In today’s culture yoga and meditation are commonly recommended as some of the best ways to relieve stress, and they have been heavily glamourized in our society. It certainly begs the question - should Christians practice yoga or meditation? In order to answer this question we must investigate what yoga and meditation are and where they come from.
What is Yoga?
Yoga is a composition of mental, physical and “spiritual” practices derived from ancient India, and is historically tied to Hinduism, Buddhism and Jainism. The word “yoga” means “to yoke” or “to unite”, and traditionally aims to create spiritual, physical and mental unity and peace. It focuses on neutralizing thoughts and behaviors to cause a sort of “spiritual awakening”.
There are a variety of yoga styles. Modern-day yoga, though, is more focused on the physical exercise, more specifically on asana (or hatha practice). There are also vinyasa, power, ashtanga, bikram and iyengar.
Hatha or Asana: Combines series of breathing and basic movements and poses
Vinyasa: Series of poses that flow together
Power: Higher intensity and faster paced, designed to build muscle
Ashtanga: Special breathing techniques with poses
Bikram: A series of more difficult poses done in a hot room, also known as “hot yoga”
Iyengar: Incorporates items such as straps, blocks and chairs to assist with proper movements and alignments
Yoga is a fantastic physical exercise that targets your core, arms, legs, glutes, and back depending on the techniques you use. It also focuses a lot on flexibility and strength training in a low-impact format. Each type of yoga can be done in a range of difficulties, and can also be done just about anywhere.
There are many studies that indicate some yoga practices could be helpful in managing stress, anxiety and depression, as well as more physical health conditions such as back pain, improving quality of life during cancer, post-stroke conditions, ulcerative colitis, and rheumatoid arthritis. It has also been found that yoga may improve memory and brain function, emotional responses, and possibly help improve mental flexibility and awareness. Yoga might also aid in reducing some risk factors of heart disease such as blood pressure, BMI (body mass index) and cholesterol.
There are a wide range of studies done to identify yoga as a potentially beneficial practice for one’s health. In short, studies show the possibility that yoga can aid with physical, mental and even emotional health and wellbeing. (See Disclaimer at the end of our study.)
What is Meditation?
Meditation can be compared to intentional contemplation, pondering, reflection or even prayer. Culturally, meditation is the practice of intentionally clearing one’s mind. Spiritually meditations would be the practice of prayer and contemplation of God and His Word. Most sources identify it as intense concentration on something to promote calmness, relaxation, or even spiritual growth.
Traditionally, meditation is also said to stem from ancient Indian origins, but it is also something that is believed to have been practiced throughout human life. We see that “meditation” and its concept is found in the Bible from Genesis to Revelation.
And Isaac went out to meditate in the field toward evening. And he lifted up his eyes and saw, and behold, there were camels coming. Genesis 24:63 ESV
This Book of the Law shall not depart from your mouth, but you shall meditate on it day and night, so that you may be careful to do according to all that is written in it. For then you will make your way prosperous, and then you will have good success. Joshua 1:8 ESV
but his delight is in the law of the Lord, and on his law he meditates day and night. Psalms 1:2 ESV
My eyes are awake before the watches of the night, that I may meditate on your promise. Psalm 119:148 ESV
Strong's H7878 - siyach - (Polel) to meditate, consider, put forth thoughts
I remember the days of old; I meditate on all that you have done; I ponder the work of your hands. Psalm 143:5 ESV
Strong's H2142 - zakar - to remember, recall, call to mind
Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewal of your mind, that by testing you may discern what is the will of God, what is good and acceptable and perfect. Romans 12:2 ESV
Strong's G3339 - metamorphoō - to change into another form, to transform, to transfigure
Christ appearance was changed and was resplendent with divine brightness on the mount of transfiguration
Strong's G342 - anakainōsis - a renewal, renovation, complete change for the better
Strong's G3563 - nous - the mind, comprising alike the faculties of perceiving and understanding and those of feeling, judging, determining
Finally, brothers, whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is just, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is commendable, if there is any excellence, if there is anything worthy of praise, think about these things. Philippians 4:8 ESV
Strong's G3049 - logizomai - by reckoning up all the reasons to gather or infer
to consider, take account, weigh, meditate on
Remember, then, what you received and heard. Keep it, and repent. If you will not wake up, I will come like a thief, and you will not know at what hour I will come against you. Revelation 3:3 ESV
Strong's G3421 - mnēmoneuō - to be mindful of, to remember, to call to mind
“1. To keep the mind in a state of contemplation; to dwell on anything in thought; to think seriously; to muse; to cogitate; to reflect.
2. To contemplate; to keep the mind fixed upon; to study.
3. To purpose; to intend; to design; to plan by revolving in the mind; as, to meditate a war.”
Typically people hear the term “meditation” and immediately think of it in relation to Buddhism, but meditation is not in itself a Buddhist practice. However it is something Buddhist’s practice in a way that focuses on freeing the mind to create “space”. Our culture leans toward meditation as a practice of clearing your mind, but meditation is not about “zoning out, or having earth-shattering experiences, or even controlling the mind” as Mind Works explains. Meditation, when used Biblically, is to train your mind according to God’s Word and improve your awareness of and connection with God. It is about contemplating or dwelling on God with intention and a prayerful heart.
Watch over your heart with all diligence, For from it flow the springs of life.
Have nothing to do with irreverent, silly myths. Rather train yourself for godliness; for while bodily training is of some value, godliness is of value in every way, as it holds promise for the present life and also for the life to come.
Meditation has also been studied as to its medical benefits. It has earned a reputation for helping manage anxiety and stress, and improve mental health. It may promote self awareness and help in training your mind to be more intentionally positive, fighting off negative thoughts about one’s self or others. There are studies to indicate it might be helpful with sleep and fighting addictions, as well as reducing pain.
Behold, I will bring to it health and healing, and I will heal them and reveal to them abundance of prosperity and security.
do not be anxious about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God. 7 And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.
While we find many variations of “meditation” from the original languages, they all circle back to the concept of pondering or contemplating, and can also be described as the transforming renewal of the mind such as we find in
What are the "spiritual" aspects of yoga and meditation?
Yoga and meditation are traditionally said to stem from Hindu, Buddhist and Jainist origins and as such the spiritual aspects taught in many traditional settings relate back to these roots. The traditional spiritual focus of both is to “unite” one’s mind and body with the inner self as well as being a form of worship and prayer.
While the traditions arise from these cultures, it is important to understand that yoga and meditation in themselves are not religious practices, therefore when you come across practices that include techniques considered in themselves to be Hindu, Buddhist or Jainist that is the individual’s choice of bringing that into the practice, not the practice itself.
Should Christians practice yoga & meditation?
Here is where the controversy and difficulty occurs. Yoga and meditation are derived from Hindu and Buddhist origins, and as such both practices can come from a variety of sources and teachers that will feed back to these traditions. The question arises whether you can practice yoga or meditation without the influence of their Hindu and Buddhist roots.
Take care lest your heart be deceived, and you turn aside and serve other gods and worship them;
Much like when picking a church or a study group you must ensure that they are Biblically accurate and honoring God, that is what must be done when choosing a yoga or meditation practice as well as in every other area of our lives. That said, a Christian can easily reject the false gods that other cultures bring into their practice, as well as the dangerous teachings of “clearing one’s mind” and being focused on one’s self, and instead intentionally focus on God Almighty in their practice to pray, worship and meditate on Him and His Word.
God uses all things for the good of those who love Him, and much like so many of the things we do and practice every day, God can and does take things from other cultures, religions, and purposes and turns them into something good for us as His children.
And we know that for those who love God all things work together for good, for those who are called according to his purpose.
Give your servant therefore an understanding mind to govern your people, that I may discern between good and evil, for who is able to govern this your great people?”
Whether a Christian should practice yoga or meditation truly lies with the individual and their relationship with God. What I mean by this is that as you grow in your faith, your relationship with God, and your knowledge of God's Word, you are better able to discern what is of the world and what is from God. For example, I have personally practiced yoga off and on for years and began before I knew Christ and was saved. I easily fell into the "emptying your mind" and finding "my center" commentary in a lot of the videos I watched and was always left spiritually confused.
Now that I am anchored in my faith in Jesus and much more knowledgeable about scripture I understand that those parts of the practice are dangerous to one's faith and relationship with the One True God, BUT I also recognize that this is an opportunity for God to use something unexpected for His good. I have changed the sources and teachers I use for my practice and strive to only learn and practice from sources that do not violate God’s commands and His Word.
'And we know that for those who love God all things work together for good, for those who are called according to his purpose. '
While yoga and meditation may be derived from unBiblical traditions, the practices themselves are not unBiblical. Biblical meditation happens when we intentionally focus on God and His Word, and allow the mind to be renewed and transformed by it. Looking at the potential benefits of the practices can be overwhelmingly positive and maybe even helpful to one's mental and physical health. As such, we can incorporate Biblical meditation into a yoga practice, replacing the cultural and unBiblical methods, traditions and techniques, and use both practices Biblically to strengthen our connection and relationship with God and His Word, as well as honor Him with our bodies.
Do you not know that you are God's temple and that God's Spirit dwells in you?
There are so many things in this world that have been perverted, warped, and used to place rifts between people and God. Like anything else in this world these practices can be used that way, or they can be used with the fully conscious intention to serve, worship, and meditate on God with our whole being while we surrender our complete health - mind, body and soul - to Him.
Then once more you shall see the distinction between the righteous and the wicked, between one who serves God and one who does not serve him.
I use both yoga and meditation to focus on my relationship with God, as I strive to do in all things. I believe the answer to our question is that we should do all that we do fully intent on bringing God glory and praise. We should be surrendering to and relying on Him completely in every aspect of our lives and if He has given us the gift of meditation and yoga then we must set the intention every time we practice to serve Him completely in it. This is a constant and vital intention we must set for ourselves every single day in literally everything we do, these practices being no exception.
When we consider all of this and the fact God uses all things for the good of those who love Him, we can discern that by using these practices in ways that honor and glorify God, and to strengthen our relationship, focus and reliance on Him, they can be good for us and our faith.
Oh how I love your law! It is my meditation all the day.
Finally, brothers, whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is just, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is commendable, if there is any excellence, if there is anything worthy of praise, think about these things.
Christians can and should absolutely meditate on God, His Word, and in prayer and worship to Him every single day, in all things. The techniques of yoga are primarily stretches, breathing, strength training, and low impact movements designed to calm the mind and body. Meditation is intentional concentration on something specific. As such, they can be beautiful practices done Biblically to slow yourself down, take care of your physical and mental health, while also giving that time and practice to the One True God, using that time to pray, worship and meditate on Him.
Disclaimer:
The author is not a medical professional. This post is for information purposes only and is not a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis or treatment. By providing the information contained herein we are not diagnosing, treating, curing, mitigating, or preventing any type of disease or medical condition. Before beginning any type of treatment regimen, it is advisable to seek the advice of a licensed healthcare professional. Any application of the information provided is at the reader's discretion and is his or her own responsibility.
The grace of God is something that will never fully be grasped and understood by human beings, but God shares with us throughout His Word what it is and how we receive it. There are some important factors to consider, several of which are defined by Easton’s Bible Dictionary.
What is Grace?
One of the most important facts we must come to accept in this life is that each and every one of us are sinners who deserve punishment for our sins. We were created by God, for God, and we constantly dishonor and disobey Him.
