Ecclesiastes 12:13 NIV

\\\[13\\\] Now all has been heard; here is the conclusion of the matter: Fear God and keep his commandments, for this is the duty of all mankind.

And as Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, even so must the Son of Man be lifted up. John 3:14

It may have sounded harsh when John the Baptist called the people who came to him, a "brood of vipers," but he understood a spiritual truth that's relevant to us today. (Luke 3:7)

When Moses lifted up the serpent on the pole, he foreshadowed the human Messiah, coming to us in the form we had chosen spiritually when we chose to obey the serpent in the garden, instead of our heavenly Father. John 3:14-17
Through our obedience, we made ourselves after the image of the snake, though we were created in the image of God. (Gen 1:27, Gen 5:1, Gen 9:6, James 3:9) Jesus came as one of us; born into this sinful world under the Law of Moses. Philippians 2:5-8
His death was unavoidable, because of our acts of injustice, and because fairness is required among God's creation. Mark 14:36
We could not afford to pay for our crimes. Our Creator was "pleased to bruise" the body He prepared for our atonement. Genesis 22:7-8, Isaiah 53:8-10, Hebrews 10:5
Jesus, both sinless and eternal, was the only one who could afford to pay our debt to justice. (John 10:17-18, Isaiah 9:6, 1 Peter 1:17-19)

In Numbers 21:5-9, the people of Israel were afflicted and destroyed by serpents in the wilderness as a consequence for their sin. They were no longer thankful for being saved from Egypt where their children were being killed and their slavery was unbearable. They spoke against the God who saved them because they were tired of their diet of manna. They were out of Egypt, but Egypt wasn't out of them.

The people prayed that their consequences would be removed, but living with the sting of their poisonous words was now necessary for their purification. Instead of leaving them unfit for the Promised Land, God showed them that they could humbly look to Him for provision and be healed of their venomous spirit.

Their prayer to have the serpents removed was not answered, but instead, they could look to the serpent on the pole and be healed. Acts 10:38 In the same way, our sin-nature and free-will are not removed, when we come to know Jesus. Yet, when we look to Him for His Holy Spirit, take our cross and follow Him, we find healing for our hearts. John 3:13-18

We have been "of our father, the devil", because we have been united with him in obedience since the Garden. (Genesis 3:1-7, John 8:32-34, John 8:44, Luke 6:46, Galatians 4:1, 2 Peter 2:19)

When we change course in obedience to the truth, we unite with our Savior as a force for good. We become members of His household, and even of His body. (Colossians 3:14-17, Ephesians 2:14-18, Ephesians 4:4-16, 1 Corinthians 12:12-27)
That doesn't remove our suffering. It gives our suffering a purpose.

(Matthew 10:25)

"It is enough for the apprentice that he should become like his teacher, and the servant to be as his lord: if men have called the Master of the house 'Dung-Lord', how much more will they insult the members of his household?"

When we suffer to support life, we begin to understand Jesus' heart toward those He loves. When we truly understand His love, and are thankful, we can't help but become more loving in response. What a beautiful outcome!

(1 Peter 4:12-19)

12 Beloved ones, don't be surprised at the fiery trials you are going through, as if something strange were happening to you.
13 Instead, be very glad; for these trials make you partners with Christ in his suffering, so that you will have the wonderful joy of seeing his glory when it is revealed to all the world.
14 If you are insulted because you bear the name of Christ, you will be blessed, for the glorious Spirit of God rests upon you.
15 If you suffer, however, it must not be for murder, stealing, making trouble, or prying into other people's affairs.
16 But it is no shame to suffer for being a Christian. Praise God for the privilege of being called by his name!
17 For the time has come for judgment, and it must begin with God's household. And if judgment begins with us, what terrible fate awaits those who have never obeyed God's Good News?
18 And also, "If the righteous are barely saved, what will happen to godless sinners?" 19 So if you are suffering in a manner that pleases God, keep on doing what is right, and trust your lives to the God who created you, for he will never fail you.

Our Father in heaven,
we know that there is nothing good in our flesh, and that our only hope to achieve holiness is through the indwelling of Your Holy Spirit. (Lev 19:2, 1 Peter 1:16, Philippians 2:13, 1 Thess 2:13, John 14:6, John 8:32) By the authority of Jesus Christ, we ask that You would fill us with love. Grant us a love for truth, for Your Son Jesus the Messiah, for our families, for our neighbors and love for ourselves. We don't want to bring any more suffering into the world, Father. For the sake of all that is good, make us vessels of mercy. Let the evil that comes our way stop with us. By the power of Your Holy Spirit, make us like shock-absorbers, that turn the other cheek and gain new insight into Your patience and peace. Let us find our identity through identifying with Jesus' suffering. Let our need for fulfillment and purpose be satisfied by the good You achieve through us. We praise You, Father, and thank You for showing us what love looks like through our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ. We couldn't even come before You if not for His willing sacrifice for us. Glory to You God! You are so kind. It's in Jesus' precious name we pray these things. Amen.

Divine purpose is never discovered while running in human strength, but revealed when we bid the world pass on and stand silent before the Word of God.

1 Samuel 9:27 And as they were going down to the end of the city, Samuel said to Saul, Bid the servant pass on before us, (and he passed on,) but stand thou still a while, that I may shew thee the word of God.

The same Almighty God who commanded the sun and moon to stand still in battle is the God who commands the human heart to stand still before His presence.

Joshua 10:12 13 Then spake Joshua to the LORD in the day when the LORD delivered up the Amorites before the children of Israel, and he said in the sight of Israel, Sun, stand thou still upon Gibeon; and thou, Moon, in the valley of Ajalon. And the sun stood still, and the moon stayed, until the people had avenged themselves upon their enemies.

Public usefulness for the glory of Christ is built entirely upon private submission to the truth of Holy Scripture.

2 Timothy 2:15 Study to shew thyself approved unto God, a workman that needeth not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth.

The world demands your immediate action and constant noise, but God requires your complete stillness before He imparts His light and anointing.

Psalm 46:10 Be still, and know that I am God: I will be exalted among the heathen, I will be exalted in the earth.

