Praise for All the Lampstands

Scripture: Every time you cross my mind, I break out in exclamations of thanks to God. Each exclamation is a trigger to prayer. I find myself praying for you with a glad heart. I am so pleased that you have continued on in this with us, believing and proclaiming God’s Message, from the day you heard it right up to the present. Philippians 1:3-5

Observation: Paul greets the Christians in Philippi with this great enthusiasm ... declaring that whenever he thinks of them, he exclaims thanks in celebration and moves into prayer, so happy he is that they exist as fellow Christians. What a wonderful sentiment this is! It must have been so very, very encouraging to these believers to know that someone like Paul - a well-known evangelist and apostle who was now in prison for his faith - simply celebrated at the very thought of them. It's a sentiment that says their mere existence encourages others.

Application: There are times I have thought something like this. That I have been uplifted in spirit by the very thought of another church doing good work, even if I have no idea who the members there are. I can recall times of true warmth when I have seen or heard what another congregation is doing, and given a word of praise and thanks for their work and service.

I should do this more often. As Paul says, we are indeed all this together, and while we all do different works - and we all endure different challenges as a result - we are all still that extended body of Christ. I do love other churches and am thankful for how the teach, mature, and help others. They have strengths as a body we don't and I don't, and they do great things for the kingdom. For this, may I give thanks for other churches all-the-more.

Prayer: Lord, I do declare this praise and thanks! Thank you for Gold Creek, Canyon Hills, Emmanual Pres, Crosspointe, Venture, St Brendan's, North Creek, and all the other churches. May they remain strong in faith, and worthy of your lampstand. Amen.

May Seattle Go the Way of Nineveh

Scripture:
Nineveh’s an anthill
of evil plots against God,
A think tank for lies
that seduce and betray.
Nahum 1:11

Observation: Nahum is declaring the prophesy against Nineveh and all of Assyria ... they are doomed. While they believe they are powerful, their sins are so terrible that the Lord is ready to take action, destroying everything. Despite the fact that Nineveh is so great and huge (a million people in an area similar to New York City), the Lord himself is going to completely destroy it (when Assyria fell, Nineveh was effectively destroyed as a functional city, and later abandoned).

While Assyria is terrible for their war and tyranny, the evil of Nineveh is described not by that violence, but by their evil thoughts and sins. It is a place where evil is plotted, and it is a place that functions as "a think tank for lies". Overall, arrogance produces all kinds of sins and debauchery.

Application: I cannot read this verse without knowing this fact ... the current culture war occurring in the U.S., especially as it applies to gender confusion and the lies that are betraying our youth, has origins in the Pacific Northwest, and Seattle is at the center. It is Seattle in fact that fancies itself as a progressive origin of such ideals. I would go so far as to say there are city leaders who would pridefully declare that Seattle is the place where many such ideals were first spawned and endorsed as public policy.

Seattle is a think tank of lies.

There was a time in my youth when I very truly loved this city. For me, it was a place of peace and comfort. I knew good places to snack at Pike Place, where to shop downtown, how to navigate Volunteer Park, and sites for perfect seaside views from Alki to Ballard. In my teens, I enjoyed attending public events like Seafair and Ivar's Fireworks and Bumbershoot and Figgy Pudding.

Now, I avoid the city as much as possible. I am distraught by homeless camps and urban decay everywhere. I avoid even knowledge of the public gathers that spawn nothing but anger and protest for causes unimaginable 40 years ago. Gone are shops and restaurants and venues once loved, replaced by ... well, to be honest, I don't know, because I just don't go there. The Seattle I loved doesn't exist anymore.

And when I read about Nineveh, I know this truth. Seattle is an anthill where people plot evil against the Lord. Seattle is a place that has become a think tank for evil concepts that seduce and betray the world. And it is time for the Lord to mow it flat, reduce it to nothing, eliminate it as a center of commerce and intellect, and bring about the downfall of all who rely upon its culture and politics.

I have prayed often for my city, Seattle. Well, my city of Seattle doesn't exist. Yes, I desire nothing more than revival and salvation for this dark, dark region of the world. But as for Seattle, I release it from my heart. May it go the way of Nineveh.

