Year: 2018

10 Things To Do Instead of Just Saying the Words “I’ll Pray For You”

Great article about being the hands and feet of Christ for those around us:

https://www.faithfullycommitted.com/2017/02/02/stop-saying-ill-pray-start-taking-action/

What good is it, my brothers, if someone says he has faith but does not have works? Can that faith save him? If a brother or sister is poorly clothed and lacking in daily food, and one of you says to them, “Go in peace, be warmed and filled,” without giving them the things needed for the body, what good is that? So also faith by itself, if it does not have works, is dead.
James 2:14‭-‬17 ESV

Christ

Isaiah 7:14 (NIV)

Therefore the Lord himself will give you a sign: The virgin will conceive and give birth to a son, and will call him Immanuel.

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Malachi 3:1-4 (KJV)

Behold, I will send my messenger, and he shall prepare the way before me: and the Lord, whom ye seek, shall suddenly come to his temple, even the messenger of the covenant, whom ye delight in: behold, he shall come, saith the Lord of hosts. But who may abide the day of his coming? And who shall stand when he appeareth? For he is like a refiner’s fire, and like fullers’ soap: and he shall sit as a refiner and purifier of silver: and he shall purify the sons of Levi, and purge them as gold and silver, that they may offer unto the Lord an offering in righteousness. Then shall the offering of Judah and Jerusalem be pleasant unto the Lord, as in the days of old, and as in former years.

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Micah 5:2-3 (CEB)

As for you, Bethlehem of Ephrathah, though you are the least significant of Judah’s forces, one who is to be a ruler in Israel on my behalf will come out from you. His origin is from remote times, from ancient days. Therefore, he will give them up until the time when she who is in labor gives birth. The rest of his kin will return to the people of Israel.

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Isaiah 9:2, 6-7 (ESV)

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. 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.

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Isaiah 40:1-2, 9 (GW)

“Comfort my people! Comfort them!” says your God. “Speak tenderly to Jerusalem and announce to it that its time of hard labor is over and its wrongs have been paid for. It has received from the Lord double for all its sins.” Go up a high mountain, Zion. Tell the good news! Call out with a loud voice, Jerusalem. Tell the good news! Raise your voice without fear. Tell the cities of Judah: “Here is your God!”

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Hebrews 1:1-2 (HCSB)

Long ago God spoke to the fathers by the prophets at different times and in different ways. In these last days, He has spoken to us by His Son. God has appointed Him heir of all things and made the universe through Him.

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Luke 1:26-35 (ICB)

During Elizabeth’s sixth month of pregnancy, God sent the angel Gabriel to a virgin who lived in Nazareth, a town in Galilee. She was engaged to marry a man named Joseph from the family of David. Her name was Mary. The angel came to her and said, “Greetings! The Lord has blessed you and is with you.”

But Mary was very confused by what the angel said. Mary wondered, “What does this mean?”

The angel said to her, “Don’t be afraid, Mary, because God is pleased with you. Listen! You will become pregnant. You will give birth to a son, and you will name him Jesus. He will be great, and people will call him the Son of the Most High. The Lord God will give him the throne of King David, his ancestor. He will rule over the people of Jacob forever. His kingdom will never end.”

Mary said to the angel, “How will this happen? I am a virgin!”

The angel said to Mary, “The Holy Spirit will come upon you, and the power of the Most High will cover you. The baby will be holy. He will be called the Son of God.

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Matthew 1:18-23 (PHILLIPS)

The birth of Jesus Christ happened like this. When Mary was engaged to Joseph, just before their marriage, she was discovered to be pregnant—by the Holy Spirit. Whereupon Joseph, her future husband, who was a good man and did not want to see her disgraced, planned to break off the engagement quietly. But while he was turning the matter over in his mind an angel of the Lord appeared to him in a dream and said, “Joseph, son of David, do not be afraid to take Mary as your wife! What she has conceived is conceived through the Holy Spirit, and she will give birth to a son, whom you will call Jesus (‘the Saviour’) for it is he who will save his people from their sins.”

