unopposable

As he went away from there, the scribes and the Pharisees began to press him hard and to provoke him to speak about many things, lying in wait for him, to catch him in something he might say.

Luke 11:53-54

The very best “experts” in Jewish law and custom tried to trip up Jesus. They went after Him tooth and nail with everything they had, relentlessing hoping to find fault with Him. And yet they could not succeed. They could not catch Jesus in a sin. They could not out debate Him either publicly or privately. This is significant. It should have given them pause. They should have realized that surviving their kind of scrutiny should have led them to believe what Jesus said and did.

Yet here they were claiming to hold true to God’s law while rejecting the One Who had given it. They claimed to believe the miraculous deliverance of the God of Exodus while rejecting the true Messiah come to deliver the world from sin. They were blinded by minutia and truly missed the Messiah and His miraculous message.

In an indirect way the failure of the opposition to find fault with Jesus is proof of His Person and purpose! He truly is the Son of God. He truly is the Son of Man. He truly came to seek and save the lost. He truly spoke as the Living Word of God. He could not be silenced or shut down. He is never successfully opposed. Their later murder of Him backfired as He offered Himself as the last sacrifice and then rose again to forever be our Savior!

Reasons to sing

Sing and rejoice, O daughter of Zion, for behold, I come and I will dwell in your midst, declares the LORD.  Zechariah 2:10

This is a command to sing and rejoice again in Jerusalem. Why? The exiles had returned to rebuild the city and restore the temple. They came back to a sad situation and a lot of hard work. Eventually there was opposition to the rebuilding of homes, walls, and the temple. The people became discouraged. They grew weary. The work stopped.

God brought visions of hope and a call to repentance through the prophet Zechariah. By faith again the people would see the hard work for what it was: a daily form of worship welcoming God in their midst. He would work in their work. He would restore as they rebuilt. He would lead them to sing and rejoice while doing so. The reason for their joy was that God was with them and had promised to restore all that was hoped for again.

O God of restoration,

I sing to You and will look to You as You dwell in our midst through Your Holy Spirit right now. How I long for broken walls to be restored, for a home to arise from rubble, for fractured relationships to heal, and for Your worship to always stay at the center of every part of my life. You give me reasons to sing!

Amen

the best reason for joy

Nevertheless, do not rejoice in this, that the spirits are subject to you, but rejoice that your names are written in heaven. Luke 10:20

Jesus reminded His followers that the most amazing experience was yet to come. Seventy-two were sent out into the villages of Israel to spread the good news, heal the sick, and cast out demons. They were joyful at their return over the reality that demons were subject to them in His name. Of course Jesus Himself had given them that authority. They had power over the enemy and nothing Satan could do to them would hurt them. They were right to find joy. But there was a greater truth in which to truly rejoice. 

Their names were written down in heaven. The present victory of the gospel was certainly something to delight in, but the future in the kingdom of heaven was immensely more wonderful. The greatest joy would be yet to come. There would be no more need for power over the devil and his deeds… for then all will be perfect. This is what Jesus came to bring and it is the culmination of the gospel.

Oh to see that bright day! I am ready to cross the Jordan if heaven is the Promised Land. I will fight the good fight until then! But I will rejoice that in Christ I am redeemed and that my name is written down in glory’s great book.

Survivor

Greatly have they afflicted me from my youth,

yet they have not prevailed against me.

Psalm 129:2

This stanza was sung in a song recounting to some extent the history of suffering by Israel. The nation began with hardship. Even the promise of a nation to come that was given to Abram was hard and long and difficult. It turned Abram into a nomad of faith. The promise took three generations to even begin to sprout into the hope of a nation, passed down from Abraham, to Isaac, and then to Jacob who was renamed Israel and fathered twelve sons who became tribes to the nation.

God used hardship, suffering, and famine to eventually settle the fledgling nation that was an extended family in the land of Egypt. And within another few short generations the Israelites became enslaved, suffering under the harsh treatment of Egyptian taskmasters. A nation in its youth, forced into servitude, kept from freedom, yet loved by God Who saw it all. And He did not let their affliction prevail. 

God raised up a deliverer in Moses who led them out of bondage. After another generation suffered faithlessly, wandering in the desert wilderness, God led a faithful generation to the land that He had promised Abram so long ago. Their afflictions and sufferings did not prevail. Their afflictors and abusers were cut down. Delivered, set free, and blessed, God made them His own.

And so it is in Christ. Those once in bondage to sin, afflicted at birth with sin’s wasting work and in want of a Savior are set free by Christ our Deliverer. We simply trust and believe the gospel, submitting to His good rule in His kingdom. Our affliction will never prevail because Christ is for us!

Nation Shaker

For thus says the LORD of hosts: Yet once more, in a little while, I will shake the heavens and the earth and the sea and the dry land.  Haggai 2:6

The Lord Who hung the stars in space,

Who sets the seas their watery bound,

Will rise in sovereign pow’r and grace

to shake all kingdoms to the ground.

Mountains tremble at His Word;

Oceans stir beneath his hand.

No throne can stand against the Lord;

No edict apart from His command.

Nations boast of wealth and might.

Their banners wave, their armies rise;

Yet human glory fades from sight.

Fleeing like clouds across the skies.

Heavens shake and earth gives way,

Mighty nations bow in fear;

Crowns and scepters crushed as clay

When God’s appointed hour is here!

Through this shaking stands a throne,

A kingdom time cannot destroy;

The Son lays claim to a world His own,

To fill His people with His joy.

Now let the trembling nations know,

Though earthly powers rise and fall;

The Lord commands the winds that blow,

And Christ shall reign — King over all!

astonishing majesty

​And all were astonished at the majesty of God.  Luke 9:43a

They were astonished at the majesty of God displayed in Jesus healing a boy trapped by a demonic darkness. The majesty of God excels above the destructive work of the devil’s dominion. It exceeds the destruction. it rebuilds shattered lives. Jesus in majesty and power defeats the devil.

