Tuning Into the Signal: Finding Hope, Identity, and Power

In a world saturated with noise, how do we recognize the one voice that truly matters?

Think about it: a Harley Davidson motorcycle has a distinctive sound—that unmistakable "potato, potato, potato" rumble that enthusiasts can identify from blocks away. Parents can pick out their child's cry in a crowded room. Even radio stations have unique audio qualities that help us identify them before we hear any content.

But what about the voice of God? In the cacophony of our daily lives—the demands, the disappointments, the diagnoses, the delays—how do we tune into the signal that brings life?

Mark chapter 5 presents us with two desperate people whose stories intertwine in a powerful demonstration of what happens when we push through the noise to reach the signal of Christ's voice.

Two People, One Desperate Need

The first person we encounter is Jairus, a synagogue ruler—essentially the administrator who organized all ministry activities. This was a man of standing, well-connected in both religious and secular circles. He had witnessed Jesus's miracles firsthand: the healing of Peter's mother-in-law, the man with the withered hand healed on the Sabbath, and countless other testimonies of God's power.

But now his twelve-year-old daughter was dying. Actually, according to Matthew and Luke's accounts, she had already died.

In complete desperation, this religious leader threw himself on the ground before Jesus in front of everyone—including Pharisees who considered Jesus a heretic. Jairus's plea was simple but profound: "Please come and lay your hands on her so that she will get well and live."

He was reaching for the power of God.

The second person was a woman named Bernice (according to church history). For twelve years, she had suffered from a hemorrhage that not only drained her physically but also isolated her completely. She was ceremonially unclean, which meant she was banned from religious gatherings, social events, and community life. She had spent everything on doctors with no results—in fact, she had only gotten worse.

For twelve years, she couldn't hear the promises of God read in the synagogue. For twelve years, she was told she didn't belong. For twelve years, the noise of rejection, failure, and shame surrounded her.

Yet somehow, a signal got through.

Reaching for the Promise

Bernice had heard about Jesus, and something stirred in her soul. She remembered the promise from Malachi 4:2: "The sun of righteousness will rise with healing in its wings." She knew the Jewish tradition—that faithful people wore tassels on their garments as reminders of God's covenant, His promises, and their identity as His chosen people.

Those tassels represented something powerful: the forty years of God's protection, provision, and presence in the wilderness. They declared, "Hear, O Israel, for the Lord your God is one."

Bernice wasn't just hoping to get lucky. She was reaching out by faith to the covenant established at Mount Sinai, drawing on the promises of the Messiah that had been planted in her soul years before.

She thought, "If I just touch His garments, I will get well."

And she did.

The Power and the Promise

Here's the beautiful contrast: Jairus reached out for the hand of God—the demonstrated power. Bernice reached out for the promise of God—the covenant truth.

Both are vitally important.

Some of us have seen testimonies. We've witnessed breakthrough. We pursue God based on what we've seen Him do. Like Jairus, we say, "If He did it before, He can do it again."

Others haven't necessarily seen the power demonstrated in their circumstances yet. But there's a promise established two thousand years ago in Jesus Christ. Like Bernice, we hold onto what was declared long ago: "He is alive. Death has been defeated. Sin has been overcome."

Both approaches are valid. Both are faith.

Breaking Through the Noise

But notice what both Jairus and Bernice had to overcome:

Physical barriers: The crowd was so thick that Jesus could barely move. Bernice had to push through bodies just to touch the edge of His garment.

Delay: Jesus had been across the lake dealing with a demoniac. When He returned, everyone was waiting. Then He stopped to minister to Bernice while Jairus's daughter was dying.

Despair: The message came: "Your daughter has died. Why trouble the teacher anymore?" Have you ever felt like your need doesn't rank high enough to bother God?

Cynicism: When Jesus said the girl was sleeping, not dead, they laughed at Him. Religious people, singing psalms of lament, mocking the very source of life. You can use the Word of God and still produce the opposite of faith.

Fear: Jairus feared death. Bernice, even after her healing, trembled with fear about the cultural backlash she might face.

All of this was noise threatening to drown out the signal.

The Signal That Transforms

So what does the signal of Christ's voice actually sound like?

It speaks hope: "Do not be afraid any longer, only believe." Not "believe and understand," not "believe and perform," not "believe and prove yourself worthy." Just believe. Keep walking with Jesus no matter what.

It speaks identity: Jesus called them both "daughter." The signal of God always affirms that you belong, that you're family, that you're in union with Him. The voice of God doesn't condemn—it confirms your place in His kingdom.

It speaks power: "Little girl, I say to you, get up." And immediately she arose. The same resurrection power demonstrated two thousand years ago is available today.

Here's something remarkable: In the Old Testament, touching something unclean made you unclean. But when Bernice—ceremonially unclean for twelve years—touched Jesus, the reverse happened. The holy transferred to the unholy. Life returned where death was draining away.

Your sin does not intimidate God. His holiness is not weaker than your brokenness. When you come into contact with Jesus, you don't contaminate the holy—the holy transforms you.

Tuning In Today

The number twelve in Scripture represents the nation of Israel. Both Jairus's daughter (twelve years old) and Bernice (sick for twelve years) prophetically represent Israel itself—one vibrant but suddenly struck with death, the other wasting away from within despite outward religious activity.

But they also represent us.

Some of us are like Jairus—embedded in religious systems, having seen God move, yet sometimes so focused on what we've experienced that we miss what God wants to do next.

Others are like Bernice—outside the religious community, ostracized, yet holding onto a promise planted deep in our souls.

Wherever you are, the signal is broadcasting. It cuts through the noise of your schedule, your circumstances, your fears, your past failures, and the cynicism of others.

The signal says: There is hope. You are loved. You belong. Death has been defeated. Your deliverance is for today.

The question is simply this: Are you tuned in?

Take a deep breath. Let your attention settle. Push past the noise, and listen for the one voice that speaks life.

"I am in Christ, and Christ is in me."

That's the signal. And it's broadcasting right now.

5-Day Devotional: Tuning Into the Signal

Day 1: The Power of His Presence

Reading: Mark 5:21-34

Devotional: In our noisy world, countless voices compete for our attention. Like Bernice, who had suffered for twelve years, we can feel isolated from community and hope. Yet she recognized something profound: the presence of Jesus changes everything. She didn't need a grand gesture—just a touch of His garment was enough. The reversal is stunning: instead of her uncleanness contaminating Jesus, His holiness flowed into her. Your sin does not intimidate God. Your shame does not diminish His power. Today, recognize that you carry the very kingdom of God. When you enter a room, holiness enters with you. Don't shrink back from your circumstances—reach out in faith, knowing that one touch of His presence transforms everything.

Reflection: What "noise" is keeping you from reaching out to Jesus today?

Day 2: Only Believe

Reading: Mark 5:35-43; Hebrews 11:1

Devotional: "Do not be afraid any longer, only believe." These words cut through Jairus's deepest fear. His daughter had died. Logic said it was over. The mourners laughed at Jesus. Yet Jesus spoke a simple command: only believe. Not "believe and perform," not "believe and understand," simply believe. Faith isn't about having all the answers or perfect behavior—it's about staying locked arms with Jesus regardless of circumstances. When the diagnosis comes, when the relationship fails, when death seems to have won, the signal remains clear: only believe. This doesn't mean denying reality; it means refusing to let circumstances define what God can do. The same voice that said "Talitha kum" (little girl, arise) speaks over your situation today.

Reflection: Where do you need to hear "only believe" in your life right now?

Day 3: The Promise and the Power

Reading: Numbers 15:37-41; Malachi 4:2

Devotional: Bernice pursued the promises of God while Jairus pursued the power of God—both are valid and necessary. The tassels on Jewish garments reminded them of covenant identity: you are set apart, you belong to God, His promises are yours. For twelve years, Bernice couldn't participate in religious community, yet something remained planted in her soul—the promise that the Messiah would bring healing in His wings. Sometimes we witness powerful testimonies and want that same immediate breakthrough. Other times, we haven't seen the demonstration but have an ancient promise to hold onto. Whether you're drawing on fresh testimony or timeless covenant, both connect you to the same Jesus. The signal takes us back 2,000 years to an empty tomb: He is alive.

Reflection: Are you pursuing God's power, His promises, or both? How can you embrace what you need today?

Day 4: Kicking Out the Noise

Reading: Mark 5:38-40; Psalm 27:13-14

Devotional: The mourners were singing religious songs—actual Psalms from Scripture—yet Jesus kicked them out. This startling moment teaches us that even biblical words can become noise when they bring despair instead of hope. They were using God's Word to reinforce death rather than proclaim life. Jesus recognized that some voices, even well-meaning ones, must be removed. Cynicism, despair, and fear-mongering have no place in the room where resurrection happens. Sometimes loving people means creating distance from their negativity. This isn't about being unkind; it's about protecting the signal. "I would have despaired if I had not been convinced that I would see the goodness of the Lord in the land of the living." Don't let anyone's cynicism steal your conviction.

Reflection: What voices do you need to "kick out" to hear God's signal more clearly?

Day 5: Hope, Identity, and Resurrection Power

Reading: Romans 8:11; 1 John 3:1-2

Devotional: The signal of Christ always broadcasts three things: hope for what's possible, identity as God's beloved child, and resurrection power for today. Both the little girl and Bernice were called "daughter"—a term of belonging and love. In Christ, there is no death. This isn't denial of physical reality but recognition of eternal truth. The same Spirit that raised Jesus from the dead dwells in you. Without the resurrection, Christianity is merely philosophy and behavior management. But because of the resurrection, death has been defeated and sin has been overcome. Today is day one of your freedom. The breakthrough you experienced isn't fragile—holiness is stronger than unholiness. Walk confidently knowing you are seen, known, loved, and empowered by the living God.

Reflection: How does knowing your identity as God's beloved child change how you face today's challenges?

Closing Prayer: Father, tune our hearts to hear Your signal above all the noise. Help us pursue both Your power and Your promises. Give us courage to only believe, wisdom to silence cynicism, and confidence in our identity as Your children. In Jesus' name, Amen.

The Power of Words: Shaping Reality Through Life and Death

In a world saturated with noise—political commentary, relationship pressures, religious opinions, and internal dialogue—how do we discern the signal from God? More importantly, how do we use our own voices to participate in His redemptive work rather than oppose it?

