September 9, 2025 -- Matthew 4:17 -- Do Christians Repent? What is repentance?

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

From that time Jesus began to preach, saying, “Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is at hand.”
Matthew 4:17 ESV
 
Jesus preached the gospel of repentance having Himself just resisted the power of the devil for forty days and forty nights. Jesus, in His humanity, knew how terrible and persistent, subtle and powerful, the enemy is. He, Who resisted to the very core of His being, and continued to resist the onslaught of the devil, knew the people to whom He ministered needed His healing. He knew they needed to be released from the curse of sin and death. He knew the might of the devil which seemed unbreakable—unbreakable that is, until at His presence the light dawned. At His presence darkness flees. At the opening of His mouth, the sun of righteousness brought light that dispelled the darkness. As the sun of righteousness preached, there was healing in His wings.
 
The call to repentance is the sign that the light of Christ has taken hold of your heart. A Christian puts down his cigarette. A Christian turns off pornography. A Christian disciplines his tongue not to blaspheme or swear, but instead to be used to please God. Listen carefully here, he turns from sin because the light of Christ frees him or her from bondage to sin and sets the course of his life towards holiness. The life of the Christian is constant repentance. Listen to these words by John Chrysostom (lived 357-407) was a famous preacher and teacher:
“Be ashamed when you sin,
don’t be ashamed when you repent –
Sin is the wound, repentance is the medicine.
Sin is followed by shame;
repentance is followed by boldness
Satan has overturned this order
and given boldness to sin and shame to repentance.”
St. John Chrystostom, AD 357-407
 
When the light of Jesus Christ appears within you, and the light grows as it does with the day, always increasing in brightness and intensity as the day progresses, so it is with the light of Christ. He preaches. The Light penetrates our thoughts and minds, and we confess what we now see as wicked and evil. We hate our sin more. We realize the source of the impulses to old patterns of sin and root them out.
 
Father in heaven thank You for the light of Christ which shines through every page of Scripture. Thank You for the gift of the Holy Spirit through Whom we have the strength to repent and the holy impulse to live according to the light of Christ. Triune God when we sin increase our shame at it so that we will with holy boldness repent. As Christians who live a life of on-going repentance, may our life in Christ draw in others, men and women who are being choked by sin and are chained in darkness, so they too will come to Jesus to receive the glorious, healing freedom which Jesus brings. Amen
 
https://youtu.be/CmNXeReZqAg?si=NoSZOdjbfULc9Xwh Be Still My Soul
 

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September 8, 2025 -- Ephesians 4:1 -- Walking as one who is devoted to Jesus

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

I therefore, a prisoner for the Lord, urge you to walk in a manner worthy of the calling to which you have been called…
Ephesians 4:1 ESV
 
The main thrust of this command is to walk (that is to act and talk) in a manner worthy of your calling. Since you profess Jesus Christ as the Lord of your life, your calling is to obey Him in everything. Sometimes, when I am speaking with Christians, they will ask me if an activity is okay. They know they’re looking to get away with something rather than going as far as possible into devoted service to Jesus. Imagine this, you are married. You profess to love your wife, you say to her, “Sweetheart, full disclosure, when we’re at the beach, I am going to ogle other women. Don’t be offended. It is not like I am going to do anything but stare.” If you are dumb enough to say this to your wife, I hope there aren’t any frying pans handy. No doubt you’ll get a swing upside the head. It is unacceptable behaviour. You know it.
 
When a believer claims Jesus as His Savior and King, he vows he will be devoted to Him, as devoted as a man in love with his wife is devoted to her. Sure, there are moments, maybe even days, when a husband is irritated with his wife, but he knows to act on his irritation rather than on his confession of love for her will cause additional harms and problems. It is the reason Ephesians depicts the Church as the Bride of Christ. As a bride devotes herself to her husband, so lovingly and intentionally do believers devote themselves to Jesus.
 
Glorious God, You are the faithful Father and the source of all good in our lives. Help us to walk in a manner worthy of our calling so that we do not seek compromises or technicalities by which we might try to justify our ogling of sinful ways. By Your Spirit’s powerful presence within, stir in us both the desire and strength to honour Jesus in our thoughts, words and actions. As we live out loud for Jesus, may others be drawn to the light of Christ that shines from us. Amen.
 
https://youtu.be/e5Hy_eRmjqo?si=Kwe8QgNgW7AEx_l1 Be Thou My Vision
 

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September 7, 2025 -- Exodus 35:21-25 & 36:5 -- The Vision

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

And they came, everyone whose heart stirred him, and everyone whose spirit moved him, and brought the Lord's contribution to be used for the tent of meeting, and for all its service, and for the holy garments. 22 So they came, both men and women. All who were of a willing heart brought brooches and earrings and signet rings and armlets, all sorts of gold objects, every man dedicating an offering of gold to the Lord. 23 And every one who possessed blue or purple or scarlet yarns or fine linen or goats' hair or tanned rams' skins or goatskins brought them. 24 Everyone who could make a contribution of silver or bronze brought it as the Lord's contribution. And every one who possessed acacia wood of any use in the work brought it.
Exodus 35:21-24 ESV
[the craftsmen] said to Moses, “The people bring much more than enough for doing the work that the Lord has commanded us to do.” Exodus 36:5 ESV
 
It is embarrassing to me to see how often churches host bake sales and rummage sales and dinner theatres so that they can raise enough money for the basics needed to keep a local church functioning. Both here, and then in Acts 2 at Pentecost as the 120 received about 3,000 new believers, the people contributed so generously there was plenty for the work that needed to be done.
 
The question is this: are we are believers giving sacrificially? Are we giving out of the abundance with which God has blessed us? Generous giving to God should impact our life-style. It should change our standard of living so that we keep our eye on the prize of Jesus Christ and our hearts are laser focused on the goal of bringing the good news of His salvation to every corner of the globe. The Fraser Institute’s 2022 Generosity in Canada Index noted that Canada’s charitable giving was at a historic low (this was published in August 2023). You can find surveys and historical information that shows during the Great Depression Canadians gave a greater percentage of their income to charitable causes than they do today. Why?
 
Perhaps Canadians are less Christian. Perhaps Christian Canadians have taken on more the cultural values which focus on self-interest and worldly goals. Perhaps Christians have lost the glorious sense that the task of the church is to declare the Name of Jesus Christ to every Canadian and outward from there to every corner of the globe.
 
Father in heaven, hallowed be Your Name. Your kingdom come, Your will be done on earth as it is in heaven. Forgive us for the ways in which we hoard our treasures and have become more worldly with our finances. Spirit of God, lead us to be generous with all the resources You have given us so that the Blessed Name of Jesus will be broadcast near and far. Oh, stir in us a longing to see the glory of the LORD cover earth as the waters cover the sea. Amen.
 
https://youtu.be/05jKxv8ApuI?si=4_KKeSXS3-PAL4WG My worth is not in what I own
 

Copyright © 2025 Sh'ma Christian Ministries, All rights reserved.

September 6, 2025 -- Psalm 13:1 -- Praying when one's heart is broken

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

How long, O LORD? Will you forget me forever?                           
Psalm 13:1 ESV
 
There are times when I can speak with men on the inside, and when they feel safe enough to share, make statements like this: “I feel like God is distant”. Or they’ll say, “I am so alone. Is God here?” Then they’ll look at me, questioningly. Having been vulnerable enough to share this, they wonder, will Richard reject me for sharing this?
 
