We would not be where we are today without the Lord’s providential guidance, protection, provision, and power. We fully believe when we follow His will in His way (and wait on His timing), He takes full responsibility for the outcome of His sovereign plan. As President John Quincy Adams famously said, “Duty is ours. Results are God’s.”

This audiobook has been produced as a free ministry resource for LivingStrategically.com.

Timestamps & Appendix

Chapter 1: Waiting for a Miracle 0:04:30
Chapter 2: Exposing Darkness 0:15:15
Chapter 3: Seeking Justice 0:35:17
Chapter 4: Dwelling in the Wilderness 0:51:51
Chapter 5: Hope Deferred 1:13:18
Chapter 6: An Unexpected Plot Twist 1:29:13
Chapter 7: God’s Resurrection Power 1:54:28

Click here to download the appendix PDF with additional resources for your wilderness journey.

Purchase online from ChristianBook.com!

Every six months or so my husband Reed and I intentionally sit down together and assess how we’re doing with habits, routines, and working towards our life‐long goals. We want to make sure we establish good patterns now, so we reap their blessings later in life. We also want to make sure our priorities align with Scripture and God’s will for our lives. Well, we recently discovered a resource to help us do a very thorough assessment.

Reed was gifted a book called The Man in the Mirror by Patrick Morley¹. I started reading it almost by accident, since it is really targeted towards guys, but I’m always intrigued by books that have a Biblical finances section. That section was so good that I kept reading!

In the book, Patrick Morley helps readers examine 24 areas of their lives to see how they line up with Scripture. Some of the areas include identities, relationships, finances, time, temperament, and integrity. The author says, “My dream is that by reading it you will find contentment and a success that really matters.” The Man in the Mirror is a biblically based and empowering book to help Christians live an authentic life and truly find their purpose in life. It’s a great tool to have in our “strategic toolbox”.

A Count‐Down List of Priorities

“When we don’t have a sense of where we are going,
where we are now isn’t that important.” ~Patrick Morley

God has laid the following list of priorities on our hearts for daily living, many based on concepts that we gleaned from The Man in the Mirror. These are key areas for us to focus on so we don’t waste our time, efforts, or resources. They are biblical priorities that guide our decisions, goals, and dreams, in order to live strategically!

While this is not an exhaustive list, we hope it is thought-provoking and challenges you to do your own life assessment. Does it bring to mind any course corrections that you need to make? Are there other areas that you have been called to focus on that aren’t included in our list?

#10 – We will live a balanced life, not neglecting times of rest, and living daily in the strength of the Lord.

“He gives strength to the weary, and to him who lacks might He increases power. Though youths grow weary and tired, and vigorous young men stumble badly, yet those who wait for the Lord will gain new strength; they will mount up with wings like eagles, they will run and not get tired, they will walk and not become weary.” Isaiah 40:29‐31

“Come to Me, all who are weary and heavy‐laden, and I will give you rest. Take My yoke upon you and learn from Me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls.” Matthew 11:28‐29

#9 – We will live with contentment, not seeking a higher standard of living. We know riches do not give fulfillment nor lead to true victorious living.

“If we have food and covering, with these we shall be content.” 1 Timothy 6:8

“Make sure that your character is free from the love of money, being content with what you have; for He Himself has said, ‘I will never desert you, nor will I ever forsake you’…” Hebrews 13:5

“Do not love the world nor the things in the world. If anyone loves the world, the love of the Father is not in him. For all that is in the world, the lust of the flesh and the lust of the eyes and the boastful pride of life, is not from the Father, but is from the world.” 1 John 2:15‐16

“Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they shall be satisfied.” Matthew 5:6

#8 – We will honor the Lord from “our wealth” and from the first/best of all “our produce”. We give back to God because He gives so abundantly to us, and He is the true owner of all things. We are His stewards.

“Honor the Lord from your wealth and from the first of all your produce,” Proverbs 3:9

“As soon as the order spread, the sons of Israel provided in abundance the first fruits of grain, new wine, oil, honey and of all the produce of the field; and they brought in abundantly the tithe of all…the tithe of sacred gifts which were consecrated to the Lord their God, and placed them in heaps.” 2 Chronicles 31:5‐6

“In this case, moreover, it is required of stewards that one be found trustworthy.” 1 Corinthians 4:2

#7 – Being self-employed, we will ask God to give us favor in the eyes of our clients and bless the work of our hands.

“The Lord will command the blessing upon you in your barns and in all that you put your hand to, and He will bless you in the land which the Lord your God gives you.” Deuteronomy 28:8

“The Lord was with Joseph, so he became a successful man. And he was in the house of his master, the Egyptian. Now his master saw that the Lord was with him and how the Lord caused all that he did to prosper in his hand. So Joseph found favor in his sight..” Genesis 39:2‐4 a

“Let the favor of the Lord our God be upon us; and confirm for us the work of our hands; yes, confirm the work of our hands.” Psalm 90:17

“And Jesus kept increasing in wisdom and stature, and in favor with God and men.” Luke 2:52

#6 – In ministry and at the office, we will practice the proverb of steady plodding, remembering that God causes the growth.

“Steady plodding brings prosperity; hasty speculation brings poverty.” Proverbs 21:5

“Let us not lose heart in doing good, for in due time we will reap if we do not grow weary.” Galatians 6:9

“For you have need of endurance, so that when you have done the will of God, you may receive what was promised.” Hebrews 10:36

“So then neither the one who plants nor the one who waters is anything, but God who causes the growth.” 1 Corinthians 3:7

#5 – We will invest our lives in things which endure and have eternal impact, living each day as if it were our last.

“Instruct those who are rich in this present world not to be conceited or to fix their hope on the uncertainty of riches, but on God, who richly supplies us with all things to enjoy. Instruct them to do good, to be rich in good works, to be generous and ready to share, storing up for themselves the treasure of a good foundation for the future, so that they may take hold of that which is life indeed.” 1 Timothy 6:17‐19

“Therefore be careful how you walk, not as unwise men but as wise, making the most of your time, because the days are evil. So then do not be foolish but understand what the will of the Lord is.” Ephesians 5:15‐17

“So teach us to number our days, that we may present to You a heart of wisdom.” Psalm 90:12

“But store up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust destroys, and where thieves do not break in or steal; for where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.” Matthew 6:20‐21

#4 – We will nourish our marriage, a relationship that comes before everything, except our relationship with God.

“So husbands ought also to love their own wives as their own bodies. He who loves his own wife loves himself; for no one ever hated his own flesh, but nourishes and cherishes it, just as Christ also does the church,” Ephesians 5:28‐29

“Wives, be subject to your own husbands, as to the Lord. For the husband is the head of the wife, as Christ also is the head of the church, He Himself being the Savior of the body. But as the church is subject to Christ, so also the wives ought to be to their husbands in everything.” Ephesians 5:22‐24

“Nevertheless, each individual among you also is to love his own wife even as himself, and the wife must see to it that she respects her husband.” Ephesians 5:33

#3 – We will spend time daily in the Word of God and prayer, in order to live by the counsel of the Holy Spirit and be able to discern good and evil in this world.

“Let the word of Christ richly dwell within you,” Colossians 3:16 a

“How blessed is the man who does not walk in the counsel of the wicked, nor stand in the path of sinners, nor sit in the seat of scoffers! But his delight is in the law of the Lord, and in His law he meditates day and night.” Psalm 1:1‐2

“But solid food is for the mature, who because of practice have their senses trained to discern good and evil.” Hebrews 5:14

“This book of the law shall not depart from your mouth, but you shall meditate on it day and night, so that you may be careful to do according to all that is written in it; for then you will make your way prosperous, and then you will have success.” Joshua 1:8

#2 – We will live lives of obedience, a trademark of a biblical Christian, and a great witness tool to an unbelieving world.

“…for the Lord will again rejoice over you for good, just as He rejoiced over your fathers; if you obey the Lord your God to keep His commandments and His statutes which are written in this book of the law, if you turn to the Lord your God with all your heart and soul. ‘For this commandment which I command you today is not too difficult for you, nor is it out of reach.‘ ” Deuteronomy 30:9b‐11

“For this is the love of God, that we keep His commandments; and His commandments are not burdensome.” 1 John 5:3

#1 – Our foremost purpose in life is to glorify God. He will remain the top priority of our lives.

“Only be very careful to observe the commandment and the law which Moses the servant of the Lord commanded you, to love the Lord your God and walk in all His ways and keep His commandments and hold fast to Him and serve Him with all your heart and with all your soul.” Joshua 22:5

“Everyone who is called by My name, and whom I have created for My glory, whom I have formed, even whom I have made.” Isaiah 43:7

“…be filled with the knowledge of His will in all spiritual wisdom and understanding, so that you will walk in a manner worthy of the Lord, to please Him in all respects, bearing fruit in every good work and increasing in the knowledge of God…” Colossians 1:9b-10

A Closing Prayer

Dear Lord,

Make our messes into Your masterpiece. We want to live by Your priorities and follow Your will for our lives. Please guide us daily in this spiritual journey.

Please make our lives count, for Your glory! At the end of our days, we want to be able to say what Jesus said in John 17:4, “I glorified You on the earth, having accomplished the work which You have given Me to do.”

Amen,
Elizabeth and Reed Hewitt

¹ The Man in the Mirror written by Patrick Morley and published by Zondervan in 1997, updated in 2014.

This page contains affiliate link(s) from ChristianBook.com. If you choose to make a purchase, your price will not be affected and we receive a small commission. Thank you for your support!

Article originally published October 2013. Updated May 2025.

“What is truth?” Pilate asked his prisoner, and he was certainly asking the right person. The world’s greatest Teacher of truth—the very embodiment of God’s truth in the world—stood before him as the defendant. Truth was on trial, but the judge didn’t know what truth was.

Pilate’s famous inquiry is the same question that has perplexed the world from the fall of man all the way to the age of fake news. What is truth? Some people, like Pilate, ask it in contempt or disillusionment, while others are sincere truth seekers. In this post, we’re taking a look at five traits of people who put truth at the top of their priority list.

Know the Source of Truth vs. the Source of Lies

If you want to seek the truth, you have to know where to find it.

The Gospel of John records ten times that Jesus spoke about truth in His last few hours with His disciples, between the Passover supper and His betrayal and arrest. Perhaps most critically, He tells His followers where to find the source of truth: in Him, in the Father, in the Holy Spirit (the “Spirit of truth”), and in the Word of God (John 14-17).

In your search for truth, you also have to deal with “untruths”: lies, deception, and everything false. Jesus identified the source of falsehood when he confronted the corrupt Pharisees:

“You are of your father the devil, and you want to do the desires of your father. He was a murderer from the beginning, and does not stand in the truth because there is no truth in him. Whenever he speaks a lie, he speaks from his own nature, for he is a liar and the father of lies.” John 8:44, NASB

Satan was the source behind the lies of the Pharisees and is still the ultimate source of falsehood in our world today.

Study the Truth

If your third-grade teacher made you memorize the multiplication tables, then you know without thinking that 7 x 7 = 49. A truth seeker takes the same approach to the truth, studying until it is second nature, ingrained in the heart and mind.

The foundation of this study should always be the Word of God:

“The entirety of Your word is truth, and every one of Your righteous judgments endures forever.” Psalm 119:160, NKJV

“Be diligent to present yourself approved to God…accurately handling the word of truth.” 2 Timothy 2:15, NASB

“We keep asking God that you might be filled with the knowledge of His will in all wisdom and spiritual understanding— to walk in a manner worthy of the Lord, to please Him in all respects, bearing fruit in every good work and growing in the knowledge of God.” Colossians 1:9b-10, TLV

Patrick Morley, author of The Man in the Mirror¹, asks, “How many of us have carefully chiseled our life view by a search for truth? Or, is our life view more the product of our environment and circumstances?”

A truth seeker will build on their biblical foundation by examining every fact and event in relation to Scripture. Over time, they develop a Christian “life view” that allows them to be discerning and act in accordance with God’s truth, even in areas that are not specifically addressed in the Bible.

For example, we can know something true about the existence of fossils or the structure of DNA. But what do these facts mean? Do they confirm the account of a global flood and show the genius of an intelligent Creator, or do they prove that we evolved from a primordial ooze over the course of billions of years? A true fact can point to a bigger truth or it can be manipulated to tell a complete lie, and that is why a truth seeker must remember that anything true will be consistent with God’s Word.

Know the Signs of the Times

The “end times” started in the first century AD. The apostles considered themselves to be living in the end times, which biblically means the period of the new covenant leading up to the second coming of Jesus. With the prophetic fulfillment of Israel once again becoming a nation and the Jewish people returning to their homeland, we are seeing signs that we are nearing the end of the end times. (Check out this article for a list of biblical signposts that can help us identify where we are on the biblical, prophetic roadmap.)

The Bible tells us the end times is an age of deception, where many false prophets and evil men arise and mislead many (Matt. 24:11 and 2 Tim. 3:13). We are called to “test the spirits to see whether they are from God” (1 John 4:1) and be bold for the things of God. This is a time to be led by the Spirit of truth, who will “guide you into all truth” (John 16:13).

The Bible paints what appears to be a bleak picture for truth in the end times:

“For the time will come when they will not endure sound doctrine, but according to their own desires, because they have itching ears, they will heap up for themselves teachers; and they will turn their ears away from the truth, and be turned aside to fables. But you be watchful in all things, endure afflictions, do the work of an evangelist, fulfill your ministry.” 2 Timothy 4:3-5, NKJV

That last sentence is the key for truth seekers. Though there are forces of evil at work, the bottom line is that we are called to fulfill our ministry. And how do we do that? Stay alert and be aware of the deceptions in the world, so that we will not get caught up in them.

Speak the Truth

Knowing the truth is important but it doesn’t do you any good unless you act on it. A person who is a truth seeker should also have the courage to be a truth speaker. Sometimes that is an incredibly difficult thing to do. The people that need to hear the truth the most are usually the people who want to hear it the least, but if we truly love our neighbor then we can do nothing less than speak the truth in love (Eph. 4:14-15).

Author and pastor Rick Warren has said, “Our culture has accepted two huge lies. The first is that if you disagree with someone’s lifestyle, you must fear or hate them. The second is that to love someone means you agree with everything they believe or do. Both are nonsense. You don’t have to compromise convictions to be compassionate.”

When speaking the truth, we must remember that we cannot control whether our neighbor believes the truth. We may be called to be a witness but the rest is between them and God.

Defend the Truth

Once you know, study, and are willing to speak the truth…you have to be ready to defend the truth. It says in 1 Peter 3:15, “…but sanctify Christ as Lord in your hearts, always being ready to make a defense to everyone who asks you to give an account for the hope that is in you, yet with gentleness and reverence…” (NASB).

This defense could entail sharing your faith with someone you don’t expect to be receptive. It could mean risking a friendship because you won’t go along with the crowd. It may even require you to risk your job because you won’t tolerate corruption. Whatever the situation, a truth seeker will obey God’s truth even when it costs them to do so.

When these types of situations arise, the Apostle Peter gives us this encouragement:

“Who is there to harm you if you prove zealous for what is good? But even if you should suffer for the sake of righteousness, you are blessed. And do not fear their intimidation, and do not be troubled.” 1 Peter 3:13-14, NASB

The truth is that God’s children have nothing to fear, because His blessing is greater than any threat the world can devise. That truth opens the door to the kind of life that God intended for his people, a life of freedom. As Jesus proclaims, “You shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free” John 8:32, NKJV.

¹ The Man in the Mirror written by Patrick Morley and published by Zondervan in 1997, updated in 2014.

This page contains affiliate link(s) from ChristianBook.com. If you choose to make a purchase, your price will not be affected and we receive a small commission. Thank you for your support!

Article originally published July 2019. Updated August 2024.

“You make me know the path of life…” Psalm 16:11

A strategic Christian follows God’s righteous path in the land of the living. The Bible tells us that the path of life is not an easy one, as we know all too well in today’s culture, but God promises “to smooth the path for the righteous” (Isaiah 26:7). Those who stay the course will be blessed!

A Christian’s Journey

John Bunyan’s classic allegory The Pilgrim’s Progress, first published in 1678, represents the Christian life quite well. It tells the story of a man’s journey from the city of Destruction to the Celestial City, through many trials and temptations. At the start of the pilgrimage, Evangelist tells the main character, Christian, to stick with the path that leads to the narrow gate and he will find everlasting life. Jesus describes two different gates in His “sermon on the mount”:

“Go in through the narrow gate; for the gate that leads to destruction is wide and the road broad, and many travel it; but it is a narrow gate and a hard road that leads to life, and only a few find it.” (Matthew 7:13-14, CJB)

In another passage, Jesus tells us that He alone is the gate that gives abundant life. “I am the gate; if someone enters through me, he will be safe…The thief comes only in order to steal, kill, and destroy; I have come so that they may have life, life in its fullest measure” (John 10:9-10). In contrast to the thief (who is our adversary the Devil), our Savior is “the Way, the Truth, and the Life” (John 14:6).

Staying On Course

Another character that Christian encounters in Bunyan’s story is Worldly Wiseman, who offers him a shorter and easier path that promises to be less burdensome. Christian learns a hard lesson when he sees that this wicked man almost led him to destruction. Thankfully, Evangelist intervenes and turns Christian back from the “forbidden paths”.

Likewise, we have a choice to make when life-stealing temptations of this world entice us. God’s wisdom, found in Proverbs 3:5-6, tells us to:

Trust in Adonai with all your heart; do not rely on your own understanding. In all your ways acknowledge Him; then He will level your paths.

God levels our paths for our own good but also for the sake of His name (see Psalm 23:1-4). And it is the Holy Spirit who guides us to level ground (Psalm 143:10). The psalmist David prayed, “Make me know Your ways, Adonai, teach me Your paths. Guide me in Your truth, and teach me; for you are the God who saves me, my hope is in you all day long” (Psalm 25:4-5).

The Holy Scriptures are “a light for our path” (Psalm 119:105) that always leads us to the way of truth. We are to carefully stay on course, neither deviating to the right or the left, which means obeying God’s instruction and keeping our feet from evil.

Therefore you are to be careful to do as Adonai your God has ordered you; you are not to deviate either to the right or the left. You are to follow the entire way which Adonai your God has ordered you; so that you will live, things will go well with you, and you will live long in the land you are about to possess. (Deuteronomy 5:29-30, CJB)

Similarly Proverbs 4:25-27 reads:

Let your eyes look straight ahead, fix your gaze on what lies in front of you. Level the path for your feet, let all your ways be properly prepared; then deviate neither right nor left; and keep your foot far from evil.

Rest for Our Souls

Until we reach our final eternal destination, we are like pilgrims on a journey in a foreign land. The character Christian reached the Celestial City with a fellow traveler and brother-in-Christ named Hopeful. At the gate of the heavenly city, there was written in gold letters, “Blessed are they that do His commandments, that they may have right to the tree of life, and may enter in through the gates into the city” (Bunyan, page 279). Other travelers, who did not follow God’s commands and accept Jesus as their Lord and Savior, were turned away at the gate.

We read in Jeremiah 6:16 that when we stand at the crossroads of various paths that life has to offer, we must chose the Good Way. When we take it, we “will find rest for our souls”. Now is the time to harken this message and chose the Path of Life!

All Scripture taken from the Complete Jewish Bible (CJB). Photo credit: Lightstock.com.

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And He said, “To you it has been granted to know the mysteries of the kingdom of God,
but to the rest it is in parables…” Luke 8:10

From the time that the world began, God the Creator has had a prophetic plan for the consummation of all things. As we read through His Word, we discover more and more details of this end time plan. Jesus called it “the mysteries of the kingdom of God” (Luke 8:10) and admonished us to not just hear it but to understand it with our hearts. The apostle Paul called servants of Christ to be trustworthy “stewards of the mysteries of God” (1 Corinthians 4:1-2), therefore we are wise to study and apply these “things hidden since the foundation of the world” (Matthew 13:35).

Tares of the Field

And His disciples came to Him and said, “Explain to us the parable
of the tares of the field.” Matthew 13:36

In Matthew 13, Jesus shares a parable of the harvest at the end of the age. It begins with the Son of Man sowing good wheat seed (representing sons of His kingdom) in the field which stands for this world. Unfortunately the enemy (Satan) sows his own seed in the same field, mixing in weeds (called tares, representing the sons of the evil one) with the good seed and that resemble the wheat. At the end of the age, the harvest comes.

As the One in charge of the end time harvest, Jesus then separates the wheat from the weeds. Both have an eternal destiny, determined by whom they served while in the world, with the righteous given eternal life and the evil ones given eternal damnation. “His winnowing fork is in His hand…and He will gather His wheat into the barn, but He will burn up the chaff with unquenchable fire” (Matthew 3:12). It also says “the Son of Man will send forth His angels, and they will gather out of His kingdom all stumbling blocks, and those who commit lawlessness, and will throw them into the furnace of fire; in that place there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth. Then the righteous will shine forth as the sun in the kingdom of their Father.” (Matthew 13:41-43).

We gain a few more details of “the mysteries of the kingdom of God”, later in Jesus’ ministry, from Matthew 24:29-31:

“But immediately after the tribulation of those days the sun will be darkened, and the moon will not give its light, and the stars will fall from the sky, and the powers of the heavens will be shaken. And then the sign of the Son of Man will appear in the sky, and then all the tribes of the earth will mourn, and they will see the Son of Man coming on the clouds of the sky with power and great glory. And He will send forth His angels with a great trumpet and they will gather together His elect from the four winds, from one end of the sky to the other.”

As long as we reside in this world, there will always be lawless ones among us. We are called to be good seed who bear “kingdom fruit” with perseverance until the coming of our Lord and Savior.

Parable of the Sower

“But the seed in the good soil, these are the ones who have heard the word
in an honest and good heart, and hold it fast, and bear fruit with perseverance.” Luke 8:15

In Luke 8 we read another parable where Jesus describes four types of people who hear the Word of God. First, there are those who hear the Word but Satan snatches away the truth and they never accept Christ’s salvation message. Secondly, there are those who hear the Word but it never takes root. Their faith falls away when affliction or persecution comes. Third, there are those who hear the Word but never produce mature fruit for the kingdom. The worries of the world and the deceitfulness of wealth and the pleasures of this life stop them from living with an eternal perspective.

Then, Jesus tells about those who hear the Word, understand it, and bear fruit with perseverance. These believers become steadfast in their faith, strategically producing a yield thirtyfold, sixtyfold, and some a hundredfold for the kingdom.

One of the mysteries of the kingdom is when God’s children stand apart while living in a wicked culture that is destined for destruction. We do this with our devotion to the Word of God and wholehearted obedience to His commands. We shine forth in the darkness through the purity of our conduct and by displaying the fruit of the Holy Spirit. And we keep our focus on heaven, not wrapped up with the futile things of this earth, cultivating an eager anticipation of our Savior’s return.

“Since all these things are to be destroyed in this way, what sort of people ought you to be in holy conduct and godliness, looking for and hastening the coming of the day of God, because of which the heavens will be destroyed by burning, and the elements will melt with intense heat! But according to His promise we are looking for new heavens and a new earth, in which righteousness dwells.” (2 Peter 3:11-13)

What kind of fruit are you bearing for the kingdom? Are you ready for His return?

All Scripture taken from New American Standard Bible, 1995 version. Emphasis added by the author. Photo credits: Mission Media, Lightstock.com.

“It is better to go to a house of mourning than to go to a house of feasting,
because that is the end of every man, and the living takes it to heart.” Ecclesiastes 7:2

Over the past year, a new section has appeared on my prayer list for numerous widows whose husbands have passed away, many from Covid or cancer. As a wife, it is heartbreaking to think of losing my own husband. It can be easy to assume that each day will be just like the previous day, until a tragic life-changing event takes place, and then the reality of how fragile this life is really hits home.

James, the half-brother of Jesus, reminds us, “Yet you do not know what your life will be like tomorrow. You are just a vapor that appears for a little while and then vanishes away” (James 4:14). It is strategic for Christians to keep in mind that this life is temporary, and it should stir the soul to make each day count. We are only promised today!

God Sets the Number of Our Days

“Behold, You have made my days as handbreadths, and my lifetime as nothing in Your sight;
surely every man at his best is a mere breath. Selah.” Psalm 39:5

As our Creator, God Almighty has set a specific number of days for each of our lives. “Since his days are determined, the number of his months is with You; and his limits You have set so that he cannot pass” (Job 14:5). Our lives and the breath of all mankind are held in the Creator’s hands (Job 12:9-10).

The psalmist tells us “the steps of a man are established by the Lord, and He delights in his way” (Psalm 37:23). In another chapter, we are told all the days that are ordained for us were written in His book before we were even formed (Psalm 139:16).

God orchestrates the details of our lives. We read in Ephesians, “For we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand so that we would walk in them” (Ephesians 2:10). In His sovereignty, my heavenly Father knows better than I do how long my days on earth should be and I trust Him to care for me and direct me each of those days.

A Special Assignment

“So teach us to number our days, that we may present to You a heart of wisdom.” Psalm 90:12

Since our days are like a breath and a passing shadow, we must make the most of the short time we have remaining. When we get to Heaven, we will each give an account to God for how we invested our days and whether we laid up for ourselves treasures on earth or in Heaven.

We have a limited perspective in the flesh of why God has placed us on this earth. Isaiah 43:7 declares that we were created for God’s glory and 1 Corinthians 10:31 admonishes us to do all for the glory of God. Therefore, we should take our work seriously and keep God as our focus in all that we do.

This year I am reading through The Charles Stanley Life Principles Daily Bible, which I highly recommend! In his commentary for Ecclesiastes (page 1093), Pastor Charles Stanley says, “Our pilgrimage on earth is brief. A diligent believer alert to every opportunity to share Christ and make Him known will have the greatest influence on the kingdom of God. Time is precious. We redeem it for His purposes as we remain diligent in our work, our study, our witness, and our prayers.”

The prayer of Moses in Psalm 90 ends by asking for God’s favor to be upon us and for Him to confirm the work of our hands (Psalm 90:17). God has prepared a calling for each of us, a special assignment just for you and me, but we have an unknown (to us) amount of days to complete the mission. There may not be time to waste!

The Glory to Come

“He has made everything appropriate in its time. He has also set eternity in their heart…” Ecclesiastes 3:11

Ultimately, God’s children must have an eternal perspective. As long as we reside on planet earth, there will be sins, sufferings, and character-building sacrifices. But Paul reminds us that “the sufferings of this present time are not worthy to be compared with the glory that is to be revealed to us” (Romans 8:18). We must keep in mind “for here we do not have a lasting city, but we are seeking the city which is to come” (Hebrews 13:14).

Thanks to the resurrection power of our Lord and Savior we have eternal life, and death no longer has a hold on us. “Therefore if you have been raised up with Christ, keep seeking the things above, where Christ is, seated at the right hand of God. Set your mind on the things above, not on the things that are on earth. For you have died and your life is hidden with Christ in God. When Christ, who is our life, is revealed, then you also will be revealed with Him in glory” (Colossians 3:1-4).

Praise be to God that any who believe in Jesus as their Messiah have the assurance of eternal salvation. And we know “that if the earthly tent which is our house is torn down, we have a building from God, a house not made with hands, eternal in the heavens” (2 Corinthians 5:1).

All Scripture taken from New American Standard Bible, 1995 version. Photo credit: Image 1:27, Lightstock.com.

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“Thus says the Lord, ‘Let not a wise man boast of his wisdom, and let not the mighty man boast of his might, let not a rich man boast of his riches; but let him who boasts boast of this, that he understands and knows Me, that I am the Lord who exercises lovingkindness, justice and righteousness on earth; for I delight in these things,’ declares the Lord.”  Jeremiah 9:23-24

Over the course of our lives, the Holy Spirit molds us to be more like Christ in our words, deeds, and intentions of the heart (our desires and our will). This process requires us to know God’s character, grow in our relationship with Him, and follow His commands. It takes humility of heart to allow God to mold us, because the experiences He uses to do this are often not the kind of things we would choose for ourselves. The achievements that we aspire to may be worthless in God’s eternal perspective, and the struggles and trials we want to avoid may be exactly the things we need to be conformed to His image. Humility enables us to lay down our own desires and accept this process of sanctification, becoming set apart and holy unto the Lord.

As we grow in spiritual maturity, God tests our hearts to know if we are truly committed to His ways and truths. We must diligently maintain our relationship with the Lord and guard our hearts.

“You shall remember all the way which the Lord your God has led you in the wilderness these forty years, that He might humble you, testing you, to know what was in your heart, whether you would keep His commandments or not.”  Deuteronomy 8:2

“Only give heed to yourself and keep your soul diligently, so that you do not forget the things which your eyes have seen and they do not depart from your heart all the days of your life…”   Deuteronomy 4:9

“You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your might.”  Deuteronomy 6:5

Since we are born of the flesh, our sinful natures can get the best of us. Sometimes our spirits are willing but the flesh is weak. God’s Word tells us what it requires to walk humbly with God:

• The working of the Holy Spirit
  “‘Not by might nor by power, but by My Spirit,’ says the Lord of hosts.” Zechariah 4:6
• Obedience to God’s Word
  “Beware that you do not forget the Lord your God by not keeping His commandments and His ordinances and His statutes…”Deuteronomy 8:11
• Prayer and fasting
  “I humbled my soul with fasting, and my prayer kept returning to my bosom.” Psalm 35:13
• Waiting humbly and patiently on the Lord
  “For evildoers will be cut off, but those who wait for the Lord, they will inherit the land… the humble will inherit the land and will delight themselves in abundant prosperity.” Psalm 37:9, 11
• Submit to and draw near to God
  “But He gives a greater grace. Therefore it says, ‘God is opposed to the proud, but gives grace to the humble.’ Submit therefore to God. Resist the devil and he will flee from you. Draw near to God and He will draw near to you.” James 4:6-8

The result of these heart attitudes is that we will be closer to God and in line with His will and His ways. We will find ourselves increasing in understanding, wisdom, discernment, and integrity, simply because we are in sync with Him. We will have God-given courage, knowing it is God who fights for us. We will develop greater faith in God rather than the fear of man. We will learn how to demonstrate servant leadership, like Jesus did. Once we have accepted God’s plan for our lives over our own, we will find that His plan is perfect after all.

God honors those with humility of heart, who seek to glorify Him above all else. Those who chose to walk daily in submission to God are promised great rewards.

“He has done mighty deeds with His arm; He has scattered those who were proud in the thoughts of their heart. He has brought down rulers from their thrones, and has exalted those who were humble.”  Luke 1:51-52

“Humble yourselves in the presence of the Lord, and He will exalt you.”  James 4:10

“Therefore humble yourselves under the mighty hand of God, that He may exalt you at the proper time…”  1 Peter 5:6

“The reward of humility and the fear of the Lord are riches, honor, and life.”  Proverbs 22:4

We can achieve nothing in life for ourselves that will compare to the rewards that come from our heavenly Father. So take a moment today to think about how you can pursue humility and leave the rest to Him!

All Scripture passages taken from the New American Standard Bible, 1995 version.

A Sick Heart & Mind

From a human perspective, it’s easy to focus on “this wicked generation” and blame them for the evil of our day. However, when we view things through the lens of Scripture, we see that revival begins in the hearts of God’s people.

“The heart is more deceitful than all else and is desperately sick; who can understand it? I, the Lord, search the heart, I test the mind, even to give to each man according to his ways, according to the results of his deeds.” Jeremiah 17:9-10

“[If] My people who are called by My name humble themselves and pray and seek My face and turn from their wicked ways, then I will hear from heaven, will forgive their sin, and will heal their land.” 2 Chronicles 7:14

In Jesus’ short time of ministry on earth, He spent just as much time seeking the lost as He did rebuking the religious hypocrites who appeared to follow all of the Law but on the inside needed heart transformations. In Mark 7, we read, “Rightly did Isaiah prophesy of you hypocrites, as it is written: ‘This people honors Me with their lips, but their heart is far away from Me.'”

