Category: christian encouragement

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Worthy of It All

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“O Lord, you are my God; I will exalt you; I will praise your name, for you have done wonderful things, plans formed of old, faithful and sure.” —Isaiah 25:1

“And I heard every creature in heaven and on earth and under the earth and in the sea, and all that is in them, saying, “To him who sits on the throne and to the Lamb be blessing and honor and glory and might forever and ever!” – Revelation 5:13

I can’t believe it!  Here we are at the last of the 30 words of reverence to God; the last of the 30 days!  I always have mixed emotions when I get to an end of a series.  For one, I’ve poured time, research, and prayer into each post.  On the other hand, when I write for this blog I feel so close to the Holy Spirit.  He guides my words and directs my thoughts. Sometimes I revisit a post weeks or months later and wonder how it came together!  Surely those words came from some other-worldly source.

Deep Reverence

I started working on the 30 Days of Reverence because I was missing just that – a deeper reverence for the God who loves and sustains us.  And so, I set forth to remind myself of all His glory and magnificence.  I hope along the way it has been a help to you as well.  

Over these past days, each attribute has revealed a different facet of who God is. And now, they all lead us here, the last word on Jen Wilkin’s list, which if you remember was the framework for the 30 characteristics of God.  From Attentive to Provider and Comforter to Righteous we’ve seen that God is settled deep inside our lives and the world around us.  The last word almost seems unnecessary when reviewing the entire list – Worthy.  Scripture beautifully captures this truth.

“For of him, and through him, and to him, are all things: to whom be glory for ever. Amen.” – Romans 11:36

Truer and more encompassing words have not been spoken about our God.  All that is good and pure and lovely are from God the Creator.  His love for us has abounded for centuries upon centuries.

“Oh give thanks to the Lord, for he is good, for his steadfast love endures forever!”– Psalm 107:1

While our worship and honoring of God can never fully equal His gifts endowed to us we can certainly try. 

Honoring The LORD

My BSGs recently completed Priscilla Shirer’s study on the Sabbath titled, Breathe.  I’ve had the opportunity to also study the 4th Commandment in other forms.  While we as recipients of the new Covenant can be at rest in our hearts and minds as followers of Christ, that doesn’t fully fulfill the idea of the Sabbath.  

During my studies, I’ve learned that we should yearn for a Sabbath day in which we spend the entire day resting from our work and honoring God.  A time to show the love of the Lord by helping others less fortunate or in difficult seasons to rest.  It is a time, set aside as holy, to remind myself that the world doesn’t spin on its axis by my power.  That God is Sovereign over all.  And that, my friends, is more than enough reason to declare Him worthy of all our praise.

If you’ve missed any of the 30 Days of Reverence, click here for the complete series — and share with a friend!

As a wrap up, I want to leave you with a quick look at each of our 30 Days and the two introductory scriptures from each.  Feel free to print it out and post it somewhere to remind you that you aren’t alone.  That you are loved and well-cared for each day and through your trials.  And that the world doesn’t rest on your shoulders.  God’s are quite big enough.  

Attentive

“Before they call I will answer; while they are still speaking I will hear.” – Isaiah 65:24

“For the eyes of the Lord are on the righteous and his ears are attentive to their prayer – 1 Peter 3:12

Compassionate

“This is what the Lord Almighty said: ‘Administer true justice; show mercy and compassion to one another.’”  Zechariah 7:9

And when Jesus drew near and saw the city, he wept over it, saying, “Would that you, even you, had known on this day the things that make for peace! Luke 19:41-42

Creator

The heavens declare the glory of God; the skies proclaim the work of his hands.” – Psalm 19:1

“For since the creation of the world God’s invisible qualities—his eternal power and divine nature—have been clearly seen, being understood from what has been made, so that people are without excuse.” – Romans 1:20

Deliverer

“And Moses built an altar and named it ‘The LORD is my Banner.’” Exodus 17:15

“But thanks be to God, who always leads us as captives in Christ’s triumphal procession and uses us to spread the aroma of the knowledge of him everywhere.” 2 Corinthians 2:14

Eternal

“Before the mountains were born or you brought forth the whole world, from everlasting to everlasting you are God.” – Psalm 90:2

“I am the Alpha and the Omega,” says the Lord God, “who is, and who was, and who is to come, the Almighty.” – Revelation 1:8

Faithful

“Your kingdom is an everlasting kingdom, and your dominion endures through all generations. The Lord is trustworthy in all he promises and faithful in all he does.” Psalm 145:13

“Let us hold unswervingly to the hope we profess, for he who promised is faithful.” Hebrews 10:23

Generous

“You open your hand and satisfy the desires of every living thing.” – Psalm 145:16

“And God is able to bless you abundantly, so that in all things at all times, having all that you need, you will abound in every good work.” – 2 Corinthians 9:8

Glorious

“The heavens declare the glory of God; the skies proclaim the work of his hands.” – Psalm 19:1

“You are worthy, our Lord and God, to receive glory and honor and power, for you created all things, and by your will they were created and have their being.” – Revelation 4:11

Good

“Oh, how abundant is your goodness, which you have stored up for those who fear you and worked for those who take refuge in you, in the sight of the children of mankind!” Psalm 31:19

“Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, and comes down from the Father of lights, with whom there is no variation or shadow of turning.”  James 1:17

Holy

“There is none holy like the LORD: for there is none besides you; there is no rock like our God.” 1 Samuel 2:2

“For it is written: ‘Be holy, because I am holy.’”  1 Peter 1:16

Immutable

“For I the Lord do not change; therefore you, O children of Jacob are not consumed.” Malachi 3:6

“Jesus Christ the same yesterday, and today, and forever.” Hebrews 13:8

Incomprehensible

“For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways,” declares the LORD. “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

“Oh, the depth of the riches of the wisdom and knowledge of God! How unsearchable his judgments, and his paths beyond tracing out!” – Romans 11:33

Infinite

“Great is our Lord and mighty in power; his understanding has no limit.”  Psalms 147:5

“And he is before all things, and in him all things hold together.” Colossians 1:17 

Just

“Many seek an audience with a ruler, but it is from the Lord that one gets justice.” – Proverbs 29:26

