Please watch the video introduction to my message here:

1 Thessalonians 5:16-20

Rejoice evermore. Pray without ceasing. In everything, give thanks: for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus concerning you. Quench, not the Spirit. Despise not prophesying.

People always want to know God’s will. I believe that His approval of our occupation, the person we are to marry, or the right decision over many things is all-important. However, equally important is how we navigate life. How do we show our faith in Him during these decisions?

Everyone has decisions, but not everyone has Christ. In having Christ, are we different? Does Christ in our life make a difference at these challenging intersections in our life? 

Sometimes I also think that we are too in love with ourselves. We overestimate our importance. We say, “I have these gifts and talents, and I want to use them for the Lord (as if to say the Lord needs me). But Jesus says if we bring something as simple as a cup of cold water or welcome a servant of the Lord, we will be blessed. 

Matthew 10:41-42

He that receiveth a prophet in the name of a prophet shall receive a prophet’s reward; and he that receiveth a righteous man in the name of a righteous man shall receive a righteous man’s reward.

And whosoever shall give to drink unto one of these little ones a cup of cold water only in the name of a disciple, verily I say unto you, he shall in no wise lose his reward.

It doesn’t take much gifting to do this, yet there is a reward. What it takes is a servant’s heart. We are too self-focused with our gifting that we lose the essential attribute, our servant’s heart. God can easily accomplish His will through us with the right heart. He can give us the talents needed for the task when our hearts are subject to Him. For example, as parents, we pray for our children to come to the faith. However, how is our walk with Christ? Are we submitted to Him? 

God works through parents and has given us the responsibility of raising Godly children; He’s not our kids’ parent; we are. The more disconnected we are from Him and what He asks of us, the more fallout we will have in our parenting. To be parents that role model the Lord, we need to be filled with the Holy Spirit; it makes all the difference. His wisdom, His patience, and His love is a game-changer. From within the home to outside the home, our example is very important. What a blessing we would be to be employees filled with the Holy Spirit seeking to work for the Lord, putting in an honest day’s work, or a genuine friend who cares about others. Then God can move, direct, speak, and give wisdom and patience as needed.

When we don’t emphasize our walk with Him, we dam the flow of His Spirit. Instead of God working through us, He now has to use life’s unfavorable circumstances to get us to repent and come back to Him. It’s such a waste of time and energy. All this because we are out of sync with Him.

To raise godly children, by necessity, parents must model godliness. Children will model the character of their parents. Listen to how Paul challenged Christians: “Be imitators of God, therefore, as dearly loved children live a life of love, just as Christ loved us and gave himself up for us as a fragrant offering and sacrifice to God” (Ephesians 5:1-2). 

He calls us to imitate God as dear children and to imitate Him. We need to know Him, or it will not happen. God as a parent, is loving, righteous, and holy, so we, His children, should reflect his character. The job of raising kids is our job, not His. Our children will show our strengths and or our weaknesses. It is up to us to make our home sacred, a place of worship where God is put first, and a place of prayer. If we are not praying with our family, not just at night, but when decisions have to be made, we are missing an excellent opportunity to model a life that is dependent upon the Lord. We are to model dependency in times of crisis and in times of play. This is modeled as everyday life; it’s just how we do life. 

Joshua said, and I love his statement, especially when you consider all the apostasy and idol worship of his day.

Joshua 24:14-15

“Now therefore fear — the LORD, and serve — him in sincerity and in truth: and put away — the gods which your fathers served on the other side of the flood, and in Egypt; and serve ye — the LORD.

And if it seems evil unto you to serve — the LORD, choose you this day — whom ye will serve; whether — the gods which your fathers served that were on the other side of the flood, or — the gods of the Amorites, in whose land — ye dwell: but as for me and my house, we will serve — the LORD.”  (“will serve” in context means to worship the Lord in joyful liberation, to be contrasted against the toil, bondage, and sacrifice required by man and his pagan deities).

This statement made Joshua a great leader, for as his house was, so was his soul. Only One God ruled. The statement is in strong contrast to all the carnality that existed and still exists today in different forms. It all starts in our hearts. The sooner we get to “One God” and put distance between us and any competition, the stronger our lives will be.

We are now changing subjects just a bit. What if we faithfully serve the Lord, but everything goes south in our lives? I can hear the enemy’s voice, “so much for serving God,” what will I say? What will you say? Here’s what Job said, 

Job 1:14-21

And there came a messenger unto Job, and said, The oxen were plowing, and the donkeys feeding beside them:

And the Sabeans fell upon them, and took them away; yea, they have slain — the servants with the edge of the sword; and I only am escaped alone to tell thee.

While he was yet speaking, there also came another and said, The fire of God is fallen from heaven, and hath burned up the sheep, and the servants, and consumed them, and I only am escaped alone to tell thee.

While he was yet speaking, there also came another and said, The Chaldeans made out three bands, and fell upon the camels, and have carried them away, yea, and slain — the servants with the edge of the sword; and I only am escaped alone to tell thee (satan made sure to leave one to bring the bad news).

While he was yet speaking, there also came another and said, Thy sons and thy daughters were eating and drinking wine in their eldest brother’s house:

And, behold, there came a great wind from the wilderness and smote the four corners of the house, and it fell upon the young men, and they are dead, and I only am escaped alone to tell thee.

Then Job arose, and rent — his mantle, and shaved — his head, and fell down upon the ground, and worshiped, (šāḥāh is used to show bowing down in worship to Yahweh)

And said, Naked came I out of my mother’s womb, and naked shall I return thither: the LORD gave, and the LORD hath taken away; 

blessed (Holy) be the name of the LORD.

Such an amazing man. Typically, wealth dilutes faith and weakens us, but as wealthy as Job was, his faith was the man. No Holy Spirit had been given, yet he exceeds us in our faith. Even God gets blamed for bringing fire down from Heaven, yet Job worshiped. He prostrated himself in all his grief and worshipped God. That is an amazing response from a man who does not have the Holy Spirit and such great reverence for God.

What is the difference between Job and us? Is it because of the things we have, family, jobs, material wealth, even our pets, we feel they belong to us. We are completely invested in these blessings rather than being invested in the Blesser of these blessings. Though we never say all this is mine when we experience loss, we get angry, feel it’s unfair or get depressed. That is not Job’s reaction. As amazing as it seems, he never felt he owned anything; he was blessed with possessions and family that he “stewarded, meaning that he loved and enjoyed them, cared for them as God’s blessings, but they belonged to God. This is a good lesson for us. 

Hence his statement, “naked I came into this world and naked will I return, blessed be the name of the Lord.” Paraphrasing Job, “He, God, gave me a good life, and I have no complaints.” Even while grieving the loss of his children, Job reverenced the Lord. This changed nothing between him and the Lord. Men or women who view life as such are almost bulletproof from tragedies, losses, and successes. Their hope and trust are in God. Though they live in this world, they are not invested in this world. They are invested in God. 

“He holdeth fast his integrity,” God says of Job. He was a tenacious man because his roots were very deep in God. By far, tragedies result from sin or careless actions on our part or others. To be invested in the Lord is our best defense against tragedies. When they come, not if, we will have the inner strength to weather them. As bad as what Job had just suffered, here comes round two.

Job 2:3-8

And the LORD said unto Satan, Hast thou considered my servant Job, that there is none like him in the earth, a perfect and an upright man, one that feareth God, and escheweth evil? And still, he holdeth fast his integrity, although thou movedst me against him, to destroy him without cause.

And Satan answered — the LORD, and said, Skin for skin, yea, all that a man hath will he give for his life.

But put forth thine hand now, and touch his bone and –his flesh, and he will — curse thee to thy face.

And the LORD said unto Satan, Behold, he is in thine hand; but save — his life.

So went Satan forth from the presence of the LORD, and smote — Job with sore boils from the sole of his foot unto his crown.

And he took him a potsherd (broken piece of pottery) to scrape himself withal, and he sat down among the ashes.

Now the question is, why is God allowing this to occur? Job pleads his case against his “friends” that he never did anything wrong to deserve this, but he never gets an answer; God is silent until later. And God, as God, does not owe anyone an answer. However, as New Testament believers, we at least have the Testimony of The Cross. There is nothing that speaks more of an Infinitely Loving God than The Cross. Job did not have the testimony of The Cross or Christ’s love. He did not know why God was “punishing” him, but he was willing to receive it. He was not privy to the dialogue between satan and God. 

Job 2:9-10

Then said his wife unto him, Dost thou still retain thine integrity? Curse God, and die. But he said unto her, Thou speakest as one of the foolish women speaketh. What? Shall we receive — good at the hand of God, and shall we not receive — evil? In all this did not Job sin with his lips.

Job’s wife suffered all the loss Job suffered and took the position that satan was betting Job would take. Job’s response, “you speak as a foolish woman,” the word foolish there is “nabal,” an arrogant bore, dense intellectually, morally and spiritually deprived.” Quite a statement! The only other time I am aware that this word is used is in context with Abigail and Nabal. Nabal refused to give David’s men supplies, even though David and his men protected Nabal’s men and flocks while they were in the wilderness. Fortunately, a servant told Abigail, and Abigail, knowing what was about to happen, met David midway, preventing David from revenging himself. She told him as the man’s name is, so is the man. Do not ruin your reputation as God’s warrior on account of him. 

Job’s wife’s being tested reveals that she did not have the relationship with the Lord that Job had. And that is often true in marriage; one spouse will be the stronger one. The weaker spouse finds their assurance in the strength of their spouse, though God calls each of us individually. Does not the scripture teach us that each of us will have to give an account of our life? We are taught that each of us has to be ready.

Matthew 24:37-42

But as the days of Noah were, so shall also the coming of the Son of man be. For as in the days that were before the flood they were eating and drinking, marrying and giving in marriage, until the day that Noah entered into the ark, And knew not until the flood came, and took them all away; so shall also the coming of the Son of man be. Then shall two be in the field; the one shall be taken, and the other left. Two women shall be grinding at the mill; the one shall be taken, and the other left. Watch therefore: for ye know not what hour your Lord doth come.

Plus, we have the story of the ten virgins, Matt. 25:1-13. Five virgins were ready when the bridegroom came (Jesus), and five were not. Readied virgins had their candles bright and shining because they brought extra oil in case the bridegroom tarried, which he did, and they went into the banqueting hall when He came. Then Jesus says the door was shut (the tense indicates it was not to be opened). When the other five returned from buying extra oil for their lamps, they were not let in. When they knocked, note that it was not a servant that went to the door but the bridegroom, and he said, “I tell you, I know you not.” There is a purposeful change in custom that Jesus makes. One of the servants would always answer the door, not the Lord, as when Peter was released from prison by the angel and Rhonda, “the damsel,” answered the door ( Acts 16). The bridegroom would celebrate with his wife and guests, but Christ says…

Matthew 25:11-12

— Afterward came also the other virgins, saying, Lord, Lord, open to us.

But he answered and said, Verily I say unto you, I know you not.

So Jesus is warning that we must watch and wait for Christ’s return. Nothing should be more important than this. Not family, work, church, or even ministry. Christ and Christ alone must be the number one concern and the pleasure of our hearts.

Next, if we were tested like Job, would we be more like Job or his wife? I believe as the story progressed, she repented. I say this because once this trial was over, they had more children, and children were a sign of blessing from The Lord. 

Now let’s talk about God’s right to do such a thing. Does God have the right to use us as if it were a “bet” or like a pawn in a chess game? Paraphrasing satan and the Lord, “I bet you he will cave and curse You if you allow me to do this and God said he won’t, so go ahead.” And Job, his family, servants, and animals are in the middle. There are real-world consequences to this bet, lives at stake, and people died, yet God allowed it; why? God never answers Job why he was suffering, nor is God accountable to us. 

God has every right; the creature does not say back to the Creator what doeth thou, no more than a servant tells his master how to run the home or an employee the boss on how to run his business, and this incredibly was Job’s attitude. 

Towards the end of the book of Job, God and Job have direct conversations with each other, and he sees the foolishness of his ways. And for us, we have The Cross. No evil has or will come into our life that will ever exceed what Christ suffered for us, and if the pain and or circumstances of our lives are given over and walked through with the Lord (as opposed to walking away from the Lord), He will help us and use it for our good. 

For me, the Cross and what Christ underwent for us say everything. I can trust Him fully with my life and the lives of my loved ones. If you are struggling with difficulties, I strongly suggest you read each disciple’s account of the events leading up to, through, and after the Crucifixion. Now Job and God talk.

Job 38:1-6

God Speaks

Then the LORD answered — Job out of the whirlwind, and said,

Who is this that darkeneth counsel by words without knowledge (Jobs’s knowledge is finite, compared to God’s, which is infinite)? 

Gird up now thy loins like a man; for I will demand of thee, and answer thou me. Where wast thou when I laid the foundations of the earth? Declare, if thou hast understanding. Who hath laid the measures thereof, if thou knowest? Or who hath stretched the line upon it?

Whereupon are the foundations thereof fastened? Or who laid the cornerstone thereof (God is talking about Creation).

Job 40:12-14 (God is still speaking to Job)

Look on every one that is proud, and bring him low, and tread down the wicked in their place.

Hide them in the dust together, and bind their faces in secret.

