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Temptation isn’t bad; it is what we do with it that is crucial. Jesus was tempted, but those temptations didn’t adversely affect Him. That was because of how He responded to them.

As Jesus neared His Passion Week, He made this insightful statement.  “I don’t have much more time to talk to you, because the ruler of this world approaches. He has no power over me…” John 14:30 (NLT2) Why didn’t Satan have any power over His humanity? Too often we inadvertently say things that later incriminate us. That same principle applies to inadvertently allowing ideas that pop into our minds. Paul warned, “For we are not fighting against flesh-and-blood enemies, but against evil rulers and authorities of the unseen world, against mighty powers in this dark world, and against evil spirits in the heavenly places.” Ephesians 6:12 (NLT2) The wrestling we do is done in our minds, in the ideas that pop up there that are not on things above.

Again, ideas alone are not the problem any more than temptations are the problem. It is what we do with them. When we let them park in our heads and entertain them, the enemy of our souls sets up “strongholds” there that will plague us. For example: When Jesus asked His disciples, who do you say I am? ” (Mt.16:15-16), Peter was inspired to say, “You are the Christ (Messiah)…” Notice Jesus’ response. In today’s language He replied, You didn’t figure that out yourself; that was revealed to you. Peter took pride in that, then Jesus rebuked him, saying. “Get behind me, Satan! You are a hindrance to me. For you are not setting your mind on the things of God, but on the things of man.” Matthew 16:23 (ESV) Peter earlier had heard the Spirit’s whisper but didn’t know the difference between the Spirit’s voice and Satan’s voice.

When we listen to Satan’s ideas in our minds, he is able to set up a “stronghold” there which gives him leverage over us. Jesus immediately recognized it was Satan speaking those words through Peter and called him out. Satan gives us distorted thoughts about people, then makes us talk undesirably to them. In that light, when Jesus said Satan had no leverage over Him, it was because He never entertained the bad ideas Satan tried to plant in His mind.

We mentally discount the reality of the spiritual, whether it be of God or the devil. Therefore, we are slow to think either God or the devil put an idea in our mind that we allow to park there. When Jesus sent out His disciples, Judas Iscariot preached and cast out demons along with the rest. But Satan planted evil thoughts in his mind, and we know the rest of that story.

So how can a person get rid of the strongholds Satan has already planted in our minds, and will plant more of them if we let him? I like how the Today’s English Version translates Solomon’s words, “Be careful how you think; your life is shaped by your thoughts.” Proverbs 4:23 (TEV) As we regularly reflect on God’s Word, we are awed when we recognize who He really is. That awe literally transforms us. Paul wrote, “And we all, with unveiled face, beholding the glory of the Lord, are being transformed into the same image from one degree of glory to another. For this comes from the Lord, who is the Spirit.” 2 Corinthians 3:18 (ESV) Contrast how the Bible describes the people in Noah’s day, “[The Lord … saw that everything they thought or imagined was consistently and totally evil. Genesis 6:5 (NLT2) We can’t afford not to guard our hearts!

I get impatient easily, such as in traffic, in a queue, or at a doctor’s office. I spent hours at the hospital waiting to be discharged. My frustration grew as I waited. I considered trying to intervene but knew it would create a bigger mess.

Ironic as it sounds, previously I had been having a delightful time only minutes earlier, thanking, praising and worshiping God. Then, I was focused on gratitude and awe for how He used my TIA diagnosis to remind me I couldn’t trust myself. Only He and His direction of events could be trusted regarding my brief hospital stay. I am unreliable because of my wobbly trust. I saw clearly that I had to leave my life in God’s hands, no matter what.

God is patiently using painful events to break my obsession with the physical. When I feel God is putting me in an unhappy place, my spirit faith would tell my fickle soul that it’s better to trust in God’s love than to rely on myself. Joseph experienced the pit, prison, and being forgotten only to rise to the second in command of Egypt. How can I be so upset by a hospital discharge delay? Shouldn’t I patiently await my loving God’s work to remove my impatience? God arranged for Jonah to be spewed out at the perfect time and place to fulfill what God had asked him to do.

What does my flawed self say about submitting my world to Him? Can I trust Him enough to allow Him to use my illness and hospital stay to lead me? Although I resisted like a child, He’s done so much through me; why does He still put up with my persistent independence?

Samson killed a lion, and later, feeling down, he discovered honey in its skull, from which he drew strength. Why do we struggle to trust God to bring good from our pain? He utilizes that pain to prepare us for His greater plan. Daniel was marched as a prisoner from Jerusalem to Babylon to be tossed into the lions’ den, then ultimately to become a hero of our faith.

