The Heart God Is Looking For What if the people you assume are farthest from God are actually closer to Him than you are? In Matthew 21:28-32, we have the Parable of the Two Sons. In this chapter, Jesus is teaching many things to the Pharisees. The Pharisees were rule followers. There is certainly nothing wrong with following rules, but God had made it clear in the Old Testament that the most important thing to Him was the heart. Amos 5:21-24 makes it clear that sacrifices, feasts and solemn assemblies mean nothing if the heart does not love God and your fellow man. The Pharisees weren't so much about love as they were following the letter of the law. Jesus then gives a parable that exposes the difference between empty words and true obedience. Parable Of The Two Sons In the Parable of the Two Sons, Jesus tells us about two sons: one son says he will do what his father asks, but doesn't and another who says he won't do what his father asks, but later regrets it and obeys. Jesus then asks which of the two sons did the will of his father (Matthew 21:31). The Pharisees rightly answer, the son who ultimately obeyed. Then Jesus delivers a hard truth. He tells them that " tax collectors and harlots " believed John the Baptist, who came in righteousness, while the Pharisees did not. The Pharisees, Jesus says, did not repent and obey like the son who did his father's will. They chose not to know or understand righteousness. Tax Collectors And Harlots There is a beautiful verse, one of my favorites, in Luke 7:47. The Lord has just had his feet washed by a woman " who was a sinner ". Jesus tells the disciples, "Therefore I say to you, her sins, which are many, are forgiven, for she loved much. But to whom little is forgiven, the same loves little.” In verse 50, Jesus goes on to say that her faith has saved her. Her heart was transformed by faith . Like the tax collectors and harlots in the Parable of the Two Sons, the one who comes in humility and obedience with love and faith is forgiven. Jesus even tells the Pharisees that the tax collectors and harlots will see Heaven before they do! What Is Righteousness? So what is righteousness? To be righteous is to have a relationship with God and others that is right or just. It means to trust Him, fear Him, and hope in His love (Psalm 33:18-22). Humans have no possibility, in themselves, to be truly righteous, but God has made a way for us according to 2 Corinthians 5:21. In this verse, Paul tells us that the One who never sinned became sin for us so that we could become the righteousness of God. As Tullian Tchividjian says, "Our assurance is anchored in the love and grace of God expressed in the glorious exchange: our sin for His righteousness." Righteousness v Self-Righteousness In the parable, the difference between the two sons was that one was righteous and one was self-righteous. One of them thought that just saying the right words was enough without being truly obedient while the other realized his mistake and turned to obedience. When we admit our failings, we won't be misled into thinking we are good. If we believe that we are inherently good and decent people, we need to read this parable. Just saying we are obedient to God, when we aren't truly obeying His will, isn't enough. Our hearts have to belong to God. Our own goodness can never be enough. Our righteousness can only come from God, and it is a righteousness freely given, bought with a price. Don't Compare Yourself To Others Human nature often leads us to compare ourselves to others. The Pharisees certainly saw the harlot and the tax collector as more sinful than themselves. They probably prided themselves on not sinning like those people did. 2 Corinthians 10:12 says that those who compare themselves to others are not wise. Galatians 6:4 reminds us to examine our own work. Philippians 2: 3 tells us to, "Do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit. Rather, in humility value others above yourselves," . Do we compare ourselves to others and come away feeling quite satisfied with our holiness? Our journey to holiness doesn't stop when we first believe. We have to be careful not to view "sinners" as somehow different from ourselves. We are all sinners; the only difference is that we have been " saved by grace" (Romans 4:16-17). Any righteousness we have is not ours, but God's. We do good works, not so that we can be viewed as better than someone else, but because God's word says that if we love others, this is what we will do. What Does It Mean To Be Self-Righteous Believing that we can, within ourselves, create a righteousness that God would find acceptable is the definition of being self-righteous. In Matthew 23, Jesus condemns the scribes and Pharisees for practicing their religion just so they can look good. The Parable of the Pharisee and the Tax Collector in Luke 18:9-14, was told by Jesus to those who trusted in their own self-righteousness while treating others contemptuously. The tax collector in this parable knew there was nothing good in him that would warrant God's approval. The Pharisee, however, believed that his own supposed goodness was all that was needed. He thought he was better than the tax collector. Your Own Goodness Is Never Enough In Galatians 2:21, Paul calls out people who believe their own goodness is enough. He says that if we could be righteous by being obedient to the law, then " Christ died for nothing ." I hear this idea being discussed a lot these days. Many people believe in something called universalism. This religious philosophy says that everyone will be saved. This is simply the doctrine of the self-righteous—those who believe they can be good enough. And Such Were Some Of You 1 Corinthians 6:9 reminds us that the unrighteous won't inherit the kingdom of God. Paul then lists many sinful behaviors. Then in 6:11 he says this, "And such were some of you. But you were washed, but you were sanctified, but you were justified in the name of the Lord Jesus and by the Spirit of our God." " And such were some of you. But....". How can we look down on others when everything we have has been given to us, not earned? In many ways all of this can be put in one word: humility. We must serve the Lord with humility . Practice Righteousness Because We Love God Jesus warns us in Matthew 6:1 not to practice righteousness before others to be seen. In other words, yes, practice righteousness, but do it for the right reasons. Not to look holy to others, but because we love God and we want His righteousness to show through us. We always want to be the obedient son, just as our Lord was. We may say no at first, but ultimately, we want to do the will of God . We want to acknowledge our sin and realize that all that we have and all that we are comes from Him.

God Given Tools to be Diligent Work, effort, persistence, endurance, discipline are all words that don't necessarily sound like much fun. They are all wrapped up in one word - diligence. This word is found many times in the Bible. In 2 Peter 1:1-11, Peter addresses Christians, and tells them that they have been given by God all the tools they need to live a successful Christian life. Each one must strive to be the diligent Christian God expects them to be. No matter what we strive to do in life, whether it be to have a successful career, a happy marriage, or become known for our art or music or sports ability, one thing they all have in common is that they require diligence. Just as diligence can bring about good, it can also bring about evil desires if we so choose. If we work at evil, plan it, think upon it, and make efforts to advance it, that too will be successful. The Diligent Christian Peter says God has given us what we need to live a godly life, but the thing that we must add is diligence. We should work diligently to be approved . The lazy Christian will not be a successful one. The one who is diligent only for a season will fade away. Great And Precious Promises In 2 Peter 1:4, Peter tells us that we have received " great and precious promises ". We are standing on the promises that include the faithfulness of our Lord, forgiveness, eternal life, a hope for the future, and the return of our Lord. Because of these promises, 2 Peter 1:4 says we " have become partakers in the Divine Nature ". Why? Because, as we have been told, we are the sons and daughters of God (2 Corinthians 6:18). The Holy Spirit makes this possible. It is He that gives the gifts and the promises that help us become a godly man or woman. Without our diligence, though, without us doing our part, no fruit will come from our lives. If we really desire it, we can become holy as God is holy (1 Peter 1:15-16). Hebrews 11:6 says that we will be rewarded when we diligently seek God. Deuteronomy 4:9 tells us to diligently guard our soul. Deuteronomy 6:17 informs us of the importance of diligently keeping and learning the instructions of God. In fact, if we don't do this, we can actually forget God (Deuteronomy 8:11). In Matthew 24:12-13, Jesus reminds us to endure to the end so that we will be saved. Endurance is part of diligence. It is the gift of the Holy Spirit who gives us the ability to endure (Romans 5:3-5). Diligence Makes Us Fruitful With diligence, we can add to our faith a list of qualities that a growing, maturing Christian should have: virtue, knowledge, self-control, perseverance, godliness, brotherly kindness, and love (2 Peter 1:5-7). It is these things Peter tells us that will keep us from being unfruitful and barren " in the knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ " (2 Petr 1:8). The closer we stay to the Son, the more we grow to become like Him, and, the more we understand who He really is. The Parable Of The Stewards In Luke12:32-46, Jesus tells us the parable of the stewards or managers. The wise steward is faithful and diligent. The other steward, believing his master is delayed in returning, proceeds to abuse the servants below him and eats and drinks to drunkenness. This evil steward, as he is called, will be assigned the place with unbelievers when the master returns. The difference between the two was their faithfulness and diligence. Our Faith Should Change Us But if we have not been diligent, then we won't have these things. Peter says we will become like a blind person, one that can't remember being cleansed from old sins (2 Peter 1:9). People who choose not to be diligent can't see those precious promises that Peter talks about. They can't see that their beliefs should have influence on the way they live their lives. These people belong to a church, perhaps, but how and in what way their faith should change them is not so clearly