Posts tagged: faith Archive

Men’s Group - Week 42

2026-11-06T06:00:00Z

Week 42 — November 1 – 7, 2026

Meeting: Friday, November 6 #

Explore the history behind this week’s readings →

Memory Verse: Hebrews 12:3 #

Hebrews 12:3

Consider him who endured from sinners such hostility against himself, so that you may not grow weary or fainthearted.

Readings #

Day 1: 1 Corinthians 5-6
Day 2: 1 Corinthians 7-8
Day 3: 1 Corinthians 9-10
Day 4: 1 Corinthians 11-12
Day 5: 1 Corinthians 13-14

Day 1 — 1 Corinthians 5-6 #

1 Corinthians 5

It is actually reported that there is sexual immorality among you, and of a kind that is not tolerated even among pagans, for a man has his father’s wife.
And you are arrogant! Ought you not rather to mourn? Let him who has done this be removed from among you.
For though absent in body, I am present in spirit; and as if present, I have already pronounced judgment on the one who did such a thing.
When you are assembled in the name of the Lord Jesus and my spirit is present, with the power of our Lord Jesus,
you are to deliver this man to Satan for the destruction of the flesh, so that his spirit may be saved in the day of the Lord.
Your boasting is not good. Do you not know that a little leaven leavens the whole lump?
Cleanse out the old leaven that you may be a new lump, as you really are unleavened. For Christ, our Passover lamb, has been sacrificed.
Let us therefore celebrate the festival, not with the old leaven, the leaven of malice and evil, but with the unleavened bread of sincerity and truth.
I wrote to you in my letter not to associate with sexually immoral people—
not at all meaning the sexually immoral of this world, or the greedy and swindlers, or idolaters, since then you would need to go out of the world.
But now I am writing to you not to associate with anyone who bears the name of brother if he is guilty of sexual immorality or greed, or is an idolater, reviler, drunkard, or swindler—not even to eat with such a one.
For what have I to do with judging outsiders? Is it not those inside the church whom you are to judge?
God judges those outside. “Purge the evil person from among you.”

1 Corinthians 6

When one of you has a grievance against another, does he dare go to law before the unrighteous instead of the saints?
Or do you not know that the saints will judge the world? And if the world is to be judged by you, are you incompetent to try trivial cases?
Do you not know that we are to judge angels? How much more, then, matters pertaining to this life!
So if you have such cases, why do you lay them before those who have no standing in the church?
I say this to your shame. Can it be that there is no one among you wise enough to settle a dispute between the brothers,
but brother goes to law against brother, and that before unbelievers?
To have lawsuits at all with one another is already a defeat for you. Why not rather suffer wrong? Why not rather be defrauded?
But you yourselves wrong and defraud—even your own brothers!
Or do you not know that the unrighteous will not inherit the kingdom of God? Do not be deceived: neither the sexually immoral, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor men who practice homosexuality,
nor thieves, nor the greedy, nor drunkards, nor revilers, nor swindlers will inherit the kingdom of God.
And such were some of you. But you were washed, you were sanctified, you were justified in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ and by the Spirit of our God.
“All things are lawful for me,” but not all things are helpful. “All things are lawful for me,” but I will not be dominated by anything.
“Food is meant for the stomach and the stomach for food”—and God will destroy both one and the other. The body is not meant for sexual immorality, but for the Lord, and the Lord for the body.
And God raised the Lord and will also raise us up by his power.
Do you not know that your bodies are members of Christ? Shall I then take the members of Christ and make them members of a prostitute? Never!
Or do you not know that he who is joined to a prostitute becomes one body with her? For, as it is written, “The two will become one flesh.”
But he who is joined to the Lord becomes one spirit with him.
Flee from sexual immorality. Every other sin a person commits is outside the body, but the sexually immoral person sins against his own body.
Or do you not know that your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit within you, whom you have from God? You are not your own,
for you were bought with a price. So glorify God in your body.

Reflection #

Day 2 — 1 Corinthians 7-8 #

1 Corinthians 7

Now concerning the matters about which you wrote: “It is good for a man not to have sexual relations with a woman.”
But because of the temptation to sexual immorality, each man should have his own wife and each woman her own husband.
The husband should give to his wife her conjugal rights, and likewise the wife to her husband.
For the wife does not have authority over her own body, but the husband does. Likewise the husband does not have authority over his own body, but the wife does.
Do not deprive one another, except perhaps by agreement for a limited time, that you may devote yourselves to prayer; but then come together again, so that Satan may not tempt you because of your lack of self-control.
Now as a concession, not a command, I say this.
I wish that all were as I myself am. But each has his own gift from God, one of one kind and one of another.
To the unmarried and the widows I say that it is good for them to remain single, as I am.
But if they cannot exercise self-control, they should marry. For it is better to marry than to burn with passion.
To the married I give this charge (not I, but the Lord): the wife should not separate from her husband
(but if she does, she should remain unmarried or else be reconciled to her husband), and the husband should not divorce his wife.
To the rest I say (I, not the Lord) that if any brother has a wife who is an unbeliever, and she consents to live with him, he should not divorce her.
If any woman has a husband who is an unbeliever, and he consents to live with her, she should not divorce him.
For the unbelieving husband is made holy because of his wife, and the unbelieving wife is made holy because of her husband. Otherwise your children would be unclean, but as it is, they are holy.
But if the unbelieving partner separates, let it be so. In such cases the brother or sister is not enslaved. God has called you to peace.
For how do you know, wife, whether you will save your husband? Or how do you know, husband, whether you will save your wife?
Only let each person lead the life that the Lord has assigned to him, and to which God has called him. This is my rule in all the churches.
Was anyone at the time of his call already circumcised? Let him not seek to remove the marks of circumcision. Was anyone at the time of his call uncircumcised? Let him not seek circumcision.
For neither circumcision counts for anything nor uncircumcision, but keeping the commandments of God.
Each one should remain in the condition in which he was called.
Were you a bondservant when called? Do not be concerned about it. (But if you can gain your freedom, avail yourself of the opportunity.)
For he who was called in the Lord as a bondservant is a freedman of the Lord. Likewise he who was free when called is a bondservant of Christ.
You were bought with a price; do not become bondservants of men.
So, brothers, in whatever condition each was called, there let him remain with God.
Now concerning the betrothed, I have no command from the Lord, but I give my judgment as one who by the Lord’s mercy is trustworthy.
I think that in view of the present distress it is good for a person to remain as he is.
Are you bound to a wife? Do not seek to be free. Are you free from a wife? Do not seek a wife.
But if you do marry, you have not sinned, and if a betrothed woman marries, she has not sinned. Yet those who marry will have worldly troubles, and I would spare you that.
This is what I mean, brothers: the appointed time has grown very short. From now on, let those who have wives live as though they had none,
and those who mourn as though they were not mourning, and those who rejoice as though they were not rejoicing, and those who buy as though they had no goods,
and those who deal with the world as though they had no dealings with it. For the present form of this world is passing away.
I want you to be free from anxieties. The unmarried man is anxious about the things of the Lord, how to please the Lord.
But the married man is anxious about worldly things, how to please his wife,
and his interests are divided. And the unmarried or betrothed woman is anxious about the things of the Lord, how to be holy in body and spirit. But the married woman is anxious about worldly things, how to please her husband.
I say this for your own benefit, not to lay any restraint upon you, but to promote good order and to secure your undivided devotion to the Lord.
If anyone thinks that he is not behaving properly toward his betrothed, if his passions are strong, and it has to be, let him do as he wishes: let them marry—it is no sin.
But whoever is firmly established in his heart, being under no necessity but having his desire under control, and has determined this in his heart, to keep her as his betrothed, he will do well.
So then he who marries his betrothed does well, and he who refrains from marriage will do even better.
A wife is bound to her husband as long as he lives. But if her husband dies, she is free to be married to whom she wishes, only in the Lord.
Yet in my judgment she is happier if she remains as she is. And I think that I too have the Spirit of God.

1 Corinthians 8

Now concerning food offered to idols: we know that “all of us possess knowledge.” This “knowledge” puffs up, but love builds up.
If anyone imagines that he knows something, he does not yet know as he ought to know.
But if anyone loves God, he is known by God.
Therefore, as to the eating of food offered to idols, we know that “an idol has no real existence,” and that “there is no God but one.”
For although there may be so-called gods in heaven or on earth—as indeed there are many “gods” and many “lords”—
yet for us there is one God, the Father, from whom are all things and for whom we exist, and one Lord, Jesus Christ, through whom are all things and through whom we exist.
However, not all possess this knowledge. But some, through former association with idols, eat food as really offered to an idol, and their conscience, being weak, is defiled.
Food will not commend us to God. We are no worse off if we do not eat, and no better off if we do.
But take care that this right of yours does not somehow become a stumbling block to the weak.
For if anyone sees you who have knowledge eating in an idol’s temple, will he not be encouraged, if his conscience is weak, to eat food offered to idols?
And so by your knowledge this weak person is destroyed, the brother for whom Christ died.
Thus, sinning against your brothers and wounding their conscience when it is weak, you sin against Christ.
Therefore, if food makes my brother stumble, I will never eat meat, lest I make my brother stumble.

Reflection #

Day 3 — 1 Corinthians 9-10 #

1 Corinthians 9

Am I not free? Am I not an apostle? Have I not seen Jesus our Lord? Are not you my workmanship in the Lord?
If to others I am not an apostle, at least I am to you, for you are the seal of my apostleship in the Lord.
This is my defense to those who would examine me.
Do we not have the right to eat and drink?
Do we not have the right to take along a believing wife, as do the other apostles and the brothers of the Lord and Cephas?
Or is it only Barnabas and I who have no right to refrain from working for a living?
Who serves as a soldier at his own expense? Who plants a vineyard without eating any of its fruit? Or who tends a flock without getting some of the milk?
Do I say these things on human authority? Does not the Law say the same?
For it is written in the Law of Moses, “You shall not muzzle an ox when it treads out the grain.” Is it for oxen that God is concerned?
Does he not certainly speak for our sake? It was written for our sake, because the plowman should plow in hope and the thresher thresh in hope of sharing in the crop.
If we have sown spiritual things among you, is it too much if we reap material things from you?
If others share this rightful claim on you, do not we even more? Nevertheless, we have not made use of this right, but we endure anything rather than put an obstacle in the way of the gospel of Christ.
Do you not know that those who are employed in the temple service get their food from the temple, and those who serve at the altar share in the sacrificial offerings?
In the same way, the Lord commanded that those who proclaim the gospel should get their living by the gospel.
But I have made no use of any of these rights, nor am I writing these things to secure any such provision. For I would rather die than have anyone deprive me of my ground for boasting.
For if I preach the gospel, that gives me no ground for boasting. For necessity is laid upon me. Woe to me if I do not preach the gospel!
For if I do this of my own will, I have a reward, but if not of my own will, I am still entrusted with a stewardship.
What then is my reward? That in my preaching I may present the gospel free of charge, so as not to make full use of my right in the gospel.
For though I am free from all, I have made myself a servant to all, that I might win more of them.
To the Jews I became as a Jew, in order to win Jews. To those under the law I became as one under the law (though not being myself under the law) that I might win those under the law.
To those outside the law I became as one outside the law (not being outside the law of God but under the law of Christ) that I might win those outside the law.
To the weak I became weak, that I might win the weak. I have become all things to all people, that by all means I might save some.
I do it all for the sake of the gospel, that I may share with them in its blessings.
Do you not know that in a race all the runners run, but only one receives the prize? So run that you may obtain it.
Every athlete exercises self-control in all things. They do it to receive a perishable wreath, but we an imperishable.
So I do not run aimlessly; I do not box as one beating the air.
But I discipline my body and keep it under control, lest after preaching to others I myself should be disqualified.

1 Corinthians 10

For I do not want you to be unaware, brothers, that our fathers were all under the cloud, and all passed through the sea,
and all were baptized into Moses in the cloud and in the sea,
and all ate the same spiritual food,
and all drank the same spiritual drink. For they drank from the spiritual Rock that followed them, and the Rock was Christ.
Nevertheless, with most of them God was not pleased, for they were overthrown in the wilderness.
Now these things took place as examples for us, that we might not desire evil as they did.
Do not be idolaters as some of them were; as it is written, “The people sat down to eat and drink and rose up to play.”
We must not indulge in sexual immorality as some of them did, and twenty-three thousand fell in a single day.
We must not put Christ to the test, as some of them did and were destroyed by serpents,
nor grumble, as some of them did and were destroyed by the Destroyer.
Now these things happened to them as an example, but they were written down for our instruction, on whom the end of the ages has come.
Therefore let anyone who thinks that he stands take heed lest he fall.
No temptation has overtaken you that is not common to man. God is faithful, and he will not let you be tempted beyond your ability, but with the temptation he will also provide the way of escape, that you may be able to endure it.
Therefore, my beloved, flee from idolatry.
I speak as to sensible people; judge for yourselves what I say.
The cup of blessing that we bless, is it not a participation in the blood of Christ? The bread that we break, is it not a participation in the body of Christ?
Because there is one bread, we who are many are one body, for we all partake of the one bread.
Consider the people of Israel: are not those who eat the sacrifices participants in the altar?
What do I imply then? That food offered to idols is anything, or that an idol is anything?
No, I imply that what pagans sacrifice they offer to demons and not to God. I do not want you to be participants with demons.
You cannot drink the cup of the Lord and the cup of demons. You cannot partake of the table of the Lord and the table of demons.
Shall we provoke the Lord to jealousy? Are we stronger than he?
“All things are lawful,” but not all things are helpful. “All things are lawful,” but not all things build up.
Let no one seek his own good, but the good of his neighbor.
Eat whatever is sold in the meat market without raising any question on the ground of conscience.
For “the earth is the Lord’s, and the fullness thereof.”
If one of the unbelievers invites you to dinner and you are disposed to go, eat whatever is set before you without raising any question on the ground of conscience.
But if someone says to you, “This has been offered in sacrifice,” then do not eat it, for the sake of the one who informed you, and for the sake of conscience—
I do not mean your conscience, but his. For why should my liberty be determined by someone else’s conscience?
If I partake with thankfulness, why am I denounced because of that for which I give thanks?
So, whether you eat or drink, or whatever you do, do all to the glory of God.
Give no offense to Jews or to Greeks or to the church of God,
just as I try to please everyone in everything I do, not seeking my own advantage, but that of many, that they may be saved.

Reflection #

My first reflection on these 2 chapters is mostly feeling like confirmation in how I do try to live - which is in support of those who do ministry work - a simple thing like paying for lunch for Andrew for example. He’s never asked, but isn’t it right for me to pay when we go out? In a sense it’s his reward for sowing seeds of grace and mercy in the Body, in another it’s blessing from God through me by the fact that I have a good salary and God has changed my heart to use my money for the benefit of the kingdom, including for the recreational benefit of those I worship with.

Day 4 — 1 Corinthians 11-12 #

1 Corinthians 11

Be imitators of me, as I am of Christ.
Now I commend you because you remember me in everything and maintain the traditions even as I delivered them to you.
But I want you to understand that the head of every man is Christ, the head of a wife is her husband, and the head of Christ is God.
Every man who prays or prophesies with his head covered dishonors his head,
but every wife who prays or prophesies with her head uncovered dishonors her head, since it is the same as if her head were shaven.
For if a wife will not cover her head, then she should cut her hair short. But since it is disgraceful for a wife to cut off her hair or shave her head, let her cover her head.
For a man ought not to cover his head, since he is the image and glory of God, but woman is the glory of man.
For man was not made from woman, but woman from man.
Neither was man created for woman, but woman for man.
That is why a wife ought to have a symbol of authority on her head, because of the angels.
Nevertheless, in the Lord woman is not independent of man nor man of woman;
for as woman was made from man, so man is now born of woman. And all things are from God.
Judge for yourselves: is it proper for a wife to pray to God with her head uncovered?
Does not nature itself teach you that if a man wears long hair it is a disgrace for him,
but if a woman has long hair, it is her glory? For her hair is given to her for a covering.
If anyone is inclined to be contentious, we have no such practice, nor do the churches of God.
But in the following instructions I do not commend you, because when you come together it is not for the better but for the worse.
For, in the first place, when you come together as a church, I hear that there are divisions among you. And I believe it in part,
for there must be factions among you in order that those who are genuine among you may be recognized.
When you come together, it is not the Lord’s supper that you eat.
For in eating, each one goes ahead with his own meal. One goes hungry, another gets drunk.
What! Do you not have houses to eat and drink in? Or do you despise the church of God and humiliate those who have nothing? What shall I say to you? Shall I commend you in this? No, I will not.
For I received from the Lord what I also delivered to you, that the Lord Jesus on the night when he was betrayed took bread,
and when he had given thanks, he broke it, and said, “This is my body, which is for you. Do this in remembrance of me.”
In the same way also he took the cup, after supper, saying, “This cup is the new covenant in my blood. Do this, as often as you drink it, in remembrance of me.”
For as often as you eat this bread and drink the cup, you proclaim the Lord’s death until he comes.
Whoever, therefore, eats the bread or drinks the cup of the Lord in an unworthy manner will be guilty concerning the body and blood of the Lord.
Let a person examine himself, then, and so eat of the bread and drink of the cup.
For anyone who eats and drinks without discerning the body eats and drinks judgment on himself.
That is why many of you are weak and ill, and some have died.
But if we judged ourselves truly, we would not be judged.
But when we are judged by the Lord, we are disciplined so that we may not be condemned along with the world.
So then, my brothers, when you come together to eat, wait for one another—
if anyone is hungry, let him eat at home—so that when you come together it will not be for judgment. About the other things I will give directions when I come.

1 Corinthians 12

Now concerning spiritual gifts, brothers, I do not want you to be uninformed.
You know that when you were pagans you were led astray to mute idols, however you were led.
Therefore I want you to understand that no one speaking in the Spirit of God ever says “Jesus is accursed!” and no one can say “Jesus is Lord” except in the Holy Spirit.
Now there are varieties of gifts, but the same Spirit;
and there are varieties of service, but the same Lord;
and there are varieties of activities, but it is the same God who empowers them all in everyone.
To each is given the manifestation of the Spirit for the common good.
For to one is given through the Spirit the utterance of wisdom, and to another the utterance of knowledge according to the same Spirit,
to another faith by the same Spirit, to another gifts of healing by the one Spirit,
to another the working of miracles, to another prophecy, to another the ability to distinguish between spirits, to another various kinds of tongues, to another the interpretation of tongues.
All these are empowered by one and the same Spirit, who apportions to each one individually as he wills.
For just as the body is one and has many members, and all the members of the body, though many, are one body, so it is with Christ.
For in one Spirit we were all baptized into one body—Jews or Greeks, slaves or free—and all were made to drink of one Spirit.
For the body does not consist of one member but of many.
If the foot should say, “Because I am not a hand, I do not belong to the body,” that would not make it any less a part of the body.
And if the ear should say, “Because I am not an eye, I do not belong to the body,” that would not make it any less a part of the body.
If the whole body were an eye, where would be the sense of hearing? If the whole body were an ear, where would be the sense of smell?
But as it is, God arranged the members in the body, each one of them, as he chose.
If all were a single member, where would the body be?
As it is, there are many parts, yet one body.
The eye cannot say to the hand, “I have no need of you,” nor again the head to the feet, “I have no need of you.”
On the contrary, the parts of the body that seem to be weaker are indispensable,
and on those parts of the body that we think less honorable we bestow the greater honor, and our unpresentable parts are treated with greater modesty,
which our more presentable parts do not require. But God has so composed the body, giving greater honor to the part that lacked it,
that there may be no division in the body, but that the members may have the same care for one another.
If one member suffers, all suffer together; if one member is honored, all rejoice together.
Now you are the body of Christ and individually members of it.
And God has appointed in the church first apostles, second prophets, third teachers, then miracles, then gifts of healing, helping, administrating, and various kinds of tongues.
Are all apostles? Are all prophets? Are all teachers? Do all work miracles?
Do all possess gifts of healing? Do all speak with tongues? Do all interpret?
But earnestly desire the higher gifts. And I will show you a still more excellent way.

Reflection #

To each is given the manifestation of the Spirit for the common good.
For to one is given through the Spirit the utterance of wisdom, and to another the utterance of knowledge according to the same Spirit,
to another faith by the same Spirit, to another gifts of healing by the one Spirit,
to another the working of miracles, to another prophecy, to another the ability to distinguish between spirits, to another various kinds of tongues, to another the interpretation of tongues.
All these are empowered by one and the same Spirit, who apportions to each one individually as he wills.
For just as the body is one and has many members, and all the members of the body, though many, are one body, so it is with Christ.

Day 5 — 1 Corinthians 13-14 #

1 Corinthians 13

If I speak in the tongues of men and of angels, but have not love, I am a noisy gong or a clanging cymbal.
And if I have prophetic powers, and understand all mysteries and all knowledge, and if I have all faith, so as to remove mountains, but have not love, I am nothing.
If I give away all I have, and if I deliver up my body to be burned, but have not love, I gain nothing.
Love is patient and kind; love does not envy or boast; it is not arrogant
or rude. It does not insist on its own way; it is not irritable or resentful;
it does not rejoice at wrongdoing, but rejoices with the truth.
Love bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things.
Love never ends. As for prophecies, they will pass away; as for tongues, they will cease; as for knowledge, it will pass away.
For we know in part and we prophesy in part,
but when the perfect comes, the partial will pass away.
When I was a child, I spoke like a child, I thought like a child, I reasoned like a child. When I became a man, I gave up childish ways.
For now we see in a mirror dimly, but then face to face. Now I know in part; then I shall know fully, even as I have been fully known.
So now faith, hope, and love abide, these three; but the greatest of these is love.

1 Corinthians 14

Pursue love, and earnestly desire the spiritual gifts, especially that you may prophesy.
For one who speaks in a tongue speaks not to men but to God; for no one understands him, but he utters mysteries in the Spirit.
On the other hand, the one who prophesies speaks to people for their upbuilding and encouragement and consolation.
The one who speaks in a tongue builds up himself, but the one who prophesies builds up the church.
Now I want you all to speak in tongues, but even more to prophesy. The one who prophesies is greater than the one who speaks in tongues, unless someone interprets, so that the church may be built up.
Now, brothers, if I come to you speaking in tongues, how will I benefit you unless I bring you some revelation or knowledge or prophecy or teaching?
If even lifeless instruments, such as the flute or the harp, do not give distinct notes, how will anyone know what is played?
And if the bugle gives an indistinct sound, who will get ready for battle?
So with yourselves, if with your tongue you utter speech that is not intelligible, how will anyone know what is said? For you will be speaking into the air.
There are doubtless many different languages in the world, and none is without meaning,
but if I do not know the meaning of the language, I will be a foreigner to the speaker and the speaker a foreigner to me.
So with yourselves, since you are eager for manifestations of the Spirit, strive to excel in building up the church.
Therefore, one who speaks in a tongue should pray that he may interpret.
For if I pray in a tongue, my spirit prays but my mind is unfruitful.
What am I to do? I will pray with my spirit, but I will pray with my mind also; I will sing praise with my spirit, but I will sing with my mind also.
Otherwise, if you give thanks with your spirit, how can anyone in the position of an outsider say “Amen” to your thanksgiving when he does not know what you are saying?
For you may be giving thanks well enough, but the other person is not being built up.
I thank God that I speak in tongues more than all of you.
Nevertheless, in church I would rather speak five words with my mind in order to instruct others, than ten thousand words in a tongue.
Brothers, do not be children in your thinking. Be infants in evil, but in your thinking be mature.
In the Law it is written, “By people of strange tongues and by the lips of foreigners will I speak to this people, and even then they will not listen to me, says the Lord.”
Thus tongues are a sign not for believers but for unbelievers, while prophecy is a sign not for unbelievers but for believers.
If, therefore, the whole church comes together and all speak in tongues, and outsiders or unbelievers enter, will they not say that you are out of your minds?
But if all prophesy, and an unbeliever or outsider enters, he is convicted by all, he is called to account by all,
the secrets of his heart are disclosed, and so, falling on his face, he will worship God and declare that God is really among you.
What then, brothers? When you come together, each one has a hymn, a lesson, a revelation, a tongue, or an interpretation. Let all things be done for building up.
If any speak in a tongue, let there be only two or at most three, and each in turn, and let someone interpret.
But if there is no one to interpret, let each of them keep silent in church and speak to himself and to God.
Let two or three prophets speak, and let the others weigh what is said.
If a revelation is made to another sitting there, let the first be silent.
For you can all prophesy one by one, so that all may learn and all be encouraged,
and the spirits of prophets are subject to prophets.
For God is not a God of confusion but of peace. As in all the churches of the saints,
the women should keep silent in the churches. For they are not permitted to speak, but should be in submission, as the Law also says.
If there is anything they desire to learn, let them ask their husbands at home. For it is shameful for a woman to speak in church.
Or was it from you that the word of God came? Or are you the only ones it has reached?
If anyone thinks that he is a prophet, or spiritual, he should acknowledge that the things I am writing to you are a command of the Lord.
If anyone does not recognize this, he is not recognized.
So, my brothers, earnestly desire to prophesy, and do not forbid speaking in tongues.
But all things should be done decently and in order.

Reflection #

Historical Context — 1 Corinthians 5–14 #

Written from Ephesus ~AD 55, answering two inputs at once: reports of scandals (Chloe’s people) and a letter of questions from the church (7:1 — “the matters about which you wrote”). The unifying backdrop: a young church in a status-obsessed Roman colony importing the city’s habits into its life together.

Day 1 · 1 Cor 5–6 — discipline and lawsuits

The incest case (5:1): a man sleeping with “his father’s wife” — his stepmother. Leviticus 20:11 condemns it; Roman law banned it too — Cicero cites such a case as nearly unheard-of. “Not even tolerated among pagans” is literal.
Why the church tolerated it is debated: the man may have been a wealthy patron too powerful to confront, or the “everything is permissible” party (6:12) wore tolerance as a badge — hence “you are arrogant” (5:2).
“Hand this man over to Satan” (5:5): expulsion from the sphere of the Spirit back into the world — aimed at restoration (“that his spirit may be saved”), not destruction.
Passover metaphor (5:7): Christ as the Passover lamb → clean out the leaven; drawn from the Feast of Unleavened Bread.
Lawsuits (6:1-8): Corinth was famously litigious, and Roman courts tilted toward patrons and the well-connected — so Christians suing each other meant the rich crushing the poor in a pagan arena. “Why not rather suffer wrong?” is the countercultural shock.
6:9-11’s vice list ends in grace: “such were some of you” — the church really was made of ex-pagans from Corinth’s docks and markets.

Day 2 · 1 Cor 7–8 — marriage and idol food

7:1 quotes the Corinthians’ own letter: “it is good for a man not to have sexual relations with a woman” — an ascetic slogan born as an overcorrection to Corinth’s license. Paul corrects it: celibacy is a gift, not a rule; spouses owe each other “conjugal rights” — mutuality that was radical for the era.
“The present crisis” (7:26): unexplained — possibilities include famine (grain shortages hit Corinth in this period), social upheaval, or simply the pressure of the approaching end.
Idol food (ch 8): nearly all meat in the city passed through temples — the Corinthian meat market (macellum) is excavated, and cult dining halls had invitation inscriptions. To eat was often to join a pagan banquet, not just buy dinner.
“Knowledge puffs up, but love builds up” (8:1) — the “strong” were right that idols are nothing (8:4) and still wrong: ch 10 will show the meal itself creates fellowship with demons.
The “weak” conscience: recent converts for whom idol meat still meant the god.

Day 3 · 1 Cor 9–10 — renounced rights and Israel’s warnings

Why Paul refused Corinthian money (ch 9): in patronage culture, taking a rich man’s support made you his client — owing him loyalty and deference. Paul took support from Macedonia instead and worked, so no Corinthian could claim to be his patron.
Traveling sophists and philosophers charged fees; a free gospel was Paul’s credential — he’d “rather die” than let pay blur it (9:15).
The athletic metaphor (9:24-27) is local: the Isthmian Games — second only to the Olympics — were held at Corinth’s doorstep every two years, for a wreath of pine or celery. “An imperishable” wreath contrasts with compost.
“Our fathers” (10:1): Gentile readers folded into Israel’s story — the church inherits the Exodus as its own family history.
The cup/table of demons (10:21): ancient meals created koinonia — real fellowship with the deity hosted. That’s why you can’t split attendance between the Lord’s table and an idol’s.

Day 4 · 1 Cor 11–12 — gathering and gifts

Head coverings (11:2-16): contested at every level — whether Paul means veils or hairstyles, and what signaled what. Broadly: respectable married women covered their heads in public worship; an uncovered wife could read as libertine. Paul argues from creation order, church custom, and “nature” — and women still prophesy, just covered (11:5).
Lord’s Supper abuses (11:17-34): the church met in a wealthy patron’s house (Gaius — Rom 16:23). Villas seated ~9-12 in the dining room and overflowed into the atrium; the rich arrived early with their own food and got drunk while laborers and slaves came late to nothing — “one is hungry and another is drunk.” The meal was re-enacting the city’s class map.
“Discerning the body” (11:29): the gathered people, not just the bread — which is why the judgment (11:30) is communal.
Ch 12’s body imagery answers status competition directly: the Spirit distributes gifts “as he wills,” so no gift — including tongues — makes a Christian more important.

Day 5 · 1 Cor 13–14 — love and order

Ch 13 isn’t a wedding text in context — it’s the hinge of the gift-chapters: spectacular gifts without love are noise. “Noisy gong, clanging cymbal” may echo the bronze resonators Greek theaters used for acoustics.
Tongues in context: ecstatic utterance was familiar pagan fare — Delphi’s oracle, Dionysiac frenzy — and the Corinthians prized it as the showpiece gift. Paul inverts the ranking: prophecy builds the church because it’s understood (14:1-5).
“Tongues are a sign not for believers but for unbelievers” (14:22, citing Isaiah 28): a warning sign — unintelligible speech confirms hard hearts rather than attracting them.
Orderly worship (14:26-40) looks more like a weighing of prophets than a liturgy — two or three speakers, others discern, everything “decently and in order.”
“Women should keep silent” (14:34): a notorious crux, hard to square with 11:5 where women prophesy aloud — proposals range from a marginal gloss to a specific disruption (wives interrogating speakers mid-meeting). It’s about a kind of speech in a moment, not a blanket rule — though honest readers disagree about how far that goes.

HEAR Journal #

Highlight #

To each is given the manifestation of the Spirit for the common good.
For to one is given through the Spirit the utterance of wisdom, and to another the utterance of knowledge according to the same Spirit,
to another faith by the same Spirit, to another gifts of healing by the one Spirit,
to another the working of miracles, to another prophecy, to another the ability to distinguish between spirits, to another various kinds of tongues, to another the interpretation of tongues.
All these are empowered by one and the same Spirit, who apportions to each one individually as he wills.
For just as the body is one and has many members, and all the members of the body, though many, are one body, so it is with Christ.

Explain #

There’s a lot of “status” issues that Paul seems to be addressing in 1 Corinthians - the love feast issue of the rich getting drunk at the table while the poor go hungry is what preceeds the spiritual gifts section, and then right after it is all about love and order. Corinth was like Vegas, money sex and power made people important I suppose. So Paul isn’t giving us a systematic breakdown of how specific gifts are manifest, I think he’s giving just a wide range of talents and highlighting that God is glorified as people with different skillsets work together. This is the working of the spirit, not a mystical annointing whereby a believer gets some magic talent.

Apply #

Application seems relatively simple, no believer should look down on another, no believer should be “too good” to share a meal with or serve another. Everything we do for each other is done in service to Christ, who loved us and gave himself up for us

Respond #

Lord make this true in my heart, do not let me look down or away from my brother who is different… if I’m the hands do not let me have a bad attitude towards the feet, if I am the legs do not let me have a rotten view of the eyes. Your body, your bride, was chosen by you, fill me with nothing but humility to have been given your favor and use my life in any way you choose.

Prayer Requests #

Answered / Updates #

Meeting Notes #

Scripture quotations are from the ESV® Bible (The Holy Bible, English Standard Version®), copyright © 2001 by Crossway, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers. Used by permission. All rights reserved.

Men’s Group - Week 41

2026-10-30T06:00:00Z

Week 41 — October 25 – 31, 2026

Meeting: Friday, October 30 #

Memory Verse: 1 Corinthians 15:58 #

1 Corinthians 15:58

Therefore, my beloved brothers, be steadfast, immovable, always abounding in the work of the Lord, knowing that in the Lord your labor is not in vain.

Readings #

Day 1: 1 Thessalonians 3-5
Day 2: 2 Thessalonians 1-3
Day 3: Acts 18:18-28; 19
Day 4: 1 Corinthians 1-2
Day 5: 1 Corinthians 3-4

Day 1 — 1 Thessalonians 3-5 #

1 Thessalonians 3

So when we could bear it no longer, we were willing to be left on our own in Athens.
We sent Timothy, our brother and fellow worker for God in the gospel of Christ, to strengthen and encourage you in your faith,
so that none of you would be shaken by these trials. For you know that we are destined for this.
Indeed, when we were with you, we kept warning you that we would suffer persecution; and as you know, it has come to pass.
For this reason, when I could bear it no longer, I sent to find out about your faith, for fear that the tempter had somehow tempted you and that our labor might have been in vain.
But just now, Timothy has returned from his visit with the good news about your faith, your love, and the fond memories you have preserved, longing to see us just as we long to see you.
For this reason, brothers, in all our distress and persecution, we have been reassured about you, because of your faith.
For now we can go on living, as long as you are standing firm in the Lord.
How can we adequately thank God for you in return for our great joy over you in His presence?
Night and day we pray most earnestly that we may see you face to face and supply what is lacking in your faith.
Now may our God and Father Himself, and our Lord Jesus, direct our way to you.
And may the Lord cause you to increase and overflow with love for one another and for everyone else, just as our love for you overflows,
so that He may establish your hearts in blamelessness and holiness before our God and Father at the coming of our Lord Jesus with all His saints. Amen.

1 Thessalonians 4

Finally, brothers, we ask and encourage you in the Lord Jesus to live in a way that is pleasing to God, just as you have received from us. This is how you already live, so you should do so all the more.
For you know the instructions we gave you by the authority of the Lord Jesus.
For it is God’s will that you should be holy: You must abstain from sexual immorality;
each of you must know how to control his own body in holiness and honor,
not in lustful passion like the Gentiles who do not know God;
and no one should ever violate or exploit his brother in this regard, because the Lord will avenge all such acts, as we have already told you and solemnly warned you.
For God has not called us to impurity, but to holiness.
Anyone, then, who rejects this command does not reject man but God, the very One who gives you His Holy Spirit.
Now about brotherly love, you do not need anyone to write to you, because you yourselves have been taught by God to love one another.
And you are indeed showing this love to all the brothers throughout Macedonia. But we urge you, brothers, to excel more and more
and to aspire to live quietly, to attend to your own matters, and to work with your own hands, as we instructed you.
Then you will behave properly toward outsiders, without being dependent on anyone.
Brothers, we do not want you to be uninformed about those who sleep in death, so that you will not grieve like the rest, who are without hope.
For since we believe that Jesus died and rose again, we also believe that God will bring with Jesus those who have fallen asleep in Him.
By the word of the Lord, we declare to you that we who are alive and remain until the coming of the Lord will by no means precede those who have fallen asleep.
For the Lord Himself will descend from heaven with a loud command, with the voice of an archangel, and with the trumpet of God, and the dead in Christ will be the first to rise.
After that, we who are alive and remain will be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air. And so we will always be with the Lord.
Therefore encourage one another with these words.

1 Thessalonians 5

Now about the times and seasons, brothers, we do not need to write to you.
For you are fully aware that the Day of the Lord will come like a thief in the night.
While people are saying, “Peace and security,” destruction will come upon them suddenly, like labor pains on a pregnant woman, and they will not escape.
But you, brothers, are not in the darkness so that this day should overtake you like a thief.
For you are all sons of the light and sons of the day; we do not belong to the night or to the darkness.
So then, let us not sleep as the others do, but let us remain awake and sober.
For those who sleep, sleep at night, and those who get drunk, get drunk at night.
But since we belong to the day, let us be sober, putting on the breastplate of faith and love, and the helmet of our hope of salvation.
For God has not appointed us to suffer wrath, but to obtain salvation through our Lord Jesus Christ.
He died for us so that, whether we are awake or asleep, we may live together with Him.
Therefore encourage and build one another up, just as you are already doing.
But we ask you, brothers, to acknowledge those who work diligently among you, who care for you in the Lord and who admonish you.
In love, hold them in highest regard because of their work. Live in peace with one another.
And we urge you, brothers, to admonish the unruly, encourage the fainthearted, help the weak, and be patient with everyone.
Make sure that no one repays evil for evil. Always pursue what is good for one another and for all people.
Rejoice at all times.
Pray without ceasing.
Give thanks in every circumstance, for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus.
Do not extinguish the Spirit.
Do not treat prophecies with contempt,
but test all things. Hold fast to what is good.
Abstain from every form of evil.
Now may the God of peace Himself sanctify you completely, and may your entire spirit, soul, and body be kept blameless at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ.
The One who calls you is faithful, and He will do it.
Brothers, pray for us as well.
Greet all the brothers with a holy kiss.
I charge you before the Lord to have this letter read to all the brothers.
The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with you.

Reflection #

5.13. In love, hold them in highest regard because of their work. Live in peace with one another. 5.14. And we urge you, brothers, to admonish the unruly, encourage the fainthearted, help the weak, and be patient with everyone. 5.15. Make sure that no one repays evil for evil. Always pursue what is good for one another and for all people.

Not that “always pursue what is good for one another and for all people” is a global imperative command, its’ encouragement from Paul to the Thessalonians, but I think in a plain sense it is a good directive to live by and is consistent with Galatians 6 (always doing good for the household of the faith)

Day 2 — 2 Thessalonians 1-3 #

2 Thessalonians 1

Paul, Silvanus, and Timothy, To the church of the Thessalonians in God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ:
Grace and peace to you from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.
We are obligated to thank God for you all the time, brothers, as is fitting, because your faith is growing more and more, and your love for one another is increasing.
That is why we boast among God’s churches about your perseverance and faith in the face of all the persecution and affliction you are enduring.
All this is clear evidence of God’s righteous judgment. And so you will be counted worthy of the kingdom of God, for which you are suffering.
After all, it is only right for God to repay with affliction those who afflict you,
and to grant relief to you who are oppressed and to us as well. This will take place when the Lord Jesus is revealed from heaven with His mighty angels
in blazing fire, inflicting vengeance on those who do not know God and do not obey the gospel of our Lord Jesus.
They will suffer the penalty of eternal destruction, separated from the presence of the Lord and the glory of His might,
on the day He comes to be glorified in His saints and regarded with wonder by all who have believed, including you who have believed our testimony.
To this end, we always pray for you, that our God will count you worthy of His calling, and that He will powerfully fulfill your every good desire and work of faith,
so that the name of our Lord Jesus will be glorified in you, and you in Him, according to the grace of our God and of the Lord Jesus Christ.

2 Thessalonians 2

Now concerning the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ and our being gathered together to Him, we ask you, brothers,
not to be easily disconcerted or alarmed by any spirit or message or letter seeming to be from us, alleging that the Day of the Lord has already come.
Let no one deceive you in any way, for it will not come until the rebellion occurs and the man of lawlessness—the son of destruction—is revealed.
He will oppose and exalt himself above every so-called god or object of worship. So he will seat himself in the temple of God, proclaiming himself to be God.
Do you not remember that I told you these things while I was still with you?
And you know what is now restraining him, so that he may be revealed at the proper time.
For the mystery of lawlessness is already at work, but the one who now restrains it will continue until he is taken out of the way.
And then the lawless one will be revealed, whom the Lord Jesus will slay with the breath of His mouth and annihilate by the majesty of His arrival.
The coming of the lawless one will be accompanied by the working of Satan, with every kind of power, sign, and false wonder,
and with every wicked deception directed against those who are perishing, because they refused the love of the truth that would have saved them.
For this reason God will send them a powerful delusion so that they believe the lie,
in order that judgment may come upon all who have disbelieved the truth and delighted in wickedness.
But we should always thank God for you, brothers who are loved by the Lord, because God chose you from the beginning to be saved by the sanctification of the Spirit and by faith in the truth.
To this He called you through our gospel, so that you may share in the glory of our Lord Jesus Christ.
Therefore, brothers, stand firm and cling to the traditions we taught you, whether by speech or by letter.
Now may our Lord Jesus Christ Himself and God our Father, who by grace has loved us and given us eternal comfort and good hope,
encourage your hearts and strengthen you in every good word and deed.

2 Thessalonians 3

Finally, brothers, pray for us, that the word of the Lord may spread quickly and be held in honor, just as it was with you.
And pray that we may be delivered from wicked and evil men; for not everyone holds to the faith.
But the Lord is faithful, and He will strengthen you and guard you from the evil one.
And we have confidence in the Lord that you are doing and will continue to do what we command.
May the Lord direct your hearts into God’s love and Christ’s perseverance.
Now we command you, brothers, in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, to keep away from any brother who leads an undisciplined life that is not in keeping with the tradition you received from us.
For you yourselves know how you ought to imitate us, because we were not undisciplined among you,
nor did we eat anyone’s food without paying for it. Instead, in labor and toil, we worked night and day so that we would not be a burden to any of you.
Not that we lack this right, but we wanted to offer ourselves as an example for you to imitate.
For even while we were with you, we gave you this command: “If anyone is unwilling to work, he shall not eat.”
For we hear that some of you are leading undisciplined lives, accomplishing nothing, but being busybodies.
We command and urge such people by our Lord Jesus Christ to begin working quietly to earn their own living.
But as for you, brothers, do not grow weary in well-doing.
Take note of anyone who does not obey the instructions we have given in this letter. Do not associate with him, so that he may be ashamed.
Yet do not regard him as an enemy, but admonish him as a brother.
Now may the Lord of peace Himself give you peace at all times and in every way. The Lord be with all of you.
This greeting is in my own hand—Paul. This is my mark in every letter; it is the way I write.
The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with all of you.

Reflection #

Day 3 — Acts 18:18-28; 19 #

Acts 18:18-28

Paul remained in Corinth for quite some time before saying goodbye to the brothers. He had his head shaved in Cenchrea to keep a vow he had made, and then he sailed for Syria, accompanied by Priscilla and Aquila.
When they reached Ephesus, Paul left Priscilla and Aquila. He himself went into the synagogue there and reasoned with the Jews.
When they asked him to stay for a while longer, he declined.
But as he left, he said, “I will come back to you if God is willing.” And he set sail from Ephesus.
When Paul had landed at Caesarea, he went up and greeted the church at Jerusalem. Then he went down to Antioch.
After Paul had spent some time in Antioch, he traveled from place to place throughout the region of Galatia and Phrygia, strengthening all the disciples.
Meanwhile a Jew named Apollos, a native of Alexandria, came to Ephesus. He was an eloquent man, well versed in the Scriptures.
He had been instructed in the way of the Lord and was fervent in spirit. He spoke and taught accurately about Jesus, though he knew only the baptism of John.
And he began to speak boldly in the synagogue. When Priscilla and Aquila heard him, they took him aside and explained to him the way of God more accurately.
When Apollos resolved to cross over to Achaia, the brothers encouraged him and wrote to the disciples there to welcome him. On his arrival, he was a great help to those who by grace had believed.
For he powerfully refuted the Jews in public debate, proving from the Scriptures that Jesus is the Christ.

Acts 19

While Apollos was at Corinth, Paul passed through the interior and came to Ephesus. There he found some disciples
and asked them, “Did you receive the Holy Spirit when you became believers?” “No,” they answered, “we have not even heard that there is a Holy Spirit.”
“Into what, then, were you baptized?” Paul asked. “The baptism of John,” they replied.
Paul explained: “John’s baptism was a baptism of repentance. He told the people to believe in the One coming after him, that is, in Jesus.”
On hearing this, they were baptized into the name of the Lord Jesus.
And when Paul laid his hands on them, the Holy Spirit came upon them, and they spoke in tongues and prophesied.
There were about twelve men in all.
Then Paul went into the synagogue and spoke boldly there for three months, arguing persuasively about the kingdom of God.
But when some of them stubbornly refused to believe and publicly maligned the Way, Paul took his disciples and left the synagogue to conduct daily discussions in the lecture hall of Tyrannus.
This continued for two years, so that everyone who lived in the province of Asia, Jews and Greeks alike, heard the word of the Lord.
God did extraordinary miracles through the hands of Paul,
so that even handkerchiefs and aprons that had touched him were taken to the sick, and the diseases and evil spirits left them.
Now there were some itinerant Jewish exorcists who tried to invoke the name of the Lord Jesus over those with evil spirits. They would say, “I command you by Jesus, whom Paul proclaims.”
Seven sons of Sceva, a Jewish chief priest, were doing this.
But one day the evil spirit responded, “Jesus I know, and I know about Paul, but who are you?”
Then the man with the evil spirit jumped on them and overpowered them all. The attack was so violent that they ran out of the house naked and wounded.
This became known to all the Jews and Greeks living in Ephesus, and fear came over all of them. So the name of the Lord Jesus was held in high honor.
Many who had believed now came forward, confessing and disclosing their deeds.
And a number of those who had practiced magic arts brought their books and burned them in front of everyone. When the value of the books was calculated, the total came to fifty thousand drachmas.
So the word of the Lord powerfully continued to spread and prevail.
After these things had happened, Paul resolved in the Spirit to go to Jerusalem, passing through Macedonia and Achaia. “After I have been there,” he said, “I must see Rome as well.”
He sent two of his helpers, Timothy and Erastus, to Macedonia, while he stayed for a time in the province of Asia.
About that time there arose a great disturbance about the Way.
It began with a silversmith named Demetrius who made silver shrines of Artemis, bringing much business to the craftsmen.
Demetrius assembled the craftsmen, along with the workmen in related trades. “Men,” he said, “you know that this business is our source of prosperity.
And you can see and hear that not only in Ephesus, but in nearly the whole province of Asia, this Paul has persuaded a great number of people to turn away. He says that man-made gods are no gods at all.
There is danger not only that our business will fall into disrepute, but also that the temple of the great goddess Artemis will be discredited and her majesty deposed—she who is worshiped by all the province of Asia and the whole world.”
When the men heard this, they were enraged and began shouting, “Great is Artemis of the Ephesians!”
Soon the whole city was in disarray. They rushed together into the theatre, dragging with them Gaius and Aristarchus, Paul’s traveling companions from Macedonia.
Paul wanted to go before the assembly, but the disciples would not allow him.
Even some of Paul’s friends who were officials of the province of Asia sent word to him, begging him not to venture into the theatre.
Meanwhile the assembly was in turmoil. Some were shouting one thing and some another, and most of them did not even know why they were there.
The Jews in the crowd pushed Alexander forward to explain himself, and he motioned for silence so he could make his defense to the people.
But when they realized that he was a Jew, they all shouted in unison for about two hours: “Great is Artemis of the Ephesians!”
Finally the city clerk quieted the crowd and declared, “Men of Ephesus, doesn’t everyone know that the city of Ephesus is guardian of the temple of the great Artemis and of her image, which fell from heaven?
Since these things are undeniable, you ought to be calm and not do anything rash.
For you have brought these men here, though they have neither robbed our temple nor blasphemed our goddess.
So if Demetrius and his fellow craftsmen have a complaint against anyone, the courts are open and proconsuls are available. Let them bring charges against one another there.
But if you are seeking anything beyond this, it must be settled in a legal assembly.
For we are in jeopardy of being charged with rioting for today’s events, and we have no justification to account for this commotion.”
After he had said this, he dismissed the assembly.

Reflection #

Day 4 — 1 Corinthians 1-2 #

1 Corinthians 1

Paul, called to be an apostle of Christ Jesus by the will of God, and our brother Sosthenes,
To the church of God in Corinth, to those sanctified in Christ Jesus and called to be holy, together with all those everywhere who call on the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, their Lord and ours:
Grace and peace to you from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.
I always thank my God for you because of the grace He has given you in Christ Jesus.
For in Him you have been enriched in every way, in all speech and all knowledge,
because our testimony about Christ was confirmed in you.
Therefore you do not lack any spiritual gift as you eagerly await the revelation of our Lord Jesus Christ.
He will sustain you to the end, so that you will be blameless on the day of our Lord Jesus Christ.
God, who has called you into fellowship with His Son Jesus Christ our Lord, is faithful.
I appeal to you, brothers, in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, that all of you agree together, so that there may be no divisions among you and that you may be united in mind and conviction.
My brothers, some from Chloe’s household have informed me that there are quarrels among you.
What I mean is this: Individuals among you are saying, “I follow Paul,” “I follow Apollos,” “I follow Cephas,” or “I follow Christ.”
Is Christ divided? Was Paul crucified for you? Were you baptized into the name of Paul?
I thank God that I did not baptize any of you except Crispus and Gaius,
so no one can say that you were baptized into my name.
Yes, I also baptized the household of Stephanas; beyond that I do not remember if I baptized anyone else.
For Christ did not send me to baptize, but to preach the gospel, not with words of wisdom, lest the cross of Christ be emptied of its power.
For the message of the cross is foolishness to those who are perishing, but to us who are being saved it is the power of God.
For it is written: “I will destroy the wisdom of the wise; the intelligence of the intelligent I will frustrate.”
Where is the wise man? Where is the scribe? Where is the philosopher of this age? Has not God made foolish the wisdom of the world?
For since in the wisdom of God the world through its wisdom did not know Him, God was pleased through the foolishness of what was preached to save those who believe.
Jews demand signs and Greeks search for wisdom,
but we preach Christ crucified, a stumbling block to Jews and foolishness to Gentiles,
but to those who are called, both Jews and Greeks, Christ the power of God and the wisdom of God.
For the foolishness of God is wiser than man’s wisdom, and the weakness of God is stronger than man’s strength.
Brothers, consider the time of your calling: Not many of you were wise by human standards; not many were powerful; not many were of noble birth.
But God chose the foolish things of the world to shame the wise; God chose the weak things of the world to shame the strong.
He chose the lowly and despised things of the world, and the things that are not, to nullify the things that are,
so that no one may boast in His presence.
It is because of Him that you are in Christ Jesus, who has become for us wisdom from God: our righteousness, holiness, and redemption.
Therefore, as it is written: “Let him who boasts boast in the Lord.”

1 Corinthians 2

When I came to you, brothers, I did not come with eloquence or wisdom as I proclaimed to you the testimony about God.
For I resolved to know nothing while I was with you except Jesus Christ and Him crucified.
I came to you in weakness and fear, and with much trembling.
My message and my preaching were not with persuasive words of wisdom, but with a demonstration of the Spirit’s power,
so that your faith would not rest on men’s wisdom, but on God’s power.
Among the mature, however, we speak a message of wisdom—but not the wisdom of this age or of the rulers of this age, who are coming to nothing.
No, we speak of the mysterious and hidden wisdom of God, which He destined for our glory before time began.
None of the rulers of this age understood it. For if they had, they would not have crucified the Lord of glory.
Rather, as it is written: “No eye has seen, no ear has heard, no heart has imagined, what God has prepared for those who love Him.”
But God has revealed it to us by the Spirit. The Spirit searches all things, even the deep things of God.
For who among men knows the thoughts of man except his own spirit within him? So too, no one knows the thoughts of God except the Spirit of God.
We have not received the spirit of the world, but the Spirit who is from God, that we may understand what God has freely given us.
And this is what we speak, not in words taught us by human wisdom, but in words taught by the Spirit, expressing spiritual truths in spiritual words.
The natural man does not accept the things that come from the Spirit of God. For they are foolishness to him, and he cannot understand them, because they are spiritually discerned.
The spiritual man judges all things, but he himself is not subject to anyone’s judgment.
“For who has known the mind of the Lord, so as to instruct Him?” But we have the mind of Christ.

Reflection #

Without knowing everything going on in Corinth I still feel like I can resonate with Paul. Corinthians were fighting in the church, quarreling over things I’m sure don’t matter in light of the Lord. Which is what Paul says - he didn’t come with wise words, he commands they all agree, he’s thankful he barely baptized anyone so everyone else won’t be fighting over who baptized who. Paul pushes unity but the unity comes out of the election of God. He doesn’t use the word election here - at least in this translation I have, but he says God’s wisdom is revealed by the Spirit, and those among men can’t know the thoughts of God without God’s Spirit. And the Spirit is given to us, ie. we don’t have it without the gift.

This brought my brother to my mind - he thinks he knows everything about the world and he’s one of the most foolish people I’ve ever met. His arrogance is what I think blinds him to the truth but I need to remember that the Lord opens eyes and hearts, and Josh’s blindness is a sickness of the eyes that all men have - it isn’t that he will hear an argument to convince him of another truth, nothing but the Lord giving him the Spirit of God, wisdom and understanding, will bring healing to him.

And everytime I think of my brother, I think “why me”… Why has God had such immense favor on my life, why can I say the trials I’ve gone through (which others are not shy to comment on the gravity of) actually do pale in comparison to the glory of the King?

Day 5 — 1 Corinthians 3-4 #

1 Corinthians 3

Brothers, I could not address you as spiritual, but as worldly—as infants in Christ.
I gave you milk, not solid food, for you were not yet ready for solid food. In fact, you are still not ready,
for you are still worldly. For since there is jealousy and dissension among you, are you not worldly? Are you not walking in the way of man?
For when one of you says, “I follow Paul,” and another, “I follow Apollos,” are you not mere men?
What then is Apollos? And what is Paul? They are servants through whom you believed, as the Lord has assigned to each his role.
I planted the seed and Apollos watered it, but God made it grow.
So neither he who plants nor he who waters is anything, but only God, who makes things grow.
He who plants and he who waters are one in purpose, and each will be rewarded according to his own labor.
For we are God’s fellow workers; you are God’s field, God’s building.
By the grace God has given me, I laid a foundation as an expert builder, and someone else is building on it. But each one must be careful how he builds.
For no one can lay a foundation other than the one already laid, which is Jesus Christ.
If anyone builds on this foundation using gold, silver, precious stones, wood, hay, or straw,
his workmanship will be evident, because the Day will bring it to light. It will be revealed with fire, and the fire will prove the quality of each man’s work.
If what he has built survives, he will receive a reward.
If it is burned up, he will suffer loss. He himself will be saved, but only as if through the flames.
Do you not know that you yourselves are God’s temple, and that God’s Spirit dwells in you?
If anyone destroys God’s temple, God will destroy him; for God’s temple is holy, and you are that temple.
Let no one deceive himself. If any of you thinks he is wise in this age, he should become a fool, so that he may become wise.
For the wisdom of this world is foolishness in God’s sight. As it is written: “He catches the wise in their craftiness.”
And again, “The Lord knows that the thoughts of the wise are futile.”
Therefore, stop boasting in men. All things are yours,
whether Paul or Apollos or Cephas or the world or life or death or the present or the future. All of them belong to you,
and you belong to Christ, and Christ belongs to God.

1 Corinthians 4

So then, men ought to regard us as servants of Christ and stewards of the mysteries of God.
Now it is required of stewards that they be found faithful.
I care very little, however, if I am judged by you or by any human court. In fact, I do not even judge myself.
My conscience is clear, but that does not vindicate me. It is the Lord who judges me.
Therefore judge nothing before the appointed time; wait until the Lord comes. He will bring to light what is hidden in darkness and will expose the motives of men’s hearts. At that time each will receive his praise from God.
Brothers, I have applied these things to myself and Apollos for your benefit, so that you may learn from us not to go beyond what is written. Then you will not take pride in one man over another.
For who makes you so superior? What do you have that you did not receive? And if you did receive it, why do you boast as though you did not?
Already you have all you want. Already you have become rich. Without us, you have become kings. How I wish you really were kings, so that we might be kings with you!
For it seems to me that God has displayed us apostles at the end of the procession, like prisoners appointed for death. We have become a spectacle to the whole world, to angels as well as to men.
We are fools for Christ, but you are wise in Christ. We are weak, but you are strong. You are honored, but we are dishonored.
To this very hour we are hungry and thirsty, we are poorly clothed, we are brutally treated, we are homeless.
We work hard with our own hands. When we are vilified, we bless; when we are persecuted, we endure it;
when we are slandered, we answer gently. Up to this moment we have become the scum of the earth, the refuse of the world.
I am not writing this to shame you, but to warn you as my beloved children.
Even if you have ten thousand guardians in Christ, you do not have many fathers; for in Christ Jesus I became your father through the gospel.
Therefore I urge you to imitate me.
That is why I have sent you Timothy, my beloved and faithful child in the Lord. He will remind you of my way of life in Christ Jesus, which is exactly what I teach everywhere in every church.
Some of you have become arrogant, as if I were not coming to you.
But I will come to you shortly, if the Lord is willing, and then I will find out not only what these arrogant people are saying, but what power they have.
For the kingdom of God is not a matter of talk but of power.
Which do you prefer? Shall I come to you with a rod, or in love and with a gentle spirit?

Reflection #

HEAR Journal #

Highlight #

From 1 Corinthians 1

My brothers, some from Chloe’s household have informed me that there are quarrels among you.
What I mean is this: Individuals among you are saying, “I follow Paul,” “I follow Apollos,” “I follow Cephas,” or “I follow Christ.”
Is Christ divided? Was Paul crucified for you? Were you baptized into the name of Paul?

From 1 Corinthians 2

Among the mature, however, we speak a message of wisdom—but not the wisdom of this age or of the rulers of this age, who are coming to nothing.
No, we speak of the mysterious and hidden wisdom of God, which He destined for our glory before time began.
None of the rulers of this age understood it. For if they had, they would not have crucified the Lord of glory.

Explain #

Paul’s writing to a church in Corinth - which was a merchant-town, very busy, I think I’ve heard it compared to modern day NY. Factions were developing within the church and part of Paul’s letter was to address the foolishness of the factions. He came to the busy town to work for himself as a tentmaker, model holy living (which the Corinthian Christians desperately needed to see), and to explain that there is no human wisdom in following the crucified messiah.

Apply #

For many years now I’ve been pretty OK with evangelizing without an agenda - my arguments save no one. I have no interest in arguing with non-believers about God’s existence or anything like that. Similarly though, I have very little desire to argue with believers even about things in the church - Jesus saves is the hill to die on and I want to stand for what is right. I don’t think this application is new to me today per se, but the continued conviction in seeking unity within the body feels appropriate especially as I am being considered for the office of elder - one who serves the church by leading.

Respond #

Thank you Lord for calling me, not only to faith but into positions of official and “non-official” leadership among your people. Use me in the ways you choose to encourage unity within your people. May “Yahweh saves, saves” be the mark of every one of my words, and in every situation I may be invited into may the Lord be made known and great.

Prayer Requests #

Answered / Updates #

Meeting Notes #

Men’s Group - Week 40

2026-10-23T06:00:00Z

Week 40 — October 18 – 24, 2026

Meeting: Friday, October 23 #

Memory Verse: Romans 12:2 #

Romans 12:2

Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what is the good, pleasing, and perfect will of God.

Readings #

Day 1: Acts 15-16
Day 2: Galatians 1-3
Day 3: Galatians 4-6
Day 4: Acts 17-18:17
Day 5: 1 Thessalonians 1-2

Day 1 — Acts 15-16 #

Acts 15

Then some men came down from Judea and were teaching the brothers, “Unless you are circumcised according to the custom of Moses, you cannot be saved.”
And after engaging these men in sharp debate, Paul and Barnabas were appointed, along with some other believers, to go up to Jerusalem to see the apostles and elders about this question.
Sent on their way by the church, they passed through Phoenicia and Samaria, recounting the conversion of the Gentiles and bringing great joy to all the brothers.
On their arrival in Jerusalem, they were welcomed by the church and apostles and elders, to whom they reported all that God had done through them.
But some believers from the party of the Pharisees stood up and declared, “The Gentiles must be circumcised and required to obey the law of Moses.”
So the apostles and elders met to look into this matter.
After much discussion, Peter got up and said to them, “Brothers, you know that in the early days God made a choice among you that the Gentiles would hear from my lips the message of the gospel and believe.
And God, who knows the heart, showed His approval by giving the Holy Spirit to them, just as He did to us.
He made no distinction between us and them, for He cleansed their hearts by faith.
Now then, why do you test God by placing on the necks of the disciples a yoke that neither we nor our fathers have been able to bear?
On the contrary, we believe it is through the grace of the Lord Jesus that we are saved, just as they are.”
The whole assembly fell silent as they listened to Barnabas and Paul describing the signs and wonders God had done among the Gentiles through them.
When they had finished speaking, James declared, “Brothers, listen to me!
Simon has told us how God first visited the Gentiles to take from them a people to be His own.
The words of the prophets agree with this, as it is written:
‘After this I will return and rebuild the fallen tent of David. Its ruins I will rebuild, and I will restore it,
so that the remnant of men may seek the Lord, and all the Gentiles who are called by My name, says the Lord who does these things
that have been known for ages.’
It is my judgment, therefore, that we should not cause trouble for the Gentiles who are turning to God.
Instead, we should write and tell them to abstain from food polluted by idols, from sexual immorality, from the meat of strangled animals, and from blood.
For Moses has been proclaimed in every city from ancient times and is read in the synagogues on every Sabbath.”
Then the apostles and elders, with the whole church, decided to select men from among them to send to Antioch with Paul and Barnabas. They chose Judas called Barsabbas and Silas, two leaders among the brothers,
and sent them with this letter: The apostles and the elders, your brothers, To the brothers among the Gentiles in Antioch, Syria, and Cilicia: Greetings.
It has come to our attention that some went out from us without our authorization and unsettled you, troubling your minds by what they said.
So we all agreed to choose men to send to you along with our beloved Barnabas and Paul,
men who have risked their lives for the name of our Lord Jesus Christ.
Therefore we are sending Judas and Silas to tell you in person the same things we are writing.
It seemed good to the Holy Spirit and to us not to burden you with anything beyond these essential requirements:
You must abstain from food sacrificed to idols, from blood, from the meat of strangled animals, and from sexual immorality. You will do well to avoid these things. Farewell.
So the men were sent off and went down to Antioch, where they assembled the congregation and delivered the letter.
When the people read it, they rejoiced at its encouraging message.
Judas and Silas, who themselves were prophets, said much to encourage and strengthen the brothers.
After spending some time there, they were sent off by the brothers in peace to return to those who had sent them.
But Paul and Barnabas remained at Antioch, along with many others, teaching and preaching the word of the Lord.
Some time later Paul said to Barnabas, “Let us go back and visit the brothers in every town where we proclaimed the word of the Lord, to see how they are doing.”
Barnabas wanted to take John, also called Mark.
But Paul thought it best not to take him, because he had deserted them in Pamphylia and had not accompanied them in the work.
Their disagreement was so sharp that they parted company. Barnabas took Mark and sailed for Cyprus,
but Paul chose Silas and left, commended by the brothers to the grace of the Lord.
And he traveled through Syria and Cilicia, strengthening the churches.