Blessed be our God and Savior! He has gifted us with the Psalms. These prayers capture the honest upheavals, the troubles, and the ranges of emotions with which each of us grapples. What the men were afraid to express has been put into words many centuries ago. David, called a man after God’s own heart (I Samuel 13:14), experienced times of such profound separation from God that he cried out with these words. The Spirit of God, ever gracious and the comforter of believers, preserved these words so that believers in all ages, know they have the freedom to pour out their hearts to God.
 

• Sometimes such devastating separation from God lasts a season. Do not give up. Pray this whole psalm.

• Sometimes the pain which wrenches these words from the soul and lips is brief and intense, pray this psalm with the confidence the LORD hears.

• Sometimes the tidal wave of troubles and griefs are so great, words fail, pray this psalm.

 
Trust that God has appointed these words, so long ago, for His saints through-out the ages. He has offered them to you so that you can walk in wholeness before Him. Not pretending. Not saying fine when everything is a mess. But honesty, with vulnerability bare your circumstances, your heart and your pain to Him knowing He will hear you. In another Psalm, the promise is that God will not despise a broken heart (Psalm 51:17).

How long, O Lord? Will you forget me forever?
    How long will you hide your face from me?
2 How long must I take counsel in my soul
    and have sorrow in my heart all the day?
How long shall my enemy be exalted over me?
3 Consider and answer me, O Lord my God;
    light up my eyes, lest I sleep the sleep of death,
4 lest my enemy say, “I have prevailed over him,”
    lest my foes rejoice because I am shaken.
5 But I have trusted in your steadfast love;
    my heart shall rejoice in your salvation.
6 I will sing to the Lord,
    because he has dealt bountifully with me.
Psalm 13 ESV
https://youtu.be/QcGGlBHxTfk?si=f1fV8QQtBLfy8K1S Hear Our Prayer, O Lord
 

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September 3, 2025 -- Ephesians 5:18 -- Be filled with the Spirit

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

…be filled with the Spirit
Ephesians 5:18 ESV
 
Leading a Bible study through Ephesians has been a great blessing. Sinclair Ferguson’s “Let’s Study Ephesians” has been the guide to help unpack the letter. He comments that the verb, be filled, is in the present tense. Meaning the filling of the Holy Spirit is to be an on-going action in our lives. It is also an imperative, a command. Noting that before knowing Christ our lives were lived according to the imperatives and commands of the flesh; now it is the Spirit of God Who commands believers. Finally, to be filled with the Spirit is a gift. What God commands He also supplies. There are many implications to this understanding of the simple present tense, command and promise.
 
Believers are to read the word, as it is through the Bible that believers are aware of the Spirit’s work. As one reads it is the Spirit Who makes the Bible clear. In its pages believers have their sins exposed and their deep, constant need for Christ revealed. The Spirit is the gift given by Whom believers can cry out to God as Father and cy out to Jesus as Lord and their Captain of Salvation. Believers cry out to God for more of the Spirit—whereas in the past drunkenness and debauchery, sins which always cried more, give, feed my lusts—now the believer, renewed and purified is constantly and insatiably seeking more of the Spirit.
 
This is a clear warning not to toy with old sins. The former vices of drunkenness (which is anything that causes one to lose control: like alcohol, or gaming, or gambling, or drugs, or pills, or shopping) and debauchery (which is losing control to sexual vices and sins and lusts) can easily reassert themselves. My former pastor used to say, “My old nature with its sinful patterns, was drowned at my baptism, but he is a surprisingly strong swimmer and keeps popping up again”. Our old nature is surprisingly buoyant. Our new Spirit-filled mind and soul are given power so that old sins can be vanquished as often as they reappear. The fact that you hate your old sins and desire them to be put to death are signs that the Spirit of God is filling you and directing you. Dear Christian, pray for more of the Spirit’s presence and work in your life.
 
Father in heaven, thank You for the wonderful gift of the Holy Spirit. Through Your Spirit’s powerful presence we can cry out to You, “Abba, Father” with the full assurance You have adopted us as Your own beloved sons and daughters through Jesus. Thank You for the Spirit by Whom we are sealed into Christ and know Him as the Captain of Salvation. Triune God, we confess how powerful, demanding and persistent our old sins are. So, we plead, fill us with the Spirit so that old lusts and longings are replaced with the overwhelming desire for more of Jesus and more abundant life in Him. Amen.
 
https://youtu.be/dHLikbLXQ8E?si=I4T8XqrYLyOdRY3t Not What These Hands Have Done
 

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September 1, 2025 -- Matthew 4:11 -- Angels Ministered

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

Then the devil left him, and behold, angels came and were ministering to him.
Matthew 4:11 ESV
 
After forty days and nights of fasting in the wilderness, and being tempted by the devil, the end of those days culminated in the three temptations recorded by Matthew. Only after all those assaults did the devil leave Jesus. Jesus had withstood each and everyone of the temptations without the slightest compromise or complaint. Luke noted that the devil left Jesus until an opportune time (Luke 4:13). The wily enemy is ever lurking nearby, and he is restless evil. Notice the mercy of our Father in heaven. To His exhausted Son the Father sent His ministering angels.
 
It is important to note the angels did not fight Jesus’ battles. He battled the devil without their interference. But the pattern is well-established in Scripture. After hard battle, there is rest and refreshment given by the Father. While we don’t know what the angels did, how they ministered, Spurgeon speculated they were a loving, familiar presence. He likens it to a sermon you hear that is greatly comforting. I recently experienced something like that.
 
I remember a few weeks ago I was at Teen Challenge, preparing to lead a Bible Study. The Director of TC so kindly approached me and asked me in a way and tone that was so obviously caring, “Are you okay?” He is safe. He knows the challenges, joys and sorrows of working with those who are battling addictions. I said, “My heart is weary because of my circumstances, but my soul rejoices in the Lord.” He knew exactly what I meant. He offered me a coffee chat. We met up and it was obvious that the angels of the Lord had been sent. We had an hour and a half of uninterrupted time to talk and pray. No emergencies that needed to be dealt with, just time for two brothers in the Lord to have an opportunity to spend time together. It was heaven-sent.
 
As Jesus, Who when He walked the earth was as fully human as you, was ministered to by angels, trust that our Father in heaven commands His angels concerning you. Trust that at precisely the right moment you will be encouraged by a phone call, a card, a text, a circumstance that is heaven-sent. It is quite possible that you will be the heaven-sent person to meet with someone else, a blessing sent by the Father, and the time you spend is angel-guarded so that you can administer God’s blessing to the one in need.
 
