When Life Forces Difficult Decisions When you make plans, do they include God? In difficult situations, do you find yourself making a quick decision just to give yourself a direction? Making a decision in difficult times is hard and waiting on God is often harder. Some of life's hardest decisions come during our greatest losses. How do we deal with loss? A loved one dies, a spouse leaves, a job ends, what is our go-to response in these situations? We often have a close friend that we confide our problems to. Maybe we don't even really want advice, just a listening ear. Maybe it is difficult for us to listen to others, especially God. Do we remember to seek His will? How do we deal with the consequences of our actions when we have made bad decisions? Do we face them head-on or do whatever possible to avoid them? Most people find it hard just to admit they have done anything wrong. And the consequences, well, most of us run from those. The lies we've told that have caught up with us, the prideful attitudes that we have to answer for, so many of us try to look the other way and avoid the shame and guilt of admitting our decisions were failures. We aren't always the people we want to be. In Isaiah we find out that Israel was not always the people they wanted to be either. Israel Sought Help Instead of God's Will In Isaiah 30, the sinful nation of Israel is under threat from the Assyrians. They sought answers but like most of us, in the wrong places. They weren't close to God. They weren't faithful to Him, so when this threat loomed they sought help, not from God but from Egypt. In their fear, they saw Egypt as a source of protection instead of fleeing to the One who had always watched out for them. Israel looked to Egypt instead of seeking God's will. They should have had faith to trust God. But you see, they didn't reach out to God because they believed God was doing nothing. In their unfaithfulness they weren't spending time with Him, honoring Him, loving Him, or worshipping Him. Like an unfaithful spouse who thinks their partner is never there for them, mainly because they are finding pleasure in someone else's company, they had abandoned God. Why Israel Refused to Listen Israel had "devised plans, but not of My Spirit." They took counsel, "but not of Me," God tells them. God calls them "lying children." Indeed they were acting like children. They were like children who were afraid of the dark, even though their parents had reassured them over and over. Hadn't God always been there for them? All they had to do was ask and wait. These "children" told the prophets, “Do not prophesy to us right things; Speak to us smooth things, prophesy deceits." They only wanted God's prophets to tell them what they wanted to hear. They wanted to hear lies that would comfort them. Things to calm their souls that would not require change. So often when we face decisions, it means change, and often uncomfortable change. Later, in the New Testament, we receive a warning that people will act similarly in the end times. They will desire to hear only what their "itching ears" want to hear (2 Timothy 4:3-4). Anytime we seek comfort over truth, trouble follows. Returning to God Brings Rest and Confidence In Isaiah 30:15 the Lord tells His people, “In returning and rest you shall be saved; In quietness and confidence shall be your strength.” When we rest in God, we trust in His providence. We rely on Him. Doesn't the strength of quietness and confidence sound wonderful? Instead of casting about in chaos looking for answers here or there, unsure of what we should do, we can find rest in God knowing He is our strength. God is not a God of chaos. When we repent and return to Him, then we turn away from a failing self-reliance that does not seek His will. Rest and quiet confidence describe the heart attitude we need to discern God's will when we seek Him in difficult times. Why We Resist God's Will But then God tells Israel, "But you would not." Those words make me sad. I remember times in my own life when I "would not." And there was eventually a deep regret. Why wouldn't I? Because I thought I knew what was right for me. "There is a way that seems right to a man, but its end is the way of death." Proverbs 14:12 And Proverbs 19:21 reminds us, "There are many plans in a man’s heart, Nevertheless the Lord’s counsel—that will stand." You can make plans, but just don't forget God in the midst of them. When things change and plans fall through, trust that if you have prayed and relied on God more than yourself, then that change is for the good. Waiting on God Leads to Blessing God seeks to show His children goodness and compassion, just as He showed Israel time and time again (Isaiah 30:18). He is above all a loving Father. When we say, "I will not" like a stubborn child, He will be patient for a time, but then discipline comes. Don't be surprised if it hurts. Not because God is cruel but because He wants us to see that our poor decisions have consequences. In this same verse God promises us something. He says we will be blessed when we wait for Him. Waiting can be so hard, but it serves a purpose in God's plan. When we wait and finally receive an answer, then we can look back and see God at work because God's plans are greater than we can imagine. The Teacher Who Shows Us the Way God talks about His children enduring "The bread of adversity and the water of affliction," (Isaiah 30:20). For a time we may experience the discipline of God for our actions. In Isaiah, Israel's troubles were the result of decisions made without God. God promises to hear our cries and answer us. God tells Israel, their Teacher won't hide from them any longer, they will see Him with their own eyes. They will hear, "This is the way, walk in it." Many scholars believe this is a foreshadowing of Jesus our great Teacher who showed us our way back to God through His cross and resurrection. Through His Holy Spirit, God continues to guide us as we submit ourselves to His Word. Are you listening? He will faithfully show us the way we are to walk, even though we may have to wait for His guidance. We need to train ourselves spiritually to trust Him. How do we do this? How to Seek God's Will Every Day We trust God's will for us by studying His Word, by listening to Him in prayer, by praising the ways He has always been there for us in the past, and by hearing believers' stories of God's faithfulness. We live a life of sacrifice, dying to self, so that we can truly live with Him. Of the things we have held up as idols before God, "You will say to them, “Get away!” (Isaiah 30:22). Idols interfere with seeking God's plan for us. When we live in God's will, we will not want to do anything that hurts our walk with God. If only in my own life I had said that sooner! And then God promises blessings. The spiritual life you wanted, but always seemed to struggle to achieve, the blessings that always seemed out of reach for you, God will provide. He doesn't make us rich, nor does He promise a life without suffering, but spiritually we will have a peace and joy that surpasses our understanding. He gives Israel and us a "song" and "gladness of heart" (Isaiah 30:29). Trust God to Fight Your Battles For the Israelites in Isaiah 30, God promises the annihilation of their enemy Assyria. We see this fulfilled in 2 Kings 19:35-37. God's will was done. What enemies do we need God to destroy? Could it be addiction, sorrow, or pain? Seeking God's will, we should first examine ourselves. What sins seek to destroy us, and what bad decisions do we need to lay at the feet of Jesus? Then let us cry out to Him, "Show me the way, so I can walk in it."

What Is Being Biblically Sober-Minded? I remember when I was young being ridiculed at parties for not drinking or smoking marijuana. I actually had someone say one time, "How do you have fun?" I told them that I enjoyed watching people, I liked being with them, while being fully aware of my surroundings. I didn't like to be out of control. I preferred being sober-minded. Scripture has many references to being sober-minded. Back in my youth I thought that just meant, don't get drunk or high, but after studying I know now that it has a much deeper meaning. When we are Biblically sober-minded it is not merely avoiding drunkenness. It is living with spiritual alertness, self-control, and a clear focus on Christ. It means we should exercise wisdom and self-control in our speech, avoid foolishness, crude joking, and anything that distracts us from godly living. As Christ focused people, we are better able to remain faithful to Christ and recognize temptation before it gains a foothold. When we are not, temptation may be harder to resist. Today, many people are not drunk on alcohol, but they are intoxicated by distraction. Hours slip away in scrolling social media, watching endless videos, following arguments online, or filling their mind with constant entertainment. None of these things are necessarily sinful in themselves, but when they begin to dominate our attention, they crowd out prayer, Bible study, service, and quiet reflection on God’s will. A sober-minded Christian will regularly ask whether what is filling their mind is drawing them closer to Christ or slowly pulling them away from Him. Why Is It Necessary for a Christian to Live Soberly? The importance of being sober minded for a Christian is explained in Titus 2:11-14 where we are told that God's grace has taught us to "live soberly, righteously, and godly." Why? Because we are awaiting the coming of our Lord who died to "redeem us from every lawless deed" and purify us to be "zealous for good work." It's hard to live for Christ and do good when we are busying ourselves with trivial things or so under the influence that we can't walk in a straight line. A zealous Christian is passionate about his or her commitment to God. For them it is the most important thing in life. Everything becomes filtered through the lens of "What does God want me to do?", "How can I serve God better?", and "What do I need to learn to become more like Christ in my life?" It is the opposite of someone who is not sober-minded. As we learn to put Christ before our own desires and die to self daily, we become more spiritually alert and focused on what truly matters. The call to a self-controlled spiritual life is not only personal. It also applies to the life of the church. This call to sober-minded living naturally raises a common question: Does choosing a self-controlled, Christ-focused life mean Christians can never have fun? Can A Christian Still Have Fun? A spiritually focused Christian is not someone who cannot have fun. Instead, when we have fun, we remain thoughtful, self-controlled, and spiritually aware. When we focus more on learning about our faith, prayer, and doing good for others out of love, we won't have a lot of time for unimportant, pointless distractions and constant amusements. Many people think a sober-minded life sounds boring. They assume that self-control takes the fun out of life when in reality it often keeps us from making some of our worst mistakes. This same principle applies not only to our personal lives but also to the life of the church. One of the most enjoyable things I do is serve at my church’s food bank. Laughing and talking with other believers while preparing food sacks and chatting with families in need brings real joy, the kind that lasts longer than entertainment. Serving others in Jesus’ name reminds me that the most satisfying fun often flows from love and purpose. Today, are our churches too focused on fun and not enough on serious Bible study? Are we more interested in fellowship than in prayer and good works? Nothing is wrong with fun or fellowship, but they need to be balanced by sober minded growth in Christ. When this balance is missing, the consequences can be significant. The Consequences Of A Lack Of Soberness Some people avoid good judgment by staying in an altered state—whether through alcohol, drugs, or constant entertainment—so they don’t have to confront their relationship with God or personal problems. Ephesians 5:18 warns that drunkenness leads to dissipation (debauchery, excess, reckless living). A lack of sober-mindedness quickly opens the door to greater sin: drunkenness can lead to sexual immorality, crude joking or gossip can damage relationships, and uncontrolled anger can escalate into words or actions we deeply regret. This loss of self-control also shows itself in more subtle ways. Uncontrolled worry can weaken faith, causing us to make fear-based decisions instead of trusting God’s promises. When our minds are not clear and Christ-focused, sin begins to look less serious, temptation feels more like harmless fun, and we forget that every decision carries consequences. These real dangers are exactly why Scripture repeatedly calls every believer to sober-mindedness and self-control. God's Word Speaks of the Importance of Being Sober-Minded Scripture advises all of us to be sober-minded: young men, old men, women, and especially our church leaders. If you think about what was going on when the book of Titus was written you can appreciate its importance more. The church was young and growing. It was facing persecution, serious persecution. What would it look like to non-Christians if that young church had acted like the world? What if that young church was too busy having fun and partying to do good in the community it lived in? Notice how often the New Testament discusses the importance of this. Whether speaking to older men, younger men, church leaders, or the church as a whole, believers are repeatedly called to be sober-minded and self-controlled. 