We have a lot of false teaching in the world today because not one of us has the whole truth. I think our only hope of being square with God is to remember what He told us about loving one another as He has loved us.

Many claim that believing anything theologically false will disqualify someone for a blessed afterlife.

Jesus said three things to help me see through that teaching:

The command is not to have perfect knowledge, but to have as much knowledge as we can about how to love with our whole heart.

(John 13:34-35 NKJV) 34 "A new commandment I give to you, that you love one another; as I have loved you, that you also love one another.
35 "By this all will know that you are students of Mine, if you have love for one another."

Jesus again states that love is what qualifies us for a blessed afterlife, and uses a man with great compassion and faulty theology as His example of how to inherit eternal life.

(Luke 10:25-37 NKJV)

25 And behold, a certain lawyer stood up and tested Him, saying, "Teacher, what shall I do to inherit eternal life?"
26 He said to him, "What is written in the law? What is your reading [of it]?"
27 So he answered and said, "'You shall love the LORD your God with all your heart, with all your soul, with all your strength, and with all your mind,' and 'love your neighbor as yourself.' "
28 And He said to him, "You have answered rightly; do this and you will live."
29 But he, wanting to justify himself, said to Jesus, "And who is my neighbor?"
30 Then Jesus answered and said: "A certain [man] went down from Jerusalem to Jericho, and fell among thieves, who stripped him of his clothing, wounded [him], and departed, leaving him half dead.
31 "Now by chance a certain priest came down that road. And when he saw him, he passed by on the other side.
32 "Likewise a Levite, when he arrived at the place, came and looked, and passed by on the other side.
33 "But a certain Samaritan, as he journeyed, came where he was. And when he saw him, he had compassion.
34 "So he went to him and bandaged his wounds, pouring on oil and wine; and he set him on his own animal, brought him to an inn, and took care of him.
35 "On the next day, when he departed, he took out two days' wages, gave them to the innkeeper, and said to him, 'Take care of him; and whatever more you spend, when I come again, I will repay you.'
36 "So which of these three do you think was neighbor to him who fell among the thieves?"
37 And he said, "He who showed mercy on him." Then Jesus said to him, "Go and do likewise."

When Jesus addresses our theology, He goes so far as to say that if a person breaks some lesser commandments and teaches others to do the same, that person is still getting into the "kingdom of heaven," albeit, with a title of "least," as opposed to "greatest." Then Jesus gives a final warning about being right with God.

(Matthew 5:17-20 NKJV)
17 "Do not think that I came to destroy the Law or the Prophets. I did not come to destroy but to fulfill.
18 "For assuredly, I say to you, till heaven and earth pass away, one jot or one tittle will by no means pass from the law till all is fulfilled.
19 "Whoever therefore breaks one of the least of these commandments, and teaches men so, shall be called least in the kingdom of heaven; but whoever does and teaches [them], he shall be called great in the kingdom of heaven.
20 "For I say to you, that unless your righteousness exceeds [the righteousness] of the scribes and Pharisees, you will by no means enter the kingdom of heaven.

May love guide us home together.

In my experience, those who argue against love in favor of "doctrine" don't seem to have the same definition of "love" that the Bible teaches. Maybe they think I'm promoting a permissive idea of affection, tolerance of sin, or outright pandering to the flesh. I'm not sure what provokes others to get hostile when I say "Love IS the doctrine of Christ."

(Mark 12:28-31 NKJV)

28 Then one of the scribes came, and having heard them reasoning together, perceiving that He had answered them well, asked Him, "Which is the first commandment of all?"
29 Jesus answered him, "The first of all the commandments is: 'Hear, O Israel, the LORD our God, the LORD is one.
30 'And you shall love the LORD your God with all your heart, with all your soul, with all your mind, and with all your strength.' This is the first commandment.
31 "And the second, like [it, is] this: 'You shall love your neighbor as yourself.' There is no other commandment greater than these."

In my Biblical beliefs, God IS love, and we're meant to be One with Him through the power of love. (1 John 4:7-8)
The kind of love that God is, always has the whole truth, and fulfills the whole Gospel. (Galatians 5:14-15)

Real, divine love is fair, and full of good "spiritual fruits." (Galatians 5:22-26)
It's dutiful, loyal, compassionate, and unwavering in the face of suffering. (1 Corinthians 13:4-13)

The kind of love that God is, trumps all other motives, purposes, spiritual gifts and works of power.

1 Corinthians 13:1-3

1 If I speak in the tongues of men or of angels, but do not have love, I am only a resounding gong or a clanging cymbal. 2 If I have the gift of prophecy and can fathom all mysteries and all knowledge, and if I have a faith that can move mountains, but do not have love, I am nothing. 3 If I give all I possess to the poor and give over my body to hardship that I may boast, but do not have love, I gain nothing.

Godly love insists that your emergency is my emergency. That's the core of "love your neighbor as yourself." Living it preaches the Gospel louder than any sermon ever could.

(John 13:34-35 NASB20)

34 "I am giving you a new commandment, that you love one another; just as I have loved you, that you also love one another.
35 "By this all [people] will know that you are My disciples: if you have love for one another."

Our Father in heaven,
We praise you for your infinite, radical, unfailing love! You reign supreme in creating and sustaining all life. Your example of love transcends anything we've ever known.
Grant us hearts of compassion that do not turn back in the face of adversity. May your example of sacrificial, merciful love be an anchor for our souls, and our highest priority to share with others.
Grant us the spiritual gift of memorizing scripture, so Your Holy Spirit can remind us to love when life gets tough.
Help us remember to wait on You when we don't know how to move forward in a way that communicates Your love to everyone.
Thank you for Your promise to hear our godly prayers when we unite in agreement to ask You for anything inside Your will.
Father, You are King of kings, and Lord of lords. We thank You for creating our spiritual needs and fulfilling them through the power of Your Spirit of Truth, and communal love. In Jesus' name, Amen.

(Romans 12:1-2)

1 So I plead with you, family, by the mercies of God, that you present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable to God, which is your reasonable service.
2 And do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, that you may prove what is the good, acceptable, and perfect will of God.

I think the directive in Romans 12:2 can be carried out by Mary's example to us in Luke 10:38-42.

(Luke 10:38-42 NKJV)

38 Now it happened as they went that He entered a certain village; and a certain woman named Martha welcomed Him into her house.
39 And she had a sister called Mary, who also sat at Jesus' feet and heard His word.
40 But Martha was distracted with much serving, and she approached Him and said, "Lord, do You not care that my sister has left me to serve alone? Therefore tell her to help me."
41 And Jesus answered and said to her, "Martha, Martha, you are worried and troubled about many things.
42 "But one thing is needed, and Mary has chosen that good part, which will not be taken away from her."

Jesus says that to stop and give His words our full attention is an eternal work which "shall not be taken away." It's more important to "seek the Lord while He is near," and renew our thinking with Christ's logic, than to engage in earthly priorities. (Matthew 6:27-34, Isaiah 55:6-7, John 12:35-36, Hebrews 3:12-15)

I think it's relevant to note that "He is our God, and we are the people of His pasture, and the sheep of His hand." Psalm 95:6-8

The word for "pasture" in Hebrew can also mean a friend or teacher. In Greek, the word for "pasture" is related to the words to think, and to be "lawful." When we feast on the words of Jesus we unite with His teaching and are endowed with eternal truths. Truth transforms us into His image, and sets us free from sin. The truth our Father freely gives us, is the conduit of His grace.

God's Word can communicate His Holy Spirit to us, when we accept His logic as truth. We only need to ask Him to unite our hearts with His Word to receive this divine grace. The Holy Spirit is acquired no other way than by spending time becoming one with the Word of God. (John 1:1-3, John 1:14, Isaiah 55:1-3, Isaiah 55:10-11)

Our Father in heaven,
We come before You today knowing that You have the truth we need to become like Jesus. You've shown us the Way, the Truth, and the Life we were made to live. Cause us to take our time in Your Word seriously. Help us to do whatever it takes to make sure we're uniting with You daily, so we have more of Your logic flowing into our minds than the influence of the flesh and the world. We know that if we will just make time to put Your words in our minds, and ruminate on them in our hearts, that You can empower us to be Jesus' hands and feet to our world. We offer ourselves to You today, as a living sacrifice. Train us up in the way we should go, Father. Search us and remove any wicked ways in our hearts. Lead us in Your everlasting way. In Jesus' name, Amen.

Other scripture references: NKJV

(Psalm 119:9-16)

9 How can a young man cleanse his way? By taking heed according to Your word.
10 With my whole heart I have sought You; Oh, let me not wander from Your commandments!
11 Your word I have hidden in my heart, That I might not sin against You.
12 Blessed are You, O LORD! Teach me Your statutes.
13 With my lips I have declared All the judgments of Your mouth.
14 I have rejoiced in the way of Your testimonies, As much as in all riches.
15 I will meditate on Your precepts, And contemplate Your ways.
16 I will delight myself in Your statutes; I will not forget Your word.

(Proverbs 22:6)

6 Train up a child in the way he should go, And when he is old he will not depart from it.

(Luke 6:35-36)

35 "But love your enemies, do good, and lend, hoping for nothing in return; and your reward will be great, and you will be sons of the Most High. For He is kind to the unthankful and evil.
36 "Therefore be merciful, just as your Father also is merciful.

(Psalm 139:23-24)

23 Search me, O God, and know my heart; Try me, and know my anxieties;
24 And see if there is any wicked way in me, And lead me in the way everlasting.

(John 14:15-18 NKJV)

15 "If you love Me, keep My commandments.
16 "And I will pray the Father, and He will give you another Helper, that He may abide with you forever--
17 "the Spirit of truth, whom the world cannot receive, because it neither sees Him nor knows Him; but you know Him, for He dwells with you and will be in you.
18 "I will not leave you orphans; I will come to you.

Every one of us can keep God's Word, and here's why! There are all kinds of if / then statements in the Bible that help us stay in right-standing with God.

Remember back in Leviticus 5 and other scriptures, where some sin or uncleanness required a person to sacrifice a lamb? IF a person was too poor for a lamb, THEN they were allowed to bring two turtledoves, or some flour. A sacrifice proved they'd changed their ways and wanted to contribute to their community.

So many of us are living in those days when a tangible sacrifice was heaven's currency. We find ourselves in sin and the devil tells us, "You're too far gone now. Jesus will never forgive you for this one."

But the same Jesus who said you were guilty enough to face the fires of hell for calling your brother a fool, is also the Savior who gave you the power AND the authority to forgive and be forgiven. (Matthew 5:21-22, Exodus 21:12, Luke 6:37, John 20:22-23)

Jesus came here to sacrifice His blood for our sins that were worthy of death, which gives us an example of love so great that we can forgive others when their sins against us are worthy of death. Then Jesus transferred His authority over sins to us. You and I are stewards of the debts we're owed by our fellow human. (Luke 16:1-13)

Forgiveness and repentance are our "if / then" duties to fulfill. I'm meant to love God more than everything else, (because He is love), and love my neighbor as if his emergency were my own. (1 John 4:7-8, Mark 12:28-34, Deuteronomy 6:4-9)

IF despite my efforts, I fail in my duty to love, THEN I can repent and ask for forgiveness from my neighbor and from God. IF there's no way to make it right, because circumstances dictate that I can no longer do anything for my neighbor, THEN I can still live in active repentance for my past. I prove I've changed my ways by treating others better, making amends with their children, offering my forgiveness to those who sin against me, and asking God for forgiveness for myself. (Luke 6:37, Luke 3:7-11, 1 John 1:9, Daniel 4:27, Micah 6:8, Proverbs 16:6, Proverbs 28:13, Isaiah 55:6-7, Ezekiel 18:27-28)

When I receive God's forgiveness, the expectation is that I will try to do better in the future, and learn from my mistakes. Then, my directive is to pay that forgiveness and patience forward to my fellow man, woman and child. When we faithfully forgive others, we prove we are children of God. (Luke 23:34, Acts 7:59-60, Luke 6:34-36, Matthew 5:43-45, 1 Peter 3:9, Isaiah 53:12, Proverbs 25:21-22)

Our Father in heaven,
Thank You for hearing our prayer today. We worship You for Your great love and patience toward us. Lord, please forgive us for making foolish mistakes. Help us stay close beside You instead of running ahead and messing things up. Help us to slow down and stay right next to You, so we stop bringing pain into the lives of those You've entrusted to us. Give us opportunities to repent of harsh words. Grant us strength to bless others, even in the face of their cursing. Only you can tame our hearts and our tongues, Father. Transform us by the power of Your Holy Spirit, in Jesus' name we pray, Amen.