Acts 16

Paul came to Derbe and then to Lystra, where he found a disciple named Timothy, the son of a believing Jewish woman and a Greek father.
The brothers in Lystra and Iconium spoke well of him.
Paul wanted Timothy to accompany him, so he took him and circumcised him on account of the Jews in that area, for they all knew that his father was a Greek.
As they went from town to town, they delivered the decisions handed down by the apostles and elders in Jerusalem for the people to obey.
So the churches were strengthened in the faith and grew daily in numbers.
After the Holy Spirit had prevented them from speaking the word in the province of Asia, they traveled through the region of Phrygia and Galatia.
And when they came to the border of Mysia, they tried to enter Bithynia, but the Spirit of Jesus would not permit them.
So they passed by Mysia and went down to Troas.
During the night, Paul had a vision of a man of Macedonia standing and pleading with him, “Come over to Macedonia and help us.”
As soon as Paul had seen the vision, we got ready to leave for Macedonia, concluding that God had called us to preach the gospel to them.
We sailed from Troas straight to Samothrace, and the following day on to Neapolis.
From there we went to the Roman colony of Philippi, the leading city of that district of Macedonia. And we stayed there several days.
On the Sabbath we went outside the city gate along the river, where it was customary to find a place of prayer. After sitting down, we spoke to the women who had gathered there.
Among those listening was a woman named Lydia, a dealer in purple cloth from the city of Thyatira, who was a worshiper of God. The Lord opened her heart to respond to Paul’s message.
And when she and her household had been baptized, she urged us, “If you consider me a believer in the Lord, come and stay at my house.” And she persuaded us.
One day as we were going to the place of prayer, we were met by a slave girl with a spirit of divination, who earned a large income for her masters by fortune-telling.
This girl followed Paul and the rest of us, shouting, “These men are servants of the Most High God, who are proclaiming to you the way of salvation!”
She continued this for many days. Eventually Paul grew so aggravated that he turned and said to the spirit, “In the name of Jesus Christ I command you to come out of her!” And the spirit left her at that very moment.
When the girl’s owners saw that their hope of making money was gone, they seized Paul and Silas and dragged them before the authorities in the marketplace.
They brought them to the magistrates and said, “These men are Jews and are throwing our city into turmoil
by promoting customs that are unlawful for us Romans to adopt or practice.”
The crowd joined in the attack against Paul and Silas, and the magistrates ordered that they be stripped and beaten with rods.
And after striking them with many blows, they threw them into prison and ordered the jailer to guard them securely.
On receiving this order, he placed them in the inner cell and fastened their feet in the stocks.
About midnight Paul and Silas were praying and singing hymns to God, and the other prisoners were listening to them.
Suddenly a strong earthquake shook the foundations of the prison. At once all the doors flew open and everyone’s chains came loose.
When the jailer woke up and saw the prison doors open, he drew his sword and was about to kill himself, presuming that the prisoners had escaped.
But Paul called out in a loud voice, “Do not harm yourself! We are all here!”
Calling for lights, the jailer rushed in and fell trembling before Paul and Silas.
Then he brought them out and asked, “Sirs, what must I do to be saved?”
They replied, “Believe in the Lord Jesus and you will be saved, you and your household.”
Then Paul and Silas spoke the word of the Lord to him and to everyone in his house.
At that hour of the night, the jailer took them and washed their wounds. And without delay, he and all his household were baptized.
Then he brought them into his home and set a meal before them. So he and all his household rejoiced that they had come to believe in God.
When daylight came, the magistrates sent their officers with the order: “Release those men.”
The jailer informed Paul: “The magistrates have sent orders to release you. Now you may go on your way in peace.”
But Paul said to the officers, “They beat us publicly without a trial and threw us into prison, even though we are Roman citizens. And now do they want to send us away secretly? Absolutely not! Let them come themselves and escort us out!”
So the officers relayed this message to the magistrates, who were alarmed to hear that Paul and Silas were Roman citizens.
They came to appease them and led them out, requesting that they leave the city.
After Paul and Silas came out of the prison, they went to Lydia’s house to see the brothers and encourage them. Then they left the city.

Stands out #

Suddenly a strong earthquake shook the foundations of the prison. At once all the doors flew open and everyone’s chains came loose.
When the jailer woke up and saw the prison doors open, he drew his sword and was about to kill himself, presuming that the prisoners had escaped.
But Paul called out in a loud voice, “Do not harm yourself! We are all here!”
Calling for lights, the jailer rushed in and fell trembling before Paul and Silas.
Then he brought them out and asked, “Sirs, what must I do to be saved?”
They replied, “Believe in the Lord Jesus and you will be saved, you and your household.”
Then Paul and Silas spoke the word of the Lord to him and to everyone in his house.
At that hour of the night, the jailer took them and washed their wounds. And without delay, he and all his household were baptized.
Then he brought them into his home and set a meal before them. So he and all his household rejoiced that they had come to believe in God.

this stands out because just last week, Peter is led out of prison in Acts 12 and Herod executes the guards. This guard is saved, eternally and physically, the other guard was killed though we don’t know about a conversion

Means #

For me #

Prayer #

Day 2 — Galatians 1-3 #

Galatians 1

Paul, an apostle—sent not from men nor by man, but by Jesus Christ and God the Father, who raised Him from the dead—
and all the brothers with me, To the churches of Galatia:
Grace and peace to you from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ,
who gave Himself for our sins to rescue us from the present evil age, according to the will of our God and Father,
to whom be glory forever and ever. Amen.
I am amazed how quickly you are deserting the One who called you by the grace of Christ and are turning to a different gospel—
which is not even a gospel. Evidently some people are troubling you and trying to distort the gospel of Christ.
But even if we or an angel from heaven should preach a gospel contrary to the one we preached to you, let him be under a curse!
As we have said before, so now I say again: If anyone is preaching to you a gospel contrary to the one you received, let him be under a curse!
Am I now seeking the approval of men, or of God? Or am I striving to please men? If I were still trying to please men, I would not be a servant of Christ.
For I want you to know, brothers, that the gospel I preached was not devised by man.
I did not receive it from any man, nor was I taught it; rather, I received it by revelation from Jesus Christ.
For you have heard of my former way of life in Judaism, how severely I persecuted the church of God and tried to destroy it.
I was advancing in Judaism beyond many of my contemporaries and was extremely zealous for the traditions of my fathers.
But when God, who set me apart from my mother’s womb and called me by His grace, was pleased
to reveal His Son in me so that I might preach Him among the Gentiles, I did not rush to consult with flesh and blood,
nor did I go up to Jerusalem to the apostles who came before me, but I went into Arabia and later returned to Damascus.
Only after three years did I go up to Jerusalem to confer with Cephas, and I stayed with him fifteen days.
But I saw none of the other apostles except James, the Lord’s brother.
I assure you before God that what I am writing to you is no lie.
Later I went to the regions of Syria and Cilicia.
I was personally unknown, however, to the churches of Judea that are in Christ.
They only heard the account: “The man who formerly persecuted us is now preaching the faith he once tried to destroy.”
And they glorified God because of me.

Galatians 2

Fourteen years later I went up again to Jerusalem, accompanied by Barnabas. I took Titus along also.
I went in response to a revelation and set before them the gospel that I preach among the Gentiles. But I spoke privately to those recognized as leaders, for fear that I was running or had already run in vain.
Yet not even Titus, who was with me, was compelled to be circumcised, even though he was a Greek.
This issue arose because some false brothers had come in under false pretenses to spy on our freedom in Christ Jesus, in order to enslave us.
We did not give in to them for a moment, so that the truth of the gospel would remain with you.
But as for the highly esteemed—whatever they were makes no difference to me; God does not show favoritism —those leaders added nothing to me.
On the contrary, they saw that I had been entrusted to preach the gospel to the uncircumcised, just as Peter had been to the circumcised.
For the One who was at work in Peter’s apostleship to the circumcised was also at work in my apostleship to the Gentiles.
And recognizing the grace that I had been given, James, Cephas, and John—those reputed to be pillars—gave me and Barnabas the right hand of fellowship, so that we should go to the Gentiles, and they to the circumcised.
They only asked us to remember the poor, the very thing I was eager to do.
When Cephas came to Antioch, however, I opposed him to his face, because he stood condemned.
For before certain men came from James, he used to eat with the Gentiles. But when they arrived, he began to draw back and separate himself, for fear of those in the circumcision group.
The other Jews joined him in his hypocrisy, so that by their hypocrisy even Barnabas was led astray.
When I saw that they were not walking in line with the truth of the gospel, I said to Cephas in front of them all, “If you, who are a Jew, live like a Gentile and not like a Jew, how can you compel the Gentiles to live like Jews?”
We who are Jews by birth and not Gentile “sinners”
know that a man is not justified by works of the law, but by faith in Jesus Christ. So we, too, have believed in Christ Jesus, that we may be justified by faith in Christ and not by works of the law, because by works of the law no one will be justified.
But if, while we seek to be justified in Christ, we ourselves are found to be sinners, does that make Christ a minister of sin? Certainly not!
If I rebuild what I have already torn down, I prove myself to be a lawbreaker.
For through the law I died to the law so that I might live to God.
I have been crucified with Christ, and I no longer live, but Christ lives in me. The life I live in the body, I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave Himself up for me.
I do not set aside the grace of God. For if righteousness comes through the law, then Christ died for nothing.

Galatians 3

O foolish Galatians! Who has bewitched you? Before your very eyes Jesus Christ was clearly portrayed as crucified.
I would like to learn just one thing from you: Did you receive the Spirit by works of the law, or by hearing with faith?
Are you so foolish? After starting in the Spirit, are you now finishing in the flesh?
Have you suffered so much for nothing, if it really was for nothing?
Does God lavish His Spirit on you and work miracles among you because you practice the law, or because you hear and believe?
So also, “Abraham believed God, and it was credited to him as righteousness.”
Understand, then, that those who have faith are sons of Abraham.
The Scripture foresaw that God would justify the Gentiles by faith, and foretold the gospel to Abraham: “All nations will be blessed through you.”
So those who have faith are blessed along with Abraham, the man of faith.
All who rely on works of the law are under a curse. For it is written: “Cursed is everyone who does not continue to do everything written in the Book of the Law.”
Now it is clear that no one is justified before God by the law, because, “The righteous will live by faith.”
The law, however, is not based on faith; on the contrary, “The man who does these things will live by them.”
Christ redeemed us from the curse of the law by becoming a curse for us. For it is written: “Cursed is everyone who is hung on a tree.”
He redeemed us in order that the blessing promised to Abraham would come to the Gentiles in Christ Jesus, so that by faith we might receive the promise of the Spirit.
Brothers, let me put this in human terms. Even a human covenant, once it is ratified, cannot be canceled or amended.
The promises were spoken to Abraham and to his seed. The Scripture does not say, “and to seeds,” meaning many, but “and to your seed,” meaning One, who is Christ.
What I mean is this: The law that came 430 years later does not revoke the covenant previously established by God, so as to nullify the promise.
For if the inheritance depends on the law, then it no longer depends on a promise; but God freely granted it to Abraham through a promise.
Why then was the law given? It was added because of transgressions, until the arrival of the seed to whom the promise referred. It was administered through angels by a mediator.
A mediator is unnecessary, however, for only one party; but God is one.
Is the law, then, opposed to the promises of God? Certainly not! For if a law had been given that could impart life, then righteousness would certainly have come from the law.
But the Scripture pronounces all things confined by sin, so that by faith in Jesus Christ the promise might be given to those who believe.
Before this faith came, we were held in custody under the law, locked up until faith should be revealed.
So the law became our guardian to lead us to Christ, that we might be justified by faith.
Now that faith has come, we are no longer under a guardian.
You are all sons of God through faith in Christ Jesus.
For all of you who were baptized into Christ have clothed yourselves with Christ.
There is neither Jew nor Greek, slave nor free, male nor female, for you are all one in Christ Jesus.
And if you belong to Christ, then you are Abraham’s seed and heirs according to the promise.

Stands out #

1:15. But when God, who set me apart from my mother’s womb and called me by His grace, was pleased

God set me apart from my mother’s womb…

2:18. If I rebuild what I have already torn down, I prove myself to be a lawbreaker. 2:20. I have been crucified with Christ, and I no longer live, but Christ lives in me. The life I live in the body, I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave Himself up for me.

I do like Wright’s translation: I am, however, alive—but it isn’t me any longer, it’s the Messiah who lives in me. And the life I do still live in the flesh, I live within the faithfulness of the son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me.

Means #

For me #

Prayer #

Day 3 — Galatians 4-6 #

Galatians 4

What I am saying is that as long as the heir is a child, he is no different from a slave, although he is the owner of everything.
He is subject to guardians and trustees until the date set by his father.
So also, when we were children, we were enslaved under the basic principles of the world.
But when the time had fully come, God sent His Son, born of a woman, born under the law,
to redeem those under the law, that we might receive our adoption as sons.
And because you are sons, God sent the Spirit of His Son into our hearts, crying out, “Abba, Father!”
So you are no longer a slave, but a son; and since you are a son, you are also an heir through God.
Formerly, when you did not know God, you were slaves to those who by nature are not gods.
But now that you know God, or rather are known by God, how is it that you are turning back to those weak and worthless principles? Do you wish to be enslaved by them all over again?
You are observing special days and months and seasons and years!
I fear for you, that my efforts for you may have been in vain.
I beg you, brothers, become like me, for I became like you. You have done me no wrong.
You know that it was because of an illness that I first preached the gospel to you.
And although my illness was a trial to you, you did not despise or reject me. Instead, you welcomed me as if I were an angel of God, as if I were Christ Jesus Himself.
What then has become of your blessing? For I can testify that, if it were possible, you would have torn out your eyes and given them to me.
Have I now become your enemy by telling you the truth?
Those people are zealous for you, but not in a good way. Instead, they want to isolate you from us, so that you may be zealous for them.
Nevertheless, it is good to be zealous if it serves a noble purpose—at any time, and not only when I am with you.
My children, for whom I am again in the pains of childbirth until Christ is formed in you,
how I wish I could be with you now and change my tone, because I am perplexed about you.
Tell me, you who want to be under the law, do you not understand what the law says?
For it is written that Abraham had two sons, one by the slave woman and the other by the free woman.
His son by the slave woman was born according to the flesh, but his son by the free woman was born through the promise.
These things serve as illustrations, for the women represent two covenants. One covenant is from Mount Sinai and bears children into slavery: This is Hagar.
Now Hagar stands for Mount Sinai in Arabia and corresponds to the present-day Jerusalem, because she is in slavery with her children.
But the Jerusalem above is free, and she is our mother.
For it is written: “Rejoice, O barren woman, who bears no children; break forth and cry aloud, you who have never travailed; because more are the children of the desolate woman than of her who has a husband.”
Now you, brothers, like Isaac, are children of promise.
At that time, however, the son born by the flesh persecuted the son born by the Spirit. It is the same now.
But what does the Scripture say? “Expel the slave woman and her son, for the slave woman’s son will never share in the inheritance with the free woman’s son.”
Therefore, brothers, we are not children of the slave woman, but of the free woman.

Galatians 5

It is for freedom that Christ has set us free. Stand firm, then, and do not be encumbered once more by a yoke of slavery.
Take notice: I, Paul, tell you that if you let yourselves be circumcised, Christ will be of no value to you at all.
Again I testify to every man who gets himself circumcised that he is obligated to obey the whole law.
You who are trying to be justified by the law have been severed from Christ; you have fallen away from grace.
But by faith we eagerly await through the Spirit the hope of righteousness.
For in Christ Jesus neither circumcision nor uncircumcision has any value. What matters is faith expressing itself through love.
You were running so well. Who has obstructed you from obeying the truth?
Such persuasion does not come from the One who calls you.
A little leaven works through the whole batch of dough.
I am confident in the Lord that you will take no other view. The one who is troubling you will bear the judgment, whoever he may be.
Now, brothers, if I am still preaching circumcision, why am I still being persecuted? In that case the offense of the cross has been abolished.
As for those who are agitating you, I wish they would proceed to emasculate themselves!
For you, brothers, were called to freedom; but do not use your freedom as an opportunity for the flesh. Rather, serve one another in love.
The entire law is fulfilled in a single decree: “Love your neighbor as yourself.”
But if you keep on biting and devouring one another, watch out, or you will be consumed by one another.
So I say, walk by the Spirit, and you will not gratify the desires of the flesh.
For the flesh craves what is contrary to the Spirit, and the Spirit what is contrary to the flesh. They are opposed to each other, so that you do not do what you want.
But if you are led by the Spirit, you are not under the law.
The acts of the flesh are obvious: sexual immorality, impurity, and debauchery;
idolatry and sorcery; hatred, discord, jealousy, and rage; rivalries, divisions, factions,
and envy; drunkenness, orgies, and the like. I warn you, as I did before, that those who practice such things will not inherit the kingdom of God.
But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness,
gentleness, and self-control. Against such things there is no law.
Those who belong to Christ Jesus have crucified the flesh with its passions and desires.
Since we live by the Spirit, let us walk in step with the Spirit.
Let us not become conceited, provoking and envying one another.

Galatians 6

Brothers, if someone is caught in a trespass, you who are spiritual should restore him with a spirit of gentleness. But watch yourself, or you also may be tempted.
Carry one another’s burdens, and in this way you will fulfill the law of Christ.
If anyone thinks he is something when he is nothing, he deceives himself.
Each one should test his own work. Then he will have reason to boast in himself alone, and not in someone else.
For each one should carry his own load.
Nevertheless, the one who receives instruction in the word must share in all good things with his instructor.
Do not be deceived: God is not to be mocked. Whatever a man sows, he will reap in return.
The one who sows to please his flesh, from the flesh will reap destruction; but the one who sows to please the Spirit, from the Spirit will reap eternal life.
Let us not grow weary in well-doing, for in due time we will reap a harvest if we do not give up.
Therefore, as we have opportunity, let us do good to everyone, and especially to the family of faith.
See what large letters I am using to write to you with my own hand!
Those who want to make a good impression outwardly are trying to compel you to be circumcised. They only do this to avoid persecution for the cross of Christ.
For the circumcised do not even keep the law themselves, yet they want you to be circumcised that they may boast in your flesh.
But as for me, may I never boast, except in the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ, through which the world has been crucified to me, and I to the world.
For neither circumcision nor uncircumcision means anything. What counts is a new creation.
Peace and mercy to all who walk by this rule, even to the Israel of God.
From now on let no one cause me trouble, for I bear on my body the marks of Jesus.
The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with your spirit, brothers. Amen.

Stands out #

5:13. For you, brothers, were called to freedom; but do not use your freedom as an opportunity for the flesh. Rather, serve one another in love. 5:14. The entire law is fulfilled in a single decree: “Love your neighbor as yourself.”

6:2. Carry one another’s burdens, and in this way you will fulfill the law of Christ.

Means #

For me #

I do not know if “called to freedom” is in the same vein as “all things are permissible for me” but I do know that I make, by God’s a grace, a conscious effort to love the people God has put in my life. And I was processing something with Kassia the other night - I often feel this love does not come from me, but to such a degree that I nearly feel like I am faking it. I am acutely aware of what I would choose if it wasn’t for Jesus, but I also wonder if my reasons for being a loving and gentle family-man are actually his grace or because I know it looks good to other men. Am I performing for those around me so they see a faithful man? The irony is I claim to struggle with doubt, “Lord, help my unbelief” but I also know the optics are that this looks holy… and because I know it could be deceptive, I don’t even know my own heart in the matter. Has Christ set me free? or do I claim freedom by his grace so others look at me and are impressed with my faith…

Prayer #

Lord, help my unbelief, and produce a genuine love in me for others - my wife, kids, and church.

Day 4 — Acts 17-18:17 #

Acts 17

When they had passed through Amphipolis and Apollonia, they came to Thessalonica, where there was a Jewish synagogue.
As was his custom, Paul went into the synagogue, and on three Sabbaths he reasoned with them from the Scriptures,
explaining and proving that the Christ had to suffer and rise from the dead. “This Jesus I am proclaiming to you is the Christ,” he declared.
Some of the Jews were persuaded and joined Paul and Silas, along with a large number of God-fearing Greeks and quite a few leading women.
The Jews, however, became jealous. So they brought in some troublemakers from the marketplace, formed a mob, and sent the city into an uproar. They raided Jason’s house in search of Paul and Silas, hoping to bring them out to the people.
But when they could not find them, they dragged Jason and some other brothers before the city officials, shouting, “These men who have turned the world upside down have now come here,
and Jason has welcomed them into his home. They are all defying Caesar’s decrees, saying that there is another king, named Jesus!”
On hearing this, the crowd and city officials were greatly disturbed.
And they collected bond from Jason and the others and then released them.
As soon as night had fallen, the brothers sent Paul and Silas away to Berea. On arriving there, they went into the Jewish synagogue.
Now the Bereans were more noble-minded than the Thessalonians, for they received the message with great eagerness and examined the Scriptures every day to see if these teachings were true.
As a result, many of them believed, along with quite a few prominent Greek women and men.
But when the Jews from Thessalonica learned that Paul was also proclaiming the word of God in Berea, they went there themselves to incite and agitate the crowds.
The brothers immediately sent Paul to the coast, but Silas and Timothy remained in Berea.
Those who escorted Paul brought him to Athens and then returned with instructions for Silas and Timothy to join him as soon as possible.
While Paul was waiting for them in Athens, he was deeply disturbed in his spirit to see that the city was full of idols.
So he reasoned in the synagogue with the Jews and God-fearing Gentiles, and in the marketplace with those he met each day.
Some Epicurean and Stoic philosophers also began to debate with him. Some of them asked, “What is this babbler trying to say?” Others said, “He seems to be advocating foreign gods.” They said this because Paul was proclaiming the good news of Jesus and the resurrection.
So they took Paul and brought him to the Areopagus, where they asked him, “May we know what this new teaching is that you are presenting?
For you are bringing some strange notions to our ears, and we want to know what they mean.”
Now all the Athenians and foreigners who lived there spent their time doing nothing more than hearing and articulating new ideas.
Then Paul stood up in the meeting of the Areopagus and said, “Men of Athens, I see that in every way you are very religious.
For as I walked around and examined your objects of worship, I even found an altar with this inscription: TO AN UNKNOWN GOD. Therefore what you worship as something unknown, I now proclaim to you.
The God who made the world and everything in it is the Lord of heaven and earth and does not live in temples made by human hands.
Nor is He served by human hands, as if He needed anything, because He Himself gives everyone life and breath and everything else.
From one man He made every nation of men, that they should inhabit the whole earth; and He determined their appointed times and the boundaries of their lands.
God intended that they would seek Him and perhaps reach out for Him and find Him, though He is not far from each one of us.
‘For in Him we live and move and have our being.’ As some of your own poets have said, ‘We are His offspring.’
Therefore, being offspring of God, we should not think that the Divine Being is like gold or silver or stone, an image formed by man’s skill and imagination.
Although God overlooked the ignorance of earlier times, He now commands all people everywhere to repent.
For He has set a day when He will judge the world with justice by the Man He has appointed. He has given proof of this to everyone by raising Him from the dead.”
When they heard about the resurrection of the dead, some began to mock him, but others said, “We want to hear you again on this topic.”
At that, Paul left the Areopagus.
But some joined him and believed, including Dionysius the Areopagite, a woman named Damaris, and others who were with them.

Acts 18:1-17

After this, Paul left Athens and went to Corinth.
There he found a Jew named Aquila, a native of Pontus, who had recently come from Italy with his wife Priscilla because Claudius had ordered all the Jews to leave Rome. Paul went to visit them,
and he stayed and worked with them because they were tentmakers by trade, just as he was.
Every Sabbath he reasoned in the synagogue, trying to persuade Jews and Greeks alike.
And when Silas and Timothy came down from Macedonia, Paul devoted himself fully to the word, testifying to the Jews that Jesus is the Christ.
But when they opposed and insulted him, he shook out his garments and told them, “Your blood be on your own heads! I am innocent of it. From now on I will go to the Gentiles.”
So Paul left the synagogue and went next door to the house of Titus Justus, a worshiper of God.
Crispus, the synagogue leader, and his whole household believed in the Lord. And many of the Corinthians who heard the message believed and were baptized.
One night the Lord spoke to Paul in a vision: “Do not be afraid; keep on speaking; do not be silent.
For I am with you and no one will lay a hand on you, because I have many people in this city.”
So Paul stayed for a year and a half, teaching the word of God among the Corinthians.
While Gallio was proconsul of Achaia, the Jews coordinated an attack on Paul and brought him before the judgment seat.
“This man is persuading the people to worship God in ways contrary to the law,” they said.
But just as Paul was about to speak, Gallio told the Jews, “If this matter involved a wrongdoing or vicious crime, O Jews, it would be reasonable for me to hear your complaint.
But since it is a dispute about words and names and your own law, settle it yourselves. I refuse to be a judge of such things.”
And he drove them away from the judgment seat.
At this, the crowd seized Sosthenes the synagogue leader and beat him in front of the judgment seat. But none of this was of concern to Gallio.

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Prayer #

Day 5 — 1 Thessalonians 1-2 #

1 Thessalonians 1

Paul, Silvanus, and Timothy, To the church of the Thessalonians in God the Father and the Lord Jesus Christ: Grace and peace to you.
We always thank God for all of you, remembering you in our prayers
and continually recalling before our God and Father your work of faith, your labor of love, and your enduring hope in our Lord Jesus Christ.
Brothers who are beloved by God, we know that He has chosen you,
because our gospel came to you not only in word, but also in power, in the Holy Spirit, and with great conviction—just as you know we lived among you for your sake.
And you became imitators of us and of the Lord when you welcomed the message with the joy of the Holy Spirit, in spite of your great suffering.
As a result, you have become an example to all the believers in Macedonia and Achaia.
For not only did the message of the Lord ring out from you to Macedonia and Achaia, but your faith in God has gone out to every place, so that we have no need to say anything more.
For they themselves report what kind of welcome you gave us, and how you turned to God from idols to serve the living and true God
and to await His Son from heaven, whom He raised from the dead—Jesus our deliverer from the coming wrath.

1 Thessalonians 2

You yourselves know, brothers, that our visit to you was not in vain.
As you are aware, we had already endured suffering and shameful treatment in Philippi. But in the face of strong opposition, we were bold in our God to speak to you the gospel of God.
For our appeal does not arise from deceit or ulterior motives or trickery.
Instead, we speak as those approved by God to be entrusted with the gospel, not in order to please men but God, who examines our hearts.
As you know, we never used words of flattery or any pretext for greed. God is our witness!
Nor did we seek praise from you or from anyone else, although as apostles of Christ we had authority to demand it.
On the contrary, we were gentle among you, like a nursing mother caring for her children.
We cared so deeply that we were delighted to share with you not only the gospel of God, but our own lives as well. That is how beloved you have become to us.
Surely you recall, brothers, our labor and toil. We worked night and day so that we would not be a burden to anyone while we proclaimed to you the gospel of God.
You are witnesses, and so is God, of how holy, righteous, and blameless our conduct was among you who believed.
For you know that we treated each of you as a father treats his own children—
encouraging you, comforting you, and urging you to walk in a manner worthy of God, who calls you into His own kingdom and glory.
And we continually thank God because, when you received the word of God that you heard from us, you accepted it not as the word of men, but as it truly is, the word of God, which is also now at work in you who believe.
For you, brothers, became imitators of the churches of God in Judea that are in Christ Jesus. You suffered from your own countrymen the very things they suffered from the Jews,
who killed both the Lord Jesus and their own prophets and drove us out as well. They are displeasing to God and hostile to all men,
hindering us from telling the Gentiles how they may be saved. As a result, they continue to heap up their sins to full capacity; the utmost wrath has come upon them.
Brothers, although we were torn away from you for a short time (in person, not in heart), our desire to see you face to face was even more intense.
For we wanted to come to you—indeed I, Paul, tried again and again—but Satan obstructed us.
After all, who is our hope, our joy, our crown of boasting, if it is not you yourselves in the presence of our Lord Jesus at His coming?
You are indeed our glory and our joy.

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Answered / Updates #

Meeting Notes #

Men’s Group - Week 39

2026-10-16T06:00:00Z

Week 39 — October 11 – 17, 2026

Meeting: Friday, October 16 #

Memory Verse: 1 John 2:15-16 #

1 John 2:15-16

Do not love the world or anything in the world. If anyone loves the world, the love of the Father is not in him.
For all that is in the world—the desires of the flesh, the desires of the eyes, and the pride of life—is not from the Father but from the world.

Readings #

Day 1: Acts 10-11
Day 2: Acts 12
Day 3: Acts 13-14
Day 4: James 1-2
Day 5: James 3-5

Day 1 — Acts 10-11 #

Acts 10

At Caesarea there was a man named Cornelius, a centurion in what was called the Italian Regiment.
He and all his household were devout and God-fearing. He gave generously to the people and prayed to God regularly.
One day at about the ninth hour, he had a clear vision of an angel of God who came to him and said, “Cornelius!”
Cornelius stared at him in fear and asked, “What is it, Lord?” The angel answered, “Your prayers and gifts to the poor have ascended as a memorial offering before God.
Now send men to Joppa to call for a man named Simon who is called Peter.
He is staying with Simon the tanner, whose house is by the sea. ”
When the angel who spoke to him had gone, Cornelius called two of his servants and a devout soldier from among his attendants.
He explained what had happened and sent them to Joppa.
The next day at about the sixth hour, as the men were approaching the city on their journey, Peter went up on the roof to pray.
He became hungry and wanted something to eat, but while the meal was being prepared, he fell into a trance.
He saw heaven open and something like a large sheet being let down to earth by its four corners.
It contained all kinds of four-footed animals and reptiles of the earth, as well as birds of the air.
Then a voice said to him: “Get up, Peter, kill and eat!”
“No, Lord!” Peter answered. “I have never eaten anything impure or unclean.”
The voice spoke to him a second time: “Do not call anything impure that God has made clean.”
This happened three times, and all at once the sheet was taken back up into heaven.
While Peter was puzzling over the meaning of the vision, the men sent by Cornelius found Simon’s house and approached the gate.
They called out to ask if Simon called Peter was staying there.
As Peter continued to reflect on the vision, the Spirit said to him, “Behold, three men are looking for you.
So get up! Go downstairs and accompany them without hesitation, because I have sent them.”
So Peter went down to the men and said, “Here am I, the one you are looking for. Why have you come?”
“Cornelius the centurion has sent us,” they said. “He is a righteous and God-fearing man with a good reputation among the whole Jewish nation. A holy angel instructed him to request your presence in his home so he could hear a message from you.”
So Peter invited them in as his guests. And the next day he got ready and went with them, accompanied by some of the brothers from Joppa.
The following day he arrived in Caesarea, where Cornelius was expecting them and had called together his relatives and close friends.
As Peter was about to enter, Cornelius met him and fell at his feet to worship him.
But Peter helped him up. “Stand up,” he said, “I am only a man myself.”
As Peter talked with him, he went inside and found many people gathered together.
He said to them, “You know how unlawful it is for a Jew to associate with a foreigner or visit him. But God has shown me that I should not call any man impure or unclean.
So when I was invited, I came without objection. I ask, then, why have you sent for me?”
Cornelius answered: “Four days ago I was in my house praying at this, the ninth hour. Suddenly a man in radiant clothing stood before me
and said, ‘Cornelius, your prayer has been heard, and your gifts to the poor have been remembered before God.
Therefore send to Joppa for Simon, who is called Peter. He is a guest in the home of Simon the tanner, by the sea.’
So I sent for you immediately, and you were kind enough to come. Now then, we are all here in the presence of God to listen to everything the Lord has instructed you to tell us.”
Then Peter began to speak: “I now truly understand that God does not show favoritism,
but welcomes those from every nation who fear Him and do what is right.
He has sent this message to the people of Israel, proclaiming the gospel of peace through Jesus Christ, who is Lord of all.
You yourselves know what has happened throughout Judea, beginning in Galilee with the baptism that John proclaimed:
how God anointed Jesus of Nazareth with the Holy Spirit and with power, and how Jesus went around doing good and healing all who were oppressed by the devil, because God was with Him.
We are witnesses of all that He did, both in the land of the Jews and in Jerusalem. And although they put Him to death by hanging Him on a tree,
God raised Him up on the third day and caused Him to be seen—
not by all the people, but by the witnesses God had chosen beforehand, by us who ate and drank with Him after He rose from the dead.
And He commanded us to preach to the people and to testify that He is the One appointed by God to judge the living and the dead.
All the prophets testify about Him that everyone who believes in Him receives forgiveness of sins through His name.”
While Peter was still speaking these words, the Holy Spirit fell upon all who heard his message.
All the circumcised believers who had accompanied Peter were astounded that the gift of the Holy Spirit had been poured out even on the Gentiles.
For they heard them speaking in tongues and exalting God. Then Peter said,
“Can anyone withhold the water to baptize these people? They have received the Holy Spirit just as we have!”
So he ordered that they be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ. Then they asked him to stay for a few days.

Acts 11

The apostles and brothers throughout Judea soon heard that the Gentiles also had received the word of God.
So when Peter went up to Jerusalem, the circumcised believers took issue with him
and said, “You visited uncircumcised men and ate with them.”
But Peter began and explained to them the whole sequence of events:
“I was in the city of Joppa praying, and in a trance I saw a vision of something like a large sheet being let down from heaven by its four corners, and it came right down to me.
I looked at it closely and saw four-footed animals of the earth, wild beasts, reptiles, and birds of the air.
Then I heard a voice saying to me, ‘Get up, Peter, kill and eat.’
‘No, Lord,’ I said, ‘for nothing impure or unclean has ever entered my mouth.’
But the voice spoke from heaven a second time, ‘Do not call anything impure that God has made clean.’
This happened three times, and everything was drawn back up into heaven.
Just then three men sent to me from Caesarea stopped at the house where I was staying.
The Spirit told me to accompany them without hesitation. These six brothers also went with me, and we entered the man’s home.
He told us how he had seen an angel standing in his house and saying, ‘Send to Joppa for Simon who is called Peter.
He will convey to you a message by which you and all your household will be saved.’
As I began to speak, the Holy Spirit fell upon them, just as He had fallen upon us at the beginning.
Then I remembered the word of the Lord, how He said, ‘John baptized with water, but you will be baptized with the Holy Spirit.’
So if God gave them the same gift He gave us who believed in the Lord Jesus Christ, who was I to hinder the work of God?”
When they heard this, they had no further objections, and they glorified God, saying, “So then, God has granted even the Gentiles repentance unto life.”
Meanwhile those scattered by the persecution that began with Stephen traveled as far as Phoenicia, Cyprus, and Antioch, speaking the message only to Jews.
But some of them, men from Cyprus and Cyrene, went to Antioch and began speaking to the Greeks as well, proclaiming the good news about the Lord Jesus.
The hand of the Lord was with them, and a great number of people believed and turned to the Lord.
When news of this reached the ears of the church in Jerusalem, they sent Barnabas to Antioch.
When he arrived and saw the grace of God, he rejoiced and encouraged them all to abide in the Lord with all their hearts.
Barnabas was a good man, full of the Holy Spirit and faith, and a great number of people were brought to the Lord.
Then Barnabas went to Tarsus to look for Saul,
and when he found him, he brought him back to Antioch. So for a full year they met together with the church and taught large numbers of people. The disciples were first called Christians at Antioch.
In those days some prophets came down from Jerusalem to Antioch.
One of them named Agabus stood up and predicted through the Spirit that a great famine would sweep across the whole world. (This happened under Claudius.)
So the disciples, each according to his ability, decided to send relief to the brothers living in Judea.
This they did, sending their gifts to the elders with Barnabas and Saul.

Stands out #

So the disciples, each according to his ability, decided to send relief to the brothers living in Judea.

Means #

For me #

Prayer #

Day 2 — Acts 12 #

Acts 12

About that time, King Herod reached out to harm some who belonged to the church.
He had James, the brother of John, put to death with the sword.
And seeing that this pleased the Jews, Herod proceeded to seize Peter during the Feast of Unleavened Bread.
He arrested him and put him in prison, handing him over to be guarded by four squads of four soldiers each. Herod intended to bring him out to the people after the Passover.
So Peter was kept in prison, but the church was fervently praying to God for him.
On the night before Herod was to bring him to trial, Peter was sleeping between two soldiers, bound with two chains, with sentries standing guard at the entrance to the prison.
Suddenly an angel of the Lord appeared and a light shone in the cell. He tapped Peter on the side and woke him up, saying, “Get up quickly.” And the chains fell off his wrists.
“Get dressed and put on your sandals,” said the angel. Peter did so, and the angel told him, “Wrap your cloak around you and follow me.”
So Peter followed him out, but he was unaware that what the angel was doing was real. He thought he was only seeing a vision.
They passed the first and second guards and came to the iron gate leading to the city, which opened for them by itself. When they had gone outside and walked the length of one block, the angel suddenly left him.
Then Peter came to himself and said, “Now I know for sure that the Lord has sent His angel and rescued me from Herod’s grasp and from everything the Jewish people were anticipating.”
And when he had realized this, he went to the house of Mary the mother of John, also called Mark, where many people had gathered together and were praying.
He knocked at the outer gate, and a servant girl named Rhoda came to answer it.
When she recognized Peter’s voice, she was so overjoyed that she forgot to open the gate, but ran inside and announced, “Peter is standing at the gate!”
“You are out of your mind,” they told her. But when she kept insisting it was so, they said, “It must be his angel.”
But Peter kept on knocking, and when they opened the door and saw him, they were astounded.
Peter motioned with his hand for silence, and he described how the Lord had brought him out of the prison. “Send word to James and to the brothers,” he said, and he left for another place.
At daybreak there was no small commotion among the soldiers as to what had become of Peter.
After Herod had searched for him unsuccessfully, he examined the guards and ordered that they be executed. Then he went down from Judea to Caesarea and spent some time there.
Now Herod was in a furious dispute with the people of Tyre and Sidon, and they convened before him. Having secured the support of Blastus, the king’s chamberlain, they asked for peace, because their region depended on the king’s country for food.
On the appointed day, Herod donned his royal robes, sat on his throne, and addressed the people.
And they began to shout, “This is the voice of a god, not a man!”
Immediately, because Herod did not give glory to God, an angel of the Lord struck him down, and he was eaten by worms and died.
But the word of God continued to spread and multiply.
When Barnabas and Saul had fulfilled their mission to Jerusalem, they returned, bringing with them John, also called Mark.

Stands out #

v 19 - Herod has the guard’s executed. In a way, the Lord condemned those guards to death through Peter’s escape

Means #

For me #

Prayer #

Day 3 — Acts 13-14 #

Map of the First Missionary Journey →

Acts 13

Now in the church at Antioch there were prophets and teachers: Barnabas, Simeon called Niger, Lucius of Cyrene, Manaen (who had been brought up with Herod the tetrarch), and Saul.
While they were worshiping the Lord and fasting, the Holy Spirit said, “Set apart for Me Barnabas and Saul for the work to which I have called them.”
And after they had fasted and prayed, they laid their hands on them and sent them off.
So Barnabas and Saul, sent forth by the Holy Spirit, went down to Seleucia and sailed from there to Cyprus.
When they arrived at Salamis, they proclaimed the word of God in the Jewish synagogues. And John was with them as their helper.
They traveled through the whole island as far as Paphos, where they found a Jewish sorcerer and false prophet named Bar-Jesus,
an attendant of the proconsul, Sergius Paulus. The proconsul, a man of intelligence, summoned Barnabas and Saul because he wanted to hear the word of God.
But Elymas the sorcerer (for that is what his name means) opposed them and tried to turn the proconsul from the faith.
Then Saul, who was also called Paul, filled with the Holy Spirit, looked directly at Elymas
and said, “O child of the devil and enemy of all righteousness, you are full of all kinds of deceit and trickery! Will you never stop perverting the straight ways of the Lord?
Now look, the hand of the Lord is against you, and for a time you will be blind and unable to see the light of the sun.” Immediately mist and darkness came over him, and he groped about, seeking someone to lead him by the hand.
When the proconsul saw what had happened, he believed, for he was astonished at the teaching about the Lord.
After setting sail from Paphos, Paul and his companions came to Perga in Pamphylia, where John left them to return to Jerusalem.
And from Perga, they traveled inland to Pisidian Antioch, where they entered the synagogue on the Sabbath and sat down.
After the reading from the Law and the Prophets, the synagogue leaders sent word to them: “Brothers, if you have a word of encouragement for the people, please speak.”
Paul stood up, motioned with his hand, and began to speak: “Men of Israel and you Gentiles who fear God, listen to me!
The God of the people of Israel chose our fathers. He made them into a great people during their stay in Egypt, and with an uplifted arm He led them out of that land.
He endured their conduct for about forty years in the wilderness.
And having vanquished seven nations in Canaan, He gave their land to His people as an inheritance.
All this took about 450 years. After this, God gave them judges until the time of Samuel the prophet.
Then the people asked for a king, and God gave them Saul son of Kish, from the tribe of Benjamin, who ruled forty years.
After removing Saul, He raised up David as their king and testified about him: ‘I have found David son of Jesse a man after My own heart; he will carry out My will in its entirety.’
From the descendants of this man, God has brought to Israel the Savior Jesus, as He promised.
Before the arrival of Jesus, John preached a baptism of repentance to all the people of Israel.
As John was completing his course, he said, ‘Who do you suppose I am? I am not that One. But there is One coming after me whose sandals I am not worthy to untie.’
Brothers, children of Abraham, and you Gentiles who fear God, it is to us that this message of salvation has been sent.
The people of Jerusalem and their rulers did not recognize Jesus, yet in condemning Him they fulfilled the words of the prophets that are read every Sabbath.
And though they found no ground for a death sentence, they asked Pilate to have Him executed.
When they had carried out all that was written about Him, they took Him down from the tree and laid Him in a tomb.
But God raised Him from the dead,
and for many days He was seen by those who had accompanied Him from Galilee to Jerusalem. They are now His witnesses to our people.
And now we proclaim to you the good news: What God promised our fathers
He has fulfilled for us, their children, by raising up Jesus. As it is written in the second Psalm: ‘You are My Son; today I have become Your Father.’
In fact, God raised Him from the dead, never to see decay. As He has said: ‘I will give you the holy and sure blessings promised to David.’
So also, He says in another Psalm: ‘You will not let Your Holy One see decay.’
For when David had served God’s purpose in his own generation, he fell asleep. His body was buried with his fathers and saw decay.
But the One whom God raised from the dead did not see decay.
Therefore let it be known to you, brothers, that through Jesus the forgiveness of sins is proclaimed to you.
Through Him everyone who believes is justified from everything from which you could not be justified by the law of Moses.
Watch out, then, that what was spoken by the prophets does not happen to you:
‘Look, you scoffers, wonder and perish! For I am doing a work in your days that you would never believe, even if someone told you.’ ”
As Paul and Barnabas were leaving the synagogue, the people urged them to continue this message on the next Sabbath.
After the synagogue was dismissed, many of the Jews and devout converts to Judaism followed Paul and Barnabas, who spoke to them and urged them to continue in the grace of God.
On the following Sabbath, nearly the whole city gathered to hear the word of the Lord.
But when the Jews saw the crowds, they were filled with jealousy, and they blasphemously contradicted what Paul was saying.
Then Paul and Barnabas answered them boldly: “It was necessary to speak the word of God to you first. But since you reject it and do not consider yourselves worthy of eternal life, we now turn to the Gentiles.
For this is what the Lord has commanded us: ‘I have made you a light for the Gentiles, to bring salvation to the ends of the earth.’ ”
When the Gentiles heard this, they rejoiced and glorified the word of the Lord, and all who were appointed for eternal life believed.
And the word of the Lord spread throughout that region.
The Jews, however, incited the religious women of prominence and the leading men of the city. They stirred up persecution against Paul and Barnabas and drove them out of their district.
So they shook the dust off their feet in protest against them and went to Iconium.
And the disciples were filled with joy and with the Holy Spirit.

Acts 14

At Iconium, Paul and Barnabas went as usual into the Jewish synagogue, where they spoke so well that a great number of Jews and Greeks believed.
But the unbelieving Jews stirred up the Gentiles and poisoned their minds against the brothers.
So Paul and Barnabas spent considerable time there, speaking boldly for the Lord, who affirmed the message of His grace by enabling them to perform signs and wonders.
The people of the city were divided. Some sided with the Jews, and others with the apostles.
But when the Gentiles and Jews, together with their rulers, set out to mistreat and stone them,
they found out about it and fled to the Lycaonian cities of Lystra and Derbe and to the surrounding region,
where they continued to preach the gospel.
In Lystra there sat a man crippled in his feet, who was lame from birth and had never walked.
This man was listening to the words of Paul, who looked intently at him and saw that he had faith to be healed.
In a loud voice Paul called out, “Stand up on your feet!” And the man jumped up and began to walk.
When the crowds saw what Paul had done, they lifted up their voices in the Lycaonian language: “The gods have come down to us in human form!”
Barnabas they called Zeus, and Paul they called Hermes, because he was the chief speaker.
The priest of Zeus, whose temple was just outside the city, brought bulls and wreaths to the city gates, hoping to offer a sacrifice along with the crowds.
But when the apostles Barnabas and Paul found out about this, they tore their clothes and rushed into the crowd, shouting,
“Men, why are you doing this? We too are only men, human like you. We are bringing you good news that you should turn from these worthless things to the living God, who made heaven and earth and sea and everything in them.
In past generations, He let all nations go their own way.
Yet He has not left Himself without testimony to His goodness: He gives you rain from heaven and fruitful seasons, filling your hearts with food and gladness.”
Even with these words, Paul and Barnabas could hardly stop the crowds from sacrificing to them.
Then some Jews arrived from Antioch and Iconium and won over the crowds. They stoned Paul and dragged him outside the city, presuming he was dead.
But after the disciples had gathered around him, he got up and went back into the city. And the next day he left with Barnabas for Derbe.
They preached the gospel to that city and made many disciples. Then they returned to Lystra, Iconium, and Antioch,
strengthening the souls of the disciples and encouraging them to continue in the faith. “We must endure many hardships to enter the kingdom of God,” they said.
Paul and Barnabas appointed elders for them in each church, praying and fasting as they entrusted them to the Lord, in whom they had believed.
After passing through Pisidia, they came to Pamphylia.
And when they had spoken the word in Perga, they went down to Attalia.
From Attalia they sailed to Antioch, where they had been commended to the grace of God for the work they had just completed.
When they arrived, they gathered the church together and reported all that God had done through them, and how He had opened the door of faith to the Gentiles.
And they spent a long time there with the disciples.

Stands out #

When the proconsul saw what had happened, he believed, for he was astonished at the teaching about the Lord.

who needs to see to believe?

Means #

For me #

Prayer #

Day 4 — James 1-2 #

James 1

James, a servant of God and of the Lord Jesus Christ, To the twelve tribes of the Dispersion: Greetings.
Consider it pure joy, my brothers, when you encounter trials of many kinds,
because you know that the testing of your faith develops perseverance.
Allow perseverance to finish its work, so that you may be mature and complete, not lacking anything.
Now if any of you lacks wisdom, he should ask God, who gives generously to all without finding fault, and it will be given to him.
But he must ask in faith, without doubting, because he who doubts is like a wave of the sea, blown and tossed by the wind.
That man should not expect to receive anything from the Lord.
He is a double-minded man, unstable in all his ways.
The brother in humble circumstances should exult in his high position.
But the one who is rich should exult in his low position, because he will pass away like a flower of the field.
For the sun rises with scorching heat and withers the plant; its flower falls and its beauty is lost. So too, the rich man will fade away in the midst of his pursuits.
Blessed is the man who perseveres under trial, because when he has stood the test, he will receive the crown of life that God has promised to those who love Him.
When tempted, no one should say, “God is tempting me.” For God cannot be tempted by evil, nor does He tempt anyone.
But each one is tempted when by his own evil desires he is lured away and enticed.
Then after desire has conceived, it gives birth to sin; and sin, when it is full-grown, gives birth to death.
Do not be deceived, my beloved brothers.
Every good and perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of the heavenly lights, with whom there is no change or shifting shadow.
He chose to give us birth through the word of truth, that we would be a kind of firstfruits of His creation.
My beloved brothers, understand this: Everyone should be quick to listen, slow to speak, and slow to anger,
for man’s anger does not bring about the righteousness that God desires.
Therefore, get rid of all moral filth and every expression of evil, and humbly accept the word planted in you, which can save your souls.
Be doers of the word, and not hearers only. Otherwise, you are deceiving yourselves.
For anyone who hears the word but does not carry it out is like a man who looks at his face in a mirror,
and after observing himself goes away and immediately forgets what he looks like.
But the one who looks intently into the perfect law of freedom, and continues to do so—not being a forgetful hearer, but an effective doer—he will be blessed in what he does.
If anyone considers himself religious and yet does not bridle his tongue, he deceives his heart and his religion is worthless.
Pure and undefiled religion before our God and Father is this: to care for orphans and widows in their distress, and to keep oneself from being polluted by the world.

James 2

My brothers, as you hold out your faith in our glorious Lord Jesus Christ, do not show favoritism.
Suppose a man comes into your meeting wearing a gold ring and fine clothes, and a poor man in shabby clothes also comes in.
If you lavish attention on the man in fine clothes and say, “Here is a seat of honor,” but say to the poor man, “You must stand” or “Sit at my feet,”
have you not discriminated among yourselves and become judges with evil thoughts?
Listen, my beloved brothers: Has not God chosen the poor of this world to be rich in faith and to inherit the kingdom He promised those who love Him?
But you have dishonored the poor. Is it not the rich who oppress you and drag you into court?
Are they not the ones who blaspheme the noble name by which you have been called?
If you really fulfill the royal law stated in Scripture, “Love your neighbor as yourself,” you are doing well.
But if you show favoritism, you sin and are convicted by the law as transgressors.
Whoever keeps the whole law but stumbles at just one point is guilty of breaking all of it.
For He who said, “Do not commit adultery,” also said, “Do not murder.” If you do not commit adultery, but do commit murder, you have become a lawbreaker.
Speak and act as those who are going to be judged by the law that gives freedom.
For judgment without mercy will be shown to anyone who has not been merciful. Mercy triumphs over judgment.
What good is it, my brothers, if someone claims to have faith, but has no deeds? Can such faith save him?
Suppose a brother or sister is without clothes and daily food.
If one of you tells him, “Go in peace; stay warm and well fed,” but does not provide for his physical needs, what good is that?
So too, faith by itself, if it does not result in action, is dead.
But someone will say, “You have faith and I have deeds.” Show me your faith without deeds, and I will show you my faith by my deeds.
You believe that God is one. Good for you! Even the demons believe that—and shudder.
O foolish man, do you want evidence that faith without deeds is worthless?
Was not our father Abraham justified by what he did when he offered his son Isaac on the altar?
You see that his faith was working with his actions, and his faith was perfected by what he did.
And the Scripture was fulfilled that says, “Abraham believed God, and it was credited to him as righteousness,” and he was called a friend of God.
As you can see, a man is justified by his deeds and not by faith alone.
In the same way, was not even Rahab the prostitute justified by her actions when she welcomed the spies and sent them off on another route?
As the body without the spirit is dead, so faith without deeds is dead.

Stands out #

Consider it pure joy, my brothers, when you encounter trials of many kinds,
because you know that the testing of your faith develops perseverance.
Allow perseverance to finish its work, so that you may be mature and complete, not lacking anything.
When tempted, no one should say, “God is tempting me.” For God cannot be tempted by evil, nor does He tempt anyone.
But each one is tempted when by his own evil desires he is lured away and enticed.
Then after desire has conceived, it gives birth to sin; and sin, when it is full-grown, gives birth to death.

Means #

“many kinds”… is that my job? does that count?

For me #

Prayer #

Lord, bless the trials of my job. You have gifted me in unique ways, and I want to humbly pursue and cultivate those gifts. My family is wonderful, you’ve given me a home to manage and a wife to partner with, beautiful kids and more than I need. My job is by far the most stressful thing, by your grace, and in meditating on it you’ve done a lot of work in me through it. Help me do my job for your glory, which must mean pushing through the trials while exercising wisdom in having perspective on what’s the most important aspects of my lie.

Day 5 — James 3-5 #

James 3

Not many of you should become teachers, my brothers, because you know that we who teach will be judged more strictly.
We all stumble in many ways. If anyone is never at fault in what he says, he is a perfect man, able to control his whole body.
When we put bits into the mouths of horses to make them obey us, we can guide the whole animal.
Consider ships as well. Although they are so large and are driven by strong winds, they are steered by a very small rudder wherever the pilot is inclined.
In the same way, the tongue is a small part of the body, but it boasts of great things. Consider how small a spark sets a great forest ablaze.
The tongue also is a fire, a world of wickedness among the parts of the body. It pollutes the whole person, sets the course of his life on fire, and is itself set on fire by hell.
All kinds of animals, birds, reptiles, and creatures of the sea are being tamed and have been tamed by man,
but no man can tame the tongue. It is a restless evil, full of deadly poison.
With the tongue we bless our Lord and Father, and with it we curse men, who have been made in God’s likeness.
Out of the same mouth come blessing and cursing. My brothers, this should not be!
Can both fresh water and salt water flow from the same spring?
My brothers, can a fig tree grow olives, or a grapevine bear figs? Neither can a salt spring produce fresh water.
Who is wise and understanding among you? Let him show it by his good conduct, by deeds done in the humility that comes from wisdom.
But if you harbor bitter jealousy and selfish ambition in your hearts, do not boast in it or deny the truth.
Such wisdom does not come from above, but is earthly, unspiritual, demonic.
For where jealousy and selfish ambition exist, there will be disorder and every evil practice.
But the wisdom from above is first of all pure, then peace-loving, gentle, accommodating, full of mercy and good fruit, impartial, and sincere.
Peacemakers who sow in peace reap the fruit of righteousness.

James 4

What causes conflicts and quarrels among you? Don’t they come from the passions at war within you?
You crave what you do not have; you kill and covet, but are unable to obtain it. You quarrel and fight. You do not have, because you do not ask.
And when you do ask, you do not receive, because you ask with wrong motives, that you may squander it on your pleasures.
You adulteresses! Do you not know that friendship with the world is hostility toward God? Therefore, whoever chooses to be a friend of the world renders himself an enemy of God.
Or do you think the Scripture says without reason that the Spirit He caused to dwell in us yearns with envy?
But He gives us more grace. This is why it says: “God opposes the proud, but gives grace to the humble.”
Submit yourselves, then, to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you.
Draw near to God, and He will draw near to you. Cleanse your hands, you sinners, and purify your hearts, you double-minded.
Grieve, mourn, and weep. Turn your laughter to mourning, and your joy to gloom.
Humble yourselves before the Lord, and He will exalt you.
Brothers, do not slander one another. Anyone who speaks against his brother or judges him speaks against the law and judges it. And if you judge the law, you are not a practitioner of the law, but a judge of it.
There is only one Lawgiver and Judge, the One who is able to save and destroy. But who are you to judge your neighbor?
Come now, you who say, “Today or tomorrow we will go to this or that city, spend a year there, carry on business, and make a profit.”
You do not even know what will happen tomorrow! What is your life? You are a mist that appears for a little while and then vanishes.
Instead, you ought to say, “If the Lord is willing, we will live and do this or that.”
As it is, you boast in your proud intentions. All such boasting is evil.
Anyone, then, who knows the right thing to do, yet fails to do it, is guilty of sin.

James 5

Come now, you who are rich, weep and wail over the misery to come upon you.
Your riches have rotted and moths have eaten your clothes.
Your gold and silver are corroded. Their corrosion will testify against you and consume your flesh like fire. You have hoarded treasure in the last days.
Look, the wages you withheld from the workmen who mowed your fields are crying out against you. The cries of the harvesters have reached the ears of the Lord of Hosts.
You have lived on earth in luxury and self-indulgence. You have fattened your hearts in the day of slaughter.
You have condemned and murdered the righteous, who did not resist you.
Be patient, then, brothers, until the Lord’s coming. See how the farmer awaits the precious fruit of the soil—how patient he is for the fall and spring rains.
You, too, be patient and strengthen your hearts, because the Lord’s coming is near.
Do not complain about one another, brothers, so that you will not be judged. Look, the Judge is standing at the door!
Brothers, as an example of patience in affliction, take the prophets who spoke in the name of the Lord.
See how blessed we consider those who have persevered. You have heard of Job’s perseverance and have seen the outcome from the Lord. The Lord is full of compassion and mercy.
Above all, my brothers, do not swear, not by heaven or earth or by any other oath. Simply let your “Yes” be yes, and your “No,” no, so that you will not fall under judgment.
Is any one of you suffering? He should pray. Is anyone cheerful? He should sing praises.
Is any one of you sick? He should call the elders of the church to pray over him and anoint him with oil in the name of the Lord.
And the prayer offered in faith will restore the one who is sick. The Lord will raise him up. If he has sinned, he will be forgiven.
Therefore confess your sins to each other and pray for each other so that you may be healed. The prayer of a righteous man has great power to prevail.
Elijah was a man just like us. He prayed earnestly that it would not rain, and it did not rain on the land for three and a half years.
Again he prayed, and the heavens gave rain, and the earth yielded its crops.
My brothers, if one of you should wander from the truth and someone should bring him back,
consider this: Whoever turns a sinner from the error of his way will save his soul from death and cover over a multitude of sins.

Stands out #

Means #

For me #

Prayer #

Prayer Requests #

Answered / Updates #

Meeting Notes #

Men’s Group - Week 37

2026-10-09T06:00:00Z

Week 37 — September 27 – October 3, 2026

Meeting: Friday, October 9 #

Memory Verse: Matthew 6:33 #

Matthew 6:33

But seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness, and all these things will be added unto you.

Readings #

Day 1: Mark 16
Day 2: Luke 24
Day 3: John 20-21
Day 4: Matthew 28
Day 5: Acts 1

Day 1 — Mark 16 #

Mark 16

When the Sabbath was over, Mary Magdalene, Mary the mother of James, and Salome bought spices so they could go and anoint the body of Jesus.
Very early on the first day of the week, just after sunrise, they went to the tomb.
They were asking one another, “Who will roll away the stone from the entrance of the tomb?”
But when they looked up, they saw that the stone had been rolled away, even though it was extremely large.
When they entered the tomb, they saw a young man dressed in a white robe sitting on the right side, and they were alarmed.
But he said to them, “Do not be alarmed. You are looking for Jesus the Nazarene, who was crucified. He has risen! He is not here! See the place where they put Him.
But go, tell His disciples and Peter, ‘He is going ahead of you into Galilee. There you will see Him, just as He told you.’”
So the women left the tomb and ran away, trembling and bewildered. And in their fear they did not say a word to anyone.
Early on the first day of the week, after Jesus had risen, He appeared first to Mary Magdalene, from whom He had driven out seven demons.
She went and told those who had been with Him, who were mourning and weeping.
And when they heard that Jesus was alive and she had seen Him, they did not believe it.
After this, Jesus appeared in a different form to two of them as they walked along in the country.
And they went back and reported it to the rest, but they did not believe them either.
Later, as they were eating, Jesus appeared to the Eleven and rebuked them for their unbelief and hardness of heart, because they did not believe those who had seen Him after He had risen.
And He said to them, “Go into all the world and preach the gospel to every creature.
Whoever believes and is baptized will be saved, but whoever does not believe will be condemned.
And these signs will accompany those who believe: In My name they will drive out demons; they will speak in new tongues;
they will pick up snakes with their hands, and if they drink any deadly poison, it will not harm them; they will lay their hands on the sick, and they will be made well.”
After the Lord Jesus had spoken to them, He was taken up into heaven and sat down at the right hand of God.
And they went out and preached everywhere, and the Lord worked through them, confirming His word by the signs that accompanied it.

Stands out #

After this, Jesus appeared in a different form to two of them as they walked along in the country.

Means #

For me #

Prayer #

Day 2 — Luke 24 #

Luke 24

On the first day of the week, very early in the morning, the women came to the tomb, bringing the spices they had prepared.
They found the stone rolled away from the tomb,
but when they entered, they did not find the body of the Lord Jesus.
While they were puzzling over this, suddenly two men in radiant apparel stood beside them.
As the women bowed their faces to the ground in terror, the two men asked them, “Why do you look for the living among the dead?
He is not here; He has risen! Remember how He told you while He was still in Galilee:
‘The Son of Man must be delivered into the hands of sinful men, and be crucified, and on the third day rise again.’”
Then they remembered His words.
And when they returned from the tomb, they reported all these things to the Eleven and to all the others.
It was Mary Magdalene, Joanna, Mary the mother of James, and the other women with them who told this to the apostles.
But their words seemed like nonsense to them, and they did not believe the women.
Peter, however, got up and ran to the tomb. And after bending down and seeing only the linen cloths, he went away, wondering to himself what had happened.
That same day two of them were going to a village called Emmaus, about seven miles from Jerusalem.
They were talking with each other about everything that had happened.
And as they talked and deliberated, Jesus Himself came up and walked along with them.
But their eyes were kept from recognizing Him.
He asked them, “What are you discussing so intently as you walk along?” They stood still, with sadness on their faces.
One of them, named Cleopas, asked Him, “Are You the only visitor to Jerusalem who does not know the things that have happened there in recent days?”
“What things?” He asked. “The events involving Jesus of Nazareth,” they answered. “This man was a prophet, powerful in speech and action before God and all the people.
Our chief priests and rulers delivered Him up to the sentence of death, and they crucified Him.
But we were hoping He was the One who would redeem Israel. And besides all this, it is the third day since these things took place.
Furthermore, some of our women astounded us. They were at the tomb early this morning,
but they did not find His body. They came and told us they had seen a vision of angels, who said that Jesus was alive.
Then some of our companions went to the tomb and found it just as the women had described. But Him they did not see.”
Then Jesus said to them, “O foolish ones, and slow of heart to believe all that the prophets have spoken!
Was it not necessary for the Christ to suffer these things and then to enter His glory?”
And beginning with Moses and all the Prophets, He explained to them what was written in all the Scriptures about Himself.
As they approached the village where they were headed, He seemed to be going farther.
But they pleaded with Him, “Stay with us, for it is nearly evening and the day is almost over.” So He went in to stay with them.
While He was reclining at the table with them, He took bread, spoke a blessing and broke it, and gave it to them.
Then their eyes were opened and they recognized Jesus—and He disappeared from their sight.
They asked each other, “Were not our hearts burning within us as He spoke with us on the road and opened the Scriptures to us?”
And they got up that very hour and returned to Jerusalem. There they found the Eleven and those with them, gathered together
and saying, “The Lord has indeed risen and has appeared to Simon!”
Then the two told what had happened on the road, and how they had recognized Jesus in the breaking of the bread.
While they were describing these events, Jesus Himself stood among them and said, “Peace be with you.”
But they were startled and frightened, thinking they had seen a spirit.
“Why are you troubled,” Jesus asked, “and why do doubts arise in your hearts?
Look at My hands and My feet. It is I Myself. Touch Me and see—for a spirit does not have flesh and bones, as you see I have.”
And when He had said this, He showed them His hands and feet.
While they were still in disbelief because of their joy and amazement, He asked them, “Do you have anything here to eat?”
So they gave Him a piece of broiled fish,
and He took it and ate it in front of them.
Jesus said to them, “These are the words I spoke to you while I was still with you: Everything must be fulfilled that is written about Me in the Law of Moses, the Prophets, and the Psalms.”
Then He opened their minds to understand the Scriptures.
And He told them, “This is what is written: The Christ will suffer and rise from the dead on the third day,
and in His name repentance and forgiveness of sins will be proclaimed to all nations, beginning in Jerusalem.
You are witnesses of these things.
And behold, I am sending the promise of My Father upon you. But remain in the city until you have been clothed with power from on high.”
When Jesus had led them out as far as Bethany, He lifted up His hands and blessed them.
While He was blessing them, He left them and was carried up into heaven.
And they worshiped Him and returned to Jerusalem with great joy,
praising God continually in the temple.

Stands out #

Then they remembered His words.
While He was reclining at the table with them, He took bread, spoke a blessing and broke it, and gave it to them.
Then their eyes were opened and they recognized Jesus—and He disappeared from their sight.

Means #

For me #

Prayer #

Day 3 — John 20-21 #

John 20

Early on the first day of the week, while it was still dark, Mary Magdalene went to the tomb and saw that the stone had been removed from the entrance.
So she came running to Simon Peter and the other disciple, the one whom Jesus loved. “They have taken the Lord out of the tomb,” she said, “and we do not know where they have put Him!”
Then Peter and the other disciple set out for the tomb.
The two were running together, but the other disciple outran Peter and reached the tomb first.
He bent down and looked in at the linen cloths lying there, but he did not go in.
Simon Peter arrived just after him. He entered the tomb and saw the linen cloths lying there.
The cloth that had been around Jesus’ head was rolled up, lying separate from the linen cloths.
Then the other disciple, who had reached the tomb first, also went in. And he saw and believed.
For they still did not understand from the Scripture that Jesus had to rise from the dead.
Then the disciples returned to their homes.
But Mary stood outside the tomb weeping. And as she wept, she bent down to look into the tomb,
and she saw two angels in white sitting where the body of Jesus had lain, one at the head and the other at the feet.
“Woman, why are you weeping?” they asked. “Because they have taken my Lord away,” she said, “and I do not know where they have put Him.”
When she had said this, she turned around and saw Jesus standing there. But she did not recognize that it was Jesus.
“Woman, why are you weeping?” Jesus asked. “Whom are you seeking?” Thinking He was the gardener, she said, “Sir, if you have carried Him off, tell me where you have put Him, and I will get Him.”
Jesus said to her, “Mary.” She turned and said to Him in Hebrew, “Rabboni!” (which means “Teacher”).
“Do not cling to Me,” Jesus said, “for I have not yet ascended to the Father. But go and tell My brothers, ‘I am ascending to My Father and your Father, to My God and your God.’”
Mary Magdalene went and announced to the disciples, “I have seen the Lord!” And she told them what He had said to her.
It was the first day of the week, and that very evening, while the disciples were together with the doors locked for fear of the Jews, Jesus came and stood among them. “Peace be with you!” He said to them.
After He had said this, He showed them His hands and His side. The disciples rejoiced when they saw the Lord.
Again Jesus said to them, “Peace be with you. As the Father has sent Me, so also I am sending you.”
When He had said this, He breathed on them and said, “Receive the Holy Spirit.
If you forgive anyone his sins, they are forgiven; if you withhold forgiveness from anyone, it is withheld.”
Now Thomas called Didymus, one of the Twelve, was not with the disciples when Jesus came.
So the other disciples told him, “We have seen the Lord!” But he replied, “Unless I see the nail marks in His hands, and put my finger where the nails have been, and put my hand into His side, I will never believe.”
Eight days later, His disciples were once again inside with the doors locked, and Thomas was with them. Jesus came and stood among them and said, “Peace be with you.”
Then Jesus said to Thomas, “Put your finger here and look at My hands. Reach out your hand and put it into My side. Stop doubting and believe.”
Thomas replied, “My Lord and my God!”
Jesus said to him, “Because you have seen Me, you have believed; blessed are those who have not seen and yet have believed.”
Jesus performed many other signs in the presence of His disciples, which are not written in this book.
But these are written so that you may believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God, and that by believing you may have life in His name.