Father in heaven, forever blessed is Your Name. Great are You in majesty and power, and You are kind and compassionate in all Your dealings with Your people. Thank You for the illustration of Jesus Christ, the final Adam, receiving the ministry of angels. Thank You faithful Father, that You will provide precisely what is needed, so that in all circumstances, trials and refreshments, Your people will be led to maturity in Christ. Thank You for the powerful work of the Spirit within, and the ministering angels all around. Amen.
 
https://youtu.be/tQUTvMtUhw4?si=3oaaSpovYj6vm5vM The Doxology
 

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August 31, 2025 -- Proverbs 31:1-2 -- Growing up tutored by wisdom

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

The words of King Lemuel. An oracle that his mother taught him:
What are you doing, my son? What are you doing, son of my womb?
What are you doing, son of my vows?  Proverbs 31:1-2 ESV
 
A series of questions; what a strange way to begin this chapter of Proverbs. Chapter divisions are artificial, not inserted in the Bible until the 1300’s. So, originally, the Proverbs didn’t have these divisions. There’d be headings, like what is counted as verse 1 in today’s reading, but the point is, what is now chapter 31 would stand as the summary of the whole book of wisdom. The King's mother is obviously a woman of wisdom, who has raised her child in God's way.
 
King Lemuel's godly mother called on her son, from his youth onwards, to evaluate his steps, his words and his way of life. For however long he lived a son in her household, she influenced him, taught him and showed Him the glories of God. Are you, fathers and mothers, constantly attentive to your children so that they are raised in the of the LORD? Are you, fellow church members, attentive to the toddlers and youth in the church so they are part of a whole community that is invested in the others, and supportive in the ways of holiness?
 
The repetition of the question is emphatic. To the question she adds the phrase “son of my womb”. Wisdom, depicted as a woman through-out the Proverbs, is now a mother commanding her son to live in the way of wisdom. Wisdom is intimate. It is familial. It affects the interactions between the family members. It is a way of justice. Are you, fathers and mothers, fellow members of the community of faith, like Eunice and Lois, faithful mothers and grandmothers, keenly and persistently and for the full eighteen years of their youth, guiding in the way of holiness?
 
Now the repetition is superlative and to it is added the phrase “son of my vows”. He is a covenant child. He is born into a marriage where a father and a mother both invest their time, efforts and love so that a son is raised to know the LORD and live wisdom. A son of a mother’s vows is warned against the way of prostitutes—women of folly—who through-out this book are those who intentionally and with malice seek to lead godly men from the path of holiness to the way of destruction. A godly marriage is a good example for a child, so that he grows up with this blessed model of holiness before his eyes. Are you, fathers and mothers, fellow members of the believing community, upholding the importance of marriage vows, of holiness in singleness? Are you providing such fellowship and sweet community that single or married, widowed or widower, young or old, all have an important place in the covenant community which belongs to God by covenant vows?
 
Going to church is more than something for you to do as an individual. Going to church means meeting with the people of God, enjoying fellowship, discipling others, welcoming prodigals, encouraging the weak, giving of yourself in holy sacrifice so that together, by the work of the Spirit, each member grows, maturing in Christ, and this to the glory of God the Father. Get to church. Get involved. Get connected with others. Encourage those around you. Pray specifically for the ones who are in need.
 
Father in heaven, forgive us for the times we delighted to be Your son or daughter, but did not acknowledge those, who by the same grace given in Jesus Christ, are our dear brothers and sisters. Forgive us dearest Father, for the radical individuality which greedily welcomes Your blessings into our own lives, but neglects to share such blessings with those who beside us and near us, are also cleansed by the healing blood of Jesus. Spirit of the Living God, lead us in holy boldness to welcome one another in Christ. Spirit of wisdom give us tender hearts so that we attend to the needs of those around us, or, are prepared ourselves to be humble, vulnerable and open to the ministry we might receive from those You have purposefully put into our pathway. Amen.
 
https://youtu.be/oEUskp1e2bg?si=2tVPS_fg7rXTNXhj By Faith
 

Copyright © 2025 Sh'ma Christian Ministries, All rights reserved.

August 30, 2025 -- Revelation 19:1b-2a -- The Boldness Needed to Face our World

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

Hallelujah!
Salvation and glory and power belong to our God,
for his judgments are true and just…
Revelation 19:1b-2a ESV
 
This vision found in Revelation is recorded by John, the disciple of Jesus. He is an old man and experiencing persecution. By way of great encouragement, the Spirit of God gave John a vision of what is happening and what is to come. The Judgment Day will come.

Thomas Boston, in his work, Human Nature in Its Fourfold State, speaks of this final judgment
 O! What a strange turn of affairs will appear here! What an astonishing
sight will it be, to see wicked churchmen and statesmen standing as
criminals before the saints whom formerly they condemned as heretics,
rebels, and traitors! To see men of riches and power stand pale-faced
before those whom they oppressed! To see the mocker stand trembling
before those whom he mocked! the worldly-wise man, before the those
whom he accounted fools! Then shall the despised faces of the saints
be dreadful faces to the wicked; and those, who sometimes were the song
of drunkards, shall then be a terror to them. All wrongs must be righted
at length, and every one set in his proper place.
Thomas Boston, Human Nature in Its Fourfold State. East Peoria, IL:,
Versa Press, Inc., reprinted 2015, page 419
 
When believers meditate on the accomplished work of Jesus, and know at the appointed time of their death, they will face judgment for every word spoken, every deed done and every good deed they knew they were supposed to do but left undone, what a terror that will be. It means believers are led by a holy fear of God, to act justly, love mercy, and walk humbly with God. The unbeliever, the mocker, the worldly-wise—what a terror awaits them! No wonder Christians do, with fervency and urgency pray for our neighbours. The Premier of Quebec has been widely quoted as saying “No one wants to see public prayer in the streets of Quebec”^ A bill to make Quebec even more restrictively secular is in the works. May God have mercy on the souls of those puny persons who so wickedly imagine they can work against His great Name. May Christians in Quebec know the love of Christ as they are prayed for by Jesus Himself, and Christians across Canada and the world. Give to the believers in Quebec, and to us all, the boldness and Spirit-fueled persistence to serve our gracious God and King.
 
O LORD, Just and True are all Your ways. Perfect and righteous are Your judgments. Have mercy on our Christian brothers and sisters in Quebec who face even greater government led persecution and restrictive policies. Give us, as Canadians, a holy boldness to witness wherever You have placed us, so that Your Great Name will be known, celebrated and adored. As believers reading such reports, Spirit of the Living God, give us a holy fear of the LORD and a righteous boldness to live out loud for Jesus. Amen.
 
https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/montreal/public-prayer-ban-quebec-1.7619985
 
https://youtu.be/KU5ct0iY-Ds?si=CT9gby7EvCWFZk_S Am I a Soldier of the Cross
 

Copyright © 2025 Sh'ma Christian Ministries, All rights reserved.

August 29, 2025 -- Exodus 2:25b -- and God knew (what did He know?)

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

and God knew.  Exodus 2:25b ESV
 
What did God know?

• He knew the suffering of His people. He had multiplied them in Egypt such that they became a mighty nation, though they were still slaves, they experienced His blessing.

• He knew His people were in bondage not only physically, they were slaves in their attitude and minds as well.

• God knew they were without hope. Sure, there were faithful people among them, like Moses’ father and mother. However, this great nation descended from the mighty patriarchs Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, had forgotten the wonders He’d performed.

• God knew this people had forgotten His promises, to Abraham, that He would deliver His people from Egypt.

• He knew that they could not save themselves. He had to act.