One of Jesus’ priorities during Passion Week (in the final days leading up to the cross) was cleaning out the Temple from corrupt “church attendees” who had turned God’s House into a robber’s den (Mark 11:15-17). We get a glimpse at how depraved the religious leaders had become in verse 18. This ultimate “come-to-Jesus meeting” caused them to seek how to destroy the Son of God!

How did these ungodly people get so out of control? They compromised on the Word of God, first in small ways under the surface, which grew and grew into an evil and corrupt generation that completely rejected God’s ways. And it all started with the people who filled the pulpits and the pews.

The Holy & the Profane

A pastor once stated, “If the pulpit is weak, the church will be weak. If the church is weak, righteousness will fail, and so will the nation. As goes the church, so goes the country.” That’s exactly the pattern we see in the Old Testament, where priests were commissioned by God to lead the people in His holy ways and obey God in all areas of life. It didn’t take long before the religious leaders failed at their tasks.

“Moreover, they shall teach My people the difference between the holy and the profane, and cause them to discern between the unclean and the clean.” Ezekiel 44:23

“Her priests have done violence to My law and have profaned My holy things; they have made no distinction between the holy and the profane, and they have not taught the difference between the unclean and the clean; and they hide their eyes from My sabbaths, and I am profaned among them.” Ezekiel 22:26

In the New Testament, God’s children are called a royal priesthood, a holy nation, and a people for God’s own possession. Similarly to the Temple priests, we have been called to proclaim the excellencies of the Almighty.

“But you are a chosen race, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people for God’s own possession, so that you may proclaim the excellencies of Him who has called you out of darkness into His marvelous light; for you once were not a people, but now you are the people of God…” 1 Peter 2:9-10a

“Therefore I [Paul], the prisoner of the Lord, implore you to walk in a manner worthy of the calling with which you have been called…” Ephesians 4:1

Pastor and author Jonathan Cahn says, “To fulfill your calling you have to be separate from that which is not your calling.” There is no room in a Christian’s life for the things of darkness and disobedience to God. We must walk in a manner worthy of our calling.

Holy Vessels in a Wicked Generation

Ultimately, if we allow sin into our lives, we are profaning the name of the Lord. We damage our testimony when we don’t hold to the high standard that God has set for His children. God tells us in Leviticus 11:44, “For I am the Lord your God. Consecrate yourselves therefore, and be holy, for I am holy.” He goes on to say that part of being consecrated is keeping His commandments.

“You shall consecrate yourselves therefore and be holy, for I am the Lord your God. You shall keep My statutes and practice them; I am the Lord who sanctifies you.” Leviticus 20:7-8

Just as the Temple priests and religious leaders needed a heart change, we need to turn from anything ungodly that we have allowed into our lives. A heart that truly delights in God is one that follows God’s will. God is looking for Christ-followers who show their devotion through obedience, in a world that is running in rebellion away from the ways of God.

A key to obedience is spending time with God. When we take in God’s Word each day, we learn about God’s holy character. When we spend time in prayer each day, our hearts are drawn to repent and turn from anything that would defile us. Pastor and author Charles Stanley has said, “It is both a great privilege and an enormous responsibility to belong to the Lord. We cannot have an intimate relationship with God without reflecting His holiness, and intimacy with Him is our highest calling.”

Now is the time to humble ourselves under the mighty hand of God and commit to a life of obedience. We have been set apart as a distinct people, who must remain faithful to His call, His commands, and His character.

“Now to Him who is able to keep you from stumbling, and to make you stand in the presence of His glory blameless with great joy, to the only God our Savior, through Jesus Christ our Lord, be glory, majesty, dominion and authority, before all time and now and forever. Amen.” Jude 1:24-25

Nevertheless, the firm foundation of God stands, having this seal, “The Lord knows those who are His,” and, “Everyone who names the name of the Lord is to abstain from wickedness.” 2 Timothy 2:19 (NASB)

Whether you are raising a family or constructing a building, it takes a solid foundation to keep things standing. As Christians, we believe that firm foundations are rooted in the Word of God and on Jesus Christ.

Just a few months ago, a Christian couple in East Texas laid a foundation as franchise owners of a soon-to-be Chick-fil-A restaurant in Marshall, Texas. As the concrete trucks started pouring, a Bible was placed in the foundation so their building would literally be built on the Word of God. The franchise owners declared, “Our purpose here is simple—to glorify God by being a faithful steward of all that is entrusted to us and to have a positive influence on all who come in contact with Chick-fil-A.”

This couple is strategically dedicating their business to God from the beginning. Likewise, this is something we’ve done when moving to a new residence.

Dedicating Our Home

Over the course of sixteen years of marriage, we’ve moved around a bit. We’ve rented a number of apartments, owned a townhome, spent almost 7 years full-time in an RV, and now have a brick-and-mortar home in order to care for a relative suffering from dementia. With each move, we dedicated our new abode to the Lord on day one.

My husband, Reed, plants his great-grandmother’s Bible into the soil at our new home.

Typically our dedication ceremony will include a time of prayer and worship, consecrating our home unto God, who is the true Homeowner. We commit to use His resource as good managers and for kingdom purposes. We pray that God will place a hedge of protection around the property as long as we reside there. And we ask for opportunities to shine as lights of His love to our neighbors.

Most recently, we literally sowed the Word of God into the soil of our new property. Many years ago, my husband, Reed, had acquired the Bible of his great-grandmother at a family garage sale. We realized it would be such a neat addition to our home dedication ceremony, representing four generations of Hewitts who faithfully served the Lord in the town where we now live.

To us, this act also represents our heart’s desire to use this home to serve the Lord by sowing His Word to reap a harvest for the kingdom. We do this from our computers through the Living Strategically website, but also when we minister to people in person at our home. We intentionally welcome people from our community into our home so they can experience the peace and joy of a Christian home environment, which is quite a contrast from today’s secular culture. When our neighbors see Scripture verses hanging in frames throughout our home and the content of our character as we live it out in front of them, they can tell we are set apart from the world around them.

A Distinguishing Mark

From the Old Testament, we see many examples of how God separated His people and their homes as holy unto the Lord.

When the Hebrews’ time of sojourning in Egypt was coming to an end, God intervened with a “special ops” rescue plan that started with the first Passover. God’s people were to distinguish themselves from the Egyptians by sacrificing a goat or a lamb and marking their homes with the sacrificial blood.

“The blood shall be a sign for you on the houses where you live; and when I see the blood I will pass over you, and no plague will befall you to destroy you when I strike the land of Egypt.” Exodus 12:13

“For the Lord will pass through to smite the Egyptians; and when He sees the blood on the lintel (top beam) and on the two doorposts, the Lord will pass over the door and will not allow the destroyer to come in to your houses to smite you.” Exodus 12:23

Later, when God’s people were preparing to enter the Promised Land, God instructed them to hold firmly to His Word and His commands. This would set them, their families, and their homes apart.

“You shall therefore impress these words of Mine on your heart and on your soul; and you shall bind them as a sign on your hand, and they shall be as frontals on your forehead. You shall teach them to your sons, talking of them when you sit in your house and when you walk along the road and when you lie down and when you rise up. You shall write them on the doorposts of your house and on your gates…” Deuteronomy 11:18-20

Visitors to our home are greeted with this Bible verse of dedication hanging at our front door.

As our culture continues to turn its back on God, it will be increasingly important for Christians to be truly committed to the Word of God and wholeheartedly serving the Lord. God examines our hearts and minds, and He knows if we’ve compromised our faith.

Reed and I believe that dedicating our home unto the Lord is similar to being baptized after receiving God’s gift of salvation. We’re making a public statement that from this point forward, “me and my house” are serving the Lord (Joshua 24:15). For us, there’s no turning back.

Finally, in the book of Ezekiel, we read where God instructed His angels to separate His people with a distinguishing mark. God was sending judgment to Jerusalem because the land was full of blood, perversion, and apostasy. The angels distinguished between the righteous and the wicked with a mark on the foreheads of the righteous. That mark saved them from God’s imminent judgment.

“The Lord said to him, ‘Go through the midst of the city, even through the midst of Jerusalem, and put a mark on the foreheads of the men who sigh and groan over all the abominations which are being committed in its midst…but do not touch any man on whom is the mark.’ ” Ezekiel 9:4, 6

In these days of evil all around, it’s a good thing to be on God’s side!

Making an Eternal Investment

A home can be just another building or it can be a place of spiritual investment. Those who lay foundations in the Word of God and on Jesus Christ will be able to weather any storm and have a lasting impact. Whether you live in an apartment, a condo, or a traditional house, gather your family for a dedication ceremony. Make the commitment today to start serving the Lord from your dwelling place.

“But each man must be careful how he builds on it. For no man can lay a foundation other than the one which is laid, which is Jesus Christ. Now if any man builds on the foundation with gold, silver, precious stones, wood, hay, straw, each man’s work will become evident; for the day will show it because it is to be revealed with fire, and the fire itself will test the quality of each man’s work. If any man’s work which he has built on it remains, he will receive a reward. If any man’s work is burned up, he will suffer loss; but he himself will be saved, yet so as through fire.” 1 Corinthians 3:10-15

In the end, you’ll reap the benefits of your eternal investments (but the things of this world will go up in smoke!) May your home and all who enter be blessed.

How do you fix a broken nation?

Add another government program? More economic stimulus? Elect a different president?

Humanistic thinking could easily lead you to any of these conclusions. America has certainly tried time and time again. But have you noticed that it never works? No man-made solution has ever been able to solve the root problem.

Oddly enough, there is a solution that will get to the heart of every issue. It is not a secret, nor is it complicated or expensive. It has been in front of us our entire lives, but in recent generations it has not been applied on a national level.

In fact, the one solution that can fix this broken nation is the solution that Americans (as a whole) appear to be most unwilling to try.

The reason man-made solutions have not worked is because they apply social, economic, and political solutions to a spiritual problem. To solve a spiritual problem, you need a spiritual solution.

The Pledge

In 1954, President Eisenhower felt that an important ingredient was missing from the United States pledge of allegiance. At his prompting, Congress added the words “under God”, giving us the final version of the pledge that we use today.

“I pledge allegiance to the flag of the United States of America, and to the republic for which it stands, one nation under God, indivisible, with liberty and justice for all.”

At the time, few Americans would have disagreed with the idea that we are a nation under God. And yet, there were major cultural changes that were advancing under the surface and eroding the truth of the newly updated pledge.

Fast forward three or four generations and the turmoil is no longer under the surface, to say the least. It may be more accurate to say one nation in rebellion against God.

The Solution

The ancient nation of Israel experienced a similar rebellion against God. At the height of Israel’s glory, the dedication of the First Temple in Jerusalem, God already knew about the fall that would come and He gave King Solomon the solution:

Thus Solomon finished the house of the Lord and the king’s house; and Solomon successfully accomplished all that came into his heart to make in the house of the Lord and in his own house. Then the Lord appeared to Solomon by night, and said to him: “I have heard your prayer, and have chosen this place for Myself as a house of sacrifice. When I shut up heaven and there is no rain, or command the locusts to devour the land, or send pestilence among My people, if My people who are called by My name will humble themselves, and pray and seek My face, and turn from their wicked ways, then I will hear from heaven, and will forgive their sin and heal their land.  2 Chronicles 7:11-14 (NKJV)

The solution that will bring God’s healing on our land is for God’s people to humble themselves, pray and seek God, and turn from their wicked ways.

Just as judgment begins with the household of God (I Peter 4:17), so does healing. And it starts with humility. In the age of Covid, there’s been a lot of talk about immunity but if there’s one thing to which America has immunity, it is humility.

Going Astray

Like the ancient nation of Israel, America started out by dedicating itself to God. Our forefathers made a covenant with God Almighty that we would follow His commands and stand apart from other nations. Now, our nation looks much like Israel in the time of Ezekiel, when God declared He would judge the nation according to their ways and bring all their abominations upon them.

In Ezekiel, Israel is described as:

• trusting in their silver and gold
• acquiring dishonest gain
• God’s blessings turned into a source of pride rather than gratitude
• the people began to idolize their abominations and detestable things
• the land was full of bloody crimes
• the city was full of violence

And still greater abominations are described as:

• the elders were corrupt and apostate
• false prophets were giving false visions
• the priest profaned the holy items of the Temple
• the very house of God was filled with the worship of idols
• God’s name was being profaned among the nations because of Israel’s sins
• and most heartbreaking of all, the people were sacrificing their children to idols

God describes the sons of Israel as rebellious, disobedient, stubborn, and obstinate. And a people who provoked the Lord repeatedly. All of these indictments apply equally to current-day America.

Humbly Depending on Him

Even amongst a wicked and perverse generation, God’s people can shine as beacons of truth in the darkness.

First and foremost, we must make no provision for sin in our lives. In order to glorify God, the Bible tells us that the righteous must wholeheartedly obey His commands with reverence. Isaiah 66:2 says, “But to this one I will look, to him who is humble and contrite of spirit, and who trembles at My word.”

God’s children are also called to “groan and sigh over all the abominations which are being committed in [their] midst” (Ezekiel 9:4). And how can we not do this, if we have any moral fiber in our beings? We should be like Daniel, crying out on behalf of his nation, confessing their rebellion against God, and seeking restoration for God’s name sake (Daniel 9).

Finally, we must stand as watchmen who warn our fellow man to repent and turn back to God. We must lovingly speak truth amongst cultural lies, without being frightened by any fear and leaving the consequences in God’s hands. Doing so may not win us any popularity contests with the world, but we should be far more concerned with God’s opinion of us.

The Lord told Ezekiel, “According to their conduct I will deal with them, and by their judgments I will judge them. And they will know that I am the Lord.” (Ezekiel 7:27b)

The choice is clear: we either walk in rebellion against God or humbly depend on Him. There is no middle ground.

Reckoning for Sin

In Daniel’s time, King Nebuchadnezzar was the ruler of the world’s top super power—Babylon. Not surprisingly, he had an issue with pride and failed to recognize the one true God as ruler of all. God, in His mercy, decided to teach Nebuchadnezzar a lesson and humble him by taking away his mental faculties and causing him to live like an animal. God told him this would continue “until you recognize that the Most High is ruler over the realm of mankind and bestows it on whomever He wishes” (Daniel 4:25). It took seven long years, but Nebuchadnezzar did finally repent and acknowledge God’s sovereignty over the nations.

Today, America is the world’s top super power and struggles with the same rebellious pride against God. Would it not be highly inconsistent if the Lord turned a blind eye to our abominations? There are countless examples in Scripture of God bringing judgment on a nation, and we’ve already seen the same patterns beginning to take place in our time. God’s judgment is not merely vindictive; a loving Father uses discipline and correction for our own good, to protect us.

For a nation like America which has claimed the Lord as our God from our founding, there is another dynamic, which is that the Lord will not allow His name to be profaned indefinitely. Unless America turns back to God, we can expect a reckoning. He will judge us according to our conduct, as He told the children of Israel.

“Therefore I will judge you, O house of Israel, each according to his conduct,” declares the Lord God. “Repent and turn away from all your transgressions, so that iniquity may not become a stumbling block to you. Cast away from you all your transgressions which you have committed and make yourselves a new heart and a new spirit! For why will you die, O house of Israel? For I have no pleasure in the death of anyone who dies,” declares the Lord God. “Therefore, repent and live.” Ezekiel 18:30-32 (NASB)

God is calling to America. Repentance is still an option, but not indefinitely. Humility can turn away wrath, but we are fast approaching the point of no return.

If America does not repent, the watchman’s cry of warning will soon become a cry of mourning.

“As for you, son of man, groan with a breaking heart and bitter grief; you shall groan in their sight. And when they say to you, ‘Why are you groaning?’ you shall say, ‘Because of the news, for it is coming; and every heart will melt, all hands will go limp, every spirit will be disheartened, and all knees will drip with water. Behold, it is coming and it will happen,’ declares the Lord God.” Ezekiel 21:6-7 (NASB)

So grab your Bible and let’s see what the Bible says about darkness in the End Times.

Difficult Times

In 2 Timothy 3, it describes the end times as “difficult times” and gives a very descriptive list of the character traits that we can expect from people who oppose the truth and our biblical faith.

It says, “But realize this, that in the last days difficult times will come. 2 For people will be lovers of self, lovers of money, boastful, arrogant, slanderers, disobedient to parents, ungrateful, unholy, 3 unloving, irreconcilable, malicious gossips, without self-control, brutal, haters of good, 4 treacherous, reckless, conceited, lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God, 5 holding to a form of godliness although they have denied its power; avoid such people as these.“

And continuing in verse 8, “…these men also oppose the truth, men of depraved mind, worthless in regard to the faith.”

And then in verse 13, “But evil men and imposters will proceed from bad to worse, deceiving and being deceived.”  2 Timothy 3:1-5, 8, 13 (NASB)

It’s not very encouraging to hear that things will go from bad to worse. Some of you may have a natural reaction to want to escape such difficult times.

But, as Christians, we have victory through Jesus, who has already defeated evil on the cross. When the times get dark, it’s our greatest moment to shine His light into the darkness. And, we must remember that light is most valuable in the darkest moments.

We read in I Thessalonians 5, verses 1-11…

“Now as to the periods and times, brothers and sisters, you have no need of anything to be written to you. 2 For you yourselves know full well that the day of the Lord is coming just like a thief in the night. 3 While they are saying, “Peace and safety!” then sudden destruction will come upon them like labor pains upon a pregnant woman, and they will not escape.
4 But you, brothers and sisters, are not in darkness, so that the day would overtake you like a thief; 5 for you are all sons of light and sons of day. We are not of night nor of darkness; 6 so then, let’s not sleep as others do, but let’s be alert and sober.
7 For those who sleep, sleep at night, and those who are drunk, get drunk at night. 8 But since we are of the day, let’s be sober, having put on the breastplate of faith and love, and as a helmet, the hope of salvation.
9 For God has not destined us for wrath, but for obtaining salvation through our Lord Jesus Christ, 10 who died for us, so that whether we are awake or asleep, we will live together with Him. 11 Therefore, encourage one another and build one another up, just as you also are doing.”  I Thessalonians 5:1-11 (NASB)

This is a very important passage about the End Times. Some Christians have used it to say that we will escape the evil to come. But that’s not the case. Rather, Paul is telling us to use this passage to encourage each other to stay on the alert as the Day of the Lord approaches. And Paul details the armor that will help us in the battle of good versus evil, which includes the breastplate of faith and love and the hope of salvation as our helmet.

Fulfilling Our Ministry

Those who have placed their hope in Yeshua, Jesus the Messiah, need to stay focused on God’s overall plan. We are placed on this earth to shine forth God’s love to a lost world. That’s not an easy task but it is our calling.

We read in 2 Timothy 4:3-5:

“For the time will come when they will not tolerate sound doctrine; but wanting to have their ears tickled, they will accumulate for themselves teachers in accordance with their own desires, 4 and they will turn their ears away from the truth and will turn aside to myths. 5 But as for you, use self-restraint in all things, endure hardship, do the work of an evangelist, fulfill your ministry.“

In a world of darkness, Christians will endure hardship and persecution, but we must stay focused on fulfilling our ministry!

In I Peter 2:9, the apostle Peter gives us a great reminder of who we are and our divine task…

“But you are a chosen people, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people for God’s own possession, so that you may proclaim the excellencies of Him who has called you out of darkness into His marvelous light…“

The gift of salvation is an incredible gift. We need to be willing to share the Good News of the Gospel with those who are still trapped in the domain of darkness…no matter the cost. So they too, can be rescued, have their sins forgiven, and be transferred into the kingdom of His marvelous light! (Colossians 1:13-14)

And, I’ll close with probably the most well-known passage on how to fight the good fight of faith against the powers of darkness. These are spiritual tools that we will use more and more as the days grow ever darker.

“Finally, be strong in the Lord and in the strength of His might. 11 Put on the full armor of God, so that you will be able to stand firm against the schemes of the devil. 12 For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the powers, against the world forces of this darkness, against the spiritual forces of wickedness in the heavenly places.

13 Therefore, take up the full armor of God, so that you will be able to resist on the evil day, and having done everything, to stand firm. 14 Stand firm therefore, having belted your waist with truth, and having put on the breastplate of righteousness, 15 and having strapped on your feet the preparation of the gospel of peace; 16 in addition to all, taking up the shield of faith with which you will be able to extinguish all the flaming arrows of the evil one. 17 And take the helmet of salvation and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God.

[And the apostle Paul goes on…]

18 With every prayer and request, pray at all times in the Spirit, and with this in view, be alert with all perseverance and every request for all the saints, 19 and pray in my behalf, that speech may be given to me in the opening of my mouth, to make known with boldness the mystery of the gospel, 20 for which I am an ambassador in chains; that in proclaiming it I may speak boldly, as I ought to speak.”  Ephesians 6:10-20 (NASB)

So today, as children of the light…it’s time for us to take up the full armor of God, standing firm and fully alert. So that we can make known the Mystery of the Gospel of Truth to a dark world.

We have a high calling on our lives! Let’s go out and fulfill our ministry!

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Sometimes we need to be reminded that we serve an amazing, awesome, incredible God. Our God knows everything about every single human on this planet. And He has our best interest in mind. God’s Word tells us in Romans 8:28, “And we know that God causes all things to work together for good to those who love God, to those who are called according to His purpose.”

And that is a theme we see in Jonathan Cahn’s latest book called The Harbinger II: The Return. God is working behind the scenes in countless ways in our country, in our churches, and in each of our lives. He is orchestrating events in ways we can’t even imagine.

Rabbi and Pastor Jonathan Cahn leads the Beth Israel congregation at the Jerusalem Center in Wayne, New Jersey (located just outside New York City). It’s one of the largest Messianic worship centers in the world, and we had the pleasure of attending services there on our road trip around the U.S.A. last year. We got to meet Rabbi Jonathan in person and we were touched by his humility and great love for the Lord. We enjoy listening to his sermons every week online.

We first discovered Jonathan Cahn in 2013, after the release of his first book The Harbinger. We’ve read all of his books, and we give them out as gifts because they are so important to read in these prophetic days that we are living in.

The Harbinger II: The Return

As of September 1st, 2020, Jonathan Cahn has released his sixth book, The Harbinger II: The Return. And we’d like to share some thoughts about it, hoping to inspire our readers to go pick up a copy and read it for themselves. (And just a quick note, if you haven’t read the first book called The Harbinger, don’t worry. We suggest you skip that book and just start with The Harbinger II, which does a good job of summarizing everything from the first book.)

Just like the original Harbinger, The Harbinger II takes the form of a story, following the same fictional character, Nouriel, as he discovers real-word facts. It helps keep the book from being just an information download, because the experiences of the protagonist help to pace things out.

As far as subject matter goes, this new book speaks of a biblical pattern of judgment, calamity, and destruction that appeared in ancient Israel, a template of judgment on a nation that once followed the Lord’s will, the ways of God, and reaped the blessings of God…but then turned in defiance against God. Even warring against God.

Crossing A Moral Tipping Point

We’ve obviously crossed a moral tipping point in the United States of America, but The Harbinger II makes the case that we have been standing in a window of grace between initial signs of warning and a coming national judgment.

America’s hedge of protection was temporarily lifted when terrorists attacked our nation on September 11, 2001. For decades, the nation had been departing from the Lord and God sent a wake-up call in the form of a terrorist attack.

For America, the pattern of judgment began on 9/11, and the harbingers of judgment have continued ever since on American soil. If America does not turn back to God, then following the ancient biblical pattern it will be destroyed. That will be the end of America as we have always known it.

On the day The Harbinger II was released, Jonathan Cahn sent out an email blast and this is one part of what he said. “The ancient template leads up to where we are right now. What I have written in The Harbinger II, I believe all the more is that the present moment is most critical and dangerous – one that could seal America’s future once and for all, for judgment or redemption.”

Patterns of Judgment

We have now studied Jonathan’s Cahn books and listened to his sermons for 7 ½ years. When his first book, The Harbinger, was released, we exhaustively researched all the details of 9/11 that he connected to patterns in biblical prophecy. We were thinking, could all of this really be true? But it was; all the details are verifiable. And then we started thinking, how in the world did he make all those connections?

What we’ve come to realize is that Jonathan Cahn has a unique gift for identifying patterns, both in scripture and in history. It partly goes back to his Jewish background, because in western thinking and philosophy, going all the way back to Aristotle, you have this tendency towards categorical reasoning — how can we divide up ideas into discreet parts. But Hebraic thought is much more typological. Prophecy is pattern, not just prediction and fulfillment. Jonathan Cahn is able to see things through that lens and make connections that we never would have seen… but now we can’t not see them.

In this new book, so many new connections, or “mysteries” (as they are called in all of Jonathan Cahn’s books), are revealed that are very shocking. There are numerous new insights into 9/11 (which was the event when judgment began in this nation)… and connections following the same template of judgment that ancient Israel went through, shakings that impacted America’s economic power, its military power, and its position as a world superpower.

The whole idea behind both the first Harbinger and Harbinger II is that God is consistent, and we can see a pattern He used with ancient Israel being repeated now with America.

Without Repentance, There Will Not Be Revival

Throughout the book, the reader sees how only God could be behind these events…orchestrating them for the purpose of bringing America to repentance and revival. Because without repentance, there will never be revival. And repentance was a key element missing after the shakings of 9/11.

The Harbinger II is such an important wake-up call for America, and it will help Christians better understand the days of national judgment that are increasing in intensity right before our eyes.

We believe that Jonathan Cahn is a watchman, and a prophetic voice, for this generation. God has used him to sound the alarm of warning to anyone who will listen, and he has been faithful in his calling. We are grateful that God allowed us to discover his work back in 2013 so we could better understand what is going on in our nation and consider how to respond to things that are still to come.

Jonathan Cahn’s message is really simple, “Judgment is coming. Prepare to stand before God. Get right. Repent.” If there is anything in your life that needs to change, get right with God. If there is anything that you have been called to do, fulfill your calling. Time is short. We are in a window of grace, but that window is closing.

The Turning of America

Now, you may be asking, why would God judge the United States of America? And will America ever turn back to God and have revival?

These are things covered in The Harbinger II, and we want to explore this concept further in our own words. These thoughts are consistent with what you will find in the book, but not necessarily taken from it.

1. America has a covenant relationship with the Creator of the Universe. Following the pattern of the nation of Israel. Our founding fathers formed this nation based on prayer and a commitment to honor the Lord Almighty. For example, our nation’s moto is, “In God we Trust”, and in our national pledge we state, “One nation under God”. However, over the past many decades our leaders have been abandoning this covenant in word and deed. And there are consequences for a nation that once knew God and turns its back against God. Becoming a nation that brazenly wars against God.

2. America has turned against the Ten Commandments and honoring God’s Holy Word the Bible. We absolutely believe America has crossed a moral tipping point and is now operating as a pagan nation. For example, its citizens have allowed the murdering of the unborn, to the tune of tens of millions! Helpless babies that never saw life outside the womb. Its judiciary has gone against the biblical mandate for marriage. We’re seeing rampant carnality and sexual immorality. And unfortunately, many churches and people of faith are choosing to walk hand-in-hand with the culture, instead of standing up for biblical truth.

At one point in the book, Jonathan Cahn describes it as, “not only calling evil good and good evil but establishing it, legislating it, and executing it, by sanctifying the profane and profaning the sacred.”

Walking in God’s Ways

We read in Deuteronomy 28 that a nation that the Lord establishes through covenant must be careful to observe the commands of the Lord and walk in His ways. Here is Deuteronomy 28:8-14 (NASB):

“The Lord will command the blessing upon you in your barns and in all that you put your hand to, and He will bless you in the land which the Lord your God gives you. 9 The Lord will establish you as a holy people to Himself, as He swore to you, if you keep the commandments of the Lord your God and walk in His ways. 10 So all the peoples of the earth will see that you are called by the name of the Lord, and they will be afraid of you. 11 The Lord will make you abound in prosperity, in the offspring of your body and in the offspring of your beast and in the produce of your ground, in the land which the Lord swore to your fathers to give you. 12 The Lord will open for you His good storehouse, the heavens, to give rain to your land in its season and to bless all the work of your hand; and you shall lend to many nations, but you shall not borrow. 13 The Lord will make you the head and not the tail, and you only will be above, and you will not be underneath, if you listen to the commandments of the Lord your God, which I charge you today, to observe them carefully, 14 and do not turn aside from any of the words which I command you today, to the right or to the left, to go after other gods to serve them.”

This was a covenant which God made with the children of Israel in the Old Testament. And likewise, our forefathers followed many biblical templates in the founding of America, modeling it after ancient Israel.

And thus, we have seen the blessings of heaven poured out on America, when it carefully observed the Lord’s commands. We’ve seen economic prosperity, spiritual blessing, and military and political success.

Consequences for Disobedience

But all of these blessings have a condition. We read in Deuteronomy 28:13-14:

“…if you listen to the commandments of the Lord your God, which I charge you today, to observe them carefully, and do not turn aside from any of the words which I command you today, to the right or to the left, to go after other gods to serve them.”

We’d encourage you to finish reading the rest of Deuteronomy 28 on your own. It goes on to list the consequences of a nation that once knew God but turns its back on the Creator. Disobedience that leads to national shakings and calamities.

In verses 45-46, we read, “So all these curses shall come on you and pursue you and overtake you until you are destroyed, because you would not obey the Lord your God by keeping His commandments and His statutes which He commanded you. 46 They shall become a sign and a wonder on you and your descendants forever.”

It’s important to note that these consequences are for redemptive purpose. God’s love is so great that He chastises His children, hopefully bringing them to a restored relationship with the Lord.

And that is God’s hope for America. Complete restoration. Complete salvation. That is why He sends warnings of judgment to turn us back to Him.

The Window of Grace Is Closing

But the Lord’s time of warning is not endless. At some point, if America does not return and repent, then out of God’s nature of justice, He will send judgment.

Right now we are dealing with a world-wide plague, financial instability, a national debt crisis, natural disasters, civil unrest…but we believe these are only warning signs and shakings (or as Jonathan Cahn calls them…harbingers) telling us that our nation needs to turn back to God.

In the template from Deuteronomy 28, we see that a nation that once knew God but turns to rebel against God is eventually given some dire consequences. The nation will be torn from their homeland. They are given severe lasting plagues and chronic illness. And it says, “the Lord will give you a trembling heart, failing of eyes, and despair of soul.” (Deut. 28:65b)

Ultimately, the nation is destroyed.

Returning To God Almighty

Over the years, we have heard many sermons by Jonathan Cahn where he shares about Christians being the salt of the earth and the light of the world, and in The Harbinger II he describes a dream that the protagonist has about America being a city on a hill. These concepts come from “The Sermon on the Mount” found in Matthew 5:13-16:

“You are the salt of the earth; but if the salt has become tasteless, how can it be made salty again? It is no longer good for anything, except to be thrown out and trampled under foot by men. You are the light of the world. A city set on a hill cannot be hidden; 15 nor does anyone light a lamp and put it under a basket, but on the lampstand, and it gives light to all who are in the house. 16 Let your light shine before men in such a way that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father who is in heaven.”

And that is what Christians need to do in a pagan nation that once knew God. We need to commit to honor the Lord in all that we do. We must come to repentance in our own lives. We need to stand firm on a biblical foundation and unwavering faith. And we need to rise up to our divine callings.

And as the dark gets darker, we need to shine ever brighter! We must rise up and shine brightly as witnesses to the lost world.

The United States of America is dying from a spiritual disease, which requires a spiritual cure to be healed. It must return to God Almighty.