While this is most certainly true, God still loves us so much that He sent His Son to take our punishment and die for our sins so that we could be forgiven and be free of the power of sin and eternal separation from Him. He literally sent His Son to die in our place so we can be restored to Him, through His resurrection. This is the grace of God.
Therefore, since we have been justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ. Through him we have also obtained access by faith into this grace in which we stand, and we rejoice in hope of the glory of God. Not only that, but we rejoice in our sufferings, knowing that suffering produces endurance, and endurance produces character, and character produces hope, and hope does not put us to shame, because God’s love has been poured into our hearts through the Holy Spirit who has been given to us. For while we were still weak, at the right time Christ died for the ungodly. For one will scarcely die for a righteous person—though perhaps for a good person one would dare even to die— but God shows his love for us in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us. Since, therefore, we have now been justified by his blood, much more shall we be saved by him from the wrath of God. For if while we were enemies we were reconciled to God by the death of his Son, much more, now that we are reconciled, shall we be saved by his life. More than that, we also rejoice in God through our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom we have now received reconciliation.
who saved us and called us to a holy calling, not because of our works but because of his own purpose and grace, which he gave us in Christ Jesus before the ages began,
Because of His grace, we are offered salvation, through which we can rest in the favor of God and be counted as His friends and children. His grace is not because of anything we could do or earn, but purely because of the works done by Christ because of the mighty grace of God. God favors us with His kindness and friendship, and in so doing gives us grace to reconcile us to Him.
“O Lord, if I have found favor in your sight, do not pass by your servant.
Behold, your servant has found favor in your sight, and you have shown me great kindness in saving my life. But I cannot escape to the hills, lest the disaster overtake me and I die.
No longer do I call you servants, for the servant does not know what his master is doing; but I have called you friends, for all that I have heard from my Father I have made known to you.
God’s grace is also His forgiving mercy. This speaks to His loving-kindness which steps in on our behalf through the sacrifice and fulfillment of the Law in Jesus, and awards us salvation through His blood. God exerts His holy influence on us to turn us to Christ and increase our faith, love, knowledge and Christian virtues. Through His forgiving mercy we receive grace. We do not receive His grace by our own works, but the works of Christ.
But if it is by grace, it is no longer on the basis of works; otherwise grace would no longer be grace. Romans 11:6 ESV
Strong's G5485 - charis - of the merciful kindness by which God, exerting his holy influence upon souls, turns them to Christ, keeps, strengthens, increases them in Christian faith, knowledge, affection, and kindles them to the exercise of the Christian virtues
But God, being rich in mercy, because of the great love with which he loved us, even when we were dead in our trespasses, made us alive together with Christ— by grace you have been saved— and raised us up with him and seated us with him in the heavenly places in Christ Jesus, so that in the coming ages he might show the immeasurable riches of his grace in kindness toward us in Christ Jesus. For by grace you have been saved through faith. And this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God, not a result of works, so that no one may boast. For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand, that we should walk in them. Ephesians 2:4-10 ESV
Let us then with confidence draw near to the throne of grace, that we may receive mercy and find grace to help in time of need. Hebrews 4:16 ESV
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The gospel versus the law
In Galatians we see that believers were under immense pressure from legalistic Jews who rejected the gospel of grace and clung to the Mosaic Law for their salvation. Paul then took the opportunity to explain to the Galatians the differences between grace and the Law of Moses, and their approaches to God.
We receive grace through the works of Christ, and also through His works He fulfilled the Law of Moses. This does not mean that the Law is no longer relevant, but instead that the way it applies to us has evolved as we receive salvation through Christ and grace from God.
'yet we know that a person is not justified by works of the law but through faith in Jesus Christ, so we also have believed in Christ Jesus, in order to be justified by faith in Christ and not by works of the law, because by works of the law no one will be justified.
There are specific Mosaic Laws that were very specific in detail to specific people in a specific time, and while the specific intentions are not relevant to us now because of the sacrifice of Christ, those Laws still provide wisdom for the current-day Christian life.
Look: I, Paul, say to you that if you accept circumcision, Christ will be of no advantage to you. I testify again to every man who accepts circumcision that he is obligated to keep the whole law. You are severed from Christ, you who would be justified by the law; you have fallen away from grace. For through the Spirit, by faith, we ourselves eagerly wait for the hope of righteousness. For in Christ Jesus neither circumcision nor uncircumcision counts for anything, but only faith working through love.
Paul is telling us, as well as the original audience of Professing Jewish Christians, that if you remain under the Law and sever yourselves from Christ, then you are rejecting or “falling away” from grace. In other words, if you reject Christ to remain in the Law of Moses, you also reject Christ and the grace that comes from accepting His works and salvation.
But now the righteousness of God has been manifested apart from the law, although the Law and the Prophets bear witness to it— the righteousness of God through faith in Jesus Christ for all who believe. For there is no distinction: for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, and are justified by his grace as a gift, through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus, whom God put forward as a propitiation by his blood, to be received by faith. This was to show God's righteousness, because in his divine forbearance he had passed over former sins. It was to show his righteousness at the present time, so that he might be just and the justifier of the one who has faith in Jesus. Then what becomes of our boasting? It is excluded. By what kind of law? By a law of works? No, but by the law of faith. For we hold that one is justified by faith apart from works of the law. Or is God the God of Jews only? Is he not the God of Gentiles also? Yes, of Gentiles also, since God is one—who will justify the circumcised by faith and the uncircumcised through faith. Do we then overthrow the law by this faith? By no means! On the contrary, we uphold the law.
And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us, and we have seen his glory, glory as of the only Son from the Father, full of grace and truth. (John bore witness about him, and cried out, “This was he of whom I said, ‘He who comes after me ranks before me, because he was before me.’”) For from his fullness we have all received, grace upon grace. For the law was given through Moses; grace and truth came through Jesus Christ. No one has ever seen God; the only God, who is at the Father's side, he has made him known.
Humble yourselves, therefore, under the mighty hand of God so that at the proper time he may exalt you, casting all your anxieties on him, because he cares for you. Be sober-minded; be watchful. Your adversary the devil prowls around like a roaring lion, seeking someone to devour. Resist him, firm in your faith, knowing that the same kinds of suffering are being experienced by your brotherhood throughout the world. And after you have suffered a little while, the God of all grace, who has called you to his eternal glory in Christ, will himself restore, confirm, strengthen, and establish you. To him be the dominion forever and ever. Amen.
As we have covered thus far, grace is a gift from God through the acceptance of the salvation offered to us in Christ. Through this gift of grace, God also provides each of us with special gifts in order to further His mission and plan while we remain in this life. Each individual is responsible for their overall call as a Christian as well as the unique individual callings God blesses them with.
For by grace you have been saved through faith. And this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God,
God provides us with different gifts to use within those responsibilities in order to help us fulfill the callings we’ve been given. Some of the primary gifts an individual can receive are classified as the gifts of divine wisdom, exhortation, special teaching abilities, extraordinary faith, and even the ability to give liberally. All Christians are called to have faith, mercy, and discernment, live generously, as well as help, teach and exhort one another.
But on some points I have written to you very boldly by way of reminder, because of the grace given me by God to be a minister of Christ Jesus to the Gentiles in the priestly service of the gospel of God, so that the offering of the Gentiles may be acceptable, sanctified by the Holy Spirit. In Christ Jesus, then, I have reason to be proud of my work for God. For I will not venture to speak of anything except what Christ has accomplished through me to bring the Gentiles to obedience—by word and deed, by the power of signs and wonders, by the power of the Spirit of God—so that from Jerusalem and all the way around to Illyricum I have fulfilled the ministry of the gospel of Christ;
While God gives us these gifts out of His grace we must remember again that we could never earn them, we don’t deserve them, and we are called to use them for Him. Not everyone will share all the same gifts, or be called to use them all in the same ways. We must lean into His grace to discern how God calls us individually to use the blessings and gifts He’s given to each of us.
Having gifts that differ according to the grace given to us, let us use them: if prophecy, in proportion to our faith; if service, in our serving; the one who teaches, in his teaching; the one who exhorts, in his exhortation; the one who contributes, in generosity; the one who leads, with zeal; the one who does acts of mercy, with cheerfulness.
But by the grace of God I am what I am, and his grace toward me was not in vain. On the contrary, I worked harder than any of them, though it was not I, but the grace of God that is with me.
Of this gospel I was made a minister according to the gift of God’s grace, which was given me by the working of his power. To me, though I am the very least of all the saints, this grace was given, to preach to the Gentiles the unsearchable riches of Christ,
Through the grace of God and salvation of Christ, we are transformed by the Holy Spirit dwelling in us and begin to live more like Christ and less like the world. We are then set apart, different, and begin to display and grow in Christian virtues, also known more simply as the fruits of the Spirit. As we grow in faith we grow more fruits.
Love is patient and kind; love does not envy or boast; it is not arrogant or rude. It does not insist on its own way; it is not irritable or resentful; it does not rejoice at wrongdoing, but rejoices with the truth. Love bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things.
But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control; against such things there is no law.
But as you excel in everything—in faith, in speech, in knowledge, in all earnestness, and in our love for you — see that you excel in this act of grace also.
From the grace of God also comes the hope of what is to come. Once we accept Christ and receive God’s grace, we receive a promise of the hope of eternity with God. This is the glory that is coming - that on the day of ultimate salvation when we are face-to-face with our Savior, we will be glorified in His coming Kingdom.
For those whom he foreknew he also predestined to be conformed to the image of his Son, in order that he might be the firstborn among many brothers.
Therefore, preparing your minds for action, and being sober-minded, set your hope fully on the grace that will be brought to you at the revelation of Jesus Christ. As obedient children, do not be conformed to the passions of your former ignorance, but as he who called you is holy, you also be holy in all your conduct, since it is written, “You shall be holy, for I am holy.”
The grace of God is a gift that none of us can earn, none of us deserve, and that we receive once we’ve accepted Christ and His works, as well as the salvation His works provide for us. His grace is a mark of His favor, kindness and friendship toward us, as well as a display of His forgiving mercy. Through His grace we are able to grow in faith and wisdom, begin to live out His callings for us using the gracious gifts we are given, and prepare for His coming glory. His grace is sufficient for all of our needs, and we are called to lean in and rely on His grace above all else.
But he said to me, "My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness." Therefore I will boast all the more gladly of my weaknesses, so that the power of Christ may rest upon me.
Sin is to miss the mark, or to commit error against God. We commit sin when we disobey God, or go against His commands for us. In order to understand sin, we must recognize what God commands of us.
The first people, Adam and Eve, gave in to temptation, disobeying God’s command for them. This led to the Great Fall; the curse of sin and death on all of humanity. From then on, all of humanity has been enslaved to the power of sin.
'Now the serpent was more crafty than any other beast of the field that the Lord God had made. He said to the woman, “Did God actually say, ‘You shall not eat of any tree in the garden’?” And the woman said to the serpent, “We may eat of the fruit of the trees in the garden, but God said, ‘You shall not eat of the fruit of the tree that is in the midst of the garden, neither shall you touch it, lest you die.’” But the serpent said to the woman, “You will not surely die. For God knows that when you eat of it your eyes will be opened, and you will be like God, knowing good and evil.” So when the woman saw that the tree was good for food, and that it was a delight to the eyes, and that the tree was to be desired to make one wise, she took of its fruit and ate, and she also gave some to her husband who was with her, and he ate. Then the eyes of both were opened, and they knew that they were naked. And they sewed fig leaves together and made themselves loincloths. '
Thankfully, God created a plan to restore us to Him and defeat the power of sin over us. He gives us the choice to accept His plan - to choose for ourselves to love and obey Him, out of faith in who He is and the divine works He has done through Jesus and continues to do for us every day. Humans caused sin to enter the world, but God made the Way to be reconciled to Him. Salvation through acceptance of Jesus Christ is the only way for the power of sin to be defeated over us.