1 Peter 4:7 reminds us of another reason that it is important, "for the sake of your prayers." Titus 2:2 says older men should be sober minded and in Titus 2:6 we are reminded that young men, especially should be self-controlled. 1 Thessalonians 5:6 tells us to "keep awake and be sober," referring to our spiritual lives. 2 Timothy 3:1-7 says that in the last days men will be, among other things, without self-control. In Galatians 5:22-23 Paul lists the fruit of the Spirit. Self-control is one of them. It is the product of a life lived for Christ. It is not something we manufacture through self determination alone. It is a gift given to us by the Holy Spirit, giving us strength we don't have on our own to govern how we act and react to the world. We must rely on God. The writers of the New Testament were very aware of the temptations common to people. People are the same today as they were then. When we are in control of our minds, we can think properly and make much more thoughtful decisions about what we will do or say. We can be a better Christian witness. Be Sober, Be Vigilant 1 Peter 5:8 warns, "Be sober, be vigilant; because your adversary the devil walks about like a roaring lion, seeking whom he may devour." It is worth remembering who wrote those words. Peter knew what it meant to let his guard down. He was so sure of himself that he declared he would never deny Jesus, yet before the night was over he had denied Him three times. Peter learned the hard way that good intentions are not enough. We need to stay watchful, humble, and dependent on God because temptation often comes when we least expect it. It's difficult to be vigilant when we aren't able to focus on the important things of our faith. Often all it takes is one single moment of carelessness to cause a lifetime of pain for someone. Whether we are drinking and driving or hurting someone with our careless words who afterwards takes their life, the consequences of sin can be enormous. So when we go about our lives, remember that roaring lion is out there just waiting for us to make a mistake. We do not fight him alone. The Holy Spirit is with us to guide us and empower us to be the self-controlled believer we are called to be. The biblically sober-minded Christian is one who is "sound in faith, in love, and in steadfastness" (Titus 2:2). Do those words describe you today? What do you need to change to make them yours?

Suffering Entered the World Through Sin All of us suffer in our lives, some unimaginably, others in more mundane ways, but loss and grief come to everyone. In the Christian faith, suffering is viewed very differently than most other religions. As Christians our suffering is never alone because God is with us in it. Because Christ suffered, those who belong to Him should not be surprised when they suffer as well. Our task here is to love and care for those who suffer. But why must people suffer at all? Why Christians and non-Christians alike suffer is the same reason, for the most part, but our response is very different. Sin brought suffering into an otherwise perfect world. The world of Adam and Eve was a good world. God was their companion. But then when Adam and Eve fell to temptation, everything changed. Suffering came into the world through sin, and it would be through Christ's suffering that God would one day provide the way to overcome sin and death. Sacrifice would be the solution. We first read about animal sacrifice in Genesis 4:4. Abel, the brother Cain murdered, offered a sacrifice of the firstborn of his flock to God. We have to wait until Leviticus 17:11 to learn that the blood of the offering brought atonement for sin. This showed the people that sin was serious business. But animal sacrifices could never fully pay the price for sin. It would require more, not only would sin bring death to the world, but death would be required to save us from it. This all pointed towards the ultimate payment for sin, Jesus' death on the cross. Hebrews 9:22 tells us, "without the shedding of blood there is no forgiveness of sins." Christ's Victory Over Sin and Suffering Jesus' death and resurrection were the ultimate defeat of sin and Satan. Although he is still active in the world, the Devil's fate was sealed that day on Calvary. Now we can accept Jesus and live forever with Him. But while Satan can, he tries to convince as many people as possible that God doesn't really care for them. Why Christians Suffer Satan delights in causing sorrow and pain because he is a liar who wants to make people doubt that God loves them. But Christians know they have hope when they suffer. God doesn't stop loving us, ever. Suffering is not purposeless. Suffering causes us to rely on God, not ourselves. Suffering teaches us patience and humility. It helps us to grow in holiness and love. In the midst of it, we can know that God is our source of peace and nothing in this world can take that from us. As Christians we may never know until eternity the reason why we suffered, but we know there is a plan in it. We don't see the bigger picture of life that God sees. When terrible things happen, God can work good from them. Not that the thing that happened was good, no, but if we love and serve Him, He can produce good from that sorrowful moment (Romans 8:28). Everyone suffers because sin entered the world, but Christians know that God can use suffering to draw us closer to Him and prepare us for eternity. When a Christian suffers, it unites us with Christ's suffering. He was betrayed, he was grieved by loss, and he was tormented physically and spiritually. In this way we can be like Him; experiencing similar emotions and learning to accept them as He did. When we suffer for our sin, it can bring us to repentance and forgiveness, but when a non-Christian suffers it may cause them to feel shame and guilt, with no way out. Many non-believers, will even blame the God they won't accept for their pain. Others will see suffering as proof that no loving God could possibly exist that would allow this kind of pain to be in the world. They do not accept that suffering entered the world through humanity's rebellion against God. Instead, many see suffering as evidence against God's goodness rather than as the consequence of sin. Even Christians begin to have their doubts sometimes about the purpose of suffering when they see evil people being blessed. God's Promise to the Faithful A Christian may look at those in the world and see them being favored, treated with honor, and seemingly living the good life and they wonder, "Why, should I try to do good when the evil people seem to be rewarded and I suffer?" God's people asked this very question in the days of the Old Testament prophet, Malachi. This was God's response, "Then those who feared the Lord spoke to one another, and the Lord listened and heard them; so a book of remembrance was written before Him for those who fear the Lord and who meditate on His name. “They shall be Mine,” says the Lord of hosts, “On the day that I make them My jewels. And I will spare them as a man spares his own son who serves him.” Malachi 3:16-17 For those faithful ones who fear Him and think on Him he has a Book of Remembrance written for them and they will be spared. This blessing will not be given to the world, only to those who know and serve Him. We may suffer more than non-believers but in the next life their suffering will be eternal. Suffering for Discipline, Righteousness, and the Gospel As believers we suffer in ways the lost never will. We suffer at times because God is correcting us as a loving Father does to His children. Sometimes we suffer for the sake of righteousness. And sometimes our suffering is required until His gospel reaches every nation that should hear it (Colossians 1:24, Revelation 6:11). Suffering however, must go hand in hand with love. Love Gives Suffering Its Purpose As 1 Corinthians 13:3 reminds us, even if we die for Him, if we do it without love in our hearts for others it is for nothing. Our suffering offers us nothing spiritually if we do not love. If we die for Christ while cursing the ones who kill us, then it is all in vain. Even in the smaller pains and losses we experience, if we don't have true love in our hearts then it is also for nothing. We have to be careful to think about our motives and our desires when we suffer loss. God's plan in suffering for us is that we should seek God's will and not our own, just as Jesus did. Will your suffering bring hope to someone else? Will they see Jesus in this path of pain that you must walk? Do they see a faithful follower of Jesus who stands with Christ in life and in death? Learning to Trust Christ in Suffering When I was diagnosed with Stage III cancer, I did not know what the future held. Like many people facing serious illness, I had questions and fears. Yet throughout that season I learned that my hope could not rest in a doctor's report or a treatment plan. It had to rest in Christ and in the peace He gave me. Looking back now, nearly a decade later, I can see how God used that trial to deepen my faith and teach me to trust Him in ways I never would have learned otherwise. As we grow closer to Jesus' return, that faith and trust becomes even more important. Looking Beyond Present Suffering So many people are convinced of the Lord's imminent return. Have they thought about what that might mean for their future? As His people we need to be ready to face a hostile world who will blame us for all the terrible woes that will come upon it. They will seek to destroy us and then whom will we stand with? Even today in parts of the world hundreds, perhaps thousands, of Christians are paying the ultimate price for their faith. They know Jesus did not promise them worldly peace and safety. They are showing many of us what real love can endure. In our hearts, when we think about the cross, remember Jesus' great sacrifice. “For He made Him who knew no sin to be sin for us," (2 Corinthians 5:21). On that day, no one has ever endured suffering like the sinless Son of God bearing the sins of the world. Whatever suffering awaits us, we know that because of His endurance of the cross and His resurrection He has set us free from sin. Jesus has given us a home where there will be no more sorrow and no more pain. Praise be to God.

