Last weekend, we had the chance to get away to the Red River Gorge for a little R&R. We hiked to Creation Falls and Rock Bridge Arch—the only arch in the area that spans the water. God’s creation is simply breathtaking. What better place to praise Him and glorify His name than out in nature?
Ever since childhood, I’ve loved photography, learning mostly through trial and error. A few years ago, I attended a weekend photography workshop where the instructor gave us a simple rule: follow the light.
On our way back from the falls, the light hit the trail completely differently than on the way in. I paused to capture rays of sunlight casting through the trees. It immediately brought to mind Jesus’ words in John 8:12:
“I am the light of the world; whoever follows me will not walk in darkness but will have the light of life.”
Checking Our Lens
That realization made me ask myself: Are we truly following the light of Jesus in our daily lives?
From time to time, I have to pause and check my own heart to make sure I’m not slipping into spiritual shadow. In Luke 11:35, Jesus gives a gentle warning: be watchful, and make sure that the light in you isn’t actually darkness. The lens through which we view the world matters immensely.
Jesus explains that the eye is the lamp of the body. When our eye is healthy—spiritually clear and tuned to Him—our whole body is full of light. But when our perspective is skewed, darkness creeps in. Right before verse 35, Jesus uses the word therefore, inviting us to pause and reflect. The “lamp” represents Christ and His truth; a “healthy eye” is a heart fixed on Him.
When we are filled with Christ, His light transforms our whole being (Luke 11:36). But if our lens gets dirty, we risk falling for subtle counterfeits that make darkness look good.
Putting on the Armor of Light
Paul echoes this in Romans 13:12, encouraging us to “cast off the works of darkness and put on the armor of light.” Living in the light isn’t just about imitating good habits; it’s about deep, daily fellowship with Jesus—choosing to walk away from old patterns and stepping into His truth.
Jesus came into the world so that no one who trusts in Him has to stay in the dark (John 12:46). Let’s keep our eyes fixed on Him this week, letting His light guide our path, clear our vision, and shine through everything we do.
When someone repents, all of heaven rejoices (Luke 15:7, ESV). The next step of baptism is an outward, public expression of an inward, personal commitment to Jesus Christ.
Still, are we, as brothers and sisters in Christ, doing enough to inform new Christ-followers how to activate the power of the Holy Spirit within them?
I was baptized at age nine; however, I didn’t know how to have an intimate relationship with God, put Him first, or utilize the power of the Holy Spirit. But when I made the choice as an adult and fully surrendered my sinful desires to God and asked what He wanted, that is when my life began to change. In Galatians 5, Paul teaches that we need to keep in step with the Holy Spirit and deny works of the flesh to accept the fruits of the Spirit.
We see this distinction throughout Scripture. When John the Baptist was baptizing, he distinctly said it was with water for repentance because Jesus had not yet been glorified. Later in Acts, when Paul met believers who had only received John’s water baptism, he explained Jesus to them, and they received the Holy Spirit (Acts 19:1-6). Even after Pentecost, when the disciples prayed for boldness, Scripture says they were filled with the Spirit again—demonstrating that being filled with the Holy Spirit isn’t just a one-time event, but an ongoing response to prayer.
Believing in Jesus Christ is fantastic and the first step, but we need more than just initial belief. We need to surrender our lives fully to Christ, accept the gift of the Holy Spirit within us, and allow Him to shape our character to be more like Jesus. We need to learn to take all our decisions to God so that real change can begin.
If we still follow the flesh, we may be saved and forgiven, but we’ll not experience the fullness of God’s love and perfect peace until we surrender. We place a heaviness on ourselves and carry guilt and shame if we keep giving in to the desires of the flesh, but as soon as we let go, give it all to God, and go all in, He takes the weight from us and replaces it with an abundance of grace, love, light, and peace. It’s a joy that cannot be explained or measured. After that, the Spirit’s conviction will keep us out of the danger zone if we listen to Him. It’s a process; it doesn’t happen overnight, but it will happen if we’re paying attention.
I didn’t know how to say no most of my life, which led me into dark places; however, after my accident, hitting rock bottom brought me to my knees, and the only place to look was up. Once I surrendered my whole being to God, released control, and asked what He wanted for the first time in my life, I found my voice and began to learn how to let the Holy Spirit’s convictions lead me on the right path.