Whoever believes in the Son has eternal life; whoever does not obey the Son shall not see life, but the wrath of God remains on him.
'because, if you confess with your mouth that Jesus is Lord and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved. For with the heart one believes and is justified, and with the mouth one confesses and is saved. For the Scripture says, “Everyone who believes in him will not be put to shame.” '
God provides commands for us in how to live once we have accepted His free gift of salvation and He expects us to learn His commands and obey them. Again, to sin is to miss the mark and error against God, or to disobey His commands. In Exodus we see the ten commandments God gives us, and later in Matthew we see Jesus summarize these commands again, reiterating their continued relevance and importance in our lives.
'“You shall have no other gods before Me.
“You shall not make for yourself a carved image—any likeness of anything that is in heaven above, or that is in the earth beneath, or that is in the water under the earth; you shall not bow down to them nor serve them. For I, the Lord your God, am a jealous God, visiting the iniquity of the fathers upon the children to the third and fourth generations of those who hate Me, but showing mercy to thousands, to those who love Me and keep My commandments.
“You shall not take the name of the Lord your God in vain, for the Lord will not hold him guiltless who takes His name in vain.
“Remember the Sabbath day, to keep it holy. Six days you shall labor and do all your work, but the seventh day is the Sabbath of the Lord your God. In it you shall do no work: you, nor your son, nor your daughter, nor your male servant, nor your female servant, nor your cattle, nor your stranger who is within your gates. For in six days the Lord made the heavens and the earth, the sea, and all that is in them, and rested the seventh day. Therefore the Lord blessed the Sabbath day and hallowed it.
“Honor your father and your mother, that your days may be long upon the land which the Lord your God is giving you.
“You shall not murder.
“You shall not commit adultery.
“You shall not steal.
“You shall not bear false witness against your neighbor.
“You shall not covet your neighbor’s house; you shall not covet your neighbor’s wife, nor his male servant, nor his female servant, nor his ox, nor his donkey, nor anything that is your neighbor’s.”'
In Matthew we see Jesus questioned about which commandment is the greatest, and He responds by essentially bringing the ten commandments together under the commandments to love God with your whole self, and love others. Not only are we called to love God and love people, but if we truly love Him we will also be obedient to all of His commandments.
'Jesus said to him, “ ‘You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your mind.’ This is the first and great commandment. And the second is like it: ‘You shall love your neighbor as yourself.’ On these two commandments hang all the Law and the Prophets.”'
In failing to love the way He commands us to, we fall into a snowball effect of sin in other areas of our lives and other commands Christ gives us. We should strive to learn more about His Word, commands, instructions, and His love every day in order to better combat sin in our lives and truly rest in the salvation of Christ. When we fail to do this, we allow sin to creep into our lives and take hold, which is dangerous to our relationship with and faith in Christ, and the benefits thereof.
And after you have suffered a little while, the God of all grace, who has called you to his eternal glory in Christ, will himself restore, confirm, strengthen, and establish you.
But he said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.” Therefore I will boast all the more gladly of my weaknesses, so that the power of Christ may rest upon me.
Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly, teaching and admonishing one another in all wisdom, singing psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, with thankfulness in your hearts to God.
Throughout scripture, we are given many further instructions in how to live the way God expects us to, primarily being called to live as Christ as our example. If we love God the way He calls us to, accept His Son and His salvation, truly repent of our sin, and commit to living our lives for Him, God will forgive us and bless us with the gift of His Spirit. We are washed clean of our sins and the power it once had over us is broken, and His Spirit dwells in us to serve as a guide in living according to the will of God.
And we are witnesses to these things, and so is the Holy Spirit, whom God has given to those who obey him.
'Let us hear the conclusion of the whole matter: Fear God and keep His commandments, For this is man’s all. For God will bring every work into judgment, Including every secret thing, Whether good or evil.'
From the moment someone is saved sin now becomes a choice as you are no longer enslaved to it. We are then called to lean into the power of Christ, grow a fruitful, personal relationship with Jesus out of our love for Him, and allow the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit to help us fight off temptation and sin in our lives.
'Examine yourselves as to whether you are in the faith. Test yourselves. Do you not know yourselves, that Jesus Christ is in you?—unless indeed you are disqualified. '
It is vital that we understand what love means to God in order to fully understand what He is commanding us to do, and how to fight sin. If we do not understand God’s definition of love, we are missing the point and missing the mark. If there is no love as He defines for us, life and faith are empty. God gives us His definition of love in 1 Corinthians. In Galatians 5, we see the fruit of the Spirit that is displayed in us as evidence of a true faith out of love.
'If I give away all I have, and if I deliver up my body to be burned, but have not love, I gain nothing. Love is patient and kind; love does not envy or boast; it is not arrogant or rude. It does not insist on its own way; it is not irritable or resentful; it does not rejoice at wrongdoing, but rejoices with the truth. Love bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things. '
'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. But if you are led by the Spirit, you are not under the law. Now the works of the flesh are evident: sexual immorality, impurity, sensuality, idolatry, sorcery, enmity, strife, jealousy, fits of anger, rivalries, dissensions, divisions, envy, drunkenness, orgies, and things like these. I warn you, as I warned you before, that those who do such things will not inherit the kingdom of God. But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control; against such things there is no law. And those who belong to Christ Jesus have crucified the flesh with its passions and desires.If we live by the Spirit, let us also keep in step with the Spirit.Let us not become conceited, provoking one another, envying one another.'
God has called us to love Him, obey Him out of that love, love people, and also defines what kind of love He is calling us to. He also goes on to explain another part of loving people is to help others not fall into sin, and to come alongside one another, exhorting one another to love and good works.
'Let us hold fast the confession of our hope without wavering, for he who promised is faithful. And let us consider how to stir up one another to love and good works, not neglecting to meet together, as is the habit of some, but encouraging one another, and all the more as you see the Day drawing near. For if we go on sinning deliberately after receiving the knowledge of the truth, there no longer remains a sacrifice for sins, but a fearful expectation of judgment, and a fury of fire that will consume the adversaries. '
In loving people, we are called to fellowship with other believers, and be learning and growing in faith all the time in order to strengthen ourselves and the Body of Christ against the temptations of sin and in our understanding and knowledge of the Truth. We have a responsibility to, in God’s love, meet together, speak up when we see a sibling in Christ going astray, and encourage them to stand firm in faith.
'If anyone sees his brother committing a sin not leading to death, he shall ask, and God will give him life—to those who commit sins that do not lead to death. There is sin that leads to death; I do not say that one should pray for that. All wrongdoing is sin, but there is sin that does not lead to death. '
'Brothers, if anyone is caught in any transgression, you who are spiritual should restore him in a spirit of gentleness. Keep watch on yourself, lest you too be tempted. '
We should be spending time in prayer and God’s Word daily, both personally as well as with others in the Body, in order to strengthen our relationship with God, and combat sin. The more we seek with our whole self to learn more of God and His word, the stronger we become against sin. As we grow stronger, there will be increasing evidence of our faith inherently in our lives as we produce more fruit of the Spirit in our relationships.
By this it is evident who are the children ofGod, and who are the children ofthe devil: whoever does not practice righteousness isnotofGod, nor isthe one who does notlove his brother.
'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. '
'for everyone who lives on milk is unskilled in the word of righteousness, since he is a child. But solid food is for the mature, for those who have their powers of discernment trained by constant practice to distinguish good from evil.'
We have a responsibility to hear God’s truth ourselves and accept it, and then to share it with others. He tells us that if we love Him, we will obey Him. If we obey Him out of love, we will produce His love and fruits in our lives as evidence that we are His. If we do not love as He calls, all that we do is for nothing. We can speak all the truth of scripture, but if it is not done in love there is nothing to gain - it is empty, fruitless, and unhelpful.
If we do not walk in the love of the Lord and others, we are guilty of sin against God and this will trickle into further areas of our lives. First comes the love of God, then love of people, and through this love, we are able to grow in faith, learn to combat sin better, and bear His good fruits with the world.
This week’s study came at a time I really needed the reminder of the importance of rest. As a parent, during this pandemic especially, the concept of rest seems remote and unreachable all too often, and really as a human being living in a broken world, it feels much the same on a larger scale. I personally have worked hard to keep my Sabbath day full of rest and worship and use it to study and learn more about God with my family. This week, though, the temptations of the to-do list won and we ended our Sabbath drained, having had no real rest at all.
'And on the seventh day God finished his work that he had done, and he rested on the seventh day from all his work that he had done. So God blessed the seventh day and made it holy, because on it God rested from all his work that he had done in creation. '
Taking a Sabbath rest is about resting with God, and dedicating time to worshipping, honoring, and focusing on Him. It is not only vital to our relationship with Him, but also a command from God who set the example for us in the days of Creation. On the seventh day God rested from all the work He had done the previous six days.
Also noteworthy is that while God was resting, this seems to be when Adam and Eve committed the first sin that resulted in all of humanity being cursed by the Fall. God is all-knowing, so He knew what would happen ahead of time but He took His rest, came back, and handled the problems that occurred while He was resting. Upon returning to work He implemented the necessary disciplines and made a long-term plan to fix the problem.
As someone who can be classified often as a workaholic, taking a break from the work knowing things will pile up, some things may go wrong, and I will likely return to some kind of problem leaves me thinking “why on earth would I take a break knowing things will go wrong?” Simple - God knows every problem that will ever occur and is in control of it all.
He has a plan, and even the problems we face in our work, as well as life in general, will be used for good. I’ve found that many of the problems I face are used to strengthen me and strengthen my trust in God. If I do not take the needed time to rest, though, I am less likely to see this and I will be less effective for God and the work He has given me to do.
And the Lord said to Moses, “You are to speak to the people of Israel and say, ‘Above all you shall keep my Sabbaths, for this is a sign between me and you throughout your generations, that you may know that I, the Lord, sanctify you. You shall keep the Sabbath, because it is holy for you. Everyone who profanes it shall be put to death. Whoever does any work on it, that soul shall be cut off from among his people. Six days shall work be done, but the seventh day is a Sabbath of solemn rest, holy to the Lord . Whoever does any work on the Sabbath day shall be put to death. Therefore the people of Israel shall keep the Sabbath, observing the Sabbath throughout their generations, as a covenant forever. It is a sign forever between me and the people of Israel that in six days the Lord made heaven and earth, and on the seventh day he rested and was refreshed.’”
Many of the rules that have been named for the Sabbath were from man, not from God, and the intention of the Sabbath is often missed. God gave the Israelites the command to keep the Sabbath holy. The intentions of the various boundaries God laid out were to help us put work aside and focus on God as our priority, allowing us to enter into His rest and grow in our faith and relationship with Him.
When we prioritize relational and spiritual growth with our Heavenly Father we are refilled, refreshed, and restored by and to Him - we get the rest for our souls that we need in order to do His work and remain focused on Him, clinging to Him as our anchor in all things.