Bethlehem, the Blessed City Bethlehem was a tiny town with a big promise. In Micah 5:2, the prophet Micah foretells that the Messiah will be born in Bethlehem in Judah, “But you, Bethlehem Ephrathah, Though you are little among the thousands of Judah, Yet out of you shall come forth to Me The One to be Ruler in Israel, Whose goings forth are from of old, From everlasting.” Bethlehem, Little Among the Thousands Bethlehem was not unused to famous happenings. It was here that Jacob's beloved wife Rachel was buried after giving birth to Benjamin. It was to here, that Naomi and Ruth returned after the death of Naomi's husband and two sons. The story of Ruth and her marriage to Boaz occur here. They become the great grandparents of King David. It was here that the great King David was anointed King of Israel. The Difficult Journey Mary and Joseph didn't live in Bethlehem, but had to return there from Nazareth because of the Roman census that required Joseph to return to the city of his fathers. This 90-mile journey probably took more than a week and it was probably quite difficult for the very pregnant Mary to make, especially on the back of a donkey. Though Bethlehem held great prophetic promise, nothing about Jesus’s arrival looked grand or royal to the human eye. The town was crowded because of the census, leaving Mary and Joseph without a proper room. Instead, the promised Messiah entered the world in the simplest of settings; a stable, unnoticed by most of the world. Yet in this quiet and humble place, God was fulfilling every detail He had spoken long before. The Shepherds Behold Their King The shepherds came here too. Blessed to have heard the announcement of Jesus's birth first from the lips of angels, they hurried to see this Prince of Peace that had been foretold from everlasting. So fitting that the first told were some of the humblest. They find their mighty King lying in a manger, an animal trough, in a stable. The setting could not be any more unlikely for the birth of a king. They glorified and praised God for what they had seen and been told, as should we. The Wise Men Arrive Much later, the wise men stopped in Jerusalem to ask where they must go next to find the new "King of the Jews", for all the learned scholars knew of Micah's prophecy. It was to Bethlehem that the famous wise men from the East traveled, following a star. The gifts they bore him, gold, frankincense and myrrh, were symbolic. The gold a symbol of Jesus's Kingship, the frankincense used in the temple as an offering to God and the myrrh would be used in death. The wise men did not return to Herod because God had warned them in a dream not to. Herod, in his great insecurity and fear that this child would be declared King, decreed that all male children under the age of two be slaughtered. Mary, Joseph and Jesus fled to safety in Egypt after Joseph was warned by God in a dream. They returned only after the death of Herod. Thus another prophecy was fulfilled found in Jeremiah 31:15, "Thus says the Lord: “A voice was heard in Ramah, Lamentation and bitter weeping, Rachel weeping for her children, Refusing to be comforted for her children, Because they are no more.” Bread of Heaven In Hebrew, Bethlehem, means "House of Bread". A fitting name for the birthplace of the One who was the bread of Heaven come down to dwell among men. " Then Jesus said to them, “Most assuredly, I say to you, Moses did not give you the bread from heaven, but My Father gives you the true bread from heaven. For the bread of God is He who comes down from heaven and gives life to the world.” - John 6: 32-33 Bethlehem Where God Came Down Today, Bethlehem is a small city in Palestine only about 5 miles from Jerusalem. The famous Church of the Nativity is there, built upon the spot where tradition says the baby Jesus was born. Bethlehem, the birthplace of the Lord of Peace, truly it can be said that of all places, Bethlehem is the only one where God Himself came down to be born of a virgin and live among men. O holy Child of Bethlehem, descend to us, we pray, cast out our sin and enter in, be born in us today. We hear the Christmas angels the great glad tidings tell; O come to us, abide with us, our Lord Immanuel!

When Faith Doesn't Become Our Own Many of us grew up in religious homes, attending church regularly and believing, at least intellectually, that God existed. The world would assume we were close to God. But in many of our hearts there was a doubt. We felt uncomfortable with this religion that many of us felt had been forced on us. And so we left to find another way. A way to become the captains of our own souls. But there was no other way. A life of searching has led many of us right back to the faith of our fathers. For some though, their way was so far they never found home again. Beware lest you remove yourself so completely from God by hardening your heart that the way back is lost because you no longer desire repentance (Hebrews 3:15). The First Lie That Pulled Us Away Satan himself was once one of the closest of the angels to God. As an "anointed cherub," Ezekiel 28, describes the King of Tyre and, many scholars believe, Satan as well this way: “You were the seal of perfection, full of wisdom and perfect in beauty. You were in Eden, the garden of God; every precious stone was your covering: The sardius, topaz, and diamond, beryl, onyx, and jasper, sapphire, turquoise, and emerald with gold. The workmanship of your timbrels and pipes was prepared for you on the day you were created." Ezekiel 28:12-13 To imagine such a being falling into so much sin that he was cast out of Heaven is hard. But in his beauty and his prominent position before the throne of God, pride began to grow. Before we look at what happened, what exactly is a cherub? As a cherub, Satan is not the cute little fat baby that Raphael painted in the Renaissance. The biblical, almost bizarre, description of a cherub in Ezekiel 1:5-10 is understood by some to be symbolic, while others believe it is literal. A cherub's job, according to Revelation 4:6-8, is to continually praise God's holiness and serve before His throne, among other duties. So Satan finds himself longing to be a god that is worshipped, as he has worshipped God since his creation. Obviously, Satan had also gained influence over other angels, probably because of his prominent position, and so he took a third of the angels with him into rebellion. But as he roamed the earth his pride and fury at God caused him to seek the destruction of God's new creation, humans. He decided to tempt them with the same pride that had caused his fall. They could be like gods too he told Eve. And sadly, he was successful. Adam and Eve's decision cost the Garden of Eden and more importantly it destroyed their relationship with God. Now they would die both spiritually and physically from the sin they chose. Like Satan, they had held a place right next to God. He walked with them in the garden, but they gave it up, willingly. Christ Restores What Sin Destroyed But God had a plan from "before the foundation of the world." He would send His only Son to die for the sins of His people, so that once again their relationship could be restored. In Christ, God did more than forgive our rebellion. He made it possible for us to become His children again and walk with Him as Adam and Eve once did. They could live forever spiritually and physically in the resurrection with Him, if they believed in Jesus' sacrifice for them. Their belief could not just be an acknowledgment of the existence of God but a transforming faith that changed them from the inside out. So why would anyone give that up? Why Do People Leave God? When we leave our faith we should honestly ask ourselves whether it had truly become ours. Or was our faith just our parent's faith and not our own? Why did we leave? Perhaps we fell to the same temptation that Satan and Adam and Eve did—pride. We may not see it as that immediately but our underlying reason is often not so different from theirs. Satan dreams of being a god, Adam and Eve want to decide what is good and evil and you and I are tempted to know what is better for us than God does. Every departure from God begins with the same lie. We believe our way is better than His. Some people leave because they became so mired in sin they can no longer hear the voice of God calling them to repent. Some believe they are so far from God that he will never forgive them. They limit God's grace, believing that somehow they must deserve His forgiveness. They don't understand that His grace is given to us "while we were yet sinners" (Romans 5:8). Others feel like all they really need to do is be "good people." Not realizing that no one is good enough to earn Heaven (Romans 3:23). And then there are those who started out thinking they wanted to be a Christian until they found out that it meant sacrifice. It wasn't easy. They didn't count the cost as Jesus says we must do (Luke 14:28). The Empty Promises of Pride So no matter how close we seem to be to God, He knows our heart. He knows if we truly love and serve Him or we are just going through the motions. God sees us and knows if we are tempted by pride to put ourselves on a throne, so to speak. He knows if we don't want anyone, especially God, to tell us what to do. We want to be the masters of our own fate. We want to live the way we want to live, not having to give up anything. But what a price we pay for those choices. Satan paid a price, Adam and Eve paid a price, and today we still pay a price for rejecting the love of God. If we could only understand that God sees all and knows what is best for us. He knows that true joy is only found in relationship to Him. Satan, the great deceiver, offers the promise of joy, but never joy itself. He lies and tells us we can find joy in the world, and we may for a time, but always that kind of joy will come to an end. That kind of shallow joy will not last for eternity. There are still more lies Satan feeds us. Sadly, when some of us begin to look back toward God, Satan lies again and tells us we aren't good enough. "There can be no forgiveness for someone like you," he whispers. But God can remove our heart of stone and give us a heart of flesh (Ezekiel 36:26). In other words, God can work a miracle of forgiveness and grace in us. We can become the new creation that only God can make. We won't achieve perfection overnight but we can work towards holiness every day with the Holy Spirit living in us. We will seek to be more like Him who saved us from our sin. God Still Calls Us Home When we grow up in the church, we often take our faith for granted. God is just someone we always believed in. We don't spend much time asking ourselves the important question: "Why do I believe in God?" Do I see myself as a sinner who needs God's grace and forgiveness? Do I desire to grow in obedience and holiness? Do I really love God and others or is my life just going through the motions? God doesn't wait for our failure. His desire is for us to return to Him. Like the father of the prodigal son, God delights when those who have wandered finally come home. Walking with Christ through eternity outweighs any fleeting pleasure that sin promises. Choose the Better Way When you feel yourself being pulled away from God, think about these things. Seek Him honestly from the heart. Recognize Satan's lies as the same lies they have been since Adam and Eve were created. Don't let evil win. And if you find yourself spiritually drifting away, even though it may be for years, if you reach out to Him, He will find you. He gave up everything to save the one lost sheep—even if that sheep is you (Luke 15:4-7).