The truth is both sobering and empowering: our words carry the power of life and death. They don't merely describe reality; they shape it.

Words That Break Down Doors

Consider the ancient Hebrew understanding of power—a word picture combining two letters that illustrate an arm wielding strength and a door being burst open. This imagery reveals something profound: words possess the force to batter down the protective barriers around people's hearts.

Think about the relationships in your life where words carry the most weight. A parent's words to a child. A spouse's words to their partner. A teacher's words to a struggling student. An employer's words to an employee. In these intimate connections, our words don't just bounce off the surface—they penetrate deeply, either building up or tearing down.

The Book of Proverbs puts it plainly: "Death and life are in the power of the tongue, and those who love it will eat its fruit." With the fruit of our mouths, our inner selves—our emotions, our sense of identity—will be satisfied. What we speak consistently becomes what we believe and what we experience.

The Atmosphere We Create

But words alone don't tell the whole story. Our attitude creates the atmosphere in which those words either flourish or fail. You can say the exact same sentence with different body language, tone, and heart posture, and it will be received entirely differently.

A gentle answer turns away wrath, while harsh words stir up anger. A calm presence regulates a chaotic situation, while an anxious or aggressive presence dysregulates it.

Remember the scene in the Gospels where Jesus slept peacefully in a boat during a violent storm? His disciples—trained fishermen who knew the dangers of the sea—panicked, convinced they were about to die. When they woke Jesus, He didn't share their anxiety. He simply spoke: "Peace, be still." And immediately, the storm ceased.

The peace didn't come from outside Jesus; it came from within Him. He carried an internal calm that He released into the external chaos. This is the power we're invited to carry as well—the ability to bring God's peace into tumultuous circumstances, not because we ignore reality, but because we're anchored in a deeper reality.

Navigating the Noise

The story of King Ahab and King Jehoshaphat illustrates the challenge of hearing God's voice amid competing noise. Ahab wanted to reclaim the strategically important city of Ramoth Gilead. He had political reasons—military and economic advantages. He had relational leverage—family connections through marriage. He even had religious support—400 prophets all agreeing that victory was certain.

But Jehoshaphat sensed something was off. Despite the overwhelming consensus, he asked, "Is there not a prophet of the LORD here?" He recognized that all the noise—political strategy, relational pressure, religious bandwagoning, and internal desires—might be drowning out God's actual voice.

We face similar challenges today. How many times have we made decisions based on what seemed strategically sound, relationally convenient, or popularly endorsed, only to realize we never actually asked God what He thought?

The noise never goes away. Political tensions, economic pressures, religious trends, and internal insecurities will always compete for our attention. But spiritual maturity means learning to recognize the signal—God's voice—amid all the static.

Speaking Life in Dark Places

What does it look like practically to speak life in situations where death has been spoken for years?

Consider children who have experienced profound trauma—kids who've been told through words and actions that they're worthless, unlovable, and destined to fail. When they look in the mirror, they don't see potential; they see failure. Society has whispered and sometimes screamed that they don't matter.

But what happens when someone consistently speaks differently over them? What happens when, day after day, they hear: "You have value. You are loved. You are worthy of care. I believe in you, even if you don't believe in yourself yet"?

At first, there's resistance. Nervous laughter. Looking away. Even running from the words because they're unfamiliar and uncomfortable. The defensive armor built over years doesn't come down easily.

But those words of life begin to chip away at that armor. They penetrate the heart. They start reshaping reality. The atmosphere shifts—maybe just a little at first—but that's where healing begins.

This isn't just true for traumatized children. It's true for all of us. We've all internalized messages of death at some point. We've all built protective walls. We all struggle to receive words of life, even when we desperately need them.

The Words God Speaks Over You

Before you can consistently speak life to others, you must learn to receive and speak life to yourself. Place your hand over your heart and feel it beating. That life within you is God's gift. He placed His own heart there too.

Now speak these words over yourself—not as wishful thinking, but as agreement with what God already declares over you:

"I am worthy of love. I am worthy of being cared for."

These aren't just nice sentiments. They're divine truths. There is nothing you can do—no bad moment, hour, day, week, year, or lifetime—that can turn off God's love for you. He has already decided you are worthy.

An Invitation to Shape Reality

You possess the power to shape reality through your words and attitude. You can participate in God's redemptive work by speaking life, creating atmospheres of peace, and consistently pointing others toward their God-given worth.

Or you can allow the noise to dictate your words—speaking death through criticism, cynicism, anxiety, and agreement with the enemy's lies.

The choice is yours, but the stakes are eternal. Your words plant seeds. Your attitude waters them. Together, they grow either life or death in the soil of every relationship you tend.

So speak life. Create space for the Holy Spirit to move. Be the calm presence that regulates chaos. Hunt for the good in others and point it out. Don't give up when people have bad moments—or bad years.

Because when you speak life consistently, you're simply agreeing with God's words. And His words have the power to resurrect dead things and make all things new.

5-Day Devotional: The Power of Words and Attitudes

Day 1: Words That Shape Reality

Reading: Proverbs 18:20-21

Devotional: Your words possess creative power—they can build up or tear down, bring life or death. Like a battering ram against a door, your words penetrate the hearts of those around you, especially those closest to you. Today, consider how your inner world—your thoughts and emotions—shapes what comes out of your mouth. Are you speaking words that align with God's redemptive work? The Holy Spirit dwelling within you gives you the power to plant seeds of faith, beauty, and righteousness. Before you speak today, pause and ask: Will these words participate in God's restoration, or will they oppose it? Remember, you carry the atmosphere of heaven wherever you go.

Day 2: Creating Space for the Holy Spirit

Reading: Mark 4:35-41

Devotional: Jesus slept peacefully in a storm because His internal world was calm. When He spoke, peace came from within Him, not from external circumstances. Your attitude creates either safety or threat, regulation or chaos in every environment you enter. Like Jesus, you can carry God's peace into turbulent situations. The noise around you—political, relational, religious, internal—will never fully disappear. But you can learn to recognize the signal of God's voice above the static. Today, practice entering rooms with intentional calmness. Before walking into your home, workplace, or any gathering, breathe deeply and ask God to fill you with His peace so you can release it to others.

Day 3: Worthy of Love

Reading: Matthew 12:46-50

Devotional: Jesus' words created belonging. He invited His disciples into a relationship deeper than biological family—a spiritual intimacy based on doing the Father's will. Today, receive this truth: you are worthy of love and worthy of being cared for. These aren't just nice sentiments; they are God's declarations over you. No bad moment, day, or season can change His commitment to you. The armor you've built to protect yourself from pain may also be blocking His love. Allow His words to penetrate your defenses. Place your hand over your heart and speak aloud: "I am worthy of love. I am worthy of being cared for." Then extend this same grace to someone else today.

Day 4: Blessing or Cursing

Reading: James 3:9-12

Devotional: From the same mouth flows both blessing and cursing—a reality that should humble us all. You've been made in God's image, carrying His creative power in your tongue. Yet how often do you speak death over yourself or others through criticism, cynicism, or despair? Your words don't just describe reality; they shape it. When you consistently speak life—even when circumstances look bleak—you create space for healing to begin. Today, identify one area where you've been speaking death (perhaps over your future, your children, your abilities, or your worth). Deliberately replace those words with life-giving truth from Scripture. Water these new seeds with an attitude of faith and expectation.

Day 5: Agents of God's Redemption

Reading: 1 Kings 22:1-8

Devotional: In a world full of noise—400 voices saying one thing—Jehoshaphat asked for the true voice of God. Political pressure, relational leverage, religious bandwagons, and internal insecurity all clouded the truth. You face similar noise daily. The question isn't whether noise exists, but whether you can discern the signal of God's voice through it. As His agent filled with the Holy Spirit, you're commissioned to participate in His redemptive work. This requires humility, responsibility, and spiritual maturity. Today, silence the competing voices. Ask God: "What are You really saying?" Then align your words and attitudes with His truth, regardless of what everyone else is saying. Trust that His signal is worth seeking above all other noise.

The Frequency of Heaven: Learning to Hear God's Voice

In the overwhelming noise of our modern world, there exists a voice that speaks with clarity, love, and transformative power. It's a voice that doesn't always shout but resonates with unmistakable certainty in the depths of our spirit. Learning to discern this voice—the voice of God—might be one of the most critical skills we can develop as believers today.

When Thunder Becomes a Voice

Consider the remarkable scene in John 12:28. Jesus prays, "Father, bring glory to your name," and heaven responds. Yet the crowd standing nearby heard only thunder. Some thought an angel had spoken. But Jesus revealed something profound: "The voice was for your benefit, not mine."

What made the difference between hearing thunder and hearing God? The answer lies in spiritual discernment—the ability to recognize a frequency that resonates with our reborn spirit.

This isn't a new phenomenon. When Jesus was baptized, a heavenly voice declared, "This is my beloved Son." That divine affirmation testified to Jesus' identity, belonging, and purpose. The same voice speaks over each of us today, affirming our identity in Christ, our place in His family, and our eternal destiny.

From Information to Wisdom

We live in an unprecedented age of information. Data floods our minds from countless sources, creating what can only be described as informational paralysis. We've all heard that "knowledge is power," but knowledge misapplied is not wisdom.

The journey from information to wisdom requires a crucial bridge: discernment.

Information becomes knowledge when we categorize and organize it. Knowledge becomes wisdom when we apply it practically. But discernment is what determines whether our application brings glory to God. Discernment asks: Does this align with Christ's worldview? Will this honor God? Is this helpful for my family and community?

Without discernment, we're like King Jehoshaphat in 1 Kings 22, surrounded by 400 prophets all saying the same thing—"Go to war! Victory is yours!"—yet sensing in his spirit that something wasn't right. The volume was loud, the message unanimous, but Jehoshaphat couldn't reconcile what he heard with the truth of God's voice. He insisted on hearing from a true prophet of the Lord before making his decision.

That same discernment is desperately needed today.

The Frequency of Heaven

Here's a thought-provoking question: What if part of humanity's fall wasn't just separation from God's presence but a fall from heaven's frequency? What if being born again includes having our spiritual frequency realigned with the heavenly dimension that's already available to us?