We want to encourage our readers to pray as never before for God to bring repentance, return, and revival to America. Because until God sends the final destruction, there is still hope for the revival of our nation!

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As God’s children, it’s crucial to keep a strategic mindset and not lose hope. Again in Matthew 24, Jesus tells us in verse 6, “You will be hearing of wars and rumors of wars. See that you are not frightened, for those things must take place, but that is not yet the end.”

In these prophetic days, are you frightened and losing hope? Or are you staying strong in Christ Jesus? It’s either one or the other. It can’t be both.

Where Does Your Hope Come From

“For whatever was written before was written for our instruction,
so that through patience and the encouragement of the Scriptures we might have hope.”
Romans 15:4, TLV

One of our five keys to living a strategic life is living with a biblical framework. When we dwell in God’s Word on a daily basis, it fills our spirit with strength and hope for any trials that come our way. The Bible especially gives us direction, encouragement, and comfort in trying times.

For example, in Psalm 91 we are given numerous promises from God when we seek refuge in Him. These verses are sure to fill you with hope.

He who dwells in the shelter of Elyon, will abide in the shadow of Shaddai.
I will say of Adonai, “He is my refuge and my fortress, my God, in whom I trust.
For He will rescue you from the hunter’s trap and from the deadly pestilence.
He will cover you with His feathers, and under His wings you will find refuge.
His faithfulness is body armor and shield.
You will not fear the terror by night, nor the arrow that flies by day,
nor the plague that stalks in darkness, nor the scourge that lays waste at noon.
A thousand may fall at your side, and ten thousand at your right hand,
but it will not come near you.
You will only look on with your eyes and see the wicked paid back.
For you have made Elyon your dwelling, even Adonai, who is my refuge,
so no evil will befall you nor any plague come near your tent.
For He will give His angels charge over you, to guard you in all your ways.
Upon their hands they will lift you up, lest you strike your foot against a stone.
You will tread upon the lion and cobra, trample the young lion and serpent.

“Because he has devoted his love to Me, I will deliver him.
I will set him securely on high, because he knows My Name.
When he calls on Me, I will answer him.
I will be with him in trouble, rescue him, and honor him.
With long life will I satisfy him and show him My salvation.”

Psalm 91:1-16, Tree of Life Version

When we dwell in the shelter of the Most High, He rescues us from evil. He puts His guardian angels over us to keep us safe. We need not fear because the Lord will rescue us in times of trouble.

But first, we must put our trust in Adonai. We must find refuge in Him. We must devote our love to our Savior!

And when times of distress come our way, He will answer our call and be our salvation.

Eternal Hope

The last chapter of the Bible tells us that one day soon our Savior will return and establish His throne. There will be no more curse of sin on mankind. And His children will reign with Him forever and ever! (See Revelation 22:3-7)

Until that time, we need to fulfill our calling on this earth. We need to make the most of the short time we have left. We need to live strategically for kingdom purposes. As it says in Romans 12:11-12, “Keep serving the Lord, rejoicing in hope, enduring in distress, persisting in prayer…”

May you abound in hope by the power of the Holy Spirit…until the return of Messiah!

There are numerous things in which our culture tells us we can find self worth, but notice they are all external.

• Status symbols – fashion, automobile, house, expensive vacation
• Relationships – being popular among peers, friend count on social media, sports team loyalty
• Accomplishments – epic life experiences, attending the right university, successful career, title and job position
• Personal – physical appearance, personality traits

The lists could go on and on. The point is the things of this world will never fulfill us. If we base our identity there, we will always come up empty. And we’ll never stop striving for more. We’ll never measure up.

We must find our identity in things that are spiritual and last forever. Look at what 1 John 2:14-17 says:

“I have written to you, young men, because you are strong, and the word of God abides in you, and you have overcome the evil one. Do not love the world nor the things in the world. If anyone loves the world, the love of the Father is not in him. For all that is in the world, the lust of the flesh and the lust of the eyes and the boastful pride of life, is not from the Father, but is from the world. The world is passing away, and also its lusts; but the one who does the will of God lives forever.” (NASB, emphasis added)

These verses connect with a passage in Luke 4. Jesus spent 40 days in the wilderness being tempted by the devil. What types of things did Satan use to tempt Jesus?

• the lust of the flesh (Luke 4:1-4)
• the lust of the eyes (Luke 4:5-8)
• the boastful pride of life (Luke 4:9-12)

Satan used the things of this world and he also twisted truth to try and get Jesus to sin. However, Jesus used Scripture to combat the temptation and the lies. We can follow this example in our own lives.

Know the Truth

“This hope we have as an anchor of the soul, a hope both sure and steadfast…”
Hebrews 6:19, NASB

The best place for a Christian to discover (or recover) their identity is in the Word of God. Check out these verses:

• “Before I formed you in the womb I knew you, and before you were born I consecrated you…” Jeremiah 1:5
• “See how great a love the Father has bestowed on us, that we would be called children of God; and such we are. For this reason the world does not know us, because it did not know Him. Beloved, now we are children of God, and it has not appeared as yet what we will be. We know that when He appears, we will be like Him, because we will see Him just as He is.” 1 John 3:1-2
• “When you were dead in your transgressions and the uncircumcision of your flesh, He made you alive together with Him, having forgiven us all our transgressions, having canceled out the certificate of debt consisting of decrees against us, which was hostile to us; and He has taken it out of the way, having nailed it to the cross.” Colossians 2:13-14
• “But you are a chosen race, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people for God’s own possession, so that you may proclaim the excellencies of Him who has called you out of darkness into His marvelous light…” 1 Peter 2:9

Can you imagine the stability the world would find if they placed their faith in Jesus Christ? If they based their identity on the Savior that gives everlasting life? For God loves each of us so much that He gave His only Son, so the world might be saved through Him (John 3:16-17).

But, Satan wants us to think otherwise. John 10:10 says Satan is a thief that “comes to steal and kill and destroy” but that Jesus “came that they may have life, and have it abundantly.”

From Your Identity to Your Calling

Your identity not only describes who you are, but even more importantly, it also determines what you do.  Once we discover our identity in Christ, we can go on to fulfill the God-given calling that He has designed for our lives.

• “I am the vine, you are the branches; he who abides in Me and I in him, he bears much fruit, for apart from Me you can do nothing.” John 15:5
• “For we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand so that we would walk in them.” Ephesians 2:10

Has God put a calling on your life that always seems out of reach or too difficult to begin?  Take a moment to reflect on where you are finding your identity.  If it is not in Jesus Christ, start by letting go of everything that competes with Him to define who you are.  Once you find yourself in Him, like a branch firmly connected to the vine, it will be the most natural thing in the world to bear good fruit.

Isaiah’s prophesies can be found in the Old Testament books of 2 Kings, 2 Chronicles, and obviously Isaiah, and they are repeated throughout the New Testament. Jesus Christ even read from the book of Isaiah when attending the synagogue in Nazareth, fulfilling the passage that very day (see Luke 4:16-30).

Isaiah’s words were studied way back then and should continue to be explored by today’s Bible students. For in them, we find strategic insights for daily living, as well as keys to future events of the End Times.

Seven Strategic Insights from Isaiah

1. Adonai alone will be exalted.
   The book of Isaiah tells us that the people of Judah repeatedly provoked Adonai with their worship of idols, something they learned from neighboring pagan countries. Even in today’s age, humans can serve idols—like money, security, fame, and man-made religion. However, Christ-followers are only allowed to serve the One True God.
   • “Remember the former things of old: For I am God—there is no other. I am God, and there is none like Me—declaring the end from the beginning, from ancient time, what is yet to come, saying, ‘My purpose will stand, and I will accomplish all that I please.’ ” Isaiah 46:9-10
   • “The pride of man will be humbled, the arrogance of men abased, for Adonai alone will be exalted in that day. The idols will completely pass away.” Isaiah 2:17-18
   • “But Adonai-Tzva’ot will be exalted through justice, and the Holy God consecrated through righteousness.” Isaiah 5:16
   • “Thus says Adonai, Israel’s King and his Redeemer, Adonai-Tzva’ot: ‘I am the first, and the last, and there is no God beside Me.’ ” Isaiah 44:6
     

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2. Fear God, not man.
   There are many passages in Isaiah that speak of End Times events that can cause fear in the hearts of readers. But those who have placed their faith in the Messiah—Yeshua ha Mashiach (Jesus Christ), have nothing to fear. Our Savior has already conquered the enemy of this world, by His shed blood on the cross! When we encounter times of trials, both now and in the days to come, Christians will find perfect peace by fearing God alone and letting Him fight for us.
   • “You must not fear or tremble at what they fear. Adonai-Tzva’ot, Him will you sanctify, and let Him be your fear, trembling at Him.” Isaiah 8:12b-13
   • “Then you will know that I am Adonai—those hoping in Me will not be ashamed.” Isaiah 49:23b
   • “You keep in perfect peace one whose mind is stayed on You, because he trusts in You.” Isaiah 26:3
   • “No weapon formed against you will prosper and you will condemn every tongue that rises against you in judgment. This is the heritage of Adonai’s servants—their vindication is from Me.” Isaiah 54:17
     

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3. Return, be healed, and be saved.
   Isaiah proclaimed many things to the Jewish people about their coming Messiah—Yeshua ha Mashiach (Jesus Christ). Isaiah 53 is probably one of the most well-known messianic chapters in the entire book of Isaiah. Again and again, Adonai calls for His children to return to Him, turn from their sins, and be healed by the blood of Yeshua/Jesus. Only then will we be wiped clean and wrapped in righteousness.
   • “Rather let them rely on My strength. Let them make peace with Me—make peace with Me.” Isaiah 27:5
     
   • “Wash and make yourselves clean. Put away the evil of your deeds from before My eyes. Cease to do evil. Learn to do good, seek justice, relieve the oppressed, defend the orphan, plead for the widow. Come now, let us reason together, says Adonai. Though your sins be like scarlet, they will be as white as snow. Though they be red like crimson, they will become like wool. If you are willing and obey, you will eat the good of the land. But if you refuse and rebel, you will be devoured with the sword. For the mouth of Adonai has spoken.” Isaiah 1:16-20
   • “Have we not sinned against Him? In His ways they were unwilling to walk and His Torah they did not obey.” Isaiah 42:24b
   • “So Adonai will strike Egypt—striking yet healing—so they will return to Adonai, and He will respond to them and heal them.” Isaiah 19:22
   • “Rather you burdened Me with your sins, wearied Me with your iniquities. I, I am the One who blots out your transgressions for My own sake, and will not remember your sins.” Isaiah 43:24b-25
   • “The Ruach of Adonai Elohim is on me, because Adonai has anointed me to proclaim Good News to the poor. He has sent me to bind up the brokenhearted, to proclaim liberty to the captives, and the opening of the prison to those who are bound, to proclaim the year of Adonai’s favor and the day of our God’s vengeance, to comfort all who mourn to console those who mourn in Zion, to give them beauty for ashes, the oil of joy for mourning, the garment of praise for the spirit of heaviness, that they might be called oaks of righteousness, the planting of Adonai, that He may be glorified.” Isaiah 61:1-3
   • “But He was pierced because of our transgressions, crushed because of our iniquities. The chastisement for our shalom was upon Him, and by His stripes we are healed.” Isaiah 53:5
     

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4. Seek understanding, knowledge, and wisdom.
   By the power of the Ruach HaKodesh (Holy Spirit), God gives wisdom, insight, knowledge, and understanding. These are necessary tools to discern God’s hand at work. We don’t want to rely on our flesh or human senses to follow where God is leading.
   • “They do not notice Adonai’s activity nor see the works of His hands. ‘Therefore My people are in captivity for lack of knowledge…’ ” Isaiah 5:12b-13a
   • “The Ruach of Adonai will rest upon Him, the Spirit of wisdom and insight, the Spirit of counsel and might, the Spirit of knowledge and of the fear of Adonai. His delight will be in the fear of Adonai. He will not judge by what His eyes see, nor decide by what His ears hear.” Isaiah 11:2-3
   • “…so they may see and know, consider and understand together, that the hand of Adonai has done this, the Holy One of Israel has created it.” Isaiah 41:20
     

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5. Watch for Adonai’s activity.
   Especially as the days get darker, as the End Times approaches, God’s people must follow hard after God and stay in His will. As we study His Word, we can stay in tune with how He is at work.
   • “They do not notice Adonai’s activity nor see the works of His hands. ‘Therefore My people are in captivity for lack of knowledge…’ ” Isaiah 5:12b-13a
   • “Do not remember former things, nor consider things of the past. Here I am, doing a new thing; now it is springing up—do you not know about it? I will surely make a way in the desert, rivers in the wasteland.” Isaiah 43:18-19
   • “For My thoughts are not your thoughts, nor are your ways My ways. It is a declaration of Adonai. For as the heavens are higher than earth, so are My ways higher than your ways, and My thoughts than your thoughts. For as the rain and snow come down from heaven, and do not return there without having watered the earth, making it bring forth and sprout, giving seed to sow and bread to eat, so My word will be that goes out from My mouth. It will not return to Me in vain, but will accomplish what I intend, and will succeed in what I sent it for.” Isaiah 55:8-11
     

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6. Wait for Adonai and renew your strength.
   The prophet Isaiah provides God’s children with so much encouragement for tough times. Isaiah reminds us that only God will satisfy our souls and only through Adonai can we truly renew our strength.
   • “Have you not known? Have you not heard? Adonai is the eternal God, the Creator of the ends of the earth. He does not grow tired or weary. His understanding is unsearchable. He gives strength to the weary, and to one without vigor He adds might. Even youths grow tired and weary, and young men stumble and fall, but they who wait for Adonai will renew their strength. They will soar up with wings as eagles. They will run, and not grow weary. They will walk, and not be faint.” Isaiah 40:28-31
   • “Then Adonai will guide you continually, satisfy your soul in drought and strengthen your bones. You will be like a watered garden, like a spring of water whose waters never fail.” Isaiah 58:11
   • “Say to those with anxious heart, ‘Be strong, have no fear!’ Behold, your God! Vengeance is coming! God’s recompense—it is coming! Then He will save you.” Isaiah 35:4
   • “Fear not, for I am with you, be not dismayed, for I am your God. I will strengthen you. Surely I will help you. I will uphold you with My righteous right hand.” Isaiah 41:10
     
   • “Even to your old age I will be the same, until you are gray I will carry you. I have done it; I will bear you; I will carry you; I will deliver you.” Isaiah 46:4
     

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7. All prophecy will come to pass.
   Isaiah contains numerous prophetic passages, both for ancient times and events yet to come. Adonai strategically declares the prophetic to His children so we will be His witnesses and know the works of His hands. Only the Lord can declare the end from the beginning!
   • “I foretold the former things long ago. They went forth from My mouth, and I caused them to be heard. Suddenly I acted, so they came about.” Isaiah 48:3
   • “Do not dread or be afraid. Have I not told you and declared it long ago? So you are My witnesses! Is there any God beside Me? Is there any other Rock? I know of none.” Isaiah 44:8
   • “Remember the former things of old: For I am God—there is no other. I am God, and there is none like Me—declaring the end from the beginning, from ancient time, what is yet to come, saying, ‘My purpose will stand, and I will accomplish all that I please.’ ” Isaiah 46:9-10
     

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The Example to Follow

“But on this one will I look, one humble and of a contrite spirit, who trembles at My word.” Isaiah 66:2, TLV

Isaiah was a man of obedience to God Almighty, faithfully declaring the word of the Lord to his generation. When trials came his way, Isaiah would cry out to the Lord (2 Chron. 32:20). He lived his life fully devoted to Adonai, and God used Isaiah to proclaim some of the most well-known passages in the Bible about the Savior of the World.

God can use us, too, for His divine purposes. But we must be careful to live as godly men and women, following Isaiah’s example. Today, let’s all apply these strategic insights from the book of Isaiah to our lives and see how God uses it.

All Scripture taken from the Tree of Life Version (TLV), copyright 2015 by the Messianic Jewish Family Bible Society. (Emphasis added to the verses by Living Strategically.)

Thankfully my dad took the time to explain to me that this “too good to be true” offer was exactly that.

I can look back and smile at the naiveté of my third-grade self, but unfortunately, not every scam is so easy to spot. This world is full of subtle lies and empty promises when it comes to money and possessions, and countless people get caught up in them every day.

But we’re not in this alone. We have a heavenly Father who has taken the time to warn us about financial pitfalls. God knew that money would be one of our biggest struggles, so His Word is full of principles and instructions to guide us.  He explains how to get back on track when we’ve gone astray, and He tells us exactly what it takes to become a success in His eyes.

The Study of Stewardship

Like what you are reading? Click on this image to download our FREE eBook on Biblical Stewardship.

My wife and I have been intrigued by what the Bible says about money and possessions for the past 20 years. Around the time we started our courtship, we also started listening to Christian financial experts like Larry Burkett and Dave Ramsey. Over the past two decades we’ve studied the topic of biblical stewardship, as well as taught it and put into practice. In our latest podcast series, we take a look at the key elements for a biblical understanding of personal finances.  (Scroll to the bottom of this blog post for links to all the episodes.)

If you listen to the podcast, you’ll hear us talk about stewardship a lot. It is an old-timey word, but it’s still very useful today because whether you realize it or not, a steward is exactly what you are. A steward is a person who manages something that belongs to someone else. A steward’s job is to act according to the instructions and interests of the owner. Sure, we all have things that belong to us, but the Bible says that, in the ultimate sense, everything belongs to God simply because He created it all. When you follow that truth to its logical conclusion, it has a profound influence on how you handle money.

A Spiritual Perspective

For one thing, we realize that how we spend “our” money really comes down to spiritual decisions. And if our job is to be stewards, then we probably can’t do a very good job unless our priorities are aligned with those of our Boss.

We also find reassurance in the fact that we are dependent on God, and that He is completely trustworthy! When we do things His way, it actually works out really well for us. (But we also find out how much trouble we can get into when we think we can control everything on our own.)

Above all, the Bible shows us that all the money and all the material possessions that pass through our hands are temporary, but we have an opportunity to use them to accomplish things that will last for eternity.

We hope you’ll join us for this podcast series and embrace what we call the ultimate paradigm shift in your financial life. It may seem daunting at first, but God is faithful to help His children walk in His ways. Don’t get discouraged, and don’t give up. The reward is treasure that will outlast this world!

Podcast Episodes

• • The Ultimate Paradigm Shift (Episode 11)
    Acknowledging that everything under our care ultimately belongs to the Lord.
  • Biblical Stewardship (Episode 12)
    Christians managing God’s resources in accordance with biblical priorities.
  • Cultivating Contentment (Episode 13)
    Living with the attitude of gratefully accepting what God gives, while gracefully releasing what He withholds.
  • Debt-Free Living (Episode 14)
    Viewing debt as bondage and hazardous to our financial health.
  • Reaching Financial Freedom (Episode 15)
    Living an abundant life when we connect our faith with our finances.

Suggested Resources

• • • Video: Why Has America Been Blessed by Reed and Liz Hewitt
    • Article: What is Biblical Stewardship by Liz Hewitt
    • Article: Money, Wealth, and the Book of Proverbs by Reed and Liz Hewitt
    • Class: Financial Peace University by Dave Ramsey
    • Book: Master Your Money written by Ron Blue and published by Moody Publishers in 1986/updated in 2016.
    • Book: Debt-Free Living written by Larry Burkett and published by Moody Publishers in 1999/updated in 2010.
    • Book: Managing God’s Money written by Randy Alcorn and published by Tyndale House in 2011.

In the final episode of our podcast series on managing money and possessions as wise stewards, we take a look at what it means to find true financial freedom. We talk about our goals as we aim for financial freedom, and the character traits required to get there. We also share our take on Dave Ramsey’s “baby steps”, as a guide for transforming your finances.

Want to go deeper in this study? Click on this image to download our FREE eBook on Biblical Stewardship.

Christians managing God’s resources in accordance with biblical priorities is what being a wise steward is all about. Join us on the journey of reaching true financial freedom!

Scripture from this Episode

“But store up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust destroys, and where thieves do not break in or steal; for where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.” Matthew 6:20-21, NASB

“No one can serve two masters; for either he will hate the one and love the other, or he will be devoted to one and despise the other. You cannot serve God and wealth.” Matthew 6:24, NASB

“The plans of the diligent lead surely to advantage, but everyone who is hasty comes surely to poverty.” Proverbs 21:5, NASB

Suggested Resources

Video: Why Has America Been Blessed by Reed and Liz Hewitt

Article: What is Biblical Stewardship by Liz Hewitt

Article: Money, Wealth, and the Book of Proverbs by Reed and Liz Hewitt

Class: Financial Peace University by Dave Ramsey

Book: Master Your Money written by Ron Blue and published by Moody Publishers in 1986/updated in 2016.

Book: Debt-Free Living written by Larry Burkett and published by Moody Publishers in 1999/updated in 2010.

Our normal every day lives have been turned upside down. People have been gripped with fear, as evidenced by hoarding toilet paper and a crashing stock market. Now, it’s no small thing when a virus causes people to lose their jobs and others to lose their lives. But Christians should have a unique perspective in such unprecedented times.

A Christian Perspective

When once-in-a-lifetime events happen, God can use them to call our attention back to the most important things in life. By putting into practice His biblical wisdom, we can get peacefully to the other side of this pandemic. Which of these principles does God want you to keep in mind right now?

1. 1. Jesus Christ is our firm foundation and in Him alone is our salvation.

      “Jesus Christ is the same yesterday and today and forever.” Heb. 13:8, NASB

      “The steadfast of mind You will keep in perfect peace, because he trusts in You. Trust in the Lord forever, for in God the Lord, we have an everlasting Rock.” Isaiah 26:3-4, NASB

      “Behold, God is my salvation, I will trust and not be afraid; for the Lord God is my strength and song, and He has become my salvation.” Isaiah 12:2, NASB

   2. In every circumstance, God’s will is for us to rejoice, pray, and show gratitude. This transforms our perspective!

      “Rejoice always; pray without ceasing; in everything give thanks; for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus.” I Thess. 5:16-18, NASB

      “Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God. And the peace of God, which surpasses all comprehension, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.” Philippians 4:6-7, NASB

   3. We must pray for our fellow man, those in authority, and for our nation.

      “I urge you, first of all, to pray for all people. Ask God to help them; intercede on their behalf, and give thanks for them. Pray this way for kings and all who are in authority…” I Timothy 2:1-2, NLT

      “Then if My people who are called by My name will humble themselves and pray and seek My face and turn from their wicked ways, I will hear from heaven and will forgive their sins and restore their land.” 2 Chron. 7:14, NLT

   4. We need the Word of God on a daily basis.

      “Study this Book of Instruction continually. Meditate on it day and night so you will be sure to obey everything written in it. Only then will you prosper and succeed in all you do. This is my command—be strong and courageous! Do not be afraid or discouraged. For the Lord your God is with you wherever you go.” Joshua 1:8-9, NLT

      “But He answered and said, ‘It is written, “Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that proceeds from the mouth of God.” ‘” Matthew 4:4, NKJV

   5. We must make the most of our time on earth, seeking the Lord’s will.

      “…whereas you do not know what will happen tomorrow. For what is your life? It is even a vapor that appears for a little time and then vanishes away. Instead you ought to say, ‘If the Lord wills, we shall live and do this or that.'” James 4:14-15, NKJV

      “Therefore be careful how you walk, not as unwise men but as wise, making the most of your time, because the days are evil. So then do not be foolish, but understand what the will of the Lord is.” Ephesians 5:15-17, NASB

   ---

   Even when our world seems out of control, remember that God is always in control. And, as Christians, He is working all things together for our good.

   I would love to hear what lessons the Lord has been teaching you and your family through this pandemic. Send me an email at info@livingstrategically.com.

Join us for the fourth episode of our current podcast series about money management and biblical stewardship. It may just transform your finances!

Scripture from this Episode

Want to go deeper in this study? Click on this image to download our FREE eBook on Biblical Stewardship.

“…we are helpless because our fields and vineyards belong to others.” Nehemiah 5:5b, NASB

“Now it shall be, if you diligently obey the Lord your God, being careful to do all His commandments which I command you today, the Lord your God will set you high above all the nations of the earth. All these blessings will come upon you and overtake you if you obey the Lord your God…” Deuteronomy 28:1-2, NASB

“But it shall come about, if you do not obey the Lord your God, to observe to do all His commandments and His statutes with which I charge you today, that all these curses will come upon you and overtake you…” Deuteronomy 28:15, NASB

“The Lord will open for you His good storehouse, the heavens, to give rain to your land in its season and to bless all the work of your hand; and you shall lend to many nations, but you shall not borrow.” Deuteronomy 28:12, NASB

“He shall lend to you, but you will not lend to him; he shall be the head, and you will be the tail.” Deuteronomy 28:44, NASB

“The rich rules over the poor, and the borrower becomes the lender’s slave.” Proverbs 22:7, NASB

“‘For My thoughts are not your thoughts, nor are your ways My ways,’ declares the Lord. ‘For as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are My ways higher than your ways and My thoughts than your thoughts.'” Isaiah 55:8-9, NASB

“And my God will supply all your needs according to His riches in glory in Christ Jesus.” Philippians 4:19, NASB

Suggested Resources

Video: Why Has America Been Blessed by Reed and Liz Hewitt

Article: What is Biblical Stewardship by Liz Hewitt

Article: Money, Wealth, and the Book of Proverbs by Reed and Liz Hewitt

Class: Financial Peace University by Dave Ramsey

Book: Master Your Money written by Ron Blue and published by Moody Publishers in 1986/updated in 2016.

Book: Debt-Free Living written by Larry Burkett and published by Moody Publishers in 1999/updated in 2010.

At Living Strategically, we define contentment as “the attitude of gratefully accepting what God gives, while gracefully releasing what He withholds”. We believe that contentment is not about a number, or achieving a certain amount of wealth to be satisfied. It’s about the attitude of the heart, being content with whatever God blesses you with to manage for His glory.

Christian financial advisor Ron Blue summarizes contentment this way:

“No financial principle can have a greater impact on you or free you up more than this truth: Money is not the key to contentment! Contentment has everything to do with your relationship with God and nothing to do with your money. Once you are free from the love of money and the pursuit of it, you can have a lot or a little and be content all the same. At that point you have learned the secret to contentment.”

If we want to take hold of that which is life indeed, then we need to seek first His kingdom and His righteousness! By prioritizing that which really matters in life, sort of recalibrating our priorities, we can reach a point of true fulfillment in life. Now that is thinking strategically!

Scripture from this Episode

Want to go deeper in this study? Click on this image to download our FREE eBook on Biblical Stewardship.

“When the woman saw that the tree was good for food, and that it was a delight to the eyes, and that the tree was desirable to make one wise, she took from its fruit and ate; and she gave also to her husband with her, and he ate.” Genesis 3:6, NASB

“He who loves money will not be satisfied with money, nor he who loves abundance with its income. This too is vanity.” Eccl. 5:10, NASB

“Beware that you do not forget the Lord your God by not keeping His commandments and His ordinances and His statutes which I am commanding you today; otherwise, when you have eaten and are satisfied, and have built good houses and lived in them, and when your herds and your flocks multiply, and your silver and gold multiply, and all that you have multiplies, then your heart will become proud and you will forget the Lord your God who brought you out from the land of Egypt, out of the house of slavery.” Deut. 8:11-14, NASB

“Otherwise, you may say in your heart, ‘My power and the strength of my hand made me this wealth.’ But you shall remember the Lord your God, for it is He who is giving you power to make wealth, that He may confirm His covenant which He swore to your fathers, as it is this day.” Deut. 8:17-18, NASB

“Then He said to them, ‘Beware, and be on your guard against every form of greed; for not even when one has an abundance does his life consist of his possessions.'” Luke 12:15, NASB

“But godliness actually is a means of great gain when accompanied by contentment. For we have brought nothing into the world, so we cannot take anything out of it either. If we have food and covering, with these we shall be content. But those who want to get rich fall into temptation and a snare and many foolish and harmful desires which plunge men into ruin and destruction. For the love of money is a root of all sorts of evil, and some by longing for it have wandered away from the faith and pierced themselves with many griefs.” I Timothy 6:6-10, NASB

“Instruct those who are rich in this present world not to be conceited or to fix their hope on the uncertainty of riches, but on God, who richly supplies us with all things to enjoy. Instruct them to do good, to be rich in good works, to be generous and ready to share, storing up for themselves the treasure of a good foundation for the future, so that they may take hold of that which is life indeed.” I Timothy 6:17-19, NASB

Suggested Resources

Video: Why Has America Been Blessed by Reed and Liz Hewitt

Article: What is Biblical Stewardship by Liz Hewitt

Article: Money, Wealth, and the Book of Proverbs by Reed and Liz Hewitt

Book: Master Your Money written by Ron Blue and published by Moody Publishers in 1986/updated in 2016.

Book: Managing God’s Money written by Randy Alcorn and published by Tyndale House in 2011.

You can probably think of many more examples, but the type of balance we will study here is the most elusive of all: balance in life. This type of balance is most conspicuous by its absence, and it is not hard to find many examples of unbalanced lives. Most of us do not have to look beyond ourselves.

If you suspect that unbalance is taking a toll on your life, here’s a quiz to help you diagnose some problem areas.

• Do your projects, commitments, and “to-do” items stack up faster than you have time to complete them?
• Do you frequently rely on credit cards to make ends meet?
• Is it hard for you to leave work at a decent time? (Maybe your spouse should answer this one for you.)
• Are family dinners an endangered species in your home?
• Does it seem impossible to provide for the wants and needs of your family while also giving them substantial quality time?
• Do you feel like you are neglecting your spiritual life?

My definition of balance is this:
To manage one’s resources by God’s principles, resulting in a life of peace, joy, and contentment.

Notice I define balance as a verb. I am not talking about a motionless state of equilibrium; balance is an ongoing activity. Like riding a bicycle, life requires forward motion to maintain balance.

The definition above contains two parts: the criteria (God’s principles) and the outcome (peace, joy, and contentment).

The Bible contains no shortage of principles:

• Love God & others (Matthew 22:37-39)
• Live by faith (Habakkuk 2:4)
• Work hard (Proverbs 10:4-5)
• Make time for rest (Exodus 20:10-11)
• Take care of your family (1 Timothy 5:8)
• Help the needy (Deuteronomy 15:11)
• Be content (Hebrews 13:5)

And the list goes on—you can probably think of many, many more. Collectively, these principles create a framework that guides every area of life.

Even so, God does not micromanage. The Bible doesn’t tell us how much time we can spend in front of the TV each day. We must ask ourselves, “How much TV can I watch without neglecting God’s priorities?” Likewise, “How much time can I spend at the office without diminishing my ability to serve God’s purposes in my family?” God typically requires us to answer these questions on our own, but doing so requires wisdom, which comes from Him (James 1:5).

Faith and Flexibility

On top of His generally revealed principles, God also has specific tasks in mind for each of us individually. “For we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand that we should walk in them” (Ephesians 2:10).

Sometimes these are direct leadings of the Holy Spirit; other times God makes His will apparent through our circumstances. He closes one door and opens another. Recognizing these things requires us to pay attention. Acting on these things requires us to have faith and flexibility.

Here’s an alternative definition of balance:
To focus on the important while minimizing or eliminating the unimportant.

In John 15:1-17, Jesus uses the word “abide” ten times. To abide in Jesus is to be connected to, supplied by, and directed by Him. Christians talk a lot about bearing fruit, but I think it’s important to note that Jesus does not command us to bear fruit; he commands us to abide in Him and then fruit is the natural result. A life that bears the kind of fruit that God desires to cultivate is the ultimate description of a biblically balanced life.

