Be Still and Behold

A month has sped by and I’m remembering the fun and fury ushered in during December 2023. I describe it as Christmas chaos. Having downsized to a two bedroom condo, my husband and I have little space to offer guests. The challenge to occupy our modest place with our visiting family began three days before Christmas and lasted a week. 

The days were noisy and chaotic, thrilling and extraordinary, full of food and surprises. But nighttime didn’t bring the needed rest as the toddler slept on a small bed with us, his grandparents, in one bedroom and the baby slept in a crib by his parents in the other. Terror, tears, feedings, and fears beset us all as we dealt with the two young children adjusting to a cramped and strange environment in a different time zone. Sleepless nights evolved into bleary days. 

As time ticked on, we gathered together with extended family members, creating more disorder and at times, discord. Tis’ the season, right? To gather and give thanks for the Savior baby with the families we love who also infuriate us. Merry Christmas. 

Whenever I got the chance to hold my four month old grandson, I wondered about Mary and her baby boy. What a chaotic mess to be pregnant and traveling by donkey to the hometown of her husband. Arriving and awaiting delivery, they found no place to stay. No room in the inns. 

They finally settled into a stable as a birthing room and placed the newborn babe in a manger or trough where animals feed. Mary probably felt some anxiety and stress. But oh to behold Him, the One who was a special delivery from a Heavenly Father. What honor and joy she must have felt to bring into a chaotic world the Prince of Peace, Immanuel the God with us. 

Silently studying my grandson as he lay defenseless in a crib, I realized his helplessness. With stillness all around, I thought of my God, my Savior, the Creator of the world. He came into our world, the one He created, to live like His created ones. What sacrificial surrender! What supreme humility! What amazing love!

Suddenly the chaos became hushed harmony. Behold, shepherds and magi came from afar to see the fulfillment of the promise of a newborn King. And far off into the future, many more people gather to celebrate the birth of this Promised One, Jesus the Messiah, the Savior of the world. 

Praise the God who entered our chaos and gave us a silent night of promise. 

Turning and Overturning

Jesus —

our example

How to overturn the tables and turn the other cheek

Jesus entered the temple courts and drove out all who were buying and selling there. He overturned the tables of the money changers and the benches of those selling doves. “It is written,” he said to them, “‘My house will be called a house of prayer, ‘but you are making it ‘a den of robbers.’ ”  Matthew 21:12-13 (NIV)

“You have heard that it was said, ‘Eye for eye, and tooth for tooth.’ But I tell you, do not resist an evil person. If anyone slaps you on the right cheek, turn to them the other cheek also.”  Matthew 5:38-39 (NIV) 

        Eye for eye and tooth for tooth—revenge appears to be the norm in our society. If you bear no resemblance to the status quo or hold contrasting beliefs, beware! Retaliation is fair game. All the while faith and morality has been diluted and compromised so as not to offend anyone holding divergent beliefs. What is going on in our society? How have we gotten things so distorted?

          God’s ways have always been countercultural to society. Jesus, the Son of God, lived with humanity to exemplify the better way. He taught His disciples to turn the other cheek, to respond to personal harm with humility. But humbly turning the other cheek becomes difficult when pride desires revenge. Human nature habitually contends with God’s ways. 

          As a result, walking the world’s ways powerfully pulls people astray. Jesus taught His followers to topple the trend of assimilation with the world, choosing rather to be transformed by godly values and virtuous attitudes. Easy to say, difficult to do without God’s help. A benevolent response seems so inopportune when we desire immediate justice. And we presume to advance tolerance when we actually fail to stand against a society that promotes wickedness. These wayward behaviors and ever-changing worldly norms conflict with the steady standards of a righteous God. Our relative truths reign in stark contrast to God’s absolute truth.   

          I believe the past several years have been a wake up call for believers in Christ. When churches were forced to close, it prevented in-person gathering of believers to worship together and support each other. Of course there were online church services for families at home, but let’s be honest. How many people were really listening while sitting in their pajamas with a cup of coffee? The years of Covid have definitely revealed the decline of Christianity. The American church has become lukewarm, allowing secular beliefs to make inroads through the doors of churches as well as the hearts of believers. Hence the church has acquiesced to moral decay. 

