.....balance

Weight and Balance

Let us lay aside every weight, and the sin which doth so easily beset us, and let us run with patience the race that is set before us, looking unto Jesus the author and finisher of our faith Hebrews 12:1-2

Before any aircraft is cleared for takeoff, someone runs the weight and balance numbers. It isn't optional and it isn't a formality — an overloaded plane, or one loaded unevenly, may not get off the ground at all, and if it does, it won't handle the way it's supposed to. So ground crews weigh the cargo, calculate the fuel, check every hold, and one rule governs all of it: you don't fly with more than you were built to carry.

This is where the whole series has been quietly headed. We've talked about the horizon, the turbulence, the landing, the beacon that never moves. But underneath all of it sits a simpler question: what are you actually carrying onto this flight? Hebrews 12 pictures the Christian life as a race, and its first instruction isn't about running harder — it's about setting weight down before you run at all: laying aside "every weight, and the sin which doth so easily beset us," then running "looking unto Jesus" Hebrews 12:1-2. Grace was never a heavier bag to carry. It's the ground crew removing the ones you were never meant to lift.

Jesus said it even more directly to a crowd worn out from years of trying to carry their own righteousness: "Come unto me, all ye that labour and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest... my yoke is easy, and my burden is light" Matthew 11:28, 30. He doesn't offer to help you carry it. He offers to take it. Peter tells believers to go further still — not to manage the weight quietly on their own, but to hand it over entirely: "casting all your care upon him; for he careth for you" 1 Peter 5:7. That's not resignation. That's a cargo hold being emptied by someone who actually has the authority to unload it.

Ellen White described how carefully God handles what we're asked to bear: "The Lord does not press on anyone burdens too heavy to be borne. He estimates every weight before He allows it to rest upon the hearts of those who are laborers together with Him." — Ellen G. White, Steps to Christ, p. 100

He isn't careless with your load. He calculated it before you ever boarded, and grace through faith in Christ crucified is what clears you for takeoff carrying only what you were built to carry — not your sin, not your guilt, not the exhausting work of trying to earn what He already paid for at the cross.

So before today's flight, check the manifest. If you're hauling guilt that was already nailed to Calvary, or the old exhausting weight of trying to earn a seat you were already given by grace — set it down at the foot of the cross. That's not extra baggage. That's the ground crew doing exactly what they're there for.

Father, thank You that Jesus doesn't just help me carry what I can't lift — He takes it. Show me today what I'm still hauling that was already dealt with at the cross. Clear me for takeoff carrying only what grace intends for me to carry. In Jesus' name

.....beacon

For I determined not to know any thing among you, save Jesus Christ, and him crucified. 1 Corinthians 2:2

Every instrument in a cockpit needs something outside itself to stay honest. A compass can drift. A gyroscope can slowly wander off true over hours of flight. That's why aviation still relies on fixed ground beacons — stations that broadcast the same unmoving signal every day, from the same coordinates, whether the plane above is on its first flight or its ten-thousandth. Pilots don't invent a new reference point for each trip. They tune back into the same beacon, over and over, because the beacon never moves even when the instruments reading it start to drift.

This is the piece underneath everything we've covered in this series. We've talked about trusting the instruments over our feelings, about turbulence, about being kept safely to landing, about carrying that comfort to others, about the destination waiting at the end. All of it depends on one thing staying fixed: the cross. Paul told the Corinthians he had decided, deliberately, to know nothing among them except Jesus Christ, and Him crucified 1 Corinthians 2:2. Not Christ as a general idea. Christ crucified — a specific, fixed, historical point that doesn't shift no matter how the years or our feelings drift around it.

This is also why the whole series has to be repeated, not just remembered. Feelings drift like a gyroscope left uncorrected — a little each day, until a soul that started level is badly off course and never noticed the slow lean. Paul again: "I am crucified with Christ: nevertheless I live; yet not I, but Christ liveth in me" Galatians 2:20. That's not a one-time coordinate you log and move on from. It's a beacon you tune into daily, because grace through faith was never a transaction completed once and filed away — it's the fixed station every other instrument in the Christian life still has to be checked against Ephesians 2:8-9.

Ellen White described the cross this way — not as old information to be filed, but as a theme too vast to ever finish studying: "The theme of redemption is one that the angels desire to look into; it will be the science and the song of the redeemed throughout the ceaseless ages of eternity." — Ellen G. White, Steps to Christ, p. 88

If eternity itself won't exhaust this beacon, one lifetime certainly won't either — which means returning to it isn't a sign you haven't learned it yet. It's simply how the flight is flown. Every day, tune back to Christ crucified. Every day, let that fixed point correct whatever drifted since yesterday. The instruments only stay trustworthy because the beacon they're calibrated against never moves.