Prayer: Lord, as for the fate of Seattle, may thy will be done. Amen.

Understanding what the Master Wants

Scripture: So watch your step. Use your head. Make the most of every chance you get. These are desperate times! Don’t live carelessly, unthinkingly. Make sure you understand what the Master wants. Ephesians 5:15-17

Observation: Paul says to the church in Ephesus that, while they once walked in darkness, they now walk in a new understanding of life in Christ. He concludes this line of thinking with these instructions ... that since these are desperate, evil times, they need to all live with intention. They should not live without thinking, but should make sure they understand what the Lord wants, and live into that mission.

Again, this is a lesson that says very clearly, live a life of intentionality. Draw close to the Lord, understand his purposes and his and his path, and then carefully and thoughtfully do that. Watch your step (stay on God's path) and use your head (learn about God's ways). Don't be deceived by the wickedness of these current times (other translations say 'these days are evil').

In all these things, the teaching is clear and it is good. Believers are to very intentionally discover God's plan and will for our lives, and then follow it.

Application: In all the ways I have failed in life - and that list of failure is both long and varied - this has been my worst mistake ... I am a 57 year old man who has absolutely no idea what God has ever wanted me to do in life. Professionally, I have spent my adult life wandering without any plan, and most of that locked into a career the Lord then seemingly cut off. Personally, I have only just been a father and husband who has tried to do well and provide, but certainly performed average at best. I have no personal fulfillment, and I doubt anyone would say I have fulfilled or blessed them in anything more than a worldly, superficial way.

I have not watched my step. I have used my head with my logic and not the Lord's. I absolutely have never made the most of any chance. I recognized the evil, desperate times, and merely wander through them. If I extended that metaphor, I would say I wander on a muddy trail full of potholes and roots, boasting of how I have at least stayed on the trail without falling or breaking my leg, while the Lord is waiting for me to join him on the paved walkway and walk alongside him with ease, in a completely different direction.

As a result of my mistakes in this specific area, I have spent 35 years without any joy or sense of accomplishment in my "professional life" that occupies 8 hours a day. Furthermore, I have repeatedly been scorned, insulted, besmirched, shamed, and discriminated against within that same area of life, sometimes with significant public and long-lasting negative outcomes. It has worn me down to a point I cannot express to anyone. Almost every day I have a conscious thought that I am broken beyond repair, and I await some final professional insult that will end any path I could have moving forward in any direction, where I can be permanently labeled a failure by absolutely everyone. In my mind, this isn't even a possible outcome that might happen, but rather a certainty that just hasn't arrived yet.

And I can't tell anyone about the pain and fear and hurt I feel. My inability to discuss this creates an area of isolation between myself and my wife because I do not feel I can even talk about it to her ... and after spending all day in darkness and then not having anything worthwhile to say about my day, it only means she knows she is being left out of some part of my life. I don't know how to fix that.

Yes, I have spent most of my life without intention. The Lord has blessed me so richly, but his greatest blessing has been to somehow get me to a place in life where I have a wonderful family and relative comfort, despite my total lostness.

That said, I am sincerely afraid of every next step. Even how the Lord may direct me into future success is fearful because I don't understand how to move from this muddy path to his walkway. I am broken in ways no one knows ... except Yahweh.

Prayer: Lord, Abba, my true father in heaven, I need you. I have no way forward, no way back. I am afraid. I am hurting. I am lost. I want to intentionally follow you and your ways only for the rest of the days of my life, but I truly don't know how to get there from here. Please help. Amen.

Lost Touch with Reality Itself

Scripture: And so I insist—and God backs me up on this—that there be no going along with the crowd, the empty-headed, mindless crowd. They’ve refused for so long to deal with God that they’ve lost touch not only with God but with reality itself. They can’t think straight anymore. Feeling no pain, they let themselves go in sexual obsession, addicted to every sort of perversion. Ephesians 4:17-19

Observation: As Paul instructs the Ephesians about how to behave, he especially tells them they are not to act as normal Greeks and Romans, who willingly sin simply because it is the norm for how all of society behaves. However, he is very pointed in how he describes that type of behavior. It isn't just sinful ... it is actually born out of just going along with godless popular norms. He describes this as empty headed and mindless. He says they have lost touch with reality and can't think straight. As a result, they give themselves over to sin and perversion without even thinking about it.

