"And do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, that you may prove what is that good and acceptable and perfect will of God." (Romans 12:2)

I don't have to remind you that ours is a negative, pessimistic society. We live with negativity all around us. All you have to do is turn on the news and you see negative programming, negative journalism, negative events taking place. You see acts of terror and it makes you fearful. You think things are falling apart. Then you look at our country and you ask, "Will inflation ever get under control?" The economy doesn't look as good as it once did. Politicians don't even seem able to get along or function as the legislative branch of government, and then there's the out-of-control spending. You have movies and television that go against your conscience as a Christian, and you wonder, "When are they going to get back to creating movies or shows that are wholesome, instead of pandering to immoral behavior?"

Do you feel the pull toward negativity, even as a Christian?

You may say, "A positive mindset is just pie-in-the-sky thinking. You're not dealing with the harsh reality of this world."

I like what Warren Wiersbe once wrote. He said "Realism is idealism that has been through the fire and is purified, but cynicism is idealism that has been through the fire and gotten burned." 

Here's the temptation for you and me. We look at what is going on today and think, "It's never been as bad as it is today." But there has always been some form of negative environment. The world is the way the world is. Even in New Testament days, the Christian community was the minority, a group of outsiders in culture. That's why Jesus said in John 17:13-19 that we would be in the world but not of the world. Jesus wants us to be world changers, but we should not be changed by this culture.

Imagine water flowing in a single direction. Dead fish are carried downstream, while a living fish can swim upstream. As Christians, we are called to be alive and to shine in dark places, not simply to follow the crowd. Instead of conforming to the world, be transformed through the renewal of your mind. God doesn't want His people swimming downstream with everything that's already dead. He wants us alive, moving against the current, proving to a watching world what His good, acceptable, and perfect will really looks like.

The negativity isn't going anywhere. The question is whether you and I will let the current carry us along, or whether we'll let God renew our minds and empower us to swim against this negative world, showing a watching world a different way of living.

Reflection: Where in your life have you been drifting downstream with the culture instead of letting God transform your thinking?

Prayer: Dear Heavenly Father, I confess that it is so easy to be negative when I look at the world around me. Renew my mind today. Help me see that as a child of God, I am alive by Your Spirit. Empower me to swim against this current. Help me to be light in a dark place. In Jesus' Name, amen.

Adapted from: "Staying Positive in a Negative World": https://www.joshfranklin.org/media/d6xvd3t/11-staying-positive-in-a-negative-world-eph-3-1-13

"Rejoice in the Lord always. Again I will say, rejoice!" (Philippians 4:4)

You might think being positive or negative is just built into you. "Well, I'm just a negative person." Or, "I'm just a positive person." There was a set of twin boys. One was super negative, always looking at the dark side of life, and the other was super positive. Their parents didn't know what to do with them, so they took them to a child psychiatrist.

The doctor said, "Let's try something for their next birthday. Put their gifts in two different rooms so they can't see each other's. For the boy who's always negative, fill his room with all kinds of wonderful presents. For the boy who's always positive, put a pile of manure in his room. Then write down your observations."

The birthday comes. They open the door for the negative boy, and he walks into a room full of great toys. And what does he say? "I don't even like the color of this one. I know a kid who's got a bigger car than this. This little gadget is already out of date, there's a new one out now. And if I play with this too much, it's just going to break." Negative, negative, negative. They couldn't believe he couldn't see the good right in front of him.

Then they open the door for the positive boy, the one with the pile of manure. And there he is, jumping up and down, throwing it everywhere, hollering, "Whoopee!" They say, "Son, what in the world are you doing?" And he said, "With all this manure, there's got to be a pony in here somewhere!"

So is it just in you? Are you simply wired to be positive or negative?

Here's the truth. As a child of God, Christians ought to be the most positive people on the earth. We ought to be more positive than anybody, because we've read our Bibles. We have a future hope in heaven. We understand what's really going on in the world when other people don't have a clue. The reason Paul could say "Rejoice in the Lord always" and then turn around and say it again is not because his circumstances were good. He wrote those words from a prison cell.

That's the difference the gospel makes. The negative man in the room full of blessings still found a way to complain. The believer with every reason to despair still finds a reason to rejoice, because his joy isn't anchored to what's in the room. It's anchored to the Lord.

Reflection: When you walk into your circumstances tomorrow, will you complain about the toys or dig for the pony?

Prayer: Dear Heavenly Father, forgive me for the times I've stood in a room full of Your blessings and only seen what was wrong. Teach me to rejoice in You always, no matter what room I find myself in. In Jesus' Name, amen.

Adapted from: "Staying Positive in a Negative World": https://www.joshfranklin.org/media/d6xvd3t/11-staying-positive-in-a-negative-world-eph-3-1-13

1 Peter 2:13a (NKJV) - Therefore submit yourselves to every ordinance of man for the Lord’s sake…

There was a Christian businessman in North Carolina who told me something I will never forget. He was in retirement at the time and had managed all kinds of people in his life. He had been a great church leader as well for decades. He said, "Followers are simply leaders who have chosen to let someone else lead." We might think, “Some are followers, and some are leaders,” but he would disagree. He explained, "We're all leaders, but followers are simply leaders who have chosen to let someone else lead."

We see this exemplified in the life of Christ as a 12-year-old at the temple. Jesus was talking to the religious leaders - asking and answering questions. They were amazed because here was a 12-year-old boy. Afterwards, Luke 2:51 says, “Then He [Jesus] went down with them [Joseph and Mary] and came to Nazareth, and was subject to them, but His mother kept all these things in her heart.” Though He astounded the religious leaders, Jesus lived in subjection to His parents. No one would ever say that Jesus was of any lower class of individual than Mary and Joseph, but yet it says that Jesus Christ was subject to his parents. Why? Well, He served here as an example to His followers. He would be telling us as children to be subject to our own parents and that there is order in the home.

Jesus was up in heaven and he condescended as an example to us. Philippians 2:5–8 says, “5 Let this mind be in you which was also in Christ Jesus, 6 who, being in the form of God, did not consider it robbery to be equal with God, 7 but made Himself of no reputation, taking the form of a bondservant, and coming in the likeness of men. 8 And being found in appearance as a man, He humbled Himself and became obedient to the point of death, even the death of the cross.” He did not have to come down, but He condescended. He came down to rescue humanity on the cross, and it says that He became obedient even unto death, the death of the cross.

Jesus taught this to His disciples. Matthew 20:25–28 says, “25 But Jesus called them to Himself and said, ‘You know that the rulers of the Gentiles lord it over them, and those who are great exercise authority over them. 26 Yet it shall not be so among you; but whoever desires to become great among you, let him be your servant. 27 And whoever desires to be first among you, let him be your slave—28 just as the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give His life a ransom for many.’”

Jesus sought to teach a leadership model to His disciples that could be called “servant leadership.” He exemplified this servant leader when He took a towel and basin, knelt before His disciples and washed their feet.  John 13:3–5, 14-16 says, “3 Jesus, knowing that the Father had given all things into His hands, and that He had come from God and was going to God, 4 rose from supper and laid aside His garments, took a towel and girded Himself. 5 After that, He poured water into a basin and began to wash the disciples’ feet, and to wipe them with the towel with which He was girded. … 14 ‘If I then, your Lord and Teacher, have washed your feet, you also ought to wash one another’s feet. 15 For I have given you an example, that you should do as I have done to you. 16 Most assuredly, I say to you, a servant is not greater than his master; nor is he who is sent greater than he who sent him.’”

Think about the fact that when we get to heaven and see Jesus, we are going to fall on our face and worship Him. However, here, we see Jesus kneeling before His disciples washing their feet as an act of humble servant leadership. Jesus is our model of not just servant leadership, but he's also our model for humility and submissiveness.

Remember the garden of Gethsemane? Jesus knows the stripes, the crown of thorns, and the cross are before Him. Jesus is praying to the Father in Matthew 26:39, saying, “O My Father, if it is possible, let this cup pass from Me; nevertheless, not as I will, but as You will.” He knew what was ahead, and if there's any other way to rescue humanity, He says, “let this cup pass for Me.” Then He ends that with a prayer of consecration, “yet not My will, but Your will be done.” Jesus shows submission to the Father’s will.

First Corinthians 11:3 describes order in the Trinitarian Godhead: “But I want you to know that the head of every man is Christ, the head of woman is man, and the head of Christ is God.” Imagine God the Father saying, “This is My plan. This is My purpose.” Jesus then listens and submits to the plan of the Father. All of these examples in the life of Jesus show that He lived a life of submission, and He is our model. Do we call ourselves Christians? The word “Christian” simply means “like Christ”.

Peter commends the followers of Christ in 1 Peter 2:13 to “submit yourselves to every ordinance of man for the Lord’s sake.” He did not say, “because the ordinances are worthy of submission.” He did not say, “submit to some ordinances of man.” He said Christians are to submit to every ordinance of man because of Jesus.

Americans often coil against the idea of submitting to any kind of authority. In a democracy, the citizens certainly can speak into unjust laws and take an active approach in government. However, submission should be the posture of every Christian in society once those laws are in place. Americans are often too quick to say, “Well, I’ll submit when I like the government that’s in place. I'll be submissive when the ones I voted for are in charge. But I won’t follow them if I didn’t vote for them. I won’t honor them.” This reasoning is to our shame. God's people are to exemplify the same submission that Jesus Christ exemplified when He came to this earth and humbled Himself. Philippians 2:5 says, “Let this mind [attitude] be in you, which was also in Christ Jesus.”

“Dear God, thank You for showing me the life of humility and submission to authority in the life of my Lord, Jesus Christ. I pray that as I continue to learn from You, I will follow in Your footsteps. I will submit to those who are in positions of authority over me. Thank You for sovereignly placing me in America. I pray that righteousness would reign in our great country. I pray that my respect and honor for laws of my country would be an example to others. I love You. In Jesus’ name, amen.”
 

1 Peter 2:11–12 (NKJV)  
11 Beloved, I beg you as sojourners and pilgrims, abstain from fleshly lusts which war against the soul,  
12 having your conduct honorable among the Gentiles, that when they speak against you as evildoers, they may, by your good works which they observe, glorify God in the day of visitation.  

We will never do anything great for the Lord until we decide, once and for all, that we are going to live a disciplined life for Him. The word “Christian” means Christ-like. God has put His Spirit inside of us, and we are to live our lives before others in such a way that we reflect Him. You may teach a Sunday School class or a Bible study. Your class may listen to your words, but they are watching your life. Does your walk match your talk?
 
When I was in my early 20s, I was in youth ministry and held a part-time job at a local gym for extra income. Monday through Friday, I had the responsibility of unlocking the doors, opening up the gym, and making sure all of the other employees were there for work. I was also in charge of the wellness floor where people worked out as early as 5:00 AM. Every morning, I came to work hungry. So, I got into the habit of stopping by the donut shop or a fast-food place to get a big combo each morning. You can imagine the scene: fifty or sixty men and women are working out with weights, using machines, or doing cardio on the treadmills or other activities. You must be serious to exercise at that time of day. Here I am, stuffing my face with donuts, sugary drinks, and enough calories for the day. That became a season where I was unhealthy and put on extra weight. People would often ask me questions about fitness and health. They would say, “I'm really trying to lose some weight—what do I need to do?” Among other things, I would tell them, “You need to avoid certain types of foods.” Now, the next day, they would watch me as I walked in with my bag of fast food or my unhealthy sugary drink. Sometimes, I felt so ashamed I would go into my office and turn off the light so they couldn’t see me while I ate! My walk didn’t match my talk. As a young man, I had to learn that in order to teach others how to live healthy lives, I myself had to be healthy. It didn’t mean that I never ate another donut or something that was fried, but I needed to learn self-control. Praise the Lord, I learned a valuable lesson during that season of my life.

Spiritually speaking, Christians can sometimes talk a big talk, but their walk doesn’t match their talk. They speak of the power of the Holy Spirit. They shout about how Jesus changed them. They sing about how they are no longer bound in sin. Yet, they are not living the way they are talking, and the world takes notice.
 
In "Power Through Prayer," Robert Murray McCheyne is quoted as saying, “Your sermons last but an hour or two; your life preaches all the week.” [1] Christians should be living what we are saying. Our walk should match our talk. This will only happen through discipline, which is a fruit of the Spirit. In Galatians 5:22, it says, "The fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control." Self-control is synonymous with discipline. We should strive toward discipline in our daily lives.

Why? 1 Timothy 4:7 says, “Discipline yourself for the purpose of godliness.” (NASB) The purpose of discipline for a Christian is to express godliness. The Phillips paraphrases this verse, “Take the time and trouble to keep yourself spiritually fit.” Spiritual growth or godliness comes through discipline and self-control.

When I use the word “godliness,” people often think of a list of do’s and don’ts. One pastor was concerned that some of his church members were smoking cigarettes and drinking alcohol. He decided that he would dramatically convince them one Sunday, but it backfired. He chose to illustrate his lesson like this.
 
He came to the pulpit with three jars with lids. The first jar was filled with cigarette smoke. The second jar was filled with alcohol. The third jar was filled with healthy soil. During the introduction of his sermon, he explained the three different jars, held up some worms, and said, “You're kind of like this worm.” He took the lids off, placed some of the worms in each jar, and closed the lids. In his sermon, he pointed out different verses of Scripture that would highlight the dangers of smoking and drinking alcohol. At the conclusion of his sermon, he drew their attention back to the jars to see how the worms fared in each environment. He pointed out the jar filled with cigarette smoke that was full of dead worms. Next, he pointed out the jar filled with alcohol that was also full of dead worms. Then he said, “Notice the worms that are in the healthy soil. Notice how they are just moving around. They are healthy, and all of them are alive.” He finished with this question, “Can any of you tell me what the moral of this lesson is?” A sweet, older lady stood up and said, “Pastor, I know that if I don’t want to deal with a case of the worms, I need to smoke a lot of cigarettes and drink plenty of alcohol!” This pastor would have to try a different approach next time.

