Have you ever been frustrated with someone over differences you have? Has anyone ever slandered, mocked, hated, or mistreated you because of a difference between you? Have you ever seen people divided over how each decides to worship? In John 4 Jesus teaches how God wants His people to worship Him. Jesus tells us that we should worship in spirit and truth. What does this mean? How do we worship in spirit and truth?
In John 4, Jesus traveled through Samaria with His disciples and a Samaritan woman brings up a key difference between the Jews and the Samaritans - that the Jews believe the only place to worship is in Jerusalem, and the Samaritans believe it is on the mountain (v. 20). This is something I think most of us can relate to in some way. We have our beliefs about worship; how to worship, when to worship, where to worship, how not to worship... but Jesus addresses this bluntly.
23 But an hour is coming, and is now here, when the true worshipers will worship the Father in Spirit and in truth.[a] Yes, the Father wants such people to worship him. 24 God is spirit, and those who worship him must worship in Spirit and in truth.”
Jesus tells us that the "true worshipers will worship the Father in Spirit and in truth." When Jesus made this proclamation, He was saying that God the Father doesn't want pompous displays of piousness. God does not want fancy displays. The Lord doesn't want us to put on a show of worship.
Jesus was explaining to us that our Heavenly Father wants our hearts.
Worship in the Spirit
When we accept Christ as our Savior, we invite the Holy Spirit to dwell in us and for Him to lead and instruct us in how to live as reborn children of God. God's Spirit dwells in us and teaches us, and also changes us, making us alive in the spirit, and leading us to worship God in the spirit, with our hearts, out of love and thankfulness to God through Christ. To worship in the spirit is to be transformed and led by the Holy Spirit and worship God with our whole heart and soul.
26 But the Counselor, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in my name, will teach you all things and remind you of everything I have told you.
To worship in truth is to worship through Jesus, because of Jesus. Because of our faith in Jesus, we have been saved, and through His blood, we are free to worship God in the spirit, and in truth. We should worship through learning more about God through the Word of God, seeking to understand His truth and the Truth that is Jesus Christ.
6 Jesus told him, “I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.
31 Then Jesus said to the Jews who had believed him, “If you continue in my word,[a] you really are my disciples. 32 You will know the truth, and the truth will set you free.”
Worshiping in spirit and truth means to worship God with our life, truly meaning it, truly desiring to please God, through our faith and relationship with Jesus, by means of the Holy Spirit who gives us spiritual life.
13 But we ought to thank God always for you, brothers and sisters loved by the Lord, because from the beginning[f] God has chosen you for salvation through sanctification by the Spirit and through belief in the truth. 14 He called you to this through our gospel, so that you might obtain the glory of our Lord Jesus Christ. 15 So then, brothers and sisters, stand firm and hold to the traditions you were taught, whether by what we said or what we wrote.
To worship in spirit and truth, we must accept Jesus Christ as our Savior and then let God's Holy Spirit guide our lives. As followers of Christ, we must learn more all the time about how to live as Christ and allow the Holy Spirit to work in us to make us more like Him. Not only to learn but to apply what we learn.
Some of the best ways to commit to true worship are:
Develop a strong, honest, and real prayer life between you and God
Spend time in the Bible every single day seeking to learn and grow in your relationship with God
Fellowship with God's people and build relationships with other Christians
What is some encouragement you would give to someone learning how to genuinely worship God? What are some questions you have about true worship? I invite you to share questions or encouragements you have for others, as well as how we can continue to encourage you to worship in spirit and truth as true worshipers of God.
"Sacrifice" is an uncomfortable word. Who wants to make sacrifices? Why would we want to give up what we want for the sake of someone else? Why should we? These are common questions, and sadly we are hearing them asked more and more as this COVID-19 pandemic wanes on, closely approaching the 2-year mark. Sacrifice is not something we seek to do, but it is something we should seek after for the sake of our God.
What does sacrifice mean?
In the Old Testament, we see Abel offering a sacrifice that is acceptable to God. In Hebrews, we see that it was acceptable because it was offered in faith. This kind of sacrifice is a minḥâ, a gift or present offered to God.
4 And Abel also presented an offering—some of the firstborn of his flock and their fat portions.(A) The Lord had regard for Abel and his offering,(B)
4 By faith Abel offered to God a better sacrifice than Cain did. By faith he was approved as a righteous man, because God approved his gifts, and even though he is dead, he still speaks through his faith.(A)
14 Offer a thanksgiving sacrifice to God,(O) and pay your vows to the Most High.(P) 15 Call on me in a day of trouble; I will rescue you, and you will honor me.”(Q)
In those times, sacrifices were offered in order to atone for the sins of the people. A blood sacrifice was required in order for the people to be forgiven of their sins and be in right standing with God. Jesus became our ultimate and final blood sacrifice for all mankind by sacrificing Himself for our sake by death on a cross.
6 Your boasting is not good. Don’t you know that a little leaven[a](A) leavens the whole batch of dough?(B)7 Clean out the old leaven so that you may be a new unleavened batch, as indeed you are. For Christ our Passover lamb(C) has been sacrificed.[b]8 Therefore, let us observe the feast, not with old leaven or with the leaven of malice and evil,(D) but with the unleavened bread of sincerity and truth.
Jesus fulfilled the Mosaic Law's requirement for a blood sacrifice for the atonement of sins. When we accept Jesus's sacrifice for our sake, in faith believing He died on the cross and rose from the dead, defeating sin and death, and accept the salvation He now offers us because of this sacrifice, we are redeemed, saved from the penalty of our sin. Blood sacrifice was paid by Jesus Christ Himself on our behalf.
25 He did not do this to offer himself many times, as the high priest enters the sanctuary yearly with the blood of another.(A)26 Otherwise, he would have had to suffer many times since the foundation of the world. But now he has appeared one time, at the end of the ages,(B) for the removal of sin by the sacrifice of himself.(C)27 And just as it is appointed for people to die once—and after this, judgment(D)— 28 so also Christ, having been offered once to bear the sins of many,(E) will appear a second time,(F) not to bear sin, but[a] to bring salvation to those who are waiting for him.(G)
17 Not that I seek the gift, but I seek the profit[a](A) that is increasing to your account. 18 But I have received everything in full,(B) and I have an abundance. I am fully supplied,[b] having received from Epaphroditus(C) what you provided—a fragrant offering, an acceptable sacrifice, pleasing(D) to God. 19 And my God(E) will supply all your needs according to his riches in glory in Christ Jesus.
Our lives are no longer our own. We have been bought and paid for by the precious blood of Jesus, and we are now called to present our bodies as a holy sacrifice to God. We are to become a new creation in Christ Jesus by the power of the Holy Spirit which God has given to us.
Therefore, brothers and sisters, in view of the mercies of God, I urge you(A) to present your bodies as a living sacrifice,(B) holy and pleasing to God; this is your true worship.[a]2 Do not be conformed(C) to this age,(D) but be transformed by the renewing of your mind,(E) so that you may discern what is the good, pleasing, and perfect will(F) of God. 3 For by the grace(G) given to me, I tell everyone among you not to think of himself more highly than he should think.(H) Instead, think sensibly, as God has distributed a measure of faith(I) to each one.