seen. Peter says they cannot see far off, which implies that they don't see very far into the true nature of the gospel. When we first become Christians, we should not think that it is OK to stay as we are. We are on a faith journey, a journey to holiness that some have compared to a ladder of faith. Each rung of our diligent climb brings God more into focus. Each step up brings us closer to the righteousness we are called to live. Stumbling blocks will certainly be put in our path by Satan, but as Peter says, " if you do these things you will never stumble" (2 Peter 1:10) . And in Jude 1:24 we read this, " Now to Him who is able to keep you from stumbling". We rely on God's power not to stumble, not our own. Diligence Prevents Us From Falling Our diligence in growing our faith will prevent us from falling into repetitive, unrepentant sin. Will we still sin? Yes, of course, but we won't fall and be left behind. When we see the fruits of our diligence, it will allow us to face death knowing that when we leave this earth, it will be to live with Jesus. How Do We Know We Are His? Growing in grace and in the knowledge of God is a guarantee that we belong to Him. When we see gradual progress towards holiness in our lives, we can see proof that the Holy Spirit is at work within us. When we know little of God or how He would have us live our lives, it is easy to slip back into the ways of the world. If we have no desire to know God better, perhaps we never really knew Him at all. An Analogy Concerning Diligence Our diligence is like that of a poor, underprivileged student who has been offered free tuition to an elite university by a rich benefactor. The student has been freely offered this gift. He did nothing to deserve it. Because of this, he has the desire to please his benefactor and show his gratitude. This causes him to be work hard in his studies. He strives for excellence. He has been blessed beyond measure, and, he longs to show the benefactor that he will try very hard to do his best each and every day. So we, like the poor student, have done nothing to deserve the gift of eternal life offered to us by God, but because we love Him who first loved us, we want to work diligently to live a holy life. We want to work diligently to grow in our knowledge of God because, when we die, we want Him to know that we loved Him so much that we wanted to be like Him in all that we are and all that we do. As Ephesians 4:15 reminds us, "Rather, speaking the truth in love, we are to grow up in every way into Him who is the head, into Christ" Growing in every way into Him is our goal. Once again, as Peter tells us, we are to grow diligently in virtue, knowledge, self-control, perseverance, godliness, brotherly kindness, and love. And finally, as Paul tells us in 1 Corinthians chapter 13:13, the greatest of these is love. Our Everlasting Kingdom 2 Peter 1:11 describes our homecoming into Heaven. He says that " an entrance will be supplied to you abundantly into the everlasting kingdom ". This means we will have a warm welcome, as a good and faithful servant. If you can, imagine the gates of Heaven being opened wide for you, the diligent servant. This is our promise, our blessed hope, that at the end of our lives, we will live with our Savior in His everlasting Kingdom.

The Heart Reveals Who We Really Are If people could see in our hearts, if they could read your mind, would they still think you were the person you claim to be? When we offer people love, what is our heart really saying? In Proverbs 23:6-7 Solomon explains that we should not eat at the table of a stingy man because even though they may act as though they want you to enjoy the food, in their hearts they regret every morsel you eat. As He Thinks in His Heart, So Is He Then we read this line, " As he thinks in his heart, so is he. " That one line should cause us to stop and pause. How many times have we done things when our heart was actually resentful? How many times have we dealt with people in an emotionally dishonest way? In Jesus' time the best example of this were the Pharisees. They superficially followed all the right rules, they prayed and studied Scripture, but their hearts were not in their worship. They pretended to place God first but in reality, in their heart of hearts, they were only worried about what others thought of them. Jesus called out this hypocrisy in Matthew 23:27-28. Shared meals were an important part of early first century Jewish hospitality customs. They were symbols of friendship and relationship. When they were honestly shared they were reminders of the true fellowship that God wanted with His people. But in this case, the shared meal was a sham. In Revelation 3:20 we see God's desire to be one with His people in love and relationship symbolized by dining with Him. As MacLaren's Expositons beautifully expresses it, "So, brethren, Christ at the last will bring His servants to His table in His kingdom, and there their works shall follow them; and He and they shall sit together for ever, and for ever ‘rejoice in the fatness of Thy house, even of Thy holy temple’"(Psalm 65:4). The Deceptive Heart and the Need for Change But there is a problem for us. Jeremiah 17:9 tells us, " The heart is deceitful above all things, And desperately wicked; Who can know it? " It requires discernment on our part to realize if our heart matches our actions. Proverbs 4:23 explains we should " Guard our heart with all diligence ." Diligence simply means a steady, earnest, and careful effort. This effort protects our heart from negativity, sinful thoughts and corrupting influences. Our hearts are vulnerable to temptation. As Christians we want them aligned with Jesus' heart. When we, like the miserly man in Proverbs, have a heart that doesn't align properly it needs to be changed. Guarding the Heart and True Transformation So what does guarding your heart actually look like in a normal day? Simply through prayer, Bible study, fellowship with other encouraging believers, and watching what we allow to come into our minds. The more negativity the harder it will be to guard our heart. The more sinful temptation we watch or listen to the more difficult it will be to keep our thoughts on God. The diligent Christian is one who follows Scripture's prescription to become closer to God. Paul tells us to think on true, honorable, and right things (Philippians 4:8). We are to be thankful in all things. If we do these things our changed heart will be evident to us as well as those around us. If we don't belong to Christ our natural tendency will be towards sin. The heart will be deceptive because that is all it really knows. Our motives will be naturally selfish ones. The Holy Spirit must do a work in us to change us (Ezekiel 36:26). But that process of change is ongoing. We strive with the help of the Holy Spirit to grow in sanctification and holiness throughout our lives (1 Corinthians 2:16). Guarding our heart is not just about resisting wrong thoughts but about replacing them. God does not simply tell us to control a sinful heart; He gives us a new one and then renews it daily. As we walk with Him, our desires begin to change. What we once excused, we now resist. What we once ignored, we now pursue. This is not just discipline, it is transformation. The Battle for the Mind and True Obedience 2 Corinthians 10:5 discusses the need we have to " take every thought captive to obey Christ. " We are quite literally in a battle for our minds. The Devil would like nothing better than for our thoughts to be anywhere but on Jesus. His tactics are often deception and distraction. Are you too busy to worry about where your thoughts are leading you? Do you believe that what you think about is really not that important as long as you live a life that appears to be Christian to others. Christ is our Lord, not just over our actions but over our thoughts as well. We need to be totally subjected to Him in every area of our lives. To take our thoughts captive and make them obedient to God requires knowing His word and relying on the Holy Spirit to guide us when we don't know what we should think or do. As Scripture tells us repeatedly, discernment is necessary so we can root out false doctrines and know the proper interactions to have with people. But not just people, our very own minds as well. We confront error with truth, just as Jesus did. Jesus tells us in John 14:15 that if we love Him we will be obedient to Him. How obedient we are is directly related to what we really love. If we love doing what we want to do more than we love Jesus, it will show in our lack of obedience. Where do our thoughts go when no one is around? Do we more often think of Jesus and our relationship with Him or do we think more about why we can't have the life we think we deserve? What we are not talking about here is simply being a positive person. There is nothing wrong with being positive but motivation is what the Lord looks at. Are we being positive so our needs can be met and we believe we will be happier or is our positivity based on glorifying God and being in His will? We are also not talking about some sort of New Age visualization. We can't summon our future based on our thoughts or by tapping into some sort of "universal energy." The will of God for us should be our desire, not our own will. This issue is not only inward; it also shapes how we discern the hearts of others. Discernment: Your Heart and the Hearts of Others But what if we are the guest in the story and not the miser? Solomon's warning tells us not to dine with the miser. We are to discern who around us has intentions that are not what they seem and avoid those people. Perhaps some people appear to be our friends but can't wait to gossip about us behind our backs. Maybe someone seems generous but holds it against you secretly when you can't pay them back. Sometimes people may show an interest in becoming a Christian, when all they really want to do is argue. The Bible instructs us to be wise when we deal with people. A Final Test of What You Truly Love As we look into our own hearts or try to discern the hearts of others, those words, " As he thinks in his heart, so is he " cut straight to the truth. The miser offered a meal with his lips but withheld it in his heart. Jesus does the opposite. He stands at the door and knocks, offering a meal that is fully sincere, fully loving, and fully relational (Revelation 3:20). The question is simple: Will you push away His invitation like the stingy man pushed away his guests in his secret thoughts? Or will you open the door, sit down at the table with Him, and share a meal of honest, wholehearted fellowship today?