“The American church has become lukewarm, allowing secular beliefs to make inroads through the doors of churches as well as the hearts of believers. Hence the church has acquiesced to moral decay. ”

          What would Jesus do? He would turn things upside down. Jesus’ prayerful relationship with His Heavenly Father kept Him focused on God’s ways. So when He entered the temple in Jerusalem and saw irreverence, He took action. He cleared the temple by upending the money changers’ tables, driving out those who were buying and selling doves and merchandise in the temple courts. He declared the temple had become a den of robbers instead of being a house of prayer for all nations (Matthew 21, Mark 11).

          Before and after cleansing the temple, Jesus utilized a fig tree to explain the spiritual condition of the people of Israel. He walked up to an exceptionally leafy fig tree, expecting to find some fruit to eat. Even though the tree possessed many leaves, it had yielded no fruit. Jesus then declared it to never produce fruit again (Mark 11:12-14, 20-22). Why?

          “You will know them by their fruit,” Jesus had spoken earlier while teaching on a mountain. Fruit symbolizes productivity, well-earned harvest. The leafy fig tree with no figs symbolized Israel’s spiritual barrenness. They had been practicing a form of religion and saying all the right words, but their hearts were far from God. And they had turned their house of prayer into a marketplace. Is the American church in the same condition as Israel was? Have we allowed society to weaken our measure of faith in an Almighty God? What if we followed Jesus’ example of speaking out in righteous anger? 

          As Jesus followers, we must be aware of the fine line between righteous anger and submissive humility. When do we act and when do we humbly submit? When do we stand firm in an uncompromising way and when do we quietly yield to those in authority? Observing Jesus’ life in Scripture can help us discover the answer.

          It is perplexing to believe that the same man who overturned the moneychangers’ tables would turn the other cheek to the ones who beat and crucified Him. Shouldn’t He have fought back? Isn’t that what we would have done? 

          Jesus lived to do the business of His Father. It’s why He cleansed the temple that was supposed to be a house of prayer. It’s also why He humbled Himself before God His Father and became obedient, even to death. He took no revenge. He sought no payback. Instead He willingly yielded to authority. His submission was not a sign of weakness but one of disciplined strength, enabling Him to trust His Heavenly Father who judges all people with justice.

          In a world seemingly gone mad, humble people seem to be a rare find. Yet during the riotous summer of the pandemic, a news story about a black female shop owner standing outside her decimated store exemplified humility. Her life seemed to be in shambles and she was in tears. She had worked hard all her life only to watch her livelihood destroyed in minutes by those that looked like her. Amazingly she wanted no revenge, but simply desired that the people who wrecked her life discover the error of their ways. Only God can soften a heart to reject evil for evil, and instead offer blessings over offenders. It’s what humble submissiveness is all about. 

          How can we know whether to humbly submit or to speak out against the wrongs of mankind? A prayerful relationship with God will equip us to discern our reactions. Then we’ll know whether to turn the other cheek or overturn the societal trends in our world.

          If we view all people as image bearers of a mighty Creator God, we can learn to honor and respect them no matter what. Responding with a quiet and gentle nature to human institutions, earthly rulers, bosses at work, marriage partners, and even our enemies will steer us away from wrongdoing. And turning the other cheek will demonstrate a complete trust in the God who judges justly. Jesus exhibited the better way to live as He silently stood before His executioners.   

          We can’t allow our worldly understanding of kindness or tolerance to be equated to biblical morality. Jesus willingly died for the sinners of this world. Will we speak out against the sins in this world? Jesus knew when to turn the other cheek and when to overturn the tables. He displayed a principled life to an immoral world. When we follow His example of biblical morality, we will stand up for the virtue of our righteous God.

Deep-Rooted Trees

The

Word of God

is a firm foundation.

       What do you do when you’ve received wise advice twice, even thrice? Dismiss? Consider? Or heed and follow? Whenever I’ve heard or read something twofold in a short amount of time, I take notice.

          Quiet time in the wee hours of each morning resets my footing on a firm foundation, the Word of God. I find strength and encouragement to aid in facing the day, come what may. Using a daily devotional, I meditate on the words of Scripture and pray. What joy I experienced the morning God spoke two times to my heart from His word.

