Christianity 201

January 22, 2026

The Love Chapter’s Opposite

Filed under: Christianity - Devotions — paulthinkingoutloud @ 5:31 pm
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What if a person is everything that 1 Corinthians 13 isn’t?

If you want to make being the person in “The Love Chapter” your goal, it helps to know what to avoid. What would an “anti-Love-Chapter” individual be like?

Nobody sets out to be an unloving person, but if you know how it’s done, then you know what to avoid, right?

I want to take a different look at I Corinthians 13, aka ‘The Love Chapter.’

I know what you’re thinking. Can’t we do something a little deeper? Or look at a passage we haven’t heard hundreds of times? Well, hear me out.

But first a diversion. Did you know the word love doesn’t appear in this chapter in the KJV? I found this out the hard way trying to demonstrate to a pastor how a Bible concordance works. (The fact that I was not a pastor and he was, yet he had never seen a concordance speaks volumes to the type of Biblical education he received; but alas, time doesn’t permit me to share that story.) Anyway, I randomly selected “Love is patient” as my demonstration point but Strong didn’t include that because the KJV uses the word charity instead. So if “love is patient, love is kind…” sounds old to you, remember it’s not that old.

The chapter begins,

Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud.

So you’re thinking, if we want to know what it means to be unloving, we just take each descriptor and frame it in the negative. So, “love is patient, love is kind” becomes ‘un-love is impatient, un-love is unkind.’ (And it would get easier, since many of the traits are stated in the negative, so you would just drop the “not.”)

That would make for a simple exercise, and I was in a church study where we did that as an exercise; but keeping the above verse in mind, let’s go adjective-by-adjective but drill down deeper.

STEP ONE: The person without love would need to crave instant gratification, in other words, no room for delayed gratification. In the tech revolution of the 1950s (don’t look it up, there really wasn’t one) the talk was that in the future, everything would be yours at the push of a button; at the flick of a switch. As a more congested transport system leaves us waiting for what seems (but isn’t) forever to board a train, or for a traffic light to change; and as we desire faster download times for internet content, we reflect our hunger for getting everything NOW. Paul taught the Romans that “…endurance produces character, and character produces hope.” (Romans 5:4)

STEP TWO: The person without love would need to have a lack of empathy. You never know kindness until you’ve been shown kindness; and you never know the absence of kindness until you’ve had to experience it, but without empathy, you can’t connect the dots between what you’ve felt and what you’re doing or saying feels like to someone else. Jesus said, “So in everything, do to others what you would have them do to you, for this sums up the Law and the Prophets.” (Matt. 7:12)

STEP THREE: This one is central. To not be the person of love Paul is describing to the Corinthians you have to be guilty of constant comparison. Some Bible expositors go so far as to speak of “the sin of comparison.” And I don’t need to give you the reference to remind us all that the 10th commandment is “do not covet“ which is applied equally to your neighbor’s (marital, in this case) situation, as well as your neighbor’s possessions.

STEP FOUR: Not being boastful begins by not being self promoting. This is critical in our present times, because social media somewhat implores us to put our best face forward on social media. (And tools like Photoshop allow us to edit how that face looks!) We are now even able to quantify our popularity by counting likes or followers.  Thus says the Lord: “Let not the wise man boast in his wisdom, let not the mighty man boast in his might, let not the rich man boast in his riches.” (Jeremiah 9:23)

STEP FIVE: I’ll keep this one really brief since I’ve written about passages such as Philippians 2 so many times here. You would need to have a complete absence of humility. Pride isn’t the issue here, pride is more of a manifestation (or symptom) of a larger problem. Rather, the overarching need for humility is part of a lifestyle that needs to cultivated. Jesus did not see his equality with God as something to be leveraged but chose the path of humility and the role of a servant. (My own take on Phil. 2) “The reward for humility and fear of the Lord is riches and honor and life.” (Proverbs 22:4)

Let’s look at the next verse:

It [love] does not dishonor others, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs.

STEP SIX: The unloving person would have no problem committing defamation of character. You could be absolutely right about someone, but still dishonor them by not keeping silent. Or you could be exacting revenge against someone and seek to destroy their character for that reason. Or you may just have a callous disregard for others. Romans 12:10 reads, “Love one another with brotherly affection. Outdo one another in showing honor.” The setup for the often quoted Philippians 2 passage begins “in humility count others more significant than yourselves.” (The CEB offers a gender-neutral expression for brotherly love: “Love each other like the members of your family.”)

STEP SEVEN: Because the previous already covered not boasting and not being proud, when we reach not self-seeking it may seem almost redundant. Could we say the unloving person is status-seeking? Or are they all about building their own empire? I would argue that with some it’s actually lacking transparency. We could also say they have a hidden agenda. They are perceived to be outwardly doing something altruistic, but like a skillful chess player, what outwardly appears a seemingly sacrificial move is coldly calculated to be of personal benefit. “This is the verdict: Light has come into the world, but people loved darkness instead of light because their deeds were evil.” (John 3:19)

STEP EIGHT: The unloving person would undoubtedly be prone to knee-jerk reactions. And when have we ever seen this more than in political discussions? “Understand this, my dear brothers and sisters: You must all be quick to listen, slow to speak, and slow to get angry.” James 1:19

STEP NINE: An unloving acquaintance hangs on to hurts. They’re making a list and checking it twice, and going to remember how many times you’ve stepped on their toes or damaged their feelings. Being forgetful can be a human failing. But it’s also a divine attribute. If we want to be God-like we need to learn how to forget! “For I will forgive their iniquity and never again remember their sin.” – Jeremiah 31:34b

The final verse of this micro-passage ends

Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth.

STEP TEN: I wanted to combine these into a single step to bring the list to ten items. Ten items to avoid. The final one, in being an unloving person, you’d probably be seen a troublemaker. The person who delights in evil has their values turned upside-down and is glorifying wickedness instead of righteousness. Isaiah 5:20 nails this possibility: “Woe to those who call evil good and good evil, who put darkness for light and light for darkness, who put bitter for sweet and sweet for bitter!” This verse wouldn’t be in our scriptures unless people had done this in Isaiah’s time; unless it were possible for us to be equally value-shifted.

None of these things are outside the realm of possibility. It’s easy to think of people we have known who were self-aggrandizing, deceitful, over-reactive, or just plain troublemakers. But it’s also not impossible to remember times in our own lives where we entered into those categories, or at least skated dangerously close.

Moving forward, we want to be loving not unloving.

With God’s help, we can do this.

■ This isn’t the first time we’ve had a backwards approach to I Corinthians 13. Check out, from March, 2016, A Personal Character Checklist.

■ Paul does as much himself — telling us what not love looks like — in the setup to the verses we examined. From January, 2014 check out Religious Activity versus Abiding in Christ.

Remembering that the whole Love Chapter is sandwiched between two chapters discussing spiritual gifts; from the 2nd of those articles:

In certain Christian quarters, we tend to treat supernatural gifts as the gold standard of faith, but without humility or love, we come up empty; and all our co-workers, neighbors, or extended family see is a preoccupation with religious things that really don’t appeal…

January 21, 2026

Whose Voice are You Hearing?

Filed under: Christianity - Devotions — paulthinkingoutloud @ 5:28 pm
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One year ago we introduced you to the site Fullness of Joy and writer Nichole Henson. Fullness of Joy Ministry teaches others “how to fully surrender to God, walk in their identity given to them by God, heal from trauma, gain freedom from demonic torment, and how to create a strong relationship with God.” Click the header below to read this there and then take a few minutes to look around at other articles and video resources.

The Leading of the Holy Spirit

When we feel like the Holy Spirit is speaking we have to first make sure it is Him because it could actually be one (or more) of the following: the Holy Spirit, ourselves or demons. So I think the first step is making sure that it is the Holy Spirit speaking/leading us. There are several ways we can do that.

1. Ask yourself does what you are hearing and feeling line up with scripture? The Holy Spirit will never speak something that contradicts God’s written Words in the Bible.

2 Timothy 3:16-17 16 All Scripture is God-breathed [given by divine inspiration] and is profitable for instruction, for conviction [of sin], for correction [of error and restoration to obedience], for training in righteousness [learning to live in conformity to God’s will, both publicly and privately—behaving honorably with personal integrity and moral courage]; 17 so that the man of God may be complete and proficient, outfitted and thoroughly equipped for every good work.

2. Does what you are hearing/feeling glorify Jesus?

John 16:13-1413 But when He, the Spirit of Truth, comes, He will guide you into all the truth [full and complete truth]. For He will not speak on His own initiative, but He will speak whatever He hears [from the Father—the message regarding the Son], and He will disclose to you what is to come [in the future]. 14 He will glorify and honor Me, because He (the Holy Spirit) will take from what is Mine and will disclose it to you.

3. If you follow what you hear, will it produce good Godly fruit in your life?

Romans 14:17 17 for the kingdom of God is not a matter of eating and drinking [what one likes], but of righteousness and peace and joy in the Holy Spirit.

Notice righteousness comes first and then peace and joy in the Holy Spirit.

4. Does what you are hearing/feeling encourage obedience to God?

Galatians 5:16 16 But I say, walk habitually in the [Holy] Spirit [seek Him and be responsive to His guidance], and then you will certainly not carry out the desire of the sinful nature [which responds impulsively without regard for God and His precepts].

