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?

Sunday, December 7, 2025

Can We?

Can We?
by David Brenneman

After God's Heart

"After He had removed him, He raised up David to be their king, concerning whom He also testified and said, ‘I have found David the son of Jesse, a man after My heart, who will do all My will.’"
ACTS 13:22

    Can you think of any higher goal in life than to be a person. after God's heart? Although David was far from perfect, this is what he was commended for. I believe this was because of four characteristics David demonstrated, which we would be wise to emulate.
    The first quality that set David apart was that he prioritized his
personal fellowship with God. If you need evidence of this, look to
the Psalms. David made it a habit to commune with the Lord and
mediate on His Word. Second, David exhibited a strong desire to
obey God. Regardless of what the Lord called him to do, he did so
with reverence and devotion. Twice he could have killed Saul but
refrained out of respect for the Almighty. Third, David had the
courage to put bis faith in God. There's no more striking example
of this than when he faced Goliath. Fourth, David demonstrated a
servant's spirit, Even when Saul tried to kill him, David continued
to serve faithfully,
    By following David's godly example, you cn can be be a a person after God's own heart as well, Certainly, there's no higher calling than that.

Jesus, help me to be a person after Your heart. Amen.
- Trusting God with Today, Dr. Charles Stanley.

In Luke 9:23-25 it says "And He was saying to them all, “If anyone wishes to come after Me, he must deny himself, and take up his cross daily and follow Me. For whoever wishes to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for My sake, he is the one who will save it. For what is a man profited if he gains the whole world, and loses or forfeits himself?".

“He who loves father or mother more than Me is not worthy of Me; and he who loves son or daughter more than Me is not worthy of Me. [38] And he who does not take his cross and follow after Me is not worthy of Me. [39] He who has found his life will lose it, and he who has lost his life for My sake will find it." Matthew 10:37-39.

"Then Jesus said to His disciples, “If anyone wishes to come after Me, he must deny himself, and take up his cross and follow Me. For whoever wishes to save his life will lose it; but whoever loses his life for My sake will find it. For what will it profit a man if he gains the whole world and forfeits his soul? Or what will a man give in exchange for his soul? For the Son of Man is going to come in the glory of His Father with His angels, and will then repay every man according to his deeds." Matthew 16:24-27.

When you find things repeated in the Gospels, pay attention.

When we 'love' things in this world do we really take into consideration the spiritual implications of that?

We are not endowed with the wisdom of Solomon. We can pray for wisdom for life but must also have a discerning heart to use that wisdom properly.

We can be enthralled with things in the world and lose sight of what it will do to our walk with Jesus.

We don't consider such things as traps in which we will inevitably stumble and alter our walk with Jesus even in imperceptible ways.

We don't see immediate effects and yet the Word of God says that they are there. When we don't try to make it a habit of taking every thought captive to the obedience of Christ Jesus in life then we open ourselves up to tainted walks with Jesus.

Is not your true desire to be known as a man or woman after God's own heart? When I read in Ezekiel 15 and 16 in these the Lord Jesus pointed out to Israel the ways they loved the world and the things of the world more than their relationship with Jesus.

What have you made equal to Jesus in your life?

What has your joy, your passion, your keen interest other than your growing in Christ?

What have you surrounded yourself with? What do you wear on your clothes for all the world to see?

What do you speak about that almost comes from your lips as singing that isn't of God's work in your life?

We do that. We find such joy in things and people that it overflows and yet do not find that in our relationship with Jesus.

Look at King David and how passionate he wrote of his relationship with the Lord Jesus!

Look at the prophet Job and how he lived his life blameless before the Lord.

Look at the prophet Daniel and how he walked so closely with the Lord that he was considered highly esteemed.

Do we think so highly of ourselves that we don't believe ourselves capable of such a thing as a wandering heart, a heart not truly devoted to Christ?

We have the same fallen nature as all other before us going all the way back to Adam and Eve.

We are not going to succeed in such a way as to come up with a way to embrace "the best of both worlds" and yet still live a life holy and acceptable to God. We can't pour ourselves into the world's desires without depriving our relationship with Jesus. Jesus said plainly that you cannot serve two masters.

“No one can serve two masters; for either he will hate the one and love the other, or he will be devoted to one and despise the other. You cannot serve God and wealth." Matthew 6:24

Yet professing Christians everywhere both in little ways and big ways deceive themselves into thinking they can achieve it.

The Disciples were trained to put their relationship with Jesus first.
They were to teach others to do the same.

Are you putting something or someone before Jesus in your life?

A big giveaway is when you set aside no time with Jesus in any given day. Another is when our minds justify loving anyone or anything in this world and don't see a conflict with loving Jesus alone...with what? What does the verse say? "Love the Lord your God with all your heart, mind, soul and spirit." As one once said "all means all and that's all all means".

It may mean you cleaning house. It may mean getting rid of things, activities, rethinking relationships in order to put Jesus where He is supposed to be in your life.

Do you mourn things in your life yet are unaffected by where you aren't growing in Christ?