Application: I have been thinking for days about this, especially in light of our friend and her female partner, a turn of events we did not see coming. In all my thinking, I cannot believe how amazingly accurate and relevant these four sentences are in describing culture today.

The thinking of people is empty-headed and mindless. There are people who fall into new lifestyles without any thought, simply because it now seems 'normal' or even expected. They are not thinking through short- or long-term truths about the situation. Furthermore, there are others who likewise just accept such actions because they are conditioned to not be critical of such behavior.

All of this is because people have so removed themselves from God's ways and teachings that they now have no connection to the reality of God's created universe. They actively reject scientific fact - the known facts of all creation - because they see no relevance between "truth" and "their truth". In fact, if "truth" doesn't exist in the first place, of course there is no relevance and connection. As Paul says, disconnected from reality, they can't think straight anymore, and thus just let themselves go - just ride the popular wave - of sexual obsession and perversion.

I know my life isn't pure, and I have my own problems. However, I have an anchor point in my understanding that Yahweh - God almighty - is the creator of heaven and earth, and it is his truth that is the truth of the universe. When I sin, I am in the wrong and therefore in need of forgiveness found in Jesus. So many, many people today have walked so far away from any belief in God at all, that they don't even understand the concept of "wrong".

I no longer know what to pray about our society and culture. I can pray for individuals, but I don't know what to say about an entire culture that has lost touch with reality itself.

Prayer: Lord, you know the people in my heart. May they rediscover you, ideally soon but at least someday, and find your love, forgiveness, and truth. We are losing a generation, and I suspect we are heading to a new era with a completely new world dynamic as a result, as our nation itself is lost. You have done that before. I hope individuals can rediscover the reality found in you. Amen.

That's Gotta Be the Church

Scripture:
"This exile is just like the days of Noah for me:
I promised then that the waters of Noah
would never again flood the earth.
I’m promising now no more anger,
no more dressing you down.
For even if the mountains walk away
and the hills fall to pieces,
My love won’t walk away from you,
my covenant commitment of peace won’t fall apart."
The God who has compassion on you says so.
Isaiah 54:9-10

Observation: Isaiah 53 is all about the Messiah ... the suffering servant who is actually killed as the sacrifice to redeem all sin for all people for all time. Then chapter 54 returns to the restoration of God's people, however the imagery is a little different than in previous chapters. It begins by talking about a woman who has no children, but who is about to have many, many children. She will be married to the Lord himself, and the offspring will actually take over entire nations and spread throughout the entire earth.

At first this may sound like the restoration of Israel from the exile, as verse 9 even discusses the exile. This discussion declares that such an exile will never occur again, comparing that promise to the covenant promise of Noah. The issue is that ... it is a historical fact that Israel was destroyed and scattered again. However, it is also a historical fact that this next destruction and exile occurred after the time of Jesus, after the establishment of the Church, and thus after this faith - belief in Yahweh anchored in faith in Jesus Christ as Messiah the suffering servant - had begun to take over entire nations and spread throughout the entire earth.

Application: The Lord who has such compassion on us all that he would provide salvation through the suffering of one man declares this ... the Church is his promise to provide hope and safety throughout the entire world.

Yes, we don't always do a great job at providing that hope and safety. I could do better, as could everyone else, but of course we are only human and flawed despite our faith. That said, I wonder how much better I would do at bringing hope to others if I remembered that God himself promised that hope would be delivered to the entire world through our efforts.

What a privilege that is to consider, that not just our faith in Messiah, but our mission as God's love manifested for all nations, as his bride on earth, was declared as a promise by the Lord himself 2,500 years ago.

Prayer: Lord, you have promised that the Church is part of your plan for the world. May we all do a better job of delivering on your promise, and may that improvement begin with me. Amen.