“Do not take revenge, my dear friends, but leave room for God’s wrath, for it is written: ‘It is mine to avenge; I will repay,’ says the Lord.” – Romans 12:19

Loving

“The Lord is my shepherd; I shall not want.
He makes me lie down in green pastures.
He leads me beside still waters.
He restores my soul.” Psalm 23:1-2

“I am the good shepherd. The good shepherd lays down his life for the sheep.” John 10:11

Merciful

“But in your great mercy, you did not destroy them completely or abandon them forever. What a gracious and merciful God you are!” Nehemiah 9:31

“He saved us, not because of righteous things we had done, but because of his mercy. He saved us through the washing of rebirth and renewal by the Holy Spirit.”  Titus 3:5

Omnipotent

“He stilled the storm to a whisper; the waves of the sea were hushed.”  Psalms 107:29

“He replied, ‘You of little faith, why are you so afraid?’ Then he got up and rebuked the winds and the waves, and it was completely calm.”  Matthew 8:26

Omnipresent

“But will God indeed dwell on the earth? Behold, heaven and the highest heaven cannot contain You, how much less this house which I have built!” 1 Kings 8:27

“For where two or three have gathered together in My name, I am there in their midst.” Matthew 18:20

Omniscient

“Would not God find this out?  For He knows the secrets of the heart.”  Psalm 44:21

“But the very hairs of your head are all numbered.”  Matthew 10:30

Patient

“The Lord is slow to anger and abundant in lovingkindness, forgiving iniquity and transgression;”  Numbers 14:18

“The Lord is not slow to fulfill his promise as some count slowness, but is patient toward you, not wishing that any should perish, but that all should reach repentance.” 2 Peter 3:9

Provider

“Abraham looked up and there in a thicket he saw a ram caught by its horns. He went over and took the ram and sacrificed it as a burnt offering instead of his son. So Abraham called that place The Lord Will Provide.” Genesis 22:1-19

“And my God will meet all your needs according to the riches of his glory in Christ Jesus.”  Philippians 4:19

Refuge

“My God is my rock, in whom I take refuge, my shield and the horn of my salvation. He is my stronghold, my refuge and my savior.”  2 Samuel 22:3

“My prayer is not that you take them out of the world but that you protect them from the evil one.”  John 17:15

Righteous

“The days are coming,” declares the Lord, “when I will raise up for David a righteous Branch, a King who will reign wisely and do what is just and right in the land. In his days Judah will be saved and Israel will live in safety. This is the name by which he will be called: The Lord Our Righteous Savior.” Jeremiah 23:5-6

“God made him who had no sin to be sinfor us, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God.”  2 Corinthians 5:21

Self-Existent

“God said to Moses, “I AM WHO I AM.” ” Exodus 3:14 

“Jesus said to them, “Truly, truly, I say to you, before Abraham was, I am.””  John 8:58

Self-Sufficient

“When the sun had set and darkness had fallen, a smoking firepot with a blazing torch appeared and passed between the pieces. On that day the Lord made a covenant with Abram.”  Genesis 15:17-18

“For as the Father has life in himself, so he has granted the Son also to have life in himself.” John 5:26

Sovereign

“He changes times and seasons; he removes kings and sets up kings; he gives wisdom to the wise and knowledge to those who have understanding;” Daniel 2:21

“Let every person be subject to the governing authorities. For there is no authority except from God, and those that exist have been instituted by God.” Romans 13:1

Transcendent

“God is not human, that he should lie, not a human being, that he should change his mind. Does he speak and then not act? Does he promise and not fulfill?” – Numbers 23:19

“The God who made the world and all things in it, since He is Lord of heaven and earth, does not dwell in temples made with hands; “ — Acts 17:24

Truthful

“Every word of God is flawless; he is a shield to those who take refuge in him.” – Proverbs 30:5

“For no matter how many promises God has made, they are ‘Yes’ in Christ. And so through him the ‘Amen’ is spoken by us to the glory of God.” – 2 Corinthians 1:20

Wise

“For the Lord gives wisdom; from his mouth come knowledge and understanding.” – Proverbs 2:6

“Oh, the depth of the riches and wisdom and knowledge of God! How unsearchable are his judgments and how inscrutable his ways!”— Romans 11:33

Worthy

O Lord, you are my God; I will exalt you; I will praise your name, for you have done wonderful things, plans formed of old, faithful and sure. Isaiah 25:1

“And I heard every creature in heaven and on earth and under the earth and in the sea, and all that is in them, saying, “To him who sits on the throne and to the Lamb
be blessing and honor and glory and might forever and ever!” – Revelation 5:13

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A Wisdom That Surprises

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“For the Lord gives wisdom; from his mouth come knowledge and understanding.” – Proverbs 2:6

“Oh, the depth of the riches and wisdom and knowledge of God! How unsearchable are his judgments and how inscrutable his ways!”— Romans 11:33

Think back to the last difficult situation you were faced with.  Or even the one approaching.  The uncomfortable conversation with a boss or employee.  The painful discussion you needed to have with your family member.  The awkward topic you decided to broach with your friend.  How much sleep did you lose over it?  How much worrying did you do?

How much prayer time did you devote to it?  And if you said to God, “I trust you to give me the right words and soften the other person’s heart,” did you then go back to worrying about it?

Or how about this: You prayed, you trusted and you saw God do something amazing.  Something you never expected.  A third option from the terrible two you had only seen available.

Asking for Wisdom

I’m working on this concept constantly these days.  Before going into situations that make me uncomfortable or ones where I might make a fool of myself (of which there seems to be many!) I’ve started praying for the Holy Spirit to give me wisdom.  And to help me to know when to keep my mouth shut.  

“If any of you lacks wisdom, let him ask God, who gives generously to all without reproach, and it will be given him.” — James 1:5

James was spot on when he wrote this Holy inspired advice.  If you don’t know, ask God, who gives us wisdom.  He gives us that wisdom from His ever-flowing fount of His own wisdom.  A wisdom unmatched by any human being ever to have lived.  He gave Solomon his renowned wisdom simply because he asked for it.

“And all Israel heard of the judgment that the king had rendered, and they stood in awe of the king, because they perceived that the wisdom of God was in him to do justice.” — 1 Kings 3:28

King Solomon’s subjects stood in amazement at his ability to resolve difficult situations.  His notable decision between two women claiming the same child revealed truth through an unexpected solution.  He decreed the baby would be cut in half and each piece given to each woman.  The real mother gave up her right to the child so the son would live.  She pleaded for his life.  Which told everyone to whom the child truly belonged.

