Deceptive / Direction

Behold, you trust in deceptive words to no avail.

Jeremiah 7:8

It is easy to be taken

by a lie.

When i have put my trust

in the liar.

Some I have heard.

Some I have rejected.

Some I have accepted.

Some I have turned away from.

Yet deceptive words still

can be heard.

“It will never change.”

DECEPTION

“Happiness is gone.”

DECEPTION

“Joy is in things.”

DECEPTION

“Just knuckle down, shut up, and trust yourself.”

DECEPTION

By faith I repent from

lie reception

and seek to put my trust in

The Way, The Truth, and The Life.

His Word I now hear.

His Truth I now accept.

The lies I clearly reject.

His ways show me my way

and deceptive words are known

to fail.

“Follow Me.”

DIRECTION

“Rejoice in Me.”

DIRECTION

“I will give you rest.”

DIRECTION

“I am the resurrection and the life.”

DIRECTION

amazing hope

…having the eyes of your hearts enlightened, that you may know what is the hope to which he has called you, what are the riches of his glorious inheritance in the saints, and what is the immeasurable greatness of his power toward us who believe, according to the working of his great might…

Ephesians 1:18-19

I write more reflection concerning this past year. As I meditate on this prayer of Paul’s I am encouraged for the days to come. One of the wild discoveries of 2023 for me, the gracious flip side of grief and loss, is the anchoring reality of hope in Christ. There is more hope than I ever dared to imagine there ever could be! What’s more, it is a hope that is brighter than the darkness, more sustaining than my weakness, richer than my losses, more powerful than my powerlessness, and surrounds me with the saints in my loneliness!

These are more than eloquent sentiments from Paul. In my year’s experience, I’ve come to know a kind of hope I’ve always said I believed — a confident expectation in Christ — that has been substantially and tangibly real to me. I have never been much of a mystic. I’m wary of experientialism’s damage to good theology. I have always sought to play down my experience, testing it by the clear facts of scripture. Yet in this year, as overwhelming emotion has literally floored me, driven me often to my knees begging for relief, I have known the light of true hope burning into “the eyes of my heart” (that’s a weird experiential kind of phrase, isn’t it?) just as Paul has prayed here in Ephesians. I’ve seen by faith how Jesus can heal and help my deepest wounds. Trauma that I had buried over four decades in my past resurfaced in bizarre ways but with the help of biblical counsel and care was illuminated by the gospel and was changed into the glory of His story in me. And for that I am grateful well beyond my ability to properly communicate. Hope runs deep! 

Heaven is so real in my hope. God’s power to change is so significantly personal right now. The riches of Christ are a treasure more valuable and more tangible than anything else I have ever owned or known. And all of that is what God has worked in me through disappointment, pain, anger, fear, devotion to the care of another person without holding back, and the loss of what I never in my wildest dreams would have imagined I would lose. The light of hope shines like a floodlight ahead to 2024. There are more rich spiritual experiences and great joys still ahead. With confidence, I will hope!

hope in Christ

…so that we who were the first to hope in Christ might be to the praise of his glory.

Ephesians 1:12

As this year winds down I will inevitably reflect on the way 2023 has massively changed my experience. The one big thing though that has not changed and will never change is captured in this prayer of Paul’s: hope in Christ. In that hope I am secure. And the big lesson… the great experience of this past year has been my renewed hope in Jesus Christ. As one new and precious voice has so aptly and graciously been used by God to show me: “God… certainty amid our uncertainties.”

I have real hope. I have known a peace in the raging fury of the storm. I have felt His presence in my aloneness. I have known His mercies in my confusion, anger, doubt, and disbelief. I feel His grace pour over my sins, inabilities, paralysis, and failures. I know His comfort in my loss. I have known how God’s truth has confronted the lies I have believed about my life and this world. His strength has carried me in my weakness. His power has enabled me to go on with each day. His touch heals my hurts. His hand provides all I need. His love fills my needy heart. Yes… I have hope ahead of me and it is all the work of Jesus Christ.