 
Why does this ancient story, of a people who lived some 3,500 years ago matter to us today? Well, the Bible was written for our instruction. The LORD our God, Who proved Himself so faithful to His people, continues to be faithful to His people today. When we read the fact that God knew His people’s pain, their helpless condition, and their inability to save themselves, we are reminded that what was true then, is true now. God knew our helpless condition. He provided His great salvation in Jesus Christ. Our sins were punished on the Person of Jesus. God the Father credited Jesus’ righteousness to all who believe in Him.
 
When you are up to your eyebrows in grief and troubles and pain, God knows. As He has acted in the past, so He will act today. He will bring His glorious salvation, help and hope. He has placed His Spirit in you, so that not one of your tear rolls down unnoticed, not a single sigh unattended. God knows.
 
Today’s prayer comes from Psalm 56.
Be gracious to me, O God, for man tramples on me; all day long an attacker oppresses me;
2 my enemies trample on me all day long, for many attack me proudly.
3 When I am afraid,  I put my trust in you.
4 In God, whose word I praise, in God I trust; I shall not be afraid.
    What can flesh do to me?
You have kept count of my tossings; put my tears in your bottle.
    Are they not in your book?
9 Then my enemies will turn back in the day when I call.
    This I know, that God is for me.
10 In God, whose word I praise,  in the Lord, whose word I praise,
11 in God I trust; I shall not be afraid.
    What can man do to me?  Psalm 56:1-4; 8-11 ESV
 
https://youtu.be/wrub6zvIb4U?si=v5-CaNVQ4zZjNdMS Nearer, My God, To Thee
 
 

Copyright © 2025 Sh'ma Christian Ministries, All rights reserved.

August 28, 2025 -- Ephesians 6:18 -- Vital Prayer

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

Praying at all times in the Spirit, with all prayer and supplication. To that tend keep alert with all perseverance, making supplication for all the saints.
Ephesians 6:18 ESV
 
It is always a privilege for me to lead Bible Studies “on the inside” in various prisons in my region. I am working through Ephesians using Sinclair Ferguson’s Let’s Study Ephesians. This book is a wonderful resource. In his commentary on this verse, he notes:
We are to pray at all times. Prayer is not merely the action of a moment. It is a lifestyle, the focussing of a person-to-person relationship with God. It is the expression of a life lived out in the presence of God, before the face of God, in which our constant communion with God comes to conscious expression.
Prayer then, is set within a life marked by (i) companionship and (ii) dialogue with the Lord. It is the overflow of how we live as Calvin says coram deo (in the presence of God). The wise Christian therefore adopts what we might call ‘the sanctuary principle’: keeping within the heart a place of devotion to the Lord—from which all else is excluded.
Sinclair Ferguson, Let’s Study Ephesians. Carlisle, PA: Banner of Truth Trust, reprint
2015, page 185
 
I like that picture of prayer as companionship. Every step in the day, each moment, cultivating the awareness God is nearby. His Spirit lives in you. When you think of a friend, pray for him. When you encounter a hard circumstance, remember you are walking with God, no matter where you are, in the moment ask for help knowing He is right there with you.
 
Dialogue in prayer. The Bible is God’s letter to you. Creation declares the splendor of God. The Spirit nudges you, convicts you, directs you from evil. God is speaking. Are you listening? When you realize how you have been spared, or helped, or nudged, give thanks. Prayer is the hour-by-hour interaction with the Living God. Pray is not just for set times in as part of your devotional life, it is for every part of the day and night.
 
Father in heaven, blessed be Your Name. Thank You for the gift of the Holy Spirit, Who lives in us, nudging us towards You, teaching us, making the Word vital and alive to us. Holy Spirit, through the course of the day, remind me that You are here living in me, and the day is wide open, pregnant with many opportunities for conversation with the Most High God of the Universe. Teach me, Spirit of God, to see and give thanks for the life that is mine in Christ Jesus. Amen.
 
https://youtu.be/o1FY7I5667Q?si=gnGq_INyevKqFYMI Sweet Hour of Prayer
 

Copyright © 2025 Sh'ma Christian Ministries, All rights reserved.

August 26, 2025 -- I Peter 1:15 -- Growing in holiness

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

…as He who called you is holy, you also be holy in all your conduct
I Peter 1:15 ESV
 
Holy means to be set apart, completely dedicated to God. Holy means that there is no hint of impure thoughts, actions, motivations or desires within you. Holy means one rejoices in what is excellent, good and from God. Holy, that is the only characteristic of God that is repeated three times in a row (Isaiah 6:3 & Revelation 4:8).
 
I don’t know about you, but when I read this, I realize I am not holy. Not at all. I was listening to a podcast from CCEF (Christian Counseling and Education Foundation) and the topic was progressive sanctification. Three panel members talked about progressive sanctification: that is, the work of the Holy Spirit, living in us, Who leads us in life and godliness (that last phrase comes from II Peter 1:3). The Holy Spirit applies the work of Christ in the believer so that he is made to be more like Jesus, holy. One of the panel members spoke how he often felt his life is like a yo-yo. Up and down with no real progress. Then be recalled the words of David Powlison, the former director of CCEF, who said something like this: my life may be a yo-yo, going up and down so that I don’t feel any progress in holiness, but I am in the hand of the Master, Jesus, and as I go up and down, He is climbing the stairs. What a hopeful illustration that is. How Jesus-focused it is.
 
While you may not see great strides in your growing in holiness, consider these important evidences that there is indeed progress.

• The old sin you struggled against instead of being inviting, is becoming distasteful to you. That is progress in holiness.

• Maybe you are desiring to see the victory of Jesus applied in an area of your life that before this had not been yielded to Him—that is growing in holiness Maybe have started praying for someone who you used to consider an enemy, that is progress in holiness.

• Maybe you find yourself longing for more of God, that is growing in holiness.

• Maybe you are prepared to find a mentor or a teacher, who can help you understand the Bible and life as a Christian, that is progress in holiness.

• Maybe your find yourself genuinely caring for the people God has placed in your life, so instead of being purely self-focused, you are thinking about others. That is progress in holiness.

 
Holiness grows in the fires of trials and hardships. If everything is going along fine in your life, there is little opportunity for seeking God, earnestly pouring out your heart to Him and longing for change. Pray for greater holiness; it is promised in II Peter 1:3.
 
Father in heaven, blessed be Your Name. You sent Jesus to rescue us from Your just anger against our sin. You and our Savior Jesus sent the Holy Spirit to lead us in Your holy ways. Triune God, help me to grow in holiness. Where there is progress in this, help me to see it, or when others see it in me, help me to give You the thanks and praise and let that be a motivation for me to keep growing in and longing for holiness. Amen.
 
https://youtu.be/2D4gg03f0DM?si=SiyLn-h98G1DXimO Holy, Holy, Holy
 

Copyright © 2025 Sh'ma Christian Ministries, All rights reserved.