Are you daring enough to ask the Spirit to show you what in your life needs to go so that you are really in a right relationship with Jesus?

Everything we are pursuing that isn't glorifying God will turn to ashes when we see our lives tested by the fire of the truth of God.

What we did in life that's glorifying God will become that crown of righteousness we will give back to Jesus.

Recognizing that we're really trying to serve two masters is but the beginning. Praying for God's help to right that ship is what needs to come next.

Set your mind on the things that are above and not on the things that are of this world.

Can we have a heart that's after God's own heart? Our obedience and devotion will have everything to do with that.

Love God with our everything and love people as He loves us this is the only right and true order of life.

All NASB Scripture Excerpts used by permission.
New American Standard Bible
(C) 1960, 1962, 1963, 1968, 1971, 1972, 1973, 1975, 1977, 1995 by the Lockman Foundation.
A corporation not for profit.
La Habra, CA All rights reserved
www.lockman.org

Saturday, December 6, 2025

Taking Great Care, Choosing Wisely

by David Brenneman

“Either make the tree good and its fruit good, or make the tree bad and its fruit bad; for the tree is known by its fruit. You brood of vipers, how can you, being evil, speak what is good? For the mouth speaks out of that which fills the heart. The good man brings out of his good treasure what is good; and the evil man brings out of his evil treasure what is evil. But I tell you that every careless word that people speak, they shall give an accounting for it in the day of judgment. For by your words you will be justified, and by your words you will be condemned.” Matthew 12:33-37.

“Now no one after lighting a lamp covers it over with a container, or puts it under a bed; but he puts it on a lampstand, so that those who come in may see the light. For nothing is hidden that will not become evident, nor anything secret that will not be known and come to light. So take care how you listen; for whoever has, to him more shall be given; and whoever does not have, even what he thinks he has shall be taken away from him.” Luke 8:16-18.

"But the things that proceed out of the mouth come from the heart, and those defile the man. For out of the heart come evil thoughts, murders, adulteries, fornications, thefts, false witness, slanders. These are the things which defile the man; but to eat with unwashed hands does not defile the man.” Matthew 15:18-20.

Oh the things that make for difficult days that we don't take into consideration nor enter our minds!

We can and will be our own worst enemy when it comes to ourselves and what we do concerning others. Aside from the above mentioned verses we also read: “The heart is more deceitful than all else And is desperately sick; Who can understand it? I, the Lord, search the heart, I test the mind, Even to give to each man according to his ways, According to the results of his deeds." Jeremiah 17:9-10.

Even the tiniest ounce, the tinest minutea of what can come from the heart can mess up a lifetime of efforts.

King Solomon in all his wisdom and with all that he had been granted in his latter days totally missed the mark with his relationship with the Lord Jesus.

We too can set up idols in our lives.

We too can be like others, doing whatever is right in our own eyes, even with being saved.

We too can justify our 'good' choices just as the rest in this world do.

We too can boast in ourselves when such boasting profits nothing and leads only to destruction.

The Scriptures DO say that "pride comes before destruction and a haughty spirit before stumbling" in Proverbs 16:18.

What things are we keeping in our lives that ought not to be there?

What idols have we buried in our tents and think that nobody but us is aware of? Read that in Joshua 7.

We try to because our sin nature still tries to assert itself in our lives in any way that it can. We need daily cleansing, not just every now an again when we think about asking for forgiveness for our sins.

We can grow callous to sin and just 'get used to it'. We can grow callous to what we hear, and just 'get used to it'. We can grow callous to what we see, and just 'get used to it'.

Should you ever just 'get used' to sin and it's practices in your life?

The Pharisee's and Sadducee's had hardened, unteachable, hearts, because they loved their sins more than they loved obeying the Word of God.

During the time that Jesus had His Disciples He often rebuked them for their hardened hearts. Do you really think so highly of yourself that you aren't teachable? May we ALWAYS be teachable to the Spirit of God.

We shouldn't be so comfortable with ourselves or our lives we lead that we don't ever stop to consider our ways before the Lord.

Just because things are going smoothly doesn't at all imply that all is right before the Lord.

Just because things are going as though through storms doesn't at all imply that we're entirely obedient or that we are being obedient at all.

We can and will have struggles in life to do with the matters of our heart. Even going back to Cain, he was warned that sin was there, at crouching at the door of his heart, waiting for an opporunity to get in.

We can blind ourselves to much concerning ourselves. Which is why it's every so important to be in a Bible believing, Bible preaching, church. To be among those who know enough to get past themselves and to be accountable to one another. It's not enough to just go to such a church it's imperative to be involved with the lives of others that go there on a one-on-one level.

We do see in the Gospels of Jesus sometimes going one-on-one with some of the Disciples.

A very hard thing to do is to ask someone else into our lives with the express purpose of showing us our faults and to be there for us to help us overcome them in the Lord.

We cannot go it alone. We cannot trust ourselves to be truthful to ourselves. We will lie to ourselves. We will justify all kinds of sinful practices to ourselves. We will make excuses for ourselves.