Father, thank You for the fixed, unmoving beacon of the cross. Where my feelings, my confidence, or my sense of standing before You have drifted, correct me today by that same signal — Christ crucified. Let this not be old news I've already logged, but the reference point I return to every day of this flight. In Jesus' name.

.....destination

But our citizenship is in heaven. And we eagerly await a Savior from there, the Lord Jesus Christ — Philippians 3:20

Every flight has a destination printed on the ticket before the wheels ever leave the ground. Whatever the weather does along the way — however much fog rolls in, however hard the turbulence shakes the cabin — the destination on that ticket doesn't change. The pilot isn't improvising where the plane ends up. She's flying toward a runway that was fixed before departure.

That's the last piece of this series, and it's the one that gives the rest their weight. We've talked about 

• trusting the instruments over our feelings, 
• about turbulence not meaning we're off course, 
• about a Pilot who lands the plane and keeps us the whole way there, 
• about becoming, ourselves, a calm voice for someone else's fear. 

All of it only matters because there's an actual destination. Paul reminds the Philippians of exactly this: our citizenship — our home address, really — is in heaven, and we are waiting for the Lord Jesus to come from there and bring us the rest of the way Philippians 3:20. Jesus said the same thing to His disciples the night before His death: "I go to prepare a place for you... that where I am, there ye may be also" John 14:2-3. The room is being prepared. The ticket is already written in your name.

John gives us a glimpse of what's waiting at that destination: "God shall wipe away all tears from their eyes; and there shall be no more death, neither sorrow, nor crying" Revelation 21:4. Ellen White pictured this same arrival with simple, physical clarity "There will be no more tears, no funeral trains, no badges of mourning." — Ellen G. White, The Great Controversy, p. 676

No funeral trains. Read that slowly if you've stood at one recently. Whatever grief you're carrying right now, whatever loss made this year harder than the last — the destination on your ticket isn't just "somewhere better." It's a specific place where that particular grief has no more entry, ever again.

So when the fog rolls in, when the turbulence hits, when you're comforting someone else through their own hard flight — remember why none of it gets the final word. The plane isn't wandering. It has a destination, fixed before you ever boarded, held by a Savior who is coming to bring you home Himself. Every hard mile of this flight is still a mile closer to a place with no more tears.

Trust the instruments. The runway is real, and you are cleared for the whole way home.

Father, thank You that this flight has a destination, and that You fixed it before I ever had reason to doubt it. When grief or fear tries to convince me the plane is lost, remind me of the home already being prepared for me. Thank You that Jesus Himself is coming to bring me there. In Jesus' name

.....boarding

Boarding Call

Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of compassion and the God of all comfort, who comforts us in all our troubles, so that we can comfort those in any trouble with the comfort we ourselves receive from God." — 2 Corinthians 1:3-4

We've followed the same flight from fog to turbulence to a safe landing. But land, and something happens that nervous first-time flyers rarely expect: the passenger sitting three rows back, the one who gripped the armrest through every bump, is often the calmest voice for the next anxious flyer she meets. She's not calm because she never felt the fear. She's calm because she's already flown through it once, with someone steady beside her, and she knows the plane makes it down.

That's the last stop in this series, and maybe the most important one. Assurance was never meant to end with you landing safely. It was meant to turn you into someone who can sit beside the next person white-knuckling their armrest and say, honestly, "I know. I've been there. Let me tell you what got me through it."

Paul opens his second letter to the Corinthians with exactly this shape of comfort: God comforts us in our troubles *so that* we can comfort others with the same comfort we received 2 Corinthians 1:3-4. Notice the comfort isn't hoarded — it's handed forward. You weren't just kept from falling for your own sake Jude 24; you were kept so you'd have something real to offer the next person who can't find the horizon. Jesus said it plainly to Peter after his own turbulent failure: "When you have turned back, strengthen your brothers" Luke 22:32 — not "if you never fail," but *when you've come through it*, go help someone else through theirs.

Ellen White captured this same principle in a short, practical line to believers who felt too weak or discouraged to be of use to anyone: By comforting others, they themselves will be comforted Review and Herald*, January 27, 1903

She wasn't describing a reward system. She was describing how grace actually works in a person — it doesn't sit still. The same comfort that steadied you in the fog and carried you through the turbulence keeps its strength only as you pass it on. Hold it only for yourself and it grows stale; give it away and somehow there's more of it than when you started.

