One of the amazing things about the God we see in Scripture is that He cares for the outcast, the weak, and the hopeless. He is a God of second chances. He loves to do His greatest work through the most unlikely people.
God could work through the most powerful and wealthy people. But, one of the ways God shows His true power is when He strengthens the weak and gives power to the powerless.
When God sent His Son to earth, Jesus came in the form of a helpless baby. When Jesus chose His twelve disciples, He chose the most unlikely group of followers.
God doesn’t choose the powerful; He empowers those He chooses. This is great news for us! We may not be the best at what we do or the most influential person–but God can still use us!
You may not feel like you have the right traits or talents to be used by God–and that’s okay. God can use anyone and everyone. God makes it a habit of taking our greatest weakness and greatest pains to use for His kingdom work.
Take a moment right now to ask God for strength. If you’re feeling weak, ask Him to increase your power. While He may not fix your weakness immediately, when you’re open to God using you, He will turn unlikely situations into powerful moments for His kingdom.
Ask Him to open your heart and mind to how He can use your weaknesses to make a difference in the world around you.
Trusting God through Pain...
Trusting God through Pain
Have you ever experienced deep pain? Maybe you or someone you know received a painful diagnosis. Or perhaps you or someone you know is living with lifelong pain.
All of us experience pain, sickness, and suffering in our life. It’s part of our human experience because of the effects of sin on creation. Every single person will experience death, pain, and sickness.
However, in the midst of those things, God promises to be with us. The Psalmist gives us an incredible promise in Psalm 73:26. Even though our flesh and heart will fail, God promises to be our strength and portion forever.
That means God is working in our life to strengthen us. Scripture tells us that one day, God will make everything new (Revelation 21:5). The world will be like He intended it to be–free of pain, suffering, and death. God will restore all things.
So, while we experience pain and suffering in this life, we can have hope and look forward to the restoration of all things–especially the resurrection of our bodies. The God who created us from the inside out and knows everything about us will restore our bodies to perfection when we join Him in heaven.
Take a moment to reflect on the frailty of your earthly body. Give thanks to God for creating you and giving you life. Just like the Psalmist, ask Him to be your strength and your portion forever. Remember that He cares for you and loves you. Take hope that one day, He will restore all things, including our pain and suffering.
Give Him Your Praise...
Worship is the act of praising God for who He is and what He has done for us. Throughout Scripture, worship is a central act of the Christian life.
As Christians, we have received so much from God. Through Jesus Christ, we have received salvation and grace. We now have a new life in Christ and are secure for eternity.
Our response back to God for all of these things should be worship. Praising Him for His goodness and mercy and thanking Him for the things He has done.
We often think of worship as singing songs to God. And within this form of worship, we can do things like clap our hands, pray to God, or raise our hands in awe of Him.
But, singing songs is not the only form of worship. We can worship God in every area of our life. We worship God through prayer and gratitude. We can also worship God by being in awe of His creation.
As the writer of Psalm 47 says, shouting out to God and worshiping God comes from the joy within our heart. As we consider the greatness and goodness of God, as well as everything He has given us, we worship Him out of the joy within us.
Consider during this Advent season how you can intentionally worship God. You can begin by thanking Him for His faithfulness and goodness or any of His other attributes. Express your gratitude for the things He has done in your life and the things He’s given you.
The Lord Our Warrior...
There are many different ways we can think about God. He is presented in Scripture as a God of love and mercy. He is also the Creator as well as our Rescuer. God is even spoken of as a Protector and a Warrior. Most importantly, God is the Protector of His people, those who trust in Him.
We don’t always consider God as a warrior, fighting on our behalf through the various trials and battles in life. Maybe you even remember a tough season when it seemed like God was absent or felt distant. Typically, in seasons of difficulty, it is us who draw away from God, not God drawing away from us.
Scripture says that God is our strength and shield. But it also says that we should trust Him, which means we have to believe He is present and working in the background even when we don’t think He is. Psalm 28:7 says that as we trust in Him, He will help us in our need.
In addition to trusting in God during seasons of difficulty, the Psalmist encourages us to find joy in God, not only through trusting Him but also through singing songs of praise and worship. Singing to God, especially in the midst of tough seasons, has the power to turn our hearts and minds toward God because singing to God is actually a way of building trust in God.
