Notes of Faith September 22, 2023

Notes of Faith September 22, 2023

Sorry, yesterday’s Notes of Faith were late…I had a medical procedure (not life-threatening) that made me hungry and tired afterward and so posted late on the 21st. But you are getting a 2fer, since I am send you the 22nd early. I have a ministry breakfast meeting at 6:30 am tomorrow. Please enjoy this early…

Attack at Dawn

The Spiritual War Against Ordinary Devotions

Article by David Mathis

Executive Editor, desiringGod.org

Every morning summons us to a feast. With each new day, the inviting voice of Isaiah 55 beckons, “Come, everyone who thirsts, come to the waters. . . . Listen diligently to me, and eat what is good, and delight yourselves in rich food”

(Isaiah 55:1–2).

So, with the Book in hand, we turn Godward with the parched and famished soul of Psalm 63, acknowledging our need and anticipating his banquet: “My soul thirsts for you. . . . My soul will be satisfied as with fat and rich food” (Psalm 63:1, 5). In Christ, we come to God, through his word, as those who thirst come to water, to receive wine and milk without cost (Isaiah 55:1), as those who hunger to be satisfied with true bread.

Each new morning dawns with divine mercies to quench our thirst and satiate our souls.

Ideally, this is the main feel of morning meditation in God’s word: feeding, eating, drinking, being satisfied. Not the feel of battle and combat, but of feasting. But mark this: as sinners, in a cursed world, with a real enemy — to keep feeding, we also must fight.

Ordinary devotions are nothing less than war.

Devil Rises Early

“Did God actually say . . . ?”

From that very first temptation, the enemy has set his sights on the words of God. If we’ve already heard them, he’ll question them. But even better, he knows, would be to keep us from hearing God in the first place.

The devil and his team know how powerful are the words of God, and how vital they are for our life and health. They know the devastating power of ordinary Bible intake. They know the power of fire to warm coals, and the power of God’s word to feed saving faith and keep believing hearts soft. They know, and tremble at, the explosive, world-altering force of faithful Christians sitting down morning by morning — without fireworks or theatrics or applause — to the quiet glory of ordinary devotions.

So, the devils will do whatever they can to disrupt the morning feast. They launch their campaign under the cloak of darkness, and attack at dawn. But we are not left to be outwitted by their schemes, ignorant of satanic designs (2 Corinthians 2:11). The devil may prowl like a roaring lion, seeking to devour (1 Peter 5:8). Yet with sober-mindedness and watchfulness, we can observe, and reinforce, his likely points of attack.

Three Assaults on Bible Intake

Consider, then, how our enemy often leverages the patterns of our world, with the sins and weaknesses of our own flesh, to plot against the ordinary, quiet, unhurried, early-morning feeding of our souls in the word of God.

1. Keep Them Up Late

The campaign begins the night before, at dusk: keep them up too late. It could be a sleepless child. It could be some tangible, late-breaking need, requiring an act of love. It could be analog human conversation or a late-night event. All the old stuff. But these days, machines are now doing a good bit of the work. Our many screens — from big ones on the walls to the little ones in our pockets — are very efficient at burning the midnight oil.

The spiritual war for ordinary devotions begins long before the sun comes up. The sober-minded and watchful observe it, and act with wisdom — ready to sacrifice the good of sleep in the call of Christian love, and eager not to squander God’s gift for the follies of late-night bingeing and scrolling. One bad habit can knock other good ones out of sync. The enemy would have us be blinded to the cascading effects of empty late nights.

2. Distract Them

If we do retire at an actual human hour, not all is lost for the enemy: distract them in the morning. Which can be quick work.

In one sense, it’s always been easy. Even in the mid-seventeenth century, Blaise Pascal (1623–1662) lamented our universal proneness to distraction: “All of humanity’s problems stem from man’s inability to sit quietly in a room alone.” We don’t need endless news and the Internet to sidetrack our attention — yet now we have them and, oh, how susceptible we can be. The smartphone, its notifications, and infinite scrolls are particularly ensnaring.

3. Make Them Rush

A third enemy scheme is hurry. The devil would have the motor of our souls run at the same RPMs first thing in the morning as it does the rest of the day. He would have us move at the world’s pace, rather than the Word’s. He would even happily have us try to do too much in morning devotions, so that we do it all too quickly.

As columnist Thomas Friedman has written, we find ourselves living in an “age of accelerations.” Our world pressures us and conditions us to adopt its pace, and we are prone to internalize its speed as our own — and bring the rat race with us when we come to God’s word.

But the morning feast of Bible meditation is not fast food, and not to be treated as such.

Three Attacks on Temptation

How, then, might we combat the devil’s schemes? It’s one thing to anticipate how the demons will attack; it’s another to act on that knowledge. What will you do to thwart the evil forces set against daily Bible reading and meditation?

1. Handle Screens with Care

Among other practical strategies, we might learn to handle our screens with special care. Think how much less prone to morning distraction you might be if you kept the phone silenced, upside down, and further away than arm’s length. Or even better, in another room.

For our souls to start the day feasting on God, we need not only to make time, and be realistic about what we have, but also to guard it by getting to bed, getting up, and avoiding morning diversions. Both the night before and morning of, screens and their content, with their glittering pixels, are great distractors of souls.

For many of us in modern life, we can hardly avoid them. We work at them and use them for our jobs. We spend a shocking amount of our days and weeks on them, much of it for good. But exercising particular caution with our screens after dark, and before meeting with God in his word, is becoming the greater part of modern Christian wisdom.

You might also consider going old school with a paper Bible. Those do not ring, vibrate, or notify. And paper actually helps a reader slow down and experience “the precious milliseconds of deep reading processes.”

2. Gather a Day’s Portion

A glorious simplicity accompanies “ordinary devotions,” the kind that feed and sustain souls for a lifetime. Admirable as it may be to try to read this book and that commentary, and study these topics, and memorize those verses, and even pray long lists — and all that in addition to reading and meditating on God’s word — trying to do too much in the morning will undermine the rest and feast of being in God’s presence and enjoying him, and his Son, through his word.

One way to put it: seek simply to gather a day’s portion each morning. Like God’s people, collecting manna each day in the wilderness, aim to feed your heart’s hunger and quench your soul’s thirst for just that day. No need to catch up from yesterday’s missed readings, or try to get ahead to store up for tomorrow or next week. God will take care of tomorrow. Rather, come to eat and drink and be satisfied today. In other words, don’t bite off more than you can chew. Don’t try to do too much, but cultivate a faithful realism for the long haul.

3. Chew Your Food Slowly

Finally, save your hustle for the rest of the day. Slow down, if you’re still able. It may take some time to learn how. Seek to chew your food slowly and enjoy it. Such savoring in the moment also helps us to carry it with us into the ups and downs, and pressures and accelerations, of the day.

The biblical image of meditation dovetails with the feasting pictures of Isaiah 55 and Psalm 63. Hebrew meditation is like an animal chewing the cud. I’m no farmer, but the few cows I’ve observed doing this did not seem to be in any sort of hurry. If you’re going to be like a cow, be it first thing in the morning as you chew slowly, unhurriedly, even leisurely, on the words of God in Scripture.

Ancient books in general, and the Bible in particular, were not meant to be read with speed, like we today have been conditioned to read (that is, skim). Learn a whole new gear for Bible reading. Read slowly, and reread. Seek to enjoy God and his world and his glory and his Son. Don’t swallow too quickly and move on, but chew slowly and savor his grace.

War is not the main mindset for early mornings. Come to God’s word to feast and be satisfied. But know this is nothing less than battle. Consider the devil’s common schemes, and fight to guard the feast.

Eph 6:12-14

12 For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the powers, against the world forces of this darkness, against the spiritual forces of wickedness in the heavenly places. 13 Therefore, take up the full armor of God, so that you will be able to resist in the evil day, and having done everything, to stand firm.

Join me in the Lord’s army and watch Him do all that is necessary to lead us to victory and eternal life!

