Worship in Appearance Only Isaiah 58 has a strong rebuke from the Lord about worship. In this chapter God says His people appear to be very religious. They appear to worship God truthfully but the problem is it is only the appearance, not the reality. They fast and pray, they say the right things, they long for God to answer their prayers but He does not. Why? Because they seek God selfishly. Because while they look like worshippers of God, they are really worshippers of self. God says they fast to make "their voices heard on high"; to glorify self instead of God. If their worship was empty, what did God actually require of them? This chapter ultimately shows what it means to become a Repairer of the Breach in the eyes of God. What Should They Be Doing God tells them they have not been heard because, while they looked all "holy" to onlookers, they were oppressing others instead of reaching out with compassion and love. Their treatment of others was evil. God uses action words to describe what His people should be doing. They should be, "loosing bonds, undoing burdens, freeing the oppressed, breaking yokes, sharing food with the hungry, bringing into your home those who were cast out and covering the naked"(Isaiah 58:6-7). Only then would blessings come from Him. If our worship is genuine, it will be evident in how we treat the needy, how we extend grace to those around us, and how we stand up for justice even when it costs us. It’s not enough to fast, pray, or recite Scripture if our lives do not reflect the compassion, mercy, and humility that Jesus demonstrated. The heart of worship means putting our faith into action—loosing bonds, undoing burdens, and sharing our blessings with those who suffer. I challenge you to examine your daily walk: Are your choices, your interactions, and your priorities steeped in the love of God? Do you allow His truth to govern your thoughts, so that your inner life mirrors the light of His presence? When we live out authentic worship, we become living testimonies of God’s grace, drawing others to the hope and healing found only in Him. God does not leave obedience without reward. Promised Blessings If worship is true and right, then you will do these things. What blessings does He promise to those who don't just "talk the talk but walk the walk" as we say? The Lord will hear your prayers, He will heal you, guide you, satisfy you, strengthen you and you will live lives of righteousness (Isaiah 58:11). Along with what we must do, God is also clear about what must stop. Stop Doing These Things But to receive these blessings there are three things we must stop doing. Stop oppressing others, stop pointing fingers at other people and stop speaking wickedly about others. (Isaiah 58:9) There are two things the Lord wants us to do. We must minister to the needs of the hungry, hungry physically and hungry spiritually (Isaiah 58:10). When these commands are followed, God gives a remarkable promise and identity. We Are the Repairer of the Breach If we do these things God calls us "the Repairer of the Breach" and "the Restorer of Streets to Dwell In" (Isaiah 58:12). A breach is a tear, a break in something. Have we allowed sin in our lives to create a breach that has allowed the Devil access to our family? Has a breach occurred between you and God over unrepentant sin? What boundaries have we set between ourselves and the world? If our worship is true then that breach can be repaired. We can't build a relationship with God with broken walls and destroyed streets. But even these actions raise a deeper question. What is My Motivation? As Paul reminds us in 1 Corinthians 13:3, "And though I bestow all my goods to feed the poor, and though I give my body to be burned, but have not love, it profits me nothing." Whatever I do for God must be done out of love for Him and for others or it is completely in vain. Love for God and others is true worship: worship that is not just lip service but love in action. I pray that today we may be called a "Repairer of the Breach" and a "Restorer of Streets" for this is the kind of worship God hears and blesses. Praise to you Lord Jesus Christ!

Why We Pray Even When God Already Knows In John chapter 17, Jesus, our role model, prays for us to His Father. I hear many people ask why they should pray for others when God already knows the need. Jesus, who is God, certainly knew the needs of His people and yet He prayed for us. Why? Because pray is a huge part of our relationship with God. This is how we grow in Him. Your best friend may know your problems already but you will still talk to them about those problems. Why do this if they already know? Because you have a relationship with them and as you share your concerns with your friend this relationship deepens. So to with God. This relationship with God is not vague or undefined. Jesus Himself showed us how to pray and what to pray for. The Petitions of Jesus In the Lord's prayer, Jesus taught us to pray. In this prayer there are three petitions, three requests that He makes. He asks to give us our daily bread, to forgive our trespasses (our sin) and to "lead us not into temptation", which means to guide our paths in ways that will keep us from being tempted. Prayers of petitions are simply requests we make to God. Pray for Others One of the most important things that Jesus teaches us is to pray for others, just as He prayed for us. In 1 Timothy 2:1-3, Paul writes this, "Therefore I exhort first of all that supplications, prayers, intercessions, and giving of thanks be made for all men, for kings and all who are in authority, that we may lead a quiet and peaceable life in all godliness and reverence. For this is good and acceptable in the sight of God our Savior," The word exhort in this instance means to encourage. So Paul encourages us to pray for all men (everyone). He mentions supplications which means that you plead or beg for something with humility. He speaks of intercessions which means that we intervene on behalf of someone to prevent or change a course of events. He also tells us to give thanks for everyone. Why do we do this? So our lives will be peaceful and quiet, lived with godliness. This peace is in your soul. No matter what goes on around us we can have peace in Christ. This is the blessing we receive from praying for others. This call to pray for others is not new. Scripture has shown this pattern from the beginning. Intercessory Prayer The Old Testament gives us many examples of intercessory prayer. In Job 42:10, Job prays for his friends and it is then that his fortunes are restored. In Genesis 18:23-33, Abraham intercedes with God concerning the destruction of Sodom and Gomorrah. In I Samuel 12: 23, Samuel says that it would be a sin if he did not continue to pray, to intercede, for the people. In Romans 8:34, I John 2:1, and Hebrews 7:25, we learn that Jesus is constantly interceding on our behalf to the Father. Just as He intercedes for us, we should intercede for others. James 5:16(b) lets us know that, "The prayer of a righteous person is powerful and effective." James says these prayers are effectual prayers that have power. Along with intercession, Scripture also highlights another important kind of prayer: supplication. Prayers of Supplication In Ephesians 6:19, Paul seeks prayers of supplication from the Ephesians so that when he preaches the gospel he will preach with boldness. Paul again requests prayer in Colossians 4:2-4. This time he asks the Colossians to pray that an open door would be placed before him to make the word manifest (obvious or clear) to the people. In Daniel 9:23, Daniel prays supplications for the holy mountain of God (the temple mount in Jerusalem) and is answered by the angel Gabriel. In Psalm 28:2, David's prayer of supplication is that God will not be silent and that God will hear David. In James 5:16, we are told to pray for one another's healing. But prayer is not only about asking. It must also include gratitude. Prayers of Thanksgiving Our thankfulness should be a part of every prayer we make to God, whether for ourselves or others. 1 Thessalonians 5:18 says that the will of God is to give thanks in everything. If you find it difficult to give thanks perhaps reading Psalm 100, only five verses long, would help. We give thanks because we are His people! God Saves Our Prayers Finally, what does God do with our prayers? He saves them. Each and every one of the prayers of His faithful people are treasured and stored up. We know this because of Revelation 8:3-4 and Revelation 5:8. Our prayers are not required to be elegant, or long, or done only in a certain way but they are required to be prayed with humility and thankfulness. Our prayers are always to seek the will of God, those prayers will always be answered. God Blesses Those Who Pray for Others The Bible study/prayer group that I attend is so blessed to have people of strong faith. These people will intercede for me, they will be thankful for me, they will pray prayers of supplication for me and most importantly they will seek the will of God for me. Pray for others and God's abundant blessings will be yours. As Paul tells us in 1 Timothy 2:3, "For this is good and acceptable in the sight of God our Savior."