Songs remind us of who God is and what He has done for us in the past, so that we can trust Him in the present. All of this builds our trust and produces joy in our lives.
During this Advent season, and time of reflection, consider: Are you trusting God to be your strength and shield, or are you trying to manage life’s difficulties alone? What songs can you think of that can help build your faith and joy in this season? Every season of life provides a new opportunity to trust God as our Protector and praise Him for all He has done for us.
The Mark of a Disciple...
The Mark of a Disciple
Jesus says that everyone will be able to recognize us as His disciples by our love for one another. That means loving one another the way Jesus intended is a way of identifying ourselves as Christians. It is also one way to share the love of Jesus with others.
While culture promotes a selfish way of living, where we look out for ourselves first, God’s Word encourages us to be counter-cultural in how we love others.
We should be selfless instead of selfish.
We should do what we can to put others before
ourselves.
We should look for ways to help one another.
When we choose to love others, we show them Jesus' love. And through loving others, people will recognize that our lives differ from the world around us. We will be able to share the message and hope of Jesus through the love that we show.
Take time during this season of Advent, to reflect on your own life. Do people know you as a disciple of Jesus Christ through the way you love others? If not, what steps can you take to build a habit of love?
To the Glory of Christ
To the glory of Christ
When we begin to follow Jesus Christ, everything in our life changes. We are no longer the same person, bound by past mistakes. By following Jesus, we are made new and given a second chance at life.
In our old ways of life, we did things for our own glory—our own praise and recognition. But in our new life with Jesus, we should desire to do everything for God.
Every word and action is an opportunity to love and praise God.
Whether you’re doing something difficult like raising a family or pursuing school or something simple like washing dishes or cleaning up trash—all these are opportunities to love and praise God. Even though some tasks feel insignificant or mundane, God asks us to do those tasks with Him in mind. It is God who gives us the breath and ability to do anything in life, so we should always be grateful for the opportunities we have.
Are there tasks in your life that cause you to grumble or complain?
As you spend time reflecting during this Advent season, consider how to perform tasks to the best of your ability, representing God in your actions. Reflect on the changes in your life since following Jesus Christ. Give thanks for the breath God has given and for the opportunity to praise Him through words and actions.
Come...
Come...
If you’re feeling overwhelmed or exhausted, come.
If you’re feeling grateful or expectant, come.
If you’re feeling joyful or grievous, confident or doubtful, encouraged or frustrated, come.
“Oh come, let us worship and bow down; let us kneel before the Lord, our Maker!”
Psalm 95:6
There’s something about falling on our faces before the One who created us—and everything that exists—that reminds us of who He is and who we are not.
When was the last time you stopped—in your car, in your kitchen, in your rushing, in your humanness—to simply come to God?
When you notice a gorgeous sunset, come.
When you can’t see through your tears, come.
When you’re captivated by a child’s smile, come.
When you’re overwhelmed by bad news, come.
When you’re motivated to make an impact, come.
When you’re deflated beyond words, come.
Come to the Lord, your Maker.
He has already come to you.
Wait on the Lord...
When the world around you seems wild, or the heart inside you feels weary, you can still count on God.
The psalmist said it like this:
“I wait for the Lord, my whole being waits, and in his word I put my hope.”
Psalms 130:5 NIV
This is one of fifteen psalms known as the Pilgrim Songs, or the Songs of Ascent (comprising Psalms 120-134)—sung by Jewish travelers making the trek to Jerusalem for annual festivals.
If you read the rest of the chapter, you’ll notice a heaviness, a tenderness, a tone of repentance. The psalmist cries out “from the depths”—wanting to be heard, begging for mercy, longing for the redemption of His people, all the while hoping in and waiting on the Lord.
The NLT translation says, “I am counting on the Lord…”
If you’ve ever wondered who—other than you—has had to hope in, wait on, and trust in the Lord, it’s everyone. It’s all of us. Every person in biblical history, from Noah to Moses, Rahab to Ruth, Peter to Paul… down to us, living in this modern day.
Those who lived before Jesus Christ were waiting on the Messiah to come and rescue a fallen world. Those who live after Jesus, like us, are waiting on Him to come back and redeem everything that’s been lost—once and for all.
The season of Advent reminds us that regardless of who you are, where you’re from, or what you’ve done, you can cry out and wait on God.