We talk about the target on the back of someone who takes the step of faith into the waters of baptism, but make no mistake about the power now within the new creation: the gift of the Holy Spirit, which comes with remarkable power to overcome the enemy and his attacks. Speaking the name of Jesus has great authority. We are to put on the whole armor of God to help us fight temptations and attacks from the enemy (Eph. 6:11). We need to use the spiritual weapons we’ve been gifted to keep the wolves at bay and force the enemy to flee (James 4:7). We, as Christ’s family, need to be prayer warriors, fighting not only for ourselves but also for our new sisters and brothers in Christ. It’s about a relationship with the heavenly Father after that. Take time to listen, read His Word, and let the reality of who He says we are as children of God sink into our hearts, minds, bodies, and souls.
You’re not your own; you’ve been bought with a price (1 Cor. 6:19-20, ESV). We should be grateful for our rescue and thank Jesus a thousand times every day. Repenting of any known sin before we enter prayer and His Word, and asking God to reveal anything that’s keeping us from experiencing the fullness of the Holy Spirit, will make more room in our hearts for Him. It opens our hearts and minds to receive and hear from Him through His Word.
In With Christ in the School of Prayer, Andrew Murray writes, “The powers of the eternal world have been placed at prayer’s disposal. …It is the secret power and life not only for ourselves, but for others, for the church, and for the world.” He continues to say that only by the Holy Spirit can we pray with power. We fall so easily into prayer that has no spiritual power, which achieves little. “It [prayer] must be to the glory of God, in full surrender to His will, in full assurance of faith, in the name of Jesus, and with a perseverance that, if need be, refuses to be denied.” But it all needs to be learned. Our teacher is Jesus.
Let’s celebrate with those who give their lives to Christ and are baptized. Still, we should also share the good news of the gift of the Holy Spirit and His power within them to fight the enemy’s attacks, to pray with power, in spirit and in truth, and to listen to the convictions that keep us out of the danger zone—beyond the water.
Fear is crippling. It holds us back from our true potential. But it is the step of faith that makes all the difference. When we trust in God and take the next step—even when we are terrified—that is faith in action.
I can remember so many times in my life when I let fear keep me from following through. From the time I could talk, I was extremely shy. I used to whisper things to my mom in front of my siblings, something that made my oldest brother furious.
That deep-seated fear followed me into school. In the fourth grade, our class held a spelling bee. One other person and I were the last two standing. I was doing great until the teacher announced that whoever won would go on to compete in front of the whole school.
I couldn’t tell you what my next word was, or how easy it was to spell. All I know is that I misspelled it on purpose. I did not want to be in front of the whole school.
Another example I’m not proud of happened in middle school. I joined a group of classmates for a play we practiced for weeks. Then, fear crept in again when I realized we were supposed to perform at the high school talent show in front of parents, students, and staff. You already know what happened. I backed out. My parents still took me to the show, and my classmates who had worked so hard were not happy with me.
There are more examples—too many, in fact.
An Unexpected Calling
Yet, years later, God has had me speak to women’s groups and share my story. He certainly has a sense of humor, doesn’t He? It is entirely by His strength, not mine. I believe wholeheartedly that God wants us dependent on Him. That dependence is the only way I got through it, because the fear didn’t magically disappear; I just had to trust Him through it.
Even in my positions today—as a leader of a women’s support group, on the prayer team at church, and in the leadership of a business I share with my husband—God shows up every day to help me.
Still, I recently realized that I have been limiting my abilities by trying to control them. Perhaps I allowed the fear of the unknown to take precedence over trusting God to lead me. Instead of accepting His calling with the knowledge that He will help me wherever He takes me, the little girl in me wanted to back away.
The Lesson of the Hawk
Through my relationship with God over the last few years, there have been several occasions when I believe He has shown me—sometimes by way of a hawk—that I am to take on the cloak of leadership.
When I first saw a hawk flying overhead, I was reminded that leadership is a gift from God that I need to accept. (As a disclaimer, I do not put my faith in the creature itself, but I do believe God can bring us messages through His creation, whether in waking life or in dreams. Spiritual discernment and biblical truth always come first.)
The other night, I dreamed I was in bed when a hawk came to me. Each time I reached out to push it back, it bit my hand, forcing me to let go. When I woke up and began praying for the lesson in this dream, I was reminded of my experience with the Holy Spirit when I fully surrendered control of my life for the first time—the weight lifted immediately.
