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Watch the video introduction to my message here:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=C23mimSWcts

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 a man given over to religious rules and observances? One never knows unless people give us feedback. Or if we 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 likeminded, 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 other 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. Because like-mindedness is the first and foremost attribute, it is the most remarkable example of Christ in us. It is the other side of the coin to Agape love, and it is impossible. Loving the same thing and being passionate about the same thing unite one another. Loving Jesus foremost unites us, to the degree that we don’t is to the degree fractions, disagreements, holes in our armor appear for the enemy to exploit. Hence, we see the root problem in our marriage, churches, and general social interactions; we do not love Jesus principle. Here’s a word picture. Imagine a team of oxen being yoked together. By being yoked, they can pull more than either one can alone, 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

For 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 dwell 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 through 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? 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 a 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. 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 absolutely undying and impossible to have as human beings. It is way beyond any human effort to attain because 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. On good days and bad days, this is our M.O. (mode of operation). Who can do that? Surely 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, one 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 about 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. The time only God knows. However, it will come, and 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 locusts, which is strange to us. However, locusts were as destructive as a land devastated by war. The economies of those days were agricultural; their existence relied upon the success of their crops. Locusts, 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; the outcome could change through repentance.

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.

In 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 common.

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

For the sake of Agape, it is 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 of 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; 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 eternal 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 other 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 shows more of the literal Greek meaning of the words.

Philippians 2:2-5

fulfill my joy, that ye may think the same thing, having the same love, joined in 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, 

Dear Father, 

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. Help us put our full weight into Your offered Grace and run our course with it. Let us lean into You as we face our obstacles and heights that we have to overcome and, by so doing, find ourselves experiencing a life that would be impossible to have otherwise. Amen

Thank you, Father, 

Your sons and daughters

Since you’ve come this far, check out my book on Amazon:

https://read.amazon.com/kp/embed?asin=B092FRD6NQ&preview=newtab&linkCode=kpe&ref_=cm_sw_r_kb_dp_PVH9TVEX3KEAF4FWAS0Q

Arthur Navarrette

Please watch the video introduction to my message here: https://www.youtube.com/embed/1QXnRIAnsCE?feature=oembed

Some Current Sources of Good Information

I am not sure how many of us pay attention to all the crazy things going on. However, not much of the crazy stuff is discussed on the evening news. Only a few online sources will give you a good explanation of current events. HealthRanger.com is one good source and infowars.com (sometimes he gets pretty excited), but his guests are excellent. Then there is Peter McCullough, who very carefully goes against the general medical practices and can because he is the best cardiologist in the United States. Sometimes I see misinformation about him because of his stance, to tell the truth about what the medical field should be doing but is not doing. Then for political/investment news which involves the coming cashless digital system, a great source is the Stansberry Research. She has great speakers and is calm and easy to listen to. Also, recently a friend shared Crossway.org, an online program that had Eric Ortland teaching on “In Explicable Suffering.” Also, Tim Keller, another great pastor, is on YouTube, and I continue to listen to Pastor Bill Johnson from Bethel Church in Redding, Ca. These are my sources for health, political/economy, and faith-based teaching, which along with my Bible studies, help me grow in my faith and write Vida4U.

All I can say is our future is changing as the powers-to-be are pushing us into a cashless point-based digital system which I do believe because God’s Word says it. We know become so technologically advanced that this could happen. Revelation 13:16-18 speaks of this. 

“And he causeth all, both small and great, — rich and poor, free and bond, to receive a mark in their right hand, or their foreheads: And that no man might buy or sell, save he that had the mark, or the name of the beast, or the number of his name. Here is wisdom. Let him that hath understanding count the number of the beast: for it is the number of a man; and his number is Six hundred threescore and six (or 666). 

And there is much more than this, so I would encourage you to do the research. I do not want anyone reading Vida4U to be caught by surprise. Suppose I knew something of enormous importance and didn’t share it or encourage you to do your research. That would be wrong of me.

As I view the future, my greatest concern is to make sure that we are walking strong and growing in our faith. For it is God who is and will always be our Redeemer and our Fortress. However, if our faith is weak or our relationship with Him is lukewarm, we benefit not from Him. His hand is always stretched out, which represents His unconquerable person, but what good does it do us if we, in turn, do not clasp onto Him because we are pursuing worldly ventures or we are crippled by fear? I do not want that for you or me, especially since He is so approachable and loving. Also, concerning troubles, uncertainties, and the ambiguity of life, it’s essential to know that this isn’t God’s “first rodeo.” He has kept many a saint in times of trouble, and His Word is a Treasure of Beautiful verses and promises. Psalms 37, 40 – 42 have verses that I have been meditating on as I write this Vida. 

Psalms 40:1-5 

I waited patiently (Qawah) for the LORD, and he inclined unto me and heard my cry.

He brought me up also out of a horrible pit, out of the miry clay, set my feet upon a rock (Christ), and established my goings. And he hath put a new song in my mouth, even praise unto our God many shall see it, and fear and shall trust in the LORD.

Ever since I wrote the last Vida on God’s blessings as seen through trials, I have been in the refiner’s fire. It’s been tough, however, as with Job, David, Jeremiah, or all true believers, and as this verse says, God not for a moment takes His eyes off of us. When I was a young adult, Pastor Chuck Smith, my pastor, spoke on the process of refining gold. He asked the question, when does the Refiner know that the gold has had all the dross burnt away (being that gold is mined, it is not pure, the dross are the other elements mixed with it )? The answer is when the Refiner can see His image in the gold. That is when he knows it’s becoming pure. Can our Refiner see His image in us? 

As a son or daughter of the Lord, we should resemble our Dad, just like children in the natural resemble their parents. Therefore by knowing the goal of our Father, we can work alongside Him and not fight the process. At least we know what the Father is seeking to do. He’s not mad at us, or disappointed, or ignoring our prayers; He’s refining us. Will we stay the course? Was this not the wager satan had with God over Job? The Refiner’s fire hurts, and it can hurt a lot(!), but through it, He is making us in His image. All self-interest, greed, base emotions of lust and pride, etc., all this is being burnt away as the fires are steady and hot. King David said it well. This is what our posture needs to be as we are in the Refiner’s fire. 

I waited patiently for the LORD, and he inclined unto me and heard my cry.

What does it mean to wait patiently for the Lord? As a society, we do not wait well. It is something we do not like doing. However, the beauty of His nature in us is not created in moments but years. To wait patiently implies faith, hope, and trust. He is seeking an agreement with our soul to trust Him as we go through the process. When you and I accepted Christ, was it not because we were done with ourselves? Each time trial and hardship come, we have the opportunity to renew that agreement. All saints struggle as we are in the refiner’s fire, but instead of seeing the fire, see Christ who is in the fire with us. As He was with Mesach, Shadrach, and Abednego, He is with us. His Holy Spirit abides. 

We need to take our focus off ourselves, our pain, and see The Lord who out of obedience placed His broken body on the Cross, and believe John 3:16. “For God so loved the world (us) that He gave His only Son that whoever believes in Him would not perish but would have Eternal life,” and your pain will become bare able. Through these trials, He is working Eternity into our soul, loosening our white knuckle grip on this life. As that happens, we come into agreement with Him, and His nature grows in us. We become stronger and more confident. He does not stand in the fire with us in vain. It cost Him everything to stand with us. Redemption is a priceless gift. Do we think He’s going to drop the ball though He tarries? 

Philippians 1:6

Being confident of this very thing, that he which hath begun a good work in you will perform it until the day of Jesus Christ (can we believe this?).

