Elevate Your Day with Andi and Brian Hale

Apart from the act of Creation, can you find where God decided to do something for humanity anywhere in the Bible without some conversation or partnership with humankind? When the world became so dark and evil, to the point where God regretted creating people, there was a man who found favour in His eyes. God partnered with Noah and preserved the human race. Without Noah responding to the Word, the instructions of God, all the people of the earth would have been destroyed. (See Genesis 6). To establish a nation, he called another man, Abraham. Abraham received a promise with a visual representation to remind Him of what God vowed to do. When he looked up to the stars, or down to his feet in the sand, he was reminded of what God had said: “You will be a father of many nations.” (See Genesis 17:5). He partnered with Joseph to bring provision. He partnered with Moses to bring deliverance. He partnered with Rahab to bring protection. He partnered with Joshua to occupy the land He promised His people. He partnered with David to rule His people. He partnered with Solomon to build His temple where His people could worship. He partnered with His prophets to bring vision and direction. There was not one account where God provided, delivered, protected, occupied territory, ruled, or directed His people without their permission and participation. God will never force His will on us, we have to humble ourselves, ask, and submit to the Word (the promises and the instructions) we receive from Him. God wants to bring salvation to the earth. He wants to bring salvation into your circumstances. Into the situations you are passionately praying for. He wants to bring solutions through you for the world around you. Will you partner with Him? He partnered with Mary to bring Salvation into the world. This is what Mary did when she received the Word Gabriel delivered. She partnered with God when she responded: “Let it be unto me according to your word.” (See Luke 1:38). And the Word became flesh in her. She took herself away for the first three months as she protected and nurtured the Word she received within her heart. There were no physical signs to reveal she was about to give birth to the Messiah. She only had a promise/a word. There was no sensation of a baby kicking inside her yet. To safeguard the incorruptible seed conceived in her heart, she surrounded herself with people of faith. Elizabeth, her cousin, was also experiencing a supernatural birth. Mary had a visual representation of the promise the Lord made to her. Mary wrote a beautiful song, praising God for the salvation about to enter the earth through her. She sang praises to God in thanksgiving for what He was doing through the presence of Jesus on the earth. She sang this song before she had the baby in her arms; before the baby kicked in her womb. What is the promise He has made to you? Have you responded to His promise? Do you have it in front of your eyes daily? Can you see salvation in the outcome you imagine, even before the breakthrough comes? “Blessed is she who has believed that the Lord would fulfill his promises to her!” (Luke 1:45, NIV)

For nothing will be impossible with God. – Luke 1:37 ESV Has your heart ever been tangled up in doubt and unbelief? You want to stay in faith, but you just can’t seem to marry up the hours of praying and declaring with the results you are seeing in the flesh? When you find yourself without a job and you just don’t have enough money to make it to the end of the month. When you are sitting in the doctor’s office and receive the diagnosis with the caveat that there is no cure. When you get a phone call telling you your teenager who you have been praying for has been arrested for another DUI. Have you found yourself shouting at God in sheer frustration: “You said nothing is impossible, Father! What is going on here? Where is the breakthrough we have been praying for?” It was in a moment of frustration that I cried out to God. I got out my Amplified Classic Edition and pointed to Luke 1:37 saying: “Look, Father! You said nothing is impossible for you. Why are we not seeing breakthrough in this situation?“ The Holy Spirit gently nudged me to look at the second part of this verse: “…for no word from God is ever without power or impossible of fulfillment.” Revelation flooded my heart in that instant. The answer I was looking for was contained within these words. I began studying it closer and discovered three keys that untangled me from doubt. Over the next few days, I will share these keys with you.

Grace and conviction aren’t just words. They are powerful actions that offer freedom. Throughout the Bible, grace and conviction changed the lives of King David, the woman at the well, prostitutes, the thief on the cross, and a fisherman named Peter.   Fishermen were considered uneducated men with hot tempers and vulgar language. Seeing beyond the surface, Jesus asked Peter to follow Him. I love how Jesus doesn’t condemn our actions. Instead, He convicts us to be who He created us to be. Peter recognized his sin and confessed. Despite all the mistakes, Jesus gave him the forgiveness to move forward and the grace to change. Peter dropped everything and followed Jesus.  Peter became one of Jesus’s most trusted disciples, but he didn’t always get it right. The night Jesus was arrested, He predicted that Peter would deny Him three times. Outraged, Peter declared his loyalty. Peter answered him, “Though they all fall away because of you, I will never fall away.” Jesus said to him, “Truly, I tell you, this very night, before the rooster crows, you will deny me three times.” Peter said to him, “Even if I must die with you, I will not deny you!” And all the disciples said the same. – Matthew 26:33-35 But only hours later, we find him weeping tears of guilt and remorse for doing the very thing he swore he wouldn’t do.  Now Peter was sitting outside in the courtyard. And a servant girl came up to him and said, “You also were with Jesus the Galilean.” But he denied it before them all, saying, “I do not know what you mean.” And when he went out to the entrance, another servant girl saw him, and she said to the bystanders, “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 the bystanders came up and said to Peter, “Certainly you too are one of them, for your accent betrays you.” Then he began to invoke a curse on himself and to swear, “I do not know the man.” And immediately the rooster crowed. And Peter remembered the saying of Jesus, “Before the rooster crows, you will deny me three times.” And he went out and wept bitterly. – Matthew 26:69-75 Following Jesus doesn’t make us perfect. We will still mess up and feel the weight of our sins, but the story doesn’t have to end there. After Jesus rose from the dead, He appeared to His disciples and three times asked Peter, “… Do you love me?” Each time Peter replied, “Yes, you know I love you.” The third time Jesus said, “Then feed my lambs…and follow me!” Jesus saw the details, betrayal, and fear, yet didn’t expect Peter to live in the guilt of his mistakes. There was no condemnation or manipulation, only the conviction to rise up, repent, leave sin behind, and become who God had created him to be. Peter didn’t let guilt rule his life. He confessed and started leading people to Jesus. We’re no different from Peter. There is no mistake He won’t use. Despite our human failures, we can fall at the feet of Jesus and accept His forgiveness and grace. He wants us to let go of the mistakes, disillusionments, and emotional pain. He is waiting for permission to use our mistakes to strengthen us. Are you ready? If you enjoyed this 5-day plan from Markey Motsinger,  be sure to check out and download her free bible study, Trapped. 

Guilt leads to condemnation unless we learn to live in conviction. Conviction is a process where God uses our guilt to guide us towards grace and growth. As we give Him access to our thoughts and motives, He uncovers sin and reveals its true nature. Seeing our sin and hating it, we realize our desperate need for God and grasp onto His forgiveness. His grace covers us, so His conviction can change us. What then? Are we to sin because we are not under law but under grace? By no means! – Romans 6:15 As different as conviction is from condemnation, we confuse them because both make people grieve over their sin. Even though one leads to death, and the other leads to life, the pain looks and feels similar. Here’s the difference: Condemnation points to sin; conviction points to Jesus. Condemnation shows problems; conviction shows answers. Condemnation shouts, “You’re a loser!”; conviction shouts, “Jesus forgives!” Condemnation pulls us down into depression and self-hatred; conviction draws us up into holiness and truth. The differences are massive, and recognizing them is vital. Conviction introduces a richer version of life than we’ve ever known. It compels us to let go of the life we keep trying to rebuild and offers us the true freedom we seek. It gives us Jesus. Condemnation comes easily, but God’s conviction takes work. We have to make every area, including relationships, self-discipline, finances, and health, available to God. The more access we give Him, the more opportunities we have to change. We also have to listen for His voice. For I will be merciful toward their iniquities, and I will remember their sins no more.” – Hebrews 8:12  A while back, I was beating myself up for verbally hurting a friend. Condemnation was in full force, and I couldn’t move past it. How could I do that? Will she forgive me? Somehow I stopped long enough to hear God say, “Yes, you made a mistake, but living in it does nothing. Instead of seeking her forgiveness, seek mine. Look to me, not the mistake. I am your future. You can do nothing to change it, but I can.” Conviction changes us if  we stop to listen to God’s voice. Every time sins surface, or guilt creeps in, God waits to tell us the steps towards freedom. But now that you have been set free from sin and have become slaves of God, the fruit you get leads to sanctification and its end, eternal life. – Romans 6:22 God calls us to see our sin as a desperate need for Him instead of a desperate need to be someone different, someone better. His conviction equips us to conquer our past and live victoriously in the present! How do you respond to your guilt? Do you walk in conviction or wallow in condemning thoughts? Let us then with confidence draw near to the throne of grace, that we may receive mercy and find grace to help in time of need. – Hebrews 4:16

From Trapped By Guilt by Markey Motsinger on YouVersion as it is written, “I have made you the father of many nations”—in the presence of the God in whom he believed, who gives life to the dead and calls into existence the things that do not exist. – Romans 4:17 Grace is a word that can refer to mealtime prayers, ballerinas, and personalities. But God’s grace isn’t just a descriptive word. It’s an action that holds the power to erase sin and abolish guilt. The Bible defines it as the unmerited or undeserving favor of God. This means, when we deserve punishment, He offers forgiveness, gives love, and extends approval. His grace is sufficient for every moment of every day. All we need to do is ask.  At various times throughout my life, I have lied, stolen, gossiped , and cheated. Each time, guilt came quickly, and I wanted it gone. Instead of looking to God for grace, I compared my mistakes to the mistakes of others. If mine weren’t as bad, I would allow myself some grace, and my guilt would lessen. I was still wounded but able to function.    but God shows his love for us in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us. – Romans 5:8 Guilt lies to our hearts. It can cause people to believe they need to earn God’s forgiveness or that their sin is beyond His reach. But, God’s grace is different. We don’t have to tiptoe around, begging for it. God freely offers it to anyone who asks and dares to accept it. He doesn’t weigh how big the sin is or how bad we feel. The gossiper, drunk driver, cheater, and murderer equally receive grace when they ask with a repentant heart.  What then? Are we to sin because we are not under law but under grace? By no means! – Romans 6:15 Grace is not a get-out-of-jail-free card. It doesn’t erase consequences, excuse mistakes, or let us purposefully sin. Instead, it stops us from focusing on what we have done, so we focus on who God is. Pulling us away from our old sin-filled life, it moves us into the new creation God created us to be. Grace does more in a moment than guilt does in a lifetime.  Let us then with confidence draw near to the throne of grace, that we may receive mercy and find grace to help in time of need. – Hebrews 4:16 Only when we are undone from the way the world works, can we be gripped by the way God works. Grace possesses the power to erase sin and ease pain. Let’s give God’s grace permission to walk all over our guilt. What is holding you back from accepting grace?

Guilt is a natural reaction to sin. If we’re not careful, it stops being a reaction and becomes a lifestyle that guides our decisions, influences our truth, and leaves us leading a life of condemnation. There is therefore now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus. – Romans 8:1 For a long time, condemnation and I were good friends. I sensed it from peers, authority, and even myself. It wasn’t the size of the mistake, but that someone disapproved of something I did or said. I allowed their disapproval to open the door to a life of guilt, where I ended up never feeling good enough. Eventually, I got so comfortable with guilt that I would even accept it for things I hadn’t actually done. To condemn means to express judgment, show strong disapproval of, and to pronounce unfit for use or service. It renders us useless and keeps us enslaved. Condemnation shouts our failures and highlights our mistakes until we believe we are unworthy and undeserving of God’s freedom. Left with shame, we are taken captive by fear, anxiety, stress, regret, and confusion, and begin living as slaves to the consequences of our sin. Or do you not know, brothers—for I am speaking to those who know the law—that the law is binding on a person only as long as he lives? – Romans 7:1 How do we recognize we’re living with guilt and condemnation? Our actions and words are full of justifications, criticism, anger, or a million apologies. Words like lazy, untrustworthy, unloved, and unforgivable fill our minds. We feel like a bad friend, spouse, and parent, and often assume we deserve the guilt we carry. As real as these thoughts and feelings are, they’re all lies.    Lies work because they mimic God’s truth. It’s true. We have broken His laws and deserve punishment, but God doesn’t condemn us. He provides a way out. He knew laws and rules, on their own, wouldn’t save us or move us into a close relationship with Him. It’s why He sent His son. The law has the power to expose sin, and Jesus has the power to stop it. When we ask for forgiveness, Jesus replaces our guilt with grace every time.  I appeal to you therefore, brothers, by the mercies of God, to present your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and acceptable to God, which is your spiritual worship. – Romans 12:1 Jesus didn’t come to forgive the sin and leave us with the guilt of it. He died to extend grace, offer forgiveness, and erase guilt. Don’t let lies cause you to miss or dismiss God’s truth. Is there a lie you are accepting? Start stepping into grace by asking God to help you identify the lies you are believing.

From Trapped By Guilt by Markey Motsinger on YouVersion I started carrying guilt around at a young age. In the seventh grade, I felt guilty for making the cheerleading squad when my friend didn’t. In high school, I couldn’t stop beating myself up for stealing. Now, as an adult, I encounter guilt for yelling at my kids, not spending enough time with my husband, and not having a handle on money. I hide it well, even from myself, and keep moving forward, but it’s always there nagging at me.    Guilt is not a part of God’s plan. It drains the life out of us and separates us from reality. Yet, we keep guilt around never looking to see how much it steals or controls. God wants more for us! He wants us to be free. For one who has died has been set free from sin. – Romans 6:7 Guilt is a mental and emotional experience that occurs when a person thinks or realizes they have compromised their standards of conduct and accept responsibility. When we don’t give these experiences over to God, they can quickly turn into shame. Shame, in return, attacks our identity, causing us to feel unworthy or not good enough. Guilt and shame take us away from the heart of God.  He does not deal with us according to our sins, nor repay us according to our iniquities. For as high as the heavens are above the earth, so great is his steadfast love toward those who fear him – Psalm 103:10-11 Guilt is an emotion with no boundaries. We experience it for things we said/did, things we didn’t say/do, and things we think we said/did. We encounter food guilt, past guilt, and parenting guilt. We face it when we can’t live up to people’s expectations and when we don’t answer our parents’ phone calls. It touches every area of our lives.  Unafraid of the spotlight, guilt easily becomes an idol, pointing us away from Jesus and taking up space in our hearts meant for something or someone else. Fighting to escape, we repeatedly apologize, withdraw, pretend we don’t care, or justify our actions by declaring “I wouldn’t ____________ if they would just _______________.”  Guilt has no purpose, except causing us to stay the same, live in shame, and fall deeper into ourselves. We were not created to carry a suitcase of past, present, and future mistakes. God is a God of purpose. Over the next few days, I pray you learn to let God use your mistakes to move you into a deeper place with Him. A place where guilt no longer drives your life. What type of guilt are you battling? How is it affecting your everyday choices? If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness. – 1 John 1:9

From You’re Not Finished Yet with Christine Caine on YouVersion And let us not grow weary of doing good, for in due season we will reap, if we do not give up. – Galatians 6:9 Kylie is my oldest and dearest friend, and like so many of my friends, she frequently runs in marathon races. I am not sure if I am living vicariously through them, but I seem to have amassed many friends who love to run long distances. One thing I love about Kylie is the fact that she follows the same ritual in every marathon race she enters. As soon as the starting gun fires, she says aloud, “Kylie, all you have to do is finish.” Throughout the race, she says this to herself at least one hundred times. She does not try to beat everyone, she does not compare her pace to the speed of everyone else in the race, she simply sets her own pace and runs her race. And most importantly, she wants to get to the finish line. It’s such a great lesson for us all. If our goal is to be conformed and transformed into the image of Jesus, then becoming more like Jesus is our goal. Running our race, the way Jesus wants us to run our race, is our goal. Therefore, we’re not out to beat anyone else; we’re not out to be better than anyone else; we’re doing our best to be more like Jesus. If we inadvertently get our eyes off the ultimate prize—Jesus—our eyes will fall on other things like people, status, and self-gratification, and we will get off balance and off track. If we take our eyes off the goal, we will quite possibly develop a mentality that things are not moving fast enough. That we’re not being rewarded or acknowledged soon enough. And we might even unintentionally uproot ourselves and walk out of our purpose. But I do not account my life of any value nor as precious to myself, if only I may finish my course and the ministry that I received from the Lord Jesus, to testify to the gospel of the grace of God. – Acts 20:24 To be honest, during some of the greatest challenges of my life and hardest times of ministry—those times when I found myself thinking, Why am I doing this? and had twenty legitimate reasons to quit—I’ve had to get myself refocused on the ultimate goal of when and why God called me. That is what has sustained me in my darkest hours. It’s the why that helps me keep running when the how makes no sense. Maybe this is where you’re wrestling today. Perhaps part of the answer is to refocus on your why. More of the answer could be to not get distracted with short-term things that will gratify our immediate wants, so we can finish our course and attain our prize. Let’s refocus our eyes and hearts and minds to be on Jesus. Let’s purpose to finish our course and the ministry we’ve received from Jesus, as Luke wrote, so we can testify to the gospel of God’s grace. Prayer Jesus, my purpose is to finish my course and the ministry I have received from You. Please help me reach this goal. Help me keep my eyes on You, the ultimate prize. In Your name, amen. Continue Your Journey This reading plan was taken from You’re Not Finished Yet by Christine Caine. Read more at ChristineCaine.com/Devo