I’m truly ashamed of my continuous, toddler-like resistance to God’s wonderful plan for me. What amazes me further is that having patiently wrestled with me, He invests even more grace to teach me to surrender more to His loving trust and mercy. How glorious and marvelous is the God we serve! Deep contemplation of this is very humbling.

What is God trying to teach you that you don’t want to learn? Since Connie graduated, it seems He has been reshaping my independence, so I trust only Him for my future. I hate to admit this, but I just want to know where I’m headed. This shows my mind secretly fears He’ll ruin my future, even though I know that’s not true. His character history reveals He doesn’t want me or anyone else to be spiritually barren on this earth. Fruitfulness is consistently high on His core value list, but it will also involve risk. Will I ever be able to accept the truth emotionally? Not until I decide to fully abandon myself to Him. Where might you be in this area of your real-time daily life?

I’m slowly accepting that this world is a perfectly good and safe place for anyone to be, no matter the circumstances, if I have truly placed my life in the hands of God.

How critical is humility in becoming an apprentice of Jesus? Does God’s attitude towards pride adequately answer that question? I was unaware of how pride had developed in a certain area of my life. It was recently revealed, and it crushed me. Frankly, it was so traumatic that it occurred over several days and has taken weeks for me to stabilize. It clearly exposed to me how serious God is about our dealing with our pride.

It has reminded me of what God said to the early Hebrews, “Remember how the LORD your God led you through the wilderness for these forty years, humbling you and testing you to prove your character, and to find out whether or not you would obey his commands.” Deuteronomy 8:2 (NLT2) Solomon wrote, “One’s pride will bring him low, but he who is lowly in spirit will obtain honor.” Proverbs 29:23 (ESV) John wrote, “For the world offers only a craving for physical pleasure, a craving for everything we see, and pride in our achievements and possessions. These are not from the Father, but are from this world.” 1 John 2:16 (NLT2) The only acceptable pride is pride in God or others, rather than in ourselves.

I’m not exactly sure why this is the case, but humility does not come instantaneously. That part of our sin-nature is deep in the core of a person. Trusting God confidently while being humble about myself, as Jesus was, has been a slow process of relearning to walk. Humility and confidence in Christ are born from patient endurance in our daily experiences in life. It could be in something as innocently appearing as waiting in line in traffic, a shopping line, for a doctor or your spouse. Waiting has a strange way of showing us our self-centeredness or self-reliance.

To foster a closer relationship with God, humility requires acknowledging our dependence on His grace and recognizing our inherent limitations. According to James 4:6, “God opposes the proud but shows favor to the humble.” Paul wrote “Have this mind among yourselves, which is yours in Christ Jesus, who, though he was in the form of God, did not count equality with God a thing to be grasped, but emptied himself, by taking the form of a servant, being born in the likeness of men.  And being found in human form, he humbled himself by becoming obedient to the point of death, even death on a cross.” Philippians 2:5-8 (ESV). He also wrote to the people at Colossae, “Since God chose you to be the holy people he loves, you must clothe yourselves with tenderhearted mercy, kindness, humility, gentleness, and patience.” Colossians 3:12 (NLT2)

I am still relearning to walk with Christ in a new way. I’m stumbling yet getting stronger and more grateful as I stumble. Just to think that the God of the Universe took the time to take a chisel to me is humbling and elicits humble gratitude to Him.

Having gone through what I have, I suggest that you examine your own life to see where you may have allowed pride to unconsciously sprout up. Trust me. It can be very painful when God has to extract it from you—but then, perhaps that is the only way we will be broken enough to admit we have unacceptable pride and God is not pleased with it in our lives. Keep in mind that if we are serious about our relationship with God, impure pride must be dealt with. Paul wrote, “Christ gave His life … to make [us] holy and clean, washed by the cleansing of God’s word.  He did this to present [us] to himself as a glorious church without a spot or wrinkle or any other blemish. Instead, [we] will be holy and without fault.” Ephesians 5:26-27 (NLT2) I want spiritual surgery if it will make me more into His image.

More often than I like, I’ve been challenged when a person admits breaking God’s law, but what they said was an admission more than a humble confession. I easily forgave them, but my forgiveness alone left my spirit uneasy. As a responsible leader, should my personal forgiveness override the required consequences? That drove me to a deeper search of God’s Word.