Living a life worthy of the calling we have received when we accepted Jesus as our Saviour is how we worship God, bring Him honor and glory, in the way we live, grow in faith, love others, serve God, provide hospitality, and live as godly stewards of this precious gift. We worship God when we dedicate our life as a sacrifice for the glory of God.
Therefore I, the prisoner in the Lord,(A) urge you to walk worthy of the calling you have received,
Seek to grow in the image of God every day, being imitators of Christ, growing in the likeness of our Creator. Live the life He calls you to live, drawing nearer to the throne of God, and please God with this beautiful sacrificial worship. It is a precious gift to be able to serve God with our whole life, in all we do, to bring Him honor, glory, and praise, to thank Him with our lives for who He is, what He has done, is doing, and will do. Our God is worthy of all honor and praise and we get to commit to living a life that pleases God, sacrificing the earthly wants and desires that once enthralled us.
31 So, whether you eat or drink, or whatever you do, do everything for the glory of God.(A)
The more time we spend with God, in His Word, in prayer, in fellowship with His people to more we learn, grow, and display God in our lives, giving Him honor and glory in all we do.
How are you worshiping God through a life of faithful sacrifice? In what areas have you experienced this kind of sacrificial living for the sake of God's glory? How has your life been blessed and your faith grown through this form of worship?
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40 But everything is to be done decently(A) and in order.
As we pointed out last week, most of the time worship is thought of as music before the Sunday morning sermon. We don't often think about how else we are called to worship our Lord, but this is an incredibly important question we should ask daily. Worship applies to every area of life. How can we possibly worship God in every area of our lives? How do we live a life of worship?
16 For by[a] him all things were created, (A)in heaven and on earth, visible and invisible, whether (B)thrones or (C)dominions or rulers or authorities—all things were created (D)through him and for him.
In living this calling, and walking worthy, we worship God with our life. We are honoring our Heavenly Father in the details of the day-to-day, in loving others, serving God in the ways He provides, how we help, encourage, evangelize, fellowship, teach, learn, and grow. As we spend more time with God, in His word, in prayer, and with His people, we learn more about God, the life we are called to, become more like Him in every area of our life and worship Him better every day with the glory we bring Him.
Therefore I, the prisoner in the Lord,(A) urge you to walk worthy of the calling you have received, 2 with all humility(B) and gentleness, with patience,(C) bearing(D) with one another in love,(E)3 making every effort to keep the unity(F) of the Spirit(G) through the bond of peace.
36 “Teacher, which is the great commandment in the Law?” 37 And he said to him, (A)“You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind. 38 This is the great and first commandment. 39 And (B)a second is like it: (C)You shall love your neighbor as yourself.
Therefore, brothers and sisters, in view of the mercies of God, I urge you(A) to present your bodies as a living sacrifice,(B) holy and pleasing to God; this is your true worship.
We are His creations, made for Him and His purposes, and called to worship God with a life that brings Him glory. Learning to live as Christ, bear the fruit of the Spirit, and worship God all require contentment with our circumstances and that which God provides through it. If we fail to be content regardless of our circumstances, we fail to honor God in our circumstances. When we allow Christ to strengthen us through all circumstances we are able to endure it all in His strength, not relying on ourselves, and glorify Him by trusting in His power and strength to lead us through. This contentment comes from trusting to Christ's strength and will over our own, acknowledging His way is better, and that He is worthy of worshiping with our trust and obedience.
11 I don’t say this out of need, for I have learned to be content in whatever circumstances I find myself. 12 I know how to make do with little, and I know how to make do with a lot.(A) In any and all circumstances I have learned the secret of being content—whether well fed or hungry, whether in abundance or in need. 13 I am able to do all things through him[a] who strengthens me.(B)
What areas of your life do you need to rest in the hands of God and allow Him to be your strength? Where in your life are you not worshiping God in the way you love, live, and serve? How are you worshiping the Lord in the minor and the major aspects of daily life? How can your life be an example to others of worshiping God with your life?
23 Whatever you do, do it from the heart, as something done for the Lord and not for people,
Let us go forward today, seeking God's strength, learning to be content wherever we are, whatever we have or have not, and striving to actively honor and worship Him in all things.
When you hear the word "worship", what comes to your mind? More than likely your mind went directly to music in church before the Sunday sermon begins. Worship at church has become classified as singing praises to God before the pastor comes to the pulpit, but is this what God means when He calls on us to worship Him? What is worship, really, and when should we worship God?
Worship is to give honor, to pay homage, to God, recognizing His worthiness of such special honor. To worship God is to acknowledge His divine perfection and supremacy (1). Throughout scripture, we have many examples of worship.
In Old Testament times, worship was done by means of the Tabernacle, sacrifices, and visiting the synagogues, whereas worship has changed since the death and resurrection of Christ.
We can worship God in many different ways. The point of worship is to give honor to God. Keeping that in mind, some examples of worship since the resurrection includes:
In the Early Church, Christians would gather together and worship God through many of these means and more. They usually gathered on the Sabbath Day, which is a day dedicated to rest from work and focused on the worship of the Lord. We, too, are called to hold a Sabbath day.
Worship for these early Christians, and for us as well, is acknowledging how worthy God is of honor and praise, and giving Him that due honor and praise for who He is, what He has done for us, and what He promises to do for us. Sabbath Day is not the only time we should be giving God praises and honor, though.
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When should we worship God?
Not only does God teach us what worshipping Him is, and why we should worship Him, but He also provides many examples and instructions throughout all of scripture for when to worship Him.
The answer to when we should worship God is very simple, actually. We should worship God always. As scripture says, "forever and ever". The beautiful thing about worship is we should be seeking to worship God in all we do; bringing God honor, praise, and glory throughout our days.
16 But I will sing of your strength;
I will sing aloud of your steadfast love in the morning.
From the moment we wake to the moment we go to sleep, worship God in prayer, in spending time with Him in His Word, in fellowship with other believers, in sharing the Gospel, in singing praises. These are all practical things we can and should be doing every day, and each will help us grow in our personal relationships with the Lord as well as grow in our understanding of who God is.
Over the coming weeks, we will explore how to worship God in these ways more deeply. My prayer is to help each of us come to understand both in our heads as well as in our hearts the true meaning of worshipping God and learn how to practically and naturally grow in our worship of God and therefore develop stronger personal relationships with Him.
How do you worship the Lord? I would love to hear what ways you praise God, acknowledge Him, and pay Him homage in your daily lives.
This week I decided to make some soup. It was the kind that you just use what you have leftover from different things. I grew up watching my mom make soup this way. We were pretty poor growing up and often didn't have food in the house, so every little scrap that could be used was used, and more often than not we got a "leftover soup". This week we had some different odds and ends of things that I decided to turn into a "leftover soup" of my own.
I used my handy-dandy Instapot, added some beef, assorted veggies, broth I'd saved from a recent pot roast, and a little bit of lentils and quinoa I had been saving for such a time as this. The soup had cooked, it was still pretty brothy (totally a word), and I decided to add a little more quinoa and lentils. When it had cooked some more... it was no longer soup! I ended up with a sludge-looking goup. It smelled delicious, but MAN did it look nasty! Who would want to eat this goupy (again, totally a word) looking mess?
Seeing myself in this goupy mess
Here I am staring at this not-soup-goup and, as silly as it sounds, I saw myself. I look at this soup and say to myself "it should look different", "this couldn't be very good", "this is not worth having", "my mom's always looked so much better", "if I had just done something different...".