Then will I also confess unto thee that thine own right hand can save thee?

And from chapters 38-41, God speaks of the wonders of Creation and the things He thought when creating; it is fascinating. 

Now before we read Job’s answer, what answer would you give? 

Job 40:3-5

Then Job answered — the LORD and said,

Behold, I am vile ( of little worth); what shall I answer thee? I will lay mine hand upon my mouth. Once have I spoken; but I will not answer: yea, twice; but I will proceed no further.

Job 42:1-6

Then Job answered — the LORD and said,

I know that thou canst do everything and that no thought can be withheld from thee. Who is he that hideth counsel without knowledge? Therefore have I uttered that I understood not; things too wonderful for me, which I knew not. I have heard of thee by the hearing of the ear: but now mine eye seeth thee. Wherefore I abhor myself and repent in dust and ashes (and this is what God was waiting for, that such a righteous man as Job would see his pride and repent). Trial over, satan lost…

Job 42:7

And it was so that after the LORD had spoken — these words unto Job, the LORD said to Eliphaz the Temanite, My wrath is kindled against thee, and against thy two friends: for ye have not spoken of me the thing that is right, as my servant Job hath.

A lapidary is a specialist with gems. He or she knows just how much pressure to exert to cut the stone and bring out its beauty. Too much pressure and the stone is crushed and ruined. Not enough pressure, and the stone, instead of being the rare gem it could be, remains ordinary. God is just like that with us. God praised Job before he underwent the trials and proved there was no wrong in his life, as his friends insisted. But greater beauty would be found in him after the trials. Job would see himself and God in a new, eternal way, which would affect him for the rest of his life, for the children to come, and, most importantly, his relationship with God.

So what was the role of satan? Does he have a role? He is used to separating the goats from the sheep and the wheat from the tares. He provides the choice, and Eternity is a long, long time. The damned must choose to be damned. Pardon the language, but I do not want to powder-coat something that is a matter of Eternal Life or Eternal Death. I would rather scare the hell out of you now than you abide there later.

Nothing is ever done to us that does not have the purpose and intent to better us, causing us to see Him more clearly, and causing us to tread lightly in this world. Job was so upright that it took a severe trial to get him to see he had more to learn. 

So when we are in a severe trial, is there a verse or verses that can comfort us? Yes, I believe so. Aside from my personal favorite, Proverbs 3 (shared last Vida), there are James 4 and Psalms 139.

James 4:7-10

Submit yourselves, therefore, to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you. Draw nigh to God, and he will draw nigh to you. Cleanse your hands, ye sinners; and purify your hearts, ye double-minded.

Be afflicted, and mourn, and weep: let your laughter be turned to mourning and your joy to heaviness. Humble yourselves in the sight of the Lord, and he shall lift you up.

Psalms 139:23-24 ( a wonderful prayer)

Search me, O God, and know my heart: try me, and know my thoughts:

And see if there be any wicked way in me, and lead me in the way everlasting (this verse makes such a great prayer).

Without trial, we do not know our hearts or our thoughts. Only trials show the true caliber of the man or woman that we are. 

Job 42:10

And the LORD turned — the captivity of Job, when he prayed for his friends: also the LORD gave Job — twice as much as he had before.

Job 42:16

After this lived Job a hundred and forty years and saw — his sons, and his sons’ sons, even four generations.

Father God, 

Thank you so much for this in-depth study. All things in your Word are for instruction and the bettering of the man or woman of God. Help us to stay in the fire till the dross is burned from us. And as we stand accepting the trial, You will stand in the midst with us and see that the fire does us no harm, only to better us. 

Thank you, and Amen

Arthur 

If you’ve come this far, please take a look at our book of devotionals on Amazon: https://read.amazon.com/kp/embed?asin=B092FRD6NQ&preview=newtab&linkCode=kpe&ref_=cm_sw_r_kb_dp_7XV6JAWRSN7HM9KNW3ZE

Arthur Navarrette

1 Thessalonians 5:16-20

Rejoice evermore. Pray without ceasing. In everything, give thanks: for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus concerning you. Quench, not the Spirit. Despise not prophesyings.

Welcome to Vida; I am starting to write next month’s Vida; it is 8/4. The current one was just sent. With each one sent, it always seems to be my favorite as I appreciate the Lord’s insights. And with each Vida, I feel the urgency to write in such a way that, as a fellow runner in the race of Faith, I am urging us to run hard, to give it our best. I know Paul felt like that as well. To run as light and fast as possible, no encumbrances, doubts, fears, worries, worldly involvements, etc., are weights that slow us down. We just can’t afford anything outside the Life of Faith. Just strong running with joy, because He who has called us is faithful. When I ran cross-country, our varsity team was virtually undefeated. Our coach, unlike many coaches, ran with us, which I believe was the secret to our success. Jesus, via the Holy Spirit, runs with us as well. Paul’s view of the Christian life is so parallel to a runner.

Hebrews 12:1

Wherefore seeing we also are compassed about with so great a cloud of witnesses, let us lay aside every weight, and the sin which doth so easily beset us, and let us run with patience the race set before us.

1 Corinthians 9:24-27

Know ye not that they which run in a race run all, but (only) one receiveth the prize? So run, that ye may obtain. And every man that striveth for mastery (first place) is temperate (controlled in diet, sleep, & outside activities, etc.) in all things. Now they do it to obtain a corruptible crown, but we an incorruptible. I therefore so run, not as uncertainly; so fight I, not as one that beateth the air: But I keep under my body( to give oneself a black eye), and bring it into subjection: lest that by any means, when I have preached to others, I should be a castaway (become disqualified).

Paul was serious about his race of faith. If at anytime his eyes wandered (the body part most apt to sin), he would give himself a black eye (this is not literal, but by using this word, he underscores the seriousness of walking in purity.) The better we know the Lord, the easier it is and the easier it is to surrender to Him our concerns and worries. Intimate friends we trust, strangers we don’t. The more intimate we are with the Lord, the easier it is and the more determined we are to run in the Life of Faith.

Psalms 55:22

Cast thy burden upon the LORD, and he shall sustain thee: he shall never suffer the righteous to be moved.

1 Peter 5:6-7

Humble yourselves therefore under the mighty hand of God, that he may exalt you in due time: Casting all your care upon him; for he careth for you.

Also, successful runners set goals. You cannot run a five-minute mile the first time you run; you must work up to it. I see goals for us in our opening verse. Though these goals are pretty lofty, more for experienced believers, they nonetheless make good targets for the rest of us.

1 Thessalonians 5:16-20

Rejoice evermore. Pray without ceasing. In everything, give thanks: for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus concerning you. Quench not the Spirit. Despise not prophesyings.

Rejoice evermore; what a goal. Why would I rejoice when I’m having a lousy day, or I just got fired, or I just found out that my dad is terminally ill? How can I rejoice? So this command must be conditional, or is it? I was called into my boss’s office, and without warning or notice, I was terminated, fired, and there was no severance pay. He told me he would fight me if I tried to collect unemployment. Our girls were 8 and 6; today, they are 38 and 40. As I left the office that day, I was in shock, but my gut reaction was to turn to the Lord. It pays to read the Bible and grow your faith because when hard times come, the Spirit can begin to minister to you immediately and bring scriptures to mind that will help you. He spoke to me these verses, specifically the underlined part.

1 Samuel 25:28-29

I pray thee, forgive the trespass of thine handmaid(this is Abigail speaking to David, she’s taking the blame for her husband Nabal): for the LORD will certainly make my lord a sure house; because my lord fighteth the battles of the LORD, and evil hath not been found in thee all thy days.

Yet a man is risen to pursue thee, and to seek thy soul: but the soul of my lord shall be bound in the bundle of life with the LORD thy God; and — the souls of thine enemies, they shall he sling out, as out of the middle — of a sling.

So these verses became my hope, and the picture I saw was myself in the hand of the Lord. We were traveling through space, and there was danger, but I was more in awe of being in His hand. I understood the vision. He was showing me that He had me. I knew as David that I was in His bundle of life. He was with me. I was nervous, but I did not fear. Had I not known the scriptures, what would have the Holy Spirit used to communicate that He was with me? So I did not rejoice in getting fired, but I rejoiced in that I had “peace that surpassed understanding.” I was so grateful that God knew my circumstances. I was able to tell Lisa that we would be okay and shared with her the vision God gave me. Also, shortly after that, Executive Care Landscape Maintenance was started as I determined self-employment was the direction God was calling me to. Having already moved twice prior for work, I didn’t feel that we were to move again. Several years later, “Maintenance “was dropped from Executive Care, and we became Executive Care Landscape. Little did I know that I was gifted to be a good landscaper.

As I matured in my faith, my trials and the stresses of my work began to make me long for Heaven. They began to anchor me in heaven and made me realize that this earth life is not my home. Home is where my Father and Savior live, and hence with each problem, the moving out process from earth to heaven began. 

I am very conscious of my witness to others and aware of God’s value on people. My values were changing as more of me became more conscious of my Father’s presence and values. Loved ones, family, friends, and people generally took on more importance. I wanted everyone I knew to know Christ. The more of me that lived conscious of there, the better testimony I was for Christ here, and the everyday issues became less stressful. Today keeping my word is a big deal, and it frustrates me when I can’t. Keeping up with the demands of business is a continual prayer of mine.

At times, though it is rare, problems can blindside me. I’ll carry worry with me subconsciously until, hours later, I realize that this worry or stress is affecting my relationship with the Lord. I’m allowing myself to be taken for a ride, and I know better. I bring the Boss in, and things get into perspective quickly. No problem is greater than God Himself, and He knows how it will be resolved. My job is to trust Him and do my part (forgiving, praying for the person, or asking the Holy Spirit to show me a Bible verse that can strengthen me).

Proverbs 3:5-13

Trust in the LORD with all thine heart, and lean not unto thine own understanding.

In all thy ways acknowledge him, and he shall direct thy paths.

Be not wise in thine own eyes: fear — the LORD, and depart from evil (trusting in yourself or things)

It shall be health to thy navel and marrow to thy bones.

Honor — the LORD with thy substance, and with the firstfruits of all thine increase:

So shall thy barns be filled with plenty, and thy presses shall burst out with new wine.

My son, despise not the chastening of the LORD; neither be weary of his correction:

For — whom the LORD loveth he correcteth; even as a father — the son (or daughter) in whom he delighteth (Amen!)

Happy is the man (or woman) that findeth (this) wisdom, and the man (or woman) that getteth understanding.

I view these specific verses as instructions for spiritual, emotional, and physical well-being, and I have been blessed because of them. Too many of our infirmities result from not heeding God’s Word. We allow stress, anxiety, and worry to wreak havoc on our immune system. We are not created to encapsulate fear, worry, stress, etc. It hurts us. If we would but follow these instructions, including giving, we would live under God’s Blessing. Each month I tithe, I see a direct correlation between tithing and God’s blessings. Be it new business coming in or just the feeling that I am pleasing my Father. Obey these instructions, follow them but let me give you a word of caution. 

If this is the first time you will take tithing seriously, and be a regular giver, don’t be surprised if all hell breaks out because it will. The last thing the enemy wants is for your life and those that you affect to live under the blessing of the Lord, An Open Heaven. I have practiced tithing for most of my life and am committed to it. I give because He has given so much. The more I understand the Cross and what Christ suffered, the more I want to be part of God’s solution, and tithing is part of that. Also, I give because nothing makes me happier than when I feel my Father is pleased with me.

I also use these verses as a diagnostic tool when feeling out of sorts. I review them line by line until I find where the enemy is trying to create a “beachhead” of resistance in me, and then I stand on God’s Word, and away he goes. It’s pretty cool how powerful God’s Word is. I believe that we are not nearly as adapted at using the Word as an offensive weapon. We are always on the defensive. If we were stronger in the Word, we would stop defending ourselves from satan’s attacks of fear, worry, lust, anxiety, and “me stuff” and start attacking and taking territory (people’s lives and situations) from satan. We can start by praying for our schools, neighbors, and places of work, but until we see his deceptions, traps, and distractions in us, we can’t rescue others. We must start becoming a resistance, a divine force against the sinful tide in our culture.

Next, “Pray without ceasing.” How does that happen? There is a story back in the 1700s of a meeting of great pastors and theologians discussing this. They discussed how God could expect us to pray without ceasing when we have so much to do. Who will teach on Sunday if during the week I do not prepare the message one asked, and another said, who will visit the sick and pray with them if I stay shut up in my study praying? So they all agreed that this command of God was a bit overwhelming given their other duties. The maid who was attending to their needs could not help but hear the struggle that the men were having. She asked if she might comment, which surprised them all. However, the head pastor was gracious enough and acknowledged her request. She shared, saying it is rather quite easy to pray without ceasing, and I find it a bit surprising that you men, all leaders of great churches, are struggling with this verse. When I serve the guest of my master, as I am doing you, gentlemen, I ask the Lord to help me to serve just as if I’m serving Him. When I mop the floor or do the dishes, I ask the Lord to clean and purify my heart, and when I wash my master clothes, I ask to be forgiven and to be clothed in robes of righteousness, garments that never fade. So, gentlemen, I find occasion to pray in all I do. I find it rather impossible not to pray throughout my day, for I need Him.