What the Bible Really Means by Gentleness In the past, gentleness was a characteristic more often associated with women. In today's world of superhero action movies, they seem more like someone who can beat you up than like gentle caretakers. Men, on the other hand, have less frequently been portrayed as gentle. And if they were, they were usually weak and ineffective men. What is biblical gentleness and why do so many of us act as if we are afraid to show our gentle side to others? Biblical Gentleness as Strength Under Control Biblical gentleness is a sort of kindness that is strong but controlled. It is demonstrated with humility and meekness. A gentle person doesn't have to show off, get loud, or push people around to get things done. The Bible says that gentleness is a fruit of the Spirit that we should all be displaying, men and women, if we are growing in being like Christ. Why Gentleness Works: Science and Scripture Agree Studies in the social sciences generally agree that gentleness and kindness just work better in society. They cause us to be more cooperative, which in turn increases our ability to innovate. These traits make people trust other people more. They even cause us to release hormones that reduce our stress levels. This is true in the animal world too and the Bible speaks to this. The Gentle Shepherd: God’s Care as Our Model Isaiah 40:11 speaks of a shepherd who gently leads his flock. A gentle shepherd has much better control over his flock than one who shouts and strikes the sheep. The harsh shepherd stresses the sheep. Stressed sheep tend to show signs of depression. They eat less, sleep less, and generally act fearful. The gentle shepherd is followed, not out of fear, but out of respect for his authority. Although I'm sure the sheep aren't thinking about it in those terms.  Jesus the Good Shepherd and Our Example of Gentleness Jesus is our good Shepherd (John 10:1-18). All we, like sheep , need a shepherd. He laid His life down for us, His sheep. He knows us and He is the God who sees us. He gives us life. He will never abandon us when times are hard and the way is difficult. He cares for and protects us. Jesus' meekness, lowliness, and gentleness are our role model. This isn't just true in the life of Jesus but we also see it in God's dealings with His servant David. David declares, " God's gentleness has made me great " (Psalm 18:35). David understands that all he has and is comes from the gentleness with which God has dealt with him. It isn't David's self worth and accomplishments that made him the greatest king Israel had ever known. It was God's kindness and loving strength that raised up David by shaping his leadership and trust in God. And so it is that we also are called to be gentle. A Soft Answer: Gentleness in Conflict and Conversation Proverbs 15:1 tells us that a " soft answer turns away wrath, but a harsh word stirs up anger. " How often do we forget this. In our eagerness to defend ourselves we often go after people with the same hostility they use towards us. All this does is lead to escalating arguments. Remember gentleness isn't weakness, it's humble control. James 3:17 reminds us that wisdom is gentle. This idea is found also in 2 Timothy 2:24-26 where we are taught not to be quarrelsome but to correct our opponents with gentleness. This is a lesson that many people haven't learned. This is obvious if you look at how unpleasant online discussions can become, even amongst Christians. 1 Timothy 6:11 says " O man of God...pursue...gentleness. " Are we pursuing gentleness? Or are we trying to look like a person who never lets anyone have the last word? But gentleness isn’t only needed when we’re correcting opponents or winning arguments online. It also shapes the very words we speak every day, especially to the people closest to us. Gentle Speech That Heals Relationships Proverbs 15:4 describes a wholesome or gentle tongue as being a " tree of life " and contrasts this to a perverse tongue that " breaks the spirit. " We see this in our relationships with our children and we see it in marriages. The harsh tongue that spits out insults and hostility wears us down emotionally. It damages us. But the gentle parent or the gentle spouse lessens our stress and allows us to have greater self-worth. If we are wise, gentleness can heal relationships. This attitude of gentleness even extends to people in authority over us. They too are to be treated with gentleness (Titus 3:1-2). Are we kind, courteous, and humble in our interactions at work? How do we speak about people in the government who are in authority over us? Do we get a good laugh at their expense or do we treat them with love as Christ tells us to? Peter explains that Jesus, who is our example, " when He was reviled, did not revile in return; when He suffered, He did not threaten, but committed Himself to Him who judges righteously" (1 Peter 2:23) . Do you feel that you have suffered at the hands of someone or been insulted by them? So many of us today, it seems, take every opportunity to be offended by what others say about them. But what was Jesus' response? He did not return the words or deeds done to Him. He let God sort things out. God knows when His children are mistreated. Biblical gentleness leaves the judging to Him. So who gets a pass on gentleness? No one, not the strong, not men, not even church leaders. 1 Timothy 3:3 warns those who would serve as bishops (overseers) not to be drunkards, violent, quarrelsome, or lovers of money, but instead be gentle! There is no designation here that only women should be gentle. There is no worry that we will look weak. Instead, there is wisdom in what guides our positions in the church and each of our lives. A gentle spirit is one of the requirements to live a Christlike life. If you and I were honest, we would admit that we all want to be treated with gentleness. None of us wants to be abused, cursed, made fun of, or threatened. The Bible tells us to love others like we love ourselves. Do we think before we speak? Do we ask ourselves, "Are these words gentle?" Perhaps we don't realize that God sees us. He knows our burdens are heavy. Learning Christ’s Gentleness: The Path to Rest for Our Souls But He tells us in Matthew 11:29, " Take My yoke upon you and learn from Me, for I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. " He is gentle. We are to learn from Him. When Jesus came to this earth He showed us what a life fully obedient to the Father looked like. Will we let Him teach us? We are to take His yoke upon ourselves. Then we will find rest for " our souls. " What does He mean to take His yoke upon us? A yoke was a wooden bar that joined two animals together for work, like cattle plowing a field together. With a yoke they share a burden. They are guided down the same path. That is what Jesus wants for us. Our gentle Savior is with us step by step seeing us, helping us, teaching us, and guiding us. He wants His gentleness to be our gentleness. Being a gentle person isn't a bad thing, it is a desirable thing. Being gentle doesn't mean that everyone will run all over you. It means you won't stoop to their level in an argument. You won't judge others by their appearance. You won't fail to help others or be kind because you don't like their race or nationality or educational level. We live this way because Jesus did. And Paul holds up that same pattern for every believer when he tells us in Ephesians 4:32, "And be kind to one another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, even as God in Christ forgave you." Oh, to be tenderhearted. Slow in anger, aware of the needs of fellow believers, kind, and gentle, forgiving, because Christ has forgiven us. A world of hurts could be avoided by following this one verse. As counter-cultural Christians, people who don't fit in, our behavior is often unusual compared to those around us. Are we different or are we just pretending to follow Jesus? Our culture often admires the opposite of gentleness. In the popular John Wick movies, we see a man who is motivated by revenge. Perhaps his anger was justified. But Scripture reminds us that characters like John Wick are not our role models for Christian living. Jesus alone is our judge, and He calls us to something very different from revenge. I wonder what would have happened if, instead of seeking revenge, John Wick had shown biblical gentleness? His movies probably wouldn't be very popular, but he would have found rest for his soul. Isn't that the reality of what each of us is seeking? We can learn that lesson from our Savior who loves us.