Pastor Dale

Notes of Faith September 22, 2023

Notes of Faith September 22, 2023

Sorry, yesterday’s Notes of Faith were late…I had a medical procedure (not life-threatening) that made me hungry and tired afterward and so posted late on the 21st. But you are getting a 2fer, since I am send you the 22nd early. I have a ministry breakfast meeting at 6:30 am tomorrow. Please enjoy this early…

Attack at Dawn

The Spiritual War Against Ordinary Devotions

Article by David Mathis

Executive Editor, desiringGod.org

Every morning summons us to a feast. With each new day, the inviting voice of Isaiah 55 beckons, “Come, everyone who thirsts, come to the waters. . . . Listen diligently to me, and eat what is good, and delight yourselves in rich food”

(Isaiah 55:1–2).

So, with the Book in hand, we turn Godward with the parched and famished soul of Psalm 63, acknowledging our need and anticipating his banquet: “My soul thirsts for you. . . . My soul will be satisfied as with fat and rich food” (Psalm 63:1, 5). In Christ, we come to God, through his word, as those who thirst come to water, to receive wine and milk without cost (Isaiah 55:1), as those who hunger to be satisfied with true bread.

Each new morning dawns with divine mercies to quench our thirst and satiate our souls.

Ideally, this is the main feel of morning meditation in God’s word: feeding, eating, drinking, being satisfied. Not the feel of battle and combat, but of feasting. But mark this: as sinners, in a cursed world, with a real enemy — to keep feeding, we also must fight.

Ordinary devotions are nothing less than war.

Devil Rises Early

“Did God actually say . . . ?”

From that very first temptation, the enemy has set his sights on the words of God. If we’ve already heard them, he’ll question them. But even better, he knows, would be to keep us from hearing God in the first place.

The devil and his team know how powerful are the words of God, and how vital they are for our life and health. They know the devastating power of ordinary Bible intake. They know the power of fire to warm coals, and the power of God’s word to feed saving faith and keep believing hearts soft. They know, and tremble at, the explosive, world-altering force of faithful Christians sitting down morning by morning — without fireworks or theatrics or applause — to the quiet glory of ordinary devotions.

So, the devils will do whatever they can to disrupt the morning feast. They launch their campaign under the cloak of darkness, and attack at dawn. But we are not left to be outwitted by their schemes, ignorant of satanic designs (2 Corinthians 2:11). The devil may prowl like a roaring lion, seeking to devour (1 Peter 5:8). Yet with sober-mindedness and watchfulness, we can observe, and reinforce, his likely points of attack.

Three Assaults on Bible Intake

Consider, then, how our enemy often leverages the patterns of our world, with the sins and weaknesses of our own flesh, to plot against the ordinary, quiet, unhurried, early-morning feeding of our souls in the word of God.

1. Keep Them Up Late

The campaign begins the night before, at dusk: keep them up too late. It could be a sleepless child. It could be some tangible, late-breaking need, requiring an act of love. It could be analog human conversation or a late-night event. All the old stuff. But these days, machines are now doing a good bit of the work. Our many screens — from big ones on the walls to the little ones in our pockets — are very efficient at burning the midnight oil.

The spiritual war for ordinary devotions begins long before the sun comes up. The sober-minded and watchful observe it, and act with wisdom — ready to sacrifice the good of sleep in the call of Christian love, and eager not to squander God’s gift for the follies of late-night bingeing and scrolling. One bad habit can knock other good ones out of sync. The enemy would have us be blinded to the cascading effects of empty late nights.

2. Distract Them

If we do retire at an actual human hour, not all is lost for the enemy: distract them in the morning. Which can be quick work.

In one sense, it’s always been easy. Even in the mid-seventeenth century, Blaise Pascal (1623–1662) lamented our universal proneness to distraction: “All of humanity’s problems stem from man’s inability to sit quietly in a room alone.” We don’t need endless news and the Internet to sidetrack our attention — yet now we have them and, oh, how susceptible we can be. The smartphone, its notifications, and infinite scrolls are particularly ensnaring.

3. Make Them Rush

A third enemy scheme is hurry. The devil would have the motor of our souls run at the same RPMs first thing in the morning as it does the rest of the day. He would have us move at the world’s pace, rather than the Word’s. He would even happily have us try to do too much in morning devotions, so that we do it all too quickly.

As columnist Thomas Friedman has written, we find ourselves living in an “age of accelerations.” Our world pressures us and conditions us to adopt its pace, and we are prone to internalize its speed as our own — and bring the rat race with us when we come to God’s word.

But the morning feast of Bible meditation is not fast food, and not to be treated as such.

Three Attacks on Temptation

How, then, might we combat the devil’s schemes? It’s one thing to anticipate how the demons will attack; it’s another to act on that knowledge. What will you do to thwart the evil forces set against daily Bible reading and meditation?

1. Handle Screens with Care

Among other practical strategies, we might learn to handle our screens with special care. Think how much less prone to morning distraction you might be if you kept the phone silenced, upside down, and further away than arm’s length. Or even better, in another room.

For our souls to start the day feasting on God, we need not only to make time, and be realistic about what we have, but also to guard it by getting to bed, getting up, and avoiding morning diversions. Both the night before and morning of, screens and their content, with their glittering pixels, are great distractors of souls.

For many of us in modern life, we can hardly avoid them. We work at them and use them for our jobs. We spend a shocking amount of our days and weeks on them, much of it for good. But exercising particular caution with our screens after dark, and before meeting with God in his word, is becoming the greater part of modern Christian wisdom.

You might also consider going old school with a paper Bible. Those do not ring, vibrate, or notify. And paper actually helps a reader slow down and experience “the precious milliseconds of deep reading processes.”

2. Gather a Day’s Portion

A glorious simplicity accompanies “ordinary devotions,” the kind that feed and sustain souls for a lifetime. Admirable as it may be to try to read this book and that commentary, and study these topics, and memorize those verses, and even pray long lists — and all that in addition to reading and meditating on God’s word — trying to do too much in the morning will undermine the rest and feast of being in God’s presence and enjoying him, and his Son, through his word.

One way to put it: seek simply to gather a day’s portion each morning. Like God’s people, collecting manna each day in the wilderness, aim to feed your heart’s hunger and quench your soul’s thirst for just that day. No need to catch up from yesterday’s missed readings, or try to get ahead to store up for tomorrow or next week. God will take care of tomorrow. Rather, come to eat and drink and be satisfied today. In other words, don’t bite off more than you can chew. Don’t try to do too much, but cultivate a faithful realism for the long haul.

3. Chew Your Food Slowly

Finally, save your hustle for the rest of the day. Slow down, if you’re still able. It may take some time to learn how. Seek to chew your food slowly and enjoy it. Such savoring in the moment also helps us to carry it with us into the ups and downs, and pressures and accelerations, of the day.

The biblical image of meditation dovetails with the feasting pictures of Isaiah 55 and Psalm 63. Hebrew meditation is like an animal chewing the cud. I’m no farmer, but the few cows I’ve observed doing this did not seem to be in any sort of hurry. If you’re going to be like a cow, be it first thing in the morning as you chew slowly, unhurriedly, even leisurely, on the words of God in Scripture.

Ancient books in general, and the Bible in particular, were not meant to be read with speed, like we today have been conditioned to read (that is, skim). Learn a whole new gear for Bible reading. Read slowly, and reread. Seek to enjoy God and his world and his glory and his Son. Don’t swallow too quickly and move on, but chew slowly and savor his grace.

War is not the main mindset for early mornings. Come to God’s word to feast and be satisfied. But know this is nothing less than battle. Consider the devil’s common schemes, and fight to guard the feast.

Eph 6:12-14

12 For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the powers, against the world forces of this darkness, against the spiritual forces of wickedness in the heavenly places. 13 Therefore, take up the full armor of God, so that you will be able to resist in the evil day, and having done everything, to stand firm.

Join me in the Lord’s army and watch Him do all that is necessary to lead us to victory and eternal life!

Pastor Dale

Notes of Faith September 21, 2023

Notes of Faith September 21, 2023

The Signs and Secrets of the Serpent

Nicodemus the Pharisee came to Yeshua in the night, seeking clear answers.

