This post is going to be different from any other I’ve written so far (or at least I think it will be). The school district my children attend use the book “The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People” by Stephen R. Covey as a guide for their school mission. I have known about this theme since before we moved here (when I first started researching school districts). But, it has only been recently that I have begun to think about this topic in a spiritual sense. I first decided to make a weekly planner for myself personalizing the 7 habits to my own walk with God: things that I have done in the past that make me feel successful in the Spirit. Then, as I was beginning to type those notes, I believe the Lord impressed upon my heart to make this a public share. So, that is what this post is all about; 7 habits I’ve learned in my walk with God that help me be effective and successful in the Spirit. I pray and trust it will help who God intends for it to help as well as help myself.

Let’s begin! The following are 7 habits that help keep Megean productive and effective in the natural world as well as the spiritual realm.

#1. Deuteronomy 6:5 “You shall Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your might.”  Honestly, if I could get this 100% perfect every day, every thing else would easily and naturally fall into place.As much as I would love to believe I do this. Correctly. Always. Truth is, I just don’t. I miss it often. I do strongly believe my heart is 100% completely His.  Do I love Him with my whole soul? I hope so, but even then, I think I miss it at times. The area I know for sure I miss it is “with all my might”. Might meaning my strength. I know, too often, I give in to what my flesh wants: sleeping in a bit; lounging/vegging watching something random, pointless; eating whatever I feel like, whenever I feel like it; the list could go on. I think I have known this for a while, but it really hit me the other day. Too often I have relied on my own human strength which leads to failure every time. I don’t share that for a “woe is me” reaction. It has always been and will always be the kindness of God leading me to repentance. (Romans 2:4 ESV) The more purposeful I am about loving God, the more His supernatural love for others flows through me. And, that, is the end goal. “And he said to him, “You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind. This is the great and first commandment. And a second is like it: You shall love your neighbor as yourself. On these two commandments depend all the Law and the Prophets” Matthew 22:37-40. God requires of me to love others like I love myself. Afterall, they (and I) are His prized creation, the apple of His eye. The way I love God and love others is interwoven and cannot be separated. If I love God, I will love people. As I love people, I demonstrate God’s love, become a conduit of His love. “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 25:40 (read 31-56 for full reference understanding).

#2. Do first things first! This may seem a simple statement but can be quite profound. I think we all have those chores or tasks that we despise and wish we never had to do again (laundry, sweeping, dishes, cleaning out the car just to name a few examples). Whatever your chore or task nemesis is, that’s what I am talking about. I had noticed that when there was a task I really didn’t want to do, in the past I used to put it off hoping someone else would or eventually I would just because I couldn’t take it anymore. Either way, I have since learned to just do the task as soon as needed. It usually doesn’t take me much time at all AND I feel so much better having it done, rather than knowing it’s looming over my head. This can also be applied to any thing we procrastinate about. As humans, we tend to put of the tasks that either seem too difficult or just plain unpleasant to us. We can even “busy” our day so as to try to convince ourselves we are being productive. I have found in my own experience, it doesn’t matter how busy my day was, or how much I got accomplished, if I didn’t actually do the chore or task that really needed to be done, I still ended the day feeling frustrated and defeated. On the flip side, when I just do the things I know need to be done, first, I have much better daily productivity and… I feel better. Better emotionally, better physically, better spiritually. In every way.

I know this habit says first, but I have also found that writing a daily list is helpful. Some tasks don’t need to be accomplished in a particular order; however I do want them done that day. Having a general list of “to do” each day is extremely helpful to me. I know it helps others as well. It keeps me focused and accountable. Plus, I like the inward reward of feeling like I accomplished what I was supposed to that day.

Having a general list to take to prayer in the morning is also helpful. We may have an idea of what we think the day should be like (and we may be right on). However, it is important to check that list with Jesus, asking if the list lines up with His Kingdom plan and to help us order those tasks according to His plan. Proverbs 19:21 states, “Many are the plans in the mind of a man, but it is the purpose of the LORD that will stand.”

#3. Practice an attitude of gratitude. “…give thanks in all circumstances, for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you” I Thessalonians 5:18.  I believe this may be self-evident, though not always easy for some to put into practice. We live in an often depressing, corrupt and hurtful world. Some of us have experienced horrific things no one should ever have to. The state of the government, the state of the economy, the state of the educational system, the state of the medical world right now is in turmoil. It may be easier to simply complain. The saying is true, misery loves company. It’s so easy to get sucked into the negativity. This is where purpose, focus, and determination come into play. We have a choice. Every moment of every day. We have a choice. We can choose what we think about. We can choose how we feel. We can choose how we react or respond. The lie of the enemy loves to point fingers casting blame every where and causing some to adopt the saying “I can’t help it.” That is not true! We have a choice! The Lord commanded Joshua to remind the people they had a choice – to choose blessing or cursing. Paul reminds us in Philippians 4 to choose what we think about, “Finally, whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is just, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is commendable, if there is any excellence, if there is anything worthy of praise, think about these things.” When we fix our mind of Jesus – things that are lovely, true, just, honorable, pure – we receive His peace, which surpasses all human and worldly knowledge and understanding.

Thanksgiving is part of that “think of these things” even though it is not explicitly written. I believe one of God’s love languages is thanksgiving. “A Psalm for giving thanks. Make a joyful noise to the LORD, all the earth!  Serve the LORD with gladness! Come into his presence with singing!  Know that the LORD, he is God! It is he who made us, and we are his; we are his people, and the sheep of his pasture.  Enter his gates with thanksgiving, and his courts with praise! Give thanks to him; bless his name!  For the LORD is good; his steadfast love endures forever, and his faithfulness to all generations” Psalm 100. For me, it is as simple as acknowledging He is God alone and I am not God. He is a good Father, who gives good gifts. He is creator and rule maker. I am not. I will give thanks. I will make myself give thanks, “in all things,” even when I don’t want to, or the situation doesn’t seem like one worth giving thanks over. This lesson changed my life significantly in August of 2014. In my worst nightmare, I learned to thank God… in all things. If you are facing a devastating circumstance, I would challenge, encourage, dare you to begin to thank God… in all things.  “…do not be anxious about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God” Philippians 4:6 (my own emphasis added). You take your anxiety inducing situation to God and make your requests. Go for it!! Just don’t forget to do that with thanksgiving.

#4. Journal, Write, Study, Read, Blog. These are all ways in which I continue to develop myself. I desire to learn new things. I write to understand. I study to learn. I write to share what I learn. This is my effort of being a life-long learner. I believe this is a godly pursuit. I believe God would have us to grow in every way we can. I do not believe God desires or honors stagnation. I see it throughout scripture. “…study to show yourself approved unto God, a worker who has no need to be ashamed” 2 Timothy 2:15. That word ‘study’ means to make effort, to be prompt or earnest, to give diligence. The word ‘worker’ there means someone who toils and also figuratively a teacher. “And beside this, giving all diligence, add to your faith virtue; and to virtue knowledge; and to knowledge self-control; and to self-control steadfastness; and to steadfastness godliness; and to godliness brotherly affection; and to brotherly affection love.” The Old Testament is filled with verses of learning about God, His ways, His commands, His statues, to learn prudence, to learn understanding, to get wisdom. Like I said, this is my way of growing and developing myself. This may look different for others and that’s ok. The point is, find ways to develop and grow mentally, emotionally, spiritually.

#5. Drink Water!  So, this one may be more natural than spiritual, but it works. Our physical body requires water to function properly. I will not bore you with a medical lesson, but it is true. Proper water intake reduces inflammation and can relieve headaches and other body aches, it boosts skin health and beauty, lubricates joints, regulates body temperature, helps maintain blood pressure and prevents kidney damage (among many, many other benefits). For me personally, I notice it most with daily fatigue, headaches, and body aches. When I drink enough water each day I do not feel nearly as fatigued throughout the day and it keeps headaches at bay. Obviously this is important because I have things I need to do each day and I like feeling healthy in my own body.