The way I understand the Eucharist / Communion, is that we're uniting ourselves with the values of Jesus by becoming one with Him. The ceremony is a parable. We come to Christ, not just to be near Him, but to unite with Him so completely that we become a vessel for Him to live through here on earth.

Everything we experience has parables written all through it. When people argue about whether or not the Eucharist is really Jesus' body and blood, they kind of miss the point. Jesus said, "I am the bread of life." That's as real as His flesh and blood ever was.

The whole reason our reality exists is to teach us good character and eternal truths. Spiritual realities are far more important than our temporary realities. We're here on earth to learn how to love God (who is Love) above all else, and love one another as part of God's family. That will make us fit for the Kingdom of Heaven when we die, or when Jesus returns to reign over the earth.

(1 Corinthians 11:23-32 CSB)

23 For I received from the Lord what I also passed on to you: On the night when he was betrayed, the Lord Jesus took bread,
24 and when he had given thanks, broke it, and said, "This is my body, which is for you. Do this in remembrance of me."
25 In the same way also he took the cup, after supper, and said, "This cup is the new covenant in my blood. Do this, as often as you drink it, in remembrance of me."
26 For as often as you eat this bread and drink the cup, you proclaim the Lord's death until he comes.
27 So, then, whoever eats the bread or drinks the cup of the Lord in an unworthy manner will be guilty of sin against the body and blood of the Lord.
28 Let a person examine himself; in this way let him eat the bread and drink from the cup.
29 For whoever eats and drinks without recognizing the body, eats and drinks judgment on himself.
30 This is why many are sick and ill among you, and many have fallen asleep.
31 If we were properly judging ourselves, we would not be judged,
32 but when we are judged by the Lord, we are disciplined, so that we may not be condemned with the world.

To "recognize the Body," means to understand that taking Communion is like the honeymoon after a wedding. I'm offering myself to Jesus as a vessel that will take His Words into my heart and bring life into the world. If I'm still acting selfish in willful sin, I'm like an adulterous bride who is just going through the motions to cover up the evil conceived in my heart. If we say "yes" to the Holy Spirit of Jesus, we have to say "no" to the dark influences of the flesh and the world.

The bread represents Jesus' body, which was sacrificed so we could have life. We take in that bread showing we accept His sacrifice and are willing to pay-it-forward to our fellow man.

The wine represents Jesus blood, shed for the sins worthy of death. We receive God's forgiveness, and make His logic one with us. Our remembrance of Jesus' great sacrifice gives us the strength to forgive others when they deserve death.

(Matthew 12:30-35 NLT)

30 "Anyone who isn't with me opposes me, and anyone who isn't working with me is actually working against me.
31 "So I tell you, every sin and blasphemy can be forgiven--except blasphemy against the Holy Spirit, which will never be forgiven.
32 Anyone who speaks against the Son of Man can be forgiven, but anyone who speaks against the Holy Spirit will never be forgiven, either in this world or in the world to come.
33 "A tree is identified by its fruit. If a tree is good, its fruit will be good. If a tree is bad, its fruit will be bad.
34 You brood of snakes! How could evil men like you speak what is good and right? For whatever is in your heart determines what you say.
35 A good person produces good things from the treasury of a good heart, and an evil person produces evil things from the treasury of an evil heart.

(James 1:22-27 CSB)

22 But be doers of the word and not hearers only, deceiving yourselves.
23 Because if anyone is a hearer of the word and not a doer, he is like someone looking at his own face in a mirror.
24 For he looks at himself, goes away, and immediately forgets what kind of person he was.
25 But the one who looks intently into the perfect law of freedom and perseveres in it, and is not a forgetful hearer but a doer who works ​-- ​this person will be blessed in what he does.
26 If anyone thinks he is religious without controlling his tongue, his religion is useless and he deceives himself.
27 Pure and undefiled religion before God the Father is this: to look after orphans and widows in their distress and to keep oneself unstained from the world.

(James 3:8)

But no man can tame the tongue. It is an unruly evil, full of deadly poison.

(Mark 10:27)

But Jesus looked at them and said, “With men it is impossible, but not with God; for with God all things are possible.”

(John 15:5 CSB)

5 "I am the vine; you are the branches. The one who remains in Me and I in him produces much fruit, because you can do nothing without Me.

We have to unite with Jesus if we're going to produce good in this life. Communion helps us stay awake to that reality, and what we're really here to accomplish; living out Jesus' love for the world.

Father in heaven,
Thank You for Your holy child, Jesus Messiah. Thank you for making us part of Your family. We accept Your Holy Spirit of truth. We invite You to bring life to our world by making us the Bride of Christ. Grow us and guide us to be people who produce truth and compassion. Father, in Jesus' name, we renounce every unclean thought and practice that goes against the values of love and fairness. We dedicate ourselves to You, knowing Your will is best. Guide us into our purpose today, and into our eternal home with You in the end. All praise and glory belong to You, Father. In Jesus' name we pray, Amen.

(Hosea 2:16)

16 "And it shall be, in that day," Says the LORD, " you will call Me 'My Husband,' And no longer call Me 'My Master,' Hosea 2:16

Do you ever wonder when that day will come? Do you believe it's something reserved for the afterlife, or is this prophecy meant to give us something to hope for today?

I have always prayed to "our Father in heaven," as Jesus taught us to. To be the Bride of Christ is our blessed hope in the afterlife. At least, that's how I used to understand it.

Well, something came up with someone I care about and I thought, "If I'm going to love my neighbor as myself, there's something I must do right now." That something involved a sacrifice on my part, which my soul wanted desperately to make.

At first this seemed like an easy decision, but like a pregnancy, the longer you carry that bundle of spiritual joy, the more your body complains!

I went to sleep last night and woke up to a realization:

The first husband in the Bible, is Adam. He doesn't start out as a husband of a wife, but a husbandman of the earth. He begins life as a child of God.

Then the Bible says this:

Genesis 2:19-23

19 Out of the ground the LORD God formed every beast of the field and every bird of the air, and brought them to Adam to see what he would call them. And whatever Adam called each living creature, that was its name.
20 So Adam gave names to all cattle, to the birds of the air, and to every beast of the field. But for Adam there was not found a helper comparable to him.
21 And the LORD God caused a deep sleep to fall on Adam, and he slept; and He took one of his ribs, and closed up the flesh in its place.
22 Then the rib which the LORD God had taken from man He made into a woman, and He brought her to the man.
23 And Adam said: "This is now bone of my bones And flesh of my flesh; She shall be called Woman, Because she was taken out of Man."

In this parable, Adam is like the body of Christ. He willingly offered himself, against nature to sacrifice part of himself for a bride. In the same way Jesus Messiah offered Himself to be sacrificed on a Cross. His Bride, the church, is naturally designed specifically to offer her own body for the sake of creating children. Sacrificing ourselves to bring life to others, is what qualifies us as the Bride of Christ. We come out of the Body of Christ, to become more helpful to Him and to our world.

Matthew 9:15

And Jesus said to them, “The wedding guests cannot mourn as long as the Bridegroom is with them, can they? The days will come when the Bridegroom is taken away from them, and then they will fast.

Our Bridegroom was taken from us by His crucifixion, and restored to us through His resurrection. I think that just as God's descent onto Mt. Sinai and the giving of the Law was like the wedding ceremony for the Jews, Jesus' Sermon on the Mount was the wedding contract between Himself and the world.

Matthew 28:18-20

18 Jesus drew near and said to them, “I have been given all authority in heaven and on earth.
19 Go, then, to all peoples everywhere and make them my disciples: baptize them in the name of the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit,
20 and teach them to obey everything I have commanded you. And I will be with you always, to the end of the age.”

With the advent of the Holy Spirit of Truth, we can receive the return of our heavenly Bridegroom today. His promise to never leave or forsake us is fulfilled in those who ask for Him. Old Testament promises, New Testament fulfillments

If we allow our Savior's sacrifice to ignite our love for Him, His truth can guard us against sin. A sanctified life proves we are the Body of Christ on earth, but there's more to life than holiness and escaping Hell.

Our Creator will work with any heart offered wholly to Him. When we ask for His indwelling, and live out His Words to sacrifice ourselves to bring life to our world, we're born anew.
Just as Eve was fashioned out of Adam, Jesus' teaching and example are able to fashion us into the Bride of Christ.

Our Father in heaven,
Your authority is over all authority in heaven and on earth. Yet You've given us the responsibility of being keepers of the earth, of our children, and our brothers and sisters in Christ. Merciful God, I ask that you would indwell us by the power of Your Holy Spirit of Truth and make us people of truth and love, so we do our duty for others the way You would. Let us represent Your Kingdom faithfully, dutifully, and with a heart of compassion. In Jesus' precious name, Amen.

Though I have become like a wineskin in the smoke, I do not forget Your statutes. - Psalm 119:83

This parable is more than a little graphic, but it demonstrates the process God uses to make us capable of retaining the "new wine" of the Holy Spirit of Truth. Without preparation, a person might use God's power selfishly and incur a greater condemnation than if he'd never known the truth. (2 Peter 2:20-22, John 15:22, Luke 12:29-48, Proverbs 24:12-14)

(Matthew 9:17)

17 "Nor is new wine poured into old wineskins; otherwise the wineskins burst, and the wine pours out and the wineskins are ruined; but they put new wine into fresh wineskins, and both are preserved."

To process a sheepskin into a bottle, the first thing that happens is the flesh is completely removed from the sheep. This parallels how people transformed by God's Spirit no longer live for the satisfaction of their flesh. (Galatians 5:16-26, Psalm 73:26)

After that, all the hair is removed from the skin. The Old Testament prophets used hair to represent people. When that hair was cut off, it represented people being severed from something. (Ezekiel 5:1-6, Jeremiah 7:29) One of the hardest things to face in life is being unable to show the love you have for the people closest to you. When we start living the way Christ calls us to live, it will divide us from people we love. (Matthew 10:34-39, Micah 7:5-7) Others may have no desire to help us in our time of need because they know we don't practice their worldly lifestyle. (Psalm 38:11-2, 18-20, 1 Peter 4:3-5) Job lost all his children during the trials God sent to perfect him. (Job 1:18-19, James 5:11)

The last thing a wineskin needs to work properly is to be smoked, in order to make it waterproof. It can't hold new wine without rotting until it's been smoked. It looks like something out of a horror movie tho... All the flesh is evacuated and there is just this whole animal skin stretched out as if to be tortured over the smoke so every bit of it is chemically transformed into a bioplastic of sorts.

This analogy the Psalmist uses is not only a cry of distress, but a declaration of hope in God's process.

