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In the last few years, I believe that G-D has been spiritually refocusing my heart. I am just as committed to Yeshua and to serving in G-D's Kingdom as I have ever been. I have not changed my core beliefs in Yeshua being the Messiah or in the absoluteness of G-D's Word. But as the world seems to spiral into greater moral chaos, and as more and more people twist G-D's Word to fit their heart's desires instead of turning their hearts toward G-D's desires, I have concluded that, in many ways, we, the body of believers, have been much less effective than we could have been. I believe this is the result of a misdirection of our focus, efforts, and energies.
Throughout history, God has raised up servants to preserve His purposes on Earth, chosen to stand against the advance of evil and deception. Before darkness can move beyond its appointed boundaries, the Lord establishes barriers and governing authorities to contain its influence and prevent its premature manifestation. Paul alluded to this mystery when he wrote, "And now you know what is restraining, that he may be revealed in his own time" (2 Thess. 2:6). The mystery of lawlessness was already at work in Paul's day, yet it was restrained until the appointed time set by God.
Have you ever been halfway through a conversation when you suddenly realized that you weren't listening at all? You were looking at the person. You were nodding at all the appropriate moments. You might have even thrown in an occasional "uh-huh" or "I understand." But if you are honest, your mind was already crafting your response. You were preparing your defense, gathering your thoughts, or deciding exactly what you wanted to say next. I think we've all been there. Recently, I was spending time in James chapter 1, and one verse seemed to leap off the page and settle deeply into my heart. James writes, "Everyone must be quick to hear, slow to speak and slow to anger" (James 1:19). What a simple verse. And yet, what a challenging one.
I think sometimes we have the wrong idea about what it means for God to save us. We pray for God to keep the bad thing from happening. Keep us from getting sick. Keep the person we love from dying. Keep the relationship from ending. Keep us from losing the job. Keep the diagnosis from coming. Keep our children safe. Keep the world from becoming more violent and divided. In other words, we pray for God to keep the fire away from us. And sometimes that happens. But sometimes it doesn't.
"Search me, God, and know my heart; test me and know my anxious thoughts. See if there is an offensive way in my way, and lead me in the way everlasting." Psalm 139:23-24 The small warning light flickered on the dashboard just as the highway merged into heavy morning traffic. For a few miles, the temptation was simply to ignore the tiny orange glow and turn up the radio, hoping the engine trouble would fix itself. But experienced drivers know that a warning light is never an enemy. It is a quiet mercy. It tells you about a hidden problem before you find yourself stranded on the shoulder miles from home.
We are the church of Jesus Christ. We are human. We make mistakes. We tear each other down in our pride, self-righteousness, or in the name of trying to steward our responsibility to protect the flock. We have many diversities and differences of opinions. We seasonally lack and other times are abundant. We suffer, and we win. We sometimes walk in pride more than humility. We sometimes point fingers at others more than ourselves. We take the glory when it's only God's, and other times are more concerned with ourselves more than others. We are imperfect, we are weak, we are divided, and our denominational lines create more divide than unity.
God doesn't want us living fearfully. He wants us to fully plug in to His amazing power that comes through His grace. Unfortunately, I know from experience we sometimes short-circuit God's power through negative mind-sets that get in His way. There is no power shortage in heaven. God is never in a recession. His grace is sufficient to meet every need if we'll just allow ourselves to be open and available to His will. So to help you do that, I want to share three things that commonly short-circuit our faith, cutting off our access to God's power: complaining, self-pity and pride.
Scroll social media long enough and you'll find it: the steady drumbeat that says evil capitalists and corrupt politicians are conspiring to steal your happiness, and the only path forward is to demand what is owed you from your oppressors. It shows up constantly in DSA-themed politics right now — a whole worldview built on the premise that you are, first and foremost, a victim of someone else's cruel agenda… and you should trust us to take care of you. Social researchers who study identity politics call this Victim Mentality: once a group is cast as a victim class, it's positioned to make claims against an "oppressor" class — claims that are never actually negotiated, just asserted.
The Lord gave me this awesome word for many of you who have been asking- Why does it seem like the most dedicated believers go through the most horrific tests and trials? I asked the Lord that same question, and He led me into a deep study of men and women in the bible who were called to high positions in the Kingdom, after they endured great seasons of testing. He began to show me the pattern of how He first proves us in the fire before He elevates us for our assignment. He brought me to the book of Genesis to the story of Joseph. He was favored by his father who gave him a coat of many colors. I believe this was a prophetic mantle the Lord placed on his life.
Wisdom is the principal thing; therefore get wisdom. And in all your getting, get understanding. Proverbs 4:7 There is a difference between wisdom and knowledge. Knowledge puffs up (1 Cor. 8:1). It can make one proud and arrogant. But wisdom will make you humble and teachable. You can read extensively and accumulate a lot of knowledge, but still lack wisdom. You also don't become wise just by growing older and having more experience in life. Wisdom is not natural. It does not matter if you are young or old, experienced or inexperienced, highly educated or not. Wisdom comes by God's unmerited favor.
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