I have a whole lesson on biblical application and benefits of water. I will not cover that all here. Suffice it to say, water is huge in the Bible. Settlements began will well digging, cleansing and purification happened by water, God miraculously provided life-sustaining water, and much more.

“Like the desire of the roe for the water-streams, so is my soul’s desire for you, O God” Psalm 42:1.

“Whoever believes in me, as the Scripture has said, ‘Out of his heart will flow rivers of living water” John 7:38.

“Let us draw near with a true heart in full assurance of faith, with our hearts sprinkled clean from an evil conscience and our bodies washed with pure water” Hebrews 10:22.

“Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they shall be satisfied” Matthew 5:6.

Jesus said to them, “I am the bread of life; whoever comes to me shall not hunger, and whoever believes in me shall never thirst” John 6:35

#6. Move my body! Another physical/natural habit with spiritual impact. Sitting around all day is not healthy more my body, my mind, my family, my spirit. It is simply not healthy. Moving my body may look like going for a walk, a run, or to the gym. It may also look like going to the library or local coffee shop to meet new people. It may mean lingering after church to talk with friends or greet a new face. Moving my body may also look like going grocery shopping in a leisurely manner so as to see people. As opposed to rushing through a chore as fast as possible and purposefully trying to not make contact with anyone. Moving my body also looks like family outings – playing disc golf, touring a new city, going for a hike, attending a theater drama, etc.

Yes, personally, I need to be resolute about moving my body for health purposes because my “job” requires a lot of sitting. So, I do need to plan in my week times for walking and working out. However, I have also learned, just as importantly for my spiritual health, I need to move my body to make and build connections with people and community. After all, that is God’s heartbeat (see #1 habit). “And He said to them, “How is it that you sought for me, did you not know that I must be about my Father’s business?” Luke 2:49.

#7. Listen to understand. “Let every man be swift to hear, slow to speak…” James 1:19.

Provers 10:23 Doing wrong is like a joke to a fool, but wisdom is pleasure to a man of understanding.

Proverbs 11:12Whoever belittles his neighbor lacks sense, but a man of understanding remains silent.

Proverbs 14:6 A scoffer seeks wisdom in vain, but knowledge is easy for a man of understanding.

Proverbs 14:33 Wisdom rests in the heart of a man of understanding, but it makes itself known even in the midst of fools.

Proverbs 15:21 Folly is a joy to him who lacks sense, but a man of understanding walks straight ahead.

Proverbs 17:10 A rebuke goes deeper into a man of understanding than a hundred blows into a fool.

Proverbs 17:27 Whoever restrains his words has knowledge, and he who has a cool spirit is a man of understanding.

Proverbs 18:13 If one gives an answer before he hears, it is a folly and a shame.

Proverbs 19:25 Strike a scoffer, and the simple will learn prudence; reprove a man of understanding, and he will gain knowledge.

Proverbs 20:5 The purpose in a man’s heart is like deep water, but a man of understanding will draw it out.

Proverbs 28:2 When a land transgresses, it has many rulers, but with a man of understanding and knowledge, its stability will long continue.

More often than not, we listen to respond rather than listen to understand. Many of the conflicts in our world, in our communities, in our churches, in our own homes would be minimal if we could adopt this mindset of listening to understand. More often than not, people don’t want advice or “fixing”; we want to be heard, we want to be understood, we want to be known. To know and to be known is one our human basic needs. God designed it that way.

“Is this not to know me? Declares the Lord” Jeremiah 22:16b

“For they shall all know me, from the least of them to the greatest, declares the Lord” Jeremiah 31:34

“That the nations may know me…” Ezekiel 38:16

“I am the good shepherd. I know my own and my own know me” John 10:14

These are my top 7 habits to help keep me effective in the natural and spiritual. I wrote this to remind myself and hold myself accountable to what God has done in me and shown me. I have also written this, by the prompting of the Spirit, to help others. I pray it speaks to those who need it. May the Lord richly bless your efforts; “that you would walk worthy of the vocation to which He has called you; that you might walk worthy of the Lord unto all pleasing, being fruitful in every good work, and increasing in the knowledge of God; that you would walk worthy of God who has called you unto His kingdom and glory!” (Ephesians 4:1; Colossians 1:10; I Thessalonians 2:12).

A very simple thought tonight and one that we for the most part are very familiar with: God desires us to be transparent with Him; to not hide or hold back any part of ourselves from Him. The things we try to hide from Him create walls and barriers in our relationship, not only with Him but with others as well.

Psalm 51:6

Behold, thou desirest truth in the inward parts: and in the hidden part thou shalt make me to know wisdom. KJV

Inward parts – seat of the mind and thoughts

Hidden part – the most secret part

To know – perceive, acquire knowledge

Wisdom – wisdom/skill

Jesus desires us to be truthful with Him, right from the very center of our being.

Luke 18:9-14

And He spake this parable unto certain which trusted in themselves that they were righteous, and despised others:  Two men went up into the temple to pray; the one a Pharisee, and the other a publican. The Pharisee stood and prayed thus with himself, God, I thank thee, that I am not as other men are, extortionist, unjust, adulterers, or even as this publican.  I fast twice in a week, I give tithes of all that I possess. And the publican standing afar off, would not lift up so much as his eyes to heaven, but smote upon his breast, saying, God be merciful to me a sinner. I tell you this man went down to his house justified rather than the other: for everyone that exalteth himself shall be abased; and he that humbleth himself shall be exalted.

We often recognize this passage of scripture as a lesson of humility and arrogance. But, looking a little deeper we realize there’s more to it than that. The publican didn’t try to hide the fact that he was a sinner, he made no excuse or attempt to mask his true identity. The Pharisee, instead of dealing with what he really was, looked for faults in others to point out. He tried to hide what was really in his heart by attempting to only show certain parts. So, he wasn’t an adulterer.  Perhaps he was trying to justify his own immoral thoughts about women, by saying at least he didn’t commit the act of adultery.   Bottom line, he was trying to hide parts of himself. The publican freely expressed, without excuse, “this is me”. 

A personal example is when I was a teenager there were a couple of moments I specifically remember wanting to hit my mom.  Now both of my brothers had actually tried to and it did not end well for them.  If I were the Pharisee in the above story, I would have said something like, “God, I’ve never hit my mom, I honor my parents.”  If you look at just the surface, then this appears true. But, the fact is, the truth in the hidden parts was that I was so angry at my mom, I thought I hated her. I probably even said so in my own head. I remember visualizing what it would be like to hit her.  If I were the publican in the story, I would have said, “oh God! Forgive me from these terrible thoughts!”

(Just fyi, my mom and I have a great relationship. I’m so thankful. That teenage frustration against a parent is long gone.)

Proverbs 20:27

The spirit of man is the candle of the LORD, searching all the inward parts of the belly.  KJV

Spirit – the Spirit of God imparting life and wisdom

Candle – a figurative lamp

Searching – to seek out

Inward parts – a chamber, innermost

Belly – the hollow, empty

It’s not as if God doesn’t already know everything about us, because truly He does. The life giving spirit, our breath that comes from God; the Bible says acts like a lamp into our very innermost part and searches us.

Genesis 3:7-10

And the eyes of them both were opened, and they knew that they were naked; and they sewed fig leaves together, and made themselves aprons. And they heard the voice of the LORD God walking in the garden in the cool of the day: and Adam and his wife hid themselves from the presence of the LORD God amongst the trees of the garden. And the LORD God called unto Adam, and said unto him, Where art thou? And he said, I heard thy voice in the garden, and I was afraid, because I was naked; and I hid myself.

Did not God already know that Adam and Eve were naked? It’s not as if it was news to Him like it was to them.  It’s not that God doesn’t already know everything about us; but it’s about how we share or hide ourselves from Him. In Adam’s case, it says he was afraid and hid himself. We have no need to fear. If our secrets are safe in anyone’s ears, it’s God’s.  It’s not that He doesn’t already know all about us. But He desires that we share ourselves with Him, to be honest with Him about who we truly are, in the innermost part of our being, that part perhaps no one else knows about.