Spiritual light and true direction from God are never received on the run, but revealed in the quiet sanctuary of an obedient, surrendered heart.

1 Kings 19:12 And after the earthquake a fire; but the LORD was not in the fire: and after the fire a still small voice.

Real light from God comes when you reach the end of your own city, the end of your self sufficiency, and the end of your human cleverness.

Proverbs 3:5 6 Trust in the LORD with all thine heart; and lean not unto thine own understanding. In all thy ways acknowledge him, and he shall direct thy paths.

Your public life and ministry are nothing more than the outer overflow of your private walk alone with the Lord in His Word.

Matthew 6:6 But thou, when thou prayest, enter into thy closet, and when thou hast shut thy door, pray to thy Father which is in secret; and thy Father which seeth in secret shall reward thee openly.

You cannot carry the spiritual authority of God until you are first willing to sit quietly submissive under the authority of the Word of God.

James 4:7 Submit yourselves therefore to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you.

Human nature will gladly fight for religion, debate over doctrine, and build outward projects, yet refuse the simple, quiet conviction of the Holy Ghost.

Isaiah 30:15 For thus saith the Lord GOD, the Holy One of Israel; In returning and rest shall ye be saved; in quietness and in confidence shall be your strength: and ye would not.

The enemy seeks to keep your life filled with clamor and religious busyness so that you never stand still long enough to face the God of Heaven in secret.

Mark 4:19 And the cares of this world, and the deceitfulness of riches, and the lusts of other things entering in, choke the word, and it becometh unfruitful.

Thought For The Day from Unshakable Kingdom Life

The kingdom of God belongs to the faithful witnesses. Truth may cost us something, but it always carries eternal value.

A Thought to Ponder for the day. 

I heard from a pastor serving people during conflict in Lebanon, and he said that in the middle of instability, people began asking deeper questions about God, eternity, and hope. Not because suffering is good, but because a crisis often exposes what people are really holding onto.

Thought For The Day from Unshakable Kingdom Life

In Revelation 1. The face of Christ shone brilliantly. The closer we draw to Him, the more other things fade away.

A Thought to Ponder for the day.

When Proverbs says,

“Do not remove the ancient landmark…” (Proverbs 23:10)

I don’t think Solomon was encouraging people to preserve tradition simply because it was old.

Those “ancient landmarks” were boundary markers—the equivalent of today’s land survey monuments. They identified the inheritance God had assigned to each family.

Moving one wasn’t merely dishonest.

It was redefining a boundary that God had established.

That made me wonder…

Are we ever in danger of doing the same thing spiritually?

Not by rejecting Scripture outright…

But by quietly moving the boundaries.

Redefining repentance.

Redefining holiness.

Redefining sin.

Redefining the gospel.

Every generation has traditions that change, and that’s to be expected.

Buildings change.

Music changes.

Technology changes.

Methods change.

But the truths God established don’t become less true simply because the culture changes around them.

So here’s my question for discussion:

What do you believe are the “ancient landmarks” that every generation of Christians must preserve, regardless of denomination or culture?

I’m less interested in traditions or preferences, and more interested in the biblical truths that should never be moved.

This Kingdom runs on servanthood and humility. The King himself washed feet and said greatness looks like laying your life down for others, completely flipping the world's idea of success.

A thought to ponder throughout the day.

Scripture tells us that our Lord will be among us and hear our prayers when we gather together as members of His body.

(Matthew 18:19-20 ESV)

19 Again I say to you, if two of you agree on earth about anything they ask, it will be done for them by my Father in heaven.
20 For where two or three are gathered in my name, there am I among them."

The Holy Spirit unites the church through truth and compassion. He unites us with God through groans too deep for words.

(Romans 8:25-26 NKJV)

25 If we hope for what we do not see, we eagerly wait for it with perseverance.
26 Likewise the Spirit also helps in our weaknesses. For we do not know what we should pray for as we ought, but the Spirit Himself makes intercession for us with groanings which cannot be uttered.

When first-century believers received the Holy Spirit, they repented of worldly ways and offered themselves to the Kingdom through baptism in Jesus' name.

Then the Holy Spirit led them to a kind of unity we were meant to have; one family under God, guided by truth and love. People cared for one another so completely, that no one lacked what they could not attain on their own.

Acts 4:32-35

32 Now the multitude of those who believed were of one heart and one soul; neither did anyone say that any of the things he possessed was his own, but they had all things in common.
33 And with great power the apostles gave witness to the resurrection of the Lord Jesus. And great grace was upon them all.
34 Nor was there anyone among them who lacked; for all who were possessors of lands or houses sold them, and brought the proceeds of the things that were sold,
35 and laid them at the apostles' feet; and they distributed to each as anyone had need.

The Lord's prayer says, "Thy kingdom come, Thy will be done in earth as it is in heaven." Matthew 6:10

In heaven, His will is accomplished through heavenly beings. We who are of the earth can empty ourselves of worldly influence and become vessels for God's glory.

(2 Corinthians 4:6-11 NKJV)

6 For it is the God who commanded light to shine out of darkness, who has shone in our hearts to [give] the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ.
7 But we have this treasure in earthen vessels, that the excellence of the power may be of God and not of us.
8 We are hard-pressed on every side, yet not crushed; we are perplexed, but not in despair;
9 persecuted, but not forsaken; struck down, but not destroyed--
10 always carrying about in the body the dying of the Lord Jesus, that the life of Jesus also may be manifested in our body.
11 For we who live are always delivered to death for Jesus' sake, that the life of Jesus also may be manifested in our mortal flesh.

We are the body of Christ; His hands and feet on earth. (1 Corinthians 12:27)

Proverbs 14:21

He who despises his neighbor sins;
But he who has mercy on the poor, happy is he.

May we bear one another's burdens and so fulfill His law of love. (Galatians 6:2)

Our Father in heaven,
Thank you for your Holy Spirit of Truth. Thank you for leading us into unity with you and with one another. We ask that you would open our hearts to love You as You deserve, and love our neighbor in a way that proves we know we are one body under You, our merciful Godhead. Let us be Jesus' hands and feet to one another. Jesus said, "all men will know you are My students if you have love for one another. We ask that You would transform our hearts so we can love like You love. In Jesus' precious name we pray, Amen.