John 21

Later, by the Sea of Tiberias, Jesus again revealed Himself to the disciples. He made Himself known in this way:
Simon Peter, Thomas called Didymus, Nathanael from Cana in Galilee, the sons of Zebedee, and two other disciples were together.
Simon Peter told them, “I am going fishing.” “We will go with you,” they said. So they went out and got into the boat, but caught nothing that night.
Early in the morning, Jesus stood on the shore, but the disciples did not recognize that it was Jesus.
So He called out to them, “Children, do you have any fish?” “No,” they answered.
He told them, “Cast the net on the right side of the boat, and you will find some.” So they cast it there, and they were unable to haul it in because of the great number of fish.
Then the disciple whom Jesus loved said to Peter, “It is the Lord!” As soon as Simon Peter heard that it was the Lord, he put on his outer garment (for he had removed it) and jumped into the sea.
The other disciples came ashore in the boat. They dragged in the net full of fish, for they were not far from land, only about a hundred yards.
When they landed, they saw a charcoal fire there with fish on it, and some bread.
Jesus told them, “Bring some of the fish you have just caught.”
So Simon Peter went aboard and dragged the net ashore. It was full of large fish, 153, but even with so many, the net was not torn.
“Come, have breakfast,” Jesus said to them. None of the disciples dared to ask Him, “Who are You?” They knew it was the Lord.
Jesus came and took the bread and gave it to them, and He did the same with the fish.
This was now the third time that Jesus appeared to the disciples after He was raised from the dead.
When they had finished eating, Jesus asked Simon Peter, “Simon son of John, do you love Me more than these?” “Yes, Lord,” he answered, “You know I love You.” Jesus replied, “Feed My lambs.”
Jesus asked a second time, “Simon son of John, do you love Me?” “Yes, Lord,” he answered, “You know I love You.” Jesus told him, “Shepherd My sheep.”
Jesus asked a third time, “Simon son of John, do you love Me?” Peter was deeply hurt that Jesus had asked him a third time, “Do you love Me?” “Lord, You know all things,” he replied. “You know I love You.” Jesus said to him, “Feed My sheep.
Truly, truly, I tell you, when you were young, you dressed yourself and walked where you wanted; but when you are old, you will stretch out your hands, and someone else will dress you and lead you where you do not want to go.”
Jesus said this to indicate the kind of death by which Peter would glorify God. And after He had said this, He told him, “Follow Me.”
Peter turned and saw the disciple whom Jesus loved following them. He was the one who had leaned back against Jesus at the supper to ask, “Lord, who is going to betray You?”
When Peter saw him, he asked, “Lord, what about him?”
Jesus answered, “If I want him to remain until I return, what is that to you? You follow Me!”
Because of this, the rumor spread among the brothers that this disciple would not die. However, Jesus did not say that he would not die, but only, “If I want him to remain until I return, what is that to you?”
This is the disciple who testifies to these things and who has written them down. And we know that his testimony is true.
There are many more things that Jesus did. If all of them were written down, I suppose that not even the world itself would have space for the books that would be written.

Stands out #

Jesus said to her, “Mary.” She turned and said to Him in Hebrew, “Rabboni!” (which means “Teacher”).

Means #

when Jesus calls Mary’s name - what else can she do but answer him?

For me #

Prayer #

Day 4 — Matthew 28 #

Matthew 28

After the Sabbath, at dawn on the first day of the week, Mary Magdalene and the other Mary went to see the tomb.
Suddenly there was a great earthquake, for an angel of the Lord descended from heaven, rolled away the stone, and sat on it.
His appearance was like lightning, and his clothes were white as snow.
The guards trembled in fear of him and became like dead men.
But the angel said to the women, “Do not be afraid, for I know that you are looking for Jesus, who was crucified.
He is not here; He has risen, just as He said! Come, see the place where He lay.
Then go quickly and tell His disciples, ‘He has risen from the dead and is going ahead of you into Galilee. There you will see Him.’ See, I have told you.”
So they hurried away from the tomb in fear and great joy, and ran to tell His disciples.
Suddenly Jesus met them and said, “Greetings!” They came to Him, grasped His feet, and worshiped Him.
“Do not be afraid,” said Jesus. “Go and tell My brothers to go to Galilee. There they will see Me.”
While the women were on their way, some of the guards went into the city and reported to the chief priests all that had happened.
And after the chief priests had met with the elders and formed a plan, they gave the soldiers a large sum of money
and instructed them: “You are to say, ‘His disciples came by night and stole Him away while we were asleep.’
If this report reaches the governor, we will satisfy him and keep you out of trouble.”
So the guards took the money and did as they were instructed. And this account has been circulated among the Jews to this very day.
Meanwhile, the eleven disciples went to Galilee, to the mountain Jesus had designated.
When they saw Him, they worshiped Him, but some doubted.
Then Jesus came to them and said, “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to Me.
Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit,
and teaching them to obey all that I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, even to the end of the age.”

Stands out #

Means #

For me #

Prayer #

Day 5 — Acts 1 #

Acts 1

In my first book, O Theophilus, I wrote about all that Jesus began to do and to teach,
until the day He was taken up to heaven, after giving instructions through the Holy Spirit to the apostles He had chosen.
After His suffering, He presented Himself to them with many convincing proofs that He was alive. He appeared to them over a span of forty days and spoke about the kingdom of God.
And while they were gathered together, He commanded them: “Do not leave Jerusalem, but wait for the gift the Father promised, which you have heard Me discuss.
For John baptized with water, but in a few days you will be baptized with the Holy Spirit. ”
So when they came together, they asked Him, “Lord, will You at this time restore the kingdom to Israel?”
Jesus replied, “It is not for you to know times or seasons that the Father has fixed by His own authority.
But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes upon you, and you will be My witnesses in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth.”
After He had said this, they watched as He was taken up, and a cloud hid Him from their sight.
They were looking intently into the sky as He was going, when suddenly two men dressed in white stood beside them.
“Men of Galilee,” they said, “why do you stand here looking into the sky? This same Jesus, who has been taken from you into heaven, will come back in the same way you have seen Him go into heaven.”
Then they returned to Jerusalem from the Mount of Olives, which is near the city, a Sabbath day’s journey away.
When they arrived, they went to the upper room where they were staying: Peter and John, James and Andrew, Philip and Thomas, Bartholomew and Matthew, James son of Alphaeus, Simon the Zealot, and Judas son of James.
With one accord they all continued in prayer, along with the women and Mary the mother of Jesus, and with His brothers.
In those days Peter stood up among the brothers (a gathering of about a hundred and twenty) and said,
“Brothers, the Scripture had to be fulfilled that the Holy Spirit foretold through the mouth of David concerning Judas, who became a guide for those who arrested Jesus.
He was one of our number and shared in this ministry.”
(Now with the reward for his wickedness Judas bought a field; there he fell headlong and burst open in the middle, and all his intestines spilled out.
This became known to all who lived in Jerusalem, so they called that field in their own language Akeldama, that is, Field of Blood.)
“For it is written in the book of Psalms: ‘May his place be deserted; let there be no one to dwell in it,’ and, ‘May another take his position.’
Therefore it is necessary to choose one of the men who have accompanied us the whole time the Lord Jesus went in and out among us,
beginning from John’s baptism until the day Jesus was taken up from us. For one of these must become a witness with us of His resurrection.”
So they proposed two men: Joseph called Barsabbas (also known as Justus) and Matthias.
And they prayed, “Lord, You know everyone’s heart. Show us which of these two You have chosen
to take up this ministry and apostleship, which Judas abandoned to go to his rightful place.”
Then they cast lots, and the lot fell to Matthias. So he was added to the eleven apostles.

Stands out #

Means #

For me #

Prayer #

Prayer Requests #

Answered / Updates #

my ebenezeer dashboard - https://affine.paynepride.com/workspace/068b2d03-00ee-4b4b-9a8d-d7b98e85f1f2/Ltvauz2CnMHLKOFuKNExL

Meeting Notes #

FWBG - Genesis - 4.3

2026-09-30T06:55:25Z

beware the growth of sin… harboring it leads to worse consequences for us and others. Cain’s initial sin is left ambiguous but his response to his sin being called out by the Lord shows the trajectory of his life

FWBG - Genesis - 4.2

2026-09-28T06:35:28Z

Marvel at God’s patience. Cain could’ve heeded the Lord’s warnings, it would’ve been right.

Men’s Group - Week 36

2026-09-25T06:00:00Z

Week 36 — September 20 – 26, 2026

Meeting: Friday, September 25 October 5 #

Memory Verse: Psalm 119:9, 11 #

Psalm 119:9, 11

How can a young man keep his way pure? By guarding it with Your word.
I have hidden Your word in my heart, that I might not sin against You.

Readings #

Day 1: Matthew 24:32-51 & John 17
Day 2: Matthew 26:35-27:31
Day 3: Matthew 27:32-66
Day 4: Luke 23:26-56
Day 5: John 19

Day 1 — Matthew 24:32-51 & John 17 #

Matthew 24:32-51

Now learn this lesson from the fig tree: As soon as its branches become tender and sprout leaves, you know that summer is near.
So also, when you see all these things, you will know that He is near, right at the door.
Truly I tell you, this generation will not pass away until all these things have happened.
Heaven and earth will pass away, but My words will never pass away.
But about that day and hour no one knows, not even the angels in heaven, nor the Son, but only the Father.
As it was in the days of Noah, so will it be at the coming of the Son of Man.
For in the days before the flood, people were eating and drinking, marrying and giving in marriage, up to the day Noah entered the ark.
And they were oblivious, until the flood came and swept them all away. So will it be at the coming of the Son of Man.
Two men will be in the field: one will be taken and the other left.
Two women will be grinding at the mill: one will be taken and the other left.
Therefore keep watch, because you do not know the day on which your Lord will come.
But understand this: If the homeowner had known in which watch of the night the thief was coming, he would have kept watch and would not have let his house be broken into.
For this reason, you also must be ready, because the Son of Man will come at an hour you do not expect.
Who then is the faithful and wise servant, whom the master has put in charge of his household, to give the others their food at the proper time?
Blessed is that servant whose master finds him doing so when he returns.
Truly I tell you, he will put him in charge of all his possessions.
But suppose that servant is wicked and says in his heart, ‘My master will be away a long time.’
And he begins to beat his fellow servants and to eat and drink with drunkards.
The master of that servant will come on a day he does not expect and at an hour he does not anticipate.
Then he will cut him to pieces and assign him a place with the hypocrites, where there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.

John 17

After Jesus had spoken these words, He looked up to heaven and said, “Father, the hour has come. Glorify Your Son, that Your Son may glorify You.
For You granted Him authority over all people, so that He may give eternal life to all those You have given Him.
Now this is eternal life, that they may know You, the only true God, and Jesus Christ, whom You have sent.
I have glorified You on earth by accomplishing the work You gave Me to do.
And now, Father, glorify Me in Your presence with the glory I had with You before the world existed.
I have revealed Your name to those whom You have given Me out of the world. They were Yours; You gave them to Me, and they have kept Your word.
Now they know that everything You have given Me comes from You.
For I have given them the words You gave Me, and they have received them. They knew with certainty that I came from You, and they believed that You sent Me.
I ask on their behalf. I do not ask on behalf of the world, but on behalf of those You have given Me; for they are Yours.
All I have is Yours, and all You have is Mine; and in them I have been glorified.
I will no longer be in the world, but they are in the world, and I am coming to You. Holy Father, protect them by Your name, the name You gave Me, so that they may be one as We are one.
While I was with them, I protected them and kept them safe by that name You gave Me. Not one of them has been lost, except the son of destruction, so that the Scripture would be fulfilled.
But now I am coming to You, and I am saying these things while I am in the world, so that they may have My joy fulfilled within them.
I have given them Your word and the world has hated them, for they are not of the world any more than I am of the world.
I do not ask that You take them out of the world, but that You keep them from the evil one.
They are not of the world, just as I am not of the world.
Sanctify them by the truth; Your word is truth.
As You sent Me into the world, I have also sent them into the world.
For them I sanctify Myself, so that they too may be sanctified by the truth.
I am not asking on behalf of them alone, but also on behalf of those who will believe in Me through their message,
that all of them may be one, as You, Father, are in Me, and I am in You. May they also be in Us, so that the world may believe that You sent Me.
I have given them the glory You gave Me, so that they may be one as We are one—
I in them and You in Me—that they may be perfectly united, so that the world may know that You sent Me and have loved them just as You have loved Me.
Father, I want those You have given Me to be with Me where I am, that they may see My glory, the glory You have given Me because You loved Me before the foundation of the world.
Righteous Father, although the world has not known You, I know You, and they know that You sent Me.
And I have made Your name known to them and will continue to make it known, so that the love You have for Me may be in them, and I in them.”

Stands out #

But about that day and hour no one knows, not even the angels in heaven, nor the Son, but only the Father.
As it was in the days of Noah, so will it be at the coming of the Son of Man.
For in the days before the flood, people were eating and drinking, marrying and giving in marriage, up to the day Noah entered the ark.
And they were oblivious, until the flood came and swept them all away. So will it be at the coming of the Son of Man.

For this reason, you also must be ready, because the Son of Man will come at an hour you do not expect.
Who then is the faithful and wise servant, whom the master has put in charge of his household, to give the others their food at the proper time?
Blessed is that servant whose master finds him doing so when he returns.

Means #

every day, daily disciplined life, is what it looks like to wait upon the Lord. Not wishing I took advantage of a moment of debauchery, because the prize isn’t the discipline, it isn’t NOT doing the debauchery, the prize IS the King, and he can come and call at any moment

For me #

dovetails with “work” from men’s group - work and jobs are different, and we are called to work, I should be working all the time:

kids
house
wife
self-discipline

I need to recover holy work in my life

Prayer #

Day 2 — Matthew 26:35-27:31 #

Matthew 26:35-27:31

Peter replied, “Even if I have to die with You, I will never deny You.” And all the other disciples said the same thing.
Then Jesus went with His disciples to a place called Gethsemane, and He told them, “Sit here while I go over there and pray.”
He took with Him Peter and the two sons of Zebedee and began to be sorrowful and deeply distressed.
Then He said to them, “My soul is consumed with sorrow to the point of death. Stay here and keep watch with Me.”
Going a little farther, He fell face down and prayed, “My Father, if it is possible, let this cup pass from Me. Yet not as I will, but as You will.”
Then Jesus returned to the disciples and found them sleeping. “Were you not able to keep watch with Me for one hour?” He asked Peter.
“Watch and pray so that you will not enter into temptation. For the spirit is willing, but the body is weak.”
A second time He went away and prayed, “My Father, if this cup cannot pass unless I drink it, may Your will be done.”
And again Jesus returned and found them sleeping—for their eyes were heavy.
So He left them and went away once more and prayed a third time, saying the same thing.
Then He returned to the disciples and said, “Are you still sleeping and resting? Look, the hour is near, and the Son of Man is betrayed into the hands of sinners.
Get up! Let us go. See, My betrayer is approaching.”
While Jesus was still speaking, Judas, one of the Twelve, arrived, accompanied by a large crowd armed with swords and clubs, sent from the chief priests and elders of the people.
Now the betrayer had arranged a signal with them: “The One I kiss is the Man; arrest Him.”
Going directly to Jesus, he said, “Greetings, Rabbi!” and kissed Him.
“Friend,” Jesus replied, “do what you have come for.” Then the men stepped forward, seized Jesus, and arrested Him.
At this, one of Jesus’ companions drew his sword and struck the servant of the high priest, cutting off his ear.
“Put your sword back in its place,” Jesus said to him. “For all who draw the sword will die by the sword.
Are you not aware that I can call on My Father, and He will at once put at My disposal more than twelve legions of angels?
But how then would the Scriptures be fulfilled that say it must happen this way?”
At that time Jesus said to the crowd, “Have you come out with swords and clubs to arrest Me as you would an outlaw? Every day I sat teaching in the temple courts, and you did not arrest Me.
But this has all happened so that the writings of the prophets would be fulfilled.” Then all the disciples deserted Him and fled.
Those who had arrested Jesus led Him away to Caiaphas the high priest, where the scribes and elders had gathered.
But Peter followed Him at a distance, right up to the courtyard of the high priest. And going inside, he sat down with the guards to see the outcome.
The chief priests and the whole Sanhedrin were searching for false testimony against Jesus so they could put Him to death.
But they did not find any, though many false witnesses came forward. Finally two witnesses came forward
and declared, “This man said, ‘I am able to destroy the temple of God and rebuild it in three days.’”
So the high priest stood up and asked Him, “Have You no answer? What are these men testifying against You?”
But Jesus remained silent. So the high priest said to Him, “I charge You under oath by the living God: Tell us if You are the Christ, the Son of God.”
“You have said it yourself,” Jesus answered. “But I say to all of you, from now on you will see the Son of Man sitting at the right hand of Power and coming on the clouds of heaven.”
At this, the high priest tore his clothes and declared, “He has blasphemed! Why do we need any more witnesses? Look, now you have heard the blasphemy.
What is your verdict?” “He deserves death,” they answered.
Then they spit in His face and struck Him. Others slapped Him
and said, “Prophesy to us, Christ! Who hit You?”
Meanwhile, Peter was sitting out in the courtyard, and a servant girl came up to him. “You were also with Jesus the Galilean,” she said.
But he denied it before them all: “I do not know what you are talking about.”
When he had gone out to the gateway, another servant girl saw him and said to the people there, “This man was with Jesus of Nazareth.”
And again he denied it with an oath: “I do not know the man!”
After a little while, those standing nearby came up to Peter. “Surely you are one of them,” they said. “For even your accent gives you away.”
Then he began to curse and swear, “I do not know the man!” And immediately a rooster crowed.
Then Peter remembered the word that Jesus had spoken: “Before the rooster crows, you will deny Me three times.” And he went outside and wept bitterly.

Matthew 27:1-31

When morning came, all the chief priests and elders of the people conspired against Jesus to put Him to death.
They bound Him, led Him away, and handed Him over to Pilate the governor.
When Judas, who had betrayed Him, saw that Jesus was condemned, he was filled with remorse and returned the thirty pieces of silver to the chief priests and elders.
“I have sinned by betraying innocent blood,” he said. “What is that to us?” they replied. “You bear the responsibility.”
So Judas threw the silver into the temple and left. Then he went away and hanged himself.
The chief priests picked up the pieces of silver and said, “It is unlawful to put this into the treasury, since it is blood money.”
After conferring together, they used the money to buy the potter’s field as a burial place for foreigners.
That is why it has been called the Field of Blood to this day.
Then what was spoken through Jeremiah the prophet was fulfilled: “They took the thirty pieces of silver, the price set on Him by the people of Israel,
and they gave them for the potter’s field, as the Lord had commanded me.”
Meanwhile Jesus stood before the governor, and the governor questioned Him: “Are You the King of the Jews?” “You have said so,” Jesus replied.
And when He was accused by the chief priests and elders, He gave no answer.
Then Pilate asked Him, “Do You not hear how many charges they are bringing against You?”
But Jesus gave no answer, not even to a single charge, much to the governor’s amazement.
At the feast, the governor was accustomed to releasing one prisoner to the crowd, whomever they wanted.
At that time they were holding a notorious prisoner named Barabbas.
So when the crowd had gathered, Pilate asked them, “Whom do you want me to release to you: Barabbas, or Jesus who is called Christ?”
For he knew it was out of envy that they had handed Jesus over to him.
While Pilate was sitting on the judgment seat, his wife sent him this message: “Have nothing to do with that righteous man, for I have suffered much in a dream today because of Him.”
But the chief priests and elders persuaded the crowds to ask for Barabbas and to have Jesus put to death.
“Which of the two do you want me to release to you?” asked the governor. “Barabbas,” they answered.
“What then shall I do with Jesus who is called Christ?” Pilate asked. They all answered, “Crucify Him!”
“Why? What evil has He done?” Pilate asked. But they shouted all the louder, “Crucify Him!”
When Pilate saw that he was accomplishing nothing, but that a riot was breaking out instead, he took water and washed his hands before the crowd. “I am innocent of this man’s blood,” he said. “You bear the responsibility.”
All the people answered, “His blood be on us and on our children!”
Then Pilate released Barabbas to them. But he had Jesus flogged, and handed Him over to be crucified.
Then the governor’s soldiers took Jesus into the Praetorium and gathered the whole company of soldiers around Him.
They stripped Him and put a scarlet robe on Him.
And they twisted together a crown of thorns and set it on His head. They put a staff in His right hand and knelt down before Him to mock Him, saying, “Hail, King of the Jews!”
Then they spit on Him, and took the staff and struck Him on the head again and again.
After they had mocked Him, they stripped Him of the robe, put His own clothes back on Him, and led Him away to crucify Him.

Stands out #

Peter replied, “Even if I have to die with You, I will never deny You.” And all the other disciples said the same thing.

but I deny him with my actions every day

Are you not aware that I can call on My Father, and He will at once put at My disposal more than twelve legions of angels?
But how then would the Scriptures be fulfilled that say it must happen this way?”

there’s a tension in reality… Jesus can do whatever he wants and submits himself to prophecy anyways, it’s circular to me sort of. but it also means that I need to stop questioning every aspect of reality in my “if this then that” processing. sometimes we’re just bound by reality - even the Lord was.

Then he began to curse and swear, “I do not know the man!” And immediately a rooster crowed.
Then Peter remembered the word that Jesus had spoken: “Before the rooster crows, you will deny Me three times.” And he went outside and wept bitterly.

is Jesus also just waiting for me to deny him? if I think he is I must also remember he was ready to forgive Peter

Jews tell Judas he bears the responsibility, then Pilate tells the Jews they do, then the Jews put it on their kids… interesting

Means #

For me #

Prayer #

Day 3 — Matthew 27:32-66 #

Matthew 27:32-66

Along the way they found a man from Cyrene named Simon, and they forced him to carry the cross of Jesus.
When they came to a place called Golgotha, which means “The Place of the Skull,”
they offered Him wine to drink, mixed with gall; but after tasting it, He refused to drink it.
When they had crucified Him, they divided His garments by casting lots, to fulfill what was spoken through the prophet: “They divided My garments among them and cast lots for My clothing.”
And sitting down, they kept watch over Him there.
Above His head they posted the written charge against Him: “This is Jesus, the King of the Jews.”
Two robbers were crucified with Him, one on His right hand and one on His left.
And those who passed by heaped abuse on Him, shaking their heads
and saying, “You who would destroy the temple and rebuild it in three days, save Yourself! If You are the Son of God, come down from the cross!”
In the same way, the chief priests, scribes, and elders mocked Him,
saying, “He saved others, but He cannot save Himself. He is the King of Israel! Let Him come down now from the cross, and we will believe in Him.
He trusts in God. Let God deliver Him now if He wants Him. For He said, ‘I am the Son of God.’”
In the same way, even the robbers who were crucified with Him heaped abuse on Him.
From the sixth hour until the ninth hour darkness came over all the land.
About the ninth hour Jesus cried out in a loud voice, “Eli, Eli, lema sabachthani?” which means, “My God, My God, why have You forsaken Me?”
When some of those standing there heard this, they said, “He is calling Elijah.”
Immediately one of them ran and got a sponge. He filled it with wine vinegar, put it on a reed, and held it up for Jesus to drink.
But the others said, “Leave Him alone. Let us see if Elijah comes to save Him.”
When Jesus had cried out again in a loud voice, He yielded up His spirit.
At that moment the veil of the temple was torn in two from top to bottom. The earth quaked and the rocks were split.
The tombs broke open, and the bodies of many saints who had fallen asleep were raised.
After Jesus’ resurrection, when they had come out of the tombs, they entered the holy city and appeared to many people.
When the centurion and those with him who were guarding Jesus saw the earthquake and all that had happened, they were terrified and said, “Truly this was the Son of God.”
And many women were there, watching from a distance. They had followed Jesus from Galilee to minister to Him.
Among them were Mary Magdalene, Mary the mother of James and Joseph, and the mother of Zebedee’s sons.
When it was evening, a rich man from Arimathea named Joseph came, who himself was also a disciple of Jesus.
He went to Pilate to ask for the body of Jesus, and Pilate ordered that it be given to him.
So Joseph took the body, wrapped it in a clean linen cloth,
and placed it in his own new tomb that he had cut out of the rock. Then he rolled a great stone against the entrance to the tomb and went away.
Mary Magdalene and the other Mary were sitting there opposite the tomb.
The next day, which is the day after Preparation Day, the chief priests and Pharisees assembled before Pilate
and said, “Sir, we remember that while He was alive that deceiver said, ‘After three days I will rise again.’
So give the order that the tomb be secured until the third day. Otherwise, His disciples may come and steal Him away and tell the people He has risen from the dead, and the last deception will be worse than the first.”
“Go and make the tomb as secure as you know how,” Pilate answered.
And they went and made the tomb secure by sealing the stone and posting a guard.

Stands out #

Means #

For me #

Prayer #

Day 4 — Luke 23:26-56 #

Luke 23:26-56

As the soldiers led Him away, they seized Simon of Cyrene on his way in from the country, and put the cross on him to carry behind Jesus.
A great number of people followed Him, along with women who were mourning and wailing for Him.
But Jesus turned to them and said, “Daughters of Jerusalem, do not weep for Me, but weep for yourselves and for your children.
Look, the days are coming when people will say, ‘Blessed are the barren women, the wombs that never bore, and the breasts that never nursed!’
At that time they will say to the mountains, ‘Fall on us!’ and to the hills, ‘Cover us!’
For if men do these things while the tree is green, what will happen when it is dry?”
Two others, who were criminals, were also led away to be executed with Jesus.
When they came to the place called The Skull, they crucified Him there, along with the criminals, one on His right hand and the other on His left.
Then Jesus said, “Father, forgive them, for they do not know what they are doing.” And they divided up His garments by casting lots.
The people stood watching, and the rulers sneered at Him, saying, “He saved others; let Him save Himself if He is the Christ of God, the Chosen One.”
The soldiers also mocked Him and came up to offer Him sour wine.
“If You are the King of the Jews,” they said, “save Yourself!”
Above Him was posted an inscription: “THIS IS THE KING OF THE JEWS.”
One of the criminals who hung there heaped abuse on Him: “Are You not the Christ? Save Yourself and us!”
But the other criminal rebuked him. “Do you not even fear God,” he said, “since you are under the same judgment?
We are punished justly, for we are receiving what our actions deserve. But this man has done nothing wrong.”
Then he said, “Jesus, remember me when You come into Your kingdom!”
And Jesus said to him, “Truly I tell you, today you will be with Me in Paradise.”
It was now about the sixth hour, and darkness came over all the land until the ninth hour.
The sun was darkened, and the veil of the temple was torn down the middle.
Then Jesus called out in a loud voice, “Father, into Your hands I commit My Spirit.” And when He had said this, He breathed His last.
When the centurion saw what had happened, he gave glory to God and said, “Surely this was a righteous man.”
When all the people who had gathered to witness this sight saw what had taken place, they returned home, beating their breasts.
But all those who knew Jesus, including the women who had followed Him from Galilee, stood at a distance watching these things.
Now there was a righteous and devout man named Joseph, who was a member of the Council,
who had not consented to their plan and action. He was from the Judean town of Arimathea, and he was waiting for the kingdom of God.
He went to Pilate to ask for the body of Jesus.
Then he brought it down, wrapped it in a linen cloth, and placed it in a tomb cut out of the rock, where no one had yet been laid.
It was Preparation Day, and the Sabbath was about to begin.
The women who had come with Jesus from Galilee followed, and they saw the tomb and how His body was placed.
Then they returned to prepare spices and perfumes. And they rested on the Sabbath, according to the commandment.

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Day 5 — John 19 #

John 19

Then Pilate took Jesus and had Him flogged.
The soldiers twisted together a crown of thorns, put it on His head, and dressed Him in a purple robe.
And they went up to Him again and again, saying, “Hail, King of the Jews!” and slapping Him in the face.
Once more Pilate came out and said to the Jews, “Look, I am bringing Him out to you to let you know that I find no basis for a charge against Him.”
So Jesus came out wearing the crown of thorns and the purple robe. And Pilate said to them, “Here is the man!”
As soon as the chief priests and officers saw Him, they shouted, “Crucify Him! Crucify Him!” Pilate told them, “You take Him and crucify Him. As for me, I find no basis for a charge against Him.”
“We have a law,” answered the Jews, “and according to that law He must die, because He declared Himself to be the Son of God.”
When Pilate heard this statement, he was even more afraid.
He went back into the Praetorium and asked Jesus, “Where are You from?” But Jesus gave no answer.
So Pilate said to Him, “Do You refuse to speak to me? Do You not know that I have authority to release You and authority to crucify You?”
Jesus answered, “You would have no authority over Me if it were not given to you from above. Therefore the one who handed Me over to you is guilty of greater sin.”
From then on, Pilate tried to release Him, but the Jews kept shouting, “If you release this man, you are no friend of Caesar. Anyone who declares himself a king is defying Caesar.”
When Pilate heard these words, he brought Jesus out and sat down on the judgment seat at a place called the Stone Pavement, which in Hebrew is Gabbatha.
It was the day of Preparation for the Passover, about the sixth hour. And Pilate said to the Jews, “Here is your King!”
At this, they shouted, “Away with Him! Away with Him! Crucify Him!” Pilate asked, “Shall I crucify your King?” “We have no king but Caesar,” replied the chief priests.
Then Pilate handed Him over to be crucified, and the soldiers took Him away.
Carrying His own cross, He went out to the place of the Skull, which in Hebrew is called Golgotha.
There they crucified Him, and with Him two others, one on each side, with Jesus in the middle.
Pilate also had a notice posted on the cross. It read: “JESUS OF NAZARETH, THE KING OF THE JEWS.”
Many of the Jews read this sign, because the place where Jesus was crucified was near the city, and it was written in Aramaic, Latin, and Greek.
So the chief priests of the Jews said to Pilate, “Do not write, ‘The King of the Jews,’ but, ‘This man said, I am the King of the Jews.’”
Pilate answered, “What I have written, I have written.”
When the soldiers had crucified Jesus, they divided His garments into four parts, a part for each soldier, and the tunic remained. It was seamless, woven in one piece from top to bottom.
So they said to one another, “Let us not tear it; instead, let us cast lots to see who will get it.” This was to fulfill the Scripture: “They divided My garments among them, and for My clothing they cast lots.” So that is what the soldiers did.
Near the cross of Jesus stood His mother and His mother’s sister, Mary the wife of Clopas, and Mary Magdalene.
When Jesus saw His mother and the disciple whom He loved standing nearby, He said to His mother, “Woman, here is your son.”
Then He said to the disciple, “Here is your mother.” So from that hour, the disciple took her into his home.
After this, knowing that everything had now been accomplished, and to fulfill the Scripture, Jesus said, “I am thirsty.”
A jar of sour wine was sitting there. So they soaked a sponge in the wine, put it on a hyssop stalk, and lifted it to His mouth.
When Jesus had received the sour wine, He said, “It is finished.” And bowing His head, He yielded up His spirit.
It was the day of Preparation, and the next day was a special Sabbath. In order to avoid leaving the bodies on the cross during the Sabbath, the Jews asked Pilate to have the legs broken and the bodies removed.
So the soldiers came and broke the legs of the first man who had been crucified with Jesus, and those of the other.
But when they came to Jesus and saw that He was already dead, they did not break His legs.
Instead, one of the soldiers pierced His side with a spear, and immediately blood and water flowed out.
The one who saw it has testified, and his testimony is true. He knows that he is telling the truth, so that you also may believe.
Now these things happened so that the Scripture would be fulfilled: “Not one of His bones will be broken.”
And, as another Scripture says: “They will look on the One they have pierced.”
After these things, Joseph of Arimathea, who was a disciple of Jesus (but secretly for fear of the Jews), asked Pilate to let him remove the body of Jesus. Pilate gave him permission, so he came and removed His body.
Nicodemus, who had previously come to Jesus at night, also brought a mixture of myrrh and aloes, about seventy-five pounds.
So they took the body of Jesus and wrapped it in linen cloths with the spices, according to the Jewish burial custom.
Now there was a garden in the place where Jesus was crucified, and in the garden a new tomb in which no one had yet been laid.
And because it was the Jewish day of Preparation and the tomb was nearby, they laid Jesus there.

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Meeting Notes #

Men’s Group - Week 35

2026-09-18T06:00:00Z

Week 35 — September 13 – 19, 2026

Meeting: Friday, September 18 #

Memory Verse: Hebrews 2:18 #

Hebrews 2:18

Because He Himself suffered when He was tempted, He is able to help those who are being tempted.

Readings #

Day 1: John 11
Day 2: Matthew 21:1-13
Day 3: John 13
Day 4: John 14-15
Day 5: John 16, Matthew 24:1-31

Day 1 — John 11 #

John 11

At this time a man named Lazarus was sick. He lived in Bethany, the village of Mary and her sister Martha.
(Mary, whose brother Lazarus was sick, was to anoint the Lord with perfume and wipe His feet with her hair.)
So the sisters sent word to Jesus, “Lord, the one You love is sick.”
When Jesus heard this, He said, “This sickness will not end in death. No, it is for the glory of God, so that the Son of God may be glorified through it.”
Now Jesus loved Martha and her sister and Lazarus.
So on hearing that Lazarus was sick, He stayed where He was for two days,
and then He said to the disciples, “Let us go back to Judea.”
“Rabbi,” they replied, “the Jews just tried to stone You, and You are going back there?”
Jesus answered, “Are there not twelve hours of daylight? If anyone walks in the daytime, he will not stumble, because he sees by the light of this world.
But if anyone walks at night, he will stumble, because he has no light.”
After He had said this, He told them, “Our friend Lazarus has fallen asleep, but I am going there to wake him up.”
His disciples replied, “Lord, if he is sleeping, he will get better.”
They thought that Jesus was talking about actual sleep, but He was speaking about the death of Lazarus.
So Jesus told them plainly, “Lazarus is dead,
and for your sake I am glad I was not there, so that you may believe. But let us go to him.”
Then Thomas called Didymus said to his fellow disciples, “Let us also go, so that we may die with Him.”
When Jesus arrived, He found that Lazarus had already spent four days in the tomb.
Now Bethany was near Jerusalem, a little less than two miles away,
and many of the Jews had come to Martha and Mary to console them in the loss of their brother.
So when Martha heard that Jesus was coming, she went out to meet Him, but Mary stayed at home.
Martha said to Jesus, “Lord, if You had been here, my brother would not have died.
But even now I know that God will give You whatever You ask of Him.”
“Your brother will rise again,” Jesus told her.
Martha replied, “I know that he will rise again in the resurrection at the last day.”
Jesus said to her, “I am the resurrection and the life. Whoever believes in Me will live, even though he dies.
And everyone who lives and believes in Me will never die. Do you believe this?”
“Yes, Lord,” she answered, “I believe that You are the Christ, the Son of God, who was to come into the world.”
After Martha had said this, she went back and called her sister Mary aside to tell her, “The Teacher is here and is asking for you.”
And when Mary heard this, she got up quickly and went to Him.
Now Jesus had not yet entered the village, but was still at the place where Martha had met Him.
When the Jews who were in the house consoling Mary saw how quickly she got up and went out, they followed her, supposing she was going to the tomb to mourn there.
When Mary came to Jesus and saw Him, she fell at His feet and said, “Lord, if You had been here, my brother would not have died.”
When Jesus saw her weeping, and the Jews who had come with her also weeping, He was deeply moved in spirit and troubled.
“Where have you put him?” He asked. “Come and see, Lord,” they answered.
Jesus wept.
Then the Jews said, “See how He loved him!”
But some of them asked, “Could not this man who opened the eyes of the blind also have kept Lazarus from dying?”
Jesus, once again deeply moved, came to the tomb. It was a cave with a stone laid across the entrance.
“Take away the stone,” Jesus said. “Lord, by now he stinks,” said Martha, the sister of the dead man. “It has already been four days.”
Jesus replied, “Did I not tell you that if you believed, you would see the glory of God?”
So they took away the stone. Then Jesus lifted His eyes upward and said, “Father, I thank You that You have heard Me.
I knew that You always hear Me, but I say this for the benefit of the people standing here, so they may believe that You sent Me.”
After Jesus had said this, He called out in a loud voice, “Lazarus, come out!”
The man who had been dead came out with his hands and feet bound in strips of linen, and his face wrapped in a cloth. “Unwrap him and let him go,” Jesus told them.
Therefore many of the Jews who had come to Mary, and had seen what Jesus did, believed in Him.
But some of them went to the Pharisees and told them what Jesus had done.
Then the chief priests and Pharisees convened the Sanhedrin and said, “What are we to do? This man is performing many signs.
If we let Him go on like this, everyone will believe in Him, and then the Romans will come and take away both our place and our nation.”
But one of them, named Caiaphas, who was high priest that year, said to them, “You know nothing at all!
You do not realize that it is better for you that one man die for the people than that the whole nation perish.”
Caiaphas did not say this on his own. Instead, as high priest that year, he was prophesying that Jesus would die for the nation,
and not only for the nation, but also for the scattered children of God, to gather them together into one.
So from that day on they plotted to kill Him.
As a result, Jesus no longer went about publicly among the Jews, but He withdrew to a town called Ephraim in an area near the wilderness. And He stayed there with the disciples.
Now the Jewish Passover was near, and many people went up from the country to Jerusalem to purify themselves before the Passover.
They kept looking for Jesus and asking one another as they stood in the temple courts, “What do you think? Will He come to the feast at all?”
But the chief priests and Pharisees had given orders that anyone who knew where He was must report it, so that they could arrest Him.

Stands out #

Martha said to Jesus, “Lord, if You had been here, my brother would not have died.
When Mary came to Jesus and saw Him, she fell at His feet and said, “Lord, if You had been here, my brother would not have died.”

Means #

We think we know what would have happened

For me #

My ebenezeer page feels relevant when thinking about waiting on the Lord

Psalm 40:1–2 (LEB)

1 I waited patiently for Yahweh, And he inclined to me and heard my cry for help. 2 And so he brought me up from the roaring pit, from the miry clay. And he put my feet upon a rock; he made my steps steady.

Prayer #

Day 2 — Matthew 21:1-13 #

Matthew 21:1-13

As they approached Jerusalem and came to Bethphage on the Mount of Olives, Jesus sent out two disciples,
saying to them, “Go into the village ahead of you, and at once you will find a donkey tied there, with her colt beside her. Untie them and bring them to Me.
If anyone questions you, tell him that the Lord needs them, and he will send them right away.”
This took place to fulfill what was spoken through the prophet:
“Say to the Daughter of Zion, ‘See, your King comes to you, gentle and riding on a donkey, on a colt, the foal of a donkey.’”
So the disciples went and did as Jesus had directed them.
They brought the donkey and the colt and laid their cloaks on them, and Jesus sat on them.
A massive crowd spread their cloaks on the road, while others cut branches from the trees and spread them on the road.
The crowds that went ahead of Him and those that followed were shouting: “Hosanna to the Son of David!” “Blessed is He who comes in the name of the Lord!” “Hosanna in the highest!”
When Jesus had entered Jerusalem, the whole city was stirred and asked, “Who is this?”
The crowds replied, “This is Jesus, the prophet from Nazareth in Galilee.”
Then Jesus entered the temple courts and drove out all who were buying and selling there. He overturned the tables of the money changers and the seats of those selling doves.
And He declared to them, “It is written: ‘My house will be called a house of prayer.’ But you are making it ‘a den of robbers.’ ”

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Day 3 — John 13 #

John 13

It was now just before the Passover Feast, and Jesus knew that His hour had come to leave this world and return to the Father. Having loved His own who were in the world, He loved them to the very end.
The evening meal was underway, and the devil had already put into the heart of Judas, the son of Simon Iscariot, to betray Jesus.
Jesus knew that the Father had delivered all things into His hands, and that He had come from God and was returning to God.
So He got up from the supper, laid aside His outer garments, and wrapped a towel around His waist.
After that, He poured water into a basin and began to wash the disciples’ feet and dry them with the towel that was around Him.
He came to Simon Peter, who asked Him, “Lord, are You going to wash my feet?”
Jesus replied, “You do not realize now what I am doing, but later you will understand.”
“Never shall You wash my feet!” Peter told Him. Jesus answered, “Unless I wash you, you have no part with Me.”
“Then, Lord,” Simon Peter replied, “not only my feet, but my hands and my head as well!”
Jesus told him, “Whoever has already bathed needs only to wash his feet, and he will be completely clean. And you are clean, though not all of you.”
For He knew who would betray Him. That is why He said, “Not all of you are clean.”
When Jesus had washed their feet and put on His outer garments, He reclined with them again and asked, “Do you know what I have done for you?
You call Me Teacher and Lord, and rightly so, because I am.
So if I, your Lord and Teacher, have washed your feet, you also should wash one another’s feet.
I have set you an example so that you should do as I have done for you.
Truly, truly, I tell you, no servant is greater than his master, nor is a messenger greater than the one who sent him.
If you know these things, you will be blessed if you do them.
I am not speaking about all of you; I know whom I have chosen. But this is to fulfill the Scripture: ‘The one who shares My bread has lifted up his heel against Me.’
I am telling you now before it happens, so that when it comes to pass, you will believe that I am He.
Truly, truly, I tell you, whoever receives the one I send receives Me, and whoever receives Me receives the One who sent Me.”
After Jesus had said this, He became troubled in spirit and testified, “Truly, truly, I tell you, one of you will betray Me.”
The disciples looked at one another, perplexed as to which of them He meant.
One of His disciples, the one whom Jesus loved, was reclining at His side.
So Simon Peter motioned to him to ask Jesus which one He was talking about.
Leaning back against Jesus, he asked, “Lord, who is it?”
Jesus answered, “It is the one to whom I give this morsel after I have dipped it.” Then He dipped the morsel and gave it to Judas son of Simon Iscariot.
And when Judas had taken the morsel, Satan entered into him. Then Jesus said to Judas, “What you are about to do, do quickly.”
But no one at the table knew why Jesus had said this to him.
Since Judas kept the money bag, some thought that Jesus was telling him to buy what was needed for the feast, or to give something to the poor.
As soon as he had received the morsel, Judas went out into the night.
When Judas had gone out, Jesus said, “Now the Son of Man is glorified, and God is glorified in Him.
If God is glorified in Him, God will also glorify the Son in Himself—and will glorify Him at once.
Little children, I am with you only a little while longer. You will look for Me, and as I said to the Jews, so now I say to you: ‘Where I am going, you cannot come.’
A new commandment I give you: Love one another. As I have loved you, so you also must love one another.
By this everyone will know that you are My disciples, if you love one another.”
“Lord, where are You going?” Simon Peter asked. Jesus answered, “Where I am going, you cannot follow Me now, but you will follow later.”
“Lord,” said Peter, “why can’t I follow You now? I will lay down my life for You.”
“Will you lay down your life for Me?” Jesus replied. “Truly, truly, I tell you, before the rooster crows, you will deny Me three times.

Stands out #

He came to Simon Peter, who asked Him, “Lord, are You going to wash my feet?”
Jesus replied, “You do not realize now what I am doing, but later you will understand.”
“Never shall You wash my feet!” Peter told Him. Jesus answered, “Unless I wash you, you have no part with Me.”
“Then, Lord,” Simon Peter replied, “not only my feet, but my hands and my head as well!”

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Day 4 — John 14-15 #

John 14

“Do not let your hearts be troubled. You believe in God; believe in Me as well.
In My Father’s house are many rooms. If it were not so, would I have told you that I am going there to prepare a place for you?
And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come back and welcome you into My presence, so that you also may be where I am.
You know the way to the place where I am going. ”
“Lord,” said Thomas, “we do not know where You are going, so how can we know the way?”
Jesus answered, “I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through Me.
If you had known Me, you would know My Father as well. From now on you do know Him and have seen Him.”
Philip said to Him, “Lord, show us the Father, and that will be enough for us.”
Jesus replied, “Philip, I have been with you all this time, and still you do not know Me? Anyone who has seen Me has seen the Father. How can you say, ‘Show us the Father’?
Do you not believe that I am in the Father and the Father is in Me? The words I say to you, I do not speak on My own. Instead, it is the Father dwelling in Me, performing His works.
Believe Me that I am in the Father and the Father is in Me—or at least believe on account of the works themselves.
Truly, truly, I tell you, whoever believes in Me will also do the works that I am doing. He will do even greater things than these, because I am going to the Father.
And I will do whatever you ask in My name, so that the Father may be glorified in the Son.
If you ask Me for anything in My name, I will do it.
If you love Me, you will keep My commandments.
And I will ask the Father, and He will give you another Advocate to be with you forever—
the Spirit of truth. The world cannot receive Him, because it neither sees Him nor knows Him. But you do know Him, for He abides with you and will be in you.
I will not leave you as orphans; I will come to you.
In a little while the world will see Me no more, but you will see Me. Because I live, you also will live.
On that day you will know that I am in My Father, and you are in Me, and I am in you.
Whoever has My commandments and keeps them is the one who loves Me. The one who loves Me will be loved by My Father, and I will love him and reveal Myself to him.”
Judas (not Iscariot) asked Him, “Lord, why are You going to reveal Yourself to us and not to the world?”
Jesus replied, “If anyone loves Me, he will keep My word. My Father will love him, and We will come to him and make Our home with him.
Whoever does not love Me does not keep My words. The word that you hear is not My own, but it is from the Father who sent Me.
All this I have spoken to you while I am still with you.
But the Advocate, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in My name, will teach you all things and will remind you of everything I have told you.
Peace I leave with you; My peace I give to you. I do not give to you as the world gives. Do not let your hearts be troubled; do not be afraid.
You heard Me say, ‘I am going away, and I am coming back to you.’ If you loved Me, you would rejoice that I am going to the Father, because the Father is greater than I.
And now I have told you before it happens, so that when it does happen, you will believe.
I will not speak with you much longer, for the prince of this world is coming, and he has no claim on Me.
But I do exactly what the Father has commanded Me, so that the world may know that I love the Father. Get up! Let us go on from here.

John 15

“I am the true vine, and My Father is the keeper of the vineyard.
He cuts off every branch in Me that bears no fruit, and every branch that does bear fruit, He prunes to make it even more fruitful.
You are already clean because of the word I have spoken to you.
Remain in Me, and I will remain in you. Just as no branch can bear fruit by itself unless it remains in the vine, neither can you bear fruit unless you remain in Me.
I am the vine and you are the branches. The one who remains in Me, and I in him, will bear much fruit. For apart from Me you can do nothing.
If anyone does not remain in Me, he is like a branch that is thrown away and withers. Such branches are gathered up, thrown into the fire, and burned.
If you remain in Me and My words remain in you, ask whatever you wish, and it will be done for you.
This is to My Father’s glory, that you bear much fruit, proving yourselves to be My disciples.
As the Father has loved Me, so have I loved you. Remain in My love.
If you keep My commandments, you will remain in My love, just as I have kept My Father’s commandments and remain in His love.
I have told you these things so that My joy may be in you and your joy may be complete.
This is My commandment, that you love one another as I have loved you.
Greater love has no one than this, that he lay down his life for his friends.
You are My friends if you do what I command you.
No longer do I call you servants, for a servant does not understand what his master is doing. But I have called you friends, because everything I have learned from My Father I have made known to you.
You did not choose Me, but I chose you. And I appointed you to go and bear fruit—fruit that will remain—so that whatever you ask the Father in My name, He will give you.
This is My command to you: Love one another.
If the world hates you, understand that it hated Me first.
If you were of the world, it would love you as its own. Instead, the world hates you, because you are not of the world, but I have chosen you out of the world.
Remember the word that I spoke to you: ‘No servant is greater than his master.’ If they persecuted Me, they will persecute you as well; if they kept My word, they will keep yours as well.
But they will treat you like this because of My name, since they do not know the One who sent Me.
If I had not come and spoken to them, they would not be guilty of sin. Now, however, they have no excuse for their sin.
Whoever hates Me hates My Father as well.
If I had not done among them the works that no one else did, they would not be guilty of sin; but now they have seen and hated both Me and My Father.
But this is to fulfill what is written in their Law: ‘They hated Me without reason.’
When the Advocate comes, whom I will send to you from the Father—the Spirit of truth who proceeds from the Father—He will testify about Me.
And you also must testify, because you have been with Me from the beginning.

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Day 5 — John 16 & Matthew 24:1-31 #

John 16

“I have told you these things so that you will not fall away.
They will put you out of the synagogues. In fact, a time is coming when anyone who kills you will think he is offering a service to God.
They will do these things because they have not known the Father or Me.
But I have told you these things so that when their hour comes, you will remember that I told you about them. I did not tell you these things from the beginning, because I was with you.
Now, however, I am going to Him who sent Me; yet none of you asks Me, ‘Where are You going?’
Instead, your hearts are filled with sorrow because I have told you these things.
But I tell you the truth, it is for your benefit that I am going away. Unless I go away, the Advocate will not come to you; but if I go, I will send Him to you.
And when He comes, He will convict the world in regard to sin and righteousness and judgment:
in regard to sin, because they do not believe in Me;
in regard to righteousness, because I am going to the Father and you will no longer see Me;
and in regard to judgment, because the prince of this world has been condemned.
I still have much to tell you, but you cannot yet bear to hear it.
However, when the Spirit of truth comes, He will guide you into all truth. For He will not speak on His own, but He will speak what He hears, and He will declare to you what is to come.
He will glorify Me by taking from what is Mine and disclosing it to you.
Everything that belongs to the Father is Mine. That is why I said that the Spirit will take from what is Mine and disclose it to you.
In a little while you will see Me no more, and then after a little while you will see Me. ”
Then some of His disciples asked one another, “Why is He telling us, ‘In a little while you will not see Me, and then after a little while you will see Me’ and ‘Because I am going to the Father’?”
They kept asking, “Why is He saying, ‘a little while’? We do not understand what He is saying.”
Aware that they wanted to question Him, Jesus said to them, “Are you asking one another why I said, ‘In a little while you will not see Me, and then after a little while you will see Me’?
Truly, truly, I tell you, you will weep and wail while the world rejoices. You will grieve, but your grief will turn to joy.
A woman has pain in childbirth because her time has come; but when she brings forth her child, she forgets her anguish because of her joy that a child has been born into the world.
So also you have sorrow now, but I will see you again and your hearts will rejoice, and no one will take away your joy.
In that day you will no longer ask Me anything. Truly, truly, I tell you, whatever you ask the Father in My name, He will give you.
Until now you have not asked for anything in My name. Ask and you will receive, so that your joy may be complete.
I have spoken these things to you in figures of speech. An hour is coming when I will no longer speak to you this way, but will tell you plainly about the Father.
In that day you will ask in My name. I am not saying that I will ask the Father on your behalf.
For the Father Himself loves you, because you have loved Me and have believed that I came from God.
I came from the Father and entered the world. In turn, I will leave the world and go to the Father.”
His disciples said, “See, now You are speaking plainly and without figures of speech.
Now we understand that You know all things and that You have no need for anyone to question You. Because of this, we believe that You came from God.”
“Do you finally believe?” Jesus replied.
“Look, an hour is coming and has already come when you will be scattered, each to his own home, and you will leave Me all alone. Yet I am not alone, because the Father is with Me.
I have told you these things so that in Me you may have peace. In the world you will have tribulation. But take courage; I have overcome the world!”

Matthew 24:1-31

As Jesus left the temple and was walking away, His disciples came up to Him to point out its buildings.
“Do you see all these things?” He replied. “Truly I tell you, not one stone here will be left on another; every one will be thrown down.”
While Jesus was sitting on the Mount of Olives, the disciples came to Him privately. “Tell us,” they said, “when will these things happen, and what will be the sign of Your coming and of the end of the age?”
Jesus answered, “See to it that no one deceives you.
For many will come in My name, claiming, ‘I am the Christ,’ and will deceive many.
You will hear of wars and rumors of wars, but see to it that you are not alarmed. These things must happen, but the end is still to come.
Nation will rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom. There will be famines and earthquakes in various places.
All these are the beginning of birth pains.
Then they will deliver you over to be persecuted and killed, and you will be hated by all nations because of My name.
At that time many will fall away and will betray and hate one another,
and many false prophets will arise and deceive many.
Because of the multiplication of wickedness, the love of most will grow cold.
But the one who perseveres to the end will be saved.
And this gospel of the kingdom will be preached in all the world as a testimony to all nations, and then the end will come.
So when you see standing in the holy place ‘the abomination of desolation,’ spoken of by the prophet Daniel (let the reader understand),
then let those who are in Judea flee to the mountains.
Let no one on the housetop come down to retrieve anything from his house.
And let no one in the field return for his cloak.
How miserable those days will be for pregnant and nursing mothers!
Pray that your flight will not occur in the winter or on the Sabbath.
For at that time there will be great tribulation, unseen from the beginning of the world until now, and never to be seen again.
If those days had not been cut short, nobody would be saved. But for the sake of the elect, those days will be cut short.
At that time, if anyone says to you, ‘Look, here is the Christ!’ or ‘There He is!’ do not believe it.
For false Christs and false prophets will appear and perform great signs and wonders to deceive even the elect, if that were possible.
See, I have told you in advance.
So if they tell you, ‘There He is, in the wilderness,’ do not go out, or, ‘Here He is, in the inner rooms,’ do not believe it.
For just as the lightning comes from the east and flashes as far as the west, so will be the coming of the Son of Man.
Wherever there is a carcass, there the vultures will gather.
Immediately after the tribulation of those days: ‘The sun will be darkened, and the moon will not give its light; the stars will fall from the sky, and the powers of the heavens will be shaken. ’
At that time the sign of the Son of Man will appear in heaven, and all the tribes of the earth will mourn. They will see the Son of Man coming on the clouds of heaven with power and great glory.
And He will send out His angels with a loud trumpet call, and they will gather His elect from the four winds, from one end of the heavens to the other.

Stands out #

Means #

For me #

Prayer #

Prayer Requests #

Answered / Updates #

Meeting Notes #

I read some of John 12 the morning of the meeting, not on our list but Judas’ posture towards the espensive nard that Mary used to annoint is hilarious to me - very commie “why wasn’t this thing of mine used for someone else NOT sold and the money given to me to distribute to others as I see fit”

Men’s Group - Week 34

2026-09-07T06:00:00Z

Week 34 — September 6 – 12, 2026

Meeting: Friday, September 11 #

Memory Verse: Philippians 4:19 #

Philippians 4:19

And my God will supply all your needs according to His glorious riches in Christ Jesus.

Readings #

Day 1: John 6
Day 2: Matthew 19:16-30
Day 3: Luke 15-16
Day 4: Luke 17:11-37
Day 5: Mark 10

Day 1 — John 6 #

John 6

After this, Jesus crossed to the other side of the Sea of Galilee (that is, the Sea of Tiberias).
A large crowd followed Him because they saw the signs He was performing on the sick.
Then Jesus went up on the mountain and sat down with His disciples.
Now the Jewish Feast of the Passover was near.
When Jesus looked up and saw a large crowd coming toward Him, He said to Philip, “Where can we buy bread for these people to eat?”
But He was asking this to test him, for He knew what He was about to do.
Philip answered, “Two hundred denarii would not buy enough bread for each of them to have a small piece.”
One of His disciples, Andrew, Simon Peter’s brother, said to Him,
“Here is a boy with five barley loaves and two small fish. But what difference will these make among so many?”
“Have the people sit down,” Jesus said. Now there was plenty of grass in that place, so the men sat down, about five thousand of them.
Then Jesus took the loaves and the fish, gave thanks, and distributed to those who were seated as much as they wanted.
And when everyone was full, He said to His disciples, “Gather the pieces that are left over, so that nothing will be wasted.”
So they collected them and filled twelve baskets with the pieces of the five barley loaves left over by those who had eaten.
When the people saw the sign that Jesus had performed, they began to say, “Truly this is the Prophet who is to come into the world.”
Then Jesus, realizing that they were about to come and make Him king by force, withdrew again to a mountain by Himself.
When evening came, His disciples went down to the sea,
got into a boat, and started across the sea to Capernaum. It was already dark, and Jesus had not yet gone out to them.
A strong wind was blowing, and the sea grew agitated.
When they had rowed about three or four miles, they saw Jesus approaching the boat, walking on the sea—and they were terrified.
But Jesus spoke up: “It is I; do not be afraid.”
Then they were willing to take Him into the boat, and at once the boat reached the shore where they were heading.
The next day, the crowd that had remained on the other side of the sea realized that only one boat had been there, and that Jesus had not boarded it with His disciples, but they had gone away alone.
However, some boats from Tiberias landed near the place where the people had eaten the bread after the Lord had given thanks.
So when the crowd saw that neither Jesus nor His disciples were there, they got into the boats and went to Capernaum to look for Him.
When they found Him on the other side of the sea, they asked Him, “Rabbi, when did You get here?”
Jesus replied, “Truly, truly, I tell you, it is not because you saw these signs that you are looking for Me, but because you ate the loaves and had your fill.
Do not work for food that perishes, but for food that endures to eternal life, which the Son of Man will give you. For on Him God the Father has placed His seal of approval.”
Then they inquired, “What must we do to perform the works of God?”
Jesus replied, “The work of God is this: to believe in the One He has sent.”
So they asked Him, “What sign then will You perform, so that we may see it and believe You? What will You do?
Our fathers ate the manna in the wilderness, as it is written: ‘He gave them bread from heaven to eat.’”
Jesus said to them, “Truly, truly, I tell you, it was not Moses who gave you the bread from heaven, but it is My Father who gives you the true bread from heaven.
For the bread of God is He who comes down from heaven and gives life to the world.”
“Sir,” they said, “give us this bread at all times.”
Jesus answered, “I am the bread of life. Whoever comes to Me will never hunger, and whoever believes in Me will never thirst.
But as I stated, you have seen Me and still you do not believe.
Everyone the Father gives Me will come to Me, and the one who comes to Me I will never drive away.
For I have come down from heaven, not to do My own will, but to do the will of Him who sent Me.
And this is the will of Him who sent Me, that I shall lose none of those He has given Me, but raise them up at the last day.
For it is My Father’s will that everyone who looks to the Son and believes in Him shall have eternal life, and I will raise him up at the last day.”
At this, the Jews began to grumble about Jesus because He had said, “I am the bread that came down from heaven.”
They were asking, “Is this not Jesus, the son of Joseph, whose father and mother we know? How then can He say, ‘I have come down from heaven?’”
“Stop grumbling among yourselves,” Jesus replied.
“No one can come to Me unless the Father who sent Me draws him, and I will raise him up at the last day.
It is written in the Prophets: ‘And they will all be taught by God.’ Everyone who has heard the Father and learned from Him comes to Me—
not that anyone has seen the Father except the One who is from God; only He has seen the Father.
Truly, truly, I tell you, he who believes has eternal life.
I am the bread of life.
Your fathers ate the manna in the wilderness, yet they died.
This is the bread that comes down from heaven, so that anyone may eat of it and not die.
I am the living bread that came down from heaven. If anyone eats of this bread, he will live forever. And this bread, which I will give for the life of the world, is My flesh.”
At this, the Jews began to argue among themselves, “How can this man give us His flesh to eat?”
So Jesus said to them, “Truly, truly, I tell you, unless you eat the flesh and drink the blood of the Son of Man, you have no life in you.
Whoever eats My flesh and drinks My blood has eternal life, and I will raise him up at the last day.
For My flesh is real food, and My blood is real drink.
Whoever eats My flesh and drinks My blood remains in Me, and I in him.
Just as the living Father sent Me and I live because of the Father, so also the one who feeds on Me will live because of Me.
This is the bread that came down from heaven. Unlike your fathers, who ate the manna and died, the one who eats this bread will live forever.”
Jesus said this while teaching in the synagogue in Capernaum.
On hearing it, many of His disciples said, “This is a difficult teaching. Who can accept it?”
Aware that His disciples were grumbling about this teaching, Jesus asked them, “Does this offend you?
Then what will happen if you see the Son of Man ascend to where He was before?
The Spirit gives life; the flesh profits nothing. The words I have spoken to you are spirit and they are life.
However, there are some of you who do not believe.” (For Jesus had known from the beginning which of them did not believe and who would betray Him.)
Then Jesus said, “This is why I told you that no one can come to Me unless the Father has granted it to him.”
From that time on many of His disciples turned back and no longer walked with Him.
So Jesus asked the Twelve, “Do you want to leave too?”
Simon Peter replied, “Lord, to whom would we go? You have the words of eternal life.
We believe and know that You are the Holy One of God.”
Jesus answered them, “Have I not chosen you, the Twelve? Yet one of you is a devil!”
He was speaking about Judas, the son of Simon Iscariot. For although Judas was one of the Twelve, he was later to betray Jesus.

Day 2 — Matthew 19:16-30 #

Matthew 19:16-30

Just then a man came up to Jesus and inquired, “Teacher, what good thing must I do to obtain eternal life?”
“Why do you ask Me about what is good?” Jesus replied. “There is only One who is good. If you want to enter life, keep the commandments.”
“Which ones?” the man asked. Jesus answered, “‘Do not murder, do not commit adultery, do not steal, do not bear false witness,
honor your father and mother, and love your neighbor as yourself.’”
“All these I have kept,” said the young man. “What do I still lack?”
Jesus told him, “If you want to be perfect, go, sell your possessions and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven. Then come, follow Me.”
When the young man heard this, he went away in sorrow, because he had great wealth.
Then Jesus said to His disciples, “Truly I tell you, it is hard for a rich man to enter the kingdom of heaven.
Again I tell you, it is easier for a camel to pass through the eye of a needle than for a rich man to enter the kingdom of God.”
When the disciples heard this, they were greatly astonished and asked, “Who then can be saved?”
Jesus looked at them and said, “With man this is impossible, but with God all things are possible.”
“Look,” Peter replied, “we have left everything to follow You. What then will there be for us?”
Jesus said to them, “Truly I tell you, in the renewal of all things, when the Son of Man sits on His glorious throne, you who have followed Me will also sit on twelve thrones, judging the twelve tribes of Israel.
And everyone who has left houses or brothers or sisters or father or mother or wife or children or fields for the sake of My name will receive a hundredfold and will inherit eternal life.
But many who are first will be last, and the last will be first.

Day 3 — Luke 15-16 #

Luke 15

Now all the tax collectors and sinners were gathering around to listen to Jesus.
So the Pharisees and scribes began to grumble: “This man welcomes sinners and eats with them.”
Then Jesus told them this parable:
“What man among you, if he has a hundred sheep and loses one of them, does not leave the ninety-nine in the pasture and go after the one that is lost, until he finds it?
And when he finds it, he joyfully puts it on his shoulders,
comes home, and calls together his friends and neighbors to tell them, ‘Rejoice with me, for I have found my lost sheep!’
I tell you that in the same way there will be more joy in heaven over one sinner who repents than over ninety-nine righteous ones who do not need to repent.
Or what woman who has ten silver coins and loses one of them does not light a lamp, sweep her house, and search carefully until she finds it?
And when she finds it, she calls together her friends and neighbors to say, ‘Rejoice with me, for I have found my lost coin.’
In the same way, I tell you, there is joy in the presence of God’s angels over one sinner who repents.”
Then Jesus said, “There was a man who had two sons.
The younger son said to him, ‘Father, give me my share of the estate.’ So he divided his property between them.
After a few days, the younger son got everything together and journeyed to a distant country, where he squandered his wealth in wild living.
After he had spent all he had, a severe famine swept through that country, and he began to be in need.
So he went and hired himself out to a citizen of that country, who sent him into his fields to feed the pigs.
He longed to fill his belly with the pods the pigs were eating, but no one would give him a thing.
Finally he came to his senses and said, ‘How many of my father’s hired servants have plenty of food, but here I am, starving to death!
I will get up and go back to my father and say to him, “Father, I have sinned against heaven and against you.
I am no longer worthy to be called your son. Make me like one of your hired servants.”’
So he got up and went to his father. But while he was still in the distance, his father saw him and was filled with compassion. He ran to his son, embraced him, and kissed him.
The son declared, ‘Father, I have sinned against heaven and against you. I am no longer worthy to be called your son.’
But the father said to his servants, ‘Quick! Bring the best robe and put it on him. Put a ring on his finger and sandals on his feet.
Bring the fattened calf and kill it. Let us feast and celebrate.
For this son of mine was dead and is alive again! He was lost and is found!’ So they began to celebrate.
Meanwhile the older son was in the field, and as he approached the house, he heard music and dancing.
So he called one of the servants and asked what was going on.
‘Your brother has returned,’ he said, ‘and your father has killed the fattened calf, because he has him back safe and sound.’
The older son became angry and refused to go in. So his father came out and pleaded with him.
But he answered his father, ‘Look, all these years I have served you and never disobeyed a commandment of yours. Yet you never gave me even a young goat so I could celebrate with my friends.
But when this son of yours returns from squandering your wealth with prostitutes, you kill the fattened calf for him!’
‘Son, you are always with me,’ the father said, ‘and all that is mine is yours.
But it was fitting to celebrate and be glad, because this brother of yours was dead and is alive again; he was lost and is found.’”

