Holy Spirit-Driven

“. . . Not by might, nor by power, but by my spirit, saith the Lord of hosts,” Zechariah 4:6

One of my fondest childhood memories was going down to the piers overlooking the harbor and watching the tugboats come in and out (even now I am moved by the nostalgia of it). Sometimes these boats are alone, but at other times they were guiding bigger ships through the busy harbor waters to dock safely.

Big ships are powerful, but the ins and outs of navigating the harbor can be tricky for them, so they need to be led instead of trying to move in their own strength and power.

What an image of our spiritual life!

Many, when they get up in the morning and go about their day, that’s what they do – move in their own strength and power. They navigate their day according to their natural wisdom, knowledge, and understanding as if they are the end-all of that day’s plan. Never once stopping to think, is this what God would have me do today?

A person who is Holy Spirit-driven knows that “The steps of a good man are ordered by the Lord” (Ps. 37:23). They have the assurance that  His anointing is guiding them through the day. Yes, man can make plans and goals, but he who is Holy Spirit-driven seeks God’s intervention. He seeks His guidance. He seeks to be led by Someone outside of himself: “Lord, is this what you would have me do today?”

Who, today, can admit to needing a little more direction in life? Are you tired of being burdened by trying to manage the ins and outs of life while still trying to maintain control? That is not God’s plan for us. If truth be told, we don’t know the ins and outs of everything.

God knows this, and He has given us His Spirit to help lead and guide us on our spiritual journey.

It is amazing to think that we can go on a spiritual journey without the Spirit. How would that work? Unfortunately, since the Fall, mankind has continually sought to be led by his own understanding. But God offers us help. He offers us the power not only to walk through this journey but to make it to the other side. No matter how mighty and invincible one thinks he is, humanity can’t do this on his own.

Question: Is there any area where you may not feel as complete and whole as you need to be? The cause may be that God’s Spirit is not being allowed to move and work as needed. 1 Thessalonians 5:19 instructs us to, “Quench not the Spirit.” Don’t get in the way of what He wants to do through you. Don’t put out the fire of God’s power. Let Him become like a roaring flame on the inside, spilling over to the outside, and spreading to every area of your life.

God is concerned about you, my friend. Jesus said, “I will pray the Father, and He shall give you another comforter, that he may abide with you forever; even the Spirit of truth; whom the world cannot receive, because it seeth him not, neither knoweth him: but ye know him; for he dwelleth with you, and shall be in you” (John 14:16-17). This Comforter is here. This Spirit of truth, Who will not lie, but will lead us correctly and powerfully, is here! Won’t we let Him do his job?

If God knows we need Him. If Jesus knows we need Him, why do we refuse Him?

Joshua 9:14 is a portion of Scripture that has always stuck with me. Basically, Joshua and the elders were hoodwinked into making a covenant with those they were meant to conquer. They had to live with that decision because they “asked not counsel at the mouth of the Lord.” They did it in their own strength and understanding without being properly led.

Too many of us make the same mistake. Going about with our own plans, our own understanding, without asking, “What does God think about this?”

We could save ourselves a lot of undue stress if we would step aside for a moment and let Him do His job. We need to get out of ourselves and be led by the Spirit!

“Not by might, nor by power, but by My Spirit, saith the Lord of hosts.” This is a verse that I have personally repeated to myself. A prayer, if you will, to be led by His Spirit.

How are you being led today? Who or what will you allow to steer you?

Blessings~

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Copyright © Word For Life Says.com (Sharing any posts or lessons can only be done through the share buttons provided on this site from the original posts, lessons, and articles only. You can reblog from the original posts only using the reblog button provided, or share using the share buttons provided from these social media platforms: Facebook, X, Pinterest, etc., and they must be shared from the original posts only. All other repostings are prohibited. Posts and other items of interest found on this site MAY NOT BE COPIED AND PASTED, downloaded, uploaded, etc., to another website or entity not listed (physical or electronic).  See COPYRIGHT PAGE for more details. 

The Answer for Our Salvation

“But he was wounded for our transgressions, he was bruised for our iniquities: the chastisement of our peace was upon him; and with his stripes we are healed.” Isaiah 53:5

I  have said it once, and I will say it again: peace has got to be the most sought-after thing there is. Peace cannot be bought or bargained for. It can only be received.