Instead, Yeshua revealed to him mysteries and miracles, without Nicodemus even asking. Every part of this conversation has significance.

“Unless one is born from above, he cannot see the kingdom of God.” “How can these things happen?” Nicodemus asked. — John 3:3-4a

By way of an answer, Yeshua started to explain:

“No one has gone up into Heaven except the One who came down from Heaven — the Son of Man. Just as Moses lifted up the serpent in the desert,” said Yeshua, “so the Son of Man must be lifted up. — John 3:13–14

Why on earth would Yeshua compare Himself to the serpent on the pole? We need to know because this is a foundational scriptural truth that often doesn’t get enough attention. What does it mean, and what’s the deeper spiritual significance? In the sign and secret of the serpent, we find a remarkably well-designed connection between the Old Testament and New, between Moses and the Messiah, that reveals new depths in what Yeshua has done for us, and the miraculous power He has today to atone, to provide, to heal, and to transform. As we explore the image of the serpent, we find that God has much to reveal to us.

What Is the Serpent on the Pole?

In His conversation with Nicodemus, Yeshua built on the idea that He was the greater Moses — the true Messiah:

Just as Moses lifted up the serpent in the desert, so the Son of Man must be lifted up, so that whoever believes in Him may have eternal life! — John 3:14–15

What is the meaning of this mystery of the serpent on the pole? On the surface, it seems like a strange analogy that Yeshua made. But all of this is based on Numbers 21:4–9, the account of the children of Israel wandering through the desert. And clearly, they were becoming disgruntled.

They travelled from Mount Hor along the route to the Sea of Reeds in order to go around the land of Edom. The spirit of the people became impatient along the way.

The people spoke against God and Moses: “Why have you brought us from Egypt to die in the wilderness, because there is no bread, no water, and our very spirits detest the despicable food [manna]?” So Adonai sent poisonous serpents among the people, and they bit the people and many of the people of Israel died.

The people came to Moses and said, “We sinned when we spoke against Adonai and you! Pray to Adonai for us, that He may take away the snakes!” So Moses prayed for the people.

Adonai said to Moses, “Make yourself a fiery snake and put it on a pole. Whenever anyone who has been bitten will look at it, he will live.” So Moses made a bronze snake and put it on a pole, and it happened that whenever a snake bit anyone and he looked at the bronze snake, he lived.

A harrowing story. Why would God do this? And why would God instruct Moses to make a bronze serpent and put it on a pole to represent salvation? More to the point, why would Yeshua connect Himself to this act of Moses? The first thing to understand is that Yeshua said, “As Moses lifted up the serpent.” The Hebrew word for “to lift up” is nasa. It can mean “to lift up,” but it can also mean “to bear,” “to carry,” or “to forgive.” The meaning in John 3:14 is “to bear” or “to carry” sin and guilt. In the Jewish system of atonement, a scapegoat was offered in the temple, on the Day of Atonement, to make atonement for the people; the goat carried the sins of the people: “The goat will carry [nasa] all their iniquities by itself into a solitary land and he is to leave the goat in the wilderness” (Leviticus 16:22). The Hebrew word nasa is one of the most critical words connected to salvation.

As a side note, we could say the English abbreviation NASA, the National Aeronautics and Space Administration, gives us the mental picture of lifting off, taking off, or going higher into outer space. That’s what the cross does for us. It causes us to blast off, to be able to leave earth, to go from death to life, from darkness into light, to go into the heavens where we’ve never gone before.

Yeshua was lifted up on the cross because He bore our sin like the scapegoat, just like the serpent on the pole.

Yeshua was lifted up on the cross to bear our sin.

The Messiah on the Cross

Isaiah 53:4 says,

Surely He has borne our griefs and carried our pains. Yet we esteemed Him stricken, struck by God, and afflicted.

When it says He “carried our pains,” the word for “carried” is nasa. In the Hebrew New Testament, the serpent in the wilderness was “lifted up” (nasa), and it bore the sins of the people who were grumbling. And as they lifted up (nasa) their eyes to look at that serpent, they found healing. When the Messiah was lifted up (nasa) on the cross, as the serpent was lifted up on the pole, He bore our sin and our pain, and it was for our gain. Just like the people who looked at the serpent on the pole found healing, when we look to Yeshua on the cross, we find healing and wholeness. So, Isaiah 53 — one of the most important messianic prophecies — connects back to the serpent on the pole in the wilderness. The serpent on the pole connects back to the scapegoat, which in turn connects to the cross, where the Messiah would bear our griefs and carry our pains.

Why would Yeshua need to be lifted up like the serpent on the pole, as He revealed to Nicodemus? Think about it. The first man and woman stole from the tree in the garden of Eden. When humankind took fruit down from the tree, it was a descent. There was a lowering spiritually, morally, physically, emotionally, and relationally — on every level. When humankind pulled that fruit off the tree and disobeyed God’s command, we dragged ourselves and all of creation down with us. So the Messiah had to descend from Heaven, and He had to be lifted back up onto the tree for you and me.

When He was lifted up, He was placed back on that tree to replace what we stole from the tree; He was placed on the cross to atone for the sin of the first man and woman and to redeem and repair us.

I don’t know about you, but I think what He did for us on that cross was amazing — a miracle. It brings to mind the words of Moses and the Israelites, singing to the Lord: Mi kamocha ba’elim Adonai, Mi kamocha nedar ba’qodesh, Nora tehillot oseh fele. Or,

Who is like You among the gods, Lord? Who is like You, majestic in holiness, Awesome in praises, working wonders? — Exodus 15:11 NASB

We brought a descent, and Yeshua descended so that we could ascend.

Excerpted from Signs and Secrets of the Messiah by Rabbi Jason Sobel, copyright Rabbi Jason Sobel.

Jesus is indeed our Savior, Lord, and King. He died and rose again that we might die to sin that separated us from God, and rise to new life in Him, never to die again.

Rom 6:23

23 For the wages of sin is death, but the free gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.

Pastor Dale

Notes of Faith September 20, 2023

Notes of Faith September 20, 2023

Make every day a better day… when you start with the Lord!

A Proverb a Day

Wisdom for Every Aspect of Your Life, in One Short Book

Nothing ever becomes real until it is experienced. Even a proverb is no proverb to you till your life has illustrated it. — John Keats, letter to George and Georgiana Keats

Two prostitutes approached the king’s bench. The first had given birth to a baby boy, and three days later, in the same house, the second gave birth to a baby boy. During the night, the second woman rolled over and accidentally smothered her newborn. What did she do? She switched infants. The next morning the first prostitute awoke to a dead child and the other woman claiming her live child.

“She’s lying!” the second prostitute shouted. “Her baby is dead! This baby belongs to me!”

A court hearing circa 900 bce predates DNA testing, and the king had a long docket. He asked to have a sword brought to him, and an aide produced a blade. Gesturing, the king said: “Cut the child in two and give each mother half.” “No!” the first mother cried out, “give the baby to her!”

“Fine!” the second one yelled, “no one gets him!”

“The first woman is the mother,” the king said. “Give her the baby.”

The monarch whose reputation for wisdom was sealed that day was Solomon, son of David, Israel’s first king, and David’s wife Bathsheba. Toward the beginning of his forty-year reign, Solomon collected wise sayings and pored over them. At some point he winnowed the riches into a book in the Bible’s Old Testament under the simple name Proverbs. From nearly a thousand years before Christ, Proverbs is one of the earliest examples of wisdom literature, a priceless guide still widely considered the gold standard of counsel.

Of the Bible’s sixty-six books, to my thinking, Proverbs is the most provocative. Two dozen centuries before Sigmund Freud and psychological profiling, thirty-one short chapters penetrate human nature with insights into sex, anger management, slander, wealth, welfare, business ethics, intoxication, pride, and fissures in character as relevant as tomorrow’s top trending topic.

Proverb is a Hebrew word meaning “to rule or to govern.” Much of it has to do with self-mastery, and the only thing better than reading it is reading it routinely. If you were to take in a chapter a day, in one year you’d have twelve readings of a book that I consider boredom-proof. After nearly four hundred trips through the entire book, I still rely on it for new insights, reminders of timeless truths, and life-guiding principles.