It's what's behind dying to self and living unto the Lord...and no it's not an easy thing to do. It takes intentionality, it takes the power of the Spirit within us.

Does not Scripture tell us we are not our own that we were bought with a price, the precious blood of Jesus Christ? To seek first His Kingdom and His righteousness?

We cannot hold onto anything in this world tightly and do those things at the same time. We cannot justify a single idolatrous thing in our hearts. We WILL give an account of our lives before Jesus and Scripture says that every secret thought and intention of the hearts will be exposed.

Taking every thought captive to the obedience of Jesus Christ takes a lot of effort and time.

Being intentional in turning down things of this world in favor of time spent learning from the Spirit takes a lot of effort because the heart wants nothing to do with it in and of itself.

Forgiving others takes on a new meaning because when we see it from God's perspective it's freeing in ways we never knew. Unforgiveness is ugly and it is also a sin because it puts up a barrier between us and God. We won't be forgiven if we don't forgive.

So what's going on in your world? What's going on deep down inside where you don't talk about with others? What's the condition of your heart...really?

Our thoughts will either lift us up or bring us down. They can hinder our prayers or free them to get to the Throne of Jesus in an expeditious manner.

Our hearts can either live a renewed life in Christ or they will cause us many a grief.

The choice is always with us each and every morning and throughout our day as to who we will serve.

An you will serve either you or you will serve Jesus. You will choose one or the other.

Who are you choosing?

The Bible says you choose one you will be cursed the other you will be blessed. There's no middle ground.

We will have enough things to be ashamed of before the Lord when we give an account of our lives...do we really want to add to that by willful disobedience, by willfully choosing dumb things to stay in our lives that we should have given to Jesus to deal with?

Choose wisely.

All NASB Scripture Excerpts used by permission.

New American Standard Bible

A corporation not for profit.

www.lockman.org

Friday, December 5, 2025

What Comes Out of Yours?

What Comes Out of Yours?
by David Brenneman

    Can you think of any higher goal in life than to be a person. after God's heart? Although David was far from perfect, this is what he was commended for. I believe this was because of four characteristics David demonstrated, which we would be wise to emulate.
    The first quality that set David apart was that he prioritized his personal fellowship with God. If you need evidence of this, look to the Psalms. David made it a habit to commune with the Lord and mediate on His Word. Second, David exhibited a strong desire to obey God. Regardless of what the Lord called him to do, he did so
with reverence and devotion. Twice he could have killed Saul but refrained out of respect for the Almighty. Third, David had the courage to put bis faith in God. There's no more striking example of this than when he faced Goliath. Fourth, David demonstrated a servant's spirit, Even when Saul tried to kill him, David continued
to serve faithfully,
    By following David's godly example, you cn can be be a a person after God's own heart as well, Certainly, there's no higher calling than that.

Jesus, help me to be a person after Your heart. Amen.
-Trusting God with Today, Dr. Charles Stanley.

We have choices to make each day that are more than just what we are going to wear, what we are going to eat, what we're going to do as far as a job goes. These things most everyone in the world has on their plate. The choices we make from the heart...these are a wholly different matter.

"But the things that proceed out of the mouth come from the heart, and those defile the man. [19] For out of the heart come evil thoughts, murders, adulteries, fornications, thefts, false witness, slanders. [20] These are the things which defile the man; but to eat with unwashed hands does not defile the man.” Matthew 15:18-20

What is seen coming from your heart? Do people see someone who's growing to become one who's after God's own heart or do they see someone who's no different than any other person on the planet?

It's out of the heart that come everything we both like and don't like about ourselves. It's our heart that's despirately wicked.

Jeremiah 17:9 says "The heart is more deceitful than all else and is desperately sick; Who can understand it?".

The answer of course is Jesus through His Spirit.

The answer is in the next verse. "I, the Lord, search the heart, I test the mind, to give to each person according to his ways, according to the results of his deeds." Jeremiah 17:10.

We read in James 3 of the kind of tool of the heart the tongue is. The tongue brings to life that which is coming from the heart of mankind.

How often we hear in the world today of our 'rights'. These displays of the heart are there for the world to see. A Believer, in Christ Jesus, gave up their rights to Him for what He did to save them.

It would be very very good for Believer's to understand this before they gush from the mouth about what they will and won't do because of this person or that. A popular example are those who put their political affiliation before their obedience to God's Word.

In your home, your personal space, where does Jesus fit in? In your schedule in your home from sun up to sun down, where does Jesus fit in? Are you only giving Him certain time slots to produce something in you or is He a part of your entire day? You see, King David was where he was with his walk with the Lord Jesus because of the truth that he lived since he was a boy. That every morning starts with the Lord, the whole day is encompassed by the Lord and the day ends with the Lord.

Let's now compare him with the wisest man who ever lived next to Jesus. While yes indeed when he became King, Solomon did ask the Lord for wisdom to rule the great people of the Lord. But look at everything else that the Lord gave Solomon. Everything that would put that wisdom to the test. The result would be that wisdom isn't enough when the heart isn't fully devoted to the Lord.