When Darkness Closes In Most of us have experienced times in our lives when we have felt mentally or spiritually crushed, overwhelmed, and distressed. Perhaps you have felt persecuted in some way, or unfairly attacked. Sometimes depression can make us feel like we are living in darkness, being smothered by an almost physical sense of loneliness or loss. David wrote Psalm 143 feeling just like this. He is running from his enemies and he cries out to God that he has dwelt in darkness for so long he was like those who had long been dead. His pleas to God in this Psalm help us understand how we too should approach God when we are feeling sad, depressed, or attacked. We may not have physical enemies but certainly Satan is always our enemy and always seeking to destroy us. Psalm 143 teaches us how to seek God in difficult times. Instead of allowing fear and despair to overwhelm him, David shows us how to turn our hearts toward God's faithfulness, guidance, and unfailing love. How to Seek God in Difficult Times He begins by asking God to hear his cries because God has always been faithful (Psalm 143:1). David says no one is righteous but God and begs Him not to judge him for his failings. Often when we feel like David, we launch into a plea for God to fix things: heal me, give me a job, a child, a home, or an escape. But this is not how David approaches God. David tells God that he remembers what God has done for him in the past. But he doesn't just stop at remembering, David also meditates and muses on those things (Psalm 143:5). This is not simply thinking about God's deeds but reflectively and carefully doing a mental rehearsal in David's mind of God's wondrous actions in the past. Why does David do this? Because instead of dwelling on the bad things he is facing, he dwells on the faithfulness of God in past situations. How much better off would we be mentally if every day we would do the same? Remember, God is our refuge in sorrow. David "spreads out his hands" before the Lord (Psalm 143:6). This expression is full of symbolism. It shows his readiness to receive God's mercy and guidance for his life. This was a common posture of prayer that people used that sometimes showed they were in deep grief or overwhelmed by their situation. It was a physical way of showing their total dependence on God to save them. Longing for God's Presence And then David tells God, "My soul longs for you like a thirsty land". He is desperate for God to answer him and make His presence known to him. He needs God like a desert needs rain to bloom. When we are desperate for God to quench our spiritual thirst, as only He can, then we will find Him. When we seek, we shall find. "Ask, and it will be given to you; seek, and you will find; knock, and it will be opened to you" (Matthew 7:7). David is in need of answers. He needs a quick response because he says, "My spirit fails." David is close to giving up. He is not sure what could happen to him if God doesn't answer quickly. Many of us know this feeling all too well. How do we approach God when we feel like this? David is a role model for us. So what is it that David asks God for? What answers does He long for? He asks God not to "hide His face" from him (Psalm 143:7). David was in a very dark place. His great fear was that, because of his sins or unrighteousness, perhaps God would abandon him. In the Old Testament when they spoke of God's face shining on them it meant that you were experiencing his grace and blessings, but when God hid His face, God was displeased with you. David needs God's intervention in his life. What David specifically asks God is startling. He begs God to "cause" him to hear God's love and kindness in the morning and "cause" him to know the path that he needs to walk (Psalm 143:8). When life becomes too much for us, sometimes it drives out God's voice. David understood this. He knew He needed to hear from God first thing in the morning. God's will was what David wanted to guide his steps throughout the day. If he could feel God's love and walk in His will, then he knew things would be right because He trusted God with his whole heart. David follows this by telling God that he has lifted up his soul to the Lord. This expression is used in several places in the Bible. David is saying that his spirit is crushed, yet he is trusting God to deliver him. David is expressing his total dependence on God to heal his soul. He put his life in God's hands above the cares of this world. Do we do the same? How would our lives be different if we began our day by telling God, "I lift up my soul to You"? And, in our great need for God, we really meant it. Jesus tells us to do the same in Matthew 11:28, "Come to Me, all you who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest." When we are worn out from the cares and burdens of life, Jesus calls us to Him because He will bring us the rest we so desperately want. Are you desperate for Jesus? Praying for Guidance and Deliverance David pleads with God to "deliver" him from his enemies (Psalm 143:9). How often have we asked God to deliver us from our enemies? Have we asked him to deliver us from fear, anxiety, or depression? These enemies are as real to us as David's enemies were to him. David continues and asks God to "teach" him His will and "lead" him where he should go (Psalm 143:10). David doesn't just assume that God will do these things. He expresses his heart's desire to God. God wants us to commune with Him. Certainly God knows our needs, but He wants and desires for us to communicate those needs to Him. Pour out your heart to God. God never forgets us. Only God Can Revive the Soul David asks God to "revive" him (Psalm 143:11). He is spiritually and emotionally drained. Only God can renew his soul. Only God can give him the strength he needs to endure the trials he is facing. But David doesn't ask this for his own sake. He expresses to God that it is for "Your name's sake." When David experiences this revival, it will be God that is honored and God who will receive the glory, not David. Others will see the change and know that God was responsible. "Will you not revive us again, that your people may rejoice in you?" - Psalm 85:6 Just like David, when we experience revival in our own lives, very often people notice the change. "Something is different about you," they often say. The New Testament describes God's renewing work using words like "transformed," "renewed," or "made alive." As Paul says in Romans 6:11, "Likewise you also, reckon yourselves to be dead indeed to sin, but alive to God in Christ Jesus our Lord." David ends the Psalm by asking God to destroy his enemies. Ultimately we know that all of the enemies of God will know destruction. But in this moment of David's life he needs these enemies removed and he knows that it is God who will and can do it. And why would God do this for David? The same reason He would do it for us. Resting in God's Faithfulness David tells God, "For I am your servant" (Psalm 143:12). As servants of God and followers of Christ, we have a promise. In 2 Thessalonians 3:3 Paul tells us, "But the Lord is faithful, who will establish you and guard you from the evil one." What greater enemy do we have than the Devil, the evil one? Just as David remembered the faithfulness of God in his darkness, so should we. If we are true servants of God, then we can rest in His promise to guard us from our enemy, regardless of the shape it takes.