The True Vine and Our Source of Life In John 15:1-8, we read Jesus's teaching on the True Vine. This would have been very understandable to His listeners because grape growing was quite common in Israel. Jesus contrasted Himself, the True Vine, to Israel, who was called the vine that produced wild grapes because of their rebellion (Isaiah 5:1-7). Jesus tells us that He is the vine while His Father is the Vinedresser. The job of the Vinedresser was to make sure that the grape vines produced an abundance of good quality grapes. This job was a daily one of pruning and cultivating. The grapes are nourished by the vine. The vine is where the branches are produced and the branches are the part of the plant that bear fruit. Abiding in Christ Is Essential for Growth There is no fruit without the vine. The branch must remain, or abide, in the vine to produce fruit. The branch doesn't immediately produce fruit; it gains nutrients from the vine before it can do so. Interestingly, the word most often used in this passage is "abide." 1 John 3:24 says that if we abide in Christ we will be obedient to Him and that His Spirit will live in us. Grape vines, if left unattended and unpruned, will grow into a wild, messy bush that grows little fruit. The first year of a new plant's life is dedicated to building up stores of nutrients and fruit is normally not produced until the plant is three year's old. This tells us something about our lives in Christ. The nutrients that we receive come from the Word of God. The first thing we should do in our Christian walk is to saturate ourselves with the Word of God. It is here that we go to understand who God is, what He expects from us, and who our strength is. Then we are able to produce good fruit and do His will. Being nourished by the vine is the only way to live a successful Christian life (Psalm 1:2-3 and 2 Timothy 3:16-17). What True Spiritual Fruit Looks Like We can't take fruit and tape it to an oak tree to make it be a fruit tree. The fruit that comes from the vine is natural. It doesn't have to think about becoming fruit—it just does. This happens because it remains on the vine. Our vine, our source, must always be Christ. Anything else will not be able to produce good fruit. Our fruit will be our love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control. But you may ask, what about non-Christians who show these same traits? Certainly, non-Christians can be loving and kind, they can be peaceful and patient, they can show gentleness and self-control. So, if this is true, what is the difference between their good characteristics and ours (Galatians 5:22-23, Matthew 7:16-20)? The Purpose and Testing of Our Fruit Our fruit is solely for the purpose of feeding others. The grape is only useful when it is for the enjoyment of others. In our case, we can produce nothing good—only God who lives in us can do that (John 15:5). Our fruit exists to do the will of God. Its purpose is to advance the kingdom of God on earth. It is to glorify God (John 15:8). We can pose as Christians by going to church, doing good, and even showing love and joy. But if we are not abiding in Christ, then none of it is real. In fact, we can begin to believe that our own goodness is what makes us worthy of God. It can make us judgmental towards those who aren't as good as we think we are (Ephesians 2:8-9 and Matthew 7:21-23). The fakeness of all of those good deeds is often shown in times of crisis. How do we respond in bad times? The Cost and Commitment of Abiding Abiding in Christ means submitting to the Vinedresser, which may be literally painful. We may have to suffer loss, but most certainly we will have to suffer the loss of ourselves. It hurts to take up our cross and follow Him. We may lose friends, family, our jobs, perhaps even our lives. Abiding means change. The branches must be pruned to produce more or better fruit. Are we open to change in our lives and in our church? Do we need to get rid of certain things in our life and bring in something new? Let us put on the New Man (Romans 12:1-2). When God's words abide in us, then when we ask God for things they will be done (John 15:7). This is because the more we understand who God is—not just intellectually but in our hearts—the more the things we ask of Him will be His will (1 John 5:14-15). What if our whole congregation, our entire church prayed the will of God? Nourished By The Vine Even with just a small amount of nutrients, a grapevine can produce fruit. But with proper care and nourishment, it can produce a bountiful crop of delicious fruit. Our nourishment as Christians comes from our Savior. Do we read His words and speak with Him in prayer? Do we seek His will? How much are we being nourished (2 Peter 3:18, 1 Thessalonians 5:17)? Often, you will see Christians running around trying to do it all. They teach, they sing, they do outreach, they volunteer, they visit the sick—all of which are good things—but each of us has God given talents. The closer we are to the Lord, the easier it will be for us to see where those talents should be used. Ask yourself, "What gifts has God blessed me with that I can best use for others?" Just because we aren't doing it all doesn't mean we aren't being fruitful (1 Corinthians 12 and Romans 12:4-8). Our righteousness can only come from faith, and faith comes by hearing the word of God (Philippians 3:9). Our fruit will naturally be produced when we realize that it is the Holy Spirit, and not ourselves, that is transforming us into new creatures (Galatians 5:22-23). Our life comes from Him. "For of Him and through Him and to Him are all things, to whom be glory forever. Amen" (Romans 11:36) Everything that exists comes from God, who sustains our world and everything exists for His purposes. As Paul says in Romans, " to whom be glory forever ". Let us give glory to God by abiding in Him and bearing the fruit He has called us to produce. God's glory comes from being nourished by the vine.

The Old Testament Cycle When we think of the Old Testament, many of us think it is rather boring. The same story repeated over and over. What story? The Israelites worship faithfully, then turn away forgetting God, then are punished and come back to God and the cycle repeats, over and over again. The prophets preached the same story again and again. They are ignored and often killed. Kings serve God and then they don't. A Mirror for Our Lives But what, we think, does that have to do with me? This repeated pattern is not just Israel’s story—it is a mirror held up to our own lives. That repetition is not accidental. Repetition is a highly effective method for learning. God repeats because He is teaching an essential lesson. This lesson is as important today as it was thousands of years ago. Anything that comes before God is an idol and idolatry will not be tolerated forever. Forgetting God, Pleasant Plants Isaiah explains exactly what went wrong. In Isaiah 17:10-11 God tells us, "Because you have forgotten the God of your salvation, And have not been mindful of the Rock of your stronghold, Therefore you will plant pleasant plants And set out foreign seedlings; In the day you will make your plant to grow, And in the morning you will make your seed to flourish; But the harvest will be a heap of ruins In the day of grief and desperate sorrow." This Scripture holds true today as much as when it was written to Israel. They had forgotten the God who saved them. They had been taken out of bondage and given a new land. They had so much to be grateful for , yet because they forgot, they drifted into idolatry. They didn't remember His commandments. Their Rock, the God they could always depend on and trust in, was no longer their focus. They thought they could control their own destiny. Much like us, they felt they could do just fine on their own. But self-reliance always raises a deeper question: What happens when God is no longer blessing what we build? The " pleasant plants " they were planting was being done without a thought for God. What will happen to their crops, to all their efforts, without the blessings of God? When God has turned His face away from them and their sin, how can they possibly succeed? All their work will be a " heap of ruins " in the " day of grief and desperate sorrow " because they have placed idols before God. They have trusted in man and not God. They have forgotten to rely on God . Apart from God, human effort, no matter how "good" we think it is, fails. This is why these Scriptures point towards the need for a Savior. We can't rely on ourselves but only on the One who died for us to make a way to the Father. Without Jesus, judgment will come just as it did to Israel who planted their "pleasant plants " and trusted in their own efforts, but had forgotten the God of their salvation. Our Modern Idols Our idols today are not often made of wood and stone. We may find them in our careers, our families, or our politics. We give all our time to climbing our career ladder or work so hard to present the perfect family to others, while, sadly giving God the leftovers. What do we care fiercely about? If it isn't God, we need to step back and examine ourselves. The Danger of Presuming on Grace The danger is that we assume this pattern belongs only to the past. We may have come to think that these times of judgment were only for those living in Old Testament times. We may believe that because God sent us a Savior we can presume on His grace. This can happen when we are not " mindful " of our Rock. It's as if we wave away any thought of judgment with the phrase, "God will forgive me." And yes, He will, but continued disobedience, living in repetitive sin for which we have no true remorse, will be judged just as it was back then. It reveals a heart that is not truly submitted to God. However, always