The gentlemen marveled at the simplicity of her answer and how blind they were not to see it. Impressed with their importance, they missed the truth behind Christ’s words. Prayer is not a function of duty but of the intimacy of a relationship with Christ, a continual communication, breaking of bread one with the other. It is an acknowledged dependence upon the Lord throughout the day. Acknowledging our need for Him in all that we do is the mark of a son or daughter who understands his or her need. Without Him, I can’t do LIFE. I (we) could not fulfill our greatest task, to be His arms and legs, if the relationship was not first. Also, they were reminded of the maids’ humble position and the importance of Christ’s words, “to enter the Kingdom of heaven, you must become like little children.” They were too preoccupied with their importance and the praise of men that they failed to see the maturity of this maid’s faith. It was her humility that was the key to her relationship with Christ. They ended their meeting by saying,” from the,e mouth of children and babes He has perfected wisdom,” Lord help us to become so.

Matthew 18:3-5

And said, Verily I say unto you, Except ye be converted, and become as little children, ye shall not enter into the kingdom of heaven. Whosoever, therefore, shall humble himself as this little child, the same is greatest in the kingdom of heaven. And whoso shall receive one such little child in my name receiveth me.

Next, “In everything give thanks:” This is not so hard if we are rejoicing evermore and praying without ceasing; giving thanks in all things is the next logical step. However, it is not logical if we are not doing the above two.

The story of God asking Abraham to sacrifice Isaac was probably his hardest test, next to believing for his birth for Abraham. How could he give thanks for such a murderous command and from God no less?

Genesis 22:2-5

And he said, Take now — thy son, — thine only son — Isaac, whom thou lovest, and get thee into the land of Moriah; and offer him there for a burnt offering upon one of the mountains which I will tell thee of.

And Abraham rose up early in the morning, and saddled — his ass, and took — two of his young men with him, and — Isaac, his son, and cleaved the wood for the burnt offering, and rose up, and went unto the place of which God had told him. Then on the third day, Abraham lifted up — his eyes and saw — the place afar off.

And Abraham said unto his young men, Abide ye here with the ass; and the lad and I will go yonder and worship, and come again to you.

There is no greater sacrifice of Thanks than when it costs me that which I love most. 

Logically none of this makes sense until, behind the curtain, God reveals His reason for the testing. Imagine how Abraham and Issac must have rejoiced and praised the Lord as they offered up the ram God provided as the sacrifice instead. Does this test seem cruel to you, is not the sacrifice of The Lamb of God on the Cross by His own Father not crueler? Does this not foreshadow that? Yet The Father and Son did it because of their love for us. So understanding that, can we not now give thanks in all things? Romans teaches us that “All things work together for good for those that love the Lord and are called according to His purpose( 8:28).” That’s a promise, and God cannot lie. We often believe God is too small to keep such a big promise. Why do I say that? Because in a tough situation, we moan or complain, but we do not recall to mind that God is working good through our trial, nor do we give Him thanks for it. Because we don’t see or understand it, it must mean it can’t be true, right? Jesus reprimanded the disciples because they were so slow to believe. Are we like them? Must we understand everything before we trust?

A trial is a trial until we can give thanks. Afterward, the trial becomes our blessing. Just like the wind propels the eagle to higher levels, our trials in giving thanks have caused our faith to take the higher road. To mature and believe in our Almighty, Able God. It gets us off our butts. That which is comfortable, not challenging, and easy to understand does not produce growth or faith, but faith is developed to stand up and take the high road. Prayer, rejoicing, and giving thanks, though at times it is painful, are what mark the child of God. It is the righteous stance we must take. 

We must take ground back, the ground taken because we have allowed the enemy to make us too consumed and concerned with our affairs and not that of Christ. Our ease, goals, needs, and wants blind us to the truth that our Father cares for the sparrow, which was not ransomed by the Cross; therefore, how important are we? There is no higher goal, no goal more pleasing to the Father than to be conformed into our Lord’s image, to believe that even in this difficulty or pain, He can work well. To truly see is to see that nothing in this life is beyond Him or matters if it does not include Him. He is the breath of LIFE, making all we undertake meaningful and worthwhile. Do you agree? Do you see this now?

I hope so. We will continue studying the rest of these verses next month.

Father God,

Draw us into a deeper walk with You. Cause us to truly register the sacrifice of our Savior and its impact on our well-being. It’s everything! The Cross is the ugliest event in the world’s history, yet at the same time, it is the most beautiful, for it undeniably shows us Your love for us. Let us see our life from Your perspective and be willing to surrender all to gain all of You. To sacrifice now to gain the treasure that awaits us, Your Presence, is to be the smartest man or woman ever. Let us be smart!

Love You Father and Lord,

Arthur with my brothers and sisters of like heart 

Please watch the video introduction to our message here:

After His Crucifixion, Christ hung on the Cross for three hours. An angel’s rolling away of the tombstone anchored the disciples into the reality that Jesus truly conquered death and was alive!! He WAS the Messiah spoken of by the prophets, and He and Yahweh were One. Christ’s final words IMPACTED them with such die-hard faith that despite the hardship they would face, they would not rescind or deny their Lord. We need the same! Is it possible?

Matthew 28:16-20
But the eleven disciples went into Galilee to the mountain which Jesus had appointed them. And when they saw him, they did homage to him: but some doubted (Thomas). And Jesus coming up, spoke to them, saying, All power (dunamis, potential, power) has been given me in heaven and upon earth. Go [therefore] and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit; teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I have enjoined you. And behold, *I* am with you all the days, until the completion of the age.

Mark adds more of Christ’s Words. 

Mark 16:15-18
And he said unto them, Go ye into all the world, and preach the gospel to every creature.
He that believeth and is baptized shall be saved, but he that believeth not shall be damned.
And these signs shall follow them that believe; In my name shall they cast out devils; they shall speak with new tongues; They shall take up serpents; and if they drink any deadly thing, it shall not hurt them; they shall lay hands on the sick, and they shall recover (this is our potential, in unity with Christ we have the power to perform all that He has called us to. Do we believe this?).

I not only believe it is possible (for it is Christ in us, it is not of ourselves) but it must be demonstrated in our day. Pray for open doors where Christ can be honored. It takes courage to live contrary to society’s standards. But there are many examples of such, Meshach, Shadrach, and Abed-nego being one of many. They were devout believers in the Pentateuch (the first five books of the Old Testament).

Daniel 3:10-12
Thou, O king, hast made a decree that every man that shall hear the sound of the cornet, flute, harp, sackbut, psaltery, and dulcimer, and all kinds of music shall fall down and worship the golden image:
And whoso falleth not down and worshippeth, that he should be cast into the midst of a burning fiery furnace.
There are certain Jews whom thou hast set — over the affairs of the province of Babylon, Shadrach, Meshach, and Abed-nego; these men, O king, have not regarded thee: they serve not thy gods, nor worship the golden image which thou hast set up.

Let’s reinterpret what we just read according to our society’s values, and let’s define an idol knowing that the Holiness of God has not changed, nor will it ever. Just because society has become more accepting or tolerant of an action, a thought, or a belief (an idol) doesn’t mean God has. His view on sin from the beginning of man’s existence to his end will not change. Therefore His Holy Scriptures are as relevant and binding now as when written. Idols are to be cast down and refused; non-living identities which we give life via our allegiance to them (e.g., money) or an action, habit, or a person (something or someone we can’t live without) or even our work can become an idol. Even our family can take on an importance that blinds us to our need for Christ. Whatever we derive our self-esteem from, our sense of worth and importance, if it is not the Lord, it has become our idol. How do things become idols; by failing to develop a real relationship with Christ. We need to recognize His right and call on our life.  

We would rather trust in an idol than believe that God will fulfill us. Actions motivated by self to fulfill self are sins. What most of us strive for is to feel good about who we are, that we are good and caring people. However, this is a pitfall; for now, we have become the judge of what is good and bad. It’s like in school, grading on a curve made it easier for each student to get a better grade rather than holding to the acceptable understanding of a grade (90% and above an A, 80% and above a B, etc.), so then this mindset of good works and deeds miss the mark of God’s calling to repentance and Holiness because we have become the judge of our actions. 

Regardless of how much society approves of our actions, we still fall short of God’s righteousness, which is God’s only standard. So all lifestyles outside of faith in Christ are an offense to a Holy God and need to be repented of. Do you know why? For they stand in the way, as an affair stands in the way of true love. God does not want to be second best. He wants first place in our life. He didn’t just say He loved us. He proved it. When He gave His life for us on the Cross, He was “playing for keeps.” 

Galatians 5:19
Now the works of the flesh are manifest, which are these; adultery, fornication, uncleanness, and lasciviousness. 

Romans 1:22-25
Professing themselves to be wise, they became fools,
And changed the glory of the incorruptible God into an image made like to corruptible man, and to birds, and fourfooted beasts, and creeping things. Wherefore God also gave them up to uncleanness through the lusts of their own hearts, to dishonor their own bodies between themselves (the gay lifestyle):

Who changed the truth of God into a lie and worshiped and served the creature (the definition of an idol) more than the Creator, who is blessed forever. Amen (the rest of Romans 1 list out specific sins).

Because of society’s tolerance of these actions, people have become confused about many things, their purpose, calling in life, their role between sexes, and what it means to be a Christian. This is especially true with young people. We believers should not bow down to worldly values beyond Shadrach, Abend-ego, and Meshach to Nebuchadnezzar’s statue. The Lord is clear, just as He is on a host of other “so-called acceptable sins” in our culture. (Gal. 5:16 to end). Amassing things and or possessions can be idols. Self-worship via selfies has exploded with the advent of smartphones. Self-worship is on par with any other sin; it’s not harmless fun. The Bible puts anything that rebels or refuses to submit to the Lord’s authority in our life on par with witchcraft. This is strong language, I know, but from God’s perspective, it has the same end.

1 Samuel 15:22-23
And Samuel said, Hath the LORD as great delight in burnt offerings and sacrifices, as in obeying the voice of the LORD? Behold, to obey is better than sacrifice, and to hearken than the fat of rams( Saul went to war but saved the best livestock though he was commanded to destroy all. He rebelled against God’s command).

For rebellion is the sin of witchcraft, and stubbornness is iniquity and idolatry. Because thou hast rejected — the word of the LORD, he hath also rejected thee from being king ( so even stubbornness can be an idol). 

I know that’s a shocking statement, but anything that we put above God and His revealed will, becoming a bigger god than God Himself, is rebellion or witchcraft that wars against God. Even stubbornness God considers idolatry. We see this with King Nebuchadnezzar. However, the Hebrew men had an incredible fear of God and were unmoved by the king’s anger or command. 

We become courageous when our fear or Holy Reverence of God exceeds the threat. We need this. We need to become unshakable. Remember, this was Old Testament, pre-Holy Spirit, pre-accepting Christ, so if they could confront their culture and an all-powerful king based on just having the first five books of the Old Testament, can we have the complete Bible and the Holy Spirit? We are to resist boldly but kindly because we understand that our culture does not see or know our God, and save for the Grace of God, we would be no different.

Daniel 3:14-15
Nebuchadnezzar spoke and said unto them, Is it true, O Shadrach, Meshach, and Abed-nego do not ye serve my gods, nor worship the golden image which I have set up?
Now if ye be ready that at what time ye hear the sound of the cornet, flute, harp, sackbut, psaltery, and dulcimer, and all kinds of music, ye fall down and worship the image which I have made; well: but if ye worship not, ye shall be cast the same hour into the midst of a burning fiery furnace; and who is that God that shall deliver you out of my hands?

Therefore the culture of the time was to worship idols, but principally the king’s statue took dominance over all of them. It was Nebuchadnezzar’s way to solidify his multi-cultural kingdom. Therefore anyone who would not bow was a direct threat to him. Therefore the penalty for such disobedience was death. 

Daniel 3:16-18
Shadrach, Meshach, and Abed-nego answered and said to the king, O Nebuchadnezzar, we are not careful to answer thee in this matter.
If it be so, our God whom we serve is able to deliver us from the burning fiery furnace, and he will deliver us out of thine hand, O king.
But if not, be it known unto thee, O king, that we will not serve thy gods, nor worship the golden image which thou hast set up.

Their words were a confrontation between the king and his command, and the king knew it. He had not only been disobeyed but told directly that they would not obey him. They were willing to suffer the consequences, fully knowing that God could but might not deliver them but knowing that God would deliver them from Nebuchadnezzar. 

Daniel 3:19-20
Then was Nebuchadnezzar full of fury, and the form of his visage was changed against Shadrach, Meshach, and Abed-nego: therefore he spoke, and commanded that they should heat the furnace one seven times more than it was wont to be heated (full of fury – he became insane with anger)
And he commanded the most mighty men in his army to bind Shadrach, Meshach, and Abed-nego and cast them into the burning fiery furnace.

At this point, the King felt that he was proving his might, that those who disobeyed him would suffer the most severe punishment, the loss of their lives. So he thought….

