August 8, 2026 -- Proverbs 14:2 -- Did you know you're bilingual? I wonder if you say the same thing in both languages?

People loved by the Father, in the Spirit's power: Sh'ma ~ hear and obey Jesus!

Whoever walks in uprightness fears the LORD,
but he who is devious in his ways despises him.
Proverbs 14:2 ESV
 
We know that our words are language. It is how we communicate with one another. However, actions are a language as well. If we say we love God, but act in ways which are contrary to our verbal confession, we are devious in our ways. Our behavior shows our confession is meaningless. By our actions we show Him (and others) that we despise Him.
 
The wise fear the LORD—that is, in word and by their deeds they prove their life’s orientation is always directed to serving the Living God. Their words and their deeds are aligned. Their words and actions are moral, that is, in line with all that God requires.
 
The one who is crooked, or always taking selfish detours, or is unreliable proves he despises God. He is contemptuous of holy things. He is self-serving. He thinks he knows better than God how to conduct his life—though his past actions would prove his current stubbornness is evidence of his true foolishness. Plus, proves that his life’s basic orientation is pulling away from the Living God.
 
Christians, and those who profess to be Christians, but whose actions prove they are not, and pagans all have this in common: we sin. The pagan doesn’t care; probably doesn’t even acknowledge that there is such a thing as sin. The Christian, who is a hypocrite, justifies his actions and doesn’t confess his sins. Those who are upright, are those who by the work of the Spirit are confronted with their sinful behavior, are humbled and confess their sins. They rejoice in the forgiveness that is theirs in Christ. In the fear of the LORD and with thankfulness, they change their ways so that they are walking in uprightness. The governing desire of their life is to please God. They will fail. They will be awed and blessed by the mercies of God. They will, in view of His mercy and covenant love, renew their efforts to be consistent in their daily walk with God.
 
In my distress I called to the LORD,
and he answered me.
Deliver me, O LORD,
   from lying lips,
   from a deceitful tongue.
Let your hand be ready to help me,
   for I have chosen your precepts.
I long for your salvation, O LORD,
   and your law is my delight.
Let my soul live and praise you,
   and let your rules be my delight.
Psalm 120:1-2; 119:173-176 ESV
 
https://youtu.be/zRApdexr_gU?si=hjaOrMsN3kANwPqS I Love the Lord
 

Copyright © 2026 Sh'ma Christian Ministries, All rights reserved.

August 6, 2026 -- What is forgiveness? I mean, seriously forgiving the other

People loved by the Father, in the Spirit's power: Sh'ma ~ hear and obey Jesus!

For if you forgive others their trespasses, your heavenly Father will also forgive you, but if you do not forgive others their trespasses, neither will your Father forgive your trespasses.
Matthew 6:14-15 ESV
 
This morning I listened to R.C. Sproul’s message: “Forgiveness: Renewing Your Mind”. To be honest, I listened to it twice. It was that good. Sproul noted there are five aspects of forgiveness that must be present. He was so thorough, and so good in his explanation of it. It happens that people might not be forgiven, but feel themselves forgiven. And it can be true that one does not feel forgiven, but is in fact forgiven. (In that case pride is the obstacle!) Today’s devotion is based on his work. I have included the full 26 minute teaching as a link below. Here is a summary.
 
What must be true if we are to forgive others as God requires? According to Sproul:

1. Repentance. There must be godly sorrow over one’s sin. Sorrow before God, first and foremost. But there must also be godly sorrow before brothers and sisters.

2. Remission. It is by the blood of Jesus Christ that the sins are sent away from the guilty parties. Jesus bore the wrath of God. The only way brothers and sisters can live in unity is because Jesus bore the full cost for this.

3. Restitution. This is not light. It is not easy. It is hard to speak to someone else, restore what was stolen, as best as possible make amends for a ruined reputation. True repentance in the path of forgiveness means what can be made right must be made right.

4. Reconciliation. This is so important, Paul wrote “All of this is from God, who through Christ reconciled us to himself and gave us the ministry of reconciliation” II Corinthians 5:18. It is the good news of God in Christ that men and women who were estranged and separated can now be restored and the offense is no longer thrown up into their faces.

5. Restoration. Parables, like the Prodigal Son (Luke 15:11-32) and (Matthew 20:1-16) demonstrate God’s delight to bring ruined sinners to Himself in restored fellowship. It is people, the “older brothers” and others who’ve worked a long time in the vineyard for the same pay as those who arrived at the last minute, who resent the goodness of God expressed in the lives of others. Oh, what wretches we can be. The benefit of forgiveness must ultimately result in men and women who are brought into relationship with God will be restored in relationship with one another and celebrate that restoration.

 
Our Father in heaven, hallowed be your name.
Your kingdom come, your will be done,
on earth as it is in heaven.
Give us this day our daily bread,
and forgive us our debts,
as we also have forgiven our debtors.
And lead us not into temptation,
but deliver us from evil.
For yours is the kingdom and the power and the glory, forever. Amen.
 
https://youtu.be/qydrHaTaW8w?si=t61TqfDIdLo8UdbV
This is the full episode from R.C. Sproul
 

Copyright © 2026 Sh'ma Christian Ministries, All rights reserved.

August 5, 2026 -- Proverbs 14:1 -- Hey, what are you building?

People loved by the Father, in the Spirit's power: Sh'ma ~ hear and obey Jesus!

The wisest of women builds her house,
but folly with her own hands tears it down. Proverbs 14:1
 
If you are very familiar with the Proverbs, you’ll hear the echo “Wisdom has built her house” (Proverbs 9:1a). Here the word “wisest” is the plural of wise. It is the fullness of wisdom that builds the house. It is wisdom as an attribute personified. It is wisdom unto God, wisdom in the ways of men, wisdom to discern the worldliness of the world and to refrain from joining in.
 
What does wisdom build? A house. Significant. Think of this verse, “unless the LORD builds the house, those who build it labor in vain” (Psalm 127:1). The single man, or woman, or the married couple, build a house where the glory of the LORD shines forth. It is a place of refuge for the weary, a place of teaching for the young, a sanctuary of encouragement for the downcast. Rich or poor, strong or weak, young or old, the home of the wise reflects the lovingkindness of the LORD. Wisdom is a joy for those who incorporate it into every aspect of their life. Wisdom leads the wise to know, love, and serve Jesus.
 
Not so with folly. As with wisdom, now with folly, it is personified. Here folly describes people who deny the LORD. I can go even further; the fool might even make a verbal confession of God, but the action of his life proves he doesn’t listen to Him. Actions are a language. Believers in God confess Him with their mouths and obey Him in the activities of their life.
 
No matter what folly attempts, in the short-term, or in the long-term, it will be exposed as worthy of destruction. More than that, foolish living, spending, speaking, company, et cetera, brings ruin into the life of the fool. You can see it in real time. Drugs lead to self-destruction. Pride to ruin. Influencers get mocked (or get themselves killed trying to be the biggest, fastest, best, first). Rich people act as if they are impervious to any harm, but like all people, they will face death and their riches will go to worthless people and get squandered.
 
The Bible both instructs and warns us that “we all must appear before the judgment seat of Christ, so that each one may receive what is due for what he has done in the body, whether good or evil” II Corinthians 5:10. Our lives are lived under the watchful eye of Him Who is our Judge. Those who acknowledge Jesus as their Savior and Lord now, who live for Him in word and deed, all the while knowing the Judge as their Redeemer-King. Those who refuse Jesus now, wilfully living for their own pleasure, will at the end of time face Jesus as the One Who judges their life as evil and He will cast them into hell.
 
