Tending My Garden

 Scot McKnight

Most people are shocked when they realize God didn’t give Adam the whole world, he only gave Adam the garden. In fact, God never gave Adam ownership of the garden. Adam is placed in the garden to work the garden and tend to it. Humanity is introduced into God’s story as stewards, God never deeded the garden to Adam. The garden and everything in it always belonged to God. Adam was accountable to God for the health of the garden. Adam and Eve were never responsible for everything; they were to take care of the garden where God had placed them. Humanity was never responsible for the whole world.

I had to remind myself of this a few nights ago as I shut down the evening news and counted how many ways I had just been told the world is ending. Let me see if I can remember all the ways I was told the world was going under. First, there was AI. People smarter than me were telling reporters that AI had developed its own understanding of things and if we weren’t careful, AI would kill us all. Of course, these are the same people who are lobbying against any kind of regulation that would hinder the release of AI into every area of our world. We’re doomed.

You’ll pardon me if I don’t jump on the AI band wagon, but I’m still waiting for my flying car. In the late sixties and early seventies, we were told we’d be flying around in our cars by 2025. We’d leave our homes in the morning, run our errands and go to the office jetting around in our flying cars. Futurists were debating on what we would be doing with all of our leisure since machines would be doing all the work. I can remember when computers were being hyped as “time savers.”

To be sure, there have been some good things to come from our digital progress, but definitely not what was promised and not without a demonic dark and destructive side. Remember when the internet was going to change the world? We were told business and education would never be the same. What we mostly got was porn. Pornography makes more money on the internet than anything else – and it’s not close. So, I hope you understand my reluctance to join the hype on how great our world is going to be. How many times can we build the Tower of Babel?

The Democrats say the Republicans are killing democracy. The Republicans say the Democrats are destroying the moral fiber of our nation. Then there’s the debt crisis, the climate crisis, the addiction crisis, the housing crisis, the border crisis, the crime crisis… on and on the list goes.

And I can’t do anything about any of these.

I try to be a responsible citizen. I keep up with the issues and vote, but I’m naive enough to think my one vote isn’t going to be drowned out under the millions of dollars spent on lobbying. Money talks in politics and it talks loudly.

I try to live responsibly with my stuff and cut down clutter so I don’t add to my carbon footprint, but after I’ve de-cluttered my life, I’m not sure I do much that matters. It’s just the reality of our world. If we fix something in one place, it breaks somewhere else.

It’s enough to drive a person to despair. I guess it would drive me there as well if I didn’t remember that God never gave me the whole world. He gave me my garden and that’s all I’m responsible for. For all of the problems in the world, I can’t do anything about most of them. The President isn’t going to call and ask what I think. The governor won’t call me and neither will any member of any legislative body – federal or state. I can make a few phone calls. I write some letters, but I don’t think either will make a dent in any real problem.

So, what can I do? What can we do?

First, we can love our families well. How many of our social problems are caused by absent dads? So, maybe by loving my wife, my sons, and my grandchildren well (which is a lot easier than loving your own children!) I can take care of my garden. Maybe by being present in their lives I can make my garden a little more beautiful.

Second, I can take care of my friends. Many experts have written about our epidemic of loneliness. According to these experts, a lot of people wouldn’t know who to call if they had some kind of emergency. Maybe if my friends knew they could call me in the middle of the night it would make my garden a little more pleasing to God. Maybe the world is a little less lonely if my friends know I’ve got their back.

Maybe I can do good where I am. I can volunteer to tutor at a local school. I can work with young adults trying to chart their course in life. I can pick up litter when I’m doing my walk through my neighborhood. Maybe if enough of us do little things where we are, it’ll add up to some big things.

No, it won’t bring down the national debt, but I’m not on that job. It’s not in my garden. For most things wrong in the world, I can’t do anything at all. But I can do something. All of us can. Maybe if we all tended to gardens we’ve been given, the whole world might be better off. No, we can't do everything, but we were never supposed to. I can’t do a lot of things I want to do in the world. I have no way of impacting most of the problems in the world.

That doesn’t mean I can do nothing at all. I can do something. I can bring a few fish and a few loaves of bread. I can bring a jar or two of something expensive. I can do something. We all can.

So, do what you can where you can with whom you can and trust God with the rest.

Mark 7-22

 I have been very negligent in sharing my faith with my words. I can easily get awkward when I know that something needs to be said, changing the course of a conversation. I think I’m getting better, but I’ve a long way to go. Tim Keller has taught that the best evangelism takes place when we listen well in a conversation, interacting with patience and love. The great commission has become the great Ommission when we keep silent. 

“Our problem in evangelism is not that we don’t have enough information—it is that we don’t know how to be ourselves. We forget we are called to be witnesses to what we have seen and know, not to what we don’t know. The key on our part is authenticity and obedience, not a doctorate in theology. We haven’t grasped that it really is OK for us to be who we are when we are with seekers, even if we don’t have all the answers to their questions or if our knowledge of Scripture is limited.” - Rebecca Manley Pippert, Out of the Saltshaker & into the World: Evangelism as a Way of Life

“Discipleship—living as a follower of Jesus—is a life-transforming relationship in which we are continually learning and growing, moving from how the world trained us to think and live into how Jesus teaches us to think and live. Jesus invites us into this relationship—“follow me” (Mark 1:17; 2:14). His invitation calls us to choose to walk with him as a disciple, learning from him the ways of God.” - Excerpt, Following Jesus: Discipleship in the Gospel of Mark by Steve Langford

Mark 7-21

 Jesus reveals His presence in the most unsuspecting places, to to individuals and groups ghe power elite often overlook. I wonder if one of the reasons that the church is multiplying believers in under developed countries and among the oppressed is because the western world has become too self sufficient and proud. Jesus humbled Himself to be with the over looked, marginalized and those without power. 

