Tag: faith

Five Reasons to Plug into a Good Local Church

by Ms. Rita's Minute

Hebrews 10:24-25
“And let us consider how we may spur one another on toward love and good deeds, not giving up meeting together, as some are in the habit of doing, but encouraging one another—and all the more as you see the Day approaching.”

Perhaps you’ve been told time and time again that you need to be plugged into a church. I know I have. It can be easy to visit a church but not participate in any of the groups or ministries it offers. Sometimes we may feel apprehensive about committing or even overwhelmed with the choices. However, over time these feelings usually wane.

However, there are perhaps many reasons for which it is a good move to be plugged into a local church. But I’ll take a minute or two to share five:

  1. Fellowship. Friendly associations, companionship, or comradeship inspire us to reach our goals in Christ. Just spending time with people of like-mindedness can cause the joy of God’s Holy Spirit to be experienced in us. Whether just communicating on a first-time basis, or reconnecting over time, we do good things for our well-being as we remove the focus from ourselves toward others.
  2. Accountability. Responsibility, commitment, and dedication to success in Christian living, whether relating to biological family, work colleagues, or fellow church family, all represent taking on the character traits of Jesus as his disciples. This power involves Christian management, leadership, and influence in our lives as well as an obligation of faithfulness, something we learn from God’s word and time spent with other believers at church.
  3. Prayer. The act of communing with God corporately; submitting our adoration, requests, and thanksgiving to him. An act of communication with our heavenly Father, where we speak and he speaks back to us through his Bible and his Spirit.
  4. Counsel. Wisdom, recommendations, advice, pointers, or enlightenment from knowledgeable Christian leaders on navigating various situations in our lives. These are times of sharing tools and principles we may not know from the Bible or the life experiences of our leaders.
  5. Kinship. Relationship bonding, togetherness, affinity, agreement, symmetry, connection, or community. This sounds like fellowship but can actually differ as fellowship can be less formal and with someone you don’t know at all. However, harmony comes with a binding or unity and growth with time spent with others. This is a key element in Christianity most often fostered in a local church relationship.

Of course, there are many local churches from which one may choose and they are normally open and delighted for your visit at any time services are offered. Praying, asking the Lord where He would have you visit, and asking Him to direct your affairs and relationships as He desires are good initial steps to take in selecting a church home. Asking a relative or friend for possible options is another way of finding a local church.

Remember, local churches often differ in style and mission and have great strengths and weaknesses, but have the same goal of making Christ and his gospel known. They may have ministries involving:

  1. Evangelism. Spreading the Christian message of Jesus Christ’s sacrifice, forgiveness, and love.
  2. Discipleship. Reaching people to follow Christ.
  3. Humanitarian work. Helping people in need
  4. Education and training. Providing Christian instruction, coaching, and preparation.
  5. Church planting. Establishing new churches.

The local church consists of normal people with noticeable flaws and imperfections, aiming to become more Christ-like. Some churches you may visit and find they are not a good fit for you or your family, but don’t give up on your search. The Lord will show you His will for your church selection if you desire to know it and are patient in your search.

What are some other reasons you’ve found for joining a local church? Or, what do you appreciate about the local church?

Who’s In Charge?

by Ms. Rita's Minute

Psalm 78:35

“They remembered that God was their Rock, that God Most High was their Redeemer.”

Do you realize we currently have access to, and relationship with, the highest authority that ever existed? Among his many names, he is El Elyon, the Hebrew translation for “God Most High.”

On this earth, we have levels of authority and the Bible tells us God has established all authority, therefore they are to be respected. So, which authority would you deem the highest on earth? The President of the United States, the Supreme Court, the Pope, the United Nations, or others?

Nevertheless, for the Bible believer, there is the one who created everything on earth and beyond, the Beginning and the End, the First and the Last–El Elyon–God Most High.

This means there is no other person above him. He is all-powerful, everywhere present, and all-knowing. He is the great Creator of all things seen and unseen. But most amazingly, He is now our Father. Because we accepted his Son, Jesus Christ, and his atonement for our sins, we “Gentiles” have been adopted into his family as sons and daughters. Do we really know what this means?

A few things we can take away from embracing El Elyon’s authority:

First, there is no one more greater or powerful that exists. So our understanding of this fact would give us the confidence in knowing we have the best of care and his Holy Spirit is alive in us. Even when it appears all is going wrong, Romans 8:28 assures us that “… in all things, God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose..”