I was not meant to carry the gift of leadership as a heavy burden, but rather as a surrendered faith in God. He gave it to me. He will show me the path to take, and He will help me with every single step. God was showing me that I need to stop pushing it away. I need to let go and trust Him with it.
Choosing Freedom Over Perfection
I am choosing to embrace the gift I have been given and enjoy it in freedom. I am stopping the pressure I put on myself to perform or be perfect. No more putting limits on myself either. I am letting God have it.
I was limiting my gift by a lack of confidence and fear—no more. I fully surrender it to God and thank Jesus for my freedom. I don’t need self-confidence when I have God-confidence.
Jesus said:
“My yoke is easy, and my burden is light.” — Matthew 11:30 (ESV)
Whenever we feel the heavy weight of a calling, we can release it to God, knowing He carries our burdens. Anything that feels heavy and suffocating is not from Him. Fear and doubt come from the enemy, who wants to keep us from God’s Word and make us believe we are not enough or that God’s grace is not enough.
One thing will not change—I will praise God through it all. Even if things do not go as I planned or thought they should—His will be done, and I will praise Him through it.
When we consider “giving our pearls to pigs” (Matt. 7:6, ESV) in its proper context, we realize that Jesus is saying not to waste our time repeatedly sharing the Gospel with someone who rejects it—time to move on.
A few years ago, when I shared my painful backstory with another woman, she advised me not to share too much with the wrong people—she called my story the pearl in this verse, warning me not to share it with pigs. It made sense to me at the time. I know what she meant, and I heeded her advice on some occasions.
Discerning who to share your pearls with requires the very wisdom we have to ask God for.
In the following verses, Jesus tells us to ask, and it will be given (Matt. 7:7-11). We need to apply this in the right context and not take for granted that whatever we ask will be given—especially when we are not aligned with God’s will.
ASK means to come to God in humility.
SEEK is to connect one’s prayer with responsible action in pursuing God’s will.
KNOCK suggests perseverance—or to persist in prayer, confident that the Father will provide what is best for us, according to His Sovereign and gracious will.
When we get these right, our hearts’ desires align with God’s will for us, and God rejoices in giving us good gifts. Our treasures were God’s first. He graciously gifted them to us to bless us, help others, glorify our Father in Heaven, and establish His Kingdom.
When we trust God alone with our treasures and release control to Him, something beautiful happens. Zephaniah 3:17 tells us that He will rejoice over us with gladness, quiet us with His love, and exult over us with loud singing.
Isn’t that an incredible image? To “exult” means to express absolute triumph and jubilation over a victory. When we surrender control, God claims victory over the enemy who tries to hijack our peace. Synonyms for exult include glory, triumph, and celebrate—and just as God sings over us, all of heaven joins the celebration with great joy when one sinner repents (Luke 15:7).
God knows our intentions and helps us succeed when we are in His will. In fact, the Holman Bible Dictionary highlights that God’s presence and power are resident within us. Jesus was anointed with the oil of gladness (Ps. 45:7) by God with the Holy Spirit and with power (Brand, 692). Likewise, we, as Christians, are anointed by God for the tasks of ministry.
Christ means the anointed one, and Christ’s messengers (us) are also anointed or sealed with a guarantee—the Spirit’s presence in a Christian’s life now is a reliable foretaste of future completeness (John 5:24).
We all have free will, but how delighted God is when it is surrendered to our Father in complete faith, leading to our freedom from the bondage of sin.
“For it is God who works in you, both to will and to work for his good pleasure” (Phil. 2:13).
Where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is freedom (1 Cor. 3:17).
The power of the Holy Spirit in a believer’s life is our vital resource for defeating the enemy’s attacks. Our spiritual weapons (Eph. 6) and the name of Jesus Christ (James 4:7), working together, yield great strength. The promises of God are YES and AMEN through the mighty name of Jesus Christ (2 Cor. 1:20)! Even in our weakest moments, Jesus reminds us that His “power is made perfect in weakness” (2 Cor. 12:9).
The great news is that the Holy Spirit is not only our power source and our strength to overcome temptation, but also our Helper and Comforter (John 14:26). He is the ultimate source of our peace (John 14:27).