All this happened to fulfill what the Lord had said through the prophet—‘Behold, a virgin shall be with child, and bear a son, and they shall call his name Immanuel’. (“Immanuel” means “God with us.”)

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Luke 2:1-7 (CEV)

About that time Emperor Augustus gave orders for the names of all the people to be listed in record books. These first records were made when Quirinius was governor of Syria.

Everyone had to go to their own hometown to be listed. So Joseph had to leave Nazareth in Galilee and go to Bethlehem in Judea. Long ago Bethlehem had been King David’s hometown, and Joseph went there because he was from David’s family.

Mary was engaged to Joseph and traveled with him to Bethlehem. She was soon going to have a baby, and while they were there, she gave birth to her first-born son. She dressed him in baby clothes[d] and laid him on a bed of hay, because there was no room for them in the inn.

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Luke 2:8-20 (NET)

Now there were shepherds nearby living out in the field, keeping guard over their flock at night. An angel of the Lord appeared to them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them, and they were absolutely terrified. But the angel said to them, “Do not be afraid! Listen carefully, for I proclaim to you good news that brings great joy to all the people: Today your Savior is born in the city of David. He is Christ the Lord. This will be a sign for you: You will find a baby wrapped in strips of cloth and lying in a manger.” Suddenly a vast, heavenly army appeared with the angel, praising God and saying,

“Glory to God in the highest,
and on earth peace among people with whom he is pleased!”

When the angels left them and went back to heaven, the shepherds said to one another, “Let us go over to Bethlehem and see this thing that has taken place, that the Lord has made known to us.” So they hurried off and located Mary and Joseph, and found the baby lying in a manger. When they saw him, they related what they had been told about this child, and all who heard it were astonished at what the shepherds said. But Mary treasured up all these words, pondering in her heart what they might mean. So the shepherds returned, glorifying and praising God for all they had heard and seen; everything was just as they had been told.

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Matthew 2:1-12 (NIrV)

Jesus was born in Bethlehem in Judea. This happened while Herod was king of Judea. After Jesus’ birth, Wise Men from the east came to Jerusalem. They asked, “Where is the child who has been born to be king of the Jews? We saw his star when it rose. Now we have come to worship him.”

When King Herod heard about it, he was very upset. Everyone in Jerusalem was troubled too. So Herod called together all the chief priests of the people. He also called the teachers of the law. He asked them where the Messiah was going to be born. “In Bethlehem in Judea,” they replied. “This is what the prophet has written. He said,

“‘But you, Bethlehem, in the land of Judah,
are certainly not the least important among the towns of Judah.
A ruler will come out of you.
He will rule my people Israel like a shepherd.’”

Then Herod secretly called for the Wise Men. He found out from them exactly when the star had appeared. He sent them to Bethlehem. He said, “Go and search carefully for the child. As soon as you find him, report it to me. Then I can go and worship him too.”

After the Wise Men had listened to the king, they went on their way. The star they had seen when it rose went ahead of them. It finally stopped over the place where the child was. When they saw the star, they were filled with joy. The Wise Men went to the house. There they saw the child with his mother Mary. They bowed down and worshiped him. Then they opened their treasures. They gave him gold, frankincense and myrrh. But God warned them in a dream not to go back to Herod. So they returned to their country on a different road.

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John 1:1-4, 14 (NLT)

In the beginning the Word already existed.
The Word was with God,
and the Word was God.
He existed in the beginning with God.
God created everything through him,
and nothing was created except through him.
The Word gave life to everything that was created,
and his life brought light to everyone.

So the Word became human and made his home among us. He was full of unfailing love and faithfulness. And we have seen his glory, the glory of the Father’s one and only Son.

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John 3:16-17 (NRSV)

For God so loved the world that he gave his only Son, so that everyone who believes in him may not perish but may have eternal life. Indeed, God did not send the Son into the world to condemn the world, but in order that the world might be saved through him.