Crowds were astonished at Jesus the Healer. God’s majesty was displayed by Jesus as the blind were given sight, the deaf were made to hear again, the lame could walk, and lepers were cleansed. The majesty of God over restoring all of His creation through His Son is revealed in Jesus. He gives us a preview of the day when He makes all things new.

Jesus was majestic in His teaching. An authority that only God could have emanated from His words. And as the Living Word, the majesty of God’s truth transformed the Law, liberated hearts, and made followers of Jesus. He spoke with majesty and no one could deny His authority to speak the Word of God.

Jesus is majestic in our salvation. He predicted how He would be betrayed, tried, crucified, and raised again to life. This majestic salvation that only Jesus could provide would forever lead to His rule as Lord and Savior of the world. It is this majesty that I know every day. It is the majesty that I need each day as well.

Lord Jesus,

I worship Your majesty. To You be all glory, praise, and honor, now… and forevermore!

Amen

A verse of bane and blessing

​Behold, children are a heritage from the LORD,

the fruit of the womb a reward. Psalm 127:3

This is generally true of parenting and grand parenting. Those blessed with children can find a reward in the next generation. They can see a heritage. I would always encourage young parents to believe this, trust God’s good gifts, and seek to instill godly values in their kids. The future depends on it.

But… I also know many parents who now should be reaping the heritage harvest and the fruit of their rewards but instead feel the deep pain daily struggling as this promise seems to come to them unfulfilled. There are a lot of reasons this has happened and I do not list them to excuse any mistakes in parenting or to explain away the decline of a generation. I want to talk about them so that I can share in the suffering of the saints who trust God to yet bless the next generation.

Why does the fruit turn bad? Let me briefly share two observations that I know. First, some were part of a church culture but did not have a Christ commitment. I have see many good church kids leave the church because they could not sustain a “youth group fun time” mentality which is woefully unrealistic once adulthood starts bringing responsibilities. This is shallow experience and lack of discipleship on the part of the church. Parents perhaps overly relied on programs. And fake “Christianese” cultures develop. This fake culture gets confused with real Christian faith. A few come back by the power of the gospel. Some never get past this criticism and confusion.

Secondly, some were not prepared for worldview clashes. They went off to college or the job market and a psychology course or an office supervisor wickedly attacked Christian perspectives as irrational, outdated, or abnormal. Pair that with a campus or office life of moral “free-for-all” culture and it is easy to fit in by quietly phasing out of Christian pasts. Again, some young adults return after a prodigal party. Many others, however, do not. Some even turn on their families, calling Christian upbringing toxic, uncaring, controlling, manipulative, and even evil. 

This is an epidemic among Boomer and Gen-X parents right now in the church. I have met hundreds of parents in this state. Pray! Pray for a generational heritage that has heard the truth to return to the truth. Pray for hearts to come home to the Lord!

reasons to praise

Praise the LORD!

Praise, O servants of the LORD,

praise the name of the LORD!

Psalm 113:1

Critics of modern praise music often complain about the use of repetitive language (“I could sing of Your love forever” being a favorite example unfairly cited). But there is a place for repetition in worship. The psalms do this many times. The example right here in Psalm 113:1 is repetition by amplification of a concept. I believe this literary device helps focus worship on its object: the LORD. This repetition emphasizes both the responsibility to worship God and the privilege of doing so. It reminds us that worship is a continuous action of the heart not just an occasional event. We offer continuous praise, explained in Psalm 113 starting in verse 2. God is praised now and forevermore.

We offer universal praise starting in verse 3. Praise extends from east to west (a biblical metaphor for the entire world), from the sun’s rising to its setting. Worship encircles the earth and God is worthy of global glory!

We offer humble praise as described in verses 4-9. The reasons we praise are threefold: 1) God’s majesty is exalted above us and we are His subjects. 2) God’s compassionate care provides all we need and we are His poor and needy children. 3) We are barren with nothing to bring to our relationship with Him and God brings us joy and gives us life and fruitful living in His great home.

the threat

We make known to the king that if this city is rebuilt and its walls finished, you will then have no possession in the province Beyond the River.

Ezra 4:16

Smiles and offers of peace,
beneath are hearts of deceit.
Seeking to join what God had begun,
to turn turn from His purpose His restored ones.

When false friendship failed, threats arose;
Fear planting by scheming foes.
Accusations traveled to the throne,
lies to stop the work of God’s own.

Hammers fell silent, stones lay still;
earthly power opposed God’s will.
Builders withdrew, courage worn.
Hope was lost in a political storm.

Yet no decree will silence God’s Word.
Nothing thwarts the cause of the Lord.
When enemies rage, the faithful wait
for God’s purpose endures beyond earthly fate.

The Seed

Now the parable is this: The seed is the word of God.​  Luke 8:11

The seed was sown

by being thrown

On a path some fell

taken away by the devil

blocking salvation

On the rocks it was seen

some in joy received

but with no root… came no salvation

Some germinated in thorns

growing but torn

by cares: riches and pleasures… and not saved

But a good soil seed

watered, nurtured, believed indeed

honest hearts head the Word and know salvation

restored to home

​The whole assembly together was 42,360. Ezra 2:64

Something amazing happened that is recorded in the books of Ezra and Nehemiah when the exiles returned home to rebuild Jerusalem and the temple. When you add the summary number of 42,360 (a number repeated in Nehemiah) to the additional servants and singers mentioned in verse sixty-five, we get a number just shy of 50,000 people. That means that a mass migration from Babylon back to Jerusalem occurred as the exile ended. I can’t imagine the logistics this took as they traveled on foot something close to 900 miles. Ezra says it took the exiles four months to move the caravan along at about 7 to 9 miles a day, resting on the Sabbath. This return was monumental.

This return is a powerful portrait of the restorative grace of God. For these children of exiles, judgment would not be the end of their story. God kept His promises to a new generation. God moved the heart of a pagan king to set them on the journey and supply all their needs. God gathered together His scattered people (some came from cities other than Babylon). God brought them nearly a thousand miles on foot to to rebuild His temple, renew His worship, and restore their homes.