Second, along with the reality that our God is El Elyon, he is also Pele Yoetz–Wonderful Counselor. So we are also blessed to have access to his counsel in all things. Isn’t that incredible? Now, godly wisdom sets our priorities with the Most High God as supreme. Our thoughts become aligned with his will by learning and meditating on his principles and precepts for living. We are joined together in unity as one Body of Christ with his goals being ours.

Third, we are not only graced with his Holy Spirit and wisdom but his protection. I’m reminded of the story in Daniel 3:26 where Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, three young men of God, were thrown into a fiery furnace because of their allegiance to him. In the end, even King Nebuchadnezzar, the great Babylonian king, at the entrance of the blazing furnace, acknowledged them as servants of the “Most High God.” They had been cast into a ferocious fire that immediately burned to death those men that cast them in, yet caused them not even the smell of smoke as they exited unharmed!

Finally, throughout the Bible, God has proven to his people and his enemies, his status as God Most High. We should remember this and our position as a connected family, now citizens of heaven, seated with Jesus in heavenly places (Philippians 3:20 and Ephesians 2:6).

We can rest confident that the highest authority–El Elyon–has all the power to continually provide for and protect us. It may take a lifetime to actually have total trust in this reality. Nevertheless, the sooner we truly believe it the better.

May God Most High help us all to fully trust what is written in his word.

Obedience: After God’s Heart

by Ms. Rita's Minute

Acts 13:22

“… God testified concerning him: ‘I have found David son of Jesse, a man after my own heart; he will do everything I want him to do.’”

Often, we may have heard the Bible verse of God seeing David as a man after His own heart. We may ponder the reasons as to what would inspire such favor from the Lord. Many may attribute it to David’s worship, prayers, or boldness, among other things. Yet this verse gives us the answer so simply and clearly: David would do everything God wanted him to do.

This, as was proven later, didn’t mean that David was always perfect in his behavior before the Lord. However, God was well acquainted with his heart and knew he could count on him to do those specific things He desired of him.

What we may learn from Acts 13:22 is that obedience, even with other traits, good and not so good, gets God’s attention. Obedience can be more difficult to do in some instances than others, yet in any event, it remains a valuable discipline.

Though we find some instructions challenging, we are not alone in our endeavors to obey as Hebrews 13:21 speaks to God equipping us with everything good for doing his will, and that he may work in us what is pleasing to him, through Jesus Christ.

We should hold dear that the Lord cares about us and helps us fulfill His will as “… the eyes of the LORD are on those who fear him, on those whose hope is in his unfailing love” (Psalm 33:18). “The blameless spend their days under the LORD’s care, and their inheritance will endure forever” (Psalm 37:18).

The Holy Spirit guides, strengthens and empowers us to live according to His will. Per John 14:26, “The Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in my name, he will teach you all things and bring to your remembrance all that I have said to you.”

In Acts 4:8, 31; 6:10; and 1 Thess. 1:5, the Holy Spirit empowered the disciples to be effective witnesses of the Gospel. At Pentecost, He empowered them to boldly preach the Gospel to all nations.

Ephesians 3:20 tells us God “is able to do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine, according to his power that is at work within us.” This should inspire confidence in us to exercise the discipline necessary to carry out the Lord’s will for our lives. The fact that his ability and strength reside on the inside of us is remarkable.

In 2 Samuel 6:12-15, we find David using wisdom when he recognizes the error in the transportation of the Ark of the Covenant, and follows God’s commands, properly bringing the Ark to Jerusalem. God’s instructions specified that the Ark should be carried on poles by Levites and not touched. We, too, can humbly correct our mistakes and do what’s right as God has instructed.

David prayed for God’s leading and encouraged himself with the facts of God’s word in Psalm 27:11-14. It is to our advantage to speak God’s faith-building words over our lives for success in being obedient. Our words can also be testimonies to others experiencing the same challenges, as David’s words are to us today.

Psalm 40 shows David’s example of obedience during difficult times. We see David’s experience with danger and rescue. David recounted how God delivered him from his enemies, and we see his gratefulness and commitment to doing God’s will and telling others about his deliverance.

While expressing his desire to do God’s will, David trusted in the Lord’s plan and strength. Knowing and keeping God’s word in our hearts, along with trusting Him, and having a desire to carry out what He wants us to do, is a great start in accomplishing His will and representing the family of God after His heart.