In reality, I ate some not-soup-goup and what'd you know? It was delicious, filled with nutrition, and will feed my family all week. This felt so much like God's work in my life. So often I feel like the different struggles, experiences, pains, joys, and in-betweens have nothing to do with each other. How could this heartache have anything to do with that joy over there? How could this blessing have to do with that struggle? How could these pieces possibly fit together? Simple.
28 We know that all things work together[a] for the good[b] of those who love God, who are called according to his purpose.
God works in everything, every circumstance, every pain, every joy, every gain, every loss. God planned you and took pleasure in you before He even made the universe. You are exactly who God made you to be, where He called you to be, and He has a plan for your life that was made specifically for you. Every detail of your life is used for His purposes. All the experiences of your life; past, present, and future, God uses to grow, steep, stew, and brew you into the complete creation He intends you to become. It may look like a goupy mess now, but remember that God's not done with you yet.
4 For he chose us in him, before the foundation of the world, to be holy and blameless in love before him.[a]5 He predestined us to be adopted as sons through Jesus Christ for himself, according to the good pleasure of his will, 6 to the praise of his glorious grace that he lavished on us in the Beloved One.
16 “For God so loved the world,[a] that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life. 17 For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but in order that the world might be saved through him.
Reading Luke 18 this week I was struck. Jesus is telling us about a Pharisee and a tax collector who were both praying. The Pharisee thanked God that he was not like "other men", while the tax collector prayed for God to have mercy on him.
The Pharisee, standing by himself, prayed[a] thus: ‘God, I thank you that I am not like other men, extortioners, unjust, adulterers, or even like this tax collector.
Have you looked at someone and thought "at least I am not as bad as them", "at least I have this and not that", "thank you God that I am not like that person", "I may mess up, but at least I haven't messed up as bad as them"?
Do you tend to beat yourself up thinking, "I'm not good enough", "I can't be useful to God", "I'm not nearly as good as them", "their life looks so perfect, I want their life, car, home, husband, friends, job," "I want that body, I need to be thinner, taller, shorter, larger"?
When we compare, we in our pride are telling God that His design is not good enough. We place God in a box and say His sacrifice wasn't enough, and His plan isn't good enough. When we don't put on the identity we have in Christ, we slap God in the face and tell Him He made a mistake.
17 Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation.[a] The old has passed away; behold, the new has come.
12 But to all who did receive him, who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God, 13 who were born, not of blood nor of the will of the flesh nor of the will of man, but of God.
Comparisons are dangerous and tell God "the way you made me, and the life you have called me to isn't enough". It tells Christ that His blood that was shed for you wasn't enough.
Judgment and comparison affect the heart and blinds us to our sin. Like the tax collector, we must acknowledge that we are all sinners in need of repentance, forgiveness, grace, and mercy and likewise are called to show forgiveness, grace, and mercy. We are called to imitate Christ and lead others to Him through our lives and testimonies. Grace and mercy leave no room for prideful comparisons. In being imitators of Christ, we should bear the fruit of His gracious Spirit rather than the sinful fruits of this dark world.
22 But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, 23 gentleness, self-control; against such things there is no law.
8 For by grace you have been saved through faith. And this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God, 9 not a result of works, so that no one may boast.
Where do you need to rest in the life God has blessed you with? Where do you need to repent, to be grateful, to forgive, to extend grace? Where do you need to let God in and turn the goup into a delicious, satisfying, eternal relationship with Him? Where do you need to stop comparing and start glorifying?
Give it all to God today and thank Him for the life you're in. He is making you into a beautiful masterpiece and loves you just the way you are, goup and all.
If you're anything like me, you like to make plans. You appreciate being organized and knowing what is ahead, and you love to be prepared. Maybe you're the opposite and prefer to go with the flow, tackle what comes and enjoy the ride along the way. Regardless of which side you fall on, we can all easily be led more by things of the world than things of God. It isn't always obvious, either. In fact, usually, it begins with subtle things and before you know it your focus is off in left field, God's desired path for you is out of your sight, and you are left feeling stressed and defeated. Intentionally seeking what is pleasing to God helps to keep your focus on His desires for you. But how do we know what is pleasing to God, and how do we keep our focus on Him and not the distractions surrounding us?
15 Do not love the world or the things in the world. If anyone loves the world, the love of the Father is not in him. 16 For everything in the world—the lust of the flesh, the lust of the eyes, and the pride in one’s possessions—is not from the Father, but is from the world. 17 And the world with its lust is passing away, but the one who does the will of God remains forever.
The world is full of distractions. There are temptations and shiny new things all over the place. Look to the right and your neighbor seems to have greener grass and a newer car. Look to the left and there's a shop with those new shoes you really want, but there's just not enough after paying that pile of bills. Look behind you and there are people that look like they are having such a great time doing things you know you shouldn't do, but they just look like they are having so much fun. Opening Twitter may seem a lot more appealing than opening your Bible right now.
It is important that we do not grow attached to things of the world or let them distract us. By being content with what we have, where we are, and what God calls us to we can find rest in God's design and desires for our lives, and we can confidently do what is pleasing to God.
9 For this reason also, since the day we heard this, we haven’t stopped praying for you. We are asking that you may be filled with the knowledge of his will in all wisdom and spiritual understanding,[a]10 so that you may walk worthy of the Lord, fully pleasing to him: bearing fruit in every good work and growing in the knowledge of God, 11 being strengthened with all power, according to his glorious might, so that you may have great endurance and patience, joyfully 12 giving thanks to the Father, who has enabled you[b] to share in the saints’ inheritance in the light.
We need to constantly, daily check our hearts and align our intentions with God's design. Our life exposes our desires. If we are truly intent on honoring God, it will be evident in the way we live and the fruit we bear. If we are not, this will also be evident.
22 But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, 23 gentleness, and self-control. The law is not against such things.[a]
12 For the word of God is living and active, sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing to the division of soul and of spirit, of joints and of marrow, and discerning the thoughts and intentions of the heart.
We need to filter all things through the Word of God in order to test what is pleasing to God - don't test something you think might be wrong - test what is good. Bring it to scripture and to God in prayer, and lean on the promptings and reminders of God's Holy Spirit. Then, we must obey the wisdom God reveals to us through His Word and Spirit.
8 For you were once darkness, but now you are light in the Lord. Walk as children of light— 9 for the fruit of the light[a] consists of all goodness, righteousness, and truth— 10 testing what is pleasing to the Lord.11 Don’t participate in the fruitless works of darkness, but instead expose them.
Do you feel a tug to help someone but are not sure God is telling you to? Test that.
Think maybe you should invite that friend to church but you are worried the timing isn't good or they'll say no? Test that.
Have an opportunity to share your faith with someone in your favorite game, at the grocery store, at a party, at work, at Thanksgiving dinner? Test that.
Did someone make you angry, but you could forgive them and show grace? Test that.
Have an opportunity to serve someone just cuz? Test that.
8 Finally[a] brothers and sisters, whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is just, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is commendable—if there is any moral excellence and if there is anything praiseworthy—dwell on these things.
16 Let the word of Christ dwell richly among you, in all wisdom teaching and admonishing one another through psalms, hymns, and spiritual songs,[a] singing to God with gratitude in your hearts.