How Should Christians Respond to Criticisms of Christianity? How do we respond to people who criticize our faith—or do we? Criticisms of Christian faith are common today. Have you ever found yourself caught on the spot unable to explain your beliefs simply to someone. We certainly are not supposed to argue with people but a calm defense of our faith plainly stated is reasonable. I recently read a Facebook post that pointed out several things about organized religion that this person believed were "toxic" and "absurd." These objections often sound compassionate and insightful to non-Christians, but many are built on misunderstandings of sin, holiness, grace, and the true character of Christ. We need to learn to address these issues as they are quite common beliefs of people who have left the church. These objections may sound different, but most of them rest on the same assumption: that God’s authority is the problem rather than human rebellion. Why a Loving God Still Judges Sin The first one is "The God Who Loves You… but Might Torture You Forever." This is often expressed as, "How can a loving God send someone to Hell eternally?" What they forget to realize is that a person who has separated themselves from God would have no interest in living with Him. People certainly choose to reject God, but hell is also God’s just response to sin, not merely people “choosing their path” (Matthew 25:46). God does not "delight" in the death of the wicked (Ezekiel 33:11). Did Christianity Create the Problem and Sell the Cure? The second one is, "The System That Creates the Wound and Then Sells the Cure." This is quite clever. It removes all responsibility from people for the sin and evil that exists. God did not create a broken, fallen world. He created a perfect world. Because man has chosen to separate himself from that perfection by sinning, God has been gracious enough to indeed provide a "cure", His Son, Jesus. It is by the grace of God that we have been saved not through religious manipulation (Ephesians 2:8–9). Can Christians Defend Their Faith with Confidence? Third on the list is, "The Leaders Who Claim Divine Authority but Can’t Handle Questions." This is somewhat of a valid point. Apologetics is something pastors sometimes struggle with. In simple terms, apologetics means explaining and defending what you believe, especially the Christian faith. It does not mean saying “I’m sorry,” like our modern English word apology. Instead, it means giving a reasoned answer for why you believe Christianity is true. For example, when someone asks, “Why do you believe the Bible?” or “How can Jesus be the only way to God?”, answering those questions with truth, Scripture, and clear reasoning is apologetics. Many church leaders are trained to teach, but not always to answer direct challenges to the faith. This is something that Christianity must get better at. As Peter says, "Always be ready to defend the faith that is within you" (1 Peter 3:15). Biblical Love Is More Than Approval The next complaint is, "The Community That Preaches Love but Practices Conditionality." This is really a misunderstanding of the Bible's message. Certainly God is love, but He is also a God of righteous judgment. Put simply, if I love my child I will not let them play with fire because they don't understand the harm it can do to them. We as God's children often want to play with fire in a sense, by practicing behaviors that God has told us plainly are not good for us. Thank goodness God loves us without us having to be perfect, but His expectation is that we will not live like the world. Sometimes a church may fail by making acceptance feel based on how much we do or by being less welcoming when someone struggles or disagrees. Still, we are called to really love people, enough to point out behaviors that hurt their relationship with God. Biblical love includes truth, but also patience, compassion, restoration, and above all humility (Galatians 6:1). Our responsibility is to welcome people as they are while still calling them to live the transformed life they are called to. True Love Changes the Heart, Not Just Behavior Fifth is honestly just another version of the last complaint, yet it goes deeper: "The Morality That Fixates on Behavior but Ignores Humanity." Some Christians focus too much on behavior without looking at a person's heart. How do we love people? Do we show love by approving of everything they do or by pointing them to a Savior who will change their heart, desires, and behavior to mirror His? True transformation begins with the heart. Christianity is not meant to be a list of rules that deals only with outward behavior. The Bible takes our struggles and wounds very seriously. Jesus condemned the Pharisees for cleaning the outside while ignoring the inside. When we come to Christ, our behavior changes because He gives us new desires. We receive real power through the Holy Spirit to live differently from the inside out. When We Remake Jesus in Our Own Image Next the poster says this, " The Jesus Who Looks Nothing Like Jesus." He further explains by saying, "The figure of Jesus—who embodied compassion, boundary-breaking, solidarity with the marginalized—gets repurposed as a mascot for certainty, purity culture, nationalism, and fear." First, lets look at Christian nationalism. This is a term you may have heard used negatively in the news towards Christians. Christian nationalism is the belief that loyalty to one’s nation and loyalty to Christ are nearly the same thing. It happens when people begin to treat their country as holding a special redemptive place in God’s plan, or when supporting a political party, leader, or movement becomes almost part of the gospel itself. This is very different from Christians voting according to convictions shaped by Scripture and supporting policies that reflect justice, truth, the protection of life, honesty, mercy, and moral order. It is true that some political agendas may align more closely with biblical values on certain issues than others. However, no political party can truthfully claim to be the “Christian party,” and patriotism, while good and natural, must never become unquestioning loyalty that competes with loyalty to Christ. Scripture reminds us that our true citizenship is in Heaven (Philippians 3:20). When national identity begins to replace kingdom identity, the church has a serious problem. When the writer says Jesus has been used as a mascot for fear, he is referring to how some churches seem to believe that instilling fear of Hell is better than teaching love for God and others over self. Every person will eventually face either eternal life with God in Heaven or eternal separation from Him in Hell. Because the road to Hell is an easy one we shouldn't ignore the topic. But our focus should be to show God to the world through our love and forgiveness. While Jesus frequently emphasized judgment, that fear alone was not the center of His message. His focus was repentance, the Kingdom of God, reconciliation, grace, and truth (Mark 1:14–15). As far as Jesus being a "mascot for purity culture", in our faith, clearly purity is a value Jesus requires: purity of thought, deed, and desires. What does God expect? A high moral standard is central to the teachings of Jesus. We must unapologetically call for purity as Christians. But all of this must come with humility. Without humility we have failed as a church. Is Christian Obedience Based on Fear or Faith? Lastly, the Facebook post claims the following, "The Fear That Masquerades as Faith. Toxic religion teaches you to call fear by other names: - “obedience” - “reverence” - “submission” - “faithfulness.”" Those words are not fear based labels, but are responses that grow out of a relationship to Christ. The center of Christianity is Christ—His grace, His cross, His resurrection, and our reconciliation to God. We, as Christians, place God and His will above our own. Jesus repeatedly tells us not to fear and with Him leading and guiding our life that is truly possible. He offers a peace that passes understanding. Biblical fear of the Lord is not terror but reverent awe and submission. We don't love God out of fear, but because He first loved us (1 John 4:19). Why People Leave Church and How Grace Calls Them Back To sum up these objections, I will say that the person who wrote this has a worldview that is the opposite of biblical teaching. He seems to fundamentally misunderstand Christian faith. He appears to judge Christianity by what he wants it to be instead of what Scripture actually teaches. He criticizes without any true understanding of Jesus' teachings in their entirety. As Christians we can't pick and choose the teachings we like. And as humans our faith requires us to see that we have a true need for forgiveness for the sin and wrong choices we make every day. Love is just a word until you see that Jesus, the Word made flesh, hung on a cross, dying for you, while you were still a sinner. It is understandable why some people feel like this Facebook post. They may have been disappointed with their experiences with Christians. They may see life as fundamentally a life of suffering and are desperate to find an answer. Sadly they look in the wrong places for those answers. They perhaps have been convinced that faith is just wishful thinking with no basis in reality. Churches need to confront their own failures as well: hypocrisy, abuse, and legalism. None of these comments will necessarily change hearts, only the Holy Spirit can do that. Yet He also stands with us to strengthen us and bring Scripture to our minds when we respond to criticism. Let Him work in and through you to speak truth boldly and with gentleness. I pray that if you have left the church for any of these reasons, ask yourself if you are really being honest about why you left. Don't let criticisms of Christianity damage your faith. Churches are not perfect places, but places where forgiven people go to learn more about the Father they love. May we respond to these criticisms with gentleness, readiness, and humility, with the Gospel at the heart of every reply.

