, and the concert hall so far out of town, that the conductor of the orchestra tried to persuade the manager of the music hall to cancel the concert. He felt that no one would venture out on such a terribly stormy and wild night.

The manager refused to cancel, but he agreed that if no one turned up, the orchestra could leave early in order to catch the night boat for Helsinki, Finland. When the musicians arrived at the concert hall, they found only one person sitting in the audience, a stout old gentleman who seemed to smile at everyone.

Because of this old music lover, the musicians were forced to play the entire concert. They were, therefore, unable to leave early and catch the boat. After the concert was over, the old man continued to keep his seat. Thinking he was asleep, an usher nudged his shoulder. Only then was it discovered that the old man was not alive. The musicians had played an entire concert for a dead man!

But in doing this, they also had saved their lives. For the boat they would have taken to Helsinki went down that stormy night. Although His children in that orchestra had earnestly hoped to avoid playing in that concert so they could catch the boat, the Lord used these seemingly disappointing circumstances to spare them from disaster.

Another reason that the Lord sometimes allows seemingly bad things to happen to us is to make us better vessels, so we will be more useful for His service, more humble and more loving. The fiery trials burn out the dross in our lives, the storms of testing blow away the chaff, and the deep waters teach us to swim. The Lord often uses such times of testing to give us great victories, even out of seeming defeats, as we draw closer to Him and seek Him with all our hearts. Otherwise, the tendency of human nature can be to sort of rock along business as usual.

Whatever God does or allows in the lives of His children who love Him, He always does so in love—and He has promised to work all things work together for good to them that love Him. So when things look darkest, don’t look down. Look up and start praising the Lord for His goodness! The Lord loves praise and thanksgiving—His Word says that He dwells in the praises of His people (Psalm 22:3).

Always remember that the Lord loves you, and life’s darkest hour is often just before the dawn. Whatever trials may befall you, don’t despair, don’t give up, don’t lose hope. Look to Jesus in your times of trouble, and trust in the promise in His Word that whatever you’re going through, He will truly work together for good. “For every one of God’s promises is ‘Yes’ in Christ, and through him we also say ‘Amen’ to the glory of God” (2 Corinthians 1:20).

From an article in Treasures, published by the Family International in 1987. Adapted and republished July 2023. Read by Jon Marc.

003 – Jesus—His Life and Message: The Setting

Jesus—His Life and Message

Peter Amsterdam

2014-11-18

(You can read about the intent for and overview of this series in this introductory article.)

Familiarizing ourselves with the world Jesus was born into can shed light on some of the events of His life and the ways in which people responded to Him; why some loved Him and became believers, followers, and disciples; and why others didn’t accept His teaching and even vehemently fought Him and His message.

In order to understand the world of Jesus’ day, it’s helpful to be informed about some of the history of the Jewish people. To set the stage, following is a brief overview, starting from the time of the first Jewish king.

200–350 years after the Hebrew people entered the land of Israel, they demanded to be ruled by a king instead of through prophets and judges, as had been the means thus far. God instructed the prophet Samuel to anoint Saul as their first king. He was followed by David, who was succeeded by his son, Solomon.

During both David’s and Solomon’s reigns, the Kingdom of Israel reached its zenith. After Solomon’s death, ten of Israel’s tribes rebelled against Solomon’s son Rehoboam, who had ascended to the throne. The kingdom was divided in two. Ten tribes followed Jeroboam, who was not of royal blood but had been loyal to Solomon. These tribes became the northern Kingdom of Israel.¹ The two southern tribes, Judah and Benjamin, followed Rehoboam and became known as the Kingdom of Judah.

Two hundred years later, in 722 BC, the Assyrian army defeated the army of the northern Kingdom of Israel, and basically depopulated the land by exiling the Israelites throughout the Assyrian Empire. From that point onward, these ten tribes of Israel ceased to exist as either a kingdom or as ten tribes, and are often referred to as “the ten lost tribes of Israel.”

The southern Kingdom of Judah lingered for another 125 years, until it was completely destroyed by the Babylonian Empire. The Babylonians invaded and defeated Judah three times during a period of 19 years.

The first invasion resulted in the king and many members of his court, along with the top echelon of society, being taken captive to live in exile in Babylon. A second invasion resulted in further destruction of the land and more of its people being taken. Most significantly, the temple—originally built by Solomon—was destroyed. The third invasion resulted in the city of Jerusalem being completely destroyed. Only the very poorest were left in Israel, while the Babylonians carried off the rest of the population.

Roughly 70 years after the last invasion, the Babylonian Empire fell to the Persians. The Persian king, Cyrus, allowed the Jewish people—who by this time had lived in Babylon for approximately three generations—to return to Israel to rebuild the Temple and eventually also the wall around Jerusalem.

Around 200 years later, in 331 BC, Alexander the Great and his army defeated the Persians and took control of an empire that spanned from Greece to India to Egypt, including the land of Israel. Upon Alexander’s death in 323 BC, his generals carved up his empire, setting up various kingdoms. Over the decades, control of Israel changed hands a few times and eventually came under the control of the Seleucid (Syrian) Empire. In 175 BC, Antiochus IV became ruler of the Seleucid Empire. He worked to Hellenize his territory, including Israel, by importing all things Greek, including the worship of the Greek gods. This eventually included placing an altar to Zeus and sacrificing pigs in the Temple. Jewish outrage eventually led to rebellion in an uprising known as the Maccabean revolt.

This revolt ushered in self-rule in Israel for just over 100 years, from 166 to 63 BC. During this period, the borders of Israel were extended almost to their previous dimensions under King Solomon. In 63 BC the Romans captured Jerusalem, and from that time forward, throughout the life of Jesus and beyond, Rome held dominance over the area. While Rome ultimately ruled the land of Israel, they sometimes did so through client kings and rulers, such as the Herod family, as well as directly through Roman officials, such as Pontius Pilate in Jesus’ lifetime.

Faith and Politics

The religious importance the Jews have always placed upon ruling their own land stems from the promise God made to their ancestor Abraham around 2,000 years before Jesus’ birth:

I will make of you a great nation, and I will bless you and make your name great, so that you will be a blessing. I will bless those who bless you, and him who dishonors you I will curse, and in you all the families of the earth shall be blessed.²

Later, in the land of Canaan, God said to Abraham:

Lift up your eyes and look from the place where you are, northward and southward and eastward and westward, for all the land that you see I will give to you and to your offspring forever.³

These two promises were later renewed to both Isaac and Jacob and have always been at the heart of the Jewish faith. The Hebrew people were to be a great nation, blessed by God, and they were to have the land which Abraham was looking at—the land of Israel—forever. After four centuries of living in Egypt, Abraham’s descendants, led by Joshua, conquered Canaan, which became known as Israel. Abraham’s descendants finally had land of their own. The Hebrew people had received the fulfillment of God’s promise to make them a great nation and give them the land Abraham lived in. Possessing the Promised Land in a political sense was (and still is) a foundational aspect of the Jewish faith.

They possessed the land for centuries, until their defeat and exile at the hands of the Babylonians. Though they returned under Cyrus, from that point on until the Maccabean revolt, they lived on the land but didn’t control it politically. While they did gain political control for a century after revolting against the Seleucids, they lost it when the Romans gained dominance in 63 BC, and never regained it. By the time Jesus began His ministry, Israel had been under the control of Rome for about 90 years.

In the years following the Roman occupation, there were a variety of revolts by various segments of the Jewish people. A number of the leaders of these revolts claimed messiahship, saying that they were chosen by God to defeat the foreigners and drive them from the land. It is estimated that in the thirty years from the Roman occupation until Herod the Great was installed as king, no less than 150,000 Jewish men died in uprisings, or an average of 5,000 per year.⁴

The Jews longed for the messiah, whom they expected to be a strong military leader or king who would defeat the Roman oppressors and rid them from the land so that the people of Israel could once again truly possess their country. There was desperation as well as hope, and many Jews would rally behind those who came forward to lead them. But all of these revolts were violently crushed. The Roman rulers in Israel were always watching for any hint of an uprising or anyone claiming to be the messiah; to them, any messiah spelled serious trouble and represented a political threat to their sovereignty that needed to be destroyed. It was in this milieu that Jesus entered the world.

(To read the next article in this series, click here.)

Note

General Bibliography

Bailey, Kenneth E. Jesus Through Middle Eastern Eyes. Downers Grove: InterVarsity Press, 2008.

Biven, David. New Light on the Difficult Words of Jesus. Holland: En-Gedi Resource Center, 2007.

Bock, Darrell L. Jesus According to Scripture. Grand Rapids: Baker Academic, 2002.

Brown, Raymond E. The Birth of the Messiah. New York: Doubleday, 1993.

Brown, Raymond E. The Death of the Messiah Vols 1,2. New York: Doubleday, 1994.

Charlesworth, James H. (editor). Jesus’ Jewishness, Exploring the Place of Jesus Within Early Judaism. New York: The Crossroad Publishing Company, 1997.

Edersheim, Alfred. The Life and Times of Jesus the Messiah. Updated Edition. Hendrickson Publishers, 1993.

Elwell, Walter A., and Robert W. Yarbrough. Encountering the New Testament. Grand Rapids: Baker Academic, 2005.

Evans, Craig A. World Biblical Commentary: Mark 8:27–16:20. Nashville: Thomas Nelson, 2000.

Flusser, David. Jesus. Jerusalem: The Magnes Press, 1998.

Flusser, David, and R. Steven Notely. The Sage from Galilee: Rediscovering Jesus’ Genius. Grand Rapids: William B. Eerdmans’ Publishing Company, 2007.

Green, Joel B., and Scot McKnight, eds. Dictionary of Jesus and the Gospels. Downers Grove: InterVarsity Press, 1992.

Green, Joel B. The Gospel of Luke. Grand Rapids: William B. Eerdmans’ Publishing Company, 1997.

Guelich, Robert A. World Biblical Commentary: Mark 1–8:26. Nashville: Thomas Nelson, 1989.

Jeremias, Joachim. Jerusalem in the Time of Jesus. Philadelphia: Fortress Press, 1996.

Jeremias, Joachim. Jesus and the Message of the New Testament. Minneapolis: Fortress Press, 2002.

Jeremias, Joachim. New Testament Theology. New York: Charles Scribner’s Sons, 1971.

Jeremias, Joachim. The Eucharistic Words of Jesus. Philadelphia: Trinity Press International, 1990.

Lloyd-Jones, D. Martyn. Studies in the Sermon on the Mount. Grand Rapids: William B. Eerdmans’ Publishing Company, 1976.

Manson, T. W. The Sayings of Jesus. Grand Rapids: William B. Eerdmans’ Publishing Company, 1957.

Manson, T. W. The Teaching of Jesus. Cambridge: University Press, 1967.

Michaels, J. Ramsey. The Gospel of John. Grand Rapids: William B. Eerdmans’ Publishing Company, 2010.

Morris, Leon. The Gospel According to Matthew. Grand Rapids: William B. Eerdmans’ Publishing Company, 1992.

Pentecost, J. Dwight. The Words & Works of Jesus Christ. Grand Rapids: Zondervan, 1981.

Sanders, E. P. Jesus and Judaism. Philadelphia: Fortress Press, 1985.

Sheen, Fulton J. Life of Christ. New York: Doubleday, 1958.

Spangler, Ann, and Lois Tverberg. Sitting at the Feet of Rabbi Jesus. Grand Rapids: Zondervan, 2009.

Stein, Robert H. Jesus the Messiah, Downers Grove: InterVarsity Press, 1996.

Stein, Robert H. The Method and Message of Jesus’ Teachings, Revised Edition. Louisville: Westminster John Knox Press, 1994.

Stott, John R. W. The Message of the Sermon on the Mount. Downers Grove: InterVarsity Press, 1978.

Wood, D. R. W., I. H. Marshall, A. R. Millard, J. I. Packer, and D. J. Wiseman, eds. New Bible Dictionary. Downers Grove: InterVarsity Press, 1996.

Wright, N. T. Jesus and the Victory of God. Minneapolis: Fortress Press, 1996.

Wright, N. T. The Resurrection of the Son of God. Minneapolis: Fortress Press, 2003.

Yancey, Philip. The Jesus I Never Knew. Grand Rapids: Zondervan, 1995.

Young, Brad H. Jesus the Jewish Theologian. Grand Rapids: Baker Academic, 1995.

¹ Once when Jeroboam was away from Jerusalem, in the open country, the prophet Ahijah, who was dressed in a new garment, found him there. Ahijah tore the garment into twelve pieces and told Jeroboam to take ten of them, as God was going to tear the kingdom from the hand of Solomon and would give him ten of the tribes to rule. Upon hearing this, Solomon sought to kill Jeroboam, who fled to Egypt, where he remained until Solomon’s death, after which time he returned and led the rebellion against Rehoboam. See 1 Kings 11:28–40 for the full story.

² Genesis 12:2–3.

³ Genesis 13:14–15.

⁴ Yancey, The Jesus I Never Knew, 57.

002 – Jesus—His Life and Message: The Four Gospels

Jesus—His Life and Message

Peter Amsterdam

2014-11-11

(You can read about the intent for and overview of this series in this introductory article.)

The Gospels were written a few decades after the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ by believers of that day. Thanks to their accounts of Jesus’ story, His life, His words, His actions, and His promise of salvation have been preserved and shared over and over throughout the centuries. Two thousand years later, we continue to read and study the same Gospel as did the first readers.

Before jumping into the content of the Gospels, it is helpful to know something about who wrote them, why, and when. Historians date the writing of the first three gospels—Matthew, Mark, and Luke—between AD 45 and 69, and the last one, John, at about AD 90. The gospels of Matthew, Mark, and Luke are called the Synoptic Gospels, as when they are placed side by side in three parallel columns, their many similarities, as well as their differences, can be easily examined.

While no one knows for certain, the Gospel of Mark is generally considered by scholars today to be the first gospel written, with Matthew and Luke being written later. The general scholarly consensus is that Matthew and Luke had access to Mark’s gospel when they wrote theirs, and that they each had another common source of written material which they both used. On top of that, Matthew had some independent material or resources which Luke didn’t have, while Luke had his independent sources as well. This is why much of the material in the Synoptic Gospels is similar.¹

The Gospel of John, written decades after the other three, doesn’t follow the same pattern as the Synoptic Gospels. It’s similar to them in a broad sense, but contains distinct features of content, style, and arrangement differing from the other gospels.² Instead of telling the birth account or listing the genealogy as Matthew and Luke do, John’s account explains Jesus’ birth as the manifestation of God’s Word becoming incarnate (embodied in human flesh). Instead of the parables, he records Jesus’teachings in the form of lengthy dialogues. He also arranges events in a different order than the Synoptic Gospels.

In many ways, the Gospels were written in similar fashion to ancient biographies. Unlike modern biographies, ancient biographers and historians did not write from so-called objective viewpoints. They didn’t necessarily attempt to document all periods of an individual’s life, nor did they necessarily place their accounts in chronological order. Often they grouped events together in a narrative, although they happened at different times. Things that the person being written about said—their conversations, their speeches—were often abbreviated or paraphrased.³ The authors of the Gospels wrote in such a fashion. Mark’s account tells nothing of Jesus’ life before the beginning of His ministry. Matthew and Luke both wrote about Jesus’ birth, but emphasized or included different aspects. John left out many of the details that are included in the other gospels, and focused more on writing about specific aspects of Jesus’ teachings.

The focus of the gospel writers wasn’t to provide a detailed account of Jesus’ life. We’re told almost nothing about His childhood or His interaction with His parents or brothers and sisters. There is no mention of His personality traits, likes or dislikes, etc.—details you would normally find in a modern biography. Rather than presenting Jesus’ actions in detail, these are often summarized in phrases such as “He healed them all,” or “He travelled through all the towns and villages teaching and preaching.”⁴ John wrote at the end of his gospel that there were many other things Jesus did that weren’t included in his gospel.⁵ The gospel writers only described those parts of Jesus’ life which they felt would best inform the readers who Jesus was, what He preached, and what it all meant in terms of His death and resurrection and our salvation. The main purpose was to share the good news, to call others to faith in Jesus, and to provide a means of teaching new believers about Him and the message He preached, so that they could in turn share it with others.

Prior to the writing of the gospels, much of the content contained in them would have been circulated orally. Many of Jesus’ teachings are framed poetically, similar to the Old Testament writings, which would have made them easy to memorize. The general method of education in antiquity, especially in Israel, was rote memorization, which enabled people to accurately recount large quantities of teachings, far lengthier than all of the gospels put together.⁶

Besides orally sharing the stories of Jesus’ life and ministry, there were apparently also some written accounts of things Jesus said and did, as evidenced by what Luke wrote at the beginning of his gospel:

Many have undertaken to draw up an account of the things that have been fulfilled among us, just as they were handed down to us by those who from the first were eyewitnesses and servants of the word. Therefore, since I myself have carefully investigated everything from the beginning, it seemed good also to me to write an orderly account for you, most excellent Theophilus, so that you may know the certainty of the things you have been taught.⁷

It became important for the information about Jesus and His teachings to be put into written form at that time. This was for two reasons: One was that the original eyewitnesses were getting older, and some of them were dying; the other was that the gospel had been spread throughout much of the vast Roman Empire of the day. This meant it was no longer possible for the apostles and other early believers to travel to the remote corners of the empire to personally share what they had learned at Jesus’ feet. The story of Jesus, His life, and teachings needed to be written in order to be preserved and shared beyond the capabilities of the people who were delivering it orally.

The Gospel Writers

None of the gospels explicitly state the name of their authors within the gospels themselves. There are Christian writings from the early part of the second century which have served as a basis for identifying the authors. Some scholars dispute it, but there are historical arguments for the claims that the authors are Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John. Let’s take a brief look.

Matthew

The earliest reference to Matthew as the author of the book that bears his name came from Papias (died c. AD 130), the bishop of Hierapolis in Phrygia (near Pamukkale in modern-day Turkey). Some writings of others quoted Papias as inferring that Matthew wrote a gospel in Hebrew or Aramaic and that others translated his work. Modern-day scholars question whether he actually wrote in Hebrew or Aramaic, or if this meant that Matthew wrote his gospel in Greek, but in the style of Jewish writing. Other church fathers ⁸—Irenaeus (c. 120–203), Origen (c. 185–254), and Eusebius (c. 260–340)—all attest to Matthew’s authorship.

Mark

Papias is also the earliest source for identifying the author of the Gospel of Mark as being John Mark, who as a young man had traveled with Paul. Other early church fathers attest to this as well. Papias wrote that “the presbyter,” who is understood to be the apostle John, said that Mark, who had worked with the apostle Peter, accurately wrote down what Peter had told him and what Peter had preached about the things said and done by Jesus. Mark hadn’t been an eyewitness, but he wrote Peter’s account of the life of Jesus. He worked closely with Peter, who called him his “son.”⁹ Mark was the cousin of Barnabas,¹⁰ a traveler with Barnabas and Paul,¹¹ and the son of a wealthy family in Jerusalem.¹² Even though he left Paul and Barnabas when they were traveling, resulting in a rupture with Paul, he was later reconciled to Paul, as indicated in Paul’s writings:

Get Mark and bring him with you, because he is helpful to me in my ministry.¹³

Luke

Luke’s gospel is the longest of the four gospels and the only one which has a sequel—the book of Acts. Luke was not an eyewitness to the ministry of Jesus, but the opening statement in his gospel makes it clear that he gathered information from early believers, checked his evidence with eyewitnesses and ministers of the Word,¹⁴ ¹⁵ and arranged the material in order. Luke was a doctor ¹⁶ and most likely a Gentile (non-Jew), who knew Paul and sometimes traveled with him. Numerous early church fathers point to Luke as the author of the gospel.

Scholars generally believe that Luke had access to Mark’s gospel and that he also had a great deal of oral and written material from other sources, as over forty percent of his gospel is different, including the information he gives about the birth of Jesus as well as sayings and parables which are not included in the other gospels.¹⁷ Upon examination, scholars find that Luke’s descriptions of settings, customs, and locales show a great concern for accuracy.

Because Luke wrote both his gospel and the book of Acts, which ends with Paul in prison but not yet executed, this gospel most likely predated Paul’s execution, and was probably written sometime in the late 50s or early 60s AD. The target audience seems to be Christians with a pagan background. Both were ostensibly written to Theophilus, who may have been a new Gentile Christian to whom Luke wanted to give a full explanation of Jesus’ life and message.

John

The authorship of the Gospel of John has been widely debated in the last century. The ancient church fathers understood the apostle John, the son of Zebedee, to be the author of this gospel. In more modern times, his authorship came into question because of how different this gospel is from the Synoptics. Those who question John’s authorship base their position on the fact that this gospel has a more developed theology than the others and that Jesus’ words are not in the same order as the Synoptics, among other things. They conclude therefore that it must have been written much later. The basis for rejecting John as the author has been textual analysis rather than historical record.

The historical support for John’s authorship is found in the writings of a number of church fathers in the second century. Irenaeus (c. 180) wrote that John published a gospel during his residence at Ephesus in Asia. Much of what Irenaeus wrote was derived from Polycarp (c. 69–155), who was a follower of John.

The date traditionally attributed to the writing of John’s gospel is between AD 90 and 100. It was likely written in Ephesus, in present-day Turkey.

John’s gospel differs from the Synoptics in that it doesn’t include the parables that appear in the other gospels; there are no exorcisms, no healing of lepers, and no breaking of the bread and drinking of the wine at the Last Supper. John features conversations with individuals such as Nicodemus,¹⁸ the Samaritan woman,¹⁹ and the disciples in the upper room.²⁰ Some scholars suggest that John had no knowledge of, or exposure to, the other three gospels; while others consider that he had no need to repeat what the other gospel writers had already written, but rather aimed to include aspects of Jesus’ life and ministry not already written about.

At the end of his gospel, John specifies his purpose for writing this gospel:

Now Jesus did many other signs in the presence of the disciples, which are not written in this book; but these are written so that you may believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God, and that by believing you may have life in his name.²¹

While the identities of the Gospel writers are debated among scholars, in this series I am referring to Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John as being the authors in order to avoid having to use phrases such as “the author of Luke’s Gospel,” etc.

The Fourfold Gospel

Within the first half of the second century, perhaps within a decade or two of the writing of John’s gospel, the four gospels began to be circulated together, and came to be referred to as the Fourfold Gospel. This was made possible due to the adoption of the codex, a form of publishing which came into use at the end of the first century, replacing scrolls. A codex is similar to books today, with pages of papyrus sheets or vellum sewn together at the spine. With scrolls, the papyrus sheets were glued together side by side to make a continuous roll. The beginning and end of the scroll were often connected to wooden rollers to make it easy to roll the scroll from page to page, moving horizontally from left to right. It wouldn’t have been convenient or even manageable to have all four of the gospels written on one scroll, but it was convenient to have them all in one codex.²²

At the time that the gospels began to circulated together, the Acts of the Apostles, which was a sequel to Luke’s gospel, was separate and not included with the gospels. During this same period, there was also another collection of writings which were circulating among the churches—the body of Paul’s letters, referred to as epistles. In time, Acts became the connector between the gospels and Paul’s letters, which when combined with the other epistles eventually became the New Testament.²³

(To read the next article in this series, click here.)

Note

¹ Of the 1,068 verses of Matthew, about 500 contain the substance of 606 verses of Mark, while out of the 1,149 verses of Luke some 380 are paralleled in Mark. Only 31 verses of Mark have no parallel in either Matthew or Luke. Upon comparing Matthew’s and Luke’s Gospels, they each have up to 250 verses containing common material not paralleled in Mark; sometimes this common material appears in Matthew and Luke in practically identical language, which indicates that they used some of the same reference material. About 300 verses of Matthew have no parallel in any of the other Gospels; the same is true of about 520 verses in Luke. F. F. Bruce in New Bible Dictionary.

² Hurtado in Dictionary of Jesus and the Gospels.

³ Blomberg in Dictionary of Jesus and the Gospels.

⁴ Mark 1:38–39, Luke 4:40.

⁵ John 20:30–31.

⁶ Blomberg in Dictionary of Jesus and the Gospels.

⁷ Luke 1:1–4 NIV.

⁸ The church fathers were church leaders who chronologically came next after the 12 apostles and who are known to have written material during the first five centuries. These include Clement, Polycarp, Irenaeus, Origen, Eusebius, Justin Martyr, Augustine, John Chrysostom, Jerome, and others.

⁹ 1 Peter 5:13.

¹⁰ Colossians 4:10.

¹¹ Acts 13:5.

¹² Acts 12:12–14.

¹³ 2 Timothy 4:11 NIV.

¹⁴ Luke 1:2.

¹⁵ “Ministers of the Word” were most likely the apostles.

¹⁶ Colossians 4:14.

¹⁷ Bock in Dictionary of Jesus and the Gospels.

¹⁸ John 3.

¹⁹ John 4.

²⁰ John 13–17.

²¹ John 20:30–31.

²² When the Gospels were first written, they did not contain chapters and verses, like the rest of both the Old and New Testaments. Chapter and verse divisions were added many centuries later. The Bible was divided into chapters in AD 1227 by Stephen Langton, a professor at the University of Paris, who later became the Archbishop of Canterbury. A French printer, Robert Stephanus, divided the Greek New Testament into verses in AD 1551. The first entire Bible which included chapters and verses was the Latin Vulgate version, printed in 1555. The first English New Testament with both chapters and verses was the Geneva Bible, printed in 1560.

²³ Bruce, Dictionary of Jesus and the Gospels.

Suffering Is Not for Nothing

July 21, 2023

By Elisabeth Elliot

Job, one of the earliest books of the Bible, deals most specifically and directly with the subject of suffering. In this message, Elisabeth Elliot looks at how suffering can draw our attention to God, observing how Job helps us walk through life’s hardships.

Run time for this video is 32 minutes.

https://youtu.be/_p8Z_Ae3YBM

Elisabeth Elliot (1926–2015) was a Christian author and speaker. Her first husband, Jim Elliot, was killed in 1956 while attempting to make missionary contact with the Auca people of eastern Ecuador. She later spent two years as a missionary to the tribe members who killed her husband. (Wikipedia)

Counting My Blessings—Part 2

July 20, 2023

By Maria Fontaine

Audio length: 7:34

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There was a time when our daughter Techi knew that I was about to embark on a long process of many trips to the dentist, and she sent me Isaiah 40:31, which reads: “But they who wait for the Lord shall renew their strength; they shall mount up with wings like eagles; they shall run and not be weary; they shall walk and not faint.” I have to admit that the idea of all those dental visits did make me feel like “fainting.” I felt weary, with not much strength, so I was very encouraged by this verse.

If you’ve ever seen an eagle take off into the air, it’s a beautiful example of what this verse is picturing. Eagles are large, and seeing the sheer force behind those huge wings lifting them so gracefully and seemingly effortlessly is a magnificent sight.

Then a few days later when she was praying, the Lord pointed her to a song for me, “On Eagle’s Wings” by Michael Piano. (See “On Eagle’s Wings“ in the Family library.) Here are some of the lyrics:

Life with all its ups and downs
Is sometimes hard to take,
There are obstacles you face
That can cause your heart to break.
But when an eagle soars into the lonely sky,
The wind that blows against him
Is the force that lifts him high.

Chorus:
So fly on eagle’s wings,
Bravely face the wind
And let it lift you up,
Lift you far above
The mountains down below.
Leave the past behind,
Sail upon the wind,
Beyond the far horizon you will see
A realm of untold vision
That you’ve never known before
As you soar on eagle’s wings.

… One day you will look back
And find to your surprise
That the times that were the hardest
Were the times you learned to fly.

That was one of the wonderful thoughts that the Lord provided for me to meditate on.

* * *

At one point I began to experience extra spiritual energy and I felt a surge of faith for things that I had previously been struggling to get through. I found that I was actually looking forward to changes and embracing them.

When I asked the Lord why I felt this increased faith, He said, “There have been many who have come before Me on your behalf, and I have answered their love-filled petitions. Their effectual and fervent prayers have availed much!”

* * *

The Lord further explained what your prayers help to bring about: “You can be fortified with new power and rejuvenating strength! These will manifest themselves when you need them. So call upon Me and you will receive power for the hour according to the need of the hour.”

Over and over the Lord has assured us that the prayers of His people can do mighty things. When you pray fervently for someone, as you have for me, the Lord never fails to answer! I can feel Him at work in me!

So, again, I want to thank you for each prayer that you’ve sent up to heaven for me that I am benefiting from now and will continue to benefit from!

* * *

Most valuable gifts come with some responsibility, and if I’m going to have more strength and spiritual energy, that means that I will probably be needing it in the days ahead. There will be some effort involved. That doesn’t mean I don’t enjoy these things, but the Lord does not give them to me for the sole purpose of making me feel good. The Lord often has multiple purposes in what He does. He knows that the more we use our gifts to love Him and others, the more we will truly enjoy them.

* * *

The Bible says that God gives good gifts to His children. (See Matthew 7:11.) We’re each the recipients of wonderful things from His hand. These gifts are not only physical things that we can touch and hold. Often, they are gifts of the Spirit. Sometimes they are gifts in disguise. I think He loves it when we thank Him for these “disguised gifts” just as much as we would for something that looks good or feels good. In His wisdom He knows that in His time, we will see what wonderful things they lead to.

Here is an example of one of these “disguised gifts.” Someone told me about how his car stalled right before leaving for a very important appointment that getting a new job rested on. He had prayed for safety, protection, and all the things he would need for the appointment.

He couldn’t see why the car wasn’t starting after he had desperately prayed and asked others to pray. However, it wasn’t long before he heard the news that there had been a very big accident and car pileup that had injured quite a few people on the highway that he would have had to take to his appointment. When he prayed about it, the Lord showed him that he hadn’t needed to go to that appointment after all because the Lord was closing the door on that opportunity. This is just one example of innumerable ways that we are given gifts that don’t seem so good, but that can sometimes even save our life.

Some of your gifts may seem like the “harder kind” to bear right now. However, if you’ll trust Him and persevere, you will eventually see that they are priceless. He has given them for your ultimate joy and your edification. They are very precious, and if you could understand the full and beautiful effect that they are destined to have in your life, you would see why the Lord wants you to thank Him for them and truly say: “My Jesus has done great things for me, for which I am so glad! He’s filled my cup of blessings to overflowing, and I praise Him and give Him glory!” (See Psalm 126:3.)

His ways are not our ways. His ways are the best ways. They are the paths which will in the long run bring us the greatest joy and growth and the greatest closeness to Him.

* * *

Isn’t it exciting when you don’t know what gift the Lord is going to give you next? It’s like He has given us a tremendous privilege to keep finding gifts from Him in the great treasure hunt that Jesus has placed before us. Some of these gifts are from our personal experience, and others are from the experiences of others that they share with us.

* * *

When I was thinking about God’s gifts (and there are so many of them), one that the Lord particularly drew my attention to was the wonderful inspirational feeding on TFI websites.

For example, often there are beautiful compilations of words from Jesus in prophecy. There’s usually a Bible study from Peter, often there’s something by me, some articles and testimonies from our members, and usually articles or sermons from Spirit-filled pastors or teachers. All of these articles encompass so many spiritual truths and principles! We are truly blessed.

* * *

I hope these little glimpses into my news and thoughts have been interesting and in some way an inspiration to you. I’ll end with some words from an old hymn:

God be with you till we meet again;
By his counsel guide, uphold you;
With his sheep securely fold you.
God be with you till we meet again.

God be with you till we meet again;
When life’s perils thick confound you,
Put his arms unfailing round you.
God be with you till we meet again.

God be with you till we meet again;
Keep love’s banner floating o’er you;
Smite death’s threatening wave before you.
God be with you till we meet again.¹

Originally published September 2020. Adapted and republished July 2023. Read by Lenore Welsh.

¹ “God Be With You Till We Meet Again,” by Jeremiah Eames Rankin (1880).

The Key to True Grit

July 19, 2023

By R. Kent Hughes

Persevering grit is eternally beautiful when devoted to the real-life spiritual race that is marked out for us. The sense of biblical “perseverance” is patient fortitude, patiently “gutting it out.”

We each have a specific race mapped out for us; the course for each runner is unique. Its uniqueness is determined by God, who charts it while factoring in who you and I are right now as to our giftedness, background, responsibilities, age, health—and most of all who we are in Christ. Your race is like no one else’s. It is marked out for you where you are as a student, a single, or a parent.

Some races are relatively straight; some are all turns. Some seem all uphill; some are a flat hiking path. They are not equal. All races are long, but some are longer. But the glory is, each of us (no exceptions!) can finish the race “set before us.” …

(Read the article here.)

The Key to True Grit | Crossway Articles

God Is Enough

July 18, 2023

A compilation

Audio length: 13:05

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In Matthew 8, Jesus “gave orders to go over to the other side” of the Sea of Galilee, then he “got into the boat, [and] his disciples followed him.” Suddenly there “arose a great storm on the sea”; the Greek calls it a mega seismos, a “massive shaking.” The boat was being “swamped by the waves”—so much water was getting inside the boat that it could soon sink.

Where was Jesus in this crisis? “He was asleep.” So his disciples “went and woke him, saying, ‘Save us, Lord; we are perishing.’” These veteran fishermen knew their very lives were in jeopardy and cried to Christ for help.

His response seems surprising: “He said to them, ‘Why are you afraid, O you of little faith?’” What did they do wrong? They were in the storm because they had followed Jesus at his command. He had taught them in the Sermon on the Mount, “Ask, and it will be given to you” (Matthew 7:7). …

The rest of the story gives us our answer: “Then he rose and rebuked the winds and the sea, and there was a great calm. And the men marveled, saying, ‘What sort of man is this, that even winds and sea obey him?’” (Matthew 8:18–27). …

They did not yet know what we know. They did not know that he would be raised from the dead and ascend back to heaven. At this point, they apparently saw Jesus as other Jews saw the Messiah: an anointed person used greatly by God but nonetheless a man, not God.

In their Jewish monotheism, “the Lord is one” (Deuteronomy 6:4). God could not be in heaven and on earth. Jesus could not be man and God. So, when he did what only God could do, “they marveled” at him.

They needed to learn what we need to remember: Jesus is God, and God is always enough.

The storms of life can cause us to question the sufficiency of the God who allows them, but when we understand his providence the least is when we need his power the most. …

Then, the more we experience his power, the more we are transformed by gratitude for his grace. As A. W. Tozer paraphrased St. Bernard of Clairvaux: “The blacker the iniquity, the deeper the fall, the sweeter is the mercy of God who pardoned all.”

So trust the Savior who loved you enough to die for you, who is holding you in his hand right now (John 10:28) and praying for you at this very moment (Romans 8:34). And believe that this God is enough.—Jim Dennison

The cattle on a thousand hills will suffice for our most hungry feeding, and the granaries of heaven are not likely to be emptied by our eating. If Christ were only a cistern, we might soon exhaust his fulness, but who can drain a fountain? Myriads of spirits have drawn their supplies from him, and not one of them has murmured at the scantiness of his resources. “A fish can more easily drink the oceans dry than we can ever exhaust the love of God in heaven. Drink away, little fish, you’ll never drink it all dry!”—Charles Spurgeon

A different kind of security

They’re not coming back! I remember how I felt when it finally hit home. Alone. Afraid. Unsure.

For years I had been working on a social service project in an impoverished South Asian nation. I was busy and made a contribution to the work, yet it didn’t depend upon me; I was a cog in the overall machine, and that suited me just fine. I felt secure benefiting from others’ years of experience, not to mention their financial backing. There wasn’t much for me to worry about.

Then, over the course of one summer, everything changed. Suddenly my coworkers’ plans were radically altered due to health problems and their children’s educational future. They moved away, and the projects were left in my hands. That is, if I could keep them going.

I knew I would have to take a hard look at the situation and reflect on the future of the work we had been doing. The next few months were secure—they had left resources enough to make sure of that. But beyond? I had no idea.

Around the same time, I fell sicker than I had ever been. For over a month, I was mostly bedridden, barely able to eat. In some strange way, my state of complete incapacity because of the illness prevented me from succumbing to hopeless worry, as I would normally have done. I was simply too sick to give in to fear. It was all I could do to make it through each day and night; I had no strength left over for worrying. And while I was incapable, God remained strong and He worked on my behalf.

As time passed, there were no major changes or interventions, but there was always enough. Donors to help with the social projects. A job when I needed it. When one door closed, another opened. I had always valued security, but in this time of change and newfound independence, I discovered a different kind of security and happiness. I finally came to a firm decision: For as long as I could—as long as God helped me—I would keep the work here going.

Life is challenging and unpredictable, but I am happier than I’ve ever been. I believe that God can work things out even when there’s nothing we can do to help Him. How could I not believe this, when that’s what He did for me?—Lily Neve

In all things, at all times

God, and God alone, will be your sufficiency—in everything. “God is able to make all grace abound to you, so that having all sufficiency in all things…” (2 Corinthians 9:8). God will not overlook or forsake any area in your life—not your marriage, not your work, not your home, not your health. Wherever he provides, he provides in full, according to his wise plan. His grace covers every dark and needy corner in our hearts.

None of us sows well everywhere all the time. In God’s wise, sovereign, and loving plan, we can’t. All of us need to sow better somewhere. And we are probably prone to presume on God’s provision in areas where we are stronger, and to subtly assume he won’t provide more in areas where we are weaker. By faith, we resolve against both. We will ask God to provide in every area—where we are stronger or more gifted and where we are still weak—because God promises to provide in all things.

We live, work, love, and grow under the banner “My God will supply every need of yours according to his riches in glory in Christ Jesus” (Philippians 4:19). …

“God is able to make all grace abound to you, so that having all sufficiency in all things at all times” (2 Corinthians 9:8). Our God is an always God. He will be there providing on the mountaintops of success or progress; he will be there providing in the valleys of disappointment and failure; and he will be there providing on the rough and often punishing roads of our ministry to others.

If we are his, no hour will be overlooked. Over every minute of every day, he says to us in Christ, “Fear not, for I am with you; be not dismayed, for I am your God; I will strengthen you, I will help you, I will uphold you with my righteous right hand” (Isaiah 41:10).

At all times. No interruptions, mistakes, or oversights. Just relentless, continuous, providing, fatherly love. Fear not, for the one who rules the universe and writes all of history will strengthen you, guide you, and protect you as you walk through this life. If we could see and feel the extent and constancy of his care, we would laugh at how fearful we can be. The clouds of uncertainty hanging over our future would begin to look less like devastating storms and more like much needed rain.—Marshall Segal¹

Lord, You are indeed enough!

Precious Lord Jesus,

You are Immanuel, God with us, and You are enough! When things in my life are flowing smoothly, it’s easy for me to trust in Your sufficiency. But when I encounter rough patches—one after another after another—I sometimes feel as if Your provision is inadequate. At times like this, my mind tends to go into high gear, obsessing about ways to make things better. I’ve come to realize that problem solving can turn into an addiction. There are times when my mind spins with so many plans and possibilities that I become confused and exhausted.

Instead of being overly focused on problems, I need to remember that You are with me always, taking care of me. Help me to rejoice in You and proclaim Your sufficiency even during my most difficult times. This is a supernatural response, and I must rely on Your Spirit to empower me. I also have to discipline myself to make wise choices—day by day and moment by moment. Lord, I choose to be joyful in You, my Savior, for You are indeed enough!

In Your all-sufficient Name, Amen.—Sarah Young²

Published on Anchor July 2023. Read by John Laurence.

¹ https://www.desiringgod.org/articles/all-you-need-for-another-year#in-all-things.

² Sarah Young, Jesus Listens (Thomas Nelson, 2021).

Influence

July 17, 2023

By Virginia Brandt Berg

Audio length: 9:20

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God’s Word says: “And believers were the more added to the Lord, multitudes both of men and women. Insomuch that they brought forth the sick into the streets, and laid them on beds and couches, that at the least the shadow of Peter passing by might overshadow some of them” (Acts 5:14–15).

That was the influence of Peter’s life. But it wasn’t just Peter and his personality—it was because he was like the Master, and more like the Master we would seek to ever be.

More like the Master I would ever be
More of His meekness, more humility,
More zeal to labor, more courage to be true,
More consecration for work He bids me do.

More like the Master is my daily prayer,
More strength to carry crosses I must bear,
More earnest effort to bring His kingdom in,
More of His Spirit, the wanderer to win.
—Charles H. Gabriel, 1906

There is a story in God’s Word that is one of the most remarkable miracles in the Bible. It was when Elisha died that there was this distinct difference in the attitude of the people of Israel, because outlying tribes that had been friendly began to invade the country in small marauding bands. It was on the occasion of one of these raids that a miracle was performed that was unique.

We read in God’s Word how the Israelites were walking along the highway carrying the body of a dead companion. They didn’t use coffins in those days, but the corpse was wrapped in bandages and cloth. So this band of Israelites carrying the remains of a friend to his burial place suddenly discovered that a band of Moabites was upon them. No sooner had they noticed this band than they turned about to see where they could throw this body, because they couldn’t run fast or get away carrying a heavy dead body.

So they thought of the resting place of Elisha, which was nearby. Graves were sometimes dug in the side of a hill in a cave, and the entrance was covered with a stone. So rolling the stone away, they quickly threw the body of their dead companion into Elisha’s resting place. No sooner had the dead body touched the bones of Elisha than life came back into it and it was completely revived! (See 2 Kings 13:20–21.)

Now the miracle was unique among Bible miracles because it was not done through the medium of a live person, but rather a dead body touching the bones of someone who had passed on long before. I believe that God saw fit to work this miracle, strange as it is, in order that it might bring to us and the people of that day the memory of Elisha’s faith and his devoted and godly life. Thus, God honored this prophet.

It’s a wonderful thing to think that a dead man’s influence can be such that even a dead body touching his bones could cause the body to spring to life. I believe this Bible story. There was a time when I would have ridiculed it, but I believe it with all my heart. I’ve seen God do some mighty, mighty things, and I know there is nothing impossible with Him.

The spiritual significance of this miracle is one that should be a blessing to us all, for God would have us know through this that the influence of a godly man or woman lives on long after their death. Men like Wesley, Luther, and Moody still live through the influence they have on our lives today; they have not ceased to live, though they’ve been buried for many years.

This is true also of the godly parents some of us had; we still feel their influence upon our lives. Or some godly teacher that we had when we were young still holds an influence over us. We feel the influence of their lives long, long after they’re gone.

Peter’s power from God was so great, his influence so powerful that even if his shadow were to fall over the sick, they were healed. So, the question we can ask ourselves is: Are the lives we are now living of such a character that after we are dead, men will be influenced for good by us? What a blessing it is to have such a godly character that, long after we are gone, those who touched our lives will be influenced to do heroic deeds in service for God. Does our influence even now cause those about us to have faith in God, and to be encouraged to live right?

On the other hand, it is also true that some people are making it harder for those in their home to live right and easier for those in the home to do wrong. I visited a home where the husband was an alcoholic. He was making it so hard for his children to do right. The little child in the home had picked up some evil words that had dropped from the father’s drunken lips, and the wife was discouraged and heartbroken. It’s an awful thing to make it harder for people to be good. What bitterness to contemplate in the dying hour, that your influence made it harder for others to do right.

Take the story of the rich man and Lazarus. The rich man, in torment, lifted up his eyes and begged that someone warn his five brothers, that they should not come to that place of torment, as he remembered that all his life his influence over them had been evil. (See Luke 16:19–31.)

It’s a terrible thing to have someone stumble over you into hell. If you don’t care about yourself, if you are careless about your own salvation, for eternity’s sake and the name of God, and for your own peace of mind, don’t be an evil influence over others. Don’t hold back another soul from knowing God because of your evil influence.

You know, the story is told (I may have told you before, it’s a favorite of mine) that a man passing through the city of Cromwell couldn’t get a drink on Sunday and couldn’t get into any store there. And he said, “How come I can’t get a drink in this town, and everything is closed up tight here on Sunday?” A man standing there said, “I can tell you why. A hundred years ago a man by the name of John Wesley passed through this town.” Just think of Wesley’s influence that lived on all those years!

I heard something the other day which reminded me of a story that I heard years ago about Gladstone. Someone had told what I would call a “smutty story” (that’s what we called it in the days gone by) in the presence of a group of people who knew Gladstone. A man turned around to the one who had told this shady story and said, “I dare you to tell that story in Gladstone’s presence!” Think of Gladstone having such a name and influence that they knew no one would dare say anything like that in his presence!

It can be so with you; you can have such an influence. For though we be dead in trespasses and sins, we can be revived to righteous and godly living when we’re brought into personal contact with the Lord Jesus Christ. You’ll never be all that you might have been until you’ve come in touch with His reviving power. Throughout all these centuries, men dead to goodness, men dead to all that was honorable, have been completely changed by coming into contact with the power of Christ. Thousands today testify of this.

If you who are unsaved and are discouraged in your sinful condition, if you’ll just bring yourself into the close magnetic touch with Christ, He’ll bring life to your soul. He’ll set you free from every evil habit. His divine power will live in you, and your influence on this world will be for good—reviving men to noble and holy living.

Why don’t you give God a chance? You’ve tried everything else. So many times we’ve seen this transforming power of the Lord change the influence of a man from evil to good. We’ve seen new life and buoyance of the hope and faith spring up in the heart in such a way that everyone they came in contact with was drawn heavenward. Oh, if you would just do this and let others see Jesus in you—His transforming power in your life. Do others see Jesus in you?

While passing through this world of sin
And others your life shall view,
Be clean and pure without, within,
Let others see Jesus in you.

Your life’s a book before their eyes;
They’re reading it through and through.
Does it point unto the skies?
Do they see Jesus in you?

Oh, what a joy it will be at the set of sun
In mansions beyond the blue,
To find some soul that you have won,
Because they saw Jesus in you.

Keep telling the story, be faithful and true,
Let others see Jesus in you.
—Baylus Benjamin McKinney, 1924

From a transcript of a Meditation Moments broadcast, adapted. Published on Anchor July 2023. Read by Carol Andrews.

Endtime Facts, Unknown Quantities, and the Anti-Antichrists…

(cont)

Kings of the East

The Antichrist invades Israel, breaks the covenant, outlaws all religions except worship of himself, sets up his image, begins the Mark of the Beast, and persecutes all other believers in any other god.

There’s a picture of the Tribulation if you ever saw it at all, right from the 31st verse on. The Antichrist is in power now. Then, all of a sudden:

(Verse 44:) “But tidings out of the east and out of the north shall trouble him.” So far he’s had trouble with only the king of the South, but now somebody else starts causing trouble.

He’s put down the Christians, he’s put down the Jews, he’s put down the West—which is the South in this case. There’s only one part of the world he hasn’t completely put down yet, and that’s the East, which can still cause him trouble. Here we have tidings out of the East troubling him.

“Therefore he shall go forth with great fury to destroy and utterly to make away many.” Revelation says that God is going to let the Euphrates be dried up to prepare the way of the kings of the East for the Battle of Armageddon (Revelation 16:12).

The battle doesn’t have to take place before Jesus comes. During the Wrath of God, the Antichrist is carrying on in spite of all these horrible curses and plagues that fall on him. Maybe the Lord is merciful, even trying to save the Muslims, help them in their battle against the Antichrist. All the Anti-Antichrists are battling: the Muslims, the Jews, those who weren’t saved and got left behind. The battle is still going on long after the Rapture.

(Verse 45:) “And he shall plant the tabernacles of his palace between the seas in the glorious holy mountain.” He obviously makes Jerusalem his headquarters.

When this final altercation begins, he has conquered the world, all except the East. He has broken the covenant, he has set himself up as the Antichrist dictator of the world, and has conducted the Tribulation period of persecution of the Christians. But finally he has big trouble at the end of this particular period, which could go right on after the Rapture, because the Rapture occurs in the next chapter.

(Daniel 12:1:) “At that time shall Michael stand up, the great prince.” At what time? When the Antichrist starts having trouble with the East, the only power left that he hasn’t really seemed to conquer.

I’m presenting that to you as a theory, as a possible solution to the unknown quantity of X. Again it brings out the fact that there are still a lot of people opposing the Antichrist even after the Christians are gone, even during the Wrath of God. Why else would there be these forces gathered together to battle each other again in Israel at the time of Armageddon?

He’s come down again to battle, and once again the battle centers on Jerusalem. He’s already invaded it once, licked the Jews and the Christians and taken over, but he hasn’t licked the East yet. And now he’s got to battle the East for Jerusalem.

Endtime Facts, Unknown Quantities, and the

Anti-Antichrists

1985-05-05

David Brandt Berg

In Daniel 11:24 it says, “He shall do that which his fathers have not done nor his fathers’ fathers; he shall scatter among them the prey, and spoil, and riches.” This is communist policy, rob the rich to feed the poor, because there are a lot more poor than there are rich. They can carry a lot more guns, they can fight a lot more battles, and they’ve got a lot more ballots or votes, so any smart politician tries to please the poor whom he can persuade to vote for him. “He shall scatter among them the prey and spoil and riches.” He’s going to take it away from the rich and give it to the poor so that the numerous billions of poor of the world will worship him and love him, or at least appreciate him.

In a way he’s just copying the Lord, because the Lord loves the poor. Satan doesn’t love the poor; he is just going to pretend to love the poor. The communists don’t really love the poor. They just pretend to love the poor, but that way they get the poor behind them. And the poor may not have any money, but they can shoot guns and raise armies from the poor. They are always the ones who furnish the cannon fodder and the manpower for revolutions.

Endtime facts

Through much Bible study and exegesis, we have established certain facts. “Exegesis” means taking a passage in the Bible and developing it, explaining it, and getting everything you can out of it. It’s important to know the things which cannot be changed, those which are established facts, proven by the Scripture, that are a sound foundation for the interpretation of Bible prophecy—certain facts that you know are true. There are certain basic fundamentals of our concept of Bible prophecy and its interpretation that we know because it says so.

You have to know that first before you can know what could possibly be changed or where some of our theories and private interpretations may not always necessarily be so. But the Bible is necessarily so, and what it says about coming events is necessarily so.

What major events of the future do you know are going to happen? Jesus is coming back at the end of the Tribulation, at the end of those days. Jesus Himself said “after the Tribulation of these days” (Matthew 24:29–30). And in 2 Thessalonians 2:2–3, Paul says that He’ll definitely not come back until the Antichrist is revealed.

We have to know the difference between the things we cannot change and the things which might be changed in our doctrine or our theories, opinions, and interpretations. First of all, we know the Lord’s coming soon and He’s going to come after the Tribulation. We know that the Antichrist will rule and reign for seven years. The Tribulation will be 1260 days, or roughly three and a half years. Because there are many ways of interpreting years, the Lord gave exact days.

The Antichrist is to come first, and he is to reign seven years. He’ll make the covenant. Regardless of what our theories are about when and how, or with whom, obviously during that first half of his reign the Jews have to rebuild the temple, because they couldn’t have the sacrifice without it. That’s why the Jews haven’t had any sacrifices for nearly 2,000 years now since the temple was destroyed, the priesthood was disbanded, and there are no more Levites and services.

They have got to have the temple and temple worship restored in order to have the sacrifices, and we know they’re having sacrifices because the Antichrist stops the sacrifices. These are things you know because the Bible says so clearly.

The covenant is made, the temple is rebuilt, the sacrifice is reinstituted, and then he stops the sacrifices and sets up the Abomination of Desolation. Jesus Himself talked about it. “When ye therefore shall see the abomination of desolation stand in the holy place” (Matthew 24:15). Then we know the Great Tribulation will begin. Jesus said so. Daniel said so. These things we know; there’s no theory, there’s no doubt about them. They are concrete solid-block beliefs that we can be sure of because the Bible says so, and not just once but many times.

Then the Antichrist sets up the Abomination of Desolation. It doesn’t tell you in Daniel that it’s an image, but John tells you it’s an image (Revelation 13:14–15). No doubt he saw it in vision.

What other solid blocks are there that are incontrovertible, irrefutable, and irreversible? What else do we know for sure is going to follow the Abomination of Desolation? The Mark of the Beast, and the Antichrist proclaims himself to be God.

That’s another reason we know the temple’s going to be rebuilt. Paul says the Antichrist is going to sit in the temple of God, as God, claiming that he is God (2 Thessalonians 2:4). “Then there shall be great tribulation, such as was not since the world began” (Matthew 24:21). Then we know the Great Tribulation is going to begin, and we’ve got scripture after scripture that prove these facts—not theories, not hypotheses, not our interpretation, but absolute facts, guaranteed by the Bible.

Another incontrovertible fact is the Rapture. Jesus is going to come at the end of the Tribulation. He said so; the Bible teaches it all the way through. These are things you can’t change.

Of course, there are some people who have tried to change them, like the Scofieldites and those who follow Scofield’s teaching. It’s amazing what damage that Bible did! The text itself is all right; it’s just the way he interpreted it, and he put his interpretation where you see it before you have a chance to form your own opinion. Some of the pages are almost all footnotes, his explanation that “Jesus is going to come before the Tribulation and take you out so you won’t have to suffer.”

But we know otherwise because we’ve studied the Bible. Jesus is going to come after the Tribulation of these days, He said so Himself. Paul said that first the man of sin, the Antichrist, should be revealed before the great day of the Lord.

What else do you know for sure? The Marriage Supper of the Lamb, while the Wrath of God is going on downstairs. And then that’s going to end with the Battle of Armageddon. After the Battle of Armageddon, in which we take over the world, is the Millennium. At the end of the Millennium, there’s the Battle of Gog and Magog, the Great White Throne Judgment, and the new heaven and the new earth.

These solid stones in the building of your knowledge of Bible prophecy and coming events. They cannot be denied, because they’re in the Bible in plain black-and-white words, not once but many times. These are incontrovertible facts, solid stones of faith in the living cornerstone, Jesus Christ and His Word, our foundation. Praise God? “How firm a foundation, ye saints of the Lord, is laid for your faith in His excellent Word.”

Testing unknown quantities

You can test and even prove some unknown quantities from the facts that we already know, even though it’s not stated, we’re not told explicitly. You can’t necessarily prove it by some particular scripture in the Bible—although by taking a group of scriptures and putting them all into an equation, you can find out what that missing quantity is. What are some of the unknown quantities? The Anti-Antichrists theory, if you want to call it that, is an unknown quantity.

The Anti-Antichrists are the people who don’t take the Mark of the Beast and who are against the Antichrist even though they’re not Christians, they’re not saved. There will be millions of people who will reject the Antichrist and refuse his Mark. Even though they are not Christians, not saved, nevertheless they will be against the Antichrist. How do we know?

We have tried to prove—I hope we’ve proved—that there are going to be millions of people who are against the Antichrist even though not saved and not Christians, who will refuse the Mark of the Beast. How can we make that unknown quantity a known fact simply by equation? Because we know that everybody that’s saved is going to go up in the Rapture, and the Antichrist’s people are going to be destroyed, and we’re going to rule and reign over people, so there has to be somebody left to rule and reign over.

The whole equation equals the world. Take away from that amount the saved who go up in the Rapture, and then also in other scriptures take away all the followers of the Antichrist who have the Mark of the Beast. But then we find out in the Millennium there are people who are not saved that we are still ruling over here.

Then the question is, “If there’s somebody we rule over, who’s left? The world total minus us minus the Antichrist people leaves the people over whom we rule during the Millennium. So therefore we can know by mathematical equation that there have to be some people left; otherwise there wouldn’t be anybody for us to rule over during the Millennium. So that’s now become a known factor.

Split-second salvations at the Rapture

Some Jews are going to be glad to see us coming back. The Bible says “a remnant shall be saved” (Romans 9:27). “They’ll look on Him whom they pierced, and mourn for Him as if for an only son” (Zechariah 12:10). The sincere believers, those who are looking for the Messiah and realize that the Antichrist certainly wasn’t it, when they see Him coming, I think they’re going to believe it.

I think a lot of people are going to believe when the Rapture occurs. With all that noise going on, with Jesus coming in great and mighty power and glory, do you think some of the people that were on the fence and just didn’t know will believe? After they have realized that the Antichrist is not the Messiah, why wouldn’t they believe when they see Jesus coming in the clouds? Will some people believe then at that late date?

How long does it take to get saved? As soon as you believe. It sounds like the coming of Christ is a series of big events, lightning and thundering and trumpets and Jesus appearing in great power and glory in the clouds. Do you think some of the latecomers might be like the guy at the very last hour who was paid a penny just like everybody else? (Matthew 20:9–14).