God Works in You

Therefore, my beloved, as you have always obeyed, so now, not only as in my presence but much more in my absence, work out your own salvation with fear and trembling, for it is God who works in you, both to will and to work for his good pleasure. Do all things without grumbling or disputing, that you may be blameless and innocent, children of God without blemish in the midst of a crooked and twisted generation, among whom you shine as lights in the world, holding fast to the word of life, so that in the day of Christ I may be proud that I did not run in vain or labor in vain.
Philippians 2:12‭-‬16 ESV

the mystery hidden for ages and generations but now revealed to his saints. To them God chose to make known how great among the Gentiles are the riches of the glory of this mystery, which is Christ in you, the hope of glory. Him we proclaim, warning everyone and teaching everyone with all wisdom, that we may present everyone mature in Christ.
Colossians 1:26‭-‬28 ESV

“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. 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. “This is my commandment, that you love one another as I have loved you. Greater love has no one than this, that someone lay down his life for his friends. You are my friends if you do what I command you. No longer do I call you servants, for the servant does not know what his master is doing; but I have called you friends, for all that I have heard from my Father I have made known to you. You did not choose me, but I chose you and appointed you that you should go and bear fruit and that your fruit should abide, so that whatever you ask the Father in my name, he may give it to you. These things I command you, so that you will love one another. “If the world hates you, know that it has hated me before it hated you. If you were of the world, the world would love you as its own; but because you are not of the world, but I chose you out of the world, therefore the world hates you. Remember the word that I said to you: ‘A servant is not greater than his master.’ If they persecuted me, they will also persecute you. If they kept my word, they will also keep yours. But all these things they will do to you on account of my name, because they do not know him who sent me. If I had not come and spoken to them, they would not have been guilty of sin, but now they have no excuse for their sin. Whoever hates me hates my Father also. If I had not done among them the works that no one else did, they would not be guilty of sin, but now they have seen and hated both me and my Father. But the word that is written in their Law must be fulfilled: ‘They hated me without a cause.’ “But when the Helper comes, whom I will send to you from the Father, the Spirit of truth, who proceeds from the Father, he will bear witness about me. And you also will bear witness, because you have been with me from the beginning.
John 15:1‭-‬27 ESV

Examine yourselves, to see whether you are in the faith. Test yourselves. Or do you not realize this about yourselves, that Jesus Christ is in you?—unless indeed you fail to meet the test!
2 Corinthians 13:5 ESV

For you were called to freedom, brothers. Only do not use your freedom as an opportunity for the flesh, but through love serve one another. For the whole law is fulfilled in one word: “You shall love your neighbor as yourself.” But if you bite and devour one another, watch out that you are not consumed by one another. But I say, walk by the Spirit, and you will not gratify the desires of the flesh. For the desires of the flesh are against the Spirit, and the desires of the Spirit are against the flesh, for these are opposed to each other, to keep you from doing the things you want to do. But if you are led by the Spirit, you are not under the law. Now the works of the flesh are evident: sexual immorality, impurity, sensuality, idolatry, sorcery, enmity, strife, jealousy, fits of anger, rivalries, dissensions, divisions, envy, drunkenness, orgies, and things like these. I warn you, as I warned you before, that those who do such things will not inherit the kingdom of God. But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control; against such things there is no law. And those who belong to Christ Jesus have crucified the flesh with its passions and desires. If we live by the Spirit, let us also keep in step with the Spirit. Let us not become conceited, provoking one another, envying one another.
Galatians 5:13‭-‬26 ESV

True Friends

Last night, Michael Mcleymore, and a couple of guys that live with and work with him came over and helped me build out my basement. And there have been many friends that have come out and helped us, and we are grateful for all of them, fir their time, their efforts, their skills and abilities, etc.