“In a world obsessed with strength and dominance, we worship a God who bleeds. Power is redefined in the shape of the cross. Glory isn’t in domination but descent. The church forgets this at its peril, for the moment it chases influence over intimacy, control over service, and status over humility, it trades the kingdom of God for a counterfeit.” - Graham Joseph Hill

“In the kingdom Jesus proclaimed, there are no outsiders, no disposable lives, no walls that keep grace out. In the kingdom, the stranger isn’t a threat but a mirror in which we see our own dependence on mercy. The Scriptures insist that God loves the foreigner, and calls the people of God to do the same, not as a political slogan but as a defining mark of holiness. The Incarnation itself is an act of divine crossing: the eternal Word stepping over the border of heaven into the poverty, danger, and fragility of human existence.” - Graham Joseph Hill

Mark 7-20

 What has it been like for you to discover hope when you thought all was lost?  I often think that our culture has lost its positive outlook toward the future. We live in fear that tomorrow will not be good as we have it today. But the resurrection proves that our preeent and our future are filled with hope. The eye witness accounts could not be proven wrong yet we dismiss the gravity of Jesus overcoming deafh. May you and I live out our hope that He might be honored. 

“What would it be like to be so deeply rooted in God that you are full of faith, hope, and love? Full of faith in God being available to you. Full of hope for a better world. And full of love overflowing to others. How would everything be different if you could connect with people in healthy relationships without regularly slipping into protection mode? How would it be to freely offer yourself and your gifts to the communities where you belong and the people you love?” - Bryan Lee, Broken to Beloved

“The young man spoke to their fear, seeking to calm them and reassure them. “Do not be alarmed” (Mark 16:6). The original carries the idea “Stop being alarmed!” He acknowledged their mission. “You are looking for Jesus of Nazareth, who was crucified” (Mark 16:6). He announced that Jesus was not there because he had been raised from the dead. “He has been raised; he is not here” (Mark 16:6). His body had been put there, but he clearly wasn’t there now. “Look, there is the place they laid him” (Mark 16:6). Then he gave them an assignment. “But go, tell his disciples and Peter that he is going ahead of you to Galilee; there you will see him, just as he told you” (Mark 16:7).” - Excerpt, Following Jesus: Discipleship in the Gospel of Mark by Steve Langford

Mark 7-19

 Joseph took some great risks to take the body of Jesus. Those that were executed by the Romans were left behind in disgusting immoral ways. But Joseph risked his reputation and future in a public way- far more than just talking about his faith. Joseph cared deeply and was moved to take action. May we be motivated to take action when we are prompted. 

“First, for many people the Bible functions within a narrow scope. It gives a religious formula to “get people saved” and then tells them what to do morally: doctrine, conversion experience, and moral values. From that perspective, all a biblical counselor might say to people is, “Here’s how to accept Christ so that you’ll go to heaven. Now, until that day, here are the rules.” But such moralizing and spiritualizing flies against the Bible’s real call. God never tacks willpower and self-effort onto grace. His words are about all of life, not some religious sector.” - David A. Powlison, Speaking Truth in Love: Counsel in Community

“To gain access to Jesus’s body, Joseph approached Pilate. The gospel writer noted that he “went boldly to Pilate” (Mark 15:43). To identify with Jesus, even in his death, was a dangerous thing, especially for a member of the group that orchestrated his death. Before releasing the body, Pilate wanted to be sure Jesus was indeed dead and had been for some time.” - Excerpt, Following Jesus: Discipleship in the Gospel of Mark by Steve Langford

Mark 7-18

 The eye witness account of the crucifixion is gripping to the heart. You and I know our own need for a Savior because of our helpless ability to be sinless. Trying harder to be good may work for a moment but it does not last. Will power to develop character is no match for the saving and redemptive power of Gods in our lives. The execution of Jesus was no ordinary death. The Roman Centurion recognized Jesus as Someone different. May you and I deepen our dependence upon Him. 