The penny in that parable that Jesus told is not rewards. The penny was symbolic of salvation. They were all paid the same as far as salvation was concerned. Do you think there could be some split-second salvations at the coming of the Lord? Some people that could be instantly saved when it suddenly dawns on them that Jesus was the Messiah, that He really is the Savior.

Maybe at that moment the people who just haven’t made a commitment will finally believe. Could faith dawn in their hearts, and they would receive and believe it the moment Jesus appears? I believe it can happen in an instant, in the twinkling of an eye, even at the last trump (1 Corinthians 15:52). That is one of my theories.

But a lot of people who resisted the Antichrist, who didn’t know much about Jesus but certainly didn’t want the Antichrist and knew he wasn’t what he should be and resisted and fought against him, are going to be left and survive into the Millennium; otherwise there would be nobody to rule over. It’s got to be the Anti-Antichrists.

We have been studying the Antichrist, how he rises, where he comes from, and what he does. We know it’s the Antichrist, even though he’s not actually called “Antichrist” until the New Testament. In fact, you don’t even find that word in the book of Revelation.

Only one book of the Bible calls him the Antichrist. John called him the Antichrist in 1 John 2:18. He said, “You know he is going to come.” It’s been predicted, in other words. “Even now there are many antichrists.”

They are all antichrists, everyone who rejects faith in Jesus Christ. But people who never heard of Him couldn’t be against Him. You’ve got to know that there is such a person or have heard of such a person to refuse to believe in Him.

That’s another point about the Anti-Antichrists; they’re the people who didn’t know enough about Christ to be either for or against him. Millions of people in the world are not against Christ. They never even heard of Him. God’s going to have mercy on a lot of people. First of all, people who never even heard of Him can’t be against Him. And then all the people who are not against Him. That’s the kind of people I believe those AAC people are, who survive into the Millennium.

Antichrist, Beast, King of the North

In Revelation the Antichrist is called the Beast, and in Daniel he is called the little horn and the king of the North, but both books describe this man as doing the same things. What Daniel’s man does, Revelation’s Beast equals in doing, in exactly the same fashion in exactly the same time period. So therefore you know they’ve got to be the same man. Although they’re not called Antichrist in either book, John, who also wrote the book of Revelation, calls him the Antichrist in one of his Epistles, and the church picked up that name as a good name for this man, because his major characteristic is that he’s against Jesus Christ.

The church has made that name popular because of what John said in his Epistle, and because of the character and characteristics of this king of the North and the Beast of Revelation, the church knows that he is anti-Christ and therefore they call him the Antichrist. But as John also said, “There are many antichrists” (1 John 2:18). It doesn’t mean there are going to be many men like him to do what he did, but there are going to be plenty of similar people, and there already were in John’s day. He said, “Even now there are many antichrists,” many people against Christ.

What other known quantities do we know about this period when the Antichrist arises? What other character or power do we find in Daniel 11? The king of the South.

The powers spoken of in this 11th chapter of Daniel from the 20th verse to the 44th verse, until it starts talking about the East, are the king of the North and the king of the South. It’s talking about the same division of the world, between so-called East and West, except that the Bible here defines it between North and South, a struggle between the two superpowers to the bitter end.

It says in the 25th verse that the king of the North has a great army, and he goes to war with the king of the South. And it says the king of the South “shall not stand” and “they that feed of the portion of his meat shall destroy him, and his army shall overflow; and many shall fall down slain.”

Then verse 27 says, “And both these kings’ hearts shall be to do mischief.” They don’t even pretend to talk peace anymore, they just talk arms. They used to call them “peace talks,” but that’s out of fashion now. Here they’re speaking lies at one table. That’s, as they say, a diplomat’s job. A soldier’s job is to die for his country, while a diplomat’s job is to lie for his country.

There is a constant sort of off-and-on war between these two powers, and they’re the same two powers all the way through the passage.

(Verse 28:) “He shall return into his land with great riches; and his heart shall be against the holy covenant.” And, verse 29, “At the time appointed he shall return, and come toward the south; but it shall not be as the former, or as the latter.” We don’t know how he returns, but he’s going to come back.

You get to verses 30 and 31, and he invades Israel. You get the invasion of Israel because he comes down and pollutes the sanctuary. He stops the Jewish worship, sets up his Abomination of Desolation, declares himself to be God, forbids all other worship, and has the Mark of the Beast. He breaks the covenant and he invades Israel and forces his will upon the religions and tries to force it upon the world.

(Verse 40:) “And at the time of the end shall the king of the south push at him: And the king of the North shall come against him like a whirlwind, with chariots, and with horsemen, and with many ships; and he shall enter into the countries, and shall overflow and pass over.” Another big war between north and south.

(Verse 41:) “He shall enter also into the glorious land”—another invasion of Israel—“and many countries shall be overthrown.” It didn’t say that before in their previous altercations. Then it tells what countries are going to escape.

(Verse 42:) “He shall stretch forth his hand also upon the countries: and the land of Egypt shall not escape. But he shall have power over the treasures of gold and silver.” He’s going to have power… (To be cont)

Antichrist Wars Before the Covenant

David Brandt Berg

1986-05-02

God bless and keep you to the end! Or as far as the Lord wants you to go. In Jesus’ name, amen.

Confident in Hope

July 14, 2023

By Timothy Keller

Timothy Keller, who was the founding pastor of Redeemer Presbyterian Church in New York City, co-founder of Redeemer City to City, and the author of several books, died at the age of 72 on May 19, trusting in the sure and certain hope of the resurrection. (For a short memorial video on his life, see this link.)

https://youtu.be/3-pFsQnYFXY

In this podcast, Dr. Keller speaks about the confident hope we have in the eternal home Jesus speaks about in John 14:1–3. “In this passage Jesus tells us that heaven is home and it is a place of love… If you’re My disciple, the minute you believe, your place in heaven with Me is guaranteed. Heaven is a world of love.”

Run time for this audio is 31 minutes.

Counting My Blessings—Part 1

July 13, 2023

By Maria Fontaine

Audio length: 9:14

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At various times during the year, such as the New Year or my birthday, I take time to pray fervently about what the Lord wants to show me about the past year and the year to come. This practice is part of my devotional life during which the Lord encourages me and motivates me and shows me how wonderful life is and how privileged I am to be able to live for Him.

These musings are normally part of my private prayer life, and they don’t usually go any further than between me, Jesus, and Peter. But the Lord laid on my heart to share with you some glimpses into things that He has shown me.

I’m not just sharing this to entertain—although it might have that effect as well—but to encourage you, in case there are things in what I share that you can relate to.

The Lord knows that what I want most is to be filled more with Him and the Holy Spirit. What I want most is more love for Him, a more giving and loving and unselfish spirit, more faith to believe that when He says He’s going to take care of everything, that He really means it. More faith to believe His promises. I want to be full of praise, helping people by my example to look up to the Lord instead of down at the problems that surround them. I want my focus to be on encouraging people to look up, to come closer to our dear Jesus, to have the peace that passes all understanding, to have the joy of the Lord, which is our strength, and to be able to pass these blessings on to others.

I would also like to throw into the prayer mix that, God willing, I would be healed from my eye affliction and various other undiagnosed issues. But, if the things I mentioned earlier that I want the most need to be accompanied by tests and trials and weak eyes and pain and other physical difficulties, then I accept those, too, because I want the whole package. I want whatever is going to make me more like Jesus, whatever is going to help me to know Him and the power of His resurrection, and the fellowship of His sufferings, being made conformable to His death (Philippians 3:10–11). (Or as it says in the Berean Study Version, “I want to know Christ and the power of His resurrection and the fellowship of His sufferings, being conformed to Him in His death, and so, somehow, to attain to the resurrection from the dead.”)

I don’t take this statement or commitment lightly. That was a verse that I learned many, many years ago when I was still a young teen, long before I joined the Family. I don’t know why I was so attracted to that verse. I hadn’t been taught much about suffering for Jesus, except by the missionaries who came to our church. But that was a verse that I wanted to memorize and that really stuck with me.

It might have been because when I was 12 years old, I read Foxe’s Book of Martyrs. I marveled at those brave souls who were willing to die for Jesus. Far from frightening me, which could have very easily happened to a 12-year-old, Jesus helped me to take it in naturally, realizing that that was part of what God had called them to and had given them the grace to bear. It was for them the suffering that, as Jesus said, would allow them to also reign with Him.

I’m certain that book must have had a great impact on me. I believe that it motivated me in spirit to follow in their footsteps. I’m not looking for persecution or heartbreak or suffering or to be wounded or any of those things. I would much rather not have them. But if that’s what it takes for me to be like Jesus and to follow in His footsteps, that’s what I want.

I have had very little pain in my life. I’ve had painful eyes, but not the kind of pain that is terribly hard to bear on a continual basis. So, I haven’t really known too much about pain, and I would rather not learn. But if that’s the way of the cross and it really does “lead home,” as the song says, I will take the way of the cross, which will lead me to my heavenly home!

You might not be familiar with the words to the song I’m referring to, which I sang many years ago in church as a child and teenager. It’s called “The Way of the Cross Leads Home” and was written by a minister’s wife named Jessie Brown Pounds, who lived from 1861–1921. The lyrics are as follows:

I must needs go home by the way of the cross,
There’s no other way but this;
I shall ne’er get sight of the gates of light,
If the way of the cross I miss.

Refrain

The way of the cross leads home,
The way of the cross leads home,
It is sweet to know as I onward go,
The way of the cross leads home.

I must needs go on in the blood-sprinkled way,
The path that the Savior trod,
If I ever climb to the heights sublime,
Where the soul is at home with God.

Then I bid farewell to the way of the world,
To walk in it nevermore;
For the Lord says, “Come,” and I seek my home,
Where He waits at the open door.

It’s true that if we ever climb to the heights sublime where the soul is at home with God, we will needs go on in the blood-sprinkled way, the path that the Savior trod. But we can be very sure that we do not have to do this ourselves. We don’t have to pray for difficulties in this world so we can earn our passage to heaven. Rather, if we commit ourselves to the path that the Savior trod, He will allow tests and trials that will help us to eventually come forth as gold.

In writing an article about this song, a writer said:

As I’ve meditated on the word “CROSS,” I’ve come up with an [acronym]: Christ’s Righteous Obedience Secured Salvation. For this amazing grace-filled spiritual reality, I’m incredibly grateful. Aren’t you?

In 1 Peter 2:21, the apostle reminds us, “For to this you have been called, because Christ also suffered for you, leaving you an example, so that you might follow in his steps.”

The author of this article goes on to say:

When I contemplate the Way of the Cross, some important principles come to mind that are essential to walking or journeying on this path that leads to life eternal:

The way of the cross is the only path to heaven. It is exclusive.
2. The way of the cross is the path of suffering. It is inevitable.
3. The way of the cross is the path of sacrifice. It is required.
4. The way of the cross is the path of submission. It is part of discipleship.
5. The way of the cross is the path of surrender. It is central to obedience.—Dr. Ryan Fraser

* * *

Maybe you’re wondering by now if I have any fun or enjoy yummy food and ice cream and cake on special occasions, such as my birthday. Well, yes, in fact I do. I believe, as the Bible teaches and as we’ve been taught for many years, that it’s good to have a balance in our lives. Jesus enjoyed picnics, parties, get-togethers, wine and friends, singing and laughing and dancing, and all the wonderful things that God has provided. These blessings help us to be happy when we enjoy them in the right way and with the right spirit.

As far as sweets and treats, I do try to minimize these because I have a very enthusiastic sweet tooth. When I eat something sweet, I seem to want more!

I saw the damage that sugar can do to teeth at a very early age when I regularly ate many sweets. Because my mother and my grandmother were super bakers of sweets, we always had a lot of them. We had sweets at every meal, either during the meal or afterwards, and sometimes in between meals. Therefore, I ended up damaging my teeth from the time I was very little.

After the reboot, Peter and I drifted into eating more desserts, like ice cream and homemade cookies that he baked himself. Then about six years ago, we decided that we didn’t need those sweets on a regular basis. So, we cut way back. It was a wise change that I have never regretted.

I’m pretty well protected from sweets unless somebody brings me some on a special occasion. Almost every year a friend brings me a zucchini cake to be enjoyed throughout the week of my birthday. It’s so delicious, with natural cream cheese on it, which seems to neutralize a little bit of the sweetness. Of course, since I share this cake with others, it’s not too much. If I have any ice cream, it’s in the form of a wonderful dessert that consists of a milkshake smoothie that Peter makes by blending ice cream and berries in a blender. (You don’t have to use berries; any kind of fruit is delicious.) That is such a yummy dessert. Of course, if you can use some ice cream that is more natural, then that’s even better!

I’m so blessed by the Lord!

Originally published August 2020. Adapted and republished July 2023. Read by Lenore Welsh.

You Can’t Do Everything!

July 12, 2023

By Marcus Vernier

Forty years ago, I remember it clearly. I was talking to a friend one evening and she said: “There’s a difference, isn’t there? When we were younger in the Lord, we were taught, ‘I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me.’ But as we mature, we realize that sometimes we have to be practical and realize there are some things we cannot do, or shouldn’t do, for whatever reasons.”

I don’t know why, but out of the millions of words I’ve heard in the last 40 years from others, in other cities, in other countries, in other continents, these words still come back occasionally to ring in my ears. I remember the road we were on, the time of day it was, and Rebekah, the speaker. It wasn’t an attachment to her that helped anchor those words in my heart, because a little while later she was gone out of my life and I have no idea where she went.

Throughout the years after that, my life gradually changed. I was blessed with a lovely wife and children, and also gained much experience and knowledge about the Word and the life of faith. After many years in service to the Lord, I reinvented my passion for art, and my writing developed. I learned small-part acting (doing commercials, etc.). I did all of this on top of my profession for over 30 years as a missionary and publications worker, doing printing, layout, and product distribution. I also taught myself to write phone and PDA application software.

Now, to backtrack to help me “paint my picture,” when I was in my early twenties (I’m over seventy now), a defining night was when I gave my heart to Jesus. Literally a few hours before, I had been down and out, having finished art school and had no idea what to do with my life. And a girl I’d had an affair with at art school unencumbered herself of my presence. I was pondering my sad state of affairs, sitting in a basement at home. I was led in my mind to “try” Jesus and forsake my indifference to Him and the somewhat rebellious attitude I’d harbored toward faith and the church, as it seemed that Jesus was the only thing at that moment that had any worth in my life.

The first thing Jesus did, apart from opening up to me a whole new life full of new possibilities, was to guide me to make a mental list of all the things that made up my life at that time: Art. Music. Friends. Drugs. Writing. Photography. It was a long list. He then methodically showed me which things to let go of, which things to maintain. This lightened my load considerably, and that gave me peace; I had a real deep happiness inside. Not long after that, I found my calling in missionary work, which developed into the rewarding work of spreading the Christian message through literature and the worldwide web.

I don’t know if you’re starting to see a thread here. To be honest, I didn’t. At least, not until recently. I’m reminded of the verse “All things are lawful unto me, but not all things are expedient” (1 Corinthians 6:12). Here are some words that come up if you search for the definition of the word “expedient”: convenient, practical, useful, beneficial, advantageous, and appropriate. So, one meaning would be, though I can do many things, there are certain things that I could pursue, and then other things that I would need to let go of and not pursue.

In the light of God’s Word, some things would be pretty obvious, like responding to a need from a friend, or looking after ourselves physically. These are things we would likely pursue. But some things may not be so obvious, and would require some soul searching, studying God’s Word, and praying for direction and wisdom if we’re not sure about whether a particular hobby or calling was really His calling or our own, no matter how well-meaning or significant it might seem to be.

I’m reminded of something Sherlock Holmes said to Doctor Watson: “A fool takes in all the lumber of every sort that he comes across, so that the knowledge which might be useful to him gets crowded out, or at best is jumbled up with a lot of other things, so that he has a difficulty in laying his hands upon it. Now the skillful workman is very careful indeed as to what he takes into his brain-attic.”

This makes a good point. It’s like the Bible verse: “Many plans are in a man’s heart, But the counsel of the LORD will stand” (Proverbs 19:21). In other words, there’s only so much that we can reasonably do, or at least do well, and these are the pursuits we must concentrate on. Like a runner in a race cannot be encumbered with extra kit. We all need a certain amount of accessories—it comes with the job—but to run the race, as Hebrews 12 points out, we need to “lay aside every weight,” so that we can run with patience (i.e., be in it for the long haul). Otherwise we’re weighed down and can only spurt here and there and collapse, instead of steadfastly “running with patience.”

If I’m going through a particularly tough time, one practice that I’ve learned is to list everything I’m involved in, and then to prayerfully consider each point to see if the Lord wants it done or not, or if it can be put off or dropped permanently.

The Lord promises in His Word that His yoke is easy and His burden is light (Matthew 11:28–30). No ifs, ands, or buts about it. I suspect that the reason for this is that a light burden is something you can carry for a lifetime. A heavy burden will perhaps be carried only when we’re “inspired,” or, “the time is right,” etc. So, by assiduously cutting back on “good things” and selecting only the “best things,” we lay aside the weights that beset us, and we can run with patience the race that is set before us (Hebrews 12:1).

Pursuing Excellence Is a Matter of Choosing the Best

The pursuit of excellence is never a matter of simply choosing between what is good or bad, but of choosing what is best or superior because it will better enable us to accomplish what God has designed us to be and do (cf. Philippians 1:9 with Ephesians 2:10).

In keeping with the fact that all believers are to abound or excel in the expression of Christian love, the apostle prayed that the Philippians may have greater knowledge and every kind of discernment. But in order to excel in love and wisely express it, they needed to be able “to approve the things that are excellent” (NASB) or choose what is best (NET). The term “approve” or “choose” is the Greek dokimazo, which carries two ideas. First, it means “to put to the test, examine,” and then as a result of the examination or testing, “to approve, make the right choice.” Through the values and priorities that come from the knowledge of God’s Word, we are to examine and test, and then choose accordingly.

What is to be chosen is explained by the words “the things that are excellent” (NASB) or “what is best” (NET). The Greek word here is a present neuter participle from diaphero, which means in this context, “the things differing, but in accordance with what is best,” i.e., the best or what is excellent.

The pursuit of excellence from a biblical worldview is always connected with the issue of God’s values and priorities. This means the pursuit of excellence must include the elimination of some things even though they may be good and legitimate. The principle is are they the best or will they get in the way or hinder the main objectives of a Christian’s life based on biblical principles and values? If so, they need to be eliminated. We see this truth in Paul’s statement in 1 Corinthians 10:23, “All things are lawful, but not all things are profitable. All things are lawful, but not all things edify” (see also 1 Corinthians 6:12). Just because they are legitimate does not mean they should be chosen or pursued.

Film-maker Walt Disney was ruthless in cutting anything that got in the way of a story’s pacing. Ward Kimball, one of the animators for Snow White, recalls working 240 days on a four-and-a-half-minute sequence in which the dwarfs made soup for Snow White and almost destroyed the kitchen in the process. Disney thought it funny, but he decided the scene stopped the flow of the picture, so out it went. When the film of our lives is shown, will it be as great as it might be? A lot will depend on the multitude of “good” things we decided to eliminate to make way for the great things God wants to do through us.—J. Hampton Keathley, III ¹

I feel it is crucial to ask for God’s guidance in hitting the bull’s eye of His will, and put aside the non-essential that saps our time and energy.

William Gladstone (1809–1898) said: “To comprehend a man’s life, it is necessary to know not merely what he does, but also what he purposely leaves undone. There is a limit to the work that can be got out of a human body or a human brain, and he is a wise man who wastes no energy on pursuits for which he is not fitted; and he still wiser who, from among the things that he can do well, chooses and resolutely follows the best.”

¹ https://bible.org/seriespage/mark-11-pursuit-excellence

Praying to God

July 11, 2023

A compilation

Audio length: 11:23

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Christians today take it for granted that God is our Father, but few people stop to think what this name really means. We know that Jesus taught his disciples to pray “Our Father” and that the Aramaic word Abba (“Father”) is one of the few that Jesus used and that it has remained untranslated in our New Testament. Nowadays, hardly anybody finds this strange, and many people are surprised to discover that the Jews of Jesus’ day, and even his own disciples, were puzzled by his teaching. …

Jesus’ assertion that God was his Father first occurred in a debate about the Sabbath day of rest. Jesus claimed that it was proper for him to perform healings on the Sabbath because, in his words: “My Father is working until now, and I am working” (John 5:17). In other words, although God rested on the seventh day from his work of creation, his work of preservation and ultimately of redemption was still ongoing. Moreover, Jesus associated his own ministry with that continuing work of the Father…

Christians call God their Father because that is what Jesus taught his disciples to do. He did this not in order to emphasize that God was their Creator (though of course he was) but because he was their Redeemer. Jesus had a unique relationship with God the Father that he wanted to share with his followers. During his time on earth, he was quite clear about this. “He who has seen me has seen the Father,” he said (John 14:9). “I and the Father are one” (John 10:30). …

We are encouraged to pray to the Father and enabled to do so because the Son has united us to him in his death and resurrection (Galatians 2:20). By this act, Jesus has associated us with himself as his siblings. The difference is that he is the divine and sinless Son of the Father by nature, whereas we are sinners who have been adopted by him. Jesus himself said as much when he told Mary Magdalene, after his resurrection, to go to his disciples, whom he now called his brothers, and tell them what was about to happen: “Do not cling to me, for I have not yet ascended to the Father; but go to my brothers and say to them, ‘I am ascending to my Father and your Father, to my God and your God’” (John 20:17).—Gerald Bray¹

God’s personhood

Throughout the Gospels, Jesus refers to God as Father; and in the Lord’s Prayer, He teaches His disciples to call God “Father.” To some people, calling God Father can be offensive, as they feel it supports the concepts of patriarchy and the subjugation of women, and they have called for the deletion of all reference to God as Father. Charles Talbert’s book Reading the Sermon on the Mount provides a good explanation for why God is called Father, parts of which I am summarizing here.²

There are two views of religious language in Christian churches today. The first is a relational view, the second a political view. The relational view assumes that religious speech arises out of an ongoing relationship between God’s people and God. It’s similar to speech used in human relationships. One can say things about their relationship with God which have similarities to the type of wording one would use in speaking about their relationship with another person.

Understanding religious language as political assumes that religious language originates as a projection of the organization of human relationships on earth onto the canvas of heaven, and therefore any change in the human social order demands a corresponding change in the way one speaks of the heavenly world. In this view, if God is spoken of in masculine terms such as Father, this is considered a projection onto heaven of a patriarchal social system on the human level. It assumes that father-language for God is a reflection of the patriarchal world in which the Bible was written. It assumes that the Bible was written by men, therefore God is cast as male.

The relational view of religious language assumes that deity transcends sexuality, that God is neither male nor female. However, God is spoken of in Scripture in gendered terms. Sometimes He is spoken of in feminine terms: “I will cry out like a woman in labor. … Can a woman forget her nursing child, that she should have no compassion on the son of her womb? Even these may forget, yet I will not forget you. As a mother comforts her child, so will I comfort you” (Isaiah 42:14; Isaiah 49:15; 66:13).

Whenever God is spoken of in feminine terms, it is always a simile, the comparison of two things. God is compared to a mother but is never named “Mother.”

At other times within Scripture, God is spoken of in masculine terms, again with simile: “The LORD goes out like a mighty man, like a man of war he stirs up his zeal” (Isaiah 42:13); as well as with metaphor/comparison: “You, O LORD, are our Father, our Redeemer from of old is your name. O LORD, you are our Father; we are the clay, and you are our potter; we are all the work of your hand” (Isaiah 63:16; 64:8).

In the Bible, God is both compared to a male (simile) and addressed as Father (metaphor). Jesus prayed Abba, Father (Mark 14:36).

Why is it that in Scripture God is sometimes said to be like a mother, but isn’t called a mother, while God is both like a father and is called Father? There are two main reasons.

The first has to do with the understanding of who God is in relation to His creation. God who is all-powerful and above creation created all things from nothing, and therefore is distinct from the universe. Some religions or belief systems look at this differently—they consider that God and creation are either the same thing or that creation is a part of God. Generally speaking, belief systems that see God as not being distinct from creation fall under the category of pantheism.

Beginning in Genesis and throughout the whole of Scripture, God is spoken of as existing above and independent of creation. If in Scripture God was called “Mother,” there could have been a misunderstanding regarding God’s transcendence. Calling the Creator “Mother” in ancient times would have been interpreted to mean that the creation was a birthing process, and therefore the universe and all that is in it would be part of God; which would mean that the universe is divine (pantheism), rather than being created by God (theism).

God revealed Himself to the writers of the Old Testament as being Spirit, thus not male or female. However, He referred to Himself metaphorically as a male, thereby maintaining the “otherness” of God, and avoiding the perception that the world was “birthed” instead of created. This allows us to relate to Him as a personal Being without getting the wrong understanding of His relation to creation.

An important reason for calling God Father grows out of the practice of Jesus. In the Gospels, Jesus not only spoke of God as Father, He also spoke to God as Father (Mark 13:32). He expressed His relationship with God using the concept of a loving Father, who cares for and deeply loves His children, and He invited His disciples to enter into a loving relationship with His Father.

Jesus also made it clear that God is Spirit (John 4:24) and is therefore genderless, but He conveyed His relationship to God using the concept of Father, He called God His Father, and He invited His disciples to call God Father as well. But this is a concept to convey God’s personhood and not a gender statement. For those whose experience with their father makes it difficult to call God Father, there are other expressions that can be used to address God, such as Lord, God, Almighty One, Creator, etc.—Peter Amsterdam

The Abba experience

In His human journey, Jesus experienced God in a way that no prophet of Israel had ever dreamed of or dared. Jesus was indwelt by the Spirit of the Father and given a name for God that would scandalize both the theology and public opinion of Israel, the name that escaped the mouth of the Nazarene carpenter: Abba.

Jewish children used this intimate colloquial form of speech in addressing their fathers, and Jesus Himself employed it with His foster father Joseph. As a term for divinity, however, it was unprecedented not only in Judaism but in any of the great world religions. Joachim Jeremias wrote, “Abba, as a way of addressing God, is … an authentic original utterance of Jesus. We are confronted with something new and astounding. Herein lies the great novelty of the gospel.”

Jesus, the beloved Son, does not hoard this experience for Himself. He invites and calls us to share the same intimate and liberating relationship. Paul wrote, “For all who are led by the Spirit of God are children of God. For you did not receive a spirit of slavery to fall back into fear but you have received a spirit of adoption. When we cry ‘Abba,’ it is that spirit bearing witness with our spirit that we are children of God” (Romans 8:14–16). …

The greatest gift I have ever received from Jesus Christ has been the Abba experience. “No one knows the Son except the Father, just as no one knows the Father except the Son and those to whom the Son chooses to reveal him” (Matthew 11:27).—Brennan Manning ³

Published on Anchor July 2023. Read by Jerry Paladino.

¹ https://www.thegospelcoalition.org/essay/god-as-father.

² Charles H. Talbert, Reading the Sermon on the Mount (Grand Rapids: Baker Academic, 2004), 113–15.

³ Brennan Manning, Abba’s Child: The Cry of the Heart for Intimate Belonging (Tyndale House, 2014).

His Incomparable Love

July 10, 2023

Words from Jesus

Audio length: 12:34

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I know what it is to be in need, and I know what it is to have plenty. I have learned the secret of being content in any and every situation, whether well fed or hungry, whether living in plenty or in want.—Philippians 4:12

It can be tempting to focus on the hole in your life instead of the donut, while seeing only the donut and not the hole in the lives of others. But every life has both times of plenty and times of want. So when you see others who seem to have it better than you, remind yourself that every life has its share of hardship and difficulty. If you look deeply, you’ll see that every person experiences hurt and pain in one form or another.

Nobody has a perfect life. Maybe there is something in someone else’s life that you wish you had, and it is human nature to compare yourself with other people. When looking at someone else’s life, it is easy to only see the silver lining and the victories and advantages. You can’t always see the sacrifices and hard decisions that made others who they are and prepared them for where they’re at today. With every crown comes a cross.

Trust in Me for every stage of your life, whether abasing or abounding, for I have a purpose in all that I do or allow in your life. Come to Me, seek Me, and trust in Me for the purpose and plan I have for your life.

Free indeed

So if the Son sets you free, you will be free indeed.—John 8:36

No matter what you have or don’t have, there’s always going to be something you wish you had or didn’t have. That’s human nature. But life can be beautiful, fulfilling, and satisfying, even if you don’t have all you wish you had and you aren’t all that you wish you were or had hoped to be.

Negative thoughts about yourself and negative comparisons with others can become chains and bonds. I have promised that My truth will set you free if you continue in My Word (John 8:31–32). I want you to partake of My joy and for My joy in you to be full (John 15:11). But in order to experience this freedom and joy, you need to trust that I love and accept you as you are, and that I created you with the gifts, talents, and attributes that you have.

I’ve made you as you are, a precious vessel that can be wonderfully used to shine My light to others around you so that they can come to know Me and experience My love. So come to Me with every burden, anxiety, fear, or worry, and trust that I am working everything in your life together for your good, for I love you dearly. Believe that I have formed you and that I love you perfectly just as you are.

Great gain

Godliness with contentment is great gain. For we brought nothing into the world, and we can take nothing out of it. But if we have food and clothing, we will be content with that.—1 Timothy 6:6–8

When you’re content with what you have, your spirit is at peace. You’re thankful, you’re praiseful, and you’re focused on the good, positive, and praiseworthy things in your life. So when you are tempted to compare your lot in life with that of other people, remember that I love you and died to redeem your soul. Accept, believe, and receive that truth. You are a unique individual of My making and My love, and you are dearly loved!

I am a Father who loves each of My children. Each one is precious to Me and has a special place in My kingdom. I love each member of My body, no matter what their calling or ministry or situation. The body has many members that perform different functions, yet they all work together in unity and coordination. Each member is needed and important, for without any one of these members, the body cannot work together in unity and coordination.

I have a plan for each of My children and each one plays a role in building My kingdom on earth as it is in heaven. One plows the ground, another sows the seed, and another waters. But I am the one who gives the increase, and My Spirit works in and through you to perform My will and good purpose (Philippians 2:13).

Unique and loved

For you formed my inward parts; you knitted me together in my mother’s womb. I praise you, for I am fearfully and wonderfully made. … In your book were written, every one of them, the days that were formed for me, when as yet there was none of them. How precious to me are your thoughts, O God!—Psalm 139:13–17

When I look upon you, My beloved creation, I see beauty. It’s sad when you think you’re not beautiful in My sight or you compare yourself to others. Don’t let your cheerfulness, thoughtfulness, or outgoing concern for others be depleted because of dwelling on your problems and needs, or comparing yourself with others, for this takes away from your joy.

Each of My children is loved, each is precious in My sight. There is no comparing of My love for you. I don’t love one person more than another, and I don’t care for one more than another. I have a plan and a purpose for each of your lives, tailor-made for you, because I created you just as you are, and I know everything about you.

So, when you feel that you’re being passed by, left behind, or brushed aside, remember that I am always with you. My hand is on your life and My plan for you will be fulfilled, and one day you will marvel at the beautiful things that await you.

Seek Me and My kingdom first, and seek to be a blessing to others, and you will experience My joy and peace, and the feelings of inadequacy and discouragement about yourself and the way I’ve made you will diminish. Ask Me to help you to accept the way I’ve made you and to be thankful and grateful for it. You can be thankful not only for how I’ve made you and the many blessings you have in your life, but you can also bless others as well by sharing your gifts with them. Find rest and peace wherever I have placed you and rejoice in My eternal love for you.

Be of good cheer

These things I have spoken to you, that in Me you may have peace. In the world you will have tribulation; but be of good cheer, I have overcome the world.—John 16:33

A cheerful heart is good medicine. You have every reason to be cheerful, because I have overcome the world. I have conquered it and deprived it of power to harm you through My victory on the cross. Moreover, nothing you will ever encounter along your life-path will be able to separate you from My love. As you ponder these glorious truths about all I have done for you, let good cheer fill your heart and radiate from your face.

A joyful heart will improve your health—spiritually, emotionally, and physically. So fill your mind with thankful thoughts till your heart overflows with Joy. Take time to praise Me for all that I am—the One from whom all blessings flow. Let Me fill you with My Light and Life, for I designed you to be full of heavenly contents. As these divine nutrients soak into the depths of your being, they strengthen you and enhance your health. Be of good cheer!

Rejoice and exult in hope. Raise a shout of joy! You have good reason to be joyful, because you’re on your way to heaven. I have paid the penalty for your sins and clothed you in My own righteousness. This is the basis of hope—for you, for all who truly know Me as Savior. No matter what is going on in your life at this time, your hope in Me is secure. No one will be able to snatch you out of My hand. In Me you have absolute, eternal security!¹

Originally published December 2000, unless otherwise indicated. Adapted and republished July 2023. Read by Reuben Ruchevsky. Music by Michael Fogarty.

¹ Sarah Young, Jesus Today (Thomas Nelson, 2012).

Racing Toward the Mark of the Beast

2005-04-29

Your Money, Computers, and the End of the World

Peter Lalonde and Paul Lalonde

The World Leader

Chapter 13 of Revelation has been the focal chapter in our discussion of the mark-of-the-beast technology. Here, the seeming man of peace whom the Bible calls “the beast” is described in detail.

“All the world wondered after the beast … and they worshipped the beast, saying, Who is like unto the beast? Who is able to make war with him? … And all that dwell upon the earth shall worship him, whose names are not written in the book of life of the Lamb” (Revelation 13:3-8).

Although men have sought such a messianic personality for centuries, it has only been in this generation that serious men began to speak of the desperate need for such a global leader.

Walter Cronkite, probably the most respected news anchor in the industry even after his retirement, sums up the problem. He claims, “We exist in a leaderless world.” And historian Arnold Toynbee has written:

“By forcing on mankind more and more lethal weapons, and at the same time making the world more and more interdependent economically, technology has brought mankind to such a degree of distress that we are ripe for the deifying of any new Caesar who might succeed in giving the world unity and peace.”

But perhaps the most revealing call for a man of peace and power came from Henry Spaack, former secretary general of the North Atlantic Treaty Organization: “What we want is a man of sufficient stature to hold the allegiance of all the people and to lift us out of the economic morass into which we are sinking. Send us such a man and be he god or devil, we will receive him.”
(Editor: The rise of this man, the Antichrist, will be followed by the darkest night of Earth’s history, a period commonly known as “The Great Tribulation.” But the Bible also promises that “the people that do know their God shall be strong, and do exploits. And they that understand among the people shall instruct many. And they overcame him [the Antichrist] by the blood of the Lamb, and by the word of their testimony; and they loved not their lives unto the death.” [Daniel 11:32,33; Revelation 12:11.] It will be a time of witnessing and winning victories for committed Christians, who will eventually be rescued from these troublous times by the return of Jesus in the clouds of Heaven with power and great glory! Then we’ll enjoy the dawn of a wonderful new world, where the lion shall lie down with the lamb, and the Earth shall be full of the knowledge of the Lord, as the waters cover the sea. [Isaiah 11:6,9.])

Tags: antichristendtimesigns of the times

Racing Toward the Mark of the Beast

2005-04-29

Your Money, Computers, and the End of the World

Peter Lalonde and Paul Lalonde

More than the Sum of Its Parts

Many countries throughout the world are availing themselves of the latest technologies to solve their peculiar social, economic, and military problems. As they become more adept at using the technology, they will expand its capabilities and its reaches. There is no doubt that the time is coming soon when these national and regional systems will join the global age. Although the level of technological development varies from nation to nation, the whole system could be “on line” in a short time.

Unfortunately, little thought is being given to the dire consequences that are possible. Nor is any thought being given to the biblical warnings about the one world government that will soon spring upon the scene. Under the banner of science and expanded human wisdom, the governments of the world rush to complete the kind of system the Bible so specifically warns about.
Building the Global Infrastructure

Of course, there would be no global electronic infrastructure if there were not a new international economic order to build it upon. With the birth of multinational corporations, the World Bank, the G7, the GATT, and the International Monetary Fund, there is no doubt that we have entered the global economic age. You have only to witness how a crash in the New York Stock Exchange is immediately felt in Tokyo, London, and Bonn to see how economically interconnected we have become.

The banking scandal involving the Bank of Credit and Commerce International (BCCI) propelled to the forefront efforts to improve supervision of banking operations on a worldwide scale. Here’s how the Reuters News Service covered this development:

“BCCI, indicted in New York last week on charges of fraud, theft and money laundering, escaped close scrutiny in the more than 70 countries where it operated, because no single country was responsible for overseeing all of its operations, banking regulators said.

“U.S. Federal Deposit Insurance Corp. chairman William Seidman said that the BCCI scandal overscored the need for global cooperation on bank regulation. `We will need a supervisory system at the world level that will be capable of handling supervision of banks that operate in many countries around the world,’ he said.”

If such a supervisory structure comes into being, it not only will be able to closely regulate the activities of the banks themselves, but also will have instant access to information about individual accounts.

And did you notice that the alleged criminal activities of BCCI were the impetus for this talk of a new regulatory agency? Isn’t it curious that improprieties by banks are the reason given for creating a global “superbank,” run by these same bankers?

Crime-stopping is a prime motivator in much of this new technology and the resultant networking of various organizations and systems. Here’s another example, as explained by Joseph Battaglia.

“As with so many things the government does, the process of attacking the free economy has been a gradual one. It began with the introduction of so-called anti-money-laundering rules. These rules required banks and businesses to report to the IRS (Internal Revenue Service) the name, address and social security number of individuals who engage in cash transactions of $10,000 or more. This rule was established under the guise of attacking drug dealers. With the tremendous publicity given to the drug problem and so-called `money-laundering,’ the government was able to obtain this repressive, anti-freedom, money-laundering law.”

Battaglia further says that a Money Laundering Enforcement Conference was sponsored by the American Bankers Association and the American Bar Association and was attended by representatives of several federal law enforcement agencies. “Together,” Battaglia says, “they comprise the financial enforcement arm of the New World Order.”

The McAlvany Intelligence Advisor also sees a soon-coming day when the electronic capabilities of this generation will be used to track every single transaction:

“The Financial Criminal Enforcement Network (FINCEN) said that `we currently have nearly all financial information available on every U.S. citizen.’ In the future, tax violations will be treated as money laundering violations. This and other measures discussed at the meeting will wipe out virtually all vestiges of financial freedom and privacy for the American people.”

And America is just the beginning, according to McAlvany. In the name of fighting crime, laws are being passed or proposed on a global level unthinkable in other generations:

“First there was the United Nations money laundering treaty, which attempts to outlaw bank secrecy. (The U.N. Treaty, to which America is a signatory, criminalizes international money laundering, allows seizure of assets, attempts to destroy all bank secrecy laws, and weakens protections involved in the production of evidence, the taking of testimony, and the extradition of offenders.) Then the 12-nation tax treaty of the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development was ratified to ensure cooperation in harassing taxpayers.

“Most recently we have a report from the Research Institute for the Study of Conflict and Terrorism (which works closely with the CIA) which argues that global money laundering is not just the $500 billion it is normally estimated to be, but two to three times that large. The report blames the lack of regulations in most countries besides the U.S. and says that Swiss, Austrian, Hong Kong and Caribbean bank secrecy must be destroyed immediately.”

At about the time that article appeared, USA Today reported that: “Switzerland is abolishing most of its anonymous bank accounts to crack down on criminal transactions. [The] country’s Federal Banking Commission will demand that bank account holders identify themselves, thereby making it difficult for drug runners and dictators to launder money.”

These few examples clearly point to the piecemeal, backdoor way a global system is being established that wipes out any secrecy in our private financial affairs. But the drive toward a global economic system is being pushed on a very public front as well. Recently, U.S. President Clinton has made clear the administration’s view by his all-out push for NAFTA, the North American Free Trade Agreement.

He said, “This new global economy is here to stay. We can’t wish it away. We can’t run from it. We can’t build walls around our nation. So we must provide world leadership, we must compete, not retreat.”

Abba Eban, former Israeli foreign minister, says the G7 partners (seven of the richest Western nations) could be a real force for action, but, “They have not learned to think together. They bring together extraordinary concentration of power, but their meetings don’t seem to produce anything. They should recognize that collectively they have immense power to change the human condition, but individually they do not. They should set up a permanent institution, almost like a new state. Existing bodies cannot do the job. That would require both the wisdom and the leadership qualities of modern-day philosopher-kings. Though there may be some waiting in the wings, none seem to be stalking the stage now.”
Marking Those Intolerant Fundamentalists

We should stop here to clearly point out something. The Bible emphasizes that in the last days such a system will not only be in place to make possible the global order, but to make sure that anyone outside of the system cannot function. We know that anyone who serves God will be hated by this new world order of man!

We found it very interesting that when our research team attended the 1993 “Solutions for the Global Frontier” card technology conference in Washington, the United States was in the midst of the disaster in Waco. Our researchers sat and watched with conference attendees as televisions all over the convention center showed the compound going up in flames.

The Waco debacle got the microchip experts talking about how their electronic identification systems could track religious cult members. One European leader told us flat out that Europe could keep these crazy American Christians out of Europe. To him, David Koresh was just another Christian! Not too long thereafter, the following appeared in The European newspaper:
“STRASBOURG—A `directory’ of religious cults looks likely to be approved by the Council of Europe in the wake of the Waco disaster in the United States, in which at least 80 sect members burnt to death this week. A report before the 26-nation council’s committee of ministers voices concern over the activities of new religious cults. Member governments are asked to set up independent bodies to monitor and collect information, which should then be `widely circulated to the general public.'”
At the same time in France, the National Union of Associations for the Defense of the Family and the Individual (ADFI) issued just such a directory. Among the list of cults were the Full Gospel Businessmen’s Fellowship International and the Assemblies of God!

The enemy is succeeding in getting the world to believe that all Christians are like the cult followers in Waco or Guyana. Listen to what USA Today said about identifying a cult in the aftermath of the Waco torching:

“Today the groups tend to believe the Bible predicts the end of the world is near…. Such seemingly unrelated events as the Israelis’ gaining control of Jerusalem in 1967, the threat of nuclear war and shifts in the global economy are among the signs cultists see that—as prophesied in the Bible—the end is near and Jesus Christ will return.”

It is no coincidence that leaders in the field of electronic identification, microchips, and smart cards see how their technology can identify dangerous religious fanatics. They think they are protecting the world itself, and you can’t help but note how accurately the scenario foretold in the Bible is coming to pass. No wonder the Scripture warns that “whosoever killeth you will think that he doeth God service” (John 16:2). Today, Europe—the heart of tomorrow’s world—sees the connection the Bible speaks of and is putting it into place. How close must we be?

The new world order will be a complex and complicated system to administer, even for a man who can perform great “lying signs and wonders.” To track the movements of people, equipment, goods, and finances, it will take a sophisticated system much like the one we have described. It is just this sort of system—and perhaps this exact one—that will enable the coming world ruler to control the global government, the universal monetary system, and the unified religion that together will comprise the new world order.
How Will the Antichrist Do It?

We’ve often wondered how the Antichrist could convince millions of people to receive his mark or his number when it has been so clearly and historically documented by Christians and unbelievers alike as an evil sign—a death knell. Anyone who has seen the movie “The Omen” knows that 666 is the number of the beast. Anyone who has read the Bible must know the number of the beast. Anyone with even a passing interest in rock music must have at least some knowledge of this prophecy.

How then will the Antichrist convince so many people, who are so aware in some way of the mark and the number of the prophesied man of perdition, to receive just such a mark? Surely he would be clever enough to use 665 or any other number besides 666.

One possible scenario: The Antichrist is openly speaking blasphemies against God, His Word, and His tabernacle. He is the pinnacle of arrogance in his supposed miraculous demonstrations and his contempt for holy things. He could try to use these “assets” to snare people into accepting the following line of thinking.

The Antichrist could tell them they have been deceived and in bondage for too long to religious mythology and negative, intolerant traditions. Listen to this hypothetical, but very possible argument:

“We can no longer tolerate such narrow-minded and superstitious thinking in our new world of peace and harmony. We must all come together and demonstrate the success of our new world. We must not be paralyzed by superstitions and kept from the next step in our spiritual evolution. To prove we are not frightened by these `old wives’ tales,’ we’ll openly accept the challenge of failed Christianity and take for ourselves and our new world order the very symbol that these religious fanatics have erroneously associated with something sinister. We’ll take 666 as our own!”
Unified Monetary System

Intrinsic to a global system is a global economy. Once again, this generation fits the bill. Harvard law professor Richard Cooper has suggested what he himself called a radical scheme: “… the creation of a common currency for all of the industrial democracies, with a common monetary policy and a joint bank of issue to determine that policy…. How can independent states accomplish that? They need to turn over the determination of monetary policy to a supranational body.”

In 1988, The Economist magazine announced the coming of a worldwide economy. The lengthy article, while noting that the international currency may be years away, did note that it “will be more convenient than today’s national currencies, which will seem a quaint cause of much disruption to economic life in the twentieth century.”

The problem, according to the article, is that governments “are far from ready to subordinate their domestic objectives to the goal of international financial stability. Several more big exchange rate upsets, a few more stock market crashes and probably a slump or two will be needed before politicians are willing to face squarely up to that choice.”

Federal Reserve Chairman Alan Greenspan sees the future clearly, “I am very little concerned about the issue of foreign investment in the United States. On the contrary, integration of world economies is a desirable trend.”

World leaders are predicting and clamoring for a united economy, a centralized government, a single individual to lead mankind into the next millennium. These prophetic fulfillments surely sound an alarm to those who will hear. As some doomsday prophets proclaim, “The end is near.” To deny such a reality is to stick your head in the sand and hope reality will go away.
The New World Order

A broad spectrum of world leaders is calling for a coalition of nations to ensure the peace. Mikhail Gorbachev and George Bush brought the term “new world order” into our consciousness in their writings and speeches. Today, Bill Clinton, Boris Yeltsin, and Helmut Kohl promote the same vision. This new coalition is being formed to bring peace to the world—but men can never bring real peace. Man’s efforts to play God will always fail. As admirable as the desire for peace and brotherhood is, it is also an impossibility when it is designed without the Prince of Peace at its foundation.

Today, like in the biblical times of the Tower of Babel (see Genesis 11:1-9), fallen man is trying to create a world in his image. He is trying to build a kingdom in which the wisdom of man is supreme and mankind itself is king. The ageless desire to control their own destiny is still with men today. But despite their boastful claims, their dream will never be fully realized. German Chancellor Helmut Kohl sees a day when: “The United States of Europe will form the core of a peaceful order, … the age prophesied of old, when all shall dwell secure and none shall make them afraid.”

The prophecy Kohl referred to describes the millennial reign of the King of kings and Lord of lords, but Kohl believes such a day can be created by man himself without the need of any Savior, And Kohl is not alone. It seems this is an idea whose time has come.

When asked by Time magazine what mankind should aim to accomplish in the coming decades, a political scientist said: “The central project of humanity has got to be something like restoration of a sense of community…. Giving up some individual rights to communities may be a necessary price. You cannot have the kind of culture that absolutizes human rights at the same time you strive for community. One has to come at the expense of the other.”

No matter how admirable the objectives of such a society, the actualization of such a system will be a frightening fulfillment of a major Bible prophecy. Yet the cries grow louder each day—as does the cry for a leader to show the way. (To be cont.)

Getting Older

By Peter Amsterdam

July 4, 2023

Recently I celebrated my 72nd birthday. I’m very grateful that throughout my life I have been healthy, and it’s only in the last couple of years that I’ve had some health issues. Two years ago, I had an operation on my brain to fix a problem with a carotid artery, and some months later I had five stents put in my heart. Thankfully, both procedures were successful, and I have been doing well since then. I am so grateful for your prayers during my two operations.

The majority of TFI members are first-generation members, who now are in, or are entering into, old age. In many Western countries, a person who is 70 or older is considered elderly. In some countries, people from 65 to 74 are considered early elderly, while those over 75 years old are referred to as late elderly. Of course, there is a famous saying that “You are only as old as you feel.” I think there’s truth to that old adage. Recently I visited a friend who is 85, and she told me that she was going overseas to visit a few different countries for three weeks. She’s elderly and a bit frail, but she has good health, walks daily, and stays active.

For this article about getting older, I searched the internet for information about aging. I’m not an expert on the topic, I’m simply passing on some information I’ve found. It was helpful to me, and I thought that with many of us entering old age or caring for others in that stage of life, it might be helpful to share this information. Of course, it’s important to recognize that each person’s journey into older age is different, and it’s not possible to cover every aspect of aging in an article like this. As you read, it’s likely that some of what this article says will fit your experience, and some won’t. That is to be expected, as we’re each living our own distinct lives.

As you read this, you will see that in almost every case, the pillars for maintaining our health in aging are basic health principles that are familiar to us all: (1) Regular exercise, (2) healthy diet, (3) sleep, (4) maintaining a healthy weight, and (5) avoiding smoking, and alcohol in excess.

It’s interesting to note that in the years from the 1550s to the late 1800s, average life expectancy was between 30–40 years. Since the 1900s, the world average has risen to about 73 years old. This is an average, meaning that many people live to be much older, into their 80s and 90s, while some pass on in their 60s. Many of us are in or are approaching our 70s. It behooves us to do our part to stay healthy through eating well, exercising regularly, and being aware of the natural changes we can expect as we age.

Following is some information about getting older from a variety of sources, beginning with information from the Mayo Clinic, regarding what changes we can expect as we continue aging. No matter what your age, these explanations can be helpful. Please bear in mind that while the information presented applies to most people as they age, it is by no means “one size fits all.” Different people of the same age will have different experiences in some regards, but overall I found the information beneficial. I encourage you to do your own research too, as depending on what season of life you are in, you may need to seek out more specific or detailed information regarding certain aspects of your health and changing needs.

Your Cardiovascular System

What’s happening

The most common change in the cardiovascular system is stiffening of the blood vessels and arteries, causing your heart to work harder to pump blood through them. The heart muscles change to adjust to the increased workload. Your heart rate at rest will stay about the same, but it won’t increase during activities as much as it used to. These changes increase the risk of high blood pressure (hypertension) and other cardiovascular problems.

What you can do

To promote heart health:

Include physical activity in your daily routine. Try walking, swimming, or other activities you enjoy. Regular moderate physical activity can help you maintain a healthy weight and lower your heart disease risk.
Eat a healthy diet. Choose vegetables, fruits, whole grains, high-fiber foods, and lean sources of protein, such as fish. Limit foods high in saturated fat and salt.
Don’t smoke. Smoking contributes to the hardening of your arteries and increases your blood pressure and heart rate.
Manage stress. Stress can take a toll on your heart. Take steps to reduce stress—such as meditation, exercise, or talk therapy.
Get enough sleep. Quality sleep plays an important role in the healing and repair of your heart and blood vessels. Aim for seven to nine hours a night.

Your Bones, Joints, and Muscles

What’s happening

With age, bones tend to shrink in size and density, weakening them and making them more susceptible to fracture. You might even become a bit shorter. Muscles generally lose strength, endurance, and flexibility—factors that can affect your coordination, stability, and balance.

What you can do

To promote bone, joint, and muscle health:

Get adequate amounts of calcium. The National Academy of Science, Engineering, and Medicine recommends at least 1,000 milligrams (mg) of calcium daily for adults. The recommendation increases to 1,200 mg daily for women aged 51 and older and men aged 71 and older. Dietary sources of calcium include dairy products, broccoli, kale, salmon, and tofu. If you find it difficult to get enough calcium from your diet, ask your doctor about calcium supplements.
Get adequate amounts of vitamin D. The recommended daily intake of vitamin D is 600 international units for adults up to age 70 and 800 IU for adults over 70. Many people get adequate amounts of vitamin D from sunlight. Other sources include tuna, salmon, eggs, vitamin D-fortified milk, and vitamin D supplements.
Include physical activity in your daily routine. Weight-bearing exercises such as walking, jogging, tennis, climbing stairs, and weight training can help you build strong bones and slow bone loss.
Avoid substance abuse. Avoid smoking and limit alcoholic drinks. Ask your doctor about how much alcohol might be safe for your age, sex, and general health.

Your Digestive System

What’s happening

Age-related structural changes in the large intestine can result in more constipation in older adults. Other contributing factors include a lack of exercise, not drinking enough fluids, and a low-fiber diet. Medications, such as diuretics and iron supplements, and certain medical conditions, such as diabetes, also might contribute to constipation.

What you can do

To prevent constipation:

Eat a healthy diet. Make sure your diet includes high-fiber foods, such as fruits, vegetables, and whole grains. Limit high-fat meats, dairy products, and sweets, which might cause constipation. Drink plenty of water and other fluids.
Include physical activity in your daily routine. Regular physical activity can help prevent constipation.
Don’t ignore the urge to have a bowel movement. Holding in a bowel movement for too long can cause constipation.

Your Bladder and Urinary Tract

What’s happening

Your bladder may become less elastic as you age, resulting in the need to urinate more often. Weakening of bladder muscles and pelvic floor muscles may make it difficult for you to empty your bladder completely or cause you to lose bladder control (urinary incontinence). In men, an enlarged or inflamed prostate also can cause difficulty emptying the bladder and incontinence.

Other factors that contribute to incontinence include being overweight, nerve damage from diabetes, certain medications, and caffeine or alcohol consumption.

What you can do

To promote bladder and urinary tract health:

Go to the toilet regularly. Consider urinating on a regular schedule, such as every hour. Slowly, extend the amount of time between your toilet trips.
Maintain a healthy weight. If you’re overweight, lose excess pounds.
Don’t smoke. If you smoke or use other tobacco products, ask your doctor to help you quit.
Do Kegel exercises. To exercise your pelvic floor muscles, squeeze the muscles you would use to stop passing gas. Try it for three seconds at a time, and then relax for a count of three. Work up to doing the exercise 10 to 15 times in a row, at least three times a day.
Avoid bladder irritants. Caffeine, acidic foods, alcohol, and carbonated beverages can make incontinence worse.
Avoid constipation. Eat more fiber and take other steps to avoid constipation, which can worsen incontinence.

Your Brain

What’s happening

Your brain undergoes changes as you age that may have minor effects on your memory or thinking skills. For example, healthy older adults might forget familiar names or words, or they may find it more difficult to multitask.

What you can do

You can promote cognitive health by taking the following steps:

Include physical activity in your daily routine. Physical activity increases blood flow to your whole body, including your brain. Studies suggest regular exercise is associated with better brain function and reduces stress and depression—factors that affect memory.
Eat a healthy diet. A heart-healthy diet may benefit your brain. Focus on fruits, vegetables, and whole grains. Choose low-fat protein sources, such as fish, lean meat, and skinless poultry. Too much alcohol can lead to confusion and memory loss.
Stay mentally active. Staying mentally active may help sustain your memory and thinking skills. You can read, play word games, take up a new hobby, take classes, or learn to play an instrument.
Be social. Social interaction helps ward off depression and stress, which can contribute to memory loss. You might volunteer at a local school or nonprofit, spend time with family and friends, or attend social events.
Treat cardiovascular disease. Follow your doctor’s recommendations to manage cardiovascular risk factors—high blood pressure, high cholesterol, and diabetes—that may increase the risk of cognitive decline.
Quit smoking. If you smoke, quitting smoking may help your cognitive health.

If you’re concerned about memory loss or other changes in your thinking skills, talk to your doctor.

Your Eyes and Ears

What’s happening

With age, you might have difficulty focusing on objects that are close up. You might become more sensitive to glare and have trouble adapting to different levels of light. Aging also can affect your eye’s lens, causing clouded vision (cataracts).

Your hearing also might diminish. You might have difficulty hearing high frequencies or following a conversation in a crowded room.

What you can do

To promote eye and ear health:

Schedule regular checkups. Follow your doctor’s advice about glasses, contact lenses, hearing aids, and other corrective devices.
Take precautions. Wear sunglasses or a wide-brimmed hat when you’re outdoors, and use earplugs when you’re around loud machinery, loud music, or other loud noises.

Your Teeth and Gums

What’s happening

Your gums might pull back from your teeth. Certain medications, such as those that treat allergies, asthma, high blood pressure, and high cholesterol, also can cause dry mouth. As a result, your teeth and gums might become slightly more vulnerable to decay and infection.

What you can do

To promote oral health:

Brush and floss. Brush your teeth twice a day, and clean between your teeth—using regular dental floss or an interdental cleaner—once a day.
Schedule regular checkups. Visit your dentist or dental hygienist for regular dental checkups.