Letting the purification process have its way in us takes time; just like rocks in a river are smoothed and beautified by the constant agitation of the water, we are made more amiable and giving. He will finish what He has started. Hannah is a good example. She had a deep pain as she cried out to God. Little did she know that the pain was maturing her to see and feel God’s pain, and hence to pray a prayer bigger than just for herself. The child to be borne (Samuel) was not for herself but for the salvation of a nation. And we must be the same. When something is raw, painful, unexplainable, understand that that is the Refiner’s fire. Hannah’s soul was in turmoil for the lack of not having a child, and our soul can be likewise for the things that concern us. She said, “God, if you give me a son, I will give him back to you.” Not until she reached that maturity and degree of pain did she pray a prayer that she was not at the center of. God was waiting for this prayer, so she conceived and gave birth to Samuel. This is how God worked then, and this is how God works now. The pain purifies our motives from what we want to what God wants.

Hebrews 12:9-11

Furthermore, we have had fathers of our flesh which corrected us, and we gave them reverence: shall we not much rather be in subjection unto the Father of spirits, and live?

For they verily for a few days chastened us after their own pleasure; but he for our profit, that we might be partakers of his holiness. Now no chastening for the present seemeth to be joyous, but grievous: nevertheless, afterward, it yieldeth the peaceable fruit of righteousness unto them which are exercised (disciplined) thereby.

To trust is to surrender to His workings. We learn through the process that He can take all things despite how painful and work them to our good ( Romans 8:28). Only He can do this; from my brother’s death to the struggles of raising a family to running a company, all these struggles and so much more have drawn me closer to Him. Hence my confidence, my inner strength, has deepened because of these trials. We learn to want His life and His peace. More of our carnal man is burnt away in the Refiner’s fire through the trials. Therefore “Qawah” is to wait for, hope for, or look for with confidence. The more intimately we know God, the easier it is for us to “Qawah.”

Qawah also has a secondary meaning, to twist or to bind around. This is what happened to Hannah’s soul. Through the waiting and the pain, she saw a greater need than her own. She saw her nation’s need for a Godly High Priest. This “waiting on God” done correctly takes our eyes off ourselves, and it does not mean my life is in “park” until God does something. No, He is waiting for me to respond as a son or daughter to a loving and faithful Father. Seeking His will above my own, this is the purification process. To do that I am digging into His Word, praying in earnest, memorizing verses that speak and strengthen me. In doing such, it becomes easier to take my eyes off my hurt or my situation and believe that God is faithful and capable of handling anything that I commit to Him. I must acknowledge that I am in the best of hands. As this grows in me, I am binding my soul around His and being transformed into His image during the trial. This is His goal for each of us.

Philippians 1:20-21

According to my earnest expectation and hope, in nothing, I shall be ashamed, but that with all boldness, as always, so now also Christ shall be magnified in my body, whether it be by life or death.

For to me, to live is Christ, and to die is gain.

It does not say for me to live is Arthur, no it says Christ, but how we think, life should be about our tribe or us. As scary and radical as this verse may sound, it is not. Everything with Christ is just the opposite of what our carnal man wants. If we want freedom, we must learn to serve. If we want forgiveness, we must forgive ( forgive and you shall be forgiven Matt. 6: 14-15), etc. In God’s economy, we first must put the labor in before we reap. You can’t reap if you have not sown. Therefore deepening our trust in God by spending sacrificial time with Him in His Word is at the core of our walk. Not just going to church, as good as some pastors are, it’s time with Him, one on one. Without it, the peace, joy, guidance, blessing, etc., that is promised in scripture will not happen or be minimal at best. For it is the Holy Spirit in us that yearns for oneness with Christ and The Father. When we put other activities or people first, it becomes harmful to our relationship. It affects our ability to sense His love for us and demonstrate His love to others. David felt the Lord’s absence when he tried to conceal his sin with Bathsheba.

Psalms 51:10-12

Create in me a clean heart, O God; and renew a right spirit within me.

Cast me not away from thy presence; and take not thy holy spirit from me.

Restore unto me the joy of thy salvation; and uphold me with thy free (or willing) spirit.

He became bankrupt without the Lord’s Holy Spirit. The Holy Spirit is what made his life worth living, as is true with us. As we ‘Qawah’ around Him, our soul and will are being weaved around His will, just as a rope is weaved with three strands making it strong. Our waiting by trusting and growing in His promises makes us strong; this is to wait patiently for the Lord. Confidence is the fruit of this relationship. It is seen in the lives of Job, Jeremiah, Isaiah, Daniel, etc., and all saints who have matured in their walk with Christ. It takes time and a willingness to go through the trials. It is much easier to fret, be anxious, worry, for that comes naturally to us, but what are the results? What happened with Abraham and Sarah?

Instead of waiting on God and His promise, they decided to help God. They decided that God must have meant that they were to “conceive” a child through Hagar, Sarah’s handmaid, surely they were too old to have their child. It’s understandable why they did what they did, but we must learn from their mistake. When God makes a promise, it’s done; now, it’s just waiting until the right time. For in the waiting, God is working faith and trust in Him. No matter how dark it seems, the light does appear, and it is absolutely beautiful when it does. We are learning Qawah. If you are not familiar with this part of Abraham and Sarah’s story, it starts in Genesis 16. There is a lot of hurt and broken hearts because of their choices, as it is with us when we lose faith in God. For truly God needs no help, we are the ones that need help from Him.

Therefore to be impatient, in a bad humor, or irritable as we go through these trials, which we are all guilty of, implies a lack of trust or immaturity. This speaks to blindness of God’s character, which implies a lack of intimacy with Him and ultimately blindness to the Cross. If we truly understood The Cross, we would never doubt God and be the most secure, confident, and peaceful people on Earth. That does not mean we would not have problems, but it means that we see Him as so much bigger than our problems. We are impatient because we do not see or understand; we only see our picture. He is refining us into becoming His priest. He always seeks the absolute best for us, which can be very different from what we want. Therefore can we trust Him? Does it not boil down to that? 

Here’s a strange question. How many of us drink our coffee before the coffee machine is done brewing? Probably no one. Do we ever fret or worry if the coffee machine will finish brewing the coffee? I don’t think so. We probably don’t even give it a second thought. Therefore if a simple coffee machine is worthy of our trust, how much more should the Creator of our world and life be? I can tell you of events in my life that cry out and say this is in no way in my best interest, yet it was. In time and continued trusting, these painful effects became the best thing that ever happened to me; they changed my heart and brought me into a more intimate walk with God. Like Job experienced and like Hannah, there are so many examples. 

God uses pain to humble us and causes us to seek Him more earnestly. Hence making us fit to be His sons and daughters rather than spoiled brats wanting our way, if I could be blunt. This is His main plan for us in this life. It’s not to bless us and make us happy, though that is the outcome for those who submit to the refining process; it is a blessing to Him and others. As with Hannah, she eventually saw the bigger picture, and true with us. Do we not have neighbors, co-workers, and family who need to know Jesus? This needs to be our prayer. That He refines us so that we want Him just for Him, and nothing else; not for what He can do for us and from there bare His heart to a needy world. The fullness of a man or woman exists in being one with God, His Father, Creator, and Friend; that was what it was in the beginning with Adan. Now God has also become our Savior, and through that relationship, we touch our world. 

Now let’s talk about Hannah in more detail. Question, how long do you think Hannah waited to have Samuel? I would guess probably at least ten years, as Elkanah, her husband had sons and daughters from Phinehas (1Samuel). Hannah did not understand why God did not answer her prayer in her barrenness. How could He allow her to experience such a depth of pain and shame? Didn’t He care about her, or was it just Phinehas who He cared for? How can a God of love allow so much pain in a righteous woman’s heart? Does she not have the right to bear children as well? After all, she is a woman, created by God to bring forth children. Every time Phinehas got pregnant, it was probably like a dagger in her heart, failing to fulfill her chief role.