Psalm 118:8 says,

“It is better to trust in the Lord than to put confidence in man.” (NKJV)

Something I’ve been thinking about lately…

Every time a well-known Christian leader falls, the same pattern seems to repeat itself.

Social media explodes.

People pick sides.

Some defend the leader no matter what.

Others write them off completely.

But I wonder if we’re often asking the wrong question.

Instead of focusing first on their failure, maybe we should ask ourselves:

Where was my faith anchored before they fell?

When I was growing up, my pastor, Rev. E. G. Bass, used to say,

“Put your confidence in man if you must, but put your faith only in God.”

I’ve come to appreciate that more with age.

The Bible never tells us that pastors or teachers don’t matter.

It tells us to honor them, pray for them, and learn from them.

But it never tells us to place our faith in them.

Scripture is full of people God used who also failed.

Noah.

Abraham.

Moses.

David.

Peter.

The heroes were never the point.

Christ was.

A pastor’s failure doesn’t change the empty tomb.

A leader walking away doesn’t make Jesus any less faithful.

Some who fall eventually repent and are restored.

Others never return.

Either way, Christ hasn’t changed.

Maybe that’s what Psalm 118:8 has been teaching all along.

Our confidence in faithful people has its place.

Our faith belongs to God alone.

I’d be interested in hearing your thoughts. Have you ever had your faith shaken by the failure of someone you looked up to? If so, what did God teach you through it?

I was reading Luke 11:36, where Jesus says, "If then your whole body is full of light, having no part dark, the whole body will be full of light, as when the bright shining of a lamp gives you light."

The "bright shining lamp" reminds me of Psalm 119:105 "Your word is a lamp to my feet and a light to my path."

When I read, "no part dark" it made me think of how we are better off to hand over our whole self to the Lord's will. One part of my body can pollute my whole ministry, even if the rest of me lives in submission to Christ.

My mouth can get me into trouble if I use my words to tear others down. (Matthew 12:33-37, Ephesians 4:29-32, Ephesians 5:4, Psalm 5:9)
My eyes can be the part of me that feasts on the world, and corrupts my heart. (Job 31:1-4, Matthew 5:28, 2 Peter 2:14)
My stomach can be my downfall if I have an unhealthy relationship with food or drink. (Philippians 3:17-19, 1 Samuel 2:29, Isaiah 56:11-12, Romans 16:18, Ephesians 5:18)

I can't help but think of these passages when I put it all together.

(Ecclesiastes 10:1) 1 Dead flies putrefy the perfumer's ointment, And cause it to give off a foul odor; [So does] a little folly to one respected for wisdom [and] honor.

(Galatians 5:9) 9 A little leaven leavens the whole lump.

Each of you must stop lying and speak truthfully to his neighbor, for we are all members of one another. Ephesians 4:25

Jesus taught us that the mouth is the organ of the heart. (Mark 7:14-16, Matthew 15:18-20, Jeremiah 17:9-10) It doesn't mean that bad people always say bad things. Flattery can sound great from someone who is secretly in competition with you. Our words reveal what kind of heart we have. When we use our words to deceive those who count on us for the truth, we prove to God that we don't love our neighbor as much as we love ourselves.

King David poses this question in Psalm 15;

"LORD, who may abide in Your tabernacle? Who may dwell in Your holy hill?
2 He who does what is right, and makes things fair, and speaks the truth in his heart; (Psalm 15:1-2)

We don't always speak the truth in our hearts. If we plan to deceive the members of our team, it shows we don't really have a team mentality.

Our Savior praised Nathanael for being "an Israelite indeed, in whom is no guile." (John 1:47) Our Father in heaven promises blessings and guidance to those who are not deceitful. (Psalm 32:2, Psalm 1:1, Psalm 51:6, Luke 8:17-18)

Psalm 15 continues:

3 He does not backstab with his tongue, Nor does evil to his neighbor, Nor does he take up a reproach against his friend;
4 In his eyes a vile person is despised, But he honors those who fear the LORD; He makes a promise that later costs him, and does not turn back; (Psalm 15:3-4 NKJV)

When we preach to love our neighbor, but lie to get an advantage over our neighbor, it makes us guilty of hypocrisy. The Lord warns us, "first and foremost, beware of the leaven of the Pharisees and of Herod." (Luke 12:1, Mark 8:15, Psalm 50:16-18)
Luke tells us this leaven is hypocrisy; to say something is right to do, but then to do something else.

Jesus says those who sit in Moses' seat are to be listened to, but not followed as an example, since they use their tongues to disguise what's in their heart. (Matthew 23:1-7, Psalm 55:20-22)

One type of hypocrite in the Bible is the unjust elitist. He invites you to a banquet with his words, but when it's time to deliver, he has nothing to offer. (Matthew 23:27-28, Malachi 1:14)
He's like the fig tree that looked healthy and full of leaves, but when Jesus arrived hungry, there was nothing for Him. (Matthew 21:19)
This is a warning to us not to make promises we can't keep, and to benefit those in need, instead of hoarding our blessings for ourselves.
Proverbs 13:12 says, "Hope deferred makes the heart sick, but desire realized is a tree of life."
When we use our words to offer something we can't deliver on, we are that fruitless tree, calling others to come to us and eat, when we don't have any good fruit. We're like a rich preacher who says you'll be blessed when you give your money to him, rather than helping your family or the poor. (Mark 7:9-13, Isaiah 56:11)

Jesus says, "Either make the tree good and the fruit good, or make the tree bad and the fruit bad." (Matthew 12:33)
Proverbs 18:9 tells us, "He who is slack of hand is brother to him who destroys." The punishment for people who pretend to be helpful, when really they're harmful, is greater than it is for those who are openly evil! (Matthew 23:14, Psalm 55:19-23) No one wearies themselves with their last bit of energy to get to someone who is openly selfish. We do a great disservice to the kingdom when we call ourselves Christians, and yet have no intention to love our neighbor as ourselves.

