Finding comfort through mourning sounds like an oxymoron. They fit perfectly together as Jesus spoke in the second beatitude, “Blessed are they that mourn: for they shall be comforted.” How can mourning bring me comfort, you ask? It all depends on your relationship with Jesus Christ.
The late John R. W. Stott, theologian and evangelical Anglican preacher had written; “The truth is that there are such things as Christian tears, and too few of us ever weep them.” Weeping tears over the sins and conditions of the world, including our own before a Holy God brings about true mourning. It also brings about the reality of who God is and who we are before Him. It brings about true repentance as we see ourselves before God. Confessing our sins, turning away from them, and living a life pleasing to Him result in immense joy and comfort.
The question becomes how often have you been comforted by our Lord through mourning? I need to ask myself the same the question. Do we truly mourn and weep as the Old Testament prophets, the apostle Paul and even Jesus did over the sins of people? Do we shed tears over our own sins? Do we come clean before God, admitting our sin before Him through mourning? Confessing our sins by shedding tears will open the door to true comfort of forgiveness, grace, and mercy. Jesus said, “Blessed are they that mourn (those who shed Christian Tears) for they shall be comforted.”
I am sure we have all heard the expression, ‘life is a journey.’ Indeed, it is. Curiously though no two people are on the exact same path in life. There may be similarities, but just as everyone is unique in their own way, their journey in life follows the course planned out for them. And for the Christian, the Lord had your life journey drawn up before you were even conceived in your mother’s womb. “You saw me before I was born. Every day of my life was recorded in your book. Every moment was laid out before a single day had passed.” (Ps.139:16 nlt)
Throughout our journey in life, we need subsistence to sustain us. We need a daily intake of food to nourish us to survive our physical life, and we need a daily intake of spiritual food to survive in our spiritual life while on this earth. During Jesus’ ministry on earth, He had two occasions where He provided food for thousands of people as they were coming to Him for healing and to hear His teaching. Jesus had compassion for the people giving them both physical and spiritual food. He did not want to send the crowds away hungry because they might faint along the way.
Our Lord Jesus has the same compassion for us in our spiritual walk with Him. He does not want us to faint along the way in our life journey. He provides us with food to sustain our spiritual growth through His Word. As we have our quite time with Him, through our devotions, prayer, and Bible reading we can rest assured that we will not go away hungry. Make sure you put in the effort to get your daily spiritual nourishment for the journey. Jesus does not want to send you away hungry.
Starting out on a journey, whether a local excursion or an extended trip across the miles requires a knowledge of the way to get to your destination. Whether using your smart phone, a GPS system, or downloaded directions from a maps web site, all will show several ways to get there. That is fine when traveling from here to there in our world. At times more than one option is sometimes desirable and even recommended. Today’s GPS systems will even redirect you if you make a wrong turn. If you see your life here on earth as a journey, which it is, where is your destination at the end of your life and where are you getting your directions? Will your world religions and earthly maps warn you if you made a wrong turn and are going in the wrong direction?
Ultimately if your destination is heaven; there is only one road, only one way to eternal life in heaven with God the Father. In Jesus’ sixth “I am” statement in John’s gospel, Jesus said very clearly the He is the only way to the Father. Of the seven “I am” statements, this one is the most controversial in our day. Why, because Jesus declares there are no other roads or religions, no short cuts, no long way around, no alternative route to heaven except through Him.
If what Jesus said is not true, then He would be a liar, and if He is a liar, He could not be God the Son, and if he is not God the Son, then He could not save us from our sins. All roads do not lead to heaven, only one does, Jesus! If there are other ways to eternal life except through Jesus, then Jesus’ death on the cross was in vain. No, “Jesus said to him, ‘I am the way, and the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.’” (Jn.14:6 esv)
Many problems confront the church today. A leading cause for problems to sneak in are cracks in the wall allowing contaminating elements to settle in and take root. Once inside and growing the fungus is seen as not being all that bad, in fact it is healthy and right. As a result very few notice the additional cracks and the loose bricks and mortar that are eroding the structure of the walls as they collapse. Again only a few seem to notice the walls are down. Only a few notice their protection from the elements of the world is gone. The rest do not need protection from the world, they have become the world.