But Michael is a very special friend to me because he and I grew close enough while doing ministry together that we could find each other lovingly without offense coming into the picture (at least most of the time). And if there is anyone that I can say that I have walked “two by two” with, it is Michael.

Last night as we finished up our construction work for the night, he and I walked off into the dark night together, leaving the house, the men, my family behind us at the house — to talk about “real things” and to be “real” with each other about where we are spiritually and in our walk with the Lord.

And the one thing that was clear to us was that in this season, it is different than when we were both actively in ministry “side by side”. And we talked about the difference between still being called and active in ministry, working yourself through a particular “wilderness” with the Lord, versus being on the mountaintop where the anointing of the Lord is so powerfully present that it overwhelms and has your face shining with the glory of the Lord.

Sometimes it can feel like we are just busy Marthas, with very little time “left over for God”. And how painful that is for our ears to hear us say how far we have come from putting God first and chasing him with reckless abandon! I can remember our stepping out in leaps of faith, willing to be made fools for God’s sake, and seeing God move in powerful and wonderful ways. And it is hard not to look back and long for those days, when these days seem so practical, so responsible, so stable, so comfortable in comparison.

I pray that we both as friends, as brothers, as disciples in Christ will continue to spur each other on, even as we do our best not to forsake providing for our families’ needs. And I thank God for brothers like Michael who will not only “talk and debate” the Word of God with speech (hoping to teach), but will actually come into each other’s houses to live, love, help, rebuke, wound and heal each other with our actions of love (actually teaching).

Many are “eager to teach” with their words, and Paul warns that because of this, few should actually be teachers — but popularity, fame, and the hunger for the honor of men dictates that lots of charismatic people will stand up and “teach” that may or may not be operating “anointed by God”. Just like many people will get up and make a show and give “prophetic words” that don’t come true and never actually came from God. So how do the people try and test what they are being taught? How do the people know whether they are being shepherded or being freed upon by a wolf?

I would say first and foremost, do we care enough about the truth to seek out out for ourselves so we can ask the hard questions, be good Bereans, and ask for clarification FROM THE WORD OF GOD on anything that “doesn’t seem right” — or is all our trust put in a piece of bought paper entitling a man from a seminary of religious teachers as a teacher, father, reverend, etc.?

Right along with that, though, I would ask — what does the lifestyle teach? If you clicked mute on what they are saying, and only looked at what they are living and doing, does it bear any resemblance at all to Jesus Christ’s life, the life of his disciples, or the church we heart about in Acts?

Lord, help us to be true friends. Help us to seek out true leaders who are anointed and living the Word of God, not just participating in some religious, surface level, busy activities. Help us to be in your will and willing to get deeper to the things of the heart, to the things of your spirit burning inside us. Revive us, set us ablaze with love for you, all for your glory and honor. Amen.

God Is Good And Doesn’t Disappoint!

Great reminder:

https://wp.me/pFkTv-6By

Value

Where does our value come from?

If it is from other people, our career, our accomplishments, life’s circumstances and imperfect people — that could leave us in a precarious place of self-pity when those things inevitably fail us.

And if we use those types of “measuring sticks” for ourselves, won’t we be unkind and unfair in how we look at, judge, and place value on others?

Our devotional this morning was about John 4 when Jesus speaks with the Samaritan woman at the well — which speaks to not the obvious, surface level topic of racial/societal divisions, but the root issue of “where does my/your value come from”?

I also read a wonderful article on LinkedIn this morning concerning “value”, so this is clearly a topic of note and interest for my life right now.

Dear Daughter: Leave When You Are Not Valued.
https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/dear-daughter-leave-when-you-valued-sara-johnson

I also ws encouraged about this topic by another person’s quote on LinkedIn this morning:

I’m encouraged about my “value” by the Word of God — to me, this is what the Almighty God, creator of everything has to say about me and you and our “worth” or “value”:

You alone created my inner being. You knitted me together inside my mother. I will give thanks to you because I have been so amazingly and miraculously made. Your works are miraculous, and my soul is fully aware of this. My bones were not hidden from you when I was being made in secret, when I was being skillfully woven in an underground workshop. Your eyes saw me when I was only a fetus. Every day ⌊of my life⌋ was recorded in your book before one of them had taken place. How precious are your thoughts concerning me, O God! How vast in number they are! If I try to count them, there would be more of them than there are grains of sand. When I wake up, I am still with you.
Psalms 139:13‭-‬18 GW

Where do you and I find our identity?