Godliness should include saying “no” to lifestyle habits that would hinder our witness before others. Godliness should include avoiding certain music or television programs. Godliness should include removing certain words from our vocabulary. If we have given our lives to Christ, people know that we are Christians, and they are watching us. You are on a stage, and you have the spotlight on you. We do not need to be afraid of the spotlight. We do not need to be afraid of the stage. We need to say, “Come watch my life. I'm not perfect, but I'm living my life under the lordship of Jesus Christ. I have been changed by the power of God. Sin no longer has its hold on me.”

What is the motivation or reason for the disciplined life? Peter says in verse eleven that Christians are “sojourners” and “pilgrims.” Peter uses these words to show a parallel between their earthly citizenship and their spiritual citizenship. They were Roman citizens who used to live in Rome. They had been displaced and now lived in Roman colonies in Asia Minor (or modern-day Turkey). Their primary citizenship was Rome, but they lived elsewhere.

Peter’s audience would recognize this parallel and hear Peter saying, “You are a Christian. Your spiritual citizenship is with God in heaven. But you live here in this world among Gentiles and pagans who are lost. Your primary loyalty is to the Lord Jesus Christ. You are temporary residents here.” The words “sojourner” and “pilgrim” mean “a displaced person” or “a temporary resident.” These words imply that this place is not your home. Christians are in this world but not of this world.

John 17:14–16 (NKJV):
14 I have given them Your word; and the world has hated them because they are not of the world, just as I am not of the world.  
15 I do not pray that You should take them out of the world, but that You should keep them from the evil one.  
16 They are not of the world, just as I am not of the world.

Because the Christian’s permanent home is heaven, our primary loyalty should be to God. Our time in this life is so brief. Time passes so fast, and then we go out into eternity. Christians will spend forever in the presence of God. Therefore, while living in this world, whenever the loyalties of this world and heaven conflict, the Christian’s primary loyalty should be to Jesus Christ. One motivation for holy living or for living a disciplined life is our loyalty to Jesus.

However, the primary motivation to live a disciplined life should be love. Peter uses the word “beloved” in 1 Peter 2:11. He is not simply calling the Christian beloved by God, though that is true. He is identifying you with Jesus, Who was the first to be called “Beloved” by God the Father when He was baptized by John the Baptist.

Matthew 3:16–17 (NKJV):  
16 When He had been baptized, Jesus came up immediately from the water; and behold, the heavens were opened to Him, and He saw the Spirit of God descending like a dove and alighting upon Him.  
17 And suddenly a voice came from heaven, saying, “This is My beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased.”

When you, as a Christian, said, “Jesus, be my Lord” (Romans 10:9-10, 13), God put His Spirit inside of you, and now you are in Christ, and Christ is in you. Galatians 2:20 says, “Christ lives in me.” Ephesians 3:17 says, “that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith.” Colossians 1:27 says, “Christ in you, the hope of glory.” Romans 8:1 says those who are “in Christ” do not walk according to the flesh but according to the Spirit. 2 Corinthians 5:17 says new believers are “in Christ,” where old things have passed away, and all things have become new.

The primary reason we live a disciplined life is that we love God. He has transformed us, and His love motivates us to live a disciplined life. John 14:15 says, “If you love Me, keep My commandments.”

“Dear God, I pray that my walk before others matches my talk! As a child of God, You have set me free from sin. You are my Lord. I pray that I will be an example to others and draw people to You. I love You, and I pray that I will live a more disciplined life because of my loyalty to You. In Jesus’ name, amen.”
 
[1] Edward M. Bounds, Power through Prayer (Oak Harbor, WA: Logos Research Systems, Inc., 1999), chapter 1.

Whose image do we bear? How should that impact our lives?

God said in Genesis 1:26 that He uniquely made men and women “in His image.” He didn’t say that about the plant life or the animal kingdom. Psalm 19:1 says, “The heavens declare the glory of God,” and we reflect on the goodness of God when we look around and the splendor of His creation. However, men and women are uniquely made in God’s image. We will find our purpose as we celebrate the image of God in each person. We have seen how we are created in God's image in our design, our differences, and our discernment. Today, we will look at our dominion and our destiny. We will finish with our response to these truths.

Our Dominion
 
Fourth, we can see God’s image in our dominion. We are responsible beings, and we have been given the authority to rule the earth, the animals and the plants. God told mankind in Genesis 1:28 to “subdue the earth” and “have dominion.” Genesis 1:26 says, “Let them have dominion over the fish of the sea, over the birds of the air, and over every creeping thing.” John Macarthur explains, “Man’s very posture, standing upright, distinguishes him from four–footed beasts and creeping things. The animals’ natural posture directs their gaze downward, toward the earth. Man, on the other hand, is naturally positioned to look upward, toward the heavens, where he can contemplate the glory of God displayed there.”[1]
 
Genesis 2:15 describes how God gave Adam the job to “tend” and “keep” the Garden of Eden. Adam was also tasked with naming the animals in Genesis 2:19. When people move to a place that is desolate or underdeveloped, and they begin to cultivate the area, this is accomplishing our responsibility to “tend” and “keep” this world. Our dominion involves placing farms where there was once undeveloped land. “One young man complained to his pastor about the things going on in the world. ‘I could make a better world than this,’ claimed the young man. The pastor responded, ‘That’s just what God wants you to do.’ God has placed us in an unfinished world, a universe in the making. We are responsible to control, protect, and develop it.”[2]
 
It includes domesticating animals and training them for our benefit. Proverbs 12:10 (NLT) reads, “The godly care for their animals, but the wicked are always cruel.”  We should never be cruel to the animals under our care, but we should recognize them as gifts from God.
 
When Jesus walked this earth, He exercised dominion over the animals, which may give us some insight into how God originally intended man to demonstrate dominion in the Garden of Eden. In Mark 11:2, Jesus demonstrated dominion over a wild donkey, one that had never been ridden. He rode this untamed animal into Jerusalem. In Matthew 26:34, Jesus predicted Peter's denial three times before the rooster crowed, showing dominion over the actions of the birds. In Matthew 17:27, Jesus directed Peter to find a coin in a fish's mouth to pay their taxes, exercising dominion over the fish.
 
Sin distorted everything, including man’s original dominion over this earth. Martin Luther observed, “I am fully convinced that before Adam’s sin his eyes were so sharp and clear that they surpassed those of the lynx and eagle. He was stronger than the lions and the bears, whose strength is very great; and he handled them the way we handle puppies.” Luther states about Adam’s intellectual powers, “If … we are looking for an outstanding philosopher, let us not overlook our first parents while they were still free from sin.”[3] Our capacity may be different today, but the image of God is still seen in our dominion.
 
Our Destiny
 
Fifth, we can see God’s image in our destiny. We are eternal beings, just as God is an eternal Being. God has no beginning and no end. Mankind had a beginning but will have no end. Our eternal destiny is a fundamental part of being made in God's image. Hebrews 9:27 states, “And as it is appointed for men to die once, but after this the judgment.” Animals, as much as we may love them, do not have an eternal destiny. They have life, they have personality, but they do not have eternal spirits that will go out into eternity like humanity.
 
Our Response
 
Understanding the value of every human life should impact every person in life-altering ways. First, because all mankind is made in the image of God, both males and females have equal value and worth. Galatians 3:28 states, “There is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither slave nor free, there is neither male nor female; for you are all one in Christ Jesus.”
 
Second, each ethnicity has equal value and worth.  Acts 17:26 declares, “And He has made from one blood every nation of men to dwell on all the face of the earth…” We often wonder what the answer can be to racial strife and division in our country and around the world. Paul states that Jesus is the answer:
 
Ephesians 2:13–15
13 But now in Christ Jesus you who once were far off have been brought near by the blood of Christ.
14 For He Himself is our peace, who has made both one, and has broken down the middle wall of separation,
15 having abolished in His flesh the enmity, that is, the law of commandments contained in ordinances, so as to create in Himself one new man from the two, thus making peace,
 
When people give their lives to Jesus Christ, He not only tears down the wall of separation between holy God and sinful man but also between two people surrendered to Jesus as well. Our hearts toward our fellow man become right where we begin to see the value that God has placed in every life. We should see the value of other people and treat them with dignity, honor, and respect.
 
Third, because human life begins at conception, and those babies are made in the image of God, they should be given the same chance to live that each of us has had. Exodus 20:13 says plainly, “You shall not murder.” This means only God has the right to number our days.
 
We are infinitely valuable to God, not because of what we can do for society, but because of who we are. Notice how the Psalmist describes life in the womb:
 
Psalm 139:13–16 (NKJV)
13 For You formed my inward parts; You covered me in my mother’s womb.
14 I will praise You, for I am fearfully and wonderfully made; Marvelous are Your works, And that my soul knows very well.
15 My frame was not hidden from You, When I was made in secret, And skillfully wrought in the lowest parts of the earth.
16 Your eyes saw my substance, being yet unformed. And in Your book they all were written, The days fashioned for me, When as yet there were none of them.
 
Luke’s Gospel describes the story of when Mary, who was carrying Jesus in her womb came to the home of Elizabeth, who was carrying John the Baptist in her womb. Luke 1:41 says, “And it happened, when Elizabeth heard the greeting of Mary, that the babe leaped in her womb; and Elizabeth was filled with the Holy Spirit.” Elizabeth tells Mary “…the babe leaped in my womb for joy” in Luke 1:44.
 
These verses help me to see that it is right to protect the lives of the unborn. Christians should be unashamedly pro-life, from the womb to the end of life. Proverbs 31:8 says, “Open your mouth for the speechless, In the cause of all who are appointed to die.” Each is made in the image of God and infinitely valuable to God.
 
Lastly, because we bear God’s image, we belong to God. Jesus said, “Give to Caesar what is Caesar’s, and give to God what is God’s” (Matthew 22:19-21). That answer was not just to pay your taxes. Included in that answer was the truth that you and I bear the image of God. Jesus said give your taxes to Caesar but give your heart to God. You belong to Him. You are made in his image.
 
“Dear God, thank You for creating me in Your image. I am infinitely valuable to You. I pray that I would see every human being in light of Your Word. Help me value every person the way You do. I also pray that I would see that I belong to You. I give myself to You. Thank You for loving me and saving me. In Jesus’ name. Amen.”
 
* This is part 3 in the series “We are Made in the Image of God”.


[1] John MacArthur, The Battle for the Beginning (Nashville, TN: W Pub. Group, 2001), 165–166.
[2] Brian L. Harbour, Notable Harbour Doctrine Collection, vol. 5 (WORDsearch, 2009).
[3] Martin Luther, Lectures on Genesis Chapters 1–5, vol. 1 of Luther’s Works, ed. Jaroslav Pelikan (St. Louis: Concordia, 1958), 62, 66.

Check out my book "Celebrating God's Design: God's Word on Marriage, Gender and Sexuality."

God said in Genesis 1:26 that He uniquely made men and women “in His image.” He didn’t say that about the plant life or the animal kingdom. Psalm 19:1 says, “The heavens declare the glory of God,” and we reflect on the goodness of God when we look around and the splendor of His creation. However, men and women are uniquely made in God’s image. We will find our purpose as we celebrate the image of God in each person. It's crucial to appreciate how we are created in God's image in our design, our differences, our discernment, our dominion, and our destiny.

Our Design

First, we can see God’s image in our design. John 4:24 states, “God is a Spirit and those who worship Him will worship him in spirit and in truth.” God is a spiritual being, and we are made in His image. We, too, are spiritual beings.

Notice the three-part nature of man in 1 Thessalonians 5:23, which says, “Now may the God of peace Himself sanctify you completely; and may your whole spirit, soul, and body be preserved blameless at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ.” While Christians sometimes use the terms "spirit" and "soul" interchangeably, the Bible describes humans as three-part beings: spirit, soul, and body.

Hebrews 4:12 distinguishes between spirit and soul when it states, “For the word of God is living and powerful, and sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing even to the division of soul and spirit, and of joints and marrow, and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart.” Though some Christians and theologians would like to say the spirit and soul are the same, and though they are difficult to divide, the Bible says they can be divided.

The spirit and soul make up the inner part of who we are, the invisible but genuine aspects of our existence. Our spirits reflect God's image, as God Himself is a spirit, and it's this aspect that allows us to communicate with Him. The word “soul” in Greek is psuche, from which we get the word psychology. Our soul is the part that gives us our unique personality – it involves our mind, will, and emotions. This individuality distinguishes us from one another.

Take a look at a litter of kittens, and you can observe these personality differences. These kittens are raised in the same environment, but some of them are shy, some of them are aggressive, and some of them are tender. They just have different personalities. However, they do not possess a spirit. What distinguishes us from animals is our spirit, which allows us to communicate with God.

James Montgomery Boice once wrote, “One thing it means is that men and women possess the attributes of personality, as God himself does, but as the animals, plants, and matter do not. To have personality one must possess knowledge, feelings (including religious feelings), and a will. This God has, and so do we. We can say that animals possess a certain kind of personality. But an animal does not reason as men do; it only reacts to certain problems or stimuli. It does not create; it only conforms to certain behavior patterns, even in as elaborate a pattern as constructing a nest, hive, or dam. … It does not worship. Personality, in the sense we are speaking of it here, is something that links man to God but does not link either man or God to the rest of creation.”[1]

We are a spirit, we have a soul (a mind, a will, and emotions), and we live in a physical body. This body gives us the ability to walk, talk, work, and communicate. We can live in this world if our body is working the way it needs to work. As a person gets older, some may experience their body breaking down. Their mind may still be sharp, but their body is not functioning like it once did.