know, believers are disciplined, not condemned (Hebrews 12; Romans 8:1). The heart either truly belongs to God or faces righteous judgment . How God Judges Idolatry Isaiah’s message also shows how God carries out this judgment. The prophets, including Isaiah, show that God sometimes uses an unholy nation to punish Israel. They will be defeated and plundered by an enemy that doesn't know God. But then, when this punishment is fulfilled, God will punish the punisher. As we see especially in Isaiah 10, God sometimes uses an unholy nation, like Assyria, the " rod of My anger ," to punish His people. He then turns and judges that nation for its arrogance; they will feel the wrath of God for harming His holy nation. And Israel will turn back, in repentance and sorrow, and, at least for a time, they will worship the One True God, their Rock, the God of their salvation. The New Testament makes it clear that this warning has not changed. Paul clearly condemns idolatry. In 1 Corinthians 6:9-10, Paul tells us that idolaters will not inherit the Kingdom of God. People who routinely place other people, ideas, and things above God, will not see Heaven. What is it we value the most? Our children? Our own plans? Our money? Whatever it is, Paul explains in Colossians 3:5-6, God's wrath will be on those greedy, coveters, those who continually want more, but not more of God. Paul's warnings continue in Galatians 5:19-21 where he describes idolatry as a work of the flesh. There will be no inheritance of God's kingdom for people who live persistently in this lifestyle. Idolatry is not just an Old Testament warning, but one that still speaks today. And this warning is not limited to Paul. The apostle John warns the churches of Pergamum and Thyatira of coming judgment for those practicing idolatry (Revelation 2:12-29). These churches contain both true believers and false pretenders, as ours may today. John's point is that the sin of idolatry in the visible church needs to be rooted out. And for those who never repent and believe, Revelation 21:8 is even more concerning, because it states that idolaters will be sent to the " lake of fire " in judgment. Because of this, Paul gives a clear command in 1 Corinthians 10:14 for Christians to " flee " idolatry. Don't just walk away, run! Compromise and complacency have no place in a faithful Christian's life. The Bible describes the " complacency of fools " (Proverbs 1:32). When we sense that we are being pulled away from God or feel our heart forgetting His many blessings and care for us, that is when we should be the most concerned. This pattern is not just in the past but still holds true today. The Purpose of Judgment Judgment came on Israel for idolatry as God's covenant people. God can and does judge nations because He is in authority over them. The purpose of judgment is to bring us to our knees, individually, or at times nationally, and causes us to seek God. We finally realize what is and should always have been first in our lives. For believers, it is ultimately for our good. For those who reject Him, it is final. But always God calls us to repentance. When we truly repent and seek God's mercy and forgiveness through Christ, we can escape judgment, just as Nineveh did in the book of Jonah. That doesn't just mean saying you're sorry, while still returning to the same old sin. It means turning away from sin and turning toward God. We may still struggle with sin but we will not remain immersed in unrepentant sin. So what has God taught us? Who Comes First? When we turn to Jesus, He expects us to be faithful to Him as He is to us. Paul warns against idolatry and forgetting God, because it is the sin that is a constant danger. Do we really believe we are any different from the children of Israel who had seen God do great and mighty things for them? Question yourself—who comes first in your life? If there is any doubt then repent and seek God's face. Pray for His guidance, flee from idolatry, and love Him with the same fierceness that He loves you.

From Receiving a Blessing to Becoming a Channel When I was a child we sang an old hymn called, " Make Me a Channel of Blessing ". Part of the song goes like this, Is your life a channel of blessing? Is the love of God flowing through you? Are you telling the lost of the Savior? Are you ready His service to do? Chorus: Make me a channel of blessing today, Make me a channel of blessing, I pray; My life possessing, my service blessing, Make me a channel of blessing today. Instead of a prayer that asks God to bless us, perhaps we should pray more that God will make us a blessing to others. Dear Father, make us a channel for living waters. Rivers Of Living Water In John 7:38 Jesus says, "He who believes in Me, as the Scripture has said, out of his heart will flow rivers of living water.” What are these living waters that the Lord is referring to? He is talking about the gift of the Holy Spirit. The Holy Spirit is not a gift given so we can keep it to ourselves. The Holy Spirit is a gift given so that we can be a channel, a mechanism or a route, to share God's love with others. Blessed So We Can Bless Others From the very beginning in Genesis 12:2 when God speaks to Abram to leave Haran, God tells Abram that, " I will bless you and make your name great; And you shall be a blessing. " God doesn't bless Abram and then that's it. No, he blesses Abram so that Abram will be a blessing to others. Through Abram's line (Abraham) comes our greatest blessing, Jesus. We don't become Christians to " hide our light under a basket " (Matthew 5:15). We become Christians to love and serve others, to tell others about Christ, to show His love to others and we do this because we have the Holy Spirit. The Holy Spirit gives us the strength and the power to serve others when we think we can't. He gives us abilities that we don't have in ourselves alone. He pushes us to do more, be more and give more. As Christians we shouldn't be concerned about how much "me time" we have. We shouldn't be worried about "burn out". We shouldn't be worried that "people are using us". We should should give and continue to give, because that is our purpose on this Earth. We are blessed so that we can be a blessing. The Holy Spirit Is The Living Waters The living waters that Christ is talking about, the Holy Spirit, springs up into everlasting life (John 4:13). These living waters will give us comfort (John 14:26), the Holy Spirit teaches us and helps us remember God's word (John 14:26), He gives us power (Acts 1:8), He is our Helper (John 14:16) and the Spirit of Truth (John 16:13). We are convicted by the Holy Spirit (John 16:8). Truly we are blessed with all spiritual blessings . Acts 5:32 says that the Spirit is given to those who obey Him. We should be diligent Christians in our obedience. Fruits Of The Spirit These blessings don't just stop with us. Paul tells us to walk in the Spirit (Galatians 5:16). Galatians 5:22-23 tells us that when we do this we produce fruit: love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control. These fruits are for us to use when we interact with others. We show people love; we show joy; we seem peaceful; we display patience; we aren't cruel, but kind; we are good to others; we are faithful, not just to God, but to those around us; and lastly, we display control over our actions and emotions when we deal with others. This is how we serve. This is how we show Christ to the world. The Holy Spirit Draws Man Water brings life, just like the Holy Spirit brings life. The Holy Spirit shows the world a different way of living, one lived for others, in humility and service to others. The Holy Spirit draws people to Christ. If our lives don't show the Holy Spirit, then how can we expect to draw anyone to Christ. The will of God, according to our Lord, is "that everyone who beholds the Son and believes in Him will have eternal life ."(John 6:40). When we live our lives according to God's will, living waters will flow out of our hearts. In this way, other people may behold the Son and believe. We Are God's People Filled With Power The Holy Spirit provides us with what we need to fulfill the will of God on earth. But we have to be willing to do it. We have to be obedient to our calling. 1 Corinthians 6:19 says that the Holy Spirit lives in us and because of this we are not our own. A price has been paid for us (1 Corinthians 7:23). 1 Peter 2:10 reminds us that "once you were not a people but now you are God's people." Let that sink in. We are God's people! We are sent to serve those still in darkness who don't know Him. Maybe this seems impossible to you. Is it impossible to live a life with these fruits of the Spirit: to serve when we are tired and worn, to love when we are hated and despised, and to forgive when we receive no apologies? Truly, it would be impossible if not for the gift of living waters—the Holy Spirit. The Lord turned the meager offering of a few fish and loaves of bread into a feast for thousands. This same power lives in us. Through the working of the Holy Spirit He can also turn our meager offerings into blessings for those around us, we just have to believe and let Him work through us. In Romans 8:26, Paul says that the Holy Spirit helps us when we are weak. He continues to say that we don't know how to pray as we ought to, but the Holy Spirit actually intercedes for us on our behalf. The Holy Spirit even helps us to speak to God in the way we ought to! 1 Corinthians 1:27 reminds us that the foolish are used to shame the wise and the weak are used to shame the strong. As Paul says, " we glory in the Lord, not ourselves. " We pray that the Holy Spirit will truly make us a channel of blessing to others. Praise to God for the gift of His Spirit, a gift given to us, whose gifts are shared by us, so the world may believe.

