Our Redeemer paid the steepest price to rescue us

*Read Ruth 4:1-12

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Changing the oil in your car is a task few of us enjoy doing, but we know that failing to do so at regular intervals will cause our engines to fail, so we do it. I used to change the oil in our vehicles at home with the goal to save a little money, but in recent years, my pattern has changed. Somewhere along the way I came to believe that the time involved, the aggravation of the task, and the subsequent need to properly dispose of the oil didn't justify the small amount of money I was saving to change my own oil, so I started paying a local business to do it instead.

But that doesn't mean I don't want to maintain some level of frugality, so before I drive to the garage, I always check to see if they have a coupon or a promotion listed on their website. Thankfully, they always do. And at the bottom of the coupon it has a message that typically says something like, "This coupon is only redeemable at our Levittown location."

I'm sure you've seen the word "redeem" or "redeemable" show up in a similar fashion. It's a word that we most typically use in a financial or business context. That word carries with it one of several meanings. In this context, it means to exchange the coupon for something of value (the discount). But in a biblical context, like we see illustrated in Ruth 4:1-12, it has a deeper meaning.

When redemption is spoken of in this portion of God's Word, it carries the meaning of buying something back and ultimately paying a price to rescue someone who was in a difficult and destitute condition. The book of Ruth is a beautiful redemption story, and for that matter, so is the entire Bible. In fact, I believe the redemption story that we're given in the book of Ruth is shared with us to give us a fuller understanding and appreciation for the work Jesus did and the payment Jesus made to redeem lost humanity.

As we've been working our way through the book of Ruth, we've been blessed to observe the unfolding events that are shared with us in its pages. We're told of Elimelech and Naomi's family, and how they chose to travel from Bethlehem to Moab during a time of great famine. While in the land, their two sons married Moabite women, but sadly, Elimelech and his sons died, leaving their wives as childless widows.

After those deaths, Naomi encouraged her daughters-in-law, Ruth and Orpah, to return to their birth families while she returned to her homeland of Bethlehem. Orpah accepted her suggestion, but Ruth pledged to remain with Naomi and stay by her side no matter what. And with that, Naomi and Ruth returned to Bethlehem together where they experienced the providential help of God in multiple ways.

In Bethlehem, the Lord led Ruth to glean in the field of Naomi's relative, Boaz. Boaz was a godly man who was led by the Holy Spirit to show kindness to these women by providing food and protection for them. As his kindness was demonstrated in Chapter 3, we're also told of a plan that Naomi devised to make sure Ruth received ongoing care for the rest of her life. Naomi advised Ruth to ask Boaz to fulfill the role of a kinsman-redeemer and take Ruth as his wife. He expressed the willingness to do so, but because there was another relative in line ahead of him, he first arranged to find out if that man would be willing to fulfill that role.

There are several passages of Scripture that explain the requirements the Lord gave the people of Israel for the redemption of widows and the redemption of land. Both subjects are relevant in this story. Deuteronomy 25 gives us details about the ways in which a widow was to be cared for after the death of her husband. Leviticus 25 explains the laws of redemption regarding the land.

“The land shall not be sold in perpetuity, for the land is mine. For you are strangers and sojourners with me. 24 And in all the country you possess, you shall allow a redemption of the land.

25 “If your brother becomes poor and sells part of his property, then his nearest redeemer shall come and redeem what his brother has sold."  (Leviticus 25:23-25)

As Boaz prepared to honor Ruth's request for redemption, he sought to follow the law because he was an honorable man. We're told that he invited the other potential redeemer to redeem the land belonging to Elimelech and Naomi. The man agreed to do so, but then Boaz made a point to mention that there was more to the redemption story. Upon acquiring the land, the redeemer would also be required to take Ruth as a wife so that Mahlon's family name would be continued, but that was a request the man was unwilling to honor because of his fear that his own inheritance might be jeopardized.

So Boaz bought the land, but the Scripture tells us he made another purchase as well...

““Also Ruth the Moabite, the widow of Mahlon, I have bought to be my wife,” ”

— Ruth 4:10a

How do your modern sensibilities react to the statement Boaz made regarding buying Ruth as his wife? Does that sound offensive to you if you're a woman? If you're a man, what do you think about that custom? Whether or not it fits with our present-day perspective, that's how these matters were handled under the requirements of the Old Testament law, and these requirements were put in place, not to degrade people, but to protect them, honor them, and secure a lineage for them in a legally binding manner.

By the way, if the concept of Ruth being bought sounds a little odd to your ears, I'd like to point something else out to you. If you're a follower of Jesus Christ and have genuine faith in Him, you've been bought and purchased as well, and you no longer belong to yourself, but to Him. In fact, the Bible says it directly on more than one occasion.

““Or do you not know that your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit within you, whom you have from God? You are not your own, for you were bought with a price. So glorify God in your body.” ”

— 1 Corinthians 6:19-20

One of the things that I have come to appreciate about the gospel of Jesus Christ is that it challenges our modern sensibilities. At times, it may even offend us for a moment while we wrestle with the meaning of what's being explained to us. But when we come to trust that our Lord has our good in mind, and He's joyfully working out the details of His redemptive plan for His glory and our benefit, we may often find ourselves thanking Him for the very things that once caused us offense.

Scripture tells us that our bodies are not our own. The moment we came to faith in Jesus, we were indwelled with the Holy Spirit, thereby becoming a temple in which He dwells. We are made holy in the sight of God and we no longer belong to ourselves, this world, or the devil. So instead of living in rebellion against the Lord, we're called to glorify God in our bodies. That means treating our bodies and using them in such a way that we remember it is a temple of the Holy Spirit. This has implications for what you put in your body, how you care for your body, and for the sexual activity you engage in. Never forget who lives within you, and do not offer your body to be degraded now that it is a holy temple.

““knowing that you were ransomed from the futile ways inherited from your forefathers, not with perishable things such as silver or gold, but with the precious blood of Christ, like that of a lamb without blemish or spot.””

— 1 Peter 1:18-19

Scripture makes it clear that we were ransomed or redeemed from the futile kind of lives and mindsets we once embraced while in a state of unbelief. Now, we don't have to think or live like people who are distant from God because that isn't the way we relate to Him any longer. We were bought at a price and redeemed with something of eternally greater value than money. Our redemption was paid for through the precious blood of Jesus Christ when He willingly and joyfully gave His life for ours upon the cross.

Before we were united to Christ by faith, the Bible speaks of us living in slavery. We didn't realize we were slaves, but we were. We were enslaved by sin and Satan. We were enslaved by a worldly mindset with its empty promises. We were enslaved to a perspective that failed to take eternity into account while we just lived in the moment without a true understanding of the future.

But Jesus purchased our freedom from slavery. He made us His bride, brought us into His family, gave us His name, and set us free from the shackles of sin we were once bound by. Please consider the many benefits of our redemption through Christ;

• Through Jesus, we've been granted eternal life.

• Our sins are forgiven forever.

• Sin no longer holds us in chains.

• We've been adopted into the family of God.

• We're no longer God's enemies, but His family.

• We bear the name of Christ.

• We possess a peace that is beyond the limits of human understanding.

• In God's eyes we are seen as holy and blameless.

A wealthy English family once invited friends to spend some time at their beautiful estate. The happy gathering was almost plunged into a terrible tragedy on the first day. When the children went swimming, one of them got into deep water and was drowning. Fortunately, the gardener heard the others screaming and plunged into the pool to rescue the helpless victim. That youngster was Winston Churchill. His parents, deeply grateful to the gardener, asked what they could do to reward him. He hesitated, then said, “I wish my son could go to college someday and become a doctor.” “We’ll pay his way,” replied Churchill’s parents.

Years later when Sir Winston was prime minister of England, he was stricken with pneumonia. Greatly concerned, the king summoned the best physician who could be found to the bedside of the ailing leader. That doctor was Sir Alexander Fleming, the developer of penicillin. He was also the son of that gardener who had saved Winston from drowning as a boy! Later Churchill said, “Rarely has one man owed his life twice to the same person.”

What was rare in the case of that great English statesman is in a much deeper sense a wonderful reality for every believer in Christ. The Heavenly Father has given us the gift of physical life, and then through His Son, the Great Physician, He has imparted to us eternal life.

May the awareness that we are doubly indebted to God as our Creator and Redeemer motivate us to present our bodies a living sacrifice, holy and acceptable unto Him. - Our Daily Bread, April 29

© John Stange, 2022

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What kind of Christianity are you living?

The following is a guest post from MJ James who blogs at theburnedoutbusinessmom.com.

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Have you ever truly unpacked the Sermon on the Mount? My Pastor likes to call it Jesus’ inaugural address.

“Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. Blessed are those who mourn, for they will be comforted. Blessed are the meek, for they will inherit the earth. Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they will be filled. Blessed are the merciful, for they will be shown mercy. Blessed are the pure in heart, for they will see God. Blessed are the peacemakers, for they will be called children of God. Blessed are those who are persecuted because of righteousness, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.”

— Matthew 5:3-10

In our Church we have been unpacking The Beatitudes. We’ve been going through the Sermon on the Mount for the last few weeks with each week packing a new, resounding punch. Not a physical punch, but an eye-opening, stomach doing flip-flops punch designed to turn your world upside down. At least it has for me.

Last week Pastor Kenny Grant said, “Persecution is inevitable for those that are living out this kind of Christianity.” He spoke this of the Beatitudes. As he said it there was an audible shift within the congregation.

What are Christians called to do?

Jesus teaches us in Matthew 5:3-11 what we are called to do as Christians. It’s a blueprint for the way we should live and understand this life that we live down here on earth. Jesus teaches us that true Christianity does not parallel the world, it intersects the world cutting across cultural norms. It interrupts the calm sometimes, pushing ripples of disruption and disquiet as it comes on soft feet whispering words of mercy, love, acceptance, and righteousness.

These days, it doesn’t seem that many people want to follow that idea. It’s easier to stay a Sunday Christian, a quiet Christian, practicing behind closed doors or only professing your love of God in safe circles. It’s easier to make compromises to keep things calm, to avoid confrontation, to stay under the radar, or to stay safe.

Would you follow him?

In Matthew 4:18-20 Jesus calls to Simon (called Peter), and his brother Andrew. He tells them to come and follow him. They leave their nets, possessions, homes, and families and they follow Jesus. It cost them something in that moment. It cost them more as their discipleship went on in the future. Christianity as Jesus intends is discipleship. It costs something. It will cost you something. At its core, it invites and initiates confrontation pushing back against the comfortable to stretch beyond. The reaction from others will either be rejection or acceptance.

As a Christian, suffering comes along with the course curriculum. The course being, of course, the Bible and our living an everyday walk with Jesus in order to stay proudly firm in our identity. Who are you? I’ve heard more times in the last month than I have heard in the last year. My knee-jerk answer to this is, “I’m a mom,” or “I’m a wife,” or even “I’m a coach and writer.” Those are not who I am. That is what I do. Who I am is a child of a King, the daughter of God.

I take time every morning to read the Bible with chapters dedicated to telling me about the absolute suffering of Jesus, and of many of the people that followed him. Abel, John the Baptist, Daniel, David, Joseph, Jesus, just to name a few. All children of God. All sons of a King. All persecuted.

We’ve gotten so used to the comforts that life affords us. A sense of safety and security was built into the framework of our country thanks to our founding fathers. We have the freedom to practice the religion we love without fear of persecution. In Church as we hear about what happens to other Christians around the world, our hearts ache, but we are removed from it as we go back to our homes without a thought to bomb shelters or being harmed for merely professing our Christianity.

It's nice in that space, isn’t it? It’s cozy and safe. It’s easy to live out the commandment, “Thou shalt not fear.” The plain crux of it all is that in so doing, in living in the safety of our compromise and our quiet acceptance of cultural norms, we allow our brother, Jesus, to carry his cross alone. While we may not be persecuted in the same way as some other Christians around the world, we have our own persecution here. We avoid it though, not wanting to push back.

When we deal with difficult things in our lives it’s easy to feel like God has forsaken us. It’s easy to feel alone. It’s so very easy to get angry and turn away from our walk with Jesus. We need someone to blame for our lot. Someone has to take the fault for the fact that things aren’t as easy, as they should be. It’s someone’s fault that the unexpected has overthrown the safe normalcy that we are comfortable living in. The powerful truth is, we are called to suffer.

I don’t mean that God will make us suffer every single day of our lives, although maybe that’s God’s path for some. Nor do I mean that we can never be and relish in happiness and joy. Happiness and persecution can be found in the very same place and in the very same people. People have spent years watering down the Bible trying to create a softer message that they can mold to help people accept an easier, more comfortable directive.

Would you let Jesus carry the cross alone?

Christianity was not bred for ease. For kindness? Yes. For love? Yes. For sacrifice? Yes. To be an example of leadership and lessons? Yes. Ease? No. “Take up my yolk.” You’ve heard that before. You’ve sat through that sermon and nodded along as it was explained. Do you know what it truly means though? Jesus has passed the baton to us all, I wonder how many of us grab it and take off running?

For most of us, we grab it, but then when things get rocky or unclear we drop it. Or maybe we hide it behind our backs, so no one sees it. Maybe we tip-toe so as to not disturb those around us and draw notice. We remain complacent and silent. That is the opposite of taking up his yolk.

Jesus got up on that cross fighting through his desire to not carry this burden for us all. As delighted as he was in being reunited with his Father, he felt all of the human emotions we all would feel were we in that position. He suffered greatly for every one of us. He suffered greatly trying to turn rejection into acceptance. He spent time pouring into those around him so that they may go and pour out into others. He passed his baton; he carried his cross.

The question I pose to you now is, will you take up his baton understanding that suffering is part of this journey?

-MJ James

Is your heart at rest in Jesus?

*Read Ruth 3:1-18

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From the time I was young, I have had somewhat uncommon sleeping patterns. I have done some reading on the subject to see if my experience is similar to others or if there's something wrong with me, but I typically don't get as much sleep as is recommended. Most experts on the subject insist that we should get a solid eight hours of sleep per night. I admire those who succeed at doing that, but that's not a common duration of rest for me.

Most people in my home tend to go to bed around 10:30pm, but that's right about the time when I get an added boost of energy. Many of the books I've written, podcasts I've recorded, and websites I've developed were created between the hours of 11:00pm and 3:00am. I jokingly call those my "entrepreneurial hours", and once I finish working, I call it a night. Typically, I get four or five hours of sleep, then I get to work again. If I figure out how to change this about myself, I'll certainly try, but being that this has been the pattern I've followed for much of my life, I don't really expect it to drastically change any time soon.

Still, I will agree that rest is a very important thing. And when we're discussing rest, we're usually speaking of physical rest, but there's another form of rest we should value as well. Oftentimes, when Scripture speaks of rest, it's talking about the peace that comes when we know our greatest needs are being met. It speaks of a peace that passes understanding when we entrust our lives over to the compassionate care of Jesus. It references a confidence about our future knowing that our lives and our eternities are being securely held in the hands of our Creator.

When Naomi looked at her daughter-in-law, Ruth, she wanted Ruth to experience rest on the deepest level possible. Together, these women had endured the deaths of their husbands as well as the strain of seeking to establish a new life in a new location without their husbands' help. They had experienced weary and sorrow-filled days. Their hearts had been heavy and their bodies were exhausted. Naomi often wrestled with the thought that God was withholding His favor from her and her household. And in the midst of enduring this all, rest felt elusive.

Naomi strikes me as an others-centered person, and even though she didn't seem to hold out much hope for her own circumstances turning around in a drastic way, she remained emotionally invested in doing what she could to direct Ruth toward a better and more restful life. As she observed Ruth's character, loyalty, and faithfulness, she wanted to see her experience better days, and she remained dedicated to offering Ruth wisdom and direction to help facilitate this.

For a little while now, Ruth had been gleaning barley in the field that belonged to a man named Boaz. Boaz was a godly man who was related to Naomi's family. He treated Ruth well as she gleaned with his maidservants. He knew of her character and reputation and wanted to do his part to bless her, not only for her sake, but for Naomi's sake as well. As Naomi witnessed this taking place, she also saw an opportunity for Ruth to be taken care of for the rest of her life. Naomi began putting plans together to attempt to encourage marriage between Ruth and Boaz, even though Boaz was older and at a different season of life than Ruth.

Naomi knew that Boaz was going to be winnowing his barley at the threshing floor in the evening. She also knew he was going to be eating and sleeping there after a hard day's work. With this in mind, she instructed Ruth to wash up, anoint herself, find out where he fell asleep, then uncover his feet and lie there until he woke up. To many people, this might seem like a strange plan, but Ruth had great trust in Naomi and the counsel she gave, so she followed her directions to the letter. In fact, she replied to Naomi, "All that you say I will do." (Ruth 3:5).

Why do you suppose Naomi instructed Ruth to uncover Boaz's feet and wait there? I believe there's a variety of things being illustrated in this action, all of which would seem counter-cultural to many people today. In this action, I see a demonstration of humility on Ruth's part. I also see a visible expression of her dependence on Boaz's care and provision. Ruth demonstrated respect, submission, and trust in Boaz by doing this.

But imagine being Boaz, waking up at night, and discovering that this beautiful woman was laying there at your feet. At first, Boaz tried to make sense of what was going on. He wanted to know who this was and why she was there. Ruth told him it was her and she proposed marriage to him. I highly doubt Boaz was expecting that when he fell asleep on the threshing floor, but that's what he woke up to discover.

Upon discovering this, please observe how Boaz responded. First, he pronounced a blessing upon her because she didn't chase after younger men, even though she could have. Then he encouraged her not to fear because it was his intention to follow the directions to redeem her as outlined in Deuteronomy 25. Then, in the morning before the sun rose, he sent her back to Naomi along with six measures of barley as a gift. Ruth brought the barley back to Naomi, along with the news of what Boaz said, and Naomi replied, "Wait, my daughter, until you learn how the matter turns out, for the man will not rest but will settle the matter today." (Ruth 3:18)

Ruth was instructed to wait. Do you enjoy waiting? I have to admit, waiting is one of the hardest things the Lord has ever asked me to do. Maybe you feel the same way, but the saying is true that "good things come to those who wait."

"I believe that I shall look upon the goodness of the Lord in the land of the living! Wait for the Lord; be strong, and let your heart take courage; wait for the Lord!" (Psalm 27:13-14)

"The Lord is good to those who wait for him, to the soul who seeks him." (Lamentations 3:25)

"Be patient, therefore, brothers, until the coming of the Lord. See how the farmer waits for the precious fruit of the earth, being patient about it, until it receives the early and the late rains. You also, be patient. Establish your hearts, for the coming of the Lord is at hand." (James 5:7-8)

You will often find yourself in a spot where you're called to wait upon the Lord to act on your behalf. Waiting can be a challenging task, but it's a blessing at the same time. It is something the Lord uses to stretch our faith, develop our trust in Him, and remind us of our genuine hope. We who hope in Jesus Christ will not be disappointed. We're ultimately waiting for Him to return and restore all things, and we are closer to that day than we've ever been.

Ruth was being told to wait for Boaz to fulfill his promise, but there was no doubt in Naomi's mind that he would do so. As we wait for Christ to fulfill His promises, our confidence should mirror the kind of confidence Naomi had in the assurances Boaz gave to Ruth. Ruth was about to find the rest she sought, and the compassionate heart of God was going to facilitate her redemption and restoration through His servant, Boaz.

Jesus has promised us ultimate rest, redemption, and restoration, but while we wait for His promises to be fulfilled, we can easily grow impatient. Sometimes the Lord will bless us with reminders of our need for patience. A friend of mine is getting one of those reminders right now.

The other day, I was speaking to my friend Danny who is a missionary in the country of Burundi in East Africa. He just started serving there several weeks ago, and he's been finding it challenging to adjust to the pace of life in his new location. Danny admitted that he has the type of personality that appreciates taking action quickly, but now he's serving in a context where the pace of life is much more relaxed. As he attempts to serve in his new community, this has been one of his biggest struggles because he's an action-taker who seeks fast results. But the Lord is helping Danny to adjust. He's teaching him to rest and wait. It's a valuable, but difficult lesson to learn.

If we want to experience the peace of Christ as our Lord intends us to, we need to learn to rest and wait as well. In a very real way, we're in the same spot Ruth found herself in regarding her relationship with Boaz. Ruth demonstrated humility, dependence, respect, submission, and trust toward Boaz. In our rushing and striving, is our struggle to wait on the Lord an admission on our part that we find it difficult to respond to Him with those same five traits?

Are we struggling to find rest in Jesus because we're trying to elevate our timetable over His? When we do that, are we demonstrating humility or pride?

Are we struggling to find rest in Jesus because we'd rather depend on ourselves than give our hearts permission to depend on Him?

Are we struggling to find rest in Jesus because we care more about getting respect for ourselves than we care about showing respect toward Him?