Solomon failed with his great wisdom where his father David had not. Scriptures record the only key failing of King David was with his planned murder of Urriah. Solomon did not follow the Lord with all his heart. He was walking in the ways of the nations around him.

We can be guilty of the exact same thing with regards to our walk with Jesus. We can integrate into our lives the world around us just as Solomon did and we will reap the same results...a life divided, a heart that is not fully devoted to the Lord. We will do exactly as this wisest man who ever lived apart from Jesus and WILL justify what we've added to our lives that has split our devotion to the Lord.

Our heart is desperately wicked and our tongue is our heart's weapon of choice. Until we reach the shores of Heaven and enter those gates to step into eternity, we WILL have a fight on our hands concerning both our heart and our tongue.

There used to be a British sitcom called "Keeping Up Appearances" where the main theme was way more of this matter of the heart than it spoke of. Most know what "keeping up with the Jones's" means. The key person in this show was always trying to sound like high royalty than they ever were in real life.

We too can jump on the bandwagon with people from everything from what sports team that we HAVE to be fully into up to and including what political affiliation that we MUST get behind if we're truly on the right side of things to do with our country.

Jesus told those who tested Him: render unto Caesar the things that are Caesar's and unto God the things that are God's.

Our hearts will do whatever they can to ruin our testimony before mankind. Our mouths will make a way for it to happen with all eagerness with our deceptive heart.

Only with our lives fully devoted to Christ can this battle be won over both.

We choose who's ruling in our hearts in every moment of every day. It's not a decision that's only the over-arching thing of our lives. It's in every way the moment by moment choices we make. A painting doesn't become a portrait of high value until each stroke of the brush does exactly what the artist envisions it to be and where it ought to be. All those decisions come together to form a work of art. Our lives are supposed to be a work of art unto the Lord.

What is yours looking like? Do you make moment by moment choices to ONLY let the world see Jesus in you our have you deceived yourself into believing that you are doing ok with how you incorporated the world into your life?

What is flowing from your heart?
Would God ever say of you that you are someone after His own heart?

Jesus taught of the absolute end result of what becomes of a house divided. The same principle applies to the heart. A heart divided will fall.

Thursday, December 4, 2025

Wake Up, Get Serious

by David Brenneman

"Every person is to be in subjection to the governing authorities. For there is no authority except from God, and those which exist are established by God. Therefore whoever resists authority has opposed the ordinance of God; and they who have opposed will receive condemnation upon themselves. For rulers are not a cause of fear for good behavior, but for evil. Do you want to have no fear of authority? Do what is good and you will have praise from the same; for it is a minister of God to you for good. But if you do what is evil, be afraid; for it does not bear the sword for nothing; for it is a minister of God, an avenger who brings wrath on the one who practices evil. Therefore it is necessary to be in subjection, not only because of wrath, but also for conscience’ sake. For because of this you also pay taxes, for rulers are servants of God, devoting themselves to this very thing. Render to all what is due them: tax to whom tax is due; custom to whom custom; fear to whom fear; honor to whom honor. Owe nothing to anyone except to love one another; for he who loves his neighbor has fulfilled the law. For this, “You shall not commit adultery, You shall not murder, You shall not steal, You shall not covet,” and if there is any other commandment, it is summed up in this saying, “You shall love your neighbor as yourself.” Love does no wrong to a neighbor; therefore love is the fulfillment of the law. Do this, knowing the time, that it is already the hour for you to awaken from sleep; for now salvation is nearer to us than when we believed. The night is almost gone, and the day is near. Therefore let us lay aside the deeds of darkness and put on the armor of light. Let us behave properly as in the day, not in carousing and drunkenness, not in sexual promiscuity and sensuality, not in strife and jealousy. But put on the Lord Jesus Christ, and make no provision for the flesh in regard to its lusts." Romans 13:1-14.

There's many of this current generation who believe it's their 'right' to protest their governments and those in authority over them. They even take stands by openly blocking traffic, clogging thorofares and public meeting places.

What's sinful are those who call themselves Believers and likewise participate and encourage others to do the same.

While reading this morning and wondering about other things that I have read others say and do, of both the believing world and the unbelieving world, I was directed to this passage. Right from the beginning Paul teaches what is right, proper and true for Believers to be behaving like. To look at Jesus Himself you never see Him in any way attacking the Roman government. Rightly so His attention was upon those who were of that present darkness claiming to be the spiritual leaders of the children of Israel. We should never confuse the two.

While we can rant and rave, we should always think twice before doing so. Jesus stated clearly to the Disciples of what can come out of the heart of man. Of what DOES proceed out from the heart of man.

We can also ruin our testimony before both Believers and the world by our actions and our words.

We are to be living in the character of Christ in all we do.

We are not when at any point in our daily interactions the world only sees us and not Jesus.

Our lives are to be lived in Christ in such a way that people see our good works and glorify our Father in Heaven. They're not to be lived in a way that Christ isn't seen by them at all.

Our lives shouldn't be a billboard for things of this world. Look at the lives of the Apostles. Jesus commissioned them to go and make more disciples. More who would be walking in this world trained as they were to live lives that pointed people to Jesus.