He is trustworthy, He is faithful, and He always makes good on His promises.
As you wait upon the Lord during this Advent season, know that He wants you to come close—so that He can be your strength so that He can give you comfort, and so that He can provide everything you need.
What Does It Mean to be Blessed?
We all want a good life. We all want a life that is blessed and successful.
Almost everyone on earth is searching for that, and we all have our own way of attaining the life we want. Some people look for happiness and fulfillment in material possessions. Others try to find happiness through gaining success and fame. And others search for fulfillment through relationships.
But rather than following the paths of the world around us, Psalm 119:2 says that true happiness and fulfillment come from obeying God. Since God is the creator and ruler of the universe, He certainly knows what is best for us. Following God’s guidance and direction for our life is the only way we will find true fulfillment. And the writer of Psalm 119 says that those who seek God with all their heart will be blessed.
A blessed life is a happy and fulfilled life, but it’s also a life that doesn’t find ultimate happiness and fulfillment through anything on this earth.
A truly blessed life comes through God.
You were created to enjoy a relationship with God. The more we seek God and desire Him, the more we will find a truly blessed life, because true blessing comes from spending time with God.
The Giver of Good Things
James 1:17 has a lot to tell us about God. First off, James tells us that God is the one who gives good and perfect gifts. Everything starts with God, so all good gifts and blessings in life come from God.
In addition to that, it is God who gives us salvation, which is the greatest gift. He freely offers us eternal life by believing in Jesus Christ as the One who saves us. God not only gives perfect gifts, but He also is the perfect Gift.
The next thing we learn about God in this verse is that God reigns from heaven but has also come down from heaven to us. God rules and reigns from His throne in Heaven (Psalm 103:19). He is the perfect gift that has come down from heaven.
Lastly, we learn that God is unchanging. Humans are constantly changing. God is the same yesterday, today, and tomorrow, and His character never changes.
The God who loves us and gives us grace today will do the same tomorrow.
So take some time today to thank God for who He is and what He has done for you. Thank Him for the gifts and blessings He has given you. Thank Him for the gift of salvation.
The Urgency of Giving...
Have you ever waited to do something you knew was the right thing to do?
When Paul wrote his second letter to the Corinthians, the church in Corinth needed correction. In the ninth chapter, Paul focused on a promise the Corinthians had made a year before to help struggling Christians in Jerusalem. Not only had the Corinthians made this promise—to collect an offering and send it to Jerusalem—but they were so eager in their pledge, they had inspired other churches to follow their lead.
However, the Corinthians were taking a long time to follow through on their promise, and in the meantime, their brothers and sisters in Jerusalem were suffering. Not only that, their eagerness to give had waned, and they were no longer setting the generous example they had before. So Paul wrote:
“Each of you should give what you have decided in your heart to give, not reluctantly or under compulsion, for God loves a cheerful giver.”
2 Corinthians 9:7 NIV
When we are reluctant to give, we miss out on the chance to bless others. Disobedience can harden our hearts toward others. We can hold on to what we have because we think we know best.
Instead, when you give with urgency, Paul says, “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” (2 Corinthians 9:8). He will bless you “so that you can be generous on every occasion, and through us your generosity will result in thanksgiving to God” (2 Corinthians 9:11).
Now, that may not always mean God will enrich you financially. But it does mean that God will always provide you with the means to be generous—with your time, energy, and money. And because God does not wait to provide for us, we shouldn’t wait to provide for others.
Today, look for opportunities to show your generosity and share the good gifts God has given you—and when you see one, don’t wait to act! Instead, give with a cheerful spirit.
Marked by Love...
Imagine God’s perfect creation: the Garden of Eden. In the garden, there was no evil and hardship—the world was good. Unfortunately, because the devil deceived humans into disobeying God, we now live in an imperfect world.
The world we live in is different from what God intended—in this world, situations are not always good. People make mistakes and sometimes hurt us and the people we love. Because of this, you might feel uncertain about loving others or even God. But there’s good news: When our world changed, God did not change.
God is still perfect—and He still loves us perfectly. Regardless of the mistakes we make, God will not stop loving us. We know God loves us because He redeemed our mistakes on the cross through Jesus Christ. And when Jesus returned to heaven, He sent His Holy Spirit to be with us.