5. Does what you are hearing/feeling release bondages or create them?

2 Corinthians 3:17 17 Now the Lord is the Spirit, and where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is liberty [emancipation from bondage, true freedom].

Bondage, confusion and fear are not products of the Holy Spirit

Romans 8:15 15 For you have not received a spirit of slavery leading again to fear [of God’s judgment], but you have received the Spirit of adoption as sons [the Spirit producing sonship] by which we [joyfully] cry, “Abba! Father!”

1 Corinthians 14:33 33 for God [who is the source of their prophesying] is not a God of confusion and disorder but of peace and order. As [is the practice] in all the churches of the saints (God’s people),

2 Timothy 1:7 7 For God did not give us a spirit of timidity or cowardice or fear, but [He has given us a spirit] of power and of love and of sound judgment and personal discipline [abilities that result in a calm, well-balanced mind and self-control].

I have recently heard many prophetic words that have been covered and delivered with fear.

6. Does what you are hearing/feeling bring forth life?

2 Corinthians 3:6 6 He has qualified us [making us sufficient] as ministers of a new covenant [of salvation through Christ], not of the letter [of a written code] but of the Spirit; for the letter [of the Law] kills [by revealing sin and demanding obedience], but the Spirit gives life.

7. Does your spirit bear witness (discernment) to what you are hearing/feeling?

1 John 2:27 27 As for you, the anointing [the special gift, the preparation] which you received from Him remains [permanently] in you, and you have no need for anyone to teach you. But just as His anointing teaches you [giving you insight through the presence of the Holy Spirit] about all things, and is true and is not a lie, and just as His anointing has taught you, you must remain in Him [being rooted in Him, knit to Him].

Once you do this list several times you will get used to His voice and His leading and it will be much easier to know for sure it is Him speaking and leading. How to be lead by Him:

1. Take time to really get to know Him. Do a topical study about Him in the Bible, talk to Him and spend quality time getting to know Him. Learn how He operates in our lives. Learn to know the sound of His voice.

2. Walk in total submission. Start everyday with welcoming Him and telling Him to have His way. Ask Him to do whatever He wants no matter what it looks like. Really open your heart and be ready to do whatever He wants you to do. Have full trust in Him and His leading.

3. Ask Him to train and teach you, especially when you are reading the Bible. Always pray for His assistance before you start to read. Ask Him to teach you and draw you closer to the Lord through your study time.

January 20, 2026

Returning to the Place We Lost Something Spiritually

Filed under: Christianity - Devotions — paulthinkingoutloud @ 5:34 pm
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Subscribers: We’re aware that our content is dominated by writers from the U.S. If you also subscribe to, or write a Christian Bible Study or devotional blog that is based in Western Europe, or Asia, or Australia/New Zealand, etc., we’d love to hear from you. Use the contact/submission page here.

“Will the Lord reject forever? Will he never show his favor again? – Psalm 77:7 NIV

O LORD, how long will you forget me? Forever? How long will you look the other way? – Psalm 89:45 NLT

About three in the afternoon Jesus cried out with a loud voice, “Eli, Eli, lema sabachthani? ” that is, “My God, my God, why have you abandoned me? ” – Matthew 27:46 quoting Psalm 22 CSB

Today we are again featuring Doug Eaton at his blog Flight of Faith.  Doug is the Executive Director of Admissions for Trinity International University, which is comprised of four schools including a graduate school and a seminary. After previewing about ten different articles we selected this one to share here. Clicking the title below will take you to where it first appeared in the summer.

How long, LORD? Will You forget me forever? How long will You hide Your face from me? – Psalm 13:1 NASB

When God Seems Distant

When we lose something, we first look in the last place we saw it. Charles Spurgeon suggests that this advice applies when we seem to have lost the company of Christ. Though the Christian is secure in his salvation, God will sometimes withdraw his presence from us (Psalm 13:1). Does this describe your current condition? Was there a time when you walked in step with the Spirit, but now you seem to be walking alone? Spurgeon tells us to “look for Christ where you lost him.” He then gives a few possible places to check.

First, he suggests that we may have lost Christ’s presence because we have abandoned our time of prayer. If that is the case, then that is the first place we should return to find him. If you had a vibrant prayer life when you were aware that God was with you, but your prayer life has diminished, it is time to get back into the prayer closet.

Second, Spurgeon asks, did Jesus seem to grow distant because you began playing with sin? He suggests that the only way to find him is by giving up that sin and seeking the Holy Spirit to put to death those sinful desires driving you to it.

Third, he asks, “Did you lose him by neglecting the Scriptures?” If so, you know where to look. It is time to pick up the Word once again. Usually, in times like these, something else has grabbed our interest. Some of those things may not necessarily be bad, such as novels, business books, movies, and TV shows, but if they cause us to neglect the Word, we need to go back to where we were with him last.

We must not assume that every time God feels distant, it is because of something we have done. Sometimes God does it to strengthen our faith. He will occasionally put us in situations where we must trust his Word over our feelings, and seek his face even when he seems distant. However, many times, it is we who have moved, not God, when we seem to lose him. We are like a child wandering from his parents in a crowded market. We feel just fine as we chase our desires, until we realize we are alone.

Nothing is more precious in the believer’s life than God’s presence. When we first came to walk with him, we understood this, but after years of doing so, we can forget what it is like to walk alone, so we begin to neglect him. In times like these, remember the sweetness of your time with him and seek his face, even if it means backtracking to get back to where you last saw him.

Spurgeon ends by giving us this encouragement:
With your whole heart seek him, and you will find him.
Give yourself thoroughly to the search, and you will surely discover him to your joy and gladness again.

Paul: As I checked this over before scheduling it, a thought occurred to me that — even if you’re not currently in a place where God seems distant — that it’s completely appropriate to consider returning to the place you found God.

I’ve shared the story before of a young woman who won a car in a contest. One of the first things she wanted to do with it is return to a Christian summer camp about two hours away where God had met her in a special way. 

Not having the directions entirely correct — and it being pre-internet times — she never did reach her destination, but knowing she was in the general vicinity, she pulled her car to the side of the road and recommitted her life to Christ.  

So as I posted Doug’s suggestion about returning to the place where you lost Him, it occurs to me that there’s also value for the rest of us in periodically returning to the place where we found him. Returning to the “stones of remembrance” we’ve built at other times. 

Second Helping: Read more from Doug’s website in an interesting thought piece on finding the balance between intellect and emotions; between head and heart,  titled The Scandal of the Evangelical Heart.

January 19, 2026

Devotions by Tozer

Filed under: Christianity - Devotions — paulthinkingoutloud @ 5:31 pm
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Every year, we make a point to include some material from the devotional site of A.W. Tozer who is, depending on who you read, one of the most quoted Christian authors. Individual devotions are sourced by date on the website, hosted by The Alliance (formerly The Christian and Missionary Alliance Church denomination).

As we said last year at time, Tozer, a 20th Century prophet, was a key figure in the C&MA. His legacy reaches through time and has impacted countless millions. A prolific author and pastor, Tozer was known for his emphasis on the deeper life movement. If you read Tozer’s many books and think you know the people or organizations to which he is referring, keep in mind that he died in 1963. But his writing is still immediate to our situation.

Dead Passivity

Jan 12, 2026
verse

In the same way, count yourselves dead to sin but alive to God in Christ Jesus.
— Romans 6:11

Most readers will remember (some with just a trace of nostalgia) his or her early struggles to learn the difference between the active and the passive voice in English grammar, and how it finally dawned that in the active voice, the subject performs an act; in the passive voice, the subject is acted upon. Thus, “I love” is active, and “I am loved” is passive. A good example of this distinction is to be found at the nearest mortuary. There the undertaker is active and the dead are passive. One acts while the others receive the action.

Now what is normal in a mortuary may be, and in this instance is, altogether abnormal in a church. Yet we have somehow gotten ourselves into a state where almost all church religion is passive. A limited number of professionals act, and the mass of religious people are content to receive the action. The minister, like the undertaker, performs his professional service while the members of the congregation relax and passively “enjoy” the service. One reason for this condition is the failure of the clergy to grasp the true purpose of preaching. There is a feeling that the work of the preacher is to instruct merely, whereas the real work of the preacher is to instruct with an end to securing moral action from the hearers.

As long as there has been no moral response to the instruction, the hearers are passive merely and might as well be dead. Indeed, in one sense they are dead already.

thought

Rather than counting ourselves dead to sin and alive in Christ Jesus, are we living as though we were dead to Christ and all too alive to sin?

prayer

Lord, deliver me from casket living! I’m alive in Christ.

Jan 13, 2026

Vital Faith Shows Itself in Changed Living

verse

As the body without the spirit is dead, so faith without deeds is dead.
— James 2:26

We would make a clear distinction here between moral action and mere religious activity. In truth there is already too much of that popular type of activity which does little more than agitate the surface of religion. Its never-ending squirrel-cage motion gives the impression that much is being done, when actually nothing really important is happening and no genuine spiritual progress is being made.

From such we must turn away. By moral action, we mean a voluntary response to the Christian message: not merely the acceptance of Christ as our personal Savior but a submission to the obligation implicit in the doctrine of the Lordship of Jesus.