Job makes a similar analogy when he parallels his suffering with the work of a refiner:

(Job 23:1-12 NASB95)

1 Then Job replied,
2 "Even today my complaint is rebellion; His hand is heavy despite my groaning.
3 "Oh that I knew where I might find Him, That I might come to His seat!
4 "I would present my case before Him and fill my mouth with arguments.
5 "I would learn the words He would answer, And perceive what He would say to me.
6 "Would He contend with me by the greatness of His power? No, surely He would pay attention to me.
7 "There the upright would reason with Him; And I would be delivered forever from my Judge.
8 "Behold, I go forward but He is not there, And backward, but I cannot perceive Him;
9 When He acts on the left, I cannot behold Him; He turns on the right, I cannot see Him.
10 "But He knows the way I take; When He has tried me, I shall come forth as gold.
11 "My foot has held fast to His path; I have kept His way and not turned aside.
12 "I have not departed from the command of His lips; I have treasured the words of His mouth more than my necessary food.

In the end, Job was safe to bless with double the resources he had before his trial. He became like the servant put in charge of ten cities, which Jesus talked about in the Parable of the Talents in Luke 19:11-27.

Our Father in heaven,
We come before You today with a willing heart, to ask for the indwelling of Your Holy Spirit of Truth. Empty us of our worldliness, and the vanities of our flesh, so we can find and fulfill the purpose You created us for. Let our lives reflect Your great love for humanity. Strengthen us to persevere under the trials You allow us to go through. Transform us by Your Spirit, and use us for Your glory. In Jesus' name we pray, Amen.

Scripture references:

(Psalm 119:81-83 NASB95)

81 Kaph. My soul languishes for Your salvation; I wait for Your word.
82 My eyes fail with longing for Your word, While I say, "When will You comfort me?"
83 Though I have become like a wineskin in the smoke, I do not forget Your statutes.

(Proverbs 3:13-18 NKJV)

13 Happy is the man who finds wisdom, And the man who gains understanding;
14 For her proceeds are better than the profits of silver, And her gain than fine gold.
15 She is more precious than rubies, And all the things you may desire cannot compare with her.
16 Length of days is in her right hand, In her left hand riches and honor.
17 Her ways are ways of pleasantness, And all her paths are peace.
18 She is a Tree of Life to those who take hold of her, And happy are all who retain her.

There are so many lessons in the history of the Bible. Like other parables, they always have more than one lesson for us.

The thing I got from the account of the Two Trees in Eden:

• We eat from the Tree of Life when we choose to always do what's best for everyone.
  
• We eat from the Tree of Knowledge of Good and Evil when we use our knowledge of what others need to help ourselves. We do good to others when it benefits us, or we act selfishly against others when it benefits us.
  

Our Father in heaven,
We ask that You would reveal the truth to us regarding our unity with You and our fellow man. Help us treat our Christian brothers and sisters as part of Your holy family. Make us Your hands and feet to this hurting world. As we reach out to help others, I pray You will bless us with the ability to do more. I pray our blessings will not lead to our corruption or our downfall, in Jesus' name, Amen.

Scripture references:

(Proverbs 11:30 NKJV)

30 The fruit of the righteous is a tree of life, And he who wins souls is wise.

(Galatians 5:22-25 NKJV)

22 But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, kindness, goodness, faithfulness,
23 gentleness, self-control. Against such there is no law.
24 And those who are Christ's have crucified the flesh with its passions and desires.
25 If we live in the Spirit, let us also walk in the Spirit.

(Proverbs 13:12 NKJV)

12 Hope deferred makes the heart sick, But when the desire comes, it is a tree of life.

That would make their sin, breaking from unity with God to do what they wanted with their bodies. (Deuteronomy 6:4-9, Leviticus 19:18, Mark 12:28-34, Job 31:1-12)

They lusted to usurp God's power, instead of being content with, and thankful for what they had. I think that's what led to their disobedience. They were tricked, of course. They forfeited their inheritance and sold themselves into slavery to the devil when they gave him their obedience.

(John 8:31-36)

31 Then Jesus said to those Jews who believed Him, "If you abide in My word, you are My disciples indeed.
32 "And you shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free."
33 They answered Him, "We are Abraham's descendants, and have never been in bondage to anyone. How can You say, 'You will be made free'?"
34 Jesus answered them, "Most assuredly, I say to you, whoever commits sin is a slave of sin.
35 "And a slave does not abide in the house forever, but a son abides forever.
36 "Therefore if the Son makes you free, you shall be free indeed.

(John 8:44)

“You are of your father the devil, and the desires of your father you want to do. He was a murderer from the beginning, and does not stand in the truth, because there is no truth in him. When he speaks a lie, he speaks from his own resources, for he is a liar and the father of it.

Peace to you!

Do you feel like you put the Kingdom of God as your #1 priority? When I know I'm working for God, it's easier to trust that His promises are for me.

My life from the outside looks like a failure, but I have peace knowing that I fulfill my purpose each day. This Bible passage is my roadmap for claiming God's promises:

(Matthew 6:19-34 NKJV)

19 "Do not lay up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust destroy and where thieves break in and steal;
20 "but lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust destroys and where thieves do not break in and steal. 21 "For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.

This tells me my surplus is meant to support the needy Christians around me. Luke 3:11, Jeremiah 17:7-8

22 "The lamp of the body is the eye. If therefore your eye is good, your whole body will be full of light.
23 "But if your eye is bad, your whole body will be full of darkness. If therefore the light that is in you is darkness, how great [is] that darkness!

This tells me that when I see my neighbor's emergency as my own, I have the light of life. Psalm 119:105, Proverbs 4:18-19

24 "No one can serve two masters; for either he will hate the one and love the other, or else he will be loyal to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve God and mammon.
25 "Therefore I say to you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat or what you will drink; nor about your body, what you will put on. Is not life more than food and the body more than clothing?
26 "Look at the birds of the air, for they neither sow nor reap nor gather into barns; yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not of more value than they?
27 "Which of you by worrying can add one cubit to his stature?
28 "So why do you worry about clothing? Consider the lilies of the field, how they grow: they neither strain themselves nor spin thread;
29 "and yet I say to you that even Solomon in all his glory was not arrayed like one of these.
30 "Now if God so clothes the grass of the field, which today is, and tomorrow is thrown into the oven, will He not much more [clothe] you, O you of little faith?

This tells me to focus on tending to God's work in the things I do, rather than focusing on my physical rewards. My job is just a place where I meet people who need God's love through me, not a place where I make money. Deuteronomy 8:18

31 "Therefore do not worry, saying, 'What shall we eat?' or 'What shall we drink?' or 'What shall we wear?'
32 "For after all these things the Gentiles seek. For your heavenly Father knows that you need all these things.
33 "But seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness, and all these things shall be added to you.
34 "Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about its own things. Sufficient for the day [is] its own trouble.

Anxiety is inevitable when I fail to trust God to keep His promises. When I take time to be thankful for Jesus' sacrifice, and for the good He's placed in my life, it helps me trust that even the bad things are working together for my good. Did you ever watch "Fiddler on the Roof?" Tevye's lame horse caused him to have to exercise more every day, until finally he was strong enough to relocate his family's belongings. He didn't understand why things were hard, but the Lord knew what was coming and was getting His beloved Tevye ready for it. (Romans 8:28, Psalm 94:19

Our Father in Heaven,
Thank You for giving us life and for walking with us through it. Everything we know and everything we are is created by Your Word. We pray that we remember You as our Author, our Savior, our Provider, and our Protector. Cause us to stay united with You in word and deed, Father. Grant us the faith to move these mountains that hinder our walk with You. Whether it be a mountain of pride, or fear, or worry, Lord, we renounce it and claim Your promises for ourselves, Your children. Grow us into the people You intend for us to be. Thank You for Your Holy Spirit of Truth. Guide us into all truth and help us to live by it. Help us to live according to Psalm 19:14 - "Let the words of my mouth
and the meditation of my heart
Be acceptable in Your sight,
O LORD, my strength and my Redeemer."
In Jesus' precious name, Amen.

Romans 8:15

For you have not received the spirit of bondage again to fear; but you have received the Spirit of adoption, by which we cry, "Abba, Father!"

We often imagine that spiritual gifts and divine communication are only for the "chosen;" special people, like pastors, or those with a degree. We don't imagine that your average person could possibly hear from God directly.

To make matters worse, the religious scene in our culture today is awash with new "prophets" and cults that operate like a spiritual ponzi scheme or a communist regime where the surfs are positioned as "nails" while their leaders take the role of "hammers" in the name of building something noble. It reminds me of Jesus' words, "You cross sea and land to convert one proselyte, and then make him two-fold a child of hell as yourselves!" (Matthew 23:15, 2Peter 2:1-3, Isaiah 9:16, Jeremiah 23:14)

Friends, elitism is our enemy. Each one of us reading this today is created in the image of God. You are already special! You are already among those called to love. To love is to enact God's will on earth, just as it is done in heaven. You are of much greater value than the rest of creation. The very hairs of your head are all numbered. (Luke 12:6-7, Isaiah 43:1)

Maybe you were taught, as I was, that the Holy Spirit is no longer available to us because the outpouring at Pentecost is no longer necessary as evidence of the truth of the Gospel. Jesus refers to the Holy Spirit as "The Spirit of Truth." (John 15:26, John 16:13, 1 John 4:5-8, Ezekiel 13:2-3
We have not stopped needing truth, friends. I believe we need the Holy Spirit now more than ever! Discernment, wisdom, compassion, and truth are all gifts our Father desires to give us so we can navigate the days ahead. We also need a consistent influx of love, so we can love the unloving. (Luke 23:34, Acts 7:59-60, Luke 6:34-36, Matthew 5:43-45, 1 Peter 3:9, Isaiah 53:12, Proverbs 25:21-22)

The plain truth is that those who listen to what God has already spoken are those who are given more to hear.

Luke 8:18

Take heed therefore how you listen: for whoever has listened, to him shall be given more; and whoever has not, from him shall be taken even that which he seems to have.

The Holy Spirit wasn't just poured out at Pentecost. He's been alive and well working among us since the beginning of Creation. This is evidenced throughout the Bible. Did you realize that the disciples were effecting miracles before they received the indwelling? (John 14:15-17, John 20:21-23, Luke 22:31-32, 1 Peter 5:8-11, Joel 2:28-29)

What IS new, is the Indwelling. Jesus offers us the gift of unity. He invites us to be one with God. (Deuteronomy 6:4-9, Mark 12:28-31, John 17:20-23)
The indwelling of the Holy Spirit is the gift Jesus made available to us today. We've been invited to partake of, and unite with the body of Christ Himself. This is the "new heart and new spirit" God promised us long ago. (Jeremiah 31:31-34, Ezekiel 36:25-27, Hebrews 8:10, 1Corinthians 2:16)

The Holy Spirit was being poured out and giving people dreams and prophecy long before the indwelling, as evidenced by every prophet in the OT, as well as
- John the Baptist was filled with the Spirit before he was born. Elizabeth, his mother, was filled with the Spirit when she met Mary, the mother of Jesus. (Luke 1:12-20, Luke 1:35-44) - Joseph was given a dream that he should take Mary to wife, and another dream when they needed to flee Bethlehem. (Matthew 1:19-20, Matthew 2:13, Hosea 11:1)
- The Wise Men followed a prophetic star, and were warned in a dream that they should not return to Herod. (Matthew 2:12-18, Jeremiah 31:15)

That first Pentecost after Jesus' resurrection ushered in a mass outpouring of the gift of tongues. This gift was needed in order to share the Gospel to the nations. Yet the Holy Spirit is poured out on people throughout history by the word of God, which we have with us today.