In quite another kind of prayer, Paul was convinced of hope: “…I know whom I have believed, and I am convinced that he is able to guard until that day what has been entrusted to me…” (1 Timothy 1:12). Yes, I know Whom I have believed. Yes, I am convinced He will guard all I am, all I have, safely in Him until I too enter eternal dwellings safe in Him. This hope illuminates my view back on 2023 with perspective on the painful parts of the experience and the joy of Jesus right in the center of it all! It also shines a bright light on the mystery and adventure ahead in this coming year!

Lord Jesus,

It is to the praise of Your glory that I thank You for this certainty that You have centered my heart upon for this past year. And in hope of You I face a new year of expectation and confidence in You.

Amen

False love destroys

And you, O desolate one,

what do you mean that you dress in scarlet,

that you adorn yourself with ornaments of gold,

that you enlarge your eyes with paint?

In vain you beautify yourself.

Your lovers despise you;

they seek your life.

Jeremiah 4:30

Craving what all worldlings seek:

acclaim, pleasures,

power, treasures

But these will always reek:

selfishness, need,

ignorance, greed

It is a vain attempt.

And God will not relent.

His justice will burn

as from Him we turn.

“Your lovers despise you!”

As judgment falls on you.

Seeking instead God’s kingdom:

truth, righteousness,

submission, holiness

There is a real freedom:

love, service,

provision, obedience

It is abundant living

that Jesus is giving.

Eternal life now known;

Grace to us always shown.

“Jesus, Lover of my soul!”

Hidden in You, all joy I know.

they are no gods

Has a nation changed its gods,

even though they are no gods?

But my people have changed their glory

for that which does not profit.

Jeremiah 2:11

There is more than disappointment in God’s voice as He walks through His care of Israel through Jeremiah’s prophecy. This is a mix of many emotions. This is God with a broken heart. This is God angry at being deserted and disobeyed. This is a holy God offended by sin. This is a loving God hurt at rejection of His perfect love. This is a providing God Who will no longer stand being taken advantage of and taken for granted. This is a glorious, worship deserving God Who has been replaced by worthless idols. He will not stand for any of this from Israel. The time had come for all of this to change. Through Jeremiah His prophet, God announces what He will do to deal with the desertion, disrespect, and dereliction of duty.

All this is easy to blame on Israel’s blindness. I mean idols? When you have a unique relationship with the only God? Really? It seems so clear to modern minds. But I can have my false gods too. And they are equally unprofitable. True confession: I have struggled with various idolatries over the years. Here are a few I have found utterly worthless:

• Comfort. This is the lie of the “hard work yields a happy, restful retirement” mantra of our culture. I have chased entertainments, vacations, experiences, and hobbies to source my comfort. I have trusted them sometimes more than God. They fall short. They are not God.
• Approval. The praise of man is only partially fulfilling. It is better to praise God. Fickle human praise does not fulfill. Darling one day… Dog the next. I’ve seen how unreliable pleasing people can be.
• Stuff. Materialism looks promising… Until maintenance controls you with its relentless unsustainability! God however gives good gifts and supplies my need. Worshiping things is completely unfulfilling.

So Lord, You have taught me to seek only You. That which is no god does not profit. I heed Your words! Amen.

What I need to be: a reflection for the coming year

I thank my God always when I remember you in my prayers, because I hear of your love and of the faith that you have toward the Lord Jesus and for all the saints…

Philemon 4-5

Lord,

My prayer this morning is informed by the testimony of Philemon. Oh how I long for others to know in me the reputation that Paul found in Philemon. I want to be a cause for thanksgiving. I desire to be used by You, among Your church, and in the world, in such a way that there is not a negative thought of me in the hearts of those who know me. I am far still from the character of Christ. The fruit of the Spirit is still but a vine in me. But oh how I want two very profound one syllable words to be what people get from knowing me. I want to always be a man of love and a man of faith. I want to be known as a man whose love and faith is rooted in Jesus and displayed to His people.