“Even the excruciating pain could not silence his repeated entreaties: ‘Father, forgive them, for they do not know what they are doing.’ The soldiers gambled for his clothes. Some women stood afar off. The crowd remained a while to watch. Jesus commended his mother to John’s care and John to hers. He spoke words of kingly assurance to the penitent criminal crucified at his side. Meanwhile, the rulers sneered at him, shouting: ‘He saved others, but he can’t save himself!’ Their words, spoken as an insult, were the literal truth. He could not save himself and others simultaneously. He chose to sacrifice himself in order to save the world.” - John R.W. Stott, The Cross of Christ

“The centurion was struck by the way Jesus died. He had overseen the crucifixion of others. All, without exception, had either cursed the soldiers whose job it was to crucify them or pleaded for mercy, but Jesus did neither. He did not lash out with anger or bitterness or hatred toward those who crucified him or those who mocked him. The difference between his spirit and those who mocked him was stark. The centurion expressed his impression by saying, “Truly, this man was God’s Son!” (Mark 15:39). Those to whom the gospel was written would have heard the centurion’s words as an affirmation that Jesus was indeed the son of God (as presented in Mark 1:1–15).” - Excerpt, Following Jesus: Discipleship in the Gospel of Mark by Steve Langford

Mark 7-17

 The darkness at the crucifixion demonstrated the darkness of our sin. The hopeless striving for power, possessions or any earthly pursuit is usually rooted in our selfish desire to build our own kingdom. But Jesus gave His all to bring the light of another kingdom that is eternal. Purpose for each day, with hope, joy, peace and love are rooted in that awful execution. May we live on purpose with the short time we have in this life. 

“Christ's death served as a sacrifice for sin, bearing the punishment due to humanity and satisfying God's wrath. He taught that the atonement's purpose extends beyond simple forgiveness to include the redemption and purification of the believer to be zealous for good works, ultimately vindicating God's righteousness while demonstrating His love.” - Dr. Martin Lloyd Jones

“When it was noon, darkness came over the whole land until three in the afternoon” (Mark 15:33). The physical phenomenon of darkness is a metaphor for the suffering of Jesus as the life drained out of him. It reflects the life that was fading away as Jesus was dying. It also suggests the light that Jesus brought into the darkness of the world was being put out. In addition, the darkness suggests that creation, while humans were blind to what was happening, recognized and responded to Jesus’s death. Noon to three is normally the brightest time of the day.” - Excerpt, Following Jesus: Discipleship in the Gospel of Mark by Steve Langford

Unseen Companion

 Based on a poem by Steve Porter 

“When my soul is parched and dry

When out of touch, He seems so far away.

I groan, I plead for Him to pour afresh

His satisfying waters from on High.”

Beloved, have you ever walked through a season where your soul felt barren?

You know in your heart that God has not moved, but your spirit aches for the closeness you once felt.

There are moments when prayer becomes groaning, when words feel thin, and you plead…not for things, but for Him.

“Oh Lord, pour Yourself out afresh. I need You.”

You are not alone in that cry. The psalmist knew it.

Jesus, too, cried out from the dry place.

And the Lord hears the voice of the thirsty.

“Listening for His voice, I come apart

And wait for Him ‘as deep calls unto deep.’

And there my thirsting soul is filled

With rivers flowing from His very heart.”

This is where the breakthrough comes…not always in dramatic encounters, but in stillness.

You withdraw. You wait.

You lean in when nothing feels alive.

And somehow…there it is.

A trickle… a stream… and suddenly, the river flows.

Not from you, but from His heart to yours.

The One who created oceans and carved out rivers longs to pour Himself into you.

Not because you’ve earned it, but because He loves you.

“Begotten of the Father, Christ appears

In barren wilderness with healing oils.

With mercy streaming from His Father’s House

And crimson cloths to wipe away my tears.”

He does not meet us only in the garden…He appears in the wilderness.

In the dry, cracked, dusty places.

That’s where He walks in, carrying healing oil and mercy.

He doesn’t shame you for your tears…He wipes them gently.

He doesn’t meet your sorrow with harshness…He wraps it in crimson love.

“Fellow pilgrim in that desert place

The Master sets a table there for you

And bids you come and dine, your soul refresh.

Come feast on riches of His sovereign grace.”

You may feel forgotten, unseen, weary from the road.

But listen…He has set a table for you right here.

Not after you get stronger. Not once the storm has passed.

Here. Now. In the desert.

He calls, “Come and dine.”

And what a feast it is. Grace. Mercy. Rest.

The food of Heaven to nourish your soul.

“And though you feel you have no advocate

You’re traveling on this road in solitude,

Unseen He walks beside, His presence sure,

For nothing from His love shall separate.”

Even when you can’t feel Him…He’s walking with you.

You are never alone.

You may not hear His footsteps, but He’s there.

You may not see the Advocate, but He pleads for you still.

Nothing…not silence, not failure, not fear…can separate you from the love of God.

“God’s promises are true, and rest assured

That for the asking they may be obtained.

Know this…He’ll never leave you all alone

His love is everlasting, like His Word.”

Let this settle in your spirit today:

You are loved. You are heard. You are held.

God’s promises are not dusty words on a page…they are living, breathing, eternal truths.

They are yours for the asking.

He will not leave you.

He cannot forget you.

His love is not seasonal. It is everlasting.

Like His Word…it endures.

Dear friend, if your soul feels dry today, take heart.

The River still flows.

The invitation still stands.

Draw near. Lift your cup.

Let Him fill you again and again… and again.

You are His beloved. And He is near.

With Love,

Steve Porter

www.morningglorydevo.com

Grandparent’s Heart

 “A Grandparent’s Heart”

—i have carried generations in these arms—

some wild, some weary,

most of them unrecorded,

except in the lines of my face

and the memories stitched into my soul.

I was young once—

barefoot in the rain,

laughing until I cried,

loving people who didn’t stay,

losing people I thought never would leave.

I raised babies when I was still one myself,

rocked them through fevers and fears,

and prayed more nights than I slept.