August 24, 2025 -- Matthew 4:1-11 -- Enduring temptations to the point of victory in Jesus

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

4 Then Jesus was led up by the Spirit into the wilderness to be tempted by the devil. 2 And after fasting forty days and forty nights, he was hungry. 3 And the tempter came and said to him, “If you are the Son of God, command these stones to become loaves of bread.” 4 But he answered, “It is written,
“‘Man shall not live by bread alone,
    but by every word that comes from the mouth of God.’”
5 Then the devil took him to the holy city and set him on the pinnacle of the temple 6 and said to him, “If you are the Son of God, throw yourself down, for it is written,
“‘He will command his angels concerning you,’ and
“‘On their hands they will bear you up,
    lest you strike your foot against a stone.’”
7 Jesus said to him, “Again it is written, ‘You shall not put the Lord your God to the test.’” 8 Again, the devil took him to a very high mountain and showed him all the kingdoms of the world and their glory. 9 And he said to him, “All these I will give you, if you will fall down and worship me.” 10 Then Jesus said to him, “Be gone, Satan! For it is written,
“‘You shall worship the Lord your God
    and him only shall you serve.’”
11 Then the devil left him, and behold, angels came and were ministering to him.
Matthew 4:1-11 ESV
 
Dear brothers and sisters in our Lord Jesus Christ realize the temptations of Jesus are so foreign precisely because your heart and mind and affections are used to the perversions of the world. The reason believers gather for church is to hear the word of the Lord, to recognize the standard of His glory and to realize how perverseness and compromise have infected all their thinking.

1. Recognize you are trained in compromise, something as simple as “how are you doing?” is not properly answered with “I’m good”. That is a common perversion of speech that is so widespread the correct response is now jarring. The correct response is “I am doing well”. When presented with the word of God, we are presented with a jarring response which goes against the widespread misunderstanding of what is good.

2.  The fact that Jesus withstood the temptations of Devil proves His great power as your Savior. One commentator, preaching on this passage, noted that one marathon famous to Australians goes right past his house. The runners go out by his house and then return near the end of the race past his house once again. He saw one runner who’d run out but was being driven back in a car. He’d been defeated by the race. He succumbed to the temptation to quit. He knew some of the power of temptation, but he didn’t know how bad and how powerful temptation could be, because he yielded before temptation was at its worst. Many Christians fall early into the cycle of temptation. The full might of the tempter and the awful mental, spiritual, physical, and emotional toll of temptation is unknown to them because they have not fully resisted. This makes Jesus your mighty Captain of Salvation. He Who has withstood the onslaught of the evil one to the very end, knows the wiles and schemes, the battle plan and the persistence of the enemy and He resisted Him. Therefore, He is Your shield of faith. Therefore, His is the One Name you can call upon and find salvation. When temptation hits you up, you can cry out to Jesus because He fully understands the weight of it and its undertow threatening to send you into the waves of chaos and shark-infested waters. He is the Rescuer from the present evil-age, sent by the Father to gather to Himself weak and wounded and weary sinners. Do not be ashamed to go to Him. While there is time, now is the day of salvation. Now is the time to cry out to Him and find help in your present hour of need.

3. To worship the Lord is, among other things, to give Him

   1. your time. Read the Bible. Pray. Spend time talking with other Christians about what is important. Share with your family members, in your ordinary, daily conversation, the perfections of the LORD.

   2. your money. But it is my hard-earned money. Not so fast. The commitment required of those who belong to the LORD is 10%. Why? Think of how generous He has been to you—your very life and eternity are in His hands. You are now, yes today, adopted as His beloved sons and daughters. People pour out their treasures without thinking about it for themselves. Clothes. Concerts, Games, toys. Your wallet proves your worship.

   3. your praise. Sing to the Lord. Tell others of His greatness. As you tell others about your favorite book or movie or concert, with greater enthusiasm speak to others the wonders and the blessedness of your God.

 
Prayer:
Keep back your servant also from presumptuous sins;
    let them not have dominion over me!
Then I shall be blameless,
    and innocent of great transgression.
14 Let the words of my mouth and the meditation of my heart
    be acceptable in your sight,
    O Lord, my rock and my redeemer.
Prayer is Psalm 19:13-14 ESV
 
https://youtu.be/zmt5VNnrJIM?si=hoOfNnAFtB6K7Ddl I Stand Amazed
 

Copyright © 2025 Sh'ma Christian Ministries, All rights reserved.

August 22, 2025 -- Matthew 6:9-13 -- Decide to submit your will to the care of God as He guides you

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

 Pray then like this:
“Our Father in heaven,
hallowed be your name.
10 Your kingdom come,
your will be done,
    on earth as it is in heaven.
11 Give us this day our daily bread,
12 and forgive us our debts,
    as we also have forgiven our debtors.
13 And lead us not into temptation,
    but deliver us from evil.
Matthew 6:9-13 ESV
 
A dear friend of mine has joined me in working through the Overcomers material. Overcomers is a Christian-12-Step recovery program. It is used in Christian drug and alcohol recovery centres and is an effective tool to help men and women find freedom from life controlling issues. Often drugs and alcohol mask other issues, like gambling, anger, violence, hatred, sexual sin, over-eating, laziness. I challenged my friend to join me in the 90-days of Overcomers and dig deeper in our Christian faith. (It is my privilege to teach this material in two prisons and to rejoice as men gain freedom in Jesus and victory over besetting sins). Today, as part of the explanation of Step 2 (which is “I decide to submit my life to the care of God as he guides me”) the commitment is to intentionally and through-out the day, put Jesus in charge of your life.
 
In the explanation of this step, the Overcomers Workbook instructs students:
God did the work of making our freedom possible through Jesus. The Holy Spirit works within us, to strengthen us to establish God’s kingdom on earth. Our job is to listen and submit to God’s commands…Olympians have coaches that help them stay fit, disciplined, and ready to compete. Talent and excitement are rarely enough to produce a winner. The job of the coach is to teach the talented athlete the skills and mentality that they need to win. In the same way, when you choose to make Jesus the Lord of your life, you will be able to fight the battle for recovery AND win the battle because you are listening and learning from the best trainer!”
OVERCOMERS (WORKBOOK), Canadian Bible Society, 2022, page 46
 
Christians must continually submit themselves to Jesus and recommit themselves to Him. Our enemy, the Devil, is organized in his attempts to throw you off course and cause you to sin. The world is hostile to Jesus and exerts both subtle and overt pressures to keep you from walking in close fellowship with God. Your own fleshly desires and past sins can easily reassert themselves and lead you to sin.
 
Jesus was asked by His disciples to teach them to pray. Notice that the pattern of Jesus’ prayer. The priority in the life of the Christian is to worship God, first and worship Him only. Sins and diversions in your life result in offering inappropriate worship. For example, you are enraged, that is becoming disproportionately angry, because you are protecting your egos and worship your opinion. Or you are lazy spending time on video games or binge-watching TV when you are called to submit yourselves to Jesus and be active in serving Him.
In the very first petition of the Lord’s Prayer, Jesus taught His followers that the priority of one’s life is to praise and glorify the Father. He is worthy of receiving the sacrifice of your time, your talents, and your treasures. Closely following is the petition that the Father’s will be carried out on earth as it is in heaven. “Thy kingdom come”; that is, rule us so by Thy Word and Spirit, that we may submit ourselves more and more to Thee; preserve and increase Thy church; destroy the works of the devil, and all violence which would exalt itself against Thee” (The Heidelberg Catechism, LORD’S DAY 47, A. 123).
 