Grace never pretends that sin never happens. But it does bring ruined lives back home to rebuild what sin has broken. This is the grace fully displayed in Jesus Who bears our judgment and brings repentant sinners back home to God. The ruins that sin leaves do not need to stay trashed in rubble. God will help us rebuild in obedience to the gospel. Grace forgives, restores, rebuilds, and brings us all the way home!

Callous games

​They are like children sitting in the marketplace and calling to one another,

“We played the flute for you, and you did not dance;

we sang a dirge, and you did not weep.”

Luke 7:32

Jesus described His generation as children sitting in the marketplace who refused to respond no matter what game was offered to them. John the Baptist preached a solemn call to repentance and some dismissed him as demonic. Jesus festively ate and drank, graciously reaching sinners, and they called Him a drunkard and a glutton. Their problem however was not with the style of the messenger. Their issue was the stubbornness of their hearts. They were selectively and selfishly calloused to God’s Word, no matter how it was preached or who proclaimed it. Religion disguised as criticism avoided the real heart concern: What if God is speaking and I just don’t want to hear Him or I just don’t like the message?

So it is today. Exposure to God’s truth may never soften a heart. Repeated resistance can leave people unmoved by the gospel. The problem is that many people use Christian religion to suit preferences and this further callouses people to the truth. They want happy songs and watered down truth. But Jesus reminds us “wisdom is justified by all her children” (Luke 7:35). When Scripture confronts us, we should repent of our critique instincts and examine ourselves in the light of the gospel. That is the Holy Spirit helping make God’s Word transformative for us! When we welcome God’s Word with receptive hearts, He in turn welcomes us as His children.

a prayer for leadership

​

I will go before him

and make his footsteps a way.

Psalm 85:13

Lord,

How I need Your to lead me today! There is a lot before me. There are tasks, plans, and ministry commitments to do well for Your glory. There are kingdom priorities to keep straight. There is a lot around me. There are burdens to bear. There are difficult conversations to have. There are painful thoughts and emotions to help others sort out. There is a lot within me. There are painful experiences in my own life to endure and trust You to resolve. There is joy to find in this challenging journey! There is truth to believe. 

Please, Lord, will Your righteous steps go before me now and all through this day? Lead on, O King Eternal, and make of my messiness Your redeemed Creation. Do it for Your glory and my good, I now trust.

You will do what is right. You will lead me in righteousness. You will bless beyond the mess. You will place the path before me. Help me see and follow the footsteps You have set before me!

Amen

Sun and Shield

For the LORD God is a sun and shield;

the LORD bestows favor and honor.

No good thing does he withhold

from those who walk uprightly.

Psalm 84:11

O Lord, be our Sun and Shield!

S - Sending Your Son, You sent salvation.

U - Under Your Son, we have all good things.

N - No good thing do You withhold.

A - All who turn to You find mercy.

N - Nothing is beyond Your grace.

D - Days in Your courts are better than years elsewhere!

S - Shine on us, O Sun of grace!

H - Help us in the day of battle.

I - I would rather be Your doorkeeper.

E - Early rains fall over our deserts.

L - Longing for You fills hearts with joy.

D - Dwelling in blessing moves us to worship our sun and shield!

O Lord, be our Sun and Shield!

Two Houses Lane

But the one who hears and does not do them is like a man who built a house on the ground without a foundation. When the stream broke against it, immediately it fell, and the ruin of that house was great.

Luke 6:49

I took a walk down “Two Houses Lane”.

There I saw lessons of joy and pain.

The first house was built with firm foundation

and it stood strong in times of intimidation.

For decades it weathered storms and rain;

floods and earthquakes brought no shame.

It represented a life built to last

that heard the words of Jesus and held to them fast.

Whatever God’s Word said to do,

this household obeyed and always stood true.

A second home was hastily raised

sitting on sand, doomed to be razed.

Winds and storms and rains and hail:

floods and tremors all caused it to fail.

A quick collapse of shattered dreams

it seemed this house is not what it seems.

This life heard Jesus but refused to obey,

now in ruin — the price to pay.

from fish to men

For he and all who were with him were astonished at the catch of fish that they had taken, and so also were James and John, sons of Zebedee, who were partners with Simon. And Jesus said to Simon, “Do not be afraid; from now on you will be catching men.”​

Luke 5:9-10

When they first met Jesus they were sturdy fishermen eking out a living by the Sea of Galilee. They partnered their two boats together, kept their nets in shape, and did their best to bring fish to the market to feed their families. They weren’t scholars. They weren’t even particularly equipped for religious fervor. But Jesus saw something in this hardy bunch of fishermen that let Him know they would do something bigger than sail boats, mend nets, clean fish, and ply the lake water of their Galilean home. He promised them “from now on you will be catching men.”

It took the biggest haul of fish Galilee had ever given them to convince them to leave boats, nets, fish, and families at home and follow Jesus. Why would their greatest success lead them to rethink everything? Jesus showed them that by His Word their vocations could be insignificant compared to His power, promise, and presence. He gave the word and they cast they nets. The resulting wealth from the lake nearly sank their boats! What a fish story! Jesus was much more compelling than anything they had ever before experienced on the lake.

Lord,

“At your word I will let down the nets.” Your power will transform my daily experience. And, at Your word I will let go of my nets. Any of my skills, abilities, or resources are yours to transform. Make my life overloaded with Your presence, I pray!

Amen

My eyes to You

​Behold, as the eyes of servants

look to the hand of their master,

as the eyes of a maidservant

to the hand of her mistress,

so our eyes look to the LORD our God,

till he has mercy upon us.