Lord, I confess I get in the way of this reputation. Help me to lay aside selfish concerns, past hurts, and my pride. Help me Jesus, in Your healing and redeeming work in me, to love you well. I believe only in that way can I truly love others as I should, as the love of Christ compels me.

Lord, I also confess my plans and my doubts riddle my faith, making it harder to simply lean into You like I should. Forgive my stubborn need for control. You are my Lord. Your Spirit is my guide. Your Word lights my way. I believe You! I also believe You call me to trust others that You bring to speak wisdom to me. Help me, I pray, to trust in You and to trust Your people when You use them to make me more like Jesus.

My love and faith toward the Lord Jesus and for all the saints must be exhibited from a heart God is transforming. Keep me focused! A fresh year is soon upon me… Love and faith in my Lord and toward His church is my hopeful goal! Amen

the King in your midst

The LORD has taken away the judgments against you;

he has cleared away your enemies.

The King of Israel, the LORD, is in your midst;

you shall never again fear evil.

Zephaniah 3:15

The God Who judges is also the God Who forgives and restores. Despite all the stern language of wrath in the prophecies of Zephaniah, despite the exile of the Jews and the destruction of Jerusalem, God promises to bring back a people who will worship Him wholeheartedly. He will restore a cleansed and repentant people who will once again live under His rule, love His law, thrive under His blessing, and enjoy freedom from fear.

And how will this happen? The Lord will do it. It is God Who takes away His judgment (now accomplished by Christ). It is God Who clears away all Israel’s historic enemies (a promise as yet unfulfilled). God promises to directly rule in Jerusalem as King. That is yet to be realized in the return of Jesus. But God never lies. And this is why I still cling to an interpretive stance (ridiculed as it often is and sometimes rightly so for its extremes) that there are yet promises that Jesus will keep as King of Israel. Yes, the Jews must trust the gospel. They must see Jesus as Savior and Lord by virtue of His life, death, and resurrection. But God will not let His Word return to Him without accomplishing His purpose. It is for that reason that as I celebrate the first advent of Jesus in a manger, I also anticipate His coming advent as Messiah!

I’m completely unsure as to whether the current war in Israel has scriptural prophecy associated with it. I know it is NOT to be proof-texted by biblical citation. I am not compelled to do so. I do know that historically Gaza represents Philistine enemies of Israel. And even in my current reading of Zephaniah, I see that the prophet foretold of Gaza (and all Philistine oppression of Israel) to be made desolate and uninhabited (Zephaniah 2:4). Maybe that could happen now. Perhaps not. It seems to me that it would only occur as a prerequisite to Jesus doing this physically restorative work mentioned in Zephaniah 3:15 to rule as King. And that seems to be still on the horizon. I’ll never geek out on biblical prophecy concerning Israel. I want to understand it, but it is complex. Instead, I will always marvel at how it all points to Jesus, King of Kings, Messiah, and Lord of Lords!

hidden on THE DAY in Christ

Seek the LORD, all you humble of the land,

who do his just commands;

seek righteousness; seek humility;

perhaps you may be hidden

on the day of the anger of the LORD.

Zephaniah 2:3

There is a call to repentance made in this stern passage about the day of God’s wrath yet to fall on planet earth. Both the Old and New Testaments are very clear on this fact: God has prepared a day when He will, in righteous anger, judge all the peoples of the earth. No nation is beyond His ability to bring them to nothing before Him. No person will escape His scrutiny. It will be a global event judging the entire world. It will also be a personal judgment unique for each individual. God will pour His wrath on a rebellious planet. God will indeed be merciful to those who are truly seeking Him. This is an unpopular doctrine today, but scripture is clear: to reject the Day of the Lord is to reject God.