God warned the original couple in the Garden of Eden that if they chose to disobey God, they would surely die. However, the original Hebrew of Genesis 2:17 reads, “In dying you shall surely die.” It is plural. If they chose to sin against God, they would immediately die spiritually which would lead to eventually dying physically. We know that Adam and Eve didn’t immediately die physically, but they did experience spiritual death. In the end, spiritual death is separation from God (see Isaiah 59:1-2). We all experienced that separation from God, which is why Jesus Christ came. He died on the cross for our sins so we could experience new life spiritually. Now, though our bodies will still die, our spirits are alive with God and can be in a relationship with Him.

Romans 5:11, in the Living Bible, reads, “Now we rejoice in our wonderful new relationship with God—all because of what our Lord Jesus Christ has done in dying for our sins—making us friends of God.“ Boice continues, “[M]an is made for communion with God, who is Spirit (John 4:24), and that this communion is intended to be eternal as God is eternal. Although man shares a body with such forms of life as plants or flowers and a soul with animals, only he possesses a spirit. It is on the level of the spirit that he is aware of God and communes with him.”[2]

God is eternal, with no beginning and no end. Mankind had a beginning but will have no end. When the body is dead, the spiritual part of man will live on throughout eternity. All of this distinguishes mankind from everything else in God’s creation. We are designed as spiritual beings who can commune with God and live with Him through eternity.

Our Differences

Second, we can see God’s image in our differences as men and women. God says in Genesis 1:27, “male and female He created them.” We, as human beings, are different from the animal kingdom, and not simply evolved animals.

We, as male or female, are different biologically from one another. The Bible portrays God in male imagery and terms, such as Father. Jesus, God’s Son (male), came to this earth as a man. However, this does not mean that we all, men and women alike, do not reflect the image of God as we live out who He created us to be. James Montgomery Boice wrote, “Men are not women. Women are not men. One of the saddest things in the universe is a man who tries to be a woman or a woman who tries to be a man. ‘But who is superior?’ someone asks. I answer: A man is absolutely superior to a woman—at being a man; a woman is absolutely superior to a man—at being a woman. But let a woman try to be a man or a man try to be a woman, and you have a monstrosity.”[3]

John Macarthur explains, “Genetic research has shown that one pair of human chromosomes, labeled X and Y, determine the gender of our offspring. All males have both X and Y chromosomes; all females have only a pair of X chromosomes. From a purely biological point of view, therefore, the Y chromosome is what determines maleness. If the offspring inherits an X chromosome from the father, it will be female. If the chromosome is Y, the offspring will be male. The father’s seed is the determining factor.”[4]

It is important that we believe and understand that there are God-given differences between men and women, but we should never argue that those differences create a rank in God’s system. After God said in Genesis 1:26 that He would give “them” (referring to both men and women) dominion, he refers to mankind as man in Genesis 1:27, which says, “So God created  man… male and female He created them.” Men and women are both equally made in the image of God. Every single person on planet Earth has the stamp of God on his or her life, male and female.

Our Discernment

Third, we can see God’s image in our discernment. We are moral beings, and we internally know right from wrong. This is another difference between humans and animals. Animals have instincts, but they do not know right from wrong.

Tom Holladay and Kay Warren write, “We know right from wrong. A dog doesn’t know right from wrong. You can train a dog to do what you tell it, but it has no moral conscience that causes it to think, “I shouldn’t be eating out of garbage cans, I need to get into a recovery program.” “Hi, my name is Spot and I eat garbage.” A mouse that invades your house doesn’t have a conscience. It doesn’t lay awake at night wondering if it was right to steal that piece of cheese, agonizing over its place in the world. When Adam and Eve sinned, they immediately felt shame. God created us to be moral beings. (Genesis 3:7; Acts 24:16).”[5]

A lion does not have the slightest guilt over chasing, killing, and devouring his prey, though he will usually catch of the weakest in the herd. He never thinks back, saying, “I’ve got to stop doing this. This is bad. I know right from wrong.”

John Phillips writes, “Man is in no way related to the beasts. What animal can transmit accumulated achievements from one generation to another? What animal experiences a true sense of guilt when it does wrong or has a developed consciousness of judgment to come? What animal shows any desire to worship? What animal has hope of immortality beyond the grave? What beast can exercise abstract moral judgment or show appreciation of the beauties of nature? (When did we ever see a dog admiring a sunset or a horse standing breathless before the rugged grandeur of a mountain range?) What animal ever learned to read and write, to act with deliberate purpose, and set goals and achieve long-range objectives? What animal ever learned to cook its food, to cut cloth and make clothes, or invent elaborate tools? What animal ever enjoyed a hearty laugh? What animal has the gift for speech? Even the most primitive human tribe possesses linguistics of a subtle, complex, and eloquent nature. Man stands alone. Physically, he alone of all the creatures on the globe, walks upright; mentally, he alone has the ability to communicate in a sophisticated manner; spiritually, he alone has the capacity to know the mind and will of God.”[6]

Mankind has been given these moral faculties by God. God has placed His law on our hearts so that we are without excuse. If you go to primitive cultures throughout history that are not as civilized, with courts or written laws, you will still find people who would have distinct codes of conduct.

Romans 2:14–15 (NLT)
14 Even Gentiles, who do not have God’s written law, show that they know his law when they instinctively obey it, even without having heard it.
15 They demonstrate that God’s law is written in their hearts, for their own conscience and thoughts either accuse them or tell them they are doing right.
 
Most of the 10 commandments, found in Exodus 20:1-17 can be seen in these contexts. Why? Because God has placed them on man’s heart. We are moral beings, as God’s image bearers, and distinct from the animal kingdom.

"Dear God, thank You that I am made in Your image. I can see it in my design. I can see it in the special differences between men and women. I can see it in my discernment. Lord, I pray that as I appreciate all of Your creation, I realize that my greatest fulfillment and purpose will only be found in a relationship with You. Thank You for showing me that from Your Word. I love You. In Jesus' name, amen."

*This is part 2 in a 3-part series on the subject of being made in the image of God.

[1] James Montgomery Boice, Genesis: An Expositional Commentary (Grand Rapids, MI: Baker Books, 1998), 90.
[2] Boice, 91.
[3] Boice, 96.
[4] John MacArthur, The Battle for the Beginning (Nashville, TN: W Pub. Group, 2001), 169.
[5] Holladay and Warren, Foundations church curriculum (Saddleback Resources, Lake Forest, CA), under “Creation”.
[6] John Phillips, Exploring Genesis: An Expository Commentary, The John Phillips Commentary Series (Kregel Publications; WORDsearch Corp., 2009), Ge 1:26–31.

Check out the book: https://a.co/d/0iLfxPJ4

God said in Genesis 1:26 that He uniquely made men and women “in His image.” He didn’t say that about the plant life or the animal kingdom. Psalm 19:1 says, “The heavens declare the glory of God,” and we reflect on the goodness of God when we look around and the splendor of His creation. However, men and women are uniquely made in God’s image. We will find our purpose as we celebrate the image of God in each person.
 
When we look at the world today, we often see people trying to understand their identity and express themselves in various ways. But we need to realize that God has intentionally created us in His image, setting us apart from the rest of creation.
 
Howard Hughes, a famous aviator, filmmaker, and business tycoon, flew a prototype aircraft called the Hughes XF-11 in 1946. He had received warnings from the aircraft's designer, Richard Palmer, who informed him that the aircraft wasn't built to withstand severe storms. However, Hughes ignored the warning, believing he could do as he pleased. In doing so, he put himself in danger and ultimately crashed the plane in a Beverly Hills neighborhood. Despite surviving, he suffered severe injuries.
 
Had Hughes heeded the designer's advice, he could have avoided the pain and damage he endured. Similarly, God looks at us and says, "I made you; I created you." He's not only aware of our being but has a purpose for our lives. He has revealed in His Word how we should live and relate to one another. It would be unwise for us to disregard His design and wisdom.
 
In a world that often seeks to redefine human identity and deviate from God's design, the message is clear: we must not just tolerate God's design but celebrate it. Understanding that we are created in God's image and that He has declared us "very good" (Genesis 1:31) allows us to live by His divine purpose. We should revel in the unique beauty and significance of every individual, recognizing that we are masterfully crafted by the Creator of all.
 
A generation ago, our children were being taught the idea that they originated from animals—this narrative went from "the goo to the zoo to me and you," emphasizing the evolutionary theory that all life came from animals and a primordial soup. This theory led to the belief that there's nothing truly unique about humanity; we're just slightly more evolved animals. The flaw in this philosophy lies in how it affects our children, making them believe they're nothing more than slightly evolved animals.
 
Adrian Rogers once said, “When you believe that men sprang from animals, it’s much easier to treat them like animals rather than people made in the image of God. Do you want me to tell you why we have so much difficulty with young people today and … [the] philosophy, ‘If it feels good, do it’? Because we’ve finally gotten across the idea that man is an animal, … [and] an animal lives for three things: self-preservation, self-propagation, and self-gratification. That’s … what we’ve taught our generation. They have been taught that they are not made in the image of God—that they just happened, that they’re an accident—out of spontaneous generation. God forbid.”[1]
 
Two decades ago, certain biological realities existed, and as adults, we didn't have to address some of the philosophies our children face today. The confusion surrounding gender is a prime example—there's a modern belief that gender is distinct from one's physical body and must be discovered. Just a few years ago, an ultrasound could confirm a baby's sex, but today there is considerable confusion. Why? It's because people are rejecting God's Word, thinking they can figure things out on their own. The Designer has spoken, but His guidance is being ignored.
 
A better approach is to return to Genesis, back to what God revealed. God made humanity differently from the rest of the animal kingdom and plant life. Even amid the chaos and confusion in the world, we can anchor our hope in God's infallible, unchanging Word.
 
Genesis 1:26-28 emphasizes the unique status of men and women, which stands in contrast to the secular humanism that is advocated today by those who seek to omit God from the narrative of creation.
 
Genesis 1:26–28
26 Then God said, “Let Us make man in Our image, according to Our likeness; let them have dominion over the fish of the sea, over the birds of the air, and over the cattle, over all the earth and over every creeping thing that creeps on the earth.”
27 So God created man in His own image; in the image of God He created him; male and female He created them.
28 Then God blessed them, and God said to them, “Be fruitful and multiply; fill the earth and subdue it; have dominion over the fish of the sea, over the birds of the air, and over every living thing that moves on the earth.”
 
This passage challenges prevailing assumptions, particularly those ingrained in our educational system, attempting to segregate church and state, and religion from education. However, can we truly separate what God has joined together? When someone inquires about their origin, exploring various theories becomes challenging due to the education system’s reluctance to incorporate what the Bible teaches. The theory of evolution claims that mankind evolved over millions of years. Yet our education system seems content to present this theory as absolute fact, rejecting all other ideas.
 
Where the secularist sees chaos that has changed over time, the Christian sees order, complexity, and design which points toward an Intelligent Designer. Suggesting this Intelligent Design parallels the God described in the Bible is met with resistance from secularists, hindering the open exploration of an alternative theory.
 
Michael Behe, a former biochemistry professor at Rutgers University, wrote Darwin's Black Box. In essence, Behe challenges Darwin's assertion that anything irreducibly complex would undermine the theory of evolution. According to Darwin, for evolution to hold, all components must function simultaneously. However, Behe contends that if any aspect is truly irreducibly complex, the entire theory collapses, as evolution is based on the progression from simplicity to complexity and from chaos to order.
 
Behe uses the example of the cell to illustrate his point. He suggests that if Darwin had possessed knowledge of genetics and understood the intricacies of a human gene, he would not have formulated his theory of evolution. Behe argues that the human cell's complexity is so profound that it defies the possibility of a random assembly of atoms leading to its existence. The level of sophistication in genetics and cellular structures implies an intelligent design, a concept absent in Darwin's era. Even elements as seemingly simple and imperceptible as cells and genetics reveal an astonishing complexity, suggesting the involvement of an intelligent designer—illustrating, according to Behe, the actions of the God depicted in the Bible.
 
Young people will continue to grapple with misconceptions about their identity and value as they listen to secularists who explain humanity’s existence as a cosmic accident, unless we align with God's word, affirming our worth as unique creations. Romans 12:2 instructs us not to conform to the world but to be transformed by renewing our minds to understand the perfect will of God. It's crucial to appreciate how we are created in God's image in our design, our differences, our discernment, our dominion, and our destiny.

"Dear God, thank You for creating me in Your image. I pray that I would understand my uniqueness in light of Your Word. Help me to build my life on Your Word and discover Your plan for my life. In Jesus' Name, amen."

[This is the first in a series on this subject. Read future blogposts to see God's image in our design, our differences, our discernment, our dominion and our destiny.]

[1] Adrian Rogers, “The World in a Week,” in Sermon Archive (Signal Hill, CA: Rogers Family Trust, 2017), Ge 1:1–5.

Relationships can be messy and complicated, even among God's people. There was a young man who I met when I first started in seminary many years ago. Lydia and I were married, and this other young man was also married. We became friends because we had both started seminary at the same time and were student pastors serving the Lord. We bonded over the ministry and had wonderful fellowship together. We were like iron sharpening iron, as described in Proverbs 27:17.

However, the relationship started to change. We would plan to meet up, but he would not show up. This happened multiple times. I would wait and wait for him, not knowing what happened. So, our friendship grew strained. I couldn't understand why he didn't value our friendship the way I did, and I didn't know how to express my feelings. Eventually, we grew apart, and I was sad and confused about what happened.

Later, I found out that he and his wife had just had a child, and I didn't understand the complexity that this would bring to his life and his other relationships. When I had young children of my own, I realized how distracting and overwhelming it could be. I felt bad for not understanding his perspective and for cooling off our friendship. So I reached out to him and apologized for not understanding his side of things. Maybe he could have told me how complex life had gotten. I could have been more understanding and supportive as he was a new dad. I certainly understood when I had our first son.