          The recommended reading for that day—Psalm 1:1-3. 

Oh, the joys of those who do not
    follow the advice of the wicked,
    or stand around with sinners,
    or join in with mockers.

But they delight in the law of the Lord,
    meditating on it day and night.

They are like trees planted along the riverbank,
    bearing fruit each season.
Their leaves never wither,
    and they prosper in all they do. (NLT)

          The daily devotion was entitled “How to Succeed” by Dr. David Jeremiah. Who doesn’t desire accomplishment in their endeavors? The worldly way to success can be found in many self-help books that deliver details for achievement. The Bible also records methods of profit in the promises of God, but it comes with a caveat. Meditating on and living by God’s principles will produce many excellent benefits; godly success only comes when we submit our wills to God’s will and follow His instructions. It may not be achievement by the world’s standards, but it will bring victory to our souls. 

          I weighed the advice of the devotional writer while also concentrating on the worth of God’s words from the first Psalm. When I started to close my Bible, I noticed a highlighted section in the book of Jeremiah.

This is what the Lord says:
“Cursed are those who put their trust in mere humans,
    who rely on human strength
    and turn their hearts away from the Lord.

They are like stunted shrubs in the desert,
    with no hope for the future.

They will live in the barren wilderness,
    in an uninhabited salty land.

“But blessed are those who trust in the Lord
    and have made the Lord their hope and confidence.

They are like trees planted along a riverbank,
    with roots that reach deep into the water.
Such trees are not bothered by the heat
    or worried by long months of drought.
Their leaves stay green,
    and they never stop producing fruit. Jeremiah 17:5-8 (NLT)

Trust in the LORD

and be blessed.

        God had reinforced the lesson using a different book of the Bible. As I meditated on everything I had read, I began asking myself some questions. Do I want to be like a stunted shrub or a deep-rooted tree? Will I choose to turn away from the Lord or put my trust in Him? Will I walk in the ways of the wicked or delight in the word of God? Do I desire success the world’s way or God’s way?

          Later that day I walked around my neighborhood, taking note of both natural and manmade environments. There are places to rest and places to play, all surrounded by many trees, small and large. Down an incline runs a small brook. Neither the hill nor the water upends any of the large trees. They are deeply rooted, having withstood their natural surroundings. I’ve only seen the effects of one tall tree that fell.

          Deep-rooted trees denote the importance of standing firm on the word of God, not being swayed by the whims of society. Yet cultural norms and societal gauges exert much pressure on righteous living. Getting caught up in the ways of the world can cause sin and sorrow. But open the Scriptures and discover another nugget of truth about growing deep roots—Let your roots grow down into him, and let your lives be built on him. Then your faith will grow strong in the truth you were taught, and you will overflow with thankfulness. Colossians 2:7 (NLT)

          In light of the degenerate world we live in, where morals and morale seem to be declining every single day, I choose to listen to the wisdom of the Lord. Yes, I’ve made mistakes and suffered the consequences. God tells us that all have sinned and fallen short of His glory (Romans 3:23). But He offers us a chance to humbly repent of our sins and trust in the saving grace and mercy of Jesus Christ. When we accept His offer and meditate on His Word daily, even bad circumstances won’t hinder our godly success. 

          I choose to stand, deeply rooted, on the word of God. What about you? Will you heed God’s advice and follow Him, regardless of the way the world goes? If so, like a deep-rooted tree, you will stand firm, bear fruit, and successfully weather the storms of the day.

“All Scripture is inspired by God and is useful to teach us what is true and to make us realize what is wrong in our lives. It corrects us when we are wrong and teaches us to do what is right. God uses it to prepare and equip his people to do every good work.
”

— 2 Timothy 3:16-17 (NLT)

Be Refreshed

“Come and see a man who told me everything I ever did! Could he possibly be the Messiah?”  John 4:29

          She trudged up the hill to the community well, her face glowing from the heat of the day. No other woman would be fetching water at noon. An ideal time to avoid the stares, the scandal, the sting of their cruelty. By herself, encumbered by an immoral life-style, the Samaritan woman began to do the hard work of drawing water. 

