A Scribe on the Wall

Several years ago now, I believe that God gave me a message, He would be telling me things and it was up to me to tell others. To me, it's much like the Watchman on the Wall as described in the Old Testament. The Watchman was told that it was on him to warn others about any approaching dangers. God's apparently gifted me with being able to type and write. So I put the old definition of a writer along with the concept of a watchman together. Jesus is coming soon...are you ready?

Tuesday, September 29, 2026

What Are We Doing?

by David Brenneman

“Do you see a man who is hasty in his words? There is more hope for a fool than for him.

An angry man stirs up strife, And a hot-tempered man abounds in transgression. A man’s pride will bring him low, But a humble spirit will obtain honor.

The fear of man brings a snare, But he who trusts in the Lord will be exalted.”

Proverbs 29:20, 22-23, 25.

“This you know, my beloved brethren. But everyone must be quick to hear, slow to speak and slow to anger; for the anger of man does not achieve the righteousness of God. ” James 1:19-20.

It often can take days, months or even years for the seeds of God's Word to take root in a person's life.

What's unbeknownst to everyone is that it can take seconds to pull them free of the spiritual ground they are in.

We can be very forgetful in living our lives that much more is going on in our lives and the lives of those whom God has put into our life's path than we see.

“Actually, then, it is already a defeat for you, that you have lawsuits with one another. Why not rather be wronged? Why not rather be defrauded? On the contrary, you yourselves wrong and defraud. You do this even to your brethren.” 1 Corinthians 6:7-8.

It grieves me at my own loss of consideration as much as seeing others in Christ forgetting what graces have abounded to us from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.

We forget the work of the Spirit of God in our lives and the lives of people we were meant to influence for Christ.

Paul said it oh so well. We take it way too personally when we forget who's we are and who's plans we are a part of.

That His plan is to seek and save the lost, which is by far more important than being wronged by another. My Dear Reader, what if your Godly reaction is precisely what someone needs to see in order to come to Christ for salvation? What if, perhaps, that person is THE last person to be saved before Jesus Christ returns?

What of our testimony before men and women of this world? Do they hear the words of God from you or do they hear of what doesn't matter in the plan and purpose for you and I in Christ?

We do so much damage to our testimony by forgetting to guard our hearts.

We do oh so much damage by forgetting the Word of God concerning the power of the tongue for good and for evil.

We show the world what's most important to us in a myriad of ways with our speech and conduct.

Consider your ways is what the Lord has said to us all.

Are you ruining your testimony as a Believer in Jesus Christ because of things? Are you ruining your testimony as a Believer in Jesus Christ because of your priorities that don't align with His for you?

Is being right in your eyes more important than someone not going to Hell?

The saying "know your enemy" should be one of the first things taught to those in Christ. We need to know and to prepare for the ways in which the devil is going to try to sway our thinking away from the righteousness life that God desires for us.

He can't touch our salvation in Christ but he can get us to damage our ability to point people to Jesus Jesus.

It only takes a single smidgen of selfishness to ruin something the Spirit has been working on in someone's life.

So my Dear Reader, guard your hearts. Seek first His kingdom and His righteousness and all these things will be added to you. Love the Lord your God with all your heart, mind, soul and spirit. Love your neighbor as yourself. Quickly forgive unconditionally as you have been forgiven by Jesus Christ.

“Let your light shine before men in such a way that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father who is in heaven.” Matthew 5:16.

All NASB Scripture Excerpts used by permission.

New American Standard Bible

A corporation not for profit.

www.lockman.org

Monday, September 28, 2026

The Importance Thereof

by David Brenneman

“ For if you forgive others for their transgressions, your heavenly Father will also forgive you. But if you do not forgive others, then your Father will not forgive your transgressions.” Matthew 6:14-15.

“Whenever you stand praying, forgive, if you have anything against anyone, so that your Father who is in heaven will also forgive you your transgressions. But if you do not forgive, neither will your Father who is in heaven forgive your transgressions.” Mark 11:25-26.

“Let all bitterness and wrath and anger and clamor and slander be put away from you, along with all malice. Be kind to one another, tender-hearted, forgiving each other, just as God in Christ also has forgiven you.” Ephesians 4:31-32.

