LOVE FOR THE BRETHREN
Therefore, as God’s chosen people, holy and dearly loved, clothe yourselves with compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness and patience. Bear with each other and forgive whatever grievances you may have against one another. Forgive as the Lord forgave you. And over all these virtues put on love, which binds them all together in perfect unity. Colossians 3:12-14
Salim Manayer who heads a significant reconciliation ministry in Israel between Israeli believers and Palestinian believers tells this story in his newsletter of learning about true love for others in the body of Christ during a visit to Denmark:
I experienced something so beautiful. The love and acceptance of the Messiah through the lives of the people who took me around, opened up their homes, took me shopping, took care of me when I was sick and took time out of their busy lives to drive me from one end of the country to the other. I was so moved by their kindness, their hospitality, their compassion, their honesty and their love. Through long country drives they shared and explained to me their reasoning for various traditions and teachings.
And who were these people? Well, if you want to get technical they were Lutherans. Lutherans who belong to the state church – many of them pastors. Yes, we are different – I am an Israeli believer who does not hold to these traditions, but we are called to love each other in spite of our differences. Put all of these labels aside, these amazing people were my brothers and sisters, they are my family because we belong to the family of God and they embraced me as their family.
I was moved as I sat around the kitchen table drinking coffee after confirmation class with one pastor and while eating apple crisp on Rosh Hashanah with another pastor, attentively listening to them as they shared their passion to see the lost people in their communities and parishes find God and believe in him. It left an impression on my heart and encouraged and inspired me to reach the people in my own community.
Sometimes stereotypes and prejudices are there in the back of your head and you don’t realize it until God places those same people you held stereotypes about in your face and they begin to show you the love God requires of his children…
Maybe I was sent to Denmark to impress upon, encourage, challenge and impart to the Danish believers to become reconcilers in their local communities; to bless them and show them that it is possible to break down the walls of bitterness and hatred, demolish their stereotypes and prejudices and to love their brothers and sisters. And yet, that is exactly what they taught me.
RESPONSE: I commit this day to show true love to my brothers and sisters breaking down prejudices.
PRAYER: Lord, I need Your help today to follow Your command to love all my brothers and sisters.
Anna
Her name means: “Favor” or “Grace”
Her character: Married for only seven years, she spent the long years of her widowhood fasting and praying in the temple, abandoning herself entirely to God. A prophetess, she was one of the first to bear witness to Jesus.
Her sorrow: As a widow, she would probably have been among the most vulnerable members of society, with no one to provide for her financially or to take care of her if her health failed.
Her joy: That her own eyes beheld the Messiah she had longed to see.
Key Scriptures: Luke 2:22-38
Her Story
A small bird darted past the Court of the Gentiles, flew up to the Women’s Court, and then on to the Court of Israel (one of the inner courts of the temple, accessible only to Jewish men). Anna blinked as she watched the beating wings swerve into the sunlight and vanish. She wondered into which privileged corner of the temple the little bird had disappeared.
For most of her eighty-four years, she had been a widow who spent her days praying and fasting in the temple. Though Anna had walked past the outer court thousands of times, she never failed to notice the warning inscribed in its walls in both Greek and Latin: “No stranger is to enter within the balustrade round the temple and enclosure. Whoever is caught will be responsible to himself for his death, which will ensue.” It was an awesome thing to come into the presence of the Holy One.
Though she could not echo the prayer of Jewish men, who praised God for creating them neither Gentiles nor women, she could at least be grateful for the privilege of ascending beyond the Court of the Gentiles to the Women’s Court, where she would be that much closer to the Most Holy Place. Having done so, she bowed her head, rocking back and forth to the rhythm of her prayers (Psalm 84:1-3).
Suddenly a voice interrupted her recitation of the familiar psalm. Old Simeon, she saw, was holding a baby to his breast, pronouncing words that thrilled her soul: “Sovereign Lord, as you have promised, you now dismiss your servant in peace. For my eyes have seen your salvation, which you have prepared in the sight of all people, a light for revelation to the Gentiles and for glory to your people Israel.”
Like her, Simeon had lived for nothing but Israel’s consolation. Though he had not seen, yet he had believed. Anna watched as the child’s parents hung on the old man’s words. Then he handed the infant back to his mother, this time speaking more softly: “This child is destined to cause the falling and rising of many in Israel, and to be a sign that will be spoken against, so that the thoughts of many hearts will be revealed. And a sword will pierce your own soul too.”
Anna placed her arms gently around the young mother’s shoulders and gazed at the sleeping infant. Words of thanksgiving spilled from her lips. Her heart felt buoyant, her hope unsinkable. More vividly than Jacob, who had dreamed of a ladder full of angels, or Moses, who had beheld a bush burning in the desert, she, Anna, a widow and prophetess from the tribe of Asher, had experienced the very presence of God. Her eyes had seen the promised child, whose brilliance would scatter the darkness and bring deliverance for all God’s people.
Now she too felt like a sparrow soaring freely in the house of God. It no longer mattered that she was forbidden entry into the innermost courts of the temple. God himself was breaking down the dividing walls between Jew and Gentile, male and female, revealing himself to all who hungered for his presence. That day a child had transformed the Women’s Court into the holiest place of all.
Scripture doesn’t tell us whether Anna ever actually wished she were allowed to enter the innermost courts of the temple in Jerusalem. But her longing for God is obvious. Clearly, she was a woman with a great spiritual appetite, who abandoned her life to God and was rewarded by meeting Jesus and his parents just forty days after his birth, during the presentation in the temple.
Her Promise
Anna’s life revolved around prayer and fasting in the temple. She evidently had no family, no home, no job. Instead, God was her family, the temple her home, and prayer her occupation. Though you may not have the freedom to spend every moment in prayer, as she did, you can be sure the time you do spend is never wasted. If you long to see your Savior, to experience his presence in your life, let Anna’s devotion encourage you.
The Stories Families Tell
By Tia McCollors
“You shall teach them to your children, speaking of them when you sit in your house, when you walk by the way, when you lie down, and when you rise up.” Deuteronomy 11:19
Family reunions are a place to devour Grandma’s famous sweet potato pie and convince her to pass along the recipe. Old memories are shared under the willow trees at the same time that new ones are created. We pass down stories of old to share the trials that have made us stronger, and the faith that pulled us through. We tell the stories to our children so they learn about the importance of family and love so they can continue the tradition. They remember what we say, and what we do. Perhaps this tradition reaches further back than our family name. God told the children of Israel to keep His commandments close to their hearts and to pass them along to their children. They were to speak of them at home, when they rose in the morning and before bedtime at night. Consequently, God would multiply their days. A Godly heritage is a treasure worth sharing.
Practical Application: When’s the last time you shared the gospel with the next generation? We are encouraged in Psalm 78:4 to openly (and often) share of the Lord’s glorious deeds. Others will find strengths from your testimonies and be heartened to share theirs as well.
Prayer: Thank you Lord for Your hand at work in my life. You have cared for, protected, and provided for my family for countless generations and for that I’m grateful. I will share of Your goodness and Your mighty acts.
Tia McCollors is a wife and mother who loves to encourage women to wear their faith like a designer label. Information about her inspirational novels and devotions can be found at www.tiamccollors.com.
 | Help for the Faithful Finish SHALA W. GRAHAM Lee en español |
“I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, and I have remained faithful.” 2 Timothy 4:7 (NLT)
Every night, I seem to dream nonstop.
Some dreams are in the first person, and in others, I’m observing. Some dreams repeat, and some dreams pick up where a previous one left off — those might be my favorite. Some dreams I easily remember, and others I quickly forget. My dreams are often vivid and detailed, complete with the senses of touch and smell.
The other night, I dreamed that crowds of people of all different shapes and sizes ran up a road to get to the top. But the black paved road seemed like a 90-degree wall. If you didn’t hit it running with full momentum, you would get stuck. As I began to tackle this obstacle, people ahead of me slowed down or stopped, leaving me holding on to this road for dear life.
People began passing me. I tried to climb, but I couldn’t. So, I did the only thing I knew to do. I cried out, “I need help!”
Like an angel, a young man appeared and reached over the edge for my hand. He pulled me up and through a large cutout in a white brick wall. He continued to lay on his stomach through that cutout to help more people up.
Full of gratitude, I grabbed hold of his feet to give him extra stability as he served. Then he relaxed and sat up. The people after me didn’t need his help like I needed his help. They effortlessly climbed this steep wall of a road and through the white brick hole without assistance.