A Divine Appointment
The Holy Spirit, as a Comforter, reminds me of an experience I had a few years ago in a doctor’s office waiting room. I was waiting for the nurse to call my name when a gentleman in a wheelchair entered and sat across the room. Several other patients were waiting with us, but when he started talking, most of them tried to ignore him and looked down at their phones.
“All I ever wanted was to be loved,” he said, to no one in particular.
That was my cue. Okay, God, here I go. Help me, Holy Spirit.
I walked over and sat beside him. “God loves you,” I said.
He perked up and began telling me how he had often hidden in his closet with his Bible. There, he met the Comforter—as he fondly called the Holy Spirit. I asked if I could pray with him, and he welcomed it. Just as I finished, my name was called. I do not doubt that God placed me in that room at that precise moment. The courage to speak truth, grace, and love into someone’s life comes entirely from the Holy Spirit, not from our own strength.
Discerning His Voice
If you have already accepted Christ into your heart, you have this same power within you. Don’t let it lie dormant—put it into practice! It is important to take control of your thought life, being still in God’s presence and inviting Him to take every thought captive to obey Christ (2 Cor. 10:5).
The Comforter will listen and direct your path if you allow Him to speak into your life. He is a personhood and a counselor (John 14:16), a teacher who bears witness about Jesus (John 15:26), and the one who guides us into all truth (John 16:13).
This same Holy Spirit helps us pray when we don’t have the words (Rom. 8:26). Because Christ alone is our mediator (1 Tim. 2:5), all believers have direct access to God.
Moving Forward in Faith
When you need guidance, seek out those who offer prayerful discernment rather than quick, biased opinions. And with any piece of advice, always do your own prayerful checking to decide what’s best in God’s eyes, without rushing into an emotional response.
If you need peace and power to defeat evil in your life, accept Jesus as your Lord and Savior and receive the Holy Spirit’s power. Scripture tells us there is immense joy in heaven, with the angels rejoicing greatly over even one sinner who repents and turns to Christ (Luke 15:7). It is not about religion. It is about a relationship—and that relationship makes all the difference.
At age nine, one Sunday morning after being baptized, I sat on the edge of my bed with the idea of painting my fingernails bright red while wearing my white dress. That went about as well as you can imagine.
Upon reflection, I now realize this was a superb foreshadowing of my sin-stained purity and innocence. It followed me from my teenage years into adulthood—stains only God could restore, at age 47, through the blood-stained lamb of Jesus.
That’s a long time to carry the weight of sins, shame, and guilt without knowing Jesus as I do now. Still, God had plans for me—plans I had no way of seeing at the time. He rescued me from an abusive relationship, spared my life in a tragic accident that took my sister’s life, and showed me a new way to live. For the first time, kneeling, I asked God what He wanted—and the weight lifted immediately. It is never too late to make a U-turn.
Looking back, I see how the grace of God covered me even before those fiery trials. He kept me protected, though I was unaware and naïve to the enemy’s tactics on a path destined for disaster, pain, and heartbreak.
Nevertheless, I was restored to purity, like a water lily—a bloom that emerges from the mud. Only God, in His infinite wisdom, grace, and love, could redeem me and use my testimony for good to fulfill His purpose and bless me by helping others see a different path—a path I didn’t know existed during my hiatus from God—a path shrouded in lies, doubt, and deceit.
The enemy turns up the heat, twisting the truth and convincing us it’s okay to pursue happiness by following our hearts and to seek momentary pleasure by making sinful acts appear pleasant and desirable. At the same time, God wants a better life for us, one marked by joy, peace, freedom, and love, regardless of our circumstances. He desires an intimate relationship with us that makes all our other relationships better. The path to freedom, paved with stones of grace, provides a solid foundation for navigating this life and its many stumbling blocks.
Jesus is our guide through the power of the Holy Spirit. Through Him, we have mighty weapons to destroy strongholds, restore peace, and make the devil take a hike, shooting him in the foot before he can get it through the door. With a whisper of Jesus’ name, we can thwart his plans (Eph. 6:12-18).
Friend, if you’ve experienced baptism and called upon Jesus Christ to forgive your sins and to proclaim Him the Son of God, you have the gift of the Holy Spirit (Acts 2:38) and spiritual weapons —use them to fight for your freedom and do not turn back to your old path. I encourage you to pursue a relationship with God that draws you closer and makes Him your first love.