There may be times of tension or conflict, but we should value those relationships. It's important to not give up on our relationships with others, especially as Christians. Instead of walking away from them, we should make an effort to build and keep those relationships intact. Acts 15:36-41 describes a time of conflict between Paul and Barnabas. Even these great men of God experienced conflict and tension, and we can learn from their example.

Acts 15:36–41 (NKJV)
36 Then after some days Paul said to Barnabas, “Let us now go back and visit our brethren in every city where we have preached the word of the Lord, and see how they are doing.” 
37 Now Barnabas was determined to take with them John called Mark. 
38 But Paul insisted that they should not take with them the one who had departed from them in Pamphylia, and had not gone with them to the work. 
39 Then the contention became so sharp that they parted from one another. And so Barnabas took Mark and sailed to Cyprus; 
40 but Paul chose Silas and departed, being commended by the brethren to the grace of God. 
41 And he went through Syria and Cilicia, strengthening the churches.

Have you ever had a relationship where you didn't understand why things grew tense? Well, in this passage, we understand exactly what happened in this relationship. The conflict arose because of a difference of opinion about John Mark. John Mark is the cousin of Barnabas, according to Colossians 4:10. His mother was Mary - not Jesus’ mother, but another Mary. Acts 12:12 tells the story of Peter in prison, and there were prayers being offered at Mary's house, and it says John Mark was there as well.

John Mark is a young believer when Barnabas and Saul, who is also named Paul decided to go on their first missionary journey. Acts 13:4-13 tells the story, and John Mark is their assistant. At some point during the trip, John Mark left them. Although what happened is unclear, Acts 13:13 says, “Now when Paul and his party set sail from Paphos, they came to Perga in Pamphylia; and John [which is John Mark], departing from them, returned to Jerusalem.”

Here was the bottom line of the conflict that occurs in chapter 15. Here was the disagreement, the desertion of John Mark. We don't know why he deserted, but we can speculate. One idea is that he got sick. We read in Galatians that Paul experienced sickness at times. Another idea is that maybe it was a matter of cold feet where he just didn't like the persecution that was taking place. We can read about the stories of Paul being left for dead and being persecuted by the religious zealots of the day. Maybe John Mark saw that and said, “Man, I didn't sign up for this.” John Chrysostom, that golden-tongued orator of the 300s, said, “Maybe John Mark just missed his mama.” One idea that commentators suggest is the fact that their names shift from “Barnabas and Saul” at the beginning of their ministries to “Saul and Barnabas” later on.

Even Acts 13:13 reads “Paul and his party”, which may signal a change in leadership from Barnabas to Paul. Who was the cousin of Barnabas? John Mark. Maybe John Mark saw this change of leadership and felt a loyalty to Barnabas. For whatever reason, he deserted them.
In Acts 15:36-41, we see the disagreement between Barnabas and Paul becoming so intense that they decide to part ways.

These two giants of the faith refused to budge. Acts 15:37 says “Barnabas was determined to take John called Mark with them.” The verb in Greek implies that he continued to insist that John Mark was coming. He's coming. He's coming. But in verse 38, it says that Paul insisted that they should not take with them the one who had departed. The Greek implies that he insisted and insisted and insisted. Paul was not budging.

Why did they have such different perspectives? Perhaps Barnabas’ perspective was that John Mark was still a good young man and they needed to believe in him. However, Paul's perspective was that John Mark had deserted them once and he'll desert them again. The mission was not John Mark. The mission was the churches that they were going out to encourage. Paul's priority was the mission, while Barnabas's priority was John Mark and the people.

Barnabas could have looked at Paul and said, "Hey, Paul, don't you remember who it was who stuck his neck out for you when everybody thought you were going to persecute them and kill them? I came on the scene and said, ‘No, you can trust Saul. You can trust Paul. He's a believer now. He's here to share God's Word with us.’ Who was it who did that, Paul?” I imagine Paul sheepishly responding, “Um, you did." We know Barnabas dug in his heels and insisted on taking John Mark with them. On the other hand, Paul could have easily said, "God has called me to lead our group, and if I'm leading, then he's not going." Therefore, they parted ways.

I see a few applications that can help us as we work through our own relationships as God’s people:

First, in our humanity, we are imperfect people. Whether we're Christians or not, we make mistakes, and we let people down. Have you ever let someone down? Have you ever disappointed someone? Have you ever tried to go back and apologize for something you did? John Mark let his companions down. It's very possible and probable in between the first and second missionary journeys that John Mark went to Barnabas and perhaps to Paul as well and said, "Man, I'm sorry I let you down. I won't do it again.” John 2:23–24 says, “Now when He was in Jerusalem at the Passover, during the feast, many believed in His name when they saw the signs which He did. But Jesus did not commit Himself to them, because He knew all men.” Jesus did not commit Himself to them because He knew that people can be fickle. Just because they believed in Him at that moment, it did not guarantee that they would continue to believe in Him in the future. Similarly, we need to acknowledge that as humans, we are not perfect. Jesus is the only perfect Person. We should be gracious to one another because of this reality.

Second, in our humanity, our perspectives are flawed. We don't see perfectly. 1 Corinthians 13:12 says, “For now we see in a mirror, dimly, but then face to face. Now I know in part, but then I shall know just as I also am known.” Paul admits, "Right now, I see in part, but then (in heaven one day), I'll see perfectly. Right now I see through a glass darkly or dimly, but then I will really see." Because our perspectives are flawed, conflict is inevitable. Paul values the mission. Barnabas values the person. Paul is saying, “He's not coming because he's going to let us down again,” while Barnabas is saying, “No, we've got to believe in this guy. God's hand is on his life.”

Third, relationships can be restored. The Bible teaches us that as brothers and sisters in Christ, we don't have to be identical. Christian unity doesn't mean uniformity. We don't have to speak, look, or think alike. We may not always understand each other's perspectives, but we do need to recognize that we only see part of the picture now, and one day we will see perfectly.

We do know that forgiveness and restoration occurred between Paul, Barnabas and John Mark. For instance, in 1 Corinthians 9:3-7, Paul speaks highly of Barnabas. In Colossians 4:10, Paul mentions John Mark, calling him "Mark, the cousin of Barnabas" and instructing the church to welcome him if he comes. In 2 Timothy 4:11, at the end of his life, Paul asks Luke to bring John Mark with him, saying that “he is useful to me for ministry.” It is also worth noting that the Gospel of Mark was penned by this same John Mark. So, perhaps as hindsight is 20/20, we should side with Barnabas in the conflict. John Mark was worth being given another chance. All of these passages should help us hold on to, cultivate, show grace, and even restore (if possible) our Christian friendships and relationships. We need grace at times, so we should be ready to show grace. Relationships can be messy, but they are worth it. God made us for community.

“Dear God, thank You for this passage of Scripture. I see that even Your servants can disagree. You Alone have the right perspective. As I build friendships with my Christian brothers and sisters, please help me extend grace when I don’t see as they see. Grow us closer to You and to one another as we walk through this life. In Jesus’ Name, Amen.”

Check out: Reconnect with Others (Acts 15:36-51): https://www.joshfranklin.org/media/4kj6ycz/reconnect-with-others-acts-15-36-51

Before I entered the ministry, I worked in Christian bookstores. I started working in them at the age of 16 and even managed three of them once I turned 18. I enjoyed every minute of it and thought that was going to be my career. In general, I love bookstores so much that when Lydia and I were first married, a great date for us was to eat out somewhere, and then she would drop me off at a used bookstore or a regular bookstore, while she shopped somewhere else. Several hours later, she would pick me up, and we would go get ice cream or dessert.

I remember working as a bookstore manager and later on shopping as a customer; I always enjoyed helping people find Bibles and Christian resources. In a bookstore, there would be a variety of Bibles available, and I would often hear customers express what they were looking for, but no one was available to help them. So, I would step in as a customer and offer my help. The employees would be surprised, but I just wanted to help. It's nice to be able to touch and see a book before you buy it.

However, online shopping has taken over the book industry so much that many brick-and-mortar bookstores have had to close. They simply weren't getting the same level of customer engagement and financial returns as before. Why do consumers prefer online shopping? When shopping at brick-and-mortar stores, customers might find what they're looking for, but they may also find that the prices are too high.

For instance, a few weeks ago, I was at a bookstore, and I saw a book that I wanted to buy, but the price was pretty high. So, I looked it up online and found it for half the price with free shipping. What did I do? I purchased it online and walked out of the store.

Online shopping has become increasingly popular in the last fifteen years, and it has pushed traditional shopping to the side. However, you just don’t get the same experience when you shop online. For instance, when you go to the mall or a physical store, you can try clothes on and immediately see if something fits or how it looks. Shopping online, you take a risk that something might not fit or look good on you. Often, you have to return the product because it wasn’t quite right.

The point is that we can see bookstores and other brick-and-mortar stores struggling to stay afloat. We've all seen it – you just go to a mall and notice certain areas that are empty instead of bustling with activity like they used to be.

Even though we have online shopping, people still want to experience what they once had in brick-and-mortar stores. One national online retailer that put many brick-and-mortar businesses out of business has now decided to start up brick-and-mortar bookstores. Why? Because people want to experience the same thing they did before.

It was a sad day when I realized that I was part of the problem. I would go to a store, look at a book, and then search for it online to get a better deal. I would also take pictures of items with my phone, intending to purchase them later. If everybody treated bookstores the way I did, then they would inevitably go out of business. But that's capitalism 101, and this is what progress looks like.

Relating this to God’s church, here’s a good question we should ask ourselves: If everyone treated the church the way I treat the church, will it survive?

The online church is a great option for keeping you connected during times of sickness (even long-term illness) or vacation, but believers should want to physically be in the church. Christians should desire to be back with the people of God. The online church will never replace the experience of gathering together, worshipping together, giving together, serving together and hearing God’s Word and responding together.

Nationally, around 4,000 churches across the country close their doors every year, including many that were once thriving. Rather than simply criticizing this trend, we should ask ourselves if we contribute to the church’s demise.

I was thinking of this one guy, he called up a pastor and he said, "Pastor, I want to join your church." And the pastor said, "Okay, great. This is exciting." And he said, "However, I want to tell you, Pastor, that even though I'm going to join your church, I don't want you to ask me to give any money. I don't want you to look and see if I'm attending on a regular basis. I don't want to be asked to serve on any committees. I don't want to be asked to go to Sunday school. I don't want to serve. I don't want to teach, but I want to be a member of your church." And the pastor said, "You know what? I don't think our church is the right place for you, but I do have a church that you would like to be a member of."

The man was interested, so the pastor said, "Write this address down." He wrote down the address. He said, "Thank you for your time." When the man drove to that location, he found an abandoned church building – no longer in use. The truth is, if everybody treated the church the way that man wanted to treat the church, there would be nothing but abandoned church buildings everywhere.

There was a large church that had to sell its property and purchase a smaller building because the attendance was so low.  The online chatter exploded, locally and nationally because of the church’s prominence. People criticized the leadership of that church. "How dare that church sell their beautiful building to go to a smaller location. Now it will be turned into something else. The leaders are making a terrible decision,” The online responses were heartbreaking, because they went something like this:  "That's the church I used to attend. That's the church I used to serve in the Sunday school. That's the church I was baptized at back in the day. That's the church I grew up in and loved." The phrase that was common was "I used to" or something in the past tense. Every generation has to make the decision of how they're going to handle God's church.

In 722 BC, the Assyrian armies dispersed the northern tribes of Israel, but the southern tribes, where the house of God still stood, were untouched. The faithful tribes there held on until 586 BC when the Babylonians destroyed everything in Jerusalem, including the temple. The Babylonians took the people into captivity, including Daniel, Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego.

God's message to His people was that they would return to their homes after 70 years. And just as God had promised, King Cyrus of Persia sent a letter allowing the Jews to return to Jerusalem. Fifty thousand Jews led by folks like Zerubbabel and the governor repopulated the area of Jerusalem and began to rebuild the temple. They laid the foundation, but fear of outsiders caused them to pause the work. They were, however, still able to rebuild their own houses during this time. After 15 years of no progress, God sent the prophet Haggai with a message. Haggai 1-2 records four messages from September to December of 520 BC, urging the Jews to resume the work on the temple. The people had become apathetic and were making excuses that it was not the right time to rebuild the temple. However, Haggai reminded them that it was time to rebuild the Lord's house.

Haggai 1:1–9 (NKJV)
1 In the second year of King Darius, in the sixth month, on the first day of the month, the word of the Lord came by Haggai the prophet to Zerubbabel the son of Shealtiel, governor of Judah, and to Joshua the son of Jehozadak, the high priest, saying,
2 “Thus speaks the Lord of hosts, saying: ‘This people says, “The time has not come, the time that the Lord’s house should be built.” ’ ”
3 Then the word of the Lord came by Haggai the prophet, saying,
4 “Is it time for you yourselves to dwell in your paneled houses, and this temple to lie in ruins?”
5 Now therefore, thus says the Lord of hosts: “Consider your ways!
6 “You have sown much, and bring in little; You eat, but do not have enough; You drink, but you are not filled with drink; You clothe yourselves, but no one is warm; And he who earns wages, Earns wages to put into a bag with holes.”
7 Thus says the Lord of hosts: “Consider your ways!
8 Go up to the mountains and bring wood and build the temple, that I may take pleasure in it and be glorified,” says the Lord.
9 “You looked for much, but indeed it came to little; and when you brought it home, I blew it away. Why?” says the Lord of hosts. “Because of My house that is in ruins, while every one of you runs to his own house. 

In the fourth verse, God is questioning His people’s priorities. In essence, He is saying, “You build luxurious homes for yourselves, but My House lies in ruins.” They justified their apathy, saying it wasn’t yet the right time to rebuild the temple. But Haggai is reporting that God wants them to prioritize His house. The temple was where God’s presence would remain and where the people could offer sacrifices. In verse five and verse seven, God says, “Consider your ways.”