Perhaps this explains why certain spiritual disciplines—fasting, prayer, worship, praying in the Spirit—seem to make us feel "closer" to God. Maybe they're not bringing God nearer (He's always present) but rather tuning our physical bodies and souls to a frequency that's always been broadcasting.

When we worship, we're not just expressing adoration and gratitude. We're releasing a frequency that emanates light into darkness. We're participating in something cosmic and transformative that impacts the spiritual atmosphere around us.

Jesus Himself carried this frequency. When He stepped onto the shore near the man possessed by demons in the Gadarenes, His very presence caused the demonic forces to cry out. He didn't need to shout or perform a ritual—His presence alone emanated the light of creation. When He spoke healing, deliverance came. One father said, "Only say the word, and my son shall be healed," recognizing the power in Christ's voice.

The Gentleness That Makes Us Great

Psalm 18 contains a beautiful paradox. After describing God's strength, power, and might—training hands for battle, bending bows of bronze, making feet like deer's feet—the psalmist declares: "Your gentleness makes me great."

The Hebrew word used here is "anava," which speaks of God's humility and His stooping down to meet us. This reveals something profound about the Father's heart:

God shapes without shaming. So many carry wounds from earthly fathers or authority figures who used shame as a tool. But our heavenly Father meets us in our smallness and calls forth greatness without condemnation. He creates boundaries because He loves us too much to let us go, but those boundaries are formed in love, not rejection.

Gentleness is patient formation. David was anointed king years before he was enthroned. In the waiting—in the fields, in the caves, through betrayal and hardship—God was shaping him. The Lord doesn't rush our formation. He develops character before expanding responsibility.

Gentleness is not the opposite of power; it is power that has become love. God's infinite power could easily intimidate us, but His gentleness makes that power approachable. It transforms omnipotence into something we can receive—love.

God comes close to shape you, not break you. If you've held God at arm's length because you fear getting too close might be too painful or destructive, hear this truth: The Lord desires proximity without destruction. His penetrating gaze into your soul is meant to set you free, not condemn you.

Hearing Your Name

There's something extraordinary that happens when a newborn baby, just minutes old, hears their father's voice. In distress, crying under unfamiliar lights in an unfamiliar world, that tiny person becomes calm when they hear the voice they've been listening to for months in the womb. "I'm right here. I love you." Those simple words, spoken in a familiar voice, bring peace.

This is the heart of the Father toward you. In the chaos and noise of this world, His voice speaks your name. He says, "I'm right here. I love you."

The voice of the Lord speaks life. It instituted creation. It brings hope and deliverance. And it's calling to you today—not with condemnation, but with love; not to shame you, but to shape you; not to break you, but to make you whole.

Tuning In

As we navigate an increasingly complex world, developing spiritual discernment isn't optional—it's essential. We must learn to distinguish God's voice from the cacophony of competing messages. We must tune our hearts to heaven's frequency through worship, prayer, Scripture, and spiritual community.

The voice that spoke creation into existence is speaking still. The question is: Are we listening?

5-Day Devotional: Hearing the Father's Voice

Day 1: The Voice of Divine Affirmation

Reading: Matthew 3:13-17

Devotional: At Jesus' baptism, the Father's voice declared, "This is my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased." This same voice speaks over you today. Just as the heavens opened to affirm Christ's identity, God desires to affirm yours. You are His beloved child. The voice that spoke creation into existence now speaks life, purpose, and belonging over you. Today, pause and listen. In the stillness, beyond the noise of competing voices and cultural demands, tune your heart to heaven's frequency. You were created to recognize your Father's voice—not through volume, but through clarity. Let this truth settle deep: God is not distant or disapproving; He is near, and He delights in you.

Reflection: What would change in your life if you truly believed God speaks your name with love?

Day 2: Gentleness That Shapes Without Shame

Reading: Psalm 18:32-36

Devotional: "Your gentleness makes me great." What a remarkable statement about God's character. Our culture celebrates power, achievement, and self-promotion, but God's kingdom operates differently. The Almighty chooses gentleness as His primary tool of transformation. He doesn't crush the bruised reed or shame you in your smallness. Instead, He stoops down, meets you where you are, and patiently shapes you into greatness. His correction comes wrapped in love; His boundaries are expressions of care. If you've feared drawing close to God because of past failures or present struggles, hear this: He shapes without shaming. The Father's hands are strong enough to mold you and gentle enough never to break you.

Reflection: Where do you need to experience God's gentle shaping rather than harsh judgment today?

Day 3: Discerning Heaven's Frequency

Reading: John 10:1-5, 27-28

Devotional: Jesus said, "My sheep hear my voice." You were designed with a spiritual frequency that resonates with your Father's voice. In a world overflowing with information, opinions, and competing messages, discernment is not optional—it's essential. Like Jehoshaphat who heard 400 prophets but knew something was missing, you can sense when you haven't truly heard from God. The voice of the Lord brings clarity, peace, and alignment with Scripture. It doesn't always come loudly; often it's a whisper in stillness. Developing discernment requires intentional spiritual disciplines: prayer, worship, fasting, and immersion in God's Word. These practices align your soul with heaven's frequency, enabling you to distinguish His voice from all others.

Reflection: What spiritual disciplines can you practice this week to better hear God's voice?

Day 4: Born Again Into Heaven's Reality

Reading: John 3:1-8; 2 Corinthians 5:17

Devotional: What if being born again means more than forgiveness—what if it means reconnecting to heaven's frequency? The fall separated humanity not just morally but dimensionally from God's presence. When Christ makes you new, He restores what was lost. Your spirit, reborn by God, now resonates with eternal realities. This is why worship lifts your soul, why prayer brings peace, why Scripture illuminates truth. You're not trying to reach heaven; you're aligning with what's already within you through the Holy Spirit. When you feel distant from God, it's not that He's moved—you've simply lost alignment. Return to worship, to prayer, to His Word. These recalibrate your heart to heaven's reality already dwelling in you.

Reflection: How can you intentionally align your daily life with the spiritual reality already within you?

Day 5: The Father's Love That Calms Every Fear

Reading: Romans 8:14-17; 1 John 4:16-19

Devotional: "I'm right here. I love you." These words stopped a newborn's crying—not because she understood the words, but because she recognized her father's voice. You are that child. When chaos surrounds you, when fear threatens to overwhelm, when you feel small and vulnerable, your Heavenly Father speaks: "I'm right here. I love you." His voice carries the frequency of home, of safety, of belonging. Perfect love casts out fear because His presence is constant and His affection unwavering. You don't earn it through performance; you receive it through relationship. Today, whatever battle you face, whatever insecurity haunts you, hear your Father's voice speaking your name with love. You are His beloved child, and He is right here.

Reflection: In what area of your life do you most need to hear "I'm right here, I love you" today?

Closing Prayer: Father, thank You for speaking life over us. Tune our hearts to hear Your voice above all others. Shape us with gentleness, affirm our identity as Your beloved children, and help us walk in the freedom of knowing we are never alone. In Jesus' name, Amen.

Can You Hear Me Now? Finding God's Voice in the Noise

Remember those old Verizon commercials? A man walking through different locations, constantly asking, "Can you hear me now? Good." The campaign became iconic because it addressed a universal frustration—dropped calls, static-filled conversations, and the maddening experience of trying to communicate when the signal just wouldn't come through clearly.

Today, we face a different kind of communication crisis. Not with our cell phones, but with hearing the voice of God.

The Information Overload

We live in an unprecedented age of information. Consider this staggering reality: every minute, six million YouTube videos are viewed in the United States alone. In a single day, we consume more information than an entire year's worth of the New York Times from 1910. Your brain is processing trillions of bits of information right now, and you're not even aware of most of it.

With 20,000 volumes of theological resources available at our fingertips, the best preachers streaming on demand, and endless podcasts offering spiritual wisdom, we've never had more access to religious content. Yet somehow, in the midst of all this noise, we struggle to hear the one voice that matters most—God's.

The question isn't whether God is speaking. He never stops. The question is: Can we hear Him now?

When Good Information Isn't Enough

There's a crucial distinction we often miss between information, knowledge, and wisdom. Information is raw data—the facts and figures, the what and where. Knowledge is information organized and understood—categorized into theology, science, or philosophy. But wisdom is the application of knowledge, providing the when and why.

Here's the missing piece: discernment is the vital bridge that converts knowledge into wisdom.

Think about the book of Job. His friends offered counsel that sounded incredibly wise. If you read their words without context, you'd think they were spot-on. Yet at the end, God asks, "Who are these that darken my counsel?" The information was true, but it wasn't accurate for Job's situation. Truth without discernment can lead us astray.

Discernment is the spirit-formed ability to recognize the difference between what we want to hear and what God is actually saying. It's the mental and spiritual filter that allows us to judge what is true, relevant, and worth our attention.

The Story of Two Kings

First Kings 22 tells a fascinating story about discernment—or the lack of it. King Ahab of Israel wanted to reclaim the strategic city of Ramoth Gilead. He invited King Jehoshaphat of Judah to join him in battle. The plan made perfect sense politically and militarily. The city was economically valuable, strategically important, and technically already belonged to Israel from a previous victory.

Ahab gathered 400 prophets who unanimously declared: "Go up and succeed! The Lord will give it into the hand of the king." Four hundred voices speaking in agreement. Four hundred confirmations. An echo chamber of affirmation.

But something didn't sit right with Jehoshaphat. Despite the overwhelming consensus, he asked, "Is there not yet a prophet of the Lord here that we may inquire of him?"

Ahab reluctantly admitted there was one more—Micaiah—but he hated him because "he does not prophesy good concerning me, but evil."

When Micaiah finally spoke the truth, warning that the battle would end in disaster, Ahab rejected it. He went to war anyway. And he died, just as the lone voice had prophesied.

The Noise That Distracts Us

What created all that noise for Ahab? Several things that still plague us today:

Political pressure. The strategic importance of the city. The expectations of advisors and military leaders. The pressure to prove strength and success.

Peer pressure. The desire to be affirmed, to prove God was still on his side, to maintain his reputation among other leaders.

Personal desire. The legitimate longing for security, prosperity, and national strength—good things that became distracting things.

The echo chamber. Four hundred voices telling him exactly what he wanted to hear, creating a circular reinforcement that drowned out truth.