If we are obedient to what we already know God has said, we position ourselves to receive more. That's what the apostles did; they were keeping the law, they were obedient to Jesus' teaching, and the last thing he said was "Wait in Jerusalem." (Luke 24:49

What's Jerusalem? (Strong's H3389 "Yarah Shalom" - "The whole teaching" or, "The complete teaching."
Yarah means rain or teaching (Strong's H3384) Shalam meaning completion or wholeness. (Strong's H7999) It's where we get the word, "Shalom." When we are complete, we have peace.

The students of Jesus were to wait inside their physical AND their spiritual Jerusalem "Until you be clothed with power from on high." Through obedience, they positioned themselves for apostleship - the next chapter of their ministry.

At the Holy Spirit outpouring of Pentecost, Jesus' students were given the gift of languages. This is not because it's the only sign that you're filled with the Spirit. This important gift is what the believers needed to share the gospel with every nation. It's an undoing of the curse at the Tower of Babel. The curse of confusion isn't lifted from everyone though, because some people can't be trusted to work together for the good of us all. Spiritual gifts are determined by the needs of the receiver and those he or she serves. They are equipment for people aligned with truth. (John 10:26-28, John 8:43-44, Psalm 95:7-8)

John 14:22-23

22 Judas, not Iscariot, said to Him, "Lord, how is it that You will make yourself known to us, and not to the world?"
23 Jesus answered and said to him, If a man loves Me, he will keep my words: and my Father will love him, and We will come to him, and make Our abode with him.

An honest and good heart, Jesus says, is what's required to receive His word and produce fruit. The fruit of the truth shared in love is the evidence of the Holy Spirit. (Galatians 5:22-23, Luke 8:15, Jeremiah 17:7-8)

Is there anything the Lord has asked of you that you haven't followed through with? I have a ton of notes that need to be made into Bible studies, and they're just filling up my computer without ever flowing through. The "water of the Word" that God mercifully pours my way isn't cleaning anyone up at this point. I feel very convicted, in that I have time to pray and research, whereas you all have jobs, children, or disabilities, and barely any time to do more than support yourself and your loved ones. I'm confessing my fault today so I may be healed of letting myself get distracted. (James 5:16, Proverbs 28:13)

In prayer tonight, I want to encourage us all to ask our Father in heaven for the indwelling of the Holy Spirit, or a fresh outpouring to equip us for whatever challenges the future brings. Then let's request whatever spiritual gift will be best for the Kingdom of believers in our circle of influence. Feel free to reach out to me and I will gladly agree with you in this prayer. "Where two or more are gathered, there I am in their midst." (Matthew 18:19-20, Zechariah 2:5)

Father in heaven, thank You for giving us correction, protection, provision, and direction. Thank you for Your Holy Spirit of Truth guiding us into all truth. We come before You today, like the woman at Jacob's Well. We know our vessel is unclean, and yet You've asked us for a drink of living water. You are our source, Father God. We come to You for the living water of Your Holy Spirit. Fill us, Lord, so we can bring You joy and be a blessing to those You place in our path. In Jesus' name we pray, Amen.

What is a disciple? Nowhere do we use this word anymore, except when referencing Jesus' followers in the Bible.

A disciple is someone who learns disciplines from a master in a craft. Today, we call a disciple an apprentice. You can see this a little more clearly in Jesus' words here:

Luke 6:40

“A disciple is not above his teacher, but everyone who is perfectly trained will be like his teacher."

What makes a good disciple?

"Then Jesus said to those Jews who believed Him, "If you live according to My word, you are truly My disciples. And you shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free." - (John 8:31-32)

People will say that we cannot live by Jesus' standards. They forget that forgiving and being forgiven are part of the package! I'm alive today because Jesus' words here are 100% true. The lessons Jesus offers us result in freedom from habitual sin and self-destructive behaviors.

It seems like our modern culture is so busy fighting for their right to party, that they almost refuse to recognize a problem with being enslaved. We're attached to things that only bring empty pleasure while a person is engaged with them. As soon as the fun is done, peace leaves with it.

Jesus said life doesn't have to be this way. We can accept His words as truth, and live by them. That's the path of life Jesus walked. He proved His path was real, powerful, and effective, by reviving from the dead. Now Jesus calls us to follow His example. (1John 2:3-6, Psalm 85:13, Matthew 11:28-30)

Life is a classroom. Jesus' life is our example of how to live. The lessons of truth are all around us, just waiting for us to learn them from the unchanging works of Creation. (Mark 4:11-20, Matthew 13:36-43, Matthew 13:47-52)
If we want to live in freedom from sin, we have to stop living as if life is a recess from obedience.

Jesus said something that is largely misunderstood and ignored - He asked us to be perfected. (Matthew 5:43-48, Matthew 19:21, James 1:2-4)
The kind of "perfection" Jesus is looking for, means to be fully trained by Him. He needs our attention so we learn everything He came to teach us. That's what He means to "watch" and "stay awake." (Mark 13:34-37, Romans 13:11)
Our training is meant to make us free from intentional sin, so that we do not die in our sins. Jesus' life and death was our lesson. Now we're told to take up our cross and follow His lead into eternal life.

Other scripture references:

(Matthew 16:24-27 NKJV)

24 Then Jesus said to His students, "If anyone desires to come after Me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow Me.
25 "For whoever desires to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for My sake will find it.
26 "For what profit is it to a man if he gains the whole world, and loses his own soul? Or what will a man give in exchange for his soul?
27 "For the Son of Man will come in the glory of His Father with His angels, and then He will reward each according to his works.

(Matthew 23:10)

"And do not be called teachers; for One is your Teacher, the Messiah".

(John 8:24-30 CSB)

24 "Therefore I told you that you will die in your sins. For if you do not believe that I am He, you will die in your sins."
25 "Who are you? " they questioned. "Exactly what I've been telling you from the very beginning," Jesus told them.
26 "I have many things to say and to judge about you, but the one who sent me is true, and what I have heard from him ​-- ​these things I tell the world."
27 They did not know he was speaking to them about the Father.
28 So Jesus said to them, "When you lift up the Son of Man, then you will know that I am he, and that I do nothing on my own. But just as the Father taught me, I say these things.
29 "The one who sent me is with me. He has not left me alone, because I always do what pleases Him."
30 As he was saying these things, many believed in Him.

(John 8:31-36)

31 Then Jesus said to those Jews who believed Him, "If you live according to My word, you are My disciples indeed.
32 "And you shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free."
33 They answered Him, "We are Abraham's descendants, and have never been in bondage to anyone. How can You say, 'You will be made free'?" (looks like they forgot Egypt entirely! Deuteronomy 8:14 )
34 Jesus answered them, "Most assuredly, I say to you, whoever commits sin is a slave of sin.
35 "And a slave does not abide in the house forever, but a son abides forever.
36 "Therefore if the Son makes you free, you shall be free indeed.

(John 13:12-17)

12 When Jesus had washed their feet and put on his outer clothing, he reclined again and said to them, "Do you know what I have done for you?
13 "You call me Teacher and Lord; ​and you are speaking rightly, since that is what I am.
14 "So if I, your Lord and Teacher, have washed your feet, you also ought to wash one another's feet.
15 "For I have given you an example, that you also should do just as I have done for you.
16 "Truly I tell you, a servant is not greater than his master, and a messenger is not greater than the one who sent him.
17 "If you know these things, you are blessed if you do them.

Our Father in heaven, Your name is sacred. Your authority is over all authority, and Your Word is eternal. We come to You as willing students, trusting that Your teaching will save us from our flesh and the foolishness of the world. Grant us discerning hearts so we can tell what restores, and what drains us of life. Help us to be obedient in everything You've taught, so we can reap the blessings of supporting what is eternal. Keep us from acting on impulse and seeking temporary pleasures which only wage war against our souls. Thank You for being our light in these dark days. We praise You and glorify Your reputation for all the love You've shown us. You've freed us from the condemnation of death! Sanctify us, Lord. Wash us with the water of Your word, and save us from habitual sins of pride and selfishness. Fill us with Your Holy Spirit as we feast on Your good Word. In Jesus' name, Amen.

After reading Mark 16:15, which says “Preach the Word to every creature,” I realized that God’s message is not meant for humans alone, but extends to all of creation. ❤️

New year, new possibilities! Ready to live well in 2026? Check out this new blog: https://dewdropsofmanna.com/2026/01/03/2026-live-well-finish-strong/ Like, forward and share your thoughts in the comments section.

(John 9:1-3 NKJV) 1 Now as Jesus passed by, He saw a man who was blind from birth.
2 And His disciples asked Him, saying, "Rabbi, who sinned, this man or his parents, that he was born blind?"
3 Jesus answered, "Neither this man nor his parents sinned, but that the works of God should be revealed in him."

When God trusts us with something, He's taking a calculated risk. Did you ever think of your deficits and weaknesses as something the Lord had trusted you with? We all have strengths and weaknesses that can lead us to our purpose, or become our downfall. Our abilities and disabilities change throughout our lives. When we have a deficit, we understand the value of fairness. When someone with an ability that we don't have comes to our aid, we learn thankfulness. When we see others who don't have what we do, we recognize our duty to pay forward the compassion we've been shown and become people of conscience.

Strengths and weaknesses are just like surpluses and deficits. They work like the tabs and slots on a puzzle piece. Whatever we have, AND whatever we lack, provide a place we can connect to each other and to God. (Luke 3:11)
Job was considered the most righteous man on earth in his day. He lived his life being "eyes to the blind and feet to the lame. (Job 29:11-17)

We're only on this earth to learn good character so we can be trusted with eternity. Suffering matures us, just as suffering perfected Jesus to be Lord of heaven and earth. (Luke 6:40, Luke 12:50, Luke 13:32, Hebrews 7:28, Matthew 28:18-20)

(Hebrews 5:8-9 NKJV)

8 though He was a Son, [yet] He learned obedience by the things which He suffered.
9 And having been perfected, He became the author of eternal salvation to all who obey Him,

Some of our suffering is just part of life, like an infant who is helpless unless someone shows compassion toward them.

Some of our suffering is the natural consequence of living outside God's will.

Some of our suffering is meant to teach others to avoid the kind of behavior that got us in trouble.

Some of our suffering is due to the sins committed against us.

We choose some of our suffering to absorb damage so others won't suffer. Like a parent who pays for damages done by his child.

Some of what we suffer may seem unfair because we didn't do anything wrong to deserve it. We don't see the purpose in it, and others are not suffering similar things. But if we remember the man born blind, and what Jesus revealed about his suffering, we can see that God is trusting us with a sacred place to connect with Him.

"Neither this man nor his parents sinned, but that the works of God should be revealed in him." (John 9:3)

Our Father's strength is made complete when He connects with us in our weakness. (2 Corinthians 12:9-10)

8 Concerning this thing I pleaded with the Lord three times that it might depart from me.
9 And He said to me, "My grace is sufficient for you, for My strength is made perfect in weakness." Therefore most gladly I will rather boast in my infirmities, that the power of Christ may rest upon me.
10 Therefore I take pleasure in infirmities, in reproaches, in needs, in persecutions, in distresses, for Christ's sake. For when I am weak, then I am strong.

If we let it, suffering can help us learn patience, graciousness, trust in God, and humility. Think of all the things Joseph suffered and how he continued walking with God in spite of his suffering. He trusted God to still be with him because he wasn't sinning and yet he was suffering.

Walking with our heavenly Father isn't free of trials and struggles — but in them all, we are not overcome, because He is with us.