Are we struggling to find rest in Jesus because there are areas of our lives that we would rather not submit to His lordship? And in that struggle, can we see that our desire for control is starting to control us while failing to give us the peace we could have been experiencing in Christ?

Are we struggling to find rest in Jesus because we aren't fully convinced He can be trusted to do what He promised to do? Do we trust ourselves more than Him? Do we trust our good intentions more than we trust His promises?

"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." (John 14:27)

"I have said these things to you, that in me you may have peace. In the world you will have tribulation. But take heart; I have overcome the world.” (John 16:33)

Jesus is worthy of our trust, and in Him we will find rest for our souls. Don't spend the majority of your earthly journey trusting in yourself, fighting His plan, or rushing His timetable. Wait for Jesus to do what He promised. Remain joyfully expectant because He will "settle the matter" in just the right way and at just the right time.

© John Stange, 2022

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Is God paying attention to me and my needs?

*Read Ruth 2:14-23

Last week, I was asked to speak at a church in Shamokin, Pennsylvania. The church reached out for help regarding its health and redevelopment, so I was eager to meet with them.

Shamokin is a town filled with wonderful people and delicious food. (I like all kinds of foods, but most of my favorite foods come from the mining regions of Northeast and Central Pennsylvania.) Shamokin is also a town that has its struggles. Many people are living in poverty. A high percentage (possibly around 30%) of homes have been abandoned and allowed to deteriorate. And the epidemic of drug use has also impacted the community.

After meeting with the church and walking to my car, I passed by one of the rowhomes on the same side of the street as the church building. It was a chilly evening, but there were two young boys standing in the doorway with the door wide open. As I passed by the house, I heard an adult yell to them, "Close that door and get inside!" As they did, I happened to notice that the glass on the door was smashed and it looked like it had been kicked in at some point. In general, the house looked like it was ready to be condemned. I mentioned this to the pastor and he informed me that it's widely suspected that the home is a "drug-house" with lots of people coming in and out of it all the time.

I have been thinking about those children ever since, and wondering what their lives are like. I was able to walk by that crumbling building, get in my car, and drive away. But, at least for the moment, those two boys are stuck there. I wonder if they feel stuck or if this is just something they're used to so they don't think much about it. I wonder if they feel forgotten or overlooked? I also wonder how common their situation is in their community.

Depending on the season of life we're going through, it might be easy to feel overlooked. I think it's a pretty common question to wonder if God is noticing us and our needs. Maybe that's a question you've asked recently, or maybe you can think of a challenging season earlier in life when this was the kind of question you asked regularly.

God notices us and sees what we need. He's well aware of our immediate needs, but His eye also remains focused on the long-term things we need most. Often, the things we think we need aren't what we really need at all, but it can be hard to understand that while we're in the midst of our struggles. It's hard to think of God's compassion while we're struggling.

The book of Ruth demonstrates the compassionate heart of God in many ways. The Holy Spirit inspired the writing of this book to help us understand more about the heart of God through the ways in which His character was demonstrated in the lives of those who walked with Him closely and trusted Him completely.

Ruth 2:14-23 gives us a powerful glimpse of what it looks like when God notices us and meets our needs. At this point in Ruth's story, the Holy Spirit had impressed upon her heart to leave Moab and move to Bethlehem with her mother-in-law, Naomi. In the process, Ruth expressed her allegiance to the Lord as well as her desire to remain loyal to Naomi, even though most people would have expected Ruth to return to her family of origin. The Holy Spirit had also directed Ruth to begin gleaning barley in the field belonging to Boaz, and the Spirit prompted Boaz to show Ruth extraordinary favor.

The manifestation of that favor continues to be displayed in this passage. We're told that Boaz invited Ruth to eat with him and the reapers at mealtime. He provided bread, roasted grain, and wine for her to enjoy. In fact, he made a point to generously give her more than she could naturally eat. This allowed her to gather up this delicious food and bring it home later that day for Naomi to enjoy as well.

After the meal, when it was time for Ruth to continue gleaning, Boaz waited until she was out of earshot and instructed his workers to let her glean even among the sheaves. He also told them to intentionally pull some of the already gathered barley out of the bundles so that there would be extra for Ruth and she wouldn't have to search hard to find scraps in the field.

Gleaning was hard work, and Ruth was willing to do it. She was clearly a woman of character. I think there are many things that demonstrate her character in this book, but one very obvious example was her work ethic. Scripture makes it clear that she was internally motivated to work. She sought work and didn't wait for it to land in her lap. When she gleaned in the field, she started early in the morning and kept working until evening. Then after gleaning, she beat out and winnowed what she gathered and she was able to collect an ephah of barley which was between five and six gallons in our measurements, and could have fed both women for a couple weeks. If my math is correct, that would have been about 25-30 lbs. of barley (maybe even more) which Ruth then carried home without complaint.

Imagine Naomi's joy when she saw what Ruth brought home to her. I'm certain she was thrilled, and she asked Ruth where she had been gleaning that day. Ruth told her that Boaz had shown her kindness and allowed her to glean in his field. I think this brought even more joy to Naomi than the food because Boaz was a close relative of hers and one of the men who, according to the practice of levirate marriage, was a potential "redeemer" of their family.

The practice of levirate marriage is explained in Deuteronomy 25:5-10 where it says...

““If brothers dwell together, and one of them dies and has no son, the wife of the dead man shall not be married outside the family to a stranger. Her husband’s brother shall go in to her and take her as his wife and perform the duty of a husband’s brother to her. 6 And the first son whom she bears shall succeed to the name of his dead brother, that his name may not be blotted out of Israel. 7 And if the man does not wish to take his brother’s wife, then his brother’s wife shall go up to the gate to the elders and say, ‘My husband’s brother refuses to perpetuate his brother’s name in Israel; he will not perform the duty of a husband’s brother to me.’ 8 Then the elders of his city shall call him and speak to him, and if he persists, saying, ‘I do not wish to take her,’ 9 then his brother’s wife shall go up to him in the presence of the elders and pull his sandal off his foot and spit in his face. And she shall answer and say, ‘So shall it be done to the man who does not build up his brother’s house.’ 10 And the name of his house shall be called in Israel, ‘The house of him who had his sandal pulled off.’”

— Deuteronomy 25:5-10

In this practice, I see a demonstration of God's compassion that's similar to the gleaning provision He made in Leviticus 19. God was codifying into the law ways in which women would be cared for and a lasting legacy for a family name could be secured. When Naomi spoke of Boaz being a "redeemer", she had this provision in mind. We're about to find out that while he was a close relative, he wasn't the closest in the line of redemption. But if the relative that was technically closest wasn't willing to follow through on these obligations, Boaz was willing.

But let me ask you, have you ever tried to arrange a date between two people that you thought would be good together? There are some people who have a knack for doing that, and other people who probably should take a break from doing that. Usually, that's a well-intentioned activity, and I think my wife would be willing to confess to attempting to do this more than once with people she cares about (including and especially our own children).

Ruth's comments seemed to activate Naomi's match-making reflex. I say that jokingly because I fully believe the Holy Spirit was behind the activity and ideas that are described in this portion of Scripture. Upon hearing about the kindness of Boaz toward Ruth, Naomi started crafting a plan, and the first part of her plan involved encouraging Ruth to keep gleaning in the field of Boaz throughout the barley and wheat harvests. Ruth accepted her counsel, and would continue to accept the wisdom and counsel of Naomi, leading to amazing blessings in coming days.

When we look at a passage like this, there's an obvious appreciation we can develop for the historical realities of what took place. But we should also keep an eye on the part these events played in the redemptive history of humanity and the ways in which the heart of God for His children is being revealed.

When the Bible speaks of redemption, it's speaking about purchasing the freedom of something that was captive or buying something back that was experiencing harm or detriment. The word "redemption" should be one of the sweetest words in the English language to us because of the redemptive work Jesus accomplished on our behalf. We were lost, but He found us. We were foreigners that He made part of His family. We had no lasting name, so He gave us His own. By grace, through faith in Jesus who shed His blood on our behalf, we are redeemed. The book of Ruth keeps coming back to the concept of redemption in an attempt to help us understand this important spiritual reality.

I love the other spiritual concepts that are illustrated in Ruth 2:14-23 as well. When Boaz invited Ruth to dine with him, I couldn't help but be reminded of the words of Jesus in Revelation 3:20 which states, "Behold, I stand at the door and knock. If anyone hears my voice and opens the door, I will come in to him and eat with him, and he with me." Jesus seeks to have the kind of friendship and fellowship with us that a meal demonstrates. The invitation to share a meal that Boaz gave to Ruth is a great reminder of this.

I also love the demonstration of spiritual maturity that's given to us as we observe the life of Boaz. Some people claim to believe the teaching of God's Word, but then live their lives as if their goal is to do the bare minimum of whatever God requests or requires. Boaz wasn't like that. His goal was to go above and beyond when it came to living out the teaching of God's Word. He wasn't required to provide extra barley or meals for Ruth, but he did it anyway. As his story unfolds, we'll soon see that joyful obedience to the Lord was a trait that characterized his faith. Could the same be said of us? Are we joyfully obedient to our Redeemer, Jesus Christ, who has rescued and provided for us?

One other thing I want to point out from this passage is found in Ruth 2:19 where Naomi said, "Blessed be the man who took notice of you." Those words were spoken of Boaz when Naomi saw the effects of the kindness and generosity Ruth had been shown. These words remind me that our lives can serve as a visible testimony of the kindness and generosity we've been shown through Christ. Because the gift of salvation has been secured by Jesus and offered to us, and because a future in His kingdom has been guaranteed to all who trust in Him, we can clearly say that He has taken notice of us. Our lives can serve as a testimony to others that He is willing and able to bless them in the same way.

If you're wrestling with the question of whether or not God is paying attention to you and your needs, I hope you'll take some encouragement from Ruth's story and the ways it helps illustrate the story of redemption that's woven all throughout God's Word. God's timing is perfect. He may teach you patience while He answers your prayers. He may stretch your faith while you wait for Him to intervene, but be confident that He has your greater good in mind. He knows what you think you need right now, and He also knows what you really need long-term. Our ultimate needs are met in Jesus, and if your present-day circumstances are pointing you toward Him, you are blessed indeed.

© John Stange, 2022

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Finding favor in the Lord's eyes

Last week, our family rented a cabin and spent several days off the grid, enjoying time together and taking a few day trips to some of our favorite places. It won't surprise anyone to know that one of those places was our favorite amusement park. During the summer, my daughter Julia and I traveled there on Mondays to work as ride operators. In the process, we made some new friends and got to know some of our coworkers on a deeper level. It was a wonderful adventure.

On Saturday while we were at the park, we made a point to go and visit some of the people we worked with so we could say hello. The park was busier than I had ever seen, but we were able to find a few of our new friends at their stations. Then, at the very end of the night, we ran into the supervisor who hired us. He was walking through the park, keeping an eye on things, and preparing to send out the message via walkie-talkie that it was time to shut the rides down. While he waited to send that message to the ride operators, he chatted with our family, and he said something to me that caused me to realize that my relationship with the park and the people who help run it has changed in a major way.

When he learned that we had been enjoying the park all day, eating the good food and riding some of the rides, he said, "I wish I knew ahead of time that you were coming. You could have stopped at my office and I would have given you passes to ride everything for free." I have to say it felt kind of special to know that the people who run a park that has been so deeply loved by our family not only know me by name, but openly treat me like family now when I show up, and would choose to bless me with free access to what they've built and paid for. That's a level of favor I have never experienced in that context before, and I was grateful.

Have you ever experienced something similar that felt welcomed, but not necessarily deserved? In a very real way, the nature of our relationship with God involves our reception of a divine form of undeserved favor from Him toward us. We're being blessed because of the work Jesus has done on our behalf. We're being shown favor by God the Father through our union with Jesus Christ. It's an amazing reality to attempt to comprehend, and it's a concept the Lord goes to great lengths to illustrate all throughout the pages of Scripture. We see a powerful example of that favor in the second chapter of the book of Ruth.

In Ruth 2:1-13, we're told about some of the early experiences Naomi and Ruth had in Bethlehem after returning from the country of Moab. During those days, these women would have obviously been focused on attempting to get their lives established in this community after being gone so long. The basic tasks of finding shelter and sustenance would have been high on their list of priorities. It appears that they had a place to stay, so the next concern would have been obtaining food.

One of the things that amaze me about life in our country at present is how uncommon and out of place it feels to hear of someone going without food. It certainly happens, but it's more of an exception than a rule. Most people in our country have never gone a single day without food. In our country, it's not only common for the poorest among us to have three meals a day, but in many cases, obesity is a typical struggle for those living in poverty because of the kind of food they're eating and the fact that provisions are being made for calorie consumption through snacks and sugary drinks that essentially equate to the equivalent of five meals a day. Historically speaking, this is a very strange arrangement. To my knowledge, it has never before occurred in the history of the world.

At the time Naomi and Ruth were living, starvation was a very real possibility and a common form of death for the poor. The land had recently experienced a famine, and I'm guessing there were plenty of people who didn't survive it. Now that the famine had subsided and harvests were more plentiful, it was considered a real blessing to have sufficient food available to gather. And being that it was the time of the barley harvest, Ruth asked her mother-in-law's blessing to go, find a field that was being harvested, and glean among the ears of grain, provided that the land owner would allow her to do so. Naomi agreed to this request, and Ruth was providentially led to the field of Boaz who showed her great favor.

Under the laws of the Old Covenant, our compassionate Lord made various provisions for the care and feeding of those who were destitute and living in poverty. Landowners were instructed to allow the poor to gather grain around the edges of their fields along with anything that was dropped or left behind by the harvesters.

““When you reap the harvest of your land, you shall not reap your field right up to its edge, neither shall you gather the gleanings after your harvest.  And you shall not strip your vineyard bare, neither shall you gather the fallen grapes of your vineyard. You shall leave them for the poor and for the sojourner: I am the Lord your God.” ”

— Leviticus 19:9-10

It was under this premise that Ruth set out to collect grain to eat that day, but please keep in mind that even though the Lord clearly stated this rule in His word, there was no guarantee that a landowner was going to follow it. Just like all things in God's word, people can often be selective about what we choose to follow, particularly when we think it might cost us something. Having just come out of a famine, it wouldn't surprise me to learn that some landowners were quite hesitant to follow this requirement to the letter.

I see this as another example of Ruth's willingness to take steps of faith and trust the Lord to provide for her even though she considered herself a foreigner and undeserving of blessing. She was willing to experience rejection from landowners who might rebuke her attempt to glean in their fields. There was also a real risk that she could be endangering her physical well-being by putting herself in the proximity of harvesters who may have been men of low character and prone to assault a lovely young woman who visited the fields they were working in. Finding the right field to glean in, and not being assaulted while doing so, were forms of divine favor that Ruth would truly need to trust the Lord to supply if she was going to succeed in her mission to find food that day.

By the grace of God, Ruth "happened to come to the part of the field belonging to Boaz." That statement from Ruth 2:3 is somewhat entertaining to see when you're reading this story from the perspective that God was providentially guiding and directing Ruth's life. The reason she came to this part of the field was the same reason she was willing to follow Naomi from Moab to Bethlehem. The Spirit of God was leading Ruth. He was putting ideas in her mind and pointing her in the direction she should go.

We can also see the ways He was preparing the way for her because the story of her loyalty and kindness to Naomi had already reached Boaz's ears. He knew of her good reputation, and the Lord placed it upon his heart to show her abundant favor that would be a reflection of the favor and compassion the Lord delights to show His children. Not only did Boaz allow Ruth to glean in his field, he insisted that she not go anywhere else to do so. He gave her a place among the other women who gleaned there, instructed the men not to touch her, and insisted that she drink from the water that his servants had drawn whenever she thirsted.

Could you imagine being Ruth at the moment these words were being spoken to her? In recent days she had become a widow, left her country, moved to a foreign land, and was desperately attempting to gather enough food for both her and her mother-in-law to eat. Now she was being told that her needs would be provided for and she would be protected while receiving that provision. Ruth was overwhelmed with gratitude, and expressed her thankfulness with a great demonstration of the relief she felt.

“Then she fell on her face, bowing to the ground, and said to him, “Why have I found favor in your eyes, that you should take notice of me, since I am a foreigner?” ”

— Ruth 2:10

Have we experienced this same sense of relief in our relationship to Jesus? Can we say we've come to a place where we're overwhelmed with gratitude for the favor He has shown us and the provision we've received from Him, even though we once lived as His enemies and as foreigners to His promises?

Every one of the blessings Ruth received in the natural sense, parallels a deeper, eternal blessing we've received through Jesus.

We've been pointed in the direction we should go. Just as Ruth was being led to a new land and then to a specific field within that land, so too is the Holy Spirit leading us. He isn't leaving us to figure out life on our own. He steers every heart that's submitted over to Him and points us where we're called to go and toward whom we're called to meet along the way.

The way has been providentially prepared for us ahead of time. Just as Boaz was made aware of Ruth's kindness to Naomi and became predisposed to show her favor, so too is the Lord preparing the way for us. He's orchestrating circumstances for our benefit and care, and He's causing hearts to be favorably disposed toward us for the purpose of fulfilling His redemptive plan for humanity.

We're encouraged not to go anywhere else when looking for spiritual provision. Just as Ruth was told not to visit another field, so too are we encouraged not to glean from the idols and false gods of this fallen world. No one can satisfy our hearts like Jesus. Every other "field" will leave us hungry and empty.

We've been given a place among a new group of people. Just as Boaz insisted that Ruth be included among the young women he trusted, so too have we been made part of a new group. Our common union to Jesus through faith also unites us to one another. Through Jesus, we're grafted into a new family, the church.

We're being protected from the one who seeks to harm us. Just as Boaz instructed the men working in his fields not to harm or assault Ruth, so too are we protected from the one who seeks to harm us. Satan is active in this world, and he seeks to devour anyone he can, but Jesus has secured the ultimate victory over Satan by rising from death. That same resurrection power has been granted to us, and we will not be defeated by sin, Satan, or death.

Our deepest thirst is being satisfied through no effort of our own. Just as Ruth was invited to drink from the water drawn by the men who worked for Boaz, so too are we invited to have the deepest thirst of our souls satisfied by Jesus. He has done the hard work of paying for our sin. Now He invites us to share in the fruits of His victory and share in the fulfilling satisfaction that comes from a relationship with Him.

“Jesus said to her, “Everyone who drinks of this water will be thirsty again, but whoever drinks of the water that I will give him will never be thirsty again. The water that I will give him will become in him a spring of water welling up to eternal life.” ”

— John 4:13-14

© John Stange, 2022

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How long will you stay down on yourself?

*Read Ruth 1:19-22

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In addition to my pastoral ministry, I try to carve out time for several other side interests that the Lord has convinced me are part of my overall ministry and life mission. As He's created opportunities for me to learn more about things like writing, publishing, podcasting, entrepreneurship, and online platform development, I felt led to start a membership community geared toward helping others learn more about these subjects so they can use these skills in their ministries and businesses. On occasion, you've probably noticed me sharing things about that online.

This week, I hosted a two-day training event that was geared toward helping some of these ministry and business leaders develop their platforms in meaningful ways. It was exhausting and exhilarating at the same time, but it was also very interesting to see who was there and to learn more about the life stories of the men and women in attendance.

One of the women in particular recently went through a very rough stretch. She's dealt with some major upheaval in her family, changes to her work situation, and the need to move to a new community. In the time I've known her, I have watched her personality change from upbeat and involved to more serious and sometimes absent. In explaining why she's been somewhat absent for a season, she also explained that the Lord has been using the trials of this season of her life to foster renewal and a new perspective.

She explained that while she was down and discouraged, she didn't have a strong desire to be around others, but now, as she's been reinvesting in her walk with Jesus, she's watching as He's helping her bounce back from the trauma of this past year. She's plugged into a solid church in her community, committed to forming relationships through the small group discipleship program of her local church, and using her experiences to bless others through a refreshed online ministry that my wife and I have the privilege to assist her with.

I love her story, and I love seeing her devotion to Christ in the midst of the trauma she's bouncing back from because her experiences are very similar to what many of us have faced or will face at some point in our lives. It's very likely that somewhere during the course of your earthly journey, you're going to experience circumstances that may cause you to feel discouraged and dejected. And when that season comes, I'd like to know how long you plan on remaining in it? Some people get stuck in those seasons long after it's time for them to emerge from them. Many people struggle to believe there's a way out or a better season on the horizon.

I get the impression that Naomi was seriously struggling to see beyond her season of discouragement when I read Ruth 1:19-22. She was still mourning the death of her husband and sons, but now felt led to return from her sojourn in Moab and come back to her homeland of Bethlehem in Judah. It had been more than a decade since she had lived among her people, but now was the time for her to return as she tried to discern what to do with the rest of her life.