His love for us is not dependent upon our love for Him—it’s not reliant on what we do, what we say, or how we act. This doesn’t mean we should purposefully go against God’s Word—it means that no matter where we’re at in life, God’s love will meet us where we are.
In 1 John 4, we are told that whoever remains in love remains in God because God is love. If we say we love God, the evidence of love in our lives should be seen through how we treat and serve others. This doesn’t always feel natural—but this is a challenge the Lord wants to help us overcome.
As we grow closer to Him, His love is perfected in us. And as He transforms us into people perfected by His love, we don’t have to fear His judgment because we can be confident that we are His.
God desires our love, and our love for Him grows through worship, prayer, and spending time in His Word. But God is also the source of love, and He wants to help us remain in love so we can remain in Him. He loves us perfectly, understands our imperfections, and can make us perfect in His love.
So today, take some time to ask the Lord to help you live a life marked by love.
A Prayer of Blessing...
This blessing represents an ideal condition for someone who follows God. The first part of the blessing is for protection. Because God is all-powerful, He is our ultimate Protector.
The second part is a prayer for grace from God. For God’s face to shine upon someone is for the favor of God to be on them. But for this to happen, we need to be in relationship with God. We ought to spend time with God each day, learning from Him and receiving His grace through His Spirit.
The last part of the blessing is for God’s face to turn towards us. This means that God is looking out for our good. And there is nothing we can do to earn God’s favor because He gives it freely.
The primary way that God blesses us today is through a relationship with Jesus Christ. When we have faith in Jesus, our future is eternally secure in Him. After we begin a relationship with Jesus, the Holy Spirit lives within us and empowers our new life.
God’s grace, favor, and protection are all available to us.
Knowing Scripture...
Paul’s letter to the Colossians is rich with insight into who Jesus is, what He has done, and how we should respond.
He wrote to encourage them to keep their eyes on Jesus, to live a life worthy of their calling, to be full of love for one another, and to…
“Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly, teaching and admonishing one another in all wisdom, singing psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, with thankfulness in your hearts to God.”
Colossians 3:16 ESV
Since the Church was new at this point, it didn’t have a complete, written Bible. So, when Paul told Christians to let the “word of Christ dwell” in them richly—he would have been referring to the teachings of Jesus they’d learned from Paul and others.
Because access to written Scripture was limited, this new Church needed to be encouraged and reminded to stay faithful in teaching one another. And one of the ways they did this was through praising God together and being thankful for all He had done.
We now have an incredible gift in the Bible. We have the full counsel of God from both the Old Testament and the New Testament. Through God’s Word, we can know God’s plan and purposes, the story and truth of Jesus, and how we are to live as followers of Christ together. And, we can encourage one another as we study and learn Scripture together.
So, take time in your day to read God’s Word. Study its content and context. Discover God's character, plans, purposes, and love as you allow His Word to dwell in you richly. Then, try to spend time with other believers and discuss what you’ve read.
Our Hands on Christ's Head
“He himself bore our sins in his body.”
To subjectively benefit from the work of the high priest in the scapegoat ritual on the day of atonement (Leviticus 16:20-22), the individual Israelite had to exercise both penitence and faith. Penitence is a sincere and humble acknowledgment of one’s sins. Faith, in this instance, is believing God’s testimony that his sins were transferred to the goat and that the guilt of them no longer hung over his head.
Of course, the scapegoat could not itself carry away the sins of the people. It was only symbolic of the true scapegoat to come, Jesus Christ. Today we see the reality of the symbol. We see Jesus as the one who not only propitiated the wrath of God, symbolized by the sacrifice of the first goat, but who also removed our sins from God’s presence, symbolized by the second goat led away into the desert, bearing the sins of the people.
Those same two attitudes, penitence and faith, are necessary for all of us today who rely on Christ for salvation. We must acknowledge ourselves as sinners before a holy God. We must, so to speak, lay our hands on Christ’s head and confess over him all our transgression and rebellion. We acknowledge ourselves as sinners before a holy God, and we face up to particular sins we’re aware of.
This heartfelt penitence and faith should characterize our lives throughout every day. We not only come to God through faith in Christ as both our propitiation and our scapegoat, we must live in his presence every day on the same basis. We must believe that just as the Old Testament scapegoat symbolically carried away the sins of the Jews from the presence of God, so Jesus actually carried away our sins.
The Shepherd's Promise...