Sound familiar? We create our own echo chambers. Social media algorithms feed us content that confirms our existing beliefs. We watch videos on a topic, and suddenly every recommendation affirms that same perspective. We surround ourselves with voices that agree with us, mistaking consensus for confirmation from God.

The Age of Distraction

Our distractions come in familiar forms:

Ego — Our need to be right, to be successful, to prove ourselves.

Desire — Legitimate longings that become demanding idols when not surrendered.

Fear — Anxiety about the future, about provision, about security.

Control — The desperate need to manage outcomes rather than trust God's sovereignty.

Even good intentions can become noise. Jehoshaphat was a righteous king with a noble hope—to reunify Israel and bring the northern kingdom back to worshiping the true God. But his good intention led him to ignore the check in his spirit and partner with evil.

Creating Space for the Signal

The noise always fills whatever space we give it. We pull out our phones at every idle moment. We turn on podcasts in the car. We fall asleep to something playing. Why? Because we hate stillness. We hate silence. We're uncomfortable with space.

Yet it's in the stillness, in those quiet moments, that God's voice begins to bubble up.

Here's the beautiful truth: You don't need 400 voices. You need one faithful voice—the Lord's.

This week, try something radical:

Create space for the signal. Just two minutes. After lunch, before bed, in your car. Don't fill it with noise. Picture the cross, recall a scripture, and simply be present with God.

Pay attention to the check in your spirit. That subtle sense that something is off, or that something is right. Don't ignore it. Explore it. Ask God what it means.

Pause and pray. Ask, "Lord, is this You slowing me down?" Welcome the emotions that rise up. Instead of immediately rebuking anxiety or discomfort, ask God what He's trying to show you through it.

Turn prayer into conversation. Rather than just petitioning—"Lord, do this, give me that"—try, "Lord, I'm feeling this comfort right now. What is this about? I'm sensing this urgency. What are You saying?"

Seek the Micaiah voice. The voice of truth is often the voice we least want to hear. It's quieter, lonelier, and more costly. But it's the one that leads to life.

The Invitation

God is asking you today: Can you hear me now?

Not because He's stopped speaking, but because we've surrounded ourselves with so much noise that His signal gets lost. The call isn't to consume more Christian content, attend more conferences, or read more books. The call is to stillness, to discernment, to creating intentional space where His voice can break through.

You don't need another podcast. You need the Holy Spirit. You don't need 20,000 volumes. You need the Word made flesh dwelling in you. You don't need the approval of 400 prophets. You need the one true Prophet who speaks life.

In the chaos of our modern world, with its endless information and constant connectivity, the ancient invitation still stands: "Be still, and know that I am God."

Can you hear Him now?

5-Day Devotional: Discerning God's Voice Above the Noise

Day 1: Silencing the Echo Chamber

Reading: 1 Kings 22:1-12

Devotional: King Ahab surrounded himself with 400 prophets who told him exactly what he wanted to hear. In our age of algorithms and personalized content, we face the same temptation—curating voices that only affirm our desires. The echo chamber feels comfortable, but it can drown out God's truth. Ahab's prophets spoke with conviction and unanimity, yet they led him toward destruction. Truth isn't determined by volume or consensus. Today, examine the voices you've allowed into your life. Are they challenging you toward holiness, or merely validating your preferences? God's voice often disrupts our comfort zones. Create space today for that uncomfortable, transformative word that only comes when we're willing to hear truth over affirmation.

Reflection Question: What "echo chambers" have you created in your spiritual life, and how might they be preventing you from hearing God's corrective voice?

Day 2: The Lonely Voice of Truth

Reading: 1 Kings 22:13-28

Devotional: Micaiah stood alone against 400 voices. His message was unwelcome, unpopular, and personally costly—he was imprisoned for speaking God's truth. Discernment often leads to isolation. When you truly hear from God, you may find yourself at odds with the crowd, even well-meaning believers. Micaiah declared, "As the Lord lives, what the Lord says to me, that I shall speak." This is the heart of discernment: unwavering commitment to God's voice regardless of consequences. The signal from heaven may be quieter than the noise around you, but it's unmistakably true. Are you willing to stand with the minority if that's where truth resides? Faithfulness to God's voice sometimes means walking a lonely path, but it always leads to life.

Reflection Question: When have you felt pressure to agree with the majority against your spiritual conviction? How did you respond?

Day 3: Testing the Spirits

Reading: 1 John 4:1-6; Acts 16:16-18

Devotional: The slave girl in Philippi spoke truth—"These men show you the way of salvation"—yet Paul discerned a deceiving spirit behind the message. Information can be accurate while the source is corrupt. This is why John warns us to "test the spirits." Not every supernatural manifestation comes from God. Not every true statement reflects God's heart. The python spirit used truth as a weapon of distraction and confusion. Discernment requires looking beyond the message to the messenger, beyond the information to the spirit behind it. Paul's discernment came through relationship with the Holy Spirit and familiarity with God's character. Today, ask the Holy Spirit to sharpen your spiritual senses. Don't just evaluate what is said—discern who is speaking and what agenda lies beneath the words.

Reflection Question: How do you currently "test the spirits" when receiving spiritual input from various sources?

Day 4: Creating Space for the Signal

Reading: 1 Kings 19:11-13; Psalm 46:10

Devotional: God wasn't in the wind, earthquake, or fire—but in the gentle whisper. Elijah had to be still to hear it. Our lives overflow with noise: notifications, podcasts, news, opinions, and endless content. We've become uncomfortable with silence, immediately filling every void with sound. Yet God's voice often comes in the stillness we avoid. The invitation today is simple but challenging: create intentional space. Two minutes of silence. No phone. No agenda. Just presence. In that space, notice what rises within you—anxiety, peace, urgency, comfort. Don't rebuke it; explore it with God. "Lord, what is this feeling about?" Prayer becomes conversation rather than petition. The noise will fill whatever space you give it, but the signal requires intentional silence to receive.

Reflection Question: What would it look like to build daily rhythms of silence into your life, even if just for a few minutes?

Day 5: The Check in Your Spirit

Reading: Proverbs 25:2; Philippians 4:6-7

Devotional: Jehoshaphat felt something was off despite 400 prophets agreeing. That "check in your spirit" is God's gift of discernment—an internal alarm that says, "Wait. Something isn't right here." Ahab felt it too but criticized and ignored it. The difference between them wasn't the presence of spiritual sensitivity but their response to it. When you sense that check—unease about a decision, discomfort with a relationship, hesitation about a direction—don't dismiss it as fear or overthinking. Pause. Pray. Ask God, "Is this You slowing me down?" Not every check means "no," but every check means "wait and listen." God's peace guards our hearts and minds, but we must pay attention to its absence. Trust the Holy Spirit's gentle warnings. That uncomfortable pause might be God's protection from a path that looks right but leads to destruction.

Reflection Question: When was the last time you felt a "check in your spirit"? How did you respond, and what was the outcome?

Closing Prayer

Father, in a world of constant noise and competing voices, teach me to recognize Your singular voice. Give me courage like Micaiah to speak and live Your truth even when it's costly. Grant me wisdom like Jehoshaphat to recognize when something is off, and humility to pause and seek You. Help me create space in my life for Your signal to come through clearly. I don't need 400 voices—I need Your one faithful voice. Attune my spirit to discern truth from deception, Your voice from the echo chamber. In Jesus' name, Amen.

When Jesus Calls Your Name: The Worship of Radical Generosity

There's something profoundly transformative about being truly seen. Not observed, not judged, not evaluated—but seen. Seen for who you were meant to be rather than who you currently are. This is the heart of one of the most compelling encounters in Scripture: the story of Zacchaeus.

The Man in the Tree

Picture the scene: Jericho is bursting at the seams. The population has swollen by a quarter of a million people. Jesus is making His way through the city during the final week of His earthly life, and the crowds are thick, pressing in from every side. Somewhere in that mass of humanity is a wealthy tax collector—a man despised by his own people, a collaborator with Rome, a thief who has built his fortune on the backs of his neighbors.

Zacchaeus is short in stature but large in reputation. He has everything the world says should satisfy: wealth, power, prestige among his peers, and all the material possessions anyone could want. Yet something inside him whispers that it's not enough. Something is missing.

So he does the unthinkable. This prominent, wealthy man climbs a sycamore tree like a child, humbling himself before the watching crowd, desperate for just a glimpse of Jesus.

The Divine Encounter

What happens next changes everything.

Jesus stops. He looks up. And He calls out a name: "Zacchaeus."

The name itself means "innocent, pure, and righteous"—words that no one in that crowd would have associated with this notorious sinner. Yet Jesus doesn't say, "Zacchaeus, you unrighteous wretch." He doesn't catalog his sins or detail his failures. He simply calls him by name and declares, "I must stay at your house today."

Must. Not "I'd like to" or "perhaps I could." Jesus says it's essential, commanded by the Father, that He abide with this man everyone else has written off.

The Two Most Basic Needs

Every human heart craves two fundamental things: to be seen and to be heard. Zacchaeus, hidden in a tree, marginalized by his community, suddenly experiences both. Jesus sees him. Jesus hears the cry of his heart. And Jesus declares that spending time with him is not just optional—it's necessary.

The crowd grumbles. Of course they do. They've just witnessed Jesus heal a blind man, yet they can't see past their own self-righteousness to recognize what's happening. While Zacchaeus experiences explosive joy in the presence of Christ, the religious crowd experiences only complaint.

This reveals a profound truth: when joy in Christ is present, gratitude and generosity flourish. When complaining is present, gratitude and generosity are choked out.

The Overflow of Worship

What Zacchaeus does next is stunning. Right there, in front of everyone, he declares: "Lord, half of my possessions I will give to the poor. And if I have defrauded anyone of anything, I will give back four times as much."

This isn't manipulation. Jesus didn't demand it. There's no coercion, no guilt trip, no "you must do this to stay saved." This is pure, ecstatic worship—the natural overflow of a heart that has encountered grace.

Consider what Zacchaeus offers:

A freewill thanksgiving offering: Half his possessions to the poor. This wasn't required by law. It was gratitude made tangible.

Radical restitution: The law required paying back what was stolen plus a fifth (20% interest). Zacchaeus offers four times over—400%. This is generosity that goes beyond obligation into the realm of love.