As Naomi returned to Bethlehem along with her daughter-in-law Ruth who promised to remain loyal to her for the rest of her life, we're told that the whole town was stirred by Naomi's reappearance. It had been a long time since they had seen her, and I'm sure many people were convinced they'd never see her again. Friends of hers and women she likely grew up with were shocked to see her again. I'm sure some of them were thrilled at her return, but I also suspect some of them were grieved when they grasped the severity of Naomi's circumstances.

When they had last seen her, she was happily married to Elimelech and they were raising their sons, Mahlon and Chilion together. Now, Naomi was without these men. She left Bethlehem with them, but returned without them. She left as a happily married wife and mother, but returned as a childless widow. The town was probably so "stirred" because they didn't really know how to feel. On one hand, they were happy to see their friend, but on the other hand, they were grieved when they heard about the pain Naomi had endured and was still enduring.

It's obvious that Naomi's pain was still pretty fresh in how she greeted the townspeople. When the women of the town asked, "Naomi, is it really you?", she told them, "Don't call me Naomi any longer. Call me Mara." The name "Naomi" means "pleasant", but "Mara" means "bitter." That's what she wanted them to understand about the state of her heart at the moment. She left years ago feeling full, but was returning to her people with a feeling of emptiness that she wasn't convinced was likely to improve anytime soon.

It's also clear from her words that she was convinced that much of what she was dealing with was because God's hand of judgment was against her. This calamity she was enduring was something she believed God had brought into her life and she was feeling bitter about it, so bitter that she didn't even like the sound of her own name. She didn't feel pleasant any longer, so she didn't want to be reminded of the season of life when she did.

Sometimes I have a hard time reading Naomi's words in this passage because the events being described here aren't theoretical fables. These are real things that happened to real people, and I feel sad when I think of what seems like a thoughtful and wonderful woman like Naomi going through all of this. It also tugs at my heart when I think about her going through the process of attempting to restart her life at an older age while her heart was still feeling so heavy.

Have you ever gone through a season of life that reminds you of the pain Naomi was clearly experiencing? How did you feel while you were in the midst of it? Did you try to hide yourself away from the attention of others for a while during your grief? Did you struggle with feelings of bitterness? Did you go through a season of blaming God for your circumstances and questioning whether or not He was punishing you for something?

One of the things we struggle with in this world is an understanding of the nature of love. We have a bad habit of confusing love for affection or infatuation. We often think of love as something conditional in nature instead of recognizing that true love involves seeking what's best for someone else, even at great personal cost to yourself.

It's possible that you have people in your life who primarily demonstrate a form of conditional love toward you that really isn't love at all. Some years ago, I started to realize that there are people in my life who "love" me as long as I can do something for them, but as soon as I can't continue serving them the way they initially expected, they're gone. Either they come at me with a few arrows or they completely disappear from my life.

Maybe you've dealt with the same exact thing. If so, has it had an impact on your understanding of the way the love of God works or the way He's at work in your life?

When you've been burned by the conditional love of people you once trusted, it can become challenging to accept that the love of God doesn't operate like the conditional love of man.

In man's economy, we're primarily focused on work and reward. In the Lord's economy, He certainly rewards the faithful labors of His children, but His economy has another level to it that can sometimes be hard for us to wrap our minds around. In God's economy, He delights to reward us for the work He's done on our behalf. He shows us love when we're seemingly unlovable and He graces us with blessings when we have nothing to offer Him in return.

The greatest example of how this all works is the grace of the Father that is shown to us through His Son, Jesus Christ. We had filthy rags to offer Him yet He showered us with the blessing of salvation. We rebelled against Him, yet Jesus was nailed to a cross to pay for our rebellion and continual running away from Him. The list of our offenses was so long and so heinous that there wasn't anything we could do to correct it, yet in His love, Jesus wipes the list clean for all who trust in Him so we can stand before the Father clothed in the righteousness of the Son. We were under condemnation, so Jesus took our condemnation upon Himself so we can appear before the Lord our Judge with no outstanding offense held against us. Praise God!

Just yesterday, I was scrolling through my social media and I came across the account of a police department from the town where my mother grew up. Whoever manages their social media channels has a lot of fun with what they post. Their community has become a dreadful area to commit a crime because if they find out who did it, your name and picture will be plastered all over the Internet.

Apparently, they just figured out who may have been at fault for a local hit-and-run accident so they made their discovery known this way. The post featured a picture of a local woman, and the text read as follows: "Chelsea, want to call us about your Red Ford Focus being involved in a hit & run so we can get your insurance information? Thanks." Now every single person in that community knows the first and last name of the woman who did this along with what she looks like. I don't know how she'll be able to continue living there if and when this situation eventually resolves.

There is going to come a day when every person is going to give an account for their life to God. Every detail is going to be laid bare and nothing that is hidden will remain hidden. When that day comes, those who reject Jesus will experience eternal condemnation and separation from the presence of God forever while those who trust Jesus and have received His gift of forgiveness will be reminded that there is no condemnation in store for them. They will be eternally welcomed into the presence and kingdom of their Creator.

““There is therefore now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus.” ”

— Romans 8:1

There is an additional reminder in Romans 8 that's important for us to remember, particularly as we study the book of Ruth and learn more about Naomi's story in the opening chapter. Romans 8:28 tells us, "And we know that for those who love God all things work together for good." That's a theme we're about to see throughout the rest of this book. It's a truth that combats bitterness. It's also something I hope we'll all remember if we're going through a season where we're feeling down and discouraged with no end in sight.

The Lord was about to drastically turn Naomi's situation around. Her bitterness was going to be replaced with joy. Her sorrow was about to be replaced with singing, and a small hint of the way the Lord was going to orchestrate that turnaround can be seen in the last verse of the first chapter of Ruth.

““So Naomi returned, and Ruth the Moabite her daughter-in-law with her, who returned from the country of Moab. And they came to Bethlehem at the beginning of barley harvest.” ”

— Ruth 1:22

Naomi has now returned to her homeland bringing Ruth her Moabite daughter-in-law with her. In God's sovereignty, He prompted them to return to the land at the perfect time. It was in the months of April or May when they arrived and the barley was ready to be harvested, and it was through a godly landowner with fields that needed harvesting that their story of gracious provision and redemption was going to continue.

I don't know if you're feeling down and discouraged over something right now, but I hope you'll remember the examples Scripture gives us of God's love and faithfulness to His people in the past. His love for you is no less than His love for them, and if you keep watching, you're going to eventually see how His plan for your life was always orchestrated for His glory, your best, and this world's redemption through Jesus.

© John Stange, 2022

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Going where the Spirit of God leads you

*Read Ruth 1:6-18 for background

When our hearts are submitted over to the Lord, and His will becomes our priority, we will desire things that aim to give Him glory. We will care about what matters to Him and notice things that are being pointed out to us by Him. As we seek to live in the center of His moral will, we will seek to follow His leading in all areas of life including what we do and where we go.

Throughout the course of my adult life, this is a question I regularly bring before the Lord. Am I doing what you want me to do and am I where you want me to be? At certain times in my adult life, I have wrestled with that decision, and usually, that was just prior to the Lord impressing upon my heart the desire to change something major about the nature of my service or role in ministry. Other times, I have operated with what seemed like absolute clarity about what He wanted me to do and where He wanted me to be.

At times, I think it can be healthy to wrestle with that subject because it can cause our faith to be stretched. It's a topic that causes us to trust the Lord while continuing to remain faithful to the task He's entrusted to us. It's also a topic that can force us to trust the Lord to show us new things as He presents open doors and new opportunities before us.

Ruth 1:6-18 presents a season like that for Naomi, Orpah, and Ruth. In a short period of time, these women had all lost their husbands. Now they were left with the difficult decision of what to do next. Should they remain united as a family and press on toward what the Lord would show them, or should they say their goodbyes and return to their families of origin?

At this season of life, Naomi was understandably discouraged and feeling bitter and disappointed about her circumstances. This wasn't the life she envisioned for herself when she was younger. When she and her husband got married, they probably had visions of a happy family life in the land of Judah where their sons would marry local girls, raise healthy and happy children, and their needs would be met through the Lord's provision as He blessed the work of their hands.

But famine in the land drove them to the country of Moab. Their sons married Moabite women, and all the men of the household died much younger than expected. Now Naomi was left with her daughters-in-law and forced to make decisions as the matriarch of this unconventional family.

Looking at her daughters-in-law, she advised them to do what seemed safest in the midst of the rough and godless culture they were living in. She strongly encouraged Orpah and Ruth to return to their birth families and start their lives over under the protective care of their mothers' households. They protested this suggestion, but with a little more prodding, Orpah agreed to go back to her family. Ruth, on the other hand, refused.

“And she said, “See, your sister-in-law has gone back to her people and to her gods; return after your sister-in-law.”  But Ruth said, “Do not urge me to leave you or to return from following you. For where you go I will go, and where you lodge I will lodge. Your people shall be my people, and your God my God.  Where you die I will die, and there will I be buried. May the Lord do so to me and more also if anything but death parts me from you.”  And when Naomi saw that she was determined to go with her, she said no more.”

— Ruth 1:15-18

When I read the story of these women, I'm not sitting in judgment on any of the decisions they made because it's easy to understand why they felt pressure to make these difficult choices. But it does warm my heart when I read Ruth's response and witness the demonstration of love and loyalty that she showed toward her mother-in-law. In reading her words and observing her actions, while also seeing the long-term effects of these choices that are outlined in Scripture, it's clear that Ruth was being led by the Holy Spirit to do what she did.

Ruth was intent on being one with Naomi's people. She was committed to worshiping Naomi's God, not the false gods of the Moabites that she had been raised to worship and likely worshipped in her youth. Ruth also committed herself to the Lord's hand of justice should she ever break the pledge she made to Naomi. I can't help but be impacted when I contemplate this demonstration of love and loyalty.

It vividly reminds me of the change we experience when we come to faith in Jesus Christ. Prior to knowing Him, we lived as foreigners and aliens to His promises and kingdom. But after coming to know Him, we are united to Him and become part of a new family, the church.

““Therefore remember that at one time you Gentiles in the flesh, called “the uncircumcision” by what is called the circumcision, which is made in the flesh by hands— remember that you were at that time separated from Christ, alienated from the commonwealth of Israel and strangers to the covenants of promise, having no hope and without God in the world.  But now in Christ Jesus you who once were far off have been brought near by the blood of Christ.” ”

— Ephesians 2:11-13

It would have been easy for Naomi and Ruth to say they were hopeless in this world, yet it's clear to me that Ruth saw a glimmer of hope in submitting her life to the leading of the true and living God. In Ephesians 2, Paul reminds us that at one time we were without hope and without God in this world, but now we have been brought near to God by the blood of Jesus that was shed for us. Through faith in Jesus, we experience spiritual reconciliation with our Creator. And in Jesus, our weary and worried souls find rest.

Where will we truly find rest?

““The Lord grant that you may find rest, each of you in the house of her husband!” Then she kissed them, and they lifted up their voices and wept.”

— Ruth 1:9

In the midst of their grief and worry, Naomi openly prayed that eventually Orpah and Ruth would find rest from their desperate situation in the house of a new husband. Obviously, Naomi meant well in saying this, but there is a deeper form of rest than what can be found in an earthly marriage or through ideal earthly circumstances. In fact, Scripture reminds us that our hearts can find everlasting rest even if our earthly circumstances feel far from ideal.

The kind of peace we need, a peace that surpasses all human understanding, is found in Jesus. We won't find that peace through anyone or anything less than Him.

In Augustine's Confessions, he made this prayerful reflection; "Because you have made us for Yourself, and our hearts are restless till they find their rest in Thee." Think about that comment for just a moment. Is Augustine's statement true? Is that what the Bible teaches? Absolutely.

““Come to me, all who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you, and learn from me, for I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light.””

— Matthew 11:28-30

Jesus' comments in Matthew 11 are some of His most quoted words, for good reason. In those words, He boils down the true nature of what the human heart is seeking. We're seeking to be unburdened. We're longing for rest for our souls, but we're struggling to find it. Then Jesus enters the picture and offers what we truly need from the only source that could meet that need. With divine compassion, Jesus looks at the weary and offers us rest in Him.

Remaining loyal may not be the safest thing to do, but it demonstrates genuine love.

Looking back at Ruth's words to Naomi, what else are we shown? What deeper-level principles are illustrated in her actions? Ruth could have taken a more culturally obvious path and returned to her family, but that's not what she chose to do. She chose the harder path. She made a decision that may not have seemed as safe as her other options. Ruth chose loyalty over safety. Remaining loyal may not be the safest thing to do, but it demonstrates genuine love.

In your walk with Jesus, are you demonstrating loyalty to Him that is the fruit of genuine love? Or, maybe it would be better to first ask, is Jesus demonstrating loyalty to you that is the fruit of His genuine love for you? In your lowest seasons, has He ever abandoned you? No, He hasn't. In your immature moments when you might have expected Him to be embarrassed to remain associated with you, did He ever leave? No, He remained.

““So now Jesus and the ones he makes holy have the same Father. That is why Jesus is not ashamed to call them his brothers and sisters.” ”

— Hebrews 2:11, NLT

Jesus didn't choose what was safe when He gave Himself to rescue us. He took the painful, but necessary path to the cross in order to make us holy, reconcile us to the Father, and unite us as family.

When the true God reveals Himself to you, there's no need to return to false gods and idols.

When we read the story of Naomi's daughters-in-law, there's a definite contrast being drawn in their responses to the trial at hand. Even though her decision came with tears and initial resistance, in the end, Orpah returned to the people she came from and the false gods they worshipped. But Ruth did not. Ruth drew a very distinct line in the sand that she would not cross. She refused to go back to where she came from and refused to bow the knee to the gods of the Moabites any longer.

I don't know how often you reflect upon your life before knowing Christ, but can you identify idols that gripped your heart during that season? Are they still gripping your heart, or are you ready to draw the kind of line Ruth drew? Will you try to find rest for your soul by going back to where you came from, or will you trust Jesus in this new season of life? Ruth's actions show us that when the true God reveals Himself to you, there's no need to return to the false gods and idols of your past.

Where is the Spirit of God leading you right now? Are you moving in the direction of His leading or does submitting your life to His leading frighten you? Here's the truth... He will never lead you where you'll be worse off for having followed Him. In the process of trusting Him and letting Him guide your life, you will grow, your faith will mature through testing, and the testimony of the great work He has done in your life will be used by Him to bolster the faith of your fellow brothers and sisters in Christ.

© John Stange, 2022

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You don't have to remain stuck where you are

““In the days when the judges ruled there was a famine in the land, and a man of Bethlehem in Judah went to sojourn in the country of Moab, he and his wife and his two sons.  The name of the man was Elimelech and the name of his wife Naomi, and the names of his two sons were Mahlon and Chilion. They were Ephrathites from Bethlehem in Judah. They went into the country of Moab and remained there.  But Elimelech, the husband of Naomi, died, and she was left with her two sons.  These took Moabite wives; the name of the one was Orpah and the name of the other Ruth. They lived there about ten years, and both Mahlon and Chilion died, so that the woman was left without her two sons and her husband.””

— Ruth 1:1-5, ESV

The book of Ruth is one of the best-loved books of the Bible. It's a book written from the perspective of women who were heartbroken and downcast, but remained faithful to the Lord and each other, and they watched the Lord dramatically turn their circumstances around. It's believed by many that the prophet Samuel wrote this book, while others believe it was compiled from oral traditions and penned in book form during the reign of King David, sometime after 1010 B.C.

When we take a deeper look at this book, we quickly see the redemptive hand of God at work throughout human history, even during the seasons when things seem darkest. This book illustrates God's compassionate care for His children. It illustrates His desire to bless Israel with a godly king. But most importantly, this book illustrates the detailed, long-term objective of God the Father to send His Son, Jesus Christ, into this world to rescue and redeem all who will trust in Him.

As we study the content of this book together, please notice God's hand in the immediate circumstances that are being described, but also keep asking the question, "How is this passage trying to point my eyes and my heart toward Jesus?", because that's the bigger objective this brief book is attempting to help us understand.

The book of Ruth begins with a troubling account of Elimelech, Naomi, and the trials and tragedies their family experienced. For starters, we're told that they lived in the time of the judges. This was a time during the history of Israel before it was ruled by kings. During that time, Spirit-empowered leaders that the Lord raised up and anointed for the task led the people for a total of 480 years.

To give you a picture of what it was like during that time period, look at what we're told in Judges 2:16-19...

““Then the Lord raised up judges, who saved them out of the hand of those who plundered them.  Yet they did not listen to their judges, for they whored after other gods and bowed down to them. They soon turned aside from the way in which their fathers had walked, who had obeyed the commandments of the Lord, and they did not do so.  Whenever the Lord raised up judges for them, the Lord was with the judge, and he saved them from the hand of their enemies all the days of the judge. For the Lord was moved to pity by their groaning because of those who afflicted and oppressed them.  But whenever the judge died, they turned back and were more corrupt than their fathers, going after other gods, serving them and bowing down to them. They did not drop any of their practices or their stubborn ways.” ”

— Judges 2:16-19

That doesn't sound like a very pleasant time to live. It was a time characterized by taking the Lord's blessings for granted. It was a time when people would gravitate toward the detestable practices of the false gods of their neighbors. And even though the Lord would raise up judges who would lead the people, fight on their behalf, and rescue them from the hands of their oppressors, the people kept embracing worldly corruption and hardening their hearts toward the Lord.

That's the culture Elimelech, Naomi and their family lived in. In addition to that, during their day, famine was ravaging the land, and Elimelech genuinely feared his family would starve, so they took a temporary sojourn from Bethlehem in Judah to the land of Moab in the hopes that they'd be able to find and produce food there. Moab was located across the Dead Sea from Judah, but it was also a country that had been an enemy of Israel. Certainly not the kind of place you'd want to move to unless you absolutely had to.

When you read the story of Elimelech's family in the early verses of this book, it seems like they just couldn't catch a break. Sometime after moving to Moab, Elimelech died. This left Naomi without a husband, but at least she still had their two sons, Mahlon and Chilion to care for her. As their sojourn in the land morphed into a long-term living arrangement, her sons got married to Moabite women, something I'm guessing wasn't part of her original desire for them when they were first born, but somehow they all made it work for about ten years.

Then tragedy struck again. We aren't told how, but both of Naomi's sons died. This left Naomi and her Moabite daughters-in-law, Orpah and Ruth, left to figure out what to do next and how to navigate this next season of their lives. This was a hard time for women to live without the provision and protection of a man. It was a violent time. It was also an era of history when women were often treated like property. I think it's fair to say that these women felt desperate and fearful, but as this story unfolds, we're going to be shown the merciful ways the Lord chose to provide for them and give them a better life than they had before.

***

Are you feeling stuck in a spot you thought you were only visiting?

When Elimelech, Naomi and their family first left Bethlehem to go to Moab, I don't get the impression that they expected to be there a while. Their visit is first described as a "sojourn," but then we're told they "remained there," and finally we're told that Moab is where they "lived." Do you see the progression? Have you ever observed that same progression taking place in your life? Are there times when you've become stuck in a spot you thought you were only visiting?

That same kind of gradual progression is described in Psalm 1 regarding the way we tend to grow familiar with the presence of sin in our lives.

““Blessed is the man who walks not in the counsel of the wicked, nor stands in the way of sinners, nor sits in the seat of scoffers; but his delight is in the law of the Lord, and on his law he meditates day and night.” ”

— Psalm 1:1-2

I think it's fair to say that many followers of Christ would say they aim to follow the teaching of God's word, and their long-term goal is to learn to genuinely delight in the law of the Lord, but the presence of habitual sin seems to be robbing them of that delight. How does sin become habitual? How does it go from being a curiosity that we're dabbling with to a foothold in our lives?

The psalmist describes the pattern in Psalm 1. The pattern involves walking toward it, standing near it, and sitting in it. That's how dabbling becomes a habit and curiosities become addictions. But Jesus can set us free from it all.

Just the other day, I was speaking to Dylan Jarvis, a recording artist from Memphis, TN. The music he's creating is great, but his life story has had its ups and downs. For years, he battled with an addiction to heroin and that addiction led him to criminal activity and a 30-year prison sentence. In prison, he called out to Jesus and experienced a radical transformation. He now testifies that the Lord supernaturally delivered him from his addictions and his desire to live in rebellion toward God. When Dylan was blessed with an early release, he dedicated his time and his musical talent to singing about Jesus who set him free. I believe the power of Jesus is sufficient to set us free from our addictions and habitual sins as well.

***

What would happen if you treated your entire earthly life as a sojourn?