Psalm 23 is a poem about God as our Shepherd. It’s all about how God knows what is best for us. He knows who we are and the paths we should walk in life. Because He is our Shepherd, He also is our Protector, guarding us from evil.
At the end of Psalm 23, there is a promise for us. For those who follow God and listen to His guidance, the writer says that goodness and mercy will follow us.
What does it mean that God’s goodness and mercy will follow us?
It doesn’t mean that life will go according to our plans. It also doesn’t mean life will be free of pain and problems. Psalm 23:4 tells us that we will still have to walk through dark valleys in life.
Here’s what it does mean: God will always be with us. God will always be good to us. Life may not always be easy, but God promises to always be good.
Because of these truths, the writer of this Psalm says that his desire is to be with God in God’s house forever. We ought to desire the same thing as well. It’s because of God’s goodness and mercy that we will one day join Him in heaven to be with Him forever.
Take some time today to consider God as your Shepherd, who cares for you and protects you. Thank Him that His goodness and mercy will never end but will follow you every day of your life.
Keep in Step...
When we trust in Jesus as our Savior, we’re given the gift of grace and the gift of the Holy Spirit. To put it simply, the Holy Spirit is God. We are given God! The Holy Spirit leads, guides, and works in and through us.
There are times when we’re tempted to run ahead of the Spirit. Because, if we’re honest, He’s not always moving as quickly as we’d like. We might even question if He’s moving or if He cares. That’s why walking with God requires patience.
There are other times when we’re tempted to lag behind the Spirit. Because, at times, He might be guiding us somewhere that might make us a little uncomfortable. It takes effort, intentionality, and both physical and emotional strength. That’s why walking with God requires courage.
We can keep in step with the Spirit by sticking close to Him—paying attention, talking to Him, reading His Word, and being in community with those who love Him.
Because when we’re committed to sticking close to Him, one thing is certain: The Holy Spirit will guide you—every step of the way.
Timeless Wisdom
Timeless Wisdom
After being rescued from Egyptian slavery and wandering around in the wilderness for 40 years, the Hebrew people finally stood at the edge of the land God had promised.
Though their long-time leader, Moses, had just died, God appointed Joshua to take his place. During this transition of authority, God gave Joshua some wise advice:
“Keep this Book of the Law always on your lips; meditate on it day and night, so that you may be careful to do everything written in it. Then you will be prosperous and successful.”
Joshua 1:8 NIV
God gave the Law to Israel through Moses. These instructions reveal God’s intentions, character, and heart.
And even though God was speaking directly to Joshua at that time, His advice holds timeless wisdom for us today…
Reading, listening to, and thinking deeply about God's story informs and shapes us.
When we meditate on His Word, study its contents, and understand its core message—everything changes.
People of Peace...
In his letter to the Colossians, the Apostle Paul explained that those who had been given new life in Christ not only had a redeemed future but also a new reality.
Instead of being confined to a hopeless world, they had an eternal hope.
Instead of being powerless against sin, they had the power to fight back.
Instead of continuing cycles of chaos, brokenness, and trauma, they could be people of peace.
Paul went on to say...
“And let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts, to which indeed you were called in one body. And be thankful.” (Col. 3:15)
With Christ, we can take off our “old self”, which is continuously being made into the image of God.
Prayer… “God, in the midst of everything that is happening in my life and in this world, I ask for Your peace to rule in my heart and life. Thank you for making Your unwavering peace available to me. Come into every area of my iife and be the focus of my mind, heart, and actions. Let me find comfort and rest in your presence. In Jesus’ Name, Amen.
Embrace God's Guidance...
Pause and take a moment to reflect on the last time you truly allowed yourself to be led by someone else—the kind of leading that required you to give up control and trust the person leading you.
If we’re honest, many of us struggle in some way to completely surrender trust. And even when we do decide to surrender, we might still slightly find ourselves trying to taking back some measure of control.
We fear being hurt.
We fear vulnerability.
We fear being misled.
We fear rejection.
But here's the truth: when we place our fears in the hands of a loving God, it readies our hearts to cultivate a deeper intimacy with Him.
God knows your heart, He sees your struggles, and He's aware of your weaknesses. And He's there—right there, in the midst of your anxieties and fears—ready to guide you, teach you, and lead you to truth. Allow the words echoed by the psalmist to be your prayer today…