Psalms 127:3-5

Lo, children are a heritage of the LORD: and the fruit of the womb is his reward. As arrows are in the hand of a mighty man, so are children of the youth. Happy is the man that hath — his quiver full of them: they shall not be ashamed, but they shall speak with the enemies in the gate.

Children are a sign of God’s blessing. What sin or wrongdoing was in Hannah’s life, that God would not bless her. Was it in His Word? These struggles shake us to our core. Is our identity found in bearing children if you’re a woman, or is our identity found in our job and providing for our family if you are a man? Or is our true identity found in simply being God’s son or daughter? What was best for Hannah was short-sighted for God; God had much bigger plans. Hannah wanted a son, her identity as a woman was on the line. However, God wanted a daughter concerned about saving a nation. God was purifying Hannah and waiting for her to take the higher ground.

By seeing what the nation needed, she finally prayed the prayer God was waiting for. Could she be the handmaid of the Lord? Some women may consider this a cruel struggle that God allowed Hannah to go through, but without it, she would have never surrendered her wants. The change of heart would have never occurred if she had been able to have children like Phinehas. She would have been content, no need to go outside her “tribe.” To become willing to sacrifice her “need” and exchange her heart for God’s heart was what God was waiting for. How about us? Is there a prayer that is going unanswered? Could it be we are seeking the answer for ourselves and not for God? That He would be magnified through me even if it means that I do not get what I’m wanting. Can we do that, but God’s concerns before our own? 

If we do, I know we will find that doing God’s bidding brings more joy and contentment than getting our way.

Matthew 6:33

But seek ye first the kingdom of God, and his righteousness, and all these things shall be added unto you.

It is not getting our way that truly satisfies. Our way is enjoyable for a season, but God’s way, His righteousness in us, heal us from the effects of sin, redeems us into a new life, and gives us more peace and joy than any worldly honor or possession. If you do not believe me read the story of the rich young ruler (Luke 16) and then read King David’s testimony. 

Psalms 4:7-8

Thou hast put gladness in my heart, more than in the time that their corn and their wine increased.

I will both lay me down in peace and sleep: for thou, LORD, only makest me dwell in safety.

Maybe once her eyes were open, she prayed something like this, “God, it pains me so deeply to not be able to give my husband a baby boy, but it pains me even deeper to see my nation slip away into sin for lack of having a true high priest that loves your ways. If you would but give your handmaid a male child, I will teach him in your ways, and when he is weaned, I will give him back to you.” As mentioned, is there a prayer you are praying that’s not being answered? Consider the real beneficiary of that prayer, and if it’s you first and God second, consider changing your prayer. Ask God to show you His heart in this matter, become a Hannah. Here is her prayer as recorded in scripture.

1 Samuel 1:8-11

Then said Elkanah, her husband to her, Hannah, why weepest thou? And why eatest thou not? And why is thy heart grieved? Am not I better to thee than ten sons?

So Hannah rose up after they had eaten in Shiloh and after they had drunk. Now Eli the priest sat upon a seat by a post of the temple of the LORD.

And she was in bitterness of soul, and prayed unto the LORD, and wept sore.

And she vowed a vow, and said, O LORD of hosts, if thou wilt indeed looks on the affliction of thine handmaid, and remember me, and not forget — thine handmaid, but wilt give unto thine handmaid a man child, then I will give him unto the LORD all the days of his life, and there shall no razor come upon his head ( the vow of a Nazarite, Numbers 6). 

When Hannah started on this journey, the child was for herself, for her need to feel like a woman, wife, and mother. The culture demanded it, and unfortunately, she was viewed as less than and was often reminded of it by jealous Phinehas. Finally, her pain became so intense, especially with the realization that the priests were corrupt, serving only their wants. I believe the Holy Spirit quickened her and brought to her heart the choice to be part of God’s solution, and she chose rightly.

Father God, 

Help us take our eyes off ourselves and put them on You. You have called us by name to come into intimate fellowship with You and from there lift our eyes to be part of Your harvest. Let us become part of Your solution. Refine us so that we represent You well. Help us, Lord.

Amen. 

John 4:35

Say not ye, There are yet four months, and then cometh harvest? Behold, I say unto you, Lift up your eyes, and look on the fields; for they are white already to harvest.

May the Lord Bless you, and may this Vida enlighten and push you forward in your ongoing journey with Christ, our Savior, and Lord. 

Arthur

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Arthur Navarrette

Please watch the video introduction to my message here:https://youtu.be/SUx6QW9J7Gw

(As seen through trials and hardship)

Lamentations 3:1-6 (written by Jeremiah the prophet)

Repentance and Hope

I am the man that hath seen affliction by the rod of his wrath. He hath led — me, and brought me into darkness, but not into light. Surely against me is he turned; he turneth his hand against me all the day.

My flesh and my skin hath he made old; he hath broken my bones. He hath built against me, and compassed me with gall and travail. He hath set me in dark places, as they that be dead of old.

At times the dealings of the Lord seem cruel and harsh and unrelenting. Jeremiah felt this way. He was called the weeping prophet. He spoke of the coming destruction of Judah by the Assyrian army if the people did not repent and forsake their idols. And unlike other prophets that prophesied of this coming but died prior, Jeremiah lived through it and saw with his own eyes the destruction of Judah. The people wanted their idols (as we want ours, homes, cars, wealth, etc.), and they believed that Egypt would join them to battle Assyria, and together they would overthrow Assyria. Jeremiah’s prophecy that Assyria would defeat Egypt and Judah was viewed as treasonous. Jeremiah was accused of tearing down the people’s confidence instead of building them up. The contrast was particularly noted when all the other prophets (false prophets) prophesied victory. 

The people listened to the false prophets that prophesied Judah and Egypt’s victory. They would not listen to Jeremiah as we do not listen to messages of sin, repentance, and righteousness. In fact, they put Jeremiah in “jail” (basically a hole in the ground) with very little food. He was a faithful prophet. I wonder how many of us could go against the tide for as long as he did without breaking down? And then there was Job. His hardship was intense, but through it, he gained much. He made a cornerstone statement in Job 13:15.

“Though he slay me, yet will I trust in him: but I will maintain mine own ways before him.”

“Maintain my ways before Him,” is a strong statement. When things are tough, completely not fair, the temptation is to tell the Lord I’m done with seeking and serving. However, Job did not do that. He was wealthy, but his greatest wealth was his character. His fear of God was deep, a rare jewel among those with wealth, which is why he was singled out by satan.

This attitude of trusting God despite heavy loss (his wealth and children) and great personal pain, along with the constant rebuttal of his “friends,” is enough to turn anyone against God, but not Job. What I may see, feel, or understand does not define God. He defines himself through His Word and the Cross, which Job did not have. There should not be any hardship, however severe, that can undermine us acknowledging His love. If a hardship does, it is only because we do not understand the Cross. As diamonds are precisely cut to reflect His Glory, we should each be fully dedicated to knowing and serving Him. How did Jeremiah, Job, Isaiah, and others do it? They knew God! They knew Him and hence were sold out to Him.

They knew the history of God’s dealings with Israel as being both loving and good. If, as an example, God felt in His loving judgment that He needed to take Job’s life, then Job would submit to that decision. This is never God’s thought, but it points to Job’s deep trust in the Lord and the intensity of his trials. On one occasion, James and John asked Jesus if they should call fire down upon a Samaritan town because of their rejection of him, but Jesus said to them…

Luke 9:54-56

And when his disciples James and John saw this, they said, Lord, wilt thou that we command fire to come down from heaven, and consume them, even as Elijah did?