From You’re Not Finished Yet with Christine Caine on YouVersion But Jesus looked at them and said, “With man this is impossible, but with God all things are possible.” – Matthew 19:26 I love to run, though I’m totally not a serious runner. My idea of running is a five-mile slow jog, and when I say slow, I mean mothers pushing their babies in strollers can overtake me. My friend Dawn, the one I hike mountains with, is the real runner. She regularly competes in marathons and has built both the physical and mental endurance to go such distances. She’s run enough to know what it’s like to hit a wall while running, a concept I’ve never experienced because apparently I’ve never run far enough! Hitting a wall is a place runners can overcome only with their minds. It’s more mental than physical, even when the physical is excruciating. Dawn once explained it to me by describing what happened in her first marathon. She was 23 miles in when she hit the infamous wall. She had 36 minutes to cover the remaining 3.2 miles. It would not have been an issue had she not already run for miles and didn’t have searing pain pounding in her left hip. As she tells it, the left side of her brain (the rational side) told her to stop and walk the rest of the way. Thoughts like, Don’t worry about meeting the goal. People will understand when they realize how hot it is and how badly I hurt, thundered in her head. But just as loud, the right side of her brain thundered back, There is still hope! The race isn’t over yet! It’s still possible to meet my goal. Don’t stop running! Have you ever felt yourself in such a mental war? When your mind is screaming at you? In a race this happens when you hit a wall, when you have nothing left to give, when you’ve expended every ounce of energy and everything within you wants to quit. And yet, as Dawn experienced, somewhere deep inside, the flicker of a goal or dream begs to not be extinguished. But he said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.” Therefore I will boast all the more gladly of my weaknesses, so that the power of Christ may rest upon me. For the sake of Christ, then, I am content with weaknesses, insults, hardships, persecutions, and calamities. For when I am weak, then I am strong. – 2 Corinthians 12:9-10 I’ve been in such a place, where I hit a wall spiritually, mentally, and emotionally. But at the same time, I had the Word of God in my heart and mind. I had God’s promises resounding in me at the same time my mind was screaming for me to stop. And because of His promises, that flicker of hope, I was able to keep going by focusing my mind on God and His Word. Despite how many times my mind fought me to quit, I kept redirecting my mind away from what it wanted to think and toward what God’s Word said was true. Maybe you’re in such a place right now. What is your mind screaming at you? That it’s not possible? That it’s too late? That you’re not equipped? Not smart enough? Young enough? Old enough? Educated enough? You can win the war in your mind by renewing it with God’s words. You can endure by making God’s voice louder than any other voice in your head. Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewal of your mind, that by testing you may discern what is the will of God, what is good and acceptable and perfect. – Romans 12:2 Prayer Heavenly Father, thank You for Your Word. Help me be more acquainted with what it says so I can be transformed by the renewing of my mind, and so I can get through any wall. In Jesus’ name, amen.

From You’re Not Finished Yet with Christine Caine on YouVersion While the earth remains, seedtime and harvest, cold and heat, summer and winter, day and night, shall not cease.” – Genesis 8:22 Do you have a dream? An idea? A yearning to do something that just won’t go away that you know God has placed in your heart? When God gives us a dream, He is calling forth what He placed inside of us before we were even born. We’re full of potential for His plans and purpose for our lives. Still, it’s up to us to water the seed of that potential, to tend to the soil of our hearts, to develop all that God has placed inside of us. Think of it this way: God gave trees the ability to reproduce themselves through their seed. If you’ve ever taken a pine cone apart, you’ll see little seeds, each with a “wing” attached to it. That’s so the wind can catch the seed and take it where it can fall to the ground and begin to take root. In the right soil, in the right environment, that seed will sprout and grow into a new, fully grown tree. The fully grown tree was always in the seed, but no one could see it until it was put in the right soil and then nurtured by the rain and the sun. In a similar fashion, the seeds in our hearts—the dreams and ideas and plans and purposes of God—grow as we water them with faith. The seeds grow as we tend to the soil of our hearts, feeding them the Word of God and applying it in our lives, thus making our hearts good ground. God’s plans and purposes for our lives grow as we keep walking with Him, building endurance, and staying with those plans to completion. This is how we give birth to our dreams, to the ideas God gives us. The potential is always there, but it’s in seed form until we do what is necessary to make it grow. Now to him who is able to do far more abundantly than all that we ask or think, according to the power at work within us – Ephesians 3:20 God wants us to grow to where we are to go. The challenge is that it’s countercultural. It’s so much easier to reach for what’s instant, for what we can snap and upload, for what we can order and have delivered the same day, but that’s not how God’s ways work. They aren’t instant. God works over time. With a seed that needs to be nurtured. Are you aware of God’s plans for your life? Can you feel any untapped potential lying dormant inside you? Potential is the difference between what is actual and what is possible. It is the unexposed ability, the reserved strength, the unrealized success, the dormant gifts, and the hidden talents waiting to be developed. It is the person you are still to become. It is where you can go but have not yet been. It is all you can do but have not yet done. It is where you can reach but have not yet aimed. Trust in the Lord with all your heart, and do not lean on your own understanding. In all your ways acknowledge him, and he will make straight your paths. – Proverbs 3:5-6 You don’t have to know all the plans and purposes God has for you, since most of them unfold over time, but do you know one of them? Start nurturing that seed today and watch it begin to grow. It’s as sure as seedtime and harvest. Prayer Heavenly Father, please help me nurture the seeds of potential You have placed inside of me. I want to grow where You want me to go. In Jesus’ name, amen.

From You’re Not Finished Yet with Christine Caine on YouVersion always in every prayer of mine for you all making my prayer with joy, because of your partnership in the gospel from the first day until now. And I am sure of this, that he who began a good work in you will bring it to completion at the day of Jesus Christ. – Philippians 1:4-6 The Australian coat of arms depicts a very insightful image, one that I hold dear since I was born and raised in Australia and because it speaks volumes to me personally. There are two animals portrayed holding up a shield—the red kangaroo and the emu. They were chosen not only because they are indigenous to Australia but also because they were created to move forward. The emu, a large, nonflying bird slightly smaller than its cousin the ostrich, is known for its speed, covering as much as nine feet in a single step when running full throttle. It is the only bird with calf muscles—much like a human. Nonetheless, it can’t walk backward. It can only move forward. The red kangaroo—like all kangaroos—moves by a hopping motion called saltation, which literally means “to leap.” They push off with both of their large feet simultaneously and use their tails for balance. The combination of their muscular legs, big feet, and tails helps the kangaroos move forward effectively. But again, they can only move forward—not backward. When I think of them, and the fact they are creatures God made that cannot walk backward, I can’t help but think of us—people made in the image of God, another marvel of creation designed to move the same way. I understand that we need to step back from time to time and remember the past so we can move forward, and life sometimes hits us and we feel like we have gone backward, but God is faithful to pick us up and keep us moving forward. We are all on journeys no matter where we are. In some seasons we move forward quickly, and in others we move more slowly, but overall, we keep pressing on. Though we might pause and look to the past, we don’t want to get stuck in the past, right? How often have we allowed a season of disappointment, hurt, rejection, offense, or fear to stop us from moving forward? Today is a good day to take the hand of Jesus and, like the emu and the red kangaroo, take the next step forward. Brothers, I do not consider that I have made it my own. But one thing I do: forgetting what lies behind and straining forward to what lies ahead, – Philippians 3:13 Let’s take Paul’s advice to the Philippians, forgetting what is behind and reaching forward to what is ahead. We can’t change the past. Not one bit. But we can affect our future. We can keep enduring in faith, reaching for all that God has planned for us. We can keep moving in the only direction we were created to move. The emu. The red kangaroo. And you. All created to move forward. Never backward. Let’s be who God created us to be so we can do all that He’s called us to do! Prayer Heavenly Father, thank You that even in nature You give us examples. You give us insight. Help us move the way You created us to move—forward, and never backward. In Jesus’ name, amen.    

From You’re Not Finished Yet with Christine Caine on YouVersion He gives power to the faint, and to him who has no might he increases strength. Even youths shall faint and be weary, and young men shall fall exhausted; but they who wait for the Lord shall renew their strength; they shall mount up with wings like eagles; they shall run and not be weary; they shall walk and not faint. – Isaiah 40:29-31 Did you know that when serious runners train for a race, they train for the middle? Understandably, the middle of any race is the hardest part. It’s where a runner begins to run out of energy, strength, and the mental focus to keep going. Whether he or she is a sprinter or a distance runner, if they don’t make it through the middle, they won’t make it across the finish line. It sounds so simple, but it requires strategic training to succeed. From a spiritual perspective, isn’t the middle what we’re in training for much of our lives? Think of it this way: we’re born one day, spiritually speaking, and then we begin this race, which is our journey in Christ on this earth, all in hopes of crossing the finish line some day and hearing that we did a good job with the race we ran.1 That might be an oversimplification, but it sums up our lives really well, doesn’t it? Someday, when I finish my race, I want to be able to say like the apostle Paul, “I fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith” (2 Timothy 4:7), but to do that, I first have to get through the middle. To get through the middle—of everything—you will need endurance. The writer of Hebrews wrote, “For you have need of endurance, so that when you have done the will of God you may receive what is promised” (Hebrews 10:36, ESV). Endurance is formally defined as “the ability or strength to continue despite fatigue, stress or adverse conditions.”2 It’s the capacity to bear up under difficult circumstances. The power to withstand pain or hardships. It’s a hopeful fortitude that perseveres to the end. In the original Greek language of the New Testament, it is hupomone, a compound word that translates “to remain under.”3 It is a quality built by remaining under pressure—something our natural inclination wants to run away from—and it seems to hit us the hardest in the middle. In the middle of our friendships. In the middle of our dating relationships. In the middle of our marriages. In the middle of our parenting. In the middle of our education. In the middle of building our careers. In the middle of an illness. In the middle of a court case. In the middle of a pandemic. In the middle of a transition. In the middle of something we’re hoping praying will happen. In the middle of waiting on answers. In the middle of anything is where it’s the most tedious, the most difficult, and utterly wearisome. It’s where we’re most challenged, isn’t it? It’s where all we want to do is quit. But if we will build endurance, that strength the writer of Hebrews told us we would need, if we will train ourselves from the Word of God, and by the power of the Holy Spirit, then we will have the wherewithal to make it through the middle. And not just one middle, but every middle that we will ever live through. I have said these things to you, that in me you may have peace. In the world you will have tribulation. But take heart; I have overcome the world.” – John 16:33 Prayer Heavenly Father, please help us endure well as we go through the middle of everything we will ever go through. Help us run our race well, so that when we have done the will of God, we will receive what was promised. In Jesus’ name, amen.

Here are the Four Stages of Discipleship we have covered this week. The Infant Stage The Maturing Stage The Others Stage The Disciple-Making Stage Matthew 28:19 tells us to go and make disciples of all nations. Mature Christ followers have a deep conviction that they’re called to make disciples. If you don’t graduate to the disciple-making stage, you’re really not a mature disciple. Disciples don’t just go to church; they make disciples. They don’t just study the Bible; they make disciples. This isn’t just for pastors, church leaders, or people with a theology degree. Jesus said one of the hallmark qualities of a disciple is they go and make disciples. Therefore leaving the elementary teaching about the Christ, let us press on to maturity, not laying again a foundation of repentance from dead works and of faith toward God, – Hebrews 6:1 Cultural Christianity says it’s just about me and Jesus: Bless me. Take care of me. Make me happy. Meet all my needs. If you don’t, I’m shopping for another church that will meet my needs. If you make me mad or do something I don’t like, I’m leaving the church. Because this is all about me! For though by this time you ought to be teachers, you have need again for someone to teach you the elementary principles of the oracles of God, and you have come to need milk and not solid food. – Hebrews 5:12 Disciples understand it’s not just about me, it’s also about others. That’s what Jesus did. He took twelve men and said, follow me. Do life with me. Have friendship with me. I’m going to equip you to be disciples. I’m going to teach you, correct you, encourage you and train you. You may have been a Christian for years. You ought to be making disciples by now but you’re stuck. You still think Christianity and church is all about you. It’s time to start making disciples! Matthew 28:19–20 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 everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age. (NIV) Acts 6:7 And the Word of God continued to increase, and the number of the disciples multiplied greatly in Jerusalem, and a great many of the priests became obedient to the faith. (ESV) This is what it looks like when Christians get unstuck from cultural Christianity. The number of disciples multiplies because disciples make disciples. Not just converts, but disciples. Disciples build relationships with other Christians. They teach others to obey the Word of God. Don’t get stuck in the infant stage of Christianity. It’s time to stop being a cultural Christian, taking first grade Christianity over and over, and move to being a true disciple of Jesus! God has more for your life and your walk with Him!

Every stage of your walk with the Lord is part of the growing process. No matter where you find yourself as you’ve been reading over the last several days, don’t be discouraged! Take one practical next step to continue to grow! Today, we are talking about the third stage of discipleship—the others stage. In this stage, the Christian knows a lot about the Word of God and they’re applying it to their life. In many areas of their life, they’re honoring God’s Word. Their mind has been renewed by God’s Word and continues to be renewed. They live their life differently than the world. At this stage, they become others-focused. It’s no longer just about them and Jesus. They’ve matured and have become like Jesus and now they’re focused on making a difference in the lives of others. They want to help and serve others. Ephesians 4:12 says we need to equip the saints for the work of ministry, for building up the body of Christ, (ESV) Here’s what we learn from that verse: Mature Christians get connected to other Christians. Isolated believers stay stuck in the salvation or milk stage. But mature Christians understand they need to be connected to other Christians so the body of Christ can grow. Mature Christians get equipped for ministry. You can’t continue to grow as a Christian and stay self-focused. Maturing Christians become others-focused. Mature Christians serve others so the body of Christ can grow. God calls every Christian to do ministry. Everyone has a ministry inside and outside of the church. Mature Christians move out of the me-focused stage to the serving others stage. They want to build up the body of Christ and see lives changed. As each one has received a special gift, employ it in serving one another as good stewards of the manifold grace of God. – 1 Peter 4:10 Ask God to help you move from being self-focused to others-focused as you become a true disciple of Jesus. If you haven’t done so yet, I want to encourage you to find a ministry to serve in at your local church. Take your first step and become others focused and start making a difference in the lives of others.

From Are You A Cultural Christian Or A Follower Of Jesus by Herbert Cooper But solid food is for the mature, who because of practice have their senses trained to discern good and evil. – Hebrews 5:14 No parent wants their kid to stay stuck as a baby. They can’t wait to watch them take their first step, say their first word, and lose their first tooth. Yet imagine if you just stayed there; riding the highs of applause for baby steps. God doesn’t want us stuck in the baby stage spiritually either! In the infant stage, some people are ignorant to what God’s Word says about how to live a life that pleases God. But in the maturing stage, people not only learn what the Bible teaches but they apply the Bible to their life. As a result, we are no longer to be children, tossed here and there by waves and carried about by every wind of doctrine, by the trickery of men, by craftiness in deceitful scheming; – Ephesians 4:14 Maturing people know better so they live better, and their life and habits look different than the world. You are growing as a disciple when your life starts looking different from the world. 1 Peter 1:14 As obedient children, do not conform to the evil desires you had when you lived in ignorance. (NIV) In the infant stage, some people are still trying to figure out good from evil. They’re tossed to and fro. But in the maturing stage, people are training themselves to distinguish good from evil. They study God’s Word on their own and they’re applying God’s Word to their life. When people are in the maturing stage, they also start to recognize lies from the enemy they’ve believed that have held them back from God’s purpose. Maybe they’ve held onto the lie they can never do enough to earn God’s love, but the Word says: For by grace you have been saved through faith; and that not of yourselves, it is the gift of God; not as a result of works, so that no one may boast. – Ephesians 2:8-9 Or maybe they believe that they can never be free from their past, but it says in John, So if the Son makes you free, you will be free indeed. – John 8:36 As they study God’s Word, they learn to reject and replace lies with the truth that God speaks over their life. By this, they deepen in maturity, trust, and faith in God. Mature people study God’s Word on their own. Mature people attend church faithfully. Mature people grow in the fruit of the Spirit (Galatians 5:22-25). Mature people recognize their lifestyle should reflect God; not the world. But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control; against such things there is no law. Now those who belong to Christ Jesus have crucified the flesh with its passions and desires. If we live by the Spirit, let us also walk by the Spirit. – Galatians 5:22-25 God doesn’t want us to get stuck in the infant stage; He wants us to grow up! Reflect on today’s verses and ask God to help you enter the maturing stage.