In Matthew 16:18, Jesus said, “I will build my church, and the gates of hell will not prevail against it." While it is true that Jesus is responsible for building His church, it is equally true that every generation will decide how they will treat God's house, which today is His church. We must do our part to ensure its survival for future generations. We must faithfully attend, give, serve, love, and support God’s church. We must see the church as an essential part of our spiritual walk.

“Dear Lord, thank You for Your church. I pray that You find me faithful in taking care of Your church, so it may be a beacon of hope, love, and truth in my community for future generations. In Jesus’ Name, amen.”

Check out "Reconnect with Church": https://www.joshfranklin.org/media/npx3v6b/reconnect-with-church-haggai-1

Adrian Rogers once saw a picture and an article that caught his attention from The Houston Chronicle. This picture, which was on the front page, showed a woman who had her ear on a man’s chest. The man was not her husband, nor was he her son, nor was he related to her in any way, and yet she had her ear on his chest. The reason was because the man that she had her ear up to his chest was a man who’d received a heart transplant, and the heart transplant that he had received was the heart of this woman’s son. She was listening to the heartbeat of her own son. Rogers shared this application with his audience, “When I saw that, I thought, ‘O my God, could You put Your ear to my chest and hear the heartbeat of Your Son?’”[1]

Matthew 9:36-38 shows the heartbeat of Jesus. It reads, “36 But when He saw the multitudes, He was moved with compassion for them, because they were weary and scattered, like sheep having no shepherd. 37 Then He said to His disciples, ‘The harvest truly is plentiful, but the laborers are few. 38 Therefore pray the Lord of the harvest to send out laborers into His harvest.’”
 
When Jesus looks at this world, He has compassion for us. Men, women, boys, and girls need to hear about Jesus. Many churches and Christian organizations are striving to reach them. The real question is: What are you, personally, doing to be a part of God’s work in the world? I once heard a preacher share a simple but pointed statement: “Do something, lest you do nothing.” We all can do something.

I remember seeing my own dad’s heart for God’s work when I returned from a short-term international mission opportunity. When he was younger, he, too, had been on short-term mission trips. At this point, physical challenges caused him to need to stay close to medical care in the US. He couldn’t travel like he once did. I wanted to share with him some of the things that we did while we were there. I told him how we were distributing Bibles. We were sharing the Gospel. We encouraged the believers and churches. After I was done talking, he was lying on his back and he sincerely asked me, “Josh, next time you go, would you take me with you?”

I told him that I couldn't take him overseas because hospitals were not close by. He pressed further, “I won’t get in the way. Take me with you next time. I just want to help.” I told him that he just physically couldn’t right then. However, I told him that his passion and heart to be a part of God’s work in the world were a testimony to me and everyone who knew him. If he COULD go, he WOULD go.

What about those of us who can go or can take part in ministry opportunities. Some can teach the Bible. Some can love on babies, while their parents are in worship service. Some can tell boys and girls about Jesus. I know some cannot, and I would not want to heap guilt upon them. That’s part of the reason I wanted to share that story about my dad’s heart on full display.

However, there are those who can be engaged in God’s work but choose not to participate. We can list many reasons why we can’t right now:

• “This is not the right time. Maybe in a few months, but not right now.”
• “Maybe if it was a different opportunity, but not that one.”
• “Maybe if someone else had asked me, but not that person.”

There are local opportunities through your church's programs. Many can give financially to help spread God’s Word throughout the world. Some can go to different parts of the world, while others may not be able to. Perhaps you’re like my dad, who once did more, but now cannot. God understands, and yet, we can all pray for those who are in the work.

The real question we should ask ourselves is when God sees the laborers, and the great harvest – does He count you as one of His laborers? Let God’s compassion for lost humanity move us to the point where we say, “I can’t do everything, but I can do something.”

“Dear God, I want You to be able to hear the heartbeat of Your Son in my heart. I pray I see the lostness of humanity the same way Jesus does. I pray You can count me as one of Your laborers. I pray that You help me see the part I can play in getting Your mission done in this world. In Jesus’ name, amen.”

  [1] Adrian Rogers, “When God Cleans House,” in Adrian Rogers Sermon Archive (Signal Hill, CA: Rogers Family Trust, 2017), Matthew 21:12–13.

We really resent the idea when someone says, “Do as I say, but not as I do.” Our walk should match our talk. I’ve come to conclude that our beliefs and doctrines are what we say we believe. But our actions are proving what we actually believe. Our doctrines may be what we say we believe, but our actions reveal what we truly believe. Galatians 2 tells the story of when Paul had to confront Peter because his actions didn’t line up with his stated beliefs.

Galatians 2:11–14 (NLT)
11 But when Peter came to Antioch, I had to oppose him to his face, for what he did was very wrong. 
12 When he first arrived, he ate with the Gentile believers, who were not circumcised. But afterward, when some friends of James came, Peter wouldn’t eat with the Gentiles anymore. He was afraid of criticism from these people who insisted on the necessity of circumcision. 
13 As a result, other Jewish believers followed Peter’s hypocrisy, and even Barnabas was led astray by their hypocrisy. 
14 When I saw that they were not following the truth of the gospel message, I said to Peter in front of all the others, “Since you, a Jew by birth, have discarded the Jewish laws and are living like a Gentile, why are you now trying to make these Gentiles follow the Jewish traditions?
 
Galatians is written very early in the history of the church. It's one of the oldest books in the New Testament. Acts 10 records the story of how God used Peter to get the message of the gospel to Cornelius, a Gentile. Peter has a vision where God lowers a sheet with unclean animals that Jews would not dare eat and tells Peter to eat. Peter responds, "Nothing unclean has touched my mouth." God says, "Don't call unclean what I have cleansed." He leads Cornelius's people to find Peter, and God leads Peter to go talk to Cornelius's household about Jesus. Cornelius is a Gentile, not a Jew.

Before this time, virtually everyone who was a Christian was first Jewish. They thought that in order to be a Christian, you had to be a good Jew first. You had to follow the Jewish Old Testament, the laws, and the commands. For instance, the Sabbath laws, the food dietary laws, and the laws related to the circumcision of males.

Peter was struggling with this. He was supposed to lead this Gentile to faith in Jesus, and then he finds out that God is no respecter of persons (Acts 10:34). He realizes that the same gospel is for both Jew and Gentile. The Holy Spirit filled the Gentiles, and Peter said, "We've got to baptize them." They don't have to be Jews, they don't have to be circumcised, and they don't have to follow the laws and the codes and the conduct of the Jewish people.

Ultimately, Peter would recognize that his ministry was primarily to the Jews and Paul's ministry was primarily to the Gentiles. So, Peter already wrestled with this and already received it from the Lord. This is the context in which we find Paul and Peter in Galatians 2. Peter visited Antioch, where he met some of the Gentile believers. He had no problem associating and eating with these Gentiles until some men from the Jerusalem church came.

Galatians 2:12 says, "But afterward, when some friends of James came, Peter wouldn’t eat with the Gentiles anymore." James was the half-brother of Jesus and the pastor of the church in Jerusalem, where there were a lot of Jewish-grounded believers. Verse 13 says, “[E]ven Barnabas was led astray by their hypocrisy.” The word "hypocrite" refers to someone putting on a mask. We think of actors who present themselves one way on stage, behind a mask, but are another way off the stage. Peter knew that Jews and Gentiles come to faith in Christ the same way and are saved from their sins in the same way, yet he became a hypocrite. He was afraid of these Jewish Christians who would think that eating together with Gentiles would be a violation of God’s law.

This fear caused him to slowly back away from his fellowship with the Gentile Christians, and he began to eat only with the Jews. Paul reminded Peter that Jesus had created one family in Christ and tore down the barrier between Jews and Gentiles. There was no separation between them, and yet Peter was drawing a distinction between them. Peter was, in fact, ostracizing an entire group of God's family because he was intimidated by the crowd. Proverbs 29:25 says, “The fear of man is a snare,” and Peter had been caught in that trap.

Well, we may not have problems like these, but we can still apply this passage. Today, there are people who say that they are Christians and they know the truth of God's word, and yet then they pull back from those convictions that they once held dear. Parents are vulnerable to this when their child grows up and begins to believe things that are different from what they were taught in the home. The parents were teaching God’s Word, but now the children are “enlightened”. The parents taught right from wrong, but now the child says, “Mom, Dad, I don’t think that’s important anymore. Don’t you know that there are different perspectives on those Bible verses?” Or, they may say, “I went to this church in college, and they taught something very different than what you taught me.” They may go on to quote their professors in psychology, sociology, or world religions.

The parents, though they know their Bibles, are tempted to soften their convictions or try to find a compromise in their own minds because they are afraid of being ostracized by the people that they love. Remember, “the fear of man is a snare.” Instead, their discussions should include, “I love you too much to stay silent about this. The Bible has not changed. God has not changed His mind.” Then they can proceed to quote Bible verses and help their adult children with the questions that their professors have asked. When God’s Word is clear, God’s people should be clear. When thinking about this story, there are three challenges to consider:

First, build your faith and your doctrine on the Word of God. You would think this sounds simple enough, yet most believers can recount a story of someone who claims to be a Christian backing away from plain, easy-to-comprehend doctrinal ideas from God’s Word. This happens simply because it is no longer socially acceptable. It’s not because God’s Word has changed or that it is now difficult to understand. We should not retreat from what we know to be right.

Second, this truth will not make you popular with the world, but it will make you pleasing to God. God’s Word often goes against the grain of this world system (2 Corinthians 4:4), which makes it unpopular with this world, maybe family members, or maybe friends. But staying faithful to God’s Word will make you pleasing to God. Who do we want to please - others or God?

Galatians 1:10, just one chapter earlier from where we’ve been reading, says, "I am no longer trying to please people. I am trying to please God. If I were still pleasing men, then I would not be the servant of God." Paul might have added, “If I were trying to please men, I wouldn't confront Peter to his face over this hypocrisy that he knew better.” The truth will make us unpopular with this world, but it will make us pleasing to God. One verse of scripture to hold on to or pray over yourself and your children is 3 John 1:4, which says, "I have no greater joy than to hear that my children walk in truth." God's greatest joy is when his children walk in truth, not when everyone thinks well of us. Jesus says, "Woe to you when all men speak well of you, For so did their fathers to the false prophets” (Luke 6:46).

Third, you are not alone when you stand on God's word. In 1 Kings 19, the prophet Elijah was depressed. He was running for his life, when God asked him, “Where are you?” Elijah says, “I've been serving You, but I'm alone. I'm by myself. No one else is standing for you like me.” God’s Word to Elijah is what God wants to tell us as well. God says in 1 Kings 19:18, “I have reserved seven thousand in Israel, all whose knees have not bowed to Baal.” He’s encouraging Elijah to keep standing. He is telling Elijah about the 7,000 who are faithful to Him. Elijah doesn’t see them. Perhaps they are the silent group in Israel, but they still have a backbone and have not bowed to the prominent pagan idols in the land.

Do you feel alone when you are standing faithful to God at work, at school, or in your everyday lives? The devil wants to isolate you. He wants you to think that if you stand for God's Word, you'll be all by yourself. The devil would love to convince you that you are in the minority and that you are fighting a lost cause, but Jesus said in Matthew 16:18, “I will build my church, and the gates of hell will not prevail against it.” One day in glory, may God say to us, “Well done, you good and faithful servant” (Matthew 25:21).

Do we want the popularity of the crowd, or do we want to be well pleasing to God? Are you building your faith on God’s Word or the lies of this world? Imagine Paul telling Peter, “It doesn’t matter if people that you love tell you that you shouldn’t be eating with the Gentiles. God showed you that He shows no partiality. He taught you that we are all one big family in Christ. Live your convictions and allow the chips to fall where they may.”

“Dear God, give me the grace to stand in today’s world with Your Word in my heart and Your Spirit directing my steps. I love You. In Jesus’ name, amen.”

Lydia and I once had the opportunity to visit Yerevan, Armenia. While we were there, we visited a monastery named “Khor Virap” (which means “deep dungeon”), which is located on the border with Turkey overlooking Mount Ararat. The site is so beautiful that you can see the two mountains when the sky is clear. It's an incredible view from that position. Merchants in Yerevan, which is close to the location, will try to sell you something related to Noah's Ark, as they, too, believe that the ark is there on Mount Ararat. Genesis 8:4 says Noah’s Ark “came to rest on the mountains of Ararat.” The monastery has a whole description of the Genesis account of Noah's Ark, signifying its biblical significance for those who might visit. The monastery was built over a pit, which holds great importance for the Armenians beyond the Genesis account. The man connected with the pit and the monastery was Gregory, who became a saint and also is referred to as Gregory the Illuminator. He was a strong Christian who served in the army of Armenia.
 
Gregory’s father, Anak, was believed to have assassinated King Khosrov II, who was the father of King Tiridates III. During a time when Armenia had a pluralistic society and Christianity was not yet a widely accepted religion, King Tiridates III asked Gregory to burn incense to a pagan idol. However, Gregory refused to do so because of his Christian beliefs. The king was outraged by Gregory's refusal and by his father’s assassination, so he decided to punish Gregory by imprisoning him in a dungeon to rot and die. He would have died if it were not for a kind lady who would visit him every day for fourteen years and give him a loaf of bread.
 
In 297 AD, the king wanted to marry a Christian nun, but she had already taken vows of chastity and refused to marry him. In his fury, he killed a group of Christian nuns who were fleeing from Roman persecution. As a result, he lost his senses, experiencing lycanthropy, a condition in which the person behaves like a wild animal. He would roam the forest like a wild boar. After a period of time, those close to him had lost hope that he would ever improve.
 
However, Tiridates’ sister had a dream that revealed the only man who could help the king was Gregory. She believed that Gregory could free the king from his affliction and pray to his God for healing. The problem was that since Gregory had been put into exile in a cave many years ago, it was believed that he had already died.
 