So if you've made it through the fog and the turbulence and the fear of the runway — look around the cabin. Someone near you is still gripping the armrest. You don't need a perfect testimony or a flawless flight record to help them. You just need to say what's true: *I know this feels like it's going down. It isn't. Trust the instruments. I'm still here to prove it.*

Father, thank You for carrying me through the fog, the turbulence, and safely to the ground. Now use what You've taught me to steady someone else. Give me the right words, at the right moment, for whoever is still afraid today. Let the comfort You gave me become comfort I hand forward. In Jesus' name

.....all

And he said, ‘Listen, all you of Judah and you inhabitants of Jerusalem, and you, King Jehoshaphat! Thus says the Lord to you: "˜Do not be afraid nor dismayed because of this great multitude, for the battle is not yours, but God's'. 2 Chronicles 20:15

A wide Bible teacher once said, "sooner or later God will bring self-sufficient people to the place where they have no resource but Him - no strength, no answers, nothing but Him. Without God's help, they're sunk."

He then told of a despairing man who confessed to his pastor, "My life is really in bad shape."  "How bad?" the pastor inquired. Burying his head in his hands, the man moaned, "I'll tell you how bad - all I've got left is God."  The pastor's face lit up. "I'm happy to assure you that a person with nothing left but God has more than enough for great victory!"

In 2 Chronicles, the people of Judah were also in trouble. They admitted their lack of power and wisdom to conquer their foes. All they had left was God!  But King Jehoshaphat and the people saw this as a reason for hope, not despair. "Our eyes are upon you," they declared to God 2 Chronicles 20:12. And their hope was not disappointed as He fulfilled His promise: "The battle is not yours, but God's" v. 15.

Are you in a position where all self-sufficiency is gone? As you turn your eyes on the Lord and put your hope in Him, you have God's reassuring promise that you need nothing more.

Turn your eyes upon Jesus

Look full in His wonderful face

And the things of earth will grow strangely dim

In the light of his glory and grace.  

"When all you have is God, you have all you need."

- jonie yoder

.....knowing

But let him who glories glory in this, that he understands and knows Me, that I am the Lord... Jeremiah 9:24

It's one thing to know about God, but it's quite another to know Him personally.  Let's see how this distinction applies when considering some of God's attributes. The thought that God is present everywhere is staggering. But to be aware of His presence in times of need brings comfort and hope.

The thought that God knows everything is mind-boggling.  But to have the confidence that no detail of our lives escapes His attention is to enjoy a peace that endures through every trial.

The thought that the Lord is all-powerful makes us marvel at His greatness. But to have Him actually work in, through and for us encourages us to rest in His mighty arms.   The thought that God never changes is a reassuring truth.  But to commit ourselves to the care of this never-changing one is to know the stability of His faithfulness.

The thought that God is love is wonderful to contemplate. But to know Him as a living redeemer through personal faith in His Son, Jesus Christ, brings the joy of sins forgiven.  The writer of Psalm 96 knew God, and that relationship was reflected in his words. His heart poured out praise, and he longed for others to know the Lord and worship him as well.  

Knowing about God is fascinating; knowing God personally is life changing.  

Do you know about Him or do you know him personally?

- richard de haan 

.....true

In the last hours of His earthly ministry, Jesus spoke with His disciples and gave a command which was considered new: "A new command I give you: Love one another. As I have loved you, so you must love one another" John 13:34

Should this command really have been new? Shouldn't the disciples have known they were to love one another? Or is it possible to spend three years with a Master Teacher and yet not understand that learning must translate to action, and that we teach truth by first being an example of truth? If we desire to teach love, we must first be loving; to teach the concept of grace, we must first be gracious; and in order to "make disciples of all nations"  we must begin by first being a true disciple!

Our spiritual growth must never be measured by how much we know, but by how much we are transformed - by how much the Word penetrates to the innermost part of our heart. We have all been blessed by God's love far more than we deserve. We must now better understand this love and then learn how to become His expression of love to others.

The ultimate expression of love was that God gave His Son to an undeserving world so "that whoever believes in Him shall not perish but have eternal life" (John 3:16). This is a love we will never fully understand.

Let's pray for a greater understanding of His love and then return His love through a devoted life of worship. Let's make His love real by demonstrating love to those He places in our path. Let's begin to grasp, and then give back and share, the true love of Christ.

.....peace

But the wisdom that comes from God is first of all pure, then peaceful, gentle, and willing to yield, full of mercy and good fruits, without partiality and without hypocrisy James 3:17

The heart of Jesus was pure. The Savior was adored by thousands, yet content to live a simple life. He was cared for by women Luke 8:1-3, yet never accused of lustful thoughts; scorned by his own creation, but willing to forgive them before they even requested his mercy. Peter, who traveled with Jesus for three and a half years, described him as a "lamb, unblemished and spotless" 1 Pet. 1:19

After spending the same amount of time with Jesus, John concluded, 'And in him is no sin" 1 John 3:5

Jesus' heart was peaceful. The disciples fretted over the need to feed the thousands, but not Jesus. He thanked God for the problem. The disciples shouted for fear in the storm, but not Jesus. He slept through it. Peter drew his sword to fight the soldiers, but not Jesus. He lifted his hand to heal. His heart was at peace.