Blessed are You, Father of mercies and God of all Comfort. You have given grace and peace to Your people through our Lord Jesus Christ and given us the sure and unshakable hope that in Him we are Your treasured sons and daughters. By the Spirit, teach us to walk in wisdom’s ways and be prepared to experience affliction, and great suffering, so that we will be purified from all our sinful ways and sanctified for Your glory. Who can be stand up under Your Spirit’s work of making us holy? If You don’t strengthen us and help us, we will fail; so through every trial and moment of suffering, teach us to rely on You, the God Who raises the dead and gives patience, comfort which is always accompanied by Your never-ending love. Amen.
 
https://youtu.be/DxQx2xZPC5M?si=YgWTB2oSTl0ed3mh Take Shelter
 

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August 4, 2026 -- Proverbs 13:23 -- How far-reaching is your confidence in God?

People loved by the Father, in the Spirit's power: Sh'ma ~ hear and obey Jesus!

The fallow ground of the poor would yield much food,
but it is swept away through injustice. Proverbs 13:23 ESV
 
No doubt most of you reading this devotional are men and women who live in the city and are not too familiar with agricultural practices. Fallow ground refers to fields which are, for the seventh year, not planted. In the Old Testament, God commanded His people to leave their fields fallow, untilled, unplanted (Exodus 23:10-11; Leviticus 25:1-7). It is a reference to the fact that once every seven years the land could rest and replenish. It is a command to trust God. He promised He will provide such a plentiful harvest for His people in the sixth year, that it would last through the sixth year, the seventh (the year of rest), and the eighth. That eighth year the faithful farmer would still be eating of the abundance of the fields and vineyards from the sixth year, while he waited for his current crop to yield food. It is a picture of a man (a woman, a family) that obeys God and trusts Him for every good thing.
 
Those who are workers of injustice are fools. They are men and women who refuse to obey God’s commands. They can be rich people who believe themselves to a law unto themselves. They can be rulers who require the people to live one way, while themselves break the commands of God. They can be men and women, who are part of God’s people, but do not keep His commands, out of fear that He will not do what He says He will do. Or, as verse 11 teaches, “Wealth gained hastily will dwindle, but whoever gathers little by little will increase it” (Proverbs 13:11). Typical right? Men and women usually know the ways of God but instead of obeying, in their pride think they know better than God. Instead of gathering little by little, they will aim for get rich schemes. Or will rip off the poor, or family members, or those who are in their care. Or such persons will waste precious money on lottery tickets.
 
Dear family in our Lord Jesus Christ—as sons and daughters of the Most High God, we have learned obedience is not a quick fix. One of Eugene Peterson’s books is called, “A Long Obedience in the Same Direction”. That is such a wonderful description of our faith in Jesus Christ. We are continually learning the commands of God (not so that God will love us, He already loves us through the reconciling work of our Lord Jesus Christ). The more we learn the rules God gives us for life, the more we can be putting them into practice so that our lives are an expression of thanksgiving to Him. The Holy Spirit takes verses like these, which can seem obscure, and reveals to us what it looks like to trust God, not only for our salvation, but how our trust in God touches every single sphere of our life: social, family, community, finances, work ethic, obedience, play time, teaching the next generation, planning for the future and so on.
 
Father in heaven, thank You for Your great and tender love demonstrated to us in Jesus. Thank You for the Bible, which shows us how to live, and express our life-long thanksgiving to You. Thank You for the Holy Spirit, Your presence in us helps us to understand the word, enables us to see Jesus more fully. Jesus, Who is the Living Word and the radiance of the Father’s glory. Spirit, empower us, to really know Jesus, so we can, in wonder and love, whole-heartedly serve Him. Let our lives are an expression of praise to You Triune God, as we fulfil the holy purposes for which You made us. Amen.
 
https://youtu.be/pTTlSx6zXio?si=nS_Kh3cxTMy5sO9p Knowing You, Jesus
 

Copyright © 2026 Sh'ma Christian Ministries, All rights reserved.

August 2, 2026 -- Matthew 19:23 -- What's Keeping You?

People loved by the Father, in the Spirit's power: Sh'ma ~ hear and obey Jesus!

And Jesus said to his disciples, “Truly, I say to you, only with difficulty will a rich person enter the kingdom of heaven. Again I tell you, it is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for a rich person to enter the kingdom of God.” Matthew 19:23 ESV
 
We need to know that our misery is anchored in this fact: that we are separated from God. It may be riches that interfere with our relationship with God. Or self-love. Or sex. Or fitting in. Or anger. Or thinking that we know better than God what it is we need in our lives. Our misery is rooted in the fact that we are alienated from God. Though we know He exists, we can’t reach Him on our own. We are alienated from our neighbours. Even the people we love most in our lives are subjected to our fits of temper and anger, angst and impatience. Finally, we are miserable in ourselves. We are to love others as we love ourselves, but we are so self-abusive in our words, our way of life, and our addictions.
 
What a beautiful statement Jesus made, “With man this is impossible, but with God all things are possible”. Salvation is completely impossible for us to achieve. But God has given us the treasure of heaven. Jesus Christ, Who obeyed the all the requirements of the Law perfectly, is our righteousness. When in our abject misery we see the glories of Jesus and know that our Father in heaven has sent Him, like the Good Shepherd, to go after us, lost sheep that we are, we are humbly, happily, ready to receive Him. He is then the treasure that is beyond all description. In life and in death, we are His. We are guarded safely in Jesus by the power of the Holy Spirit.
 
Dear brothers and sisters in our Lord Jesus Christ, this is why our worship services often have prayers of confession included in them. The Word highlights our sins. When these are thrown into the light of the Word, we see how vile and wicked we really are. This is something we shrink from. We basically think we’re fine. We can easily pick a dozen people we know for sure are far worse than we ever could be. What we’re conveniently forgetting is the fact that we’re not able to go through the eye of a needle. Though we’re much smaller than a camel, our inability to save ourselves is just as obvious.
 
When we see how great our sin and misery are, we are convinced of the lovingkindness of our God. We realize that He really is the One Who has given us the treasure of heaven. In view of His great love and kindness, we leave our sinful ways and follow Jesus. In following Him is fullness of joy.
 
Father in heaven, hallowed be Your Name. Thank You for the gift of Jesus Christ, in Whom we have the fullness of salvation. Greater even than that salvation, is that we get to know You, the Triune God Who loves us. Amen.
 
https://youtu.be/RZNOYmwiKCs?si=2cSwOPOPb0fV3XdN Come Thou Fount of Every Blessing
 

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August 1, 2026 -- Proverbs 13:22 -- What is a good inheritance?

People loved by the Father, by the Spirit's power: Sh'ma ~ hear and obey Jesus!

A good man leaves an inheritance to his children’s children,
but a sinner’s wealth is laid up for the righteous. Proverbs 13:22 ESV
 
A good man, a good woman, is one who is wise in the ways of God; serves Him; teaches his children to do the same. It is the covenant blessing and commandment of Deuteronomy 6. A good man can be rich, or poor. In the time the Proverbs were written, each of the twelve tribes had their own land in Israel. Each clan and each family had land that belonged to their family and was passed down from generation to generation. It God’s provision for each family. His covenant blessing. The land was a sign of belonging to the covenant people. It is the sign that one day, believers will have an inheritance in the eternal kingdom, where Jesus, represented to the ancient people by their earthly king, will reign. The most important inheritance any parent could ever give, even more important than the land, is instilling in their children faith and trust in the Living God.
 