Much like the Israelites, and similar to the threat of death Adam and Eve faced with eating from the tree of knowledge, if we choose not to prioritize our rest with God we will drift from Him, lose focus, and eventually experience the spiritual death that comes with separation from God. If God is truly our priority, we truly trust Him, we will rest in Him cling to Him so that we can be more effective in the work He has given us.
And he said to them, “The Sabbath was made for man, not man for the Sabbath.
God knows we need to be refreshed and He also wants us to understand that He's the only way to find rest for our souls, one of the many blessings we receive with the incredible gift of salvation. When I first came into my relationship with Christ I instantly experienced an insane peace that was far beyond my understanding, but I have learned that in order for that peace to be constant it takes work. Just as a relationship takes intention, communication, and time - so does our relationship with Jesus and the benefits of that relationship.
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Sometimes we need to hand over to Him what we think we need to be doing and rest in what He says we should be doing. God gives each of us a calling, our designated work to do. Learning to discipline myself in coming back to the Lord over and over again as my source of instruction, life and sustenance has helped me to learn what He has called me to, and to recognize His voice and work, presence, and will for my life.
Constantly resting with God allows me to be reminded of and refocused on His right path for me. It helps me to stay the course of the work He has given me rather than getting caught in the trap thinking I need to do more than I am called to. We need to rest in Him and stay in His perfect peace even while life is filled with tornados and roller coasters, and stay focused on His path in the midst of it all.
Come to me, all who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you, and learn from me, for I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light.”
He calls on us to come to Him, bring our burdens, cares, worries, concerns and questions to Him so that He will give us His rest in return. He wants to lighten our load. He wants us to trust Him with our problems and praises. He wants us to give Him our sins and our shame and replace them with peace and rejuvenation through His forgiveness and salvation. We are not good on our own, and we need to intentionally come back to Him over and over again to be restored, to clean out the gunk in our hearts, chip away the hardened spots, and soften us once again to His will and love.
I lay down and slept; I woke again, for the Lord sustained me. I will not be afraid of many thousands of people who have set themselves against me all around.
'The Lord is my shepherd; I shall not want. He makes me lie down in green pastures. He leads me beside still waters. He restores my soul. He leads me in paths of righteousness for his name’s sake. Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil, for you are with me; your rod and your staff, they comfort me. You prepare a table before me in the presence of my enemies; you anoint my head with oil; my cup overflows. Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life, and I shall dwell in the house of the Lord forever.'
He is our Shepherd, and He will lead us to still waters - but we have to choose to come, drink, and be restored. We must choose to trust and obey Him out of love, and reap the benefits of an obedient relationship with Him rather than allow our hearts to become hardened against Him, rebel, and fail to enter His beautiful gift of rest that can only be found with Him.
We can trust that if God calls on us to rest in Him, which He does, that it is for our good and it is worth the time, worth the benefits, and worth any problems that may come about during our rest, worth any correction and realignment, worth the painful softening process. If God calls us to it, He will provide for us to it, through it, and after it.
Are you trusting that God will sustain and restore you while you rest?
Are you valuing God enough to make time for Him daily, and for His Sabbath? If rest is not a priority in your life, then you will quickly become deflated. Come to the Lord and let Him refill you; let Him sustain you. Trust God with your work, your rest, your provisions, as well as with any problems you face. He will always be with you, but you must take the time to rest in Him and strengthen your relationship and reliance on Him regularly. That is where true rest can be found.
Satan's attacks can come from anywhere, at any time. They come so suddenly sometimes it can be challenging to take the hit and remain standing, and especially difficult to be unmoved by his attacks of doubt and temptation. He is a ruthless enemy, but fortunately for us we have a beautiful gift called Salvation that frees us from Satan's power. Scripture has clear instructions as to why we should not reject Christ, but accept Him and this incredible gift.
When we give ourselves over to Christ and accept His salvation we then commit to intentionally living as Christ better and better every day. Through Scripture, we learn so much about how to do this, and one essential responsibility we have to help hold us accountable to living as Christ is fellowship with other Christians.
That is, that we may be mutually encouraged by each other's faith, both yours and mine.
Sometimes Satan will penetrate our hearts and breed seeds of doubt and malice within us that lead us away from being an example of Christ, and sometimes we wander away from believers in our hearts and often in our lives entirely. When we wander from God's people we are more likely to wander from God Himself.
Two are better than one, because they have a good reward for their toil. For if they fall, one will lift up his fellow. But woe to him who is alone when he falls and has not another to lift him up! Again, if two lie together, they keep warm, but how can one keep warm alone? And though a man might prevail against one who is alone, two will withstand him—a threefold cord is not quickly broken.
Christ sets a clear example of how to be in relationship with fellow believers as well as how to hold one another accountable to our shared mission and relationship. Christ teaches that through our faith we should produce fruit in our lives that bring us and others closer to God and strengthens our faith in Him. To bear good fruit we must be filled with love for all people and above all for God, but not just any love - the true meaning of love and how we are called to love according to God.
' Love is patient and kind; love does not envy or boast; it is not arrogant or rude. It does not insist on its own way; it is not irritable or resentful; it does not rejoice at wrongdoing, but rejoices with the truth. Love bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things. Love never ends. As for prophecies, they will pass away; as for tongues, they will cease; as for knowledge, it will pass away. '
But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control; against such things there is no law.
Look through social media at any given moment and you will be overwhelmed with harsh words and opinions about how we should worship, how to fellowship theological hotpoints, and overall toxic behavior from Christians to other Christians. We’re living in a time where Christians are tearing each other apart rather than building each other up, and it leaves me thinking no wonder our world feels so dark and broken - people who have entrusted themselves to the care and guidance of Christ and His power that defeated sin are giving power back to sin. Their hearts are becoming hardened and they are drifting from the true power of salvation, and toward rejection of Christ Himself.
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But exhort one another every day, as long as it is called “today,” that none of you may be hardened by the deceitfulness of sin. For we have come to share in Christ, if indeed we hold our original confidence firm to the end.
In the book of Hebrews Christians are reminded of the importance of clinging to Christ and His example, as well as His power over sin. As we move forward in this suffering world it is harder and harder to remember that in order to cling to Christ and not reject Him and His power in our lives we must have healthy fellowship on a regular basis. This is an often sidelined responsibility in the daily life of a Christian, and when we reject or abuse fellowship with Christians we are rejecting Christ as well.
That which we have seen and heard we proclaim also to you, so that you too may have fellowship with us; and indeed our fellowship is with the Father and with his Son Jesus Christ.
And let us consider how to stir up one another to love and good works, Not neglecting to meet together, as is the habit of some, but encouraging one another, and all the more as you see the Day drawing near.
He fellowshipped with His followers daily. He taught them, loved them, was patient with them, and Jesus approached different people in unique ways that spoke to them and drew them near to Him and the Father. When questions were asked, He didn’t scream at them, point fingers, call names, act cruelly, or even try to force people to believe Him - even in His anger, He acted righteously and justly, and His anger was always as a reaction to sin.
He calls on us to treat one another in the same manner, encouraging each other and building one another up. We are called to stir fellow followers up into love and good works, not division and toxicity. We are taught to have fruitful conversations, not those that stir up strife.
Take no part in the unfruitful works of darkness, but instead expose them.
Let no corrupting talk come out of your mouths, but only such as is good for building up, as fits the occasion, that it may give grace to those who hear.
Throughout our relationship with Christ, we should live with every intention of growing in our faith, learning more about Christ and the example He sets for us and applying it every day. The Word of God is our instruction manual and from it we should be transformed daily. Throughout His Word we see constant examples and lessons of how to treat our Christ family, bearing with one another in all things, and we learn how Christ calls on us to encourage each other and hold one another accountable with and to love, gentleness, and patience. We need to seek His example more deeply and check ourselves against the example of Christ daily to ensure we are ourselves living by His example as well as encouraging others to do likewise.
Grow closer in relationship with God's people as you grow closer in example to His Son. Don't fall into the trap Satan has set for you, causing your heart to become hard and your treatment of your Christ family to be damaging. Keep your heart burning for Christ, yearning to learn more every day, and seek out His love, example, and wisdom in your relationships with His people.
Choosing Christ isn't always easy, but once we've chosen to accept Him, believe in Him, and live for Him we begin the journey into understanding this gift of salvation we've just received and its benefits. God provides us with wisdom to help us understand what salvation is, why we need it, why we should want it, and how to apply it.
What is salvation?
In the Old Testament there is a Hebrew verb “yasha” translated salvation which means help, deliver or save, and the noun version means preservation from danger or suffering. In the New Testament we find the Greek “soteria” which means deliverance, and is related to the personal, spiritual deliverance through repentance and faith in Christ.
Salvation: Personal, spiritual deliverance from sin and death; rescued from the danger of eternal separation from God
'And there is salvation in no one else, for there is no other name under heaven given among men by which we must be saved.” ' Acts 4:12 ESV
'For “everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved.” ' Romans 10:13 ESV
How does salvation occur?
Salvation occurs when we repent and place our full trust and saving faith in Jesus and begin to experience the blessings of salvation. When we do this, we are justified and regenerated by the Holy Spirit.
Repentance: A radical change from living in sin to living in Christ
'“Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is at hand.” '
'because, if you confess with your mouth that Jesus is Lord and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved. For with the heart one believes and is justified, and with the mouth one confesses and is saved. For the Scripture says, “Everyone who believes in him will not be put to shame.” '
Regeneration: Holy Spirit indwelling repentant sinners and breathing eternal life into their soul, making them new in Christ
' And you were dead in the trespasses and sins in which you once walked, following the course of this world, following the prince of the power of the air, the spirit that is now at work in the sons of disobedience— among whom we all once lived in the passions of our flesh, carrying out the desires of the body and the mind, and were by nature children of wrath, like the rest of mankind. But God, being rich in mercy, because of the great love with which he loved us, even when we were dead in our trespasses, made us alive together with Christ— by grace you have been saved— '
When we put our full faith in Christ, believe in His life, death, and resurrection, and place our full trust at His feet we have saving faith; the faith that leads to salvation. Saving faith happens when we not only trust Him, but we believe in who He is and His works, and live in a way that displays our faith, and honors Him and this gift of salvation, fully intent on setting Him as the priority in our lives and as the superior example for ourselves. Obedience to Him should be a result of our love and belief that He is the Way, Truth, and Life.
Putting our saving faith in Christ brings us into a relationship with Him, which also gives us a personal relationship and connection with our Heavenly Father who blesses us with the gift of His Spirit to guide us and change us to be more like Christ.
Why do we need salvation?
Once we repent and are justified and regenerated, we then go through the life-long process of being made holy, being gradually made whole and complete in Christ. We are called to “pick up our cross and follow after Christ” (Luke 14:26-28), meaning we must follow Christ in all things, knowing that there will be a personal cost paid sometimes but no matter how hard it gets we must continue on in faith, following Him no matter what, no matter how hard it gets, no matter who we lose in order to gain a relationship with Him who is greater than and Ruler of all things.
Sanctification: The process of spiritual growth and development by which we are purified of sins and transformed to become more like Christ, holy and complete
'So you also must consider yourselves dead to sin and alive to God in Christ Jesus. '
'“If anyone comes to me and does not hate his own father and mother and wife and children and brothers and sisters, yes, and even his own life, he cannot be my disciple. Whoever does not bear his own cross and come after me cannot be my disciple. For which of you, desiring to build a tower, does not first sit down and count the cost, whether he has enough to complete it? '
We need salvation because it is the only way to be saved from our fate of spiritual death from our sins and being eternally separated from God. If God is good and God is love then being eternally separated from Him is to be eternally separated from love and goodness. We were created to be in a relationship with Him and because sin entered the world God prepared a way to bring us back to Him. A relationship with God is the only way to be made complete, fill the voids humans experience on their own, find our purpose and the meaning for our lives, and rest in His love and goodness. In order to live a truly satisfying life, we must come into this relationship through saving faith, love, and devotion to living for Him.