          “Please give me a drink,” he said. Surprised, she looked up and saw a man, a Jew, talking to her. How could it be? 

          “Why do you ask me for a drink?” she said. 

          “If you only understood the gift of God, you would be asking me for water, living water,” he answered. “The water you draw from the well quenches thirst temporarily, but I give water that takes away thirst entirely, becoming an endless spring within you.”

While leaning over and pulling up the bucket from far below, she thought about the depth of her disgrace. The daily drudgery of fetching water in the middle of the day. The despair of detachment from society. 

          “Oh sir, please give me the water you speak of. I’ll never be thirsty again. I won’t have to come here at midday to haul water.”

          “Then go get your husband,” He instructed. 

          “I have no husband,” she said. 

          “That’s right. You have no husband because you’ve had five husbands. And now you are living with one you are not even married to.”

          Ashamed and astonished, she began to wonder who this man was. How does he know this about me? Could he be a prophet? 

          She tried to throw him off by asking why Jews worship in Jerusalem and Samaritans worship at Mount Gerizim. He told her that one day it will not matter where one worships as long as the Father is worshipped through the spirit and in truth. The soul will recognize God’s worth and delight in the true worship of God.

          She responded, “I know Messiah will eventually come and explain these things to us.” 

          “I am the Messiah,” Jesus said. 

          Could this be true, she wondered, is the wait over? He certainly knows everything about me. She meditated on the possibility that the Messiah stood before her. 

          Shaking with amazement, she left her water jar and ran back to her village. Forgetting the hard work of fetching water. Living water refreshing her soul. Hurrying to tell the good news of the Christ, the Messiah, who knew her without having ever met her.  (John 4:1-30)

          Jesus Christ, the Messiah, knows each one of us just as He knew the Samaritan woman. He longs for us to know Him, to know of His truth and grace. Too many times we try to bury our sin, avoid the fallout, and pretend everything is okay. What a deep dry well we dig, working hard to make things better when in reality they only get worse. Before we know it, we’re constrained by a heavy burden and captive to our own disgrace. Not until we confess our sins to Jesus will we be set free from the pain it causes. Once forgiven, we too will drop what we’re doing and run to tell everyone the good news of the gospel of Jesus Christ. 

          Oh the joy of being known and yet pardoned of sin. Jesus had confronted this woman’s past, present, and future with truth and grace. He had met her where she was. Suddenly she faced her sin and delighted in receiving His favor. Shame and humiliation forgotten, she ran to tell others about the Messiah who knew her fully. He had called her to truth, and when she received Him, He granted grace. She stood refreshed from a spring of living water welling up inside of her, never to thirst again. 

          Are you pursuing a trove of earthly treasures? Or are you avoiding the result of those choices? Maybe you are fetching water that only temporarily quenches your thirst. 

          Look to the Messiah who yearns to quench your thirst permanently. Tell Him your troubles and receive His gracious mercy. The living water He offers will forever refresh your soul. 

His Name is Freedom

Standing under the canopy of blue skies and billowy clouds, I sense the vast space afforded me by our Creator God. Descriptive words—airy, expansive, immense, open, unconfined—achieve their purpose, and still the opportunity to experience such a spacious place fills me with indescribable delight. Breathing room. Elbow room. FREEDOM! 

Quite the opposite of an open space, the confines of four walls hem in. Breathing room diminishes to a corner. Tentacles of anxiety surround and suffocate. Worry plagues the mind. Angst sets in. And fear claims another captive.

The years of Covid–yes, we are nearing the close of a second year—have been anything but free. Sickness, confusion, and gloom have shrouded the world in darkness. Various forms of confinement have been forced upon us. Disease and death seem to have become the norm. Because of the polarization of the facts about the virus and its cure, people are more estranged than ever. Fear waxes while freedom wanes. 

Our generation is not the first to have experienced a plague. We’re not even the first people to be ruled by authoritarian leaders. From the beginning of time, every generation has faced trials and tribulations. The Israelites, known as God’s people in the Old Testament, encountered all types of ordeals. Just as they were increasing in number and thriving in Egypt, a new king, who knew nothing about their patriarch Joseph, came to power. The massive population of Israelites threatened this new authority figure. So he began to oppress them with forced labor. 