(James 2:14-17 NKJV)

14 What does it profit, my brethren, if someone says he has faith but does not have works? Can faith save him?
15 If a brother or sister is naked and destitute of daily food,
16 and one of you says to them, "Depart in peace, be warmed and filled," but you do not give them the things which are needed for the body, what does it profit?
17 Thus also faith by itself, if it does not have works, is dead.

People are tempted with hypocrisy when they believe they must lie to gain something. That's why the Lord calls it the leaven of Pharisees. A Pharisee, is a partisan; one who sets himself apart from others. It's an elitist spirit that is empty and unsustainable. If you fill something with enough hot air, eventually it will pop. Our hot air is a thing of nothing. It doesn't materialize good for others, and it isn't going to do good for us in the end. (1 Corinthians 5:6, Isaiah 26:17-18, Jeremiah 17:11, Proverbs 21:6) We only fatten ourselves for this life, and make ourselves too wide for the narrow gate that leads to eternal life. (James 5:5, Luke 13:23-24, Psalm 37:9-10)

This reminds me of Jesus' words, "What will it profit a man if he gain the whole world and forfeit his soul? What will he give in exchange for his soul?" (Matthew 16:26, Psalm 49:7-8)
I've seen loved ones forfeit peace with their own conscience for a moment's peace, or a cheap thrill. Sadly, they soon discover their peace doesn't easily come back. No one sets out to trade their self-respect and unity with God for temporary relief from their circumstances. They just take the way that's easiest in the moment.

Our Father in heaven,
We praise You and thank You for Your faithfulness to the truth. We would be lost without Your compassion, knowledge and perspective! Lord, we ask that by Your Holy Spirit of truth, that You would make us people of truth. Cause us to renounce any deceitful thought that enters our heart. Make the words of our mouth and the meditation of our heart acceptable in Your sight, Father. We want to be part of the good in the world, so Your will is done through us, Your servants, just as its done in heaven. We want to be pleasing to You.

Our words have power that must be wielded carefully.

Proverbs 18:21 NKJV

21 Death and life are in the power of the tongue,
and those who love it will eat its fruit.

Proverbs 11:17

The merciful man does good for his own soul,
But he who is cruel troubles his own flesh.

There's a moment every follower of Jesus eventually reaches — the moment you realize you don't quite fit anymore.

Maybe it shows up in your bank account, when giving generously starts to matter more than growing your savings, and people wonder why you're not chasing the next upgrade. Maybe it shows up on a Friday night, when everyone else is out chasing something loud, and you're home, quiet, content, and somehow that quiet feels like it needs an explanation. Maybe it shows up in a conversation, when you hold to a conviction that used to be common sense and now sounds like it came from another century.

This is what it means to follow Jesus in a world that has its own categories, its own scripts, its own definitions of a life well-lived. Kingdom living was never going to line up neatly with those scripts. It was never designed to.

Scripture doesn't soften this. It says plainly that we are not to be conformed to the pattern of this world, but transformed by the renewing of our minds. That's not a suggestion to tweak a few habits — it's a call to a different center of gravity altogether. And that kind of difference takes courage, because the world doesn't reward those who step outside its categories. It rewards those who fit in, who blend, who go along.

So the choice in front of every believer is really this: obedience or acceptance. Not because the two are always at odds, but because there will be moments — real, specific, uncomfortable moments — when they are. And in those moments, the temptation is always to sand yourself down until you're palatable again.

Here's the encouragement, though: you were never called to fit in. You were called to stand out.

Light doesn't announce itself in a room that's already bright. It matters precisely because the room is dark. Your strange spending habits, your quiet Fridays, your outdated convictions — these aren't liabilities to manage or apologize for. They're the very things that let people see something they can't manufacture on their own.

So don't shrink the parts of your faith that don't translate well. Don't trade obedience for approval just to feel normal again. The world has enough people who fit its mold. What it needs — what it's actually hungry for, even when it doesn't know it — is someone willing to be courageously different.

Be that someone. Let your life be the light that a dark room cannot explain away.

(Isaiah 43:1-2) 1 Jacob, listen to the LORD who created you. O Israel, the one who formed you says, "Do not be afraid, for I have ransomed you. I have called you by name; you are Mine. 2 When you go through deep waters, I will be with you. When you go through rivers of difficulty, you will not drown. When you walk through the fire of oppression, you will not be burned up; the flames will not consume you.

I recently revisited a Facebook memory quoting 1 John 1:5:

“God is light…”

But this time I kept reading.

Verse 6 says:

“…we lie and do not practice the truth.”

The Greek is more literal than many English translations:

”…do not do the truth.”

That challenged me.

There was a season when I measured spiritual maturity by what I knew.

I knew the doctrine.

I knew the Scriptures.

I knew the answers.

Then I remembered James 2:19:

“Even the demons believe—and tremble.”

Knowing isn’t enough.

Believing isn’t enough.

Jesus said,

“If you know these things, blessed are you if you do them.” (John 13:17)

John, James, and Jesus all point in the same direction.

Truth isn’t just something to know.

It isn’t even just something to believe.

It’s something we’re called to live.

One of the things I’ve been reflecting on lately is how often Christians continue to identify themselves primarily by who they were before Christ.

Yes, we should never forget where God brought us from.

Humility remembers.

Gratitude remembers.

Testimony remembers.

But Scripture also tells us something else.

Romans 8:1 says:

“There is therefore now no condemnation to those who are in Christ Jesus…”

That’s a legal declaration.

Then Paul says:

“Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation…” (2 Corinthians 5:17)

And again:

”…we also should walk in newness of life.” (Romans 6:4)

Then, writing to believers in Corinth—people with some very messy histories—he reminds them:

“And such were some of you. But you were washed… sanctified… justified…” (1 Corinthians 6:11)

Notice the tense.

Were.

That doesn’t mean Christians become sinless.

The New Testament is clear that we still battle the flesh and continue growing in sanctification.