Daniel 3:21-25
Then these men were bound in their coats, their hosen, and their hats, and their other garments, and were cast into the midst of the burning fiery furnace.
Therefore because the king’s commandment was urgent, and the furnace exceeding hot, the flame of the fire slew — those men that took up Shadrach, Meshach, and Abed-nego.
And these three men, Shadrach, Meshach, and Abed-nego, fell down bound into the midst of the burning fiery furnace.
Then Nebuchadnezzar the king was astonished,(amazed, not believable except if witnessed) and rose up in haste( to hurry with fear), and spoke, and said unto his counselors, Did not we cast three men bound into the midst of the fire? They answered and said unto the king, True, O king.
He answered and said, Lo, I see four men loose, walking in the midst of the fire, and they have no hurt; and the form of the fourth is like the Son of God.

The king had met his match. Not only was he not the most powerful ruler, but there was another King much more powerful than him that could easily defeat him. He now had great reason to fear, for he “messed” with the servants of this mightier King. From seeming defeat, Meshach and his friends went triumphant and victorious. They saw God. Talk about testimony and a story to share with their children and grandchildren. A victory so beyond any victory Nebuchadnezzar had ever experienced. He had only one correct response to escape possible judgment. 

Daniel 3:26-29
Then Nebuchadnezzar came near to the mouth of the burning fiery furnace, and spoke, and said, Shadrach, Meshach, and Abed-nego, ye servants of the most high God, come forth, and come hither. Then Shadrach, Meshach, and Abed-nego came forth of the midst of the fire.
And the princes, governors, and captains, and the king’s counselors, being gathered together, saw these men, upon whose bodies the fire had no power, nor was a hair of their head singed, neither were their coats changed, nor the smell of fire had passed on them.

Then Nebuchadnezzar spoke and said, Blessed be the God of Shadrach, Meshach, and Abed-nego, who hath sent his angel, and delivered his servants that trusted in him, and have changed the king’s word, and yielded their bodies, that they might not serve nor worship any god, except their own God( are we willing to do this?)
Therefore I make a decree, That every people, nation, and language, which speak anything amiss against the God of Shadrach, Meshach, and Abed-nego, shall be cut in pieces, and their houses shall be made a dunghill: because there is no other God that can deliver after this sort (what a statement from a pagan king).

**Until we are willing to live sacrificially for the Lord, great things from the Lord will most likely not be seen. 
We must become the sacrifice that ignites a change, be it in our home, our marriage, at work, or with our friends. In union with Christ, we become the light that illuminates the night. It doesn’t mean they will necessarily change or commit their lives to Christ, but they will know that God is “alive and well in and through us.”**

Before Shadrach, Meshach, and Abed-nego had yielded their bodies; they had already yielded their lives to God. The yielding of their bodies to the fire was only an outward manifestation of what had already occurred inside. They were already sold out to the Lord. Where do you and I stand, do we know?

What do you think happened afterward? The Nebuchadnezzar Kingdom was huge. Do you think Judaism spread? I think so. Judaism spread because three young men were unwilling to compromise their faith. They changed a kingdom. I have often wondered how almost everywhere they went during the apostle’s ministry, there was a temple and practicing Jews. Only one place did Paul go where there was no Temple; instead, he met a group of women along the lakeside for the Sabbath. Even the Ethiopian eunuch was reading a scroll from the book of Isaiah when Andrew came up to him. How did those scriptures get into his hands if there was not the spread of Judaism earlier? God used Nebuchadnezzar’s Kingdom to spread His Gospel. I believe a revival broke out with the king leading the charge. It’s an amazing story, but there are countless such stories in the scriptures. Do we know them, and are we willing to take the truth they teach us and make it our own?

Do we have such a conviction, or do we go along just to get along? Jesus confronted the religious leaders so much that they wanted to kill him. They were comfortable with their religious piety. They were not interested in the Truth. Their own scriptures and prophets pointed them to Christ, but they were unwilling to humble themselves. Could this be true of us? Do we have all our ducks in the row? Our life is predictable and comfortable, but is it at the expense of our passion and commitment to Jesus? Is our time in the scriptures hit and miss? Do we think after all we go to church, what more could God want from us? Jesus told Peter that unless I wash your feet ….

John 13:6-8
Then cometh he to Simon Peter: and Peter saith unto him, Lord, dost thou wash my feet? (only the lowest servant in the household washed the feet of the master’s guest).
Jesus answered and said unto him, What I do thou knowest not now; but thou shalt know hereafter.
Peter saith unto him, Thou shalt never wash my feet. Jesus answered him, If I wash thee not, thou hast no part with me. 

Is there a part of us that Jesus wants to wash, but we do not let Him? Jewish culture put a lot of emphasis on ritualistic cleansing but ignored the cleansing of the heart. If you recall, the Pharisees asked Jesus why his disciples ate the grains of wheat with unwashed hands. Jesus’ replied, “why do you break the commandments of God and allow a son to dishonor his parents, hypocrites.” With Peter, Jesus was dealing with Peter’s pride. Jesus breaks cultural norms to teach all His disciples the evil of pride and the necessity of humility. Jesus’ Kingdom runs in direct contrast to man’s. Sometimes pride disguises itself in false humility, and for Peter to allow Jesus to wash his feet, he had to swallow his pride. Jesus explains a little later…

John 13:14-15
If I then, your Lord and Master, have washed your feet; ye also ought to wash one another’s feet.
For I have given you an example, that ye should do as I have done to you.

This action of washing the disciple’s feet was a foreshadowing of the Cross, which represents the ultimate cleansing and humiliation of Christ. This is strong medicine for us. Are we in need of forgiveness, a cure for sin? There is no greater medicine than The Cross and our faith. This and this alone brings salvation and forgiveness, a new life. My confidence is in the Cross and God’s promise in John 3:16…

John 3:15-17
That whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have eternal life.
For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life. For God sent not his Son into the world to condemn the world; but that the world through him might be saved (there is no clearer definition or teaching of the necessity of the born again experience than these scriptures, will we not heed them? And if we are saved, then the necessity of sharing the truth with others is upon us).

There is a saying that I like. We are to witness at all times and sometimes use words. Nothing is more embarrassing to The Lord and us than to say something of Christ, and our lives do not support our words. We are living in days now that, as a believer, there is no option to be lukewarm or compromise with the world. That is such a miserable guilt-ridden existence, I did that as a teenager, and on my best days, I felt divided. The time to stand is now. I know some of us, by nature, are timid. Timothy was timid and young, and Paul had to admonish him to stir up his gifts, to get out there and be an example, even to older believers. Pray, read verses on courage (Josh 1:1-9), but beyond that, just grow in Christ, and courage will come. 

Now to make sure no sins are robbing us of our joy and union with Christ, let’s review a brief list of don’ts that have made it into the church as becoming “less sinful,” but there is no such thing in Christ. These actions quench the Spirit in us.

1 Thessalonians 5:16-20
Rejoice evermore. Pray without ceasing. In everything, give thanks: for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus concerning you. Quench not the Spirit. Despise not prophesyings.

As believers, there is no divorce unless adultery has been found. Still, even then, God would prefer forgiveness and reconciliation provided that there is genuine repentance followed by accountability, man with man, woman with woman.

Matthew 5:31-32
Divorce (Matt. 19:9; Mark 10:11,12; Luke 16:18; Rom. 7:1-3; 1 Cor. 7:10-15)
It hath been said, Whosoever shall put away his wife, let him give her a writing of divorcement:
But I say unto you, That whosoever shall put away his wife, saving for the cause of fornication, causeth her to commit adultery: and whosoever shall marry her that is divorced committeth adultery.

That there is no verbal, physical, or emotional abuse of any kind, that the love of Christ rules in our houses and hearts. No porn, or womanizing, and the same with women, “no manizing,” or debauchery (drunkenness), or “going out with the boys” (or girls) unless it is for ministry. No withholding of affection or care to get what you want is wrong.

1 Corinthians 7:3-5
Let the husband render unto the wife due benevolence: and likewise also the wife unto the husband.
The wife hath not power of her own body, but the husband: and likewise also the husband hath not power of his own body, but the wife. Defraud ye not one the other, except it, be with consent for a time, that ye may give yourselves to fasting and prayer; and come together — again, that Satan tempts you not for your incontinency.

Ephesians 5:25-26
Husbands, love your wives, even as Christ also loved the church and gave himself for it;
That he might sanctify and cleanse it with the washing of water by the word.

Hebrews 10:23-24
Let us hold fast the profession of our faith without wavering; (for he is faithful that promised;)
And let us consider one another to provoke unto love and to good works:

The scriptures call us to repentance, a call to be real, and a time of much compassion for those of us that struggle to find our way, being trapped by various sins. The desire to be right with Christ is there, but the how-to is not seen. A wonderful man of God for help with this is Derek Prince (many sermons under his name). He is now with the Lord, but his teaching touches greatly on restoring believers trapped in and by various sins, helping them find their way back to Christ. Also, pastoral counseling would be advised, again, men with men and women with women.

Galatians 6:1-2
Brethren, if a man is overtaken in a fault, ye which are spiritual, restore such a one in the spirit of meekness; considering thyself, lest thou also be tempted. Bear ye one another burdens, and so fulfill the law of Christ.

We act on our beliefs, so getting the right beliefs in us is critical. If we believe as David that Goliath must go down, then the Goliaths in our lives will go down. However, if we believe, like the spies that walked through the promised land, that there are “giants in the land and we are like grasshoppers in our own eyes,” then we will lose. What fuels our beliefs? Surely, there will be times when we will feel overwhelmed. That we are beginning to be toppled, and maybe from a worldly point of view, we are. It could be our business is failing or failed, or we were let go from our job as I was before forming Executive Care in 1989, or we are struggling in our marriage or with one of our kids, etc.; there are multiple things. HOWEVER, from God’s point of view, just like taking the Promise Land, some battles must be fought to be won, but because He has promised victory, we fight expecting Victory, knowing that we will win. We are being trained to be more than conquerors.

Romans 8:37-39
Nay, in all these things, we are more than conquerors through him that loved us.
For I am persuaded that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor powers, nor things present, nor things to come,
Nor height, nor depth, nor any other creature, shall be able to separate us from the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus our Lord.

Without these hardships, we will never be made righteous, nor know the strength of the Lord or the truth of scripture and its power, nor His love. It will only be on our lips, but not in our lives. These battles are necessary; they brand us as His as a hot iron brands cattle to a specific ranch. We must be “marked as His,” which happens as we go through trials and conquer them, developing a Joshua attitude….

Joshua 24:15
And if it seem evil unto you to serve — the LORD, choose you this day — whom ye will serve; whether — the gods which your fathers served that were on the other side of the flood, or — the gods of the Amorites, in whose land — ye dwell: but as for me and my house, we will serve — the LORD.

1 John 4:4
Ye are of God, little children, and have overcome them: because greater is he that is in you, than he that is in the world ( this truth at times may not feel real because it is not ascertained by feeling but by faith, just like the Red Sea did not part until the priest stepped into it with the Ark, which represented faith. Faith comes from believing the Word of God. The power is in consuming it, in digesting it and having it become a part of us which occurs through memorization and meditation then we will live it out). 

Do you believe this? Show me one challenge in the Bible that God’s intent was not for victory. Take Gideon’s victory, 300 men to a whole army of Midianites, Amalekites, and others. They won as long as God’s people believed and fought, trusting God.

“Now the Midianites, the Amalekites, and all the [l]people of the east were lying in the valley as numerous as locusts; and their camels were without number, as numerous as the sand on the seashore ( Judges 7:14).”

***We are being trained that the absolute ridiculous becomes possible with God and faith. Do you believe this? The same God that gave Israel its victories is the same God that gave His life for you and me and is the same God who wants to lead us into the promised land of faith and by it slay our worries, fears, lusts, insecurities, the giants in our heart that without Him seek to master us.

There are many stories of God taking something insignificant and using it for His Glory. The story of the widow and Elijah having only a little oil and a meal, but they had food for a couple of years because she obeyed. Or the time Jesus told the disciples to go catch a fish, take the money out of its mouth, and pay the taxes. What did the disciples think? Let’s take Jesus out of the sun or Elisha hitting the water with his robe and making an ax head float. Crazy, crazy stuff, but it all happened. So, where do we draw the line on what God can and can’t do? 

**Father and Lord Jesus,
You paid a high price to redeem us; let our lives honor You and the sacrifice You made for us. Let your power flow through us to meet whatever the need may be, from preaching and teaching to words of knowledge and encouragement, to healings and prophecy. All power has been given to You, and You have commanded us to go forth to make sons and daughters, but first, we must become your son and daughter.

This devotional may sound super radical, but so were Mesach, Abendego, and Shadrach’s actions. 

In Your name.

Your sons and daughters by Grace, Amen

If you’ve come this far, please consider my book on Amazon:
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Arthur Navarrette

Please watch the video introduction to my message here:

Also, please consider my book of collected messages about your relationship with Jesus here:https://read.amazon.com/kp/card?preview=inline&linkCode=kpe&ref_=k4w_oembed_qamQ8Xm0U7dsaW&asin=B092FRD6NQ&tag=kpembed-20

We must learn to approach Him with thanksgiving. A heart that can be thankful because it trusts is a life that is confident in the Father, even though circumstances may be challenging. To live knowing that there is light on the other side of darkness is a life that can’t help but honor God, a true bondservant. Such a heart cannot be defeated. 

Psalms 95:1-8

O come, let us sing unto the LORD: let us make a joyful noise to the rock of our salvation.