Jesus’ Third Way

I’ve read that this type of resolution is called the “third way.”  I warn you if you look up that term you’ll find some wacky political ideas and unfortunate progressive Christian theories.  But hidden amongst those is Jesus’ “third way.”

What I mean by that is on at least four occasions Jesus was given an either/or question and he answered with a better, third option.  For example, in John 8, when the Pharisees presented the woman accused of adultery to Jesus, He was tasked with deciding to stone her or let her go.  It was a trap designed to reveal Jesus’ rejection of Moses’ law.  Instead, Jesus exposed their hypocrisy.  

“And as they continued to ask him, he stood up and said to them, “Let him who is without sin among you be the first to throw a stone at her.”

It all ends with the men leaving in shame and Jesus forgiving the woman’s sin.  He tells her, “Neither do I condemn you.  Go and sin no more.”  

Jesus reveals His “third way” wisdom when asked about taxes to Caeser, the healing on the Sabbath, the man born blind and more.  His wisdom is shown in all its glory.  Options, which after hearing about them, seem so simple. Yet how often does God’s wisdom surprise us?

Weak vs Powerful Wisdom

We often quote Proverbs 3:7 – Do not be wise in your own eyes – yet we fall back on our own weak wisdom almost daily.  We forget to go to the fount and drink deeply.  We miss the opportunity to see God at work in miraculous ways.

“For the foolishness of God is wiser than men, and the weakness of God is stronger than men.” — 1 Corinthians 1:25

Throughout the Bible and even in our own lives, we witness weak, apparently ineffectual people being used to further God’s kingdom.  David, the tiny son, chosen to lead a nation.  Peter, the brash and excitable fisherman, who God calls as His rock on which to build the church.  You and me – average people with average skills and influence who regularly make bad decisions – tasked to spread the Gospel.

How can this system ever be successful?  Because God is the engine.  His wisdom is the power source that lights up our conversations and opens hearts and minds.

That’s the Apostle Paul’s encouragement to the people of the Colossian church when he writes:

“…that their hearts may be encouraged, being knit together in love, to reach all the riches of full assurance of understanding and the knowledge of God’s mystery, which is Christ, in whom are hidden all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge.” — Colossians 2:2-3

Because of God’s wisdom, power and authority the Word of God comes alive and knits us together.  His wisdom resolves conflict, distress and pain in our relationships.  How can we not plug into that daily?

Trusting in Jesus is our third way wisdom.  In our churches, Bible studies, home groups, communities etc, putting our allegiance to Jesus first.  Loving each other despite our other differences and watching God work miraculously in each of us.

He Knows Better

Friends, my dad would constantly get stuck fretting over situations because he felt the need and burden to come up with the answers all by himself.  I once tried convincing him to go to marriage counseling.  He replied, “I know what the problem is already and your mom won’t go.”  To which I replied, “You only know the solutions your limited thinking can come up with.  Someone outside the situation with wisdom and experience will probably give you a better solution.”  

But like so many of us, he just couldn’t get past being wise in his own eyes.  And his married life continued to be a source of pain until the day he died.  We do the same when we come up with our plan then maybe ask God to make sure it works.  To pray that God fixes our difficult person the way we want them fixed.

Let’s make a commitment to trust that God is so much wiser than us.  To pray for wisdom be given to us from His great fount.  And sit back and watch His miracles and mysteries unfold.

“Amen! Blessing and glory and wisdom and thanksgiving and honor and power and might be to our God forever and ever! Amen.” — Revelation 7:12

Did you miss a 30 Days of Reverence post? Click here to see all of the ways we can revere our God and Savior!

Want more of God’s wisdom? Check out my series, 31 Days of God’s Wisdom today!

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The Shepherd of Truth

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“Every word of God is flawless; he is a shield to those who take refuge in him.” – Proverbs 30:5

“For no matter how many promises God has made, they are ‘Yes’ in Christ. And so through him the ‘Amen’ is spoken by us to the glory of God.” – 2 Corinthians 1:20

As a child, I often felt like I was standing on shifting sand.  Almost daily my mom would find ways to keep me guessing and questioning myself.  I would look outside to decide what to wear to school (long before weather apps), only for my mom to tell me I was completely wrong. If I dressed for heat, she’d insist I needed a jacket. If I wore a jacket, she’d say I’d be too warm.

Sometimes she was right—but often it felt like a game that left me off balance, unsure of what was true.  My mother-in-law once asked me why I got into arguments about trivial things with my mom.  My response to her was it didn’t matter the topic, if I said the sky was blue my mom would say it was pink.  

That constant contradiction shaped me more than I realized. Without a foundation of truth in my early relationships, I struggled to trust there was a truth.   As an adult my husband would tease me about being a “woulda, coulda, shoulda” person.  The truth and trust never seemed to be within my grasp.

While there certainly are areas where black and white aren’t our only choices, as a Christian we can look to God’s Word for that firm foundation of truth we so desperately need in our lives.  Without it we get tossed about on our little life rafts by waves of messages and opinions that come at us from all sides.

“I, the Lord, speak the truth; I declare what is right.” – Isaiah 45:19

An alarming number of Americans want to pretend we don’t need this stability in our lives.  The Truth has become My Truth.  Truth becomes relative to the situation or need or feeling.  For example, it’s “wrong” to kill an 8 year-old child but “ok “to kill an eight-month old baby in the womb.  Simply because “my truth” means “my comfort.”  

According to a Gallup Poll done in 2022, only 20% of Americans now say the Bible is the literal word of God.  Meanwhile, a new high of 29% say the Bible is a collection of “fables, legends, history and moral precepts recorded by man. 

I would venture to say that in the 80% that don’t believe the Bible to be the literal Word of God there are quite a few professed Christians counted among them.  I know, I’ve met some of them.  The truth of God’s Word is manipulated and conformed to affirm whatever sin plays out in the person’s life.  The lie becomes a useful pattern to feed our flesh over and over.