Psalm 123:2

I look to You,

my Master

pleading for assistance

praying with persistence

to only You,

my Master

hear me in sorrow

bring a better tomorrow

My eyes are looking to You

I pray to You,

my Savior

Your mercy unceasing

Your power unleashing

coming only from You,

my Master

hear my petition

change my position

My prayer is lifted to You

I am grateful to You,

my God

I worship my Lord

I glory in Your Word

worshiping only You,

my Master

All praises I bring

to Jesus my King

My soul sings to You

prayer and power

​O Lord, hear; O Lord, forgive. O Lord, pay attention and act. Delay not, for your own sake, O my God, because your city and your people are called by your name.

Daniel 9:19

There are four requests rooted in clear points of God’s authority that are worth noting in this verse.

O Lord, hear. Daniel prays for God to hear his prayer. Why? Is God distracted, deaf, or complacent? Certainly not. The pleas for God to hear are rooted in Who God is… His character and person. He hears the repentance of His people and Daniel is repenting repeatedly on behalf of the nation with this prayer.

O Lord, forgive. The repentance and acknowledgment of sin, the resolution to submit to exile as the God-given consequence of that sin, are both spoken in humble confession seeking one thing from God: forgiveness. Only God can truly forgive repentant sinners. He is offended. He must forgive in order for situations to be transformed by His grace.

O Lord, pay attention. Again, it isn’t that God does not care, but that only His care matters when confessing our sin. His attention to the matter can change the repentant heart and restore life to what was dying.

O Lord, act. This is where we find ourselves in the gospel right now. God did act to restore the Jews from captivity after this confession and repentance. And He has acted finally and fully in the ministry, death, and resurrection of Jesus through the gospel so that all His grace is always available to repentant sinners now. He still releases captives! Amen!

For what purpose does God do these things? His own sake… for His people… called by His name. His grace will not delay now that Christ has died once for all.

dumber than demons

​

And demons also came out of many, crying, “You are the Son of God!” But he rebuked them and would not allow them to speak, because they knew that he was the Christ.

Luke 4:41

Demons know Jesus better than many people do. They still defy Him. They still work hard to oppose His purposes and His people. But they absolutely know Who He is and cannot deny the truth of His deity and authority. They know the truth about Jesus and tremble before Him. They acknowledge the truth about Jesus. They cower at the rebuke of the Son of God, the Messiah. They cannot resist with lies when in His very presence. No spiritual power opposes Jesus successfully.

And human authority is more defiant than demonic opposition ever is. People scoff at Jesus. Men deny His Godhood, ridicule His work, and scoff at His rule. They are more senseless than demons when they do so.

Lord,

Help Your people hold forth the gospel in an age of skepticism, senseless spiritual scoffing, and defiance of Your truth. Jesus, You are the Son of God! Jesus, You are Savior! Jesus, You are King! May Your truth be known, the gospel advance, demons flee, and Your kingdom come!

Amen

Exiles by the River

How shall we sing the LORD'S song

in a foreign land?

Psalm 137:4

By Babylon’s rivers we sat far from home

Strangers and captives, forbidden to roam.

Harps hung silent on willows above,

Mute mourners there missing the place that we love.

Our captors demanded the songs we once knew —

But how could we sing with hearts torn in two?

Tears rolled from eyes as we thought of Zion

Blood in her streets, gates left in ruin.

Songs once ascended with worship and praise

now choked in our throats in sorrowful ways.

O Lord, hear our grief as Your children mourn!

We reap bitter fruit from bad seeds we have sown.

We wandered from You long before we were chained,

worshiped our idols with covenant stained.

This exile reveals what pride wanted to conceal:

You warned by Your prophets that judgment is real.

Turn us again, LORD, our hard hearts renew.

Even in judgement—our hope is in You!

If ever we lose remembrance of you,

Jerusalem, let our right hands lose their use.

May tongues become silent, unable to sing,

if Zion is less that our joy in Him.

Exile will end and God will gather us home —

God will be praised where once we have groaned.

From thirty to eternity

​Jesus, when he began his ministry, was about thirty years of age…

Luke 3:23a

This marks the onset of the most important public life ever lived. At thirty years of age Jesus stepped from the obscurity of a carpenter’s shop into the Jordan river and was baptized by John, anointed by the Holy Spirit, and blessed by God the Father. And then the world would watch the Son of God, living among the people of God, proclaim the Word of God, do the works of God, and bring salvation in the gospel of God.

He would go on to defeat the devil’s attempt to derail that work by succeeding in the wilderness where Adam had failed in the garden and where Israel had disobeyed in the desert.

John the Baptist would also declare Him “the Lamb of God Who takes away the sin of the world.” Jesus would gather disciples who would clumsily follow Him, men Jesus would remake into leaders who would carry the saving gospel to the nations in a vast reshaping of the world that still goes on right now as churches proclaim the gospel and make disciples as He commanded. Jesus taught with authority, healed the sick, cast out demons, and proclaimed the rule of God in a new kingdom.

The King had come to rescue us. The thirty year old carpenter from Nazareth was truly the obedient Son of God, the promised Messiah, Son of David, Lamb of God, triumphant Son of Man, and Savior. What began at the Jordan’s banks would spread throughout Israel, culminate in Jerusalem, suffer unimaginably at Golgotha, and dominate sin, Satan, and death by resurrection in a garden tomb. Finally what began at thirty will now always impact and control eternity.

deeper still

Out of the depths I cry to you, O LORD!

Psalm 130:1

Ironically, this is a “Psalm of Ascents” meant to be sung as pilgrims hiked up to Zion to the temple for festivals. While climbing up, they sang about being down!

The “depths” are places we feel overwhelmed or in need of rescue. Here are some examples I think of:

• Depths of sorrow — after loss.
  
• Depths of fear — an uncertain future
  
• Depths of loneliness — no one to understand
• Depths of suffering — pain that feels unbearable

Sometimes these depths are created by others with relational misunderstanding, disagreement, betrayal, rejection, injustice, or disappointment. In these places weakness strips away the false confidence of the illusion that we are in control. We must cry out: “Lord, hear my voice!” (Psalm 130:2) The depths call us to something and Someone deeper still.