Let us come before his presence with thanksgiving, and make a joyful noise unto him with psalms.

For the LORD is a great God, and a great King above all gods.

— In his hand are the deep places of the earth: the strength of the hills is his also.

— The sea is his, and he made it: and his hands formed the dry land.

O come, let us worship and bow down: let us kneel before the LORD our maker.

For he is our God; and we are the people of his pasture, and the sheep of his hand. Today if ye will hear his voice,

Harden not your heart, as in the provocation, and as in the day of temptation in the wilderness:

Vida4U is interspersed with scriptures that deepen and support the point being made. The statements made are also intended to underscore God’s Word, which is the foundation of our confidence. Prayer and finding promises in scripture that aid us in our trials build our confidence and mature us. Problems become the “search engines” to discovering our diamonds, promises that are taken in the rough, scriptures that will refine us, providing hope and answers becoming our diamonds. Hence God fulfills His promise by working all things out for our good, for in so searching, answers are found, and strength is gained. Also, as soon as we let go of our need to understand and stop questioning God, God can be God. He’s not on trial; we are. How easily are we offended when things go in a direction that “we believe” is wrong? Can we not endure, can we not trust, are we not willing to “suffer” for Him( I almost hate using the word “suffer” for our circumstances compared to Paul’s circumstances).

Romans 8:17-18

And if children, heirs also: heirs of God, and Christ’s joint heirs; if indeed we suffer with [him], that we may also be glorified with him. For I reckon that the sufferings of this present time are not worthy [to be compared] with the coming glory to be revealed to us (Amen).

Roman’s 8:28

But we *do* know that all things work together for good to those who love God, to those who are called according to ( His) purpose.

Ephesians 3:16-19

in order that he may give you according to the riches of His glory, to be strengthened with power by His Spirit in the inner man; that Christ may dwell( richly), through faith, in your inner man( I am using the Darby translation, it goes into a bit more detail than New King James but is also lacking with some verses, hence the parenthesis. 

The challenge we face as believers are getting God in us. Save not for the Cross and faith; we would not have a chance. God mandates His Holy Spirit upon confession into our soul, but once there (Born Again), we must cooperate with Him and grow His Holy Spirit through obedience and time spent with Him in His Word, etc.

Without difficulty or need, we will not press into God. Being in need is a good thing, uncomfortable for sure, but it keeps you and me on the edge of our seats, like soldiers in battle. We take nothing for granted and daily seek to be with Him. If we do not use the circumstances of need and insecurity to press into God, we will be conquered by the same. Worry, fear, insecurity, depression, and possibly a sense of desperation are all feelings standing by to control us when we don’t press into God. All trials are to humble us, show us our needs, see how God is the answer to our need(s), and how peace and joy can be ours even in difficult circumstances. That’s the Christian walk in a nutshell.

So if that is the Christian walk, why do we fail, get stuck, or have difficulty maintaining a consistent walk with Christ? There are probably several answers to that question, but I want to deal with just one. Could it be we focus too much on ourselves? Our happiness, our needs, our plans, our goals. Do we not believe that the Lord has the best intentions for us. Do we think we can make a better life for ourselves than He? That would be a fool’s thought or a man or woman who has not contemplated the Cross deeply. 

Jonathan Edwards once preached a sermon, “Sinners in the hands of an angry God.” Nothing but damnation and hell fire was the righteous judgment of a Holy, Holy God that cannot tolerate sin and has every right to judge the sinner, yet He stays His hand; why? His love for us forbids Him to do so. Yet action is demanded, sin must be judged, so He placed our judgment on His Only Son, the Sacrificial Lamb, who bore the full wrath of His Father’s Holiness against the wickedness of our rebellious sin. He who knew no sin became an absolute offense to His Father who, for all of the Eternity prior, dwelt in perfect unity with Him. Yet, for our sake, He would be separated from His Father so that we could escape His righteous judgment by believing and accepting His atonement. 

Through our tears and broken heartedness, repentance would purchase for us what was gifted at the Cross, Eternal Life, and union with the Triune God. The Comforter, the Holy Spirit, would be our daily aid enabling us to defeat the carnal man. Even when we lose the fight, His forgiveness and love help us to get back on our feet; his help is indispensable. This is the best news you will ever hear; for yesterday’s worries, today’s problems, and tomorrow’s fears, nothing is of greater comfort, hope, and strength. Amen 

Meditate on what you just read if you grew up not feeling loved. Read all the gospel accounts of Jesus’ last days and understand that what He did, He did for you and me, then receive His love for you. Take any thought captive that makes you think that God is anything less than loving, patient and kind (deeply in love with you is another way to say it).

Jeremiah 31:3

The LORD hath appeared of old unto me, saying, Yea, I have loved thee with an everlasting love: therefore with lovingkindness have I drawn thee (God’s drawstrings are trials that humble us and turn us to Him Luke 20:18

“Whosoever shall fall upon that stone (Jesus) shall be broken (humbled and saved); but on whomsoever, it shall fall on it will grind him to powder.” (judgment). 

Often if we had a hard childhood, we subconsciously think He is like our parents or the family member that hurt us or, worse, abused us (there are many forms of abuse, not just sexual. Feeling disconnected, unloved or unworthy can also be a form of emotional neglect/abuse). You might even blame God for that though He is nothing like that. Bad stuff happens in this world all the time. He is so interested and wants to be connected to us that He seeks to live within us. The world belongs to man, God gave it to him to tend to and care for, but man rejected God just like we do today, making idols out of cars, homes, jobs, money, fame, each other, etc. The world, therefore, has become a place that God never intended it to be. 

God, however, can take each heart that comes to Him, start reversing the effect of sin and give others through us a glimpse of how He intended life to be. He once showed me a picture of my heart. It was like a puzzle put together wrong. The pieces didn’t fit, and I could see that many pieces were forced into place; hence the picture of me was completely misshaped. I saw His hands as He pulled each piece apart, which hurt, some pieces more than others. 

He held each piece seeking to correct the wrong, which depending upon the piece, meant forgiving people, or surrendering my right to how I thought I should have been treated, or two big ones for me were admitting that I was trying to earn His love by my actions as opposed to just receiving it and forgiving myself for my brother’s death. 

These both were Huge hurdles for me. Once we dealt with the attitude that each piece represented, He then infused His love into each piece and, with much love and care, put it on His table. He did that repeatedly until He was done, and the picture looked like a new me. I saw all this; He wanted me to trust Him because there was still much work yet to be done. I know I won’t (we won’t) be completed until I (we) see Him, but at least I understand the reason for the struggles. With each surrender, my inner strength increases, my joy and confidence increase, and the inner pain lessen. It’s been a lifelong journey where what I had experienced as a child could have easily taken me down the wrong path. I’m sure many of you can relate to experiences as such that, save for the Grace of God, could have destroyed us. However, giving these painful events over to Him, they become the foundation He builds His life in us as promised in Romans 8:28. 

“And we know that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called according to his purpose.”

Therefore a hard childhood and its pain surrendered to Him need not destroy us or cripple us. He can bring forth forgiveness, healing, and love. As we experience life’s hurts, the wrong thing to do is to blame Him. The right thing to do is to go to Him, to surrender it over to Him so the healing can begin. Be in the Word and allow the Holy Spirit to teach us about our Father. A correct view of God is of a God who is loving, caring, forgiving, and wanting us. This is the correct view of God which is so important. Our motive to read His Word is to know Him intimately. Instead of reading it out of obligation (as I did) or ignoring it completely, we now read because we want to know Him. We can’t wait to spend time with it. It becomes our daily joy, our daily bread, and a time of being recharged and refocused. So with this change in our perspective of God, our old man and old woman (our carnal nature) are fatally wounded.

So with this profound change in us, it’s not about us and our needs; it’s about Him. A bondsman or bond woman’s identity is founded on the Master’s well-being, not its own. Paul and Silas were beaten and thrown in jail for preaching Christ. In the middle of the night, they sang songs, rejoicing that they were counted worthy to suffer a little of what Christ suffered for us. Where has this attitude of being a true bondman gone? 

Acts 16:17-18

She, having followed Paul and us, cried, saying, These men are bondmen of the Highest God, who announce to you [the] way of salvation. And this she did many days. And Paul, being distressed, turned, and said to the spirit, I enjoin thee in the name of Jesus Christ to come out of her. And it came out at the same hour (interesting, this evil spirit was telling the truth). 

Acts 16:19-21

And her masters, seeing that the hope of their gains was gone, having seized Paul and Silas, dragged [them] into the market before the magistrates; and having brought them up to the praetors, said, These men utterly trouble our city, being Jews, and announce customs which it is not lawful for us to receive nor practice, being Romans.

Acts 16:23-26

And having laid many stripes upon them, they cast [them] into prison, charging the jailor to keep them safely; who, having received such a charge, cast them into the inner prison and secured their feet to the stocks. And at midnight, Paul and Silas, in praying, were praising God by singing (praising Him for they were counted worthy to suffer for Him), and the prisoners listened to them (what a testimony). And suddenly, there was a great earthquake (God answering the praises of His sons) so that the foundations of the prison shook, and all the doors were immediately opened, and the bonds of all loosed.

Paul and Silas’ response to their punishment was praise through song because of their relationship to Christ. Humbled by what Christ did for them, they were more than willing to suffer for Him. Can we also find it in us to suffer for Him? 

In establishing a new landscape during spring and fall, I purposely hold back a little water to make the plants search for water. It causes them to develop deeper roots which makes them stronger plants. It’s the same with us; going through tough times introduces me to me and to what degree I am willing to serve my Lord. There is no knowing Him or me without hardship. Trials are the bondman and bondwoman school of deepening faith.

In weight lifting, there is an adage that says, “no pain, no gain,” and this is true in our walks with Christ. When do we intently seek Him when we are in pain. When do we read the scriptures with more earnestness and hunger when we are in pain. Pain is like a coach. If dealt with correctly, it should point us to Christ, not away from Him. If we are willing to be trained by it, the pain will prosper us and bring us closer to Christ. Otherwise, self-pity and pride are more than willing to step in and be our coach with disastrous effects. No gain will come from it. Things will get worse. Remember, satan plans to steal, kill and destroy and self-pity and pride follow his plan. Do we want any part of that? 

John 10:10-11

The thief comes not but that he may steal, and kill, and destroy: I am come that they might have life, and might have [it] abundantly. I am the good shepherd. The good shepherd lays down his life for the sheep(and having sacrificed so much will He not also care for His flock?). 

So knowing that the “abundant life” is not found in possessions, money, the size of our bank account, stocks, or the job we have, though these things are aspects of our earthly life, they do not grant us Eternal Life, love or joy. Nor do they grant us inner peace or change us into more gracious and wise people. We must remind ourselves that we truly have it all in having Him. We do not need to seek that thing or a specific situation outside what He provides. He shows us His heart, and we know that it is to prosper us and give us a specific end….” 

Jeremiah 29:11-13

For I know the thoughts that I think toward you, saith Jehovah, thoughts of peace, and not of evil, to give you in your latter end a hope. And ye shall call upon me, and ye shall go and pray unto me, and I will hearken unto you; and ye shall seek me and find me, for ye shall search for me with all your heart,

The Good Shepherd of our life will always seek our best. We can have this confidence; that is why being His bondman or bondwoman is the most secure place to be. When we are lukewarm, not fully committed to Him, then the mess-ups we create, He has to fix or go through it with us. He uses our mess-ups to teach us, but learning that way is unnecessary. That’s the hard way to learn; obedience is always better. It’s like the Jews in the wilderness; they didn’t need to travel to the Promise Land for forty years. The Promised Land was reachable in 3 weeks, but disobedience and lack of faith cost them big time! One of our daughters, growing up, always had to do things the hard way. I always asked her, “why do you have to reinvent the wheel, just learn from your mother and I. Take advantage of what we learned,” she just couldn’t, so we suffered with her as God suffers with us. Ultimately, He works it out for our good and His Glory as only He can do, and our daughter has grown into a very responsible woman. 

Therefore, if we seek to be His bondman or bondwoman, we can rejoice, for that is the safest and quickest road to faith and glory. If we cannot be at peace in this relationship, it is a clear message to us that we still have much carnality that needs repentance and purging.

Ephesians 3:20 – 4:2

But to him that is able to do far exceedingly above all which we ask or think, according to the power which works in us, to him be glory in the assembly in Christ Jesus unto all generations of the age of ages. Amen). *I*, the prisoner in [the] Lord, exhort you therefore to walk worthy of the calling wherewith ye have been called, with all lowliness and meekness, with long-suffering, bearing with one another in love;

Without the humbling of our carnal nature, which happens through various trials of pain, pressures and failures, we will never come to know the sweetness and calming assurance found in Christ. Until we are pressed to know Him, we will not know Him. 

Father God, 

Thank You for these great stories and Your promises. Let they mold us as we put our faith in them. Develop an army of faithful believers who, through everyday situations, we present You to those around us. Let our actions and words glorify the Only One Worthy of Glory and Praise. Amen

Your sons and daughters, 

Enjoy – Arthur Navarrette

Please watch the video introduction to my message here:

Undefeated grace is a catching title, but it is so much more than a title; it is a way to live. It is how we relate to Christ. Paul in Philippians uses a highly unpopular word in our culture but unlocks the secret to Undefeated Grace. 