Subjugation, ill-treatment, persecution, tyrannical rule—the Israelites groaned in their slavery for hundreds of years. They cried out to God for help and eventually He sent them a deliverer named Moses. Through many miraculous acts of God, Moses was able to free the Israelites from Pharaoh’s rule. They walked on dry land between walls of water that had formed the Red Sea. As their captors chased them, the Israelites watched the walled water splash down around their enemies and drown them. The Lord had saved them. They celebrated freedom with songs of victory.

But freedom didn’t last. For generations, the Israelites lived in cycles of bondage and deliverance. When they faced adversity, the Israelites looked to God to send a deliverer. They longed for a messiah to rescue them. When the Messiah finally came to earth, many of God’s people overlooked him because they were seeking a military leader. Jesus Christ, the Messiah, entered the earth as a babe. God sent Jesus, His Son, to be the Savior of the world, to bring salvation to all who would believe in Him. 

At 30 years of age, He began His ministry with a proclamation. “The Spirit of the Lord is on me, because He has anointed me to preach the good news to the poor. He has sent me to proclaim freedom for the prisoners and recovery of sight for the blind, to release the oppressed, to proclaim the year of the Lord’s favor.”
Luke 4:18-19

And He went about completing His mission, preaching good news to the disenfranchised, giving sight to the blind, freeing people from oppression and captivity. All this was done under the religious eyes of the Jews and the tyrannical rule of Rome. Because these groups enjoyed power, they despised the freedom Jesus was spreading among the common folk. The authorities sought to quiet Him through physical death. Even though these authorities achieved that goal, it wouldn’t have happened if Jesus hadn’t willingly given His life to save humanity. After all, He was and still is God, and He came to earth as the final sacrifice for sinfulness. He offered His life to deliver us from the bonds of sin and death. His resurrection from death made a way for all who believe in Him to live eternally with Him and enjoy abundant life while on earth. 

Once the Holy Spirit had empowered the believers and followers of Christ Jesus, they discovered it didn’t matter what the authorities did to the body. Holy Spirit power through belief in Jesus had freed their spirits. He had rescued them from the fear of human power. Maybe their bodies were in chains, but their minds and souls enjoyed freedom by trusting in Him. 

Throughout the years and around the world, many people have suffered the pangs of captivity. The burdens of mental, physical, and spiritual restrictions have weighed heavily on the hearts, minds, and souls of humans, and it continues to this day. The confines of four walls, chains of captivity, oppression and affliction hem in people, suffocating them. 

““Of all tyrannies, a tyranny sincerely exercised for the good of its victim may be the most oppressive. It may be better to live under robber barons than under omnipotent moral busybodies.”

— C. S. Lewis

No matter the persecution we may endure, our spirits can be unshackled through the power of Jesus. A heart’s desire is freedom and a wide open space offers breathing room, but true freedom only comes through belief in the Savior of the world, Jesus Christ. He saves and delivers, extending peace and strength. When you believe and trust in God through Jesus, even if physically confined, nothing can exploit your spirit. If Jesus has set you free, you are free indeed.  

“So if the Son sets you free, you are truly free.  ”

— John 8:36 (NLT)

Seeing is Believing

          “Do you still not understand? Do your eyes fail to see and your ears fail to hear?” Jesus asked His disciples as He attempted to warn them of the corrupt religious elite. “Beware of the yeast of the Pharisees and Herod,” He declared. 

          Prior to that discussion, Jesus had miraculously fed 4000 people from several loaves of bread and some fish with an abundance of leftovers. The disciples were eye-witnesses to this supernatural event. After the miracle, Jesus began to speak about yeast. But the disciples became confused. They failed to notice the spiritual depth behind such a phenomenon. Have we too overlooked the wisdom God provides in His marvelous Word? Must it always be hindsight that clarifies God’s work in our lives? 

          Many years ago I sat alone on a back pew at a church concert. While enjoying the worship music, a Bible verse came to mind. “For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the Lord, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.” (Jeremiah 29:11).