Luke 16

Jesus also said to His disciples, “There was a rich man whose manager was accused of wasting his possessions.
So he called him in to ask, ‘What is this I hear about you? Turn in an account of your management, for you cannot be manager any longer.’
The manager said to himself, ‘What shall I do, now that my master is taking away my position? I am too weak to dig and too ashamed to beg.
I know what I will do so that after my removal from management, people will welcome me into their homes.’
And he called in each one of his master’s debtors. ‘How much do you owe my master?’ he asked the first.
‘A hundred measures of olive oil,’ he answered. ‘Take your bill,’ said the manager, ‘sit down quickly, and write fifty.’
Then he asked another, ‘And how much do you owe?’ ‘A hundred measures of wheat,’ he replied. ‘Take your bill and write eighty,’ he told him.
The master commended the dishonest manager because he had acted shrewdly. For the sons of this age are more shrewd in dealing with their own kind than are the sons of light.
I tell you, use worldly wealth to make friends for yourselves so that when it is gone, they will welcome you into eternal dwellings.
Whoever is faithful with very little will also be faithful with much, and whoever is dishonest with very little will also be dishonest with much.
So if you have not been faithful with worldly wealth, who will entrust you with true riches?
And if you have not been faithful with the belongings of another, who will give you belongings of your own?
No servant can serve two masters. Either he will hate the one and love the other, or he will be devoted to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve both God and money.”
The Pharisees, who were lovers of money, heard all of this and were scoffing at Jesus.
So He said to them, “You are the ones who justify yourselves before men, but God knows your hearts. For what is prized among men is detestable before God.
The Law and the Prophets were proclaimed until John. Since that time, the gospel of the kingdom of God is being preached, and everyone is forcing his way into it.
But it is easier for heaven and earth to pass away than for a single stroke of a pen to drop out of the Law.
Anyone who divorces his wife and marries another woman commits adultery, and he who marries a divorced woman commits adultery.
Now there was a rich man dressed in purple and fine linen, who lived each day in joyous splendor.
And a beggar named Lazarus lay at his gate, covered with sores
and longing to be fed with the crumbs that fell from the rich man’s table. Even the dogs came and licked his sores.
One day the beggar died and was carried by the angels to Abraham’s side. And the rich man also died and was buried.
In Hades, where he was in torment, he looked up and saw Abraham from afar, with Lazarus by his side.
So he cried out, ‘Father Abraham, have mercy on me and send Lazarus to dip the tip of his finger in water and cool my tongue. For I am in agony in this fire.’
But Abraham answered, ‘Child, remember that during your lifetime you received your good things, while Lazarus received bad things. But now he is comforted here, while you are in agony.
And besides all this, a great chasm has been fixed between us and you, so that even those who wish cannot cross from here to you, nor can anyone cross from there to us.’
‘Then I beg you, father,’ he said, ‘send Lazarus to my father’’s house,
for I have five brothers. Let him warn them, so that they will not also end up in this place of torment.’
But Abraham replied, ‘They have Moses and the Prophets; let your brothers listen to them.’
‘No, father Abraham,’ he said, ‘but if someone is sent to them from the dead, they will repent.’
Then Abraham said to him, ‘If they do not listen to Moses and the Prophets, they will not be persuaded even if someone rises from the dead.’”

Day 4 — Luke 17:11-37 #

Luke 17:11-37

While Jesus was on His way to Jerusalem, He was passing between Samaria and Galilee.
As He entered one of the villages, He was met by ten lepers. They stood at a distance
and raised their voices, shouting, “Jesus, Master, have mercy on us!”
When Jesus saw them, He said, “Go, show yourselves to the priests.” And as they were on their way, they were cleansed.
When one of them saw that he was healed, he came back, praising God in a loud voice.
He fell facedown at Jesus’ feet in thanksgiving to Him—and he was a Samaritan.
“Were not all ten cleansed?” Jesus asked. “Where then are the other nine?
Was no one found except this foreigner to return and give glory to God?”
Then Jesus said to him, “Rise and go; your faith has made you well!”
When asked by the Pharisees when the kingdom of God would come, Jesus replied, “The kingdom of God will not come with observable signs.
Nor will people say, ‘Look, here it is,’ or ‘There it is.’ For you see, the kingdom of God is in your midst.”
Then He said to the disciples, “The time is coming when you will long to see one of the days of the Son of Man, but you will not see it.
People will tell you, ‘Look, there He is!’ or ‘Look, here He is!’ Do not go out or chase after them.
For just as the lightning flashes and lights up the sky from one end to the other, so will be the Son of Man in His day.
But first He must suffer many things and be rejected by this generation.
Just as it was in the days of Noah, so also will it be in the days of the Son of Man:
People were eating and drinking, marrying and being given in marriage, up to the day Noah entered the ark. Then the flood came and destroyed them all.
It was the same in the days of Lot: People were eating and drinking, buying and selling, planting and building.
But on the day Lot left Sodom, fire and sulfur rained down from heaven and destroyed them all.
It will be just like that on the day the Son of Man is revealed.
On that day, let no one on the housetop come down to retrieve his possessions. Likewise, let no one in the field return for anything he has left behind.
Remember Lot’s wife!
Whoever tries to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life will preserve it.
I tell you, on that night two people will be in one bed: one will be taken and the other left.
Two women will be grinding grain together: one will be taken and the other left.”
“Where, Lord?” they asked. Jesus answered, “Wherever there is a carcass, there the vultures will gather.”

Day 5 — Mark 10 #

Mark 10

Then Jesus left that place and went into the region of Judea, beyond the Jordan. Again the crowds came to Him and He taught them, as was His custom.
Some Pharisees came to test Him. “Is it lawful for a man to divorce his wife?” they inquired.
“What did Moses command you?” He replied.
They answered, “Moses permitted a man to write his wife a certificate of divorce and send her away.”
But Jesus told them, “Moses wrote this commandment for you because of your hardness of heart.
However, from the beginning of creation, ‘God made them male and female.’
‘For this reason a man will leave his father and mother and be united to his wife,
and the two will become one flesh.’ So they are no longer two, but one flesh.
Therefore what God has joined together, let man not separate.”
When they were back inside the house, the disciples asked Jesus about this matter.
So He told them, “Whoever divorces his wife and marries another woman commits adultery against her.
And if a woman divorces her husband and marries another man, she commits adultery.”
Now people were bringing the little children to Jesus for Him to place His hands on them, and the disciples rebuked those who brought them.
But when Jesus saw this, He was indignant and told them, “Let the little children come to Me, and do not hinder them! For the kingdom of God belongs to such as these.
Truly I tell you, anyone who does not receive the kingdom of God like a little child will never enter it.”
And He took the children in His arms, placed His hands on them, and blessed them.
As Jesus started on His way, a man ran up and knelt before Him. “Good Teacher,” he asked, “what must I do to inherit eternal life?”
“Why do you call Me good?” Jesus replied. “No one is good except God alone.
You know the commandments: ‘Do not murder, do not commit adultery, do not steal, do not bear false witness, do not cheat others, honor your father and mother.’”
“Teacher,” he replied, “all these I have kept from my youth.”
Jesus looked at him, loved him, and said to him, “There is one thing you lack: Go, sell everything you own and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven. Then come, follow Me.”
But the man was saddened by these words and went away in sorrow, because he had great wealth.
Then Jesus looked around and said to His disciples, “How hard it is for the rich to enter the kingdom of God!”
And the disciples were amazed at His words. But Jesus said to them again, “Children, how hard it is to enter the kingdom of God!
It is easier for a camel to pass through the eye of a needle than for a rich man to enter the kingdom of God.”
They were even more astonished and said to one another, “Who then can be saved?”
Jesus looked at them and said, “With man this is impossible, but not with God. For all things are possible with God.”
Peter began to say to Him, “Look, we have left everything and followed You.”
“Truly I tell you,” Jesus replied, “no one who has left home or brothers or sisters or mother or father or children or fields for My sake and for the gospel
will fail to receive a hundredfold in the present age—houses and brothers and sisters and mothers and children and fields, along with persecutions—and in the age to come, eternal life.
But many who are first will be last, and the last will be first.”
As they were going up the road to Jerusalem, Jesus was walking ahead of them. The disciples were amazed, but those who followed were afraid. Again Jesus took the Twelve aside and began to tell them what was going to happen to Him:
“Look, we are going up to Jerusalem, and the Son of Man will be delivered over to the chief priests and scribes. They will condemn Him to death and will deliver Him over to the Gentiles,
who will mock Him and spit on Him and flog Him and kill Him. And after three days He will rise again.”
Then James and John, the sons of Zebedee, came to Jesus and declared, “Teacher, we want You to do for us whatever we ask.”
“What do you want Me to do for you?” He inquired.
They answered, “Grant that one of us may sit at Your right hand and the other at Your left in Your glory.”
“You do not know what you are asking,” Jesus replied. “Can you drink the cup I will drink, or be baptized with the baptism I will undergo?”
“We can,” the brothers answered. “You will drink the cup that I drink,” Jesus said, “and you will be baptized with the baptism that I undergo.
But to sit at My right or left is not Mine to grant. These seats belong to those for whom they have been prepared.”
When the ten heard about this, they became indignant with James and John.
So Jesus called them together and said, “You know that those regarded as rulers of the Gentiles lord it over them, and their superiors exercise authority over them.
But it shall not be this way among you. Instead, whoever wants to become great among you must be your servant,
and whoever wants to be first must be the slave of all.
For even the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give His life as a ransom for many.”
Next, they came to Jericho. And as Jesus and His disciples were leaving Jericho with a large crowd, a blind beggar named Bartimaeus, the son of Timaeus, was sitting beside the road.
When he heard that it was Jesus of Nazareth, he began to cry out, “Jesus, Son of David, have mercy on me!”
Many people admonished him to be silent, but he cried out all the louder, “Son of David, have mercy on me!”
Jesus stopped and said, “Call him.” So they called the blind man. “Take courage!” they said. “Get up! He is calling for you.”
Throwing off his cloak, Bartimaeus jumped up and came to Jesus.
“What do you want Me to do for you?” Jesus asked.
“Rabboni,” said the blind man, “let me see again.”
“Go,” said Jesus, “your faith has healed you.” And immediately he received his sight and followed Jesus along the road.

Weekly Journal #

Stands out #

Day 1 — John 6 #

“Here is a boy with five barley loaves and two small fish. But what difference will these make among so many?”
Jesus replied, “The work of God is this: to believe in the One He has sent.”
Everyone the Father gives Me will come to Me, and the one who comes to Me I will never drive away.

Day 4 — Luke 17:11-37 #

When Jesus saw them, He said, “Go, show yourselves to the priests.” And as they were on their way, they were cleansed.
When one of them saw that he was healed, he came back, praising God in a loud voice.
He fell facedown at Jesus’ feet in thanksgiving to Him—and he was a Samaritan.
“Were not all ten cleansed?” Jesus asked. “Where then are the other nine?
Was no one found except this foreigner to return and give glory to God?”
Then Jesus said to him, “Rise and go; your faith has made you well!”

Means #

Day 1 — John 6 #

everything comes from the Lord - God gives every single sgood thing in his own way.

Day 4 — Luke 17:11-37 #

Obedience is a gift of faith - and a medium by which God works

For me #

Day 4 — Luke 17:11-37 #

God’s blessing is within his sovereign will to pour out. He has clearly had so much favor on me… why would I squandor it?

Prayer #

Prayer Requests #

Answered / Updates #

Meeting Notes #

FWBG - Genesis - 4.1

2026-06-18T06:31:23Z

The Fall is worthy of grieving. The story in the Bible explains the state of humanity, and I think we can grieve humanity’s state just via observation today. But the beauty of the Gospel of Jesus Christ is that with grieving and mourning there is hope and redemption

FWBG - Genesis - 3.3

2026-05-31T07:12:49Z

On the Fall #

The consequences of the fall were immediate and great:

shame (humans recognize their nakedness and cover up)
separation (humans are banished from Paradise/Eden)

When I have nothing to hide, and I’m completing my work both at home and my job to a degree that I’m satisfied with results, then shame and anxiety seem so small.

God gives grace to people, and he offered grace in the beginning as one of his responses to sin.

I can’t help but recognize the wrestle with the reality of the Fall, and I don’t mean the state of human today - I think we’re clearly fallen. But I mean the record in Genesis 3… I think Genesis 1-11 tells a story to explain human history but doesn’t necessarily give us a play-by-play transcription of that history. So I need to personally be careful in how much analysis I do of the physical reality of Genesis 3 and be sure to filter my perception of it through the lens of the rest of the Bible.

Jesus is the snake-crusher promised in 3:9, and he offers grace every day for sin to those he loves.

May Jesus today grant me grace to work hard but have the right perspective. The things I stress about in my life, I’m afraid are less important, less weighty than the weight of anxiety they cause. Perhaps the anxiety I am dealing with is a direct result of the Fall, and it continues as I hide away or try to give time and energy to the wrong things.

God’s Zeal for Justice Amont Men Displayed in the Divine Counsel

2026-05-31T07:12:40Z

link to sermon

Psalm 82

1 God stands in the divine assembly; he administers judgment in the midst of the gods. 2 “How long will you judge unjustly and show favoritism to the wicked? Selah 3 Judge on behalf of the helpless and the orphan; provide justice to the afflicted and the poor. 4 Rescue the helpless and the needy; deliver them from the hand of the wicked.” 5 They do not know or consider. They go about in the darkness, so that all the foundations of the earth are shaken. 6 I have said, “You are gods, and sons of the Most High, all of you. 7 However, you will die like men, and you will fall like one of the princes.” 8 Rise up, O God, judge the earth, because you shall inherit all the nations.

Ephesians 1:15-22

15 Because of this I also, hearing of your faith in the Lord Jesus and your love for all the saints, 16 do not cease giving thanks for you, making mention in my prayers, 17 that the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the glorious Father, may give you a spirit of wisdom and revelation in the knowledge of him 18 (the eyes of your hearts having been enlightened), so that you may know what is the hope of his calling, what are the riches of the glory of his inheritance among the saints, 19 and what is the surpassing greatness of his power toward us who believe, according to the working of his mighty strength 20 which he has worked in Christ, raising him from the dead and seating him at his right hand in the heavenly places, 21 above all rule and authority and power and lordship and every name named, not only in this age but also in the coming one, 22 and he subjected all things under his feet and gave him as head over all things to the church, 23 which is his body, the fullness of the one who fills all things in every way.

Ephesians 2:4-7

4 But God, being rich in mercy, because of his great love with which he loved us, 5 and we being dead in trespasses, he made us alive together with Christ (by grace you are saved), 6 and raised us together and seated us together in the heavenly places in Christ Jesus, 7 in order that he might show in the coming ages the surpassing riches of his grace in kindness upon us in Christ Jesus.

Running thoughts #

Seated in the Heavently Places with Christ Jesus #

We are aware of the idea of resurrection, and Christ’s resurrection. We know for those born-again that we’ll be raised heavenward.

What about “seated”? We are seated with Christ, this is royalty language - describes the right to rule, reign, and judge.

So when Paul tells the Ephesian saints that they’ve been seated with Christ in the heavenly places…. what does it mean right now?

We are “there” with him (Jesus), right now - seated, ruling with Christ.

Founding of the Divine Council #

Job 38:4-7

4 “Where were you at my laying the foundation of the earth? Tell me, if you possess understanding. 5 Who determined its measurement? Yes, you do know. Or who stretched the measuring line upon it? 6 On what were its bases sunk? Or who laid its cornerstone, 7 when the morning stars were singing together and all the sons of God shouted for joy?

When the morning stars were singing together and all the sons of God shouted for joy… divine language, beings already in existence when the foundations of the earth were laid.

Job 1:6

And it happened one day that the sons of God came to present themselves before Yahweh, and Satan also came into their midst.

Job 2:1

And then one day the sons of God came to present themselves before Yahweh, and Satan also came into their midst to present himself before Yahweh.

The “sons of God”. They present themselves before God, and they’re different than other spiritual beings like Cherubim. These beings have some function apart from God’s immediate presence, thus they gather to present themselves (not that they were/are always there like the throne guardians)

Deuteronomy 32:7-9

7 Remember the old days, the years long past; ask your father, and he will inform you, your elders and they will tell you. 8 When the Most High apportioned the nations, at his dividing up of the sons of humankind, he fixed the boundaries of the peoples, according to the number of the sons of God. 9 For Yahweh’s portion was his people, Jacob the share of his inheritance.

Moses is referencing Genesis 10/11, The Tower of Babel. There was 1 language, but humans decided to build a name for themselves rather than obey God’s commands, so Yahweh confused their language and scattered them. Moses adds the commentary that the “borders of the people” were fixed “according to the number of the sons of God”. The Divine Council was given the job of ruling over the scattered people, to lead them back to Yahweh.

Yahweh creates a new inheritance for himself through Jacob (Abram -> Israel)

A note about Yahweh’s character - he freely delegates to his creation (human and divine) responsiblities as it pertains to ruling creation. No one forced Yahweh to do this delegation, he has every right to rule as an authoritative dictator since he is the creator of all things, but he partners with his creation, even in their failures.

Failing of the Divine Council #

Now to the spiritual gods over the nations, he says:

Psalm 82:2

“How long will you judge unjustly and show favoritism to the wicked? Selah

They were supposed to govern righteously

Psalm 82:3-4

3 Judge on behalf of the helpless and the orphan; provide justice to the afflicted and the poor. 4 Rescue the helpless and the needy; deliver them from the hand of the wicked.”

There are appropriate penalties for judgement. The duty was to protect the weak and provide justice. The goal was for the vulnerable to be delievered from the hands of the wicked.

Bob summarizes with some modern language: crime prevention and crime punishnment. These are the mechanisms by which the wicked are kept in check, and it’s through no other means (re: the history of every civilization ever)

Verse 5, the Psalmist continues and the “they” are the subordinates - the people of the world placed under the ruling of the gods.

Psalm 82:5

They do not know or consider. They go about in the darkness, so that all the foundations of the earth are shaken.

God is saying to his council, “They (the humans) do not know. They don’t know how to rules or judge, look at them and you have ruled poorly, you have allowed injustice to reign rather than rule and reign yourself and the victims in this are the helpless humans and rest of creation”

ie. the sons of God in the divine council are partly to blame for the people’s moral ignorance. If the people aren’t ruled in a way that leads to morality, corruption takes over. Because it has, the judgement of the divine council comes next:

Psalm 82:6-7

6 I have said, “You are gods, and sons of the Most High, all of you. 7 However, you will die like men, and you will fall like one of the princes.”

God's zeal for justice is clear

He will judge his own council to death for their failures.

Fulfilling of the Divine Council #

The fulfilment of the divine council is found in Jesus. Yahweh comes himself to govern rightly.

The fulfilment happens at Jesus’ Ascension - Matthew 28.

The Ascension from Heaven’s perspective is in Daniel 7.

Daniel 7:13-14

13 “I continued watching in the visions of the night, and look, with the clouds of heaven one like a son of man was coming, and he came to the Ancient of Days, and was presented before him. 14 And to him was given dominion and glory and kingship that all the peoples, the nations, and languages would serve him; his dominion is a dominion without end that will not cease, and his kingdom is one that will not be destroyed.

Confirmed agin in Ephesians 1

Ephesians 1:20-23

20 which he has worked in Christ, raising him from the dead and seating him at his right hand in the heavenly places, 21 above all rule and authority and power and lordship and every name named, not only in this age but also in the coming one, 22 and he subjected all things under his feet and gave him as head over all things to the church, 23 which is his body, the fullness of the one who fills all things in every way.

Jesus’ seat is above all rule and authority and power and lordship and every name named.

Through Jesus we, believers, are ‘sons of God’. The Divine Council’s failure to govern the nations well should be somewhat of a warning to us, and an affirmation of our calling to rule the earth well. Those who love Jesus, in the same way the 70 sons of God were supposed to lead the nations back to the Lord, are to be agents of rescue for the weak and the needy. Jesus gives us this ministry.

Sancity of Life #

No one is weaker than the unborn. The fallen sons of God were given a harsh judgement for their failure to govern justly. Christians are the “new” sons of God, we are the ones with the charge and authority to govern well. What do I do with the authority and responsibility God has given me to protect the weak?

meditate on God’s zeal for justice
do not forget the unborn in prayer (I need to pray more in general anyways)

FWBG - Genesis - 3.2

2026-05-27T07:02:50Z

Resist Temptation #

Eve was tempted by sin by litening to the great deceiver. But it wasn’t just that she heard the serpent, she participated in the conversation, she entertained the snake, and she meditated/directed her thoughts and eyes towards the objects of desire and the serpent rather than her God.
The woman saw that the tree was good for food and it was a delight to the eyes

2 Corinthians 10:3-5

3 For although we are living in the flesh, we do not wage war according to the flesh, 4 for the weapons of our warfare are not merely human, but powerful to God for the tearing down of fortresses, tearing down arguments 5 and all pride that is raised up against the knowledge of God, and taking every thought captive to the obedience of Christ.

The woman did not resist, she gave in. She entertained the thought of the fruit, gazed at it with her eyes, and decided to listen to the serpent and ultimately herself, rather than God
Sin is a matter of the heart, of looking inward into our own experiences and what we see with our own eyes, rather than what we heard from the Lord.
We will all see things with our eyes that are pleasing to us, and good for one thing or another.

Judges 21:25

In those days there was no king in Israel; each one did what was right in his own eyes.

Scariest Bible verse - everyone did what was right in his own eyes
Goodness comes from doing what’s right in God’s eyes, not our own

FWBG - Genesis - 1.2

2026-05-24T07:05:23Z

Theological Implicationf of Creation #

“Let there be…” God’s Word is the agency of creation
Jesus commanded Lazarus to come out of the grave

John 11:41–44

41 So they took away the stone. And Jesus lifted up his eyes above and said, “Father, I give thanks to you that you hear me. 42 And I know that you always hear me, but for the sake of the crowd standing around I said it, so that they may believe that you sent me.” 43 And when he had said these things, he cried out with a loud voice, “Lazarus, come out!” 44 The one who had died came out, his feet and his hands bound with strips of cloth, and his face wrapped with a facecloth. Jesus said to them, “Untie him and let him go.”

Jesus calmed the storm

Mark 4:35–40

35 And on that day, when it was evening, he said to them, “Let us cross over to the other side.” 36 And leaving the crowd, they took him along, as he was, in the boat. And other boats were with him. 37 And a great storm of wind developed, and the waves were breaking into the boat, so that the boat was already being filled with water. 38 And he was in the stern sleeping on the cushion, and they woke him up and said to him, “Teacher, is it not a concern to you that we are perishing?” 39 And he woke up and rebuked the wind, and said to the sea, “Be quiet! Be silent!” And the wind abated and there was a great calm. 40 And he said to them, “Why are you fearful? Do you not yet have faith?”

God created - the implication is that creation belongs to him, and if he wishes then creation is accountable to him
Man is in cluded in creation, Man is accountable to God, and Man has a way to God through Jesus

FWBG - Genesis - 1.1

2026-05-17T07:26:23Z

The stars are the work of God’s fingers:

Psalm 8:3

When I look at your heavens, the work of your fingers, the moon and the stars which you set in place—

But salvation is the work of his right hand:

Psalm 98:1

Sing to Yahweh a new song, for he has done wonders. His right hand and his holy arm have secured his victory.

In Genesis 1, God created the Heavens and the earth. He brings order to chaos.

How can we bring order to chaos? #

cleaning the playroom

How can we rest? #

enjoy the creation God has given us
rejoice in salvation, rejoicing brings refreshment to the soul

Reflection - Psalm 30:5

2026-05-13T08:11:22Z

Meditation #

Psalm 30:5

For there is a moment in his anger; there is a lifetime in his favor. Weeping lodges for the evening, but in the morning comes rejoicing.

I’m not sure how to feel about the thoughts in my head over this verse and meditation this morning, only because I am so tempted to read my present-life situation into it. Lately work has been the worst, I’ve written a few notes about it and I’m not even sure what I’ve published on my own blog over the last couple months because my brain has been in such chaos. Well, a few things changed in regards to leadership, goals, etc. and the anxiety-inducing situation I was thrust into I was kind of thrust out of. Now, there’s some lingering work and support but the weight that was lifted from my shoulder the other day, and the further relief I actually expect to feel as the corporate roadmaps get serialized into dozens of PowerPoint presentations to be lost in Outlook mailboxes, is very timely with the notion that “joy comes in the morning”.

I found myself wishing for joy the other day… I was watching a YouTube video and the clip used the phrase “operationalize joy”. It was a guy talking about how he tries to live each day doing what makes him happy - overall nothing too sinister. However, the step I took for a few minutes in my head was a step in the direction of trying to maximize joy in my life, rather than trying to maximize Jesus - the one who gives the joy. By God’s grace conviction seized my heart, and frankly I’m still not sure what to do day-to-day as I wrestle with my own “stuff” but the objective truth that our reality is fundamentally held together by is simply Jesus Christ. Jesus loves me, joy does come in the morning, and this Psalm wasn’t written to me about my work situation in 2026, but God’s peace is given to his people through his everlasting word. Praise the Lord for the Word this morning, for encouragement, for relief both temporary/today and eternal/tomorrow. By God’s grace alone does weeping spend the night, but his gracious joy comes with the morning.

Reflection - John 14:21

2026-05-13T06:22:40Z

Meditation #

John 14:21

The one who has my commandments and keeps them—that one is the one who loves me. And the one who loves me will be loved by my Father, and I will love him and will reveal myself to him.”

The Lord reveals himself… it’s not more complicated than that. I’ve spent years in apologetics (defending the faith), learning and regurgitating argument after logical argument for God’s existence, historical defense for the resurrection of Jesus, etc. I think Christianity is objectively difficult to reject with all the data in front of you. At the same time, Jesus and the Bible are clear that God’s wisdom is folly to man, and no man can understand without being born again (John 10:6). So, I think there’s real biblical wisdom and truth that says the opposite of what I think about the evidence for Jesus as Lord. That’s OK, because I my thoughts are for and about myself, I am born again and the story, at least the story of my salvation, is clear to me, by God’s grace. It’s through that studying and those experiences that he has revealed himself to me. I know of others who never read the Bible but Jesus came to them in a dream - perhaps this is even more compelling than historical data… Jesus reveals himself to his own people in a way that reveals salvation to each of them/us. The Father gives his inheritance to Jesus (us, believers) and none will be lost. Praise God for saving me, and praise the Lord for all the different mechanisms by which he ushers his people unto himself, through the only door to heaven (John 10).

Reflection - John 16:33

2026-05-03T07:43:54Z

related: Advent - John 16:33

I re-read my advent reflection and by God’s grace I was in a different frame of mind then. The loss of mindset is certainly on me and me alone for letting things of the world crush me so much lately. The affliction Jesus mentions in John I don’t think is the affliction I currently feel over work and chaotic circumstances. It feels so silly to even put my stupid computer job in the same thought as Jesus talking about his victory over the grave but at the same time perhaps there’s pastoral wisdom to challenge that thought… why isn’t the stress and anxiety I feel over anything in my life exactly what Jesus is referring to?

Sure, the immediate context is his crucifixion and Peter’s denial of him. But as I drop my thoughts into this magic computer box, what’s so different about me? Right now the thing that I can’t get away from is work, and it’s not even a volume thing it’s just a constant stressful unknown - I could list off all the reasons but do they matter? I think they matter in-so-far as I am dealing with them, but ultimately work is just a job and even in light of doing objectively good things for the world nothing is so good as what Jesus has done for me. So the specifics of the stress of my work just cannot be the thing to focus on - every moment that I’m more torn up about lack of requirements, or a deadline, or something I don’t understand is a moment where I’m giving up myself to another master and that is nothing but idolotry… I do not worship my work, I don’t ascribe a ton of worth to the things I do for Caterpillar, but I certainly give myself over to constant fretting over it, and I struggle to do some of my work in a meaningful way. Honestly, the affliction in my life today feels very self-inflicted and if I can make the choice to give myself over to the stress of my job, in a reality where Jesus has saved me from everything, why do I not make the choice to give myself over to him? He has made it so clear that victory over the world is his and his to give and share with his people.

This post is almost just a hope that Jesus guides my thoughts into this digital paper for my own benefit, for my own affirmation of his victory of the world, and that the stress of my job is included in the world he’s victorious over.

I find that in seasons of my life where there isn’t a super active regular consistent ball of stress sitting in my chest, that it’s easy to think about when I used to be stressed and to say “praise God for bringing me through that” or to look back on it with perspective and think “it wasn’t so bad as I thought and Jesus sustained me”… and no doubt about it, Jesus is the only one sustaining me now, but if I ever come back to this post let me not undersell the anxiety I’ve felt plaguing me. And in not-underselling it may Jesus' victory be even greater in my heart, and when the Day Of The Lord arrives, I pray it’s at that moment I can echo Paul and say that every trial pales in comparison to the glory of my king. Because on earth today, I want to recognize that truth, but I’d be lying if I said the anxiety in my chest pales in comparison to anything I have experienced - it feels very real, very heavy, very authoritative. And in this moment what I have is trust, by God’s grace - faith, in Jesus’ victory, but this is a conscious affirmation, it’s not one I feel escaping from me but rather one I am forcing myself out into the open out of respect for the objective reality that is bigger than me. I know in my head that Jesus is victorious, and I know he has kept and will keep my heart. Today though I feel the internal battle over it, a war within, and I need Jesus to help me make the right choices today and not just look forward to being on the other side of a hard time later.

reflection - Jeremiah 17:17

2026-04-30T08:12:36Z

Jeremiah 17:17

You must not become to me a terror, you are my refuge in the day of disaster.

Spurgeon’s reflection on this verse this morning hits hard…

The path of the Christian is not always bright with sunshine; he has his seasons of darkness and of storm.

My whole life has not been easy, my story has ups and downs like anyone’s. God has been faithful to me, to bring me through trial - both when I feel and believe I am undergoing it, and before I knew what trial was but nonetheless was in an imperfect situation. For several years it was too easy for me say “blessed be the name of the Lord”. Even today, it should be too easy, but I feel the sunshine has been missing for some time, weeks or months. In this season I’ve been bogged down, mostly with work. That bleeds into family stuff, the stress and chaos of my job makes it easy to be impatient with my kids. In that moment of impatience, God is good to remind me of how patient he is with me, but that doesn’t fix my parenting… It opens the door to internal tension because on the one-hand I’m drawn to worship Jesus for his grace unto me, and on the other hand I’m actively in a moment witholding grace from my own kids. It’s certainly not fair to them that the storms of my life affect them, and I’m sure the solution isn’t to never weather a storm, but to more immediately run to the Lord myself in the midst of it… something I’ve not been doing - as evidenced by a lack of reflections in the last couple months.

The best of God’s saints must drink the wormwood; the dearest of his children must bear the cross. No Christian has enjoyed perpetual prosperity; no believer can always keep his harp from the willows.

No believer can always keep his harp from the willows… I often find myself daydreaming about 1 decision or 1 stroke of luck, that would allow me to “keep my harp from the willows” but in writing this out I realize this is plain idolotry. The Lord has said I will experience trial in my life, so why would I fantasize about escaping it forever? Why feed my own starving soul a lie when the giver of life and truth has told me otherwise. Not only otherwise, but he’s given me a promise that the troubles of this age are ephemeral concerns, and the ultimate glory is him alone.

We need winds and tempests to exercise our faith, to tear off the rotten bough of self-dependence, and to root us more firmly in Christ. The day of evil reveals to us the value of our glorious hope.

It’s felt quite windy… But by comparison to others, even others I know closely, what appears like a raging storm in my life is a mildly windy day in theirs. Perspective is a helpful tool but the ultimate perspective comes from the Love of my Lord. When I am unfaithful, when I wallow, when I’m so far in my own head I don’t know up from down, he is patient with me… I am longing for a season of life God allowed me to enjoy, and perhaps that season will return. In the winter I feel like I’m in right now, I pray it’s not wasted and that day-by-day, with his power enabling me to even just reflect on thoughts like this, I pray my own focus turns to the season-maker and not the season itself.

Easter 2026

2026-04-05T05:24:02Z

He Is Risen #

What does it mean that “He is risen”? What does it mean to me? for me? for the world? I think the question matters to everyone, Jesus did and said a lot of things in real history. And a lot of what he said and did, and what others claimed he did, is pretty insane. And if he’s just a liar or a crazy person, then it’s all inconsequential. But if he was actually telling the truth, then his life is literally the lynchpin of anyone and everyone else’s life. If he really did resurrect from the grave by the power of Yahweh then every single person needs to reckon with a real truth - that a King was killed and defeated death in his own death, and he said he will come again. Every single human will stand before the reigning resurrected King Jesus face to face, for judgement or forgiveness and it is inescapable.

So to me, today, Easter on April 5 2026, how will I treat my King? What is my posture towards him and good things? I know where my head is - it’s at work, I know where my heart is - it’s frustrated with my own sin and lack of attention to the holy seasons the Lord permits me to pass though, it’s frustrated with external pressures that affect my life as I mention in 2026-04-05 Notes. My head and heart are not fully focused on the Lord, haven’t been fully focused on his suffering, on him carrying the cross up to the place of the skull, on his side being pierced, blood and water hitting the ground, his final breath, the tearing of the veil, the silence on Saturday, nor his resurrection we remember today…. I have been so consumed with myself, with work and pressure, with disappointment and mistakes that I almost feel like a foreigner to approach a meditation about Easter and to write abut it at all, even this which is just a journal entry pretty much.

But the Lord is sweet in his victory. Today is about his victory over death. It’s a victory he shares with all those whom he has called. The pressures of work will fade away, the disappointment over my own sin may never leave me (and actually I hope it never will, Jesus frees me to live and love, he frees me from my sin but not from my sorrow or remorse over it). Praise the Lord for the victory he gives his people, to me.

Reflection - Luke 22:48

2026-03-25T06:13:55Z

Spurgeon’s Morning and Evening today I almost skipped, not that I’m diligent to sit down every day anyways, but because I’m struggling with stress and work and I was hoping for some divine moment where the meditation of the day would just speak directly to my worries. But by God’s grace, I feel it speaking to parts of me I’d rather ignore, and that alone is enough confirmation to spend an extra minute on it…

Luke 22:48

But Jesus said to him, “Judas, are you betraying the Son of Man with a kiss?”

Spurgeon says first thing “The kisses of an enemy are deceitful”, not that he’s the first one to say it…

Proverbs 27:6

The wounds of a friend mean well, but the kisses of an enemy are profane.

Our pastor delivered a great sermon on Sunday that is dove-tailing in my heart with this… He said the most dangerous place to be was in the presence of the Lord Jesus, and to remain unchanged by him. Jesus has words for me which do not feel good in the moment - words I don’t even disagree with… but do I fully agree? When he calls out the sin of lust or greed in my heart, do I take his rebuke into the depths of my soul and respond in kind with a contrite heart? Or do I parrot agreement on the surface, but in the darkest depths continue to hold on to the sins that I love?

I have felt so much stress from work and AI recently that I’ve just been neglecting the rest of my life, and frankly a sharp word from the Lord about orienting my life around the right things is welcome. It stings but I’m smart enough to see how stupid I can be. In my own way I have been betraying the Lord: talking sweetly about him to my family and friends yet daily, for the last couple weeks at least, deprioritizing my time with him and giving into the temptation to always be working and producing something. In the cleanest irony I think I’ve only made more work and mess for myself in not taking the time each day to slow down and reflect - both personally and in work.

Praise the Lord for friends who speak truth to me, for my wife who cares for me and sees the error I’m leaning into, and ultimately for Jesus himself who has never abandoned me even when I turn 2 blind-eyes away from him.

For My Own Sake I Do It

2026-03-03T06:11:46Z

Isaiah 48:9-11

9 For the sake of my name I ⌊refrain from⌋ my anger, and for my praise I restrain it for you so as not to cut you off. 10 Look! I have refined you, but not like silver; I have chosen you in the furnace of misery. 11 For my own sake, for my own sake I do it; for why should it be defiled? And I will not give my glory to another.

My thoughts here feel hard to put together - it’s a comforting thing to me to hear God say he restrains his anger for the sake of his name. God’s Name is a holy thing, he is a holy thing. In his sovereignty and power he chooses people, he chose me and loves me. Because his choices are his choices and they have nothing to do with me, it is comforting to me to hear that God prioritizes his own character over anything else. He doesn’t bless me or help me at the expense of anyone else or for my own sake - every blessing I have is for the sake of his own Name.

It’s also objectively and morally good and right for him to make these choices for his own Name’s sake. Why? Because he is the creator… if Yahweh was created, a creature, then his Name, Himself, would not be the most fundamental goodness, would not be the most important thing to appeal to. But because he is the uncaused-causer, the first, the Big Banger, who ultimately loves his creation and redeems a people for himself… Because he is a loving father then it is good and right for him to to make choices based on himself, not based on me or creation. It’s comforting because the fundamental reality is that reality is outside my control, and the one who controls it behaves in a way that prioritizes his own good Name.

Praise God for a benevolent King who rules well for the sake of himself, because any other reason falls short.

The Wrath to Come pt 2

2026-02-26T06:06:53Z

The Beginning #

The Wrath to Come is only the beginning, because for the true son or daughter of the King, the wrath directed at the enemy, at the threat, is a divine grace. The general understanding I see people have is to take the position that we’re all God’s kids, so any anger/wrath he exhibits against anyone is somehow a contradiction to his loving nature.

His demonstration of wrath towards his enemies is a great proof of the love he has for his children though. If everyone erroneously takes a view that we’re all God’s children then there’s not any room to talk about the enemies of God. YOU are the enemy! As was I… and it’s by God’s divine love and sovereignty that I have been adopted into his family. It’s by nothing more than love and sovereignty that anyone is adopted.

If you are a child of the King, then wrath is only the beginning, because the rest of that story is of protection and love. Humanity gets hung up on wrath thinking we’re the good guys and God owes us one, but this isn’t a Biblical worldview.

When people talk about god, god’s wrath, god’s love, etc… I like to ask “which god?” because a lot of people aren’t talking about my God, the True God-King, when they make claims about love and wrath… Most people want a grandpa in the sky too senile to recognize when they’ve done something wrong - but my King is the farthest thing from that caricature and his grand love for his people will be shown in many ways. Watching his wrath from behind the angelic armies will look much more like grace and love than hatred and anger, but for the enemies of God facing him at the front I’m sure ‘wrath’ will be all they see.

Choices #

Life is made up of choices, and I don’t think making a choice based on fear is ideal. I do not think that anyone can will themselves, by fear or not, to “accept Jesus” - ie. saving faith in the Lord isn’t something anyone can arrive at on their own, it is a gift.

So the question is, when the gift is sat in front of you, the gift of adoption and eternal life, divine and eternal grace, do you accept it? Or let it pass by… Because that choice dictates a lot about how God looks at you. He’s either protecting you from his enemies, or you are his enemy. And to be honest, when the enemies of God try to slander his name by calling him hateful and referring to wrath as though it should change the reality of who he is - all I see are enemies and propaganda. I know my God loves me, it’s been proven over and over.

Yahweh is not a senile old man in the sky, he is the conquering King and he will protect his own. So thank God for love and wrath.

Premarital Session 3 April 2026

2026-02-26T05:14:37Z

Expectations, Intimacy, and Shared Life

Purpose #

To surface unspoken expectations and ground shared life; emotionally, spiritually, and physically, in service to the Lord and each other.

Key Scriptures #

1 Corinthians 7:1–5; Hebrews 13:4; Proverbs 24:3–4; Ecclesiastes 4:9–12

1 Corinthians 7:1–5 (LEB)

7Now concerning the things about which you wrote: “It is good for a man not to touch a woman.” 2 But because of sexual immorality, let each man have his own wife and let each woman have her own husband. 3 The husband must fulfill his obligation to his wife, and likewise also the wife to her husband. 4 The wife does not have authority over her own body, but her husband does. And likewise also the husband does not have authority over his own body, but his wife does. 5 Do not defraud one another, except perhaps by agreement, for a time, in order that you may devote yourselves to prayer, and then you should be together again, lest Satan tempt you because of your lack of self control.

Hebrews 13:4

Marriage must be held in honor by all, and the marriage bed be undefiled, because God will judge sexually immoral people and adulterers.

Proverbs 24:3-4

3 By wisdom a house is built, and by understanding it is established. 4 And by knowledge, rooms are filled with all riches, precious and pleasant.

Ecclesiastes 4:9-12

9 Two are better than the one, for they enjoy a better reward for their toil. 10 For if they fall, one will help up his companion. But pity the one who falls and there is no one to help him up. 11 Also if two lie together, they can keep each other warm. But how can one person be warm? 12 Although an assailant may overpower one person, two may withstand him. A threefold cord is not easily broken!

Themes #

Many marital wounds come from unspoken expectations.

Not just unspoken, but a pattern of letting your expectations be unmet can lead to strife.
It’s up to both people in the marriage to be on the lookout: remember, together you face unspoken expectations, you do not face each other’s expectations, be united

Intimacy is covenantal and requires safety, communication, and grace.

No one is safer to talk to than your spouse (within reason, I think there’s a place for men’s/women’s group kind of stuff, pastoral counseling, etc. but in general no one should be safer to share something with than your spouse)

Faithfulness is sustained through shared rhythms and priorities.

Patterns are powerful
In our lives, I for sure notice when we slip into patterns of lack-of-intimacy or communication, and the longer you “get by” the easier it is to live that way
“Missing something once is a mistake, missing something twice is the start of a new habit.” The point being that it takes work to communicate, and you should plan to communicate often. Missing a date, or an agreed-upon-time to talk about something once is just a mistake, but don’t let yourselves push off hard conversations (either together or individually)

Discussion Prompts #

Expectations #

What are you most looking forward to in daily married life?

What concerns you about sharing life so closely?

Intimacy #

How do you communicate needs, boundaries, and fears?

with great trust in your spouse
openly, hopefully.
do not assume the first thing said is what is meant, maybe you need to work through it together to figure out what one of you needs

How will you protect intimacy after marriage?

Shared Life #

How do you approach money and financial decisions?

Our approach: God gives us everything and we recognize that any ordered system requires a hierarchy of decision makers. I “make the final decision” which is often to trust what Kassia wants to do with some money. Kassia asks me about financial things, not for permission, but for information. Then from the information, we decide together and if we disagree it’s up to me to put my foot down on it or defer to her in our disagreement (both circumstances happen)

What rhythms help you remain spiritually grounded?

Mentor Contribution #

Share principles, not details, regarding intimacy and finances.

Emphasize patience, mutual service, and long-term faithfulness.

Premarital Session 2 - March 2026

2026-02-26T05:14:05Z

Communication, Conflict, and Forgiveness

Purpose #

To normalize conflict and equip the couple to handle it with humility, clarity, and grace.

Key Scriptures #

James 1:19–20; Proverbs 15:1; Ephesians 4:25–32; Matthew 18:21–35

James 1:19–20 (LEB): 19 Understand this, my dear brothers: every person must be quick to hear, slow to speak, slow to anger, 20 for human anger does not accomplish the righteousness of God.

Proverbs 15:1 (LEB): A soft answer will turn away wrath, but a word of trouble will stir anger.

Ephesians 4:25–32 (LEB): 25 Therefore, putting aside the lie, speak truth each one of you with his neighbor, because we are members of one another. 26 Be angry and do not sin; do not let the sun set on your anger, 27 nor give place to the devil. 28 The one who steals must steal no longer, but instead must labor, working with his own hands what is good, so that he may have something to share with the one who has need. 29 No rotten word must proceed from your mouth, but only something good for the building up of the need, in order that it may give grace to those who hear, 30 and do not grieve the Holy Spirit of God, by whom you were sealed for the day of redemption. 31 All bitterness, and rage, and wrath, and clamor, and abusive speech, must be removed from you, together with all wickedness. 32 Become kind toward one another, compassionate, forgiving one another, just as also God in Christ has forgiven you.

Matthew 18:21–35 (LEB): 21 Then Peter came up to him and said, “Lord, how many times will my brother sin against me and I will forgive him? Up to seven times?” 22 Jesus said to him, “I do not say to you up to seven times, but up to seventy times seven! 23 “For this reason the kingdom of heaven may be compared to a man—a king—who wanted to settle accounts with his slaves. 24 And when he began to settle them, someone was brought to him who owed ten thousand talents. 25 And because he did not have enough to repay it, the master ordered him to be sold, and his wife and his children and everything that he had, and to be repaid. 26 Then the slave threw himself to the ground and began to do obeisance to him, saying, ‘Be patient with me, and I will pay back everything to you!’ 27 So the master of that slave, because he had compassion, released him and forgave him the loan. 28 But that slave went out and found one of his fellow slaves who owed him a hundred denarii, and taking hold of him, he began to choke him, saying, ‘Pay back everything that you owe!’ 29 Then his fellow slave threw himself to the ground and began to implore him, saying, ‘Be patient with me and I will repay you!’ 30 But he did not want to, but rather he went and threw him into prison until he would repay what was owed. 31 So when his fellow slaves saw what had happened, they were extremely distressed, and went and reported to their master everything that had happened. 32 Then his master summoned him and said to him, ‘Wicked slave! I forgave you all that debt because you implored me! 33 Should you not also have shown mercy to your fellow slave as I also showed mercy to you?’ 34 And because he was angry, his master handed him over to the merciless jailers until he would repay everything that was owed. 35 So also my heavenly Father will do to you, unless each of you forgives his brother from your hearts!”

Themes #

Conflict reveals the heart; it does not create sin.

Patterns of hostility matter more than isolated arguments.

But do not allow yourself to over-generalize in your frustration: “He always …”, “She never …”
I probably struggled with this in reading far too much into arguments and taking Kassia’s frustration with me way too personally, creating hostility when there was only frustration

True repentance and forgiveness are essential marital practices.

Your stuck with your person, are you going to stay frustrated forever?
Remind yourself of the gospel at every argument, “Jesus has forgiven me so much more than I am/feel owed by my spouse right now”

Discussion Prompts #

What is your instinct under tension: withdrawal, pursuit, defensiveness?

What makes it hard for you to apologize or forgive?

For me it is correctness: I find it hard to apologize for trying to be correct (or understood) when that pursuit ends up hurting Kassia in some way

Practical Emphasis #

Listening before responding.

Speaking clearly without accusation.

Classic advice to avoid “you” statements, use “I” statements
I might recommend “reviewing” fights after the fact, as a team see what went well or poorly and what could use work for the next time

Addressing issues at appropriate times.

Sometimes it has to wait a day

Mentor Contribution #

Share a recurring conflict you have faced and what you learned over time.

dishes before bed
- if you want something done, do it yourself pretty much
- you will also change over time
what it means to be a patient parent

Emphasize growth, patience, and the importance of humility.

Premarital Session 3 April 2026

Premarital Session 1 - Feb 2026

2026-02-26T05:10:53Z

Covenant, Calling, and Friendship

Purpose #

To establish a biblical vision of marriage that shapes expectations, priorities, and endurance.

Key Scriptures #

Genesis 2:18–25; Malachi 2:14; Ephesians 5:31–32; Proverbs 18:22

Genesis 2:18-25

18 Then the Lord God said, “It is not good for the man to be alone. I will make a helper (עֵ֫זֶר |e-zer ) corresponding (נֶ֫גֶד | ne-ged) to him.” 19 The Lord God formed out of the ground every wild animal and every bird of the sky, and brought each to the man to see what he would call it. And whatever the man called a living creature, that was its name. 20 The man gave names to all the livestock, to the birds of the sky, and to every wild animal; but for the man no helper was found corresponding to him. 21 So the Lord God caused a deep sleep to come over the man, and he slept. God took one of his ribs and closed the flesh at that place. 22 Then the Lord God made the rib he had taken from the man into a woman and brought her to the man. 23 And the man said: This one, at last, is bone of my bone and flesh of my flesh; this one will be called “woman,” for she was taken from man. 24 This is why a man leaves his father and mother and bonds with his wife, and they become one flesh. 25 Both the man and his wife were naked, yet felt no shame.

helper corresponding

This is the helper opposite him - balance

Malachi 2:14

And you ask, “Why?” Because even though the Lord has been a witness between you and the wife of your youth, you have acted treacherously against her. She was your marriage partner and your wife by covenant.

God as the witness

“the wife of your youth” Since a Jewish marriage was religious and involved a covenant, God served as the witness (Mal 2:10). Thus, a Jewish man abandoning his Jewish wife was tantamount to abandoning a vow to God Himself.

Ephesians 5:31-32

31 For this reason a man will leave his father and mother and be joined to his wife, and the two will become one flesh. 32 This mystery is profound, but I am talking about Christ and the church.

Proverbs 18:22

A man who finds a wife finds a good thing and obtains favor from the Lord.

Themes #

Marriage is covenantal, not consumerism sustained by feelings.

Serving your spouse is serving the Lord, as long as you both seek to serve Jesus then you will naturally (since it’s a natural consequence of serving the Lord) serve one another with the right heart. Your service is not to each other directly, it is to the Lord

God uses marriage as a primary means of sanctification.

Parenting is hard because you are forced to put your needs on hold for the sake of your kids sometimes, but love makes it easier and kids are level 2. Level 1 is your spouse - as you put your needs on hold for your spouse Jesus changes your heart to help you really see that other person as equally as valuable as yourself. Not necessarily more valuable, that isn’t the point, the point is that the ground is level at the foot of the cross, and daily consistent rendering of service to your spouse as to the Lord is a transformative experience in the direction of seeing others how Jesus does.

Friendship and unity go right along with roles, logistics, and preferences.

Dedicate yourselves to the Lord and friendship will follow.

Discussion Prompts #

What do you believe makes a marriage “successful”?

calm and charitable disagreement
established and respected order
- Devin will be the head
- the head of the body should probably listen to the body quite intensely before making decisions…
do people outside your marriage see Jesus as a crucial player in your relationship or is all about the 2 of you? Culture would have it look like 2 puzzle pieces that fit together perfectly, but the reality is that a godly marriage should frame the gospel. When people look at your relationship, they shouldn’t just see 2 best friends in love, they should somewhat immediately see and know about Jesus’ role in your relationship

Where do you think cultural ideas about marriage fall short?

literally everywhere

What promises feel most weighty to you as you think about your vows?

How do you currently cultivate friendship and closeness?

Mentor Contribution #

Share briefly how covenant faithfulness has shaped your own marriage.

Share how unity is built intentionally over time, not assumed.

Reflection #

What do you hope God will form in you through marriage?

Premarital Session 2 - March 2026 Premarital Session 3 April 2026

The Wrath to Come

2026-02-25T06:09:15Z

Matthew 3:7

But when he saw many of the Pharisees and Sadducees coming to his baptism, he said to them, “Offspring of vipers! Who warned you to flee from the coming wrath?

The coming wrath… This is a tough one to think about, and I’m not sure I have a ton of hard opinions about that coming wrath anymore. I used to cling to a few Bible verses that I thought painted a “complete” picture, or complete enough, of what this coming wrath will be like. But anymore, after walking with the Lord, becoming a dad, learning that ancient literature is quite a bit harder to read than your average 21st century novel… well I’m just not sure what I know anymore beyond a few things:

Yahweh created all things (Genesis 1)
In Jesus all things are held together (Colossians 1:17)
*No one comes to Father except through Jesus, and only those whom the Father gives to him (John 6)
By God’s grace alone is anyone chosen (Ephesians 2:8-9)

*See Helkyo - What is it for God to draw man to him?

So what can I say about anything outside those 4 points? Not a lot that’s concrete, but definitely some anecdotes, and those might be helpful.

It’s uncomfortable to think about God’s wrath I think because a lot of people, Christian or not, have this idea that “we are all God’s children” and so we analyze that statement from the position of a son or daughter. But biblically, this is just not even close to accurate… Yahweh disinherited the nations at Babel (Genesis 10-11, Deuteronomy 32) and created a new inheritance for himself. NOT all people are God’s children… I don’t know where this preschool theology came from but it’s been a disaster to the general public’s view of legitimate Christianity. John says in this Matthew passage that God can make children from stones - so just being born a human doesn’t grant you the status of child of God.

Matthew 3:9

And do not think to say to yourselves, ‘We have Abraham as father.’ For I say to you that God is able to raise up children for Abraham from these stones!

I think people would generally do well to imagine themselves, not as God’s children, but as an offender of God’s children… Now let’s think about wrath for a second. If anyone hurt my daughters, especially someone not already in my good graces, you had best believe that “wrath” will be an accurate word to use to describe my response. If you come for my family, for my children, that’ll simply be the end of you. With that minimal perspective in mind… God’s wrath kind of is a bit more palletable I think.

Danger

What makes it hard is the wrong view of ourselves from the beginning…

How would it be, if someone I didn’t know walked into my house and declared themselves my son, my friend, etc. No one gets to declare themselves apart of my family, there’s a process to joining a family… Yahweh, as the creator of all things, is the one with the authority to declare these things. He has simply NOT said that all people are his children - what he has done is sent an invitation out that anyone can hear, and those whom he does choose are given the ability to respond to it. The hearts of the men and women who hear the call and are changed are the ones who can refer themselves as a son or daughter of the King.

So, if someone who is not God’s child thinks that God has no right to exhibit wrath against the ones harming his kids… well… I’m not sure what argument anyone can have there… if you break into my house and harm my family you’re in for a rough time - if you harm the kids of the creator of EVERYTHING, I can only imagine “wrath” would be just the beginning.

Follow-up post coming: The Wrath to Come pt 2

Reflection - Hebrews 13:5

2026-02-21T05:19:39Z

Hebrews 13:5

Your lifestyle must be free from the love of money, being content with what you have. For he himself has said, “I will never desert you, and I will never abandon you.”

Hebrews is a long sermon and near the end of that sermon are some imperatives for God’s people. The Bible is anything but Basic Instructions Before Leaving Earth, but Hebrews 13 has some pretty basic instructions that are wise to remember. There are 2 in this verse to encourage me this morning:

Your lifestyle must be free from the love of money
For he himself has said

Reflect #

The lifestyle comment just such a particularly relevant thing to me right now as God has brought changes to my work/career. In many ways my lifestyle is very free from the love of money - we live below our means, give money away, etc. But I know my heart is fickle, and if there’s not as much money as I think there should be in our account I feel something in me that is most certainly sinful. I know what having more than we need is like, and to be honest with anyone - I do love that… I don’t love money but I really enjoy the simplicity that having too much money affords you in daily life. What will the next several years look like? I do not know exactly, I have no reason to have any actual concerns, and so my hope for myself is that God fills me with contentment as I processed some the other day in Reflection - Contentment and Work.

The work changes are welcome but it doesn’t feel natural to me to welcome them. I think I can only call them welcome because of the second part of the verse that jumped out at me - “For he himself has said”.

The Word of the Lord ought to be a heavy thing to the Christian - to me. God’s Word is objectively more valuable than gold, and “he himself has said, ‘I will never desert you, and I will never abandon you’”. My heavenly father has given me assurance through his own word, which he is bound by his own nature to be true to, that I am cared for. My life is evidence of this - so many examples of God’s faithfulness to me and my family. He’s been so materially faithful that I’m not sure I can ever say I’ve learned any secret to contentment - God has simply been so good to me has blessed me greatly. Between his word that he’ll never forsake me and the record of faithfulness to me in my own life I’d have to make a choice that flys in the face of data to not be content… What is there for me to not be content over? Absolutely nothing!

Contentment has been on my mind a lot this week, there’s no reason for me to lack contentment, and no secret to lean into. I am, simply put, still a sinner and the love of money is the sin crouching at the door, waiting for me. By God’s grace he continues to protect me, and I can calmly, with contentment and satisfaction, walk through the next season of my life knowing that he himself has said, he will never abandon me.

Reflection - 2 Corinthians 7:6

2026-02-20T04:54:11Z

2 Corinthians 7:6

But God, who comforts the humble, comforted us by the coming of Titus,…

Paul didn’t have to credit God as one “who comforts the humble” - he could’ve just praised God for the comfort brought through Titus showing up. But instead, Paul just tosses the nugget in there.

At a glance, maybe it looks like Paul is building himself, or his group, up by self-referencing as “humble”. But calling yourself humble isn’t the proud and arrogant claim that it sounds like today…

In reality - humility is an honest view of oneself, not in inflated or deflated view - but I won’t digress farther than that…

Paul isn’t bragging about his own humility, or claiming that because he’s humble then God comforts him. No, the sense of the word ταπεινός (tapeinos) is downcast… ie. someone in need of comfort.

Paul is giving God praise, just naturally in his own language, as the one who comforts people who need it. By God’s grace on my life, I believe I have seen a similar pattern - I even outlined in By God's Grace regarding why I say “by God’s grace” so often… It’s just become apart of how I talk because the overflow of God’s love for me is made manifest in my language.

Thank God for Paul, and for the work God does in his people to recognize his own Glory. And thank God that I can look back over 10 and 20 years and recognize the work God has done in me that I might recognize his Glory as well.

God most certainly does comfort the downcast, no word is sweeter than his in my ear when things aren’t going my way. But why? It’s because his word to me is built on a foundation (a decades old foundation at this point, by his grace) of love. I have come to believe and know beyond any shadow of a doubt of God’s love for me, and by his love I know that when I am downcast I am not forsaken, I’m just… downcast. And God comforts me in those times. I don’t think it can make sense without personal intimate knowledge of the Lord - no one could read this and take seriously that the often silent comfort God brings is so powerful. Or, to be more related to the verse, that when we are comforted through each other, it is still then an act of grace by the Lord to bring that comfort through another person. Without the adoption papers signed by Yahweh signifying your sonship to the King, I do not believe that this comfort can even begin to make sense.

But by God’s grace, it makes sense to me, and praise the Name of the Lord for it.

Trials Reveal Faith (short)

2026-02-18T06:19:07Z

Spurgeon’s “Morning and Evening” today ended with a poem:

Trials make the promise sweet;
Trials give new life to prayer;
Trials bring me to his feet,
Lay me low, and keep me there.

Trials forge and reveal faith in our lives - faith in something that is… Yahweh uses trials as a megaphone to his people though. For those called into his family, the trials of temporary life should, and for the true believer ‘do’, bring us closer to the King’s throne. The trial highlights a larger reality of existential need of a savior. Trials have severity because there are different kinds, but the need for a King is of one kind. It is the highest and most necessary need of us all, but not everyone knows it. Trials can reveal it.

Praise the Lord for trials that bring us closer to him, for no trial of earth can compare to the Glory of the King.

Reflection - Contentment and Work

2026-02-16T05:42:13Z

Philippians 4:11

Not that I speak from need, for I have learned to be content in whatever circumstances I am.

Context #

This verse showing up in Spurgeon’s Morning and Evening is a divine grace to me. Today is a significant day in a journey God has had me on towards contentment. The circumstances of that journey, the specifics, are known to some but I can still speak generally enough about it in this reflection because the generalities are not unique to me - anymore than the requirement to learn contentment, for it’s not a natural state for a man.

For me, like a lot of others, it’s about money right now. Over the last few years I’ve been able to make a pretty significant income and God has blessed me through the work I’ve done, but something I have noticed is the work itself has felt less and less blessed, and more like a burden as the goal became money. I want to be a billionaire and never concern myself with a financial struggle - but this is childish thinking. The last few years have shown me that I can work, a lot, and make money, also a lot (relatively speaking). I don’t feel as though I’ve wasted time necessarily, the amount of work and the time the work takes are different things. But where I may have recovered some of the time in overworking, I certainly gave up other things: fulfilment and excellence to name the top 2. As I’ve not been content, and have striven for more it’s become clear that wanting more is itself a burden.

Today marks the end of some income that I’ve been able to work for - not all of it, I’m extremely blessed in Cat Autonomy 2.0. The facts are though that through the circumstances God has brought me recently, I’ll be making less than 50% of what I’ve been able to make over the last couple years… By God’s grace we still have more than enough, and by his grace again today is a significant day for me to step through a doorway of contentment and officially realign my work priorities with the worldview Jesus has called me into.

Contentment and Work #

I have been sort of fighting off a belief that I’m on a literal mission from God in Caterpillar Autonomy… If someone could see my inner-monologue play out they’d certainly get Blues Brothers vibes…

I hope I’m not just reaching for some grand facetious meaning for the work I’m now doing to distract myself from the changes coming to my paycheck. It really feels to me like God has prepared me in many ways for the work that’s in front me. I’m thankful for that preparation and now it seems like it’s time to give up the desires for riches and focus on doing something more than closing tickets and supporting a small team of people.

As God calls me to contentment in my personal life, I think he’s also planning on blessing the work I’m doing. Earlier I said I have been very blessed by the work I have been able to do, but I don’t know that God has blessed the work itself - much of what I’ve done was filled with mistakes you only learn by doing something the first time… Certainly in some ways he has blessed those things, but I see something “just bigger” in Cat Autonomy, and I think I’m here to play a real role in it

maybe like Joseph in Egypt

like I said - literal mission from God

I’ve had to give-up some pay to play that role, but the Lord has taught (and is teaching) me that there’s much more to work than a paycheck, more to life than money.

It is easy, very easy, for me to roll out of this line-of-thinking, I’ve done it several times even while writing this… but I am sure contentment is something the Lord has for me. Today’s significance is just a temporal milestone, a date that was approaching at a constant rate of change… The day is here, today’s meditation is on contentment, and the Lord is doing a work in and through me. Amen.

The Ridiculous Blessing of the Lord

2026-02-12T04:25:38Z

I went to sit down this morning with a cup of coffee and do a meditation like I try to do at least a few times a week. I meditate on the Bible, on God’s word because I believe it is God’s word - and what a shallow belief it’d be if I knew nothing about the Word. For the last few years this has been the normal way I spend time with Jesus, and he has brought comfort and guidance to me, not through new knowledge necessarily, but through perspective and wisdom.

This feels almost like a lazy way out of hardened theological study, a practice I hope to come back to before too long, but through semi-regular reflection, meditation, and writing Jesus has done a lot of good to my heart.

I hope it wouldn’t take years of the Lord’s work on my heart to recognize the blessing in my life, but left to my own devices I certainly look at what he’s given me and still desire more. So, that wish is certainly nothing more than a fancy - and praise God for that, because it only further shows my need for him. He works on me every day and by God’s grace the blessings in my life are pretty flipping clear.

The passage I was going to meditate on this morning was 2 Corinthians 1:5

2 Corinthians 1:5

For just as the sufferings of Christ overflow to us, thus through Christ our comfort overflows also.

By God’s grace, “suffering”" isn’t something I feel very “connected to” - it’s not something I feel a deep current need to meditate on (right now). I have been brought through many trials, just like a lot of people, and my story isn’t full of only stupendous highs, but I do feel like it’s a bit easier for me today to resonate with Paul’s words in Romans 8.

Romans 8:18

For I consider that the sufferings of the present time are not worthy to be compared with the glory that is about to be revealed to us.

In God’s good grace on my life he is showing me day by day the glory that will be revealed. He shows me through daily blessing of work - where my family is more-than-provided for via gifts and talents he’s given me. He shows me through my family, who love me in my mistakes and celebrate my wins. He shows me through my wife specifically, who wants my holiness more than my happiness but in that support she often increases both.