Philippians 1:1-2

Paul and Timotheus, bondmen of Jesus Christ, to all the saints in Christ Jesus who are in Philippi, with [the] overseers and ministers; grace to you, and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.

Paul uses the word bondmen to describe his and Timothy’s relationship to Christ. It could be the reason why Paul said of Timothy that he had no one else like him. What is a bondmen? We find our answer in the following verses (the Bible always answers itself); it’s a “complete book.”

Exodus 21:2-6

If thou buy a Hebrew bondman, six years shall he serve; and in the seventh he shall go out free for nothing. If he came in alone, he shall go out alone: if he had a wife, then his wife shall go out with him. If his master have given him a wife, and she have borne him sons or daughters, the wife and her children shall be his master’s, and he shall go out alone. But if the bondman shall say distinctly, I love my master, my wife, and my children, I will not go free; then his master shall bring him before the judges, and shall bring him to the door, or to the door-post; and his master shall bore his ear through with an awl; and he shall be his bondman for ever. 

Do you see the parallels here? As the master and servant are, so are we to be with Christ. The bondman relationship was based on love, “I do not want to go free, I love my master,” When you love someone, you do not feel that you are a servant. In being a Christian, we have trials that others do not have. We have a conscience towards not sinning, so we battle with our carnal nature. Therefore life can be more challenging for us because we seek to go against the culture. However, by spending time in prayer and reading/memorizing His Word, His presence grows in us, making us stronger. It’s like lifting weights; the straining is what builds the strength to lift even heavier weights. We seek to glorify Him through our trials.  

Imagine the bondman harvesting his master’s crops in the hot sun. I’m sure it was tough, with no machinery to help, only a sickle and a strong back. At the end of the day, coming home would be most welcomed; yet because of his love for his master and the master’s goodness toward him, it was worth it. Do you know the goodness of the Lord for you? If not, maybe you need to reevaluate the relationship you have with Him? A right relationship with Him lightens our load and makes the journey and its hardships less burdensome, especially when we remember what He bore for us. 

The understanding of being Christ’s bondman is so essential. To think that we can do what we want under the guise of being a Christ-follower is wrong. Nothing but disappointment, as well as a poor testimony for Christ, will we have.  

Paul uses this saying in Phil.3:8&9, “for the surpassing worth of knowing Christ Jesus our Lord.” Through his suffering Paul was brought into a deeper dependency and hence intimacy with Christ, and it made it all worth it. Can we say the same? 

How do you or I see ourselves? In this culture, slavery or being a servant is looked down upon, yet all of us are servants to something. Does that offend you? Think about the last time you had to have something, or maybe you are in that position right now? How happy were you when you got it, and are you as happy now? Did it fulfill you? Usually, the “honeymoon” with our things lasts for a time and then wanes. Understanding our strong desire or drive to have or attain something or to strive for a position at work can be a form of worship.  

You may disagree with me, but when what we seek consumes our thoughts, we are in danger of putting it before the Lord. If we are seeking a relationship and we seek to have that person’s complete attention above our relationship to Christ, or we say to ourselves, “when I get that next promotion or buy that car, etc., then I will be happy, or then people will think I am successful that is affection gone array. When we link our happiness to attaining temporal goals, they have taken the place of the Lord. Therefore by default, they have become our idols. It has become the thing that possesses us, and we strive to achieve it or them as opposed to setting our affections and desire on Christ alone. The apostle John has some sound advice for us.

1 John 2:15-17

Love not the world, nor the things in the world. If any one love the world, the love of the Father is not in him; because all that [is] in the world, the lust of the flesh, and the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life, is not of the Father, but is of the world. And the world is passing, and its lust, but he that does the will of God abides for eternity. 

Now contrast that with this verse

Jeremiah 31:3

The LORD hath appeared of old unto me, saying, Yea, I have loved thee with an everlasting love: therefore with lovingkindness have I drawn thee (all trials and difficulties are not caused by Him but can be used by Him to humble us and cause us to seek Him and in so doing we learn of His love for us).

As believers, we have the great privilege and honor to serve Christ, especially recalling how He served us (our last Vida). In the last Vida, we got the opportunity to really look into the Cross, Christ’s emotions, and His willingness to be our sacrifice though it cost Him everything. His greatest treasure and strength, the very core of His being, was His union with the Father. The Cross cost Him that separation, never before experienced, and its effect is universal in its implications.  

There is no word to describe it other than complete devastation. Yet, He finished His work; the redemption of man. Where did He get the strength to finish His race? Beaten beyond recognition and absent of His Father’s presence, it was only His love for us that gave Him the where with all to finish.

Isaiah 52:13-15

Behold, my servant shall deal prudently; he shall be exalted and be lifted up, and be very high (because of His obedience). As many were astonished at thee--his visage was so marred more than any man, and his form more than the children of men –-so shall he astonish many nations; kings shall shut their mouths at him: for what had not been told them shall they see, and what they had not heard shall they consider.

He was truly alone with the guilt and weight of our sins. An inconceivable burden, we will never know; there exist no adequate words to describe it. Therefore taking all this into account, it only seems fitting that we repent completely of our ways and willingly become His bondmen and bondwomen. Anything less is a great misstep on our part, which He and we will suffer. He suffers because His sacrifice was to buy all of us, not part of us, and we suffer because we are still in deception, and deception only lessens the joy, peace, and love we can experience. 

The bondman demonstrated such love and loyalty because he dedicated his life to serving another, not seeking ambition or promotion for self, and being “content and full” in his position of servitude. This is so lacking in our Christian culture, yet such are we to be to Christ. “My ambition,” that which I own, that which is dependent upon me, my will and choice, is fulfilled in knowing and serving Christ. Unfortunately, it takes many of us a lifetime to get to this maturity, if we get there at all ( thank God for His patience and love). Yet, there is no better or more secure position to be in because there exists not a more loving Master. In all the Universe, He exceeds them all. As mentioned, we all serve something which might shock some of us: ego, lust, ambition, wealth, anything that we think will fulfill us. Why not serve Him?

Romans 12:1-3

Exhortation to Practical Living

I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that ye present your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable unto Him which is your reasonable service ( why is it our reasonable service? In light of His great sacrifice it is more than reasonable) and be not conformed ( or patterned) to this world: but be ye transformed (to an entirely new way of thinking and acting, how?) by the renewing of your mind, ( to make new, a complete renovation ) that ye may prove (test, discern) what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect, will of God.

For I say, through the grace given unto me, to every man that is among you, not to think of himself more highly than he ought to think; but to think soberly (humbly) according as God hath dealt to every man the measure of faith. Hence the perfect position of heart and mind is that of a bond servant.

People at times say Christians have blind faith, they just believe, but that is not true. It’s a faith and a belief that requires rigorous thinking, pondering the outcomes of specific decisions, proving, working through problems and situations by allowing the Word of God to take us to task…,

Psalms 139:23-24

Search me, O God, and know my heart; prove me (or refine me) and know my thoughts; And see if there be any grievous (unholy) way in me; and lead me in the way everlasting (a great prayer).

Researching and finding promises that speak and address our situation or problem and memorizing them so they become part of our being, is how we overcome. Allowing the Holy Spirit to convict us and bring forth repentance from us with the fruit of joy and peace following is how we grow. We actively participate alongside the Holy Spirit, whose chief role is to present us as a Bride that needs not be ashamed.

Ephesians 5:25-27

Husbands, love your own wives, even as the Christ also loved the church, and gave himself up for her, in order that he might sanctify it, purifying it by the washing of water by the word, that *he* might present the church, (us) to himself glorious, having no spot, or wrinkle, or any of such things; but that she might be holy and blameless.

To that end… 

1 Thessalonians 5:19-22

quench not the Spirit (through disobedience) do not lightly esteem prophecies; but prove all things,(to discern, distinguish, test) hold fast the right; hold aloof from every form of wickedness.

. 

And here lies our weakness. We lack the “effort” or the willingness to strive against our flesh. To hold the line of purity and say I’m not doing that or I’m not thinking that. The old adage it takes “elbow grease” to do what needs to get done. My mom would always say we need a “stick to-it-tiveness.” However, let’s be clear, it is not based on our effort to accomplish our sanctification; that’s the job of The Holy Spirit. We need to agree with Him and stand fast and contend for the truth of our new nature against the opposing desires of the carnal man. The battle is within us.  

James 4:6-8

But he gives more grace. Wherefore he says, God, sets Himself against the proud, but gives grace to [the] lowly. Subject yourselves, therefore, to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you. Draw near to God, and he will draw near to you. Cleanse [your] hands, sinners, and purify [your] hearts, ye double-minded.

2 Timothy 2:15 (NKJ)

Study to show thyself approved unto God, a workman that needeth not to be ashamed, rightly dividing ( discerning) the word of truth.

2 Timothy 2:15(Darby)

Strive diligently to present thyself approved to God, a workman that has not to be ashamed, cutting in a straight line the word of truth.

1 Corinthians 9:25-27

But everyone that contends [for a prize] is temperate in all things: *they* then indeed that they may receive a corruptible crown, but *we* an incorruptible. *I* therefore thus run, as not uncertainly; so I combat, as not beating the air. But I buffet my body (which means I give myself a black eye if my eye gets out of line) and lead it captive, lest [after] having preached to others I should be myself rejected.

If we all thought of ourselves as we should, where would pride be, where would comparison or jealousy or anger be, etc.? They would be minimal, for as Christ bondmen and bondwomen, there would be no ground for anything but servitude to Him. Sex outside of marriage, lust, love of money, focus on having things, all these temptations and maladies would find and end in us. They are not being defeated because many of us ride the fence; the Bible calls it lukewarm. 

Revelation 3:15-18

I know thy works, that thou art neither cold nor hot: I would thou were cold or hot.

So then because thou art lukewarm, and neither cold nor hot, I will spew thee out of my mouth.

Because thou sayest, I am rich, and increased with goods, and have need of nothing; and knowest not that thou art wretched, and miserable, and poor, and blind, and naked:

I counsel thee to buy of me gold tried in the fire, that thou mayest be rich; and white raiment, that thou mayest be clothed, and that the shame of thy nakedness do not appear; and anoint thine eyes with eye salve, that thou mayest see.

Have you ever imagined what a bird being in a cage would feel like if it were set free? It would be an overwhelming feeling of freedom, set free from the confines of its cage, which for us is our flesh. These base emotions that govern us interfere with a righteous life. They would be on a steady decline if we could find it in ourselves to be Christ’s bond servant. We would be amazed at the joy and peace found in worshiping God alone instead of having our affections divided. Set free to worship and love God, our faith would be on a steady increase. 

Galatians 5:17-20

Love not the world, nor the things in the world. If any one love the world, the love of the Father is not in him; because all that [is] in the world, the lust of the flesh, and the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life, is not of the Father, but is of the world. And the world is passing, and its lust, but he that does the will of God abides for eternity. 

This process takes time, but to know that we are on the right track with God because of our desire to be His bondman/woman is a decisive step forward. This new attitude would free us in so many ways. Our daily times in the Word would deepen, and a growing experiential and understanding of His love for us would usher in and develop and mature in us, growing freedom as opposed to being enslaved to our ego, insecurities, and passion(s). A new nature of confidence and strength would carry us forward, especially when times are tough. 

So let’s ask the question again, how do we view ourselves? Have we ever given thought or considered being Christ bondman or woman? Are we still playing 50/50 with God, I’ll do this if you do that. My dad did that with my mom, leading to a rocky marriage that later ended in a divorce. Do not do that with The Lord.

Our confidence…

Philippians 1:5-6

because of your fellowship with the gospel, from the first day until now; having confidence of this very thing, that he who has begun in you a good work will complete it unto the day of Jesus Christ.

Philippians 2:12

So that, my beloved, even as ye have always obeyed, not as in my presence only, but now much rather in my absence, work out your salvation with fear and trembling.

Two verses that seem to say precisely the opposite, but do they? To know that we have a part to play in this life of sanctification should cause us to be vigilant over our life; to not intentionally sin as well have concern and care over the lives of others; spouses, children, brothers, sisters, etc. To hate sin because it cost Him so much and to love righteousness is the work of the Spirit in us. The “good work” Paul speaks of.  

However, we can and must participate by seeking this new nature in prayer, growing it in us by memorizing scripture and fellowshipping with others of like mind. “Undefeated Grace” represents all that He is and all He does in us and believing all that He says about us, but it also represents our partnership. It’s a walk with Him that is forever going forward, expanding and growing, and going into new territories of learning and deeper faith as we continue to learn from an Eternal God and Father. It’s deep, and it takes time and maturity to grow, but He’s in it for the long haul. Can we join Him by committing ourselves to be His bondman or bondwoman?

The only time we lose is when we lose our faith; that’s it. I recently went through a pretty difficult trial, but because I “know my Lord,” His character (The Cross says it all), I had the confidence that even in this, He can and will use it for my good and His glory. Remember satan’s greatest lie in times of crisis and personal pain is “if He is a God of love, why does He allow this?” 