Satan's schemes are designed to get us to love the things of this world and to justify our love of those things. All the while we're oblivious to the truth that we're caught in a trap.

What is your life really showing others about your relationship with Jesus? Do people even see a shred of your life as belonging to the Savior? Do you wear clothes that promote worldly desires? Are the words of your mouth aligned with the teachings of the Word of God or do you make believable excuses unto yourself for tearing down others? Do you show a rebellious heart against whom the Lord put over you? Have you put up a wall yourself to keep you from fully living a life displaying the character of Christ in you?

You have to be honest enough with you to not trust yourself. You will not tell yourself the truth as God sees it as truth. You and I will deceive ourselves because we yet still battle a sin nature.

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.

Even with more wisdom than any ever born among men outside of Jesus Christ Himself, Solomon still lead Israel astray and still lost his way from living the righteous life that God desired for him. All kinds of idols were in King Solomon's life. Don't ever think for a moment that you don't have them in your life.

While we can appreciate things of this world, the Bible is clearly telling us to love not the world nor the things of the world.

We're taught to love the Lord your God with all your heart, mind, soul and spirit. To love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you. To love your neighbor as yourself.

Someone once said that you will never look anyone in the eye that Jesus didn't die for.

We will give an account of our lives before Jesus. Every single careless word we thought or spoke or thing we did or didn't do or even considered doing or not doing.

We are encouraged to stand firm in the Lord. We are to be Jesus everyday to those around us. They're watching us to see if what we say matches up with our lives.

It's more than passed time to be serious about living the righteous life that God desires for us.

All NASB Scripture Excerpts used by permission.

New American Standard Bible

A corporation not for profit.

www.lockman.org

Wednesday, December 3, 2025

The Storms Don't Last

by David Brenneman

"Just as a father has compassion on his children, So the Lord has compassion on those who fear Him. For He Himself knows our frame; He is mindful that we are but dust." Psalms 103:13-14.

Life Principle 7: The dark moments of our life will last only so long as is necessary for God to accomplish His purpose in us.

If you want God’s best for your life and desire to be used by Him, at some point you’ll have to travel the road of adversity. This means that God can and will use adversity in your life for a good purpose—and yet, sadly, many people view adversity as only negative and defeating. But you don’t have to be among them.

God has designed adversity, regardless of its source, to become a turning point from which you take your greatest leaps forward in spiritual growth. He allows adversity to remain in your life only until He accomplishes His purpose in you. He will not keep it in your life one second longer than is necessary.

Right now, right where you are, remember this: God has put a limit on all adversity. Because you are a child of God, the Holy Spirit is living inside of you, and He knows how much you can bear. The psalmist said: “Many are the afflictions of the righteous, but the Lord delivers him out of them all” (Ps. 34:19). And, “Just as a father has compassion on his children, so the Lord has compassion on those who fear Him. For He Himself knows our frame; He is mindful that we are but dust” (Ps. 103:13-14).

Through adversity, God is molding you into a mature and effective servant. When you know Christ as your Savior, God sees you as a saint—sometimes struggling, sometimes falling, but justified, redeemed, forgiven, and reconciled to Him. He sees a person full of His unconditional love, indwelt by His presence, sealed by the Holy Spirit of promise, whose name is written in the Lamb’s Book of Life. He also sees all of your potential—all the good you could accomplish for His kingdom. So take comfort—adversity won’t take up permanent residence in your life. But when it’s present, it can develop good things if you’re willing to trust Him. Therefore, no matter what dark moments you may walk through, be confident He’s going to bring you into the light. And when He does, it will certainly be worth it.

- Dr. Charles Stanley, Life Principles Devotional on the Bible app.

"Praise You in the Storm"

I was sure by now

God, You would have reached down

And wiped our tears away

Stepped in and saved the day

And once again

I say, "A-men" and it's still rainin'

But as the thunder rolls

I barely hear Your whisper through the rain

"I'm with you"

And as Your mercy falls

I'll raise my hands and praise the God who gives

And takes away

And I'll praise You in this storm

And I will lift my hands

For You are who You are

No matter where I am

And every tear I've cried

You hold in Your hand

You never left my side

And though my heart is torn

I will praise You in this storm

I remember when I stumbled in the wind

You heard my cry, You raised me up again

But my strength is almost gone

How can I carry on

If I can't find You?

But as the thunder rolls

I barely hear Your whisper through the rain

"I'm with you"

And as Your mercy falls

I'll raise my hands and praise the God who gives

And takes away

And I'll praise You in this storm

And I will lift my hands

For You are who You are

No matter where I am

And every tear I've cried

You hold in Your hand

You never left my side

And though my heart is torn

I will praise You in this storm

I lift my eyes unto the hills

Where does my help come from?

My help comes from the Lord

The maker of heaven and earth

I lift my eyes unto the hills

Where does my help come from?

My help comes from the Lord

The maker of heaven and earth

(I lift my eyes unto the hills)

(Where does my help come from?)