Over the next several days we will look at four stages of discipleship. Pay close attention to your own life and ask the Holy Spirit to show you where you are in your walk with Jesus so you can take your next steps and grow as a disciple. For everyone who partakes only of milk is not accustomed to the word of righteousness, for he is an infant. – Hebrews 5:13 The first stage for a new believer is the salvation stage. Salvation is amazing! If you have given your life to Christ, you are a new person! You have been born again! The Bible often compares this stage to that of an infant. I call it the infant stage. You’ve seen a newborn—they’re helpless! Babies rely on the food, comfort, and care of their guardian. They don’t know how to cope with life, so they cry and stretch out their arms to be held. They don’t understand why things happen; all they think about is how they feel—me, me, me. And I, brethren, could not speak to you as to spiritual men, but as to men of flesh, as to infants in Christ. I gave you milk to drink, not solid food; for you were not yet able to receive it. Indeed, even now you are not yet able, for you are still fleshly. For since there is jealousy and strife among you, are you not fleshly, and are you not walking like mere men? – 1 Corinthians 3:1-3 Newborn believers live by their five senses and not by faith. Their spirit has been born again, but their mind has not been renewed by the Word of God. That is why it’s so important for a new believer to begin to feed on the milk of the Word of God. 1 Peter 2:2-3 says Like newborn infants, long for the pure spiritual milk, that by it you may grow up into salvation—if indeed you have tasted that the Lord is good. Every Christian needs the milk of the word of God. But we don’t want to get stuck on milk and stay in the infant stage of Christianity. The milk of the Word of God will shine a light on some big areas of your life that need to be changed (language, relationships, bad habits, music and movie choices). Romans 12:2 reminds us to keep growing, And do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, so that you may prove what the will of God is, that which is good and acceptable and perfect. Some of you are stuck in this infant stage. The Word of God is pointing out areas in your life where you need to change, but you continue to live like the world. You haven’t let your inner heart transformation be reflected in your lifestyle choices. Your life looks just like the world. Maybe your next step is cutting off bad influences and getting in a godly community of friends. Maybe it’s changing your language. Maybe it’s to stop looking at pornography, or getting drunk with your friends, or having sex with your boyfriend or girlfriend. Today, take your next spiritual step by reflecting on today’s verses and asking God to help you see areas of your life that need to be surrendered. It’s time to move to the next stage in your relationship with God!

From Are You A Cultural Christian Or A Follower Of Jesus by Herbert Cooper Then Jesus said to His disciples, “If anyone wishes to come after Me, he must deny himself, and take up his cross and follow Me. – Matthew 16:24 When you hear the term “follower,” you probably immediately associate it with a social media number or popularity gauge. Because being a “follower” can be reduced to following someone’s social media account, we might consider ourselves as “followers” of Jesus being that simple: I prayed a prayer years ago, so therefore I’m a follower of Jesus. Did you know it is possible to be a Cultural Christian but not actually be a follower of Jesus? How do you know if you are truly following Jesus or simply “following” the patterns of Cultural Christianity? Not everyone who says to Me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ will enter the kingdom of heaven, but he who does the will of My Father who is in heaven will enter. Many will say to Me on that day, ‘Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in Your name, and in Your name cast out demons, and in Your name perform many miracles?’ And then I will declare to them, ‘I never knew you; depart from Me, you who practice lawlessness.’ – Matthew 7:21-23 Cultural Christians are fans of Jesus; they may listen to Christian music, wear Christian t-shirts, and go to church services, but they’re not saved. They have never been truly born again. People can literally do Cultural Christian things and not even know Jesus! that if you confess with your mouth Jesus as Lord, and believe in your heart that God raised Him from the dead, you will be saved; for with the heart a person believes, resulting in righteousness, and with the mouth he confesses, resulting in salvation. – Romans 10:9-10 If you have never prayed and asked Jesus to be the Lord of your life, today is the day! Jesus wants to come into your heart and transform into a new person. No matter what you’ve done, God loves you, wants to save you and be the Lord of your life! Now if any man builds on the foundation with gold, silver, precious stones, wood, hay, straw, each man’s work will become evident; for the day will show it because it is to be revealed with fire, and the fire itself will test the quality of each man’s work. If any man’s work which he has built on it remains, he will receive a reward. If any man’s work is burned up, he will suffer loss; but he himself will be saved, yet so as through fire. – 1 Corinthians 3:12-15 Maybe you are saved but are still living as a Cultural Christian and not a true disciple of Jesus. 1 Corinthians 3 talks about people who will barely make it into heaven and all of their work on earth will be burned up. They won’t have any rewards in heaven because they were Cultural Christians rather than followers of Jesus. True disciples follow the life of Jesus and teachings in scripture. Disciples follow Jesus. They don’t just sing worship songs; they follow Jesus. They don’t just pray; they follow Jesus. They don’t just read the Bible; they actually do what the Bible says and follow Jesus. Disciples follow the life of Jesus and the Word of God. It’s time to build your life as a disciple of Jesus! No matter where you are in your walk with God, it’s not too late to move from Cultural Christianity to living as a true disciple of Jesus! Reflect on today’s verses and pray that God would show you how to start living as a true disciple and how to take your walk with the Lord to the next level and move from being a fan to a follower.

As I wait for my flight I watch the parade of people. Disgruntled teenagers with caps pulled down over their eyes trailing behind determined parents. Bright-eyed couples holding hands with the honeymoon sun still on their faces. A group of grey-headed ladies in pink matching t-shirts laughing and exchanging stories while they sip coffee. I wonder about all of them. Where have they come from? Where are they going? What are their fears? I realize all over again in that moment God knows the answers. He sees every detail of our lives. He’s been with us in every step we’ve ever taken. This reassures me because no human knows what’s ahead. There are certain to be blessings and moments of happiness. There will also be hard days and tears shed. Some parts of our lives will stay much the same and others, like it or not, will inevitably change. We want to know we’re safe. We’re loved. We’re going to be okay. That’s what gives us the courage to pick up our bag and go. I lift up my eyes to the mountains— where does my help come from? My help comes from the Lord, the Maker of heaven and earth. He will not let your foot slip— he who watches over you will not slumber; indeed, he who watches over Israel will neither slumber nor sleep. The Lord watches over you— the Lord is your shade at your right hand; the sun will not harm you by day, nor the moon by night. The Lord will keep you from all harm— he will watch over your life; the Lord will watch over your coming and going both now and forevermore. – Psalms 121:1-8 Psalm 121:8 says, “The Lord will protect your coming and going both now and forever.” This is mysterious to me because difficult things happen, people get sick and life doesn’t always work out the way I planned. But even if I don’t understand them fully, these words offer hope. Because it means whatever may transpire God is still taking caring of me. Three hundred and sixty thousand people will arrive on this earth today. Some will depart. The other seven billion of us will go about our business—catching flights, rocking babies, showing up for work, and eating birthday cake. And God will watch over it all. Every coming and going. Every beginning and end. Every dream come true and heartbreak. He has done this for all of history. He is doing so today. He will continue to do so every day of your life. This is what’s true about your future, no matter what fear tries to tell you: God will be there. You will be loved. Nothing will be too much for you and Jesus to overcome together. You may not know exactly what’s ahead of you but you can be absolutely certain of Who is with you. You are not a random passenger, nameless and unknown in the crowd of humanity. And the One who travels with you isn’t afraid of your tears, overwhelmed by your struggles or hesitant about entering into your happiness and celebrations. We are beloved children of the God who breathed life into our lungs and who numbers every hair on our heads. So let’s go boldly into the next moment with the holy confidence that all things are possible and, in the end, all will be made right. —- Thank you for joining us for this 5-day plan! For more resources and a free gift of 12 Fear-Fighting, Faith-Building Scripture Cards, go to HolleyGerth.com/YouVersion.

The rough wooden boardwalk is cool beneath my feet as I make my way to the sand. The sky is still the thick, deep blue of night, and gray shadows sway in the salty wind. I’m not a morning person, but I’m at the beach, and I’m determined to see the sun climb like a rising warrior above the waves at least once. As I get closer to the shore, I can see more people who have decided to forsake pillows for flip-flops along with me. They sit on huge pieces of stranded driftwood, stroll along the edge of the water with cameras in hand, or sip from coffee cups with dazed looks on their faces. I notice one woman lifting her eyes to the still-night sky, and I am curious. What does she see? When I follow her example, I am greeted by diamonds thrown out on velvet. One star in particular winks brilliantly back at me. I find out later it’s actually the planet Venus, otherwise known as the morning star. Here is its mystery and beauty: Venus is known for rising in the darkest part of the night, just before dawn. “I, Jesus, have sent my angel to give you this testimony for the churches. I am the Root and the Offspring of David, and the bright Morning Star.” – Revelation 22:16 Did you catch that? Jesus said, “I am the . . . bright Morning Star” This means, among other things, he is not afraid of the deepest dark. He is not frightened by the secret places in our hearts. The ones that haven’t seen daylight for years. The kind with the locks on the doors. The sort we don’t say out loud or even fully admit to ourselves. He is not running scared from the tragedies in our lives. He is not backing away from the brokenness, the bitterness, and the shattered dreams. He is not intimidated by the monsters under our beds or inside our minds. He is not avoiding the struggles or the addictions. He is not waving his hands in surrender to the enemies of our souls. He is not saying, “This is too much for me.” He is not afraid to step right into the night. Not afraid to even dwell in the middle of it. Because he is light, and in him there is no darkness at all. This means darkness can surround him and he cannot be defeated or diminished by it. He came as a baby into a midnight world and announced his arrival with a shining star. He conquered death in a dark tomb and rolled the stone away, making a way into the brightness for all of us. In the thickest gloom, the Morning Star rose. Because of the Lord’s great love we are not consumed, for his compassions never fail. They are new every morning; great is your faithfulness. – Lamentations 3:22-23 “The LORD’S mercies . . . are new every morning”. As I watch the sun slip into the morning sky and fill it with gold and flame, I bear witness that these words are true. Venus, the morning star that foreshadowed all this light and blazing glory, seems to be more than just a planet; it suddenly also seems to be a promise. A daily reminder from the heart of our Creator that even the deepest night will lead to dawn. Fear and darkness cannot win; the light will never be overcome.

I hold a list filled with words written in black ink on cream paper. The page is small but the sentences scrawled on it feel big, more than I can handle. I’m part of a group and our assignment for this week is to write down our fears. The facilitator says, “Okay, we’re all going to read our lists out loud.” I panic for a moment. Read them out loud? Where people can hear? For a second I consider running out the door. But then I think, “No, I want to be free.” My heart pounds as I begin… I’m afraid of not being good enough. I’m afraid of disappointing God and others. I’m afraid of rejection, failure, conflict, disapproval, inadequacy. What fears would be on your list? When we’re afraid, our natural tendency is to hide. We physically or emotionally retreat to where it feels safer. We may hide under the covers in our bedroom, or we might cover our hurt with a smiling face. God knows this tendency we have as humans, and he doesn’t tell us never to hide. We aren’t in trouble for this instinct. What God does want to change is where and how we hide. God himself wants to be our “hiding place.” You are my hiding place; you will protect me from trouble and surround me with songs of deliverance. I will instruct you and teach you in the way you should go; I will counsel you with my loving eye on you. Do not be like the horse or the mule, which have no understanding but must be controlled by bit and bridle or they will not come to you. Many are the woes of the wicked, but the Lord’s unfailing love surrounds the one who trusts in him. Rejoice in the Lord and be glad, you righteous; sing, all you who are upright in heart! – Psalms 32:7-11 I used to think I had to get rid of my fears before I came to God–that he wanted me to be strong all the time. Instead I’m learning God invites us to come to him when we’re afraid. We don’t have to be alone when we’re scared. We have a loving God willing to be our help and hiding place. When I looked at my list of fears I wanted to run from them. But instead, perhaps fully for the first time, I realized I can run to God with them. After I got home from my study, I got on my knees and read my list again. “I prayed to the Lord, and He answered me. He freed me from all my fears.” Psalm 34:4 I will face fears again in this life, and so will you. But that moment felt like a breakthrough. Whatever we’re facing, we can come to God with it. He is our strength and security. He gives us courage and makes us brave. His love and truth are bigger and stronger than anything we fear.

The phone call comes with hard news. Someone I love is in a difficult situation. By the time I hang up, I feel a weight on my shoulders, like it all depends on me. I begin to worry. This is what I can do, isn’t it? I can carry my worry around like a dog with an old bone. I can gnaw and twist, bury it and dig it up again. Surely this will be helpful, certainly this will save the day. But into that place of fear, it seems I hear a gentle whisper in my heart, “Your worry cannot change the world, only God can.” Luke 12:25 says, “Who of you by worrying can add a single hour to your life?” Who of us by worrying can make the prodigal come home, the marriage be restored, the meeting go well, the pressure come off, the lights come on, the kids stay safe, the wrong be undone, the project turn out right? Worry can be seductive because it feels like control. If we are worrying, then we must be helping. But Jesus, in all his gentleness and kindness, his extravagant mercy and care, takes the weight of worry from our hands. Therefore I tell you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat or drink; or about your body, what you will wear. Is not life more than food, and the body more than clothes? Look at the birds of the air; they do not sow or reap or store away in barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not much more valuable than they? Can any one of you by worrying add a single hour to your life? And why do you worry about clothes? See how the flowers of the field grow. They do not labor or spin. Yet I tell you that not even Solomon in all his splendor was dressed like one of these. If that is how God clothes the grass of the field, which is here today and tomorrow is thrown into the fire, will he not much more clothe you—you of little faith? So do not worry, saying, ‘What shall we eat?’ or ‘What shall we drink?’ or ‘What shall we wear?’ For the pagans run after all these things, and your heavenly Father knows that you need them. But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well. Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own. -Matthew 6:25-34 Isn’t that what we really want? We long to know someone is taking care of the people we love, the situation we don’t understand, whatever makes our pillow soggy with salty tears. God watches over the sparrows with their wispy feathers and fragile bones. He will do even more for us, with our tender hearts and breakable lives. After the call I sit on the edge of my bed and listen to a song, headphones in my ears, hands folded on my lap. I whisper, “God, I release this person I love to You.” I add more words, requests, and hopes. I will say this again in the kitchen. In the car. As I sit in a coffee shop. Releasing worry isn’t an instant event, it’s an imperfect process. I’m learning what frees our hearts isn’t worry; it’s worship. In other words, taking all the hard things to Someone who cares for us. Choosing to trust and let go. Believing he will mysteriously work it all together for good, that the story isn’t finished yet. Here’s what we can rest in today: The only One who has ever been able to bear the weight of the world on his shoulders is still strong and loving enough to carry all that concerns us too.

Do you have faith and yet experience fear? For so long I didn’t understand why God tells us, “Do not be afraid” and yet gives us bodies that are physically wired to experience fear. Our nervous system triggers our flight-or-fight response. It’s automatic and always involves fear. This protects us and helps us survive. If a bear comes charging through the door, we need to feel fear. So if we’re “wonderfully made” like the psalmist says, then how do we reconcile what God seems to tell us to do with how he’s created us to feel? As someone who has wrestled with fear for most of my life, I’ve asked that question often. And as I looked closer at what God says, I finally found my answer. Verses that say, “Do not be afraid” are almost always spoken to or for someone who is already afraid. Israelite armies about to go into battle. Mary being startled by an unexpected angel. The apostle Paul facing a serious storm. In other words, when God says, “Do not be afraid,” it is most often offered as a reassurance, not issued as a command. He’s not saying, “Don’t ever feel fear.” He’s saying, “Here’s why you don’t have to stay afraid.” Do not fear, for I am with you, be not dismayed, for I am your God; I will strengthen you, I will help you, I will uphold you with my righteous right hand. – Isaiah 41:10 For I am the Lord your God who takes hold of your right hand and says to you, Do not fear; I will help you. –  Isaiah 41:13 But now, this is what the Lord says— he who created you, Jacob, he who formed you, Israel: “Do not fear, for I have redeemed you; I have called you by your name; you are Mine. – Isaiah 43:1 It’s the kind of language a loving parent would use to comfort a child who’s afraid of the dark. A compassionate mom or dad knows their little one is going to be okay, but they give words that soothe hearts and calm minds anyway. And most beautiful of all, their love defeats the fear. If we wait to do God’s will until we don’t ever feel fear, then we will stay stuck. He’s okay with our trembling hands, knocking knees, and pounding hearts. After all, he designed the bodies that experience them—and he spent thirty-three years in one. When we struggle with anxiety or fear, the enemy can try to use it as an opportunity to make us feel guilt or shame. That’s when we can pause and ask God for help, knowing he understands and never condemns us. God will come alongside us in our uncertain moments and give us the reassurance we need. Then he’ll lead us out of fear and into holy courage.