I often pray, and hope it never changes; “oh God search me and know me, don’t let there be any part of me that I hold back from you. If there’s a part of me that I’m with holding, please show me so that I can confess and make things right again. Truly, You desire truth from the inside out.”  I’ve memorized portions of this scripture and incorporate them into my prayers.

Psalm 139 

O Lord, you have searched me and known me!

 You know when I sit down and when I rise up;

    you discern my thoughts from afar.

 You search out my path and my lying down

    and are acquainted with all my ways.

Where shall I go from your Spirit?

    Or where shall I flee from your presence?

I praise you, for I am fearfully and wonderfully made.^[a]

Wonderful are your works;

    my soul knows it very well.

My frame was not hidden from you,

when I was being made in secret,

    intricately woven in the depths of the earth.

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.

 How precious to me are your thoughts, O God!

 How vast is the sum of them!

Search me, O God, and know my heart!

    Try me and know my thoughts!

And see if there be any grievous way in me,

    and lead me in the way everlasting!

Last thought I want to leave with you tonight. According to online dictionary:

Transparent: 1. Allowing light to pass through so that objects behind can be distinctly seen. (transparent with others)

2. Easy to perceive or detect. (transparent with God)

Section 1 – What people say and think about God 

Exodus 5:2    (no God)

Pharaoh said, “Who is the LORD,  that I should obey his voice and let Israel go? I do not know the LORD, and moreover, I will not let Israel go.” 

^^^Agh! The arrogance! Can’t you hear it?!?

Psalm 14:1 & 53:1

The fool hath said in his heart, “There is no God.”

Mark 10:35   (genie in a bottle)

And James and John, the sons of Zebedee, came up to him and said to him, “Teacher, we want you to do for us whatever we ask of you.” 

Matthew 25:14-30   (cruel or someone to hide from)

Parable of the Talents – Only the last servant said the master was a hard man. The other two servants did not share his opinion of the master, they were able to partake of the master’s joy!  The master ended up treating the wicked servant harsh, just like what the servant thought of him. His thoughts of the master became his reality. 

Genesis 3:10  

And he said, “I heard the sound of you in the garden, and I was afraid, because I was naked, and I hid myself.”

Matthew 16:13-19      (a prophet, something to gawk at, come see the miraculous)

Now when Jesus came into the district of Caesarea Philippi, he asked his disciples, “Who do people say that the Son of Man is?”  And they said, “Some say John the Baptist, others say Elijah, and others Jeremiah or one of the prophets.” He said to them, “But who do you say that I am?” Simon Peter replied, “You are the Christ, the Son of the living God.” And Jesus answered him, “Blessed are you, Simon Bar-Jonah! For flesh and blood has not revealed this to you, but my Father who is in heaven. And I tell you, you are Peter, and on this rock I will build my church, and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it. I will give you the keys of the kingdom of heaven, and whatever you bind on earth shall be bound in heaven, and whatever you loose on earth shall be loosed in heaven.”

^^^Think about it! Even to this day many Jews and even Muslims say that Jesus was just a prophet. But, on the other hand, the man that had the true revelation of Jesus became the first preacher of the early church and his message is still what is looked to to understand the born again message Jesus spoke of in John 3! 🙂

Acts 9:5     (Lord, or so we think)

And he said, “Who are you, Lord?” And he said, “I am Jesus, whom you are persecuting.”

^^^Paul thought he knew who God was, but when he had a face to face encounter with his Lord, he realized he didn’t really know and he needed to ask and find out!

Psalm 18:25-26    (what we need/want) 

With the merciful you show yourself merciful; with the blameless man you show yourself blameless; with the purified you show yourself pure; and with the crooked you make yourself seem tortuous. 

^^^I love this verse because it truly demonstrates that God will make Himself seem to be what we think.

People can say all sorts of things about God. Doesn’t mean they’re true. Yet, God will allow our own mind to determine our reality of God. Even being in the church for 26 years, God has shown me so much these past few years that what I thought was true about Him, really wasn’t. Oh! And I’m so thankful!!! Because, truly, I just want to know Him!

Section 2 – God’s Heartbeat!

Genesis 2:7  

And the LORD God formed man of the dust of the ground, and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life; and man became a living soul. 

^^^This is intimate. No other part of creation involved this level of intimacy. 

Genesis 6:5-6  

And GOD saw that the wickedness of man was great in the earth, and that every imagination of the thoughts of his heart was only evil continually.  And it repented the LORD that he had made man on the earth, and it grieved him at his heart. 

Grieved = to worry, to pain, to anger, to displease, grieve, hurt, make or be sorry

^^^This so pierced my heart the first time God “showed” me this. Oh, how my heart broke for God!! His most beautiful and prized creation had turned away from Him and chose wickedness.

And yet, still, He gave them a 100 year window of opportunity to return to Him. It took Noah 100 years to build the ark and we know he talked to people during that time. This is not the work of a genocidal god, but a loving, compassionate, full of mercy Father/God/Creator. <3 

Genesis 12:1-3  

Now the LORD said to Abram, “Go from your country and your kindred and your father’s house to the land that I will show you.  And 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.” 

^^^It’s not written in the black and white here, but reading between the lines, God was longing to be a Father to His creation again. To enter into a covenant, intimate relationship with His creation. 

Exodus 25:8 

(The LORD spoke to Moses) “And let them make me a sanctuary; that I may dwell among them.” 

^^^This was not man’s idea, this was God’s. Can you not see/feel His heartbeat for His most valued and beautiful creation!?!?!?

Too many to count and name instances in the Old Testament where God came through for His people in a HUGE way! Constantly returning to them, after they had forsaken Him so. many. times!

Luke 13:34 (read with much inflection)

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 were not willing! 

^^^Again, can’t you hear the cry of God’s heart?!? 

Hebrews 11:16

Therefore God is not ashamed to be called their God.

Section 3 – “God is not who you say He is. God is who He says He is!”

A father of the fatherless – Psalm 68:5    (to be lonely, a bereaved person, orphan. Applies spiritually too)

The father of all them that believe – Romans 4:11   (to have faith, credit:entrust, commit to trust)

The father of mercies – 2 Corinthians 1:3   (pity, mercy)

The father of glory – Ephesians 1:17   (dignity, honor, glory, praise, worship)

One God/Father of all – Ephesians 4:6   (all, every, any, the whole)

Father of spirits – Hebrews 12:9   (current of air, breath)

Father of lights – James 1:17   (to shine or make manifest)

Parable of the Prodigal Son: Luke 15:11-32

*20 And he arose, and came to his father. But when he was yet a great way off, his Father saw him, and had compassion, and ran, and fell on his neck, and kissed him. 

^^^What an amazing picture of the love of the Father!!

Matthew 7:11 

“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!”

James 1:17  

Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of lights with whom there is no variation or shadow due to change. 