“So, as those who have been chosen of God, holy and beloved, put on a heart of compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness and patience; bearing with one another, and forgiving each other, whoever has a complaint against anyone; just as the Lord forgave you, so also should you. Beyond all these things put on love, which is the perfect bond of unity. ” Colossians 3:12-14.

Yes, forgiveness. Perhaps one of the most difficult things we've ever been commanded to do. Take special note of that my Dear Reader, it's a command from the Lord Jesus Christ, not a strong suggestion.

We will run into people whom we will wrong as well as ones who've wronged us. It's in the nature of mankind due to our sin nature and its negative impact on our relationships with other and especially with our Lord Jesus Christ.

"I'll probably forgive him someday" is as wrong a statement as one can give about another who is a Christian as well.

This isn't obeying the very words of Jesus Christ as we read earlier.

Jesus put a very significant, special, set of conditions on our command to forgive.

If we did not obey in this, do not expect to be forgiven by our Father in Heaven. In fact, be prepared for what's to come from that lack of forgiveness on our part.

What will come next for those who choose not to forgive is a separation, a breakdown, of their relationship with Jesus.

Any praying will be met with a reminder to go and do what we're commanded to do then come back.

It can be hard only with respect to our pride getting in the way.

We don't like to be humbled before others. We don't like to admit we were wrong.

Sometimes even the lack of forgiveness is tied to a person actually being mad at God, but rather than admit this to God the person takes it out on the messenger of God.

Being mad at God will never get anyone anywhere. We don't know what He knows. We don't have His understanding of everything. We don't know what He knows of the hearts of all who are in our lives.

What He also knows is its a painful thing to be separated from Him because of our stubbornness of heart.

We don't, especially in the heat of the moment, realize what our momentary anger is doing to our relationship with Jesus.

We cannot ever have a mentality of "getting around to" forgiveness.

We, in doing so, do way more than give the enemy of God a foothold, we give him reasons to celebrate. We give him cause to celebrate our broken relationship with Jesus.

Several things are his aim in the lives of Believers. Among them are a disruption of our relationship with Jesus, another is to get us to doubt our identity in Christ.

Realize what the Scriptures also say “ This you know, my beloved brethren. But everyone must be quick to hear, slow to speak and slow to anger; for the anger of man does not achieve the righteousness of God. ” James 1:19-20.

With your words you will either build up or tear down.

With your heart attitude you either show Christ or you show you.

You either are living in obedience or disobedience. In Christ there is no middle ground.

So my Dear Reader, especially in the area of forgiveness, obey God and leave the consequences to Him.

Listen to the Spirit of God and obey.

Trust in the Lord with all your heart And do not lean on your own understanding. In all your ways acknowledge Him and He will make your paths straight.

Forgive others so that your Father will forgive you.

All NASB Scripture Excerpts used by permission.

New American Standard Bible

A corporation not for profit.

www.lockman.org

Sunday, September 27, 2026

It Won't Be You, But Will Be

by David Brenneman

“And when I came to you, brethren, I did not come with superiority of speech or of wisdom, proclaiming to you the testimony of God. For I determined to know nothing among you except Jesus Christ, and Him crucified. I was with you in weakness and in fear and in much trembling, and my message and my preaching were not in persuasive words of wisdom, but in demonstration of the Spirit and of power, so that your faith would not rest on the wisdom of men, but on the power of God.”

1 Corinthians 2:1-5.

Do you ever have difficulty deciding what to say when you share your faith? There are so many approaches to evangelism that it can be confusing. What questions should we ask? Which Scripture verses are best to use? However, Paul clearly teaches us that sharing the good news of salvation has nothing to do with clever or eloquent presentations

Paul's chief concern was not to obscure the simple truth of the gospel with cunning speechmaking, which would only draw attention to his own skills. Rather, he wanted the emphasis to be on Christ. This is because success in evangelism isn't based on formulas or methods but on the powerful message of Jesus' death, burial and resurrection, which alone can save.

So when you witness to others about your faith, don't worry

about what you will say, Instead, just be faithful to tell others about

Jesus. Then, depend on the Holy Spirit to convict others concerning

the cross of Christ and to draw people to Himself. Because the hearer's faith does "not rest on the wisdom of men" -or your delivery

for that matter- -"but on the power of God" (1 Corinthians 2:5).