Satan is absolutely going to whisper to you, discourage you, tug you the other direction, convince you to stay where you are more comfortable, where it feels more convenient, that you will have another opportunity later, that someone else will come along and do that instead, that someone else is better suited to the task... the list of lies and discouragement goes on and on, and we latch on to these excuses far too easily. What we need to do, though, is do what is pleasing to the Lord, not what is convenient or comfortable for us. Don't let Satan throw you off and steer you away from God's desires for you. Stay watchful, diligent, and constant in your loving obedience to the Lord, doing what is pleasing to Him above all else.
8 Be sober-minded; be watchful. Your adversary the devil prowls around like a roaring lion, seeking someone to devour.
If my people who are called by my name humble themselves, and pray and seek my face and turn from their wicked ways, then I will hear from heaven and will forgive their sin and heal their land.
We test by doing something, not by staying still and silent when it is time to act. Testing doesn't mean we just wait around for something to happen - there is a time for waiting, and there is a time to act. Test what is good by DOING what is good, doing what scripture says is pleasing to God.
If you are doing what is pleasing to God (with the right heart and intention), you will please God. If you test what is pleasing to God by doing nothing, you will never know, and you will miss opportunities to please God. If you test by doing what is likely or clearly unpleasing to God (again filtering through scripture), you are not testing what is pleasing - you are making an excuse to do what you want even though you know it isn't what God wants. We must seek to learn what is pleasing to God, and then actively apply this wisdom and guidance to our lives.
Therefore, brothers and sisters, in view of the mercies of God, I urge you to present your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and pleasing to God; this is your true worship.[a]2 Do not be conformed to this age, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, so that you may discern what is the good, pleasing, and perfect will of God.
So that the tested genuineness of your faith—more precious than gold that perishes though it is tested by fire—may be found to result in praise and glory and honor at the revelation of Jesus Christ.
What do you need to correct in your life right now? Are your intentions out of alignment with God's desires? Are you resting in what is pleasing to you over what is pleasing to God? What steps should you take to get right with God and do what is truly pleasing to Him and not the world?
10 For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared ahead of time for us to do.
I encourage you to go to the Father in prayer, repent, seek His forgiveness, and let Him guide you to live a life worthy of the calling you have received, and the work He has prepared for you to do.
No matter how rocky my family relationships were, they were always the most important thing in my life. I sacrificed much for them and did whatever I could to get their approval for years. If I had read Luke 14:26 while I was growing up I would have completely missed the point. At the stage in my life that I am now, all purely by the grace of God, I have a godly husband and child, have forgiven, am healing broken relationships with my family, and have a growing relationship with God through the blood of Jesus Christ. I can now better understand what Jesus is saying when He tells says to hate your family.
“If anyone comes to me and does not hate his own father and mother, wife and children, brothers and sisters—yes, and even his own life—he cannot be my disciple.
When I first became a follower of Jesus I had no one in my life that understood, and most people discouraged me from going down this path at all. I was often mocked for my faith, my shortcomings were hung over me, and I was treated as though I could never be different, that my faith was a joke, and that it was for no one's good. I lost my friends, I grew distant from my family, and I took time to focus on my relationship with God, my understanding of His Word, and being filled with the strength I needed to stand firm.
Luke 14 came to me again after spending some time with my dad recently, after not seeing him for around two years. In all that time I'd thought I was going to be separated from them forever. I thought I would never have a good relationship with my family. No matter how broken and hurtful my relationships were with my family, I have always deeply desired to be in a relationship with as much of my family as possible. I am big on family and this separation ate at me. I had made peace with being separated from them, though, because I knew God had called me to withdraw and I trusted His plan, even if it hurt and didn't make sense to me at the time.
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God removes distractions to bring our focus to Him
Sometimes God will call us away from relationships in order to rightly align our hearts to Him. In Luke 14:26 Jesus is telling us that we should love Him so much that it would seem in comparison that we hate our own family. He is not saying to actually hate your family but to put obedience to and love for Him first no matter the cost. He is telling us that there is a cost to following Him and that we must be willing to put His will and instruction first in our lives at all times, no matter what that cost is, even unto our own lives.
To follow Christ we must to be willing to give our full life to Him
I experienced this on a bit of an extreme level over the last several years. After a while, I was willing to give up these relationships with my family in order to honor and obey God. In this willingness to obediently sacrifice these relationships, God changed my heart and my priorities. I no longer live to serve other's expectations or desires for me or fulfill the labels people have given me all my life. I am firmly planted as a Child of God, and His will is the only one I strive to follow. This has brought me peace, joy, and great humility. God has been healing me and teaching me His truth, love, and kindness.
Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; the old has passed away, and see, the new has[a] come!
The last conversation I had with my family was that of forgiveness, love, and renewal. God has changed my heart, aligning my life and heart with Him, so that now I can be effective in all the work He has created for me to do for His glory, which includes being an example to my family. I prayed for them the whole time of separation, and I am seeing that God has been working in them as well. We are all works in progress, and He is always working in all of us whether we recognize it or not.
For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared ahead of time for us to do.
If you love Him, you will obey Him. If you obey Him in faith and love, you will find such great blessing, humility, mercy, and grace. You will experience what love really means and truly feels like.
So if you have been raised with Christ, seek the things above, where Christ is, seated at the right hand of God.
Pride is a dangerous thing, and certainly something no one wants to admit to. Knowing that pride began with Satan and influenced people all the wayback in the Garden of Eden tells us that pride is a tactic Satan is going to keep planting and using for his purposes. Humility is the opposite of pride. It is important to understand and know where it comes from as well in order to better identify pride, defeat it, warn against it and keep your heart clean of it. So, what is the source of humility and how can we identify it against the sin of pride?
12 Since God chose you to be the holy people he loves, you must clothe yourselves with tenderhearted mercy, kindness, humility, gentleness, and patience.
God opposes pride. Scripture tells us that pride will bring destruction and will be broken down. If we choose to let pride grow in our hearts, fail to repent of it, and humble ourselves, we see examples from cover to cover that God will humble us Himself. How do we know, though, when we are in need of humbling? How do we know when God is warning us against pride?
5 In the same way, you who are younger must accept the authority of the elders. And all of you, dress yourselves in humility as you relate to one another, for
“God opposes the proud but gives grace to the humble.”[a]
A great example in scripture can be found in Daniel. God had given Judah over to King Nebuchadnezzar, who took some young men captive to serve in his household. Among them were Daniel (renamed Belteshazzar), Mishael (renamed Meshach), Hananiah (renamed Shadrach), and Azariah (renamed Abed-Nego). They were sent into the care of the eunuchs. From there, they were in the epicenter of the gluttonous court of King Nebuchadnezzar.
In his humility and trust in the Lord, Daniel stood up boldly in the promises of God and watched as God fulfilled His promises. King Nebuchadnezzar continued in his self-serving pride and God constantly used Daniel to warn the king and encourage him. Again in pride, the king kept on in his sin. Just as God fulfilled His promises to save the humble again and again, He also fulfilled His promise that pride leads to destruction.
The sin of pride is a powerful tool the enemy uses and tricks us into believing we are greater than, know better than, can do better than God. Pride says "my way is best", and humility says "God's way is best".