Does God Forget Us? Christians have an expression, "I was a prodigal." Sometimes you hear them talking about their children as "prodigals." These are people who knew the blessings of God but left to go their own way. They left their faith and what they knew to be true and often went down a path of abandonment. When people forget God, does He forget them? Let's look back at the Jews who wandered in the wilderness for forty years. Remembering God's Provision In Deuteronomy 8, Moses reminds the people of God's blessings during their time in the desert. Moses tells them to "Remember" how God fed them with manna from Heaven that they did not know. But first God allowed them to hunger for over a month. Why? So that would be humbled. Then when the provision from Heaven came, they would recognize who their source of blessing was (Deuteronomy 8:3). They did not work to possess the manna. It simply appeared and then they gathered it and ate it. God will provide. But then, Deuteronomy 8:11 warns, "Beware that you do not forget the LORD your God." The danger is not just when we need something, but in times when life is going well and we begin to think blessings are predictable. Moses ties remembering God’s provision to responding with thanksgiving. When we forget God, thankfulness fades, and what once was received with humility slowly becomes expected. The same danger still shows up in our lives today. Sometimes, when we are far from God, He allows us to suffer want for a time before He blesses us. In this we learn who it is that provides for us. Moses tells his people that God wants to teach them a lesson, a truth later repeated by Jesus: "Man does not live by bread alone but by every word that proceeds from the mouth of God" (Matthew 4:4). Jesus is our bread of life today. We hunger when we are far from Him. We may not recognize exactly what we are hungering for, but we know that there must be more in this life than the sin we are living in. Much of the Christian life is recognizing what God was doing before we understood it. Long before we returned to our Father, He had never stopped caring for us. God never forgot us. God in His mercy then offers us His Son. Take and eat, do this in remembrance of me (1 Corinthians 11:24). We remember that even as a prodigal our needs were met by the One who loves us. Did you get that great job? Were you blessed with a child? Were you healed from a disease or saved from a near fatal accident? That was God. Most likely though you did not recognize Him. You probably thought it was you alone, or luck, that provided these blessings. Only after we turn to our Father do we fully understand these blessings for what they really were: proof of His love and care for us even in the midst of our sin. The Blessings We Failed to See When we repent and cry out to Jesus to save us, we begin to experience the blessings of our true Promised Land, blessings that will continue into eternity when we live with Him in Heaven. His promise is to bless us with all spiritual blessings (Ephesians 1:3).Then we can understand what even greater blessings await us. We can experience peace that passes understanding, even in the midst of trials. We can worship God from a changed heart. Our hearts will recognize where the good things in our life come from. We will grow in the gifts of the Spirit: love, joy, faith, patience, goodness, and more. But still Moses told the people to "Remember." Because in the midst of all these blessings we are still very human. How easy it is to forget God. How easy it is to believe that our own "power and the might of my hand have gained me this wealth (Deuteronomy 8:17). No. It is nothing we have done or ever will do that can achieve our spiritual wealth or salvation. The Jews left Egypt behind by the power of God, but still many forgot who it was that made this happen. As prodigals who return to Jesus, we should never imagine that we found our way back on our own. God was always there. We may have gone through hard times but we were never forsaken by our Father. Even now, He wants to feed us with the manna from Heaven that is His Son. He is the bread of life who came down to man. Throughout Scripture God reminds His people that His love and remembrance of them never fail. God Never Forgets His People In Isaiah 49:15-16 God tells us that no more can a nursing mother forget her child than He can forget us. We are "engraved on His palms." Yet in His mercy He promises to forget our sins (Hebrews 8:12). But because He knows us and our weaknesses His word reminds us to "Remember." We are told to remember His faithfulness to us (Psalm 77:11). We are to remember His Words and commands (Acts 20:35). And we are told to remember Christ's sacrifice for us (1 Corinthians 11:24). But we don't just stop at remembering. When we remember we are to give thanks. Remembering with Thankfulness The story of the healing of the ten lepers in Luke 17:11-19 exemplifies this so well. Jesus heals ten lepers but only one came back to give God praise and thank Jesus for his healing. The one who returned was an outcast, a Samaritan, who was despised by the Jews. Falling at Jesus' feet, the Samaritan is told that his faith has made him well, literally saved him. The other lepers were physically healed but only one was spiritually healed as well. When the leper gave thanks and praise it was evidence of his faith. Are we remembering to thank God for how He has blessed us even now? Do we take His blessings for granted or do we, in some way, believe we have deserved them? Giving Thanks in Every Circumstance If we return to Deuteronomy 8 we read, "When you have eaten and are full, then you shall bless the Lord your God for the good land which He has given you." It is natural for us to want the blessings of God but our faith should put us at His feet in thankfulness. 1 Thessalonians 5:18 reminds us "in everything give thanks; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you." Notice the word everything. Paul knew that the Christian life would not be an easy one. Yes God has blessed us with His gift of grace and salvation, but living out this life would require suffering and sacrifice. Even in this, Paul says to be thankful in all circumstances. God's will is not always for us to live a comfortable life. Just as His Son did not. A Life of Continual Remembrance and Thanksgiving So as we go our way through our blessed life giving thanks and remembering, think on the words of this ancient hymn: "Now Thank We All Our God" by Martin Rinkart (1636). I want to leave you with the first verse of this beautiful worship song. The answer to the question we began with is clear. We may forget God, but He never forgets those who belong to Him. Now thank we all our God with heart and hands and voices, who wondrous things has done, in whom his world rejoices; who from our mothers' arms has blessed us on our way with countless gifts of love, and still is ours today. The blessings of God did not stop with the Jews arriving at the Promised Land or even 2,000 years ago with the resurrection of Jesus. For those who belong to Him, we will continue for an eternity into our own blessed Promised Land of Heaven where we will live with Him forever.

What the Bible Says About Arrogance I know you have met them, people who seem entitled, inconsiderate, or who act as though they are much better or smarter than you. Arrogant people are easy to spot. The Bible considers arrogance a sin because it exalts the person above God and others. Self sufficiency is fine but when it comes at the expense of others or breeds a contempt for God then it is not. God considers arrogance an abomination worthy of punishment (Proverbs 16:5). Mark 7:20-23 lists it right along side murder and sexual immorality. The Tower of Babel is a clear biblical example of human arrogance, a spirit that still appears in the world today. The opposite of arrogance is love. According to 1 Corinthians 13:4 love doesn't boast and it isn't arrogant. Over and over Jesus taught us to be servants of others, thinking others as better than ourselves (Philippians 2:3). Jesus warns us that if we exalt ourselves then we will be humbled (Luke 14:11). Christians are often accused of being arrogant. When we approach non-Christians or people of other faiths what is our attitude? Do we have an attitude that says we are sinners saved by grace, a grace that is extended to all with love? Perhaps we come across as smug and self righteous. Perhaps it makes people feel like we think we are so much better than they are because we know the Way and they don't. Arrogance often shows up in quiet, socially acceptable ways. We see it in unsolicited advice that positions us as the one who knows rather than the one who listens. It appears in body language or distracted attention that subtly signals our own thoughts matter more. It can even hide behind “bluntness,” where careless criticism is excused as honesty. In each case, arrogance reveals itself when we value our own opinions above someone else’s. It’s easy to assume this is a problem others struggle with, while missing its presence in our own hearts. We can become arrogant about many things. We can be arrogant about our knowledge, skills, heritage and background, or even our social standing. But we can also become arrogant about our citizenship or even nation and form of government. The Tower of Babel and Humanity's Pride Our first example in the Bible is in Genesis 11. After the flood, humanity moved toward the east. There they came together and decided to show God who was really in charge. First, they made a huge technological advancement by learning to make bricks, fire them, and treat them with pitch. This created a much stronger building material than stone. With this innovation they were able to build where stone was not even present. So, on the plains of Shinar, in what is now Iraq, they came together with one purpose—to build a tower that would reach to heaven, to make a name for themselves, and all of this so they would not be scattered across the earth. What had God told them? To spread across the earth and multiply. What was the advantage, in their eyes, to staying in one place? By staying together they could consolidate power, control the masses, and build a mighty kingdom—perhaps even a one-world empire. They also wanted the world to know who they were. When someone, "makes a name for themselves" they are usually very good at something or they have so much power and influence that they become widely known. To these tower builders the important name was their own, not the name of the God who had saved Noah, their own ancestor, from the flood. And where did God live? Heaven. They wanted the tower to reach the heavens. By doing so everyone could see it and know who built it. If someone had the power and financial means to build such an impressive structure they must be someone to be reckoned with. In some ways it was a subtle slap in the face to God. It reflected mankind's desire to exalt itself rather than honor God. Because if they could reach the heavens, where God lives, then they must be of equal importance to Him. This was mankind's arrogance on full display. They were seemingly unafraid of God's wrath. Could it be that because He promised to never send another flood to destroy the world they thought they could disobey him with impunity? What was intended for man's good, to spread across the face of the earth and populate it, was ignored for the sake of pride and power. But when God saw the tower and what was in their hearts He made them realize that it was He who was in charge, not them. Why God Judged the Tower of Babel God says that "now nothing will be restrained from them, which they have imagined to do" (Genesis 11:6). The builders of Babel couldn't be easily discouraged from their mission. These men, all in one place, all being able to communicate, would now be able to accomplish incredible feats. They would easily become convinced that they had no need for God. They could believe that they were in control and not Him. God sees the great evils that can come from this moment in time and does something about it. "Let us go down" He says, with the "us" being a nod to the Trinity. So He confounds their language. If they can't understand one another they can't continue working on their project. They can't live together because they can no longer work together. They must have realized the hand of God in all of this sudden confusion. They leave off their project and go out into the world as they were always intended to do. From Babel to Pentecost: God's Purpose for Language To this day we see the problems that this confounding of languages has caused. We see difficulties in cooperating with others from different nations. We must tediously learn other languages and be careful in word choices and nuances. Misunderstanding abounds. But God gave us a glimpse of what a world with one language should be like. At Pentecost, people from a multitude of nations were present in Jerusalem. The first miracle we see is when Peter speaks to the crowds. In the crowd they each heard his words in their own language. This "gift of tongues" was so that God's message could reach the far corners of the world. When God creates a language, through the Holy Spirit, it is to bring Him glory, not for the glory of man. Modern Technology and the Spirit of the Tower of Babel Today I see some rather uncomfortable parallels to this story in today's world. Perhaps you have noticed there have been some significant technological advances lately. These advances have dramatically increased knowledge and have created a common language in that we are able, with the click of a button, to easily translate other languages and even hear what is spoken directly in our own language. These advances have certainly made a name for many of the people behind them. Elon Musk has remarked that these technologies could become a "digital god" and that they possess "Jesus-level technologies." At the same time, these innovations make worldwide communication and centralized control easier than ever before, thus making it more possible for a "one world government" to be introduced. Today we can see the same arrogance as the Tower of Babel in modern technology. This is not to imply that all technology is evil, certainly not. The innovations of baked bricks sealed with pitch was not evil, but it was used for evil purposes. It is not wrong to make your name known, as long as it is for the purposes of God and His will and honor. Being able to communicate with others across the globe is not inherently wrong, but when that ability leads to outcomes that directly violate God's commands, then it is wrong. We are deceived in the same way that those people of Babel were centuries ago. Choosing Humility Instead of Pride Arrogance leads to Satan's sin, putting ourselves above God. Satan does whatever it takes to lead people away from God. He lies, murders, and misrepresents God to people. When we follow Satan's example instead of God's, we do the same. We even hear people accuse God of being evil and Satan good. The father of lies is very good at what he does. Let's not underestimate the enemy. When he whispers in our ear how great we are, how much better we are than others, let's recognize whose voice we are hearing. We worship a humble and meek King whose grace has set us free from sin. We don't serve arrogance, pride, and love of self. If you are not among those who call Jesus Lord, I pray for you that even now, you would put away arrogance and pride, and turn to Him who loves you and died for you. Whether we build physical towers to the heavens or technological towers, it is what is in our hearts that matters. Put God first, love and obey Him, and use the things of this world for His honor and glory alone.