And I'll praise You in this storm

And I will lift my hands

For You are who You are

No matter where I am

Every tear I've cried

You hold in Your hand

You never left my side

Though my heart is torn

I will praise You in this storm

And though my heart is torn

(Though my heart is torn)

I'll praise You in this storm

(Praise You in this storm)

"Next Year Finally Came"

Once I knew a farmer who reaped little what he sowed

While the neighbors' crops grew prosp'rous all around

And every year at harvest time this farmer did no good

Smaller crops kept coming from his ground

He'd smile and say:

"Thank you Lord, we'll do better come next year

I know you have a reason for it all. I'll try a little harder

And be thankful for the day. And next year's crops are gathered in the fall."

The neighbors saw the times get worse and couldn't understand

How this humble soul could call himself a man

They would gather round the market place

And brag on their success, this farmer's faith they didn't understand

He'd smile and say:

"Thank you Lord, we'll do better come next year

I know you have a reason for it all. I'll try a little harder

And be thankful for the day. And next year's crops are gathered in the fall."

Then came the day when all their land was bare and worn-out soil but the farmer's land kept growin' rich with rain

And everything he sowed he reaped in wealthy fertile years

And thanked the Lord that next year finally came

He'd just smile and say:

"Thank you Lord, we'll do better come next year

I know you have a reason for it all. I'll try a little harder

And be thankful for the day. And next year's crops are gathered in the fall."

And thanks the Lord that next year finally came

These areas of thought coalesced to today's post: We aren't going to grow in Christ the right way, His way, without the trials and tribulations that make up a storm.

Matthew 14, Mark 6, and John 6 all are places to read of Jesus walking on the water and the storms that He walked through to get to them...and as it's written His intention was to walk past them.

Mark 4, Matthew 8, Luke 8 are of Jesus falling asleep in the boat while the storm battered the boat on their way to the other side.

In both instances Jesus proved a point and taught a lesson that they would remember that could only be taught in the storm.

I really like the two songs I put here for the same lessons. We can't wait for life to stop being difficult before we start praising Jesus for taking us this far. That's a twist on a statement of an artist that was on America's Got Talent.

We must look at our lives in light of this sanctification process that we are GOING to go through. We can't make a wooden object just appear on a workbench by merely thinking about it.

Now consider the passage where Paul said "For we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand so that we would walk in them." Ephesians 2:10.

I encourage you to seek out either the real deal or in the absence of that, a video watching a master carpenter take raw wood and make something wonderful out of it.

We are the raw wood and indeed Jesus is the Master Carpenter.

In Romans 9:20 we read "On the contrary, who are you, O man, who answers back to God? The thing molded will not say to the molder, “Why did you make me like this,” will it?".

My Dear Reader...without the times where we go through that valley of the shadow of death and those mountain top views we would never become who Jesus wants us to be.

We gave up all rights to self when we came to Christ for salvation. People the world over believe they can keep pockets of self to enjoy at their leisure. That it's ok to live out those things without repercussions. That too isn't at all what the Bible says.

As Dr. Stanley pointed out...these things that we are enduring will only last as long as is necessary for whatever is necessary to happen for our sanctification. We came to Jesus in the raw and He promised not to leave us as He found us. That His grace and mercy will cleanse us from all unrighteousness.

Many many people will undergo many complex spiritual "surgeries" at the hands of our Great Physician in order bring about the righteous life that God desires for us.

He is mindful of our fragile frame.

He knows just what we need and when we need it.

He prepared for everything we are going through and knew every detail before we were born.

So if you're going through a difficult time...then realize fully that your Savior's hands are all over what you are going through and He will see you safely through it. There will be a better day ahead. He has His reasons for it all.

All NASB Scripture Excerpts used by permission.

New American Standard Bible

A corporation not for profit.

www.lockman.org

Tuesday, December 2, 2025

What Worry is and Prayer Is

by David Brenneman

Drop the Devil's Bundles

"So there remains a Sabbath rest for the people of God." Hebrews 4:9.

"And the Lord gave them rest on every side, according to all that He had sworn to their fathers, and no one of all their enemies stood before them; the Lord gave all their enemies into their hand." Joshua 21:44.

"but thanks be to God, who gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ." 1 Corinthians 15:57.

A prominent believer once told of his mother, who was a very anxious and troubled Christian. He would often talk with her for hours, trying to convince her of the sinfulness of worrying, but to no avail. She was like the elderly woman who once said that she had suffered a great deal, especially from the troubles that never came.

Then one morning his mother came to breakfast with a smile adorning her face. He asked her what had happened, and she began describing a dream she had in the night. In her dream, she was walking along a highway with a large crowd of people, all of whom seemed very tired and burdened.

The people were all carrying little black bundles, and she noticed that more bundles were being dropped along the way by numerous repulsive looking creatures that seemed quite demonic in nature. As the bundles were dropped, the people stooped down to pick them up and carry them.