We must free ourselves from the inadequate concept of the gospel as being only “good news,” and accept the total meaning of the Christian message centering in the cross of Christ. We must restore again to the church the idea that the offer of salvation by faith in Christ carries with it the condition that there must be also a surrender of the life to God in complete obedience. Anything less than this puts the whole thing in the passive voice.

A lifetime of passive listening to the truth without responding to it paralyzes the will and causes a fatty degeneration of the heart. The purpose of Bible teaching is to secure a moral and spiritual change in the whole life. Failing this, the whole thing may be wasted.

thought

Vital faith results in radically changed living. Biblical teaching calls not just for intellectual assent but life obedience. Faith unreflected in deeds is highly suspect.

prayer

Father, I have sometimes done well in hearing the Word but doing has not always followed. Forgive me in Jesus’ name.

January 25, 2026 (scheduled)

Evidence of the Spirit at Work

verse

But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control. Against such there is no law.
— Galatians 5:22-23

Someone wrote to me recently asking what I meant by a statement which occurs in the booklet Paths to Power, which I wrote some years ago. The passage reads: “No one was ever filled with the Holy Spirit without knowing it. The Holy Spirit always announces Himself to the human consciousness.” What bothered my correspondent was the nature of this “announcement.”

Of what does it consist?
How may we recognize it?
Is it some kind of physical evidence, or what?

This whole question is worthy of larger treatment than I can give it in this limited space. But possibly these thoughts will prove helpful to any who may be confused about the nature of spiritual evidence. There is such a thing as the secret workings of the Spirit in the soul of man, for a time unknown and unsuspected by the individual. In fact, most of the fruits of the Spirit are unsuspected by the man in whom they are found.

The most loving, most patient, most compassionate soul is unlikely to be aware of these graces. He is almost certain to believe that he is anything but loving or patient or kind. Others will discover the operations of the Spirit within him long before he will and will thank God for his sweet Christian character while he may at the same time be walking in great humility before God, mourning the absence of the very graces that others know he possesses.

thought

God has wisely arranged it so that the fruit of the Spirit produced in believers is far more evident to others rather than to themselves. That encourages humility rather than misplaced pride.

prayer

O Lord, may Your Spirit produce in me fruit. I’m so conscious of works of the sinful nature.

January 18, 2026

Stay on Track to Win

Filed under: Christianity - Devotions — paulthinkingoutloud @ 5:33 pm
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At least once a year I like to highlight the writing of pastor, author and evangelist Greg Laurie, of Harvest Church in Riverside, California; Harvest.org.  In 2024, many of us got to better know his story through the movie The Jesus Revolution, which was released later in some countries – sadly, not here in Canada – on DVD. Click the title which follows to read this at his site.

How to Run the Race of Life

[This article originally appeared at the end of 2025 in anticipation of the new year.] 

…We need to remember that we are running a spiritual race.

In Acts 20, we find the apostle Paul’s words to the leaders of the church in Ephesus, “But none of these things move me; nor do I count my life dear to myself, so that I may finish my race with joy, and the ministry which I received from the Lord Jesus” (verse 24 NKJV). These were things that really mattered to the great apostle.

There are many Bible verses where Paul used the analogy of a runner in a race. Each one of these instances reminds us of a different aspect of running the race of life.

We Must Run to Win (1 Corinthians 9:24)

1 Corinthians 9:24 says, “Don’t you realize that in a race everyone runs, but only one person gets the prize? So run to win!” (NLT)

You also must run in such a way that you will win! There is no point in running for second or third place. Go for the gold! Don’t settle for mediocrity as a follower of Jesus.

Understand, however, that his point is not that only one Christian can succeed spiritually. Your “opponents” are not fellow Christians. I am not running the race of life to beat you or anyone else. Our competitors are the world, the flesh, and the devil.

Be Careful Not to Get Off Track (Galatians 5:7)

Galatians 5:7 says, “You were running the race so well. Who has held you back from following the truth?” (NLT)

Sometimes, due to poor choices in friends and companions, we get “off track.” They tend to drag us away from our commitment, instead of encouraging us in it. At the very least, they slow us down. At worst, they sidetrack us.

Don’t Look Back (Philippians 3:12–16)

Philippians 3:12–16 reads,

“I don’t mean to say that I have already achieved these things or that I have already reached perfection. But I press on to possess that perfection for which Christ Jesus first possessed me. No, dear brothers and sisters, I have not achieved it, but I focus on this one thing: Forgetting the past and looking forward to what lies ahead, I press on to reach the end of the race and receive the heavenly prize for which God, through Christ Jesus, is calling us. Let all who are spiritually mature agree on these things. If you disagree on some point, I believe God will make it plain to you. But we must hold on to the progress we have already made” (NLT).

Past Year Reflections

How did you do in 2025? Have you got off track, or are you running for the gold?

Have any relationships or things slowed you down in your pursuit of God?

The moment you believed in Jesus Christ, this race began for you. Some of you are just beginning, while others have been running for quite a while.

My son Christopher has already finished his race, and his old dad is still running! As I get older, I think about finishing this race more than ever.

And not everyone is finishing well. I know of some who have not finished their race with joy (see Acts 20:24 NKJV). People who seemed strong in the faith but have “crashed and burned” in the race of life. They got off track or, in some cases, even self-destructed.

We see this in the Bible as well.

Biblical Figures with a Weak Finish

King Saul comes to mind. He would have been a good politician: tall, handsome, charismatic, and I might add, anointed by God to be the king. Prophesying with the prophets, he had incredible potential.

Everything was going Saul’s way, and if he had just obeyed God, it would have been great. But he disobeyed God repeatedly and allowed pride—and eventually paranoia and jealousy—to consume him. This led to a series of sins, causing God to reject him.

The once-great King Saul met a tragic end at the battlefield having, in his own words, “played the fool and erred exceedingly” (1 Samuel 26:21 NKJV).

In the end, he really had no one to blame but himself. He started his race well, but his finish was a disaster.

Or we think of the mighty Samson, supernaturally blessed with super-human strength, and able to vanquish his enemies with relative ease.

But, like all people, Samson had his vulnerabilities. He was a “He-Man” with a “She-Weakness.” A series of compromises took place in his life, starting with marrying a non-believer and ending up with a prostitute* that took him down “Hooker, line, and sinker.” It culminated in a one-way trip to Delilah’s Barber Shop.

He, too, did not finish his race well.

Biblical Figures with a Strong Finish

I could go on with the stories of men who did not finish the race of life well. But Paul wanted to be in the company of those who “finished their race with joy,” joining the ranks of those who finished in God’s “winners circle.”

Men like Caleb, whose incredible story is found in Joshua 14. Or Daniel, who wouldn’t compromise, even in his 80s.

Let’s commit ourselves to finishing what we have begun, remembering this: The race of life is not a quick sprint but a long-distance run.

So run well this new year, and every year after!

* Editor’s note: some Bible scholars disagree with applying the label prostitute to Delilah 

 

January 17, 2026

An Outline Study: We Become What We Sow

Filed under: Christianity - Devotions — paulthinkingoutloud @ 5:30 pm
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This is our third time in 13 months with Ken Baker, who calls his site, The SON Newspaper, tag line: “Rethinking EVERYTHING – from a Jesus-perspective.” The article title which appears below is also a link.

Bountiful Living: What We Sow, What We Become

“He who sows sparingly shall also reap sparingly;
and he who sows bountifully shall also reap bountifully.”

Section 1

Paul’s Metaphor: Moral Ecology, Not Moralism

Paul’s language here in 2 Corinthians 9:6 is agricultural, not transactional. He is not describing a vending-machine God, nor threatening punishment for insufficient generosity. He is naming a reality as old as the soil itself: life responds to what is planted.

This is not karma. It is formation.

Over time, patterns become dispositions. Repeated choices harden into habits. What we sow—resentment or mercy, generosity or suspicion—eventually becomes the climate of our inner world.

Paul’s point is not “give more to get more,” but live sparingly and your life will shrink; live bountifully and your life will widen.

This is about what kind of people we are becoming, not what we earn from God.

Reflection Questions

  1. Where in your life do you notice the effects of long-term “sowing”—for good or for ill?

In the New Testament, long-term sowing shows up as character taking shape over time. “Each tree is recognised by its own fruit” (Luke 6:44). What we repeatedly practice—mercy, patience, resentment, or fear—eventually becomes visible fruit in our lives. As Paul says, “If we live by the Spirit, let us also keep in step with the Spirit” (Galatians 5:25); a life walked daily in one direction slowly becomes formed by it.

2. How does hearing this verse as wisdom (rather than warning) change how you receive it?

Heard as wisdom, the verse invites attentiveness rather than anxiety. It echoes James’s insight that inner patterns mature over time: “Let endurance have its full effect, so that you may be mature and complete” (James 1:4). (Lacking nothing!)

Instead of fearing loss or punishment, the focus shifts to formation—welcoming the truth that “whatever one sows, that will he also reap” (Galatians 6:7) describes how lives grow, not how God keeps score.

Section 2

Grace Received, Grace Obstructed

C. S. Lewis famously observed that Christian forgiveness is possible only because we ourselves have been forgiven the inexcusable. Grace, by its nature, is meant to move.

Jesus’ parable of the unforgiving servant exposes what happens when grace stops short. A man released from an unpayable debt refuses to release a minor one. The scandal is not the demand for repayment, but the failure of translation. Mercy has been received but not embodied.