Received by whom?

By those who have received Him, received Jesus Christ as Lord.

The things that come from a lack of peace are everything chaotic in this world. All of it has come as a by-product of sin. But when one receives Jesus Christ as their Savior, a natural by-product of that is inner peace, which takes up residence inside of us, regardless of the chaos around us.

Too many are searching for true peace without the real answer. It will not happen. False times of happiness and what appears to be an absence of trouble will eventually succumb to the frailty upon which they are built.

But everlasting peace, secured by the sacrifice of Jesus on the cross, when He became our answer for salvation, will never fail.

“And, having made peace through the blood of his cross, by him to reconcile all things unto himself; by him, I say, whether they be things in earth, or things in heaven.” Colossians 1:20

“These things I have spoken unto you, that in me ye might have peace. In the world ye shall have tribulation: but be of good cheer; I have overcome the world.” John 16:33

“Therefore being justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ.” Romans 5:1

Be Blessed~

Copyright © Word For Life Says.com (Sharing any posts or lessons can only be done through the share buttons provided on this site from the original posts, lessons, and articles only. You can reblog from the original posts only using the reblog button provided, or share using the share buttons provided from these social media platforms: Facebook, X, Pinterest, etc., and they must be shared from the original posts only. All other repostings are prohibited. Posts and other items of interest found on this site MAY NOT BE COPIED AND PASTED, downloaded, uploaded, etc., to another website or entity not listed (physical or electronic).  See COPYRIGHT PAGE for more details. 

Vintage Discovery: Encounters With God August 12, 2026

I have been blogging now for over 13 years. Throughout that time, I have published hundreds, if not thousands, of pieces and articles. Some you may have seen before, some you may not have.

They say sharing is caring, and in Vintage Discovery, I am using this space to share pre-published treasures that are old but may be new to you. I hope you find them just as insightful, encouraging, and a blessing as when they were first published.

Today, come with me as we revisit Walk Away Differently:

Never!  And, I mean, never leave the presence of God the same way you came.  Anybody who has had a true, real-life encounter with God walks away differently.

  • Moses’ face shone with the glory of His brightness (Exodus 34:29-35).
  • Jacob left with a limp, but a new name (Genesis 32:22-32).
  • Abraham left with a promise (Genesis 12:1-3).
  • Paul was knocked off his beast but had a new mission in life (Acts 9:1-16).

I could really go on and on with example after example (way too many to mention).  Any time we come into the presence of God, we should not leave the same way we came.  There is something supernatural that should take over this holy encounter as the Spirit that dwells in you, dear believer, hooks up with the Source of all life.

When meeting with God, there is an awe-inspiring reverential feeling that takes over the atmosphere of your heart.  Whether it be a physical meeting of something more, or if we are speaking of meeting with Him in prayer, worship, reading the Word, and the like – there should be some manifestation that you have been where He is.

Am I talking about walking away with a physical expression causing you to walk funny the rest of your life?  No.  Unless that is His will.  But what I am talking about is there should be a change of some sort that takes place; something that attests to the fact that He and I have communed together on a personal, spiritual level.

Perhaps a situation that looked hopeless was comforted in prayer, leaving you with a calm you didn’t feel before.  Maybe sorrows grabbed your heart, but through His Word peace was revealed and hope renewed for another day.  In any way, shape, or form that we have an opportunity to hook up with God; to be where He is and to be filled up of Him; we should be fully spiritually awakened to that specific moving of the hour and take full advantage of time spent with Him.

Things can be changed when we meet with God!  We don’t have to leave the same way we came!  He can do a complete turnaround in the hearts and minds of men.  He makes the impossible become possible.  He can speak, and things come to pass that never existed.  Or, just being where He is can renew faith, lift spirits, and dawn hope on a future path that once appeared dreary.

If you come to a service, make up your mind you won’t leave the same way you came in.  There should always be a better impact of being where He is.  There should always be a holy impression made on you and your life from drawing nigh unto the Almighty.  If we meet with Him in life, prayer, praise, or whatever and wherever – do so with the same ambitious, determined mentality: “I will walk away differently than I came.  I am going to benefit from my encounter with God Almighty.”

