Wisdom’s Litmus Test: Say Something 3 Times & See if it Still Makes Sense

We have a witty family friend who says something that always makes me laugh. Whenever he hears a statement lacking logic or wisdom, he says, “Say that 3 times & see if it still makes sense.”

It seems like a snarky statement, but I can’t tell you how many times I’ve seen it ring true!

The apostle Paul travels all over tarnation telling anyone who will listen about Jesus. Acts 19 tells us that as he spends time preaching in Ephesus, a solemn fear descends on the city & the name of Jesus becomes greatly honored…so much so that Greeks & Jews alike turn from their wicked ways, burning 7 million dollars worth of sorcery books!

Troubles arise, however, when a wealthy silversmith suddenly sees sales plummet & here’s why: Ephesus houses the temple of the Greek goddess Artemis & he is the primary supplier of the little silver gods people buy & now they’re not buying!😬

In his zealous anger, he incites a mob large enough to fill a colosseum & it all starts with this sentence:

“But as you’ve seen & heard, this man Paul has persuaded many people that handmade gods aren’t gods at all…”

If I could add a sound here, it’d be the backward scratch of a record 😂 Say it 3 times & I think you’ll see why.

He persuaded many that handmade gods aren’t gods at all?!

Well, duh!🙄 If gods need human hands to make them, then how can they be gods?

Even as I roll my own eyes, however, I am reminded how everything this side of heaven, whether we craft them with our own hands, or they are a gift OF God, has the potential to become an idol-like god if we let it.

It’s why we need to surround ourselves with a community of believers who’ll love us enough to call us out when our decisions, words & actions lack logic!

Lord, You delight in those who fear You & put their hope in Your unfailing love. Anytime we fear anything more than You, we’ve let that thing creep into the God-shaped hole in our hearts that only You can fill!

Guard us from crafting our own handmade god. Bring to mind anything we worship more than You so we might rid ourselves of it with the same zeal of the Ephesians when they torched their books! We place our hope in The Living Hope who handmade us in His image!

#OneYearBible

June 29th One Year Bible Readings

2 KINGS 15:1-16:20

ACTS 19:13-41

PSALM 147:1-20

PROVERBS 18:4-5

To Be Held By Hope is Far Different than Hoping for Something to Happen

My friend recently asked how I would describe God. I replied with the first things that came to mind, “He’s the Creator of ALL things, the Healer of ALL disease” along with a few other things.

If I’d memorized Psalm 146, however, I would’ve led with that! As I read it today, it reminded me of Whom I serve.

The Psalmist begins with praise then transitions to an imperative, warning us not to put our confidence in fallible people who will all eventually die.

Verse 5 follows with a powerful promise of joy for those, “who have the God of Israel as their helper, whose hope is in their God!”

One commentary used the phrase, “prisoner of Hope”. It didn’t sit well with me as Jesus came to set us free, but the more I pondered it in light of the passage, there was something comforting about the uncomfortableness.

I just shared with someone yesterday that it’s been 13 months of hard things…& when I look back, I wouldn’t have made it this far without my Hope & Helper in God!

None of us want to be prisoner of anything, but freedom falls when we are held firm by Hope!

Jesus is not only the Author & Giver of Hope, He is the very ground & Foundation of it!

His death & resurrection give HOPE that dead things can spring back to life AND the Maker of heaven & the earth HELPS us by holding us steady when things feel shaky!

To be held by Hope & helped by Hope is far different than pining away for something to unfold. Hope can denote a feeling, but we all know how fleeing they can be! When we are held firmly by the Author, Giver & Foundation of Hope, nothing may change in our circumstances, but everything about our perspective does!

He lifts our chins to see beyond the messiness of today well into eternity. While we tarry for His return, He’s at work, freeing prisoners, giving justice to the oppressed, opening the eyes of the blind & lifting us when we feel weighed down!

Oh, Jesus, there’s great comfort when we allow ourselves to be held by You in the uncomfortable tension of waiting. We thank you for tarried times that cause us to turn to You. Thank you for binding us with Hope while we wait with great expectation for the full manifestation of Your help!

#OneYearBible

June 28th One Year Bible Readings

2 KINGS 13:1-14:29

ACTS 18:23-19:12

PSALM 146:1-10

PROVERBS 18:2-3

What Needs are you Facing Today?

What specific needs are you facing today? If you could take a minute & jot them down, what are the top three? That’s how I started my day as I awakened early with very tangible needs weighing like a blanket on my heart, not to give airtime to negativity, but to bring the dark things into the Light, asking God to reveal Himself as my Answer to the hard things ahead.

I cannot imagine life without The Word. Starting each day reading the Bible is like a jumpstart to our batteries of faith!  As a read today, worrisome thoughts kept bullying their way into my reading, so much so that I ended up reading my One Year Bible out loud to crowd them out!

It wasn’t until Psalm 145:13 that I paused. It’s a promise that gives way for praise even when a pity party feels in order 😂

David writes, “The Lord always keeps his promises; he’s gracious in all he does.”

When I think of all of God’s promises there’s one that covers them all in my book & that’s when He says, 

“I AM.”

For every single need we face, there is a corresponding name or attribute of God that meets, addresses & fulfills it, we just sometimes need reminders, & sometimes those reminders come in the way of a need 😉

Father, thank You that You are our 

👉🏽Adequacy for our inadequacy

👉🏽Burden bearer when we’re bent beneath our loads

👉🏽Door when there seems to be no way forward

👉🏽Healer when we need healing

👉🏽Provider when we need provision

👉🏽Peace when none can be found

👉🏽Sure Foundation when everything is shaking

👉🏽Amen when we need You to be the last Word on a matter far too great for us to understand.

Thank You for using needs to remind us of our need of You, for You alone meet each & every one.

May we only glance at our needs, but fix our gaze firmly on You, God, the Quieter of our storm, our Source of Wisdom & Way Who makes a path forward.

You promise to keep Your Word, so we take You at your Word tpray & await with eager expectation for You to reveal Yourself as our gracious Father who meets every one of our needs.

#OneYearBible

June 27th One Year Bible Readings

2 KINGS 10:32-12:21

ACTS 18:1-22

PSALM 145:1-21

PROVERBS 18:1