An Imperfect Disciple Called by Christ If we ever thought Christian perfection was possible, we don't have to look far in the Bible to see that is not true. Some examples we read about so often, we almost forget they were real people, with real struggles, and real character flaws. I thank God we have examples that are like me, not perfect by any means, but striving to be better because they love God and want to show His love to others. If I describe someone as impetuous, hot headed, and often speaking without thinking does it remind you of anyone, maybe yourself? This person was a disciple of Jesus. Perhaps you have figured out that I am talking about Simon Peter. Peter led a normal life until his encounter with Jesus. What was it like when Jesus called him to be his disciple? In Luke 5:1-11 we read that Jesus came to preach near Lake Gennesaret (Galilee) and requested the use of Simon's boat. Simon was probably exhausted from a long night of fishing on the lake with no success. Now, he was washing his nets probably looking forward to going home, when Jesus showed up. Jesus wanted to use his boat as a platform to teach from. When Jesus finished, he told Simon Peter to put down his net for a catch. Peter explained that they had fished all night and caught nothing, but he complied with the request. To Peter's astonishment they pulled up enough fish to fill two boats. Realizing this was no ordinary man, Simon, falling to his knees, told Jesus to leave him because he was a sinful man. At this, Jesus told Simon not to be afraid, because from now on he would catch men. Peter did not hesitate but gave up everything and followed Him. Peter had just witnessed a miracle. What an opportunity this was to become a follower of such an amazing rabbi (teacher). Peter's quick decision to follow Jesus was an example of the decisiveness we see throughout his life. Peter often acted before others did. Sometimes that would be a strength. Other times it would lead him into trouble, but through it all Peter was learning. Following Jesus, often near his beloved Sea of Galilee, Peter witnessed miracles that helped him grow in knowledge and understanding of who Jesus truly was. Learning What Kind of Messiah Jesus Was Peter lived in a time when people highly anticipated the Messiah. They awaited a great military commander and a leader who would make their nation great again and throw off Roman rule. They weren't expecting the humble servant who would give His life for His sheep that they found in Jesus. Peter’s struggles with Jesus’ mission make much more sense when we remember what he was expecting the Messiah to be. He believed Jesus was the Messiah, but he still had to learn what kind of Messiah Jesus was. Throughout his time with Jesus we see Peter often represented as being the spokesman for the group, especially when they wanted to understand things better. But Peter, like most of us, had a lot of lessons to learn before he could become the leader of the twelve. These lessons appear repeatedly in specific moments of Peter’s life. Lessons from Peter's Life Peter needed to learn where his focus should always lie, especially in moments of fear. In Matthew 14 when Jesus walks on water, the disciples were afraid, but Peter cried out to Jesus. Jesus told him to come, so Peter jumped out of the boat and walked towards Jesus. But when he noticed the wind and waves, he began to sink and cried out for help. As Jesus stretched out His hand He asked Peter, "Why did you doubt?" Peter learned that taking his eyes off of Jesus and looking instead at the fearful things around him, weakened his faith. Peter also needed to learn patience. He was not a man that wanted to wait. He was a man of action. At the transfiguration his first thought was to do something. He decided to build tabernacles (shelters) for Jesus, Moses, and Elijah (Matthew 17:1-8). I can see him casting about thinking there must be something he could do to make this miraculous moment last. Peter's instinct was often to act immediately rather than stop and consider what God wanted him to do. When the Roman company came to arrest Jesus, the first thing he did was to pull out a sword and cut off the ear of one of the guards (John 18:10-11). Why did he have a sword in the first place? He must have feared what could happen. Jesus of course would have none of this violence and miraculously restored the soldier's ear. Once again Peter was trying to accomplish God's purposes in his own way, rather than submitting to God's plan. And yet again, when Jesus tells him that He would meet his death in Jerusalem and be raised on the third day, Peter exclaims, “Far be it from You, Lord; this shall not happen to You!” (Matthew 16:21-23). Peter already recognized Jesus as Messiah but when Peter rebuked Jesus, Jesus accused him of speaking for the devil. Peter could not imagine that the long awaited Messiah would be killed. Jesus mission, of course, was to die for the sins of the world, but Peter still had not fully realized what that meant. Peter loved Jesus deeply, but good intentions did not keep him from being wrong. Of course Peter's weakest moment came when he denied Jesus in the courtyard after His arrest (Luke 22:54-62). Jesus had warned him this would happen but flawed, as so many of us are, Peter refused to believe that he would abandon his friend under any circumstances. This was truly the defining moment for Peter. Looking in Jesus eyes, he wept for what he had done. After Jesus' resurrection, mercifully Peter received forgiveness and mission. When Jesus left, it would be Peter who would "feed His sheep" (John 21:15-17). Peter's failure did not disqualify him from service. In many ways, it prepared him to understand grace more deeply than before. These moments were not random failures because out of each one Peter's faith grew. His understanding of Jesus and His mission grew as well. You and I can also grow from our failures. Each of us can see ourselves, in one way or another, in Peter's actions. Are we eager to take revenge on those who don't think or believe as we do? Are we looking for ways to stay busy without asking if that is God's will for us? Do we question what Jesus wants us to do? And are we just a little arrogant in our assumption that we will never abandon Him? But Peter’s story does not end in failure, because Christ does not leave us or His disciples in failure. The Holy Spirit and the Transformation of Peter Just like us, the power of the Holy Spirit began the transformation of Peter. At Pentecost he spoke to the large crowds gathered there, with 3,000 becoming new believers. Being born again by the Holy Spirit empowered this impulsive fisherman, who once denied Jesus, to stand publicly before thousands and proclaim Him, and later heal the sick, and even raise the dead. Even as a leader of the early church, Peter had to learn things. He recognized that the Roman, Cornelius, had received the Holy Spirit just as the Jews had, and reluctantly accepted that Gentiles too could become believers. He understood that God was no respecter of person (Acts 10:34). This learning continued when, later on, Paul accused him of hypocrisy when he withdrew from the Gentile Christians in Antioch over pressure from some legalistic Jews. Growth in Christ is a lifelong process, not a single moment of transformation. Peter continued to influence the young church with his letters, 1 and 2 Peter, and his direct impact on John Mark, who would later write the Gospel of Mark. Who is your life influencing? Peter is often referred to as an "everyman." This is someone whose life was so similar to many of us that we can see ourselves in his story. The stories of his time with Christ show a leader in the making who was gradually shaped by Christ and empowered by the Holy Spirit to become the man God intended him to be. The same faith that made Peter an effective leader also sustained him through tremendous suffering. Faithfulness Through Suffering Peter was no stranger to suffering, he was imprisoned and beaten for preaching the Gospel. But in all of this he glorified God (1 Peter 4:16). Jesus had predicted Peter's death and the method of it (John 21:18-19). Peter understood that suffering for Christ was part of discipleship. Peter shared many lessons with us in 1 Peter. “Christ suffered for you, leaving you an example, that you should follow in his steps.” (1 Peter 2:21) Eventually, tradition says, he would be executed for his faith. What Peter's Life Teaches Us Today In Peter we see someone with seemingly little to offer that Jesus molded into the figure he would become. Peter was no educated man, no man with great religious understanding, but Jesus saw what he would become. In the same way, Jesus sees what we can become for Him if only we let Him use us. We see a man who was fearless but just needed direction. Are you someone who is bold and fearless until you are called on to tell others about Christ? Be like Peter. Peter, who once denied Jesus before a small group around a fire, now proclaimed Him boldly before thousands after being empowered by the Holy Spirit. The same Holy Spirit that lives in us today. Peter needed to learn patience among other things but Jesus saw that he was a willing learner. Peter accepted being taught. Do we? Do we look at ourselves honestly and ask the Lord what we need to learn about Him? Jesus forgave Peter's betrayal and set him on a new course. This was a path that would change the world. Have we asked for Jesus' life changing forgiveness? Are we willing to change directions and be led by the Holy Spirit as Peter was? The solid character and direction that Peter would eventually give the early church bore out his name which was Petros in Greek for rock. But this transformation was not a single moment—it was the unfolding of a life shaped by God’s purpose from beginning to end. Imagine Peter as a young child sitting at his parent's knees learning the stories of his faith and anxiously awaiting a Messiah, a Savior, for his nation. How could he ever have imagined that he had already been chosen to lead a group of men who would become friends and students of the Son of God? How must his heart been full when he was executed for the One who died for him, the One who loved his soul from before his birth. The lessons from Peter's life teach us the importance of following Jesus faithfully. Let God reveal His will to you, as He did to Peter. Don't set limitations on how you can be used. Like Peter, acknowledge Him as Lord and live a life well lived. Peter was deeply flawed, yet Jesus patiently transformed him into the man He intended him to be. The same grace that shaped Peter is the grace that still shapes us. Peter's greatest failure and restoration deserve special attention and are explored in greater detail elsewhere.