As long as you live, you may have the illusion that you control your wealth. However, many people who appear rich are just one economic downtown away from disaster or one paycheque away from homelessness. If Covid has taught us anything, wealth can be turned off by the government with one decree. Prosperity can dry up. Businesses, the source of wealth, shuttered. Solomon lamented in Ecclesiastes, how riches from one generation do not profit the next (Ecclesiastes 5:13-6:2). How true that was for King Solomon himself. Though rich beyond description, when he died, his son Rehoboam squandered it all by listening to bad advice from unworthy councillors. Rehoboam lost ten of the twelve tribes of Israel, and these went to a different ruler. Many generations later, rich King Hezekiah’s wealth was squandered by his worthless son Manasseh. It is a story repeated endlessly, the stuff of tabloids.
 
What is the lesson in this? Know the LORD. A child is born naked and brings nothing into the world, and that same child will someday die. No matter how rich or how poor, how celebrated or ignored. The greatest treasure of life is to know God the Father, through the reconciling work of Jesus Christ. The Spirit is given as a deposit guaranteeing your life in Christ now and your eternal reward. You will live in the Land of Promise with Jesus as your King of Justice and Beauty. Such wealth, such glory, such splendor will never, ever, be taken from you.
 
Father in heaven, thank You for the heritage of salvation given to all who believe in Jesus Christ. Thank You for the one You sent to teach me to know You. Thank You for Jesus Who is right now, my greatest treasure in life and in death. In Jesus true heavenly riches accrue to me, life with Him now and that will grow sweeter, richer, better through-out eternity. Oh, Spirit of the Living God, help me to see Jesus. To adore Him by the hour. To understand how wide and high and long and deep the vast treasure is I have as one who belongs, in life and in death, to Him. As the fullness of the awareness of His beauty dawns on me, let my life be a poem of thanksgiving, a song of praise, and a dedicated service poured out to Him. Amen.
 
https://youtu.be/TpELMk4-3n8?si=Ivyf6lnMXq1XDgtt O Lord, My Rock and My Redeemer
 

Copyright © 2026 Sh'ma Christian Ministries, All rights reserved.

July 29, 2026 -- Proverbs 13:21 -- What's pursuing you?

People loved by the Father, in the Spirit's power: Sh'ma ~ hear and obey Jesus!

Disaster pursues sinners,
but the righteous are rewarded with good.
Proverbs 13:21ESV
 
In the original language disaster is the word “evil”. Disaster is a sort of summary word to describe the kinds of evil that overtake those who have given themselves over to their sins. The word can mean injury. Think of it, how often a man toying with sin will injure himself. The drunk behind the wheel. The flirty office worker who takes it a step too far and fatally injures a marriage. Another translation of evil is misery. The result of sin is always misery. Though sin may seem pleasurable, the consequences of it always lead to estrangement from God, from others, while whipping up estrangement to one’s own soul in the form of self-loathing turmoil.
 
A sinner who has given himself or herself up to sin will find that troubles, evils, misery and disasters pursue them. It is an interesting word choice. In the famous psalm, there is a concluding line that reads: “surely goodness and mercy shall follow [pursue] me all the days of the life, and I shall dwell in the house of the LORD forever” (Psalm 23:6 ESV). The same word, pursue, is used in Psalm 23 as is used in Proverbs 13:21. Like a relentless hound of hell, evil and injury, misery and distress will dog the heels of the sinner. However, the one who has bound himself up in service to the LORD will find that blessings of the LORD, that is the goodness of our Father, will not let him go. More dogged than evil ever could be, the infinite loving mercy and kindness of the LORD will chase down the one who trusts in Him.
 
Wait a minute. How can man who has sinned ever find hope? We’re all sinners. We’ve all created misery for ourselves through our sinning. Yes, that is true. Wait. Then what puts a stop to it our sinning and the dogged pursuit of its consequences and ensuing disasters? Our Good Shepherd Jesus finds us, rescues us and restores our soul. As you likely know, I am a prison visiting pastor. I meet with men whose dedication to evil has landed them in prison. Abandoned by family. Because they got caught, they’re scoffed at by their former companions. Marked by society because of their crimes they now bear the stigma of being a prisoner. Beloved, even so, there is a glorious truth that shines out from the pages of Scripture: “the righteous are rewarded with good”.
 
Listen to the glorious words of hope “If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness” I John 1:9. He cleanses us, scrubs us clean of all our unrighteousness. He takes sinners and makes them saints in Christ! If you’re not standing, clapping, stomping your feet, with whistles and cheering then there’s something wrong with you, dude!
 
Oh, make no mistake about it, the consequences of our former sins still haunt us. People will have long memories. Even Christians can act like church bouncers preventing the penitent from going to church. But God receives His prodigals home. God’s Spirit works in the heart of the one who confesses so that sin becomes sinfully distasteful to them and they begin to walk in the way of salvation. God calls such confessing-of-their-sins men and women sons and daughters. Such repentant men and women, who know the scorn of others, are now caught by the pursuing—the chasing them down until it catches them and envelops them—love of God. Such former sinners, now made righteous in Christ, are the strongest witnesses to the mercy of God. They are humbled by the kindness of the pursuing King of Glory, and therefore they persistently, willingly, patiently, share His love. The reward of the righteous is knowing God the Father has made them righteous through the costly blood of Jesus. The reward of the righteous is knowing though friends and family forsake me, my Father in heaven now calls me beloved and He has given me His Spirit so that I can never be left to my own devices ever again. The reward of the righteous is living in such deep and true community that fellow Christians will celebrate your successes and the moment they see you heading down a wrong path, will call you back in love, and point out to you that persistent, relentless, pursuing love of God that will capture you and bring you all the good He intends.
 
O LORD, my Shepherd,
thank You for Your love which chases me down.
Thank You, for the glorious gift of Jesus Christ,
   in Whom I am given a righteousness, that is not my own.
Thank You, for the Holy Spirit, placed in me,
   By Whom I may know I am bound by the cords of Your love;
   that rich blessedness of every good given in Christ
   deposited in me and better-than-a-bank-vault safe in me by the same Spirit.
As one who is saved and so richly blessed,
   send me out as an ambassador of Jesus’ love. Amen.
 
https://youtu.be/ILpLIcuWwPA?si=lPl4cs6ae0Z4NhXZ “Your Grace Still Amazes Me”
 

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July 28, 2026 -- Isaiah 39:4-8 -- It matters when you pray or when you neglect to do so

People loved by the Father, in the Spirit's power: Sh'ma ~ hear and obey Jesus!

4 He said, “What have they seen in your house?” Hezekiah answered, “They have seen all that is in my house. There is nothing in my storehouses that I did not show them.”
5 Then Isaiah said to Hezekiah, “Hear the word of the Lord of hosts: 6 Behold, the days are coming, when all that is in your house, and that which your fathers have stored up till this day, shall be carried to Babylon. Nothing shall be left, says the Lord. 7 And some of your own sons, who will come from you, whom you will father, shall be taken away, and they shall be eunuchs in the palace of the king of Babylon.” 8 Then Hezekiah said to Isaiah, “The word of the Lord that you have spoken is good.” For he thought, “There will be peace and security in my days.” Isaiah 39:4-8 ESV
 
This is a strange little episode in the life of King Hezekiah. The LORD had given His mighty protection to King Hezekiah his people, after the King of Babylon had conquered most of the walled cities of Judah. Then when it seemed all might be lost, the LORD struck down 185,000 soldiers in the enemy camp. The enemy king escaped and returned to his own country. His own sons assassinated him. After that, King Hezekiah became sick to the point of death, but the LORD granted him recovery. God granted him 15 more years of life. Then our text is next in the sequence of events. It was afterwards that Manasseh would born. He becomes one of the most wicked kings in Judah. I wonder, did the pitilessness of his father, revealed in our passage today, factor into this?
 