          My daughter happened to be a senior when this seemingly overused Scripture verse became popular among high school graduates. I felt as if God had spoken it directly to me for my daughter. It brought me overwhelming peace. I left the concert joyfully trusting God’s promise for her life. 

          But when my daughter began making poor life choices, I forgot God’s words. I gave into fear. I shuddered with panic. Worry consumed me every single day month after month. When I finally regained my senses, I humbled myself in prayer before Almighty God. I cried out to Him in praise and He reminded me of our long-term relationship. He had proven Himself faithful throughout my entire life. He even miraculously restored me to health after a dangerous bout with clots in my lungs. How could I have allowed doubt to compromise my faith in Him? Why had I focused on life’s adversities instead of God’s victories?

          Hindsight is 20/20. Sometimes in our moment of discontent, we can’t see the forest for the trees. We get so wrapped up in the situations around us that we fail to see the bigger picture. We struggle in our troubles instead of first praying to an Omniscient God. El Roi, the God who sees, knows all about us, and yet we fail to see His power prevail over our suffering. We lose sight of Him until He’s all we have. When we return to Him in repentance, His light shines in the darkness and our vision clears. Finally we begin to acknowledge with clarity His faithful presence in our lives. 

          Have you found yourself riveted by fear this year? Have your eyes focused anywhere but God? There are certainly plenty of problems to pinpoint—pandemic, panic, isolation, violence, hatred, death, masks, cancel culture, personal struggles, no church gatherings. The problems of 2020 continue to intensify. Many of us are nearly undone with the weight of it all. And Jesus says to each of us, “Do your eyes fail to see and your ears fail to hear?”

          Just as Jesus warned His disciples of the yeast of the religious elite, I can hear Him questioning me for my lack of faith with the words of the apostle Paul. “You were running a good race. Who cut in on you and kept you from obeying the truth? That kind of persuasion does not come from the one who calls you. A little yeast works though the whole batch of dough.”  (Galatians 5:7-9).

          The yeast of corruption has definitely escalated throughout our institutions. Control and overreach has restrained the lives of the masses while evil and lawlessness has flourished. Churches are shut down, fellowship and worship are frowned upon. And Jesus says, “Do you still not understand?”

          In this ninth month of the year 2020, where are our eyes focused? Are the maladies so tremendous that we fail to see what God is doing? Are we allowing our physical sight to outweigh our spiritual sight? 

          Mankind hungers for more than this world offers. Wandering souls long for the liberating authority of a Mighty God. And humanity desperately needs a Savior. I hope you’ll return next time to discover more of Him with me.

“So do not fear, for I am with you; do not be dismayed, for I am your God. I will strengthen you and help you; I will uphold you with my righteous right hand.
Isaiah 41:10 (NIV)”

Yeast of Corruption

““I am the bread of life; he who comes to Me will not hunger, and he who believes in Me will never thirst.”
~JESUS 

John 6:35 (NASB)”

          Boil. Foam. Bubble. Words that fashion in my mind’s eye a cauldron of evil. On second thought, I see a substance activated by water and flour. Combined with a few more ingredients, the dough doubles in size after several hours. Once baked, it yields a delicious staple. Fresh baked bread gives way to a mouthwatering experience, aromatic and appetizing.

          Jesus and bread seemed to go hand in hand throughout His time on earth. The New Testament testifies to the many times He talked about bread. He miraculously provided bread for hungry crowds. He called Himself the Bread of Life. Surprisingly He even discussed the active ingredient in bread. However, when he mentioned yeast, it had nothing to do with bread. God’s Word in the eighth chapter of Mark conveys some crucial eye-opening knowledge applicable for readers still today. 

          The chapter opens with a mighty miracle where Jesus fed a large hungry crowd after praying over several loaves of bread and a few fish. It’s a second account of Him miraculously feeding a colossal crowd from a meager source. The throng of people certainly enjoyed plenty of food as there were baskets overflowing with leftovers. Imagine witnessing such a phenomena. Think about how swiftly the news must have spread among the people. 