Be at peace in your heart today.  

Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication, with thanksgiving, let your requests be made known to God; and the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus. Philippians 4:6-7

- david langerfeld

.....hill

He gives power to the weak, and to those who have no might, He increases strength. Isaiah 40:29

Researchers at the University of Virginia have found that most people perceive a hill to be steeper than it really is, especially if they're tired or carrying a heavy load. When asked to estimate the slope of a hill. test participants consistently misjudged it, thinking a ten-degree slant was about thirty degrees, and rating a five-degree slope as nearly twenty degrees. Hardly any of them believed they could be that far off.

When we're burdened and exhausted, even a minor problem can seem too big for us to handle. As we encounter we're tempted to sit down at the base of that difficult hill and stay there, convinced that the grade is too steep for us.

That is why we need the encouragement of God's Word. It draws our attention to our untiring God, who knows our need. Isaiah wrote, "The Creator of the ends of the earth neither faints nor is weary. His understanding is unsearchable. He gives power to the weak, and to those who have no might He increases strength" Isaiah 40:28-19

Because we so easily misjudge life's difficulties, we need courage to keep going when we are tempted to quit. Take a step of faith today and join those who depend on the Lord, who run and are not weary, who walk and do not faint. (v. 31) In His strength. you can conquer any difficult hill. 

Remember, God always gives us enough strength for the next hill.

- david langerfeld

.....arms

Recently, some days have been "toughies", but I keep thinking about something I saw the other day.   I had to go to a store way on the other side of town, and I was in a hurry to get back home to make sure my mom was okay.  It seemed like the weight of the world was on my shoulders. Taking care of her is my honor and joy, but some days are just harder than others.  Then I saw something that changed everything.

I had to stop for a school bus to let the children off. A little boy, about 5 years old, needed to cross the road in front of me and his little back-pack was so heavy it was sliding off his shoulder. He was groaning and struggling a lot. But there to meet him, on the sidewalk... kneeling down with arms outstretched, was his dad.

All of a sudden, the child shouldered his burden and ran to his father with the most joyful expression and not a care in the world. His dad lifted him up and swung him around and back to the ground. They ran to their front door, hand in hand, sharing the heavy load. 

It made me think how God is like that. Just when we can't take much more stress or bear another burden, He opens his arms and takes us in and lets us know that our burdens are shared. 

- ginger nielson

.....error

Many years ago a senior executive of the then Standard Oil Company made a wrong decision that cost the company more than $2 million. John D. Rockefeller was then running the company. On the day the news leaked out, most of the executives of the company were finding various ingenious ways of avoiding Rockefeller, lest his wrath descend on their heads. 

There was one exception, however; he was Edward T. Bedford, a partner in the company. Bedford was scheduled to see Rockefeller that day, and he kept the appointment, even though he was prepared to listen to a long harangue against the man who made the error in judgment. 

When Bedford entered the office, the powerful head of the gigantic Standard Oil empire was bent over his desk busily writing with a pencil on a pad of paper. Bedford stood silently, not wishing to interrupt. After a few minutes Rockefeller looked up. 

"Oh, it's you, Bedford," he said calmly. "I suppose you have heard about our loss?' Bedford said that he had. "I've been thinking it over," Rockefeller said, "and before I ask the man to discuss the matter, I've been making some notes."  

 

"Across the top of the page was written, 'Points in favor of Mr. Bedford.' There followed a long list of the man's virtues, including a brief description of how he had helped the company make the right decision on three separate occasions that had earned many times the cost of his recent error. 

I never forgot that lesson. In later years, whenever I was tempted to rip into anyone, I forced myself first to sit down and thoughtfully compile as long a list of good points as I possibly could. Invariably, by the time I finished my inventory, I would see the matter in its true perspective and keeping my temper under control. There is no telling how many times this habit has prevented me from committing one of the costliest mistakes any executive can make -- losing his temper.

I commend to it anyone who must deal with people. "Be patient with each other, making allowance for each other's faults because of your love." Ephesians 4:2

"Lord, you guard and protect us from all evil. Help me to stand firm in your word and to trust in your help in all circumstances. May I always find rest and refuge in the shelter of your presence." 