But he turned, and rebuked them, and said, Ye know not what manner of spirit ye are of.

For the Son of man is not come to destroy men’s lives, but to save them. And they went to another village.

Hardship and trials are never meant to harm us. They are meant to bring us into a deeper walk with the Lord. Left to ourselves, without trial or hardship, we tend to be self-absorbed, and life revolves around us. Christ’s life revolved around “doing the will of His Father.” He told the disciples when they returned from buying food in a Samaritan village that His food was to do the will of Him who sent him.

John 4:31-34

— In the meanwhile, his disciples prayed him, saying, Master, eat.

But he said unto them, I have meat to eat that ye know not of.

Therefore said the disciples one to another, Hath any man brought him aught to eat?

Jesus saith unto them, My meat is to do the will of him that sent me, and to finish his work.

His lengthy prayers were his lifeline to the Father and the assurance He needed. From these intimate times came His success in teaching and healing. As our Lord and our Elder Brother, He is our example, and our lives should have the same purpose.

Lamentations 3:20-24 

(Jeremiah – his crushing trial is producing the wine of righteousness).

My soul hath them still in remembrance (his afflictions) and is humbled in me (the end result of fruitful trials)

This I recall to mind (a mind trained in righteousness ), that it is of the LORD’s mercies that we are not consumed because His compassions fail not (how would we know this if we did not experience it). They are new every morning: great is thy faithfulness.

The LORD is my portion, saith my soul; therefore will I hope in Him (according to the depth of the trial so His mercy and faithfulness go deeper – if we will come to Him).

There is such a richness in the chapters of Job and Jeremiah as well as Isaiah, men who have endured the rod of God’s discipline; the “pruning of the vine dresser,” only to deeply experience the embrace of the Father and bear His fruit. All trials have an appointed end, and it is always to bring us into a deeper relationship with our Father. We can prolong it by distrusting Him, by complaining, following in the footsteps of the Israelites, but this only points to a divided heart which is a miserable place to be.

Revelation 3:15-16

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

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

Revelation 3:19-20

As many as I love, I rebuke and chasten ( rebuke is to prove one wrong, chasten is to train up a child. In the vernacular, I’m going to spank you and then once I got your attention, teach you how you should go): be zealous therefore, and repent (be quick to respond to His conviction).

Behold, I stand at the door and knock: if any man hears my voice and opens the door, I will come into him and will sup with him, and he with me (such intimacy).

Towards the end of Jobs trial, the fruit God was pruning for was becoming evident. Up to this point, Job was always defending his position.

Job 42:1-3

Then Job answered — the LORD, and said, I know that thou canst do everything and that no thought can be withheld from thee (Job learned that God was so much more intimately acquainted with our thoughts, more than he ever realized). Who is he that hideth counsel (truth) without knowledge (he’s referring to himself), therefore have I uttered that I understood not; things too wonderful for me, which I knew not.

**There is the necessity in God’s economy to break the flesh’s authority (pride) in us. It cannot be compromised with, reasoned with, or agreed with. It has to be crushed. There are no other options, and so we must (our carnal nature) be ruined. I pity the believer who has not gone through these hardships or is trying to love God and the World at the same time. It’s a miserable place to be because he or she will not know the intimacy or the healing touch of the Father. Without this, life is barren and dry—the definition of religion, a set of rules without relationship. 

If something good occurs, it pale’s in comparison to what we could experience in Christ. We need to be broken. Without being broken, we would be more apt to credit ourselves. Hard circumstances such as losing our job, a spouse leaving us, health issues, or failures are no different from what we read in the scriptures. We read of wars, enemy armies coming, crop failures, no water or food. Yet we do not take to heart that God has faithfully dealt with all this and that He is more than worthy of our trust. 

We think that our trials are something new, yet by these trials, God finally has our attention; He has workable material now. He can rebuild us.

He uses “new material,” a willing heart that is learning to only want Him. If this foundation is not laid correctly, then as God uses the man or woman and the praise of others come, they should take the praise unto themselves, stumbling themselves and others. The Lord always, without exception, has good in store for those that remain humble before Him and trust Him through the trials. Lamentations 3:24 is the other side of the story. Jeremiah’s testimony after having gone through his trials.

Lamentations 3:24-28

The LORD is my portion, saith my soul; therefore will I hope in him.

The LORD is good unto them that wait for him, to the soul that seeketh him.

It is good that a man should both hope and quietly wait for the salvation of the LORD.

It is good for a man that he bears the yoke in his youth.

He sitteth alone and keepeth silence because he hath borne it upon him (God wastes no time in one’s youth to start training in righteousness).

To “wait” has several meanings; one is very appropriate for this verse. It is the definition of making rope, to bind or twist plus Hope, which may seem out of place. My understanding is that by trusting the Lord, I bind my soul around the only One who is able to rescue and save me, and in so doing, hope fills my soul, and more so as I get to know Him better. Therefore via our trust in Christ, we bind ourselves to Him, taking on His strength, gaining His wisdom, leaning on Him, and truly living supernaturally. The more we can fully trust, the stronger we become. Really knowing Him is the key to our trusting Him. David knew the Lord well…

Psalms 103:10-14

He hath not dealt with us after our sins (our sin was dealt with on the Cross period, therefore to think God is punishing us like the widow Elijah stayed with is wrong, it is the lie of the enemy to prevent us from coming to Him ) nor does He reward us according to our iniquities( though we do experience the consequences of them). As for the heaven is high above the earth, so great is his mercy toward them that fear him. As far as the east is from the west, so far hath he removed — our transgressions from us.

Like as a father pitieth his children, so the LORD pitieth them that fear him.

Pitieth- A verb meaning to have compassion, to have mercy, to find mercy. The word pictures a deep, kindly sympathy and sorrow felt for another who has been struck with affliction or misfortune (sin), accompanied with a desire to relieve the suffering (Christ). The word occurs forty-seven times in the Old Testament, with God being by far the most common subject and His afflicted people the object.

Psalms 32:7-10

Thou art my hiding place; thou shalt preserve me from trouble; thou shalt compass me about with songs of deliverance. Selah.

I will instruct thee and teach thee in the way which thou shalt go: I will guide thee with mine eye.

Be ye not as the horse, or as the mule, which has no understanding: whose mouth must be held in with bit and bridle, lest they come near unto thee.

Many sorrows shall be to the wicked: but he that trusteth in the LORD, mercy shall compass him about.

Since the time of Adam’s sin, God has had compassion for His people. How easy it is for us to think that when things go bad or are difficult that somehow God is the cause of it or allowed it when it is the result of man’s fall. If, as parents, we keep interceding and preventing our children from owning up to their bad decisions, what are we teaching them? They must experience the consequences of poor decisions, and we only buffer or prevent them when it is serious. Jesus does that. He offers Eternal Life but then often allows us to mature in truth by experiencing the result of poor decisions. Some people who believe in New Age call bad things Karma happening. However, as believers, we do not believe that there is some cosmic power balancing out the good and the bad. We know by Biblical teaching that people will reap what they sow. It’s a life principle that God has established. The result of man’s rebellion has consequences across the board, hence the importance of living for Christ. He’s the only one strong enough to use the wrong for right in my soul.

Through it all, God works good. As His son or daughter, if you are not taking your problems and concerns to Him, you are missing a great opportunity to see God work on your behalf. In 1 Kings, there is a widow that believed God was punishing her. God caused the stream that Elijah was drinking from to dry up. He could have kept it flowing, but it was time that Elijah continued to minister, and this widow was on God’s heart. Bear in mind that this widow was “a nobody,” (according to society standards) and without means to sufficiently provide for herself and her son. Yet this was the woman God wanted Elijah to stay with.