Jesus, please draw people to Yourself as I testify about all

You've done for me. Amen.

- Dr. Charles Stanley, "Trusting God with Today".

Not everyone has the eloquence to speak or ability to memorize Scripture. Many, like myself, for the longest time thought there was something wrong with us that it proved to be so difficult.

I know in my case after much prayer in this, I believe that Jesus told me "well, I did give you Google". Which sort of made me laugh and look at my situation from a different direction. Within the YouVersion Bible app is a very good search function. This was my first big hurdle.

My next big thing, almost a fear, was speaking about Jesus in public. I knew what was in my heart and mind, but was pretty fearful of speaking it out loud to others for fear that I would mess up and be the reason someone didn't come to Christ for salvation.

Then came passages like this one leading today's post. Then came the truth that we don't win souls for Christ. We don't save anyone. It is only Jesus who saves. It is on us to trust that when the moment arrives for us to speak about the wonderful life we have in Christ that the Spirit will guide our speech, love and conduct.

99.9 percent of smartphone owners keep their phones on their person.

100 percent are capable of finding, downloading, using things such as the YouVersion Bible app.

You can both show them, even through searching it on your phone or theirs how to know for sure that they are saved.

While it's incredibly difficult for me to memorize Scripture it IS happening. It is never an impossible task in the Lord.

We can very easily withdraw from trying to talk about Jesus because of these fears, and perhaps others, but we shouldn't let this happen.

God will always direct a willing heart in the way it should be going when that heart is striving to obey God.

We don't need, just as Paul wrote, to have some grand special education or training in order to talk to people about Jesus.

What was Jesus simple instructions? ""Return to your house and describe what great things God has done for you.” So he went away, proclaiming throughout the whole city what great things Jesus had done for him.” Luke 8:39.

Right there is simplicity itself.

Right there Jesus is telling us that we don't need to have everything memorized to be useful to Him.

The thief on the cross whom Jesus had proclaimed would be with Him in paradise didn't have any formal experience or education in the Word of God...yet he made it.

This guy whom Jesus healed didn't have any either. He just had what he knew of what Jesus had done for him.

Nobody can mount a successful defense against you for what you know God has done for you.

So be who God made you to be in Christ, tell others of the great things that He has done for you and Jesus will take care of the rest.

You see, a foundational thing about this blog is my prayer that it either draws people to Jesus or shows them how to return to Him. Just by writing from either His inspired Word, the experiences or writings of others or my own experiences.

This is me being me for the Kingdom of God in Christ Jesus.

You, my Dear Reader, need to just be you for the Kingdom of God in Christ Jesus as well.

When you step out and do that...it won't really be you speaking but it will be the Spirit talking through you.

All NASB Scripture Excerpts used by permission.

New American Standard Bible

A corporation not for profit.

www.lockman.org

Saturday, September 26, 2026

God's Promises Are More

by David Brenneman

“If the Lord had not been my help, My soul would soon have dwelt in the abode of silence. If I should say, “My foot has slipped,” Your lovingkindness, O Lord, will hold me up. When my anxious thoughts multiply within me, Your consolations delight my soul. Can a throne of destruction be allied with You, One which devises mischief by decree? They band themselves together against the life of the righteous And condemn the innocent to death. But the Lord has been my stronghold, And my God the rock of my refuge. He has brought back their wickedness upon them And will destroy them in their evil; The Lord our God will destroy them.”Psalms 94:17-23.

My Dear Reader, God's promises in Christ Jesus, aren't just for your daily life, your daily needs.

His promises are throughout the Scriptures that cover all aspects of your life. Some indeed you will see the fruits thereof, some may come after you or after you've moved on. But they will happen.

It doesn't take long for some unfortunate atrocity to happen and people grab a soapbox to rage on someone's behalf or if it's personal their own behalf.

For the Believer in Jesus Christ, who counts Him as their personal Lord and Savior...leave such at His feet and walk away. He will keep His promise to you and, in His time, will indeed deal with such people. It's not for me or you to plot, plan, determine a course of action, for revenge, for payback.

Whether it's in our lifetime or at the Final Judgment seat, justice will be served.

Ours is to trust the Lord with all our hearts and to not lean on our own understanding.