'But to all who did receive him, who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God, who were born, not of blood nor of the will of the flesh nor of the will of man, but of God. '
Salvation is the only way to be made right with God and is only possible through the way He provided in the life, death, and resurrection of Jesus. Jesus was God’s chosen way of saving us, but He also gives us the choice to accept His way to Him. God did not want to force us into this relationship, instead, He wants us to choose Him out of love and gratitude to Him for all that He has done and continues to do for us.
When we've made this commitment to live as Christ, giving our lives fully to God, something incredible happens. We are restored to God and freed from slavery to sin, no longer under the power of sin which leads to spiritual death. Sin's power over us and our lives is dead and we are given God's own armor to fight against Satan and his lies. We cannot fight sin on our own, but only through the saving power of Christ.
God breathes His life into us, washing us clean from our sin in the blood of Jesus the holy and perfect sacrifice, and fills us with His Spirit, blessing us with His power, love, armor, protection, provision and promises. In accepting and believing in His Son we open the door to all that God wants to bless us with and we gain a new identity as His child. These blessings are part of the sanctification process and prepare us for the day of glorification, when we will get to be face-to-face with our Lord and Savior, having been made holy and complete in Him.
Glorification: The ultimate salvation that occurs when we are face-to-face with our Savior in His coming Kingdom.
'For those whom he foreknew he also predestined to be conformed to the image of his Son, in order that he might be the firstborn among many brothers. And those whom he predestined he also called, and those whom he called he also justified, and those whom he justified he also glorified. '
'who will transform our lowly body to be like his glorious body, by the power that enables him even to subject all things to himself. But our citizenship is in heaven, and from it we await a Savior, the Lord Jesus Christ, '
Once we begin the sanctification process we are transformed from our former self and made to be more like Christ. We should then seek God and His Word for instructions, wisdom, and relational growth. Through prayer and scripture, we get to learn more about who He is, who He calls us to be, and how we’re called to live. We are designed not only for relationship with Him but also with others in the family and body of Christ. We should spend time with God and in His word, and we should also spend time in fellowship with His people. By these means we get to come closer to Him, learn how to live better, learn to recognize God speaking and working in our lives, and also learn how to share His truth better, further, and deeper so as to grow the body of Christ for the glory of God.
God will give us each a personal mission as well as instruct us in how Christ-followers are supposed to live. We are not intended to do this alone and must always rely on God’s truth and fellowship to help us cling to our faith and not let the world pull us away, causing us to drift from Christ and neglect this gift of salvation. Anchor yourself in Christ through a strong prayer life, constant heartfelt time in His Word, and learning and growing with His people. We should spend time with Him every single day fully intent on learning to be more like Him all the time, and apply what we learn as we learn it.
'For I am not ashamed of the gospel, for it is the power of God for salvation to everyone who believes, to the Jew first and also to the Greek. '
And the Spirit of the Lord shall rest upon him, the Spirit of wisdom and understanding, the Spirit of counsel and might, the Spirit of knowledge and the fear of the Lord.
Salvation is our personal, spiritual deliverance from sin through repentance and saving faith in Jesus. We are justified through our salvation, which is to be made right with God due to our faith and regenerated by receiving the Holy Spirit who gives life to our soul. God then sanctifies us, working in us to become more like Christ every day until the day of glorification when we are completed, standing face to face with Jesus in His coming Kingdom.
Salvation is needed because it is and the only way to be saved from our fate of eternal separation from God and enter into this personal relationship with Him, receiving the sanctification and glorification that is promised. God wants us to choose His salvation because we love Him and are grateful for what He has done for our sake. We are called to live faithfully to Him, fully intent on honoring and glorifying Him and becoming more like Him all the time. Our belief in Him is to be displayed in the way we live, bearing the fruit of the Spirit in all things, sharing the truth of the gospel with others, and growing the body of Christ.
' “For God so loved the world, that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life. 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. Whoever believes in him is not condemned, but whoever does not believe is condemned already, because he has not believed in the name of the only Son of God. '
The book of Hebrews is packed full of tough but necessary lessons and reminders all Christians need to absorb. This Warning Signs series is dedicated to Christians who currently have a relationship with Christ, and walks us through some essential warnings we must heed in this relationship.
Imagine yourself an orphan. You do not know your parents, but you know you have them and you long to know them. You walk through life trying to brush it off fearing that if you seek them they will reject you, you won’t actually find them, or maybe knowing life will be different if you find them. Still, you long for them, knowing deep down they exist, but fearing what will happen if you seek them you keep going through life feeling incomplete.
We are all born with this same natural, hard-wired desire to seek and know our Creator. We long for Him, but so often we fear what will happen if we look for answers. We often acknowledge it as seeking “the meaning of life”, “my purpose”, “my calling” or even “filling the void” without realizing what we are really seeking is God; the only one who can make us whole. We were made for a relationship with Him and nothing in the world is preventing us from seeking God out and spending time with Him, except maybe our own fear of the unknowns that may come from finding the truth.
'For his invisible attributes, namely, his eternal power and divine nature, have been clearly perceived, ever since the creation of the world, in the things that have been made. So they are without excuse. '
God’s fingerprints are everywhere. He is the righteous Creator of all things, and we are connected with all of His creations through our relationship with Him. In His righteousness, the attribute of God by which He does what is right and in accordance with His law and character, He can do no wrong. He is good all the time, knows all, and is an eternal, balanced and perfect judge.
He also gives us ample opportunities through His divine guidance in our lives as well as through His Son, the image of Himself, to know Him, and to satisfy that desire we are hard-wired with to fill the void that can only be filled by a relationship with Him.
'Long ago, at many times and in many ways, God spoke to our fathers by the prophets, but in these last days he has spoken to us by his Son, whom he appointed the heir of all things, through whom also he created the world. He is the radiance of the glory of God and the exact imprint of his nature, and he upholds the universe by the word of his power. After making purification for sins, he sat down at the right hand of the Majesty on high, having become as much superior to angels as the name he has inherited is more excellent than theirs. '
Not only is God righteous, but to see the Son is to see the Father. God created all things through Jesus, the Controller, and Sustainer of everything. Christ is superior to all things, heir of all things, the brightness and glory of God, and is God. Accepting the Son and His Holy sacrifice for our sakes is how we enter into a relationship with the Father.
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'He was in the beginning with God. All things were made through him, and without him was not any thing made that was made. In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. '
'For by him all things were created, in heaven and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or dominions or rulers or authorities—all things were created through him and for him. And he is before all things, and in him all things hold together. And he is the head of the body, the church. He is the beginning, the firstborn from the dead, that in everything he might be preeminent. For in him all the fullness of God was pleased to dwell, and through him to reconcile to himself all things, whether on earth or in heaven, making peace by the blood of his cross. '
Before God sent the image of Himself to us He would speak to specific people at different times and in a variety of ways. Now, we get to have a direct line of communication with God through Jesus. In knowing Jesus we also know God, and in accepting Jesus we also enter into a relationship with God and receive His Spirit.
We begin to learn and grow in relationship with all 3 Persons of the united Godhead; God the Son, God the Father, God the Spirit. We learn how to hear Him and through relational growth, we begin to see Him showing up and working in our lives and the world around us.
'For our sake he made him to be sin who knew no sin, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God.'
'My sheep hear my voice, and I know them, and they follow me. I give them eternal life, and they will never perish, and no one will snatch them out of my hand. My Father, who has given them to me, is greater than all, and no one is able to snatch them out of the Father’s hand. I and the Father are one.” '
Through accepting Christ we are made right with God and He fills the void we feel before choosing to seek and know Him. With this we have credited His righteousness and called to live in a manner worthy of Christ's Holy sacrifice, striving to live as Christ, bear the fruit of His Spirit, and seek God every single day.
We are made whole in this newfound relationship and begin to learn the purpose for our existence, the meaning of life, which can only be found within this relationship. We can never really be worthy of this sacrifice, but we are called to try our best, living every day fully intent on living by God's law and steering clear of lawlessness and sin.
'Why then the law? It was added because of transgressions, until the offspring should come to whom the promise had been made, and it was put in place through angels by an intermediary. Now an intermediary implies more than one, but God is one. Is the law then contrary to the promises of God? Certainly not! For if a law had been given that could give life, then righteousness would indeed be by the law. But the Scripture imprisoned everything under sin, so that the promise by faith in Jesus Christ might be given to those who believe. Now before faith came, we were held captive under the law, imprisoned until the coming faith would be revealed. So then, the law was our guardian until Christ came, in order that we might be justified by faith. But now that faith has come, we are no longer under a guardian, for in Christ Jesus you are all sons of God, through faith. '
Living with the wholehearted intent to do what is right according to God's law places Christ rightly as the superior Lord over our lives, which as ironic as it sounds, is where true freedom, contentment, and comfort are found. Acknowledging Him as number one in all things is to accept His superiority and control, as well as His role as Sustainer and Provider. With this acknowledgment should come trust in His righteousness, knowing however He guides and provides we can trust Him to protect and sustain us through all of life's struggles. We can count on Him to keep His promises, have faith that He is bigger than anything and everything ever created and that He is working all things out for good even when it doesn't seem good.
'And we know that for those who love God all things work together for good, for those who are called according to his purpose. '
Christ is superior to all things because He is our righteous Creator, Sustainer, Controller, Provider and Judge. To see Christ is to see God Himself and to truly enter into that relationship is to prioritize His law in our lives out of faith, trust, and love for Him and all He has done and will ever do for us. We are given a natural longing to seek and know Him, and when we choose not to we, therefore, reject Him.
We are all called to come to Him, enter into the blessing of a relationship with our Creator, and place Him in His rightful place as righteous ruler of our lives. Through this, we will find rest for our souls and be made whole with His love. Come to the life-giving waters and drink. Refresh your spirit and be made whole in Him who died to save you and rose again as our Holy and righteous Lord.
'Now may the God of peace himself sanctify you completely, and may your whole spirit and soul and body be kept blameless at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ. '
' The law of the Lord is perfect, reviving the soul; the testimony of the Lord is sure, making wise the simple; the precepts of the Lord are right, rejoicing the heart; the commandment of the Lord is pure, enlightening the eyes; the fear of the Lord is clean, enduring forever; the rules of the Lord are true, and righteous altogether. '
'For the wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men, who by their unrighteousness suppress the truth. For what can be known about God is plain to them, because God has shown it to them. For his invisible attributes, namely, his eternal power and divine nature, have been clearly perceived, ever since the creation of the world, in the things that have been made. So they are without excuse. For although they knew God, they did not honor him as God or give thanks to him, but they became futile in their thinking, and their foolish hearts were darkened. '
What do you do when you're uncomfortable? If you're like most people, you probably avoid uncomfortable situations altogether or shy away from them as quickly as you can. We strive to be comfortable and compare it to being relaxed or at peace. For me, the idea of being comfortable often looks like snuggling up with a book, a hot cup of coffee, a nice fluffy blanket, and feeling the comfort of warmth and a good story to let my mind wander. Having courage when life gets difficult isn't always our go-to plan.