When we remain in our pride, God will humble us. When we fail to heed God's warnings, He will humble us. When we fail to warn one another of the dangers of pride, we too are responsible because we choose to disobey God and not lead someone in the ways and promises of the Most High. He will humble us when we fail to place Him as the ultimate authority in every area of our lives, and the One who is worthy of all glory, honor, and praise.
7 “So you, son of man: I have made you a watchman for the house of Israel; therefore you shall hear a word from My mouth and warn them for Me. 8 When I say to the wicked, ‘O wicked man, you shall surely die!’ and you do not speak to warn the wicked from his way, that wicked man shall die in his iniquity; but his blood I will require at your hand. 9 Nevertheless if you warn the wicked to turn from his way, and he does not turn from his way, he shall die in his iniquity; but you have [a]delivered your soul.
Humility comes from God, and to humble ourselves is to be in submission to our Holy God, recognizing His power and authority. The point is to bring us to repentance.
Even at the threat of death, while the king was murdering those who didn't do as he commanded, Daniel stood up, stood out, and set himself apart for the Lord in faithful humility. He warned the king, the king made his choices, but Daniel was blameless and God protected him. The king was prideful and God cast him out in order to bring him to repentance. God absolutely expects the same of us, and will fulfill His promises in our lives as well.
Who are you most resembling in your life right now?
Take a look at this story of Daniel and King Nebuchadnezzar again and ask yourself the following questions:
Do you stand firm in the promises of God, even at great threat of danger, or do you seek to please the appeals and demands of people to avoid conflict or discomfort?
But Peter and the apostles answered, “We must obey God rather than men.
Do you praise God in all circumstances, giving Him the glory, credit and honor, or do you take the credit for yourself, and praise yourself and things of the world instead?
Ascribe to the Lord the glory due his name; bring an offering and come before him! Worship the Lord in the splendor of holiness;[a]
Do you trust that God knows best even when we only see a piece of the situation, disagree or don't understand, or do you seek to control situations and rest on your own understandings instead?
Trust in the Lord with all your heart, And lean not on your own understanding;
Trust God, humble yourself before Him, accept His correction, and obey His instruction. Pride comes before destruction, but God will bless the humble. Set the example for others around you, and encourage others in humility. Don't fall into the trap of pride and remain there, but if you fall in know that you can trust God to also fulfill His promise to forgive, redeem, and restore you.
Is pride a habit you need to kick?
I encourage you to pray wholeheartedly for God to reveal any unchecked pride in you, to clean your heart, restore you, and redirect your eyes in humility to God Almighty, our Mighty Promise Keeper.
Pride is an uncomfortable topic. It is something we can usually identify in others pretty easily, but we typically fail to see it in ourselves. Pride makes it easy to point fingers, to pass judgment, and frequently leads to unkindness and even slander. Pride ultimately leads to destruction if not checked and corrected. What are the signs of pride? How can we identify pride in ourselves, and why should we?
18 Pride goes before destruction, And a haughty spirit before [a]a fall.
Ever since mankind has been betrayed by the lies of Satan. In his pride, he desires to be like God, to be placed above God, and we are God's image-bearers whom God loves. We are who God sent His Son as a sacrifice for. Satan will do anything he can to lead us further and further away from God, and pride is his fuel and one of his weapons against us.
He also gives some statistics I was honestly sad to discover, that as of 2009 only 35% of American Christians believe Satan is real. The same enemy who brought division and lies between God and Adam and Eve does the same to you and me. In his pride Satan wants to steer us away from God, convince us that God is not real or at least that He is not good, all while hiding that he, too, is a very real enemy.
He knows that if we believe he is our real enemy then we will also learn the truth, that he has no power over us unless we let him because Jesus has already defeated him and will one day defeat him once and for all. His days are certainly numbered (Revelation 12; Revelation 19). In the meantime, he is working hard to separate as many people as he can from the Love and Truth of God, all fueled by his pride.
Satan is the source of pride in this world. In his pride, he plants seeds of prideful ideas and desires in our hearts that when allowed to grow give birth to sin and leads to division, death and destruction throughout our lives and our relationship with God.
15 Then, when desire has conceived, it gives birth to sin; and sin, when it is full-grown, brings forth death.
Satan is a very real enemy whose methods stem from his own pride and lead to our own sin from pride. His desires are to steal, kill and destroy all righteousness and godliness.
8 Be [a]sober, be [b]vigilant; [c]because your adversary the devil walks about like a roaring lion, seeking whom he may devour.
10 The thief does not come except to steal, and to kill, and to destroy. I have come that they may have life, and that they may have it more abundantly.
Knowing that Satan is a real enemy and the source of pride means that we know what we are fighting against. Our enemy is not the guy who cut us off on the freeway, the neighbor who blocked your car in the driveway, the spilled coffee in your lap... the enemy, though, certainly wants you to think that it is God's fellow creations, image-bearers, and blessings that are to blame. He wants you to take on his own pride and point anywhere but him as the source of ill and evil around you. He wants to create division and destruction and lead you away from holiness and a right relationship with God.
10 Finally, my brethren, be strong in the Lord and in the power of His might. 11 Put on the whole armor of God, that you may be able to stand against the [a]wiles of the devil. 12 For we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of [b]the darkness of this age, against spiritual hosts of wickedness in the heavenly places.13 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.
In Isaiah, we see a pattern that gives us a clear indication of pride. The "5 I will statements" refers to claims from Satan who wanted to be above God and like God. Satan wants to have God's power. In his pride, he thinks he could overthrow God and take His place, but fortunately for all of creation, God is God no matter what Satan thinks or does.
12 “How you are fallen from heaven, O [a]Lucifer, son of the morning! How you are cut down to the ground, You who weakened the nations! 13 For you have said in your heart: ‘I will ascend into heaven, I will exalt my throne above the stars of God; I will also sit on the mount of the congregation On the farthest sides of the north; 14 I will ascend above the heights of the clouds, I will be like the Most High.’ 15 Yet you shall be brought down to Sheol, To the [b]lowest depths of the Pit.
Ask yourself these questions, and reference them back to those "5 I will statements".
Do you tend to think you know best, or that you should always handle things yourself?
Do you lean on your own council, ideas and desires?
Do you tend to put yourself before others?
Do you tend to follow your own path and plans?
Do you tend to trust yourself most and place your own desires as the most important?
How do you hold up? Are you lining up more with Satan's pride, or with faithful obedience to God?
It is not too late to turn from pride and seek to live as God has called us all to. It is not too late to give your pride to God, repent, and let Him clean your heart and renew your spirit.
10 Create in me a clean heart, O God, And renew a steadfast spirit within me.
We are each responsible for our choices and responses to Satan's lies, and we are responsible for what happens with the seeds of pride he wants to plant in our hearts. We can choose to pretend this enemy does not exist, and to allow his influence over us, make excuses, point the finger, or even beat ourselves up - or we can take it all to God with a repentant heart, willing to surrender to His will and power in our lives, and accept His invitation into a relationship with Him through faith in Christ as your Savior. Once accepted, we must live in it. Let God in, and let His Spirit work in you to fight this sin and pride at its source and start.