I thought I might break—

but I bent instead,

and I stayed.

Now the house is quieter,

but my heart is not.

It carries history in one hand

and hope in the other.

It beats with a softer, slower rhythm,

because I have learned

just how fast time slips through your fingers.

To be a grandparent

is to fall in love twice—

once with your child,

and once with theirs.

It is love multiplied,

overflowing,

wiser now,

with eyes that know

the ordinary is holy.

It’s silly songs made up on the spot,

secret snacks slipped into tiny palms,

front-row clapping at games you don’t understand,

and saying “yes” more often than “no”

because you know how precious “one more” really is.

It’s laughter caught in wrinkles,

legacy whispered in lullabies,

and second chances

at the moments you once rushed.

And when I’m gone,

I don’t hope they remember the things I did—

the meals I cooked,

the gifts I wrapped,

the schedules I kept.

I hope they remember who I was:

the way my arms always opened,

the way my eyes lit up when they walked into the room,

the way my prayers followed them

long after they thought I’d stopped.

I hope they remember

that I showed up,

even when I was tired.

That I listened,

even when the words were hard to find.

That I let them be little—

just a bit longer,

because childhood never lingers long enough.

And if they remember nothing else,

I hope they remember this:

that they were loved—

deeply,

completely,

without condition,

without end.

Because this—

this is the holy ache of time,

the sacred gift of second chances.

This is history and tomorrow

held in the very same embrace.

To be a grandparent

is to live love’s encore—

a softer song,

a sweeter melody,

a crown of silver and a heart still young.

And of all the thousand lives I’ve lived—

this one,

the one where I get to rock

the baby of my baby,

is the one I would choose again.

Every single time.

Mark 7-15

 The abuse Jesus endured w as more than inhumane. It’s one thing to read the documentation as an observer, but it’s another to grasp that his suffering was for you and me. Ever since of pain and grief He endured was for our sin and separation from Him. He draws us in to Himself. For I am crucified with Him and the life I’m living is for Him and with Him, because He lives in me. He loves you and me far more than we can imagine. (Galatians 2:20)

“Jesus did not live a calm life. He cared too much. Yet he was not a tense person. He was not irritable, anxious, or driven. But he was not detached, cool, or aloof, either. He was no stoic or Buddhist. He plunged into the storms of human sufferings and sins. He felt keenly. At his friend Lazarus’s tomb, in the presence of death and human woe, he both bristled with anger and wept with sorrow.” - David A. Powlison, Good and Angry: Redeeming Anger, Irritation, Complaining, and Bitterness

“Ridicule, mockery, and putdowns—along with criticism, judgment, and condemnation of another—are expressions of the ego-centric self constructed out of the yeast (thinking) of the Pharisees and Herod. They are ways of expressing superiority to one that is viewed as inferior and less than. They allow us to feel good about ourselves at another’s expense. They are unconscious efforts to prop up the fragile nature of our narcissistic identities.” - Excerpt, Following Jesus: Discipleship in the Gospel of Mark by Steve Langford

C Word by Michael Sprague

 THE “C” WORD

Over the last ten days, since my prostate cancer diagnosis, I have been amazed how many of my friends or those close to them, have been touched by this disease. This ugly enemy called cancer is no respecter of persons, for sure. It can evoke a variety of emotions like disappointment, despair, desperation, depression, even anger.  

One unknown author, a cancer survivor, wrote something that puts cancer in perspective.

Cancer is so limited …
It cannot cripple love.
It cannot shatter hope.
It cannot corrode faith.
It cannot destroy peace.
It cannot kill friendships.
It cannot suppress memories.
It cannot silence courage.
It cannot invade the soul.
It cannot steal eternal life.
It cannot conquer the Spirit.

Cancer hurts. The stories I have already heard range from reassuring to inspiring to heartbreaking. I definitely do not mean to trivialize or minimize cancer. We do not need nickel answers to million dollar questions but a Biblical outlook and an eternal perspective helps and leads to hope. Cancer does not have the final say. This is true for all the other trials of life as well. It helps to stand upon the promises of God:

1. God is sovereign. 

2. The tomb is empty.

3. The grave is temporary housing.

4. God never leaves us nor forsakes us.

5. God uses everything for His glory and our good.

6. Heaven is a heartbeat away.

7. Sorrow may come at night but joy comes in the morning.

8. God knows my name and every hair on my head.

9. There is no condemnation in Christ Jesus. 

10. There is no medical problem that a new resurrection body can’t fix.

11. We may shake upon the Rock but the ROCK does not shake under us.

12. God never says, “Oops”.

13. We are not spiritual orphans but spiritual sons or daughters, in Christ.

14. We can bet the farm on Jesus. 

15. With Jesus there is always hope.

16. If you confess with your mouth Jesus as Lord, and believe in your heart that God raised Him from the dead, you will be saved; 

My benediction for you today comes from Ephesians 3:20-21 — Now to him who is able to do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine, according to his power that is at work within us, to him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus throughout all generations, for ever and ever! Amen.

We might say, “I’m not able” but God is ABLE. 

We cannot change our circumstances but God is ABLE.

We may be out of strength, energy, strength and ideas but God is ABLE.

God is ABLE for your illness, family, mental health, job, finances, miracles, ordinary days, waiting seasons, and dreams.