There are sufferings in my life that Jesus has used as a means to bring comfort to others - I think that’s one of the points of the larger 2 Corinthians passage. However, in that same breath in the quietness of my office with this cup of mushroom-coffee, I can say that the sufferings he’s brought me through pale in comparison to just the glory he has already revealed to me, and that means the glory “that is about to be revealed” can be only greater.

The blessing of the Lord on my life and family is beyond insane. And my prayer is just that I (and my family) would see it. This is on my mind because of a simple event the other day - an interview and job-offer. I didn’t take this job, if you’re new here I’m in Cat Autonomy 2.0 (a story of its own filled with divine grace and provision). However, getting a job isn’t exactly an easy thing right now - and in the Lord’s blessing on my life I’ve had multiple opportunities. I mentioned the offer to my wife and her only response was “The Lord is too good to us”. And she’s right - he is.

Praise God for blessings, and praise him for sufferings. I pray today for myself he keeps my eyes and heart focused on what I can do with excellence and for his glory. I also pray for continued blessing and favor - it isn’t a sin to want things to be going well… May God bring peace and favor to anyone reading this - favor through adoption and peace through the strength and power of the creator-God.

Reflection - Arise and Depart

2026-02-07T04:37:12Z

Spurgeon’s Morning and Evening reflection for this morning is Micah 2:10 “Arise, and depart”.

context

Typical note about reflections not being deep study. Also noting that Spurgeon’s meditations are often about what comes to mind from the words of a verse (or part of it) as opposed to the context of the verse.

Micah 2:10

Arise and go, for this is no resting place, on account of uncleanness that destroys with painful destruction.

So the context of the rest of the verse isn’t that consistent with the direction of Spurgon’s meditation but nonetheless his springboard is good to think about…

Someday everyone of us will answer the call to “arise and go” - death comes for us all but death isn’t itself an existential end, it is the time to obey the Lord. At his word, I will leave the world and go to where he calls me. This is true for everyone, it’s an inescapable part of the reality that Yahweh has created for all Creation.

Death fills some with dread, but for the Christian it’s the passage to eternity. We live (or “are to live”) in Heaven today - Jesus brought Heaven to earth. But his life, death, and resurrection did not fully bring Heaven to earth - the melding is happening, the reunification of Heaven and earth as it was in Eden is taking place, and when he comes again the kingdom will be consummated.

So we live unto his Name and glory, because it’s the best thing for humanity. And at the end of our living on this present earth, God calls everyone to the next phase of reality. What awaits those who do not believe? and who haven’t been chosen? I really wouldn’t claim to know concrete facts beyond the truth that “they are not citizens of heaven, and so they do not live with the Lord”. But what awaits the Christian? That’s a much easier answer to take a stand on - those loved by Jesus are not left dead in the cold dark underground, we are called to the skies - to glory and to the kingdom.

I think this thought of future unification with the Lord, in a newly consummated kingdom, when Death is dead and there is no more competition amongst the gods, when all Creation is in right relationship with the King - this thought should bring joy and anticipation to the Christian, to me.

Let me work for the glory of God today, with the right perspective that at any moment I could be called away from this work (my family, my home, my job, etc.) and to the next thing Jesus would have me do. I look forward to the call to “Arise and go” and I pray that the future hope of the Kingdom fills me today with joy and motivation to live a godly life and that death never looks like anything other than a river to cross with new life on the other side.

Revel in imparted righteousness

2026-01-31T05:45:42Z

Spurgeon’s Morning and Evening today is from Jeremiah 23:6.

Warning

Again with these reflections, I"m not an OT scholar and I don’t know, or didn’t do a lot of search on, the context of the passage. This isn’t educational, this if a reflection on what God brings to mind through his Word and my time with him, not teaching about the historical context of where the words in Jeremiah 23 actually affect the story

Jeremiah 23:6

In his days Judah will be saved, and Israel will dwell securely. And this is the name by which he will be called: ‘The Lord is our righteousness.’

The Lord is our righteousness #

There’s a lot of tension in the details of the story of the world in how humans and God relate to each other. On one hand, God created everything, and he created humans with a unique purpose to be his seen-imagers in the physical world who carry out his will. On the other hand, humans take that position of privilege and often destroy the world in our sin and dismay. The theology surrounding this tension is the thing that can affect the Christian’s daily life… As I walk through the world, am I more aware of my position as God’s child, with responsibility to bear his Name and steward the earth, or am I more aware of my sin and the fact that I often make choices Jesus wouldn’t be proud of? Both things are true, but where I put my mind and heart drives if I have a contented smile on my face or if my brow is sweaty and scunched up in frustration.

I think that if we somehow filtered our view to all “true Christians” we’d see that a majority of them lean in on emphasizing their sin because it is the thing that makes Jesus’ work necessary - it is the un-overcomable thing that we have to be saved from and Glory to God! for saving us. But on the daily, not putting equal emphasis on the next step of the story, which is that in God’s saving he imparts the righteousness of Jesus right onto us, is a disservice to us as God’s children.

I want my kids to be proud and secure in their name and place as my kids. I don’t want them to spend their energy focusing on where they have contributed chaos and disorder to my life, I want them to focus on the things they do worth being proud of, and there’s grace for the rest. I think this must be true of the Lord as well - without a doubt I am a sinner and a wretch who, left to my own devices, would end up a drunken addict lying in the street somewhere… but why would I focus on that when Yahweh chooses me, imparts Jesus' righteousness to me, adopts me as his own! The reality of my sin is reality, but the reality of Jesus’ grace on my life is no less true. Christians shouldn’t be ignorant of the sin they carry and the choices they make which dishonor God, but we also shouldn’t be ignorant of the grace God shows to us!

I have noticed in my life, as the scales have tipped somewhat in favor of focusing more on Yahweh adopting me as opposed to focusing on where I fall short of the glory of God, that’s it’s more natural for me to be joyful about almost anything in the world (worth experiencing joy over)

May Jesus call you today if you’re reading this and he hasnt’ yet, and if he has may joy follow your acknowledgement of your adoption rather than sorrow over your previous state. Glory to God in the highest!

Reflection - John 7:37

2025-12-31T05:05:36Z

John 7:37

Now on the last day of the feast—the great day—Jesus stood and cried out, saying, “If anyone is thirsty, let him come to me, and let him drink,

The Last Day #

So, today obviously isn’t the last day of a feast Jesus is speaking at, I don’t mean to impose anything beyond a trivial relationship between “the last day” and today being New Year’s Eve. The reflection is for reflecting, not education and so today I pray the Lord be good to me in meditating on this text this morning.

Jesus Cried Out #

Yahweh longs for all people to be reconciled to him. It’s a fact that that won’t be the case because of the degrees of wills that can coexist even though the mechanism of their relationship is hidden from us - .

However, a clear truth here is that “Jesus cried out”. His voice goes out, loud and all around, to all people within ear-shot - “If anyone is thirsty, let him come to me”.

Warning

If anyone is thirsty

Jesus gives no qualifiers on who his message goes out to - it’s the dad of 6 kids nailing it, the wife of of a businessman maintaining her home, the harlot trying to wreck that home, the prostitute on the corner, the corrupt politician (even Paul was called)… Jesus’ voice goes out to “anyone”… So who am I to think that my standing as a righteous person before God by the grace of the blood of Jesus has anything to do with who I am? His call goes out to anyone.

So what is for me today? or for the person who is reading this? I don’t know… Jesus has been so good to me, and I also want all people to know him. I want every person to experience being freed from their sinful master, freed from themselves. I believe that if all people gave their lives to Jesus the world would be healed over night. That fantasy land doesnt’ exist though, and Jesus' call has gone out to anyone and everyone - but the time for that call is coming to a close and when he comes back it’ll be to redeem his own.

It’s one thing to be invited to a wedding feast. The invitation has gone out.

It’s another thing stand between a loving husband and his captive bride, or a warrior father and his oppressed child. That is the position of every person when the Lord comes back whose knee is not already bowed.

The New Year brings a time of reflection about life, what to start, what to stop. Jesus has been good to my heart in this year - creating a genuine desire for all people to experience him. I hope that anyone reading this or any of my posts might hear God’s calling through what he’s done in my life.

His call went out to anyone but he redeems his own, may you accept adoption today.

The Hidden Things Belong To Yahweh

2025-12-29T05:47:22Z

Deuteronomy 29:29

The hidden things belong to Yahweh our God, but the revealed things belong to us to know and to our children forever, in order to do all the words of this law.

Here is a truth every Christian should meditate on and remember whenever they find themselves so sure of a biblical teaching. There are things not meant for us to know - not that we cannot enjoy the musings, but we need to rightly understand that there are mechanisms in the world that are only known to Yahweh. Just like my daughters have no actual understanding of how they became my daughters, or how money shows up in our account every month, or how water comes to our house… These things are beyond their scope of existence to be honest, and there are analogous things that we fully-grown mature adults need to recognize are beyond us and are for the Lord, only.

This is not an excuse or encouragement though to never be sure of a conviction… there most certainly are “revealed things [that] belong to us to know”. So the Christian needs to graciously approach the things we can’t run away from, but also recognize that our understanding is, by nature of our existence, limited.

The truth a lot of us wrestle with, and probably not very well, is Soteriology - the theology of salvation. There are a number of things that go into the mechanism of receiving salvation from the Lord: a regenerated heart, faith in Jesus alone, confession, and the process of becomming more like Jesus (sanctification). However, the order by which these things happen has been a long-debated issue in the Church and has led to a lot of Christian-division.

I’m not going to claim to understnad the [orto salutis] but what I can do is recognize a reality in my life, perhaps even somewhat contradictory realties, and given that objective truth of those realities I’ll have to eventually recognize that the intimate understanding and knowledge of the inner-workings of those realities is hidden from me.

It goes like this - no one can choose Yahweh on their own. We are born into death and decay:

Ephesians 2:1

And you, although you were dead in your trespasses and sins,

Romans 3:23

for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God,

So inconvenient truth number 1: you are dead, dead people can’t make choices or do anything… but surely “dead in your tresspasses” and “fall short of the glory of God” are just indicators that we can’t live a perfectly “good” life… no?

Well, it won’t really matter and here’s why:

John 14:6

Jesus said to him, “I am the way, and the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.

So here’s the thing - either Jesus is the son of God or he isn’t… Simple binary truth. If he’s not the son of God, then half of this blog is worthless and Paul’s words that Christians should lbe pitied above all people would never be more true… But if Jesus is the son of God and his words are actual truth then you really need to wrestle with it, if only for a second… He’s either a crazy liar, or literally God. This truth, or the option of which of these things are true, are 100% unavoidable for every person to deal with. Like, you have to make a choice - either accept what Jesus says, or don’t.

But that actually brings up the tension - you can’t accept it unless Yahweh gives you over to Jesus.

John 6:37–40

Everyone whom the Father gives to me will come to me, and the one who comes to me I will never throw out, 38 because I have come down from heaven not that I should do my will, but the will of the one who sent me. 39 Now this is the will of the one who sent me: that everyone whom he has given me, I would not lose any of them, but raise them up on the last day. 40 For this is the will of my Father, that everyone who looks at the Son and believes in him would have eternal life, and I will raise him up on the last day.”

So… is the one born destined to not believe simply destined for hell? What kind of loving God is that?

The answer there is actually pretty simple - he’s a loving father. I wrote a little bit about this via analogies to my own life as a parent in Advent 2025 - Love. Essentially as a dad, I take my own kids home from the playground every day, not your kids. Likewise, God will redeem his own… It’s literally a perfectly reasonable expectation of a dad.

Hidden vs. Revealed #

What is for us and what is for God alone then (as we discuss Soteriology)? A lot. And in this case I’m not even sure where to draw the line but here is a simple list of truths that are true even though I couldn’t explain with every nuance - how?

I hated God - every unregenerate person does, it is only natural to hate what you’re opposed to. Being born into sin and death necessarily means you are are opposed to life and godliness.
I now love God - my personal story here is a picture of God’s providence - see Helkyo - What is it for God to draw man to him?
Yahweh desires for all people to be reconciled (1 Peter)
Not everyone believes in Jesus - which means there are people destined for hell

Here’s what I think is hidden…

The reasons which God chooses some and not others - thank the Lord this is not for me to know
The mechanism by which my heart is able to make a free choice, out of my own agency, not to initially believe in Jesus, but every day to lay my life down before him (as I do or do not live faithfully to him)
What reality of “hell” there is to be predestined to… I cannot deny at all that not all people are chosen by God, not all people will enter the Celestial City… But what of the others? I genuinely do not know, but I have a lot of confidence that the fire and torture crowd are missing some stuff.

Fin #

Praise the Lord that there are things beyond us to know… It is comforting to know that Jesus loves me, and I don’t need to know much more beyond that. Just like one of my biggest desires is for my daughters to trust me because of my love for them, in the same way is how I find and am comforted by the Lord. If you’re reading this and haven’t heard him call your name, maybe sit and listen. When Jesus called Lazarus from the grave, he might’ve had the choice whether to walk out or not, but he didn’t have the choice to not wake-up. If the Lord awakens your heart today, may you make the choice to walk out of the grave and into new life.

Reflection - Galatians 2:19-20

2025-12-28T06:18:57Z

Galatians 2:19-20

19 For through the law I died to the law, in order that I might live to God. I have been crucified with Christ, 20 and I no longer live, but Christ lives in me, and that life I now live in the flesh, I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me.

This is one of the most common verse-memory verses I think. Probably there’s good reason for that - Paul has a lot to say to the Galatians, and these 2 verses summarize one of the simple truths of the Gospel - the life a Christian is given is freed from the law of death and make alive to Jesus. The gospel truth is that the law is no longer the thing we answer to - everyone will, certainly. There’s no mistake to be made that every human has accountability for their own agency. In our “free” will, bound to sin and death and to the law for approval, we aren’t free at all but slaves to an oppressive overlord. Jesus frees the Christian to live a life free from that oppression, in the life-giving security of God’s adoption.

Who love me and gave himself for me #

God adopts whoever he chooses. And the ones he chooses are then freely able to choose him in return. Through the life-giving power of God’s sovereignty my life can be fundamentally altered, my make-up changed, my family line updated. I am free to live my life by faith in Jesus, because he loved me and gave himself for me.

Advent - 1 John 4:17

2025-12-25T05:36:08Z

1 John 4:17

By this love is perfected with us, so that we may have confidence in the day of judgment, because just as that one is, so also are we in this world.

Confidence #

I’ve definitely written about confidence before outside this blog, it’s a key Christian theme. John mentions here in the middle of a bunch of stuff about love as he is wrapping up this letter.

Love is beautiful, and over this Advent season I’ve reflected a lot on verse 19 “We love, because he first loved us”. Because of God, his original love for you and me, his own power and majesty, his own right to rule and reign - because of all of that I am to “have confidence in the day of judgement”. Christmas isn’t so much about looking forward to a future time, it’s remembering that the time we look forward to is already here in part. Jesus has already come, once. He brought heaven to earth and undid much of the curse of separation placed on humans at Eden. It’s because he’s already done it, because he loved me first, that confidence can follow. No Christian should find themselves concerned about their position in front of the Lord any more than my daughter should ever be concerned about her status as my daughter. There’s nothing she could do to separate herself from my love for her, and there is nothing I can do to separate myself from God’s love. In the binding of that love, is confidence for security in the future. Not that all my bills are paid and I have a happy life

but that in the ultimate sense, my purpose as an image-bearing Human will be fully realized, God’s plan fully carried out, in the end. And I don’t have to worry, because in his love I am secure, just like I hope that in my love my daughters are secure.

Christians struggle with doubt, and that’s not a sin. John would encourage you to take hold of being God’s child, live that way, and in living like his child, his love is revealed, and as it is revealed and perfected, confidence naturally follows.

We aren’t guaranteed much about life, but I have zero valid reasons to doubt the King who saved me and will continue to save me. May Jesus’ name be great, he is King, amen.

Advent - Luke 6:35

2025-12-23T05:17:05Z

Luke 6:35

But love your enemies, and do good, and lend expecting back nothing, and your reward will be great, and you will be sons of the Most High, because he is kind to the ungrateful and wicked.

Love Your Enemies #

I was once an enemy of God, and even today still make choices that highlight enmity in my heart towards him. It’s what’s left-over, what will continue to persist (though I hope be minimized as much as possible) while waiting for Heaven to come to earth. Knowing and recognizing my own position - as a former enemy, makes it somewhat easy to read these words to “do good” and “expect nothing in return” from my enemies because God was good to me, and continues to be. So, I am the ungrateful and the wicked that he is kind to.

How do I feel about that? Honestly, grateful but also a little ashamed. I know who I am, and sometimes I choose to be who I was before. But God still loves me and my heart is glad to be in his favor.

Advent - Mark 12:29-30

2025-12-21T05:41:55Z

Mark 12:29-30

29 Jesus answered, “The most important is, ‘Listen, Israel! The Lord our God, the Lord is one. 30 And you shall love the Lord your God from your whole heart and from your whole soul and from your whole mind and from your whole strength.’

The Most Important Commandment #

Deuteronomy 6:4-5

4 “Hear, Israel, Yahweh our God, Yahweh is unique. 5 And you shall love Yahweh your God with all of your heart and with all of your soul and with all of your might.

Jesus quotes the Shema as the most important commandment - not really surprising… Yahweh’s authority and divine kingship is the most important reality to affirm. Along with recognizing the authority and Oneness of Yahweh is the command the love him. ie. Not loving him is not recognizing his authority… Again, not a surprising thing to hear a king say.

So he says the most important thing is to love Yahweh Elohim (the Lord your God) with everything. This calls Paul’s words about transformation to mind -

Romans 12:1-2

Therefore I exhort you, brothers, through the mercies of God, to present your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and pleasing to God, which is your reasonable service. 2 And do not be conformed to this age, but be transformed by the renewal of your mind, so that you may approve what is the good and well-pleasing and perfect will of God.

Paul says that to offer ourselves as a living sacraifice (strong language, no?) is our reasonable service… If we think about Jesus’ words that the most important commandment is to love God with everything, then Paul’s words here in Romans are honestly just a natural outpouring of that priority - that we are to offer everything back to him.

One lens through which to view this is simply gratitude… If you are given everything by someone, of course you’d seek to show your thanks. Part of the human experience for the Christian, I think anyways, is the maturing and realization of how much God has given, and how much he has saved me from. This maturity leads me to love God more deeply… It’s as if my perspective on what he’s done for me grows, so too my love for him grows.

Success

The “everything” I have to offer increases as I become more aware of everything he’s given.

Praise God for the mercies on my life, the greatest of which is the freedom to offer myself to him. In the bonds of sin and shame I’m not free to crawl up onto the altar as a living sacrifice. But God, in his grace, brought me to life. He animated my body, makes it sacred space, and in the life-giving power of Jesus’ resurrection and the Holy Spirit I should walk myself to the altar and lay myself down. The most important command for me is to love him with everything, and praise the Lord I am free to do so.

Advent - Romans 15:13

2025-12-20T05:36:26Z

Romans 15:13

Now may the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace in believing, so that you may abound in hope by the power of the Holy Spirit.

The last 3 weeks of Advent are summarized right here in verse 13. Yahweh is the God of hope, of expectation, he brings Joy through redemption, and Peace to the believer through faith. That Joy and Peace lead us to “abound in hope” ourselves, by the power of the Holy Spirit.

What a dense sentence…

The last several days and months have been heavy, and praise God for Christmas and Advent right now, which is daily reorienting my eyes to Jesus. I’m waking up everyday thinking about work, the next thing to do, my next project, retirement, why am I so sweaty in the morning?… But after a few deep breaths, eventually making my way to my desk with a cup of coffee and a sense of direction to start my day, I’ve been sitting down and reflecting not just on some random passage from a devotional, but through this Advent season regularly, daily, reflecting on the core themes. By God’s grace this has been a great gift to me, and without this daily (or mostly daily) reorientation, I am sure the stress I do still feel would be multiplied by orders of magnitude.

We light the Love candle tomorrow, but today is good for me to wrap up the last 3 weeks with this simple verse. I know God loves me, this next week of reflection I look forward to what he shares with me. And today the Word of God reminds me that hope, joy, and peace are apart of God’s design for our lives. Those things are found and fulfilled in the Person and Work of Jesus. He then left us the helper, the Holy Spirit, to carry us forward while we wait for his return. Today, it’s in the Spirit’s power that God’s hope may overflow our hearts, and if we… if I am overflowing with hope and love and peace in Jesus, then I sure hope more that the “Christmas Cheer” God gives to me does a partnering work in bringing Heaven to earth while we expectantly wait for the return of the King.

Advent - Matthew 5:11-12

2025-12-18T05:08:56Z

Matthew 5:11-12

11 Blessed are you when they insult you and persecute you and say all kinds of evil things against you, lying on account of me. 12 Rejoice and be glad, because your reward is great in heaven, for in the same way they persecuted the prophets before you.

Context #

To drop some context that I’m familiar with, this is from a famous section of Jesus’ “Sermon on the Mount” called “The Beatitudes”. A little unknown fact in a lot of Christian circles is that these phrases from Matthew 5:3-12 are derived from some ancient Jewish wisdom (esus didn’t come up with these on the fly). Most of these saying come from something called “The Book of Wisdom” and they had a history of being used as a way of defining who was close to God and who wasn’t. Jesus takes the ancient and perverted pseudo-wisdom here and turns it on its head. He’s not giving instructions, he’s giving correction to people who have been abused by civic and religious powers at be.

Reflection #

So I know Jesus is not saying I should go out and pursue persecution and slander. Nor is he saying that just because someone might be mean to me for my faith, that I’m practicing my faith in an appropriate way.

But what Jesus is doing is acknowledging that the world fundamentally does reject him. Ultimately, at a level more foundational than the atoms that make up the universe, creation is broken right now. It’s being redeemed, but it’s also broken. In its broken state, like a body that is sick, it might reject things that are good for it.

Humans are apart of creation, humans are apart of what is broken, and humans, in our brokenness, reject ultimate goodness by our very broken nature. Jesus says that when the world persecutes us because of him, it’s a simple truth made manifest… The broken world continues to reject Jesus, and as you or I are brought further into the fold of God’s family, then those outside, those still under the crushing, oppressive thumb of sin and death, can not help but carry out their natural inclination against that which is good. It is quite literally only natural.

So should I find myself offended when someone naturally rejects me on account of Jesus’ presence in my life? I think I should instead almost pity them, and pray that Jesus calls their name too.

Advent - John 15:10-11

2025-12-17T05:39:34Z

John 15:10-11

10 If you keep my commandments, you will remain in my love, just as I have kept my Father’s commandments and remain in his love. 11 I have spoken these things to you in order that my joy may be in you, and your joy may be made complete.

This is a beautiful couple verses about love that have only made more and more sense to me as I get older and I have become a dad.

Commandments are not necessarily about control. I see this illogical line of thinking EVERYWHERE - that advocating for rules and boundaries in life can quickly get conflated with “you want to control me/them!”. I think the general population really fails to understand that the lack of boundaries doesn’t make you free, it turns you into a slave of your most powerful desire. It is literally in the human-nature.

Random boundaries though are not helpful or loving… Restriction without purpose, or for the wrong reason, can put you into a situation you weren’t designed to be in. I believe humans were created according to a design, and like anything else with a purpose there are appropriate ways and places to live, be, act, etc. as well as inappropriate ways and places. The appropriatedness can only be determined by the one who knows the design though…. otherwise someone is just guessing what the purposeful boundary or restriction is.

In the case of our own reality, the architect of the universe is Jesus himself, and in his divine knowledge of all of Creation he gives commandments (boundaries and regulations) that are in perfect alignment with our design and purpose

From here it sounds so simple… The commandments from the Lord come from an understanding of what is actually best for the human life. Because Jesus actually knows better than you or me when we are in line with his commandments, when we “remain in [his] love”, we are more in-line with our created purpose than when we think we know better for ourselves. It’s practically a law of nature that things work best when used for their created purpose, and in the human-design I think it’s no different. Jesus offers the framework for the fulfilled human life - it’s not attainable without the freedom to love him, but for the chosen - his joy follows love and freedom.

For who?

The life of freedom is only fully possible for whoever Jesus picks. Without him awakening your heart to love what is truely lovely and hate what is truely despicable then you’ll never want anything that he offers. The understanding of “his way is better” is only possible in the mind and heart of the person whom Jesus raises to life out of the chaotic ocean of death.

Today God gives me the freedom to keep his commandments. I’ll make my choice moment by moment and pray continuously that he sustains my trust in him - to ignore my dead-self’s desires and instead to keep the commandments of the Lord so that my joy may be made complete

Advent - Luke 2:10-11

2025-12-16T04:55:33Z

Luke 2:10-11

10 And the angel said to them, “Do not be afraid, for behold, I bring good news to you of great joy which will be for all the people: 11 that today a Savior, who is Christ the Lord, was born for you in the city of David.

Advent - Isaiah 51:3

2025-12-15T05:40:47Z

Isaiah 51:1-3

1 “Listen to me, you who pursue righteousness, who seek Yahweh. Look to the rock from which you were hewn, and to the excavation of the pit from which you were quarried. 2 Look to Abraham your father, and to Sarah; she brought you forth. For I called him alone, but I blessed him and made him numerous.” 3 For Yahweh will comfort Zion; he will comfort all its sites of ruins. And he will make its wilderness like Eden, and its desert like the garden of Yahweh. Joy and gladness will be found in it, thanksgiving and the sound of song.

Joy in the Father #

On the heels of yesterday, I’m still struggling with Joy, but here in Isaiah some context aligns Joy with Gladness (which feels very much in-line with my association of Gratitude with Happiness).

So where will joy and gladness be found? It sounds to me like “Zion”. Zion is the Mountain of God. In the ANE gods lived on high mountain tops with lush gardens. Think of the cartoon example of Hercules with the pantheon up on Olympus.

Zion is also the people of God - even today we sometimes use national or ethnic titles to refer to the people of that area. National leaders may address the citizens of America by saying “Listen to me, America” or something like that - I think my point is that we’d all “get it” in that moment. In a similar way, that communication shouldn’t be lost on us here.

The prophet is speaking to “you who pursue righteousness, who seek Yahweh… Yahweh will comfort Zion (you)…”. In that comfort is 2 things from this passage: Election and Legacy.

Election

“Look to the rock from which you were hewn…”. Does the rock decide which pieces are chiseled away and which pieces remain? Of course not, the sculptor or foreman does that. In, honestly, the same way - who am I to have chosen God on my own… Without his hand coming to the rock to separate me (any anyone else in the Lord) I would forever remain stagnant in my cold, hard, dead state. But Yahweh chooses - and what can follow his choice to hewn me from the rock? Why, it’s nothing but Joy and Gladness!

Legacy

“Look to Abraham your father, and to Sarah; she brought you forth”. God’s people have a long legacy, a real legacy, to look back on and be encouraged by God’s faithfulness in his election. The legacy isn’t just back to “Father Abraham”, my mind goes to my own life and now that I have some years under my belt I can look back and see time and time again where God showed his love for me in extraordinary ways. I do hope it isn’t the physical blessings that he gives that bring me joy, but rather that it is the unending history of faithfulness to me as his child.

Joy is found in Zion because it is where Yahweh lives, and joy and gladness are found in fullness in him alone. His comfort today is realized in his word and legacy of faithfulness, and his comfort tomorrow will be realized by Jesus' return and the consummation of the Kingdom of God.

Work is hard, life is unfair, sickness will continue but at the appointed time, when Yahweh “make[s] [Zion’s] wilderness like Eden” there will be joy, gladness, thanksgiving, and the sound of song.

Advent - Psalm 105:43

2025-12-14T09:48:03Z

Psalm 105:43

And so he brought out his people with joy, his chosen ones with rejoicing.

Joy is a toughy right now if I’m honest… Today marks the 3rd week of Advent, today we light the Joy candle. But honestly, joy is one that’s not just tough now, it’s a hard thing for me in general… “Hope” I feel like I get, I long for the consummation of Heaven. “Peace” is another one that I can’t say I experience all the time, but I know what it is, and I have felt, and do feel, “peace” to divine degrees at times. Joy though… I’m an excitable person, I’m passionate about the things I’m passionate about, but “joy” isn’t an emotion or state-of-being that I feel very familiar with.

It’s probably not correct to use the word “emotion” for the Advent-pillar of Joy, but it doesn’t feel wholly inappropriate either… I think of ‘joy’ as an outward response to a thing, and if I were to be pressed to think about what “inward-joy” might be, I think I’d default to how I understand “peace”.

Joy, though, can’t only be outward, there must be something internal… “Peace” reminds me of feelings like calm and serenity to me, but “joy” reminds me of feelings of happiness and gratitude… Maybe that’s where joy becomes almost a virtue - happiness accompanied with gratitude.

I suppose with that springboard, I feel great joy when I’m with close friends, experiencing community with people who really know me. I don’t know what it says about me that the most recent time of excessive “joy” I can remember was from a weekend-getaway trip to the Dells with our best friends back in January… We don’t get to see Michael and Kathryn (+ the kiddos!) very often. By God’s grace on their lives, we are 1 of many close family-friends to them. By God’s same grace on our lives, they are 1 of a very few close family-friends to us, and so when we do get to see them and plan a few days together every couple of years, it warms my heart so much that if we booked the next trip this morning I’d forget about being sick and how cold it is outside (wind chill -29F).

Things for me right this very second are not incredibly joyful, but all things considered it’s impossible to not find peace in the provision of Yahweh in my life. I’m thankful for when joy enters my being and I get to experience it, I pray Jesus broadens my heart and mind this week during the reflections on Joy for the sake my own righteousness.

Advent - Ephesians 4:3

2025-12-13T05:05:56Z

Ephesians 4:1-6

4Therefore I, the prisoner in the Lord, exhort you to live in a manner worthy of the calling with which you were called: 2 with all humility and gentleness, with patience, putting up with one another in love, 3 being eager to keep the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace; 4 one body and one Spirit (just as also you were called with one hope of your calling), 5 one Lord, one faith, one baptism, 6 one God and Father of all, who is over all, and through all, and in all.

Unity and Peace #

Once again I say “Praise God” this morning for more words of Scripture that succinctly highlight the beauty of the Gospel.

“I, the prisoner in the Lord…” No one knows better than Paul that if Jesus says “Come to me” you have no choice but to obey.
“with humility, gentleness, and patience put up with one another in love, be eager to keep the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace”. Christian community was literally the talk of the town in the early church - it was so odd that historians have written about “The Way” (the early early name of the Christian movement). Acts says believers “had all things in common”. Jesus brings unity that transcends any differences between us.
“one…one…one…” Paul is saying so clearly that we are one family in Christa. Later in the same letter he says “be eager to do good to all, and especially to those in the household of faith”. Christians should be meeting the needs of those around them, but even more so meeting the needs of our brothers and sisters in Christ.

I really strive for unity… My whole life people have accused me of loving an argument (which is true) but I am not pugnacious. I do not enjoy fighting - I do enjoy rhetoric and debate, but by God’s grace I hate division. There are several examples I can point to in my life where unity and “team spirit” was important to me.

Simple Example

I worked for Summit Ministries for several summers, eventually serving on some leadership positions. While in those positions I wanted to do “extra” things to unify our counselors, and one was that every year I’d design a sweatshirt that we’d all (or most of us) would buy. I just love the idea of being united for a common and GOOD goal.o

Christians should be the most unified and loving people on the planet… unfortunately that isn’t the case, and I know a lot of people in and out of the Church who have experienced great disunity and division. That really is unfortunate, but I think the only thing I can do is march forward to the beat of the drum Jesus has for me. And one of those beats is to strive for unity “putting up with one another in love, being eager to keep the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace”

Advent - Ephesians 2:14-16

2025-12-12T04:57:12Z

The reflection in the BP calendar for today was only verses 14-15 but they made no sense to me without some more context

Ephesians 2:11-22

11 Therefore remember that formerly you, the Gentiles in the flesh, the so-called uncircumcision by the so-called circumcision in the flesh, made by hands, 12 that you were at that time apart from Christ, alienated from the citizenship of Israel, and strangers to the covenants of promise, not having hope, and without God in the world. 13 But now in Christ Jesus you, the ones who once were far away, have become near by the blood of Christ. 14 For he himself is our peace, who made both one and broke down the dividing wall of the partition, the enmity, in his flesh, 15 invalidating the law of commandments in ordinances, in order that he might create the two in himself into one new man, thus making peace, 16 and might reconcile both in one body to God through the cross, killing the enmity in himself. 17 And coming, he proclaimed the good news of peace to you who were far away and peace to the ones who were near, 18 because through him we both have access in one Spirit to the Father. 19 Consequently, therefore, you are no longer strangers and foreigners, but you are fellow citizens of the saints and members of the household of God, 20 built on the foundation of the apostles and prophets, Christ Jesus himself being the cornerstone, 21 in whom the whole building, joined together, grows into a holy temple in the Lord, 22 in whom you also are built up together into a dwelling place of God in the Spirit.

Summary #

It’s a dense section, like a lot of Paul’s letters, so no surprise. I think the simplest truth from this passage is that to be a “citizen of heaven” requires nothing more than to be chosen by Jesus. For much of the Bible, and the history of Israel, the first requirement was being in the physical nation of Israel - God’s chosen people. Jesus comes to unleash the blessing of adoption and reconiciliiation onto the whole world, not just one imperfect white-washed nation.

TLDR: Jesus brings peace through unity of faith in his saving power - there is nothing that can separate God’s own from himself, including who your ancestors are.

Peace #

“For he himself is our peace”… Amen and amen. My reflections during and prior to Advent this year have strong running themes of freedom and peace because by God’s grace he’s impressing these blessings into my heart. In the stillness of the morning or the chaos of the afternoon, I can thankfully say that the name of Jesus never fails to ground my feet in the reality of his kingdom, and at the very least - draw my eyes above the trial to the horizon - where just like I can see nothing without the sun’s light, the world is clearer and more peaceful in the light of the Son of God.

Advent - Colossians 1:19-20

2025-12-11T05:38:49Z

Colossians 1:19-20

19 For God was pleased to have all his fullness dwell in him, 20 and through him to reconcile everything to himself, whether things on earth or things in heaven, by making peace through his blood, shed on the cross.

I feel like there’s so much that could be unpacked here…

“all his fullness dwell him in” - so besides the entire Gospel of John how can anyone deny that Jesus is God? I don’t understand anyone who claims to take the Bible as an authority and then deny Jesus’ divinity.
“through him to reconcile everything to himself” - not all people are saved, it’s a clear reality. So what does it mean for all things to be reconciled to God? Feels like that could go a lot of places.
“making peace through his blood” - before the cross there was an absence of “peace”, and through Jesus’ blood peace has been made. Moreso than just that, the “make” (eirenopoieo: εἰρηνοποιέω) is in the aorist which I understand to be a tense that means a thing “has happened” and “is done happening”. ie. it’s a completed action in the past.

KISS #

I’m going to keep-it-simple-silly here… I don’t have the energy for arguments or unpacking some of these theological ideas that I genuinely do love. I found some old notes on this exact passage in Logos about reconiliation of angels and some grammar questions. However, for this Advent reflection I think there’s just a simple truth to see, and it’s one of the biggest points of the Story of the Bible - Jesus makes peace, and he made peace through hard work, death.

The glory of the peace Jesus made is lost on anyone who doesn’t recognize that the world is broken. Jesus brings a new reality by unleashing Heaven to earth through his victory on the cross. We live in an interim “already but not yet” where the King Jesus is the rightful ruler over all creation, but he has yet to come back and fully claim his own. The peace he made is a gift to all of creation, for all of creation is his to reconcile.

If Jesus calls your name, what are you going to do? What can you do? He defeated death and holds the universe together… you think you can say “no”? What about Jesus not calling the name of someone in your life? Is peace not afforded to them? The Biblical truth is that it’s fully and totally up to Yahweh to give his own to the Lord Jesus, and to keep each one without losing a hair on their head. Those who are not of his kingdom will get what they naturally want in the end. What that actually is I do not know, but it is not eternity in the presence of a Good King because if God hasn’t chosen you, you can’t love the Good King. If God hasn’t chosen you - you can’t want the Good King. In the end, we all get what we want - the benefit of those chosen by Yahweh is that we are freed to want what is actually good for us. We are freed to love and live according to the purposes of our design.

Today I pray Jesus impresses the reality of peace, and the freedom to want the peace he made, deeper into my heart, amen.

Advent - John 16:33

2025-12-10T05:03:04Z

John 16:33

I have said these things to you so that in me you may have peace. In the world you have affliction, but have courage! I have conquered the world.”

It’s interesting to read a little context around this morning’s Advent reflection passage/verse…

John 16:31-33

31 Jesus replied to them, “Now do you believe? 32 Behold, an hour is coming—and has come—that you will be scattered each one to his own home, and you will leave me alone. And I am not alone, because the Father is with me. 33 I have said these things to you so that in me you may have peace. In the world you have affliction, but have courage! I have conquered the world.”

It sounds to me like right on the heels of Jesus saying “hey, you’re gonna leave me alone for a minute out of fear” he says “I still love you, have peace, I am victorious”… I think he’s saying that the important thing isn’t the natural human response to pain and affliction to be to recede. Instead he’s saying that in his victory, by his love for us, the affliction will be a distant memory and Jesus is speaking in the reality of affliction being in the past, because he has conquered the world.

When my daughter’s have to do something they are a little scared to do, or something they don’t understand, my response to them is “I am your dad, I love you, you don’t have to understand why I’m asking you to do this right now but do you trust me?”

I try to drive home with my daughters (and my wife for that matter) that in any single thing I do - they are my priority. I don’t always do the thing appropriately, I’m not saying I’m infallible. But I think I get what Jesus is saying here - he is the focus, he is the thing that matter, his victory is more meaningful than my affliction and honestly the comfort from that affliction is found in nothing more than trusting Jesus because I know he loves me. Just like I ask my daughters to trust me, and I hope that trust calms their anxiety about whatever I’ve asked of them, Jesus says “trust me - I have conquered the world”

Advent - Zechariah 9:9-10

2025-12-09T05:06:22Z

Zechariah 9:9-10

9 Rejoice greatly, O daughter of Zion! Shout aloud, O daughter of Jerusalem! Look! Your king comes to you; he is righteous and victorious, humble and riding on a donkey, and on a male donkey, the foal of a female donkey! 10 And I will cut off the chariot from Ephraim, and the horse from Jerusalem; the battle bow will be cut down, and he will announce peace to the nations. His dominion will be from sea to sea, and from the River to the ends of the earth.

My king is indeed coming, and has already come. He is humble and he is victorious. Jesus can “announce peace” because the Kingdom is his - over which to announce whatever he wills. The rulers of this world fight for peace - they make announcements that reality is under no obligation to adhere to. “Peace through strength” is not a bad mentality from one nation to another, but within the nation the citizens are ruled by one king whose word either has weight or not. Often the weight of the word of the king is in the form of brutal enforcement of the king’s will. In the case of King Jesus though, there is nothing brutal. He doesn’t own the world by conquest, he owns it by right. Reality itself is under an obligation to obey the architect of the universe. So when King Jesus announces peace… what else can happen besides the word of the Lord?

Advent - Isaiah 9:6-7

2025-12-08T04:39:09Z

Isaiah 9:6-7

6 For a child has been born for us; a son has been given to us. And the dominion will be on his shoulder, and his name is called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace. 7 His dominion will grow continually, and to peace there will be no end on the throne of David and over his kingdom, to establish it and sustain it with justice and righteousness now and forever. The zeal of Yahweh of hosts will do this.

To Peace There Will Be No End #

What a fantastic promise about what the King will do - to bring unending peace. I wrote about peace during Advent last year - Advent 2024 - Peace

Things are as they are supposed to be

What King Jesus will bring is a kingdom where every relationship is as it is supposed to be.

There is something amazing and relieving about reconciling with a friend. Brokenness is everywhere, and that affects our relationship with everyone, from the best friend to the 3rd cousin of your boss’s secretary. The closer you are, the more impactful the brokenness can be, the worse the pain in the relationship can feel, but also the more glorious and cheerful it is when things go from bad to as they should be

Advent 2025 - Love

2025-12-07T05:51:43Z

Advent Address

Love #

1 John 4:7–10 (CSB)

7 Dear friends, let us love one another, because love is from God, and everyone who loves has been born of God and knows God. 8 The one who does not love does not know God, because God is love. 9 God’s love was revealed among us in this way: God sent his one and only Son into the world so that we might live through him. 10 Love consists in this: not that we loved God, but that he loved us and sent his Son to be the atoning sacrifice for our sins.

“not that we loved God, but that he loved us”

Can a newborn love? When a baby enters the world they are at the mercy of the, hopefully, loving mom and dad God gave to them. But, whatever circumstances surround them - they didn’t choose any of it. As the child is loved then out of that love they develop an affection and love of their own toward Mom and Dad.

So, to love God is only possible out of the love he shows you and me, just like a child will develop love for Mom and Dad as they are shown love.

Not all people love God, but He does show grace to all.

Palm 145:9

Yahweh is good to all, and his mercies are over all his works.

And just like Yahweh is good to all, I will show grace to anyone else’s kid - but God redeems his own just like at the end of the day I take my own kids home: my kids, who I loved before they could love me. Only my children can love me as their Dad, and anyone who is not a child of God cannot love God - John says as much in what we just read together.

But love is more than affection, and even security. It is those things of course, but it’s also more. Something else that love brings to the human life, is freedom.

My kids don’t get to do just whatever they want - but they’re never more free than when they are enjoying life within the boundaries I have set for them. My love for my kids enables them to be as free as reasonably possible… The epitome of freedom for the human is not “doing whatever I want”, that is slavery to myself. If I treat myself as my own Master, then I will be my own slave.

True freedom is the gift of loving the Lord because loving him is the reason we were created - it’s what we were made to do. His love for me frees me to want what he wants, love what he loves, hate what he hates, and ultimately to enjoy him forever.

I hope my kids love what I love, and hate what I hate because I hope that what I love and what I hate are in line with God’s heart. And as God sent his own son into the world out of his love for you and me, may we go forward freed from the bondage of sin and death, into the glorious, true, and loving freedom that Jesus brings.

Prayer #

Good morning, Father. Thank you for Love, thank you for Christmas. For those here who have been freed to love you I pray this week and through Christmas we are drawn to consider the freedom we have in your love, the freedom to love you, the freedom to choose what is pleasing to you and not what our sinful-selves demand. For those here still dead in their sins, unable to love you, I pray you speak their name and call them to life and to freedom. We long for your return as we celebrate your incarnation. Thank you for loving us before we could love you, now may we love you and others this week, in Jesus' name. Amen.

Advent - Isaiah 26:3

2025-12-07T05:49:32Z

Isaiah 26:3

You will protect a firm inclination in peace, in peace because he trusts in you.

This is reminding me of a blog post I’ve had in the queue for months [[autism-and-steadfast-faith]] which may never see the light of day but it ties in with this verse too well to not influence my reflection on it

A Firm Inclination #

What is this? I had to open another translation to get the idea, consider the ESV:

Isaiah 26:3

You keep him in perfect peace whose mind is stayed on you, because he trusts in you.

I’m not going to attempt to explain any Hebrew in this one, I’m not fluent in it and this looks like more than a 1 word translation to me

So in observation “sa-muk ye-ser” is the man “whose mind is stayed on (Yahweh)” is “the man with a firm inclination”

So it’s an attitude - an inclincation to trust in the Lord… I definitely want to avoid going down any theological paths about the order of salvation, but personally this is resonating deeply as I describe myself (as do others probably) as a man with a firm inclination to worship and follow Jesus.

For me, obviously the source of the “sa-muk ye-ser” is Yahweh himself, but the outpouring of his blessing of “a firm inclination” in me is in the form of autism I think… Through my make-up as a human, the traits that got me labeled autistic are also many of the ones that have led me to study and lay the foundation of my faith in Jesus by nothing other than his grace.

For a long time, biblical theology was my “special interest of autistic degrees”, and although I’m not drowning in technical papers about Divine Council Theology at the moment, the seasons and experiences that were enabled/affected by being autistic have given me, by God’s grace, a history of life to look back on and be encouraged through and have my present-day-faith strengthened by.

Advent #

Today marks the second week of Advent - Peace.

Praise God for Isaiah 26:3 and honestly praise God for autism in my life. Through it he has protected and kept me. It’s odd to think about but through the anxiety and turmoil of growing up undiagnosed (actually misdiagnosed - Autism ADHD and the Doshas) autistic, to wrestle with how and why I seemed to experience reality differently than most of my friends and community, God brought me to a point of mostly steady peace about the things that happen in my life.

I’ve mentioned it in a few writings but right now I feel quite stressed out about some work-related situations that are outside my control… God’s been, and is being, good. I both sense the peace of knowing that I don’t have to worry about my life, as well as the anxiety present (somewhat rightfully) to make the decisions that bring the most glory to God.

I don’t think “peace” means you can’t feel anxiety, we live in the “already but not yet” so the dual-reality is completely expected. I feel blessed that even though I’m no stranger to the level of anxiety that can make you physically sick, I am also no stranger to an ever-present and quiet corner of my heart that God tends and keeps, strengthens and refreshes, and protects for the sake of his own glory. Amen.

Advent - Romans 8:24-25

2025-12-06T05:37:21Z

Romans 8:24-25

24 For in hope we were saved, but hope that is seen is not hope, for who hopes for what he sees? 25 But if we hope for what we do not see, we await it eagerly with patient endurance.

Q: What does it look like for you to actively but patiently wait for God right now?

“What does it look like” often causes me to think about hwo someone else might observe my life in relation to the question. This comes up a lot in theology/fellowship discussions “what does it look like for…” and then we talk about practical things that humans can do that we can see with our eyes.

But in my faith journey, as I have seen God’s faithfulness to me and my family, my mind is not immediately going to outward looking things…

For example “What does it look like for Christians to live differently than others?” and the answers are always the same “we love our enemies”, “protestant work ethic - Christians should work harder since we work for an audience of One”, “We don’t cuss”… etc. Things that someone could conceivably witness and then potentially draw the conclusion of the question (which is that Christians ought to live differently than non-Christians)

So I see these 2 ways of thinking about the “what does it look like” question - the outward observable perspective, but then an inward one

I guess outwardly, there are some answers where someone might observe it and then conclude that I am waiting actively and patiently for the Lord… Here are some examples:

Our Advent wreath on the dining table, anyone who enters out home will see it (as do I every day which reminds me of the active waiting)
This blog - anyone who finds my posts should no doubt observe that my life has been claimed by Jesus and I’m living my life to that end by his grace

But inwardly, in the secret… I think some reality is continuing to sink in that is a byproduct of witnessing God’s faithfulness to me… The way it looks for me to actively but patiently wait on the Lord is to just walk day by day in the life he’s given me… It’s a great life - beautiful family, decent work, beyond decent compensation - in a lot of ways I’m living the American Dream and God has been so good to me. My patience and activity I hope are not so much manifested by my will but moreso may they be acts of trust in a God who has shown himself worth trusting.

So, for me, “what does it look like?” is it looks like trusting when I’m frustrated, it looks like breathing when circumstances aren’t what I wanted, and it looks like putting one foot in front of the other in daily faithful life to Jesus…

Advent - 1 Peter 1:3

2025-12-04T04:59:06Z

1 Peter 1:3

Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who according to his great mercy has caused us to be born again to a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead,

Q: How does Jesus’ resurrection from death shape your hope for both the future and life today?

Coming off the heals of a somewhat tense conversation with a good friend yesterday, this verse and question have brought me to a point of thankfulness to Jesus for this…

My friend and I are in the middle of a discussion on the interpretive framework that’s appropriate for Genesis 2-11. Yesterday that convo did get a little tense, but it honestly only got there out of the history of our friendship together. And we could only share the disagreement due to the strong foundation of our friendship. AND EVEN BEYOND THAT we only have this friendship because of Jesus… The punchline for me on this reflection question is that Jesus beat death and invites me into new life - an amazing thing about that reality is that when it comes to present-day disagreements with friends - so long as the friendship is built on the resurrecting gracious power of the Lord, the disagreements don’t penetrate the relationship any deeper than a papercut on your finger. Without the Lord, with a shifty and sandy foundation to any relationship, the stuff that feels personal cuts deep, damage - whether real wounds or perceived threat/attack - both take time to heal, and sometimes the wound is too deep and the friendship crumbles.

My friend and I here weren’t talking about sin in our personal lives or having a tense accountability meeting - we simply disagree on some interpretive steps, but by God’s grace the tension is controlled and scoped to the discussion, not allowed to bleed into our friendship because the foundation is the Person of Jesus, the unchanging Lord who does not shift or change - a solid rock.

Advent - Isaiah 40:31

2025-12-03T05:01:47Z

Isaiah 40:31

But those who wait for Yahweh shall renew their strength. They shall go up with wings like eagles; they shall run and not grow weary; they shall walk and not be faint.

There is a pretty significant thing going on in my life right now that’s causing me to grow a bit weary and faint. Essentially there are things and people totally outside my control who have some non-trivial power over my life in regards to work and it’s weighing on me. It’s been several months, and I know God provides, and in fact already has… So as far as any needs go, God has fully taken care of me. Nonetheless, the injustices and power dynamics at play in certain environments, like Corporate America, are still a reality that I hardly have a word strong-enough to describe my distaste for…

But I’m still breathing, still coding, walking, writing, dad’ing, husband’ing, etc… Faint and weary from the weight of these external factors, that ultimately God is sovereign over, daily life still continues…

I saw our Advent wreath on the dining room table this morning, the first candle still lit (we do battery candles for this, there was no open flame overnight) and I was thankful to see it because it served its purpose first thing in the morning - turn my eyes to Jesus and the expectant hope in his coming and return… And in that hope, in that waiting, Yahweh renews my strength each day to do the daily things, weather the external forces, and walk with my savior today and every day

Praise the Lord for renewal and direction and may God have grace on me to remind and renew me every day

Advent - Psalm 130:7

2025-12-02T05:15:58Z

Psalm 130:7

O Israel, wait for Yahweh. For with Yahweh there is loyal love, and with him there is abundant redemption.

He-sed #

Yahweh’s loyal love is חֶ֫סֶד (he-sed)… It comes from Exodus 34

Exodus 34:6-7

6 And Yahweh passed over before him, and he proclaimed, “Yahweh, Yahweh, God, who is compassionate and gracious, slow to anger, and abounding with loyal love and faithfulness, 7 keeping loyal love to the thousands, forgiving iniquity and transgression and sin, and he does not leave utterly unpunished, punishing the guilt of fathers on sons and on sons of sons on third and fourth generations.”

abounding with loyal love and faithfulness

hesed love is undying, unending, enduring, and everlasting. Yahweh’s love for his people isn’t a function of their love or loyalty to him - he is loyal to himself and in that loyalty he is faithful to me

God’s abundant redemption, as an artifact of his hesed love for me, is my daily bread. Every morning, with various amount of devotion, do I sit down and reflect on Jesus’s goodness to me… Of course I pray the blessings don’t stop, but the blessings are not his love and redemption, they certainly are favor, but Jesus’ love runs deeper than a house and steady income.

In his loyal love Jesus saves

Advent - Psalm 39:7

2025-12-01T05:14:45Z

Psalm 39:7

And now, O Lord, for what do I wait? My hope is for you.

Every Advent I wish I took it more seriously - each year trying to be slightly more diligent about traditions and raising our daughters to understand more than the material-driven “holiday season”.

This year has had some ups and downs, ultimately God has been faithful to me in amazing ways. And if he hadn’t blessed me in the ways he has, he’d still be faithful.

My hope is for Yahweh to save

Advent - Isaiah 8:17

2025-12-01T05:13:59Z

Isaiah 8:17

And I will wait for Yahweh, who hides his face from the house of Jacob, and I will await him.

I will await him -> this isn’t “waiting” like being patient… The first “wait” is, but the second “wait” isn’t the same word. Seems like a few English translations are pick something along the lines of patience rather than expectation here…

I’m not an expert, but I do think hope is a better translation - part of that influence is that it’s the first day’s reflection from this BP Advent Calendar and this first week of Advent is about “Hope”.

“Hoping” isn’t just being patient - it’s expecting what you are being patient, it’s longing for that thing to come, it’s excited anticipation.

I’m in a short season of stress and waiting - but waiting for things that I don’t really want to happen, to happen… I pray in the Advent season Jesus will keep my thoughts and hopes on him and not on the circumstances that are just as imminent as His coming, albeit probably sooner.

Reflection - Ecclesiastes 9:10

2025-11-26T05:04:07Z

Ecclesiastes 9:10

Whatever your hand finds to do—do it with all your might; for in Sheol—where you are going—no one works, plans, knows, or thinks about anything.

Reflection vs Hermeneutics

I put this little disclaimer on posts where I’m sure the direction of my reflection isn’t necessarily consistent with a exegetical teachin gon the passage I’m reflecting on. I do not know the intimate context of Ecclesiastes 9 and so this reflection in very inra-personal and is not meant to be a point in teaching in any capacity

Finding #

Whatever your hand finds to do… The beginning assumes a search. The faithful Christian is not idle… he seeks to do good because it’s God’s calling on the human life to steward creation well which requires work.

Finding doesn’t only presume a search, it indicates finding things on the search… There is no shortage of godly things to do because every single day we’re faced with choices that either align or don’t with the will Yahweh.

So whatever my hand does in fact find to do I am to do with might…

Lately I have not done what I find to do with all my might. I think God is so good to me, and has blessed me through years of transformation to align more and more of my will with his… but I’ve been meaning to refactor something at work for 7 months that’s actually keeping me up at night, I pick up my phone to scroll when I have a ticket to work on or worse - when I could be watching my kids play. I very clearly do not do with all my might whatever my hand finds to do

Grace #

And yet God continues to be good to me. He continues to teach me and correct me, and in this reflection I feel the same consistent & persistent nudge I’ve been feeling since the end of Summer. Praise God for this nudge - to keep going in his grace and seek to make better choices today than yesterday.

By God’s grace, the things I do with my might/strength, he often blesses. And I have full confidence in my King that I will be able to work, plan, know, and think a lot both in this unconsecrated heavenly age as well as in the eschaton. Sheol still holds some power over me, I have been freed by my King but he hasn’t yet come back. In the already but not yet the Christian is still to seek the Lord and trust him.

He’s been faithful to me - Ebenezer.

Reflection - Psalm 93

2025-11-19T05:59:43Z

Yahweh is king

Psalm 93

93 Yahweh is king; he clothes himself with majesty. Yahweh clothes himself; he girds himself with might. Yes, the world is established so that it will not be moved. 2 Your throne is established from of old; you are from everlasting. 3 The rivers have lifted up, O Yahweh; the rivers have lifted up their ⌊rumbling⌋; the rivers have lifted up their pounding. 4 Mightier than the rumblings of many waters, mightier than the mighty breakers of the sea, Yahweh on high is mighty. 5 Your testimonies are fully reliable. Holiness is fitting for your house, O Yahweh, ⌊forever⌋.

Observations #

Yahweh is king; he clothes himself with majesty. Yahweh clothes himself; he girds himself with might.
- It seems relevant to focus on Yahweh, the king, clothing himself. He has partners, humans, and ceremonial guardians in the spiritual realm (cherubim, seraphim, etc) and yet he clothes himself. His court doesn’t clothe him - they praise him certainly, but no one puts on Yahweh’s kingly attire besides Yahweh himself
You are everlasting
- In my post By God's Grace I note that Yahweh owns us and everything. He is the ruler of the universe because he is everlasting… no beginning and no end

Reflection #

By God's Grace the words “Yahweh is king” are a comfort to me. I am a wretch, but a wretch Yahweh is working on, has grace with, and ultimately invites into paradise… Paradise in that he invites me to be a complete human, to fulfil purpose I was designed for. By God’s grace, he is king and he’s given me a will that seeks to align with his… Amen

By God’s Grace

2025-11-18T13:27:15Z

Style

This blog was fully orated and transcribed. I edited the transcript with some links and formatting

Okay, so I had this thought about, honestly, just like what I would say. If somebody asked me, why do I say the phrase “by God’s grace” so often? And it’s related to a thought I had a while back where my best friend would, where Michael would say, “praise God”, out of like forced habit. And it developed into a great point of spiritual maturity to say by reflex “praise God” in you know our slightly older age here, in our young parenthood. And so it’s really related to that - I also say “by God’s grace” a lot and why do I say that?

I think it’s related to these central themes that have been a part of my reflections of freedom but freedom to what? It is freedom to love Jesus - see Helkyo - What is it for God to draw man to him? And before that, I’m not free at all.

Danger

I’m just bound by sin.

And that paired with believing loyalty and the choices I make every day - And I’m free to make the right choice… And sometimes even in God’s sovereignty, I obey my sin instead of my king. Which brings me to by God’s grace.

God’s Grace #

My life is not my own, and this is kind of a cliched phrase almost, but it’s something I think I’m just, I’m coming to accept in a new way.

Note

My life does not belong to me.

Belongings #

I have possessions and I can do kind of whatever I want with them. I could break them and mend them and use them or not or let them get dirty or clean them. And it’s up to me because they’re my possessions.

And we have lots of Christian language - “God adopts us as sons” and we’re “co-heirs and co-conquerers with Jesus”…

Those things are true, but also God owns us.

Note

Everything in creation is his.

He redeems us unto himself, not just as a father and son, not just as the prodigal son or something like that - all things are made by him and held together by him.

He owns us.

So that’s a fundamental reality for all people to either… accept or not, because there’s nothing they can do to affect it.

Nothing anybody can do will update the reality that Yahweh is king. People can either accept that or not.

By God’s grace, I am free to accept it. By God’s grace, he has picked me out of the kingdom of darkness and placed me, imported me into the kingdom of light. He has made me a citizen of the celestial city.

I didn’t choose it.

I didn’t ask.

He drew me to him.

Freedom #

I can say “by God’s grace” because it’s by no other thing that I have breath right now and that I can write this reflection. He holds the universe together. My life is not my own to live to me because I don’t own my life. I am the possession of the king of the universe. And I am free to find fulfillment and joy in that. I am free to be satisfied by the king.

Freed from the oppression of materialism and worldliness and lust and greed.

I’m freed from the oppression of darkness. Freed to accept and call Yahweh my loving king rather than the conquering king who I stand opposed to in the end times, whatever that kind of means.

By God’s grace, I get to love him.

And so to today, why do I say by God’s grace?

Because everything that is good that happens to me is by his grace. And every trial or pain or bad thing I could think of or experience is only as bad as it is by his grace. And that trial, whatever it was or whatever may come - I pray I can echo Paul’s words and say that it pales in comparison to the glory of the king.

Praise the Lord.

Reflection - Go Forward - Only Thing To Do

2025-11-05T06:04:16Z

Reflection #

Today I am thinking about the blessings in my life… In my opinion, I have a lot going for me - God has been so utterly good to me that finding fault with anything that was outside my control feels near-sinful…

In my adult life I have a reached several “checkpoints of success” for lack of a better stupid word…

smokin’ hot wife that loves Jesus
2 beautiful daughters
stable work that I’m also good at
by all accounts - excellent physical health
by all accounts - very decent mental health (more on this later)
a house, food, water, and the means to do recreation

So, it’s very clear that God has been very good to me - and at the same time it’s probably wrong to give the impression that there was no sacrifice, pain, or affliction in my life so far…

Here’s what’s on my mind - I kind of think God has given me so much in my adult life as a byproduct of my childhood. This note will not be full of gory details, but here’s one I find comical (though my wife finds it sad… you be the judge)

Breakfast and School #

When I was a kid, like elementary school, I would take care of myself to pretty extraordinary degrees. The short of this example is that at 5 years old I was getting myself up in the morning, getting dressed, making breakfast, and then waking my mom up to take me to school.

I recently found out that my dad knew this and when he made some work changes that resulted in him being home in the morning, it turned out I wanted nearly nothing to do with it! I still wanted to make my own breakfast and do my normal routine.

Note

Turns out a lot of that is explained by Autism shrug emoji who knew?

Looking back, there’s deep threads about who I am, my work ethic, outlook on responsibility, etc. that have roots in my childhood morning situation… but to me, what I think are the results of this upbringing are the gifts that God has given me… not to “make up” for a lost childhood, but as humans simply adapt they evolve and become better at handling what’s thrown at them. Theologically I would say these experiences teach wisdom, and wisdom is a pattern in which we are to walk through life in a godly manner.

Let me wrap up this short anecdote - my dad was visiting recently and over the course of conversation this fact about my childhood came up. We’re all adults now, my parents are divorced and married to other people, and when this came up I saw for just a second some pain on my dad’s face. It’s probably why my wife thinks this is sad too - for the observer, my childhood wasn’t taken from me, but it was never given either (again - there’s much more than this silly breakfast thing). That’s sad to emotionally-regulated adults who know what a child needs. And in my journey as a dad I totally see how I was neglected in many ways - but again, I’m not upset about it, and at the same time I wouldn’t attempt to replicate my experience for my own children…

I guess what I’m saying is that God is good, and I think it’s in spending so much time and energy in focusing on his goodness that the sad stuff can kind of just… fall away… It certainly happened, but it happened and today is a new day.

Finally consider Bilbo, The Hobbit, when he falls down deep into the goblin’s cave, right before meeting Golem. He takes a tumble, gets up, and…

Only thing to do

“Go back?" he thought. “No good at all! Go sideways? Impossible! Go forward? Only thing to do! On we go!” So up he got, and trotted along…

Deuteronomy 6 and the Shema

2025-11-04T05:10:11Z

The Shema from Judaism, archived in Deuteronomy 6, is a pinnacle tradition in Hebrew Judaism, and should be in Christianity. I cannot claim to be an expert, but it’s one of the fundamentals - shema means to listen AND obey, and this was the primary charge given to God’s people. His people were also to repeat his commandments, make them apart of their lives, and introduce their children to the Laws of God so that the next generation may not lose sight of God’s oracles and truths.

The Shema

Deuteronomy 6:4–5 (LEB): 4 “Hear, Israel, Yahweh our God, Yahweh is unique. 5 And you shall love Yahweh your God with all of your heart and with all of your soul and with all of your might.

My Kids #

I talk with my kids about obedience a lot… and it’s fine, because they’re young kids in a stage of life of needing near-constant correction. I love them and so because I love them they need to obey me, because no one in the world cares more about their safety and flourishing than I do, and no matter what they see they need to trust me more than what they see - ie. listen to me over anything else going on… Now, this is a hard lesson for a child certainly, but is it not exactly what Jesus requests of me? How easy would I say it is then?

But I think the key with the kids is to regularly talk about listening in the context of love and grace. We tell our girls constantly that we love them, that they’re safe and protected, and because of those truths they should listen to us (the parents).

The Point #

This isn’t a ground breaking post, to even grace it with the title… It’s a short reminder to me that kids need structure and guidance. I am here to provide that to my kids. And in the exact same way that they are to shema, to listen and obey me, I am to shema, to listen and obey the Lord… For the Lord my God is One.

Reflection - Psalm 9:1

2025-10-30T06:12:37Z

Psalm 9:1

I will thank Yahweh with all my heart. I will tell of all your wonderful deeds.

Praise God #

The phrase “praise God” has become a common phrase in my life. I’m blessed to have my best friend, Michael, in my life after 15+ years. Back in high school, I forget how it came up, but he told me that anytime something good happens, he forces himself to just audibly say “praise God”. Jesus certainly quickened that to my heart, and it was again in high school that I witnessed some fruit of, not using the phrase, but practicing giving glory to God in the smaller moments.

Some youth group kids were helping a church member replace their roof - so lots of high-schoolers tearing shingles off, hauling garbage, etc. As we were on the roof, one of the guys nearly fell off (we hadn’t even heard of “tie-offs” before). Something like a nail caught his shorts and he recovered his grip. I immediately said “Praise God”, and him and another guy looked at me and they go “…. ya! Praise God for sure!” and I think they had a similar experience then like I had with Michael, where when something good happens we draw attention to the Lord, and that edifies those around us.

I don’t know when it became habit, but certainly “today” not a day goes by where the phrase “Praise God” doesn’t leave my lips at least once. On one hand, I think Jesus has changed my heart to be more immediately responsive to him as the giver of good things, and so it’s natural now that when something good happens not to “just say” “Praise the Lord”, but to give thanks and actually praise the Lord!. This has been an edifying practice in my life for my own heart. However, on the other hand, bringing attention to God’s glory in the wake of good things is good for others. I have noticed my wife and kids, in their own ways, adopt a similar response to good things, and that’s been a steady stream of encouragement for me as the Lord continues to shape me and my family.