Consider that King Hezekiah was okay having peace in his lifetime and seemed to be okay with the fact that his sons would suffer great hardship. Great King Hezekiah who’d been so faithful in prayer when attacked, and then later urgent in prayer when his own health was threatened, did not engage in urgent prayer when his children were threatened. He’d take the throne as an adolescent of 12-years-old. I wonder, did Manasseh grow up knowing his father was so self-absorbed, caring only that there’d be peace in his own reign, that he resented his father’s lack of concern for his future?
 
It puts a new light for me on the reign of Manasseh. He is responsible for his own sins, absolutely. And he is fighting the neglect of his father’s final years. Dad obviously focused on the final years of his reign, his own peace, but it seems during that time did not prepare his young son for the hardships to come. But there are a few lessons. God is in charge. God hears the prayers of His people (even wicked King Manasseh, when he is exiled, will cry out to God and be heard and restored to his throne!). The impact of a father’s prayers (or lack of prayers) in the life of his children and children’s children.
 
As New Testament Christians, we are reminded of the intercession of the Spirit within us, groaning with our groans, bringing our inexpressible thoughts and worries to Jesus. Jesus is our mediator before the Father. We have a faithful advocate, one Who loves us, prays for our good, even as His blood is ever reconciling us to our Father in heaven. We know whatever deficits exist in our past, in our present, or we will face, the LORD our God is mighty to save.
 
Be pleased, O LORD, to continue Your work in me. I cling to Your promise, “He Who began a good work you will certainly bring it to completion”. Thank You for the Holy Spirit given to me, guarding the rich deposit of salvation. O Father, You have delivered my life from the pit of destruction, and You have cast all my sins behind Your back! Therefore, the living thank You all the days of their lives. The living will bless You, O Triune God, from this day into eternity. Amen.
 
https://youtu.be/XIpnW3rtRQ4?si=Q-YYuTE4dqjwOeFO Psalm 73 The Sons of Korah
 

Copyright © 2026 Sh'ma Christian Ministries, All rights reserved.

July 27, 2026 -- Proverbs 13:20 -- Show me your friends and I'll tell you what you're up to

People loved by the Father, in the Spirit's power: Sh'ma ~ hear and obey Jesus!

Whoever walks with the wise becomes wise,
but the companion of fools will suffer harm.
Proverbs 13:20 ESV
 
Who are the wise? Those who are humble, teachable, and tremble at the Word of God. The wise also recognize others who walk in wisdom’s ways. The word wise can also mean skillful. The implication is someone who is wise unto God is skillful in knowing the word; competent in navigating complicated social situations without compromise, and able to apply the Word to his life so that he will avoid what merely appears good, but is in fact the start of an evil way.
 
The wise walk with the wise. They share the same path. They are headed in the same direction. They are walking with God (see Deuteronomy 5:33; Micah 6:8) first and foremost and then they are companions to those who walk with God. While you walk, you talk, you share the same goals. You delight in God and delight in the company of fellow believers.
 
Those who are called fools are those who do not learn from the consequences of sin because they are “filled with trouble” (Proverbs 12:21). Worse still, such men and women are welded to their sin, as we’re told “to turn away from evil is an abomination to fools” (Proverbs 13:19). If you realize you are a companion of fools, be warned! Joining them in their sin and folly is the pathway to destruction and subjecting yourself to the wrath of God. Conversely, if you find yourself to among fools be a missionary, an ambassador of God making His appeal to them through Jesus. Do not join them in their wicked ways, but speak to them the word of life.
 
Since a fool will suffer harm, and his companions if unscathed will abandon him, you can minister to one who is abandoned and in distress. Make the most of every opportunity to be a minister of God’s grace. While you minister to those who are in great distress, those who are fools in their ways, stay accountable to men and women who are wise, so that you yourself do not compromise or wind up walking with them in their foolishness.
 
Our Father in heaven, hallowed be Your Name. Your Kingdom come, Your will be done on earth as it is in heaven. Your Spirit directs me as an ambassador representing Jesus the King, I pray as I go, guard me in the way of the wise. As I serve You by helping others, keep me from their sin and folly. Thank You, Mighty God, for the companions in Christ You have given me. Help us to walk in such true Christian love and deep community, that others will be drawn to Christ through our witness. Amen.
 
https://youtu.be/PLpB-dE2DHM?si=4w8c0xaBuNa6XphQ Lead Me, Guide Me
 

Copyright © 2026 Sh'ma Christian Ministries, All rights reserved.

July 24, 2024 -- Romans 8:23-27 -- Fabulously Rich

People loved by the Father, in the Spirit's power: Sh'ma ~ hear and obey Jesus!

23 And not only the creation, but we ourselves, who have the firstfruits of the Spirit, groan inwardly as we wait eagerly for adoption as sons, the redemption of our bodies. 24 For in this hope we were saved. Now hope that is seen is not hope. For who hopes for what he sees? 25 But if we hope for what we do not see, we wait for it with patience.
26 Likewise the Spirit helps us in our weakness. For we do not know what to pray for as we ought, but the Spirit himself intercedes for us with groanings too deep for words. 27 And he who searches hearts knows what is the mind of the Spirit, because the Spirit intercedes for the saints according to the will of God. Romans 8:23-28
The Holy Bible: English Standard Version (Wheaton, IL: Crossway Bibles, 2025).
 
Imagine this scenario, a seventeen-year-old child inherits a billion dollars. He is fabulously rich. His wise, though now deceased parents, thoughtfully provided for him a yearly stipend, plus provided for all his living expenses, but he won’t have full access to all the money until he is twenty-five. Legally he is rich, but the full access to his inheritance isn’t available to him for a while yet. It sort of describes how we are now in Christ. We have an inheritance that can not fade, perish, spoil, or be stolen from us. It is guaranteed to us in Christ. Plus, right now, the Spirit is given as our guardian; to help us live into the riches we have supplied to us for everyday life.
Like an immature seventeen-year-old, with too much money, and not enough sense, we need the Holy Spirit to direct our thinking, to guide us in fully understanding this fabulous wealth that is ours. Unlike that seventeen-year-old, our Father in heaven is very much alive. He instructs us by His Word. Reconciles us to Himself though the blood of Jesus Christ. Draws us into fellowship with Himself through prayer and Bible reading, and interaction with other Christians.
 
Spirit of the Living God guide me by Your presence, and the Word, to truly know my Father, and understand all that is already mine in Christ. Direct me, as prince of the kingdom, as one who is unimaginably rich, to live in wonder-filled obedience to King Jesus. As You have equipped me with every spiritual blessing in Christ, help me to comprehend I am already now a child of God. Though for now I am living in a world that rejects Jesus and therefore hates those who are children of the Father through Him, endlessly remind me that I have everything necessary for life and godliness. Amen.
 
https://youtu.be/qyUPz6_TciY?si=30Viaf_vMuhwBsU1 Though You Slay Me
 

Copyright © 2026 Sh'ma Christian Ministries, All rights reserved.

July 22, 2026 -- Ephesians 1:7-10 -- What does it mean to call Jesus King?

People loved by the Father, in the Spirit's power: Sh'ma ~ hear and obey Jesus!