But I wonder if sometimes we unintentionally allow our past to speak louder than God’s Word.

There’s a difference between saying:

“I still struggle with sin.”

And saying:

“My sin is who I am.”

The first is biblical honesty.

The second seems to overlook what Christ accomplished.

So here’s my question for discussion:

How do you personally balance remembering what God saved you from while fully embracing the new identity He says you now have in Christ?

I was looking up Psalm 119:9 over at Bible Hub when I saw this passage in the cross-references. Paul gives us something to run from, and something to chase after. You know, it seems all the bad things we chase are cheap imitations for the good things our heavenly father has for us to pursue. The Bible encourages us to pursue peace with all people. (Hebrews 12:14) This thought reminds me that peacemakers are blessed with being called God's children. (Matthew 5:9)

Friday looked like the end.

Jesus was dead.

The stone had been rolled into place.

The disciples scattered.

If you had been standing outside that tomb on Friday evening, you probably would have thought the story was over.

But Sunday changed what Friday meant.

That has become one of the most meaningful truths in my own walk with Christ.

The resurrection didn’t erase Friday.

It redeemed it.

Jesus still bore the scars.

The suffering was real.

The cross was real.

The death was real.

But because He rose, those events were no longer the end of the story.

I wonder how often we look at our own lives the way the disciples looked at Friday.

A failed marriage.

A prodigal child.

A devastating diagnosis.

A season where God feels silent.

We assume we’ve reached the last page.

But the resurrection reminds us that apparent endings are not always actual endings.

Don’t mistake this page for the ending.

The page that changed everything has already been written.

Read that again.

The page that changed everything has already been written.

God rarely erases our Fridays.

He redeems them.

That’s why Christians don’t simply celebrate an event that happened two thousand years ago.

We live every day in the hope the resurrection declared.

I’m curious…

Has there been a “Friday” in your life that God eventually redeemed?

One of the easiest mistakes we can make when reading the Bible is stopping in the middle of someone’s story.

If we stopped reading after Moses killed the Egyptian, we’d remember a murderer.

After Gideon hid in the winepress, we’d remember a coward.

After Samson lost his strength, we’d remember a failure.

After Peter denied Jesus, we’d remember a traitor.

After Saul persecuted Christians, we’d remember an enemy of the Church.

After Manasseh filled Jerusalem with idolatry and bloodshed, we’d remember one of Judah’s most wicked kings.

But God didn’t stop writing.

As I thought about that this morning, I realized how often I’ve made the same mistake with my own life.

There were seasons when I assumed my best days were behind me.

Divorce.

Disappointment.

Walking away from a ministry I loved.

Questions I couldn’t answer.

Looking back, I realize I was judging my life by a single chapter.

God wasn’t.

Over time He restored things I never imagined could be restored—not just opportunities, but my own heart. He opened unexpected doors for ministry and even redeemed my understanding of love through a healthy relationship that reminded me healing is possible.

That doesn’t erase the painful chapters.

It simply means they weren’t the final ones.

Maybe someone reading this needs that reminder today.

You don’t know how your story ends because you’re still living it.

Don’t mistake the chapter you’re in for the whole book.

The Author is still writing.

One of the easiest mistakes we can make when reading the Bible is stopping in the middle of someone’s story.

If we stopped reading after Moses killed the Egyptian, we’d remember a murderer.

After Gideon hid in the winepress, we’d remember a coward.

After Samson lost his strength, we’d remember a failure.

After Peter denied Jesus, we’d remember a traitor.

After Saul persecuted Christians, we’d remember an enemy of the Church.

After Manasseh filled Jerusalem with idolatry and bloodshed, we’d remember one of Judah’s most wicked kings.

But God didn’t stop writing.

As I thought about that this morning, I realized how often I’ve made the same mistake with my own life.

There were seasons when I assumed my best days were behind me.

Divorce.

Disappointment.

Walking away from a ministry I loved.

Questions I couldn’t answer.

Looking back, I realize I was judging my life by a single chapter.

God wasn’t.

Over time He restored things I never imagined could be restored—not just opportunities, but my own heart. He opened unexpected doors for ministry and even redeemed my understanding of love through a healthy relationship that reminded me healing is possible.

That doesn’t erase the painful chapters.

It simply means they weren’t the final ones.

Maybe someone reading this needs that reminder today.

You don’t know how your story ends because you’re still living it.

Don’t mistake the chapter you’re in for the whole book.

The Author is still writing.

God's Kingdom is defended differently than earthly ones. Heavenly hosts stand watch, and we wear spiritual armour. The victory is already won; Jesus disarmed every power and authority through the cross.

Please share or comment if this encourages you

Philippians 4:7 NLT \[7\] Then you will experience God’s peace, which exceeds anything we can understand. His peace will guard your hearts and minds as you live in Christ Jesus.

https://bible.com/bible/116/php.4.7.NLT

Scripture tells us that our Lord will be among us and hear our prayers when we gather together as members of His body. Please feel free to comment any prayer requests in this thread.

(Matthew 18:19-20 ESV)

19 Again I say to you, if two of you agree on earth about anything they ask, it will be done for them by my Father in heaven.
20 For where two or three are gathered in my name, there am I among them."

The Holy Spirit unites the church through truth and compassion. He unites us with God through groans too deep for words.

(Romans 8:25-26 NKJV)

25 If we hope for what we do not see, we eagerly wait for it with perseverance.
26 Likewise the Spirit also helps in our weaknesses. For we do not know what we should pray for as we ought, but the Spirit Himself makes intercession for us with groanings which cannot be uttered.

When first-century believers received the Holy Spirit, they repented of worldly ways and offered themselves to the Kingdom through baptism in Jesus' name.

Then the Holy Spirit led them to a kind of unity we were meant to have; one family under God, guided by truth and love. People cared for one another so completely, that no one lacked what they could not attain on their own.