Nevertheless, they sent for Gregory anyway. When they found him in the cave, he was barely alive and emaciated. They brought him to the king. They asked Gregory to pray for the king's healing, which he did. To everyone's amazement, the king regained his senses almost immediately. He was healed of his affliction and was able to reason and think clearly once again. The king then acknowledged that Gregory's God was the one true God. In 301 AD, the king proclaimed Armenia a Christian nation and thus made Armenia the first Christian nation officially.
 
Daniel 4:1-37 is the account of how King Nebuchadnezzar came to acknowledge Daniel’s God as the one, true God. This is the same man, who one chapter earlier had thrown Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego into the fiery furnace for not bowing to his idolatrous statue.
 
Daniel 4:1–3 (NKJV)
1 Nebuchadnezzar the king, To all peoples, nations, and languages that dwell in all the earth: Peace be multiplied to you.
2 I thought it good to declare the signs and wonders that the Most High God has worked for me.
3 How great are His signs, And how mighty His wonders! His kingdom is an everlasting kingdom, And His dominion is from generation to generation.
 
I imagine Nebuchadnezzar went to Daniel and said, “Daniel, I can see that you're writing the court stories. I can see that you're writing about the things that have happened while your people have been in exile in Babylon. You must include this story in your book.” Here you have the powerful testimony of a once-pagan king coming to faith in the one true God.
 
We may not be the king of an empire like Nebuchadnezzar nor the king of a country like Tiridates. But, if God has proven Himself in your life, you have a story to proclaim. If Nebuchadnezzar was alive today, he would pass out a gospel tract to every one he could, which would be Daniel chapter four - how God proved He alone is the One True and Living God.

Reflection Question: Who needs to hear your story today?

Dear Heavenly Father, I praise You for how You have transformed my life because of Jesus Christ. May I never be ashamed to share Your gospel with others and testify to how You have saved me. I pray others will come to know You, in part, because I have been bold in my witness. In Jesus' Name, amen.

In Jesus Skeptic, award-winning journalist John Dickerson shares how Christianity has benefited society through the arts, through the scientific revolution, through developing hospitals and universities and much more. He writes, “We say that a fish doesn’t know what water is because water is all they have ever known. In a similar way, we who have been born into American or European cultures have a difficult time understanding what society without Christian influence would actually look like.” [1]
 
He noticed a correlation between women’s rights and societies influenced by Christianity. He continues, “To my surprise, the countries with the best women’s rights all have predominately Christian populations. And the countries with the worst women’s rights are where Christianity has been outlawed or is socially punished. … On average, Christians make up 75 percent of the populations in the nations that lead the world with the best women’s rights, including matters such as equal pay, the right to vote, the right not to be sold into marriage, and a striving toward equal rights in all areas.” [2]
 
In each of the ten worst countries for women’s rights, according to the non-Christian World Economic Forum, none of them are Christian dominant societies and eight out of ten have less than five percent Christian populations. Most of these nations have outlawed Christianity. In these nations, women are not allowed to vote, nor go to school. Often they will be denied the ability to drive a car. “In some [countries], girls are still sold into marriage. Even worse, in some of these cultures, a woman gets physically punished if she is found ‘guilty’ of being raped by a man.” [3]
 
I agree with Dickerson’s final analysis when he says, “No matter how much you may respect other global cultures, if you have a daughter, sister, or mother, you do not want her living in one of these societies.” [4]
 
It is so easy to take it for granted when you are living in a Christian-influenced society, which lifts the status of women. God’s Word is clear that men and women are both equally made in the image of God.

Galatians 3:28 says, "There is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither slave nor free, there is neither male nor female; for you are all one in Christ Jesus." (NKJV)

Men and women both have equal dignity before God. Though we should appreciate the differences that exist, it should always be within the context of recognizing the equal standing men and women both have in the eyes of God.

Dear God, thank You for the freedoms that I enjoy living in America. Thank You for how Jesus has lifted women in society. I pray we never take it for granted. In Jesus' name, amen.

[1] John Dickerson, Jesus Skeptic (Grand Rapids, MI: Baker Book, 2019), 40.
[2] Ibid., 40-42.
[3] Ibid., 42.
[4] Ibid.

Remember the childhood experience of getting soap in your eyes during a bath? The moment the soap would trickle down, the natural reaction was to look down, which only made it worse. However, as parents, we've all told our young children to "Keep looking up." When trying to wash that young child's hair, if we could get them to keep looking up, the soap wouldn't get in their eyes. Well, when I read Psalm 121, I think of that scene. I hear God telling His children to "Keep looking up!"

Psalm 121:1–8 (NKJV)
1 I will lift up my eyes to the hills—From whence comes my help?
2 My help comes from the Lord, Who made heaven and earth.
3 He will not allow your foot to be moved; He who keeps you will not slumber.
4 Behold, He who keeps Israel Shall neither slumber nor sleep.
5 The Lord is your keeper; The Lord is your shade at your right hand.
6 The sun shall not strike you by day, Nor the moon by night.
7 The Lord shall preserve you from all evil; He shall preserve your soul.
8 The Lord shall preserve your going out and your coming in From this time forth, and even forevermore.

The book of Psalms is considered as the hymn book of the people of God in the Old Testament. This passage is from the Songs of Ascent, which is a collection of Psalms (Psalms 120-134) sung as the people of God journeyed to Jerusalem for one of the three annual festivals. As they came from all over Israel to worship in Jerusalem, they were always ascending. When my group and I visited Israel last year, we noticed that regardless of where we came from in Israel, we were always going up to Jerusalem because it's located at a higher elevation, surrounded by hills and mountains. In this context, they would walk together and sing these songs to God.

In Psalm 121, we find a pilgrim who, as he journeys, looks upon the hills that surround him. Commentators interpret the first verse in two main ways:

1) It could refer to the "high places" mentioned in the Old Testament, which were sites of idolatrous worship by the pagan nations around Israel. Some Israelite kings would establish or tear down these high places, which symbolized idol worship. So, in saying, "I lift my eyes to the hills; from whence comes my help. My help comes from the Lord, who made the heavens and the earth," the pilgrim is affirming his trust in the one true God, Jehovah, rather than in these idolatrous high places.

2) As the pilgrim journeyed, he could be contemplating the natural beauty of the hills and the surrounding landscape. The act of gazing at this awe-inspiring creation leads him to declare, "I look at these hills; I look at the beautiful creation. From whence comes my help? My help does not come from the creation itself. It comes from the Creator of all this beauty - God Himself."

So, Psalm 121 invites us to focus our trust on the Creator rather than the creation and to remember that our help ultimately comes from the Lord. Whether in times of temptation to worship false idols or when marveling at the majesty of the natural world, the psalmist's message resonates through the ages: our ultimate source of help is the Lord who made heaven and earth.

Dear God, I praise You! I worship You! You are the Creator of all this beauty I see all around me. I pray that my eyes stay on You today. I pray I keep looking up! In Jesus' name, Amen.

I read about the love story of Daniel Webster and Grace Fletcher. At the time, he was a poor lawyer who fell in love with Grace and began dating her. Grace's father was a clergyman and he allowed Daniel to visit only when he was present. So, they started dating in Grace's home, where she worked. Her job was to untangle knots in silk yarn, which was a time-consuming process. Daniel would sit with her for hours, holding one end of the yarn, while they both fell in love with each other. One day, when Grace's father left the room, Daniel proposed to her. He pulled out a red ribbon that he had tied into an intricate knot and said, "Grace, you and I have been untangling knots for a long time. What if we could tie a knot together that would last our entire lifetime?" Grace also tied up several intricate knots, tying them together. This knotted ribbon became very special to both of them, symbolizing their love for each other.
 
They were married for about 21 years until Grace passed away. After Grace's death, Daniel got married to someone else, but he kept the mementos from his time with Grace in a box entitled “Precious Documents”. The box contained personal items, including letters from him and Grace. The letters were smudged because he had read them so many times. Daniel had pulled those letters out throughout his life to read back over Grace’s love letters to him during their courtship and even after they were married. A red knotted piece of yarn was also found in the box, which symbolized the knot they tied together. Even though Grace had passed away, Daniel never forgot his first love.
 
So often, what happens is that we start our dating or married lives with a honeymoon phase. However, over time, our priorities may change. It's not that we stop loving each other, but we may start to cool off. When football season begins, some are more excited than others. I heard about a woman who was talking to her husband and he asked if there was anything she needed to tell him before the football season started. She thought about it and said, “I think you love football more than you love me.” He replied, “Yeah, but I love you more than I love basketball.”
 
Just as married relationships can cool off, our relationship with God can, too. Before we know it, what began as a passionate walk with God, can cool off. Our quiet times, if they exist at all, can become dull and more like going through a routine. Revelation 2 describes the church at Ephesus as just going through the motions.
 
Revelation 2:1a, 2-5 (NKJV)
1 “To the angel of the church of Ephesus write, …
2 “I know your works, your labor, your patience, and that you cannot bear those who are evil. And you have tested those who say they are apostles and are not, and have found them liars;
3 and you have persevered and have patience, and have labored for My name’s sake and have not become weary.
4 Nevertheless I have this against you, that you have left your first love.
5 Remember therefore from where you have fallen; repent and do the first works, or else I will come to you quickly and remove your lampstand from its place—unless you repent.”
 
The church in Ephesus was founded by the apostle Paul himself. This church has an incredible heritage and pedigree. Paul wrote a letter to the church in Ephesus, which is now known as the Book of Ephesians. Paul wrote two letters to his protégé in ministry, Timothy, who was the pastor of the church in Ephesus. Church history tells us that the Apostle John, who wrote the Book of Revelation, the Gospel of John, and three letters that bear his name (First, Second and Third John), was the pastor of the church in Ephesus. This church had an incredible pedigree, but Jesus' words to them were, "I have something against you. You have left your first love."
 
If it can happen to such a great church, it is a temptation for us, too. He shares three different steps to return to that flame that you once had.
 
First, He says, "Remember therefore from where you have fallen." In Greek, that's a word that means to keep on remembering - it's a present imperative that describes continually remembering. You are constantly remembering. Have you forgotten about what happened when you gave your life to Jesus? Have you forgotten about being lost? Have you forgotten about that time when you did not know Jesus, and you were living for yourself? You were destined for hell, separated from God, and yet God, in His love and mercy, reached out to you and loved you into the kingdom. Every single day when I'm praying in my prayer journal, I say, "Thank you, God, for allowing me to be Your child. Thank You, God, for bringing me into the kingdom. Thank You for loving me through the cross." Never get over the fact that Jesus reached out, opened your spiritual eyes, and helped you see your lost condition and the beauty of the Gospel that could save you and make you right with Him. He says, "Keep on remembering from where you have fallen."
 
Second: "Repent." This is not a popular word today, but Jesus uses that word to rebuke five out of the seven churches, from Revelation 2-3. He says, "Repent or else." Repentance is a change of mind that leads to a change of action. It's something internal. You are saying, "I choose to no longer live for myself, but I'm living for Jesus. I choose to no longer live in this direction, but instead be Jesus-centered.” Repentance is a change of mind that leads to a change of action.
 
Third: “Return” or "Do the first works." He says, "Do the first works or else I will come to you quickly and remove your lampstand from its place.” What do you do with a bulb that's out? You throw it away. It no longer has its usefulness.
 
Do you remember when you first gave your life to Jesus? I can't forget this comment that my dad, who gave his life to Christ at 33, told me. Since I was born when he was 40, this was many years after I was born, but I remember him telling me, even as a teenager, he would say, "Josh, I remember when I first gave my life to Christ. I just had so much love in my heart. I could not help it. All I wanted to do was go and hug a tree. I had so much love." Where does that come from? From God. He is love, and He's filling our life. We love Him, and we love others, and we love the lost, and we love His church. All that love just bubbles out. Don't allow that to cool off in your relationship. Do the first works.
 
Was there ever a time when you loved Jesus more than you do right now? What were you doing during that time? You might reflect on that time and say, "I came to church every time the doors were open. Every morning I'd wake up an hour early just to spend time with Jesus. Every time I would go on my lunch break, I would stick my Bible on my dashboard, I would pull it out, and I would read for a chapter. I would eat my lunch, but then I would read. I would tell people about Jesus. I would carry little pocket cards in my pocket that would have a scripture verse that I would memorize." I'm telling you all of these things that we probably did when we were on fire for Jesus. The question is, why did we ever stop? That's what Jesus' question to Ephesus was, "Why'd you stop?" Go back and return to what you did before. Go back and be around the family of God. Be involved in that Bible study group. Jesus says, "Go back. Do the first works."
 
The sad truth is Ephesus did not do that. Today, there's no church there. The church continued to go in the direction that it was going in and it did not heed the words of Jesus. If that can happen to a church that was founded by the apostle Paul, that was pastored by John, Timothy, and Paul, it can happen to any church. If it can happen to a church that's sound doctrinally, that's steadfast, that's successful, that's sacrificial, then it can happen to any church.
 
A woman was riding in a truck with her husband. He was driving the truck and they were sitting on the front bench. She said to him, "Honey, do you remember those times when we were dating and there was no space between us? I was sitting in the middle of that bench, right beside you, and you were driving. There was just no space between us. Don't you remember those good old days? And why don't we do that?" He looked at her and replied, "I never moved."
 
Sometimes we feel distant from God and wonder why we don't feel the same fire and passion for Him as we once did. But just like the husband in the truck who never moved, God never moves away from us. We can always slide closer to Him and rekindle our love for Him. Remember, repent, return to those first works, and you will soon find the fire rekindled with your relationship with the Lord.
 
Dear God, my heart has grown cold. I’m not prioritizing my walk with You. Please forgive me. Remind me of the activities that I used to do, and I commit to returning to them. I never want to leave You, my First Love. In Jesus’ name, amen.