Your Skin

What’s happening

With age, your skin thins and becomes less elastic and more fragile, and fatty tissue just below the skin decreases. You might notice that you bruise more easily. Decreased production of natural oils might make your skin drier. Wrinkles, age spots, and small growths called skin tags are more common.

What you can do

To promote healthy skin:

Be gentle. Bathe or shower in warm—not hot—water. Use mild soap and moisturizer.
Take precautions. When you’re outdoors, use sunscreen and wear protective clothing. Check your skin regularly and report changes to your doctor.
Don’t smoke. If you smoke or use other tobacco products, ask your doctor to help you quit. Smoking contributes to skin damage, such as wrinkling.

Your Weight

What’s happening

How your body burns calories (metabolism) slows down as you age. If you decrease activities as you age, but continue to eat the same as usual, you’ll gain weight. To maintain a healthy weight, stay active and eat healthy.

What you can do

To maintain a healthy weight:

Include physical activity in your daily routine. Regular moderate physical activity can help you maintain a healthy weight.
Eat a healthy diet. Choose vegetables, fruits, whole grains, high-fiber foods, and lean sources of protein, such as fish. Limit sugar and foods high in saturated fat.
Watch your portion sizes. To cut calories, keep an eye on your portion sizes.

Your Sexuality

What’s happening

With age, sexual needs and performance might change. Illness or medication might affect your ability to enjoy sex. For women, vaginal dryness can make sex uncomfortable. For men, impotence might become a concern. It might take longer to get an erection, and erections might not be as firm as they used to be.

What you can do

To promote your sexual health:

Share your needs and concerns with your partner. You might find that physical intimacy without intercourse is right for you, or you may experiment with different sexual activities.
Get regular exercise. Exercise improves the release of sexual hormones, cardiovascular health, flexibility, mood, and self-image—all factors that contribute to good sexual health.
Talk to your doctor. Your doctor might offer specific treatment suggestions—such as estrogen cream for vaginal dryness or oral medication for erectile dysfunction in men.

You can’t stop the aging process, but you can make choices that improve your ability to maintain an active life, to do the things you enjoy, and to spend time with loved ones.

———-

Physical Marks of Old Age Include the Following:

Bone and joint problems: Old bones are marked by “thinning and shrinkage.” This might result in a loss of height (about two inches or 5 cm by age 80), a stooping posture in many people, and a greater susceptibility to bone and joint diseases such as osteoarthritis and osteoporosis.
Chronic diseases: Some older people have at least one chronic condition, and many have multiple conditions. In 2007–2009, the most frequently occurring conditions among older people in the United States were uncontrolled hypertension (34%), arthritis (50%), and heart disease (32%).
Chronic mucus hypersecretion (CMH), defined as “coughing and bringing up sputum,” is a common respiratory symptom in elderly people.
Dental problems: Older people may have less saliva and reduced ability to maintain oral hygiene, consequently increasing the chance of tooth decay and infection.
Digestive system issues: About 40% of the time, old age is marked by digestive disorders such as difficulty in swallowing, inability to eat enough and to absorb nutrition, constipation, and bleeding.
Essential tremor (ET): An uncontrollable shaking in a part of the upper body. It is more common in the elderly, and symptoms worsen with age.
Eyesight deterioration: Presbyopia can occur by age 50, and it hinders reading, especially of small print in low lighting. The speed with which an individual reads and the ability to locate objects may also be impaired. By age 80, more than half of all Americans either have a cataract or have had cataract surgery.
Falls: Old age increases the risk of injury from falls. Every year, about a third of those 65 years old and more than half of those 80 years old fall. Falls are the leading cause of injury and death for old people.
Gait change: Some aspects of gait normally change with old age. Speed slows after age 70. Time with both feet on the ground (“double stance”) increases. Old people sometimes move as if they were walking carefully on ice.
Hair usually turns gray and may become thinner. By about age 50, about 50% of Europeans have 50% gray hair. Many men are affected by balding.
Hearing loss: By age 75, 48% of men and 37% of women have lost at least some significant hearing. In a test of 26.7 million people over age 50 with a hearing impairment, one-seventh use hearing aids. In the 70–79 age range, partial hearing loss affecting communication rises to 65%.
Hearts can become less efficient in old age, lessening stamina. Atherosclerosis can constrict blood flow.
Immune-function loss.
Lungs may expand less efficiently, providing less oxygen.
Mobility impairment or loss: “Impairment in mobility affects 14% of those between 65 and 74, [and] half of those over 85.” Loss of mobility is common in old people and has serious “social, psychological, and physical consequences.”
Pain: 25% of seniors have chronic pain, increasing with age, going up to 80% of those in nursing homes. Most pains are rheumatological or malignant.
Decreases in sexual drive in both men and women: Increasing research on sexual behavior and desires in later life is challenging the “asexual” image of older adults. People aged 75 and older do experience sensuality and sexual pleasure. Sexuality remains important throughout life, though the sexual expression of “typical, healthy older persons is a relatively neglected topic of research.”
Skin loses elasticity and gets drier and more lined and wrinkled.
Wounds take longer to heal and are likelier to leave permanent scars.
Trouble sleeping and daytime sleepiness affect more than half of seniors. In a study of 9,000 people with a mean age of 74, only 12% reported no sleep complaints. By age 65, deep sleep drops to about 5% of sleep time.
Taste buds diminish by up to half by the age of 80. Food becomes less appealing and nutrition can suffer.
Over the age of 85, thirst perception decreases, so that 41% of the elderly don’t drink enough.
Urinary incontinence is often found in old age.
Vocal cords weaken and vibrate more slowly. This results in a weakened, breathy voice, sometimes called “old person’s voice.”

My Books Were Born Out of My Hurts and Pain

July 7, 2023

100 Huntley Street interview with Charles Stanley

In this interview that was originally aired in 2011, Charles Stanley shares life lessons and personal experiences with forgiveness and the goodness and love of God. He declares how God set him free. “A man’s message is deepened by his own hurts and pain and suffering.” He explains why he doesn’t regret his past and how to have the peace of God.

Charles Stanley passed on to his heavenly reward in April 2023 at 90 years of age.

Run time for this video is 22 minutes.

https://youtu.be/nWihzodUKdw

No Other Name

July 6, 2023

By John Lincoln Brandt

Audio length: 11:50

Download Audio (10.8MB)

Neither is there salvation in any other: for there is none other name under heaven given among men, whereby we must be saved.—Acts 4:12

Thus does Peter conclude his splendid tribute to Christ in speaking to the people as they marveled concerning the lame man which Jesus had healed at the gates of the temple. It must have given the Sanhedrim much food for thought when they found that they could not put down this new religion by commanding the apostles not to preach in His name. This great truth was proclaimed by an eyewitness: Peter knew Jesus and had witnessed the manifestations of His power.

He knew whereof he spoke; it was knowledge from the first source; he was a companion of Jesus; he had been with Him in His travels as a personal friend. He had listened to His teachings as a disciple; he had communion with Him by prayer, praise, and conversation. Others took knowledge that he had been with Jesus. He had not followed cunningly devised fables. He spoke as he was moved by the Holy Spirit. What he said must be received with all confidence and claimour utmost attention.

It is reasonable to ask, “What kind of salvation?” Salvation was a familiar word to the people of Israel. It generally meant the deliverance of Israel from enemies and generally referred to a national salvation; but the term used in the text refers to the saving of men from moral ruin—from sin, from the fears of death, from the machinations of Satan, and from the terrors of judgment. It includes the readjustment of man’s relations to God and the restoration of man to his rightful position in the Divine economy, so that his will shall be in harmony with the will of God and his conscience awakened to every call to duty, and his heart receive and love Jesus as the Savior of men.

The thought of being saved suggests a most perilous situation. When the word is used in our language we think of the fireman making a desperate attempt to rescue some human being from the devouring flames; or of the mariner battling with the waves to rescue some poor soul from drowning; or of the doctor at the bedside of the waning patient making a brave fight to save the life of the sufferer, and with great joy do we hear the glad tiding when the crisis is past.

The text declares that salvation is “in the name” of the Lord, Jesus Christ, and in none other name. A name stands for a person or thing. It is a revelation of what a person or thing is.

There is much in a name. The destinies of nations have been decided by the significance of a name. Armies have been inspired by a name. If the name stands for a person, it includes whatever rights, privileges, traits of character and achievements belong to that person.

When we hear the name “Moses” we think of the law-giver of Israel; of “David,” we think of the king and psalmist of Israel; of “Paul,” we think of the great apostle to the Gentiles; of “Luther,” we think of the great reformer; of “Wesley,” we think of the founder of Methodism; of “Gladstone,” the great statesman of England, and when we hear the name of Jesus Christ we think of salvation, and salvation only in His name.

We have no access to God by reason of our own names, but through the name of His well-beloved son He admits us to His throne of grace. The name “Jesus” is fraught with deep significance and pregnant with meaning.

It is a transcendent name. “God hath highly exalted him and given him a name that is above every name” (Philippians 2:9). All intelligent creatures have names by which they are distinguished. Angels have their names: Michael, Gabriel, Uriel. The name of one may shine with greater grandeur and glory than others. But the name “Jesus” stands above every name. It towers above the names of men, spirits, and angels.

No name on the earth will lift and thrill, comfort and bless like the name “Jesus.” It is the independently perfect name; the one transcendent name; there is no name like it in all the universe. It is the name that stands over every hierarchy in creation.

It matters not what you call Him: whether it be Son of God, Savior, Redeemer, Creator, King, Morning Star, Sun of Righteousness, or My Lord and My God, it is a transcendent name that stands above all other names in the hearts of His people. It is a precious name. He is the chosen of God, elect and precious.

The angels announced that He should be called Jesus, because He should save the people from their sins. God gave Him this name. The Scriptures declare that unto all who believe, He is precious. His name is precious to us because it saves us from sin. He is precious in His character—He is human to sympathize and divine to help. He is precious as a teacher, His words have brought light to our darkened souls and hope to our despondent hearts. His blood is precious because it cleanses us from sin. He is precious in His promises—they have sustained us in the conflicts of life. “I am with you, be not dismayed. I will guide you, even unto the end.”

It is a comforting name. He is called the God of all consolation. Simeon spoke of Him as the consolation of Israel. Paul declares there is consolation in Him through grace and that our consolation abounds in Him. Before leaving the world, Christ promised to send us the Comforter, and when the Comforter came He gave us seasons of refreshments from the presence of the Lord.

None other name amongst men is so full of comfort to the bereaved soul. Jesus stands by the bedside of the languishing; by the cradle that contains the suffering patient; by the devouring grave, and says, “Look to Me; I am the God of all comfort.” The world may offer its human sympathy, its money, its pleasures, and its honors, but the name “Jesus” brings comfort when all else has failed.

It is a conquering name. We are told that “at the name of Jesus every knee shall bow, of things in heaven and things on earth and things under the earth, and that every tongue shall confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father” (Philippians 2:10–11).

It lives in our songs of salvation; it lives in our magnificent architecture; it lives in the histories of the world; it lives in the church of Christ. It lives in the hearts of millions upon millions of His disciples; it lives as the mediator between God and man, as the hope of glory; it lives as the password into heaven. No wonder that Paul declared that we are more than conquerors through Him that loved us (Romans 8:37), and that John declared that we overcome this world and gain the victory through our faith in Him (1 John 5:4).

“Christ is able to save to the uttermost all who come unto God by him” (Hebrews 7:25). Christ’s commission is “Go into all the world and preach the gospel to every creature, and he that believeth and is baptized shall be saved” (Mark 16:15–16). It is called a great salvation. It is greater than commercial transactions; greater than healing or teaching. It is great because of its author, its effects and blessings. It expresses the soul’s supreme desire, that of being saved.

This salvation is exclusive in the name of Jesus. Substitution is impossible. Efforts have been made to substitute other names and agencies, and in this so-called substitution we apprehend one of the chief dangers of our present time. These builders of the human temple would set at naught the chief cornerstone of our salvation. They would substitute moral principles and examples, science and philosophy, rationalistic criticism and socialistic theories, sophistical arguments and pretending philanthropy, but all such influences and systems, no matter how plausible, are limited by the horizon of time and have no effects upon the hereafter.

Soul salvation is found in only one name. Christ is the Way, the Life, and the Truth; no man cometh unto the Father save by Him (John 14:6). He is the one and only foundation. He is the only hope of glory (Colossians 1:27).

No other name, no other name,
Ringing down aisles of time;
No other name, no other name
With such a melodious chime.
Clearer in note, purer in tone
Because it is ringing for all
Oh, sweet is the music, listen again!
Can you hear it—the gospel call?

No other name, no other name,
All through the record of years
No other name, no other name,
Let it ring like a bell in your ears.
Ringing for sorrow or ringing for joy
Your choice the tone of the bell.
Oh, make it a song of joy to your soul
And rest in the peace, “All is well.”

No other name, no other name,
You hear it wherever you go;
No other name, no other name—
His love hath made it so.
That you might know life thro’ eternity
He died on the cross, suffered shame;
Oh, how can you tarry, he’s calling for you,
There’s no other name, no other name!
—Nina V. Brandt

John Lincoln Brandt (1860–1946) was the father of Virginia Brandt Berg. Excerpted from Soul Saving Revival Sermons. Read by Gabriel Garcia Valdivieso.

A Wick, a Faucet, and a Chess Piece

July 5, 2023

By Nina Kole

Some years ago, I made a trip to Paidha, Uganda, to teach Bible classes to a group of students. I took along some Christian books and articles that I wanted to use in my classes, with plans to give a class on the theme of letting God work through us. That topic is very dear to my heart, as I find it encouraging when the Lord chooses unexpected people to do His work, and then helps them to not only do it, but to do it brilliantly!

Moses complained to the Lord that he wasn’t a good speaker, yet God chose him to be the one who would lead the Jews out of Egypt. It’s been said that public speaking is considered the number-one fear of the average person. The number-two biggest fear is death. Jerry Seinfeld once joked, “That means that to the average person at a funeral, most would rather be in the casket than doing the eulogy.” Well, all joking aside, you can imagine that Moses had to have a lot of faith for him to believe that God knew what He was doing when picking him for a job that important. And sure enough, the Lord came through for him!

There was also the apostle Peter, who seemed at times to be a real hothead. He often got into arguments, and he famously denied knowing Jesus right before He was crucified. In spite of this, God still used Peter to reach thousands of people after he received the Holy Spirit. By that time, we can be pretty sure that Peter knew it was only the Lord’s power working through him that enabled him to touch so many people’s lives.

God never seems to be choosy about only using people with loads of talent, vast experience, the right background, or even those who are upstanding members of society. He rather likes to find someone unexpected, and then He does something wonderful through that person, so that everyone will know it is His doing. With this in mind, we can conclude that one of the most important qualities that the Lord needs in us is that we are willing.

One article I read to the students in Paidha on this subject of being willing used an oil lamp and a faucet to explain the concept of being a conduit of God’s work. The article read:

“When I was a boy, there were kerosene lamps in every home, on every table. They had lovely glass bowls for the oil, so you could see the wicks and the level of the oil, so you could know when to replenish the oil. The lamps burned best when full of oil. When the oil got low, too much of the wick would be out of the oil for the wick to be thoroughly soaked. Then the wick itself would begin to burn faster, and the lamp would give off smoke.

“We are sometimes like a lamp that has burned too long and lacks oil. We try too hard, work too long, and try to do everything ourselves. That doesn’t work for long. We need to immerse ourselves in Jesus, who is our ‘oil,’ and let Him burn to light the way, because if we try to do that ourselves, we’ll soon burn out.”¹

The writer of this article was talking to people in a Western country, so he went on to say, “Most people don’t know much about oil lamps anymore, but something that everyone can relate to is a water faucet.” He went on to explain how the faucet doesn’t supply the water or create the water pressure; it’s merely a channel to let the water through. (This was another example of being available and willing.)

But I had to chuckle at this example of the faucet, because in Paidha no one has running water. Showers are taken using jerry cans—one filled with hot water and the other with cold water. But everyone had oil lamps for light, since there was no electricity.

So I simply changed the sentence to make it more applicable. I read, “Now most of you know about oil lamps, but something that not everyone has seen is a water faucet.” Thankfully, everyone understood the concept that I was explaining.

Another way to think about this principle is like God being whatever groovy music player you have. He’s got a massive song collection and the perfect playlist, but He needs a way to play it. You are like the headphones or speakers. You don’t have to create the music or come up with the playlist, but you have a very important role to play in getting the music to the listener. We have to remember, though, that although the speakers play an important role, without the music source, they’re pretty useless.

That’s the same with us when we’re wanting to pass on God’s love and message. In fact, Jesus said, “Without me, you can do nothing” (John 15:5). That’s easy to forget sometimes, because the Lord gave us an amazing brain and the ability to do so much. It can be easy to think that we’re pretty great on our own, and sometimes we can forget just how much we need the Lord’s help.

I once visited a family in Namibia in southern Africa. They were teaching Bible classes to a friend of theirs, who also happened to be the national chess champion. He would come once a week and teach their kids classes on chess strategy, and those kids would compete in local competitions, winning lots of medals. The children became phenomenal chess players!

I played against the youngest child, who beat me hands down every time. We both had all the same pieces and we followed the same rules, but his strategies and tactics were way better than mine.

If you’ve played chess you know that some pieces can only move one space at a time. Some can only move one direction, and others are limited to diagonal movements or L-shaped movements. The queen can move in a straight line in any direction and as far as she wants. You could say that the queen is more powerful or useful than the pawns, but the fact remains that unless the chess player decides to move the queen, she’s stuck. Plus, like every other chess piece, she is still easily defeated if moved the wrong way.

I like to think about my life in similar terms to this chess game and the instruction of the national champion. I may think I know what I want for my life and sometimes even know how to get it, but I’ve learned from experience (a good portion of that being mistakes) that if I don’t look to the Lord (my Champion) for training, guidance, and wisdom, I can quickly make a mess of things.

But if we move in step with Him, the Lord can engineer things that are way beyond our power! He can set up things that seem to be “coincidences,” but which turn out to be key events. Or He can have us in the right place at the right time for something amazing to happen.

Take some time to include Him in your planning and daily life and you’ll see that things will work better, run more smoothly, and be less stressful. You just have to be the wick, the faucet, or that yielded chess piece, and let God do all the strategizing, as He leads and guides you through the ins and outs of His master plan.

This article was adapted from a Just1Thing podcast, a Christian character-building resource for young people.

¹ “The Oil Lamp,” More Like Jesus (Aurora Production, 2001).

Growing in His Likeness

July 4, 2023

A compilation

Audio length: 14:08

Download Audio (12.9MB)

The Christian life is not designed for maintenance or meant for maintaining. The Christian who is vibrant and alive is a maturing disciple. As a growing believer in Christ, you are in the process of adding to and developing your character. Your faith is not static; rather, it is dynamic and nimble. You are building a life of character that can stand against the winds of adversity and enjoy the blessings of prosperity.

As a conscientious character builder, you are to possess these qualities of Christ in an ever-increasing measure: “For this very reason, make every effort to add to your faith goodness; and to goodness, knowledge; and to knowledge, self-control; and to self-control, perseverance; and to perseverance, godliness; and to godliness, brotherly kindness; and to brotherly kindness, love” (2 Peter 1:5–7).

Your process of character development is a conscious effort. It starts with faith and ends with love. These are the bookends of God’s expectations for your character. He may start with faith because it is the doorway to Him. Faith is how you approach God and how you appropriate His virtue into your life. Faith allows you to find your heavenly Father and learn from Him. Faith gives you ears to hear and a heart for change. Love, on the other hand, deals with motive. Everything you do needs to be inspired by love for God and people. The greatest from the trilogy of faith, hope, and love is love! …

The Bible is a treasure trove of truth that leads to understanding the character of God; faith is bolstered through the Bible. The Scripture ignites your faith. That faith becomes radically robust as you feast and learn of God through His Holy Writ. Do not underestimate the potential of increasing your measure of faith by knowing and applying God’s Word.

Lastly, use love as warm oil to massage truth into your life and into the life of others. Like a sore muscle, life needs the soothing effect of love. Love understands honoring a relationship over being right. Love motivates faith and is motivated by faith. Your love gives you admission into the life of a person—to influence their life. …

Be a love doctor who graciously administers the love of God. Do not settle for the maturation of your past character. Seek Him even more humbly and aggressively now to increase your measure of character. Keep adding His character to yours; this is effective and productive. Keep your life book between the bookends of God’s character. Your life then becomes an attractive read.—Boyd Bailey¹

Loving God for Himself

A few years ago, I had a turning point in my relationship with God. Until then, I had been fixated on the doing of things that would make Him happy or proud and on not doing the things that would displease Him. And, then, of course, there was the aspect of Him doing things. There was the matter of things I would ask Him to do, and a lot of me reading into things that He allowed to happen that I hadn’t asked Him to do. This resulted in my becoming discouraged when it seemed that things were happening in my life that weren’t in my best interests, and getting hung up on trying to figure out His working in my life.

Then I had an epiphany that made me look at God and my interactions with Him very differently. It came about as a result of something I read, about loving God for Himself, for who He is, and not for what He does for us. I’m sure I had heard this concept before, but this time, it changed my entire perspective.

I started thinking about what that meant for me—loving God for Himself. I started thinking more about being than doing—about being with God, enjoying Him, being the kind of person He would enjoy being around. I thought about getting to know His person, and about our deep spiritual connection—spirit with spirit, mind with mind.

Each human soul is deep, complex, and not that easy to get to know or define—how much more so the God of all things? How could I have dumbed Him down so much? I realized that I had been looking at Him almost as a caricature. Sometimes I saw Him as a kind of “cosmic genie” who ran around “magically” getting things for me and doing things for me (in the good times). Or doing things “to” me (in the bad times). In other cases, my thoughts toward Him were as if He were a boss or “overlord” who had a list of expectations and was always keeping score.

After my epiphany, I tried to think along the lines of, If God was here in person, and I had a relationship with Him, what would we do together? What would we talk about? What would I share with Him? What would I want Him to share with me, and what would I ask Him about?

The answer to that isn’t clear or simple; but the core concept is that when we love someone and want to spend time with them, we don’t usually spend that time talking about what we accomplished today, or what we did wrong, or going over our to-do list. There’s a time and place for that, but building a loving relationship is more about deep thoughts, feelings, commitments, and the things we care about. It’s also not one-sided, with either side making all the requests or doing all the work.

So while I walk or run, ideally in nature, I turn my thoughts toward God. I try not to do all the talking. I try to listen. I know that there’s a time and place for asking for things in prayer, but to break bad habits, for a while I stopped asking for anything at all from Him during these times.

I think thoughts of gratitude and praise. I focus on His attributes and character and nature—the things that He is, rather than the things that He does. I meditate on how I can be more like Him. The one thing I ask of Him during these conversations is to help me do that. Rather than thinking about Him examining and measuring everything I do and every word I say, I think about His love and how He loves us for ourselves, and He loves being with us.—Jessie Richards

How can I become more like Christ?

God’s desire for all who know Him is for us to become more like Christ. We do this by first growing in our knowledge of Christ. It stands to reason that we cannot grow to be like someone we don’t know. The deeper our knowledge of Christ, the deeper our understanding of Him, and the more like Him we become. Among other reasons, we are to know and understand Christ so that we will be secure in the faith. …

Of course, knowledge alone will not produce a Christlike character. The knowledge we gain from God’s Word must impact our hearts and convict us of the need to obey what we have learned. Romans 12:1–2 tells us emphatically that the process of filling our minds with the knowledge of God not only brings us closer to Christlikeness, but obedience to that knowledge aligns us with the perfect will of God: “Therefore, I urge you, brothers, in view of God’s mercy, to offer your bodies as living sacrifices, holy and pleasing to God—this is your spiritual act of worship. Do not conform any longer to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God’s will is—his good, pleasing and perfect will.”

The natural consequence of knowing and obeying God is that He becomes greater and greater, while we become less and less as we yield control of our lives to Him. Just as John the Baptist knew that “[Jesus] must increase, but I must decrease” (John 3:30), so the Christian grows to reflect more of Christ and less of his own nature. Luke sums it up best when he describes what Jesus told His disciples: “If anyone would come after me, he must deny himself and take up his cross daily and follow me. For whoever wants to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for me will save it” (Luke 9:23–24). The cross was an instrument of death, and Jesus encourages us to take up our cross in order to put to death our old sin nature upon it. …

Becoming more like Christ starts by receiving Him as Savior from our sins. Then we grow in our knowledge of God by reading the Bible daily, studying it, and being obedient to what it says. This process causes us to grow and occurs over an entire lifetime in Christ. Only when we have entered Heaven for eternity with God does this process reach its culmination.—GotQuestions.org²

Published on Anchor July 2023. Read by John Laurence. Music by John Listen.

¹ https://www.wisdomhunters.com/how-to-grow-in-your-likeness-with-christ.

² https://www.gotquestions.org/more-like-Christ.html.

Acknowledgment Power

July 3, 2023

By Maria Fontaine

Audio length: 11:12

Download Audio (10.2MB)

The Lord can open the door for us to be a blessing to others by acknowledging their good qualities and encouraging them for their faithful endeavors in their current circumstances.

Jay, a man like Jesus

Some time ago, the Lord opened the door for me to witness to a young man, Jay, by beginning with pointing out some admirable qualities that he possessed. Though I had only met him once or twice before when he had done some repair work for us, I had heard numerous others comment about what a sweet and kind person he is, how honest and sincere, and how he is always ready to go out of his way to be a help to others.

In this instance, the Lord showed me to use the positive things I’d heard as a way to start a conversation with him. He had come by to fix a problem we were having with the plumbing. We had a few minutes to chat, in which I recounted some of the compliments that I’d heard about him.

I told him, “Jay, you remind me of Jesus. Do you know why I say that?” Seeming to like the idea, he smiled broadly and said, “No, I don’t.” I explained that Jesus was faithful to minister to people’s needs. No matter what they needed, He humbly went about doing good and being considerate and compassionate and loving.

I went on to say: “Jesus gives us different gifts, special abilities that if we choose to, we can develop into something wonderful that can help change the lives of others. Sometimes they’re physical gifts like a special talent or skill or the ability to learn certain things more easily. Sometimes, they are spiritual gifts like healing the sick, or a deep understanding of the hearts of others. Whatever He gives us, the purpose of these gifts is always to manifest His love for others in some way.

“That’s why you remind me of Jesus. I think that He has given you a special gift. In the Bible it’s called ‘the gift of helps.’ It might just seem automatic to you when you see a need or someone struggling to want to help them. Maybe to you it’s just normal to respond this way, but it’s something that other people realize is special. Caring about others and putting that into action to help them can be a lot of hard work. At times, you might feel almost like a servant, but you know what? Being a servant is not a bad thing. In the Bible, Jesus says, ‘He that would be greatest among you must be a servant of all’ (Matthew 23:11).

“Jesus’ whole life was spent serving others, ministering to their needs, and sacrificing to show them that He loved them. I think you’re in very good company, being gifted in this way. What better gift could we have than one that allows us to reflect Jesus’ nature! It doesn’t always look glorious in this life, but then, in this world, looks can be deceiving. Many of the most important jobs are not the ones that look glorious outwardly. Rather, they are ones that change hearts and lives, because those doing them are willing to do whatever it takes to help someone who needs them.”

Angelo, the angel in electronics

I believe that this approach of looking for the good qualities or gifts that someone has been given can help them to recognize that they have value to God. When we can point out some specific qualities and gifts that we see in someone, it amplifies the point that these gifts have a Giver who wants to provide, both for them, and through them, for others.

It can also stir their hearts to desire to do more with what they have been given. It can create in them a hunger to discover what else God has provided for them as tools to fulfill their callings and develop a stronger personal connection with Him.

I want to tell you a few more experiences I had along these same lines.

Shopping is something I rarely do and with difficulty, because it bothers my eyes. However, one day when I already had to be out for a medical appointment, I stopped by a department store to try to find an item I needed. The first department by the entrance was electronics, and behind a counter stood a young man who was trying to look busy, because at that moment he had no customers. As I walked by, he beamed his most cheerful smile, so I stopped to ask him where in the store I could find the item that I needed. He came out from behind the counter and said to wait and he’d be right back. After several minutes he came back with just the thing I had asked for.

He could easily have pointed in a general direction or told me which department to look in, but instead he went out of his way to search and find the item I needed! I commended him for having such a wonderful gift for helping others. He’d been so cheerful about making the extra effort, so I asked about something else I’d hoped to find, and he immediately led the way to the department where I could find it, adding that if I needed anything else, I knew where to find him, and to not hesitate to ask.

As we returned to the front of the store a little while later, I noticed that he was available once again, and I decided to talk further with him, wanting to mention something about Jesus. I told him that he seemed like a very sweet and conscientious, diligent, and hardworking young man. It turned out that his name is Angelo. When I asked about his family, he explained that he was unmarried, as he wasn’t earning enough to support a wife, much less children. When I mentioned how difficult it must be, he responded that he tried to do what he could to help others who have even less than he has.

Angelo seemed to have such a heart for others that I could barely tear myself away. As we spoke, I was looking to Jesus to show me a key to his heart or something I could say that would help him significantly. The Lord showed me to make a positive connection between his name and his character. I said: “You know, Angelo, I think the Lord gave you a name that suits you well. Angels are messengers of God’s love. Your kindness helps communicate what He wants people to understand about Him.” He seemed very touched by this.

As I left, I paused and gave him a tract, saying: “This little message from Jesus will help you to see how greatly He loves you. He wants you to know that He’s always right there for you. As you receive Him into your heart, He’ll always be there and never leave you.”

He was so touched by this that he seemed on the verge of tears. I told him that his sweetness and kindness and helpfulness was very important to his customers in making them happy and comfortable and that he was doing them a real service. But even more important, he was being an example of how much Jesus loved them. I wanted to let him know that Jesus is proud of him. Who knows? Maybe he has been searching all this time and just needed to have some confirmation about Jesus and His great love.

Mary, the care-giver amongst the shoes

Another experience along these lines happened when I had to venture out on a search for some much-needed shoes. Shoe shopping is one of the most challenging things for me as I have “difficult feet.” I need a shoe that is very narrow in the heel and much wider across the toes, which is a rare find. So, when I am desperate enough to make the trip out, I can be tempted to just rush in, get it over with, and go home.

The young woman in the shop, Mary, was very sweet and went to a lot of trouble to tune in to what I was looking for. Of course, she wanted to sell her shoes, but her helpfulness extended beyond that, and she put a lot of effort into bringing me one pair of shoes after another, and thinking about it, saying things like, “I have an idea. Maybe this will work!” She was right there with me the whole time, only leaving momentarily to attend to another customer and remaining positive and patient and so cheerful even when the search for the right shoes dragged on for a while.

She persevered and finally managed to find the right pair, and I could see the sense of satisfaction that radiated from her face. As we were about to go, I told her: “Mary, you have been a very big help to me today. It took a lot of your time and effort to go out of your way to do your best. Maybe this job of selling shoes is just temporary for you, or perhaps you are planning to continue this for some time, but can I point out something I’ve noticed about you?

“I see that you care about each customer and their comfort and happiness. I see that you put your heart into whatever you are doing. You make an effort to encourage others, like you did for me. When some people come into your store, they may be a little discouraged, like I was, thinking that I wasn’t going to find anything, and you did everything you could to help me. I’m very thankful that we were able to find shoes that fit me so well. You know, Mary, making people happy, encouraging them, and boosting their spirits is not a small thing. Your beautiful smile, your gorgeous eyes, your attentiveness to what is important to others are gifts that God has given you, and you seem to use them well.

“Selling shoes is pretty important. People have to have shoes, if only to keep their feet warm and protected. But even more important to them than that is the personal attention you pay to them. It’s good to keep on cultivating that, reminding yourself that making people happy is one of the most important things you can do in this life.”

She almost cried as I said this to her and then gave her a tip, telling her that this was a token of my appreciation. I added, “Mary, Jesus loves you very much, and He wants to encourage you today that your life is important and what you do is important.” She turned away quickly, shedding a few tears and smiling with embarrassment.

I felt so happy, because I realized that I had prayed before I left home and the Lord had helped me to practice what I preach, not just rushing from point A to point B, but keeping in mind that there are precious people all around who need attention. I was doing something that was much more important than merely finding a needed pair of shoes!

You just never know how much those words of acknowledgment, support, or encouragement will motivate a person to excel in this life. Those “days of small things,” those beginnings in the life of someone who the Lord has led you to, can be just the start of something great in God’s eyes. That’s how He sees it!

Originally published July 2020. Adapted and republished July 2023. Read by Carol Andrews.

Racing Toward the Mark of the Beast (cont.)

2005-04-29

Your Money, Computers, and the End of the World

Peter Lalonde and Paul Lalonde

If You’re Not Paranoid, It’s Because You’re Not Paying Close Attention!

We know that if we use a plastic card such as a credit card, we will get a statement at the end of the month telling us how much we owe the card company. But there is more to it than that. To verify our charges, the statement lists every purchase we’ve made and where we made it. More than one husband’s secret purchase of new golf clubs has been discovered because of this technology.

Even today, if we used our card for every purchase we made during a month, the card company could recreate just about everywhere we went and when we were there. In a cashless society where you had no choice but to conduct your business electronically, such tracking capabilities would be dramatically increased.

Now add to that some of the items discussed in other portions of this book and consider what it might mean to something like international travel. As the global community has opened up, business travel between countries has increased greatly. Nowhere is this more true than within the European Community. To speed the process, automatic customs turnstiles are being developed. The busy traveler need only insert his or her smart card into the terminal and let the electronic device take a quick fingerprint reading to verify personal identity. In a flash he has cleared customs and filled in another blank on his activities log for the keepers of the database.

In an electronic society, every bit of information is captured and stored in giant databases. While a cash purchase is nearly untraceable, an electronic one is recorded forever. The potential for abuse is staggering.

Every credit card purchase casts a shadow. So does each entry into a security-minded workplace or store, application for health insurance, call to a phone sex service, selection of a pay-per-view movie or movement of a cellular telephone.

It’s called a data shadow, and it grows longer as computer databases record more and more of our daily activities. The image reveals who we are, where we go, whom we know, what we do and when—sort of an electronic alter ego that is required for us to obtain credit, receive welfare benefits, vote, get a job or cross a border without a hassle.

The global village is fast growing into surveillance city.

Despite these incredible dangers, society is caught in a “technological trance,” according to Canadian Privacy Commissioner Bruce Phillips. He declared in his latest report that information—any information—is for sale to the highest bidder! At a recent “This Week in Bible Prophecy” conference, a notary gave us a copy of her profession’s national magazine, The National Notary. The magazine stated that there is no longer any fear of where we are heading: “Arguments raising the cry of `invasion of privacy’ are antiquated and almost date the loudest proponents as stuck in the last century.”

Despite this lack of concern, the Bible’s warning is very clear. We mustn’t forget that the prophecy concerning the mark of the beast begins with the words, “And he causeth all …” If you are going to cause anyone to do anything, there has to be some teeth in your bite.

This is what the Bible is trying to tell us about the Antichrist system. While it will be desirable to most of the world, those who do not submit will be systematically excluded from almost every activity. There will be virtually no way to function outside of the system.

So how far have we come? Let us answer that by describing some of the leading-edge technologies of our day. Then judge for yourself. As we sketch out some of these systems, take note of the good and desirable reasons given for their introduction. It almost makes you forget that the price of these tremendous breakthroughs is your very freedom.
Electronic Tracking Promoted by Crimebusters

Automobile theft has been increasing about 15 percent a year for the past ten years and is now an eight-billion-dollar-a-year business. Police say that 80 percent of the cars are stolen by professional car thieves, not by joyriders or first-timers.

Tracking systems already available are being touted by police departments as a real deterrent in the battle against car thieves. At least two companies, Teletrak and LoJack, are now making these antitheft devices. They cost between $500 and $900 installed, but police, insurers, and car owners say they are worth it. Both companies say they recover about 95 percent of the stolen cars that are equipped with the systems.

Here’s how these locator systems work: A transmitter about the size of a videocassette tape or a chalkboard eraser is hidden in the vehicle. In the Teletrak system, when a thief starts the car without disarming the system, the unit begins to send out a signal that is tracked on an electronic map. The LoJack system, on the other hand, must be activated by the owner once he realizes his car has been stolen. Either way, the police can now electronically follow the stolen car.

Arno Froese of Midnight Call Ministries points out the clear connection of these tests to endtime events.

“During 1991, over 270,000 cars were stolen in France alone. Any device that will discourage theft can only be welcomed. Of course, the effect will be good only until the thief finds the computer chip and removes it. However, inventors will not cease to create the undetectable device that cannot be removed. Thus, our thoughts are guided to the time when man too will come under the control of the electronic beast that will lead to the fulfillment of Revelation 13:17: `… that no man might buy or sell, save he that had the mark, or the name of the beast, or the number of his name.'”
Chips at Work

What are some other uses being promoted for these tracking devices? In England, a company has developed a clip-on microcomputer identification badge which makes it easy to locate employees who have to move from location to location in a large office complex. It is also being tried in hospitals in order to keep in constant touch with patients and doctors.

New York Times writer Leonard Sloane provides this ominous lead to his story on the intelligent badge:

“Another tool that lets `them’ check up on `us’—where we are and with whom we are—is on the way. It is the active badge, a small clip-on microcomputer about the size of an employee ID card, that transmits signals to a central system. As long as you wear the badge, the system can track your movements around an office building or even a larger area.”

Of course, today’s technologies make tracking people within a hospital seem insignificant. For example, the world was introduced to the Global Positioning System during round-the-clock television coverage of the Gulf War in 1991. Soldiers carried small hand-held computerized units whose exact location was monitored by satellites high above the desert. The satellites in this high-tech network enabled U.S. forces to find the right way through and around unmapped sand dunes to arrive at their prescribed destination. The Economist magazine discussed the success of this system:

“Having seen its success, the American forces [busily equipped] everything, from battleships to cruise missiles, with GPS systems. The technology may have as many applications in peace as in war—or even more.”
Sometimes I Think the Car Knows Its Own Way to the Golf Course

Much of what we have so far described does not immediately affect the average man or woman. So why should anyone be concerned?

Here’s why: It is inevitable that a major portion of the population will soon be involved with one of these systems. Perhaps the most fascinating—and most likely to realize widespread implementation soon—are “smart” travel systems.

Travelers won’t have to try to remember directions or scribble them on scraps of paper. Family feuds that spoil many vacations (because dad won’t ask directions when he gets lost) will be a thing of the past when cars are equipped with the new Trav-Tek navigational system.

This is still an experimental system, but it may be universally available in just a few years. “Smart” cars are equipped with a microcomputer and a dash-mounted color video screen that displays navigation maps and information on area attractions, hotels, restaurants, and special events. One reporter described her experience with a car like this:

“It could have been a scene from a Jetsons cartoon. As the passengers climbed in the Oldsmobile Toronado the destination was keyed into the vehicle’s computer.

“The driver pulled away from the curb. A short way down the road, the car computer announced, `Take a left onto Landerson Street.’ As long as the driver followed the directions of the car, there was no way to get lost. The car’s computer had the route plotted.”

As interesting as this is, it’s only the beginning. Systems are being developed to improve traffic flows in metropolitan areas and collect tolls from commuters without slowing them down (much less stopping them) at a traffic-jamming toll booth.

Scanner systems already exist that can read data on a microchip as it passes through a reader beam at a hundred miles an hour. As a chip-equipped vehicle passes the collection point, the scanner reads the chip and automatically deducts the toll from the account of the owner. Such a system would not only speed up toll collection, but would reduce costs and pollution, increase safety (by eliminating a lot of stopping on the high-speed toll roads and by reducing risks as drivers fumble for change), and improve efficiency at collection points.
Honey, I Told You that You Were Driving Too Fast Last Week

As a side benefit, the systems may increase revenue in another way. Scanners can record a vehicle’s speed, activate a citation-issuing process, and collect traffic fines. Already there are many test sites across North America where you might just receive a traffic ticket in the mail. Many European countries already have this in place.

There are also countless tests being run where the microchip on your smart card can be read by the system as you pass through, without requiring you to take the card out of your wallet. The system simply accesses your card by a radio frequency, confirms that you are indeed supposed to pass through security, records your entrance, and moves on to the next person. You never even know that it has taken place.

In the implant world of the future, you wouldn’t need a microchip on your windshield. Your personal microchip could just as easily be activated as you pass through a toll. No additional equipment would have to be added to the vehicle for the system to work.

The plain fact is that as good as these systems will be at speeding up traffic and streamlining toll collections, they also have a very real side effect. The government will have the ability to know exactly where you are at any point in time. There is little doubt that in the hands of a totalitarian government, such a system presents a huge potential for control. From a prophetic point of view, we are undoubtedly watching the guts of the Antichrist system coming into place.
Even the Cattle on Your Field Are Numbered

Here’s another interesting tidbit. While parcels of land don’t move around, the European Community nevertheless is keeping close tabs on farm plots. The European details the EC spy in the sky:

“Brussels has launched spy satellite surveillance of Europe’s nine million farmers in the intensifying war against fraud. In all but two of the 12 member states, the fields of thousands of farmers who make bogus claims for hefty EC subsidies are being detected with pinpoint accuracy.

“For the first time, satellite surveillance makes it possible to carry out checks on virtually every farm, largely superseding the cumbersome procedure of random on-the-spot checks by agriculture ministry officials.

“In Brussels, the Commission is collating the spy satellite data, then passing it on to national enforcement agencies in readiness for a blitz on fraudsters once the autumn harvest begins.

“The first task for EC experts is to give every field a serial number and identify the type of crop being grown. Detailed analysis can then reveal whether the actual plot tallies with a farmer’s application for subsidy.

“The Commission’s response has been ambitious. They have invested ECU 115 million in a scheme centralizing records on who farms what. A `Domesday Book’ would be compiled listing every field and animal across Europe. It would be policed by satellite surveillance and a new electronic system of tagging livestock.”

Tracking and tagging livestock seems almost bizarre, even to prevent fraud. But remember, if the Antichrist is going to control all commerce and all buying and selling, he would have to control bartering. A cow traded for vegetables might elude the electronic accounting system—but not the “sky spy” that counts and tracks livestock and brussels sprouts.
Big Brother May Not Be Watching, But He Could if He Wanted to!

Technology exists today that can easily track the movements and activities of every citizen. A government that can do this can control its people. Skeptics scoff at the idea we are in the last days and that this may be the generation spoken of in the Book of Revelation. They doubt that this is the first generation fully capable of being the last generation.

But it is sobering to think about what the government already is capable of. Resistance by watchdog groups is waning. So much information about every citizen is already in databases—it seems pointless, many say, to resist. Soon, those people who are not cooperating can expect to have their “electronic purse” turned off. They will be incapable of conducting even the most mundane business dealing. All assemblies can be detected, infiltrated, and identified. Hiding will be impossible. How can you hide when even the highways are watching you?

And remember what Terry Galanoy, the former director of communications for (what is now) Visa has said: “Protesting too loudly about it isn’t going to help either, because the disturbance you kick up is going to end up in one of your files. And on that come-and-get-it day when we’re totally and completely dependent upon our card—or whatever security device might replace it—you might be left all alone without one.”
Going On-Line with the New World Order

As astonishing as these technologies are, the coming man of sin, or Antichrist, cannot fully control the buying and selling of the entire world until these technologies are pulled together into an integrated network with common, universal standards. He could not control even the conduct of business between two independent countries if they continued to use different card technologies, computer software, and tracking systems.

Today, however, international networking and the establishment of global industry standards are quickly putting this problem well into the rearview mirror. Governments and other institutions are expanding their electronic networking by sharing information, services, and technology. Proponents of these cooperative efforts always point out the positive aspects, such as lowered costs and improved efficiency in the delivery of goods or services. Little is ever said about the negative aspects of governmental or commercial intrusion into the previously private affairs of individuals.

Revelation 13 tells us that, in the coming new world order, there will be a global economic system where all business transactions can be traced. As we have demonstrated, computer technology probably will be central to this system.

Jeffrey Zygmont, writing in Omni magazine, says: “It looks as if the techno-marketeers may reach their elusive goal at last to put a computer in every American home. We might all succumb this time because the computer is cleverly disguised to look like a television.”

Zygmont also wrote that when computers were still new, marketing experts were limited in the scope of their vision, envisioning these home terminals only for balancing checkbooks and storing recipes. In that light, he argues, it is “no wonder they fell miserably short of their wish to put a computer in every home. Nintendo has come much closer, selling nearly 30 million game systems since the early eighties. But then, Nintendo distills what people seem to want most from computers in their leisure: fun.”

TVs are about to become two-way devices through what is known as interactive television, which planners say will “transform TV from a passive spectator-deadening device into a truly interactive tool, one that prods you to interact as well with the real world.”

People are so accustomed to and comfortable with television that their fears of computers and Big Brother are assuaged by integrating computer technology with their very familiar television set. Even the government is aiding in this technological transformation.

The Federal Communications Commission has paved the way for the proliferation of a technology that permits TV owners to bank, pay bills and order everything from Chinese food to tennis shoes through the boob-tube. A remote control device accesses menu screens offering up the various services.

The product of Virginia-based TV Answer Inc., interactive television transmits data via radio waves to a base station linked by satellite to the firm’s headquarters. The systems will be available in 25 major cities by the end of the year. ( To be cont.)

Racing Toward the Mark of the Beast (cont)

2005-04-29

Your Money, Computers, and the End of the World

Darling, Your Hands Are So Geometrical

While fingerprinting is still the most popular biometric method, many new developments are threatening its dominance. One of these is hand geometry.

Hand geometry has existed since 1971. In recent years it has become more popular as an identification tool. Westinghouse Hanford’s Company Security Application Center (SAC) has recently developed a template using hand geometry instead of the fingerprint. Just as in the case of the fingerprint, the template is stored in the smart card and can be accessed for comparison at any time.

You’ve no doubt seen such devices in science fiction or spy thriller movies. To gain entry to a secured area, the employee seeking access must insert his hand in a reading device. Just like in the movies, today’s hand scan machines verify the shape of the hand and the length and height of the fingers—minus, of course, the whirring sound and the pulsating lights necessary for the movies.

Hand geometry verification is a reality and is already in operation in many high-security facilities. In fact, just such a system has been installed in airports around the world. In two airports in the eastern United States, the system has been installed to speed up the immigration process.

The Immigration and Naturalization Service is planning to install such systems, depending on the results of these field tests, in all international airports in the United States. These hand scanners are expected to reduce the traveler’s reentry process to about 30 seconds—a considerable time savings when you consider that delays for passport checks can now take up to 90 minutes at the busiest airports. As the world becomes more globally interdependent, quick access across borders will be essential.
Hey Lady, How About a Little Less Hand Cream?

Hand geometry creates a template based on certain measurements and relationships unique to each person’s hand. A geometric analysis might show the length of all the fingers as well as the normal space between the fingers at varying points while the hand is relaxed. The reading might also give the width of fingers, the width of the hand span, the width of the hand at the “heel” and a variety of other notations. These geometric readings are just as individualized as fingerprints.

Hand geometry also works where fingerprinting might not. For example, fingerprinting is very unreliable for certain people, such as manual workers, pipe smokers, and women who wear hand cream. In all of these instances, impressions left by the swirls and circles in normal fingerprints can be impossible to record because they are filled with a foreign substance (hand cream), have been burnt smooth (by constantly holding a hot pipe), or have been worn away by constant friction (caused by manual labor). Moreover, many biometric experts believe fingerprint technology may meet some resistance due to its long-standing association with criminal activities.

The one technical drawback to hand geometry is that it requires an individual to place his or her hand in a very precise location on the reading area. But this seems to be a temporary setback.
The Mark VI Personal Identity Verifier

Biometric Technology Today newsletter tells us that one company, PIDEAC, has recently gone into large-scale production of its Mark VI Personal Identity Verifier. The article says,

“This hand geometry verification device is unusual in that it does not require users to place their hands within posts or grooves located on the reading area. Instead, the company has developed a technique which allows the hand to be placed anywhere within the reading area. Both hands can be enrolled in the system in case of injury to one in the future.”

The student of Bible prophecy will not only be interested in the name of this device, but in the fact that its developers have decided to record both hands in case of injury. The Bible may well have been foretelling just such a precaution when it referred to “marking” the right hand or forehead.
Is It Live or Is It Recorded?

As is generally the case in developing industries, these technologies are not the only ones evolving. Recent Hollywood movies have introduced to the public all the latest designs. Voice verification systems, for example, are being fine-tuned.

Those who have seen the movie “Sneakers” will recall that it was through the use of recorded voice patterns that the heroes defeated the voice verification system. As an indication of how far this technology has advanced, researchers at universities and in the private sector are developing personal computers that operate by voice recognition—not for the purposes of identification, but to translate spoken words into written words. Already, we have entered the Star Trek age where accessing your computer can be as simple as saying, “Computer.”

Facial recognition is a fairly new biometric industry. At the “Solutions for the Global Frontier” conference in Washington, D.C., conference organizer Ben Miller pointed out that several companies are working on facial recognition devices.
Your Personal Bar Code

Other identity verification systems are being studied by a myriad of researchers. One of the most interesting is called vein checking. When your fist is clenched, the veins on the subcutaneous part of the hand are more visible to the naked eye and even more so to vein-detection devices. This technique already has been dubbed “the personal bar code.”

At the same time, the Pentagon is experimenting with a new genetic identification system. Military officials say that, once in place, the system will guarantee there will be no more “unknown soldier” casualties in future wars.
Say Hello to Tomorrow

These elaborate systems certainly seem logical and are certain to have some positive long-term effects. Costs are coming down. Just think back to the days when calculators first came on the market. They were both complex and expensive. Now, of course, you can purchase calculators at a discount store’s checkout display for a couple of dollars. Likewise XTs (IBM’s original personal computers) are now considered the world’s youngest antique.

So while researchers continue to develop the hardware and software for these verification systems, others in science, industry, and government are fervently seeking a better, more cost-effective, and even more secure system—one that will have universal feasibility, accessibility, and capability. With the world’s financial future hanging in the balance, it’s no longer a question of “if,” only of “when.”
Will That Be Hand or Forehead?

Here’s a simple trick: Wave your hand over the computer scanner at the grocery store checkout counter, and your bill is deducted from your checking account. The technology to accomplish [this] feat already is here … said Tim Willard, executive director of the World Future Society, a Washington organization that claims 27,000 members worldwide. But the willpower may not be.

“Just suggest something like an implant in humans and the social outcry is tremendous,” Willard said. “While people over the years may have grown accustomed to artificial body parts, there is definitely a strong aversion to things being implanted. It’s the `Big Brother is watching’ concept: People would be afraid that all their thoughts and movements were being monitored.”

The above quotation did not come from a Christian magazine or a prophetic newsletter. Instead it was a news release of the respected Gannett News Service. Moreover, reports like this one are not isolated or farfetched.

To the student of Bible prophecy, however, this is where a discussion of the cashless society, smart cards, and biometrics comes full circle. Suddenly, the leading-edge ideas of twentieth-century security planners line up with prophecies recorded by the apostle John some 2,000 years ago.

And make no mistake about it—this technology is coming whether we like it or not. Listen to the words of Terry Galanoy, the former director of communications for (what is today) Visa International.

“Protesting too loudly about it isn’t going to help either, because the disturbance you kick up is going to end up in one of your files. And on that come-and-get-it day when we’re all totally and completely dependent upon our card—or whatever security device might replace it—you might be left all alone without one!”

Now, compare that warning and the Gannett release quoted previously to a passage from the Book of Revelation:

“And he causeth all, both small and great, rich and poor, free and bond, to receive a mark in their right hand, or in their foreheads: And that no man might buy or sell, save he that had the mark, or the name of the beast, or the number of his name.” (Revelation 13:16,17).

Think about it for a moment. The greatest problem facing cashless planners is making sure the person with the smart card in his pocket is the person to whom it rightfully belongs. But the smart card is not really a card at all. All that is smart about it is the tiny microchip glued to it. The rest of the plastic card is just a handy carrying case and a Madison-Avenue-like attempt to make us all comfortable by giving us this new technology packaged in the same plastic cards we’ve become used to.

But what if you simply took the microchip from the card and implanted it under the skin? Presto, you no longer need all these sophisticated biometric devices. You don’t need to verify that the person with the card is the rightful owner. The person is the card!

Let’s open our minds to the realities of implementing such a system. The great problem, as we have seen, is in getting people to accept such an ominous-sounding system. As is so often the case, however, hundreds of reasons seem to be cropping up to convince planners and ordinary citizens that implants may be one of the finest ideas in human history.
Do You Know Where Your Kids Are?

In the 1980s, we became alarmingly aware that thousands of our children were missing. Our sensibilities were assaulted with gruesome reports of youngsters being stolen for use in pagan rituals and in the child pornography industry, as well as becoming targets of sexual molestation and misuse. Add to this kidnappings for ransoms and abductions by estranged parents, and the problem took on monumental proportions.

Milk cartons and heart-wrenching television advertisements were a constant reminder that every day children were being abducted, abused, and often murdered. This drastic problem led to equally desperate proposals to halt the increase in such criminal activity. Many methods of tracking abducted children or runaways were suggested.

Among many ingenious ideas, one solution is viewed by most technocrats as the ultimate—the use of implants. It is the most secure of all the plans suggested to date. One of the first to propose such a scheme was a plastic surgeon in Florida:

“A tiny homing device implanted behind the ear will help parents locate their missing children, says a plastic surgeon who developed the gadget using the same technology that led to cellular phones. The device, which emits electronic signals, could also help law enforcement officials find parolees and aid in the search for victims of Alzheimer’s disease who have wandered off, said the developer, Dr. Daniel Mann. Private industry and government agencies have expressed interest in the mini-beeper, which measures less than an inch in size. Mann was awarded a patent … for the device, which would work on an electronic energy system. The gadget emits a signal that could be monitored through a cellular system or possibly by satellite. Reaction has been generally positive.”

While it could possibly serve as the solution to one of our most pressing societal problems, developers acknowledge that “without a doubt, this device would be the ultimate invasion of privacy because they [the authorities] would be able to find you anytime they want.”

They argue, however, that this disadvantage must be weighed against the greater good—the welfare of our children. This is such a powerful argument that it’s opening the door to increased and widespread use of this ominous technology.

It would be one thing if at-risk children were the only group being considered for such implants, but today many voices in a variety of fields are calling for implants in large portions of the population.

An implant strategy, for example, could keep better tabs on victims of Alzheimer’s disease who often lose track of their surroundings and wander off. Tragically, many die from exposure before they are found. It is estimated that there are more than 75,000 chronic wanderers in the United States alone.
Prison Security Improved

Severely overcrowded prisons plague our society. One innovative solution to this problem is a program that keeps nonviolent prisoners in a prison within their own home. These electronic leash programs are run under the same principle as the system used to keep children safe at home.

The prisoner is fitted with a nonremovable electronic bracelet while a base unit is placed in the house. If the prisoner (and the electronic bracelet) wanders beyond set limits, the base unit calls the police. Under such programs, described as “electronic prison bars” or “electronic leashes,” many nonviolent prisoners are now serving their sentences at home! The prisoners’ movements are monitored electronically by impulses given off by a transmitter in the bracelet that alerts police if the criminal wanders beyond the present limits. The number of prisoners being monitored by such devices increased from only 95 in 1986 to approximately 65,650 in 1993.

Uses for these devices are being hailed as near-perfect solutions to nearly impossible situations. Extending such a system to read implanted microprocessors would also be a great asset for police officers on patrol. Vital information about the suspect they have arrested would immediately be available so necessary precautions could be taken.
Gun Control and Chips

Louder calls for gun control are coming on the heels of increased crime. According to a report in USA Today, “A personal smart card that every citizen would carry is just one controversial idea the Justice Department has to keep guns out of felons’ hands.” The Justice Department also has suggested that gun shops install high-tech fingerprint scanners.

Implants, which could carry every conceivable bit of information about the carrier, might provide a solution for police agencies in controlling who is permitted to buy a gun.

With the person’s complete history, including criminal records, always on (in?) the person, gun dealers could immediately verify police-required security checks.
Better Access to Medical Records

What would happen if your child were rushed to the hospital and you weren’t there to approve treatment?

When accidents or sudden illnesses strike and the victim cannot communicate, it is not always easy or even possible to locate a medical card. An easily located card could contain vital information needed by emergency medical personnel. The card would most likely include vital information about allergic reactions to certain medicines and existing conditions that might preclude certain types of treatment.