Treasuring Our Lives in Christ

by Ms. Rita's Minute

Romans 9:25-26

“As he says in Hosea: “I will call them ‘my people’ who are not my people, and I will call her ‘my loved one’ who is not my loved one,” and, “In the very place where it was said to them, ‘You are not my people,’ there they will be called ‘children of the living God.’”

On this lovely serene evening of the last day of 2024, I’m remembering the amazing Bible truth in the book of Romans that love fulfills the law. I pray that in the coming new year, I will allow the Holy Spirit to love through me in all the creative ways He chooses, doing no wrong to a neighbor. Now I don’t seek to nullify or abolish the law. However, I am justified by my faith in Jesus Christ as are all who place their faith in Him.

The Father provided Jesus as the sacrifice of atonement for our sins, and our faith in Jesus is now credited as righteousness. When we were ungodly and powerless, Christ died for us. Even while we were enemies, God reconciled us to himself, so that now we have been truly justified by the blood of Jesus Christ. Presently, the life we are living, we live in Christ who gave himself for us.

We don’t go on intentionally sinning so that we can gain more grace. We died to sin when we were baptized into Christ, being baptized into his death, our old selves being crucified. Hence, we’re no longer slaves to sin but can count ourselves as dead to it, but alive to God in Christ Jesus.

Now that we’ve been set free from sin, the benefit we gain leads to holiness with the result of eternal life. Though sin’s wages are death, God’s gift is eternal life in our Lord, Christ Jesus.

The life we’re living in him, we live by God’s Holy Spirit, having our minds set on what He desires. However, our minds governed by carnal or fleshly things is death, but by God’s Spirit is life and peace.

When we are carnal in behavior, we don’t submit to God’s law, nor do we please him. But because His Spirit lives in us, He gives us life because of His righteousness, though our bodies are subject to death because of sin. Nevertheless, the one who raised Christ from the dead will also give life to our bodies because he lives in us.

I thank God that he’s now adopted us as his children. We are now heirs of God–joint heirs with Christ. That’s if we share in his sufferings that we might share in his glory. It will all be worth it and can’t compare to the glory that will be revealed in us.

Moreover, I’m excited and cherish that in all things, we are now more than conquerors through Jesus who loved us and gave himself for us. I’m appreciative and confident that nothing will separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus and rethinking our lives in Him fills me with great joy as one year closes and the next one begins.

When Jesus Arrived

by Ms. Rita's Minute

John 1:14
“The Word became flesh and made his dwelling among us. We have seen his glory, the glory of the one and only Son, who came from the Father, full of grace and truth.”

What a wonderful time it must have been to be physically present when Jesus was born. Did he arrive loudly crying, or quiet and content? Was he a large, chunky baby, or fairly small and slight in build? How in the world did this virgin, Mary, feel? Did she experience any pain delivering Jesus? How might she have felt afterward during her recovery period in a barn-like area, versus in a warm hospital delivery room? I try hard to recreate the images in my mind but fall short.

To imagine the Son of Almighty God being born this way is puzzling and makes me hope to one day see a replay in heaven sometime after I’ve arrived.

This whole occurrence shows the awesome humility of God. I mean, we’re talking about someone who created the Universe and all that there is, arriving in a human body as a baby to grow, dwell, and die among mankind. This is someone whose Spirit is omniscient, omnipresent, and omnipotent arriving in a way where he might more easily relate to us and save us. He’s just so amazing!

Philippians 2:6-7 describes Him so fittingly, “Who, being in very nature God, did not consider equality with God something to be used to his own advantage; rather, he made himself nothing by taking the very nature of a servant, being made in human likeness.”

Yet in other places, like Psalm 29, we see God described as one who “thunders,” whose voice “breaks cedars,” “strikes with flashes of lightning,” and “shakes the desert.” This same power split the Red Sea and allowed the Israelites to cross over among other incredible things. He remains an astounding person of many miracles.

Christmas means so much when we take time to get quiet and think about Christ and his coming then; not to mention again, later. It doesn’t matter what day we celebrate, but that we do commemorate his birth–which I find to be an excellent idea. We do this in various ways of celebration, but especially by giving, as there was no greater gift given to us than Jesus, Immanuel–God with us.

Moreover, though the time came that he would suffer in his body and leave the earth for a while, he gave us the great gift and privilege of being a part of his family. We’ve become children of his Father whom we now call our Father. So presently, we like Jesus, can do the things our Father desires.