- david langerfeld

.....cast

The disciples walked and talked with Jesus, but they still faced many challenges with faith and obedience. One morning after fishing all night without a catch, Jesus called from the shore. "He said, 'Throw your net on the right side of the boat and you will find some.' When they did, they were unable to haul the net in because of the large number of fish."John 21:6

The disciples were successful that morning, the large number of fish did not define their success. They would have been successful even if the net remained empty. The disciples were successful the moment they were obedient and cast the net on the right side of the boat, the moment they walked in step - walked in relationship - with Jesus.

In any task we undertake for God, it's easy to become discouraged by our apparent lack of success. We often feel inadequate, and those feelings increase when our goals seem to be elusive. But we must remember that the outcome of the task is minor compared to our obediently walking by His side. 

We have no ability to determine how our efforts fit into God's plan. God doesn't need our fish! He can accomplish His plan with the rocks if He chooses, but He desires our willful obedience and loving trust, though He knows our obedience will never be perfect and our trust will never be complete. 

Our Father desires a people who will bring Him glory as they love Him with all their heart, soul, mind, and strength.

Let's take our eyes off the accomplishment of the "catch" and what we can produce. Rather, let's focus on walking each step according to His leading. Let's love Him with an uncluttered heart and concentrate all our effort on obeying His call to cast out the net.

.....do

 "But don't just listen to God's Word. You must do what it says. Otherwise, you are only fooling yourselves. For if you listen to the word and don't obey, it is like glancing at your face in a mirror. You see yourself, walk away, and forget what you look like." James 1:22-24

A man walking into church late one day asked one of the ushers, "Is the sermon done yet?" The usher replied, "The sermon has been preached, but it has yet to be done." What a great answer this was! The Word of God is not meant only to be preached to us Saturday after Saturday It is meant to be done by living it out daily. Once we hear the Word of God, we are responsible for doing what God is asking us to do. 

I often encounter fellow believers who spend countless hours listening to sermons and audible Bibles because they want to know more. They criticize others who are not spending every minute learning from God's Word, and find it easy to base a person's faith, and salvation for that matter, on how much they "know" from the Bible.

While it is extremely important to read and mediate on God's Word to grow in faith and go deeper in our relationship with Christ, that is only the first part of what we are supposed to do. Today's scripture says it clearly, "Don't just listen to God's Word. You MUST DO what it says." You can have hundreds of verses memorized, but if you can't love your neighbor, then it means nothing.  You can listen to sermons all day long, but if your heart is full of pride, your ministry to others will be limited because you are not able to practice all you have heard. 

You don't have to be a Bible scholar to be used by God. He is looking for people who are willing to surrender themselves and submit to His will. He is looking for hearts full of humility, mercy, and love. He is looking for people who want to be used, not because of what they know, but because of what God can do through them. 

If you know one verse, great! Put it to practice and move on to the next verse. If you know every parable in the Bible by heart, that's awesome! Go and do like Jesus did. Our success in God's work is not determined by our human knowledge, but rather by our ability to listen and do. Obedience to God will open the doors for unimaginable opportunities. 

 - david langerfeld

.....red

Then another sign appeared in heaven: an enormous red dragon with seven heads and ten horns and seven crowns on its heads. Revelation 12:3

One of the many delightful friendships God gave me in my ministry was a church member named John White. John was in IT sales, and was very good at what he did. But his greatest heart was for worship. When God called our church to begin contemporary worship, He called John to be the worship coordinator. 

All the years we worked together I tried to get John to accept a stipend from the church for his work, but he refused. He volunteered fifteen to twenty hours every week, coordinating every aspect of the contemporary service... and God blessed his ministry beyond words. Lost people came to the service off the street, and came to faith in Christ. Marriages on the road to divorce were redeemed. Drug addicts were healed. God moved in mighty power. Worship was led by the Holy Spirit. And all of us were transformed by his love and grace. 

Each week, John led the worship team in prayer before the service began. And nearly every week he included in his prayer the phrase, "Lord, please paint the dragon red."  I'd never heard it before, but I have used it many times since. It means, "Lord, please show us where the enemy is at work. Show us what he is up to. And give us your wisdom and power to stand against him in your name." God honored that prayer. He still does. 

Know this fact: the dragon is indeed red. Blood stained. Malicious malignant. Here's the good news: the help you need is as near as a prayer! 

- james c. denison

.....will

We are reminded that God is the Creator, we are the clay being molded by the loving hands of the Potter; "We are all the work of Your hand" Isaiah 64:8. Our Father is shaping us into the likeness of His Son

Our transformation begins the moment we believe in Jesus, and we learn that our Salvation is never earned by "doing" anything; "For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith" Ephesians 2:8. We also learn that eternal life is for those who do God's will; following Him as a part of the Christian walk. We cannot truly accept Jesus as Savior without also beginning a journey of trust while walking in His steps. Faith means trusting Him enough to follow!