Reflection - John 15:19

2025-10-28T06:36:22Z

Spurgeon

If Jesus undertook to bring me to glory, and if the Father promised that he would give me to the Son to be a part of the infinite reward of the travail of his soul; then, my soul, till God himself shall be unfaithful, till Jesus shall cease to be the truth, thou art safe.

John 15:19

If you were of the world, the world would love its own. But because you are not of the world, but I chose you out of the world, for this reason the world hates you.

The World #

“Not of this world” was a clothing brand when I was a kid that made emo-styled clothing so edgy teens could be reminded to live a moral life. This was at least how I took the phrase “Not of this world” for most of my life…

The phrase shouldn’t be trivialized. But as it was to me (not to blame that clothing brand) it turned one of the most freeing truths about Yahweh’s sovereignty into a list of do’s and don’t’s. It actually moralizes Jesus in pretty much the same way anyone does who brings him up when it’s convenient for their political argument.

That irony is actually kind of funny to me right now… Jesus explicitly tells his disciples that they are not of this world, because God has chosen them (see Helkyo - What is it for God to draw man to him? for some thoughts on it). And here we go, doing exactly what the world would otherwise do with his teaching.

Reflection #

I almost feel like my reflections have all been the same thing in recent weeks… The freedom offered by Jesus to those chosen from before the beginning of time is beautiful. It’s beautiful because that freedom, which is actually freedom to follow Jesus, is what leads to human flourishing. Not necessarily the fastest technological advancements (but according to the story of Genesis 6 and the Watchers, technology can enable humans to do much more harm than good), but the most-human life we can live is one in community with God and his people.

The highest calling of man is to glorify God and honor him - and of course that calling is only actually achievable by those he calls. It has nothing to do with why he calls them, no one in God’s family can claim to have earned their place. That’s the beauty. And for Christians, that ought to drive us to interact with non-believers perhaps differently…

Too many Christians do I know who have Christian-expectations for non-Christians… I have been to plenty of small groups where a topic becomes the ridiculous level of debauchery celebrated in the public square. My fellow Christian brothers may rightly point out evil and wickedness but often it’s paired with disappointment… To that I always say “why?”.

Danger

What other expectation is there of a godless community than godless behavior?

It’s precisely because the Father chose the believers and gives them to Jesus that they/we should live how humans were designed to live - in accordance with Yahweh’s kingship of the world. In submitting to Yahweh, by his own election, the world (which celebrates debauchery) will inevitably hate the believer. The believer should also come to hate the debauchery. But nowhere in this logical line of thinking here do I see reason to be disappointed or surprised in the world… once again, if the Father has not chosen you out of it then what else would any believer expect?

So what about me? Reflections aren’t meant for focusing on “them”… So, Jesus says that I’m “not of this world” and that the world will hate me. I’ve certainly faced anger and hatred over my faith, but what else would I expect?! However, I don’t think that Jesus means here that we should strive to be hated by the world, or that being hated is confirmation that we’re doing things right. No, it’s not about behavior - it’s about reality. The reality that the believer has, that I have, been chosen.

To that reality I echo Spurgeon’s words

If Jesus undertook to bring me to glory, and if the Father promised that he would give me to the Son to be a part of the infinite reward of the travail of his soul; then, my soul, till God himself shall be unfaithful, till Jesus shall cease to be the truth, thou art safe.

My soul, thou art safe.

Helkyo - What is it for God to draw man to him?

2025-10-27T06:37:17Z

In John 6 there is a curious phrase about how the Father initiates the process of Salvation in the hearts of men.

John 6:44

No one can come to me unless the Father who sent me draws him. And I will raise him up on the last day.

The word draws is the Greek ἑλκύσῃ ([helkyo]). This word doesn’t mean “draw” like how we would immediately understand it - in the sense of wooing, or convincing… I’m not really sure why draws is the common English translation, I have a theory about theological presuppositions in the modern Christian movement but it’s not super relevant to my thought on it. It’s not relevant, because this word in its most native sense nearly perfectly describes my experience with Jesus. Before diving in - here’s a couple more Biblical examples of the word…

John 21:6

And he said unto them, Cast the net on the right side of the ship, and ye shall find. They cast therefore, and now they were not able to draw [helkyo] it for the multitude of fishes.

James 2:6

But ye have despised the poor. Do not rich men oppress you, and draw [helkyo] you before the judgment seats?

So the oppressed are helkyo to judgement… The fish are helkyo’d into the boat.

The simple definition is not “to lure” but “to haul” as in “to haul a net full of fish up into the boat”. This is not an image of a gentle calling. And no doubt, Jesus is sweet with all of us at various times, the Word of the Lord is the source of rest and peace. But being drawn to God is not necessarily a romantic experience. For me, I was raised in the Church, went to youth group, and in hindsight did genuinely believe. The Lord knows his people from before time began, but it doesn’t mean that his people don’t live human lives in pre and post salvific forms. What I mean is - we’re all born sinners, and Jesus changes the hearts of those whom the Father gives him. This is right out of John 6. But what’s there for me is the reality that sometimes Jesus stretches out his hand and says “come, follow me”. And other times he casts the net and drags you into the boat. For me, it was that.

When I went to college I was angry at God over idols in my life. I felt abandoned by many, didn’t like my home life, was generally aimless, and easily persuaded into things I wanted to be true out of the rebellion I wanted to enact against the Lord. And this post isn’t going to be me reliving any of those choices. At the end of the day, I was raised in the boat and wanted to jump and swim on my own.

I made every attempt I could to run from Jesus but ultimately that story ends with him simply [helkyo]‘ing my ass back into the boat.

Free Will #

Ok so what about my side of it? I did try to swim away… what about the idea that humans have “free will”?

Well, I’m not really here to argue about that much either, but it’s worth addressing that in my post-salvific life my desire is that my will becomes whatever God’s will is…

To be honest with you, the most freeing thing to me is knowing God cares about me. Whatever his will is, that’s the will I want to align myself with.

It became clearer to me after becomming a dad. My kids aren’t big enough to fully exercise their own free will and volition without getting hurt, and that’s pretty much where I/we are with God… Sure I feel like an adult, but I do stupid things all the time, and I make choices I know are not the best. I can only really imagine that God looks as me like how I look at my daughters whenever they’re disobeying to their own demise… My desire for them is that they want what I want for them, and it’s because I actually do know better than they do, right? In the same way God knows better than me, and I want to be able to acknowledge that in the manner I want my daughters to acknowledge my desire for their greater good.

So, what is “free will”?

Hebrews 13:20-21

Now may the God of peace, who brought up from the dead our Lord Jesus—the great Shepherd of the sheep —through the blood of the everlasting covenant, equip you with everything good to do his will, working in us what is pleasing in his sight, through Jesus Christ, to whom be glory forever and ever. Amen.

I’m free to follow Jesus.

Reflection - Mark 4:1-20

2025-10-21T06:09:43Z

The Soils #

I am in the middle of reprocessing the soils’ parable - I heard a very interesting interpretation the other day that I’m following up on. BUt while I wait for clarity in that conversation, there is still obvious truth for me to reflect on this morning…

Mark 4:1-20

Mark 4:1–20 (LEB): 4And again he began to teach beside the sea, and a very large crowd was gathered to him, so that he got into a boat and sat on the sea, and the whole crowd was at the sea on the land. 2 And he began to teach them many things in parables, and was saying to them in his teaching, 3 “Listen! Behold, the sower went out to sow. 4 And it happened that while he was sowing, some seed fell on the side of the path, and the birds came and devoured it. 5 And other seed fell on the rocky ground where it did not have much soil, and it sprang up at once, because it did not have any depth of soil. 6 And when the sun rose it was scorched, and because it did not have enough root, it withered. 7 And other seed fell among the thorn plants, and the thorn plants came up and choked it, and it did not produce grain. 8 And other seed fell on the good soil, and produced grain, coming up and increasing, and it bore a crop—one thirty and one sixty and one a hundred times as much. 9 And he said, “Whoever has ears to hear, let him hear!” 10 And when he was alone, those around him together with the twelve began asking him about the parables. 11 And he said to them, “To you has been granted the secret of the kingdom of God, but to those who are outside everything is in parables, 12 so that ‘they may look closely and not perceive, and they may listen carefully and not understand, lest they turn and it be forgiven them.’ ” 13 And he said to them, “Do you not understand this parable? And how will you understand all the parables? 14 The sower sows the word. 15 And these are the ones beside the path where the word is sown, and whenever they hear it, immediately Satan comes and takes away the word that was sown in them. 16 And these are like the ones sown on the rocky ground, who whenever they hear the word immediately receive it with joy. 17 And they have no root in themselves, but are temporary. Then when affliction or persecution comes because of the word, immediately they fall away. 18 And others are the ones sown among the thorn plants—these are the ones who hear the word, 19 and the cares of the world and the deceitfulness of wealth and the desires for other things come in and choke the word and it becomes unproductive. 20 And those are the ones sown on the good soil, who hear the word and receive it and bear fruit—one thirty and one sixty and one a hundred times as much.”

Mark 4:18-19

18 And others are the ones sown among the thorn plants—these are the ones who hear the word, 19 and the cares of the world and the deceitfulness of wealth and the desires for other things come in and choke the word and it becomes unproductive.

The Thorny Soil #

By God’s good grace on my life, the Word has been sown and without a doubt my faith has been proven beyond the depths of the path and shallow soils. My life has not been without testing (not that I would ever claim to have not been given a better life than 99% of humans in the history of the world), but I fear the test of my heart as it pertains to the thorny soil. God has been very good to me in work and finances. We aren’t ultra-wealthy, but I do have more than I need. And something I notice… as I’ve earned more, and invested more, I care more… My thoughts often wander around from “I should read that Proverb” to “If I can save X more dollars I could retire N weeks sooner”. I think what I desire is freedom from the corporate cycle in America, but I fear what I desire is the comfort to give into my own whims without having to show up to a job tomorrow.

I do not think financial independence is a sin, or the desire of it. But I think it does take a special constitution, a unique gifting from God, to steward riches appropriately in a broken world while submitting oneself to the kingship of Jesus. I have known several wealthy Christians - they’re hard workers and in general I think they’re honoring God with their work… but do I? And in the working, whether honoring or not in the manner that I do it, am I honoring God in the manner in which I think about it? I don’t know… I honestly can only say with 100% certainty that I’m thankful God knows my heart better than I do, and I pray he helps my unbelief and quenches the underlying fears and anxieties about the riches of this life and what those riches enable.

Reflection - John 21:12

2025-10-17T05:22:12Z

John 21:12

Jesus said to them, “Come, eat breakfast!” But none of the disciples dared to ask him, “Who are you?” because they knew that it was the Lord.

Come and eat #

Jesus offers this communion with himself every day, and to very believer… Sharing a meal with someone is a pretty intimate thing (it’s why hibachi with strangers is awkward). Sitting around a table, especially where you’d be eating with your hands, is a setting for family, or the family you choose (friends).

Jesus is the King of the universe, and he offers a seat at the table. I want this to sit in my head without some unknown ethereal deep metaphorical meaning… The simple truth is Jesus offers not only a place to sit next to him, to enjoy his company and wisdom, but the contents of the table. At the Last Supper he says he is the bread and cup, and after his resurrection he invites his disciples to sit with him on the beach and eat breakfast here in John 21. Every invitation to eat with him is to share the same meat, the wine, the conversation with the Saints, and ultimately the prize of time with the Lord.

Jesus is the prize, not what he can do.

I am hesitant to answer this call often… and it’s because I’m often more satisfied by drive-thru wings eaten alone in my office than I am around the table with Jesus and his other disciples. But he still offers an invitation

“Come, eat”

Choose this day whom you will serve #

His invitation strikes me as the choice following in Joshua 24:15:

Note

But if it is bad in your eyes to serve Yahweh, choose for yourselves today whom you want to serve, whether it is the gods that your ancestors served beyond the river, or the gods of the Amorites in whose land you are living; but as for me and my household, we will serve Yahweh.”

Jesus’ offer to come and dine is him presenting a choice… “choose for yourselves today whom you want to serve…. but as for me and my household, we will serve Yahweh.”

The choice is daily, and every reflection of mine comes back to this. Jesus offers himself, his table, his righteousness, everything we need for godliness and flourishing as creatures made in his image. And yet every day, face to face with the reality of the world the choice is still yours and mine to make - today, whom will you serve? Every day I have to say “as for me and my house, we will serve the Lord”

May that be true today, and tomorrow but tomorrow has enough trouble of its own, so today thank you Jesus for offering the table, to eat and drink together. And by the grace of his calling, today I will say “we will serve the Lord.”

Reflection - Philippians 3:8

2025-10-14T05:30:47Z

Philippians 3:8

More than that, I even consider all things to be loss because of the surpassing greatness of the knowledge of Christ Jesus my Lord, for the sake of whom I have suffered the loss of all things, and consider them dung, in order that I may gain Christ

Loss #

Paul’s words are convicting this morning… I even consider all things to be loss.

Danger

Do I?

Do I consider anything and everything as closer to literally nothing when compared to knowing Jesus? I don’t know, this morning I can’t even articulate what it means to consider allthings “loss”.

What a trivial picture but how often is my mind and spirit stuck between the green boxes… fixated again on my retirement, kid’s school costs, the fact that ribeye steak is still $20/lbs. I have anxities like anyone else over things in the world, and if my net worth increased by $3M today what would my response be… would I consider it a loss when compared to the knowledge of Jesus Christ? Or would I experience joy and hope for my earthly future…

Of course Paul’s note here isn’t that we have to just be angry about good things and be sad forever until we’re on the other side of a consecrated heaven, but I think the point is if my net worth goes up by a lot of down by a lot, at the end of the day that’s still between the 2 green boxes in my diagram… And my mind needs to focus on Jesus. Not for what he can do for me, pursuing him in light of my own fancies makes him out to be a Santa Claus, and in light of Paul’s words to the Philippian church would miss the point entirely. There is nothing for us to pursue for gain - that is the point.

The ultimate gift is the knowledge of Christ. This knowledge changs us - by the molding hand of Yahweh through the mediating power and authority of Jesus by the Spirit indwelling our lives - the knowledge of Christ conforms us into his image and likeness. But Jesus is the prize, he is the gain. Knowledge of him isn’t just knowing his name, it’s being known by him through communion and meditation. Through daily repentence.

Gain #

I just found myself downcast over this reflection, knowledge of Christ is hard… he chooses whome he chooses, frees whom he frees. In that freedom is where the comparison can be made. Only in the freedom of Jesus can you remove yourself from the line between the 2 green boxes in my picture, and even consider the glory of the knowledge of Christ. Before new life all we know is this:

He chooses… but then what? For some, loss must follow. In fact, for all loss will eventually follow. The degree of that loss is not outside his sovereignty. Paul says he “suffered the loss of all things” - in this experience his mind is opened to the reality that was hidden from him, the knowledge that there’s more but the only thing worth gaining is Jesus.

I hope I don’t have to suffer the loss of all things in order to more fully grasp the gravity of my King. But his will be done on earth as it is in heaven, whatever that may mean for my life. And may it be that I gain Christ.

Reflection - Psalm 119:15

2025-10-12T05:59:30Z

Psalm 119:15

I will meditate on your precepts and look at your ways.

Meditate #

Spurgeon had a good thought here… It is not the act of eating that actually nourishes our bodies, it is digestion… The same is true for our spiritual growth - merely listening to a sermon will not transform your heart and life, the Word of God must be digested and meditated upon to work in our members and change us.

What is it to go to church every week but never spend time musing upon the things of God? If you chew your food and spit it out right after the meal what good did it do you? Maybe you felt good during the songs, liked the taste of the food, heard something interesting from the pastor, commented on the decor in the dining room…. but once you leave, do you remember what you ate? Do you talk about it with those who ate with you? Did you practice cooking that delicious meal later in the week?

So it is with us and the precepts of the Lord.

The law of God, in light of Jesus, is not a burden any longer. We are free to follow, free to choose good. But knowing good takes time… a captive isn’t illuminated to all the ways of the free man who saved him the day his bonds are cut, he must study the new civilization he’s brought into - out of slavery and into freedom, out of death and into life.

And in that new life, Jesus - the embodiment of the law and the perfector of our faith changes us, molds us, teaches us about good and bad. His word is sweet and good.

Philippians 4:8

Finally, brothers, whatever things are true, whatever things are honorable, whatever things are right, whatever things are pure, whatever things are pleasing, whatever things are commendable, if there is any excellence of character and if anything praiseworthy, think about these things.

Think about these things #

The instruction from Paul is almost too simple… “just think about these things”. By God’s grace I think a lot… a lot. My thoughts are often hard to take hold of, and I’m led rather than leading in what I put my attention to, but also by God’s grace I fixate on the things of God often. This has not always been, and is not always fun or exciting or without pain.

But we are all gifted by God in different ways, and afflicted in different ways. An affliction he’s permitted in my life is often a blessing to me as my mind sometimes can’t let go of things that are pure and pleasing and commendable. The overall thing that’s on my mind every day is the freedom Jesus offers to choose good. The choice can only be made by the power of his resurrection, not by any moral teaching to be gleaned from his sermons as though he’s nothing more than a philosopher.

Success

He raised me to life, I didn’t attend a lecture.

But what could be sweeter today in our finite lives, than the ability and freedom to participate in bringing heaven to earth?

We have no means to do this though without meditating on the Lord’s precepts… How else can we know what is pleasing to heaven?

Reflection - Jude 24

2025-10-10T05:52:12Z

Jude 24-25

24 Now to the one who is able to protect you from stumbling and make you to stand before his glory blameless with exultation, 25 to the only God our Savior, through Jesus Christ our Lord, be glory, majesty, power, and authority before all time and now and for all eternity. Amen.

make you to stand before his glory blameless with exultation #

The ultimate hope of the one called to Jesus - to be made blameless.

Those who are blameless are those who are free. When we are in debt we are limited - this feels like a pretty natural thing. I owe money on my house, so there’s about $1000/mo that I have to put towards that, no options. Worse than a necessity (cause a place to live is a foundational need for humans) is unnecessary debt - debt for free choices.

pay as you go

Have you seen these pay-as-you-go services? Affirm and Klarna, etc…. You can finance (go into debt) your door dash orders, uber rides, amazon cart all usually with just a few clicks! They want you poor. Jesus doesn’t exactly want you rich with earthly wealth, but we make ourselves spiritually poor in the same manner and it’s that poverty that he saves us from.

So on one hand I’m “born a sinner” (take this as my mortgage) and on the other hand I make choices that dishonor my Lord - my heart gets worrisome or filled with lust, I abandon my faith for anxiety over my future… In this reflection I’m not debating Original Sin, for me today it’s moot… I do sin, I will sin, and Jesus has saved me yesterday, today, and tomorrow. So the hope is a blessed gift from Jesus - that I will be made to stand before him blameless with exultation.

To stand before the face of God is perhaps the most terrifying thing imaginable, or it should be for anyone in a wretched state. Ultimate goodness has a way of making anyone less very uncomfortable. We even have a taste of this truth on earth - consider this example. If you were at the gym or somewhere having a conversation with someone who was a pastor and you let a curse word fly, often people’s follow-up is to apologize to the pastor… why? My personal conviction is that cuss-words are just words, and most pastors aren’t offended by them. But we all generally recognize pastors as “good men” (not all, mind you - don’t come at me with horror stories of abuse in the Church, I know it’s there, I hate it too, and those demons aren’t who I’m talking about). So when we are face to face with “goodness” we recognize that some behavior isn’t appropriate, if only for a second. So we apologize… But a pastor is just a man - to come face to face with the Lord Almighty, the very definer of Good, should horrify anyone not perfectly good themselves. A scary thing to have anything bad in me present before the Judge of the universe.

And yet to the one who is able to protect you from stumbling and make you to stand before his glory blameless with exultation… Who is Jesus? The one who makes me blameless. To be blameless is to be able to come face to face with goodness. This is my hope, that in Christ alone for his glory and sake alone, am I made new and blameless.

But hope isn’t only in the future #

This ultimate hope isn’t the only hope though, it’s not the only thing Jesus does… He saves us from more than just hell, and for more than just an ethereal idea of goodness. He saves me to be free to choose goodness today as he works in me to align my will with his

Hebrews 13:20-21

20 Now may the God of peace, who brought up from the dead our Lord Jesus, the great shepherd of the sheep, by the blood of the eternal covenant, 21 equip you with every good thing to do his will, carrying out in us what is pleasing before him through Jesus Christ, to whom be the glory forever. Amen.

Jesus left us a helper, the Holy Spirit. This person is the conduit through which Yahweh works in us to equip {me} with every good thing to do his will, carrying out in {me} what is pleasing before him

Hope is for tomorrow, but it’s also for today. Jesus makes us free today as new creatures (2 Corinthians 5:17) to align with his will. You can’t choose him until he frees you to make the choice, and then in that freedom what else can you do? Say “no thanks”… lol. His call is the mighty arm of Yahweh reaching into the ocean of chaos and death to raise the corpse of your soul to new life, to breath air for the first time, to walk on God’s green earth with new feet and new purpose.

Praise the freaking Lord for salvation - for tomorrow and today. May my choices today reflect the goodness of my King, and if you’re reading this reflection, may God bless you with this blessed hope of salvation.

Reflection - Numbers 11:11

2025-10-07T05:07:19Z

As if the Lord orchestrated Spurgeon’s meditation to give me a spring board to what I need for the third day in a row…

Reflection - 1 Kings 19:8 He showed me that he sustains me unto his own service and glory
Reflection - John 4:14 He showed me that I’ve been pushing away aspects of his provision

And today I see the trials in my life reveal the status of my faith… Last night I got a phone call that I missed a credit card payment, which I thought odd since everything is on auto-pay. Well, turns out our checking account got a smidge low, low enough that the credit card payment was cancelled… In reality this isn’t a huge deal, but it threw me off and continues to this morning. The truth is, the only issue is my lack of in-depth understanding of our money movement. Our lifestyle and living expenses are well below what we can otherwise afford, but in my laziness I have mostly neglected each of our accounts individually. No doubt this “trial” is self-imposed but Spurgeon’s meditation is snapping me out of the funk that threw me into last night

fearless faith

If our faith be worth anything, it will stand the test. Gilt is afraid of fire, but gold is not: the paste gem dreads to be touched by the diamond, but the true jewel fears no test

The text is Numbers 11:11

Numbers 11:11

And Moses said to Yahweh, “Why have you brought trouble to your servant? Why have I not found favor in your eyes, that the burdens of all these people have been placed on me?

The meditation came from “Why have you brought trouble to your servant?”

Meditation vs Homily

My reflections over the summer have following the pattern of finding a scripture reference from Morning and Evening and then simply asking God to speak through the words of the text and Spurgeon’s meditation. Historically I would study the text, but in the season of life I am in, where I do have years of studious foundation, I am trying to exercise trust in God to speak to me in ways outside of connecting theological knowledge dots that construct a mosaic of my own choosing. Instead I’m trying to just trust his sovereignty - he brought me to Morning and Evening on October 7, 2025 perhaps so that I could be encouraged in my faith in light of this missed credit card payment event/trial. These reflections are not meant to be educational on the Bible, or even on theology necessarily - I am practicing opening my mind and heart to God speaking to me in ways otherwise uncomfortable but with prudence as I’m not approaching these texts in ignorance. As I put these reflections into the world I want to be clear these are personal meditations, not Bible lessons

Reflection #

Our heavenly Father sends us frequent troubles to try our faith… Are the source of those trials my own choices? Other’s choices? Some meta-truth about the fallenness of creation? I think probably it’s all of that… In reality, it doesn’t matter where the trial comes from - directly from the heavens above or originating in our own mistakes (such as mine of note above). There is almost certainly some significance in the source but ultimately God is sovereign over every one of those possibilities, and so in another sense, it’s almost insignificant what I consider the “source” of a trial. The real issue is how I respond to it.

Last night I was filled in my physical chest with a feeling of dread… Seeing my checking account low revealed that I have more digging to do to uncover any internal reliance on my own systems of security (like money). And the dumb part dear reader, is we have other accounts and plenty of money… I am in zero financial strain, but even so - seeing the number too low to make one of the payments sent my head into a whirlwind. God has also already provided a way out of this trial… I have budgeting software that I’ve been using for a long time and am just not on top of. He gave me the software I use and the ability to use it but it’s my own lack of diligence that I think led to this “trial”. And yet, with all that knowledge I find that I’m still troubled… I think I have a strong faith and one of my most common prayer is “Lord help my unbelief”, and apparently today I need to shout this to the heavens. How dare I allow dread to overcome me when I claim to know my God provides.

And in that I know he is still sweet to me. I’m a father, and when my kids make a mess of themselves my first response (often, though I’m not perfect) to them is to kneel and say “hey I’m here, you’re safe”. The trial they make for themselves may fill them with the dread I filled myself with last night in missing that credit card payment…. If I will approach my kids joyfully in their own mess, and if I write all these pages about God’s love for me and his people, then ought I not adopt the mindset towrads God that I want my daughter’s to have when I come to save them?

God approaches me knowing that missing a credit card payment is hardly a bigger deal than my 4 year old spilling milk on the table. But my world can become small just like their worlds are small and then my issues can feel big. I need my heavenly father to kneel next to me and say “hey I’m here, you’re safe”. I say I need it, but actually I mean to say that I have it, and because I have it is the only reason I can in-turn treat my daughter’s this way when their problems fill their little worlds.

Praise God for trials certainly, for what they reveal and for the Gospel truth that by the calling of Jesus our faith can be made pure and complete.

Reflection - John 4:14

2025-10-06T06:09:02Z

Today Spurgeon’s “Morning and Evening” was on John 4:14

John 4:14

But whoever drinks of this water which I will give to him will never be thirsty for eternity, but the water which I will give to him will become in him a well of water springing up to eternal life.”

Being autistic and growing up in the Church led to a few acute pain points for me growing up. A commonplace issue for me was when theological truths were expressed in absolute terms but didn’t “feel absolutely true” for me. I made a practice of trying to force myself to just “be ok” in light of the truth.

A Memory

Marissa was one of my best friends in high school - we spent a lot of time together in church, school, extra-curriculars, etc. She was an ever-present friend to me even when I was difficult to love. I recall multiple times, and one vivid memory for sure where I wasn’t doing well and she inquired. But my response was “I have Jesus, so I have to be OK”. I tried to filter my immediate acute pain through the lens of eternal glory. And yes, Paul muses in this fashion as well, but Paul wasn’t a 16 year old undiagnosed autistic… Was everythign going to be alright in the end when I was 16? Oh ya, but was everything all right then? No… Marissa was a great friend, and Jesus has been sweet to me in this struggle, but nonetheless it would’ve been awesome if someone recognized the pain I was in with the wisdom to address me back then.

Today, one of those truths comes up but it is not painful - it is so relieving

The heart is as insatiable as the grave until Jesus enters it #

Yesterday God brought me a truth that he sustains me unto his own service - Reflection - 1 Kings 19:8. And today I’m reminded that on his sustenance I will “never thirst”. But of course this isn’t a plain and simple truth. I thirst for grace more and more every day, but what I’m finding in the season of ending Summer 2025, post/present-multiple years of political awareness, and near-hatred for my financial reliance on some other guy’s company that my heart wants for much right now, but even in that wanting this truth rests softly on me that Jesus is and ought to be enough. I can be resistant to this out of fear of losing a drive to provide more and more for my family. Contentedness is certainly a gift from God, but as I’ve been reflecting I see fear in my heart… As I’ve rejected the truth that “Jesus is enough” my heart longs for satisfaction, and when I get in my own way then fear and sin creep in.

For me and my reflection right now the competing ideas are building financial wealth for myself and my family out of a desire for freedom from a system that I don’t like, but also… isn’t Jesus enough? My heart is in the same cunundrum as I was in at 16 when asked “are you OK?”. But with wisdom, experince, and perspective I guess the tension isn’t uncomfortable anymore (not that I’m living in the tension perfectly). There’s work for Jesus to do on my heart, and yet I know the work he has done and that proves his faithfulness to me to not leave me unfinished.

As he works on me, I have day-to-day choices to make.

Whom will I serve?
What will fill my heart?
Will what I fill it with satisfy or like a glass of salt-water at sea leave me worse-off in the end?

Jesus has been good to me in ushering my heart through truths like this where there’s an “already but not yet” element to them. Jesus fully satisfies my heart, this is true. It’s also true that I’m still a sinner. I don’t feel like I always only thirst for more of my Lord - today I thirst for a larger retirement account and assets to financially support me for the next 20 years… is this wrong? I don’t think so, not with appropriate perspective. And I’ve been feeling more and more in the last few weeks that Jesus is restoring me unto a new season of service and work. I don’t know what it’ll look like and accepting a murky future feels scary, but in the light of the Son - by whose grace my lungs fill with air as I type - I can walk and work with plans that change knowing my faithful God satisfies.

Reflection - 1 Kings 19:8

2025-10-05T06:59:52Z

Spurgeon picked 1 Kings 19:8 this morning and his meditation was encouraging at a meta-level. Highlighting to me that we (Christians) in maturity can be refreshed from any passage of scripture. This isn’t because the Bible is magic, and I believe it should be studied appropriately in context (heavily) in order to solidify foundational pieces of understanding.

But I also cannot deny that I serve a living God who actively works in the lives of people - and one way he might do that is to encourage through pastoral reflection on Biblical truths that may be brought to mind though not necessarily instructed in a passage. This is a specific point of Christian life that I have been meditating loosely on lately - to be open in my heart to finding joy and refreshment in Biblical truths that God may bring to mind even though the “origin” of that thought might be an unrelated passage of Scripture. This has been the case for a few weeks at this point, and today felt significant as I read Spurgeon’s thoughts on being supplied for the sake of the Lord’s service.

1 Kings 19:8

So he got up, ate, drank, and went in the strength of that food forty days and forty nights up to Horeb, the mountain of God.

Quick Context

Jezebel is chasing the prophet Elijah who has fled into the wilderness. Elijah fears for his life and asks Yahweh to simply kill him. Yahweh (well, the Angel of Yahweh… but we’ll do that another time) meets him in his distress resting under a tree - he provides food, water, and protection for Elijah to take a nap. He does it again and then tells Elijah to travel to Horeb.

Reflection #

Elijah is faithful to the Lord, and finds himself tired and in need. Yahweh meets him, feeds him, and then gives him more work to do. This is the point of Spurgeon’s writing this morning, that every ounce of work should be poured out unto the Lord’s service. Every single thing I do should be laced with songs of praise to the King. It’s easy to say “blessed be the Name of the Lord” when I am in surplus, and even in trial and want I think my faith has been tested and proven to some non-trivial degrees… But what about when I’m tired? Do I seek rest as a means to be refreshed unto his service? Or do I seek a hollow shell of rest, one that in reality isn’t restorative and refreshing, but is instead deadening and numbing… I think I find myself actively pushing against holy rest out of love for, and slavery to myself. Maybe not quite to doom and selfish as to say “myself” only, but out of fear of something else - maybe as trivial as failure.

God is bringing to my mind why I haven’t built more, why I’m disconnected from work, why I zonk out so much… If I accept refreshment - physical refreshment- through a God-given grace then I am duty-bound to use it wisely… But I find that I am afraid of the daunting work of doing something well, and day to day I find myself hesitant to accept the refreshment out of an abandonment of the good that can come through the hard work of doing it well.

God is telling me to eat and drink, to be refreshed… I genuinely believe God is speaking to me through 1 King 19:8 - to take the strength he provides via the channels I know he provides them, and to wisely-steward the work he’s given me to do.

This week I’ve pre-planned to dedicate time away from work to my own project and I feel encouraged going into tomorrow almost with foreknowledge of the strength God will offer me in the morning

Reflection - Psalm 84:11

2025-10-01T06:34:25Z

Spurgeon’s Morning and Evening today (actually the evening one) is for Psalm 84:11.

Psalm 84:11

Psalm 84:11 (LEB): 11 Because Yahweh God is a sun and a shield; Yahweh gives grace and honor. He does not withhold good from those who walk blamelessly.

What is it to me to hear and know that Yahweh gives grace and honor? I’m asking this because Spurgon’s meditation this morning has a particularly striking line in it

The little conjunction “and” in this verse is a diamond rivet binding the present with the future: grace and glory always go together.

The translation he was using has “glory”, I quoted “honor”. The word is כָּבוֹד (kabod) which generally basically means “weight”.

I got very distracted this morning unfortunately and therefore my reflection will be cut short… I know meditating on these things opens my day up to go in a better direction… May Yahweh give grace to me today, to live in a glorified and honorable way… one worthy of the gospel of Christ.

Philippians 1:27

Whatever happens, conduct yourselves in a manner worthy of the gospel of Christ. Then, whether I come and see you or only hear about you in my absence, I will know that you stand firm in the one Spirit, striving together as one for the faith of the gospel

Reflection - Deuteronomy 33:29

2025-09-27T06:38:42Z

Note reflections are not theological study

Spurgeon’s Morning and Evening today starts with:

Deuteronomy 33:29

Deuteronomy 33:29 (LEB): 29 Blessed are you, O Israel. Who is like you, a people who is saved by Yahweh, the shield of your help, and who is the sword of your triumph, and your enemies, they shall fawn before you, and you shall tread on their backs.”

What is it to be saved by Yahweh? It is to be blessed… Material blessings are the cheapest understanding of this idea…

Danger

I feel such a strong need to even say that, in any of my public reflections to try to caveat every statement that someone hostile to my faith might say while reading, or get ahead of a bad idea a less mature Christian might hear me say without enough context… but ultimately these reflections are not deep study, and when I acknowledge that ’to be saved by God is to be blessed’ I don’t need to follow it up with “but not necessarily with money and possessions”… No, the truth of God flows from the Word and through our lives out of experience with him, and out of that intersection this morning do I proclaim I am blessed and saved by Yahweh…

The blessing is the saving, and the saving is the blessing. Apart from faith in Jesus, I see no way to understand this biblical truth appropriately. In Yahweh’s divine grace he has called me - he is the shield of my help in what he has called me to. A simple summary is that he enables me to do the job he’s given. This is why the saving is the blessing… Any creature is most happy, most safe, most successful when it is operating within the bounds of its design and purpose… An airplane is a fast mode of transportation but if you place it on the highway - outside the boundaries of the sky and put in the context it wasn’t meant to operate it, it won’t be a very fast or useful means of getting from A to B.

Yahweh’s saving act of grace invites humans into the context whereby they can live according to their design and purpose. I believe the humanitarian efforts to unite humanity along common grounds are good-faith efforts doomed to fail because to be truly human is to be saved by the One Who Saves… Yahweh saves his people back to humanity (or forward to a new humanity - I’m not here to debate eschatology with anyone at the moment). In this grace is unity and freedom.

My reflections consistently revolve around what is becoming a central theme in my theology - the meaning of freedom in Jesus. He saved me back to being truly human, and in my humanity I freely choose to live my life in loyalty to the one who saves me. I’m only free to choose the right thing because he enabled me to. In making that choice, whatever it might be, if I choose the godly option it comes with the most blessing. That blessing is being conformed into the image and likeness of Jesus. Yahweh molds me into what it means to be hunman… Sanctification is the process by which we “more naturally” choose the godly thing. Because as our will is molded to his, our natural choice more often aligns with what God wants. The blessing has to be understood ultimately as being saved, as restoration… To see blessing as money or power or success is to remain broken, remaining broken is evidence of not being saved. ie. It’s only by the saving power of Jesus that the blessing of being saved can be understood - this is how Paul can say that even blessings on earth are garbage compared to the glories of heaven.

The picture of the perfect human becomes more clear to me day by day as Jesus reveals himself to me, and I pray the freedom in Christ permeates my life quickly and deeply so that my free-will choice aligns with God’s will for my life. In that state is shalom.

Reflection - Romans 3:26

2025-09-24T05:42:24Z

From Morning and Evening today, Spurgeon has thoughts on Romans 3:26. I need more context personally, so here’s a newer translation of 3:25-26

Romans 3:25-26

25God put Jesus forth as the place of mercy, through faithfulness, by means of his blood. He did this to demonstrate his covenant justice, because of the passing over (in divine forbearance) of sins committed beforehand. 26This was to demonstrate his covenant justice in the present time: that is, that he himself is in the right, and that he declares to be in the right everyone who trusts in the faithfulness of Jesus.

Goldingay, J., & Wright, T. (2018). The Bible for Everyone: A New Translation (Ro 3:25–26). SPCK.

NPP

I’m not here to debate “faith in Jesus” vs “faithfulness of Jesus”… I feel so beyond debating semantics when either way it’s Jesus who gives you faith and chooses in the first place

Spurgeon’s meditation certainly resolves around Penal Substitutionary Atonement, a doctrine I have come to mostly reject, but I have plenty of common-ground with a conviction of PSA-subscribers and Spurgeon - and that’s that we can trust, as chosen people of God, that “there is now no condemnation for those in Christ Jesus”

Not only is there no condemnation, but on the contrary Jesus declares to be in the right everyone who trusts.

This is the great confidence of the Christian, and the source of my comfort - that even though there is sin in my past and future (and I pray sorrow over it), I can trust in God’s unchanging nature. He says in effect “Out of my divine grace to call your name from the grave, by the covering of Jesus and the work of the cross, you are free. Free from condemnation, free from judgement, and today (and everyday) free from the yoke of sin”

Freedom… such an interesting word… It came up recently in my Reflection - Galatians 5:1 as well. I guess as I reflect here, freedom is about our behavior and what we do or don’t do. But confidence is the partner of freedom. A child who has the freedom on the playground to play with whatever they want will sit in the corner if they are afraid of consequences of doing something wrong - this would come from a place of not trusting in the freedom they’ve been given. The child lacks comfort in their freedom to play with what they want unless the faithfulness and goodness of the one who gives the freedom is impressed into the child and they can exercise trust in that authority - which is manifest in their joyful play on the playground.

So for the Christian this obviously doesn’t mean “free to do whatever I want”, the metaphor isn’t perfect (it’s made better by aligning the walls around a playground with the boundaries of proper-human living)… Jesus actually gives me the freedom to do his will over my own, because apart from him I am not able to choose anything besides the sinful desires of my own heart.

But this morning, I think the full circle is that when I do choose my own desires, when I fall back into the “not yet”, when I sacrifice my divine freedom on the altar of my own life for a cheap song, I can still have confidence that my God calls me right by the work of my Lord, Jesus

This great confidence can never excuse sin, can never justify the choice. But the reality is that a good God ordered and created the world, and he chooses whomever he chooses… By his graceful choice to adopt me, I have confidence in his Name that the sin I run to will not ultimately destroy me - because Jesus intervened and gives me new life everyday

Reflection - Galatians 5:1

2025-09-19T06:04:58Z

Spurgeon’s “Morning and Evening” today is about the freedom we have in Christ. Freedom is a core concept of Christianity, and one no doubt bastardized and warped by modern progressive culture (like Ancient Greek modern, not 2010s modern).

Freedom is not the ability to do whatever I want without consequence… it’s not even the ability to do whatever I want! What a nightmarish hell the world would be if each one of us could (and especially did) act on every desire that comes into our hearts…

Isle of Dreams

It’s like the Island of Dreams in CS Lewis’ Voyage of the Dawn Treader… The seaman are all excited about their “dreams” (long lost lovers, money, etc) but the man they rescue makes it clear to them it’s not the place where daydreams come true… but dreams…. think of the scary dreams you’ve had, or you’ve heard your kids have… With that context you probably don’t want to go to the Island of Dreams

So, this childish anti-view of “freedom” should immediately be rejected by any well-reasoned adult, let alone Christian… In this view, self-restraint is the antithesis of freedom, and not that I have some well-endowed argument against that - only I’d say it feels ridiculous that these 2 ideas would be at odds. It’s simply unreasonable to me. But perhaps my conviction on that unreasonableness stems from an understanding that the freedom Jesus offers is so much better than whatever pleases my fleeting fancies.

And by that same token, freedom is not our daydreams… we were all created with purpose - humans made in the image of God. Accepting and understanding that truth absolutely ought to affect how we live. I am not a “good person” by default - I have the freedom to act “good” because Jesus saves me, and calls me to a higher standard of living than I would call myself to.

And that’s the meditation today - bourne out of the words in Galatians 5:1

Galatians 5:1

For freedom Christ has set us free. Stand firm, therefore, and do not be subject again to a yoke of slavery.

If I were to submit myself to my own desires, I’d end up a slave to them. I’ve felt this reality in many ways over my life, and Jesus has been good to me. He frees me from myself, he freely offers himself to me (aye, his message goes out to all the world, and the ones who are called answer). In that freedom I’m faced with a choice, the same choice as the Garden… Do what I want (eat of the tree of knowledge of good and bad) or trust what God says is good, is good, and make the choice by Jesus’ grace to not eat of the tree of knowledge of good and bad, but instead of the tree of life, presently experienced as communion with the Holy Spirit and fellowship with my King Jesus.

For freedom Christ has set me free, may I walk in his freedom today.

Reflection - Galatians 5:24-25

2025-09-18T05:39:12Z

Galatians 5:24-25

24 Now those ⌊who belong to Christ⌋ have crucified the flesh together with its feelings and its desires. 25 If we live by the Spirit, we must also follow the Spirit. 26 We must not become conceited, provoking one another, envying one another.

Spurgeon’s “Morning and Evening” is a mediation on living in and following the Spirit. He says this:

You will never find true faith unattended by true godliness; on the other hand, you will never discover a truly holy life which has not for its root a living faith upon the righteousness of Christ

godliness is the “following the Spirit” in our daily lives - it is living “like god”. What then is “true faith”? I think I can take Spurgeon to be saying that upon internal meditation do I find my faith to be secure and genuine. “true faith” is between me and the Lord.

The meditation this morning though… “If I live by the Spirit, I must also follow the Spirit” is once again heavy on my heart as I wrestled through Reflecting on Romans 7:7-13 a few weeks ago - the reality that I daily choose things contrary to my faith.

I think Paul is saying “because you have crucified the flesh” as the parallel point to “we must also follow the Spirit”. He’s saying “if you say you’ve crucified the flesh, show your faith by following as well” - it’s James’ “show me your faith by what you do”

So who am I today? Whom will I serve?

These morning meditations are like my 100x push-ups a day… the days I do them just seem marginally better, and in a season of consistency the value seems to compound… I thank Jesus for the conviction in the first place to strive for holiness, and for the ~~strength~~ faith to say no to the flesh, but yes to the Spirit.

Reflection (Short) - Erets

2025-09-15T06:05:41Z

I’ve been really buggin out about a project I’m working on and nearly forgetting to spend meaningful time during the day/mornings on reflection. Thankfully a 60 second Bible Project video offered me a short framework this morning to think about the land God created…

The video is a minute long, you can find it on the Bible Project website

When I think about Bible stuff, especially anything related to Old Testament or Creation (which is actually literally everything) I have a hard time stopping my mind from jumping to being critical of my brothers and sisters in Christ who adopt naieve or mainstream ideas about my Ancient Faith and King.

One of the things my spiritual family largely misses is the cosmic nature of the creation account…. In this case of erets, which shows up on page 1 of the Bible, the Western mind reads “In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth…” and we go “oh, the globe, the planet, God made the planet, obviously”

And the thing is… ya, he did… but that’s not what the creation story gets at, and what it does get at is what I’m reflecting on…

God put me on the erets, out of the dust of the erets he formed me, and you… This is more than God drawing planet earth on the canvas of our universe. Yahweh brought order to chaos, he created the heavens (literally “the skies”) and filled it and he also created the earth and filled it. There is a parallel nature to these realms - the physical earthly realm of erets and the spiritual heavenly realm of the skies. These words carry ancient meaning in the creation context, they are poetic and visual in nature, rather than explanatory and physical.

Recognizing that the realm I’m in, God ordered and put me in, should bring meaning to everything I do. My King does say to pray “[God’s] will be done on earth as it is in heaven”. I am supposed to be one of the ones “bringing heaven to earth” - carrying on the ministry of Jesus in the ways he commanded. Paul commands to “do everything with gratitude” philippians 4:6 in my heart towards Jesus. Jesus said plainly “those who love me obey me”

But if I misunderstand my place in the cosmos, as a representative of the one True God to the physical realm he created that exists in a planar intersection with the heavenly realm, if I misunderstand this I will misrepresent my God… and I fear I have been. I’ve been consumed with things inside my life lately, and perhaps that’s moderately ok… I don’t think that the present trials of my life are drawing me away from Jesus at all, but I’d be an idiot to not recognize that there are moments in my day where I feel like nothing matters, where I walk around on God’s erets somewhat aimlessly due to my own self-loathing and consumption. These are moments where my flesh and sin are strong, and the trials is revealing it. The meditation on my purpose in God’s creation, as a member of the realm of the ordered erets, is calming me in this moment.

God’s purpose for anyone is this:

1 Thess. 5:18

give thanks in everything; for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus.

At any moment, anyone one of us could be taken off earth - whether by old age like my Grandma, or by violent hatred like Charlie Kirk. God’s will (one of the wills anyways) for anyone is the same, as a member of ordered creation called by Jesus it’s my duty to live this out… and by God’s grace I know it’s possible by his intervention - to give thanks in everything.

The honest truth is I’m not really sure what to do besides take a breath every minute, acknowledge and preach the truth that Jesus is the author and perfector of my life and faith, and to pray this truth calms my heart in the midst of the turmoil I’ve been feeling lately.

Yahweh orders creation, he put all of us on the erets, and the message of his grace goes out to all people…. who will answer and bring God’s will to the earth? Thankfully it’s not my job to know. My job is simple - to give thanks and to love the Lord my God with all of me.

Reflection - They Can Come For Anyone

2025-09-11T05:34:00Z

At some point in the recent history of my country, political tensions began increasing exponentially between our 2 parties, and I had hardly cared until right around 2021/2022. There were policies and patterns emerging in the public sphere that were troubling to me, and I’ve sense developed some hard opinions.

A man was just murdered for holding opinions openly that are not much different than mine - at least as far as the innate divisive nature of the opinions… I want my country to be safe, I proudly fly the American flag, Jesus saves me every day and although America isn’t a Christian nation I feel blessed that God put me in this country, I value open-debate, and I’ve just so happen to come to hold fairly right-leaning social positions…

and they killed this guy for it

Charlie Kirk was murdered for daring to challenge college kids around the country to think critically about what narrative they are force-fed through media and school

The political landscape of America isn’t Left vs Right… I mean it is, and in that dichotomy unfortunately I am on the Right, but this isn’t Democratic values vs Republican values, and I’m not a Republican and most Leftists aren’t actually Democrats… these “sides” have both been co-opted by wicked people… In what I’ve learned, I would’ve said Dems had it right up until the mid 2000s, and idk what happened but since the 10s-onward the media and honestly a majority of democratic elected-officials are the ones CRANKING UP THE VIOLENT RHETORIC. Conservatives are likened to Hitler in the media, Charlie himself was called a faccist (what a retarded thing to say… accuse the guy who built his career on good-faith debate of being a police-state supporter) and people with national platforms are daily accusing those on the Right of being hateful simply for wanting to have debate, for not bowing down to identity politics and non-arguments.

Charlie is a martyr for freedom, and a victim of the violent rhetoric the media has been pushing against the Right ever since Donald Trump became the boogy-man.

I value my privacy and I believe in what I believe in… I’m not ashamed to publically be known for any conviction I hold, but if they killed Charlie for anything he belived, they’d kill me too.

And who is “they”? Charlie was shot 16 hours ago, I have seen no evidence that the shooter was a democrat or even on the Left… but what I have seen on social media is proud Leftists celebrating the killing of a young dad, husband, Christian, and activist for publically encouraging people to debate and to bow to the better argument, not the stronger more violent opponent…. I don’t know anything about the man who pulled the trigger, but I do know that a disturbing number of people are comfortable putting their face behind a campaign of assassination and fear. They’re comfortable with it because it’s socially aacceptable to call for violence against some groups of people, primarily the one group that is constantly villianized in absolute ignorance - White Christian Men… If you don’t agree with this then I would say you are blinded… Christianity is openly mocked, and you wouldn’t notice if you wouldn’t notice… whereas other religions are so openly protected it’s become comical to me. When’s the last time you felt comfortable making a joke about Islam or Judaism compared to Christianity? Even if you wouldn’t joke about any of them, you know you’d be safe to criticize one publically, and the other 2 you’d face consequences for. And these are the things these lunatics celebrate… they love that another White Christian Man was removed from God’s green earth…

These poor people

I’m not complaining necessarily about Christianity’s lack of priviliege in the public sphere and my heart breaks for people who hate - period…. to hate someone for a difference of worldview or opinion to the point of openly celebrating their death is one of the saddest and most sickening realities I can think of.

What can I do after this? Charlie was just a regular guy. It’s one thing to have the attempted-assassination of Trump sweapt under the rug, or to brush it off as a targeted attack against a powerful man. But Charlie wasn’t a politician… he was just a guy with a job, who went around having conversations. The violence against the Right is stochastic in nature, but increasingly present as public figures continue to use hitler and nazi-fueled language against people they disagree with…

Paired so closely in time with the news of The slaying of Iryna Zarutska who was attacked randomly by a man who, all unconfirmed allegations aside, had been arrested 14 times for violent crimes. And yet, in my country of freedom, a violent criminal was free to murder a refugee fleeing a war-torn region… (if you watched any videos you’ll see 4 or 5 people witness the attack, and then do nothing as Iryna sorrowfully dies, alone and unaided in a foreign country… the victim of a monster)

Charlie commented on this event, I have the same feelings about the climax I thought it led to after years of under-reported race-fueld violence against white people, and he was called a racist just for noticing patterns…

If they shot him for saying something about any of his convictions, for believing he should be allowed to raise his family in safety, to attend church, and to openly debate for the sake of the better idea - they’d shoot me to… and celebrate.

I take as much comfort as possible, however minimal, knowing that Charlie loved Jesus, and that his family has the hope of resurrection in the name of Jesus to see him again… But 2 kids lost their dad, and a young woman lost her husband, lunatics celebrate, today is just another day, and if someone would come for a normal guy like Charlie, they’d come for you too.

Reflection on Philippians 2:14-18

2025-09-06T07:12:55Z

Philippians 2:15-18

14 Do all things without grumbling and disputing, 15 in order that you may become blameless and innocent, children of God without fault in the midst of a crooked and perverted generation, among whom you shine as stars in the world, 16 holding fast to the word of life, for a source of pride to me in the day of Christ, that I did not run in vain or labor in vain. 17 But even if I am being poured out as a drink offering on the sacrifice and service of your faith, I rejoice and rejoice with all of you. 18 And in the same way also you rejoice and rejoice with me.

“Do all things without grumbling and disputing”… now, taking verses out of context is one of my biggest pet-peeves in Christian circles (and non-Christian as well I suppose, but when non-believers who read 4 pages of the Bible 20 years ago try to tell me what anything means I can kindly ask them to keep their illiteracy to themselves)

However! With my brothers and sisters, there’s no such ask - if we all call on Jesus then we will edifiy and educate one another on appropriate applications of the inspired word of God.

With that said… dang do I grumble a lot about work… at least lately. I believe that nearly everyone I work with knows my worldview, I don’t think anyone who spends a few days, maybe even hours (by God’s grace) will know who I serve just by my languge and verbiage. But I’m not a prime example of Christian living (yet… hopefully). I had been Reflecting on Romans 7:7-13 for several days and the “sin in me” is what I see come out when I let my guard down against letting strife and anger enter my heart.

I read this passage and found myself immediately focused on “in the midst of a crooked and perverted generation” because our generation is disgusting… I know immorality and public perverted-ness was present in the before-fore times, but I have to imagine that Paul and the other NT writers couldn’t have imagined the kind of disgusting perverted anti-nature nonsense that is everywhere in our society. We celebrate sex over everything, and a twisted understanding of sex for that matter… My daughter’s are growing up in a world where I feel the need to practice constant vigilence against the evil forces in the world that would seek to them and twist their understanding of themselves into nothing more than objects of desire and consumption… And ya know what, that’s a worthy thing to meditate on and prepare for.

But it’s not what my heart needs… My girls are relatively safe (for the time being) but everyday I face the sin of my own heart, it’s crouching at the door, and should not that be my higher concern?

I even notice now in this reflection that my mind is drawn away from myself, and it is difficult to follow the Lord in meditation… perhaps it’s too noisey but perhaps I’m looking for too much…

This day I choose whom I will serve, and by God’s grace it’s the King Jesus… Help my unbelief and still the grumbling in my life.

Reflection - Morning August 31 2025

2025-08-31T06:46:06Z

Morning, August 31 #

“On mine arm shall they trust." —Isaiah 51:5

Spurgeon: Morning and Evening

In seasons of severe trial, the Christian has nothing on earth that he can trust to, and is therefore compelled to cast himself on his God alone. When his vessel is on its beam-ends, and no human deliverance can avail, he must simply and entirely trust himself to the providence and care of God. Happy storm that wrecks a man on such a rock as this! O blessed hurricane that drives the soul to God and God alone! There is no getting at our God sometimes because of the multitude of our friends; but when a man is so poor, so friendless, so helpless that he has nowhere else to turn, he flies into his Father’s arms, and is blessedly clasped therein! When he is burdened with troubles so pressing and so peculiar, that he cannot tell them to any but his God, he may be thankful for them; for he will learn more of his Lord then than at any other time. Oh, tempest-tossed believer, it is a happy trouble that drives thee to thy Father! Now that thou hast only thy God to trust to, see that thou puttest thy full confidence in him. Dishonour not thy Lord and Master by unworthy doubts and fears; but be strong in faith, giving glory to God. Show the world that thy God is worth ten thousand worlds to thee. Show rich men how rich thou art in thy poverty when the Lord God is thy helper. Show the strong man how strong thou art in thy weakness when underneath thee are the everlasting arms. Now is the time for feats of faith and valiant exploits. Be strong and very courageous, and the Lord thy God shall certainly, as surely as he built the heavens and the earth, glorify himself in thy weakness, and magnify his might in the midst of thy distress. The grandeur of the arch of heaven would be spoiled if the sky were supported by a single visible column, and your faith would lose its glory if it rested on anything discernible by the carnal eye. May the Holy Spirit give you to rest in Jesus this closing day of the month.

Spurgeon, C. H. (1896). Morning and evening: Daily readings. Passmore & Alabaster.

Reflection #

By God’s grace, I was led this morning through my old Logos dashboard to the evening and morning or the morning and reading daily readings from Charles Spurgeon. And today, August 31, the morning reading is

Isaiah 51:5

“on mine arm, shall they trust.

And it’s a short few words, but Spurgeon writes quite a bit about it. And there’s many quotes from this short morning reflection that are very relevant to me in light of my work situation. One of the things there I’ve been processing the most is the powerlessness I feel in regards to corporate policy and the control that my employer wants to exercise over my life. But the other side of that coin of control is me and me placing my trust in my employer to provide security for me. And God has been very good to me and still has given me security outside of my primary job. But I did trust that job. And it’s in the wake of losing it. I’m not even stretched that thin in losing my job. But in the stretching that is taking place, Spurgeon says some things about God that I should impress into my heart.

Oh, blessed hurricane that drives the soul to God and God alone.

Should we not consider trials - Joy? I’m sure not acting that joyful. But God has been very sweet to me through these reflections, through drawing my eye and soul to him through the lens of trust.

There is no getting at our God sometimes because of the multitude of our friends. But when a man is so poor, so friendless, so helpless that he has nowhere else to turn, he flies into his father’s arms and is blessedly clasped therein.

Spurgeon clearly isn’t saying we can’t have friends here. I think what he is saying is “the multitude of our {idols}”, really. Like Job’s friends, maybe, the ones who keep our attention on work and the world and money and my 401k and the future. Those things are my “friends” because those things give me security. And maybe I have trusted too much, and now God is drawing me closer to him. And may I say, blessed be the name of the Lord who gives and takes away. O blessed hurricane that drives the soul to God and God alone. Amen.

Thoughts On August 21 2025

2025-08-21T06:14:26Z

Intro

Been struggling more with work - what matters? I can’t help but feel like nothing… As a Christian I want to do my work “for an audience of 1” as the saying goes… I should do my work with excellence, and I think I have striven for that - it’s definitely one reason I have the success and reputation at work that I do have… but as far as the “work” goes, does it matter? To the company, I think the answer is clear - no. They want compliance and submission before innovation and success. But as a believer, where does my loyalty lie?

What I mean is - if I was loyal to a company, then the scenario I’m in would very understadably lead to what I’m currently feeling - remorse, regret, embarrasment, and anger. But if I’m truly loyal to Yahweh, then wouldn’t it not matter at all what the company does? I do my work for Yahweh regardless of the company’s direction, instruction, or even whether or not they benefit… That’s my struggle - I don’t want to give another ounce of energy towards the success of an entity that doesn’t give a shit about me, but am I violating my own worldview and disrespecting my God by dragging my feet?

Reflecting on Romans 7:7-13

2025-08-18T06:12:13Z

Passage #

Romans 7:7–7:13 (ESV): 7 What then shall we say? That the law is sin? By no means! Yet if it had not been for the law, I would not have known sin. For I would not have known what it is to covet if the law had not said, “You shall not covet.” 8 But sin, seizing an opportunity through the commandment, produced in me all kinds of covetousness. For apart from the law, sin lies dead. 9 I was once alive apart from the law, but when the commandment came, sin came alive and I died. 10 The very commandment that promised life proved to be death to me. 11 For sin, seizing an opportunity through the commandment, deceived me and through it killed me. 12 So the law is holy, and the commandment is holy and righteous and good. 13 Did that which is good, then, bring death to me? By no means! It was sin, producing death in me through what is good, in order that sin might be shown to be sin, and through the commandment might become sinful beyond measure.

Reflection #

As I was dimwittedly working through 1 John 3 for Olivet Men's Group August 2025 I found myself gravitating towards Romans 7 and 8 as it brings clarity to John’s words about practicing sin vs being a child of God.

Personal

God’s been good to me as I have started trying to be more focused in theological study and reflection… It has been long enough for my “break” to be over

It goes without saying in Christian circles that Romans is a tough cookie… Paul packs a lot in the letter and although I’m focusing right now on 7 verses, the context certainly matters when it comes to deeper study. As for me this morning I believe God’s calling me to reverse-sear my conscience in regards to some persistent sins in my life. I write a little note in my notes for the olivet study:

As I write this out, the Christian concept of “setting the captives free” and jubilee and freedom strike my heart deeply. Just these phrases begin to call up emotions. But as I look at my life right now, what am I doing that shouts freedom? I spend more time lately playing games than being entrenched in theological study, I think about work more than things which are noble and praiseworthy, and I seem to purposefully focus on my own situations internally rather than on God’s grace (which I do externally a lot - but I feel this

— tension inside - a hook of doubt)

These aren’t the motifs in the passage, but the conversation around sin in our hearts spiderwebs throughout scripture very quickly if the conversation is to be worth anything… Freedom is core in a Christian worldview, but am I free and devoted to Jesus or a morally bankrupt slave to myself?

So far I haven’t even touched the passage so let me dive in a bit.

Note

The rest of this post was dictated and transcribed via a STT utility I have at home. I often do this and rework my thoughts but here it’s easier to word vomit the ideas and hope they make sense on the other side. I loosely edited it for readability but for whatever it’s worth, this is moreso my thinking voice than my public speaking voice

“What then shall we say, that the law is sin? By no means! Yet if it had not been for the law I would not have known sin.”

And that feels to me a little bit like Paul saying what I’ve heard other Christians today say — something like: “I didn’t struggle with anger until I became a Christian and then it was a struggle!”

So there’s that side of it.

And then the other side of it is that God has “written eternity on our hearts,” has He not? And through Common Grace, do we not all understand very common morality?

Aside from our worldviews, there are things that we know are wrong. Murdering is simply wrong. Another good example is something like cowardice—or like Paul will go on to say, covetousness.

Whether you’re a Christian or not, you wouldn’t value covetousness or cowardice. Cultures across the world and across history reject these things.

So, through becoming a Christian, the struggle with sin really begins — because it’s the understanding not that something is just kind of morally wrong, but that you’re violating the law of the Creator of the universe.

Now, we don’t want to dive in so deep that we reject the context (of Paul’s thoughts in Romans 7:7–13). And so, I don’t want to dissect these few verses too much.

And so what’s my reflection?

I don’t know.

Sin is crouching at the door. And it deceives me. So, through the law, I learn what my sin is—it lets me name my killer.

The law didn’t bring death—it brings understanding of death, because it reveals sin, which produces death.

But the part that I’m not “to” in my heart yet is the end of the passage. Verse 13:

“Did that which is good then (the law) bring death to me? By no means! It was sin producing death in me through what is good (the law), in order that sin might be shown to be sin and through the commandment might become sinful beyond measure.”

And I think that that phrase “sinful beyond measure” is a reflection of Paul’s understanding of sin in his life.

Now, I claim I have the same mental understanding…

Later on in Romans 7, Paul talks about his “inner man” and his mind being a slave to the law of the Spirit, but his body being a slave to sin.

But can I really say that my mind is a slave to the law of the Spirit?

I certainly would make a lot of theological points about it—but is it really?

That’s my reflection this morning.

I’m not as convicted over sin in my life, and so this reverse conscience searing needs to happen.

Another Reflection #

As I come back here for a second day, I believe by the guidance of the Spirit, I trust God to encourage and teach me through Paul’s words

How do I know what is sin (lawlessness) and what is not sin (ie. not lawless, ie. lawful)? It’s through the law as noted above.

What to do about this though? One day since some conviction settled into my heart certainly doesn’t indicate anything about my life, but what else is relevant to this meditation?

Psalm 1:1-2

1 Blessed is the man who does not walk in the advice of the wicked; nor does he stand in the way of sinners; nor does he sit in the assembly of mockers. 2 Instead, in the law of Yahweh is his delight, and on his law he meditates day and night.

The “law” is torah… generally this is referring to a code of holy living. Torah isn’t “the law” how we understand the law, it’s case-law for holy living. Torah describes the flight of an arrow towards its target - it’s the direction of your life.

So the psalmist says that it’s in the constant meditation of God’s law (God’s direction for holy living) that a man is “blessed”.

There’s many words to use, but this word “blessed” is a Hebrew word used for when describing the good life of another person

Blessed is the man who meditates on the law of Yahweh
The law brings knowledge of sin
Furthermore, the law causes sin to “become sinful beyond measure”
How? Via the constant meditation of the law of Yahweh - which Psalm 1:3 says

Psalm 1:3

3 And so, he is like a tree planted by streams of water that gives its fruit in its season; its leaf also does not wither. Therefore all that he does prospers.

Bible stuff is apart of my daily vocabulary with anyone. God’s law is in my mind, and hopefully my heart, every day. At the same time, the callousness is present. It’s Paul’s lament about being the chief of sinners, and about the war in his members (Romans 7/8)…

The solution is this… day by day meditation - slightly more focused and directed… God’s blessing is absolutely on my lie - and the word for “blessed” in Psalm 1 referring to others describing the life of the blessed man as blessed is very true for me - people around me know God’s been good to me. So I have every bit of faith that he will continue that goodness, and thankfully conviction this morning and week to take small steps towards a more devoted life to the meditation of God’s law.

Round 3 #

Today the Bible Project app brought me to Isaiah 61 which coincides with this extended reflection quite well as it’s one of the places we get the image and phrase of “setting the captives free” which is a Biblical theme I see Paul leaning on at the end of Romans 7.

Isaiah 61

1 The Spirit of the Lord Yahweh is upon me, because Yahweh has anointed me, he has sent me to bring good news to the oppressed, to bind up the brokenhearted, to proclaim release to the captives and liberation to those who are bound,
2 to proclaim the year of Yahweh’s favor, and our God’s day of vengeance, to comfort all those in mourning, 3 to give for those in mourning in Zion, to give them a head wrap instead of ashes, the oil of joy instead of mourning, a garment of praise instead of a faint spirit. And they will be called oaks of righteousness, the planting of Yahweh, to show his glory.

4 And they shall build the ancient ruins, they shall erect the former deserted places. And they shall restore the devastated cities, the deserted places of many generations.
5 And strangers shall stand and feed your flocks, and foreigners shall be your farmers and vinedressers. 6 But you shall be called the priests of Yahweh, you will be called servers of our God. You shall eat the wealth of the nations, and you shall boast in their riches.
7 Instead of your shame, a double portion, and instead of insult, they will rejoice over their portion. Therefore they will take a double portion in their land; they shall possess everlasting joy.
8 For I, Yahweh, love justice, hate robbery and injustice, and I will faithfully give their reward, and I will make an everlasting covenant with them.
9 And their descendants will be known among the nations, and their offspring in the midst of the peoples. All those who see them shall recognize them, that they are descendants whom Yahweh has blessed.