Take Action

“All we have to decide is what to do with the time that is given us.”
J.R.R. Tolkien

1. On a scale of one to ten, rate your level of excellence in each of these priorities:

____ Work

____ Finances

____ Marriage

____ Spiritual Life

____ Physical Health

____ Family Life

2. Remember the words “peace, joy, and contentment” from our definition? Throughout the day, whenever you notice one of those things missing, take it as a reminder to refocus your thoughts on Jesus Christ.

Efficiency

How do you get the greatest mileage out of a tank of gas? If you drive too fast, the increasing drag from the air and road combined with the physical limitations of the engine will sap your efficiency. This is called the law of diminishing returns. If you drive too slowly, on the other hand, the vehicle’s auxiliary systems will continue to draw a fixed amount of power from the engine and reduce your miles per gallon. You can, in fact, run out of gas in a parked car. The greatest efficiency, and thus the greatest performance, lies somewhere in the middle.

One key purpose of balance is to get the most out of your life. We’ve now looked at the definition of balance, which starts with managing one’s time and resources in a way that serves God’s purposes. God has placed certain assets in your control that He expects you to manage: we all have varying amounts of talents, skills, influence, and money. And we all have exactly twenty-four hours each day. Balance is all about utilizing those assets as effectively as possible.

There are several ways to increase the “efficiency” of your life: first by pacing yourself and finding the sweet spot between over-exertion and lethargy. Then you can reduce your fixed costs by eliminating wasteful financial and time obligations. Finally, you can train yourself to increase your effective capacity for work. 

For starters, we must carefully consider the most important point of all: how does God measure effectiveness?

We define biblical stewardship as Christians managing God’s resources in accordance with biblical priorities. This requires the conversion of our hearts, minds, calendars, and pocketbooks. It means that decisions on how to invest our resources are really spiritual decisions that require faithfulness and wisdom.

It can be difficult to keep a biblical stewardship perspective in today’s culture. But in the end, godliness and contentment are key to living a strategic life!

(Audio note: Can you tell we picked a rainy day to record under a metal roof? Sorry about that! Even so, we give thanks to the Lord for sending rain to South Texas.)

Scripture from this Episode

Want to go deeper in this study? Click on this image to download our FREE eBook on Biblical Stewardship.

“Let a man regard us in this manner, as servants of Christ and stewards of the mysteries of God. In this case, moreover, it is required of stewards that one be found trustworthy.” I Cor. 4:1-2, NASB

“Then He said to them, ‘Beware, and be on your guard against every form of greed; for not even when one has an abundance does his life consist of his possessions.’” Luke 12:15, NASB

“Instruct those who are rich in this present world not to be conceited or to fix their hope on the uncertainty of riches, but on God, who richly supplies us with all things to enjoy. Instruct them to do good, to be rich in good works, to be generous and ready to share, storing up for themselves the treasure of a good foundation for the future, so that they may take hold of that which is life indeed.” I Timothy 6:17-19, NASB

“Know the state of your flocks, and put your heart into caring for your herds, for riches don’t last forever, and the crown might not be passed to the next generation.” Proverbs 27:23, NLT

“Honor the Lord with your wealth, with the firstfruits of all your crops; then your barns will be filled to overflowing…” Proverbs 3:9-10, NIV

“You ask and do not receive, because you ask with wrong motives, so that you may spend it on your pleasures.” James 4:3, NASB

“As each one has received a special gift, employ it in serving one another as good stewards of the manifold grace of God.” I Peter 4:10, NASB

“In the house of the wise are stores of choice food and oil, but a foolish man devours all he has.” Prov. 21:20, NIV

“Go to the ant, you sluggard; consider its ways and be wise! It has no commander, no overseer or ruler, yet it stores its provisions in summer and gathers its food at harvest.” Proverbs 6:6‐8, NIV

“Owe nothing to anyone except to love one another…” Romans 13:8a, NASB

“The rich rules over the poor, and the borrower becomes the lender’s slave.” Prov. 22:7, NASB

“Do not store up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust destroy, and where thieves break in and steal. But store up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust destroys, and where thieves do not break in or steal; for where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.” Matthew 6:19-21, NASB

Suggested Resources

Video: Why Has America Been Blessed by Reed and Liz Hewitt

Article: What is Biblical Stewardship by Liz Hewitt

Article: Money, Wealth, and the Book of Proverbs by Reed and Liz Hewitt

Book: Master Your Money written by Ron Blue and published by Moody Publishers in 1986/updated in 2016.

Book: Managing God’s Money written by Randy Alcorn and published by Tyndale House in 2011.

For Christians who are new to the topic of stewardship, this is the ultimate paradigm shift! How about you…are you seeking God for the answers to your financial decisions? Are you relying on Him for your provision?

Want to go deeper in this study? Click on this image to download our FREE eBook on Biblical Stewardship.

We believe that financial decisions are really spiritual decisions. What we do with our money and how we use our possessions shows where our heart is. It all comes down to giving full ownership back to the Lord.

(Audio note: Can you tell we picked a rainy day to record under a metal roof? Sorry about that! Even so, we give thanks to the Lord for sending rain to South Texas.)

Scripture from this Episode

“The earth is the Lord’s, and everything in it, the world, and all who live in it; for He founded it on the seas and established it upon the waters.” Psalm 24:1-2, NIV

“Both riches and honor come from You, and You rule over all, and in Your hand is power and might; and it lies in Your hand to make great and to strengthen everyone. Now therefore, our God, we thank You, and praise Your glorious name.” I Chronicles 29:1-2, NASB

“Many plans are in a man’s heart, but the counsel of the Lord will stand.” Proverbs 19:21, NASB

Suggested Resources

Video: Why Has America Been Blessed by Reed and Liz Hewitt

Article: What is Biblical Stewardship by Liz Hewitt

Article: Money, Wealth, and the Book of Proverbs by Reed and Liz Hewitt

Book: Master Your Money written by Ron Blue and published by Moody Publishers in 1986/updated in 2016.

How do you live a strategic life? How do you make the most of the resources that God has entrusted to your care, and avoid the pitfalls that distract you from His calling on your life?

In this video, we share 5 keys for Christians to live intentionally and effectively. When these 5 strategic elements come together, Christians can live the fruitful and abundant life that God has called us to live.

You can dive deeper into this study by listening to our podcast series that starts with podcast episode six, which is called “Living a Strategic Life”.

As you listen, we hope you’ll see that there is no greater joy to be found in life than in fulfilling the calling that God has given you.

Simple living is an attitude of the heart that can help us align with God’s plan for our lives and find true fulfillment. The world will tell you to aim for quantity over quality. And we are always supposed to want more, more, more.  But that actually leads to a stressful life. Simplicity creates margin and it helps us prioritize the essential.

An Aspect of Stewardship

We see the topic of living more simply as an aspect of stewardship and it also goes along with living with an eternal perspective. Those are two of our five pillars of living a strategic life. In our key verses for Living Strategically, Ephesians 5:15-17, God tells us to pay careful attention to how we conduct our lives, making the most of our time on earth.

So how do you know if you need to live more simply? You must learn to spot the warning signs that something needs to change:

• Do you lack peace of mind?
• Are you losing sleep at night?
• Is your daily schedule overwhelming because you are over committed?
• Is your health suffering?
• Are you drowning in debt?
• Do you feel unsatisfied, as if you have to continually chase after more?

You must discern when enough is enough. In fact, it’s even better when you can recognize those warning signs as early as possible, before natural consequences take their course.

Ecclesiastes 6:13 tells us, “There is a grievous evil which I have seen under the sun: riches being hoarded by their owner to his hurt.” And verse 18 goes on to say, “Here is what I have seen to be good and fitting: to eat, to drink and enjoy oneself in all one’s labor in which he toils under the sun during the few years of his life which God has given him; for this is his reward.”

King Solomon, the author of Ecclesiastes, knew a thing or two about having a complicated life.  Maybe he was looking at his own life when he saw “riches being hoarded by their owner to his hurt.”  In fact, most of the book of Ecclesiastes is about Solomon trying to find meaning and fulfillment in all the ways that the world has to offer, and yet coming up empty handed.  But his conclusion in 6:18 is beautifully simple: basically, we should enjoy the simple pleasures in life and be content to do an honest day’s work.

They Weren’t Satisfied

We live in a society of excess, but God designed us to live simply. Consider Adam and Eve in the Garden of Eden. God provided everything they needed in that beautiful garden. They had food, water, shelter. They had companionship with God and with their spouse. And their God-given calling was to be stewards of the garden. Genesis 2:15 says, “Then the Lord God took the man and put him into the garden of Eden to cultivate it and keep it.”

But they weren’t satisfied. There was a boundary that God told them not to cross, a tree they were not to eat from. God told them the consequence would be death if they ate from the tree of the knowledge of good and evil.

But read what happened in Genesis 3:6, “When the woman saw that the tree was good for food, and that it was a delight to the eyes, and that the tree was desirable to make one wise, she took from its fruit and ate; and she gave also to her husband with her, and he ate.”

So, first of all, it brought delight to Eve’s eyes. It was desirable to make her wise. And then she shared it with her husband. In the end, Adam and Eve had many sorrows from their sin. They had to leave the garden, and their relationship with God was greatly impacted.

Eve got caught up in the sin that started from not being satisfied with the life that God had provided. It wasn’t enough for her. She went on to cross the boundary that she knew was wrong to cross. So, what about in our own lives?

Pleasing God

It says in Galatians 1:10, “For am I now seeking the favor of men, or of God? Or am I striving to please men? If I were still trying to please men, I would not be a bond-servant of Christ.” This verse reminds us that serving God is more important than striving to please men or even our own desires. The Lord should be our focus.

And in Hosea 13:5-6, God tells the Israelites, “I cared for you in the wilderness, in the land of drought. As they had their pasture, they became satisfied, and being satisfied, their heart became proud; therefore they forgot Me.”

God cared for the children of Israel for 40 years in the wilderness, but when they finally settled in the Promise Land, which was flowing with milk and honey, they became proud and ungrateful. And this verse tells us they forgot their God. Again, the Lord should be our focus in life, but too often we become complacent with what the world has to offer and we lose our focus.

Our chaotic culture tries to sell us a bag of lies in this area. But here’s the truth:

• You cannot maintain an overwhelming schedule. It will damage your health and important relationships will suffer.
• You cannot financially afford an endless cycle of consumerism and increasing your standard of living. You’ll end up in a financial crisis.
• And a larger home or a nicer car will not give your family true happiness. Only the Lord can give you lasting happiness, not physical possessions.

Not to mention that continuously striving for more is an unhealthy way to live. God wants better for us.   Over the years we’ve learned that contentment is the attitude of gratefully accepting what God gives, while gracefully releasing what He withholds. And God’s plan is the only way to find lasting contentment and true fulfillment.

Getting Personal

For us personally, we made the commitment to be better stewards and live with an eternal perspective in 2013, after being married for 7 years. (That’s also the year we started Living Strategically.)

The first seven years of our marriage were invested in various ministry opportunities, getting college behind us, paying off all debt besides our home, and becoming self-employed. Those seven years were jam-packed, and we finally reached a point where we knew we needed to intentionally slow down and live more simply. We needed more safeguards in our lives to make sure that God was our #1 focus in all areas of life.

We basically started saying “no” more often than “yes”… and being more intentional with how we spent our time, our money, how we served in ministry opportunities, and even in some activities with family and friends. Now we are in our seventh year of intentionally living more simply, and we have found such a deep level of contentment.

Time to Prune

In order to do this, we had to prune off the things that were not yielding a return for their investment of time, money, energy, etc.  And when you prune something, you see new growth. It was a strategic move that has paid off!

Some areas where we set some strategic boundaries included:

• Time wasters like social media and spending too many evenings in front of the TV. We deleted our social media accounts and no longer own a television set. (We will say, though, that in our free time and for educational purposes, we do watch videos on YouTube.)
• We also became more intentional about our purchases. This has saved us money and stopped the flow of excess from coming into our home. It saves us time because we own fewer items to maintain, and it helps us practice contentment and delayed gratification.
• We intentionally take a Sabbath rest day once a week, which gets us refreshed and gives us extra time with God.
• And a big area of de-stressing our lives was limiting our church and ministry commitments. We took a hard look at where we were serving and only stayed in the areas that aligned with our God-given calling. In some areas, we had been “volun-told” to do tasks and some of those tasks eventually didn’t make the cut. This required a lot of prayer to make sure we were making wise investments for God’s kingdom.

Evaluating the Spiritual Value

One thing that helped us prioritize in these areas was asking “What is the spiritual value in this activity, project, or commitment?” Honestly, some things added up to “busy work” and we had to let those things go. We realized that God doesn’t call us to do it all. And we found that simplifying our commitments and our finances gave us more time for our priorities in life: our relationship with God, our marriage, and our life’s calling.

Being human means that we have limitations, including limited time and resources.  We had to decide what was making a lasting impact for God’s kingdom and lining up with God’s will for our lives. And we also needed more margin. We needed more times of rest in order to be our best. And more margin gave us time to evaluate which areas were unfruitful for us.

It’s All About Balance

Balance is a very important part of this equation. Some people go to an extreme and see how minimally they can survive. Some people take it to the opposite extreme and become hoarders. Either extreme can be an unhealthy obsession, rather than a simple way of life, because the focus is on stuff rather than on God.

As Christians, we should be using our resources to serve God, serve others, and provide for the needs of our family. That’s wise stewardship. It’s not about having the least amount of stuff or the most amount of stuff.

And the goal of living simply is not to reach a point where we can relax and take it easy, either. We want to find a healthy balance in our daily schedule between being consumed and being lazy. We need a work-life balance, with times of rest and renewal.

Getting Strategic

The key is finding the point where you are the most effective for God’s purposes for your life — in your investments of time, energy, money, and talents.

This requires a strategic process and we came up with an acrostic that spells “SIMPLE” to help us describe the process: Stop and take inventory, Invest in what really matters, Manage your resources wisely, Peace and Love, and Evaluate. Let’s expound…

S – stop and take inventory, evaluate where you need to implement changes in your life.

I – invest in what really matters, prioritize the most important and say “no” to what doesn’t line up with God’s priorities for you.

M – manage your time, relationships, assets, and abilities as good stewards…remembering that God owns it all. Managing things on a daily basis for an eternal impact.

P – peace: If you are losing peace and stress is setting in, that is an indicator that something needs to change. As you are managing things, monitor your level of peace and make changes where needed. We are always making adjustments when needed.

L – love: God’s greatest commandments are to love Him and love others. We keep margin in our schedule in case we need to spend extra time with God or others, filling our love tanks or someone else’s love tank.

E – evaluate: daily, weekly, monthly, annually. Make changes where needed, being guided by the Holy Spirit. Life is full of changes. We grow, we need to refocus in certain areas, we have a life changing event.  The point is to keep evaluating things and be flexible.

If you follow these steps, you’ll be able to cultivate a simpler lifestyle. But remember, this process is ongoing and takes a daily commitment to stay the course.

The Parable of the Sower

Now we want to close with a passage from the book of Mark that tells the parable of the sower and the four soils. Specifically, the verses that talk about the seed sown among the thorns.

Mark 4:18-19 says, “And others are the ones on whom seed was sown among the thorns; these are the ones who have heard the Word, but the worries of the world, and the deceitfulness of riches, and the desires for other things enter in and choke the Word, and it becomes unfruitful.”

Living more simply is about the attitude of your heart. Don’t get distracted with riches, desiring things, or the worries of the world. Those thorns are part of a temporal world that is passing away and they lead to an unfruitful life.

Living strategically means being a faithful steward with an eternal mindset. And keeping God at the center of your life. Living simpler is the answer to so many worries in life, but only the courageous will make the necessary changes to take hold of that which is truly life.

As always, we want to give away the resources that we create for free, so we invite you to click this image to download a FREE copy of our eBook. It contains 20 pages that can help you live more strategically!

The Bible says that “man is like a mere breath; his days are like a passing shadow.” It also says that we “are just a vapor that appears for a little while and then vanishes away.” In other words, life is short. Life is also unpredictable. We don’t know what tomorrow holds. So how do we make the most of the brief, uncertain time we have on earth? You have to have a strategy.

In our eBook “5 Keys to Living Strategically”, we study what the Bible says about a life lived with intention. We see these five keys as essential elements for any Christian who wants to make the most of their life.

As always, we want to give away the resources that we create for free, so we invite you to download a FREE copy of our eBook.

These 5 strategic keys form a foundation for Christians who want to build a life of purpose and true fulfillment:

1. Eternal Perspective

   The Bible tells us that part of living wisely is remembering that this earth is not our home. Our real citizenship is in Heaven and we are to invest our temporal assets in ways that gain eternal dividends.

   Related verses: Matthew 6:19-21 and 1 John 2:15-18

2. Stewardship

   God is the owner of all that we manage, which makes us stewards. Wise stewards use their time, energy, money, and talents in ways that bring God glory and advance kingdom purposes. When we are faithful stewards, God’s blessings follow.

   Related verses: 1 Corinthians 4:2, 1 Timothy 6:6-19, and 1 Peter 4:7-11

3. Freedom

   We know from the full counsel of Scripture that God desires for His people to be free — free from sin and encumbrances that hinder our effectiveness as Christians. We find this freedom when we walk daily by the Holy Spirit, because He keeps us on the straight and narrow and helps us to see sin for what it really is (captivity) and submission to God for what it really is (freedom).

   And in our foundational verses, we see what we should be doing with that freedom: choosing to walk with wisdom and managing our time for maximum impact.

   Related verses: Galatians 5 and Hebrews 12:1-3

4. Prophetic Urgency

   Because we are living in the end times, it is crucial to use our days wisely. We must also stay on the alert because our culture will only become increasingly evil. We need to be doing the will of God and studying the Bible, in order to be bright lights in the darkness.

   Related verses: Mark 13:33 and Matthew 24:37-51

5. Biblical Framework

   To know the will of God, we must be getting daily nourishment from God’s Word. This practice builds our faith and keeps our focus on Christ. A biblical framework is the most important key to living a strategic life!

   Related verses: 1 Timothy 4:6-16 and Hosea 14:9

When these five strategic elements come together, we can live the fruitful and abundant life that God has called us to live. We pray that you will apply these five strategic keys to your own life and reap the blessings that follow. Download a FREE copy of our eBook to dive deeper into the study!

In the Bible, Paul told the Galatians, “It was for freedom that Christ set us free; therefore keep standing firm and do not be subject again to a yoke of slavery.” (Galatians 5:1) The concept of freedom and slavery is interwoven throughout the Bible. From the time of Moses leading the children of Israel out of slavery in Egypt, all the way through the New Testament where the apostles talk about freedom from spiritual slavery, this running theme is there to help us understand our spiritual condition and why we need the new life that God is calling us into.

Salvation

For example, have you ever considered how the deliverance of Israel from slavery in Egypt was a foreshadowing of the plan of salvation? Their captivity in Egypt was like a person who is lost, then they were called out of the land. And their deliverance from the curse of death was accomplished through the blood of a lamb on the doorposts of their homes, just like the blood of Messiah (our Passover lamb) delivers us from eternal death.

But then in the wilderness, which is like our life after salvation but before eternity, when the Israelites were free from captivity there was a constant temptation to return to slavery in Egypt. Being free was difficult in a way that was different from the hardship of slavery.  As slaves, their lives were predetermined for them. It may have been miserable, but it was familiar and predictable, and it didn’t require faith.

But God’s purpose for the Israelites required them to be free, which meant that they had to go out into an unpredictable world and have faith that God would provide. That pattern shows up again and again throughout Scripture.

Laying Aside Encumbrances

“Therefore, since we have so great a cloud of witnesses surrounding us, let us also lay aside every encumbrance and the sin which so easily entangles us, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us.” Hebrews 12:1

We can identify two basic ways that Christians today try to leave their freedom and return to slavery. One is to be weighed down, distracted, and hindered by the cares of this world. And the other, to put it frankly, is bondage to sin. And how do we get past these obstacles? The second verse in Hebrews 12 gives the answer…by “fixing our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of faith”.

Here are some examples of encumbrances in our modern culture, that may not cross the line of sin, but can still keep you from living in freedom:

• the endless accumulation of possessions
• the pursuit of financial success and status
• financial debt
• being distracted with screen time and social media
• being too busy
• dysfunction in a family or a workplace
• tolerating toxic relationships

1 Corinthians 6:12 says, “All things are lawful for me, but not all things are profitable. All things are lawful for me, but I will not be mastered by anything.” That’s the standard we have to apply to everything in our lives. Whenever you feel something weighing you down, or competing with the Holy Spirit for control of your life, that’s probably something that you need to prune back or remove entirely.

Another thing to keep in mind is that stress is a warning sign that there’s an issue that needs to be dealt with, in order to restore balance and health. Stress can serve a temporary purpose, but if stress has become a permanent thing in your life, that’s no longer living in freedom!

The Trap of Sin

“…through Him [Jesus Christ] forgiveness of sins is proclaimed to you, and through Him everyone who believes is freed from all things, from which you could not be freed through the Law of Moses.” Acts 13:38-39

In our modern Christian vocabulary, we talk about “being saved”. But the Bible also uses the phrase “to be freed” in the same way. That’s a powerful way of looking at salvation!  Sin is captivity. Salvation is freedom.

Ironically, sin usually masquerades as freedom. To the sinner, holiness can look very restrictive. But the test that shows that sin is really a form of captivity is when you try and put it down. If you can’t stop doing something that God calls sin, then that sin is controlling you. It’s slavery, not freedom.

The list of sins that Satan tries to use to entrap us could be limitless, but here are some examples:

• Emotional lives – pride and bitterness
• Social lives – gossip or any time we chose not to love our neighbor
• Physical lives – addictions or sexual sin, or neglecting our bodies which are the temple of the Holy Spirit
• Financial lives – we can become enslaved to debt, as the Bible says, “the borrower becomes the lender’s slave”. Also, there’s the temptation to allow money to become an idol.
• Spiritual lives – The spiritual aspect encompasses all of the above sins, but there’s also a hidden danger of embracing man-made religion, like the Pharisees, instead of the pure and liberating Gospel!

We need to realize that, like us, Satan also thinks strategically. He will focus most of his efforts on our areas of weakness, to lead us to sin, and the Bible tells us that sin leads to death. That death can be emotional, social, physical, financial, as well as spiritual. We should be extra cautious in any area that we know is a personal weakness.

Christians who stray into sin, to borrow the words of Paul, “pierce themselves with many griefs” (I Timothy 6:10). And there is a particular danger for Christians, because when you have been set free from something, and then go back to it, it is much harder to get free of it again! For example, the Israelites were set free from Egypt and they were an independent, sovereign nation for hundreds of years, but when they strayed and eventually went into captivity again, they remained the subjects of foreign powers for thousands of years.

The Israelites had sins that they kept tolerating, and we as Christians need to take that example and not just focus on symptoms. When we are struggling with sin in our lives, we need permanent solutions. We don’t need a Band-Aid fix that covers things temporarily. Through the power of the Holy Spirit we need to end that sin completely. We need complete restoration. Turning back to living a life of freedom!

Walking by the Spirit

We started this article with Galatians 5:1, “It is for freedom that Christ has set us free…” And the entire chapter of Galatians 5 is like the handbook on freedom in the New Testament. Verse 16 gives us the secret weapon in the battle for freedom. It says, “…walk by the Spirit, and you will not gratify the desires of the flesh.”

Walking by the Spirit is the key to staying out of the enemy’s traps and it’s also the key to right living. It’s how you stay out of dysfunction and toxic relationships. It’s how you set your priorities so you don’t drown in a schedule filled with fruitless tasks. The bottom line is when we walk by the Spirit, it keeps us on the straight and narrow, because we see sin for what it really is (captivity) and we see submission to God for what it really is (freedom).

Let’s close with 2 Corinthians 3:17, “…where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is freedom.” When we pursue things that lead to freedom, we can set aside encumbrances and live a life unhindered!

“For no man can lay a foundation other than the one which is laid, which is Jesus Christ. Now if any man builds on the foundation with gold, silver, precious stones, wood, hay, straw, each man’s work will become evident; for the day will show it because it is to be revealed with fire, and the fire itself will test the quality of each man’s work. If any man’s work which he has built on it remains, he will receive a reward. If any man’s work is burned up, he will suffer loss; but he himself will be saved, yet so as through fire.” I Cor. 3:11-15, NASB

Randy Alcorn, author of one of my favorite books, Managing God’s Money: A Biblical Guide, says, “In contrast to materialism’s emptiness, there is joyful liberty in Christ. Those who hold tightly to the true God will loosen their grip on money – and thereby loosen money’s grip on them.”¹

Are you keeping a tight grip on your possessions?

Stewardship:

Contrary to worldly thinking, the Bible tells us that we are not the ultimate owners of physical possessions or financial assets. We are to operate as managers of our time, energy, money, and talents. God is ruler over all…period.

“The earth is the Lord’s, and everything in it, the world, and all who live in it.” Psalm 24:1, NIV

“Both riches and honor come from You, and You rule over all…” I Chron. 29:12a, NASB

Biblical stewardship can be defined as Christians managing God’s resources in accordance with biblical priorities. This requires the conversion of our hearts, minds, calendars, and pocketbooks. It means decisions on how to invest our resources are really spiritual decisions that require faithfulness and wisdom.

“Let a man regard us in this manner, as servants of Christ and stewards of the mysteries of God. In this case, moreover, it is required of stewards that one be found trustworthy.” I Cor. 4:1-2, NASB

Are you strategically managing resources with an eternal mindset?

Counter-cultural Priorities:

The late Christian financial expert Larry Burkett made the unfortunate observation that “the Christian world is no different from the secular world when it comes to debt, bankruptcy, and divorce because priorities are misplaced.”

It can be difficult to keep a biblical stewardship perspective from day to day. We live in a world that promises comfort, security, and happiness from accumulating more stuff or building wealth. But increasing our lifestyle is not what life is truly all about.

“Then He said to them, ‘Beware, and be on your guard against every form of greed; for not even when one has an abundance does his life consist of his possessions.’” Luke 12:15, NASB

In the end, godliness and contentment are key. We brought nothing into this world, and we can take nothing with us when we die (I Tim. 6:6-7). We’ll avoid a lot of grief if we can keep our priorities straight.

“Instruct those who are rich in this present world not to be conceited or to fix their hope on the uncertainty of riches, but on God, who richly supplies us with all things to enjoy. Instruct them to do good, to be rich in good works, to be generous and ready to share, storing up for themselves the treasure of a good foundation for the future, so that they may take hold of that which is life indeed.” I Timothy 6:17-19, NASB

Are you taking hold of that which is life indeed?

Ultimately, living as a wise, biblical steward is for our own good. It’s the only way to make the best investments of the resources that God has called us to manage. It’s the best way to bring God glory and advance kingdom purposes.

Once we make the commitment to become faithful stewards, it is necessary to study what the Bible says about managing resources, generosity, and being prepared for the future. (You’ll notice that the majority of these verses cover physical assets.)

Managing Resources:

Our God-given resources include our time, energy, money, and talents. In all of these areas, it’s wise to monitor where we’re at and where we’re heading, by diligently working towards goals that align with biblical priorities and our God-given purpose in life.

“Know the state of your flocks, and put your heart into caring for your herds, for riches don’t last forever, and the crown might not be passed to the next generation.” Proverbs 27:23, NLT

“The plans of the diligent lead to profit as surely as haste leads to poverty.” Prov. 21:5, NIV

“For which of you, when he wants to build a tower, does not first sit down and calculate the cost to see if he has enough to complete it? Otherwise, when he has laid a foundation and is not able to finish, all who observe it begin to ridicule him.” Luke 14:28‐29, NASB

When it comes to our financial resources, many stewards have found a monthly spending plan, or budget, to be helpful in keeping track of their household expenditures and long-term goals. To be a faithful asset manager, it requires careful planning, routine monitoring, and living below your means.

Firstfruits:

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We read in Proverbs 3:9-10, “Honor the Lord with your wealth, with the firstfruits of all your crops; then your barns will be filled to overflowing…” (NIV)

By first giving a portion of our income back to God, we acknowledge that He is the source of all our resources. This keeps our flesh from taking ownership, reminding us that we are stewards and not owners. As Randy Alcorn says, “[Tithing] should be a meaningful expression of our dependence upon God and gratitude to Him.”¹

God promises to bless His children who follow this simple plan!

Generosity:

Some of the resources that God puts under our management is to be allocated for others. We shouldn’t use it all for ourselves, but rather look for ways to help others.

“You ask and do not receive, because you ask with wrong motives, so that you may spend it on your pleasures.” James 4:3, NASB

“As each one has received a special gift, employ it in serving one another as good stewards of the manifold grace of God.” I Peter 4:10, NASB

To kick it up another notch, we can practice sacrificial giving. Randy Alcorn says, “God’s money manager doesn’t ask, ‘How much more can I keep?’ but ‘How much more can I give?’ Whenever we start to get comfortable with our level of giving, it’s time to ask God if He wants us to raise it again.”¹

How’s that for a challenge!

The Future:

Living paycheck‐to‐paycheck or using up all our financial resources is foolish. We can’t predict the future, but we should plan for one! It’s wise to set aside resources for unplanned mishaps or future emergencies.

“In the house of the wise are stores of choice food and oil, but a foolish man devours all he has.” Prov. 21:20, NIV

“Go to the ant, you sluggard; consider its ways and be wise! It has no commander, no overseer or ruler, yet it stores its provisions in summer and gathers its food at harvest.” Proverbs 6:6‐8, NIV

Another way of devouring our resources, and presuming upon the future, is to accumulate debt. While the Bible never prohibits debt, it cautions against debt.

“Owe nothing to anyone except to love one another…” Romans 13:8a, NASB

“The rich rules over the poor, and the borrower becomes the lender’s slave.” Prov. 22:7, NASB

Unnecessary debt-fueled spending is like telling God that He has not provided enough to cover all our needs. If a steward is managing God’s resources, and He has promised to provide all that we need, then a lack of funds is a result of poor management. And that’s why it is my personal conviction that consumer debt is not necessary for American families. Like with our government, too many of us simply have a problem with overspending.

With creative and strategic planning, mixed in with delayed gratification and personal discipline, Christians can live debt-free and not be in bondage to lenders. To find true financial freedom, we need to live within (and below) our means.

Finally, biblical stewardship points us to our eternal future. Heaven is our real home and this world is just a temporary dwelling place.

“Set your mind on the things above, not on the things that are on earth.” Colossians 3:2, NASB

“For here we do not have a lasting city, but we are seeking the city which is to come.” Hebrews 13:14, NASB

Our culture is completely focused on the things of this world, but as Christians we must keep the bigger picture in mind. The things of this earth will ultimately ALL pass away. Investing in treasures that last forever will pay the ultimate dividend!

“Do not store up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust destroy, and where thieves break in and steal. But store up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust destroys, and where thieves do not break in or steal; for where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.” Matthew 6:19-21, NASB

Randy Alcorn explains it this way, “Kingdom currency is the only medium of exchange recognized by the Son of God, whose government will last forever. That currency is our present faithful service and sacrificial use of our resources for Him.”¹

When we finally reach our eternal home, may we all hear our Master say, “Well done, thou good and faithful servant: thou hast been faithful over a few things, I will make thee ruler over many things: enter thou into the joy of thy Lord.” (Matt. 25:21, KJV)

Be sure to watch this 3-minute video by LivingStrategically.com
to continue the study on biblical stewardship!

Highly Recommended Resources:

¹ Managing God’s Money: A Biblical Guide written by Randy Alcorn and published by Tyndale House Publishers in 2011.

² The Treasure Principle written by Randy Alcorn and published by Multnomah Books in 2001, updated in 2017.