Wrongly Judging Weaknesses

Scripture: These people who are attempting to force the ways of circumcision on you have only one motive: They want an easy way to look good before others, lacking the courage to live by a faith that shares Christ’s suffering and death. All their talk about the law is gas. They themselves don’t keep the law! And they are highly selective in the laws they do observe. Galatians 6:12-13a

Observation: Returning to one of the main points of this letter, Paul himself pens this summary ... that those who are telling Christians they must adopt Jewish practices are doing so only so they themselves can look good. These false teachers struggle with their own faith, and they fail to keep teachings of Jesus. As a result, all they are REALLY good at is being outwardly marked, and perhaps a few daily rituals. Therefore, if they can convince all others that THESE are the most important elements of faith, they will immediately be the BEST examples of faith.

Paul is very clear that these individuals are "contemptable". Outward markings, routines, and Jewish customs are meaningless when it comes to faith in Jesus. What is important are the other elements he has summarized ... love for one another, caring for the downtrodden, assistance when each other stumble, refusing to judge others, and delivering the good news of Jesus to all.

Application: Every Christian I know - and I know myself best so I know this applies especially to me - thinks of the elements of faith and right living they are best at as the most important elements of faith. Those things they are weaker at, they consider of lesser importance.

I know I have fallen into this trap before in my faith when it comes to ministry work, and it is clearly wrong. Paul even calls it "contemptable". Every Christian has elements of their faith they are strong at. It may be prayer life, or tithing, or worship, or mercy and caring for others, or service, or teaching, or kindness given to others. Likewise, they will be weak in other elements on this list, and that does not make them bad Christians. Instead this just makes us all incomplete Christians, still capable of growth in our faith, by the help of the Holy Spirit.

What is worse, of course, is declaring as a necessary element of faith something that has nothing to do with faith. While Paul was addressing circumcision and by extension other rituals like (probably) ceremonial washing and dietary restrictions, today our list of such items may include ... proper clothing, alcohol and recreational drug use, and career choices. Of themselves, these are meaningless when it comes to one's faith in Jesus.

We all have strengths and weaknesses, and I have more of the latter than most. It is important to not judge others by simply comparing them to my strengths and declaring them lacking.

Prayer: Lord, again today I pray about my judging heart. I wish we all were more faithful to you in all matters of true faith in Jesus, and may I begin and end my assessment of that with myself. I desire to grow in you every day, and may I focus only on that when I think about how our church could be more faithful. Amen.

Understanding True Reliance

Scripture: Abraham, remember, had two sons: one by the slave woman and one by the free woman. The son of the slave woman was born by human plotting; the son of the free woman was born by God’s promise. Galatians 4:22

Observation: Paul uses the illustration of Hagar vs. Sarah as a metaphor for a very important point. Yes, Abraham had two sons. The son born of Sarah was based on a covenant promise. God promised Abraham as son despite their old age, and it was necessary for Abraham to trust in the Lord's promise in order for that promise to be fulfilled and passed down through generations. However, Abraham and Sarah also initiated their own plot and plan, and thus Hagar also gave Abraham a son. This son was not from God's promise, but rather by the schemes of human logic, and therefore is excluded from God's plan for Israel and eventually redemption of mankind.

Paul spells this out clearly. The plots of mankind are just that, human plots, and they are not the plans of the Lord. They produce earthly outcomes. However, relying upon the promises and plans of the Lord are blessed, and they provide heavenly outcomes.

Application: Generally speaking, this is such a powerful lesson. Of course human plans produce earthly outcomes, and of course the Lord's plans produce amazing, heavenly outcomes. And yet, even with the Lord's plans known and revealed and promised to us, so often we pursue some idea conceived in our own minds in order to advance our lives.

Yes, this speaks to the issues of finance - especially the declarations of one woman about her personal financial plan - and is especially timely as we prepare for upcoming classes to teach others about faith in their finances. That said, I know this is also a very personal message for me. I have said before that I am amazed how much I associate myself with Hagar. Well ... yea, I am someone who every day comes up with many 'intelligent' plans for how to proceed with daily work, projects, and assignments. I fail to pray about these plans, and I do not consult with the Lord. And I absolutely don't put my entire plans aside and simply seek for a completely different set of plans defined by Yahweh.

I am a child of Christ, redeemed from the slavery of sin by Jesus. However, I reassert myself as a slave when I make my own plans for life and pursue them. I re-become a slave of the world.