          Eventually reports of the supernatural event reached some Jewish leaders called Pharisees. Once they discovered Jesus’ location, they began questioning and testing Him. They demanded proof of His divine authority by requesting signs from heaven. They dismissed the power behind His miracles by challenging Jesus for more evidence. Because He recognized their unbelief, Jesus refused to grant them any information concerning His identity. He walked away from them and joined His disciples in a boat.

          As they sailed across the Sea of Galilee, Jesus warned His disciples of the yeast of the Pharisees. Yeast? The disciples assumed Jesus referred to the lack of bread for their trip as only one loaf had been stored in the boat. Could there be more to yeast than a loaf of bread?

          “Why are you talking about bread?” Jesus asked. “Do you not understand? Do your eyes fail to see and your ears fail to hear? Remember the two miracles? How many baskets of leftovers did you pick up?”

          The disciples answered respectively, twelve and seven, but Jesus knew they failed to comprehend the meaning. They only grasped the concept of yeast in the physical sense. They were spiritually blind to the evil brew of the Pharisees and other leaders (Mark 8:14-21).

          The disciples recognized yeast as a fermenting agent used to make bread. Jesus equated yeast to an attitude of corruption. Think of the cauldron of evil—boil and bubble. The Pharisees had perverted their religion by making it exclusive to law keepers. As Jewish leaders, they had harnessed the people with many impossible rules to obey. By veiling the authenticity of Scripture, the religious elite had blinded the common folk to God’s truth. 

          Public opinion began changing when Jesus showed up, ministering to the masses and upsetting the methodical religion of the Jewish leaders. The crowds following Jesus increased and His divine authority exposed religious hypocrisy. The sanctimonious Pharisees seethed with anger and envy as their impact seemed to dwindle. Powerful leaders despise the freedom gained by people whose eyes have been opened to truth.

          Religion has burdened mankind with man-made rules for centuries. The law exposes sin and sometimes those in control dictate observance to laws through works, negating the work of Jesus on the cross. When the doctrines of denominations supersede faith in a self-sacrificing Savior, we become divided. Adding man’s way to God’s way is like adding water to yeast and watching the cauldron of corruption boil over into trouble. Eventually our fallen nature clouds our vision. Recognizing truth becomes nearly impossible.

“When the doctrines of denominations supersede faith in a self-sacrificing Savior, we become divided.”

          During the 60’s and 70’s, some American pastors preached fire and brimstone, the wrath of God against sinful souls. People left church services feeling shame and defeat. Surely good works would pave the way to heaven instead of hell. Eyes became veiled to the truth of the gospel of Jesus Christ.

          As a new generation grew into influence, various church services, along with the sermons, were redesigned to focus on grace, the cheap grace that minimizes sin. Comfortable with coffee described a regular Sunday at church. Again eyes became veiled to the truth of the gospel of Jesus Christ. 

          Jesus the Messiah came to earth to demonstrate a holy life to His disciples and followers. Through His Word, He shows us all a better way of life, offering grace and mercy to repentant people. The truth of the gospel of Jesus Christ is for every single person who will believe in Him. He died an excruciating death, taking upon Himself the sins of the world while offering His righteousness to humankind. It’s a beautiful exchange that requires humble recognition and repentance of our own sinfulness. It is the truth of the gospel of Jesus Christ. 

          Jesus the Savior is the Way, the Truth, and the Life (John 14:6). He wants us to know His gospel and its liberating truth. He yearns to deliver us from the yeast of corruption that infiltrates the church and the world. He longs to rescue us from wickedness and free us from sin’s bondage. He desires for us to focus on Him, living as He lived, loving as He loved. 

          But what are we to do when we don’t know what is true? It seems the yeast of the Pharisees has spread throughout the ages. The cauldron of evil appears to have boiled over into our modern world. Have we been blinded to truth? Is it even possible to see clearly through the haze of confusion? How can we use discernment and make truth visible?

          Turn away from the yeast of corruption. Change your focus from man’s way to God’s way. And return next week to see more of God’s truth revealed. 

Before you go, share with me in the comment section below some of the ways God is revealing His truth to you.