The depths of Psalm 130 however are tied to sin and guilt. The text reminds us that no one could stand if God kept a record of sins (Psalm 130:3). These depths are not circumstances that happen to us, but rather are consequences of what is within us. Yet even these depths are not meant to drown the soul… “with you there is forgiveness” (Psalm 130:4).

Whether we sink in grief, fear, failure, or guilt, the “depths” can be the the place where we release the weight of self-reliance which drag us down and then find the deliverance of hope in God’s great salvation. At the bottom of the depths we find God’s mercy to be deeper still! Amen!

busting cultural pressure

​

Then these men said, “We shall not find any ground for complaint against this Daniel unless we find it in connection with the law of his God.”

Daniel 6:5

This old strategy to remove the authority of scripture is still at work big time today. Culture replaces God’s authority with human authority. That’s what happened in Daniel’s day… unsuccessfully. God is Creator, King, and the Definer of truth, goodness, and human conduct (Genesis 1:1; Proverbs 14:12). Culture reverses this with mantras like: I decide what’s true for me. Instead we should submit our thoughts, desires, and actions to the authority of God’s Word as truth (Romans 12:1-2).

Culture demands we follow our desires rather than having God transform desires. Self-expression is now the highest good. If I feel it, I do it and you should support me. Yet Scripture insists our desires are warped by sin and need examination, repentance, and transformation rather than exploration (Jeremiah 17:9; Ephesians 4:22-24). Christians deny sinful desires and let the Spirit develop holy desires (Galatians 5:16-24).

Culture confuses identity that scripture clearly reveals. Society says to define ourselves by success, possessions, sexuality, politics, fame, achievement, or victimhood. “I gotta be me” is more than just an old song. Scripture locates a believer’s identity solidly in Christ (Colossians 3:1-4). The gospel challenges our culture’s pressure to deny God’s Word at every point of contention.

We do not define our own truth, follow our own desires, or create our own identities. Biblically we receive God’s truth, submit our desires to Christ, and find identity in Him.

Growing like Jesus

​

And Jesus increased in wisdom and in stature and in favor with God and man.

Luke 2:52

Here we are given a wonderfully balanced and clear description of the maturity of Jesus. It serves as a kind of map of human growth as well. Jesus grew in wisdom — intellectually, learning and understanding. He grew in stature — physically, maturing from boyhood to manhood. He grew in favor with God — spiritually, living in perfect obedience and fellowship with His Father. And He grew in favor with man — socially, relating well and accepted by the people around Him. Like all of us, Jesus developed as a whole human being — a person in mind, body, spirit, and relationships.

We also, as people redeemed by Jesus, the perfect God and man, should know well-rounded development over our lifetimes. Mentally we learn truth in scripture and seek the wisdom of Christ. Physically we are called to steward our bodies for the glory of God. Spiritually we know God through His word, prayer, and obedience. We are indwelt and led by His Holy Spirit. Socially we learn to love, serve, forgive, and encourage others. We will not, however imitate Jesus under our own power. The perfect Son of God grew in these ways so that He could offer His perfect, righteous life in exchange for our broken imperfection and sin. Through faith in Christ, we are forgiven, and by His Spirit, enabled to become more like Jesus every day… in every important areas of our lives.

non-impossibilities

​

For nothing will be impossible with God.

Luke 1:37

A virgin

told she’d have a son

Savior of the world

Who would forever reign

no end to her son’s kingdom

It puzzled her.

“How will this be?”

It seemed impossible.

Impossible she’d conceive.

Impossible the Son of God would be hers as well.

Impossible her old cousin was pregnant.

Impossible that Israel would have a new King.

But she believed

“I am the servant of the Lord.”

“Let it be to me

according to your word.”

I too

have small impossibilities

facing me today

but He now reigns

and has me in His Kingdom

I lament pain.

“Why must this be?”

It seems impossible.

Impossible restoration.

Impossible to see things made right.

Impossible life provision.

Impossible for this world to submit to a King.

But I will believe.

“I will serve the Lord.”

“Your will be done,

Your kingdom come…

on earth as it is in heaven.”

the last verse

​

The grace of the Lord Jesus be with all. Amen.

Revelation 22:21

In the end

when we stand

no longer accursed

remember this last verse

we will see His face

be in His grace

no more night

for Jesus is our light

reigning forever

crying never

His grace with us all. Amen

We took a look

at prophecy in this book

we did not add

to what we read

nor take away

from what He would say

coming for us soon

now singing His tune

we have testified

and live sanctified

the grace of the Lord Jesus with all. Amen

this makes it heaven

​The one who conquers will have this heritage, and I will be his God and he will be my son.

Revelation 21:7

What makes heaven… well… heaven? Will it be gold streets, a crystal river, walls built of solid gemstones? Will it be the sights and sounds of the redeemed in a glorious life beyond imagination, forever happy and free from the pain of living? All that certainly is worth looking forward to, but I think a powerful reality is what will make heaven truly paradise. It will be that finally “the dwelling pace of God is with man” (Revelation 21:3). We will be His people, free from sin and living as we were first created, and He will be our God. We will all live at peace with God in His beautiful presence.

That is why comfort will be present, all tears gone as a former life is eclipsed with no regrets in the Almighty presence of God. All things new… forever… will be the experience our hearts have always longed to know. We will live as we truly have always hoped to live.

This is the heritage of the redeemed who are faithful in following Jesus. He is our God. We are His children. We are at home, finally! And knowing and loving an eternal God will be the thrilling joy of our lives forever in a New Heaven and a New Earth. It is right to long for that hope. It is really what I am living for!

truly blessed

Behold, thus shall the man be blessed

who fears the LORD.

Psalm 128:4

Here is the blessed life for one rooted in fearing God and walking in His ways. God blesses ordinary life: fruitful work, provision, marriage, family, generations, and the joy of home. The source of blessing is God Himself. It is not found in the gifts that are the blessings, but in the Giver of them. Blessing is not wealth, or an easy, painless life. Blessing is lived reverently before the Lord, receiving all His good gifts and presence with a grateful heart.