All too often we can throw our testimony in Christ Jesus right out the window because of our reactions to injustice or inequities we perceive.

Pray about it, pray often if such thoughts won't leave you be, but pray. What does it say? "“Rejoice in the Lord always; again I will say, rejoice! Let your gentle spirit be known to all men. The Lord is near. Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God. And the peace of God, which surpasses all comprehension, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.” Philippians 4:4-7.

The non-option is this: "“Never pay back evil for evil to anyone. Respect what is right in the sight of all men. If possible, so far as it depends on you, be at peace with all men. Never take your own revenge, beloved, but leave room for the wrath of God, for it is written, “Vengeance is Mine, I will repay,” says the Lord. “But if your enemy is hungry, feed him, and if he is thirsty, give him a drink; for in so doing you will heap burning coals on his head.” Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good.” Romans 12:17-21.

It's not about you being His instrument of wrath. It's not about you seeing, observing, participating, regulating, any aspect of what's to come.

It's for you to pray, and leave at the feet of Jesus.

My Dear Reader I speak from extreme experience when I talk of such things. Just as my Savior and Lord Jesus Christ has been extremely abundant in His providing for our needs, He has been extremely aware of and has dealt with those who chose to be our enemies in this life as well.

I have seen the fulfillment of today's Scripture in my life many times over.

Trust Him.

Scripture cannot be broken, as it says of itself. God cannot break His word to you.

But it hurts! The anguish! The tremendous grief! The rage I feel!

My Dear Reader, He knows. He KNOWS! He knows what you are experiencing and tells you what to do.

“Come to Me, all who are weary and heavy-laden, and I will give you rest. Take My yoke upon you and learn from Me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For My yoke is easy and My burden is light.”

Matthew 11:28-30.

While your plans might bring short-term relief to you or might bring a few moments of joy, you forget God's plan for salvation that still applies to those who wrong us in any way.

Jesus is still seeking to save even those who wrong us until they are taken from this world.

The Apostles, the newly saved in Christ, were in fear of their lives of a man named Saul. People were living in great fear. Until that day when Jesus met Saul on the way to Damascus. When Saul became Paul. Ananias was fearful but obeyed Jesus and Jesus told Ananias that Paul would be shown how much he would suffer for His Name.

Paul embraced what he knew was coming from the Lord. Even when it got rough, he wrote about running the race set before him.

We are also in the race set before us. Regardless of how life is or how we are treated, we are to trust in the Lord with all our hearts and to not lean on our own understanding. In all our ways acknowledge Him and He will make our paths straight.

Pray. Leave it with Jesus. You can and should tell Him how you feel.

Trust Him to take care of you and your situation. Continue to take up your own cross and follow Him.

Don't tarnish your testimony among men and women.

All NASB Scripture Excerpts used by permission.

New American Standard Bible

A corporation not for profit.

www.lockman.org

Friday, September 25, 2026

Your Life in His Hands

by David Brenneman

“He who dwells in the shelter of the Most High Will abide in the shadow of the Almighty. I will say to the Lord, “My refuge and my fortress, My God, in whom I trust!” For it is He who delivers you from the snare of the trapper And from the deadly pestilence. He will cover you with His pinions, And under His wings you may seek refuge; His faithfulness is a shield and bulwark. You will not be afraid of the terror by night, Or of the arrow that flies by day; Of the pestilence that stalks in darkness, Or of the destruction that lays waste at noon. A thousand may fall at your side And ten thousand at your right hand, But it shall not approach you. You will only look on with your eyes And see the recompense of the wicked. For you have made the Lord, my refuge, Even the Most High, your dwelling place. No evil will befall you, Nor will any plague come near your tent. For He will give His angels charge concerning you, To guard you in all your ways. They will bear you up in their hands, That you do not strike your foot against a stone. You will tread upon the lion and cobra, The young lion and the serpent you will trample down. “Because he has loved Me, therefore I will deliver him; I will set him securely on high, because he has known My name. He will call upon Me, and I will answer him; I will be with him in trouble; I will rescue him and honor him. With a long life I will satisfy him And let him see My salvation.””

Psalms 91:1-16.

For those who think that it's a lot to read Scripture...consider this: you just read a whole chapter.