Father in heaven, You are worthy of all my time and attention and focus and love. As Jesus taught His followers to pray, so I pray, let Your will be done on earth, in Christ’s body—that is the Church—and Your will be done in my life with the same zeal and joy and glory as it is carried out in heaven by Your holy angels and the saints who are before the throne of Jesus. Spirit, lead me, because the moment I rise from this prayer I know I’ll be assaulted by temptations to swerve from such holy obedience. Such temptations will press against my commitment from within myself and strong temptations will assault me from the world and the Tempter. Thank You, Lord of Glory, for bringing me safe this far, and work out Your salvation in me, so that I will be arrive to those eternal shores where sin, death and the grave are defeated forever and I will, with full-joy, wonder, reverence and freedom worship You in spirit and in truth. Amen.
 
https://youtu.be/FSHe-kibZDg?si=ABjoVbQ60935T--S Teach Me Thy Way, O Lord
 

Copyright © 2025 Sh'ma Christian Ministries, All rights reserved.

August 21, 2025 -- Romans 3:9-11 Are you amazed by grace?

What then? Are we Jews any better off? No, not at all. For we have already charged that all, both Jews and Greeks, are under sin, 10 as it is written:

“None is righteous, no, not one;
11     no one understands;
    no one seeks for God.

Romans 3:9-11 ESV

Paul is writing to the people belonging to Jesus who lived in Rome. Some thought Jews were better off, perhaps less in need of grace, than were non-Jewish people (Greeks or Gentiles). Oh, Paul’s not going to let anyone get away with that kind of thinking. All are people are under God’s wrath, guilty because of their sin.

Dr. M. Kruger, Charlotte RTS, noted there are three ways this text speaks of the pervasiveness of sin. That is total depravity for all who are not “in Christ”. NB: total depravity does not mean people are as sinful as they could be, but that sin infects every area of life.

·       First actions are corrupt; that no one can fulfil God’s righteous demands as they are contained in the Law.  People do not automatically act in ways that are honorable, noble, true or holy. In fact, just the opposite is true.

·       Second, minds are corrupt. No one understands. In fact, without the life-giving, light-giving work of the Holy Spirit, people remain darkened in their sins.

·       Third, the will is corrupt. No one, of their own accord, seeks God. Sure, there are people who claim to be “spiritual”, but all they’re doing is building a spirituality based on their own desires and ego. That has nothing to do with the way of God, the Blessed One, Whose Son is the Way, the Truth and the Life.

Why mention all of this? Believers are to be taught, reminded and informed through their own studies of the Scripture of their utter wretchedness and the great grace God has poured out on them.

Amazing grace that is what the Holy Spirit applied such that sin-darkened minds are illuminated, lifelong sins and addictions are broken and the warped desires of the flesh are brought under the Lordship of Jesus Christ. In Him, one’s sins are forgiven. In Him one is made new. In Christ one is adopted as a beloved son or daughter of the Living God. By one’s union to Christ the Holy Spirit changes the desires of the heart so that action, mind and will are directed toward Jesus and this to the glory of God. Believers still sin. They still fall down. But the good news is that they don’t stay down but are lifted once again into renewed holy service to God. Whatever mess we confess is blessed by the redeeming work of Jesus. The Father has punished our mess of sin at the cross of Jesus; the Father and the Son assure our blessedness by the sealing presence of the Holy Spirit in the life of every believer.

Again, are you amazed by the grace of God? Are you thunderstruck with wonder at the grace God the Father has shown you? Are you welcoming other grace-drenched brothers and sisters in Christ? “Does your soul shout out: Who is like our God so gracious, so compassionate, so faithful in loving-kindness?!” Truly there is none, no other, like the God of Glory, rich in mercy, overflowing with compassion and faithful in showing covenant kindness to His people. Amen.

Blessed be Your Name, Father in heaven. Great and extravagant is the grace You have given in Jesus. Spirit of God fill our hearts, minds and mouths with the praise of God and so that endless thanksgiving flows from every part of our lives in acknowledgement of the new life that is ours in Christ. Spirit of the Living God, enlarge our capacity to receive others who, like us, having been rescued from the dominion of darkness and brought into the Kingdom of Light, the Kingdom of Your Son, O God, are amazed by grace. Amen.

https://youtu.be/KKo3T0j9qqo?si=cDvF6DTa_W_NxYHD Amazing Grace - My Chains are Gone

August 19, 2025 -- John 1:12 -- Adopted as sons and daughters of the Most High God

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

But to all who did receive Him [Jesus], who believed in His Name, He gave the right to become children of God…
John 1:12 ESV
 
I wonder something. Do you, dear fellow believer, understand how significant it is that through faith in Jesus Christ you are a beloved son or daughter of God? J. I. Packer, the well-known Canadian theologian wrote:
 
“You sum up the whole of New Testament religion if you describe it as the knowledge of God   as one’s holy Father. If you want to judge how well a person understands Christianity, find out how much he makes of the thought of being God’s child, and having God as his Father. If this is not the thought that prompts and controls his worship and prayers and his whole outlook on life, it means that he does not understand Christianity very well at all.

For everything that Christ taught, everything that makes the New Testament new, and better than the Old, everything that is distinctively Christian as opposed to merely Jewish, is summed up in the knowledge of the Fatherhood of God. ‘Father’ is the Christian name for God. Our understanding of Christianity cannot be better than our grasp of adoption.”
J. I. Packer, Knowing God
 
This is Jesus’ longest prayer in the Bible; it is found in John 17. It is called Jesus’ High Priestly Prayer. Read and ponder some portions of it and based on that reading, consider if what J. I. Packer said is true.
 

• “Father, the hour has come; glorify your Son that the Son may glorify you, 2 since you have given him authority over all flesh, to give eternal life to all whom you have given him. 3 And this is eternal life, that they know you, the only true God, and Jesus Christ whom you have sent. 17:1-3

• Righteous Father, even though the world does not know you, I know you, and these know that you have sent me. 26 I made known to them your name, and I will continue to make it known, that the love with which you have loved me may be in them, and I in them.” (John 17:25-26)

 
The concluding prayer is the Lord’s Prayer as it is found in the contemporary English translation called the Message:
 
Our Father in heaven,
Reveal who you are.
Set the world right;
Do what’s best—
    as above, so below.
Keep us alive with three square meals.
Keep us forgiven with you and forgiving others.
Keep us safe from ourselves and the Devil.
You’re in charge!
You can do anything you want!
You’re ablaze in beauty! Amen.
(Matthew 6:9-13 MSG)
https://youtu.be/PCa8RxaOPW8?si=NvYG-LJODcdlhmWP Baba Yetu — the Lord’s Prayer in Swahili
 

Copyright © 2025 Sh'ma Christian Ministries, All rights reserved.

August 18, 2025 -- Matthew 4:1-4 -- Does God really see me?

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

Then Jesus was led up by the Spirit into the wilderness to be tempted by the devil. 2 And after fasting forty days and forty nights, he was hungry. 3 And the tempter came and said to him, “If you are the Son of God, command these stones to become loaves of bread.” 4 But he answered, “It is written,
“‘Man shall not live by bread alone,
    but by every word that comes from the mouth of God.’”
Matthew 4:1-4 ESV
 
In a very real way, when Jesus answered the tempter’s first temptation, “If (or better since) you are the Son of God, command these stones to become loaves of bread” He was making a double reference. Jesus’ beautiful response was a quotation “man does not live by bread alone, but man lives by every word that comes from the mouth of the LORD” Deuteronomy 8:3. However, it applied equally well to what the Father had just said to Jesus, “This is My beloved Son, with Whom I am well-pleased” (Matthew 3:17). Jesus was able to withstand every temptation and stand with His Father, passing every test, because He knew in His soul that He is truly loved by the Father.
 