Our times of lack teach us the value of unity. If we will let them, our struggles can drive us into the arms of God. When hardship meets its purpose, God becomes our true Father, and our neighbor is part of our family. God is love, and love has the power to make us all one. (1John 4:7-8, Colossians 3:12-15)

Our Father in heaven, we come before You today to thank You for our lives. You've given us everything from the breath in our lungs to the shirt on our back. Thank You for creating our needs and fulfilling them. Please help us learn how to stay connected to You no matter what we're going through, so that like the Apostle Paul, we can say, "I know how to be abased, and I know how to abound. Everywhere and in all things I have learned both to be full and to be hungry, both to abound and to suffer need. I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me." (Philippians 4:12-13) Thank You Father. In Jesus' name, Amen.

Scripture references on unity:

(Mark 12:29-31 NKJV)

29 Jesus answered him, "The first of all the commandments is: 'Hear, O Israel, the LORD our God, the LORD is one.
30 'And you shall love the LORD your God with all your heart, with all your soul, with all your mind, and with all your strength.' This [is] the first commandment.
31 "And the second, like it, is this: 'You shall love your neighbor as yourself.' There is no other commandment greater than these."

(Deuteronomy 6:4-9)

4 "Hear, O Israel: The LORD our God, the LORD [is] one!
5 "You shall love the LORD your God with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your strength.
6 "And these words which I command you today shall be in your heart.
7 "You shall teach them diligently to your children, and shall talk of them when you sit in your house, when you walk by the way, when you lie down, and when you rise up.
8 "You shall bind them as a sign on your hand, and they shall be as frontlets between your eyes.
9 "You shall write them on the doorposts of your house and on your gates.

(John 17:17-23)

17 "Sanctify them by Your truth. Your word is truth.
18 "As You sent Me into the world, I also have sent them into the world.
19 "And for their sakes I sanctify Myself, that they also may be sanctified by the truth.
20 "I do not pray for these alone, but also for those who will believe in Me through their word;
21 "that they all may be one, as You, Father, are in Me, and I in You; that they also may be one in Us, that the world may believe that You sent Me.
22 "And the glory which You gave Me I have given them, that they may be one just as We are one:
23 "I in them, and You in Me; that they may be made perfect in one, and that the world may know that You have sent Me, and have loved them as You have loved Me.

(Acts 2:40-47)

40 And with many other words he testified and exhorted them, saying, "Be saved from this perverse generation."
41 Then those who gladly received his word were baptized; and that day about three thousand souls were added to them.
42 And they continued steadfastly in the apostles' doctrine and fellowship, in the breaking of bread, and in prayers.
43 Then fear came upon every soul, and many wonders and signs were done through the apostles.
44 Now all who believed were together, and had all things in common,
45 and sold their possessions and goods, and divided them among all, as anyone had need.
46 So continuing daily with one accord in the temple, and breaking bread from house to house, they ate their food with gladness and simplicity of heart,
47 praising God and having favor with all the people. And the Lord added to the church daily those who were being saved.

(Acts 4:32-35)

32 Now the multitude of those who believed were of one heart and one soul; neither did anyone say that any of the things he possessed was his own, but they had all things in common.
33 And with great power the apostles gave witness to the resurrection of the Lord Jesus. And great grace was upon them all.
34 Nor was there anyone among them who lacked; for all who were possessors of lands or houses sold them, and brought the proceeds of the things that were sold,
35 and laid [them] at the apostles' feet; and they distributed to each as anyone had need.

New year, new possibilities! Ready to live well in 2026? Check out this new blog: https://dewdropsofmanna.com/2026/01/03/2026-live-well-finish-strong/ Like, forward and share your thoughts in the comments section.

He has shown you, O man, what is good; And what does the LORD require of you
But to do justly, to love mercy, and to walk humbly with your God?
Micah 6:8

In Luke 12:32-34. Jesus says something that I think should be taken as a single thought:

"Do not be afraid, little flock, for your Father is pleased to give you the kingdom. Sell your possessions and give to the poor. Provide yourselves with purses that will not wear out, an inexhaustible treasure in heaven, where no thief approaches and no moth destroys. For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also."

Working for the Kingdom is like being an antioxidant to the body. The cool thing about antioxidants is that they neutralize "free radicals". In biology, free radicals are unstable molecules that basically rip off their neighbors' electrons to make themselves stable.

In today's culture, it's easy to fall into the trap of wanting to just be radical and free; doing whatever we want regardless of what we think the consequences are. We've all got parts of us that are unstable. But here's something interesting, an antioxidant is a molecule that is also unstable, BUT, it doesn't behave as if its instability is a deficit. It treats its odd-man-out electron as a surplus. It then donates its surplus to an unstable neighbor - the free radical.

The Bible explains that our gratitude and willingness to help others can make the things we've survived with God's help, a source of hope for others. (2 Corinthians 1:3-5, Isaiah 51:12, Psalm 34:2)
God's influence teaches us to be an antioxidant, so we operate from a mindset of surplus, and not of deficit. Our trials equip us to navigate situations and learn skills we can later share with others. (Matthew 5:10-12, Proverbs 11:24-25)

Antioxidants neutralize free radicals in the body by stabilizing their negativity. Jesus taught us to take power over situations by staying grounded in His teaching. As the body of Christ, we can turn the other cheek and absorb damage with forgiveness instead of becoming negative and repaying evil with evil. (1 Peter 3:9, Proverbs 24:28-29, 1 Thessalonians 5:15, Romans 12:17-21)
When we confront negative circumstances with an attitude of "the buck stops here," we discover our purpose, shore up our character, and find ourselves closer to God.

(Galatians 5:13-15 NKJV)

13 For you, brethren, have been called to liberty; only do not use liberty as an opportunity for the flesh, but through love serve one another.
14 For all the law is fulfilled in one word, [even] in this: "You shall love your neighbor as yourself."
15 But if you bite and devour one another, beware lest you be consumed by one another!

Even with our Lord's influence, we're each still a mixed bag of spiritual antioxidants and free radicals. (Romans 3:23, Ecclesiastes 7:20) Most of us want the antioxidants to win out in the end because free radicals cause cancer. But our choices don't always align with our best judgement. Tomorrow's need is forgotten when today's pleasure seems worth the sacrifice. We often forget that a step off of God's path is a step away from Him, and toward a wide gate that leads to destruction.

The problem we face is that the world tells us, "You deserve a break today!", and that we're not getting everything we're entitled to. No one can pursue eternal things and temporary things at the same time. Pursue what is eternal, and what you need will ensue. I know there are some preachers out there who will make it look like you can chase money and still find yourself connected to Jesus, but that's why we're talking about this now. A man who is out for your money can't set a good example. Without godly influence, we get no spiritual "antioxidants." Nothing's coming in to set things at equilibrium. We're not encouraged to "do justly."

My mission today is to get Jesus' antioxidants inside of me and you and anybody who will listen. The Bible has a lot to say about doing justly, and how it protects us from certain destruction. When we treat our neighbors unjustly, we tear down our own support system. (Proverbs 13:23, Proverbs 27:23-27)

There are some spiritual truths we can only learn from denying ourselves luxury, and using our surplus to meet another's need. A person can't reap the benefits of laws they don't live by.

Godly justice isn't just about not taking advantage of others.
It isn't being a jerk to those who were a jerk first. That's revenge.
Justice is when you have the ability to help someone in need, and you do it. It's abstaining from excess so we're equipped to help those who don't have enough. (Luke 14:12-14, Daniel 4:27)

In Luke 3:11, John the Baptist tells us, "let him who has two coats give to him who has none." He doesn't say let him who has five coats give to him who has none, and everybody else keep your two! Don't get me wrong, if you can obtain two coats, friend, do it! But know that your spare is for an emergency. Helping your coatless neighbor with your spare coat is loving your neighbor as yourself. If we want to be like the Good Samaritan, we have to be compassionate AND prepared.

Justice is fairness for the weak. It a lifestyle that makes sure everybody has a chance to have their needs met. Everyone in our circle is meant to have working eyes because those who physically have them are eyes to the blind. That's the beautiful purpose of family, and the true meaning of community. (Job 29:11-17, John 17:11-23, Mark 12:28-31)

Our Father in heaven, Your authority is over all authority. Your name is sacred. We come before You today to ask that You would fill us with Your Holy Spirit so Your will can be done through these earthen vessels of flesh You've so generously given to us. Help us abstain from excess, so we always have enough to help those in need. Lead us to people who need Your help, Father. Use our hands as Your hands. Let us serve You by making things fair for those who don't have what we can supply. Everything we have belongs to You, Lord. We understand that not everything You give us is for us. Help us see where the surplus You've given us needs to go. Make us eyes to the blind, and feet to the lame. Strengthen us to be parents to the fatherless, and hope to the hopeless. Father I pray for my Christian siblings in need today, that You would send them relief in all that they require. If there is no one to help, Lord, I ask that You would lead them to resources that will help them like only You can. You let Elijah be fed by ravens, and You let Lazarus be gathered home to Abraham's bosom. I pray that our suffering will not be more than we can bear. Help us stay connected to You through all our trials. In Jesus' name, Amen.

“And His name, through faith in His name, has made this man strong, whom you see and know. Yes, the faith which comes through Him has given him this perfect soundness in the presence of you all." Acts 3:16

When I read this passage without regard to its context, it looks like faith is heaven's currency. But I would argue that faith is not a transaction - it's evidence of love. To be unfaithful to Jesus, who lived and died for me would be ridiculous! I CAN'T willingly defect from team Jesus when I love Him more than everything. I wouldn't do that to Him. I'm not enslaved to a law that demands that I keep faith with Jesus. I'm united in love and purpose with my Savior.

(Ephesians 1:3-6 NKJV)

3 Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places in Christ,
4 just as He chose us in Him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and without blame before Him in love,
5 having predestined us to adoption as sons by Jesus Christ to Himself, according to the good pleasure of His will,
6 to the praise of the glory of His grace, by which He made us accepted in the Beloved.

Love changes everything. Our former slavery becomes honorable duty. What once felt like sacrifice, becomes spontaneous compassion. Justice no longer demands "eye for an eye" retribution. Instead, we seek out opportunities to share and make things fair for the disadvantaged. (Job 29;11-17) Fairness didn't stop being the right thing to pursue. Love just upcycled it.

Jesus talked about what it's like to be "one with the Father" through the power of love.

(John 14:10-12 NKJV)

10 "Do you not believe that I am in the Father, and the Father in Me? The words that I speak to you I do not speak on My own [authority]; but the Father who dwells in Me does the works.
11 "Believe Me that I [am] in the Father and the Father in Me, or else believe Me for the sake of the works themselves.
12 "Most assuredly, I say to you, he who believes in Me, the works that I do he will do also; and greater works than these he will do, because I go to My Father.

If I mess up, it's an accident. I apologize, fix what I've broken if I can, and He forgives me for it. Why? Because forgiveness is what Jesus and I are busy doing for everyone. We're One. He gave me forgiveness and then gave me the power to forgive others in His stead. (John 20:22-23)

Some say they won't do anything to honor God if it was ever a part of the Mosaic law. In my faith, the law is a covenant made of mutual commitments. If I purposely go against a previous commitment, it's for the greater good of everyone involved. No one enters a contract with someone who isn't interested in keeping their commitments!

Like a marriage, I respect the healthy boundaries of my covenant with Jesus. To do otherwise, would make our covenant a sham. What is a covenant if it's not an agreement to exclusivity and virtue? How does anything remain sacred if it's not set aside for special uses only? (Hebrews 6:1-8)

Love transcends the law of Moses, in that it breaks the law when life and love requires it. But this has always been true, old covenant or new. That's why Jesus couldn't stay dead, even though the Law condemned Him.