I would so much rather to live completely within the Lord's promises, and not just the promise of salvation but the promise of whatever he would have for me during my everyday life. I have messed up my life so many times, that there is no logic why I would still try to work things out for myself. I need to have true reliance on the Lord's plans and promises, and make myself open to receiving guidance about those plans every day, in every activity.

Prayer: Lord, yes I would like to remember this lesson and apply it effectively for others as they seek encouragement for how to receive a blessed life. However, I know I also need to apply it to me. I desire to pray more about my work, activities, and plans. May I learn better and better to simply rely on your path and direction. Amen.

Worshipping One's Own Life

Scripture: Then it can serve a double purpose: Part he uses as firewood for keeping warm and baking bread; from the other part he makes a god that he worships—carves it into a god shape and prays before it. With half he makes a fire to warm himself and barbecue his supper. He eats his fill and sits back satisfied with his stomach full and his feet warmed by the fire: “Ah, this is the life.” And he still has half left for a god, made to his personal design—a handy, convenient no-god to worship whenever so inclined. Whenever the need strikes him he prays to it, “Save me. You’re my god.” Isaiah 44:15-17

Observation: The word of God, given through Isaiah, shows the foolishness if man-made idols. These items are made of wood ... wood that is so worthless that from the same tree a person simply burns much of it as a way to heat their home and cook their food, yet then they carve some into an idol and declare that is has control over their entire life. This is so utterly insane that it is openly questioned as such, wondering if these people have any brains at all, and can't suddenly realize they are worshiping a stick.

This is what it looks like when someone is truly just worshipping their own lives and their own activities. They work, and then enjoy the results of their work - the warm fire, the good food, the decor they make - and that extends to the point that they even make (or buy) their own god. Worshipping a stick is the extension of worshipping whatever they like, based on their own decisions in life. When they place their 'trust' in the same piece of wood they just burned, it is the same as placing their trust their house, or their nice car, or their job.

Application: I am haunted today by the conversation I heard about second-hand yesterday ... a woman actively rejecting the word of God because pastors cannot 'know her heart' and she has her own plans. She worships her child and builds her life around her personal decisions to care for him, rejecting every lesson and teaching and word of the Lord.

She prays to sticks of wood and refused to realize 'this is crazy.' In fact, she angrily rejects the idea that any word from the Lord could teach her differently.

I hope I'm not being judgmental, but rather I am saddened by this position. This is the opposite of faith. It is the kind of action that brings ruin ... that biblically defines a person as a non-believer. I sincerely hope that the words said to her yesterday bring about a change in her heart, for I know that while it is true no human can fully know her heart, and also know that the Lord does.

Prayer: Lord, I do pray for this woman at church, and for so many others like her who have created their own idols in their lives, and cling to those as models for living regardless of your teaching. I am sure I have areas of my life like this too, so I include myself in such prayers. May we all realize how crazy the sticks are in our lives, and instead place our trust in you and your good words. Amen.

Exactly What it Feels Like

Scripture:
Some of you were locked in a dark cell,
cruelly confined behind bars,
Punished for defying God’s Word,
for turning your back on the High God’s counsel—
A hard sentence, and your hearts so heavy,
and not a soul in sight to help.
Then you called out to God in your desperate condition;
he got you out in the nick of time.
He led you out of your dark, dark cell,
broke open the jail and led you out.
Psalm 107:10-14

Observation: The psalmist is telling of how the Lord redeems people. In one stanza, people are sick from their sins and actions. In this stanza, people feel like they are in a hopeless, trapped situation. In both, the same thing happens ... "Then you called out to God in your desperate condition; he got you out in the nick of time."

Application: This is exactly - EXACTLY - what my life felt like!! I was in a dark cell. I felt hopeless, locked into a life of empty loneliness. I had spent years actively defying God's word, to the point of even believing that he did not, must not, exist, or if he did he was actually some irrelevant or even cruel entity. My heart grew heavy, and not one person ever once tried to help me out of this state. Then ... in total desperation, and literally as a last-ditch attempt to figure out life ... I called out to God.

And this is exactly - EXACTLY - what salvation feels like!! It feels like being pulled out of a dark cell, and not because the door opens and I walked out, but because God himself broke into the cell, grabbed me by the hand, and led me out.  In fact I declared I wouldn't act myself to change my life, and God himself acted.