God is ABLE to do immeasurably more than we were asking or imagining last night. May Jesus get the glory through you and me, through our weaknesses and brokenness and devotion to Him, as imperfect as it might be.

2 Corinthians 4:17: "For our light and momentary troubles are achieving for us an eternal glory that far outweighs them all."

4 R’s of classroom

 4 R's—Roles, Routines, Rights and Responsibilities—as a framework for classroom management.

"I think teachers are framers. We frame the room. We frame the work. We frame the day. We frame the year. We frame the entire experience–whether we want to or not," Syrie shares. "The kids look to us for the frame. What we do–or don’t do–decides the day. And, man oh man, is there pressure in that. But, there’s also possibility–powerful possibility."

Roles in Syrie's classroom include the roles of Yourself (the most important role, he says), Valued Community Member, Reader, Writer, Mistake Maker, and Reflector. He explains to the students what each of these roles entails and why it's important for kids to take them on.

Routines include daily and weekly activities such as starting class with a community check-in called Smiles and Frowns and ending class with Journey Journaling. Each day of the week also has a specific focus, such as writing, reading or grammar.

Rights include things like, "I have the right to feel safe," "I have the right to learn," and "I have the right to ask as many questions as l want." Syrie also gives students the right to eat and drink in class and the right to make mistakes without fear of penalty.

As for Responsibilities, students have a responsibility to get to class on time, know and honor the class routines, self-regulate use of electronic devices in the classroom, be a great listener, self-regulate leaving the room, take ownership of their learning, and be sensitive and respectful of others' viewpoints, among other things. Students are expected to do their best to fulfill these responsibilities and to handle any breaches (such as being late to class) with courtesy and minimal disruption to the rest of the class. If they are struggling with any of these responsibilities, interventions include reminder(s), conversation(s), parent contact, and as a last and unlikely resort, office referral.

The beauty of Syrie's four R's is that they demonstrate a sense of trust in students right off the bat, helping them see themselves both as responsible individuals and as valued parts of a communal whole. When people feel trusted and valued and are empowered by a clear balance of rights and responsibilities, most tend to rise to the occasion—even when they're in high school. That's not to say that this framing eliminates all classroom management issues, but it's a framework that encourages character development from within the students rather than exerting control from the top down. They'll be able to take this framing through their whole educational career and beyond.

A fellow educator wrote on X, "Love this in so many ways! In these times, this answers 'how can we help learners understand the principles of a democracy?'" Imagine if we all reflected more on our roles, routines, rights and responsibilities as citizens rather than just memorizing the laws we are obliged to follow. Perhaps Mr. Syrie's rethinking and reframing of the educational experience can help us all consider a new framing for our own lives as individuals and community members as well.

You can follow Monte Syrie on X and find his book, "better: A Teacher's Journey: Project 180 Book One," here.

Mark 7-14

 The abuse and trauma inflicted upon Jesus was horrific. It’s mind blowing that the Creator of the universe surrendered Himself to this subjection. His love and passion to redeem His creation humbles us. The abusers were caught up in the mob mentality and hate of their circumstances. We have seen similar types of group think throughout history and in our own culture. May the Spirit’s presence in our hearts help us discern to never be caught up in the attitude of Roman rule. May we be ambassadors to His kingdom in everything we do and say, treating others with dignity and respect. 

“Perhaps the most frightening thing about narcissism’s bite is that it often comes without leaving a physical wound. The trauma inflicted can look like humiliation, hypercriticism, silence, exclusion, affairs, flirtation, jealousy, extreme mood swings, crude jokes, constant jealousy, bargaining for love, guilt, shame, control of finances, sexual manipulation, blame shifting, isolating one from friends and family, threats, boundary violations, and much more.” - Chuck DeGroat, When Narcissism Comes to Church

“For the Roman soldiers, Jesus was their scapegoat. He was in a one-down position and one upon whom they could dump their pent-up anger, hostility, and scorn. Roman soldiers represented the authority of an occupying power in a foreign land. As such, they were hated and despised by the Jews whose land they occupied.

Their very presence, a reminder of Rome’s control, was resented. Outside of their garrison, the soldiers had to travel in groups to reduce the risk of attack by a Zealot assassin who believed the only good Roman was a dead Roman. So when they had the so-called king of the Jews in their power, their pent-up hostility was unleashed upon him.” - Excerpt, Following Jesus: Discipleship in the Gospel of Mark by Steve Langford

Mark 7-13

 How are you and I ‘free in Christ?’  Barnabas got a free ticket to life at the expense of a perfect man. Our freedom is far more than a ticket to heaven. It’s a freedom to become someone new, leaving the old behind. Being free to live on purpose and have a deep meaning for each day is true freedom. It’s breaking free of of the bondage, being a slave to trying hard to be someone we were never meant to be.  Being free is having a new identity in Christ, and viewing all of life with a different perspective. 