The Sanctification of Possessions

Jesus doesn't tell Zacchaeus to abandon wealth or possessions. He sanctifies his relationship to them. Wealth itself isn't evil—it's a tool that can be used for the highest good when we recognize we're stewards, not owners.

When Jesus enters our lives, He doesn't strip us of everything. He realigns our hearts so that our possessions serve love rather than master us. Zacchaeus remains a man of means, but now those means have purpose beyond self-interest.

Justice and Restoration

True worship produces justice and restoration. Zacchaeus doesn't just feel sorry; he makes things right. He goes to those he's harmed and restores what he stole—multiplied.

Matthew 5:23-24 teaches that if we come to worship and remember we have something against a brother, we should leave our gift at the altar and first be reconciled. Worship is incomplete if we ignore those we've harmed or neglected.

Imagine Zacchaeus going door to door: "I met the Master. He saw me. He accepted me. And because of that, I want to make things right with you. Not only will I restore what I took, but I want to bless you beyond measure."

This is worship that facilitates relationship—not just with God, but with everyone around us.

The Freedom from Religious Obligation

Here's the liberating truth: worship is the fruit of salvation, not the cause of it.

Jesus declares, "Today salvation has come to this house." Not because Zacchaeus gave generously. Not because he made restitution. But because he said yes to the One who called his name.

The giving, the restoration, the generosity—these all flowed from the encounter, not toward it. They were the evidence of transformation, not the means of earning it.

This frees us from the crushing weight of religious obligation. We're not required to give a certain percentage to stay saved. We're not required to read our Bibles a certain number of minutes to protect ourselves from the devourer. We're not required to attend church to maintain God's favor.

But here's the beautiful paradox: when we truly encounter Jesus, when we experience being seen and heard and called by name, these disciplines become desires. Not burdens, but joys. Not obligations, but privileges.

When God Calls Your Name

When God calls your name, He's not cataloging your failures. He's not listing your past mistakes or current shortcomings. He's calling you by your prophetic identity—who you were always meant to be.

He's calling you out of religion and into relationship. Out of legalism and into grace. Out of the worldview that keeps you hidden and into the light of His love.

The question isn't whether you've done enough or given enough or served enough. The question is: Have you heard Him call your name? Have you climbed down from your hiding place and received Him gladly?

Because when you do, everything changes. Not because you're trying to change it, but because grace does what obligation never could. It transforms your heart, sanctifies your relationships, and produces in you a generosity that reflects the lavish love of the One who gave everything for you.

The Son of Man came to seek and save that which was lost—not lost to Him, but lost to yourself. Lost to your true identity. Lost to your purpose. And when He finds you, when He calls your name, joy erupts, gratitude flows, and worship becomes as natural as breathing.

5-Day Devotional: Encountering Jesus Through Worship

Day 1: God Calls You By Name

Reading: Luke 19:1-10

Devotional: When Jesus called Zacchaeus by name, He wasn't identifying him by his failures or reputation. He spoke to who Zacchaeus was meant to be—innocent, pure, and righteous. Today, God calls you by name, not according to your past mistakes or present struggles, but according to your true identity in Christ. He sees you as His beloved child, redeemed and righteous. The shame you carry doesn't define you in His eyes. Listen for His voice calling you out of condemnation and into relationship. When you hear Him speak your name, He's saying, "You are mine, you are loved, you are seen." Respond with the joy of being fully known and fully accepted.

Day 2: The Holy Spirit Prepares and Leads

Reading: John 6:44; Romans 8:14

Devotional: Zacchaeus faced real barriers—his short stature, the hostile crowd, his damaged reputation. Yet the Holy Spirit prepared a way for him to encounter Jesus. Whatever obstacles stand between you and deeper intimacy with God, the Spirit is actively working to overcome them. Your fears, anxieties, and doubts about "missing it" cannot obstruct what God is doing in your life. The Spirit who dwells within you is faithful to lead you into truth. Stop letting fear of failure keep you from stepping out in faith. Trust that God is more committed to your hearing His voice than you are to hearing it. He will make a way where there seems to be no way.

Day 3: Joy Flows From Grace

Reading: John 15:9-11; 2 Corinthians 9:7

Devotional: When Zacchaeus experienced being seen, heard, and accepted by Jesus, joy erupted in his heart. True joy is the fruit of experiencing God's grace—His unmerited favor and empowering presence. When joy is lacking in your life, examine where grace might be "kinked" by complaint, comparison, or condemnation. Joy doesn't come from perfect circumstances but from encountering the perfect love of Christ. Gratitude naturally flows from joy, and generosity flows from gratitude. You cannot manufacture this progression through obligation or duty. Instead, position yourself to receive God's grace afresh. Worship Him for who He is, not for what you can get. Let His acceptance of you ignite grateful joy in your soul.

Day 4: Worship Produces Justice and Restoration

Reading: Matthew 5:23-24; James 2:1-9

Devotional: Zacchaeus's encounter with Jesus didn't just change his eternal destiny—it immediately transformed his relationships with others. True worship of God always leads to love for neighbor. When we experience God's generosity toward us, we cannot help but extend generosity to others. Is there someone you've wronged who needs your apology? Is there a relationship that needs restoration? Worship is incomplete when we ignore those we've harmed or neglected. The Lord may be prompting you to make something right—to repay a debt, ask forgiveness, or extend unexpected generosity. Don't harden your heart. Live with short accounts. Let your love for God overflow into tangible love for those around you, especially the marginalized and overlooked.

Day 5: Worship is Freedom, Not Obligation

Reading: Galatians 5:1; 2 Corinthians 9:6-8

Devotional: Zacchaeus gave freely—not from obligation, manipulation, or fear of losing God's favor, but from overwhelming gratitude. This is the heart of New Covenant worship. You are not required to give, serve, read Scripture, or attend church to earn or maintain salvation. These spiritual disciplines are not burdens to bear but joys to embrace as you grow in relationship with Jesus. When giving, serving, and worshiping flow from love rather than law, they become life-giving rather than life-draining. Christ has set you free from religious obligation so you can experience the joy of voluntary devotion. Let gratitude, not guilt, motivate your worship. Everything you offer to God—time, talents, treasures—is simply a response to His immeasurable grace toward you.

There's something oddly comforting about dysfunctional families in popular culture. The Addams Family, for instance, has endured through generations precisely because they're bizarre, out of touch, and sometimes don't get along. Yet somehow, in the midst of all that chaos, they remain a family. They abide. They endure.

This strange persistence mirrors a profound spiritual truth: God's favor is not dependent on our functionality.

For those who carry wounds from family dysfunction or fear passing those patterns to the next generation, there's liberating news. The dysfunction from our past does not determine the inheritance of our children. Our family's current struggles do not limit God's favor. Our future failures cannot diminish what God has already secured.

The inheritance available to every believer is the same favor of God that rested upon Jesus Christ, God's beloved Son in whom He was well pleased. This isn't hyperbole or wishful thinking. We have no less favor with God than Jesus himself.

The question isn't whether God's favor exists in our lives. The question is whether we're allowing it to flow freely.

If you're looking for biblical proof that God works through dysfunctional families, look no further than King David's household. This family was spectacularly broken. David's children committed violence against one another, engaged in abuse, and created chaos throughout the kingdom of Israel. The dysfunction was multigenerational and devastating.

Yet God made David an extraordinary promise. He declared that He would establish David's dynasty forever, that one of David's descendants would build a temple, and most remarkably: "I will never take my favor from him."

David himself recognized the absurdity of this promise. His response was essentially, "Who am I? Have you seen my family? Are you sure you've got the right guy?"

But God's favor proved more powerful than David's dysfunction. Centuries later, that promise found its ultimate fulfillment in Jesus, the son of David, upon whom God's favor rested completely. And we, as co-heirs with Christ, inherit that same unshakeable favor.

God's favor is more powerful than your dysfunction. It's not even close.

Imagine a garden hose filled with water. The water represents God's favor—refreshing, life-giving, constantly flowing. When the hose is straight and unobstructed, water flows freely from one end to the other. But when you kink the hose, the water stops flowing to its destination. The water is still there, still under pressure, but it's blocked from reaching where it needs to go.

This is what happens in our lives. God's favor keeps flowing, but we create constrictions and blockages through our choices, attitudes, and habits. We kink the hose.

The beautiful truth is that we can unkink it.

The pathway to experiencing God's favor in its fullness involves five interconnected practices:

Wisdom means clear thinking about who God is and who we are in Him. It's not about having perfect theology or being right all the time. True wisdom is peaceable, gentle, open to reason, full of mercy and good fruits. When we walk in wisdom, we think clearly about God's character and our identity as His beloved children.

Teaching focuses on knowing Jesus, not just knowing about Him. The goal isn't correct belief systems but genuine relationship with Christ. This kind of instruction is gentle, patient, and kind—never quarrelsome or harsh. It introduces people to the person of Jesus rather than demanding theological conformity.

Admonishment sounds harsh to modern ears, but it simply means gently reminding one another of who we are in Christ. Most of us already know what we're doing wrong. What we need is to be reminded of whose we are. When we come at each other with shame or condemnation, we've missed the mark. Gentleness is the hallmark of godly admonishment.

Worship through psalms, hymns, and spiritual songs rewires our brains and connects our hearts to the spiritual realm. Music, poetry, and the arts reach places that logic and instruction cannot. Worship allows God's word to dwell richly within us in ways that transform us from the inside out.

Thanksgiving is about leaning in—to God and to one another. The gifts God gives us aren't for our own benefit but for blessing those around us. When someone leans in during conversation, everything changes. That physical posture of engagement and care reflects the heart of God toward us and the heart we're called to have toward each other.

When God's favor flows freely through a family, four characteristics emerge:

Submission means voluntarily offering our full strength to multiply the mission and dreams of those we love. Like the Fellowship of the Ring, where warriors, wizards, and kings submitted their greater power to Frodo's quest, family members in God's favor put their energy behind each other's calling.

Love is about choosing what others choose—not just supporting their decisions but joining them in those choices. It's the "withness" of God, Emmanuel, expressed in family life. We don't just let our loved ones pursue their interests; we want to be with them in those pursuits.

Honor involves truly listening to and understanding one another. When we listen to each other in the Lord, we're learning to recognize God's voice. The more familiar we become with a voice, the more we can hear it above the noise. Being listened to is so close to being loved that most people can't tell the difference.