That’s when I felt it. Shame. Insecurity. Worthlessness. Was it just me? Was I the only one who wasn’t strong enough? Was I the only one who needed help accomplishing what everyone else could do on their own?
At that moment, God reminded me to run my own race. Don’t worry about what everyone else is doing or how you stack up to others. It’s OK to need help. All that matters is you made it!
We need to hold on to the goal of 2 Timothy 4:7: “I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, and I have remained faithful.” That’s it! It doesn’t matter what place we finish. It doesn’t matter if someone has to hold us up as we limp across the finish line. We just need to finish and remain faithful.
Isn’t it awesome God designed the members of the body of Christ to help one another? As we fight the good fight in a world filled with comparisons and roadblocks, stalled momentum and dangerous cliffs, we can’t be afraid to ask for help when we need it and offer support to others who are struggling.
Ultimately, God wants all of His children to be with Him in eternity. He sent Jesus to do the work we could never do. And God gave believers the Holy Spirit, our great Helper, to guide us and strengthen us along the way. God has provided everything we need to finish our faith race well.
Father, thank You for working all things together for my good, including those moments when I need to ask for help. Empower me to be humble, to accept my weaknesses and to give to those in need around me. I want to finish the race and remain faithful. In Jesus’ Name, Amen.
TRUTH FOR TODAY: Hebrews 12:1 “Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a huge crowd of witnesses to the life of faith, let us strip off every weight that slows us down, especially the sin that so easily trips us up. And let us run with endurance the race God has set before us.” (NLT)
RELATED RESOURCES: Let’s face it; this year has felt a little out of control. It seems impossible to keep anxiety, worry and stress from taking up permanent residence in our lives. Now more than ever, we need reminders that God really is in control. Worry might have defined much of your 2020, but let worship define the rest of your year. Written by members of our COMPEL Writers Training, 40 Reminders God is in Control: Devotions to Redirect Your Worry into Worship is FREE with a gift of your choice! Click here to learn more.
CONNECT: You can find Shala W. Graham on Instagram for everyday encouragement to courageously chase the calling of Jesus on your life.
REFLECT AND RESPOND: Is it hard for you to ask for help? If so, ask God to reveal the lie from the enemy that keeps you from being vulnerable.
How can you lean into the body of Christ for support in this season so you can finish faithfully?
Let us hear from you! Add your thoughts about today’s devotion in the comments.
© 2020 by Shala W. Graham. All rights reserved.
Proverbs 31 Ministries
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Matthews, NC 28105
www.Proverbs31.org
Promise #257
Promise #257:
I will train you for battle with My shield of salvation.
Psalm 18:34-35 (WEB)
34 He teaches my hands to war, so that my arms bend a bow of bronze.
35 You have also given me the shield of your salvation.
Your right hand sustains me. Your gentleness has made me great.
The Bible says that we are to fight the good fight of faith and to put on the full armor of God so that we can stand against the enemy. It also says that the kingdom of God suffers violence and the violent take it by force. There is no question that there is a battle going on in the spiritual realm and we are called to take our stand and resist the enemy.
In today’s promise, King David paints an intimate picture of how God Himself trains him for battle. I really like the NIV Bible translation of Psalm 18:34-35… 34 He trains my hands for battle; my arms can bend a bow of bronze.35 You give me your shield of victory, and your right hand sustains me; you stoop down to make me great.
What a picture of intimacy! Even in the midst of preparations for battle, David speaks of a God that gently trains him and sustains him and even stoops down from heaven to make him great. No matter what battle you are facing today, be comforted in knowing that it is God Himself that will equip you to fight the good fight, for the battle belongs to the Lord.
He will stoop down beside you, give you His shield of victory and His gentleness will make you great!
TRUSTING GOD DAY BY DAY
What God Tells Me Every Day
“I give you a new commandment: that you should love one another. Just as I have loved, so you too should love one another.” — John 13:34
The Roman philosopher Seneca made a statement we all need to remember: “Wherever there is a human being, there is an opportunity for kindness”. I would add to that, “Wherever there is a human being, there is an opportunity to express love”. Everyone on earth needs love and kindness. Even when we have nothing to offer others in terms of money or possessions, we can give them love and show them kindness.
It seems like God tells me every day, “Get your mind off of yourself and your problems and spend today doing something to love someone else”. From start to finish, in all kinds of ways, God’s Word encourages and challenges us to love other people. To love others is the “new commandment” Jesus gave us in John 13:34, and it is the example He set for us throughout His life and ministry on earth. If we want to be like Jesus, we need to love with the same kind of gracious, forgiving, generous, unconditional love He extends to us.
Nothing has changed my life more dramatically than learning how to love people and treat them well. Incorporate this thought into your life: I love people and I enjoy helping them.
Trust In Him — What are you doing to show love toward others? Trust the example of God’s unconditional love to be your guide.
Magnificent Thinking
by: Marshawn Evans Daniels
Finally, believers, whatever is true, whatever is honorable and worthy of respect, whatever is right and confirmed by God’s Word, whatever is pure and wholesome, whatever is lovely and brings peace, whatever is admirable and of good repute; if there is any excellence, if there is anything worthy of praise, think continually on these things [center your mind on them, and implant them in your heart]. (PHILIPPIANS 4:8 AMP)
So often our thoughts can become hijacked by the warnings and lazy words of other people. It may seem like wisdom, but it’s really just limiting beliefs filled with fear, regret, and passed-down sayings that are not anchored in God’s truth or intention. The Bible tells us to think of very specific things from above, not obsess over the advice or opinions of others. And it does not say that we should accept circumstances as they are to guide our thoughts of what’s possible in the future. Instead, the Word tells exactly what to think about. Think about things that are pure, true, worthy of respect, and what is confirmed by God’s Word. Our thoughts make way for our feelings, and our feelings influence our choices, perceptions, and ultimately, our beliefs. We are what we believe. So let us not be lazy or casual with our thoughts. And let us not come into agreement with messages of doom and gloom, sickness, or difficulty. Center your mind on the magnificent.
What old sayings and passed-down opinions have lured you into believing that life is hard as opposed to magnificent?
Pray:
Lord, I come out of agreement with any thought that doesn’t line up with Your Word. Thank You for equipping me to experience the impossible.
This is an excerpt from 100 Days of Believing Bigger by Marshawn Evans Daniels – a devotional book releasing on September 22nd by DaySpring publishing. Learn more about this book, or shop other books & devotionals from DaySpring.
That Verse before ‘All Things’
That Verse before ‘All Things’
by John UpChurch
“I know what it is to be in need, and I know what it is to have plenty. I have learned the secret of being content in any and every situation, whether well fed or hungry, whether living in plenty or in want.” Philippians 4:12
I’d rather live a Philippians 4:13 type life. But that verse before it always gets me. I’d rather jump right into the “doing all things through him who gives me strength” without slogging through the “content in any and every situation” part. The second verse makes for such great posters, but now, when I read it, all I can think is “whether living in plenty or in want.”
Talk about a buzzkill.
But God’s plans come in a larger size than my earthly satisfaction. He wants my sanctification, my being-made-more-like-Jesus-ness. He wants me to see that His riches don’t come with dour-looking presidents or expiration dates or limited warranties. They aren’t earned by the sweat of my brow. Instead, His riches come pouring down in my contentment.
Paul told Timothy that “godliness with contentment is great gain” (1 Timothy 6:6), and he’s driving at the same thing here in Philippians. “Strength,” according to the world, boils down to laying claim to the most stuff—power, model spouses (emphasis on the plural), houses, and influence. But those who think that way can never be content no matter the situation. When their “strength” disappears, they wilt. Some do whatever it takes to get back to where they were; some end up in rehab; and some see no reason to live. Some strength, huh?
Jesus doesn’t play by our rules, though. His Beatitude bunker busters make that pretty clear (see Matthew 5). The weak, the poor, the hungry—those are the ones who receive the treasures. You see, Jesus does want us to get to Philippians 4:13, but to do that, He has to demolish our strongholds by taking us through Philippians 4:12. We’re strong through Him only when we’ve learned to clear the detritus of what we think we need in this world and see Him for the all-sufficient treasure that He really is (Colossians 2:3).
We can do all things through Him who strengthens us. But to get to that point, we have to learn satisfaction in His “all things,” the plans He has for us. That’s because it’s His strength, not ours.