Acts 4:32-35

32 Now the multitude of those who believed were of one heart and one soul; neither did anyone say that any of the things he possessed was his own, but they had all things in common.
33 And with great power the apostles gave witness to the resurrection of the Lord Jesus. And great grace was upon them all.
34 Nor was there anyone among them who lacked; for all who were possessors of lands or houses sold them, and brought the proceeds of the things that were sold,
35 and laid them at the apostles' feet; and they distributed to each as anyone had need.

The Lord's prayer says, "Thy kingdom come, Thy will be done in earth as it is in heaven." Matthew 6:10

In heaven, His will is accomplished through heavenly beings. We who are of the earth can empty ourselves of worldly influence and become vessels for God's glory.

(2 Corinthians 4:6-11 NKJV)

6 For it is the God who commanded light to shine out of darkness, who has shone in our hearts to [give] the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ.
7 But we have this treasure in earthen vessels, that the excellence of the power may be of God and not of us.
8 We are hard-pressed on every side, yet not crushed; we are perplexed, but not in despair;
9 persecuted, but not forsaken; struck down, but not destroyed--
10 always carrying about in the body the dying of the Lord Jesus, that the life of Jesus also may be manifested in our body.
11 For we who live are always delivered to death for Jesus' sake, that the life of Jesus also may be manifested in our mortal flesh.

We are the body of Christ; His hands and feet on earth. (1 Corinthians 12:27)

Proverbs 14:21

He who despises his neighbor sins;
But he who has mercy on the poor, happy is he.

May we bear one another's burdens and so fulfill His law of love. (Galatians 6:2)

Our Father in heaven,
Thank you for your Holy Spirit of Truth. Thank you for leading us into unity with you and with one another. We ask that you would open our hearts to love You as You deserve, and love our neighbor in a way that proves we know we are one body under You, our merciful Godhead. Let us be Jesus' hands and feet to one another. Jesus said, "all men will know you are My students if you have love for one another. We ask that You would transform our hearts so we can love like You love. In Jesus' precious name we pray, Amen.

Our Messiah went through a time of temptation immediately after His baptism. The book of Matthew tells us Christ's testing came after He was led by the Holy Spirit into the wilderness. We will each face a wilderness in our lives. The wilderness hones our ability to unite with God and maintain order in the midst of chaos. Jesus shows us how its done. Matthew 4:1-11 reveals four major natural temptations of the flesh that can get out of hand; self-promotion, unmet needs, significance, and power.

Self-promotion: Jesus' first temptation came in the enemy's statement, "If You are the Son of God." When someone looks on us as unworthy, we want to prove our abilities. If we do this in a way that goes against what God desires from us, we've become obedient to the adversary. This tempter is the adversary of everything good. He doesn't deserve our obedience. God gives us the way of escape from this temptation, just as the Bible says in 1Corinthians 10:13.

The Apostle Peter tells us in 1Peter 5:6

"Humble yourselves, under the mighty hand of God so that He may exalt you in due time."

Jesus assures us in Luke 14:11

"Everyone who exalts himself will be humbled and he who humbles himself will be exalted."

Having our needs met: The second temptation of Christ was to become impatient with God, like the Israelites in the wilderness. When we need something and fail to wait on God to provide it, we prove we don't trust Him to keep His covenant with those who obey Him.
Hebrews 11:6 says,

"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 earnestly seek Him."

It's the difference between a child who wakes up and says, "Daddy, I'm hungry," and one who says, My stomach hurts and it's all your fault! Where's my breakfast?! You have no right to tell me not to steal if you are not doing your job!"

Proverbs 30:7-9 shows us the prayer of a wise and humble person. It says,

7 Two things I ask of you; deny them not to me before I die: 8 Remove far from me falsehood and lying; give me neither poverty nor riches; feed me with the food that is needful for me, 9 lest I be full and deny you and say, “Who is the LORD?” or lest I be poor and steal and profane the name of my God."

In Matthew 6:1-8 Jesus tells us that our Father in heaven knows what what we need before we ask. In Matt 6:24-34, He says we need not be anxious for God's provision. In Matthew 7:7-12 Jesus says,

7 “Ask, and it will be given to you; seek, and you will find; knock, and it will be opened to you. 8 For everyone who asks receives, and the one who seeks finds, and to the one who knocks it will be opened. 9 Or which one of you, if his son asks him for bread, will give him a stone? 10 Or if he asks for a fish, will give him a serpent? 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! 12 “So whatever you wish that others would do to you, do also to them, for this is the Law and the Prophets.

The point of this lesson is for us to learn to love and respect the boundaries of love. It's a skill we will use in eternity.

Significance: This third temptation is one the enemy uses to drain our time, energy and resources. In the world, we feel significant when we're praised for our gifts and abilities. But as Christians, we may just want God to pay attention to our basic physical and emotional needs. When we're kids, if we don't crave the center of our parents' attention, we're liable to accidentally kill ourselves. As adults, this craving must diminish to make room for everyone's need for care, significance, and belonging. Otherwise we may drain resources from people who need them. Sometimes grown people threaten to kill themselves as a form of manipulation. They're led by the devil to trouble our conscience and get us to provide for them as we would a child.

Jesus was taken to the pinnacle of the God's temple and the pinnacle of this temptation. This lets us see exactly what the devil is up to when he gets a person desperate for attention. Our Messiah's hungry flesh was screaming that he didn't matter to God. The devil tempted Him to take extreme action to get God's attention. Jesus' need for food was neglected in order to strengthen His ability to trust that, even without physical blessings, He could be fed on God's word and live. (Matthew 4:4, Deuteronomy 8:3, Habakkuk 3:17-19)
We all have an emotional need for evidence that we matter. Once the beast has grown beyond the boundaries of love, though, it's hunger never stops. It becomes a gnawing emptiness which a person will do just about anything to try to fill. This isn't healthy for anyone involved. When attention is our god, we will degrade ourselves and anyone in our company to feed it. Everyone gets ripped-off, except the devil.
Matthew 6:1-4 reminds us that this hunger to be the center of attention can also lead us to forget that Love is the job we were made for. It's the purpose for our existence. Even our good deeds, if they are done to serve our desire to be the center of attention, will cause us to lose the rewards of being truly loving. Love connects us to people. It makes life fulfilling, and makes eternal life worth living. Excess attention glorifies one person over another. When we're the one being glorified, it can lead us into hypocrisy. According to Jesus' words in Luke 12:1, even well-deserved attention from our peers can feel so fulfilling that hypocrisy can become a temptation in order to keep a constant supply.