I think sometimes we get so caught up in the things of this world because this is the only world our natural eyes have seen. We get so caught up in wanting the things of this world and believing that this world can satisfy the deepest desires of our souls that we stop looking toward the greater kingdom the Lord assures us we're part of and will live in forever.

What would happen if instead of treating this world like it's our final destination, we started treating our entire earthly life like a sojourn, a temporary living arrangement in a foreign land? What would we learn to value? How would we treat people? How would the affections of our hearts be impacted?

If we treated our time on this earth like a sojourn, I think we'd be more likely to stop looking to the things of this world to satisfy the deepest cravings of our souls. The oldest and wisest Christians can tell you that nothing in this world was capable of satisfying their hearts like Jesus. Just think about the list of things we crave because we're convinced we'll be satisfied by them. We seek inner peace from marriage, children, riches, possessions, cars, vacations, dream houses, sports, hobbies, sexual pleasures, food, alcohol, exercise, video games, our appearance, status, and retirement. Yet every one of those things can change, be taken away, or even hurt you.

But when you have Jesus, you have what you truly need. He won't leave you and you won't regret trusting Him with your life.

““The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy. I came that they may have life and have it abundantly.””

— John 10:10

***

Can you see beyond your trials and tragedies while you're still experiencing them?

When you read the opening verses of the book of Ruth, and really think about the fact that those verses are describing the actual hardships and heartbreaks of real people, you can't help but feel their pain like it's happening to you. Their story is one that could easily leave you asking, "Why would the Lord allow so much pain to impact a family in such a short period of time?"

Over the course of this weekend, I spent time at two very different events. One was joyful while the other provoked feelings of sorrow. And I couldn't help but feel impacted by the drastic difference between the two. On Friday evening, my wife and I attended a wedding for a family member. There was singing, dancing, and hours of celebration. Then, just a few hours later on Saturday morning, we attended the funeral of a good friend who roomed with me in college.

At that funeral, I heard his wife, daughter, and friends testify to the impact he had on their lives. We cried, but we also reminded each other that the Lord has bigger plans than we can often wrap our minds around in our moments of grief. But even though our hearts were heavy, we expressed our confidence in the Lord and in His redemptive plan for our friend and for all who trust in Jesus by faith.

The longer I walk with Jesus, the more He's been teaching me that I can trust Him to restore all things and bring all things together for our good. He's been teaching me that I don't have to wait for everything to resolve for me to have confidence in His plan. He's been teaching me that I can trust Him even while things look messy and unsettled. He's helping me to see beyond my trials and tragedies even while I'm still in the midst of experiencing them.

This was a lesson he was teaching Naomi and Ruth as well. It's a lesson that we're going to have the privilege to learn with them as we study the pages of this book together and read the unfolding story these pages contain.

It's also a lesson that the Lord will impress upon our hearts as we yield our plans, dreams, ambitions, and expectations at His feet. Earthly life rarely works out the way we thought it would, but it always works out the way it should in order to produce the greatest good. I hope our study of this book in the coming weeks will help you see that truth in a new and deeper way.

© John Stange, 2022

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Don't fear the next step of faith the Lord asks you to take

Your fear might be evidence of faith in use

“In the month of Nisan, in the twentieth year of King Artaxerxes, when wine was before him, I took up the wine and gave it to the king. Now I had not been sad in his presence.  And the king said to me, “Why is your face sad, seeing you are not sick? This is nothing but sadness of the heart.” Then I was very much afraid.  I said to the king, “Let the king live forever! Why should not my face be sad,when the city, the place of my fathers’ graves, lies in ruins, and its gates have been destroyed by fire?” ”

— Nehemiah 2:1-3

There are a series of people in human history that I have an extra dose of respect for and from time to time, I have considered framing portraits of them and hanging them around my office for inspiration. And if I had to boil down the essence of my admiration for these historical figures, I would say that my admiration of them springs from the fact that they were people of great faith that coupled their faith with brave or unconventional action.

Nehemiah follows that pattern and as this chapter opens up, we're shown a picture of Nehemiah fulfilling his role as the king's cupbearer. This was a trusted position and Nehemiah would taste the food and drink of the king to make certain it was safe for the king to consume before he ate it. Nehemiah was fulfilling this role like always, but the king noticed something very different about Nehemiah's facial expression. Nehemiah was indeed sad and heartbroken over the condition of Jerusalem, and the king inquired about this.

So in this moment, the most powerful man on earth asked Nehemiah to share from his heart. He wanted to know what was troubling him. We're told in this passage that this moment prompted fear in Nehemiah's heart, but he answered the king anyway and he respectfully explained to the king that the city of his forefathers was in ruins with gates that had been destroyed by fire.

This is an interesting way for this chapter to open up. It's clear that Nehemiah had a heart for what mattered to the Lord. It's also clear that Nehemiah was a man of faith, prayer and action as we'll continue to see. But we're also given a very "human" or down-to-earth kind of glimpse of Nehemiah in this passage. In his own words, he says that he was "very much afraid." What do you think about this? Can a person be both fearful and faithful?

It's clear from Scripture that the Lord is pleased by faith, (Heb. 11:1-3, Gal. 2:20). So what place can fear play in the life of a believer? Does it somehow make you less of a believer if you experience fear? Was Nehemiah spiritually immature because he wrestled with fear?

The truth is that in many cases, the presence of fear may be evidence of our faith being put to use. We're stepping into unfamiliar territory, we're fighting our natural instincts, we're placing ourselves in a spot that causes us to be stretched beyond what we've been accustomed to. If you're listening to God's voice and taking steps of faith as He nudges you, the presence of fear might actually be a form of confirmation that you aren't shrinking back from your mission to safe and familiar places. I'm not saying fear is a good thing, but in this kind of context it can be evidence that we're fighting against our natural impulses so that we can do the very thing God is calling us to do.

““To fight fear, act. To increase fear - wait, put off postpone.””

— David Joseph Schwartz

Your prayers don't have to be long to be genuine

“Then the king said to me, “What are you requesting?” So I prayed to the God of heaven.  And I said to the king, “If it pleases the king, and if your servant has found favor in your sight, that you send me to Judah, to the city of my fathers’ graves, that I may rebuild it.” ”

— Nehemiah 2:4-5

As Nehemiah poured out his heart before the king, the king could see that this was more than just a moment for Nehemiah to vent his feelings. It was clear that Nehemiah felt burdened to act on what was troubling him. And the king asked Nehemiah the kind of question that everyone on this earth at the time would have given just about anything to be asked. He asked, "What are you requesting?"

Keep in mind that at this point in history, Artaxerxes was not just a powerful king, he was the most powerful king on the earth. At his disposal were armies, money, people and resources that were required by law to obey his directives. No one had as much at their disposal as Artaxerxes and no one on earth could command as much to take place as he could.

Nehemiah knew that for the work that needed to be done in Jerusalem to be accomplished, he would need the help and favor of the king. And we can see here that the Lord had been working in the king's heart to be favorably disposed to help Nehemiah and the mission that God had entrusted to Nehemiah's oversight.

So when the king asked Nehemiah, "What are you requesting?," Nehemiah did something that I'm guessing many of us can identify with. He quickly prayed. Can you identify with this? Has your car ever hydroplaned or slipped on ice and you've prayed, "Lord, help!"? Has one of your small children ever slipped away from you and for a moment you experienced the fear of having no idea where they were? That's another "Lord, help!" kind of moment.

Some people mistakenly believe that for prayer to be effective, it needs to be accompanied by a display of your grasp of the English language from the Shakespearian era. I know a man who is a genuinely nice guy, but he speaks "everyman's English." He uses a lot of slang and the kind of vernacular that makes it very easy to pinpoint that he's from a particular region of NY. But when he's asked to pray out loud in front of a group, he turns into an orator with a mastery of Old English. Every reference to "you" is changed to "thee" and every verb receives the suffix "est". Know becomes "knowest". Think becomes "thinkest." But what did Jesus tell us in Mark 12:38-40?

“Jesus also taught: “Beware of these teachers of religious law! For they like to parade around in flowing robes and receive respectful greetings as they walk in the marketplaces.  And how they love the seats of honor in the synagogues and the head table at banquets. Yet they shamelessly cheat widows out of their property and then pretend to be pious by making long prayers in public. Because of this, they will be more severely punished.””

— Mark 12:38-40

The point is that the Lord isn't impressed by a show. Your prayers and my prayers don't have to be long and showy to be genuine. The Lord invites us to come into His presence, confident that because of the shed blood of Jesus, we're welcomed before Him. And He invites us to appreciate Him, confess to Him, thank Him and make requests of Him. It doesn't have to be complicated or fancy. It just has to be genuine. Nehemiah made a genuine, but quick request before the Lord that was in line with the Lord's will. The Lord delights to say "yes" to requests that are in line with His purposes and plans.

Your faithfulness can be used by God to accomplish great things

“While walking by the Sea of Galilee, he saw two brothers, Simon (who is called Peter) and Andrew his brother, casting a net into the sea, for they were fishermen. And he said to them, “Follow me, and I will make you fishers of men.” Immediately they left their nets and followed him.”

— Matthew 4:18-20

The character, faithfulness and reputation that the Lord creates in your life once you follow Him can be a very useful tool in His hand to accomplish His purposes on this earth. Reputation is an important thing and our reputation is forged in the minds of others not based on what we say or claim to believe, but by how we act on those beliefs.

Nehemiah loved the Lord and took steps of faith as the Lord directed him. Peter and Andrew responded in faith when Jesus invited them to follow Him. The Lord can use our lives as well to do great and mighty things when we submit our will, ambitions, and dreams to His Lordship. If He impresses upon your heart to act, will you act? If He tells you to move, will you go? If there's a task He sets in your mind to accomplish, will you obey Him?

When I was in college, the Lord changed my plans. At the time, I was studying to become a history teacher, but then I got hired by a local church as their youth director, and I would often preach for the senior pastor when he went a way. Through that experience, and through the encouragement of other Christian leaders and friends, the Lord made it clear to me that He was calling me to serve as a pastor instead.

I was friends with another pastor, a man named Gene Martin who was the pastor of Newtown Community Church, and I told him about my change of plans. He replied, "That's great news. Do me a favor. Start showing up at my church on occasion. I'm getting ready to retire and I'd like my congregation to get to know you a little. I'm going to recommend they call you to serve here once I'm gone."

I loved that idea, and I spent much of my remaining time in college daydreaming about the possibility of serving at his church. The timing of his retirement didn't end up lining up with my graduation like he initially thought, so I accepted the call to serve elsewhere, but the idea of serving at his church never left my mind. Looking back, I believe that was the seed of an idea God was planting in my heart.

After Gene eventually retired, Newtown Community Church went through a series of leadership changes and short-term pastoral tenures. In the midst of all that transition, the church lost momentum and eventually trickled down to just a few people. That small group reached out to a mission board I was serving on and asked for some guidance. They asked, "Should we officially close the church and sell the building? Could the proceeds be used toward mission work and church planting? Could a new church be planted here?"

The remnant of people who were left invited the mission board to meet with them, so we drove down and met. Some of the problems the church was facing were obvious, others weren't as clear. There were about six adults still committed to the ministry and they were open to suggestions. I remember saying at the time that I wish I could be two people. One to continue serving with the ministry I was serving at, and another who could come and attempt to plant the new church. The more I prayed about it through, the more the Lord made it clear to me that He was calling me to leave familiar and comfortable surroundings, uproot my family, move to Langhorne, Pennsylvania, and attempt to replant the church and build something new in partnership with the remnant of people who were left.

After praying as a family and seeking the advice of trusted friends and mentors, the Lord made it clear to each of us that this was His will, so we enthusiastically took that step of faith, sold our home, and moved to the new community. We spent the first two years attempting to build up a core group of leaders and volunteers while making some updates and changes to the building. Then, in September 2010, we gave the church its new name, Core Creek Community Church, and announced our grand opening to the community.

I remember those initial years vividly and fondly. We watched as the congregation grew from less than 10 people, to 20, 40, 65, back to 40, then 70 and 80. I remember looking at the empty parking lot and praying that the Lord would one day fill it with people longing to hear the message of the Gospel and desirous of trusting and following Jesus.

In the meantime, the Lord has answered those prayers. He's rewarded steps of faith that our family, the initial group of volunteers, and the ongoing chain of church members have taken throughout the years. Just last week, 171 people joined us for worship. We completely ran out of parking. And more people than ever, both adults and children, have been coming to faith in Jesus and surrendering their lives over to His leadership and care.

I share all of that to celebrate the work the Lord has done and the work He's continuing to do. I also want to express this personal testimony as something I hope you'll think about if the Lord ever asks you to interrupt your routine to answer His calling to build or rebuild. We celebrate Nehemiah's faith and obedience. We celebrate Peter and Andrew's response to Christ's invitation as well. Let's use their stories to inspire steps of faith in our lives as well.

Here's what the Lord has shown us in the process of saying "yes" to His calling.

• It wasn't easy, but it has been good.

• He will make you strong when you need strength and provide encouragement when you're feeling low.

• He will surround you with people who are willing to join you on the mission.

• He is responsible for the fruit that comes from the labor. Some of that fruit is obvious and can be easily counted, but most of that fruit isn't something you can easily count or quantify because it's fruit that's operating on a spiritual level that you may not be able to directly observe.

• You can trust Jesus with your life and what He chooses to do with it.

So if the Lord ever impresses upon your heart to go in a direction that may stretch you, to build or rebuild something, make up your mind ahead of time to respond favorably. He will use your life to directly impact others, and that impact is something that will most certainly have positive eternal consequences. When you look back over the long-term results that come from obeying the Lord when He asks you to take steps of faith, I think you'll be able to testify, just like Nehemiah did, that the good hand of your God was upon your life.

© John Stange, 2022

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A life that's set against God comes to nothing

Throughout Psalm 112, important traits of a person who has yielded their life over to the Lord have been demonstrated. We're told that such a person fears the Lord, delights in His commandments, invests in the next generation, experiences material blessings, walks in righteousness, demonstrates grace and mercy, shows generosity, isn't easily shaken, doesn't fear bad news, trusts the Lord, experiences divinely orchestrated victories, cares for the poor, and is lifted up in honor. That's the kind of life I want to live because that's the kind of life that brings glory to Jesus.

But as you and I well know, many people in this world hold to a completely different set of values. In their pursuit of what they believe is the best this world can offer, they've rejected God and attempted to suppress any knowledge of Him or any admission of His existence. Instead of embracing Him and walking in His ways, they've carved out a path that can be characterized as being set against Him. It's a path that comes to nothing. It's a road that leads to shame, embarrassment, and being forgotten.

Sadly, we've all probably watched people we care about choose that path. I have been blessed with a diverse set of family and friends, and while we love each other, we aren't all headed in the same direction. Some of the people I love, deeply love the Lord and trust Him to direct the course their lives are taking. Others are still going their own way and testing how hard they can push against the will of God before He responds in some fashion.

Years ago, a member of my extended family decided to tell me his opinions about my decision to answer God's calling on my life. He said, "I realize following the kind of path you're on appeals to you, but that kind of life just doesn't interest me. I'm interested in different things." He then proceeded to take a very predictable direction with his life that included addiction, adultery, abandonment, and the love of money. He received everything he chased after and it only cost him his self-respect, the respect of his family, peace of mind, and most of what he earned. Now he's depressed, lonely, and scared, but he still shakes his fists at God.

I am more convinced than ever that a life that's set against God comes to nothing. It's fruitless and wasted. It's a life that misses the point of its own existence. We were created to glorify God and enjoy Him forever, not ignore Him while despising those who choose to follow Him. The psalmist makes that clear in Psalm 112:10 when he states, "The wicked man sees it and is angry; he gnashes his teeth and melts away; the desire of the wicked will perish!"

Your life is being observed. Your devotion to Jesus is being witnessed by those who are curious. Your response to God's offer of salvation and process of sanctification is being watched by others. Some will eventually see the light and invite God to do the same in their lives, but many will reject the work God is doing in you. They'll gnash their teeth against it and fume with anger. They'll speak against the ways God is blessing the fruit of your faith, and they'll keep going their own way while wondering why they aren't experiencing similar blessings.

The other day I saw a video that was hosted by a news reporter. She was filming what she would consider to be a "social experiment." It was a video of two separate groups and how they responded to the presence of strangers. One group welcomed strangers into their midst, while the other group seethed with anger at their presence. As I watched the "seething" group, I couldn't help but see a picture of the posture of the person who is bent on wickedness like the psalmist describes. I saw anger, jealousy, and threats.

But what comes of a life that's spent pursuing wickedness? What comes of the threats levied by the wicked against those who trust the Lord? Eventually, those people fade away and their wicked desires and accusations fade with them.

““Evil is easy, and has infinite forms””

— Blaise Pascal

Sometimes, it's easy to look at present-day culture and be filled with dread. Those who know Jesus have a sensitivity toward sin and righteousness that's placed in their heart by the indwelling presence of the Holy Spirit. He's helping us see ourselves, other people, and this world with brand new eyes. We're learning to see this world from God's perspective, but we often have moments that spark alarm because it's easy to mistakenly believe that things will never get better. We understand the Lord's heart for His creation, but we watch what He created continually rebel against Him, and it troubles us.

I'm grateful, however, that the Lord helps us see that there's more to life than what we're presently observing on this rebellious planet. It may seem like wickedness is flourishing, but the day is coming when it will be done away with forever. In the meantime, we're called to live in hope. We're called to look forward to the day when Jesus will return and restore this fallen world.

While we wait for that day, what should we be doing? If we truly desire to walk by faith in Jesus and live a life that brings Him glory, what posture should we take? How should we respond to those who may gnash their teeth at us because they disapprove of our devotion to Christ and the character He's developing within us?

Don't participate in evil

For starters, I think we can set our hearts on choosing not to participate in the darkness this world has been embracing. The Apostle Paul gives us this counsel in his letter to the Ephesians, "Take no part in the unfruitful works of darkness, but instead expose them." (Ephesians 5:11).

Even though our greater desire is to follow Christ, there's a part of each of us that still finds wickedness tempting. We're curious about it. Sometimes we mistakenly think we can dip our toes in the gator-infested waters of wickedness without getting bit, but that's foolishness. Blaise Pascal, when quoting Augustine regarding this issue said, "St. Augustine teaches us that there is in each man a Serpent, an Eve, and an Adam. Our senses and natural propensities are the Serpent; the excitable desire is the Eve; and reason is the Adam. Our nature tempts us perpetually; criminal desire is often excited; but sin is not completed till reason consents."

So the dilemma for us is whether we will give in to our lesser desires to participate in darkness, or expose those desires to the light of Christ's gospel and follow Him. The world may bark at you for walking in the light, but don't be intimidated by the sound of those voices. Expose the deeds of darkness so they can be seen for what they really are. Don't talk yourself into giving into them because you've glazed over sin's downside.

Guard your mind

The things our minds are being fed will eventually come out in our lives. The fruit of our mental diets eventually becomes apparent. You will see what my mind has been ingesting and dwelling upon in the way I respond to trials, in the kind of speech that proceeds from my mouth, and in the ways I interact with others.

Satan would love nothing more than to gain access to your mind and influence your thought life because he knows that this is how wickedness is propagated. With this in mind, the Holy Spirit inspired Paul to challenge believers to stay on guard against our minds being infiltrated. We've been told, "We destroy arguments and every lofty opinion raised against the knowledge of God, and take every thought captive to obey Christ," (2 Corinthians 10:5).

Are you utilizing the power the Holy Spirit grants you to take your thoughts captive to obey Christ, or are you letting your thought life run wild? Are you feeding your mind a steady diet of God's Word or a steady diet of worldliness? Are you surrounding yourself with people who point your mind toward Jesus or is the company you keep attempting to drive you further and further away from Him?

One of the best opportunities you'll be given each day to fill your mind with Christ-honoring inspiration is found in the morning. You can shape a part of your morning routine to purposely include gospel-infused music, teaching, and prayer. I'm convinced that the easiest time to do that is while the rest of the world is still quiet and not yet awake.

Growing up, I had several jobs, but one of my favorites was delivering newspapers. I would wake up every morning at 4:50 AM and deliver the paper to 83 local homes. I loved it because I felt like I was the only one awake. I could breathe the morning air, jog throughout multiple neighborhoods, and spend time in prayer without anyone interrupting my train of thought. Even now as an adult, I have realized that when I want to spend time in concentrated thought, prayer, or study, it happens best during the margins of the day when the rest of the world is sleeping.

Live in obedience

In the book of Job, Job's friends attempt to give him all kinds of advice. Some of their counsel shows that they didn't fully understand what was taking place in Job's life behind the scenes, but even though that was the case, there are some interesting statements made by Job's friends in that book.

One statement that I find particularly interesting was made by Job's friend, Eliphaz. Eliphaz described the hearts and actions of those who set themselves against the Lord like this, "For they shake their fists at God, defying the Almighty." (Job 15:25, NLT).