How do we identify our value and the value of those around us?

I find so much encouragement in what the Word of God has to teach me about my TRUE IDENTITY, my TRUE VALUE , and of what is true and valuable in all the others that I will come into contact today.

A great reference of scripture/verses on the topic of IDENTITY: https://www.openbible.info/topics/identity

We can escape so many traps if we would just believe what He says about us and about others.

Wouldn’t we be more respectful, kind, gentle, inclusive, and forgiving if we truly believed that our actions towards others were actions towards uniquely called and purposed children of Almighty God?

Wouldn’t we be less “impacted” by our momentary circumstances if our value and identity and “self worth” weren’t so intrinsically tied up into performance, measurements, and the opinions of others?

What if our character, our source — as a Christian I would say “who we are In Christ” – was the source of our assurance, our confidence, and our faith in that truth was unshakable?

I’m reminded of a discussion that dad and I had about the rampant issues of oppression and abuse of children that is clearly a systemic issue within the “clergy” of the Catholic priesthood, acting as wolves feeding upon the little sheep of the “laity” — and how I explained to dad that the root of the issue is in their mistaken understanding of the IDENTITY and VALUE of themselves and of others. Any system that allows one group to see themselves as more valuable than others, gives way to them justifying in their own minds all kinds of oppression and abuse. Having this wrong understanding of the Kingdom of God, and twisting the Word of God into a justification for building up palaces and titles and opulence while preying on the weak and the vulnerable — it is something we too have to be careful that we aren’t falling into. What if I used my own power and position to hire and sexually harass that cute young secretary? What if I helped that person in need just to get recognition? What if I participated in a good cause or charity event just to build a good reputation in the community, but my business practices behind closed doors were to take advantage unfairly of my business and vendors? Hopefully, we can see that all of this stems from not rightly considering and remembering the true identity and value of every child in the eyes of the Heavenly Father.

Oh, Lord, what a gift faith in knowing and believing that our identity, our value, our prepare and calling comes from YOU. We were not just some random occurrence of chaotic and evolutionary development that has no relative value or purpose in the grand scale of existence — such foolish thinking would have people ending their own lives thinking “it is all meaningless and worthless” just because things “didn’t go our way”. And it would have us justifying ways to exclude, even oppress others, based on their life circumstances, performance, or “what they can do for me” or where I see their value “in comparison to me”. Help us to repent from our foolish ways, to see others as you see them, to not only act fairly with each other, but to truly love each other. Amen.

What does it mean to seek God?

Let’s see a few things that the Word of God has to say about “seeking God”:

Search for the Lord and for his strength; continually seek him.
1 Chronicles 16:11 NLT

“Now set your mind and heart to seek the Lord your God.” (1 Chronicles 22:19)

“If then you have been raised with Christ, seek the things that are above, where Christ is, seated at the right hand of God. Set your minds on things that are above, not on things that are on earth.” (Colossians 3:1–2)

“Seek the Lord while he may be found; call upon him while he is near.” (Isaiah 55:6)

“If you will seek God and plead with the Almighty for mercy . . . ” (Job 8:5)

“In the pride of his face the wicked does not seek him” (Psalm 10:4)
“If you seek him, he will be found by you” (1 Chronicles 28:9)
“Whoever would draw near to God must believe that he exists and that he rewards those who seek him” (Hebrews 11:6)

But how do we go about this practically?

How do we “apply” this effectively?

First of all, I would emphasize that “seeking God” is a position of the heart and a conscious yearning — not just a religious activity.