In situations where every second counts, a good case can be made for implants. Emergency technicians wouldn’t have to search a victim’s wallet or purse or car for the medical card. The problems wouldn’t be compounded because someone left the card at home.
Testing Implants in the Lab—Your Black Labrador, That Is

Successful experiments with animals have propelled the microchip implant to the top of the list of electronic identity verifiers. Let’s look at how the procedure has been successfully used in animals.

The European Community’s Executive Commission has passed legislation requiring that all livestock owned by EC farmers be implanted with microchips. Home pets also are being electronically identified by implants, and laboratory animals are not overlooked. Bio Medic Data Systems is a provider of this type of service:

“Nobody knows lab animal identification better than we do. Our unique Electronic Laboratory Animal Monitoring System (ELAMS) uses a miniature transponder implant and advanced microprocessor technology. It can link any animal to any computer database, allowing you to individualize your animal using your study number. Simply put, it replaces the complexities and inaccuracies of toe clipping, ear tagging and tattooing with a foolproof, fast and economical method of positive identification.”

In Colorado Springs and dozens of other cities across North America, microchips have replaced dog tags. For $45 the Humane Society will implant the chip under the skin of the dog’s neck. If picked up by the dogcatcher, a wand-like scanner will be used to read the chip and identify the owner.

This pet-tracking technology is not optional in some parts of the world. In Spain, Big Brother is watching the pets.

“Dogs and cats in Spain’s largest cities must now undergo microchip implants to make it easier for authorities to reunite lost pets with their owners and track down those who’d rather abandon their animals than pay a sitter.

“Four of Spain’s 17 regions now require dog and cat owners to identify their pets with the chips or tattoos—apparently the only such laws in western Europe or North America.

“`The whole object is not only to make it nationwide, but also Europe-wide and then universal,’ said Dr. William Hutchinson, a Scottish veterinarian working in Madrid.”

We are witnessing the development of an international, microchip-based system capable of tracking every animal on the face of the earth. By its very nature, a system built to monitor all of the world’s animals is a de facto test for a system capable of doing the same thing with people!
In the Right Hand or Forehead

This is a tremendous proof of the accuracy of God’s Word. Almost 2,000 years since the prophecy was uttered, we are witnessing the birth of a cashless society and the ever-expanding use of microchip implants to track animals all over the world—a likely precursor to the Antichrist’s worldwide monitoring system of people.

One thing is for sure. For the first time in history, the technology to easily fulfill this incredible prophecy exists. (To be cont.)

What God Can Make from a Shattered Life

June 30, 2023

By Scott Hubbard

Some sorrows run so deep, and last so long, that those who bear them may despair of ever finding solace, at least in this life. No matter how large a frame they put around their pain, the darkness seems to bleed all the way to the edges.

Perhaps you are among those saints whose lot seems to lie in the land of sorrow. You have not taken the bitter counsel of Job’s wife—“Curse God and die” (Job 2:9)—and by God’s grace, you will not. Yours is not a fair-weather faith. You know that God has treated you with everlasting kindness in Christ. You cannot curse him.

(Read the article here. An audio version is available on the page.)

What God Can Make from a Shattered Life | Desiring God

Valuing Communication

June 29, 2023

By Maria Fontaine

Audio length: 5:55

Download Audio (5.4MB)

We have all gained a wealth of experience in our varied service for the Lord through the years. When the Lord lays it on our heart to share what we’ve learned with our fellow laborers—ideas, tips, approaches, and solutions, both practical and spiritual—it can often help to enhance their lives and ministry in some way.

When we’ve discovered effective ways of approaching the challenges we face, we are understandably excited, enthusiastic, and sincerely convinced of the merits of implementing what we’ve learned, and we naturally want others to benefit, too. For that reason, it can sometimes be hard for us to see others either not accept what we share or only implement bits and pieces of our suggestions while ignoring the rest.

What we might not realize, though, is that even if two situations appear to be very similar, there may be reasons why a particular plan or approach that worked so well for us might not be a good fit for someone else. It takes a lot of humility to offer counsel, knowing it might not be accepted fully. Still, the potential benefits for others are more than worth the effort, even when they don’t choose to implement what is shared.

On the other hand, if we are in a position of being offered advice from someone else, it also takes humility to listen and prayerfully consider the counsel, being careful not to reject it if the Lord is trying to speak to us through it. Sometimes, the counsel will fit our situation in nearly every way. In some cases, parts of the advice given can be implemented, or adapted to our own lives as the Lord leads us. There will also be times when none of the counsel will be appropriate. But even then, the Lord may use it to unlock some new way of looking at a situation or it may trigger our thoughts in a way that might provide a completely different solution that we might not have previously considered.

It’s important for us to respond to others’ suggestions with love, mutual respect, and thankfulness, whether we decide to implement their advice fully, partially, or even not at all. It may still prove to be valuable at some point in the future.

I had a conversation with a longtime member and veteran missionary who was burdened about someone who was very important to her and her husband. They had offered suggestions to this person, based on things they had learned over many years on similar mission fields, but they felt sad that their ideas seemed to be largely ignored.

I suggested that perhaps she could ask the Lord to give counsel on the situation and how they should proceed. The message that she sent me was, in my opinion, a clear and helpful presentation.

(Jesus:) It’s important to remember that all My children are in the process of learning. In this case, how you help and minister to this man needs to be similar to how you offer counsel to your adult children regarding the decisions that they make. You have to trust Me that I will lead them and that they will be able to grow both through the blessings and the struggles that come from their decisions.

Sometimes, watching them as they learn and grow is very hard, and you do need to check in with Me to see if you should be involved, and if so, how much and in what way. Seeing their growing pains can sometimes be difficult.

When you show others respect by offering counsel, but not trying to push and nag and force, even when your experience seems to tell you that what you are offering is the wisest option, you are showing faith and respect for Me. You are recognizing that I am with others and will work through their choices to create the full stature of the man or woman I know they can become.

When you respect others’ convictions in how to proceed, you acknowledge that I am teaching them what they need to do in their particular circumstances. It has to be their decision, even if it’s not how I might guide you under similar circumstances. I know their hearts better than anyone, and the Holy Spirit can work through their choices. It may not always be the shortest route, but can eventually work together for good in their life.

The overarching precedent is that it must be according to their faith. Pray for them and trust in Me that I will be working through and with them, even as I do in your life.

My followers need to be careful not to become judgmental if others are not operating according to the way they think they should operate. I lead each of My children to follow what I show them, just as I do for you. My Spirit will be working to bring about the greatest good through their choices and actions. As they each wholeheartedly do what they can to follow the principles that I have shown them, I will bless them and lead them.

Trust Me for those you offer counsel to. Remind yourself that I walk by their side using their experiences to teach them. I am working in their hearts.

Giving counsel to others has to be done in humility and love and in sync with My timing. Sometimes others will need your strong support. At other times they have to stand against the storm on their own two feet, bracing themselves by leaning hard on Me.

Trust Me that the path I have placed them on will bear good fruit in the end. Trust Me to do what I know is best. Uphold them in prayer. Rejoice with Me for the victories that are going to come as a result.

Originally published September 2020. Adapted and republished June 2023. Read by Carol Andrews.

A Rabbi Sees the Light

June 28, 2023

Treasures

The high priest, Caiaphas, filling the imposing chamber of the Sanhedrin—the Supreme Court of all Judaism—exclaimed: “The doctrine of the followers of Jesus of Nazareth is spreading through Jerusalem and we have failed to take action!”

“Come now, son,” Caiaphas’ old father in-law, Annas, says as he pensively strokes his long white beard. “Neither we nor any of the elders of the Council knew that this heretical sect would continue to spread once their prophet was executed.”

“But just last week,” Caiaphas laments, “we had two of their main leaders, those two fishermen, Peter and John, arrested and here before us. But Rabbi Gamaliel took the floor and persuaded the Council that we should let them go! He said, ‘If their purpose or their work is merely of man, it will come to nothing, but if it is from God, you will not be able to stop them, and you could very well find yourselves fighting against God’ (Acts 5:28-42).

“We did whip them and threatened them with severe punishment should they continue preaching in the name of their executed leader, Jesus.”

“But what good did that do?” Annas asks. “Their popularity is increasing daily, their numbers are multiplying, and there are reports that our own priests are becoming secret believers and followers of this sect!” (Acts 6:7).

“We must act, Caiaphas, and we must act now! If not, all of Jerusalem is going to be proclaiming that that dead Nazarene is the Messiah. But to avoid trouble from the Romans if they should find out that we’ve put some of these heretics to death, perhaps we could use some of our brethren who are not directly linked to the Sanhedrin?”

“An excellent idea, Father,” Caiaphas replies, “and I think I know the perfect man for the job—Rabbi Saul. As you know, he is from Tarsus, the capital city of the province of Cilicia, and is one of the chief rulers of the ‘Synagogue of the Freedmen,’ a very devout congregation here in Jerusalem, of Jews from Greece and Asia. Saul is a very zealous young Pharisee who would do anything to further the cause of our religion.” (See Acts 22:3; 23:6; 26:4–5; Philippians 3:4–6.)

Saul was immediately summoned to the priests’ quarters at the Temple compound. He gladly accepted the commission of seeking out and capturing a prominent Christian and personally seeing to it that the “infidel” was assassinated. Saul agreed that such action would serve as an example and warning to the rest of the Christians in Jerusalem, and would hopefully bring a stop to their activities.

After organizing a band of devout Jews from his synagogue, Saul and his men went straight to the outskirts of Jerusalem’s central marketplace—an area where the Christians could frequently be found preaching to the crowds. There they discovered a certain disciple named Stephen, who was powerfully and openly witnessing to the multitudes about Jesus.

Here is the description of the encounter with Stephen in the Bible: “Then there arose certain men who were members of the Synagogue which is called the ‘synagogue of the Freedmen’—Jews of foreign origin, including men from the provinces of Cilicia and Asia. These Jews began arguing and disputing with Stephen, yet were unable to resist the wisdom and the spirit with which he spoke! So they bribed false witnesses who said, ‘We have heard him speak blasphemy against Moses and against God!’

“And they stirred up the people and the elders and the scribes, and they rushed upon Stephen and seized him and brought him to the Council. The false witnesses testified to the Sanhedrin, ‘This man continually blasphemes against our holy Temple and against the Laws of Moses: For we have heard him say that this Jesus of Nazareth shall destroy our holy place and change the customs which Moses gave us!’” (Acts 6:8–14).

The High Priest, Caiaphas, looked at Stephen and asked him if the accusations were true. Stephen answered with a powerful sermon in which he recounted in detail the entire history of the Jews—from Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob to Moses and through their prophets and kings, to show how God had dealt with Israel through the ages, preparing them for the Messiah. The Bible tells us that “all who sat in the council saw that his face was like the face of an angel” (Acts 6:15).

At the end of his message, Stephen spoke a compelling blast of truth, telling them, “You stiff-necked and uncircumcised in heart and ears, you do always resist the Holy Ghost! As your fathers did, so do you! Which of the prophets have not your fathers persecuted? They even killed those who predicted the coming of the Messiah, who you have now betrayed and murdered. You who have received the law, but have not kept it” (Acts 7:51–53).

The Council, as well as Rabbi Saul’s mob who had captured Stephen and brought him there, were unable to take this stinging rebuke. “And when they heard these things, they were cut to the heart” (Acts 7:54), and they agreed that this heretic should be stoned immediately.

“But Stephen, full of the Holy Spirit, gazed upward toward heaven and saw the glory of God, and Jesus standing at the right hand of God. ‘Behold,’ he cried aloud to the assembly, ‘I see heaven opened and the Son of Man standing at the right hand of the Father!’” (Acts 7:55–56).

Upon hearing these words, they covered their ears, and yelling at the top of their voices, “rushed upon Stephen and dragged him out of the city to stone him” (Acts 7:57).

Saul remained on the outskirts of the frenzied religious mob as they prepared to hurl their stones at Stephen. The Bible says, “They laid their robes and cloaks down at the feet of the young man whose name was Saul … And Saul consented and gave full approval to Stephen’s death” (Acts 7:58; 8:1).

But to their dismay, the Sanhedrin discovered that Stephen’s death didn’t curb or slow down the Christians’ activities in the least. They continued growing and spreading their message more than ever. Not only was the Council enraged, but Rabbi Saul was determined to exterminate them! “And there arose at that time a great persecution against the church which was at Jerusalem, and they were scattered abroad throughout the entire regions of Judea and Samaria. As for Saul, he made havoc of the church and began to destroy it, going from house to house, dragging off men and women and throwing them into prison” (Acts 8:1–3).

The persecution against the Christians became so vicious and violent that the Christians virtually evacuated the entire city of Jerusalem. But the zealous Pharisee Saul was not content with having driven most of the Christians out of the capital.

“Saul continued breathing out murderous threats against the disciples of the Lord, even going to the high priest and asking for official letters to the synagogues in Damascus, Syria, authorizing him to bring captive to Jerusalem any Christians that could be found there” (Acts 9:1–2). Saul went so far as to obtain authorization from Caiaphas to arrest and imprison Christians in the distant capital of another country over 150 miles away!

Years later, Saul wrote and confessed, “I did many things contrary to the name of Jesus of Nazareth. Many of the saints I threw into prisons, having received authority from the chief priests. When they were executed, I raised my voice against them and condemned them. I punished them in every synagogue, I compelled them to blaspheme; and being exceedingly mad against them, I persecuted them even unto foreign cities” (Acts 26:9–11).

However, while Saul and his company of Temple guards traveled by horseback on the dry and dusty road to Damascus, something completely unexpected and extraordinary befell him on the last leg of his journey.

“As they approached the city, suddenly there shined round about him a brilliant light from heaven! And he fell to the ground from his horse and heard a voice crying out to him, ‘Saul, Saul, why do you persecute me?’” (Acts 9:3–4).

Although Saul had studied the Scriptures and knew that God supernaturally spoke to and called His messengers and prophets, he had never experienced anything like this in his entire life!

Astonished and almost terrified, Saul wondered what this blinding light and this supernatural voice could possibly mean. If it was really the voice of God, then why did it say, “Why do you persecute Me?” Surely God knew that he was on a holy mission for Him, to persecute God’s enemies, the members of the heretical sect that followed that troublemaker, Jesus of Nazareth. Barely managing to gather his wits, Saul addressed and questioned the voice out loud: “Who are You, Lord?”

Then came the answer that would radically alter and transform this young Pharisee’s life. Slowly and clearly the voice answered: “I am Jesus, whom you are persecuting. Saul, it is hard for you to kick against the pricks” (Acts 9:5). The Lord was picturing Saul as a stubborn ox that was kicking back at his master’s ox goads, sharp sticks which farmers used to make their beasts move. In other words, Saul was resisting the pricks of his conscience in persecuting Christians.

In one brilliant, blinding flash of heavenly revelation, Saul realized how terribly wrong he had been in persecuting and killing Christians. “My God, my God!” he thought as his mind reeled in astonishment, “Jesus is the Messiah! What have I done? Have mercy upon me, Lord!”

Addressing the voice again, Saul trembled and wept as he asked, “Lord, what do You want me to do?” And the Lord answered, “Arise and go into the city. It shall be told you there what you must do” (Acts 9:6).

“Saul arose from the ground, but when he opened his eyes, he could see nothing, for he was blind and had to be led by the hand and brought into the city of Damascus. There he remained for three days without sight, and neither did he eat nor drink anything” (Acts 9:8–9).

Just imagine, this once great and proud Pharisee, the Rabbi Saul, was supernaturally struck down and knocked off his high horse by Jesus Himself and was absolutely blinded by the light of God! He was so totally shaken and awestruck by the dramatic and supernatural events that had befallen him, he was unable to eat or drink, but lay in bed pondering, desperately praying and waiting for God to show him what to do.

Three days later, “The Lord spoke to a certain disciple in Damascus named Ananias, saying, ‘Arise and go to the house where Saul of Tarsus is. Put your hands on him and pray for him that he may receive his sight’” (Acts 9:10–12).

But Saul’s reputation among the Christian disciples was so notorious that Ananias replied, “‘But, Lord, I have heard from many about this man, how much evil he has done to Your children in Jerusalem, and how he now has authority from the chief priests to capture and imprison all those who call upon Your name.’

“But the Lord said to Ananias, ‘Obey Me and go to him, for he is a chosen vessel unto Me, who will take My name before the Gentiles and kings and the children of Israel’” (Acts 9:13–15). So Ananias obeyed and went.

“Brother Saul,” Ananias greeted him as he entered the room where the rabbi lay. Saul was dumbfounded. He had encountered many Christians before, but none had ever called their cruel and heartless persecutor “brother.”

Seeing the pitiful condition of this former persecutor of his people, Ananias felt compassion for him and told him, “‘Saul, the Lord, even Jesus, who appeared to you on the road as you journeyed here, has sent me to pray for you so that you can see again and be filled with the Holy Spirit.’ Then he laid his hands over Saul’s eyes and earnestly prayed, and his eyes were immediately healed and he rose up, ate, and was strengthened” (Acts 9:17–19).

After spending just a few days with the disciples in Damascus, the Bible says that “Saul immediately preached Christ in the synagogues, that Jesus is the Son of God. And all those who heard him were amazed and said, ‘Isn’t this the one that destroyed those who called on this name (Jesus) in Jerusalem? And didn’t he come here to capture and imprison Christians?’ But Saul increased in strength and confounded the Jews which lived in Damascus, proving that Jesus was indeed the Messiah. And after many days, the Jews took counsel to kill him” (Acts 9:19–23). Thus the former persecutor became the persecuted, and the world-changing ministry of the Apostle Paul was launched!

No doubt from the moment that Saul witnessed Stephen’s martyrdom, he was under the conviction of the Holy Spirit. Thank God, Saul finally yielded to the truth that Jesus is the Messiah, and he became the foremost leader of the early church. What an example of a transformed life, of a “new creature in Christ Jesus” as he became the Apostle Paul, follower and preacher of the love, mercy, and grace of God (2 Corinthians 5:17).

After his conversion, Paul “immediately preached Christ.” He didn’t wait for weeks, months, or years to become a witness for the Lord, but immediately testified to others about the Lord. Even if you haven’t memorized chapters of Scripture or become an eloquent public speaker, if you have received Jesus in your heart, you are also called to share Him with others so that they too can experience God’s love and receive His gift of eternal salvation.

May God help us all to be bold witnesses and testifiers to bring the love and truth of Jesus Christ to all whom we can! Then, like the great apostle Paul, we can say at the end of our lives, “I have fought a good fight, I have finished my course, I have kept the faith. So now there is prepared for me a crown of righteousness, which the Lord shall give me on that day” (2 Timothy 4:7–8).

From an article in Treasures, published by the Family International in 1987. Adapted and republished June 2023.

You Do Not Suffer Alone

June 27, 2023

A compilation

Audio length: 12:37

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The Lord is my light and my salvation; whom shall I fear? The Lord is the stronghold of my life; of whom shall I be afraid?—Psalm 27:1

Here David celebrates the only place he can find hope—in the presence of the Lord. To be David’s light, salvation, and stronghold, the Lord must be near. In the pain of unthinkable things David says, “God, it’s your presence that lights my way, it’s your presence that gives me hope that I will be delivered from evil, and it’s your presence that provides refuge for me when it seems that there is nowhere to run.”…

Our hope is not found in understanding why God allowed suffering into our lives. Our hope is not found in the belief that somehow we will tough our way through. Our hope is not found in doctors, lawyers, pastors, family, or friends. Our hope is not found in our resilience or ingenuity. Our hope is not found in ideas or things. Though we may look to all those for temporary help, ultimately our hope rests in the faithful and gracious presence of the Lord with us.

He is not weakened by what weakens us. He is not confused by what confuses us. He does not suffer from the mood swings that afflict us. He is not afraid like we are. He never makes a bad decision. He never finds himself out of control. He never wants to take back his words. He never regrets the way he’s behaved. He never responds impulsively. His choices are never driven by anxiety. He never dreads the next day. He never wants to give up. He is never frustrated by an inability to make a difference. He is with us, but the reason this is so wonderfully comforting is that he is completely unlike us in every way. He is limitless in power, he has authority over everything, he is perfect in every way, he dwells with us, and he assures us that he’s not leaving.—Paul David Tripp¹

Corrie ten Boom and her sister Betsie were Dutch Christians. During the Second World War, they and their family were arrested and then sent to a concentration camp for harboring and helping Jewish fugitives. While they were incarcerated, Betsie became sick and died. Before she went to glory, she told Corrie to tell the world that “there is no pit of suffering so deep that Jesus is not deeper still.”

What did Betsie mean? She meant that Jesus is not aloof from our pain or beyond suffering, like the gods of other philosophies or religions. No, Jesus has entered into the worst of our suffering. He has experienced life as a fugitive, an exile, and a victim of great injustice. He has suffered what we suffer and He understands. Whatever pit of pain we enter, He is deeper still. If your heart is broken today and you need comfort, know that God Himself is with you, drying your tears, holding you close, saying, “I am with you.”—Mark Stibbe²

Most people try not to think about it more than they have to, but there’s no denying it: There’s a lot of suffering in the world. Innocents are killed, maimed, and made homeless in cruel and unjust wars. More suffer the same in natural or manmade disasters. Cancer and other diseases claim millions of lives each year, often after months or years of pain. There’s no end to it. Why does life have to be this way? It’s the age-old question: Why does God allow suffering?

While we cannot understand all of His reasons and purposes for allowing suffering, one thing is certain: How people come through suffering or react to the suffering of others depends largely on their faith. Those who have implicit faith in a just and loving God call out to Him in their time of need and find the grace and strength to rise above their pain and loss.

Little is known about the personal suffering of Frank E. Graeff (1860–1919), but he must have been writing from experience when he penned his now famous hymn, “Does Jesus Care?” The pain he expresses is too real to have been mere fabrication, and only one who has been there could express the truth and hope found so victoriously in the chorus. “Oh yes, He cares, I know He cares, His heart is touched with my grief. … I know my Savior cares!”

Suffering is part of life, but that wonderful faith and assurance of God’s care and presence in the midst of our suffering can be yours too.—Activated magazine

Does Jesus Care?
By Frank E. Graeff

Does Jesus care when my heart is pained
Too deeply for mirth or song,
As the burdens press, and the cares distress
And the way grows weary and long?

Oh yes, He cares, I know He cares,
His heart is touched with my grief;
When the days are weary, the long nights dreary,
I know my Savior cares.

Does Jesus care when my way is dark
With a nameless dread and fear?
As the daylight fades into deep night shades,
Does He care enough to be near?

Does Jesus care when I’ve said “goodbye”
To the dearest on earth to me,
And my sad heart aches till it nearly breaks,
Is it aught to Him? Does He see?

Oh yes, He cares, I know He cares,
His heart is touched with my grief;
When the days are weary, the long nights dreary,
I know my Savior cares.

One implication of My uninterrupted Presence with you is that you are never alone. I am training you to be increasingly aware of Me, but I understand that you are human and your attention span is limited. Sometimes when you are suffering, you may feel as if you’re alone or abandoned. However, I suffered alone on the cross so that you would never have to be alone in your struggles. You are always with Me; I hold you by your right hand.

I am training you in patient endurance. This lesson is not for the faint-hearted. However, it is a rich blessing—one aspect of sharing in My kingdom and My suffering.

Since My kingdom is eternal, it is of infinite value. And I have made it clear that sharing in My sufferings is necessary for sharing in My glory. Moreover, this experience produces real benefits in the here and now—character.

Patient endurance can be developed only through hardship. So make every effort to welcome the very problem you dread. Bring it into My presence with thanksgiving, and acknowledge your willingness to endure it as long as I deem necessary. Ask Me to take this dark, ugly thing and transform it into something lovely. I can weave bright, golden strands of Glory into the most heart-wrenching situation. It may take a long time for this lovely pattern to emerge, but this waiting can build patience. Rejoice, beloved, for I am polishing your character till it shines with the Light of My Glory.—Jesus³

“Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shall tribulation, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or peril, or sword? In all these things we are more than conquerors through Him who loved us. For I am persuaded that neither death nor life, nor angels nor principalities nor powers, nor things present nor things to come, nor height nor depth, nor any other created thing, shall be able to separate us from the love of God which is in Christ Jesus our Lord.”—The Apostle Paul (Romans 8:35, 37–39)

Published on Anchor June 2023. Read by Reuben Ruchevsky. Music by John Listen.

¹ Paul David Tripp, Suffering: Gospel Hope When Life Doesn’t Make Sense (Crossway Books, 2018).

² Mark Stibbe, God’s Word for Every Need (Destiny Image Publishers, 2016).

³ Sarah Young, Jesus Always (Thomas Nelson, 2017).

Practicing Kindness and Goodness

June 26, 2023

By Peter Amsterdam

Audio length: 11:02

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When the apostle Paul was writing about living a godly life, about living in and being led by the Holy Spirit, he listed what he called the “works of the flesh,” which included things like enmity, strife, jealousy, fits of anger, and envy. He then followed this up with “the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control” (Galatians 5:19–23). The fruit of the Spirit is the working of the Holy Spirit within us, which causes us to grow in godliness and Christlikeness.

Within this list we find two aspects of the fruit of the Spirit that go hand in hand—kindness and goodness, which are both described as attributes of God’s nature. “God, being rich in mercy, because of the great love with which he loved us, even when we were dead in our trespasses, made us alive together with Christ … so that in the coming ages he might show the immeasurable riches of his grace in kindness toward us in Christ Jesus” (Ephesians 2:4–7). “When the goodness and loving kindness of God our Savior appeared, he saved us, not because of works done by us in righteousness, but according to his own mercy” (Titus 3:4–5).

Because God is kind and good and has shown His kindness and goodness toward us through Jesus’ sacrificial death to atone for the guilt of our sin, we are in turn called to be kind and good to others. “Be kind to one another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, as God in Christ forgave you” (Ephesians 4:32).

We are told to “put on then, as God’s chosen ones, holy and beloved, compassionate hearts, kindness” (Colossians 3:12), and that “the Lord’s servant must not be quarrelsome but kind to everyone” (2 Timothy 2:24). In 1 Corinthians 13, we are also told that “love is kind.”

The Hebrew word chesed, which is used 248 times in the Old Testament, is translated as kindness, mercy, lovingkindness, goodness, and kindly. In the New Testament, the Greek word chrēstotēs is translated as kindness and moral goodness. It means tender concern, a kindness of heart and of acts.

Kindness and goodness are closely related, and the terms are often used interchangeably. Both express an active desire to help meet the needs of others. Jerry Bridges wrote:

Kindness is a sincere desire for the happiness of others; goodness is the activity calculated to advance that happiness. Kindness is the inner disposition, created by the Holy Spirit, that causes us to be sensitive to the needs of others, whether physical, emotional, or spiritual. Goodness is kindness in action—words and deeds.¹

Kindness and goodness consist of good deeds which spring from love, done with the goal of being a blessing to others. They reflect Jesus, who “went about doing good … for God was with him” (Acts 10:38).

Kindness and goodness aren’t something shown only to people we love, but to all—even someone who might be seen as an opponent or enemy, because in doing so we imitate the kindness of God. Jesus made this clear when He said: “Love your enemies, and do good, and lend, expecting nothing in return, and your reward will be great, and you will be sons of the Most High, for he is kind to the ungrateful and the evil” (Luke 6:35).

The call is to develop a kind and good temperament so that we are sensitive to others and willing to do deeds which manifest love. As the apostle Paul wrote: “We are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works” (Ephesians 2:10).

As believers, we are new creations in Christ, transformed by the Holy Spirit, and called to go about and do good, as Jesus did. He was devoted to the welfare of humanity, and put that devotion into action through loving, caring, and acting in a manner which exhibited kindness, goodness, and care for others. Kindness and goodness are often manifested on a large scale when there is some sort of emergency or great need which causes people, Christian and non-Christian, to reach out and help others.

Many of us will help out in an emergency, which of course is kind and good, but the biblical understanding of this fruit of the Spirit goes beyond that. It is a transformation from our natural proclivity to look out for ourselves, to be selfish and concerned about our own needs, into a godly nature, influenced by the Holy Spirit, that is mindful of and willing to do something about the needs of others.

Most of our opportunities for extending kindness through doing good to others are found in the course of our simple everyday activities. It’s helpful to regularly pray that the Holy Spirit helps us to recognize the needs of others and to nudge us to take action.

Scripture teaches that we are to look not only to our own interests, but to the interests of others (Philippians 2:4). This requires fighting against our inborn selfishness and purposefully acting in ways that go against our human nature. Most of the things we do to become more Christlike butt heads with our human nature. Striving to become more like Jesus calls for change in our heart, mind, and actions; but it’s the heart where those changes must be deeply rooted.

What do kindness and goodness look like? They’re found in our speech when the words we say to others are laced with love and concern for others, when we listen attentively to others, giving them our full attention. We recognize them in those who give of their resources, time, or attention to someone in need. They mean showing genuine interest in and concern for others. They turn the other cheek when someone wrongs us. They help us hold our tongue when someone has said something insulting or hurtful.

Kindness and goodness come from hearts of love, compassion, and mercy. Kind people don’t gossip. They don’t betray trust. They display patience. They aren’t self-centered. They aren’t short-tempered or explosive. They don’t constantly talk about or draw attention to themselves.

As those who strive to imitate Christ, we are challenged to lay down our lives for others. This means giving time to others, such as our spouse, children, and other loved ones, so they feel loved and cherished. It also means showing kindness by giving to others in need, even when it’s a sacrifice; speaking a kind word to someone, even when we’re struggling ourselves; and there are countless other ways we can be kind to others.

Kindness translates into loving words spoken and caring deeds done. All of us have opportunities to be kind to others throughout the course of our days. We can offer a kind word, lend a helping hand, do a good deed, with the goal of acting with love, of making life a little more pleasant for others, thereby reflecting Jesus’ love to others.

Jesus taught how highly God regards showing kindness and goodness in this passage regarding the coming day of judgment: “The King will say to those on his right, ‘Come, you who are blessed by my Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world. For I was hungry and you gave me food, I was thirsty and you gave me drink, I was a stranger and you welcomed me, I was naked and you clothed me, I was sick and you visited me, I was in prison and you came to me.’ Then the righteous will answer him, saying, ‘Lord, when did we see you hungry and feed you, or thirsty and give you drink? And when did we see you a stranger and welcome you, or naked and clothe you? And when did we see you sick or in prison and visit you?’ And the King will answer them, ‘Truly, I say to you, as you did it to one of the least of these my brothers, you did it to me’” (Matthew 25:34–40).

Originally published August 2017. Adapted and republished June 2023. Read by John Laurence.

¹ Jerry Bridges, The Practice of Godliness (Colorado Springs: Navpress, 2010), 215.

Racing Toward the Mark of the Beast (cont.)

2005-04-29

Your Money, Computers, and the End of the World

Peter Lalonde and Paul Lalonde

What’s in the Cards?

The technological advances of the past ten years in the card industry are almost incomprehensible. Credit cards, debit cards, and the like can, when used in an ATM or similar machine, provide us with immediate access to almost any service, product, or bit of information we might want. And the “new, improved, and smarter” cards can do even more.

To begin, let’s briefly consider the type of cards now on the market—not types as in credit or debit cards, but types as in the technical construction of the cards.

Magnetic Stripe Cards. These are the most commonly used cards in North America. They are a simple plastic credit or debit card with a black stripe on the back which contains certain information: perhaps your name, an account number, and a personal identification number called a PIN. When you go to an automated teller machine, you insert your card into the machine and punch in your PIN on the keypad. Once the machine verifies that the PIN you have punched matches the PIN recorded on the magnetic stripe card, you are then able to conduct a financial transaction such as withdrawing from or depositing funds to your account.

Smart Cards. These too are plastic credit or debit cards that contain a small microchip, usually in the top left corner. There are two types of smart cards. One is a memory-only card from which information can be obtained by a reading device. The information cannot be changed or updated. The other type has a microprocessor which allows for information to be updated, changed, or processed. According to Stephen Seidman, editor of Smart Card Monthly, the only real difference between this type of smart card and a personal computer is the packaging. Smart cards, like the magnetic stripe cards, must have some type of identification device (like a PIN) to match the cardholder with the card.

Optical Cards. These plastic cards contain data stored on the entire surface of the card, which can be read by laser. They store great amounts of data and are frequently used to store medical information.

While each of these cards could be capable of being the card in a cashless society, they all share one common drawback. To this date, no system has been developed to make certain that the person using the card is the person who should be using the card. The system of PINs simply has not worked, and the banks underwriting the system are losing a small fortune because of it.
Banks Are the Big Losers

Automated teller machines and the entire plastic card industry are being ripped off at a staggering rate. Thieves use their victims’ ATM cards to withdraw large amounts of cash (usually up to the daily limit) from the accounts. Cards are being counterfeited. And in both cases banks, not customers, are responsible for these losses and are losing millions of dollars each year.

Magnetic stripe cards, the current industry standard, are easily counterfeited and the losses are stacking up. In fact, counterfeiting credit cards is considered the fastest-growing type of credit card crime in Canada, according to the Canadian Bankers’ Association. One industry source said recently that counterfeiting accounts for about 14 percent of all credit card crime.

Bankers say they aren’t charging their legitimate customers for the counterfeit claims but are absorbing the losses themselves. This is highly unlikely. Either way, this counterfeiting has greatly increased an already massive security problem for North American banks.
Smart Cards to the Rescue

Sid Price, senior vice-president of the National Processing Company, the largest credit card processing company in the United States, says the next logical step is to convert the U.S. card structure to a smart card system.

It has long been argued that the cost of making this major change would be too great. But with the losses increasing each year, many people are saying the United States cannot afford not to make the change. The demand for change has reached a level that prompts Price to predict that the crossover is “only months away, not years.”

The primary impetus for this change is, of course, to eliminate the losses incurred by credit card fraud. The consensus among industry leaders is that smart cards are virtually impossible to counterfeit or duplicate. And they have built-in mechanisms that make them “hacker proof.”
More than Just Money

So far we have talked primarily about the smart cards and how they will ultimately replace cash. But there are many other applications for the card. Stephen Seidman, publisher of Smart Card Monthly, gives us additional perspectives on the capabilities of the smart cards.

“From a business point of view, Smart Cards are now being used to identify employees and guests, automate time and attendance records, control access to parking lots, buildings … copiers, fax machines, corporate records…. As money, they are used to collect and balance travel expenses via company-installed ATMs, to make purchases in company stores and in neighboring shops, and shopping malls.”

Seidman continues: “Nationally—in degrees varying from country to country—cards are being used, and/or planned for imminent use, in national public telephone systems, health care, and financial transaction processing networks.”
An American National ID Card?

Recently, the Clinton administration announced interest in the implementation of a health card as part of the reform of the health care system in the United States. In the September 1992 edition of the New England Journal of Medicine, Bill Clinton was quoted as saying, “Everyone will carry smart cards coded with his or her personal medical information.”
What a Powerful Little Item

Just how powerful are these microprocessors? The U.S. government is exploring the use of smart card technology for its proposed universal health card because the microchip in a smart card can retain incredible amounts of information. A 4 meg chip, quite common today, would be more than ample to carry a person’s entire health history, not to mention insurance information, all on a chip 1/6th the size of a postage stamp.

As amazing as this is, hold onto your hat. Here’s the rest of the story. The big news is the latest chip that was announced for the first time at the Global Frontier conference. Toshiba has developed a microprocessor chip, no larger than the 4 meg chip, that can retain up to one gigabyte of information for up to 100 years!

What in the world is a gigabyte? A gigabyte is a billion bytes. To give you some sense of perspective, one million seconds is 12 days. One billion seconds is 32 years. A gigabyte of memory is equal to 10,000 times an average personal computer’s capacity.

Today these uncounterfeitable cards hold the potential to serve as the world’s first fully functional “electronic wallet.” The largest single stumbling block to the system is still the problem of making sure that the person using the card is the person to whom it belongs.

The real source of these problems, as we’ve said, is the present security system used by the banks. The system relies on personal identification numbers as its only security procedure.

A PIN is assigned to the cardholder when he or she receives the card. This four-digit number is encoded in the card and given to the cardholder. When making an ATM transaction, the cardholder inserts the card into the ATM and then types in his secret number. If that number matches the one stored on the card, the machine assumes that the person using the card is the rightful owner. It sounds pretty good in theory, but in practice it simply isn’t working.
PINs Aren’t Real Secure

Often cardholders select a PIN that is easy for them to remember—like a birthday (5-3-45), the last four digits of their Social Security number (4832), the last four digits of their phone number (8037), or some other familiar number. The problem with this is that these numbers are probably located on other documents in the victim’s purse or wallet. Thieves will look for these familiar numbers and try them on the keypad, often with success. U.S. News & World Report sums up the problem:

“In an era when virtually all Americans are asked to show I.D. ranging from driver’s licenses to credit cards, the process of insuring that a person is who he or she claims to be is big business and a matter of growing concern. No longer is the simple password, the I.D. badge or the magnetic encoded card sufficient, say security experts. Those traditional devices can be falsified, stolen or discovered accidentally.”

Many elderly card users don’t trust their memories, so they write the PIN down and carry it with them. Unfortunately, they often carry the number in their wallet or purse near the card itself and clearly identify the number as their ATM PIN. Many card users—and not just the elderly or the mentally impaired—actually write their PIN on the card! They make it so easy for the thief.

Another problem with the current PIN security system involves armed robberies. Any reasonable person held at gunpoint will gladly cough up a PIN rather than be shot.

It is clear that if we are to move to a cashless society, a better, more secure card system has to be developed. There is simply no other choice.
Your Body: The Only ID You’ll Ever Need

His name is Bond. James Bond. And to gain access to his secret headquarters he might place his finger in an electronic machine that verifies that he is indeed 007. Or to get into a NATO compound he might look into a pair of goggles that resemble binoculars. As he does so, a light beam focuses on the vein patterns in his eyes, patterns which are even more unique than his fingerprints.

While James Bond is pure fiction, these space-age technologies are now very much a part of the real world. Known collectively as biometrics, these systems identify a person by unique physical or behavioral characteristics.

Today, leading-edge biometric technologies include fingerprint readers, hand geometry machines, retinal readers, voice recognition systems, signature dynamics, and a myriad of others. In a world where cash is eliminated and every financial transaction is done electronically, security is the critical factor in both running the system and in getting people to put their trust in it. Biometrics may still sound futuristic, but in today’s fast-moving world the future is now.
Bud Goes Shopping

For the sake of clarity allow us to introduce a fictional character, Bud. Let’s pretend he is participating in a fingerprint verification program with his new debit smart card. Bud has decided to take this path because he can never quite remember his personal identification number. To get things rolling, Bud heads down to the local grocery store where the card company has an “enrollment counter” set up.

At the counter Bud is issued his own smart card with its tiny microchip. The card is programmed as a debit card so that when Bud later arrives at the checkout counter with his groceries, the money can be electronically transferred from Bud’s bank account to the store’s. But now, back at the enrollment counter, something else has to take place before Bud can begin his shopping.

Bud is asked by the young lady doing the enrollment to put his finger in a tiny machine hooked up to a personal computer. This machine scans his fingerprint and makes a computer picture of it called a template. In just a few seconds that template is digitally transferred and stored in the memory of the computer chip in Bud’s smart card. That’s it. The job is done. It all took under five minutes.
May I Have Your Card and Your Finger, Please?

Now Bud is ready to do his shopping. He fills his cart and he’s off to the checkout counter. When it’s time to pay, Bud hands his smart card to the salesclerk who places it in the point of sale (POS) terminal which is electronically linked to Bud’s bank and the store’s bank. But, wait—what if it is not Bud who is presenting this card? After all, the clerk doesn’t know him. He might be using someone else’s card.

To verify that Bud is indeed the owner of the card, the clerk asks him to put his finger in the reader attached to the POS terminal. This reader scans Bud’s fingerprint, just as the reader at the enrollment counter did. But now, it compares that fingerprint to the one stored on the card. If the two match, Bud can make his purchase. If not, the police will quickly be on their way.

What an ingenious system! No number to memorize. No hassle—all you need is your card and your finger. It’s just that simple and secure. Instantly, the money is transferred from Bud’s bank account and placed in the store’s.

Today, costs for card-based biometric POS systems have shrunk to between $3,500 and $7,000 each. And while they are more expensive than PIN systems, the realities of an electronic world are making them more competitive.

“Now that we are cost competitive, we feel that comparisons will be performance, not price, driven,” said one industry official. “The person with all their billing records at stake doesn’t really care if it costs $6,000 or $4,000. It’s not really relevant.”

While these systems are expensive, in a world where cash is eliminated and every person’s security is directly related to the security of the electronic system, it is a small price to pay. A 1992 report estimated that biometric industry sales will double by 1995.
You Are as Unique as the Computer Says You Are

Let’s now take a closer look at the various biometric identifiers.

The most familiar biometric identifier is the fingerprint. Fingerprint identification has been a standard, especially in the legal system, for many years. This unique method of identification has progressed considerably in the past few years, thanks to technological advancements.

Law enforcement agencies have used fingerprint identification for a very long time. Old movies show the tired detective, a cigarette hanging from the corner of his mouth, flipping through fingerprint books trying to find a match. But the old methods have been updated and simplified using new technology. Identification can therefore be much quicker, with instant access to computerized fingerprint files. No longer do people have to flip through stacks of fingerprint pictures; now the computer can do the comparisons for them at lightning speed. And it’s still an almost foolproof method of identification.

But such systems are valuable not only for detectives and grocery shoppers; the uses are as diverse as one could imagine. Maryland’s state police, for example, are using Identix fingerprint machines to ensure that the wrong prisoner is not released, which could be quite a problem under the old system. They are also interlinking their machines so that prisoners can be properly identified at certain checkpoints, like a courtroom, the infirmary, the pharmacy, and so forth. At many high-security prisons, even the visitors have to submit to electronic fingerprint verification.
Alive or Dead? The Machine Can Tell

Someone might argue that this is OK for a prisoner who is under surveillance by an armed guard, but what about fingerprint identification for banking cards? What’s to stop a criminal from killing his victim, cutting off the victim’s finger, and then using it to access his financial accounts?

The new technology has an answer. When fingerprint devices are verifying a person’s fingerprint, they can also tell if the finger is alive or dead. That might sound a little weird, but bear with us for a moment.

Most people would willingly place their finger in a fingerprint reader at the behest of an armed robber, but suppose a victim resisted and was murdered or otherwise incapacitated. In bizarre cases where the stakes are high, it is not implausible that a criminal might cut off a person’s finger and use it in the security device.

It wouldn’t work. At the 1993 Card Technology conference, a demonstrator of one of these fingerprint security systems explained that the system can tell if a finger is dead by a hemoglobin reading built into the system. (to be cont.)

Christ Is Praying for You

June 23, 2023

By Max Lucado

We might have assumed the storms would stop. After all, Jesus was on the planet. We might have assumed that for the time He was on our planet, the earth would be storm-free, that God would suspend the laws of nature and protect His Son from the wind, the rain and storms. We might think: “Jesus should be spared the storms of life, and so should we.” That expectation quickly crashes on the rocks of reality. The truth is that life comes with storms. The good news is that Romans 8:34 states that “Jesus is at the right hand of God and is also interceding for us.”

Run time for this video is 28 minutes.

(44) Christ is Praying for You – YouTube

Racing Toward the Mark of the Beast (cont.)

2005-04-29

Your Money, Computers, and the End of the World

Peter Lalonde and Paul Lalonde

(Eugene, Oregon: Harvest House Publishers, 1994)

A Cashless Society at the Heart of the Beast System

It seems that a cashless society is crucial to the prophesied mark-of-the-beast system. The Scripture says: “That no man might buy or sell, save he that had the mark, or the name of the beast, or the number of his name.” (Revelation 13:17).

If the Antichrist is to have control of every sale or purchase, it appears that cash must be eliminated so that there will be a record of every transaction. If cash were permitted in the coming new world order, some commercial activities could be accomplished outside the system. The Antichrist could not control the buying power of every citizen if even a few deals were closed with cash.

Printed documentation is too bulky and slow, so an elaborate and sophisticated electronic system that controls and documents every transaction must almost certainly be in place. It must be a universal system since it will control every transaction of every person everywhere. Thus, the worldwide use of plastic cards today is only a natural and necessary step to a cashless society.
Big Brother Who?

Unlike a few years ago, our more recent research has found that the fear of Big Brother no longer plays a significant role in the resistance to a cashless society. Basically, no one is afraid of Big Brother anymore.

We surveyed people to find out whether they were concerned that governments, the banking industry, and other entities have vast amounts of information about them, and that they can be tracked almost constantly by some agency or other. The younger folks (under 45 years of age) in particular were very clear in declaring their unconcern. “I have nothing to hide,” they say. “The government only does this to make things more convenient and secure for us.”

Since every government in history which has had this kind of information has used it in a very Big-Brother-like way, it seems to us we should be concerned!
Like It or Not—Your Future Has Been Planned

While resistance is lessening, bankers and the card companies would still like to see the cashless society progressing much more quickly. In that light, we should realize that the cashless society is not unfolding randomly or merely because the consumer wants to take advantage of available technology. The technology is being developed at the urging of financiers because they have something to gain from a cashless system. As one banker put it, “Electronic funds transfer will come because the banks are pushing this concept forward, not because some stores just happen to be putting ATMs in their checkout lines.”

Earlier we talked about walking into your grocery store and paying for your cheese and baloney by having the funds transferred directly from your checking account to the store’s bank account. This is already being done in thousands of test locations with the use of a debit card.

What is a debit card? It looks just like a credit card but has far different capabilities. When you get to the checkout counter, you place your debit card into a point of sale (POS) terminal. The POS is linked to your bank and the store’s bank. Immediately, the machine activates central computers that instantly transfer the necessary money from your account to the store’s. It’s all done electronically and it’s about as convenient as you can get. But convenience is not the only drawing card for this new system.
Store Owners Don’t Want Your Cash!

Retailers are anxious for the advent of the cashless society for a variety of profit-oriented reasons. The use of plastic debit cards translates into higher profits because of reduced employee theft (there is no cash to steal), reduced charges on noncash transactions, and the elimination of check fraud.

Moreover, preliminary studies on the use of debit cards indicate that consumers tend to spend up to three times more with a debit card than they would with a credit card. It seems that consumers spend more freely when they’re not concerned about future payments and high interest rates.

Another plus for the retailer is the lower transaction fees charged by banks. Under the existing credit card system, retailers pay between three and seven percent of the purchase price to the credit card company. These fees, in addition to the interest charged the consumer, are how the credit card companies make their money.

The rates charged by the companies have been determined by several factors. One includes unlawful and fraudulent use of the card. Another concerns cardholders who will not or cannot pay their bills. To cover these huge losses, the companies must charge higher rates. With debit cards or prepaid cards, however, the amount of the purchase is deducted immediately from the consumer’s account or card, and there is no chance that the bill will go unpaid.

Another consideration for the retailer is improved cash flow and more immediate access to funds. The consumer’s debit card is scanned by the store clerk. Within seconds, the money is transferred directly from the consumer’s account to the store’s account. Or, in the case of prepaid cards, the amount of the purchase is debited from the card on the spot. No waiting. No paperwork. No risk of bad checks. It’s done.

Another very important advantage for the retailer is the reduction of robbery. As fewer transactions are conducted with cash, rarely will there be large amounts of cash around the store to attract armed robbers. These reduced risks create even more advantages: reducing insurance premiums, reducing the threat of physical violence to employees and resultant medical costs.

On every continent, all of these advantages already have been borne out by thousands of small-scale experiments. Cashless “mini societies” have been established and have met with great success. Retailers and consumers alike said they have benefited from the cashless system.
The Cash Cards Are Coming, the Cash Cards Are Coming!

One of the big challenges cashless-society planners face is the millions of small transactions that take place every day. These can range from calls on a pay phone to bus fare to paying a parking meter. An ingenious solution has been found by combining the features of a debit card with those of something known as a prepaid card. These prepaid cards are not yet widely known in North America, but they are about to be.

A prepaid card is simply a card that has encoded within it a stored value—say, 50 local telephone calls or 20 bus trips. You buy this card at the store and each time you use it one use is deducted from the total available. When the card has been completely used, you throw it away and buy a new one.

The power of this type of card is that it does not need to access a central computer or your bank account every time you make a small purchase. As industry standards are established and the prepaid card is merged with the debit card, cash will become obsolete.
Smarten Up!

Robert J. Merkert, Sr., senior vice president of Danyl Corporation of Moorestown, New Jersey, says: “One day in the near future, we’ll be able to pay for almost everything with just one `prepaid stored value’ or `smart’ card.”

Merkert, a respected proponent of cashless technology, told a gathering of business and government leaders from around the world that prepaid cards “will be used as pocket change. As prices for buses, vending machines and laundry go up, it becomes unwieldy to carry around five or ten dollars’ worth of coins.”

Merkert also told the gathering that the transition to prepaid cards would be relatively simple. He explained that financial institutions have used credit cards for decades and ATM or debit cards for several years. As applications increase for prepaid cards, Merkert said, more banks will issue them. With universal bank-sponsored prepaid cards on the way in and coins on the way out—with no change to make and little cash around—store checkout lines will be shorter; more pay phones will be in working order; vending machine prices can increase in one-cent rather than five-cent increments; and security will be improved at laundromats, convenience stores, and gas stations.

Merkert also told the conference that each year there are more than 270 billion payment transactions in the U.S. alone that involve two dollars or less. He said: “When these transactions are made electronically by smart card, there will be tremendous improvement in efficiency, reduced vandalism and fewer safety problems.”

Consumers also are beginning to see advantages to using debit/prepaid cards. Credit cards are convenient and for that reason often are overused. Inevitably, however, D day comes—the due date. Many people are surprised by how large the debt grows each month and how rapidly the minimum amount due increases. With some credit card rates exceeding 20 percent, the minimum payment just barely covers the monthly interest.

When consumers can use one card for a variety of purchases, it will be more convenient for them and they will want to use the cards even more.
Banking on the Future

Those who will benefit most from the cashless society are the institutions most pushing for it—the banking industry and card companies. The reasons all relate to increased profits. No matter how altruistic the rhetoric may sound, the bottom line is the bottom line—profit.

For one thing, electronic banking is much cheaper for the bank. The costs are lower for processing electronic fund transfers than for processing checks and their related paper handling. In addition, money is moved much more quickly.

But far and away the greatest benefit to the banks is the elimination of the bank branch. Banks are expanding the number of ATM locations to provide easier access for their customers. With the increase of ATMs and their 24-hour accessibility, the necessity for bank branches is all but eliminated.

It is extremely costly for banks to staff multiple facilities and to pay for building upkeep. ATMs, which can perform almost all the functions of a branch bank, are vastly less expensive. A USA Today reporter, writing about the cost efficiency of ATMs in a story about their increased numbers and capabilities, wryly noted that ATMs don’t ask for raises and don’t need medical insurance.

When a bank opens a branch, it has to hire architects, builders, contractors, electricians, pay building fees, and buy other permits. It has to furnish the bank, hire staff, train these employees, continually hire and retrain personnel, and pay continuous overhead. With an ATM, it has only to scout out a location like a mall, grocery store, or subway stop and send someone out once a day to service it—obviously, a lot cheaper.
The Prime Movers

While consumers are beginning to be lured by the cashless convenience and retailers are discovering the cost effectiveness of the debit card system, and while banks continue their never-ending search for greater profits, society itself is finding reasons to embrace this new paper-free world.

Much of this support has come from law enforcement agencies. One of the most persuasive arguments for a cashless society is the effect it will have in deterring crime. At the street level, mugging will become unprofitable as fewer and fewer citizens carry cash. As more and more retailers deal in card sales only, profitable targets for armed robbers will cease to exist.

On a much larger scale, law enforcement experts boldly proclaim that drug trafficking can be all but eliminated in a cashless society. Drug dealers carry out their business one suitcase full of cash at a time. No credit cards, no cashier’s checks—just cash. As cash is eliminated from everyday use, the medium of exchange for dealers vanishes. Large-scale transactions cannot be done through electronic banking without attracting the attention of bank officials and, in turn, law enforcement and other arms of government.

Black-market activities also will be severely curtailed in a cashless society. Extortion, kidnapping, blackmail, and prostitution will be all but eradicated as currency is retired. We are told that with the disappearance of cash will come also the disappearance of much crime. No wonder mankind will press for such a utopian economic system!
No Paper Trail

A letter to the editor in Time magazine represents the prevailing attitude:

“Your report on drug smugglers converting drug-tinged money into clean assets shows that our government’s oversupply of U.S. currency is a prime cause of the growth of the cocaine trade. You explain that 80 percent of all the bills printed by the Treasury can’t be located because so many of them are concealed by the dealers. As an assistant prosecutor at the county level, I am disheartened by the inaction on denying the drug kings their medium of exchange, currency. One way to catch them would be a surprise big-cash recall. Let’s demonetize the drug trade.”
Capitalizing on Fear

As crime in our society continues to increase, so does the draw to the plastic world. The number of stores accepting plastic money is increasing. Visa has signed up more than 3,000 supermarkets to take its cards. That’s about half of the top 50 grocery chains in the United States.

Even post offices in most U.S. cities are accepting credit cards as payment for postage. Other governmental agencies are getting into the act by using electronic payment systems for Social Security and welfare to help cut costs. One area of cost savings is found in the area of welfare fraud. Attempts are also being made to curb food stamp fraud by replacing the coupon system with plastic cards.

When paying for groceries, food stamp customers would run their cards through an electronic reader and would enter their personal identification number (PIN). Their account or card would then be debited for the purchase. Each month the food stamp recipient gets additional money stored on the card. This plan results in significant savings by stopping fraud. Recipients can’t sell coupons to raise cash for the purchase of alcohol, drugs, or tobacco. The card can be used only by the person to whom it is issued. The cardholder is identified through some kind of link to the card such as a PIN.

Governments have become one of the biggest advocates for the elimination of cash and checks, especially in the Western world. Millions of dollars could be saved each month if government payments to individuals could be handled electronically rather than by issuing and processing expensive paper checks. Too, electronic deposits would put an end to the theft of Social Security and other government checks from the mail.

Tax evasion also would become a thing of the past. Cash payments for work performed or for items sold and other cash loopholes would be eliminated. This is a major priority among Western governments, particularly in the United States, which is facing staggering deficits. The estimated increase in tax revenue resulting from closing the floodgates of tax evasion would make a major dent in the deficit. In fact, a recent report estimates that if tax evaders alone could be thwarted, it would put at least an additional 100 billion dollars a year into U.S. government coffers. (to be cont..)

Turning Weakness into Strength

June 22, 2023

Words from Jesus

Audio length: 10:42

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But he said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.” Therefore I will boast all the more gladly of my weaknesses, so that the power of Christ may rest upon me.—2 Corinthians 12:9

I love each and every one of My children, and I wish to draw them all close to Me. I have a plan for each of them, and I wish to mold them into the vessels of My choice. But in order to transform them into such vessels, I allow different things to happen in their lives that help them to realize that they are weak in themselves and to grow in their dependence on Me and My strength, grace, and mercy.

I work differently in each person’s heart, for I know what will draw each one closer to Me so that they can know beyond a shadow of a doubt that they are weak in themselves. Once they know this, then My strength can be made perfect in their weakness.

There are many ways that I work in My children’s lives to help them to draw close to Me, so that My strength can be manifested through them. I love each of you individually, and even the very hairs of your heads are numbered. So all the events that happen in your life are used by Me for your good to draw you close to Me.

I love you, My children, and I know what’s best for you. I know the plans I have for you—plans of hope and a future (Jeremiah 29:11). So allow Me to work in your life to continue to transform you and draw you closer to Me. Be thankful when you are weak in yourself, for by so doing, My power can rest on you.

Growing through trials

So that the tested genuineness of your faith—more precious than gold that perishes though it is tested by fire—may be found to result in praise and glory and honor at the revelation of Jesus Christ.—1 Peter 1:7

Everyone has weaknesses and imperfections, which among other things, teach you humility and dependence; they keep you desperate and close to Me; they teach you the power of prayer; they help you to understand others and be able to comfort and help your brethren and the lost of the world.

Your weaknesses keep you dependent on Me and help you to have compassion on others. Even your weaknesses are meant to bring forth the good fruits of My Spirit as you draw closer to Me. As you turn to Me in quietness and trust, this will be your strength (Isaiah 30:15).

It doesn’t matter whether the test you face is great or small. What’s important to Me is your willingness to trust and believe and have faith that I am with you and will provide the strength you need to overcome. I understand your heart and what you need to help you to progress and grow spiritually, to help to bring about My will in your life. I understand what your spirit needs and I know how to nurture it, strengthen it, and cause it to grow.