1 Kings 17:9-12

Arise, get thee to Zarephath, which belongeth to Zidon, and dwell there: behold, I have commanded a widow woman there to sustain thee. So he arose and went to Zarephath. And when he came to the gate of the city, behold, the widow woman was there gathering of sticks: and he called to her, and said, Fetch me, I pray thee, a little water in a vessel, that I may drink.

And as she was going to fetch it, he called to her and said, Bring me, I pray thee, a morsel of bread in thine hand. And she said, As the LORD thy God liveth, I have not a cake, but a handful of meal in a barrel, and a little oil in a cruse: and, behold, I am gathering two sticks, that I may go in and dress it for me and my son, that we may eat it, and die.

It can’t get more serious, desperate, or hopeless than this. These are the conditions that God likes to work with. Just like Gideon’s army, 300 men against an army. Without God’s intervention, they were on a fool’s mission. Obedience on Gideon’s part and on the widow’s part was paramount to seeing God’s hand. We need to remember this when we feel we are on a fool’s mission. In these times, God’s reputation is on the line, and He will not fail, though the answer may “delay.” As we see, the leap of faith that Gideon and the widow took led them to victory; Gideon won the war, and the widow had food for her, her son, and Elijah for many days. It’s never what we see but what we don’t see; therefore, faith is always needed. Faith in an immutable God is not only wise but essential to joyful living.

1 Kings 17:14-16

For thus saith the LORD God of Israel, The barrel of meal shall not waste, neither shall the cruse of oil fail, until the day that the LORD sendeth rain upon the earth.

And she went and did according to the saying of Elijah: and she, and he, and her house did eat many days.

And the barrel of meal wasted not, neither did the cruse of oil fail, according to the word of the LORD, which he spoke by Elijah.

And why did God do this? Is it not His nature to do so?

Exodus 34:5-6

And the LORD descended in the cloud, and stood with him there ( Moses), and proclaimed the name of the LORD. And the LORD passed by before him, and proclaimed, The LORD, The LORD God, merciful and gracious, longsuffering, and abundant in goodness and truth (is this the God we believe in?)

But then trials come to test us to see whether we have appreciated or taken note of God’s goodness. The miracle of the manna that was daily before them should have spoken to them of a caring God, but they soon forgot and, even worse, complained. At times we are the same. We expect it, and it seems the widow did as well. When her son became ill, she could have been like the Centurion, “speak the word and my servant (son) will be made well,” having witnessed and been miraculously provided for, rather she gave into fear and guilt.

1 Kings 17:17-18

After this, the son of the woman, the mistress of the house, became ill. And his illness was so severe that there was no breath left in him. And she said to Elijah, “What have you against me, O man of God? You have come to bring my sin to remembrance and to cause the death of my son!”

God never does this. It’s not in His nature, but how often we believe the lie of the enemy. It is such a dangerous lie. Instead of going to God in our time of need, this lie keeps us from Him. We must train our response to be, “Lord, how in this situation do you want to make yourself real to me? What do you want your son/ servant, daughter/ servant to see or to know of you?” That’s the response He is seeking. He wanted the widow to know that whatever her sin/guilt was, it did not prevent God from loving her. She needed to see the worth God placed on her and her son, so much so that He sent one of the greatest prophets to live with her. Her eyes were closed until Elijah carried her resurrected son down to her.

*1 Kings 17:19-22

And he said to her, “Give me your son.” And he took him from her arms and carried him up into the upper chamber where he lodged and laid him on his own bed. And he cried to the LORD, “O LORD my God, have you brought calamity even upon the widow with whom I sojourn, by killing her son?” Then he stretched himself upon the child three times and cried to the LORD, “O LORD my God, let this child’s life come into him again.” And the LORD listened to the voice of Elijah. And the life of the child came into him again, and he revived.

Only God knows why this severe trial came, but my guess is it was for the good of Elijah and the widow. Elijah’s words make me believe that this was a hard trial for him, and the widow also learned something. It seems as though she had some doubt even after witnessing the provision that God provided through Elijah.

1 Kings 17:23-24

And Elijah took the child and brought him down from the upper chamber into the house and delivered him to his mother. And Elijah said, “See, your son lives.” And the woman said to Elijah, “Now I know that you are a man of God, and that the word of the LORD in your mouth is truth.”

God uses trials to bring to surface issues in us that we may have buried years ago. A clean soul is what God is seeking. Complete transparency, no hidden skeletons in our subconscious closet. At times we feel we are not good enough, which we are not, but our “goodness” is granted to us in the form of righteousness. Our faith in Christ gives us standing before Him, goodness does not.

Isaiah 64:5-6

Behold, you were angry, and we sinned; in our sins, we have been a long time, and shall we be saved?

We have all become like one who is unclean, and all our righteous deeds are like dirty rags.

We all fade like a leaf, and our iniquities, like the wind, take us away.

But what is God’s response?

Isaiah 64:3-4

When you did awesome things that we did not look for, you came down, the mountains quaked at your presence. From of old, no one has heard or perceived by the ear, no eye has seen a God besides you,

who acts for those who wait for him. You meet him (her) who joyfully works righteousness, those who remember you in your ways.

If we take to heart these words, we will be unstoppable. In other words, there will be no hindrance to our faith. Like the centurion that said, just speak the word, and your servant shall be healed, and the widow that refused to be insulted but said, “true Lord but even the little dogs eat from the crumbs that fall from their master’s table.” Jesus said, “woman great is your faith,” as he said about the centurion. Can this be us? I know it can be.

Father,

Thank you for this study, thank you for stretching us, making us face our fears and our lack of understanding about You. Give us a clear vision to see You and discern truth from lies and use us to bring Your Presence to our world.

In Jesus name Amen,

Arthur

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This Christmas, as we remember Christ’s birth, let’s dive deep into all the benefits His Life and Death brought for us. The baby in the manger is wonderful and beautiful, truly a beyond-words story; its effects go on into Eternity. 

The benefits of Christ’s life and obedience to the Father are without count. If you are a believer and live for Him, you understand that. This is not an exaggeration. It is also not an exaggeration to say we once lived in darkness, unaware of His love and presence. If we are growing in our faith, His peace and joy and His Life keep getting brighter in us. 

The older I get, the more meaningful His birth becomes to me. I enjoy rereading it every year and would suggest the same for you. If your response is, “I’ve heard it a thousand times can we talk about something else,” as I did in my younger years, you have some work to do? Pride is the problem, and humility is the answer. I saw pride in myself and prayed for humility. That was the quickest answer to a prayer I have ever had. So be warned! 

Now back to the topic. The benefits of Christmas started before His birth as both the Father, Son, and the Holy Spirit. They knew the plan they would have to take to save “fallen” man. Here in Psalm 103 (and other Psalms as well) is the foreshadowing of the Cross.

Psalms 103:3- 13

Who forgives all your iniquity, who heals all your diseases (not possible without the Cross) who satisfies you with good so that your youth is renewed like the eagles.

The LORD works righteousness and justice for all who are oppressed (oppression only exists because of sin). He made known his ways to Moses (Moses sought a more intimate walk with God “show me your face Lord” Ex. 33:21 to the end. An amazing exchange between Moses and God) and his acts to the people of Israel. 

The LORD is merciful and gracious,

slow to anger and abounding in steadfast love. He will not always chide, nor will he keep his anger forever.

He does not deal with us according to our sins, nor repay us according to our iniquities. 