10 I will rejoice greatly in Yahweh; my being shall shout in exultation in my God. For he has clothed me with garments of salvation, he has covered me with the robe of righteousness, as a bridegroom adorns himself with a head wrap like a priest, and as a bride adorns herself with her jewelry. 11 For as the earth produces its sprout, and as a garden makes its plants sprout, so the Lord Yahweh will make righteousness sprout, and praise before all the nations.

Warning

This isn’t a reflection or study of Isaiah 61 - just a few notes as they pertain to my reflection on Romans 7 and 8 and the posture I have towards sin in my life

This is a messianic prophecy delivered to the people of God in captivity to spur the remnant of the faithful to continue hoping in the promises of Yahweh.

Israel was in captivity more or less as discipline for violating God’s word pretty regularly… Consistent with my reflection so far - has “sin become sin beyond measure” to me yet? No, just as it wasn’t for Israel, and God allowed His people to be enslaved multiple times as they turned to foreign gods… is callousness to sin any different than turning to a foreign god? No, it’s exactly what it is.

But thankfully the over-arching story is about Yahweh’s faithfulness to His people, and this prophecy is for those who exercise faithfulness to Yahweh…. that’s the crux of my reflection on Romans 7, how can I claim the promises of God if sin is so present in my life? I think the answer is that it’s only through the awakening of the Spirit that I can genuinely question my loyalty to Yahweh and also acknowledge his loyalty to the Promise He brought me into. By God’s grace I’m just a guy who the Lord has grace on, and I pray through daily meditation my will becomes so conformed to the will of Jesus that I can faithfully say “sin has become beyond sin to me”

Praise God for Paul’s words at the end of Romans 7

Romans 7:24-25

24 Wretched man that I am! Who will deliver me from this body of death? 25 Thanks be to God through Jesus Christ our Lord! So then, I myself serve the law of God with my mind, but with my flesh I serve the law of sin.

Round 4 #

Romans 7:13

13 Did that which is good, then, bring death to me? By no means! It was sin, producing death in me through what is good, in order that sin might be shown to be sin, and through the commandment might become sinful beyond measure.

This morning I don’t know if it was another translation or the direct explicit work of the Spirit but I feel like something clicked just a little bit here. The law didn’t bring sin (lawlessness), God’s law pre-exists Torah (Genesis, the trees), so the law says what is good and bad, and it’s the brokenness of humanity (sin) producing death in us/me and the production of death shows sin to be what it is - sinful beyond measure

So as I reflect here on Paul, Romans, and myself - what am I missing or what is God recovering in me? This week has been pretty good concerning the areas of my mind and life where I feel callous and hardened. The daily meditation can’t NOT be the reason - devotion in the morning, however minimal and before anything else, is producing in me the will to do God’s good work in my own life. I don’t mean giving money and doing charity - but in the privacy of my mind and day, do I honor the Lord with every thought?

The cliche but honest answer is no but I feel God’s working in my heart, the tug towards Heaven and away from the hellish pit of my own desires

Round 5 #

Verse 8b “For apart from the law, sin lies dead.”

This reflection was done audibly and the transcription was modified slightly for this post

I think there’s quite a few interesting perspectives, maybe two that come to mind pretty quickly.

For context, the rest of the verse is

Romanas 7:8

but sin seizing an opportunity through the commandment produced in me all kinds of covetousness, for apart from the law, sin lies dead.

So the first observation is sin gets its life and its effect (effectual power) through the conduit of the law. And so the law says don’t do X. That means we now have knowledge to not do X.

And then it’s like the existence of sin has to be presupposed because it’s the very same sin as in Genesis three. God’s rule of the land said not to eat of the tree of the knowledge of good and bad, and sin seizing the opportunity through that commandment produced in Eve all kinds of covetousness.

But it wasn’t really actually the command of God. It was the snake. So in that sense, depending on our interpretation of Genesis 3, which I will forego… The snake is the embodiment of sin, and so we’re not so concerned with the ontological origins of sin, but rather with processing its effect and consequences in our daily life. And so that first perspective is to say that - for me, by God’s grace, I know the law. It means that by God’s grace, sin has the opportunity to produce things in me, and in that same breath of grace - Jesus saves me. That’s the end of chapter seven.

Romans 7:24-25

The other perspective that I have on this right now is not inward looking, and so I don’t want to harp on it and meditate much on other people. But Christians certainly have internal (internal to the community of faith) conversations about the morality of non-Christians and what should be expected of non-believers. As far as a moral life is concerned and there’s various theological opinions and various worldviews, even within Christianity through which we can filter reality and people’s actions and their moralities. And so in that vein, perhaps something I see here is to read it almost backwards (transposed is a better word),

sin lies dead apart from the law.

And you think, I think, about our culture’s hedonistic posture towards being a slave to our own desires. American culture largely celebrates, or Western culture rather, largely celebrates the individual decision to do what the individual wants. And we live in a culture where to shame others is itself shamed. It is unacceptable to call people to higher standards of living. But why should we (Christians) be surprised and why is this news and why do Christians spend time talking about it? I think Paul gives us the answer. “Apart from the law” (and the law is the direction in which we strive for holiness) And so “apart from that, sin lies dead” meaning sin doesn’t seize an opportunity through any commandment. Because apart from the law sin can’t be shown to be sinfulness. That’s verse 13.

Romans 7:13

So that last thought, it isn’t so much that non-believers don’t have the knowledge of good and bad. The Bible says that God has written eternity on our hearts. And we have moral discussions in the public square all the time, so people certainly are aware of opinions about morality, and it is in the rebellion against the good and moral positions where I’m right now actually finding security in my position as a chosen child of God because honestly, I love debauchery, but (thankfully) part of me hates it, and it’s that part of me that hates it, that is the Spirit in me, that is the grace of the Lord Jesus, saving me from this body of sin and death.

Knowledge and Faith

2025-07-31T05:58:52Z

A Question

What does it mean to be “faithful”? I wrestle with this question in various contexts pretty regularly - mostly because God has been so ridiculously stupid good to me that I feel compelled to ask daily “am I being faithful with the gifts God has given me?”

There’s a lot of places to go from this starting point, but there’s some events happening in my life that are giving me perspective on Jesus’ faithfulness to the Father’s will and what it implies for my own life of faithfulness and steadfastness to the Lord.

Faithfulness #

How do I be more like Jesus (as a human), and how do I more or less copy his faithfulness to God in the wake of trial. I’ve certainly given some amount of thought to my own ability to be faithful in the worst potential circumstance of straight up physical execution: martyrdom… In Fox’s Book of Martyrs there’s accounts of Christians through the ages singing hymns while being burned alive for their faith… What leads to that kind of faithfulness? What gave these heros of the faith the peace to face death with a song? Would I, today right now, if I was going to be executed for my faith (real reality in many parts of the world) would I sing “Amazing Grace” while my physical body was tortured to death… I can’t say I know the answer to this, but the accounts of these martyrs is at least encouraging that God has developed the faith of others to such a degree that physical torture cannot break them from their communion with God.

What about NOT death...

We all face trials of different kinds every day, and in the face of those trials what does faithfulness look like?

Knowledge #

Back to Jesus for a second… A confession of mine is that I’ve lowkey felt like Jesus, as truly human, had a leg up on us when it comes to remaining faithful to the Father’s will….

As a human he walked through life in deep communion with the Father, and he knows his place as the Author of creation, the one who holds all things together. So I’ve often struggled with the thought “of course Jesus is calm in X or isn’t worried about Y… He knows he’s God, he knows the plan, and that knowledge must do something for enabling the kind of calm faith we see in the person, in the human, Jesus Christ.”

Warning

Jesus knows that if he commanded a mountain to cast itself into the sea, that it would… So did Jesus have faith or knowledge?

Almost There #

I think he had both, and part of living a life of faith is remembering all the things that are true about Jesus… If I only say he’s faithful and good to me because the Bible says so, well that’s not a lot for me as a real physical person to live my life on… I live my life based on experience like anyone else, and experience gives anyone a unique kind of knowledge - it’s more than reading something in a book, when you learn something by living through it the message is deeply engrained, it passes through your brain and into your being… ya know what I’m saying? There’s things we know and then there’s things we KNOW.

But for this to happen we have to acknowledge God through it all… whatever “it all” is certainly affects what “acknowledge God” means, but for Jesus he certainly gave God the Father every ounce of glory and credit during his life, and that acknowledgement I believe is a part of Jesus’ life of Faith… so too in my life do I try to practice this perspective - giving thanks to God for all things given and taken away… This acknowledgement presses the truth about God’s goodness and faithfulness to me deeper and deeper into my being. It is Jesus being tender to my heart and shepherding me into being more like him

Jesus knew everything true about his power because of his experience and identity. I would certainly claim to know it as well - but my knowledge of Jesus’ power is not his knowledge of his own power. So does any knowledge I have or lack affect the reality of Jesus’ faithfulness?

no...

The Point #

This is finally my point… I’m going through a trial, losing something important to me that’s valuable and a source of provision for my family in many ways. But at the same time… God has been so good to me, and I have so much experience and knowledge of that goodness… I’ve been complimented by a few people in this situation about how I’m handling it - cause anyone would be pretty justified in being angry in what I’m walking through… And I’m struggling with many emotions:

but ultimately

I know God provides for me

and losing a massive source of that provision isn’t the end of the world because not only do I know that God provides for me, but he already has provided in such a way that this trial isn’t devastating. It’s annoying of course, but his goodness to me so outshines the crappiness of this situation that I can’t help but overflow with “this sucks but God’s stil good, and has been and will be”.

The thing is that the people around me do not have all the same knowledge as me that I’ve gained through experience and acknowledgment of God’s goodness… Few people see all the details of how God has and is protecting me and my family that to the outsider of my life, witnessing what’s happening, I might look like that martyr being burned alive…. Of course that’s a little hyperbolic, but I don’t know the lives of all those martyrs - God probably worked in them for so long and in such deep ways that not only the reality of a trial, but the reality of physical pain, just washes over them…

That's how I feel

my trial here sucks, I even want to complain about it (and will probably) but ultimately God is so good to me, and I’ll make that known to everyone around me.

It might look miraculous to them, and it doesn’t mean it’s not, because it’s God who provided for me in the first place, but my place of serenity in the wake of trial comes from Jesus pressing the reality of his faithfulness into my life, and now that I have a backdrop of years of goodness from him - how can any one silly trial in this life send me anywhere but closer to my Heavenly Father as I trust him for provision.

God Provides When He Takes Away

2025-07-25T05:52:37Z

This post is meant to serve as a reminder that God’s provision is about more than the chronology of things happening… For example he brought me a job when I lost my main one - he just brought that to me before I lost it… the timing of that event make it no less significant or caused by God… He answered the prayer I hadn’t uttered yet when it comes to providing for my family

I believe one way God provides in the midst of taking things away is through living a life of daily submission to him. The idea that it goes:

something bad happens
pray for protection
maybe something happens and the reality of what happens affects my view of God

is silly, selfish, and misguided.

God sometimes provides by gifting you in a way that ends up protecting you later - but to make the claim the gift was honed solely by you, or worse - a product of yourself, is to make a grave theological error… God’s provision is a daily journey with him, not a hail mary prayer for a last second safety net…

Pilgrim’s Creek - About Me

2025-07-02T06:17:32Z

Hello

This is my snippet for website for Pilgrims Creek I need to write a little intro about myself so I’ll mind-dump some things here and then organize into a blurb to put on the website

Nic is a man first and foremost defined by the grace of Jesus Christ, and a grateful husband (13 years and counting) and father of two wonderful daughters. He works in tech as a platform engineer, building tools to support developers and improve their experience. Beyond his professional life, Nic is passionate about exploring technology – especially through his homelab – and how it intersects with homelabbing and privacy conerns intersect.

A lifelong student of theology, Nick also finds joy in physical pursuits like volleyball and Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu (currently a blue belt!). He shares his thoughts on these passions at pype.dev. Here at Pilgrim’s Creek, Nic hopes to foster energizing conversations rooted in the Lordship of Jesus, celebrating His grace and the joy it brings – a place for rest, peace, and acknowledging God’s goodness.

What Are The Rewards In Heaven?

2025-06-20T06:23:05Z

Intro

I came across an article on the Bible Project on what it means to “store up treasures in Heaven” and it brought some clarity to the meaning of this teaching for me…

I’ve been walking with Jesus for around 2 decades now, and he’s taught me a lot about life, love, and grace. I still feel the battle inside myself when faced with a decision where I can act more or less in line with Jesus’ desire and will or I can make a choice that’s about me… Anytime I’m able to choose the path I know is his, then praise the Lord and he’s been faithful to change me more and more into his image and likeness.

TLDR - The Treasures #

The article goes on to argue that the rewards we are promised in Heaven, the ones we are supposed to “store up”, are the rewards of living like Jesus today.

Note

The reward becomes greater as our will is forged to align with the Lord. As we grow in holiness, making holy decisions and living a holy life becomes the reward we store up for heaven

Reflection

The idea that the perspective of the rewards change as we change is actually not that ground breaking to me… Growth leads to perspective changes in other aspects of life.

Say for my work, as I get more experience and learn what kinds of problems tend to arise, I can appreciate troubleshooting tactics I may have not considered before, approach problems with a different point of view, etc. And it’s in this growth that I can appreciate things like searching deep in logs for 1 piece of info, or deciding to re-run something that takes hours and appreciating that it’s the best thing to do when I’d rather try to slam changes in that might work or might make it worse… The growth brings maturity and deeper understanding to the problems.

How about with children? As they grow and mature they learn more about the world… They appreciate things they didn’t like before - like having been disciplined as a child or being taught a hard lesson that pays off down the line. Again, the growth brings a perspective change.

And so as I journey in my faith this quote from the article resonated with me

Note

Jesus’ exhortation to store up for yourselves treasures in Heaven is an invitation to taste, right now, what life will be like in the renewed world later on.

Jesus brought Heaven back to earth, and invites his chosen people to live in Heaven today regardless of where we live on earth.

Note

As we mature in the Lord, the things of God become more valuable to us, and these rewards not only become more apparent, but they become easier to appreciate… ie. we store them up as we experience Heaven on earth

Link

link to article

Reflecting on BP Article on James - Faith and Works

2025-06-18T06:00:15Z

Intro

This started as one of [[my-thoughts]] and got long enough to warrant putting right in the blog

Faith and works is a common point of conversation for Christians who like debating things, and I’m at the point in my life where I’m kind of over the debates and the simplistic thinking…. but this morning I saw this article and wanted to give it a read

Article #

Article Link - 11 minute read

One of the best pieces from the article is:

Info

James illuminates and clarifies our understanding of faith by bypassing questions about whether one has (or does not have) faith and focusing instead on whether a person’s faith is living or dead.

Reflection #

This snippet isn’t incredibly profound on its own, but in my experience it hits hard I’ve been in many conversations about faith and works - and as I’ve written about before in A New Perspective on Being God's Child Christians today have a deep desire to put things into neat and simple boxes but this is often a mistake. And in the case of faith and works I think it’s just as prevalent for similar reasons I outlined in that post - a deep “need” to “fully understand” a system we participate in. However this usually comes lacking the accompanying nuance in understanding “works” and “works of the law” and “work in order to be saved”.

To be very clear

The Bible is in no way contradictory in its teaching about faith and works and salvation regardless of how wrong someone gets it… at the end of the day Jesus picks who he picks. This in no way excuses the elect from performing good works, but any good or bad “works” do nothing to change the reality of salvation - the works merely reveal the truth

I don’t see tension in faith and works - James’ statement “faith without works is dead” is so simple to me… Jesus changes my life every day, and every day I make decisions based on that reality. If I only talked about my faith, and never made a decision where I prioritized my faith over what I wanted - then do I really believe?

The answer is simple

Of course not.

💭 The Meaning of “Mammon” in the Bible | Matthew 6:24

2025-06-12T11:03:13Z

Here’s my thought on The Meaning of “Mammon” in the Bible | Matthew 6:24

I spend a fair amount of time thinking about the future, planning and saving, making sure to the best of my ability and capability right now, that my family is financially taken care of for my whole life and beyond. It’s a challenging thing to wrestle with building wealth while understanding Jesus’ call to live a life focused on others and Heaven. He certainly never says having wealth is bad or sinful, but the point in this short 1 minute video on mammon was good for me be encouraged by. Mammon (or stuff, possessions, etc) has the tendency to lead people astray into trusting in it… how many times to people straight up freak out when the stock market dips? But using mammon to care for others is one of the points of Christian living. God has been good to me, and as we seek to be good to others I pray we (my family and I) are bringing glory to his name and not doing anything for our own vanity

Note

This is one of [[ my-thoughts ]]. I picked this up from Waylon Walker(https://thoughts.waylonwalker.com). It’s a short note that I make about someone else’s content online. Learn more about the process Thoughts

💭 N.T. Wright on The Unseen Realm & Heiser - YouTube

2025-06-12T10:59:29Z

Here’s my thought on N.T. Wright on The Unseen Realm & Heiser - YouTube

I don’t write enough short thoughts on theology stuff, I’m usually trying to have some longer thought to unpack or to summarize a longer teaching. I came across this video this morning after a Bible Project video - I love Michael Heiser, he’s given me such a strong framework for understanding the Bible, and now to see an example of NT Wright talking about him and some of those ideas is really exciting. Wright nails it around 9 minutes in - that the primary point of the supremacy of Jesus, and his victory over the ruling powers from Deut 32, is a great short truth that more Christians needs to learn… Jesus doesn’t magically your life better, he invites you to submit to his authority rather than the authority of the present ruling forces, and yes this does make your life better but only if you are truly submissive to him can you understand “better” appropriately.

Note

A New Perspective on Being God’s Child

2025-05-18T07:15:06Z

Intro #

I was in men’s group the other day, and one of the things that came up almost inevitably is a debate between God’s sovereignty and predestination, and then an idea of free will. I have been a part of these conversations for years - I’ve been in hundreds of them certainly, and they all go in a very similar direction. Almost irrespective of the theological prowess or training of the group of people I’m in the unspoken goal always is the same… to find a hard and fast line between the 2 things or to find some comfortable verbiage for the tension

My Anecdotal Experience With Other Believers #

People with no real theological background have very simple ideas and understandings of free will and God’s sovereignty. They typically equate God’s sovereignty with “He willed everything to be, and so you don’t actually have any real choices.” Then they think that because God has ultimate sovereignty, but they have free will, they can somehow contradict God’s will, but then they don’t understand that that is a violation of the doctrine of God’s sovereignty. So those conversations are typically hard to sit through, and my historical thought on that, ever since I believe I’ve come to a pretty mature position on the matter, has been that in the Hebrew mind, these things aren’t at odds, and we create the division with our Western ideals on what it means to make choices, and what it means to be free.

Freedom #

As a quick parenthetical remark on that - freedom is not doing whatever you want. True freedom is living in accordance with your creation, bound by the things that create order, because it is within those boundaries that you were designed to live - and thus the life you live within the boundaries is the best the life could be… Freedom isn’t the ultimate goal, it’s a byproduct of living in accordance with our design. When you break those boundaries though - then life is scary, and you are not free but rather a slave to the environment you made for yourself - an environment not designed for you because you designed it for yourself, it isn’t what the Maker made for you

Freedom - Child’s Play #

An easy example is kids on a playground. If you give a bunch of little kids a playground with nice high fences, and you tell them to do whatever they want in the playground, they’ll have a great time. But if you take all the fences away from that playground, maybe even move it out further away from the school, kids tend to feel a lot less safe. Because now, not only can they just wander as far away from it as they please, perhaps by accident, but dangers can now enter their playground… The fences gave them the freedom to enjoy the life appropriate for them.

Back To the Debate #

Returning to the sovereignty and free will discussion… With no academic, theological, or honestly even critical thinking applied, we have this very silly juxtaposition of sovereignty - as if it means you can’t make choices - and free will as if God’s sovereignty could be usurped by us. However, in groups where we have more theological training present, we really just have the same (directionally speaking - the same) conversation, with a larger vocabulary. Now we have words like “agency”, and “scope of choice”, things that kind of seek to explain away the tension by introducing new dimension or element of abstraction to the argument.

At the end of the day, we’re now just cutting the cake into smaller pieces. We’re just filling in some of the gaps that we can see. There’s still nuance. There’s still the Western influence of needing to label everything. There’s still, in my opinion, the ancient truth that in the Hebrew mind, Yahweh’s sovereignty and the human’s choice to live their life are not at odds with each other.

A New Perspective #

But here’s a thought I started to formulate just recently…

a recent thought

Even for a PhD in theological studies or in theology or an expert in church history or church fathers or whatever - for somebody today to think that we can define these terms in a totally correct and understandable way is another manifestation of the PEAK ARROGANCE of the West (Blog on Western v Eastern medicine in the works)

I don’t mean to claim here that I have the right understanding of sovereignty and free will. But Paul has some choice words for believers who love quarreling and debates, and he calls them spiritual children who aren’t ready for real food.

2 Timothy 2:23-24

23 But reject foolish and ignorant disputes, knowing that they breed quarrels. 24 The Lord’s slave must not quarrel, but must be gentle to everyone, able to teach, and patient,

1 Corinthians 3

1For my part, brothers and sisters, I was not able to speak to you as spiritual people but as people of the flesh, as babies in Christ.a 2I gave you milk to drink, not solid food, since you were not yet ready for it. In fact, you are still not ready, 3because you are still worldly. For since there is envya and strifea b among you, are you not worldly and behaving like mere humans? 4For whenever someone says, “I belong to Paul,” and another, “I belong to Apollos,”a

It's you

I’ve often heard the Corinthian church used as an example of a bad place to be - and no doubt it was. But modern American Christianity may be much closer to Corinth than Thessolinca as far as maturity and Christ-like living goes.

He says things like “I gave you milk to drink, not solid food, since you were not yet ready for it” I used to think that the “real food” was these theological debates, that you learn more about the Bible, you learn more about humanity, and then you can have these more in-depth conversations. But I think the real wisdom is easly seen with a metaphor

Who’s the child here? #

I have two daughters in different developmental stages, and so we have 3 characters… There’s my young daughter, my older daughter, and me. Right away, I think we often talk about knowing God in this kind of a term where, you know, I’m his child and I have children. So there’s a parent-child relationship. And then in the God-human relationship, I understand my position better now as a parent of real children, of humans, which helps me understand my position as a child of God.

Failure

I don’t think we take that very seriously.

Success

I think use this more as comforting language rather than a humbling truth - I’m a child of God But really, I think the TLDR is that even the most highly trained theological individual - that person is not a grown-up in the eyes of God. He or she is still a child, and our understanding is still limited to what a child can understand.

Let’s continue with the metaphor…

You could ask either one of my daughters if they know me, and of course they would both say yes, and they know me to different degrees. Perhaps because the older one knows more about me - does that mean that she knows me better than the younger? I think it would be silly to say yes. Both of my kids know me to the fullest capacity that they can know me. So what about love? Do they both love me? And do I love them? Of course. And do I show my love to both of them in the same ways? Of course not. Not only are they unique, but they’re at different stages in life…

For example - I don’t exercise the same amount of discipline towards my youngest because she’s not ready for it - it’s not reasonable to expect the same things of her as our older daughter. Speaking of her - she absolutely is ready for some more discipline and for some higher expectations, and so I will train her up in the ways that she is mature enough to understand. Now, does that mean I love my younger daughter less, or does it mean I love my older daughter more? No. It means I’m loving them in a way that is appropriate for where they are at developmentally, for their better good. So that they grow up to be ordered, to be competent, to be self-controlled, and to not grow up to be wild adults with no regard for boundaries and rules.

So to be specific about the metaphor and the example I just laid out: I don’t want my children to ever hurt or suffer, but I also know that suffering is required for learning and for them to grow to be mature individuals. I know how to control some of the inevitable suffering a child must endure, especially if it’s in the form of discipline, for my children so they are safe, protected, loved, but also corrected and molded into competent human beings.

The Kicker #

Now would it be appropriate for my older daughter (who understands that suffering is required for learning) would it be appropriate for her to look at my younger daughter and tell her, “dad wants you to suffer”? That’s tough, isn’t it… Because she’s not really lying, but more importantly she’s also not telling anything close to the whole truth and she is also not talking to somebody who is capable of understanding the nuances of that truth.

In the eyes of God, I’m still a five-year-old.

And for me as a five-year-old boy in the eyes of the Lord, to try and explain things that I think I understand or that I understand to the best capability that a five-year-old can - If I go try to teach a three-year-old things about God in ways that they can’t understand, I am not loving that other person and I’m not even loving God very well. I’m just stuck in my own arrogance of understanding, thinking that I now get it because I’ve come to my own realization.

I recognize there’s a little irony now in writing this post because I’m saying I think I kind of understand that I don’t/can’t understand the sovereignty and free will relationship. I wouldn’t say I can explain that away, but I think I understand who I am better in the eyes of the Lord and what I could reasonably expect to understand from an academic standpoint.

So What? #

The lesson for me, and for my community of faith - is to calm down about the debates…. They’re fun over a drink and cigars, but when boots are on the ground we need to remember that the Bible has information that we need to know, it doesn’t have all the information that we want to know - and the American Church must drop its arrogant need to explain away every mystery and instead hold fast to the God of those mysteries.

The Design of Genesis 1-11 pt 1

2025-01-18T04:54:03Z

Genesis 1 #

There is a cyclical pattern of Genesis 1-11.

Introduction 1:1 may be a summary heading rather than the first “verse”.

Chaos #

The narrative begins in 1:2, and the start of everything is a “non-created world”, which in the ancient mind we should think about as “non-ordered reality”.


Genesis 1:2 (LEB): 2 Now the earth was formless and empty, and darkness was
over the face of the deep. And the Spirit of God was hovering over the surface
of the waters. 

Harris, W. H., III, Ritzema, E., Brannan, R., Mangum, D., Dunham, J., Reimer,
J. A., & Wierenga, M., eds. (2012). The Lexham English Bible (Ge 1:2). Lexham
Press.

תֹּ֫הוּ | to-hu | formless בֹּ֫הוּ | ba-hu | empty, void

The first image is that there is “unordered wild and waste (wasteland)” (we typically see this as formless and void). There is also “darkness” and “deep”, which is a dark chaotic ocean - and this is the ANE person’s conception of “nothing”. Westerners think “nothing” means “no atmoic particles, no matter” but the ANE person would’ve thought about creation as unordered chaos.

God’s spirit is hovering over the dark, formless, wild, chaotic ocean.

Day 1 #


“Let there be light!” And there was light. 4 And God saw the light, that it
was good, and God caused there to be a separation between the light and between
the darkness. 5 And God called the light Day, and the darkness he called Night.
And there was evening and there was morning, the first day.

Creation starts by separating light from darkness. The darkness is now tamed, it is apart of an ordered cycle. The ordering of the days is now established and is repeated in every subsequent day of creation

Day 2 #


“Let there be a vaulted dome in the midst of the waters, and let it cause a
separation between the waters.” 7 So God made the vaulted dome, and he caused a
separation between the waters which were under the vaulted dome and between the
waters which were over the vaulted dome. And it was so. 8 And God called the
vaulted dome “heaven.”

Then on day 2 he separates “waters from the waters”. God “splits” (Exodus) the waters, brining order to the chaotic waters.

Day 3 #


“Let the waters under heaven be gathered to one place, and let the dry
ground appear.”

The waters below are gathered together - so there is further order being brought to the waters.


“Let the earth produce green plants that will bear seed—fruit trees bearing
fruit ⌊in which there is seed⌋—according to its kind, on the earth.” And it was
so. 12 And the earth brought forth green plants bearing seed according to its
kind, and trees bearing fruit ⌊in which there was seed⌋ according to its kind.

Bonus #

Fruit trees (foreshadowing) are then brought up from the lands

Notice that there are things even in the first 3 days that will be apart of the narrative going forward

So in the first 3 days God has handled the unordered wild and waste

What this cosmos needs now is inhabitants

Day 4 #


“Let there be lights in the vaulted dome of heaven ⌊to separate day from
night⌋, and let them be as signs and for appointed times, and for days and
years,

The “lights” are clearly the sun, moon, and stars. But they are not called by those names, they are just called “lights”. Which is the descriptive word מָאוֹר | ma-or, used to describe the light from the lamp stands in the temple, which was also a symbol of God’s presence.

Notice this is not the same word for “light” in the separation of light and darkness, that is אוֹר | or, not ma-or


Psalm 90:8 (LEB): 8 You have put our iniquities before you,  our hidden
sins into the light (מָאוֹר | ma-or) of your countenance.  

Harris, W. H., III, Ritzema, E., Brannan, R., Mangum, D., Dunham, J., Reimer,
J. A., & Wierenga, M., eds. (2012). The Lexham English Bible (Ps 90:8). Lexham
Press.


Exodus 35:14 (LEB): 14 and lampstand of the light (מָאוֹר | ma-or) and its
equipment and its lamps and the oil for the light (מָאוֹר | ma-or); 

Harris, W. H., III, Ritzema, E., Brannan, R., Mangum, D., Dunham, J., Reimer,
J. A., & Wierenga, M., eds. (2012). The Lexham English Bible (Ex 35:14). Lexham
Press.


Genesis 1:16 (LEB): 16 And God made two great lights, the greater light to
rule the day and the smaller light to rule the night, and the stars. 

Harris, W. H., III, Ritzema, E., Brannan, R., Mangum, D., Dunham, J., Reimer,
J. A., & Wierenga, M., eds. (2012). The Lexham English Bible (Ge 1:16). Lexham
Press.

These lights have a job to rule

Notice the callback to day 1 - light and darkness were initially separated, and now there is further order brought to both the light (sun) and the dark (stars and moon)

Day 5 #


Genesis 1:20–21 (LEB): 20 And God said, “Let the waters swarm with swarms
of living creatures, and let birds fly over the earth across the face of the
vaulted dome of heaven.” 21 So God created the great sea creatures and every
living creature that moves, with which the waters swarm, according to their
kind, and every bird with wings according to its kind. And God saw that it was
good. 

Harris, W. H., III, Ritzema, E., Brannan, R., Mangum, D., Dunham, J., Reimer,
J. A., & Wierenga, M., eds. (2012). The Lexham English Bible (Ge 1:20–21).
Lexham Press.

Day 2 was about the waters, they were separated from above and below, and now in Day 5, above and below, will be populated, will be ordered.

Great Sea Creatures - תַּנִּין | tan-nin is a rabbit-hole for another time, but it’s not insignificant

Day 6 #


“Let the earth bring forth living creatures according to their kind: cattle
and moving things, and wild animals according to their kind.” And it was so.
25 So God made wild animals according to their kind and the cattle according to
their kind, and every creeping thing of the earth according to its kind.

Harris, W. H., III, Ritzema, E., Brannan, R., Mangum, D., Dunham, J., Reimer,
J. A., & Wierenga, M., eds. (2012). The Lexham English Bible (Ge 1:24–25).
Lexham Press.

On Day 6 the land, which was brought up on Day 3, is now populated with animals according to their kinds, again further order

Bonus #

“Let us make humankind in our image and according to our likeness

Just as fruit-trees were brought up, specifically with seed in them, now we have humanity, given a job to rule the earth, subdue it, and multiply

Humanity are the rulers below (Day 4 with the rulers of the sky)

So God created humankind in his image

Humanity are God’s idols… Where do you put idols? In a temple…

Humans are made to rule - God makes humans kings and queens

Summary #

God has just built for himself a temple of Creation.

Day 7 #

God is clearly in charge, but he wants to rule the creation with his image bearers. So now he rests

Genesis 3 #

The one thing, the first thing, that a creature in the narrative sees as “good” is the one thing God said would bring death…

“So when the woman saw that the tree [of knowledge of good and bad] was good…”. God said to eat from every tree except this one… The first judgement call humanity makes is contrary to God’s command

The Flood Story - Types and Baptism

2024-12-14T06:06:38Z

The Flood Story and Jesus

Jesus brings up the Flood story from Genesis just one time (in the recorded teachings we have).

First to set the scene, Jesus and his disciples are visiting the temple, and the disiples are kind of “ooo-ing” and “aaah-ing” when Jesus tells them about about the coming destruction…

Matthew 24:1–2 (ESV):  24 Jesus left the temple and was going away, when his
disciples came to point out to him the buildings of the temple. 2 But he
answered them, “You see all these, do you not? Truly, I say to you, there will
not be left here one stone upon another that will not be thrown down.”  

The Holy Bible: English Standard Version (Mt 24:1–2). (2016). Crossway Bibles.

Matthew 24:37–39 (ESV): 37 For as were the days of Noah, so will be the coming
of the Son of Man. 38 For as in those days before the flood they were eating
and drinking, marrying and giving in marriage, until the day when Noah entered
the ark, 39 and they were unaware until the flood came and swept them all away,
so will be the coming of the Son of Man. 

The Holy Bible: English Standard Version (Mt 24:37–39). (2016). Crossway Bibles.

At one point in Jesus’ description of the destruction of the temple in Jerusalem, he brings up the Son of Man and Noah…

Jesus says that the “coming of the Son of Man” will be like when Noah built the ark, and no one understood until the flood (κατακλυσμός | kataklysmos) came and took them away.

In Jesus’ mind the flood narrative gives him imagery and vocabulary to talk about when God allows foreign powers to come and bring judgement… This isn’t an interpretation of the flood narrative, but it clues us into the idea that the Hebrew bible is full of imagery, like a quilt, that follows a (or several) pattern(s).

Jesus understood the flood story as a pattern - a theological category to talk
about God overthrowing the corrupt power systems of our world - Tim Mackie

I think sometimes we look at the flood and think God is so bad for taking out all of humanity, but we miss the point… God is RESTORING humanity by removing corruption… that’s eventually the story we’re invited into via faith in Jesus

Types #

A type is a category of prophecy, and an antitype is the revelation of the type.

Essentially - a type is a pattern, and the antytype is the revelation of the meaning of the pattern - and without understanding the preceding types (in this case, the flood) then the antitype cannot be understood (in this case baptism)

a trivial example of how a type, or a pattern, can be noticed and even build anticipation is to think 2, 4, 6, 8… what comes next? 10, and we all know that immediately. Types in general, and types in the Bible are no different, albeit not so simple…

Flood and Baptism #

Brace yourself…

1 Peter 3:18–22 (ESV): 18 For Christ also suffered once for sins, the righteous
for the unrighteous, that he might bring us to God, being put to death in the
flesh but made alive in the spirit, 19 in which he went and proclaimed to the
spirits in prison, 20 because they formerly did not obey, when God’s patience
waited in the days of Noah, while the ark was being prepared, in which a few,
that is, eight persons, were brought safely through water. 21 Baptism, which
corresponds to this, now saves you, not as a removal of dirt from the body but
as an appeal to God for a good conscience, through the resurrection of Jesus
Christ, 22 who has gone into heaven and is at the right hand of God, with
angels, authorities, and powers having been subjected to him.  

The Holy Bible: English Standard Version (1 Pe 3:18–22). (2016). Crossway
Bibles.

Notice verse 21 - “Baptism, which corresponds to this”

Corresponds is the word ἀντίτυπος (antitupos) in Greek, which means “anti-type” This means clearly that the type, or a type, for baptism, is the flood narrative… or that baptism is the antitype for the flood

What does this mean for baptism?

21 Baptism, which
corresponds to this, now saves you, not as a removal of dirt from the body but
as an appeal to God for a good conscience, through the resurrection of Jesus
Christ, 22 who has gone into heaven and is at the right hand of God, with
angels, authorities, and powers having been subjected to him

Through baptism, we experience with Jesus, resurrection and rule of the angels, authorities, and power of the world…

Take Away #

For the disciples listening… are they arguing about when the flood happened? or if it was a global or local flood?

No… they are listening to Jesus unpack patterns in the Bible and they hear him invite them, through a story they know very well, into rule and reign with him

The Flood Story - Quilt Analogy

2024-12-14T05:43:43Z

The Flood Story in the Hebrew Bible

I’m slowly making my way through some Bible Project classes online because Tim Mackie is a fantastic teacher and BP has done be a great service by opening my eyes to the reality of the Biblical narrative and what it means for my life of faith in Jesus.

The second session is filled with great points and 10 minutes in I had to jot this one down…

A Quilt as History #

Imagine your grandmother’s grandmother made a quilt, and passed it down the family tree. In a sense, that quilt contains history that would pre-date you but would absolutely have meaning to you… However, you might look for meaning that was never intended to be present.

The pieces of the quilt have their own history - there will be material that might’ve been part of a dress, or curtains, or bedsheets, or anything else someone in the family tree found interesting and meaningful for the story they are telling with their quilt.

The question of what each of the pieces mean on their own, or in where they come from is interesting perhaps, but it’s not the same question as asking what those pieces mean now that they have been curated into the family quilt… The creator(s) of the quilt may repurpose those pieces entirely, and it wouldn’t be “right” for you or me to be upset that one piece of the quilt came from an article of clothing or cloth associated with something we might not like - the author (your grandma) repurposed it for that very reason, to change the meaning and communicate something to you, perhaps something totally different than what that cloth might’ve meant before it was added to the quilt.

Creation as a Quilt #

The quilt is a curated piece of pieces of fabric - and to bring the metaphor home very abruptly, so is the Hebrew Bible… the authors of the Hebrew scripture absolutely repurposed stories and images that were present in their time and before, but not to make something that is a cheap copy, but to communicate the story of the actual God of gods, ruling over the world.

For example - the very beginning of the creationa ccount in Genesis 1 has the spirit of God hovering over the waters. Without getting into more details than a short write-up warrants, the waters in ancient thought represent chaos. Not only that, but there is an older creation account called the Enuma Elish where their savior god, Marduk, fights the chaos waters (Tiamat) and conquers her eventually… The thing about the Hebrew narrative is that Yahweh doesn’t have to fight the waters… he subdues with his words because he isn’t in tension with creation, or even with chaos, all things obey him and the chaos waters that other gods had to fight and die over are no different. So the meaning of the waters is somewhat consistent across lots of cultures, but Hebrews took the stories and in essence made them “more true”, but at the very least made them relevant to the story they are/were communicating about the God of gods and Lord of love - that he is the creator of all things and invites us to partner with him (as his image-bearers).

Calm Down #

A lot of Christians get upset or skiddish when other stories and cultures get brought up - as if the Bible had to fall from heaven in their favorite English translation… but in my opinion that is the silliest and cheapest view of the Word of God… he chose people out of foreign lands to make an inheritence for himself, his people, and those people tell his story using images that they know.

It’s important for us to answer interesting questions but not lose sight of what’s important… The Enuma Elish is an interesting piece, and there’s parallels with the Hebrew bible, but the Hebrew creation account clearly communicates that Yahweh doesn’t have to labor and fight for order, he speaks order into chaos. That lesson is wholly different from other creation narratives, but is it derivative of them…

That used to bother me, but understanding that the authors of the Bible, carried forth by the guidance of God’s spirit, curated these stories and narratives for God’s people to communicate the truest Truths about him and his love for people help me understand the reality of God partnering with humanity

which starts in the Garden and is how Revelation ends

Advent 2024 - Peace

2024-12-06T15:26:15Z

Scripture #

Luke 2:14 (ESV): 14 “Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace among those with whom he is pleased!”

Edification #

There is a word we probably know - Shalom. It’s the Hebrew word we translate often as “peace”. But when I hear “peace” I often think about being calm - and that oversimplifies Shalom… I think a more appropriate understanding is “things are as they are supposed to be”.

In the Garden, we see Shalom - the Lord partnering with humanity to steward the earth, to make things as they were supposed to be…

You all know we messed that up, Shalom was broken and humanity was exiled.

But we have a Great Healer.

Jesus is Lord of all, King of Heaven and Earth, Ruler of your lives and mine, and he is the Prince of Peace

Things in our lives are probably not often as they are supposed to be… We get sick, worry about bills, experience tragedy, and weather the storms of life. But there is hope - confident expectation - that peace already has been, and will continue to be, restored to those whom Jesus chooses, the ones with whom he is pleased.

John records a lot before telling us about the cross, and I won’t recount that in this short edification. But he recalls a hopeful word from the Lord -

John 16:33 (LEB): 33 I [Jesus] have said these things to you so that in me you may have peace. In the world you have affliction, but have courage! I have conquered the world.”

This season, and this week of Advent, I pray God presses the reality, and the hope for, peace, the expectation of Shalom, deeper into my heart. I pray the Spirit guides us all to bring the will of God to earth as it is in Heaven

Finally I pray we may all be given, and accept, the conviction of Paul -

Romans 8:18 For I consider that the sufferings of this present time are not worthy to be compared with the glory that is to be revealed to us.” Our present trials are not on an equal scale with the glory of heaven

May the rest, the peace, the Shalom that Jesus gives to his followers be with you all. Amen.

How To Survive The Flood

2024-12-04T05:52:44Z

There a lot of flood stories throughout the history of the world, and the Bible is no different in this regard. God warns Noah of a de-creation event, whereby he’ll start over with humanity via Noah and his family. Noah survives the flood by abiding in Yahweh and staying close to the One who loves him.

Note this reflection doesn’t address AT ALL if the flood narrative is a “real” historical event, whether it’s a global or local event, or anything like that - regardless of those points the Biblical authors used this type of imagery of chaos waters to communicate themes of judgement and wrath.

Jesus, in the Sermon on the Mount with the 2 houses, calls back to the images of the chaos waters (the winds and the rains). His instruction is that the wise man who built his house on the rock will survive, but the foolish man builds his house on the sand and the winds and the rains destroyed it.

Somewhat obviously this is metaphorical for basing your life on wisdom or folly. The wisdom is Jesus’ teaching which is all based on Yahweh’s love for humanity and his desire to partner with humanity for the good of the whole earth.

The simple take-away is for us to survive the winds and the rain, and to say it more fully - to survive de-creation and destruction, we must live our lives in a way that revolves around Jesus, the perfect human. He calls us to a greater humanity, an unbroken humanity, which is unachievable apart from him (just look around if you doubt this truth).

It’s important to notice though that abiding in the Lord, basing your life on the rock, doesn’t spare you from the wind and the rain. Trials come, life gets hard, shit hits the fan. The last few weeks for me haven’t been my favorite and I’ve certainly experienced turmoil in my life but frankly Jesus makes those things bearable… in a way I can’t put enough words to I’ll just be reminded of Paul in Romans 8…

worthy to be compared with the glory that is to be revealed to us.” Our present
trials are not on an equal scale with the glory of heaven ```

By God's grace he's molded my heart to be nearly incapable of separating the
Love God has for me from any trial I face - it's not a magic answer or silver
bullet to fixing those problems, and it doesn't make them go away, but I know
the sufferings here aren't even worth comparing to the glory of the Lord. Amen.

The Two Houses

2024-11-27T05:40:24Z

The Two Houses

Context #

24 “Everyone then who hears these words of mine and does them will be like a wise man who built his house on the rock. 25 And the rain fell, and the floods came, and the winds blew and beat on that house, but it did not fall, because it had been founded on the rock. 26 And everyone who hears these words of mine and does not do them will be like a foolish man who built his house on the sand. 27 And the rain fell, and the floods came, and the winds blew and beat against that house, and it fell, and great was the fall of it.

The Holy Bible: English Standard Version (Mt 7:24–27). (2016). Crossway Bibles.

Reflection #

From the visual commentary Tim calls out a few things:

the rock is supposed to first call us back to earlier in the sermon when Jesus calls his people “the light of the world” and says “a city on a hill [mountain] cannot be hidden” (Matthew 5:14). The hill [ὄρος | oros] means “mountain” and is a hyperlink to OT teaching of God’s people living in the ideal Jerusalem on Mt. Zion. Lots of Hebrew imagery here.
The rain and floods are a callback to the Chaos Waters of the OT (and general ANE thinking). It’s a reference to the destructive nature that we humans have unleashed on the world - but the wise man who listens to Jesus lives a life with some amount of protection from those hardships - and ultimate protection from God handing us over to Chaos (destruction).

BP - The Golden Rule

2024-11-06T05:54:32Z

Matthew 7:12

So then, everything you desire that people do to you, so also you do to them, for this is the Torah and the Prophets

What do I desire that people “do to [me]”? #

Help if I need it - I want to live in a world where humans are helpful
Listen to me and understand what I say
Leave me alone sometimes

What is the Torah and Prophets? #

I know there’s a lot more to where the texts come from and the varying traditions in Judaism. But I think at a very high level, Jesus is saying that we all know, deep down, how to live in harmony but that it requires sacrifice. He calls us to live sacrificially towards each other, to live in Heaven today, so we can experience the coming reality if our own resurrection

Reflection - Wisdom in Relationships 2

2024-10-14T06:07:33Z

Passage #

Why do you see the speck in the eye of your brother, but you don't perceive the
beam in your own eye?

Or how can you say to your brother, "Allow me to take out the speck from your
eye," and look, the beam is in your eye!

Hypocrite! First take out the beam from your eye, and then you can see clearly
the speck in the eye of your brother.

Ask and it will be given to you. Seek and you will find. Knock and it will be
hopend to you. For the one who asks will receive, and the one who seeks will
find. And to the one who knocks it will be opened. For what person is among
you, who when their son asks for break, will give him a rock? Or when he asks
for a fish will give him a snake? So then fi you all are bad, but you know how
to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father in the
skies give good things to those who ask.

Reflection #

James builds on this with if any of you lacks wisdom then ask for wisdom it will be given to you. James is arming us with some specifics from the Sermon on the Mount. We aren’t just to ask for anything that we think is good… wisdom is the good we are to ask for.

Tim: Prayer is important because wisdom will flow out of a deep interpersonal relationship with God.

Where has God given me wisdom? #

Marriage/relationships as Kassia and I have navigated many things (job changes, moving for family, family falling through, unhealthy parent relationships, church hunts, and our own self-development and discovery)
He’s given me a lot of professional wisdom - potentially through AuDHD and the exposure he’s brought me through.
Through Mark Forstrom, Andrew, Nick Z, etc. I was filled with wisdom on how to be a man in the life of a boy - how to talk with someone immature, let them be and feel heard, but also on how to challenge them to grow (up).

Reflection - Wisdom in Relationships

2024-10-12T05:40:11Z

This morning I finally felt some motivation for a short Bible Project video. The app is great (💯 would recommend) and gives me daily reminders that are unobtrusive.

The passage is Matthew 7:1-2

that you judge, you will be judged.

And with the measure that you measure, it will be measured to you. ```

There are some personal things going on for me as I wrestle and work through an
AuDHD diagnosis and there's a lot for me having grown up as a (almost
certainly) undiagnosed mild-autistic. These 2 verses are in a larger section of
Scripture called "The Sermon on the Mount", Jesus starts it by basically saying
he'll summarize the Law and Prophets in Matthew 5, then concludes it in Matthew
7 by saying he summed them up with what we call the Golden Rule - `do unto
others as you would have them do unto you` is how my Souther Baptist Grandma
used to say it.

I've grown up into knowing it's simply silly to expect non-Christians to live
Biblically - I do not understand the judgement some Christians throw at
non-believers for things like cohabitation or getting drunk... It's literally
what I would do without Jesus guiding my lie. However I've always felt a pretty
unreasonable responsibility to point out where Christians are living by double
standards. Jesus addresses this with another commonly known question - "Why do
you take the spec our of your brother's eye but ignore the log in your own
eye?". I'm very personally aware, almost to a hyper degree, but I definitely
don't have perfect-awaremenss, and I don't know if I'm losing zeal as I get
older or actually growing into wisdom but I am sliding more and more into a
position of just not worrying about what other people are doing. As long as my
family is safe I'm basically a full-blown libertarian when it comes to people
living their lives.

The BP message this morning was just great confirmation that this is
directionally correct, at least right now for me. I spent a lot of time as a
kid worrying about other Christians living appropriately (this was partly
driven by needing older Christians to help me live appropriately and so I felt
responsiblity to help provide that environment for myself... combination of
God's grace and undiagnosed AuDHD methinks). Now as an adult I spend most of my
time thanking Jesus for saving me from myself and I simply trust that he will
save who he saves. Because that's not up to me I can focus on what I can manage
- my own life and family.

On Earth as It Is in Heaven

2024-01-02T06:31:21Z

On Earth as It Is in Heaven

Video

Sermon on the Mount #

3 chapters filled with phrases that are very well-known in our culture

Phrases #

Love your neighbor as yourself
Do to others what you would have them do to you
You are the salt of the earth
You can’t serve both God and money
Take the plank out of your eye before you take the speck out of another’s
If anyone strikes you on the cheek, turn and offer him the other cheek
Love your enemy and bless those who persecute you
If your hand causes you to sin, cut it… off

References #

Mark 12:31
Matthew 7:12
Matthew 5:13
Matthew 6:24
Matthew 7:5
Matthew 5:39
Matthew 5:44
Matthew 5:30

Meditation #

Sermon on the mount is chiastic

3 main parts to the Sermon on the Mount The middle part has 3 parts Each of those parts has 3 parts

Climax #

The center of the chiasm is a famous prayer

“Our Father in Heaven, may your name be treated as holy. May your Kingdom come. May your will be done on Earth as it is in Heaven.”9

Matthew 6:9-10

Jewishness #

God’s kingdom was to be ushered into the world by his creation, but Genesis 3,6,10 tell us that humans choose wrong when we define good and bad by ourselves. Yahweh chose Abraham and built up Israel as a second attempt of sorts to bring the his Kingdom to earth but the HB is filled with the story of how they mostly failed.

NT time is where Jesus reveals the Kingdom to Jews who are oppressed by Roman Empire and he reveals this to exactly the oppressed audience - “Blessed are the poor in spirit”

Chaos Dragon

2023-12-20T06:08:08Z

Dragons are metaphorical images in the Bible

Goliath -> armor descriptions Leviathan

Dragon slayers can be enticed to become dragons themselves

Jesus is the great dragon slayer, who doesn’t give in to the inticing power of the dragon

calming the sea
conquering sickness in others
tempter in the wilderness

Jesus’ victory came through the surrender of his life - which brings him deep into the dragon’s realm, to deliver the ultimate blow

Reflect

In the Bible, why is it challenging for humans to slay the dragon? What risks are involved? The dragon’s power is enticing… back to Genesis 3, humans are easy to persuade to do things for personal gain It’s challenging also becauset the dragon is powerful, and humans are not (without its power or the power of Jesus) so if we stand against it without the Lord, what hope do we have of victory?
What are some of the ways that Jesus confronted the “dragon” in his ministry?
- calming the sea
- conquering sickness in others
- tempter in the wilderness
How does Jesus ultimately defeat the “dragon”? How can we follow his example?
- Surrender
- I think we do the same, but it doesn’t always look like death, sometimes it’s subverting the temporary authorities we are under to comply in the least possible ways while always ultimately striving for the coming of the Kingdom

olivet-mens-group-james-2023

2023-01-21T06:06:31Z

James

2023 study of the book of James

BP #

The Guy #

Greek: Iakobos (Jacob in English)

Jacob is one of Jesus’ half-brothers who became a leader of the Jerusalem church post-resurrection

The book of James is the legacy of this Jacob’s wisdom which was heavily influenced by two things:

Sermon on the Mount / Matthew 5-7
Proverbs - expecially chapters 1-9

Summary #

These are short challenging wisdom speeches full of metaphors and one-liners… Live in a wise way, submitting to Jesus

Chapters 2-5 teach about wholehearted devotion to Jesus - there are 12 teachings total

section	summary	source
2:1-13	favoritism vs love	(Matthew 5:46-48)
2:14-26	genuine faith	(Matthew 7:21-27)
	teaching about words
3:1-12	the tongue	(Luke 6:43-45)
4:11-12 fm condeming others	(matthew 12:36-37)
5:12	telling the truth	(Matthew 5:37)
	wealth
4:13-17	arrogance of wealth	(Matthew 6:28-34)
5:1-6	danger of wealth	(Matthew 6:19-21)
5:7-11	peace and endurance	(Matthew 24:13)
5:13-18	faith-filled prayer	(Mathew 21:21-22)

Other 4 are in the poster about James on BP

Chapter 1 the introduction

2-4: life’s trials produce endurance and can make us perfect and complete

perect is repeated 7 times in the book - it refers to “wholeness” and integrity.

We are all fractrued and inconsistent people

perfect: Hebrew: Tamim, Greek: Teleios

5-8: God gives wisdom to those who ask in faith

9-11: povety can force us tot rust on God alone; wealth will pass away

12-18: God is generous and gives us new birth through Jesus

19-27: Don’t just listen to God’s word but do it. It’s the Torah of Freedom

speak with love
serve the poor
be wholly devoted to God

Jan 21 #

James 1:1

James, a servant of God and of the Lord Jesus Christ, To the twelve tribes in the Dispersion: Greetings.

Dispersion: διασπορά - same word used by Peter to describe Jesus-followers as exiles

James 1:2-11

2 Count it all joy, my brothers, when you meet trials of various kinds, 3 for you know that the testing of your faith produces steadfastness. 4 And let steadfastness have its full effect, that you may be perfect and complete, lacking in nothing. 5 If any of you lacks wisdom, let him ask God, who gives generously to all without reproach, and it will be given him. 6 But let him ask in faith, with no doubting, for the one who doubts is like a wave of the sea that is driven and tossed by the wind. 7 For that person must not suppose that he will receive anything from the Lord; 8 he is a double-minded man, unstable in all his ways. 9 Let the lowly brother boast in his exaltation, 10 and the rich in his humiliation, because like a flower of the grass he will pass away. 11 For the sun rises with its scorching heat and withers the grass; its flower falls, and its beauty perishes. So also will the rich man fade away in the midst of his pursuits.

July 15 #

Missed several meetings due to unfortunate travel circumstances

James 3:13-18

13 Who is wise and understanding among you? By his good conduct let him show his works in the meekness of wisdom. 14 But if you have bitter jealousy and selfish ambition in your hearts, do not boast and be false to the truth. 15 This is not the wisdom that comes down from above, but is earthly, unspiritual, demonic. 16 For where jealousy and selfish ambition exist, there will be disorder and every vile practice. 17 But the wisdom from above is first pure, then peaceable, gentle, open to reason, full of mercy and good fruits, impartial and sincere. 18 And a harvest of righteousness is sown in peace by those who make peace.

The Holy Bible: English Standard Version (Jas 3:13–18). (2016). Crossway Bibles.

December 16 #

James 5:13-20

13 Is anyone among you suffering misfortune? He should pray. Is anyone cheerful? He should sing praise. 14 Is anyone among you sick? He should summon the elders of the church and they should pray over him, anointing him with olive oil in the name of the Lord. 15 And the prayer of faith will save the one who is sick, and the Lord will raise him up, and if he has committed sins ⌊he will be forgiven⌋. 16 Therefore confess your sins to one another, and pray for one another, so that you may be healed. The effective prayer of a righteous person accomplishes much. 17 Elijah was a human being with the same nature as us, and ⌊he prayed fervently⌋ for it not to rain, and it did not rain on the land for three years and six months. 18 And he prayed again, and the sky gave rain and the earth produced its fruit. 19 My brothers, if anyone among you should wander away from the truth and someone turns him back, 20 he should know that the one who turns a sinner back from the error of his way will save that person’s soul from death, and will cover over a great number of sins.

When to pray #

All circumstances of life
Sickness
Confession
Working out the will of God
Retrieving wandering souls

James ends his letter with prayer because it’s an exhortation of the Disapora and a life of faith must revolve around prayer

For myself I think I pray in all circumstances, sickness, confession all ok. I do not pray for long periods of time, and don’t feel very disiplined, but whenever anything happens, by the Lord’s grace I am quick to turn my attention to Jesus, and hopefully turn the attention of my wife/kids to Jesus as well. Example: a person collapsed at the water park we went to this last weekend, Athalia and I were close-ish to that happening, so I told her we needed to stop what we were doing and pray that Jesus would intervene.

I confess sin to Jesus but I’m not sure what that should look like. I’ve taken a Brother Lawrence approach to try and quickly confess and move on, accepting grace, but I struggle with intentional sinning in this area… What is prayer if I knew what I was doing was wrong?

I am not more inclined to pray for suffering, but I think that’s because I’ve very consciously been trying to pray in good circumstances more often because when we only pray in suffering that turns prayer into a Santa’s wish list situation I think… yes we need the Lord in suffering, but we display our need for him NOT only in suffering, and if that is true then it begs the question, to me anyways, of whether or not the need is truly there

JC Ryle’s quote #

I disagree with the dude’s quote about the requirement of prayer, but only because the message is given in a direction that makes prayer look like something I have to do to get/keep/maintain my salvation… Yahweh changes his children’s hearts and orients them towards him through prayer - if someone doesn’t then I think that just means Yahweh has not worked or has not chosen them, but them calling themselves a Christian is irrelevant, and no amount of forcing themselves to pray will change Yahweh’s will.

Isaiah 1:6

From the sole of the foot and up to the head there is no health in it; bruise and sore and bleeding wound have not been cleansed, and they have not been bound up and not softened with the oil.

Psalm 23:5

5 You prepare before me a table in the presence of my oppressors. You anoint my head with oil; my cup is overflowing.

1 Kings 17:1-16

17 Elijah the Tishbite from Tishbe of Gilead said to Ahab, “⌊As Yahweh lives⌋, the God of Israel before whom I stand, there shall surely not be dew nor rain these years ⌊except by my command⌋.” 2 Then the word of Yahweh came to him, saying, 3 “Go from this place and turn to the east; you must hide yourself in the Wadi Kerith ⌊which faces the Jordan⌋. 4 It shall be that you shall drink from the wadi, and I have commanded the crows to sustain you there.” 5 So he went and did according to the word of Yahweh. He went and stayed in the Wadi Kerith ⌊which faces the Jordan⌋. 6 The crows were bringing bread and meat in the morning for him and bread and meat in the evening, and he drank from the wadi. 7 It happened ⌊after a while⌋ that the wadi dried up, because there was no rain in the land.

8 Then the word of Yahweh came to him, saying, 9 “Get up and go to Zarephath which belongs to Sidon and stay there. Look, I have commanded a woman there, a widow, to sustain you.” 10 So he arose and went to Zarephath and came to the gate of the city. There was a widow woman gathering wood, so he called to her, and he said, “Please bring a little water for me in a vessel so that I can drink.” 11 She went to fetch it, and he called to her and said, “Please bring me a morsel of bread in your hand.” 12 She said, “⌊As Yahweh your God lives⌋, surely I do not have a cake, ⌊but only a handful of flour⌋ in the jar and a little olive oil in the jug. Here I am gathering a few pieces of wood, and I will go and prepare it for me and my son, that we might eat it and die.” 13 Elijah said to her, “Don’t be afraid. Go and do according to your word; only make for me a small bread cake from it first, and bring it out to me. Make it for yourself and for your son afterward. 14 For thus says Yahweh, the God of Israel: ‘The jar of flour will not be emptied and the jug of olive oil will not run out until the day Yahweh gives rain on the surface of the earth.’ ” 15 So she went and did according to the word of Elijah; then both she and he ate with her household for many days. 16 The jar of flour was not emptied and the jug of olive oil did not run out, according to the word of Yahweh which he spoke by the hand of Elijah.

Hebrew Bible Full Class

2022-11-05T06:27:40Z

Class link Classroom notes (Must be on home network)

01 The Shape of the Hebrew Bible

Session 1: What on Earth is the Hebrew Bible? #

This class is not so much a survey of the HB, it is Tim’s attempt to distil the most helpful things for understanding it in a consumable way for laypeople.

A chunk of this is the other people giving some of their own background. One lady said something that might be helpful for ministry - “Maybe that thing that I saw as ‘you don’t love me’ is ‘I don’t know how to love you’”

how to love

Maybe that thing that I saw as ‘you don’t love me’ is ‘I don’t know how to love you’

Christian coping strategy for the Olt Testament

Hero-example model
- Stories get isolated and distilled down into a simple moral model, where the hero is just the hero.
- Veggie-Tales is uber-guilty of this nonsense
- There’s something correct about this - but the oversimplification usually comes out of a massive re-writting of the stories, then anyone raised on those versions of the story is scaldalized when they read it for real
Poltical-authority source
- Political parties hijacking “The Bible says X about Y” as a means to harvest authority from a book that many people claim is authoritative.
Theology answer book model
- Treating the Bible like a dictionary of key/value pairs where keys are questions and values are simple answers.
- This ignores narrative, and general literacy.
- The instinct may be right - the Bible should profoundly shape my view of everything, but it isn’t simple
Inspirational-heart-warming model
- Verse-a-day calendars
- Jermiah 29:11

Warning

Are we imposing a set of questions that are foreign to what the authors are trying to communicate? do we need to set our cultural agendas aside to just listen?

A result of asking the wrong questions is the common story of people’s faith being dismantled by reading the Bible

DL Baker - Two Testaments - One Bible

One of the most fundamental questions which has faced theology and the Church in every age… is whether or not Christianity also needs an Old Testament. Is the Old Testament to be thrown away as obsolete, or pre- served as a relic from days of yore, or treasured as a classic and read by scholars, or used occasionally as a change from the New Testament, or kept in a box in case it should be needed some day? Or is the Old Testa- ment an essential part of the Christian Bible, with continuing validity along- side the New Testament? —

Session 2: How Jesus and the Apostle ReadTheir Bibles #

The Bible most often refers to itself as the Writings

Road to Emmaus

Jesus confronts a couple guys walking to Emmaus after he is resurrected and more or less calls them idiots/fools for not understanding that the Writings point to an annointed king who will suffer death for the sake of redemption. He’s recognized by them once their eyes are opened then he vanishes

Weird stuff

Paul and Timothy #

Paul assumes when writing to Timothy that he, and probably believers in general, are in a community of people who are regularly learning about Yahweh through the Scriptures as a family

2 Timothy 3:15-16

… and that from childhood you ahve known the sacred writings which are able to give you the wisdom that leas to salvation through faith which is in Christ Jesus. All Scripture is inspired by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, for training in righteousness

Success

For Paul, the Scriptures here are our OT, the Hebrew Bible. For Paul, the HB is entirely wisdom literature that leads to salvation through Jesus

The question of “What are the Scriptures?” is covered in the next session

To answer the question ‘How do we read the HB?’ we have to ask the question ‘Whose book is the HB?’

Session 3: Shape of the Scriptures #

Old Testament is the Christian term for a set of writings that comprise about 3/4 of the Christian Bible. The authors themselves though refer to those writings as the Scriptures. One time it is called the Old Covenant by Paul , but he’s talking about Synagogue readings of the Torah portion in synagogues. THe phrase Hebrew Bible is a modern term that is a bit more neutral.

So, what is our Bible?

Luke 24:25-27

25 And he said to them, “O foolish ones, and slow of heart to believe all that the prophets have spoken! 26 Was it not necessary that the Christ should suffer these things and enter into his glory?” 27 And beginning with Moses and all the Prophets, he interpreted to them in all the Scriptures the things concerning himself.

Moses and the Prophets

TaNaK #

Jweish reference to the books in our OT, in the Hebrew Bible, but the arangement is different…

TaNaK

T = Torah (first 5 books)
N - Nevi’im (Prophets: Joshua - Kings) [Christians often call these the ‘historial books’]
K - Ketuvim

Torah	Pentateuch
Genesis - Exodus - Leviticus - Numbers Deuteronomy	Genesis - Exodus - Leviticus - Numbers - Deuteronomy
Nevi’im - The Prophets	History
Former Prophets Joshua - Judges - Samueal - Kings	Joshua - Judges - Ruth 1-2 Samuel - 1-2 Kings 1-2 Chronicles Ezra - Nehemiah - Ester
Later Prophets Isaiah - Jeremiah - Ezekiel Hosea - Joel - Amos - Obadiah - Jonah - Micah - Nahum - Habakkuk - Zephaniah - Haggai - Zechariah - Malachi	Poetry Job - Psalms - Proverbs - Ecclesiastes - Song of Solomon
Kethuvim - The Writings	Prophets
Psalms - Job - Proverbs Ruth - Song of Songs - Ecclesiastes - Lamentations - Esther [The Megillot] Daniel - Ezra - Nehemiah - Chronicles	Isiah - Jeremiah - Lamentations Ezekiel - Daniel Hosea - Joel - Amos - Obadiah - Jonah - Micah - Nahum - Habakkuk - Zephaniah - Haggai - Zechariah - Malachi

Luke 11:49–51 (ESV)

49 Therefore also the Wisdom of God said, ‘I will send them prophets and apostles, some of whom they will kill and persecute,’ 50 so that the blood of all the prophets, shed from the foundation of the world, may be charged against this generation, 51 from the blood of Abel to the blood of Zechariah, who perished between the altar and the sanctuary. Yes, I tell you, it will be required of this generation.