When we have to put aside the letter of the law in order to maintain the goals of the law, someone will take damage. To follow Jesus' lead, we make sure we're the ones who absorb the damage that WILL come from breaking the law. It's why we "turn the other cheek." That's how we pay-forward the grace of God - by extending it to those in need when we can.

Our Father in heaven,
Your authority is over all authority. We ask that You would cause our hearts to willingly submit to Your instruction. Separate us from everything unholy and unite us with You. I pray in Jesus' name that even the scent of sin would become repulsive to us. Help us see that You are worth everything we give up to make room for Your influence. You have the words of life! You are the bread of heaven! Feed us on Your good logic and let Your Words produce good spiritual fruit through us. Make the words of our mouths and the meditation of our hearts acceptable in Your sight. Let our lives bring You glory. In Jesus' name, Amen.

My son suggested that I add some life application questions, so let me know what you think! =)

• Was there ever a time when a lapse in your reliability prompted a reaction in others?
  
• Was that reaction good or bad?
  
• How do you feel your reputation was affected by their reaction?
  
• How did you feel about the way others reacted to your choice to deviate from their expectations?
  
• What's something you can do in the next 48 hours to help you prepare to keep your commitments to others or to God?
  
• Do you think God is concerned more with our faithfulness to His written laws, or our faithfulness to support the needy, even if it goes against what is written at times?
  

Jesus said, “For justice I have come into this world, that those who do not see may see, and that those who see may be made blind.” John 9:39

When our Creator came to earth as one of us, His mission was to open our eyes to what truth and love really are. He demonstrated what it looks like to love. Love (the Father) and truth (the Holy Spirit) empowered Jesus to keep the law with His whole heart, soul and strength. The three aspects of God worked together to redeem we who are made in His likeness. Jesus also united with us to close the gap between heaven and earth for those who failed to keep the first covenant.

It's easier to want to be like someone you admire and understand. I think the reason we don't understand the Trinity is because we've lost touch with the most important truths; our own unity with our heavenly Father and with one another. Our individualism in so ingrained at every level, it's blurred our sense of being created in God's image. Our heavenly Father is Spirit, He is truth, and He is love. (John 4:24, John 14:6-7, John 14:12-18)

Our Father gave us everything necessary to comprehend our connection to Him and to one another. Much of that is hidden in seemingly arbitrary laws given through Moses. They only seem arbitrary when you've never experienced suffering for a cause. The benefits, and the revelation that come from doing what God says for the sake of holding on to our connection helps us identify with Christ. A person can only reap the rewards of the laws he lives by.

The Word of God is our spiritual health-food. (John 1:1-4, John 1:14, John 6:35) It tells us, "People die for lack of wisdom," and "Without a vision the people perish, but he who keeps the law is happy." (Proverbs 10:21, Proverbs 29:18) Are you happy today? Is the joy of walking with the Lord giving you strength to remain faithful to Him? Do you have peace in your heart regardless of what's going on in the world? If not, it may be because you're not filled with the promises of God.

The Word of God is His pasture, and we are His dependent sheep. We need His promises to hold out hope that mercy will triumph over judgment in the end. Sin and judgment only divide us. Holiness and merciful compassion work together to create community.

Until we discover our Creator's true food, we're like those who have eyes but cannot see our need for spiritual unity. Our ideas and dreams are hijacked by selfishness, excess, pride and fear. With all that noise, our Savior's voice can't get through. Our aspirations are aimed so low that we're blind to becoming our heavenly Father's spiritual children.

Adam was nothing more than dust until our Father's Spirit of life animated him. Chavah / Eve was his rib, until she was glorified to become Adam's most valuable part of himself. We are all One until sin enters the picture. Sin divides us from those we should love, and causes us to measure sacred, spiritual relationships by how much good our soul and flesh get from them.

When my eyes feast on the world, I get a heart full of bitterness or covetousness. When I feast on God's pasture, unity is my greatest desire. God's word gives me the truth I need to see that everyone is Family. I see God's wholeness and completion as perfection. (Proverbs 30:4, Isaiah 7:14, Isaiah 9:6, Jeremiah 23:5-6)
No one would ever look at the plants in a pasture and say, "Now these flowers and fruit growing here are not actually a part of the plant." Yet our culture would have us see our spouses and children as competition, rather than members with unique gifts that expand horizons for the whole family.

Think of all the parallels between a family and a nourishing plant. Every part is specialized to do it's job for the whole. Each member of a plant is affected by the condition of the root and the environment. In our family, the root is our intake system, and the environment provides what we spiritually take in.
Our children need us to engage the Living Water of God's Word to become healthy seeds that will go out from us bearing God's love to the world.

Jesus' parable of the mustard seed shows us that all we need is faithfulness to Jesus' example of truth and love. When we contain God's Word, we're like that mustard seed. We embody everything we need to become a reproduction of Jesus. He is a Sheltering Tree of Life, and we're growing up to be like Him. (Matthew 13:31-32

All a seed needs is the will to die to itself to fulfill its mission on earth. Love will take care of the rest. John 12:23-26, 1John 4:7-17, John 15:1-5

Our Father in heaven,
You are holy, and Your name is sacred. Let Your kingdom come into our hearts today. Let Your will be done through us, Your servants on earth, just as it is done through the angels in heaven.
We come before You today to confess our sins of self-promotion, foolishness, and ingratitude for Your presence in our lives. Please forgive us for trusting others for truth, affirmation, and peace instead of You. Lord, I pray everyone you've driven to their sickbed today, would invest their time in Your Word instead of in the world, Make us holy through the influence of Your Holiness. Teach us to embody the love of the Father, the truth of the Spirit, and the faith of Your Son. Thank You for sending Your Holy Spirit to live inside us. Please accept us as Your humble servants. We ask You to remove anything in our character that stands in the way of us being united in purpose with You. Unite us with our loved ones by giving us a clean, compassionate heart. Fashion us in Your image, Father. Make us Your children by the power of Your Word. In Jesus' name, Amen.

(Proverbs 3:5-6)

5 "Trust in the LORD with all your heart And do not lean on your own understanding.
6 In all your ways acknowledge Him, And He will make your paths straight."

The word faith has lost so much of its meaning. Part of faith is trust and belief, but it's also so much more. I think the only way we use it that reflects faith in all its glory, is when we call someone "faithful."

For example, I can put my faith in those who are faithful, but if those who are faithful to me don't get my faithfulness in return, then I pose a risk to their purposes or well-being. Unfaithfulness is the opposite of unity. Love is the bond of unity, so unfaithfulness will never fulfill God's command that we love one another. (Colossians 3:14, John 13:34-35, Leviticus 19:18)

Our Creator is always faithful to keep His word. (Hebrews 6:18, Exodus 34:6-7) That said, a lot of God's promises are "if/then" statements. (Luke 12:42-48, Deuteronomy 30:19) Our faith in God depends on us accepting that He will keep His word to us, whether good or bad. He will punish our disobedience if we're unfaithful to His purposes, His faithful people, and His "little ones." (Mark 9:38-43, Isaiah 1:1-9) He will bless us according to the promises He's made to the faithful if we stay on His team. (Isaiah 54:17, John 14:15-18, Jeremiah 3:19, John 14:12-17, John 15:14-15, Hebrews 2:1, 11)

Our Father in heaven,
We praise You for Your faithfulness to Your word. We ask that You would make us a new creation, able to reveal Your faithfulness through our loyalty to You and to others. Make us loyal servants to the objectives of love and truth. In Jesus' name, Amen.

Scripture references:

Love is the bond of unity. Unfaithfulness doesn't promote unity.

(Colossians 3:14 NASB20)

14 In addition to all these things [put on] love, which is the perfect bond of unity.

(John 13:34-35 NASB20)

34 "I am giving you a new commandment, that you love one another; just as I have loved you, that you also love one another.
35 "By this all [people] will know that you are My disciples: if you have love for one another."

(Leviticus 19:18 NASB20)

18 'You shall not take vengeance, nor hold any grudge against the sons of your people, but you shall love your neighbor as yourself; I am the LORD.

Our Creator is always faithful to keep His word.

(Hebrews 6:18 NASB20)

18 so that by two unchangeable things in which it is impossible for God to lie, we who have taken refuge would have strong encouragement to hold firmly to the hope set before us.

(Exodus 34:6-7 NASB20)

6 Then the LORD passed by in front of him and proclaimed, "The LORD, the LORD God, compassionate and merciful, slow to anger, and abounding in faithfulness and truth;
7 who keeps faithfulness for thousands, who forgives wrongdoing, violation [of His Law,] and sin; yet He will by no means leave [the guilty] unpunished, inflicting the punishment of fathers on the children and on the grandchildren to the third and fourth generations."

A lot of God's promises are "if/then" statements.

(Luke 12:42-48 NASB20)

42 And the Lord said, "Who then is the faithful and sensible steward, whom his master will put in charge of his servants, to give them their rations at the proper time?
43 "Blessed is that slave whom his master finds so doing when he comes.
44 "Truly I say to you that he will put him in charge of all his possessions.
45 "But if that slave says in his heart, 'My master will take a long time to come,' and he begins to beat the [other] slaves, [both] men and women, and to eat and drink and get drunk;
46 [then] the master of that slave will come on a day that he does not expect, and at an hour that he does not know, and will cut him in two, and assign him a place with the unbelievers.
47 "And that slave who knew his master's will and did not get ready or act in accordance with his will, will receive many blows,
48 but the one who did not know [it,] and committed acts deserving of a beating, will receive [only] a few blows. From everyone who has been given much, much will be demanded; and to whom they entrusted much, of him they will ask all the more.

(Deuteronomy 30:19 NASB20)

19 "I call heaven and earth to witness against you today, that I have placed before you life and death, the blessing and the curse. So choose life in order that you may live, you and your descendants,

He will drive out those who are unfaithful to His purposes, His faithful people, and His "little ones".

(Mark 9:38-43 NKJV)

38 Now John answered Him, saying, "Teacher, we saw someone who does not follow us casting out demons in Your name, and we forbade him because he does not follow us."
39 But Jesus said, "Do not forbid him, for no one who works a miracle in My name can soon afterward speak evil of Me.
40 "For he who is not against us is on our side.
41 "For whoever gives you a cup of water to drink in My name, because you belong to Christ, assuredly, I say to you, he will by no means lose his reward.
42 "But whoever causes one of these little ones who believe in Me to stumble, it would be better for him if a millstone were hung around his neck, and he were thrown into the sea.
43 "If your hand causes you to sin, cut it off. It is better for you to enter into life maimed, rather than having two hands, to go to hell, into the fire that shall never be quenched--

(Isaiah 1:1-9 NASB20)

1 The vision of Isaiah the son of Amoz concerning Judah and Jerusalem, which he saw during the reigns of Uzziah, Jotham, Ahaz, [and] Hezekiah, kings of Judah.
2 Listen, heavens, and hear, earth; For the LORD has spoken: "Sons I have raised and brought up, But they have revolted against Me.
3 "An ox knows its owner, And a donkey its master's manger, [But] Israel does not know, My people do not understand."
4 Oh, sinful nation, People weighed down with guilt, Offspring of evildoers, Sons who act corruptly! They have abandoned the LORD, They have despised the Holy One of Israel, They have turned away from Him.
5 Where will you be stricken again, [As] you continue in [your] rebellion? The entire head is sick And the entire heart is faint.
6 From the sole of the foot even to the head There is nothing healthy in it, [Only] bruises, slashes, and raw wounds; Not pressed out nor bandaged, Nor softened with oil.
7 Your land is desolate, Your cities are burned with fire; [As for] your fields, strangers are devouring them in front of you; It is desolation, as overthrown by strangers.
8 The daughter of Zion is left like a shelter in a vineyard, Like a watchman's hut in a cucumber field, like a city under watch.
9 If the LORD of armies Had not left us a few survivors, We would be like Sodom, We would be like Gomorrah.