(Old Testament law, an eye for an eye, a tooth for a tooth Ex.21:23)

as high as the heavens are above the earth, so great is his steadfast love toward those who fear him;

as far as the east is from the west, so far does he remove our transgressions from us.

As a father shows compassion to his children, the LORD shows compassion to those who fear him. Because of the Cross, Jesus turned the law upside down, and everything changed. Yet, at the same time, we as believers hold to a higher “law.” Because of His enormous sacrifice, we seek to live holy lives far beyond the law. The law only regulated man’s outward behavior. The new law of the Spirit changes man’s heart, preparing and causing him to be an actual temple for His God. AMAZING

Sin had to be punished because He is a Holy God and Holiness demands it. On the Cross, with The Perfect Lamb, judgment, and justice was fully satisfied against sin. Now He can “show compassion to his children, as the LORD shows compassion to those who fear him.” 

This was His heart’s desire from the beginning and could now be realized by those who seek Him. As I write this, I am becoming aware that His Grace is beyond measure. As He reveals more wonder to me, I get the impression that I am still just at the surface of His Grace and Love. His Ocean is without measure, without limit, without end. As the universe does not end, so His Grace and Love do not end. How much love does it take to sacrifice your only Son for rebellious, stubborn, hateful humanity?

Psalm 103 could not be valid if the Cross were not factored into the equation of God dealing with man. His birth must precede it. Man could never come before a Holy God without sacrifice; atonement had to be made. So much was done “behind the scenes” before the scene became public. 

God does “satisfy us with good,” but it’s His good, not ours. Wealth will not satisfy our souls. Our souls crave His peace and love. Only He can renew us and make us feel young. If we put our trust in wealth, the opposite happens, and our youth is taken from us. 

How did we do these past two years? Did we deepen our walk with Christ, or did we let the uncertainty of COVID and the future control us? With all the promises of God Proverbs 3, Psalms 37, Joshua 1, (and more), there is no need to shrink back in a crisis. It is our opportunity to advance spiritually and see God work on our behalf. If not now, then when? These last two years are as bad as my generation has seen it. Sin paraded before us unashamed. I guess the other option is to listen to the voice of fear, but what a wreck we would be. I prefer to take Joshua’s stance. 

Joshua 24:13-15

And I have given you a land for which ye did not labor, and cities which ye built not, and ye dwell in them; of the vineyards and olive yards which ye planted not do ye eat (the benefits of serving the Lord).

Now, therefore, fear (revere) the LORD, and serve him in sincerity and 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.

When God says all things are possible for those who trust in God (Matt. 19:26), He means it. He is just waiting on us to believe and desire the things He desires. These promises are meant to go deeper than just a surface understanding. They’re to go to our inner man and woman. Our inner being sustains us in trials, difficulties, and in the face of loss. If we struggle with trusting God, we need to spend more time in the scriptures to build a concrete bridge of faith. 

Especially helpful are the great stories in the Old Testament. Put yourself in any of these fantastic stories and believe what you read. They are not just bedtime stories. They are history. Sustained strength comes from faith. Faith comes from believing the scriptures and holding the scriptures in our hearts and mind. This brings us into a deepening relationship with our Father. A love relationship is what He seeks, no less. NO OTHER FAITH TEACHES WHAT CHRISTIANITY TEACHES. IT IS SOLELY FOUND IN GOD, IN CHRIST, AND VIA HIS GRACE TOWARDS US. 

Psalm 23 describes this relationship; we as His sheep and He as our Shepherd.

The LORD is my shepherd; I shall not want. He makes me lie down in green pastures.

He leads me beside still waters. He restores my soul. He leads me in paths of righteousness.

For his name’s sake. Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death.

I will fear no evil, for you are with me; your rod and your staff, they comfort me. You prepare a table before me in the presence of my enemies; you anoint my head with oil;

My cup overflows. Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life,

And I shall dwell in the house of the LORD forever.

In contrast to these past years, it feels good to have such a qualified and loving Shepherd. Do you know that the cares of the sheep are the concerns of the Shepherd? He is all-knowing, very capable of guiding and directing your life. Come to Him. Start right here with these two Psalms. Meditate upon them until they find a place in your soul. It would be the best Christmas gift you could give yourself. 

The scriptures point us to Christ. If you feel you can do life on your own, I will challenge you. Do you have peace, joy, a sense of being loved, and the ability to forgive and love others? If you are honest with yourself, you will come up short. These are just a few benefits of walking with Christ. 

The point I am trying to make is we were never meant to walk and live in this life without Him. We have a void in our soul as proof, and we try to fill it with everything and anything that we think will complete us. It works for a time, and then just as a car running out of gas, we need to be refilled (again). This Christmas, instead of going through the motions, do one thing for yourself, take me up on my challenge, get real with God.

John 3:16-17

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

Whatever thoughts you have of God, whether you think He’s good or indifferent, or He’s out to get you, these verses show the true God we have. He proved His love for us when He gave His life for you and me on the Cross. He did all He could do to save us and to bring us into a relationship with Him. If we want Him in our lives, we need to ask Him. 

Revelation 3:20-21

Behold, I stand at the door, and knock: if any man hear my voice, and open the door, I will come in to him, and will sup with him, and he with me.

To him that overcometh will I grant to sit with me in my throne, even as I also overcame, and am set down with my Father in his throne.

Open the door of your heart and receive Him in. 

Dear Father, 

Thank you for sending your son Jesus Christ, for being born as a babe and live among us until such time and predetermined by You, He surrendered His life to the Cross in which You placed upon Him the sins of us all, and as the spotless Lamb, He died with our sins. His death becomes our Life as He rose from the dead and gives us that same Eternal Life when we confess our faith in Him and receive forgiveness for our sins. The Greatest exchange ever made in the history of man. Our sins, mistakes, shortfalls in exchange for His truth, forgiveness, and love. There is not a better deal on planet earth. 

I wish you a Merry Christmas! If you would like to contact me I can be reached at Arthur@Vida4U.com as well as our blog Vida4U.com with many devotional studies that are meant to strengthen and equip you for your life in Christ. 

Thank you for listening and reading, and may you celebrate Christmas with newfound peace and joy as you commit yourself to Christ or recommit your life to Him. Amen

Consider buying my book, an edited collection of these Vida4U messages, which is sure to soothe the soul.

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B092FRD6NQ/ref=cm_sw_em_r_mt_dp_W5GTKYNK42X2WNBVH2M0Arthur Navarrette

Psalm 4:1-2

The Safety of the Faithful. A Psalm of David.

Hear me when I call, O God of my righteousness!

You have relieved me in my distress; Have mercy on me, and hear my prayer.

How long, O you sons of men, Will you turn my glory to shame?

How long will you love worthlessness and seek falsehood?

Selah

It seems like times have not changed much. Anybody who seeks to do right and punish wrong doing will be attacked and maligned. We have people in government and in corporations that support and favor worthless ventures; ventures that are completely against God’s Word. This is the biggest battle the church has, to fight against this corruption, but not by “fighting” but by being salt and light in a dark world. David struggled with this as well. To know specifically what battle or what problem of the many David faced that caused him to write this Psalm, or if this is still the aftermath of his sin with Bathsheba, we could only guess. However, what matters is how he deals with it. He implores God, “Hear me,” and not just hear me but “God of my righteousness.” As if to say “all of who I am is reliant upon all of who You are. ” God has been many things to David through the years, God of my salvation, God of my hope, God of my strength, the God who trains my hands for war, my Rock and High Tower, etc. 