That's the kind of posture toward God the psalmist is speaking of in Psalm 112. It's a posture taken by someone trying to act as if they're sovereign. It's what happens when we're trying to live like we're our own god.

But the man of character in Psalm 112 isn't shaking his fists at God. He's reaching his arms out to God and welcoming God's embrace. He realizes that this world may mock his desire to obey the Lord, but he chooses obedience anyway. It's an obedience that's the fruit of genuine faith. It's an obedience that comes right back to revering the Lord and delighting in the truth of His word like the psalmist expressed at the very beginning of this psalm.

A lesson learned

In general, I think I'm a pretty strong-willed person. I'm usually polite about it, but it's hard to budge me once I'm convinced about something. That has worked to my benefit and my detriment, depending on my season of life. More than once, I have made the mistake of setting my heart against the Lord while convincing myself that there wouldn't be a consequence for doing so. I was wrong. There's always a consequence for rebellion.

I have also experienced the blessing of living in submission to the lordship of Jesus. When I submit to Him, I experience greater peace. When I submit to Him, my mind stays in a better place. When I submit myself to Him, I witness better fruit coming forth from my life.

You can set your life against the Lord if you choose, but I promise you'll eventually regret that decision. A life that's set against Him comes to nothing. But if you want to live a life that's characterized by the blessings and outcomes we've been shown in Psalm 112, submit your mind, heart, ambitions, and intentions over to Jesus. He will steer your life in the right direction. He will soften your hard heart and ultimately replace it with a heart that remains sensitive to His leading.

The world may mock you, but Christ desires to embrace you and lift you up. Invite Him to reach into your life and do just that.

© John Stange, 2022

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How to really help the poor

The subject of poverty is difficult to discuss. Many of us have our minds made up about its causes and remedies, and that makes it challenging for us to hear or accept different perspectives on the issue. Some of us have grown up in a state of poverty, and that makes it a sensitive issue for us personally. Some of us have never experienced poverty, and because of that, we may wrestle with a sense of guilt or a desire to alleviate the poverty of others because we feel shame for not having endured similar experiences.

Poverty can be challenging to discuss in the church as well, for some of these same reasons. Most churches have some sort of program or system to address poverty. Those programs tend to work best when they are applied to people who accept help while being honest about their situation and allowing themselves to experience some level of community and accountability with others.

Quite frequently, the programs churches have put together to help the poor are taken advantage of. Believe it or not, in my decades as a pastor, the majority of calls we received were from people asking for money. Most of the time, their requests were not sincere. Often, it would come to light that the people making those requests were spending more time calling churches and creating elaborate and untrue stories of financial hardship than they were spending time working.

Many of us who have experienced financial hardships have a genuine desire to help those who are in need, and Scripture encourages us to do that, but what's the best approach to take? Do different circumstances require different approaches? When you're offering financial assistance to someone, do you want to know if their need is real or if you're being swindled because that person has a wicked and destructive plan for the use of your gift?

When it comes to poverty, there are three ways I look at it. I believe there's a form of financial poverty you can't control, and in those instances, I think followers of Christ should do their best to step up and meet those needs. I also believe there's a form of financial poverty you can control, and since you have the power to control it, you should do everything you can to step up and meet your own needs. And in addition to financial poverty, Jesus addressed the greatest poverty of all, spiritual poverty. Ultimately, only He can meet that need.

When the psalmist described a person of character in Psalm 112:9, and how he responded to poverty, he commented, "He has distributed freely; he has given to the poor; his righteousness endures forever; his horn is exalted in honor." I love the example of godly compassion we're given in this passage.

This psalm describes the blessing of helping those who are dealing with the kind of poverty they can't control. Situations like that arise all the time. We're all probably familiar with forms of poverty that have come upon people suddenly because of tragedy, illness, natural disasters, or unforeseen personal circumstances. Mature believers see these moments as opportunities to demonstrate the compassion of Christ.

““Nothing that you have not given away will ever really be yours.” ”

— C.S. Lewis

Several months ago, friends of ours were sitting at home when a tornado formed and completely obliterated their property. Their entire house was ripped apart, down to the foundation. None of it was left standing and everyone was physically injured. By God's grace, they all survived, and it has been a beautiful thing to see the church step up to help them with housing, food, and financial help as they've been trying to rebuild their lives.

Scripture is clear that the Lord Himself looks with compassion on the needs of those who are materially or financially destitute. His desire is to see His children mirror His compassionate heart by meeting needs as best as they can. As we're told in Proverbs 31:8-9, "Open your mouth for the mute, for the rights of all who are destitute. Open your mouth, judge righteously, defend the rights of the poor and needy." It's God's desire that we defend the rights of the poor, notice their needs, and attempt to alleviate their suffering.

““To me, a faith in Jesus Christ that is not aligned with the poor...it’s nothing.” ”

— Bono

I think we can proactively serve the poor in multiple ways. When the Lord blesses us, we can be generous with those blessings. When the Lord gives us the opportunity to speak up on someone else's behalf, we can and should. The Lord may even inspire us to organize programs and ministries to help groups of people on a larger scale. My heart is genuinely warmed when I see believers step up to meet needs like these.

But what should we do when we encounter the kind of poverty that can be controlled? How should we respond to poverty that comes about, not because of uncontrollable circumstances, but because of recklessness, irresponsibility, sloth, deceit or the rejection of wisdom? I think we have an obligation to help in those areas as well. We can pray. We can educate. And we can stop enabling ungodly behavior.

We live in an interesting period of history. During most periods of history, if you were living in poverty, there wasn't much of a social safety net to help you. Apart from the church, your family, or a compassionate stranger, you didn't have many options to help if you hit hard times. In the present day, however, assisting the poor has become a duty we've come to expect our governmental systems to handle. We've accepted the premise that it's the government's responsibility to fix these problems, but from what you've seen, is that approach working?

I would contend that many of our governmental systems that were established under the premise of helping the poor are actually making poverty worse. They're creating more poverty. Some of those systems financially subsidize the destruction of the nuclear family, reward laziness, and encourage crime and community blight. And sadder still is that there are leaders who keep promising more and more of this in the hopes that the unethical distribution of unearned money will help them obtain votes so they can remain in power longer. It's wicked, and instead of actually helping, these programs and systems seem to be keeping "the poor" poor instead of lifting them out of poverty.

““I am for doing good to the poor, but I differ in opinion about the means. I think the best way of doing good to the poor is not making them easy in poverty, but leading or driving them out of it.” ”

— Benjamin Franklin

Scripture speaks about the poverty that we can control in very stark terms. It often equates it with laziness, lack of ambition, and poor character.

““Love not sleep, lest you come to poverty; open your eyes, and you will have plenty of bread.””

— Proverbs 20:13

““A little sleep, a little slumber, a little folding of the hands to rest, and poverty will come upon you like a robber, and want like an armed man.” ”

— Proverbs 24:33-34

The church should be known for our love, not for our laziness. It should never be able to be said of us that we spent our lives napping even though the Lord gave us opportunities and abilities to serve and contribute. But unfortunately, the mindset of this world can easily creep into the church if we aren't careful. The Apostle Paul felt the need to address that very problem when he wrote to the Thessalonians.

"Now we command you, brothers, in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, that you keep away from any brother who is walking in idleness and not in accord with the tradition that you received from us. 7 For you yourselves know how you ought to imitate us, because we were not idle when we were with you, 8 nor did we eat anyone's bread without paying for it, but with toil and labor we worked night and day, that we might not be a burden to any of you. 9 It was not because we do not have that right, but to give you in ourselves an example to imitate. 10 For even when we were with you, we would give you this command: If anyone is not willing to work, let him not eat. 11 For we hear that some among you walk in idleness, not busy at work, but busybodies. 12 Now such persons we command and encourage in the Lord Jesus Christ to do their work quietly and to earn their own living."
(2 Thes. 3:6-12)

We can't control how the rest of the world chooses to live their lives, but we can exercise Spirit-empowered self-control that enables us to demonstrate a Christ-honoring work ethic that helps us earn the resources we need to meet the needs of our family, financially support the work the Lord is doing in this world, and compassionately assist the poor in constructive ways. I believe this is the biblical pattern toward work that Paul was encouraging the Thessalonians to embrace, and I believe it's a pattern we should embrace as well.

But even if you work ethically, earn honestly, and give generously, please understand the fact that there's a form of poverty that impacts us all. None of us are an exception. Apart from the intervention of Christ in our lives, we were steeped in a form of spiritual poverty that no effort, work, or industriousness on our part could have ever lifted us out of. Only the intervention of Jesus moves us from spiritual poverty to spiritual life and the abundance of grace.

““For you know the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, that though he was rich, yet for your sake he became poor, so that you by his poverty might become rich.” ”

— 2 Corinthians 8:9

Please deeply consider what Jesus came to this earth to do. One way to summarize His mission is to say He came to help the poor. But how did He help, and what form of poverty was He ultimately concerned with?

Apart from Christ's intervention, we are spiritually bankrupt. We have no true righteousness of our own to present to God. We are living distant from Him, enamored with ourselves, seeking the best of this fallen world with no real thought for eternity. We become so focused on earthly treasures that we think the best way for us to live a good life is to get more of them, and then we reinforce that by acting like the greatest solution to the world's problems is to throw money at our issues and pretend that's all that needs to be done.

If the real solution we needed was money, God would have just dumped a bunch of gold from the sky. If our deepest need was food, He would have sent a buffet. If our greatest need was housing, He would have sent us shelter. God knows we need those things on this earth, but He also knows that these are all temporary solutions for temporary circumstances. What we really needed was a Savior, so God the Father sent us Jesus.

Jesus is the solution for our spiritual poverty. When you trust in Him, you'll become rich in grace, your greatest hunger will be satisfied, and you'll be granted a permanent home in His kingdom that can never be damaged by weather or repossessed by a bank.

““In my Father’s house are many rooms. If it were not so, would I have told you that I go to prepare a place for you?  And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again and will take you to myself, that where I am you may be also.” ”

— John 14:2-3

Christ came to this earth because His compassionate heart couldn't stand the thought of you living in spiritual poverty forever. Receive Him by faith and your spirit will never truly be poor again.

© John Stange, 2022

God's got this

Most people think they'd like an easy life, or at least an easier one than they're living at the present. But would you really want that? I used to think I wanted that, but over time, my opinion has definitely changed. I want a good life. I want a purposeful life. I want a life that's lived well, but I don't necessarily want it to be easy.

I have met people who have been handed relatively easy lives, and they don't impress me. More often than not, they strike me as shallow and self-absorbed. They don't make much of a contribution, don't know how to do very many things, and they tend to be emotionally fragile. That doesn't impress me, but I am impressed by the person who was able to provide an easier life for someone else. Usually, they're industrious and not easily discouraged. In fact, they probably faced adversity head-on many times during their life and emerged the victor.

Do you know the name Steve Allen? During his adult years, Steve Allen was a radio and television celebrity. He was the co-creator and original host of the Tonight Show on NBC, but he certainly didn't have an easy life growing up. His father died when he was very young, and when he was a teenager, he ran away from home with $7.00 in his pocket. He spent that money pretty quickly and nearly starved when he couldn't purchase food. Allen found himself regularly begging for a meal and rummaging through the trash to find something to eat. It was the lowest season of his life.

When things turned around for him, he often thought back to that time and what it was like for him to grow up during the Great Depression in general. His goal, like many parents of his era, was to provide an easier life for his children, and that's exactly what he did, but he eventually regretted much of how he went about doing it. As an older man, he said that he and his generation could have done a better job being present for their children, training them, and giving them their time. He felt like he over-focused on making their lives easy through material provision when he should have spent more time developing their character.

How has the Lord been developing your character? Can you trace His hand at work throughout the course of your life? What has He been teaching you along the way?

If your life and your present circumstances aren't particularly easy, don't despise that reality because I believe the Lord will use your experiences to develop your character in ways that a life of ease never could. In fact, as you walk with Him throughout the trials and tests you're facing, your confidence in what He can do will grow. He will prove that He can be trusted. He will show Himself to be completely reliable. You will see it with your own eyes, and your heart will become steady and assured.

The psalmist describes the heart of a man of character this way, "His heart is steady; he will not be afraid, until he looks in triumph on his adversaries." (Psalm 112:8). When the Lord uses the tests and trials of your life to develop your character, you can look at whatever you're currently facing and say, "God's got this."

Psalm 112 tells us that a person of character has a steady heart that isn't prone to fear. Such a person will face adversity, but won't be overcome by it. He or she may face adversaries, and people who directly set themselves against them, but they won't fear them because they've seen the Lord go to battle for them before, and they know He will go to battle for them again.

Sometimes in life, particularly after enduring a stretching experience, I have asked the Lord for relief. I don't think there's anything wrong with doing that. In fact, because I believe in God's omniscience, I know that He already knew I would request that. But the longer I've been walking with Him, the more I've come to understand that my greatest solace shouldn't be in the thought of events and circumstances turning around. My solace is in the fact that Jesus is present with me, regardless of what I'm called to endure.

If my confidence was in my strength or my circumstances, I would have great reason for fear because my strength and my circumstances change. The Lord is teaching me, however, to have great confidence in Him because His power is ultimate and He never changes.

Martin Luther once said, "Faith is a living, daring confidence in God's grace, so sure and certain that a man could stake his life on it a thousand times." That's the kind of faith I want to possess. That's the kind of confidence I would like to experience. It's a trust in the Lord that grows so deep that we'd dare to go where He leads, and do what He prompts us to do, even if there's risk involved and our decisions don't find favor with the thinking of this fallen world.

Years ago, Frank Lloyd Wright was given the impossible task of building the Imperial Hotel in Tokyo. No comparable construction job ever before had been undertaken. With patience, he laid plans for the immense building in this land of earthquakes and terrible tremors. After carefully reviewing the situation, he found that eight feet below the surface of the ground lay a sixty-foot bed of soft mud. Why not float the great structure on this and in some way make it absorb the shock of the earthquake?

After four years of work, amid ridicule and jeers of skeptical onlookers, this most difficult building in the world was completed, and soon arrived the day which tested it completely. The worst earthquake in fifty-two years caused houses and buildings all around to tumble and fall in ruins. But the Imperial Hotel stood, because it was able to adjust itself to the tremors of the earth. (-A. Smith, in Resources, #2)

There are a variety of threats in our day that attempt to shake our confidence in the Lord. Some of these threats masquerade as sources of light even thought they're far from that. Jesus prophetically warned us these days would come.

““And many false prophets will arise and lead many astray. And because lawlessness will be increased, the love of many will grow cold. But the one who endures to the end will be saved.””

— Matthew 24:11-13

Jesus told us that in the last days, false prophets would arise. They would excel at giving people the impression that their hearts were in the right place, and because of the general lack of spiritual discernment that would be present in the world, people would be led away from the truth by their teaching. Jesus warned us that the end times would be a lawless time, and not a particularly loving time. But the person who remains confident in Christ, the person who endures to the end with genuine faith, will experience the full effects of the salvation Jesus has granted them.

During difficult seasons of history, people commonly gravitate toward smooth talkers who say what they want to hear. The past century gives us plenty of contemporary examples of that human tendency. This is how many abusive leaders and violent dictators rise to power. They wait for people to feel shaken, then they promise solutions so long as power is entrusted to them. All they really want is the power, and once that's granted to them, they'll do whatever serves their own interests or helps them hold onto power a little longer.

This happens in spiritual contexts as well, and it involves a form of manipulation that's satanic. Satan delights to twist and undermine the truth. He wants professing believers to question Christ and His claims. He wants us to doubt the teaching and authority of Scripture. He loves when we follow trends and personalities instead of remaining confident in Christ. Following trends and personalities helps aid the process of establishing false prophets in their places of influence. Following Christ and His word, helps us root them out.

The kind of confidence the person of character demonstrates in Psalm 112 is a confidence that is the fruit of a clear conscience. It's a confidence that shows an eagerness to be near to the Lord, not far from Him. It's a confidence that rejoices in the fact that when we come to faith in Jesus, the Holy Spirit transforms us from rebels who seek to avoid God into friends who can't wait to spend time with Him.

““Let us draw near with a true heart in full assurance of faith, with our hearts sprinkled clean from an evil conscience and our bodies washed with pure water.” ”

— Hebrews 10:22

Is your heart steady in Jesus? Are you confident in Christ? If not, would you like to be?

Thomas Edison is credited with inventing the light bulb. He drastically changed the way we illuminate our homes, businesses, and communities, but it took a lot of experimentation to perfect what we're able to so commonly enjoy.

One afternoon, in the presence of multiple observers, Edison asked an office boy to test a bulb prototype he had been working on. Knowing how difficult it was to make these things, the boy was rather nervous to do this, but he did what he was told. On his way to test the bulb, his nerves got the best of him and he dropped it. He was devastated, and Edison could see that.

After spending another full day re-creating the prototype, Edison summoned the same boy to assist him. He gave him the new bulb and asked him to test it. This time, the boy succeeded in completing the task.

When asked why he took this risk, Edison said that it took him a day to make a new bulb, but if he didn't give that boy a second chance to test it, that child's confidence might have been ruined for a lifetime.

Have you ever considered the fact that the Lord may be using our errors, mistakes, and low moments to build our confidence in Him?

A steady heart is a trusting heart. Jesus wants us to trust that He can save us, guide us, keep us, and eventually glorify us. The experiences we go through this side of Heaven can prove to our hearts that Jesus is faithful even when it feels like the rest of the world isn't. Even when it feels like we're being abandoned by others, we can remain confident because we know Jesus will never abandon us.

And I believe the confidence He develops within us will show up in all areas of our lives. When we leave our homes in the morning, we'll have it. When we face unfamiliar times, we'll have it. When people we love and admire disappoint us, we'll have it. When we face a need that can only be met through His miraculous intervention, we'll have the confidence to seek it.

““And this is the confidence that we have toward him, that if we ask anything according to his will he hears us.””

— 1 John 5:14

I don't know what you're going through right now, but I do know the Lord is faithful. When you're facing roadblocks or going through low seasons, He hasn't abandoned you. On the contrary He's attempting to make you strong. He's using your circumstances to build your confidence. Not self-confidence, but confidence in Him.

It's the kind of Christ-empowered confidence that produces a steady heart.

It's the kind of confidence that can look at anything this world or the devil throws at us and say, "God's got this."

© John Stange, 2022

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You don't need to be afraid of bad news

One of my least favorite things to experience is unnecessary drama. Maybe you feel the same way, but have you ever stopped to consider where the drama in your life is coming from? During certain seasons of life, I have to confess that I was the source of drama for others. I can remember causing my parents a considerable amount of stress during a rebellious streak in my youth. I can also clearly remember seasons of conflict as an adult that were heightened by the way I chose to respond to them. But at present, most of the drama I'm experiencing in my life seems to be coming from outside experiences and relationships.

In my life, I've experienced cultural drama, personal drama, relationship drama, family drama, and even some church drama. And when I'm in the midst of my own personal pity parties, I have sometimes lamented to myself, "Why can't everyone just calm down? Is it really necessary to get people worked up like this, and why do these issues keep getting dumped at my feet? Stop making your drama my drama!" Then, when I'm finished whining to myself, I laugh and remember that I'm not as innocent as I like to convince myself I am.

Years ago, I remember a friend of mine describing the sick feeling he would get every time he drove to church. His church was in serious decline and was experiencing a high degree of conflict, and every time he arrived at the church property, he'd get an upset stomach as he waited to discover "whatever shoe was going to drop that week." Eventually, things turned around at the church, but he confessed to me that it took years for his internal reaction to change.

I remember going through a season that felt rather similar to that. Years ago, I had experienced several trials in a row, and I was feeling absolutely exhausted. As some of the problems were beginning to resolve, I started worrying a lot about what new surprises might be coming next. I let it consume my thinking and rob me of joy when a better solution was right in front of my face the whole time. I didn't need to worry. I needed to practice trusting the Lord for the things that I could not yet see just as I was able to trust Him for the things I could see.

The writer of Psalm 112 had this in mind as well as he wrote verse 7. In that passage we're told, "He is not afraid of bad news; his heart is firm, trusting in the Lord." (Psalm 112:7)

A person of unshakable character doesn't need to spend their life fearing what may or may not happen next. Yes, there will be difficult seasons and unexpected trials, but there will also be delightful moments in our lives. Most of the things we worry about never take place anyway, and the Lord gives us His strength to handle the issues that actually do occur.

Have you ever wondered just how much of our lives are being spent allowing our minds to dwell on potential future problems that won't even happen? I suspect it's a considerable amount. If you're a parent, you've probably spent countless hours working through "what-if" scenarios regarding your children's lives, right before bed or in your other quiet moments. How much more productive could those moments have been if you used them to read Scripture, pray, or keep a journal of the many blessings God has shared with you?