We who have accepted and love the Lord, are the Body of Christ. His Spirit lives in us and will forever be with us. In the not-too-distant future, we will see Him in his bodily form, as He has prepared a place for us and will take us to live with Him where He is as stated in John 14:3.

There is indeed much that can be taught relating to this awe-inspiring occurrence of the Lord’s arrival. Yet I’ll be content to remember: “For to us a child is born, to us a son is given, and the government will be on his shoulders. And he will be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace. Of the greatness of his government and peace, there will be no end. …” (Isaiah 9:6-7).

What’s On Your Mind?

by Ms. Rita's Minute

Philippians 4:8 (NKJV)

“Finally, brethren, whatever things are true, whatever things are noble, whatever things are just, whatever things are pure, whatever things are lovely, whatever things are of good report, if there is any virtue and if there is anything praiseworthy—meditate on these things.”

Today I thought about my mind. I pondered if my thoughts were mostly heavenly-minded or as healthy as they should be; if they were truly godly thoughts. I sought to assess if my mind was holy or set apart with the Lord’s ideas.

I know we’re tempted from time to time to think about things that aren’t very helpful to our lives and have many opportunities to be led in the wrong direction. Yet I’m so glad the Bible clearly gives us direction on how to think.

When we find our thoughts becoming distracted with things that can be troublesome or desirable, by the fruit of self-control the Holy Spirit has given us, we can assess whether our thoughts truly demonstrate the mind of Christ that 1 Corinthians 2:16 tells us we have: ‘… “Who has known the mind of the Lord so as to instruct him?” But we have the mind of Christ.’

Hence, we may ask ourselves if our thoughts are:

True
Is what we are thinking about true? Unpack it. Is it accurate? Is it factual? Is it addressed in the Bible?

Noble
Is what we’re thinking upright and honorable? Is it respectful and of good qualities?

Just
Are our thoughts fair-minded, impartial, and without bias? Are they morally right?

Pure
Are our mindsets clear, unadulterated, or refined? Are our thoughts uncontaminated without unnecessary elements?

Lovely

Are our ponderings appealing or attractive?

Good

Are our thoughts acceptable, admirable, and beneficial?

Virtuous

Is our reasoning principled, clean, and decent?

Praiseworthy

Might our thinking be commendable, credible, or exemplary?

These characteristics appear to be quite lofty standards to obtain in our thinking. However, the Bible tells us our citizenship is not of this world, but heaven (Philippians 3:20-21), so the Holy Spirit is faithful to help us to achieve success when we ask the Lord with sincerity. Nevertheless, we must be willing to be patient with our transformation.

Colossians 3:2 tells us to set our minds on the things of heaven and not the things of earth. This can be particularly difficult since we are faced with the sights of many worldly things continually. Some of these things are truly beautiful. Yet I’m convinced it takes the power of the Holy Spirit along with the spiritual discipline of prayer, Bible study, other Christian lifestyle reading, and authentic Christian fellowship, to do well in this endeavor of mastering godly thinking.

Often, we habitually think without even realizing what we’re thinking about. Self-reflection is key–checking in periodically to see what’s on our minds and if it is helpful to our Christian walk. Then we pray, seek, and implement the necessary changes. “Search me, God, and know my heart; test me and know my anxious thoughts. See if there is any offensive way in me, and lead me in the way everlasting (Psalm 139:23-24)”.

Near to God

by Ms. Rita's Minute

Psalm 73:28
“But as for me, it is good to be near God. I have made the Sovereign Lord my refuge; I will tell of all your deeds.”

Being near to God, the Sovereign Creator of heaven and earth and all it encompasses is a wonderful place to be. “For in him all things were created: things in heaven and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or powers or rulers or authorities; all things have been created through him and for him” (Colossians 1:16).

To think upon His greatness and His mercy in loving and relating to His own creation is awe-inspiring. In perhaps our sheepishness to draw near to Him, James 4:8 tells us to “Come near to God and he will come near to you. …”

We don’t have to try to be anyone other than ourselves but we should “…draw near to God with a sincere heart and with the full assurance that faith brings, having our hearts sprinkled to cleanse us from a guilty conscience and having our bodies washed with pure water” (Hebrews 10:22).

Moreover, the possibility of having His actual Holy Spirit living and breathing on the inside of us is beyond figuring out. To be so grand, yet grant us the privilege of access to Him at any time gives me great comfort.

It seems the Father’s love and care for us can not be measured with human minds, but we have a demonstration in His giving the life of His precious Son to reconcile men to Himself.