And all these titles or truths of God are like armor (Eph.6) that David relied on to defeat the enemy. Be it the enemy in the field, or the enemies within his government, or his own insecurities. The sword that David is using in this Psalm is the truth that God is his righteousness. For God knows the truth and knows that these accusations are worthless, “turn my glory to shame?” Worthless accusations by worthless men, much like today. David stands forgiven and in favor with his Good Shepherd but without David knowing that, fear, doubt, anger, insecurity, jealousies etc. could cripple him as it cripples the human soul today. These negative emotions are like a cancer that invade every thought and emotion. If we are controlled by these emotions we are like puppets on a string. Satan has only to pull our strings of insecurity, or anger or fear, to cause us to act as he pleases. We must be wiser than him by being well grounded in God’s Truth. We must remember that Satan knows the scriptures too, but he spins them to his gain, confusing the weak believer as he did with Eve and millions of people ever since. 

It’s very expensive both financially, emotionally, and spiritually to be a weak believer. We can be so easily deceived. It plays out in our families and individual lives from excessive arguing, to divorce, to debt, to crippling worry and fear, to a sense of being lost, or not feeling loved. These emotions and more are a result of not knowing God more intimately. 

1 Peter 5:8-9

Be sober, be vigilant; because your adversary the devil walks about like a roaring lion, seeking whom he may devour (consume or destroy). Resist (stand your ground) knowing that the same sufferings are experienced by your brotherhood in the world (the word vigilant reminds me of a lighthouse, ever searching, ever looking for harm and danger). 

To stand against requires conviction, and conviction comes from the truth you believe. To know that God is still greater even if the situation doesn’t change, or even gets worse means your faith is fixed on the Lord where the impossible is simply where He begins. We are not looking at circumstances but at a God who is not limited. He can work out His will and is still able to keep you. Faith defeats fear, insecurity and doubt, the very things the enemy would want to intimidate us with. 

However, before this verse is one that is mighty and powerful, said so simple that most believers skip over it to get to verses 8&9, verse 7.

But God gives grace (strength) to the humble, therefore humble yourselves under the mighty hand of God, that He may exalt you in due time, casting ALL your care upon Him, for He cares for you.

Humility is the secret weapon of the righteous. All those who are mighty in God are mighty because of one truth, all of them has kneeled to all of God. There no longer exists an ego that wants or needs to be acknowledged. It does not care, only that Christ is exalted. As John the Baptist said when his discipline told him that Jesus’s followers where increasing,

John 3:29-30

He who has the bride (the church) is the bridegroom (Jesus); but the friend of the bridegroom( John) who stands and hears him, rejoices greatly because of the bridegroom’s voice. Therefore this joy of mine is fulfilled. He must increase, but I must decrease.

And that is the movement or the underlining force of any believer who is dynamic in their faith. They seek to decrease so their Lord may increase. There is an active movement towards humility, even an embracing of it. For in humility there is the freedom that the Holy Spirit has in them to make them dynamic. Yet it has nothing to do with them other than they have become an open road for the Spirit to travel. 

Continuing with our Psalm…

Psalms 4:3-4

But know that the LORD has set apart for Himself him (or her) who is godly;

The LORD will hear when I call to Him. Be angry, and do not sin.

Meditate within your heart on your bed, and be still.

Selah

To know that our devotion and faithfulness to the Lord is such that He sets us apart, separates us as His own. As a little boy I played marbles a lot and would trade marbles, but there were four marbles that I would never trade. These were my special marbles. We are the Lord’s “special kids.’’ This is His doing. And because it is so, “The LORD will hear when I call to Him.”

However I wonder if the reality of GOD hearing us is hard for some of us to grasp. We pray because it is expected of us, but do we really believe He hears us? And when “He answers,” did He really answer or did things just turn out that way; was it coincidence? Because of this gray area in us, something we really don’t talk about, I find that many via their actions do not make prayer or Bible study a daily practice in their lives.

 This God, Jehovah Yahweh, a name so sacred that the Jews would not even pronounce His name completely; human lips were way too unholy, HE DOES hear us, and it’s absolutely amazing, “off the charts” kind of stuff. It’s wonderful if you can truly believe, for it will change your behavior. 

There’s at least a couple reasons for the doubt. One, we do not understand the Cross. We’ve heard Christ died for us, but this HUGE TRUTH is minimized almost to the point that we get tired of hearing it. This is a definite sign of a calloused heart. If this is you know that you are in danger. Your spiritual apathy is hurting you, robbing your joy, your peace and you are probably not that easy to live with. God has some definite concern over your life.

Revelation 3:1-6

To the Church in Sardis

“And to the angel of the church in Sardis write: ‘The words of him who has the seven spirits of God and the seven stars.

“‘I know your works. You have the reputation of being alive, but you are dead. Wake up, and strengthen what remains and is about to die, for I have not found your works complete in the sight of my God. Remember (reflect back to when you first accepted Christ), what you received and heard. Keep it, and repent. If you will not wake up, I will come like a thief, and you will not know at what hour I will come against you. Yet you have still a few names in Sardis, people who have not soiled their garments, and they will walk with me in white, for they are worthy. The one who conquers (materialism, selfish ambitions, love for the world and self) will be clothed thus in white garments, and I will never blot his/ or her name out of the book of life. I will confess his name before my Father and before his angels. He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches.’

I definitely want The Father and the angels to know my name because Christ my Savior told them, don’t you? Next do we clearly understand why Christ had to die for us? The answer is found in several verses, I’m sharing two. 

Ezekiel 18:19-20

“Yet you say, Why should not the son suffer for the iniquity of the father?’ When the son has done what is just and right, and has been careful to observe all my statutes, he shall surely live. The soul who sins shall die. The son shall not suffer for the iniquity of the father, nor the father suffer for the iniquity of the son. The righteousness of the righteous shall be upon himself, and the wickedness of the wicked shall be upon himself.

Romans 3:23-25

For all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, and are justified by his grace as a gift, through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus, whom God put forward as a propitiation (payment) by his blood (His life) to be received by faith (faith is an action word, to believe, to account it to be true). This was to show God’s righteousness ( holiness combined w/ the deepest love) because in his divine forbearance, he had passed over former sins.

Christ died to redeem us; to buy us back. Redeemption is a legal term and a legal process. To free someone from the rulership of sin in their lives they must confess faith (belief) in Christ’s work and accept the blood atonement of Christ for them. Once that is done then legally satan has no more authority over them. Much like quitting your old job and then getting a new job. Your old boss no longer has authority, the ability to order you. It’s exactly the same. We have a new Boss and proof of the change is the gift of His Holy Spirit. This is our guarantee or a down payment of our new life. The Holy Spirit needs to grow in dominance and strength in us. Therefore to be redeemed, a word that literally means to be purchased from the slave market of sin, involves a change of life, via habit, desires,and thoughts. So the truth of redemption is binding in the spiritual world.

We have talked about this numerous times, and it’s beautiful to me. At the same time we must do our part and live a life of abstaining from the flesh and the world. Otherwise the “roar of the lion scares us and we lose faith and give in to fear, worry, and do things that we normally would not do causing us to sin. Remember our verse? 

1 Peter 5:8h

Be sober-minded; be watchful. Your adversary the devil prowls around like a roaring lion, seeking someone to devour.

Therefore to continue to live a lukewarm, compromised state, remaining slaves to sin makes no sense other than we are blind. We simply do not get it. The second reason why we remain lukewarm is complicated but it has to do with a lack of intimacy between parent and child. We never grew up feeling special, so it’s hard to believe that God finds us special. 

This is, unfortunately, a common problem due to the break up of the home. A child’s mind does not think mommy and daddy cannot get along so they are divorcing, no a child’s mind thinks that they do not love me enough to stay together and work things out.  And this feeling of being unloved gets grafted into their soul and begins to remake their identity. That’s why God in Malachi 2:14 -16 says this. 