Whether it be a divorce or a difficult relationship, a death, an illness, a car accident or financial crisis, etc., adversity happens to all of us. And notice, in adversity, all the questions of the enemy focus on my suffering instead of Christ’s suffering for us. I may be going through some tough things right now, but no one has carried the weight, pain, or burden that Christ had to carry for us. Therefore if He went through all that for us, I can, we can, trust Him and go through our difficulties as well; and as a child puts their hand into the hand of their father and now has taken on the strength and presence of the father, so to as we remain in the position of bondmen and bondwomen we have the strength, protection and covering of our Master who has never lost a battle. Amen

Father God, 

Everything I am is because of You changing me, showing me my pride and blind areas I truly did not see. So the man I am today is because of You and the sanctification that occurs in me as I read and study Your Word. This is all You, and the life You Have Given me comes 100% from You; there is nothing from me nor do I want any of me involved other than my will to serve You. Therefore, because of this great gift of life, You have given us and with gratitude back to You, how more can I (we) serve You, as your bondman or bondwoman?

With Much Love, 

Your sons and daughters, by grace,

Amen

If you’ve come this far, consider buying my book here.  Inside you’ll find a collection of our favorite Vida messages.  https://read.amazon.com/kp/embed?asin=B092FRD6NQ&preview=newtab&linkCode=kpe&ref_=cm_sw_r_kb_dp_M2QFKYBBA8P1CZ99F31M

Arthur Navarrette

Please watch the video introduction to my message here:

https://youtu.be/E_Ze4sRJYmo

(Christ Above All)

Non-believers relegate the person of Christ to a group of religious personalities; Mohammad, Confucius, Buddha, etc. In general, they believe these people are very religious and have taken upon themselves a “Savior or Prophet Complex.” They believe they are good men, just a little too extreme. However, because they lack the knowledge of Christ’s uniqueness, they do not see how He “out-proved and out-lived” every other savior/teacher. He healed every manner of disease, even to the raising of the dead (Lazarus and a little girl), cast out demons, walked on water, and in Gethsemane, when a troop of soldiers came to arrest Him, they fell (a troop is 50 to 100 soldiers) after He answered them in His Divine Name “I AM.” This culminated in the extremely painful Crucifixion and the events that led up to it. This was the reason for His life. It all accumulated at the Cross, The Lamb of God that takes away the sins of man….

John 1:28-29

These things took place in Bethany, across the Jordan, where John was baptizing. On the morrow, he sees Jesus coming to him and says, Behold the Lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world.

Isaiah 53:4-7

Surely *he* hath borne our griefs and carried our sorrows; and we did regard him stricken, smitten of God, and afflicted. But he was wounded for our transgressions; he was bruised (crushed) for our iniquities; the chastisement of our peace was upon him, and with his stripes, we are healed. Like sheep, we have gone astray; we have turned every one to his own way; Jehovah hath laid upon him the iniquity of us all. He was oppressed, and he was afflicted (beaten beyond the recognition of a man, they shredded His body Isa. 52.14), but he opened not his mouth; he was led as a lamb to the slaughter and was as a sheep dumb before her shearers, and he opened not his mouth (an amazing sacrifice.)

Redeeming man from his sin by being the final sacrifice sounds offensive to our modern minds. It seems so barbaric. Because we have lost the reverence (or awe) of God’s Holiness, allowing us to excuse away and trivialize the seriousness of our sin. Just because we don’t understand or agree does not make the problem of our sin before a Very Holy God go away. In His passion (suffering), He once and for all proved His love for us. No other endured such agony as He told Peter, “Shall I not drink from the cup The Father has for me?” Man’s salvation was agreed upon between God the Father and God the Son.

Then with further evidence of the Divine having lived among us comes the Glorious Resurrection (which ends all debates and cancels any rivals). If this was not enough, there are his many appearances afterward and ultimately His ascension with over 500 witnesses. 

There is no middle ground with Christ. One is forced to take a definitive stance on Christ. He is either Christ, God incarnate and deserving of our adoration. The writings and witnesses are credible, many witnesses dying for their Savior, or it’s the greatest lie ever told. People today continue to be beaten, imprisoned, and scorned for this lie, and it should be utterly rejected. However, not making a decision is equal to disbelieving the law of gravity and jumping out of a 50-story building. It is intellectually lazy and emotionally calloused and insincere to ourselves and paramount to eternal suicide.

Then 50 days later, after Christ’s ascension, we have Pentecost, with the coming of the Holy Spirit to dwell in all believers. The Spirit of Christ that ever lives in each of us, which ends all the proof we need for true believers. When all He said and all that He did is taken into account, there is not another that even comes close. From the start of His passion, He was in charge….  he allowed man to crucify Him for our salvation. Man did not take His life.

John 10:17-18

On this account, the Father loves me because I lay down my life so that I may take it (up) again. No one takes it from me, but I lay it down of myself. I have the authority to lay it down, and I have the authority to take it again. I have received this commandment of my Father.

John 18:4-8 (in the garden of Gethsemane)

Jesus, therefore, knowing all things that should come upon him, went forth and said unto them (the soldiers) Who seek ye? They answered him, Jesus of Nazareth. Jesus saith unto them, I am he. And Judas also, which betrayed him, stood with them. As soon then as he had said unto them, I am he, they went backward and fell to the ground. Then asked he them again, Who seek ye? And they said, Jesus of Nazareth.

Jesus answered, I have told you that I am he: if therefore ye seek me, let these go their way (scripture says that all that the Father has given me I lost not one, except the son of perdition. John 17:22)

Matthew 27:27-31

Then the soldiers of the governor, having taken Jesus with [them] to the praetorium, gathered against him the whole band, and having taken off his garment, put on him a scarlet cloak; and having woven a crown out of thorns, they put it on his head, and a reed in his right hand; and, bowing the knee before him, they mocked him, saying, Hail, King of the Jews! And having spit upon him, they took the reed and beat [him] on his head. And when they had mocked him, they took the cloak off him, and put his own clothes on him, and led him away to crucify (this was after He was whipped).

Matthew 27:33-35

And having come to a place called Golgotha, which means place of a skull, they gave to him to drink vinegar mingled with gall; and having tasted [it], he would not drink. And having crucified him, they parted his clothes amongst [themselves], casting lots (gall was given to reduce the pain, but He did not accept it).

And despite all this, He never cried out in pain for himself until a very specific time.

Matthew 27:45-46

Now from the sixth hour, there was darkness over the whole land until the ninth hour; but about the ninth hour, Jesus cried out with a loud voice, saying, Eli, Eli, lama sabachthani? That is, My God, my God, why hast thou forsaken me?   (A cry burdened by such grief, anguish, and brokenness (not from His physical pain but from the separation of His Father) that there exists not a single word to define it).

Luke 23:34

Then said Jesus, Father, forgive them; for they know not what they do. And they parted his raiment and cast lots (truly only The Creator could have such love for His creation).

Carrying all of humanity’s rebellion against a Holy God, He hung on that Cross, making atonement for us; never complaining about the nails in His hands or the nail in His feet, nor his raw back from the many stripes worsened by being roughed up against a coarse and splintery Cross. Nor did He complain about the thorns that pierced His head. He said nothing about His physical pain (which is amazing in itself.) It was not till the Father separated Himself from His Son, something that had never happened nor will ever happen again. The pain, the tearing of soul so vast and deep that from His innermost being came the cry of absolute pain, abandonment, and anguish. This pain of abandonment was the precursor to His death, which is why the soldiers marveled that He died so soon. They broke the legs of the other two who were still suffering, but not Jesus’. Surprised at such an early death, the Roman soldier pierced His side with his spear (fulfilling the prophecy in Isaiah 53), and out came blood and water.

The spear pierced the pericardial sack that surrounds the heart. Medically this is called a haemothorax. In haemothorax, the blood separates into the heavier red blood cells below and the lighter watery plasma above after his death. This haemothorax undoubtedly was from His “savage flagellation” (whipping/beating), but this is not what killed Him. Christ’s testimony shows us that despite the enormous loss of blood and pain on all levels, He was still alert and spoke His final words trusting fully in His Father, “Father into your hands do I commit my spirit.”

Luke 23:44-47

The Death of Jesus (Matt. 27:45,46; Mark 15:33-41; John 19:28-30)

And it was about the sixth hour, and there was a darkness over all the earth (the Father clothing His Son with darkness) until the ninth hour.

And the sun was darkened, and the veil of the temple was rent in the midst.

And when Jesus had cried with a loud voice, he said, It is finished, Father into thy hands I commend my spirit: and having said thus, he gave up the ghost (or released His Spirit).

Matthew 27:50-54

And Jesus, having again cried with a loud voice, gave up the ghost. And lo, the veil of the temple was rent in two from the top to the bottom (the hands of God), and the earth was shaken, and the rocks were rent, and the tombs were opened; and many bodies of the saints fallen asleep arose, and going out of the tombs after his arising, entered into the holy city and appeared unto many. But the centurion, and they who were with him on guard over Jesus, seeing the earthquake and the things that took place, feared greatly (to be terrified) saying, Truly this man was Son of God.

When the Father pulled away from Him, He knew His work as a propitiation, a sacrifice for man was received, and man’s atonement was complete. It was over. He could release His spirit and go home to Glory, which He had with His Father.

Who is Jesus, and why should you trust Him?

John 10:11

**I am the good shepherd. The good shepherd lays down his life for the sheep:**

(His life and death are saturated with His love for us, will you not surrender to Him, fully and completely?)

And through this, did God remain silent? No, though it is not recorded as such, it is hidden in plain view. A simple cross-reference to Exodus 19:18-19

And the whole of mount Sinai smoked because Jehovah descended on it in fire; its smoke ascended as the smoke of a furnace; the whole mountain shook greatly. And the sound of the trumpet increased and became exceeding loud; Moses spoke, and God answered him by a voice.

The earthquake is proof of God’s presence. The tearing of the veil was evidence that the Son’s sacrifice was received. Once and for all, man’s sin was dealt with, and sin no longer could separate man from his God. It truly was finished. For the first time, a man or woman could come before God without a priest, without a sacrifice, not even a dove, the very least of all the sacrifices, and would be accepted before A Most Holy God if they (we) appropriated (trusted) in Christ’s death for ourselves. 

His mission was accomplished. Through His sacrifice, He ransomed man from Hell. No longer would man be separated from God, his Creator, and Father. No longer would it be necessary to sacrifice a lamb or need a priest to intercede; Christ the final lamb and High Priest ushered in a new and permanent relationship between God and man. Now man, with the residing Holy Spirit within, would become the Holy Temple that God would dwell in (amazing). Man’s being, being Sanctified by faith in Christ Jesus, would allow the Holy Spirit to inhabit man and teach man (us) the ways of God. 

My greatest fear for you and me is that we neglect or fail to appreciate such a GREAT SACRIFICE. WE TAKE IT FOR GRANTED, YET IT IS THE ONE THING IN LIFE THAT WE SHOULD DAILY BE THANKING HIM FOR. SO GREAT WAS THE COST OF OUR SALVATION. We must exert all energies to live a holy life, knowing that we will utterly be lost without Him, but by abiding in Him, we will succeed and be saved.

Romans 5:17-19

For if by the offense of the one death reigned by the one, much rather shall those who receive the abundance of grace, and of the gift of righteousness, reign in life by the one Jesus Christ: so then as [it was] by one offense towards all men to condemnation, so by one righteousness towards all men for justification of life. For as indeed by the disobedience of the one man the many have been constituted sinners, so also by the obedience of the one, the many will be constituted righteous.

John 15:1-5

Jesus Is the True Vine

I am the true vine, and my Father is the husbandman.

Every branch in me that beareth not fruit he taketh away: and every branch that beareth fruit, he purgeth (prunes) it, that it may bring forth more fruit. Now ye are clean through the word which I have spoken unto you.

Abide in me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit of itself, except it abide in the vine; no more can ye, except ye abide in me.I am the vine, ye are the branches: He that abideth in me, and I in him, the same bringeth forth much fruit: for without me ye can — do nothing.

Now maybe we can appreciate the depth and profoundness of this verse.

John 3:16-17

For God so loved the world, that he gave his only-begotten Son, that whosoever believes on him may not perish, but have life eternal. For God has not sent his Son into the world that he may judge (condemn) the world, but that the world may be saved through him.

Therefore Peter asks this question;

2 Peter 3:10-11

But the day of the Lord will come as a thief in the night; in the which, the heavens shall pass away with a great noise, and the elements shall melt with fervent heat, the earth also and the works that are therein shall be burned up ( so building our castle here makes no sense, it is intellectually foolish and emotionally futile). Seeing then that all these things shall be dissolved, what manner of persons ought ye to be in all holy conversation and godliness,

The Cross alone proves Christ as our Savior. The miracles speak to the heart and compassion of God towards His creation. No other has done these miracles nor sacrificed so much. There is no question that He alone is our Savior and deserves our allegiance and faith. Therefore, denying His claim as our Savior is to deny a substantial weight of evidence that begs the question as to why? Is there something we are hiding or do not want to come to terms with, and is it worth it? Regardless of what we have to surrender or give up, does it matter in light of what He sacrificed? Eternity, peace with God, forgiveness, and His guidance over our lives are so valuable and precious than whatever we are seeking to hang on to here.

A wise saying, “A man or woman is no fool to give up that which he or she cannot keep, to gain what he or she cannot lose.”