For example, being diligent to do a morning devotional, or having a prayer time, or singing praise, etc. can by itself be empty, dead, fruitless “religious activity” if we are not coming to that humble and contrite place where we know our need for God and are truly seeking Him.

And there are times when we might be in such a desperate place that we would foolishly “demand an audience with the Lord” like Job did, or cry out “where are you” and throw rocks at the sky asking Him to reveal Himself — but experience and history tells me that these types of “seeking God”, while they serve their purpose, may prove to us more than we are truly prepared to handle.

And I’m not talking about working ourselves up into an emotional experience or a trance like state so that we might fabricate a false spiritual “feeling” of connection to “something greater” or “something closer”– because there are many familiar spirits that people spend time with in these activities that are not the one, true Holy Spirit. Those people need to test every spirit by the Word of God and if it ever does not line up with the written Word of God, if the “prophecy” does not come true even once, they need to repent and call for the Lord of Hosts to rebuke that evil spirit and free them from its deceiving ways.

No, I’m talking about getting still and quiet with the Lord. Finding your own “wilderness” away from the constant drone of the noise and distraction of the world around us. If we get physically still and quiet, like Mary at the feet of Jesus instead of Martha busy and anxious, there is more of an opportunity for our mind, our desires, and our spirit to come to that place of truly seeking the presence, the face, the intimate and personal relationship with God that is “being a child of God”.

This process of seeking the Lord intimately might require we lay down other influences that we enjoy, but that distract us from our purpose and calling.

This process will require us to turn away from the enticements of the world and the desires of our flesh, but if we see that as burdensome and hard to do, them it must also be apparent to us that our true love for the Lord has either waned or may have never truly been awakened in the first place.

“The Kingdom of Heaven is like a treasure that a man discovered hidden in a field. In his excitement, he hid it again and sold everything he owned to get enough money to buy the field. “Again, the Kingdom of Heaven is like a merchant on the lookout for choice pearls. When he discovered a pearl of great value, he sold everything he owned and bought it!
Matthew 13:44‭-‬46 NLT

Lord, renew in us a hunger for your presence and intimate involvement in our lives, day to day, moment by moment, breath by breath — awaken us to that truly abundant life in you. Amen.

Related article:

https://www.desiringgod.org/articles/what-does-it-mean-to-seek-the-lord

Evidence

Now someone may argue, “Some people have faith; others have good deeds.” But I say, “How can you show me your faith if you don’t have good deeds? I will show you my faith by my good deeds.”
James 2:18 NLT

Life Application Study Notes
At first glance, this verse seems to contradict Romans 3:28, “We are made right with God through faith and not by obeying the law.” Deeper investigation, however, shows that the teachings of James and Paul are not at odds. While it is true that our good deeds can never earn salvation, true faith always results in a changed life and good deeds. Paul speaks against those who try to be saved by deeds instead of true faith; James speaks against those who confuse mere intellectual assent with true faith. After all, even demons know who Jesus is, but they don’t obey him. True faith involves a commitment of your whole self to God.

Jesus taught us:

A good tree produces good fruit, and a bad tree produces bad fruit. A good tree can’t produce bad fruit, and a bad tree can’t produce good fruit. So every tree that does not produce good fruit is chopped down and thrown into the fire. Yes, just as you can identify a tree by its fruit, so you can identify people by their actions. “Not everyone who calls out to me, ‘Lord! Lord!’ will enter the Kingdom of Heaven. Only those who actually do the will of my Father in heaven will enter. On judgment day many will say to me, ‘Lord! Lord! We prophesied in your name and cast out demons in your name and performed many miracles in your name.’ But I will reply, ‘I never knew you. Get away from me, you who break God’s laws.’
Matthew 7:17‭-‬23 NLT