When Adam and Eve sinned, their guilt and shame led them to hide from God. When God asked Adam where he was, He was trying to help Adam take his first step by coming out of hiding, which he did. Then came the crisis point. Adam immediately admitted his sin by saying, “I was afraid because I was naked.” God responded by drawing Adam farther out of his emotional hiding by asking, ‘Who told you that you were naked?’ God was leaving a wide-open door for Adam to come clean with his and Eve’s sin; but Adam refused to go through that open door.

It is easy to acknowledge our predicament. However, our pride makes it hard for us to own the choice that got us into that predicament. Consider Adam and Eve.

Adam immediately became defensive. Instead of humbly confessing their sin, he went on the defense and pointed fingers of blame. Adam essentially put the blame on God and his wife. “The woman You gave to be with me, she gave me of the fruit of the tree, and I ate it.” Does that sound familiar? It also makes me wonder how God felt when Adam blamed Him for his sin.

God then spoke to Eve to expose her position in this situation. She followed Adam’s lead and blamed the serpent for deceiving her. What might you say is wrong with this picture?

Paul had sent a letter to correct the believers at Corinth. It brought them, as well as himself, pain that led to their good. “For the kind of sorrow God wants us to experience leads us away from sin and results in salvation. There’s no regrets for that kind of sorrow. But worldly sorrow, which lacks repentance, results in spiritual death.” 2 Corinthians 7:10 NLT

Instead of godly sorrow for their blatant sin, they exhibited prideful defensiveness. Was God angry at them? No, He showed compassion by making coats of skins to cover their nakedness. Adam had admitted the fact that they had sinned but did not have godly sorrow that leads to a changed life. God turned their bad into good by sending them out of His kingdom and enacting His plan of redemption for all of Adam and Eve’s offspring. In doing that, all creation would see the magnitude of His grace and mercy.

We cannot respond as God, but His example teaches us that respectfully accepting negative consequences can positively influence our future confessions. This should apply to our poor decisions and those of others. Were you truly sorry, or did you abuse God’s kindness? Did you think God would forgive you even if you didn’t feel remorse? Does ignoring consequences ever lead to positive life changes for you? Can we help each other assess the value of confessing and owning up to mistakes?

I’m ashamed to admit that my date-life with Connie in college was very pathetic! I was wrestling with God, which meant I was on again, off again, in romancing her. She certainly deserved far more consistency, but I was so preoccupied with my skirmish with God’s call on my life that I was unable to even see what I was doing to her. Unfortunately, the skirmish with God lasted for years. However, God was merciful and enabled me to stabilize enough to show her love and marry her. Little did I know then how much I would need her strength in the years ahead.

I realize my contest with God was unique, but I have watched so many through the years who are on again, off again in their relationship with God. The things of this world pull their attention away from God’s plan. Some struggle with being content with their jobs, finances, relationships, or ambitions. While they verbally committed themselves to loving God, they repeatedly committed spiritual adultery with attractions of life around them. The early Hebrews treated God the same way for millennia.

Jesus said explicitly, “Abide in me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit by itself, unless it abides in the vine, neither can you, unless you abide in me.  I am the vine; you are the branches. Whoever abides in me and I in him, he it is that bears much fruit, for apart from me you can do nothing.  If anyone does not abide in me, he is thrown away like a branch and withers; and the branches are gathered, thrown into the fire, and burned.” John 15:4-7 (ESV) The operative word in this context is “abide.” The word means to remain continuously in an unbroken, personal relationship. He desires to abide in us, yet His abiding is contingent upon our continuing to cultivate intimacy with His presence. The cost of not doing so is unbearable.

God allows us—each of us and all of us—to have our own way. God’s way is far better. But on earth, His authority is available, not forced. Each of us has his or her own kingdom where he or she is king or queen of his or her own kingdom—life. In order for “thy kingdom come, thy will be done” to be a reality in our lives, we must literally surrender our little kingdoms to God’s rule so He can rule. But surrender requires more than lip service. It requires a conscious, heartfelt transfer of power and authority from us to God. For example, in practice, this means our sovereignty to choose how we think about and treat others matters to God. Jesus taught having any form of contempt (saying “Raca” to others – Matthew 5:22) is not in alignment with His kingdom life.

To receive Jesus’ promises, we must realize that prioritizing our will over God’s will limits His power to work in and through us.

In the simplest of terms, the more effort we make to seek intimacy with God, the more abundant life and joy we will experience on this earth. We cannot have it both ways. Our obsession with independence is our subtle enemy to the best life possible. You and I determine our destiny.