Choose righteousness, repentance, and surrender every day. Choose to acknowledge this very real enemy, and also recognize our very real God who has power over all things, has defeated him already, and is our righteous Protector, Provider, and Promise Keeper. Choose to use the tools God has given us to fight against selfish pride and sin.
I encourage you to pray for God to reveal any pride in you that needs to be cleaned up. It hides in nooks, crannies, and crevices we don't think to look, but God sees it all and wants us to be His holy and blameless people. We will never be perfect, but we should be seeking to be more like Christ every day and less like our old selves. Shed the pride and let God truly be sovereign in your life.
Choose God today, and every day, and cast pride out at its source.
How can I pray for you?
How can we as a community pray for you, encourage you, and help you on this journey? Let us know in the comments or feel free to request a private prayer. I love to pray over my brothers and sisters in Christ!
Prayer is a powerful tool and our method of communication with God. There are so many ways to pray and lots of recommended methods, but ultimately I've found that the keys to a deeper prayer life with God are praying in every circumstance throughout each day, with intention, with scripture, and also to pray strategically. To pray strategically is to encompass all of these elements together within your personal relationship with the Lord and the circumstances of your life.
Continue earnestly in prayer, being vigilant in it with thanksgiving;
After the Apostle Paul gave the Colossians many instructions about running a Christian household, spiritual fullness and freedom in Christ, the supremacy of Christ, and doing all you do for the Lord, he closes his letter with this instruction about prayer. He goes on to name specific items the Colossians should be praying over and gives us some encouragement about how to pray for ourselves and one another.
He begins with the instruction to pray "earnestly" and to be "vigilant" with "thanksgiving". To be vigilant is to be watchful, cautious, active, and to give "strict attention" (G1127). To be actively watchful and cautious requires a strategy to be successful. We must give strict attention to our prayers, and also to gratitude in our prayers.
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How does Paul tell the Colossians to pray strategically?
3 meanwhile praying also for us, that God would open to us a door for the word, to speak the mystery of Christ, for which I am also in chains, 4 that I may make it manifest, as I ought to speak.
5 Walk in wisdom toward those who are outside, redeeming the time. 6 Let your speech always be with grace, seasoned with salt, that you may know how you ought to answer each one.
For me, I have begun using a strategically planned prayer journal to help me to be praying strategically in these ways. I have found great benefit and growth in my relationship with God, and my reliance on Him. While praying intentionally, all throughout my day, and also praying scripture back to Him, and I developing an even stronger and more personal prayer strategy. Each of us has our very own personal relationship with the Lord, but none of us can grow in our relationship with Him without intentional, constant and strategic prayer.
We implement strategies in our homes, in raising our kids and having a strong marriage, with being successful in our jobs, making plans with our friends, and so many other areas of our lives. Why would we not implement intentional strategy in our relationships with God?
What is your prayer strategy and how might you encourage someone else with it? How does your prayer strategy help you to obey God's call better? How does your prayer strategy help you grow in your personal relationship with God, and therefor help others to grow in theirs as well?
I'd love to hear about how you pray strateigically below!
When I was new to reading the Bible, I was very discouraged by my incredibly terrible memory. I used to have a wonderful memory. I'd grown up doing community theatre and held many roles that required memorizing many lines. When I was pregnant with my kiddo, though, I developed what we moms call "pregnancy brain", and it never left me. I remember starting to read scripture and I was really worried about how I would ever memorize any of it, so I told myself I would never try. Fast forward a few years and the Holy Spirit has been working in my stubborn heart, teaching me to pray scripture, and bringing to remembrance His Word at the right time in the right situations more and more often.
But the Helper, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in my name, he will teach you all things and bring to your remembrance all that I have said to you.
To pray scripture is to speak God's Word back to Him. It helps us to remember His promises and commands, and as we spend more time in the Word of God the Holy Spirit has more to bring to remembrance at the right moments.
If you abide in me, and my words abide in you, ask whatever you wish, and it will be done for you.
In John 15 Jesus is explaining how to abide in Him. He tells us that when we abide in Him, He abides in us. When we abide in Him, His Word abides in us. When His Word abides in us we can ask whatever we wish and He will do it. What Jesus is saying is that when we remain faithful to Him, when we are spending time in His Word, when we are living according to His will, commands, and instructions for our lives out of love for Him then He will grant us the desires of our heart because our desires will be aligned with His desires for our lives.
Delight yourself in the Lord, and he will give you the desires of your heart.
To pray scripture, we have to be in scripture to start with. If we don't spend time in the Word, how will the Holy Spirit remind us of scripture? Spending time with the Lord in prayer and scripture every day is essential to the life of every Christian. It helps us to grow in our relationship with the Lord, teaches us to pray to God in all circumstances and to be intentional about our communication and relationship with Him. Praying scripture helps us to abide in Him, and the Word to abide in us.
Some ways that have helped me start to pray scripture are:
Being in the Word helps us to learn more about how God instructs and desires for us to live our lives, and gives the Holy Spirit more to bring to remembrance at the times we need the reminder. How do you spend time in the Word each day? In what ways do you pray scripture? Share and encourage one another, just as we are called in scripture to do.
Therefore encourage one another and build one another up, just as you are doing.
When I came into my faith and started to read the Bible, praying, and living a Christ-like life I had no idea how it would change me. I was familiar with crying out to God in times of pain, agony, heartbreak, and need but I had no idea there was so much more to prayer than that. I eventually learned how to pray intentionally, and this has helped me so much in my faith and relationship with Jesus.
There are many ways people explain prayer. We need, however, to filter all things through scripture, and that includes what God tells us about prayer through His Word. We have touched on how to pray without ceasing, but what does scripture tell us about how to pray intentionally?
But when you pray, go into your room and shut the door and pray to your Father who is in secret. And your Father who sees in secret will reward you.
While Jesus is explaining the model prayer (Matthew 6:5-15), which includes the Lord's Prayer, Jesus begins in verse 5 by saying not to be like the hypocrites who love to show off in public, praying to be "seen by men" which in the original Greek means "to meet the eyes, strike the sight, become clear or manifest". In other words, your prayers should never be for your own glorification.
Directly after this, Jesus tells us to "go into your room and shut the door". An important aspect of intentional prayer is to take time to be alone with God. Clear distractions, clear time in your schedule, step away from other people and pray between you and God alone. To pray intentionally is to intentionally make time for God every day.
Even Jesus took time to pray intentionally
Jesus, God in the flesh, took time to pray intentionally and privately with God the Father. We can take from Him the example that there are times we need to intentionally separate ourselves from others, from distraction, from the everyday things, even the important life things, and focus on God alone. Jesus took time to pray in solitude while He awaited the Romans who would come to take him to be crucified. Jesus took time to step away and pray even with His impending death approaching. While a crowd gathered, desperately wanting His attention, He stepped away from them to go "to the mountain to pray".
In these days he went out to the mountain to pray, and all night he continued in prayer to God.
Is your to-do list really more important than time with God? Are your friends, your spouse, your kids, your job more important than God in your life? To pray intentionally is to actually live like God is truly the most important part of your life. This benefits our relationship with God, and also is a signal to others that God comes first.
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Why should we make time for God?
When we take time every day to spend with God alone we are committing to growing in our personal relationship with Him. We are placing God as a priority in our lives and our days. By creating space to be alone with God, we are able to focus on God without distraction.