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“Therefore be careful how you walk, not as unwise men but as wise, making the most of your time, because the days are evil. So then do not be foolish, but understand what the will of the Lord is.”

In these verses, we find a biblical prescription for living wisely and making the most of our short time on earth. They form a foundation for Christians who want to build a life of purpose and true fulfillment.

Five Keys to Living a Strategic Life

Whether it’s a podcast episode or blog post, everything we produce at Living Strategically touches on one or more of these five key concepts. We see these five pillars as essential elements for any Christian who wants to make the most of their life.

1. 1. Eternal Perspective

      “Therefore be careful how you walk, not as unwise men but as wise…”
      The Bible tells us that part of living wisely is remembering that this earth is not our home. Our real citizenship is in Heaven and we are to invest our temporal assets in ways that gain eternal dividends.

      Related verses: Matthew 6:19-21 and 1 John 2:15-18

   2. Stewardship

      “…making the most of your time….”
      God is the owner of all that we manage, which makes us stewards. Wise stewards use their time, energy, money, and talents in ways that bring God glory and advance kingdom purposes. When we are faithful stewards, God’s blessings follow.

      Related verses: 1 Corinthians 4:2, 1 Timothy 6:6-19, and 1 Peter 4:7-11

   3. Freedom

      We know from the full counsel of Scripture that God desires for His people to be free — free from sin and encumbrances that hinder our effectiveness as Christians. We find this freedom when we walk daily by the Holy Spirit, because He keeps us on the straight and narrow and helps us to see sin for what it really is (captivity) and submission to God for what it really is (freedom).

      And in our foundational verses, we see what we should be doing with that freedom: choosing to walk with wisdom and managing our time for maximum impact.

      Related verses: Galatians 5 and Hebrews 12:1-3

   4. Prophetic Urgency

      “…making the most of your time, because the days are evil.”
      Because we are living in the end times, it is crucial to use our days wisely. We must also stay on the alert because our culture will only become increasingly evil. We need to be doing the will of God and studying the Bible, in order to be bright lights in the darkness.

      Related verses: Mark 13:33 and Matthew 24:37-51

   5. Biblical Framework

      “So then do not be foolish, but understand what the will of the Lord is.”
      To know the will of God, we must be getting daily nourishment from God’s Word. This practice builds our faith and keeps our focus on Christ. A biblical framework is the most important key to living a strategic life!

      Related verses: 1 Timothy 4:6-16 and Hosea 14:9

When these five strategic elements come together, we can live the fruitful and abundant life that God has called us to live.

“Five Pillars” Podcast Series from Living Strategically

We encourage you to dive deeper into this study by listening to the following five podcast episodes. Through this series, we aimed to unpack the five pillars of living a strategic life and study what the Bible says about a life lived with intention.

• Living a Strategic Life
• Living with Purpose
• Living Unhindered
• Living More Simply
• Living in the End Times

This study shows us that there is no greater joy to be found in life than fulfilling the calling that God has given you. And the impact it can have on others, both here on earth and for eternity, is astounding! We pray that you will apply these five strategic keys to your own life and reap the blessings that follow.

We also encourage you to watch this 4-minute video that sums up the podcast series.

Simple living is an attitude of the heart that God calls His children to live by in order to find true fulfillment. The world will tell you to aim for quantity over quality, but that actually leads to a stressful life. When we stay content with a more simple lifestyle, it helps us prioritize the essential and live more intentionally.

In our upcoming episode, we’ll continue to “unpack” the core principles of Living Strategically, so be sure to subscribe to this Christian podcast!

Scripture from this Episode

“Therefore be careful how you walk, not as unwise men but as wise, making the most of your time, because the days are evil. So then do not be foolish, but understand what the will of the Lord is.” Ephesians 5:15-17, NASB

“There is a grievous evil which I have seen under the sun: riches being hoarded by their owner to his hurt.” Ecclesiastes 6:13, NASB

“Here is what I have seen to be good and fitting: to eat, to drink and enjoy oneself in all one’s labor in which he toils under the sun during the few years of his life which God has given him; for this is his reward.” Ecclesiastes 6:18, NASB

“Then the Lord God took the man and put him into the garden of Eden to cultivate it and keep it.” Genesis 2:15, NASB

“When the woman saw that the tree was good for food, and that it was a delight to the eyes, and that the tree was desirable to make one wise, she took from its fruit and ate; and she gave also to her husband with her, and he ate.” Genesis 3:6, NASB

“For am I now seeking the favor of men, or of God? Or am I striving to please men? If I were still trying to please men, I would not be a bond-servant of Christ.” Galatians 1:10, NASB

“I cared for you in the wilderness, in the land of drought. As they had their pasture, they became satisfied, and being satisfied, their heart became proud; therefore they forgot Me.” Hosea 13:5-6, NASB

“And others are the ones on whom seed was sown among the thorns; these are the ones who have heard the Word, but the worries of the world, and the deceitfulness of riches, and the desires for other things enter in and choke the Word, and it becomes unfruitful.” Mark 4:18-19, NASB

Sometimes we Christians come against obstacles that hinder our effectiveness, even hindering us from fulfilling our life’s calling. And that’s why the topic of freedom is so important. We need to aim for living unhindered! Here are some examples of encumbrances in our modern culture, that may not cross the line of sin, but can still keep you from living in freedom:

• • the endless accumulation of possessions
  • the pursuit of financial success and status
  • financial debt
  • being distracted with screen time and social media
  • being too busy
  • disfunction in a family or a workplace
  • tolerating toxic relationships

1 Corinthians 6:12 says, “All things are lawful for me, but not all things are profitable. All things are lawful for me, but I will not be mastered by anything.” That’s the standard we have to apply to everything in our lives. Whenever you feel something weighing you down, or competing with the Holy Spirit for control of your life, that’s probably something that you need to prune back or remove entirely.

The bottom line is when we walk by the Spirit, it keeps us on the straight and narrow, because we see sin for what it really is (captivity) and we see submission to God for what it really is (freedom). We pray that you will pursue things that lead to freedom in your life, so that you can live a life unhindered!

In our upcoming episodes, we’ll continue to “unpack” the core principles of Living Strategically, so tune in weekly and subscribe to this Christian podcast!

Scripture from this Episode

“It was for freedom that Christ set us free; therefore keep standing firm and do not be subject again to a yoke of slavery.” Galatians 5:1

“Therefore, since we have so great a cloud of witnesses surrounding us, let us also lay aside every encumbrance and the sin which so easily entangles us, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us, fixing our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of faith, who for the joy set before Him endured the cross, despising the shame, and has sat down at the right hand of the throne of God.” Hebrews 12:1-2

“All things are lawful for me, but not all things are profitable. All things are lawful for me, but I will not be mastered by anything.” 1 Corinthians 6:12

“…through Him [Jesus Christ] forgiveness of sins is proclaimed to you, and through Him everyone who believes is freed from all things, from which you could not be freed through the Law of Moses.” Acts 13:38-39

“…walk by the Spirit, and you will not gratify the desires of the flesh.” Galatians 5:16

“…where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is freedom.” 2 Corinthians 3:17

Suggested Resource

Living Strategically Book Recommendations

“Let us examine and probe our ways, and let us return to the Lord.
We lift up our heart and hands toward God in heaven…”
Lamentations 3:40-41, NASB

At Living Strategically, we’re all about using our time, energy, money, and talents in ways that make an impact for eternity. A wise steward knows that these assets are too precious to waste. Here’s a strategic method for examining your life and living with intentionality!

Evaluation Process

For our family, we sit down every six months and prayerfully evaluate how we’re doing on reaching goals and utilizing our resources. We keep a journal where we have written our key areas of focus and prioritize how to invest the next six months. These investments cover the areas of time, finances, ministry opportunities, personal projects, career, health, etc.

It’s so helpful to look back in the journal, covering many years, and see the progress we’ve made but also the path to follow for the future. As the months pass by, our written goals provide us with accountability and help us keep an eternal perspective. They also keep us on high alert for things that would distract or prohibit us from reaching goals.

We believe if we’re diligent in the little things, over time we’ll accomplish much. Like it says in Proverbs 21:5, “Plans of the diligent surely lead to gain…” Another version says, “Steady plodding leads to prosperity…”

Biblical Framework

It’s also important that our goals are based on a biblical framework. God’s Word contains all the wisdom and guidance we need to choose the right path. And God has given mankind the responsibility to do exactly that. If we don’t fulfill our responsibility to chart our course then someone else (bosses, advertisers, family members, our peer group) will chart it for us. We want to be following God’s agenda for our lives, rather than leaving it to chance or peer pressure.

Being Proactive

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Our personal evaluation method is completely opposite from basic human nature. Typically people react to circumstances instead of being proactive. Patrick Morley, author of The Man in the Mirror¹, says, “Instead, we rush from task to busy task, but we don’t call enough time-outs to reflect on life’s larger meaning and purpose. Rather, we live myopically from day-to-day-to-day; we live under the tyranny of today’s problems.”

Stewardship

An important part of stewardship is looking at the big picture rather than being short-sighted — taking the time to examine how we are investing the assets that God entrusts into our care. If we’re not careful, we’ll lose sight of our higher calling and reach the end of our lives without fulfilling our God-given purpose.

Are you managing your affairs with diligence and careful examination? We’d encourage you to take a time-out and truly evaluate how you’re doing in working towards God’s calling on your life.

¹ The Man in the Mirror written by Patrick Morley and published by Zondervan in 1997, updated in 2014.

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We also talk about the special calling that God gave to Abram/Abraham in Genesis 12 and how he demonstrated intentional focus and obedience to head toward the Promise Land as soon as he received that calling. It says in Genesis 12:4, “So Abram went forth as the Lord had spoken to him…” His obedience reminds us of the quote: “Start where you are. Use what you have. Do what you can.” This is where you start walking. Just like Abram, you start taking steps in the direction that God is leading you.

As Christians, we should live each day purposefully and intentionally. In order to do that, we must live our lives in response to God’s call. Once you answer that call, you are on your way to a fruitful and abundant life!

In our upcoming episodes, we’ll continue to “unpack” the core principles of Living Strategically and study what the Bible says about this concept, so tune in weekly and subscribe to this Christian podcast!

Scripture from this Episode

“For we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand so that we would walk in them.” Ephesians 2:10

“Whether, then, you eat or drink or whatever you do, do all to the glory of God.” I Corinthians 10:31

“Everyone who is called by My name, and whom I have created for My glory, whom I have formed, even whom I have made.” Isaiah 43:7

“For I am confident of this very thing, that He who began a good work in you will perfect it until the day of Christ Jesus.” Philippians 1:6

“Now the Lord said to Abram, ‘Go forth from your country, and from your relatives and from your father’s house, to the land which I will show you. And I will make you a great nation, and I will bless you, and make your name great; and so you shall be a blessing.” Genesis 12:1-2

“So Abram went forth as the Lord had spoken to him…” Genesis 12:4

“Therefore be careful how you walk, not as unwise men but as wise, making the most of your time, because the days are evil. So then do not be foolish, but understand what the will of the Lord is.” Ephesians 5:15-17

“So teach us to number our days, that we may present to You a heart of wisdom.” Psalm 90:12

Suggested Resource

Living Strategically Book Recommendations

There’s no greater joy to be found in life than fulfilling the calling that God has given you. And the impact it can have on others, both here on earth and for eternity, is astounding! In our upcoming episodes, we’ll continue to “unpack” the core principles of Living Strategically and study what the Bible says about this concept, so tune in weekly and subscribe to this Christian podcast!

Scripture from this Episode

“Woe to those who call evil good, and good evil; who substitute darkness for light and light for darkness; who substitute bitter for sweet and sweet for bitter!” Isaiah 5:20, NASB

“Therefore be careful how you walk, not as unwise men but as wise, making the most of your time, because the days are evil. So then do not be foolish, but understand what the will of the Lord is.” Ephesians 5:15-17, NASB

Suggested Resources

Jonathan Cahn at the 2013 Presidential Inaugural Prayer Breakfast
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=S9xMxkNROto&list=WL&index=3&t=0s

Why has America been blessed?
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QoN9-Qnpmfg

As Christians, we should never lose sight of where our eternal home is because that affects all of our actions and decisions while on earth. The Bible tells us that Jesus is preparing a place for us in heaven and we should all be seeking that city which is to come, the new Jerusalem (see Revelation 21 and 22). It also reminds us that our real citizenship is in heaven and we should eagerly await our Savior’s second coming. A glorious homecoming awaits us at the end of this present age!

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Scripture from this Episode

“He has made everything appropriate in its time. He has also set eternity in their heart, yet so that man will not find out the work which God has done from the beginning even to the end.” Ecclesiastes 3:11

“For here we do not have a lasting city, but we are seeking the city which is to come.” Hebrews 13:14

“In My Father’s house are many dwelling places; if it were not so, I would have told you; for I go to prepare a place for you. If I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again and receive you to Myself, that where I am, there you may be also.” John 14:2-3

“For God so loved the world, that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him shall not perish, but have eternal life. For God did not send the Son into the world to judge the world, but that the world might be saved through Him.” John 3:16-17

“For our citizenship is in heaven, from which also we eagerly wait for a Savior, the Lord Jesus Christ; who will transform the body of our humble state into conformity with the body of His glory, by the exertion of the power that He has even to subject all things to Himself.” Philippians 3:20-21

Suggested Resource

The Treasure Principle by Randy Alcorn

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Reading these books, we are amazed at how little the Ingalls family had to make do with and yet how much abundance they felt like they had. They were pioneers and knew how to live off the land. At times they had harsh weather and endured financial hardships. Through it all, they had contentment, which is a strategic mindset, multiplying the effectiveness of their circumstances.

The Ingalls family also lived a very simple lifestyle, especially compared to American standards in today’s culture. They held possessions loosely and valued relationships over material gain. Being content with what God supplied allowed them to overcome challenges and leave an enduring legacy that still inspires readers today.

Scripture from this Episode

“But godliness actually is a means of great gain when accompanied by contentment. For we have brought nothing into the world, so we cannot take anything out of it either. If we have food and covering, with these we shall be content.” I Timothy 6:6-8, NASB

“Not that I speak from want, for I have learned to be content in whatever circumstances I am. I know how to get along with humble means, and I also know how to live in prosperity; in any and every circumstance I have learned the secret of being filled and going hungry, both of having abundance and suffering need. I can do all things through Him who strengthens me.” Philippians 4:11-13, NASB

“Do you not know that those who run in a race all run, but only one receives the prize? Run in such a way that you may win.” I Corinthians 9:24

“I have fought the good fight, I have finished the course, I have kept the faith; in the future there is laid up for me the crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous Judge, will award to me on that day; and not only to me, but also to all who have loved His appearing.” 2 Timothy 4:7-8

Suggested Resource

Little House on the Prairie series by Laura Ingalls Wilder

We like to listen to Christian podcasts while traveling in the car, doing chores, and exercising. It’s a great way to make the most of our time, allowing us to knock out two activities at once.

Sometimes it can be hard to find Christian podcasts that are worth the time investment. We’ll admit it, we are picky listeners. We prefer programs that are concise and get to the point. In our listening experience, typically podcasts that go much beyond 15 minutes seem to do so by adding filler rather than quality content.

If you are on the search for a great Christian podcast, we suggest you check out this list of our top ten favorite podcasts.

• MoneyWise (now Faith & Finances Live) is a daily radio ministry hosted by Rob West. The program offers a practical, biblical, and good-natured approach to managing your time, talents, and resources.

• Fearless with Cissie Graham Lynch is a podcast about having a fearless faith in a compromising culture, hosted by Cissie Graham Lynch, the granddaughter of Billy Graham.

• Unashamed with Phil Robertson – The Duck Commander crew, including Phil, Al, and Jase, goes beyond the four walls of the church to unashamedly share God’s Word and study the Bible with you. So pour a glass of tea, and experience fun and inspiring stories of faith and family, straight from West Monroe, Louisiana.
  (Note: These episodes are a bit long, with a lot of rabbit trails—but they are entertaining rabbit trails.)

• Integrity Moments is a daily radio vignette hosted by Rick Boxx and dedicated to providing biblical wisdom for the marketplace. It encourages integrity and faith in the marketplace through practical workplace stories.

• The God Centered Success podcast with Mia Rene is designed for Christian entrepreneurs, leaders in the business world, who want to fulfill God’s calling on their life. If you have been called into the business world and you want to live your life according to God’s Word rather than the world’s way, then the God Centered Success podcast is for you.

• Pray the Word with David Platt is a podcast with short, daily meditations on God’s Word that not only drive us to pray, but drive how we pray. Featuring teacher, author, and pastor David Platt.

• The Ask Pastor John podcast shares daily audio clips from pastor and author John Piper, answering tough theological questions.

• The Focus on the Family podcast has provided encouragement and advice for the family since 1977. It is hosted by Jim Daly who has served as the president of Focus on the Family since 2005.

• The Revive Our Hearts podcast is hosted by Nancy DeMoss Wolgemuth, who has an incredible passion and love for Jesus Christ. This is more than just a program for women–get ready for a personal, counter-cultural revolution in your heart and home!

• The Living Strategically podcast is a Christian podcast that gives a dose of encouragement and thought-provoking discussion about the Bible, simple living, and how to strategically pursue your God-given purpose.

That last podcast is probably the one we’ve invested the most time into, being that we are the hosts! We’re really excited about the new Living Strategically podcast and look forward to seeing how God uses it. It’s humbling for us to become a part of the Christian podcast world, among great servants of God who we have listened to and learned from for years. A great thing about serving our God is that He can use anyone, big or small, to glorify His name and impact lives for eternity!

Proverbs takes many different aspects of our financial lives and reveals the unifying thread:

In the long run, prosperity is inextricably linked to character.

In this post we have listed 39 passages from Proverbs that cover topics from tithing and generosity to greed and debt. Take a moment to see what these verses say about your approach to money and wealth!

Wealth & Riches

Proverbs highlights the fact that wealth is neither good nor bad on its own. It tends to be the natural result of diligence and integrity (albeit not necessarily right away). But we are cautioned that wealth is not always what it seems!

“The reward of humility and the fear of the Lord are riches, honor, and life.” Proverbs 22:4, NASB

“The plans of the diligent lead surely to advantage, but everyone who is hasty comes surely to poverty. The acquisition of treasures by a lying tongue is a fleeting vapor, the pursuit of death.” Proverbs 21:5-6, NASB

“Do not weary yourself to gain wealth, cease from your consideration of it. When you set your eyes on it, it is gone. For wealth certainly makes itself wings like an eagle that flies toward the heavens.” Proverbs 23:4-5, NASB

“Know well the condition of your flocks, and pay attention to your herds; for riches are not forever, nor does a crown endure to all generations.” Proverbs 27:23-24, NASB

“There is one who pretends to be rich, but has nothing; another pretends to be poor, but has great wealth.” Proverbs 13:7, NASB

“A rich person’s wealth is a strong city or like a high wall—in his imagination.” Proverbs 18:11, TLV

“A good name is to be more desired than great wealth, favor is better than silver and gold. The rich and the poor have a common bond, the LORD is the maker of them all.” Proverbs 22:1-2, NASB

Hard Work

Even though Proverbs warns us more than once not to wear ourselves out in pursuit of riches, it also emphasizes the importance of a good work ethic. There is also a measure of “work smarter, not just harder” in these verses, encouraging us to work at the most opportune time and to improve our skillset.

“Prepare your work outside and make it ready for yourself in the field; afterwards, then, build your house.” Proverbs 24:27, NASB

“Lazy hands make a man poor, but diligent hands bring wealth. He who gathers crops in summer is a wise son, but he who sleeps during harvest is a disgraceful son.” Proverbs 10:4-5, TLV

“He who tills his land will have plenty of bread, but he who pursues worthless things lacks sense.” Proverbs 12:11, NASB

“Plans of the diligent surely lead to gain, but all who are hasty come only to loss.” Proverbs 21:5, TLV

“Do you see a man skilled in his work? He will stand before kings; he will not stand before obscure men.” Proverbs 22:29, NASB

Wisdom

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In a classic example of God’s economy, we are told to seek wisdom instead of wealth… and then we come to find that wisdom leads to success on many different levels, often including our finances.

“Receive my instruction instead of silver and knowledge rather than choice gold. For wisdom is better than jewels, nothing you desire compares with her.” Proverbs 8:10-11, TLV

“How much better it is to get wisdom than gold! And to get understanding is to be chosen above silver.” Proverbs 16:16, NASB

“Precious treasure and oil are in a wise person’s dwelling, but a foolish person devours all he has.” Proverbs 21:20, TLV

“Many plans are in a man’s heart, but the counsel of the LORD will stand.” Proverbs 19:21, NASB

“Plans fail when there is no counsel, but with many advisers they succeed.” Proverbs 15:22, TLV

“Where there is no guidance the people fall, but in abundance of counselors there is victory.” Proverbs 11:14, NASB

Righteousness

Looking for a good insurance policy? Try righteousness! Of course we know that the righteous do experience trials and tribulations, but the principle here is that godly living ultimately brings God’s blessing.

“The house of the righteous has great wealth, but the income of the wicked brings trouble.” Proverbs 15:6, TLV

“Whoever trusts in his riches will fall, but the righteous will flourish like a green leaf.” Proverbs 11:28, TLV

“The curse of the Lord is on the house of the wicked, but He blesses the dwelling of the righteous.” Proverbs 3:33, NASB

Being Satisfied & Content

As an important corollary to the three verses above, Proverbs also explains that contentment is a more important ingredient in prosperity than the actual quantity of your riches.

“Two things I asked of You, do not refuse me before I die: Keep deception and lies far from me, give me neither poverty nor riches; feed me with the food that is my portion, that I not be full and deny You and say, ‘Who is the LORD?’ Or that I not be in want and steal, and profane the name of my God.” Proverbs 30:7-9, NASB

“By the fruit of his mouth a man will be satisfied with good. The work of a man’s hands will reward him.” Proverbs 12:14, TLV

“The soul of the sluggard craves and gets nothing, but the soul of the diligent is made fat.” Proverbs 13:4, NASB

“The fear of the LORD leads to life, so that one may sleep satisfied, untouched by evil.” Proverbs 19:23, NASB

Tithing & Generosity

Giving is one of the healthiest financial actions we can take. It breaks the power of greed in our lives. It allows us to be God’s blessing to someone in need. But perhaps most importantly, it is how we walk out our belief that God is in control and that He can make more out of what we have left over than we could have made if we hoarded our money.

“Honor the LORD from your wealth and from the first of all your produce; so your barns will be filled with plenty and your vats will overflow with new wine.” Proverbs 3:9-10, NASB

“There is one who scatters, and yet increases all the more, and there is one who withholds what is justly due, and yet it results only in want. The generous man will be prosperous, and he who waters will himself be watered.” Proverbs 11:24-25, NASB

“Do not withhold good from those to whom it is due, when it is in your power to do it.” Proverbs 3:27, NASB

“He who gives to the poor will never want, but he who shuts his eyes will have many curses.” Proverbs 28:27, NASB

“One who is gracious to a poor man lends to the LORD, and He will repay him for his good deed.” Proverbs 19:17, NASB

Greed

The thing about greed, Proverbs tells us, is that it generally results in the opposite of what it seeks. Greed is often a shortcut to poverty, and even when a greedy person succeeds in accumulating wealth, they will not find the fulfillment that they expected.

“Do not wear yourself out to get rich. Be wise enough to restrain yourself.” Proverbs 23:4, TLV

“A stingy man chases after riches, but does not know that poverty will overtake him.” Proverbs 28:22, TLV

“A faithful man will have many blessings, but one eager to get rich will not go unpunished.” Proverbs 28:20, TLV

“A greedy soul stirs up strife, but one who trusts in Adonai prospers.” Proverbs 28:25, TLV

“All the ways of a man are clean in his own sight, but the LORD weighs the motives.” Proverbs 16:2, NASB

Debt

Proverbs speaks bluntly about the danger of debt. It also has many verses that don’t mention debt directly, but which accurately describe modern, debt-fueled consumerism. Debt tends to be a shortcut that looks like a blessing at the time, but results in years of regret.

“The rich rules over the poor, and the borrower becomes the lender’s slave.” Proverbs 22:7, NASB

“Do not be among those who give pledges, among those who become guarantors for debts. If you have nothing with which to pay, why should he take your bed from under you?” Proverbs 22:26-27, NASB

“He who loves pleasure will become a poor man; he who loves wine and oil will not become rich.” Proverbs 21:17, NASB

“It is the blessing of the LORD that makes rich, and He adds no sorrow to it.” Proverbs 10:22, NASB

The Bible tells us that God is a shield around the righteous and ultimately the only One who can protect us from harm. But a hedge of protection can work two ways. It is both a defense against dangers on the outside, and it is also a boundary to keep us inside the bounds of safety. When we go outside God’s boundaries, natural consequences will take their course.

Scripture from this Episode

“For it is You who blesses the righteous man, O Lord, You surround him with favor as with a shield.” Psalm 5:12, NASB

“He that diggeth a pit shall fall into it; and whoso breaketh an hedge, a serpent shall bite him.” Ecclesiastes 10:8, KJV

“What more was there to do for My vineyard that I have not done in it? Why, when I expected it to produce good grapes did it produce worthless ones? So now let Me tell you what I am going to do to My vineyard: I will remove its hedge and it will be consumed; I will break down its wall and it will become trampled ground.” Isaiah 5:4-5, NASB

“Woe to those who call evil good, and good evil; who substitute darkness for light and light for darkness; who substitute bitter for sweet and sweet for bitter!” Isaiah 5:20, NASB

“He who dwells in the shelter of the Most High will abide in the shadow of the Almighty.” Psalm 91:1, NASB

“Even to your old age I will be the same, until you are gray I will carry you. I have done it; I will bear you; I will carry you; I will deliver you.” Isaiah 46:4, TLV

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Personally my husband and I are a few decades from age 65, the age that our American culture expects people to enter into retirement. Our parents, however, are about to face this issue so we picked up a copy of Jeff Haanen’s new book An Uncommon Guide to Retirement¹. We discovered the book through a podcast called “Money Wise”, and it sounded like an interesting book to explore. (Want to subscribe? Click here for their podcast. We definitely recommend it!)

The main premise of the book is to find God’s purpose for the final season of your life, retiring “in a way that’s God-honoring, purpose-filled, restful, and truly biblical.” For some, retirement may include working part-time, mentoring, or volunteering. For others, it may include taking up a hobby and spending more time with family. Life requires a proper balance of work and rest, but a strategic retirement does not include idleness and extended self-focused pleasure.

So many Americans think retirement is a well deserved vacation that follows forty years of stressful labor. Ever heard the saying, “I’m retired…good-bye tension, hello pension”? This becomes a problem in two ways. It’s estimated that half of retirees are leaving the work-force with too little savings or investments to live off of for the remainder of their lifetime, and they may need to continue working at least part-time to stay out of financial trouble. Also, living a life focused on luxury and leisure is not biblical. Instead, Christians are called to be strategic, living with an eternal mindset, regardless of our stage of life. The author describes it as “one’s entire life lived in response to God’s call.”

When first entering retirement, Jeff Haanen advocates for taking a (probably much-needed) sabbatical rest in order to make a healthy emotional transition into a slower-paced lifestyle, but also to wholeheartedly seek the Lord’s purpose for your final decades of life. This Sabbath’s rest can last a few months or an entire year, depending on how God leads each individual, and is a way to realign your purpose and identity with God’s call on your life.

Once you discern the Lord’s will for your retirement years you are on your way to an abundant life, which a life of full-time leisure would never deliver. Wisdom tells us to live each day as a faithful steward of the time, energy, money, and talents that God has given us. Assets that are too precious to waste.

Our Response

“O God, You have taught me from my youth, and I still declare Your wondrous deeds.
And even when I am old and gray, O God, do not forsake me,
Until I declare Your strength to this generation, Your power to all who are to come.”
Psalm 71:17-18, NASB

Though the world may think otherwise, a fulfilling life does not begin at retirement for a Christian. We all have a God-given purpose to fulfill in our short time on earth, regardless of our age or abilities. Though things may become slower-paced the older we get, it’s important to invest each day we are given in ways that serve the Lord and others, for this is the ultimate way to live a fruitful and fulfilling life.

The next generation needs to see Christians who strategically live out their faith in their final decades on earth. Jeff Haanen says, “Rather than retreating into private life, biblical elders embrace their age as a season to influence their families, communities, and the broader society.” Be intentional about the legacy that you leave when your time on earth comes to an end.

In closing, consider this thought-provoking question about our final years, from pastor and author John Piper, “How will we live them in such a way as to show that Christ is our highest Treasure?”

¹ An Uncommon Guide to Retirement written by Jeff Haanen and published by Moody Publishers in 2019.

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As Christians, we similarly need to have a response of faith ready for the trials of life, ahead of when they hit. What will your response be the next time a loved one passes on to eternity? Or you face a financial hardship or loss? God knows our needs before we need them, and many times circumstances are completely out of our control. In this episode, we encourage listeners to rely fully on the Lord through the uncertainties of life, for He is faithful and He will always protect His children.

Scripture from this Episode

“Do not worry then, saying, ‘What will we eat?’ or ‘What will we drink?’ or ‘What will we wear for clothing?’ For the Gentiles eagerly seek all these things; for your heavenly Father knows that you need all these things. But seek first His kingdom and His righteousness, and all these things will be added to you. So do not worry about tomorrow; for tomorrow will care for itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own.” Matthew 6:31-34

“Trust in the Lord with all your heart and do not lean on your own understanding. In all your ways acknowledge Him, and He will make your paths straight.” Proverbs 3:5-6

There are hundreds of names, titles, and descriptions given to God in the Bible, and in this article, we will look into ten key names that describe His innate qualities, His relationship to His people, and even hints of the Trinity.

“The name of the Lord is a strong tower; the righteous runs into it and is safe.”
Proverbs 18:10

YHWH | Yahweh | Yehovah = Lord (all caps), I AM יְהֹוָה

Yahweh is the divine name that God uses to describe Himself in the Bible, and it is the most frequently used name for God in the Old Testament. Because it is so sacred, the Jewish people do not write or speak the name YHWH. Similarly in English translations, the name Lord is written in all caps to show reverence.

Yahweh described Himself to Moses as “I AM WHO I AM”, meaning He absolutely is. He has no beginning and no end. He is the Alpha and Omega. He is eternal and unchangeable. He is constant.

Throughout the Old Testament, the name Yahweh is used when a covenant is made between God and man. (See Genesis 12:1-7 and Exodus 6:7.)

Scripture using Yahweh:

• • “Declare and set forth your case; indeed, let them consult together. Who has announced this from of old? Who has long since declared it? Is it not I, the Lord [Yahweh]? And there is no other God besides Me, a righteous God and a Savior; there is none except Me. Turn to Me and be saved, all the ends of the earth; for I am God, and there is no other.” Isaiah 45:21-22
  • “Some boast in chariots and some in horses, but we will boast in the name of the Lord [Yahweh], our God. They have bowed down and fallen, but we have risen and stood upright. Save, O Lord [Yahweh]; may the King answer us in the day we call.” Psalm 20:7-9
  • “O Lord [Yahweh], You have searched me and known me. You know when I sit down and when I rise up; You understand my thought from afar. You scrutinize my path and my lying down, and are intimately acquainted with all my ways. Even before there is a word on my tongue, behold, O Lord [Yahweh], You know it all. You have enclosed me behind and before, and laid Your hand upon me.” Psalm 139:1-5

Adonai = Master, Lord God אֲדֹנָי

Adonai is a plural noun from the word “adon” which means lord or master and can also be used in reference to humans. When used as a name for God, we capitalize Lord. Its literal translation is “My Lords”, in reference to the Trinity.