One of the major lessons the Lord wants us to learn in life is to trust Him. No matter what our circumstances may be, we're called to remain confident that our lives and our futures are held securely in His hand. Frankly, it doesn't make much sense to tell Him in one breath that we love Him, but in the next breath that we don't believe He's orchestrating a perfect plan regarding the lives He blessed us with and sustains by the power of His word.

Through faith in Jesus, we've been graced with His peace, and He wants us to utilize it in the moments when we feel strong and in the moments when we're feeling weak or worried. Consider what Jesus said in the gospel of John when He explained, "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." (John 14:27)

This world doesn't understand real peace. When the world offers peace, it's circumstantial and seems to be primarily tied to an absence of conflict. But the peace Jesus offers transcends our circumstances. His peace puts our minds and hearts at rest. His peace allows us to remain confident in Him even when our circumstances seem out of whack. His peace allows us to take a deep breath and say, "This circumstance might be messy right now, but it's all going to resolve, and when I look back at it from the perspective of eternity, I'm going to be extremely grateful for every element of it."

The kind of peace Jesus offers is a peace that allows us to know that no detail of our lives has been overlooked. It reminds me of what was said of the virtuous woman in Proverbs 31:21. That passage tells us, "She is not afraid for her household when it snows, for all in her household are doubly clothed." (Proverbs 31:21, CSB). The virtuous woman in that passage paid attention to the details. She looked after her family. She was prepared for bad weather or other issues that might arise, so there was no need to spend a moment of time worrying.

Are we prepared for the unexpected? I think part of what Christ is trying to help us understand is that He is our preparation. If we have Him, we have everything we ultimately need. We can trust Him to guide us through unfamiliar waters because no detail of the journey He's taking us on has been overlooked.

But Scripture also gives us another perspective to consider as a contrast to help reinforce the value of trusting in the Lord. God's Word shows us multiple examples of people who chose to go their own way and trust their own wisdom instead of trusting the Lord who is wisdom personified.

One example of that failure to trust the Lord was King Belshazzar who served as the last king of ancient Babylon. Belshazzar was the son of King Nebuchadnezzar, and while he reigned, he lived it up. He thought he was the biggest deal in the world and loved to show off his riches to others by throwing opulent and irreverent parties. He even took the gold and silver vessels that Nebuchadnezzar had taken from the temple in Jerusalem and encouraged his nobles to drink wine from them, get drunk, and praise their false gods.

While throwing one of his parties, Belshazzar got the shock of his life and he vividly displayed what it's like to live in fear of bad news.

““Immediately the fingers of a human hand appeared and wrote on the plaster of the wall of the king’s palace, opposite the lampstand. And the king saw the hand as it wrote.  Then the king’s color changed, and his thoughts alarmed him; his limbs gave way, and his knees knocked together.” ”

— Daniel 5:5-6

Did you notice the way Scripture described Belshazzar's response? The normal, healthy color left his face. He was consumed with worry and fear. He became physically weak and started shaking for fear. Later on, Scripture tells us that Daniel was summoned to interpret the writing on the wall, and Belshazzar was informed that because of his arrogance, idolatry, and failure to trust the true and living God, his kingdom was going to be taken away and his life would come to an end. In fact, that very night, Belshazzar was killed and his kingdom was given to Darius the Mede.

When our lives are examined, who do we want to resemble; a person who trusts himself or a person who trusts the Lord? The virtuous woman of Proverbs 31 or the arrogant King Belshazzar? If your desire is to be a man or woman who isn't afraid of the future because your trust in the Lord is secure, allow me to offer some encouragement on how that kind of confidence in Christ can be lived out in the present.

In Matthew 6:27, Jesus said, "And which of you by being anxious can add a single hour to his span of life?" What was Jesus revealing to us? Anxious thinking isn't productive. It doesn't add to your quality of life, and it certainly doesn't reflect a heart that trusts the Lord, so don't let it dominate your mind.

Many people admit that their most anxious thoughts come at night when they're trying to calm down and get some rest. Recently, my wife and I made some updates to our guest room. We wanted it to be a nice place of rest when family and friends come to visit, so we painted it relaxing colors, added a comfortable chair, and purchased a nice bedspread and some new shades and curtains. Over the bed, we placed a large framed picture that has a simple statement stenciled on it. It simply says, "Give it to God, and go to sleep." I think that's a good reminder. Don't stay up all night worrying. Find rest in Jesus.

Sometimes I've wondered how world leaders handle their responsibilities, knowing that their decisions greatly impact the quality of life of millions of people. Dwight Eisenhower, the 34th President of the United States and a five-star general during World War II, once quoted an unnamed university president in a speech when he said, "I have two kinds of problems, the urgent and the important. The urgent are not important, and the important are never urgent." I love that perspective. It's just a matter of taking care of what you need to take care of when you need to take care of it instead of stewing over it or procrastinating. In a practical way, that can certainly help reduce anxiety. (https://asana.com/resources/eisenhower-matrix)

I also like what Sir William Osler once said when he encouraged people to live in, "day-tight compartments." His advice was, "Don't stew about the futures. Just live each day until bedtime."

Dale Carnegie, the famous author and business trainer, once suggested if you're overwhelmed with anxiety and struggling to concentrate, do these four things;

1. Ask yourself, "What is the worst that can possibly happen?"

2. Prepare to accept the worst.

3. Try to improve on the worst.

4. Remind yourself of the exorbitant price you can pay for worry in terms of your health.

I think that's great advice, and I try to implement these practices in my own life, but as a believer in Christ, I know that the greatest antidote to worry is never going to be found in what I do. It's found in what He has done and is doing for me.

When Jesus took on flesh and walked upon this earth, His mission was to restore what man had broken. God became a perfect man to right the wrongs of imperfect men. Man rebelled, so Jesus demonstrated perfect obedience to the Father. Man accepted deceitful counsel, so Jesus demonstrated confidence in God's Word. Man was being blinded by Satan, so Jesus opened our eyes to the truth of His gospel. Man was living in the fear of death, so Jesus defeated death by directly experiencing it then rising from it.

Every calamity that man had brought upon himself, Jesus came to overcome. In Him, our lives, futures, hopes, and purpose all find restoration. Not by the works of our hands, but through what He has accomplished on our behalf. And because Jesus holds those who trust in Him securely in His hand, we don't need to fear the future. We don't even need to fear our present-day trials, because He has promised to never abandon us. In Christ, even the bad news we once feared becomes a new opportunity for Him to demonstrate His power and perfect plan, therefore, we can approach each day with complete confidence in Him and His goodness.

““When the cares of my heart are many, your consolations cheer my soul.” ”

— Psalm 94:19

Through Jesus, you don't need to be afraid of bad news because His gospel is good news.

© John Stange, 2022

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Don't let yourself be easily swayed

In 2016, a man named Joshua found himself in prison. He had never been in major trouble before and was finding it very difficult to adjust to life inside the prison walls. Other prisoners treated him poorly, he didn't have the resources to communicate with family and friends through letters, and the unit in which he was placed didn't have a telephone.

When asked about the experience, Joshua said, "My faith was shaken from its foundation. I was truly alone with no one to talk to or help me."

In time, he was moved to a new cell, yet he still didn't have phone access. But on a table, he found a copy of the New Testament, and he decided to actually read it. This was the first time in over a decade since he had read something from the pages of the Bible. And for the first time since he was a child, he felt like the content of Scripture came to life as he continued reading it.

When he was a child, his grandmother used to read the Scriptures to him. He also remembered how hard his heart grew toward God after she passed away. But as he read God's Word from prison, his heart began to soften and his ears became attentive to what the Lord was trying to tell him. He started listening to the Lord's counsel with the same kind of joy he had as a child. The Lord began using the stories of men who had unshakable faith to inspire Joshua and bolster his faith while he was in prison.

“I saw how the prominent people of the Bible, like Moses and David, made mistakes, got angry with God, yet they did not let their faith in Him become weak,” Joshua said. “When they hit troubles or doubts, they laid them in God’s hands. I saw how Job, though he suffered immensely, never wavered.” -https://cpministries.org/news/shaken-but-not-broken

With Joshua's testimony in mind, how would you describe your faith? Is it strong and unwavering? Does it resemble the faith of Moses, David, and Job, or do things feel a little shaky right now?

Psalm 112:6 speaks of a person who isn't easily shaken. There we read, "For the righteous will never be moved; he will be remembered forever." (Psalm 112:6)

This verse tells us that the righteous person will never be moved. Other translations say he will "never be shaken" (CSB) and he will not be "overcome by evil" (NLT). Taken together, the message is very clear. A person who has been made righteous by the Lord is not someone who can be easily swayed by the patterns, practices, and mindset of this fallen world. When the culture runs toward its latest form of decadence and immorality, the righteous person sees right through it because he or she has had their mind opened to the heart of God.

Do you desire to be righteous? Biblically speaking, what does it mean to be made righteous? How is true righteousness obtained?

I like the way Martin Luther explained how a person becomes righteous. He said, "Christ took our sins, and the sins of the whole world, as well as the Father's wrath on his shoulders, and he has drowned them both in himself so that we are thereby reconciled to God and become completely righteous." Our sin was placed upon Jesus. The holy wrath of God that we deserved was experienced by Jesus. And in its place, Jesus has given those who trust in Him the gift of His righteousness so we can experience an eternal relationship with God.

True righteousness isn't something we can find within ourselves apart from Christ's intervention in our lives. True righteousness isn't fostered through behavior change. Anyone who believes they can make themselves righteous through their actions doesn't understand their need for Jesus. Righteousness apart from Jesus is self-righteousness which leads to idolatry, legalism, and a lack of true repentance.

““The self-righteous never apologize” ”

— Leonard Ravenhill

Those who find their righteousness in Christ, won't be moved, shaken, or overcome by evil. On the contrary, they will rely on the strength Christ supplies to overcome evil in their lives and they won't get talked into the schemes the devil is regularly convincing this world to embrace. But followers of Christ are being empowered by His Spirit to develop a mature understanding of how righteousness is obtained and lived out in the midst of a fallen world.

““So that we may no longer be children, tossed to and fro by the waves and carried about by every wind of doctrine, by human cunning, by craftiness in deceitful schemes.” ”

— Ephesians 4:14

Observing the drift taking place in our culture at present isn't a comfortable thing for a true Christian to observe. It's hard to watch a generation of people destroy themselves as they search for hope in all the wrong places. But if our faith and understanding are anchored in Christ and the truth of His word, we won't be tossed around by the debased thinking of the day. We won't be persuaded to veer off the path of righteousness Christ has placed us upon. We won't be easily deceived by the lies of the evil one.

Most people on the face of the earth just follow whatever the prevailing notions of their day happen to be without giving deeper level thought to what's taking place around them. Their opinions are shaped by media, politicians, entertainers, and other people of influence. And I must confess that there have been plenty of seasons in my life, particularly during my youth, when I fell prey to that.

““Brothers, do not be children in your thinking. Be infants in evil, but in your thinking be mature.””

— 1 Corinthians 14:20

That's why I'm grateful for the leaders the Lord has raised up throughout the course of history who show us there is a different option than just throwing our lot in with a world that drifts wherever the wind takes it.

Albert Moehler once said, "When the leader walks into the room, a passion for truth had better enter with him. Authentic leadership does not emerge out of a vacuum. The leadership that matters most is convictional—deeply convictional. This quality of leadership springs from those most deeply held beliefs that shape who we are and establish our beliefs about everything else. Convictions are not just beliefs; that is, they are not those beliefs that are merely held by us. Instead, convictions hold us in their grip. We would not know who we are but for these bedrock beliefs, these convictions, and without them we would not know how to lead." -https://tabletalkmagazine.com/article/2017/11/leading-with-conviction/

A great example of a biblical leader who wasn't easily swayed was John the Baptist. Jesus made that clear in His public statements about John. In Matthew's gospel we read, "As they went away, Jesus began to speak to the crowds concerning John: “What did you go out into the wilderness to see? A reed shaken by the wind?" (Matt. 11:7). Jesus made it clear that John wasn't like a shaky reed. He stood firm, no matter the cost.

In fact, we read in Matthew 14 that John was bound and thrown in prison because he confronted Herod about the fact that he was sleeping with his brother Philip's wife, Herodias. Soon after, John was beheaded because of his boldness in this matter, but yet here we are all these generations later remembering his name and holding him up as an example of faith worth taking inspiration from.

A friend of mine once said to me, "You never really die if people are still talking about you after you go." There are obvious theological limitations to that statement, but I do find the concept interesting to contemplate in light of what we're told in Psalm 112:6. In addition to the fact that the righteous person isn't moved or shaken by unrighteousness, we're also told that, "he will be remembered forever."

I often think about the ways in which the Lord allows us to impact others, and I think it's fascinating to consider that the influence of a godly life can extend far beyond the years of one's natural life. The testimony of what Jesus has done for you, in you, and through you can be passed down to the generations who come after you. It can be passed down to your own lineage and, like in the case of John the Baptist who didn't have children, your testimony can be passed down to those who aren't even related to you.

The testimony of what Christ has done on our behalf and the ways in which He has transformed us, is a testimony that reverberates into eternity. It's a story that can be told over and over again, forever. It's something we'll be praising Him for over the course of many thousands of years.

It's also something that I think we might want to consider sharing about now. Share your testimony to your children, grandchildren, and anyone else the Lord brings into your life. Take the time to write it down or record it in some other way. Several years ago, a friend of mine who was advanced in years decided to write out his testimony of how he came to know Jesus and what Jesus did in his life and in the lives of his family members. Soon after writing it all out, he passed away and that made those of us who knew him especially grateful to have a written record of God's goodness in his life.

So how can we leave a legacy that testifies to the fact that during our generation, we were not easily swayed by the craftiness and deception of the evil one? I think the answer to that question was given to us by the Apostle Peter when he wrote his first epistle to believers who were under persecution and being scattered as they were chased from their homes.

““Therefore, preparing your minds for action, and being sober-minded, set your hope fully on the grace that will be brought to you at the revelation of Jesus Christ.””

— 1 Peter 1:13

The first thing we need to do is prepare our minds for action. Our faith in Christ isn't merely something to be contemplated, it's meant to be lived out. We need to get ready to act upon what the Lord teaches us. We need to become men and women who put our Spirit-led convictions into action. The world doesn't need more theorists or critics, it needs action-takers whose hearts are fully devoted to Christ.

We're also called to be sober-minded. A sober-minded person is a man or woman who is filled with the Holy Spirit. A sober-minded person demonstrates self-control and discipline. A sober-minded person stays alert to the things that are dear to the heart of God and does not allow themself to come under the influence of anything that can alter their thinking in an ungodly way.

Finally, Peter challenges us to set our hope on Jesus. Jesus supplies the grace we need. Jesus is the One who has promised to return and restore creation. Jesus will one day reign upon this earth with perfect righteousness, and those who follow Him now will reign with Him then. The day is coming when we will experience the full effects of our salvation, and all creation will be restored by the One who made it perfect in the beginning.

Knowing this to be true, don't let yourself become easily swayed by your old nature or what the culture may be gravitating toward at any given moment. With the power Christ supplies, stand firm in the convictions so clearly taught in Scripture and illuminated by His Spirit. Become an unshakable force in an anchor-less generation.

© John Stange, 2022

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Setting the stage for intentional generosity

Not long ago, I read the story of Fred Barley, a 19-year-old man who was found living in a tent on the campus of Gordon State College in Barnesville, Georgia. When the police found him, it was their intention to evict him from the property, but then they learned the rest of his story.

Barley was registered to take classes at the school. He was a biology major who was about to begin his second semester. Because of his lack of finances, he didn't have the transportation he needed to get there. So he borrowed his little brother's bicycle and rode it six hours from home to campus while carrying his possessions on his back. He also carried two gallons of water and a box of cereal with him.

Barley arrived before the semester began with the goal of landing a job, but he couldn't find anything. When the police officers that found him heard his story, they paid for him to stay at a local hotel at their own expense. Then word of his story started spreading, and others contributed toward his subsequent hotel costs and other expenses. A local pizza shop also reached out and gave him a job. Then a woman set up an online campaign to raise additional funds for him. The campaign was so popular it raised $184,000 which was put into an educational trust to cover the rest of his expenses during his college years. -rd.com

When I heard that story, I couldn't help but feel impacted by that kind of generosity. And while Fred Barley was certainly blessed by those who stepped in to meet his needs, I'm certain those who assisted him would testify to the fact that they felt just as blessed, if not more, when they chose to help him.

Psalm 112:5 speaks of generosity. In that passage, we're told that a person of unshakable character looks for opportunities to use their resources to benefit the lives of others. We're told, "It is well with the man who deals generously and lends; who conducts his affairs with justice." (Psalm 112:5).

The nature of this person's character offers us a great picture of the heart of Jesus. In many ways, Jesus demonstrated His desire to bless others and ease their suffering. We see this in moments when He provided people with food and other provisions. We also see this in His desire to share the joys of His eternal kingdom with all who trust in Him. A generous person shows a desire to treat others with the same kind of giving spirit Jesus exemplified.

When Psalm 112 speaks of the man who deals generously, it speaks of a person who has chosen to go through life thinking about more than his own personal benefit. The generous person has their whole community in mind when they sow the seeds of generosity among those they interact with. This may include helping the poor or it may include easing the suffering of a loved one during an unexpected trial.

I recently heard about Ruth Bilotta, a woman in Churchville, Pennsylvania who spent a year running back and forth to the hospital to be with her husband who was receiving care during all that time. In the process of prioritizing his medical needs, she said, "My house was left to fend for itself."

One evening, she came home from spending the day at her husband's side and discovered that the flower boxes around her home were brimming with beautiful flowers. One of her neighbors wanted her to have something nice to look at when she arrived home each day, so the neighbor decided to take care of this for her. -Ruth Bilotta

““Whoever despises his neighbor is a sinner, but blessed is he who is generous to the poor.” ”

— Proverbs 14:21

The Bible speak of generosity and hospitality as virtues that are dear to the heart of God. They have great opportunity to be demonstrated in the context of community. God values community. We see this in how He established the family. We also see this demonstrated in the culture of ancient Israel. And in present day, we see this in the ways in which He instructs the church to live, serve, and worship together while meeting one another's needs.

““The measure of a life, after all, is not its duration, but its donation.” ”

— Corrie Ten Boom

If you asked most people what they hope for in this world, I suspect that many would say something to the effect of, "I'd like to live a long time, in good health, with all my needs met and with enough extra that I don't feel like I need to worry." And if we feel like acting super spiritual, we can pick apart that mindset and point out its weaknesses, but the truth is, that's a statement that I think just about every person I have ever met could easily make.

But for those of us who know Jesus, we're learning to value eternal things as well. Jesus is teaching us that our lives are about more than the accumulation of things. We see our lives, and their use, from a much longer timetable than ten or less brief decades on this planet. As Jesus gave His life for the benefit of others, we seek to do likewise. Our earthly lives are a loan from God that we're meant to use for His glory by investing in others as He enables us to do so.

So if we can identify some of the many ways in which the Lord has blessed us through His generosity, and if we'd like to demonstrate Christ-centered generosity within the culture and the generation in which we have been intentionally placed, how should we go about doing that?

Recognize that you've been gifted to be generous

““You will be enriched in every way to be generous in every way, which through us will produce thanksgiving to God.” ”

— 2 Corinthians 9:11

When we read about the Lord enriching us, it can be easy to think of that as exclusively financial, but there are other ways the Lord has enriched us. Scripture tells us that we have been enriched in every way to be generous in every way. The Lord enriches all of His children with spiritual gifts that are meant to be utilized as we serve one another. Some of us can also identify physical resources, finances, skills, and relationships that we've been blessed with and called to be generous with. Frankly, there isn't a category you can point to that the Lord hasn't called us to share what we've been blessed with.

So if we want to bless others, let's begin with acknowledging that we've been blessed. But don't compare your blessings to others. You'll always be able to find someone else who seems to have a little more than you and someone who seems to have a little less. Instead of engaging in unhealthy comparison, just gratefully acknowledge what you have and remind your heart that you're being divinely blessed in order that you might have the privilege to be a blessing.

Keep your eyes open to the needs the Lord will show you

““But if anyone has the world’s goods and sees his brother in need, yet closes his heart against him, how does God’s love abide in him?” ”

— 1 John 3:17

As your love for Jesus grows, your desire to meet the needs of your brother or sister will grow as well. When the Lord places within your heart the desire to be generous, He's giving you the opportunity to understand how His mind and motivations work. He delights to share good things with His children and He will place that delight within you. He will show you where to exercise generosity and help you to be cautious about those who may be deceptively seeking to take advantage of your giving nature.