When we face uncomfortable situations, though, God often calls us to stand firm in faith and persevere through the discomfort. Trusting God in those awkward or even painful circumstances can give us a new, needed perspective to help us grow in faith and come closer to Him, where our true comfort can be found. Faith through discomfort is an act of obedience and shows we trust God.
And those who know your name put their trust in you, for you, O Lord, have not forsaken those who seek you.
When I started streaming on Twitch I was so uncomfortable, felt so out of place, and had no clue what I was doing. I knew without question God had called me to the platform to share His word, but I was not sure how. I began researching and took my time to get set up, but knowing without doubt God told me to get going I went live and did my best, trusting God would help me figure it all out. I was cautious about how I got started and how I shared His Word, but I obediently began streaming His word. I was sure of His instruction and trusted I didn't need to have it all figured out because He already did.
'Have I not commanded you? Be strong and courageous. Do not be frightened, and do not be dismayed, for the Lord your God is with you wherever you go.” '
'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. '
I stumbled and had no clue what I was doing for a long time, but I continued to trust God and knew He would tell me what to do just as confidently as I knew He called me to get started. I went faithfully and completely outside my comfort zone, persevered in the growing pains of starting to stream, starting public Bible studies, and starting a new Christian gaming community all at once. Now, nearly two years later, I am beginning to see the fruits of my obedience and better understand the value of trusting God even when it forces me to get extremely uncomfortable.
'But he said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.” Therefore I will boast all the more gladly of my weaknesses, so that the power of Christ may rest upon me. '
It took me a long time to see the fruits of persistent, faithful obedience pan out. In that nearly two year period I failed a lot. I went my own way many times. I struggled to listen to God. Every time, though, God would place something in my path that gave me a choice to get back in line with Him or continue on my own.
When I failed to heed God’s correction things would get really tough. I lost leaders, members, and opportunities along the way as God seemed to yank and pull me back to His path over and over again. In all of this I have found deep value in getting uncomfortable. I have learned even better that we must get uncomfortable so we can grow.
'I am not able to carry all this people alone; the burden is too heavy for me. '
The Israelites who were freed from Egypt failed to obey God and most ended up missing out on entering the Promised Land, much like when we fail to obey God we miss out on His blessings. It takes action on our part. We need to apply our beliefs and live like we believe. Through trust and obedience we apply our belief and live it out. It becomes part of us, changing us, and helping us to grow in faithfulness all the time.
'But someone will say, “You have faith and I have works.” Show me your faith apart from your works, and I will show you my faith by my works. '
What uncomfortable thing is God calling you to? Where is God seeking to grow you? Discomfort can be an opportunity to grow closer to God and become more like Christ. Remain faithful to God as He faithfully guides and provides for you. Don’t be like the Israelites, grumbling and complaining in their discomfort, missing the blessing and provisions, and falling into disobedience, ungratefulness, and bitterness.
If you are struggling to hear God clearly, struggling to be courageously obedient, seek God out deeper by spending more time in prayer and His Word, and remember you have an advocate in Christ. You are not tackling this alone. Christ is with you, enduring the pain and discomfort with you, and His Spirit is there to guide, correct, and comfort you through the discomfort of change and growth.
'My little children, I am writing these things to you so that you may not sin. But if anyone does sin, we have an advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous. '
'Or do you presume on the riches of his kindness and forbearance and patience, not knowing that God’s kindness is meant to lead you to repentance? But because of your hard and impenitent heart you are storing up wrath for yourself on the day of wrath when God’s righteous judgment will be revealed. '
What did you do the last time you were faced with difficult situations? Did you avoid it? Did you complain, worry or panic? Did you talk to a friend or loved one about it? Did you try to figure it out on your own? Most of us have a bad habit of handling tough circumstances in any number of these ways, and many more like them. Daniel, someone just like you and me, faced incredible peer pressure, temptation, threat, persecution, slander, and more and showed us how we should respond to threat, hardship, pain, and even the threat of death.
Decide in Difficult Situations
Sometimes God will call us to prepare, act, move or change in certain ways, and sometimes He needs us to be still. We must decide in our hearts every day to have faith that He knows our circumstances, whatever is ahead of us, and that He is bigger; that He can and will handle all of it.
We need to be faithful and obedient to Him, trusting the promises He makes to provide, protect, and work all things together for our good - even when it doesn't feel good. Don't ever assume you know what to do on your own, what's ahead, or how someone will react - commit yourself to God's instructions.
But Daniel resolved that he would not defile himself with the king's food, or with the wine that he drank. Therefore he asked the chief of the eunuchs to allow him not to defile himself. And God gave Daniel favor and compassion in the sight of the chief of the eunuchs,
Seeking God out with a desire to hear Him, to discover His truth, to learn, grow, and be nearer to Him is essential for surviving in this sinful, broken world. We need to be determined every day that we will bring everything in our life to God. Be disciplined enough in your faith and relationship with your Heavenly Father that whenever something happens, a decision needs to be made, a question needs to be asked, an emotion needs to be expressed, that He is the first one we run to and pour it all out to.
Every ounce of our life needs to be brought to God through prayer every day. The more we pray, the closer we get to Him, the stronger our relationship gets, the deeper our faith grows, the better we become as followers of Christ, and the more people we have an opportunity to pour God's grace and love all over and bring closer to Him as well. Seek God out in all things, all times, no matter who may or may not be watching, and have no fear of the world around you.
When Daniel knew that the document had been signed, he went to his house where he had windows in his upper chamber open toward Jerusalem. He got down on his knees three times a day and prayed and gave thanks before his God, as he had done previously.
Lifting up our worries to God is vital in demonstrating our faith in Him, and so is humbly seeking His forgiveness when we hold onto our worries and try to tackle our circumstances on our own. As human beings, we will certainly make mistakes, mess up, and commit sin and we need to give all of that to God as well and repent so we can come back into right standing with our Heavenly Father.
Daniel knew there was a need for this not only for himself but for his people. He knew that there was power in lifting others up to God and praying for forgiveness over them. We should remember what Jesus said as He was hanging, dying, nailed to the cross; “Forgive them, Father, for they know not what they do,” (Luke 23:34), and pray this for the world around us, and for ourselves.
Ask God to forgive you and others surrounding you, open your eyes to your mistakes, show you His will, teach you what is right, and give you the strength and perseverance for what is ahead. Even when you don’t know what you’ve done, we have much to repent for every day.
'Then I turned my face to the Lord God, seeking him by prayer and pleas for mercy with fasting and sackcloth and ashes. I prayed to the Lord my God and made confession, saying, “O Lord, the great and awesome God, who keeps covenant and steadfast love with those who love him and keep his commandments, we have sinned and done wrong and acted wickedly and rebelled, turning aside from your commandments and rules. '
Praise is an often forgotten, often discounted way to worship God. It's so easy to take credit for ourselves or immediately give someone a pat on the back when really God is the one who deserves our praises before and above anyone else. We live in a culture that teaches us we've earned what we have and are entitled to what we want, but we only have what we have because God made it so.
The only doors that open are ones God has put there and given you the tools to open them with. We have the choice, but He's paved and provided the way and deserves to be heartily thanked constantly for every bit of it. Don't forget to lift your eyes and your thanks to Him first even when we're faced with difficult situations.
Then the mystery was revealed to Daniel in a vision of the night. Then Daniel blessed the God of heaven. Daniel answered and said: "Blessed be the name of God forever and ever, to whom belong wisdom and might. He changes times and seasons; he removes kings and sets up kings; he gives wisdom to the wise and knowledge to those who have understanding; he reveals deep and hidden things; he knows what is in the darkness, and the light dwells with him. To you, O God of my fathers, I give thanks and praise, for you have given me wisdom and might, and have now made known to me what we asked of you, for you have made known to us the king's matter."
Don't take for granted and miss all the blessings he is providing for you every day. Acknowledge that God's way is always the right way and that all you have is because He made it so. Give credit where credit is due and give God all the glory, even in the face of difficult situations.
My God sent his angel and shut the lions' mouths, and they have not harmed me, because I was found blameless before him; and also before you, O king, I have done no harm."
Faith won't result in a personal victory every time, but either way, we can learn and grow stronger as we persevere and give it all to God. Our faithfulness may get us into trouble sometimes, but our faith will always get us out of it because the Lord's salvation is so complete He is with us in the fire, closing the mouths of lions, and providing all we need in everything we face. He is faithful to us and asks for faithfulness in return.
Decide in your heart to remain firm, pray to Him all day every day, praise Him for everything you have and need, and acknowledge that He is the one in control, blessing and providing, teaching and disciplining, guiding and listening. He is for you and wants you to live for Him.
' While I was speaking and praying, confessing my sin and the sin of my people Israel, and presenting my plea before the Lord my God for the holy hill of my God, while I was speaking in prayer, the man Gabriel, whom I had seen in the vision at the first, came to me in swift flight at the time of the evening sacrifice. He made me understand, speaking with me and saying, “O Daniel, I have now come out to give you insight and understanding. At the beginning of your pleas for mercy a word went out, and I have come to tell it to you, for you are greatly loved. Therefore consider the word and understand the vision. '
Sometimes it is a challenge to discern the difference between God's voice, our own, and the world's. When I came into my relationship with God I wondered how anyone could really tell if God was instructing them or not, but as I spent time in His Word, began my awkward journey of new believer prayers, and tried to navigate what on earth I'd committed myself to I began to recognize God in the world around me. God began to teach me hot to have discipline in my faith and my life.
As I read, learned and prayed I also began to listen, and to hear Him. I could feel God with me. It started out feeling small, uncertain, and confusing but over the years I have grown in my familiarity of God's presence and voice in my life.
'Then as he lay and slept under a broom tree, suddenly an angel touched him, and said to him, “Arise and eat.” But he himself went a day’s journey into the wilderness, and came and sat down under a broom tree. And he prayed that he might die, and said, “It is enough! Now, Lord , take my life, for I am no better than my fathers!” Then he looked, and there by his head was a cake baked on coals, and a jar of water. So he ate and drank, and lay down again. And the angel of the Lord came back the second time, and touched him, and said, “Arise and eat, because the journey is too great for you.” So he arose, and ate and drank; and he went in the strength of that food forty days and forty nights as far as Horeb, the mountain of God.'
In 1 Kings 19, Elijah is seeking God out, afraid and feeling very alone. Elijah received instruction from an angel of the Lord, but in his anxiety he missed it. The angel came back again, though, and continued to instruct him until eventually reminding him, as we so often need the same reminder, that sometimes the journey will be too much to do alone but God is with us always, providing what we need for the journey.
'And there he went into a cave, and spent the night in that place; and behold, the word of the Lord came to him, and He said to him, “What are you doing here, Elijah?” So he said, “I have been very zealous for the Lord God of hosts; for the children of Israel have forsaken Your covenant, torn down Your altars, and killed Your prophets with the sword. I alone am left; and they seek to take my life.”'
When the Lord had filled Elijah with His strength, Elijah set out to seek God even more. When Elijah came to the Mountain of God and God asked him what he was doing there, He seems to be reminding Elijah that no matter where he goes, God is still there with Elijah - even when he doesn’t recognize it, even when he feels alone. This question is a heart-check question for me. When I am anxious, running around my life like I have any control, like I’m facing it alone, I hear God ask me “what are you doing here? Do you know I’m with you wherever you go? Do you trust me to provide and protect you?”