If you haven’t, what are you waiting for? Freedom, peace, and forgiveness await you. You don’t have to face this world and its many vices alone. Confess Jesus as Lord, repent of your sins, and let the waters of baptism refresh your soul and wash away the dirt of your past. Believe me, no bar of soap is big enough to do that on our own… Jesus Christ is the way, the truth, and the life (John 14:6, ESV).
The grace of God is big enough to cover all our sins, no matter what they are. If God saved someone as broken as me—He can save you too.
Grace, be with you.
Love God. Love People.
Let God sort out the rest.
“Therefore, there is no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus” (Romans 8:1).
“For I am sure that neither death nor life, nor angels nor rulers, nor things present nor things to come, nor powers, nor height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus our Lord” (Romans 8:37-39).
As a mother sobs over a distant or rebellious child, Jesus weeps for His children who deny Him as King. Luke records Jesus’ lamenting over the lost, “How often would I have gathered your children together as a hen gathers her brood under her wings, and you were not willing”(Luke 13:35, ESV, emphasis added)! Jesus mourns the fate of Jerusalem, a fate that also applies to all of Israel.
As we enter Mother’s Day weekend, some moms, unfortunately, can relate to mourning a distant child. It can be a day of bittersweet hope. Like the Prodigal Son, we grieve for the one and anticipate celebrating their homecoming, whether in this life or the next. I grew up as the youngest of five children in a conservative home that seemed normal to me. It wasn’t until I peered back through the glass of my past, in a season of healing, that I realized why I became a people-pleaser, a tendency that led to some of my darkest days.
Granted, there may be other reasons, but one major factor was witnessing firsthand what happens to a mother’s heart and spirit when a child denies their ties. The unspoken grieving in our home, and the rejection and discord stemming from behavior deemed unsuitable, not only caused heartache but also division as deep as the Grand Canyon. Grace is the only bridge that can span that canyon.
As the youngest child, I knew I didn’t want to cross that line—a line that felt unbearably irrevocable. Still, I had my teenage moments of rebellion and the unpleasant attitude that seems to come naturally with your fourteenth birthday. I am talking more about the later years, when you recognize how hurtful your actions can be to a parent. Hello, people-pleaser. Mind you, I didn’t escape the ungodly behavior, but I got very good at hiding secrets—an anxious misery I do not recommend. The masquerade party gets old quickly.
On the other hand, what a blessing it is to have a loving relationship with your child through both good and bad times. Open communication is critical. Just as Jesus laments over those who do not call on Him, He welcomes all who do. Because of Jerusalem’s resistance to God, its house (the temple) was desolate. Jesus says that if the lost want to see Him properly, they must greet Him with these words, “Blessed is He who comes in the name of the Lord” (Ps. 118:26)!
Until recently, I didn’t realize that Jesus wept over Jerusalem (Luke 19:41). Jesus still feels deep sorrow over rejection, clearly reflecting the heart of God the Father over His children.
When the disciples praised Jesus during His triumphant entry, some Pharisees tried to suppress their joy by rebuking them and asking Jesus to silence them. Jesus proclaimed that if they stopped praising, the very stones would cry out, because all creation was made to worship the King who is Lord of all (Luke 19:40).
It is impossible to be silent when Jesus comes into your life.
In reflection, put yourself in the story. Would you shout praises as Jesus rides by, or be one who silently rejects Him?
There was a time in my life when I was silent, but thankfully, by the grace of God, I now shout His praises from the rooftops for rescuing me and loving me even in the darkest places of my past. When others divide, God unites. He waits with open arms—no matter what we’ve done. As our pastor recently reminded us, no sin is beyond the reach of God’s grace. His grace is always greater. He longs for a relationship with each of His children.
While His arms are open wide, the way to Him is specific—it is through the narrow door of a personal relationship. “Strive to enter through the narrow door. For many, I tell you, will seek to enter and will not be able” (Luke 13:24). Coming to Jesus requires repentance and faith (Luke 13:24). Fellowship with other saved people will not guarantee eternal salvation, which comes only through personal faith in Christ. There will come a time when the opportunity to trust in Christ will be taken away. Still, Jesus promises to receive everyone who comes to him and trusts him for salvation (John 6:38).