In Him we have redemption through His blood, the forgiveness of our trespasses, according to the riches of His grace, which He lavished upon us, in all wisdom and insight making known to us the mystery of His will, according to His purpose, which He set forth in Christ as a plan for the fullness of time, to unite all things in Him, things in heaven and things on earth. Ephesians 1:7-10 ESV

Did you know that LeBron James earned the nickname “the King” of basketball? Steven King has been called the King of Horror because of his riveting novels and films celebrating that genre. Aretha Franklin was called “the Queen of Soul”. Funny, isn’t it? I mean very few people would acknowledge a king, like say, King Charles III. But the heart still wants a king. Someone who is accomplished. Someone who is admired. Someone who commands attention. So, in very secular, very worldly ways, people find their own kings and queens and leaders to admire. Unfortunately, such men and women fail. Are very narrow in their scope of ability. Not one of them can bear the weight of adoration and praise. It is crushing. It is undeserved.

Ah, now look, listen, the Bible has crowned the true King of Heaven and Earth. His Name is Jesus. What has He done? Why is He worthy?

• In King Jesus believers have their sins forgiven

• In King Jesus God’s glorious love and mighty power are revealed

• In King Jesus all enemies are defeated as He united Heaven and Earth—that is all things are working out according to God’s perfect plans so that one day all evil will be thrown down, utterly defeated and not even a distant memory.

• In King Jesus believers have the power to resist temptation to sin.

• In King Jesus believers are given the Holy Spirit so that the Bible becomes rich, interesting, and the one true guide for life.

• In King Jesus people are not frightening, despots, bullies, but are either adding to their list of charges which means at the end of time, when He returns as the perfect Judge of all people, they will be thrown into the fires of hell and tormented for eternity. God’s holiness demands that.

• In King Jesus believers know their sins have been punished at the cross on His Person, and believers are free to submit to Jesus and serve Him with awe and obedience and love. It is a life of thankful service to the One Who freed us from hell, Who has blessed us with a heavenly Father, and guards us from evil through the Spirit living in us.

• In King Jesus the new heavens and the new earth are opened wide and believers know beyond a shadow of a doubt they will spend eternity in the blessedness of His presence.

• In King Jesus you are, right now, known by God, and deeply loved.

Blessed are You, God our Father! We praise You with awe and wonder for the gift of Jesus, the King of Glory. Blessed are You, Father and Son, for the great and gracious gift of the Holy Spirit, through Whom we have access to this wide array of blessings. Thank You, Spirit of God, for revealing Jesus to us. Thank You Spirit of God for instructing us through the Bible. Thank You, Spirit of God, for giving us teachers and preachers who explain to us the greatness of our God. Thank You, Triune God, that in Christ Jesus, You are uniting heaven and earth so that one day, with our very own eyes, we will be see and shout, “Living for You, serving You, denying ourselves and our selfish desires, being loved by You and loving You—it was worth it all!” Amen.

https://youtu.be/GbPwlplQc7Y?si=J2Cvvh31ZbK-YXL5 Worthy of It All

Copyright © 2026 Sh'ma Christian Ministries, All rights reserved.

July 21, 2026 -- Proverbs 13:19 -- What is your sweetest desire?

People loved by the Father, in the Spirit's power: Sh'ma ~ hear and obey Jesus!

19  A desire fulfilled is sweet to the soul,
but to turn away from evil is an abomination to fools. Proverbs 13:19
The Holy Bible: English Standard Version (Wheaton, IL: Crossway Bibles, 2025).
 
Jesus declared, “If anyone would come after me, let him deny himself and take up his cross and follow me” (Matthew 16:24). Jesus Himself modeled self-denial. He left His throne in heaven, walked the earth as a man, and turned away from every evil, every temptation, eschewing any wicked path. Fools mock such self-denial. The self-interested won’t keep the path of such obedience—they’d rather be enslaved to the dictates of the world and slaves to their own flesh.
 
What drove Jesus? To discover this, according to Hebrews, we are “looking to Jesus, the founder and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is seated at the right hand of the throne of God” (Hebrews 12:2). Even the depths of torment He’d endure at the cross paled in comparison with His desire to be next to His Father in heaven. The Father loves the Son and the Spirit, the Son loves the Spirit and the Father, and the Spirit loves the Father and the Son. Jesus desired such perfect communion in the unity of the Being of God. While on earth, in the flesh, He pursued God with all He had.
 
Jesus’ desire is to please the Father. It motivated Him. Kept Him on track pursuing the Father’s good pleasure, even when the Devil threw at Him the most delectable of temptations. Even when Jesus had no where to lay His head, He desired to be praying to, worshipping, living for the Father. That is the desire fulfilled which is sweet to the soul. G. K. Chesterton famously stated, "The Christian ideal has not been tried and found wanting; it has been found difficult and left untried." As I’ve heard it: Christianity has not been tried and found hard, it has been found hard and left untried. Look how Hebrews states it (I’ll wait while you re-read it in the passage already quoted. Seriously, read it again.) Jesus was all in. 100% committed to His Father, so the inevitable hardships of life did not throw Him off. He expected these. Prepared for these by being steeped in the Word. More that that, He resisted every temptation to any evil because He was desiring the sweetness of fellowship with His Father. He desired the sweetness of community with His Father; sweetness that would be produced through the strenuous, unrelenting pursuit of such fellowship through-out His life.
 
Think about the things you’ve spent a lot of money pursuing. Alcohol. Sex. Attention. Love. Retirement. A cottage. The inevitable experience is that anything pursued and gained, will never satisfy. It produces a greater drive for more, which reveals even greater emptiness and less time in life to fulfill bottomless, hollow, dreams. Those who through Jesus pursue deep intimacy with the Father in heaven will find their desire fulfilled, and re-filled, overflowing, full-measure and sweet to the soul.
 
Whom have I in heaven but You?
And there is nothing on earth that I desire besides You.
My flesh and my heart may fail,
but God is the strength of my heart and my portion forever. Amen
(prayer is quotation of Psalm 73:25-26 ESV)
 
https://youtu.be/XIpnW3rtRQ4?si=MY8p5_RmRb2kDzSR Sons of Korah — Psalm 73

 

Copyright © 2026 Sh'ma Christian Ministries, All rights reserved.

July 19, 2026 -- Proverbs 13:14 -- Snaring temptations and freedom

People loved by the Father, in the Spirit's power: Sh'ma ~ hear and obey Jesus!

14  The teaching of the wise is a fountain of life,
that one may turn away from the snares of death. Proverbs 13:14
The Holy Bible: English Standard Version (Wheaton, IL: Crossway Bibles, 2025).
 
Snares are traps designed to catch small animals. For instance, you snare a rabbit. There is a wire loop that catches the rabbit unawares. It loops around the rabbit’s neck or his body and tightens. The rabbit is either held in place, or, if the loop is around the neck, tightens until it dies. In the New Testament the word temptation is the word snare. Isn’t that telling? Temptations to sin are snares which hold you and begin to strangle you. Sadly, the Bible teaches us that many of our snares come from within our own wicked minds. Plus, snaring temptations are set by the world, as they seek to invite you to join in their dissipation.
 
A word to the wise. Examine your own mind, reasons for acting and urges. As the Reformer John Calvin wrote so long ago, our minds are idol factories. Basically, we snare ourselves by our desires and choke ourselves off from God. Rev. Dr. Richard Keyes, expanding on that idea writes:
            The natural human response to the true God after the Fall is rebellion
            and avoidance. Sin predisposes us to want to be independent of God,
            to be laws unto ourselves, to be autonomous, so that we can do what 
            we want without bowing to His authority. At the most basic level, idols
            are what we make out of the evidence of God within ourselves and in
            the world—if we do not want to face the face of God Himself in His
            majesty and holiness. Rather than look to the Creator and have to deal
            with His lordship, we orient ourselves towards creations, where we can
            be more free to control and shape our lives in our desired direction.
            However, since we were made to relate to God, but do not want to face
            Him, we forever inflate things in this world to religious proportions to
            fill the vacuum left by God’s exclusion.”
            Richard Keyes “The Idol Factory” (as quoted in Gospel Treason. Brad
            Bigney, page 31)
So, are you getting yourself caught up in your sins? Are you trapped by what you’re thinking, and snared by your planning? Turn to Jesus. He is your Rescue. He is the trap-exposing, chain-breaking, Savior of His people. Gather with God’s people. Get clean. Be honest. Find freedom so that sinful snares are exposed and deflated. Worship the Living God, so that in Him the religious vacuum you’d otherwise experience is filled. As one who receives the teaching of the wise you will live in the full joy of knowing Him Who made you and you will accomplish the purposes for which He made you. What an adventure that is.
 