If Jesus’s invitation “Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest” (Matthew 11:28 NIV) sounds like an empty promise to you, there’s a good chance one last obstacle to your freedom is standing in the way—control. Maybe you (like me) tend to turn God into a vending machine. Where you decide you’ll put in a certain number of songs worshipping or hours praying and, in return, God will move in the exact way you want him to. Maybe you figured at this point you wouldn’t have any questions left about faith or struggle with any doubts, but you still do. So you try to control those thoughts by pushing them into a back room in your soul and locking the door. Maybe you’ve become impatient with the long work of God and have started scouring the internet for those quick-fix solutions. You still show up to church and read your Bible and all that, but if you’re honest, you’re way more interested in practices where you can be at the center. The challenge of control has existed ever since Adam and Eve ran, hid, blamed, and sewed together fig leaves in the garden. If that reminds you of you, try a new perspective. Imagine yourself standing with King David and staring up at a starry night sky, contemplating the God who created the whole universe. David prays, When I consider your heavens, the work of your fingers, the moon and the stars, which you have set in place, what is mankind that you are mindful of them, human beings that you care for them? (Psalm 8:3-4 NIV) The One who hangs constellations in the night sky is mindful of you. He cares for you. Not some future version of you who better reflects his image—the you right here and now. Trust in the Lord with all your heart, and do not lean on your own understanding. In all your ways acknowledge him, and he will make straight your paths. – Proverbs 3:5-6 ESV You don’t have to get stuck in your insecurities. You don’t have to perform. You don’t have to get caught in the comparison trap. You don’t have to run away from the present moment. You don’t have to try to control any of it. You can be free from you, enjoying the scandalous freedom of trusting God. And it finally will feel like rest for your weary soul. Today’s Truth Statement: I am created in the image of a self-giving God. We hope you are encouraged by this reading plan. To learn more about FREE ME FROM ME by Ryan Wekenman, click here.

Now this I say and testify in the Lord, that you must no longer walk as the Gentiles do, in the futility of their minds. They are darkened in their understanding, alienated from the life of God because of the ignorance that is in them, due to their hardness of heart. They have become callous and have given themselves up to sensuality, greedy to practice every kind of impurity. But that is not the way you learned Christ!— assuming that you have heard about him and were taught in him, as the truth is in Jesus, to put off your old self, which belongs to your former manner of life and is corrupt through deceitful desires, and to be renewed in the spirit of your minds, and to put on the new self, created after the likeness of God in true righteousness and holiness. Therefore, having put away falsehood, let each one of you speak the truth with his neighbor, for we are members one of another. Be angry and do not sin; do not let the sun go down on your anger, and give no opportunity to the devil. Let the thief no longer steal, but rather let him labor, doing honest work with his own hands, so that he may have something to share with anyone in need. Let no corrupting talk come out of your mouths, but only such as is good for building up, as fits the occasion, that it may give grace to those who hear. And do not grieve the Holy Spirit of God, by whom you were sealed for the day of redemption. Let all bitterness and wrath and anger and clamor and slander be put away from you, along with all malice. Be kind to one another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, as God in Christ forgave you. – Ephesians 4:17-32 ESV We’ve looked at performance and comparison. Avoiding is another way to keep self at the center. It tends to happen in one of two ways. First, on those rare occasions when we actually feel like we’re doing and saying all the right things, we avoid our inner brokenness by thinking too highly of ourselves. The second (and more common for me) way we avoid is through the deflated self. The moment we fixate on just how imperfect we are instead of participating in life, we get down on ourselves and look for ways to avoid it altogether. Whether you’re puffed up or deflated, you’re making the same mistake. You’re placing yourself at the center of this story, thus inheriting the unrelenting pressure that comes with it. The apostle Paul said, “You have taken off your old self with its practices and have put on the new self, which is being renewed in knowledge in the image of its Creator” (Colossians 3:9-10 NIV). Self-reliance, or what Paul elsewhere called living according to “the flesh,” puts an enormous weight on your shoulders. Because the problem with being the one in charge is you are the one in charge. Do you know what’s a lot better than self-help? God’s help. And that takes us to one of the wildest things Jesus said. On the night he was betrayed, he told his disciples, “It is to your advantage that I go away, for if I do not go away, the Helper will not come to you. But if I go, I will send him to you” (John 16:7 ESV). Jesus called the Holy Spirit the Helper. And he basically told the disciples, “As great as it’s been to have me here in person these last few years, the Helper is the better option now.” We know that Christ, being raised from the dead, will never die again; death no longer has dominion over him. For the death he died he died to sin, once for all, but the life he lives he lives to God. So you also must consider yourselves dead to sin and alive to God in Christ Jesus. Let not sin therefore reign in your mortal body, to make you obey its passions. Do not present your members to sin as instruments for unrighteousness, but present yourselves to God as those who have been brought from death to life, and your members to God as instruments for righteousness. For sin will have no dominion over you, since you are not under law but under grace. – Romans 6:9-14 ESV The same is true for us today. We’ve got a much better option than self-help; we’ve got God’s help. It’s time to let the Helper do what the Helper does best. Today’s Truth Statement: I am created in the image of a self-surrendering God.  

From Free Me From Me by Ryan Wekenman What then? Are we Jews any better off? No, not at all. For we have already charged that all, both Jews and Greeks, are under sin, as it is written: “None is righteous, no, not one; no one understands; no one seeks for God. All have turned aside; together they have become worthless; no one does good, not even one.”  “Their throat is an open grave; they use their tongues to deceive.” “The venom of asps is under their lips.”  “Their mouth is full of curses and bitterness.”  “Their feet are swift to shed blood; in their paths are ruin and misery, and the way of peace they have not known.”  “There is no fear of God before their eyes.” Now we know that whatever the law says it speaks to those who are under the law, so that every mouth may be stopped, and the whole world may be held accountable to God. For by works of the law no human being will be justified in his sight, since through the law comes knowledge of sin. But now the righteousness of God has been manifested apart from the law, although the Law and the Prophets bear witness to it— the righteousness of God through faith in Jesus Christ for all who believe. For there is no distinction: for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, and are justified by his grace as a gift, through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus, whom God put forward as a propitiation by his blood, to be received by faith. This was to show God’s righteousness, because in his divine forbearance he had passed over former sins. It was to show his righteousness at the present time, so that he might be just and the justifier of the one who has faith in Jesus. – Romans 3:9-26 ESV When you fall into the trap of believing you’re the center of the story, life becomes one giant competition. As though you can climb your way out of the hole if you can just move faster than others. How do you know if you have what it takes? If you are enough? Easy—you compare yourself with others. Who’s more moral? More spiritual? If you’re trending in the right direction, all is well. But you see the problem, right? And the unrelenting pressure self-centeredness creates? We’ll never be able to justify ourselves before God through our supposedly superior righteousness, because we don’t just sin; we are sinners. So, we don’t just need some good behavior; we need a Savior. Fortunately, we have one. The apostle John once wrote that God “loved us and sent his Son as an atoning sacrifice for our sins” (1 John 4:10 NIV). The Hebrew word for “atonement” that John would’ve grown up hearing is kippur. It comes from a word that means “to cover.” A kippur doesn’t just pay the debt; it also purifies (or covers) the party involved. So John calling Jesus the “atoning sacrifice for our sins” is him saying, “Jesus covered it. He didn’t just forgive us; he made it right. How can he do that? Because of his sacrifice.” In the Old Testament, atonement was made through animal sacrifice. In a way, those sacrifices atoned for (covered) the sins of the people for the year. But of course, people kept sinning, and the system had to continue. Enter Jesus. And you were dead in the trespasses and sins in which you once walked, following the course of this world, following the prince of the power of the air, the spirit that is now at work in the sons of disobedience— among whom we all once lived in the passions of our flesh, carrying out the desires of the body and the mind, and were by nature children of wrath, like the rest of mankind. But God, being rich in mercy, because of the great love with which he loved us, even when we were dead in our trespasses, made us alive together with Christ—by grace you have been saved— and raised us up with him and seated us with him in the heavenly places in Christ Jesus, so that in the coming ages he might show the immeasurable riches of his grace in kindness toward us in Christ Jesus. For by grace you have been saved through faith. And this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God, not a result of works, so that no one may boast. For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand, that we should walk in them. – Ephesians 2:1-10 ESV The writer of Hebrews said, “Unlike the other high priests, he [Jesus] does not need to offer sacrifices day after day, first for his own sins, and then for the sins of the people. He sacrificed for their sins once for all when he offered himself” (Hebrews 7:27 NIV). You can learn to outsmart comparison by getting really good at spotting it and refusing to go any further, instead turning back and fixing your eyes on Jesus, who is your atoning sacrifice. Today’s Truth Statement: I am created in the image of a self-sacrificial God.

From Free Me From Me by Ryan Wekenman And the Lord God planted a garden in Eden, in the east, and there he put the man whom he had formed. And out of the ground the Lord God made to spring up every tree that is pleasant to the sight and good for food. The tree of life was in the midst of the garden, and the tree of the knowledge of good and evil. A river flowed out of Eden to water the garden, and there it divided and became four rivers. The name of the first is the Pishon. It is the one that flowed around the whole land of Havilah, where there is gold. And the gold of that land is good; bdellium and onyx stone are there. The name of the second river is the Gihon. It is the one that flowed around the whole land of Cush. And the name of the third river is the Tigris, which flows east of Assyria. And the fourth river is the Euphrates. The Lord God took the man and put him in the garden of Eden to work it and keep it. And the Lord God commanded the man, saying, “You may surely eat of every tree of the garden, but of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil you shall not eat, for in the day that you eat of it you shall surely die.” – Genesis 2:8-17 ESV The first two chapters of the Bible are glorious. In Genesis 1–2, God breathed his breath into us and called us good. At first, we were created beings who were content to put God at the center of the story and take our place as image bearers, but it didn’t take long for everything to unravel. Theologians call Genesis 3 “the Fall.” It was the moment sin entered the picture and created separation between us and God. But what really happened when Adam and Eve ate the fruit? The answer to that question is found in the lie the serpent spun. “God knows that when you eat from it your eyes will be opened, and you will be like God, knowing good and evil” (Genesis 3:5 NIV). Adam and Eve took the bait. Instead of trusting God’s design as image bearers, they decided to define their own rules. And in that moment, it was like a giant spotlight shone down on them, exposing their flaws and following them everywhere. As though they had become the center of the story, the headliner everyone had come to see. They put themselves at the center of the story and were so overwhelmed with their shortcomings that they overcompensated by going into performer mode: “They sewed fig leaves together and made coverings for themselves” (Genesis 3:7 NIV). You might say they ran to the costume box and pulled out the only thing they could find for their performance—fig leaves. That’s the moment these devotionals are about. Because we replay that moment every single day. The spotlight comes on, we perceive that we are center stage, and we start singing for our supper. Of course, our fig leaves have become more robust. Some use money. Or success. Or status. Or knowledge. Or influence. Or humor. Or morality. Now if the ministry of death, carved in letters on stone, came with such glory that the Israelites could not gaze at Moses’ face because of its glory, which was being brought to an end, will not the ministry of the Spirit have even more glory? For if there was glory in the ministry of condemnation, the ministry of righteousness must far exceed it in glory. Indeed, in this case, what once had glory has come to have no glory at all, because of the glory that surpasses it. For if what was being brought to an end came with glory, much more will what is permanent have glory. Since we have such a hope, we are very bold, not like Moses, who would put a veil over his face so that the Israelites might not gaze at the outcome of what was being brought to an end. But their minds were hardened. For to this day, when they read the old covenant, that same veil remains unlifted, because only through Christ is it taken away. Yes, to this day whenever Moses is read a veil lies over their hearts. But when one turns to the Lord, the veil is removed. Now the Lord is the Spirit, and where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is freedom. And we all, with unveiled face, beholding the glory of the Lord, are being transformed into the same image from one degree of glory to another. For this comes from the Lord who is the Spirit. – 2 Corinthians 3:7-18 ESV You, me, Adam, Eve, and everyone else are attempting to put on such a spectacular performance that it merits the giant spotlight shining on us. And that is an awful lot of pressure. The only solution is to get out of the center of the story and remember our job is simply to reflect God’s image to the world. Today’s Truth Statement: I am created in the image of God.

From Free Me From Me by Ryan Wekenman But understand this, that in the last days there will come times of difficulty. For people will be lovers of self, lovers of money, proud, arrogant, abusive, disobedient to their parents, ungrateful, unholy, heartless, unappeasable, slanderous, without self-control, brutal, not loving good, treacherous, reckless, swollen with conceit, lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God having the appearance of godliness, but denying its power. Avoid such people. – 2 Timothy 3:1-5 ESV In today’s world, we have a self problem. We are created to worship God, but we are worshipping ourselves. We are created for community, but we are moving toward isolation. We are created in God’s image, but we are obsessed with self-image. It’s becoming increasingly difficult to stop thinking about ourselves. And ironically, all the talk about self isn’t helping us feel any better about ourselves—quite the opposite. When self is at the center, your own little kingdom is constantly under attack. Conflict threatens your self-image. Critique threatens your self-esteem. Mistakes threaten your self-righteousness. You take everything personally because everything feels personal. As a result, we end up with a world where everyone has thin skin but strong opinions. Self-centeredness is causing love to grow cold. It all feels eerily similar to Paul’s prophetic words to Timothy: “People will be lovers of themselves” (2 Timothy 3:2 NIV). But it doesn’t have to be that way. Jesus demonstrated a radically different approach to life. In a world of self-obsession, he spent his time serving. In a world of self-preservation, he laid down his life so we can go free. In a world fixated on self-image, he showed us what it looks like to be made in God’s image. I am the true vine, and my Father is the vinedresser. Every branch in me that does not bear fruit he takes away, and every branch that does bear fruit he prunes, that it may bear more fruit. Already you are clean because of the word that I have spoken to you. Abide in me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit by itself, unless it abides in the vine, neither can you, unless you abide in me. I am the vine; you are the branches. Whoever abides in me and I in him, he it is that bears much fruit, for apart from me you can do nothing. If anyone does not abide in me he is thrown away like a branch and withers; and the branches are gathered, thrown into the fire, and burned. If you abide in me, and my words abide in you, ask whatever you wish, and it will be done for you. By this my Father is glorified, that you bear much fruit and so prove to be my disciples. – John 15:1-8 ESV My thought is simple—if we can shift from having self at the center to keeping God at the center, it will change everything. For through the law I died to the law, so that I might live to God. I have been crucified with Christ. It is no longer I who live, but Christ who lives in me. And the life I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me. I do not nullify the grace of God, for if righteousness were through the law, then Christ died for no purpose. – Galatians 2:19-21 ESV Unfortunately, each of us has layers of residue from the old habits, beliefs, and pain in our past that move us toward putting self back at the center of the story. Those layers cause us to perform, compare, avoid, and control—the problems we’ll be getting at in the devotionals to come. Jesus says, “Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest” (Matthew 11:28 NIV). If we can escape from our self-obsession, we will no longer need to carry the weight of the world on our shoulders. Today’s Truth Statement: The self is not the center of the universe.

He Is Risen! The Reality of the Resurrection by Daniel Kolenda How does one respond to the resurrection? It doesn’t matter who you are. It doesn’t matter what you’ve done. You can experience the power and the presence of the risen Christ, and it’s as simple as ABC—Acknowledge, Believe, and Confess. First, you must acknowledge that you have messed up and gone in the wrong direction—away from the God who loves you. The Bible calls that repentance, which means to turn. Right now, you have the opportunity to turn back to God, ask for His forgiveness, and receive the grace and mercy Christ died to give you. When you turn back to God, He will welcome you with arms open wide. Next, you must believe. This is more than just mental assent—it is trusting your life and eternal soul to what you know is true. You cannot earn salvation, and you don’t deserve it—that’s the bad news. But the good news is that God offers it to you as a gift because of Jesus. You must fully trust in that gift! The Apostle Paul gave simple directions: “If you confess with your mouth the Lord Jesus and believe in your heart that God has raised Him from the dead, you will be saved. For with the heart one believes unto righteousness, and with the mouth, confession is made unto salvation” – Romans 10:9–10 After you believe, you must confess. That means to publicly attest to your faith in Christ, though you might be persecuted or rejected. Even today, many people give their lives for their witness of the risen Christ. Jesus said, “Therefore whoever confesses Me before men, him I will also confess before My Father who is in heaven. But whoever denies Me before men, him I will also deny before My Father who is in heaven” – Matthew 10:32–33 Your faith in Jesus is not just a private matter. When you confess Him, you become His ambassador in the world. If you’re ready to acknowledge, believe, and confess, why don’t you pray right now in your own words —or you can use this prayer: Father God, I come to You a sinner, needing salvation. I have messed up and cannot save myself, so I cast myself upon Your mercy. Forgive me. Take my sin, my shame, my addictions, and my darkness. Give me Your righteousness, Your freedom, Your light, and Your love.

The heart of the gospel, the good news, is Christ was raised from the dead. He is risen indeed! That means faith is fruitful rather than futile; preaching is powerful rather than pointless; the disciples were dependable rather than deceptive; salvation is certain rather than imaginary, and death is defeated rather than victorious. Because Christ rose from the dead, those of us who believe are of all people the most blessed and the happiest because the resurrected Christ lives inside of us. Because Jesus rose from the dead, one day we will rise too! What a glorious truth! Remember, Paul didn’t say they were just believers in the resurrection. He said they were witnesses of the resurrection, and there’s a big difference between a believer and a witness. A witness testifies to what he has seen, heard, and personally experienced, which makes Christianity different from every other religion and every other philosophy. And with great power the apostles were giving their testimony to the resurrection of the Lord Jesus, and great grace was upon them all. – Acts 4:33 ESV The resurrection is not just a historical fact. It’s not just a sign from God validating Christ. It means Jesus is alive right now, and He can be known by you, right here, right now. You don’t have to take anyone’s word for it. Living people can show up for themselves. That is the ultimate evidence of the resurrection of Jesus Christ—the reality of His power and His presence. You don’t have to merely believe it; you can witness it for yourself. When we witness Jesus alive, we become like the disciples, who, despite the forces trying to silence them, continued to share the truth of the good news of Jesus’ resurrection. The resurrected Christ was at the core of the gospel the disciples preached. None of them changed their story, even while being tortured. None of them simply stopped talking about the resurrection and quietly went away. They all gave their lives, proclaiming Jesus had risen from the dead!