What the Torn Veil Means I remember well when I was a young child hearing for the first time about the tearing of the temple veil at the death of Christ. What an image that is. Today when we hear the word veil we often think of some wispy, see through material. This veil wasn't like that. This torn veil was enormous, a reminder that access to God was not open to just anyone. ~Our High Priest is seated at the right hand of the throne of Majesty in the Heavens.~ The Barrier Between God and Man The Bible tells us the veil was approximately 60 feet tall, 30 feet wide and approximately 4 inches thick. It was adorned with cherubim like the ones Ezekiel saw guarding God's throne. It was made of blue, purple and scarlet yarn with finely twisted linen. When it was torn it wasn't from the bottom up, but the top down. Only the hand of God could tear a 4 inch thick, 60 foot tall veil from top to bottom (Matthew 27:51). Why Was The Veil Torn? As amazing as all of that is, the true significance is found in why the veil was torn. The word veil in Hebrew means " to separate ". That was its function - to separate humans from the holiness and majesty of God. Behind this veil was the Holy of Holies and the Mercy Seat. The mercy seat was where the blood of the sacrifice was placed that would reconcile God and his people. Only once a year on the Day of Atonement, did a high priest enter this area behind the veil. From the moment the veil was torn, a priest was no longer was needed to bring the blood of animals to atone for our sins. We could, through the perfect sacrifice of Christ on the cross, go directly to our Lord. The blood of Jesus allows us to enter into the presence of God. Christ is our Passover. Hebrews 10: 19-22 tells us that we can go boldly to God through the blood of Jesus. We no longer need a Jewish high priest to atone for our sins. Jesus's sacrifice on the cross is our perfect atonement. We enter into God's presence through the veil that is Christ's flesh. He is our high priest. He is our perfect sacrifice. Hebrews 8: 1-2 says the main point is that our High Priest, Jesus, is seated in Heaven and is the minister of the true tabernacle. We no longer need a man to stand between us and God. Jesus has torn down the veil between man and God. It is his righteousness, not ours, that allows us to approach God. Because of Jesus, we can come before God boldly. "Let us therefore come boldly to the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy and find grace to help in time of need." Hebrews 4: 16 The New Covenant The tearing of the veil signifies the beginning of the New Covenant. The Old Covenant has been fulfilled and has passed away. The Old Covenant was based on obeying the Laws of Moses. Ezekiel 36:26-27 speaks of the New Covenant this way, "I will give you a new heart and put a new spirit within you; I will take the heart of stone out of your flesh and give you a heart of flesh. I will put My Spirit within you and cause you to walk in My statutes, and you will keep My judgments and do them." The Perfect Sacrifice When we celebrate Easter, the Resurrection of our Lord, let us be mindful of the fact that Jesus our High Priest was tempted in all points just as we are and yet He was sinless (Hebrews 4:15). He was the perfect sacrifice, once for all. Because Jesus’ sacrifice was perfect and complete, it not only secured our forgiveness but also opened a way for us to live in close fellowship with God. This shows us the full power of the access we now have through Him. The Power of Bold Approach Because of Christ’s sacrifice, we are invited into God’s presence with confidence. We no longer approach Him cautiously or through ritual; we come as children welcomed by a loving Father. This bold access is not earned by our efforts, but given freely through the righteousness of Jesus. Every prayer we lift, every act of worship we offer, is empowered by the blood of Christ. The torn veil reminds us that God desires intimacy with His people and has provided the perfect way for us to experience it daily. Please pray with me: We bless you, Lord, and we thank you for the gift of your Son, Jesus, who has become our great High Priest, our intercessor, before Your throne for the forgiveness of our sins. By His Cross and Resurrection He has set us free. In your Son's name, Amen Jesus our High Priest

When Human Love Fails Us We can probably remember many times when love has failed us. From parents who weren't very good at showing love, to first loves that didn't last, to failed marriages that should have been forever. The Bible tells us that God's love never fails us (1 Corinthians 13:8). Scripture says we are to know God's love. But it doesn't mean know like, "I know it's raining outside." It means know deep in your bones, in your soul, something experienced, something living in you, because it quite literally does. We may try to find love through social media likes and hearts. But no matter how many we receive, we know deep down that the person on the other end does not truly know us. They might not even like us if they did. But there is a love that is available to us that surpasses knowledge, one that can only be known through experience. Fully Known and Truly Loved To quote author and pastor Timothy Keller, "To be loved but not known is comforting but superficial. To be known and not loved is our greatest fear. But to be fully known and truly loved is, well, a lot like being loved by God." Our spouse may love us but never really know us. Not true of God. Our spouse may learn to truly know us and then decide they don't love us. But God—oh, what a God He is! He knows our worst and He knows our best and He loves us still. But Divine love is not like ours. It begins with something deeper because He knows us completely. And because He knows us so completely, from our first breath to our last thought, Scripture shows us just how deep that knowing goes. Known Completely—Even the Worst of Us God told the Prophet Jeremiah, "Before I formed you in the womb I knew you, before you were born I set you apart; I appointed you as a prophet to the nations." (Jeremiah 1:5). Just as God knew Jeremiah before he was born and had a plan for his life, so He does for ours. God tells Jeremiah, "I knew you." And indeed He knows us completely like no other. He knows the number of hairs on our head (Luke 12:7). He knows the number of years we will breathe on this earth. He knows the good works He has called us to. Ezekiel 11:5 tells us that God knows the "things that come into your mind; every one of them." We cannot be more known than that. But in spite of knowing not just the good but all of the bad, He still loves us. Would we love our spouses if we knew everything they ever thought? God's love is incomprehensible to us because it is so much more than our own. When we know His love, it is only the outskirts of it, like knowing New York City from a small suburb 50 miles away where on a clear day you can make out the skyline. To be known this completely should unsettle us because we know what is actually within us. Yet here is the astonishing grace: even with full knowledge of our hidden darkness, God does not turn away He actually draws near in love. Loved While We Were Still Sinners The truth is that Jesus loved us so much while we were still sinners, He died for us (Romans 5:8). When we were slaves to sin He loved us. When we had no thought of Him He loved us. And even this was not a reaction to our sin, as though God adjusted His plan after we failed. In fact, in Revelation 13:8 we are told that Jesus is the Lamb slain before the foundation of the world. God knew we would sin before He ever created any of us. But He had a perfect plan born out of love. He would send us His own Son as a perfect sacrifice for the world. This eternal love is so immense that what we see now is only a faint hint of its true depth Grasping the Love That Surpasses Knowledge This reminds me of a beautiful verse: "Behold, these are but the outskirts of His ways, and how small a whisper do we hear of Him" (Job 26:14). We hear a small whisper, see a small glimpse, feel a small touch, and understand His love accordingly. Yet Scripture does not leave us with the conclusion that God’s love is simply beyond us and unknowable. In Ephesians chapter 3 Paul prays a heartfelt prayer for the believers of Ephesus. He prays that they, together with all of God's people, be "rooted and grounded in love" and that they could grasp or comprehend the true extent of God's love for them. He wants them to "know this love that surpasses knowledge" so they may be "filled with the fullness of God." Knowing God's love is knowing the nature of God. The more we understand God the more we will be filled by Him and His love. This love will spill out, as it was always intended to, and be lavished on all those we come in contact with. But what does it mean to "know this love that surpasses knowledge"? We may know something is a fact but still not know it in our hearts. We may know that our parents love us because they clothed us, fed us, and protected us but we have never experienced the tenderness, the deep emotional connection that goes beyond simple knowledge. Many people know God loves them. They have been told this since they were babies. They know in their head that He sent His Son to die for them, but what they know is only in their head. The reality of God's love has never sunk deeper than if it were a fact like 2 + 2 = 4. Paul, however, doesn't leave us with mere facts, he describes God's love in vivid ways that he himself lived every day. The Breadth, Length, Height, and Depth Paul speaks of the breadth, length, height, and depth of His love. Paul uses this language because for him God's love is not just facts, but what He experienced every day He lived. The breadth of His love is the whole world and all who are in it, the length of His love "endures from everlasting to everlasting" (Psalm 103, 136), the height of His love reaches to Heaven, and the depth of His love reaches down into the mire of sin to pull out those who