Why Does the Bible Use Lion Imagery? Here in America, few animals inspire more fear than the Mountain lion. It is a top predator fully capable of killing and devouring a person. Why does the Bible use the imagery of lions so often? In ancient Israel, the most feared predator was also a lion. When we picture biblical lions, however, we often imagine the wrong kind. The Real Lions of Ancient Israel The lion of Israel was the Asiatic lion, slightly smaller than the African lion, grayish-tan in color, and marked by a smaller mane. Sadly, this lion disappeared from Israel around the time of the Crusades. Several well-known biblical figures encountered them, and understanding that helps us better understand why Scripture uses the lion as such a powerful image. Before David was king he was said to have defeated lions (1 Samuel 17:34-37). Samson was said to have killed a lion with his bare hands by the Spirit's power in Judges 14:5-6. Encounters with lions were not that rare. Shepherds often had to defend their flocks against them. These real threats made the lion a powerful symbol when Jacob prophesied over his sons. Why Judah Received the Greatest Blessing In Genesis 49, Jacob blesses and prophesies over his heirs as he lay on his deathbed. Here we first see the foundation of the title Lion of the Tribe of Judah. What begins as a blessing over Judah in Genesis becomes a foreshadowing of the coming Messiah. His greatest blessing was saved for his son Judah. Judah had been a wayward young man, but had become a joy to his father. It was Judah who suggested selling Joseph into slavery instead of killing him. Later, it was Judah who offered to trade himself for Benjamin to stay in Egypt with Joseph because he feared the loss of Benjamin would be so great it might kill his father (Genesis 44:33-34). This flawed man became the line through which the ultimate Lion would come. This reminds us that God's grace often flows through flawed people. The Prophecy of the Lion of the Tribe of Judah Jacob's blessing is found in Genesis 49:9-12. When you read this you see a prophecy not just of Judah and his offspring's success, but of a coming King whose rule will endure beyond Judah himself. Jacob describes Judah as a lion whose power will be feared, whose people will obey him, and from whose line the scepter will never depart. He speaks of the donkey's colt tied to the choice vine and that his garments would be washed in the blood of grapes. Isn't it amazing? Through God's grace Jacob could speak about Messianic fulfillment and hint at the coming Messiah and His eternal reign. The Lion as a Symbol of Kingship and Power In Scripture, the lion was more than a dangerous animal. It became a picture of royal power. God was the only One more powerful than the king. Kings were often compared to lions because they inspired fear and ruled with strength, yet they were also expected to be shepherds who guarded and cared for their people. The lion image does not remain with Judah alone. As the Old Testament unfolds, God is also described in this way. God the Lion Who Defends and Judges In Isaiah 31:4 we read, "For thus the Lord said to me, “As a lion or a young lion growls over his prey, and when a band of shepherds is called out against him he is not terrified by their shouting or daunted at their noise, so the Lord of hosts will come down to fight on Mount Zion and on its hill."" God will fight for His people. He will watch over them so no one defeats them. But the lion is not only a defender. The same God who protects His people also judges those who oppose Him. In Jeremiah 49:19 the prophet warns the people of Edom, “Behold, he shall come up like a lion from the floodplain of the Jordan; Against the dwelling place of the strong; But I will suddenly make him run away from her. And who is a chosen man that I may appoint over her? For who is like Me? Who will arraign Me? And who is that shepherd Who will withstand Me?” Jeremiah prophesies against them because of their betrayal of Judah to the Babylonians and their arrogance in their mountainous terrain. Edom was eventually totally destroyed just as Jeremiah predicted. When God opposes you—be warned. As a lion is to be feared, so is God. The Lion Who Calls His People Home Yet judgment is not the final word. The roar of the lion can also be a call that His people respond to. In Hosea 11:10 God expresses His great love and compassion for Israel, “They shall walk after the Lord. He will roar like a lion. When He roars, Then His sons shall come trembling from the west;" In this verse God is saying He will "roar like a lion" and bring His exiled people back to their home. They hear and tremble with respect and awe before Him, their one true King, their lion. All of these images prepare us for the final and greatest fulfillment. The lion promised to Judah, who defends, judges, and calls His people, is fully revealed in Christ. Christ the Lion of Judah and the Slain Lamb Finally, in Revelation 5:5 we find the only one who can open the scroll and the seven seals. “Do not weep. Behold, the Lion of the tribe of Judah, the Root of David, has prevailed to open the scroll and to loose its seven seals.” And this lion, predicted from the time of Genesis, in the next verse is described as a slain lamb. A worthy lamb who is given blessing, and honor, and glory, and power (Revelation 5:12-13). Both descriptions are necessary. The Lion shows His authority, victory, and kingship; the Lamb shows His sacrifice, mercy, and atonement. Together they reveal that Christ saves not by denying His power, but by using His power to lay down His life. This mighty One, who can not be defeated, has willingly become a lamb. This lamb, slaughtered for the sins of His people, will forever be praised for the sacrifice that He made. In Revelation 7:17 we are told He will forever shepherd His people and guide them to living water. His people's names are written in the Lamb's Book of Life (Revelation 21:27). Is your name written in His book? The Lion of the Tribe of Judah, so powerful and fearful, has laid down His life and become for us what we could not. He is the worthy sacrifice. Only He, "slain before the foundation of the world," could reach down from Heaven and lift us up to live with Him eternally (Revelation 13:8). All praise to God our King for the gift of His Son, for the mighty lion who defeated death and forgives us of our sins. This Son who died as a lamb to reconcile us with the Father. The mountain lion we fear is nothing compared to the Lion of Judah—who chose to become a Lamb for us.

