Satan may be a defeated enemy, but he is far from giving up on his destructive plan. Before experiencing his ultimate defeat, he is cruelly destroying as many lives as possible by drawing people away from Jesus and the lifesaving gospel. There are many malicious tricks up the devil’s sleeve, and he is cunningly creative in how he uses them. While Satan cannot rob Christians of their future home in heaven, he can masterfully weave a web of temptation that keeps us from serving Christ and enjoying the blessings of our salvation. We may be spared the tortures of hell, but hell’s keeper is intent on providing God’s people with a taste of its brutal agony. Our enemy is cunning and well equipped, making a formidable opponent. The One residing in us may be greater than the evil one who is tempting the world, but even the strongest among us is incapable of standing against the devil in our own strength. This is why we must be prepared for the battle. Our preparedness includes understanding some of his favorite and effective schemes. Let’s briefly consider two of Satan’s most utilized and persuasive strategies. Both of these schemes involve drawing the attention of Christians to the wicked who are living unbridled lives and seemingly prospering with no sign of God’s displeasure.
          One of Satan’s favorite ploys to discourage believers or draw them into disobedience is to convince unsuspecting Christians that the wicked lead far less troublesome lives. He would like for you and me to believe that those who follow Jesus will go through more suffering and hardship than those following the ways of the world experience. Proverbs 3:31, however, firmly warns: “Do not envy a man of violence.” Proverbs 24:1 adds, “Be not envious of evil men, nor desire to be with them.” From a strictly worldly perspective, the wicked may very well prosper in this life and temporarily enjoy all that the world offers. Their manner of life may be attractive with its blatant appeal to “the desires of the flesh and the desires of the eyes and pride in possessions” (1 John 2:16), but it is a deceptive trap set by the devil himself. The wise are not seduced by this alluring bait. The righteous avoid wickedness and those who walk in the ways of evil. From the outside looking in, a life of unrestrained wickedness may look easier, freer, and more exciting, but it is an illusion carefully woven by the great deceiver. Knowing it is a mirage, the wise do not even nibble at this bait.
          Whenever you are tempted to envy the wicked, always take a moment to consider their lives from God’s perspective. According to the prophet Isaiah, those who pursue righteousness will enjoy God’s everlasting healing and peace, as described in Isaiah 57:14-19. The wicked, however, will never experience lasting healing or peace. In verses 20-21, Isaiah warns, “The wicked are like the tossing sea; for it cannot be quiet, and its waters toss up mire and dirt. ‘There is no peace,’ says my God, ‘for the wicked.’” In these two powerfully insightful verses, Isaiah casts a vivid picture of what the lives of the wicked are actually like. They live tumultuous lives, not peaceful ones. Like an agitated and troubled sea that cannot rest, they twist and turn down the path to destruction. The wicked are like a raging ocean, stirring up sludge and dirt wherever they go. Because of God’s righteous indignation and justice, those who reject God and His word will face His divine and perfectly holy judgment. As the Lord warned Moses, “Whoever curses his God shall bear his sin” (Leviticus 24:15). Those who refuse to repent and continue cursing God with their words and disobedience will suffer the consequences. Never overlook the fact that the affliction, misery, and torment of those consumed with wickedness are far greater and weightier than that which is experienced by those committed to holiness. It is the persistent and unrepentant sin of the wicked that prevents them from experiencing the same lasting joy, peace, and comfort promised to the righteous.
          Rather than envying the wicked or wishing your life looked more like theirs, remember their end. As David asked in Psalm 4:2, “How long will you love vain words and seek after lies?” Don’t let your gaze fall continually on the vanity of this world and allow the glitz and glamor to draw you down the destructive path of evil. The wicked may experience temporary periods of superficial joy and peace in this world, but unlike believers, they will enjoy neither of these in the one to come. As Solomon warns in Proverbs 4:19, “The way of the wicked is like deep darkness; they do not know over what they stumble.” Instead of measuring your life against the wicked, spend more time comparing your internal thoughts and external actions with the eternal Word of God. One day, your life will be judged by God’s perfect standard of righteousness, not by the foolish actions and worldly priorities of the wicked. Put away envy, and draw closer to Jesus.
          Do you spend more time wishing you looked more like the world or more like Jesus? Are you pursuing the world to the point that your desire for Jesus has turned cold? Stop envying the wicked, and draw closer to the Lamb of God who took away the sins of the world so you might enjoy the pleasures of his wondrous Kingdom for all of eternity.
          A second preferred method of Satan is to maliciously draw the undivided attention of Christians to those who are living according to their own fleshly desires while making light of God’s Word. These are individuals who regularly slight God’s commandments and refuse to submit to His divine authority. Many believers are tempted to look at the highly honored and applauded and erroneously believe they have it much better than those who are faithful to the Lord. These individuals seemingly have it all together, even though they have no time for God or His inspired word. There are no visible signs of God’s judgment, even though they consistently insult their Creator with their wicked words and evil actions. While the wayward life may be enticing, only a fool would choose to follow the example of the wicked. Whenever humankind’s sin nature is combined with human ingenuity, the wicked can quickly craft creative ways to express our depravity. And let’s face it, these innovations are often rather impressive and enticing.
In Proverbs 4:14-15 we read: “Do not enter the path of the wicked, and do not walk in the way of the evil. Avoid it; do not go on it; turn away from it and pass on.” This pair of verses clearly demonstrates that Solomon recognized the ever-present temptation to imprudently follow the wicked. The foolish are compulsive evildoers, and they will do all they can to encourage others to follow their corrupt, impulsive, and reckless lifestyles. Multitudes may strut merrily down the easy and broad pathway of evil, but the wise refuse to enter the path of the wicked or walk in the way of those who incessantly commit evil. Remember, the more attention you give to the wicked, the more like them you will become. This is why the wise avoid the evil way at all costs, refusing to entertain the allurement of the enticing words whispered by those who follow its dark and twisted path. Proverbs 28:4 tells us that “those who forsake the law praise the wicked, but those who keep the law strive against them.” Strive is translated from the Hebrew word garah, meaning to cause strife or to contend with. Rather than turning down the sinful road, the righteous pass on by, committing their lives to the narrow path leading to everlasting life. They do not praise the wicked ones who have forsaken God law; they stand firmly against them in holy opposition to their profane way of life.
          Additional texts, such as Exodus 23:2, make it clear that God’s people must “not fall in with the many to do evil.” The multitude generally does not know the way of the Lord. They are unaware of God’s commandments, and remain stubbornly unwilling to obey their Creator. The way of the wicked may look like a pleasant stroll through a newly blossomed garden, but it is an illusion that has deceived far too many envious believers. Those who foolishly deny God in this life will certainly be held accountable for the actions in the one to come. Sadly, the way to hell is unusually broad and well worn, and Satan continues to deviously lure more unsuspecting people down this tragic road. Proverbs 13:20 warns, “Whoever walks with the wise becomes wise, but the companion of fools will suffer harm.” From this simple verse we learn that it is far better to walk the straight and narrow path of obedience all alone than to skip down the crooked pathway leading to destruction with a wicked multitude. What wise person who has ever risked following those committed to evil kept themselves from being confined in the hellish chambers of misery and destruction?
          Should you decide to temporarily enjoy the wicked ways of this world, you will also experience the despair and grief that inevitably come to the wicked. Make no mistake about it, choosing to sin with the multitude will eventually bring God’s chastening to those who are genuinely His children. Multitudes may persuade you to follow the abhorrent ways of the wicked, but they will forsake you when God’s loving and restorative correction comes. Sin and correction are always linked together by a chain of grace and mercy that our heavenly Father uses to correct His errant children. The infection of sin will produce eternal death to those who reject the gospel and the affliction of God’s merciful chastening to those who believe. Rather than entertaining the thought of following the path of the wicked, set your mind on the presence, purity, and majesty of your Creator. The closer you draw to Him, the more rottenness you will discover crusted in your heart. Once revealed, this lingering sin can be biblically addressed and forsaken, making it less likely that the way of the wicked will ever appeal to you. You may look like an angel when compared to the wicked, but we all look a lot more like the devil when compared to Jesus.
          Satan may dangle the seemingly comfortable lives of the wicked before your envious eyes, but do not fall for his tricks. Avoid the path and way of the wicked. Turn away from it, and walk on by without even a glance. It is always better to stand alone with Christ than to follow the multitude to their unavoidable destruction. Dear Christian, keep your eyes on Jesus, and “be not envious of evil men, nor desire to be with them” (Proverbs 24:1). God has a much better plan for your life. Follow Him, and enjoy the blessings of the narrow path leading you to life everlasting.

          As we say goodbye to the month of February, let’s take a moment to remember that February is National Time Management Month. Truth be known, I recently learned this fact while preparing for a sermon on stewarding time. It’s a good idea, in my opinion, to have a yearly reminder of the value and importance of time simply because most Americans are not particularly good at what we erroneously call time management. I say erroneously because in reality, time actually can’t be managed. No matter what easy solutions you may try, time slips on by one precious second at a time, and there is nothing you or I can do about it.
          Author Charles E. Hummel rightfully corrects our perspective of the time management concept when he writes, “A person cannot do anything to time itself—delay or hasten, save or lose it—much less ‘manage’ it. The challenge is to manage ourselves under the lordship of Jesus Christ, from whom we get our goals and values. The basic question is what we do within the time frame granted to us—how we plan, decide, organize, evaluate, revise our tasks. The bottom line is managing ourselves to make the best use of our abilities and opportunities.”[1] In Galatians 5:23, self-control is listed as an important piece of spiritual fruit. Proverbs 25:28 paints a telling picture of what a lack of self-control looks like: “A man without self-control is like a city broken into and left without walls.” Cities without walls are vulnerable to attacks and destruction. Believers who lack self-control leave themselves open to spiritual assaults and devastation. If we are to successfully make the best use of our abilities and opportunities, we must practice self-control when it comes to our relationship with time. 
          As you can see, the Bible is not silent on the importance of self-control. Nor is it silent on the issue of time. In the ninetieth Psalm Moses prays, “Teach us to number our days that we may get a heart of wisdom” (v. 12). Paul commands believers to make “the best use of the time, because the days are evil” (Ephesians 5:16). The phrase making the best use of the time is a translation of the Greek word exagorazo, meaning to redeem or to buy up for one’s self or to make wise and use of every opportunity for doing good as indicated in the ESV translation. Exagorazo is a term that arises from commerce and the marketplace. Personally, I prefer the LSB and KJV rendering of redeeming the time since this seems to capture the words importance in the marketplace where money is used to purchase what is profitable for the consumer.
          Inexplicably, thousands of gift cards each year remain unredeemed because they are either lost or forgotten. One survey conducted by the consumer finance company Bankrate found that 47% of U.S. adults had at least one unspent gift card or voucher with an average value of $187. That’s a total of $23 billion left unredeemed![2] That is a lot of money wasted. Makes me wonder, how much time do we waste each year? How many opportunities to serve our neighbors for God go unredeemed over the course of twelve months? According to Paul’s teaching, followers of Jesus must rest in the Holy Spirit’s power to practice the self-control required of people who are good stewards of time. God’s children are expected to redeem every opportunity that arises to make the most effective investment we can for the sake of his kingdom and glory.
          Because so many people feel like they are constantly running short on time, time has become the hottest commodity in today’s busy-obsessed culture. Everyone seems to be looking for lost or misplaced time. Some people have enough friends. Others enough money. A few are having enough fun for all of us. But no one seems to have enough time. While we can’t print more time the way the government prints money, put time in a bottle, or save some in a mutual fund for later, we can steward our time in such a way that allows us to purposefully choose how to invest each precious second God entrusts to us.
          An important number to remember is 168. This is the allotted number of hours each and every person roaming planet Earth have available to invest each week. Everyone stands on equal ground when it comes to time: Presidents. Prime Ministers. Dictators. Senators. CEOs. Entrepreneurs. Pastors. Athletes. Authors. Physicians. Teachers. Parents. Students. Retirees. We all receive the same 168 hours to invest or waste. No one—no matter how important, overwhelmed or exhausted they may be— is allotted more hours in a day than you or me. Think about time as the most important currency of life. Unlike money, you can’t get a second job and earn more. Time is the one resource you can’t earn back, refinance, or replace. Yet, we often live as if we are given an unending supply. Time is an unrenewable resource, making it an extremely valuable commodity that would be irresponsible to leave unredeemed.
          As long as you blame others for your shortage of time, you will never practice the self-control needed to redeem your time. When you cry, “I don’t have enough time,” you are shifting responsibility to someone else for your time shortage. Perhaps it’s your boss you blame for his or her expectations. Or your spouse because of his or her lack of help around the house. Maybe it’s all society’s fault for constantly telling you that you should be doing more. The list is long, but no matter who or what you blame for your lack of time, this mindset is preventing you from being a good steward of the time God has provided. Our problem isn’t that we don’t have enough time. It’s that we fail to effectively manage ourselves in such a way that we can steward our time effectively.
          When most people have a free hour to take a walk, sit by a lake, read a book, ride a bike, learn an instrument, practice a skill, listen to a sermon, or plant a garden, we simply turn on the television with no idea what we’re planning to watch or scroll through social media until your thumb cramps—then afterwards complain about not having time to think, plan, schedule, prioritize, exercise, read, swim, run, garden, paint, or spend time with the Lord. You just had an hour to do these things. But rather than redeem that sixty minutes, you squandered them on something less valuable than the productive, developmental, or spiritual activities you could have done instead.
          Life is often planned in bold generalities. Someday, when I have time, I will… In a few years, I will have time to… Once I’m retired, I’ll have plenty of free time to… The problem with this type of thinking is it postpones life until sometime when someday actually becomes today. Truth is this rarely, if ever, happens. Postpone life until retirement and you may not have the health to do what you have always wanted to do. We are only promised this moment. Today is all there is. Time is distributed in twenty-four hour increments. If you want to become an accomplished violin player, you will have to schedule time to take violin lessons and practice. If you want to become an author, you will have to set aside time to actually put words on a page. If you want to become a singer, you have to dedicate time to take lessons, attend rehearsals, and practice for hours on your own (that’s what showering is for, I suppose). If you want to be proficient in German or Japanese, you have to invest time every day learning the language of your choice. If you want a vibrant marriage, you have to plan time to be with your spouse when you are not talking about grocery lists, kids, electric bills, or college tuition. If sometime when someday actually arrives you want to accomplish something, you have to start investing time today. As Jesus taught his disciples in John 9:4, “We must work the works of Him who sent me while it is day; night is coming, when no one can work.” Capitalize on the days God gives you, and invest them wisely.
          Our weekly allotment of 168 hours is a large enough sample size to develop an accurate assessment of where our time actually goes. Intentionally planned blocks of 168 hours are sufficient to accommodate the major responsibilities of life: Full-time employment, quality family time, rejuvenating hobbies, physical exercise, engaged worship, sacrificial service, and adequate sleep. In my mind, all of these are essential to the Christian life. Can you carve out four hours out of 168 to exercise? Can you spend five hours out of 168 learning a new language or training for a marathon? Can you invest six hours out of 168 into your family? Can you sacrifice 3 hours out of 168 to worship the God who created you? Research has shown that many people who believe they work way too much don’t actually work as many hours as they think. There are also those who work entirely too much because they are terribly inefficient. But let’s be honest, neither of these are time management problems. They are misconception problems or self-discipline problems. If you want to optimize your 168 hours each week while living in this severely distracted world, you are going to need a daily dose of Holy Spirit empowered self-discipline.
          My dear friend, God has lovingly set boundaries around your life; you will only live on this earth for a particular season, and your opportunities will arise within these boundaries. You will live for a fixed period of time “as it is appointed for man to die once” (Hebrews 9:27). You have a divine appointment with your Savior on the day of your death. What will you do today to redeem the time you have left on this earth? How will you invest the life God has given you? How many opportunities will you let skate by before you start being a good steward of your time? Truth is, you are running out of time. This is why you must redeem every precious second the good Lord entrusts to you.

[1] Charles E. Hummel, Freedom from Tyranny of the Urgent (Downers Grove, IL: IVP Books, 1997), 31.
[2] https://www.cbsnews.com/news/gift-cards-unspent-christmas-2023/. Accessed: February 22, 2026.

   When the gospel is believed, it redeems sinners from the penalty of their transgressions. Problems arise when we only focus on certain parts of the gospel. It cannot be piecemealed. In other words, you cannot believe part of the gospel message and enjoy its redemptive power. The gospel does not only apply to certain portions of our lives; it applies to each and every part.
   In our hyper-individualistic culture, we like the world to cater to us. To meet our needs as we define them. People are tempted to bring this same mindset to the gospel. We erroneously believe that we only need to accept the parts of God’s truth that we like to be considered faithful. God’s Word, however, is holistic. There is no part of life that it does not apply to, and there is no part of God’s word that can be ignored. All of Scripture is inspired by God and intended to govern every part of our lives. Nonetheless, sinners tend only to allow God’s truth to impact the parts of their lives they are comfortable surrendering to Him. This leads to dangerous distortions of the gospel.
   Let’s briefly consider four common gospel distortions:
1.     Forgiveness only: Of course, the gospel is a message of forgiveness. This is the part of the gospel most people like the most. Those who limit the gospel to mere forgiveness want to simply be forgiven so they can just get on with the rest of their lives. Apart from the forgiveness of sin available through faith in Christ, all of humanity would be lost for eternity and without hope. It is important to remember, however, that God’s forgiveness is not the end of the story. If we stop at forgiveness, we fail to recognize the importance of a changed life. Those who have been redeemed are no longer slaves to sin but rather slaves of righteousness. As Paul asks in Romans 6:1, “Are we to continue in sin that grace may abound?” Paul quickly answers his own question in the second verse: “By no means!” Forgiveness of sin is not a license to sin; it is the basis of our faithful obedience to our heavenly Father. If the gospel is simply to offer forgiveness so we can go on our merry way, then the New Testament Epistles would never have been needed. In a sense, there would then be no for the church either. Truth is, living out the gospel requires a lot of teaching beyond the forgiveness of sin.
2.     Morality only: Of course, the gospel call should produce a changed life that follows God’s commandments. Practicing a list of moral behaviors without genuine faith in Jesus, however, does not save anyone. There are millions of moral people in the world who have not believed the gospel. There are individuals who staunchly follow the Ten Commandments who have never repented of their sin. A person can be moral and lost. In Ephesians 2:8-9, Paul explicitly teaches that salvation “is the gift of God, not a result of works.” Because of God’s general revelation, the world is filled with morally upstanding citizens. However, apart from believing in God’s special revelation as revealed in His word, they are destined for an eternity separated from their Creator. The gospel governs not only what people can see but the secret intentions of the heart as well.
 3.     Intellectual only: Of course, the gospel is a message that must be understood intellectually. God tells His people to “rightly handle the word of truth” (2 Timothy 2:15). While there have been movements that have pushed an anti-intellectual perspective, it is difficult to imagine how one can rightly divide the Word of God apart from careful intellectual study. Intellect, however, has never saved a soul from sin. Many people possess an intellectual knowledge of God’s word that have never actually believed the gospel. They have head knowledge but lack a changed heart. People who give intellectual assent to the Bible accumulate a lot of data, but these facts can’t redeem a sinner. Only faith can accomplish that miracle. Proverbs 1:7 reminds us that “the fear of the LORD is the beginning of knowledge.” Saving knowledge is the result of fearing God and accepting God’s Son as Savior.
4.     Emotional only: Of course, the gospel impacts our emotions. But salvation is not the result of a mere emotional experience. There are occasions, typically after going through a trial or being caught in a particular sin, when people are simply looking for an emotional release. Perhaps it is the release of pent up emotions after a hardship. Or, more commonly, the emotional emission is the result of accumulating distress and grief over having a sinful addiction, relationship, or habit being discovered. As Paul writes in 2 Corinthians 7:10, “Godly grief produces a repentance that leads to salvation without regret, whereas worldly grief produces death.” Unlike godly grief, worldly grief does not produce eternal salvation. Worldly grief grieves over being found out. Godly grief grieves over sin in a repentant manner that leads to authentic change.
   Have you compartmentalized the gospel or bought into one of these four distortions? Have you fully accepted the authority of Scripture? Have you only accepted the forgiveness part of the gospel and determined to live controlled by your sin nature? Have you taken up Christianity as nothing more than a moral teaching or an academic exercise? Have you merely settled for an emotional experience rather than truly trusting in Jesus? Or has Christ truly taken you up as a redeemed sinner who has been called to serve Him?