But God being the Creator, Sustainer and Perfecter of all that we know is the God of truth.  His truth is the foundation from which we can draw on daily.  His truth is what brings us into righteousness.  When faced with difficult choices, difficult people, tragic circumstances or devasting news, His Word anchors us and directs our steps.  

The acceptance and knowledge of God’s truthfulness strengthens the suffering and persecuted saints worldwide.  It’s what has given me courage to stand for what is eternally right and to turn from what is evil in the eyes of the Lord.  It’s not Kris’ truth I seek, but God’s.  His truth may make me uncomfortable and cause me consternation.  But I want to stand on something that has weightiness, not something gauzy and flimsy.  A truth that has been the truth since the beginning of time.

“Your kingdom is an everlasting kingdom, and your dominion endures through all generations. The Lord is trustworthy in all he promises and faithful in all he does.” – Psalms 145:13

God’s truthfulness means we have a glorious future awaiting us no matter what we face here in this place.  We can live without fear or dread of the “someday.”  When Pastor and author Tim Keller and his wife faced his terminal cancer diagnosis he had to decide if he really believed God was truthful in His Word.

“If Jesus Christ was actually raised from the dead, then you know what? Everything is going to be all right. Whatever you’re worried about right now—whatever you’re afraid of—everything is actually going to be okay. . . . If Jesus Christ was raised from the dead, then the whole world is going to be, in a sense, resurrected. . . . 

Kathy and I cried a lot together last night. Sometimes the reality of the shortness of what we have left just overwhelms us. . . . [But] if Jesus Christ was raised from the dead—and he was—you’re going to be okay.” Tim Keller 

Friends, I realize it’s hard living in this time of “my truth.”  It comes at us from our friends, family, the media and our enemies.  At times it comes from the church.  We need to step back just like Pastor Keller and ask ourselves if we truly believe the Word of God.  Then we need to go back to Him for the Truth.  And share it courageously with anyone who will listen.

Our God is faithful and true.  At times the promises He has made seem so far off and unbelievable.  But Scripture—especially the words of the prophets—reveals both present truth and what is still to come.

It’s an undisputed truth that Jesus was a real person.  He died for our sins.  He said He came as God.  He warned us of falling for lies and false teaching and having our heads turned from the Truth. 

Let us be among His sheep who stay close to our truthful Shepherd.  The One in whom we can trust all things.

I want to leave you today with this quote by Dr. Jeff Myers, President of Summit.org and the author of the book Truth Changes Everything: How People of Faith Can Transform the World in Times of Crisis.  His comment is on a survey done in 2022.

“The number of Americans who say there is no absolute truth is alarmingly high. But among young adults, we have now officially passed the tipping point. The majority of youth now say that each person determines their own version of truth. The loss of truth has grave consequences for community, justice, a sense of purpose, and mental health. I’m not aware of any civilization that has abandoned reality to this extent and survived. The good news is that Americans still hold out hope that each person can make a difference. If there ever was a time to stand for truth, it is now.”

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Who Is Like You, O Lord?

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“God is not human, that he should lie, not a human being, that he should change his mind. Does he speak and then not act? Does he promise and not fulfill?” – Numbers 23:19

“The God who made the world and all things in it, since He is Lord of heaven and earth, does not dwell in temples made with hands; “ — Acts 17:24

I recently heard Pastor Alistair Begg relate a conversation he had with a fellow pastor at a church conference.  As they walked toward their meeting room, the fellow pastor said, “Let’s head to the sanctuary.”  Pastor Begg replied, “There is no sanctuary.”  It left his friend confused because clearly there was a sanctuary – one like all churches have where we meet and worship God.

He went on to say that when the temple curtain was torn at Jesus’ crucifixion, God no longer dwelt there. Instead, He is found everywhere. He is no longer encountered only in one earthly place, closed off to all but a select few.

A Boxed God

Yet we humans love our little boxes and borders.  Church is where we “do God.”  Work is where we “make money.”  We love to define God in our human terms, making Him more like us.  Frequently untrustworthy, unloving or unforgiving.  We box Him up and retrieve Him only when needed.

But friends, God is so much bigger than our little boxes.  He is far grander than us humans.  He is transcendent.

“But who is able to build a house for Him, for the heavens and the highest heavens cannot contain Him? So who am I, that I should build a house for Him, except to burn incense before Him?” — 2 Chronicles 2:6

We’ve spent many weeks looking at the character of God—all the reasons He should be revered and worshipped. He is merciful, patient, loving, forgiving, infinite, omnipotent, and so much more. Yet He longs to grow us into people who are more like Him. That’s a bit mind-blowing!

“For as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways, and my thoughts than your thoughts”. – Isaiah 55:9

Even among my Christ-loving friends, I hear echoes of a god who “can’t.”  We forget to pray because we think we know best, or because we assume God couldn’t possibly understand our problem.  We place Him in our little box and open it only when absolutely necessary.

My dad, even as an 86-year-old man, lived with the “terrible twos” mindset: “I can do it myself!” It was one of the main reasons he remained so resistant to giving his life to Christ.  If my dad couldn’t do it or think of a solution then no one else could.  No doctor, no counselor, no mechanic, no one.  Least of all the human-like God he imagined.

A Higher God

“In practice men do not by any means always “love the highest when they see it,” and truth is not always a welcome visitor.” J.B. Phillips, Your God Is Too Small

We say we believe in the infinite and almighty God, yet when faced with a problem, we first tinker away at it ourselves.  And maybe after failing a time or two we begrudgingly turn to God.  And even then we come to Him with our list of suggestions!

I count myself among those who think too small of God at times.  I imagine Him more like a fallible human at times rather than the prefect, transcedent God that He is.

I’ve heard many a Christian woman comment that they struggle with the idea of God the Father because of their own imperfect human fathers.  They won’t cry “Abba” because they don’t trust Him and can’t understand His perfect love for them.  We make God more human instead of asking Him to make us more like Christ.

‘Who is like You, O Lord, among the gods? Who is like You, glorious in holiness, awesome in praises, doing wonders?” – Exodus 15:11

Friends, there is no one like our God — no one.  And we can know Him only as much as He chooses to reveal Himself to us.  We glean from His Word and through His creation the pearls He has laid out for us. 

I have found that unbelievers who seem to hate God have dragged Him down to their own level of humanness.  They have stripped Him of His glory and holiness in order to sustain their own false ideas.