Our Deep Need for God's Mercy We all have a need for the mercy and grace of God. Many people can listen to the gospel and understand, but still not accept it because they see no need for it. Why should I believe in God they say to themselves. I am fine without Him. But are they? When we stand at a crossroads in our life and see the enormity of our sin before the perfection of God, that is when we see our need. Then we ask God, "Help my unbelief!" Desperate for Jesus We don't always come to God filled with faith. Sometimes like the father of the child with the mute spirit in Mark 9:14-29 we are desperate for Jesus. The Father approaches Jesus and says, "But if You can do anything, have compassion on us and help us.” This father is out of options. Jesus is his last resort. "If " you can do anything he says, with the if implying the father's lack of faith. Maybe, thinks the father, just perhaps this man Jesus, this miracle worker that they have heard of, can help them. Help My Unbelief How does Jesus reply? How does our compassionate and loving Savior respond to the father? He says, "“If you can believe, all things are possible to him who believes.” The father sees an open door before him. A door to possibilities and healing that he wasn't sure even existed. He walks through that door with his despairing cry, “Lord, I believe; help my unbelief!” This father knew his faith was weak so he cried out to Jesus to help him. He could pretend no longer that he had no needs. And Jesus responded by lovingly casting the unclean spirit out of the man's child. Our faith, like the father's is often weak. Sometimes we worry that it isn't enough, but we are not dependent on the quantity of our faith. We are dependent on the source of our faith, our Father. It is not our righteousness but His alone that works to save us in our need. Whether we have great faith or little faith, Jesus loves us. The father in our story also had to humble himself before Jesus. He recognized the power was God's, not his own. He saw his need and confessed it, "help my unbelief". He could pretend to himself and to others no longer that he could do anything to help his child. Only belief, faith, could heal his boy. Good Enough? One of the characters in John Bunyan's beautiful book, Pilgrim's Progress, is called Mr. Fearing. Mr. Fearing comes from the town of Stupidity. Mr. Fearing worries that he is not good enough to obtain Heaven. He feels that he must somehow show God that he is worthy of Heaven. Mr. Fearing doesn't seem to believe Romans 5:8 which says, "While we were yet sinners, Christ died for us." We will never be perfect enough to reach Heaven. Only Christ, bearing our sins on the cross, could accomplish that. In 2 Corinthians 12: 9-10 Paul addresses our weaknesses. "And He said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you, for My strength is made perfect in weakness.” Therefore most gladly I will rather boast in my infirmities, that the power of Christ may rest upon me. Therefore I take pleasure in infirmities, in reproaches, in needs, in persecutions, in distresses, for Christ’s sake. For when I am weak, then I am strong." Whatever our weaknesses are we know that all that is required is God's grace. Our weaknesses require us to acknowledge our need for the grace of God in our life. Without it we are lost. Good Works Result From Grace Mr. Fearing's friend Greatheart reminds him that good works result from grace. Grace does not come from good works. God is truly our Father. We don't have to prove to Him that we are His, but His grace will change our desires. Our desire will be to do good works. Why? Because we love our Father because He first loved us. He who is forgiven much, loves much (Luke 7:47). Our response is to want to serve God with all our heart. In Bunyan's book, Mr. Fearing eventually makes his way to Heaven. The amount of his faith was not the issue just as it was not the issue for the father in Mark 9. God will help our unbelief if we ask Him sincerely. When we see our lives for the mess that they are without God, we will cry out to Him. When we do we may still have some doubts, maybe we will not be perfect (that is for sure), maybe we will still have sin that needs confessing, but our Savior is there to guide us. He is a merciful, gracious God who gives blesses us beyond measure. Enjoy the beautiful hymn, Wonderful Merciful Savior by Selah

Understanding Evil in the World Through Scripture Can you see it in the people around you? Can you feel the dismay, unsettledness, and discouragement rising as we watch the news and see the reports seemingly growing worse by the moment? Evil is everywhere. Is finding hope in a world of evil possible when there seems so little we can do about much of it? Scripture does not ignore this question. In fact, the Bible speaks directly to the problem of evil and reminds us that God sees what is happening and will deal with it in His time. There is hope for the depressed in the midst of wickedness. God’s Justice and the Christian Response to Evil And of course we want to ask, "Where is God?" How can this be happening? But God tells us that evil will be punished. If not in this world, then the next. So many people find that an unsatisfactory answer, but our world is contaminated with sin and so it will be until evil is finally destroyed. We are often tempted to take matters into our own hands. Some of us might want to seek revenge on these wrong doers. But Paul explains in Romans 12:19, "Beloved, do not avenge yourselves, but rather give place to wrath; for it is written, “Vengeance is Mine, I will repay,” says the Lord." Paul further explains that the way to overcome evil is by doing good to them (Romans 12:21). The Bible also tells us that the presence of evil in the world will not disappear, but will actually increase as history moves forward. Imagine a world where we all did this! When Evil Increases: Why Love Can Grow Cold In fact, Jesus warns us that as we approach the end times, "... because lawlessness will abound, the love of many will grow cold" (Matthew 24:12). The very rise of evil and the feeling that it is everywhere will cause some people to lose their love for others and for God. People feel like nothing matters. They want to give up. But perseverance and steadfast faith are our hope (Matthew 24:13). The faithful and wise servant who is found doing the Master's work when He comes will be blessed (Matthew 24:46). When people constantly see violence, corruption, and selfishness, it becomes easy to grow cynical and stop caring about others. We may even begin to wonder whether doing good makes any difference at all. Scripture recognizes this danger and urges believers not to give in to that discouragement. Paul writes, “Let us not grow weary while doing good” (Galatians 6:9), reminding us that faithfulness matters even when results are not immediately visible. Even if we can only make a difference in one life, it is still worth it. Throughout history Christians have faced this same temptation to become discouraged. During times of plague in the Roman Empire, when many fled from the sick in fear, believers often remained to care for those who were suffering. Their compassion reflected the love Christ commanded, proving that even in a world filled with evil, the love of God does not have to grow cold in the hearts of His people. Signs of the Last Days: Lovers of Self and Rejection of Truth Paul explains in 2 Timothy 3 that as evil increases, instead of loving God, men will become lovers of themselves. When we look honestly at the world around us, Paul's description feels remarkably familiar. Sometimes when I look at social media, all the focus is on my happiness, my good looks, my feelings, my aspirations and it seems we are already there. On X we see endless arguments from people who know they are right about everything. They enjoy starting fights. They only love their own way of thinking. They do not have a teachable spirit as the Word calls it. People reject truth because they have become so distrustful of what they are being told. Paul continues to describe those who don't love God as unthankful, unholy, unloving, without self control, despising good, and loving pleasure instead of God. He describes a world where evil men will grow worse and worse, but what do we do? Paul, speaking to Timothy, says to continue in the Holy Scripture that he learned when he was a child because they "are able to make you wise for salvation through faith which is in Christ Jesus" (2 Timothy 3:15). And this faith is for sharing with others. Paul warns Timothy that the time will come when people will not listen to sound doctrine. Why? Because they want to hear words that make them feel good about themselves. Sin, repentance, obedience, and sacrifice just don't do it for these people any longer. They have "itching ears" looking for someone who will tell them about God without expecting them to change. They will turn from truth to myths and fables (2 Timothy 4:4). Examples of some of these myths and fables are popular concepts like: "The Law of Attraction", crystals, astrology, reincarnation, channeling, and psychics. None of these require sacrifice of self. The further people remove themselves from God the more evil will abound. As humans, it is in our nature to want to do something about evil. When we see cruelty, injustice, or corruption we want to make things right. Ultimately though, God is the One who will deal with evil completely. He can use nations and individuals to do His will, often without them even knowing who He is. Throughout history He has used people and events to carry out His purposes, as He did with Cyrus (Isaiah 45:1). We must remember we serve a sovereign God and His justice reaches into eternity. The True Source of Evil: The Human Heart And where does this evil come from? Mark 7:21-22 tells us, "For from within, out of the heart of man, come evil thoughts, sexual immorality, theft, murder, adultery, coveting, wickedness, deceit, sensuality, envy, slander, pride, foolishness." This is a heart that has not been renewed by the Holy Spirit. This is the kind of heart we all have unless we come to Jesus in saving faith. Before we can be a light to the world for good, our hearts need to change personally. We can worry about bad people and the bad things they do but until we understand that we need to change first we will have no real effect. Romans 3:23 says we have all sinned and all of us have come up short compared to God's glory. If we acknowledge our own sin first, we are better able to recognize the evil in the world and respond to it rightly. Jesus himself warned about this when He told His followers to remove the log from their own eye before correcting others (Matthew 7:3–5). Finding Hope In a World of Evil Finding hope in a world of evil does not mean to turn a blind eye and pretend it doesn't exist. It isn't to stop watching the news completely and just give up. We find hope because, as Christians, we know how the story ends. Revelation tells us that evil will be destroyed once and for all. Until then we are told to live our lives as holy as we know how, depending on God who sustains us by studying His Word and holding fast to His truths. Knowing how the story ends should change how we live right now. We respond to evil with love, we pray for those who live this way. We believe in the power of prayer to change lives and hearts. It may seem insurmountable to us but to God, nothing is impossible. Part of the reason we see so little change in the world is because we have failed to truly believe in the power of the Holy Spirit to change lives. A powerful example of hope and transformation can be seen in the life of a friend of mine. She describes her heart two years ago as being, "black, bitter, abused, rebellious, and revengeful: full of hate and caring about nothing she did or said." Since coming to Christ He has made her hard heart into "putty." Slowly, she's learning to care for people, pray for them, and forgive even those who have wronged her. Some days are tough, and she has to repent and forgive again. As she told me, "That's the whole point of Christianity right? To love God and others as He loves you." It's proof the Holy Spirit can soften any heart and turn bitterness into genuine love. If God can transform her heart, He can transform ours too, no matter how dark the world seems. We can face the day of the Lord with hope. Remember, we are the light in the darkness for a dying world. "Even when evil seems overwhelming, Christians can shine God’s light, respond with love, and trust that He is working—His justice will prevail, and our faithfulness will be rewarded." Yet the story does not end with the darkness we see around us. Even now, God is changing lives in powerful ways to accomplish His work in this world. Don't be overwhelmed by evil. We know who has us in His hands, our faithfulness will be rewarded, and evil will be defeated. Never forget what our Lord tells us in John 16:33, “In the world you will have tribulation; but be of good cheer, I have overcome the world.” So be of good cheer no matter what evil comes to you. Finding hope in a world of evil is possible with God.