Intersecting Faith & Life: God’s plans for us don’t always send us down the paths we might choose. Okay, they rarely do. That’s why true contentment becomes so vital for the Christ follower. And the only way we can get there is to die and die and die. Every day we die to the things that supposedly make us strong in this world. Every day we kill the need to have more, to be more. Every day we die for Him.
You are strong—right where your contentment in Christ begins.
For Further Reading
Matthew 5
You Cannot “Do All Things” through Christ
ou Cannot “Do All Things” through Christ
https://www.lifeaudio.com/embed/555
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Drew Barrymore Swears Off Marriage as Outdated – Here’s Why She’s Wrong
Amanda Idleman
Contributing Writer
Drew Barrymore, in a recent interview for her talk show, said this… “I never want to be entwined with someone like that again ever. You break up, and you move on. You get divorced, and it’s just so different. I love that we are trying to hold on to an institution that [started] when the closest person to you for companionship was a three-day horse ride away and your life span was 30 years.”
Drew Barrymore isn’t the first or only celebrity to decide that marriage was cramping her style. Evangeline Lilly told Ocean Drive Magazine that marriage isn’t “realistic.”
Cameron Diaz told Maxim that she felt marriage was a dying institution. She said, ”I think we have to make our own rules. I don’t think we should live our lives in relationships based off of old traditions that don’t suit our world any longer.” Giving up on marriage has become a common refrain in popular culture.
Is there merit to these jaded and skeptical comments? Is committing to the idea of a forever love naive, unnecessary, or outdated? What value does saying “I do” have in a world where instant gratification and endless options abound in every other part of our lives? Why wouldn’t we want to trade the work of monogamy for something fleeting but fun in the moment?
God created marriage to be the foundation of our communities. The marriage relationship serves as the heartbeat of our homes and grounds us in our daily adult lives. While divorce, separation, abuse, loss, infidelity, and more are heartbreaking realities that can scare us away from being willing to embrace the protective boundaries marriage places on our lives; the institution of marriage still offers real and very relevant benefits for our personal health and greatly affects society’s ability to thrive.
Let’s explore the great reasons why marriage matters now just as much as it ever did.
Photo Credit: ©Pexels/Alejandro Avila
1. Marriage Improves Social Health
Slide 1 of 5
Drew and others want to make the case the society has moved past the need for committed marriages. The reality is quite the opposite!
Society thrives when marriage and family life is thriving. The benefits of saying “I do” go way beyond your own home and truly are a part of what it takes to grow a healthy community.
God knew that humanity needed accountability in order to remain healthy and happy. Marriage is an institution that not only benefits those who are a part of the marriage but the benefits have ripple effects into society.
Marriage reduces crime. Men who are married have been found to be less likely to engage in all sorts of reckless behavior that results in criminal activity. Married women are less likely to experience domestic violence compared to those who are cohabitating with their partner. Society enjoys more peace and less violence when marriage is common.
Getting married doesn’t just help you stay safer it also can help you get richer. Marriage offers more income potential for families–giving them a bit of a financial leg up in society over their single peers. Committed and in-tact family units are a great incentive for grown-ups to find greater success in their careers and more.
There is a quantifiable power in living a life that is fully-on-paper-committed to a spouse and family that you create together. Married men statistically earn more than their peers and married women enjoy more economic stability than their single or divorced counterparts.
Children raised by their married mother and father enjoy many benefits. Kids thrive when they grow up in a stable and loving environment. Two committed parents who have embraced the protective boundaries that the marriage covenant prescribes offer the best outcomes for kids.
Children in these homes are more likely to complete their education, typically have less behavioral issues, attend school with more consistency, and are more likely to complete a four-year college degree. These kids are less susceptible to mental illnesses such as suicide and depression.
They are also more likely to experience a lasting marriage when they grow older. Marriage is our best option when raising the next generation.
Photo Credit: ©GettyImages/PeopleImages
2. Marriage Improves Your Physical Health
Slide 2 of 5
Believe it or not science has actually found that married people live longer! Marriage skeptics would want you to believe that more joy, health, and richness of life can be found outside the confines of marriage but science tells us a different story.
Studies have shown married people are less likely to die early and less likely to die from a heart attack or stroke. Life is hard; a strong marriage offers support that helps us better navigate life’s stressors!
While the line that the “grass is greener on the other side” can be easy to buy into the truth is that the real benefits come when you keep watering your own grass. Settling down once you are married helps curb you from engaging in more risky activities. People who get married are less likely to struggle with substance abuse issues that always lead to worse lifetime outcomes.
There is something to having someone around over a lifetime that knows you and can help you when you need a boost! Your spouse can be your accountability when you are striving towards meeting a goal. You are able to keep tabs on each other, encouraging each other to get checked if you see suspect symptoms as well as support each other through life’s more stressful seasons.
Those with a committed spouse who is there through thick and thin is there for you to rely on and are less likely to experience depression and isolation.
Love and support from a committed partner from a strong marriage offers better health outcomes, even when you face the worst circumstances. A studyconducted in Norway found that single and divorced cancer patients had higher mortality rates than married men.
Having someone you know and that knows you is excellent medicine when life deals you its worst blows.
Photo Credit: ©GettyImages/monkeybusinessimages
3. Marriage Improves Emotional Health
Slide 3 of 5
Celebrities and others have bought into the lie that marriage is impossible and only leads to turmoil. There is joy to be found in the hard work of staying by each other’s side for the long-haul.
Careful research has demonstrated that married people are happier people! On average 40 percent of married people reported being “very happy” with their lives compared to only 25 percent of singles or cohabitors.
Those who do not cohabitate before marriage report having a happier marriage than those that do. Simply put, married people generally are happier people and waiting to move in after saying your vows only strengthens that effect!
Married couples express feelings of pride in their accomplishments and positivity more than others! Married life better connects you to your community, providing a greater sense of belonging and pride. Being married gives you a partner to share duties with, giving you the flexibility and time to be more involved in your community. Single parents or single people do not have the same access to events and resources.
Marriage even helps protect your sanity. When we see the public or even personally see the private devastation of divorce we can get scared away from marriage, thinking the potential harm of entering into a committed marriage is greater than the good.
The truth is the benefits outweigh the risk. Studies have found that married people experience less psychological distress than single, divorced, or widowed American. Research has shown just the act of being married gives your mental health a boost! Marriage is a deterrent for suicide as suicide rates drastically decline in married men and woman.
Marriage helps keep the bond tighter with your children, leading to more emotional health for everyone in the family unit. Divorce weakens the bond between parents and children in the long run. Adult children of divorced parents describe their relationship with their parents in less positive terms and are less likely to see their parents as often as those with parents that remained married.
Photo Credit: ©GettyImages/Image Source
4. Marriage Improves Sexual Health
Slide 4 of 5
The widely held idea that the single life offers a more steamy and satisfying sex-life has not been found to be actually true. Sex surveys consistently show that married people have more sex than their single peers.
Why does quantity matter? A more abundant sex life is actually good for you! Michael Roizen MD, who is a gerontologist at the University of Chicago. His studies have revealed a number of profound health benefits that sexually active adults experience throughout life.
One benefit is that if you are having sex twice a week you can experience the equivalent of being two years younger than your chronological age. Not to mention a robust sex life enhances your health and efficiency of the heart, respiration, muscle strength, as well as other organs in the body.
Sex is important to helping promote a sense of happiness in satisfaction in your life. Oxytocin is released during intercourse that produces a feeling of tranquility and also lowers blood pressure! Research has shown that the benefits of frequent sex can add up to 5 years to your life.
Married people are even more likely to report a emotionally satisfying sex-life. Half of married men say that sex with their partner is emotional and physically satisfying while only 39 percent of cohabitating men report the same thing.
The idea that marriage equals less physical and emotional intimacy just isn’t true! Over a lifetime you are able to enjoy a sexual relationship that is consistent and free of the anxiety and risks that comes with passing encounters.
Photo Credit: ©Annette Sousa HW/Unsplash
5. God Made Marriage for Our Benefit
Slide 5 of 5
God made marriage because he knew it was in our best interest to do this life with a partner.
When God made Adam even before sin entered the world, God said that Adam being alone was not good (Genesis 2:18). Humans are made for community and marriage is the most fundamental building block to a strong sense of community in our lives.