But when we see the God of the Bible—and I mean really see and study Him—we encounter an otherworldly, awe-inspiring God who entered our time to accomplish a great rescue of love.  So let us stop shrinking God down to our size. Let us meet Him as He truly is—holy, infinite, glorious, and far beyond all we can contain. And let that vision of Him lead us not to fear, but to worship.

 Our God by Chris Tomlin

Water You turned into wine
Opened the eyes of the blind
There’s no one like You
None like You

Into the darkness, You shine
Out of the ashes, we rise
There’s no one like You
None like You!

Our God is greater, our God is stronger
God, You are higher than any other
Our God is healer, awesome in power
Our God, our God




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Resting In God’s Sovereignty

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“He changes times and seasons; he removes kings and sets up kings; he gives wisdom to the wise and knowledge to those who have understanding;” Daniel 2:21

“Let every person be subject to the governing authorities. For there is no authority except from God, and those that exist have been instituted by God.” Romans 13:1

As I write this my 2026 primary election voting information guide sits nearby.  It lists 61 candidates for governor of California.  Yes, 61.  By the time you read this, the top two candidates will have been decided.  

There was a time that I would fret over and engross myself in the politics of elections.  I don’t find myself doing that anymore.  Partially because our voting process in my state has become corrupted.  But mostly because I realize the limited power I have in the outcome.  I vote and encourage others to vote.  In the end, I rest on the truth of one of God’s most important characteristics – His sovereignty.

El Elyon

“And praise be to God Most High, who delivered your enemies into your hand.”   Genesis 14:20

That “God Most High” translates to “El Elyon.”  It means the God over all rulers and authorities.  There is no one higher up.  No other supervisor to move your request or complaint to.  He is it.  

It wasn’t until I completed Kay Arthur’s, “Lord, I Want To Know You” study on the names of God that I fully grasped what it means for God to be sovereign.  Soon after, I was engrossed in a Precept study of Isaiah.  In that book you come upon scripture that says things like, “Go tell this people: ‘Be ever hearing, but never understanding; be ever seeing, but never perceiving.’  Make the heart of this people calloused; make their ears dull and close their eyes.” (Isaiah 6:9-10)

Which left me wondering why God would close the eyes and ears of certain people.  He did the same with Pharaoh and I suspect with a few of Jesus’ friends, the Pharisees.  He does the same still today.

“For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways,” declares the Lord.” Isaiah 55:8

And there was my answer.  If I bow down to the Sovereign Lord, I must accept that He sees the greater, better plan.  He is moving pieces on the board I can’t even see.  For reasons which may only be revealed after I am long gone from this life.

He Chooses Leaders

The other aspect of this was found in another Isaiah passage: “who says of Cyrus, ‘He is my shepherd and will accomplish all that I please; he will say of Jerusalem, “Let it be rebuilt,” and of the temple, “Let its foundations be laid.”’Isaiah 44:28

Why was this important?  Because Isaiah wrote God’s words about Cyrus around 160 years before Cyrus was even known to the Israelites.  About 130 years before he was even born!  

We read the same prophecies of future kings, military leaders and other rulers throughout the book of Daniel and the prophets.  God firmly establishes His role as the Most High God who is sovereign over all kingdoms on earth and gives them to anyone he wishes. (Daniel 4:25)

So back to the election.  Of course, I want to see a person in my state capitol who loves the Lord.  Who obeys the will of the people.  Who wants to make life for its citizens better, not repressive.  I also know that God will place whomever He chooses in the governor’s seat.  

His Will Be Done

“Many are the plans in a person’s heart, but it is the Lord’s purpose that prevails.”   Proverbs 19:21

He will use every means to bring about His purposes.  Unfortunately, my state is ruled with an iron fist by unbelievers.  So, I have come to the acceptance that the voters may get exactly who they want– someone who institutes God’s punishment, whether he or she realizes it or not.

As believers, our place in this increasingly foreign world is not to be paralyzed by our pagan governments.  We are to pray for God’s mercy.  We pray for repentance of our people.  We continue to do God’s will by sharing the Gospel, in some cases under the threat of death or imprisonment.

Just last year after completing that Isaiah study, I started praying for my federal, state, and local leaders.  I pray they will bend their will to God.  That they would know the One True God.  And I pray they would repent and ask for mercy.  

We can be bold in our faith in a faithless community because we understand and fully accept that God’s Will, will in fact be done. 

Yes, we acknowledge that even weak, ineffective, greedy, ruthless, leaders hold their place because God has allowed them to.  It’s not hard to look around and answer the “why?”  One need only read of the Israelites constant acceptance of sinful leaders during their own times of disobedience to God.  The world’s countries are now filled to the brim with unbelievers seeking their own will.

The Final Word

But Friends, there is a caveat to Romans 13.  Let’s not forget Acts 5:29 when the apostles declared: “We must obey God rather than human beings!”  How is that the standard?  By remembering who is the final authority over all rulers; where the buck actually stops.  God.

So for those of you in the United States, as we enter yet another election season do not fear. If the outcome isn’t what you hoped, we can know who really is in charge.  And those of you under repressive governments I pray for God to open the eyes and hearts of the people.  For a groundswell of the faithful to spread God’s truth.  

His rule and reign will one day become evident to all.  And every single knee will bow to the Sovereign King.

“For from him and through him and for him are all things. To him be the glory forever! Amen.”  Romans 11:36

Did you miss a blog post in the 30 Days of Reverence series? Check out the series page by clicking here!

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El Shaddai – The Almighty, Self‑Sufficient God

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“When the sun had set and darkness had fallen, a smoking firepot with a blazing torch appeared and passed between the pieces.  On that day the Lord made a covenant with Abram.”  Genesis 15:17-18

“For as the Father has life in himself, so he has granted the Son also to have life in himself.” John 5:26

God doesn’t need you.  He doesn’t need me.  

That may sound shocking or stark to some. But truth is what sets us free. Just like God’s self‑existence, understanding His self‑sufficiency is essential to our Christian walk.

Now, God being self-sufficient doesn’t then lead us into the heresy of deism.  That’s the claim that God did create the world but doesn’t intervene daily in our lives.  Deists must disregard just about every page of the Bible, including the entire New Testament in order to hold to their views.  They must shut their ears to the millions of testimonies by believers of God’s daily intercessions.