          Once again we find ourselves embarking on a new year. As the calendar turns to 2026, many people have high hopes for the months to come as they plan to implement the new healthy habits they have been overlooking. I pray your commitment to a healthier lifestyle is a smashing success, but there is one area you have likely neglected to consider. Over the next twelve months, how many books do you plan to read? Like most people, I assume that you filled your mind with plenty of content this year with news programs, television shows, websites, blogs, podcasts, music, etc. While these forms of media can be helpful, none of them can match the power of reading good books.
          How many nonfiction books did you read in 2025 for the purpose of maturing in your faith? I am a huge fan of fiction; believe me, I read many fiction books this year. But works of fiction are a relatively small portion of my reading diet. When I do read fictional works, I typically read one of the classics. For example, I reread three Jane Austen books this year.
          In Ecclesiastes 12:12, Solomon warns, “Of making many books there is no end, and much study is a weariness of the flesh.” It would certainly be ill-advised to conclude that Solomon is discouraging reading and studying. As a man greatly gifted by God in the area of wisdom, it would stand to reason that Solomon would be a major proponent of education for the purpose of gaining more godly wisdom. In Proverbs 18:15, Solomon writes, “An intelligent heart acquires knowledge, and the ear of the wise seeks knowledge.” Seeking and acquiring knowledge is a worthy pursuit. The knowledge that we pursue, however, must be for the purpose of building us up spiritually rather than for arrogantly drawing attention to our intellectual accomplishments.
          In the context of Ecclesiastes, he seems to be drawing our attention to at least two important warnings: First, we must not forgo the primary study of what produces godly wisdom. Reading and studying God’s revealed Word is what believers need in order to mature in their faith. As he writes in verse 11, “The words of the wise are like goads, and like nails firmly fixed are the collected sayings; they are given by one Shepherd.” Goads are long sticks, possibly embedded with nails, which sting cattle to prod them along. The words of Scripture may sting us, but they prod us along down the path of wisdom. Choosing to forsake the reading of the Shepherd’s words would be foolish. For the Christian, Scripture is to be the primary reading source in our lives. In today’s digital world, an overwhelming amount of content vies for our attention. Some of it may be useful, but we cannot neglect the reading of Scripture for the sake of staying abreast of what is being written by our favorite authors. 
          A second warning that we can draw from Ecclesiastes 12:12 is falling prey to the overwhelming number of books published in a given year. According to the ISBN database, there are more than forty-three million unique ISBNs in the world (I own two of them).[1] That is a lot of books to read! Obviously, no one can read everything that has been written. As the author of two books, I will tell you that writing a book is easy. Getting people to notice your work in a world where millions of books are in circulation is the hard part. With more books in the world than anyone could ever read in a lifetime, it would be exhausting to even try. Believe me, I have sort of tried. Keeping up with every book written even in a year would discourage us to the point that we would likely stop reading altogether. Solomon is warning against the temptation to weary ourselves with such a futile effort. That would indeed be chasing the wind. We must read and study, but not weary ourselves in the process.
          In 2 Timothy 2:15, Paul writes, “Do your best to present yourself to God as one approved, a worker who has no need to be ashamed, rightly handling the word of truth.” Correctly handling Scripture does not happen by accident. Whether you are a church leader or not, you are expected to handle the Word of God with precision. Apart from hours of reading and studying, you will not be prepared to accurately handle Scripture.
          Are you willing to commit to reading more books that will equip you to rightfully handle the Word of God? How many books would you like to read in 2026? If you are new to reading, try reading one book a month. If you already have a reading habit in place, try reading one more book per month than what you read in 2025.
          As a pastor and author, I read a lot (fiction and nonfiction). Reading helps me grow in areas where I am weak, and helps hone my writing skills. For years, I have been hesitant to recommend books in an article like this because I am unable to provide any necessary cautions to the reader. But I am going to share with you ten books that I read or reread in 2025 for your consideration. (I deemed 2025 as a year to reread some books that had previously impacted me).
          Before I present my list, two words of caution. First, I read very broadly. I read books written by authors I know will have radically different views than mine. I read these books so I hear their argument in their own words rather than from a secondary writer who is quoting their work. Included in my reading diet are those who are overtly not Christians (e.g., number 6 below). Obviously, these books require great diligence. But it is healthy to know what arguments are being posed against biblical Christianity. Second, and more importantly for the list below, it is rare that I agree with every word written by an author. I would probably change a thing or two in my own books. So please read the books listed with this in mind.
          Without further ado, here are ten books, in no particular order, that greatly impacted my reading over the last twelve to eighteen months with a brief description of each:
1.     From Strength to Strength by Arthur C. Brooks. I found this book extremely helpful because it deals with how we can impact the next generation as we age. It addresses the value of knowledge gained over a lifetime. Brooks claims to be a Christian, but there are some ideas found in this book that would suggest he is not an evangelical.
2.     Christianity and Liberalism by J. Gresham Machen. Originally published in 1923, this book still captures the battle that continues to rage today between biblical Christianity and liberalism. This is a classic work that every biblically-minded evangelical should be exposed to.
3.     Tell Me the Stories of Jesus by R. Albert Mohler. I read this book in preparation for a recent series on Jesus’s parables. This book is down to earth and very practical. Anything written by Dr. Mohler is worth your time, but this one would serve as a great devotional.
4.     Failing Forward by John C. Maxwell. I read this book in preparation for a workshop I was asked to present at a conference. While it is over twenty-five years old, it is still timely and practical. Maxwell is a great writer, and generally easy to read.
5.     The Anxious Generation by Jonathan Haidt. This book, and the one to follow, is one of two books that I would highly recommend to parents of children younger than eighteen. Anxiety is becoming a crippling problem in today’s culture, and this book helps explain why.
6.     Bad Therapy by Abigail Shrier. This book boldly addresses the potential problems with the modern therapy culture, and offers parents some beneficial information that will benefit parents who believe their child needs counseling. Shrier is not a Christian, but her work is superb, and promotes many ideas that conservative Christians would agree with.
7.     The Great Gain of Godliness by Thomas Watson. As part of my morning Bible study time I am always reading a book written by a Puritan. It is hard to find modern writers who write with the same level of thoughtfulness as the Puritans. My copy of this book is filled with underlines and notes. This is a classic that would be well worth your time.
8.     The Fear of God by John Bunyan. This Puritan book develops the biblical concept of the fear of God in tremendous detail while also offering practical insights. Like Watson’s work listed above, this book would be a helpful read.
9.     Recovering Our Sanity by Michael Horton. This book also deals with the concept of fearing God. Its basic premise is that the fear of God eliminates all other fears. If you struggle with the fear of circumstances or people, this book is for you.
10.  Five Lies of Our Anti-Christian Age by Rosaria Butterfield. Okay, I said this list is in no particular order, but if I could encourage you to read one book on this list it would be Butterfield’s work. Former college professor, lesbian, and now pastor’s wife, Rosaria Butterflied offers insights into the LGBTQ+ movement like no one else can. Excellent book. Highly recommended. 
          In closing, I would like to offer a bonus book for your consideration. If you are already an avid reader, I have a book for you. It is difficult for me to come up with a book other than the Bible that has impacted my life more than The Existence and Attributes of God written by Puritan writer Stephen Charnock. I read this book practically every morning for almost two years. It is admittedly long, but it will challenge you to the depths of your soul. Read it one chunk at a time. Believe me, you will be glad that you did.
          I pray that 2026 is a productive year for you, and that you read thousands of pages that help you draw closer to the Lord. Rightly handling Scripture takes time and effort. Invest time this year increasing your biblical knowledge so you can more effectively handle the precious Word of God.
[1] Val Giordano, “How Many Books Are In The World?” accessed December 24, 2025, https://isbndb.com/blog/how-many-books-are-in-the-world/.

          For many Americans Christmas trees are trimmed. Colorful spotlights are lighting up the house. And manger scenes are abounding. Represented in many manger scenes decorating yards and living rooms are the Wise Men. Although these men visited Jesus months after his birth, they are often included in Christmas decorations and in the story of Jesus’s birth in the city of Bethlehem. Matthew 2:11 records their visit this way, “And going into the house they saw the child with Mary his mother, and they fell down and worshiped him. Then, opening their treasures, they offered him gifts, gold and frankincense and myrrh.” It is important to note that this visit occurred in a house, not a manager.
          While the exact number of Wise Men is unknown, they are traditionally pictured as three to match the three gifts offered to the Messiah. They were Magi, likely belonging to a priestly caste of eastern astrologers and were possibly from Persia. Although they likely played important political and religious roles, passages such as Daniel 2:2, 10 presented astrologers negatively. Over time, Scripture tells us that Daniel became highly respected among the Magi, making it possible that he had a lasting influence on them. The Magi were priests, sages, students of science, especially astrology and religion, but they also engaged in philosophy and medical science. They played a major role in the Medo-Persian and Babylonian Empires, making their visit one of great significance.
          Based on Matthew 2:11, it is interesting to note that these powerful pagan men clearly recognized the Christ child for exactly who he is. They traveled a great distance to see Jesus and to pay homage to the recently born King of Israel. Matthew 2:3 tells us that their arrival caused quite the stir: “When Herod the king heard this, he was troubled, and all Jerusalem with him.” Herod and the citizens of Jerusalem are rattled by their arrival. So much so, Herod called a meeting with all of the chief priests and scribes to ask them where the Christ was to be born (v. 4). Possibly while this discussion was happening, the Magi were busy doing what they travelled so far to do; they were worshipping the Messiah.
          In order to worship the newborn babe, they had to learn His location. God miraculously used a star high in the heavens to direct the Magi to the place where Jesus could be found. Because of their familiarity with astrology, they would have required something supernatural to capture their attention. Understanding that this star was distinctive from all of the others dotting the night sky, they followed it to the home of the Messiah and His family. During their visit, they presented their gifts to Jesus as an act of worship. These gifts included gold, frankincense (a costly, beautiful smelling incense), and myrrh (a perfume). All three of these offerings were fit for royalty, pointing to their understanding of who Jesus was and the specialness of His coming. There is little doubt that these gifts helped fund Joseph and Mary’s imminent stay in Egypt, where they would find refuge from Herod’s atrocities.
          The Magi are an important part of Jesus’s birth narrative, and serve as tremendous examples of generosity and authentic worship. They willingly sacrificed time and money to honor the King of kings as an act of adoration. They are a vivid reminder that every living human being will worship something, because all of us are worshippers by nature. The Magi rightfully chose the only worthy recipient of worship: Jesus Christ, the Son of God who is the second member of the trinity. Our triune God, the one who created the world, is the only deserving recipient of our worship. The Magi understood this to be true, and we must follow their example.  
          Biblical worship that takes place on this side of the cross can be defined as the proper response of all moral agents to the holy, righteous, merciful, and just Creator. Worship calls all moral agents to sacrificially offer all honor, praise, adoration, and worth to their Creator because of who He is, and because of all that He has accomplished through the sacrifice of His Son, Jesus Christ for the sins of mankind. Authentic Christian worship is God-centered, and is no less Christ-centered. Christian worship is empowered by the Holy Spirit, and is not limited to a specific time or place. The Magi worshipped Jesus in a house, and undoubtedly continued to offer their worship to God on their way back home.
          Christmas is the perfect occasion to redirect your heart toward authentic Christian worship that centers on the Messiah. Christians, above all others, have a definitive reason to celebrate Christmas. In the midst of all of the garland, lights, trees, ornaments, and manger scenes, keep your focus solely on Jesus, the Son of God who won the greatest victory of all time on the cross of Calvary where He defeated the powers of evil and hell. Three sorrow-filled days later, Jesus Christ rose from the dead, making redemption possible to all who believe in Him by faith. Jesus the Messiah—the one born to the Virgin Mary—is the Lamb of God who takes away the sins of the world. Through His sacrificial death on the cross and glorious resurrection, sinful people can enjoy a personal relationship with their Creator through the shed blood of the Messiah. Jesus, the divine Son of God, is the only source of salvation and absolutely worthy of our worship.
          The miracle of the star directing the Magi to the place where Jesus was being cared for by His family is a testimony of God’s power of the universe. An even more magnificent miracle is the fact that Jesus Christ took on human flesh, and dwelt among humanity with the intention of laying down His life for sinners, including those who would nail Him to Calvary’s cross. This powerful, redeeming truth should produce the only proper response this Christmas season: wholehearted worship of the one who sacrificially laid down His life for us.
          During this Christmas season, a time of increased stress and busyness, refuse to worship materialism, luxury, convenience, and novelty. Instead, worship your Creator-God by ascribing all honor, praise, adoration, and worth to Him. The Magi willingly bowed the knee before the Messiah in humble worship, and we would be wise to do the same.

God’s eternal truth is not provided simply for academic purposes. It is given as a roadmap, describing in great detail how God’s people can faithfully follow the highway leading to Christlikeness. In other words, God’s word is not recorded in the pages of Scripture to simply inform us and to fill our heads with trivial knowledge fit for a contestant on Jeopardy! God’s inspired word is given to redeem and change sinners from the inside out. Apart from knowing the gospel, as revealed in Scripture, humanity would remain in sin and thus be destined for hell. Holiness requires redemption through faith in Christ alone followed by persistent obedience to the commandments of Scripture. Paul makes this point clear in 1 Peter 1:22 where he writes, “Having purified your souls by your obedience to the truth.” God does not save sinners to leave them as they are; they are saved with the purpose of becoming like their heavenly Father.
          In the opening chapter of James’s short epistle, he masterfully weaves an important contrast for his readers to carefully consider when he writes:
For if anyone is a hearer of the word and not a doer, he is like a man who looks intently at his natural face in a mirror. For he looks at himself and goes away and at once forgets what he was like. But the one who looks into the perfect law, the law of liberty, and perseveres, being no hearer who forgets but a doer who acts, he will be blessed in his doing (vv. 23-25).
          According to these verses, there is a profound difference between those who hear the word of God but never change, and those who hear Scripture and obediently follow what it teaches. Simply put, there are those who obediently love and serve God, and there are those who don’t. Unlike a casual or disingenuous follower of Jesus, a faithful believer looks diligently into the perfect law of liberty (later called royal law in 2:8) and takes decisive action. This means that we read and understand the teachings of Christ so we can apply what we learn to our daily lives. Christians are expected to not only consume God’s word through consistent reading and listening, they are also commanded to digest it, apply it, and live it.
          I’m acutely confident that before you leave the house each day you check your appearance in a mirror. What we see in our physical reflection points out any changes that need to be made to our face, clothes, or hair. My hair is rather unruly. It’s coarse, frizzy, and typically uncooperative. I don’t necessarily spend a lot of time on my hair, but I would not think of leaving the house before checking it in a mirror—or putting on a hat, which I prefer. James argues that none of us beholds our reflection in a mirror and fails to take corrective action. But for some strange reason we consistently do this spiritually when we look into the mirror of God’s word and ignore the sin we see or cover it up–like I often do with my unruly hair. Ignoring sin or covering it is certainly easier than addressing it. But both are dangerous propositions that bring destructive consequences.
          Domesticating our sins is certainly less troublesome than biblically repenting of our transgressions and mortifying them. Pretending our sins don’t exist is obviously more comfortable and less time-consuming than repentance and change. These approaches may be less demanding in the short-term, but our tendency to overlook our spiritual needs stunts our spiritual growth and leaves us spiritually immature, guaranteeing future problems that will cause even more havoc in our lives. This is why James so urgently calls Christians to take immediate action against the sin God’s word points out. Dealing with sin the instant it comes to our attention saves us a lot of heartache down the road.
          Sin always spins a powerful web of confusion, and creates a lot of heartache and damage. Rather than forsaking our sin and repenting of it, we coddle it, excuse it, and allow it to fester and grow. Our sinful hearts are seasoned with the spice of deceit, which often blinds us to the truth we so desperately need to hear. This is why godly saints carefully measure their hearts against God’s perfect standard recorded in the Bible. Knowing there are still traces of the evil one living in our envious, stubborn, and rebellious hearts ought to drive us to the pages of Scripture with a sense of urgent humility. Personal study of Scripture combined with authentic worship in a gospel-preaching church serve as guardrails against the lukewarmness and disobedience that so often follows when we dismiss or ignore God’s commandments. Our problems are compounded when we look into God’s authoritative word and refuse to obey what it commands because we don’t like what it says or how it feels or how difficult it may be to surrender our idolatrous hearts to God’s truth. Biblical joy, however, is found in obedience to God’s commandments regardless of whether or not we like them, feel good about them, or find them easy to follow. 
          Our wickedly deceptive hearts regularly convince us that we are free of dishonesty, but we continue to accept and repeat the devil’s lies as if they are factually true. We may believe ourselves to be free of armed robbery, but regularly rob others of their value and dignity through our dismissiveness, unkindness, and cruel words. We eagerly convince ourselves that we are free of drunkenness, and yet live intoxicated with a consuming lust for power, control, possessions, and pleasure. Unlike God’s perfect law of liberty, our hearts are flattering mirrors, convincing us that we are indeed the fairest of them all. In this tainted mirror, every wart is covered, every flaw corrected, and every hint of imperfection is magically blotted out.
          Rather than humbly gazing into the mirror of God’s word to see our sins clearly, we prefer the circus mirror that our sinful hearts offer. These mirrors may distort who we actually are, but we like what we see in them far better. They magically conceal our faults, and keep us from seeing ourselves accurately. When we look into these truth-twisting mirrors, we see a reflection that is far more agreeable than we actually are, guaranteeing that we will remain spiritually unprotected and vulnerable to Satan’s deceptive schemes. This is why it is important to look deep into the mirror of God’s word and pray, “Search me, O God, and know my heart! Try me and know my thoughts! And see if there be any grievous way in me, and lead me in the way everlasting” (Psalm 139:23-24). Whatever sin God’s word reveals, be quick to repent and return to the path of obedience, which leads to the way everlasting.  
          Before leaving the house each morning, I encourage you to check your appearance in your bathroom mirror and make any necessary adjustments. But more importantly, spend sufficient and concentrated time beholding your spiritual condition in the mirror of God’s holy word. Let Scripture do its convicting work in your heart, and take decisive action to change what God declares unrighteous. The first time you look into God’s mirror and see an ugly sin breaking out like a round of acne, aggressively treat it with a high dose of repentance. Sin is always ugly, but it always grows more grotesque over time. Drive a nail through each and every sin the Lord brings to your attention and “put to death therefore what is earthly in you: sexual immorality, impurity, passion, evil desire, and covetousness, which is idolatry” (Colossians 3:5). Hate your sin. Then kill it. Don’t feed it. Don’t coddle it. Don’t play with it. Put it to death. Our sin is ugly, but we are beautiful in the sight of our heavenly Father. The only way to hate our sin without despising ourselves is to love God with all of our hearts, trust Him exclusively, and seek His grace each and every day. Our identity must never be defined by our sin but by our Savior who laid down His life on our behalf.
          Spiritual maturity and deliverance from your sinful habits, thoughts, and desires will only happen when you follow Paul’s instruction and consider yourself “dead to sin and alive to God in Christ Jesus” (Romans 6:11). If you are genuinely a child of God, you are dead to your sin and enjoying new life in Christ. Being a faithful doer of the word requires your loyalty, your heart, and your commitment to Christ. Your life must belong to Jesus and to him alone. The agony of Jesus became your victory. His death became your newness of life. His righteousness became yours when it was imputed to your account by God’s justifying grace.
          From James’s imagery, we learn that one mirror may prevent you from the embarrassment of going to work with bedhead, but another one will protect you from the destructive clutches of the devil. Which mirror do you spend more time in front of? In order to be a faithful doer of the word rather than a mere listener, you must invest more time gazing into the truth-proclaiming mirror of God’s wondrous word.

A Selection From So Long, Identity Crisis by Jay Knolls

          Followers of Jesus have been entrusted with the responsibility of sharing the gospel of peace to the war-torn, broken, and wicked world. As peacemakers, we are also called to spread interpersonal peace by refusing to be combative while wisely seeking to resolve conflict in a biblical manner. Peacekeepers do not ignore problems or sugarcoat them; they apply kind and honest communication to conflict with the purpose of reaching a Christ-honoring solution. When conflict is correctly implemented with respect, grace, patience, and humility, problems are solved, relationships grow more intimate, marriages are rescued, confusion is clarified, mistakes are avoided, and sin is impeded. Becoming an effective peacemaker is well worth the investment of time and energy. To do so, we must develop the following six characteristics.
         First, peacemakers honestly admit when there is a problem. The thirteenth chapter of Ezekiel is a troubling text. I would encourage you to read the entire chapter to get the full picture; I will only include a couple of key verses here. To set the context, the chapter addresses the issue of Israel’s prophets who were declaring prophecies that originated in their own imagination. God pronounces a woe oracle against these foolish prophets since they had seen nothing and were proclaiming false prophesies. They had seen false visions and lying divinations and yet announced they were from God. These prophets were liars and deceivers. Because they were speaking falsehoods, God stood against them.
         In Ezekiel 13:10–12, God says, “Precisely because they have misled my people, saying, ‘Peace,’ when there is no peace, and because, when the people build a wall, these prophets smear it with whitewash, say to those who smear it with whitewash that it shall fall! There will be a deluge of rain, and you, O great hailstones, will fall, and a stormy wind break out. And when the wall falls, will it not be said to you, ‘Where is the coating with which you smeared it?’”
          God’s imagery in this passage is profound. Whitewashing is using something to cover up or gloss over faults, mistakes, or wrongdoings. You can whitewash a wall, but if the cracks are not fixed, the wall will crumble. You can whitewash problems and conflicts, but eventually the relationship will fall to pieces. The plaster used by the foolish and lying prophets may provide a false expectation of peace and cover the cracks in the wall, but when the future storms come, everything will come crashing down.
         In Jeremiah 6:14, we see a similar warning: peacemakers do not whitewash problems; they honestly admit them. Peacemakers are more concerned with pleasing God than with pleasing people. Resolute in their pursuit of purity, peacemakers seek to honor the Lord by addressing conflict according to Scripture. Obedience to God supersedes whitewashed peace and unresolved discord. Because peacemakers hunger and thirst for righteousness and seek purity of heart, they are committed to addressing problems, resolving conflict, and restoring relationships.
          Second, peacemakers risk discomfort and rejection to constructively engage in necessary conflict. Perfectionists are a particular group who generally avoid conflict. They tend to live with the illusion that if they do everything perfectly, they will be free from conflict, criticism, correction, humiliation, and rejection. Try as they may, perfectionists are incapable of avoiding conflict because, well, no one is perfect.
         People who fall into the “too nice for their own good” category erroneously believe that if they treat everyone with a layer of niceness thick as molasses, they will always receive the same in return. Excessively nice people are typically concerned with guarding their self-image; therefore, they focus more on leaving a likable impression than with making peace and growing closer to God and others through healthy conflict.
         In the seventh Beatitude, Jesus is not promoting passively keeping the peace out of timidity for the sake of avoiding conflict. Mr. Too Nice leaves the conflict with his tail between his legs, and Mr. Take Charge leaves feeling vindicated and victorious. The underlying problem, however, is left unresolved and festering beneath the surface. Jesus forbids His disciples from glossing over conflict. Instead, we are to actively labor for peace.
         The maker in peacemaker insinuates this is not a passive exercise but rather requires a purposeful investment of time and energy. Peacemakers desire something far greater than flimsy appeasement or the mere absence of conflict; they pursue restoration, wholeness, and well-being.
          Timid people often avoid conflict out of alleged love for someone. In reality, the person who makes such claims only loves one person: themselves. From a heart of self-protection, peacekeepers avoid every hint of discord, conflict, and rejection. Out of self-interest, they whitewash problems instead of lovingly confronting them. Self-preservation keeps us from addressing conflict before it escalates. Before long, the problem grows and the discord intensifies; eventually, the cracks widen and the dam breaks. The tempting comfort of whitewashed peace must be sacrificed when truth and holiness are on the line.
         Third, peacemakers never initiate unnecessary conflict and are not responsible for creating it. As we learned from Proverbs 3:30, the wise do not stir up strife, create discord, or seek out arguments or conflict. When peacemakers do knowingly or unknowingly create conflict, they accept responsibility for their actions and pursue peace. While some attempts at peace may not be reciprocated, peacemakers refrain from escalating the conflict through harsh responses or vengeful actions. Instead, they always follow Paul’s counsel in Romans 12:18, “If possible, so far as it depends on you, live peaceably with all.” In cases where discord and conflict continue for an extended period of time, faithful followers of Christ must commit to do whatever they can to restore peace.
         Fourth, peacemakers actively and lovingly seek genuine resolution. Paradoxically, peacemakers are fighters; rather than waging war, however, peacemakers wage peace. Christians who long for righteousness and purity of heart willingly undergo discomfort and disorder for the purpose of peace. In order to mend relationships, peacemakers are kind instigators of conflict for the sake of peace and restoration. Refusing to tiptoe around issues, waiting for the other person to read their mind or initiate the restoration process, peacemakers humbly speak the truth in love and understand the spiritual benefits of a loving rebuke.
         Pursuers of peace wholeheartedly believe Proverbs 27:5–6: “Better is open rebuke than hidden love. Faithful are the wounds of a friend; profuse are the kisses of an enemy.” Rebukes are never fun to give or receive, but they are necessary for spiritual growth and for establishing peace.
         One of the major hindrances of peacemaking is people-pleasing. Overcome by the fear of people, people-pleasers are not effective peacemakers. Unwilling to endure the discomfort of interpersonal conflict, they eagerly tolerate whitewashed peace and the illusion of harmony. Effective peacemakers, however, brave the discomfort of conflict in hopes of reaching a peaceful resolution on the other side of the disagreement. People-pleasers are not effective peacemakers because they value personal comfort over truth and love, superficial peace over restorative conflict. They run from problems or pretend they do not exist; conflict is their archenemy.
          Rather being truth-lovers and neighbor-lovers, people-pleasers are peace-lovers and self-lovers. As author Lou Priolo rightly observes, “A peace-lover is so afraid of conflict that he will avoid it at almost all costs. He is so concerned about ‘keeping the peace’ with his fellow man that he is often willing to forfeit the peace of God that comes from standing up and suffering for the truth. He is essentially a coward at heart.” [1] When tempted to be cowards, and unwilling to initiate constructive conflict, we must remember David’s words in Psalm 141:5. This verse was mentioned earlier, but here it is again: “Let a righteous man strike me—it is a kindness; let him rebuke me—it is oil for my head; let my head not refuse it.”
         I will say it again: neither giving nor receiving a rebuke is pleasant, but given kindly, they are for our spiritual growth and for healing strained relationships. Peace-lovers are cowards; peacemakers are not. They love truth and their neighbors too much to cower from righteous conflict.
         Fifth, peacemakers treat their enemies well. In Matthew 5:44, Jesus corrects the commonly held opinion of the day concerning enemies. The popular approach of despising one’s enemies was categorically denied by Jesus. Rather than hating their enemies, Christ’s disciples were commanded to love them. Through our acts of love, we serve as salt and light. Love is not merely an internal attitude; it produces outward actions like the ones Jesus illustrates in Matthew 5:39–44—turn the other cheek, sacrifice your cloak, go the extra mile, give generously to the one who begs from you, and pray for them.
          I always like to point out that Jesus’s commandment to love our enemies assumes we will have people who abhor us. Enemies can be coworkers, next-door neighbors, acquaintances, or family members who stand against us; they want to see us fail. By God’s grace, I have a lot of people who love me and support my ministry. Unfortunately, I also have my share of people who dislike me. Unpopular decisions are part of leadership, and they always upset a few people. As followers of Jesus, we are not permitted to simply shrug our shoulders and treat our enemies with disdain. Even when we do all we can to restore a relationship, there are, regrettably, instances when that does not happen. In these circumstances, we are not free to hate those who refuse to biblically address the discord.
         In cases where a peaceful solution is never achieved and restoration becomes impossible, peacemakers do not harbor bitterness, seek retaliation, or gossip about their enemy. Instead, they humbly forgive and mercifully love their enemies. Liking and loving people who treat us well is easy—even unbelievers do that well. Those who draw their identity from Jesus, however, do what does not come naturally: they love their enemies.
         Peacemakers always treat their enemies with grace and kindness, and do good to all, even to individuals who hate them (see Luke 6:27–28). Following Christ means we obey Paul’s reminder to leave vengeance to the Lord, and if our enemies are facing hunger, we feed them. When people are thirsty, we provide them with drink. Rather than responding to evil with evil, we overcome evil with mercy, grace, and goodness (see Romans 12:19–21).
         Peacemakers retain civility when defending God’s truth and holy name. Even when difficult conversations must take place, peacemakers do not share truth devoid of love, grace, and mercy. Too many Christians are harsh, condescending, and Pharisaical when speaking truth. When we speak truth without love, it is like performing surgery without anesthesia. Peacemakers are perpetually kind to everyone, even to the worst, because they understand that God can use their peaceable attitude and civility to draw even their enemies to Christ.
         Sixth, peacemakers are fortunate recipients of God’s blessing. God’s enmity rests on those who sow discord and perpetually disturb the peace. Sowing discord is listed in Proverbs 6:16–19 as one of seven things the Lord hates and considers an abomination. If peacemaking gives indication of new life in Christ, peace-breaking gives indication of a carnal heart. The devil was the first peace-breaker, and those who fall prey to his diabolical schemes will behave like him. Peacemakers emulate their heavenly Father; disrupters of peace, however, mimic their father the devil. As Stott writes, “It is the devil who is a troublemaker; it is God who loves reconciliation and who now through his children, as formerly through his only begotten Son, is bent on making peace.” [2]
         Purity of heart motivates us to pursue peace. But if our hearts are consumed with sin and idolatry, we are likely to more closely resemble the devil than our heavenly Father. As the master of misdirection, Satan lures us into wasting a lot of our time and energy on frivolous arguments and debates. Every second wasted on pointless disagreements is a second that will never be invested into building godly relationships.