The psalm starts at home but then widens to the nation: “The LORD bless you from Zion!” It extends generationally: “your children’s children”. It rejoices in the flourishing of an entire community over time in covenant with God. The blessed life is God-centered, fruitful, relational, and generational. It comes as people fear the Lord, walk in His ways, enjoy His good gifts, and seek His blessing to spread to all who love the Lord.

All blessings point to Jesus Himself. In Christ we are brought into God’s family, given a deeper inheritance than any we can have now and are blessed in a vast community of His redeemed for eternity.

Sayonara Satan!

And he seized the dragon, that ancient serpent, who is the devil and Satan, and bound him for a thousand years…

Revelation 20:2

The devil has an end. He knows it because he reads the Bible. We know Satan reads scripture because he twists scripture in his temptations of people. He did so with Eve. He did so with Jesus. He will try to do so with us. But the devil has to cringe when he reads Revelation 20! He is bound in a bottomless pit, falling for a thousand years. Then he will be defeated after a brief release and thrown into eternal torment in the lake of fire. Goodbye Satan! Not nice knowing ya! Your doom is forever sealed.

Satan fights against the fate he knows is coming. And that is one reason why we see evil magnified as humanity expands across the earth. The dragon is roaming over more souls, destroying as much good as he possibly can, defiling God’s creation wherever possible, and lying about how evil is good and good is evil. He deceives billions daily now through false information, false religion, false science, false entertainment, and false philosophy. He manipulates with riches and wealth, with poverty and want, with contentment and apathy, with activism, and with war and ruin. He is an equal opportunity destroyer bent on ruining all that God has made that is good.

The devil however is doomed. Keep that in mind, Christian! Jesus has already won. Satan has limited options, on a limited scale, for a limited time, and will eventually be bound in a burning lake of fire forevermore. Jesus has defeated all evil by His death and resurrection. Trust in the One Who tosses Satan into the fire like the garbage that the devil truly is.

good to all

​The LORD is good to all,

and his mercy is over all that he has made.

Psalm 145:9

The Lord is good to all

He answers when we call

He blesses those who yield to Him

He cares for all in need of Him

The Lord is good to everyone

to this world He gave His Son

Who died so those who call may live

and forgiveness and eternal life He’ll give

The Lord’s mercy is over all He’s made

so we may find grace unafraid

We call to Him Who cares for us so

All His grace we now may know

God is good to rule us all

His mercy pours out to those who fall

Surrender to His Lordship and praise

His great name we will lift and raise

God is good… this we believe

We know His grace as we receive

the saving grace and rule of Jesus

His love and grace always will free us

enemies on a leash

​

So I will show my greatness and my holiness and make myself known in the eyes of many nations. Then they will know that I am the LORD.

Ezekiel 38:23

A terrifying coalition of hate rises up to threaten God’s people in Ezekiel 38 and 39. But a striking truth keeps perspective on God: The Lord is never for one second in panic over these fearsome circumstances. Even as Gog (the enemy here) gathers armies, the Lord calmly decrees: “I will turn you about and put hooks into your jaws” (Ezekiel 38:4). The enemy threatens evil and destruction, but he cannot move beyond the sovereign boundaries that God has set. What appears to be the advance of unstoppable opposition is ultimately directed by God so that He displays His holiness, justice, and power.

This truth gives God’s people courage when the opposition seems overwhelming. Those who oppose God are limited. They are “powerful” only by His permission. God alone is sovereign. He restrains them, redirects them, and reduces them to rubble in His judgment. We are called away from fear to confident trust in the One Who declares “I will show my greatness and holiness.”

History is not moving toward the triumph of secularism over Christianity. No, quite the opposite! God, the Christian gospel, and Christians in community are all destined to triumph spectacularly. We need not cower when proclaiming this. Our enemies are on God’s tight leash. No enemy is operating outside God’s firm grip of control. No threat surprises Him. Nothing prevents His purposes from full accomplishment. All will know that Jesus Christ is Lord to the glory of God the Father. Amen!

the song, the triumph, and the wedding supper

​And from the throne came a voice saying,

“Praise our God,

all you his servants,

you who fear him,

small and great.”

Revelation 19:5

And what is the occasion for angels to call all the righteous in heaven and earth to cease what they are doing and bring unified praise to God? It is the invitation to the marriage supper of the Lamb. The vast throng that responds sounds like the roar of many waters or the thunder rolling in a storm. All the saints are primed to celebrate for “his Bride has made herself ready” clothed with “fine linen, bright and pure.”

The Bride is clothed in her righteous deeds. But the Groom (Jesus) arrives dressed in royal robes and armed for one final battle. His description is fierce (Revelation 19:11-16). He takes the scene with flaming eyes, wearing many crowns. His royal robes are dipped in blood. And the armies of heaven mounted on horses follow Him into a final battle.

The Battle-Bridegroom slays His enemies merely by the word of His mouth. He speaks and all opposition is trodden in the wine press of the fury of the wrath of God the Almighty. The final opposition is captured and thrown into the Lake of Fire. This is the last wedding gift that Jesus gives His Bride. And then in His peace, the joy of being forever with Him begins. That’s quite a wedding!

King, Priest, and Judge

​He will drink from the brook by the way;

therefore he will lift up his head.

Psalm 110:7

• The King Who Sits at God’s Right Hand
  

Psalm 110 begins with an invitation for David’s Lord to sit at God’s right hand until His enemies are destroyed. Jesus applies this royal imagery to Himself (Matthew 22:41-46), showing us that the Messiah is greater than David. His divine authority rules in the eventual defeat of all who oppose Him.

• The Priest Who Reigns Forever
  

The Messiah is not only King but also “a priest forever after the order of Melchizedek” (Psalm 110:4). His priesthood is superior to Aaron’s… it never ends. Jesus is identified as this eternal Priest Who offers the final, sufficient sacrifice for all sins (Hebrews 7:17-27).