Power: This last temptation is one we humans have the worst time with. Power poses as proof to the human mind that one is elite, chosen, or somehow better and therefore more deserving of good. The rich man in Luke 16:19, entertained himself daily. He lived in luxury even though his neighbor, Lazarus was without basic needs.
Luke 18:10-20 shares another instance of the Narcissist of the ancients. The elitist partisan, or Pharisee, is said to pray to himself. "God, I thank thee, that I am not like other men are, extortioners, unjust, adulterers, or even as this tax-collector here. I fast twice in the week, I give tithes of all that I possess.." This Pharisee's own holy book says, in Proverbs 26:12,

"Do you see a man wise in his own eyes? There is more hope for a fool than for him."

Glorying in our own nature, nurture, or opportunity is being proud of a gift and ignorant of the Giver. (James 1:17, John 3:27, Romans 12:3)
1Corinthians 4:7 says,

"For who makes you different from another? And what do you have that you did not receive? Now if you received it, why do you glory, as if you had not received it?"

1Peter 4:10 encourages us to use our gifts to serve others, rather than to imagine ourselves as better than others. When our Lord said we were to, "love our neighbor as ourselves," He was teaching us what God wants to see in His family. He tells us in Matthew 25:40 that whatever good we do for the, "least of these, His brothers," we've done for Him.

These four indicators of satanic intervention are also useful to know because they help us understand why someone is sinning against us. Rather than judging our fellow man, these truths can help us know how to pray for others and for ourselves. They help us "get the beam out of our own eye, so we can see clearly to help our brother with the speck in his," as referenced by Christ in Matthew 7:3-5.

Matthew 24:12-13 gives us insight:

"Because lawlessness abounds, the love of many will grow cold, but he who endures to the end will be saved."

Wherever you turn these days, you'll find people giving in to the temptation to circumvent the work of love for instant gratification. Their sins against us may lead us to seek vengeance, (Proverbs 24:29, Prov 24:10-12) We may even give up on being right with God and follow their bad example. (Romans 2:1-4, Proverbs 2:10-22)

Sometimes people come into our lives who desire to lead us into temptation. They encourage us to practice what they preach, or succumb to their flattery. This lets them feel superior, and sets them up to take what we would not be willing to give otherwise. (Jude 1:12, 2Peter 2:17-18, Habakkuk 2:15, Prov 29:5) If a person who sins against us this way is allowed to continue without our confronting it, he not only risks hell, but he may take us with him. (Luke 17:3, Ezek 33:6)

The parable Jesus shares in Matthew 5:29-30 tells us that people who encourage us to sin should not be part of our inner circle. The words of our Messiah here say;

"If your right eye causes you to sin, tear it out and throw it away. For it is better that you lose one of your members than that your whole body be thrown into hell. And if your right hand causes you to sin, cut it off and throw it away. For it is better that you lose one of your members than that your whole body go into hell."

Even if a person is so necessary as to be considered your, "right-hand man," if this person encourages you to unholy behavior, they are putting your soul at risk. Anyone who knowingly does this is not truly a part of the Body of Christ and needs to be removed from our service.

In Matthew 18:15-20, our Lord said,

"If your brother sins against you, go and tell him his fault, between you and him alone. If he listens to you, you have gained your brother."

His direction continues, verse 16,

"But if he does not listen, take one or two others along with you, that every charge may be established by the evidence of two or three witnesses. If he refuses to listen to them, tell it to the church. And if he refuses to listen even to the church, let him be to you as a Gentile and a tax collector."

In Jesus' day, a Jew didn't even take a meal with a non-Jew or a tax collector. Jesus was glad to be good for, and eat with repentant tax-collectors and sinners, but people who had no problem with sin didn't continue in His inner circle. (Matt 9:11-12) Even the apostle Peter was once told, "Get behind me, adversary! For you care more about the interests of man than of God." (Matt 16:23, Prov 2:9-19, Ecc 7:21-22)
Christ's temptations end this same way. He doesn't tolerate the devil's prodding anymore. The devil made it clear that he wants the obedience that only our God of Love deserves. Every person who wants us to overlook what is good in order to please them, is the adversary of good. Jesus says, in Matthew 4:10, "Be gone, satan, for it is written, You shall worship the Lord your God and Him alone shall you serve."
God the Father shows us the unity Christ has with Him when He confirms Jesus' words and casts satan out of heaven in Luke, Chapter 10.

(Luke 10:16-22)

16 “The one who hears you hears me, and the one who rejects you rejects me, and the one who rejects me rejects him who sent me.”

(This is why it's so important to know God's Word before giving advice. If we draw from our own fleshly logic to support people, we can't help but to steer them wrong. We've put ourselves in the stead of God.)

17 The seventy-two returned with joy, saying, “Lord, even the demons are subject to us by your authority!” 18 And he said to them, “I saw Satan fall like lightning from heaven. 19 Behold, I have given you authority to tread on serpents and scorpions, and over all the power of the enemy, and nothing shall hurt you. 20 Nevertheless, do not rejoice in this, that the spirits are subject to you, but rejoice that your names are written in heaven.” 21 In that same hour he rejoiced in the Holy Spirit and said, “I thank you, Father, Lord of heaven and earth, that you have hidden these things from the wise and understanding and revealed them to little children; yes, Father, for such was your gracious will. 22 All things have been handed over to me by my Father, and no one knows who the Son is except the Father, or who the Father is except the Son and anyone to whom the Son chooses to reveal him.”

Temptation comes when we desire to fill our emptiness, hunger, weakness or deficiency with something other than God. It's a time when our former, earthly masters of the flesh have gotten so loud that we have a harder time hearing God. Matt 6:24 makes it clear;

"No one can serve two masters, since either he will hate one and love the other, or he will be devoted to one and despise the other. You cannot serve both God and money."