Billy Graham said he read five psalms a day “for getting along with God,” and a chapter of Proverbs a day “for getting along with my fellow man.” In my growing-up years, I saw my father do the same thing. He also read every year through the Old and New Testaments, still another reminder that a mind and character cannot be left to chance.

To sample Proverbs, flip around. Just don’t be deceived by the simplicity. A proverb is an acorn with a tree inside — a puzzle piece to character — and character, in the words of Pulitzer Prize–winning historian Barbara Tuchman, is destiny.

Here’s my sample for you, from the NKJV translation (italics added):

Proverbs 1:33: “But whoever listens to me will dwell safely, and will be secure, without fear of evil.” If we listen to it, wisdom will protect us.

Proverbs 2:11: “Discretion will preserve you; understanding will keep you.” Like an invisible shield, good judgment deflects problems before they can strike and destroy.

Proverbs 4:25: “Let your eyes look straight ahead, and your eyelids look right before you.” Life’s highway is lined with wrong exits, fake billboards, flashing arrows, and wreckage. A farsighted driving instructor warns us to keep our eyes on the road.

Proverbs 5:21: “For the ways of man are before the eyes of the Lord, and He ponders all his paths.” We can lie to ourselves. We can lie to the IRS, our spouses, coworkers, neighbors, bosses, personal trainers, and the guy who mows the lawn. God reads us straight through.

Proverbs 6:27–29: “Can a man take fire to his bosom, and his clothes not be burned? Can one walk on hot coals, and his feet not be seared? So is he who goes into his neighbor’s wife; whoever touches her shall not be innocent.” Enough said.

Proverbs 8:11: “For wisdom is better than rubies, and all the things one may desire cannot be compared with her.”

Wisdom is the ace in every play. Nothing comes close.

Proverbs 10:19: “In the multitude of words sin is not lacking, but he who restrains his lips is wise.” The difference between speaking words or withholding them can be the difference between sin and wisdom.

Proverbs 12:1: “Whoever loves instruction loves knowledge, but he who hates correction is stupid.” Your critics have information that your friends are withholding. If you love the truth and want to grow, the people who correct you have the goods.

Proverbs 15:1: “A soft answer turns away wrath, but a harsh word stirs up anger.” Most arguments begin with tone of voice. If your first reaction to a tone is anger, wait for your second reaction and soften your tone. Even if you have to fake it, soften it and feel your temperature cool.

Wisdom is the ace in every play. Nothing comes close.

Proverbs 16:18: “Pride goes before destruction, and a haughty spirit before a fall.” A triumphant general entering Rome is said to have paid an attendant to walk alongside and whisper in his ear, “You are but mortal.” When delusions of grandeur threaten your grip on reality, repeat as often as needed: “There is a God, and it’s not me.” The fifth verse of this chapter says, “Everyone proud in heart is an abomination to the Lord.” Everyone. And “Though they join forces, none will go unpunished.” None.

Proverbs 19:17: “He who has pity on the poor lends to the Lord, and He will pay back what he has given.”

Think of it: when we give to the poor we lend to the Lord, and He repays us.

Proverbs 20:18: “Plans are established by counsel; by wise counsel wage war.” The advice on seeking advice is to do it. Before you lay out a project, consult the veterans.

Proverbs 22:1: “A good name is to be chosen rather than great riches.” A certain celebrity cleaned up from a drug habit and the life that went with it. Years later when he was falsely accused of something else, the court of public opinion knew his record and believed the worst.

It’s easier to restore a life than a name.

Proverbs 24:17–18: “Do not rejoice when your enemy falls, and do not let your heart be glad when he stumbles lest the Lord see it, and it displease Him.” Take the high road and let God take care of our enemies.

Proverbs 26:4: “Do not answer a fool according to his folly, lest you also be like him.” The next time someone baits you, overreacts, boasts, or is patently outrageous, do nothing. Relax into the silence. Self-restraint won’t get you hits on social media, but it will steer you past senseless exchanges.

Proverbs 28:6: “Better is the poor man who walks in his integrity than one perverse in his ways, though he be rich.” They’re not mutually exclusive, but given a choice between wealth and integrity, choose the latter.

Proverbs 31:10: “Who can find a virtuous wife? For her worth is far above rubies.” The image of a rare jewel reminds young men of what to look for in a life mate and older men of the priceless fortunes in wives of noble character.

I hated having to edit this list, by the way. The point is to read the entire textbook.

A single chapter in Proverbs averages thirty verses and five minutes of reading time. I can’t predict how much wiser you’ll be for making it a daily habit. I can guarantee you’ll be wiser for it than using the same minutes to scroll through Instagram, Twitter, or TikTok. “Blessed is the man who listens to me, watching daily at my gates, waiting at the posts of my doors,” Solomon writes of wisdom. “For whoever finds me finds life, and obtains favor from the Lord”

(Proverbs 8:34–35 NKJV).

One morning when April was running late, she saw me sit down and open my Bible. “Read me whatever you’re reading,” she said. Turning to that day’s chapter in Proverbs, I saw a subheading. “It’s about ‘The Crafty Harlot,’” I said. “You still want to hear it?”

“No,” she said, “but I want you to hear it. Go ahead!”

I get these flashing warning lights every month, and I welcome them.

I’ll close with an endorsement. My son, Mookie, is in his thirties now. On the morning of his graduation from high school, he left a priceless note on my desk with a final line that still makes my eyes sting: “I’ve been reading a chapter of Proverbs every day since eighth grade because of you.”

I hadn’t known he was doing that. The habit came from his father, who got it from his grandfather, whom he never met. Three millennia after the book’s first publication, Solomon was right again: “A wise son makes a father glad”

(Proverbs 15:20 NKJV).

Excerpted from The Little Red Book of Wisdom by Mark DeMoss, copyright Mark DeMoss.

Your being in the word of God daily would make this pastor happy and tearful… it doesn’t even have to be the book of Proverbs! Growing in the grace and truth of the Lord Jesus Christ will be found on the pages of Scripture. I beg you to read, listen, meditate, and study them daily that you be blessed and become more like Jesus every day! His promise, not mine.

Pastor Dale

Notes of Faith September 19, 2023

Notes of Faith September 19, 2023

Understanding and Leading Your Internal Parts

Especially in moments of stress, our internal fog can obscure healthy paths before us. We often do not understand ourselves or why we do what we do. Many people live unaware of why the fog comes, how it consistently derails them, or how to humbly and healthily lead their own souls through it. Even though the same things happen to them over and over, they are always a little shocked at the negative effects of their unawareness. They feel helpless to lead themselves, often thinking that doing so is some sort of self-help nonsense. After all, Jesus is all we really need, right?

But what if Jesus wants to help us respond to the Spirit’s leading so we can align ourselves with truth? He does — and that is why when we say “lead ourselves,” we don’t mean “be our own saviors.” Only the grace found in the gospel can transform us. Even so, as Christ does this transformative work through His Spirit, He intends for the fruit of self-control, which is being divinely nurtured and matured within us by His Spirit, to spur us on toward this transformation. He is not just enacting change upon us, apart from us. Rather,

He is transforming us through our very lives, even the resistant, stuck, or foggy parts of them.

Through His work in us, we can understand and welcome our conflicting internal emotions instead of experiencing shame or anger over them, which leads us to either reject them or react negatively to their overwhelming influence. By grace, we can instead accept, listen to, and lead the parts that make up our own internal worlds, reminding each of them of what is most true in the gospel. In other words, when we learn to become aware of and lead our internal parts, we do not bypass the work of Christ; they are integral elements of that very work.

But is this work biblical, or is it just a religious spin on a worldly idea of self-appreciation and self-help? Paul pondered this line of questioning in Romans 7:15:

I do not understand my own actions. For I do not do what I want, but I do the very thing I hate. — ESV

The New Living Translation of the first few words of this verse expresses the whole of the matter in a way all of us can relate to: “I don’t really understand myself.”