Why oh why would you make excuses to not spend time hearing from your risen Lord and Savior Jesus Christ?

Look at what He's saying right here in this chapter alone about you and I!

While our enemy prowls around like a roaring lion seeking someone to devour...resting in this promise keeps him at bay.

Yesterday evening we should have had cause to be alarmed due to not discovering til too late that a website my Wife went to was fake. Even I missed it right away but soon discovered that it was malicious. Thing is it was right there in the midst of all the legitimate website results. These people managed to register it with Google search.

While normally a reason to panic, my God was already always watching out for us. He put me immediately on a path of whom to call, of what to say, and the danger was squashed.

There's residual work to do today as well as the coming week for the free credit report stuff but the proof of this passage this morning is so reassuring! To think, had I not made the commitment to be reading God's Word, I would have missed it.

Your woes, your sorrows, your various stressful situations, consider going to God's Word for therein lies your assurances that your Savior and Lord Jesus Christ never slumbers nor does He sleep.

He is always watching the whole Earth. Nobody gets away with anything against His sheep...be it immediately or at the Final Judgment...all who have wronged His sheep will be held accountable.

“When my anxious thoughts multiply within me, Your consolations delight my soul.”

Psalms 94:19.

“When my spirit was overwhelmed within me, You knew my path. In the way where I walk They have hidden a trap for me. Look to the right and see; For there is no one who regards me; There is no escape for me; No one cares for my soul. I cried out to You, O Lord; I said, “You are my refuge, My portion in the land of the living.” Psalms 142:3-5.

Would not it be a good thing to keep "“I will say to the Lord, “My refuge and my fortress, My God, in whom I trust!””Psalms 91:2. In mind along with "Trust in the Lord with all your heart And do not lean on your own understanding. In all your ways acknowledge Him and He will make your paths straight." Proverbs 3:5-6.

My Dear Reader...make the time. Give up whatever you must, but, make the time.

We see it over and over as an abundantly used plot line in television and movies...the grand sorrow that envelopes the main characters when, after a significant character dies, they find a letter that fills them with regret. Never having heard in person the words on the pages before them now.

The whole Bible is God’s love letter to mankind...to you my Dear Reader. Do you really want to admit before Jesus that you just didn't have the time to read His words of love towards you?

Do you really want a life only filled with your own thoughts on hope and love when Jesus has so much more to show you in what He wrote to you?

You're wanting hope, you're wanting relief. You're wanting peace.

Jesus said specifically to come to Him who are weary and troubled and He will give you rest.

As of this morning my troubles are at bay. I have a few minor inconveniences to address later but in this here this now...my God in whom I trust is watching over me now and forever more.

His Word says so.

An I believe Him.

All NASB Scripture Excerpts used by permission.

New American Standard Bible

A corporation not for profit.

www.lockman.org

Thursday, September 24, 2026

Be Grateful...Give Thanks

by David Brenneman

Oh what comes from the mouths of men and women!

Tis a sad sad state to see a professed Believer in Jesus Christ be in when they are abundantly blessed and yet find nothing good in it and find complaint all the day long! They're totally missing the joy of the Lord's provision!

This thought caught my heart almost off guard. A person I know really is a decent person who is doing this complaining.

Charley Pride had a song called "Be Grateful" from 1976.

Blind man can't see flowers

Growing in the garden

Crippled man can't walk places where

He wants to go

Man that can't talk things he will never say

And a man that can't hear

Words he will never know

So if you can see and if you can walk

If you can hear and if you can talk

Then be grateful be grateful

For what you've got

Cause for some folks these things

Would mean a lot

I once heard a man say all he

Wanted out of life was money

To be the richest man have

Wealth and fame untold

But he could see he could walk he

Could hear and he could talk

And for some folks this would

Mean much more than gold

So if you can see and if you can walk

If you can hear and if you can talk

Then be grateful be grateful

For what you've got

Cause for some folks these things

Would mean a lot

So if you can see and if you can walk

If you can hear and if you can talk

Then be grateful be grateful

For what you've got

Cause for some folks these things

Would mean a lot

Cause for some folks these things

Would mean a lot

What many don't see or get is that falling down this path leads away from the life in Christ that we are supposed to be living in.

There's probably countless people who would love to have the "problems" this person whom I know has.