Through prayer, I’ve committed to serving God as a volunteer pastor-at-large at Asia Pacific Theological Seminary in Baguio, Philippines. A pastor-at-large refers to offering pastoral encouragement, mentoring/counseling to all the seminar students, faculty and the president there. Surprised? If so, I am as well. I never dreamed I would serve on the mission field. And considering my age and being a widower, I enter this role, expecting it to be a high risk in multiple areas. I wonder if Caleb, at 85 years of age, had similar feelings when he requested of Joshua to give him for his inheritance, Mount Hebron, where there a strategic city was located. When Caleb made that request, Hebron had been a stronghold of the Palestinians for decades. No doubt it was a much higher risk for him, but not really because God was with him.

This last trimester, APTS had students from at least 38 different Asia Pacific nations. Many were pastors and national church leaders seeking to get their post-graduate degrees. I have prayed to God for decades that He give me the nations for my inheritance. (Psalm 2:8) It has occurred to me that this may be His answer to my prayers.

However, while this is a mission for certain, this is not what is most important to me. More important than ANYTHING else is that I take on far more of the character, purpose, thinking, and unwavering love that Jesus had for His Father. To me, this God-ordained assignment is simply an expression of my relentless commitment to Him. My favorite verse, is already on our tombstone, is “…my life is worth nothing to me unless I use it for finishing the work assigned me by the Lord Jesus—the work of telling others the Good News about the wonderful grace of God.” Acts 20:24 (NLT2)

All other spiritual pursuits are secondary to becoming Jesus’ apprentice. A genuine apprenticeship or discipleship isn’t simply a few classes, thrilling experiences, a social cause, or theological knowledge. It has a sharply defined purpose.  That purpose being the full ‘experiential knowledge’ (such as when Adam knew Eve, and she conceived) of Jesus Christ.  (Eph 4:13) Reaching the fullness of Christ is a lifelong process, not achievable in one lifetime. God does not expect a person to attain such an impossible feat. But He does desire a heart that continues to pant for the spiritual water brooks. My aim is not to set out on a mission for the kingdom of God. Instead, it focuses on progressively adopting God’s perspective, imitating the love Jesus showed the Father, His personality, and His ways.

My intention for this mission is not to seek validation. My goal, however, is to motivate others to seek God, adapting their approach to their unique circumstances, calling, and age. The process of becoming Christlike is a journey that lasts a lifetime. “Let us think of ways to motivate one another to acts of love and good works.” Hebrews 10:24 (NLT2)

Do you believe God smiles at your of your zealous efforts to emulate Jesus? If not, what comes to mind that would bring His joy and empowerment.

Have I become a more honorable or dishonorable servant of God? We can serve God as His handyman or a tool to get a job done because ‘someone has to do it’, or serve Him out of love for Him alone. Just because we are reasonably skilled at a task doesn’t mean we find His joy in doing it. We can find pride and joy doing the task while doing it, while our task is really only a good excuse for doing what we enjoy doing.

God carefully instructed the Hebrews how they were to perform worship to him. When they did so, He was pleased. However, as years past, He told them through Isaiah to stop doing those tasks because they had become as a stench in His eyes. Their heart was no longer in that worship, or they did it with wrong motives.

God doesn’t need us to fulfill a task for Him. He could have angels, the heathen or a donkey to do what He wants done. God has used people who didn’t even call Him their god. He called Nebuchadnezzar “My servant” (Je 25:9), only because he was a “rod of anger” whom God used to punish His idolatry-filled people. Nebuchadnezzar’s servantship to God was a dubious distinction; simply a handy tool whom He used, not a dedicated servant eager to serve Him.

The same could be said of Cyrus. He called him His “shepherd” (Is. 44:28), His “appointed king” Is. 45:1), even the “anointed one” (Is. 45:1). He was used as a tool to deliver the Jews from Babylon. Just because God uses a person does NOT mean He approves of them.

The “handy tool” concept of service is the lowest on the scale. God takes no joy in the person who is merely available or skilled at doing it. He uses him for a special purpose despite the person’s callous heart or the unrighteousness of his life. We wonder how God could use such a person. Yet, He does. He is not doing so because of the person’s heart. He does so because He is sovereign. He even used Balaam’s donkey to serve His purpose.