What Does It Mean to Be Known by God? It's hard to get to know someone really well. In some ways, we may never know them entirely. Friends and spouses we have known for years will surprise us by the things they say or do. The Bible talks about God knowing us and us knowing God. The word know doesn't mean simply that we understand God exists or that He knows we exist. It means that we have a reciprocal, loving, and intimate relationship with Him and He with us. Let's first look at God knowing us. In 1 Corinthians 8:3 Paul explains, "But if anyone loves God, he is known by God." If this is true, and we know it is, then God must not know those who don't love Him in the sense Paul is describing. Again, this doesn't mean that God is unaware of a person's existence and or even what kind of person they are. It means that God is not in a covenantal relationship with them. Without relationship the lost have no intimate knowledge of God. Think of what it was like when you first married. You both were in love and because of this you wanted to know everything you could about each other. Some relationships grow and thrive, their love deepens, they can almost read each other's minds, and their greatest desire is to make the other one happy. Without a deepening relationship we can not be truly known by Jesus. God's covenant knowledge of us is deeper, more faithful, and more initiating than even the best marriage. This is how God knows us. We respond with love to the love He first showed us. Jesus used an even more powerful image to help us understand this intimate knowing. Knowing and Being Known by God Jesus says, "I am the good shepherd; and I know My sheep, and am known by My own" (John 10:14). Why does Jesus use this analogy? Because shepherd's lived with their sheep. They were so intimately involved with their sheep that they knew each one and could tell if a strange sheep entered the herd. The sheep knew their Shepherd as well. They didn't even have to see Him. They would follow Him just by listening to His voice. The Shepherd protected them so they knew if they could hear His voice they weren't far from Him and His protective guidance. Now the sheep can not possibly know the Shepherd as fully as He knows them. They are animals. They can't fully comprehend what being human is like. They understand and know Him to the best of their limited capabilities. Paul speaks of a time when like the sheep we too will understand God as He knows us, "For now we see in a mirror, dimly, but then face to face. Now I know in part, but then I shall know just as I also am known." 1 Corinthians 13:12 We will know God as we have never known Him before. Can you imagine knowing God in relationship as deeply as He knows us? So God knows us, but do we know Him? Jesus Himself tells us how important this knowledge is. Eternal Life Is Knowing God In John 17:3 Jesus, who is about to face the cross, prays for us, his future brothers and sisters. He says, "And this is eternal life, that they know you, the only true God, and Jesus Christ whom you have sent." Picture Jesus humbly interceding with His Father God for us that we would know Him. Have we ever gotten on our knees to plead with the Father to grant us that loving, close, and true relationship with Him that Christ prayed for us to have? Since knowing God is central to eternal life, Scripture repeatedly calls us to know Him more deeply. The Christian life is not merely coming to know God once. It is a lifelong process of knowing Him more deeply. We call this sanctification. This is why the psalmist proclaims, "Be still, and know that I am God. I will be exalted among the nations, I will be exalted in the earth!" Psalm 46:10 In our hurriedness and rush of life we forget to stop, be still, and know God. In our hectic lives do we give even a thought once a day to God? Just as a marriage grows cold without unhurried time together, our relationship with God cannot deepen in the noise and busyness of daily life. We must make space to be still before the King of Kings if we want to know Him intimately. Have you ever come home from a busy day at work to be met by your spouse at the door all excited about something they want to share with you? And what was your reaction? Did you stop, listen, show interest and care or were you irritated, just wishing to be left alone, eat and take a nap? To have that intimate knowledge of each other requires attentive listening. God Makes Himself Known Where does the ability to know Him even come from? According to 1 John 5:20 it comes from God Himself. Jesus gives us understanding so that "we may know Him who is true...". It's as though the shepherd we spoke of earlier went to his sheep and supernaturally opened their minds to have a relationship with him. This is how we begin the process of growing in the knowledge of God. Knowing About God vs Truly Knowing Him Don't misunderstand. We can know many things about God and still not know Him in a deep loving relationship. We can memorize verses. We can understand church doctrine. We can preach and teach. We can even make a show of worshipping Him—all without relationship. God wants our hearts, not just our minds. In Matthew 7:23 Jesus says these dreaded words, "I never knew you." These so called followers did great and mighty works in Jesus' name but all without really knowing the One who was true. They only knew how to pretend. This kind of knowing goes all the way back to Adam and Eve. In Hebrew, the word for 'know' is yada. This is the same word used for the deep, intimate knowing between husband and wife. They knew the fruit of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil was not to be eaten. This was a fact. But by actually disobeying God they experienced knowledge (yada) of the consequences of their disobedience. Their relationship was broken with God. Obedience Reveals a Genuine Relationship The reverse is true as well. A relationship with God, where we really know Him, brings obedience. Not perfection in this life, but a desire, a striving for the goal of being like Him. Don't we admire the traits of those we love that we are in relationship with? Don't we want to be like them in so many ways? Isn't it interesting that as spouses grow old together they often grow to look more and more alike. This relationship they have developed even affects their physical bodies. Obedience is the litmus test. 1 John 2:3 tells us, "Now by this we know that we know Him, if we keep His commandments." Obedience from the heart follows true relationship. God repeatedly tells us in His Word that He wants obedience that comes from the heart, not just lip service. How do we "know that we know"? According to John it is quite simple. Are you obeying Him? Listen to Him and let your heart become more and more like His. Experience not just the head knowledge that Jesus died for you but the heart knowledge that He is your beloved and you are His. Watch as the One who already knows you fully leads you into knowing Him more deeply than you ever thought possible.

Identity Beyond Earthly Accomplishments We often define ourselves by our accomplishments. When someone asks you to tell them a little about yourself, what do we think of first? Often we talk about an important position we have held in a company, or perhaps a physical accomplishment, or maybe an award we have won. But how should we really define ourselves? By our relationship to God. A job interview may require us to talk about our accomplishments but when we think about ourselves and answer that question, "Who am I really?" our response to ourselves should always be, "I am a follower of Jesus, a new creation in Christ, and God's child." Whatever we have accomplished is by the grace of God. It is very interesting that God doesn't judge our worth by our accomplishments. In fact, God purposely uses people who seem to have no worldly value to do His will. Why God Uses the Humble and Weak Are you small, weak, or insignificant? Do people seem to look past you and not even see you? Well, God sees you. He sees your heart (1 Samuel 16:7). Paul knows this to be true and explains, “​And He chose the lowly and despised things of the world, and the things that are not, to nullify the things that are,” 1 Corinthians 1:28 But why? Why does God choose those with no power or influence to spread His word? Because they recognize that it is God working through them that accomplishes His will, not their own intelligence, influence, or power (Judges 7:2). God delights in humility because humility recognizes dependence upon Him, while pride seeks glory for self. The humble understand that every good thing comes from God, and for that reason God often chooses those the world overlooks so that people will know who truly accomplished the work. Mary, the mother of Jesus, sings in Luke 1:52, “He has brought down rulers from their thrones, but has exalted the humble.” And in Luke 18:14 Jesus tells us that the humble will be exalted and the exalted humbled. In God's design the world is upside down (Acts 17:6). It is the proud that God opposes, but the humble receive grace (James 4:6). Those who rely on God and not themselves are lifted up by Him. Paul calls us in Philippians 2:5-8 to "let this mind be in you which was also in Christ Jesus." Jesus came as a humble servant and asks the same of us. But pride is not a small flaw in God's eyes. It is a direct challenge to His authority and glory. Humility Before God and the Danger of Pride Pride, the sin of Lucifer who wanted to place himself above God, is an abomination to God. It literally disgusts God. A prideful person thinks they have no need of God. They boast of their good life and accomplishments as though God had almost nothing to do with it. But God knows differently. Later in Paul's second letter to the Corinthians he says that God's power is displayed most fully in weakness (2 Corinthians 12:9). No one can go before God and say, "Look what I have done." Look at the many examples from Scripture. In the Old Testament, God chose Moses, a fugitive shepherd with a speech impediment, to become the deliverer of a nation (Exodus 3-4). Abraham, a wandering nomad, became the father of many nations (Genesis 12:1-3). In the New Testament, Jesus' mother was a humble village girl (Luke 1:48,52) and the disciples were fishermen and tax collectors (Acts 4:13). Who would normally pick such people to spread a new faith around the world? God would. Today, never think you are so unimportant that God cannot use you in His service. Maybe you are the person people feel comfortable talking with. Maybe you can be an encourager. Perhaps you are the one who can repair the broken things at church or cook the meals for the sick. We never know how God can use us. Consider Gladys Aylward, a simple English parlor maid in the 1930s. Rejected by a mission board for lacking education and polish, she trusted God’s call anyway. She worked and saved until she could buy a one-way ticket to China. There, God used her to care for the hurting, share the gospel, and heroically lead over a hundred orphaned children to safety during