I know this psalm to be true and accurate, and I now know others who would likewise proclaim it as well. I know redeemed believers who have suffered depression, addiction, hopelessness, and loss. I also know very well and without any doubt in my mind what my life would have been like if not for the Lord's loving salvation: I would have lived an empty life of loneliness, wandering from 'thing' to 'thing' without direction; I would have grown even angrier and more caustic, while also numbing everything about my life with more and more alcohol; I would now already be dead, and my soul a resident of hell in eternal torment.

God loves me too much to have allowed that. I can never repay him, but I know I can do more and more try to make a dent in that debt. With the years and the breath I have left, I will try to do so more and more.

Prayer: Lord, with the breath you give me, may I praise your holy name. May I sing of your glory and mercy and justice and love forever and ever. May I pronounce the name of the Lord and of Jesus daily, telling others of your love. May I be your hands and feet, and through your Church and on my own daily walk find ways to show you to those you bring into my path. You have done everything for me, and I have done so very little for you. Please forgive my sin and my evil thoughts, and by your Spirit may I live into the life you have given me. Amen, and amen.

Other Ways Don't Math

Scripture:
Doom to those who go off to Egypt
thinking that horses can help them,
Impressed by military mathematics,
awed by sheer numbers of chariots and riders—
And to The Holy of Israel, not even a glance,
not so much as a prayer to God.
Isaiah 31:1

Observation: The prophet Isaiah gives very clear instructions about how Judah is to overcome Assyria ... by returning to and trusting in the Lord. However, there are some who instead look to Egypt for help. Such people believe that conflict is won through military might. They believe that all they need is more soldiers than Assyria and safety is assured. As a result, they ignore God and never once turn to him in prayer for assistance.

It cannot be any clearer that this plan will not work. The military math is meaningless. It is the Lord who is all powerful and who holds the ability to protect Judah. Egypt ... not so much.

Application: There was a time in life when I had a bit of this mindset, thinking that I can be secure if I have the financial protection I need to weather the storms of life-events. This simply is not true. All protection in life - all security in every life situation - comes from the Lord. It is only by faith that I can receive true protection ... mental and physical, from any and all sources of attack.

When Judah looked to the Lord, he destroyed the Assyrian army without even a battle occurring. It was truly amazing. How much more can he simply take care of my personal, normal, everyday 'stuff'? Relying on any earthly measure just doesn't work. It don't math. Relying on the Lord can never fail.

Prayer: Lord, I do rely upon you. My faith is in you alone. Yes, we live in a difficult place, and there are harder times ahead. I know this for certain. Yet I will not seek any earthly protection or sanctuary. I will not rely on any earthly means for protection or comfort. Instead, I will look to you, pray to you. Amen.

Interest in Others, Not Money

Scripture: Everything is in readiness now for this, my third visit to you. But don’t worry about it; you won’t have to put yourselves out. I’ll be no more of a bother to you this time than on the other visits. I have no interest in what you have—only in you. Children shouldn’t have to look out for their parents; parents look out for the children. 2 Corinthians 12:14

Observation: One of the issues Paul takes up with the church at Corinth is an issue of how he is funded during his visits to them. Interestingly, Paul has always self-funded his times in Corinth, and somehow that has made the church believe he is working some "scheme" ... other apostles require them to pay for their time and expenses.

Paul addresses this in some detail, but he makes this very pointed statement ... he couldn't care less about what they have - their finances, any payment they might make, or ways they might fund his daily life while in Corinth - but rather Paul cares about them, their faith, their salvation, and their right understanding of the gospel.

Application: As I have been getting more and more into the 'financial coaching' training, I am receiving more and more information about how to make money at such coaching. I am reminded today about why I am doing this. I am not doing this to make money ... I have more than enough, provided by the Lord, and while he may use this to offer me further blessing, that is NOT the goal. I am doing this to serve others and help them discover their own path into the Lord's blessings.

I do sincerely want to help others find hope and peace. I want them to find the mental state needed to obediently give to the Lord, opening their hands to receive his blessings. I see this as a way I may serve others well, in a new and better way than I have before, passing along the love of Jesus.