The world and its desires pass away, but the man who does the will of God lives forever 1 John 2:17 There is no Salvation without a willful transfer of ownership, and we need to face this truth that this means a transfer of control.

Giving up control is never easy. It can be extra scary to face the unknown from the passenger seat, and it can be an offense to our pride to allow someone else (even God!) to take the lead. The roots of "self" go very deep! But as we learn to completely trust, God brings us to that wonderful place of peace. Though sometimes challenging, there is great joy in a complete surrender to the will of our Heavenly Father.

As we give Him control over every area of our life, He will show us how to use ALL for His glory; "For we are God's workmanship, created in Christ Jesus to do good works" Ephesians 2:10. He will give us the tools to accomplish His will and, in the process, meet every need and fulfill our deepest desires.

He is the Potter and we are the clay. He is the Creator and we are "the created." 

But we have been created with an awesome purpose. We have been given gifts, talents, and abilities, which when given back to God are used to bring Him glory and honor. This IS our purpose! We have been created to glorify His Name as we love Him and trust Him with all our heart. 

Let's bring Him glory and honor as we walk in the understanding that we have been created to do His will.

.....much

Gideon lived during the time of the judges—the approximately 325-year period after the death of Joshua and before Saul was anointed king. Again and again, the Israelites wandered away from God and fell under the oppression of their enemies. When they cried out for help, God raised up a judge to deliver them and lead them back to Himsel.

The oppression of the Midianites was so severe that when the people cried out to God, He chose Gideon to deliver them: “‘But Lord,’ Gideon asked, ‘how can I save Israel? My clan is the weakest in Manasseh, and I am the least in my family’” Judges 6:15.

Gideon seemed like an unlikely choice, but that was precisely the point. God wanted His children to understand that true deliverance comes through His strength and by His grace. By choosing Gideon, God taught His people a valuable lesson about trust.

Gideon gathered an army of thirty-two thousand men. “The Lord said to Gideon, ‘You have too many men for Me to deliver Midian into their hands. In order that Israel may not boast  that her own strength has saved her, announce now to the people, “Anyone who trembles with fear may turn back and leave Mount Gilead.”’ So twenty-two thousand men left, while ten thousand remained.”  Judges 7:2–3  “But the Lord said to Gideon, ‘There are still too many men’” Judges 7:4.

Gideon began with thirty-two thousand men, but God did not send him into battle until only three hundred remained. From a human perspective, the odds were impossible. But God reigns supreme over the impossible, and He gave Gideon complete victory.

God is not impressed by the “wonderful” things we believe we can do for Him. He desires our obedience and trust. Centuries after Gideon, the prophet Isaiah delivered a similar warning: “Woe to those who trust in the multitude of their chariots and in the great strength of their horsemen, but do not look to the Holy One of Israel” Isaiah 31:1

God will lead us into victory, but we must place our complete trust in Him. Victory does not come through our strength, skill, cleverness, or intelligence. It comes as we trust God to work in and through the surrendered vessels of our lives. True victory is won when we go into battle with all of Him and without too much of us.

- adapted from steve troxel

.....created

Know that the Lord is God. It is He who made us, and we are His; we are His people, the sheep of His pasture Psalm 100:3

No amount of our own effort will ever create the "ideal." For if we are striving to create, we are chasing after the world's elusive, ever changing, false definition of what is really ideal and fulfilling. Our only hope at finding the true ideal is in understanding we are the created, not the Creator. 

The absolute best in life begins with knowing whose life we really live; "I have been crucified with Christ and I no longer live, but Christ lives in me" Galatians 2:20. Our life belongs to Christ, and it must be left with Him to create the life He desires.

Jesus is the only One who has ever truly been in the creation business; "All things were created by Him and for Him" Colossians 1:16. We were created by Jesus for His sovereign purpose; "We are the clay, You are the potter; we are all the work of Your hand" Isaiah 64:8. Somehow, we consider ourselves as the work of our own hands. We try to create a life according to the world's system and fulfill "needs" and "rights" based on this false world view. 

.

The truth that will set us free is that our needs are extremely small, and we actually have NO rights - at least not in this world; "You are not your own; you were bought at a price" 1 Corinthians 6:19-20. We have been purchased with the blood of Jesus and given eternal life as joint heirs with Christ in God's Kingdom. 

If we truly want the ideal, we will stop trying to create our life and place every area in the Hands of a loving Creator. God defines and shapes the ideal, and His ideal is ours for the asking. The ideal job, home, marriage, ministry, fun, and friends are all ours; but only through releasing our rights, redefining our needs, and humbly understanding that we are the created.