Ephesians 5:33 says, “However, each one of you also must love his wife as he loves himself, and the wife must respect her husband.” These words show us that marriage was intended to be a God-inspired institution that is fueled by mutual love and respect.
Ephesians 5 shares that marriage in it’s best form should be filled with unity. We should care for our spouse with the same diligence that we use to care for ourselves. For most of us, we need the accountability of our marriage vows for us to be willing and able to truly love another human in the ways the Bible calls us to.
Ecclesiastes 4:9-10 says, “Two are better than one, because they have a good return for their labor: If either of them falls down, one can help the other up.” God knows that we are better together.
God desires for you to have a life partner that is there to help you up when you are struggling and someone for you that you are committed to that you can enjoy life’s sweetest moments with too! God knows you can accomplish more in this life when you are not alone. Having a partner who can take the kids, make you coffee when you need it, or help clean the house leads to a fuller more productive life.
Two get a better return on their labor than one.
Marriage isn’t always easy and doesn’t always go as we hope. After all, it is the union of two imperfect humans and while we all aspire to offer each other unconditional love and respect, we sometimes fail in this regard.
Thankfully God offers us grace for those moments we fail too! These are not reasons to abandon the institution that God created because he knows we need a family unit, a partner, and even more than that he wants us to experience the deep joy a lifetime of shared love brings too!
It’s these trying moments that actually help us to become more perseverant. If you’ve found yourself feeling disillusioned with marriage as Drew has; pray that God would heal your heart so you can see again the gift that marriage is intended to be for your life.
Photo Credit: ©Sokol Laliçi/Pexels
Amanda Idleman is a writer whose passion is to encourage others to live joyfully. She writes devotions for My Daily Bible Verse Devotional and Podcast, Crosswalk Couples Devotional, the Daily Devotional App, she has work published with Her View from Home, on the MOPS Blog, and is a regular contributor for Crosswalk.com. You can find out more about Amanda on her Facebook Page, Blog or follow her on Instagram.
Shifting Our Focus from Tragedy to Hope
Allie Boman | Author
Tragedy is nothing new for God’s people. Many Bible events display both the darkness of this world and the goodness of God as he brings hope and healing in tragic circumstances.
Nehemiah’s response to hardship was both passionate and effective. As we observe the ways he dealt with national tragedy and personal pain, we can learn and grow in our own response to difficult times.
This month, the United States remembers the events of September 11, 2001. Caught unawares and feeling as though we had not picked a fight, we lost thousands of civilians’ lives in one day due to attacks from distant enemies. This day now defines our recent history, and 9/11 is taught in schools as a turning point in the “War on Terror,” much as December 7, 1941 (the attacks on Pearl Harbor) is taught as a turning point in World War II.
While many Americans still smart with pain when we think of 9/11 (we can remember exactly where we stood and what we were doing and the first thoughts that crossed our minds), others around the world are facing their own national tragedies. Natural disasters that have claimed thousands of lives in a day, attacks on mosques and churches, thousands of refugees with no country to receive them, and even government-ordered genocide.
Sometimes the tragedies that hit us the hardest are not those that make news around the world. They might be a local suicide, an unexpected illness, or even a slower loss like a factory closing, leaving many without work.
Our world is battered by darkness, and one wonders what can be done to bring light and hope.
Nehemiah’s response to tragedy
One day in the Persian Empire, a palace servant awaited news from his homeland’s capital. His brother had gone for a visit to see how things were coming along, and the news was not good. “The remnant there in the province who had survived the exile is in great trouble and shame. The wall of Jerusalem is broken down, and its gates are destroyed by fire” (Nehemiah 1:3).
Nehemiah took this really hard. He wept, mourned, and fasted for days (1:4). The significance of Jerusalem being under trouble and shame, exposed to ridicule and attack from outsiders was too much for him to take in stride.
On one hand, this may seem like a bit of an overreaction. The state of things was nothing new: 130 years prior, Jerusalem had been sacked, burned, and the inhabitants exiled to a foreign land. About 50 years after these events, efforts were initiated to rebuild the city, starting with the temple. Another 90 years had gone by when Nehemiah found out that the walls of Jerusalem were still in shambles.
On the other hand, Nehemiah’s response rings true to human experience. When an ethnic group is treated in a destructive and traumatic way, the memories and pain of these events become part of the national emotional DNA. They do not go away, and they are not easily healed. The saying goes, “time heals all wounds,” but time is not the ultimate healer. The God of heaven is that healer, and sometimes he works dramatically and powerfully to bring restoration, not only to a physical wall but also to a national identity.
Therefore, we find Nehemiah face down, weeping without restraint, calling out to his God to bring change to this unacceptable situation. In Nehemiah’s first recorded prayer, he praised God, reminded him of his covenant, confessed his and his people’s sin, and prayed for favor with the leadership (it’s a long prayer.) Notice what is not here: railing against those who destroyed Jerusalem, complaining about those who have dropped the ball on rebuilding the city, or justifying anyone’s actions. His crying out to God was humble and honest.
Nor did he glance in the direction of Jerusalem, shake his head, and move on with his life. Though many must have known of the state of the city, this tragic status hit Nehemiah in a special way. What would have happened if this busy, high-level servant had said, “What a shame that no one is taking care of God’s city. It is unjust that our people have endured such violence and ridicule. If only I wasn’t in such a critical position in this foreign land, I would do something about it”?
Nehemiah demonstrated healthy mourning
In 21st century America, we have no context for deep mourning. Funerals last an afternoon, good companies might give three days off for bereavement, and we think strength and maturity look like moving on as quickly as possible.
While Nehemiah’s fasting, mourning, and weeping were initiated by emotion, it is reasonable to guess that they were sustained by discipline and choice. He didn’t cover his pain with busy-ness. He didn’t distract himself with entertainment. He didn’t even soothe himself with food. He let himself feel the pain of the tragedy in the context of God’s truth and compassion.
Sometimes we’re afraid that pain will destroy us. But pain is designed to bring change. Physical pain motivates us to care for our bodies. Emotional pain can help us care for our relationships or our inward needs. National pain can help us rebuild with unity and fervor. Perhaps Nehemiah’s willingness to “do something,” in spite of the many obstacles, was born out of the time he spent mourning.
A plan for healing action
After the days of grieving were through, though he went back to work, he continued to fast and pray. Because his pain had been soaked in the presence of God, it had birthed in him a plan. Because he had a plan, when the king asked him what he was so sad about, he knew exactly what to say. Maybe he was like those of us who rehearse certain conversations in our heads over and over before they happen!
The favor of God on Nehemiah was evident from the time he opened his mouth in the king’s throne room. He received top notch supplies and protection and was granted significant time off work. The pain that drove him to mourn also drove him to act.
Nehemiah celebrated those who helped rather than tearing down those who hurt
Design credit: Bethany Pyle
Nehemiah memorialized the labor of individuals by listing who did what to rebuild the wall (Chapter 3). By celebrating the good work people are doing to rebuild, our focus is shifted from tragedy to hope.
For example, on 9/11, the first responders who endangered themselves (many losing their lives) demonstrated a selflessness and bravery that we as a country want to honor. Celebrating the lives of these men and women is far more productive than fostering hatred for the men who hijacked the planes that day. The story becomes less about destruction and pain; instead we can see the saving, healing, and rebuilding that is also prevalent.
Of course, there is work to be done to protect ourselves from future attacks. Nehemiah caught wind of some enemies plotting to invade the city when the workers weren’t paying attention (Chapter 4). So they paused their work briefly and stood on guard till the immediate danger had passed. Then they resumed their worked with weapons in hand. One would think this would really have slowed them down, but perhaps the threat of enemy attack spurred them on to complete the protective wall.
Again we notice what Nehemiah is not doing. His comments about the threat from the enemy are not charged with descriptions of the vileness of these people. He doesn’t pump up the people with bitterness against them. He states things simply and practically, like, “Let every man and his servant pass the night within Jerusalem, that they may be a guard for us by night and may labor by day” (4:22). In other words, “we’re all going to be doing double duty for a while.” And Nehemiah did not exempt himself (4:23).
Whether it’s the rhetoric of our leaders or the everyday conversations we find ourselves in, we will do more good by shifting our focus away from berating those who have hurt us. Stirring up hatred and fear serves to drain hope and energy for moving forward. Instead, while we have our protective measures wisely in place, we can keep our conversation and our emotional energy focused on rebuilding.