“God is…”

• with you
• not a man
• a consuming fire
• a jealous God
• faithful
• in your midst
• He who goes with you to fight your enemies
• your dwelling place
• among you
• greater than all other gods
• gracious and merciful
• for good on all who seek Him
• greater than man
• Mighty
• Exalted
• Great
• Clothed with awesome majesty
• A righteous judge
• With the generation of the righteous
• The Lord
• Refuge and strength
• King of all the earth
• My helper
• For me
• Our salvation
• Good to those who are pure in heart
• Strength of my heart
• My Portion forever
• A sun and shield
• Holy
• In the heavens
• Merciful
• My song
• An everlasting rock
• Righteous in all His works
• Able
• Greater
• Near
• True
• Spirit
• For us
• Wiser than men
• Stronger than men
• Really among you
• Not of confusion
• Of peace
• Good
• Not unjust
• Not ashamed to be called our GOD!
• One
• Light
• Perfect
• Greater than our heart
• LOVE
• He who formed you
• Redeemed you
• Called you by name
• Your savior
• Loves you

The Lord is…

• In this place
• In the right
• My strength and song
• My banner
• Holy
• With us
• Slow to anger
• Abounding in steadfast love
• Mighty
• Peace
• A God of knowledge
• My rock, fortress, deliverer
• Righteous
• Able to give you much more than this
• Stronghold for the oppressed
• Stronghold in times of trouble
• Refuge
• My chosen portion and my cup
• Perfect
• Sure
• Pure
• Clean
• My shepherd
• For those who fear Him
• My light and salvation
• Stronghold of my life
• Powerful
• Full of majesty
• Upright
• Good!
• Against those who do evil
• Near to the brokenhearted
• Upholder of my life
• Gracious
• Love from everlasting to everlasting
• At my right hand
• On my side
• My helper
• To be praised
• My portion
• My keeper
• Good, great, high
• Faithful
• Kind in all his works
• Near to all those who call on Him
• Hears the prayers of the right
• Safe
• Our righteousness
• Near
• Slow to anger
• Great in power
• Compassionate and merciful
• Not slow to fulfill His promise

Jesus is/has…

• Lord
• Revealed from heaven
• Able to do
• The bread of life
• I AM
• Will be with you
• Here
• Door of the sheep
• The resurrection and the life
• The way
• The truth
• The life
• Unwilling to send them away hungry
• Working
• The first and the last
• Alive forevermore
• Alpha and omega
• The almighty
• The beginning and the end
• Compassion
• Savior
• God with us

Back in May of 2014, I remember Pastor preaching a couple of services and talking about miracles. You know, we all love the idea of miracles, when God comes through in amazing unbelievable ways! We do. But, as Pastor preached, he talked about miracles only happen for those who need them. We can’t expect God to work miracles in our own lives, if we have no need for one. I so vividly remember these messages, because I remember thinking I had no need of one.  Little did I know, 2 short months later I found myself in the most devastating situation I’ve had to date. At this point in time, I desperately needed a miracle! And, Jesus came through for me in a HUGE way. Not everything in my situation changed overnight, or even over the past three years, but what changed was me. He truly became my counselor, my comforter, my strong tower, my life-line, my healer, my rock, my shield, my dwelling place. And, just so you don’t think it’s only inwardly He works miraculously, He has worked miraculously in the natural/tangible realm as well for me. I can truly say, HE IS AMAZING!!! I stand in awe of HIM! 

Psalm 18:1-6 – This may have been written thousands of years ago, but it’s absolutely 100% true for me today. 

“I love you, O LORD, my strength. The LORD is my rock and my fortress and my deliverer, my God, my rock, in whom I take refuge, my shield, and the horn of my salvation, my stronghold. I call upon the LORD, who is worthy to be praised, and I am saved from my enemies. The cords of death encompassed me; the torrents of destruction assailed me; the cords of Sheol entangled me; the snares of death confronted me. In my distress I called upon the LORD; to my God I cried for help. From his temple he heard my voice, and my cry to him reached his ears.” 

Psalm 91 – *I will say of the LORD* MY refuge, my fortress, my God, in whom I trust.” 

Exactly what David needed and expected of the Lord is what God made Himself to David. Is it any wonder GOD said of David that he was a  man after God’s own heart! Of course he was. He made God his everything! 

Jeremiah 29:11-14 

“For 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. Then 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.  I will be found by you,” declares the LORD

Isaiah 1:18

“Come now, let us reason together,” says the Lord: “though your sins are like scarlet, they shall be white as snow; though they are red like crimson, they shall become like wool.”  

Matthew 9:28-29

When he entered the house, the blind men came to him, and Jesus said to them, “Do you believe that I am able to do this?” They said to him, “Yes, Lord.”  Then he touched their eyes, saying, “According to your faith be it done to you.”

I Peter 2:7a KJV – Unto you therefore which believe, HE is precious!

I’ll conclude with these verses:

Malachi 3:10  “Put me to the test!” says the LORD.

I know God in this particular instance was talking about money and substance. However, I have found that it’s God’s desire in all aspects of our lives.

I Thessalonians 5:21 “but test everything; hold fast what is good.”

The old saying is true for me, “you don’t know like I know what He’s done for me!”

“When we put everything in God’s hand, we begin to see God’s hand in everything.” 

Will you let Him be the Father He desires to be to you??

I used to be asked to do mini exhortations often during our Thursday midweek service. These are the notes from one such exhortation.

The definition of Exhort(ation) is:

        – to urge, advise or caution earnestly; admonish urgently

        – an address or communication emphatically urging someone to do something

So, this mini exhortation today is about tables of stone versus tables of flesh (or the human heart).

Exodus 24:12 – “The LORD said to Moses, “Come up to me on the mountain and wait there, that I may give you the tablets of stone, with the law and the commandment, which I have written for their instruction.”

This was the beginning of the law in the OT.  It was given for a rather large group of people; perhaps well over 1 million.  I want to focus on the term, “tables of stone” and ask the question, what comes to your mind when you hear “tables of stone”?  

I think : hard, rocky, cold, impersonal, outside the body (indicative of looking at the tables or looking away from them at one’s own leisure).

II Corinthians 3:3 – “..written not with ink but with the Spirit of the living God, not on tablets of stone but on tablets of human hearts.”

God makes the comparison between tables of stone and tables of the heart.  And that’s what I want to talk a little bit about tonight.  What comes to mind when you hear “tablets of human hearts”?  I think : soft, warm, pliable, personal, inside the body (indicative of not easily turned away from).

Hebrews 8:7 tells us that had the first covenant been faultless there would have been no need for a second.  If you continue reading down through, he draws the parallel between the OT law and the NT new covenant; this “tablets of the heart”.  

Ezekiel prophesied in 11:19-20 that God would give Israel a new heart and a new spirit within them, He would take out the stony heart and give them a heart of flesh. That they would be to Him a people and He would be to them their God. The writer of Hebrews mentioned this prophecy in 8:10. 

Psalm 40:8 reads “I delight to do thy will O my God yea thy law is within my heart.”

Why was David so eager to do the will of God?  He had some insight that not many other Israelites had at this time and that was to put the law into his heart, not just read it on the tables of stone occasionally. 

Psalm 119:11 “I have hid your Word in my heart that I might not sin against thee.”  

I’ve read and even quoted this scripture a ton of times before but just reading it the other day really stuck out to me.  David started the sentence with “I have”, this is something he purposed and worked to do, he took the initiative and he did it for a purpose, so that he would not sin against God.  Did that mean David never did sin? Of course, we all know that yes he did, but as soon as his sin was revealed to him, because God’s laws were hidden in his heart he had the right response, he did the right thing to make things right with God again.  

Bringing it back to the NT, Romans 8:1-5 states, 

“There is therefore now 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. For God has done what the law, weakened by the flesh, could not do. By sending his own Son in the likeness of sinful flesh and for sin, he condemned sin in the flesh, in order that the righteous requirement of the law might be fulfilled in us, who walk not according to the flesh but according to the Spirit. For those who live according to the flesh set their minds on the things of the flesh, but those who live according to the Spirit set their minds on the things of the Spirit.”

“For what the law could not do” – Why couldn’t the law do it?  It was hard, cold, rocky, impersonal, something without the body (to be looked at or ignored at will).  

How are we going to “walk after the Spirit”?  – by allowing God to write on our “fleshly tables of the heart”; by purposing to hide His Word in our hearts; by delighting to do His will, by taking the initiative to act according to His will.  

If you’re feeling a little overwhelmed, remember to take it one step at a time and you can start with baby steps.  Ask God to give you a desire to want to put His Word in your heart.  It can start with a very simple request, keep at it though!   

This post is slightly different than others, as I quote some others online. They just stated my thoughts so well.

“After Malachi had ceased his prophesying and the canon of the Old Testament closed — that is, the number of the books in the Old Testament was fulfilled and the inspired prophets ceased to speak — God allowed a period of time for the teachings of the Old Testament to penetrate throughout the world. During this time, he rearranged the scenes of history, much as a stage crew will rearrange the stage sets after the curtain has fallen, and when the curtain rises again there is an entirely new setting.”  – Ray Stedman

Thus we have the setting of Matthew, Mark and Luke’s account of the call of Matthew. 