What's worse is this person's "problems" all stem from the same thing as, again, countless trillions of people in the world. Coming to Christ for salvation yet are wanting their own image of what a happy, successful, life looks like.

We who are among the saved in Christ Jesus are to put our all on the altar of God.

There's, again, many many people who would love to have the problems this person whom I know has.

In the last few years recently married. Recently a father. New to them home. Plainly obvious that God's been providing for them. Yet from their lips is a almost seemingly endless list of what's wrong in their life...and this to unbelievers and Believers alike.

My Dear Reader...when we come to Christ for salvation, it is then when we are taking up our own cross and following Jesus. It doesn't take much to read the 4 Gospels to see what it takes, what it means, to be a fully devoted follower of Jesus Christ.

Jesus said plainly to His Disciples that they must deny themselves take up their own cross and follow Him.

Another great song on this thought was brought out by Don Moen, written by Henry Smith 1978.

Give thanks with a grateful heart

Give thanks to the Holy One

Give thanks because He's given Jesus Christ, His Son

Give thanks with a grateful heart

Give thanks to the Holy One

Give thanks because He's given Jesus Christ, His Son

And now let the weak say, "I am strong"

Let the poor say, "I am rich

Because of what the Lord has done for us"

And now let the weak say, "I am strong"

Let the poor say, "I am rich

Because of what the Lord has done for us"

Give thanks with a grateful heart (with a grateful heart)

Give thanks to the Holy One (to the Holy One)

Give thanks because He's given Jesus Christ, His Son

Give thanks with a grateful heart (with a grateful heart)

Give thanks to the Holy One (to the Holy One)

Give thanks because He's given Jesus Christ, His Son

And now let the weak say, "I am strong"

Let the poor say, "I am rich

Because of what the Lord has done for us"

And now let the weak say, "I am strong"

Let the poor say, "I am rich (I am rich)

Because of what the Lord has done for us"

Give thanks

We give thanks to You

Scripture backs up these songs well in "Rejoice always; pray without ceasing; in everything give thanks; for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus. Do not quench the Spirit; ”

1 Thessalonians 5:16-19.

“Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God. And the peace of God, which surpasses all comprehension, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.” Philippians 4:6-7.

“speaking to one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing and making melody with your heart to the Lord; always giving thanks for all things in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ to God, even the Father; and be subject to one another in the fear of Christ.” Ephesians 5:19-21.

Be very very careful my Dear Reader.

"So then, my beloved, just as you have always obeyed, not as in my presence only, but now much more in my absence, work out your salvation with fear and trembling; for it is God who is at work in you, both to will and to work for His good pleasure. Do all things without grumbling or disputing; so that you will prove yourselves to be blameless and innocent, children of God above reproach in the midst of a crooked and perverse generation, among whom you appear as lights in the world, ” Philippians 2:12-15.

What we say, what we do, what we think, shapes what our lives in Christ say to those in our lives see of our Lord Jesus Christ.

Be Grateful...Give thanks.

All NASB Scripture Excerpts used by permission.

New American Standard Bible

A corporation not for profit.

www.lockman.org

Wednesday, September 23, 2026

Turn Your Eyes

by David Brenneman

"Even before there is a word on my tongue, Behold, O Lord, You know it all. You have enclosed me behind and before, And laid Your hand upon me.” Psalms 139:4-5.

“Teach me Your way, O Lord; I will walk in Your truth; Unite my heart to fear Your name.” Psalms 86:11.

“Give me your heart, my son, And let your eyes delight in my ways.”

Proverbs 23:26.

“Buy truth, and do not sell it, Get wisdom and instruction and understanding.” Proverbs 23:23.

“Listen, my son, and be wise, And direct your heart in the way.”

Proverbs 23:19.

“Apply your heart to discipline And your ears to words of knowledge.”

Proverbs 23:12.

“Do not let your heart envy sinners, But live in the fear of the Lord always.” Proverbs 23:17.

At times, the lessons of life will appear too much for us to handle. The Lord calls us to an impossible task, permits our dreams to be shattered, pinpoints something important in our lives that we need to relinquish, or allows such profound loss that it leaves us reeling.