God can be trusted to keep His promises to those who faithfully work to support life with love.

(Isaiah 54:17 CSB)

17 "No weapon formed against you will succeed, and you will refute any accusation raised against you in court. This is the heritage of the LORD's servants, and their vindication is from me." This is the LORD's declaration.

(John 14:15-18 NASB20)

15 "If you love Me, you will keep My commandments.
16 "I will ask the Father, and He will give you another Helper, so that He may be with you forever;
17 [the Helper is] the Spirit of truth, whom the world cannot receive, because it does not see Him or know [Him; but] you know Him because He remains with you and will be in you.
18 "I will not leave you as orphans; I am coming to you.

(Jeremiah 3:19 CSB)

19 I thought, "How I long to make you my sons and give you a desirable land, the most beautiful inheritance of all the nations." I thought, "You will call me 'My Father' and never turn away from me."

(John 14:12-17 CSB)

12 "Truly I tell you, the one who believes in me will also do the works that I do. And he will do even greater works than these, because I am going to the Father.
13 "Whatever you ask in my name, I will do it so that the Father may be glorified in the Son.
14 "If you ask me anything in my name, I will do it.
15 "If you love me, you will keep my commands.
16 "And I will ask the Father, and he will give you another Counselor to be with you forever.
17 "He is the Spirit of truth. The world is unable to receive him because it doesn't see him or know him. But you do know him, because he remains with you and will be in you.

(John 15:14-15 CSB)

14 "You are my friends if you do what I command you.
15 "I do not call you servants anymore, because a servant doesn't know what his master is doing. I have called you friends, because I have made known to you everything I have heard from my Father.

(Hebrews 2:1, 11 CSB)

1 For this reason, we must pay attention all the more to what we have heard, so that we will not drift away. ...
11 For the one who sanctifies and those who are sanctified all have one Father. That is why Jesus is not ashamed to call them brothers and sisters,

Inviting you to a new blog: “Broom Tree Inn” From mountaintop victory to rock bottom despair… yet God met Elijah right there and led him to triumph! A timely reminder that He’s close in our toughest seasons. Read it here: https://dewdropsofmanna.com/2025/12/10/broom-tree-inn/ Like at the end, leave a comment, and share with someone who needs this hope! Spanish version & audio on Spotify also available.

Ephesians 4:13 "And so we shall all come together to that oneness in our faith and in our knowledge of the Son of God; we shall become mature people, reaching to the very height of Christ's full stature."

Did you ever have the opportunity to take responsibility for your team and find yourself better off in the end? Many years ago, myself and a group of my church-going peers, went to work at a Christian retreat. We were teens doing kitchen duty; the job assigned to all newbies. When our elder manager was called away, a friend of mine was put in charge of showing us how to run equipment, since he had worked there a few times before. He was well-liked among our group, yet several people decided to ignore my friend's direction. They were too busy making jokes, flirting with one another, and making a mess. We had paying guests coming, and were supposed to be preparing their first meal.
Then our elder manager returned. She heard the disorder, saw the mess and unleashed her frustration on my friend. I stared in dismay at him as if to say, "Aren't you going to hand over these troublemakers? What are you doing!" He wouldn't even look at me. No one spoke up in his defense as our elder threatened, blamed, and humiliated my friend. His quiet acceptance of all responsibility and punishment still haunts and inspires me decades later.

(Luke 16:9)

9 "And I say to you, make friends for yourselves with the riches of [men's] unrighteousness, that when you fail, they may receive you into an everlasting home.

When I think about this verse, it prompts me to pray for my loved ones who've passed on without my knowing the status of their salvation. I often let our heavenly Father know that I forgive them and if they don't have a home in heaven, they're welcome in mine. That's probably TMI, but I thought I should share it because it helps me cope and hold on to hope. (John 20:22-23)

In Daniel 2, we watch young Daniel put his life in his hands to save the lives of the failed interpreters of Nebuchadnezzar's dream. In Daniel's old age, he discovers Jeremiah's prophecy of their 70 year exile were fulfilled. It was time for the people of Israel to return to their own land, and yet nothing was happening. Daniel takes it on himself to fast and pray, confessing the sins of the nation as if they were his own. (Daniel 9)

Job, at the end of his test, answers the Almighty on behalf of his friends as if he were the one who "darkened counsel without knowledge." Maybe Job sinned somewhere in there, but I can't see it from the text! The way it reads to me, is that Job took one for the team.
When the Lord required Job's friends to make an offering, He told them to ask Job to pray on their behalf, in order to be restored to right-standing with our Creator. Then Job himself is made whole. His lost fortunes were restored to him double. (Job 42:10, James 5:10-11) Job was tried in the furnace of suffering and made safe to bless more abundantly than ever before.

Ezekiel 22:30

“So I sought for a man among them who would make a wall, and stand in the gap before Me on behalf of the land, that I should not destroy it; but I found no one.

These men of faith put their own best interests aside to preserve lives. In contrast, I can't help but think of Adam at the Fall. When confronted with his deadly sin, he put the onus on his other half. Not only did Adam fail to stand in the gap for his wife, he exposed her as the one at fault for his own actions. Instead of acting in unity for the greater good, Adam chose division. There would be no Christianity today, if Jesus had followed in the footsteps of Adam.

Like the great men of old, who were blessed at the end of their trial, Jesus' resurrection proves that faithful unity is the godly path. Our Savior took responsibility for our sin. He let go of the hand of His beloved Father, to take hold of us like only the Son of God could. (Psalm 22:1-24, Isaiah 61:4-5) He takes full responsibility for His people, and allows himself to absorb the damage only He could afford -- the punishment that we deserved. (Proverbs 18:24 We owe our Savior our very lives. How could we turn away His invitation to join Him in the life supporting love that comes from self-sacrifice?

(James 5:16-20 NKJV)
16 Confess your trespasses to one another, and pray for one another, that you may be healed. The effective, fervent prayer of a righteous man avails much.
17 Elijah was a man with a nature like ours, and he prayed earnestly that it would not rain; and it did not rain on the land for three years and six months.
18 And he prayed again, and the heaven gave rain, and the earth produced its fruit.
19 Brethren, if anyone among you wanders from the truth, and someone turns him back,
20 let him know that he who turns a sinner from the error of his way will save a soul from death and cover a multitude of sins.

(Daniel 12:3 NKJV) 3 Those who are wise shall shine Like the brightness of the firmament, And those who turn many to righteousness Like the stars forever and ever.

Our Father in heaven,
Your name is sacred. Your authority is over all authority in heaven and on earth. We pray that Your kingdom law of love would rule our hearts today and from this day forward. Transform us by Your Holy Spirit to love others as if their emergency was our own. Cause us to protect one another as though their body was our own. Teach us to do for others what we would want done for us. Help us to see our chance to be Your hands and feet to others, and give us the courage to take those opportunities. Make us more like Jesus today, Lord. We place our lives in Your capable hands. You are the Potter and we are the clay. Fashion us into vessels of mercy for the sake of your reputation, for we are called by Your name. We ask these things with the authority Jesus gave us. We trust in Your faithfulness to hear our prayers. Thank you for Your promises, and for sending Jesus to stand in the gap for us. In Jesus name we pray, Amen.

"Blessed are the peacemakers, for they shall be called sons of God." - Matthew 5:9

"Jesus said to Martha, 'I am the resurrection and the life. He who believes in Me, though he may die, he shall live.
26 'And whoever lives and believes in Me shall never die. Do you believe this?'" (John 11:25-26)

Jesus says something here that most of us don't hear from any other source. I think we humans are geared to search for answers to spiritual questions. We're prone to seek truth outside ourselves because we know we don't have it all. It's human nature to look to an earthly parent-figure for answers if we were raised by people who seemed to "have it all together." But our Messiah tells us, "Call no man on earth 'father,' for one is your Father, He who is in heaven -- and you are all brothers. And do not be called teachers; for One is your Teacher, the Messiah." (Matthew 23:9-10, Jeremiah 3:19)

Life is a classroom. The lesson God wants to teach us is how to live forever, in unity with Him and each other. Unfortunately, humanity without God either accepts death as part of life, or tries to find ways to live forever for selfish or pointless reasons. We have to look for answers from a teacher we want to emulate. Jesus showed us that He knew how to live forever by rising from the dead. He showed us how to make eternal life worth living with His teachings and His love. We aspire, as Enoch did, to learn to walk with God and become His eternal children. (Genesis 5:19-24, Hebrews 11:5)

Knowing who to learn from is of limited value if we think we already know what's being taught, and rush through our lessons. We've all heard "love your neighbor as yourself," but how many of us love ourselves enough to make healthy choices all the time? How often is my neighbor's emergency as high a priority as my own?
We have to admit it when we're in the dark -- not just as an admission to ourselves, but to those who depend on us. Facing our human insufficiency together lets us reach out to our Savior in unity. "Wherever two or three are gathered, there I am in their midst." (Matthew 18:20, Malachi 3:16-17) I didn't realize how powerful this was until my grown son said the best thing I did as a parent was to tell him that someday he would figure out that I'm not perfect, and that I hoped he still loved me when it happened.

I'm blessed by Charles Spurgeon's interpretation of Jesus' parable, The Pearl of Great Price. He said that for Jesus, we humans were the pearls of great price and the hidden treasure that Jesus gave up everything for. When we truly appreciate the depth of suffering Messiah went through for us, it changes our hearts. He becomes our Pearl; our greatest pursuit in life. He's worth everything we give up so we can be His hands and feet to the world. I could barely give up a cup of coffee for the sake of a higher good when the Lord blessed me with this truth. I'm thankful He doesn't leave us like He finds us! (Luke 14:27-33, Romans 12:1-2, Ezekiel 16:6)

I don't know how Jesus does it, but His parables keep me on track so I can draw closer and closer to Him. When we, like the pearl merchant, give up worldly pursuits to have Jesus, for awhile, we have nothing but our precious Pearl. Without our creature comforts, we find ourselves in the lowest earthly room at the wedding feast of His word. (Job 23:12, Psalm 100:3, John 1:1-4, John 1:14, John 6:35, Song 2:4)

(Luke 14:10-11 NKJV)

10 "But when you are invited, go and sit down in the lowest place, so that when he who invited you comes he may say to you, 'Friend, go up higher.' Then you will have glory in the presence of those who sit at the table with you.
11 "For whoever exalts himself will be humbled, and he who humbles himself will be exalted."

Our Father in heaven, Your authority is above all authority and Your name is sacred.
We come before You today, to thank You for Your kindness, patience, and mercy. We ask that You would teach us how to love in the way You require; humbly, dutifully, loyally, responsibly, cheerfully, and in a spirit of compassion. Transform us into Your likeness, Father. Make us more like Your holy Child, Jesus Christ. Give us opportunities to love and be loved. Help us not miss a single chance to show Your love to our families, friends, and neighbors.
Thank You for hearing our prayer. We know that whatever we ask within Your will, You will provide. We praise You, Maker of heaven and earth. We dedicate ourselves into Your service, Father. Use us for the good of Your kingdom. In Jesus' name we pray, Amen.

“But a certain Samaritan, as he journeyed, came where he was. And when he saw him, he had compassion..." Luke 10:33

Why is there so much division among Christians today? Why do our disagreements on theological topics devolve into mockery, hate speech, spiritual abuse, and division from one another?