 “Wholeness can also be described as soulfulness, a life that’s centered, passionately engaged, open, creative, connected, and propelled by a sense of mission. It is this kind of wholeness that leaders need to cultivate in themselves and in those under their leadership.” - Chuck DeGroat, Toughest People to Love

“The actions of the chief priests and council portray the underbelly of the ego-centric self, constructed out of the yeast (thinking) of the Pharisees and Herod. Their actions depict the manipulation of power, with no regard for truth, to achieve their self-serving ends. They used power against one they viewed as “other,” plotting to have him killed and the threat he posed removed. In their actions, the religious facade is removed so that we see the yeast of the Pharisees and Herod for what it really is.” - Excerpt, Following Jesus: Discipleship in the Gospel of Mark by Steve Langford

Who is this Jesus?

The question and the answer – Who is Jesus along with He is… -- are asked often in the Gospels. Here’s a list of some of them (italics added):

The Pharisees and the teachers of the law began thinking to themselves, “Who is this fellow who speaks blasphemy? Who can forgive sins but God alone?” (Luke 5:21).

The other guests began to say among themselves, “Who is this who even forgives sins?” (7:49)

But Herod said, “I beheaded John. Who, then, is this I hear such things about?” And he tried to see him. (9:9)

When Jesus entered Jerusalem, the whole city was stirred and asked, “Who is this?” (Matthew 21:10)

The crowd spoke up, “We have heard from the Law that the Messiah will remain forever, so how can you say, ‘The Son of Man must be lifted up’? Who is this ‘Son of Man’?” (John 12:34)

 “But as I came to understand that my work gave me an opportunity to know God and his love for me more, it changed everything. So what do I mean by that? Well, if theologically you think about it a little bit, you think about a mago day, right?

We're created in the image of a God who works six out of seven days. And it was good. And his work, according to the Gospel of John, continues to this day.

So he's not just like a Sumerian guy that kind of spoke and just created humankind for folly. And he was intimately and continues to be intimately involved in the creation process. That means that we, and I represent faith-driven entrepreneurs, but this has to do with anybody who's been creative in the workplace.

That when we are creating, we are living into the creation mandate to be fruitful and multiply. As entrepreneurs and business people, we see what is wrong and broken in the world. We see problems that need to be solved and we lean into them.

We make redemptive products and services. The very product, the very process of doing business is doing God's work[…]”

From The Thread, from Alpha: LC25 Bonus Episode: Ordinary Jobs, Extraordinary Calling - Making a Kingdom Impact in the Workplace, Aug 18, 2025

https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-thread-from-alpha/id1726213727?i=1000722602860&r=202

This material may be protected by copyright.

Mark 7-12

 Pilate had to deal with the mob mentality, wanting peace and calmness. He didn’t want the Roman authorities upset with him. But he discovered something different about Jesus. His calm presence and determination to not react were astonishing. I wonder what the emotional impact was when Jesus looked into Pilate’s eyes. The personal non verbal exchange had to have an impact. What would it be like to look Jesus in His face during a personal encounter for each of us?  His calm presence with us is powerful. 

“In a nutshell, the Bible from Genesis 3 to Revelation 22 tells the story of a god reckless with desire to get his family back. God struck the decisive blow of reconciliation when he sent the Son on the long journey to planet earth. The Bible’s last scene, like the parable of the lost son, ends in jubilation, the family united once again.” - Philip Yancey, The Jesus I Never Knew

“Pilate again turned to Jesus. “Have you no answer? See how many charges they bring against you” (Mark 15:4). Pilate was obviously amazed at Jesus’s composure. Jesus was not reactive or defended. He was seemingly not afraid, fighting for his life. He was very much in control of himself. He did not react to what others were doing, giving them power over him. Rather, he lived out of the truth he knew. “But Jesus made no further reply, so that Pilate was amazed” (Mark 15:5). Pilate was aware that he was dealing with an unusual man. Jesus was no mere peasant from Galilee. Certainly, he was no bloodthirsty insurrectionist.” - Excerpt, Following Jesus: Discipleship in the Gospel of Mark by Steve Langford

Mark 7-11

 I can be blind to my own weakness. The dangers of pride and vanity prevent me from being dependent on our Triune God. Peter thought he was all in for Jesus, regardless of the cost. But he found himself denying that he even knew him. May you and I deepen our awareness that we need Him in our ordinary moments and in in the dark nights that may be ahead. He will NEVER leave us or abandon us so what reasons are there to abandon Him. 

“In a world of exhausting chases and cheap, self-help remedies, this is the ancient path that offers deep healing and transformation. But it can’t be manufactured. When the lights go out, we’re powerless. We may face parts of ourselves we’ve long forgotten, exiled away even in our youngest years. But here we also wait in expectation for the one who longs to “restore you to health and heal your wounds” (Jeremiah 30:17).

But perhaps God is calling you, too, to face the shadows. To stop, slow down, and sit in the dark. Maybe there your eyes will adjust to a dim light on the horizon, signaling the smile of the one who will never ever leave you or forsake you (Deuteronomy 31:8).” - Excerpt, Healing What’s Within by Chuck DeGroat

“When we fail to cultivate self-awareness, the only way for us to move beyond the self-deception of the ego-centric self is to encounter events, such as failure, that strip us of all pretenses, leaving us naked before ourselves and others. Although extremely painful, these events place us in a position to experience God’s grace and forgiveness. They are the prerequisite to cultivating an identity that is rooted in God. They are experiences of being “salted with fire” (Mark 9:49).” - Excerpt, Following Jesus: Discipleship in the Gospel of Mark by Steve Langford

Mark 7-10

 If we had been with Jesus any length of time, what would it have been like to watch the injustice thrown at Him. He had healed many, taught the Sermon on the Mount, fed great crowds with abundant food, and comes the stormy sea. But now He did not raise any word of protest nor cite what He had tried to teach. His suffering and pain demons trained restraint that His true character and purpose sustained. His calm demeanor was for us, that we can experience His presence and sense of meaning each day, no matter who we are with or the circumstances we find ourselves. 