On the flip side, we must believe in God not needing us lest we become like pagan idol worshippers or followers of superstitious practices.  Rubbing coins for a god to make our wishes come true.  Or making daily sacrifices to please an unpleasable piece of wood.  

Oh, we Christians do try and fall into this practice.  I heard a friend once say that as a new Christian she was led to believe if she didn’t end a prayer with “In Jesus’ Name,” then God wouldn’t hear her prayer.  If we miss church, “God will be mad.” If we skip our daily 15 minutes of Bible reading, our day will be filled with quiet punishments.

The Truth and The Balm

We need to leave all those big and little lies behind us.  God may not need us but the balm to that hard truth is that He still made us and loves us.  He shows up, He blesses, He listens, He comforts.  The worshippers of the goddess Artemis in Ephesus didn’t have that same security.

We find in Acts 19 the apostle Paul making quite a stir when, with the work of the Holy Spirit, he was making headway into spreading the Gospel.  That not only angered all the artisans responsible for the booming Artemis idol trade but it also frightened them.  

They were worried that without the constant bowing down and sacrificing then the goddess would lose her divine stature and authority.

But the One and Only True God doesn’t need us to rub our beads, wear our crosses, lay flowers at the church altar.  Without us, He is still God. With or without belief, He reigns.

“The God who made the world and everything in it, being Lord of heaven and earth does not live in temples made by man, nor is He served by human hands, as though He needed anything, since He Himself gives to all mankind life and breath and everything.” Acts 17:24-25.

This truth, my Friends, should bring you to your knees in loving worship.  He’s not just a god who loves people.  He is God who IS love.  Between the Son, the Father and the Holy Spirit they have all the love they ever need.  But He chooses to bestow that love upon us.  How glorious is that?  

“Goodness (love, truth, beauty, holiness) is not some external standard He tries to emulate. He is goodness. God has no parts on which he depends.” Michael Reeves, President, Union School of Theology

He Doesn’t Have To

This Spring as the flowers around you begin to bloom and the colors explode in all their majesty remind yourself of this point: God didn’t have to.  He could have been content in His own perfect triune situation.  Instead, with an expert painter’s brush He created the world and everything in it.  He then became the eternal steward of His creation!

The Westminster Confession of Faith (2.2) says this about God’s self-sufficiency:

“God hath all life, glory, goodness, blessedness, in and of himself; and is alone in and unto himself all-sufficient, not standing in need of any creatures which he hath made, nor deriving any glory from them, but only manifesting his own glory in, by, unto, and upon them: he is the alone fountain of all being, of whom, through whom, and to whom are all things; … To him is due from angels and men, and every other creature, whatsoever worship, service, or obedience, he is pleased to require of them.”

God is contingent on no one and nothing.  He is to be reverently feared while at the same time loved as a good, good Father.  When you read the covenants of the Old Testament you’ll find a remarkable aspect of each.  

Our opening OT verse today mentions the flaming pot moving amongst the animals split in two.  It was a type of longstanding ceremony done in those times.  But when done by man, man was responsible for the keeping or breaking of the deal.  A broken deal meant death.  But God’s covenants are made and kept by one faithful person, God.  God makes the promise and God fulfills it. His promise is sufficient.

All we need to contribute is our gratefulness through obedience.  That should help us not only have confidence in God but also allow us to rest easy that we don’t need to be in constant “please God” mode.  

Instead, we can wake each day knowing the gifts we have received come without burden and therefore should be received with all honor and love.

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Jehovah, the Self-Existent One

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“God said to Moses, “I AM WHO I AM.” ” Exodus 3:14 

“Jesus said to them, “Truly, truly, I say to you, before Abraham was, I am.””  John 8:58

In conversations with my dad about God I used this analogy: If you see a beautiful watch and open it up and marvel at the craftsmanship we then assume there was a craftsman.  I would point out to my dad each item around us.  The table where we sat, the meal we were eating, the clothes we wore, the plants around us – all were built, planted, mixed, sewn, by someone.  Everything has a creator, even us.  The problem was when my dad asked, “But who created God?”

Who created God?  Should be an easy question for you to answer today before your coffee when asked by an unbeliever, right?  For those who know me personally they can probably hear me make this statement tinged with humor.  I don’t want us to get lost in the weeds of philosophy and metaphysics today, but acknowledging God as self‑existent is essential to the Christian life.

Why? Because most other religions rely on gods which were created, limited or dependent on man.  

The most honest answer we average folks can give to the age-old question of who created God is “I don’t fully understand the mystery God’s self-existence.”  While we may not completely understand it, we should know and accept that He is self-derived or self-originated.  We don’t come to that acceptance out of whole cloth.  

I AM

When God assigned Moses the task of speaking for the Israelites, Moses rightfully inquired, “Who should I say you are?”  With God’s short and mysterious answer of, “I AM who I AM” He made the bold announcement of being Jehovah – the self-existent one. (On a side note reading that scripture always reminds me of Popeye the Sailor Man: “I yam what I yam and that’s all that I yam!)

“He is wholly and completely “other” and unlike anything else in the known or unknown universe. He is autonomous, operates with complete control, and is infinite in all of His power, ability, and knowledge.” For The Gospel

That “other,” as described by Pastor Costi Hinn, must be front and center of our Christian life and reverence for God.  He is not us.  He is not like us.  He is outside us and created us.  In fact, He created every single molecule.  The Bible affirms this concept and Christian thinkers have wrestled with what that means.

Outside Time

C.S. Lewis has some wonderful chapters in his timeless book, Mere Christianity, on this puzzle of God’s self-existence.  He surmises that God is outside time, having created that as well.  He has no history and no future.  He just is.  If you really want to get deep one day, just think about time as a created thing.  We think of it as “real” because we see the clock move, the sun rise and set, our bodies grow old.  But God is above all that.  

Lewis describes God in this way:

“If you picture Time as a straight line along which we have to travel, then you must picture God as the whole page on which the line is drawn…God has no history.  He is too completely and utterly real to have one.  For of course, to have a history is losing part of your reality (because it has already slipped away into the past) and not having another part (because it is still in the future): having nothing but the tiny present.”