Jesus told the people of Jerusalem that they would not see Him again until they declared that He is the true Messiah and their Adonai. We read in Luke 13:35 (TLV), “…for I tell you, you will never see Me until you say, ‘Baruch ha-ba b’shem Adonai [Master, Lord God]. Blessed is He who comes in the name of the Lord!'”

As the Creator of the universe, the Lord God is master and ruler over all people. We are His creation and His possession.

Scripture using Adonai:

• • “For the Lord your God  is the God of gods and the Lord of lords [Adonai], the great, the mighty, and the awesome God who does not show partiality nor take a bribe.” Deuteronomy 10:17
  • “O Lord, our Lord [Adonai], how majestic is Your name in all the earth, who have displayed Your splendor above the heavens!” Psalm 8:1
  • “Give thanks to the Lord of lords [Adonai], for His lovingkindness is everlasting.” Psalm 136:3

El = God | Deity אֵל

El is a root word in Hebrew. It is used for deity and conveys the ideas of might, strength, and power. Let’s look at ways it is used in combination with other Hebrew words to create the names listed below.

Elohim = Father God, Mighty Creator אֱלֹהִים

Through this name God reveals His might, power, and sovereignty. Elohim is also used to describe God as creator of the universe, as seen in the very first verse of the Bible. All things are possible for Elohim!

Like Adonai, the word Elohim is plural, but it is used with singular verbs. Many scholars see this as an allusion to the Trinity. This name encompasses the three-in-one nature of God.

Scripture using Elohim:

• • “In the beginning God [Elohim] created the heavens and the earth.” Genesis 1:1
  • “Arise, O God [Elohim], judge the earth! For You possess all the nations.” Psalm 82:2, TLV
  • “Hear, O Israel! The Lord is our God [Elohim], the Lord is one!” Deuteronomy 6:4

El Shaddai = God Almighty אֵל שַׁדַּי

El Shaddai is used nine times in the Old Testament, describing our all-sufficient and all satisfying God. He is the One who sustains us and meets all our needs.

Scripture using El Shaddai:

• • “I am God Almighty [El Shaddai]; walk before Me, and be blameless. I will establish My covenant between Me and you, and I will multiply you exceedingly.” Genesis 17:1b-2
  • “So Isaac called Jacob and blessed him and charged him, and said to him…’May God Almighty [El Shaddai] bless you and make you fruitful and multiply you, that you may become a company of peoples.’ ” Genesis 28:1-3
  • “He who dwells in the shelter of the Most High will abide in the shadow of the Almighty [El Shaddai].” Psalm 91:1

El Elyon = God Most High אֵל עֶלְיוֹן

El Elyon is the sovereign ruler over all the universe. He is the most exalted God and the splendor of His majesty overshadows all of creation.

Scripture using El Elyon:

• • “And Melchizedek king of Salem brought out bread and wine; now he was a priest of God Most High [El Elyon]. He blessed him and said, ‘Blessed be Abram of God Most High [El Elyon], possessor of heaven and earth; and blessed be God Most High [El Elyon], Who has delivered your enemies into your hand.’ He gave him a tenth of all.” Genesis 14:18-20
  • “He who dwells in the shelter of the Most High [El Elyon] will abide in the shadow of the Almighty.” Psalm 91:1
  • “But at the end of that period, I, Nebuchadnezzar, raised my eyes toward heaven and my reason returned to me, and I blessed the Most High [El Elyon] and praised and honored Him who lives forever; for His dominion is an everlasting dominion, and His kingdom endures from generation to generation.” Daniel 4:34
  • “I will cry to God Most High [El Elyon], to God who accomplishes all things for me.” Psalm 57:2

Jehovah Jireh | Yahweh Yireh = God Provides, The Lord Will Provide יְהֹוָה רָאָה

This special name only occurs one time in Scripture, when Abraham is offering up his son Isaac and God provides a ram instead. Many centuries later, God Himself did what He spared Abraham from doing. Jehovah Jireh provided for our deepest spiritual need by offering His one and only Son as a sin offering for us so that we can have eternal life.

Scripture using Jehovah Jireh:

• • “Then Abraham raised his eyes and looked, and behold, behind him a ram caught in the thicket by his horns; and Abraham went and took the ram and offered him up for a burnt offering in the place of his son. Abraham called the name of that place The Lord Will Provide [Jehovah Jireh], as it is said to this day, ‘In the mount of the Lord it will be provided.'” Genesis 22:13-14

Jehovah Rapha | Yahweh Rapha = The Lord That Heals and Restores יְהֹוָה רָפָא

The Bible tells us that Jehovah Rapha can heal our physical sickness, give us emotional healing, and restore those who have not been faithful. We also read that Jesus (or Yeshua) gave us complete healing through His shed blood on the cross at Calvary.

Scripture using Jehovah Rapha:

• • “If you will give earnest heed to the voice of the Lord your God, and do what is right in His sight, and give ear to His commandments, and keep all His statutes, I will put none of the diseases on you which I have put on the Egyptians; for I, the Lord, am your healer [Jehovah Rapha].” Exodus 15:26
  • “‘For I [Jehovah Rapha] will restore health to you and will heal you of your wounds.’ It is a declaration of Adonai. ‘For they called you an outcast: “Zion—no one cares about her.” ‘ ” Jeremiah 30:17, TLV
  • “He forgives all your iniquity. He [Jehovah Rapha] heals all your diseases.” Psalm 103:3

Jehovah Shalom = The Lord is Peace יְהֹוָה שָׁלוֹם

Jehovah Shalom technically only has one occurrence in the Bible (see Judges 6:23-24 below), though there are many more verses that teach us that Jesus is our source for true peace.

Only Jesus Christ can make us complete and whole, and this kind of shalom is not dependent on our outward circumstances. It says in Philippians 4:7, “And the peace of God, which surpasses all comprehension, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.”

And only through Jesus Christ are we made right with God. We read in Romans 5:1, “Therefore, having been justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ…”

Scripture using Jehovah Shalom:

• • “The Lord said to him, “Peace to you, do not fear; you shall not die.” Then Gideon built an altar there to the Lord and named it The Lord is Peace [Jehovah Shalom]. To this day it is still in Ophrah of the Abiezrites.” Judges 6:23-24

Abba = Daddy, Dearest Father אַבָּא

The intimate name Abba comes from an Aramaic term for father. It occurs three times in the Bible, with all three verses listed below.

Scripture using Abba:

• • “And He was saying, ‘Abba! Father! All things are possible for You; remove this cup from Me; yet not what I will, but what You will.'” Mark 14:36
  • “For you have not received a spirit of slavery leading to fear again, but you have received a spirit of adoption as sons by which we cry out, ‘Abba! Father!‘” Romans 8:15
  • “Because you are sons, God has sent forth the Spirit of His Son into our hearts, crying, ‘Abba! Father!‘” Galatians 4:6

Yeshua | Jesus = Salvation, Safety יֵשׁוּעַ

In English we know the Son of God by the name Jesus, but His name in Hebrew is Yeshua which means safety and salvation. Since Jesus was raised Jewish in the land of Israel, it seems appropriate to call Him by His Hebraic name…Yeshua. Either way, we are assured in the Scriptures that anyone who calls on His name will be saved!

Scripture using Yeshua:

• • “This Yeshua [Jesus] is ‘the stone—rejected by you, the builders—that has become the chief cornerstone.’ There is salvation in no one else, for there is no other name under heaven given to mankind by which we must be saved!” Acts 4:11-12, TLV
  • “…so that at the name of Jesus [Yeshua] every knee will bow, of those who are in heaven and on earth and under the earth, and that every tongue will confess that Jesus Christ [Yeshua the Messiah] is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.” Philippians 2:10-11, NASB
  • For if you confess with your mouth that Yeshua [Jesus] is Lord, and believe in your heart that God raised Him from the dead, you will be saved. For with the heart it is believed for righteousness, and with the mouth it is confessed for salvation.” Romans 10:9-10, TLV

Our Response

“Some boast in chariots and some in horses, but we will boast
in the name of the Lord, our God.” Psalm 20:7

Isn’t it incredible that the God we serve uses names to reveal His character to us? He is a relational God and wants to grow deeper in relationship with His children. Studying His names is a great way to improve your prayer life and worship. Now you can cry out to your Creator using specific names for the situations that you face. And you can praise Him for distinct attributes and character qualities.

And, isn’t it fun to learn His names in Hebrew? Along with Aramaic and Greek, Hebrew is one of the original languages of the Bible from which our English translations are derived. How fitting to speak the names of God in their original language.

In this first episode, Reed and Liz compare their upcoming trip to a Christian’s journey through life. It starts with preparing for what is to come and knowing your purpose. You must also have a plan, while staying flexible and dependent on God’s guidance. And remember to “pack light” and take only what is necessary.

There are many more spiritual truths to be discovered on this trip of a lifetime, so tune in weekly and subscribe to the new Living Strategically podcast!

Scripture from this Episode

“Therefore be careful how you walk, not as unwise men but as wise, making the most of your time, because the days are evil. So then do not be foolish, but understand what the will of the Lord is.” Ephesians 5:15-17

“Man is like a mere breath; his days are like a passing shadow.” Psalm 144:4

“Yet you do not know what your life will be like tomorrow. You are just a vapor that appears for a little while and then vanishes away.” James 4:14

“Then He said to them, ‘Beware, and be on your guard against every form of greed; for not even when one has an abundance does his life consist of his possessions.’ And He told them a parable, saying, ‘The land of a rich man was very productive. And he began reasoning to himself, saying, “What shall I do, since I have no place to store my crops?” Then he said, “This is what I will do: I will tear down my barns and build larger ones, and there I will store all my grain and my goods. And I will say to my soul, ‘Soul, you have many goods laid up for many years to come; take your ease, eat, drink and be merry.’ But God said to him, ‘You fool! This very night your soul is required of you; and now who will own what you have prepared?’ So is the man who stores up treasure for himself, and is not rich toward God.'” Luke 12:15-21

“The mind of man plans his way, but the Lord directs his steps.” Proverbs 16:9

“Then He opened their minds to understand the Scriptures.” Luke 24:45

The Bible is addictive. Once you get into a routine of reading it on a daily basis your spirit is very aware when you miss a day or two of it. You start to crave its spiritual nourishment, just as food gives physical nourishment (see Job 23:12). As Nancy DeMoss Wolgemuth has said, “The more we eat spiritual food, the more hungry we become and the more we want to eat.”

One of the most important benefits of studying God’s Word is growing closer to Him and growing more like Christ. If you want to get to know someone, you spend time listening to them. This is just as true of our relationship with God as it is with our earthly relationships. As we spend more time with God and get to know Him better, an amazing thing happens: we become more like Him. Knowing God and imitating Christ go hand in hand. Take a look at these Scriptures:

• Jeremiah 24:7 a
• John 8:31‐32
• 1 Peter 2:21‐22
• 2 Corinthians 3:18

Another important benefit that Scripture study brings us is direction. Whether we are facing trials or simply making a major decision, God’s Word can illuminate our thinking and shine a light on our path. God promises when we follow His plan we will also have His peace (Ps. 119:165), but when we ignore His plan, both Scripture and experience teach us that there is no peace to be found. Take a look at these Scriptures:

• Joshua 1:8
• Psalm 19:8
• Psalm 119:50, 105
• Isaiah 58:11

Our Response

“If we want to know the glory of God, if we want to experience the beauty of God,
and if we want to be used by the hand of God, then we must live in the Word of God.”
~David Platt, Radical: Taking Back Your Faith from the American Dream

Ultimately we should respond to God’s Word with a passion, seeing it for the great treasure that it is (Ps. 119:72, 162). Studying God’s Word transforms our perspective and behavior, leading us on the road to spiritual maturity, resulting in sinning less and obeying more (Ps. 119:33‐34).

In her book Small Changes for a Better Life, Elizabeth George gives this unfortunate statistic: “Only about five percent of all Christians read through the Bible even once in their lives.” Don’t be part of the majority that doesn’t make studying the Bible a priority! God wants us to have an eagerness to study His Word so that we can benefit from the wealth of spiritual blessings it contains.

Check out these verses for more encouragement. They are a great warm‐up for your daily Bible study!

• 1 Peter 2:2‐3 – Crave the Word
• Acts 17:10‐11 – Study the Scriptures daily, with great eagerness
• Jeremiah 15:16, 29:13 – Take delight in God’s Word, with all of your heart
• Matthew 7:7‐8 – Seek and you will find
• Psalm 119:11, 133 – Study His Word in order to not sin
• Luke 24:45 – Pray that Christ will give you understanding of what you read in His Word

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The Bible says that “man is like a mere breath; his days are like a passing shadow.” It also says that we “are just a vapor that appears for a little while and then vanishes away.”

In other words, life is short. Life is also unpredictable. We don’t know what tomorrow holds.

So how do we make the most of the brief, uncertain time we have on earth? You have to have a strategy.

We created Living Strategically to encourage Christians to live with a strategic mindset.

Living strategically is all about using our time, energy, money, and abilities in ways that make an impact for eternity. It’s investing our temporal assets to gain eternal dividends. It’s acting with great intention and purpose, knowing that one day we will give an account to the Lord for our stewardship of His resources.

Our key verses for Living Strategically are found in Ephesians 5:15-17: “Therefore be careful how you walk, not as unwise men but as wise; making the most of your time, because the days are evil. So then do not be foolish, but understand what the will of the Lord is.”

Join us on this journey as we help you strategically pursue your God-given purpose.

www.LivingStrategically.com

When it comes to the topic of money and possessions, the Bible contains over 2,300 verses. Why would God include that many verses on one topic? He knew it was a topic we would need lots of guidance on. Randy Alcorn, author of one of my favorite books, Managing God’s Money: A Biblical Guide, says, “The sheer enormity of the Bible’s teaching on this subject screams for our attention.” ¹

But, have you been putting His words into practice? There’s nothing like operating your life like a wise man! (Matt. 7:24‐27)

Let’s uncover a few of the truths that God has given us, and while we do, test yourself and see how you’re doing…

• God owns it all…

“The earth is the Lord’s, and everything in it, the world, and all who live in it.” Psalm 24:1, NIV

“Both riches and honor come from You, and You rule over all…” I Chron. 29:12a, NASB

Food for thought: You don’t own your money or possessions, God does. You are merely a steward, being trusted to use it wisely and for His purposes. Therefore, spending decisions are also spiritual decisions.

“Wisdom is the ability to view life as God perceives it.” ~Chuck Swindoll

• God does not want us to trust in or love riches…

“He who trusts in riches will fall, but the righteous will flourish like the green leaf.” Prov. 11:28, NASB

“Do not love the world nor the things in the world.” I John 2:15a, NASB

Food for thought: We should trust in the Lord rather than money and possessions. He is the One we should love and the One who protects and provides for the righteous.

“Whether or not we own nice things, He wants to be sure that we aren’t owned by them!”
~Chuck Swindoll, The Owner’s Manual for Christians

• God wants us to be content…

“Make sure that your character is free from the love of money, being content with what you have; for He Himself has said, ‘I will never desert you, nor will I ever forsake you.’ ” Heb. 13:5, NASB

“For we have brought nothing into the world, so we cannot take anything out of it either. If we have food and covering, with these we shall be content.” I Tim. 6:7‐8, NASB

“Whoever loves money never has money enough; whoever loves wealth is never satisfied with his income. This too is meaningless.” Eccl. 5:10, NIV

“Do not wear yourself out to get rich; have the wisdom to show restraint.” Prov. 23:4, NIV

Food for thought: The dictionary defines contentment as “a state of happiness and satisfaction”. This “state” can only be found when we make Him our main focus in life. Nothing else compares!

“In contrast to materialism’s emptiness, there is joyful liberty in Christ.
Those who hold tightly to the true God will loosen their grip on money and
thereby loosen money’s grip on them.” ~Randy Alcorn ¹

• 

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  God wants us to give of our “firstfruits” (tithe)…

“Bring the whole tithe into the storehouse, that there may be food in My house…” Malachi 3:10a, NIV

“Be sure to set aside a tenth of all that your fields produce each year…so that the Lord your God may bless you in all the work of your hands.” Deut. 14:22 and 29b, NIV

“Honor the Lord with your wealth, with the firstfruits of all your crops; then your barns will be filled to overflowing, and your vats will brim over with new wine.” Prov. 3:9‐10, NIV

Food for thought: When we receive income, we acknowledge that it comes from God by first giving a portion back to Him. In the Old Testament, ten percent was required as the tithe. Since the New Testament was written, givers are encouraged to give sacrificially, which may mean more than just 10% in your case. Definitely something to pray about!

“[Tithing] should be a meaningful expression of our dependence upon God
and gratitude to Him.” ~Randy Alcorn ¹

• The wise save for the future…

“In the house of the wise are stores of choice food and oil, but a foolish man devours all he has.” Prov. 21:20, NIV

“Go to the ant, you sluggard; consider its ways and be wise! It has no commander, no overseer or ruler, yet it stores its provisions in summer and gathers its food at harvest.” Proverbs 6:6‐8, NIV

Food for thought: Living paycheck‐to‐paycheck or using up all your financial resources each month is, as the Bible says, foolish.

“Out of the will of God there is no such thing as success;
in the will of God there cannot be any failure.” ~Author Unknown

• The wise have a “game plan”…

“For which of you, when he wants to build a tower, does not first sit down and calculate the cost to see if he has enough to complete it? Otherwise, when he has laid a foundation and is not able to finish, all who observe it begin to ridicule him.” Luke 14:28‐29, NASB

“Know the state of your flocks, and put your heart into caring for your herds, for riches don’t last forever, and the crown might not be passed to the next generation.” Proverbs 27:23, NLT

“The plans of the diligent lead to profit as surely as haste leads to poverty.” Prov. 21:5, NIV

Food for thought: It is wise to know your financial situation and have your affairs in order. We can’t predict the future, but we should plan for one!

“I like to think of budgeting as goal‐setting, not limit‐setting. A budget helps us align our day‐to‐day actions with our long‐term hopes and dreams. It’s about living purposefully, not carelessly.” ~Amy Suardi

• God wants us to be debt free…

“Owe nothing to anyone except to love one another…” Romans 13:8a, NASB

“The rich rules over the poor, and the borrower becomes the lender’s slave.” Prov. 22:7, NASB

Food for thought: Debt adds stress to our lives and God has a better plan for us than that! Remember Proverbs 23:4, it is better to “show restraint”.

“Spending your life trying to look like something you’re not isn’t all it’s cracked up to be. It’s time to take some pressure off yourself!” ~Dave Ramsey

• The wise care for the needs of others…

“…he must labor, performing with his own hands what is good, so that he will have something to share with one who has need.” Eph. 4:28b, NASB

“One man gives freely, yet gains even more; another withholds unduly, but comes to poverty.” Prov. 11:24, NIV

“You ask and do not receive, because you ask with wrong motives, so that you may spend it on your pleasures.” James 4:3, NASB

Food for thought: Some of the money God puts in our possession is to be allocated for others. We shouldn’t use it all for ourselves, but rather, also look out for needs that others may have.

“But giving away our excess does something for us that keeping or spending it doesn’t. It makes us dependent on God…”~Randy Alcorn ¹

Our Response

“We can change the way we think, which will change the way we act. And as we change the way we act, the way we feel also begins to change. In the breaking of every habit, someone wills it first and feels it later. Whatever you do, don’t shrug your shoulders and decide the prospect is too hard to do and too much to ask.” ~Beth Moore, So Long, Insecurity

Whew! That was a lot of material to cover in a short time. But aren’t you glad that God gives us instructions on how to manage finances the right way?

Our heavenly Father knows that if His children live by these standards we will avoid a lot of grief (I Timothy 6:6‐19). He tells us that the quest for more money can be a distraction from our life purpose (Matt. 6:25, 31‐33 and Luke 12:15). It causes Christians to put their trust in the things of this world instead of Him (Deut. 8:13‐14). And it leads us to being less generous with those in need (2 Cor. 9:6‐9).

God wants us to be 100% obedient in handling our finances in the ways that He has prescribed in His Word. Anything less is disobedience.

¹ Managing God’s Money: A Biblical Guide written by Randy Alcorn and published by Tyndale House Publishers in 2011.

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Do you believe that God has blessed America? Most American Christians do, but not many stop and think about what we’re supposed to do with all those blessings.

As Christians in a land of plenty, we need to take a long hard look at what our Lord expects of us — and at the extraordinary results that obedience will bring. Once we do, the idea of giving our wealth and our lives for the Kingdom starts to look less like a sacrifice and more like an investment.

Download

For your small group Bible studies, we have a printable, one-page discussion guide that digs deeper into the issues addressed in the video.

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“Why has American been blessed?” by Living Strategically is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 4.0 International License.

This means you can download and share this work as much as you like at no charge.  However, you must not alter this work or sell it.  You also must attribute this work to Living Strategically, which you can do simply by allowing the logo to show at the end of the video.

In the garden of Eden, there was nothing to be afraid of. Adam and Eve lived in a perfect paradise where now‐dangerous animals were tame and there were no diseases known to man. Unfortunately, we now live in a world that has fallen to sin (Romans 5:12, 18). When sin entered the world, so did pain, suffering, and danger, and on their heals came anxiety and fear, stealing our peace.

The phrase “do not be afraid” is listed 48 times in the New King James version of the Bible. The word fear is listed over 400 times! God knew that we would need guidance and instruction on this topic and He provided it. Out of His love for us, He commands us not to fear, fret, or be anxious (1 Chron. 22:13b; Ps. 37:7; Philippians 4:6), and through His presence, He provides the means of resisting fear. God’s primary reassurance when His people are facing fear is that He is with us and in control (Isaiah 41:13). He doesn’t say the world is a safe place, or that we won’t experience pain, but rather, His presence is greater than the dangers of the world (1 John 4:4).

The question remains, will we hear and heed His Word? Will we trust in Him?

Faith vs. Fear

“Do not be afraid any longer, only believe.” Mark 5:36b, NASB 

“The Lord is good, a refuge in times of trouble. He cares for those who trust in Him.” Nahum 1:7, NIV

My wife and I recently watched a documentary that reported reasons why some states of the US support euthanasia. The top reasons did not have to do with a patient experiencing pain from a life-threatening illness, rather, a fear of experiencing pain at some point in the future. This puts into perspective how much of a stronghold fear can have on a person, even to the point of taking their own life.

God knows we have countless things in this world that we can be afraid of. That’s why He accompanies His commands of “do not be afraid” with promises of protection and provision.

Trusting in Him and His plan for your life is the only way to live confidently in this life (2 Timothy 1:7). Faith is the belief that God will take care of you. Fear is the belief that He won’t. When we choose to accept and embrace our fear, we’re basically telling God, “I don’t trust You.”

One of the great steps of faith taken by a disciple in the Gospels is when Peter leaves the boat to walk on water with Jesus. Peter was doing great on his “faith‐ometer” until he looked at the wind and “he became frightened” and began to sink (Matthew 14:30). After Jesus reached out and caught him, He remarked, “You of little faith, why did you doubt?” Jesus equated Peter’s fear with a lack of faith.

Our Response

“Peace I leave with you; My peace I give to you; not as the world gives do I give to you.
Do not let your heart be troubled, nor let it be fearful.” John 14:27, NASB

Fear is a powerful emotion. If not dealt with properly, it can quickly grow until it becomes paralyzing. When this happens, it robs us of peace, cripples our judgment, and puts the enemy in control. Although the feeling of fear may come upon us through no fault of our own, we are accountable for how we respond to it. Every single day Christians must make the decision to either walk by faith or walk in fear. Ann Voskamp says in her book One Thousand Gifts that trust takes effort; it must be intentional and focused. “Sometimes, too often, I don’t want to muster the energy,” she says. “Stress and anxiety seem easier.” She goes on to say one must be trained to walk in certain assurance, keeping our “gaze fixed on God”.¹

The Bible has equipped us with many weapons in the fight against fear. If we are to win the battle, we must employ the tactics of our Commander.

• Trust – Chose to remember Who is in control (Proverbs 3:5‐6)
• Prayer – Pour out your heart before God (Philippians 4:6‐7; 1 Peter 5:7)
• Scripture – Hide God’s Word in your heart to recall in time of need (Jeremiah 15:16; Psalm 37:31; Psalm 119:11)
• Holy Spirit – Rest in the comfort He provides (John 14:16 in KJV; Acts 9:31; Psalm 23:4)

Digging Deeper

“Do not fear, for I am with you; do not anxiously look about you, for I am your God. I will strengthen you, surely I will help you,
surely I will uphold you with My righteous right hand.” Isaiah 41:10, NASB

Each one of us has different fears in life and different “giants” we have to fight. Here are some areas that you may be struggling with fear in your life. Look down the list and look up any verses that fit with your personal circumstance. You will discover some great promises from our Heavenly Father!

• General anxiety – Philippians 4:6‐7, Lamentations 3:22‐23; Joshua 1:9
• Lack of confidence/fear of failure – 2 Timothy 1:7; Psalm 27:3; Mark 10:27
• Being punished for doing the right thing – Galatians 6:9; 1 Peter 3:14; Psalm 56:1‐4
• Hearing bad news – Psalm 112:7‐8 (NIV); Proverbs 3:25‐26
• Facing an unexpected crisis – Proverbs 3:25‐26; Psalm 46:1‐5
• Facing impossible odds – 2 Chronicles 20:15; Luke 1:37; Mark 4:37‐40
• Fear of the future – Jeremiah 29:11; Psalm 78:52‐53; Matthew 28:20
• Fear of death – Psalm 23:4; Hebrews 2:14‐15
• Battling the enemy – Deuteronomy 20:1, 4; Psalm 46:1; Psalm 27:3
• Sharing the Gospel – Acts 4:29‐31, Acts 18:9; 2 Timothy 1:8‐12
• Facing life‐threatening persecution – Luke 12:4‐5; Luke 21:12‐19; Romans 8:35‐39; Psalm 56:4

¹One Thousand Gifts written by Ann Voskamp and published by Zondervan in 2010.

Whenever we come across a passage that mentions the will of God for our lives, it warrants our full attention. In this instance, God’s Word uses the terms sanctification and holiness, which may sound like lofty theological terms, but essentially mean that we are to be set apart, living to please God.

A quick check at dictionary.com tells us that holiness means: dedicated or devoted to the service of God; consecrated. And looking up sanctification, it says: to make holy; set apart as sacred; consecrate. It can also mean: to purify or free from sin. We get the word sanctuary from the same root, meaning a sacred or holy place, a refuge. The two concepts of holiness and sanctification are closely related terms. Sanctification is simply the process of becoming holy. One unknown author said it is “the Christianizing of the Christian”.

A Life‐Long Journey

“And having been freed from sin, you became slaves of righteousness…so now present your members
as slaves to righteousness, resulting in sanctification.” Romans 6:18, 19b, NASB

Once we become Christians, and are given the Holy Spirit (Eph. 1:13‐14), we are taken through a life‐long process in which God makes us holy, like Him. Being set apart to Him essentially means we are aiming to not sin (through the help of the Holy Spirit) and to live a life that is honoring to God. We make ourselves separated from sin and separated unto God.

In Leviticus, the Israelites were told multiple times to consecrate themselves and be holy because the Lord was their God and He is holy (Lev. 11:44‐45; 19:2; 20:7; 20:26). In 1 Peter, we’re told not to conform to our former ways, before we were redeemed by the precious blood of Christ, but as obedient children we are to be holy “in all your behavior”…”like the Holy One who called you”. Peter then quotes Leviticus 11 when he gives the basis of why we should live holy lives, “because it is written, ‘You shall be holy, for I am holy’” (1 Peter 1:14‐19, NASB).

Time and again the Bible calls Christians to holiness. Here are a few more reasons it gives for living our lives as set apart to Christ.

• We are to be imitators of God, as His beloved children (Eph. 5:1).
• We are called to “live a life worthy of the calling [we] have received” (Eph. 4:1, NIV).
• We are “made holy, useful to the Master and prepared to do any good work” when we cleanse ourselves from evil desires (2 Tim. 2:19‐22). In other words, God can then use us for the building of His kingdom.
• Through our behavior, we are witnesses to those around us, in hopes that they too will come to a saving knowledge of Christ (1 Peter 1:14‐16; 2:12, 2:15, 3:1‐2).

This process of sanctification continues until we reach Heaven and have glorified, perfect bodies which cannot sin. In Exodus 31:13b, we see that God is the One who sanctifies us. So what tools does God use to transform us while on this earth?

• • The atoning work of the blood of Jesus Christ on the cross (Hebrews 10:10).
  • The transforming ministry of the Holy Spirit in our lives (Romans 15:16).
  • The Word of God which cleanses and instructs us (Ephesians 5:26‐27; John 17:17‐19).
  • The encouragement and accountability of fellow believers (1 Thess. 5:11; Hebrews 3:13; Proverbs 27:17).

Our Response

“…but sanctify Christ as Lord in your hearts…”
1 Peter 3:15a, NASB

God isn’t asking us to change our habits so we’ll be able to live holy lives. It goes beyond habits and it goes beyond anything we can accomplish in our own strength. Sanctification is an inward change that has an outward effect. It takes the Holy Spirit changing our hearts in order to change our habits. Even so, living a life that is at odds with the ways of the world can be a struggle. How do we stay committed, as “slaves of righteousness“?

• • Bible study & prayer (Matthew 4:4; Romans 15:4; Mark 14:38)
  • Confessing sins, keeping a good conscience (1 Peter 3:15‐16; Romans 6:22; Psalm 51:2, 7)
  • Renewing of our minds (Romans 12:1‐2)
  • Living out our faith daily (Titus 2:11‐14; Isaiah 1:16‐17)
  • By not losing heart in doing good (Galatians 6:9)

Are there any things in your life that are causing you to not be set apart to God? Any unconfessed sin in your life? Any habits that you need to break, through the help of the Holy Spirit?

Sanctification is a day‐by‐day process. Make the commitment today to rely on God’s grace to bring about change in your life. When you fail, don’t be discouraged but remember that God knows our weaknesses. He has declared that holiness in our lives is His will, and He will never give up on accomplishing His will (1 Thess. 5:23‐24).

Digging Deeper

“But we all, with unveiled face, beholding as in a mirror the glory of the Lord,
are being transformed into the same image from 
glory to glory, just as from the Lord, the Spirit.” 2 Cor. 3:18, NASB

To dig deeper, take a few moments and read Ephesians 4. As you’re reading this chapter, list the ways that we are to be imitators of Christ and the worldly desires we must abandon in order to be set apart for Christ.

We have a spiritual epidemic spreading in our nation. It is impacting thousands of churches, leaving them unhealthy and unsuccessful in their Christ‐given mission to reach the world. One of them could be your home church. The cause of the problem? Allowing a worldly mind‐set to filter into an institution called to be set apart and holy (James 1:27, Titus 2:14, and 2 Cor. 6:16‐7:1).

Chuck Swindoll wrote a great book in 2010 called The Church Awakening: An Urgent Call for Renewal ¹ . In it, Pastor Chuck describes the warning signs of erosion in a church and compares the signs of a worldly church and a godly church. (This chart lists these characteristics, with a few additions of my own.) As Chuck Swindoll says, erosion is “slow…silent…and subtle”. We are called to guard against it. We must stop the inner drifting away from Biblical foundations.

This is quite a list! No church will rate perfectly in “the blue”, so there is always room to work towards improvement. The key is not to ignore areas that need improvement (1 Peter 5:8). Denial is one of the most dangerous attacks of the enemy because it allows him to keep chipping away at our churches unchallenged. The first step to solving a problem is to admit that a problem exists (and then, of course, you must do something about it).