Without spiritual growth through trials and tests, My people grow stagnant and lackadaisical in spirit, unable to keep pace with the movement of My Spirit. They become less sensitive to My Spirit and the compliment and benefits of My discipline in their lives (Hebrews 12:6–7). So count it all joy when you meet trials of various kinds, as the testing of your faith produces steadfastness (James 1:2–3).

Sufficient grace

My grace is sufficient for you. This grace is enough to get you through your toughest times. Do you believe this? It’s one thing to believe it when circumstances are going your way. It’s another thing altogether when you’re struggling just to take the next step. Yet this is when My grace is the most precious and glorious—when you know you cannot go another step without it. Then it becomes the shining focus of your life.

I invite you to drink deeply from the exceeding riches of My grace—My favor, mercy, and lovingkindness. It is a free gift that opens the way for you into eternity. It also provides what you need to live now, in this fractured world. So come freely into My Presence and pour out your heart to Me. I do not always say yes to your petitions, but I do give you what you need. And I always give you Myself—My compassionate understanding, My unfailing Love.

I am in your midst, and I am mighty! Just as the sun is at the center of the solar system, so I am at the center of your entire being—physical, emotional, and spiritual. I, the Mighty One who created the universe, live inside you! Let this amazing truth reverberate in your mind and soak into your innermost being.

Ponder what it means to have so much Power dwelling inside you. One implication is that you don’t need to worry about your lack of strength. In fact, My Power shows itself most effective in your weakness.

Remind yourself frequently that I live inside you and I am mighty! Let your awareness of My indwelling Presence drive out discouragement and fill you with great Joy. As My Life flows into yours, you are strengthened with divine might.¹

Receiving godly instruction

And have you forgotten the encouraging words God spoke to you as his children? He said, “My child, don’t make light of the Lord’s discipline, and don’t give up when he corrects you. For the Lord disciplines those he loves.”—Hebrews 12:5–6

Discipline is My personal loving care and compliment for you, yet it is difficult for My children to receive for various reasons. Many have a misconception about godly correction and instruction, thinking that it indicates some kind of failure on their part. Whom I love, I discipline and instruct. I only instruct you because I wish to see you do better in the future, not as a punishment, and I always correct in perfect love.

Correction can be My blessing to you if you remind yourself that it is a compliment, not a punishment! It’s given in love, because I want to use you more and for you to grow in My likeness. This is a compliment from Me to you and a sign that I have faith in you.

I trust you to do more, to be more, and to fulfill My will even more fully in your life and the lives of those you touch. I invest My love, My time, My attention, My correction and instruction in those who I believe will bring forth more fruit, who will grow in spirit and become even more useful vessels in My kingdom.

My instruction is meant to be a great blessing in your life to help you to grow, to change, and to allow My Spirit to work in your life. So consider it a great compliment that I, the God of the universe, not only hear your prayers, but I work in your life to answer those prayers and address your spiritual needs. I love My children, and the ones that I love, I instruct and guide in love. It’s a wonderful opportunity for you to grow if you will receive it in faith and love.

I manifest My love to you in so many ways. I shower you with My blessings and gifts of the Spirit through faith, healing, My supply, the love of others in your life, protection and encouragement. Instruction is another form of My love. It’s another blessing and touch of My love in your life. So open your heart to My instruction, and let My Spirit of love flood in and bring about the wonderful fruits of growth in your life that will bring you My joy and make you a greater blessing to others.

Originally published January 1999. Adapted and republished June 2023. Read by Jerry Paladino. Music by Michael Dooley.

¹ Sarah Young, Jesus Today (Thomas Nelson, 2012).

June 21,2023

I Sing My Way Through Pain: Three Lessons in Resilient Joy | Desiring God

Chosen and Loved

June 20, 2023

A compilation

Audio length: 12:02

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We see a prison; God sees a kiln. We see famine; God sees the relocation of his chosen lineage. We call it Egypt; God calls it protective custody, where the sons of Jacob can escape barbaric Canaan and multiply abundantly in peace. We see Satan’s tricks and ploys. God sees Satan tripped and foiled.

Let me be clear. You are a version of Joseph in your generation. You represent a challenge to Satan’s plan. You carry something of God within you, something noble and holy, something the world needs—wisdom, kindness, mercy, skill. If Satan can neutralize you, he can mute your influence.

The story of Joseph is in the Bible for this reason: to teach you to trust God to trump evil. What Satan intends for evil, God, the Master Weaver and Master Builder, redeems for good.

Joseph would be the first to tell you that life in the pit stinks. Yet for all its rottenness, doesn’t the pit do this much? It forces you to look upward. Someone from up there must come down here and give you a hand. God did for Joseph. At the right time, in the right way, he will do the same for you. …

I’ve met many Egypt-bound people. Down, down, down.

I’ve learned the question to ask. If you and I were having this talk over coffee, this is the point where I would lean across the table and say, “What do you still have that you cannot lose?” The difficulties have taken much away. I get that. But there is one gift your troubles cannot touch: your destiny. Can we talk about it?

You are God’s child. He saw you, picked you, and placed you. “You did not choose me; I chose you” (John 15:16). Before you are a butcher, baker, or cabinetmaker, male or female, Asian or black, you are God’s child. Replacement or fill-in? Hardly. You are his first choice. …

He chose you. The choice wasn’t obligatory, required, compulsory, forced, or compelled. He selected you because he wanted to. You are his open, willful, voluntary choice. He walked onto the auction block where you stood, and he proclaimed, “This child is mine.” And he bought you “with the precious blood of Christ, as of a lamb without blemish and without spot” (1 Peter 1:19). You are God’s child.

You are his child forever.

Don’t believe the tombstone. You are more than a dash between two dates. “When this tent we live in”—our body here on earth—“is torn down, God will have a house in heaven for us to live in, a home he himself has made, which will last forever” (2 Corinthians 5:1). Don’t get sucked into short-term thinking. Your struggles will not last forever, but you will.—Max Lucado¹

Raised, redirected, and rescued

But because of his great love for us, God, who is rich in mercy, made us alive with Christ even when we were dead in transgressions—it is by grace you have been saved.—Ephesians 2:4–5

God places His own Spirit in us to be the means of governing how we live and behave. His presence in us works to produce His moral character so that we portray His love, compassion and goodness. But detached from God, left to ourselves, we actually have no choice but to be swept along with the ways of this world. This is inevitable, because we have been designed to function in union with God, but separated from Him leaves a vacuum that has to be filled. …

Having been raised with Christ, we become a new creation indwelt by His Spirit. Our lives are then redirected to fulfill His purpose. Paul says, “For we are God’s workmanship, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do” (Ephesians 2:10). Our works are evidence of what is going on inside us, and good works are the evidence of spiritual life.

As Christians, we have been raised, redirected, and we have also been rescued. “For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith—and this not from yourselves, it is the gift of God—not by works, so that no one can boast” (Ephesians 2:8–9). In Christ, we are saved through faith, and being saved is to be safe.

God raises, redirects, and rescues us, but not just for this life. Paul writes, “And God raised us up with Christ and seated us with him in the heavenly realms in Christ Jesus in order that in the coming ages he might show the incomparable riches of his grace, expressed in his kindness to us in Christ Jesus” (Ephesians 2:6–7). That is [so that] beyond this life, this age and time, we might see and experience the incomparable riches of God’s grace.—Charles Price

Love beyond human limits

It’s human nature to be self-preserving, self-seeking, self-satisfying. It’s human nature to put our own needs and survival above others. But here’s where those who have received God’s Spirit and love in Jesus have a great advantage, because the Bible promises, “If anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; old things have passed away; behold, all things have become new” (2 Corinthians 5:17). Jesus helps us break those natural circuits. He rewires our minds and hearts to do His bidding, which is to love others.

In today’s world, many people are so caught up in meeting their own needs and fulfilling their own desires, and the thought of sacrificially loving someone else hardly enters their minds. There is an even greater need for people to see God’s love in action, because many people are no longer sensitive to the reflection of the Lord’s love in the many blessings He gives them, even when they don’t deserve those blessings (Matthew 5:45).

The world is dying for the kind of love Jesus talked about and lived. This is why He challenges us to manifest deep, sacrificial, impartial love for others, even though He knows such love is far beyond our human capabilities. It’s impossible for us to show such love on our own, and if we try to do this ourselves, we’ll be disappointed, frustrated, and wear ourselves out trying. But if we will simply ask Jesus for that love and then be willing to put it into action, He will give it to us.

To become the new creation He wants to make you, it takes a willing mind and heart, a believing spirit, being faithful in prayer, and following through with many small deeds of unselfish love. As you begin to do your part, you will find that you think more of others, feel their needs more readily, and have more genuine concern for their happiness and well-being.

When you give of yourself, when you go out of your way to be a friend, when you take time to talk to someone who’s lonely or comfort someone who’s sick, when you sympathize and help someone with their problems, when you make someone feel needed, and when you point someone to the source of this extraordinary love you share—Jesus—you will be blessed personally with the joy of knowing that you have been a blessing to someone in need.

Let’s each do our part to let Jesus’ love for others shine through us. Let’s set a good example of the Lord’s unconditional love. Let’s bear one another’s burdens, and so fulfill God’s commandments to love and the law of Christ (Galatians 6:2).—Maria Fontaine

A prayer for His blessing

May God bless your life with beauty—the beauty of both the sun and the rain, for these are the elements that cause a garden to grow, a flower to blossom, a rainbow to form, and a life to flourish.

May God reward your life with peace—the peace that is found in a relationship with God, the peace that passes understanding, the peace that is possible in the midst of storms.

May God touch your life with joy—the joy of knowing you are always His child, the joy of knowing He is always your Father. And may this joy be your strength and give you courage in life.

May God fill your life with love—the love of family, the love of loved ones, the love of friends, the love of companions, the love of children, but most importantly, the love of God. May you always live in the awareness that God’s love for you is unconditional, unbreakable, and eternal.—Maria Fontaine

Published on Anchor June 2023. Read by Jerry Paladino. Music by Michael Fogarty.

¹ Max Lucado, You’ll Get through This (Thomas Nelson, 2013).

Perfect Peace—Part 2

June 19, 2023

By Maria Fontaine

Audio length: 14:22

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The Bible teaches us that God wants to give us His perfect peace in place of our anxiety, stress, and fear. Biblical principles are timeless. The Lord drew my attention to an article which is almost like a mini-course on how to access and grow that peace that God offers us. The author of the article, J. R. Miller, looks at each step in the process of applying and developing this wonderful gift in our lives as Jesus intends for us to do.

In part one of “Perfect Peace” you read the first half of Miller’s article in which he covered an introduction and two topics—the picture of peace and the secret of peace. This post includes the rest of his article.

* * *

(Adapted from “In Perfect Peace,” by J. R. Miller, 1902 ¹, continued)

The mind of peace

But there is another part of the secret of peace which is also important for us to learn. “Thou wilt keep him in perfect peace, whose mind is stayed on thee” (Isaiah 26:3). There is something for us to do. There is no doubt that God has power to keep us in perfect peace. He is omnipotent, and His strength is a defense and a shelter to all who hide in Him. But even God will never compel us into submission—we must yield ourselves to Him. Even omnipotence will not gather us into its invincible shelter by force—we must be willing in the day of God’s power (Psalm 110:3). All we need to do is to stay our minds upon God. That means to trust Him, to rest in Him, to nestle in His love. We remember where John was found the night of the Lord’s last supper with His disciples—John was leaning on Jesus’ breast. He crept into that holy shelter and reposed upon the infinite love which beat in that bosom. John simply trusted, and was kept in holy peace.

A beautiful story is told of Rudyard Kipling during a serious illness. The nurse was sitting at his bedside on one of the anxious nights when the sick man’s condition was most critical. She was watching him intently and noticed that his lips began to move. She bent over him, thinking he wished to say something to her. She heard him whisper very softly the words of the old familiar prayer of childhood, “Now I lay me down to sleep.” The nurse, realizing that her patient was not needing her services, and that he was praying, said in apology for having intruded upon him, “I beg your pardon, Mr. Kipling; I thought you wanted something.” “I do,” faintly replied the sick man. “I want my heavenly Father. He only can care for me now.”

In his great weakness there was nothing that human help could do, and he turned to God, seeking the blessing and the care which none but God can give. That is what we need to do in every time of danger, of trial, of sorrow—when the gentlest human love can do nothing—creep into our heavenly Father’s bosom, saying, “Now I lay me down to sleep.” That is the way to peace. Earth has no shelter in which it can be found, but in God the feeblest may find it.

“Let not your heart be troubled,” said the Master; “believe in God, believe also in me” (John 14:1).

This is the one great lesson of Christian faith—“Believe.” “Into thine hands I commit my spirit” (Psalm 31:5, Luke 23:46). “Thou wilt keep him in perfect peace, whose mind is stayed on thee.” Stayed on Thee! These words tell the whole story. They picture a child nestling in the mother’s arms, letting its whole little weight down upon her. It has no fear, and nothing disturbs it, for the mother’s love is all around it. “Stayed” means reposing. It suggests also the thought of continuousness of trust and abiding. Too much of our trust is broken, intermittent—this hour singing, the next hour in tears, dismayed. If we would have unbroken peace, we must have unbroken trust, our minds stayed upon God all the while.

The God of peace

God is strong, omnipotent. We need not fear that His power to keep us will ever fail. There never is a moment when He is not able to sustain us. When the question is asked, “From whence shall my help come?” The answer is, “My help cometh from Jehovah, who made heaven and earth” (Psalm 121:1–2). He who made all the world and can surely care for one little human life and protect it from harm.

God is wise. We are not wise enough to direct the affairs of our own lives, even if we had the power to shape things to our minds. Our outlook is limited—cut off by life’s close horizons. We do not know what the final outcome of this or that choice would be. Oftentimes the things we think we need, and think would bring us happiness and good, would only work us harm in the end. Things we dread and shrink from, supposing they would bring us hurt and evil, are oftentimes the bearers to us of rich blessings. We are not wise enough to choose our own circumstances or to guide our own affairs. Only God can do this for us.

He not only has strength, He has also knowledge of us and of our need and of our danger. He knows all about us—our condition, our sufferings, our trials, our griefs, the little things that vex us, as well as the great things that would crush us. The following lines give the lesson of faith:

The little, sharp vexations,
And the briars that catch and fret—
Why not take all to the Helper
Who never has failed you yet?

Tell Him about the heartache,
And tell Him the longing, too;
Tell Him the baffled purpose
When you scarce know what to do.

Then, leaving all your weakness
With the One divinely strong,
Forget that you bore the burden,
And carry away the song.

God is love. Strength alone would not be enough. Strength is not always gentle. A tyrant may be strong, but we would not care to entrust our life to him. We crave affection, tenderness. God is love. His gentleness is infinite. The hands into which we are asked to commit our spirit are wounded hands—wounded in saving us. The heart over which we are asked to nestle is the heart that was broken on the cross in love for us. We need not fear to entrust our cares and our lives to such a being.

God is eternal. Human love is very sweet. A mother’s sheltering arms are a wondrously gentle place for a child to nestle in. A loving marriage is a haven of joy to the couple within its encircling embrace.

All that human love can do, all that money can do, all that skill can do, avails little. Human arms may clasp us very firmly, yet their clasp cannot keep us from the power of disease or from the cold hand of death. But the love and strength of God are everlasting. Nothing can ever separate us from Him (Romans 8:38–39). An Old Testament promise reads: “The eternal God is thy refuge, and underneath are the everlasting arms.” If we are stayed upon the eternal God, nothing ever can disturb us, for nothing can disturb Him on whom we are reposing. If we are held in the clasp of the everlasting arms, we need not fear that we shall ever be separated from the enfolding.

These arms are always underneath us. No matter how low we sink, in weakness, in faintness, in pain, in sorrow, we never can sink below these everlasting arms. We never can drop out of their clasp. The everlasting arms will be underneath the feeblest, most imperiled child of God. Sorrow is very deep, but still and forever, in the greatest grief, these arms of love are underneath the sufferer. Then when death comes, and every earthly support is gone from beneath us, when every human arm unclasps and every face of love fades from before our eyes, and we sink away into what seems darkness and the shadow of death, we shall only sink into the everlasting arms underneath us.

The word “are” must not be overlooked—”Underneath are the everlasting arms.” This is one of the wonderful present tenses of the Bible. To every trusting believer, to each one, in all the ages, to you who today are reading these words and trying to learn this lesson, as well as to those to whom the words were first spoken, God says, “Underneath you are now, this moment, every moment, the everlasting arms.”

The rest of peace

“Whose mind is stayed on thee.” That is the final secret of peace. The reason so many of us do not find the blessing and are disturbed so often by such trifles of care or sorrow or loss is because our minds are not stayed on God. We are distressed by every little disappointment, by every failure in the plan or expectation of ours, by every hardness in our circumstances or our condition, by every most trivial loss of money, as if money were life’s sole dependence, as if man lived by bread only. A trifling illness frightens us.

The most trivial things in our common life disturb us and send us off into pitiable fits of anxiety, spoiling our days for us, blotting the blue of the sky and putting out the stars. The trouble is, we are not trusting God, our minds are not stayed on Him. That is what we need to learn—to rest in the Lord, to be silent in Him, to commit our way to Him.

Paul puts it very clearly in a remarkable passage in which he tells us how to find peace. “In nothing be anxious” (Philippians 4:6). That is the first part of the lesson. “Nothing” really means nothing. There are to be no exceptions. No matter what comes, in nothing be anxious. Do not try to make out that your case is peculiar and that you may rightly be anxious, even if others have no reason for worry. “In nothing be anxious.”

What then shall we do with the things that would naturally make us anxious? For there are such things in every life. Here is the answer: “In everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known unto God” (Philippians 4:6). Instead of carrying your trials and troubles yourself, and worrying about them, take the frets and vexations to God, not forgetting to mingle praise and thanksgiving with your requests. Get them completely out of your hands into God’s hands, and leave them there.

Yes, leave it with Him.
The lilies all do
And they grow—
They grow in the rain,
And they grow in the dew—
Yes, they grow;
They grow in the darkness, all hid in the night;
They grow in the sunshine, revealed by the light;
Still they grow.

Yes, leave it with Him.
’Tis more dear to His heart,
You well know,
Than the lilies that bloom
Or the flowers that start
’Neath the snow.
What you need, if you ask it in prayer
You can leave it with Him, for you are His care—
You, you know.

The path of peace

The staying of the mind upon God suggests that we are to let ourselves down upon His strength, into the arms of His love, and to rest there without fear, without question. But this does not mean that we shall drop our tasks and duties out of our hands.

Always, in every exhortation to trust God, obedience is implied and presupposed. “Seek ye first the kingdom of God, and his righteousness,” said the Master. When we do this, He continued, we need never be anxious, for then all our needs shall be supplied.

If our peace is disturbed by some sudden trial or sorrow, or by overwhelming trouble, God very gently helps back into the nest those who have been thrown out of it by any such experience. One day President Lincoln was walking beside a hedgerow, and came upon a young bird fluttering in the grass. It had fallen out of its nest in the bushes and could not get back again. The great, gentle-hearted man stopped in his walk, picked up the little thing, sought along the hedge until he found the nest, and put the bird back again into its place. That is what Christ is seeking to do every day with lives that have been jostled out of the nest of peace. With hands infinitely gentle He would ever help us back to the peace we have lost.

Love is the law of spiritual life. We do not begin to live in any worthy sense until we have learned to love and to serve others. Selfishness is always a hinderer of peace. Peace is the music which the life makes when it is in perfect tune, and this can only be when all its chords are attuned to the keynote of love.

Peace gives such blessedness to the heart, and is such an adornment to the life, that no one ever should be willing to miss it. Whatever other graces God has bestowed upon us, we should not be content without peace, the most beautiful of them all. However beautiful a character may be, if it has not peace it lacks the highest charm of spiritual adornment. And the Master is willing to bestow upon the lowliest of us the divinest of all graces—peace, His own blessed peace.

Originally published April 2020. Adapted and republished June 2023. Read by Lenore Welsh.

¹ https://www.gracegems.org/Miller/in_perfect_peace.htm.

Racing Toward the Mark of the Beast

2005-04-29

Your Money, Computers, and the End of the World

Peter Lalonde and Paul Lalonde

(Eugene, Oregon: Harvest House Publishers, 1994)

Reality Is Stranger than Fiction

Democrat Bob Wise of West Virginia, who heads the House Subcommittee on the government’s use of databases, has reached the conclusion that “in the not too distant future, consumers face the prospect that a computer somewhere will compile records about every place they go and everything they purchase.”

David Linowes, the former chairman of the U.S. Privacy Protection Commission, also is worried: “The danger is that employers, banks and government agencies will use databases to make decisions about our lives without our knowing about it.”

A De Facto National Data Bank

Recently, a study for Congress by the Office of Technology Assessment pointed out that advances in supercomputer databases have actually created a de facto national database “containing substantial personal information about most Americans.”

But rather than being an Orwellian central data bank that maintains records in one place—something like the National Data Center that was rejected by Congress more than a decade ago—this “de facto national database” is created from hundreds of separate computerized record systems that can be reached over telephone lines by computers from virtually anywhere in the country. By searching out information on an individual through a variety of these computerized data banks, the study noted, it is possible today for government officials to compile electronic dossiers on millions of private citizens, to electronically mingle, merge, and compare three billion records containing personal information held by various federal agencies alone.

Jerry Bergman, director of the American Civil Liberty Union’s privacy and technology project, said: “If Congress tried to introduce a bill to establish a central file on every citizen, it would go down to defeat, but this report shows that what couldn’t be done frontally has happened incrementally.”
President Clinton’s Smart Idea

If you are going to have a system that contains comprehensive information, then you must be certain that the right files are cross-referenced with the right files. The only way to do this logically is to make sure every single person in the system has a unique and personal number. Names are too common and confusing. Only numbers are truly unique.

So how close are we to the day when we become the numbered and tracked society foreseen by George Orwell and Aldous Huxley? The Clinton administration provides one clue. Clinton is advocating the use of “smart cards” tied to Social Security account numbers to provide every citizen of the country with a universal identity card. In order to be covered by the national health care system, participation in the national identity program will be mandatory. Under the Clinton proposal, every child would be numbered at birth, put into a national database, and tracked for life. Children would be required by law to participate in vaccination and public health programs. Failure by parents to fulfill state-mandated medical decisions would be evidence of child abuse and the children could be placed in foster care.

The current U.S. administration is putting huge effort into a de facto national ID card. President Clinton has gone so far as to say that regardless of any other disagreements, all members of Congress should unite behind this single goal!
National Card Sets National Agenda

When you consider that Social Security numbers are being given to toddlers, presumably too young to go out and get a full-time job, the idea that a system of national identification is being born is not so outlandish—and the potential for its misuse is great. Here’s what The Communicator, a publication of the Smart Card Industry Association, says:

“The average American already carries a Social Security card by age one, a driver’s license by age 18, a passport if you want to leave the country, a voter’s registration card, a membership card of some type, some kind of emergency medical treatment card, an ATM (automatic teller machine) card, a phone card, and a car insurance card. Almost all of this information is filed with the government or can be accessed by some government agency now…. In theory, if all of these groups got together to develop one universal system, with varying levels of security, you could put all of this information on one smart card…. A cradle to the grave medical smart card is an excellent idea!”
Don’t Let It Get Under Your Skin

Martin Anderson, writing in the Washington Times, points out a problem that is central to this brave new world. He says that this national ID card will become so necessary in order “to comply with government regulations” that people will be forced to carry it with them “at all times.” But the question is, what happens if we lose our card or it is stolen? Could someone else use it and pretend to be us?

Anderson, a senior fellow at the Hoover Institution and a syndicated columnist, points out that much thought is going into this very problem: “You see, there is an identification system made by the Hughes Aircraft Company that you can’t lose. It’s a syringe-implantable transponder. According to promotional literature, it is an ingenious, safe, inexpensive, foolproof and permanent method of … identification using radio waves. A tiny microchip, the size of a grain of rice, is simply placed under the skin. It is so designed as to be injected simultaneously with a vaccination or alone….”

There is no difference in principle between being forced to carry a microchip in a plastic card in your wallet or in a little pellet in your arm. The principle that Big Brother has the right to track you is inherent in both. The only thing that differentiates the two techniques is a layer of skin.
Excuse Me, Sir, I’ve Heard That Somewhere Before!

As incredible as all of these technological advances are, and as thought-provoking as they may be to those who have read about “Big Brother,” there is something much more stunning to be noticed here. You see, the Bible predicted just such a system more than 2,000 years ago! And it wasn’t in some strange symbolism or allegoric language that you’d need three Ph.Ds and half a dozen computers to figure out, either:

“And he [the false prophet, working under the Antichrist] causeth all, both small and great, rich and poor, free and bond, to receive a mark in their right hand, or in their foreheads: And that no man might buy or sell, save he that had the mark, or the name of the beast … for it is the number of a man; and his number is six hundred threescore and six.” (Revelation 13:16-18.)

Think about what this text is saying. The Bible is telling us that under this “666 system” no one on earth will be allowed to buy or sell anything unless he or she receives a mark in the forehead or right hand. This simplicity, combined with the powerful technological developments which are doubtless necessary to fulfill these words—words penned in the age of wood, stones, and the toga—make this prophecy one of the most powerful proofs of the accuracy of God’s Word. Indeed, the prophecy itself contains only 63 words, yet it will take the entirety of this book to document how precisely those words have foreshadowed the modern-day, computerized, global economic structure.

No one can say precisely what technology will ultimately be used to fulfill the prophecy of the mark of the beast, but this book is designed to explore the possibilities and the advances in technology that make such a universal system possible.
Kiss Your Cash Goodbye

Imagine walking into a grocery store and buying all of your weekly groceries without ever needing money, your credit cards, or a check. Imagine having the funds you need for your purchases transferred directly from your checking account into the store’s bank account.

This is the heart of the cashless world that planners have been predicting for years. Through the use of debit cards, they say, we can enter a brave new world where every transaction, every purchase, and every sale can be conducted electronically.

A recent Gallup poll in the United States showed that 64 percent of people polled would approve a system that is more convenient than the current cash-and-check world in which we live. Sixty-six percent said that cash is too easy to lose or have stolen. Forty-eight percent called checks too slow and inconvenient. And 23 percent within the last 12 months have had the unpleasant experience of getting to the checkout counter without enough money.

This is extremely good news to the cashless world’s leading architects. Why? Because their brainchild has been moving at a snail’s pace in the last 15 or so years, especially in Canada and the United States. Public resistance to cashlessness, rather than delays in technology, explains the slow trend. The public has read George Orwell’s 1984 and Aldous Huxley’s Brave New World, with their nightmarish visions of the future, and has resisted the technology and has been leery of the possibilities implicit in such a system. Still, recent polls suggest that the consumer’s slow acceptance is a thing of the past. Meanwhile, technological advances have continued at a staggering rate.
A Cashless Society at the Heart of the Beast System

The Habits of a Godly Life—Part 2

By Maria Fontaine

June 13, 2023

In Part 1 of this series, I shared with you some important things that shaped Charles Stanley’s early life, and his desire to tell others about Jesus. His grandfather’s many stories of faith had inspired faith in Charles’ life as well.

Charles launched into his ministry of preaching with enthusiasm, but the nagging reality that his best efforts to do the right things often failed gradually brought him to a crisis point in his life. Something was wrong in his relationship with Jesus.

After much prayer and desperation, the Lord began to help him to understand.

CS: “I was struggling, trying to do my best, but what I didn’t want to do, I found myself doing; what I wanted to do, I didn’t have the strength to do. He finally got me to the absolute total end of myself. … Then, for the first time in my life, I faced the idea that Jesus Christ came to live on the inside of me, to live through me a life I could not live on my own. … Galatians chapter two verse twenty came to my mind, when Paul said: ‘I have been crucified with Christ; and it is no longer I who live, but Christ lives in me; and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave Himself up for me.’

“I finally realized that God loves me unconditionally. He loves me exactly how He loves His Son—absolutely perfectly and unconditionally. What a reassuring thought that I do not have to live up to anything. I don’t have to perform to get God to love me, to get His acceptance, to get Him to love me just a little bit more. The tragedy of trying to earn His love is that none of that does any good. Why? Because you’re trying to get God to do something that He’s already done absolutely, perfectly, completely.

“Many believers will go to their grave in the bondage of trying to please God, trying to perform, trying to live up to, trying somehow to be good enough to get His acceptance, when it is absolutely impossible. Remember what grace is all about. Grace is all about the fact that God loves us in spite of who we are. God has forgiven us when we don’t deserve it. It is not living up to, performing, or trying to measure up to anything.”

Maria: This is a topic that we’ve touched on periodically over the years, but there’s a difference between “knowing” it with our head and having the full reality of what that means sink into the depths of our heart. It’s the most humbling thing to accept, but it’s also the most liberating. It is God loving us in spite of ourselves, and loving us not because of anything within us, but simply because He’s the God He is. Charles continued:

CS: “The reason God loves you and me unconditionally has nothing to do with what we are, who we are, how we act. It has to do with His nature. It is the very character and nature of God to love with all the fullness and all the potential that His divine love has to offer. Once you have accepted His gift, nothing you can ever do can alter the fact that Jesus Christ died for your sins. You could never be lost after God has saved you, because He says He has sealed you with the Holy Spirit. He’s living on the inside of you. (See Ephesians 1:13–14.)”

Maria: When I think about people who live in the bondage of fear every day, I’m reminded of my own upbringing. Even though my father was a preacher, we never knew whether we were going to lose our salvation because we hadn’t stayed close enough to the Lord that week. Then if Jesus came back when we were not doing well spiritually, hadn’t been reading our Bible diligently, etc., we could easily miss the Lord’s coming, or we could just be lost before we had a chance to ask Him to forgive us and regain our salvation. My mother suffered very much from not ever knowing if she was going to miss it or not. I did the same.

So when you read this, if you think, “Well, why are you telling me all this?” it’s because many people do not know it, and when you bring people to Jesus, you need to make very sure that they will be secure in their newfound faith and they will know without a shadow of a doubt that they cannot lose their salvation.

CS: “It’s God’s nature to love us unconditionally. That means that God loves us when we behave. He loves us when we misbehave. He loves us when things are good. He loves us when things are bad. He loves us when we’re encouraged. He loves us when we’re discouraged. He loves us when we make a mess of things. He loves us when we do well. Thank God His love is not like the weather; it never changes.”

* * *

Dr. Charles Stanley’s grandson, Matthew, shared about his own life and the impact that his grandfather has had on it. He has battled with major problems in his life, from running away from what he felt in his heart was his calling, to alcoholism, drug addiction, bipolar disorder, fear, depression, suicidal tendencies, and chronic loneliness. He said the following:

“Grandpa never said, ‘Oh, Matthew, I’m giving up on you.’ He would call me and say, ‘Matthew, I love you. Please get back on track.’ He never stopped inviting me to stuff. … My grandpa was the kind of person who, when somebody was down in the dumps, he’d go and reach out to them.”

Maria: Once when on the brink of suicide, his grandfather, who had heard that his grandson was battling depression, called him. In their conversation Charles said, “I just wanted to tell you, why don’t you just give Jesus one more try?” His grandson said that for some reason that request inspired him and saved his life.

Matthew: “There is a one-liner that my grandpa repeated often: ‘Obey God, and leave all the consequences to Him.’

“By meditating on that phrase, it always has an impact on my life, and it does affect the decision-making that I do in my day-to-day business. It reminds me to quit trying to deal with my emotional trauma and all these things myself. … Even though the world is a mess and the world is crazy, there’s somebody out there looking out for me. …

“I’m a chronic relapser. My life has been an absolute mess, but my grandpa never gave up on me.

“When you’re with him, … he’d be telling you how amazing everybody was, how amazing his maid was, or his grandkids, … he’d talk about how amazing all of his employees were. That’s who he always was. He focused on what was good about people.”

Maria: Matthew summed up what these things meant to him with this:

“I’ll tell you what I’m going to do today to be more like my grandpa. I promise you, I’m going to do whatever it takes to honor my grandpa. I’m going to obey God, and leave all the consequences to Him.”

* * *

Beauty for Ashes

Maria: A major event for Charles Stanley was when his wife left him. He struggled for some time with loneliness and loss, but God always has a plan to bring good. He described it like this:

CS: “Someone said to me, ‘I used to feel like I couldn’t watch you. What do you know about loneliness and hurt and pain and suffering and loss? Now I can watch you, because now I know you know how I feel.’

“It was a Romans 8:28. God knew what He was doing. So, I [remain] single by choice, but I don’t know how I could be any happier than I am, frankly.”

* * *

It’s What We Choose to Focus On

A very beautiful principle that Charles Stanley found to be a life-changer was the realization that whatever we face, what matters is where we put our focus. He explained:

CS: “The more we focus on a problem, the bigger it gets and the more we are tempted to doubt the Lord. But if you are focused on Jesus, then everything else pales by comparison to Him. One of the clearest examples in the Bible of this is the story of Daniel in the lions’ den. … Daniel slept with the lions all night. If he’d have been focused on the lions, he wouldn’t have been sleeping!”

Maria: When Charles was a young pastor, he encountered a lot of opposition and felt discouraged with all the problems facing him. An elderly woman from Charles’ church asked him to come to her apartment because she wanted to show him something. He described what happened next:

CS: “We walked into her apartment and she said, ‘Now don’t sit down, I want to show you something.’ She led me over to a large picture of Daniel in the lions’ den. She said, ‘Now, son, I want you to tell me what you see.’”

Maria: The picture was of a whole group of lions, all sitting around watching Daniel, but Daniel’s eyes were looking up into a beam of light that was shining into the den. Charles considered every item in the picture, trying to guess what the woman was getting at, but he couldn’t get the point.

CS: “Then she said, ‘What I want you to see is that Daniel doesn’t have his eyes on the lions, but on God.’ It was like God hugged me that day.”

Maria: He went on to explain that when we get our eyes on the problems, we feel less confident, less significant. But Daniel had his eyes on omnipotence. God made the lions, and Daniel was where he was because he had obeyed God, so God was going to take care of him. Charles commented that from that day on, whenever he was tempted to worry or fear, that picture would come back to him and the dread would vanish.

* * *

The Power of the Word

Maria: In spite of the vast ministry that God called Charles Stanley to, Charles always reminded everyone that it was only Jesus who got the credit for it all.

CS: “The gospel of Jesus Christ can penetrate the most hardened heart, transform that life and change the person’s eternal destiny. If there’s one thing that I have learned over these years, it is this: As Paul said, ‘I am not ashamed of the Gospel of Christ. For I’ve learned that it’s the power of God unto salvation to everyone who believes.’

“It’s a simple message that you can speak to several hundred or several thousand or several million people. If they are listening, they all hear what God is saying to them. God can take my voice or someone else’s voice, put it in some other language, let someone else say it, it doesn’t make any difference. It is the awesome power of the living Word of God. It can transform a life. It can absolutely transform a person’s eternal destiny.

“You and I have the most precious message the world has ever known or will ever know. And here’s what Isaiah said, ‘The grass withers, the flower fades, but the Word of our God stands forever.’”

* * *

Staying Young in Spirit

And for those who might feel like they’re too old to be of use, consider what Charles said when he was 80 years old.

CS: “You know, people ask me about being 80, and I’ll tell you how I feel. I love it. I think the Lord has given me enough wisdom that I see things from a whole different perspective. I think the reason people just begin to shrivel up is because they give up their goals. And they don’t have anything that they really want to do in life. And so as far as I’m concerned, from the neck up, I’m a teenager. From there down, I’m probably 80. But so far, I’m doing good. And I love it.”

Maria: I hope you found these excerpts from Charles inspiring and encouraging, as I have. It is a privilege to be one of God’s messengers to the world, “the Bible in shoe leather,” as D. L. Moody said. You never know how far your witness and testimony will go. Even the small gestures—a smile, a word of encouragement, a sincere prayer for someone—can make a big difference in their life. Let’s keep strengthening our “habits of a godly life” day by day!

The Proof You Need to Believe in Jesus Christ

June 16, 2023

Focus on the Family with J. Warner Wallace

During his more than 20 years as a homicide detective, J. Warner Wallace investigated several “no-body, missing person cases.” He successfully helped identify and convict killers, even without evidence from the scene. He utilizes these same detective skills and techniques to investigate the historical life and actions of Jesus—using the evidence of history alone to confirm the historicity and deity of Jesus. In this interview, Wallace will share about his faith journey and his fascinating detective research proving the claims and historical authenticity of Jesus.

Part 1 (run time 28 minutes).

https://youtu.be/Hzv9OMT_l6Y

Part 2 (run time 29 minutes).

https://youtu.be/9DSqnbXVlXQ

Your Conversation

June 15, 2023

By Virginia Brandt Berg

Audio length: 10:03

Download Audio (9.2MB)

Our lesson today is from the sixth chapter of Proverbs verses 16–19:

These six things doth the Lord hate: yea, seven are an abomination unto him:
A proud look, a lying tongue, and hands that shed innocent blood,
An heart that deviseth wicked imaginations, feet that be swift in running to mischief,
A false witness that speaketh lies, and he that soweth discord among brethren.

The most interesting thing to note in this passage is that of the six things that it says that God hates, three of them are about the tongue! So much is said in God’s Word about the tongue that we can’t avoid mentioning it.

The Bible says, “Whoso keepeth his tongue keepeth his soul from trouble” (Proverbs 21:23). “Keep thy tongue from speaking guile” (Psalm 34:13). That is, keep your words from making a statement that conveys a meaning different from the truth. Many who shun telling a lie won’t hesitate to give an inaccurate statement.

One of the six things the Bible says that God hates is a lying tongue. Now the 19th verse mentions two more things that God hates: a false witness that speaketh lies, and he that soweth discord among brethren.

It’s important to keep your tongue from slandering, talking about others to the hurt of their reputation. Also, sometimes what appears to be harmless gossip runs dangerously near slander. I remember reading a long time ago about a girl named Jesse Pepper, 18 years of age. She was convicted of manslaughter because she gossiped about a girl by the name of Mary Ellen, and that girl was discouraged and took her life. It was called gossip slaying, because Mary Ellen took her life as a result of the gossip.

I read an interesting article entitled, “Watch Your Conversation, Children Are Listening.” The question was asked: What is the most neglected problem in family life today? And the answer was the way parents talk with critical spirits in front of their children. Dr. James H. Bossard was a professor of sociology at the University of Pennsylvania when he wrote this article.

He said that after 40 years of probing into what he called “neglected areas of family life,” with special emphasis on the problems of children, he made a discovery. In an experiment, Dr. Bossard used tape recorders and acquired extensive examples of dinner conversations of Philadelphia families. He said: “I had no idea I would discover a real pattern in the conversation of families. I just wanted to learn what families talked about, but to my amazement, I have found that family after family had definite, consistent conversational habits, and the critical pattern was the most prevalent.

“These families rarely had a good word to say about anyone! They carped continuously about friends, relatives, neighbors—almost every aspect of their lives, from the lines of people in the supermarket to the stupidity of their boss. This constant negative family atmosphere had a disastrous effect on the children, because a high percentage of the children were antisocial and unpopular. And with this pattern of the family’s hostility, many times it turned to quarreling amongst themselves. Without fail, their meals were a round of insults and bickering, and the children absorbed that pattern and it caused the children trouble.

“It often doesn’t show up until after they are grown or even after they are married. Long ago,” Dr. Bossard says, “a great Teacher pointed out that what comes out of the mouth is a great deal more important than that which goes in to it.”

In that last sentence, Dr. Bossard was referring to Matthew 15:11, where Jesus said, “Not that which goeth into the mouth defileth a man; but that which cometh out of the mouth, this defileth a man.”

I want to say that if your soul is small and superficial, egotistical and mean, all those qualities are going to permeate your words as they flow from your lips. All the sham and sanctimoniousness in the world won’t cover it up.

On the other hand, if the Holy Spirit has possession of the soul, the words spoken are clear and simple and filled with divine light, just as Christ is light. There’ll be no deceit, sham, or double meaning. Words flowing from a soul baptized with His Spirit of love will have a magnetic drawing quality, and a rare warmth that will draw others to them. When the heart is filled with divine love, you don’t need to work to put pathos or tenderness in your conversation or your prayers. All your words will have a savor of life and power in them that comes from an inner depth of a Spirit-filled life.

Do you want to be able to speak words of helpfulness to needy ones at just the right moment and just the right way and with lasting effect? Do you want to speak words that will remain in another’s memory and bear everlasting fruitfulness? Then let the Spirit of the living Christ speak through you.

When one is baptized with the Spirit of Christ, when it is Christ in you, as Paul said: “It’s no longer I that live, but Christ that liveth in me” (Galatians 2:20). This spirit of love is in your heart. This can only be done if He’s abiding fully in your life.

God’s Word says, “Even the Spirit of truth; whom the world cannot receive, because it seeth him not, neither knoweth him: but ye know him; for he dwelleth with you, and shall be in you” (John 14:17). Also there is the outstanding verse “Christ in you, the hope of glory” (Colossians 1:27). Oh, power flows through one from the indwelling Christ. This is what we call the surrendered life, one that is placed in His hands and living in His presence. This is when you are abiding in Him and His Words are abiding in you. (See John 15:7.)

Do you faithfully read God’s Word? His Words can’t abide in you unless you know them. Do you take time for prayer, waiting in His presence? How can you abide in Him if you don’t take time for prayer and to wait in His presence? If not, then just when you want them the most, words of power will not come forth. If you don’t do this, your words will often come forth as lukewarm and powerless, because they don’t come from an indwelling Christ; they don’t come from a surrendered will, a life baptized with His love.

The Lord Jesus Christ longs to fill you with His Spirit. He Himself said this that day in the temple as it is told in John 7:38. I’ll read it from the Amplified New Testament: “He who believes in me, as the Scripture has said, out of his innermost being, streams and rivers of living water shall flow continuously.” Isn’t that wonderful? That is the result of Christ abiding within. One baptized with the Holy Spirit is bound to speak with love because God is love. (See 1 John 4:8.) His precious Holy Spirit is love.

Now all of this that I’ve said would be just so many words if I didn’t impress upon you the fact that the trouble isn’t fundamentally with the tongue, though we talked and read about the tongue in our first scriptures. Of course, the real problem is in the heart! The tone of the voice can’t have love or sweetness in it if there’s no sweetness or love in the heart. Without His love, there’s an emptiness, and people can discern it.

Words are the only vehicle in which the quality of the heart and mind ride forth to other souls. Jesus teaches that our words reveal our heart character. Whatever the quality of the heart, it will possess and accompany our words. We don’t understand it, but there’s an invincible stream of soul-quality that flows through our words. There is no way under the sun to change that quality except if we change the spirit from which the words flow.

There has to be a change of heart. How many times has some man been mean and cruel and unkind to his wife, and then Jesus has come into his heart and changed his life, and then there comes a sweetness. What a change!

I say if there’s anyone listening who needs a change of heart, you can cry out the Lord as expressed in the 51st Psalm. “O Lord, create in me a clean heart and renew a right spirit within me.” He will hear and He will answer.

Then if you persevere in prayer, and as you grow in grace and knowledge of the Lord Jesus Christ, you will come into an abiding relationship with your Lord, who is the fountain of all goodness and kindness and gentleness. Then you’ll soon find your words to be conductors of His Spirit, which is love, meekness, longsuffering, and patience. This means a yielding of yourself to His will, so that He can live out His life through you. Are you willing to do that now? Let’s pray a little prayer about it.

Our Father, we pray for Thy blessing upon each hungry heart, each seeking soul, especially these, Lord, who are having a battle regarding their tongue or losing their temper, and the quick, thoughtless, cutting, critical words that spring so quickly to the lips. Forgive us, Lord. Cleanse us. Fill us with Thy love, Lord, Thy own Spirit. We pray that we shall seek Thee until we find Thee in all Thy sanctified fullness of love. In Jesus’ name, amen.

Walking Toward the Lepers

June 14, 2023

By Steve Hanuman

Jesus walked toward the lepers. It must have been an incredible sight to see our Lord walking toward the very people that everyone else was walking away from. But if I’m truly honest, I admit I could never fully empathize with a leper. I couldn’t truly imagine his utter desperation to be healed. Not until I was the one who desperately needed to be healed!

I am an American who’s been admitted to hospital for the first time. The hospital seems excellent, but it’s very crowded and busy, located in the heart of Osaka, Japan.

A week ago I had surgery to remove my prostate. The stats say that one in eight men will be diagnosed with prostate cancer at some time in their lives. I always thought I would be one of the seven, but this time I was the one. I learned that in order to avoid blood clots it’s really important to walk around soon after having this surgery. My doctor even came to my room and urged me to walk as soon as I could. So, I walk.

One lap around the hospital hall is about 250 meters by my estimation. I used to play American football in high school, and these 250 meters I am imagining as two and a half football fields. On my football team I was often the fastest guy on the field because I was usually the smallest guy on the field. So I had to be fast to avoid being hit by players who were three times my size!

But now, suddenly I’m 61 years old, and I’m connected by a catheter to a bag that collects my urine, and I’m holding on to a stand with wheels. And because the hospital hall looks like a football field, I have been asking myself Where is that guy that was the fastest guy on the field? And then I answer to myself, He’s long gone, buddy! And then I laugh out loud at my own inner joke.

One of the ways I’ve been coping with my week in the hospital has been to look for some humor. In the face of so much suffering, having a source of humor is kind of hard to find. So, I’ve decided that the best source of humor is my own situation! As I said, this is my first time ever staying in a hospital in my life. And during this week, there have been countless stories of me just being a fool and not knowing what to do and not quite understanding what the nurses and doctors are saying to me because I’m not really fluent in Japanese.

When I take my long walks around the hallways of the sixth floor of the Osaka Keisatsu Hospital, there’s very little humor to be found. I see mostly elderly people in various states of ill health. I see the “lame” that the Bible so often refers to. Honestly, seeing their suffering breaks my heart every time I walk around and make a new lap. I’ve been trying to do thirty to forty laps a day, so that’s a lot of heartbreak.

Jesus walked toward the lame.

But again, honestly, I could never fully empathize with the lame that are written about in the Bible until everyone I saw around me in the hospital was lame. Until I myself was nearly lame. There are a couple of the lame that just lie there and look out of the door to their rooms, and we connect eyes every time I walk by them. I smile at them and I begin to pray for them each time I see them. I smile at them, but they don’t respond, even though they’re looking straight into my eyes. I’m the only non-Japanese I’ve seen in the hospital, and maybe they think it’s strange that a foreigner is smiling at them and walking around the halls. Well, come to think of it, I guess that is pretty strange! But I keep doing it anyway and I keep praying for them.

For some of them, it looks hopeless. It looks like they might have weeks or even a matter of days left to live. I think a lot of them have just come out of surgery and they’re very weak. Japanese people in general have a way of quietly suffering without complaining, and that kind of breaks my heart even more.

I’m actually feeling sorry for myself just being in the hospital in the first place, but in reality, I’m so very blessed. I can still walk around. I have hope to live on in this world. Their time seems almost over, and they are suffering physically.

Today, as I was making my laps around the hallways for the second time after lunch, I suddenly heard this incredible phrase in my head. “Jesus walked toward the lepers.”

I found myself looking at the same very sick people, and this phrase kept repeating in my head over and over: “Jesus walked toward the lepers.” And then other phrases started to come into my head. “Jesus could have easily been the king of this entire earthly world, but He chose to serve us instead.”

The phrases kept coming in a loop. “Jesus walked toward the lepers.” “Jesus walked toward the blind, the sick, and the lame.” “Jesus could have had all the riches of this world, but He chose to walk in sandals and not have any possessions.” These phrases describing Jesus, that I had heard before many times in my life, suddenly became so much more real and absolutely powerful to me as I saw these hundreds of sick people on the sixth floor lying in their beds unable to move and in pain.

I keep walking, and suddenly I see Dou Gan san wave at me from his room. Dou Gan san is a new friend I’ve made in the hospital who recently had a hip replacement. We often walk together and he’s always bright and cheerful. But today he looks kind of sad.

“How are you feeling, Dou Gan san?” He tells me that he’s having lots of pain in his muscles near where they put the ceramic hip inside his body. “I’m getting old,” he says.

Dou Gan san is 69 years old. He has a wonderful spirit, and I’ve grown to like him very much. He told me the same thing the night before, but today it seems like the pain is getting worse. He looks a little bit scared and he suddenly points to the sky and says “God.” I answer him, “Exactly, let’s pray!”

We pray together for his healing and for his pain to go away. I tell him I will continue to pray for him. He smiles and looks a little embarrassed and says, “Thank you, Steve!” Then the doctor shows up to take a look at him.

I’m grateful that I had a chance to pray with my new friend, but it also makes me ask the question: “Why do we always seem to seek God only when we’re suffering or afraid?”

In my case, since my cancer diagnosis, I have been seeking God’s mercy and healing and grace more than at any other time in my life. My prayers have become longer and deeper, and my connection to God much stronger. I have grown to become totally dependent on God during this time of my health crisis. I have received such a deep inner peace, and now that it looks like I will survive this crisis, I’m telling myself that I never want to lose this sense of feeling so close and dependent on God. I’m finding myself praying that I never take God’s immense love for granted again in my post-cancer, healthy second chance at life.¹

Jesus healed the sick and the lame countless times during His ministry. And now, in the middle of this crowded hospital in Japan, Jesus has healed me! And it’s only now, after being healed from a stage 3 cancer, that I realize that He has been healing me and loving me and caring for me since the day I was born.

Whatever your affliction is, be it mental, spiritual, or physical, bring it to Jesus. Lay your sickness at His feet.

And there came a leper to him, beseeching him, and kneeling down to him, and saying unto him, If thou wilt, thou canst make me clean. And Jesus, moved with compassion, put forth his hand, and touched him, and saith unto him, I will; be thou clean. And as soon as he had spoken, immediately the leprosy departed from him, and he was cleansed.—Mark 1:40–42

I believe that we should all know with 100% certainty that Jesus will do the same for us no matter what our affliction. We can count on Him to cleanse us, heal us, renew us, in His perfect time and way.

¹ Read a previous article from Steve here.

Steps for Overcoming Discouragement

June 13, 2023

A compilation

Audio length: 12:56

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Be strong, and let your heart take courage, all you who wait for the Lord!—Psalm 31:24

The word discouragement comes from the root word courage. The prefix dis- means “the opposite of.” So discouragement is the opposite of courage. When we are discouraged, we have lost the motivation to press forward. The mountain seems too steep, the valley too dark, or the battle too fierce, and we lose the courage to continue.

In many places throughout Scripture, God commands His people to take courage (Psalm 27:14; 31:24; 2 Chronicles 32:7; Deuteronomy 31:6). When God selected Joshua to replace Moses as the leader of the Israelites, some of His first words to Joshua were “Have I not commanded you? Be strong and courageous. Do not be afraid; do not be discouraged, for the LORD your God will be with you wherever you go” (Joshua 1:9). The Lord based this command upon His previous promise to Joshua in verse 5: “As I was with Moses, so I will be with you; I will never leave you nor forsake you.” The Lord knew Joshua was going to face some big battles, and He did not want His servant to become discouraged.

The key to overcoming discouragement is to remember God’s promises and apply them. When we know the Lord, we can stand upon the promises He has given His people in His Word. Whether or not we see the fulfillment of those promises in this life, His promises still stand (Hebrews 11:13–16). This knowledge kept the apostle Paul pressing forward, preaching the gospel, eventually ending up in a Roman jail where he lost his life. From prison, he wrote, “I press on toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus” (Philippians 3:14). He could press on through persecution, rejection, beatings, and discouragement because his eyes were on the ultimate prize: hearing the words “Well done!” from his Lord and Savior. (See Matthew 25:23; Revelation 22:12.)

We easily become discouraged when we seek reward or affirmation from those around us. If our service or obedience is based upon immediate gratification, we may be setting ourselves up for discouragement. Jesus does not always take the easy path, and He warned His followers to consider that before they started (Luke 14:25–33). When we have already counted the cost of discipleship, we have more strength to face the battles ahead. We are not so easily discouraged when things don’t go our way because we know the battle is the Lord’s (1 Samuel 17:47).

Discouragement can be a warning light suggesting to us that we have lost our primary focus. When we feel discouraged, it helps to get alone with the Lord and allow Him to examine our hearts and our motives (Psalm 139:23). … When we use discouragement as a reminder that our priorities have become skewed, the feeling of discouragement can become a refining tool to make us more like Jesus. (See Romans 8:29.)

The psalmist was no stranger to discouragement, and his response was to remember God and trust the promises of the Word: “Why, my soul, are you downcast? Why so disturbed within me? Put your hope in God, for I will yet praise him, my Savior and my God. My soul is downcast within me; therefore I will remember you” (Psalm 42:5–6).—GotQuestions.org¹

Take courage

Wait for the Lord; be strong, and let your heart take courage; wait for the Lord!—Psalm 27:14

Just as Christians aren’t immune from trials or suffering, we aren’t held back from encounters with discouragement. We are made of flesh, which God informs us is like grass; vulnerable to strong winds, heavy rains, and scorching sun. We are broken and fallen people living in a broken world, surrounded by other broken people. It only makes sense that we would all share in the experience of growing weary and discouraged. …

In the New Testament, we see Jesus leading his followers to strength by way of encouragement. First, Jesus warns his followers in John 10:10 that the thief comes to steal and kill and destroy. But then, he extends the promise that he is the good shepherd who comes so we might have life and have it abundantly. If they will believe Jesus, his promise will grant them greater courage that leads them to peace. Christ renews their hope by securing their way forward.

Discouragement threatens your ability to believe the promises of God. It tempts you to doubt the truth of Christ’s words of assurance, spoken so you might believe and enjoy life and peace. When you are too weak and disheartened to believe that you can “take heart” or that you will indeed “look upon the goodness of God in the land of the living,” you need to be led to encouragement, just like the saints of old.

We live in an age plagued by discouragement. But it is the church that stewards the message of healing. Today, as Christians we live under Christ’s new and better covenant of grace; we are already recipients of extraordinary consolation in discouragement. We have more hope than the wandering Israelites or the perplexed disciples because we’ve seen God fulfill each and every one of his very good and precious promises through the life, death, and resurrection of Christ. The assurance of our salvation grants eternal hope! What better, stronger encouragement could there be than the hope of being forgiven, cleansed, made new, and one day resurrected to new life with Christ in the age to come?

When the Apostle Paul instructs believers to “encourage one another with these words,” he does so in order that we might be fully refreshed and strengthened in the days to come. Paul understood that the Christian’s greatest comfort in affliction is the hope of eternity and resting in the peace that “we will always be with the Lord.”—Lindsey Carlson²

Keeping the faith

Be strong and courageous. Don’t fear … because the Lord your God will be the one who keeps on walking with you—he won’t leave you or abandon you.—Deuteronomy 31:6

During times of discouragement or difficulties, it’s vital to protect your faith. Faith that the Lord is in control. Faith in His unfailing, all-knowing love, and that He has your best interests at heart. Faith that, no matter what happened in the past, or will happen in the future, you can claim the good promise in Romans 8:28 and know that it will come to pass. You can strengthen your faith by remembering the Lord’s care for you in the past and trust that He will continue to do so. You can rest in your faith that the Lord, your heavenly Shepherd, is leading you and will restore your soul. (See Psalm 23.)

Our faith is strengthened by spending time with Jesus, reading His Word, hearing His voice, and sharing our hearts with Him in prayer. If we get so focused on the difficulties, problems, and challenges that we neglect our spiritual feeding and renewal, we’re not going to have the faith we need in stressful times.

So if you’re feeling discouraged or overwhelmed, your top priority should be to keep your faith strong. You might be unsure what the way forward might be. But whatever you are facing, make a conscious effort to put your faith in Jesus and put your full weight down on the things that never change, such as the Lord’s unconditional love, His care, His promises for an eternal future with Him, His great commission, and His desire for everyone to come to know His love.

Faith is what will see you through. Faith is your spiritual buffer against discouragement. Faith is the lifeblood of your spiritual life. If there’s one thing you need to keep you in the tough times, it’s faith in the unchanging truths in God’s Word.

Keep your time with Jesus sacred. No matter what challenges you face, or how stressful life gets, or if your life is changing in unexpected ways, your need for Jesus will never change, nor will His desire to love you, strengthen you, encourage you, comfort you, and guide you. Through your times of personal communion with Him, He will renew and replenish your faith, and give you the grace and strength for every day.—Maria Fontaine

Published on Anchor June 2023. Read by John Laurence. Music by John Listen.

