JULY 3, 2024

  “Never miss a good chance to shut up.” 

― Will Rogers

2 CHRONICLES 10-12

  8But Rehoboam rejected the advice the elders gave him and consulted the young men who had grown up with him and were serving him. 9He asked them, “What is your advice? How should we answer these people who say to me, ‘Lighten the yoke your father put on us’?”10The young men who had grown up with him replied, “The people have said to you, ‘Your father put a heavy yoke on us, but make our yoke lighter.’ Now tell them, ‘My little finger is thicker than my father’s waist. 11My father laid on you a heavy yoke; I will make it even heavier. My father scourged you with whips; I will scourge you with scorpions.’ ”

JOHN 13:18-38

 34“A new command I give you: Love one another. As I have loved you, so you must love one another. 35By this everyone will know that you are my disciples, if you love one another.”36Simon Peter asked him, “Lord, where are you going?” Jesus replied, “Where I am going, you cannot follow now, but you will follow later.”37Peter asked, “Lord, why can’t I follow you now? I will lay down my life for you.”38Then Jesus answered, “Will you really lay down your life for me? Very truly I tell you, before the rooster crows, you will disown me three times!

JOURNAL 

Rehoboam chose pride. Jesus chose love.

It’s easy to see the mistakes of others, especially when reading them in the rearview mirror of history. From the safety of today, Rehoboam’s arrogance seems foolish, and Peter’s denial feels like a failure we would never make. But if I’m honest, those same tendencies live in me.

I see it when I seek affirmation over wisdom.
When I trust in my own judgment before seeking God’s.
When I rush into the day without prayer.
When I speak quickly, defend impulsively, or act without love.
It’s in the pressure to succeed, to be right, to appear strong.

Rehoboam listened to voices that fed his ego. Peter promised courage he couldn’t yet deliver. And I, too, often lean into pride or fear instead of humility and trust.

Jesus, on the other hand, exemplified a better way. A new command: love one another. Not conditionally. Not after getting things figured out. But as He has loved us—fully, humbly, sacrificially.

That’s the call. Not domination, not bravado, not self-preservation. But love.
And that love requires silence sometimes.
A pause.
A prayer.
A surrender of self.

So today, Lord, quiet my heart. Still my ego. Help me to live awake to your presence, aware of your grace, and grounded in your truth. Let me see this day as your gift—and respond to it with humility, love, and gratitude.

1Therefore if you have any encouragement from being united with Christ, if any comfort from his love, if any common sharing in the Spirit, if any tenderness and compassion, 2then make my joy complete by being like-minded, having the same love, being one in spirit and of one mind. 3Do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit. Rather, in humility value others above yourselves, 4not looking to your own interests but each of you to the interests of the others. 

 ~ PHILIPPIANS 2:1-4

JULY 2, 2025

  “You become what you think about” 

― Napoleon Hill

JOB 21-25

13“But he stands alone, and who can oppose him?

He does whatever he pleases.

14He carries out his decree against me,

and many such plans he still has in store.

15That is why I am terrified before him;

when I think of all this, I fear him.

16God has made my heart faint;

the Almighty has terrified me.(23:13-16)

ACTS 10

34Then Peter began to speak: “I now realize how true it is that God does not show favoritism 35but accepts from every nation the one who fears him and does what is right. 36You know the message God sent to the people of Israel, announcing the good news of peace through Jesus Christ, who is Lord of all. 37You know what has happened throughout the province of Judea, beginning in Galilee after the baptism that John preached— 38how God anointed Jesus of Nazareth with the Holy Spirit and power, and how he went around doing good and healing all who were under the power of the devil, because God was with him.

39“We are witnesses of everything he did in the country of the Jews and in Jerusalem. They killed him by hanging him on a cross, 40but God raised him from the dead on the third day and caused him to be seen. 41He was not seen by all the people, but by witnesses whom God had already chosen—by us who ate and drank with him after he rose from the dead. 42He commanded us to preach to the people and to testify that he is the one whom God appointed as judge of the living and the dead. 43All the prophets testify about him that everyone who believes in him receives forgiveness of sins through his name.”

44While Peter was still speaking these words, the Holy Spirit came on all who heard the message. 45The circumcised believers who had come with Peter were astonished that the gift of the Holy Spirit had been poured out even on Gentiles. 46For they heard them speaking in tongues^b and praising God.

Then Peter said, 47“Surely no one can stand in the way of their being baptized with water. They have received the Holy Spirit just as we have.” 48So he ordered that they be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ. Then they asked Peter to stay with them for a few days.