call on Him. At the very beginning of Paul's prayer he is on his knees pleading that they would be strengthened with the might of the Holy Spirit and that Christ would live in their hearts. Without Christ in our hearts there is no possibility of comprehending God's love for us. Experiencing Christ dwelling in us should bring us ultimate satisfaction. And because this love is so deep and enduring, God promises to carry it with us through every season of life, no matter how long or hard the road. A Love That Never Ends and Never Lets Go In Isaiah 46:4 God declares, "Even to your old age and gray hairs I am He, I am He who will sustain you. I have made you and I will carry you; I will sustain you and I will rescue you." Young or old God's love sustains us. He sustains us with the very same love He has for His own Son. Loved as the Father Loves the Son—Now Go Share It When Jesus prays for us in John 17, he says this to the Father, "I in them, and You in Me; that they may be made perfect in one, and that the world may know that You have sent Me, and have loved them as You have loved Me" (John 17:23). Can you actually begin to understand His love? That He loves us as much as He loves His Son? If this is true, if we are loved in this way, then it demands something from us: to love others as we've been loved. Our love must be a love in action. We have no greater need than to be loved and that is why God offers us His perfect, everlasting love and gives it to us to dwell in our hearts so we can share Him with others. It is not given to us to hoard, keep to ourselves, or as "our little secret." God's all-knowing love is given to us to share with others so that the fellowship we have with God can be known by all who call on Him. As we close, let's let the words of this beloved old hymn, "Make Me a Blessing," become our prayer. Give as 'twas given to you in your need, Love as the Master loved you; Be to the helpless a helper indeed, Unto your mission be true. Refrain: Make me a blessing, Make me a blessing. Out of my life may Jesus shine; Make me a blessing, O Savior, I pray. Make me a blessing to someone today. God's love is the love that surpasses knowledge. May it be so, Lord—today and every day. Amen

The Comfort of a Child Who Knows Their Parent Is Near One of the sweetest things about children is their need to know that their parent is close by. If you go to the park, or sometimes even just to another room, you will often find your child checking to make sure they know exactly where you are. They need to know you can see them. They become uneasy if they can't see you. As soon as they know where you are they relax knowing they are safe. Psalm 139: Experiencing God's All-Knowing Love The psalmist speaks of God in similar ways. In Psalm 139:1-6 he tells us that God knows everything about us. Not just us as a member of the human race, but us as an individual on an intimate level. What does God know about us? This is exactly what we discover in Psalm 139: Experiencing God’s All-Knowing Love—a God who is never distant, never unaware, and never absent. He knows the most boring and mundane things about us. He knows when we get up and when we sit down, he knows all of our ways, the things we do, and the words on our tongue. Are we praising Him? He knows. Are we cursing in frustration? He knows that too. God’s Protection and Guidance Verse 5 says that "You hedge me behind and before" . This means He protects us and when something happens it is because He has allowed it to happen. His hand is always guiding us, whether we realize it or not. Even when we feel weak, we can trust that He is near to strengthen us. All of this is too much for the psalmist to grasp. Although we should learn as much as possible about God, absolute understanding of who He is, is impossible. God is Always Present In verses 7-12, the psalmist explains not only does God know everything about us, no matter where we are or what we are doing God is near to us. I remember as a young person reminding myself many times, that if I was doing good or doing bad, God was there. If we really believed this in our heart of hearts it would give us pause when we choose to do bad. He continues and tells us spiritual darkness can't hide from God because the "night shines like the day" . Nothing we do is concealed from God. Everything, good or bad, is seen by Him. God as Creator and Sustainer In verses 13-16, we discover that not only does God know everything about us and is always present with us, He also is the One who formed us. While we were still in our mother's womb, God Himself cared for us and knew us intimately. Before we were born we mattered to God. He purposefully created each of us. David says, "I am fearfully and wonderfully made." Even though David knew little of the science we call biology, he knew that the human body was a masterpiece of God's design. The more we learn about the workings of the human body the more amazing it is. All of this points to a creator God, not just accident. In verse 16, the psalmist tells us that God knows everything about us, from the womb to the grave— everything we ever will do. The length of our lives, the impact we will have on others, for good or bad, He sees. This should fill us with humility. Proverbs 27:1 says we shouldn't boast about tomorrow because we don't know what tomorrow will bring. Each day we live is a blessing. Our Response to God’s Greatness How do we respond to the greatness of God? In verses 17-18, the psalmist rejoices. "How precious..." , he begins. How precious, indeed, is the creator of the universe, who knows and cares so deeply for each one of us. Do we want to know Him better? Dive deep into His words and He will reveal Himself to us, His will for us, and how we should bless Him all of our days. In this world we are often impressed when someone of power or influence notices us. We tell others when we meet such people. "I remember when I met the President" or "I remember when I went to a party with ______." How much more should it mean to us that God's thoughts towards us are so many they are like grains of sand, immeasurable, according to David. Divine Justice and Transformation David's focus shifts in verses 19-22. Because He is so overwhelmed with love and adoration for God, he calls on God for swift justice for those who " speak against you wickedly. " Many times we don't understand how those who do evil things or speak against God are not punished, but often God's patience is greater than ours. Paul committed many evil acts against Christians until He met Jesus. From then on he was a transformed man who became a great missionary for our Lord. The Call to Self-Examination To end this beautiful psalm, David cries out in verses 23-24, and with humility asks God to " Search me, O God, and know my heart." The prophet Jeremiah says this about the heart, "The heart is deceitful above all things and beyond cure. Who can understand it?" David knew only God could truly understand His heart. God knew him even better than he knew himself. We shouldn't ask God to search us if we haven't first searched ourselves. Have we examined our heart? Have we acted upon what we found out about ourselves? Guarding Our Thoughts and Anxieties David called on God to "know my anxieties" . Why? Because these things are often proof that we have not placed our trust in God . Some translations say, "know my thoughts." Our thoughts can become fully formed into sin if we are not careful. Our Lord says in Matthew 15:19, "For out of the heart proceed evil thoughts, murders, adulteries, fornications, thefts, false witness, blasphemies." God needs to be in control of our actions and our thoughts. The world is busy today stoking our fear and anxiety. But Peter says to "cast your cares on Him for He cares for us" (1 Peter 5:7). Do we really believe that? Even the Lord's return, which should be a joyful time, has seemingly been turned into a source of worry for many. Let God show you the things that are causing you anxiety. With the help of the Holy Spirit we can truly give our cares to God.  Uncovering Hidden Sin David knew that we don't always recognize the wickedness that lies within our hearts. He knew that we often deceive ourselves and think we are much better than we actually are. Humbly, he requested God to "see if there is any wicked way in me." David wanted God to expose any secret sin that he should repent of. We also should see the truth of Psalm 139 by experiencing God's all-knowing love, living each day with the knowledge that nothing is hidden from Him. The Courage to Embrace the Truth David's prayer takes courage. God may show some things about ourselves that we would rather not know. He may expose things that we have been doing that we have tried to deny. Our Father may show us that we have to take off our mask and face the truth about ourselves. We have to remember to thank Jesus that He is faithful and just to forgive us when we ask (1 John 1:9)! The Invitation to Follow God’s Way Finally, David asks God to, "lead me in the way everlasting." Contrary to the way of the wicked which leads to everlasting destruction, David asks God to lead him down His path. This is the way to eternal life with the God who David knew, knew everything about Him, was always with Him, and cared for Him more than He could comprehend. Paths that don't lead to God are dangerous paths. When we love God like David did, we will be like that little child, always wanting to keep their eyes on their parent. When our eyes are on our Father God, then we can rest and feel at ease, knowing it is He that cares for us. It is He who is in charge of us and will lead us on right paths. Do we want to be led in the way everlasting; the way of holiness that only the Holy Spirit offers us? Like Paul, we want to be able to say that we have kept the faith and that a crown of righteousness has been laid up for us (2 Timothy 4:6-8). In the end, Psalm 139: Experiencing God’s All-Knowing Love calls us to live like that child—eyes fixed on our Father, confident that He sees, knows, and leads us.