God wants a personal relationship with you. We know that communication and commitment are necessary for healthy relationships to grow with the people in our lives. We schedule girl's nights with our friends, date nights with our significant other, play dates with our kids, bedtime and morning routines with our families, self-care routines, schedule me-time, and heck, we have routines at work, in serving, and in church. Why would we give any less to God? Why would we not intentionally make time for the most important Person in our lives every day, the Lord?
Make intentional time for God
Your intentional prayer time with God may look a bit different than mine, but that's exactly as it should be. What doesn't change is that we should be in scripture, pray to the Lord constantly, and intentionally invest in our personal relationships with God every day.
For me, I use my prayer journal in the mornings and spend time in the Word every morning. This sets my day up to be centered on Christ and helps me resist charging into my day with my to-do list as the primary goal and focus. Our goal and focus should always be to serve and honor God in all we do to draw others to Him as we also draw nearer to Him. We are here to share His Truth far and wide, and our lives should be a testimony to our living faith in Christ. But how can our lives be a living testimony if we aren't making time for Him in our lives?
How do you spend time with God each day?
Share some ideas with us that may encourage others in how they can make time to pray intentionally and create time and space for the Lord every day.
You have likely been told at some point or another to "pray without ceasing", or to "always be praying". This is something that can be difficult to grasp and feel impossible to do realistically. I mean, life is busy, we have things to do... how can we ALWAYS be praying?
16-18 Be cheerful no matter what; pray all the time; thank God no matter what happens. This is the way God wants you who belong to Christ Jesus to live.
When I was newer in my faith I had a really hard time understanding this. I felt strange about prayer as it was and I had a hard time praying unless I was completely alone with nothing but quiet solitude. Any little distraction threw off my focus and left me feeling guilty for being distracted.
I now know that this is a really common experience not just for newer Christians, but for a lot of Christians. Prayer is tough and uncomfortable for a lot of us. So how can we pray without ceasing when prayer is such a challenge to begin with?
We have to start by asking another question first.
How can we pray better?
Exploring how to pray better is vital to improving our prayer lives. Seeking what God says about prayer is essential to a growing relationship with Him.
Prioritize your relationship with God
The first thing to address is our relationship with God. Do you have a relationship with your Heavenly Father? When we have accepted Christ as our Savior we invite the Holy Spirit to dwell in us and open up the direct line of communication and relationship with God.
After this, it is up to us to follow the promptings of the Holy Spirit within us to grow in our faith and relationship with God through our faith in Christ and by Christ.
Make it a habit
Making prayer a habit is probably one of the most challenging parts for all of us. Our lives are busy. We have things to do. We tell ourselves we will pray later, we don't have time right now, we have other things to do. The thing is, all of these excuses are just that - excuses. This is our way of making it not seem so bad that we are putting God off and failing to prioritize God in our lives.
Making is a habit to pray doesn't always mean scheduling time, but that is part of it too. When you create time in your day to spend with God you are telling God, yourself, and those around you that this time with God is more important than your to-do list.
It took me a while to get into a routine with God every day, but it has helped me in ways I never imagined. The other side of that is when I start my day with God I am able to focus more on Him throughout my day. This better enables me to pray all day, through all the events of my day. I pray while I do laundry, while I listen to my kiddo tell me stories, while I write, while I watch TV. I pray through all of my activities.
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How does praying better help me to always pray?
I keep the line of communication with God open at all times, and I focus my attention and mind on Him. When I feel myself drift to stress, worry or selfish thoughts I discipline my mind to go back to God. I seek God's council in every little-and-big thing I do, and I take the time to listen for His wisdom and direction.
Praying without ceasing doesn't mean physically kneeling before God every day to focus on Him and neglect life around you. What it does mean is keeping your mind on Him and Heavenly things, even while you tackle your earthly responsibilities and entertainment.
5 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.
Have you ever tried to run from God? Ever ignored what you knew God was calling on you to do, to go, to say? Ever disobeyed God outright and knowingly? In our culture, it's easy to make excuses to disobey God when He comes knocking. We want to remain in our comfort zone away from unwanted attention, conflict, conversations, or sacrifices. It feels easier to pretend it wasn't really God telling us to do what we really don't want to do.
1 The word of the Lord came to Jonah son of Amittai: 2 “Get up! Go to the great city of Nineveh and preach against it because their evil has come up before me.” 3 Jonah got up to flee to Tarshish from the Lord’s presence. He went down to Joppa and found a ship going to Tarshish. He paid the fare and went down into it to go with them to Tarshish from the Lord’s presence.
When God told Jonah to do what he didn't want to do, Jonah ran away. Jonah 1:3 says he "got up to flee". Jonah's first reaction was one none of us want to admit is familiar.
When was the last time you fled from God?
What is it that God has called you to do that you are currently running from?
Jonah goes to great lengths and expenses boarding a ship going a totally different direction than where God told him to go. This is exactly what we do when we flee from God's instruction. When we go the other way and excuse our disobedience we board a ship sailing away from the safety of God's presence. We are fleeing from Him and the path He has been preparing us for.
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4 But the Lord threw a great wind onto the sea, and such a great storm arose on the sea that the ship threatened to break apart.
When Jonah boarded the ship, God hit it with a storm that almost destroyed the ship. When Jonah fled from God's plan, God came knocking again - the first time with His instruction, and this time it was with a warning. God could have destroyed the ship, but v. 4 says the ship "threatened" to break apart. God was getting Jonah's attention - but where was Jonah? Asleep in the bottom of the ship. The others on the ship found him and woke him up - much as we need at times.
How do you respond when God calls on you?
Sometimes we're so busy ignoring God's instructions that we miss the warnings and we need people to come and wake us up and call us out. We need God's warnings to remind us of what He has called us to do. Sometimes we need to be shaken awake by the reality of our disobedience.
14 So they called out to the Lord, “Please, Lord, don’t let us perish because of this man’s life, and don’t charge us with innocent blood! For you, Lord, have done just as you pleased.” 15 Then they picked up Jonah and threw him into the sea, and the sea stopped its raging. 16 The men were seized by great fear of the Lord, and they offered a sacrifice to the Lord and made vows. 17 The Lord appointed a great fish to swallow Jonah, and Jonah was in the belly of the fish three days and three nights.
One truly interesting thing is that God uses even our blatant disobedience for His glory. Here's Jonah, running from God's commands, and these pagan people wake him up, call him out, and you'd think that would be humiliating enough. Jonah then tells them to throw him into the sea to save them and owns up to his defiance against God. What's astounding is what happens as a result - we probably all know what happens to Jonah - he spent 3 days in the belly of a fish, but don't miss what happens to the others on the ship.
Verse 16 says "they offered a sacrifice to the Lord and made vows." Because of Jonah's disobedience, he was in the right place, at the right time, which led to the right circumstances for these men to pledge themselves to the Lord recognizing Him as God. It certainly doesn't excuse Jonah, but this speaks to God's power and plans. God knows what we are going to choose, what we will and will not do, and He plans accordingly so that all things will truly work together for good.
28 And we know that for those who love God all things work together for good,[a] for those who are called according to his purpose.
God knows when we are going to run from Him and His instruction
He knows when we will disobey His command, knows when He will need to give us warnings, wake us up and shake us out of our disobedience, and He also knows how to use all circumstances for His glory.