Grace that is not lived does not remain neutral. It curdles. It becomes entitlement, resentment, or spiritual hypocrisy.

Paul’s language presses us gently but firmly: grace hoarded becomes grace contradicted.

Reflection Questions

  1. Where might grace have reached you without yet reshaping how you treat others?

The New Testament admits this gap is common: grace can be received faster than it is embodied. Jesus names it directly—“Why do you see the speck in your neighbour’s eye, but do not notice the log in your own?” (Matthew 7:3).

Paul warns of the same disconnect: “If I understand all mysteries and all knowledge, but do not have love, I am nothing” (1 Cor 13:2). Grace can be known intellectually or emotionally before it fully reforms how we relate to others.

Forgiveness is hardest where wounds remain active. Jesus acknowledges the depth of this demand: “Love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you” (Matthew 5:44).

  1. What forms of forgiveness feel hardest for you to “translate” into practice?

Paul frames forgiveness not as denial of harm but as imitation of Christ: “Be kind to one another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, as God in Christ has forgiven you” (Ephesians 4:32). The difficulty lies in moving forgiveness from belief to embodied practice, especially when trust has been broken.

Section 3

The Spirituality of Scarcity

Many of us live with an unspoken assumption: there is not enough—not enough security, affection, recognition, or justice to go around. This scarcity mindset produces defensive living.

We become vigilant, critical, quick to claim our rights. We count emotional change. We remember every slight. This can look wise, discerning, even mature—but it is a form of fear.

Paul names this as sowing sparingly.

The tragedy is that scarcity living often masquerades as realism. But it quietly shrinks the soul. It trains us to withhold joy, generosity, and trust until conditions feel safe—which they rarely do.

Bountiful living begins not with circumstances, but with trust in God’s abundance.

Reflection Questions

  1. Where do you notice scarcity shaping your reactions or relationships?

Scarcity shows up when fear narrows generosity or trust. Jesus names this reflex directly: “Where your treasure is, there your heart will be also” (Matthew 6:21).

When resources—emotional or material—feel threatened, relationships can become guarded. Paul contrasts this with abundance shaped by trust: “My God will fully satisfy every need of yours according to his riches in glory in Christ Jesus” (Philippians 4:19).

  1. How do you distinguish wisdom from fear-based self-protection?

The New Testament distinguishes them by their fruit. “God did not give us a spirit of fear, but of power and love and self-control” (2 Timothy 1:7). – A sound mind!

Wisdom may set boundaries, but fear contracts love. James describes true wisdom as expansive rather than defensive: “The wisdom from above is first pure, then peaceable, gentle, willing to yield, full of mercy and good fruits” (James 3:17).

Section 4

Bountiful Living as Practice, Not Personality

Bountiful living is not a temperament. It is not optimism. It is not extroversion or emotional generosity. It is a practice—chosen repeatedly, often against instinct.

It looks like:

  • forgiving before you feel justified,
  • giving without managing the outcome,
  • laughing when bitterness would feel safer,
  • refusing to let resentment become your moral compass.

E. E. Cummings’ line—“The most wasted of all days is one without laughter”—captures something deeply theological. Laughter is not trivial. It is an act of trust that the world is not exhausted by harm.

Bountiful living is ordinary, unspectacular, and deeply resistant to a culture of outrage.

Reflection Questions

  1. What small, daily practices could help you sow more bountifully?

The New Testament points to ordinary, repeatable acts rather than dramatic gestures. “Encourage one another and build up each other” (1 Thessalonians 5:11) and “Be doers of the word, and not merely hearers” (James 1:22) both emphasise small, daily obedience. Over time, such practices form a life that “does not grow weary in doing what is right” (Galatians 6:9).

  1. Where might joy or laughter be an act of spiritual resistance for you?

Joy resists despair and fear by insisting that death and scarcity do not have the final word. Paul names this defiant posture: “Rejoice in the Lord always; again I will say, Rejoice…” (Philippians 4:4).

Even under pressure, joy becomes testimony: “Though now for a little while you may have had to suffer various trials… you rejoice with an indescribable and glorious joy” (1 Peter 1:6–8).

Section 5

What Are You Sowing Toward?

Paul’s promise is not that we will always see the harvest, but that the harvest will come. Some of what we sow bears fruit beyond our sight, in other people’s lives, in futures we will never inhabit.

This frees us from obsessing over outcomes. We are responsible for the sowing, not the timetable.

To live bountifully is to trust that God’s economy is not anxious. That generosity does not vanish. That mercy multiplies. That grace, once released, does more than we can measure.

In the end, this verse is not about giving more. It is about becoming freer.

Reflection Questions

  1. What kind of harvest do you hope your life is quietly growing toward?

The New Testament frames the hoped-for harvest as a formed life, not public success: “The fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, generosity, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control” (Galatians 5:22–23).

Jesus speaks of this quiet growth when he says, “The kingdom of God is as if someone would scatter seed on the ground… the seed would sprout and grow, he does not know how” (Mark 4:26–27).

The Glory of the New Covenant

Now the Lord is the Spirit, and where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is freedom. And we, who with unveiled faces all reflect the glory of the Lord, are being transformed into His image with intensifying glory, which comes from the Lord, who is the Spirit. 2 Cor 3:17-18

  1. Where do you need to trust God with outcomes rather than control them?

Trust appears when we release results while remaining faithful in action. Paul captures this posture: “I planted, Apollos watered, but God gave the growth” (1 Corinthians 3:6).

James echoes the same wisdom: “You do not know what tomorrow will bring… Instead you ought to say, ‘If the Lord wills, we will live and do this or that’” (James 4:14–15).

Closing Prayer

Generous God,
You have sown grace into our lives far beyond what we deserve.
Teach us to live as those who trust your abundance.
Free us from smallness of spirit,
from fear disguised as wisdom,
from lives spent calculating rather than giving.

May we sow bountifully—
in love, in mercy, in joy—
and trust you with the harvest.

Amen.

January 16, 2026

This Book – Introduction

Filed under: Christianity - Devotions — paulthinkingoutloud @ 5:31 pm
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Today, Friday contributor Ruth Wilkinson begins a new series about the Bible itself. Ruth is the Pastor of Calvary Baptist in Cobourg, a member church in the Canadian Baptists of Ontario and Quebec. Her blog is Pastor Percipia where this appears earlier in the week alongside a link to the video of the sermon which this is an excerpt.

This Book – Isaiah 55:8-11 (Introduction)

January 15, 2026

A Woman Who Was Anxious and Troubled

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So… who is the woman Jesus encountered who the words in today’s title describes? You might be surprised.

Today we’re introducing you to the writing of Richard Sempel whose blog is titled (not making this up) You Can’t Blame the Bathtub Devotionals. (There’s a long explanation of the title here.) Richard spent nearly 30 years in prison ministry. Click the title below to read this where we sourced it.

Who’s Troubled?

This is one of those scriptures that most of us read and agree would be the best approach to dealing with being troubled yet have a hard time following. It is found in a place where Jesus is promising to send the Holy Spirit to the believer after He is gone. He tells His disciples that He is going ahead of them to His Father where He will prepare a place for them. Then He tells them:

John 14:1:  “Let not your hearts be troubled. Believe in God; believe also in me.” ESV

So what’s the problem? Why is it that it is easier for me to believe that through the atoning sacrifice of Christ I have been forgiven of all my sins and have eternal security than it is for me not to be troubled?

Jesus even goes on a few verses later to tell us the why and how we have been given the power so we can avoid being troubled:

John 14:26-27:

26 “But the Helper, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in my name, he will teach you all things and bring to your remembrance all that I have said to you. 

27  “Peace I leave with you; my peace I give to you. Not as the world gives do I give to you. Let not your hearts be troubled, neither let them be afraid.” ESV

The believer has been given the indwelling of the Holy Spirit and the peace of Christ to help them not be troubled, and I would venture to say the majority of us still get troubled. In fact, some of us are so overwhelmed with being troubled that we need our anxiety to be treated by a physician.

It does not mean that when we find ourselves feeling troubled or filled with anxiety that we are not a true believer, but it does mean that we have some growing to do. Don’t let the enemy lie to you and make you doubt the promises of Christ just because you have not yet been totally conformed into His image.

Remember when Lazarus was sick and his sisters, Mary and Martha were no doubt troubled and sent for Jesus to come and heal their brother? (John 11) Do you think that they felt that Jesus could actually heal him or were they just hoping Jesus could?

Jesus didn’t respond the way they had thought He would and they ended up seeing their brother die. When Jesus did show up, they both said to Him, “If you would have been here our brother would not have died”. (Martha – John 11:21; Mary – John 11:32)

They had learned and come to believe a lot about Jesus since He first came to their home for supper.

Here is what Luke wrote about the two sisters and the differences between them:

Luke 10:38-42:

38  “Now as they went on their way, Jesus entered a village. And a woman named Martha welcomed him into her house. 

39  “And she had a sister called Mary, who sat at the Lord’s feet and listened to his teaching. 

40  “But Martha was distracted with much serving. And she went up to him and said, “Lord, do you not care that my sister has left me to serve alone? Tell her then to help me.” 