Like everyone else in her dream, she also carried her needless load, being weighted down with the Devil's bundles. After a while, she looked up and saw a Man whose face was loving and bright as He moved through the crowd, comforting the people. Finally He came to her, and she realized it was her Savior. She looked at Him, telling Him how tired she was, and He smiled sadly and said, "My dear child, these bundles you carry are not from me, and you have no need of them. They are the Devil's burdens, and they are wearing wearing out your life. You need to drop them and simply refuse to touch them with even one of your fingers. Then then you will will find find your your path easy, and you will feel as if 'I carried you on eagles' wings' [Exodus 19:4]."

The Savior touched her hand, and peace and joy quickly filled her soul. As she saw herself in her dream casting her burdens to the ground and ready to throw herself at His feet in joyful thanksgiving, she suddenly awoke, finding that all her worries were gone.

From that day forward to the end of her life, she was the most cheerful and happy member of her family.

And the night will be filled with music, And the cares that besiege the day, Will fold their tents like the Arabs, And will silently steal away.

-Henry Wadsworth Longfellow

- Streams in the Desert, December 1st.

It's so easy to worry, and often forgotten of how much easier it is to pray.

It's been said that a worry is what goes round and round in your mind, having had no direction. So give it a direction! Up!

The Psalmist said "Cast your burden upon the Lord and He will sustain you; He will never allow the righteous to be shaken." Psalms 55:22.

Peter wrote: "Therefore humble yourselves under the mighty hand of God, that He may exalt you at the proper time, casting all your anxiety on Him, because He cares for you." 1 Peter 5:6-7.

“Ask, and it will be given to you; seek, and you will find; knock, and it will be opened to you. For everyone who asks receives, and he who seeks finds, and to him who knocks it will be opened. Or what man is there among you who, when his son asks for a loaf, will give him a stone? Or if he asks for a fish, he will not give him a snake, will he? If you then, being evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father who is in heaven give what is good to those who ask Him!" Matthew 7:7-11.

"Are not two sparrows sold for a cent? And yet not one of them will fall to the ground apart from your Father. But the very hairs of your head are all numbered. So do not fear; you are more valuable than many sparrows." Matthew 10:29-31.

"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.

“For this reason I say to you, do not be worried about your life, as to what you will eat or what you will drink; nor for your body, as to what you will put on. Is not life more than food, and the body more than clothing? Look at the birds of the air, that they do not sow, nor reap nor gather into barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not worth much more than they? And who of you by being worried can add a single hour to his life? And why are you worried about clothing? Observe how the lilies of the field grow; they do not toil nor do they spin, yet I say to you that not even Solomon in all his glory clothed himself like one of these. But if God so clothes the grass of the field, which is alive today and tomorrow is thrown into the furnace, will He not much more clothe you? You of little faith! Do not worry then, saying, ‘What will we eat?’ or ‘What will we drink?’ or ‘What will we wear for clothing?’ For the Gentiles eagerly seek all these things; for your heavenly Father knows that you need all these things. But seek first His kingdom and His righteousness, and all these things will be added to you. So do not worry about tomorrow; for tomorrow will care for itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own." Matthew 6:25-34.

Much is written in the Scriptures about such things. They are indeed there for your comfort as well as mine.

We do our Savior a disservice to not do as He's said and bring these burdens to Him. We extend that disservice by oftentimes listening to ourselves or others with good intentions and take back what it is we were praying about and for.

Job's friends had good intentions, the three that were rebuked by the Lord Jesus. I wonder as well if Job's Wife was as well even though it's not written.

The only thing that can hinder or prevent your prayers from being received into the presence of Jesus is...you. Satan's got no ability to interfere with a prayer getting to Jesus. None whatsoever.

He has no control over it.

He CAN get you to not pray.

He CAN get you to hinder your own prayers by encouraging your willful disobedience.

You CAN hinder your own prayers by intentionally continuing in a known sin.

You CAN hinder your own prayers by refusing to forgive others. Jesus said that plainly. If you do not forgive others, neither will the Father forgive your sins.

The prayers we pray have but one of four answers from Jesus.

Yes, No, Not right now, and Wait, I have something better in mind.

Waiting for a prayer request to be answered isn't some form of punishment. In our lives the object of the work that Jesus began in us is our sanctification. Our becoming more like Jesus Christ. For us to display the works of God in and through us to show the lost that there IS a God who loves and cares for us.

Leading a life that's so blended with the world that people can't see a difference between you and the world hinders your prayers as well. People are supposed to be able to see your good works and glorify our Father in Heaven. When they see us following after their idols then we're not representing Christ. We then hinder our own prayers.

When we're constantly usurping the will of God for us in Christ Jesus by waiting on God, we ruin our answers to our prayers.

There shouldn't be any of us being impatient with Jesus and choosing our own way for an answer to our prayer we gave to God.

Worries are nothing but entirely destructive to the heart, soul and mind. There's no good that can ever come from them.

God has never forgotten about you or I. God hasn't ever been too busy for any child of God. God has never decided not to answer at all. Look into the book of Daniel. Read it slowly to see both Daniel's prayers and what is said to him about the answers he sought.

So drop those bundles at the feet of Jesus and leave them there. Leave them alone. Don't pick them up again. Don't touch them with even one of your fingers.