From He Is Risen! The Reality of the Resurrection by Daniel Kolenda And if Christ has not been raised, our preaching is useless and so is your faith. More than that, we are then found to be false witnesses about God, for we have testified about God that he raised Christ from the dead. But he did not raise him if in fact the dead are not raised. For if the dead are not raised, then Christ has not been raised either. And if Christ has not been raised, your faith is futile; you are still in your sins. Then those also who have fallen asleep in Christ are lost. If only for this life we have hope in Christ, we are of all people most to be pitied. But Christ has indeed been raised from the dead, the firstfruits of those who have fallen asleep. – 1 Corinthians 15:14-20 NIV In 1 Corinthians 15, the Apostle Paul, himself a witness of the resurrected Christ, imagined the implications of a reality in which Jesus has not risen. It’s a chilling passage that paints a picture of a bleak and hopeless world. He said that if Jesus is still dead, preaching and faith are useless, the disciples are false witnesses, we are all still in our sins, the dead are gone forever, and those who believe are the most pitiful of all people. But then, in Verse 20, Paul changed the tone with this amazing declaration that makes all the difference: “But Christ has indeed been raised from the dead” (NIV). Early Christians would greet one another with Paul’s words! In place of “hello,” a believer would say, “Christ is risen,” and the other would respond, “He is risen indeed!” Jesus Christ did rise from the grave! He is risen indeed! The resurrection was God’s supernatural vindication of what Jesus did for us. It means Jesus is exactly who He claimed to be—the Son of God, sent into the world so we could have forgiveness, full and free. The resurrection means God accepted Jesus’ death in our place on the cross. It means Jesus was ultimately victorious over sin, death, hell, and the grave. Because death couldn’t hold Him, because sin has no power over Him, and because Jesus is alive, we have great hope in Him! The Bible says, “Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who according to His abundant mercy has begotten us again to a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead” (1 Peter 1:3). That hope is “an anchor of the soul” (Hebrews 6:19).  

The crucifixion of Jesus was a very important historical event. We usually hear more about the cross than the empty tomb in the church world, leaving the resurrection for Easter. But the resurrection is not just an Easter message; it lies at the heart of Christianity, even in one sense eclipsing the significance of the cross. For without the resurrection, the crucifixion was just an execution. Lots of people have died on lots of crosses, but there is only One who rose from the dead, ascended into heaven, and is seated at the right hand of the Father. The Apostle Paul said; And if Christ is not risen, your faith is futile; you are still in your sins! Then also those who have fallen asleep in Christ have perished. If in this life only we have hope in Christ, we are of all men the most pitiable -1 Corinthians 15:17–19 NKJV That means if Christ didn’t rise, all the things we’ve done wrong would keep us separated from God forever, and if that is the case, we are to be pitied. Paul didn’t say if Jesus didn’t rise from the dead, Christianity is still a good religion that will make you a better person, instill good morals, and make your life a little better. He said if Jesus didn’t rise from the dead, then this whole thing is a lie, everything we are doing is for nothing, and believers are the biggest fools in the world. Some scholars and preachers try to sound rational or intelligent and say maybe the resurrection wasn’t literal and physical. Perhaps it was a metaphor for something or just a spiritual resurrection. But if Jesus didn’t rise from the dead, then He was not who He claimed to be. If He didn’t rise from the dead, there’s nothing He can do for you: He can’t save you, He can’t forgive you, He can’t wash your sins away, and He can’t heal you… If He didn’t rise from the dead, then He’s just another dead guy. The good news is Christ did rise from the dead, and that changes everything!

Did Jesus really die and rise from the dead? Some say there is no evidence for the Christian faith, but actually, from a historical perspective, the resurrection of Jesus is probably the most well-documented fact in antiquity. People have tried to dispute it numerous ways—Jesus wasn’t really dead, the disciples went to the wrong tomb, or the disciples stole His body. However, none of the theories that try to disprove the resurrection hold water. Ultimately it is indisputable that the disciples (and hundreds of others) believed they had personally seen, touched, ate with, walked with, and talked with the resurrected Jesus. They died for this testimony, and who would die for a lie? He presented himself alive to them after his suffering by many proofs, appearing to them during forty days and speaking about the kingdom of God. – Acts 1:3 ESV Perhaps you would answer that many have died throughout history for things that were not true. However, there is one very important difference between the disciples and other martyrs. The disciples did not just believe Jesus rose from the dead; they claimed to actually be eyewitnesses of His resurrection. In other words, the resurrection wasn’t just something they believed to be true; it was something they knew for a fact as true. That means if they were lying, they knew they were lying—and they all died for a lie they knew was a lie. Highly unlikely! Not one of them changed his story when faced with the gallows or the sword. They all gladly testified with their blood to the reality that Jesus had risen from the dead. And if Christ has not been raised, then our preaching is in vain and your faith is in vain. – 1 Corinthians 15:14 ESV The courage the disciples displayed in the face of death was not only remarkable; it was especially unusual given everything we know about them from Scripture. They totally dropped the ball when Jesus was crucified. One betrayed Him, another denied Him, and the rest ran for their lives. They weren’t courageous and bold; they were weak-willed cowards. But then, something radically changed them. Something transformed them into bold witnesses, proclaiming the gospel everywhere. What changed them was being with the resurrected Christ—they talked with Him, walked with Him, touched Him, and even ate with Him for weeks after He rose from the dead! The disciples lost everything because of their witness of the resurrection of Christ, and they stood to gain nothing in this world by it. If Christ didn’t rise from the dead, all the disciples died terrible deaths to perpetuate a hoax. Do you really believe that happened? Not a chance.

We can get through just about any pain or suffering if we know the Lord is in it with us. But when we feel forsaken or abandoned, our pain becomes unbearable. In Genesis 39, you see the recurring phrase, “The Lord was with Joseph.” Joseph’s entire story rests on these five words. They will prove to be an anchor in turbulence and reconciliation in what seems irreconcilable. Then the Lord said to Abram, “Know for certain that your offspring will be sojourners in a land that is not theirs and will be servants there, and they will be afflicted for four hundred years. But I will bring judgment on the nation that they serve, and afterward they shall come out with great possessions. – Genesis 15:13-14 ESV Think about how Joseph’s forced trip to Egypt was linked to the prophecy God gave Abraham. Now Joseph had been brought down to Egypt, and Potiphar, an officer of Pharaoh, the captain of the guard, an Egyptian, had bought him from the Ishmaelites who had brought him down there. The Lord was with Joseph, and he became a successful man, and he was in the house of his Egyptian master. His master saw that the Lord was with him and that the Lord caused all that he did to succeed in his hands. So Joseph found favor in his sight and attended him, and he made him overseer of his house and put him in charge of all that he had. From the time that he made him overseer in his house and over all that he had, the Lord blessed the Egyptian’s house for Joseph’s sake; the blessing of the Lord was on all that he had, in house and field. So he left all that he had in Joseph’s charge, and because of him he had no concern about anything but the food he ate. Now Joseph was handsome in form and appearance. – Genesis 39:1-6 ESV Many years before Joseph’s descent into Egypt God foretold that the Israelites would be enslaved in a foreign land. We don’t know if Joseph was aware of this revelation, but it shows us that God’s hand was on Joseph’s steps even though his journey must have felt fully to the contrary. (Note: I’m not suggesting that the evil plan of the brothers or being sold into slavery were somehow good things because God’s plan was being worked out. Joseph later refers to his brothers’ actions as plainly evil.) The interplay between God’s sovereignty and human evil is a mystery for the ages, but I’m hoping you’ll see that what must have felt entirely out of God’s will for Joseph (arriving in Egypt) was actually part of God’s plan (Israel enslaved in Egypt for four hundred years so that she might grow into a great nation whom God would deliver). The fact that the God of Israel was with Joseph in the far away and pagan land of Egypt is so profound and comforting, there’s no way to overstate it. We simply can’t imagine God’s reach. In our western culture, we tend to think of God’s blessing and our suffering as mutually exclusive. We think of blessings as all the good things happening in the middle of all the good times. But in Joseph’s story we discover something that challenges our mind-set, even as believers: Certain blessings can only come in the midst of our suffering. In Egypt, Joseph was rising in power and position. He had found favor with his master, and his work was prospering. Still, all these blessings fell upon Joseph in a land far away from his family and in a culture that didn’t worship his God. The blessings were abounding in the midst of His suffering. Are you refusing God’s blessings in the midst of your trial? Take some time to surrender your pain to the Lord. Tell Him you’re willing to receive His blessings even if they look different than what you’re hoping for. Thank Him for His presence with you and ask Him to manifest that presence so that it brings you peace, comfort, and joy. For more of this study by author Kelly Minter, visit LifeWay.com/FindingGodFaithful.

As you read today’s passage, be on the lookout for God’s providential hand throughout the narrative. It’s easy for us to think of God as being “way up there” in the heavens on His end of the universe while we plod along in our daily lives with little intervention from Him. But here in Genesis, long before the incarnation of Jesus, we see God at work on earth. We see Him moving in specific locations on the map, guiding people, orchestrating events, and working out His covenant promises. Now his brothers went to pasture their father’s flock near Shechem. And Israel said to Joseph, “Are not your brothers pasturing the flock at Shechem? Come, I will send you to them.” And he said to him, “Here I am.” So he said to him, “Go now, see if it is well with your brothers and with the flock, and bring me word.” So he sent him from the Valley of Hebron, and he came to Shechem. And a man found him wandering in the fields. And the man asked him, “What are you seeking?” “I am seeking my brothers,” he said. “Tell me, please, where they are pasturing the flock.” And the man said, “They have gone away, for I heard them say, ‘Let us go to Dothan.’” So Joseph went after his brothers and found them at Dothan. They saw him from afar, and before he came near to them they conspired against him to kill him. They said to one another, “Here comes this dreamer. Come now, let us kill him and throw him into one of the pits. Then we will say that a fierce animal has devoured him, and we will see what will become of his dreams.” But when Reuben heard it, he rescued him out of their hands, saying, “Let us not take his life.” And Reuben said to them, “Shed no blood; throw him into this pit here in the wilderness, but do not lay a hand on him”—that he might rescue him out of their hand to restore him to his father. So when Joseph came to his brothers, they stripped him of his robe, the robe of many colors that he wore. And they took him and threw him into a pit. The pit was empty; there was no water in it. Then they sat down to eat. And looking up they saw a caravan of Ishmaelites coming from Gilead, with their camels bearing gum, balm, and myrrh, on their way to carry it down to Egypt. Then Judah said to his brothers, “What profit is it if we kill our brother and conceal his blood? Come, let us sell him to the Ishmaelites, and let not our hand be upon him, for he is our brother, our own flesh.” And his brothers listened to him. Then Midianite traders passed by. And they drew Joseph up and lifted him out of the pit, and sold him to the Ishmaelites for twenty shekels of silver. They took Joseph to Egypt. – Genesis 37:12-28 ESV Little did Jacob know when he sent his beloved son Joseph on a journey to find his brothers, Jacob wouldn’t see Joseph again for more than twenty years. And he would never again see Joseph in the land of Canaan. Joseph was sold for twenty pieces of silver and trafficked to the land of Egypt. What could seem more contrary to God’s sovereign plan than Joseph being sold to a godless nation far away from Canaan, the land of Promise? After reading today’s portion of Joseph’s story it seems as though God has lost control. It appeared Joseph was being kicked around the landscape like a rubber ball on an elementary playground. His father sent him to Shechem, a mysterious man redirected him to Dothan, and then his brothers, after deciding not to kill him, secured him a one-way ticket to Egypt by way of Ishmaelite traders. The story appears senseless. Reckless. Out of control. Could God’s providential hand still be at work in Joseph’s life? Is it possible that what appears to be nothing but a tangle of other people’s agendas will somehow be the very ball of yarn God will use to weave one of the most redemptive masterpieces in human history? Could it be that God has not abandoned Joseph but has actually gone with him? Is it not to share your bread with the hungry and bring the homeless poor into your house; when you see the naked, to cover him, and not to hide yourself from your own flesh? – Isaiah 58:7 ESV We won’t solve the problem of why a good God allows suffering, nor will we fully understand God’s sovereignty. But my prayer is that we’ll better understand both suffering and sovereignty from the perspective of God’s Word, so that we’ll see His hand more clearly and trust His heart more deeply. Our God is good.

Today we step onto the soil where Joseph grew up. We find him as a seventeen-year-old tending sheep with his brothers in the midst of complex family dynamics, many of which stemmed from the favoritism of his father and the jealousy of his brothers. If you’d hoped we could ease into Joseph’s story with a cup of chamomile and a “once upon a time” opening line, the author of Genesis gives us no such luxury. Instead he takes the more direct approach of immediately plunging us into the middle of a dysfunctional family. If you need that cup of tea, you’ll have to pour it yourself or come over to my house. If nothing else, many of us will find these pages of Genesis relatable. Despite the cultural differences of wardrobe choice, empty cisterns, and bizarre dreams involving bowing sheaves, the longings of the human heart appear to have stayed the same. Thankfully, the God who transforms our hearts hasn’t changed either. Jacob lived in the land of his father’s sojournings, in the land of Canaan. These are the generations of Jacob. Joseph, being seventeen years old, was pasturing the flock with his brothers. He was a boy with the sons of Bilhah and Zilpah, his father’s wives. And Joseph brought a bad report of them to their father. Now Israel loved Joseph more than any other of his sons, because he was the son of his old age. And he made him a robe of many colors. But when his brothers saw that their father loved him more than all his brothers, they hated him and could not speak peacefully to him. Now Joseph had a dream, and when he told it to his brothers they hated him even more. He said to them, “Hear this dream that I have dreamed: Behold, we were binding sheaves in the field, and behold, my sheaf arose and stood upright. And behold, your sheaves gathered around it and bowed down to my sheaf.” His brothers said to him, “Are you indeed to reign over us? Or are you indeed to rule over us?” So they hated him even more for his dreams and for his words. Then he dreamed another dream and told it to his brothers and said, “Behold, I have dreamed another dream. Behold, the sun, the moon, and eleven stars were bowing down to me.” But when he told it to his father and to his brothers, his father rebuked him and said to him, “What is this dream that you have dreamed? Shall I and your mother and your brothers indeed come to bow ourselves to the ground before you?” And his brothers were jealous of him, but his father kept the saying in mind. -Genesis 37:1-11 ESV Think about the strong words of animosity used to describe the brothers’ feelings toward Joseph. Because of Joseph’s dreams and Jacob’s partiality toward Joseph, the brothers allowed jealousy to overtake their hearts and determine their decisions. I’ve often wondered why Joseph shared his dreams with his brothers. Did he do it out of excitement or spite? Did he hope they might start showing him respect? We’re not told Joseph’s motives in the biblical narrative, but the effects of his confession on the brothers are obvious. I’m reminded here of the importance of pure motives and wise timing when we talk about the good and exciting things in our lives—even the things God is doing. While we can’t make others jealous, we don’t want to unwisely foster it. The beauty of Joseph’s story is that in the midst of favoritism, jealousy, and anger, God is working out His purposes. His covenant promises will prevail despite the sin and brokenness of the people to whom the promises were made. God is faithful. This story would have been much less tumultuous if everyone could have recognized at the time that while God does choose different people for different things, He is altogether good and doesn’t show favoritism. “Truly I understand that God shows no partiality, – Acts 10:34b ESV I wish Jacob and the brothers could have known that Joseph’s dreams would prove to be good news for them, that they were part of God’s story, as well.