41  “But the Lord answered her, “Martha, Martha, you are anxious and troubled about many things, 

42  “but one thing is necessary. Mary has chosen the good portion, which will not be taken away from her.” ESV

So what can we learn from these two Jesus-loving sisters about being anxious?

They were never so spiritual that they did not have expectations and worldly desires. They were real people, living in a real world and dealing with real issues every day. They each made a choice that day.

One was troubled, the other was not. One found His peace and the other was overly concerned that she would be the perfect host.

At first just one of them focused on getting to know Jesus. Yet later, when their brother was ill, they both called for Jesus. He did not come when they thought He should and when He did finally appear He tried to assure them that all would be well even though their brother had died. They were undoubtedly disappointed as they blamed Jesus for the death of their brother.

None of it made any sense. Their world seemed to be falling apart. Then it happened. Jesus prayed and their deceased brother came walking out from the tomb. Just when all seemed lost Jesus did more than anyone could have imagined.

The outcome would touch many more lives than just a healing would have touched. Jesus raised Lazarus from the dead! Big miracle, big news.

Now we can be encouraged and strengthened by this monumental event knowing that Jesus will rarely align with our worldly expectations. Knowing that His plan is much greater than our hopes and dreams.

But even with all of this in mind we still struggle with the things of this world, don’t we?

Be at peace, Dear Friend. Jesus has a plan greater than you can ever imagine.

Here is an additional thought to leave with you. Jesus also told us in Matthew 8:34:

“Therefore do not be anxious about tomorrow, for tomorrow will be anxious for itself. Sufficient for the day is its own trouble.” 

January 14, 2026

Which Gate Will You Choose to Enter?

Filed under: Christianity - Devotions — paulthinkingoutloud @ 8:16 pm
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Once again we’re back with Stephen and Brooksyne Weber at DailyEncouragement.net. Their faithfulness to their online writing and their workplace chaplaincy ministry is inspiring to everyone who knows them.

The Narrow Gate

Listen to our message on your audio player.

“Enter through the narrow gate. For wide is the gate and broad is the road that leads to destruction, and many enter through it. But small is the gate and narrow the road that leads to life, and only a few find it” (Matthew 7:13,14).

We have a fenced in backyard with walk-through gates allowing access from our front yard on each side, and a wider gate that opens to the property behind our yard so that I can get my lawn tractor in if needed. Without these gates I would have very limited access to our backyard and in today’s text “gate” is used in the sense of access.

“Gate” is a common word found all throughout the Bible from Genesis through Revelation. That’s not surprising since the Bible was written during a time when gates were used at the entrance to walled cities for access.

Two gates of access are revealed in a teaching by Christ in the Sermon on the Mount, a narrow one and a wide one: “Enter through the narrow gate. For wide is the gate and broad is the road that leads to destruction, and many enter through it. But small is the gate and narrow the road that leads to life, and only a few find it” (Matthew 7:13,14).

In this age of religious pluralism, diversity, and tolerance these words of our Lord may seem harsh and even unloving to some ears. An increasing majority are raising a defiant fist of rebellion against God, His Word and time-tested standards of morality. We read that even the majority are now accepting of the redefining of marriage in absolute rebellion against God’s written laws.

But consider the solemn words of our Lord Jesus Christ, “For wide is the gate and broad is the road that leads to destruction, and many enter through it.”

I address the faithful here: those who have “eyes to see and ears to hear” the words of our Lord. Let us enter through the narrow gate realizing that small is the gate and narrow the road that leads to life. In a similar teaching Jesus said, “Strive to enter through the narrow door; for many, I tell you, will seek to enter and will not be able” (Luke 13:24).

I am especially intrigued by Christ’s words, “and only a few find it“. One commentary shares this perspective: “According to Christ Himself, most people will not be saved, in spite of the fact that He offers salvation as a free gift to all. Jesus clearly did not believe in the doctrine of universalism that is growing in popularity today, the belief that everyone will eventually end up in heaven.”

Let us faithfully adhere to the teachings of Christ revealed in the Holy Bible and let us enter through the narrow gate that leads us to His paths of righteousness.

Rescue the perishing, duty demands it;
Strength for thy labor the Lord will provide;
Back to the narrow way patiently win them;
Tell the poor wand’rer a Savior has died.

Be encouraged today.

Daily prayer:

Father, through Your righteous narrow gate we enter into our Christian journey. With Your help and by Your mercy we will also stay the course. How grateful we are to be among those who enter since Jesus said “only a few will find it.” At times there is a compulsion to be aligned with the masses who walk the broad way because it is more acceptable to others and easier to align with those around us. But we know the end result will be eternal damnation later, lack of peace here and now, and friendship with the enemy of our soul. 

Help us to remain faithful to You, zealous in our Christian walk, and ever mindful of those we need to bring along with us as we walk the narrow path. In Jesus name we pray.

Amen.

January 13, 2026

Wait! God ‘Regretted’ Creating Mankind?

Filed under: Christianity - Devotions — paulthinkingoutloud @ 5:33 pm
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The LORD saw how great the wickedness of the human race had become on the earth, and that every inclination of the thoughts of the human heart was only evil all the time. The LORD regretted that he had made human beings on the earth, and his heart was deeply troubled. So the LORD said, “I will wipe from the face of the earth the human race I have created—and with them the animals, the birds and the creatures that move along the ground—for I regret that I have made them.”

-Genesis 6:5-7 NIV

Four years ago we introduced you to Let’s Talk About Jesus, the blog of Aaron Irlbacher, who is the pastor of Calvary Baptist Church in Roy, Washington. You’re encouraged to read this (link in title below) where it first appeared.

Why does Genesis 6 say God “regretted”?

The question:
Genesis Chapter 6 verse 6-7 says God “regretted” that he made man on earth, and it grieved him to his heart… If he is all-knowing, why does he regret something he knew would happen?

This is a good and honest question that I receive fairly regularly. This blog post is a response I wrote for a friend of mine, but I hope this personal conversation can be a help to you too.

The answer will feel a bit long, so I’ll give you an outline on the front end.

  1. What is “anthropomorphism,” and why would biblical authors use it?
  2. Context of all Moses’ writings helps give us perspective.
  3. Context of all scripture helps give us even more perspective.

“Anthropomorphism” is a term used in theology to describe the use of human attributes describing God in the Bible. In this question, the human attribute describing God that we are giving our attention to is the attribute of limited knowledge and regret. When the Bible uses anthropomorphisms to explain God to us, we learn something true about God, but we must not assume God is really like a human. Anthropomorphic language in the Bible makes sense because our human language is limited to human experience.

We, therefore, find ourselves using human language to describe God honestly but incompletely. For example, we might talk about the hand of God working in miracles in the world. That’s another example of anthropomorphism. This way of speaking about God is symbolic and poetic.

Imagine talking about a pregnant woman who was in a devastating car accident. Her car was totaled, and everyone at the scene assumed that she was dead on impact. However, to everyone’s shock and amazement, she was safe and without a scratch. The baby in her womb was perfectly safe and healthy despite the car accident that likely should have killed both the child and mother. Now, you have this story in your mind? We might say that the hand of God saved her and the baby. Now, what do we mean by “the hand of God”? We certainly do not mean God reached down with a physical hand and cradled the woman and child in his palm to deliver them from harm. We would mean that metaphorically or poetically, but not in a bare physical facts sort of way. This is how anthropomorphic language is meant to be understood of God.

We learn in Genesis 6 that mankind is evil, and that isn’t God’s fault. Mankind is sinful (A), and God is “unhappy” (B). God plans to cleanse the excessive evil from his world (C). How are these truths described for us? Moses tells us (A, B, and C) in the helpful anthropomorphic words of God “regretted” that He made man.

Moses is the human author of the first five books: Genesis, Exodus, Leviticus, Numbers, and Deuteronomy. As we read all the books he authored, we can see this paradox of Moses describing God in human terms and also denying these same human terms can be used to describe God. This paradox is because we’re “stuck” using human language to describe God, who is beyond all our experience and limitations. For time’s sake, let’s focus on the specific anthropomorphic description from another book Moses wrote. Maybe we can see a pattern in Moses’ writing.

“God is not man, that he should lie, or a son of man, that he should change his mind. Has he said, and will he not do it? Or has he spoken, and will he not fulfill it?”

‭‭Numbers‬ ‭23‬:‭19‬ ‭ESV‬‬

Moses is the author of Genesis and Numbers. Why would Moses describe God in one place as having “regret” and in another place as not being like men and therefore will never “change His mind”? Is Moses contradicting himself? No. Moses uses language metaphorically to describe God in Genesis 6 but uses language about God univocally in Numbers 23. How do we know that? In Genesis 6, God is described with terms that are true to human people, as if God is limited in His knowledge. In Numbers 23, God is expressly described as not being like a human person in these ways. The language of Genesis 6 tells a story, and the anthropomorphic language effectively says quite a lot in a short sentence. Still, in Numbers, the emphasis isn’t on telling a story but on describing God as truly unlike us.

The entire Bible, each book, is mysteriously inspired by God. Who is the author of Genesis? Is Moses the author, or God, or both? Both. How? That’s the mystery. God has never worked in and through me to write a sermon that can be called divine. While I have no personal experience with inspiration, I am convinced that the beauty, truthfulness, and impact of all 66 books from Genesis to Revelation are genuinely from God to us. I think you are also convinced, and that’s why you’re investing time to read the Bible.