Peter was among Jesus’s closest friends and disciples. He believed he would remain loyal to Jesus until the very end, even to the point of death. However, when the moment came, he failed badly. Jesus warned him, saying he would deny him three times before the rooster crowed twice (Mark 14:30, ESV).
Peter thought he would never reject Jesus – yet in the moment, that is exactly what he did.
“And immediately, the rooster crowed a second time. And Peter remembered how Jesus had said to him, ‘Before the rooster crows twice, you will deny me three times.’ And he broke down and wept” (Mark 14:72), realizing he’d done exactly as Jesus predicted. In the heat of the moment, he caved and did the opposite of what he’d sworn.
Can you relate to doing the very thing you never thought you would do?
Similarly, I swore I’d never go down the path I ended up taking—a path that led to utter darkness, a miserable existence marked by anxiety, secrets, and half-truths, which are lies.
As a child, I remember dreading a certain year in my future. I didn’t know why or what might happen. Still, I figured out how old I would be and spent many hours thinking about, even worrying, what ominous, life-changing event might occur. Ironically, as an adult, I got caught up in life and mostly forgot about it, especially as the year approached.
Amid my self-absorption and everything I was going through at the time, I couldn’t see the light from my spot in the weeds. I forgot how to look up and found myself on the edge of the year I dreaded, not recognizing the dangerous situation I had put myself in. A major, evil event changed the course of my life and caused me to spiral. The devil in my ear, twisting my thoughts and decisions, with a fear that overwhelmed me a hundred times over. I wouldn’t speak of it to anyone for years, letting it fester, define me, and steal my peace.
Doing the very things I vowed I would never do led me down a path I never imagined for myself. It involved abandoning everything I stood for, just like Peter did.
However, my realization didn’t come right away. I didn’t have a rooster crowing to remind me of a Savior who loved me, even at my lowest. I spent years in a daze, drifting further from God into darkness, eventually ending up in the worst of all my abusive relationships and losing my identity and self-worth along the way.
The conscious choice to take the dark path—though I couldn’t see it then—was made on New Year’s Eve, entering the very year I feared. The events leading up to it happened earlier, but I was at a crossroads in my life at that moment and chose the wrong path, a decision I would have to live with for the rest of my life. I had walked away from the Master Builder and tried to renovate my own life using lies and secrets as materials. The result was a condemned soul, a heart that felt beyond repair, past its expiration date.
But God rescued me…
I had no concept of the Kairos moment until years later, when God used an accident to wake me up. That was when I began my journey to healing through Jesus Christ. Another crossroads appeared, and this time I chose God. He redeemed all the lost years, restored my identity in Christ, renewed my self-worth, and revealed a different option I hadn’t known existed until I started attending Southland Christian Church and began my journey as a Christ-follower.
Spending time in God’s Word helped me understand the truth and reality of a relationship with God that once seemed daunting. This gave me the confidence to say no, which ultimately transformed me and improved my character.
It didn’t happen overnight, but as I earnestly and diligently took steps toward God, He revealed to me not only who He created me to be but also how He can use my pain and passion to help others, especially women in abusive relationships who need to hear my story.
Unworthy, yet chosen to advance the Kingdom of God, for such a time as this (Esther 4:14). I am a daughter of the King.
I recently saw someone who stirred up old pain, making me cry, not because of the misery I faced before, but because of the joy I now feel in my present and future—something else I never imagined for myself, thanks to the new life God has given me.
A grateful heart knows many joys.
“Oh give thanks to the Lord, for he is good, for his steadfast love endures forever” (Ps. 107:1, emphasis added)!
In Ezekiel 26, the city of Tyre appeared invincible. They were the financial and political powerhouse of their time, protected by huge walls and a sense of “god-like” significance. But verse 9 shows us that even the strongest human defenses are like paper before the Lord.
“He will direct the blows of his battering rams against your walls and demolish your towers with his weapons” (Ezekiel 26:9, ESV)
Today, we see leaders who act as if they control history. They boast, threaten, and create chaos, making us feel anxious. But Ezekiel reminds us that only God is the Lord and King. Judgment Day is what equalizes everyone. Those who see themselves as gods will eventually fall to their knees before the only true King. This isn’t just about punishment; it’s about restoring the right order. When man tries to sit on God’s throne, God will remind the world who truly owns it.