Peace transforms a family into an oasis of rest in a chaotic world. Families walking in God's favor radiate unity, harmony, and serenity. They become places where souls find rest, where the heavy-laden can lay down their burdens.

Your family's dysfunction does not disqualify you from God's favor. The kinks in your hose don't stop God's favor from being present—they just stop you from experiencing its full flow.

The invitation today is simple: identify the kinks and begin the gentle work of straightening them out through wisdom, teaching, admonishment, worship, and thanksgiving. Create space for conversations about how these practices can become part of your family culture.

Rest in this truth: the full favor of Christ is yours today. It has nothing to do with your dysfunction or function. It's all about Jesus, and His favor toward you will never be removed.

5-Day Devotional: Living in the Favor of God

Day 1: The Inheritance of Favor

Reading: 1 Chronicles 17:7-14

Devotional: God's favor is not earned through perfection or family functionality—it's your inheritance. Just as God promised David that His favor would never depart from his lineage, despite David's deeply dysfunctional family, so too has God promised you unshakeable favor through Christ. You are a co-heir with Jesus, carrying the same favor that caused the Father to declare, "This is my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased." Your past dysfunction, present struggles, or future failures cannot diminish this inheritance. Today, rest in this truth: God's favor flows toward you not because of your worthiness, but because of His unchanging nature. You don't have to earn what you already possess.

Reflection Question: What family dysfunction or personal failure have you believed disqualified you from God's favor?

Day 2: Unkinked—Letting Favor Flow

Reading: Colossians 3:12-17

Devotional: God's favor constantly flows toward you like water through a hose, but our lives often contain "kinks" that restrict our experience of that favor. These blockages aren't placed by God—we create them ourselves through anxiety, unforgiveness, pride, or isolation. The pathway to experiencing favor's fullness involves wisdom (clear thinking about God), teaching (knowing Jesus personally, not just theologically), admonishment (gentle reminders of who we are in Christ), worship (connecting our hearts to the spiritual realm), and thanksgiving (leaning into others with Holy Spirit gifts). Notice the theme throughout: gentleness. Unkinking the hose isn't about harsh self-improvement but gentle realignment with truth. Where have you kinked your own hose today?

Reflection Question: Which practice—wisdom, teaching, admonishment, worship, or thanksgiving—is most lacking in your daily life?

Day 3: Submission as Strength Multiplication

Reading: Philippians 2:1-11

Devotional: Biblical submission has been tragically misunderstood. True submission isn't about weakness or inferiority—it's about voluntarily multiplying someone else's strength by putting your full power, energy, and gifts behind their mission. Like the Fellowship of the Ring, where warriors, wizards, and kings submitted their superior qualifications to support Frodo's mission, family submission means each member empowers the others' callings. Wives submit to husbands, husbands to wives, children to parents, parents to children—all submitting to one another out of reverence for Christ. When living in God's favor, submission becomes natural because you're secure in your identity. You don't need to dominate or control; you're free to multiply the strength of those you love.

Reflection Question: Whose mission or calling in your family could you actively support by submitting your strengths to their success?

Day 4: The Withness of Love

Reading: John 15:9-17

Devotional: Love in a family of favor isn't merely emotional affection—it's choosing what they choose so you can be with them. Emmanuel means "God with us," revealing that withness is at the heart of God's nature. He didn't just love humanity from a distance; He died to be with us. This is the love families are called to embody: preferring one another, choosing their choices, joining their journeys. It's not saying, "That's great—you go do that," but rather, "That's great—I want to do that with you." When you walk in God's favor, you desire proximity with your family. The goal isn't parallel lives under one roof but interwoven lives sharing the same mission, choosing togetherness over convenience.

Reflection Question: How can you move from supporting your family members' activities to actually joining them in those activities?

Day 5: Becoming an Oasis of Peace

Reading: Philippians 4:4-9

Devotional: A family living in God's favor becomes an oasis of peace in a chaotic world. This peace isn't the absence of problems but the presence of God's rest flowing through you. When you listen to one another—truly listen—you learn to recognize the Father's voice above life's noise. Being listened to is so close to being loved that most people can't tell the difference. Your family's peace becomes portable; you carry it into workplaces, schools, and communities. People are drawn to this rest without understanding why. They're exhausted, heavy-laden, and your presence offers what they desperately need: rest for their souls. Don't stir up strife. Don't exasperate. Instead, radiate the unity, harmony, and serenity that comes from resting in God's unchanging favor.

Reflection Question: Where in your life—home, work, or community—could you become an intentional oasis of peace this week?

Closing Reflection

God's favor is already yours. The question isn't how to obtain it but how to remove the kinks that restrict your experience of it. Gather your family this week and ask: What practices can we implement to create a culture where God's favor flows freely? What kinks need removing? Remember, your dysfunction doesn't define you—God's favor does.

Over the past few years, Trinity Church has offered a special activity during the transition from one year to the next . . . a PRAYER LABYRINTH. The concept of a labyrinth is not a new thing; they have been used by the church for hundreds, if not thousands of years as a method of prayer and meditation for those seeking to deepen their communion with God.

The Fusion Labyrinth is a prayer experience focused on the synthesis of our FREEDOM FROM unhealthy patterns of thought and behavior and the FREEDOM TO engage with God in the dreams, desires, and plans He has deposited in our lives. The labyrinth path is a spiral inward and then back out again. Along the way, activities and meditations are offered to help focus our hearts, minds, and bodies on God's greatness, goodness, and glory!

The path inward emphasizes our union with Christ and the freedoms that He is releasing in our lives. As we offer God all the good, bad, ugly, and beautiful in our lives, He gives us priceless treasure in return. The journey outward explores the unity we share with others. The deposits of God in our lives are meant to be shared. The outward spiral of the labyrinth focuses our hearts and minds on releasing what Holy Spirit has given. We embrace a mystery of God's Kingdom: what we cling to often slips away, but what we give away is multiplied.

The Fusion Labyrinth is open to anyone on December 30th (Saturday) and December 31st (Sunday) from 1-11 PM both days. Click this link to sign up: https://tinyurl.com/fusion2024

Here is a preview of a station from the labyrinth:

FUSION Station 3: FREEDOM FROM DARKNESS . . . TO LIGHT
Scripture: Ephesians 1:17-18

Meditation: Lord, may your Spirit give me eyes to see the Truth of Jesus even when everything else is dark and uncertain.

Activity: Mirrors and Light

Jesus is the light of the world, and His light that reveals the truth. We need our eyes to be enlightened to know the hope, riches, and power He has for those who believe. Do you have seemingly hopeless circumstances or situations in your life? Are aspects of your life shrouded in uncertainty and darkness? Ask God’s Spirit of wisdom and revelation to enlighten areas in your life where you feel confused, lost, or hopeless.

When you have a word or phrase which represents that area/circumstance/aspect in your life, take a piece of aluminum foil and pray that God’s Word - Jesus - would light your path. Write the word or phrase on the foil, then crumble it and drop it in the jar. See how it reflects the light in beautiful, new ways? When we expose these areas of our life to the LIGHT we reflect the glory of God! How does this feel?

“So God created mankind in his own image, in the image of God he created them; male and female he created them.”
Genesis 1:27

“¹¹ In him we were also chosen, having been predestined according to the plan of him who works out everything in conformity with the purpose of his will, ¹² in order that we, who were the first to put our hope in Christ, might be for the praise of his glory.”
Ephesians 1:11-12

Mankind was created (male and female together) as an image of God’s glory. We were chosen for that purpose! But what does it mean to be the “image” of God? Are we a copy of the divine, a source of light in and of ourselves? Or are we a mirror, casting an impression of God’s goodness into the world around us? Which are we? Or are we not quite either one?

• Reflection – the throwing back by a body or surface of light, heat, or sound without absorbing it.
• Copy - a thing made to be similar or identical to another.

God created us to be “one” with Him - not to BE Him. Consider the difference between a recording of your image (in a photograph or video), and a reflection. The copy (or recording) captures only a single moment of who you are. It is completely disconnected from your CURRENT reality. A reflection, on the other hand, reveals who you are and what you are doing RIGHT NOW. It cannot be separated from your current reality, or it ceases to reflect and becomes only an incomplete facsimile. Just as my reflection cannot be separated from me . . . as God’s image, we cannot be separated from Him!

Our lives should become reflections of:

• God’s character – Ephesians 5:22-23; 1 John 4:19
• God’s power – 2 Corinthians 4:6-7
• God’s mission – Matthew 28:18-20
• God’s ministry – 2 Corinthians 5:18-20

Imagine a mirror ball in a dance hall or roller rink: the light shines on the many mirrored facets and illuminates it, but also bounces off the ball to illuminate other spaces. At first, you might think the mirror is the origin of light, but you soon realize it is a reflection . . . and you turn your attention to the true source.  Each of us is a facet of that mirror ball.

We are called as a PEOPLE (not just a person) to reveal God’s nature, character, personality, etc. in our own lives . . . He is a creator, so we are creative . . . He is love, so we love others . . . He is kind, so we show kindness to others . . . Our lives carry the light of Christ into every corner of our world!

¹⁴ “You are the light of the world. A town built on a hill cannot be hidden. ¹⁵ Neither do people light a lamp and put it under a bowl. Instead they put it on its stand, and it gives light to everyone in the house. ¹⁶ In the same way, let your light shine before others, that they may see your good deeds and glorify your Father in heaven.
Matthew 5:14-16

Facing your fears is about first acknowledging you are afraid of something . . . and then realizing that your fear is – often and/or usually – based in a lie. God wants you to understand the TRUTH (His perspective) and He will be with you as you face those fears and overcome them . . . to become exactly the person he knew you were all along!