Another way we can fight against the epidemic of worldliness in our churches is looking at Acts 2:42, part of the foundation of a church, “teaching, fellowship, breaking of bread, and prayer”. Pastor Chuck says these are to be essentials, part of a church’s core. If they are not, the church is susceptible to getting off course and carelessly losing Jesus as their main focus. To stay healthy, a church must pursue the good just as strongly as it opposes the bad.

The Business Mindset

“But each man must be careful how he builds on it. For no man can lay a foundation
other than the one which is laid, which is Jesus Christ. Now if any man builds on the foundation with gold,
silver, precious stones, wood, hay, straw, each man’s work will become evident…”
1 Corinthians 3:10 b‐13 a

Has your church let growth and numbers, marketing gimmicks, or a flood of “filler” activities become its main focus? Or does it seek to be contagious for the right reasons? It may be time to reevaluate our approach before erosion takes its toll. It’s essential to reach the unchurched, but we are headed down a slippery slope if we merely imitate the tactics of the world as we do so. So how do we make sure that we are building on the right foundation? We must follow a Christ‐centered example.

Operating a church like a business is not the method Christ modeled. He was interested in the depth of spiritual maturity of His disciples, not in the size of the institution. He didn’t use manipulative tactics, yet His message was still contagious. His impact on the lives around Him was long‐term. He did this through love and He provided what each of us needs most: a way to have a personal relationship with the Father. Bill Gothard says, “The source of our lights is the face of Jesus shining in us and upon us,” and that is exactly right. The tactics of the corporate world have no place in the church.

Matthew 21:12‐13 shows us exactly how Jesus felt when He saw the temple being treated like a place of business. It says:

“And Jesus entered the temple and drove out all those who were buying and selling in the temple, and overturned the tables of the money changers
and the seats of those who were selling doves. And He said to them, ‘It is written,
“My house shall be called a house of prayer”; but you are making it a robbers’ den.’ “

Our churches are to be houses of prayer, teaching, worship, and fellowship. Jesus is to be our main focus. It’s that simple! Too many are exchanging the simplicity of Christ’s model for worldly sophistication, and they are getting empty results in the end.

Our Response

“Churches merely reflect the lives and convictions of those individuals who make up the body of Christ.
We can stem the tide of erosion only one life at a time — beginning with our own.”
~Chuck Swindoll ¹

The best way to guard against erosion in your church and spiritual life is to stay in the Word and keep your spirit focused on the Lord. This is how you keep worldliness from contaminating your spirit. Do some self‐examination. Check for areas of neglect in your spiritual walk. Are you staying the course that God has set for you? Are you living proof that there is power in the Word of God? If you are, then your testimony will attract the lost more than any marketing gimmick ever could!

As Bill Gothard says, “May God give us discernment to attract people by the brilliant light of Christ rather than the clever manipulation of deceptive lures!” We need to be spreading Christ’s love, not drawing people into a shallow devotion that will soon grow cold. This starts with our own spiritual walk.

We can’t walk in worldly ways and shine for Jesus (see 1 Peter 2:9‐12). We must wear the armor of light, as it says in Romans 13:12‐14, laying aside the deeds of darkness. We need a deep focus that is, as John Piper puts it, realigned to “white‐hot devotion to Jesus Christ…and unremitting labor to rescue the perishing, perfect the saints, and glorify our sovereign Lord.”

Amen, and amen!

¹ The Church Awakening: An Urgent Call for Renewal written by Charles R. Swindoll and published by FaithWords in 2010.

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Favor Defined

Favor is a concept that comes up during the Christmas season when reading the biblical story of the birth of Christ. Mary, Jesus’ mother, was one who found favor with God (Luke 1:26‐30), thus she was chosen to bear God’s one and only Son. I can’t wait to meet her in Heaven and hear her account of the story from a first person point‐of‐view!

There were also many other people in the Bible who, due to their devotion to God, were greatly blessed by Him. Here’s a list of some of those that the Bible specifically mentions found favor with God:

• Noah (Gen. 6:8‐9)
• Abraham (Gen. 18:3‐5)
• Joseph (Gen. 39:21, Acts 7:9‐10)
• Moses (Ex. 33:12‐14)
• The Israelites (Ps. 44:1‐3)
• Gideon (Jdg. 6:16‐18)
• Samuel (I Sam. 2:26)
• David (I Sam. 16:22, Acts 7:46)
• Esther (Esther 2:9 and 2:15)
• Daniel (Daniel 1:9)
• Zacharias & Elizabeth—parents of John the Baptist (Luke 1:5‐6)
• Jesus (Luke 2:52)

These biblical recipients of God’s favor were shown exceptional kindness, blessed beyond measure, and shown grace (all definitions of the word “favor”) because God was pleased with their faith, humility, and obedience (even in times of trials!). Modeling their examples in our own lives is a great challenge, but does God have more to say about how to find favor in His sight?

Finding God’s Favor

“The hand of our God is favorably disposed to all those who seek Him,
but His power and His anger are against all those who forsake Him.”
Ezra 8:22b, NASB

As Christians, we should faithfully live our lives focused on things above (Col. 3:1‐3), things not of this earth, living day to day in ways that please Him. It’s all about our lifestyle, pursuits, and making good choices.

Use the following list to rate how you are doing in living a life that pleases God. Look up the verses for the ones you still have a ways to go on and then spend some time in prayer asking the Lord to help you improve in those areas.

• Know and seek God (Prov. 8:35, Ex. 33:12‐14, Ezra 8:22b)
• Fear God (Ps. 147:11)
• Seek His favor with all of your heart (Ps. 119:58)
• Keep His commandments (Prov. 3:1‐4, Luke 1:5‐6, Luke 1:38, Daniel 9:13‐14)
• Turn from iniquity/sin (Daniel 9:13‐14)
• Grow in wisdom (Luke 2:52, Prov. 8:35, 14:35)
• Pray (2 Cor. 1:11, Job 33:26)
• Seek good and be kind (Prov. 11:27, Titus 3:8, Prov. 12:2, Prov. 3:3‐4)
• Be truthful (Prov. 3:3‐4)
• Patiently bear unjust hardships for God (1 Peter 2:19‐20)
• Help the helpless (Ps. 41:1‐2, Ps. 112:9, Matt. 25:34‐36)
• Find a good spouse (Prov. 18:22)
  *Not a requirement for all (for example: Jesus and Samuel)
• Have Humility (Luke 1:38a)
• Have Faith (Hebrews 11:1‐2 and 11: 6)

That last one, have faith, is especially important. The Bible dedicates an entire chapter (Heb. 11, the biblical “Hall of Faith”) to role models who pleased God and “gained approval through their faith” (v. 1‐2, 39). In fact, Hebrews 11:6 says, “And without faith it is impossible to please Him, for he who comes to God must believe that He is and that He is a rewarder of those who seek Him.”

Rewarded by God

“For am I now seeking the favor of men, or of God? Or am I striving to please men?
If I were still trying to please men, I would not be a bondservant of Christ.” Galatians 1:10, NASB

While we should keep our hearts in check in our search for God’s favor, making sure we are aiming to please Him and not ourselves or man, the Bible gives us many examples of how God may bless you in your journey to live a life focused on pleasing Him. Such amazing blessings from our Heavenly Father!

• Gift of salvation (Ps. 106:4)
  *This cannot be earned by works, but must be received though faith (Eph. 2:8‐9)
• Holy Spirit (Titus 3:4‐7)
• All of our needs being met (Philippians 4:18‐19)
  *Not necessarily our wants but definitely our needs
• Grace (Ps. 119:58, Malachi 1:9a)
• Peace (Num. 6:24‐26)
• Blessings (Ps. 5:12, Job 10:12, Ps. 23:5‐6, Ruth 2:10‐13, Eph. 1:3)
• Compassion (Is. 60:10, Daniel 1:9)
• Protection (Ps. 5:12, Ps. 41:1‐2, Ps. 41:10‐11, Ps. 30:7a, Daniel 9:13‐14)
• It lasts a lifetime (Ps. 30:5)
• He prospers us (Gen. 39:2‐4, Deut. 33:23
  *Not always materially
• Favor with others (Acts 2:46‐47, Ex. 3:21 and 11:3, Daniel 1:9)
• He establishes our work (Ps. 90:17)

It is important to remember that finding favor with God does not give us a free pass to an easy life. Go back to the list of Bible characters in the first portion of this lesson and think about how many trials those favored people endured. As one website puts it, “God sometimes takes those He loves through special trials. Job is the primary example but similar instances happen in the lives of many”. Moses also thought he had not found favor with God because of the burden he endured with the stubborn people of Israel (see Num. 11:11). When you have a heart after God’s own heart, He may choose to use you in ways that may be hard, yet significant in the eyes of eternity.

Our Response

“For the Mighty One has done great things for me; and holy is His name.”
Luke 1:49, NASB

When God finds His children living their lives for Him and those around them, He usually grants them favor. Our response should be to praise Him and spread the news of His goodness and salvation with others.

• Mary exalted the Lord (Luke 1:46‐49)
• Zacharias praised God (Luke 1:64 and 1:68)
• Isaiah took the good news to the afflicted, brokenhearted, captives, and prisoners (Is. 61:1)
• The First Century church preached the good news with a focus on prayer and praise for God, and He added to their numbers daily (Acts 2:47)

Will our response be like the saints in Hebrews 11:7‐40? They were made strong from their weaknesses (v. 34) because of their faith; they found favor with God and were greatly blessed. But, it’s not only Bible characters that can receive God’s favor. May we all keep running “with endurance the race that is set before us, fixing our eyes on Jesus” (Heb. 12:1‐2a)!

It’s been said that the first five books of the Bible, also known as the Pentateuch, form the theological foundation of the Bible.

In the past few months, I’ve been journeying through these books and have learned so much about God’s character and love for mankind, even when we least deserve it. If it has been a while since you last read the books of Genesis through Deuteronomy, hopefully this article will be an inspiration for you to rediscover this sometimes neglected part of God’s Word.

In The Beginning…

“So circumcise your heart, and stiffen your neck no longer.
For the Lord your God is the God of gods
and the Lord of lords…” Deuteronomy 10:16-17a

God has a plan for His people. From the creation of the earth, God has been transforming messes into masterpieces. Reading through Genesis is a great reminder that God can use any person for His purposes. It also reminds me that navigating this life is so much easier when I follow God’s plan instead of letting my sin nature get in the way. Can you recall any characters from Genesis who learned this lesson the hard way?

• Adam & Eve (Gen 3)

  Forced to leave “Heaven on Earth” due to disobedience.

• Cain (Gen 4)

  Let jealousy get in the way and received a curse for killing his brother.

• Noah (Gen 6-9)

  His family were the only people that God saved from the flood, but they still weren’t perfect…check out what happened when Noah got drunk in Genesis 9!

• Tower of Babel (Gen 11)

  The descendants of Noah try to make a name for themselves and God has to intervene.

• Abram/Abraham (Gen 12 and 20)

  Had a lying problem, got in trouble for it, didn’t learn his lesson, and tells the lie again to someone else. (And eventually his son repeats the bad habit! See Genesis 26.)

• Sarai/Sarah (Gen 16)

  Fails to wait on God’s timing and plan for her life, a mistake that still impacts our world today!

• The townspeople of Sodom & Gomorrah (Gen 18-19)

  Destroyed for their “exceedingly grave” sins.

• Jacob (Gen 27)

  Deceives his dad, Isaac, and steals Esau’s blessing. (There’s that lying issue again!)

• Jacob’s household (Gen 35)

  Has to be cleansed of foreign gods.

• Joseph’s brothers (Gen 37)

  Hated their brother so much that some wanted to kill him, but they were persuaded to sell him into slavery.

• And, then there are all the sexual impurities! (Gen 16, 19, 34, 35:22, 38)

Blessed for Obedience

“Oh that they had such a heart in them, that they would fear Me and keep all My commandments always,
that it may be well with them and with their sons forever!”
Deuteronomy 5:29

Once past Genesis, we enter the part of the Pentateuch that details the journey of the people of Israel as they travel to the Promised Land. Two concepts stand out to me in this part of the Pentateuch. First, God’s love is so great for this extremely stubborn people. Second, God desires for His children to obey Him so that protection and blessings can follow.

I’ll admit that these four books were at times tiring to read. It seemed that the same themes kept repeating themselves…the children of Israel would rebel, be punished, humble themselves, only to rebel again. Also, there were so many rules given! In the end, I realized that this repetition demonstrates the love God was showing this stiff-necked people by giving them such grace, mercy, and protection.

1. God’s Love

Here are some of the passages that tugged at my heart, showing God’s great love and patience:

• • God hears the groaning of His children (Ex 2:23-25)
  • The Golden Calf (Ex 32:7-14)
  • The 10 Commandments are given a second time! (Ex 34:6-7)
  • Moses talks God out of destroying His rebellious people (Num 14:11-23)
  • The people are punished, and yet again rescued by God (Num 21:4-9)
  • Future rebellion is predicted and future restoration is promised (Deut. 30:1-6)
  • God knew these people would continue to rebel, and He would continue to show mercy and deliverance!

2. God Desires Obedience

Here is an overview of the correspondence between obedience and blessings or disobedience/unbelief and curses:

• • The Egyptians doubt God’s power and fail to worship the one true God (Ex 9:14-16, 29, 30)
  • God’s children are blessed by the Egyptians through God’s hand of provision (Ex 11:2-3)
  • The Lord fought for His children…again and again! (Exodus 14:13, 14, 25, 31 and Ex 33:2, Deut 3:22, Deut 9:3, Deut 20:1&4, Deut 31:3-6)
  • God promises to be their Healer, if His children follow His commands (Ex 15:26)
  • God promises compassion when His children rebelliously turn from their God (Deut 4:29-31, 40)

Digging Deeper

“The Lord has today declared you to be His people, a treasured possession,
as He promised you, and that you should keep all His commandments…
that you shall be a consecrated people to the Lord your God, as He has spoken.”
Deuteronomy 26:18, 19b

So, what if you and I were part of the journey that began with Abraham and ended with Moses on the border of the Promised Land, not able to enter due to previous sin? Would we have been a rebellious people, too? I’d like to think I would have been among the faithful, but when I see the sin nature of those great Biblical heroes of Genesis or the children of Israel, I know my own shortcomings don’t lie far from theirs.

We all have the choice to obey fully and follow after God with all our heart, soul, and might (Deut. 6:5). Sure, our sin nature will get in the way at times, but thankfully we have a Master Artist as a Heavenly Father, who can turn our messes into masterpieces! Will you follow His plan for your life today?

Take the time now to read two final passages from the Pentateuch: Deuteronomy 30:15-20 and Leviticus 26. As you do, check yourself. Now is the time to “circumcise” our hearts and follow a better path towards blessings.

As we interact with people throughout our week, sometimes it’s easy to notice a difference between those who have peace, security, hope, and joy flowing from their lives, and those who seem anxious, fearful, empty, and stressed out. Many times this disparity comes down to the simple matter of whether that person is operating their life in the will of God.

So what is the will of God and how do we make sure that we are living in it?

Defining God’s Will for Your Life

“Out of the will of God there is no such thing as success;
in the will of God there cannot be any failure.”
~Author Unknown

God has a specific plan for your life that will bring you the greatest blessing and fulfillment—in other words, God’s will for your life.

On the macro level, He has given all of us commands that, when obeyed, will keep our life on the right track (Eccl. 12:13‐14, James 4:17). On the micro level, the Bible doesn’t tell us who to marry, which job to take, or how much money to put into our savings account each month. So how do we survive the day‐to-day, specific decisions that life throws at us?

God has given us a powerful set of tools to help us discern the right path to take when we have a decision to make:

• The Holy Spirit, who guides us to the truth (John 16:13‐15, Psalm 143:10)
• The Holy Spirit also empowers you to break free from sin and its destructive consequences (Romans 8:1‐2, 12‐13)
• The Holy Bible, which gives us direction (Ps. 119:105, 2 Tim. 3:16‐17)
• “Prayer partners”, who can pray for you to be filled with the knowledge of His will in order to walk in His ways (Colossians 1:9‐10)
• Spiritual counselors, who help us recognize and follow His plans (Proverbs 15:22)

If you are wrestling with a big decision, you may find that you have more than one option that will bring God glory and fit with Biblical principles. How can it be possible for more than one alternative to be “in God’s will for my life”? Theologians call this the permissible will of God. In other words, God created you with free will and He expects you to exercise it within His boundaries.

The bottom line is that we need to be faithful in using the tools that God has given us, and He will lead us onto a path that brings Him glory.

Our Response

“Teach me to do Your will, for You are my God;
let Your Spirit lead me on level ground.”
Psalm 143:10

To put a spin on Dave Ramsey’s famous saying at the end of his radio show each weekday: there’s ultimately only one way to live a life of peace, and that’s to walk daily with the Prince of Peace, Christ Jesus. This too is the first step to knowing God’s will for your life. If you are not focusing on God and making Him the top priority in your life (Matthew 22:37‐38, Proverbs 3:5‐6), then you won’t be tuned in with His Spirit when you need to know the next step to take in life. The most important step is earnestly seeking Him (through prayer and reading His Word) day by day.

Another thing to keep in mind is that we are on this earth for the sole purpose of bringing God glory (I Cor. 10:31). Knowing God’s will becomes a lot easier when you keep that in perspective. We have daily choices to make in life with, at times, an overwhelming number of options. It is helpful to merely seek out the choice that will bring Him the most glory and have an eternal impact, and then be willing to follow through in obedience.

The Sabbath is being observed less and less with the passing of each century in the United States. In colonial days, the colonists enacted the first “blue law”, which used the militia to enforce church attendance. (If you think that’s extreme, consider the Old Testament punishment for working on the Sabbath in Exodus 31:14‐15.) Many other “blue laws” followed over the next 400 years. These laws prohibited certain activities (especially retail sales) in an attempt to make people spend time in church and rest, rather than working on Sundays. According to Wikipedia, most of these laws have now been repealed. But why did our forefathers put such a special emphasis on Sunday in the first place?

In the 10 Commandments, we are commanded to “remember the sabbath day, to keep it holy” and “in it you shall not do any work” (Exodus 20:8, 9). Many Christians live their lives at an unsustainable pace with nary an empty square on their calendars. God knows we all need down‐time in a world that constantly invites us to overcommit, so He gave us a great gift to refresh us, the Sabbath.

Balancing Life’s Demands

“‘You shall surely observe My sabbaths; for this is a sign between Me and you
throughout your generations…as a perpetual covenant.’
It is a sign between Me and the sons of Israel forever; for in six days the Lord made heaven and earth,
but on the seventh day He ceased from labor, and was refreshed.” Exodus 31:13b, 16b‐17

In a world that seems to necessitate not just hard work, but workaholism, meals‐on‐the‐go, and a constant flow of media, it can be difficult to realize when you’re stretched too thin. At some point, we need a break from the noise, a retreat to “recharge our batteries”. If we’re not careful, our emotional or physical health will throw us a warning sign that we need some boundaries, and the sooner the better! Also, our marriages and families need time together to reconnect. Thankfully God directed us to a better way of life, one that is not dictated by the priorities of our culture.

My wife recently read the book 10 Smart Things Women Can Do To Build A Better Life. The author, Donna Carter, says the Sabbath is “a commandment designed to make us more effective and available to the people around us and to help us build better lives.” It may seem illogical that taking a day off can make you more productive. You might be thinking, “I’ll just get more behind on _______ (fill in the blank) if I take a day off each week.” However, every step of obedience also requires a step of faith. We must believe that God, as our Creator, knows what is best for us. Carter also says, “We experience life like someone watching a parade. We see one event at a time with no idea of what is coming around the bend…[God] is in a much better position to judge what is best for you and for me.”

Our Response

“I just continue to believe that if God is able to make 90 percent of a tithing person’s
salary go further than 100 percent, He is able to make six days better than seven.”
~David Green, owner of Hobby Lobby (which closes on Sundays)

In Judaism, the Shabbat (Hebrew for rest, a.k.a. the Sabbath) is the last day of the week and the most important holy day on their calendar. Unfortunately they have overshadowed it with legalism, creating 39 categories of work that are forbidden on this holy day. As Believers, we have the blood of Christ covering our sins so the Law has been fulfilled (Matt. 5:17‐19) and we are no longer slaves to the Law. Observing the Lord’s day should not cause quarrels over what is or is not allowed (Rom. 14:1‐6). Rather, as with all of God’s commands, we should focus on obedience in our hearts, not only with our outward actions.

It is critical to understand why God gives us boundaries. God is love, which means He wants to protect us from harm. Once we make this connection, we will see the Sabbath as a blessing rather than a burden (1 John 5:3). It may take some time to readjust your priorities, but don’t get discouraged. In the end, the things that you give up to observe this day of rest may not seem so significant after all.

Digging Deeper

“Oh that they had such a heart in them, that they would fear Me and keep all My commandments always,
that it may be well with them and with their sons forever!” Deut. 5:29

From the time of Moses to the New Church, the Bible has many examples of people who observed the Sabbath and were blessed, or failed to keep the Sabbath and were punished.

Take some time to look up the following passages or do a search online to see what else Scripture says about the Lord’s day. What can you take away from these verses to apply in your own life?

• Genesis 2:1‐3
• Exodus 16:22‐30
• Deuteronomy 5:1, 12‐15, 29
• Nehemiah 13:1‐18
• Isaiah 58:13‐14

“Teach us to number our days, that we may gain a heart of wisdom.” Psalm 90:12, NIV

The world is full of distractions. Distractions that keep us from living a healthy life (spiritually, mentally, emotionally, physically, and socially). Distractions that take time away from our families and meaningful relationships. Distractions that keep us running at full speed, nonstop, and still not getting where we need to go.

If we aren’t careful, we’ll look back one day and realize how quickly our lives have passed us by. That will not be the time to evaluate our life purpose and why God has placed us on this earth. That time is now.

The Audit

“Your time is your life. Period. How you spend it ends up being what your life is.”
~Dr. Henry Cloud, The One‐Life Solution ¹

We are all placed on this earth for a purpose. God has a mission for us and He has placed a longing in our hearts (Ps. 37:4) to fulfill that specific mission. Until we are working towards His goals, we won’t find true, meaningful fulfillment in this life.

It takes awareness to attain your life purpose. This awareness involves knowing that our days on earth are short (compared to eternity), so they must be used wisely. You must also know what God’s calling on your life is and be aware of how you are spending your time in order to track your progress towards satisfying that calling.

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Dr. Henry Cloud, in his book The One‐Life Solution¹, suggests doing a “time and purpose audit” to reveal how you are using your time (especially regarding the attainment of your life purpose and goals). This will help ensure that you are getting the results you desire (and God desires!) in connection with the effort you are putting forth. He says “results are a function of how [we] spend [our] time” and the only way to get good results is to live carefully and intentionally. He goes on to say “…people do not take enough time to look at themselves and their use of time to find out what their patterns and issues are that are causing them to not use their time wisely. And that is the purpose of what I call the ‘audit’.”

This audit includes three parts:

1. An awareness of where you spend your time.
– Keep a log for a few weeks and track your time in 30 minute intervals. (Include your “work life” and your “personal life” in the same audit.)
– Evaluate the patterns you see.

2. An awareness of your values, life mission/purpose, spiritual giftedness, and the connections and disconnections between how you spend your time and accomplishing these goals.
– Write out your life goals. These should be measurable and be given a specific time line.
– Analyze your time log for “the why and the how” of any time that is not on target with your life goals.

3. An awareness of personal habits that are contributing to you not attaining your life goals.
– Discuss with an accountability partner the behaviors you see and come up with some rules for yourself on how to change bad behaviors.
– Don’t let the discrepancies between your life purpose and distractions that eat up your time continue.
– Keep working on changing any bad habits you find until you don’t need to anymore. Dr. Cloud compares learning discipline to riding a bike with training wheels. When you reach the point of knowing how to balance without the training wheels, you don’t need them anymore.

Doing an audit will help you discover areas of your life that lack structure, accountability, and are off target from your purpose in life. Too many times people who live in a fast‐paced culture are overtaken by subtle distractions and before long, they realize they are off track from reaching their life goals. As Dr. Cloud says, “There is usually going to be a direct relationship between how well something is going and the amount of focused time and energy it is getting.”

Our Response

“But take heed to yourselves, lest your hearts be weighed down with carousing,
drunkenness, and cares of this life, and that Day come on you unexpectedly.”
Luke 21:34, NKJV

Discipline. Diligence. Perseverance. Faithfulness. Making the most of each opportunity. These are the character traits and structure that God desires for His children to live by. These traits require an awareness of how we are spending our time. Once you’ve done an audit of your life, and you get on track for living for His purposes, you will find great fulfillment in life. It’s not easy to stay the course but the reward is worth it (Prov 21:5)!

Take a look at these verses that support the concept of auditing how you are spending your life. Which of these concepts do you need to work on in your life?

• Make the most of your time on earth – Ephesians 5:15‐17
• Know that your time on earth is fleeting and “but a breath” – Psalm 39:4‐5, NIV
• You are just a vapor and you don’t know what your life will be like tomorrow – James 4:13‐17
• Dedicate your life to God’s service – Romans 12:1‐2
• Don’t neglect your spiritual gift – I Timothy 4:14‐16
• Be diligent and don’t be slow to make progress (being sluggish) – Hebrews 6:11‐12
• Make the most of opportunities to witness to nonbelievers – Colossians 4:5‐6
• Be ready for the second coming of our Lord – Luke 21:34; Matthew 24:42

There are many things in this world that are good, when evaluated on their own. However, when compared to other activities they may not be the best investments of your time. As the saying goes, “Good. Better. Best. Never let it rest, until the good is better and the better is the best.”

¹The One‐Life Solution written by Dr. Henry Cloud and published by Harper Collins Publishers in 2008.

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Statistics show that the majority of Christians in America barely give 3% of their incomes to their churches. And, hardly 5% of American Christians give a tithe (full 10%). Obviously our possessions have a greater tug on our hearts than the Lord. Larry Burkett once said, “The Christian world is no different from the secular world when it comes to debt, bankruptcy, and divorce because priorities are misplaced.”

This post is a challenge for us all to make God supreme in our lives, our giving, and our relationships with others.

The Challenge

“So teach us to number our days, that we may present to You a heart of wisdom.”
Psalm 90:12, NASB

I just finished reading the book Don’t Waste Your Life by John Piper ¹. My life has been changed. Perhaps reading the following quotes will impact you and encourage you to read his book, too.

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• “This was the great coming together for me–the breakthrough. What was life about? What was it for? Why do I exist? Why am I here? To be happy? Or to glorify God?” (p.31)
• “The wasted life is the life without a passion for the supremacy of God in all things for the joy of all peoples.” (p.31)
• “God is most glorified in us when we are most satisfied in Him.” (p.49)
• “If we look like our lives are devoted to getting and maintaining things, we will look like the world, and that will not make Christ look great…He will not look like an all‐satisfying treasure.” (p.108)
• “I am wired by nature to love the same toys that the world loves. I start to fit in. I start to love what others love. I start to call earth ‘home’. Before you know it, I am calling luxuries ‘needs’ and using my money just the way unbelievers do.” (p.112)
• Quoting J. Campell White: “Fame, pleasure, and riches are but husks and ashes in contrast with the boundless and abiding joy of working with God for the fulfillment of his eternal plans. The men who are putting everything into Christ’s undertaking are getting out of life its sweetest and most priceless rewards.” (p.170)
• “The effort to evangelize the world presents the speediest and surest methods of saving the Church. Our material resources are so stupendous that we are in danger of coming to trust in riches rather than in God.” (p.171)
• “O Father, grant your church to love your glory more than gold–to cease her love affair with comfort and security. Grant that we seek the Kingdom first…Help us to see that if we try to guard our wealth, instead of using it to show it’s not our god, then we will waste our lives, however we succeed.” (p. 188)

Brothers and sisters in Christ, we need to align our focus with the mission we have on this earth. We are in the middle of a spiritual battle, with the lives of non‐Believers on the line for eternity! Too many of us are coasting along, and as John Piper puts it, “treating Jesus like a helpful add‐on, but not as an all‐satisfying, all‐authoritative King…”

Too many of us have our focus on the things of this world, things that the enemy has promised will give us great fulfillment. God’s Word gives us another picture. Let’s dig a little deeper and see the Truth of the matter.

Digging Deeper

Spend some time checking your heart in the following areas. I pray we will all truly grasp the urgency that Christ puts on these topics, and that we will re‐adjust our lives in any areas that are not fully glorifying Him.

• Missions mindset – Mark 8:34‐35, Acts 2:44‐47
• Money/greed – Luke 12:15, Luke 12:21‐28, 1 Timothy 6:10
• Faithful & cheerful giving – 2 Chron. 31:12, 2 Corinthians 9:6‐7, Luke 12:33‐34

¹ Don’t Waste Your Life written by John Piper and published by Crossway Books in 2003.

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We’ve been studying the book The Harbinger by Jonathan Cahn in our Sunday school class, which warns that judgment may be coming to our country if we don’t turn back to God. (We highly recommend this amazing book!) When I first started reading, I was thinking of all the sinful, disgusting impurities our culture now accepts and how God must be mourning America’s departure from its Christian heritage. There is no longer a sense of “common decency” shared by the majority. The church is the only godly influence our world has, which is why we have been called to shine His light to this dark world (Matt. 5:13‐16, Philippians 2:14‐16).

Sadly the church is failing in this task. Divorce is as common for Believers as non‐Believers. By and large, Christians are not shining examples in their speech, modesty, integrity, childraising, financial priorities, or in their charitable service to others. When Christ commands us not to give way to unrighteousness, it seems the church is not taking Him seriously. This is a serious issue! Unsaved people around us see no reason to get saved when our lives look the same as theirs, with disfunction and sin galore. This must change and it starts with me and you. How can I expect my country to turn from its evil ways if I haven’t shown it what it means to live a life of purity?

Our Response

“…instructing us to deny ungodliness and worldly desires and to live
sensibly, righteously, and godly in the present age…” Titus 2:12, NASB

Have you ever kept a bad habit hidden in order to appear more spiritual? Maybe you watch TV shows you know you shouldn’t be watching, so you make sure to never mention them with people at church. Hidden sin is perhaps the most destructive. When the sin is revealed it can ruin a person’s testimony, but even if it isn’t revealed it will numb our conscience. Jesus rebuked some Pharisees in Matthew 23:25‐28 on this very topic. Read these words and prayerfully evaluate the condition of your own private life.

“‘Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For you clean the outside of the cup and of the dish, but inside they are full of robbery and self‐indulgence. You blind Pharisee, first clean the inside of the cup and of the dish, so that the outside of it may become clean also. Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For you are like whitewashed tombs which on the outside appear beautiful, but inside they are full of dead men’s bones and all uncleanness. So you, too, outwardly appear righteous to men, but inwardly you are full of  hypocrisy and lawlessness.’” Matthew 23:25‐28, NASB

We Christians cannot win our country back to the ways of God if our lives contain hypocrisy, lawlessness, or self‐indulgence. When Christians “talk the talk” but don’t “walk the walk” it even sabotages our testimony within our own homes. Statistics show that an overwhelming majority of teenagers from Christian homes leave the church when they become adults. You may think you can hide sin from your church friends, but your kids are watching too, and you can’t fool them. If Christian families will step up and fully embrace the spiritual life they claim, we will see spiritual growth in our families, churches, and nation. Again, it starts with me and you!

There is a song by Casting Crowns called “Slow Fade” with these lyrics:

“It’s a slow fade when you give yourself away, it’s a slow fade when black and white have turned to gray,
Thoughts invade, choices are made, a price will be paid, when you give yourself away,
People never crumble in a day, it’s a slow fade, it’s a slow fade.”