And I will ask the Father, and he will give you another Advocate, who will never leave you. He is the Holy Spirit, who leads into all truth. The world cannot receive him, because it isn’t looking for him and doesn’t recognize him. But you know him, because he lives with you now and later will be in you. No, I will not abandon you as orphans—I will come to you. Soon the world will no longer see me, but you will see me. Since I live, you also will live. When I am raised to life again, you will know that I am in my Father, and you are in me, and I am in you. Those who accept my commandments and obey them are the ones who love me. And because they love me, my Father will love them. And I will love them and reveal myself to each of them.” Judas (not Judas Iscariot, but the other disciple with that name) said to him, “Lord, why are you going to reveal yourself only to us and not to the world at large?” Jesus replied, “All who love me will do what I say. My Father will love them, and we will come and make our home with each of them. Anyone who doesn’t love me will not obey me. And remember, my words are not my own. What I am telling you is from the Father who sent me.
John 14:16‭-‬24 NLT

Examine yourselves to see if your faith is genuine. Test yourselves. Surely you know that Jesus Christ is among you ; if not, you have failed the test of genuine faith.
2 Corinthians 13:5 NLT

Dear friends, you always followed my instructions when I was with you. And now that I am away, it is even more important. Work hard to show the results of your salvation, obeying God with deep reverence and fear. For God is working in you, giving you the desire and the power to do what pleases him. Do everything without complaining and arguing, so that no one can criticize you. Live clean, innocent lives as children of God, shining like bright lights in a world full of crooked and perverse people. Hold firmly to the word of life; then, on the day of Christ’s return, I will be proud that I did not run the race in vain and that my work was not useless.
Philippians 2:12‭-‬16 NLT

Is my relationship with God healthy?

Today’s verses

People who conceal their sins will not prosper, but if they confess and turn from them, they will receive mercy. Blessed are those who fear to do wrong, but the stubborn are headed for serious trouble. A ruler with no understanding will oppress his people, but one who hates corruption will have a long life.
Proverbs 28:13‭-‬14‭, ‬16 NLT

Supplemental Reading

Blessings for Obedience

“Do not make idols or set up carved images, or sacred pillars, or sculptured stones in your land so you may worship them. I am the Lord your God. You must keep my Sabbath days of rest and show reverence for my sanctuary. I am the Lord . “If you follow my decrees and are careful to obey my commands, I will send you the seasonal rains. The land will then yield its crops, and the trees of the field will produce their fruit. Your threshing season will overlap with the grape harvest, and your grape harvest will overlap with the season of planting grain. You will eat your fill and live securely in your own land. “I will give you peace in the land, and you will be able to sleep with no cause for fear. I will rid the land of wild animals and keep your enemies out of your land. In fact, you will chase down your enemies and slaughter them with your swords. Five of you will chase a hundred, and a hundred of you will chase ten thousand! All your enemies will fall beneath your sword. “I will look favorably upon you, making you fertile and multiplying your people. And I will fulfill my covenant with you. You will have such a surplus of crops that you will need to clear out the old grain to make room for the new harvest! I will live among you, and I will not despise you. I will walk among you; I will be your God, and you will be my people. I am the Lord your God, who brought you out of the land of Egypt so you would no longer be their slaves. I broke the yoke of slavery from your neck so you can walk with your heads held high.
Leviticus 26:1‭-‬13 NLT