This verse sets the criteria for what will help a person thrive and survive on that day of God’s fierce anger. There are four things mentioned here that lead to survival and they are all provided for in Jesus by trusting the gospel:

1) Seek the Lord. Those who honestly want to know God… who believe Him, who trust Him, who cry out to Him, and who want to know His ways will be heard by Him. God comes to those who truly seek Him and then reveals further what they need to be saved.

2) Obey the Word of God. God will spare those who “do his just commands”. They respect and obey scripture. They know the Bible as God’s Word and His truth and they commit to following it as best they can in their day-to-day choices.

3) Seek righteousness. Survivors want to do what is right. God’s holiness motivates them. They find out how to do so by following what God says in His Word and obeying it. They trust the God Who supplies the ability to be forgiven and made holy in Christ.

4) Seek humility. This characteristic is mentioned twice in this verse. Those who reject the exaltation of self, who abhor the sinful arrogance of human pride, will find mercy from God and grace to live in dependence upon all God gives. Humility orders a person under the Lordship of Christ, the King of Kings.

By the way, all four of these characteristics are perfectly found only in Jesus. We MUST believe Him, find salvation in Him, submit to His rule, and be delivered by faith in the gospel in order to confidently be hidden in Christ during that day of God’s wrath. He is our Deliverer. Jesus already took our judgment on the cross. Faith in Him saves us in the Day of the Lord.

Sweep Away

“I will utterly sweep away everything

from the face of the earth,” declares the LORD.

Zephaniah 1:2

Things seem outrageously

bad today;

God has promised He will utterly

sweep it all away.

A day of justice ultimately

will fall;

God will finally, eventually

end it all.

A divine broom furiously

will sweep

the debris of sin judiciously

cleansed deep.

A hand of judgment powerfully

will not relent

and all humankind will meekly

keep silent!

Everything will be purged, righteously

swept through;

As fires burn, the heavens and earth freshly

made new.

On that day, Jesus victoriously —

broom in hand

wields sword and scepter simultaneously

over all the land.

Come now Lord Jesus quickly

to reign!

Over us, judge and cleanse completely

all our sin and pain.

Old creation groans, weary and deathly,

longing for this day

when Jesus, You deliver us completely —

sweep the old stuff away!

working spiritually

Whatever you do, work heartily, as for the Lord and not for men, knowing that from the Lord you will receive the inheritance as your reward. You are serving the Lord Christ.

Colossians 3:23-24

These words were originally written to encourage slaves who had converted to Christianity. They may have toiled under Christian masters. They may have had unbelieving masters. Paul instructs them in either situation to consider that earthly slavery is not their true condition. He urges them to take a higher view of their lives, and in so doing, calls us to consider the same.

Paul’s advice to slaves is to “work heartily”. The phrase can be literally translated as “work from your soul”, or in better vernacular to “work spiritually”. Their work was not mere physical labor or menial management. Instead, slaves were to do spiritual work, with a focus of offering their labor to Christ, not men. Slaves were to look for the “well done” of Jesus and not people. They were to be rewarded by serving Christ as their Master and not to get hung up on pleasing human masters.

It is popular to attempt to translate Paul’s advice to slaves into modern principles of employment for Christian employees in the marketplace. I find that offensive for a couple reasons. First, it trivializes the dehumanization that is institutional slavery, and though Roman slavery was not as brutal as American racial slavery, it was still awful. Secondly, it minimizes the reality of vocational calling and unique giftednese if I think of myself as a “slave” to my job. Instead, I choose to just embrace Paul’s advice to slaves as good insight into every believer’s motivation. We should do all for Christ’s kingdom anyway. Paul considered himself a slave of Christ (Titus 1:1). Christians call Jesus Lord and Master, a slave’s address to a superior authority. Mentally, we should serve because we have no other occupation or choice in the matter. We are slaves of Jesus. We too must serve “the Lord Christ”.