God is always in the Now.  Our yesterday was His Now.  As is our tomorrow.  He is without a beginning or an end.  We should find comfort in that mystery because it speaks to His authority and power.  It reminds us that He is wherever, whenever we are.  He is not beholden to another.

Friends, God is not reliant on our concepts of physics, time or space.  Mysteriously, He just IS.  He is the I AM for time eternal.  The steady rock or north star to place our sights upon.  

“For I am God, and there is no other; I am God, and there is none like Me.” Isaiah 46:9 

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The Righteous Judge and the Gracious Savior

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“The days are coming,” declares the Lord, “when I will raise up for David a righteous Branch, a King who will reign wisely and do what is just and right in the land. In his days Judah will be saved and Israel will live in safety. This is the name by which he will be called: The Lord Our Righteous Savior.” Jeremiah 23:5-6

“God made him who had no sin to be sin for us, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God.”  2 Corinthians 5:21

Fair play, unselfishness, courage, good faith, honesty, truthfulness, and a respect for human life—what do these have in common? For centuries, many called them the Laws of Nature. Today we’re more likely to file them under “human nature” or “the moral law.” And they often become a stumbling block in conversations with atheists: when you ask where “right” and “wrong” come from, the reply is, “Everyone knows what’s right or wrong!” I suspect people who stop there haven’t thought very deeply about the question.

Not everyone knows how to fix a car engine by simply “knowing.” I can’t walk into an operating room and perform brain surgery—yet we often assume we can define morality without reference to its Creator. You and I can list skills we do and don’t have; some overlap, others don’t. I’m terrible at math and good at writing. My friend is the polar opposite.

Universal Morals

Why do we universally condemn lying, cheating, and murder? Why do we instinctively admire courage and honesty? And why do we sense those virtues aren’t just preferences, but standards we ought to live up to?

“You find out more about God from the Moral Law than from the universe in general just as you find out more about a man by listening to his conversation than by looking at a house he has built…we can conclude that the Being behind the universe is intensely interested in right conduct.”  C.S. Lewis, Mere Christianity

Deep thinking isn’t exactly the “in thing” these days. Our attention is shaped by ten‑second videos and endless scrolling. But let’s slow down for a moment and consider where this human hunger for righteousness comes from.

“Righteousness and justice are the foundation of your throne; love and faithfulness go before you.” – Psalms 89:14

When God created the earth and called it good—very good—he set the standard for what “good” means. He is perfect in righteousness. Imagine there were only one potter in the entire world—and there would only ever be one. Every pot, plate, cup, or vase he makes, he declares perfect, without defect. Who would we be to dispute him? He alone makes pottery; he alone knows it.

But if you’re honest, you’re already imagining an imperfect pot—some blemish the potter “must have” missed. The unskilled, non‑potter quietly assumes he knows better than the expert. Isn’t that what we so often do with God? And isn’t that why we’ve drifted from moral laws that were once widely recognized—broken, yes, but still acknowledged as real and good? Instead, we increasingly encounter what Scripture describes: “those who call evil good and good evil, who put darkness for light and light for darkness, who put bitter for sweet and sweet for bitter!” (Isaiah 5:20). In modern terms, we call that being “gaslighted.”

Our Touchstone

When we pretend there is no Creator, we can also pretend there is no touchstone for righteousness. We can flip morality on its head. We can treat human life as disposable. But in the end, there is no escaping the truth so many try to avoid: God is the standard of perfection and righteousness.

That truth is also what separates us from Him. Sin bends our hearts toward pride—toward living beyond the gifts God has given us. We’re told, “Who are you to judge?” Our answer should be, “We won’t—but he will.”

“There is only one Lawgiver and Judge, the one who is able to save and destroy.– James 4:12

And friends, here is the beauty of the gospel—the love behind it, and the reason God sent his only Son. He knows the truth behind Jesus’ words in the Sermon on the Mount:

“For I tell you that unless your righteousness surpasses that of the Pharisees and the teachers of the law, you will certainly not enter the kingdom of heaven.” Matthew 5:20

Oh, those “righteous” Pharisees. On the outside they worked hard to clean up their acts and appear holy. On the inside, they were soiled—just like us. They refused (and many still refuse) to see that the only way to stand before a perfect God is for God Himself to provide the sacrifice for our sins. Only through Him—the true standard of righteousness—can we be clothed in white.

The moral law, written on our hearts, isn’t something dreamed up by a politician, preacher, or parent. It is God’s imprint on our hearts and minds—a direct reflection of who He is. And He is very, very good.

“He is the Rock, his works are perfect, and all his ways are just. A faithful God who does no wrong, upright and just is he.” – Deuteronomy 32:4

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Rest, Refuge, and the God Who Holds Us

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“My God is my rock, in whom I take refuge, my shield and the horn of my salvation. He is my stronghold, my refuge and my savior.”  2 Samuel 22:3

“My prayer is not that you take them out of the world but that you protect them from the evil one.”  John 17:15

At the time of writing this, my BSGs are beginning a new study by Priscilla Shirer titled Breathe: Making Room for Sabbath. The idea of maintaining sabbath has become so foreign that, just a few years ago, the fast‑food chain Chick‑fil‑A came under fire simply for refusing to open on Sundays. The company’s founder is a devout Christian who has chosen to live out his faith publicly. Imagine—people being so riled up because a chicken restaurant honored the sabbath and gave every one of its employees a guaranteed day off.

As part of the study, we were asked why we think the world values busyness over rest. The truth is, the world often views rest as inconvenient and unnecessary. My response was this: the farther we drift from God, the more tightly we cling to the idea that success comes only through striving harder and relying on ourselves. We stop looking for rest and refuge anywhere—but within our own effort. A God‑centered perspective says otherwise:

“The eternal God is your refuge, and underneath are the everlasting arms.” Deuteronomy 33:27

True Rest

I am one of those always‑striving types. Even when I try to rest, I wrestle with guilt—feeling as though I am not being productive enough by the world’s standards. Just as I never learned how to wear makeup, I never learned how to truly wear the refuge and rest of God. I am still learning how to rest in His arms in a way that allows my work to have purpose and boundaries, and my rest to be true rest.