war. She often felt unqualified, but she was willing and that was enough. God made her capable for what He called her to do, equipping her for every task He placed before her. The most important gift we have is willingness. We should be willing to trust God, step out of our comfort zone, and do something we never thought we were able to do. It is God who makes us capable. It is He that we serve. Do you have a servant's heart? But maybe we think we aren't prideful when really we are. How Hidden Pride Reveals Itself Pride often reveals itself in ways we do not immediately recognize. We might do well to give some thought to how we act. Do we desperately seek validation from others? Do we talk too much about ourselves? Maybe it's difficult for us to accept constructive criticism. Perhaps we are critical of others but fail to see our own mistakes. Do we treat people who have nothing to offer us as if they have no value? Without repentance and change though the prideful will go to ruin, maybe not in this life but the time will come. Nebuchadnezzar and the Destruction of Pride The Bible tells the story of one man whose pride led him to ruin and finally to repentance. In Daniel 4, the prophet interprets King Nebuchadnezzar's dream. Daniel informs the king that because of his great pride and boastfulness in his kingdom he would become ill and act like an animal eating grass on all fours. Some have compared this behavior to a rare psychiatric condition. He would no longer rule his kingdom. Daniel begged the king to repent, but he would not. And so it happened as Daniel said that it would. After a period of time God restored the king's mental faculties and his kingdom. Even pagan records speak of the King's absence and eventual return. At this point King Nebuchadnezzar realizes his sin and repents. In Daniel 4:37 he says, "Now I, Nebuchadnezzar, praise and extol and honor the King of heaven, all of whose works are truth, and His ways justice. And those who walk in pride He is able to put down." These stories continue into the New Testament. In Acts 12:21-23 we read about Herod Agrippa's pride and refusal to acknowledge God. He was "eaten by worms." The famous story of the Pharisee and the Tax Collector in Luke 18:9-14 teaches that pride makes it impossible to be justified before God. The warnings against pride are throughout the Bible and even though we may not be a king or a religious leader they are for us today just as they were for them. God Gives Grace to the Humble So how much time have you spent answering the question, "Who are you?" Are you comfortable with your answer? Don't let your life be defined solely by pride in your work or even by pride in your family. We can recognize arrogance easily in others but not so easily in ourselves. But humility has a special reward. When we are humble, God delights in us and dwells with us. His grace is given to those who serve Him with humility. Without it how could we ever see our need for a Savior? Dear Father, Thank you for loving me, a sinner saved by your grace. Father, walk with me and show me your ways. Help me to see how you want me to be of service to You. Above all, remove any pride that remains in me and let me see you as my sole source of everything that is good. In your Son's name, Amen

Ignoring Warnings in Times of Prosperity No one seems to enjoy hearing warnings when things are going well. We often block them out, we believe tomorrow will be just like today—trouble free. You see it in a booming stock market, when people are warned about a coming downturn. You see it in nature, when people are warned of impending storms and ignore them, much to their misfortune. God tells us that He has warned us as well in our times of prosperity. Have we forgotten Him when things are good? Has He become something we give a nod to when we have time on Sunday mornings? In Jeremiah 22 we read Jeremiah's messages to good King Josiah's sons. Where Josiah worshipped the Lord and was obedient, his sons failed to follow in their father's footsteps. They were raised during the good times. The country was spiritually prosperous and at peace, having been blessed by God because of King Josiah's faithfulness. But times were about to change. The nation had been repeatedly warned that due to their continuing unfaithfulness and disobedience they would be punished. The Babylonian captivity was around the corner. Yet even in these peaceful days, the seeds of future judgment were already being sown. History records the tragic outcome. In 586 BC, after years of ignored warnings, Babylonian armies breached the walls of Jerusalem. King Zedekiah, another of Josiah’s sons, watched as his sons were killed before his eyes, after which his own eyes were gouged out. The temple was burned, the city destroyed, and the survivors led away in chains to Babylon. What began as comfortable prosperity ended in unimaginable suffering—all because God's warnings were ignored. Tragically, the same danger still threatens us today. Prosperity Can Blind Us to Sin Josiah's sons, like us, may even see the good things in our lives as God's blessings on us. We then begin to assume that outward blessing is God’s endorsement of our lives, even when we are sinning. We think to ourselves, "Well I can't be so bad because I have a good life, lots of material things, a beautiful home, and a nice car." Or perhaps we see that God has blessed our parents and because of that He will automatically bless us. But no, each of us are responsible for our own relationship with God. Our comfort blunts our conviction that we have sinned. Because our world is not falling apart does not mean that God approves of our lives. Scripture repeatedly shows that outward peace is not always a sign of inward faithfulness. The Continuing Pattern of Ignoring God's Warnings Through Jeremiah the Lord announces to the son, Jehoiakim saying, in part, "I spoke to you in your prosperity, But you said, ‘I will not hear.’ This has been your manner from your youth, That you did not obey My voice." Jeremiah 22:21 Believing things would always be good as they had been during his father's reign, he does not listen to the warnings. This is not accidental. He made a choice, "I will not hear." When we do wrong, don't we do the same? We want to continue in our sin because we see no immediate consequences, so we don't listen to correction. You might think that God is not warning us today like He did in the days of Jeremiah but you would be mistaken. This pattern of rejecting God's warnings did not end in the days of Jeremiah, it continued throughout Israel's history and even into the time of the early church. Yet even as they resisted, God continued to plead with them in love, often through strong and direct words. In Acts 7:51 Stephen warns the Jewish mob that is about to kill him, “You stiff-necked and uncircumcised in heart and ears! You always resist the Holy Spirit; as your fathers did, so do you." Do we resist the Holy Spirit today as they did? Sometimes our hearts and ears are stubborn and unloving. Stephen is talking about deliberately rejecting God, not by accident. How is God's word warning you and me? The Danger of a Hardened Heart Today we are blessed to have the Scriptures. Most of us have access to them whenever we want to read them. God's Word instructs us against complacency and disobedience. His Word explains how we are to treat God and others and warns us quite plainly what happens when we don't. Jesus Himself warns us of the end of days, hell, and the importance of watching and being ready for His return. The New Testament is full of warnings from the apostles to avoid sin, discern false teachers, and remain faithful no matter what comes. Even more than that today we have been blessed with the Holy Spirit to convict us of sin so we will turn from it. The book of Revelation contains explicit rebukes to the churches: don't forget your first love, don't allow false teachings to invade the church, and don't just "play church" but live it in your heart, among others. So we cannot say we have not been warned. The warnings are already there in Scripture, history, and conviction. But have we heard? Do we live life as if we have not been cautioned about the consequences of our actions? Sometimes it takes a lot before we will listen. Our soul feels the warnings but our flesh fights obedience. If we fight obedience long enough sometimes we become so hardened in our hearts, so set in our ways, that we find it extremely difficult to change. Cursing, gossiping, sexual sin, or anything we place before God becomes harder and harder to turn away from. We stop seeing sin for what it is. The Bible calls it the complacency of fools (Proverbs 1:32). We lose track of our own self destructive behavior and begin to see it as normal. This is why we need to be there to lift one another up before the Lord. Hebrews 3:13 reminds us, "but exhort one another daily, while it is called “Today,” lest any of you be hardened through the deceitfulness of sin." So we should encourage one another to do what is right while we have the opportunity. Sin lies to us and can harden us to the need for repentance. But when we are rebellious as young people it is easy to get in a pattern that is hard to stop. I know people who, at fifty years old, still live a life of defiance and sin that began at an early age. Will we choose obedience or not? Obedience Flows from Love As Jesus tells us plainly in John 14:15, “If you love Me, you will keep My commandments.” We make obedience complicated when it isn't really. Why do we do something someone who loves us tells us to? Because we love them. We want to make them happy and proud of us. We want them to know we love them by doing as they say. This is why our children sometimes lie to us when they have done bad. They don't want us to think that they don't love us. They don't want to disappoint us. How much more should we love God. Our love for God comes from His love for us (1 John 4:19). God's grace changes our heart so that we are able to love as we should. Love flows from our unbounded gratitude for the undeserved gift of His Son on the cross for our sins. We revere Him as our Creator and Redeemer. While It Is Called Today So what do we learn from the warnings to King Josiah's son? We learn that God graciously warns us before He brings judgment, we learn that not listening to God is a choice, and those choices can become a pattern for us from a young age. Ignoring God's warnings comes at a cost. God loves us so much and He mercifully calls us to respond with love and obedience. Make the choice to listen and yield to His will because out of that comes blessings and a fruit-filled, Spirit-filled life that brings joy to both ourselves and to God. Obedience is not a chore it is a path to peace with God. By it we can move from complacency to repentance and hope. Repentance should not be delayed. "While it is called today" is the time to act. Josiah's sons did not listen, but we still can. Prayerfully ask God to help you see how you can obey Him with the love His Spirit has placed in your heart.