JOURNAL 

Job is overcome with the sheer permanence and power of God. God's ways and plans are completely out of man's control. Peter's sermon to the gentiles...God is the God of all, as creator and author of all of life there is no favoritism. 

This really speaks to the obvious reality that my life is really a brief stay in the grand play of life. To not surrender to God or to resist him is completely foolish and arrogant. When I really process this, it is somewhat terrifying, yet also comforting. The fate of the world is not on me...it's not my place to judge or control. Rather to surrender and obey, to walk the path that is set before me, to choose the way of obedience even though hard at times. Not doing so is to resist God...to delude myself with false notions of my own power. It is the height of stupidity. 

I recently came across a word which somewhat haunts me...acrasia...it is a Greek word which means to not do what you believe you should do. Most moments I internally know the things that are good and the things which I believe I should do. Yet quite often I don't do them...or I delay doing them or I do them without full commitment. Why? This is the crux of my humanity, it is what makes all humans...human. The internal dialogue and conflict is where the spirit of God is needed most. This place is where I confront my own distrust, my own conflict of emotions to the truth of God and life. 

What I have found in the 53 years of living on this earth is that hoping to reach a place where this internal struggle does not exist is really a hopeless wish. My true hope for peace is not found in the mastery of my will but rather in the surrender of it. To surrender my will to God's spirit means I face each moment with fresh eyes. It means that I accept my lack of control in my own earthly fate and instead trust in God's spirit of love, truth and goodness. Truly doing so relieves me of fear, frustration and false hope in the transient nature of today. Does today matter? Yes of course it does...but Ill probably never know fully why it matters. Yet the more I can trust in God's nudges, look for the glimpses of his love, and commit to building his kingdom the more peace and joy I will find. 

This is the peace which Job found in the midst of his despair and questions. This is the knowledge Peter found in the midst of his prejudice. God's love is greater than any power in the universe...seeking and surrendering to his spirit is my only logical hope. 

4“Where were you when I laid the earth’s foundation Tell me, if you understand.5Who marked off its dimensions? Surely you know! Who stretched a measuring line across it?6On what were its footings set, or who laid its cornerstone—7while the morning stars sang together and all the angels^a shouted for joy?

JOB 38:4-7

JULY 1, 2025

  “Don't set your goals by what other people deem important.” 

― Jaachynma N.E. Agu

JOB 21-22

27“I know full well what you are thinking,

the schemes by which you would wrong me.

28You say, ‘Where now is the house of the great,

the tents where the wicked lived?’

29Have you never questioned those who travel?

Have you paid no regard to their accounts—

30that the wicked are spared from the day of calamity,

that they are delivered from^c the day of wrath?

31Who denounces their conduct to their face?

Who repays them for what they have done?

32They are carried to the grave,

and watch is kept over their tombs.

33The soil in the valley is sweet to them;

everyone follows after them,

and a countless throng goes^d before them.

34“So how can you console me with your nonsense?

Nothing is left of your answers but falsehood!”

ACTS 10:1-23

9About noon the following day as they were on their journey and approaching the city, Peter went up on the roof to pray. 10He became hungry and wanted something to eat, and while the meal was being prepared, he fell into a trance. 11He saw heaven opened and something like a large sheet being let down to earth by its four corners. 12It contained all kinds of four-footed animals, as well as reptiles and birds. 13Then a voice told him, “Get up, Peter. Kill and eat.”

14“Surely not, Lord!” Peter replied. “I have never eaten anything impure or unclean.”

15The voice spoke to him a second time, “Do not call anything impure that God has made clean.”

JOURNAL 

Job presents the argument that "bad" people live lives that are blessed. He does this to counter the argument that God is punishing him because of "sin". Job's point is that suffering is not necessarily a result of disobedience but rather just a part of life.

God reveals to Peter that he is the author of all things and that something that was once seen as "unclean" can become "clean". 

In all of these circumstances and encounters...it seems clear that God is communicating that what matters most is a relationship with God. Regardless of societies rules, traditions, laws,  etc. They have their purpose but in the end, they do not trump relationship with God and no person can be judge and jury over what that is to look like. Each souls relationship with God is unique...it is personal and never can fit a formula or a certain mold.  Therefore it is ever important to live today for today. My life is unique, today is unique. It has never existed before and will never exist again. It is a gift and therefore should be lived as such.

12“What do you think? If a man owns a hundred sheep, and one of them wanders away, will he not leave the ninety-nine on the hills and go to look for the one that wandered off? 13And if he finds it, truly I tell you, he is happier about that one sheep than about the ninety-nine that did not wander off. 14In the same way your Father in heaven is not willing that any of these little ones should perish.

 ~ MATTHEW 18:12-14