So when we come to Genesis 6 and have a question about using the term “regret,” we can look at other places in the Bible and find real help. Why? Because God is the author of Genesis and all the OT. The question we’re asking of Genesis 6 is one we might have for 1 Samuel 15. Let’s take a look at this paradox in 1 Samuel.

“And also the Glory of Israel will not lie or have regret, for he is not a man, that he should have regret.”

‭‭1 Samuel‬ ‭15‬:‭29‬ ‭ESV‬‬

“And Samuel did not see Saul again until the day of his death, but Samuel grieved over Saul. And the Lord regretted that he had made Saul king over Israel.”

‭‭1 Samuel‬ ‭15‬:‭35‬ ‭ESV‬‬

Look at this paradox on the same page. Less than ten verses apart, God is described as incapable of “regret” because He is not a human person, but also “regretted” that He made Saul the king because he was an evil king.

How can we make sense of this? Notice that verse 35 is the anthropomorphic language used by God to express God’s disapproval toward Saul’s evil. This is the same pattern that we read in Genesis 6. In Genesis 6, we read God as having “regretted” to express God’s disapproval of mankind’s evil. God is not like a human person, but in describing His displeasure toward our human sinfulness, the use of anthropomorphism is a helpful way for God to say a lot in a few words.

When you come to the Bible with the assumption that God is all-knowing, that is excellent! When you read the Bible saying something seemingly contradictory, and it raises a question, this is good. You’re paying attention to details as you read. The comfort I hope to offer you is that the Bible is not contradictory but is sometimes paradoxical. Why do we believe God is all-knowing, and we’re unwilling to compromise that belief? Let me give a few reassuring examples of why we should think God is all-knowing.

• In Genesis 1, God created everything perfectly good because He is All-Knowing.
• In Exodus 3, God explained to Moses in the beginning that Pharaoh would not allow Israel to go and worship until after God destroyed Egypt with miracles of judgment.
• God also predicted Israel would leave Egypt as wealthy people.
• In Leviticus, God gave detailed and exhaustive laws for Israel to become a nation of worshippers because God is All-knowing.
• In Numbers, God is said not to be like a man because He is all-knowing.
• In Deuteronomy, God is described as all-knowing and, therefore, explains to the new Israelite nation what God will do to judge them when they forsake His ways.

I could go on and on, giving examples in every book, but I think you already believe God is All-knowing, and giving 66 examples would be major overkill. The Bible clearly describes God as being All-knowing from cover to cover, and therefore, when we read particular verses that sound like they teach God isn’t all-knowing, we should ask questions and take the time to investigate how we should understand these verses. That’s precisely what you’re doing here.

Great Question!

 

January 12, 2026

More Than Just a New Year

Filed under: Christianity - Devotions — paulthinkingoutloud @ 5:32 pm
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After a break of a few years we’re back with Nancy Ruegg who writes at From the inside Out | Impressions Becoming Expressions. You’re encouraged to read this there (link in title below) where there are some graphics which accompany this devotional.

A New Soul

The object of a new year is not that we should have a new year
but that we should have a new soul.
 – G. K. Chesterton

A new soul. I like the sound of that, don’t you? In my imagination I see a freshening of my attitudes, improved motivations, and increased spiritual strength.

But where do I start in order to have a new soul?

No doubt, a new soul begins with repentance—expressing to God my sorrow for wrongdoing and availing myself of his help to change. Just as King David prayed, I can ask God to:

Create in me a pure heart, O God, and renew a steadfast spirit within me.– Psalm 51: 10

Notice that David asked God to create in him a pure heart. David didn’t promise to clean up his act on his own. Only God could make David’s heart new and pure. The same goes for me. All I can do is submit myself to his transforming power and follow his lead.

That pure heart David asked for is a clear conscience. And with the release from guilt came a rush of joy and the restoration of sweet peace with God. Doesn’t that sound wonderful?

“No one is happier than the one who has repented of wrong”
-Max Lucado

A new soul involves renewal of the mind.

Do not conform any longer to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. 

– Romans 12:2

Or, put another way:

“Don’t copy the behavior and customs of this world, 
but let God transform you into a new person
by changing the way you think.
Then you will learn to know God’s will for you,
which is good and pleasing and perfect.”

–Romans 12:2, NLT

Once the negative influences of sin have been removed, I need to fill my mind with excellent, praiseworthy contemplations.

Why waste my thoughts and allow them to wander on worthless topics or circle around pointless worries? Instead, I want to set my mind on the positive, especially on God himself.

A renewed mind is not problem-focused; it is Person-focused.

A new soul requires day-by-day rejuvenation.

“We do not lose heart.
Though outwardly we are wasting away,
yet inwardly we are being renewed day by day.”

–2 Corinthians 4:16

God has established certain laws by which our world is governed. Gravity is one example. The law of entropy is another. It states that all elements of the universe tend to disintegrate over time. Plants and animals die and decay, iron rusts, rock erodes.

Our souls tend to disintegrate over time, too, when left unattended:

  • Worry and fear wreak havoc
  • Self-centeredness creates an appetite for entertainment, possessions, and recognition—appetites that are never satiated
  • Foolishness reigns because wisdom is ignored
  • Rationalizations replace honest evaluations
  • Uncontrolled behaviors harm relationships

But when we avail ourselves of God’s influence day-by-day and step-by-step, the law of entropy has no effect on our souls.

The Lord directs the steps of the godly. He delights in every detail of their lives.

Psalm 37:23 NLT

The Amplified Version expands the meaning:

The steps of a [good and righteous] man
are directed and established by the Lord,
and He delights in his way [and blesses his path].

–Psalm 37:23 AMP

Consider the significance of these key words:

Steps – Even spiritual achievement rarely happens in an instant. God values slow and steady progress

Directed – He isn’t just interested in the details of our lives; he’s lovingly engineering them

Established – There is always design and strategy in God’s endeavors, even if we only occasionally perceive it

Delights – God is pleased with those who follow the path he has thoughtfully and wisely set

Blesses – God lovingly bestows such gifts as peace, joy, hope, and satisfaction in life

*     *     *     *     *     *     *     *     *     *

Holy Creator of new souls, as I stand on the brink of a new year, I do confess my failings to you. Purify my heart; show me how to refine my motivations behind right actions.

Thank you for your gentle nudges to turn my mind toward you, and your loving attention upon every step of my life. I praise you that continual contact with you results in a soul–a life–that is continually refreshed and made new!

January 11, 2026

Ministry and Missions Can Be Challenging

Filed under: Christianity - Devotions — paulthinkingoutloud @ 5:33 pm
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Several months ago I took a younger person (who is also a new Christian) with me to a presentation by a husband and wife who do mission work among North America’s indigenous people. They described the program and the facilities they work from, and then they made themselves available to answer questions in the lobby.

My young friend asked, “So what results are you seeing from this ministry? How many people are turning to Christ?” He wasn’t being cynical, he just wanted to know.

Now I know these people definitely do see results from their labor, but it was almost like an “elephant in the room” type of question, because even though I was aware that mission work can be slow and plodding, he might have pictured something you would see at an evangelistic crusade altar call. In my mind I was thinking, ‘No, don’t ask that question!’

I knew this in part because of a youth outreach parachurch ministry I had started decades earlier. If you knew me many years ago, there was a period when I would always sign letters:

Sincerely,

[signature]

Paul Wilkinson
1 Cor. 16:9

Do you look up the text references on letters? I wonder how many did. Paul is telling the Corinthians that he plans to stay in Ephesus a little longer. It reads (NIV):

because a great door for effective work has opened to me, and there are many who oppose me.

If you think about, this reality is reflected in the format of every missionary, church, or parachurch organization fundraising letter or ministry report you’ve ever received.

→ The good news is: God is working in the lives of people, we are seeing results.
→ The bad news is: We face [financial/staffing/logistical/spiritual-warfare/etc.] challenges.

There’s always a challenge.

However, a few years ago in the same church, a different guest speaker shared this:

The greatest challenge in life is not having a burden to carry.

That’s right, without some mountain to climb or river to cross, our lives would actually be rather boring. Certainly there would be no growth. I discussed that quotation with a friend after the service was over, and he said, “Yes, but that’s we all want. We want it to be easy.”

Matthew Henry writes:

Great success in the work of the gospel commonly creates many enemies. The devil opposes those most, and makes them most trouble, who most heartily and successfully set themselves to destroy his kingdom. There were many adversaries; and therefore the apostle determined to stay.

Some think he alludes in this passage to the custom of the Roman Circus, and the doors of it, at which the charioteers were to enter, as their antagonists did at the opposite doors. True courage is whetted by opposition; and it is no wonder that the Christian courage of the apostle should be animated by the zeal of his adversaries. They were bent to ruin him, and prevent the effect of his ministry at Ephesus; and should he at this time desert his station, and disgrace his character and doctrine?

No, the opposition of adversaries only animated his zeal. He was in nothing daunted by his adversaries; but the more they raged and opposed the more he exerted himself. Should such a man as he flee?

Note, Adversaries and opposition do not break the spirits of faithful and successful ministers, but only kindle their zeal, and inspire them with fresh courage.

I checked out a number of commentaries online for this verse, and ended up pulling out several of my print commentaries. One of the greatest insights came at the bottom of the page of the NIV Study Bible:

many who oppose me. Probably a reference to the pagan craftsman who made the silver shrines of Artemis and to the general populace whom they had stirred up (Acts 19:23-34).