The most encouraging (and mysterious) part of God’s sovereignty is His ability to use “bad actors” for His divine purposes. In Ezekiel’s time, He used a pagan king to carry out judgment.
Even when the world feels chaotic, God is guiding the “blows.” Often, God allows earthly systems to be shaken so that the “shakable” things fall away, leaving only His Kingdom standing (Hebrews 12:27).
As a partner/owner of a handyman company, I’ve seen firsthand that sometimes we must tear out the rot before we can fix the house. God isn’t just a God of destruction; He is a God of restoration. He allows the “towers” of pride to fall so that people will stop focusing on their own achievements and begin looking at the Throne.
We watch the news and see chaos—leaders boasting about their power and walls they believe cannot be broken. But Ezekiel 26:9 reminds us that there is only one true King. The battering rams of history are in His hands. Whether He is building up or tearing down, His purpose is always to bring us to the end of ourselves so we can find our beginning in Him. Today, don’t fear the turmoil; trust the Architect.
Ezekiel 26:9 depicts a scene of violent upheaval. Large walls are torn down; weapons of war break what people believed to be everlasting. In today’s world, we experience this kind of “shaking” every time a new leader takes power or a global crisis emerges. It feels like the ground is shifting beneath our feet.
But then we have the promise of Hebrews 13:8:
“Jesus Christ is the same yesterday and today and forever.”
The rulers Ezekiel mentioned—and those we see on the news today—are subject to the cycle of “yesterday, today, and tomorrow” in time. They rise for a season, and they fall.
The Puffed-Up Ruler: They believe their power is theirs alone.
The Sovereign Truth: They are simply tools. God is the one who “removes kings and sets up kings” (Daniel 2:21). Because He is the same yesterday, today, and forever, His standards for justice and His authority over the nations never change. He was in charge during Ezekiel’s time, and He is in charge of today’s headlines.
It’s truly inspiring to realize that the God who directed the “blows of the battering ram” against ancient evil is the same God watching over our lives today.
Yesterday: He brought down the towers of Tyre to prove His Lordship.
Today: He is using the turmoil of our world to shake our reliance on earthly things.
Forever: He will reign in a Kingdom that cannot be shaken.
When world leaders create chaos, our hearts often respond with fear because we focus on the change. We worry about what might happen tomorrow. But if God is the same forever, then His promises of protection, His plan for redemption, and His ultimate victory remain unchanging.
The world’s walls may fall, and its leaders may boast, but the Rock of Ages remains unmoved. He does not experience ‘bad days.’ He is never taken by surprise by a coup or an election, and His character stays as holy and powerful as it was the day He spoke the world into existence.
“When you look at the ‘walls’ being torn down in our world today, are you looking at the destruction, or are you looking at the Unchanging Hand that holds the tools?”
A Prayer for Peace
Father God,
Today, as we acknowledge that You alone are the High King over all the earth, we confess that our hearts are often troubled by the headlines and turmoil caused by the leaders of this world.
Still, we thank You for the truth of Your Word in Ezekiel 26:9. We thank You that no battering ram moves without Your hand, and no earthly power exists unless You have allowed it. We lift up the ‘puffed-up’ rulers of our day—those who believe they are gods and masters of their own destiny. We ask that You would use even their actions to bring about Your divine purposes, to destroy evil, and to lead hearts back to You.
We rejoice in the promise that even as the world changes constantly, Jesus Christ remains the same yesterday, today, and forever. You are the Anchor that never slips, the Rock that never cracks. When earthly kingdoms shake, we stay strong with our feet grounded in Your unshakable Kingdom.
Forgive us for relying on human walls for strength. Today, we choose to rest in Your sovereignty. We exchange our anxiety for Your peace, knowing that the Architect of the Universe remains on His throne and that You are working all things together for the good of those who love You (Romans 8:28).
In light of your truth and sovereign will, we plead for peace in the Middle East and protection for our troops and your people everywhere.
Bring comfort to those feeling overwhelmed by the world’s chaos and let Your light shine through the cracks of the falling towers of man.
In the mighty and unchanging name of Jesus,
Amen.