Unexpected Blessings in Everyday Life Successful surgery, a healthy baby, a safe trip abroad, a salvaged marriage, and safety from a storm, what do all of these things have in common? They are examples of how God often blesses us in spite of our sinfulness and disobedience. We often overlook God's blessings in our life or we take them for granted, not realizing the grace that God has offered us in spite of the fact that we have turned our backs on Him. Our God is a gracious God. God's Ways Are Higher “For My thoughts are not your thoughts, Nor are your ways My ways,” says the Lord. “For as the heavens are higher than the earth, So are My ways higher than your ways, And My thoughts than your thoughts." Isaiah 55:8-9 How often do we forgive people who have betrayed us a second or a third chance? How often are we forgiving when someone dismisses us as unnecessary? How often do we bless people who misuse us? For most of us the answer is rarely, maybe never. But God is not like us. God's ways are not our ways. Our gracious God is love, and He is faithful. Over and over God extends hope and faithfulness to His children. "If we are faithless, He remains faithful; He cannot deny Himself." 2 Timothy 2:13 When Blessings Feel Far Away When things are going good, our health is good, our children are safe, our marriage successful or our careers going well, it is easy for us to think that God loves us. But when things go wrong, well then, we often feel abandoned and betrayed by God. The Israelites' Forgetfulness The Israelites wandering in the desert, had seen God's mighty hand part the Red Sea. They had seen God deliver them from the hands of the Egyptians. But when their path became more difficult, as their food began to run out, they cried out for the certainty of their past life. At least in Egypt they had had food to eat. They did not seem to realize that if God had parted the Red Sea, He could certainly and miraculously provide food for them. Which He did provide, Heavenly food, manna, in spite of their whining and complaining. Have we wandered away from God? Have we forgotten His mercy, love and grace? Have we failed to recognize His hand in our lives in spite of the miracles and blessings we have experienced in the past? Even prophets weren't immune to this forgetfulness. Elijah's Despair and God's Gentle Care Even so great a prophet as Elijah had moments of despair and doubt. (I Kings 19) Elijah had just defeated and destroyed the prophets of Baal. The people had proclaimed that the Lord is God. Expecting King Ahab and Jezebel to turn from their wickedness, Elijah was stunned to learn that Jezebel had instead issued a decree that he be hunted down and killed. From the heights of success to now running for his life, Elijah asks God to take his life! (I Kings 19: 4) Elijah seems intent on dying. He runs off into the desert with no food or water and lays down alone. It seems like us, and like the Israelites before him, Elijah had forgotten that God was merciful. He had forgotten how God had miraculously kept him alive during the 3 and 1/2 years of no rain. He had forgotten that he had been delivered bread by ravens when he was hungry. This all while he was obedient to God. So now, disobedient and seemingly suicidal, how would God respond to him? God responds lovingly by sending an angel with food. The angel brings him hot baked bread and water. In spite of his disobedience, he is loved and cared for by God just as we are. Amazingly, Elijah seems not even to be thankful for the blessing provided to him in such an unexpected and glorious way. And still he is blessed by a second angelic meal. This time the angel tells him to eat and drink or he won't be able to make the journey. In fact, Elijah had had no plans for a journey. His plan was to die. Now it seems that God was strengthening him for what was to come. There was a future. This time it would be a 40 day trip to Mt. Horeb (also known as Mt. Sinai). This time Elijah will encounter God Himself in a cave. So like Elijah, even in our despair and disobedience, we can be blessed. The real question is do we see our blessings for what they are? Do we see the hand of God working in our lives in the dark days? Do we realize that even when we are depressed, to the point of wanting to die, that God can reach out to us in unexpected ways? Do we remember His love? God will provide. Lessons for Us Today: Our Gracious God As we read these stories in the Old Testament, remember 1 Corinthians 10:11 "Now all these things happened to them as examples, and they were written for our admonition, upon whom the ends of the ages have come." An admonition is a friendly warning. Don't let despair get the best of you. Don't forget the gracious, forgiving nature of our Father. God's abundant blessings are there—we just need to recognize them. God gives grace even when we are faithless because our gracious God loves us so. "Gracious Jesus" Grace to me was offered freely Though I strayed and often sinned. Christ's forgiving loving nature In His word to me He penned. Oft was I in sorrow sinking, Oft forgetting who I served, Yet he offered me forgiveness Even if twas undeserved. On the mountain, in the valley There He is beside me still. Taking all my burdens freely As He walked up to that hill. On that cross His life was given, For the world to come to Him. Let me not forget that blessing, Let me always run to Him. --Carol Plafcan

Glorifying God in Our Faith and Tribulations What things do you glory in? That's not a widely used expression today. To glory in something means to feel great pleasure or joy because of something. Maybe you glory in your favorite team winning the Super Bowl or winning an exceptionally difficult video game match. In Romans 5:1-5, Paul explains what he glories in. He tells us our faith has justified us before God and because of this we have peace with God. No longer are we at war with our Savior, no longer are we His enemy. Because of our faith in Jesus we have gained access to grace and "we rejoice in hope of the glory of God." We are now people who rejoice in glorifying God because we have been transformed from enemies to beloved children. Paul adds that we also glory in tribulations. What an odd thing to say. What Paul means is that we don't find pleasure in enduring bad things for the sake of those things, but when we endure trials and tribulations because of Christ, for His sake, that is when we can glory in them. Tribulation endured often helps transform people. He explains that this is so because these tribulations, these hard times, produce the fruit of perseverance or endurance. To persevere means to continue on in the same course of action even in the face of great difficulty. In Hebrews 10:36, we are told that we have a need for endurance, "so that after we have done the will of God, you may receive the promise." We learn to totally trust in Jesus and desire His will. We learn to run our race with endurance. By persevering we produce character. Character is the trait that should distinguish us as Christians. Do we choose good over evil? Do we love as Christ did? And finally, he says, these traits produce a hope that does not disappoint. A hope that says we will live with Christ forever. He says this is true because the Holy Spirit has filled our hearts with the love of God. Now we can glorify God because we have changed from enemies to His beloved. Glorifying God: From Enemies to Beloved Children The Christian life is full of contrasts from our life before: hope v no hope, love v hatred, peace v fear and anxiety, justification v judgment, friends with God v adversaries of God. Does the world seem unjust to you? Without faith and belief we can't understand the world we live in. The world of fear and anxiety, judgment and hate simply has no hope. That world can't understand what evil really is and how God is a God of transformation, a God who brings hope out of darkness, a God who becomes my beloved friend and not my enemy. To look in the mirror and admit, this unjust world is because of my sin, is hard. Our faith has brought us to this wonderful place where we have peace with God, we have been justified, received grace, and we can rejoice. As Billy Graham once said, “Faith literally means ‘to give up, surrender, or commit.’ Faith is complete confidence.” And in whom does our confidence lie? To whom do we surrender? Jesus Christ! Before Faith: Our Fallen State But what about before? Before we had all this, before we had faith and peace with God what did we have? In Romans 8:7-9, Paul explains what we were like. He explains that the carnal mind is enmity against God. Enmity is the opposite of peace. It is a hatred, an antagonism, of things pertaining to God. To be carnal is to be concerned with things of the flesh, sinful actions or desires. When we were like this it was impossible to please God. James 4:4 agrees with this. Here James tells us, "...Do you not know that friendship with the world is enmity with God? Whoever therefore wants to be a friend of the world makes himself an enemy of God." This is what we were like, enemies of God and instead, friends of the world. We don't often think of non-Christians as enemies of God. Before we became a Christian, it is unlikely that you ever thought of yourself as an enemy of God. Colossians 1:21 says that our evil behavior caused us to be enemies in our minds. Proverbs 15:26 tells us that God hates the thoughts of the wicked. Paul explains in Romans 12:2 that it is God that must renew our minds so we can think thoughts that are good. We may have talked like we weren't an enemy but our actions said something different. It is only through Christ that we can be reconciled to God. In other words, our faith in Jesus restores our broken relationship with God. We glorify God when we are renewed and transformed from enemies to beloved children. We Must Be Renewed Our faith caused us to go from being an adversary of God to being His child and a friend. Before this we had no great joy, no "glory in hope." Instead of glorying in tribulation, rejoicing in suffering for Christ, we may have been the one causing Christians to endure hardship. As a beloved child, however, we now have a ministry of reconciliation (2 Corinthians 5:17-18). Our job is to show the world the love and the hope that God has placed in our hearts. The world should be able to see the transformation God has done in us. How to Treat the Enemies of God How should we treat the enemies of God? Jesus is our role model. When Jesus suffered at the hands of his enemies He did not strike back. He did not curse them or even complain. He trusted the One who would judge them justly for their sins. 2 Timothy 4:1 says that Jesus Himself will judge the living and the dead when He returns. Psalm 92:9 tells us the fate of God's enemies. They will perish and all evil doers will be scattered. Grace Through Unmerited Mercy Yet grace is offered to the world in spite of our evil hearts. In the song, Marvelous Grace of our Loving Lord by Julia Johnston (1910), the refrain goes like this: Grace, grace, God's grace, Grace that will pardon and cleanse within; Grace, grace, God's grace, Grace that is greater than all our sin! No matter how evil our hearts were or are, God offers His grace. Grace is undeserved mercy. From death to life, God's grace forever changes us. None of us can say that we were saved because we deserved to be. Just as a murderer waiting for execution receives a stay of execution at the very last moment—not because he was worthy, but because someone offered him undeserved mercy—we too have been given grace greater than all our sin. As her song continues, she says this grace is "freely bestowed on all who believe." We glorify God for this grace we have received. The Call to Faith and Commitment Do you believe? Do you have faith? Hebrews 11:1 tells us that "Now faith is the substance of things hoped for. The evidence of things not seen." Do you long to have the character of a true loving Christian and the hope that only comes from belief in Jesus Christ? If so, ask Him, seek Him. He offers boundless grace that pardons even those who hate Him. Then, you too, can rejoice in the hope of the glory of God. Then we can live glorifying the God who has turned us from enemies to beloved children.

Abraham Knows God Will Provide The first time we hear the expression, "God will provide", is in Genesis 22:8. Isaac asks his father where is the lamb for sacrifice and Abraham replies, "And Abraham said, “My son, God will provide for Himself the lamb for a burnt offering.” Most of us know the story. Abraham is about to plunge the knife into Isaac when the Angel of the Lord stopped him. The Lord himself did provide a sacrifice that day; and many, many years later God provided the ultimate sacrifice for you and I on that same hill, Jesus, His only Son. Abraham Blessed Abraham passed the ultimate test of faithfulness and obedience. He knew God had promised that his descendants would come through Isaac and he trusted God that no matter what happened that promise would be fulfilled. Abraham was blessed because of his obedience. In Genesis 22:18 we are told that all nations would be blessed through his offspring. The Bible tells us over and over that God has promised to provide for us when we are obedient and faithful. He provides for those who love Him. What are some ways that God provides? The Psalms Speak of God's Provision The beginning of beautiful Psalm 23, that many of us know by heart, reminds us that our shepherd is the Lord and because of this we will not have want. Psalm 34:10 explains that those who seek God don't lack anything good. And again, in Psalm 84:11, we learn that God doesn't withhold good from those who live an upright life. In Psalm 91:2 we read that God provides a refuge and a fortress for those who dwell in Him. Are you hurting, emotionally or physically? Run to Him! Jesus Speaks of God's Provision In Matthew 6: 25-34, Jesus tells us do not worry about tomorrow. He explains that the birds are watched over by God and how much more valuable each of us is to Him than they are. Our Lord tells us in Matthew 7:11 that He will give good things to us if we ask Him because God is our loving Father. Jesus says He provides rest to the weary (Matthew 11:29-30). He wants us to be free from the cares of this world. He wants us to rest in Him, to trust Him in every circumstance. Jesus explains that if we abide in Christ and His words in us, then whatever we wish will be provided to us (John 15:7). If we live in Him, our will, and His, will be the same. We won't ask wrongly. God's Provision -Peace, Rewards, A Way of Escape Philippians 4:7 speaks of God providing a peace that passes understanding and that our hearts and minds will be guarded by that peace. Jesus is the Lord of peace. How often in today's world are we worried, troubled by terrible news? Only God can give a perfect peace at times in our lives when it seems impossible to be at peace. Paul tells the church at Philippi that God will provide all their needs (Philippians 4:19). Hebrews 11:6 tells us that we are rewarded when we seek Him. When we seek God, He gives us the ultimate reward - eternal life! 1 Corinthians 10:13 explains that when we are tempted God provides a way of escape. This provision will save us from much heart ache and sorrow that comes from disobedience and sin. Provision So We Can Be Generous When we trust that God will provide our needs, we will be more generous to others. When we trust God to provide our needs, we will be more satisfied with what we have. It is important to discern a need from a want. If our brother or sister in Christ is struggling to find food or shelter, we should generously provide for them because we know that sharing the blessings of God is expected. God's provision for you may come from others who will share what they have with you (2 Corinthians 9:8-9). Provision Beyond Our Expectations God's provision isn't just limited to what we can imagine or what we pray for. God's provision is sometimes beyond anything we can even imagine. According to Ephesians 3:20, " Now to Him who is able to do exceedingly abundantly above all that we ask or think, according to the power that works in us," Have you seen God provide in your life over and above anything you asked of Him? Have you been in awe of some of the things you have seen God do in other people's life? Don't be blind to the actions of God around you. See His hand at work in your life to provide for you in ways you never expected. See the actions of a loving Father and with Paul be able to say, "to Him be glory in the church by Christ Jesus to all generations, forever and ever. Amen." Ephesians 3:21 Enjoy this powerful message through song, God Will Provide! God's Provision