Rebuilding Jerusalem led to rebuilding Israel’s spiritual identity
In spite of all the opposition they faced, and the limited numbers of people they had helping, Nehemiah was able to lead the Israelites in rebuilding the wall in only 52 days. The thing had been broken down for 140 years. Clearly time was not going to heal that city. Healing came for the Israelites when they took courageous action, improved their city, and worked in unity.
After the wall was finished, Nehemiah called on the religious leaders to read aloud the Law for all the people assembled. They had a great feast as they renewed their commitment to God (8:1-12). Their national identity was beginning to take shape again: they were especially called out by God to honor him in their ways and bless the nations around them.
When we are faced with tragedy and pain, we can respond in like manner. It’s true that we can’t take drastic measures like Nehemiah did in response to every bad thing that happens. And not everyone needs to be a Nehemiah. Some people just need to be the ones with the hammer and nails. But here are some principles we can take with us from Nehemiah to find healing as we respond to tragedy:
- Give yourself time and space to mourn deeply
- Soak your pain with prayers to God for help and healing
- Expect that God will sometimes open the door for action
- Keep your focus on celebrating the good that people are doing rather than the evilness of our enemies
- Pray for rebuilding to lead to healing in our relationship with God
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Was Satan Really an Angel?
Dale Chamberlain
Crosswalk.com Contributing Writer
Though he’s known by many names, the devil is still somewhat mysterious to us. Through the centuries, superstition and occultic practices have been mixed with biblical tradition to shape our cultural understanding of who Satan is and where he came from.
But if we are to properly understand Satan and how to stand against him, we’ll need to separate what has been revealed in scripture from the depictions that have arisen from imagination and morbid fantasy.
Satan, Devil, Lucifer, Angel of Light: What Do All the Titles Mean?
What’s interesting about the devil is that every designation we have for him is a description of his character and nature. Here are some common titles by which we’ve come to know him, what they mean, and where they came from.
Satan
Satan is a Hebrew word that literally means “adversary.” We first see it appear in the book of Job. The adversary (literally the satan in Hebrew) came to God accusing Job of only being faithful because he was blessed (Job 1:6-12). Satan operates in an adversarial role against God’s people. And in the case of Job, it almost seems to be an official role, like a prosecuting attorney.
While this is a title and not a name, by the time Jesus began preaching in Israel, Satan had become a commonly used designation for the devil (see Matthew 4:10; Matthew 12:26; Mark 1:13; Mark 3:23; Luke 10:18; Luke 11:18; John 13:27; Acts 5:3; and Acts 26:18).
Devil
The title “devil” is derived from a Greek word means “slanderer.” The meaning of the term is very similar to that of Satan—an adversary against God’s people who wrongfully accuses them. The terms Satan and the Devil are often used interchangeably.
Lucifer/Angel of Light
The title Lucifer is a Latin term that literally means “light bringer.” Its Hebrew counterpart (heylel) is found in Isaiah 14:12, where it refers to the King of Babylon who is depicted as a star fallen from heaven. In the context of Isaiah’s prophecy, it refers only to the King of Babylon on whom God is declaring judgment.
Nevertheless, Paul picks up on this imagery when referring to Satan, saying that he masquerades as an “angel of light” (2 Corinthians 11:14).
Beelzebub
This title for Satan comes from an ancient Canaanite god who was “Lord of the Flies.” He was apparently such a menacing character that first century Jewish people came to use the name to refer to Satan (Matthew 10:25; Matthew 12:24, Matthew 12:27; Mark 3:22).
Satan is also often referred to as the Evil One (Matthew 5:37; Matthew 6:13; Matthew 13:19, 38; Luke 11:4; John 17:15; Ephesians 6:16; 2 Thessalonians 3:3; 1 John 2:13-14; 1 John 3:12; 1 John 5:18-19).
He is also called the Tempter (Matthew 4:3; 1 Thessalonians 3:5).
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Where Does the Bible Show that Satan Was Once an Angel?
We first see Satan in Genesis 2 when he appears to Adam and Eve as a serpent who manipulates and deceives them into eating the fruit that was forbidden to them, thus causing sin and brokenness to enter the world. But Satan’s story started before then.
Many of us have heard how Satan is an angel who was cast out from heaven, along with all the other angels who followed him (those whom we now call demons). That story comes to us in the prophecy of Ezekiel 28. In Ezekiel 28:1-10, God uses Ezekiel to declare judgment for sin over the King of Tyre. Ezekiel then goes on to express a poetic lament for that king in Ezekiel 28:11-19.
What’s interesting in these verses is that Ezekiel seems to poetically portray the kind of fall that Satan himself experienced. Ezekiel refers to him being in the Garden of Eden and talks about him being a cherub (a particular kind of angel), who was cast down from heaven.
Through the centuries, biblical scholars have argued about how to understand this passage. Some interpret the text to be speaking allegorically about the devil, while others maintain that these verses speak only of the King of Tyre and simply use poetic imagery to convey how the king has fallen from his place of honor.
While this text is certainly difficult to interpret, here are two things we can say for sure about Satan. (1) He is a non-human being who exists in the spiritual realm. (2) He stands in opposition to God and will eventually receive the full measure of just judgment.
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Where Else Can I Learn about Satan in the Bible?
While Satan is a spiritual being who stands under the judgment of God, he still exerts a considerable amount of influence over the events of human history. Here are a three examples that illustrate his power to work against the plans of God in the world.
1. “Get Behind Me Satan!”
When Jesus revealed to his disciples that he would suffer and die, they were naturally shocked. Simon Peter couldn’t help but speak up and say, “Lord, may this never happen to you!”
Jesus’ response was perhaps even more shocking. He said, “Get behind me, Satan! You are not setting your mind on the things of God, but on the things of man” (Matthew 16:21-23; Mark 8:31-33). Peter’s intentions were perhaps good, but he was encouraging Jesus to do exactly what the devil wanted—to refuse the work he came to do on the Cross.
While Jesus didn’t literally mean that Peter was literally the devil incarnate, his strong words indicate that any thoughts or actions that divert us from God’s commands to us are inherently the work of the devil.
2. “Ruler of the Air”
In his letter to the church in Ephesus, Paul refers to Satan as “the ruler of the kingdom of the air, the spirit who is now at work in those who are disobedient.” (Ephesians 2:2).
What this descriptor of Satan indicates is that there is a spiritual realm that exists in the very same space where we work, live, and play. Furthermore, Satan seems to have some kind of temporary authority in that space, and he’s very influential.
Apart from the work of Jesus, we would be stuck under his influence.
3. “Children of the Devil”
Satan’s influence extends through those whom Jesus and the apostle John refer to as his children (John 8:44; 1 John 3:10, respectively).
When people are called children of the devil, it isn’t to say that they’re literally the biological descendants of Satan. But in the same way that children carry on the legacy and trade of their father, those who perpetuate the works of Satan act as his children.
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4 Satanic Symbols and Their Meaning
Many symbols have become associated with the devil by Satanists and occultic groups. Some find their roots in biblical imagery, while others originate within the movement of Satanism. Here are just a few.
1. The Pentagram
A pentagram is the ancient symbol of a five-pointed star, often encompassed by a circle.
Interestingly, at one point, the Church embraced the symbol to signify the five piercing wounds that Jesus received on the Cross (the nails in his hands and feet, along with the spear through his side). However, the symbol later became associated with witchcraft and satanism.
2. The Number of the Beast (666)
In Revelation, a somewhat cryptic verse identifies 666 as a satanic number.
“This calls for wisdom: let the one who has understanding calculate the number of the beast, for it is the number of a man, and his number is 666” (Revelation 13:18).
The highly metaphorical nature of Revelation makes it so that the meaning and significance of this number are not entirely clear. John only states that it refers to the beast, an anti-Christian world power. Some have tried (in my opinion, somewhat unconvincingly) to correlate the number to various evil world leaders and empires.
Another possible explanation is that the number refers to a state of supreme incompleteness or brokenness. Biblically, seven often refers to a state of completeness, as God made the heavens and the earth in seven days. Six falls short of that image of wholeness, and its threefold repetition makes it emphatic.
3. The Upside-Down Cross
Ironically, the inverted Cross is known as the Cross of Saint Peter. According to Church tradition, the apostle Peter elected to be crucified upside down because he did not feel he deserved to die in the same way that Jesus did.