This must be imprinted on my heart ... I have no interest in what others have, only in them. I do not want to be perceived as even a little bit of a bother or burden. I wish for others to receive only good emotions from any service I can do for them, and to again find the Lord's blessing in their lives.

Prayer: Lord, I am about to embark on a journey to serve your purposes. Please protect my heart in this matter. May I only serve as your will desires. May I bring hope to others, without burden. Amen.

He Stole My Shame

He called my name,

And he stole my shame.

Out of the dark,

Into his arms ...

Everything changed when I came running home!!

Addressing Financial Risk

Scripture:
Do your best, prepare for the worst—
then trust God to bring victory.
Proverbs 21:31

Observation: This proverb provides one of the most basic and accurate examples of how a person is to deal with financial risk in their lives. They are to do their very best work, but also prepare for hardships when livelihood is taken from them. If they do these things, they can trust in the Lord, for he will certainly provide.

Application: I just wrote a sentence for a different reason that stated the financial topics covered by the Bible. They included savings, budgeting, debt, etc. ... but I also included "risk". When I did so, I thought to myself that I couldn't actually think of a verse that was about financial risk. So I quit working on that document, and did my devotions, and here it is!

Yes, we are to do good work to try to avoid bad things from happening. Then we are to prepare as if the bad things will, in fact occur. So many people do neither of these, and many more do one of the other ... they trust that their good work will protect them from bid circumstances, or (least common) they prepare for the bad because they are aware they neglect diligence in their work and thus recognize something bad may happen. The wise man does both ... and then turns it all over the God anyway, secure that the Lord will take care of everything.

Prayer: Lord, may I serve you and only you. Please keep my heart humble, and may I find activities that serve you, your Church, and your people. Amen.

The Great War is Spiritual

Scripture:
"The day is coming"
—God’s Decree—
"When there will be no more war. None.
I’ll slaughter your war horses and demolish your chariots.
I’ll dismantle military posts
and level your fortifications.
I’ll abolish your religious black markets,
your underworld traffic in black magic.
I will smash your carved and cast gods
and chop down your phallic posts.
No more taking control of the world,
worshiping what you do or make."
Micah 5:10-13

Observation: Micah has described the coming terrors and punishment to befall Israel, and introduced the idea that a savior will come out of Bethlehem to redeem the faithful. With that redemption will come a time when war will be no more. However, the images of war quickly shift from human, earthly warfare, to spiritual elements. This new era will see all implements of war and all armies dismantled, but then it will ... totally eliminate spiritual evil. This entails the elimination of false religions, black magic, manmade idols, and all kinds of worship of earthly elements that control our lives.

This is what "war" really is, and always has been for the Lord. Even when he instructed Israel to "destroy" other nations, his clarifications were around dismantling temples of false gods, burning idols of metal and wood, and tearing down places where people bowed to other entities. War, therefore, ends when these spiritually evil aspects of human behavior are eliminated once and for all.

Application: I am more and more convinced that the greatest war this world has ever known is the one raging right now ... the fight for the belief system of our young adults. Listening first-hand to entirely new belief systems that have been created over less than ~10 years related to gender, sexuality, personal identity, mental health, and even an open rejection of factual history due to a changed perception of 'rightness', I cannot help but recognize that this spiritual war is real, it is massive, it is pervasive, and it is killing millions of people.

So, is this "the great war" or "the war to end all wars"? These were BOTH the major titles given to World War I ... and clearly both titles were wrong. Oh, how I pray this is the end of wars, that this is the spiritual battle that draws the line in the sand, creating the moment when Jesus will return. I almost can't imagine the spiritual issues getting worse than they are now, and even in my faith I struggle to find a way back to a spiritual time of relative peace.

This is a war. Knowing the Lord, and believing in Jesus, I therefore know which side of the spiritual war I am on, and thus which side of the spiritual war evil is supporting. And I know who wins, though I don't know when.

Prayer: Lord, may thy will be done. May we tear down the ashera poles that are false sexual identity, destroy the dark elements of the world manifested in mental health issues, burn the false items in which people place their trust, and revive the love and hope that is found in only you. Yet again I pray, come, Lord Jesus. Amen.