And so I labor in the kingdom, which I will do however I am called to do so, until God takes me home. I will adopt a motivation to work “with soul”, in a spiritual way, with God-focused motivations. My goal is not human recognition, the employee of the year reward, MVP status, or applause from others as I take the stage. Rather, I have one “well done” in mind as I toil behind the scenes, with humility, content to let others be served and to serve my Savior. I will only hope to possibly hear “well done” when one day I will bow before my only Master and Lord: Jesus!

the path to healthy relationships

Put on then, as God's chosen ones, holy and beloved, compassionate hearts, kindness, humility, meekness, and patience, bearing with one another and, if one has a complaint against another, forgiving each other; as the Lord has forgiven you, so you also must forgive.

Colossians 3:12-13

I’m struck with some powerful principles about human relationships from these two verses. The truth challenges me and calls me to live differently than I normally would be wired to react. These principles involve deliberate choices when my worst reactions might want to come tearing out of me.

1. Relational stability requires deliberate effort. It does not just happen. I have to apply myself to God’s truth. I can make changes in my actions, but have no power for other people to do the same in their lives. So I must “put to death” what Paul calls “earthly” passions (Colossians 3:5-10). Once these are recognized as wrong and repentance is started, I must complete it by also “putting on” the character that Christ calls me to exhibit. I make the choice and commit to the change. God supplies the means in Christ, but I am expected to live it out actively.

2. Change is both internal and external. God changes me (He chose me, He loves me, He made me holy - Colossians 3:12) and I also “put on” the change. It works out of the new life that Christ creates in faith. Without first believing the gospel I cannot change. But belief must always show in action. It will be seen by compassion, kindness, humility, meekness, and patience in my actions. I pray such things will be what people see in me, and hope that this character outline is truly the man I am known to be.

3. Forgiveness covers my complaints about others. Sooner or later in any human relationship there will be an action or attitude that hurts a person. It is easy for me to hold such complaints against another person… to see their sin as so great and mine as so insignificant. But we are called not to hold grudges, cast judgment, make a record of wrongs, or point fingers. We are told instead to seek to be forgiven and forgiving when relational dissonance is experienced. This is a loving and gracious commitment. I struggle to be this way, but want to receive this kind of treatment, so I commit to forgiveness as my hope in all conflict.

4. Jesus is the standard for relational peace. We forgive as Jesus forgives us and because He has forgiven us. We sacrifice our demands, we humble our hearts, we surrender to our Savior’s standard, and we forgive. This high standard keeps us focused on Jesus Who is our peace. With Him as the center, the focus of our hopes and ambitions, the Lord over our thoughts and actions, our relationships can thrive!

competing captivations

See to it that no one takes you captive by philosophy and empty deceit, according to human tradition, according to the elemental spirits of the world, and not according to Christ.

Colossians 2:8

As I read this warning, I am reminded to carefully consider what thoughts I entertain, what rationale for life I will offer up, and I am called to essentially evaluate why I do what I do. It is easy to be captivated by another kind of thinking than that which Christ teaches us. This world is filled with competing captivations. It is the water in which we swim. Here are quite honestly a few that can become alluring enemies of the Christian life if we let them:

Self-empowerment. This is a very dominant philosophy in our culture. It underlies many a “family film” and our culture makes heroes of those who “believe” in themselves… even if their lifestyle is selfish and sinful. I’ve found myself tempted to fall for it, oddly enough, especially as I’ve had to face so many solo experiences this past year. How dare I think I did them without the enablement of Christ?! But ultimately self-power is an empty deceit because I lack the power to change my broken, sinful heart. And I know what lurks there. I need Christ and the gospel to change and empower me.

Human relationships. It is tempting to look for people to be what only Jesus can be. Don’t get me wrong… human relationships, especially with other Christians… are vital. God made us social beings and it is not good to be alone. But human relationships are not the sole substance of my life and if I find my only happiness in them I WILL be disappointed. I will also disappoint others because as fallen sinners, all human relationships are marred… will have a degree of brokenness that only Christ can mend. The controller of all relationships and King over all the love I seek with others is Jesus!