“We sometimes use the term “savior complex” to describe an unhealthy syndrome of obsession over curing others’ problems. The true Savior, however, seemed remarkably free of such a complex. He had no compulsion to convert the entire world in his lifetime or to cure people who were not ready to be cured.” - Philip Yancey, The Jesus I Never Knew

“Having achieved the predetermined conviction they wanted, the members of the council unleashed their anger against Jesus. “Some began to spit on him, to blindfold him, and to strike him, saying to him, ‘Prophesy!’ The guards also took him over and beat him” (Mark 16:65). They expressed their contempt for Jesus by spitting on him. They ridiculed him, mocking his claims to be the Messiah. The guards beat him, demonstrating their domination over him. Their actions were designed to inflict physical pain as well as to break him emotionally and spiritually. They were meant to demean him as having no value. Their objective was the total defeat and discrediting of this one they viewed as their enemy.” - Excerpt, Following Jesus: Discipleship in the Gospel of Mark by Steve Langford

Mark 7-8

 Each of the disciples reacted differently to Jesus being arrested.  Each one, in their own way, did not stick with their leader.  I have wondered how I would have reacted, worried that I could have easily split and ran.  Would I do that in 2025 if I were threatened?  I hope not, resting my case on the presence of our Advocate, the Holy Spirit, who gives us the grace we need in the test.  I do not want to presume anything, but His presence in my life is worth more than anything  

“Strength, good looks, connections, and the competitive instinct may bring a person success in a society like ours, but those very qualities may block entrance to the kingdom of heaven. Dependence, sorrow, repentance, a longing to change — these are the gates to God’s kingdom.” - Philip Yancey, The Jesus I Never Knew

“A disciple, knowing that resolve and self-reliance can only take us so far in living the ways of God, lives in glad dependence upon the Father.

A disciple seeks strength from the Spirit to do what he cannot do in his own strength.

A disciple embraces painful experiences, including failure, as a normal part of the human experience and as a necessary part of spiritual transformation—“salted with fire” (Mark 9:49).

A disciple, following the pattern of Jesus, lives in an intimate relationship with God, deeply trusting God’s love, goodness, and wisdom. Jesus expressed this intimate, love-based relationship by praying to God as “Abba, Father.” - Excerpt, Following Jesus: Discipleship in the Gospel of Mark by Steve Langford

Mark 7-9

 I’m not sure that I could have responded to the mob mentality as Jesus did. His divine restraint was super human as He could have said one kne word and an angel could have shut down the entire drama. But Jesus knew what He was to do, fulfilling all prophecy, demonstrating our Triune God’s love for creation and for us. 

“As C. S. Lewis expressed it, Why is God landing in this enemy-occupied world in disguise and starting a sort of secret society to undermine the devil? Why is He not landing in force, invading it? Is it that He is not strong enough? Well, Christians think He is going to land in force; we do not know when. But we can guess why He is delaying: He wants to give us the chance of joining His side freely. . . . God will invade. But I wonder whether people who ask God to interfere openly and directly in our world quite realize what it will be like when He does. When that happens, it is the end of the world. When the author walks on to the stage the play is over.” - Philip Yancey, The Jesus I Never Knew

“The problem was not a lack of testimony. There were many who gave false testimony. The problem was a lack of agreement. The Law required the testimony of two witnesses who agreed. “For many gave false testimony against him, and their testimony did not agree.  Some stood up and gave false testimony against him, saying, “We heard him say, ‘I will destroy this temple that is made with hands, and in three days I will build another, not made with hands.’ But even on this point their testimony did not agree” (Mark 14:56-59).” - Excerpt, Following Jesus: Discipleship in the Gospel of Mark by Steve Langford

Mark 7-7

 Have you sensed the urgent need to pray for someone?  Perhaps you’re awake at night and for some reason you keep thinking about an individual or family. How many times (I cannot count) have I prayed with a half hearted concern or request?  Looking back, I can see that in those issues. God has changed a person’s life or a situation has improved!!  What if I’d prayed more fervently?  Or how many times have I been asleep, n out alert to what the Spirit was doing?  

