Genesis 50:20 10/20/2026

"You intended to harm me, but God intended it for good to accomplish what is now being done, the saving of many lives."

If you’ve been following this blog for long, this morning’s entry might sound familiar. We covered this verse a few years back, and it’s needed today as much as it was then. This verse contains Joseph’s statement to his brothers who had heartlessly sold him into slavery. How did he avoid resentment when he was treated unfairly by those closest to him? How can we avoid resentment when life seems unfair to us?

Two of the most destructive emotions on the planet are bitterness and self-pity. They are parasitic emotions that when allowed to fester, will destroy their hosts. Faith eliminates the environment they need to exist. Trusting God changes your viewpoint.  It transforms you from a victim to an operative in God’s army.  It allows you to watch God use what should have destroyed you. …to Make you stronger.

Trusting in an all-powerful God gives you the patience to “let the play develop”.  It allows you to resist panic and wait for God to reveal His strategy.  He is not anxious or surprised and as His precious child you shouldn’t be either.

Living with Confidence in Christ is what allows an alcoholic to recover and move on to help others fighting the same battle. It enables those who have waded through unimaginable grief to rescue others sinking in it.  It allows couples who have worked hard and saved their marriage, to help others who are struggling. God never wastes pain; He uses it to create battle tested “veterans” who can provide priceless guidance to others who are entering the fight. 

Completely relying on God changes you at your core. Faithfulness allows you to trust that the Lord will protect you, and that He fully intends to use this trial for your good, and His glory.

If you’re in the middle of a war today, keep fighting… you are not alone.  Know that God loves you, and He will carry you through… Grab His Hand and hold on, then turn your gaze outward and find the “many lives” you have been sent to save through the storm.

"It is good for me to have been afflicted, that I might know how to speak a word in season to one that is  weary." -  Charles Spurgeon

Acts 2:37-38 10/13/2026

^“Now when they heard this, they were pierced to the heart, and said to Peter and the rest of the apostles, “Brothers, what are we to do?” Peter said to them, “Repent, and each of you be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins; and you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit.” 

When Peter told the people the hard truth of their guilt and need of the gospel, they were cut to the heart and asked, “What are we to do?” There is humility and honesty in their response and Peter’s reply to their question is simple… repent and publicly commit your life to Christ. 

Sometimes I find myself looking for novel approaches that will help others understand the gospel. I look for clever ways to open people’s eyes.  I think God approves of me trying to present the gospel in interesting ways,  but the power of God’s word is found in the clear truth it presents… Clarity far outweighs creativity when it comes to effectiveness.

Peter realized that fact and simply said, “Repent and be baptized” and through the Power of the Holy Spirit, 3000 people were saved. No smoke and lights, no media presentation…. Just the unvarnished truth.  While trying to present the gospel in ways that people can identify with, I must never forget that scripture being interpreted by the Spirit of God is where the power resides.

Today, as representatives of Christ in a fallen world, we must not allow creativity to water down or distract from the truth. God is not impressed with productions and slick performances… He desires true worship. 1 Samuel says, “For man sees the outward appearance, but the LORD sees the heart.”  That applies to all of us. How my ministry looks on the outside is irrelevant if it is doubleminded  and stained with ego on the inside.  

The people asked, “What should we do?” The answer was clear: repent, confess, publicly proclaim Christ, and rely on the power of the Holy Spirit. This is our message, and we must not let innovation distort it. Whether the world finds our ministry entertaining is not our concern; our goal is to lead people to repentance and new life.

"The church that can't worship must be entertained. And men who can't lead a church to worship must provide the entertainment." - A.W. Tozer

2 Corinthians 4:6-7 10/6/2026

“For God, who said, “Light shall shine out of darkness,” is the One who has shone in our hearts to give the Light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Christ. But we have this treasure in earthen containers, so that the extraordinary greatness of the power will be of God and not from ourselves...”

This passage speaks to an extreme and necessary dichotomy that we as Christians cannot afford to overlook. Misunderstanding either side of this contradiction will weaken your walk and expose you to attacks by the enemy. 

The passage begins by describing God’s power which called light out of darkness.  We carry that power within us. Jesus, once told the Sadducees,  “You are in error because you do not know the Scriptures or the power of God.” The Greek word for power used there is “dunamis”.  It’s used over 100 times in the New Testament and is the root word for our words dynamite … Like the Sadducees, we often underestimate the power that indwells our soul. We carry the force that created the universe within us. Nothing can separate us from that power, and nothing can stand against it… When we are unsuccessful it is often because we don’t know the power of God, so we try to accomplish things with our own feeble strength.

The second part of the passage is just as crucial. That indescribable power is contained in clay jars. This reminds us that we are earthen, fragile containers that stand in remarkable contrast to what is within us. It’s like carrying a nuclear warhead in a paper sack… the contrast exists so we will be aware that our awesome power and ability have nothing to do with WHO we are, and everything to do with WHOSE we are. 

Our salvation, our righteousness and our power have nothing to do with our strength. Our contribution is simply acknowledging that we have nothing to give.  Understanding this paradox allows us to walk in bold unshakable confidence, based solely on the power that fills us… when we grasp this arrangement it is only logical to joyfully say ….”I must decrease, and He must increase.” 

“Remember, it is not your weakness that will get in the way of God’s working through you, but your delusions of strength. His strength is made perfect in our weakness!” - Paul Tripp