Moses’ encounter with God at the burning bush was all about facing the fears he had . . . Fears directly related to his previous experiences. When I read through Exodus 3:1-4:17, I see five excuses or fears that Moses uses to avoid returning to Egypt to confront Pharoah:

1. Fear of man's authority - Moses says (in essence), "I'm nobody special!" (Exodus 3:11) He meant that he was afraid of powerful people with authority. This fear came from Moses prior experience . . . he was a nobody, who became somebody, and then lost it all again! 
2. Fear of God's rejection - Moses asks, "Who do I tell people YOU are?" (Exodus 3:13) Moses had already tried to help the Hebrews without God, and he failed. If God wasn't with him then, how could he be sure of his acceptance now? 
3. Fear of man's rejection - "What if they don't listen or they reject what I say?" (Exodus 4:1) Moses feared being rejected by his people - because they rejected him the last time he tried to help! 
4. Fear of a lack of ability/skill/talent - Moses said, "I don't speak well - I'm afraid of public speaking!" (Exodus 4:10) When he confronted by the Hebrews during his previous experience, he had no response except to run away. He feared his own lack of ability would lead to ruin. 
5. Fear of discomfort/unhappiness - Moses final excuse wasn't even an excuse. He just whined at God, "I don't want to do it! Find someone else!" (Exodus 4:13) He had lost all his comfort and happiness once before. At this point in his life, Moses had finally built a life - a wife, kids, family, friends, job, wealth, security, etc. Now God was asking him to risk it all! 

God didn’t reject or abandon Moses for being timid and afraid. God understood Moses’ pain and the depth of his trauma. God understood his excuses and the history that created them, but he wasn’t going to let Moses stay stuck in his pain. God loved Moses too much to allow him to continue to defeat himself.

God listened to Moses’ point of view. But then He spoke. For each excuse Moses gave, God responded with His perspective. He told Moses, “I will be with you.” (Exodus 3:12) He wanted to come alongside and partner with Moses. He wanted to help him. God wanted to calm his fears and build his confidence. God wanted Moses to dream again.

God was aware of Moses’ insecurities. He told him, “I will help you speak and will teach you what to say.” (Exodus 4:12) He knew that Moses felt inadequate for the job. He knew Moses felt insecure about his speaking disability. (Exodus 4:10) God wanted Moses to know that He would equip and empower him to do what needed to be done. He was not alone.

In the end, Moses embraced God's truth. He revealed this transformed perspective when he tells the entire nation of Israel . . .

“Be strong and courageous. Do not be afraid or terrified because of them, for the Lord your God goes with you; he will never leave you nor forsake you . . . The Lord himself goes before you and will be with you; he will never leave you nor forsake you. Do not be afraid; do not be discouraged.”
Deuteronomy 31:6,8

Over the next few weeks at Trinity we are going to explore what it means to be FULLY DEVOTED in Mind, Body, and Spirit. For me it means we are living a wholly integrated life where every part of our being pursues God’s good, pleasing, and perfect will. It means we engage the mystical components of the Kingdom at the same time we increase our knowledge while we also discipline our body. Each strengthens the other and bonds us more fully to the goodness of God.

And just for fun, check out this skit from The Point youth that illustrates some of these principles in discipleship . . .

As it is written, I have made you the father of many nations. [He was appointed our father] in the sight of God in Whom he believed, Who gives life to the dead and speaks of the nonexistent things that [He has foretold and promised] as if they [already] existed.
Romans 4:17 (Amplified Bible)
Trinity Church has a long history of seeing and releasing Kingdom realities into our world. At Trinity's formation in the late 1970s, the purpose statement was written to declare that very purpose of our existence:

To bring glory, honor and worship to God by being a “People of God’s Presence, Visibly Demonstrating the Kingdom of God”.

Our discovery of how to be a people who visibly demonstrate God's kingdom continues to this day. We seek to see our world with Spiritual eyes - the eyes of our heart - so we can know God better and partner with Him in declaring those "things that are not as though they are." The concept of overlaying Spiritual sight with a physical reality might be difficult to grasp, but there is a "real world" example we can use to better comprehend it.

There is a rapidly developing computer technology being applied in gaming, design, architecture, engineering and more called AUGMENTED REALITY. It is different than virtual reality. Virtual reality creates an entirely digital world for the user to enter. Augmented Reality overlays the vision of a creator (such as an architect) on a real-world space where the creation does not yet exist. Check out the video below for an example of how the technology works. 

Augmented Reality gives us a wonderful picture of how we can overlay our Spiritual Vision (the eyes of our heart - Ephesians 1:17-23) with our Physical vision (the things we see in the "real" world). Throughout scripture we see examples of those who lived with this curious Spiritually Augmented Reality: Elisha and his servant, Abraham and his promise, Jesus only did what he saw the Father doing, Ezekiel and his wheels within wheels, etc. We see it in David's life as well.

Psalm 27 declares that what we see in the physical and what we see spiritually may seem different, but they are connected. The Psalmist (David) sees - and declares - God's goodness and security in the midst of insecure, even untenable, situations. His physical reality does not seem to reflect the things David knows about God's nature and kingdom . . . so he declares what he sees in the Spirit and calls it reality! That Spiritual Augmented Reality sustains David when nothing else would.
Try this exercise:
Think of a situation or environment where you find yourself on a regular basis (maybe daily). This could be a workplace, school, home, store, gym, etc. Consider what the place looks like when you are there. What does it sound like, smell like, or feel like? Where are you in the place? Where do you see Jesus? Now ask Jesus this: What do You want to do in this place? What are You saying or thinking about this place? What do You want me to do or declare in this place for Your Kingdom?

Walking out a Spirit Augmented Reality in our lives takes practice. I encourage all of us to ask God to open the eyes of our heart to His reality in every place we go. Let's declare those things that are not as though they are.

The Point is doing something new this year! As 2021 came to an end, I realized I still needed to plan for the 2022 Spring Calendar for Jr. and Sr. High Students. I have wrestled a long time with the routines of youth ministry . . . Wednesday night youth group, summer mission trips, bowling nights, etc. are great, but they just feel so . . . done.

Lacking any real passion for the planning process, I did what every great leader does . . . I delegated it to the youth! Seriously. I prepared several sessions of calendar planning, but with a twist. We decided to try a “Spirit-led Scheduling Session”.

Here’s how it went:

1. We spent 2 minutes in silence, just listening for anything God wanted to say. At the end of the two minutes we wrote down the things we heard, saw, felt, or sensed during that time. This just got us into the place of hearing God.
2. I handed out some “Prompt Cards” that included traditional youth group activities as well as some new ideas that had come out of previous conversations. Each student had a handful of cards like Game Nights, Retreats, Youth Group Meetings, Mission Trips, and Road Trips. We spent a few minutes praying over those cards and writing any ideas, feelings, or impressions we received about them.
3. We spent several minutes sharing about the things we heard from God regarding these ideas (and any new ones that came up).
4. We specifically asked Holy Spirit to give us a month, day, time , or season related to the cards we had in our hands. Then we taped those cards to calendars I had put up around the room.

The results of this experiment were profound! The Holy Spirit gave several people the idea for a breakfast meeting once a month for all youth. It was called Breakfast with The Point. Four different people taped a card up on the first Tuesday of every month. They didn’t talk about it with each other, they just followed the Spirit and it all came together.

There were other neat things the Holy Spirit showed us, but it boiled down to 2 basic themes:

1. God wants us to have more adventures with Him and each other – but maybe fewer “meetings”.
2. God wants us to actively give away the things He gives us!

The Jr. and Sr. High ministry put together a calendar for January through May based on the leading of the Holy Spirit. It doesn’t look quite like any other calendar I’ve done. Some things are the same, but even those have a freshness or newness to them.

Doing something NEW is important. Routines are circular, they are all about doing the same things to get the same results. New Things are about growth and change. And God loves to do new things!

See, I am doing a new thing!
    Now it springs up; do you not perceive it?
I am making a way in the wilderness
    and streams in the wasteland.
Isaiah 43:19 

Every New Year for as long as I can remember I have used the month of January to reset my attention on the LORD with intentionality. This year is no different, the old has gone and the new has come in the natural, 2021 to 2022 as well as in the spiritual regarding the eternal truth for who we are in Christ. This reset leads me to examine previous truths that the LORD established in my life. I picture these truths as freshwater wells.

Fresh and clean water is necessary to sustain life and scripture records that a well was dug by Abraham for every location the LORD sent him. In that location the LORD revealed Himself in a new way to Abraham. The location became an anchor point in Abraham’s life identified by the well that was dug. He and future generations then could revisit that well to draw life sustaining water benefitting everyone who drew from the water in the natural and satisfying the spiritual thirst of those who drew from the well in faith accessing the same truth revealed to Abraham (Gen 26, John 4:5-6).

Therefore, I ask the questions what wells do I have access to that others have dug and what wells have been dug in my life? As I do this, I see wells that look like ones from an old country setting that has cut stone built around the opening of the well with a bucket available to lower into the well.

As I picture this well, my imagination is activated. I think about the well. I remember the quality of the water in the well. My observations often stir feelings of gratitude as I am filled with the memories of what God has done in my life. They also stir my faith for when I remember what God has done, my spirit tells me, “God, my Father, will do it again.” At times I wonder why I have not visited for a while. As I drink from the well, refreshment fills my soul as it did when I first tasted the water drawn from it.

This month, I encourage you to join me using Genesis 26:12-25 and ask the LORD to walk with you examining those wells that He dug for you. Revisit the encounters that you have had with the LORD. Review the nuggets of truth that you came to discover. Remind yourself of the deep work that the Spirit of God has done in your life and in your families. Cherish the relationships that you have and ask the LORD to show you even more blessings that the wells you visit have for you today.

These wells will nourish your soul.  Coming up . . . The well of hearing the voice of the Shepherd, John 10:27 

On December 30-31 of 2021, Trinity hosted a prayer labyrinth called EXCHANGE. The theme explored God’s exchange with us (Revelation 3:17-18) as well as our exchange with others (Romans 1:11-12). This theme of EXCHANGE is our theme for the year at Trinity.

At one station, participants were to leave behind cards on which they wrote an area of doubt, uncertainty, frustration, or worry. In another, they wrote areas of suffering or wounding on bandages and left them behind. At many of the stations, they were leaving something behind and taking something God gave them in exchange. It is all anonymous, so participants feel confident being authentic and vulnerable.

After the labyrinth, I spent time praying over the things left behind by participants. I read of those who worry they will never measure up to the standards of others, God, or themselves. Many suffer from loneliness, rejection, or fear. Some long for purpose or intimacy. Others wrestle with despair and doubt because they long for breakthrough in their lives that never seems to come.