[1] Lou Priolo, Pleasing People (Phillipsburg, NJ: P&R Publishing, 2007), 25.
[2] John R. W. Stott, The Message of the Sermon on the Mount (Downers Grove, IL: InterVarsity Press, 2020), 34.

            Romantic and marital love have been part of the human experience since shortly after creation. Love is a topic that regularly captivates people’s minds, and the pursuit of it consumes a lot of energy and time. Hollywood knows this to be true; therefore, the film industry regularly produces romantic comedies because production companies know love sells movie tickets. While some cultural elites argue that the God-created institution of marriage is outdated, most single Americans hope to be married one day. One of the challenges of our day is the blurring of the line between the infatuated feelings of love on which the dating scene thrives and the biblical concept of self-sacrificial love on which marriages flourish. Distinguishing the differences between these two forms of affection are of great importance if you want to build a lasting marriage.
            If you ever want to observe the blissful euphoria of romantic infatuation, talk to an individual who has recently fallen head over heels in love with dreamy Mr. or Miss Perfect. When a relationship is new and untested, it is filled with high flying emotions and massively unrealistic expectations that produce a euphoric, semi-delusional state that is unsustainable in the real world. It may work in fantasyville, but in a world where problems and transgressions abound, not so much. Listen to most popular love songs and you will hear lovesick, heart-struck, enchanted artists passionately declaring their undying love and affection for their newfound love—the one that has eluded them for far too long. These tunes sell, but what they sell is an illusion.
            Should you want to gain an accurate picture of what the real struggle and benefits of self-sacrificing marital love is like, talk to someone who has earnestly loved and cared for the same person for decades. Talk to individuals who have remained faithful to their marriage vows in times of blessing and trial over the course of many years, even when the emotions of marital love wax and wane, and you will find a more accurate description of what biblical love truly is. Unhinged emotions may succeed in popular music and movies, but they are a terrible way to build a lifelong marriage.
            This kind of unwavering marital commitment is what God intended when he inspired Moses to write the familiar words of Genesis 2:24, which reads: “Therefore a man shall leave his father and his mother and hold fast to his wife, and they shall become one flesh.” The one flesh imagery points to the permanence of marriage, and flies in the face of today’s infatuation driven culture. If a relationship is going to last, it must be founded on something more substantive than mere infatuation or sexual attraction. There are admittedly many factors that help produce a lasting marriage, but in my estimation a vibrant friendship between a husband and wife is the most important. Without a one flesh committed friendship, a marriage will never reach its full potential.
Friendship is a word that is used so casually these days that I’m afraid many people have lost the true meaning of the word. When I think of the word friendship, my wife, Michelle, always comes to mind. After more than thirty years of marriage, she is still my best friend. While there have been rough periods that included the loss of a child, cancer, and foolish decisions, Michelle and I have remained the closest of friends. Whether in tears or laughter, we have weathered life together while trusting in God’s provisions and wisdom. Obviously during our three decades of marriage there have been times of conflict, but they have been biblically addressed and have strengthened our relationship. Yes, Michelle and I are husband and wife, but first and foremost we are close friends who care deeply for one another. Despite the ups and downs of life, our marriage has been a true blessing. All because I have enjoyed all of these years with my very best friend. As Adam declared in Genesis 2:23 when he saw Eve for the first time, “This at last is bone of my bones and flesh of my flesh.” At last, there was a helpmeet suitable for Adam—a partner that was perfectly suited for him. One that would afford him a level of intimate companionship that no animal of the field would ever be capable of providing. What Adam needed was a friend to experience life with, and to love for all of his days. When a husband and wife fail to develop a bone on bone, one flesh relationship, their marriage is in for some turbulent waters that could sink their marriage.
            Being married for a long time as a way of accentuating the inevitable changes that take place in people over time. For instance, Michelle and I are definitely not the same people we were when we married in the mid-1990s; both of us have certainly grown and changed through the years. In some ways we have become more alike. But in others, we are more different. While our differences can sometimes produce friction, they generally make our marriage stronger and more interesting. Honestly, married life would be boring and static without changes and differences. Having differences of opinion broadens our perspective, and challenges us to see things from another viewpoint. Friends don’t force agreement on everything. Instead, they work together to bolster the relationship by leveraging their differences. Divergences in perspective and opinion that are not unbiblical should be embraced, not shunned. Marriage takes work–no one is denying that–but our efforts should not be invested in making our spouse think exactly like us on non-moral and non-biblical issues. For example, Michelle and I prefer different types of movies and music. She encourages me to watch movies I would never choose and to listen to songs that I would never listen to apart from her recommendation. Over time, I have learned to like certain things merely because Michelle likes them. No marriage is conflict- and friction-free, but when a sense of deliberate teamwork and unwavering commitment defines the marriage it is built a much firmer foundation than mere emotion, sentimentality, and infatuation.
            Selflessly working together as a team is an essential part of any vibrant friendship, and it’s certainly necessary if a marriage is going to flourish over a long period of time. Teammates encourage one another, and provide unwavering support during difficult times. When one person is weak, the other is typically strong. As Solomon writes in Ecclesiastes 4:9-10, “Two are better than one, because they have a good reward for their toil. For if they fall, one will lift up his fellow. But woe to him who is alone when he falls and has not another to lift him up!” Marriage is a lifelong commitment made by one man and one woman to faithfully love and support one another through the thick and thin. Tough days happen. Trials come. Hardships kick down the front door. Cars break down. Hot water heaters fail. Appendices burst (Michelle’s sure did). But through it all, the one-flesh commitment perseveres through the power of almighty God.
            Maintaining a healthy marriage will not happen by accident. Without intentional investment, conflict will rage, bitterness will set in, and rocky roads will be travelled. In order to prevent these potentially devastating cancers from developing in your marriage, follow these eight principles:
1.   Friendship started your relationship, and friendship–not momentary infatuation–is what will empower your marriage to thrive over the long haul.
2.   Biblically love and honor one another so you can keep childish and petty conflict at bay.
3.   Communicate openly and regularly to maintain an intimate connection.
4.  Work to understand each other’s perspectives and opinions so you can maintain unity, even when you disagree.
5.  Savor every precious memory you create so you don’t lose perspective and allow a root of bitterness to slither its way into your heart.
6.  Allow your spouse to change, grow, mature, and become increasingly in line with who God created them to be; this keeps your marriage fun, interesting, and exciting.
7.   Remember that you and your spouse are on the same team; invest your individual God-given gifts to beautifully complement one another rather than competing.
8.   Relentlessly guard your marriage because its long-term survival depends on it.
            Marriages must never be reduced to managing logistics together for the purpose of simply drudging through the tedious monotony of daily living. It should be driven by self-sacrificial love and ruthlessly protected by an unwavering sense of commitment to one another. Your marriage is meant to be the primary relationship in your life, and must receive the attention and care that it deserves.

As with many of the Psalms, we are not told the specific circumstances David was facing when he penned the fortieth Psalm. What we do know is the situation was excruciatingly painful. In the second verse, David compares his ordeal to a horrible pit. A deep hole he had fallen into; one he was unable to escape on his own. In the first section of Psalm 40, David celebrates God’s deliverance in the past (vv. 1-10). In verses 11-17 he cries out to God once again when he finds himself facing a new crisis. The Lord had delivered him in the past, and David fully expected him to deliver him once more.
          David is described in Scripture as a man who had a heart for God, and he lived most of his life in obedience to him. Despite his faithfulness to the Lord, David regularly found himself in times of trial. From this observation we must conclude that even the most obedient of God’s saints will find themselves up to their necks in mud or stuck in the slimy pit or adversity. The question is not whether or not we will face trials, but rather how we will respond while in the midst of them.
          In times of severe trouble, David chose to patiently wait for the Lord. David begins this Psalm praising God for his deliverance after a time of patient waiting. Patiently waiting suggests endurance over an extended period of time. In fact, the word patiently is translated from the Hebrew word qavah meaning: “to wait, to look for, to hope, to expect, to wait or look eagerly for.” The word patiently suggests a quiet waiting, even while caught deep in the pit of distress, with an expectant hope that God will act. It’s important to note that the Lord (not others or his circumstances) was the object of David’s waiting. This was not a passive waiting, but rather waiting with focused concentration on the Lord alone. The idea is that David waited, and waited, and waited, and waited, and waited… on God.
          In our culture where we are accustomed to twenty-second commercials and social media clips, waiting is difficult. Advertising promises that all of our problems are not only fixable, they are able to be solved in a short period of time. All you need is the right product, and all of your problems will be resolved. If we believe this myth, waiting on God sounds rather superfluous. Who has time to wait on God when our problems can be solved instantly through the magical solutions offered in the world’s magnificent marketplace?
          Patiently waiting on God and not caving to our impulses is difficult, but it communicates an expectant anticipation that God will act on behalf of His people and actually resolve our problems according to His divine will. The Lord does not always act quickly, but He will take action. While there are undoubtedly times when He heals and delivers instantly, there are other occasions when He heals and delivers over an extended period of time. No matter God’s timeframe, David trusted that the Lord would act and would do so in a powerful and decisive way. David patiently and expectedly waited on God’s timing, all the while trusting that God would deliver him as He had previously.
          In response to David’s intense and patient waiting, God rescued him. The Lord lifted him out of the miry clay, and placed him on a rock where his steps were made secure (v. 2). David had been stuck in a slimy pit, bogged down in mud and mire, but God delivered him, and graciously set his feet on a firm rock. David’s footsteps were now on solid ground rather than caught in the swampy muck at the pit’s bottom. Successfully delivered from the sinking sand and silty pit, David now had a firm place to stand.
          David’s response to God’s deliverance is praise (v. 3). He lifted his voice and sang a new song of adoration to his Deliverer. This new song was not necessarily a new composition but a new song rooted in his redemption. David’s new song was a song of testimony that would lead others to see God, to trust in Him, and to reverentially fear Him. As Derek Kidner writes, “David’s thoughts are not self-bound, dwelling on his ordeal: they rise gratefully to God, and flow out towards his people.”[1] Oh, how self-bound we become when facing trials! Rather than keeping his praise to himself for what God had done, David testified through song of the Lord’s mighty deliverance. Rather than being ashamed of the pit God had delivered him from, David used his voice to sing praises to God in the presence of other believers.
          The imagery of the miry pit serves as an instructive picture of how life feels when we are trapped by difficult circumstances or lingering sin. In a fallen world, we are bound to face despair at some point. The Bible–the Psalms in particular–helps us understand our despair, and encourages us to lay our cares before God. This is exactly what David did, and it’s what he is encouraging us to do.
          There are admittedly many pits that we can fall into. But here is a list of twenty-five potential ones that we should be mindful of:
1.       Physical pits—this would include times of physical danger (e.g., Jeremiah 38).
2.       Physical ailments—the daily battle of illness or injury can be discouraging.
3.       Physical exhaustion—we live in a busy and distracted culture; running from one place to another often leaves us with little patience and time to think much about the Lord.
4.       Relational problems—challenges within a marriage or with children or with aging parents can feel like a pit you will never climb out of.
5.       Sinful habits (i.e., addictions)—even David had periods in his life that were characterized by the pit of sin (e.g., Romans 1).  
6.       Trying circumstances—there are times when circumstances feel overwhelming and insurmountable.
7.       Persecution—while we don’t generally face persecution on a grand scale, there are times our faith collides with unbelief in the form of ridicule or exclusion.
8.       Failure—perhaps it’s the loss of a job or being unemployed or not being accepted to the first college of your choice; failures can leave us feeling defeated.
9.       Financial issues—debt and financial concerns can overwhelm us, and leave us on the verge of despair.
10.     Monotony—much of life is filled with the tedium of day to day living that requires self-discipline; the boredom of life can entrap us if we are not careful.
11.     Discouragement—if you are looking for a source of discouragement you will always find one; this is an easy pit to fall into.
12.     Hopelessness—perhaps God has become very small in your life and all of your hope has washed away.
13.     Rejection—not everyone is going to like you, but being rejected by a spouse or by a parent or by a child or by a close friend can be devastating.
14.     Loneliness—despite all of our supposed connectedness, we are living in a desperately lonely age.
15.     Loss—whether it’s the loss of a job or a loved one, loss can leave us in deep distress.
16.     Jealousy—nothing robs our joy and sinks us deep in a pit more quickly than an envious heart.
17.     Regret—regret may come in many forms, but it always results in a sense of loss.
18.     Bitterness—resentment accumulated over time and can entrap us.
19.     Depression—when life feels overwhelming, we can quickly slip into the mire of depression.
20.     Fear—the fear of man produces a snare, along with the fear of failure, rejection, etc.
21.     Insecurity—when we are not confident in who God made us to be, we will live in the pit of self-protection.
22.     Arrogance—this one is hard to see, but if you are stuck in the pit of stubbornness and arrogance you may be in a deeper pit than you think.
23.     Covetousness—a heart of covetousness leads to discontentment; even prosperity can create a pit that sucks us beneath the waves of materialism.
24.     Self-righteousness—this is another pit that is hard to see; when we are blinded by our own sense of righteousness we dig a pit for ourselves that is always deep and muddy.
25      Self-pity—feeling sorry for yourself is a slippery slope that can leave you trapped for months or even years.
          We have all slipped into at least one of these pits. Perhaps you are stuck in one right now. Be patient, like David, and trust in God to deliver you from the pit and to place your feet on a rock. And when He does, use your voice to sing praises to your Deliverer so that others may see, fear, and put their trust in the Lord.
[1] Derek Kidner, Psalms 1-72 (Downers Grove, IL: IVP Academic, 1973), 177.

            The thirty-fourth Psalm, written by David, is one of my personal favorite portions of Scripture. This is one of the Davidic Psalms that provides the historical background of its content. The Psalm’s heading tells us that it was written when David pretended to be insane in the presence of Abimelech. The historical backdrop of this Psalm is a rather humiliating and questionable episode that is recorded in 1 Samuel 21:10-22:1. These events were some of the lowest points in David’s life, and they left him afraid and alone. It was under these stressful conditions that the Lord inspired David to write Psalm 34.
            In the sixth verse of Psalm 34 David writes, “This poor man cried, and the LORD heard him and saved him out of all his troubles.” David’s prayer to the Lord consisted of a cry. It’s possible that this cry was a mere whimper. It is also possible that David’s cry could have been a prolonged time of weeping. Whichever may be the case, David was crying out to the Lord in the midst of his fear and trouble. His life was in jeopardy, and he cried out to the Lord for deliverance.
            David refers to himself as a “poor man” because he had nothing to offer God; he was destitute and lacked the necessary resources to rescue himself. The term poor in this context should not be limited to socioeconomic status. The Hebrew word `aniy can also refer to the humble or to the humiliated. In most societies, the poor are the weakest and the most vulnerable; therefore, the poor serve as a picture of what David was feeling spiritually and emotionally. In the context of Psalm 34, poor is best understood as afflicted rather than a description of David’s financial circumstances. David was in a weakened spiritual condition and in distress as a result of his troubles.
            In the midst of his difficulties, David sought the Lord in prayer, and his heavenly Father heard his cry. While God hears our prayers, He does not always eliminate all of the troubles immediately—there are times we must wait on the Lord. As David writes in Psalm 40:1, “I waited patiently for the LORD; he inclined to me and heard my cry.” Author James Montgomery Boice offers a fantastic description of how this works in the life of a Christian when he writes, “The promise of prayer does not mean that God will change every difficult thing in your life. But He will preserve you for as long as He has work for you to do, and He will transform even the difficult circumstances by His presence and perhaps by the presence of others whom He sends to be with you.”[1] In God’s sovereign wisdom, He allows us to endure troubles so He can use them in our lives for our spiritual benefit. Adversity matures us in ways that tranquility cannot.
            Crying out to God in our times of trial prevents us from seeking false hope, refuge, and security in our idols. When you find yourself in the midst of trouble, who or what do you seek first? Substances? Relationships? Pleasure? Sleep? Your own misery? We would be far better off to remember the words of Psalm 46:1-3, “God is our refuge and strength, a very present help in trouble. Therefore we will not fear though the earth gives way, though the mountains be moved into the heart of the sea, though its waters roar and foam, though the mountains tremble at its swelling.” As God’s people, we can attest to the truth of what has been said. We know that He has delivered us from all types of adversities in the past, and we must have confidence that He will do it again in the future. God is mighty at all times, including during times of trials.
            Rather than sugarcoating the realities of living in a sinful world, David presents a realistic view of suffering when he writes, “Many are the afflictions of the righteous” (Psalm 34:19a). This phrase reminds us that the righteous are not spared hardships. While afflictions are part of life, David quickly adds in the next phrase, “but the LORD delivers him out of them all” (Psalm 34:19b). There is no denying that the righteous do not always escape trouble. Life can often feel like we are licking honey off a thorn. It can be sweet one minute, and painful the next. Nowhere in Psalm 34 does David suggest that those who fear God will be spared from trouble (i.e., adversaries and adversity). Even the righteous may experience extreme suffering (e.g., Job), but this does not negate God’s love or suggest that God has forsaken the righteous in times of their deepest anguish. David does promise, however, that if we trust God and call out to Him in our times of adversity, He will hear us and see us through our troubles.
            Psalm 34:19 reminds us that even the righteous will face various trials. Deliverance from tribulations is one thing; exemption from all trouble is quite another. Volumes have been written on the presence of evil and suffering in the world, and yet nagging questions remain unanswered (at least unanswered in a way that is satisfying to the human mind). Throughout Scripture, we find a positive and hopeful perspective on trouble which we must understand. Here is a brief list of reminders to help you in your times of suffering:
1.     Trouble is to be expected in this life (Job 1:20; 5:7; Psalm 90:9-10).
2.     The righteous and the unrighteous experience difficulty in this life, regardless of their level of righteousness (e.g., Job).
3.     Hardships are always within the span of God’s providential control.
4.     Adversity for the believer will be used by God to contribute to His goal of changing us into the image of Jesus Christ (Romans 8:28; 1 Peter 5:10).
5.     We can trust the divine wisdom of our loving heavenly Father when we do not fully understand His agenda for our lives.
6.     Trouble often brings to the surface the heart idols that we are worshipping. 
7.     Suffering will purify us as gold in the refiner’s fire (Psalm 11:4-7; Job 23:8-10; 1 Pet. 1:7).
8.     God is more interested that His people are holy than that they are comfortable.
9.     Trials for the believer are actually a reason for rejoicing (James 1:1-4; Romans 5:3-5; 1 Peter 3:13-14).
10.  While Christians take no special pleasure or delight in the circumstances of their suffering, we can rejoice over the ultimate product of our suffering—an increased Christlikeness that reflects the glory of God.
11.  Adversity reminds us that God is up to something in our lives.
12.  Understanding God’s holy character and divine sovereignty will convince us that He is always up to something good.
            When your heart is broken and your spirit is crushed beneath the weight of your trials, know that God is near and He is up to something good—whether you feel like it or not! Fearing the Lord is foundational to the Christian life; it is the key to a joyful life. But fearing and obeying God is not a guarantee that life will always be easy. But never forget that God is always present, even when we suffer because of life’s trials. No matter how many troubles we may experience, we have no need to be afraid because we are never alone.
            Trouble in this life is to be expected, but it does not mean God has forsaken you. As God’s people, we are not promised trouble-free living. But we are promised God’s sovereign presence in our suffering. During times of trial, we can find confidence knowing that God always uses our trials for our good and for His glory.
[1] James Montgomery Boice, Psalms (Grand Rapids, MI: Baker Books, 1994), 295.