Don't try to drown out the voice of the Holy Spirit when He speaks to you about the needs you've been called to meet. Seek His wisdom to know which needs are genuine. Scripture uses the example of seeing your brother in need. Your brother is someone whose life you can observe. There is a level of accountability there that can help you avoid unintentionally funding reckless and godless behavior.

Become an intentional steward of this world's resources

Over time, the Lord has convinced me that it's careless and ignorant to be wasteful with the resources He entrusts to us. I think Christians should be an example to this world of what generosity really looks like, but for that to happen consistently, we need to learn to value intentional stewardship of the resources we have access to, most notably our finances.

I used to follow this world's pattern when it came to my personal finances. I bought things I couldn't afford. I didn't save for emergencies. I wasn't investing for the future. I watched TV during the hours of the evening when I could have been developing additional streams of income. I treated debt like it wasn't a threat to my family's well-being, and I robbed myself of opportunities to be generous because I didn't give myself any margin by which I could do so because I chose to live right on the edge financially.

When this started to become clear to me, I was driving a brand new truck with a hefty payment and poor gas mileage. It was also expensive to insure. I remember doing the math and realizing how much I could save each month if I got rid of it, so I woke up one day and told my wife, "I'm getting rid of the truck today and buying something we can actually afford." She was shocked but supportive, and later that day I came home with a base model sedan with crank windows and zero frills. That decision was the start of our personal financial transformation that has led to greater peace and more opportunities to be generous.

I don't see any reason why Christians should follow the irresponsible financial mindset that's embraced by our culture. It's a mindset that's centered on consumption, debt, and outright fraud. It's a mindset that seeks to "get" at whatever cost it can, not a mindset centered on "giving" and careful stewardship.

I believe it should be our aim to be spiritually, relationally, emotionally, physically, and financially healthy, and to serve as examples to our culture of the ways in which the Holy Spirit empowers this kind of health. When it comes to our finances, I believe Christians should blaze the trail for the rest of the culture to understand what it looks like to earn, save, invest, and give for Christ's glory.

““When a man becomes a Christian, he becomes industrious, trustworthy and prosperous. Now, if that man when he gets all he can and saves all he can does not give all he can, I have more hope for Judas Iscariot than for that man!””

— John Wesley

What are you doing with what the Lord has made available to you? Are you wasting it or are you shaping it? Are you figuring out new ways to earn, wiser ways to save, and more effective ways to invest so you can be a blessing to those with genuine needs, or are you choosing to stay needy because of excess and irresponsibly far beyond what was actually necessary?

Generosity, at its core, is a fruit of spiritual discipline and spiritual maturity. What are we doing with what we've been given, and if our current pattern continues, will it lead to more opportunities for generosity or less?

““Do all the good you can,
By all the means you can,
In all the ways you can,
In all the places you can,
At all the times you can,
To all the people you can,
As long as ever you can.””

— John Wesley

© John Stange, 2022

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I see Jesus in you

When you meet someone new, what kind of impression do you want to make?

When you interact with people over the course of your life, what impression do you want to leave with them?

During the course of his senior year of high school, my son Daniel started coming with me to the men's Bible study that our church hosts each month. Each evening at the end of the study, we take some time to pray for any needs or concerns that are present in the group. When he was asked if there was anything the group could pray about for him, his answer was always the same. "I'm in the final months of high school and I'm praying that the Lord will help me to finish strong. Most of my friends have no relationship with Jesus and no interest in spiritual matters. I'm asking the Lord to help me shine like a light in the darkness to my friends who don't know Him."

Is it your desire to shine as the light of Christ in a dark world? Do you ever wonder how best to go about doing that?

One of the things I have discovered in my interactions with others is that there are a lot of stereotypes programmed into the minds of the people the Lord has brought into my life. They believe inaccurate information about followers of Christ because of the ways they've seen us portrayed in the media. I see this most often when people find out that I'm a pastor. They don't know what to do with that information, so I honestly do my best to keep it to myself until I give new acquaintances the chance to get to know me a little.

Sometimes I get comments like, "You're actually funny," or "I have to admit that I'm surprised that a pastor actually likes good music." What I've learned is that they expect me to be harsh, continually serious, and disconnected from real-world experiences. They aren't prepared for the fact that I have experienced the same ups and downs in my life as them. They're shocked that I can sympathize with what they're facing because I've gone through some of the same things. But I must admit, I love upending stereotypes.

Does demonstrating genuine sympathy for the struggles and challenges of others help point them to Christ? I certainly believe it can be one of the ways in which the Lord shines the light of His gospel through us. In fact, I see that mindset illustrated in the sympathy Jesus continually shows us.

““For we do not have a high priest who is unable to sympathize with our weaknesses, but one who in every respect has been tempted as we are, yet without sin.” ”

— Hebrews 4:15

During His earthly ministry, Jesus was tempted in every way possible. He was tempted by the lusts of the flesh, the lusts of the eyes, and the boastful pride of life, yet He didn't give in to those temptations. And when we come before Him, we can be confident that He understands our struggles. He sympathizes with our weaknesses. He looks at us with compassion because He fully understands what it's like to walk a mile in our shoes.

Jesus knows what life on this earth is like. Our earthly experience isn't a mystery to Him because He inserted Himself into it and endured it willingly. Now, as His followers, we're invited to walk as He walked. We can certainly go through life embracing the mindset and behaviors that the rest of the culture embraces, but Jesus gives us His power to aim higher than that. His Spirit empowers us to live a godly life in the midst of a godless culture.

““For the grace of God has appeared, bringing salvation for all people, training us to renounce ungodliness and worldly passions, and to live self-controlled, upright, and godly lives in the present age, waiting for our blessed hope, the appearing of the glory of our great God and Savior Jesus Christ,” ”

— Titus 2:11-13

By the grace of God, we who have received the gift of salvation through Jesus Christ, are being actively trained by the Holy Spirit to show this world a picture of the heart of Christ. The Spirit is preparing us to renounce the values of this world that we once embraced. He's showing us that our greatest passion should not be for the lusts of our flesh. He's empowering us to live with self-control among people who act like they're out of control. And He's filling our hearts with hope as we wait with the confident expectation that Jesus will be returning very soon.

The Spirit of God is using your life to paint a visible picture of the miraculous change He has made within you. He's causing you to react to people who test you, and circumstances that try you, in a brand new way. You who once walked in darkness are now being divinely enabled to shine as the light of Christ in a very dark place. The darkness is dispelled as the light of the gospel brings illumination.

The psalmist made a point to emphasize the ways in which the Lord shines His light through His people when he wrote, "Light dawns in the darkness for the upright; he is gracious, merciful, and righteous." (Psalm 112:4). As the children of God demonstrate the heart of God, insight is brought to the unaware and understanding is brought to the ignorant.

I love how the Holy Spirit inspired the psalmist to highlight three specific ways an upright person can make the nature of God visible to those who are observing their life. Those who have been redeemed by Christ have been empowered to show this world the grace of God, the mercy of God, and the righteousness of God.

Grace

The grace of God is shown to us every time He blesses us with a gift we don't deserve. The air we breathe is a gift. The soil we walk upon and grow our food in is another gift. And if we want to be even more specific, the ability to understand our need for a Savior, and the gospel that reveals Him to us, is also a gift of grace.

How can we as recipients of the grace of God freely dispense that grace so that Jesus may be seen within us and receive the glory?

Recently, I was listening to a radio show and one of the callers asked the host for advice on how to do something uncommon. He and his wife were acquainted with a family that had a teenage daughter who demonstrated a high degree of competence and character. They didn't know this family very well, but they knew it might be a challenge for them to afford the expense of putting their daughter through college.

They believed the Lord put it on their hearts to help this family cover their daughter's college expenses, so they asked the radio host for his advice on how to tactfully offer this family a five-figure financial gift to help fund those costs. They didn't want anything in return. It was their desire to give and bless without any recognition. As I heard this story, I saw the grace of God being demonstrated in their generosity.

Who can we bless without asking anything in return? What opportunities has the Lord been putting right in front of us and prodding our hearts to act upon?

Mercy

In addition to demonstrating the grace of God, the upright are also empowered to make His mercy visible through the lives they're leading. The mercy of God is seen in all kinds of circumstances whenever we don't receive the punishment or condemnation that we really deserve. Most clearly, the mercy of God is shown to us through Jesus Christ who took our condemnation upon Himself at the cross.

““Be merciful, even as your Father is merciful.” ”

— Luke 6:36

“ “Blessed are the merciful, for they shall receive mercy.” ”

— Matthew 5:7

If the Lord wasn't merciful by nature, we would be without hope. But because He delights to show us His mercy, our hope is secure. We who once lived as His enemies are offered adoption into His eternal family. We who were once under condemnation have found liberation through Jesus.

Now, our Lord is calling us and empowering us to emulate His example. There are people who have set themselves against you as enemies, but in Christ, you can show them mercy. There are people who excel at getting on your last nerve, but Jesus reminds us that there is greater happiness is responding with a spirit of mercy than there is in responding with a spirit of spite.

I'll never forget one Saturday afternoon working at my father's grocery store when I was about ten or eleven. A woman who seemed to have some difficulty walking had just paid for her order at the cash register and was wheeling her abnormally full cart toward the front door. My father said, "Stop what you're doing and take that cart to her car for her."

There was only one problem with what he instructed me to do. There were two steps that led from the front door of the store down to the sidewalk and I made a very big mistake as I tried to push that heavy cart that was bursting with groceries out the door. I should have pulled it down the steps, but because I pushed it, the cart tipped over and everything in it dumped all over the sidewalk. Cans started rolling into the street. Glass jars smashed. It was a total mess and I was completely embarrassed. That woman would have been completely justified in expressing anger and frustration toward me, but she was merciful instead, and she even mixed a little grace into her reaction when she gave me a seventy-five-cent tip.

As a recipient of God's great mercy, look for opportunities to show it to others. Don't wait until you think someone deserves it. God showed it to you when you were living as His enemy.

RIGHTEOUSNESS

And in addition to grace and mercy, the psalmist tells us that the upright person demonstrates righteousness because the Lord has made him righteous. We're not talking about self-righteousness here. Self-righteousness is a form of personal idolatry where we act like we don't need a Savior.

The kind of righteousness the person of character learns to demonstrate is the outpouring of a supernaturally changed heart. When we become a new creation in Christ, our motives, goals, and priorities change. Where we once valued wickedness, we now value integrity. Where we once prioritized vanity, we now prioritize holiness. This is so because the righteousness of Christ was deposited into our life when His Spirit indwelled us.

““For our sake he made him to be sin who knew no sin, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God.” ”

— 2 Corinthians 5:21

Your demonstration of Christ-empowered righteousness in the midst of this fallen and depraved world will stand out in ways that might surprise you.

Our desire to live with unshakable character is not a desire that originated within our own thinking. That's God's desire for us, and the pattern for holy living that He wants to see exemplified among His children is demonstrated in Psalm 112:4. Take this example to heart. May believers and unbelievers who observe your life be able to confidently say, "I see Jesus in you."

© John Stange, 2022

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Does God want Christians to be wealthy?

One of the most confusing subjects for many Christians to mentally and emotionally process is the concept of wealth. We all know that money is a necessary thing in our economy, but we've all seen the dangers that have come from financial excess as well as the pitfalls that have come because of financial lack.

Money and personal finance is also a tricky subject to discuss in the local church. It shouldn't be, but because of the ways we've seen people use religious faith as a guise for swindling people out of money, we're understandably cautious.

There are also some professing Christians who act like it’s a virtue to be in poverty and a vice to have healthy finances. I'll never forget a conversation that took place in our church parking lot more than a decade ago. A family that was part of our church purchased a new vehicle, and that caught the eye of an outspoken woman who had just started attending.

After a worship service one Sunday, she aggressively confronted that family and said, "Did God tell you to buy that car?" She was a little loud about it too, and the family she confronted tended to be more reserved. They honestly didn't know what to say to her, and I could tell they were a little hurt by her insinuation that they had done something sinful by upgrading their vehicle. Ironically, I also knew that the family had a habit of discretely helping other families who were struggling with financial needs.

As a student of God's word, I can confidently say that it isn't inherently wrong to be wealthy, and it isn't inherently virtuous to be poor. There can be great benefits and pitfalls that come with both financial states. There might be unhealthy lifestyle and mindset issues that are contributing to financial poverty in the lives of certain people, or the Lord may be blessing certain people with a season of financial lack in order to stretch their faith and allow them to learn that He is sufficient.

Likewise, there could be unhealthy lifestyle and mindset issues that are contributing to financial abundance in the lives of certain people, or the Lord may be blessing them with resources to steward as a gift that He is calling them to direct toward certain areas in order to bless His people and build His kingdom.

During the course of my life, I have experienced poverty, financial strain, average income, and above-average income. I know how each feels, and I can identify some of the contributing factors to each condition. As a child, I lived in a nice home and I lived in a public housing project. Our family was financially fine during one season, then we found ourselves relying on government assistance during another.

As an adult, I have lived below the poverty line and I've experienced what it's like to have much more than I need. I don't disparage either experience because the Lord taught me important lessons in both seasons, just as the Apostle Paul was taught during the course of his life and ministry.

““Not that I am speaking of being in need, for I have learned in whatever situation I am to be content.  I know how to be brought low, and I know how to abound. In any and every circumstance, I have learned the secret of facing plenty and hunger, abundance and need.  I can do all things through him who strengthens me.” ”

— Philippians 4:11-13

So what are we doing with the strength Christ supplies? Can we be content in Him regardless of our financial circumstances? Should we envy the rich and ignore the poor? Should we disparage the rich and esteem the poor? Or can we accept the fact that the Lord has a purpose for every condition we may find ourselves in financially?

God's great desire is that we learn to trust Him regardless of our present circumstances. And when it comes to finances, there are principles in Scripture that reveal a pathway that tends to lead to wealth. Yes, there are circumstances that can interfere with your trajectory while you're on that path, and yes there are things that may occur that are beyond our control that can impede our progress. But generally speaking, when a person trusts the Lord enough to obey what He teaches in His word, it doesn't surprise me when one of the byproducts of that obedience is wealth. Let me explain what I mean by that.

Psalm 112:3 speaks of the person who fears the Lord and delights in His commandments. It also tells us that, "Wealth and riches are in his house, and his righteousness endures forever." That's a pretty clear statement, and it illustrates a concept that is elaborated on elsewhere in Scripture. In fact, in Proverbs 10:4, we read, "A slack hand causes poverty, but the hand of the diligent makes rich."

Diligence and a willingness to work hard with integrity, demonstrate many things about a person's character. We've all experienced co-workers or employees who did the bare minimum (or less) in their tasks, but we've also experienced people who consistently went above and beyond. Over time, what happens to the slacker? His reputation results in his demotion and lack of opportunities. But what happens to those who over-deliver? Their reputation goes before them and doors open up for them.

When the psalmist tells us that wealth and riches are in the house of the righteous man, he's also speaking of that person's character. People who work with integrity and do their work as unto the Lord, experience the natural consequence of greater financial benefits, referrals from those whose trust they've earned, and doors that are supernaturally opened for them in connection to their faithfulness before the Lord with lesser responsibilities.

I recently read the story of a young man named David who worked at a movie theater when he was a teenager. When he was hired, he understood the reality that his bosses probably didn't expect much from him based on the track records of many of his peers, but he set out to demonstrate his character through the way he served in that business.

Based on the good example of his parents and the advice they had given him through the years, he set his mind to do five specific things while he was on the clock; show up early, do his work cheerfully, go the extra mile to solve unexpected problems, take on tasks no one else was willing to do, and always be courteous toward customers. After two years of doing this consistently, he was placed in charge of the theater and became the manager the rest of the employees answered to. https://medium.com/@davidastaat/impressing-the-boss-bfa2e160733

This is the mindset that's being extolled in Psalm 112 and Proverbs 10. As a matter of Christ-centered character and a matter of conscience, we are called to be faithful and diligent with the work entrusted to us, not half-hearted or lazy. There is a direct correlation between the righteous man's diligence and his wealth.

But even as we contemplate that correlation, don't forget the cautionary words we're also given in God's word. In the letter James wrote to the early church, we read;

““Come now, you rich, weep and howl for the miseries that are coming upon you. 2 Your riches have rotted and your garments are moth-eaten. 3 Your gold and silver have corroded, and their corrosion will be evidence against you and will eat your flesh like fire. You have laid up treasure in the last days. 4 Behold, the wages of the laborers who mowed your fields, which you kept back by fraud, are crying out against you, and the cries of the harvesters have reached the ears of the Lord of hosts. 5 You have lived on the earth in luxury and in self-indulgence. You have fattened your hearts in a day of slaughter. 6 You have condemned and murdered the righteous person. He does not resist you.””

— James 5:1-6

James' words are a caution to the rich in this world, and specifically to those whose consciences aren't troubled by defrauding those who helped them obtain that wealth while working for them. James warns us that those who idolize wealth and defraud those who have faithfully served them are going to have to answer to the Lord for their greed. Those who indulge themselves at the expense of those who deserved fair compensation will one day loathe the earthly riches they idolized when they are called before the Lord to give an account for their lives.

Where are you on the spectrum of wealth? Has this been a season of struggle? Have you been defrauded by dishonest employers or dishonest customers? Or do you feel like this is one of your healthiest financial seasons?

Regardless of where you are on the spectrum of earthy riches, are you mindful of the eternal riches that are offered to us in Christ Jesus? When Paul was praying for the believers in Ephesus, he prayed, "that the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of glory, may give you the Spirit of wisdom and of revelation in the knowledge of him, having the eyes of your hearts enlightened, that you may know what is the hope to which he has called you, what are the riches of his glorious inheritance in the saints," (Eph. 1:17-18).

Most people on this earth can't see the riches the Holy Spirit enables believers to see. Most people can only see earthly riches, so that's what they use their lives to pursue. But Paul prayed that believers would know the Lord deeply, see things only He can enable us to see, live with unshakable hope, and remain confident that through Jesus, we will be blessed with greater riches than anything this world can offer. Those who trust in Jesus are blessed with an inheritance in His kingdom that far surpasses the most visible riches of this world.

If your faith in Jesus is genuine, this is a concept that the Holy Spirit will enable you to find comfort and confidence in. He will also change your perspective toward earthly wealth. You'll begin to see it for what it really is, a tool to steward, not a god to worship.

Understanding the nature of our heavenly inheritance in Christ also liberates our hearts to practice generosity. When you view what has been entrusted to you on earth from the perspective of the eternal riches you've been blessed with through Jesus, you won't hold onto this world's wealth with such a tight grip. You'll use your wealth as the Holy Spirit directs. People will be served. Ministries will be funded. Mission work will be financed, and Christ's kingdom will expand, in part, as He uses your generosity as one of His kingdom-expanding tools.

There are many passages in Scripture that offer us great financial counsel. One of my favorites is found in Hebrews 13:5 which says, "Keep your life free from love of money, and be content with what you have, for he has said, 'I will never leave you nor forsake you.'”

When you have Jesus, you have all you truly need. We can be content in Him. We don't need to worship money. By His grace, we can keep our lives free from the love of money. People love money because they believe it will grant them the things they really need to find in Jesus. Humanity looks to money to give them peace, help, comfort, and strength. And if we're convinced we can find those things through money, we'll love it, worship it, and never satisfy our desire for more of it. But when we understand that ultimate peace, help, comfort, and strength are only found through Jesus, we'll learn to love Him, worship Him, and find our greatest sense of satisfaction through Him.

As you walk with the Lord and diligently apply the counsel of His word toward the way you work and the manner in which you steward His blessings, it won't surprise me if you experience an abundance of earthly wealth. It's not as hard to obtain as some believe it is. But if it comes your way, don't worship it. Be content with whatever the Lord entrusts to you, and look for ways to put to good use whatever He places in your hands. Always remember to honor the Lord with your blessings because He is the source of every good thing and the only One who is worthy of our worship.

© John Stange, 2022

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Setting up the next generation for success

How curious are you about your ancestors? Do you ever think about what they were like? Do you even know their names?

I have a few things around our house that belonged to relatives I've never met. One of the most noticeable artifacts is a small coal stove that we use like an end table. It belonged to my great-great grandparents who heated their home and cooked on it when they owned a farm in Northumberland County, Pennsylvania.

I would love to be able to have a conversation with the generations that came before me. I'm very curious about what their personalities were like and how their voices sounded. I'd love to know what made them laugh and what motivated them to choose the life they chose.

I would also like to express my thanks to them. I have experienced some difficult seasons in my life, but their lives were harder. When I'm tempted to complain, I often think about my great-grandfather, Joseph Lewis, who used to spend every day digging coal and eventually died in a mine subsidence while he was still a very young man.

My life is easier because of the sacrifices that were made by the generations that preceded me. They inched our family forward, one step at a time. I see this in the investments my parents made in my life and I see this in the investments their parents made in them.