These are the real struggles of those around us. These are the friends and family who sit with us in church services, youth group, small groups, and prayer meetings. There were several testimonies of the EXCHANGE some of those who participated felt with God during their labyrinth experience. Now we need to walk out the EXCHANGE with each other!

How do we continue to walk in authentic community where we feel as free sharing our doubts, pains, and struggles with each other as we do our confidence, joys, and victories? How can we encourage and strengthen each other with love? We don’t have it all figured out yet, but we know Jesus’ heart for His people . . .

“I pray also for those who will believe in me through their message, that all of them may be one, Father, just as you are in me and I am in you. May they also be in us so that the world may believe that you have sent me. I have given them the glory that you gave me, that they may be one as we are one - I in them and you in me - so that they may be brought to complete unity. Then the world will know that you sent me and have loved them even as you have loved me.”
John 17:20-23 

One thing has been stirring in my heart over the last several months. It has to do with pursuing the very manifest presence of God. The glory of God is also referred to as the shekinah glory.

Today more than ever, the corporate church needs a deep relationship with God our creator. The natural wisdom of man has not served us well. At best we hit and miss God’s designed plan for each person, family and nation.

We see in the old testament how the priest would go into the holy of holies to minister to God and provided the required sacrifices for their nation. In the same way we as ministers of God need to find ourselves in the holy of holies so that we are than able to minister to the people after we come out of God’s presence.

In essence we are getting direct revelation while in the shekinah glory. On Sunday nights a group of Christians are meeting with the primary purpose of pursuing the shekinah glory of God.

The following information is the path we have started on and will continue in each meeting to go deeper pursuing “The Shekinah Glory of God”.
 
First... Prayerfully consider these scriptures to open our minds & hearts.  

• Ps. 27:4 ----------------              One Thing I desire
• Ezkl. 44:16 ------------              Minister unto God
• Jms. 4:8a --------------              Draw Near to God
• Phil. 3:10-16 ----------             Press-in & on
• Eph. 4:11-13 ----------              To come into Fullness
• 1Pet. 5:10 --------------             A believer’s Journey
• Eph. 1:17 ---------------            Needed Light & Wisdom         
• Jn. 17:3 -----------------             To Know... This is eternal life    

 
 Second...  To know God’s will we need the light of God for knowledge & Revelation. Jesus is The Light!
  
Third... A lesson is seen in Acts 9: 3–4 regarding light.
“Suddenly a light from heaven shone around him. And he fell to the ground.
 
Real light from heaven is more than knowledge. It is the discovery of the Lord Himself. Whoever sees Him, sees light.

Instruction does not have this effect. We may listen to any number of instructive sermons and even memorize their content, and yet remain unchanged.

That never happens when light comes from God. When that light dawns, it blinds our eyes to one natural world that they may be opened to a supernatural world.

When Paul saw the light, he was smitten to the ground and for three days could see nothing. (sometimes nothing for a while)

Light is rigorous. It can do to a man what he himself can never do.

When that light shines, we are softened, weakened, broken, and placed in awe. Light has to humble us before it enables us to see, do and become.”


We invite you to join us in this pursuit. 

More than ever the followers of Christ need a time and place to encounter God. Today’s world of chaos and confusion cause so many a great deal of anxiety. The scriptures speak of coming into God’s presence to find rest. Even though we as Christian know we should have peace and hope in Christ the events happening around us can have an impacted of distraction.
 
Finding a place and time for quite contemplative prayer will reignite deeper trust and hope for yourself and your loved ones. God desires us to call on Him in troubling times. If you have not spent time with God lately and have been caught up in the everyday conundrum of life, now is the time to escape for a season in a higher place!
 
The, Trinity Church Leadership Team, has planned an opportunity for “such a time as this.“ A retreat from the world into God’s presence. This time of escaping the chaos is scheduled for October 30 and 31 at Eagle Crest Christian camp & Retreat Center. During our time at the camp we will be looking at topics to refresh and inspire those who attend. Topics include “doing the impossible, hearing from God in prayer, finding your gift and calling, strength within the body of Christ and beholding God’s glory.” Each topic will include an activities workshop to bring deeper meaning to each participant. There will also be times of worship, fellowship, rest and reflection.
 
The retreat is an open event to any person seeking a break from the busyness of life in exchange for a deeper walk with God. Invite your family and friends to join you as we pursue Jesus together.
 
Contact the Trinity Church office for more detail or to reserve your place. 

If you are anything like me you have grown totally and completely sick of the word “unprecedented.” I find it both overused and inappropriate. History is full of experiences and circumstances as bad or worse than the Covid-19 pandemic we are experiencing now. Through all of them, people have grown and thrived in the midst of chaos.
 
As an example, while Isaac Newton was a student at university, one of the last outbreaks of plague occurred. All the students were sent home to complete their year of studies. During this time, Newton developed the basis for calculus, theories on how light works, and began his study of gravity. He called it the “year of wonders.”

I am a big fan of sci-fi television, and one of my favorites over the years was a show called Farscape. A human astronaut is accidently shot to the far side of the universe where he encounters tremendous danger, unjust oppression, and terrifying situations. Each episode opened with a message the man recorded for his family and the people of earth . . . "Now all I want is to find a way home, to warn Earth. Look upward, and share... the wonders I have seen."

Newton and the character in Farscape shared an understanding. The worst circumstances we face - the most difficult trials - are also the place of wonders. Our God has a habit of revealing His greatest treasures in the midst of tribulation. If we persevere, the reward is a glimpse into the wonders of God! The Apostle Paul reminds us of this in Romans 5:2-5:

 
God is good, kind, and faithful to all generations. I want to encourage all of us to pursue that same attitude of wonder and discovery in the midst of this difficult season. God will still meet you here and now. He is even now declaring, "Look upward, and share the wonders I have created!"

We have heard for years that we are triune man (mankind). There is no doubt scriptural evidence proves this is true to a certain degree. Exploring the many times three levels of man or principle states of spiritual growth are seen in scripture helps us understand a difference in one dimension of being to another. To support this basic triune principle, see a few examples in the 3-column table below: 

In these few examples above you can see a progression in value or importance. God created all we have need of to live a fully developed Christian life. He also prepared a journey we each will travel. Just as we would never expect a baby to live like a young man or woman, we also would not expect a young man or woman to live like a more mature person with broad life experience. In the same way God, The Father, as our master designer, supports our growth through the example of Jesus’ way of life, teaching and the guidance of Holy Spirit.
 
The examples of spiritually maturing men and women in the bible is quite clear. Each one through life’s experiences and guidance of Holy Spirit grew in a deeper relationship with God. It is the same with us today. If we are willing God will grow us up in Christ throughout life.
 
Looking at the biblical examples, in the above table, take note of an extremely important point. Where is our focus and who are we in God’s eyes? What was God’s intent when He created us? Was it to be only those found in the first column of the table? I believe our Father created us as a finished spiritual being. Yes, there is a growth process and we all will start at the beginning. However, if we focus on or remain in the first column of life, we will not come into the fullness God desired for ALL of us.
 
There is no progression in the above table of Father, Son and Holy Spirit because they are one and complete in wholeness and have always been complete.

My point in this blog is to help us all see we are to find ourselves in the place God intended from the beginning. When we see we are spirit man (mankind) we will dwell in the holy of Holies, Feast at the table of God, live the fullness of life, become a father of the faith, knock on the depths of God’s heart, walk as a qualified priest of the kingdom, produce 100 fold through the power of Holy Spirit and be a true living epistle of the word of God seen and read of all men.
 
Would you agree with me that we are to live as God created us “spirit beings” and nothing less. God said “let us make man in our image and our likeness. He breathed the SPIRIT of life into us ” God is Spirit. We will worship Him in spirit and truth. Amen.

Corporate Lament and personal lament are uncomfortable, unfamiliar concepts in most western churches. Despite about one third of all the Psalms being psalms of lament, we rarely engage lament in worship, prayer, or our corporate services. The Israelites enslaved in Egypt came to a place of lament and cried out to God. Their cry for freedom aligned with God’s desire, and He began liberating them to become the people He had always intended.

Lament is more than just venting our sadness, frustration, anger, regret, or despair. It goes far beyond mere sorrow over sin in our lives or community. Those are part of the lament. The lament begins there, but it does not end there. Lament is a powerful act of intercession rooted in a desire to see the promises of God fulfilled in our lives and in our world. It is the great cry of the Lord’s Prayer: “Your kingdom come, Your will be done on earth as it is in heaven.”

When God’s people begin to see reality from God’s perspective, they recognize the brokenness, ugliness, darkness, and pain of a world which is not aligned to the kingdom of God. They weep for that brokenness, but then faithfully declare God’s promises. The process looks something like this:

1. See what God sees. Our thoughts and awareness about our lives, circumstances, and world must align with God’s. Alignment with God’s thoughts exposes things in our lives that do not align with His kingdom. As long we ignore those things, we cannot enter into Godly lament.
2. Grieve over what grieves God. God so loves the world that the brokenness and sorrow He sees breaks His heart. Our hearts should be broken by what breaks God’s. We have the mind of Christ – including all His joys AND all His anguish. We know Jesus experienced pain for the lost and hurting, so we should know that same anguish.
3. Seek God’s help. The lament moves from a cry of anguish to a passionate plea for God’s divine intervention and healing. The intercessor’s lament cries, “GOD! Send your mercy for we are in desperate need!”
4. Declare the promise. Faith and hope are the motivation and destination of lament. We cannot properly lament without resting in the promises of God. We do not deny the pain and injustice, but we declare our hope for a reconciliation we have not yet seen. We declare God’s goodness and power even as we long for the fullness – in full confidence that He WILL be glorified. Our lament builds our own faith and the faith of others!

 
Practicing Personal and Corporate Lament

• Pray the Psalms – take note of those that resonate with you. As you read them, insert the situation, circumstance, broken elements that grieve you right now.
• Ask God to give you his heart, his eyes, his ears to see, hear, and feel the pain in the world around us. We breeze by the pain too often without stopping to hear it. We rarely step into it and let it truly break our heart. We like to rejoice with those who rejoice, but we shy away from mourning with those who mourn. (Romans 12:15)
• Write a Lament to pray at meetings and in your quiet time. Join the Prophetic Prayer group, the Pre-service Garden Room Prayer group and use those laments when you have nothing else to pray.
• Pray in the Spirit with groanings that have no words!