Renewed Faith, Joyful Heart

The ultimate resurrection—Jesus rose from the dead! Jesus Christ is risen today, Alleluia!* Because He lives, I can face tomorrow!* Yes and Amen!* 

With Jesus we can face anything. He died on a cross, carrying every evil scheme of the devil to defeat us. Jesus triumphed over sin, physical ailment, mental anguish, death, and even coronavirus. We too can conquer life’s miseries through Jesus our Savior. For God so loved the world that He gave His one and only Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have eternal life.* Through Scripture and song, we can shout for joy to a God who saves. 

Experiencing a resurrection, revitalization, or revival of anything yields joy, jubilation, triumph. Renewed faith, revived flowers/plants, reconstructed churches/houses, restored souls, returned prodigals, resuscitated lives, rekindled relationships—sorrow usually precedes life’s refreshment and reawakening. God breathes new life into our situations when we draw close to Him, when we humble ourselves and pray. 

I’ve prayed for my children since their birth. My prayers increased as they grew. Heart-felt prayers wrapped in tears poured from my lips when my daughter lost her way in life. I joined my prayers with other mournful mothers to set captives free. And we waited for God to work. 

God answers our prayers in His way and in His time. Some remedies are instantaneous and others evolve—all are reasons to rejoice. He turns tears of sadness into rivers of joy. 

I wept this holy week for me, my family, and this dying world. I pondered the pains my Savior endured for us all. And then I sobbed for joy over a Facebook post by my daughter. She has granted me permission to share her words, poignant and unedited. If you are suffering in any way, I pray you find comfort through her words of hope because of Jesus Christ. 

There are only a few more weeks of Randy and I being a family of two (well 3 including Goose, our dog). Jackson Lee will be here in no time and our little family will grow a little more. To bring a child into this world during this time with Coronavirus has been overwhelming! The things we have looked forward to, planned for during our first pregnancy is not working out the way we wanted. It’s sad to think that our families and friends will not be able to meet our lil man for a while. It’s devastating us! But I can’t wait to tell our little fighter what was happening in our world when he made his appearance. I can’t wait to tell him that his Daddy, my sweet husband was/is working the front lines as a paramedic firefighter serving his community and world, risking his life. The stress I know my husband is under has been unimaginable. I see it on his face, I feel it in his touch, but without fail he does it for our family and those he is helping. He goes to work for days with little sleep and helps those in need. Then comes home to me hoping and praying that he wasn’t exposed so that he doesn’t expose anything to us. The idea that he might not be able to be in the delivery room for the birth of our first child has been piercing. He is my person, my quiet storm, my peace, the good good thing my Lord brought into my life. During this time it has been disheartening to think about the future and condition our world is in. There is so much division, loneliness, depression, heartache, evil, disease, etc. It can weigh heavily on us at times and it can seem so dark, but I am constantly reminded of the brightest thing in my life….that is my Heavenly Father! He calms the storm in my heart, floods my mind with peace, gives me incredible strength. This world has so many beautiful things that we don’t see sometimes because it’s clouded by darkness, but I promise you Jesus shines brighter! Our faith and prayer through God has and will carry us through this time and every time after that. We will get through this and anything with the Way Maker, Miracle Worker, Promise Keeper, Light in the darkness! This has been on my heart for a while now. Stay safe!

May you experience a resurrection of sorts as you draw close to our Savior Jesus Christ. He died for us all. May we live everyday for Him. 

They will come and shout for joy on the heights of Zion;
they will be radiant with joy
because of the Lord’s goodness,
because of the grain, the new wine, the fresh oil,
and because of the young of the flocks and herds.
Their life will be like an irrigated garden,
and they will no longer grow weak from hunger.
Then the young woman will rejoice with dancing,
while young and old men rejoice together.
I will turn their mourning into joy,
give them consolation,
and bring happiness out of grief.
I will refresh the priests with an abundance,
and My people will be satisfied with My goodness.
This is the Lord’s declaration.  Jeremiah 31:12-14 (HCSB)

Amen. Come, Lord Jesus!

*footnotes

1. Jesus Christ is risen today, Alleluia!  Hymn lyrics written by Charles Wesley

2. Because He lives, I can face tomorrow!  Hymn lyrics written by Bill and Gloria Gaither

3. Yes and Amen!  2 Corinthians 1:20

4. For God so loved the world that He gave His one and only Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have eternal life.  John 3:16