“It is he who sits above the circle of the earth, and its inhabitants are like grasshoppers; who stretches out the heavens like a curtain, and spreads them like a tent to dwell in; who brings princes to nothing, and makes the rulers of the earth as emptiness.” — Isaiah 40:22–23
“The loftiness of man shall be bowed down, and the haughtiness of men shall be brought low; the Lord alone will be exalted in that day.” — Isaiah 2:17
“Therefore let us be grateful for receiving a kingdom that cannot be shaken, and thus let us offer to God acceptable worship, with reverence and awe.” — Hebrews 12:28
“He changes times and seasons; he removes kings and sets up kings; he gives wisdom to the wise and knowledge to those who have understanding.” — Daniel 2:21
Challenge:
Each time you hear news that makes your heart sink, immediately whisper: ‘Jesus Christ is the same yesterday, today, and forever. Let His consistency quiet the chaos of the world.
We often treat our spiritual lives like a life raft—something to keep us from drowning during a tough week. But what if God didn’t call us to just keep our heads above water? What if the goal wasn’t only to survive until Sunday, but to thrive every single day in the Vine?
In a world where busyness is constant, we need to intentionally slow down and find peace. Achieving peace amid chaos isn’t easy, but it’s worth it. It comes from abiding in God, which is rooted in thriving, not just surviving.
Where busyness is the symptom, striving is the cause, often marked by frantic activity. A branch doesn’t struggle to produce grapes; it stays connected to the vine. Thriving results from spiritual positioning, while survival comes from human effort, which can lead to unnecessary stress, to say the least.
Last year, my focus was on intentionality, but this year God has led me to a deeper place: “Abide.” Jesus tells us that He is the vine, and we 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” (John 15:5, ESV, Emphasis added).
This is a great reminder that our only role is to stay connected. Jesus is the source of nourishment. When we become tired, we may be just surviving by our own strength rather than thriving in His.
Similarly, the image of pruning branches so they will bear more fruit (John 15:2) is not meant as punishment but as preparation. God sometimes removes what is good so we can have the energy to produce what is excellent. Otherwise, we risk overextending ourselves with many good things when we need to say no to some of them to say yes to something greater.
Based on my experience, the times I was in survival mode—just trying to get through the day—were when I neglected to spend time with God or got distracted from it. On days I started with prayer, quiet time, and God’s Word, I felt more peace.
Peace is more than just quiet; it’s the renewal of everything to its intended, flourishing state. The Holman Bible Dictionary describes it as the “state of being spiritually whole again” (Rom. 14:17; Gal. 5:22; Brand, 1234). There is a clear difference between being ‘near’ the vine (religion) and being ‘in’ the vine (relationship).
God the Father tended, watched over, and protected the garden. Jesus is the source that supplies the nutrients, and the Holy Spirit is the invisible lifeblood that moves like sap from the vine to the branch, through which God’s power flows in us.
This reminded me of something God put on my heart when I needed it most:
You are a beautiful flower in My garden. I send rain and sunlight to nurture you and help you grow. You are protected under the care of the Master Gardener, never to be plucked or taken away from Me again.
May we stop trying to manufacture fruit and start abiding in the Gardener’s Care.
God is glorified when His followers bear abundant fruit to advance His kingdom on earth (John 15:8). While attending church and worshiping in community each Sunday is important, it is even more vital for us to be fruit-bearers throughout the week. Thriving occurs when we realize that “worship” isn’t just the songs we sing on Sunday, but also the way we interact with others and God on Tuesday afternoon. A “living” sacrifice moves, acts, and bears fruit throughout the week.
I have never claimed to be a great houseplant caregiver. Still, a kind lady at church gave us a plant – we named him George – thinking that giving it a name would help us remember to water it. It doesn’t always work, but we’re trying. The idea of worship only once a week is like watering a plant just once a month – it might survive, but it will never thrive. Community is the “greenhouse’ that encourages us, but the “fruit” is meant to be shared with a hungry world outside the greenhouse walls.
In which area of your life are you just “maintaining” (simply trying not to break it), instead of practicing “stewardship” (seeking God’s guidance to make it flourish)?
God didn’t call you to merely survive in the world; He called you to be a light to it. Survival is about avoiding death, but thriving is about embracing Life. Choose to abide today.
“These things I have spoken to you, that my joy may be in you, and that your joy may be full” (John 15:11, emphasis added).
“I appeal to you therefore, brothers, by the mercies of God, to present your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and acceptable to God, which is your spiritual worship” (Romans 12:1 ESV).
Faith Walk Ministries, Inc. 