          For most Christians, spiritual exhaustion flares up on a regular basis. We all grow weary in well-doing, and need to prepare ourselves when those times arise. The prophet Isaiah reminds us that “even youths shall faint and be weary, and young men shall fall exhausted” (Isaiah 40:30). No matter how old or young we may be, weariness and exhaustion is part of life. It may take children longer to grow weary, but eventually they fall prey to exhaustion the same as the elderly.
          In the New Testament, we find two common images of the Christian life: A race (2 Timothy 4:7) and a battle (Ephesians 6:12). Both of these illustrations paint the same picture—living faithfully to Christ in a fallen world is not an easy proposition. Races require hours of training and demand an extended time of exertion and relentless perseverance. Soldiers train for many months before stepping on the battlefield. Battles are brutal and demand refined physical and mental strength to survive. Both of these illustrations provide a vivid reminder as to why we grow spiritually weary. Running a long race and fighting an extended battle demand a lot of those who run and fight.
          It takes a lot of courage, sweat, and perseverance to faithfully serve Christ when surrounded by hostility, immorality, and opposition. Whenever we feel the weight of the world bearing down on us, it’s important to remember that Jesus did not present a rosy picture of the world when he promised that tribulation would be our companion in this fallen world (John 16:33). In the fourth chapter of Peter’s first epistle he warned believers to “not be surprised at the fiery trial when it comes upon you to test you, as though something strange were happening to you” (1 Peter 4:12). Trials, regrettably, are a normal part of life. They are to be expected, and should never leave us shocked when they come. Even a cursory consideration of world history tells us that Earth has experienced more years of warfare than peace. Hostility comes naturally to humankind. Peace does not. This is why Jesus taught that His people should supernaturally live at peace with one another. Conflict is easy. Peace requires a lot of effort.
          The challenges we face in this sinful world produce a wide range of emotions, including anxieties and depression. So when the inevitable problems of life arise, what do we do with these responses? In 1 Peter 5:6-7 we find a helpful answer to this question:
 
Humble yourselves, therefore, under the mighty hand of God so that at the proper time he may exalt you, casting all your anxieties on him, because he cares for you.
          The worries and cares of life can quickly distract us, and leave us disheartened. When we are bogged down by the cares of life, God’s Word is often choked out of our hearts, breaking our fellowship with the Lord and stunting our spiritual growth (Mark 4:19). When the inevitable pressures of life arise, the proper response is not fear, anxiety, or discouragement. According to Peter, trials should produce humility, trust, and hope rather than pride, doubt, and hopelessness.
          Worry thrives in the soil of a prideful, fearful, and faithless heart. Our typical self-reliant responses to trials question God’s goodness and sovereignty, and demonstrate the foolish belief that we are capable of solving life’s problems in our own strength and by our own wisdom. Self-obsession can drive our idolatrous hearts toward multiple sins, and self-sufficiency is one of them. Making ourselves the god we trust most, we place our absolute confidence in ourselves rather than in God. When we choose this path, our circumstances generally deteriorate, our problems are exacerbated, and we prevent ourselves from enjoying God’s power.
          Rather than falling into the deadly trap of self-sufficiency, Peter commands us to humble ourselves and cast all of our cares on God. In times of trial, we must humbly place our lives under the mighty hand of God, and trust in his sovereign plan for our lives. The concept of God’s mighty hand is rooted in the OT and demonstrates God’s power (e.g., Exodus 13:3,9; Deuteronomy 9:26). Willingly placing ourselves under God’s divine authority is what leads to exaltation in God’s appointed hour. Humbly placing ourselves under God’s authority, even in difficult times, is the key to staying spiritually grounded when life is seemingly falling apart around us.
          The participle casting (from epirrhipto) in 1 Peter 5:7 is an interesting term. The Greek word epirrhipto means to throw upon. Peter’s use of this word explains a specific way we can humble ourselves under the mighty hand of God. As a fisherman, Peter understood the casting of a fishing net into the water—he spent many hours practicing the skill. Like throwing a massive net to catch a school of fish, we are to hurl all of the worries and anxieties that weigh us down before God, trusting that under the power of His mighty hand and in His perfect timing He will work all things together for our spiritual benefit (Romans 8:28). Humble submission to the Lord is demonstrated when we recognize our profound lack of strength and wisdom to resolve the issues of life, and cast all of our cares, worries, and anxieties upon our heavenly Father. Ridding our hearts of anxiety begins with a humble spirit.
Perhaps you remain unconvinced and are wondering why God would want you to cast your anxieties on Him. Thankfully, Peter states rather clearly why we should humbly trust the Lord with the troubles of life. We should throw our anxieties upon our heavenly Father because he cares for each and every one of His children. All of God’s children are precious in His sight.
          My dear friend, our gracious heavenly Father is not indifferent to your problems or cruelly ignoring them. He has unyielding compassion for His children and will sustain those who trust in Him during times of concern, fear, and distress. There may be times when you feel abandoned by the Lord. You may even feel unloved by Him. But remember, God loves His children, and He cares deeply for each and every one of them—including you. God is neither unaware nor unconcerned about what you are going through right now. God loves you, and He is asking you to humbly hand over your heartache to him, because He cares deeply for you.
          You may be so weighed down by the trials of life at the moment that you are living in a state of quiet desperation. Given your circumstances, believing God cares may be difficult. Many of life’s cares and concerns are admittedly not easily resolved or overcome. Easy answers and quick solutions are often hard to find. This is why the Lord calls you to throw all of your cares, anxieties, worries, fears, and insecurities before Him. When we humbly cast all of our cares upon the Lord, He will either avert what we fear or equip us to pass through the hardship. No matter which of these God chooses, we can trust that He never stops caring about us.
          If you are a Christian and still doubt God’s care for you, take a moment and consider your salvation. What did you do to deserve your salvation? The answer is simple: nothing. There is nothing that you did or will ever do to earn God’s forgiveness of sin. Redemption is by God’s grace alone. It is because of His mercy that any of us are saved. God would have been perfectly just to leave you in your sin, condemning you to an eternity in hell. But He didn’t. As Peter reminds us in 1 Peter 5:10, “After you have suffered a little while, the God of all grace, who has called you to his eternal glory in Christ, will himself restore, confirm, strengthen, and establish you” [emphasis mine]. It is God who called you and saved you. It is God who will restore, confirm, strengthen, and establish you. If God doesn’t care about you, why would He save you from hell? If your heavenly Father has forsaken you, why would He promise to restore, confirm, strengthen, and establish you? If you are redeemed by the blood of the Lamb, I promise you, God cares about you. He sent his Son to die for you. God never would have sacrificed His only Son to save you if He was indifferent to your plight. Truth is, it’s selfish to deny God’s compassion and love for you. The most effective way to accept the fact that God cares for you is to use the ax of humility to chop up every root of pride lingering in your arrogant heart.
          Affliction is inevitable; therefore, do not be surprised when it comes. Like hurdles on a track, there will always be obstacles that we have to get over. We may not be able to circumvent hardships, but we can control how we respond to them. Times of trial will either humble you and drive you into the mighty arms of God, or they will harden your heart and strain your relationship with Him. Rather than allowing trials to leave you spiritually weary and vulnerable, choose to follow Peter’s instruction and humble yourself under the mighty hand of God. Trust in God’s character, submit your life under His mighty hand, and humbly cast all of your anxieties before Him.
          As the prophet Isaiah beautifully declared in Isaiah 40:31, “They who wait for the LORD shall renew their strength; they shall mount up with wings like eagles; they shall run and not be weary; they shall walk and not faint.” Life may not be a bed of roses, but under the mighty hand of God we will always find the strength and care we require to keep on running and fighting without growing weary.

          Every story has to start somewhere. While “once upon a time” is without question the most recognizable opening line, it is a rather overused one that no longer catches the attention of the reader. Readers generally decide to read a book or put it back on the shelf after only reading a few sentences, making the opening paragraph essential to a book’s readability. The first sentence of a book says a lot about where the author is taking the reader, and sets a specific tone for the book. Consider, for example, the opening words of Edith Hamilton’s classic work, Mythology: “The Greeks did not believe that the gods created the universe. It was the other way about: the universe created the gods. Before there were gods, heaven and earth had been formed. They were the first parents. The Titans were their children, and the gods were their grandchildren. The Titans, often called the Elder Gods, were for untold ages supreme in the universe.”[1] There is a lot packed into this opening paragraph; it informs the reader as to what the book is going to discuss. As far as opening lines go, it’s a rather effective one.
          Compare Hamilton’s words now with the opening lines of the Bible. It only takes a few seconds to realize that the book Mythology and the Bible are profoundly dissimilar, and will take the reader on a very different journey. The first line of the Bible, recorded in Genesis 1:1, establishes a much different view of the world than Hamilton’s work. Scripture begins with the familiar words, “In the beginning, God created the heavens and the earth.” These words immediately inform the reader that the Bible’s storyline is primarily about God and His glorious work in this world.
Moses is the commonly accepted author of the book of Genesis. Interestingly, Genesis does not begin with “in the beginning Moses.” Nor does it begin with “in the beginning man” or “in the beginning the world.” It boldly begins with “in the beginning God”! Rather than opening with ten proofs that God exists, the Bible simply pronounces God as the sovereign initiator of creation. The verb created is from the Hebrew word bara', meaning “to create, shape, fashion, or form.” Bara' teaches us that God took purposeful and intelligent action when He crafted the world and all that lives in it. While there are other verbs used to describe God’s bringing creation into existence, bara' distinguishes itself by being used only of God. The verb is used exclusively in Scripture for the activity of God. Humans may make (from asa), form (from yasar), or build (from bana), but in Scripture God alone creates (bara').[2] It is also important that God created ex nihilo (Latin for “out of nothing”). God spoke the universe into being out of absolutely nothing. He did not take eternally preexisting matter or substance and reshape or reconfigure it into the present world. God’s creative activity is nothing like that of a human artist who require preexisting material to create—He alone can speak and create something out of nothing.
          It is important to remember that the canon of Scripture is not randomly arranged. The book of Genesis (Latin for “origin” or “beginning”) is where the storyline of the Bible begins. It is certainly no accident that God is the subject of the Bible’s very first sentence. Scripture begins with God because He is the central figure throughout. Genesis 1:1 is a precise sentence and one that is beyond simple human composition.
In the Old Testament, we read about God’s covenants and dealings with humanity before the birth of Jesus. The Old Testament explains the origins of humankind, the sinfulness of people, humanity’s need for a redeemer, and it looks forward to the coming of the Messiah. The New Testament documents the life and ministry of Jesus and presents an account of the early days of the church. It teaches the importance of Jesus’s death, burial, and resurrection, and offers teaching on what is to come. The New Testament writers explain the importance of the gospel and offer divine instruction on how the church is to conduct itself.
          While some parts of the Bible are hard to understand, the essential teachings and message of Scripture leaves little room for confusion. As Mark Twain once quipped, “It’s not the parts of the Bible I don’t understand that disturb me; rather it’s the parts of the Bible that I do understand that disturb me.” Millions of people today have little regard for the Bible and prefer to see the world through a mystical lens much like the one found in Greek mythology. Rather than seeing the world as a place that depends on God, most people prefer the illusion that we are all in perfect control of our destinies. Culture has tried for thousands of years to erase God from its vocabulary, but it will never overcome the reality that “there is one God, the Father, from whom are all things and for whom we exist, and one Lord, Jesus Christ, through whom are all things and through whom we exist” (1 Corinthians 8:6).   
          Every worldview must have an explanation of how the world came about, why it is here, and where it is going. Think about this reality in more personal terms: Where did you come from? Why are you here? Where are you going? Without Genesis and the rest of Scripture, we would not know the who, the why, and the what of this world.
          According to the inspired Word of God, nothing happens by accident. The careful and intricate design of the world reveals a creator. The complex details found on Earth indicates a magnificently intelligent and powerful creator. This world was created by God and carefully crafted to allow humans to live and flourish here.
This bold declaration of time’s inauguration recorded in Genesis 1:1 captures the essence and urgency of the entire biblical narrative as God invites the reader into His story. The beginning described in the Bible’s opening sentence does not record the beginning of God but rather the creation of the world, heavens, animals, and humanity. Unlike the universe, God has always existed. In Psalm 90:2 we read, “Before the mountains were brought forth, or ever you had formed the earth and the world, from everlasting to everlasting you are God.” God exists outside of time and is not bound it by as we are. In Genesis, Moses, writing under the inspiration of God, describes the beginning of time, the universe, and the necessary structure of creation; the opening chapters of Genesis record the beginning to time and space as we know it. As finite beings, we define ourselves in terms of our beginning and ending. God, however, does not fit in such a structure. Our Creator is not a philosophical idea. He is an eternal being who is not limited by time stamps.
          What is so striking about Genesis 1:1 is that it simply declares elohiym (i.e., God) as the one who eternally existed prior to anything in our universe. God’s name underscores His transcendence over creation. The plural form elohiym denotes the magnificence of God’s majesty and accentuates His sovereign control and power. The intensive plural is thoroughly characterized by the character of the noun. Israel’s God, the one who is the only God, fully partakes of the character of deity. Unlike humanity, God is without beginning or end and possesses unlimited power and dominion over creation.
          God is the Creator of all things and the ruler over the cosmos. He created the world, which serves as the stage on which humankind’s drama has played out over the course of history. God is the maker of all that exists, including time and space; He alone shapes the life of His world to achieve His ends for the earth and its inhabitants. Our Creator transcends His physical creation—He is not bound to it or subservient to anything or anyone in this world. God alone is divine and capable of creating the world in which we leave. As God asked Job, “Where were you when I laid the foundation of the earth? Tell me, if you have understanding. Who determined its measurements--surely you know! Or who stretched the line upon it?” (Job 38:4-5). Like Job, we all should be humbled by these questions. Over the course of history, humanity has invented many wonderful inventions that have improved the lives of millions, but none of them has come close to what God created by His spoken word. God’s creative act is truly unprecedented.
          Our heavenly Father used His immeasurable power, His splendid creativity and unparalleled transcendence to create the heavens, the earth, and everything in it. This includes you. Understanding this simple truth answers the three questions presented earlier: Where did you come from? You are a creation of almighty God. Why are you here? To bring glory to your Creator. Where are you going? Well, the answer to this question depends on your response to the gospel. If you have believed in Jesus and placed your faith in Him, you are redeemed from your sin and destined for God’s kingdom. If you have rejected the gospel, you are destined for an eternity separated from your Creator. As we read in 1 John 5:11-12, “God gave us eternal life, and this life is in his Son. Whoever has the Son has life; whoever does not have the Son of God does not have life.” God created you, and made a way for you to know him personally through faith in Jesus. The Bible’s opening line succinctly teaches that there is a Creator God who created time, the universe, the heavens, the earth, and you. His creation declares His glory, and informs us of His majesty. The Creator of this world loves you, and sent His Son to the cross to pay the penalty for your sin. Enjoy the world God has created, and find comfort in the glorious salvation made available through Jesus.

[1] Edith Hamilton, Mythology (New York, NY: Grand Central Publishing, 1942), 17.
[2] Bruce K. Waltke, Genesis (Grand Rapids, MI: Zondervan, 2001), 59.

The words “he is not here, for he has risen” recorded in Matthew 28:6 are some of the most profound words in all of Scripture. But these joyous words were preceded by some of the darkest hours humankind has ever seen. The weekend that forever changed the course of human history began on what we call Good Friday. Given the events of that day, it is interesting that we used the term Good Friday to describe it. As New Testament Christians living thousands of years after Good Friday, we understand the term, but for those who experienced the horrific events of that day in real time, it was anything but good. The crucifixion of Jesus Christ took place on what we call Good Friday, and it was the most dreadful event that has happened in world history. But despite the gruesomeness of that day, God would turn it into the most glorious event that mankind has ever experienced. 
          While the hours following Jesus’s death were filled with darkness and despair, hope and joy were only a few hours away. The Saturday following the crucifixion would have been a painful day for Jesus’s disciples. Can you imagine how they must have felt? Believing Jesus to be dead, they were lost, confused, angry, and afraid. The hours of that dismal Saturday must have felt like days rather than hours. Jesus’s death left behind the men and women who had followed him and loved him. They would have been traumatized by the events of Friday, leaving them to wonder what was to happen to them.
          A few hours later, however, the followers of Jesus would see God’s glorious plan of redemption playing out right before their eyes. Their longest, most painful day would soon give way to the most triumphant and jubilant day in history. By early Sunday morning, their pain and sorry would be turned to joy. The women who went to visit Jesus’s tomb quickly realized that things were eerily different—and not as they expected. As these faithful women approached the tomb, they quickly realized that something miraculous had taken place.
          The first oddity that must have struck them was the fact that there were no guards protecting the tomb. The idea that the disciples somehow stole the body is preposterous. The idea that a group of scattered, confused, and terrified people could sneak a dead body away from highly trained Roman soldiers is ridiculous. The Jewish and Roman authorities had all the power, resources, and motivation necessary to track down a body or assemble convincing evidence and credible witnesses that could testify the body had been stolen. But despite all of their power, resources, and motivation, they could never explain the missing body and the empty tomb.
          In fact, the Jewish and Roman authorities were unable to silence the vocal group of convincing witnesses that verified the historicity of Jesus’s resurrection. Despite the punishment Jesus’s disciples experienced, they continued to boldly proclaim the resurrection. Even though many of them experienced horrible deaths because of their assertions, they never backed down from their claims. The theory that Jesus’s body was stolen by the band of people following Him is actually less credible than the resurrection claims.
          The second oddity was the position of the massive boulder that sealed the tomb. While they had been concerned about how they were going to move the boulder protecting the grave, they were more concerned when they saw that the tomb had already been opened (see Luke 24:1-7).
          As we celebrate Easter this month, we are reminded of the historical reality of Jesus’s resurrection, and the importance of this unparalleled event. Christianity is based on the resurrection of Jesus, and our faith rests on our resurrected Lord. As Paul testifies in the book of 1 Corinthians:
Now I would remind you, brothers, of the gospel I preached to you, which you received, in which you stand, and by which you are being saved, if you hold fast to the word I preached to you—unless you believed in vain. For I delivered to you as of first importance what I also received: that Christ died for our sins in accordance with the Scriptures, that he was buried, that he was raised on the third day in accordance with the Scriptures, and that he appeared to Cephas, then to the twelve. Then he appeared to more than five hundred brothers at one time, most of whom are still alive, though some have fallen asleep. Then he appeared to James, then to all the apostles. Last of all, as to one untimely born, he appeared also to me (15:1-8).
          Despite the fact that Jesus had repeatedly predicted His resurrection, His own disciples didn’t fully comprehend what He was saying or expect that He would actually rise again. The hours Jesus spent in the grave would have been dark and disheartening to His disciples. Human experience consistently validates the fact that physical death is final and irreversible. But Jesus supernaturally rose from the dead to emphatically demonstrate His deity and validate Himself as the one who had the power over death and the authority to forgive sins as He had claimed.
          While it’s important to recognize the historical facts about Jesus’s resurrection, we must also remember the theological ramifications of His resurrection. The celebration of Easter provides a powerful visual image of the empty tomb, which reminds all believers of the hope we have in the risen Lord. In this history-altering moment, Jesus Christ proves that He was the Lamb of God who had come to take away the sins of the world.
          As you celebrate Easter this year, here are three basic truths that the empty tomb reveals:
1. The empty tomb reveals God’s unwavering faithfulness.
          Following the fall of Adam, God vowed to send His Son to defeat sin and death by His crucifixion and resurrection. For thousands of years, God never forgot His promise as the history of mankind pointed toward a manger. God never turned away from His promise although mankind continually rejected the prophets and repeatedly rebelled against their Creator.
          Because God is always faithful to His promises, He sovereignly controlled the events of history so that at just the right moment, Jesus Christ would come and fulfill what had been promised by God and predicted by the prophets. Jesus was appointed by the Father to die on a cross to pay the penalty of our sins (see Galatians 4:4-7). On that glorious Sunday morning, when Jesus took off His grave clothes and walked out of that borrowed tomb, God’s faithfulness was on display for the whole world to see.
          If the tomb had remained closed and Jesus’s body had simply decayed in the grave, He would have failed to deliver on the Father’s redemptive promises. The enemies of God would have won, and we would be without hope. But Jesus left the tomb behind, making our redemption a realty.
2. The empty tomb reveals God’s unconditional love.
          Why would God ever sacrifice His own Son to save those who had rejected Him and so consistently rebelled against Him? The answer is simple: God sacrificed His son because He loves people like you and me. Through the sacrifice of His Son, God has demonstrated His fatherly provision, faithful devotion, and tender care to His children. God doesn’t love you because you’re great and inherently deserving of His love. God loves you because He is great and loves even those who have rebelled against Him. Jesus didn’t die on the cross to make you feel more important or to boost your self-esteem, but to pay the penalty of your sin that His holiness and justice demands. Jesus died on the cross to show you that He loves you and to powerfully tell you that God is most important. Jesus died on the cross so that you can enjoy Him forever (see John 3:16-18).
          We must remember that God’s love wasn’t motivated by what He saw in us, but by what resides inside of Himself. Even when we’re unloving and rebellious, full of ourselves and wanting our own way, God still loves us. He delights in transforming us by His grace and rescuing us by His love. As a result of Jesus’s resurrection, we can confidently rest in God’s unconditional love, and enjoy the blessings of being His child.
3. The empty tomb reveals God’s unmerited deliverance.
          Our merits cannot earn redemption. The truly good news of Jesus’s resurrection is that all who put their faith in Christ share in His resurrection victory. Jesus conquered death and rose again, proving Himself to be the only one who can forgive sin. As author Davey Harvey writes, “A Christian understands the necessity of the cross; our sin was so bad that it required blood, the blood of God to take it away!”[1] A dead Savior would be no Savior at all. But because Jesus lives, we have hope in eternal life through the power of His resurrection (see Romans 5:1-6).
          Think for a moment of the obedience Jesus displayed as He lived on this earth, each day a few hours closer to Calvary’s cross. The betrayal, humiliation, and suffering that Jesus experienced that horrendous Friday was because of our sins. Jesus went to the cross to pay the sin debt you could never pay. Jesus alone could die for the sins of the world. Jesus alone came forth from that borrowed tomb, proving Himself to be the unique Son of God!
          No matter the sins you have committed, God will forgive you through faith in Christ. No matter how hopeless and weak you may feel, you’ve been provided with all of the grace you need to make it to the end.
          The Easter account is no fairy tale or legend. The biblical record of Jesus’s resurrection records for us the actual events that took place on the weekend that changed the entire course of world history. On that magnificent Sunday morning, Jesus impacted the world more than any other individual in history. As author David Mathis writes, “The empty tomb persists as the one stubborn historical fact that refuses to go away. Something simply astonishing happened that day. The claim that Jesus exited the tomb alive, as witnesses testified, has survived and overcome every attempt to refute it. And the church He established has, against all odds, spread all over the world, just as He said it would. Has any legend, any lie, ever produced such a result over such an expanse of time?”[2] After more than two-thousand years, the empty tomb is more influential than ever. The resurrection of Jesus refuses to leave the world stage because it is absolutely true.
          In the empty tomb you can find God’s unwavering faithfulness, His unconditional love, and His unmerited deliverance. As we celebrate Easter this month, find great hope and joy in the resurrected Messiah.
 