Malachi 2:13-16

And this second thing you do. You cover the LORD’S altar with tears, with weeping and groaning because he no longer regards the offering or accepts it with favor from your hand ( or hears or answers your prayers) . But you say, “Why does he not?” Because the LORD was witness between you and the wife of your youth, to whom you have been faithless, though she is your companion and your wife by covenant. Did he not make them one, with a portion of the Spirit in their union? And what was the one God seeking? Godly offspring. So guard yourselves in your spirit, and let none of you be faithless to the wife of your youth. “For the man who does not love his wife but divorces her, says the LORD, the God of Israel, covers his garment with violence, says the LORD of hosts. So guard yourselves in your spirit, and do not be faithless.”

The way this identity crisis is solved is by the child, possibly now an adult goes through some really tough and often painful situations. It forces them to pray and when those prayers get answered it’s not just luck or happenstance, it’s GOD answering. And when God answers, everything in us changes; we feel important and we feel special. 

Next concern is where are they today with the Lord. I hear stories of God’s faithfulness and they are beautiful to hear; their countenance is bright and filled with joy. Then, and sadly so, l learn that this event happened 10 years ago. They’re living on memories, and it’s sad. It should not be this way. God says He’s the God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob. He is not just the God of Abraham, the God of the past, but He was Isaac’s God and then Jacob’s God and now He is our God. We need to live today with Him. Allow the memories to encourage us of His faithfulness, but press into Him today! He’s as much a God of the present as He has been of the past. 

Jeremiah, though a prophet, struggled with depression. His ministry was tough, people didn’t like his message. It was a hard message, repent or go into captivity. If you think about it, it’s the same message today. We can either live free serving the Lord and share in His peace, love and joy, or become a slave to our passions, to our insecurities and fears and 

serve the gods of this world. Different gods, but its the same enslavement. Jeremiah could have remained discouraged but he chose rather to think on the character and goodness of the Lord. Its a choice he made and it’s a choice we too must make. 

Lamentations 3:16-25

He has made my teeth grind on gravel, and made me cower in ashes; my soul is bereft of peace;

I have forgotten what happiness is; so I say, “My endurance has perished; so has my hope from the LORD.”

Remember my affliction and my wanderings, the wormwood and the gall! My soul continually remembers it and is bowed down within me( and there’s much more to his struggle that he writes about in prior verses),

But this I call to mind ( a deliberate action), and therefore I have hope:The steadfast love of the LORD NEVER ceases;( when we are fighting are energies are becoming depleted and it’s easy to give into depression), “however”his mercies never come to an end; they are new every morning; GREAT is your faithfulness.

“ The LORD is my portion,” says my soul, “therefore I will hope in him.”  

The LORD is good to those who wait for him, to the soul who seeks him ( to wait is to trust 

and not panic and do our own thing out of fear or anxiety, to stay the course of faith).

Even King Ahab, a weak and Godless King experienced God’s might in a most desperate situation.

1 Kings 20:27-28

And the people of Israel were mustered and were provisioned and they went out against them (the Syrians). The people of Israel encamped before them like two little flocks of goats, but the Syrians filled the country. And a man of God came near and said to the king of Israel, “Thus says the LORD, ‘Because the Syrians have said, “The LORD is a god of the hills but he is not a god of the valleys,( I Kings 19) therefore I will give all this great multitude into your hand, and you shall know that I am the LORD.’” 

These “Ahab” events that occur in our life not only do we know it’s all God’s doing it, but God confirms by so doing that we are definitely on His radar. Sometimes we think that God doesn’t have time for us, but we learn through these trials that, that is simply not true. And this builds our faith knowing that He is truly our God. He is quite an amazing God when you think about all He does. Him becoming our Good Shepherd, our Provider, our Counselor and our Friend and our Savior is worth all the struggle and wrestling we go through to mature to this point. 

Nothing can compare to the knowing that I am His and that He is mine. It destroys insecurity and fear and gives an undeniable purpose and sense of worth and importance that is deep and unpenetrateable. And that is how intimacy between us and God is built. We must go through the furnace, but we come out stronger and better for it provided we stay the course.

Talking about a change in our identity. We are now putting on the shield of faith, thus protecting the our heart from the lying darts of the enemy, and putting on and always wearing the helmet of salvation to protect our minds from the godless thoughts he wants us to believe in so as to manipulate us. And because of His great Grace and kindness we are humbled. It is the privilege of being a sheep in His fold. He is the Good Shepherd that hears and is tuned in and turned to His flock.

With such attention, anger, a natural human emotion has no need to control us. Things will happen that are wrong, very wrong at times, but prayer is the best action towards the wrong done to us or to others. Take our political environment right now, there’s a lot to be angry about but to what end? Will being angry change the outcome? No, but if God’s people pray and beseech the Lord He will act on our behalf. 

2 Chronicles 7:13-14

When I shut up the heavens so that there is no rain, or command the locust to devour the land, or send pestilence among my people, if my people who are called by my name humble themselves, and pray and seek my face and turn from their wicked ways, then I will hear from heaven and will forgive their sin and heal their land.

We need our land healed. We need righteous people in government, people that fear and love God, and as a people we must pray and vote for those people. And not just any prayer, but intercessory prayer where we get down on our knees and pray in earnestness to affect change in our government. If we took our privilege of prayer more seriously our prayers would be as laser guided missiles where we could see bondages broken, evil and wrong punished and righteousness exalted. We would have very little to be angry about. In this election year there should not be one believer who is not beseeching God for leaders who love Him, respect His ways, and support life and a life of faith. This is our chance to have just rulers over us; to not do so is to be asleep at the wheel and we know bad things happen when that happens (there is much looming ahead of us if Biden gets in, Harris will replace him and she is so extremely liberal). 

The attention and face of God (figuratively) is found when we understand who it is we are approaching. He is High and Lifted Up, and He rules over the affairs of man and over the circle of the earth, He is to be greatly praised and greatly to be held in reverence. 

Daniel 4:17

The sentence is by the decree of the watchers, the decision by the word of the holy ones, to the end that the living may know that the Most High rules the kingdom of men and gives it to whom he will and sets over it the lowliest of men.’

Psalms 51:15-17

O Lord, open my lips,and my mouth will declare your praise.For you will not delight in sacrifice, or I would give it; you will not be pleased with a burnt offering.The sacrifices of God are a broken spirit; a broken and contrite heart, O God, you will not despise.

Psalms 145:8-11

The LORD is gracious and merciful,slow to anger and abounding in steadfast love. The LORD is good to all,

and his mercy is over all that he has made. All your works shall give thanks to you, O LORD,

and all your saints shall bless you!

They shall speak of the glory of your kingdom and tell of your power.”

There is no better life on this side of Heaven. Seek it, sacrifice for it, die to self and the passing ventures of this life to gain a life that cannot be taken from you and show your love ones the way to life so they too follow in your footsteps.

Father God, 

We are living in difficult times with the darkness of man’s heart being openly on display. It’s evil and unabashed. We must join in prayer and become an invincible force. We can conquer and we need too. This is the time for believers to stand up and be counted. May all our voices become a strong cry before the Throne of our Father. We must live what we preach, forsaking the world and following hard after You Lord. 

God Bless you – Arthur

personal note: This Thanksgiving, despite the uncertainty of our lives currently there is still much to be thankful for. God has not changed, He is the same God and is very capable to enter into the events of man and affect change. There’s no such thing as defeat when God is in control. That doesn’t mean things can’t become difficult and hard, it just means according to the difficulty is His Grace. Amen.