.....walking

God's desire is that we walk down the path He lays before us. This path begins with the gift of eternal life through faith in Jesus; "For My Father's will is that everyone who looks to the Son and believes in Him shall have eternal life" John 6:40. The path continues with living a life of holiness; "But just as He who called you is holy, so be holy in all you do" 1 Peter 1:15.

We walk further down His path as we learn contentment "in any and every situation" Philippians 4:12, as we are filled with joy, prayer and thanksgiving 1 Thessalonians 5:16-18, and as we begin to truly rest in the peace which only He provides; "Peace I leave you; My peace I give you" John 14:27. It's important to remember that each step down God's path is for the purpose of being "conformed to the likeness of His Son, that He may be the firstborn of many brothers" Romans 8:29. Every step, no matter how difficult, brings us closer to God and shapes us to be more like Jesus.

Have we entered onto God's path through faith in Jesus Christ? Are we now continuing down the path God desires for us to walk? When confronted with choices, is it obvious which direction we should go?

Whether you turn to the right or to the left, your ears will hear a voice behind you, saying, 'This is the way; walk in it.' Isaiah 30:21  When we trust in Jesus, we are adopted into God's Family and begin a journey which lasts the rest of our days. God gives us His Spirit to guide us along His path; but many times when His Spirit calls, we're too busy to listen...or we choose not to respond.

If we have entered onto God's path and now desire to follow where He leads, we MUST make time to simply slow down and listen; "In repentance and rest is your Salvation, in quietness and trust is your strength" Isaiah 30:15. Our eternal Salvation is a transformation which occurs in an instant,  His presence is our only place of true peace.

The guiding voice of His Spirit still calls every day, but the competing noise is often so great that we stray from the path and become entangled in the weeds; and there is definitely no peace or contentment in the weeds! Let's get out of the weeds and continue on His path. 

Let's set aside quiet time to listen for guidance - to hear which way to turn - and to simply rest in His loving arms. And let's be determined to boldly follow when we hear His gentle voice calling, "This is the way, walk in it!"

.....living

 Do you know for certain God is working on your behalf, or do you merely hope He is helping you? Are you walking in the confident conviction the Lord will do as He's promised, or are you worrying about the difficulties you face?

Each day, you and I have a choice to make: Will we live by faith or succumb to doubt? How we answer this question will shape how we view our circumstances and what we are able to accomplish in our lives. Walking in the confident conviction the Lord will do as He's promised will help us triumph over the many challenges we face.

As we see throughout God's Word, responding in faith is essential to our Christian walks Rom. 1:17. This is especially true when we face times of adversity or feel helpless. Perhaps our medical, relational, or financial situations seem insurmountable. Our hopes and dreams may appear to be dashed forever. It might even feel as if God is refusing to answer our prayers. We must remember the Father uses each of these to test and grow our trust in Him, and it's crucial we respond with a steadfast faith that doesn't waver James 1:2-6 .

I recall a particularly difficult season when I attended the University of Richmond. Everything seemed to be going wrong. I received a 50 on one exam and a 75 on another. I did not have the funds needed to continue my education, and I was desperate to know if it was the Lord's will for me to remain in school. I remember going to my room, weeping, and praying to God: "I've got to be absolutely sure it is Your will for me to be here. Father, please clarify this question in my mind and show me exactly what to do."

I am sure you can relate to the pressure I was under as a young man. Human logic was telling me, "You're away from your family, failing your exams, and you have no money. Wouldn't the Lord make this easier if He really wanted you to continue? This is not worth the struggle. Go home." But all the things my grandfather taught me kept coming to mind, including the principle that God would move heaven and earth to show me His Will. I also knew the Father did not require me to understand His will. I simply needed to obey it - even if it seemed unreasonable at the time.

Thankfully, the Lord gave me the courage to continue in college. However, the experience taught me that wavering faith can be dangerous. If I had not sought the Father's will and had given up, the course of my life would have been altered completely. 

The same is true for you. Regardless of what you are facing, the Father will use it as an opportunity to deepen your faith in Him; and walking in faith can mean all the difference to your future. So how do you make sure that you walk in faith?

1. When tempted to fret about your circumstances, ask yourself... 

Where are these doubts coming from? 

Has God ever failed me in the past?

Doesn't the Lord promise to meet my needs?

Don't I have the help of the Holy Spirit?

Isn't the Father with me at all times?

Is anything too hard for God?

Is my focus on the Lord as it should be?

2. It is crucial that you spend time in the Word of God. 

One of the primary ways the Father speaks to you is through His Word, study the Bible each day, consider how He is instructing you, then apply His principles to your life. The Lord will move heaven and earth to show you His will, so trust Him to reveal what you should do .