Punishments for Disobedience

“However, if you do not listen to me or obey all these commands, and if you break my covenant by rejecting my decrees, treating my regulations with contempt, and refusing to obey my commands, I will punish you. I will bring sudden terrors upon you—wasting diseases and burning fevers that will cause your eyes to fail and your life to ebb away. You will plant your crops in vain because your enemies will eat them. I will turn against you, and you will be defeated by your enemies. Those who hate you will rule over you, and you will run even when no one is chasing you! “And if, in spite of all this, you still disobey me, I will punish you seven times over for your sins. I will break your proud spirit by making the skies as unyielding as iron and the earth as hard as bronze. All your work will be for nothing, for your land will yield no crops, and your trees will bear no fruit. “If even then you remain hostile toward me and refuse to obey me, I will inflict disaster on you seven times over for your sins. I will send wild animals that will rob you of your children and destroy your livestock. Your numbers will dwindle, and your roads will be deserted. “And if you fail to learn the lesson and continue your hostility toward me, then I myself will be hostile toward you. I will personally strike you with calamity seven times over for your sins. I will send armies against you to carry out the curse of the covenant you have broken. When you run to your towns for safety, I will send a plague to destroy you there, and you will be handed over to your enemies. I will destroy your food supply, so that ten women will need only one oven to bake bread for their families. They will ration your food by weight, and though you have food to eat, you will not be satisfied. “If in spite of all this you still refuse to listen and still remain hostile toward me, then I will give full vent to my hostility. I myself will punish you seven times over for your sins. Then you will eat the flesh of your own sons and daughters. I will destroy your pagan shrines and knock down your places of worship. I will leave your lifeless corpses piled on top of your lifeless idols, and I will despise you. I will make your cities desolate and destroy your places of pagan worship. I will take no pleasure in your offerings that should be a pleasing aroma to me. Yes, I myself will devastate your land, and your enemies who come to occupy it will be appalled at what they see. I will scatter you among the nations and bring out my sword against you. Your land will become desolate, and your cities will lie in ruins. Then at last the land will enjoy its neglected Sabbath years as it lies desolate while you are in exile in the land of your enemies. Then the land will finally rest and enjoy the Sabbaths it missed. As long as the land lies in ruins, it will enjoy the rest you never allowed it to take every seventh year while you lived in it. “And for those of you who survive, I will demoralize you in the land of your enemies. You will live in such fear that the sound of a leaf driven by the wind will send you fleeing. You will run as though fleeing from a sword, and you will fall even when no one pursues you. Though no one is chasing you, you will stumble over each other as though fleeing from a sword. You will have no power to stand up against your enemies. You will die among the foreign nations and be devoured in the land of your enemies. Those of you who survive will waste away in your enemies’ lands because of their sins and the sins of their ancestors.
Leviticus 26:14‭-‬39 NLT

Repentance

“But at last my people will confess their sins and the sins of their ancestors for betraying me and being hostile toward me. When I have turned their hostility back on them and brought them to the land of their enemies, then at last their stubborn hearts will be humbled, and they will pay for their sins. Then I will remember my covenant with Jacob and my covenant with Isaac and my covenant with Abraham, and I will remember the land. For the land must be abandoned to enjoy its years of Sabbath rest as it lies deserted. At last the people will pay for their sins, for they have continually rejected my regulations and despised my decrees. “But despite all this, I will not utterly reject or despise them while they are in exile in the land of their enemies. I will not cancel my covenant with them by wiping them out, for I am the Lord their God. For their sakes I will remember my ancient covenant with their ancestors, whom I brought out of the land of Egypt in the sight of all the nations, that I might be their God. I am the Lord .” These are the decrees, regulations, and instructions that the Lord gave through Moses on Mount Sinai as evidence of the relationship between himself and the Israelites.
Leviticus 26:40‭-‬46 NLT

That last verse is of especial note because of the phrase “as evidence of the relationship between himself and the Israelites“.

EVIDENCE OF THE RELATIONSHIP

Do we wonder about the evidence of whether our relationship with God is healthy?

Do we hear Paul’s instruction to the churches and look at ourselves:

Examine yourselves to see if your faith is genuine. Test yourselves. Surely you know that Jesus Christ is among you ; if not, you have failed the test of genuine faith.
2 Corinthians 13:5 NLT

Article to reference

https://www.desiringgod.org/interviews/is-my-relationship-with-god-healthy

Are we broken?

Are we desperate for God?

Is He truly our “first love” or have idols taken His place in our hearts?

If they have, are we willing to throw them out, confess our sin, repent, and put Him first — newly surrendered and fully trusting in the Lord?