Our Father in heaven, hallowed be Your Name.
Your kingdom come,
Your will be done, on earth as it is in heaven.
Give us this day our daily bread,
and forgive us our debts, as we have forgiven our debtors.
And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil.
For Yours is the kingdom, and the power, and the glory, forever. Amen.

https://youtu.be/A3U0G7OiKJw?si=T-OoztLIxAf7qkxb And Can It Be?

 

Copyright © 2026 Sh'ma Christian Ministries, All rights reserved.

July 18, 2026 -- Proverbs 13:14 -- Thirsty souls revived

People loved by the Father, in the Spirit's power: Sh'ma ~ hear and obey Jesus!

14  The teaching of the wise is a fountain of life,
that one may turn away from the snares of death. Proverbs 13:14
The Holy Bible: English Standard Version (Wheaton, IL: Crossway Bibles, 2025)
 
Interestingly, that term “fountain of life” has been used before, “[T]he mouth of the righteous is a fountain of life” Proverbs 10:11a. While reading this verse, and our verse today, I immediately think of Jesus, when He taught the Samaritan woman at the well. He called Himself “living water” and “the water that I will give him will become in him a spring of water welling up to eternal life” (John 4:10,14).
 
In Proverbs, the term “fountain” means a spring of water that is pure and reliably flows in a region where intermittent streams and riverbeds are common. It is good to know that Israel is a land that is classified as semi-arid. There are just enough rains for crops to grow well; but to speak of a fountain of water is to speak of life, of sufficiency, of God’s great provision.
 
Jesus Christ is for us living water. Jesus is for us life-giving. Our thirsty souls drink deeply from the well of salvation and know abundance and know joy. The hot days of summer mean that we are often thirsty. Even just a cup of water is a great blessing. Life in a world where sin is thirst-causing and the philosophies all around us are bone dry, leading to a gasping, parched death, the offer of living water, and constantly flowing soul-refreshment truly is a huge blessing.
 
Are you spiritually dry? You might be more dehydrated than you even realize. Thirst can sneak up on you that way! Turn to Jesus.
 
Are you chasing after one unsatisfactory thing after another? Let the Spirit of God teach you through the Word, so that the wise teaching of Jesus will be a spring of living water ever welling up in you to eternal life.
 
The blessedness of such thirst-quenching, soul-reviving goodness will reveal the chalky, dustiness of the world’s temptations for what they really are, ridiculous, and soul desiccating. The one who drinks the living water Jesus supplies will be so delighted, he can not be tempted by the dryness of this arid world. Turn to Jesus and drink deeply from the well of salvation.
 
Faithful Father, thank You for the rich supply of salvation, that living water welling up in us to eternal life, freely given to us in Jesus. Thank You for the Holy Spirit Who daily supplies our souls with such refreshment through Jesus. Forgive us for our wanderings, going after all the things of this world that could never satisfy us. As I have been instructed in words of life, let my words and my actions be a witness to others, a fountain of life leading others to Jesus. Amen.
 
https://youtu.be/RZNOYmwiKCs?si=rQ0QhjcQnYkompYK Come Thou Fount of Every Blessing
 

Copyright © 2026 Sh'ma Christian Ministries, All rights reserved.

July 17, 2026 -- Proverbs 13:13 -- Obedience blessed

People loved by the Father, in the Spirit's power: Sh'ma ~ hear and obey Jesus!

Whoever despises the word brings destruction on himself;
but he who reveres the commandment will be rewarded.
Proverbs 13:13 ESV
 
How do people despise the word?

• By ignoring it, and letting it sit on the shelf, unread

• By reading it and deciding what part to obey and what part they won’t submit to.

• By refusing to attend the preaching of the word

• By refusing the godly advice of mature brothers

• By wilfully sinning against the clear commands of the LORD.

The word itself has built into it consequences for disobedience. For example, a Christian woman who marries a man who is not a Christian will be dragged away from her faith. But more than this even, the word teaches “Do not be deceived: God is not mocked” (Galatians 6:7) all your sinful actions are like seeds which will sprout evil in your life. Any violation of the word of God will be planting self-destruction into your world.
 
The promise of God is that the one who fears God, and therefore obeys His commandments, will be rewarded. The fear of God

• is greater than the fear of man.

• is living in reverent obedience, no matter the earthly consequences,

• is dearer to the man of God than all that the world purports to offer

• is allowing the impact of the word of God to be worked out into every part of your life

• is teaching the way of righteousness to the next generation

 
In Isaiah 11 the gift of the seven-fold Spirit, that is, the Holy Spirit, poured out into the life of the believer, is described this way:
And the Spirit of the LORD shall rest upon him,
the Spirit of wisdom and understanding,
the Spirit of counsel and might
the Spirit of knowledge and the fear of the LORD.
And his delight shall be in the fear of the LORD. Isaiah 11:2-3a ESV
What a glorious description of the man, of the woman, of the child, who walks with Jesus Christ in the power of the Holy Spirit. Knowing God is the greatest reward. Eschewing evil is the most basic part of obedience to God, but it will not be sustainable unless one understands the foundation of the Christian life. The LORD promises, I will be your God, and you will be My people—that is the greatest treasure of life. That is what prompts a Christian to revere (fear the LORD), obey, and even delight in the word of God. In submission to the word, at the end of all obedience is relationship with the Author of the word. Such sustained obedience to the One Who perfects true obedience results in godly living which is full joy and purpose.
 
Great Father, when You told Moses to lead Israel into the Promised Land, but that You would not go with them, Moses refused. He declared “If Your presence will not go with me, do not bring us up from here” (Exodus 33:15). Mighty God, if Moses knew enough to say in the wilderness with You, rather than go up to a beautiful land flowing with milk and honey if it meant Your Presence wouldn’t be there, then God of majesty and splendor, keep me in the place of hardship where You are, rather than allowing me to wander to places where Your Presence won’t be the rich blessing and the anchor of all of life. Teach me the path of obedience which is also the only way to fullness of life with You, fullness of the joy for which I was created, and extravagant hope for tomorrow wherein You are my all-in-all. Amen.
 
https://youtu.be/FSHe-kibZDg?si=dDY4PWz09ohdBgXO Teach Me Thy Way, O Lord
 

Copyright © 2026 Sh'ma Christian Ministries, All rights reserved.

July 14, 2026 -- Ecclesiastes 4:5 -- What is idleness? Why is it so devastating?

People loved by the Father, in the Spirit's power: Sh'ma ~ hear and obey Jesus!

The fool folds his hands and eats his own flesh.
Ecclesiastes 4:5 ESV
 
Those words were like an electric shock to me. (TBH first I needed to figure out what they meant. But the sentence was so unusual I did a bit of digging and then the electricity of it hit me.) Remember that Solomon writes these words for believers. A fool, that is someone who says in his heart there is no god (Psalm 14:1), can in the scriptures also be a description of someone who is acting foolishly. That is, who knows better, but is acting like a non-believer.
 