Because of Adam and Eve, we are born into fallenness. And along the way, we each choose sinfulness. These two factors contribute to our inability to clearly understand ourselves. The psalmist referred to this when he said,

My sins have overtaken me, and I cannot see. — Psalm 40:12

This state of being keeps us from “seeing” clearly in the fog around us. But we weren’t meant to stay there.

Christ is actively redeeming all things from humankind’s fallenness, and we are invited to be included in this ongoing process of redemption. This means that though we will never fully arrive on this side of the fall — that is, have complete clarity on and self-control over every internal part in every situation — we can develop patterns for welcoming and rewelcoming the ongoing work of Christ in these fallen places, even when we fall yet again.

Scripture calls this being transformed by the renewing of our minds (Romans 12:1–2). This is a present-tense process, which indicates that we will constantly, actively need to be renewed. How can this be okay? Shouldn’t we finally get it right? Remember, the heart of our Shepherd never tires of us. Especially in our foggiest moments — in our fallenness and sinfulness — He actually draws closer.

David seemed to already understand this nature of God, as well as his own lack of awareness of his internal world and its parts. He expressed his own journey into the vast, dense fog within himself by saying to God,

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. My frame was not hidden from You, when I was being made in secret, intricately woven in the depths of the earth.

— Psalm 139:13–15 ESV

If you are a Christ-follower, you are probably already familiar with this passage. Its most common modern application references the wonder and beauty of God’s formation of the trillions of coalescing variables that make up the body and brain of a precious, unborn child being developed in her mother’s womb. So many miracles happen in this environment, sometimes minute by minute. This is certainly an accurate way to apply these verses.

All your parts, including the unseen parts of your internal world, reflect the beautiful and gracious complexity of God’s handiwork.

But we can also think of this in much broader terms than just the body or the brain. Specifically, we can also ascribe to God the unfathomable number of less-observable aspects of His creative genius. If you’re a parent, you’ve already had a front-row seat to the divine development of these other “inward parts” — that is, the completely unique characteristics, personalities, and dispositions that accompany our children at birth. Yes, most babies are blessed with the same set of internal organs and outward extremities, but each is also uniquely, “intricately woven” by God into his or her own distinctive self. We often fail to acknowledge that this weaving is more complex and miraculous than mere sinew and synapses.

All your parts, including the unseen parts of your internal world, reflect the beautiful and gracious complexity of God’s handiwork.

Yet David didn’t just point out the fact that he had parts he didn’t understand. This was only the first step on his journey to becoming aware. He also invited God to help him see these parts accurately, as well as help them become aligned to God’s ways.

Search me, O God, and know my heart; test me and know my anxious thoughts. Point out anything in me that offends You, and lead me along the path of everlasting life. — Psalm 139:23–24 NLT

We tend to read this in a modern context and assume that David is asking God to know his “heart” as a singular thing. In our culture of extremes, this is how we see people and the world. “This guy is good, while that guy is bad.” “This viewpoint is perfect, while that viewpoint is garbage.”

But pay attention to David’s prayer: “Point out anything in me that offends You.” This speaks to the fact that David assumed there was more than one part of his heart that needed God’s interventional care. He didn’t just say, “Fix my heart in one fell swoop!” Yes, that would be great, but David seemed to know that there was more than one thing going on inside him. He also seemed to know that he could seek God’s help in learning to recognize those parts for himself, which is why he invited God to “point out” what was going on in all the parts of his internal world, even those that were repeat offenders.

We’ve already acknowledged that we all have areas of repeated offense, but discovery of these parts is not recovery from their patterns. Stepping on a scale is a very important component of beginning healthier patterns toward physical fitness, but merely weighing yourself doesn’t cause you to lose weight. There has to be more than just the knowledge of what needs to change. We must walk a continual path so change can occur consistently and incrementally.

As we learn to understand and lead our parts closer to Christ by the strength He affords us, the Holy Spirit does the heavy lifting of transformation within us — but He doesn’t do it without us. An ancient quote often attributed (though unproven) to Saint Augustine sums it up nicely:

“Without God, I can’t. But without me, God won’t.”1

In other words, God desires relationship, and relationships require mutual participation.

Much of the “change” language Paul used in Ephesians 4:21–24 tells us that we should constantly be tending to our internal parts.

Since you have heard about Jesus and have learned the truth that comes from him, throw off your old sinful nature and your former way of life, which is corrupted by lust and deception. Instead, let the Spirit renew your thoughts and attitudes. Put on your new nature, created to be like God — truly righteous and holy. — NLT, emphasis added

Take note of the active, present nature of these verses. “Throw off” and “put on” indicate something you are invited — even compelled by grace — to do today. Right now. In this very moment.

In moments of misalignment, if you believe you are only one thing (“I’m just an idiot,” “I have good reasons for incessantly screaming,” or the like), throwing off whatever seems “bad” leads you to condemn, shame, or ignore only one thing: yourself. This is “all or nothing” thinking.

But since you are intricately, miraculously, wonderfully woven as a whole person with multiple parts, there are elements within yourself that can be identified and shepherded when they become misaligned. You are of infinite value to your Father, and your heavenly Brother, Jesus, has not only died to redeem you but also lives to constantly intercede and advocate on your behalf. This frees you to focus on your misaligned parts not so you can condemn them, but rather so you can understand them and once again become aligned with the grace and truth of the gospel.

Excerpted from More Than Your Number by Beth & Jeff McCord, copyright Beth McCord and Jeff McCord.

We do not know ourselves as we are known by God. Maybe when we are with God in eternity we will. Until then we must pursue our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ, to follow Him, to be like Him in this life. Our struggles with sin and all that is caused by sin will be with us until God calls us home. Remember the words of Paul…

Rom 7:14-25

14 For we know that the law is spiritual, but I am of the flesh, sold under sin. 15 I do not understand my own actions. For I do not do what I want, but I do the very thing I hate. 16 Now if I do what I do not want, I agree with the law, that it is good. 17 So now it is no longer I who do it, but sin that dwells within me. 18 For I know that nothing good dwells in me, that is, in my flesh. For I have the desire to do what is right, but not the ability to carry it out. 19 For I do not do the good I want, but the evil I do not want is what I keep on doing. 20 Now if I do what I do not want, it is no longer I who do it, but sin that dwells within me.

21 So I find it to be a law that when I want to do right, evil lies close at hand. 22 For I delight in the law of God, in my inner being, 23 but I see in my members another law waging war against the law of my mind and making me captive to the law of sin that dwells in my members. 24 Wretched man that I am! Who will deliver me from this body of death? 25 Thanks be to God through Jesus Christ our Lord! ESV

Pastor Dale

Notes of Faith September 18, 2023

Notes of Faith September 18, 2023

How Does Your Garden Grow

You crown the year with a bountiful harvest; even the hard pathways overflow with abundance. — Psalm 65:11 NLT

Tabitha Brown is one of my favorite influencers. She’s a comedian, an actress, and the patron saint of vegan living. I am not a vegan, and I think that’s true of many of the millions of people who follow her on social media. We just can’t get enough of Tabitha’s oh-so-infectious energy. She always brings inspiration no matter what she’s communicating. At the same time, she has been open about the pain in her own life. It’s the authenticity for me. The bright colors she wears, her Southern charm, and her unapologetic love for Jesus make her downright irresistible. An encounter with Tabitha’s content feels like an encounter with pure joy. So when she launched her children’s show, Tab Time, I watched that too (despite my age falling well outside the target demographic). The first episode became an instant favorite for me because Tab (and her buddy Avi the Avocado) taught us about how things grow.1

The episode begins in Ms. Tab’s real-life garden. Then she and Avi whisk us off to a brightly animated fruit orchard where we meet an orange-tree seed named Marmalade. Marmalade tells us that all she needs to start growing is good ground and some water. Ms. Tab tucks Marmalade into the soil and waters her well. Then we all pretend our arms are the arms of a clock; together, we speed up time by making big arm circles. A few seconds later Marmalade reappears, but now she is no longer a seed but a full-grown orange tree bearing her first fruit. Less than seven minutes into the episode, the preschool children for whom the show was created have already learned all they need to know to understand how gardens grow.