Later on, Peter’s Cross was taken on by Satanists to show their movement as the opposite or antithesis of Christianity—as it is an inversion of Christianity’s greatest symbol.
4. The Baphomet
The Baphomet is a goat-like man that was originally created in 1856 by Éliphas Lévi as an occultic symbol of balance. It became expressly associated with Satanism when it appeared as a depiction of the devil in a tarot card deck.
The Baphomet was later adopted as an identifying symbol by the movement of Satanism at large.
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3 Truths to Remember about Satan and Fallen Angels
As you can see, Satan is far more than a red figure with horns and a pitchfork. He is an ancient being who has real spiritual power that he wields for evil and selfish purposes. In particular, he is the enemy of Christians and seeks their destruction. So here are 3 important truths to remember as we navigate that spiritual reality.
1. Jesus and Satan are not equal opposites.
It’s a big mistake to think of God and the devil as equal opposites. That gives Satan way more credit than he’s due.
The power differential between God and Satan is that of an infinite Creator and the work of his creation. No matter how cunning, crafty, or powerful Satan becomes in his rebellion against God, he will never come anywhere near rivaling the power of the one who spoke him into existence.
Simply put, there are no angelic beings, whether fallen or righteous, who are any match for the power and might of Jesus.
2. Angelic beings are more powerful than you (but not the Holy Spirit).
On the other hand, an equally dangerous mistake is to underestimate the power of Satan. He’s not more powerful than God, but he is more powerful than you. Satan has been crafting dark and wicked schemes for millennia. He’s a skilled liar and manipulator, the power of whom is unparalleled by any mortal human.
But while we ought to be vigilant against Satan, we don’t need to fear him. We don’t even know his actual name. I think that’s by design. It’s a subtle indicator that he’s not even a big enough threat to God that we even need to know his name.
So while Satan—or, for that matter, any fallen angelic being–could easily defeat us, we still don’t need to fear. If you’re a follower of Jesus, you have become one with him by the Holy Spirit. And because of that, the devil has no power over you except that which you allow him to have.
3. Satan’s defeat was foretold from the beginning.
From the opening chapters of Genesis, we know the end from the beginning. Even after the serpent succeeds at leading Adam and Eve astray, God declares him defeated. Here’s what God says to the serpent.
“I will put enmity between you and the woman, and between your offspring and her offspring; he shall bruise your head, and you shall bruise his heel.” (Genesis 3:15)
And we see this promise fulfilled in the sacrifice of Jesus. Though Jesus was dealt a fatal blow, as he gave up his spirit, he crushed the head of the serpent. And we look forward to a day when we will see this promise completely fulfilled.
“That ancient serpent who is the devil and Satan” will be thrown into a lake of fire, never to hurt or harm anyone again (Revelation 20). This is the hope we stand on, because of the Cross of Christ.
Stay Prepared for Spiritual Warfare
Many of us who were raised in a western culture are often blinded to the spiritual realities and unseen forces at play. We read about them. We discuss them. But few of us actually engage them.
And in so doing, we may leave ourselves vulnerable to spiritual attack. The quickest way to lose a battle is to not realize that you’re in one.
The power of Jesus is far more than words on a page and hope for when we die. Spiritual battle is taking place every day, all around us. If we are to be effective spiritual warriors, then we’ll need to lean into prayer, attune our hearts to the very real presence of God, and develop discernment as we seek to do the work of our Father.
Our enemy is great, but our God is greater.
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Dale Chamberlain (M.Div) and his wife, Tamara, are authors and speakers who are passionate about exploring what it means to live life to the full in Jesus. You can connect with Dale and Tamara at herandhymn.com.
How to Discern God’s Voice in Your Life
Nikki Godsil
iBelieve Contributor
I sat, squinting my eyes and wiping my tears. All I could see were the crusty, crumpled up tissues serving as glaring reminders that I was, in fact, not in a dream. The old wooden table and piles of papers with scribbled notes were evidence of the hard work I’d been doing over the course of about five hours. Unexpected was an understatement compared to the reality of what happened on that first Tuesday morning small group. The ladies I’d just met didn’t look back at me with a cold stare, or glance at their watches eager to leave. To my surprise, their faces met my tears with acceptance, and their expressions felt warm and inviting, like a fresh cup of coffee in the morning. It was at this sticky, old farmhouse table where I heard God’s voice for the first time, and it was through these women the Holy Spirit would use to teach me how to listen and hear my Heavenly Father.
God used my deepest wounds to reveal who He truly is and how much He wants to speak with me. I had gone my whole life believing in Him, professing His name, serving His church, but never fully understanding that prayer was a dialogue, not a monologue. My bible transformed from a book full of stories to memorize and apply, into a telephone, where all I had to do was pick up and say, “I’m here and I’m listening.” This table of strangers introduced me to a Holy Spirit who wasn’t scary or creepy or required me to do or say embarrassing things. They showed me how much of a gentleman He is, and how He was the gift God gave all His children to relate to in communicating with Him.
Discerning the voice of God is becoming a lost art in these modern times. It isn’t a process we can preach from dead works or adapt to fit our ever-evolving societal standards. We can’t rush it, control it, or force it, but we sure can stop it. To hear Him, we must understand the five different ways of discerning His voice. When we understand these principles of discerning His voice, we’re less inclined to fall prey to the voice of the enemy.
Here are five different ways of discerning God’s voice when He speaks into your life:
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1. A Personal Word
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I always thought God spoke through circumstances, people, or even devotionals before He would speak to me, directly. A personal word can be in the form of a vision, scripture, or a dream. God will always speak to you first (James 1:5-8), before speaking through others. One of the first things God showed me at Bonni’s table was a vision of my past. The vision led me to a place God wanted me to repent of, because God will always speak to our hearts before He will speak into our fleshly desires.
1 John 1:6-10 tells us when we deny the reality of sin in our lives, we fool ourselves into participating with it, therefore refusing to live in the truth. The truth is, sin of all kinds breaks fellowship with God. John was attacking the false claim that we as people didn’t have a propensity toward sin and he reiterated the need for us to take it very seriously.
Christ’s blood is used to wash us clean in the process of repentance (Acts 3:19), therefore, properly aligning our lives and our conduct with Him is necessary to discerning His voice. If we desire to be led by the Father, we must desire to walk in the light, as described in John 3:19-21. When we walk in the light, we are required to be humble and honest, admitting our weaknesses, and letting go of the desire to pretend we are strong without Him. 2 Timothy 3:16 tells us, “all Scripture is God-breathed, and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting, and training in righteousness.”
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2. A Word from Scripture
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After hours of repentance, I asked God to “speak” in front of those four women, believing fully that He would (Jeremiah 29:12-13). A whisper broke through the silence of my mind, “Isaiah 61.” At the time, I wasn’t sure if “61’ was even a chapter in the book of Isaiah. When I opened my Bible and turned to the that book and chapter, it took my breath away. It was as if God wrote that passage specifically for me.
Isaiah 61 was the promise God spoke over my life after I gave Him my wounds of betrayal, shame, and rejection from being raped when I was thirteen years old. He waited twenty years for me to be ready to hand them over, and then He gently spoke a promise that transformed my wounds into scars. I was no longer a victim, but a warrior in Him. We, as Christ-followers, cannot put on the full armor of God with a victim mentality. He will heal the brokenhearted so we can become the Ephesians 6 warriors He has always intended for us to be.
The Bible isn’t a collection of fables, myths, bedtime stories, or human ideas that came into existence through man. It is God’s inspired Word, and it is all from Him because it is Him (John 1:1-3). Scripture is trustworthy because it is the standard of truth. It is not just some book; it is living, breathing, and He speaks through it. When we recognize the Bible is a portal God desires us to walk through while holding the Holy Spirit’s hand, we unlock the key to seeing His Word for what He intended: to be in intimate relationship with Him.
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3. A Word from the Holy Spirit
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There was a peace about how He spoke to me that day. There was a confidence that the words were for me. The peace and confidence embraced me as the Holy Spirit convicted, rebuked, and called me to repent. I bowed my head one last time and asked Jesus what He would give me in exchange for the sin I laid down at the cross. This was a new concept for me, to recognize God will always give us something in exchange for handing over our sins at the cross, specifically (James 1:17).
As I sat, waiting, the silence broke: “your voice.”
When I spoke what I heard out loud, Bonni asked me, “Do you sing?”