This is dangerously true. When we get lax, the enemy moves in. Give an inch and he will eventually take a mile, but it may happen so slowly that you don’t notice. How are you doing at keeping “garbage” out, staying vigilant for “little” sinful habits, and living in the Spirit daily? When we take in pure things, it produces a holy life.

Let’s look up some verses that emphasize this truth: 2 Timothy 2:21‐26, Philippians 4:8, 1:27a, and 2:14‐16. As Paul says, let’s all hold fast to the Word and prove ourselves “to be blameless and innocent, children of God above reproach in the midst of a crooked and perverse generation” so we can “appear as lights in the world” (Phil. 2:15).

Digging Deeper

“The center of our being, the heart must be so aligned with Jesus 
so that the impurity encircling us does not lodge in us.”
~Ezekiel Oluolajo

Take some time today to look up the following verses. Resolve to hold fast to purity and deal with any sins that have a foothold in your life. You might also consider meeting with an accountability partner to work on any areas where God shows you need improvement.

Christ came to give us freedom from sin, so don’t live another day in captivity. The flesh doesn’t have to win. Let’s make it our goal to live as lights to this lost and dying world, realizing they are watching “our talk” and “our walk” with more interest and expectation than we can imagine.

• 1 Timothy 1:5
• 1 Peter 3:15‐17
• 1 Peter 2:11‐12
• Romans 13:12‐14
• 1 Corinthians 6:9‐12
• Galatians 5:19‐25
• Ephesians 5:1‐16

After you’ve looked up the above verses, you might also read our Bible study on holiness. It goes into more detail about how the Holy Spirit changes our hearts in order to change our habits. God bless you on your journey!

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Misconceptions About Salvation

“He who has the Son has the life; he who does not have the Son of God does
not have the life. These things I have written to you who believe in the
name of the Son of God, so that you may know that you have eternal life.”
1 John 5:12‐13

The Bible describes salvation in very simple terms, yet there are still some common misconceptions.

Confusing the results with the cause. When a person comes to faith in Jesus, their life is bound to change. The Holy Spirit will begin making them more like Christ. They ought to obey the commands of Christ, such as being baptized as a sign of their faith. These things are the natural result of salvation, but they are not requirements in order to achieve salvation, which is “not as a result of works” (Ephesians 2:9).

Good deeds vs. bad deeds. Many people believe that you only get into Heaven if your good deeds outweigh your bad ones, despite the fact that this concept is nowhere in Scripture. This gives people the vague idea that they might be okay because they’ve lived a decent life. If you’re still holding on to this mentality, look up the Scripture references in Part 1 of this study. No one is good enough to make it on their own, and no one is bad enough that Jesus’ sacrifice cannot cover their sin.

The Old and New Testaments have conflicting versions of salvation. This myth stems from the idea that people in the Old Testament were saved by keeping the law. In truth, the law merely highlighted the need for salvation (Romans 3:19‐20); salvation has always come through faith (Hebrews 11). The only difference since the New Testament is that God has fully revealed His plan of redemption, which means that we are blessed with, and accountable for, a deeper knowledge of His grace.

Can I lose my salvation? People asking this question usually want to know if they can lose their salvation on accident by messing up really badly. The answer is no. God offered us forgiveness even though He knew about all our future sins, and those are also covered by the blood of Christ. Romans 8:38‐39 reassures us that nothing can separate us from the love of Jesus. (Also see John 10:28‐29.)

There are many roads to salvation. Scripture testifies that salvation is found in Christ alone (John 3:17‐18; Acts 4:12) and Jesus asserts that “no one comes to the Father but through Me” (John 14:6). Even the Old Testament saints, though they didn’t have all the details, had faith in God’s mercy and grace for redemption. Now that God has revealed the full plan, we are all the more accountable.

The Redeemed Life

The most immediate facet of salvation is the part about being saved from judgement in Hell. That is certainly good news in and of itself, but that’s not where the Gospel ends. Salvation initiates a process of restoration to God’s original design. In that design, humans are meant to:

1. Have a close, worshipful, and loving relationship with their Creator (Gen. 3:8 implies that God literally walked with man before the fall. See also Galatians 4:4‐7; 1 Cor. 1:9.)
2. Interact with each other as members of a loving family (Mark 10:29‐30; John 13:34‐35)
3. Always do what is right and pleasing to God (Matt. 5:48; Romans 12:1; Col. 1:9‐10)
4. Undertake the challenging and rewarding work of managing the creation (Gen. 1:28; Eccl. 2:24)
5. Live abundantly and eternally (John 3:16, 10:10)

In a Christian’s earthly lifespan, all of those points will be accomplished partially, but none of them fully. This process of spiritual maturing is known as sanctification, and it includes all of the learning, growing, struggling, suffering, and healing that makes us more like Christ. Chuck Swindoll writes, “the conversion of the soul is the miracle of a moment, but the making of a saint is the task of a lifetime.”

So why doesn’t God make His followers perfect the instant they believe? For one thing, we get to experience a unique perspective on God’s grace. When we stumble, His mercy is magnified. When we are victorious—even in our current imperfect state—the power of the Holy Spirit is shown in us. He leaves us weak so that we can experience His strength.

Another reason for our delayed perfection is that we get the chance to work, struggle, and fight for the right things, now that we know what those things are. Jesus promises to reward those who suffer for Him (Matt. 5:11‐12) and do good works in His name (Matt. 10:42). Our remaining earthly lives allow us time to store up treasure in Heaven (Matt. 6:19‐21). Such rewards are separate from and in addition to salvation (1 Cor. 3:12 -15).

For now, God has delivered us from the power of sin, but not from it’s influence. He has given us new spiritual life, but He has not yet removed physical death from the equation. Ultimately, it is God’s place to decide when and how we are finally made complete, and He has chosen the method that He knows will make us most like His Son.

Eternity: The Big Picture

The aspect of salvation that I find most exciting is the part that most Christians think and talk about the least: eternity. This is where it all comes together, where all the mysteries are revealed and where all the wrongs are righted (Rev. 21:4). The five components of God’s original design listed above are brought to fulfillment and the whole scope of God’s plan of redemption finally comes into view. God does not merely save random individuals for eternal preservation in a heavenly lounge room with fluffy cloud sofas; He is redeeming all of creation (Romans 8:19‐23), starting at the top with man and continuing until the very foundations of the earth have been remade in the last days (Rev. 21:1). This will not be a trivial remodel; the formation of the New Earth will be a scene to rival the original acts of creation, and every Christian will be there to see it. God’s people will likewise be new creations, given bodies like that of the risen Jesus, no longer subject to sickness or death or even temptation (1 Cor. 15:42‐55). Heaven and earth will be one in the same. Jesus Himself will be the king who rules the earth, not just in a spiritual sense, but in a literal, physical sense (Rev. 21:22‐22:5). The world will be perfect. Forever. That is the ultimate conclusion of the Gospel.

Digging Deeper

The concept of eternity in the new Heaven‐on‐Earth is far beyond the scope of this lesson. Fortunately, Randy Alcorn has written a book called Heaven which presents a powerful, insightful, and exhaustive look at our eternal home. It is highly recommended reading for anyone who wants to get a better grasp on the final result of salvation.

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Of all the doctrines of the Christian faith and all the truths contained in Scripture, perhaps the most essential—and the most amazing—is the gift of salvation. Unfortunately, this topic is often distorted with legalistic rules, or worse, it is watered down until it looses its true power and meaning. When I hear professing Christians say, “All we can do is hope we get to Heaven one day,” it shows there are some serious misunderstandings about what it means to be “saved.” The salvation taught by Jesus (and made possible through Him) is both simple enough for a child to understand and powerful enough to change the universe.

Back to the Basics

“Here is a trustworthy saying that deserves full acceptance:
Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners‐ of whom I am the worst.”
I Timothy 1:15

Before digging into the what and the how of salvation, let’s take a moment to consider the why. In this age of moral relativism, the concept of sin is denounced as unenlightened, and the idea that a loving God would punish “sinners” is considered impossible simply because it is unpopular. Yet the Bible makes it clear that all people, aside from Jesus Himself, have fallen short of God’s standard of righteousness—that is, we have all sinned (Romans 3:10‐12, 23), and all sin has fatal consequences (Genesis 2:16‐17; Romans 6:23). God, because He is perfectly holy and just, will not allow any sin to exist without the due penalty (Isaiah 13:9‐13).

If that was the end of the story, then every human being who ever lived would be condemned to death and eternal separation from God, and God’s original intentions for His creation would have been defeated. But God was not surprised by sin, nor were His purposes thwarted by it. From the very beginning (2 Timothy 1:9‐10), He had a plan to restore sinful people back into a relationship with Him:

“For God so loved the world, that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him shall not perish, but have eternal life.” John 3:16

Jesus came to earth, lived a sinless life, and suffered an execution designed for the worst of criminals. In doing so, He paid the penalty for the sins of all who would believe in Him (1 Peter 3:18). Then He rose from the dead, having earned what He already owned: authority over all things, including death.

Our Response

“Since no man is excluded from calling upon God the gate of salvation is
open to all. There is nothing else to hinder us from entering,
but our own unbelief.” ~John Calvin

Now that we’ve reviewed why every person needs salvation and what Jesus did to make it possible, how does it actually work? What must a person do to be saved? Many verses in the Bible answer this question, but my favorite is Romans 10:9 (see beginning of post). Let’s look at that verse step by step:

• “if you confess with your mouth Jesus as Lord” – This means that you acknowledge Jesus’ authority over you and you are willing to be identified with Him (Matthew 10:32‐33).
• “believe in your heart that God raised Him from the dead” – You have faith that Jesus really did die and rise again, and that His sacrifice paid the penalty for your sins so that you can be forgiven. This faith only comes from a repentant heart—you can’t truly accept forgiveness if you are not sorry for the wrongs you have done (Mark 1:14‐15).
• “you will be saved” – Your sins are forgiven, you are guaranteed eternal life in the resurrection (1 Corinthians 15:50‐54), and you are counted as a child of God and a co‐heir of Jesus (Galations 4:4‐7). In other words, you’re in.

Notice that there are no physical actions or special words required in the process. Salvation is truly a matter of faith. The Apostle Paul writes, “For by grace you have been saved through faith; and that not of yourselves, it is the gift of God; not as a result of works, so that no one may boast” (Ephesians 2:8‐9). God has done all the work; we merely receive the gift through faith.

Digging Deeper

Next week, we’ll dig further into salvation, exploring some common misconceptions and taking a look at what a redeemed life looks like, both now and in eternity.

If you are reading this blog post and you have never put your faith in Jesus Christ (that is, you have not repented of your sin, accepted His forgiveness, and acknowledged Him as Lord), but you want to take that step, I encourage you to watch this short video with pastor Greg Laurie. He will lead you in a prayer that can help you express that decision of faith.

(If you’re not comfortable praying with a YouTube video, you can simply talk to God on your own, right where you are. If you want a real person to pray with you, then find your way to any Christian church and the people there will be absolutely thrilled to help you.)

As a child, I was blessed to attend the AWANA program at my church (an international church‐club for kids) that challenged me to hide God’s Word in my heart. I can still quote some of these scriptures today.

Unfortunately, like so many adults, I have not consistently continued the spiritual discipline of memorizing Scripture. This blog post is a challenge to me, you, and all the Christians out there who know they should be memorizing Scripture but just aren’t practicing the habit.

It’s time for a spiritual work‐out!

What the Bible says…

“But his delight is in the law of the Lord, and in His law he meditates day and night. He will be like a tree firmly planted by streams of water,
which yields its fruit in its season and its leaf does not wither;
and in whatever he does, he prospers.” Psalm 1:2‐3, NASB

When reading the New Testament, one thing that should jump off the page and challenge us all to start memorizing Scripture is the amount of Scripture that Jesus and the leaders of the early church knew and used in their ministries. In Acts 7, Stephen gave an amazing summary of part of the Old Testament, from Abraham to Solomon, quoting sections of God’s Word from Genesis, Exodus, Deuteronomy, Isaiah, and even Amos! Paul knew the Scriptures so well that God used him to reason, explain, and prove that Jesus was the Messiah to unbelievers across the Roman Empire (see Acts 13 & 17 and Romans 9 &10). Peter also quotes many references from the Old Testament in the book of 1 Peter and remembers the words of Christ in a time of need (Acts 11:16‐18). If we are to be used by God with maximum effectiveness, we must know His Word.

We are in fact commanded to memorize Scripture. God knew we needed the Sword of the Spirit (the Word of God) to win the battle against the enemy of this world. God tells us to “stand firm against the schemes of the devil” (Eph. 6:11) by having the Sword (and other armor of God) ready at all times. Check out these verses that tell us to have Scriptures ready to use:

• Deuteronomy 6:6‐7 and 11:18‐21 – Commanded to memorize and teach the Word to our children
• Joshua 1:7‐8 – Meditate on the Word day and night “so that you may have success wherever you go”
• Ephesians 6:10‐17 – Armor of God
• 2 Timothy 2:15 – Be diligent, ready to accurately handle the Word of Truth

Once you grow in your knowledge of God’s Word, having studied it and hid it in “your heart” (Deut. 6:6, Job 22:22, Ps. 37:31, Ps. 119:11), you will be amazed at how many opportunities you have to use it for the benefit of others and yourself. God promises that His Word will not return to Him empty, but it will accomplish what He desires (Isaiah 55:10‐12, NASB). Here are some of the ways that memorizing Scripture will be useful in your life:

• Psalm 119:9‐11 – It keeps us from sinning (which enables us to have a closer relationship with God). It is our most powerful tool in the battle against sin!
• Hebrews 4:12 – Judges our “thoughts and intentions of the heart”
• Jeremiah 15:16 – Gives us joy
• John 15:7 – Guides and empowers our prayer life
• Psalm 119:105 – Guides our decision making
• Psalm 19:7‐8 – Restores, gives wisdom, and gives joy
• Colossians 3:16 – Helps us comfort and counsel friends and family
• 1 Peter 3:15 – Sharing the Gospel

Our Response

“But He answered and said, ‘It is written, “Man shall not live on bread alone,
but on every word that proceeds out of the mouth of God.” ‘ ”
Matthew 4:4, NASB

Chuck Swindoll has said, “No other single exercise [than memorizing Scripture] pays greater spiritual dividends! Your prayer life will be strengthened. Your witnessing will be sharper and much more effective. Your attitudes and outlook will begin to change. Your mind will become alert and observant. Your confidence and assurance will be enhanced. Your faith will be solidified.”

The way to get these kinds of dividends is to memorize one verse at a time. It’s like the old proverb of how to eat an elephant, take it one bite at a time. Simply pick one verse and master it. After that, pick another. Keep reviewing the first one as you learn the second, so you don’t forget it, and keep this pattern going as often as you can.

During the times of my life where I have consistently practiced this routine, I found the further I went the easier it was to keep memorizing. Not only did it get easier, I started seeing daily life applications and having conversations where I began to use the verses that I had just memorized. Once you have the Word of God in your heart, you’ll wonder how you ever did without it!

What will bring you true and lasting happiness? Among the many supposed answers to that question you will find some of Satan’s favorite lies.

From the beginning, humans were created to want things—good things, like knowledge, food, and fellowship. Those desires motivate us to learn, work, and love our neighbors, but we run into trouble when our desires get focused on the wrong objects. Adam and Eve listened to the serpent’s lie that they would find ultimate fulfillment in the forbidden fruit (Gen. 3:6). In today’s age, the advertising industry carries the same message twenty‐four‐seven on more than 200 channels (in high definition, no less).

How should a Christian respond to both the cultural and internal drive to want, want, want? How can we find true and lasting happiness? The answer is contentment.

Contentment is the attitude of gratefully accepting what God gives, while gracefully releasing what He withholds. Notice Paul’s “secret” to contentment in Philippians 4:13: “I can do all things through Him who strengthens me.” Let’s look a little closer into how Christ enables us to be content in all situations.

Contentment has several building blocks:

• Love – allows us to put others first and de‐emphasize our own desires
• Joy and Peace – finding these in God releases us from seeking them in possessions
• Patience – because even when we want a good thing, we can’t always have it now
• Faith – believing that God will provide what we need
• Self‐control – to keep our wants in check

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If those character traits sound familiar, it’s because they are all found in the fruit of the Spirit (Gal. 5:22‐23). A life lived in the Holy Spirit will bear those traits, and those traits collectively result in contentment. They are the building blocks and contentment is the house. They are the fruit and contentment is the fruit salad. That’s all well and good, you may be thinking, but it doesn’t make contentment any easier. That’s true. Contentment, like any other worthwhile character trait, takes practice. In the practice of contentment, here are a few helpful tips:

• Contentment does not mean avoiding money. Money is not the root of all evil; the love of money is what gets people into serious trouble (I Timothy 6:10, Heb. 13:5).
• God knows you need certain things to survive. He promises that if you make the kingdom of God your top priority, then God will supply what you need (Matt. 6:31‐34).
• Contentment is not an excuse for laziness. The Bible teaches that we should work hard and plan for the future (Prov. 6:6‐8). It also teaches that prosperity is the typical result of hard work (Prov. 21:5). However, scripture balances these teachings with the warning that peace and joy should not be sacrificed to gain wealth, which is fleeting (Prov. 23:4‐5).

Christian financial advisor Ron Blue summarizes contentment this way:

“No financial principle can have a greater impact on you or free you up more than this truth: Money is not the key to contentment! Contentment has everything to do with your relationship with God and nothing to do with your money. Once you are free from the love of money and the pursuit of it, you can have a lot or a little and be content all the same. At that point you have learned the secret to contentment.”

Digging Deeper

Read Exodus 20:17 (the last of the Ten Commandments). Why is this commandment necessary and how does it differ from the rest of the Ten Commandments?

King Solomon, perhaps more than any other person in history, had it all. Read Ecclesiastes 2:1‐11. What was Solomon’s response after attaining everything the world had to offer?

Our Target is Obedience

God does not take disobedience lightly. Jesus taught that to love God is to obey His commands, but to disobey is the equivalent of not loving Him (John 14:15, 23‐24). Unfortunately, because of our sin nature, we try to justify doing what we shouldn’t—or not doing what we ought to. Sometimes we don’t even know God’s Word thoroughly enough to recognize the difference.

Just as a loving parent sets up boundaries in their home for the safety and well being of their
children (physically, emotionally, and spiritually), God has given us commands out of His love
for us. God promises blessings for His children who hear His Word and observe what it says (Luke 11:28 and James 1:25).

God’s blessings for our obedience include:

• having peace and joy (Ps. 119:111, 165; John 15:10‐11; Isaiah 48:17‐18 NIV)
• knowing the right path to take in life (Ps. 119:105, 128, 133)
• living a long life and having future generations come to know the Lord (Deut. 6:1‐2 NASB)
• being equipped for doing ministry (2 Tim. 3:16‐17)
• or simply avoiding the consequences of disobedience (Deut. 11:26‐28)

The most important part of being obedient to God is that it shows Him love (2 John 1:6) and brings Him glory (Exodus 19:5 and 1 Peter 2:11‐12).

God’s Commands

“But one who looks intently at the perfect law, the law of liberty,
and abides by it, not having become a forgetful hearer
but an effectual doer, this man will be blessed in what he does.”
James 1:25, NASB

The Bible is full of commands and teachings to guide our lives. Reflect on this partial list and
honestly ask yourself, “Are there any areas where I’m not being fully obedient?”

• Repent and trust in Jesus for salvation (1 John 1:9, Romans 10:9)
• Be imitators of God and make Him your highest priority (Eph. 5:1, 8 and Matt. 6:33)
• Love the Lord with all your heart, soul, mind, and strength (Deut. 6:4‐6, Mark 12:30, Luke 10:27)
• Be rooted in Him (Colossians 2:6‐7, Psalm 1:1‐3)
• Aim for moral excellence (2 Peter 1:5, 1 Peter 2:11‐12, Philippians 4:8, Ephesians 5:3‐8)
• Abstain from every form of evil (1 Thess. 5:22)
• Obey the 10 Commandments (Exodus 20:1‐18)
• Practice the Fruit of the Spirit, not their fleshly opposites (Galatians 5:19‐26, Eph. 5:9)
• Tell others about Jesus and make disciples (Matt. 28:19‐20, Acts 1:8)
• Care for the poor, orphans, and widows (Deut. 15:11, Isaiah 1:17, James 1:27, 1 John 3:17‐18)
• Rejoice always (I Thess. 5:16, Philippians 4:4)
• Pray without ceasing (I Thess. 5:17, Philippians 4:6, Ephesians 6:18)
• Give thanks in everything (I Thess. 5:18, Philippians 4:6, Ephesians 5:20)
• Let peace rule in your heart (Colossians 3:15, Philippians 4:7)
• Cast all your anxiety on Him (1 Peter 5:7, Matt. 6:26‐34, Philippians 4:6)
• Do everything without grumbling or disputing (Philippians 2:14‐15)
• Don’t be lazy (Proverbs 10:4‐5, 6:6‐11)
• Serve each other in humility and brotherly kindness (Philippians 2:3‐11, 5:21 and 2 Peter 1:7)
• Treat others as you want to be treated (Matt. 7:12, Luke 10:27b)
• Deal with others in love and forgiveness (John 15:9‐14, Colossians 3:12‐14, Mark 11:25‐26)
• Practice love and respect in your marriage (Eph. 5:22‐23, Colossians 3:18‐19)
• Don’t exasperate your children (Colossians 3:21, Eph. 6:4)

If you are abiding in Christ, then doing what is right will be the fruit that naturally comes from your life (John 15:1‐8). Otherwise it can be intimidating, and even discouraging, to look at a list of commands and try to accomplish them in your own strength. Remember, obedience is about expressing love to God, and love is a matter of the heart. When your heart changes, your outward actions are sure to follow.

Our Response

“You shall follow the Lord your God and fear Him;
and you shall keep His commandments, listen to His voice,
serve Him, and cling to Him.” Deuteronomy 13:4, NASB

For Christians who have developed the discipline of studying the Bible, it is important to not just seek knowledge. The Pharisees showed us what happens to a person who has religious knowledge, without spiritual transformation and heart‐felt obedience. We must not only study and hear the Word of God, we must also do what it says. James says, “Do not merely listen to the word, and so deceive yourselves. Do what it says.” (James 1:22, NIV 1984)

Obedience isn’t always easy, but we have been given a Helper who will enable us to do what is right, and we will reap blessings for our obedience (Luke 11:28, James 1:25, Psalm 112:1)!

Digging Deeper

“Your statutes are my heritage forever; they are the joy of my heart.
My heart is set on keeping your decrees to the very end.”
Psalm 119:111‐112, NIV 1984

The Bible is overflowing with verses about obedience (and the blessings that follow for God’s
children). Spend some time right now soaking up what it truly means to live according to His
Word.

• I John 5:3
• Psalm 119
• I Samuel 15:22‐23
• Job 23:10‐12
• Psalm 19:7‐11
• James 1:22‐25

“Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all that I commanded you; and lo, I am with you always, even to the end of the age.” Matthew 28:19‐20, NASB

It seems that the Holy Spirit (also known as the Holy Ghost) is the least talked about and most misunderstood part of the Trinity. How would you explain the attributes of the Holy Spirit if asked by a co‐worker who is honestly seeking to know more about Him? As a starting point of explaining the full potential Christians have in living by the Spirit, here’s the basics you need to know about the Trinity.

• We worship one God (Deut. 6:4, 1 Tim. 2:5, and John 10:30), who reveals Himself as three distinct persons (Matt. 3:16‐17). Thus He is called a Triune God.
• The three identities of God are (see Matt. 28:19 and 2 Cor. 13:14): God the Father, God the Son, and God the Holy Spirit.
• One of the simplest ways to explain the complex theology of the Trinity is to think of the different roles you play as one person. A woman may be a wife, mother, sister, and daughter, each with uniquely different roles yet she is still just one being. (Though this is still a flawed illustration, hopefully it helps.)

The Holy Spirit’s Attributes

“Then he said to me, ‘This is the word of the Lord to Zerubbabel saying,
“Not by might nor by power, but by My Spirit,” says the Lord of hosts.’” Zechariah 4:6, NASB

So how do we get the Holy Spirit and what does He do? Before Jesus was glorified (raised from the dead and ascended to Heaven), the Holy Spirit is only seen in Scripture working through the lives of certain faithful Believers. Starting on the day of Pentecost (John 7:38‐39 and Acts 2:1‐4), the Holy Spirit was poured out upon the Church on an unprecedented scale. The Helper had come, just as Jesus promised (John 14:16‐17), and now all Believers receive the Holy Spirit when they get saved (Acts 2:38).

These are the roles the Holy Spirit plays in a Believer’s life:

• He gives liberty/freedom from the law of sin and death (Romans 8:1‐2, Rom. 8:15‐16, 2 Cor. 3:17‐18, and Titus 3:5)
• He seals our salvation (Eph. 1:13 and 4:30; John 3:5; Romans 8:9 and 15‐16; and 2 Cor. 1:21‐22)
• He dwells in Believers; we are a temple of God (I Cor. 3:16 and 6:19‐20)
• He is omnipresent/always with you (Ps. 139:7, Joshua 1:9, Haggai 2:5, and John 14:17)
• Our Comforter (Acts 9:31, John 14:16 in KJV)
• Our Guide (John 16:13, Ps. 143:10, and Rom. 8:14)
• Our Helper (John 14:16‐17, 14:26, 15:26, and 16:7)
• Our Teacher, instructs us and reminds us of the teachings of Christ (John 14:26, 1 Cor. 2:10‐16, Nehemiah 9:20, and Ezekiel 36:27)
• Spirit of Truth, guides us into truth (John 14:17, 15:26, and 16:13)
• Spirit of Wisdom (Isaiah 11:2, Eph. 1:17, Mark 13:11, and 1 Cor. 12:8)
• Spirit of Power (Acts 1:8)
• Spirit of Grace (Heb. 10:29 and Zech. 12:10)
• He gives us rest (Isaiah 63:14)
• He gives us joy (I Thess. 1:6, Luke 10:21, and Acts 13:52)
• He gives us hope (Romans 15:13)
• He gives us life and peace (Romans 8:6, 2 Cor. 3:6, and John 6:63)
• He gives spiritual gifts (1 Cor. 12:8‐11, 28; Romans 12:6‐8; Eph. 4:11‐12; and 1 Peter 4:10)
• He intercedes for us in prayer (Romans 8:26‐27)
• He admonishes us and convicts the world concerning sin, righteousness, and judgment (Neh. 9:30 and John 16:7‐11)

The first thing that probably comes to mind when considering the Holy Spirit working in Believers’ lives is the fruit (character traits) that flows from them when they are “living by the Spirit”. Remember those? Love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self‐control (Galatians 5: 22‐23). Travis Agnew states, “If you desire to see the fruit of the Spirit in your life, then release control of every area. Allow the Spirit of God to guide your steps, thoughts, habits, and actions, and you will begin to see His fruit.” ¹

Examples in the Bible

We see many examples in God’s Word of lives being impacted by the Holy Spirit. God’s people were given extra protection, they prophesied, did signs and wonders, and were delivered in ways that no man could ever accomplish in his own strength.

As David Platt says in his book Radical, “God delights in using ordinary Christians who come to the end of themselves and choose to trust in His extraordinary provision. He stands ready to allocate His power to all who are radically dependent on Him and radically devoted to making much of Him”. ²

Let’s look back at some of those who were touched by God’s Spirit:

• Bezalel, in order to do craftsmanship for God’s tabernacle (Ex. 31:1‐5)
• 70 elders, who prophesied to the people of Israel (Numbers 11:25)
• Joshua, in succeeding Moses as leader of Israel (Numbers 27:18)
• Gideon, in preparation to deliver Israel (Judges 6:34)
• Jephthah, given protection in time of war (Judges 11:29)
• Samson, who delivered Israel from the Philistines (Judges 13:25 and 14:19)
• Saul, at various times before and after becoming king of Israel (1 Samuel 10:10, 11:6, and 16:14)
• David, anointed as king of Israel (1 Sam. 16:13)
• Mary, in her conception of Jesus (Matt. 1:19‐20)
• Zacharias, prophesized about his son John (Luke 1:67‐79)
• John the Baptist, to prepare the people for the Lord’s coming (Luke 1:15‐17)
• Simeon, in prophesying to Jesus’ earthly parents (Luke 2:25‐33)
• Saul, missionary of the Gospel (Acts 9:17‐18 and 13:2)
• The Early Church, doing signs, wonders, and miracles (Heb. 2:4)
• Writers of the Bible, moved/inspired to write the words of God (2 Peter 1:20‐21 and Acts 1:16, 20/Ps. 109:8)
• And, most importantly, Jesus Christ (Luke 3:21‐23, Luke 4:1, Matthew 3:16‐17, Matthew 4:1, and Isaiah 11:2)

Our Response: Being Filled with the Spirit

“…we were created for a purpose much greater than ourselves, the kind of purpose
that can only be accomplished in the power of His Spirit.” ~David Platt ²

As in the lives of the Bible characters above, we too can live an abundant life, when filled with the Spirit. When Jesus talks about the Holy Spirit in John 7:37‐39, He says Believers will have “rivers of living water” flowing from within them. It’s not enough to just get saved and receive the Holy Spirit, there should be evidence that we are daily walking in, living by, and being led by the Spirit (Gal. 5:16, 25 and Romans 8:14). Travis Agnew explains, “In reality, Spirit‐led people are not those who have more of the Spirit, the Spirit simply has more of them.” ¹

This means that we are to allow the Spirit to take control of every area of our life and to present our bodies as living and holy sacrifices, in order to please God (Romans 12:1). And what are the things that please God? Resisting temptation, obeying His commands, helping those in need, sharing the Gospel, and many other things that characterize the Christian life. The Holy Spirit is the Helper that enables us to do these things. Even though our society praises self‐sufficiency, we cannot accomplish these things on our own.

Here are a few more things that the Spirit enables us to do:

• Walk in the statutes of the Lord and observe His ordinances (Ezekiel 36:26‐27 and John 14:15‐16)
• Have “thoughts and intentions of the heart” that are pleasing to God (Heb. 4:12)
• Live without fear (Haggai 2:5)
• Glorify God in our bodies (1 Cor. 6:19‐20 and Romans 8:12‐14)
• Abstain from every form of evil and fleshly desire, if we don’t quench/resist the Spirit’s leading (1 Thess. 5:19‐22, Acts 7:51‐53, Eph. 4:17‐32, Heb. 4:7, and Gal. 5:16‐26)
• Boldly share the Gospel with others (Isaiah 61:1‐2, Acts 1:8, and Acts 4:31)
• Serve others with our spiritual gifts (I Peter 4:10‐11 and 1 Cor. 12:8‐11, 28)
• Endure persecution (Luke 12:11‐12 and I Thess. 1:6)
• Make the most of our time here on earth (Eph. 5:15‐18)

Will you keep your “mind set on the Spirit” (Rom. 8:5‐6) and the things of God today? David Platt gives us this challenge, “His power is so superior to ours. Why do we not desperately seek it?” ²

Spend some time in prayer, asking God for a heart that desires and desperately seeks to do His will and for the Spirit to help you glorify God in all that you do. May we all be known by the fruit that others see flowing out from our lives (Matt. 7:16‐20)!

Digging Deeper

If you want to learn more about the Holy Spirit, reading chapter three of the book Radical: Taking Back Your Faith From the American Dream by David Platt ², is a great start. It discusses the importance of relying on the Holy Spirit in a powerful and insightful way.

“May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace as you trust in Him,
so that you may overflow with hope by the power of the Holy Spirit.”
Romans 15:13, NIV 1984

¹ An emailed devotional written by Travis Agnew, distributed by LifeWay in 2010.

² Radical: Taking Back Your Faith From the American Dream, written by David Platt and published by Multnomah Books.