Think of how many trials and struggles you succumb to because you wonder, in the chaotic turmoil of your heart, when no one is looking, you wonder, “God, do You see me? Can You love me?” Those are the very questions the tempter whispers. In view of the magnificent work of Jesus, Who withstood all the devil’s lies and passed every one of the Father’s tests for faithfulness, we can be fully assured that the life, death and resurrection of Jesus has achieved for us a righteousness that can withstand the all the devil’s lies.
 
Father in heaven, sometimes the whispers of the enemy seem louder than the demonstration of Your great love given so perfectly in Jesus Christ. By Your Spirit, cause the word to be the megaphone that drowns out the enemy’s lies. Answer our soul’s questions. You are EL RAAH^, the God Who Sees Me; You so loved the world that You sent Jesus. Seal Your answers to our longing souls. Amen.
( Genesis 16:13 )
 
https://youtu.be/FX6u6ULIdmk?si=mvXOc0lrNNQVJbcN Here Is Love
 

Copyright © 2025 Sh'ma Christian Ministries, All rights reserved.

August 17, 2025 -- Genesis 5:21-27 -- The impact of a faithful parent

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

When Enoch had lived 65 years, he fathered Methuselah. 22 Enoch walked with God after he fathered Methuselah 300 years and had other sons and daughters. 23 Thus all the days of Enoch were 365 years. 24 Enoch walked with God, and he was not, for God took him.
25 When Methuselah had lived 187 years, he fathered Lamech. 26 Methuselah lived after he fathered Lamech 782 years and had other sons and daughters. 27 Thus all the days of Methuselah were 969 years, and he died.

Genesis 5:21-27 ESV
 
Okay, okay, I know, genealogies are boring. But they are recorded in Scripture because they highlight the unfailing mercy of God. When Adam and Eve ate of the tree of knowledge of good and evil, they should have died. But God set aside His wrath. He showed them mercy, waiting until the day He poured out His just anger and holy wrath on Jesus. So, every single person who is born is a sign that God is so merciful, patient and loving.
 
It is interesting also to note that Enoch walked with God. In the Greek translation, called the Septuagint, it is recorded that Enoch pleased God. Oh, what sweet and blessed fellowship must have existed between Enoch and our faithful Father! Who had the longest recorded lifespan? It is the son of Enoch, Methuselah. A few observations. Methuselah was raised by a father who pleased the LORD. He was raised by a man whose example in godliness and joy in the LORD must have been contagious. He saw modeled before him, in daily, busy, child-rearing life, how his dad loved God. I am wondering if perhaps the reason Methuselah had the blessing of such a long life landed precisely on the fact he was instructed in the fear of and delight in the LORD by a dad whose faith was glorious?
 
Parents, how you live has a massive impact on the next generation. Uncles and aunts, sisters and friends, your godly attitude and humble service to God will impact the people around you. Today is Sunday. Get to a bible-preaching, Christ-believing assembly.
 
Father in heaven forever blessed be Your Name.
Thank You for faithful dads and moms who teach their children to walk in the fear and delight of the LORD. Thank You for friends and cousins, fellow church members and leaders who show others how blessed it is to walk with God. Spirit of God, thank You for sealing to our hearts the accomplished work of Jesus and cause us, out of reverent love for our Father to walk in open-hearted, submitted, devotion to Jesus. Amen.
 
https://youtu.be/MKT5BCmvmq0?si=887B0sQ7wb9pF4y0 Find Us Faithful
 

Copyright © 2025 Sh'ma Christian Ministries, All rights reserved.

August 16, 2025 -- Hebrews 13:2a -- Christianity and hospitality

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

Do not neglect to show hospitality to strangers… Hebrews 13:2a ESV
 
Hospitality. Too often Christians think hosting potlucks among themselves is the hospitality which is in view. Though the Bible names one of the qualifications of an elder as one who shows hospitality (Titus 1:8), I am quite sure many Christian elders and pastors and deacons have not regularly shown hospitality as it is described in the Bible. Read what Bouma-Prediger and Walsh write on hospitality and homelessness.
In the New Testament, Jesus exercised hospitality to a most unlikely band of outcasts, rejects, and misfits. Indeed, “Christianity continues and intensifies the call to practice hospitality to the needy stranger, for Christ is present in the impoverished alien and hospitality to the poor is required of all who would enter the Reign of God.” The parable of the sheep and the goats is perhaps the most famous text in this regard. When the righteous ask the king when it was that they saw him a stranger and welcomed him, the king replies, “Just as you did it to one of the least of these who are members of my family, you did it to me” (Matt. 25:40). Whenever we care for the needy, we show hospitality to Christ himself. Throughout the New Testament we find similar stories and admonitions concerning hospitality, especially to be practiced towards the most vulnerable…So important is hospitality to the Christian life, Smith and Carvill conclude, that “that practice of hospitality lies close to the center of a Christian’s life before God.”
Steven Bouma-Prediger & Brian Walsh Beyond Homelessness. Grand Rapids: Wm B. Eerdmans, 2008, page 301
 
How do Christians even encounter such strangers to be welcomed? Those who are in Christ are always, actively engaged in evangelism. When believers go and witness, they meet people who are in desperate need, people who are outcasts, people who are vulnerable, people who are hated. It is when Christians shift the focus from visiting only among themselves and consciously welcome strangers—newcomers to church, folks they’ve met while volunteering, neighbours who are new to the area, work mates who are not Christians but need to be exposed to Christ—their home become a place of which Jesus declares, inasmuch as you have welcomed the least of these my brothers, you have welcomed Me. Life in Christ is not safe, it is pouring out one’s life as a drinking offering to God. Spending oneself in service. It is costly to serve Jesus. Almost a year ago now, a new convert, Greg, who is in prison declared, “my relationship with Jesus is the hardest relationship I’ve ever had, but it is the most worthwhile”.
 
Faithful Father, thank You, that while we were yet sinners, You pursued us. You welcomed us. Christ died for us. Lord Jesus, Captain of Salvation, by Your Spirit, lead us to men and women who are in urgent need of true and deep fellowship, warm hospitality, kindness, so that by our hospitality their hearts will be melted by Your love, Your grace, Your kindness shown through us; who have been ourselves won to You by men and women whom You’ve appointed to find us and welcome us.
Blessed are You, Father of Mercies!
Blessed are You, Jesus, the Captain of Salvation, Shepherd of the needy.
Blessed are You, Spirit of grace, Who seals in believers all the benefits of Jesus.
Gracious God, Your will be done on earth as it is in heaven. Amen.
 
https://youtu.be/jX3T5sL0pzY?si=_KEKjCeKukSzaifW Jesu, Jesu, Fill Us with Your Love
 

Copyright © 2025 Sh'ma Christian Ministries, All rights reserved.