God taught so many of us a profound lesson about refuge during the COVID years. We lost businesses and friendships. We lost dreams, finances, loved ones, and trust in institutions. In the midst of all that loss, however, I began to recognize what I was also gaining—a deeper understanding of what God truly offers when He calls Himself our refuge.

“Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy and my burden is light.” Matthew 11:28-29

He became my shelter from the outside chaos.  My refuge from my internal strife.  He gave me the opportunity to not work and instead fully support my husband whose business was under fire each day.  The Holy Spirit encouraged me to start this blog and delve deep into the ways of the Father, encouraging others along the way.  

But as the world around us began opening up I felt the familiar tug at my heart and mind – “start producing and striving.”  The world was pulling me from His arms again.  Taking my eyes off the only thing that could give me the safety and security we all so desire.  

Run To His Refuge

Friend, the Christian life is not easy street.  It’s work.  The world comes at us full bore with sparkly lights and gems.  Always wanting more, being better, doing more.  But the psalmist reminds us: 

“But let all who take refuge in you be glad; let them ever sing for joy. Spread your protection over them, that those who love your name may rejoice in you.” Psalm 5:11

I want to sing for joy while resting safe and secure in His arms.  Last year I chose two scriptures to memorize.  It wasn’t until I started researching for this post that I realized both focus on God’s promise of refuge.  It was obviously something on my heart!

“My flesh and my heart may fail but God is the strength of my heart and my portion forever.”  Psalm 73:26

“God is in the midst of her; she shall not be moved.  God will help her when the morning dawns.”  Psalm 46:5

The LORD commands us to rest and find refuge in Him.  It’s the only place we can find perfect peace.  Let’s all make it our priority today to swim against the world’s current of ceaseless striving.  Take time this week to turn all your troubles over to Him and rest in Him. 

I Heard The Voice of Jesus Say by Horatio Bonar (1846)

I heard the voice of Jesus say,
“Come unto Me and rest;
Lay down, O weary one, lay down
Thy head upon My breast.”
I came to Jesus as I was,
Weary, and worn, and sad;
I found in him a resting-place,
And he has made me glad.

I heard the voice of Jesus say,
“Behold, I freely give
The living water; thirsty one,
Stoop down, and drink, and live.”
I came to Jesus, and I drank
Of that life-giving stream;
My thirst was quench’d, my soul revived,
And now I live in him.

I heard the voice of Jesus say,
“I am this dark world’s Light;
Look unto me, your morn shall rise,
And all your day be bright.”
I looked to Jesus, and I found
In him my Star, my Sun;
And in that Light of life I’ll walk,
Till trav’ling days are done.

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The Lord Provides

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“Abraham looked up and there in a thicket he saw a ram caught by its horns. He went over and took the ram and sacrificed it as a burnt offering instead of his son.  So Abraham called that place The Lord Will Provide.” Genesis 22:1-19

“And my God will meet all your needs according to the riches of his glory in Christ Jesus.”  Philippians 4:19

The story in the Old Testament of God asking Abraham to sacrifice his God-given son is the cause of so much anxiety about God.  These scriptures have led to many deep discussions into the night by my friends, all mothers.  The horror of being asked by God to not only release a child to death but to also be the one responsible for that death seems unimaginable and cruel.  

It’s important to notice that Abraham didn’t go gleefully to the hill where the sacrifice was to take place.  In fact, you get the impression he was taking his time, slowly preparing the funeral pyre.  What he did go with was the ultimate trust that God would provide.  God had already provided for Abraham in many ways, not the least of which was resurrecting Sarah’s womb so they could have the very child he led up the mountain.

Commentators say, and I agree, that Abraham not only trusted that God would provide a substitute sacrifice but also that if one were not given, God would be able to resurrect Isaac.  Somehow, he had already developed the deep insight into Jehovah jireh, the God Who Provides.  

Complete Trust in the Provider

“Consider the ravens: They do not sow or reap, they have no storehouse or barn; yet God feeds them. And how much more valuable you are than birds!”   Luke 12:24

When the bill arrives or the diagnosis comes, do we trust God’s provision as fully as Abraham did?  Do we believe Jesus when He tells us how much more valuable than birds are we!  Or do we scoff at His words when He commands us:

“Do not be anxious about your life, what you will eat, nor about your body, what you will put on.”  Luke 12:22

I think we get a bit confused by His promises for provision.  While yes, God provided water from a rock.  Or miracles of a place to stay, a check to cover rent right when needed, or even a baby when we have been deemed unable.  Those are amazing experiences of His provision!  

Day to day however, we should be so thankful for the more mundane.  The physical ability to go to a job.  The job itself.  The education that got you that job.  The paycheck from which you can buy food and pay the mortgage.  The strength to wrangle your kids when you just don’t feel well.  That solution suddenly revealed to a nagging problem.

The idea of seeing our lives as being provided for by God was foreign to my dad.  He told me once, “I’ve done everything on my own, by myself.”  One day I finally pointed him to the many miracles when God intervened during his 80 years.  As I listed them all, my dad became quiet.  He had never reviewed his life through the lens of God’s provision.  He had never stopped to contemplate that someone “out there” was watching over his needs.

When we see the thousands of ways Jehovah jireh works in our daily lives we become people of thankfulness.  I believe we also become people who, in the name of our LORD, become providers for others.

Our Good Shepherd

“The Lord is my shepherd; I shall not want.”   Psalm 23:1

Friends, sheep don’t worry about what they are going to eat or where they are going to sleep.  They don’t even seem to worry about any dangers on the perimeter of their wooly lives.  They trust completely in their Shepherd.  That is the picture Jesus paints for us throughout the Gospels.  

“My sheep hear my voice, and I know them, and they follow me: And I give unto them eternal life; and they shall never perish, neither shall any man pluck them out of my hand.”  John 10:27-28

We are such independent people and being likened to sheep really rankles us.  That’s because our sinful nature begs and brags about doing everything ourselves. This striving without ceasing brings us separation from the God who loves you so dearly that He wants you to come to Him for all your needs.

Whatever worry is on your heart and mind today, bring it to God.  Bring it to the Father who is the giver of all good gifts.  I hope you will also ask Him how you can be a blessing in return.

“Then Jesus declared, ‘I am the bread of life. Whoever comes to me will never go hungry, and whoever believes in me will never be thirsty.’”   John 6:35

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