• The Victor Over All the Nations
  

Psalm 110 ends with the Messiah triumphing over every enemy and judging all the nations. Jesus, Who presently reigns and intercedes will ultimately conquer and decide the fate of all people for all time forever (Revelation 19:15-16).

Psalm 110 presents Christ as our reigning king, eternal priest, and victorious judge — the only One in Whom we can confidently find salvation, grace, and refuge.

Restoration begins with God.

​And I will multiply on you man and beast, and they shall multiply and be fruitful. And I will cause you to be inhabited as in your former times, and will do more good to you than ever before. Then you will know that I am the LORD.

Ezekiel 36:11

This hope comes in the middle of God’s promise to restore a land and a people once devastated by deserved judgment. Israel’s sin had rightly brought them ruin, scattering, and shame. Yet God declares firmly in restorative grace, “I will do more good to you than ever before.” Why? Not because they deserved it. Not because they were worthy. God’s motive: “Then you will know that I am the LORD.”

Their restoration would not come because they earned a second chance. God makes it clear: “It is not for your sakes that I will act” (Ezekiel 36:22). Restoration begins with God. It is HIS sovereign purpose to renew and restore. His holy name and gracious decisions make the ruined flourish anew. God justly disciplines and graciously replenishes.

God does for helpless sinners what they can never do for themselves. In Ezekiel 36 the promises reach beyond mere physical need with restored fields and cities. “I will give you a new heart, and a new spirit I will put within you” (Ezekiel 36:26). That grace finds its fullest expression in Christ’s redemption of sinners. God doesn’t merely improve sinners. In Jesus He forgives, cleanses, renews, makes holy, and fills them with His Spirit! Sin left wreckage that gave us all no hope of self-recovery. There is nothing we can do. But a sovereign God delights in doing the restoration! And in Christ’s salvation we also exclaim: “Then you will know that I am the LORD”!

Alas! Alas! Babylon.

They will stand far off, in fear of her torment, and say,

“Alas! Alas! You great city,

you mighty city, Babylon!

For in a single hour your judgment has come.”​

Revelation 18:10

All who see God’s justice fall

Look at His power appalled

All those judged find no reprieve

Suffering for rejecting the One they refused to receive

A sentence revealed from God on high

Lightning and thunder, revulsion and fright

All who deserve wrath and pain

Sink beneath His pelting rain

Before such justice is served

A chance for mercy withholds what is deserved

Before death, a chance for life

Yearning for repentance to end sin’s strife

Look to the cross where penalty is paid

Only in Jesus is there any escape

No sin is unpunished: judgment falls either on sinner or substitute.

restoring Shepherd

And they shall know that I am the LORD their God with them, and that they, the house of Israel, are my people, declares the Lord GOD.  Ezekiel 34:30

Ezekiel 34 is one of scripture’s great passages on God’s tender care. Read it now before reading on.

After exposing Israel’s unfaithful shepherds, the Lord promises that He Himself will seek His scattered sheep, rescue them, find them, and provide a new faithful Shepherd for them. He does it so that they may intimately know the Lord their God. This restoration is more than material blessing; it is about restoring the clear presence of God with His people. The greatest gift God gives His people is Himself. His promises assure weary hearts that they are not abandoned, forgotten, or beyond His love.

God’s restorative work usually unfolds gradually. Like a shepherd tending His wounded sheep, He binds up the broken, strengthens the weak (even carrying them), and patiently leads His flock back to safe green pastures. There are seasons when the scars of sin and suffering seem too deep to heal, yet God’s promises will be kept and He is stronger than our painful experiences. His faithfulness isn’t dependent on our strength to believe Him, but rather He is faithful because of His covenant love! His restoring grace is certain to accomplish His good purposes even when we are in the dark about the outcome.

This metaphor is fulfilled in Jesus, the Good Shepherd, Who laid down His life for His sheep. He restores people to fellowship with God forever! All broken things are restored in Him when He brings a new heavens and a new earth, the home of righteousness. The God Who promises “I am with them” had not changed. His restoring hand, unfailing presence, and everlasting promises will always be fulfilled as Jesus shepherds us right now!

Song of our Deliverer

I would soon subdue their enemies

and turn my hand against their foes.

Those who hate the LORD would cringe toward him,

and their fate would last forever.​

Psalm 81:14-15

Raise joyful songs with grateful voice,

Let every thankful heart rejoice.

The God of Jacob still is near;

His mighty arm removes all fear.

“I broke your yoke and set you loose;

Why chase the chains that once bound you?

Open your mouth, I’ll fill it still —

Delight to trust my loving will.”

Yet stubborn hearts too often stray,

Preferring every lesser way.

They wouldn’t heed their Shepherd’s call,

And so they stumbled among idols all.

O turn again with faith renewed;

Our Savior offers the richest food.

He is the Rock, the Bread, the Vine —

The sweetest honey tasted in love divine.

humiliated pride

​

While the words were still in the king's mouth, there fell a voice from heaven, “O King Nebuchadnezzar, to you it is spoken: The kingdom has departed from you…”

Daniel 4:31

Pride mistakes God’s gifts for our own greatness. Nebuchadnezzar surveyed his magnificent capital city and took personal credit for all of it. Before the words could completely exit his mouth, God humbled him. The man at the top of the greatest nation on earth became powerless, living like an animal in a zoo until he learned that “the Most High riles the kingdoms of men”.

We may never build such an empire, but our hearts want to claim ownership of our accomplishments, careers, families, ministries, or talents. Every good gift comes from God’s hand. He alone deserves the glory of it all. His sovereignty is in no way threatened by our pride. Instead, He opposes the proud so that all men, including the proud, would learn to trust Him.