Blood of Abel to the blood of Zechariah…

Why would Jesus pick these two events? Abel is murdered on page 4, Zechariah is murdered in the last part of Chronicles, which in the TaNaK is significant… Jesus is saying that all the prophets from the beginning of the Scriptures to the end… All the prophets from A-Z so to speak

Scriptures

“Books” as we know it, bound papers with writing on it, called a ‘codex’ wasn’t a thing until a couple hundred years post-Jesus… so when the authors say “The Scriptures” we need to keep in mind that Jews had the scriptures in their minds and hearts, not on paper (save for a couple very expensive scrolls). So the structure of the scriptures is also apart of the Jewish being… This interaction with the Scriptures is very very very different than how we interact with the Bible

4QMMT

“The scrolls of Moses, the words of the prophets, and of David.”

Philo of Alexandria

The laws and the oracles given by inspiration through the prophets and the Psalms, and the other scrolls whereby knowledge and piety are increased and completed…

De Vita Contemplatetiva, 25

Melito of Sardis #

Early 200s
One of the earliest Christians to talk about the books/scrolls of Christian scriptures
Summarizes Christian ordering of the Hebrew Bible with some logic
- Foundation narrative of the Pentateuch
- History
- Poetry
- Prophets then point forward to the coming Messiah, Jesus, and the NT writings

Session 4 - Seams between Texts in the Dead Sea Scrolls #

Around 100-200 AD there was a split in the Jewish community over things like how the Temple and sacrifices were to be run, etc. A group got kicked out, so they grabbed some scrolls and went to start what we’d think of as a Monastic community. Qumran community is where they went, and the scrolls this group managed are called the Dead Sea Scrolls.

Out of DSS we have some of the oldest biblical scrolls, they have their own writings and liturgies since they were all priests basically too.

The scrolls were hidden in caves before the Romans marched on Qumran. They were found in the 1940s by a bunch of shepherds. A few showed up online for sale and that’s how we found out about their exitence…. These scrolls give us pre-Christian Jewish Bible nerds…

Qumran community didn’t know about Jesus - they thought the Messiah would be a man called The Teacher of Righteousness

Scroll-making #

The DSS preserved for us, not only ancient biblical texts, but also the method by which scrolls were created. They were well-preserved papyrus that was stiched together - literal stitches. We also have obvious additions from Qumran community as well as notes from priests and corrections from missed transcribing.

Our Bible #

The DSS scrolls, being the oldest stitched together set of scrolls, teach us how scrolls and collections of ancient holy texts were put together. We need to keep this in mind when we think about where our Christian Bible came from

The beginning and ending of our books might/are filled with hyperlinks that call a reader’s mind back to other stories. It’s the way of linking context and stories to one another before the writings are in a codex

Hyperlinks - language/syntax that remind a reader of antoher scroll - help us understand the structure of the Hebrew Bible

A favorite quote from Tim

So, you can see I’m interested in a historical question of like the collection [Hebrew Bible] was produced by a group of people. What did they mean by it? And we can actually know a lot about what they meant and locate them and read it the way they wanted us to read it, and pick up what they’re saying. And, lo and behold, you know, I hope to convince you that—and this is all pre-Christian—what’s happening here and what this all points to and means, fits hand in glove with how Jesus and Paul and the apostles talk about these texts. So that’s different from saying nobody knew what these texts meant. The events of Jesus happen, and then we go reread it, and it has a whole new meaning that no one has ever imagined. It seems to me what actually happened in history was a little more interesting and complicated than that. [17:30-18:21]

Faithful

2022-10-21T06:31:33Z

Link

Notes

Exodus 34:6

Compassioante and gracious, slow to anger, overflowing with loyal love and faithfulness

Faithfulness - Emet (can be translated ‘Truth’) Related to “Amen” which is untranslated Hebrew expression meaning “that’s truth”

Stability #

Moses has to hold his hands up when Israel faces the Amalekites. Joshua (and another) bring Moses a rock to sit on and hold is hands up so they could be Emet.

People #

Describs trustiworthiness

Exodus 18:21 - Moses apoints leaders are to be “Emet”

God and promises #

God is a rock - he is faithful, just, and upright

Hebrew word for trust is He’Emin which is the verb form of Emet

Abraham considers God Emet, he He’Emin’s God and God blesses this by creating Isreal.

Israel, In Exodus 14:31, He’Emin’s God (until they see the gians in Canaan that is)

1 Kings 1:6 says David walked in Emet with God

2 Samuel 7:16, God blesses David and says his kingdom will have Emet

Romans 15:8-9 says Jesus came on behalf of God’s faithfulness.

Questions

The Hebrew word “emet” is translated with words like “faithful,” “reliable,” “sure,” “trustworthy,” and “amen.” Read aloud Psalm 36:5-6 , Psalm 19:7 , and Psalm 41:13 and discuss what the psalmists are communicating in these passages when they use the word “emet.”

Psalms 36:5-6

5Your lovingkindness, O Lord, extends to the heavens,

Your faithfulness reaches to the skies.

6Your righteousness is like the mountains of God;

Your judgments are like a great deep.

O Lord, You preserve man and beast.

Psalms 19:7

7The law of the Lord is perfect, restoring the soul;

The testimony of the Lord is sure, making wise the simple.

Psalms 41:13

13Blessed be the Lord, the God of Israel,

From everlasting to everlasting.

Amen and Amen.

I think the lesson here is pretty simple - God is faithful, full stop. His faithfulness doesn’t look necessarily like how we might want… when I was a kid I would be upset if my parents didn’t respond to me in the way I wanted, and my kids will certainly share that disappointment. But I am faithful to my children - sometimes the main issue is a child’s outlook on a situation or worldview. I think that metaphor holds true in relation to humans and Yahweh - he sees the whole world, we see a part of it so we cannot understand faithfulness fully, in the same way that my children can’t understand my faithfulness to them fully - even to the point of being upset or thinking that I’m not being faithful

God promised the Israelites that he would give them a king of peace that would rule forever and ever (e.g. 2 Samuel 7:16). However, Israel’s kingdom collapsed and they found themselves without a home or a king. Compare the beginning of Psalm 89 (vv. 1-10) with the way it closes (vv. 46-52). What do you think it practically looks like to trust God when all seems lost?

2 Samuel 7:16

16Your house and your kingdom shall endure before Me forever; your throne shall be established forever.” ’ ”

PSALM 89

The Lord’s Covenant with David, and Israel’s Afflictions.

A Maskil of Ethan the Ezrahite.

1I will sing of the lovingkindness of the Lord forever;

To all generations I will make known Your faithfulness with my mouth.

2For I have said, “Lovingkindness will be built up forever;

In the heavens You will establish Your faithfulness.”

3“I have made a covenant with My chosen;

I have sworn to David My servant,

4I will establish your seed forever

And build up your throne to all generations.” Selah.

5The heavens will praise Your wonders, O Lord;

Your faithfulness also in the assembly of the holy ones.

6For who in the skies is comparable to the Lord?

Who among the sons of the mighty is like the Lord,

7A God greatly feared in the council of the holy ones,

And awesome above all those who are around Him?

8O Lord God of hosts, who is like You, O mighty Lord?

Your faithfulness also surrounds You.

9You rule the swelling of the sea;

Ultimately, God answers the psalmist’s cries in the person of Jesus. Compare 2 Samuel 7:16 2 Samuel 7:16

16Your house and your kingdom shall endure before Me forever; your throne shall be established forever.” ’ ”

to Hebrews 1:8-9 Hebrews 1:8-9

8But of the Son He says,

“Your throne, O God, is forever and ever,

And the righteous scepter is the scepter of His kingdom.

9You have loved righteousness and hated lawlessness;

Therefore God, Your God, has anointed You

With the oil of gladness above Your companions.”

. How does King Jesus embody and fulfill the ancient promises of God (e.g. John 1:14 John 1:14

The Word Made Flesh

14And the Word became flesh, and dwelt among us, and we saw His glory, glory as of the only begotten from the Father, full of grace and truth.

, Hebrews 3:5-6 Hebrews 3:5-6

5Now Moses was faithful in all His house as a servant, for a testimony of those things which were to be spoken later; 6but Christ was faithful as a Son over His house—whose house we are, if we hold fast our confidence and the boast of our hope firm until the end.

, and Romans 15:8-9 Romans 15:8-9

8For I say that Christ has become a servant to the circumcision on behalf of the truth of God to confirm the promises given to the fathers, 9and for the Gentiles to glorify God for His mercy; as it is written,

“Therefore I will give praise to You among the Gentiles,

And I will sing to Your name.”

Read Hebrews 10:22-25 Hebrews 10:22-25

22let us draw near with a sincere heart in full assurance of faith, having our hearts sprinkled clean from an evil conscience and our bodies washed with pure water. 23Let us hold fast the confession of our hope without wavering, for He who promised is faithful; 24and let us consider how to stimulate one another to love and good deeds, 25not forsaking our own assembling together, as is the habit of some, but encouraging one another; and all the more as you see the day drawing near.

, Hebrews 11 Hebrews 11

The Triumphs of Faith

1Now faith is the assurance of things hoped for, the conviction of things not seen. 2For by it the men of old gained approval.

3By faith we understand that the worlds were prepared by the word of God, so that what is seen was not made out of things which are visible. 4By faith Abel offered to God a better sacrifice than Cain, through which he obtained the testimony that he was righteous, God testifying about his gifts, and through faith, though he is dead, he still speaks. 5By faith Enoch was taken up so that he would not see death; and he was not found because God took him up; for he obtained the witness that before his being taken up he was pleasing to God. 6And without faith it is impossible to please Him, for he who comes to God must believe that He is and that He is a rewarder of those who seek Him. 7By faith Noah, being warned by God about things not yet seen, in reverence prepared an ark for the salvation of his household, by which he condemned the world, and became an heir of the righteousness which is according to faith.

8By faith Abraham, when he was called, obeyed by going out to a place which he was to receive for an inheritance; and he went out, not knowing where he was going. 9By faith he lived as an alien in the land of promise, as in a foreign land, dwelling in tents with Isaac and Jacob, fellow heirs of the same promise; 10for he was looking for the city which has foundations, whose architect and builder is God. 11By faith even Sarah herself received ability to conceive, even beyond the proper time of life, since she considered Him faithful who had promised. 12Therefore there was born even of one man, and him as good as dead at that, as many descendants as the stars of heaven in number, and innumerable as the sand which is by the seashore.

13All these died in faith, without receiving the promises, but having seen them and having welcomed them from a distance, and having confessed that they were strangers and exiles on the earth. 14For those who say such things make it clear that they are seeking a country of their own. 15And indeed if they had been thinking of that country from which they went out, they would have had opportunity to return. 16But as it is, they desire a better country, that is, a heavenly one. Therefore God is not ashamed to be called their God; for He has prepared a city for them.

17By faith Abraham, when he was tested, offered up Isaac, and he who had received the promises was offering up his only begotten son; 18it was he to whom it was said, “In Isaac your descendants shall be called.” 19He considered that God is able to raise people even from the dead, from which he also received him back as a type. 20By faith Isaac blessed Jacob and Esau, even regarding things to come. 21By faith Jacob, as he was dying, blessed each of the sons of Joseph, and worshiped, leaning on the top of his staff. 22By faith Joseph, when he was dying, made mention of the exodus of the sons of Israel, and gave orders concerning his bones.

23By faith Moses, when he was born, was hidden for three months by his parents, because they saw he was a beautiful child; and they were not afraid of the king’s edict. 24By faith Moses, when he had grown up, refused to be called the son of Pharaoh’s daughter, 25choosing rather to endure ill-treatment with the people of God than to enjoy the passing pleasures of sin, 26considering the reproach of Christ greater riches than the treasures of Egypt; for he was looking to the reward. 27By faith he left Egypt, not fearing the wrath of the king; for he endured, as seeing Him who is unseen. 28By faith he kept the Passover and the sprinkling of the blood, so that he who destroyed the firstborn would not touch them. 29By faith they passed through the Red Sea as though they were passing through dry land; and the Egyptians, when they attempted it, were drowned.

30By faith the walls of Jericho fell down after they had been encircled for seven days. 31By faith Rahab the harlot did not perish along with those who were disobedient, after she had welcomed the spies in peace.

32And what more shall I say? For time will fail me if I tell of Gideon, Barak, Samson, Jephthah, of David and Samuel and the prophets, 33who by faith conquered kingdoms, performed acts of righteousness, obtained promises, shut the mouths of lions, 34quenched the power of fire, escaped the edge of the sword, from weakness were made strong, became mighty in war, put foreign armies to flight. 35Women received back their dead by resurrection; and others were tortured, not accepting their release, so that they might obtain a better resurrection; 36and others experienced mockings and scourgings, yes, also chains and imprisonment. 37They were stoned, they were sawn in two, they were tempted, they were put to death with the sword; they went about in sheepskins, in goatskins, being destitute, afflicted, ill-treated 38(men of whom the world was not worthy), wandering in deserts and mountains and caves and holes in the ground.

39And all these, having gained approval through their faith, did not receive what was promised, 40because God had provided something better for us, so that apart from us they would not be made perfect.

, and Hebrews 12:1-3 Hebrews 12:1-3

Jesus, the Example

1Therefore, since we have so great a cloud of witnesses surrounding us, let us also lay aside every encumbrance and the sin which so easily entangles us, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us, 2fixing our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of faith, who for the joy set before Him endured the cross, despising the shame, and has sat down at the right hand of the throne of God.

3For consider Him who has endured such hostility by sinners against Himself, so that you will not grow weary and lose heart.

. After reading these passages, name one example of what it looks like to put our trust in God.

Sabbath

2022-10-13T06:34:52Z

Link to study

Creation

Brougt to completion on the seventh day in Genesis 1. It is the only day that does not end with ’there evening and there was morning, the Nth day'

Humans were meant to rest with God in his creation forever, but in their rebllion they are sentenced to work as slaves to the land. The rest of the hsitory of God’s people consists of them looking for God’s rest, but consistently falling back into slavery/(fallen) work.

Sabbath #

Celebated every week on the 7th day. The idea is to live in the eternal rest that God offered in creation.

Jubilee #

Every 7 * 7 years is the Ultimate Sabbath - the land is reset (or was supposed to be), everything was returned to the original owner, debt does not persist - everything resets so everyone can rest.

Jesus

Jesus calls himself the Lord of the Sabbath. He claimed to bring the ultimate rest of God. Jesus was crucified at a specific time - on Good Friday, and he rose again on the following Sunday… which is the first day of the next week or the 8th day… the first day of a new age, a new rest, God’s ultimate sabbath that is symbolized in the 7th day of creation.

Questions

How does the author of Genesis conclude each of the seven days of creation? Consider the seventh day of creation as an ultimate rest day. What do you think it would be like to always live in that rest with God?

Genesis 1:5,8,13,19,23,31; 2:1-3 5

5God called the light day, and the darkness He called night. And there was evening and there was morning, one day.

8God called the expanse heaven. And there was evening and there was morning, a second day.

13There was evening and there was morning, a third day.

19There was evening and there was morning, a fourth day.

23There was evening and there was morning, a fifth day.

31God saw all that He had made, and behold, it was very good. And there was evening and there was morning, the sixth day.

The Creation of Man and Woman

1Thus the heavens and the earth were completed, and all their hosts. 2By the seventh day God completed His work which He had done, and He rested on the seventh day from all His work which He had done. 3Then God blessed the seventh day and sanctified it, because in it He rested from all His work which God had created and made.

I imagine it would’ve looked a lot like enjoying the creation… I work at things I love, and that can be restful to me - I find purpose and order in my hobbies and so I bet life would be like that. The work woudl be productive but not toilsome.

Read Genesis 3:1-7 and 3:21-24 What were the humans tempted to believe about God and themselves? How did they act on these beliefs, and how did this choice exile them from the place of rest? How do you think lies about God and ourselves prevent us from resting with God today?

Genesis 3:1-7,21-24

The Fall of Man

1Now the serpent was more crafty than any beast of the field which the Lord God had made. And he said to the woman, “Indeed, has God said, ‘You shall not eat from any tree of the garden’?” 2The woman said to the serpent, “From the fruit of the trees of the garden we may eat; 3but from the fruit of the tree which is in the middle of the garden, God has said, ‘You shall not eat from it or touch it, or you will die.’ ” 4The serpent said to the woman, “You surely will not die! 5For God knows that in the day you eat from it your eyes will be opened, and you will be like God, knowing good and evil.” 6When the woman saw that the tree was good for food, and that it was a delight to the eyes, and that the tree was desirable to make one wise, she took from its fruit and ate; and she gave also to her husband with her, and he ate. 7Then the eyes of both of them were opened, and they knew that they were naked; and they sewed fig leaves together and made themselves loin coverings.

21The Lord God made garments of skin for Adam and his wife, and clothed them. 22Then the Lord God said, “Behold, the man has become like one of Us, knowing good and evil; and now, he might stretch out his hand, and take also from the tree of life, and eat, and live forever”— 23therefore the Lord God sent him out from the garden of Eden, to cultivate the ground from which he was taken. 24So He drove the man out; and at the east of the garden of Eden He stationed the cherubim and the flaming sword which turned every direction to guard the way to the tree of life.

Humans are templted to believe that God is witholding desirableble information they are templted to be like God. They are templted to believe that they would be right to knowing good and evil (ironic since they know it’s bad to eat of the Tree of Knowledge anyways)

They acted by listening to the serpent, and to themselves… essentially they chose to not listen and adhere to Yahweh. This choice represents stark and obvious rebellion. Yahweh, I think, sees that his creation are tempted to go their own way, and for their own protection exiles them from the Garden.

It seems like lies haven’t changed; ultimately we are still tempted to define good and evil/bad for ourselves. I take action by defining wicked things as good - made obvious by the fact that I choose to sin often, choose to not listen to Yahweh. Actively listening to myself is exhausting. I think there’s a lot to discussing “God’s rest”, but a high and almost trivial level, I am simply less tired when my life is more in step with God’s definitions of good and bad

God wants to restore humanity to ultimate rest, so he chooses the Israelites to reenact his seventh-day rest so they can share it with others. Of all the ways he invites them to practice rest which practice are you least familiar with today?

Exodus 20:8-11

8“Remember the sabbath day, to keep it holy. 9Six days you shall labor and do all your work, 10but the seventh day is a sabbath of the Lord your God; in it you shall not do any work, you or your son or your daughter, your male or your female servant or your cattle or your sojourner who stays with you. 11For in six days the Lord made the heavens and the earth, the sea and all that is in them, and rested on the seventh day; therefore the Lord blessed the sabbath day and made it holy.

Leviticus 23:1-3; 25:8-13

Laws of Religious Festivals

1The Lord spoke again to Moses, saying, 2“Speak to the sons of Israel and say to them, ‘The Lord’s appointed times which you shall proclaim as holy convocations—My appointed times are these:

3‘For six days work may be done, but on the seventh day there is a sabbath of complete rest, a holy convocation. You shall not do any work; it is a sabbath to the Lord in all your dwellings.

8‘You are also to count off seven sabbaths of years for yourself, seven times seven years, so that you have the time of the seven sabbaths of years, namely, forty-nine years. 9You shall then sound a ram’s horn abroad on the tenth day of the seventh month; on the day of atonement you shall sound a horn all through your land. 10You shall thus consecrate the fiftieth year and proclaim a release through the land to all its inhabitants. It shall be a jubilee for you, and each of you shall return to his own property, and each of you shall return to his family. 11You shall have the fiftieth year as a jubilee; you shall not sow, nor reap its aftergrowth, nor gather in from its untrimmed vines. 12For it is a jubilee; it shall be holy to you. You shall eat its crops out of the field.

13‘On this year of jubilee each of you shall return to his own property.

Jesus comes to restore us to God’s eternal rest! How does Jesus launch his public ministry? Read Luke 4:14-21, noting that the year of favor refers to the ultimate Jubilee—Israel’s super-charged Sabbath

What do you observe?

Luke 4:14-21

Jesus’ Public Ministry

14And Jesus returned to Galilee in the power of the Spirit, and news about Him spread through all the surrounding district. 15And He began teaching in their synagogues and was praised by all.

16And He came to Nazareth, where He had been brought up; and as was His custom, He entered the synagogue on the Sabbath, and stood up to read. 17And the book of the prophet Isaiah was handed to Him. And He opened the book and found the place where it was written,

18“The Spirit of the Lord is upon Me,

Because He anointed Me to preach the gospel to the poor.

He has sent Me to proclaim release to the captives,

And recovery of sight to the blind,

To set free those who are oppressed,

19To proclaim the favorable year of the Lord.”

20And He closed the book, gave it back to the attendant and sat down; and the eyes of all in the synagogue were fixed on Him. 21And He began to say to them, “Today this Scripture has been fulfilled in your hearing.”

Leviticus 25

The Sabbatic Year and Year of Jubilee

1The Lord then spoke to Moses at Mount Sinai, saying, 2“Speak to the sons of Israel and say to them, ‘When you come into the land which I shall give you, then the land shall have a sabbath to the Lord. 3Six years you shall sow your field, and six years you shall prune your vineyard and gather in its crop, 4but during the seventh year the land shall have a sabbath rest, a sabbath to the Lord; you shall not sow your field nor prune your vineyard. 5Your harvest’s aftergrowth you shall not reap, and your grapes of untrimmed vines you shall not gather; the land shall have a sabbatical year. 6All of you shall have the sabbath products of the land for food; yourself, and your male and female slaves, and your hired man and your foreign resident, those who live as aliens with you. 7Even your cattle and the animals that are in your land shall have all its crops to eat.

13‘On this year of jubilee each of you shall return to his own property. 14If you make a sale, moreover, to your friend or buy from your friend’s hand, you shall not wrong one another. 15Corresponding to the number of years after the jubilee, you shall buy from your friend; he is to sell to you according to the number of years of crops. 16In proportion to the extent of the years you shall increase its price, and in proportion to the fewness of the years you shall diminish its price, for it is a number of crops he is selling to you. 17So you shall not wrong one another, but you shall fear your God; for I am the Lord your God.

18‘You shall thus observe My statutes and keep My judgments, so as to carry them out, that you may live securely on the land. 19Then the land will yield its produce, so that you can eat your fill and live securely on it. 20But if you say, “What are we going to eat on the seventh year if we do not sow or gather in our crops?” 21then I will so order My blessing for you in the sixth year that it will bring forth the crop for three years. 22When you are sowing the eighth year, you can still eat old things from the crop, eating the old until the ninth year when its crop comes in.

The Law of Redemption

23‘The land, moreover, shall not be sold permanently, for the land is Mine; for you are but aliens and sojourners with Me. 24Thus for every piece of your property, you are to provide for the redemption of the land.

25‘If a fellow countryman of yours becomes so poor he has to sell part of his property, then his nearest kinsman is to come and buy back what his relative has sold. 26Or in case a man has no kinsman, but so recovers his means as to find sufficient for its redemption, 27then he shall calculate the years since its sale and refund the balance to the man to whom he sold it, and so return to his property. 28But if he has not found sufficient means to get it back for himself, then what he has sold shall remain in the hands of its purchaser until the year of jubilee; but at the jubilee it shall revert, that he may return to his property.

29‘Likewise, if a man sells a dwelling house in a walled city, then his redemption right remains valid until a full year from its sale; his right of redemption lasts a full year. 30But if it is not bought back for him within the space of a full year, then the house that is in the walled city passes permanently to its purchaser throughout his generations; it does not revert in the jubilee. 31The houses of the villages, however, which have no surrounding wall shall be considered as open fields; they have redemption rights and revert in the jubilee. 32As for cities of the Levites, the Levites have a permanent right of redemption for the houses of the cities which are their possession. 33What, therefore, belongs to the Levites may be redeemed and a house sale in the city of this possession reverts in the jubilee, for the houses of the cities of the Levites are their possession among the sons of Israel. 34But pasture fields of their cities shall not be sold, for that is their perpetual possession.

Of Poor Countrymen

35‘Now in case a countryman of yours becomes poor and his means with regard to you falter, then you are to sustain him, like a stranger or a sojourner, that he may live with you. 36Do not take usurious interest from him, but revere your God, that your countryman may live with you. 37You shall not give him your silver at interest, nor your food for gain. 38I am the Lord your God, who brought you out of the land of Egypt to give you the land of Canaan and to be your God.

39‘If a countryman of yours becomes so poor with regard to you that he sells himself to you, you shall not subject him to a slave’s service. 40He shall be with you as a hired man, as if he were a sojourner; he shall serve with you until the year of jubilee. 41He shall then go out from you, he and his sons with him, and shall go back to his family, that he may return to the property of his forefathers. 42For they are My servants whom I brought out from the land of Egypt; they are not to be sold in a slave sale. 43You shall not rule over him with severity, but are to revere your God. 44As for your male and female slaves whom you may have—you may acquire male and female slaves from the pagan nations that are around you. 45Then, too, it is out of the sons of the sojourners who live as aliens among you that you may gain acquisition, and out of their families who are with you, whom they will have produced in your land; they also may become your possession. 46You may even bequeath them to your sons after you, to receive as a possession; you can use them as permanent slaves. But in respect to your countrymen, the sons of Israel, you shall not rule with severity over one another.

Of Redeeming a Poor Man

47‘Now if the means of a stranger or of a sojourner with you becomes sufficient, and a countryman of yours becomes so poor with regard to him as to sell himself to a stranger who is sojourning with you, or to the descendants of a stranger’s family, 48then he shall have redemption right after he has been sold. One of his brothers may redeem him, 49or his uncle, or his uncle’s son, may redeem him, or one of his blood relatives from his family may redeem him; or if he prospers, he may redeem himself. 50He then with his purchaser shall calculate from the year when he sold himself to him up to the year of jubilee; and the price of his sale shall correspond to the number of years. It is like the days of a hired man that he shall be with him. 51If there are still many years, he shall refund part of his purchase price in proportion to them for his own redemption; 52and if few years remain until the year of jubilee, he shall so calculate with him. In proportion to his years he is to refund the amount for his redemption. 53Like a man hired year by year he shall be with him; he shall not rule over him with severity in your sight. 54Even if he is not redeemed by these means, he shall still go out in the year of jubilee, he and his sons with him. 55For the sons of Israel are My servants; they are My servants whom I brought out from the land of Egypt. I am the Lord your God.

What is one specific way Jesus invites us to receive and practice true rest

Matthew 11:28-29

28“Come to Me, all who are weary and heavy-laden, and I will give you rest. 29Take My yoke upon you and learn from Me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls.

Chara-Joy

2022-10-07T06:46:48Z

link

Chara / Joy

There are several words for similar feelings - example like joy has several synonyms.

Sources #

Genesis tells us creation and life bring joy Psalm 104 - A good bottle of wine is God’s gift to bring joy to people’s hearts P#lm 65 - Beautiful things bring joy Jeremiah 33:11 - Weddings

Corruption #

Bible shows us that humanity and brokenness mark our world by death and loss

Joy in spite of corruption #

God’s people have reasons in God’s faithfulness to be joyful. Joy in the LORD is not determinmed by current struggles, but by future hope and deliverance

Jesus #

His birth gives good news and brings great joy

Matthew 5 - Jesus says to rejoice and be glad when we are persecuted for his Name

Apostles #

Paul says he chooses joy when he is in jail

Note

Joy is a choice

2 Corinthians 6:10 -> Paul is filled with sorrow and yet rejoicing

Success

Christian joy is rooted in future hope and expectation of a Messiah, of Jesus, to come again. It is a profound choice, not the result of current circumstances

Questions

The Israelites choose a path apart from God. As a result, they get exiled from their land and dominated by foreign nations. But the prophet Isaiah knew that sorrow would not have the final word with these people. He looked forward to the day when Yahweh would end pain and corruption to lead them into endless, joyful living. Read Isaiah 49:13 and Isaiah 51:11 . What does Isaiah tell us about God’s character in these passages? What does Isaiah say will happen to God’s people?

Isaiah 49:13

13Shout for joy, O heavens! And rejoice, O earth!

Break forth into joyful shouting, O mountains!

For the Lord has comforted His people

And will have compassion on His afflicted.

Isaiah 51:11

11So the ransomed of the Lord will return

And come with joyful shouting to Zion,

And everlasting joy will be on their heads.

They will obtain gladness and joy,

And sorrow and sighing will flee away.

Isiah tells us that God is good and faithful. He mentions God’s past faithfulness - For the Lord _has_ comforted His people as well as future faithfulness - So the randomed of the Lord _will_ return...

Isiah leans in on Yahweh’s defining nature from Exodus 34:6. God’s hesed, his steadfase love, is what is our hope. Otherwise our God is no different than any powerful but fickle diety.

Isiah also doesn’t, in these short passages, promise or claim a promise of any kind of temporal happiness - the joy is historical-facing in reflecting on God’s deliverance and future-facing inr reflecting also on God’s deliverance. God’s people were still supposed to find this joy in the midst of their bondage.

The prophet Isaiah looked forward to the coming of Israel’s redeemer. His prophecies were fulfilled with the arrival of Jesus. Read Luke 2:9-11 . Why were the shepherds afraid? What reasons did the angels give for them to rejoice instead?

Luke 2:9-11

Presumably the shepherds were afraid because of the glory of the Lord. All throughout the OT we have examples of God’s people fearing this glory, specifically on Sinai. Yahweh even tells Moses that he can only be shown Yahweh’s back due to his glory, and then Moses has to veil his face so that the glory of the Lord persisted on him would not terrify the Israelites.

The angels outright said that a Savior has been born, the Messiah has come. There is no greater cause for joy than the king of creation returning

Joy can persist in the harshest of circumstances because it depends on God and his promises. Read Matthew 5:11-12 , Acts 13:50-52 , and Hebrews 12:1-3 . According to these passages, what specific truths about God can sustain joy even through painful or dire situations?

Success

Joy can persist in the harshest of circumstances because it depends on God and his promises.

Matthew 5:11-12

11“Blessed are you when people insult you and persecute you, and falsely say all kinds of evil against you because of Me. 12Rejoice and be glad, for your reward in heaven is great; for in the same way they persecuted the prophets who were before you.

Acts 13:50-52

50But the Jews incited the devout women of prominence and the leading men of the city, and instigated a persecution against Paul and Barnabas, and drove them out of their district. 51But they shook off the dust of their feet in protest against them and went to Iconium. 52And the disciples were continually filled with joy and with the Holy Spirit.

Hebrews 12:1-3

Jesus, the Example

Harsh treatment of us, particularly for faith, reflects Jesus’ life. We stand with God-incarnate in living for a different kingdom which has negative consequences for us in the modern age, but obviously not in God’s age that’s already here and yet coming.
Holy Spirit gives us joy
We have long list of people in history who lived faithful lives, struggled with God, experienced pain, and yet were faithful the Lord by God’s own grace. Similarly we are chosen and favored - the receipients of God’s hesed love.

When we see how Jesus’ loving way of life has overcome death itself, joy starts to become strangely reasonable. But this doesn’t mean it is wise to ignore or suppress sorrow. Read 2 Corinthians 6:3-10 . How did Paul integrate both joy and sorrow?

2 Corinthians 6:3-10

3giving no cause for offense in anything, so that the ministry will not be discredited, 4but in everything commending ourselves as servants of God, in much endurance, in afflictions, in hardships, in distresses, 5in beatings, in imprisonments, in tumults, in labors, in sleeplessness, in hunger, 6in purity, in knowledge, in patience, in kindness, in the Holy Spirit, in genuine love, 7in the word of truth, in the power of God; by the weapons of righteousness for the right hand and the left, 8by glory and dishonor, by evil report and good report; regarded as deceivers and yet true; 9as unknown yet well-known, as dying yet behold, we live; as punished yet not put to death, 10as sorrowful yet always rejoicing, as poor yet making many rich, as having nothing yet possessing all things.

Abraham and Melchizedek

2022-09-23T06:10:28Z

link to study

Video

Priests #

God creates Eden in which he places humans to be his royal image - priests. God sets humans up to receive his blessing but humans choose their own way. The promise is for a priest and a sacrifice to come in Jesus.

God chooses Abraham and Sarah as the first royal priesthood as they are chosen by God to bless all the nations.

Melchizedek #

A priestly king of Salem. Melchizedek recognizes Yahweh as the God of gods - Abraham tithes to him and that’s about the end of the story

Salem is ancient short name for Jerusalem. Abraham’s tithe to Melchizedek is just like the Israelite call to tithe to the Levites (priests) to support them.

Royal Family #

Abraham and Sarah are promised their own children but they take amtters into their own hands by scheming with Hagar. Eventually Sarah is given her own son, Issac, who God then calls for his life as a test of Abraham - it represents God challenging Abraham to trust him with his own promise, and to not go his own way with Sarah

DUring the Isaac sacrifice narrative a ram is given in place and Abraham names the place “God will provide”.

Types #

The story of God’s call to sacrifice Isaac is much like the story of Abraham meeting Melchizedek. In the Melchizedek story Abraham meets a priest on a high place and gives him an offering. In the Isaac story Abraham acts as the priest and a ram is given to him by the LORD that covers the sins of Abraham’s family.

Atonement and Covering

Covering the sin in this case looks much more like redemption and resolve rather than payment for gult, similar to a small-scale apology can cover a grievance even though no payment is made to make anything ‘right’, the ‘covering’ is simply a sign of forgiveness

Questions

Shalem, or Salem, is later known as Jerusalem. Moriah, a mountainous region in Jerusalem, is later called the “mount of the LORD” (Genesis 22:14) and the “temple mount” (2 Chronicles 3:1). With all of this in mind, compare Genesis 14:17-20 with Genesis 22:1-14 . How do you see God providing for Abraham in these similar settings?

Genesis 22:14

14Abraham called the name of that place The Lord Will Provide, as it is said to this day, “In the mount of the Lord it will be provided.”

2 Chronicles 3:1

The Temple Construction in Jerusalem

1Then Solomon began to build the house of the Lord in Jerusalem on Mount Moriah, where the Lord had appeared to his father David, at the place that David had prepared on the threshing floor of Ornan the Jebusite.

Genesis 14:17-20

God’s Promise to Abram

17Then after his return from the defeat of Chedorlaomer and the kings who were with him, the king of Sodom went out to meet him at the valley of Shaveh (that is, the King’s Valley). 18And Melchizedek king of Salem brought out bread and wine; now he was a priest of God Most High. 19He blessed him and said,

“Blessed be Abram of God Most High,

Possessor of heaven and earth;

20And blessed be God Most High,

Who has delivered your enemies into your hand.”

He gave him a tenth of all.

Genesis 22:1-14

The Offering of Isaac

1Now it came about after these things, that God tested Abraham, and said to him, “Abraham!” And he said, “Here I am.” 2He said, “Take now your son, your only son, whom you love, Isaac, and go to the land of Moriah, and offer him there as a burnt offering on one of the mountains of which I will tell you.” 3So Abraham rose early in the morning and saddled his donkey, and took two of his young men with him and Isaac his son; and he split wood for the burnt offering, and arose and went to the place of which God had told him. 4On the third day Abraham raised his eyes and saw the place from a distance. 5Abraham said to his young men, “Stay here with the donkey, and I and the lad will go over there; and we will worship and return to you.” 6Abraham took the wood of the burnt offering and laid it on Isaac his son, and he took in his hand the fire and the knife. So the two of them walked on together. 7Isaac spoke to Abraham his father and said, “My father!” And he said, “Here I am, my son.” And he said, “Behold, the fire and the wood, but where is the lamb for the burnt offering?” 8Abraham said, “God will provide for Himself the lamb for the burnt offering, my son.” So the two of them walked on together.

9Then they came to the place of which God had told him; and Abraham built the altar there and arranged the wood, and bound his son Isaac and laid him on the altar, on top of the wood. 10Abraham stretched out his hand and took the knife to slay his son. 11But the angel of the Lord called to him from heaven and said, “Abraham, Abraham!” And he said, “Here I am.” 12He said, “Do not stretch out your hand against the lad, and do nothing to him; for now I know that you fear God, since you have not withheld your son, your only son, from Me.” 13Then Abraham raised his eyes and looked, and behold, behind him a ram caught in the thicket by his horns; and Abraham went and took the ram and offered him up for a burnt offering in the place of his son. 14Abraham called the name of that place The Lord Will Provide, as it is said to this day, “In the mount of the Lord it will be provided.”

Success

5Abraham said to his young men, “Stay here with the donkey, and I and the lad will go over there; and we will worship and return to you.”

Genesis 14	Genesis 22
Melchizedek provides bread and wine	Yahweh provides the ram
Yahweh gave Abram victory over Chedorlaomer	Yahweh gave Abraham Isaac’s safety

As you review Hebrews 7 , notice how the author assures their audience that Jesus is better than any other priest. What are some of the reasons the author provides? How is this good news for everyone?

Hebrews 7

Melchizedek’s Priesthood Like Christ’s

1For this Melchizedek, king of Salem, priest of the Most High God, who met Abraham as he was returning from the slaughter of the kings and blessed him, 2to whom also Abraham apportioned a tenth part of all the spoils, was first of all, by the translation of his name, king of righteousness, and then also king of Salem, which is king of peace. 3Without father, without mother, without genealogy, having neither beginning of days nor end of life, but made like the Son of God, he remains a priest perpetually.

4Now observe how great this man was to whom Abraham, the patriarch, gave a tenth of the choicest spoils. 5And those indeed of the sons of Levi who receive the priest’s office have commandment in the Law to collect a tenth from the people, that is, from their brethren, although these are descended from Abraham. 6But the one whose genealogy is not traced from them collected a tenth from Abraham and blessed the one who had the promises. 7But without any dispute the lesser is blessed by the greater. 8In this case mortal men receive tithes, but in that case one receives them, of whom it is witnessed that he lives on. 9And, so to speak, through Abraham even Levi, who received tithes, paid tithes, 10for he was still in the loins of his father when Melchizedek met him.

11Now if perfection was through the Levitical priesthood (for on the basis of it the people received the Law), what further need was there for another priest to arise according to the order of Melchizedek, and not be designated according to the order of Aaron? 12For when the priesthood is changed, of necessity there takes place a change of law also. 13For the one concerning whom these things are spoken belongs to another tribe, from which no one has officiated at the altar. 14For it is evident that our Lord was descended from Judah, a tribe with reference to which Moses spoke nothing concerning priests. 15And this is clearer still, if another priest arises according to the likeness of Melchizedek, 16who has become such not on the basis of a law of physical requirement, but according to the power of an indestructible life. 17For it is attested of Him,

“You are a priest forever

According to the order of Melchizedek.”

18For, on the one hand, there is a setting aside of a former commandment because of its weakness and uselessness 19(for the Law made nothing perfect), and on the other hand there is a bringing in of a better hope, through which we draw near to God. 20And inasmuch as it was not without an oath 21(for they indeed became priests without an oath, but He with an oath through the One who said to Him,

“The Lord has sworn

And will not change His mind,

‘You are a priest forever’ ”);

22so much the more also Jesus has become the guarantee of a better covenant.

23The former priests, on the one hand, existed in greater numbers because they were prevented by death from continuing, 24but Jesus, on the other hand, because He continues forever, holds His priesthood permanently. 25Therefore He is able also to save forever those who draw near to God through Him, since He always lives to make intercession for them.

26For it was fitting for us to have such a high priest, holy, innocent, undefiled, separated from sinners and exalted above the heavens; 27who does not need daily, like those high priests, to offer up sacrifices, first for His own sins and then for the sins of the people, because this He did once for all when He offered up Himself. 28For the Law appoints men as high priests who are weak, but the word of the oath, which came after the Law, appoints a Son, made perfect forever.

Melchizedek was “king of righteousness” and “kind of peace”, Jesus is a priest according to “the order of Melchizedek” and so seems to be that Jesus is the continued reigning king of righteousness and peace
Melchizedek was priest of God Most High - the priestly order changed to Levi with the giving of the Law… Jesus represents, and is, another change in the priesthood which necessitates another change in law (verse 12). Jesus’ kingship and priesthood is more similar to Melchizek’s than Levi’s (who was no king anyways).
Levitical priesthood was not bound by an oath - but Jesus’ priesthood is bound by Yahweh’s oath to not change his mind, Jesus is priest forever
Former priests, Levites, changed due to death, but Jesus persists forever (Melchizedek also presumably died)

Tree of Life

2022-09-21T06:21:19Z

Video

Eden #

Biblical story begins in a garden, which is presented as a type of Temple. The top (center) is the Tree of Life, which represents God’s life and creative power. Humans were supposed to eat from the Tree of Life but there’s another tree, the Tree of Knowledge of “good” and “bad” which represents assuming the authority to define good and bad for one’s own life rather than trusting God’s defintion. Human eat of that tree and are thus exiled from the garden.

Burning Bush #

Moses meets God at a burning tree, a plant on a mountain radiating with God’s power just like the Tree of Life. Yahweh charges Moses to bring the same choice to the Israelites that Adam and Eve had, which is to trust God or define morality for themselves.

Jesus #

Jesus announced that God’s eternal life is available through him now - originally in Eden given through the Tree of Life. Jesus invites other people to “eat of him” to be transformed by God’s own life. The invitation is the same

to trust Yahweh or not. But Jesus’ life exposes humanity’s brokenness in that humans crucified him. Jesus is hung on a cross (a tree) on the top of a hill (like Mt. Sinai) and humans not only eat of a different false tree of life, but they chopped down the real Tree of Life - Jesus.

Questions

What is one practical example of what it means to eat from the tree of
life? How is it different from eating from the false tree of life?

Giving money away I think is one practical example of eating from the tree of life. Jesus calls us to share our blessings, and choosing to live by his authority rather than decide for myself what to do with my money (meaning to spend it on my desires only rather than invest in the Kingdom) then I make the same choice humanity always makes - to not trust God’s definition of good and bad

Compare John 15:5-13 with Matthew 7:15-20 . How does the true vine give life? How do we recognize a false tree of life?

John 15:5-13

5I am the vine, you are the branches; he who abides in Me and I in him, he bears much fruit, for apart from Me you can do nothing. 6If anyone does not abide in Me, he is thrown away as a branch and dries up; and they gather them, and cast them into the fire and they are burned. 7If you abide in Me, and My words abide in you, ask whatever you wish, and it will be done for you. 8My Father is glorified by this, that you bear much fruit, and so prove to be My disciples. 9Just as the Father has loved Me, I have also loved you; abide in My love. 10If you keep My commandments, you will abide in My love; just as I have kept My Father’s commandments and abide in His love. 11These things I have spoken to you so that My joy may be in you, and that your joy may be made full. Disciples’ Relation to Each Other 12“This is My commandment, that you love one another, just as I have loved you. 13Greater love has no one than this, that one lay down his life for his friends.

Matthew 7:15-20

15“Beware of the false prophets, who come to you in sheep’s clothing, but inwardly are ravenous wolves. 16You will know them by their fruits. Grapes are not gathered from thorn bushes nor figs from thistles, are they? 17So every good tree bears good fruit, but the bad tree bears bad fruit. 18A good tree cannot produce bad fruit, nor can a bad tree produce good fruit. 19Every tree that does not bear good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire. 20So then, you will know them by their fruits.

The true vine gives life through communion and connection. Jesus says to “abide in [him]” which is represented by a choice to believe him about kingdom, love, relationships, brokenness, etc… By meditating on the Word of God, communing with Jesus, being washed and guided by the Spirit we are transformed more and more into the image of Jesus which is real and true life.

What are some examples of good fruit and bad fruit (see Galatians 5:16-25)?

Galations 5:16-25

16But I say, walk by the Spirit, and you will not carry out the desire of the flesh. 17For the flesh sets its desire against the Spirit, and the Spirit against the flesh; for these are in opposition to one another, so that you may not do the things that you please. 18But if you are led by the Spirit, you are not under the Law. 19Now the deeds of the flesh are evident, which are: immorality, impurity, sensuality, 20idolatry, sorcery, enmities, strife, jealousy, outbursts of anger, disputes, dissensions, factions, 21envying, drunkenness, carousing, and things like these, of which I forewarn you, just as I have forewarned you, that those who practice such things will not inherit the kingdom of God. 22But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, 23gentleness, self-control; against such things there is no law. 24Now those who belong to Christ Jesus have crucified the flesh with its passions and desires. 25If we live by the Spirit, let us also walk by the Spirit.

Good fruit:

- choosing to guard my eyes and thoughts against sexual immorality
- remaining calm when things aren't going my way at work
- drinking water instead of _another_ drink at night
- giving money away out of love
- seeking unity and charity especially in any time of conflict

Bad fruit:

- outbursts at work - for me this is basically giving up hope for someone to be successful. By God's grace I have a desire to help peopl learn and succeed, but I can exhaust that desire and instead of prioritize an individual's well-being/growth I place my frustration above that and let my annoyance guide me more than a spirit of teaching and gentleness
- having that second, or third, drink

If you are led byt he Spirit, you are not under the Law… This isn’t saying that the Law doesn’t apply, but that by the Spirit’s guidance we will never be found guilty by anything in the Law!

When Jesus talks about what his death will accomplish, he talks about a seed going into the ground before it bears fruit (see John 12:23-26). What could it look like to live in the ways of Jesus and bear the fruit of life?

John 12:23-26

23And Jesus *answered them, saying, “The hour has come for the Son of Man to be glorified. 24Truly, truly, I say to you, unless a grain of wheat falls into the earth and dies, it remains alone; but if it dies, it bears much fruit. 25He who loves his life loses it, and he who hates his life in this world will keep it to life eternal. 26If anyone serves Me, he must follow Me; and where I am, there My servant will be also; if anyone serves Me, the Father will honor him.

Meditating on God’s faithfulness to humanity in spite of our disobedience I think is an avenue by which the Spirit changes our hearts and as we are changed by him we live lives that reflect Jesus’ own life

I think there can be many facets to the seed dying aspect, one relevant piece seems fairly self-evident in the passage… if we hold onto our life (ie. be a seed that never dies) then we will never flourish, but if we give up the life we have now and live like Jesus did, we will blessed with life

Shalom and Peace

2022-09-18T06:38:32Z

study link

Peace

Note

generally means absnese of war

In Hebrew the word is Shalom (Greek: Eirene). Basic biblical meeting of Shalom is “complete” or “whole”. ie. a stone with no cracks, or stone wall with nogaps or missing grips

References a complex situation with nothing missing

Shalom can refer to a person’s well-being… Life is complex and when anything is out of alignment our Shalom breaks down and needs to be restored

To bring shalom is to make complete or restore

In Proverbs, to reconcile a broken relationship is to make shalom

Isaiah #

Isaiah 9:6-7

6 For a child will be born to us, a son will be given to us; And the government will rest on His shoulders; And His name will be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Eternal Father, Prince of Peace. 7 There will be no end to the increase of His government or of peace, On the throne of David and over his kingdom, To establish it and to uphold it with justice and righteousness From then on and forevermore. The zeal of the Lord of hosts will accomplish this.

Jesus #

Jesus restores the broken relationship between humans and our creator.

Quote

Ephesians 2:14-15

Jesus himeself is our Eirene

Questions

The prophet Isaiah looked forward to the arrival of a future king who would make a covenant of shalom (peace, well-being) with his people. This king would set the world right and heal all that has been harmed. Read Isaiah 9:6-7 aloud together. What specific words or phrases stand out to you as you observe this passage and why?

Isaiah 9:6-7 6

For a child will be born to us, a son will be given to us; And the government will rest on His shoulders; And His name will be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Eternal Father, Prince of Peace. 7There will be no end to the increase of His government or of peace, On the throne of David and over his kingdom, To establish it and to uphold it with justice and righteousness From then on and forevermore. The zeal of the Lord of hosts will accomplish this.

Words that stick out: - child - given to us - government will rest - no end to the increase - zeal…will accomplish this

The prophet Isaiah looked forward to the arrival of the Prince of Peace, whose reign would lead to eternal shalom. Jesus’ arrival fulfilled Isaiah’s words. Read and reflect on Luke 2:9-15 as a group. Why do you think God announced the King’s arrival to no-name shepherds? What does this tell you about the nature of God and his Kingdom?

Luke 2:9-15

9And an angel of the Lord suddenly stood before them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them; and they were terribly frightened. 10But the angel said to them, “Do not be afraid; for behold, I bring you good news of great joy which will be for all the people; 11for today in the city of David there has been born for you a Savior, who is Christ the Lord. 12This will be a sign for you: you will find a baby wrapped in cloths and lying in a manger.” 13And suddenly there appeared with the angel a multitude of the heavenly host praising God and saying,

14“Glory to God in the highest,

And on earth peace among men with whom He is pleased.”

15When the angels had gone away from them into heaven, the shepherds began saying to one another, “Let us go straight to Bethlehem then, and see this thing that has happened which the Lord has made known to us.”

At thsi point it seems obvious that the reason God came to the undesirable company of teh time was to illustrate that the Kingdom of Heaven was to be an upside down kingdom. Status and power are hinderences under Jesus’ reign, so he builds his kingdom (from our perspective) from the ground up.

The biblical story shows how humanity often chooses a way of life apart from God and suffers as a result. According to Colossians 1:19-23 , what did God want to do to remedy this pain, and how did he accomplish his desire through Jesus?

Quote

Colossians 1:19-23

19For it was the Father’s good pleasure for all the fullness to dwell in Him, 20and through Him to reconcile all things to Himself, having made peace (εἰρηνοποιέω) through the blood of His cross; through Him, I say, whether things on earth or things in heaven.

21And although you were formerly alienated and hostile in mind, engaged in evil deeds, 22yet He has now reconciled you in His fleshly body through death, in order to present you before Him holy and blameless and beyond reproach— 23if indeed you continue in the faith firmly established and steadfast, and not moved away from the hope of the gospel that you have heard, which was proclaimed in all creation under heaven, and of which I, Paul, was made a minister.

God interacted with Creation as a created being himself, holding back something in the person of Jesus. On our turf, God showed up to revive our lifeless souls and call us to live as citizens in his kingdom.

Jesus offers his peace to all people as a gift. Read Ephesians 2:11-16 . How did Jesus make peace between two sharply divided people groups (Jews and Gentiles), and why did he do it (see Eph. 2:16)?

Ephesians 2:11-16

11Therefore remember that formerly you, the Gentiles in the flesh, who are called “Uncircumcision” by the so-called “Circumcision,” which is performed in the flesh by human hands— 12remember that you were at that time separate from Christ, excluded from the commonwealth of Israel, and strangers to the covenants of promise, having no hope and without God in the world. 13But now in Christ Jesus you who formerly were far off have been brought near by the blood of Christ. 14For He Himself is our peace, who made both groups into one and broke down the barrier of the dividing wall, 15by abolishing in His flesh the enmity, which is the Law of commandments contained in ordinances, so that in Himself He might make the two into one new man, thus establishing peace,

16and might reconcile them both in one body to God through the cross, by it having put to death the enmity.

Jesus broke down the dividing wall of Circumcision by fulfilling Torah. No longer do the people of God need to be circumcized into the covenant (we have baptism), and no longer are God’s people separate from the world via outward appearances but instead by living lives loyal to a different God - to Yahweh

Success

Jesus “put to death the enmity” by removing all spiritually/covenantally relevant barriers that separated Jews from Gentiles

Now, let’s carefully read Ephesians 4:1-3 How can humility, gentleness, patience, and love help maintain the unity Jesus calls his followers to? What happens to unity when one of these virtues is missing?

Ephesians 4:1-3

1Therefore I, the prisoner of the Lord, implore you to walk in a manner worthy of the calling with which you have been called, 2with all humility and gentleness, with patience, showing tolerance for one another in love, 3being diligent to preserve the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace.

These things don’t just help maintain unity - they are the postures of life Jesus builds his Kingdom around (second to himself I suppose). Jesus levels the playing field for all people, and no one has anymore right to anything than anyone else. Things like humility (right view of oneself), gentleness, patience, love, etc. are necessary for Jesus’ kingdom to look how he wants it to look

Screwtape

2022-08-22T00:00:00Z

Chapters

Below are just quick notes or quotes from each chapter as a reminder of what to go back to chat about. This isn’t intended to be in-depth by any stretch.

Chapter 1 #

“Your man has been accustomed, ever since he was a boy, to have a dozen incompatible philosophies dancing about together inside his head. He doesn’t think of doctrines as primarily ’true’ or ‘false’, but as ‘academic’ or ‘practical’, ‘outworn’ or ‘contemporary’, ‘conventional’ or ‘ruthless’”

Chapter 2 #

Chapter 3 #

pg 11. Keeping the patient’s mind focused on the ‘inner life’ so his actions do not ever reflect his conversion

pg 12. Creating an imaginary person for whom to pray… “In time, you may get the cleavage so wide that no thought or feeling from his prayers for the imagined mother will ever flow over into his treatment of the real one”

pg 13-14. “Let him assume that she knows how annoying it is and does it to annoy - if you know your job he will not notice the immense improbability of the assumption” -> This point is particularly convicting to me

Abstract

The last point about encouraging the patient to interpret the mother’s every move in an over-sensitive fashion is actually very relatable for me

Chapter 4 #

pg 15. Convincing the patient that scheduled prayer is wrong and that he must create a mood within himself for real prayer reminds me of high school youth groups talking about “praying in the spirit” and silly conversation “combating salvation by works” ideas like scheduled prayer times.

pg 16. “they constantly forget, what you must always remember, that they are animals and that whatever their bodies do affects their souls” 👈 feels a lot like Genesis 3, and humans are never more human than when we exercise self-control.

pg. 16. “Keep them watching their own minds and trying to produce feelings there by the action of their own wills”

Abstract

I totally remember feeling like I needed to want to pray in order for my prayers to matter

pg 17. “When they say they re praying for forgiveness, let them be trying to feel forgiven”

pg 18. “But whatever the nature of the composite object, you must keep him praying to it - to the thing that he has made, not to the Person who has made him”

Abstract

Lewis talking actual idolatry with meaningful consequences… not the “money is my idol” take most pastors preach

Chapter 5 #

pg 23. “…while tens of thousands who do not go so far as that will nevertheless have their attention diverted from themselves to values and causes which they believe to be higher than the self. I know that the Enemy disapproves many of these causes. But that is where He is so unfair. He often makes prizes of humans who have given their lives for causes He think bad on the monstrously sophistical ground that the humans thought them good and were following the best they knew”

WARNING TITLE

This reminds me of the young Tarkan in Narnia: The Last Battle, who Aslan ascribes all his good deeds done to Tash as done to himself - effectively saying the Tarkan’s loyalty to the wrong god is honored by Aslan? Definitely want to know more about Lewis’ thoughts there and here in Screwtape

Chapter 6 #

pg 25. “There is nothing like suspense and anxiety for barricading a human’s mind against the Enemy.”

Warning

Screwtape’s point in the beinning of the chapter confuses me… He instructs Wormwood to keep the man thinking that the things he is anxious about, the things themselves, are his trials/cross to bear, rather than the anxiety itself. So from the Christian perspective, Lewis seems to be saying that the real-time, present, acute anxiety and suspense in the man’s heart regarding the war is the actual trial and cross… not the things the man is anxious about. I don’t know what to do with this but it feels convicting to me. Growing up I often had the thought that nothing could be wrong because “I have Jesus”, and I would look at my circumstances as things to bear - for me the biggest one was singleness. So would Lewis say my outlook on my singleness as the thing to bear, rather than the anxiety about being single, was the enemy twisting my convictions to be inward rather than God-ward? It clearly looks like my convictions were inward, but I’m not sure I understand how seeing the anxiety itself as my “cross to bare” is any more Biblical…

Chapter 7 #

page 32. “The fact that ‘devils’ are predominately comic figures in the modern imagination will help you”

Abstract

I think It’s funny because I bet most people, myself included, reading this book (at least the first time) have a red-devil type figure in mind for Screwtape or Wormwood

page 31-32. “If once we can produce our perfect work – the Materialist Magician, the man, not using, but veritably worshipping, what he vaguely called ‘Froces’ while denying the existence of ‘spirits’ – then the end of the war will be in sight.”

Abstract

I hear some non-Christian friends say things like “I’m spiritual so I appreciate your prayers”. In a sense they believe in some kind of non-physical “thing” but not in any real sense so it looks, to me, similar to what Screwtape longs for in his letter to Wormwood.

page 32. “All extremes, except extreme deviotion to the Enemy, are to be encouraged… Other ages, of which the present is one, are unbalanced and prone to faction, and it is our business to inflame them”

Abstract

Using Christianity to justify political positions or judgement seems right here. Extreme devotion to our God I don’t think should offend people as often or to the degree that many Christians think is right… People flocked to Jesus, only the religious elite and politically powerful hated him. When Christianity is mixed with anything other than itself, that’s when it becomes offensive. I think I see people hold to something like Christian Nationalism, and the offensive nature of it justifies the position because “we were always going to be persecured for loving Jesus”

page 34

Let him begin by treating the Patriotism or the Pacifism as a part of his religion. Then let him, under then influence of partisan spirit, come to regard it as the most important part…

Chapter 8 #

page 39

For He cannot ravish. He can only woo.

page 40

He wants them to learn to walk and must therefore take away His hand; and if only the will to walk is really there He is pleased even with their stumbles

Chapter 9 #

page 43. “In the first place I have always found that the trough periods of the human undulation provide excellen opportunity for all sensual tempations, particularly those of sex… The attack has a much better chance of success when the man’s whole innter world is drab and cold and empty.”

Abstract

I feel this observation in my own life deeply - in my ’troughs’ I’m drawn to pleasurable things in a very unpleasurable way

page 44

Never forget that when we are dealing with any pleasure in its healthy and normal and satisfying form, we are, in a sense, on the Enemy’s ground.

jargon not wisdom

Of course there is no conceivable way of getting by reason from the proposition ‘I am losing interest in this’ to the proposition ‘This is false’/ But, as I said before, it is jargon, not reason, you must rely on.

Chapter 10 #

page 49. “Did he commit himself deeply? I don’t mean the words. There is a subtle play of looks and tons and laughs by which a mortal can imply that he is of the same party as those to whom he is speaking”

Abstract

I resonate with the temptation Scretape is basically instructing Wormwood to employ - two-facedness/double-life. In hs/college in particular I would ‘play the part’ to fit in to a particular crowd. I’d rarely confess Christianity early on, would never deny it explicitly, but would act and talk in a way/about things to imply that I was not necessarily non-Christian, but instead nothing to ask about.

Chapter 10 in overall convicting as it just drives home the point I noted just now…. that I’m very prone to ‘acting’ in order to fit into a community

Chatper 11 #

page 55. “The real use of Joke or Humour is in quite a different direction, and it is specially promising among the English who take their ‘sense of humour’ so seriously that a deficiency in this sense is almost the only deficiency at which they feel shame. Humour is for them the all-consoling and (mark this) the all-excusing, grace of life”

all-excusing grace of life

Humour is for them the all-consoling and (mark this) the all-excusing, grace of life

Abstract

Basically I understand Lewis to be saying here that men (or the English in particular) take great pride in having a sense of humor - so much so that humor becomes an excuse to laugh at anything. When anything is worth laughing at, then I think it’s very hard to prioritize things above others - becuase if everything is a joke, is anything really worthy of more than a joke?

Flippancy

I didn’t understand flippancy as first because I’ve always kind of equated it with “quick”. However, it’s more of a “quickness” paired with a total lack of respect/awareness for/of X.

churches

Are there areas in the church where we are flippant (specifically with humor I guess?)

Chapter 12 #

page 57-58

As long as he retains externally the habits of a Christian he can still be made to think of himself as one who has adopted a few new friends and amusements but whose spiritual state is much the same as it was six weeks ago.

page 58. [The dim uneasiness about backsliding Screwtape describes in the chapter] increases the patient’s reluctance to think about the Enemy.

Abstract

This is too real for me - in seasons of rebellion, and honestly anytime I fall away from “Christian habits” I notice that I am actually reluctant to pray or meditate. Often the only thing that (or the initial thing in appearance) that brings me back is my kids and praying with them or singing Doxology. A choice I wouldnt’ make alone, but make for their sake - perhaps this is God’s grace poured out on me

page 58

They hate every idea that suggests Him, just as men in financial embarrassment hate the very sight of a pass-book.

Chapter 13 #

Particularly a challenging chapter. It’s interesting to think about pleasurable things, for their own sake and not enjoyed outside the boundaires set for pleasure by God, are harmful to our enemy’s tactics. I do not know if I enjoy things for their own sake enough or rightly….

Warning

Do my tech hobbies make me more human or less by distracting me from holier things…

Chapter 14 #

page 69

All virtues are less formidable to us once the man is aware that he has them, but this is specially true of humility.

Chapter 16 #

page 81

In the first place the parochial organisation [Church] should always be attacked, because, being a unity of place and not of likings, it brings people of different classes and psychology together in the kind of unity the Enemy desires

page 82-83

In order to spare the laity all ‘difficulties’ he has deserted both the lectionary and the appointed psalms and now, without noticing it, revoles endlessly round the little treadmill of his fifteen favourite psalms and twenty favorite lessons.

Chapter 17 #

Abstract

Gluttony of Delicacy, not gluttony of Excess

page 88

You see? Because what she wants is smaller and less costly than what has been set before her, she never recognises as gluttony her determination to get what she wants, however troublesome it may be to others

Chapter 18 #

Screwtape’s lack of understanding,and arrogant questioning, of the Enemy’s love is a hilarious commentary on humans who stand staunchly opposed to Yahweh. Academic peers of mine, with such amazing pride, speaking aginst the Biblical narrative because it doesn’t make sense… Lewis makes a good point through Screwtape “Members of His faction have frequently admitted that if ever we [demons] came to understand what He means by love, the war would be over and we should re-enter Heaven”. I think Lewis’ point dovetails with the idea that Jesus is actually very compelling and the rubbish about him being offensive is a replay of the Gospels - where the rich and elite are the ones offended, not the people he calls to the kingdom. Jesus’ love doesn’t make sense to those who have everything they think they need… His love is for those who know they are lowly

Chapter 19 #

TODO: Go through and make notes

Chapter 20 #

TODO: Go through and make notes

Chapter 21 #

TODO: Go through and make notes

Chatper 22 #

TODO: Go through and make notes

Chatper 23 #

TODO: Go through and make notes

Chatper 24 #

page 130 - It’s always the novice who exaggerates…

Abstract

I think about Summit in particular, where I got to meet a lot of big names in apologetics, and I’d talk about them to others like we were friends… The difference between “I know X” and “X knows me” is a thing I kept hidden so I could feel important

Chatper 25 #

Christianity And...

What we want, if men becomes Christians at all, is to koeep them in the state of mind I call ‘Christianity And’. You know - Christianity and the Crisis,Christianity and the New Order, …

Abstract

I don’t know… smells more and more like Christian Nationalism is the modern-day Christinaity And… So much focus on policy, behavior, order (patriarchy even)…. Not a lot about Jesus in the conversation about Christian Nationalism (not that Christians in this mindset don’t genuinely love Jesus or talk about him - but I don’t hear Jesus often in the conversation, I only hear the politics). But I suppose to be fair there’s every chance in the world that I misunderstand the position and people.

Danger

But if I do misunderstand… A fairly educated, theologically competent, Biblically literate person… then what do Christian Nationalists expect of people who never heard of Jesus, or already were introduced to Republican Jesus or something… I’m not the cream of the crop, but if I don’t properly understand what the position is about then the world, unbelievers I mean, will be even more turned off to the Gospel

Page 139 - “We have trained them to think of the Future as a promised land which favoured heroes attain - not as something which everyone reaches at the rate of sixety minutes an hour, whatever he does, whoever he is…”

Chatper 26 #

_Unselfishness_

Note, once again, the admirable work of our Philological Arm in substituting the negative unselfishness for the Enemy’s positive Charity

Big one for me… hard to even process

page 143

In discussing any joint action, it becomes obligatory thta A should argue in favour of B’s supposed wishes and against his own, while B does the opposite

Abstract

Going out to eat, what to do tonight, etc… simple things, not big ones (like how to discipline our kids), is where this is just rampant in my life… I constantly and consciously say in my head “X will make my wife happier even though I don’t want to” then after whatever “X” is, turns out she didn’t really care or want it OR she’s upset because she feels like a nuisance to me… Then the reality is I don’t actually know if I saw her as a nuisance in that moment, or if I genuinely wanted to do what she wanted out of love and charity…

page 144

He insists on doing ‘what the others want’. They insist on doing what he wants. Passions are roused. Soon someone is saying ‘Very well then, I won’t have any tea at all!’, and a real quarrel ensues with bitter resentment on both sides.

Happens all the freaking time, and at the end of it I’m left with “wtf just happened?”

Chatper 27 #

TODO: Go through and make notes