There are valid purposes for walls in our society. Walls are erected for protection to keep one safe and from harm, especially from those with a desire to harm others. Walls of protection are not only of stone, brick and mortar, but spiritual. The church needs both, with spiritual defenses being its main concern. The fruit of the Spirit is a good place to start, “love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control.” (Gal.5:22-23 esv) The building or rebuilding and maintaining the spiritual walls of protection is an ongoing effort for the church today involving a daily commitment to the truth and obedience of God’s Word. Most importantly it takes “Building Together” and “A Mind to Work.”
The walls of Jerusalem had been broken down as the city was destroyed by Nebuchadnezzar and the Babylonians years earlier. They had never been rebuilt after the return of the Jews under the reign of Cyrus, the King of Persia. Nehemiah, a cupbearer for King Artaxerxes of Persia, was visited by one of his brothers and some of his friends from Judah. Their message was not a good report, but one of great concern. The Jews remaining in the city of Jerusalem were in great distress due to the walls and gates of the city being torn down and burned with fire. (Neh. 1:3) They had no protection from their enemies who did not want a wall built and prevented them from doing so on several occasions.
Nehemiah realized the needed effort for the reestablishment of Jerusalem and the safety and protection of its people. He knew of the opposition he would face along with all those who would join him. The church today also faces opposition as we attempt to rebuild the broken walls due to the neglect of being obedient and not standing for the truth God’s Word over the years by compromise. Now is the time to start rebuilding secure walls by reading, studying and obeying God’s Word. We need to forbid negotiations with the world to find common ground that is contrary to scripture. We are to live the life of the Gospel Message of those who have been redeemed and transformed by the blood of Christ sharing that Good News.
The years ahead for the church are not going to be easy. Paul in writing to Timothy says this, “But understand this, that in the last days there will come times of difficulty.” (2Tim.3:1 esv) We are certainly seeing some of those difficult times in our current day and we can be sure that they will continue to get worse as time goes on before the Lord returns. We as Christians, as the church, are to have a “mind to work” with our Christian brothers and sisters in securing our walls of defense in order for us to remain faithful and be able to live by example and explain the Gospel Message to those who desperately need to hear it.
“Beware of practicing your piety before men in order to be seen by them; for then you will have no reward from your Father who is in heaven.” Matthew 6:1 RSV
Piety is word that is seldom used in 21st century America. Defined as “the quality of being religious or reverent” could have some bearing as to the nonuse of it as there are fewer and fewer who would associate themselves with being named as such. Another factor could be the misuse of the word by those who claim to be “religious or reverent” and by example are not. But this should not deter those of us who truly desire to be “religious or reverent.” The word “piety” used by Jesus in the Sermon on the Mount as translated by some versions is to note the difference in a Christian’s moral righteousness and their religious righteousness, their piety. It is OK to be pious, but it is a matter of the heart and our true motives.
Jesus warns His disciples of the tendency to alter their motives in noble causes like giving to the poor. They may have love for the poor and a deep desire to help them as part of their moral righteousness, but in transacting the giving there is a temptation to put a little emphasis on themselves to show how religious they are. Jesus’ point was to draw a contrast between the motives of the religious rulers of the day with their self-glorification and those who motives were to bring glory to God. The reward the religious leaders received was the praise of men which would quickly dissipate into a faded memory. The reward of the truly pious giver is from the eternal God and it will not fade.
The religious rulers (scribes and Pharisees) were all about public appearance. Jesus instructs us that our giving is to be between us and the Lord. “Give your gifts in private, and your Father, who sees everything, will reward you.” (Mt.6:4 nlt) Practice your piety before God and not toward men.