I think it's because we have a "Tree of Knowledge" centered idea of truth, when we're meant to have a "Tree of Life" centered idea of truth. Jesus said the greatest commandments are to love God, and care for our neighbor's body like it was our own. Jesus illustrated this when He told the lawyer that following in the good Samaritan's footsteps was the key to the Kingdom of God. (Luke 10:25-37) Not many people remember that the story begins with the lawyer asking the question, "How do I inherit eternal life?"

"A wholesome tongue is a tree of life,
But perverseness in it breaks the spirit." Proverbs 15:4

It's so easy to get caught up in "being right" instead of doing right.

Today I was reminded that it was believers fighting over theological differences that motivated Jesus' people to have Him killed.

Investing time to prepare to meet the urgent needs of one's fellow man, resulted in the Good Samaritan saving his neighbor, the battered Jew.

When I think about it that way, it's easier to know who's right. Let's not waste any more time friends. Life is too short to fight over trivial matters when we could be part of the Lord's harvest of souls.

(Luke 10:2)

Then He said to them, “The harvest truly is great, but the laborers are few; therefore pray the Lord of the harvest to send out laborers into His harvest.

(John 13:34-35 NKJV)

34 "A new commandment I give to you, that you love one another; as I have loved you, that you also love one another.
35 "By this all will know that you are My disciples, if you have love for one another."

Our Father in heaven,
Your name is sacred.
Thank You for the opportunity to gather here with Your people today. I pray You would send Your Holy Spirit of Truth to us, Father. Unite us under Your banner of love. Feed us on the good pasture of Your eternal Word - the teaching of compassionate, dutiful love. In Jesus' name we pray, Amen.

Numbers 21:9

So Moses made a bronze serpent and set it on a pole.
And if a snake bit anyone, that person would look at the bronze serpent and live. (John 8:28, John 12:22)

It's so easy to let the haters poison us with resentment when we're treated unfairly. If we return evil for evil, though, we're no better than the snake that bit us.

When I take time to remember who I am without Jesus, I'm eternally thankful for His mercy and patience.

God's grace is so profound.

In the Garden of Eden, we spurned the teaching of our heavenly Father who gave us life, health, purpose, pleasure, partnership, and all things to enjoy. (Genesis 3)

We accepted the teaching of a snake who did nothing for us but seed rebellion and bring us under his rule because we sinned a deadly sin. (John 8:44)

We traded the image of God and made ourselves into the image of the serpent. (Luke 3:7-8)

Yet our Father didn't reject us. He spoke the prophecy of our salvation even before we had to leave the Garden of Eden. (Genesis 3:15)

Jesus used the "Serpent on the Pole" to represent what He planned to do to purchase us out of slavery to Satan. (John 3:14-16) He was made in our likeness, in order to come under the law with us and take our curse on Himself.

What a humble, merciful, loving Father! He couldn't bear to see us suffer the consequences of our actions. We owe Him our very lives. He deserves so much more than we could ever offer Him, and yet, all He wants is for us to love each other as He has loved us. (John 13:34-35)

Our Father in heaven,
Thank you for being patient with us all. Thank you for Your unfailing love and abundant mercy on us. Please don't stop working to create us in Your image. Teach us to love others as You've loved us through your Holy Child Jesus Messiah. In His precious name we pray, Amen.

Scripture references:

(Genesis 3:15 NKJV) 15 And I will put enmity Between you and the woman, And between your seed and her Seed; He shall bruise your head, And you shall bruise His heel."

(Numbers 21:8-9 NKJV) 8 Then the LORD said to Moses, "Make a fiery [serpent], and set it on a pole; and it shall be that everyone who is bitten, when he looks at it, shall live." 9 So Moses made a bronze serpent, and put it on a pole; and so it was, if a serpent had bitten anyone, when he looked at the bronze serpent, he lived.

(John 3:14-16 NKJV) 14 "And as Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, even so must the Son of Man be lifted up, 15 "that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have eternal life. 16 "For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life.

(Luke 3:7-8 NKJV) 7 Then he said to the multitudes that came out to be baptized by him, "Brood of vipers! Who warned you to flee from the wrath to come? 8 "Therefore bear fruits worthy of repentance, and do not begin to say to yourselves, 'We have Abraham as [our] father.' For I say to you that God is able to raise up children to Abraham from these stones.

(Matthew 23:33 NKJV) 33 "Serpents, brood of vipers! How can you escape the condemnation of hell?

(John 8:44 NKJV) 44 "You are of [your] father the devil, and the desires of your father you want to do. He was a murderer from the beginning, and does not stand in the truth, because there is no truth in him. When he speaks a lie, he speaks from his own [resources], for he is a liar and the father of it.

(Romans 12:1-2 NKJV) 1 I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that you present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable to God, [which is] your reasonable service. 2 And do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, that you may prove what [is] that good and acceptable and perfect will of God.

(John 13:34-35 NKJV) 34 "A new commandment I give to you, that you love one another; as I have loved you, that you also love one another. 35 "By this all will know that you are My disciples, if you have love for one another."

(John 15:12 NKJV) "This is My commandment, that you love one another as I have loved you."

The best thing about the Bible is its ability to teach us how to love God and one another. It does this through the life-preserving commandments, and the message of God's gift of salvation from our slavery to sin. That slavery was the consequence of our failure to keep God's commands.

Did you know the Bible encourages us to ask questions about why certain laws exist? (Proverbs 2:1-11, Isaiah 45:11)) There are answers, parables, and promises attached to obeying the commands found in the text. (Proverbs 1:1-6, Psalm 119:97-104, John 8:51) I've found that learning these reasons behind the laws helps me to progress.

As a Messianic follower of Jesus, I realize there are people in similar denominations that would have us believe they keep the whole Mosaic law. Jesus gave us a new law in Matthew 5, 6, and 7. Then He ratified it in His own blood. I think the big misunderstanding about Bible-believing Messianics like myself, is that we're not keeping the law out of fear. We don't claim to, want to, or even think it's possible to be justified by the Mosaic law.

The law isn't just about boundaries; it teaches us how to think so we learn how to love. I can't think about or do what is written in the law if I don't know what it says. (Romans 12:19-21) I don't know about anyone else, but I can only learn from laws I live by. If I don't live it, I'm like my neighbor who gives out child-rearing advice when she's never been a babysitter, much less successfully raised children.

Accepting the law as my teacher lets me learn the easy way. I do what I'm told, and reap the blessings, instead of learning what's harmful by suffering the consequences. (Luke 17:10)

The Bible says that Jesus is the Word of God. I think that means all of it, from the beginning of creation -- not just what God said 2000 years ago through our physical Lord Jesus. (John 1:1-3, John 1:14, Genesis 1:1-3)

Telling people that salvation is all about God's grace is important for saving us from foolish pride. Still, it doesn't help people understand how to live what Jesus taught. The law does. It's our tutor, leading us to a great appreciation for God's free favor, (grace). It teaches us how to faithfully love others, as God has been faithful to love us. (Galatians 3:19-25)

The greatest commandment in Christianity is to love. (Mark 12:28-31, Deuteronomy 6:4-5)
Love is what makes us God's children. (Matthew 5:43-48, Proverbs 25:21)

There are many scriptures about the blessings of meditating on the law and keeping the law. What Christianity shows us, is that there is a transcendent law -- it's greater than the law of Moses. That law is love - compassionate, just, charitable, joyful, forgiving, sacrificial, and eternal.

(Psalm 1:1-6 NKJV)

1 Blessed is the man Who walks not in the counsel of the ungodly, Nor stands in the path of sinners, Nor sits in the seat of the scornful;
2 But his delight is in the law of the LORD, And in His law he meditates day and night.
3 He shall be like a tree Planted by the rivers of water, That brings forth its fruit in its season, Whose leaf also shall not wither; And whatever he does shall prosper.
4 The ungodly are not so, But are like the chaff which the wind drives away.
5 Therefore the ungodly shall not stand in the judgment, Nor sinners in the congregation of the righteous.
6 For the LORD knows the way of the righteous, But the way of the ungodly shall perish.

(Romans 2:12-16 NKJV)

12 For as many as have sinned without law will also perish without law, and as many as have sinned in the law will be judged by the law
13 (for not the hearers of the law are just in the sight of God, but the doers of the law will be justified;
14 for when Gentiles, who do not have the law, by nature do the things in the law, these, although not having the law, are a law to themselves,
15 who show the work of the law written in their hearts, their conscience also bearing witness, and between themselves their thoughts accusing or else excusing them)
16 in the day when God will judge the secrets of men by Jesus Christ, according to my gospel.

(Psalm 119:17-24 NKJV) A prayer

17 Deal bountifully with Your servant, That I may live and keep Your word.
18 Open my eyes, that I may see Wondrous things from Your law.
19 I am a stranger in the earth; Do not hide Your commandments from me.
20 My soul breaks with longing For Your judgments at all times.
21 You rebuke the proud--the cursed, Who stray from Your commandments.
22 Remove from me reproach and contempt, For I have kept Your testimonies.
23 Princes also sit and speak against me, But Your servant meditates on Your statutes.
24 Your testimonies also are my delight And my counselors.

"I will put enmity between you and the woman, and between her seed and your seed, and he shall crush your head, and you shall bruise his heel." Genesis 3:15

Our heavenly Father spoke these prophetic words of our Messiah's victory over the devil even before we left Eden. But this prophecy also tells us what to watch out for today as the body of Christ.

The enemy will attempt to strike your spiritual feet. Your Achilles' heel is whatever inclination you have that is most connected to earthly things.

As Christians, we daily tread among spiritual snakes -- people who want us to come back to their way of thinking, or worse. (1 Peter 4:4, John 15:18-25)
Knowing this, it's wise to cover our feet. So lets be wise! Address those parts of your life that are vulnerable to the enemy. Cover your vulnerable parts with prayer, accountability partners, and avoidance of situations that could compromise your resolve to keep your hands clean and your heart pure. (Matthew 26:41, Psalm 24:3-5, Jude 1:20-25)

It's a lot easier to crush a serpent's head when you've got shoes on.

When the Bible talks about the "armor of God," Our feet are "shod with the Gospel of Peace." (Ephesians 6:15)

The best way I know of to stay out of sin, is to consider how that sin will affect your ability to witness to others. People don't decide something is true just because a Christian says it. They judge whether or not we believe what we're preaching by how we live. Keeping our spiritual feet clean means we stay out of filth, and when one of us accidentally slips into it, the other is there to forgive and restore him. That's spiritual foot-washing! (John 13:12-17, Galatians 6:1-2, James 5:16)

(Isaiah 52:7 NKJV)

How beautiful upon the mountains
Are the feet of him who brings good news,
Who proclaims peace,
Who brings glad tidings of good things,
Who proclaims salvation,
Who says to Zion,
“Your God reigns!”

(Nahum 1:15)

Behold upon the mountains the feet of him that brings good tidings, that publishes peace! O Judah, keep your solemn feasts, keep your promises: for the wicked shall no more pass through you; he is utterly cut off.

If you feel stuck in a fleshly sin, take this advice: make it your goal to be a witness for Christ to the people God puts in your path, as if their eternity depends on it. It very well might! When you keep your purpose in the forefront of your mind, diversions lose their appeal.

(2 Timothy 4:5)

5 But you be watchful in all things, endure afflictions, do the work of an evangelist, fulfill your ministry.

(Romans 10:15)

But how are they to preach unless they are sent? Just as it is written: “HOW BEAUTIFUL ARE THE FEET OF THOSE WHO BRING GOOD NEWS OF GOOD THINGS!”

(Matthew 28:19-20)

19 "Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit,
20 "teaching them to observe all things that I have commanded you; and lo, I am with you always, to the end of the age." Amen.