I sat stunned, and a bit fearful, but I answered, “yes; but I haven’t sang in years.”
I bowed my head in prayer, once again, and willingly asked Him if I should sing and if so, what? He said, “yes, ‘You are My Redeemer.”
As I opened my eyes and told the women what I heard, Charlyn gasped. She looked at me and said, “that’s crazy! That’s the exact song I heard as I prayed!”
Standing in front of those four ladies, I closed my eyes, turned my Spotify to Nicole Mullen’s “Redeemer,” and sang. Every passing note built more confidence, peace, and boldness. The lyrics broke through the trenches of my weary, warn heart and the Holy Spirit’s gentle hands embraced me.
Philippians 4:7 and James 1:6-8 both testify to the principle of a witness of the Holy Spirit. God’s peace is different than the world’s peace. His peace isn’t found in positive thinking, the absence of conflict, or in our feelings. It can only come from knowing that God is in control, our citizenship in His kingdom is sure, and our destiny is set. We have victory over sin when we allow God’s peace to guard our hearts against doubt, anxiety, and the worries that come with our jobs, homes, school, and other daily responsibilities.
James gives us the antidote to doubt and our inability to be stable in the midst of the storm. He calls us to “believe and not doubt.” He commands us to put away our critical spirit and expect when we pray God will hear and He will answer.Photo Credit: © Getty Images/Tinnakorn Jorruang
4. Receiving Godly Counsel
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The women surrounding me played two vital roles: to bear witness and to provide Godly counsel. We are called to gather with others in alignment with Christ. Godly people model for us what we need to know about Him, His gospel, and righteous living. Christ is our ultimate leader, but He provides mentorship in biblical authority. Ephesians 2:19-21 is clear in commanding God’s people to gather. The church is not built by modern ideas but on spiritual heritage forged by the early apostles and prophets of the early Christian church. They suffered and walked out their faith in obedience so we could live out our walk in unity with each other and Christ.
People see that God is love and Christ is Lord when we, as a group of Christ-followers, can live in harmony with each other and in accordance with what God says in his Word. We are citizens of God’s kingdom and members of his household. To forego godly mentorship is to go rogue, rebelling against the command to gather in His name and build His body. The task of church leaders is to help people mature in Christ and become independent in hearing His voice. This is how we make disciples and the sole purpose of the church.
Hebrews 13:17 speaks to the confidence we should have in our leaders and the command to submit under their authority. Our leaders help us become and maintain alignment with biblical authority. Their prophetic words are ones we can trust because we have given them the authority to speak into our lives. Their wisdom and maturity are a gift to guide us closer to the Father.
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5. A Witness of Events
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Prior to meeting with Bonni and these women, God used events in my life to gently lead me closer to Him. God didn’t heal me in an instant, although He could have. He chose to heal my heart over time. I had often gotten healing and miracles confused. Healing is done over time, requiring a maintenance of faith and perseverance. Miracles are instantaneous. Jesus utilized a witness of events over time to guide me toward Him, like a personalized program formulated specifically for my needs. However, just because God “can” do miraculous things, doesn’t mean He will (Luke 4:11-12). The enemy misinterpreted Psalm 91 in Luke 4:11-12 with the intention to use God’s power for a foolish display. Jesus rejected it because He knew Psalm 91 was to show God’s protection over His people.
Just because God hadn’t healed me instantaneously didn’t mean He didn’t intend it all along (Isaiah 55:8). The timing of God’s voice will align with events in our lives. Circumstances begin to unfold in a way that aligns with His promises. Those same events lead us into the next stage of our walk with Him. Jesus doesn’t require us to be perfect for Him to speak. He requires us to be willing and obedient to His will. When we learn to align ourselves with the truth in the principles of discerning God’s voice, we begin to hear Him speak clearly. His plan will always glorify Him and we will develop a personal testimony that will speak into the lives of others as we share of His goodness. Our stories are some of the most powerful tools God uses to reach the hearts of others. I recognize my healing wasn’t solely for me, but for me to use in expanding the kingdom of God.
Discerning the voice of God begins with Jeremiah 29:13, “You will seek me and find me, when you seek me with all your heart.” The challenge in the journey is to remain humble before the Lord, so He can soften our hearts and focus our eyes on Him and His goodness. Our progress develops us into the Oaks of Righteousness He desires for His children to grow into.
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Nikki is a wife and momma of four first, but put a Bible in her hand and message in her heart and she becomes a bold speaker for the Lord. As a nurse, turned stay-at-home-mom, turned writer, her passions span from holistic living to Holy Spirit healing. She is a gifted encourager and motivator, and she finds joy in helping others toward their own healing and teaching women about the saving grace of Jesus in truth and love.
At the core of who she is and what she does is this: “Serve God first, people second, and self last.” You can find her on Instagram at @nlgodsil and on Facebook at Together in Faith with iBelieve.com.
Chapter Three: Swamp of Despondency
RevelationMedia
Swamp of Despondency
“Run!” Shouted Evangelist, “The well-intentioned may not know what’s best at all!” His warning seemed strange, but Christian listened to Evangelist’s advice and began running down the straight path. All of a sudden, two friends from The City of Destruction, Obstinate and Pliable, arrive on the scene. Obstinate tackles Christian to the ground, begging him to go back home. The comfort and security of the familiar city was much more important to Obstinate than anything that could be promised to be at the end of The King’s path.
Walking together, Christian points out that The City of Destruction was full of misery and darkness. But, Christian explains, “The City I seek is all goodness and joy and lasts forever.” Christian found the promise of the eternal beauty and goodness of The Celestial City in The Book, and now he must go. He refuses to be deterred, even by his friends. As Christian points to The Book, Obstinate chimes in: “No I don’t see, and quite frankly, I don’t want to.” This kind of response is familiar to us as Christians. We may see clearly the truths of the Scriptures and seek to follow them, only to be met with people who deny and demand we turn away from seeking our King
We may see clearly the truths of the Scriptures and seek to follow them, only to be met with people who deny and demand we turn away from seeking our King.
Friends can be amazing assets on our quest to live the Christian life. They can bring us encouragement, support, and companionship. However, friends like Obstinate only seek to dissuade us from doing what is required of us: to follow the straight path, no matter how hard it gets.
Pliable, in a fit of excitement about the promises Christian shared, grabs Christian’s hand and runs toward the City. Unfortunately, they are so eager to reach the Celestial City that they neglect to watch where they were going and fall into The Swamp of Despondency. The Swamp is full of the fears and discouragements of travelers. It is a place where many people give up. This is precisely what happens to Pliable. For a moment, he seems excited about the promises found in The Book. Streets paved with gold sound much better than the dingy streets of The City of Destruction. But, when he falls into the swamp and is confronted by his doubts, he turns back, saying, “If this is what it’s like to follow you in the beginning, how could it possibly be any better in the end?”
Alone after being deserted by his friend, Christian remains in The Swamp of Despondency. You see, it is better to go through the sorrow and grief of facing your sin than to turn back to the City of Destruction. He finds, though, that he is not able to pull himself out by his own might. As Christian cries out for help, he is pulled from the swamp and set on solid rock. In the midst of Christian’s despair, the King was faithful to send Help.
You see, it is better to go through the sorrow and grief of facing your sin that to turn back to the City of Destruction.
“I waited patiently for the Lord to help me,
and he turned to me and heard my cry.
He lifted me out of the pit of despair,
out of the mud and the mire.
He set my feet on solid ground and
steadied me as I walked along.”
-Psalm 40:1-2 [NLT]
Soon, Christian is cleaned up and pointed back to the path to The Celestial City, though not without Help’s warning that the journey only gets harder. Determined to see his King, Christian continues on the straight path.
Help shares a powerful truth with Christian as he leaves, “Help, in some form or another, is never far away.” We must remember this as well. Though the path is hard, our King will never leave us without help when we ask for it.
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The 16 Worlds of The Pilgrim’s Progress: The Journey Begins is a 16-lesson book and video collection that guides individuals through Christian’s journey from this world to that which is to come. It will feature The Pilgrim’s Progress movie, broken into 16 powerful segments. These segments are designed to disciple the next generation to stay on the straight path.
Each of the 16 chapters will also will feature all new, exclusive video content with special guests, and a behind-the-scenes look at the making of The Pilgrim’s Progress movie.