“But I, the LORD, search all hearts and examine secret motives. I give all people their due rewards, according to what their actions deserve.” (Jer.17:10 nlt)
“Work hard to show the results of your salvation, obeying God with deep reverence and fear. For God is working in you, giving you the desire and the power to do what pleases him.” Philippians 2:12-13 NLT
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The term ‘trust the process’ has been used over the last decade to encourage people that a positive outcome is achievable by patiently following certain steps. It has been used politically to bring about change, companies and organizations use it to build a better financial future, and professional sports teams have adapted it to encourage their fan base that better days are ahead. The Philadelphia 76er’s, of the NBA, first coined the phrase in 2013. A strategy was introduced that over time the fans would be enjoying the benefits of having to ‘trust the process.’ Unfortunately it hadn’t worked out as planned. However the last five years, expect for the 2024-25 season, have seen much improvement and there are high hopes this year with the addition of longtime veteran Lebron James.
We live in a world that is outcome oriented. Goals are set and we are measured by the success or failure of achieving the sought-after outcome. But the increasing advancement of AI technology is beginning to throw away ‘the baby with the bath water.’ The strategy is now how can we achieve the fastest and most efficient ways to meet our end goals? There is nothing wrong with that except most of the time it takes away the human element of wisdom and discernment given to us by God.
As Christians we can make effective use of AI in advancing the gospel, but it is vital to also use the gifts God has given us. AI is outcome driven and uses data compiled from statistics, frequency, patterns, and then with speed comes to its conclusion. No human element involved. Christianity is not about outcomes in this life but the outcome of eternal life. Christianity in this life is process. No, it is not works driven but it is working hard, obeying God, and allowing Him to give us the desire to do what pleases Him. Yes, it is a process. So, let us ‘trust the process.’
“If the foundations are destroyed, What can the righteous do?” Psalm 11:3 NASB
Workers pour and level concrete amid dense rebar at a downtown construction site.
King David encourages apprehensive people who fear the crumbling of law-and-order by the underhanded authorities by saying, “In the Lord I take refuge; How can you say to my soul, ‘Flee as a bird to your mountain.” (Ps.11:1 nasb) During this time in David’s reign Israel’s enemies seem to be at an advantage. The people want to flee as a bird to the mountains. They have fallen to accept that the world order will not allow good to triumph over evil. This is relative to our day. We can easily fall into the same trap thinking, “If the foundations are destroyed, What can the righteous do?” (Ps.11:3 nasb)
David reminds the people God is still on His throne and He is the foundation. He will act righteously toward the righteous and bring judgement on those who abuse their power by their wicked deeds. The strong foundation of law-and-order is the Lord Himself and His Word. Any other foundation set up by the world is wicked and will not stand. They will achieve victories in this fallen world, but their ultimate end is destruction. “Upon the wicked He will rain snares; Fire and brimstone and burning wind will be the portion of their cup.” (Ps.11:6 nasb)
The bottom line is the Lord is the foundation of law-and-order in this world. It is a strong foundation. Let us now apply this to our spiritual lives. How strong is your foundation? Christians have the Holy Spirit living inside them from the time of salvation. You won’t possess any more of the Spirit than you already have, but are you building on that already strong foundation for the law and order in your life? God has given us His Word to live by. The world can rule righteously in law and order if it is based on God’s strong foundations. However, we know that is mostly not the case. So, we must be wise and discerning in the world’s view of law-and-order and God’s righteous view especially in our spiritual lives.
“Teach us to realize the brevity of life, so that we may grow in wisdom.” Psalm 90:12 NLT
Volunteers distribute food and essential supplies to neighbors at a lively community support event.
The Puritans of the 16th and 17th centuries were wise in understanding the brevity of life. It may have been the shorter lifespan that they experienced compared to ours in the 21st century, but whatever the reason, they had a handle of what life is about and not waste a minute of it. ‘The Valley of Vision,’ a Puritan book of devotions is a must read for any Christian seeking how to get the most out of this life. The writers were stressing the importance of prayer and meditation seeking a deeper relationship with God. Contemplating who we are before a holy God and realizing life in its fullness can only be achieved by that close relationship is what inspired the Puritans to live the lives they did.