Pray without ceasing is the command. 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.

All NASB Scripture Excerpts used by permission.

New American Standard Bible

A corporation not for profit.

www.lockman.org

Monday, December 1, 2025

We Aren't Called to Understand But to Do

by David Brenneman

The Unreasonable Will of God

Life Principle 5: God does not require us to understand His will, just obey it, even if it seems unreasonable.

Do you often find yourself wondering why God doesn’t answer your prayers or why, despite your best efforts, the circumstances of your life still don’t work out? The answer could lie in your level of obedience to God. Or waiting may be the result of God wanting you to be still, trust Him, and watch for His cue to move forward.

When we choose the path of obedience, we must be prepared for any response we’ll undoubtedly receive (both positive or negative), knowing that God has an excellent reason for His command and will help us in extraordinary ways. We must never focus on the things or the people who try to distract us from doing God’s will. The Holy Spirit enables us to obey every one of God’s commandments and always directs us in the best way possible. Therefore, whatever He requires of us—whether it be painful or joyful, profitable or costly, reasonable or peculiar—our heavenly Father will give us the ability and strength to be faithful, regardless of what others think or how our circumstances appear.

Obedience must be a priority in every believer’s life. It’s the only way you will ever become the person God wants you to be and the only way you will ever achieve the things in life He has so wonderfully prepared for you. It’s the Holy Spirit who enables you to walk obediently before the Lord in His strength and His power.

So choose to obey Him, even if you don’t understand why He asks you to do something. Have faith that His instructions are for your good (Jer. 29:11). That way, you can become the person He wants you to be, do the work He desires of you, bear the fruit He enables you to bear, and receive all the blessings He’s prepared for you.

- Bible App Devotional by Dr. Charles Stanley: Life Principles.

It is often one of the most difficult things for me to go through is when a situation or problem occurs and I can't figure it out.

And I have run across well meaning people who try to give me their take on my situations who do believe they're making sense. But that's not always the case. Some have been downright insensitive in their remarks, some have been accusatory of what they believe about me and what they see driving me.

Sometimes it's just that God’s plans haven't been revealed yet. I, not unlike Job, might never understand the why's behind what I am going through.

The worst thing any Believer can do is after praying and leaving a situation in God's hands is to take it back to resolve themselves.

Christians aren't to be the type to "pull ourselves up by our own bootstraps".

We aren't to lean on our own understanding. It's rather clear in Proverbs 3:5-6 "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." Couple this with what we read in Jeremiah 29:11-13 "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.".

"And we know that God causes all things to work together for good to those who love God, to those who are called according to His purpose." Romans 8:28.

When we take up our own cross and follow Jesus we aren't always going to understand why much that's going to happen is happening in our lives.

My current set of circumstances, my situation as it were, came about only because I befriended a brother in Christ at a company function. Ironically it was living out one of the guiding principles, core values, of the company. I was fired for doing that. Needless to say I met that situation with much confusion. There are other variables that are confusing but this one is the true crux of the matter. Needless to say that we indeed became friends in the Lord regardless of what it did to my employment status. I listened to the Spirit when I was prompted to talk with this person and that's all I knew to do.

In the ensuing months of constantly looking for a new job I haven't been idle. God's providing in various ways. He's kept me busy helping other families while I search.

My prayer for employment always has been that I wouldn't have a shred of confusion. That when it's the right choice it will be the only choice.

So I have been living out much of this principle. I refuse to not keep up with my morning's with Jesus in my Bible reading as well as my evening studies with the Spirit.

The Spirit has been directing many of the devotionals that I do read towards encouraging myself and my Wife through this time. I write these down in my journal.

"For I am confident of this very thing, that He who began a good work in you will perfect it until the day of Christ Jesus." Philippians 1:6.

What He starts, He finishes.

We may not make sense of the situation and we may get told by a few or by many of what we should do. But we know what His Word has to say.

"Search me, O God, and know my heart; Try me and know my anxious thoughts; And see if there be any hurtful way in me, And lead me in the everlasting way." Psalms 139:23-24.

Forgiveness of others is crucial as well. This too can lead to confusion on our part about obeying God. When we don't forgive others we hinder the work of God in our lives.

"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.

I, for my part, have forgiven those at my former employer. What is happening to them now is on them.

My responsibility is to trust and obey. To keep my eyes on Jesus. Whether the instructions He gives makes sense or not.

It's also a great danger in such times to give up on praying altogether. That, my Dear Reader, you should never do.

Getting mad at God will get you silence from Him as well. Because you're refusing to acknowledge His lordship in your life.

Take time today, if this season of your life is filled with such unreasonable expectations from God, to obey anything He puts there for you to be doing.

Remember we gave up our rights when we asked Him to take our place on calvary. When we asked Him to be the forgiver of our sins and the leader of our lives we signed over everything.

Keep praying. Keep standing firm in the Lord. Keep obeying no matter what things look like. He who began a good work in you will perfect it until the day of Christ Jesus.

All NASB Scripture Excerpts used by permission.

New American Standard Bible

A corporation not for profit.

www.lockman.org