“Pagan empires around had been deteriorating and disintegrating. Their religions had fallen upon evil days. The people were sick of the polytheism and emptiness of their pagan faiths. The Jews had gone through times of pressure and had failed in their efforts to re-establish themselves, and had given up all hope. There was a growing air of expectancy that the only hope they had left was the coming at last of the promised Messiah. In the East, the oriental empires had come to the place where the wisdom and knowledge of the past had disintegrated and they too were looking for something. When the moment came when the star arose over Bethlehem, the wise men of the East who were looking for an answer to their problems saw it immediately and came out to seek the One it pointed to.” – Ray Stedman

Matthew 9:9-13 

Mark 2:13-17 

Luke 5:27-32 ESV

27  After this he went out and saw a tax collector named Levi, sitting at the tax booth. And he said to him, “Follow me.” 28 And leaving everything, he rose and followed him.

29 And Levi made him a great feast in his house, and there was a large company of tax collectors and others reclining at table with them. 30 And the Pharisees and their scribes grumbled at his disciples, saying, “Why do you eat and drink with tax collectors and sinners?” 31 And Jesus answered them, “Those who are well have no need of a physician, but those who are sick. 32  I have not come to call the righteous but sinners to repentance.”

The word “righteous” here not only refers to those who truly are righteous, those who follow God’s laws.  But, it also refers to those who think they are righteous; perhaps following God’s written law, but missing the heart of the law. Basically, what we see in the Pharisees here.

The word “sinner” here, truly does apply to those who just plain sin, that do wrong, but also it means those who are not free from sin.

I believe these are the meanings of what Jesus was trying to say here.  It’s not those who think they are righteous (or we might recognize today as “religious”) that Jesus is still searching for today.  But, it is sinners, those who are desperate for change, but simply are not free from sin.  Those are whom Jesus is still seeking for today.

Looking at the finer details of Matthew’s story:

1.     He was just sitting at work, doing his job, same as every other day.

2.     He heard Jesus’ voice and IMMEDIATELY followed Jesus.

3.     It says that he left EVERYTHING – not just his job that day, but his whole prior image, reputation, source of income, worldly security.

4.     Matthew made a great feast at his house for Jesus and invited all that would come and hear.  

5.     Matthew’s personal anticipation of the coming Messiah drove all his actions that day and on.

Matthew 19:16-23

Luke 18:18-27

Mark 10:17-25

17 And when he was gone forth into the way, there came one running, and kneeled to him, and asked him, Good Master, what shall I do that I may inherit eternal life?

18 And Jesus said unto him, Why callest thou me good? there is none good but one, that is, God.

19 Thou knowest the commandments, Do not commit adultery, Do not kill, Do not steal, Do not bear false witness, Defraud not, Honour thy father and mother.

20 And he answered and said unto him, Master, all these have I observed from my youth.

21 Then Jesus beholding him loved him, and said unto him, One thing thou lackest: go thy way, sell whatsoever thou hast, and give to the poor, and thou shalt have treasure in heaven: and come, take up the cross, and follow me.

22 And he was sad at that saying, and went away grieved: for he had great possessions.

23 And Jesus looked round about, and saith unto his disciples, How hardly shall they that have riches enter into the kingdom of God!

24 And the disciples were astonished at his words. But Jesus answereth again, and saith unto them, Children, how hard is it for them that trust in riches to enter into the kingdom of God!

25 It is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle, than for a rich man to enter into the kingdom of God.

Now let’s look at the finer details of the “rich ruler.”

1.     He ran (sought out) and kneeled before Jesus. – outward actions looked right.

2.     He recognized Jesus as “good” – came to him with just the right words.

3.     He made a claim to self-righteous – had kept “all” the commandments since youth.

4.     Jesus went right past his “righteous” actions, appearances, and words. He cut right to the heart of the issue; addressed the ruler’s condition of his heart; knew what he valued most in life.

5.     This ruler went away from Jesus, sorrowful; unlike Matthew’s response that quickly and without regret followed Jesus.

We live in the same kind of generation as what Jesus encountered 2000+ years ago.  The world is in chaos, people are looking for answers everywhere (from government to military to religions to humanism to science to drugs and alcohol). 

And still… there are people, worldwide, that are looking for Jesus.  They might not even recognize that that’s what they are looking for, but it is.    And sadly still, there are people, worldwide, that think they are looking for Jesus, but when they come in contact with the true heart of the matter, they’re really not ready for Jesus. 

We’re to be Jesus to this world.  It’s so important to stay in tune with the Holy Ghost so that we encounter “Matthew”s we’ll be ready to teach and to guide. And when we encounter other “rich rulers” we’ll know the correct answer to give, shake the dust off our feet and turn our focus to the “Matthew”s. 

“Matthew’s account of his own story shows us that the morally and socially reprobate sometimes humble themselves more readily than religious people. Having often witnessed the fruit of sensitive personal evangelism on the streets, I fear that sometimes we spend too much time trying to convert a few resistant sinners in the church while neglecting more sinners afraid to set foot in a church. Sometimes the latter have developed less resistance to the gospel; sometimes they are outside the church precisely because of the words or behavior of some within the church.” – www.biblegateway.com

“Just as the world had come to a place of hopelessness then, and the One who would fulfill all their hopes came into their midst, so the world again is facing a time when despair is spreading widely across the earth. Hopelessness is rampant everywhere and in this time God is moving to bring to fulfillment all the prophetic words concerning His coming again.”

– Ray Stedman 

Today’s topic is not a new one for many of us. It may very well be one of the most popularly taught Bible lessons in the Christian circle, from Sunday School children’s lessons, to teens, to adults both newly converted and aged in the Gospel. Wherever you are, I pray this lesson brings about a bit of new insight or at least serves as a good reminder of a biblical truth.

Ephesians chapter 6 teaches us to put on the Armor of God, reminding us that any fight we as Christians engage in is truly a spiritual one and not something in the physical natural world. A point of interest: this explanation of the Armor of God comes after some brief instructions to fathers concerning their children and the relationship between master and servant (or in today’s modern world, between employer and employee) and is what Paul chooses to close his letter to the Ephesians with.

“Finally, be strong in the Lord and in the strength of his might. Put on the whole armor of God, that you may be able to stand against the schemes of the devil. For we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the cosmic powers over this present darkness, against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly places. Therefore take up the whole armor of God, that you may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand firm. Stand therefore, having fastened on the belt of truth, and having put on the breastplate of righteousness, and, as shoes for your feet, having put on the readiness given by the gospel of peace. In all circumstances take up the shield of faith, with which you can extinguish all the flaming darts of the evil one; and take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God, praying at all times in the Spirit, with all prayer and supplication. To that end, keep alert with all perseverance, making supplication for all the saints…” Ephesians 6:10-18

I’m just going to break down some of the wording used here, specifically looking at the Greek definition of some words.

Truth – true, truth

Righteousness – equity, justification, righteousness

Gospel of Peace – good news of peace, (to join), prosperity, quietness, rest

Faith – persuasion, credence moral conviction, reliance of Christ, constancy, assurance, belief, fidelity

Salvation – defender or defense

The Spirit – current of air, breath, rational soul, vital principle, mental disposition

Word of God – rhema, an utterance

And then, without going into a lengthy history lesson, I’ll briefly explain what these pieces of clothing and weapons do.

The purpose of the…

                   Belt – holds clothes in place, surrounds midsection

                   Breastplate – protects vital organs: heart, lungs, digestive tract

                   Shoes – protects feet, allows for duration of travel

                   Shield – maneuverable (moves by command of the soldier’s hand/arm), protects from attack

                   Helmet – protects brain, and in some instances portions of the face

                   Sword – offensive piece used for attack, maneuverable (moves by command of the soldier’s hand/arm)

I find it interesting that this portion of scripture instructs us to STAND. I do not read any part that instructs us to move to attack. Almost every portion of armor listed once it is on is intended to stay in one place. The exception being both the sword and the shield. These move as the soldier moves his/her arms and can serve as double protection over any part of the body. If held over the head, the soldier has both a shield and helmet. If held over the chest and midsection, the soldier has both breastplate and shield and belt and shield. Same with the feet. You get the idea. Also, although typically used as an offensive weapon a sword can also be defensive as it can block an attack of another sword. Likewise, the shield, although typically used as a defense to block an attack, at times can be used offensively if the sword arm is pinned down.