Adapted from Reconnect With God (Revelation 2:1-7): https://www.joshfranklin.org/media/2vkktq9/reconnect-with-god-revelation-2-1-7

"For God has not given us a spirit of fear, but of power and of love and of a sound mind."  — 2 Timothy 1:7 (NKJV)

Ann Landers, the syndicated advice columnist, was at one time receiving ten thousand letters a month from people with all kinds of problems. Someone asked her if there was one common denominator among all her correspondents. She said that the great overriding theme of all the letters she read was fear—fear of nearly everything imaginable until the problem became, for countless readers, a fear of life itself.

Fear is a universal human emotion. We all experience it in different ways and to varying degrees. Often, we don't take the time to understand why we are afraid, what kind of fear it is (healthy or unhealthy), and we have simplistic answers to solving our fears.

While some fears are rational and protect us, others can become debilitating and prevent us from living the abundant life God intends for us. The Bible makes a clear distinction between healthy fear (reverence for God) and unhealthy fear (terror that paralyzes). When 2 Timothy 1:7 says, "God has not given us a spirit of fear," it's referring to that tormenting fear that keeps us from moving forward in faith. These irrational fears can consume our minds and even affect our physical health. But here's the good news: we don't have to live captive to those fears. God has provided everything we need to face our fears with courage and confidence.

There's a great comedy sketch from MADTV starring the incomparable Bob Newhart as - what else - a psychiatrist. His patient tells him she has a pathological fear of being buried alive in a box. He has two words of wisdom: "Stop it!" Somewhat taken aback, she goes on to detail her other issues: she's bulimic, she's been stuck in a series of abusive relationships, she's a compulsive hand-washer. "Stop it," he says. "Just stop it, what are you, some kind of nut?" After five minutes of this, she's had it. Outraged, she protests that she hates this therapy, it's moving too fast, it's ridiculously simplistic. "You want more?" asks Newhart. She nods. He leans across his desk. "Stop it or I'll bury you alive in a box!" he shouts. [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1QGsU4rN654]
 
Often, when faced with the emotion of fear, people tend to tell others to just "stop" feeling that way. However, God's Word provides us with promises and strength for those fearful moments. God doesn’t simply instruct us to “stop it.” Instead, He empowers us with His Spirit, gifting us with power, love, and a sound mind. We don’t have to let fear control our lives; instead, we can combat it with the truth of Who God is and the promises He has given us. When fear arises, we don’t need to ignore it or face it alone; we can confront it with faith.

Reflection Question:  What promise from God’s Word can you cling to when fear threatens to take over?

Lord, thank You for not leaving me alone in my fear. Help me replace fear with the truth of Your promises and to rely on the power, love, and sound mind that You have given me. In Jesus' Name, amen.

From "God's Answer for Fear": https://www.joshfranklin.org/media/cr3n4pv/6-god-s-answer-for-fear

"If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness." - 1 John 1:9

It is crucial to distinguish between our relationship with God and our fellowship with God. When you are a child of God, you are in relationship with God. He's your Father; you are His child. That doesn't change. A doctrine that we need to understand and appreciate is called "The Security of the Believer" (we are secure in Christ). Another doctrine is "The Perseverance of the Saints" (true believers will persevere until the end).

In John 10:27-29, Jesus declares that God will hold you in His hands. He says, "You will not be snatched out of the Father's hands. You'll not be snatched out of My hand." Well, listen, that's your relationship, and your relationship remains unchanged. You're still His child even if you sin, but your fellowship can be damaged.

I have three boys. If one of them were to do something, they're not going to stop being my son. You who are parents know exactly what I'm talking about. They never stop being your child, and yet there may be something that has hurt your fellowship, and that fellowship is what God wants to restore if you'll let Him.

The guilty conscience is a gift from God when it leads to restoration of fellowship. In Hebrews 10:22, we read about people who should feel guilty, and they rightfully do feel guilty. This is the person who is in right relationship with God, but then they've stumbled, they've fallen, they've sinned in some way, and they feel guilty over it. This is a healthy conscience at work.

But Satan loves to take this gift and twist it. He wants to keep your guilty conscience lingering even after confession. He wants you to confess your sin, but then never accept God's forgiveness. He wants you to remain in a broken fellowship even though your relationship is secure.

What God wants is for His children to move from a guilty conscience to a clear conscience. He wants us to be like Paul who said in Acts 24:16, "I have lived my life in good conscience before God and man." That happens when we confess our sins specifically, turn from them, and then receive God's forgiveness completely - recognizing that He has cleansed us "from all unrighteousness."

Our enemy, Satan, also known as "the accuser of the brethren", loves to keep us wallowing in guilt - because a Christian who is constantly feeling guilty about forgiven sin is a Christian who isn't effectively serving God in the present. If Satan can keep you focused on past failures that God has already forgiven, he can rob you of present joy and future effectiveness.

Recognize that you have never stopped being God's son or daughter. Thank Him for His forgiveness and begin to repair the fellowship that was broken because of the sin. If you have asked God to forgive you of specific sin, remember this passage from God's Word: “Therefore, there is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus.” – Romans 8:1

Reflection Question: Is there an area where you've confessed sin but still feel a sense of broken fellowship with God? What would it look like for you to fully receive His forgiveness and restore that fellowship?

Father, thank You for the security I have in my relationship with You through Christ. I recognize that my sin doesn't change my relationship with You, but it can damage our fellowship. Help me to quickly confess my sins when I fail, and then to fully receive Your forgiveness rather than allowing the enemy to keep me in bondage to guilt. I choose today to walk in restored fellowship with You. In Jesus' Name, amen.

Adapted from "God's Answer for Guilt": https://www.joshfranklin.org/media/x8v77x7/5-god-s-answer-for-guilt

"He who knew no sin became sin for us, that we might become the righteousness of God in Him." - 2 Corinthians 5:21

Every now and then, somebody says, "Well, what you need to do is forgive yourself" or "You just need to be affirmed." But that misses the whole point of true forgiveness.

Think about it this way: Imagine if I had a guy named Jack and a guy named Bob in front of me, and I punched Jack right in the nose. His eyes start watering, blood streaming down his face, maybe even loosened some teeth. Then imagine Bob steps forward and says, "Now, there's a problem here, but I want you to know that I affirm Josh. I just affirm him. And Josh, I want you to know, I forgive you for what you did to Jack."

And then I respond, "Hey, you don't need to forgive me; I've already forgiven myself."

Meanwhile, Jack is standing there with his nose bleeding. The truth is, only the person who was punched can forgive the one who did the punching. Bob's forgiveness means nothing in this situation, and my self-forgiveness is completely irrelevant to Jack. [Illustration originated from Adrian Rogers, “The Guilt Trap,” in Adrian Rogers Sermon Archive (Signal Hill, CA: Rogers Family Trust, 2017), Zec 3:1–4.]

This is exactly how it works with God. When we sin, we sin against God. We've offended Him. We can "forgive ourselves" all we want, but if God hasn't forgiven us, we're still guilty. We can have others "affirm us," but that doesn't remove our guilt before God.

The truth is when we recognize our sinfulness in the sight of God, against God, He alone can forgive us. He alone can truly get rid of the guilty conscience that we've been experiencing.

We must realize that our sin is against God. He alone can forgive us. He alone can truly get rid of the guilty conscience that we've been experiencing. How can you feel that you are truly forgiven? Let me share this helpful outline, taken from June Hunt [Biblical Counseling Keys on Guilt: Living Guilt Free (Dallas, TX: Hope For The Heart, 2008), 22–24.]:

F - Find the source of your guilt. 2 Timothy 3:16 says "All Scripture is God-breathed and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness." Find out according to God's word, where is the source of the guilt? Is it because you should feel guilty and need to confess according to His word, or is it because of expectations you had for yourself or others had for you?

O - Own responsibility for your sin. Don't excuse it; don't create an alibi. God will not accept our alibis. If He's told us something to do or not do in His Word, it's because we can do it by God's power.

R - Realize that God means what He says. Ephesians 1:7 says, "In Him we have redemption through His blood, the forgiveness of sins, according to the riches of His grace." Take Him at His Word.

G - Give up dwelling on your past. Isaiah 43:18 says, "Do not remember the former things nor consider the things of old." You can either live in the present or you can live in the past, but you can't do both.

I - Invest time in renewing your mind. Romans 12:2 says, "Don't be conformed to this world. Be transformed by the renewing of your mind that you may prove what is that good and acceptable and perfect will of God." Input equals output. If we put God's word in us, our consciences become properly wired.

V - Verify truth when Satan accuses. Isaiah 54:17 says, "No weapon formed against you shall prosper; every tongue that rises up against you in judgment, you shall condemn." Learn to discern the difference between the Holy Spirit’s voice and that of Satan. Answer Satan’s accusations with truth from Scripture. 

E - Exchange your life for the life of Christ. 2 Corinthians 5:21 describes the great exchange: all of my sin placed on Jesus at the cross, all of His righteousness given to me. Don't shy away from what God says about you. How righteous is Jesus? God's word says you are that righteous before God in Christ.

N - Notice that God brings your feelings in line with the facts when you obey Him. Psalm 32:1 says, "Blessed is he whose transgression is forgiven, whose sin is covered." We place our faith not in how we feel but in what God says, and then our feelings will follow.

There are many times after I've said, "Lord, forgive me," you know what I've said? I've said, "Thank You. Thank You for forgiving me." In that moment, I don't feel forgiven, but I'm thanking Him for His Word because my faith is not in how I feel; it's in what God says. So when He says, "You're forgiven," I may feel like a worm, but yet God's word says I'm forgiven. God's word says I'm cleansed. God's word says I'm a son of God. God's word says that I'm the righteousness of God. Thank you, Lord, for Your forgiveness.

Reflection Question: Which step in the F-O-R-G-I-V-E-N outline do you find most challenging to put into practice? What practical step can you take today to live more fully in God's forgiveness?

Father, thank You for showing me how to live in the reality of Your forgiveness. I choose today to run to You, not from You, when I sin. Thank You that I am completely forgiven and cleansed by the blood of Jesus. I am the righteousness of God in Christ! In Jesus' Name, amen.

Adapted from "God's Answer for Guilt": https://www.joshfranklin.org/media/x8v77x7/5-god-s-answer-for-guilt

"As far as the east is from the west, so far has He removed our transgressions from us." - Psalm 103:12

When God forgives, He doesn't do it halfway. Throughout Scripture, He uses descriptive illustrations to help us understand how completely He removes our sins:

1. He removes our sins as far as the east is from the west (Psalm 103:11-12). How far is the east from the west? It just continues to go. God wants not just to forgive us; He wants us to understand the depth of that forgiveness.
2. He makes our "scarlet" sins as white as snow (Isaiah 1:18). Every time we see a fresh snowfall, we should remind ourselves: "Oh God, You've made my conscience, my soul, my spirit, the real part of me - You've made me, through the blood of Jesus, as white as snow."
3. He forgets our sins (Isaiah 43:25). You say, "I'm sorry, Lord." He says, "I forgive you," and then a week later, the devil brings it back to your mind. You say, "Oh God, I'm so sorry for what I did," and He says, "Sorry for what?" What He chooses to forget - confessed sin, repented of sin - He truly forgets.
4. Our sins disappear like the morning dew (Isaiah 44:6, 22). You go out early in the morning, and everything is wet with dew. By mid-afternoon, it's all gone, all dried up. In the same way, God describes how He forgives our sin and cleanses us as disappearing completely.
5. He casts our sins into the depths of the sea (Micah 7:18-19). "Who is a God like You, pardoning iniquity and passing over the transgression of the remnant of His heritage? He does not retain His anger forever because He delights in mercy. He will again have compassion on us. He will subdue our iniquities. You will cast all our sins into the depths of the sea." It's our job not to go back fishing for them! [This outline is taken from Bob Russell, Life Preservers (Cincinnati, OH: Standard Publishing, 1997), 96-97.]

The world tries to offer freedom and forgiveness but can never deliver. They try to disguise this by changing the names of things where it's no longer a sin, no longer an offense against God, but God's word is clear. When we uncover our sin before God, He will cover it. When we try to cover our sin, He will uncover it. He wants our relationship to be made right again.

Reflection Question: Which of God's illustrations of forgiveness speaks most powerfully to you? Why do you think you struggle to accept the completeness of God's forgiveness?

Lord, thank You for the vivid pictures You've given us of how completely You forgive. I am in awe that You remove my sins as far as the east is from the west, that You make them white as snow, that You choose to forget them, that they disappear like morning dew, and that You cast them into the depths of the sea. Help me to stop fishing for sins You've already forgiven. Today I choose to stand in the truth of Your complete forgiveness rather than in my feelings. Thank You for Your amazing grace. In Jesus' Name, amen.

Adapted from "God's Answer for Guilt": https://www.joshfranklin.org/media/x8v77x7/5-god-s-answer-for-guilt

"I strive always to keep my conscience clear before God and man." - Acts 24:16

In God's word, we see four different types of consciences that people can have:

1. The Weak Conscience (1 Corinthians 8:7) - People may feel guilty when they should not. Often, people feel guilty about things that are not sins. Paul addressed this when he talked about eating meat sacrificed to idols. There are some areas the Bible is not necessarily condemning, but other people in your life might condemn. Perhaps you have the voice of your mother or father in your ear, or it's peer pressure making you feel guilty about something that isn't actually sinful according to God's word.
2. The Seared Conscience (1 Timothy 4:2) - People should feel guilty, but they don't. If you habitually violate your conscience, it becomes seared. Often, the most effective silencer for the conscience is majority opinion. If everybody's doing it, or at least no one sees anything wrong with it, we don't feel guilty about going along. Bob Russell states, "Our conscience is like a computer. It spits out whatever's been programmed into it."
3. The Guilty Conscience (Hebrews 10:22) - People should feel guilty, and they rightfully do feel guilty. This is the person who is in right relationship with God, but then they've stumbled, fallen, or sinned in some way, and they feel guilty over it. This is a healthy conscience at work.
4. The Clear Conscience (1 Peter 3:15-16) - People do not feel guilty, and they should not feel guilty. This is the place to be for the child of God. As Paul said in Acts 24:16, "I have lived my life in good conscience before God and man." Romans 8:1 reminds us, "There is therefore now no condemnation to those who are in Christ Jesus." [This list is from Bob Russell, Life Preservers (Cincinnati, OH: Standard Publishing, 1997), 87-90.]