[1] Dave Harvey, When Sinners Say “I Do” (Wapwallopen: Shepherd Press, 2007), 25.
[2] David Mathis, www.desiringgod.org

            Many years ago a friend of mine was injured at work and eventually placed on disability. Because of the financial strain this placed on his family, he was forced to sell the farmhouse where they had lived in for many years. He was saddened by the idea of leaving his home, but trusted the Lord for direction. While discussing his pending move one day over lunch, I expressed my disappointment that his family had to move. My friend listened graciously to my concern, then shocked me when he said that leaving the house wasn’t the worst part. He told me that what he was going to miss the most was their prayer counter. This was the place where his family had seen God provide for their needs time and time again.
            Through their times of family prayer at this kitchen counter, God had worked marvelously in their lives. On one such occasion, his family was praying for a very specific need. After they concluded their prayer time, they noticed a truck they didn’t recognize coming up the lane. Because of my friend’s injury, he had not been able to properly prepare for the coming winter, leaving them uncertain as to how they would manage the looming New England cold. But God is faithful, and provided for their most pressing need in an unexpected way when a person he didn’t know barreled down his driveway with a large load of firewood—exactly what they had just asked the Lord to provide.
            By God’s grace and abundant provisions, very few of us have faced situations like my friend’s. Truth is, we typically live in abundance, and very rarely find ourselves in genuine need of God providing something miraculously. But in our abundance, we bear a very specific responsibility. God has not called us to hoard our resources but to generously share them with those in need. We may have never been like my friend praying for firewood, but we most likely have been in the position of the man with the truckload of firewood. The question is, what would you have done if you were the one with the means to meet my friend’s need?
            Proverbs 19:17 teaches “whoever is generous to the poor lends to the LORD, and he will repay him for his deed.” According to this verse, individuals who show pity (i.e., compassion) on those in genuine need will be rewarded for their generosity. This doesn’t mean that for every dollar we give God will immediately pay us back. It’s not teaching that when we give a cord of wood to someone we will receive a cord or more in return. What we do know is that God rewards our generosity, and sometimes this is only seen in our heavenly rewards. In a figurative sense, our compassion and generosity places God in our debt. Bible scholar Tremper Longman writes, “To give to the poor is like a loan to God himself, who will reward those who do it.”[1] God does not promise paybacks, but he does promise faithful reward for acts of generosity.
            Throughout the pages of Scripture, God calls his people to be contributors, not consumers. Too many Christians live like spiritual consumers rather than sacrificial contributors. Many believers expect churches to meet their every need, and provide exactly what they want in the way they want in the timing they want. The church and its ministries quickly become a product to be consumed rather than a place where Christians serve one another. The church does not exist for Christians to receive everything they want but for the world to hear the life-changing message of the gospel through the people of God faithfully serving in a local congregation of believers.
            During the course of Paul’s interaction with the church at Corinth in 1 and 2 Corinthians, he addresses the thorny subject of money in several passages. In 1 Corinthians 16 and 2 Corinthians 8-9, Paul writes about the Corinthians’ responsibility to financially contribute to the kingdom of God and to gospel ministry. In both letters to the Corinthians, Paul is careful to avoid misunderstandings, criticism, and false accusations (e.g., that he had manipulated them to give or that he was ever suspected of misappropriation of funds). In 1 Corinthians 8:16-24, Paul was careful to set forth safeguards that would prevent mishandling of the collected funds or even an accusation of such improprieties. Paul’s approach to giving was passionate and methodical. He wanted the church’s collection for the saints (i.e., Christians) living in Jerusalem to go smoothly, and he encouraged the Corinthians to give generously to those facing financial hardship. Paul shows great wisdom in these texts; wisdom we would all be prudent to employ.
            Think for a moment about the most generous person you know. How does that individual specifically demonstrate the biblical perspective of generosity? Is God impressing upon your heart the need to be more generous? I’m guessing that the majority of us would say that we have room to grow when it comes to generosity. If we’re not careful, we can quickly construct a mental radar system that warns us when we are about to be asked for money or some other form of assistance. Parting with money, time, provisions, and even old clothes can prove to be difficult, but Jesus expects more of us. He has unapologetically called us to be generous contributors—not selfish consumers.
            During his earthly ministry, Jesus often spoke about money. How we handle our financial resources means a great deal to the Lord because our money always follows our priorities. One of the most familiar passages on sacrificial giving is found in the twenty-first chapter of Luke’s Gospel.
Jesus looked up and saw the rich putting their gifts into the offering box, and he saw a poor widow put in two small copper coins. And he said, “Truly, I tell you, this poor widow has put in more than all of them. For they all contributed out of their abundance, but she out of her poverty put in all she had to live on” (vv. 1-4).
            In this text, the wealthy are contrasted with a poor and needy widow who is only able to offer the smallest coin in circulation at that time. These coins were worth approximately 1/8th of a penny; it represented one one-hundredth of an average day’s wage. Not much money to be sure. The temple treasury, like in most churches today, was primarily funded by the wealthy. It would have been highly unusual to see a poor widow giving from her meager possessions. Her meager gift hardly made a dent in the temple budgetary needs, but it didn’t go unnoticed. It would be like tossing a couple of pennies you found on the sidewalk in the offering—basically worthless. But this widow genuinely sacrificed out of her poverty from a desire to be a faithful contributor to God’s work, and Jesus praised her for her sacrifice. This poor widow’s gift was so small it’s hardly worth noticing, but Jesus commends this woman’s gift over the larger sums of money given by the wealthy because she had so little to give (vv. 3-4). She gave substantially beyond what common sense and self-preservation would have suggested she give. After the donation of the rich man he was still rich, but the widow was left with nothing.
            Luke’s account of Jesus and the poor widow is not the only place in the New Testament where we find an example of such sacrificial giving. We see a similar dynamic in Paul’s second letter to the Corinthians where he writes:
Now, brethren, we wish to make known to you the grace of God which has been given in the churches of Macedonia, that in a great ordeal of affliction their abundance of joy and their deep poverty overflowed in the wealth of their liberality. For I testify that according to their ability, and beyond their ability they gave of their own accord (8:1-3).
            Once again, we see believers giving beyond their means for the purpose of ministry. Sure, we are to be good stewards of our money and care for our own families first. But if we’re honest, we could all stand to be a little more generous. God did not create us to be takers. He created us to be givers.
            A pastor friend of mine once told me about a dark time in his ministry—one that left him woefully discouraged and defeated. The church where he pastored at the time was starting a Christian school, and was in the process of constructing the building that would house the school. As so often happens in building projects, they were running way over budget, and eventually ran out of money with only the exterior walls and roof finished. They had no more money to finish the inside, leaving them to wonder how they would ever complete the building in time.
            My pastor friend told me that one night he was walking through the incomplete building throwing himself a good old fashioned pity party. With nothing left to do but pray, that’s what he chose to do. While walking through this unfinished school begging the Lord to provide the necessary funds, a longtime friend of his showed up unannounced. This man found my friend wandering through what was to be the classrooms, overcome with despair. My friend asked the man what he was doing there. The man answered that he wasn’t really sure. All he knew was that the Lord had laid my friend’s ministry on his heart, so he drove several hours to check in on my friend.
            The surprise visitor asked if there was a specific need that the ministry had, and my friend unwaveringly told him that they needed to raise a specific sum of money to finish the school building. The man laughed, and said, “Now I know why I’m here.” He went on to explain that he had a sum of money that he wanted to donate to a ministry, and as you can probably guess—the man’s amount was exactly what my friend’s church needed to finish the building project. Thanks to this man’s generous gift that school is still in operation today, and he will reap the reward of his generosity in God’s kingdom.
            God wants you to be a contributor, not a consumer. He expects all of us to contribute to his work. Generosity is not always easy, but our heavenly Father expects his children to be charitable. As Christians, we can give generously because we know that God will take care of us, and reward us for our sacrifice.
            I came across a little story somewhere along the way and came across it again while writing this article. The story is about a mother who wanted to teach her daughter the joy of giving. To teach the little girl the lesson, the mother gave her both a quarter and a dollar to take to church one Sunday morning. She told her daughter that she could put in either one; the choice was hers. As they were leaving church after the service, the mother asked her daughter what she ended up giving to the Lord. The little girl replied, “I was going to give the dollar, but just before the offering, the man in the pulpit said we should be cheerful givers. I knew I would be a lot more cheerful if I just gave the quarter.”
            There is a lot of this little girl in most of us. We wrongly believe that giving the least will bring us joy. But it doesn’t. We need to ask God to change our hearts, and show us the blessing of generosity. I urge you to generously contribute to God’s work, and experience the rich blessings of faithful giving.
[1] Tremper Longman III, Proverbs (Grand Rapids, MI: Baker Academic, 2006), 369.

Struck by the rapidly increasing rate of insecurity, anxiety, and depression a few years ago, I started paying careful attention to what seemed to be triggering these struggles. Admittedly, there are many causes—some of them rather complex and beyond our discussion here—but there are others that are more straightforward. What I began to understand was that much of our insecurity, anxiety, and depression is driven by a lost or misplaced identity. Millions of people are in the midst of an identity crisis, and it’s causing many of them to choose despair, hopelessness, and destructive choices over Christ-centered joy, hope, and obedience.
My concern over this issue led me to writing my second book entitled So Long, Identity Crisis, which was published in 2024. My interest in this topic was recently rejuvenated when we began our small group study on Thom Rainer’s book, I Am A Christian. I have the privilege of leading two of these groups, and decided that the information I shared in the first session was worthy of a synopsis.
Unlike the rest of creation, humankind possesses a sense of self-awareness that prompts us to search for significance, meaning, value, and identity. No creature in the animal kingdom shares this characteristic. In my adult years, I have owned three dogs. Not one of them ever questioned their significance, meaning, value, or identity. They never expressed dissatisfaction over living in our house. Never asked to get an education. Never applied for a job. And certainly never cleaned up the messes they made. If they vomited, they were content to ignore it or go back to it and… well, you get the picture.
People, however, are profoundly different from animals. Humanity is uniquely created in God’s image; everything in the forming of the earth and filling it climaxes with the creation of humanity on day six. Adam and Eve were the pinnacle of God’s creation, and this remains true to this day. The ascending order of creation points to the significance of human life. Men and women do not rule over creation by mere strength and force—there are many creatures that are stronger than we are—but God’s command. Humanity, as image bearers of God, are called to have dominion over the animal kingdom because of our likeness to our Creator.
Sadly, not all people see the creation of humankind through a biblical perspective. But because we are created in God’s image, we have a sense of worth that nothing else in creation experiences. The problem is that too many people look to something or someone other than God to define themselves, and from which to draw their identity. Many people find their identity in things such as their vocation, favorite hobby, volunteer work, ministry, family, children, accomplishments, abilities, or any number of other things. Others draw their identity from a subjective experience such as an addiction, a personal failure, a feeling, an emotion, a personal attribute, or their upbringing. Christians, however, must find their identity in Christ alone.
Starting with Adam and Eve’s rebellion in Eden, we tend to abandon our identity in our Creator and buy into a false identity that does not have God at the center. Whenever we forget who we are in Christ, we fall into a pattern of identity confusion, and soon fail to find confidence in the fact that we are children of God, uniquely designed for His good purposes. We must cling to our identity in Christ so we do not fall into despair, hopelessness, or destructive choices. God expects us to find our identity in Him, and become all He created us to be. As I wrote in So Long, Identity Crisis:
Many Christians have developed a form of spiritual amnesia, leaving them
wandering aimlessly to find themselves and discover their true identity.
Forgetting we are uniquely created in God’s image, we squander our
valuable time, energy, and talent searching for significance, meaning,
value, and identity in the things of this world. Rather than finding confidence
in Christ, and using our God-given talents for His glory, we foolishly chase
whatever path feels right at the moment. Many in the church today are
lost in an identity crisis, and it is producing anemic, lethargic, and passive
Christians by the thousands (p. 8). [1]
Finding yourself and your identity is not a magical event that spontaneously occurs when something deep inside your soul comes into focus and you realize who you really are as an individual. The misguided idea of finding yourself centers on what you want your life to be and what direction you want your life to go. This self-reliant determinism draws our hearts away from God and prevents us from being the person He created us to be. As a result, we spend a lot of time developing certain characteristics, developing particular skills, or reaching lofty goals. Obviously, there is nothing wrong with refining who God created you to be, but these pursuits must not become our identity. As I wrote in So Long, Identity Crisis:
Without drawing our identity from Christ, we are left feeling like an inkblot
splattered on a page. A cosmic mistake. A failure haphazardly thrown
together by an accidental explosion or a lesser god, indifferent to
the plight of humanity. While the rest of humankind appears to be a masterful
painting, skillfully crafted by the Creator, we feel useless, meaningless, and
valueless. No wonder we search for a positive sense of identity wherever
we can find it.
Our culture sings the sweet, seductive, and deceptive song of
self-importance and self-determination. In our insecurities, we eagerly buy
into the ‘it’s all about me’ mentality and try to find our identity in ourselves.
To convince ourselves that our worth is inside of us, we try to cover and
erase the imperfections that we know rage within us. God does value
you and He does rejoice over you but not because of who you are or
who you are trying to become. God rejoices over you because you
are His child, adopted into His family. [2]
God’s Word paints a beautiful picture for us regarding how God views humanity—particularly those who have faith in Him. Reflect on how the following verses should influence our understanding of identity:
“The Lord your God is in your midst, a mighty one who will save; he will rejoice over
you with gladness; he will quiet you by his love; he will exult over you with
loud singing” (Zephaniah 3:17).
 “Your steadfast love, O Lord, extends to the heavens” (Psalm 36:5).
“As a father shows compassion to his children, so the Lord shows compassion to those
who fear him” (Psalm 103:13).
“For you formed my inward parts; you knitted me together in my mother’s womb.
I praise you, for I am fearfully and wonderfully made. Wonderful are your works;
my soul knows it very well” (Psalm 139:13–14).
“In Christ Jesus you are all sons of God, through faith” (Galatians 3:26).
Too often, we feel insecure, defective, or unlovable. When these feelings are combined with sinful rumination, a sense of insecurity, defectiveness, and unworthiness will inevitably follow. Because our identity is often misplaced, we regularly put ourselves in what I like to call “if only quandaries.” Examples of these quandaries would include:
“If only I could [fill in your desired talent], then I would feel valuable.”
“If only I was [fill in your desired characteristic], then my life would have meaning.”
“If only I was [fill in your desired accomplishment], then I would feel worthy.”
“If only I was [fill in your desired relationship], then I would feel cherished.”
“If only my [fill in your desired aspiration], then I would feel respected.”
“If only [fill in the name] would accept me, then I would be accepted.”
These “if only” statements leave us answering, “Who am I not?” and unsure how to answer the more important question, “Who am I?” Whenever we lose sight of our identity in Christ, we are prone to either thinking too much of ourselves or too little. As a result, many people are egotistical and arrogant while others are consumed with self-pity and self-loathing. Both of these sins are created by an obsession with self. We are commanded to humble ourselves and die to ourselves, not focus on ourselves.
While animals have consciousness, they do not possess an eternal soul, and are not created in the image of God. Only humans possess these characteristics. This explains why we are so special in the eyes of our Creator. Rest in your Heavenly Father’s love for you, and find your identity in Him alone. When you question whether or not you have value, meaning, or significance, remind yourself that you are a loved and cherished Child of almighty God.

[1] Jay Knolls, So Long, Identity Crisis (Wilmington, NC: Wondrous Word Ministries, 2024), 8.
[2] Ibid., 9-10.

As the calendar turns to 2025, perhaps you are taking some time to evaluate the last twelve months. For most people, 2024 was a mixture of highlights that were exciting and joyful and low moments that were discouraging and painful. No matter the specific percentage of highs and lows you experienced last year, you spent every day of 2024 worshiping. While you most likely did not attend worship services every day, you still spent three–hundred and sixty-five days worshiping something or someone. And you will do the same this year. Worship is guaranteed. Everyone, even the staunchest atheist, worships.
          While worship is guaranteed, it is not always directed at the appropriate recipient. The problem with most worship is that it is misguided, and offered to something or someone undeserving. By nature, we readily worship comfort, knowledge, wisdom, achievement, pleasure, and convenience rather than our Creator, who is the only worthy recipient of our worship. Correctly understood, worship is the proper response of all moral agents as they sacrificially offer all honor, praise, adoration, and worth to their Creator-God because of who He is and because of all He has done through the sacrifice of his Son, Jesus Christ. Authentic, Christian worship is God-centered, and not limited to a specific time or place. According to this definition, everybody worships something or someone all of the time—there isn’t a minute during the day when we are not engaged in worship. On this side of the cross, we are to respond to the death, burial, and resurrection of Christ by honoring Him, praising Him, adoring Him, and ascribing all worth to Him.
          One of the most important questions you must answer is: Who or what has captivated your heart to the point it controls your priorities, decisions, and attitudes? If the answer to this question is anything other than the God of the Bible, you are guilty of idolatry and false worship.
          Authentic worship always includes giving. This aspect of worship is wonderfully illustrated by the wise men who sought out Jesus following his birth. In Matthew 2:11 we read, “And going into the house they saw the child with Mary his mother, and they fell down and worshiped him. Then, opening their treasures, they offered him gifts, gold and frankincense and myrrh.”  Through their dedicated actions, the wise men teach an essential lesson about how we must respond to Jesus. The stated purpose of their visit was to worship the Messiah, and as an integral part of their worship, they brought proper gifts that were worthy of royalty. Their gifts included gold, frankincense (a costly, beautiful smelling incense), and myrrh (an ingredient used for anointing oil [Exodus 30:23], in purification rites for women [Esther 2:12], in embalming [John 19:39], it was offered to Jesus on the cross [Mark 15:23 “And they offered him wine mixed with myrrh, but he did not take it”], and as a perfume [Song of Solomon 3:6]—still used today as a flavoring agent, in essential oils, and even medicinally). As the Magi bowed before the Lord in humble worship, they sacrificially offered gifts to their new born King. 
          Perhaps you are wondering what worship should include. What should we consistently bring before the Lord in humble worship? The ninety-fifth Psalm offers a magnificent description of worship. While there is no heading on this Psalm, Hebrews 4:7 attributes it to David, who carefully illustrates what should be included in worship. In the first two verses, we read:
Oh come, let us sing to the LORD; let us make a joyful noise to the rock of our salvation! Let us come into his presence with thanksgiving; let us make a joyful noise to him with songs of praise!
          The first verse boldly declares that God is worthy to be praised with singing and joyful noises because of who He is: The rock (i.e., fortress) of our salvation. God is the only one who can deliver us from the power and penalty of sin. Only our Creator-God is a sufficient and steady source of security—He alone can deliver us from the power and punishment of sin. By His grace and mercy, God took the initiative to save humanity from their sin (e.g., Noah and his family). Through the sacrificial death of God’s Son, Jesus Christ, He provided a means through which sinful humanity could be redeemed through faith.
          David reminds us that God is worthy of thanksgiving because of what He accomplished through sending His Son, and decreeing that He would be born of a virgin and die on the cross for our sins. Joyful, celebrative singing in worshipful praise is the natural response to what God has accomplished for sinners like us. True biblical worship is not emotionless; our love, adoration, and appreciation to God for the salvation He has provided should ignite our hearts in jubilant praise and exaltation.
          In verses 3-5 David writes:
For [because] the LORD is a great God, and a great King above all gods. In his hand are the depths of the earth; the heights of the mountains are his also. The sea is his, for he made it, and his hands formed the dry land.
          We have innumerable reasons to worship God, but carefully consider the specific reasons David offers in these verses. First, God is worthy of our worship because He is our great God (the only true and living God). Second, because He is our great King above all gods (as our omnipotent, omnipresent, and omniscient God, He alone is truly awesome). God rules supreme over all of the deaf and dumb idols, over all of the mystical gods, over all of the mythological titans, and over every imaginary deity of pagan religions. And third, because He is our sovereign Creator; He is the all-powerful maker and sustainer of all of creation. All that exists belongs to God to do with as He sovereignly chooses. God’s greatness is evidenced by His ultimate creative power—He alone spoke the world into existence. God is great, He rules over all of creation, and holds the heavens and the stars in the palm of His almighty hand.
          In verse 6 we read:
                   Oh come, let us worship and bow down; let us kneel before the LORD, our
                   Maker!
          God is worthy of our worship and submission because He is our Maker. He is both the Maker and Owner of creation; therefore, He is the Maker and Owner of each of us. Because of who God is, our attitude before Him should be one of worshipful reverence. As Solomon warns in Ecclesiastes 5:1-2, “Guard your steps when you go to the house of God. To draw near to listen is better than to offer the sacrifice of fools, for they do not know that they are doing evil. Be not rash with your mouth, nor let your heart be hasty to utter a word before God, for God is in heaven and you are on earth. Therefore let your words be few.” When we enter the Lord’s presence in worship, we must come before him reverently, eager to listen, and willing to obey. No matter our physical position—whether bowing or standing—our posture before God should be one of humble submission.
          In the final section of Psalm 95 (vv. 7-11), David writes:
For [because] he is our God, and we are the people of his pasture, and the sheep of his hand. Today, if you hear his voice, do not harden your hearts, as at Meribah, as on the day at Massah in the wilderness, when your fathers put me to the test and put me to the proof, though they had seen my work. For forty years I loathed that generation and said, “They are a people who go astray in their heart, and they have not known my ways.” Therefore I swore in my wrath, “They shall not enter my rest.”
          Once again, we have countless reasons to worship God, but consider for a moment the reasons David offers in these final verses. First, we should worship God because he is our God. The Creator of the universe is not a distant, indifferent God. He is a personal God who is intimately involved in every aspect of our lives. Second, we readily worship Him because He is our Shepherd. Our Creator is a compassionate God who consistently cares for His sheep and diligently watches over them. In John 10:11 Jesus said, “I am the good shepherd. The good shepherd lays down his life for the sheep.” As followers of Jesus, we are His sheep, placed under the divine care of the Good Shepherd. Like sheep, we are often dumb, defenseless, and wayward. Without the Good Shepherd leading us and tending to us, we would be in grave spiritual danger. God sovereignly rules and reigns over all of creation, and yet He tenderly and compassionately cares for you and for me. And a third reason to worship God is because He is a rest-giving God. At the end of a long day, we all grow physically tired. More importantly, we quickly become spiritually weary from fighting against temptation and evil. We all crave spiritual rest, and only Jesus can provide the lasting rest we long for.
          In the closing verses of Psalm 95, we are urged to listen to God and to obey Him. As mighty as God is, He is not to be trifled with; He is to be obeyed, not provoked. Note David’s words at the end of verse 7: “Today, if you hear his voice...” The question is not whether or not God’s voice is audible; the question is whether or not we will choose to listen. In verse 8 David warns against hardening our hearts the way God’s people did in Exodus 17:2-7 (see also Numbers 20:13) when they revolted against God and Moses. This rebellion resulted in God’s forty years of discipline. Because God’s people had foolishly hardened their hearts, they spent all of these years wandering in the wilderness. Because of their rebelliom, they would not enter the Promised Land (i.e., God’s rest), and experience God’s favor and blessing. Hardheartedness prevents us from properly worshiping God, and leaves us aimlessly wandering in a spiritual wasteland.
          David offers a preview of the ultimate rest that would be made available through recognizing Jesus’s redemptive work on the cross. This rest is not merely physical; it is the spiritual and emotional rest that comes with a personal relationship with God. Paul writes in 1 Corinthians 7:32, “I want you to be free from anxieties.” Being free from the cares and burdens of this world is only made possible when we surrender our lives to the Redeemer. David pleads with his readers to not make the mistakes of the past and follow in the troubled path of disobedience. There is a better way to live, and David wants God’s people to obediently follow in the footsteps of the righteous.
          Based on the teachings of Psalm 95, we can conclude that worship should never be reluctant or resistant. Instead, it must be jubilant and receptive. The verbs used by David in Psalm 95 call for energetic, joyful, boisterous worship that humbly seeks to obey God from a tender heart. This powerful Psalm invites us to bow down before our Sovereign King and adore him in reverential worship.
          According to Scripture, worship is an ongoing captivation of the heart that produces desires, words, and deeds that consistently please the Lord. Our outward acts of worship should match our inner attitudes of humility, submission, reverence, and adoration. Worship is not about earning favor with God, but rather properly responding to God’s unmerited grace and mercy. For worship to please God it must first originate in a humble, submissive heart. Psalm 95 reminds us that authentic worship involves a wholehearted commitment to God and an accurate reflection of God’s holy character.
          Will you choose today to hear God’s voice and bow before Him in humble worship and obedience? Or will you choose to harden your heart and reject God as your God, King, Creator, and Shepherd? Jesus gave you the wonderful gift of salvation, what are you willing to give Him in return?