To fold one’s hands is to be idle. My grade 9 English teacher loved idioms and pithy sayings. One he quoted often is “idleness is the Devil’s workshop” (which he applied to students who had not completed their homework!). That idiom likely is a summary of varied verses like Proverbs 10:4, 16:27, II Thessalonians 3:10-12. In this instance folded hands are NOT praying hands, but evidence that one refuses to work.
 
Of course, the big question is, what does it mean that the lazy man “eats his own flesh”? It means he begins to torment himself. The longer he is lazy, or doing nothing, the more his racing mind begins to spin out. His anger gets whipped up. His self-loathing is stirred up. His mind thinks about injustices and wrongs committed against him, even as he is just sitting there and wasting God’s precious gifts of time, and opportunities for good, and talents to exercise them. He is oblivious to how he is insulting God and ignoring his duties to service.
 
In context, a Christian man or woman, does well to dedicate his day and his play to the LORD. He may be tempted to idleness and rehearsing wrongs committed against himself, but he will not luxuriate in these. He puts a stop to such idleness by asking the LORD, in view of the great love You have shown me in Christ, how shall I live for You today? Who should I forgive? Who needs comfort, or instruction, or of the fixing help a handy man? Then, use the abilities you have for the glory of God. You’ll stir yourself from eating your own flesh. You’ll stop the hamster wheel of useless thoughts. You’ll begin to see the people around you as real, people, needy and broken as you are. You’ll see how the grace of God is something you’ve been given, and such grace as you’ve received you have the privilege of administering to those around you. What a glorious God we serve!
 
I saw all the oppressions that are done under the sun. Witnessed the tears of the oppressed, and they had no one to comfort them! The oppressors seemed to have all the power, and the oppressed seemed to have no one to comfort them. I was tempted to sit and grow in my frustration. Instead of wasting time that way, by the intervening grace of Your Spirit, I considered Your Word and Your ways, O God of Glory. As You have rescued me in Christ, and given me life and purpose, You have furthermore blessed me with the power to share these gifts by Your dynamic Spirit living in me. Therefore, I pray to You, Mighty God, excite in me a new enthusiasm to serve You. Amen.
 
(The first two sentences of today’s prayer are a variation of Ecclesiastes 4:1)
 
https://youtu.be/JZUxy6WSS_M?si=8wfwJELECt0McDzk Thine is the Kingdom
 

Copyright © 2026 Sh'ma Christian Ministries, All rights reserved.

July 13, 2026 -- Proverbs 13:12 -- What's happening to the hope in your heart?

People loved by the Father, in the Spirit's power: Sh'ma ~ hear and obey Jesus!

Hope deferred makes the heart sick,
but a desire fulfilled is a tree of life.
Proverbs 13:12 ESV
 
When I meet with prisoners, one of the most prominent features of their life is their lack of hope. Prison squeezes hope out of them. When there is a parole hearing, some of the guys feel hope rise in them for the first time in a long time. Maybe they’ll get out. Maybe things will be different. Maybe. When the meeting with the Parole Board takes place, if it is a decision against granting the inmate parole that is handed down, the man is crushed. His hope is deferred, dragged away and placed far out of his reach. The depressing discouragement that follows is hard to see. I am sure all of us can relate. Something longed for was snatched away.
 
Today’s passage reminds us that believers have their hope firmly anchored in Jesus. Their hope is not for retirement or riches, family times or accolades. Look at the second line of today’s proverb. The tree of life might ring bells reminding you of Genesis. In the Garden of Eden God planted the Tree of the Knowledge of Good and Evil (Adam and Eve sinned and ate of it). God the Father threw Adam and Eve out of the Garden before they could eat of the Tree of Life. A mighty angel with a flaming sword guarded the entrance to Eden so no one could enter. After the Flood, the Garden of Eden was swept away. However, the Tree of Life is referred to in other places in the Bible.
In Proverbs “she [wisdom] is a tree of life to all who lay hold of her” (3:18). Then we read “The fruit of righteousness is a tree of life” (Proverbs 11:30). Jesus was crucified on the tree. It was a tree that was a curse. He became a curse for us, so that in Him we might have life. Jesus is our wisdom. He is our righteousness. He is that tree of life that restores hope. In Revelation, all those who are in Christ, will be able to eat from the tree of life (Revelation 2:7). In Revelation 22 the leaves of the tree of life are for the healing of the nations.
Believers do not have a hope that is dragged away; no, our is confident hope that:

• their sins are forgiven in Jesus

• their future in the presence of God the Father, God the Son and God the Holy Spirit is guaranteed because of Jesus’ reconciling work

• they are already now beloved sons and daughters of God the Most High

• this world and its troubles and even severe persecutions can never separate them from the love of God that is theirs in Christ

• motivates them to live for Jesus now, bearing witness to Him in Whom all their godly desires are met and all their expectations are exceeded.

 
Father in Heaven, God of all Good, by the power of Your Spirit living in me, unhook my desires from all that is lowly, earthly, worldly, and less-than wholly You-focused. As I contemplate the confident hope of all the blessings already mine in Christ, and all those to be mine in Christ at the Day of Judgment, let the extravagant wonder of belonging to You in Christ fill my thoughts, guard me against sin, and direct my steps. Amen.
 
https://youtu.be/igV63aKSqb8?si=dG7hPZWZVsDC72P- Spirit of God
 

Copyright © 2026 Sh'ma Christian Ministries, All rights reserved.

July 11, 2026 -- Proverbs 13:11 -- Why is this happening to me?

People loved by the Father, in the Spirit's power: Sh'ma ~ hear and obey Jesus!

Wealth gained hastily will dwindle,
but whoever gathers little by little will increase it.
Proverbs 13:11 ESV
 
Who gathers wealth little by little? It is the hard worker who puts a little money aside each month and watches it grow. Because he has carefully gathered it, he will be frugal and wise in spending it. Honest work and careful money management lead to wise living. As some of you may know, discipline in one area of life will inevitably lead to discipline in other areas of life.
 
No doubt you have read of lottery winners who have suddenly gained wealth and then lost it. Or experienced other troubles. You can find all kinds of on-line advice regarding the challenges you’ll face. Friends will hound you for cash. You’ll get bewildered wanting to make purchases like large homes, forgetting expensive long-term implications like heating bills, water bills, and property taxes. You’ll get isolated from your community because you have money while your friends do not, so your travel plans, life-style choices and so on will be far too rich for the people you used to spend time with. Why mention such things?
 
The believer in Jesus Christ knows that riches or poverty, health or sickness, all things in life do not befall him by chance but are injected into life by the Father’s ever-present power and all-wise knowledge. He rules every part of the believer’s life. He considers a man’s sin and its consequences. He allows believers to backslide, even as He has them bound to Himself by the cords of His love and the dynamic Spirit living within every believer.
 
This does make the believer lazy or careless. No way!

1. Believers are men and women of thankfulness. The knowledge the watchful care of their Father in heaven leads them to honour God in every aspect of life.

2. Believers know the hard circumstances of life are training grounds for prayer and increasing one’s trust in the Lord. In fact, isn’t it true, the harder your circumstances, the greater is the likelihood you’ll be praying? The easier life is, the greater is the likelihood you’ll slide past intense prayer times?

3. Believers realize all that they have, like time and skills, money and opportunity, are all given by God so that whatever they have can be shared with those in need. And, if a believer is in need, he learns the humble necessity of asking for help from fellow Christians. That lesson will increase his understanding how hard it is to ask for help. Knowing this, teaches him to become a kinder giver to others in need of help.