¹ https://www.gotquestions.org/overcoming-discouragement.html.

² https://www.crossway.org/articles/when-you-dont-even-realize-how-discouraged-you-are.

Perfect Peace—Part 1

June 12, 2023

By Maria Fontaine

Audio length: 17:18

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Biblical principles are timeless, because no matter what our circumstances or our age or the times we live in, they hold true as much today as ever. The Bible says that God wants to give us His perfect peace in place of our anxiety, stress, and fear.

The Lord drew my attention to an article which is almost like a mini-course on how to access and grow that peace that God offers us. The author of the article, J. R. Miller, looks at each step in the process of applying and developing this wonderful gift in our lives as Jesus intends for us to do.

Yes, Jesus will help you when you cry out to Him in times of crisis, but He also wants to help you to live in a way that allows His peace to permeate your life on a daily basis. In order to do this, it’s necessary to exercise that gift of peace. This takes time and effort.

The life of faith is filled with crises and hardships, successes and failures. However, through them all, what matters is that we learn to trust Him and find that perfect peace no matter what we face. I have found that the more I fill my heart and mind with God’s Word, the easier it gets to trust Him, and the more peace I have.

I encourage you to read the following article, which I have divided into two posts. I think it will be more than worth your while. The short anecdotes, examples, and poems scattered throughout offer illustrations of the steps we can take to continue growing in His peace, built not on hoping, but on knowing that He is there, ready to help us and keep us.

Please enjoy this article! Read it, study it, apply it, share it, and may it be a blessing to you in every way.

* * *

(Adapted from “In Perfect Peace,” by J. R. Miller, 1902 ¹)

“Perfect peace!” That is what we all want. That, too, is what Christ offers us in His gospel. Among His farewell words we find this bequest: “Peace I leave with you, my peace I give unto you” (John 14:27). After His return from the grave, on three occasions He gave the same blessing to His disciples, “Peace be unto you” (John 20:19, 21, 26). Peace is thus part of the blessed gospel, and an essential element of true and full Christian life. Christ desires us to have peace. If we do not have it, we have missed part of the blessing of being a Christian, part of our inheritance as children of God. It is not a peculiar privilege which is only for a favored few; it is for everyone who believes in Christ and will accept it.

Yet do all Christians possess peace? Have all taken into their heart and life this blessing from the Master? How many of us really have Christ’s peace today? How many of us lived in the peace of Christ the past week? How many of us are kept in perfect peace through all the circumstances and experiences of our changing lives?

What is wrong? Is the gospel really not what it claims to be? Are the blessings it promises only lovely dreams which never are fulfilled, which cannot be fulfilled? Is grace not able to help us to attain that peace? The Bible is full of great words like rest, joy, peace, love, hope. Are these words only illusions? Or can these beautiful things be attained? Do Christians as a rule expect to have these divine qualities in their lives in this present world?

We can say with perfect confidence that these words paint no impossible attainments. For example, peace—it is not a mocking vision which ever flees away from one who tries to clasp it and take it into one’s heart. It is not like the sunbeam which the child tries to gather up off the floor in its chubby hand, but which only pours through its fingers and slips from its clasp. Nor is it merely a heavenly attainment which we must wait till we die to get. It is a state into which every believer in Christ may enter here on the earth, and in which he may dwell in all life’s changes.

It is well worth our while to think what is meant by peace, as the word is used in the Scriptures, and then ask how we may obtain this blessing. The word runs through all the Bible. We find it in the Old Testament, in the benediction used by the priests—“The Lord lift up his countenance upon thee, and give thee peace” (Numbers 6:26). Here peace is offered as the gift of God, a blessing dropped from heaven into trusting hearts. In Job, in the words of Eliphaz the Temanite, we have the exhortation, “Acquaint now thyself with him, and be at peace” (Job 22:21).

According to this word, the way to find peace is by getting acquainted with God. It is because we do not know Him that we are not at rest. In the Psalms are many words about peace. For example: “The mountains shall bring peace to the people” (Psalm 72:3). The mountains take the storms which beat in fury about their tall peaks. Down at the mountain’s base, however, the sweet valleys lie in quietness, meanwhile, sheltered and in peace. So it is that Christ met the storms, which exhausted their fury upon Him, while those who trust in Him nestle in security in the shelter of His love.

We have a beautiful illustration of this in two of the Psalms which stand side by side. The Twenty-Second is called the Psalm of the Cross. It tells the story of the crucifixion. Its first words, certainly, were used by the Redeemer when He was passing through His dying agony. The Psalm is full of the experiences of Calvary. The storms are sweeping fiercely about the mountain’s brow.

Then how quietly and beautifully the Twenty-Third Psalm nestles in the shadow of the Twenty-Second, like a quiet vale at the mountain’s foot! It shows us a picture of perfect peace. We see the shepherd leading His flock beside the still waters and making them lie down in the green pastures. Even in the deep valley there is no gloom, for the shepherd walks with His sheep and quiets all their fears. This Sweet Shepherd Psalm could come nowhere but after the Psalm of the Cross.

The prophets also tell us much about peace. In Isaiah, especially, the word occurs again and again. The Messiah is foretold as the Prince of Peace (Isaiah 9:6). Farther on, we come again under the shadow of the cross, and read that “the chastisement of our peace was upon him” (Isaiah 53:5). The security and eternity of our peace are pledged in a wonderful promise which says, “The mountains shall depart, and the hills be removed; but my kindness shall not depart from thee, neither shall the covenant of my peace be removed, saith the Lord that hath mercy on thee” (Isaiah 54:10).

But it is in the New Testament that the wonderful fullness of the meaning of peace is disclosed. On every page the word shines. The angels sang at the Redeemer’s birth, “On earth peace” (Luke 2:14). At the close of His ministry, Jesus said to His friends, “In me ye might have peace” (John 16:33). Over eighty times the word appears in the New Testament, half of these being written by Paul, the homeless, persecuted apostle.

The picture of peace

An artist sought to portray peace. He put on his canvas a sea, swept by storms, filled with wrecks, a scene of terror and danger. In the midst of the sea he painted a great rock, and high up in the rock a cleft, with herbage and flowers, in the midst of which he showed a dove sitting quietly on her nest. These same elements—the rock, the cleft, the soul’s hiding place—we have in the hymn:

Rock of Ages, cleft for me,
Let me hide myself in Thee.

For Jesus said, “These things I have spoken unto you, that in me ye might have peace. In the world ye shall have tribulation: but be of good cheer; I have overcome the world” (John 16:33).

The Christian’s peace is not found in a place where there is no trouble; it is something which enters the heart and makes it independent of all outside conditions. In the ruins of many old English castles a well is found down deep among the foundations. Thus, water was provided for use in the castle in time of siege. The enemy might cut off the streams which ordinarily supplied the people in the castle with water. They might shut the gates, so that no one could go out to bring in water from any stream or spring outside. But the defenders within the walls cared not for any siege while the well in the foundation gave its copious supply of pure, fresh water. So it is with the Christian in whose heart the peace of God dwells. He is not dependent upon outside conditions and circumstances, for he carries in himself the secret of his joy, hope, peace, and strength.

It is very evident that we cannot hope to live in this world without troubles. No such life is possible. Nor can we hope for a life without sorrow. To love is to weep some time in the journey. Religion does not shelter us from grief. But the peace promised is an experience which neither trial nor sorrow can disturb—it is something that changes sorrow into joy.

A tourist writes of finding a freshwater spring beside the sea, as sweet as any that ever gushed from amid the rocks on the mountainside. He took his cup and drank of the water that bubbled up in the sand. Soon the tide rolled in again; pouring its brackish flood over the little spring, and burying it out of sight for hours. But when again the bitter surf flowed out, the spring was found sweet as ever. So it is with the peace of God in the believer’s heart. It dwells deep. In the day of joy it sings and is glad. Then sorrow comes and the salt floods pour over the life, covering it. But when the sorrow is past, the heart’s peace remains sweet and joyous as ever.

A party of tourists were traveling along a country road. As their carriage approached a cottage near the drive, they heard singing. The voice that sang was sweet and rich, and of wondrous power. The members of the party were entranced. They stopped to listen as the notes of the song rose higher and clearer. Presently a young girl came out of the cottage with a basket on her arm.

“Please tell us who is singing so sweetly in your cottage,” one in the party asked of her.

“It is my Uncle Tim, sir,” answered the girl. “He has just had a bad turn with his leg, and he is singing away the pain.”

“Is he young? Can he ever get over the trouble?” asked the young man.

“Oh, he is getting a bit old, now, sir,” replied the girl. “The doctors say he’ll never be any better in this world—but he’s so good it would make you cry to see him suffering his terrible pain, and then hear him singing the more sweetly the more he is suffering.”

That is what the peace of God will help us to do. It gives us “songs in the night.” It puts joy into our hearts when we are in the midst of sorest trouble. It turns our thorns into roses.

The life of Christian faith is not freed from pain, but out of the pain comes rich blessing. The crown of thorns must be worn by the Master’s friends who follow Him faithfully, but the thorns burst into sweet flowers as the light of heaven’s morning touches them.

God has not promised skies always blue,
Flower-strewn pathways all our lives through;
God has not promised sun without rain,
Joy without sorrow, peace without pain.

But God has promised strength for the day,
Rest for the labor, light for the way,
Grace for the trials, help from above,
Unfailing kindness, undying love.

The secret of peace

“Thou wilt keep him in perfect peace, whose mind is stayed on thee” (Isaiah 26:3). There is music in these words of the old Hebrew prophet. Why can we not get the music into our lives? Why do we not all have this perfect peace in our hearts? Why do we lose the quiet and the calm of our spirits so easily in the world’s distractions and troubles? Let us see if we can learn the secret of peace which lies in the prophet’s words. The secret is in two parts.

One is that the keeping is of God, not us. We cannot keep ourselves in peace. There is a majestic power in self-control, and we should seek to have that power. Not to be master of our own life is to be pitiably weak. We should learn to control our feelings, our emotions, our appetites, our passions, our desires, our temper, our speech. He that rules his own spirit is the greatest of conquerors, greater than he that captures a city (Proverbs 16:32). No doubt perfect self-mastery has much to do with keeping the heart quiet in danger, calm and undisturbed in sudden trial. But this is not the real secret of peace. Our self-control reaches but a little way. One may have it and remain unmoved in the face of the most disturbing experiences, and yet not have the peace of God.

How shall I quiet my heart? How shall I keep it still?
How shall I hush its tremulous start at tidings of good or ill?
How shall I gather and hold contentment and peace and rest,
Wrapping their sweetness, fold on fold, over my troubled breast?

The Spirit of God is still, and gentle, and mild, and sweet;
What time His omnipotent, glorious will guides the worlds at His feet,
Controlling all lesser things, this turbulent heart of mine
He keeps as under His folded wings, in a peace serene—divine.

That is the secret of peace which the old prophet’s words reveal. God keeps us. “Thou wilt keep him in perfect peace.” The Bible teaches this truth of the divine keeping as the source of all true security and confidence. There is no other keeping that really avails. It is only when God is our refuge and strength that we can say, “Therefore will not we fear, though the earth be removed, and though the mountains be carried into the midst of the sea” (Psalm 46:2).

There is a story of a saintly old man who desired that the only epitaph on his grave should be the word “Kept.” This word contained the whole history of his life. In one of the psalms the lesson is written out for us in full. “The Lord is thy keeper.” “He that keeps thee will not slumber. … The Lord shall preserve thee from all evil: he shall preserve thy soul” (Psalm 121:3, 5, 7). It is God who keeps us—it is God alone who can keep us—in perfect peace.

Only God is eternal, the same yesterday and today and forever, and only when we rest in God and trust in Him can we have a peace which cannot be disturbed. “Trust ye in the Lord forever: for in the Lord Jehovah is everlasting strength” (Isaiah 26:4). When we are held in the clasp of His love, we are safe from any disturbance, for He is omnipotent. Our refuge is secure forever, for He is from everlasting to everlasting.

We have the same teaching concerning the divine keeping in a passage in one of the epistles of Paul, in which he also gives us the secret of peace. “The peace of God … shall guard your hearts and your thoughts in Christ Jesus” (Philippians 4:7). The figure is military. Men sleep in quiet confidence in their tents, in the darkest nights, in time of war, in the presence of the enemy, because sentinels wake and watch through all the darkness. God’s own peace keeps guard over our hearts and thoughts, so that nothing shall ever disturb us or alarm us. Nothing ever can disturb God. He looks without fear upon the wildest storms. He is never dismayed by things which seem to us calamitous. His infinite and eternal peace will guard us and keep us in the shelter of its own blessed quiet and calm.

This is part of the great secret of peace which we are trying to learn: “Thou wilt keep him in perfect peace.” It is God’s omnipotence that keeps us. It is God’s Spirit who broods over the turbulent floods of life and brings order out of chaos. It is God’s Son who stands on the vessel, amid the wild storms, and compels them to become quiet and still at his feet. It is God’s grace that enters into the believer’s heart and abides there as a well of living water within, springing up into everlasting life. We cannot command our own spirit and compel it to be at rest, when sorrow or peril is on every side. God alone can keep us in peace. Nothing that is not infinite and eternal can be a safe and secure hiding-place for an immortal life.

Originally published April 2020. Adapted and republished June 2023. Read by Lenore Welsh.

¹ https://www.gracegems.org/Miller/in_perfect_peace.htm.

God’s Omniscience

Peter Amsterdam

2019-11-21

Because God is the infinite and supreme Being, His knowledge is unlimited. He knows absolutely everything. The common theological terminology for this is omniscience, which comes from the Latin omni, meaning all, and sciens, meaning knowledge. Scripture tells us that God’s knowledge is perfect knowledge ¹; He knows everything.²

God is different in being than we are, and as such, the nature of His knowledge is different from ours. He inherently knows everything. His knowledge isn’t learned; it doesn’t come from outside sources or from observation or experience, or through the process of reasoning. God doesn’t learn, because He knows everything. The Bible asks if anyone will teach God,³ or if He has need of a counselor.⁴ It’s a rhetorical question, and the implicit answer is that He doesn’t need counselors or teachers. His knowledge is infinite.⁵

Unlike God, we gain knowledge by learning—we take in information from outside of ourselves, one thing after another, and this information is added to our knowledge base. We know much more than we are conscious of at any given time, as most of what we know lies in our subconscious, and when we need it, we mentally access it and it comes back to mind.

God’s knowledge is different in that His knowledge is always before Him. He doesn’t have to recall it. God knows all things and is always conscious of all. He doesn’t have to call up information from His subconscious. His is perfect knowledge. His knowledge and ways of thinking completely transcend ours.⁶

As theologian Kenneth Keathley explains,

Since God is omniscient, He innately knows all things—this means He does not go through the mental processes that finite beings do of “figuring things out.” God never “learns” or has things “occur” to Him. He already knows all truths. The fact that God is omniscient does not merely mean that God is infinitely more knowledgeable than us, but that His knowledge is of a different type and quality.⁷

God’s knowledge of Himself and His creations

God isn’t only a repository of knowledge, like a giant computer that contains all the information of the universe but has no knowledge of itself and thus can’t knowledgeably act on the information it has. He’s far more than that.

God knows all things about Himself, as Paul implied: “The Spirit searches everything, even the depths of God. For who knows a person’s thoughts except the spirit of that person, which is in him? So also no one comprehends the thoughts of God except the Spirit of God.”⁸

He also knows all things outside of Himself, all about the universe and His creation, as expressed in His knowledge of the death of every sparrow and the number of the hairs of everyone’s head.⁹ Nothing created is hidden from Him.¹⁰ He knows everything that exists and everything that happens.¹¹

He knows everything about everyone—past, present, and future. He knows what we are going to say before we say it.¹² Even before a person is born, God knows all about his or her life, including how long each person will live.¹³

God knows our every action and deed. The Bible tells us that He “looks down from heaven; He sees all the children of man … and observes all their deeds.”¹⁴ Besides knowing our actions, God also knows our intents. His knowledge of us isn’t limited to our outward actions. He knows the reasons we do what we do. He knows the deepest thoughts of our hearts. “The Lord sees not as man sees: man looks on the outward appearance, but the Lord looks on the heart.”¹⁵

God’s infinite knowledge includes knowledge about every person, both what is in their heart and what they do. This knowledge makes God’s judgment of people true and accurate. Nothing is hidden from Him. Individuals may be able to fool others (or even themselves) as to their deeds or their intentions, but before God all is laid bare. He judges righteously because He has perfect knowledge both of people’s actions and intentions, of the good and of the evil.

Lewis and Demarest express God’s infinite knowledge in this manner:

God knows all of nature’s energy—matter, laws, animals, and finite spirits. God also knows living people. He knows not only their physical characteristics, but also their inner thoughts, struggles, motives, volitional decisions, and expressions of those determinations in words, acts, events and happenings. God knows all things.¹⁶

God knows not just the past and the present, He also knows the future. The book of Isaiah expresses that one of the characteristics of the true God is His complete knowledge of the future and being able to make future events known. “I am God, and there is no other; I am God, and there is none like Me, declaring the end from the beginning and from ancient times things not yet done, saying, ‘My counsel shall stand, and I will accomplish all My purpose.’”¹⁷

Jesus also told of things to come when He told His disciples that He was going to be delivered into the hands of those who would kill Him and that He would rise again ¹⁸; when He told Peter to go to the sea and catch a fish in order to pay the tax ¹⁹; when He stated that Judas would betray Him,²⁰ and that the disciples would be thrown out of the synagogues and be persecuted and killed.²¹

Hypothetical knowledge

The theological term for God knowing all things that happen—past, present, and future—and the thoughts and intents of the hearts of human beings is knowing all things actual. God knows all things actual. God also knows all things possible, meaning that He knows things that would or could happen in certain circumstances, but don’t—things that are conditionally possible. Some refer to this as hypothetical knowledge.

One example is when David was on the run from Saul. At one point he was told that the Philistines were fighting against Keilah, so he inquired of the Lord and He told David to fight the Philistines and save Keilah. He and his men did so and saved the inhabitants of Keilah.

Saul eventually heard that David was in Keilah and said, “God has given him into my hand, for he has shut himself in by entering a town that has gates and bars^.”²² So Saul summoned his people to war in order to besiege David and his men. God knew, and revealed to David, what would happen if David and his men remained in Keilah. He knew that in that situation, the men of Keilah would give David over to Saul. It didn’t happen, because David left Keilah; but had he not, then he would have been handed over.

Another example of God knowing all things possible was when Jesus denounced the cities of Chorazin, Bethsaida, and Capernaum, because they did not repent after He had done so many mighty works there. He said that if the miracles performed by Him had been performed in Tyre, Sidon, and Sodom, they would have repented and Sodom would still be standing.²³

These examples show that God not only knows what happens and will happen, but also what would happen in situations had other factors been in play. He knows all things actual and all things possible.

William Lane Craig gives a helpful illustration of hypothetical knowledge.

I think one of the greatest illustrations of this is Charles Dickens’ story, A Christmas Carol. When Scrooge is confronted with the spirit of Christmas yet to come, the spirit shows Scrooge all of these horrible things—Tiny Tim’s death, Scrooge’s own grave—and Scrooge is so shaken by these visions, these shadows, he falls at the spirit’s feet and says, “Tell me, spirit, are these shadows of things that will be, or are these shadows of things that might be only?”

What the spirit was showing Scrooge was not shadows of things that will be. We know from the end of the story that Tiny Tim does not die, that Scrooge repents. … What the spirit was showing Scrooge was hypothetical knowledge of what would happen if Scrooge were not to repent. That’s what he was giving him. He wasn’t giving him foreknowledge of the future; rather, the spirit was imparting this hypothetical knowledge of what would happen if Scrooge were not to repent.²⁴

God’s omniscience, like other attributes of God, isn’t completely comprehensible to our human understanding. His thoughts are higher than ours, as would be expected since He is the infinite Being, the one who created the world and all that is in it, who dwells in eternity, who knows the past, present, and future.

Originally published May 2012. Adapted and republished November 2019.
Read by John Laurence.

¹ Job 37:16. Unless otherwise indicated, scriptures referenced are from the ESV.

² 1 John 3:20.

³ Job 21:22.

⁴ Romans 11:34.

⁵ Psalm 147:5 NKJV.

⁶ Isaiah 55:8–9; Romans 11:33 NAU.

⁷ Kenneth Keathley, Salvation and Sovereignty (Nashville: B&H Academic, 2010), 16.

⁸ 1 Corinthians 2:10–11.

⁹ Matthew 10:29–30.

¹⁰ Hebrews 4:13 NAU.

¹¹ Job 28:24.

¹² Psalm 139:1–6.

¹³ Psalm 139:13–16.

¹⁴ Psalm 33:13–15.

¹⁵ 1 Samuel 16:7.

¹⁶ Gordon R. Lewis and Bruce Demarest, Integrative Theology (Grand Rapids: Zondervan, 1996), 231.

¹⁷ Isaiah 46:9–10.

¹⁸ Mark 9:31.

¹⁹ Matthew 17:27.

²⁰ Mark 14:18–20.

²¹ John 16:2.

²² 1 Samuel 23:7.

²³ Matthew 11:21–23.

²⁴ William Lane Craig, “The Doctrine of God, Lecture 7,” June 24, 2007.

2 Thessalonians: Chapter 3 (Part 1)

By Peter Amsterdam

June 6, 2023

This third chapter of 2 Thessalonians is the final chapter of Paul’s epistles to the Thessalonian believers.

Finally, brothers, pray for us, that the word of the Lord may speed ahead and be honored, as happened among you, and that we may be delivered from wicked and evil men. For not all have faith.¹

Paul begins with the word finally, which indicates that he is moving on to a new section of the letter, and in this case, coming to the end of the letter. As he did in his first letter to the Thessalonians, he asks the believers to pray for him and his partners.² His request for their prayers follows his prayer for the Thessalonians in the previous two verses:

Now may our Lord Jesus Christ himself, and God our Father, who loved us and gave us eternal comfort and good hope through grace, comfort your hearts and establish them in every good work and word.³

His first prayer request was that God’s Word would spread rapidly. The word of the Lord refers to the gospel which Paul and his companions proclaimed.⁴ This request for the word to spread echoes Psalm 147:15, He sends out his command to the earth; his word runs swiftly. Paul used running the race as a metaphor for the mission of spreading the message of Christ.

Do you not know that in a race all the runners run, but only one receives the prize? So run that you may obtain it. Every athlete exercises self-control in all things. They do it to receive a perishable wreath, but we an imperishable. So I do not run aimlessly; I do not box as one beating the air.⁵

The second request is that the word of the Lord may be honored, as happened among you. Paul likely had in mind the recent acceptance and honor of the gospel in various cities of the Roman Empire. The book of Acts tells us that the word of the Lord was spreading throughout the whole region.⁶ The combination of “run” and be honored points to Paul’s seeing God’s Word as a runner participating in a race and winning the prize and thus receiving honor.

Paul goes on to ask the Thessalonians to pray for the security of his team, that we may be delivered from wicked and evil men.⁷ At other times, he asked the believers to pray that he would be delivered from those who opposed him.⁸ Paul and his companions knew that God was their only hope, considering the strong opposition to their message. The people they needed God’s protection from were said to be wicked and evil. Wicked is the opposite of “good” or “kind,” and means that they are morally evil. The second description, evil, is almost synonymous with wicked. These two words indicated a high degree of aggression from these people. Paul and his partners experienced antagonism from both their Jewish opponents and the Gentile persecutors.

The opposition that Paul and his companions experienced was due to the rejection of the gospel: For not all have faith. Here, faith likely refers to the positive response to the message of the gospel; and those who reject the message had earlier been described by Paul as the ones who did not believe the truth but had pleasure in unrighteousness.⁹

But the Lord is faithful. He will establish you and guard you against the evil one.¹⁰

Having asked the Thessalonian church to pray for him and his companions, Paul once again focused on the Thessalonian believers. They were suffering persecution at the hands of unbelievers. Paul reminded them that the Lord is faithful. God’s faithfulness is connected to the protection of the Thessalonians in their suffering. In this verse, the Lord is seen as a protector/patron in His faithfulness to the believers who are suffering persecution. As another translation of this verse says, the Lord will strengthen and protect you (NIV). God would establish them in the midst of their trials.

The verb guard means to “watch over,” which expresses that God protects His people. While the Thessalonian church had no social power, the Lord was with them, so they were not without defense, and the evil one was unable to triumph over them.

We have confidence in the Lord about you, that you are doing and will do the things that we command.¹¹

Having shown confidence that God would establish the Thessalonians in the midst of their persecution (v. 3), Paul trusted in the Lord that the Thessalonian believers would continue to be obedient to the moral instruction he had given them. Despite the problems the church faced—the hostility and persecution,¹² and some believers’ rejection of Paul’s teaching about work (covered in the next few verses)—the believers continued to live the Christian way of life.

May the Lord direct your hearts to the love of God and to the steadfastness of Christ.¹³

Paul now presents the second prayer, in the form of a wish, before moving on to his teaching about work. The prayer asks Jesus to direct their hearts. As seen earlier in 2 Thessalonians 2:17 and 1 Thessalonians 3:13, the heart is the center of the believers’ lives: The Lord guides their hearts, resulting in His purposes being accomplished through them.

Paul’s request is that the Lord will direct the Thessalonian believers in a way that will show love and perseverance, imitating the virtues of God the Father, who loves them, and Jesus, who suffered for them. The call is to “act as God acts.”

Now we command you, brothers, in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, that you keep away from any brother who is walking in idleness and not in accord with the tradition that you received from us.¹⁴

This verse signals a change of topic when Paul uses the word “brothers” at the beginning of this text. At this point, Paul’s instruction is not a suggestion which the church could choose to follow or not, but rather a command. He repeats this style of command two more times in this chapter.¹⁵ The authority behind the command is not Paul’s own, but is rooted in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ. In his first letter to the Thessalonians, Paul didn’t need to emphasize that he had the Lord’s backing in what he was teaching; however, now he considered it important to make that point. What he was telling them was authoritative, and he expected the Thessalonian community to obey.

Paul instructed the church in how to respond to the disorderly, those believers who walked in idleness. In his first letter to the church, he had also addressed the idle believers: we urge you, brothers, admonish the idle.¹⁶ The word idle here doesn’t mean “lazy,” but rather identifies people who were disorderly because they didn’t follow the rule of the community. The rule they ignored had to do with work. Paul pointed out that those walking in idleness and not in accord with the tradition were disobedient. They had received Paul’s instruction regarding work, and had seen that Paul and his companions worked, but they paid no attention to it.

Paul instructed the church to keep away from those who refused to work. Later in this chapter, he instructs the believers not to treat the person as an enemy or somehow outside the church, but says that they should “warn him as a brother.”¹⁷ They could continue to be members of the church, but they were subject to the correction and discipline of the community. They had heard Paul’s teaching more than once, and had chosen to be disobedient, which called for stronger measures to be taken.

Social separation was the way the early church corrected members who didn’t keep the moral teaching of the faith. For example, in Romans, Paul wrote: I appeal to you, brothers, to watch out for those who cause divisions and create obstacles contrary to the doctrine that you have been taught; avoid them.¹⁸

For you yourselves know how you ought to imitate us, because we were not idle when we were with you, nor did we eat anyone’s bread without paying for it, but with toil and labor we worked night and day, that we might not be a burden to any of you.¹⁹

In these verses, Paul reminds the Thessalonian church of the example he and his team gave them regarding the believers’ responsibility to work. Earlier, Paul spoke about the Thessalonian church becoming imitators of the Lord, of the churches in Judea, and of the apostles. Now he states that the church should imitate his and his team’s conduct regarding work. They worked with their own hands, and they didn’t become clients of any benefactors, which set an example to these new believers.

He went on to explain that he and his companions were not a burden on the Thessalonian believers and paid for their own food (bread). Paul and his team supported themselves through their own work and with offerings sent to them from the Philippian church.

You Philippians yourselves know that in the beginning of the gospel, when I left Macedonia, no church entered into partnership with me in giving and receiving, except you only. Even in Thessalonica you sent me help for my needs once and again.²⁰

In 1 Corinthians, Paul taught that receiving financial support for Christian service was an acceptable practice, though he didn’t make use of that privilege.

Do we not have the right to eat and drink?²¹

… Or is it only Barnabas and I who have no right to refrain from working for a living?²²

… If others share this rightful claim on you, do not we even more? Nevertheless, we have not made use of this right, but we endure anything rather than put an obstacle in the way of the gospel of Christ.²³

Elsewhere he wrote:

One who is taught the word must share all good things with the one who teaches.²⁴

Let the elders who rule well be considered worthy of double honor, especially those who labor in preaching and teaching. For the Scripture says, “You shall not muzzle an ox when it treads out the grain,” and, “The laborer deserves his wages.”²⁵

Having explained how they took care of themselves without becoming clients of the Thessalonians, Paul commented on the fact that they had the right to be given support from the church, but that they didn’t make use of that right.

It was not because we do not have that right, but to give you in ourselves an example to imitate.²⁶

Paul stated that he and his team refrained from having patrons in order to be an example for others to follow. He and his team set the example for the members of the church who were disorderly and who refused to work.

(To be continued.)

Note

¹ 2 Thessalonians 3:1–2.

² 1 Thessalonians 5:25.

³ 2 Thessalonians 2:16–17.

⁴ 1 Thessalonians 1:8; 4:15.

⁵ 1 Corinthians 9:24–26. See also Galatians 2:2, Philippians 2:16.

⁶ Acts 13:49.

⁷ 2 Thessalonians 3:2.

⁸ Romans 15:31.

⁹ 2 Thessalonians 2:12.

¹⁰ 2 Thessalonians 3:3.

¹¹ 2 Thessalonians 3:4.

¹² 2 Thessalonians 1:4–7.

¹³ 2 Thessalonians 3:5.

¹⁴ 2 Thessalonians 3:6.

¹⁵ 2 Thessalonians 3:10, 12.

¹⁶ 1 Thessalonians 5:14.

¹⁷ 2 Thessalonians 3:15.

¹⁸ Romans 16:17.

¹⁹ 2 Thessalonians 3:7–8.

²⁰ Philippians 4:15–16.

²¹ 1 Corinthians 9:4.

²² 1 Corinthians 9:6.

²³ 1 Corinthians 9:12.

²⁴ Galatians 6:6.

²⁵ 1 Timothy 5:17–18.

²⁶ 2 Thessalonians 3:9.

June 9, 2023

A New Way to Love

By Justin Jeppesen

A New Way to Love – Strategic Renewal

Grace for Growth

June 8, 2023

Words from Jesus

Audio length: 11:43

Download Audio (10.7MB)

Dear one, you have given your life for Me and My cause. You are fulfilling My commission to you. You are fulfilling your personal calling. Great is your reward in heaven.

I see in you the heart of a disciple, the heart of one who is committed to Me and determined to serve Me. You have been willing to die daily to self out of love for Me and a sincere desire to please Me, and love Me and those whom I love.

It is a time of much change in the world and a time when people’s characters are being tested. This testing comes to different people in different ways, but these are the times that try each person’s soul. One thing that you can be sure of is that your life is built on the right foundation, and in a time when people are searching desperately for meaning, there is great purpose for your life.

I love and care for each one of My children. I work in each one’s heart. I bring each person who loves and serves Me to various points of choice and even crisis in their lives, and I guide them and teach them through those choices and times of decision-making.

You can be assured of My guidance and support for every step of your life that is committed to Me. Your future is safe with Me.

Lean on Me

You can’t always see or feel the signs of My anointing and My Spirit working through you. It’s a matter of faith that I am working in you to perform My good purposes (Philippians 2:13). But with Me working through you, you will be able to do what I call you to do and handle the challenges you’re faced with. You’ll be able to endure the tests that come your way—whether you feel like you’ve got what it takes or not.

You may sometimes ponder My anointing in your life because you haven’t been seeing the fruits of it the way you’d like to. As you get older, you may struggle with feeling unable to accomplish all that you would like to and be all that you would like to be for Me. You feel weaker and slower, and it bothers you that you can’t do as much as you could in the past.

When you were younger, you didn’t have to work so hard at some things; they seemed to come more naturally, and you could juggle a lot. But now you feel as though you no longer have the abilities that you had before, or at least not to the same extent. You feel as though everything is harder for you, and you have to struggle to just keep going and stay focused on the things that matter.

I told the Apostle Paul that “My grace is sufficient for you: for My strength is made perfect in weakness,” and you have wondered how that works. I know that you believe this in theory and you accept that it’s true. But at times you feel that maybe My strength hasn’t yet been perfected in your weakness, and that you’re not getting stronger, but weaker as you get older. It is true that although out of weakness you are being made stronger in spirit, My strength hasn’t been perfected in you yet.

You’ve had the wind knocked out of your sails over the years, and you’ve done well in accepting and trusting Me for the things that have happened in your life. You’ve trusted Me for the times of humbling and affliction, and you’ve allowed Me to work in your life to transform you into the new creature that I’ve designed you to be.

I know you love Me and you’ve endured hardness as a true soldier of the cross. But in spite of how much you love Me and in spite of how much you’ve endured, you question whether My strength is being perfected in your weakness.

Lean on Me and My love. As My Word says, “Come to me, all who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you, and learn from me, for I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light” (Matthew 11:28–30). The burden will weigh on you if you try to lift it on your own. As you get older and less capable in yourself, you won’t be able to carry it, and neither will you be able to push it or pull it along behind you.

Come to Me and let Me help you. Rest in Me and trust Me to help you with every burden and to carry you the rest of the way Home. I love you and I know your heart and your desire to let Me work in and through you. Ask and you will receive. Look to Me and be lightened. Look to My Word and find the direction and spiritual strength you seek.

Moving forward

I ask you to continue to trust and lean on Me by faith—faith in My Word and in My love for you. Let go of the past and look ahead to all that is ahead. All have failed and come short of the glory of God. What is that to you? Follow Me! (John 21:22). And believe that all things that I have spoken shall come to pass.

That which was is passed away, and all that is to come will be made new within you by the power of My Spirit. Leave the past behind and look ahead to the new day that is dawning, a new morning where My mercies are renewed. Though you walk in the midst of trouble, know that I will always revive you and restore you (Psalm 138:7).

I have called you to serve others, to guide others to Me, to be a light in the darkened places. It may seem like a humble commission, but so few are able to fill this need. I ask you to be My witness to others, the embodiment of Me, the smile they can see, the eyes that cry tears for them, the heart that empathizes with their pain, My mouthpiece so My words can touch their lives.

I will be your comfort and your peace. My presence will be with you. I am forever with you. In eternity, I will be closer to you than ever.

A clean slate

My heart aches to see the heartache that you have felt and the struggle you have faced to put these weights from the past completely behind you. To truly forgive is one of the most difficult things for any person, but it is possible through My Spirit.

I came to Earth and lived and died in human flesh to take on the weight of the sin of the world, and I suffered unjustly, was hurt so that others might have life and love. Only through Me can you find the freedom to walk in forgiveness. I am here for you, waiting to lift this load of hurt and sorrow that you have been carrying around. Give it to Me and let Me take it away, so that you can once again feel the presence of My love and the joy of My Spirit.

I can make clean the slate of your heart and mind. Just ask Me and I will send the refreshing rain and the clean white snow of My love to cover the hurts and the pain. I will make you whole again.

Faithful love

I understand your times of hurt and anguish of spirit, the brokenness, the frustration that you feel inside. I understand those times when you feel powerless to go on, and you lack the desire to work, to live, to love. You feel you want to close your heart to Me and to others, and you fear the future; you fear the hurt and pain of suffering and loss.

Receive My comfort and love for you. I do not condemn you. I know what it is like to be hurt, to be rejected, and to lose people you love. I know that the loss of a loved one can bring great grief and despair. But do not let this despair separate you from Me.

I know your heart and the depth of your love for Me. Remember that a broken heart and a humble spirit are great in My sight, a jewel of inestimable value, gained through suffering and loss. Use this gift to pour forth My love and compassion on others, sharing the comfort you have received from My hand to comfort others.

Published on Anchor June 2023. Read by Gabriel Garcia Valdivieso. Music by Michael Fogarty.

Do You Feel Lucky?

June 7, 2023

By Nina Kole

I watched an interesting documentary by a mentalist and illusionist magician, Derren Brown, called “The Secret of Luck.” He selected a small town that had a random dog statue in a park, and started a rumor that it was lucky to rub the dog’s head. They sent in a film crew to follow a few chosen members of the community—a butcher, a toy store owner, a pub owner, and so on—to see how far this rumor would go by having them all pat the dog’s head. The crew would then return and interview them after a week to see if anything good happened to them.

He set up several “lucky” things to happen to these selected few, such as a lady stopping them to ask simple “survey” questions and giving them an instant cash prize for their help. He also sent each individual a scratch card, where no matter which box they scratched, they would win a big prize.

He even set up a famous stand-up comedian with a flat tire; if the owners of the two local pubs offered to help change his tire, he would do a free show in their pub guaranteed to draw a big crowd and boost their business. One said he was too busy and told him to go to the garage for help. The other jumped in and helped right away and reaped the benefits!

Now the thing I found interesting about this was that at the beginning of this documentary, a few of the people they were focusing on had said that they were not lucky. One man in particular said that nothing good ever happened to him. Because of his attitude toward life, he didn’t bother to stop and answer the lady’s survey questions, he never scratched the card, and when they even put money on the road right where he walked, he didn’t see it. His negativity made him miss good things even when they were right in front of him.

Some of the others the film crew interviewed had said that a lot of good things had started to happen to them. This was even before they encountered some of these “lucky” setups. Because these individuals were positive by nature, they looked for opportunities where there was good, and they found them!

As Christians, we can take this a step further than simply striving to have a positive attitude, because we can be confident that the Lord is with us and cares for us and surrounds us with His goodness and mercy even during the tough times we face in life.

Of course, it’s not easy to always be positive and have faith. We may be tempted to doubt during times when our faith is tested, like Peter did when Jesus called him to walk on the water. He did so for a while, but when he saw the wind, he was afraid and began to sink. Immediately Jesus reached out His hand and caught him. “You of little faith,” He said, “why did you doubt?” (Matthew 14:29–31).

Being positive gives you the faith to step out and do something that might seem crazy or adventurous, while having a negative attitude can cause you to see all the reasons why something isn’t possible, might not work, or how you might fail. Sometimes, it may even keep you from trying.

When you add faith to the positive mix, it will help you to not give up when things don’t seem to be working out. In the documentary mentioned earlier, Derren Brown concluded, “The difference between lucky and unlucky people is simply to what extent they respond and embrace opportunities in life.”

One person who I find a great example of embracing opportunities in life is Benjamin Franklin. He was always keen on finding ways to fix problems or make things work better. Here are a couple of examples:

Benjamin had poor vision and needed glasses to read. He got tired of constantly taking them off and putting them back on, so he decided to figure out a way to make his glasses so they would let him see both near and far. He had two pairs of spectacles—one pair for seeing at a distance and one pair for reading. He cut the lenses in half, then he put half of each lens in a single glasses frame. Today, we call such glasses bifocals.

Benjamin’s friends’ and neighbors’ houses often got struck by lightning during storms. The houses would also catch fire due to having unsafe fireplaces. Rather than writing it off as terrible or unlucky, or just despairing about it, he discovered ways to make things safer. Eventually he invented the lightning rod and a safer way of heating homes called the Franklin stove. He also started the first fire insurance company.

Back to the documentary. It also got me thinking about Joshua and Caleb in the Bible. They were part of a group of spies Moses sent to check out Canaan, the land God had promised to His people (Numbers 13:6, 8, 16).

Fact number one: It was a land “flowing with milk and honey,” which was a cool way of saying there were a lot of seriously plus-sized fruits and vegetables there. The spies cut a branch off a vine and it actually took two guys to carry ONE cluster of grapes back to show everyone (Numbers 13:23).

Fact number two: The cities were fortified and very large, and the people who lived there—the sons of Anak—were giants. Now these were not just basketball-player-sized tall people; the spies said they felt like grasshoppers next to them (Numbers 13:28, 33).

So most of the children of Israel cried themselves to sleep that night and said, “I’d rather have died in Egypt or here in the wilderness!” (Numbers 14:1–3).

Caleb, however, silenced the people before Moses and said, “We should go up and take possession of the land, for we can certainly do it” (Numbers 13:30). Now that’s a seriously positive, full-of-faith attitude! Most of the people must have felt pretty unlucky that the land God promised them was already occupied by giants, but Caleb looked at the prize—what they stood to gain if they conquered it—and God’s promises and focused only on that.

Joshua joined in by saying, in so many words, “The land we passed through and explored is totally legendary! If the Lord is pleased with us, He will lead us into that land—a land flowing with milk and honey, mind you—and will give it to us. Only don’t rebel against the Lord. And don’t be afraid of the people of the land, because the Lord is with us.” (See Numbers 14:7–9).

Then the Israelites talked about stoning them and getting themselves a new leader to lead them back to Egypt (Numbers 14:4). The Lord was really not happy with their attitude and told them that because of it, not a single one of the older generation would get to see the Promised Land after all, except for the two spies who had faith in God and His promises: Joshua and Caleb (Numbers 14:21–24).

They were the only ones of their generation who were allowed to live in the Promised Land! And just in case you didn’t know, the word lucky is said to have originally come from an old Dutch word meaning “happiness and good fortune.” Having faith in God definitely brought Joshua and Caleb a good amount of happiness and good fortune in that situation.

Any difficult or trying situation gives us an opportunity to place our faith in God and His promises and trust in Him to work all things together for our good. (See Romans 8:28.)

John the Beloved said, “For everyone born of God overcomes the world. This is the victory that has overcome the world, even our faith” (1 John 5:4).

To me, what is often attributed to “luck” is really a combination of a few things:

Responding positively to opportunities when they come along; not turning down open doors due to thinking negatively or being afraid to fail
Having faith in God to cause all things to work together for good, and therefore, not blaming circumstances or others when facing challenges
Hard work and focus
Not giving up

The more opportunities we pursue as God leads us, the better chances we have of succeeding. The more positively we look at a situation, the better our reaction will be.

The more trust we have in the Lord, the more open we are to His leading and guiding us to do things that might seem difficult or impossible.

Adapted from a Just1Thing podcast, a Christian character-building resource for young people.

How to Pray Like a Champion

June 6, 2023

A compilation

Audio length: 18:25

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The model prayer

Jesus gave us a model prayer in Matthew 6:10–13. We can design our own prayers around this model prayer. It is a template over which we can lay our own requests. So let’s look at each section of Jesus’ model and see how we can apply it to our own prayer lives.

“Our Father in heaven, hallowed be your name.” It is to God alone we pray, and a primary thing we pray for is that we would “hallow” God’s name. … God is holy and worthy of all honor, and our first priority is to pray that the world would see how holy and glorious He is.
“Your kingdom come, your will be done on earth as it is in heaven.” Before we start down our list of needs, we must remind ourselves that it is God’s will we desire, not our own (Matthew 26:39, 42). The primary goal of prayer is to align our will with God’s. …
“Give us this day our daily bread.” We are invited to ask for what we need. … One of the things we pray for is our daily necessities.

We usually spend the most time on this part of prayer because these concerns are what drive us to pray. Whatever is troubling our hearts, whatever fears, needs, or anxieties are plaguing us, we are told to cast them on the Lord (1 Peter 5:7). Job trouble, family squabbles, rebellious children, financial strain, or the search for meaning are all part of “give us this day our daily bread.” Whatever is pressing on our hearts can be laid at the feet of Jesus and left there.

“Forgive us our debts as we forgive our debtors.” … We are invited to confess our sins and expect a full pardon (1 John 1:9). But then God requires us to pay it forward. … As we ask forgiveness for our own transgressions, we must ready our hearts to forgive those who’ve hurt us.
“Lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from the evil one.” God does not lead people into temptation (see James 1:13–14). Rather, Jesus is teaching that we acknowledge the presence of an evil tempter, and we ask God for protection from his devices. … Admitting our tendency to fall into temptation, we call upon the Lord to protect us. …
[“For yours is the kingdom and the power and the glory forever. Amen.”] Some translations bracket this last phrase as not original to the text, but it is still helpful in guiding our prayers. … Worship is an important part of prayer. … By concluding with a summation of all God is due, we are saying, “Lord, You alone are worthy of all worship and praise. It is Your will, not mine, that must prevail, and I will work in harmony with You. You alone deserve my adoration and my obedience, and I freely give it.”—GotQuestions.org¹

He knows your needs

Adversity and discouragement seem to go hand in hand. Whether they come in the form of hard medical diagnosis, some sort of family crisis, financial troubles, addiction and dysfunctional behaviors, or a worldwide pandemic, tough times can zap our strength, courage, and resolve, and can leave us feeling exhausted and defeated. Thinking back on this past year, I’ve had to admit that I’ve been pushed and stretched in a lot of different ways that I didn’t expect, nor want. And while I wouldn’t have chosen it myself (I don’t think any of us would’ve either), one undeniable fruit of this tough time has been that it’s … taught me again just how much God is aware of our situation, how he works in the midst of it all, and how he gives us what we need to grow more into the image of Jesus.

I learned the Lord’s Prayer as I grew up in the church and recited the prayer along with everybody else. For a long time, I didn’t really understand what I was praying, and got some of the words wrong. But as I’ve grown in my relationship with Jesus, that prayer has come to mean more and more to me. “Your Kingdom come” (not mine); “your will be done” (not mine); help me forgive those I need to forgive; “lead (me) not into temptation”; and my favorite part—“give us today our daily bread,” or in other words, “Lord, sustain me today with what I need” (Matthew 6:10–13).

This prayer has been a rock of his truth to lean on in these hard times. But one thing I never noticed before is one of the reasons Jesus encourages us to pray this prayer.

In Matthew 6:8, Jesus tells us this before introducing the Lord’s Prayer: “Your Father knows what you need before you ask him.”

God knows what we need before we even ask him. Do you feel the weight of that truth? God sees me. God sees you. He knows the burdens we carry and what we need to sustain us today. What a sweet promise, especially in the midst of our attempts to live as broken people in this broken, messed-up world.

Because God sees and knows us, we can pray … Your Kingdom come, not mine … Your will be done, not mine … help me forgive those I need to forgive … lead me not into temptation … God, give me today what I need to sustain me as I follow you. Praying this way frees us from our need to control the outside situations we face and allows us to simply trust and follow our good, Heavenly Father.—By Andy Petry²

Your prayers, their words

We know who to turn to in trying times—“God is a very present help in trouble” (Psalm 46:1)—but often we can’t find words to express what we’re going through or what we want Him to do about it. Some people are gifted at that, but those of us who aren’t have another option: we can use a prayer from the Bible or other source. Jesus gave us an example in what probably has become the most famous prayer of all time, the Lord’s Prayer (Matthew 6:9–13). When His disciples asked Him to teach them to pray, He didn’t give them theory, mechanics, or generalities; He gave them a prayer they could memorize and repeat.

Below are two prayers for trying times. Jot a list of the difficult situations you encountered today or anticipate, and then turn them over to God using one of these prayers. The first is great for starting the day; the second for when the difficulties of the day have taken a toll.

O Lord, grant me the blessing of greeting the coming day in peace.
Bless my dealings with all who surround me.
Teach me to treat all that comes to me throughout the day with peace of soul, and with firm conviction that Thy will governs us all.
In all my deeds and words guide my thoughts and feelings.
In unforeseen events let me not forget that all are sent by Thee.
Teach me to act firmly and wisely, without embittering and embarrassing others.
Give me strength to bear the fatigue of this coming day with all that it shall bring.
Direct my will, teach me to pray, pray Thou Thyself in me. Filaret Drozdov (1782–1867)

God of our life, there are days when the burdens we carry chafe our shoulders and weigh us down; when the road seems dreary and endless, the skies gray and threatening; when our lives have no music in them, and our hearts are lonely, and our souls have lost their courage.

Flood the path with light; run our eyes to where the skies are full of promise; tune our hearts to brave music; give us the sense of comradeship with heroes and saints of every age; and so quicken our spirits that we may be able to encourage the souls of all who journey with us on the road of life, to Your honor and glory. Attributed to Saint Augustine (354–430)—Marge Banks

Praying in partnership with the Holy Spirit

We all know prayer is a significant part of our faith journey. Yet one of the greatest hindrances to a healthy prayer life is the same one I face: “I don’t know the words to use,” I often hear new and not-so-new believers say. We feel clumsy, limited, and so very human.

That’s why I love Paul’s encouraging words from Romans 8:26–27: “In the same way, the Spirit helps us in our weakness. We do not know what we ought to pray for, but the Spirit himself intercedes for us through wordless groans. And he who searches our hearts knows the mind of the Spirit, because the Spirit intercedes for God’s people in accordance with the will of God.”

How reassuring! God’s Holy Spirit lives within us. God knows our deepest thoughts, even the thoughts we can’t put into words. The Holy Spirit interprets our wordless groans and infuses our squeaky, one-word calls for “Help!” He translates our faulty theology and revises our rough-hewn grammar to align with His will and His plans for the person we’re praying for.

How does this happen? Perhaps you’ve had a taste of this in everyday life. You become so close to a friend or your spouse that you can complete each other’s sentences. When one person’s tongue gets tangled, the other—instead of correcting the mistake—says, “I knew what you meant.”

In time, like any other skill, our efforts at prayer will improve. We’ll crave to know how to pray more specifically. I find myself imploring the Lord, Show me how to pray for this person. Many times, sometimes even within that day, I’ll find out details about them that help me specify my prayers.

Yet even in my finest moments of verbal clarity or in my closest relationships, I have to admit God still knows the person and the situation better than I do, and the Holy Spirit is still doing His work of intercession on my behalf.

God knows us more intimately than the human beings closest to us. As we stutter over our prayers, God, in His grace, smiles and says, “I know what you mean.” Better yet, He’ll add, “I’m ready to help.”—Karen Wingate³

Trade in your worries

The very hairs of your head are numbered. That’s how much I love you and care for you, how concerned I am about you.

Not even a sparrow falls to the ground without Me knowing about it. If I care that much for the birds of the air, don’t you think I know you and love you and care for you much more? I do, because you’ve given Me your heart, and I keep it close to Mine at all times (Matthew 10:29–31).

I know your worries about your situation, your loved ones, your finances, and your fate. I know these are constant concerns for you, and they gnaw at your mind and eat at your spirit. Sometimes it seems like they’ll almost consume your body, because they’re so strong and powerful.

But what you must know is that I am in control. I rule the world, the universe, and everything in it, and nothing is too hard for Me to handle and take care of. So bring all your worries, all your cares, all your fears and concerns to Me and commit them to Me, your faithful Friend who loves you and wants the best for you.

Give Me all these worries. Lay them before Me and leave them there; don’t pick them up again and walk off with them. If you give them to Me, I can give you peace of mind, hope, strength and health in return. As you trade in your worries, you will receive wonderful things in return, more than you ever imagined or bargained for!

When you’re tempted to worry about your situation, pray. When you’re worried about your family, pray. When you’re worried about your trial, or your health, or your safety, or your very life, pray. I hear your prayers and I answer them. You can trust in Me and have faith in Me because I love you, and I will never stop loving you (1 Peter 5:7).

So let not your heart be troubled or afraid (John 14:1). Bring these things to Me in prayer. Ask Me to take care of them and to change the situation, and then have faith and patience. Read My Word. Call on Me. Claim My promises, and trust Me for the answers. Have peace.

I am your Protector and Keeper, your Forever Friend, the One who can supply for you and your family. I will not forsake you, so come to Me with all your burdens and find peace.—Jesus

Published on Anchor June 2023. Read by Reuben Ruchevsky. Music by Michael Dooley.

¹ https://www.gotquestions.org/what-to-pray-for.html

² https://pastors.com/he-knows-your-needs/

³ https://proverbs31.org/read/devotions/full-post/2022/11/22/praying-in-partnership-with-the-holy-spirit

Total Surrender

June 5, 2023

Treasures

Audio length: 10:49

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Moody had no more than a 5th or 6th grade education, and he did poorly even at that. When he attended his first Sunday school class, he thumbed through Genesis looking for John. When applying to join Mt. Vernon Congregational Church, he was rejected because of his utter ignorance of Christian teaching. His friends thought that seldom was anyone more unlikely to fill any sphere of public or extended usefulness. But God can take what seems a small and insignificant life and use it greatly, if it is surrendered to Him.

At the age of 17, Dwight L. Moody left his poor widowed mother’s farm to set out on his own in the big city of Boston, where he began working in his uncle’s shoe store as a clerk. The year was 1854. Then one day, the most significant event of his life took place.

Edward Kimball, a dedicated Christian who had met young Dwight when he first came to the city, felt compelled to witness to him and tell him about Jesus and God’s plan of salvation. Kimball went to the store where Moody worked, and finding him in the back room wrapping shoes, told him how he could receive Jesus as his personal Savior. Moody listened attentively and prayed with him to receive Jesus.

Shortly afterwards, Moody heard evangelist Henry Varley say, “The world has yet to see what God can do through a man who is totally yielded to Him.” Moody was captivated by these words and resolved, “By the grace of God, I will be that man!”¹ And he was! A short while later he moved to Chicago, where he began preaching the gospel and witnessing to others, and was so thrilled to be able to lead other folks to Jesus that he quit the shoe business and began serving the Lord full-time. He went on to become one of the world’s greatest evangelists, with literally tens of thousands of eternal souls led to God’s kingdom as a result.

But if Moody had not determined to yield his life to the Lord, what a sad loss it would have been—not only to himself, but to literally millions who heard the gospel through his ministry! The same principle holds true for each of us. If we are not willing to carry out God’s will for our lives and to do whatever He may ask of us, we may never become all that God wants us to be or do what He wants us to do—which could be a great loss, not only for us personally, but also for those whom the Lord wants us to somehow help or reach with His love and eternal salvation.

You may feel like, “I could never do anything great for the Lord like Moody did! I’m no great evangelist or soul winner.” Neither was Moody to begin with. He was just a poor farm boy and a below-average student who became bored with life on the farm and moved to the big city. After several weeks in the city, he set a new goal for himself—to become a wealthy businessman. Giving his life to God’s service was the last thing on his agenda. But when he received Jesus as his Savior and he knew how much the Lord had given for him, then he determined to give his life to the Lord.

“How do I give my life to Jesus?” you may ask. The first step is to believe in Jesus and to receive Him in your heart as your Savior. Then, as the Bible says, “Draw near to God and He will draw near to you” (James 4:8). Every man or woman of God whom He has ever used drew close to the Lord and relied upon Him and His power and His Word for guidance, strength, and inspiration.

God’s Word tells us, “Present your body as a living sacrifice, holy and acceptable unto God, for this is your reasonable service. And do not conform yourself to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will know what is the good and pleasing and perfect will of God” (Romans 12:1–2). When we surrender our lives to the Lord and yield ourselves to Him for His service, then we’ll know His will for our lives.

Despite our faults, weaknesses, and inabilities, if we will turn our lives completely over to Him, and if we are willing to let Him make us what He wants us to be, He will work in and through us to perform His will. “For it is God who works in you both to will and to work for His good pleasure” (Philippians 2:13). Of course, because we each have our own free will, we can choose to yield to Him and “seek first the kingdom of God” (Matthew 6:33), or we can seek first our own desires and plans and ways. The choice is ours whether or not to give Him first place in our lives.

When the Bible speaks about seeking first the kingdom of God, it’s not merely talking about the “religious” part of our lives. The Lord is talking about our entire life, our future, our plans, and the choices we make. It is not simply about spending a certain amount of time every day reading God’s Word and praying. To turn our lives over to the Lord—to present ourselves as living sacrifices upon His altar—means that we place our will, our plans, our future, our desires, and our ambitions in the Lord’s hands.

We know that His kingdom is made of souls, and that He wants us to “preach the gospel to every creature” in order to bring as many people as possible into His kingdom (Mark 16:15). So to be yielded to His will is to be willing to do whatever we can to reach others with His Word and His love. This is our “reasonable service” considering what He has done for our redemption and the gift of eternal life that He died for on the cross (Romans 12:1).

A good question to ask ourselves is: Are you willing, not to present your program to God for His signature or even to be presented with God’s program for your signature, but to sign a blank sheet of paper and let God fill it in without your even knowing in advance what His program is going to be? Are you willing to turn your life over to Him and then to fulfill whatever role He has for you? If so, you can trust that God has wonderful plans for your life! (See Jeremiah 29:11.)