Materialism. I am still very much a child of consumeristic, American-Dream, late 20th century cultural persuasion. But having stuff, maintaining stuff, buying stuff, and owning stuff… none of that experience is a source of lasting happiness. Materialism does not fulfill because my soul must love souls and be loved by another Greater One to find true fulfillment. Materialism’s failure is this: THINGS DO NOT LOVE BACK! That is why Christ owns me and I claim nothing but the cross and an empty tomb as my greatest hope of possession. Only then am I forever free of greed and consumeristic unmet wants. Only then can I find joy in being His as He is mine!

my heart is encouraged

…that their hearts may be encouraged, being knit together in love, to reach all the riches of full assurance of understanding and the knowledge of God's mystery, which is Christ, in whom are hidden all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge.

Colossians 2:2-3

This is a prayer for encouragement. Paul prayed it for the believers in a specific congregation. He prayed for a church whose members he had met and that grew so that there were also many members he had not met. And it is a rich prayer revealing strong facets of encouragement in Christ. Look at the list:

• Hearts drawn to other believers in love. We all crave close relationships. We are designed to thrive in community. Christians should find this among other believers in a local church. Our hearts are “being knit together in love.”
• A spiritual life with true riches. The wealth of gospel community should be what each Christian knows and loves the most. We need one another. Our relationships enrich us.
• A new understanding in Christ. Paul’s word is “mystery”, meaning a powerful truth in Jesus that was a “surprise” to Old Testament theology but is now revealed in the gospel. And this surprise is a joyous revelation of new wisdom and knowledge.
• Possession of the greatest treasures. Christ is who and what we value. And nothing in this world, no gold or silver, no investments, no property, no earthly possessions match the priceless treasure hidden in our life with Christ.

Lord,

My life is bound in the experience of the gospel. My heart is knit to my Christian family. My wealth is found in Jesus. My wisdom is Christ. My treasure forever kept in heaven is hidden in my Savior. I am indeed encouraged despite whatever comes my way!

Amen

Jesus… Mighty God

And he is before all things, and in him all things hold together.

Colossians 1:17

Do we really know this Jesus that Christmas is all about? Would we boldly believe that a baby arrived in a backwoods Judean town, born to a Jewish peasant girl while an empire crushed her people… and that this unknown, oppressed, impoverished little human was actually the omnipotent God of the universe? That’s the truth of it as the gospels reveal it and as in this passage the apostles proclaimed it. Jesus is the Mighty God!

Paul’s words here have Jesus securely holding the universe in the pinch of His thumb and forefinger. It is hardly an exertion! He existed before “all things”. Jesus is the Eternal God, from everlasting to everlasting, the One Who was, and Who is, and Who is always to be. He is God Almighty Who entered into this universe He designed. He is in control. He is before time, in time, beyond time. Jesus is the Eternal God. That was the person they laid in a cattle trough for a cradle and Who relied on His mother’s care to survive as an infant. Even there and then Jesus is God. This is mind blowing stuff!

But wait… there’s more. Paul goes on to say that, by Jesus, “all things hold together.” Jesus made the universe and as God, He controls it. It would all just disintegrate… easily “poof” out of existence were it not for His sovereign Lordship over all creation. Again… that baby in Bethlehem? He’s that powerful! He is the key to the universe. He keeps it all together. He also keeps us and our lives all together!

Jesus… Mighty God!

You Who are before all things… Who always has been and always will be… You know my times… are in my times… literally You are my life since all this is true! And You are before my life right now holding ME all together. You shower grace and life on ME. You, my Lord Jesus, are the Mighty God.

Amen

Full Power

May you be strengthened with all power, according to his glorious might, for all endurance and patience with joy; giving thanks to the Father, who has qualified you to share in the inheritance of the saints in light.

Colossians 1:11-12

Father, Who sent Your only Son

so my redemption could be done

how I need strength, I pray

to see me through this busy day.

I’ll need words not my own

to encourage those who are down.

I’ll need strength only You give

so I and others can truly live.