“God Loves You”: Truth We Hear Often but Rarely Grasp "God Loves You." How many times have we heard this from friends, strangers, preachers and others? When you hear those words do they mean anything to you? Or do you just hear them and think, "So, what else is new?" Or maybe you hear them and think that is just impossible because of whatever sin you are participating in at the moment. God Loved Us So God does love us, in Romans 5:8 Paul says he loves us so much that Christ died for us " while we were STILL sinners. " God became flesh and died on a cross for us before we ever repented or believed. His perfect Son died for you and me. Truly this is love divine. God Wants To Protect Us He longs to love and protect us from the evil one, Satan. "He shall cover you with His feathers, And under His wings you shall take refuge; " Psalm 91:4 I always loved the imagery of God as a mother hen covering us with His feathers and giving us refuge under His wings. There is something so touching and so tender about this illustration of God's love. Jesus uses the same imagery in Matthew 23:37, “O Jerusalem, Jerusalem, the one who kills the prophets and stones those who are sent to her! How often I wanted to gather your children together, as a hen gathers her chicks under her wings, but you were not willing!" The Metaphor Of The Hen According to an article in the journal, Animals (1), a mother hen provides many important things for her chicks. Her maternal care influences the behavior of her chicks, she helps reduce fear and stress in her young when they feel threatened, she trains them how to find food that is nourishing and the mother hen's clucks help the unhatched baby recognize their mother when they are born. The Bible tells us in Psalm 139:16 that God knows us even before we are born; that his Holy Spirit influences our behavior (Galatians 5: 22-23); that we are nourished by Him. God will provide for us (Matthew 4:4) and if we belong to Him we hear His voice and follow Him (John 10:27). He keeps us from fear (Psalm 34:4). God is our dwelling place. Divine Love It is not surprising that the Lord picked the image of a hen to show how He loves us. When we realize, maybe for the first time, that in spite of our failings, He truly loves us, it is both humbling and thrilling at the same time. We realize that our worth comes from Him. That He longs to cover us and protect us. We repent and seek His face and the divine love of His Holy Spirit fills us and trains us, guides and protects us, nourishes and feeds us and in all things, because of His love and forgiveness, we give Him the honor and the glory. The Love of God is Greater Far - Frederick Lehman "Could we with ink the ocean fill, And were the skies of parchment made; Were every stalk on earth a quill, And every man a scribe by trade; To write the love of God above Would drain the ocean dry; Nor could the scroll contain the whole, Though stretched from sky to sky." (1) Edgar J, Held S, Jones C, Troisi C. Influences of Maternal Care on Chicken Welfare. Animals . 2016; 6(1):2. https://doi.org/10.3390/ani6010002

Understanding Biblical Love As Christians we talk about love a lot. Sadly, for many, that is all we do, talk. The Bible tells us to love God and love one another. Paul explains that love is longsuffering, kind, not envious, not proud, or rude. Love doesn't want things for itself, it isn't provoked, it doesn't think about evil. He says love doesn't rejoice in sin but in truth, and that it bears, believes, hopes and endures all things (1 Corinthians 13:4-7). But what does that mean in practice? So, in other words, love doesn't lash out at people when they aren't nice to us. It isn't envious of other people's success or possessions or beauty. Love isn't rude to people when we have had a bad day. Love doesn't have to have its own way all the time. Love doesn't let people make you get mad. Love doesn't sit around thinking about doing bad stuff. Love isn't happy when it sees sin. Love is happy because it knows what is true. True love can put up with suffering and still love. Love in Action, Not Just Words The evidence that we love others is in our actions (James 2:14-17). The evidence is not that we walk around talking about how much we love others, but the evidence is that we actually do things for others. If your brother is in need and you tell him or her you will pray for them but do nothing to actually help them yourself then all you have done is talked about your love. Jesus loved us while we were still sinners. He loved with a sacrificial love. Do we love, do we forgive, those who sin against us? How can I love someone, really, if I can't forgive them. Sometimes in our own strength it is nearly impossible to forgive but in Christ we can forgive the unforgivable. Love Covers a Multitude of Sins Peter says our love for each other should be fervent or with passionate intensity. According to him love covers a multitude of sins (1 Peter 4:8). We read something similar in Proverbs 10:12. "Hatred stirs up strife, But love covers all sins." Proverbs 10:12 What do Peter and the author of Proverbs mean when they say that "love will cover a multitude of sins" ? As John Piper says, " Love wants peace, not conflict. Love wants holiness, not sin. Love wants the good of the sinning person, not public vengeance." Love will overlook hurts and misdeeds. It will make us eager to let go and overlook the sins of others towards us so that the person we are dealing with will see God's love in our patience and endurance. The Good Samaritan: An Example of True Love Jesus himself gives us a story that exemplifies what love towards others really means. Love isn't just offered to our family, to our church family, to people who are the same color as us or to people with the same socio-economic status. Love is action and it is to be given to anyone who needs it. We are to serve because He served. In the story of the Good Samaritan in Luke 10 Jesus answers the question, "Who is my neighbor?" Three men pass by an injured man but only one stops to help. We see that the Jewish man, lying naked and beaten by bandits on the side of the road, was bypassed by two other Jewish men - a priest and a Levite. These men would have been considered his neighbors. The very people who were supposed to be most knowledgeable about God could not be bothered to help, whether out of fear or simply lack of love. The Samaritan however, who belonged to a group of people that were hated by the Jewish people, saw simply a human being in need. The Samaritan people were so despised Jewish literature says this about them: “ He that eats the bread of the Samaritans is like one that eats the flesh of swine.” (Mishna Sheviit 8:10) The Samaritan is the last person a Jewish man would consider his neighbor. The Samaritan bandaged his wounds, placed him on his animal, brought him to an inn and took care of him. When the Samaritan left the next day he left money for the man's care and promised to repay the innkeeper if the man's expenses were more than that. The Samaritan went far beyond what many would have done. What situation have you been in where you went the extra mile for someone that you knew didn't like you? Maybe even hated you? The scripture never says that the man thanked the Samaritan. The Samaritan is our Lord's example of someone who loved, who was a neighbor, not just in word, but in deed. The Samaritan didn't just pause on the road to pray for the man, he didn't just bandage his wounds and leave him, he didn't just get him a room for the night, but actually took care of him, and he didn't just leave him with nothing, but made sure there was money for the man's continued care. Can you think, right now, of someone that doesn't like you? Maybe someone who hates you. Now imagine that you help this person, a lot, and they don't even thank you. Can you imagine still showing love to them? Jesus says we must. Being a Neighbor in Today's World In today's world, we see so much division and separation. Jesus says we are each other's neighbor and that we need to act like it. Can you imagine a world where what Jesus taught was put into action? Instead of people tearing each other down they would lift each other up. Building up our neighbor is expected. Instead of people waiting for someone else to help they would reach out and help others themselves to the best of their ability. Do we look at others and see a different color? See a different religion? See a different sexual orientation and say NO I can't help that person; I won't serve that person. I can't be their neighbor. Jesus asks hard things from us sometimes. Jesus washed the feet of the man He knew would betray Him. Think about that.... We Truly Love When We Act On It