I have come across several key thoughts in my daily reading of ‘The Valley of Vision’ in the past week. One thought was that our lives are opportunities for us to be useful. We weren’t put on this earth just to take up space. God placed us here for a reason. We are to serve Him in this life. Every day of our lives is an opportunity to do just that. Each day of neglect is a day lost never to return. Yes, there will be days where opportunity is lost to no fault of our own, but the Lord also knows of those days and He understands. The key is, where is your heart and mind?
During the days you do not feel useful it is important to evaluate your time with God. Is your prayer and meditating on God’s Word on-going? Is your relationship with God strong? If it is, then your period of feeling useless should pass because God knows your frustration and perhaps it is His will for you at this time to set you down. But if the opposite is true in that your time with God is being compromised then it is time to evaluate further and bring to light the cause of this broken relationship. We have no time to waste. Our lives are an opportunity for usefulness because life is short for all of us.
“Then I saw a new heaven and a new earth, for the old heaven and the old earth had disappeared. And the sea was also gone. And I saw the holy city, the new Jerusalem, coming down from God out of heaven like a bride beautifully dressed for her husband.” Revelation 21:1-2 NLT
Life has a way of throwing us curve balls (a baseball analogy) such as the sayings, ‘dreams come true’, ‘wish upon a star’, ‘if you believe it, it will happen’ and on it goes. The sad reality is that dreams do not come true at least for most of us. There are times when a longtime wish or dream comes along, but even in that moment while the joy is there when it is over all that is left are the memories, yes, good memories, but only memories. A marketing strategy for the world’s most known theme park is, ‘Where Dreams Come True’, but again it lasts only in the moment and in your memory along with your digital imagines and videos. And to be honest, they will not last either.
There is nothing wrong with enjoying life here on earth. God created the earth and all that is in it for our enjoyment. Even when we dream for something special, He will bless us to receive it if it is His will. Careful consideration should be noted as we enjoy God’s blessings here on earth that this is not our home and our wishful thinking and dreams should be focused on eternity. It is only natural to desire certain comforts here on earth and dream wishing for them by planning and working to able to enjoy them. But remember as you are enjoying them, they are temporary and do not last.
The apostle John while in exile on the island of Patmos received a revelation from the Lord of the end times. May we be aware there is more to life than this earth and how many years we may live on it. In fact, not only will our physical lives come to an end, but the physical earth and all its wonders will also come to an end and disappear. All will be replaced by a new heaven and a new earth with a new Jerusalem in the center of it all where Christ will reign. This is the only place where dreams not only come true but will never end lasting into eternity. It is time to focus our dreams ‘where dreams come true.’
“Jesus told her, ‘I am the resurrection and the life. Anyone who believes in me will live, even after dying.’” John 11:25 NLT
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The story is told of another miracle perform by Jesus in the eleventh chapter of the gospel of John. It is also the basis for His fifth “I AM.” This particular one is perhaps the greatest of them all. Jesus raised a person from the dead, one who had been dead four days. The person was Lazarus, a very close and personal friend of Jesus along with Lazarus’s sisters Mary and Martha. When Jesus heard that his friend Lazarus was sick, He stayed two more days in the place where He was before he left in response to the news. (Jn.11:6) The question immediately comes to mind, why? Why did he wait two days?
Some have suggested that Jesus knew that Lazarus was already dead when the messenger’s arrived to tell Him that His friend was sick. Perhaps so, but there seems to be a deeper explanation. For those present at Lazarus’s resurrection and for those of us in our day, it is a matter of trust (or faith) in Jesus Christ. Do we believe He is in control of every portion of our lives, that He is never late, and that He loves us knowing what is best for us? Do we believe He is God the Son, and have faith that nothing is impossible for Him to do?
Raising Lazarus from the dead was not impossible for Jesus to do, He is the resurrection and the life. Jesus also said, “Anyone who believes in me will live, even after dying.” (Jn.11:26 nlt) We are assured of a place in heaven and eternal life if we put our trust and faith in Jesus Christ, God the Son.
Jesus is speaking to you and me when He says, “I am the resurrection and the life. Anyone who believes in me will live, even after dying. Everyone who lives in me and believes in me will never ever die. Do you believe this, (insert your name)?” (Jn.11:25-26 nlt)
Word for the Soul 