To know that we have this kind of Father who cares for us is mindboggling. “This is what the Lord says— your Redeemer, the Holy One of Israel: ‘I am the Lord your God, who teaches you what is best for you, who directs you in the way you should go’ (Isaiah 48:17).

God’s holiness can be quite difficult to comprehend, yet the Bible helps us in speaking of it in marvelous terms: “…“‘Holy, holy, holy is the Lord God Almighty,’ who was, and is, and is to come” (Revelation 4:8). Psalm 104:1-2 tells us of our God, “… Lord my God, you are very great; you are clothed with splendor and majesty. The Lord wraps himself in light as with a garment; he stretches out the heavens like a tent.”

Another awesome scripture is, “Who has measured the waters in the hollow of his hand, or with the breadth of his hand marked off the heavens? Who has held the dust of the earth in a basket, or weighed the mountains on the scales and the hills in a balance” (Isaiah 40:12)?

In all that He is, He is also our refuge. A refuge is a place where we find shelter and safety from danger. “Whoever fears the Lord has a secure fortress, and for their children, it will be a refuge” (Proverbs 14:26). ““Every word of God is flawless; he is a shield to those who take refuge in him” (Proverbs 30:5). “The Lord is good, a refuge in times of trouble. He cares for those who trust in him” (Nahum 1:7).

As we’re coming to know the Lord more and more, of course, we’d want to tell of his wonderful works. If we don’t, all of nature does. “The heavens declare the glory of God; the skies proclaim the work of his hands” (Psalm 19:1). Perhaps it takes a lifetime to mention them all. Yet they’re delightful to see, hear, and tell.

Are You Happy?

by Ms. Rita's Minute

Psalm 68:3
“But may the righteous be glad and rejoice before God; may they be happy and joyful.”

Do you remember the 80s song, “Don’t Worry, Be Happy” by Bobby McFerrin? I loved that song. It would make me happy just to hear it.

Though everything we hear or see won’t inspire us with happiness, God really does want us to be happy. Though we may be in a season of challenges, or encounter some frustrations over somewhere we’ve fallen short, we have a Father who wants us to be happy.

You may have heard it said that we aren’t put here on earth to be happy, or God doesn’t care about us being happy. However, the Bible says otherwise.

Happy is a wonderful emotion meaning glad, joyful, or merry. The Bible refers to it in various aspects; with Psalm 68:3 above showing the state in which the righteous should exist. Being joyful is key in that joy is a fruit of God’s Holy Spirit. That makes it pretty important.

I would even venture to say that if God happens to discipline or correct us with His scripture verses, we should seek to find happiness in receiving that information as we then experience God’s care for us and the results of gladness it produces when we act upon it.

In Genesis 30:13, in the story of two sisters Leah and Rachel who married Jacob, after Leah saw she had stopped having children and upon her servant bearing a second one with Jacob, she said “How happy I am! The women will call me happy.” So she named him Asher. In Hebrew, Asher means happy or blessed.

Interestingly, after this incident, Leah conceived two sons, Issachar and Zebulun, and a daughter, Dinah. Then God blessed Rachel to finally conceive–two sons, Joseph, and later Benjamin. In the end, it was good to see God find a way to make both Leah and Rachel happy.

In Proverbs 15:13, we’re told, “A happy heart makes the face cheerful, but heartache crushes the spirit.” So here we see the importance of a happy heart, versus heartache. A joyful, positive outlook can be good for our health, while a negative feeling can drain us of the will to get well. We are the light of the world. Our countenance is described in Psalm 34:5: “Those who look to him are radiant; their faces are never covered with shame.”

Blessed is another word used for happy in the bible. In Jesus’ sermon on the mount in Matthew 5, the Greek word translated as “blessed” is “Makarios”, meaning happy, fortunate, enlarged, or lengthy. Its Hebrew word, which most closely translates to “blessed” is “ashrei” (אשרי), which signifies a deep sense of happiness and contentment, implying God’s favor resting upon someone.

So, how can we be truly blessed and not be happy?

Crucial Observations

by Ms. Rita's Minute

“We should not commit sexual immorality,

as some of them did—and in one day 23,000 of them died.”

(1 Corinthians 10:8)

These days, some people may call me negative for highlighting this scripture verse. However, I remind myself of its importance as much as I would anyone else, especially if it means saving one’s life.

This verse is related to the Apostle Paul’s warning to the Corinthian church about those events that happened to the Israelites that later served to show God’s people the consequences of setting their hearts on doing ungodly things.