When We Are Desperate How Do We Respond? Desperate people will do anything to find what they need. If you were in the desert without water, baking under the sun, you would crawl on your hands and knees to find water and survive. If my child is sick, I will do everything in my power to find healing for them. I will go to every doctor, every hospital until I find someone that can help. In the Old Testament there are many stories of people who were desperate for God, who cried out to Him from the depths of despair. The New Testament also shares many stories of people who were desperate for the spiritual and physical healing that only Jesus could give. Desperation for God: Old Testament Examples How desperate are we for God? Are our prayers half-hearted or are we praying with the desperation of a dying man? Do we seek God with all that is within us? Do we know that God answers the humble prayer of faith? As we are told in 1 John 5: 14, we can have confidence that when we pray the will of God He will hear us. In Psalm 18: 4-6, David cries out to God in desperation. This is what he says, "The pangs of death surrounded me, And the floods of ungodliness made me afraid. The sorrows of Sheol surrounded me; The snares of death confronted me. In my distress I called upon the Lord, And cried out to my God; He heard my voice from His temple, And my cry came before Him, even to His ears." David feared for his life. He was distressed by the level of ungodliness that he had seen. Distressed and desperate he cried out to God and God heard him. This psalm was a song of gratitude and thankfulness that God heard his pain and delivered him from his enemies and from Saul. He would sing a similar song at the end of his life in 2 Samuel 22. Crying Out to God: The Story of Habakkuk The book of Habakkuk finds the prophet questioning why violence, sin and strife continues. He is desperate to understand why God would allow such things to go on. God explains that the righteous live by faith and the wicked will be punished. In the end, Habakkuk is given a vision of hope. Habakkuk's response is to rejoice in the Lord even though things may be bad around him (Habakkuk 3:17-18). Praying in Desperation: King Hezekiah’s Plea In Isaiah 37, King Hezekiah hears the plans of the King of Assyria to destroy Israel and desperately pleads with God to save his nation from the hands of the great army of the Assyrians. God tells Hezekiah, ‘Because you have prayed to Me, I will deliver Israel from the Assyrians", which He does in a miraculous way. Desperate for Jesus: The Gentile Woman In Mark 7: 24-37, we read the story of a gentile woman who approaches Jesus with great humility, faith and desperation. She begs for him to cast a demon out of her child. Jesus recognizes her need, desperation, and humbleness and tells her that her daughter is healed. Seeking Jesus: Zacchaeus’ Story In Luke 19: 1-10, we read about Zacchaeus, so desperate to see Jesus that he climbed up into a tree just to be able to see Him. Jesus looks up and announces to everyone that that day he would go have dinner at Zacchaeus' home. The despised tax collector would dine with Jesus! Zacchaeus confessed his sins and Jesus tells him that "salvation has come to his house that day" because Jesus "came to seek and to save that which was lost". Reaching for Healing: The Woman with the Issue of Blood In Luke 8: 43-48, Jesus heals a woman who had been bleeding for 12 years. She had spent all her money on doctors but no one could help her. Hearing that Jesus would be in town she went out among the crowd, even though she was unclean and not supposed to be around people. She dared, in desperation, to just touch the hem of his robe. She must have been weak from years of lost blood. Perhaps she crawled through the crowd to touch the hem of His garment. She risked her own safety to be among the crowd because of her uncleanness. She had total faith that just by touching his clothes she would be healed and she was. Overcoming fear and finding faith takes courage. Conclusion: How Desperate Are We? What blessings are in store for us if we seek God with our whole heart, crying out to Him in desperation with faith and humility that He will hear our prayer? Do we casually pray for our family and loved ones, do we briefly mention them in a hurried prayer, or do we long with all our heart for an answer to a prayer that means the world to us. Is our prayer effectual? How desperate are we for Jesus? I leave you with the hope of Psalm 65: 5. "You answer us with awesome and righteous deeds, God our Savior, the hope of all the ends of the earth and of the farthest seas,"

Why Were Animals Sacrificed? The Old Testament mentions sacrifice as early as the story of Cain and Abel in Genesis. Why was sacrifice necessary? Animal sacrifice was a foreshadowing of the sacrifice of Jesus on the cross. The lamb sacrificed at Passover had to be without spot or blemish. This sacrifice showed that we alone could never approach God. There had to be a perfect substitute made for us. The sacrifice was costly, something not to be taken lightly. A Shadow of the Good Things to Come And yet these animal sacrifices were but a shadow "of the good things to come" as we read in Hebrews 10:1, "For the law, having a shadow of the good things to come, and not the very image of the things, can never with these same sacrifices, which they offer continually year by year, make those who approach perfect." The Insufficiency of Animal Sacrifices Animal sacrifices were not sufficient. They could not perfect the ones who sacrificed it. As Hebrews 10:4 says the sacrifice of bulls and goats cannot take away sins. How do we dare approach the throne of a holy God? How can we see Heaven? In Acts 4:12, Peter tells us that there is no salvation except through the blood of Christ. He is our perfect atonement. Atonement is reconciliation with God. Jesus reconciles us to God in a way no animal ever could. In Leviticus 17:11 we are told, "it is the blood that makes atonement for the soul." Jesus: The Perfect Atonement Because of this perfect sacrifice that Jesus has made for us we can approach the throne, knowing that He is worthy. In John's visions in Revelation 5 a scroll containing judgment is sealed and an angel cries out, "Who is worthy to open the scroll?" When no one is found, John begins to cry until one of the elders that stands before the throne of God tells him that One has been found, "the Lion of the tribe of Judah, the Root of David, has prevailed to open the scroll and to loose its seven seals." (Revelation 5:5) Then John sees a lamb, "as though it had been slain", take the scroll. Then those in Heaven cried out, “Worthy is the Lamb who was slain To receive power and riches and wisdom, And strength and honor and glory and blessing!” Revelation 5:12 The Lion of the tribe of Judah has prevailed! And He alone is worthy! Thanks be to God. He alone can judge sin on the earth. How can He do this? Jesus did this by becoming our sacrificial Lamb, our perfect sacrifice, and our atonement. Jesus is our High Priest. Every Creature Acknowledges Worthy is the Lamb What is more amazing is that it is not just those in Heaven who acknowledge this but we read in Revelation 5:13 that "every creature which is in heaven and on the earth and under the earth and such as are in the sea, and all that are in them" will acknowledge this. Every creature! The atheist, the agnostic, the unrepentant, the animals, every creature will say to the Lamb "blessing and honor and glory and power." All God's creation praises Him. The Blood of Christ Satisfies and Redeems We have been redeemed by Christ, bought with a price, the death on the cross of God's very Son. God Himself set forth Jesus "as a propitiation by His blood, through faith"(Romans 3:25). Propitiation means satisfying, meaning that the blood of Christ satisfies God's anger and judgment towards sin through our faith in Him. Our redemption can only come from Jesus. No one is worthy but our Lord. Even now we can say, "Worthy is the Lamb who was slain", we can lift our voices in praise for the One who died for us, the One who made a way when there was no way. The preciousness of God's people is seen when we realize He gave His only Son that we might have life. Hallelujah! Enjoy "Worthy is the Lamb" sung by the Brooklyn Tabernacle Choir.