December is upon us, and the Christmas season is already in full swing. The frantic race to the twenty-fifth has begun—let the good times roll. If we’re honest, Christmas brings a mixture of emotions. Some are positive, others not so much. Getting together with family is great; the gifts are wonderful and the food is good. While there is much to enjoy at Christmastime, the stress, loneliness, and financial strain of the season leaves many individuals feeling less than jolly. For millions of Americans, Christmas is the most wonderful time of the year. But this isn’t the case for a great number of people.
          For some, the holiday season is actually one of the most difficult times of the year. The seasonal increase of stress, sorrow, and solitude, combined with the economic pressure of the holidays, prevent many people from enjoying what is touted as “the most wonderful time of the year.” No matter how hard we may work to keep Christ at the center of the season, the stresses of Thanksgiving, Christmas, and New Year’s Day seem to always creep in and create a sense of distraction, discouragement, or even despair in the minds of some. Christmas should be all about Jesus, but it is easy to get our minds off what is most important and allow our minds to turn forlorn. With Christmas weeks away, what is filling your mind? The joy of Christ? Or the cultural pressures of the season?
          Negative thinking always has a detrimental impact on us, and this can be exacerbated during the Christmas season. As followers of Christ, we are not called to express joy only during the holidays; it should be expressed year-round. One of the keys to maintaining an attitude of joy is to forsake our negative thoughts. The question is, how can we be consistently joyful when life is often difficult? In ebbs and flows of daily living, how can we consistently keep our negative thoughts at bay? How can we keep our minds on Christ this Christmas season and maintain our joy?
          Thinking negatively is always a temptation, but this time of the year always makes it more difficult to keep our minds out of the negativity ditch. Prepare your mind now so you can enjoy the time of year when we celebrate the birth of Christ. No matter your personal situation, if Jesus is your Savior, there are many reasons to be joyful. The most effective way to keep our thoughts from derailing this Christmas season is to F.O.R.S.A.K.E. our negative thoughts.
F.O.R.S.A.K.E. Your Negative Thoughts
1.     Forgive those who have sinned against you (Colossians 3:13 “Forgiving each other; as the Lord has forgiven you, so you also must forgive”).
          Musing over the inevitable slights, insults, and injuries of life typically leads to spiritual struggles. Because sinning against one another is so common, the Bible speaks frequently about forgiveness. While forgiving those who sin against us is never easy, it is necessary if we want to keep our minds out of the negativity ditch. Anger, bitterness, and resentment quickly develop in an unforgiving heart, guaranteeing spiritual complications. Dwelling on past offenses and interpersonal conflicts opens our minds to negative thoughts, which quickly deteriorate into injurious emotions and destructive actions. Choosing to focus on those who have hurt us leads to hateful thoughts such as jealousy and retaliation. Forsaking negative thoughts requires forgiveness of those who have sinned against us.
2.     Obey God’s commandments rather than ruminating over imperfections, failures, or past hurts (Philippians 3:13 “One thing I do: forgetting what lies behind and straining forward to what lies ahead…”).
          Ruminating over matters we can’t change or control inevitably produces negative thoughts. Focusing on our inadequacies and failures prevents us from seeing the giftedness and blessings God has given us, making it difficult to find joy. Likewise, replaying past painful events over and over in our minds robs us of joy, trapping us in emotional and spiritual bondage. Rather than wasting time and energy in unproductive rumination, we must focus on obedience to God’s commandments. Obedience brings blessing and frees us to think clearly and biblically. When negative thoughts arise, consider how your negativity can be turned into obedience. Forsaking negative thoughts requires eliminating unhealthy rumination and obedience to the Lord.
3.     Repent of any sin and seek God’s forgiveness (1 John 1:9 “If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness”).
          Persisting in unrepentant sin squelches our joy and stunts our spiritual growth. Knowing we are in sin—either public or private—weighs on us, and typically produces negative thoughts. In the heart where sin reigns, joy is difficult to find. Fear of being exposed, guilt, and shame haunt our minds when we are living in the bondage of sin. Sin may be pleasant for a time, but it always brings consequences. Running from God and refusing to repent of our sin guarantees a lack of joy. Thankfully, God is always ready to forgive a repentant sinner. Rather than seeking the unfulfilling pleasures of sin, confess your sin and turn to the only source of lasting joy. Forsaking negative thoughts requires confession of sin, repentance, confession, and God’s forgiveness.
4.     Saturate your mind with the truths of Scripture (Psalm 119:11 “I have stored up your word in my heart, that I might not sin against you”).
          Dwelling on what God forbids, our challenging circumstances, our shortcomings, or Satan’s lies produces anxiety, depression, and potentially despair. Something or someone is always vying for our attention; this is why guarding our minds is so important. What we choose to fill our minds with will greatly influence the trajectory of our thoughts, which will eventually set the course for our lives. When we are preoccupied with the cares of this world, the priorities of the culture, or the illicit pleasures of our day, negative thoughts abound and God’s truth is abandoned. To maintain an attitude of joy, Scripture must saturate our minds. Meditating on God’s word keeps our thoughts on what is honoring and pleasing to him. God’s word is the antidote for ungodly thinking. A steady diet of Scripture is essential for keeping our thoughts pure. Forsaking negative thoughts require purposeful concentration on biblical truth.
5.     Accept reality and rest in God’s strength (John 16:33 “In the world you will have tribulation. But take heart; I have overcome the world”).
          Fretting over the problems and imperfections of this world is another way to invite anxiety, depression, and despair into your life. In a fallen world populated with sinners, disappointment, failure, pain, and problems are to be expected. Each day we can expect to sin against someone, someone to sin against us, and a setback, challenge, trial or tragedy to come our way. In this world, we should expect trouble. Blind optimism creates crippling disappointment, setting us up for deep-seated sorrow. Jaded pessimism produces destructive cynicism, ensuring that our joy will evaporate. Seeing the world from a biblical perspective protects us from these two unhealthy mindsets and prepares us to see the world as it actually is—a fallen place where sinners dwell and where God is carrying out his sovereign redemptive plan. We will inevitably face failure, disappointment, and heartache, but this is no reason to despair. Forsaking negative thoughts requires a realistic view of the world that rests in God’s omnipotence. 
6.     Keep busy with something positive, productive, and wholesome (Proverbs 31:27 “She looks well to the ways of her household and does not eat the bread of idleness”).
          Occupying our minds and hands with something spiritually, emotionally, and physically beneficial goes an incredibly long way in combating negative thinking. It is difficult to think negatively when we are actively engaged in something we enjoy and which glorifies God. We live in a distracting world where interruptions and disruptions occur practically every hour of the day. Some of these distractions can’t be avoided, but many can. Rather than filling our minds with social media, mindless entertainment, and other potentially destructive time-wasters, we must invest our time and energy into something constructive. Whenever our thinking turns toward negativity or something that dishonors God, we should redirect our minds to something positive. Rather than wasting time and energy fretting over something spiritually destructive, invest that time and energy into something enjoyable and productive. Forsaking negative thoughts requires intentional engagement in that which is physically, spiritually, and emotionally edifying.
7.     Evaluate your expectations (Proverbs 4:23 “Keep your heart with all vigilance, for from it flow the springs of life”).
          Adhering to unrealistic expectations is a surefire way to guarantee disappointment, frustration, anger, and distress. Given the fact that all of us are deeply flawed and the world is woefully imperfect, we must work hard to keep our expectations in check. Expecting excellence is good; expecting perfection, however, is not. A substantial portion of our negative thinking stems from unmet or unrealized expectations. Placing unreasonable expectations on people sets us up for disappointment, irritation, anger, resentment, and even despair. Expecting this imperfect world to satisfy our every desire and provide lasting satisfaction sets us up for emotional and spiritual consternation. The world does not owe us anything; stop living as if it does. Likewise, expecting the people in our lives to meet our every need and fulfill our every desire is a fool’s errand. No one, no matter how gifted or godly, will ever be able to satisfy us. Trusting in Jesus is the only way to find contentment in this world. Forsaking negative thoughts requires keeping our expectations reasonable and biblical.
          While there are no easy fixes to solving our tendency toward negative thinking, these seven practices can help keep our minds on what pleases God and on what can bring joy to our lives. Alleviating our tendency to dwell on destructive thoughts will free our minds to think on that which encourages obedience to God. With our minds fixed on the goodness of God, we will find contentment and joy in this fallen world. Harboring negative thoughts keeps us from enjoying the wonderful life God has given us; therefore, we must forsake them. Controlling our thoughts at Christmastime is an important part of celebrating Jesus’s birth. But remember, it is equally important to manage our thoughts throughout the rest of the year too.
 
Copyright © 2024 by Jay Knolls. All Rights Reserved.

Recently, I attended a theological conference where David Gibbs III, president and general counsel of the National Center for Life and Liberty (NCLL), was one of the main session speakers. In his address, Mr. Gibbs mentioned that it’s predicted that 32 million evangelicals will sit out this year’s election. Read that sentence again. Millions of professing Christians will not bother to vote. This is not only a staggering number, it’s a discouraging one. How can evangelical Christians complain about the direction of our nation when so many don’t even participate in the election process? Should you choose to not vote, remember that refusing to participate in the election does not remove moral culpability. Shrugging your shoulders in indifference is not a wise response to the divisive challenges facing our nation. There are certainly times when we vote to elect someone and other times when we are trying to prevent a particular candidate from taking office. Either way, the evangelical vote should always be as closely aligned with God’s commandments as possible. Neither the Democratic Party nor the Republican Party are distinctly Christian, so there are no perfect candidates on either side of the political aisle.
          Over the last several election cycles, the phrase “this is the most important election of our lifetime” has been repeated so often, very few people seem to even believe it anymore. And yet, because our nation is so inflamed by the political and ideological differences raging in our society, this statement might actually be accurate in 2024. There are two radically different visions for our country, and one of them will win the White House and control of Congress in the next few days. Every election, especially in the last twenty-five years, is a ruthless fight over whose worldview will define the United States of America and determine the trajectory of our society. Common values and traditions that once united our country have all but vanished like a cloud of smoke. Finding common political ground is increasingly difficult, and it’s tearing us apart at the seams. For Christians, this is no time to remain politically silent.
          In a few days, we will have a new President of the United States. Like you, I won’t miss all of the political ads, bickering, and hatefulness. But very soon we will know which candidate will occupy the Oval Office. Concerning the role of government, Darrell Bock argues that its purpose is “legislating how a diverse community can live together as neighbors.”[1] It doesn’t take long to conclude that the United States government has come up woefully short when it comes to fulfilling its God-given responsibility. Our government is locked in stalemate, and it’s going nowhere fast. No matter which candidate wins, this impasse is unlikely to improve very much. Regardless of who wins this year’s election, our response should be the same. Let’s consider five biblical responses to the upcoming election.
          First, keep proclaiming the gospel your primary concern. There is a time and place for political activism, but that is not the church’s primary responsibility. Christians are first and foremost called to proclaim the good news to this lost world and call people to repentance. Jesus never started a political organization, encouraged political activism, or recommended political violence. Instead, He established the church, which was to proclaim God’s love for the world and offer the hope of redemption through faith in Christ. For too many years, the church wielded the sword rather than proclaiming the gospel. It’s impossible to make people godly through the threat of violence or even by civil laws. Morality rests inside the person. Because all people are born sinful and separated from God, our priority must always be the proclamation of the gospel. As C.S. Lewis said, “He who converts his neighbor has performed the most practical Christian act of all.” America’s hope does not rest in the courthouse, the statehouse, or the White House. Our hope rests in God’s unchanging truth. Jesus’s final words recorded in Matthew’s Gospel are very encouraging and straightforward: “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. Go therefore and make disciples of all nations” (Matthew 28:18-19). Notice, Jesus is the ultimate authority on earth and in heaven. Obviously, His authority is also over the church. His commandment to the church is simple. We are to go into the world (not run from it) and make disciples through the proclamation of the gospel. It’s the gospel that saves people from their sin, not political policies. Political efforts can produce some societal changes, but these are typically marginal, external, and temporary. The pull of our rapidly-secularizing society will always be away from God’s truth, resulting in even greater spiritual confusion and moral decline. Politics may change external behavior—which can admittedly be a good thing—but it can’t change hearts; lasting change only takes place in people’s lives when they place their faith in Jesus. This nation was established to allow its citizens to freely worship the Lord or not. As Bock writes concerning our Founding Fathers, “They also understood that a state that tries to control a person’s conscience pulls in the direction of tyranny and despotism.”[2] In other words, we shouldn’t even try to force anyone to worship God in spirit and in truth. But we can share the gospel with them. Our chief concern, therefore, must be seeing unbelievers come to know the Lord. Not winning political arguments or elections.
          Second, keep your confidence and trust in God. No matter who wins the White House, rules the courthouse, or has a majority in Congress, our sovereign God will still be seated on His throne. In 1 Timothy 6:15-16 Paul boldly declares that the Lord is “the blessed and only Sovereign, the King of kings and Lord of lords, who alone has immortality, who dwells in unapproachable light, whom no one has ever seen or can see. To him be honor and eternal dominion.” When God becomes small to us, fear and uncertainty are inevitable. Even when it appears that society is going over the edge, we must never lose sight of the fact that God is sovereign, and His plan will never be thwarted by any human government. Human history is moving toward its glorious end, and no President will rewrite God’s magnificent plan for the world or pass legislation that will remove God from his throne. Whatever the outcome of this year’s election, we can be confident that the results perfectly coincide with God’s sovereign purposes for our country and for the world. As our almighty God, He is free to do whatever he chooses, and He is free to do it by whatever means He sovereignly declares.
          Third, keep submitting to civil authorities. The people in Jesus’s day didn’t live in a time when democracy was the norm. Early Christians lived under ruthless, ungodly political leaders who promoted slavery, tolerated blatant acts of immorality, levied high taxes, and murdered Christians. And yet, Jesus taught His disciples to “render to Caesar the things that are Caesar’s, and to God the things that are God’s” (Matthew 22:21). Jesus hardly mentioned politics at all during His earthly ministry. There were no calls for a new political regime or revolution, but He did command us to pay our taxes. Jesus didn’t summon a legion of angels to overthrow the dictators who persecuted His people or call His disciples to build an army. In Romans 13:1 Paul writes, “Let every person be subject to the governing authorities. For there is no authority except from God, and those that exist have been instituted by God.” Both the church and human government are instituted by God, and have been entrusted with spheres of authority. In fact, the government—like the church—is ministerial. Concerning political authorities Paul adds, “He is God’s servant for your good. But if you do wrong, be afraid, for he does not bear the sword in vain. For he is the servant of God, an avenger who carries out God’s wrath on the wrongdoer” (Romans 13:4). Because government is a God-ordained intuition, Paul says that citizens are called to “pay taxes, for the authorities are ministers of God” (Romans 13:6). An important responsibility of government is to justly wield the sword so its citizens are protected and evil is punished. Our submission to human government recognizes our place of subordination in the chain of command, and accepts that governmental authorities are God’s ministers. As Peter writes, “Be subject for the Lord’s sake to every human institution, whether it be to the emperor as supreme,  or to governors as sent by him to punish those who do evil and to praise those who do good” (1 Peter 2:13-14). Government requires submission, but our ultimate obedience belongs to God. As Wayne Grudem writes, “Because God has established the government to restrain evil and do good for the nation, citizens should, in general, be subject to the government and obey its laws.”[3] God’s absolute authority supersedes the delegated authority entrusted to civil authorities; therefore, God deserves our ultimate allegiance. Should a law ever command us to violate God’s word, our responsibility is to obey God rather than human laws. These rare situations are certainly not commonplace, making submission to human government the norm.
          Fourth, keep praying for those serving in political office. As Christians, not only are we called to honor those in authority and submit to the laws of the land, we are also commanded to pray for those who rule over us. As Paul writes to Timothy, “First of all, then, I urge that supplications, prayers, intercessions, and thanksgivings be made for all people, for kings and all who are in high positions, that we may lead a peaceful and quiet life, godly and dignified in every way” (1 Timothy 2:1-2). Paul urged Timothy to join him in prayer for the king who would eventually authorize his execution. It’s important to note that the reason Paul urged prayer for those in civil government was so Christians could “lead a peaceful and quiet life.” Imagine how our attitudes would change if we prayed for our political leaders when they make a decision we disapprove of rather than griping, complaining, or protesting. The volatile political rhetoric coming from many professing Christians still amazes me (not in a good way). Rather than spouting off online about what you’re angry about, use the time you would spend posting your ungodly remarks in prayer instead. Praying for our elected officials empowers us to disagree with grace and dialogue with respect for those with whom we disagree. God is the one who sovereignly places people in positions of political leadership; therefore, when you complain about those in political office you’re actually questioning God’s rule over the world and His goodness. No matter who may occupy the White House, you are called to pray for him or her. As followers of Jesus, we are commanded to love our enemies and respond to the world and its insults with forgiveness rather than hatred or retaliation (e.g., Matthew 5:43-47 and Luke 6:27-38). Jesus’s teachings should radically change how we interact with the culture, and with our political leaders. As the prophet Jeremiah wrote to the people of Israel as they were heading for a life in the Babylonian exile, “Seek the welfare of the city where I have sent you into exile, and pray to the LORD on its behalf, for in its welfare you will find your welfare (Jeremiah 29:7). As exiles in a wicked city, God’s people would be the minority and would face oppression at the hand of their oppressors. Nonetheless, God’s people were expected to be active participants in their new community and serve as productive citizens. Even in a hostile culture, God’s people are commanded to positively contribute to the welfare of the community in which we live. Retreat and isolationism is not an option. The Babylonian exile is but one example of how messy and complicated life on this planet can be. The world has certainly not improved since the days of the Babylonian empire. This should remind us of our desperate need to pray for our next president. There is no better way to love others, including our political “enemies,” than to fervently pray for them.
          Finally, keep remembering that your ultimate citizenship is in heaven. God expects us to be good citizens in this world. No matter what country we live in, we are commanded to be honorable people who submit to the authorities God places over us. Sure, there are times when civil disobedience is warranted. But generally speaking, our proper response to the government is submission rather than revolt. Nevertheless, our ultimate citizenship is in heaven, and there is no human government that can ever take that from us. Our ultimate king is Jesus, and He is the one who deserves our absolute obedience. He is the one who will one day rule and reign in perfect justice. As Paul writes in Philippians 3:20-21, “Our citizenship is in heaven, and from it we await a Savior, the Lord Jesus Christ, who will transform our lowly body to be like his glorious body, by the power that enables him even to subject all things to himself.” As future citizens of God’s eternal kingdom, we must serve as salt and light in this one while we await His glorious return. The church is a community of believers who are dedicated to honoring God and obeying him while living as sojourners and ambassadors for the King of Kings and Lord of Lords among the nations. With our citizenship in heaven secure, there is no reason to lose hope.
          I wonder, how many hours have evangelical Christians wasted on political rants and circular partisan debates over the last six weeks? How many incensed political arguments have happened between Christians and unbelievers over the last two months? How many unbelievers have come to know Jesus because of a political argument? I would be curious to know, whom did the average Christian spend more time talking about with their unsaved coworkers this political season? Kamala Harris? Donald Trump? Or Jesus Christ? Sadly, I’m pretty sure I know the answer. In all likelihood, Jesus finished a very distant third in that vote.
 
[1] Darrell L. Bock, How Would Jesus Vote? (New York, NY: Howard Books, 2016), xiii.
[2] Ibid., 3.
[3] Wayne Grudem, Politics According to the Bible (Grand Rapids, MI: Zondervan Academic, 2010), 87.
Copyright © 2024 by Jay Knolls
All Rights Reserved.
All Bible verses are from The ESV® Bible (The Holy Bible, English Standard Version®), copyright © 2001 by Crossway, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers. Used by permission. All rights reserved.