Jesus says it like this;

Matthew 10:38-39

And he who does not take up his cross and follow after Me is not worthy of me. He that finds his life shall lose it, and he who has lost his life for my sake shall find it.

Also, in Luke 12:16-21

And he spoke a parable to them, saying, The land of a certain rich man brought forth abundantly. And he reasoned within himself, saying, What shall I do? For I have not [a place] where I shall lay up my fruits. And he said, This will I do: I will take away my granaries and build greater, and there I will lay up all my produce and my good things, and I will say to my soul, Soul, thou hast many good things laid by for many years; repose thyself, eat, drink, be merry. But God said to him, Fool, this night thy soul shall be required of thee; and whose shall be what thou hast prepared? Thus is he who lays up treasure for himself and is not rich toward God.

The bottom line and where our faith needs to take us.

Luke 12:27-32

Consider the lilies how they grow: they neither toil nor spin; but I say unto you, Not even Solomon in all his glory was clothed as one of these. But if God thus clothe the grass, which today is in the field and tomorrow is cast into [the] oven, how much rather you, O ye of little faith? And *ye*, seek not what ye shall eat or what ye shall drink, and be not in anxiety; for all these things do the nations of the world seek after, and your Father knows that ye have need of these things, but seek his kingdom, and [all] these things shall be added to you. Fear not, little flock, for it has been the good pleasure of your Father to give you the kingdom (especially since He gave us His Son, no greater security could one have).

Father,

The basic message of the Gospel is a profound one and one that needs repeating frequently less we become insensitive to Your Heart and ways. Help us, Father, to spend the time in study and prayer so that You can deepen our relationship with You and be a confident son or daughter and a witness to those around us.

To come to Christ, say this prayer,

Father, thank you for all you have done. I accept your love and atonement for me and ask that you would forgive me and grant unto me your Holy Spirit. Give me a strong desire to want to be close to You, and grant me the desire and wisdom to forsake all to follow You and find joy and pleasure to love the teaching of your Word, the Bible.

Thank you and Amen,

Your new son or daughter by Grace

Thank you, and Amen. 

Arthur Navarrette

Please watch the video introduction to my message here:

https://youtu.be/JmUhFUSeS2w

From new believers to seasoned believers, it is always good to ask, what do others see when they see me? Do they see Christ in me, or do they see just a shadow of Christ and more a man given to religious rules and observances? One never knows unless people give us feedback or ask, which is awkward, especially if we are not living as we should. However, we can go to God’s Word, and in combination with prayer, we can receive the assurance or the conviction we need to bring us into a deeper walk. Here’s the goal.

Philippians 2:2

Fulfill ye my joy, that ye be like-minded, having the same love, being of one accord, of one mind.

Let nothing be done through strife or vainglory, but in lowliness of mind, let each esteem others better than themselves.

Look not every man on his own things, but every man also on the things of others.

Let this mind be in you, which was also in Christ Jesus:

Philippians is an excellent book written through Paul by the Holy Spirit. He lays down basic principles or characteristics that should be evident in every true believer and ever-increasing in our lives. The first principle is like-mindedness. As believers, we should all have this, but it is something that is hard to find. From Churches to marriages, we all have conflict and even divide over a lack of like-mindedness. If our marriage is struggling, we say we are no longer compatible instead of acknowledging the actual problem, a lack of like-mindedness, or we’ve become too different. Yet, it is a lack of like-mindedness before it is anything else. It is essential to be of a like mind that it is the first attribute listed. What is like-mindedness, that we constantly agree with each other? How does Paul define it? He uses several adjectives. “

“Having the same love; being in one accord (joined together in soul); of one mind, in lowliness (humility) of mind let each esteem the other better (over, above) than themselves, and look not every man on his own things, but every man also on the things of others. Let this mind be in you, which was also in Christ Jesus:”

He could have said something other than like-mindedness; however, without it, everything else fails. Like-mindedness is the first and foremost attribute, it is the most excellent example of Christ in us, and it is the other side of the coin to Agape love, and it is impossible. Here’s a word picture. Imagine a team of oxen being yoked together. By being yoked, they can pull more than either one can singly, pulling in unison because of the yoke. Being yoked together is the secret to their strength and their achievements. We are to be that in Christ. Our yoke is His love over us, and for us, and in loving us, we can love each other, which enables us to pull together, helping one another and working towards the common goal of exalting Christ. Without this spiritual dynamic, there will be strife, division, self-seeking, and many problems that occur because the flesh, not the Spirit, is the one that is really in charge. We see this in our churches, in our families/marriages, and at our places of work—any place where human interaction exists. Therefore “having the same love” comes when our individual lives are in submission to Christ, growing in Christ; it cannot be accomplished any other way.

Romans 8:6-9

To be carnally minded is death, but to be spiritually minded is life and peace.

Because the carnal mind is enmity (at war) against God: for it is not subject to the law of God, neither indeed can be. So then they that are in the flesh cannot please God.

But ye are not in the flesh, but in the Spirit, if so be that the Spirit of God dwells in you (the key). Now, if any man have not the Spirit of Christ, he is none of his( absolutely not His). Being religious is not the same as God dwelling in you. 

Being religious, going to church every Sunday (but no real connection to God throughout the week) is the work of a man trying to prove his worth before a Holy God. Which, unfortunately, is a futile attempt. We could never, through works, ever equal the worth that He has already placed upon us through the giving of His Son. Now let that truth settle in you for just a moment. What could you or I ever do to equal or come close to what has already been given to us? And then ask yourself why are repentance and the asking of forgiveness (which is the only action man can take to bridge the gap between his sin and a Holy, Holy God) so hard to do when the reward for this is to be indwelt by the Holy Spirit which grants us our salvation and relationship to Him. How is this not the best thing that has ever happened to us? 

Like other movements in the past, e.g., the era of the hippies where they shared everything, they were protesting against the materialistic culture of the day. However, it was human effort, and like all movements done in the flesh, it eventually finds its end. If Christianity were not real, empowered by the Holy Spirit in the life of a believer, it too would have died. When Paul says “having the same love,” he states the answer to man’s problem, but it is impossible for us. Agape is the word he uses for love, and there are two other words for love, Storage and Phileo, he could have used, but these are “lesser loves.” These define the love of family, husband/wife, father, mother to their children, etc., but as we have seen, these have limits. Hence the noblest, the loftiest, the most sacrificial love that one can have, is the love that sent Christ to the Cross for us. This love is undying and impossible to have as human beings. It is way beyond any human effort to attain, too, for it is God’s love for us. Can I love like God, no way, can you love like God, no way. It does not lie in the realm of human experience to possess such love. It must be imparted/gifted to us via the indwelling of the Holy Spirit. 

The closest we have is a “one action love.” We sacrifice ourselves for our spouse, our child, a dear friend, and in place of them getting hit by an oncoming car; because we push them out of the way, we get hit. That is possible and has been done in many scenarios; mothers for their daughters, fathers for their sons and soldiers for their buddies, and friends for friends. However, Agape love is not a one-act type of love. This word speaks of a day in and day out dying to self for the better of the other. This is our M.O.(mode of operation) on good days and bad days. Who can do that? Indeed not I, UNLESS there dwells in me the Holy Spirit of God who enables me to live as such, and unless He indwells in you, it is impossible for you. So Paul, from his first statement, puts out a condition that when fully understood, we have already failed, and not by a little, but utterly have failed. 

So what should be our response? Well, I see three, we give up, don’t even try, or two, do the best we can, and after we put in all that effort, hope that God sees that we really tried hard and maybe make an exception, or in the book of Joel, there is another response.

Joel 2:12-13

Therefore also now, saith the LORD, turn ye even to me with all your heart, and with fasting, and with weeping, and with mourning ( over our sinful state): 

And rend your heart, and not your garments, and turn unto the LORD your God: for he is gracious and merciful, slow to anger, and of great kindness, and repenteth him of the evil. “ 

Now let’s think on that a bit. As one reads in the Old Testament, God’s judgment was an acknowledged outcome for rebelling against the Lord’s ways. So it should not come as a surprise to anyone that judgment is coming to our nations. Only God knows the time; however, it could come now or years from now. All we know is the changes in our society and technology, and the “rumor” of things to come mirrors Revelations more and more. I spoke on that in the last Vida. The Lord does not seek judgment but our repentance. However, our society and how it praises unrighteousness and mocks righteousness cannot continue; it must be judged. Therefore as believers, we are to be wise and know the season we are in and repent now while there is still time. The book of Joel is a short 3 chapter book, but it speaks of God’s judgment against the nation of Israel through the use of locust, which is strange to us. However, locust was as bad as a land devastated by war. The economies of those days were agricultural; their existence relied upon the success of their crops. Locust, so many “that they would darken the sky ( as mentioned in Joel 2) would devastate the crops and food for their livestock. It was a death sentence for man and beast, but it didn’t have to be. Through repentance, the outcome could change.

In Psalms 51, David writes 

Psalms 51:15-17

O Lord, open thou my lips; and my mouth shall show forth thy praise.

For thou desirest not sacrifice; else would I give it: thou delightest not in burnt offering.

The sacrifices of God are a broken spirit: a broken and a contrite heart, O God, thou wilt not despise.

HIn the place of the word “sacrifice,” use the words deeds or good works. Sacrifices became their “works” as a means to balance the scales. The Lord says that He desires a broken and contrite heart and not sacrifice. Therefore the first step right out of the gate is acknowledging we cannot accomplish “like-mindedness.” We do not possess the ability to have a contrite or broken heart, nor do we possess even remotely the ability to Agape God. Therefore if we are incapable of these, we are also incapable of “being in one accord, of one mind.” Without Agape, “the yoke” that holds us, we will not succeed. We will be more like a corporation with its CEO, managers, and workers than a “body knit together in love.” 

Acts 4:32-33

And the multitude of them that believed were of one heart and of one soul: neither said any of them that ought of the things which he possessed was his own, but they had all things in common.

And with great power gave the apostles witness of the resurrection of the Lord Jesus: and great grace was upon them all.

It is for the sake of Agape, to love and honor each other, to bring honor to Christ that gives testimony to changed lives. And through changed lives, souls are won to Christ. That was the testimony of the earlier church. Therefore we need to lay a proper foundation for the importance of a contrite heart over works. This is the beginning point of a righteous life, which is righteous because it is gifted through Christ, who makes us righteous. It can’t be earned, something I wish I would have understood in my early years. It would have significantly helped. I would have been a better husband, father, employer, and most importantly, an adopted son to my Father in Heaven.

Isaiah 64:6-8

But we are all as an unclean thing, and all our righteousnesses are as filthy rags, and we all do fade as a leaf; and our iniquities, like the wind, have taken us away.

And there is none that calleth upon thy name, that stirreth up himself to take hold of thee: for thou hast hid thy face from us, and hast consumed us, because of our iniquities.

But now, O LORD, thou art our father; we are the clay, and thou our potter; and we all are the work of thy hand.

Some of what we are talking about can be taught, but most of it has to be lived out. However, at least by hearing it, we have an easier understanding of the goal and why we struggle so. Grace, which is what all this is about, is so countercultural to our society and way of life. In this life, nothing is for free. You have to work for it, you have to earn it, and without understanding Grace, that is our mindset when we come to Christ. Thinking I can do this, we start to live out the Christian life the same way we do everything else; the same rules, just a new “Boss.” It’s not till trial, defeat, and pain that we learn that our new “Boss” also has new “rules.” It’s called Grace, and we learn that it’s a gift, and because of that gift, He’s the best boss ever and that nothing is the same as our previous life. We learn His Grace, and through Grace, we learn forgiveness, kindness, patience, long-suffering and Agape love. 

Do we now know why Grace has to be a gift? We can’t live in Agape apart from it. Have you ever seen an animal struggle to get out of quicksand, the more they struggle, the more they sink until they are no more? Our sinful nature cannot be defeated; we cannot conquer it. It’s innate within us. The more we struggle against it, the more cynical we become, and we are sinking. It’s not readily noticed because we are all sinking together. It takes a “Born from Above” experience to open our eyes and then years of learning from Him to understand our plight and His love for us. It’s an unending journey, very hard, but it is also very satisfying; beautiful because it ends in HIS PRESENCE, FOREVER TO BE.

Philippians 2:3-5

Let nothing be done through strife or vainglory, but in lowliness of mind, let each esteem others better than themselves.

Look not every man on his own things, but every man also on the things of others.

— Let this mind be in you, which was also in Christ Jesus:

Darby’s translation 

Philippians 2:2-5

Fulfill my joy, that ye may think the same thing, having the same love, joined in the soul, thinking one thing; [let] nothing [be] in the spirit of strife or vainglory, but, in lowliness of mind, each esteeming the other as more excellent than themselves; regarding not each his own [qualities], but each those of others also. For let this mind be in you which [was] also in Christ Jesus; And in the Father God, 

Help us put our full weight into Your offered Grace and run our course with it. The bar is high, unattainable in our strength, but just like the pole for the pole vaulter lifts him to heights he could never achieve without it, so Your Grace is to us. Let us lean into You as we face the obstacles and heights that we have to overcome and, by so doing, find ourselves experiencing a life that would be impossible to have otherwise. 

Thank you, Father, 

Your sons and daughters, Amen
Arthur

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