The garden within may be a completely different way of thinking about how we were created and what it means to flourish, but when it comes to what you need to know to live this powerful life, you probably learned it in kindergarten or — at the latest — by the end of a middle school science class.

The Creator made things very simple for us. No wonder Scripture encourages us to come to Jesus with the heart of a child (Mark 10:15). Things are so much easier when we do.

And when it comes to letting the Creator change what we believe about how we feel, the timing couldn’t be better.

Your emotional well-being influences every other dimension of your life, including your spirit.

It’s Okay Not to Be Okay

When we catch a glimpse of Tabitha’s real-life garden, it is too lush for words! It’s full of bright colors and fruits and vegetables; this garden is useful. I don’t know Tabitha personally, but I wouldn’t be surprised if her garden looks exactly the way she wants her life to feel — a reflection of her goals for her garden within.

If you could design a garden that looked the way you want your life to feel, what would it look like? What would be growing there? Now ask yourself,

How is my inner garden looking?

Don’t feel bad if the soil needs attention. Don’t be surprised or upset if you notice that some areas are bare, some are growing well, and others are dying. You’re not alone. In fact, a lot of people are not okay right now.

As I write these words, multiple global crises are affecting us all. It started in 2020 and it hasn’t slowed down. I’m not just talking about the coronavirus. I’m talking about the mental health pandemic that it triggered. Covid-19 claimed a staggering number of lives in a very short period of time, leaving a trail of emotional devastation in its wake. With every death, an average of five loved ones are left grieving long-term.2 That means that as of late 2022, more than thirty-three million people were grappling with the trauma attached to grieving someone who died not only unexpectedly but unimaginably, from a disease that seemed to come out of nowhere.3

There were other life-altering losses to grieve as well. So many of us missed attending not only funerals but weddings, baby showers, graduations, and milestone birthdays and anniversaries. These are the ceremonial moments that chart the timeline of our lives, shared memories that entwine us in relationship and in community.

On top of that, the way we understood and organized our lives fundamentally changed. People lost jobs. People lost homes. People lost businesses and dreams. People lost sobriety. People lost their sense of safety, and whether they have admitted it or not, some people lost their faith.

All that to say, a lot of people are not okay right now, and that likely includes you or someone you love very much. During 2020, global cases of major depressive disorder increased by 27.6 percent. That’s an estimated 53.2 million more people than the year prior. Anxiety disorders increased by 25 percent. There was more anxiety to start with, so that increase amounted to around 76.2 million more people.4 Of course, that’s just counting the people we know about. So many others haven’t sought help, so we don’t have reliable confirmation. But like diabetes or heart disease, the diagnosis doesn’t create reality; it just points it out. Maybe you haven’t been formally diagnosed with depression, anxiety, or another mental health problem, but that doesn’t mean what you are struggling with isn’t real.

For the first time during my career, a significant number of mental health professionals have waiting lists. We can barely keep up with the demand. And from college kids to clergy, Christians are by no means exempt. At Christian colleges and universities, the number of students contacting campus counseling centers for issues like stress, depression, addictions, and suicidal thoughts also rose sharply.5 The pastors striving to lead these young people as part of their congregations found themselves struggling too. In an October 2021 Barna study, pastors were asked to rate their well-being across six dimensions. Nearly a quarter of pastors surveyed identified as unhealthy overall, with emotional well-being the dimension most often rated as below average or poor.6

Hear ye, hear ye! Knowing Jesus guarantees your salvation; it does not guarantee your emotional health.

Reflecting on the lack of emotional awareness in the body of Christ, author Peter Scazzero writes this in his incredibly important book Emotionally Healthy Spirituality:

Christian spirituality, without an integration of emotional health, can be deadly — to yourself, your relationship with God, and the people around you... Sad to say, that is the fruit of much of our discipleship in our churches.7

He goes on to say that “a failure to appreciate the biblical place of feelings within our larger Christian lives has done extensive damage, keeping free people in Christ in slavery.”8 As a therapist and as a minister, I see this over and over and over. Christians haven’t had a scriptural model for understanding the critical role of the heart, so our response efforts have been unbalanced. But now you know that

your emotional well-being influences every other dimension of your life, including your spirit.

Remember, the words of the Kingdom are constantly being sown in the ground of your heart, so nourishing the fertility of that sacred seedbed is Kingdom work. Living a powerful life requires you to embrace how your spirit, mind, and behavior work together seamlessly. That means approaching your own heart as a garden rather than a war zone where you’re constantly battling your emotions. Eden is our model for flourishing. The seeds of the garden of Eden were sown on good ground. That ground is our hearts.

Your heart is the soil of your life.

Tab Time, season 1, episode 1, “How Things Grow,” produced by Tabitha Brown, published December 1, 2021, YouTube video, 22:34, https://youtu.be /zUTZEk32tc8.

Erika Krull, “Grief by the Numbers: Facts and Statistics,” The Recovery Village Drug and Alcohol Rehab, May 26, 2022, https://www.therecoveryvillage.com /mental-health/grief/grief-statistics/.

“WHO COVID-19 Dashboard,” World Health Organization, accessed April 19, 2023, https://covid19.who.int.

Damian F. Santomauro et al., “Global Prevalence and Burden of Depressive and Anxiety Disorders in 204 Countries and Territories in 2020 Due to the COVID- 19 Pandemic,” The Lancet 398, no. 10312 (November 2021): 1700–12, https://doi.org/10.1016/S0140–6736(21)02143–7.

Helen Huiskes, “It Takes a Campus: Pandemic Expands Mental Health Resources at Christian Colleges,” Christianity Today, December 17, 2021, https:// www.christianitytoday.com/news/2021/december/christian-college-mental -health-counseling-pandemic-demand.html.

“38% of U.S. Pastors Have Thought About Quitting Full-Time Ministry in the Past Year,” Barna, November 16, 2021, https://www.barna.com/research/pastors -well-being/.

Peter Scazzero, Emotionally Healthy Spirituality: It’s Impossible to Be Spiritually Mature, While Remaining Emotionally Immature (Grand Rapids, MI: Zondervan, 2017), 9, 44.

Scazzero, Emotionally Healthy Spirituality, 44.

Excerpted from The Garden Within by Dr. Anita Phillips, copyright Dr. Anita L. Phillips.

One day at a time…God grows us to be more like Christ…a promise to those who believe in Him! Be good soil. Take in spiritual nourishment. Feed on truth. God will bring growth and maturity. Be blessed in the garden of God!

Pastor Dale

Notes of Faith September 17, 2023

Notes of Faith September 17, 2023

First Fall Breeze

Repent therefore and be converted, that your sins may be blotted out, so that times of refreshing may come from the presence of the Lord. — Acts 3:19

You think it will never happen as you perspire your way through the dog days of summer. When the fans run full blast and there isn’t enough sweet tea in the world to quench your thirst. The pavement is hot, the air is thick, and the mosquitoes outnumber the people. You begin operating in survival mode, believing that, maybe, this will actually be the year when it doesn’t show up.

Then, one morning, you step outside onto your front porch, and you feel it. There’s something different in the air — a coolness that tells you fall has finally arrived. There’s a crispness to the wind that invigorates you as the burden- some heat of summer fades away. Your heart is lightened, and your spirit is revived. There isn’t anything quite as refreshing as that first fall breeze that announces the arrival of a new season.

Our lives go through seasons, just like the calendar. There are periods when we feel weary from the weight of our sins. The guilt and shame we carry are as oppressive as the heat of a Southern July day. There seems to be no end in sight, and we find ourselves just trying to survive. That is not the life our heavenly Father desires for His children. Thankfully, just as we turn a calendar page, we can turn from the heaviness of our former ways.

Just like that first fall breeze, repentance will bring a refreshing new season into our lives. When we turn from our sins and turn toward Jesus, forgiveness blows over us like a crisp autumn wind, and new energy is instilled in us. The sky is a little brighter, the colors are a little bolder, and our steps are a little lighter as the burden is lifted.

Walking in freedom with Jesus is as stimulating as that first fall breeze. Everything that once weighed us down just falls away, and a fresh beginning is ours for the taking. Everything is brimming with possibility, and the opportunities are endless.