Now, since Paul made it clear this Armor of God is not actual physical armor we put on the moment we’re born again. It is spiritual in application. So how does that work? What does that look like? Let’s look at some other verses of scripture that we can connect and possibly apply here. (There are by far hundreds more scriptures I could have linked to this topic. Was trying to keep it concise and to the point for my readers.)

Jesus said to him, “I am the way, and the Truth, and the life.” John 14:6

“From the ends of the earth we hear songs of praise, of the glory to the Righteous One.” Isaiah 24:16

Jesus answered him… “Peace I leave with you; my peace I give to you.”  John 14:27

“we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ” Romans 5:1

“of the gospel I preached to you… by which you are being saved… that Christ died for our sins in accordance with the scriptures, that He was buried, that He was raised on the third day in accordance to the scriptures…”    1 Corinthians 5:1-4

“by faith in His name… the faith that is through Jesus” Acts 3:16

“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 in the last days, God declares… “I will pour out my Spirit upon all flesh” Joel 2:28-32 & Acts 2:17

“In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God… and the Word was made flesh and dwelt among us…”  John 1:1 & 14

I am hoping by now you are connecting some dots. When we ask ourselves how do we put on the armor, the answer is, we put on Jesus! He is Truth, He is the Righteous One, He is peace, His life on earth is the Gospel, He provides faith, there’s salvation in no other, it’s His Spirit in us, He is the Word made flesh!!! If we’re worrying if we’re doing it all right, if we’re putting on the armor… stop the worry and just begin to put on Jesus! And then it’s a matter of learning how to depend on Him to supply the coverage the Armor provides – protection over my mind, my thoughts, my emotions, protection over my core being, my heart, protection over my belly (out of which the Spirit flows John 7:38), protection over my feet, the path I take. How to provide defense when an attack comes against me, how to wield the sword correctly (2 Timothy 2:15). Perhaps this seems overwhelming because there is no easy answer. The easy answer is Jesus. The difficult aspect being it takes us time and effort to learn Him! But, it’s worth it! So worth it!!!

I want to talk a bit today about the feeling of safety. According to Maslow’s hierarchy of needs, safety is considered basic and fundamental. What that means is that in order for one to progress up the pyramid of becoming a healthy confident self, they must first possess a sense of safety and security. Otherwise, the development of self is inhibited at best and corrupted at worst. There are many places humans seek that sense of security and safety. As young children, we seek that in our primary care givers. As we grow and mature we still seek safety and security in relationships – peers, teachers, employers, and in life-partners. We also tend to look inward for a sense of security. Most often, when our world around us is in chaos and uncertainty we grasp at maintaining control. This can often be seen in controlling behavior within relationships. Regardless of childhood experiences, we as adults still search for a sense of safety and security. Sometimes we place our trust in friends, family, doctors, teachers, even government. Though I’m optimistic that we have all experienced at least one relationship that has provided us with safety, sadly many of our experiences leave us lacking confidence and trust in others. This brings me to today’s topic: He knows! For me personally, I have come to realize the safest place I have found is in the hands of the One who Knows!

“In the beginning, God…”   Genesis 1:1

“I am the Alpha and Omega, the first and the last, the beginning and the end.”  Revelation 22:13

“The Mighty One, God, the LORD! He knows!”  Joshua 22:22 

 “He knows the way that I take”  Job 23:10

“He knows the secrets of the heart”  Psalm 44:21

“For He knows our frame”  Psalm 103:14

“For He knows worthless men, He sees iniquity”   Job 11:11

“He reveals deep and hidden things; He knows what is in the darkness, and the light dwells with Him.”  Daniel 2:22

“He knows those who take refuge in Him.”  Nahum 1:7

“God is greater than our heart and He knows everything.” I John 3:20

This is especially true when I consider how little I know; how little we as humans know. This is the essence of the human experience: we desperately want to know. We want to feel in control of our environment. We don’t want to be deceived or worse yet, we don’t want to believe that we actually could be deceived. We want to believe we know everything, if not everything at least enough. But, the truth is, we just don’t know everything. We cannot see the end of a thing from its beginning.

“We sometimes tend to think we know all we need to know to answer these kinds of questions—but sometimes our humble hearts can help us more than our proud minds. We never really know enough until we recognize that God alone knows it all. But knowing isn’t everything. If it becomes everything, some people end up as know-it-alls who treat others as know-nothings. Real knowledge isn’t that insensitive. We need to be sensitive to the fact that we’re not all at the same level of understanding in this.”  I Corinthians 8 (MSG)

“Can I find out the deep things of God?”  Job 11:7

“Can I find out the limit of the Almighty?”  Job 11:7

“Where was I when God laid the foundation of the earth?” Job 38:4

“Can I speak to the clouds and they produce a flood?” Job 38:34

“Can I send forth lightnings?”  Job 38:35

“Is it by my command the eagle mounts up and makes his nest on high?”  Job 39:27

“For now we see but a faint reflection of riddles and mysteries as though reflected in a mirror, but one day we will see face-to-face. My understanding is incomplete now, but one day I will understand everything, just as everything about me has been fully understood.” I Corinthians 13:12 (TPT)

We as humans have a tendency to become arrogant and not want to admit that we don’t know something. Or even, not that we don’t know something, but that our judgment is sound and must be right. Hence, the untold arguments and debates only flamed by the deceit of social media (but that’s another topic for another day). Arrogance is very dangerous ground when it comes to God.

“For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways, declares the LORD. For as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways and my thoughts than your thoughts.”

“The fear of the LORD is hatred of evil. Pride and arrogance and the way of evil and perverted speech I hate.”  Proverbs 8:13

“As it is, you boast in your arrogance. All such boasting is evil.” James 4:16

There are times in this life that we are faced with much uncertainty. I’m not sure if we have ever lived in an age where that is truer than it is right now. We just want to know the outcome. We want to know we’ll be safe again. We want a sense of calm, reassurance, and a return to our comfortable “norm”. However, in our attempts at knowing, we have ended up not feeling safe and secure in our knowing (or lack thereof). Fear is the common side effect to this uncertainty (see prior post about fear). Fear is running rampant in our world today. There has been some research to show how fear impacts our brain’s ability to regulate emotions and consequently inhibits our decision making. So, what are we left with? What are we to do? For me, there seems to be 2 options… 1) Trust ourself. We are the master of our world. We know the answer. We are right. And we deal and cope with whatever comes our way.  From what I have observed of human nature, this eventually leads to hurt, bitterness, resentfulness, cynicism, anger. 2) Trust God. Humble ourselves. Acknowledge we don’t know everything, we can’t see everything. Acknowledge that only God knows the ending of a thing from its beginning and all the in-between. Trust that He is in control and that He is a good God.

“Oh, the depth of the riches and wisdom and knowledge of God! How unsearchable are his judgments and how inscrutable his ways!” Romans 11:33

“And without faith it is impossible to please him, for whoever would draw near to God must believe that he exists and that he rewards those who seek him.” Hebrews 11:6

“You save a humble people, but your eyes are on the haughty to bring them down.” II Samuel 22:28

“He leads the humble in what is right, and teaches the humble His way.” Psalm 25:9

“My soul makes its boast in the LORD; let the humble hear and be glad.” Psalm 34:2

“The LORD lifts up the humble…” Psalm 147:6

“For the LORD takes pleasure in His people; He adorns the humble with salvation.” Psalm 149:4

“When pride comes, then comes disgrace, but with the humble is wisdom.” Proverbs 11:2

“When I am afraid, I put my trust in You.” Psalm 56:3

“I wait for the LORD, my soul waits, and in His Word I hope.” Psalm 130:5

“Receive instruction from His mouth and lay up His Words in your heart.” Job 22:22

This is why I have such confidence in Him, a sense of safety and security. I have no fear, because HIS perfect LOVE casts out fear (I John 4:18).