From Finding God Faithful by Kelly Minter Now Laban had two daughters. The name of the older was Leah, and the name of the younger was Rachel. Leah’s eyes were weak, but Rachel was beautiful in form and appearance. Jacob loved Rachel. And he said, “I will serve you seven years for your younger daughter Rachel.” Laban said, “It is better that I give her to you than that I should give her to any other man; stay with me.” So Jacob served seven years for Rachel, and they seemed to him but a few days because of the love he had for her. Then Jacob said to Laban, “Give me my wife that I may go in to her, for my time is completed.” So Laban gathered together all the people of the place and made a feast. But in the evening he took his daughter Leah and brought her to Jacob, and he went in to her. (Laban gave his female servant Zilpah to his daughter Leah to be her servant.) And in the morning, behold, it was Leah! And Jacob said to Laban, “What is this you have done to me? Did I not serve with you for Rachel? Why then have you deceived me?” Laban said, “It is not so done in our country, to give the younger before the firstborn. Complete the week of this one, and we will give you the other also in return for serving me another seven years.” Jacob did so, and completed her week. Then Laban gave him his daughter Rachel to be his wife. (Laban gave his female servant Bilhah to his daughter Rachel to be her servant.) So Jacob went in to Rachel also, and he loved Rachel more than Leah, and served Laban for another seven years. When the Lord saw that Leah was hated, he opened her womb, but Rachel was barren. And Leah conceived and bore a son, and she called his name Reuben, for she said, “Because the Lord has looked upon my affliction; for now my husband will love me.” She conceived again and bore a son, and said, “Because the Lord has heard that I am hated, he has given me this son also.” And she called his name Simeon. Again she conceived and bore a son, and said, “Now this time my husband will be attached to me, because I have borne him three sons.” Therefore his name was called Levi. And she conceived again and bore a son, and said, “This time I will praise the Lord.” Therefore she called his name Judah. Then she ceased bearing. And now the competition starts: When Rachel saw that she bore Jacob no children, she envied her sister. She said to Jacob, “Give me children, or I shall die!” Jacob’s anger was kindled against Rachel, and he said, “Am I in the place of God, who has withheld from you the fruit of the womb?” Then she said, “Here is my servant Bilhah; go in to her, so that she may give birth on my behalf, that even I may have children through her.” So she gave him her servant Bilhah as a wife, and Jacob went in to her. And Bilhah conceived and bore Jacob a son. Then Rachel said, “God has judged me, and has also heard my voice and given me a son.” Therefore she called his name Dan. Rachel’s servant Bilhah conceived again and bore Jacob a second son. Then Rachel said, “With mighty wrestlings I have wrestled with my sister and have prevailed.” So she called his name Naphtali. When Leah saw that she had ceased bearing children, she took her servant Zilpah and gave her to Jacob as a wife. Then Leah’s servant Zilpah bore Jacob a son. And Leah said, “Good fortune has come!” so she called his name Gad. Leah’s servant Zilpah bore Jacob a second son. And Leah said, “Happy am I! For women have called me happy.” So she called his name Asher. In the days of wheat harvest Reuben went and found mandrakes in the field and brought them to his mother Leah. Then Rachel said to Leah, “Please give me some of your son’s mandrakes.” But she said to her, “Is it a small matter that you have taken away my husband? Would you take away my son’s mandrakes also?” Rachel said, “Then he may lie with you tonight in exchange for your son’s mandrakes.” When Jacob came from the field in the evening, Leah went out to meet him and said, “You must come in to me, for I have hired you with my son’s mandrakes.” So he lay with her that night. And God listened to Leah, and she conceived and bore Jacob a fifth son. Leah said, “God has given me my wages because I gave my servant to my husband.” So she called his name Issachar. And Leah conceived again, and she bore Jacob a sixth son. Then Leah said, “God has endowed me with a good endowment; now my husband will honor me, because I have borne him six sons.” So she called his name Zebulun. Afterward she bore a daughter and called her name Dinah. Then God remembered Rachel, and God listened to her and opened her womb. She conceived and bore a son and said, “God has taken away my reproach.” And she called his name Joseph, saying, “May the Lord add to me another son!” Genesis 29:16-35, 30:1-24 ESV In ancient Hebrew culture, a woman’s worth was bound up in her family. Her legacy was based on her ability to bear children, especially sons, who would carry on the family name. Given this cultural insight, how do you think Rachel might have felt when she held Joseph in her arms, knowing that God Himself had reached down and taken away her disgrace by providing her a son? Remembered is an important word in 30:22, “Then God remembered Rachel” (emphasis mine). By using the word, remembered, the narrator is signaling to us that God’s upcoming work in Rachel’s life is significant to His covenant with Abraham and the future nation of Israel. Rachel is part of a grander story. The word remember in the Old Testament also indicates God’s action. This might be confusing for us because our modern usage of remember gives the impression that for all these years God had forgotten Rachel. It sounds almost as if after having divinely arranged Rachel and Jacob’s meeting and after a lovely wedding reception, God plumb forgot to put her pregnancy on His calendar. Fortunately, this is not what the word means here at all. God’s remembering us will never be separated from His divine activity and His perfect timing in our lives. While Rachel was waiting on the Lord for a child, He was preparing to give her a son who would have a profound effect on the future of God’s chosen people. Though Rachel had prayed for many years, seemingly to no avail, God heard her prayers and had a far greater plan than she could have imagined. While it’s good to wait on God for the things we long for, how we wait on Him is just as important. In your waiting, tell the Lord you trust His timing and believe in His power to achieve your heart’s desire. Surrender your agenda to Him. And where your faith lacks, pray these words from Mark 9:24, “I do believe; help my unbelief!” (CSB). Today we welcomed our study’s main character, Joseph, into the world. We learned that his birth was a profound joy to Rachel and that through it, Almighty God had taken away her disgrace. We also discovered that Joseph’s birth came about because God keeps His promises. He was faithful to remember Rachel because He remembered His covenant with Abraham that all the nations of the earth would be blessed through his family.

Joseph’s story welcomes us with open arms, summons us into the living room, and invites us to sit down awhile and listen. So many have found a dear companion in Joseph because his life displays much of the human experience. We all “get” Joseph on some level. We can relate to him. We’ve probably never owned a multicolored robe that nearly cost us our lives or traveled as a slave by camel to a foreign land, but we patently understand difficult family relationships. We’ve experienced betrayal. We know unfair. Broken dreams have nearly sunk us. And almost every one of us has wondered at some point in our lives, Where is God? Genesis 37–50 (Joseph’s account) reveals how deeply God loves us and wants us to love others—even those most difficult to love. (No matter who in your life is a challenging personality, just wait until you meet Joseph’s brothers. They’ll make your irritable Aunt Jane look like she’s up for this year’s Nobel Peace Prize.) On a very practical level, Joseph’s life will encourage us to run for our lives from temptation, to serve when we’re suffering, and to serve when we’re prospering. And if you’ve ever wondered when to protect yourself from the people who have wounded you or when to lay down your defenses, throw your arms around your foes, and weep, Joseph’s story can help. It doesn’t give us a manual, but boy does it offer us an epic scene. This is to say nothing of what Joseph’s story teaches us about how God can take the stones thrown at us with evil intent and use them as the bedrock of His good plans for our lives. As for you, you meant evil against me, but God meant it for good, to bring it about that many people should be kept alive, as they are today. – Genesis 50:20 ESV Which brings us to another quite practical theme of Joseph’s story: forgiveness. If Joseph could forgive his brothers, I imagine there’s no one we can’t learn to forgive. For those of you who have ever wondered if your dark nights and crushing heartbreak were sure signs that God had forgotten or abandoned you, Joseph’s story confidently tells us otherwise. In a faraway land, and later in a dismal prison, what more hopeful truth could be written than “God was with Joseph”? Whether in prison or in palace, His presence changes everything. Perhaps above all, in this study, I hope you will gather a richer understanding of God’s promises, His faithfulness to His people, and the person of Jesus toward whom Joseph’s entire story is aimed.

As we end our time together, I want to share a powerful picture God showed me when I was walking through one of the most difficult seasons of my life. I’m not really a “see some sort of vision” kind of girl. So at first, I thought it was just my imagination wandering off for a minute. But then I felt an impression on my heart that this really was from God. What I saw inside my mind was a beautiful flower made from paper-thin glass. I looked at it from all sides and admired the way it was formed. Then I saw a hand reaching out and wrapping itself around the glass flower. But as the hand closed around it, the glass popped and shattered. The glass was delicately beautiful but too fragile to be worked with. Next, I saw the same flower formed out of shiny metal. The hand reached out and wrapped itself around the flower and held it for a few seconds. But then once again the hand closed around it. Only this time nothing happened to the flower. It didn’t change in any way. And I could tell the harder the hand-pressed, the more pain the steel flower was causing the hand. The steel was strong but not moldable. The metal flower was too hard to give way to the hand’s desired working. But the last time I saw the same flower, it was made from a white clay. Every detail was the same except now when the hand reached out and closed around it, the flower moved with the hand. The clay squeezed and moved between the hand’s fingers. The hand-worked with the clay until an even more beautiful flower emerged. As I asked God about these flowers, I felt the Lord say to my heart, Lysa, I want you to be delicate, but I don’t want you to be fragile. If you’re like that piece of glass, when I press into you and try to make you something new, you’ll just shatter. I also want you to be strong, but I don’t want you to be unmoldable. That steel flower will always just be a steel flower. No matter how hard My hand presses, I can’t make something new from something so hard. You’re already beautiful, but if you’ll surrender to My shaping, I can do a new and beautiful work in you. I cried as I finally began to understand. Blessed is the one who fears the Lord always, but whoever hardens his heart will fall into calamity. – Proverbs 28:14 ESV God wanted me to be like clay. The white clay flower was delicately beautiful but not too fragile. It was strong enough to hold its shape but soft enough to allow the hand to reshape it as needed. And in the end, the clay flower wound up being the most beautifully shaped of them all. It gives a whole new meaning to one of my favorite verses found in Isaiah 64:8: “You, Lord, are our Father. We are the clay, you are the potter; we are all the work of your hand.” Oh, friend, God isn’t ever going to forsake us, but He will go to great lengths to remake us. We don’t have to be afraid of how He’s going to shape our lives. He is the God who somehow makes everything beautiful in its time. But seeing the beauty in life again will require us to stay moldable by Him. And it’s only in trusting the gentle but powerful hands of the Potter and allowing Him to remold and remake us that our hurts are able to be shaped into something beautiful. RESPOND: Which kind of flower would you say you are most like right now – glass, metal, or clay? Look back at the attributes of God you wrote down yesterday. How can remembering those truths about Him help you keep your heart moldable? That aching pain we feel in the midst of our heartbreak is proof there’s a beautiful remaking already in process … but we can’t give up. Find hope in the midst of the most painful chapters of your story as you read about how Lysa Terkeurst survived her own season of heartbreak in her devotional book, Seeing Beautiful Again. Find out more at SeeingBeautifulAgain.com

Yesterday we talked about trusting God in the midst of both sorrow and celebration. But I think we can all admit that it’s hard not to feel suspicious of God when our circumstances don’t seem to line up with His promises. And it’s difficult not to doubt the light of His truth when everything around us looks dark. That’s why I want us to look at Psalm 57 – a passage penned by David in the midst of a season when his circumstances and God’s promises appear to be in complete and total opposition. Be merciful to me, O God, be merciful to me, for in you my soul takes refuge; in the shadow of your wings I will take refuge, till the storms of destruction pass by. I cry out to God Most High, to God who fulfills his purpose for me. He will send from heaven and save me; he will put to shame him who tramples on me.  God will send out his steadfast love and his faithfulness! My soul is in the midst of lions; I lie down amid fiery beasts— the children of man, whose teeth are spears and arrows, whose tongues are sharp swords. Be exalted, O God, above the heavens! Let your glory be over all the earth! They set a net for my steps; my soul was bowed down. They dug a pit in my way, but they have fallen into it themselves.  My heart is steadfast, O God, my heart is steadfast! I will sing and make melody! Awake, my glory! Awake, O harp and lyre! I will awake the dawn! I will give thanks to you, O Lord, among the peoples; I will sing praises to you among the nations. For your steadfast love is great to the heavens, your faithfulness to the clouds. Be exalted, O God, above the heavens! Let your glory be over all the earth! -Psalm 57 ESV At this point David had already been anointed as the future king of Israel and had faithfully served King Saul. Sadly, though, Saul “rewarded” David with persecution and death threats. David was left to run for his life and then hide out in a cave. David departed from there and escaped to the cave of Adullam. And when his brothers and all his father’s house heard it, they went down there to him. And everyone who was in distress, and everyone who was in debt, and everyone who was bitter in soul, gathered to him. And he became commander over them. And there were with him about four hundred men. – 1 Samuel 22:1-2 ESV And David wasn’t hiding alone. The four hundred men under David’s leadership were in distress, in debt, and discontented. I wouldn’t judge David for one second if he had cried out to God in utter defeat. But the words he wrote in Psalm 57 are neither exclusively a psalm of lament nor a psalm of thanksgiving. David didn’t deny the darkness of his situation, but he also refused to allow his soul to get stuck in a place of despair. Instead, David chose to declare praises about the true nature and character of God. He reminded his soul of who God is—a God who fulfills His purposes (v. 2), a God who saves (v. 3), a God known for His faithfulness and steadfast love (vv. 2, 10). Even though David’s soul was “bowed down” by his circumstances (v. 6), he allowed what he knew to be true about God to steady him. This enabled David to declare: “My heart is steadfast, O God, my heart is steadfast! I will sing and make melody!” (v. 7). In a cave that surely felt like an end to all he hoped and dreamed, David acknowledged his distress, but he also lifted his eyes to praise God. David’s praise wasn’t in vain. It steadied his heart. And his painful circumstances weren’t wasted. God used those hardships to mature David. Yes, David had already been anointed to eventually become king. But it was in the womb of the earth where God met him and birthed in him a heart ready to lead. Darkness was the perfect training ground for David’s destiny. And those difficult places we so desperately want to be done with can become good training ground for us as well. But we must decide, will we see our dark times as a womb or a tomb? Will we fix our eyes on the truth of God’s goodness, or will we give in to hopelessness and despair? When you pass through the waters, I will be with you; and through the rivers, they shall not overwhelm you; when you walk through fire you shall not be burned, and the flame shall not consume you. – Isaiah 43:2 ESV Oh, friend. I know the dark places are scary. But let’s choose to believe there is purpose in every season, even the ones that don’t seem to make any sense. Let’s ask God to birth something new inside of us, allowing Him to do a work in us that will better prepare us to walk out His promises. And instead of being suspicious of Him, let’s lift up our praises to Him. Praise may not shift our circumstances, but it will definitely begin to change our hearts. RESPOND: What have you been fixing your eyes on more recently – the enormity and difficulty of your circumstances or the character of our good and faithful God? Take some time to read through Psalm 57 and Psalm 36. Write out the attributes of God you find that bring your heart peace and hope.

There’s no part of me that wants sorrow to be a part of my story. There isn’t any plan God could present where I would willingly agree to heartbreak and pain. But the longer I walk with the Lord, the more I see what a tragedy that would be. Picking and choosing what gets to be part of my story would keep me from the ultimate good God has in mind. James 1:2–4 reminds us; “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. Let perseverance finish its work so that you may be mature and complete, not lacking anything.” These words are easy to pull out when our worst issue is the drive-through getting our coffee order wrong. But what about those things that hurt too long? Or disappoint too deeply? Or feel devastatingly permanent? To slap some “we should be joyful about this” verses on top of those hard things feels cruel. Like a bad joke about something excruciatingly painful. That’s why I’m glad these verses don’t say “feel the joy” but instead “consider where some glimpses of joy might be even in the midst of all the hurt.” Our understanding of joy rises and falls on whether we truly trust God in the middle of what our human minds can’t see as good at all. It’s hard. So I like to think of it in terms of baking. Imagine we go to the store to buy all of the ingredients we need to make a cake, but then we feel too tired to mix it all together. Instead, we decide to just enjoy the cake one ingredient at a time. The thing is that sometimes we don’t like some of the individual ingredients, so we’d rather leave them out. The flour is too dry—leave it out. The sugar, butter, and vanilla are all good—leave them in! The eggs are just gross when raw—definitely leave those out! And then our cake would never be made “mature and complete, not lacking anything.” fixing 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. – Hebrews 12:2 NASB1995 We are so quick to judge the quality of our lives and the reliability of God based on individual events, rather than on the eventual good God is working together. We must know that just like the master baker has reasons to allow the flour and eggs in right measure into the recipe, Jesus, the author and perfecter of our faith, will do the same with dry times and hard times. We can make peace with the fact that sorrow and celebration can coexist together in a heart quite authentically. Mixing them together is part of the recipe of life. We can sit with and tend to all that still needs to be healed and at the same time laugh, plan for great things ahead, and declare this a glorious day. To have both sorrow and celebration in our heart isn’t denial. It’s deeming life a gift—even if it looks nothing like we thought it would right now. And we know that God causes all things to work together for good to those who love God, to those who are called according to His purpose. – Romans 8:28 NASB1995 Our sorrows make our hearts more tender and allow us to grieve. Our celebrations tend to our heart’s need to recognize what is beautiful about our life, get back up, and go on. Let’s embrace the mix of all that’s worthy of celebration while fully allowing sorrow to add what it brings as well—knowing we can trust Jesus’ recipe of purpose in both the pain and joy. RESPOND: What “ingredients” in your life do you wish God would remove? How could God actually be using these things for good? Ask Him to help you see glimpses of joy even in the midst of your pain, and then write down what you see over the next week.