Lord, if I’m not filled with Your might

I might collapse before tonight!

So fill me up, in what You say

with all Your power for today

I have a long race yet to run;

Endurance is needed until day is done.

I have tough foes to counter and fight

patiently empower me with Your might.

I’m giving thanks to my Father above

You save me, equip me, in Your love

to share in an inheritance in light

with all Your saints shining so bright.

Strengthened by power, with joy I’ll go

into this day praising the God I know.

Full power supplied by Your saving grace,

I will endure and run this race!

Lord, Your strength is my power.

Your truth guides me through each hour.

To You I sing my heartfelt praise.

You will lead and brighten all my ways!

three essential christian experiences

…since we heard of your faith in Christ Jesus and of the love that you have for all the saints, because of the hope laid up for you in heaven. Of this you have heard before in the word of the truth, the gospel…

Colossians 1:4-5

This careful prayer of Paul’s emphasizes three essential experiences every believer in Christ enjoys. They satisfy our souls. I believe they set our character and define all our relationships.

The first experience: Faith in Christ Jesus. Christianity is all about Jesus. The good news of the truth, the gospel, is all about Jesus. Jesus is our Teacher. Jesus is our Savior. Jesus is our Leader. Jesus is God. Jesus is our Lord. It is an essential experience that all Christians are committed to gospel faith in Jesus, about Jesus, and upon His completed work. From that essential our relationship with God, and in Christ, can be lived to the full, with joy, thankfulness, and direction.

Secondly, we know love for all Jesus’ people. The church is a vital place, not just pounding out right doctrine exclusively, or demanding hard expectations of us. No, the church is a group of people who experience the love of Christ together and in that love we grow, thrive, learn to think, and mature in our understanding both of our Savior and the saints. I love people because Jesus does. I love His church because He does. My deepest friendships are in Christ with Christians. In many ways my local church is my family and always will be. And with Jesus in common, we know love. With Him we show love.

And finally there is hope for us in heaven. We work toward an eternal goal. That hope Paul says is “laid up” for us… a call to the language of Jesus Himself Who calls us to “lay up for yourselves treasure in heaven”. His perspective was bigger than the mere present and its possessions. And our measure of success and wealth in Christ must also be eternally focused. My hope (re-arranged as all things have become for me in 2023) is squarely set in heaven. Eternal life is so much more important than chasing any earthly endeavor. Jesus, and eternity with Him, are the real treasures!

And so… in faith, love, and hope I now live by the mercies and grace of Jesus Christ. Lord, may Your people thrive in these essentials until You return!

of merchants and locusts

You increased your merchants

more than the stars of the heavens.

The locust spreads its wings and flies away.

Nahum 3:16

It is foolish to put one’s trust in business, in economies, or in the ability to make money. When Ninevah fell under God’s judgment, no amount of business expertise, no profit margins, no bank accounts, no healthy economic forecasts would deliver the nation. The capital city was obliterated, the empire toppled, the merchants were all made paupers, and the economy collapsed. It was as if a devouring plague of locusts stripped everything, eating wealth like crops, leaving businessmen destitute, and then flying away.

All my life I have lived in a country with a thriving economy. Even in temporary recessionary times, America has been on the top of the world in terms of wealth, average lifestyle, and per capita income. Although I have never been particularly wealthy by American standards, by world standards I live like a king! I’ve never gone to bed without food, shelter, security, access to healthcare, clothing, or at least a little money in my pocket. For that I am very thankful. But I don’t take it for granted. I’m amazed God has kept my culture thriving as long as it has.

God will not let trust in riches steal His glory. Wealth is deceptive. Riches pierce the heart with many pangs. Estates should be stewarded with one goal in mind: “Lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven.” Christians invest only in eternity. And for that reason I reject the American Dream and trust instead in God’s provision and the glory of the gospel. The locust could eat all my material possessions tomorrow. Yet God will not leave me without His provision and love! May Jesus always be my security, my trust, my provider, and my treasure.