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'Then He said, “Go out, and stand on the mountain before the Lord .” And behold, the Lord passed by, and a great and strong wind tore into the mountains and broke the rocks in pieces before the Lord , but the Lord was not in the wind; and after the wind an earthquake, but the Lord was not in the earthquake; and after the earthquake a fire, but the Lord was not in the fire; and after the fire a still small voice. So it was, when Elijah heard it, that he wrapped his face in his mantle and went out and stood in the entrance of the cave. Suddenly a voice came to him, and said, “What are you doing here, Elijah?” And he said, “I have been very zealous for the Lord God of hosts; because the children of Israel have forsaken Your covenant, torn down Your altars, and killed Your prophets with the sword. I alone am left; and they seek to take my life.” Then the Lord said to him: “Go, return on your way to the Wilderness of Damascus; and when you arrive, anoint Hazael as king over Syria. '
This is my favorite part of the story because it feels like a test to see if we can tell the difference between God, the world, or ourselves. Sometimes it is easy to think something is a sign from God and rush to run with it, but as we become more disciplined in our relationship with God we will be able to tell, like Elijah, where God is, what He is saying to you and calling you to.
This entire story is a reminder that sometimes we need to be still and rest, and when the time is right God will give us the strength we need to carry on and do the next thing. We cannot rely on our own strength, but instead need to be disciplined in seeking the Lord and His Word in all things.
Elijah was seeking and through his anxiety missed God’s reply a few times, but he kept seeking and finally began to recognize God’s presence with him. God will keep on guiding and providing, and when we continue to seek Him out we will become more familiar with His presence and His voice and be filled with the strength, peace, and perseverance we need that can only be found in Him.
For the moment all discipline seems painful rather than pleasant, but later it yields the peaceful fruit of righteousness to those who have been trained by it.
Training ourselves to diligently spend time in scripture on a regular basis and constantly lift our entire life up to Him takes discipline and practice, but reaps incredible rewards as our relationships with Him grow and become more comfortable and familiar. We must make a choice to change our priorities, putting God as our top priority, and place our trust in Him above anything else. Be disciplined in prayer and His Word. Through this discipline we recognize God better all the time and will be better equipped to bear the fruit of the Spirit and spread God’s love and truth in this broken, hurting world.
My son, do not despise the Lord's discipline or be weary of his reproof, for the Lord reproves him whom he loves, as a father the son in whom he delights.
'He must hold firm to the trustworthy word as taught, so that he may be able to give instruction in sound doctrine and also to rebuke those who contradict it. '
We live in a world that sees being obedient as being dominated and giving someone control over us. Our culture screams that obedience takes away freedoms and pours hate and intolerance into our world. The world teaches us that we should create our own destiny while God offers us the Way to a better destiny - through obedience to Him. There's a difference between obedience to the world and obedience to the Word, and obedience to the Word always leads us to a better destiny.
but whoever keeps his word, in him truly the love of God is perfected. By this we may know that we are in him: whoever says he abides in him ought to walk in the same way in which he walked.
God loves us so much that He paid the ultimate price, sacrificing His Son on the cross so that we may be justified and come into a right standing with Him through the salvation and acceptance of Jesus. We are so deeply loved that His blood was shed so that we could come into relationship with Him, and receive all that He wants to bless us with, and all that He promises us.
Obedience is how we show our love and gratitude to God as we are sanctified, growing spiritually, purified of sin, and learning to live more like His son who sacrificed Himself for our sake. When we express our love for our Father in Heaven this way, He fills us up with His Spirit, who is our helper as we learn to obey God’s commands and keep His Word.
But Peter and the apostles answered, “We must obey God rather than men.
If ye were of the world, the world would love his own: but because ye are not of the world, but I have chosen you out of the world, therefore the world hateth you. If the world hate you, ye know that it hated me before it hated you.
It is easy to cling to this selfish, dark, broken world. We’re seeing intense examples right now as society rips itself apart over the things we cannot have or do while this pandemic rages. We had grown so comfortable day-to-day and now God is reminding us that He is the one who gives and the one who takes away. When He is put first, above the world, above fleshly desires, above people, we open the door for Him to bless us. When we trust Him to provide all we need we will see Him show up time and again. We must cling to the provisions of the Lord and trust His promises. If He calls you to it, He’ll provide for you through it. Trust God over people, money, and things. He will never fail you, but the world always will because He is the only one in control and He provides the only Way to eternity, salvation and freedom. He provides out of love, and we are called to obey Him out of love.
'Grace and peace be multiplied to you in the knowledge of God and of Jesus our Lord, as His divine power has given to us all things that pertain to life and godliness, through the knowledge of Him who called us by glory and virtue, by which have been given to us exceedingly great and precious promises, that through these you may be partakers of the divine nature, having escaped the corruption that is in the world through lust.'
Through various seasons and trials of our lives we will stray from His Word and commands. We will lose our passion sometimes and need to regain our craving for Him. This is not a one and done, it is a daily choice. Obeying God is strengthened through practice, through acting with intentional faith, prayer, and surrender to Him again and again. We cannot accomplish this on our own, and cannot conquer the storms of life on our own. We need to spend time with Him in prayer and in His word every single day to hear from Him more, recognize His voice better, learn about Him, apply what we learn about how we’re called to live, and become stronger in our faith and trust for Him. Faith and obedience are built through obedient perseverance which builds character that glorifies Him and habits that honor Him. His commands revive our souls, provide clarity throughout life’s circumstances, give us wisdom to live by, and His Spirit will guide and remind us along the way.
And I heard the voice of the Lord say “Whom can I send? Who will go for Us?” and I said “Here I am! Send me!”
Have a heart so filled with love for the Lord that you obey His call without worrying about the mission or the cost. Grow closer to Him through prayer, His Word, His Spirit, and His salvation. Yearn for Him in all you do, and be so filled with love for Him you develop a habit of obedience and overflow with His love into the world around you. Obedience to God is an act of love and gratitude for all He does and promises. It is a beautiful gift that we have a Father in Heaven who loves us so much He takes all of life’s burdens and provides us with all we need to survive this dark, broken, sinful world.
One of the most commonly asked questions in life is "what is my purpose?" We spend years wondering what our calling in life is, and many of us spend many more years thinking we have it all figured out but still missing the vital answer to this question. We go about our days feeling like we should be content, but there's still a void we cannot seem to fill. This is a space we cannot fill on our own, and a question we cannot answer alone.
We have three essential purposes, or callings, in life. These callings set us up for a satisfying, while sometimes painful, road of discovery and fulfillment. In order to unlock a full life, fill the empty space, and satisfy the persistent question of what we must do with the time we have we must look to Jesus as our answer.
To Accept Christ
In looking to Jesus we learn that the first big purpose we are called to in life is to accept Christ as our Lord and Saviour; to acknowledge Him and choose to give our lives in service to Him. Through accepting Christ we take the first step into a close relationship with God that He desired so much He sent His Son to die so that we could have abundant life. We should seek forgiveness from our loving Heavenly Father, welcome the Holy Spirit as our guide, cast off our old selves, be transformed, and take our place within the body of Christ.
The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy. I came that they may have life and have it abundantly.
Jesus answered, “I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me. If you really know me, you will know my Father as well. From now on, you do know him and have seen him.”
As part of the united body of Christ you then begin to learn how to have abundant life through our second calling to follow Christ. There is a difference between a believer and a follower. Following Jesus means you live like you believe. Your belief becomes your lifestyle and identity. The Holy Spirit transforms you from the inside out to help you conduct yourself in a manner worthy of the glory of God and you commit to learning more about Christ and how He calls you to live differently than before you knew Him.
As we learn to live as Christ with the help of the Holy Spirit, a natural result is to produce the Fruit of the Spirit in our lives that we then share with others. Through this, we discover not only what all followers of Christ are called to, but we then open the doors to the individual paths God has built for us and calls us to.
But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, forbearance, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control. Against such things there is no law. Those who belong to Christ Jesus have crucified the flesh with its passions and desires. Since we live by the Spirit, let us keep in step with the Spirit. Let us not become conceited, provoking and envying each other.
You did not choose me, but I chose you and appointed you so that you might go and bear fruit—fruit that will last—and so that whatever you ask in my name the Father will give you. This is my command: Love each other.
Accepting and following Christ are the first callings we receive. Living a life of obedience to Christ, our third purpose, comes as we strive to learn more about Him and His ways and apply it to ourselves. As we navigate this new relationship and allow Him to transform us, we grow from immature Christians into strongholds for God's glory and are called to take His love, truth and teachings deeper into this dark world.
And the Lord will guide you continually and satisfy your desire in scorched places and make your bones strong; and you shall be like a watered garden, like a spring of water, whose waters do not fail.
God has prepared a path for each of us that is paved on the foundation of Christ and the building blocks of God's blessings and instruction, and all lead to the shared promise of eternal life in Heaven. We each receive our unique missions and opportunities every day to go out into the world in the ways and time we are guided to. Each step taken on this path is one of faith in His plan.
You make known to me the path of life; in your presence there is fullness of joy; at your right hand are pleasures forevermore.
God will bless us with skills, talents, and resources, and place us where we are so that we can put it all together with the fruit of the Spirit and use it all to honor God in the unique ways and places He calls us to. In this we establish our place in the body of Christ, taking on an essential function for the operation and furtherance of the great calling. The body of Christ is the Church, and much like a physical church has many roles needed for it to fulfill God’s plans, we perform our roles to strengthen, uphold, and add to the Church.
'For just as the body is one and has many members, and all the members of the body, though many, are one body, so it is with Christ. '
To fill the void and fulfill our life’s purpose by accepting Christ, following Him, and obediently living out the path He calls us to. To live as Christ is to live a life of love, the result of which is to be filled with the fruit of the Spirit, share that fruit with others, and help the body of Christ learn about and grow closer to Christ.
The closer we are to Christ, the more we learn, the more we grow, the stronger we become, and the more fruit we produce in the world. As we live out our callings obediently, passionately, and faithfully we step deeper into a relationship with our Heavenly Father and closer to the ultimate hope of Heaven.
Whatever we are called to in this life we should be serving the Church with all that God provides, always seek to strengthen the body of Christ, help it grow both in numbers and in faith, and stand united together, sharing the knowledge God blesses us with through experience and relationship.
'For by the grace given to me I say to everyone among you not to think of himself more highly than he ought to think, but to think with sober judgment, each according to the measure of faith that God has assigned. For as in one body we have many members, and the members do not all have the same function, so we, though many, are one body in Christ, and individually members one of another. Having gifts that differ according to the grace given to us, let us use them: if prophecy, in proportion to our faith; if service, in our serving; the one who teaches, in his teaching; the one who exhorts, in his exhortation; the one who contributes, in generosity; the one who leads, with zeal; the one who does acts of mercy, with cheerfulness. '
'And he gave the apostles, the prophets, the evangelists, the shepherds and teachers, to equip the saints for the work of ministry, for building up the body of Christ, '
'And God has appointed in the church first apostles, second prophets, third teachers, then miracles, then gifts of healing, helping, administrating, and various kinds of tongues. '
We all put our trust in something. Every one of us places high value on something that we expect to help, guide, provide, or uplift us. There is something in our lives we place as the pivotal piece of our life’s foundation, that we rest upon, rely on, have faith in. If Christ is not this cornerstone then we may as well be building our lives on shifting sand.
And the one who falls on this stone will be broken to pieces; and when it falls on anyone, it will crush him.