I don’t doubt God is real and that God is good. But I often pray, “God, give me relief from my unbelief.” I pray this when what He allows into my life does not feel good or seem good to me. When we assume we know what a good God would do, and He doesn’t do it? That’s the complicated place where doubts are formed and we can be tempted to distance ourselves from God. I’m reminded of Peter—a man who boldly declared to Jesus, “Even if I have to die with you, I will never disown you” (Mark 14:31), but then found himself doing the exact opposite. While Mark 14 shows us Jesus remaining faithful in the midst of the pain and turmoil of a beloved friend’s betrayal (vv. 43–45) and the high priest’s interrogation (vv. 53–65), we find Peter with faltering faith as he stood waiting in a courtyard (vv. 66–72). Afraid. Cold. Forgetful. Peter soon denied the One who loved him most. Once. Twice. Three times. A rooster’s shrill cry ushered in the shocking realization that the very thing Peter swore he’d never do, he did. And as much as we might want to shake our head at Peter, I think we all know fear, pain, and insecurities really can do a number on the human heart. They certainly did a number on Peter’s, as he watched Jesus, the One he had seen perform miracles, allow Himself to be bound and arrested. Jesus was supposed to be the King who would deliver the Jewish people from the oppression of the Romans. How could this be happening? Peter didn’t realize this was the only way he or anyone else could experience Jesus reigning as King in eternity. So, in a moment of doubt and disappointment, Peter chose to distance himself from Jesus. Distancing himself to the point of complete denial. To deny something is to declare it’s untrue. To deny Jesus is to say with our words, thoughts, or actions that we don’t really believe the truth of who Jesus says He is or what He says He’ll do. How heartbreaking. For us. For Jesus. But before we give in to feelings of shame, let’s look at Luke 22:61–62: “The Lord turned and looked straight at Peter. Then Peter remembered the word the Lord had spoken to him: ‘Before the rooster crows today, you will disown me three times.’ And he went outside and wept bitterly.” The look that passed between Jesus and Peter wasn’t one of condemnation. It wasn’t an “I told you so” moment. I believe Jesus’ eyes were filled with compassion for Peter. The same compassion He has for us today. A look that invites us to trust Him and draw near to Him once again. Oh, friend. Let’s ask ourselves where we’re denying Jesus’ truth in our lives. Denying His healing. Denying His redemption and hope. Nothing is beyond the reach of our Jesus. No matter what we’ve done. No matter what the enemy or our life’s circumstances may say. Therefore there is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus. – Romans 8:1 NASB1995 We can draw near to Him today and pray, “Lord, I don’t want to deny Your power just because I’m afraid and I don’t see evidence of You working now. Give me relief from any and all unbelief. And help me watch for evidence of all You are doing, big and small. I don’t have to understand this to trust You with this.” RESPOND: Prayerfully ask the Lord to reveal any places you’ve been denying Jesus and to give you relief from your unbelief. Consider reaching out to a friend to help hold you accountable in these areas of your life.

Part of what makes healing so hard is the deep ache left behind after the trauma. Loss envelops us with a grief that comes in unpredictable waves. It’s hard to know if you’re getting better when a string of good days suddenly gives way to an unexpected emotional crash. It’s in those moments where I find myself whispering… Am I going to feel like this forever? Is it always going to hurt this much? I want healing to be as neat and predictable as a checklist. I don’t want to be inconvenienced by it, and I most certainly don’t want to be caught off guard by the emotions that can go along with it. But of course, if you’ve ever had to heal from having your heart broken in excruciating ways, you know you can’t schedule healing. You can’t hurry it up. And you can’t control how and when it will want to be tended to. Trust me when I say I understand all of these feelings. I know what it’s like to wish someone would please just tell you how in the world you’re supposed to make it through all 86,400 seconds of the day when you’re in so much pain. But I’ve discovered those days where a fresh wave of tears hit us all over again don’t have to be setbacks. They can be evidence we’re moving through the hardest parts of healing. The new tears over old wounds are proof we’re processing the grief and wrestling well with the ache in our soul. Feeling the pain is the first step toward healing the pain. And all those emotions that keep bubbling up and unexpectedly spilling out? They’re evidence you aren’t dead inside. There’s life under the surface. And while feelings shouldn’t be dictators of how we live, they are great indicators of what still needs to be worked through. When we love deeply, we hurt deeply. This is why we have to learn how to trust the process of healing. We have to let it ebb and flow around, in, and through us. We have to grant it access to our heart. And when we start to see healing as unfolding layers of unexpected strength and richly revealed wisdom, it doesn’t feel so unfair. It starts to feel like a secret wisdom God is whispering into the depth of our soul. Psalm 34:18 – The Lord is near to the brokenhearted and saves the crushed in spirit. Then one day we realize the future feels stunningly appealing. Not because circumstances have changed but because we have embraced reality, released control, and found this healed version of ourselves is what we’d been looking for all along. I don’t know what kind of pain or heartbreak you may be processing right now. But I do want to point you toward the hope found in 1 Peter 5:10: “The God of all grace, who called you to his eternal glory in Christ, after you have suffered a little while, will himself restore you and make you strong, firm and steadfast.” I’m praying this week reminds you that our God is a God of restoration. And all that aching within you is proof there’s a beautiful remaking in process. Don’t give up, friend. God loves you. You are not alone. Healing is possible. RESPOND: Have you ever walked through a long season of suffering that actually resulted in God building a strength in you that you never expected to have? How might He be strengthening you right now in the midst of that hard situation? Spend some time journaling about this today.

For to us a Child is born, to us a Son is given: and the government shall be upon His shoulder: and His name shallow is be called Wonderful, Counselor, The Mighty God, The Everlasting Father, The Prince of Peace. —Isaiah 9:6 KJV Most of us have experienced passing moments of fear and anxiety that overcome us with dread. But for many, this frightening physical response is a way of life. Anxiety disorders are more prevalent today than at any time in history. We are overwhelmed by financial stress, physical problems, and loneliness in a world filled with unknowns. Traumatic events like war and natural disasters affect the psyche of entire countries. The constant threat of bad news is damaging to our souls. Where can we find peace? Isaiah 9:1-7 ESV But there will be no gloom for her who was in anguish. In the former time he brought into contempt the land of Zebulun and the land of Naphtali, but in the latter time he has made glorious the way of the sea, the land beyond the Jordan, Galilee of the nations.  The people who walked in darkness have seen a great light; those who dwelt in a land of deep darkness, on them has light shone.  You have multiplied the nation; you have increased its joy; they rejoice before you as with joy at the harvest, as they are glad when they divide the spoil.  For the yoke of his burden, and the staff for his shoulder, the rod of his oppressor, you have broken as on the day of Midian.  For every boot of the tramping warrior in battle tumult and every garment rolled in blood will be burned as fuel for the fire.  For to us a child is born, to us a son is given; and the government shall be upon his shoulder, and his name shall be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace. Of the increase of his government and of peace there will be no end, on the throne of David and over his kingdom, to establish it and to uphold it with justice and with righteousness from this time forth and forevermore. The zeal of the Lord of hosts will do this. When the prophet Isaiah made the pronouncement of a coming prince, it was part of a larger warning of impending disaster that would destroy the nation of Israel. God’s people had set Him aside and turned instead to the gods of other nations. They had rejected His love and care, and now an invasion was coming. Only Sar Shalom, the “Prince of Peace,” could bring them through and save them, and one day the promised Prince would come. When we think of a prince, we picture Prince Charming from a fairy tale or the prince of a nation who travels around doing good deeds and smiling for the cameras. But Sar is actually a military term that means a powerful military leader. Sar Shalom is not a gentle hero; He is a powerful victor. Israel waited for hundreds of years for their warrior prince, and when Jesus made His triumphal entry into Jerusalem, they celebrated His arrival with shouts of “Hosanna.” But cheers quickly turned to jeers when they realized He had not come as a mighty warrior to overthrow the government. Jesus didn’t come to usher in national peace from an earthly throne, but spiritual peace from a heavenly one. Philippians 4:4-9 ESV Rejoice in the Lord always; again I will say, rejoice. Let your reasonableness be known to everyone. The Lord is at hand; do not be anxious about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God. And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus. Finally, brothers, whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is just, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is commendable, if there is any excellence, if there is anything worthy of praise, think about these things. What you have learned and received and heard and seen in me—practice these things, and the God of peace will be with you. Stress and strife are realities in a fallen world, and they will continue until Jesus returns. But the peace of God that passes understanding is available to everyone who trusts in Him. Fear and anxiety are rooted in seeds of deception planted by the enemy that grow when they are watered by worry and doubt. But Sar Shalom offers a permeating peace that overrides anxiety and sustains you through every battle. DECLARE The Prince of Peace offers permeating peace that passes understanding. PRAY Jesus, I need Your peace. When distress sets in, it overwhelms me and I can’t escape it. But I will trust in You and Your promised peace. Anxiety will not have the final say. PONDER If you struggle with anxiety, it is often both a physical and a spiritual issue. Ask God to give you His peace. Ask other Christ followers to pray for you. And if necessary, seek the help of a medical professional.

Be not silent, O God of my praise! —Psalm 109:1 ESV Diehard sports fans are passionate when they celebrate their favorite team. They put on the jersey and paint their faces. They clap and cheer with all their might. If their team is playing well, there’s no holding back. But the cheering stops, and the stadium becomes silent when the score is not in their favor. 2 Samuel 6:14-23 tells the story of David bringing the Ark of the Covenant back to the temple. And David danced before the Lord with all his might. And David was wearing a linen ephod. So David and all the house of Israel brought up the ark of the Lord with shouting and with the sound of the horn. As the ark of the Lord came into the city of David, Michal the daughter of Saul looked out of the window and saw King David leaping and dancing before the Lord, and she despised him in her heart. And they brought in the ark of the Lord and set it in its place, inside the tent that David had pitched for it. And David offered burnt offerings and peace offerings before the Lord. And when David had finished offering the burnt offerings and the peace offerings, he blessed the people in the name of the Lord of hosts and distributed among all the people, the whole multitude of Israel, both men and women, a cake of bread, a portion of meat, and a cake of raisins to each one. Then all the people departed, each to his house. And David returned to bless his household. But Michal the daughter of Saul came out to meet David and said, “How the king of Israel honored himself today, uncovering himself today before the eyes of his servants’ female servants, as one of the vulgar fellows shamelessly uncovers himself!” And David said to Michal, “It was before the Lord, who chose me above your father and above all his house, to appoint me as prince over Israel, the people of the Lord—and I will celebrate before the Lord. I will make myself yet more contemptible than this, and I will be abased in your eyes. But by the female servants of whom you have spoken, by them I shall be held in honor.” And Michal the daughter of Saul had no child to the day of her death. David did not hold back when it came to praising the Lord. God had been by his side through the best and the worst of times, and He deserved everything David had. He shouted, sang, and danced, undeterred by what people might think. His joyous thanksgiving was his gift to Elohei Tehillati, “The God of My Praise.” Even in the lowest points of his life, David continued to praise the Lord. Ephesians 5:15-21 ESV Look carefully then how you walk, not as unwise but as wise, making the best use of the time, because the days are evil. Therefore do not be foolish, but understand what the will of the Lord is. And do not get drunk with wine, for that is debauchery, but be filled with the Spirit, addressing one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing and making melody to the Lord with your heart, giving thanks always and for everything to God the Father in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, submitting to one another out of reverence for Christ. Praise is the act of expressing approval or adoration. It is an outward expression of devotion and gratitude for all God has done and the fruit of lips that acknowledge His name. Through him then let us continually offer up a sacrifice of praise to God, that is, the fruit of lips that acknowledge his name. – Hebrews 13:15 ESV It is our chance to glorify Him for who He is. In the high moments of life, praise may come easy. But praising God even when our hearts hurt is a sacrifice that pleases Him. God is worthy of praise even when our circumstances don’t feel praiseworthy. The apostle Paul understood that. He experienced much suffering as he traveled around sharing the gospel of Jesus Christ. Yet he never let any of it turn his praise into lament. He rejoiced in the God of his praise in the good times and the bad, and he exhorts us to do the same. Psalm 100:1-5 ESV Make a joyful noise to the Lord, all the earth! Serve the Lord with gladness! Come into his presence with singing! Know that the Lord, he is God! It is he who made us, and we are his; we are his people, and the sheep of his pasture. Enter his gates with thanksgiving, and his courts with praise! Give thanks to him; bless his name! For the Lord is good; his steadfast love endures forever, and his faithfulness to all generations. The Bible says to rejoice always, even and especially when it’s difficult to, because God is always good. Rejoice in the Lord always; again I will say, rejoice. – Philippians 4:4 ESV He has promised to sustain us through every challenge we face. He has poured out His love into our hearts through the Holy Spirit, enabling us to have faith no matter what. We don’t praise God based on our evaluation of His performance; we praise Him because He is worthy. DECLARE I will rejoice in the God of My Praise regardless of my circumstances. PRAY God, you are worthy of my praise no matter what I may be going through. You love me and have a glorious plan for my life. I will trust You and praise You in the waiting. PONDER When you’re celebrating a breakthrough or a blessing, praise comes easy. But what about when you’re still waiting? When you offer the sacrifice of praise during suffering, you will begin to see beyond the pain.

For the LORD your God is a merciful God. He will not leave you or destroy you or forget the covenant with your fathers that he swore to them. —Deuteronomy 4:31 ESV Do you ever wonder if you’ve blown it too many times or wandered too far from God for Him to forgive you? Maybe you loved Jesus a lot when you were little, but you’ve been doing things your own way for so long, you can’t imagine Him taking you back. Or maybe you’ve been pushing Him away for so long, you’re certain He is out of reach. As the people neared the end of their journey, Moses delivered a speech that was both a warning and a promise. Deuteronomy 4:15-31 ESV Therefore watch yourselves very carefully. Since you saw no form on the day that the Lord spoke to you at Horeb out of the midst of the fire, beware lest you act corruptly by making a carved image for yourselves, in the form of any figure, the likeness of male or female, the likeness of any animal that is on the earth, the likeness of any winged bird that flies in the air, the likeness of anything that creeps on the ground, the likeness of any fish that is in the water under the earth. And beware lest you raise your eyes to heaven, and when you see the sun and the moon and the stars, all the host of heaven, you be drawn away and bow down to them and serve them, things that the Lord your God has allotted to all the peoples under the whole heaven. But the Lord has taken you and brought you out of the iron furnace, out of Egypt, to be a people of his own inheritance, as you are this day. Furthermore, the Lord was angry with me because of you, and he swore that I should not cross the Jordan, and that I should not enter the good land that the Lord your God is giving you for an inheritance. For I must die in this land; I must not go over the Jordan. But you shall go over and take possession of that good land. Take care, lest you forget the covenant of the Lord your God, which he made with you, and make a carved image, the form of anything that the Lord your God has forbidden you. For the Lord your God is a consuming fire, a jealous God. When you father children and children’s children, and have grown old in the land, if you act corruptly by making a carved image in the form of anything, and by doing what is evil in the sight of the Lord your God, so as to provoke him to anger, I call heaven and earth to witness against you today, that you will soon utterly perish from the land that you are going over the Jordan to possess. You will not live long in it, but will be utterly destroyed. And the Lord will scatter you among the peoples, and you will be left few in number among the nations where the Lord will drive you. And there you will serve gods of wood and stone, the work of human hands, that neither see, nor hear, nor eat, nor smell. But from there you will seek the Lord your God and you will find him, if you search after him with all your heart and with all your soul. When you are in tribulation, and all these things come upon you in the latter days, you will return to the Lord your God and obey his voice. For the Lord your God is a merciful God. He will not leave you or destroy you or forget the covenant with your fathers that he swore to them. God’s people were entering a land filled with temptation, and he knew their devotion would be divided. Moses warned them of the consequences of turning away from God, but he also assured them that even when they blow it, El Rachum, the “Merciful God,” would never forget them or destroy them. Wherever they ended up on their journey, they could search for Him with their whole heart and soul, and He would be there. He would not turn them away. Jesus shared a beautiful example of the merciful and compassionate love of God in the parable of the prodigal son. Although the son had left his father and broken his heart, the father eagerly awaited his return. And when his wayward son finally came to his senses, the father mercifully welcomed him back. Luke 15:22-24 ESV But the father said to his servants, ‘Bring quickly the best robe, and put it on him, and put a ring on his hand, and shoes on his feet. And bring the fattened calf and kill it, and let us eat and celebrate. For this my son was dead, and is alive again; he was lost, and is found.’ And they began to celebrate. He didn’t punish him for leaving. He didn’t dwell on how far the son had wandered or what he had done when he was gone. Instead, he ran to meet him and threw him a welcome home party.  Our merciful and compassionate God will do the same for us. You are never too far from God to turn around and come home.  Luke 19:10 ESV For the Son of Man came to seek and to save the lost. When you draw near to God, He will draw near to you. (See James 4:8.) He is merciful and compassionate. He will not turn you away, no matter how far you may have wandered. DECLARE The Merciful God will never turn me away. PRAY God, forgive me for wandering away. I want to remain in Your will, fully devoted to You. Thank You for Your mercy and compassion, even when I fall short. PONDER However far you may think you are from God, He is as close as one heartfelt prayer. Cry out to Him today, and He will welcome you home with open arms.