You can be sure that when you yield your life to the Lord, He will bless and use you in whatever ways He chooses and make your life a blessing to others. Of course, not everybody is called to be a D. L. Moody or an Apostle Paul. But God has a special calling and place in His kingdom for each of us. A thorough reading of the Gospels makes it clear that He calls different people in different ways.

Jesus had only 12 to 70 full-time disciples who were with Him and followed Him around almost continuously. But He also had many thousands of other followers who received His words and believed and spread them to others. Whether you feel called to “go into all the world and preach the gospel to every creature” in a foreign land or right where He has planted you, or you feel called to make it possible for others to do so, as you “seek first the kingdom of God,” the Lord will bless and reward your efforts!

Who Is Edward Kimball?

One of my favorite “minor characters” in American history is a man named Edward Kimball. There aren’t many people who could tell you the historical significance of Edward Kimball. After all, he is so un-famous that he doesn’t even have his own Wikipedia page. But through his simple service to God, he has had a worldwide impact.

In 1854, Kimball was a Sunday school teacher in Detroit, and one day he went to visit a 17-year-old boy who was in his Sunday school class who had little interest in God or religion. During his visit with this young man at his job in a shoe shop, he led the boy into a relationship with Christ. That young man was D. L. Moody, who went on to become one of the greatest evangelists in the world, sharing the gospel with 100 million people, as well as founding Moody Bible Institute and the Moody Church in Chicago.

But the story doesn’t end there. Through his ministry, Moody was responsible for a London pastor named F. B. Meyer coming to faith. Meyer was responsible for J. Wilbur Chapman coming to faith, and Chapman influenced Billy Sunday, another prominent evangelist of the 20th century. Billy Sunday was integral in a man named Mordecai Ham coming to faith. And Mordecai Ham was the preacher responsible for leading a young man named Billy Graham to Christ. …

Edward Kimball’s story reminds us to never underestimate the influence you can have on the world by sharing the gospel of Jesus Christ with just one life… [M]ay the story of Edward Kimball encourage you to continue to pray and to look for opportunities to share about the salvation found in Jesus Christ.—Eric Stillman²

From an article in Treasures, published by the Family International in 1987. Adapted and republished June 2023. Read by Gabriel Garcia Valdivieso.

¹ Erwin Lutzer, “Totally Yielded to God,” Moody Church Media, 2014, https://www.moodymedia.org/articles/moody-man-our-times.

² https://www.newlife-ct.org/the-newlife-blog/post/who-is-edward-kimball.

Survivors of the End (part 2)

David Brandt Berg

1983-02-01

Obviously the whole world at first thinks he’s great and follows him—except we who really know—until that time comes. He doesn’t have those wars and troubles until he sets up an idol of himself in the Holy Place and he sits in the Temple of God saying that he is God, “fall down and worship me and my idol and accept my brand or you’re going to be killed!” (2 Thessalonians 2:4). At that point, many millions of people will reject the mark, refuse to worship him and his image, and will rebel against his satanic kingdom, and he has nothing but wars from then on according to the Bible.

I think he’s going to have wars then with unsaved Christians, Jews, and Muslims who are going to be loyal to their faith, and they are going to be anti-Antichrist and anti-image and anti-mark of the Beast and fight rather than submit to such idolatry and man worship and branding. In other words, an in-between group who are neither the saints of God nor the camp of the Devil; hundreds of millions of people in-between, with whom he’s going to fight wars because they rebel against him.

It’s very plain in the 11th chapter of Daniel and in Ezekiel that he fights wars. Who’s he fighting wars with? We certainly don’t take up arms against him. Our weapons are not carnal, but strong spiritual weapons to the tearing down of strongholds (2 Corinthians 10:4). But there will be people who fight him and take up arms against him, whole nations, and it even names some of the nations who are going to be with him and be against him in Daniel and Ezekiel (Ezekiel 38:5–6,13; Daniel 11:30,43).

I believe it’s quite clear from this that there are going to be hundreds of millions of people and whole nations who will rebel and fight against the Antichrist and against receiving his mark or worshipping his image. And those people will no doubt protect us and help us to survive as well, in those nations.

One of our jobs right now is to let people know what the future holds, so they’ll recognize it when it comes and they won’t be a part of it, and they’ll refuse to fall down and worship the Antichrist. Even though they may not receive Jesus now, when that time comes they’ll recognize this man as being evil and they’ll have enough religious conviction and enough faith in God and Christ and the Bible to refuse and reject the Antichrist and his image and his mark and the works.

So I’m convinced that there is that third group—God’s third category, neither the saved nor the utterly wicked. Neither the saints of God nor the followers of the Antichrist, but an in-between group that is a large percentage of the world’s population, who, though they have not accepted Jesus, are not going to accept the Antichrist either. Because they have a certain faith in God or religion, that gives them some kind of conviction that they should not follow this evil man, accept his mark, or worship his image.

Otherwise, who is going to survive the Battle of Armageddon? Who is going to live on into the Millennium, whole nations of millions of people over whom we’re going to rule? If the whole world accepts the Antichrist and his mark and worships his image and therefore they’re all slain and wiped out in the Battle of Armageddon and there’s nobody left, who are we going to rule over in the Millennium?

In a sense, the Tribulation is going to be a sifting period, the dividing of the sheep from the goats, the wheat from the tares. As the Lord says, you have to wait till the end until they grow up, the tares and wheat, before you can reap them as you see which is which (Matthew 13:24–30). The Tribulation will certainly be a dividing factor to reveal who’s for and who’s against. Although there will be millions who will not be actual Christians, they will be against the Antichrist.

Therefore the Tribulation is like a sifting to see who God is going to bless. He says, “Blessed are they which endure to such and such a day” (Daniel 12:12), those whom God blesses with survival of those three great sifters: the Tribulation, followed by the wrath of God, followed by the Battle of Armageddon. Apparently there are going to be millions who are going to survive all three! Who would God bless with such survival but those who did refuse to fall down and worship the Beast and his image and receive his mark?

The forces of the Antichrist are going to be powerful and great, but I don’t think they’re going to be the actual majority of the world’s population. Whether you think it’s a majority or a minority who will survive, there are going to be enough of them that they’re going to form whole nations of the world over whom we are going to rule. God blesses them for their refusal to worship the image, their rejection of the Mark of the Beast and their rejection of the Antichrist, by sparing them through the Tribulation, the wrath of God, and the Battle of Armageddon to survive on into the Millennium and there be given another chance—a probationary period, so to speak.

Then there is a final sifting and dividing of the sheep from the goats after that probationary period, in the Battle of Gog and Magog in which Satan comes back and deceives those whom he can, and their forces surround the forces of the kingdom of God on earth, the forces of the Millennium. Is he going to deceive everybody on earth except us who are already saved? Then what’s the point of the Millennium? What’s the point of the Battle of Gog and Magog? What’s the point of binding the Devil for a while and then releasing him at the end, except for another final sifting of those people who’ve been on probation? They were not cast into the lake of fire along with the Antichrist and his False Prophet and his forces. There were hundreds of millions who rejected him and stood true to their religious convictions, whatever they were, and their concept of God, whatever that may be.

Therefore, because they took the stand of the righteous and did that which was right even without the law and without the knowledge of the truth and without having received Jesus, they will be judged without the law and they will be chastised with very few stripes and be given a suspended sentence, in a sense, and put on probation during the Millennium to see how they behave. They are given a second chance to be saved, or in a sense, maybe a third chance—or their first chance?

The Lord lets the Devil come back again to find out who will still follow him, and there will apparently be hundreds of thousands, maybe millions, who will still be deceived. Even though they have seen the glory of God and His kingdom and Jesus and His saints and the angels, who have been ruling the earth in righteousness, they will still believe the Devil and be deceived by him, and that’ll be the final sifting.

They’re going to be wiped out in the fire of God that’s going to wipe out the whole earth, and then there’s going to be this final judgment after that. This would explain why there is this final White Throne Judgment of all those who were not saved and not in the first resurrection when Jesus came at the end of the Tribulation. At the end of the Millennium, after the Battle of Gog and Magog, there’s the second resurrection—of those who died since. But then He judges between those who are written in the book of life and those who aren’t. There are some people who, in a sense, are going to be saved—although not like us—but at the end of the Millennium, at the end of the Battle of Gog and Magog and at the final White Throne Judgment of God.

“Satan shall be loosed out of his prison, and shall go out to deceive the nations which are in the four quarters of the earth.” There are nations, millions of people still living on the earth over whom we’re ruling and reigning in the kingdom of God. “To gather them together to battle, the number of whom is as the sand of the sea” (Revelation 20:7–8). Hundreds of millions as the sand of the sea are still living at the end of the Millennium, involved in the two sides, those on the side of God and those on the side of the Antichrist.

Verse 9: “And they went up on the breadth of the earth, and compassed the camp of the saints about, and the beloved city.” The only city then that could be called “the beloved city” is earthly Jerusalem, in which Jesus is supposed to take over and reign as the King of the earth during the Millennium. So they try to actually surround the forces of God and His saints and angels. But fire comes down from God out of heaven and devours the forces of the Enemy, and all those people, those living human beings that the Devil has persuaded to follow him. “And the Devil that deceived them was cast into the lake of fire and brimstone”—at last he receives his punishment—“where the beast and the false prophet are”—already—“and shall be tormented day and night for ever and ever” (Revelation 20:10).

“And I saw a great white throne, and Him that sat on it, from whose face the earth and the heaven fled away; and there was found no place for them.” Here’s the Great White Throne Judgment! “And I saw the dead, small and great, stand before God; and the books were opened.” Why a judgment? The saved are already long gone; they were resurrected and raptured at the second coming of Christ at the end of the Tribulation. Then why is there to be any difference between these who are in the second resurrection, and why does there have to be a judgment, and why do books have to be opened to judge between them? There must be some good and some bad.

“And the books were opened, and another book was opened, which is the book of life: and the dead were judged out of those things which were written in the books, according to their works.” God is making a difference and distinction between them. “And the sea gave up the dead which were in it; and death and hell delivered up the dead which were in them.”

Some people have already gone to their punishment, and yet some people are still in the bottom of the sea and other places as ghosts and spirits. Maybe they have to stick around near the dead body somewhere; that’s their punishment, at least their temporary probation, in a sense. But some were not actually in hell yet. Some people have already gone to hell while others have not.

“And they were judged every man according to their works.” God is going to make a difference and judge everybody justly and righteously and mercifully according to their works.

“And death and hell were cast into the lake of fire. This is the second death.” The people apparently already in death and hell who have already been suffering their punishment because they were so bad and so wicked—including the Devil and the Antichrist and the False Prophet and all the marked forces of the Beast, those already in hell, in other words—are going to be cast back into hell. They’re judged at the White Throne Judgment and chucked back into hell! And “Whosoever was not found written in the book of life was cast into the lake of fire” (Revelation 20:11–15). In other words, there’s going to be another dividing in the White Throne Judgment between the sheep and the goats, those who deserve to go to hell and those who don’t.

What happens to those who are found written in the book of life? The saved are not at this judgment; they’ve already been raptured! They went to the wedding of the Lamb, they came back in the conquering forces of Armageddon, they ruled the earth for the whole Millennium, and they won the Battle of Gog and Magog when their enemies were all wiped out. They’re already enjoying their salvation. So who is in this other group, those who are neither already saved nor already cast into hell? Where are they going to go? Who else could be outside the city and not allowed in? What other nations of the earth would be populating the face of the new earth than these souls who were judged at the Great White Throne Judgment and not considered bad enough to go to hell and not saved enough to go to heaven, but good enough to populate the new earth (Revelation 21:24–26)?

Perhaps they will not be saved in the same sense we are, the first saved saints of God, who will walk the streets of the Golden City and who will be the only ones allowed to live there, but will be the nations outside upon whom God has had mercy because they are people who survived the various tests and the suspended sentences and probationary periods which follow the present age, and who at the Great White Throne Judgment are not considered worthy of hell when judged. Not worthy of heaven, the Heavenly City, but worthy to be spared and inhabit the new earth. And unto whom we will still be ministering the leaves of the tree of life for the healing of the nations (Revelation 22:2).

Even the new earth is, in a sense, going to be a probationary period in which those who accept the healing are going to be healed. Maybe that’s still another dividing of the sheep from the goats to see who will accept it. Or maybe they will all be saved and healed. We’re not told anything about what happens from there on; that’s as far as the Lord’s revealing to us now.

So it’s quite obvious that not everybody is saved and going to rule the Millennium or inhabit the Heavenly City, but it’s also obvious to me that not everybody is going to be damned to hell or destroyed in the Tribulation and the wrath of God and the Battle of Armageddon as followers of the Antichrist.—Nor sent to hell in the Great White Throne Judgment at the end of the Millennium after the Battle of Gog and Magog as followers of the Devil.

There will be those who will be accounted worthy, having come into faith and belief and loyalty to God and who will be considered a part of the camp of the saints at the Battle of Gog and Magog, the nations and the forces who are loyal to the Lord who will literally do battle with Satan and his forces—the renegades, the reprobates, those who, after a thousand years of the righteous reign of Jesus Christ and His saints and the kingdom of God on earth, will still rebel, be deceived by Satan, and follow him into the Battle of Gog and Magog and then be destroyed by fire from God.

Then all the unsaved are raised in the Great White Throne Judgment and finally judged, those who deserve life on the new earth and those who deserve death in hell: the final sifting. All the saints of God are going to inhabit the Holy City, and those who were not saved so that they could go directly to heaven will be outside on the new earth.

Survivors of the End (part1)

David Brandt Berg

1983-02-01

In Revelation 20, verse 10, it says that after the Battle of Gog and Magog, “the Devil that deceived them was cast into the lake of fire and brimstone, where the beast and the false prophet are.” The Beast and the False Prophet were immediately cast into the lake of fire after the Battle of Armageddon (Revelation 19:20)—which shows that some are immediately cast into the lake of fire. Some are so bad, their judgment won’t wait. God’s Word says of some men that their judgments go before them, but others, their judgments follow after (1 Timothy 5:24). God waits.

Some are so evil that their judgment has already been settled ahead of time, and the minute they die, they go to hell. With others it’s almost as though they’re put on probation for a period in the afterlife until the final judgment of all the wicked at the Great White Judgment Throne. Perhaps God puts them on probation to see what they will do in the afterlife, if they’re going to repent when they see that there is such a life, as obviously some of the spirits in prison must have done after Jesus went down and preached to them in hell (Matthew 12:40; 1 Peter 3:19, 4:6; Ephesians 4:9). So there must be some period of probation and a so-called second chance for those who will receive it then.

But there will be other stubborn, rebellious, unrepentant people who will still continue to serve the Devil, and they won’t finally get theirs until their cup of iniquity is full, which will not be until the end of the Millennium. That’s evident by all those wicked people at the end of the Millennium who follow Satan (Revelation 20:8). So a lot of them are not judged until then.

Some are immediately judged, like the Beast and the False Prophet are after the Battle of Armageddon. “And the beast was captured, and with it the false prophet who in its presence had done the signs by which he deceived those who had received the mark of the beast and those who worshiped its image. These two were thrown alive into the lake of fire that burns with sulfur. And the rest were slain by the sword that came from the mouth of him who was sitting on the horse, and all the birds were gorged with their flesh” (Revelation 19:20–21 ESV).

Since God’s saints, God’s children, were all gone—in fact, they were gone and came back in the Battle of Armageddon as a part of the conquering host—and if the Antichrist and the False Prophet were cast into hell at that time, as is quite evident, and if those who worshipped the Beast, took his mark, and worshipped his image were also cast into hell at that time, who was left? I mean, if everybody on earth was either slain or cast into hell at that time, there wouldn’t be anybody left in the Millennium for us to rule and reign over! And there would be no evil or wicked to rebel at the end of the Millennium, to join the forces of Satan in trying to attack the kingdom of God.

So this again confirms the difference between the saints of God—and in this case the forces of the Devil who are already his confirmed possessions—and a group somewhere in-between. If the Antichrist and the False Prophet are cast in the lake of fire at that time—whereas we, on the other hand, are part of the conquering forces—then who survived all of that, including the Battle of Armageddon, in order for us to rule over them in the Millennium? Because there is no resurrection of the wicked or the unsaved until after the Millennium, after the Battle of Gog and Magog at the Great White Throne Judgment. They’re not even raised until then.

It sounds like there is a group of people somewhere in-between that God has not immediately destroyed and cast into hell like the Antichrist and the False Prophet and those who accepted his mark and worshipped his image, and those who were slain in the battle. It sounds like there has to be another group upon whom God has mercy and in a sense puts them on probation—just as judges do in this life. If the criminal’s offence is not serious enough to warrant actual imprisonment, he will often receive a suspended sentence and be put on probation, his final fate being dependent upon his behavior and his actions during the probationary period.

So in a sense, there is this third in-between group who are neither saints of God nor part of the Devil’s camp, like the spirits Jesus preached to in prison for whom there was apparently hope, another opportunity. They were not going to be held there forever, or else why would He have preached to them? It sounds as though there is a third sort of in-between probationary group, sinners with suspended sentences put on probation for the duration of the Millennium.

All the saved are now heavenly beings who have already received their heavenly bodies, been resurrected at the coming of Christ, gone to heaven for the wedding supper of the Lamb, returned as a part of the army of God to fight the Battle of Armageddon, and destroyed the forces of the Antichrist and those who received the mark of the Beast and worshipped his image.

If Satan is bound, the Antichrist, False Prophet and all the worshippers of the Antichrist are cast into hell, who is going to live in the Millennium and be ruled over with a rod of iron?—Some of whom, it says in various prophecies, will sometimes rebel and God will send judgments upon them, fire from heaven, or withhold the rain. And finally, some of them actually rebel at the end of the Millennium and join the forces of Satan in the Battle of Gog and Magog and are then destroyed.

Obviously some of the unsaved have got to survive the Tribulation, wrath of God, Battle of Armageddon, and live on into the Millennium under our rule. If the Devil is bound during that period, and the Antichrist, False Prophet and his followers are slain and cast into hell with him, who are these people? There must be some people during the Tribulation, who, although they are not saved—perhaps like the Jews, Muslims, and other sincere believers—have a certain amount of conviction or who do worship God in some way, who just flatly refuse to worship the Beast and his image or to accept his mark. It sounds like there will be other people besides us, the Christians, the saved—a third element, neither the saved nor the wicked, so to speak.—Neither God’s saints nor the Devil’s saints, but a third in-between group who, though not saved, still do not deserve the immediate punishment of hell, because they too resisted the Antichrist.

That would account for a lot of these wars and rebellions the Antichrist has. (See Daniel 11.) These people also rebelled and refused to accept his mark; they also refused to worship the image, even though not Christians. Some of these believers are very sincere people, although not yet saved or Christians.

Look at all the other religions of the world, the millions of Hindus, Muslims, Buddhists, Taoists, and others. Look at how straight the Muslims are on so much of their doctrine, how sincere. Let’s call them sincere religionists who worship the unknown God, so to speak, those whom Jesus said didn’t deserve to be beaten with many stripes because they knew not their Master’s will.—Not the ones who, even though they knew their Master’s will, did things that were worthy of stripes. Jesus said they’d be beaten with many stripes (Luke 12:47–48).

This is all a part of the same doctrine of a probationary period for the in-between group. They are neither saved born-again Christians nor the wicked, those who fought God and rebelled against Him, and though they knew God, they hated Him. What about all the millions in-between who never heard the Gospel, who never had a chance to be saved?

I think lots of people are going to come to the Lord during the Tribulation! They’re going to be driven to a decision. They are going to have to make their decision one way or the other. They’re either going to have to receive the mark of the Beast and worship his image, or they will be in danger of being slain. Of all the people that he obviously does not persuade to worship him and his image and take his mark, some, according to several passages in the Bible, he actually wages wars with, whole nations of them. Who’s he waging these military wars with? We saved Christians are not going to be waging war against the Antichrist forces!

Apparently there are whole nations and armies of them; they could be whole nations who profess to be Christian, like the U.S.A. So there has to be a group of people in the Tribulation, and who survive Armageddon and the destruction of the Antichrist and his forces and all the people who followed him, who didn’t and finally refused to worship him and accept his mark or worship his image and against whom he fought wars.

How about those who never heard or comprehended the truth, who never really got the Gospel, who never had a chance to be told how to be saved? There are millions—whole nations of them! I can prove it, because in the Millennium we rule over nations of people who obviously are not saved (Revelation 21:24,26; 22:2).

Who are these living people who form whole nations during the Millennium over whom we, the saints of God, are going to rule with a rod of iron? And why is it necessary to rule with a rod of iron if all the wicked are already cast into hell? If everybody else on earth, except those who have Jesus in their hearts, will be slaughtered after the Lord raptures His saints and punishes all those people left behind on earth with the wrath of God, who will be left?

It says that some of them won’t repent—but maybe during that period some will repent! Maybe there are people who, although they were not saved, they rejected the Antichrist, refused his image and his mark because they knew it was wrong and evil according to their own faith and what little knowledge they had of God and their religion.

Take the sincere Jews who believe in God and read the Scriptures, yet never accepted Jesus and are not saved. I think a number of them are going to recognize the Antichrist and refuse to follow him or worship him. Look at the hundreds of millions of Muslims, who I don’t believe are going to receive and follow the Antichrist, certainly not all of them. They know too much truth; they’ll recognize the man is evil.

What about the hundreds of millions of followers of Eastern religions? Will they not recognize the Antichrist as an evil man? The Jews hate images, idolatry, and so do the Muslims. One of the main parts of Islam is an abhorrence of idolatry and images! The first thing they did when they conquered Catholic Christendom was to destroy all the images in the churches. Will all those hundreds of millions of Muslims fall down and worship that image of the Beast? What about the various Oriental religions, many of whose believers have a sincere faith in some kind of God, but they don’t know Him, and some who may have heard of Christ but don’t know enough to receive Him, and many of whom have never even heard of Jesus? Are they all going to accept the Antichrist and his mark and worship his image?

It sounds to me as if they can’t. Otherwise there would be nobody left in the Millennium. If you include in the followers of the Antichrist all those who are not actually saved, born-again Christians, then the world’s entire population would be wiped out at the end of the wrath of God in the Battle of Armageddon. But from what I can see in the scriptures, there is an in-between group of the undecided, those who have never had the light, have never heard of Jesus or didn’t know how to believe in Him and receive Him for genuine salvation. There will be those who even during the Tribulation, because of their religion and religious convictions and their own concept of good and evil, will recognize that the Antichrist is evil. When he insists on branding them as one of his and that they fall down and worship his image, they will know then that he is not of God!

Therefore I believe there will be literally millions on earth who will reject the mark of the Beast and refuse to fall down and worship his image, and who will rebel against him and fight him. This accounts for all those wars mentioned in chapter 11 of Daniel, that the Antichrist fights during the Tribulation, and the tremendous opposition that he meets when he insists on placing the abomination of desolation in front of the temple in the holy place, Mount Moriah in Jerusalem, and tries to make everybody receive his brand and tries to kill everybody who won’t. He’s obviously not completely successful.

Where is the church going to hide during the Tribulation? If everybody else on earth is going to receive the mark of the Beast, who is going to hide the church? Where is this wilderness described in the 12th chapter of Revelation? Where else can the church hide during the Tribulation but among those who will protect them and keep them, just as the Jews hid in the homes of their friends in Europe during the holocaust of Hitler, even though those friends were not of their religion? These people didn’t receive his swastika, they were not Nazis or members of the SS, but neither were they Jews.

In other words, they were not fully on either side, but they were nevertheless good to those who were being persecuted and they hid them, sheltered them, and protected them during the time when they were being persecuted. That would explain where the church is going to hide. There will be whole nations who are going to reject the Antichrist and his mark and worshipping his image.

Lots of people, although not actually saved as we are, still believe in God. If the Antichrist came along today and insisted that they fall down and worship an image or an idol of him, I believe that lots of those, even though unsaved, would recognize that this was evil and would refuse to do it, even at pain of death, feeling that it was wrong according to their religion, their convictions, their personal faith in whatever God they worship.

The book of Revelation makes it clear that the elect, this special class of people who are saved and branded and sealed for salvation, are few in number, compared to the vast millions of the earth’s population. In one place it says “all the world followed the beast” (Revelation 13:3 NKJV).

The Habits of a Godly Life—Part 1

By Maria Fontaine

May 30, 2023

Several months ago, the Lord drew my attention to some of the teachings of Charles Stanley. His simple ways of expressing many basic principles from the Bible impressed me. So, when he recently passed on to his heavenly reward at the age of 90, I decided to look into his life even more. As I did so, I discovered that he never gave up telling others the truth of his amazing Savior.

I hadn’t realized until recently that Doctor Stanley had a worldwide ministry and his sermons were translated into a hundred or so languages, and he also published numerous books. I was inspired by his love for Jesus and his desire to share God’s truth with anyone who would listen.

There are often points of doctrine that are interpreted differently amongst Christian pastors and teachers, and it’s not unusual to find differences in opinion and interpretation of some things in the Bible. But I don’t think that should stop us from benefiting from the things that we can be fed from. We can choose the good and let go of the things that we don’t think are accurate. We’ve been doing that for years now regarding the teaching of many pastors, apologists, teachers, etc. We take what is inspiring and what the Holy Spirit shows us to apply, and we learn from that. We can thank the Lord for what others are sharing that is a great blessing to people.

Growing up poor in the back country of Virginia, Charles Stanley was no stranger to difficulties. However, in spite of the many hardships he and his mother had faced, she had committed him to the Lord when he was young and did her best to teach him the principles of loving others.

Another example of faith in his life was his grandfather, George Washington Stanley (G.W.), a Holiness Pentecostal preacher. Charles was only able to visit his grandfather a few times as he was growing up. Nevertheless, those visits left a lasting impression on him. He had many questions to ask G.W. about faith and about his grandfather’s past.

In one of Charles’ last visits before launching into his preaching career, G.W. told him many stories of the Lord’s provision and protection, and the importance of trusting that God is always in control. Here are a couple of the many stories that Charles recounted about his grandfather’s background:

In many communities when G.W. was growing up, schools were only open for three months out of the year, at best. Where he lived, there were no schools at all, and G.W. grew up without the opportunity to learn to read or write.

Finally, when he was 18, a school was set up nearby. G.W. tried to learn to read and write, but because he was so embarrassed at being an adult in a classroom with children, he finally gave up in discouragement. He had felt the Lord’s call at age 17 to become a preacher, but it seemed impossible for him to ever pastor a church.

However, when he poured out his heart to the Lord, Jesus told him that He would make a way for it to happen. So, G.W. told the Lord, “If You want me to preach, You will have to teach me how.” And slowly, but surely, the Lord taught him, as day by day he laboriously struggled to read his Bible.

G.W. reminds me of some of the things I’ve heard about our own brave pioneers as well as other missionaries, who needed to learn things like a language or to teach or to sing or dance or do skits or some other tool through which they could have the opportunity to reach others.

G.W. persevered, and after quite a bit of struggle, he was ready to begin his first church. He went on to establish 18 churches. G.W. expressed his determination to do whatever the Lord told him to in one of the first things that he taught Charles. He said, “If God tells you to run your head through a brick wall, you head for the wall, and when you get there, God will make a hole for it.” Charles then went on to explain, “In other words, as you obey God, and leave the consequences to Him, He will do whatever it takes to keep you.”

In those days, small towns usually didn’t have large places to meet together that didn’t cost a lot of money to rent. The best way to provide shelter where you could tell people about Jesus was to have a tent where people could come to hear the message. The problem was that a tent was very expensive. It cost around 400 dollars (roughly 10,000 dollars in today’s money), which was way beyond anything G.W. could afford. He got a job, but the pay was so little that he knew he would never be able to earn even a small portion of the cost.

He prayed desperately, in spite of the discouragement that threatened to defeat him, and the Lord showed him a picture of a house in a nearby town that had roses in the front yard and a fence around it. God told him if he’d go there, he would have what he needed. So G.W. began walking up and down the streets of the town until he found the house.

He knocked hesitantly on the door, and the woman who answered said, “Oh, Mr. Stanley, I’ve been wanting to see you. I’m so glad you came by!” After talking for a little while, the woman got up and returned with a plain paper bag. Handing it to him, she said, “God told me to give this to you.” Inside the bag were 400 one-dollar bills!

There were many other such stories of protection, provision, and supernatural leadings that Charles’ grandfather told him. As Charles listened to his grandfather’s stories of faith, his own faith to trust the Lord for the impossible grew. The principles he learned were to be a large part of the foundation for his life’s work. The power of a true-life testimony can never be overestimated in its ability to touch the lives of others.

* * *

The following are seven habits that Charles Stanley believed were necessary for a Christian to form in order to live a godly life. These habits were spread out over numerous lengthy sermons that Charles Stanley gave and were expressed in a variety of ways. I have tried to encapsulate the basic points in the following segment of this post. I have also included a number of my own comments throughout.

What is a habit? A habit is a recurring, often-unconscious pattern of behavior that is acquired through frequent repetition. It’s something we do over and over again.

What is a godly life? It’s a life that exhibits the principles of God’s nature in as accurate a way as you can.

Note: The italicized quotes labeled with “CS” are from a variety of videos by Charles Stanley.

Habit #1: Having Faith and Trust

CS: “When you and I are trusting Jesus, it builds intimacy with Him. And intimacy means you are close to His heart, and also His thinking. You understand each other, the way you think, the way you feel. You talk together. He guides you and you obey Him.”

CS: “Trusting God is knowing that He is in charge. It doesn’t make any difference what happens, how it happens, when it happens, for whatever reason it happens. I know that God is in charge and I can trust Him for whatever He allows in my life.”

CS: “The greatest lesson I’ve ever learned is to trust God. Don’t try to figure Him out, just trust Him and watch Him work. God never comes up short, He never comes up late. He’s always on time to do whatever needs to be done.”

Habit #2: Having a Prayer Life

CS: “You can’t live a truly godly life without a prayer life, because your prayer life keeps you connected to Jesus, sensitive to His will, His purpose, and His plan.”

Maria: Prayer is expressing our desire to seek what Jesus knows will be best. We may not know all the details, but our prayers for Him to bring what will work for the greatest good is a key to the prayer of faith.

CS: “Whatever you accomplish in life, you’ll accomplish on your knees. Not by intelligence, not by your schooling, not by your training, but only on your knees.”

Maria: These other elements are helpful, but without that connection that prayer creates between us and the Lord, they won’t accomplish anything worthwhile.

Habit #3: Meditating on Jesus

“When I remember You on my bed, I meditate on You in the night watches, for You have been my help, and in the shadow of Your wings I sing for joy. My soul clings to You; Your right hand upholds me.”—Psalm 63:6–8

Maria: When meditating on a Bible verse, an inspired quote, or something that the Lord has spoken to your heart, you are sitting at His feet, hungry to learn whatever He chooses to reveal to you. Charles Stanley summed it up this way:

CS: “It means that I read it, I think about it, I search my heart in light of what God is saying to me. I ask Him whatever questions I have, and I surrender my will to whatever He shows me.”

Maria: It reminds me of something David often told me, “The first step in finding the will of God is to have no will of your own.” We still have free will, but we choose to put what He shows us first.

CS: “Your focus is on Him. And when you begin to focus on God, here’s what happens. Worries drift away, concerns drift away, your mind is no longer contaminated with all kinds of things that do not do you any good at all. Meditation is an absolutely essential part of living a godly life.”

Habit #4: Obeying God

CS: “The wise way to live is to obey God, then leave all the consequences and circumstances to Him. I can do that if I’m praying; if I’m trusting; if I’m meditating upon Him. There’s nothing that can keep you from obeying and walking in these seven habits, nothing, except a choice you make.”

CS: “God is faithful to direct us in any situation or circumstance if we’ll listen to Him. Obeying God, listening to Him and trusting Him about everything is what life is all about.”

CS: “The weight, the effectiveness of my prayers for others is going to be determined by the time I spend with Him by myself, hearing from Him about what He wants to do in my own life.”

Habit #5: Depending on the Holy Spirit

“I still have much to tell you, but you cannot yet bear to hear it. However, when the Spirit of truth comes, He will guide you into all truth. For He will not speak on His own, but He will speak what He hears, and He will declare to you what is to come. He will glorify Me by taking from what is Mine and disclosing it to you.”—John 16:12–14

CS: “You’re never alone. You’re indwelt by the Holy Spirit, who is there to empower you, help you, encourage you, strengthen you, heal you. The Holy Spirit is there because we need God in our life, and He knew we would.”

Habit #6: Giving to God and Others

“Give and it shall be given to you. Good measure, pressed down, shaken together and running over. For by your standard of measure it will be measured to you in return.”—Luke 6:38

Maria: The Bible says that God loves a cheerful giver. It’s perfectly logical to reason, “What could possibly make us feel cheerful when we’re giving up something that we might need someday? Besides, even if we wanted to give to God, how do we give to a God who already has everything?!”

CS: “The only way that we can be a cheerful giver is when we have developed a relationship with the Lord, a trust in His love that He will always care for us and bless us for giving to Him.”

Maria: Faith has a way of contradicting some of our reasoning, because our reasoning and logic can only rely on what we can grasp with our minds. But faith sees the fuller reality of God’s love, the fact that He is in full control and that everything is His. When we see things through the eyes of faith, it may override what logic and reason are telling us.

How do we give to God? Jesus said, “As you did it to one of the least of these my brothers, you did it to me” (Matthew 25:40).

Habit #7: Forgiving

“Let all bitterness and wrath and anger and clamor and slander be put away from you, along with all malice. Be kind to one another, tender-hearted, forgiving each other, just as God in Christ has also forgiven you.”—Ephesians 4:31–32

CS: “It is never excusable, it’s never defendable to have an unforgiving spirit towards anyone, if you are a follower of Jesus Christ. … You cannot have a good prayer life when there is unforgiveness in your heart.”

Maria: This was a major strength in Charles Stanley’s life, as is evidenced in a talk given by his grandson Matthew, which I will summarize in part two on this topic.

“This is a trustworthy saying, worthy of full acceptance: Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners, of whom I am the worst. But for this very reason I was shown mercy, so that in me, the worst of sinners, Christ Jesus might display His perfect patience as an example to those who would believe in Him for eternal life.”—1 Timothy 1:15–16

CS: “When we realize that He has stamped ‘paid in full’ on our account, then we must never dare to side with those who would have us believe otherwise. ‘For if our heart condemns us, God is greater than our heart, and knows all things’ (1 John 3:20).”

Maria: One of the most difficult people to forgive is often ourselves. But have you considered that even when Jesus forgives us, we still cannot fully experience the joy and wonder of it all unless we forgive ourselves?

Continuing to carry guilt around with us is like having been imprisoned, and now the door is unlocked and open, but instead of bounding out into the sunshine of His love, thankful for His wondrous gift to us, we choose to remain in our prison cell. We don’t get to enjoy the full freedom and growth in the Spirit that has been given to us, because we choose to remain a prisoner to guilt.

Perhaps the saddest thing about it is that we then lack the full joy of the Lord that could be an example to others of God’s forgiveness. If you won’t forgive yourself for your own sake, do it for the sake of many others who need your example to give them hope.

In part two of this post on Charles Stanley, I plan to share more illustrations of a life that saw the good in everyone around him, regardless of outward appearances, failings, sins, or faults.

Until then, I pray that you will find the encouragement and positive applications that Jesus has waiting for you, as you continue, with each passing day, to make loving Him your greatest habit of all.

An Excellent Gift

June 1, 2023

By Maria Fontaine

Audio length: 17:53

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What can we do to honor the King of the universe? What can we say to the King of our lives? What is a fitting gift to give the One who has given all to us? We know from many years of hearing His Word that doing our best to surrender our lives to Him is what pleases Him. When we do that, it inspires our hearts to praise Him, to give Him thanks and honor, to magnify and extol Him. It makes us want to exalt, adore, worship, and glorify Him. We desire to rejoice in Him and bless His name.

Our gratitude, spoken aloud or offered silently in our hearts, for what He has done for us is beautiful to Him. It’s our thanks to Him for allowing us to be His, and for all the sacrifices that He made in giving His life for us! We love Him because He first loved us.

As N. T. Wright said, “Worship is love on its knees before the beloved; just as mission is love on its feet to serve the beloved.”

In this compilation of quotes, I want to emphasize the praise and worship “love on its knees” part. It’s my joy to revisit the subject of praise because not only is it vital but it’s beautiful, it’s a privilege, and we can all benefit from a reminder to continually praise the Lord for His amazing mercy and grace.

* * *

Some of the quotes below express interesting word pictures of what praise is or does. I’ve excerpted some of these to serve as a quick memory jogger as we praise throughout the day.

Praise is:
Our hallelujah song.
Love on its knees.
Like releasing beautiful perfume.
An invitation of a lifetime.
What pulls His people together.
An offering in gratitude to Him.
A generator of positive energy.
A halo of glory for the head of toil.
The crown of a Jesus follower.

Praise is:
Your morning face wash.
The way to worry less.
The soul’s joy and delight.
The offering that enriches you.
The catalyst of peace.
A focusing tool.
Getting your emphasis right.
The great transformer.
The sustainer in all situations.

* * *

“If you’ve made a habit of communing with God when the sun is shining, you’ll find it much easier to sing in the rain.”—Bill Pannell

“Wash your face every morning in a bath of praise.”—Charles Spurgeon

“God has commanded the sacrifice of praise, and if it doesn’t cost you something, it isn’t a sacrifice.”—Terry Law

“God has two dwellings: one in heaven and the other in a meek and thankful heart.”—Izaak Walton

“We are the Easter people and hallelujah is our song!”—Pope John Paul II

“A Christian should be an Alleluia from head to foot.”—Saint Augustine

“Circumstances will never be perfect while you are on earth and encased in your human body, so you will at times be tempted with fears and worries. However, the way to rise above those things is through keeping your eyes on Me. Focusing on the light is turning your sight away from the mud puddles of disappointments or fears or tough situations toward the brilliant, splashing fountain of My positive perspective. Instead of grimacing at the mud, you instead come and admire My spectacular fountain. You keep your eyes on Me, reminding yourself that I’m in control; you splash about joyously in My presence by praising Me in spite of your surroundings.”—Words from Jesus

“We would worry less if we praised more. Thanksgiving is the enemy of discontent and dissatisfaction.”—Harry Ironside

“He shows up in His fullness when you praise Him from your emptiness, because that is when you truly have room for Him.”—Terry Law

“Praise can end murmuring, and nurse contentment. If our mouths were filled with the praises of God, there would be no room for grumbling. Praise would throw a halo of glory around the head of toil and thought. In its sunlight the commonest duties of life would be transfigured. … Learn the essential elements of heavenly praise by the practice of joyful thanksgiving, adoring reverence, and wondering love.”—Charles Spurgeon

“True spiritual worship will cause God Almighty to come and sit with you, for He is enthroned in the midst of your praises.”—Joseph L. Garlington

“When we lift our hands in praise and worship, we break spiritual jars of perfume over Jesus. The fragrance of our praise fills the whole earth and touches the heart of God.”―Dennis Ignatius

“O God, to know You is life. To serve You is freedom. To praise You is the soul’s joy and delight.”—Saint Augustine

“A thankful heart is one of the primary identifying characteristics of a believer. It stands in stark contrast to pride, selfishness, and worry. And it helps fortify the believer’s trust in the Lord and reliance on His provision, even in the toughest times. No matter how choppy the seas become, a believer’s heart is buoyed by constant praise and gratefulness to the Lord.”—John MacArthur

“I am the Spirit of Life, and thankfulness and gratitude are the means to go deeper into Me. They chase away fear; they bring remorse to a dead end; they leap over the gorge of worry and land in the field of peace and calm where I dwell. They give you smooth sailing, powered by the breath of My Spirit.”—Words from Jesus

“We ought to give thanks for all fortune: if it is good, because it is good, if bad, because it works in us patience, humility and the contempt of this world and the hope of our eternal country.”—C. S. Lewis

“If you find yourself in a difficult position, between a rock and a hard place, respond with praise.—Praise that flows from the innermost part of your spirit, praise that trusts Me and knows by faith that everything will be okay because you’re in My hands.”—Words from Jesus

“Be thankful. God has commanded it—for our good and for His glory. God’s command to be thankful is not the threatening demand of a tyrant. Rather, it is the invitation of a lifetime—the opportunity to draw near to Him at any moment of the day.”—Nancy Leigh DeMoss

“Gratitude is an offering precious in the sight of God, and it is one that the poorest of us can make and be not poorer but richer for having made it.”—A. W. Tozer

“When we choose thankful prayer over wallowing in anxiety and worry, we are demonstrating an unwavering trust in God.”—Priscilla Shirer

“A spirit of thankfulness is one of the most distinctive marks of a Christian whose heart is attuned to the Lord. Thank God in the midst of trials and every persecution.”—Billy Graham

“Pain, fear and family concerns can be overpowering. Praise is your focus tool. It draws your attention to the power of God and brings it into focus.”—Words from Jesus

“When it comes to life the critical thing is whether you take things for granted or take them with gratitude.”—G. K. Chesterton

“God calls His people to celebrate Him with singing and playing music, and then He promises to do a little drumming of His own, on the back of the Enemy.”—Terry Law

“Yes, give thanks for ‘all things’ for, as it has been well said, ‘Our disappointments are but His appointments.’”—A. W. Pink

“Gratitude is a decision of the will, and if a decision of the will, the choice resides squarely with us. Deciding to be thankful is no easy task. It takes work.”—Chuck Swindoll

“Praise is the beauty of a Christian. What wings are to a bird, what fruit is to the tree, what the rose is to the thorn, that is praise to a child of God.”—Charles Spurgeon

“If there was ever a secret for unleashing God’s powerful peace in a situation, it’s developing a heart of true thanksgiving.”—Lysa TerKeurst

“In this day and age, there is a great deal of information available on how to succeed—in your marriage, in your relations with others, in business, in life in general. These often focus on the power of positiveness, but if you want to access a valuable key to overcoming in life, try praise. Determining to be positive brings on positive energy, but compared to when you thank Me and give Me praise, positiveness is meager. When you direct your praise to Me, you are opening your heart to My presence, which is the ultimate source of all energy.”—Words from Jesus

“Our griefs cannot mar the melody of our praise; we reckon them to be the bass part of our life’s song, ‘He hath done great things for us, whereof we are glad.’”—Charles Spurgeon

“Let us sing even when we do not feel like it, for in this way we give wings to heavy feet and turn weariness into strength.”—John Henry Jowett

“In commanding us to glorify Him, God is inviting us to enjoy Him.”—C. S. Lewis

“There should be a parallel between our supplications and our thanksgivings. We ought not to leap in prayer, and limp in praise.”—Charles Spurgeon

“When we bless God, many things happen…

Blessing God honors God. We are giving Him the praise He is due. We are saying the most basic truth in the universe: God is God and I’m not.
We remind ourselves who is in charge and that we are not on our own out here.
We put the emphasis back where it should be.
Blessing God changes our focus.
It relieves our anxieties.
It clears our vision to see beyond our trials.
We love Him more after praising Him.
We enjoy His presence more as a result.
It breaks the cycle of self-absorption which often engulfs hurting people.
It opens our hearts to receive His love.
It shows the Father that His child is ‘getting it.’
It relaxes our fears.”—Joe McKeever

“God’s power is not cheap. Just like the electric power that comes into our homes, there is a price to pay for it. However, the price is not monetary. The price is spending time filling ourselves with God’s Word so we can understand the power. It’s praying so we can access the power. It’s living in obedience so we can maximize the power. It’s praising and worshiping God so that we open up the lines through which God’s power flows into our lives.”―Stormie Omartian

“If we had more praising we should be greatly blessed. What would lift us so much above the trials of life, what would help us to bear the burden and heat of the day, so well as songs of praise unto the Most High? The soldier marches without weariness when the band is playing inspiring strains; the sailor, as he pulls the rope or lifts the anchor, utters a cheery cry to aid his toil. Let us try the animating power of hymns of praise. Nothing would oil the wheels of the chariot of life so well as more of the praising of God.”—Charles Spurgeon

“Don’t let your life give evidence against your tongue. Sing with your voice … sing also with your conduct.”—Saint Augustine

“Praising Me can boost your confidence and increase your sense of self-worth, because when you praise Me, you not only celebrate Me, but you celebrate My creation of you—the work of My hands. Through praise you can be energized. If you ever feel out of sorts, at odds with others, or you feel down, depressed, anxious, worried, or stressed, turn to praise.”—Words from Jesus

“It is only with gratitude that life becomes rich.”—Dietrich Bonhoeffer

“God is in control, and therefore in everything I can give thanks—not because of the situation, but because of the One who directs and rules over it.”—Kay Arthur

“Doth not all nature around me praise God? If I were silent, I should be an exception to the universe. Doth not the thunder praise Him as it rolls like drums in the march of the God of armies? Do not the mountains praise Him when the woods upon their summits wave in adoration? Doth not the lightning write His name in letters of fire? Hath not the whole earth a voice? And shall I, can I, silent be?”—Charles Spurgeon

“Worship is love on its knees before the beloved; just as mission is love on its feet to serve the beloved.”—N. T. Wright

Originally published December 2019. Republished on Anchor June 2023. Read by Debra Lee. Music by Michael Dooley.

Living, Learning, and Loving

May 31, 2023

By William B. McGrath

I had always been the breadwinner in our family (or so I thought!), and my wife was the one naturally gifted with sincere, outgoing love and concern, especially toward her own children. Though now apart, her heart holds them in prayer on a regular basis, year after year.

The pandemic was finally letting up, and we were long overdue to visit our extended family, who lived in various cities, thousands of miles apart. My wife and I were making travel plans, as well as arranging for our own home and pets to be well cared for in our absence. A rift came unexpectedly, abruptly, between us.

I was overly concerned about our finances, and she, it seemed, was deliberately insisting on excessive expenditures. After all, we were finally going on a long trip to visit our children and grandchildren, after so long a time. This difference of attitude about our finances seemed like such a small thing, but for me it wasn’t, and it ate at me for a couple of days. Although I discussed it with the Lord and asked for His help several times, I couldn’t shake the sinking feeling. I was sure I was right, as I was bent on frugality, and she, in her enthusiasm, wasn’t about to conform to my wishes.

My anxiety over this little matter grew and grew. I had prayed for release from it all, but it didn’t seem to go away. Finally, after a few days, when I was having my customary time alone with the Lord, enjoying a deep soaking, a rich and extensive feasting on His Word, the cleansing effects came in. “Now ye are clean through the word which I have spoken unto you” (John 15:3). All anxiety was dispelled, and in its place was a wonderful peace and trust.

The Bible says in Psalm 107:20, “He sent his word, and healed them, and delivered them from their destructions.” Such little rifts about finances can become destructive in marriages. Then, in Matthew 8:8, it says: ‘‘Speak the word only, and my servant shall be healed.” In this case I experienced God’s spiritual healing power by just sitting still and listening to the soft, assuring voice of His Word. Simply by listening to and enjoying the Spirit’s thoughts—the voice, behind and inside of God’s written Word—I was given guidance. By relating to what I was reading, and meditating on it, the peace of mind I received snuffed out the difficult issue.

I came to realize that I was holding on to finances too tightly and that I needed God’s grace to change a lifelong habit of thinking that I was the one responsible for bringing in and safeguarding our finances. I needed to adopt the biblical attitude toward money, the attitude that Abraham and David had. “O Lord our God, all this store that we have prepared to build thee an house for thine holy name cometh of thine hand, and it is all thine own” (1 Chronicles 29:16). “I will not take anything that is thine, lest thou shouldest say, I have made Abram rich” (Genesis 14:23). “And Abram said unto Lot, Let there be no strife, I pray thee, between me and thee … for we be brethren. Is not the whole land before thee? … If thou wilt take the left hand, then I will go to the right” (Genesis 13:8–9).

I knew there was probably plenty in the Bible that I could have brought up to support my position of frugality and careful financial stewardship. But there was also plenty on the weightier matters of loving others and being generous, even extravagantly on certain occasions. So, I began an attitude adjustment, a grace in progress. And no sooner had I done so than I noticed my wife had lightened up as well; her former unbending stance disappeared without any of my persuasions.

This quote I read does not seem to directly relate to the problem I had, but, nevertheless, it strengthened my faith in leaping out with trust and freedom into the long trip ahead.

The word Christian means different things to different people. To one person it means a stiff, uptight, inflexible way of life, colorless and unbending. To another it means a risky, surprise-filled venture, lived on tiptoe at the edge of expectation. Either of these pictures can be supported with evidence. There are numberless illustrations for either position in congregations all over the world. But if we restrict ourselves to biblical evidence, only the second image can be supported: the image of the person living zestfully, exploring every experience—pain and joy, enigma and insight, fulfillment and frustration—as a dimension of human freedom, searching through each for sense and grace. If we get our information from biblical material, there is no doubt that the Christian life is a dancing, leaping, daring life. How then does this other picture get painted in so many imaginations? How does anyone get the life of faith associated with dullness, caution, with inhibition, with stodginess?¹

I certainly don’t want to see myself drifting into becoming a dull or stodgy Christian! “Let’s go! Quit worrying so much about finances!”

I now see my need to let go of some of my lifelong habits as the breadwinner, and grow in love. The apostle Paul tells us in 1 Corinthians 13 that the greatest of all spiritual gifts is love. I’m still learning to honor my wife and her beautiful gift of love, and I know I play an important part in her happiness.

¹ Eugene Peterson in Traveling Light, found also in The Grace Awakening, by Chuck Swindoll.

The Joy of Small Things

May 30, 2023

A compilation

Audio length: 11:56

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A praiseful heart can find joy in so many things—learning a skill, walking through the woods, meeting a friend, viewing a beautiful sight, cooking a meal, giving a gift, teaching a child, helping someone in need, finding ways to serve, discovering a new truth, appreciating an old truth, reaching out to God in prayer, passing His love on in little or big ways. There are so many things in life to be happy about—simple things, little things, joyous things, precious things.

Jesus, please help us to seize each opportunity for enjoyment of all You’ve given us. Help us to see all the sparkles You’ve put in our path and to not fail to thank You for them, knowing that they and You are what make life wonderful.—Chloe West

It was God who created the simple pleasures and joys of life for us to enjoy. He made our bodies and our senses to be able to look upon and enjoy things which are beautiful, to taste things which are delicious, to hear beautiful music, to feel nice things that we touch and to smell the beautiful perfume of a flower or even of a delicious meal that is cooking.—David Brandt Berg

The woman sitting beside me in the airport held a faded leather backpack that appeared to have weathered a lifetime of stories. And the hiking boots laced to her ankles bore the scars of a thousand miles.

And, to be honest, I was surprised by the discontent that stirred deep in my soul as I wondered what adventures the traveler next to me had lived. …

I’d been serving at a ministry conference all weekend and would soon catch a flight back to the small town I call home. And though I was excited to be reunited with my husband and five children, I wasn’t eager to return to my daily grind of carpooling and homework-helping, cooking, and cleaning.

“Where are you headed?” the wearer of those boots asked, interrupting my pity party. …

Turns out our destinations were the same, but we had little else in common. She worked for an international relief organization, serving people in need all over the world. I worked from home serving the six people who live beneath my roof.

During the past week, while I’d watched ballgames and grumbled about cooking dinner again, she’d watched the sun rise over the Himalayas and delivered food to hungry children in Nepal. Her feet had trekked through jungles and climbed rugged mountains, while mine had wandered grocery store aisles and played endless rounds of backyard soccer. …

She told me she was on her way to visit her only sister who was “raising kids and cattle” on the family farm where they’d both been born.

I tried to imagine the dramatically different lives these two sisters had lived—one sprouting wings and traveling the world, the other sinking roots and rarely venturing beyond state lines.

“So have you always been the brave one?” I queried with a wink.

The woman fiddled with the leather strap on that old backpack, then met my gaze. “Actually, my sister is the brave one. … I’ve spent a lifetime finding joy all over the world. But my sister wakes up in the same place every day and chooses to find joy right where she’s at.” …

King David reminds us that the secret to living a beautiful life isn’t dependent on where our feet tread but in WHOM our feet follow.

“You direct me on the path that leads to a beautiful life. As I walk with You, the pleasures are never-ending, and I know true joy and contentment” (Psalm 16:11).

A life of joy isn’t found in chasing adventure but in chasing our Savior.

And, according to Psalm 16:11, when we choose to keep company with Jesus—prayerfully seeking Him first and obeying His directions—we find true contentment right where we are.

The overhead speaker crackled with our flight’s first boarding call. … I pictured the ordinary life waiting for me at home—the demands and the delights, the giggles and the grumbles, and suddenly, I couldn’t wait to hop on that plane and return to my beautiful life. …

Dear Lord, I want to find joy in the life You’ve planned for me. Give me strength to follow and obey. In Jesus’ Name, Amen.—Alicia Bruxvoort¹

The story is told of three women washing clothes. A passerby asked each one what she was doing.

“Washing clothes” was the first answer.

“A bit of household drudgery” was the second.

“I’m mothering three young children who someday will fill important and useful spheres in life, and wash-day is part of my grand task in caring for these souls who shall live forever” was the third.

Ordinary work, which is what most of us do most of the time, is ordained by God every bit as much as the extraordinary. All work done for God is spiritual work and therefore not a mere duty but a holy privilege.—Elisabeth Elliot

In some ways, the human heart is like a whining toddler who, if left to himself, will never be satisfied (Matthew 15:19; Ecclesiastes 6:9; 9:3; Jeremiah 17:9). We tend to constantly demand more, bigger, better, flashier. Much of advertising today is designed to destroy our satisfaction and to make us think we need more than we have. But when our hearts are filled with the Holy Spirit, the demands of our hearts can be brought under His control (Galatians 5:16–17). We recognize that God has provided all we need for our present happiness and we can, therefore, experience satisfaction. Jesus said, “I have come that they may have life, and have it to the full” (John 10:10). …

Life is simplified when we recognize that our purpose is simply to reflect the glory of God in the unique ways He designed us to shine (1 Corinthians 10:31; 2 Corinthians 5:20). When we make it our goal to live for Christ, the result is a satisfaction that carries into eternity… “You will fill me with joy in your presence, with eternal pleasures at your right hand” (Psalm 16:11).—GotQuestions.org²

We tend not to like things that are small. In many ways, we think “Bigger is better.” The person with the big house and big bank account is seen as more important. The larger the portfolio or the position in society, the more attention we give and get. Everyone wants to be part of something big. Small is not valued, not to be taken seriously. Small is inconsequential.

Though the mustard seed was the smallest of seeds known to Jesus’ listeners, what would it do? Jesus said, “When it grows, it is the largest of garden plants and becomes a tree.” Surprise! The kingdom of heaven is like a mustard seed. The kingdom of heaven may present itself like a small seed, but it has the potential to grow huge—and even to spread everywhere.

We might think that the efforts of people presenting the kingdom are insignificant, but let’s not overlook God’s power potential. We are called to marvel at even the least presentation of the kingdom—to marvel and wonder what power and potential God has poured into it.

Remember that God changed the course of history with just a few believers, who shared the good news of Jesus with others, who spread it further and further. To God be the glory!

Lord, we look eagerly for more and more delightful signs of your kingdom growing everywhere. Give us eyes to see, and hearts that rejoice! Amen.—Dale Melenberg³

The prospect of the righteous is Joy. This means your prospects are excellent, for I have clothed you with My robe of righteousness. So begin each day eager to receive the Joy I have in store for you.

Some of My followers fail to find the pleasures I have prepared for them because they focus too much on problems in their lives and trouble in the world. Instead of living to the full, they live cautiously, seeking to minimize pain and risk. In doing so, they also minimize their Joy and their effectiveness in My kingdom. This is not My way for you.

As you awaken each morning, seek My Face with hopeful anticipation. Invite Me to prepare you not only for any difficulties on the road ahead but also for the pleasures I’ve planned alongside your path. Then take My hand as you begin your journey through the day, and let Me share in everything you encounter along the way—including all the Joy!—Jesus⁴

Published on Anchor May 2023. Read by Jon Marc. Music by John Listen.

¹ https://proverbs31.org/read/devotions/full-post/2017/01/20/how-to-live-a-brave-and-beautiful-life

² https://www.gotquestions.org/Bible-satisfaction.html

³ https://todaydevotional.com/devotions/mustard-seeds?

⁴ Sarah Young, Jesus Always (Thomas Nelson, 2017).