Nebuchadnezzar’s bizarre fall ends in hope. He finally lifted his eyes to heaven in submission. His reason returned along with meaningful, heartfelt worship of God. His confession is one that all believers should sing: God’s dominion is everlasting, His purposes cannot be resisted, and no one can question what God has done (Daniel 4:34-35). Humble repentance opens the door to worship and fellowship with God. It abandons self-exaltation and bragging and embraces God’s rule. And in Jesus’ cross proud sinners are saved by a humble king. As we now bow in repentance and faith, our pride is forgiven and our joy is found in the gracious reign of Christ’s everlasting dominion.

awful circumstances / excellent spirit

And God gave Daniel favor and compassion in the sight of the chief of the eunuchs… Daniel 1:9

Daniel was probably a eunuch, meaning that given his noble lineage (probably a part of the royal family in Judah in some way) and competency in training (due to his position in society), he would have been put to service in the Babylonian court. This meant he was probably castrated and made a royal slave/official. Why else would the court official, Ashpenaz, “chief eunuch”, be given charge over Daniel, Shadrach, Meschach, and Abednego (see Daniel 1:3-7)? This sheds a whole new light on his story, his service, and his ministry to both the Jewish captives in exile and the court of the king of Babylon. Daniel could have chosen to be a bitter and broken young man. Instead, he found favor and compassion with his captors. 

Daniel would be known in Babylon for having “an excellent spirit” (Daniel 5:12; 6:3). His life was a powerful testimony to God’s grace. A young man who had lost his homeland, family, future descendants, and even the physical ability to enjoy marriage or family nevertheless focused on being useful for God’s purposes in less than wonderful circumstances. His identity and hope did not rest in earthly categories of happiness. He was dedicated with excellence to the service of the Lord. In this way another prophet’s predictions that royal children would be made eunuchs in captivity and would find a promise grow would take root in Daniel as he would receive “a name better than sons and daughters” (Isaiah 33:7; 56:3-5).

tears as prayers

​

My eyes will flow without ceasing,

without respite,

until the LORD from heaven

looks down and sees;

Lamentations 3:49-50

Jeremiah does not pretend that faith eliminates sorrows or silences our weeping tears. Instead, we see here that faithful suffering brings every cry into God’s presence. There will be seasons when our prayers seem to be more sighing than speaking, when the aching in our hearts squeezes out words and answers seem to never be coming. But in these verses we are reminded that our tears aren’t wasted. The Christian weeps with hope because the Lord sees perfectly, knows completely, and will act in His gracious wisdom and timing for our good and His glory.

Our greatest assurance is found in Jesus Christ, the Man of Sorrows, Who Himself wept, suffered, and cried out to the Father. At His cross, Jesus entered the deepest human grief so that those who trust Him would never suffer alone without purpose. Now that Jesus is risen and reigns, we can wait with confidence, knowing our Lord will certainly “look down and see” in the prefect sense, wiping away every tear and making all things new. Until that day, our tears can be prayers and our sorrow is an invitation to lean on God’s steadfast love. Our hope remains anchored in our Savior Who has promised to never leave or forsake His people!

the fire of His wrath

​

He has cut down in fierce anger

all the might of Israel;

he has withdrawn from them his right hand

in the face of the enemy;

he has burned like a flaming fire in Jacob,

consuming all around.

Lamentations 2:3

His mighty arm withdrew His shield,

the hope of mercy hidden away.

Like blazing fire His anger reeled,

consuming all before its sway.

No corner stood without His flame,

no fortress held, no refuge stayed;

The proud and low treated the same,

as all beneath His judgment paid.

Who then shall stand before His face?

His holy justice burns so bright.

Our only hope is sovereign grace —

the cross where wrath gives way to light.

carrying our condemnation

My transgressions were bound into a yoke;

by his hand they were fastened together;

they were set upon my neck;

he caused my strength to fail;

the Lord gave me into the hands

of those whom I cannot withstand.​

Lamentations 1:14

Sin is not merely a collection of isolated failures. It is a crushing burden we will never throw off by our own efforts. Every selfish word, every act of pride, any thoughts of unbelief are all woven into a yoke that weighs us down before a holy and just God. We have tried to carry this burden ourselves by excusing sin, self-improvement efforts, and religious exertions only to find our strength failing. We forget that the gospel announces an exchange we could never broker on our own. Jesus Christ stepped willingly beneath the yoke by which we were self-bound. He bore the full weight of the guilt of our sins on the cross, endured the judgement we earned, carrying our condemnation so that we who trust Him might be forgiven and set free.

Father,

We confess we daily add to the burden of our transgressions. Our sins deserve judgment. Thank You that Jesus does not leave us to stagger under this impossible load. Thank You, Lord, for carrying our yoke to Calvary, where You satisfied justice and secured forever our peace once-for-all by Your death and resurrection. Teach us to abandon self-trust and to rest in Your finished work. Having thrown off our sinful yoke, rest upon us Christ’s easy yoke, as grateful disciples now walk in obedience until the day we see you face to face!

Amen

a numbers game

​This calls for wisdom: let the one who has understanding calculate the number of the beast, for it is the number of a man, and his number is 666. Revelation 13:18

Avoid the temptation for speculation in Revelation. John calls us to exercise spiritual discernment. Scholars vary wildly on whether “666” is a real person or a representation of an empire or political force. I tend to lean toward the latter. What we do know is that the number has intense symbolism. Seven in Revelation often represents completeness, especially in God’s execution of judgment on the world. Six falls short, making “666” a picture of humanity’s futile repeated failures and rebellion against God — an attempt at imitating God’s power but never fully realizing it. This makes sense given the wonders the beast performs and the worship the beast demands in this chapter. The number is man’s attempt to do what only God can do.

We should not try to identify every new possibility to tag the identity of “666”. Instead, we focus on those who belong to Christ bearing His name (Revelation 14:1). The encouragement for us is to stay faithful, refusing to compromise with any human-devised demands for worship, allegiance, or trust. Those belong exclusively to Christ alone! Because Jesus has already conquered by His death and resurrection, believers can face any attempted deception or persecution with confidence. The Lamb has already overcome the beast. Amen!