4. Believers know the present troubles of life are light and momentary, compared to the glories awaiting them in heaven.

 
Father in heaven, Your love and Your purposes are mysterious to me. By the powerful presence of Your Spirit increase my faith and develop the spiritual gift of patience. King Jesus, thank You for the fullness of Your reconciling work such that I can live with the full assurance whatever is happening in my life, God the Father is treating me with underserved kindness and tender love—all of which will be exposed and plain to me in eternity. Teach me the patience of unanswered prayer. I pray this in the Name of Jesus, in Whom I can find rest for my soul. Amen.
 
https://youtu.be/igV63aKSqb8?si=QqixjYjpk1HYvFGY Spirit of God Descend Upon My Heart
 

Copyright © 2026 Sh'ma Christian Ministries, All rights reserved.

July 9, 2026 -- Matthew 16:24-26 -- What does it mean to follow Jesus?

People loved by the Father, in the Spirit's power: Sh'ma ~ hear and obey Jesus!

24 Then Jesus told his disciples, “If anyone would come after me, let him deny himself and take up his cross and follow me. 25 For whoever would save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for my sake will find it. 26 For what will it profit a man if he gains the whole world and forfeits his soul?
The Holy Bible: English Standard Version
(Wheaton, IL: Crossway Bibles, 2025), Matthew 16:24–26.
 
Ever wonder how much money there is in the world? It has been estimated there is about 150 trillion (US) dollars. Plus, another 250 trillion or so in gold, silver etc. If you had it all, every penny of it, there’d be no profit for your soul. The greatest treasure of all time, in any age, in life and in death, is knowing Jesus Christ. How do we live so that we do not lose Jesus, the greatest treasure? He told us.

1. Deny yourself. Anything that would infer with your walk with God, even good things in this life (like studies, or jobs, or hobbies) must be set aside in favor of the greatest good: Jesus. Basically, whatever it is that your selfish impulses desire more than Jesus, this is what must be denied. In denying yourself the Spirit of God expands your capacity to live for, and serve in loving devotion to, Jesus.

2. Take up your cross. It is the willingness to endure suffering for the sake of Jesus. He led the way. He suffered mocking, hatred, and even death. Jesus taught that those who believe in Him are not greater than He is. Since He suffered, His followers will suffer as well. There are men who I’ve met in prison who’ve testified going to prison was the best blessing they could ever receive. Their sin was halted. Exposed. And they were forced to examine their lives. In the hardest place of life, Jesus proved to be the greatest blessing. This is true, at the point we pick up our cross we will find our union with Jesus is the greatest blessing ever.

3. Follow Jesus—three “w” words help here.

   1. Worship includes private devotional times, where one reads the bible, prays, gives time and treasures to God, and sings to God. Worship includes public worship in church services and Bible Study groups. God’s love is explained and God’s people respond in praise and thanks to God.

   2. Witness. When the love of God, perfectly demonstrated in Jesus, touches your heart, you can’t help but tell others. One of the more timid men in prison shared with me yesterday that others around him in prison have noticed a change in him. He attributes the change to Jesus. They are intrigued. Even though he is shy, the radiance of God’s love inevitably shines out from his life. Telling others about Jesus becomes the most natural thing ever, because He is the most important Person ever.

   3. Work. In public and in private, at your workplace, school, leisure, night and day, you live for Jesus. All your life is focused on this one goal: living for Jesus. That is what it means to follow Jesus.

4. Prepare for His return. There is a finish line, a goal in all of this, that is living knowing Jesus will return. When He does, the weight of everything you’ve given up serving Him will seem light and momentary, in view of the weight of glory in store for you in eternity. When Jesus returns, all wrongs will be made right. All injustices will be addressed. It is a moment of terrible justice, and great glory. His people will stand and shout: it was worth it. Every moment of it. Martyrs will cheer the blessedness of God the Father, God the Son, God the Holy Spirit.

 
GLORIOUS GOD,
 It is the flame of my life to worship thee,
the crown and glory of my soul to adore thee,
heavenly pleasure to approach thee.
Give me power by the Spirit to help me worship now,
that I may forget the world,
be brought into the fullness of life,
be refreshed, comforted, blessed.
Give me knowledge of thy goodness
that I might not be over-awed by they greatness;
Give me Jesus, Son of Man, Son of God,
that I might not be terrified,
but drawn near with filial love,
with holy boldness;
He is my Mediator, Brother, Interpreter, Branch, Daysman, Lamb;
him I glorify, in him I am set on high.
Crowns to give I have none
but what thou hast given I return, content to feel that
everything is mine when it is thine
and the more fully mine when I have yielded it to thee.
Let me live wholly to my Saviour,
free from distractions, from ^carking care,
from hindrances to the pursuit of the narrow way.
I am pardoned through the blood of Jesus-
give me a new sense of it,
continue to pardon me by it,
may I come every day to the fountain,
and every day to be washed anew, that I may worship thee always
 in spirit and truth.
 
^carking care: distressing or worrisome cares
 
Valley of Vision: Puritan Prayers and Devotions, “Worship”. Editor A. Bennet: Carlisle, PA: THE BANNER OF TRUTH TRUST, 2020 edition, page 358
 
https://youtu.be/TpELMk4-3n8?si=Bjk9mLsSDqrhgMAs O Lord, My Rock and My Redeemer
 

Copyright © 2026 Sh'ma Christian Ministries, All rights reserved.

July 7, 2026 -- Proverbs 13:10 -- Living in True Community

People loved by the Father, in the Spirit's power: Sh'ma ~ hear and obey Jesus!

By insolence comes nothing but strife,
but with those who take advice is wisdom.
Proverbs 13:10 ESV
 
Who is the insolent person? One who is unable to take advice or correction. His sneering behavior breaks community. There is a defensive rudeness that surrounds him in posture and speech. Strife follows as those who’ve experienced the rudeness of the insolent person. It draws out a reaction which includes matching rudeness for rudeness.
 
It is a bit harder to get a handle on the second phrase. Those who take advice are the people who, when corrected, when their sins are pointed out to them, will receive it humbly. The Amplified Bible translates it this way: “But [skillful and godly] wisdom is with those who welcome [well-advised] counsel.”
 
A friend of mine, who spends a lot of time with his grandson, had just explained to his grandson the importance of truth-telling. A little while later his grandson caught him in a lie. Rather than blowing up or getting defensive (displaying insolence to his tender grandson); he admitted his error and asked for forgiveness and did what he could to undo the impact of the lie. Why mention this? Well, living with an attitude that welcomes counsel can only be instilled in us by a living, active relationship with God.
 
God our Father uses the most unlikely people and circumstances to correct us. Are you open to hearing His reproof given to you through the person of His choosing? Jesus made the way open for us to live in community. As we are forgiven in Christ, so we extend to and receive from one another forgiveness. The Holy Spirit brings people together into true community humbling and gifting us so that we can both offer and receive golden, godly wisdom from one another.
 
Father in heaven, thank You for Your tender, persistent, lovingkindness mixed with patience, which lifts me from the stupor of insolence. Thank You for the people You have put into my life who can comment and correct me and then celebrate with me the changes brought about through Jesus’ reconciling work. Ah, faithful God, lead us in community so that we will grow and mature in Christ. Thank You, glorious Father, for the gift of the Holy Spirit, through Whom we are knit together and enabled to sharpen one another for holy service. Amen.
 
https://youtu.be/u-ZAQwXZ7YQ?si=7jPgbkyfAYaosKeu Lord of Eternity
 

Copyright © 2026 Sh'ma Christian Ministries, All rights reserved.