What was the basis of Him using Noah? Noah found grace in His eyes. Abraham also found grace in His eyes. Because of His blind obedience to Him, God called him His friend. The humanity of Jesus was such a delightful Servant that God introduced Him to the world as “My beloved Son, in whom I am well-pleased” (Mt 3:17).

If I want to be an honorable servant to God, I must seek to be close to Him, so both of us will find joy in Him working through me. Jesus displayed such love and devotion to His Father that He totally limited His human desires. Out of profound love for His Father, He said, “I tell you the truth, the Son can do nothing by himself. He does only what he sees the Father doing. Whatever the Father does, the Son also does. For the Father loves the Son and shows him everything he is doing.” John 5:19-20b (NLT)

It is not in our best interest to be doing ‘His work’ if are not joyfully doing it unto Him. Can we help each other reassess the real why we serve so each of us can become more honorable servants than dishonorable ones?

Although not restricted to children, we all have had someone else only hear what they want to hear of what we told them. But that is true for all of us. We’ve all heard only what our mind wanted to hear while being ‘deaf’ to what our brain doesn’t want to hear. We can even do that when reading an article or book like the Bible. When we take the time to read it carefully again, often we are then able to absorb what it really said. When Jesus explained why He spoke in parables, He said, “13 That is why I use these parables, for they look, but they don’t really see. They hear, but they don’t really listen or understand. … 15 For the hearts of these people are hardened, and their ears cannot hear, and they have closed their eyes—so their eyes cannot see, and their ears cannot hear, and their hearts cannot understand, and they cannot turn to me and let me heal them.’ (Matthew 13:13,15 NLT)

They couldn’t hear because the ideas in their mind had predetermined or otherwise polluted their will to hear what they needed to hear. It is noteworthy that Jesus’ comments came after he had told a parable about the farmer planting seeds in 4 different soils. Each type responded differently to the same seed sowed. Then, after He explained why they couldn’t hear, he explained the parable to His disciples, which implied they weren’t hearing well either. The difference was, they sensed there was more to learn, so they asked in contrast to the crowd who just went on their way.

The point is, we too virtually have selective hearing when we read or hear the Bible read, or any spiritually laced book. That is why we must read the Bible and intentionally be listening to the Spirit who will reveal all truth to us, especially that related to what God’s word is saying. The same is true when we hear a sermon. While, as born-again believers, we have the Spirit living within us. However, unfortunately, we are not always listening to His interpretation of what we hear in a sermon. We understand with our heads, then perhaps use what self-discipline we have to practice what we hear. However, we miss the empowering work the Spirit to practice it and own, or incorporate, it into our daily lives. Subsequently, we are vulnerable to what another skilled speaker might say to us.

Jesus is explaining that the minds of the unbelievers in that situation had already decided what was true for them. This prevented them from choosing to hear the truth, believe it, and be healed. God’s spirit doesn’t keep us from hearing or seeing, it is the ideas that are in the person’s mind.

The challenge is, what may you have predetermined in your mind about God, what the Bible says, or prejudged what an author or teacher/preacher may say, so that you cannot hear a truth God may have spoken to you? The only way you can help yourself is by seeking to remain humble and not prejudge anyone. Then evaluate in your spirit what was meant for you to apply to your life. The Spirit empowered Balaam’s donkey to speak the truth, and He certainly wasn’t a spiritual being. Remember, God can even use unbelievers to speak the truth, so don’t allow prejudice to close your ears or eyes.

I just went through a period of intense, agonizing crisis lasting several days. The cumulative stress was horrific. Friday night, while sleeping, I experienced the Spirit’s intervention, similar to Paul’s, after his three requests for deliverance from his thorn in the flesh. The most encouraging part was being able to see how the anguish didn’t change how I felt about God. Ironically, I discovered more about my weaknesses through my defeats. I would not want to go through it again, but I am very grateful to God for allowing it to happen.

The top two explanations I’m aware of about Paul’s thorn were first the Jewish agonistics who constantly stirred up trouble for him. The second explanation was he had poor eyesight, due to having been stoned and left for dead on one occasion. (Gal. 6:11) Both were serious frustrations for him. Pause and consider how Paul probably felt about his “thorn in the flesh” before the Spirit revealed the reason for it.

Regardless of what the thorn was, we know experientially thorns add serious stress to our lives. Paul asked God to deliver him three times, but nothing happened. (2 Corinthians 12:2-10) Before God revealed the purpose for his thorn, do you suppose he might have thought, “God, I pray for others to be delivered but I cannot receive it for myself. What is wrong with this picture?”