  In Philippians 3:20, the Apostle Paul writes, “Our citizenship is in heaven, and from it we await a Savior, the Lord Jesus Christ.” What an amazing hope we have in Christ! According to this text, those who have placed their faith in the Lord Jesus Christ have an eternal home waiting for them in God’s commonwealth, a place we call heaven. Our ultimate place of citizenship is not found in any geopolitical location in this world. I was born in the United States of America, and I am proud to be an American. But there is an even greater reality that comforts and encourages me: I am the blood-bought child of the King of Kings and Lord of Lords, and my future citizenship is in his eternal kingdom. The older I get, the more special my future home in God’s kingdom becomes.
            While I increasingly long for God’s heavenly kingdom, I am still a proud citizen of the United States and expected to be an active resident in our country. My citizenship may ultimately be in heaven, but that does not negate my responsibility to be a faithful citizen in our earthly nation. As Christians, our citizenship in heaven should make us better citizens here. We are to eagerly expect the coming of the Lord, but while we wait, we must be faithful in this world. An important responsibility for U.S. citizens is to take part in our political process.
            Here in the United States, we are closing in on another presidential election, and the tension brewing in our nation is palpable. Very shortly, we will be electing our 47th President and the stakes couldn’t be higher. The individual who holds the office of President of the United States is the most powerful person in the world, making each and every election of great importance. Our President serves as both the head of state and the head of government. The person holding the Oval Office also serves as the Commander-in-Chief of the United States Armed Forces. With America’s enemies poised to do harm to our country, it’s important that our military remains strong. Our current President, Joseph R. Biden, is the 46th President of the United States. He is, however, only the 45th person ever to serve as President. Grover Cleveland served two nonconsecutive terms, and is recognized as both the 22nd and the 24th President.[1] Whomever is elected as our next President will be tasked with many challenges–some of which are issues of life and death.
            When I was born, Richard Nixon was serving as the 37th President of the United States of America. President Nixon is primarily known for being the only U.S. President to resign from office. His tumultuous presidency reminds us that there has never been and there will never be a perfect man or woman in the Oval Office. Sin is a reality that reaches all levels of society. Its tentacles even breach the layers of security surrounding 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue. When we cast our votes this November, we must remember that there is not a perfect candidate on the ballot.
            In 1972, President Nixon easily won reelection with 520 Electoral Votes. He defeated Democratic nominee George McGovern with a 23.2% margin of victory in the popular vote, the fourth largest margin in U.S. presidential election history.[2] Despite his landslide victory, President Nixon would soon be toppled by his involvement in the Watergate scandal. Facing almost certain impeachment by Congress, Richard Nixon resigned the presidency on August 8, 1974 on live television and radio. Richard Nixon left office the following day.
            While I was alive during the Watergate scandal, I have no memory of it. What I do remember is seeing our 38th president, Gerald Ford, on television. Gerald Ford is the first President I actually remember. In fact, the first presidential election I watched with my father was held on November 2, 1976. When the results were in, Jimmy Carter became the 39th President when he won the election with 297 Electoral College votes to President Ford’s 240. My father’s reaction that night was simple, but memorable. “Oh no,” he grimaced. I was too young to understand much about politics, but I knew it was important to my dad and that he was not happy with how the 1976 election turned out.
            Ever since that fall evening in 1976, I have followed the presidential elections with a sense of curiosity and interest. Through the years, the presidential nominees who have been put forth by the two major political parties have fascinated me. I was watching the night Ronald Reagan defeated Jimmy Carter and became the 40th President in 1980, and when he won reelection by a landslide four years later. In 1984, President Reagan captured 525 Electoral College Votes to Walter Mondale’s 13. Walter Mondale only won one state—his home state of Minnesota.
            I voted in my first election in 1988 when Ronald Reagan’s Vice President, George H. W. Bush, won the Republican nomination and ran against Michael Dukakis, the Democratic Governor of Massachusetts. The 1988 election was the first time in memory that a fellow Christian whom I loved and respected announced that she was voting for someone different than my family, which overwhelmingly voted Republican. It was my first dose of political realism. I assumed everyone loved Ronald Reagan and George H. W. Bush; turns out I was living in a dream world. There were people who disapproved of Reagan and what he stood for. Some were even Christians. That was news to me.
            In 1988, I cast my vote for George H.W. Bush. My friend proudly voted for Michael Dukakis. George H. W. Bush won big that year, and I took a very long sigh of relief. The world was going to be okay. It was at this point in my life when, like most young people, I became a bit of a political ideologue. Not a political fanatic by any means, but I assumed with President Bush’s big win the political world would continue to trend conservative for the rest of my life. Liberalism was dead, and the future looked bright. I figured President Bush would win a second term, and then turn the reins over to his Vice President, Dan Quayle. As we all know, that is not how history played out.
            By the time the 1992 election came around, President Bush’s popularity was waning and there was a craving for major political change. In fact, Independent candidate Ross Perot received 19,742,267 votes in the 1992 election. Thanks to my youthfulness, combined with my brother’s influence and my growing political idealism, my vote was one of them. Likely because of the more than 19 million votes cast for businessman Ross Perot, Bill Clinton was elected 42nd President of the United States in 1992. As a recent college graduate, I really didn’t think too much about Clinton’s win. Given the frustration with President Bush, I believe most people expected him to lose. Bill Clinton’s presidency was shaken by his extramarital affair with Monica Lewinsky. Once again, the Oval Office was riddled with disgrace. Proving yet again that all have sinned and come woefully short of God’s glory.
            In 2000, George W. Bush was elected President in one of the most hotly contested elections in history. It was the election of hanging chads, controversy, and lawsuits. It was a national spectacle centering on disputed ballots and Florida recounts. The final results between George W. Bush and Al Gore lingered for weeks, creating a tense environment that left our country waiting with bated breath to see how the election would unfold. When the United States Supreme Court decided by a 5-4 vote to reverse an order given by the Florida Supreme Court for a selective manual recount of the state’s ballots on December 12, 2000, President Bush was effectively awarded Florida’s 25 Electoral Votes, guaranteeing his victory over Democratic nominee Al Gore.[3] President Bush won Florida’s Electoral Votes by a slim margin of only 537 votes, reinforcing the idea that every vote really does matter. The 2000 election was a long and winding road, proving that the election process in a large nation like ours can be extremely complicated and vehemently contentious. 
            Following George W. Bush’s second term, Barack Obama stormed on the political scene and became our country’s 44th President. After President Obama’s second term in office, Donald J. Trump shocked many people when he became the 45th President in 2016. I remember during the Republican primary season saying that Donald J. Trump had no chance of being President. Boy was I wrong. President Trump developed a strong following and shook the political establishment at its core when he defeated Hillary Rodham Clinton. Donald Trump went from being known for his businesses in New York City, television shows, and cameo in Home Alone 2 to sitting in the Oval Office as our nation’s Commander-in-Chief.
            Growing up in Delaware—where I visited Rehoboth Beach often—Joe Biden is a name I have known my whole life; he was one of Delaware’s two senators from January 3, 1973 to January 15, 2009. My father had little regard for Senator Biden, and his opinion hasn’t changed. In the late 1980s, my dad wrote a letter to Mr. Biden and to Delaware’s other senator, William Roth, to express a concern about college financial aid. Senator Roth personally answered my father with a two-page letter. Then Senator Joe Biden’s response was two sentences, which my dad described as “garbage” and “gibberish.”
            Joe Biden unsuccessfully ran for President in 1988 and 2008. He was forced out of both races in short order, but was sworn in as Barack Obama’s Vice President in 2009. In 2020, Joe Biden was finally elected President of the United States and took office on January 20, 2021. When President Biden abruptly announced that he was dropping out of the 2024 presidential election following a horrific debate performance against Republican nominee Donald J. Trump, this year’s election cycle was thrown into a tailspin.
            In a few short weeks, President Biden’s long political career will come to an end. He will be replaced by either his Vice President, Kamala Harris, who would become our nation’s first female President, or Donald J. Trump who would become the first President to serve two nonconsecutive terms since Grover Cleveland who, as previously mentioned, served as our 22nd and 24th President.
With the 2024 election looming over the horizon like an ominous raincloud, long gone are my naïve perspectives about politics. Governments are ordained by God and necessary for civilizations to function. But there are no perfect human governments. The world is a sinful place, and no one is immune from sin’s tantalizing effects. No election is perfect, and no presidential candidate is without sin. Nonetheless, as a proud citizen of the United States of America, I will soon cast my vote for the presidential candidate that I believe will promote biblical principles as much as possible. Neither candidate is flawless; like all of us, both have strengths and weaknesses. But I will choose the one whom I believe will most likely defend personal liberty, protect life, promote human flourishing, safeguard free speech, defend our nation, and preserve our right to freely worship.
            As Christians, we should care deeply about our nation, and faithfully exercise our right and privilege to vote. What concerns me most about this election is not who will win, but how Christians view this year’s election. I have four specific concerns that I want you to consider. First, I am concerned about Christians who are frustrated with the election process or the candidates and will choose not to vote. Remember, you don’t have to personally like a candidate to vote for that person. There is certainly plenty to be frustrated about, but that is no excuse to refrain from voting. Second, I am concerned about believers who have made politics their religion. Participating in the political process is important, but politics must never become our god. In Matthew 22:21, Jesus taught his disciples to render unto Caesar that which is Caesar’s. But Jesus also said that we are to give to God that which belongs to Him. Our ultimate allegiance belongs to our Creator, not to human government. Third, I am concerned about those Christians who lose hope when their candidate doesn’t win. How some Christians respond to elections sometimes makes me wonder if politicians matter more to some believers than Jesus does. We claim to believe that God is sovereign, but our reactions to elections often makes me wonder how many Christians actually believe that to be true. Daniel served in a pagan government, but he never lost hope in Almighty God. Fourth, I am concerned that too many Christians have made this world their home to the point that they forget our ultimate citizenship is in God’s glorious kingdom. As sojourners and wanderers, we must keep our focus on Jesus Christ, the only one who will one day be our perfect King.
            At the time of this writing, there are 41 days until the election. Pundits have plenty of opinions as to who they believe will win and why. I don’t pretend to know who will be elected to serve as our 47th President. My only prediction is we will likely not know who won on election night. I pray we don’t have to endure another tumultuous election like the one we experienced in 2000. But it’s possible. I have even played with the electoral map on 270towin.com and my prediction produced a tie. Wouldn’t that be something? All I know is whoever wins the 2024 election will not thwart in any way, shape, or form God’s sovereign plan for the world.
            On Tuesday, November 5, 2024, citizens of the United States will hit the polls. Later that night, after the polls close, the returns will start trickling in. I’ll watch. For a while. But predicting it will be a long, tense night before we know who won (assuming we know at all on election night), I’ll be in bed at my normal time. Sleeping comfortably. Leaving the results to my true King.
[1] https://www.whitehouse.gov/about-the-white-house/our-government/the-executive-branch/
[2] https://www.270towin.com/1972_Election/
[3] https://www.britannica.com/event/Bush-v-Gore

With both the Republican and Democratic National Conventions now behind us, we begin the homestretch toward Election Day in November. All of the pollsters and pundits, regardless of party affiliation, are predicting a close presidential election that could be decided by one or two states. Given the deep divide in our country, I don’t believe anyone is really surprised by the polling numbers. Both the Harris and Trump campaigns are gearing up for what will undoubtedly be a tough fight for the White House, and in all likelihood it’s going to be a bumpy ride for them both. While I won’t tell you who to vote for, I am going to tell you who is going to win the election.
You might want to sit down if you’re not already because it’s possible that you’re not going to like my answer.
The person who will win the presidential election in the United States of America in 2024 will be: the man or woman God has decreed. This does not mean that Christians shouldn’t vote. Remember, God not only decrees what will happen in the course of history, He also decrees the means by which it will happen. In other words, your vote absolutely matters. As a Christian living in a nation that allows its citizens to vote, I believe you have a responsibility to exercise that freedom. Whether you live in a deeply red state, blue state, or purple state, casting your vote this fall according to your conscience is your civil duty and Christian responsibility.
When it comes to predicting the election results, I have my guess as to who will win, and you likely have yours. While we are free to speculate, none of us knows for certain who will win this election. But almighty God knows exactly who will win. And whichever candidate wins is the one whom God will use to carry out His plan for this world.
In several places in the Old Testament, we find prophecies concerning the nations of the world. From these passages of Scripture, we learn that God is absolutely sovereign in the affairs of men and used His prophets to foretell what He had decreed. As Daniel 2:21 teaches, “He changes times and seasons; He removes kings and sets up kings.” In this verse, Daniel recognized God’s ability to work His will and plan in all circumstances. Part of His eternal plan is setting up certain governments and tearing down others. From a human perspective, it may seem that the prime ministers, presidents, dictators, and other political leaders are controlling the world. But in reality, it is almighty God who is in absolute sovereign control of this world. He created it, and it is His to do with as He pleases. He will ordain whom He wills to lead the nations of the world, and He will orchestrate the geopolitical landscape to meet His redemptive purposes.
Another passage to briefly consider is Psalm 75:6-7 where Asaph writes, “For not from the east or from the west and not from the wilderness comes lifting up, but it is God who executes judgment, putting down one and lifting up another.” In God’s sovereign care of the world, He raises up certain political leaders for His purposes while removing others from office. Because we are incapable of knowing the mind of God, we are unable to fully comprehend God’s purposes and reasons behind the world’s political developments. The world stage is often confusing, but there is no reason to despair; our good and gracious God is working His eternal plan for His glory.
According to the Christians worldview, we are responsible to see the world as it is—not through the naïve lens of blind utopian fantasy or the lens of skeptical cynicism. Ever since the fall in Genesis 3, the world has been a dangerous place. From the moment the serpent shrewdly created doubt in Eve’s mind, the world has been a radically different place than the paradise Adam and Eve once enjoyed. While I wholeheartedly believe that the world has been a dark and dangerous place for thousands of years, I would have to say that, in my opinion, the world is more dangerous today than it has ever been. With the rise of totalitarian governments in places like North Korea, China, Iran, and Russia, the world teeters on the verge of a truly global war. These tyrannical regimes oppress their citizens while promoting fear among the other nations of the world.
When the Berlin Wall came down on November 9, 1989, a sense of hope came over the world. There was a global sigh of relief that ushered in a time of optimism. It was the end of the Soviet Union. Communism was all but defeated. Democracy was finally going to reign supreme in Europe and in other parts of the world. It was the dawn of a new age, and the world was going to be a better and safer place. Democratic governments would replace communistic ones, and the world would finally enjoy peace.
How does all that optimism sound thirty-five years later?
Totalitarianism is unquestionably the threat of our age. Autocratic governments like that of North Korea, China, Iran, and Russia have gained a foothold over much of the world that in many ways is worse than we could have ever imagined a quarter of a century ago. A totalitarian form of government may be more efficient than a democratically elected one, but autocratic governments are desperately dangerous. When all of the power rests in one sinful person, policies are bound to go awry. Good kings may promote righteousness, but evil kings always promote evil. And according to the annals of history, absolute power does corrupt absolutely far more often than it doesn’t. If you want to see an example of how absolute power typically produces evil, just consider the four most powerful dictators on the planet today: Vladimir Putin of Russia, Xi Jinping of China, Kim Jong Un of North Korea, and the Iranian Ayatollahs.
We are living in a volatile world, and whoever is elected President of the United States this November will undoubtedly have a monumental task ahead. Whether Vice President Harris or former President Donald Trump wins the White House, the challenges will be immense and will require a lot of strength, council, and wisdom.
Perhaps you’re uneasy about the upcoming election. Maybe you’re worried about what will happen if your candidate doesn’t win. Truth is, even if your candidate does win you have no idea what the next four years hold any more than anyone else. It’s a dangerous moment in world history, but there is no reason to despair. Vice President Kamala Harris does not rule the world, and never will. Former President Donald Trump has previously occupied the Oval Office, and might once again come January. But he has never ruled the world, and never will. Whichever candidate wins in November, God’s plan for the world will remain perfectly intact.
Ruling the world is a responsibility that belongs to God alone. It has never belonged to another, and it never will. God is eternal, holy, sovereign, and good. His bidding will be done on this earth as it is in heaven. No one can thwart God’s plan. Vladimir Putin can’t. Xi Jinping can’t. Kim Jong Un can’t. The Iranian Ayatollahs can’t. No President of the United States has ever changed God’s plan for the world, and none ever will.
I don’t know about you, but I worry a lot less about November’s election when I remember that the one whom God has determined to occupy the White House in 2025 will do so. God’s perfect plan will be fulfilled regardless of who is sworn in on Inauguration Day. God’s authority over the world and civil government is the same today as it was during the days of the Old and New Testaments. And God’s sovereign rule will continue until the end of the age. No matter who lives at 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue.

Well, here we go again. It’s an election year, and all eyes are on our nation’s capital. This year’s race to the White House has been anything but usual. We’ve seen an assassination attempt on former president Donald Trump, and the upheaval in the Secret Service and F.B.I. that followed. Shortly thereafter, America’s current president, Joe Biden, stepped out of the race after days of intense pressure to remove himself. It’s been a tumultuous and historic few weeks to be sure.
For many months, Americans assumed that either Donald Trump or Joe Biden would be elected to a second term. Now, with President Biden out of the race, Vice President Kamala Harris is the presumptive Democratic nominee. Irrespective of November’s outcome, the 2024 election is undoubtedly one that will be remembered for generations to come. Given the level of polarization in our country, this is going to be a hotly contested election that will likely be filled with many more twists and turns.
November may seem like a long way off, but as we enter August it’s time to start thinking biblically about the choice we will be making at the ballot box this fall. Every election is important; therefore, I will refrain from using the typical hollow cliché of “the most important election ever.” This is, however, a pivotal time for our country. All elections matter. And so does your vote.
No, I won’t be telling you who to vote for. I have something far more important in mind. Instead, I want to help you develop a grid through which you should evaluate the candidates you choose to vote for this November. Whether the election is local or national, Christians must do their best to vote according to biblical values. I encourage you to worry less about party affiliation, and more about substance and the direction each candidate will steer our cities, states, and nation. Elections have consequences, and sometimes these consequences impact our nation—to our betterment or to our demise—for decades.
There are many passages of Scripture that come to bear on political matters, but for this article I want to draw your attention to only one. In Romans 13:1-7 we read:  
Let every person be subject to the governing authorities. For there is no authority except from God, and those that exist have been instituted by God. 2 Therefore whoever resists the authorities resists what God has appointed, and those who resist will incur judgment. 3 For rulers are not a terror to good conduct, but to bad. Would you have no fear of the one who is in authority? Then do what is good, and you will receive his approval, 4 for he is God’s servant for your good. But if you do wrong, be afraid, for he does not bear the sword in vain. For he is the servant of God, an avenger who carries out God’s wrath on the wrongdoer. 5 Therefore one must be in subjection, not only to avoid God’s wrath but also for the sake of conscience. 6 For because of this you also pay taxes, for the authorities are ministers of God, attending to this very thing. 7 Pay to all what is owed to them: taxes to whom taxes are owed, revenue to whom revenue is owed, respect to whom respect is owed, honor to whom honor is owed.
There is much that could be written about these verses. But for the moment, let’s quickly consider three basic observations. First, Paul says that civil government is established by God. Therefore, it’s our responsibility as Christian citizens to obey our civil government. As Thomas Schreiner writes, “Believers express their commitment to God in how they relate to rulers and the law of the state.”[1] Second, civil government is provided by God for the protection of a society’s citizens by restraining evil and rendering just punishment for those who commit crimes. Those in authority have the God-given responsibility to provide order to society, restrain evil, encourage what is good, promote human flourishing, and punish those who commit evil acts. While some governments are inefficient, anarchy is far worse. The book of Judges certainly illustrates this truth. As theologian Wayne Grudem writes, “Where there is no ruler, sinful people make up their own morality and soon begin to do terrible things to one another.”[2] Third, civil government has the right to levy taxes on its citizens. The establishment and administration of a tax system derives from a legitimate set of duties given to civil authorities as servants of God. Even the pagan government that crucified Jesus had the right to collect taxes and its citizens had a legal and moral obligation to pay them. As Jesus said, “Render to Caesar the things that are Caesar’s, and to God the things that are God’s” (Mark 12:17). Like it or not, collecting taxes is a legitimate function of government.   
From a biblical perspective, we see that human government has a legitimate role in the world. Governments are called to provide structure to society and to promote what is good. As Americans, we thankfully have the privilege and responsibility of civil involvement through the election process. Unlike many other nations in the world, we have the opportunity to vote for candidates we believe are capable of running our government. As Christians, living in a democracy, I believe we have a responsibility to be politically informed and at a bare minimum to steward our right to vote. God may call some Christians to assume a greater role in government, but every believer should at least exercise their right to vote. Christianity should have an influence over the cultural values promoted by civil authorities, but when we fail to vote we often forfeit the opportunity to influence the policies and laws our government will establish.
In most elections, there are very few, if any, Christians on the ballot. While this is disappointing, this does not excuse Christians from participating in the electoral process. In every election, regardless of who is on the ballot and their claimed religious affiliation, Christians must support candidates that hold moral and political positions that are consistent with biblical teaching.
But the question remains, what kind of governmental leaders should Christians vote for? What issues should they prioritize? How do we discern which candidates will legislate in a way that is most consistent with biblical values? How do we choose candidates that will align with the Bible’s concept of government? These are not always easy questions to answer; but there are some questions we can ask ourselves that will guide our decision making process.
Below are fifteen questions for your consideration. While you may not like all of these questions, please don’t dismiss them too quickly. This is certainly not an exhaustive list, but I believe it is one that can help us think through how we should vote in November. Reading Dr. Wayne Grudem’s book, Politics According to the Bible, motivated me to write this list of questions. Because there are no perfect political candidates, no one will ever score perfect marks on all of these questions. Nonetheless, answering these questions should help you discern which candidates would govern in a way that is most consistent with Scripture and biblical values. I purposefully left out any direct reference to Scripture in these questions so you can think through each one on your own without my direct influence. My reference point behind each question, however, is God’s word.
Before choosing to vote for someone, ask: does the candidate I’m considering voting for exhibit genuine:
1.     Respect for the dignity of all people?
2.     Regard for personal freedom that honors individual rights in matters such as speech, religion, family, and labor?
3.     Appreciation for the importance of traditional marriage, family, and community?
4.     Interest in developing an economy that promotes personal responsibility, provides opportunities for work, and invests in human flourishing?
5.     Compassion for the poor and the weak that will offer assistance to those in genuine need?
6.     Esteem for individual and civil generosity?
7.     Desire to provide protection for all people, including the unborn?
8.     Commitment to global diplomacy and a strong national defense?
9.     Determination to offer financial or military assistance to other nations as needed by maintaining a strong presence in the world?
10.  Intention of levying fair and reasonable taxes?
11.  Devotion to stewarding the world’s natural resources?
12.  Concern for maintaining the rule of law?
13.  Resolve to hold those who break the law accountable and to render judgment that is proportionate to the crime?
14.  Dedication to fiscal responsibility when setting a local, state, or federal budget?
15.  Willingness to govern with honesty, compassion, integrity, dedication, and zeal while faithfully serving under the authority of the Constitution of the United States of America?
I have heard many people comment that they are planning to skip voting in the presidential election this year because they are not in favor of either candidate. This was particularly true when President Biden was still in the race. Honestly, I understand the sentiment. The political process in our nation has become childish, uncivil, unprofessional, and repulsive. Media outlets fan the flames of controversy to improve ratings. Politicians behave like adolescents to grow their audience. Conspiracy theorists create drama through their speculative ideas to gain notoriety. In the process, many average Americans are left disgusted by it all.
I get it. I really do.
As Christians, we must remember that our ultimate citizenship is in God’s kingdom. But it’s also important to remember that our heavenly Father keeps us in this fallen world to be salt and light. Voting is admittedly only one way to influence the direction of our nation, but it is an important one. By God’s grace, the United States of America holds elections to determine who will serve in political office. It is our civil duty to participate. It is also our moral responsibility to vote in such a way that God will be glorified and His values will be legislated to the greatest degree possible in an increasingly secularizing government. Your vote really does make a difference, so exercise it with wisdom. Be salt and light by voting for candidates based on where they stand on the issues essential to our society’s existence. Vote for politicians who are unwaveringly committed to moral and political positions that are consistent with biblical principles.
God ordained human government for the good of humanity. As temporary citizens of this world, we must do all we can to ensure that God’s blueprint for civil government is followed. And this November, you can help accomplish this goal by voting for candidates who are willing to stand for righteousness and human flourishing. Be salt and light by voting for officials who will use their positions of authority to serve this great nation with dignity, honor, and righteousness for the collective good of the nation rather than for special interest groups or their own glory.
In his first letter to Timothy, Paul writes, “I urge that supplications, prayers, intercessions, and thanksgivings be made for all people, for kings and all who are in high positions, that we may lead a peaceful and quiet life, godly and dignified in every way” (2:1-2). Pray for our leaders. Pray for those running for political office. Pray for our nation. And use your vote this election season to be salt and light in this dark and twisted age.
 