Interesting that what appeared to be spiritual opposition might have actually been rooted in commerce; people who had a vested financial interest in maintaining commercial interests in a pagan form of worship. You know what they say, “Follow the money!”

Think about Jesus and the money-changers in the temple:

NIV Matt. 21:12 Jesus entered the temple courts and drove out all who were buying and selling there. He overturned the tables of the money changers and the benches of those selling doves. 13 “It is written,” he said to them, “‘My house will be called a house of prayer,’ but you are making it ‘a den of robbers.

I’ll let Eugene Peterson re-phrase the Acts reference above:

23-26 …a huge ruckus occurred over what was now being referred to as “the Way.” A certain silversmith, Demetrius, conducted a brisk trade in the manufacture of shrines to the goddess Artemis, employing a number of artisans in his business. He rounded up his workers and others similarly employed and said, “Men, you well know that we have a good thing going here—and you’ve seen how Paul has barged in and discredited what we’re doing by telling people that there’s no such thing as a god made with hands. A lot of people are going along with him, not only here in Ephesus but all through Asia province.

27 “Not only is our little business in danger of falling apart, but the temple of our famous goddess Artemis will certainly end up a pile of rubble as her glorious reputation fades to nothing. And this is no mere local matter—the whole world worships our Artemis!”

28-31 That set them off in a frenzy. They ran into the street yelling, “Great Artemis of the Ephesians! Great Artemis of the Ephesians!” They put the whole city in an uproar, stampeding into the stadium, and grabbing two of Paul’s associates on the way, the Macedonians Gaius and Aristarchus. Paul wanted to go in, too, but the disciples wouldn’t let him. Prominent religious leaders in the city who had become friendly to Paul concurred: “By no means go near that mob!”

32-34 Some were yelling one thing, some another. Most of them had no idea what was going on or why they were there. As the Jews pushed Alexander to the front to try to gain control, different factions clamored to get him on their side. But he brushed them off and quieted the mob with an impressive sweep of his arms. But the moment he opened his mouth and they knew he was a Jew, they shouted him down: “Great Artemis of the Ephesians! Great Artemis of the Ephesians!”—on and on and on, for over two hours.

But that’s just one of many possible reasons. It could also be that in his preaching, Paul was proposing a new paradigm that turned both Judiasm and secularism upside down.

Some people believe that finding the heart of many world and regional conflicts is simply a matter of “follow the money.” The point is that we don’t know and we don’t always see why people are so very bent on opposing us in ministry. Not to minimize Matthew Henry’s interpretation, it’s simply too easy to say, ‘It’s the Devil;’ or put things into some general spiritual warfare category. Maybe your devout faith and witness are simply “bad for business” for someone nearby. (However, in fairness I must add that in some parts of the world more than others, direct demonic opposition is much more commonplace.)

…My opinion would be that where ministry is taking place many challenges and overt opposition will occur. If it’s not, maybe you’re doing it wrong.

Greater opportunities = Greater opposition.

But the good news is that most of the time the opposite is also true.

Greater opposition = Greater opportunities.

Romans 5:20b (KJV) says,

But where sin abounded, grace did much more abound.

Ministry life involves both: Great opportunities for harvest and life change, and many who would rather keep the status quo.

In 2022, Kyle Idleman released the book One at a Time. I love the premise implicit in the title. Again, Missions and Ministry can be a very slow process; it’s investing time in this one, and that one, and not always seeing immediate transformation.

That publisher doesn’t send us review copies, but I had heard the premise of the book expressed in a sermon series Kyle did at Southeast Christian Church in Louisville, Kentucky. The blurb for the book reads:

How does God want to use you to have an impact?

Most of us don’t want to spend our lives being time-wasters, space-takers, binge-watchers, or game-players. We want to be difference-makers. But how do we do it?

By revealing the way Jesus valued people, bestselling author Kyle Idleman shows us the Jesus way of changing the world–by loving people one at a time.

Influencing just one person at a time may seem insignificant at first look. But as we better understand the surprising habits of Jesus, we unlock the power of small things done with great love and discover how God wants to use us to change the world one person at a time.

It’s ministry to this one, and that one, and not the conversion of people by the tens, and twenties or hundreds.

Finally, there are some who would suggest that if you’re not seeing opposition in your ministry venture, you’re doing it all wrong.

Matthew 5:10-12 (NLT)

“God blesses those who are persecuted for doing right, for the Kingdom of Heaven is theirs. God blesses those who are persecuted for doing right, for the Kingdom of Heaven is theirs. Be happy about it! Be very glad! For a great reward awaits you in heaven. And remember, the ancient prophets were persecuted in the same way.“

adding in verse 13a:

“You are the salt of the earth…”

Despite all this, make no mistake: People are turning to God; people are acknowledging Jesus is Messiah and Lord. Where God’s word and the truth of Jesus is shared, it’s not just echoing off the walls.

The Kingdom of God is advancing.

One at a time.

 

 

 

January 10, 2026

God Remembers Us

Filed under: Christianity - Devotions — paulthinkingoutloud @ 5:33 pm
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Today we are back once again with Rolain Peterson in Zimbabwe and the blog called Kingspeech. Click the link below to read this where it appeared in October.

Remember Me Lord

Have you ever felt forgotten, ignored, put aside?

This is a rhetorical question off course because we have all felt this or something like this at one point or many times in our lives. But people are people, we are not perfect, so it is quite normal to feel this. People will forget us, ignore us, put us aside and we have done the same.

But this is not the case with our Lord. He doesn’t forget us even when it seems like He has. You may have prayed, and no answer has come, leaving you feeling like God has forgotten about you, that He doesn’t care about what you are going through. But that’s not true.

As I was reading the story of Noah something jumped out at me that I couldn’t shake for days.

“But God remembered Noah and all the beasts and all the livestock that were with him in the ark. And God made a wind blow over the earth, and the waters subsided.”

Genesis 8:1 ESV

As Noah was in the ark, we are told that God remembered Him. The note under that scripture says,

“When the Bible says that God “remembers” someone or that He remembers His covenant with someone, it means He is about to act for that person’s welfare.”

So even though it may seem like God has forgotten you, He really hasn’t. He sees what you are going through. He sees the pain you are experiencing, the loss you have endured, and so much more. You are His son or daughter, and He will never forget you. Don’t believe for one second that you are not on God’s mind.

I think of the Israelites when they were under slavery for 400 years. They cried out to God for help and for 400 years it seemed like God didn’t hear them. It seemed like He had forgotten them. But this is what it says in Exodus 2

“During those many days the king of Egypt died, and the people of Israel groaned because of their slavery and cried out for help. Their cry for rescue from slavery came up to God. And God heard their groaning, and God remembered his covenant with Abraham, with Isaac, and with Jacob. God saw the people of Israel – and God knew.”

Exodus 2:23-25 ESV

Don’t give up praying to God for help. Don’t stop crying out to Him because He knows what you are facing. There is nothing that you are facing that He doesn’t see. And He is about to act on your behalf. Be patient. Stand steadfast in faith.

Hannah is someone else who comes to mind. She was going through a tough time because she couldn’t have children. She was being ridiculed because of it. But she went to God with her request and pleaded to Him to not forget her.

“She was deeply distressed and prayed to the LORD and wept bitterly. And she vowed a vow and said, “O LORD of hosts, if you will indeed look on the affliction of your servant and remember me and not forget your servant, but will give to your servant a son, then I will give him to the LORD all the days of his life, and no razor shall touch his head.”

1 Samuel 1:10,11 ESV

God heard her prayer. He did not forget her. He answered her prayer by giving her Samuel and more children!

“They rose early in the morning and worshipped before the LORD; then they went back to their house at Ramah. And Elkanah knew Hannah his wife, and the LORD remembered her. And in due time Hannah conceived and bore a son and she called his name Samuel, for she said, “I have asked for him from the LORD.”

1 Samuel 1:19,20 ESV

The Lord remembered her and in DUE TIME, He gave her a son. We need to patient. Don’t throw in the towel in your trouble. God will come through for you. He will not forget you. You are always on His mind. He remembers you always!

If you forget us the enemy will be victorious over us. God remember us, do not forget us.

Amen

January 9, 2026

New Beginnings

Filed under: Christianity - Devotions — paulthinkingoutloud @ 5:31 pm
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Rev. Ruth Wilkinson is the Pastor of Calvary Baptist Church in Cobourg, Ontario; and is our regular Friday contributor. Click the title to read this on her blog, Pastor Percipia, where you can also link to video of the full sermon on which it is based.

Happy New ______! – Luke 22:14-20

In the beginning—the beginning of all beginnings—was the word. And the word was with God, and the word was God. All things were created through him. Apart from him, nothing was created that exists. Life was in him, and that life was the light of humanity. That light shines in the darkness. The earth was formless and empty, and darkness covered the surface of the watery depths, and the Spirit of God was hovering like a mother eagle over the surface of those waters. In that beginning, God created the heavens and the earth. He said, “Let us make humanity in our image according to our likeness.”  (from John 1, Genesis 1)

There was a moment in eternity when God said, “This is the moment.”  

God created us in his image: the image of a God who says, “3, 2, 1… Life!”  