Therefore, the Lord himself will give you a sign. Behold, the virgin shall conceive and bear a son and shall call his name Immanuel. —Isaiah 7:14 ESV There are many religious traditions in the world today, each with a different view of deity and their own path to enlightenment. People spend their lives trying to reach their “god” with no assurance they ever will. But we do not need to strain and strive to reach the God of heaven. He came down to us. Isaiah 7:1-14 ESV In the days of Ahaz the son of Jotham, son of Uzziah, king of Judah, Rezin the king of Syria and Pekah the son of Remaliah the king of Israel came up to Jerusalem to wage war against it, but could not yet mount an attack against it. When the house of David was told, “Syria is in league with Ephraim,” the heart of Ahaz and the heart of his people shook as the trees of the forest shake before the wind. And the Lord said to Isaiah, “Go out to meet Ahaz, you and Shear-jashub your son, at the end of the conduit of the upper pool on the highway to the Washer’s Field. And say to him, ‘Be careful, be quiet, do not fear, and do not let your heart be faint because of these two smoldering stumps of firebrands, at the fierce anger of Rezin and Syria and the son of Remaliah. Because Syria, with Ephraim and the son of Remaliah, has devised evil against you, saying, “Let us go up against Judah and terrify it, and let us conquer it for ourselves, and set up the son of Tabeel as king in the midst of it,” thus says the Lord God: “‘It shall not stand, and it shall not come to pass. For the head of Syria is Damascus, and the head of Damascus is Rezin. And within sixty-five years Ephraim will be shattered from being a people. And the head of Ephraim is Samaria, and the head of Samaria is the son of Remaliah. If you are not firm in faith, you will not be firm at all.’” Again the Lord spoke to Ahaz: “Ask a sign of the Lord your God; let it be deep as Sheol or high as heaven.” But Ahaz said, “I will not ask, and I will not put the Lord to the test.” And he said, “Hear then, O house of David! Is it too little for you to weary men, that you weary my God also? Therefore the Lord himself will give you a sign. Behold, the virgin shall conceive and bear a son, and shall call his name Immanuel. When Ahaz, king of Judah, heard that his kinsmen to the north had made an alliance with the enemy and were threatening to invade, he feared for the future of his nation. So, God sent the prophet Isaiah with a reassuring message of future salvation. One day, an immaculate conception would bring forth a miraculous birth, and Immanuel, “God with Us,” would arrive. Isaiah 7:14 ESV Therefore the Lord himself will give you a sign. Behold, the virgin shall conceive and bear a son, and shall call his name Immanuel. God’s presence was a big deal to the Israelites, and it was manifested in many ways throughout their history. When they traveled through the wilderness, He was there as a cloud by day and a fire by night. (See Exodus 13:21–22.) When they worshipped at the temple, He rested in a cloud over the mercy seat in the Holy of Holies. (See Exodus 40:34–35.) When people of faith faced obstacles, the Angel of the Lord appeared to minister to them. But they never could have fathomed that the One True God would come to earth and dwell with them in human form. Luke 2:1-7 ESV In those days a decree went out from Caesar Augustus that all the world should be registered. This was the first registration when Quirinius was governor of Syria. And all went to be registered, each to his own town. And Joseph also went up from Galilee, from the town of Nazareth, to Judea, to the city of David, which is called Bethlehem, because he was of the house and lineage of David, to be registered with Mary, his betrothed, who was with child. And while they were there, the time came for her to give birth. And she gave birth to her firstborn son and wrapped him in swaddling cloths and laid him in a manger, because there was no place for them in the inn. Centuries after Isaiah delivered the prophetic promise of a glorious birth, Jesus of Nazareth was born. The tiny baby wrapped in swaddling clothes and lying in a manger was no ordinary human. God Himself had come to dwell with His creation. He came to reveal Himself to us and to become acquainted with our human struggles. To walk alongside us, healing, forgiving, and proclaiming the kingdom of God. To live a perfect life and offer the perfect sacrifice. Immanuel came to show us the extent of His love, a love that led Him to the cross for our redemption. In the days of Isaiah and Ahaz, God’s presence would come and go. Today, the presence of God is always with those of us who have surrendered our lives to Jesus. There is no place we can go where Immanuel is not there. DECLARE God is with me, and His presence changes everything. PRAY Immanuel, thank You for coming to earth to reveal Your love. Help me always to be aware of Your presence. PONDER If you ever wonder if God is with you, stop and pay attention. See Him in the beauty of creation. Hear the whisper of His voice when you read the Bible and pray. Sense His intervention, when you have unexpected strength or peace. Ask God to reveal Himself to you. He is always there.

I cry out to God Most High, to God who fulfills his purpose for me. —Psalm 57:2 ESV Purpose. It’s a powerful word. We’re all searching for answers to life’s big questions. Why am I here? Where am I going? What’s it all about? Is there someone somewhere who can help me figure it all out? When Samuel the prophet showed up and announced to a young shepherd boy named David that God had chosen him to be king of Israel, his purpose seemed clear. But it wasn’t a straight line to the throne. David went from being a shepherd in the field to a giant-slaying hero to a fugitive. And as he hid in a cave, fearing for his life, he cried out to El Elyon, the “God Most High.” Even though he couldn’t see beyond the cold, damp cavern, he knew God would save him and fulfill his purpose. Psalm 57:1-11 ESV Be merciful to me, O God, be merciful to me, for in you my soul takes refuge; in the shadow of your wings I will take refuge, till the storms of destruction pass by. I cry out to God Most High, to God who fulfills his purpose for me. He will send from heaven and save me; he will put to shame him who tramples on me. Selah God will send out his steadfast love and his faithfulness! My soul is in the midst of lions; I lie down amid fiery beasts— the children of man, whose teeth are spears and arrows, whose tongues are sharp swords. Be exalted, O God, above the heavens! Let your glory be over all the earth! They set a net for my steps; my soul was bowed down. They dug a pit in my way, but they have fallen into it themselves. Selah My heart is steadfast, O God, my heart is steadfast! I will sing and make melody! Awake, my glory! Awake, O harp and lyre! I will awake the dawn! I will give thanks to you, O Lord, among the peoples; I will sing praises to you among the nations. For your steadfast love is great to the heavens, your faithfulness to the clouds. Be exalted, O God, above the heavens! Let your glory be over all the earth! The same God who rescued David and brought him from the cave to the throne came to rescue us, too. We were stuck in sin and doomed for eternity until the God Most High intervened in a mighty way. He chose a young virgin girl to be the one through whom He would send His Son, Jesus, to be the Savior of the World. (See Luke 1:35.) God’s primary purpose for you is to know Jesus as your Lord and Savior and spend eternity in His presence. But He also has a purpose for you here on earth. He has given you unique passions and talents, aligning special opportunities for you to impact your world in a way only you can. When you use your God-given gifts for His glory, you are fulfilling your purpose because your ultimate purpose is to know God and make Him known. When you start to feel discouraged about what you’re doing or where you’re going, consider the apostle Paul’s words to the church at Philippi: “And I am sure of this, that he who began a good work in you will bring it to completion at the day of Jesus Christ” (Philippians 1:6 ESV). As long as there is breath in your lungs, you have a purpose on earth. Cry out to El Elyon. He will fulfill His purpose for you. Ephesians 2:1-10 ESV And you were dead in the trespasses and sins in which you once walked, following the course of this world, following the prince of the power of the air, the spirit that is now at work in the sons of disobedience— among whom we all once lived in the passions of our flesh, carrying out the desires of the body and the mind, and were by nature children of wrath, like the rest of mankind. But God, being rich in mercy, because of the great love with which he loved us, even when we were dead in our trespasses, made us alive together with Christ—by grace you have been saved— and raised us up with him and seated us with him in the heavenly places in Christ Jesus, so that in the coming ages he might show the immeasurable riches of his grace in kindness toward us in Christ Jesus. For by grace you have been saved through faith. And this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God, not a result of works, so that no one may boast. For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand, that we should walk in them. DECLARE God Most High will fulfill His special purpose for me. PRAY Lord, thank You for intervening in my life to save me. I surrender my search for purpose to You and commit to living my life to glorify You. PONDER Consider the special passions, talents, and opportunities God has given you. How can you use them to glorify Him? When you surrender all of it to Him, your purpose will be fulfilled.

For every good night’s sleep, another tomorrow will come with its own set of challenges. Just like your alarm clock or phone alarm, stress will sound its alarms in your life every day. You can plan ahead, however, and order your life so you are not suffering a constant train wreck of chaos and stress. You can choose to filter stressors so you are not swimming in their aftermath. People who swim in stress all day long find it hard to give it all to God at night and go to bed! Revelation 21:3-4 ESV And I heard a loud voice from the throne saying, “Behold, the dwelling place of God is with man. He will dwell with them, and they will be his people, and God himself will be with them as their God. He will wipe away every tear from their eyes, and death shall be no more, neither shall there be mourning, nor crying, nor pain anymore, for the former things have passed away.” How do you set a plan to filter stressors? I have found three important steps that are helpful (and for easy recall, all begin with the letter A): Acknowledgment, Assignment and Alignment. Galatians 5:1 ESV For freedom Christ has set us free; stand firm therefore, and do not submit again to a yoke of slavery. Acknowledge that every situation passes through God’s hands. Bad things that happen don’t originate with Him, but, as I like to say, He is not on vacation when they happen. Jeremiah 29:11-13 ESV For I know the plans I have for you, declares the Lord, plans for welfare and not for evil, to give you a future and a hope. Then you will call upon me and come and pray to me, and I will hear you. You will seek me and find me, when you seek me with all your heart. Ask Him for insight on them. He will give it. Seek His perspective on stressful situations, and ask Him if He has an assignment for you in response to them. Then carry it out. Revelation 2:2-5 ESV I know your works, your toil and your patient endurance, and how you cannot bear with those who are evil, but have tested those who call themselves apostles and are not, and found them to be false. I know you are enduring patiently and bearing up for my name’s sake, and you have not grown weary. But I have this against you, that you have abandoned the love you had at first. Remember therefore from where you have fallen; repent, and do the works you did at first. If not, I will come to you and remove your lampstand from its place, unless you repent. Finally, align (or realign) yourself with your “first love.” Maybe you have been out of earshot of God’s voice. He might be talking, but you have been on a different radio frequency. Through prayer and His Word, get back to the channel you once heard Him on. Next, map out your goals. Who or what has been defining the boundaries of your life? Set (or reset) those boundaries according to God’s map for you. Then put the disciplines in place to help you reach your dreams and goals. Remember to keep your three-part self—body, mind and spirit—healthy. (You might even need what I call a “total-temple detox” to get there.) Eat right physically. Ingest and digest God’s Word. Study out your God-given dreams to see what He is saying to you in the night. Pray about how you respond. Philippians 4:4-9 ESV Rejoice in the Lord always; again I will say, rejoice. Let your reasonableness be known to everyone. The Lord is at hand; do not be anxious about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God. And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus. Finally, brothers, whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is just, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is commendable, if there is any excellence, if there is anything worthy of praise, think about these things. What you have learned and received and heard and seen in me—practice these things, and the God of peace will be with you. Understanding the dreams God sends you and acting accordingly can even save your life, or someone else’s. It has saved mine more than once. There is nothing like a prophetic directional dream to set you on the path to fulfilling God’s purposes for you (or for helping others fulfill theirs). So give it all to God and go to bed . . . and sleep and dream and get peaceful, revitalizing rest.

If there is any space at all under our beds, we usually stuff junk under there, out of sight, out of mind. It may or may not be precious to us. I want to keep the junk under my bed, but my husband wants to throw it away. Did you know that most of us stuff more than actual objects under our “beds,” so to speak? Most of us are trying to sleep on top of our emotional junk, too, but it never works! Let’s look at some emotional junk keeping us awake at night and see if we can get rid of it. First is fear—a highway the enemy drives down, straight into your heart and mind. Fear will steer you toward believing lies about God, yourself, those you love and your future. John 15:5-11 ESV I am the vine; you are the branches. Whoever abides in me and I in him, he … bears much fruit, for apart from me you can do nothing. If anyone does not abide in me he is thrown away like a branch and withers; and the branches are gathered, thrown into the fire, and burned. If you abide in me, and my words abide in you, ask whatever you wish, and it will be done for you. By this my Father is glorified, that you bear much fruit and so prove to be my disciples. As the Father has loved me, so have I loved you. Abide in my love. If you keep my commandments, you will abide in my love, just as I have kept my Father’s commandments and abide in his love. These things I have spoken to you, that my joy may be in you, and that your joy may be full. You pay a price for traveling down the road of fear. Exit that highway by reminding yourself of who God is and how much He loves you. Then come addictions, old habits that die hard. Addiction is an evil spirit with many forms. People can become addicted to anything—drugs, alcohol, work, food, people, even ministry. Psalm 34:17-18 ESV When the righteous cry for help, the Lord hears and delivers them out of all their troubles. The Lord is near to the brokenhearted and saves the crushed in spirit. The world tries to deal with addictions without Christ’s help. That doesn’t work! You have to surrender addictions to God and ask for His help to get rid of them and get back on track with His good plans for you. Unforgiveness brings torment, yet people hang on to it anyway. When we won’t pardon someone for a wrong, it opens the entryway for our own torment. As Jesus told us in Matthew 6:14-15 (ESV) “For if you forgive others their trespasses, your heavenly Father will also forgive you, but if you do not forgive others their trespasses, neither will your Father forgive your trespasses.” The bottom line is that we must forgive others if we want God to forgive us. Unforgiveness disconnects us from Him, which is torment. Forgiveness demonstrates that we love Him and live in His love. Philippians 4:6-7 ESV do not be anxious about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God. And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus. Prayerlessness and doubt are more junk that needs to go. One of the best ways to confront prayerlessness is to confront another kind of junk cluttering our lives—busyness. Add hopelessness (doubt) to busyness, and it is a recipe for spiritual disaster. Do you need disaster relief? Then don’t let anyone or anything block you from an intimate relationship with the Holy Spirit. Speak with Him as 1 Corinthians 14 guides us to do, praying both with the Spirit and with the understanding. It has changed my whole life and it will do the same for you. Mark 11:24-25 ESV Therefore I tell you, whatever you ask in prayer, believe that you have received it, and it will be yours. And whenever you stand praying, forgive, if you have anything against anyone, so that your Father also who is in heaven may forgive you your trespasses. The Holy Spirit is a faith-boosting Mastermind, and He wants to live with you, in you and upon you. He is God’s gift to you. Your Helper in everything, even prayer. 1 Corinthians 12:4-11 ESV 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.

Sometimes you can create the perfect refuge in your bedroom, will yourself to bed and master all your monsters, yet you still can’t get to sleep. The reason is that sometimes the chaos that keeps you awake once you crawl into bed continues, either outside your window or inside your head. You see things on the news, or you read things on social media that create a political or cultural theatre far more disturbing than entertaining. And you may not have a lot of control over what goes on outside your window—but you can still worry if you so choose, letting it steal your peaceful rest. 2 Corinthians 10:1-5 ESV I, Paul, myself entreat you, by the meekness and gentleness of Christ—I who am humble when face to face with you, but bold toward you when I am away!— I beg of you that when I am present I may not have to show boldness with such confidence as I count on showing against some who suspect us of walking according to the flesh. For though we walk in the flesh, we are not waging war according to the flesh. For the weapons of our warfare are not of the flesh but have divine power to destroy strongholds. We destroy arguments and every lofty opinion raised against the knowledge of God, and take every thought captive to obey Christ, Try using God-given dreams and prayers at night to deal with that world outside your window. This will help you feel less fearful as night falls. It’s also important to watch your words both day and night, on social media and elsewhere. Don’t pray for peace and then make war with your conversations! Put down those electronic devices at bedtime. Their glowing light hits your optic nerve and cues your pineal gland to stop producing melatonin. Melatonin is the drowsy hormone, and without it you’ll never go to sleep. Instead use that time to ask God for direction (even in your dreams) and pray for whatever is going on outside your window. John 14:25-27 ESV These things I have spoken to you while I am still with you. But the Helper, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in my name, he will teach you all things and bring to your remembrance all that I have said to you. Peace I leave with you; my peace I give to you. Not as the world gives do I give to you. Let not your hearts be troubled, neither let them be afraid. Inside your head, certain voices might keep clamoring for your attention. It can be hard to shut them off, even after you switch off the lights. You have to choose which one to pay attention to as you lay yourself to rest. The only voice that matters belongs to the One who has promised you His peace. The other voices probably include your own discouraging self-talk and the voices of the skeptics, those naysayers without the heart to see you succeed in your calling or purpose. When the voice keeping you awake is your own, it’s time to silence the inner critic. The only way to do that is to be transformed by the renewing of your mind, as Romans 12:2 tells us. Romans 12:1-2 ESV I appeal to you therefore, brothers, by the mercies of God, to present your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and acceptable to God, which is your spiritual worship. Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewal of your mind, that by testing you may discern what is the will of God, what is good and acceptable and perfect. Replace negative self-talk with God’s mind-transforming words about His love and care for you. As for the naysayers, it’s imperative that you become convinced of who God says you are, so other voices cannot change your mind. Knowing God’s voice is knowing peaceful sleep. Isaiah 54:17 ESV no weapon that is fashioned against you shall succeed, and you shall refute every tongue that rises against you in judgment. This is the heritage of the servants of the Lord and their vindication from me, declares the Lord. 2 Chronicles 7:14 ESV if my people who are called by my name humble themselves, and pray and seek my face and turn from their wicked ways, then I will hear from heaven and will forgive their sin and heal their land.