 “And that no purpose of Yours can be thwarted…” Job 42:2

  “The LORD will fulfill His purpose for me…” Psalm 138:8

“the LORD has made everything for its purpose” Proverbs 16:4

  “In HIM… all wisdom and insight, making known to us the mystery of His will…” Ephesians 1:7-9

“Many are the plans in the mind of a man, but it is the purpose of the LORD that will stand.” Proverbs 19:21

  “The heart of man plans his way, but the LORD establishes his steps.” Proverbs 16:9

“What no eye has seen, nor ear heard, nor the heart of man imagined, what God has prepared for those who love Him…” I Corinthians 2:9

I know I listed a lot of scripture today and there are hundreds more I could have. If you are struggling today with fear, anxiety, depression, uncertainty, anger, cynicism or the like, I want to encourage you to shut off the TV, get off FaceBook, open The Book, humble yourself, and enter into the safety that can only be found in Jesus. “The name of the Lord is a strong tower, the righteous runs into it and is SAFE.” Proverbs 18:10. Be well, my friends. I read the end of the Book and HE wins!

In Matthew 22 verses 34 through 40, a pharisee attempted to test Jesus and asked him, “Teacher, which is the great commandment in the Law?” 

Jesus said to him, “You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind. This is the great and first commandment. And a second is like it: You shall love your neighbor as yourself. On these two commandments depend all the Law and the Prophets.” 

Let’s break down some of the wording here. The love Jesus spoke about in this reference is agape love. In Greek, and many other languages, they have multiple words to define our English word: love. To name a few, there is agape, phileo, philadelphia, and erastos, for example.  Agape love is clearly and definitively defined in I Corinthians 13 verses 1 through 8a and 13.

“If I speak in the tongues of men and of angels, but have not love, I am a noisy gong or a clanging cymbal. And if I have prophetic powers, and understand all mysteries and all knowledge, and if I have all faith, so as to remove mountains, but have not love, I am nothing. If I give away all I have, and if I deliver up my body to be burned, but have not love, I gain nothing. 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. So now faith, hope, and love abide, these three; but the greatest of these is love.”

The author intentionally used the pronoun “your” to describe the relationship to God. The relationship was designed to be personal – not like the Israelites who wanted Moses to talk to God and then bring them the message. God’s initial and eternal desire has been and always will be to be a personal God to each person.

Looking more closely at the parts of the self we are to love God with: the heart, in the Greek, means thoughts, feelings, mind (inner being). The soul, in Greek, means breath, spirit, rational soul, vitality. The mind, in the Greek, means deep thought, imagination, and understanding. In Mark’s writings of these events, he includes the phrase “with all your strength”. In the Greek, strength here means power, ability, strength, might. We can think of that in terms of our physical body strength.

I believe this points to God’s understanding of how He designed us with different aspects or parts of this existence. We have feelings and emotions, we have thoughts and intellect, we have the breath of life that flows from God Himself, and we have a physical body. (I could divert here and discuss how uniquely made in God’s image we are (I have a study on this too). God has feelings and emotions, He has thoughts and intellect, He is the breath of life, and when He came in flesh, He had physical power and ability). Regardless, God knew exactly what He was saying in Deuteronomy 6:5 when He commanded the Israelites to love Him with everything they had. I have heard it said it’s easy to live for God hard and it’s hard to live for God easy. I think these scriptures bring understanding to that phrase. When we do love God with every part of our being it’s very easy to live for Him, to daily walk with Him. But, when we try to love Him with a portion, but not all, it’s difficult and frustrating.

Anyway, back to the words of the verses in Matthew. The verse that commands us to love our neighbors as ourselves literally means to love them in the same manner we love ourselves. Some may baulk at this, viewing it as selfish. Jesus knew exactly what He was talking about. It is possible to have a healthy love of self. It is also possible to hate oneself. Let me just say here, if we do not have a healthy love of self, there is NO way we can love others the way we are supposed to. Also, there’s a reason this commandment is second only to loving God. The only way we can have a healthy love of self is to have a healthy loving relationship with God – where God’s pure love flows from Him to us and back from us to Him. It’s a mutual relationship. Only when we can humbly accept God’s gracious love of us, can we then cultivate a healthy love of self. This is VERY difficult for many people. And this is why so many struggle to truly love God and love others correctly. This three-way love triangle is very intricately connected.

To the last phrase: “on these two commandments depend all the Law and the Prophets.” Jesus was referencing the 600+ commandments outline by Moses for the Israelites to live by and all the words of the prophets recorded before His time. That is A LOT of writing, a lot of information, a lot of rules. This statement Jesus just made here is HUGE. If, and I want to stress if, we can get these first two commandments right, everything else will fall into place.

When we love God the right way, His way, it’s easy to hear His voice, to listen and discern His voice, to heed His instructions. When we love Him correctly, obedience is second nature. Loving Him correctly involves an unwavering trust of Him and His character. We know Him. When we love God the right way, we see ourselves the way He does: honestly. We begin to love ourselves in a healthy way, because we see ourselves as precious created children of our good, good Father. Then, loving others, our neighbors as ourselves flows easily and naturally. We see them as God sees them: precious, beloved, worth dying for.

It is no wonder Jesus gave the perfect example of loving a neighbor when He told the story of the Good Samaritan (Luke 10:25-37). This man did not consider his own status or reputation. He just saw a man hurting and dying and had compassion on him.

Matthew 25:31-40 is the best example of how we show God we love Him, by loving on His most treasured creation. <3

“When the Son of Man comes in his glory, and all the angels with him, then he will sit on his glorious throne. 

Before him will be gathered all the nations, and he will separate people one from another as a shepherd separates the sheep from the goats. 

And he will place the sheep on his right, but the goats on the left. 

Then 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.’ 

I feel like this topic may very well be inexhaustible, but for today, I will wrap it up.

“O the depth of the riches both of the wisdom and knowledge of God! How unsearchable are his judgments, and his ways past finding out!” Romans 11:33

Faith              

  – for without faith it is impossible to please Him (Hebrews 11:6)

  – faith cometh by hearing, hearing by the Word (rhema) of God (Romans 10:17)

– centurion understanding the chain of command “ I have not seen greater faith, no not in all Israel” (Luke 7:1-10)

– if you have faith as a grain of a mustard seed you will say to this mountain be thou removed (Matthew 17:20)

– when He returns will He find faith on the earth? (Luke 18:8)

– your faith has made you whole (Matthew 9:22)

– according to your faith be it done to you (Matthew 9:29)

– whatever you ask in prayer you will receive if you have faith (Matthew 21:22)

– He did not do many might works there (Nazareth) because of their unbelief (Matthew 13:58)

Repentance    

– if My people which are called by My Name shall humble themselves and pray and seek My face and turn form their wicked way, then I will hear from heaven, I will forgive their sin and heal their land (II Chronicles 7:14)

– you shall find me when you seek for me with your whole heart (Jeremiah 29:13)

– God would that none should perish but that all would come to repentance (II Peter 3:9)

Thanksgiving 

– enter His gates with thanksgiving and into His courts with praise (Psalm 100:4)

– first of all I would that supplications, prayers, intercessions, and thanksgiving be made for all people (I Timothy 2:1)

– in everything by prayer and supplication and thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God (Philippians 4:6)

– offer to God a sacrifice of thanksgiving (Psalm 50:14)

– let there be no filthiness nor foolish talk nor crude joking, which are out of place, but instead let there be thanksgiving (Ephesians 5:4)

– continue steadfastly in prayer, being watchful in it with thanksgiving (Colossians 4:2)

– saying “amen! Blessing and glory and wisdom and thanksgiving and honor and power and might be to our God forever and ever! Amen!” (Revelation 7:12)

Does everything in life happen for a purpose? Are there accidents or coincidences? What about living for God or not? Does the God-fearing Christian live a life of purpose? Is the unbeliever’s life just a serious of coincidences? What about fate? Or karma? Does life have a destiny?