Paul reminded them that their ancestors, all baptized as Moses’ followers, ate the same spiritual food, but God wasn’t pleased with most of them. As a result, their bodies ended up scattered in the wilderness.

They reaped fatal results because they gave themselves to the following behaviors:

a. idolatry – the act of worshipping idols or placing anything other than God as the primary focus of one’s devotion, essentially putting something else in the place of God,

b. revelry – excessive, uncontrolled partying or celebration, often associated with pagan worship practices, including feasting, drinking, and dancing,

c. sexual immorality – sexual activity outside of marriage, including adultery, fornication, and other sexual acts considered morally wrong,

d. testing Christ – the act of deliberately putting God’s power and faithfulness to the test by engaging in risky or questionable behavior, and

e. grumbling – complaining or murmuring against God.

Sexual immorality not only killed 23,000 of them in one day, but putting God to the test caused deadly snake bites, and grumbling caused them to be destroyed by the angel of death.

Paul then goes on to tell them to be careful not to fall by thinking they are so strong; that the temptations in their lives were no different from what others experience. However, God being faithful, wouldn’t allow them to be tempted more than they could stand, and would show them a way out so that they could endure.

He also warned them regarding sacrifices offered to demons, that he didn’t want them participating with demons; that they could not eat at the Lord’s table and the table of demons at the same time and not arouse the Lord’s jealousy.

Where in another instance Paul advises people to flee fornication, here he says to flee the worship of idols. In fleeing, I imagine someone running. Also, he continues with, though one may say they are allowed to do anything, everything isn’t beneficial.

Finally, an important reminder is that even though these things occurred in the Old Testament of the Bible, we are told in 1 Corinthians 10:11, “These things happened to them as examples for us. They were written down to warn us who live at the end of the age.” So, we’d all be wise to pay close attention to these crucial lessons.

Successful Planning

by Ms. Rita's Minute

“Plans are established by seeking advice;
    so if you wage war, obtain guidance” (Proverbs 20:18).

Have you made any plans lately? If so, perhaps they relate to your family, friends, jobs, homes, ministries, health, and finances—all important to most of us.

Planning can actually be fun and at the same time stressful. It forces us to think about all that we really want or need in a particular area of our lives. It moves us to be specific about the steps we need to take to reach our desired outcomes and requires our time and effort to develop.

Thankfully, Proverbs 20:18 provides us with a means to successful planning: advice. Counsel or guidance is an important part of wisdom in planning. Sources of direction may come through a parent, close friend, church leader, therapist, or another person of wisdom. Hence, our source should be one of sufficient trustworthiness and reliance.

In any case, when developing our plans, the first mode of counsel should be communication with God through prayer and the Bible. We should faithfully ask the Lord for wisdom with biblical reference of confirmation. Sometimes, in providing those, He may even highlight or send a person to provide insight on the very thing for which we are praying.

In any event, seeking the Lord’s perspective on any plans we make, is the chief reliable way toward a successful outcome. The Bible gives us some helpful verses concerning our plans:

“Commit to the Lord whatever you do, and he will establish your plans” (Proverbs 16:3). The Hebrew word for commit here is galal which means to roll or trust. Therefore we should roll onto, dedicate, or devote our plans to God. Kuwn is the Hebrew word for establish, meaning, set up or erect, which indicates he will put into place those plans for us.

“Suppose one of you wants to build a tower. Won’t you first sit down and estimate the cost to see if you have enough money to complete it” (Luke 14:28)? This is a very important verse. Sometimes, in our excitement and impatience, we are tempted to rush our plans toward action.

At times we just want our own way and immediately. However, this attitude can cause a lot of wasted time and frustration as we reap the mistakes of not thinking thoroughly through our plans and determining the price required to finish them.

Yet in submitting our plans to the Lord, even when we aren’t sure how or when all will work out after we’ve prayed, researched, written our ideas, and sought advice, we can rest in the Apostle Paul’s message: “… whatever you do, do it all for the glory of God” (1 Corinthians 10:31).

As such, our plans should bring God glory—that is, doxa in the Greek language—honor, splendor, and majesty.

Moreover, though they may appear to be our plans, “Unless the Lord builds the house, the builders labor in vain. Unless the Lord watches over the city, the guards stand watch in vain” (Psalm 127:1). So, we humble ourselves, consult the Lord in all things, and wait on Him as He instructs us on how to proceed.

May God help us all to be faithful in this endeavor.