Faith for Financial Supply

May 29, 2023

Words from Jesus

Audio length: 7:55

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“Let us then approach the throne of grace with confidence, so that we may receive mercy and find grace to help us in our time of need.”—Hebrews 4:16

Are you at the end of your rope financially? That’s the time to enter into My gates with thanksgiving and make your petitions known—and not just for the needs of the moment, but for your future—and trust that My peace will surround you. Through your prayers, you can give all your financial burdens and concerns to Me. When you do so, you can truly be at peace and rest, knowing that trusting Me as your financial advisor and provider is the most important part of your financial strategy.

When you pray for financial supply‚ remind yourself that I take pleasure in answering your prayers. I’ve never failed you yet, and I’m certainly not going to fail you now! Come to Me with praise and thanksgiving, and bring every petition to Me, trusting in My provision for you.

It pleases Me that My children are willing to both abase and abound and to be thankful in the process. I have promised that I will always supply for you. When I was on earth, at times I had no place to lay My head‚ but I have provided something better for you in My love and care for you. When I give you an earthly place of abode, it is a little foretaste of the place I am preparing for you in heaven.

I have prepared a beautiful future for you, My beloved bride. Continue to love the souls of people and tell them about Me, and let their lives be touched by My truth. Trust that I will continue to lead you into pleasant places and provide for you. My mercy and goodness will follow you all the days of your life, until you come home to dwell with Me forever.

Where I guide, I provide

“Love and faithfulness meet together; righteousness and peace kiss each other.”—Psalm 85:10

Earthly cash holds little value compared to the eternal treasures of heaven. Money is only a means to an end, something that gets you what you need. And when the world’s money is devalued or recession sets in, I will continue to provide for you. One day, your present financial struggles will be a distant memory of the past in comparison to the glories that await you.

I have been providing for My own for century after century, and I will never fail to care for My own. I will never leave or forsake you. There will still be tests of your faith, and times when you will wonder whether you will have all that you need. But at times like these, remember to “Ask and it will be given to you” (Matthew 7:7). Commit your every need to Me in prayer and trust in Me for the outcome.

With finances growing tighter all around the world, you might wonder how I’m going to continue supplying for you in your golden years. Don’t worry, My promises never fail. If your resources start drying up, I will do the miracles for you, as I did for the widow of Zarephath—when she made the decision to share what she could, her jug of oil and her barrel of flour never ran out. I will supply and care for My own, even when it seems impossible.

Seize every opportunity that I put in your path to be My witness and to freely give to others.

Follow My footprints right to the most needy and spiritually destitute people of the world and share the riches of the gospel with them. Where you stride, I will provide.

My sufficiency

“I know what it is to be in need, and I know what it is to have plenty. I have learned the secret of being content in any and every situation, whether well fed or hungry, whether living in plenty or in want. I can do everything through him who gives me strength.”—Philippians 4:12–13

I am teaching you the secret of being content in any and every situation. This secret is all about Me—who I am and what I offer you. I am your Creator and King, your Savior and Shepherd. I offer you Myself in all My power and glory. I am the only one who can empower you to find contentment in all circumstances.

I have promised to supply all your need according to My riches in glory. The greater your need, the more I invite you into the mysterious depths of My Being. Intimacy with Me gives you strength; it also fills you with transcendent joy…

The secret of being content is childlike trust in Me: My infinite riches and generous Love. Do not expect to understand My ways with you. Remember that My ways and thoughts are higher than yours—as the heavens are higher than the earth.

I am your sunrise from on high! While you were still sitting in darkness and the shadow of death, My Light shone upon you—giving you a reason to live, a reason to hope. Now you are Mine, and you can approach Me confidently because of My tender mercy.

My heart is full of unfailing Love for you; it overflows from My heart into yours. As you receive good things from Me with thanksgiving, you experience rich soul-satisfaction. I want you to sing for Joy and be glad in response to all that I give you. You can relax and enjoy My Presence since you know I am taking care of you. In your time of need, I will provide mercy and grace to help you.

I want you to enjoy not only My Presence but also My Peace. I came into your world to guide your feet into the way of Peace… Seek to bring Me Joy by walking trustingly with Me along the path of Peace.¹

Originally published October 2007, unless otherwise indicated. Adapted and republished May 2023. Read by Jerry Paladino. Music by Michael Dooley.

¹ Sarah Young, Jesus Lives (Thomas Nelson, 2009).

Consider the Poor

A compilation

2015-07-07

The Spirit of the Lord God is upon me, because the Lord has anointed me to bring good news to the poor; he has sent me to bind up the brokenhearted, to proclaim liberty to the captives, and the opening of the prison to those who are bound … to comfort all who mourn; to grant to those who mourn in Zion—to give them a beautiful headdress instead of ashes, the oil of gladness instead of mourning, the garment of praise instead of a faint spirit.—Isaiah 61:1–3¹

We’re called by God to love the unlovely. That’s what Jesus did. He went down amongst the drunks and the harlots, the publicans and sinners, on the highways and byways, and compelled them to come in.² And that’s what He’s told us to do.

The meek and the lowly and the broken-hearted, the common people, are going to hear us gladly.³ We don’t have a lot materially and we may not be able to help them much physically, but we can certainly help them spiritually, which is of far greater importance—so great, in fact, there’s no comparison. As Peter said to the lame man, “Silver and gold have I none, but such as I have give I thee: In the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, rise up and walk.”⁴

We should go anywhere that people will receive us and our message. I believe the Lord is guiding us to minister to the physically poor because they will be the ones who will be the most receptive as a whole. When people are insecure and uncertain and in fear of losing their job and their home or have already lost them, they are desperate and frightened and are much more apt to be willing to listen to God’s solutions. Those who are secure and sure of themselves are much less likely to feel they need anything. “He hath filled the hungry with good things, but the rich hath He sent empty away.”⁵

Remember the story about the Good Samaritan? The Lord said, “Whatsoever thou spendest, I will repay.”⁶ He’s promised to take care of supplying needs and for our ministries if we’ll try to save those that nobody else is saving. “Blessed is he that considereth the poor: the Lord will deliver him in time of trouble. The Lord will preserve him, and keep him alive; and he shall be blessed upon the earth: and Thou wilt not deliver him unto the will of his enemies.” “He that hath pity upon the poor lendeth unto the Lord; and that which he hath given will He pay him again.” And “he that giveth unto the poor shall not lack.”⁷

That’s the way we started, ministering to the lowest of the low, the people nobody else would touch with a ten-foot pole—the hippies! Some of their parents didn’t want them and kicked them out of their homes. Some of the church people wouldn’t even have them in their churches. Some of the churches couldn’t think of any other way to keep the hippies out, so they’d put up signs on their front doors: “No bare feet.” And that cinched it, because nearly all of the hippies were either barefooted or wore flip-flops or sandals.

I was inspired with this vision of going to seek out the people that nobody wants—the lost, the lowly, the forsaken, the despised and the broken—the cast-offs, which others do not want and do not seek, the unwanted and uncared for.

We are to love the unlovely. That’s what Jesus did! He went down amongst the drunks and the harlots, the publicans and sinners, on the highways and byways, and compelled them to come in!⁸ And that’s what He’s told us to do.—David Brandt Berg

Is not this the fast that I choose: to loose the bonds of wickedness, to undo the straps of the yoke, to let the oppressed go free, and to break every yoke? Is it not to share your bread with the hungry and bring the homeless poor into your house; when you see the naked, to cover him, and not to hide yourself from your own flesh?

Then shall your light break forth like the dawn, and your healing shall spring up speedily; your righteousness shall go before you; the glory of the Lord shall be your rear guard. Then you shall call, and the Lord will answer; you shall cry, and he will say, ‘Here I am.’ … If you pour yourself out for the hungry and satisfy the desire of the afflicted, then shall your light rise in the darkness and your gloom be as the noonday.—Isaiah 58:6–10⁹

Sharing the heart of God

One of the most gripping statements in all of Scripture is found in Genesis 6:6, where it says, “The Lord was grieved that he had made man on the earth, and his heart was filled with pain.” Unless our hearts are filled with pain for the state of our world, we have not begun to sense the heart of God.

Learning God’s truth is very different from sharing His heart. Learning His truth is non-demanding and relatively easy, but sharing His heart requires action. The mandate of Jesus Christ is that we go into all the world to preach the gospel, but that is to be accompanied by acts of kindness, love, compassion, justice and mercy. These are not meant to prove to people that the gospel is true, but that it is the inevitable natural outworking of the gospel in our lives.

We are still living in a world of injustice, pain and suffering, and we can sometimes become concerned to preach the gospel to people without concern for meeting them where they are in their lives. In His ministry, Jesus befriended the poor, healed infirmities, ate with sinners, and welcomed everyone into relationship with Him. His work was in doing what pleased the Father, both in preaching the gospel and in loving the world. We cannot evangelize the world without caring for it, as that negates the love of God within us.

The reality of our spiritual lives will be evidenced in what flows out of us in benefit and blessing to others. The true church of Jesus Christ does not consist primarily of ideas, doctrine and truth, but of the essential outworking of God flowing into our homes, communities, neighbourhoods, cities, and around the world. As Christians, we are placed in the world so that we may become the salt and light that brings the love of God to a needy world.—Charles Price

Defending the defenseless

Defend the weak and the fatherless; uphold the cause of the poor and the oppressed. Rescue the weak and the needy; deliver them from the hand of the wicked.—Psalm 82:3–4¹⁰

Today it is fashionable to talk about the poor. Unfortunately it is not fashionable to talk with them.—Mother Teresa

Many celebrities are known by their causes. They host benefits for those who suffer with AIDS, rock concerts to help the victims of earthquakes or floods, and telethons to raise money and awareness of diseases. Raising money for the plight of the helpless is in vogue today.

Jesus had a soft spot for the poor and needy too. But He did much more than host a benefit concert or raise money. He got eyeball to eyeball with them and their suffering. He touched the leper, healed the blind, and spoke with the widow, the adulterous woman, and the Samaritan at the well. His approach was scandalous. It was radical.

Jesus calls His followers to follow His example to help the poor and defend the defenseless. Will you adopt an orphan or befriend a homeless individual? Will you volunteer in a soup kitchen, food pantry or shelter? Raising money helps fund causes for the poor, but it is only when we get personal, when we look into their eyes and touch them, that we love the poor the way Jesus loves them. And that’s radical.—Author unknown¹¹

Published on Anchor July 2015. Read by Debra Lee.

¹ ESV.

² Luke 14:23.

³ Mark 12:37.

⁴ Acts 3:6.

⁵ Luke 1:53.

⁶ Luke 10:35.

⁷ Psalm 41:1,2; Proverbs 19:17, 28:27.

⁸ Luke 14:23.

⁹ ESV.

¹⁰ NIV.

¹¹ Every Day with Jesus (Worthy Publishing, 2011).

How to Keep Praying

Four Lessons from the Master

How to Keep Praying: Four Lessons from the Master | Desiring God

2 Thessalonians: Chapter 2 (Part 2)

By Peter Amsterdam

May 23, 2023

Previously, in chapter 2:1–8, Paul wrote that the lawless one will be revealed, whom the Lord Jesus will kill with the breath of his mouth and bring to nothing by the appearance of his coming. He then continued to describe the lawless one:

The coming of the lawless one is by the activity of Satan with all power and false signs and wonders, and with all wicked deception for those who are perishing, because they refused to love the truth and so be saved.¹

The mention in verse 8 of the coming of the Lord, which will bring the destruction of “the lawless one,” leads to Paul’s description that the “lawless one” will do signs and wonders. In verse 9, we’re told the power he will display will be satanic. The phrasing activity of Satan (work of Satan in other translations) highlights that the lawless one, by means of supernatural signs, will deceive those who have not accepted the gospel. Paul wants to protect the Thessalonians from being deceived in this way, as already the false teaching concerning the day of the Lord had entered the church (v. 2).

The miracles of the lawless one will include false signs and wonders. Elsewhere in the New Testament, signs and wonders are referred to positively.² However, this time they refer to satanic activities. Paul states that the power behind these wonders is Satan himself, and he calls them counterfeit. One author explains:

A number of ancient texts testify that false miracles accompanied a number of cults, and such were even characteristic of the imperial cult [the worship of emperors as divine]. Such wonders included images that could talk and move as well as the production of thunder and lightning. Although the apostle recognized the tricks that “the lawless one” would play, according to the religious conventions of the day, he is careful to note that real satanic power was working in him.³

Verse 10 goes on to describe the lawless one’s deception, along with the rejection of the truth of the gospel and the consequences of that rejection. The lawless one comes with false miracles, signs, and wonders, and will use any other method to promote his deception, which those who have rejected the gospel will embrace. This deception is called wicked; in other translations it’s referred to as evil deception (NLT), unrighteous deception (NKJ), all the deception of wickedness (NAS). Those who believe the lawless one are those who are perishing, meaning those who are not saved, who are lost. The power of Satan operates to make sure that people will be eternally lost. Paul’s letter expresses his conviction that a person’s final destiny is connected to the truth, the gospel which had been preached in Thessalonica.

Therefore God sends them a strong delusion, so that they may believe what is false, in order that all may be condemned who did not believe the truth but had pleasure in unrighteousness.⁴

Because the unbelievers rejected the truth of the gospel, God judged them in a surprising way. He sent them strong delusion so that they would believe what is false. Since they didn’t receive the truth, God sent them confusion, so they were unable to distinguish between truth and lies, resulting in them believing a lie as if it were the truth. Elsewhere in Paul’s writings we find more references to God giving unbelievers over to the sins and errors they have accepted and embraced.

Therefore God gave them up in the lusts of their hearts to impurity, to the dishonoring of their bodies among themselves.⁵

As it is written, “God gave them a spirit of stupor, eyes that would not see and ears that would not hear, down to this very day.”⁶

And since they did not see fit to acknowledge God, God gave them up to a debased mind to do what ought not to be done.⁷

People who reject the truth and believe what is false, as promoted by the lawless one, ultimately choose to believe a lie. They believe it because they are persuaded due to the strong delusion which has overtaken them because they have rejected the truth of the gospel.

In verse 12, Paul continues to explain the divine judgment which will come upon those who have believed the lawless one. The result is that they will be condemned. These are people who have rejected the message of the gospel and have aligned themselves with the lawless one. They not only rejected the gospel, but had pleasure in unrighteousness.

At this point, the theme of the letter moves on to Paul’s thanksgiving to God for how the gospel came to the Thessalonians and their belief in its truth. He reassures the Thessalonian church that, contrary to the unbelievers who have rejected the gospel, they have accepted God’s call, are beloved by God, and were chosen by Him to be saved when Jesus returns.

But we ought always to give thanks to God for you, brothers beloved by the Lord, because God chose you as the firstfruits to be saved, through sanctification by the Spirit and belief in the truth.⁸

This mirrors the first expression of thanksgiving found earlier, in 2 Thessalonians 1:3. It expresses the obligation that Paul and his partners felt to give thanks to God. Paul refers to God’s choosing of the Thessalonian believers and His love for them. He doesn’t explain why God loved and chose the Thessalonians, but only offers thanksgiving that He did so. Paul explains that these believers were the first fruits of this church. The NLT Bible expresses this well: We are always thankful that God chose you to be among the first to experience salvation—a salvation that came through the Spirit who makes you holy and through your belief in the truth.⁹

To this he called you through our gospel, so that you may obtain the glory of our Lord Jesus Christ.¹⁰

God called the Thessalonians to belief through the preaching of the gospel. He made sure that the message of salvation reached them through Paul and his partners. He gave Paul the vision to preach the gospel in the province of Macedonia,¹¹ and when they came to the city of Thessalonica, the people heard and received this message from God. Thus Paul could write that God called you through our gospel. It wasn’t Paul’s speaking abilities that won them, but rather God was active in Paul’s teaching, and He called them through the message.

The reason for this calling was so that the Christian Thessalonians would share in Jesus’ glory. The promise of receiving glory was one of the hopes of the Christian faith, as seen throughout Paul’s writings.

Through him we have also obtained access by faith into this grace in which we stand, and we rejoice in hope of the glory of God.¹²

If children, then heirs—heirs of God and fellow heirs with Christ, provided we suffer with him in order that we may also be glorified with him. For I consider that the sufferings of this present time are not worth comparing with the glory that is to be revealed to us.¹³

To them God chose to make known how great among the Gentiles are the riches of the glory of this mystery, which is Christ in you, the hope of glory.¹⁴

So then, brothers, stand firm and hold to the traditions that you were taught by us, either by our spoken word or by our letter.¹⁵

Paul’s main concern was that the Thessalonian believers would stand strong and remain stable in their faith, that they would hold on to the teachings of the apostles in spite of Satan’s activity. They should faithfully continue in the apostles’ teaching and should hold on to it and not waver, even if they faced opposing opinions. Paul refers to the teachings as the traditions, which here are referred to positively. Within the New Testament, sometimes traditions have a negative sense.¹⁶ However, Paul’s reference here to the traditions describes the teaching he has imparted to the Thessalonian church.

At this point, Paul prays the first prayer of this letter in the form of a wish or desire. The prayer is directed to both God the Father and our Lord Jesus Christ, which puts them on the same plane. (Earlier, in verses 13–14, Paul included the full trinity—the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit.) It’s interesting to note that unlike most verses where both the Father and Jesus Christ appear together,¹⁸ the name of the Lord Jesus Christ in this instance is placed in the first position.

However, though Jesus is placed in the first position, it is God the Father who loved us and gave us eternal comfort and good hope through grace. This points to some event in which God the Father demonstrated His love, likely referring to His choosing of the Thessalonians. Whatever act of love Paul had in mind, the purpose was to encourage and strengthen the church in the midst of persecution and in their fight against false teaching. As they were facing these adversaries, the love of God our Father was the foundation of their hope.

Note

¹ 2 Thessalonians 2:9–10.

² Acts 2:22; 2 Corinthians 12:12; Hebrews 2:4.

³ Gene L. Green, The Letters to the Thessalonians (Grand Rapids: William B. Eerdmans Publishing Company, 2002), 321.

⁴ 2 Thessalonians 2:11–12.

⁵ Romans 1:24.

⁶ Romans 11:8.

⁷ Romans 1:28.

⁸ 2 Thessalonians 2:13.

⁹ 2 Thessalonians 2:13 NLT.

¹⁰ 2 Thessalonians 2:14.

¹¹ Acts 16:9–10.

¹² Romans 5:2.

¹³ Romans 8:17–18.

¹⁴ Colossians 1:27.

¹⁵ 2 Thessalonians 2:15.

¹⁶ Matthew 15:2–3, 6; Mark 7:8–9, 13.

¹⁷ 2 Thessalonians 2:16–17.

¹⁸ Romans 1:7, 1 Corinthians 1:3, 2 Corinthians 1:2, Ephesians 1:2, 2 Thessalonians 1:2, Philemon 3.

Six Questions to Ask Before Making a Decision

May 24, 2023

By Rick Warren

Ministry leaders today are facing more decisions than ever before. We live in a multi-choice culture. And like a small hinge on a giant door, even the smallest decision can have the biggest impact on our lives.

The story of your ministry will be told through your decisions. Whether you decide to start a new outreach, add more people to your staff, or go out of your way to tell someone about Jesus, every decision you make is important.

Here are six tests to help you make decisions that honor God and align with his purposes for your life…

(Read the article here.)

https://pastors.com/six-questions-to-ask-before-making-a-decision/

Digging Deeper into Romans 8:28

May 23, 2023

A compilation

Audio length: 12:13

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When a Christian utters the phrase all things work together for good, he or she is referring to a portion of one of the most quoted, claimed verses in the New Testament, Romans 8:28: “And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose.” Or, as the KJV translates it, “And we know that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called according to his purpose.”

God works all things together for good—both His good and our good. As God is glorified, His people benefit.

In Romans 8, Paul contrasts a life lived in selfish pursuits (the flesh) and one lived in league with or in accordance with God (the Spirit). He impresses upon readers that our sovereign God is all-knowing, all-wise, and all-powerful.

Those who love God can trust His goodness, His power, and His will to work out all things for our good. We journey together with Him.

The promise that God works all things together for good does not mean that all things, taken by themselves, are good. Some things and events are decidedly bad. But God is able to work them together for good. He sees the big picture; He has a master plan.

Neither does the promise that God works all things together for good mean we will acquire all that we want or desire. Romans 8:28 is about God’s goodness and our confidence that His plan will work out as He sees fit. Since His plan is always good, Christians can take confidence that, no matter our circumstances or environments, God is active and will conclude things according to His good and wise design. With this knowledge we can learn to be content. (See Philippians 4:11.)

The fact that God works all things together for good means God’s plan will not be thwarted. In fact, we are part of His plan, having been “called according to his purpose.” When we trust God and His way, we can be sure that He is active and powerful on our behalf. (See Ephesians 3:20.)

God knows the future, and His desires will be accomplished. “I make known the end from the beginning, from ancient times, what is still to come. I say, ‘My purpose will stand, and I will do all that I please’” (Isaiah 46:10). Even when things seem chaotic and out of control, God is still in charge. We sometimes worry about what’s happening to us because we do not know what is best for us. But God does.

The principle of God working all things together for good is well illustrated in the Old Testament account of Joseph’s life. Early in Joseph’s life, Joseph’s jealous brothers sold him into slavery. In Egypt, Joseph rises to a position of responsibility. Then, he is unjustly imprisoned and forgotten about by his friends. God gifts him the ability to interpret dreams, and through that ability Joseph is once again raised to a place of honor and power. When drought forces Joseph’s brothers to seek food elsewhere, they travel to Egypt and encounter Joseph, who eventually saves them from starvation and grants them a livelihood in his new land.

Throughout his life, Joseph trusted God no matter his good or bad circumstances. Joseph experienced plenty of bad things: kidnapping, slavery, false accusations, wrongful imprisonment, rejection, and famine. But in the end God brought things to a wonderful, life-affirming conclusion. God blessed Joseph’s entire family through those painful circumstances and through Joseph’s faith. (You can read about Joseph’s life beginning in Genesis 37.)

Paul’s life is another testament to how God works all things together for good. Paul suffered shipwrecks, beatings, imprisonment, murder attempts, temporary blindness, and more—all within God’s plan to spread the gospel. (See Acts 9:16 and 2 Corinthians 11:24–27.) Through it all, God was steadfastly working to bring about good and glorious results.

After promising that God works all things together for our good, Romans 8 concludes with the wonderful fact that God trumps everything that comes against Him and those who belong to Him. The Christian is assured that nothing can ever separate us from God’s love: “Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shall trouble or hardship or persecution or famine or nakedness or danger or sword? … No, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him who loved us. 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” (Romans 8:35–39).

God’s love is everlasting, and His wisdom is infinite. It doesn’t matter who or what attempts to thwart God’s plan; no one and nothing can. God will work all things together for the good of those who love Him. Our decision to align our will with God’s and to always trust Him will be rewarded.—GotQuestions.org¹

The way to understand any single Bible passage is to remember that Scripture interprets Scripture. The key to understanding the true hope of Romans 8:28 is to understand the “good” that Paul is writing about. Verses 28 and 30 tell us: “And we know that for those who love God all things work together for good, for those who are called according to his purpose. For those whom he foreknew he also predestined to be conformed to the image of his Son, in order that he might be the firstborn among many brothers. And those whom he predestined he also called, and those whom he called he also justified, and those whom he justified he also glorified” (Romans 8:28–30).

The “good” that is guaranteed in this passage is our redemption. Even before he made the world, God made the decision that his work in us would be completed no matter what. This means that the grace you and I reach out for in times of trouble is never shaky or at risk; it is a present expression of a plan that was settled before this world began. It is so good to know that when things in you and around you have been damaged or compromised, nothing can damage, interrupt, or stop your true security, which is found in God and his grace poured out for you. This proper understanding of this wonderful passage gives hope even when you look around and have no hope.—Paul David Tripp

God is the master of reversing hurt. Disappointments are really his-appointments. Romans 8:28 says, “We know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose.” Nothing comes into the life of a child of God without the Heavenly Father’s permission.

God allows delays, difficulties, and disappointments for his greater purposes. … With God’s help, our disappointments can become opportunities to know and trust him in a deeper way.—Rick Warren

Because “many are the afflictions of the righteous” (Psalm 34:19), it’s certainly comforting to recall God’s promise in Romans 8:28. In fact, in order to come through our many trials, difficulties, battles, and temptations victoriously, it is imperative that we make this promise a vital part of our lives.

We need to get this principle so deeply ingrained within us that it becomes impossible for us to forget, neglect, or overlook it. Romans 8:28 is something that should be as much a part of our thoughts and way of looking at things as the necessity of prayer, the importance of God’s Word, the inevitability of tests and trials, and the certainty of God’s love.

If we fail to send the events of our daily lives through the filter of Romans 8:28, if we fail to constantly view our disappointments, hurts, problems, illnesses, etc., through the perspective that Romans 8:28 gives us, we will tragically miss many of the valuable lessons the Lord is trying to teach us, and we will rob ourselves of the peace that comes from trust in our all-powerful God.

If you learn to entrust every trial of life to the Lord, your life will be richer, life’s lessons more profound, and your mind more tranquil. You will also more easily recognize the Lord’s hand in the events of your life. It makes all the difference when you look at life’s problems, trials, and tribulations with the faith that comes from the knowledge that the Lord promises to work these together for your good.—Maria Fontaine

Published on Anchor May 2023. Read by Gabriel Garcia Valdivieso. Music by Michael Fogarty.

¹ https://www.gotquestions.org/all-things-work-together-for-good.html.

Passing from Death to Life

May 22, 2023

Treasures

Audio length: 9:40

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World-famous newspaper editor and writer Arthur Brisbane once pictured a crowd of grieving caterpillars carrying an empty cocoon to its final resting place. The poor, distressed caterpillars, clad in black raiment, were weeping and grieving for their lost companion, yet all the while the beautiful butterfly fluttered happily above, forever freed from its earthly shell! Needless to say, Brisbane had the average funeral in mind and sought to convey the idea that when our loved ones pass, it is short-sighted to remember only the cocoon, concentrating our attention on the remains, while forgetting the bright, beautiful butterfly!

That’s the wonderful thing when you have faith in God: We don’t have to grieve hopelessly and mourn with inconsolable sorrow when loved ones go on to be with the Lord. In 1 Thessalonians, the apostle Paul writes: “Brothers and sisters, we do not want you to be uninformed about those who sleep in death, so that you do not grieve like the rest of mankind, who have no hope” (1 Thessalonians 4:13).

Of course, bidding a loved one farewell is a sad occasion, but if you and they love Jesus, you know you’ll see them again. And though you will miss them, you can rejoice for them, knowing that they are finally free from all the trials and troubles of their old earthly body, and have gone on to a far better life and eternal home!

During our time on earth, we’re burdened by our mortal bodies, but once we leave this life, we won’t have this weight anymore! It will be something like astronauts feel in their weightlessness. We’ll no longer be burdened by the flesh and the problems of physical life. We will graduate from this temporary grade of earthly life and pass into the eternal heavenly realm (2 Corinthians 4:18).

Most people try to hide from death. They don’t like to think about it. Yet it’s something that is going to happen to everyone sooner or later. But most people just ignore it and make no preparations for the life to come. Of course, most people don’t worry much about dying when they’re young and death seems so far away. But when you suddenly come face-to-face with death, either through illness, injury, or old age, if you don’t personally know the Lord and His plan for your salvation, it can be a very frightening prospect—that of plunging into the unknown!

The Bible talks about those “who all their lifetimes live in bondage through fear of death” (Hebrews 2:14–15). The reason most people fear death is that they’re not prepared to die, and they fear the unknown. But with Jesus as your guide, death is not a cause for alarm or fear. As a Christian, you know without a shadow of a doubt where you’re going—home to heaven to be forever with the Lord—and you have nothing to fear (1 Thessalonians 4:17).

Death for a born-again child of God is no loss, “for to die is gain” (Philippians 1:21). “To be absent from the body is to be present with the Lord” (2 Corinthians 5:8). Our troubles are over! There may be a little bit of pain for a moment, because of this physical body, but then we’re free! It will be a wonderful release to a new life of eternal joy and peace.

These earthly bodies get tired, hurt, and sick, and our hearts grow weary. But the minute we die, we’re instantly liberated from the limitations of this earthly life into the eternal presence of the Lord. This is why the apostle Paul fearlessly flaunted these words in the face of death: “O death, where is thy sting? O grave, where is thy victory?” (1 Corinthians 15:55). Jesus took the sting out of it. We pass through death, but without sting—through the grave with victory! “Thank God! He gives us victory over sin and death through our Lord Jesus Christ” (1 Corinthians 15:57). Thank the Lord that for Christians, death is a homegoing, a relief, a deliverance; it’s our coronation day with the crown of life promised to all who are faithful to Him (Revelation 2:10; James 1:12).

For us, the end of the road will be just the beginning. We’ll meet our departed loved ones again and find our lost loves and be joined with them eternally in a life of love and joy forever with God and all those who love Him.

What beautiful and comforting words the Lord spoke to us when He said: “I am the resurrection and the life, and whoever believes in Me, though he die, yet shall he live. And everyone that lives and believes in Me shall never die. For I go to prepare a place for you … I will come again and will take you to Myself, that where I am you may be also” (John 11:25–26; 14:3).

As the beautiful old hymn says:

When morning dawns, farewell to earthly sorrow,
Farewell to all the troubles of today!
There’ll be no pain, no death in God’s tomorrow,
When morning dawns and shadows flee away!

How little then these trials of life will seem,
How light the heavy burdens we have borne!
The deepest sorrow, like a passing dream,
Will be forgotten in that blessed morn!

In the next life, according to God’s Word, we are going to have supernatural bodies, bodies like the Lord had when He was resurrected. “Who will transform our lowly body to be like his glorious body,” and “we know that when he appears we shall be like him” (Philippians 3:21; 1 John 3:2).

Our decaying, natural, physical body will go back to the dust, and we’ll trade in our old, worn-out, earthly model for an entirely new heavenly model. The apostle Paul refers to this as a wonderful mystery: “Behold! I tell you a mystery. We shall not all sleep, but we shall all be changed, in a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trumpet. For the trumpet will sound, and the dead will be raised imperishable, and we shall be changed. For this perishable body must put on the imperishable, and this mortal body must put on immortality” (1 Corinthians 15:51–53).

Pardon from death

Contrary to the views of many in the world today, God is not a cruel tyrant or a monster who is trying to frighten everyone into hell, but rather, He is a merciful God who seeks to love everyone into heaven! “For God is love” (1 John 4:8). He wants to help and save every single person He ever created with His love. In fact, this is why He created us: to love and enjoy Him forever.

But sad to say, we’ve all been selfish, unloving, or unkind to others—and even to God. “For all have sinned and come short of the glory of God” (Romans 3:23). We don’t deserve to go to heaven or to dwell in God’s presence. But the Bible says that although “the wages of sin is death, the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ, our Lord” (Romans 6:23).

Receiving God’s free gift of salvation is just like a pardon from the guilt of sin. God loved every single person in this world so much that He gave Jesus to die in our place, to take the punishment for our sin (John 3:16). If we receive Jesus and His pardon for our sin and gift of eternal life, we’ll never die in the sense of spiritual death, or taste the agony of separation from God when we die. “Whoever hears my word and believes him who sent me has eternal life. He does not come into judgment, but has passed from death to life” (John 5:24).

If you haven’t yet received Jesus into your heart, you can do so by praying a prayer like this: “Lord Jesus, I believe that You are the Son of God and that You died for me. Please forgive me for all my sins. I ask You, Jesus, to come into my heart and grant me Your free gift of eternal life. Please fill me with the Holy Spirit, and help me to love You and to love others by telling them about You and Your love and truth. In Jesus’ name I pray.”

With Jesus in your heart, you have made the most important preparation for your life, as well as your death. And when your time comes to die, you will have finished your earthly task and graduated to life in the hereafter with a crown of glorious eternal life with Him and your loved ones forever. We who know Jesus will awaken in the heavenly kingdom of God, where there will be no more death or mourning or crying or sorrow, but peace and joy and love in God’s presence forever!

From an article in Treasures, published by the Family International in 1987. Adapted and republished May 2023. Read by Jon Marc.

GOD IS GOOD!

A compilation

2022-01-18

“Oh, how abundant is Your goodness, which You have stored up for those who fear You.”¹

I used to have a cautious approach to God. One look at the news, and one can quickly wonder, How can a good God allow all this craziness, tragedy, and hurt? For years, I would have answered What do I believe about God? with a tilted head and a narrowed expression. “I believe He is unpredictable and slightly scary.”

I didn’t doubt God’s power. I didn’t doubt God’s authority. But I did very much doubt God’s goodness. However, when we go to the truth instead of our feelings for the answer to this question, we can understand God’s goodness in a whole new light.

His goodness has been apparent since creation. When He formed and shaped and painted and sculpted this world and its creatures into being, His goodness seeped in with every thought and touch. “God saw all that he had made, and it was very good. And there was evening, and there was morning—the sixth day.”²

When Adam and Eve chose to sin, their sin infected and infiltrated the goodness of all God had made. So, while there are still good things in this world, the world is no longer a perfect reflection of God’s goodness. In Romans 8:21 Paul explains that the world is in “bondage to decay” or, as some versions say, in “slavery to corruption.”³ This decay and corruption are evidence of the brokenness of this world. …

The world is in a state of decay and corruption. We see it in deadly weather patterns, natural disasters, and famines that were not part of God’s good design. Cancer, sickness, and disease were not part of God’s good design. Car accidents, drownings, and murders were not part of God’s good design. The first sin did those things. When sin entered the world, it broke the goodness of God’s design. And sin absolutely breaks God’s heart. In no way did sin affect the goodness of God. He has a plan, a good plan to rid this world of every effect of sin.

Though we may get our hearts broken from the effects of sin in this in-between time, God’s goodness will eventually set the world right. In the meantime, we must hold fast to the truth of who God is and His unchanging nature: God is good. His plans are good. His requirements are good. His salvation is good. His grace is good. His forgiveness is good. His restoration is good. That is what I believe about God. God is good.—Lysa TerKeurst ⁴

Jesus declared, “No one is good—except God alone.”⁵ First John 1:5 tells us that “God is light; in Him there is no darkness at all.” To say that God is good means that God always acts in accordance with what is right, true, and good. Goodness is part of God’s nature, and He cannot contradict His nature. Holiness and righteousness are part of God’s nature; He cannot do anything that is unholy or unrighteous. God is the standard of all that is good.

The fact that God is good means that He has no evil in Him, His intentions and motivations are always good, He always does what is right, and the outcome of His plan is always good.⁶ There is nothing unpleasant, evil, or dark in Him. The Bible teaches that God’s goodness extends from His nature to everything that He does.⁷ “The LORD is good and His love endures forever; His faithfulness continues through all generations.”⁸

Everything that God made was originally good: “God saw all that He had made, and it was very good.”⁹ God’s goodness is showcased in the Law He gave to Israel; the Law is holy, righteous, and good.¹⁰ “Every good and perfect gift is from above.”¹¹ God can create only what is good, because He is fully good.

God did not create evil.¹² Rather, evil is the absence of goodness; it is whatever God is not. Because of His goodness, God abhors sin and will judge it someday.¹³ It is never the will of our good God for us to sin: “God cannot be tempted by evil, nor does he tempt anyone.”¹⁴

God’s goodness should lead to thankfulness on our part: “Give thanks to the LORD, for He is good; His love endures forever.”¹⁵ … Ultimately, God’s goodness is seen in His plan to redeem us from sin. The gospel is “good news.” In His goodness, God sent His Son to become the perfect and blameless sacrifice so we could be forgiven of our sins. God does not want “anyone to perish but everyone to come to repentance,”¹⁶ and it is “the goodness of God [that] leadeth thee to repentance.”¹⁷

There is only One who is fully and truly good—God. This good God invites us to seek Him and to “taste and see that the Lord is good; blessed is the one who takes refuge in Him.”¹⁸—From GotQuestions.org¹⁹

God is good and fair in happy times and hard times. His goodness shows both in what He gives and what He withholds, what He allows and what He denies. With this attitude, you can’t help but experience increased joy, faith, peace, and gratitude.—Avi Rue

I am your Good Shepherd, and you will not lack for anything that is within My will to give you. I will bring you to green pastures and restore your spirit every time it is weary and tired, and let you rest beside still and peaceful waters. I will lead you in the paths of My righteousness, with My truth and promises by your side—because you need to be strong and able in Me.

Even if you walk through dark valleys, or face the possibility of danger to your body or spirit, or endure deep and trying experiences, I will give you the power to not fear; I will grant you the ability to rise above those circumstances. I will be with you through everything—the hard times and the happy times. I will instruct and guide you and comfort you in times of trial.

My goodness and mercy and love and strength will follow you everywhere! You will dwell in My house forever—first My spiritual house on earth, and then forever with Me in heaven.—Jesus

In reading what Scripture has to say about kindness and goodness, we find that both are described as attributes of God’s nature.

Moses said,“Please show me your glory.” And he said, “I will make all my goodness pass before you and will proclaim before you my name, ‘The Lord.’”²⁰

Good and upright is the Lord.²¹

For you, O Lord, are good and forgiving, abounding in steadfast love to all who call upon you.²²

God, being rich in mercy, because of the great love with which he loved us, even when we were dead in our trespasses, made us alive together with Christ … so that in the coming ages he might show the immeasurable riches of his grace in kindness toward us in Christ Jesus.²³

When the goodness and loving kindness of God our Savior appeared, he saved us, not because of works done by us in righteousness, but according to his own mercy.²⁴

Because God is kind and good, He has shown His kindness and goodness toward us through Jesus’ sacrificial death to atone for the guilt of our sin.—Peter Amsterdam

I am sovereign, and I am good. These are essential truths about who I am. When you are struggling with the brokenness of this world, it can be a challenge to believe both truths simultaneously. Because I am Sovereign, I am ultimately in control of everything that happens—to you and to others. This knowledge is sometimes hard to swallow, especially in the face of atrocities or catastrophes. Amid such carnage, many people conclude that only a cruel God could be overseeing a world like this.

Let me assure you that I am absolutely Good. I am pure Light, and there is not an iota of darkness in Me. My absolute Goodness in the face of so much evil is totally beyond your understanding. When you are struggling with these mysteries, come to Me. Express yourself freely to Me, trusting that I care and understand. Then, subordinate your finite mind to My infinite intelligence and sovereign ways. Relinquish your demand to understand, and rest in My compassionate Presence. Cling to Me in childlike trust, believing that My way—though mysterious—is perfect.—Jesus²⁵

Published on Anchor January 2022. Read by John Laurence. Music by John Listen.

¹ Psalm 31:19.

² Genesis 1:31.

³ NIV, The Voice

⁴ Lysa TerKeurst, Embraced (Thomas Nelson, 2018).

⁵ Luke 18:19.

⁶ See Genesis 50:20.

⁷ Psalm 119:68.

⁸ Psalm 100:5.

⁹ Genesis 1:31; 1 Timothy 4:4.

¹⁰ Romans 7:12.

¹¹ James 1:17.

¹² Habakkuk 1:13; 1 John 1:5.

¹³ Romans 2:5.

¹⁴ James 1:13.

¹⁵ Psalm 107:1; 1 Chronicles 16:34; Psalm 118:1; Psalm 136.

¹⁶ 2 Peter 3:9.

¹⁷ Romans 2:4 KJV.

¹⁸ Psalm 34:8.

¹⁹ https://www.gotquestions.org/God-is-good.html.

²⁰ Exodus 33:18–19.

²¹ Psalm 25:8.

²² Psalm 86:5.

²³ Ephesians 2:4–7.

²⁴ Titus 3:4–5.

²⁵ Sarah Young, Jesus Today (Thomas Nelson, 2012).

Where Have All the Flowers Gone?

Dennis Edwards

2022-06-15

Peter Seeger’s song, “Where Have All the Flowers Gone,” conveys the futility of war and the yearning that man has for peace.

Mankind has a universal longing for peace. But that longing will not be fulfilled by man himself. Only the supernatural love of God will enable us to love our neighbor and our enemy as ourselves. Only the intervention of God Himself in the second coming of Jesus Christ will stop man’s endless wars.

Only when Christ returns will men be forced by His loving and yet strong hand to pound “their swords into ploughshares and their spears into pruning hooks; and nation shall not lift up sword against nation, neither shall they learn war any more.”¹ Peace will come at last for a thousand years in the Millennium as Jesus Himself rules over the earth.

And in that day the lion shall lie down with the lamb and nothing shall hurt or destroy in all my holy mountain, as Isaiah prophesied. “The wolf also shall dwell with the lamb, and the leopard shall lie down with the kid; and the calf and the young lion and the fatling together; and a little child shall lead them. … They shall not hurt nor destroy in all my holy mountain: for the earth shall be full of the knowledge of the Lord, as the waters cover the sea.”²

What a beautiful world it will be then. But mankind still has some very perilous days ahead, days of Great Tribulation before we reach that millennial kingdom. “For then there shall be great tribulation, such as was not since the beginning of the world to this time, no, nor ever shall be. And except those days should be shortened, there should no flesh be saved: but for the elect’s sake those days shall be shortened.”³

But each of us individually can enter into God’s kingdom of love and peace today by receiving Jesus into our hearts right now. We don’t have to wait till tomorrow. We can receive Him and the salvation He offers as we admit our faults and our inability to save ourselves and solve our own problems; as we recognize our inability to relieve our hearts of the pain and sorrow and bitterness and hatred that so often overcome us. That’s why we need God and His mercy, His love, His forgiveness. We cannot make it in our own strength. We are not strong enough.

Let’s read a few passages from the Bible on finding strength. The first is from the apostle Paul when he questioned the Lord about why He hadn’t healed him of a certain affliction. The Lord spoke to him and said, “My grace is sufficient for thee: for My strength is made perfect in (your) weakness.” Paul continues, “Most gladly therefore will I rather glory in my infirmities, that the power of Christ may rest upon me. Therefore I take pleasure in infirmities, … in persecutions, in distresses for Christ’s sake: for when I am weak, then am I strong,”⁴ because then His strength can work through my weakness.

The second passage is found in Isaiah. “Hast thou not known? Hast thou not heard, that the everlasting God, the Lord, the Creator of the ends of the earth, fainteth not, neither is weary? There is no searching of his understanding. He giveth power to the faint; and to them that have no might he increaseth strength. Even the youths shall faint and be weary, and the young men shall utterly fall: But they that wait upon the Lord shall renew their strength; they shall mount up with wings as eagles; they shall run, and not be weary; and they shall walk, and not faint.”⁵

Here we see the importance of spending time with the Lord to renew our strength, to charge our batteries. We recharge our spirits in those quiet moments we take while apart to be with God and our thoughts. We can spend time reading God’s Word. We can spend time in prayer and pouring out our heart to God. We can spend time listening to God. We can spend time in praise and thanksgiving and song, worshipping God for His goodness to the children of men. We can spend time in communion with fellow believers.

The last passage is one from Jesus Himself. “Come unto me, all ye that labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you, and learn of me; for I am meek and lowly in heart: and ye shall find rest unto your souls. For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light.”⁶ We need to come to Jesus daily, and throughout the day, with our problems and concerns, and He will give us the quietness and rest of spirit that we need.

God is longing to strengthen us. He is longing to help us. He is calling out to each of us to reach out to Him. Through Jesus we can be reconciled with God and draw close to His heart of love.

The apostle Peter admonishes us to draw close to God so that we can partake of His divine nature. “Grace and peace be multiplied unto you through the knowledge of God, and of Jesus our Lord, according as his divine power hath given unto us all things that pertain unto life and godliness, through the knowledge of him that hath called us to glory and virtue: whereby are given unto us exceeding great and precious promises: that by these ye might be partakers of the divine nature.”⁷

We need to keep the heavenly vision. The first disciples and the early fathers of faith were able to overcome the difficulties they faced because their focus was on God’s eternal kingdom. They held on to God’s promises. “But now they desire a better country, that is, an heavenly: wherefore God is not ashamed to be called their God, for he hath prepared for them a city.”⁸ They kept looking to Jesus. “Looking unto Jesus, the author and finisher of their faith.”⁹ They kept their eyes on Jesus and the heavenly city.

Through Jesus we find God’s mercy, love, forgiveness, and peace. Through Jesus we obtain eternal life in heaven, where God will wipe away all our tears and there will be no more death, sorrow, or crying, neither will there be any more pain,¹⁰ neither will there be any more war. Yes indeed, war no more. “Nation shall not lift up sword against nation, neither shall they learn war any more.”¹¹

¹ Isaiah 2:4.

² Isaiah 11:6–9.

³ Matthew 24:21–22.

⁴ 2 Corinthians 12:9–10.

⁵ Isaiah 40:28–31.

⁶ Matthew 11:28–30.

⁷ 2 Peter 1:2–4.

⁸ Hebrews 11:16.

⁹ Hebrews 12:2a.

¹⁰ Revelation 21:4.

¹¹ Isaiah 2:4b.

We’ve Got the Power

May 19, 2023

By Danielle Strickland

After coming out of a season of global pandemic, where things have been happening that have affected us and been completely out of our control, for many this resulted in a sense of helplessness or the inability to change things—a sense of powerlessness. But the gospel news is that we as Christians have access to God’s power through Jesus and the Holy Spirit, a very different kind of power from worldly power.

Run time for this video is 30 minutes.

https://youtu.be/VKS93OpDpvA

The Lord Means What He Says

May 18, 2023

By Maria Fontaine

Audio length: 7:18

Download Audio (6.6MB)

When you feel as though you’ve failed or haven’t done as well as you should have in some area, commendation from the Lord can be a little hard to receive—whether He’s commending you in personal prophecy as you take your time with Him, or whether it’s general commendation written in the Bible or published in devotional writings.

I learned a lesson about this a long time ago. The Lord was giving me encouragement for the future and all that He was going to accomplish. I seriously questioned some of the things that He said, because some of them were hard for me to imagine being true. They sounded so wonderful and different from the way I was feeling. I was pushing them aside and not truly accepting them.

Sometimes the hardest things for us to believe are the beautiful and wonderful things He tells us about ourselves—because He sees us so differently than we see ourselves. We see all our faults and sins and shortcomings—and He sees those too, and wants to help us with them, of course—but His love covers all that.

He means all those beautiful things He tells you, and He wants you to be encouraged and full of faith.

Shining brighter with age

As we get older, and as certain things in the physical become a bit more challenging, it’s good to be able to laugh about it and just keep going for Jesus—doing our best for Him. As someone wisely said, “We don’t stop laughing because we grow old; we grow old because we stop laughing.” Youthfulness is not just a time of life; it is also a state of mind.

Some of us are getting older in years, but we can still be just as youthful and fresh in spirit as ever. If we’re allowing the Lord and His Word to continue to work in our lives, we’ll be open to new ideas and approaches, throwing off negative mindsets, and trying new things. We can’t afford to get into ruts if we want to continue to follow God afresh every day.

I’ve always thought that so many of us older ones have been able to keep our youthful spirit because we have experienced so much change through the years in our service to the Lord. However, as we all know, it’s not enough to have had those things in the past; we have to continue to strive to make progress and grow. As Proverbs 4:18 says, “The path of the righteous is like the morning sun, shining ever brighter till the full light of day.”

Growing your faith

Your faith is going to grow as you step out to follow God as He is leading you. Even if you feel like the widow of Zarephath with just enough for each day, just enough for each meal, as you keep going and walking by faith, your faith will grow. As long as you keep doing what the Lord asks, keep stepping out in obedience to what the Lord has shown you, your faith is going to keep growing, and it’s going to be enough to fulfill the Lord’s mission and purpose for you today and in the future.

He says, “Wherever you’re at in your faith life, you can be sure that I’ll stretch you further. And that’s a good thing!” I’ll repeat what the Lord said: Stretching our faith is a good thing! It doesn’t feel so good sometimes when the Lord stretches us, but because we know that it’s good, we can really praise the Lord for those experiences when they present themselves!

Do I love the fight?

Most of us don’t naturally feel inspired by the concept of battles and fighting or the concept of “spiritual warfare.” I don’t think that I could say that I love the actual fight itself either. I do love the victory. I’m after the end result. So in that way I do love the fight, because you can’t get the end result without the battle. I just don’t have those emotional “loving it” feelings.

Maybe it’s a little bit like love for the lost. Our love for the lost is manifested in our obedience and willingness to sacrifice to share the Lord’s love and truth with the lost. So perhaps that’s similar to loving the fight. We don’t have to feel emotional about it to embrace the fight; we just have to be obedient and willing to fight the good fight of faith.

I just wanted to encourage you, if you’re a more “peaceful type” like me, and if you don’t feel naturally battle-inclined. The Lord is the one who gives us the strength and power to fight the faith battles He has called us to.

Free-skate

Someone once wrote me: “Many times I feel that I just need to be alone with the Lord without a lot of pressure to do this and do that. It’s like the ice-skaters who have to perform certain tricks or requirements in order to be considered top-notch skaters, but once in a while they have to be able to free-skate—like we have to have that free expression of love and faith and prayer in our relationship with the Lord.”

That’s an important key in our relationship with the Lord: Learning how to enjoy the Lord and our time in relationship with Him. We do have to “study” the Word, of course. But you also need to regularly have times with the Lord that are relaxing, when we can just be still and know that He is God.¹

I hope that each of you is able to find that time to enjoy Jesus and revel in His Spirit. It’s part of having the joy of the Lord and resting in Him.

Compiled from posts by Maria Fontaine, originally published in 2008. Adapted and republished May 2023. Read by Lenore Welsh. Music by John Listen.

¹ Psalm 46:10.

God’s Faithfulness

May 17, 2023

By Dennis Edwards

We have a faithful God in God the Father, in God the Son (Jesus), and in God the Holy Spirit. The word faithful means to be steadfast in affection or allegiance, to be loyal, like a faithful friend; to be firm in adherence to promise or in observance of duty, to be conscientious, like a faithful employee or employer; to be given with strong assurance, to be binding, like a faithful promise; to be true to the facts, to a standard, or to an original, like a faithful copy.¹

Faithfulness, therefore, is having lasting loyalty and trustworthiness in relationships, the fact or quality of being true to one’s word or commitments, and/or being dedicated and steadfast in performing one’s duty.²

The Hebrew word emuna is translated “faithfulness” in the Old Testament. It is a noun meaning firmness, steadiness, fidelity, and trustworthiness. It is sometimes translated as “truth” as well. The Greek word pistos is translated “faithful” or “faithfulness” or “believing” in the New Testament. Other uses are “sure” and “true.” The word is used of both God’s followers being faithful to Him and He being faithful to them.³

How do we use the word faithful? Here are some examples: faithful to our word, faithful to our commitments, faithful to our jobs, faithful to our family or spouse, faithful to our friends.

If we think about it, the whole Old Testament is a record of God’s faithfulness to His word, God’s faithfulness to complete His promises. All the way back in Genesis 3, God promised to send a “seed” through the woman that would defeat the serpent (Genesis 3:15). However, some 1,500 years later, things had gotten so bad because of mankind’s iniquity that God had to destroy the first creation in a worldwide flood. Nevertheless, true to His word, God saved a remnant from which He would assuredly fulfill His promise. God saved Noah and his family, and later chose to work through the lineage of Shem, one of Noah’s sons.

Some 1,000 to 1,500 years later, God forgets not His promise and calls out Abram from the corrupt civilization of his day. God promises to fulfill in him the Promised Seed (Genesis 15:1–6). The Bible says that the Lord made a covenant, a promise, or a firm agreement with Abram, promising the Promised Land to Abram’s descendants (Genesis 15:18). Later, even though neither Abram nor Sarah believed God’s word at first, God was faithful to complete His promise (Genesis 17:15–22).

Hebrews explains that Sarah judged God faithful to fulfill His promise. “Through faith also Sara herself received strength to conceive seed, and was delivered of a child when she was past age, because she judged him faithful who had promised” (Hebrews 11:11). Though Abraham and Sarah both doubted at first, they came to believe that God is faithful to His word and able to do the seemingly impossible. There is nothing too hard for the Lord! “Ah Lord God! Behold, thou hast made the heaven and the earth by thy great power and stretched out arm, and there is nothing too hard for thee. Behold, I am the Lord, the God of all flesh: is there anything too hard for me?” (Jeremiah 32:17, 27). “But Jesus beheld them, and said unto them, With men this is impossible; but with God all things are possible” (Matthew 19:26). “For with God nothing shall be impossible” (Luke 1:37).

We see that throughout the Old Testament, God was faithful to His word. He was true. He was trustworthy. He fulfilled His promises over and over again. “Not one thing hath failed of all the good things which the Lord your God spoke concerning you; all are come to pass unto you, and not one thing hath failed thereof” (Joshua 23:14).

God will fulfill what He has promised. God cannot lie. What He has said, He will perform. “God is not a man, that he should lie; neither the son of man, that he should repent: Hath he said, and shall he not do it? Or hath he spoken, and shall he not make it good?” (Numbers 23:19). “For I am the Lord, I change not; therefore ye sons of Jacob are not consumed” (Malachi 3:6). Why are they not consumed? Because God’s faithfulness, mercy, truth, and patience are long-suffering. “It is of the Lord’s mercies that we are not consumed, because his compassions fail not. They are new every morning: great is thy faithfulness” (Lamentations 3:22–23). God’s promises are steadfast. He will fulfill His promises to us, just as He did in the days of old for our ancestors.

In Psalm 89 we see the same theme: “I will sing of the mercies of the Lord for ever: with my mouth will I make known thy faithfulness to all generations. For I have said, Mercy shall be built up forever: thy faithfulness shalt thou establish in the very heavens” (Psalm 89:1–2). “Thy faithfulness is unto all generations: thou has established the earth, and it abides” (Psalm 119:90). God’s faithfulness continues forever, including in our present time.

This thread continues through the New Testament. “And the very God of peace sanctify you wholly; and I pray God your whole spirit and soul and body be preserved blameless unto the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ. Faithful is he that calls you, who also will do it” (1 Thessalonians 5:23–24). Here we see the apostle Paul praying for his followers and encouraging them that God will keep His promises. “Being confident of this very thing, that he which hath begun a good work in you will perform it until the day of Jesus Christ” (Philippians 1:6).

“It is a faithful saying: For if we be dead with him, we shall also live with him: If we suffer, we shall also reign with him: if we deny him, he also will deny us: If we believe not, yet he abides faithful: he cannot deny himself” (2 Timothy 2:11–13). There is a difference between not believing or doubting, and denying or negating the Lord. Abraham and Sarah doubted. Peter doubted. Thomas doubted. The other apostles doubted, but they made it through their doubts, because God was faithful. Jesus prayed and interceded for His disciples and for us. “I pray not that thou should take them out of the world, but that thou should keep them from the evil. Neither pray I for these alone, but for them also which shall believe on me through their word” (John 17:15, 20). God kept them according to His word, and He will keep us also.

Let us remember God’s faithfulness. He has promised to keep us to the end. Our part is to make the effort to believe His promises, obey His voice, and to trust in Him and endure through the trying times we face in our lives. In 1 Corinthians 10:13 He says: “There hath no temptation taken you but such as is common to man: but God is faithful, who will not suffer you to be tempted above that ye are able; but will with the temptation also make a way to escape, that ye may be able to bear it.”

God will keep us from falling and present us blameless to Himself, for we have Jesus, who is called Faithful and True. Revelation 19:11 describes Jesus in the following manner: “And I saw heaven opened, and behold a white horse; and he that sat upon him was called Faithful and True, and in righteousness he does judge and make war.”

We also have the Holy Spirit dwelling in us, giving us the power to overcome and be “more than conquerors through him that loved us” (Romans 8:37). “Cast thy burden upon the Lord, and he shall sustain thee: he shall never suffer the righteous to be moved” (Psalm 55:22). He will sustain us because He is faithful. He is steadfast. He is firm. He is trustworthy. He is true. If we do our part, He will do His part and keep us from falling. “Now unto him that is able to keep you from falling, and to present you faultless before the presence of his glory with exceeding joy, to the only wise God our Saviour, be glory and majesty, dominion and power, both now and ever” (Jude 1:24–25).

“Faithful is he that called you, who also will do it” (1 Thessalonians 5:24). “Being confident of this very thing, that he which hath begun a good work in you will perform it until the day of Jesus Christ” (Philippians 1:6). “Jesus Christ the same yesterday, today, and forever” (Hebrews 13:8).

¹ https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/faithful

² “25 Bible Verses About God’s Faithfulness,” January 17, 2022, https://chasingvibrance.com/25-bible-verses-about-gods-faithfulness

³ Ibid.