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let it go: benevolent detachment takes practice
You cannot carry the sorrows of the world. Only God can do that. – John Eldredge
The Practice of Benevolent Detachment
by John Eldredge from Get Your Life Back
God says, “Give everyone and everything to Me”
I got home from work on a Friday afternoon a few weeks ago and went outside to just sit, be quiet, try to find God. Nothing big. No crisis. Not a seven-day fast. Just sitting quietly, attempting to dial back into his presence. It was astounding how many things presented themselves in a matter of about five minutes.
Things I forgot to do at work. Emails I still needed to send. Emails I needed to now send to correct emails I shouldn’t have sent. The One Minute Pause is where I began. It created the space for me to then practice benevolent detachment — my only rescue. You can’t sort all this stuff out.
And you sure can’t wait to find God and life and restoration until you’ve sorted your life out. There’s too much rushing at us; we haven’t the time to carefully and systematically think through every piece of information, misspoken word, confusing interaction, heartbreaking news. Subtly, maybe not so subtly, the burdens on the soul pile up.
I have a friend who is one of those beautiful people with the gift of seeing the spiritual world while they walk around in the physical world. One of his particular giftings is that he sees people’s “backpacks.”
“Everyone has a backpack,” he says. He is referring to their burdens; he sees their burdens as backpacks they carry around with them. “Some people’s backpacks are bigger than others,” he says. “They’re filled with past regrets, present concerns, and fears about their future. But some are wonderfully small and light. Everyone has one.”
Worry is only one of a hundred things that burden our souls. Genuine concern is just as dangerous, maybe more so because it’s grounded in something noble — your concerns for your aging parents, a sick friend, a people group, a cause crying out for justice.
A friend of mine runs a home rescuing trafficked girls. He wrote last week to say that the government facility is overcrowded, and they asked him if he could take eleven girls. The heartbreak was my friend had room for only five; he had to make the brutal call. Today a therapist colleague who does remarkable work with military men and women suffering PTSD lamented he can’t see enough people. “We’re losing too many to suicide,” he said. “It tears me up I can’t help more.”
Those kinds of things can fill a backpack and make it mighty heavy.
Jesus began teaching me about benevolent detachment almost two years ago. Every time I would turn to Him with a question, He would say, Give everyone and everything to Me. The invitation rang so true; I knew I needed to learn this. So I began to practice it as best I could.
But then Jesus kept repeating the invitation.
I’d be asking about something entirely unrelated to the people in my life — car repairs, scheduling a trip, my tax returns — and Jesus would reply, Give everyone and everything to Me. It was irritating. I finally realized that the reason He kept repeating it was because I wasn’t practicing it very well. I was carrying people. Worrying about things.
We are far more entangled with the world than we know. And the thing is, people and causes have a way of entangling themselves with you too.
Some of this has to do with the moment we live in and the obliteration of social boundaries.
Thanks to social media, everyone’s life is open and accessible through Facebook, Twitter, Instagram — all of it. We’ve created an assumption that you can enter and observe, or engage, with anyone, anywhere, anytime. There are no boundaries. We’ve created an assumption that we’re entitled to enter anyone else’s private space at any time. It’s very harmful. Cell phones have been a major contributor to this loss of personal space.
A friend who is a successful businessman explained to me how the rules of corporate loyalty have changed: “They expect you to be available anytime, day or night, because of this,” he said, holding up his phone. “They can text you, call you 24/7. You are now considered to be available anytime, all the time. Those are the new rules.”
I told myself as I drove off into the wilderness this morning that I would turn my phone off for a few days to enforce my disengagement. But I’ve checked my messages several times in the last hour.
It’s so odd to be dialed into the technology of the world while I drive through rural countryside. This was the world of my grandmother, raised her entire life in rural America. Back in the day if you wanted to have a conversation with someone, if you wanted to enter their world, you literally had to enter their world. You got in your car and drove to their farm and sat on their porch and had a conversation. You also understood that there are appropriate hours for doing so. People were very aware that there were public moments and private moments, public spaces and private spaces.
All that is completely gone now.
People have this unspoken assumption they can enter your world anytime. It’s suffocating to the soul; there’s no breathing room.
Exactly.
Benevolent detachment is your way out.
GIVING IT A TRY
I know, I know — you’ve got all sorts of pushback going on inside even as you read this. “This sounds impossible; you don’t know my world.” “But what about loving? What about caring?” “How is it right to just let things go?”
Quite simply, because you’re not God.
You can’t save the world. You can’t even carry it.
Who of you by worrying can add a single hour to your life? Since you cannot do this very little thing, why do you worry about the rest? — Luke 12:25–26
Jesus is quite serious about turning everything over to Him, actually. So let’s repeat the invitation:
Are you tired? Worn out? Burned out on religion? Come to Me. Get away with Me and you’ll recover your life. I’ll show you how to take a real rest. Walk with Me and work with Me — watch how I do it. Learn the unforced rhythms of grace. I won’t lay anything heavy or ill-fitting on you. Keep company with Me and you’ll learn to live freely and lightly.
— Matthew 11:28–30 The Message
Cast all your anxiety on Him because He cares for you.
— 1 Peter 5:7
Live carefree before God; He is most careful with you.
(The Message)
These aren’t suggestions. The Bible is not a book of suggestions.
You’ve got to release the world; you’ve got to release people, crises, trauma, intrigue, all of it. There has to be sometime in your day where you just let it all go. All the tragedy of the world, the heartbreak, the latest shooting, earthquake — the soul was never meant to endure this.
The soul was never meant to inhabit a world like this. It’s way too much. Your soul is finite. You cannot carry the sorrows of the world. Only God can do that. Only He is infinite.
Somewhere, sometime in your day, you’ve just got to release it. You’ve got to let it go.
We need to make this clear — the invitation of God is an unburdened life. Come, you who are heavy laden. Cast your cares upon Him. Live carefree before God. It’s practically a party invitation. One of the least understood disciplines of the spiritual life. And therefore a wonderful place of discovery for each of us, and a truly liberating opportunity to experience more of God in our everyday experience.
Benevolent detachment takes practice.
“I give everyone and everything to You, God. I give everyone and everything to You.” Often I find I need to follow that up with some specifics: “I give my children to You,” for I worry about them. “I give that meeting to You.” “I give this book to You.”
As you do this, pay attention — your soul will tell you whether or not you’re releasing. If the moment after you pray you find yourself mulling over the very thing you just released, you haven’t released it. Go back and repeat the process until it feels that you have.
Bedtime is ideal; [my wife] Stasi and I now do it every night. “Jesus, we give everyone and everything to You.” And then we usually have to name some things. “We give You our kids. We give You our aging mother. We give You what blew up at work today. We give You our ministry and mission in the world, which we care so much about — all those hurting people. We give You the Florida shooting. We can’t carry this, God. We release it all to You.”
As you practice release, what you’re doing is creating soul space; you are literally carving out the intellectual and emotional space for God to come in.
If you build it, He will come. He wants to fill you.
By the way, benevolent detachment is a gift to the people in your life. Far too often we saddle people with our expectations, hopes, and needs too. Most of the time subconsciously, but we do it nevertheless. With our need to be seen. To be celebrated. To be understood. You actually do people an enormous favor when you practice benevolent detachment, because they’d like to be disentangled from you too.
You get to break free, dear ones, “like a horse in open country” (Isaiah 63:13).
Excerpted with permission from Get Your Life Back by John Eldredge, copyright John Eldredge.
. . . .
Your Turn
Is your backpack heavy with regrets, anxiety, and worries? Let it go. Give it to Jesus. Practice benevolent detachment. Come share your thoughts with us about releasing concerns to the One who is in control on our blog. ~ Devotionals Daily
You’re Invited to the Get Your Life Back Online Bible Study with John Eldredge
Join the Get Your Life Back online Bible study by John Eldredge— our first men’s community online study— starting Sept. 28th with FaithGateway!
Week two of the study is all about the practice of benevolent detachment.
Watch the video with John to learn more…
Introducing our first men’s Online Bible study…
It’s time to get your life back.
Daily Devotion
Joy in Trials
“Consider it pure joy, my brothers and sisters, whenever you face trials of many kinds, because you know that the testing of your faith produces perseverance.” – James 1: 2 – 3
Dear Lord, I desire to be spiritually mature, although I hate going through trials. Help me see Your good purpose in the trials I face. May I persevere with inner joy as I draw closer to You. Amen
Dose of Devotion 