Jonah ended up spending a temporary period of 3 days in the belly of a fish, which reminds me of the temporary period of time I have come out of my own stupor brought on by defiance - you know, that phase where your heart is broken over the realization that you've defied God. In that period of time, just like Jonah, we are brought back to our knees and realize how great our God is, how good His commands are, and how much He cares and provides for us. God uses this not just for our own good, but we can't even fathom the ways He is using these times of discomfort for the salvation of others as well.
14 I perceived that whatever God does endures forever; nothing can be added to it, nor anything taken from it. God has done it, so that people fear before him.15 That which is, already has been; that which is to be, already has been; and God seeks what has been driven away.
Nothing we do can add to or take away from Him and His works. He knows what is ahead and what is behind. He knows what you are struggling with today, and knows the troubles behind and ahead of you. Whatever it is you are struggling with right now my prayer is that you surrender it to Him and trust Him to restore you and work out all that has been affected by your wandering away from Him. We try to make our plans but rest in the wisdom that God will establish every step according to His will. Let God it, and release your plans to His will for your life, no matter how uncomfortable it may be. His plans are always greater than anything we could even dream of or plan for.
The heart of man plans his way, but the Lord establishes his steps.
Have you ever had a fight with your family? Ever had a friend walk away or betray you? These kinds of hurts are a different level of discomfort, yet everyone at some point in their life goes through pain like this.
Growing up I had an extremely rocky relationship with my family and had friends who beat me up on the playground at school. I moved between parents, eventually getting kicked out, then tossed to live with someone I’d once called a friend where I was betrayed in a way that will impact me for the rest of my life. I know the sting of unfathomable family feuds and betrayals from loved ones and friends, the people you trust most.
But would you change any of it if you could? Looking back, do you see nothing but the pain and discomfort, or is there something else there that makes you think twice about changing it all if you could? I asked myself over and over for years. No matter the incredible pain I’d endured for so many years, though, I look back now and don’t long to change it anymore. I did for a long time, not understanding, just hurting and wanting comfort, wanting relief. Sound familiar?
Joseph knew the pain of utter betrayal.
23 When Joseph came to his brothers, they stripped off Joseph’s robe, the robe of many colors that he had on. 24 Then they took him and threw him into the pit. The pit was empty, without water. 25 They sat down to eat a meal, and when they looked up, there was a caravan of Ishmaelites coming from Gilead. Their camels were carrying aromatic gum, balsam, and resin, going down to Egypt. 26 Judah said to his brothers, “What do we gain if we kill our brother and cover up his blood? 27 Come on, let’s sell him to the Ishmaelites and not lay a hand on him, for he is our brother, our own flesh,” and his brothers agreed. 28 When Midianite traders passed by, his brothers pulled Joseph out of the pit and sold him for twenty pieces of silver to the Ishmaelites, who took Joseph to Egypt. Genesis 37:23-28 CSB
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How could his family do this to him? His own brothers? His own blood? How could they have such hateful hearts? Such evil intentions? Against their brother? How could family treat family this way?
When we are in these moments where the agonizing questions flood our minds and no comforting answers come after them it is certainly an opportunity. In these moments we have a choice. I know, it sure doesn’t feel like it, but we always have a choice.
Choice #1: Let Satan in
In these moments we can let the darkness and the pain consume us. We can let it in, let it take hold, let Satan taunt us with his lies. Satan whispers to us “you’re not good enough”, “you’re unlovable”. He deceives us into believing that we deserve this pain, and he will tell us we’ll never feel anything but pain so we may as well give into it, may as well get used to it, may as well accept it and not fight it.
You are of your father the devil, and your will is to do your father's desires. He was a murderer from the beginning, and does not stand in the truth, because there is no truth in him. When he lies, he speaks out of his own character, for he is a liar and the father of lies.
Our most tempting choice is to give in, let Satan in, believe his lies, and this is a temptation all of us are familiar with to some degree. After telling the Corinthians of the need for self-discipline in a city wrought with sin and idolatry, flooded with temptations of various kinds, Paul encourages the Corinthians, as well as future generations of Christians, that God will always provide a way out of temptation.
Every temptation we face has an exit ramp.
13 No temptation has overtaken you that is not common to man. God is faithful, and he will not let you be tempted beyond your ability, but with the temptation he will also provide the way of escape, that you may be able to endure it.
8 Whoever makes a practice of sinning is of the devil, for the devil has been sinning from the beginning. The reason the Son of God appeared was to destroy the works of the devil.
The exit ramp for every temptation is to let God in, to choose God, to trust God’s truth. We cannot fight temptation by our own strength. We cannot fight Satan alone. This is spiritual warfare that requires the spiritual weapons, armor and presence of our Holy God.
11 Put on the whole armor of God, that you may be able to stand against the schemes of the devil. 12 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. 13 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.
In letting God in we let Him take control, let His Spirit indwell, and let His Word speak truth to our soul. Letting God in lets Him refresh, restore and refill us. He is the solution to temptation. It is by His strength, truth and grace we are healed, comforted and saved. He gives us all that we need, which includes His own armor to fight off the schemes of the devil and resist the temptation of sin and the lies Satan wants us to believe; to resist letting Satan in.
16 But I say, walk by the Spirit, and you will not gratify the desires of the flesh. 17 For the desires of the flesh are against the Spirit, and the desires of the Spirit are against the flesh, for these are opposed to each other, to keep you from doing the things you want to do. 18 But if you are led by the Spirit, you are not under the law.
When we are faced with pain, discomfort, and uncertainty in life, we have a choice. We can choose to believe the lies and let Satan in, let him destroy us from the inside out, or we can choose faith - even faith the size of a mustard seed - fight through each test and trial, resist the schemes and temptations of the devil, and grow through our circumstances like we see Joseph do.
Throughout Genesis 37-50 we see Joseph suffer greatly, but through it all he trusted God. He knew God would provide, and even if he doubted every once in a while as people do he remained diligent in his faith and we later see him rise to a position in which God used him in unimaginable ways.
Joseph went through heartbreaking betrayals and painful circumstances that seemed to make no sense at the time and later in his story we get to look back and see how each step was an opportunity for Joseph to make a choice. God gives us opportunities to trust him, to keep faith in His plan even when we can’t see past our pain, to grow through the discomfort.
You have to get uncomfortable so that you can grow.
No matter the pain you are going through God is not far from you. He sees you, He hears you, He is still providing for you, protecting you, and loving you.God is still good even when our circumstances don’t feel good. Trust in Him to carry you through this and stop trying to do it in your own power, with your own ideas, in your own time. Lift up your worries to the one who will never leave you nor forsake you.
6 Be strong and courageous. Do not fear or be in dread of them, for it is the Lord your God who goes with you. He will not leave you or forsake you.”
10 fear not, for I am with you; be not dismayed, for I am your God; I will strengthen you, I will help you, I will uphold you with my righteous right hand.
27 Peace I leave with you; my peace I give to you. Not as the world gives do I give to you. Let not your hearts be troubled, neither let them be afraid.
I am a wife, mom, writer, crafter, and above all, a Child of God. I love to study the Bible, fellowship with other Christians, and serve God. I am thrilled to invite you to join me in seeking to satisfy our thirsty souls with the Living Water of Christ, which is what Water On Thirsty Land is here to do.