Purpose: the reason for which something is done or created or for which something exists

Reason: a cause, explanation, or justification for an action or event

Accident: (1) an unfortunate incident that happens unexpectedly and unintentionally, typically resulting in damage or injury. (2) an event that happens by chance or that is without apparent or deliberate cause

Coincidence: a remarkable concurrence of events or circumstances without apparent causal connection

Fate:  the development of events beyond a person’s control, regarded as determined by a supernatural power

Karma: destiny or fate, following as effect from cause (Hindu in origin)

What does the Bible have to say about each of these?

“For everything there is a season (an appointed occasion) and a time for every matter under heaven: a time to be born, and a time to die; a time to plant and a time to pluck up what is plated; a time to kill and a time to heal; a time to break down and a time to build up; a time to weep and a time to laugh; a time to mourn and a time to dance; a time to cast away stones and a time to gather stones together; a time to embrace and a time to refrain from embracing; a time to seek and a time to lose; a time to keep and a time to cast away; a time to tear and a time to sew; a time to keep silence and a time to speak; a time to love and a time to hate; a time for war and a time for peace.” Ecclesiastes 3:1-8

“For the eyes of the Lord run to and fro throughout the whole earth, to give strong support to those whose heart is blameless toward him.”  II Chronicles 16:9

“The eyes of the LORD are toward the righteous and his ears toward their cry.” Psalm 34:15

“For a man’s ways are before the eyes of the LORD and he ponders all his paths.” Proverbs 5:21

“The eyes of the LORD keep watch over knowledge…” Proverbs 22:12

“Behold the eyes of the Lord GOD are upon the sinful kingdom…” Amos 9:8

“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! If I take the wings of the morning and dwell in the uttermost parts of the sea, even there your hand shall lead me, and your right hand shall hold me. If I say, ‘Surely the darkness shall cover me and the light about me be night,’ even the darkness is not dark to you; the night is bright as the day, for darkness is as light with you. 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.” Psalm 139: 7-12, 16

The Bible tell su often that God’s eyes are in every place seeing everything at all times. There’s nothing that can happen in our life that catches Him by surprise.

“I am Alpha and Omega, the beginning and the ending, saith the Lord, which is, and which was, and which is to come, the Almighty.” Revelation 1:8”

“And He said to me, it is done. I am Alpha and Omega, the beginning and the end. I will give unto him that is athirst of the fountain of water of life freely.” Revelation 21:6

“I am Alpha and Omega, the beginning and the end, the first and the last.” Revelation 22:13

The Bible also teaches us that God is timeless; He is not limited by time as we are. Humans are linear which means progressing from one stage to another in a single series of steps; sequential. God is not linear. He fills all time and space at the same time. He exists outside of time. Time exists in Him. We are bound by time.

“But with the precious blood of Christ, as of a lamb without blemish and without spot: who verily was foreordained before the foundation of the world, but was manifest in these last times for you.” I Peter 1:19-20

“And all that dwell upon the earth shall worship him, whose names are not written in the book of life of the Lamb slain from the foundation of the world.” Revelation 13:8

So, if God is everywhere all the time and sees everything, nothing is hidden from Him. And, He’s just as present with us now as He was a the beginning of creation; can we honestly believe in accidents? Personally, I believe everything has purpose, even when I don’t like what is happening and it would be easier to think it’s just an accident or coincidence. Over the past few years of growing deeper in the Spirit, I’ve come to see everything as the hand of God in my life. Paul’s life, I believe, is a great example of purpose with no accidents.

“But the Lord said to him, ‘Go, for he is a chosen instrument of mine to carry my name before the Gentiles and kings and the children of Israel. For I will show him how much he must suffer for the sake of my name.” Acts 9:15-16

“Are they ministers of Christ? (I speak as a fool) I am more; in labours more abundant, in stripes above measure, in prisons more frequent, in deaths oft. Of the Jews five times received I forty stripes save one. Thrice was I beaten with rods, once was I stoned, thrice I suffered shipwreck, a night and a day I have been in the deep; in journeyings often, in perils of water, in perils of robbers, in perils by mine own countrymen, in perils by the heathen, in perils in the city, in perils in the wilderness, in perils in the sea, in perils among false brethren; in weariness and painfulness, in watchings often, in hunger and thirst, in fastings often, in cold and nakedness. If I must needs glory, I will glory of the things which concern mine infirmities.” II Corinthians 11:23-27, 30

“it is not expedient for me doubtless to glory. I will come to visions and revelations of the Lord.  II Corinthians 12:1

This portion of scripture began to stand out to me a few years ago when I was considering all this “deep” stuff of purpose, coincidence, free will choice, etc. At any given point those hardships Paul endured could have killed him. In fact, many times that was the intent of the beating or stoning. They wanted him dead. But, God didn’t. Paul had a job to fulfill, and no attempt of man or devil was going to thwart God’s plan. Not only that, we see by the continuation in chapter 12 that Paul says that in sufferings he received visions and revelations of the Lord and that there were still more to come. I believe that’s key: they way we view our circumstances. Paul recognized and knew when his true time was up.

“For I am now ready to be offered, and the time of my departure is at hand. I have fought a good fight, I have finished my course (could also be read career), I have kept the faith.” II Timothy 4:6-7

How do we view our circumstances? Did some accident happen and now we have no job? Really? Why not look at it as God no longer wants you at that job? Or was it some cool coincidence that we met someone in the airport and chatted with them? Why not look at it as God connecting you with a stranger on purpose? As quickly as possible, ask Jesus to help you understand the purpose of the meeting.

At this juncture, I must address the topic of abuse, violence, and other horrific things that happen to us. I will not pretend to know the answer to these difficult questions. However, I do know there is always something we can learn from any experience, even devasting ones. Even suffering wrong by the hands of evil intent can build and develop positive things in the victim. It still comes down to how we view the circumstance. We can run to the arms of a heavenly Father for love, comfort, peace and answers. Or we can point fingers, yell, scream, and accuse Him. The first choice will bring about healing and wholeness. The second choice will lead to even more hurt.

“Beloved, do not be surprised at the fiery trial when I comes upon you to test you, as though something strange were happening to you. But rejoice insofar as you share Christ’s sufferings, that you may also rejoice and be glad when His glory is revealed.” I Peter 4:12-13

This is such a great reminder that when living for God, there’s no accidents. He holds us in His hands. He is teaching us here NOT to be surprised by the fiery trial. Honestly, it was sent BY Him. Instead of being caught off guard and perhaps reacting unfavorably to the situation, we should begin to immediately acknowledge God at work in our lives and ask Him about it. Honestly, I don’t believe the first reaction should be “God deliver me from this!” I’m beginning to learn and practice quickly saying, “what is it you’d have me learn here Jesus?”

“It is good for me that I was afflicted, that I might learn Your statutes.” Psalm 119:71 (emphasis mine)

Can you believe that? Good for me to be afflicted? Absolutely! To what end? THAT I MIGHT LEARN HIS WAYS!

“See now that I, even I, am He, and there is no god beside me; I kill and I make alive; I wound and I heal; and there is none that can deliver out of my hand.” Deuteronomy 32:39

This may be harsh for some, but honestly brings me such peace and assurance. God is no fickle like man. If He said it, He absolutely will do it. The Word of the Lord proves true. Not only that, God is love. He is good. He is always good. If He wounds, it’s for good.

“And we know that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are called according to His purpose.” Romans 8:28

I trust that God is good. I trust that God loves me. I trust He sees my ending as clearly as my beginning. I trust my days are numbered according to His Purpose. There really is so much safety and security in that. Honestly, what can man or devil do to me without God’s permission. And if He grants permission, it’s for a purpose. SEEK OUT HIS PURPOSE!

(For further reading and consideration: The book of Esther. For such a time is this.)