August 15, 2025 -- Psalm 113:7b -- lifted from the ash heap

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

and lifts the needy from the ash heap…     Psalm 113:7b
 
To sit in ashes can mean one is mourning. When Job’s children were all killed in one terrible and tragic day, and then his body was covered with loathsome sores from the sole of his foot to the crown of his head (Job 2:7) he sat in the ashes. Job was described as a righteous man. By way of contrast, when a man chases sin and indulges his addictions, he will find himself sitting in ashes. Or, when one is betrayed by those who were close to him, he might describe himself as sitting in ashes. Those who are vulnerable and forgotten in our society might describe their lives as lived in ashes. I had one friend who described his girlfriend this way, “I’d like you to meet my girlfriend. She is a bit of a dumpster fire.” It is a very descriptive expression. Many months later they broke up. Looking from the outside, you’d readily describe their lives as heaps of ashes.
 
In Psalm 113, the writer begins by saying, “Praise the LORD” (verse 1) and then follows up with “Blessed be the Name of the LORD (verse 2). One of the reasons for this summons to praise is that the LORD lifts the needy from the ash heap. How does He do this?

• Our sins deserved the full punishment of God poured out on them. When a believers turns to Jesus, he learns his sins (past, present and future) have all been fully punished upon the Person of Jesus at the cross. No wonder believers celebrate the cross as both the place of Jesus’ humiliation and the place of great glory for believers. In a very real sense, believers are lifted from the ashes of punishment and ruin.

• Believers, lifted up in Christ, are transformed. The Spirit of God gives the fruit of the Spirit. Inside out men and women are so transformed that all their relationships change. The hard work of being reconciled can commence. Granted, reconciliation one Christian to another Christian should be easier; however, even a believer will strive, in so far as it is possible for him, to live at peace with others.

• Believers are lifted from the ash heap. In our world today success is measured by money, sex, status, adulation and so on. But those who are in Christ know the greatest measure of success is one’s union with Jesus. True blessedness and joy are found in a life that is lived for Jesus.

• There is a warning as well. The Bible is written for the people of God. His people read it and if their lives do not match what is described, they are given a solemn command to repent. Change their ways. Turn away from the fires of lust and lava of greed and molten entanglements of worldliness. It is easy to blame God for one’s troubles when it is in fact a backsliding heart which leads people from glory to ashes.

• Believers are lifted from the ash heap. When one is serving Jesus, trials and troubles, temptations and torments have lost their power over believers. Believers have holy purpose. One’s life, long or short, rich or poor, fruitful or lean, has the great purpose of serving Jesus. What might look hard and charred to worldly people, is in fact a life lived as a sacrifice of praise to God, served expending oneself with holy purpose which in the end receives God’s commendation, “Well done, good and faithful servant…enter into the joy of your Master” Matthew 25:21.

 
Father in heaven, blessed are You. You are the Source of all good. Thank You that you lift ruined sinners from the ash heap and place them in fellowship with Jesus, the Prince of Peace. Thank You, faithful Father, for the work of Your Spirit, Who applies the warnings of Scripture and stops momentum of the backslider, restoring him to fellowship with Jesus. Thank You Father, for the Spirit Who brings the believer life and joy and hope and peace. Thank You, Spirit of God, for fueling and empowering this new life to take shape so that in every part, the believer, even one encountering hardship, can live praising Jesus. Spirit of Comfort, help the despairing, lonely, pained believer this day; move each one of us, Spirit of Comfort, to extend holy comfort and encouragement to those around us who are in need of it. Amen.
 
https://youtu.be/NT4IvKk8Yko?si=h_C_i8gb9FjCTwrJ “Come, Thou Almighty King”
 

Copyright © 2025 Sh'ma Christian Ministries, All rights reserved.

August 12, 2025 -- John 15:4 -- From homelessness to homed in Christ

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

Abide in me, and I in you.   John 15:4 ESV
 
Many of the incarcerated men who attend my Bible Studies are the same people who wind up in homeless shelters after their release. There are many reasons for it:

• family members have after years of trying to help, have given up, and there is no where to go

• where the men are released is no where close to their home communities, sometimes not even their home province and they have no money to get back

• poverty

• past crime cycles have so exhausted the resources of family, friends, there is no home left to go to

• Christian community seems out of reach (unfamiliarity with the practice of going to church, not knowing any local churches, not feeling worthy, no transportation, no appropriate clothing, no disciple-making mentors to guide them, etc).

 
As a Christian who grew up in a loving home, who was part of a strong Christian church, homeless is bewildering to me. It remains so. Though I have for more than 20+ years dealt with homelessness as a foster parent. It was painful when youths graduated out of the foster care system with no supports except welfare. Now as a prison visiting pastor I am constantly confronted with homelessness. It is a massive, complex, many faceted problem.
 
I have been reading “Beyond Homelessness”, and here is a quotation that grabs me, spiritually, and inspires renewed hope.
     For Henri Nouwen, the Christian life is a journey from the house of fear to the
     house of love. As Jesus indicates in John 15, the house of love is a place of intimacy,
     fecundity, and ecstasy. But Nouwen describes our times as an age of homelessness:
     “Probably no word better summarizes the suffering of our time than the word ‘homeless.’
     It reveals one of our deepest and most painful conditions, the condition of not having a
     sense of belonging, of not having a place where we can feel safe, cared for, protected
     and loved.” In contrast, Jesus offers us a home: “In my father’s house there are many
     dwelling places,” and “Abide in me as I abide in you” (John 14:2; John 15:4). This home
     is a “place or space where we do not have to be afraid but can let go of our defenses
     and be free, free from worries, free from tensions, free from pressures…Home is where
     we can rest and be healed.” Whatever else the sojourning Christian community is (and
     there are many kinds and shapes and sizes), it is an embodiment, frail and fragile to be
     sure, of the love of God in Christ.
     Steven Bouma-Prediger, Brian Walsh, Beyond Homelessness. Grand Rapids: Wm B.
     Eerdmans Publishing Co., 2008. Page 300-301
 
It seems to me so many who are in church pews have themselves experienced homelessness. Becoming a Christian has isolated them from family. Becoming a Christian means their circle of friends changed. Activities shared pre-Christ are now a violation of what it means to be in Christ. Jobs required moves to new locales. Christians, of all people, know the pain of spiritual homelessness and therefore, of all people, must be the most passionate and urgent and persistent in welcoming strangers into the place of rest and healing, the local church. The place where Christ is the Head and the Spirit applies Jesus’ reconciling work such that strangers become family and know themselves to be dearly loved sons and daughters of God. Ultimately that is the move from the house of fear to the house of love.
 
Father in heaven, thank You for Your love so rich and full. Thank You for Jesus, through Whom we intimately and intensely know Your love and discover ourselves to be home. Thank You Spirit of the Living God for grafting us into Christ so that rich or poor, sick or well, young or old, we know all things come to us not by chance but from Your Fatherly hand. Teach us, as those who are given home, safety, and protection in Christ to be a refuge to the rootless, homeless ones in our local communities. As we abide in You, Lord Jesus, cause us to be bold witnesses and evangelists to what it means to be in Christ, home, safe, welcomed, loved. Amen.
 
https://youtu.be/05jKxv8ApuI?si=gPWpX7bN9eKYvWtP My worth is not in what I own
 

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