In Matthew 21, we see Jesus explain to the Pharisees in the form of a story that those who reject Him also reject God. Essentially, those who place anything other than Him as their pivotal foundational piece, their cornerstone, will crumble. When we place earthly things; money, popularity, position and status, material wealth and possessions, or people, above Christ, we rest our foundation on things that disappoint and disappear. Only through truly placing our trust in and resting our foundation on Christ can we come into a relationship with God and receive the blessings He has in store for us. Christ must be our cornerstone.
The stone that the builders rejected has become the cornerstone.
Putting Christ as the pivotal, strengthening piece of our foundation is a daily, constant choice. We will face countless temptations every day and fight against the societal norm in order to intentionally keep Jesus as our focus and ensure He is where our trust remains. As we strive to learn more about Him we will continue to learn more about how to live better, and also about the promises we have from God through this relationship with His Son.
'I press on toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus. '
When we make the decision to live for, live as, and learn more about Christ we discover who we are called to be. Over time we open up more and more to His instruction and receive blessings and guidance for our lives. In Matthew 25:14-30 Jesus explained, again through a story, that God blesses each of us “according to his abilities” (v. 15), just like the servants in the story. Each was blessed, but not all went and multiplied their blessings in the world. God wants us to use what He blesses us with to go out into the world and bear even more fruit so that more people will also come to know Him through His Son. As we go out in obedience to be generous, serve, and bless others, He continues to bless us in a multitude of ways.
'For to everyone who has will more be given, and he will have an abundance. But from the one who has not, even what he has will be taken away. '
We will be given opportunities to trust Jesus as our cornerstone; rely on His strength and instruction, trust His guidance even when it seems insane, lean on Him when we’re hurting, give when and how we are called to. One of the best ways to strengthen His position as your cornerstone is explained in yet another of Jesus’ stories.
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In Luke 10:25-37, after confirming God’s law to “love your neighbor” a lawyer asked Jesus in verse 29 “who is my neighbor?” Jesus answered the man by telling the now-famous story of the Good Samaritan, where a man was mugged and beaten, left half dead. Multiple people walked by the man, disregarding him, but one man, a complete stranger, a traveler himself, saw the broken man and took him to an inn where he saw to it the man was cared for. Jesus then instructed, “You go, and do likewise.” (v. 37).
So, how can we strengthen Christ as our cornerstone? By loving broken strangers; meeting people where they are on their journey, seeing them for their brokenness, but choosing to love them as God commands us to love and also loves us, with patience, kindness, and without judgement, slander, harm, arrogance, or resentment.
' Love is patient and kind; love does not envy or boast; it is not arrogant or rude. It does not insist on its own way; it is not irritable or resentful; it does not rejoice at wrongdoing, but rejoices with the truth. Love bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things. '
God sees our broken world full of broken people, like this dying man on the side of the road, and chose to send His Son down to pay the ultimate price for our brokenness to ensure we have a way to receive Salvation and come to the Father. He picked us up, brought us into a place of grace and healing, knowing we were broken and loving us anyway.
We are called to show the same love and grace toward friends, fellow Christians, family, and even strangers and enemies. By doing this, loving broken people the same way Christ loves us, we strengthen His position as our foundation. We must intentionally put our trust in Him as our Saviour, our strength, our provider and guide.
'you yourselves like living stones are being built up as a spiritual house, to be a holy priesthood, to offer spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God through Jesus Christ. '
Life is not easy. Loving people is messy. Let’s face it, we aren’t always loveable either, but God loves us so much He paid a price greater than we could ever repay so that we could all come into relationship with Him, receive His unimaginable blessings, and go out into the world to be a blessing to other broken people.
All of this is possible only because Christ has set Himself up to be our true, sturdy, reliable, trustworthy, strong, eternal cornerstone. Trust God, love people, and have grace with one another’s brokenness. Meet people where they are, remembering we are all at different places in our journey and strengthen Jesus’ position in the foundation of your life and faith by being obedient to His love and instruction for your life.
' “For God so loved the world, that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life. 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. Whoever believes in him is not condemned, but whoever does not believe is condemned already, because he has not believed in the name of the only Son of God. '
One of the most important things I've learned in my relationship with God is that transition and change will absolutely test our faith. When we face change we have a choice to make; to be bitter, upset, defy or reject it, or to use the opportunity to thrive, learn and grow. We can choose the path to victory or the path to defeat.
We are not intended to stay in the same place; we are called to move, change, grow and learn every day. Life is all about transition, and our relationship with Christ requires transformation, and it will be extremely challenging at times.
For the Lord your God is the one who goes with you to fight for you against your enemies to give you victory."
We’ve all been in a season of transition for the past six months. It’s been difficult to cope and understand, and many of us have experienced great fear and anxiety over the changes happening and the uncertainties that lie ahead. Our world is hurting, our nation is in pain, we are all caught up in a storm of a society in agony and unknowns.
As someone with a relationship with Christ, though, we have received not only encouragement but a command, repeated over and over again, to not be afraid. In fact, God tells us throughout scripture to not be afraid as many times as there are days in the year.
‘Be strong and courageous. Do not be afraid or terrified because of them, for the Lord your God goes with you; he will never leave you nor forsake you.’
When we fail to trust that God is bigger than the battles we face we close ourselves off from the blessings He has in store for us, and we miss opportunities. If we lift our worries to Him He replaces them with peace and a door to great growth and prosperity opens for us. Being obedient to Him, who is in control of every battle we face, brings us a great victory. He can then help us through every circumstance, provide for us in every situation, and comfort us in every pain.
but thanks be to God, who gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ.
In order to receive the victory He has won for us, we must stand firm in our faith. By committing our life to Christ, believing that Jesus died on the cross and rose again to save us from our sins, and giving our life to be led by Him we then open the door to a relationship with God and allow peace and healing to begin flowing in.
We receive the Holy Spirit as a guide and are led by His voice and ways. As we strive to live as Christ better day after day, stumble and rise, fail and learn, lean on God and stand firm, we will become stronger in faith.
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The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy. I came that they may have life and have it abundantly.
The more we lean on God, spend time studying His word with a true desire to learn and understand, and pray to Him with our whole heart, the closer relationship we will have with Him, and the more we will learn about how to live better. As we learn more, we live in deeper faith and allow God to work in us and bring us to victory again and again.
Change is not something to fear; it is something to look forward to and a necessary part of life that we must choose to tackle knowing God is fighting for our victory. Embrace change, learn what you can, grow every day, pray with your whole heart, and keep faith in God who is bigger than all of it.
You will not need to fight in this battle. Stand firm, hold your position, and see the salvation of the Lord on your behalf, O Judah and Jerusalem.’ Do not be afraid and do not be dismayed. Tomorrow go out against them, and the Lord will be with you.”
Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God. And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.
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.
When we make the decision to give our lives to God believe that Jesus died and rose again to save us from our sins, and commit to living like we believe, we must seek God, confess our sins to Him, ask forgiveness, and receive Christ as our Lord and Savior. This is done through passionate prayer. Praying for strength is a beautiful way to surrender to God when we lack our own strength to keep going.
Yet to all who did receive him, to those who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God.
Every relationship with God begins with prayer and shouldn't stop there
Once we have accepted Jesus as our Savior, we now have the Holy Spirit within us, guiding us every day. We do our best to learn and grow in God's ways as this new person we've suddenly become, but how do we know when we are on the right track? How will we know what to do, how to do it, or when?
In order to hear God we must open up the lines of communication through spending time in His Word and prayer.
Call to me and I will answer you, and will tell you great and hidden things that you have not known.
All Scripture is breathed out by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, and for training in righteousness, that the man of God may be competent, equipped for every good work.
Prayer is not something we do to check a box for the day. Prayer is a primary and necessary means of staying connected, in tune, and in communication with God. When we pray with intention, powerfully and passionately, truly seeking God out we open ourselves up more to hearing His answers and seeing Him working in our life. We allow Him to empty us again of ourselves and fill us up with more of Him. Prayer gives us a way to seek forgiveness, help, peace, provision, and even comfort from the Lord. Prayer is having a conversation with your Heavenly Father.
Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God.
Life gets tough sometimes. We will face trouble; He knows it better than we do and tells us to give Him our worries, present our requests to Him, and be faithful in prayer. God wants us to talk to Him and trust Him with our struggles. There is incredible power in passionate prayer. Seeking God out and bringing our troubles to Him is a faith practice that helps us to both act out our trust and faith in God, and also to strengthen it as we break down the barriers and let Him in.
Prayer is not only something we do for ourselves or when there is trouble. We should give thanks to God, pray for others, even including our enemies, and praise the Lord in our prayers. How we talk to our Heavenly Father has a huge impact on our attitudes and heart. When all we do is bring our wants and needs to God we tend to get stuck in despair and create the breeding grounds for selfishness.
When we are praying to check a box we let ourselves become distant from God and it becomes easier for our faith to waver. When we give Him our heart, thank Him even for the smallest things it breaks through the despair, rekindles the fire, and we begin to see and hear Him clearer. When we pray for others we help them lift their burdens and open our eyes to seeing what God is doing in the lives of others.
Therefore confess your sins to each other and pray for each other so that you may be healed. The prayer of a righteous person is powerful and effective.
Every relationship with God begins with prayer and shouldn't stop there. Pray everywhere, in all things.
Putting our heart into our prayers, truly desiring to communicate with Him and see what He will do in and around us will reap such powerful blessings. This is an essential part of our ever-growing relationship with Him and a constant faith exercise. All relationships require healthy communication and this is true of our relationship with God above all others. There is never a time, situation or place where prayer is not needed. No circumstance is ever inappropriate for prayer. You have never gone so far, so long, so bad that He will not hear your prayers and welcome them. Develop relationships with His people as well and help one another lift your burdens and praises to Him. You are not in this alone, and you don’t have to know what to say, but reach out to God from your heart and you will open yourself up to a deeper relationship with the One who is bigger than all of it.
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.
A - Adoration: Begin your prayer with praise. Praise God for who He is. Praise Him with a grateful heart. This aligns our heart to Him and serves as a great reminder why we pray to God - because He is who He says He is. Thank Him for who He is to you right now.
C - Confession: Open up to God about whatever you want forgiveness for. Sometimes we won’t know what we need to be forgiven of but don’t skip this - seek forgiveness anyway and ask God to work in you and open your eyes to where you need to change. Be honest with God about your confessions. He knows all that we do, think, and feel already and bringing it to Him for forgiveness has such freeing and healing powers.
T - Thanksgiving: Thank God for what He is doing in your life, as well as in the lives of others. There is always so much to be thankful for. All we have is from Him, so all we have deserves thanks to our provider. Even thanking God for waking you up today, for choosing you, for being who He is has power and let all the thanks of your heart no matter how big, small, mundane or ridiculous it may seem just flow out to Him. This helps us to open our eyes and see how He has blessed you and those around you.
S - Supplication: Pray for yourself. Bring to God whatever is on your heart for yourself, your needs, your wants, healing, guidance, help, peace. Pray for others as well, bringing their requests to Him. Whatever it is you need or want, bring it to Him. Notice this is the final step of prayer after you have set your heart on praise, forgiveness, and thanks. Submit your heart to God and accept that His will be done, not yours.
'Pray then like this: “Our Father in heaven, hallowed be your name. Your kingdom come, your will be done, on earth as it is in heaven. Give us this day our daily bread, and forgive us our debts, as we also have forgiven our debtors. And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil. '
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.