3.  Reflect on the times God faithfully answered your prayers. 

Remembering how the Father has helped you in the past will keep you from stumbling when troubles arise. Whenever you see the Lord at work in your life, record it in the margin of your Bible. This will become your personal record of His faithfulness to you and will help to encourage you in your walk with Him.

4. Choose to obey God and leave all the consequences to Him. 

There may be times in your life, as there have been in mine, when trusting the Lord is in conflict with your human reason and when you fail to see Him working in your circumstances. But don't give up. Remember "we walk by faith, not by sight" 2 Cor . 5 :7. Claim God's promises in faith, and do exactly as He says. You will always be glad you did.

No matter what your situation is today, I hope you will trust that the Father is working on your behalf. It is my prayer that you will take the time to strengthen your faith each day, spend time in the Word of God, reflect on the Father's answers to your prayers, and faithfully obey Him regardless of the consequences. This will make all the difference in your life. You may not know what the Lord has planned for you, but you can be assured that it is above and beyond all you can ask or imagine Ephesians 3:20

Often, our faith is tried the most when we must wait on God for the desires of our hearts.  I pray it will help you persevere in faith, regardless of what trials may come. May God bless you richly as you seek to trust Him more.

- david langerfeld

.....broken

Spring is my favorite season. Every year it reminds me of God's power to revive, restore and bring fruitfulness where winter once seemed to speak only of death and barrenness. As flowers begin to bloom, trees burst into leaf and birds fill the air with song, creation quietly proclaims that God is still in the business of bringing life from what appears lifeless.

This spring I planted pansies in the flowerpots outside my home. They were growing beautifully, and I looked forward to seeing them burst into full bloom. Then one morning my heart sank.

Overnight, something – perhaps a deer – had eaten almost every flower. All that remained were broken stems and roots barely visible above the soil. My first instinct was to empty the pots and replace them. Surely nothing beautiful could grow from what looked so completely ruined.

At the very same time, I was walking through a season of disappointment in my own life. I believed God was growing something beautiful – something that would bring glory to Him and bless others. I had prayed, trusted and waited expectantly. Then, almost overnight, everything seemed to collapse. Dreams I had cherished appeared to be cut off, and what I thought was flourishing suddenly looked beyond recovery.

As I stood looking at those broken flowerpots, a quiet thought came to my mind – an invitation from the Holy Spirit: “Give them to Me.” So I did. I surrendered those broken pansies to God and simply asked, "Lord, what will You do with them?" But beneath that simple prayer was another, far more personal one.

What will You do with my broken dreams? My unanswered prayers? My disappointment?

Over the following weeks, I noticed tiny signs of life. Fresh green leaves appeared where there had only been broken stems. Hope slowly began to replace discouragement. Still, I wondered if there would ever be flowers again.

Then, after returning from a holiday, I walked into my garden and stopped in amazement.

The flowerpots were overflowing with beautiful purple and white pansies. They stood tall in the sunshine, healthier and fuller than I could have imagined.

As I looked at them, I sensed the Lord gently reminding me that He is in the business of restoration. What seemed beyond recovery was never beyond His care.

Perhaps you are standing today in your own broken garden.

Has disappointment replaced hope? Have prayers remained unanswered? Has an unexpected loss left you wondering where God is? Perhaps a relationship has been damaged, a ministry opportunity has disappeared, or a door you believed God had opened has suddenly closed. Maybe you simply feel spiritually dry, longing once again to experience His presence.

The same invitation the Holy Spirit gave me is extended to each of us:

“Give it to Me.”

Give Him your broken dreams.

Give Him your unanswered questions.

Give Him your pain, your tears and your disappointments.

Whatever has caused your brokenness, it is not beyond God's redeeming power.

Our Heavenly Father delights in restoring broken gardens. He takes our surrender and mingles it with His grace, compassion and unfailing love. In His perfect time, He brings beauty from ashes, hope from disappointment and new life where we could see only loss.

The restoration may not always look exactly as we imagined. Sometimes God restores our circumstances; sometimes He restores our hearts. But He never wastes our surrender.

An encouraging reminder from Ellen White "In the future life the mysteries that here have annoyed and disappointed us will be made plain. We shall see that our seemingly unanswered prayers and disappointed hopes have been among our greatest blessings." The Ministry of Healing, p. 474.

And the Lord will continually guide you, and satisfy your soul in scorched and dry places, and give strength to your bones; and you will be like a watered garden, and like a spring of water whose waters do not fail Isaiah 58:11

May your seasons of disappointment be revived, restored and transformed into an abundance of fruitfulness as you entrust your circumstances to your Heavenly Father's loving care.

- adina lupu