God did not begin, had no beginning, no first heartbeat, no first thought. The unbeginning God lived in an unbeginning eternity of unbeginning love. And in all that unbeginningness, he imagined time. He imagined a beginning. He imagined cause and effect.  

He imagined us with the same capacity: to look into emptiness and see possibility. He gave us the capacity to ask the question, what if?  

What if I said out loud what everybody is thinking? What if I did what everybody knows needs to be done but nobody is doing? What if I sat down next to that person who is alone? What if I opened that door and walked through?  

What if? What then?  

God has given us the imaginative capacity to look beyond what we can see and to ask, “what if?” To say, “This is the moment.” 

When we approach a new beginning, like a new year, we bring with us that question: what if?  

When God began everything, he didn’t ask that question. He knew the answers. He knew ‘what if.’  

He knew that it would begin very well with life and love and understanding and friendship and community. He knew that somebody who shall remain nameless would mess it up: somebody with ambition and arrogance. God knew that there would be division and disagreement and grief and separation.  

He knew all of that, and he made us anyway. So when we turned our backs on him, he did not turn his back on us. He kept on looking into the darkness that we had created and seeing what could be. He kept working, he kept reaching out, because he has a goal—to bring us back to where we belong, next to him.  

For that reason, God chose to step into time. He chose to experience moments and days and “3, 2, 1…” He chose a life marked out with new beginnings. The unbeginning God… began. When Jesus was conceived in a human body, God began. He began in a way that had never happened before, combining the miraculous…  

…The one conceived in her is of the Holy Spirit. Matthew 1:20 …with the ordinary.  

She gave birth to her firstborn son. She wrapped him up snuggly, and laid him down [to sleep] in a manger. Luke 2:7

Then, having begun, God spent 30 years counting down to the day when his work would begin: when he would say, “This is the day. 3, 2, 1… Go.” He began to teach and he began to work miracles and heal people and he began to preach “The kingdom has come.” 

______ 

For God, as for all of us, there were new beginnings that didn’t feel good, or come with optimism and laughter.  

We may experience a new beginning like a diagnosis. A uniform at the door. A first drink, a first pill, a first hit. Getting in that car. Giving your credit card information to the guy on the phone. A letter from your landlord. These are new beginnings that we do not enjoy.  

For God, as for all of us, some new beginnings feel like fear. Like betrayal. Pain. Loneliness.  

“3, 2, 1… weep.”  

Then Judas Iscariot, one of the 12 disciples, went to the leading priests and asked, “How much will you pay me to betray Jesus to you?” And they gave him 30 pieces of silver. From that time on, Judas began looking for an opportunity to betray Jesus. Matthew 26:14-16

Then they came to a place called Gethsemane, and Jesus told his disciples, “Sit here while I pray.” And he took with him Peter and James and John, and he began to be deeply troubled and distressed. And he said to them, my soul is consumed with sorrow to the point of death. Mark 14:32-34 Some new beginnings come not with delight, but with grief.  

God had spent three years preparing himself to begin the darkest days.  

This was the day. 3, 2, 1… Die.

For the people he left behind, there followed three days of darkness, of confusion, of bad news and hiding and fear. Because they did not know that God was counting down again.  

“3, 2, 1… Victory!”  

A new day began, literally, figuratively, cosmically. For planet earth, for the human race as we all began that slow journey towards the ultimate healing of creation.  

I will not drink wine again until the kingdom of God has come. Luke 22:18

There is a promise in there, of a new beginning. Jesus is saying, “I will drink wine again when the kingdom of God has come.”  

At the last supper, he was preparing them, he was promising them, ‘This is the beginning of a new beginning.’ 

______ 

So in the early days of 2026, what does this mean for us?  

This is all very big picture stuff; eternity, and metaphysical questions about the nature of God and how he works and how he moves and who is he and who are we. But what does it mean for us?  

Here’s a question for you.  

Do you think that Jesus ever made New Year’s resolutions?  

I’m thinking probably not. 

The apostles, though… I can see them making a few.  

  • Next year I resolve not to give Jesus any reasons to call me Satan.  
  • Next year I resolve to be nicer to the Samaritans, and to not call down fire on their cities.  
  • I resolve to not demand the best seat in heaven and to think twice before I speak.  
  • I resolve to stop helping myself from the benevolent fund.  
  • I resolve to stop losing my temper with the Corinthians.  

Whether you make New Year’s resolutions or not, what does this mean for us? What does this mean for you?  

I think it means that we keep looking for new beginnings. We keep looking for those opportunities to start again.  

We keep looking for those lines that God has drawn, and we keep choosing: am I going to stay on this side of the line where I’m comfortable, and I have lots of excuses for how I’ve been living? For what I’ve been doing and not been doing?  

I have lots of excuses for staying on this side of the line. For staying in the old year. But God is giving me an opportunity to do better, to accept forgiveness, to move forward. To forgive myself, to forgive other people, to accept his forgiveness.  

We have opportunities every day, and especially in moments like a New Year season, to step into new beginnings.  

Sometimes that can be daunting. We have to admit things about ourselves that we don’t want to admit. We have to listen to something that somebody has said to us about ourselves and go, ‘Oh, darn, I think he’s right.’  

God gives us opportunities to step into new beginnings, to rediscover our faith, to rediscover our joy, to rediscover that we are loved and forgiven. We do that as believers in Christ.  

With Christ, we move forward knowing that no matter where stepping across that line takes us—whether to the heights of heaven or the depths of hell—he has gone there already. He is there waiting to meet us in whatever he calls us to journey into.  

This is a new life. This is a new year. This is a day when God says to us, ‘This is the day. 3, 2, 1…” 

January 8, 2026

When We Don’t Think We Have a Plan, God Does

Filed under: Christianity - Devotions — paulthinkingoutloud @ 7:25 pm
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Today we are back again at the site Everything is Going to be Okay with two shorter devotions for you. The author invites your responses at the email address found by clicking on the originals of each of the titles below.

Despite Us

Oftentimes, we are scared to make a move or a decision because we are worried about whether or not it is the right one. We think that we need to do everything perfectly for God to bless us but that’s not true. He will still move in our lives and on our behalf despite us.

God is God; He doesn’t need us to try to be God. He doesn’t need us to come up with a plan and put it into motion; He already has one. God needs us to take care of what we can while He is working all things out for our good. Despite our attempts, plans, and efforts, He is more than enough.

In the Bible, the people God used for His glory were far from perfect, innocent, or model Christ-followers. They had flaws, made mistakes, fell short, and created their own faulty plans, yet He was still able to transform them and their lives. He was able to make a way when they thought they were lost forever. There is nothing that God cannot do and no one He cannot use.

For example, when playing fantasy football, the team manager looks at their roster and who their players are playing and makes the best decisions based on the data and information made available to them for who starts on their team. However, people are not fortune tellers, so there is no way they can truly predict if their starters will have a breakout performance, get injured in the first quarter, etc. You have to make the best choices and pray over them and their success. Do what can be done and leave the rest up to God.

Humans can only make the best decisions and choices with the information we have. When the odds are stacked against us, when it looks like there is no way we could win, when it looks like every decision we made was wrong, God can still step in. Despite us, we may make the wrong choices, He can still use them and turn around any situation.

Despite us, our efforts, the odds, and the doubts, He can use everything and still make a victory. God’s intervention will take us further than we ever could have imagined. He’s not done with you.

“For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways, declares the Lord. For as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are My ways higher than your ways and My thoughts than your thoughts.” Isaiah 55:8-9

“But seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness, and all these things will be added to you.” Matthew 6:33

“Oh, the depth of the riches and wisdom and knowledge of God! How unsearchable are His judgments and how inscrutable His ways!” Romans 11:33

“For I know the plans I have for you, declares the Lord, plans for good and not for evil, to give you a future and a hope.” Jeremaih 29:11

“Trust in the Lord with all your heart, and do not lean on your own understanding. In all your ways acknowledge Him, and He will make straight your paths.” Proverbs 3:5-6

Peace and blessings!

Look for God

I recently read a devotional that told about how God scatters little treasures throughout our days for us to find. During that whole day, every time I came across anything remotely special, I thought, “Wow, another treasure! Thank you Lord!”

Imagine if we went through every day that way – seeking out little things that God wants us to find. The thing is, whether or not we look for them, God has already placed these gems along our path for us. We just need our eyes and mind to be on the search for them.

God knows us better than anyone else in the world. He knows the little things that mean a lot to us, He knows what we love, He knows the songs that make us happy, He knows what makes us smile. So each day, He adds these things to our days for us to experience hoping that we receive these gifts.

Lets challenge ourselves to not be so wrapped up in our schedules, our stresses, our thoughts, our phones, that we can take the time to look for the precious treasures that God has set before us throughout our days. The treasures are already out there, it’s up to us to seek them.

“This is the day that the Lord has made; let us rejoice and be glad in it.” Psalm 118:24

“Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, and comes down from the Father of lights, with whom there is no variation or shadow of turning.” James 1:17

“Oh, taste and see that the Lord is good; blessed is the man who trusts in Him!” Psalm 34:8

“Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life, and I shall dwell in the house of the Lord forever.” Psalm 23:6

“If you then, being evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father who is in heaven give good things to those who ask Him!” Matthew 7:11

Peace and blessings!

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