Let’s repent, be refreshed, and embrace a new season with Christ.

Excerpted from Devotions for the Fall by Stacy Edwards, copyright Thomas Nelson.

In Southern California where I currently live, there are not large or sometimes even noticeable swings in temperatures. Yes, summer can bring what some call hot temperatures, but the swing in temperatures is less great than other parts of our country and world. But when I visit family in Kentucky there is a difference between summer and fall, and fall to winter. I had not experienced living in those temperature changes until three years ago. Being outside in the crisp fall air, the changing leaves, is truly something to behold. In tying summer to seasons of sin and fall bringing repentance and a new start is also a blessing to behold. God is a God of forgiveness and healing. When we pursue His heart and desire His will, our lives change, for His glory and our blessing. Let’s make sure we are in the season of His love and follow Jesus every day!

Pastor Dale

Notes of Faith September 16, 2023

Notes of Faith September 16, 2023

The Holy Who?

One day while studying for a message, I read the words Jesus used to describe the Holy Spirit: comforter and friend. I recall having this wonderful realization: “I know that Person.”

That was three decades ago. I no longer think of the Holy Spirit as the Holy Who. I now call Him our Heaven-Sent Helper. He is the ally of the saint. He is our champion, our advocate, our guide. He comforts and directs us. He indwells, transforms, sustains, and will someday deliver us into our heavenly Home.

He is the executor of God’s will on earth today, here to infuse us with strength. Supernatural strength. Was this not the promise of Jesus? He would not let His followers begin their ministries unless they knew the Holy Spirit.

Don’t begin telling others yet — stay here in the city until the Holy Spirit comes and fills you with power from Heaven. — Luke 24:49 TLB

By this point the disciples had spent three years in training. They had sat with Him around campfires, walked with Him through cities, witnessed Him banish disease and command demons. They knew His favorite food, jokes, and hangouts. But they were not ready. They’d seen the empty tomb, touched His resurrected body, and spent forty days listening to the resurrected Christ teach about the Kingdom. But they needed more.

You shall receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you; and you shall be witnesses to Me in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the end of the earth. — Acts 1:8 NKJV

Mark it down.

The Holy Spirit comes with power.

Power to make good choices, keep promises, and silence the inner voices of fear and failure. Power to get out of bed, get on with life, get busy about the right things in the right way. Power to face the unexpected, unwanted passages of time. Power. This is what Jesus promised then, and this is what Jesus promises still.

How is your power level?

Perhaps you have all the power you need. Life is a downhill stroll through a pleasant meadow. You never lack energy, enthusiasm, or strength. Your step has a spring to it; your voice has a song to it. You are ever the joyful, empowered person. If that describes you, can I recommend a book on honesty?

The Holy Spirit comes with power.

If that doesn’t describe you, consider the possibility of a life-giving relationship with the Holy Spirit.

No more walking this path alone. No more carrying weight you were not intended to bear. It’s time for you to enjoy the presence of the Holy Spirit and experience the vigorous life He offers.

Your Bible makes more than a hundred references to the Holy Spirit. Jesus says more about the Spirit than He does about the Church, marriage, finances, and the future. Why the emphasis on Him? God does not want a bunch of stressed-out, worn-out, done-in, and washed-up children representing Him in the world. He wants us to be fresher day by day, hour by hour.

But let’s be careful. The topic of the Holy Spirit seems to bring out the extremists among us. On one hand there are the show-offs. These are the people who make us feel unspiritual by appearing super-spiritual. They are buddy-buddy with the Spirit, wear a backstage pass, and want everyone to see their healing gifts, hear their mystical tongue. They make a ministry out of making others feel less than godly. They like to show off.

On the opposite extreme is the Spirit Patrol. They clamp down on anything that seems out of line or out of control. They are self-deputized hall monitors of the supernatural. If an event can’t be explained, they dismiss it.

Somewhere in between is the healthy saint. He has a childlike heart. She has a high regard for Scripture. He is open to fresh strength. She is discerning and careful. Both he and she seek to follow the Spirit. They clutch with both hands this final promise of Jesus:

You shall receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you.

— Acts 1:8 NKJV

Is it your desire to know the Holy Spirit better and to nurture your relationship with Him? Then you and I are on the same page.

Let’s begin the journey…

Excerpted from Help Is Here by Max Lucado, copyright Max Lucado.

We can do nothing spiritually without the power from the Holy Spirit living within us. Do everything to yield to His authority in your life, being obedient to the will of the Father, giving thanks that you belong to Him through faith in Jesus His Son. The Holy Spirit is our resource for every heavenly thought, act of righteousness, and in His power we live to the glory of God!

Pastor Dale

Notes of Faith September 15, 2023

Notes of Faith September 15, 2023

It’s Just Me and Jesus

In all these things we are more than conquerors through Him who loved us. — Paul the Apostle, Romans 8:37

If you don’t necessarily feel like a conquering warrior today, it’s okay! You know what I discovered?

When we are around people who feel like conquerors, it strengthens our faith because faith is contagious. So grab a comfy seat, and let’s remind ourselves of what we are called to.

Some people are called into politics. Some people are called into the home. Others are called into ministry or medicine. Me? I’m called to bring freedom. Plain and simple, I was made to set the captives free through the transforming Word of God. This isn’t a glorious calling or job that promises a lucrative future. Whether working in an anti–human trafficking organization, ministering in prisons, or preaching the gospel in churches, my calling is clear: bring freedom in Jesus’ name.

But the results sometimes make me question my calling. When no one responds to a gospel message, am I doing what I’m supposed to do? When I pray for someone and their situation remains the same, did I really hear God’s voice lead me on this path? When I preach a studied and passionate word but no one seems to receive it, did I make a mistake choosing this calling?

As children of the Most High King, our identity is clear. But sometimes our callings aren’t. Your mission might feel cloudy. Maybe your life has shifted. Maybe you are finding new passion for your calling.

No matter what confusion or lack of clarity you may be facing, don’t stop forging ahead.

Put one foot in front of the other, and repeat this daily.

There will be opposition. In this life, there will be moments when you want to quit, cower, and call it a day. You aren’t alone. When Paul knew the Romans were dealing with similar issues, he encouraged them in the same way I’m encouraging you. Whether the opposition is physical, spiritual, financial, emotional, or relational,

We are more than conquerors.

But note this:

a conqueror will never win if a conqueror never fights.

We have to be willing to get back up and fight our next fight, to wage war on the lies of the Enemy, and to step into our callings like we are stepping foot into our promised land.

No matter what confusion or lack of clarity you may be facing, don’t stop forging ahead.

More Than Conquerors

Now, if you are familiar with the Bible, you might know Romans is a no-nonsense book in which Paul lays out theology and Christology with such urgency you’d think he was late for a date. It’s deep. It’s profound. It’s applicable. And sometimes it’s hard to understand. But sandwiched in the middle of the letter is a lovely, straightforward section that reminds us of our identity as followers of Jesus.

In Romans 8, Paul told us that there is no condemnation in Christ Jesus (v. 1). We have been set free from the law. Hallelujah! Our minds have peace because of the Spirit of God. We are no longer slaves and serfs, but we are children and coheirs of the Most High God. Our present sufferings are nothing in comparison to the future that awaits us. And we know that all things work together for good for those who love Him (v. 28).

Paul — like a lawyer — laid out an airtight case to make sure we know that there is nothing that can come against us. Look at the progression Paul made in

Romans 8:

In verse 31, we see that opposition cannot separate us from God.

In verse 33, we see that accusations (from someone who comes against us) cannot separate us from God.

In verse 34, we see that condemnation (the belief that God is against us) cannot separate us from God.

In verse 35, we see that no one can cause separation.

Now that we have that context, consider verse 37 again: “In all these things we are more than conquerors through him who loved us.” This verse really sounds good in an Instagram post, crocheted on a pillow, or painted on a mug. But let’s not miss out on the true power in what Paul was teaching.