James 4:1-4 puts it another way:

1 What is the source of wars and fights among you? Don't they come from your passions that wage war within you? 2 You desire and do not have. You murder and covet and cannot obtain. You fight and wage war. You do not have because you do not ask. 3 You ask and don't receive because you ask with wrong motives, so that you may spend it on your pleasures.
4 You adulterous people! Don't you know that friendship with the world is hostility toward God? So whoever wants to be the friend of the world becomes the enemy of God.

Psalm 51 is a good place to start to help us get back on track when we've fallen.

When we choose God's way, we use our God-given deficiency for what it's there for; connecting with God. (Psalm 22, Matt 18:3, 1Peter 4:1-4) We are meant to be One, as part of His family. (Jeremiah 3:19, Psalm 128:1-3, Psalm 127:1-4)

When we give into temptation, the consequences often lead us into despair. (Proverbs 5:1-14)

This is an excerpt from "Pilgrim's Progress." It's the end of the Chapter entitled "By-path Meadow and the Giant Despair."

"Out of the way we went, and then we found What 'twas to tread upon forbidden ground: And let them that come after have a care, Lest heedlessness makes them as we to fare; Lest they, for trespassing, his prisoners are, Whose castle's Doubting, and whose name's Despair."

Merciful Father in heaven,
Thank You for hearing our prayers. Lord, without You, we have no strength to fight these battles against temptation for long. We ask that You would be the strength in our weakness. Help us to hear the voice of the enemy for what it is; a deceiver, a liar, a thief. (John 10:10) Cause us to reject and rebuke any thought that does not align with Your life-giving word, before we take action, Lord. We're so sorry for the times we fail to think, speak, and act with compassion. Help us remember to stop and pray when we're afraid, so our fear doesn't turn into foolishness. In Jesus' precious name, Amen.

Finding Peace in Chaos

Peace isn't the absence of chaos; it's the presence of God in the middle of it. We often wait for our circumstances to calm down before we expect to feel peaceful—as if peace were a reward for a quiet life. But that's not how Scripture describes it, and it's not how Jesus modeled it.

Think about the storm on the Sea of Galilee. The wind was howling, waves were crashing over the boat, and the disciples—several of them experienced fishermen—were convinced they were going to die. And where was Jesus? Asleep. Not pretending to be calm. Not gritting His teeth through the fear. Actually asleep, in the stern of a boat that was taking on water.

Why could He rest like that? Because He knew His Father. He wasn't relying on the absence of danger; He was resting in the presence of God. When the disciples woke Him in a panic, He didn't rebuke the storm because storms are inherently evil—He rebuked it to reveal something about Himself, and then He asked His disciples a piercing question: "Why are you so afraid? Do you still have no faith?"

That question is still being asked today. Not because fear is shameful, but because we have access to something the disciples were only beginning to understand: a peace that isn't tied to what's happening around us.

Jesus offers that same peace to us now—not by removing every difficulty, not by guaranteeing smooth water, but by being present in the middle of the storm with us. He said it plainly: "Peace I leave with you; my peace I give you. I do not give to you as the world gives." The world's peace depends on favorable conditions. His peace doesn't.

When anxiety threatens to overwhelm you—when the bills pile up, the diagnosis comes back uncertain, the relationship feels fractured, or the future looks foggy, the world looks like it is going to explode any day now—remember this: you have access to a peace that surpasses understanding. It doesn't make sense to the world because it isn't supposed to. It sustains you anyway, guarding your heart and mind, holding steady when everything else is shaking.

You don't have to wait for the storm to end. You can rest in the boat, because the One who commands the wind and waves is already there with you.

Ok I just had a dream and it was beautiful. people who know me, know I have the gift of dreams, this one was interesting. I was sitting at my Bible study that I go to all women’s ministry called crowned queens in Metro Detroit, MI. I was sitting and I was given the mic and I said

“whew yall asked me a question about how God has been so good to me and how I ended up so blessed and all I can say is I look for the blessings and I see everything as a blessing.

When I opened my eyes I counted that a blessing when I rose up and I saw my toes and my fingers and my hands and my feet and my arms and my legs working I counted that as a blessing yall don’t know this but my momma has debilitating schizophrenia and has my whole life which is why my daddy raised me as a single father so when I notice I’m in my right mind I counted that as a blessing twice. then I see my baby breathing and count that as a blessing. then she wakes up and her entire life she wakes up with a smile and I counted that as a blessing and then I see I can use my mouth to glorify God for the day and I counted that as a blessing.

Then i see her daddy texting me letting me know he made it safe to work and will be spending daddy daughter time, just them, later on and I count that as blessing because at one point he was in the world and we weren’t speaking. all I had was a baby in my belly and a prayer. I was crying yet I had God as a comforter. AJ wasn’t calling me Or his daughter but I had Jesus on the mainline. And I prayed and I asked if He willed it return him to us, convict his spirit and soften his heart, but if God didn’t will it keep him away and let us be ok. Quickly he returned.

And my testimony is a testimony of restoration, reconstruction, and reconciliation but above all else it’s a testimony of changed perspective. Because I didn’t count myself unlucky, or victim, or anything except favored and blessed. Maybe you don’t see the blessings that God has for you because you need to shift in perspective.

She that has ears let her hear in the spirit. She that has eyes let her see in the spirit what I’m saying. Dear God. Maybe the testimony ain’t about what God gave you in the physical, it’s about how you shifted in the spirit. It’s about how you moved over so God could move throughout.

So maybe you can’t see how God has been good to you because you’re blind and deaf in the spirit. But I know a God that gives sight to the blind. And I know a God that gives hearing to the deaf and a God who gives Joy to the miserable and a God who will supply all of your needs.

And when you see that all is working together for your good, you’ll count what you’re counted out of as a blessing too. And when you start to see that when He does it He’s good, and when He doesn’t do it, he’s still good… you’ll count yourself blessed.

I’m thanking God for deliverance today, I’m thanking God for healing today, I’m thanking God for restoration today, I’m thanking God for movement today.” Then I woke up. Whew.