Weekly Reflection

“And, ‘My righteous one will live by faith. And I take no pleasure in the one who shrinks back.’”

Have you taken time to reflect on the power of faith in our lives?

Last week, I shared the meaning of faith and how faith and belief work together. In the passage above, the writer of Hebrews is quoting an Old Testament Scripture from Habakkuk 2:4 (NIV):
“See, the enemy is puffed up; his desires are not upright—
but the righteous person will live by his faithfulness.”

In both instances, God uses this message to remind His people not to regress into their former sinful lives, but to trust His sovereignty and faithfulness, even when they could not see His hand at work in a physical way.

In other words, faith (pístis) is lived out even when you do not understand the beginning or the end of the story, because you trust and believe in the God who promised never to leave you nor forsake you
(Deuteronomy 31:6; Hebrews 13:5, NIV).

To the Jews who had believed him, Jesus said, “If you hold to my teaching, you are really my disciples.  Then you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free.”

What does it truly mean to say, “I believe in Jesus”?

We live in a world where belief is often defined broadly and shaped by personal preference. It is no surprise that many profess to be Christian, yet live far from Jesus. As you read this, you may wonder, “Who are you to judge?”

You are right, I am no one special. I am simply a sinner who has spent time with the Lord and learned that holding on to Jesus is far more than:

1. A feel-good experience.
   Believing in Jesus, according to Jesus, requires transformation, from a worldly mindset to becoming a new creation.

Luke 9:23 (KJV)
And he said to them all, If any man will come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross daily, and follow me.

2. Religious knowledge or ritual.
   Learning to follow an organized religion does not mean we are right with God.

“Listen then to what the parable of the sower means.”

My friend, we are approaching the end of the second month of the year. Have you taken time to examine your journey with Jesus? Whether you call yourself a disciple, a Christian, or a believer in Jesus Christ, the expectation to follow Jesus is the same.

Let us take time to reflect and meditate on the Word of our Lord Jesus Christ, and examine the soil of our hearts to determine whether we are cultivating our soil to bring God glory and to join Him on the narrow road He speaks of in Matthew 7:13–14, rather than being surprised to discover that we may have been living out a false discipleship.

When you have time, read all of Matthew chapter 13, but for today, we will focus specifically on verses 18–23, where Jesus explains the meaning of the parable for today’s devotional.

If you are not familiar with what a parable is, it is simply an earthly story with a heavenly meaning. Jesus often used parables to reveal spiritual truth to those who were willing to listen and understand.

"What shall we say, then? Shall we go on sinning so that grace may increase? By no means! We are those who have died to sin; how can we live in it any longer?"

How do you view sin? More importantly, do you understand how God views sin?

I will be honest, there was a time when I professed to be a Christian and a disciple of Jesus Christ, yet I was still drowning in sin. Much of it was hidden. It did not always show on the outside, but it lived within me: unforgiveness, impatience, people-pleasing, and the lies that followed, sins only I knew about. My friend, the list could go on.

I wish I could say that I have arrived and now recognize every sin in my life. But if that were true, I would not need a Savior. Only God knows all things, and I am not Him.

What I have learned along my journey is this: God does not take sin lightly, and when we sincerely ask Him, He lovingly reveals what must change.

“Meditate upon these things; give thyself wholly to them; that thy profiting may appear to all.”

When was the last time you truly meditated?

Have you ever considered what biblical meditation really means according to Scripture?

Over the years, I have read articles, attended conferences, sat in classrooms, and practiced various forms of meditation. In my profession, I often encourage patients to meditate as a healthy way to recenter their minds, bodies, and souls. Yet a few years ago, while participating in a meditation class, I realized something important. When I chose a Scripture, a promise of God, as my focus, intrusive thoughts lost their power, and it became easier to remain still and centered before the Lord.

Why do I share this? Recently, a friend asked me to look up the Hebrew meaning of the word meditate. I obeyed, because I do not believe in coincidence—God is always working. That obedience led me to a deeper Bible study that I believe every Christian should understand.

Meditation is a powerful tool. So powerful, in fact, that if we are not careful, we can unknowingly practice forms of meditation that connect our spirit to other gods instead of Jehovah God. Have you ever noticed that when you are told to “empty your mind,” your thoughts race, distractions flood in, and eventually you feel defeated? That struggle is not accidental.

Biblical meditation is not about emptying the mind. Before going further, consider Paul’s instruction:

“In his distress he sought the favor of the Lord his God and humbled himself greatly before the God of his ancestors.”

2 Chronicles 33:12
“In his distress he sought the favor of the Lord his God and humbled himself greatly before the God of his ancestors.”

Why do we sometimes have to hit rock bottom before we learn the lessons of life?

Reading the story of King Manasseh in 2 Chronicles 33:10–17 causes me to reflect on my own life. How often does God warn us about our disobedience, yet we continue on with our lives, ignoring His warnings, until we finally hit rock bottom?

King Manasseh was only twelve years old when he became king, and he did not obey the law of God. Scripture tells us that he did many detestable things in the eyes of the Lord. He built altars to other gods inside the temple of the Lord. He worshiped false gods, sacrificed his children in the fire, practiced divination and witchcraft, and consulted mediums and spiritists. Scripture states repeatedly that he did much evil in the eyes of the Lord, provoking the Lord’s anger.