“Prayer is asking God to incarnate, to get dirty in your life. Yes, the eternal God scrubs floors. For sure we know he washes feet. So take Jesus at his word. Ask him. Tell him what you want. Get dirty. Write out your prayer requests; don't mindlessly drift through life on the American narcotic of busyness. If you try to seize the day, the day will eventually break you. Seize the corner of his garment and don't let go until he blesses you. He will reshape the day.” - Paul E. Miller, A Praying Life: Connecting With God In A Distracting World

“When he came a third time, the time for praying and preparing was over. “He came a third time and said to them, “Are you still sleeping and taking your rest? Enough! The hour has come; the Son of Man is betrayed into the hands of sinners. Get up, let us be going. See, my betrayer is at hand” (Mark 14:41–42). In each of these three interactions, the disciples failed. They failed Jesus. They failed to prepare themselves through prayer. These incidents were a prelude to their greater failure, i.e., abandoning Jesus during his arrest.” - Excerpt, Following Jesus: Discipleship in the Gospel of Mark by Steve Langford

Mark 7-6

 I have not appreciated the turmoil that Jesus endured in the garden. His anguish with what was ahead was intense, wrestling with the Father in prayer. The relationship between Jesus and the Father was and is intimate, the same for what can be for us. Working out our circumstances and inner life with God our Father brings strength and endurance. Just like Jesus, many do not understand what we are going through. He invited the disciples to participate, to witness, but they fell asleep. May we be alert to those around us who are suffering that we may walk with them

 “There is only one way for any of us to resolve the tension between the high ideals of the gospel and the grim reality of ourselves: to accept that we will never measure up, but that we do not have to. We are judged by the righteousness of the Christ who lives within, not our own.” - Philip Yancey, The Jesus I Never Knew

“Jesus addressed God as Abba, Father.79 “Abba” is Aramaic, the language Jesus would have normally spoken. It corresponds to the English term “Daddy.” Father translates the Greek word that expresses the same image. The image expresses deep, unquestioning trust in a parent and in that parent’s love. “Abba” was how Jesus commonly addressed God. It was also how he taught his disciples to address God (Matthew 6:9; Luke 11:2). This image of God was the underlying secret to Jesus’s intimate experience of prayer with God.” - Excerpt, Following Jesus: Discipleship in the Gospel of Mark by Steve Langford

One Life

One Life.  Here’s What I Know Now.

“It is appointed for men to die once, but after this the judgment.” — Hebrews 9:27

Some words whisper. These do not. They blast through the air like a bugle in a sleeping camp.

One life. One death. One judgment. No encore. No curtain call.

You will not live this stretch of years again. There is no looped track. No return ticket. The coin is in your hand now, and once spent, it is gone forever.

Even Jesus, whose life was measured in perfection, moved under the urgency of this truth. “I must work the works of Him who sent Me while it is day,” He said. “The night is coming when no one can work” (John 9:4).

The day is now.

One Life So Very Brief

Life does not just come once; it comes short.

The psalmist says seventy years is typical, eighty if strength allows. But take away the hours for sleeping, washing, eating, waiting at red lights, standing in lines, recovering from illness and your storehouse of days shrinks fast.

Church buildings outlast us. The stone walls of an 1835 chapel may still be standing, but the quarrymen who cut the rock, the carpenters who set the beams, and the worshipers who sang on opening day are long gone to dust.

One hundred years from now, most of our names will not be spoken aloud. The grass will have grown over us.

Every minute is a trust. Every hour is an investment. And each will be accounted for.

A Word to the Young

If you are young, you hold something the old can never get back. Strength. Energy. A God-given daring that makes you willing to risk for something worth dying for. That daring fades with age.

Jonathan Edwards ignited New England at twenty-five. Whitefield shook nations at twenty-one. Spurgeon filled London’s largest halls at seventeen. They did not wait for clarity or comfort. They stepped into the harness then and there.

There are tasks only the young can do. Some languages will only lodge in a mind still quick. Some terrains can only be crossed when the knees are still strong.

Do not carry into your later years the heavy ache of wasted time. Pull out the stops now.

False Ambitions

If life is one coin to spend, do not waste it on counterfeit dreams.

One of the most dangerous is the pursuit of comfort.

Jesus Christ said it plainly: “Do not lay up for yourselves treasures on earth.” Comfort is a false friend. It dulls urgency, lulls you into false security, and will betray you in the end. You cannot take it with you, and it will fight you every step if you try to live for eternity.

If God has entrusted you with resources, they are not for hoarding while souls go unreached. Give up the small ambitions. Use everything…every possession, every gift, every breath…to bring honor to Christ.

Life’s Great Constraints

A lawyer once asked Jesus, “Which is the great commandment in the law?” The answer set the compass for every human life:

Love God.

Love your neighbor.

Love yourself.

To love God is to see Him as He is – beauty without blemish, truth without shadow, righteousness without stain and then to see what He has done. The Creator took on flesh. The Judge bore your guilt. The Lord of glory hung on a cross to reconcile you to Himself.

Love like that demands your soul, your life, your all.

To love your neighbor is to care enough to speak truth. Two hundred thousand people a day pass into eternity without Christ. If you had the cure for a deadly disease but kept it to yourself, no one could call you loving. Yet how often do we sit silent with the gospel?

To love yourself rightly is to live so that your life is not wasted. It is possible to be saved and still arrive in eternity empty-handed. Redemption is not the finish line; it is the starting gun.

Living for What Will Matter

In an old church I know, three doors bear three inscriptions: Over one: All that pleases is but for a moment. Over another: All that troubles us is but for a moment. Over the central door: That only is important which is eternal.

That is the measure of a life well spent.

Love God with all your heart. Love your neighbor enough to speak truth. Love yourself enough to live for what will matter when the earth is ashes and the sky rolls back like a scroll.

One life. One death. One judgment.

The bugle is sounding. The day is now.

And when your name is spoken for the last time on earth, may it still be known in heaven.