Here is the thought-provoking part. In the end, Paul realized the thorn’s origin was from God or with God’s consent. It was given to him to keep him humble. What does this suggest about the importance of humility to God? This also provides a clue about Paul’s persistent personal struggles. His profound revelation of heaven had involuntarily triggered his pride, which God hates. He was helping Paul overcome his pride. Could it be, the primary antagonist in our life is our “thorn in the flesh”, allowed by God to bless us, not hurt us?

Why do parents discipline their children? …to hurt them? Of course not! Yet it involves pain. I will never forget mom’s words before she spanked me; “it hurts me more than it hurts you.” Could it be God feels like that when He allows our “thorn in the flesh”?

Despite our naivety, each of us has a critical weakness. It could be insecurity, pride, materialism, bitterness, or such. Thorns could come in the form of an illness, a wayward child or wife as Hosea had, or a painful loss as Connie’s death in my case. Whatever it may be, it would be designed by a loving God to prepare us for what He knows is ahead of us.

Does our pain matter to God? Absolutely! However, His priority is molding us to reflect Him and fulfill His purpose for us, not ensuring our comfort or happiness. Can we see our struggles as a divine gift to transform us into God’s likeness? For Paul, he came to say, “I am glad to boast about my weaknesses, so that the power of Christ can work through me.  That’s why I take pleasure in my weaknesses, and in the insults, hardships, persecutions, and troubles that I suffer for Christ. For when I am weak, then I am strong.” 2 Corinthians 12:9-10 (NLT2)

In that context, I am now able to be very grateful to God for taking the bride of my youth to be with Him.  “And give thanks for everything to God the Father in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ.” Ephesians 5:20 (NLT2)

Is God always good? Absolutely! …but not always good in our eyes! His goodness is not always the same as what our obsession with comfort and nearsightedness defines as goodness. How well do we really know God?

Jesus’ words in Luke 19:20-24 paint His goodness with a broader brush. In Jesus’ allegory, we normally interpret what occurred as God’s justice, but is that how the third servant in the narrative saw the situation? The servant saw his master (representing Jesus in the episode) as ‘austere’. His lord did not challenge this but said only that if the servant was aware of the austerity of his master, he ought to have behaved accordingly and done his duty. The original Greek adjective used here was used to speak of food, which was sharp to the taste of unripe fruit, and of people who were harsh or severe. The crux is, God’s goodness surpasses our limited definitions. We normally do not think of Jesus in those terms. Consider the abuse Jesus went through before His resurrection and ascension. Regarding that time, the Psalmist wrote, “You have allowed me to suffer much hardship, but you will restore me to life again and lift me up from the depths of the earth.” Psalm 71:20 (NLT2) This begs the question, how well do we really know God?

Difficulties fall into at least three categories. There are those resulting from Adam and Eve’s disobedience of which everyone feels the pain. There are those God allows us to endure that have nothing to do with our choices. Jesus referred to this type when explaining the man was born blind. (John 9:2-3). Poor choices may also lead to difficulties. What is so awe-inspiring is found in Paul’s words, “And we know that God causes everything to work together for the good of those who love God and are called according to his purpose for them.” Romans 8:28 (NLT2) However, for reasons known only to Him, God has ways to protect us from the results of some of those difficulties.

A prophet who endured hard relational pain wrote these insightful words. “Come, let us return to the LORD; for he has torn us, that he may heal us; he has struck us down, and he will bind us up.  After two days, he will revive us; on the third day he will raise us up, that we may live before him.  Let us know; let us press on to know the LORD; his going out is sure as the dawn; he will come to us as the showers, as the spring rains that water the earth.” Hosea 6:1-3 (ESV)

We need to be cautious not to favor verses that just comfort us and promise God’s rewards. It is great to expect His promised rewards, but we must also remember to read the whole promise as in Hebrews 11:6, where it finishes by saying “…he is a rewarder of them that diligently seek him.” Hebrews 11:6 (KJV)

Neglecting to study His Word and hearing His Spirit personalize it to you will naturally result in unhealthy expectations. Sound interpretation of God’s Word produces unity and righteous living, not just living according to our preferences. God uses the bumps in our road to get our attention and motivate us to seek to know Him more fully. One of my favorite verses is, “When God spoke from Mount Sinai, his voice shook the earth, but now he makes another promise: Once again I will shake not only the earth but the heavens as well. This means that all of creation will be shaken and removed, so that only unshakable things will remain.” Hebrews 12:26-27 (NLT2)