At that point, perhaps our instinct is to run away from God-

resisting His claim on our lives and escaping what He requires of us. We just cannot face it all. Our hearts are too weak, our fears too real, our suffering too profound. We don't want to yield to Him-to release our will to His. We say, "Lord, I know what You want me to do, but I can't. There has to be a better way." But how do we run from the presence of the infinite God, who is everywhere at all times constantly beckoning US to return to His arms?

You cannot-and that's on purpose. Friend, Jesus does not

leave you alone, because He loves you. He knows this situation is

difficult for you, and He wants to help you. So don't be scared of

facing Him. There is strength, healing, and hope with Him. So

stop running. Go to Him and live.

Jesus, I'll stop running, Thank You for helping me. Amen.

-"Trusting God with Today" by Dr. Charles Stanley.

You and I, my Dear Reader, are beyond any form or kind of special in the eyes of God our Father, the Lord Jesus Christ and the Spirit of God. There's oh so much more to this life you're to be living than you can possibly imagine if only you put your whole trust in Jesus.

We're not like the world whom wander aimlessly trying to make something of themselves in their spiritual darkness. We have the light of Jesus Christ within us to show us His still better way.

When we're trying to live lives apart from His will for us it's not going to work out so well. Perhaps you have already experienced the struggles and setbacks associated with that. I know that I have. Unfortunately I have all too many stories to tell of my attempts at living a lukewarm lifestyle in Christ.

Jesus wrote of His profound love for us throughout the Scriptures. He wrote of things yet to come that He tells us to be excited about.

He wrote of what this world doesn't have to offer that is found only through obedience to God's Word.

He wrote about why the world won't understand.

All too often, in our feeble attempts at seeking understanding, we go to the world rather than our Father in Heaven about the things we are facing in life. Only God knows what we are experiencing is of Him or not. Contrary to popular belief or thinking, quite often what befalls us is our own sin nature. It's not God nor is it the devil, just our poor choices and bad decisions.

We get it in our heads some failing notion of what's important enough to pray about and what we think is ridiculous to bring to Jesus in prayer.

Jesus made it incredibly clear to bring everything to God in prayer.

Nothing is petty to the One who loves us so unconditionally!

Your life, your relationships, your situations...all of it...bring it to the Lord in prayer.

Doesn't say to seek first your own way then when that doesn't work then come to Me.

Doesn't say to ginormous amounts of time, energy and effort in your own understanding and estimation then after you're at your end then go to Him.

My Dear Reader these ways only lead to failure after failure.

Scripture says that we are His workmanship created in Christ Jesus for good works that we might walk in them.

We quite often get it in our heads that we have a right to tell Jesus what that should look like.

We attribute sadness, despair, disappointment, resentment, bitterness, anger even, at His rejection of His plans for us.

“For I know the plans that I have for you,’ declares the Lord, ‘plans for welfare and not for calamity to give you a future and a hope. Then you will call upon Me and come and pray to Me, and I will listen to you. You will seek Me and find Me when you search for Me with all your heart. I will be found by you,’ declares the Lord,”

Jeremiah 29:11-14a NASB1995

Really really sink your teeth into that last portion of this passage.

We came to Christ for salvation. We owe Him our everything.

We should be trusting God with our everything.

We should be loving Him with our everything.

This absolutely must include the direction of our lives.

My Dear Reader we have this:

“But we have this treasure in earthen vessels, so that the surpassing greatness of the power will be of God and not from ourselves; we are afflicted in every way, but not crushed; perplexed, but not despairing; persecuted, but not forsaken; struck down, but not destroyed; always carrying about in the body the dying of Jesus, so that the life of Jesus also may be manifested in our body. ”

2 Corinthians 4:7-10.

So when we're in pain, life not making much sense, we're a work in His progress. Trust in the Lord with all your heart And do not lean on your own understanding. In all your ways acknowledge Him and He will make your paths straight. Proverbs 3:5-6.

“Whatever you do, do your work heartily, as for the Lord rather than for men, knowing that from the Lord you will receive the reward of the inheritance. It is the Lord Christ whom you serve. ” Colossians 3:23-24.

Turn your eyes upon Jesus.

Look full in His wonderful face.

And the things of earth will grow strangely dim...in the light of His glory and grace.

All NASB Scripture Excerpts used by permission.

New American Standard Bible

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