Paul was writing to the Roman church, which was not only facing persecution and prosecution but was also oppressed in every way. In chapter 8, Paul reminded them — and us — of the power we possess as the people of God. We will need to be resilient; we will need grit; we will need to cultivate perseverance for this life. But we aren’t doing this in our own strength. The power of the Spirit of God will give us what we need.

Romans 8:37 isn’t a statement of probability or possibility. It’s a statement of reality. How do I know this? Because in my own struggle to push past nerves, negative self-talk, and insecurity, the power of the Spirit of God has allowed me to pour myself out like a drink offering. Even in the midst of my inadequacies and insecurities, the gospel has gone ahead of me. I’ve repeatedly quoted the words of Paul in my mind: I am more than a conqueror. I am more than a conqueror. I am more than a conqueror.

Sometimes when I’m preaching this powerful truth at a conference or in a church, I feel a wave of insecurity wash over me. Out of nowhere, the nerves are back and I’m feeling dizzy. The dewy glow on my face is definitely now just sweat. I’m not preaching for the room — I’m preaching for myself.

The literal translation of Paul’s phrase “more than conquerors” is “to go beyond a concise victory.” The Greek word for this expression is hypernikaō (pronounced hoop-er-nik-AH-o).1 By using the prefix hyper-, Paul was basically saying, “I’m trying to say victory, but victory isn’t big enough, so what I really mean is that the love of God gives us glorious hypervictory.”

There wasn’t one Greek word to describe this power and victorious mindset, so Paul took two words and brought them together to attempt to describe “more than a conqueror.” God’s love and grace has empowered us to be hyperconquerors.

Excerpted from Grit Don’t Quit by Bianca Juárez Olthoff, copyright Bianca Juárez Olthoff.

How did David win a battle with the giant, Goliath? Faith in his skill or faith in the Most High God to deliver not only himself but the people of Israel. Our faith to conquer all of life’s battles is to trust in the Most High God.

Pastor Dale

Notes of Faith September 14, 2023

Notes of Faith September 14, 2023

Protect Your Peace, Then Live in It

Guard your heart above all else, for it is the source of life. — Proverbs 4:23 CSB

Anthony

The other night I was performing at an event in South Florida, and nothing was going right. Ideally I would have had plenty of rest and water, warmed up my voice, and done a sound check a few hours before the event. But life throws curveballs. Instead, flights were delayed. My driver got lost without cell reception. Logistics were crazier and more difficult due to the pandemic. Nothing was ideal.

I’ve been performing and doing ministry long enough that I have learned how to autocorrect on the fly. But I do know that if I don’t guard my peace, those problems will get in my head, destroy my focus, and wreck the night. I don’t have to hit a home run every time I’m up to bat. That’s not realistic. I only have to get up each day and know that I’m doing the very best I can with what is right in front of me.

Though I’ve learned to find that balance in my career, I am constantly and consistently trying to apply that same balance to my emotional, spiritual, and mental life as well.

Stacy

Anthony is in a unique situation in that even if he’s having a bad day, he has to get on a platform and be upbeat and inspirational. How do you get yourself back on track if you become sidetracked, especially when you feel that you have lost your peace?

Anthony

It depends on what I am facing. Usually, it starts with getting quiet and still. It’s what I need to begin figuring out exactly what might be causing the problem.

I remember when I was a kid having trouble breathing because of my asthma. Dr. Denny would put a stethoscope on my chest and say,

“Be quiet and take a deep breath, Anthony.”

That was what he needed to be able to hear my heart and lungs and to start getting to the root of the issue.

In the same way, I need to be quiet and take deep breaths to hear what is going on in my heart and to hear the Lord’s voice. Whether that’s sitting and doing nothing until my mind stops racing, going on a walk, or keeping a scripture in mind, I have to take the first step of being quiet and still. From there I can discern the source of the problem and figure out the steps that will bring me back to that center of peace.

I think I’ve also become more vulnerable as time has passed. If I am really struggling, I might confess that to family, friends, and sometimes even the audience I’m singing to. I’ve seen moments when God used that to cause a breakthrough in worship. A certain peace and comfort comes from sharing what you are going through with others instead of holding it in.

The Lord has blessed me with many things for which I’m so very grateful, but what I treasure most is the gift of peace.

Peace is priceless.

It simply cannot be purchased. But obtaining it does require work. What I had to learn the hard way is that no car, house, check, roaring applause, new outfit, or amount of Instagram likes is going to give me a true and sustained peace in my heart and mind.

The pathway to true peace opens up when you realize that it is not predicated on what is happening externally. Peace comes when you trust the anchor of your faith, even in the storm. Yes, storms can create fear, questions, and uncertainty, but when you completely and totally trust your anchor, a peace settles deep inside you.

Discovering, experiencing, and protecting our peace is one of the major steps toward internal health. Stacy taught me that peace has to be fought for and helped me develop a plan that works for me.

Peace is priceless.

Stacy

One of my key therapeutic rules is that we are all responsible for protecting our peace. That’s not a passive process. Toxic people, guilt, unrealistic expectations, overthinking, overdosing on technology — we need to be aware of what’s happening in and around us and protect ourselves, because all these things can steal away our peace. Of course, there are also times when our emotions can sneak up on us. Like weeds taking over a yard, stressful and unwanted situations can creep in until they take over every aspect of our lives.

Some people go to church and assume they will automatically find peace because of their participation in that process. But unless you are carrying peace on the inside, even the good things happening externally may not be able to reach you.

Anthony

I did that for years. Obviously, I’m a church kid, and I was there all the time. But on the inside I was still a wreck. It didn’t matter how good the worship service was or if the preacher delivered the sermon of the year. On top of that, trying to pretend like you’re fine when your heart is troubled only makes the pain worse. It’s like having a sprained ankle and trying to walk without a limp.

Now don’t get me wrong; church is very important and something we shouldn’t ignore. But you would be surprised how many people sitting in church pews are just as broken and confused and anxious and depressed as those who don’t even attend. Peace is not automatically downloaded into your soul just because you walk through the church door and sing a verse and chorus of “See a Victory.” Many a Sunday, I would sit in church and be miserable, even though I was singing and praying and doing all the things I thought would bring peace. Then I was right back in the mud of guilt and shame. What’s wrong with me? Why can’t I pray through it? Why can’t I get it to work for me?

Internal peace was not my first focus. I was looking to external experiences rather than my own heart, soul, and mind. Jesus told us that the kingdom of God is not something that can be easily observed. It’s not in a song or sermon or even a book.

The Kingdom of God is inside you (Luke 17:20–21).

In Psalm 119, King David talked about hiding God’s Word in his heart (Psalm 119:11). I believe that the Spirit of God gives you peace, and that starts on the inside. External things cannot do that.

The hard truth is that the accumulation of material things can make the lack of peace worse. I remember going on a trip, thinking that distance from my circumstances would fix things. As I sat on the beach and cried, I realized that you cannot run from yourself. The issue was inside me. In that moment I realized that until I did the work, I was going to continue to feel anxious no matter where I was or what new thing I acquired.

Stacy

Notice that many people say, “Rest in peace,” and yet we rarely hear people say, “Live in peace.”

Anthony

The only way to rest is to live in peace. We can rest in peace on this side of Heaven too.

Stacy

With a foundation of peace, you are going to be happier, more productive, and have a better life overall. This is possible even in unpeaceful times. The pandemic, civil unrest, and other external stressors that are out of our control all make it difficult to maintain peace within ourselves. This is why it becomes critically important to manage our regular, daily sense of inner peace as we monitor our emotional health and sense of harmony.

Excerpted from When Faith Meets Therapy by Anthony Evans and Stacy Kaiser, , MA LMFT, copyright Anthony Evans and Stacy Kaiser.

Prov 3:5-6

5 Trust in the Lord with all your heart

And do not lean on your own understanding.

6 In all your ways acknowledge Him,

And He will make your paths straight.

John 14:27

Peace I leave with you; My peace I give to you. Not as the world gives do I give to you. Let not your hearts be troubled, neither let them be afraid.

Rom 5:1

Therefore, since we have been justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ.

We need to live daily in THIS peace.

Pastor Dale