And it's my desire to help set up the next generation of our family for success. Not success as the world would define it, but success like we see described in Scripture. More than anything, I want my children and the generations that come from them to know the Lord and walk with Him closely. I want them to prioritize His ways and His desires. I want them to love Jesus and listen to the counsel of the Holy Spirit, and then invest in their children and grandchildren as well. This is the aim of those who revere and respect the Lord.

When the psalmist tells us about the man who fears the Lord and delights in His commandments, he also makes it clear that walking with the Lord in this manner will have a generational impact. He says, "His offspring will be mighty in the land; the generation of the upright will be blessed." (Psalm 112:2). Those who prioritize the desires of the Lord are setting up their children for success.

If the righteous man's children are "mighty in the land," this conveys the thought that they will have their act together. They very well might be prominent and respected among their peers. Responsibility and power may be entrusted to them. The blessing of the Lord will produce good fruit in their lives in obvious ways. As they walk with the Lord, just as their parents modeled for them, their lives will testify to God's goodness and provision.

I love the ideas conveyed in these verses, but I'm also reminded of righteous people in previous generations who had children that, at least for a season, rejected the faith and wisdom of their parents. I think of King Josiah (2 Kings 22). Josiah loved the Lord and led the nation of Judah in such a way that he prioritized obedience to the instruction found in Scripture. His heart was sensitive to the Lord's leading, and even though he set his children up for success, they embraced evil after his death and rejected the blessings that were offered to them.

I mention that as a word of caution and a word of encouragement. You may offer great blessings to the generations that come after you, and they may, unfortunately, reject those blessings. They may reject them temporarily because of immaturity, or they may reject them permanently because of their overall rejection of the Lord, but you can't control what someone else does with the gifts you offer them.

I remember seeing this in the life of one of my friend's parents. His parents were blessed with four children, and his father in particular was a very wise pastor that I personally gleaned a lot of wisdom from. One of their children dealt with an ongoing mental illness that made for a complicated relationship, even though they always kept working on it. Another child completely embraced the ways of this world and rejected his parents' faith and lifestyle.

But two of their children knew the Lord deeply, respected their parents' example, followed in their footsteps, and dedicated their lives to serving the Lord through vocations in educational leadership and church ministry. Their story is a helpful reminder for parents that you can model what it means to walk with Christ and give your children every opportunity to receive the wisdom and blessings that come with that, but in the end, they are personally responsible for what they do with what has been offered to them, just as we are personally responsible for what we do with the blessings offered to us.

As I look at the counsel of Psalm 112:2, my heart is filled with the desire to do everything I can to make investments in the generations of my family that will come after me. I regularly pray for them, and I seek the Lord's guidance as I aim to set them up for success. And as best as I can tell, there are several ways we can honor the heart of what this portion of Scripture is teaching while we attempt to guide our children.

1. Model the faith

Years ago, I received a letter from someone I had once hired to work for me when I was directing a summer camp and conference center. She asked me if I had ever written on the subject of leadership because she enjoyed working for me and was now in a position of leading other people. She was trying her best to remember how I kept morale high and how I motivated the staff to do a good job in their respective departments.

As you can imagine, reading something like that made me feel genuinely encouraged, and I wanted to give her a thoughtful answer that might actually help her with her leadership dilemma.

There are two things I can think of that contributed to high morale and a motivated staff. I found ways to express my appreciation, and I never asked them to do anything that I wasn't willing to do alongside them. I was hired to lead that ministry, but I didn't resist getting my hands dirty when it was time to serve. No job was beneath me, and I modeled that for the staff.

The same principle applies to our faith as well. Just consider the power of your example to your children. Remember the ways spending the first twenty years of your life observing your mother and father living out their faith in Christ impacted you.

The Apostle Paul considered Timothy like a son in the faith. He showed him many things about what it looks like to follow Christ, preach the gospel, and serve people for Christ's glory. Then he reminded Timothy that one of the most powerful things he could do for the benefit of those he was leading and serving was setting an example for them.

Paul told Timothy, "set the believers an example in speech, in conduct, in love, in faith, in purity." (1 Tim. 4:12b). That's what the Lord wants us to do as well as we invest in those who come after us. We model the faith by setting an example. We demonstrate our love for Christ in what we believe, what we say, what we do, and how we treat others.

2. Teach the faith

Sometimes I look at my kids and see the aptitude the Lord has given them for certain tasks, and it amazes me. One excels at teaching. One fights fires and saves lives. Another is a skilled woodworker, and another styles hair. Along the way, as they pursued these tasks, they found the teachers they needed and took time to learn from them. These are skills that required outside instruction to develop proficiency.

Our faith works the same way. We have not been designed to figure out the nuances of faith without outside help. The Holy Spirit opens our minds to understand the truth and He guides the words of our teachers to instruct us in the counsel of God's Word. Jesus said, "A disciple is not above his teacher, but everyone when he is fully trained will be like his teacher." (Luke 6:40).

If you want to pass along your faith in Christ to the generations that come after you, teach them. And if you feel like there are things you don't know about the faith, just start with what you do know. When your children ask you questions, write them down and find the answers. Your willingness to teach them will have the double benefit of adding to your knowledge and understanding as well.

3. Act on the faith together

Having knowledge, but failing to act on what you know, is worse than ignorance. It's belligerence. But gaining knowledge that you put into practice produces fruit that reinforces the effectiveness of what you believe.

Our faith in Christ is an active faith. It isn't meant to be exclusively contemplated in isolation, it's meant to be actively utilized in the midst of others. When the Lord saves a person, He also equips them to serve others for His glory. As we serve others, the faith of those we serve is strengthened along with ours. That's how God has designed life and discipleship among believers to work.

"As each has received a gift, use it to serve one another, as good stewards of God's varied grace:" (1 Peter 4:10)

"In all things I have shown you that by working hard in this way we must help the weak and remember the words of the Lord Jesus, how he himself said, ‘It is more blessed to give than to receive.’” (Acts 20:35)

The Christian faith will become more real and less theoretical to your children when you find opportunities to act on the faith together. Demonstrate the joys of serving for Christ's glory and invite them to join you.

4. Surround yourself with the faithful

Several years ago, I came across a video of me that was taken when I was 15 years old. I don't know if I was more entertained or embarrassed when I saw it, but I couldn't help but notice the way I spoke and the way I phrased what I said. It was completely influenced by where I lived and the people I spent the most time with at that season of life. That was unmistakable to me the second I heard it.

The people we surround ourselves with will influence everything about us. That's why it's important to surround your children with those who know and love Jesus. Prioritize your family's involvement in the local church. Give your children the opportunity to interact with older believers who have a lifetime of Christ-centered wisdom to pass along.

““Rather, speaking the truth in love, we are to grow up in every way into him who is the head, into Christ, from whom the whole body, joined and held together by every joint with which it is equipped, when each part is working properly, makes the body grow so that it builds itself up in love.” ”

— Ephesians 4:15-16

There are all kinds of things you will spend time doing during the course of your life, but few things will make a lasting impact like setting up the next generation for success. May your offspring be mighty in the land. By God's grace, may they be a generation that welcomes the Lord's blessings and serves Him wholeheartedly.

© John Stange, 2022

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Delighting to hear God's voice

Have you ever attempted to listen to the voice of God as He speaks to you? Do you struggle to hear Him, or does it feel like His words are clear and discernible?

Many people admit to having a difficult time hearing the voice of God. In some respects, I imagine that might be because they don't know enough about how He speaks to people, or it's possible that they're so caught up in listening to worldly counsel that their ability to discern godly wisdom from worldly wisdom has become deficient.

Years ago, a group of Chilean miners spent nearly 70 days listening. For a full 69 days, they were stuck in a mine shaft after a large section of the mountain they were digging in collapsed. 33 miners spent more than two months listening for signs of hope that might indicate that someone on the surface was searching for them.

These men were 2,300 feet below the surface while they waited for help. For many days, they had no idea if help was coming or if they were presumed dead. They had a small amount of food in the mine, a little tuna, some peas, and some packages of cookies. They also had some milk and water, but their daily rations had to be limited to just 300 calories while they waited for rescue.

For many days, they heard nothing. Sometimes their minds would play tricks on them and they would imagine they were hearing drills or other noises, but when they listened closely, they realized that wasn't the case.

In the midst of this situation, they started to settle into the very real possibility of dying. But one of the men tried to encourage the others to hold on to hope. José Henríquez, a devout Christian, led the men in prayer. He asked God to take pity on them and provide a way out.

While this was all taking place in the mine, there were men on the surface doing everything they could to locate the miners underground. They decided to simultaneously drill in 9 locations at once in the hopes that one of them would be correct. On the 17th day of drilling, something happened. They drilled into the shaft where the men were located. The men heard the drill approaching them, then saw it protrude through the ceiling. One of the miners began banging on the pipe that encased the drill bit to let their rescuers know they had found them.

When José saw that pipe poking through, he joyfully proclaimed "God exists!" for the rest of the crew to hear. It took many more weeks for the men to be successfully extracted from the mine, but food and notes from their families were lowered down to them while they waited for the rescue shaft to be drilled. What a delight it was for them to hear the sound of the drill and read the notes from their loved ones.

Are we eager to hear?

There are certain things that are an utter delight to hear, and God wants us to remain eager to hear from Him. We see that sentiment expressed by the psalmist in Psalm 112 when he says, "Praise the Lord! Blessed is the man who fears the Lord, who greatly delights in his commandments!" (Psalm 112:1)

Psalm 112 is one of my favorite portions of Scripture. It's a psalm that paints a picture of the kind of life God desires for us. It's the kind of life Jesus lived on our behalf when He walked this earth, and it demonstrates a lifestyle that the Holy Spirit is eager to empower us to experience as we trust in Jesus and obey His counsel.

There are several phrases of encouragement that should stand out to us when we look at the first verse of this psalm. It begins with the statement, "Praise the Lord!" That's a statement that should never be far from our lips. If I'm experiencing true joy, hope, and contentment in Christ, I will be able to utter that phrase no matter what my present circumstances may be. When I'm healthy, I can praise the Lord. When I'm ill, I can praise Him as well. When my life is free from conflict, I can praise Him. When I'm experiencing discomfort and disappointment, I can praise Him just the same. My sense of peace in this world is not found in the absence of pain, it's found in the presence of Christ.

The psalmist also reminds us that the man who fears the Lord is truly blessed. It could also be said that such a person is genuinely happy because he understands how life and this world are truly designed to operate. Living life with a healthy and respectful reverence for God's authority and power is the only way to experience a genuinely blessed and happy life.

I imagine that the concept of living in the fear of the Lord might initially sound unappealing to some people. The word "fear" frequently causes people to scratch their heads in confusion. But a man or woman who chooses to spend their life recognizing that the greatest power in the universe, the One who spoke creation into existence, has authority over them and can enact His power to intervene in their life at any moment, is a person who is going to live a better life, plain and simple. They won't strut around like they're calling all the shots, and they'll spare themselves the pain that comes from human pride and arrogance. Understanding who God really is, and living in respectful submission to His authority, is the key to obtaining wisdom and good direction.

The psalmist also expresses that those who greatly delight in God's commandments will be blessed. I appreciate reading that and contemplating what that means because the concept of worshipping a God who specifically commands us to live a certain way and believe certain things seems noticeably deficient in present-day culture.

Are we trying to sanitize God?

We live in a day when many teachers, preachers, and writers are trying to "sanitize" God in order to portray Him in a soft and non-abrasive manner. But here's what I have learned about God and about myself. My sin is an offense to His holy nature. I wasn't seeking Him and I wasn't eager to receive His counsel. But then the Father sent the Son into this world to bear the penalty for my sin upon Himself. He offered me the only shot I had at redemption and forgiveness. If I trust Him enough to receive His gift of salvation, I should also trust Him enough to listen to exactly what He says about how I'm supposed to go about living this new life He's given me.

There will be times when God's word says things I won't want to hear. He will make demands of my life that stretch me and take me out of my comfort zone. He will offend me by telling me I was wrong and He was right. He will show me things about myself and my internal motivations that will make me uncomfortable. And if I truly love Him, and truly mean it when I call Him "Lord," I will learn to say "thank you" every time He challenges my false notions or spiritual immaturity.

There's a lyric in "Every Breaking Wave," one of my favorite U2 songs, that says, "It's hard to listen while you preach." I think that's such a great line because it illustrates one of the biggest obstacles we all experience when it comes to hearing God's voice. We want to do the talking and the directing when we really should be doing the listening and obeying. It's hard to listen to Him if we're too enamored with listening to ourselves.

““It’s hard to listen while you preach””

— Bono, lead singer of U2

Jesus once said, "Whoever is of God hears the words of God. The reason why you do not hear them is that you are not of God.” (John 8:47). Jesus said these words to the religious influencers of the day who loved the sound of their own voices more than the voice of God. Their rejection of Christ's teaching demonstrated that their hearts were far from God. They claimed to delight in hearing God's voice, but they really delighted in hearing their own.

Our hearts should be aligned with the sentiment David expressed in Psalm 32 when he encouraged those who claimed to worship God to not take the posture of a belligerent animal that continually resists submission. David said, "I will instruct you and teach you in the way you should go; I will counsel you with my eye upon you. Be not like a horse or a mule, without understanding, which must be curbed with bit and bridle, or it will not stay near you." (Psalm 32:8-9).

Years ago, author and well-known Christian thought-leader, Dallas Willard, said this about our struggle to hear God's voice; "Our failure to hear His voice when we want to is due to the fact that we do not, in general, want to hear it, that we want it only when we think we need it."

Do you want God’s counsel?

Do you want God's counsel? Do you think you need it on occasion or is it something you can honestly say you need continually? How do you respond to counsel in other areas of life? Do you accept the counsel of the people God has specifically placed in your life to help guide the steps you take and the decisions you make?

Back when my son was a new driver he made a classic mistake and failed to pay attention to his speed. He was driving down a residential hill and his speed far exceeded the limit. Unfortunately for him, the police were in a position that day to catch drivers who had a habit of making that same mistake and he was quickly pulled over. The fine was severe and the increased insurance costs were going to be substantial if this offense went against his record, but someone working for the police department told him he could challenge the ticket and come before the judge if he wanted to attempt to reduce the penalty.

My son asked me what to do and I told him that if I was in his shoes, I would just pay the fine and accept the consequences since it was clear that his speed was well beyond the limit. But that's not what he decided to do. He took his chances and challenged the ticket.

Then he asked me, "How should I dress when I come before the judge?" I told him, "Well, you didn't listen to my counsel when I told you to pay for the ticket, so you probably aren't going to listen to my counsel now, but if I was you, I would wear my work uniform when I came before the judge." He thought that answer was ridiculous. At the time, he worked for Chick-Fil-A, and he thought my suggestion sounded silly. But to my surprise, he took my counsel and wore his work uniform to court.

When the judge questioned him about his driving, he also said, "I see you work at Chick-Fil-A. My daughter works there too. It's a great company. If you work there, I'm guessing you're a generally reliable person who must have made a mistake." Then he reduced my son's fine and the other penalties so they didn't affect his ability to be insured. Later that day, my son said, "I hate to admit it, but you were right. I'm glad I listened to you and wore the uniform."

There is going to be a day when every person is going to admit that their Heavenly Father was right. We can admit that today and live in the blessed delight of experiencing our daily life with the confidence that we're in the center of God's will, or we can stumble through life with our own short-sighted wisdom as our primary guide and eventually admit that our Heavenly Father was right while we try to pick up the pieces of our needlessly shattered lives.

What voice rings loudest in your head? The voice of God, the beckoning of this sinfully confused world, or the counsel of your own making? The person who spends a lifetime delighting in the commands of God and developing a sensitivity to hearing the counsel of the Holy Spirit will also be someone who experiences a fulfilling existence on this planet while we wait for the glorious return of Jesus.

Learn to delight in the commands of God. Ask the Lord to make this your heart's desire.

© John Stange, 2022

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Your Heart: What lives there?

A guest post from Civilla M. Morgan - https://childlessnotbychoice.net/

Your heart is the front door, the entryway to all that you are.  Just like the front door of your dwelling, the place where your worldly possessions are kept. The place where you take off your shoes. The place where you lay your head every night. You would keep an eye on what and who goes back and forth through the door of your dwelling place right?  

No one wants a rabid raccoon or a bear entering their home. As docile as a deer or a cow may be in the wild, they would still wreak havoc in your home.   

I imagine it goes without saying, that allowing any of those animals, docile or not so much, into your home would be an invitation for an attack on you, or on your family members. Mayhem would ensue!

But your heart. What does all of that have to do with your heart? Well, what if I told you that allowing uncontrolled, negative, even ugly thoughts and feelings into your heart is much like allowing untamed creatures to dwell in your physical home? What if those certain friendships, un-Christlike world views, or negative belief systems took up residence in your heart? 

Those negative beliefs, behaviors, and associations would gradually take up residence in your heart and finally take over. They would turn a clean, neat, and tidy home into a messy place. There would be spills, tears, rips, and misplaced items throughout your home. And instead of admitting the mess exists, you might cover it up or hide it when you had company. 

But the funny thing about dirt is that it eventually shows up and shows through, pouring out of your heart at the least likely and opportune times. 

Jeremiah 17: 9-10 says “The heart is deceitful above all things and beyond cure. Who can understand it? 10 “I the Lord search the heart and examine the mind, to reward each person according to their conduct, according to what their deeds deserve.” --NIV. 

Here is The Message version: 

“The heart is hopelessly dark and deceitful, a puzzle that no one can figure out. But I, God, search the heart and examine the mind. I get to the heart of the human. I get to the root of things. I treat them as they really are, not as they pretend to be.” Wow, that is direct.  So, God knows our hearts even if we pretend to ourselves and to the world. 

According to Blueletterbible.org, the word ‘heart’ is mentioned over 800 times in the Bible. That tells me the subject of the heart is important to God. It is important because it is a doorway. And doorways are important because they can lead us from one place to the next. They let things in or allow things to exit. Things such as how we really feel about someone, something, or some issue. Doors protect privacy, valuables, and feelings.    

We can make ourselves and others believe that our heart is right and pure. Sure, we say that ‘no one is perfect, we all mess up at some point.’ And of course, that is true. There is no perfect human.  But if we are honest with ourselves, over the last couple of years, we have been witnessing a change in some of our friends, family, and even in ourselves. I believe this pandemic has changed us. But I also believe it has brought out of our hearts what was already there.  And if you add loss: the grief of losing a loved one, a job, a way of life, etc., on top of the pandemic; we are indeed different whether we want to admit it or not. 

We can hide the rabid raccoon, stray bear, or stain on the couch for a little while; but only for so long.  

What to do? 

Here is what I suggest: admit to yourself and to God, that those things are in your house, your heart, and then start using the best cleaning agent against these things: the Word of God. Tell God that you want the negative thoughts, feelings, and behaviors gone. He will clean your heart because He wants them gone too. He will convict your heart in love when those things try to enter and take over again.   

Remember King David? He did some real soap opera-level stuff, didn’t he? I mean, adultery and cold-blooded murder immediately come to mind. There was so much blood on his hands that God would not even allow him to build a temple in His honor. Yet God literally called him a man after his own heart!   

‘After removing Saul, he made David their king. God testified concerning him: ‘I have found David son of Jesse, a man after my own heart; he will do everything I want him to do.’--Acts 13:22. NIV.

Now granted, God said this before David did those things, but nothing David did surprised God. And I don’t see anywhere in the scriptures where God changed His mind about David. And He will not change His mind about you. 

As God cleans your heart, you have work to do as well. You have to now watch what you allow into your front door, into your heart.      

The Bible also says: 

‘Above all else, guard your heart, for everything you do flows from it.’--Proverbs 4:23. NIV. This is one of my favorite verses. 

What I really love about this verse is that it is quite clear, no matter the version from which we read. There is no nuance, and there is no wiggle room. It’s not an allegory, analogy, or parable. Once you have read and understood this verse, you can’t say you did not know. 

The scripture literally says to protect your heart because everything you say, do, your reactions, belief systems, hatred, love, feelings, and opinions; all of it is in your heart and it will flow from your heart. 

Nothing stays hidden forever.

When we were kids, my parents used to tell us, that “the old people” used to say to them, “if it’s one minute to morning, the truth will come out.”

Why not work on your heart so that the right things are in there. Fill your heart with truth, love, empathy, character, integrity, goodness, godliness, the fruit of the spirit, and believing the best about people. It takes work. But it will be worth it. Strive to be a man or woman after God’s own heart. Don’t give up even when you mess up. And even if you do mess up, God will not change His mind about you.  

-Civilla M. Morgan

Sources: 

https://www.blueletterbible.org/search/search.cfm?Criteria=heart&t=KJV&ss=1#s=s_primary_0_1

http://www.biblegateway.com/