Marriage as a Covenant Before God Today we don't often talk about marriage as a covenant, but biblically, marriage is not just between a husband and wife, but also God. This covenant relationship, like all biblical covenants, is significant because it causes two individuals to become "one flesh" as the Bible describes in Matthew 19:4-6. Vows are taken before God. Covenant marriage is an unconditional and sacrificial relationship. In this relationship the man is required to love his wife as Christ loved and gave Himself for His people. In fact, in Ephesians 5:22-33, Paul says no less than three times that the husband should love his wife. The woman is to respect and submit to her husband. They both must submit to God. This commitment is for life. This covenant picture is not just seen in human relationships. Scripture uses it to describe how God relates to His people. God’s Design from the Beginning From the beginning God intended us to look at the institution of marriage and see a mirror of what our relationship with God should be like. In Genesis, God walked in the garden with Adam and Eve and one day we will walk the streets of Heaven with Him again. Adam and Eve, though they were two individual people, became one in heart. This covenant relationship is one that God will not break, although people often break faith with Him through disobedience and unfaithfulness. That design did not disappear after the fall. It continues to shape how God reveals Himself throughout Scripture. From Forsaken to Beulah and God's Delight Isaiah 62:4 describes a time to come when Israel's commitment to God will be total. It will be a renewed covenant of faithfulness. "You shall no longer be termed Forsaken, Nor shall your land any more be termed Desolate; But you shall be called Hephzibah, and your land Beulah; For the Lord delights in you, And your land shall be married." The name, Hephzibah means "My delight is in her" and the land named Beulah means married. In this verse Isaiah is describing Israel in exile in Babylon. She was a forsaken people and her land was desolate. But in the future, the Lord would find His delight in her again, and Israel would be restored as Beulah, once more living in covenant joy and fellowship with her God. Beulah is not merely a poetic picture of heaven, but covenant marriage language that reveals God’s desire for restored intimacy, faithfulness, and eternal union with His people. This promise of restoration is not the end of the story. It points forward to something greater. This language of delight is not limited to Isaiah. It appears throughout Scripture as God describes His relationship with His people. Zephaniah 3:17 tells us that God "will rejoice over you with gladness." In Psalm 18:19 the psalmist announces that God rescued him because "He delighted in me." And in Psalm 149:4 we read, "For the Lord takes pleasure in his people; he adorns the humble with salvation." Is God finding delight in you? Has He "adorned" you with His salvation? It isn't too late to make Jesus your Savior. These beautiful pictures of God’s delight aren’t just beautiful poetry—they find their fullest expression in the New Testament. Christ the Bridegroom and His Church We see this same imagery repeated in the New Testament between God and His people. Christ is described as our bridegroom and the church is His bride (Ephesians 5:25-27). As believers we still wait for this day in faithful anticipation. Much like in Jesus day faithfulness was required during the betrothal period prior to a wedding where the bride and groom remained separated until their wedding day. Although not yet united forever, with Jesus we remain His faithful betrothed until the day comes when we will join Him in eternity (Revelation 19:7-9; 21:1-2). The church as Christ's bride is not any one particular denomination, but any Christian anywhere who ever believed in Jesus as their Savior. In Mark 2:19-20 Christ specifically refers to Himself as the bridegroom. The Parable of the Ten Virgins in Matthew 25:1-13 reminds us that the oil of the Spirit helps us stay prepared for the bridegroom's return. We never know when that may happen. Jesus painted an even clearer picture of this in the Parable of the Wedding Feast (Matthew 22:1-14). The Parable of the Wedding Feast When the guests who were initially invited to the wedding feast refused to come, the banquet was then opened to all. But still only those with the proper attire could come in. So what does this all mean? The guests who were initially invited but refused are the Jewish leaders who rejected the Good News of Jesus as the Messiah. Although the invitation then goes out to all, meaning Jews or Gentiles, they still had to have the proper clothing. This means they must be clothed with Christ and His righteousness. Their own righteousness was like filthy rags. They couldn't attend a wedding dressed like that. So even though all were invited, they must choose the righteousness of God and not their own to gain entry. Are your garments washed white as snow in the blood of the Lamb? How does God describe this relationship with Him? God doesn’t just invite us—He provides everything we need to come. And when we come clothed in Christ, we discover the kind of joyful, intimate relationship He’s always desired with us The Relationship God Desires If you have ever attended a wedding, or been married, you know the bridegroom delighted in his beautiful bride. It was one of his happiest days. He rejoiced seeing her come down the aisle to forever walk by his side. God feels the same when He speaks of us, both individually and as a whole church. Scripture even gives us an extended picture of this kind of love. We have an entire book of the Bible devoted to the physical and spiritual nature of marriage. In the Song of Solomon, according to the Gospel Coalition, "The Song of Songs serves as a beautiful reminder that a godly marriage reflects the Lord’s passionate love for his own people." This book explores what marital intimacy looks like between two passionately committed people. God wants nothing less than the same faithful commitment in the covenant relationship with His bride, the church. The type of relationship that God wants with us is intimate because His will becomes ours. He doesn't want blind obligated devotion. He wants us to cherish Him as He cherishes us. His love is what we are transformed into. His home will be ours. Christ delights in His own and calls their land Beulah (married). As we long for that day, we sometimes stumble in our faithfulness, just as Israel did. Longing, Failure, and the Hope of Beulah Land As a bridegroom longs for the day when he can marry his bride and live together with her, we find ourselves longing for the time when we will be joined eternally to God. We don't know when or for how long we must wait but eventually, if we belong to Jesus, we will enjoy an unbreakable covenant relationship forever. But while we wait, there are times when we are sadly unfaithful to Him. We sometimes turn our back and return to the world from which He drew us out. But He stands waiting patiently, with open arms welcoming us home like the Prodigal Son's father. When we repent and seek Him, He will be found. He is an ever present help in times of trouble. A loving father who wants His children to be obedient to Him for their own good. This obedience is born from love. A love that was willing to sacrifice His own Son for us. He can restore our desolate lives, no matter how bad they may be, and give us hope. This is not new. It is how God has always dealt with His people. Isaiah 54:5 describes God’s relationship to Israel as that of a husband to his bride, and in Hosea 2:19–20 God promises to betroth Himself to Israel forever. The restoration and renewal that God promises are found again in 2 Corinthians 5:17, where Paul tells us we are a new creation in Christ. And one day that restoration will be complete. Revelation 21:2 compares the New Jerusalem to a bride dressed beautifully for her husband. Even though we may fail at times we can still find hope in the certainty of God’s promise and the new covenant we have in Jesus Christ. The land He calls us to is a home He has prepared for us with tender, loving mercy. He goes to prepare a place for us so that we can live with Him when He returns for his bride (John 14:2-6). This place, this beautiful, eternal "Beulah Land"... O Beulah Land, sweet Beulah Land, As on thy highest mount I stand, I look away across the sea, Where mansions are prepared for me, And view the shining glory shore, My Heav’n, my home forevermore! (Edgar Page 1876)