A well-balanced, healthy conscience is more concerned about inward morality than simply outward behaviors. It's sensitive and sensible, not engaging in excessive self-condemnation. It can obtain and accept forgiveness from God and from others.

Reflection Question: Which type of conscience do you identify with most right now? What steps can you take to develop or maintain a clear conscience before God and others?

Heavenly Father, I want to have a conscience that is properly calibrated to Your Word. Show me if my conscience is weak, seared, guilty, or clear. Help me to be sensitive to Your Holy Spirit without falling into self-condemnation. I want to live like Paul, with a clear conscience before You and others. Teach me to accept Your forgiveness completely and to walk in the freedom that comes from a clear conscience. In Jesus' Name, amen.

Adapted from "God's Answer for Guilt": https://www.joshfranklin.org/media/x8v77x7/5-god-s-answer-for-guilt

"Godly sorrow brings repentance that leads to salvation and leaves no regret, but worldly sorrow brings death." - 2 Corinthians 7:10

The biggest thing I want you to take away from this devotion is the difference between what the Bible calls godly sorrow and worldly sorrow, godly guilt and worldly guilt.

When Adam and Eve ate the forbidden fruit in the Garden of Eden, what did they do? They hid themselves. There was a sense of guilt there. God called out, "Adam, where are you?" And Adam replied, "We hid ourselves." "Why?" "Because we are naked." "Who told you you were naked?"

It's like my dog Rocket who polished off an entire plate of bacon that Lydia had made. When I came downstairs, I couldn't find him anywhere. Why? Because he knew what he did. His tail was down, his ears were down, and he was hiding in his bed, trying to bide his time, hoping we would forget.

What Is True Guilt? [1] From earliest childhood, no one has escaped guilt. We experienced guilt when we stole a cookie or told a lie. The Old Testament Hebrew word asham, with its many derivatives, paints a three-dimensional picture of true guilt.

•  The word guilt refers to the fact of being at fault, deserving punishment and requiring a sacrificial offering.
•  True guilt is the result of sin.
•  When we sin we are guilty, and a penalty must be paid for our sin so that fellowship with God can be restored.
•  After David committed adultery with Bathsheba, he repented and cried out to God, “Against you, you only, have I sinned and done what is evil in your sight” (Psalm 51:4).

 
 What Is False Guilt?[2] False guilt is based on self-condemning feelings that you have not lived up to your own expectations or those of someone else.

• False guilt arises when you blame yourself, even though you've committed no wrong, or when you continue to blame yourself after you've confessed and turned from your sin.
• False guilt keeps you in bondage to three destructive weapons... shame, fear and anger.
• Ironically, confession does not resolve false guilt. Revelation 12:10 says "The accuser of our brothers, who accuses them before our God day and night, has been hurled down." He loves to burden believers with false guilt and condemnation. Some of his favorite strategies are: bringing up the past, reminding you of your failures and making you feel unforgiven and unaccepted by God.

How do you know if the Holy Spirit is convicting you (vs. satan accusing you wrongfully)[3]:

• God will not convict you of something that has already been forgiven and cleansed. Satan loves to bring back up things in a Christian’s past that is already under the blood of Jesus.
• God will convict you of specific sins (1 John 1:9). A Christian can expect the Holy Spirit to be direct when it comes to unconfessed sins. Satan loves to make you feel sinful without really addressing a specific. Adrian Rogers states, “[The devil] wants you to feel absolutely miserable about nothing in particular.”
• God will convict you for the purpose of redeeming you (1 John 2:1-2). 

The truth is, sometimes we should feel guilty for things we have done against God's word. Oftentimes, the world's response to guilt is just to affirm yourself or try to disguise it. But some things you ought to feel a sense of guilt about. This is an emotion God has given us to show us that something's wrong.

True guilt is the result of sin. In our modern society, the only way to get rid of the guilt that plagues everyone's soul is to redefine sin, to redefine what God says is right and wrong. But if we have sinned against God, forgiving ourselves isn't enough. God alone can forgive us and cleanse our guilty conscience.

1 John 1:8-9 says, "If we say that we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us. If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness."

Reflection Question: Is there an area in your life where you've been experiencing guilt? Is it godly sorrow leading to repentance, or worldly sorrow that just makes you feel bad without resolution?

Father, thank You for giving me a conscience that alerts me when I've sinned against You. Help me to recognize the difference between true godly sorrow and false guilt. When I've sinned, give me the courage to confess it specifically to You, knowing You are faithful to forgive and cleanse me completely. Thank You that You don't just forgive me but You cleanse me from all unrighteousness. I receive Your forgiveness today. In Jesus' Name, amen.

Adapted from "God's Answer for Guilt": https://www.joshfranklin.org/media/x8v77x7/5-god-s-answer-for-guilt

[1] June Hunt, Biblical Counseling Keys on Guilt: Living Guilt Free (Dallas, TX: Hope For The Heart, 2008), 1.
[2] Hunt, 4.
[3] These points are adapted from Adrian Rogers, Mastering Your Emotions (Nashville, TN: Broadman Press, 1988), 91-94.

"Carry each other’s burdens, and in this way you will fulfill the law of Christ." – Galatians 6:2

Life feels lighter when we share the load. God designed us for community, and He never intended for us to carry our burdens alone. When we walk alongside others, or let them walk with us, our burdens become lighter.

Henry Cloud, a Christian psychologist, shared a fascinating study about stress. In this study, researchers subjected a monkey to various stressors, such as ringing bells, flashing lights, and loud noises. The researchers observed and recorded the monkey’s elevated stress levels.

Then, they introduced a second monkey into the same environment. The stressors—the bells, lights, and noise—remained unchanged, but the first monkey’s stress levels dropped dramatically by 50%.

The presence of a companion made the unbearable stress more manageable. The study concluded that sharing burdens with another drastically reduces the impact of stress. Cloud humorously commented, "If you’re stressed out, you need more monkeys in your life!"

This makes me think of Ecclesiastes 4:9-10, that says, "Two are better than one, because they have a good return for their labor: If either of them falls down, one can help the other up." 

This study reminds us of the power of community. When we let others into our lives, sharing our joys and struggles, life becomes more bearable. And when we turn to Jesus, the ultimate burden-bearer, we find strength and peace that surpasses understanding. You were never meant to face life’s challenges alone.

Reflection Question: Who in your life can you lean on during stressful times? How can you be a "monkey" for someone else?

Lord, thank You for the gift of community. Help me to share my burdens with others and be willing to carry theirs as well. Teach me to trust You as my ultimate burden-bearer. In Jesus’ Name, amen.

[see: https://www.facebook.com/DrHenryCloud/posts/hey-guys-one-of-my-favorite-studies-was-done-years-ago-with-monkeys-measuring-th/10152201971784571/]

Adapted from the sermon: "God's Answer for Stress": https://www.joshfranklin.org/media/series/vn9m7tk/taming-toxic-emotions

Scripture: "For all the promises of God in Him are Yes, and in Him Amen, to the glory of God through us." — 2 Corinthians 1:20 (NKJV)

There’s a story about an art collector who loved his son dearly. When the son passed away, a portrait of the son became the centerpiece of the father’s collection. Upon the father’s death, an auction was held for his enormous art collection. The first item up for bid? The portrait of his son.

The crowd was restless, eager to bid on the Picassos and the Rembrandts. No one seemed interested in the son’s portrait. Finally, a man offered a small bid and won the painting. At that moment, the auctioneer announced, “The auction is over. The will stipulates that whoever gets the son gets it all.”

Friend, when you have the Son—Jesus—you have everything. All the promises of God are yes and amen in Him. Don’t seek the blessings more than the Blesser. Don’t focus on the gifts more than the Giver. When you have Jesus, you have all you’ll ever need.

Reflection Question: How can you focus more on Jesus, the Giver, rather than the gifts in your life?

Lord, thank You for the gift of Your Son. In Him, I have access to every promise and blessing. Help me to treasure Christ above all else and to trust in Your faithfulness each day. In Jesus’ name, amen.

From "Standing on the Promises": https://www.joshfranklin.org/media/36zxsxp/6-standing-on-the-promises

"...in whom the whole building, being fitted together, grows into a holy temple in the Lord, in whom you also are being built together for a dwelling place of God in the Spirit." -- Ephesians 2:21-22 (NKJV)

I have got this miscellaneous bucket of Legos. On their own, those pieces seem useless. Scattered, unconnected, not contributing to anything. But when someone with a master plan puts those pieces together, and they begin to take shape, now they become useful. Every piece in its place. Every piece is being used. But as long as a piece stays in the bucket, it does not help anybody.

Paul tells us in Ephesians 2 that the church is a building - a holy temple - and every one of us is a stone in that structure, being fitted together by God Himself. The question is not whether God has a place for you. He does. The question is whether you are willing to be placed where He wants you.

When I was around ten or eleven years old, my dad handed me a pile of rocks, some gravel, and a batch of mixed concrete. He said, "Josh, you're going to build a wall around this particular part of our driveway." I asked him what to do when a rock did not fit. He said, "That's what the hammer and chisel are for. Break it down and shape it until it fits." That rock wall still stands there today.

I took those irregular, uniquely shaped rocks and chipped and pieced them together until they fit just right. Many times, I would try to shape a rock for a particular spot and just could not make it work. So I set it aside and tried another one until I found just the right stone for that section of the wall.

That is what God does with you. He sees His grand design. He looks at every stone available to Him. And He says about you, "Here is a unique piece. On its own, it may seem ordinary. But given to Me, it can become useful. Unique and perfectly placed."

I used to pray, "God, use me however You want to use me." My mentor, Dr. Bill Bennett, heard me one day and said, "Josh, stop praying 'God use me.'" I said I just wanted God to use me. He said, "Make yourself usable, and God will wear you out."

Have you made yourself usable? Have you laid your stone at the altar and said, "I am committed, not only to the universal worldwide church but also to my particular local church and to these specific people." You do not just belong to God. You belong to each other. And when every piece is in its place, the building becomes exactly what He always had in mind.

Reflection Question: Have you truly made yourself usable, not just as a believer, but as a committed, available part in your local church?

Dear Heavenly Father, thank You for having a place in Your church just for me. Forgive me for staying scattered and disconnected when You designed me to be fitted and placed. Today I lay myself at Your feet. Shape me, chip away what does not fit, and place me exactly where You need me. I belong not only to You but to the church You have called me to. Help me to show up and make myself usable for Your glory. In Jesus' Name, amen.

Adapted from: You Belong (Ephesians 2:19-22): https://www.joshfranklin.org/media/vzdhfww/10-you-belong-eph-2-19-22

"So now you Gentiles are no longer strangers and foreigners. You are citizens along with all of God's holy people. You are members of God's family." Ephesians 2:19 (NLT)

Right after Paul said Christians are citizens of a new kingdom, he adds that they are also members of a new family.

I once attended one of my family gatherings, and I noticed something. In the same home, there were babies and older relatives. There were teenagers and young couples. Everyone under the same roof. Nobody was sanctioned off. Nobody was told, "You can't sit over here." Why? Because we are a family. This is exactly what Paul is explaining here. God had a plan long ago to incorporate both Jews and Gentiles into a single family under the banner of Jesus Christ. God would be our Heavenly Father, and we would be brothers and sisters in Christ.

So what does that mean for us? It means we should be unified. It means we belong to one another. My gifts belong to you. Your gifts belong to me. We can be counted on the way a family can be.

As a pastor, I've noticed something. Sometimes someone will go through a hard season and look for someone to lean on, and the support just isn't there. But often (not always), for years and years, they were never the kind of person others could lean on either. Proverbs 18:24 says, "He who has friends must show himself friendly." If we want friends, we should first be friendly ourselves. Galatians 6:7-8 says, "We reap what we sow." If you have been sowing into people's lives, encouraging them, praying for them, walking with them through the hard seasons, then when your own hard season comes, you will find somebody's arm around your shoulder. Often, they are the same ones you were reaching out to before.

You might say, "I don't need anybody. I'm strong. I'm independent." As Americans, we often idealize the independent spirit. That is not what Jesus envisioned for His church. Jesus describes the church as interdependent, leaning on one another when we need it most.

Romans 12:5 says we are "individually members of one another." The New Living Translation puts it simply: "We belong to each other." My gifts belong to you. I belong to you. We are not just friends and acquaintances. We are family members, locked together. Whatever is happening in the world, whatever groups are in conflict with one another, is all secondary. The primary thing that brings us together is that we have all come under the banner of Jesus Christ. That is what ties us together.

Somebody said even the Lone Ranger had Tonto. You were not designed to do this alone. You need what the church provides. You need the church family. You belong, not just to God, but also to each other.

Reflection Question: Are you the kind of person others can lean on? Is there someone in your church family right now who needs you to show up for them the way you would want someone to show up for you?

Dear Heavenly Father, thank You for making me part of Your family, with brothers and sisters I can count on and who can count on me. Forgive me for the times I have tried to do life on my own, like I don't need anybody. Help me to be the kind of person who shows up. Who encourages. Who prays. Who walks with people through the hard stuff. I want to sow into the people around me so that when they need someone, I am there. And remind me today that I don't just belong to You. I belong to the church family. In Jesus' Name, amen.

Adapted from: You Belong (Ephesians 2:19-22): https://www.joshfranklin.org/media/vzdhfww/10-you-belong-eph-2-19-22