[1] Thomas R. Schreiner, Romans (Grand Rapids, MI: Baker Books, 1998), 677.
[2] Wayne Grudem, Politics According to the Bible (Grand Rapids, MI: Zondervan, 2010), 78.

“In the beginning, God” are four of the most powerful words recorded in Scripture. It’s no accident that these are the first words we find in the Bible. In Genesis 1:1, we are introduced to the subject of Scripture: God Himself. If we’re not careful, we can read these four words too quickly and miss the magnitude of what Moses is saying in this opening phrase. Not only are we introduced to our omnipotent Creator, we are also confronted with the truth that there is a God. In a world that desperately seeks to erase God from the cultural narrative, we must grapple with the foundational truth of the Bible: There is a God who created us and He has every right to rule His creation in a way that brings all glory to Him and has every right to humankind accountable to His commandments.
“In the beginning, God” boldly declares there is only one true God, and in the process denies three common philosophies we see in our world. Let’s briefly consider the three worldviews Moses’s first few words deny.
First, Genesis 1:1 denies atheism. If God was in the beginning, there was and is a Creator who is self-existent, self-sufficient, omnipotent, unchanging, holy, and eternal. God is uncaused; God answers to no one, not even us. Generally speaking, sinful humanity demands that God answer for Himself, and until He does, they stubbornly refuse to believe or follow. Unlike humanity, God relies on no one. Without oxygen, gravity, light, and heat, humanity would die–along with every other living organism on Earth. God, however, isn’t reliant on any of these things. Denying God is foolishly refusing to submit our lives to the One who created us and sustains us. Refusing to trust God is choosing to believe that something or someone else is more trustworthy and more capable of caring for us. As A.W. Tozer writes in The Knowledge of the Holy, “Unbelief is actually perverted faith, for it puts its trust not in the living God but in dying men. The unbeliever denies the self-sufficiency of God and usurps attributes that are not his. This dual sin dishonors God and ultimately destroys the soul of the man.”[1] But as Genesis 1:1 points out, the eternal God who created us is the only one worthy of our trust and qualified to provide for our most basic needs.
Second, Genesis 1:1 denies materialism (i.e., naturalism). According to materialism, matter has always existed. But the obvious question remains, where did the matter come from? Who or what organized matter into what we see today? Where did personality originate? How did life, self-consciousness, intelligence, and rationality evolve from inanimate, inorganic matter? Is it simply the result of evolution? Or did a Creator with personality create us in His image? If God was present before the beginning of time as we know it, He is not subject to creation because He is separate from it; since God created matter, the world is not merely a materialistic place left to itself to operate by sheer fate and chance. According to a naturalistic view of the world, humans are merely one of many species that evolved from a common ancestry, making humanity a mere animal with no purpose, no destiny, no dignity, no value, and no likeness to our Creator. Evolutionary theory would have us believe that humankind doesn’t stand in a position of distinction from other species. Mother Earth is all that matters, not human beings who—unlike every other creature on earth—possess an eternal soul. As one naturalist said, “Phasing out the human race will solve every problem on earth, social and environmental.”[2] Naturalism is a worldview that dismisses the uniqueness and dignity of humanity. Under the materialistic understanding of the world, humankind is not merely the highest point of creation, he is the god of creation. To blaspheme against the humanistic philosophy of our time is to blaspheme against humanity, and there is no forgiveness for that transgression. The cry of our age is “glory to Man in the highest.” The basic premise of the religion of materialism is accepted by faith: there is no God. The idea of man being created in the image of God is awesome, but the idea of God being created in the image of man is comfortable. Thankfully, the opening chapters of Genesis paint a substantially different picture than the bleak one presented by naturalism.
Third, Genesis 1:1 denies polytheism. While polytheism is not as popular as it was when Moses penned the book of Genesis, a number of false gods abound. Even horoscopes, which many place their faith in, fall under the category of false religion. But according to Genesis 1:1, there is only one Creator God who does not share His glory with any other gods. As God reminds us in Isaiah 45:5, “I am the LORD, and there is no other, besides me there is no God.” Because God is self-sustaining and eternal, He doesn’t need humanity. God was under no obligation to create the universe and place people in it. But out of His love, He created the world and humanity for His glory. He alone is God, and He is inescapable. People may ignore and deny Him now, but there will come a day when all of humanity will stand before the Creator and be held accountable for rejecting Him. God is the Creator and Sustainer of the world; all of creation displays His majesty and declares His glory. Creation also reveals God’s sovereign rule. He holds the universe in His hands while fulfilling His plan for the world. Our glorious Creator is the only God, and He is the one who grants value to humanity as an act of His amazing grace. In a world filled with false gods, who regularly compete for our affection and allegiance, God stands as the only true sovereign Creator. Everything the pagans worshiped during the time of Moses—the sun, the moon, the animals, the rivers, the rocks—were created by God and under His sovereign care; therefore, these false gods pose no threat to God.
God’s awesome creative power and sovereignty are introduced in the very first verse of the Bible and it stands boldly against the world’s ideologies. As our Creator, He has every right to demand allegiance from humanity. Acknowledging God as our Creator naturally leads to submission to Him and to His commandments. As our Creator, God has every right to tell us how to live and to define what is right and what is wrong. “In the beginning, God!” May those glorious words bring hope to our hearts and obedience to our lives.
 
[1] A.W. Tozer, The Knowledge of the Holy (New York, NY: HarperOne, 1961), 35.
[2] John MacArthur, The Battle for the Beginning (Nashville, TN: Thomas Nelson, 2001), 34

In the eighth chapter of John’s Gospel, we find the account of a woman caught in adultery being brought before Jesus by the scribes and the Pharisees. According to the Mosaic Law, this woman was to be stoned for her immoral actions. The scribes and Pharisees wanted to hear Jesus’s perspective on her situation. On the surface, this seems like a reasonable course of action. But according to verse 6, Jesus is not asked His opinion because these religious leaders are interested in His interpretation and application of the Law. Instead, they are testing Jesus in order to bring charges against Him. 
After Jesus wrote something in the dirt, He stood and said to those gathered around, “Let him who is without sin among you be the first to throw a stone at her” (v. 7). After writing in the ground once more, the woman’s accusers departed one by one, leaving Jesus alone with the adulterous woman. With no one left to accuse her, Jesus tells the woman to “go, and from now on sin no more.” Jesus didn’t condemn the woman for her sin, but He didn’t overlook it, excuse it, or affirm it either. Jesus’s actions certainly do not suggest that He simply turns a blind eye to sin. They do, however, picture the magnificence of His mercy and grace.
As we consider this account, there are two significant problems increasingly present in the church today that we need to address.
First, too many Christians are quick to downplay sin’s significance. Sin isn’t a very popular word in today’s American culture. In fact, the concept of sin has virtually disappeared from the prevailing narrative of our day. Even in many churches, there is a lukewarm attitude toward sin. God’s grace and love are boldly proclaimed from pulpits all over our country while more uncomfortable topics like sin, hell, and God’s judgment are conveniently overlooked. Strong, biblical, words for sin–such as adultery, lying, and stealing–have been replaced with more politically correct words such as affair, fib, and swindle. One of the clearest examples of how sin is glossed over is seen in today’s heated debate over abortion. Those who demand abortion to be made available for practically any reason describe themselves as “pro-choice.” Never “pro-abortion.” Words matter. The vocabulary we choose says a lot about how we see the world. Using the words God uses in Scripture to describe acts of immorality ensures that we capture the danger of violating God’s commandments. In the case of the woman in John 8, she was guilty of committing adultery. Not having a fling.
Second, we are quick to condemn the “major” sins of society while overlooking our own seemingly “minor” ones. Since Christians normally have a higher moral standard than society, it’s easy to feel confident about ourselves and assume God is pleased with our condition. We must remember, however, that all sin is malignant; when left unaddressed, it will infiltrate and contaminate our lives. Our sinful attitudes, words, and actions affect us and those around us. Within the Church, we are often more concerned with the sins of society than with the iniquities that still exist among God’s people. We commonly look down on the sinners in society without humbly recognizing that apart from God’s grace, we would be in a similar state. Sadly, Christians are frequently more like the scribes and Pharisees in John 8 than we want to admit. Condemning the evils of this world is easy, but we should not be so eager to pick up stones to throw at others since we have plenty of sin still lingering in our wicked hearts. It’s easier to denounce homosexuality, abortion, and murder than to address our gossip, impatience, fear, pride, envy, selfishness, bitterness, worry, discontentment, lying, greed, jealousy, and lust. The “minor” sins we tolerate are still violations of God’s word and reprehensible in His sight.
While the idea of personal sin has all but vanished from many churches today, it hasn’t disappeared in God’s mind. All sin—no matter how seemingly insignificant—is deserving of His righteous judgment. Our religious pride, critical attitudes, hurtful speech, impatience, worry, covetousness, and anger are all serious offenses that God has every right to judge. Even though our hearts have been renewed through faith in Christ and we have been delivered from the eternal consequences of sin, our sin nature still wages war against us. Sinful actions flow from the insatiable craving to fulfill our own desires (see James 1:14). We typically choose sin over obedience when the lure of momentary pleasure is stronger than the desire to please God and honor him. Unless we recognize the battle against our flesh and take decisive action against our propensity toward wickedness, sin will linger in our hearts. 
An example of common sins that we tolerate or ignore is complaining about our circumstances. While complaining may seem minor in comparison to the serious sins of society, think for a moment about what we are doing when we complain.
First, complaining impugns God’s character. A complaining spirit reveals that we don’t actually believe God is always good. Inconveniences, hardships, and disappointments are all part of living in a sinful world. Followers of Jesus are commanded to “rejoice in the Lord always” (Philippians 4:4), even when negative circumstances tempt us to complain. Disregarding even one of God’s commandments—no matter how insignificant it may seem—is still sinful. Our complaints question God’s goodness and sovereignty, making them a direct assault against His perfectly holy character.
Second, complaining tempts the listener to also impugn God’s holy name. Like the flu, complaining is contagious. When one person starts complaining, many more typically join the gripe session. The nation of Israel serves an alarming illustration of complaining’s power to infiltrate a group of people. In Numbers 14:27 the Lord said to Moses and Aaron, “How long shall this wicked congregation grumble against Me? I have heard the grumblings of the people of Israel, which they grumble against Me.” Grumbling always invites company; one grumbler typically produces more malcontents. You may assume that your complaining doesn’t affect others, but it does—sometimes with horrendous results.
Complaining is only one of many examples that could be used to illustrate that no sin is insignificant and undeserving of God’s judgment. Our seemingly trivial sins are subtle in nature, tempting us to minimize their influence and importance. They deceive us into believing our offenses are not all that bad, especially when compared to the dreadful sins of others. But we must never forget that all sin is hideous and dangerous. All sin, no matter how insignificant in our eyes, is an assault on God’s majesty and holiness. The sins we tolerate are the very ones that nailed Jesus to the cross. It doesn’t matter whether our sin is scandalous or socially acceptable, every last transgression violates God’s commandments. When we forget the brutal death Jesus experienced on the cross because of our sin, we are prone to diminish the seriousness of our disobedience. Whether small or great, sin is heinous in God’s eyes. This is why all sin must be taken seriously. Thanks to God’s grace and mercy, “If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness” (1 John 1:9). Rather than downplaying your sin, repent of it and find hope in God’s gracious forgiveness.

Choosing the people with whom we spend the most time is an important decision. As parents, my wife and I have worked hard at monitoring those whom our children are befriending. We want to know whom they are choosing as friends because we understand how readily people are influenced by their peers. Proverbs 13:20 offers a perfect summary statement of this truth: “Whoever walks with the wise becomes wise, but the companion of fools will suffer harm.” 
We all understand the importance of kids making wise choices when it comes to friendships. But what about adults? Are we mindful of the relationships we build? Are we purposefully building relationships that honor the Lord? Are we walking with the wise or with fools? The companions we choose will greatly influence who we will eventually become; our friends can either make us more like Jesus or they can pull us away from Him.
While the world is filled with people, finding true friends is extremely difficult. Without purposefully looking for godly friendships in the right places—like at church—it is unlikely we will find them. As Christians, we are called to love all people. This does not mean, however, that all people are given the same level of access to our hearts and lives. For example, the United States Government does not give the same level of access to classified information to an average citizen as it does to a member of the president’s cabinet. The main point of Proverbs 13:20 is that we are to choose our closest companions carefully and only give full access to those who will love us enough to direct our hearts toward God.
Because not all relationships are equal, I believe it’s helpful to understand the various levels of friendships and how we relate to individuals in each of the categories. Let’s consider the five levels of relationships and how we as Christians should treat people in each one.
The first group is strangers; they comprise the largest group of people with whom we interact. Strangers only have superficial knowledge of us. They know our hair color, our facial structure, our height, and our clothing choices. Strangers make assumptions about us based on what they see while we do the same to them. Conversation with strangers is generally limited to superficial matters like the weather or other generalities. While it is profoundly unwise to share our soul with strangers, it is Christ-like to treat all people with compassion, kindness, humility, meekness, and patience. We may not—and should not—share our deepest feelings with strangers, but we can show them the love of Jesus by treating them as He would.
Second, there are those who are acquaintances; we know people in this group through occasional contact. There has been enough interaction with them up to know basic facts that fosters general conversation. For example, I know the manager at our bank. I know her name. I know she has kids about the same age as ours. I even know what kind of car she drives. Through the years, I have accumulated enough generic knowledge to ask questions about her job and family. Conversation with this group is generally limited to professional conversations and the exchange of general information about our personal lives. We may not know many specific details about acquaintances, but we can use what we do know to open the door to gospel conversations.
Third, we also have many people in the category of casual friends; people in this group are known to us through consistent contact, often taking place in school, a work environment, or through a common interest. While there is regular interaction—sometimes for prolonged periods of time—there is not a deep emotional attachment to casual friends. In school, casual friends are typically made with classmates. Friends at work are often made through working on a team or project together. Casual friends can also be made through our hobbies. For me, I have countless casual friends I have met at the gym. A few times a year, a few of us will meet for coffee and have a good time together. We know each other beyond acquaintances, but our interaction is generally at the gym or in a coffee shop. Although conversation with this group is likely more detailed and slightly more personal, it does not progress much beyond information we would post on social media.
Fourth, we have a handful of people who progress beyond casual friends and become close friends; people in this group are known to us through consistent interaction that takes place outside of work, school, or a shared activity. Close friendships are reserved for those individuals who share our Christian values, beliefs, goals, and worldview—they have a common philosophy of life. Close friends spend significant time together in a variety of settings, including our homes. Once trust is earned over a period of time, these friends are privy to information that is more personal and share an emotional connection with us. Conversation with this group includes private details about life that are not for open discussion among casual friends. Close friends know about our families, our backgrounds, and our goals.
The final group is reserved for those rare individuals who become intimate friends; we also know people in this group through consistent interaction in a variety of settings. The level of emotional connection, however, is substantially deeper than what we enjoy with close friends. Within intimate relationships, there is an earnest commitment to one another. Intimate relationships hold us accountable and help develop our character through honest discussions about fears, goals, failures, dreams, and sins. There is a soul connection in intimate relationships that exposes our inner self to another person. For those who are married, this should obviously include our spouses. But this does not negate the need for other people in our lives who love us enough to confront us and speak the truth to us when necessary. Intimate friends stick closer than family. Very often, they even know you better than your own family members do. Conversation with this group includes intimate details about life that bare our souls to another trusted individual.
It’s safe to say the vast majority of people that we meet will fall in the first three categories. While these individuals are friends, they do not reach the level of greatly impacting our lives for good or bad. Only a relative few become close friends. An even smaller number become intimate friends. Typically, only two or three people—in addition to our spouses—progress to this kind of friendship.
Proverbs 13:20 is addressing those relationships that hold sway over our lives—these are friendships that draw us toward wisdom or toward harm. Influential relationships fall in the categories of close and intimate friends. The underlying teaching of Proverbs 13:20 is simple: choose your close and intimate friendships wisely because they will lead either to godliness or to destruction.
Given the list above, I would suggest most Christians fall into one of two ditches.  First, some Christians indiscriminately give people unlimited access to their hearts too quickly. Intimate relationships take time to build—often months or even years. Wisdom requires us to give others access to our lives slowly, only after we have carefully vetted them over a substantial period of time. Second, many Christians have no intimate friendships or even close friendships. Sadly, this includes married people with their spouse. Intimacy with our spouses is a key component to a successful marriage. But as Christians, we need close and intimate fellowship with other believers too. Men need other godly men to speak truth to them and walk through life with them to make sure they stay on the path of wisdom. Likewise, women need other mature Christian women to minister to them through close and intimate friendships. As Proverbs 27:17 says, “Iron sharpens iron, and one man sharpens another.” God refines us through Scripture and through the Holy Spirit. However, God also uses the body of Christ to mold us into his image. Within a local church family, we must have intimate friends who rebuke us when necessary, encourage us when we are discouraged, strengthen us when we are weary, and consistently provoke us to faith and good works (Hebrews 10:24).
Godly relationships are essential for our spiritual well-being. As Solomon reminds us, “Two are better than one, because they have a good reward for their toil. For if they fall, one will lift up his fellow. But woe to him who is alone when he falls and has not another to lift him up! Again, if two lie together, they keep warm, but how can one keep warm alone?” (Ecclesiastes 4:9-11).  You need godly friendships. And so does every other Christian you know. Find someone who needs a friend, and get busy building godly relationships that please our heavenly Father.

While preparing for our recent series on the “one anothers,” it seemed every article I read, every book I picked up, and every podcast I heard mentioned the growing epidemic of loneliness in America. You do not have to be a social scientist or a researcher to know that people are increasingly lonely and discouraged. Loneliness and discouragement are unfortunate consequences of living in a fallen world, but this does not mean we have to allow these two feelings to dominate our lives and cause despair.  
Since various types of suffering are part of humanity’s experience, Paul encourages Christians to continually “encourage one another and build one another up, just as you are doing” (1 Thessalonians 5:11). In today’s culture, too many Christians are living isolated from the body of Christ. Isolation is fertile ground for loneliness and discouragement. Satan knows this to be true and uses seclusion to draw us away from Christ and His church.
If we quit having consistent interaction with other Christians, we eventually forget how to make and maintain close friendships. Without the encouraging support of friends, we are vulnerable to feeling alone and unraveling when discouragement hits. Admittedly, relationships take work. But they are worth it.        
As I wrote in When Flaming Arrows Fly, “If you’re feeling discouraged, afraid, overwhelmed, or defeated right now, please don’t throw your hands up in despair and quit. There are at least two reasons to stay faithful in the fight against evil. One, you are not alone. All over the globe, there are scores of faithful Christians facing the same spiritual attacks. And two, there is hope in the Lord Jesus Christ. You can have joy, courage, peace, and consistent spiritual growth in this fallen world.”
In Romans 15:4-5, Paul offers reassuring words when he writes, “For whatever was written in former days was written for our instruction, that through endurance and through the encouragement of the Scriptures we might have hope. May the God of endurance and encouragement grant you to live in such harmony with one another, in accord with Christ Jesus.”
In this text, Paul urges Christians to find endurance and encouragement in two specific sources:
1.       The Scriptures (v. 4): God has provided His word for our instruction. It is through the encouragement found in the Scriptures that we find endurance in times of trial and hope when facing the uncertainties of the future. When Paul penned these words, the Hebrew Scriptures were undoubtedly on the forefront of his mind. I don’t know about you, but I find great encouragement in the Old Testament where we read about men and women who endured hardship beyond what we can imagine and yet remained hopeful. Men like Jeremiah, Daniel, Ezekiel, and Elijah did not enjoy problem-free circumstances, but they faithfully endured their hardships. Women like Hannah, Deborah, Esther, and Ruth serve as tremendous examples of endurance and hope during challenging times. These faithful women persevered even when life was not comfortable or easy. God did not give us His word to entertain us; He gave it for our instruction and encouragement. In the promises of God’s word, we find enduring encouragement for today and lasting hope for tomorrow.
2.       God (v. 5): God is the supreme source of endurance, encouragement, and hope. While we all need human relationships to spiritually flourish, God is the one from whom we ultimately draw strength and encouragement. It is in God that we find tenacious hope that endures through every trial and hardship. Our heavenly Father cares about our lives and desires for us to trust in Him even in the valleys of life. Concerning the preeminence of God’s sovereign care, David writes, “For my father and my mother have forsaken me, but the LORD will take me in” (Psalm 27:10). Despite knowing God cares for us, we can often relate to Psalm 42:5, which asks, “Why are you cast down, O my soul, and why are you in turmoil within me? Hope in God; for I shall again praise him, my salvation.” Notice, Psalm 42:5 begins with a seemingly desperate question, but ends on a confident declaration of God’s power to provide hope, even when life seems hopeless. Our souls may often be downcast, but there is never a reason to lose hope in our awesome God. I particularly find Romans 15:13 reassuring; Paul writes, “May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace in believing, so that by the power of the Holy Spirit you may abound in hope.” Those words are filled with glorious confidence. In this verse, Paul encourages the Roman Christians to overflow with hope that can only be found in God. As we hope in God, we can experience the joy, peace, unity, and harmony that God desires for us. Do not miss the weight of Paul’s argument; through the power of the Holy Spirit, we can enjoy abounding hope.
Loneliness and discouragement may dominate the cultural narrative, but as Christians we have an enduring reason to abound in joy, peace, harmony, and hope. God does not intend for His people to drown in a sea of loneliness, discouragement, and hopelessness. Through personal faith in Jesus, we can find lasting encouragement and enjoy the blessings of Christian fellowship. Drawing close to God and fostering intimate friendships will push back against the darkness of loneliness and discouragement. By God’s marvelous grace, we also have God’s inspired word as a source of comfort, encouragement, and hope. It is in our almighty God that we find persistent strength to endure, the fulfilling communion to be comforted, and relentless peace to be hopeful.