And, please, hear me really clearly – I am not referring to selfish benefits, dear friend.  For the world and the church hears too much of that these days.  The benefits I speak of are things only He can do in your life; they are workings only He can perform for those who come to where He is.

Yes, some of the examples above show physical blessings of holy encounters.  How much more blessed if we walk away with spiritual benefits abounding?  “I am come that they might have life, and that they might have it more abundantly,” John 10:10 proclaims.  Sweeter still if that abundance is overflowing with the beauty of who He is working on the inside of someone like you and me.

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Resistant to Change?

 

“Now the Lord had said unto Abram, Get thee out of thy country, and from thy kindred, and from thy father’s house, unto a land that I will shew thee.” Genesis 12:1

Well, are you, my friend? Are you resistant to change? For so many years, I have been. It’s like when I get comfortable, settle in, and establish a good routine in one area, the winds of change begin to blow, and, truthfully, I did not like it one little bit.

But every time I faced certain challenging changes, I found something on the other side of change: a newness I longed for and didn’t know I needed, and didn’t know how to obtain it.

Here’s the thing: in so many areas of life, if we hold on to the old with a tooth-and-nail grip, we actively resist the new that God wants to show us. That which is comfortable may feel good (or not), but it doesn’t mean that’s where you can grow and be everything God has for you.

Abram was uprooted from everything he knew to walk into everything he didn’t know (Gen. 12:1), but it was in this season of change that his life would be radically altered. He would be prosperous beyond his imagination. If he had resisted this change, imagine the domino effect that would have had on history and salvation’s story.

But because he was willing to walk where God was leading him, he became known as the father of faith (Galatians 3:7), God’s friend (James 2:23), and the line through which the story of our salvation would be fulfilled (Genesis 12:3; Galatians 3:8, 14, 29).

The plan that God has for you may not be Abraham’s plan, but it is still monumental and important for what He wants to do in your life, and through you.

Change can be joyous, but it can also, at times, be difficult and unwelcome. No matter what side you lean on, lean on God in trust and faith as Abraham did while He works your story out.

During times of uncertainty and change, the prayer of my heart is, “Here I am, Lord. I don’t know what’s going on or what will happen, but here, I am.”

How do you handle times of difficulty and change?

“Trust in the Lord with all thine heart; and lean not unto thine own understanding. In all thy ways acknowledge him, and he shall direct thy paths.” Proverbs 3:5-6

“Commit thy way unto the Lord; trust also in him; and he shall bring it to pass.” Psalm 37:5

“Blessed is that man that maketh the Lord his trust, and respecteth not the proud, nor such as turn aside to lies.” Psalm 40:4

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Copyright © Word For Life Says.com (Sharing any posts or lessons can only be done through the share buttons provided on this site from the original posts, lessons, and articles only. You can reblog from the original posts only using the reblog button provided, or share using the share buttons provided from these social media platforms: Facebook, X, Pinterest, etc., and they must be shared from the original posts only. All other repostings are prohibited. Posts and other items of interest found on this site MAY NOT BE COPIED AND PASTED, downloaded, uploaded, etc., to another website or entity not listed (physical or electronic).  See COPYRIGHT PAGE for more details. 

Cultivating Slow Living

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If you have ever spent time in a garden, you know to get the most out of what you are planting, you must first spend time cultivating the soil. This involves preparing the soil to support the life of the seed or the plant. It is about nourishing and amending the soil. This ensures it will have all the healthful benefits needed to reach full maturity and fruitfulness.

Many want fruitfulness. However, the way we have been pursuing it has left many less than satisfied. They feel deflated, worn out, and frazzled because of all it takes to reach it in this world of demands.

Our modern culture allows us to do many things. This increase in perceived productivity has been helpful in some areas while taking its toll on others.

The physical, emotional, and mental burnout that people have come to equate with success has created dissatisfaction. This has awakened a not-so-silent call for a better way to live. There must be more than this constantly rushing about.

Many have become aware of the unhealthy way our over-rushed and overworked culture has pushed us forward and the term “slow living” has regained our attention. Dealing with constant busyness and hurried lifestyles has caused some to take a step back. In this, they reflect and reevaluate what is really a priority for them to have a wholesome, balanced, and healthy life. And what many are finding out is that there is a real need to put space on the calendar or the everyday routine of life to let go, and get slow.

Slow, misunderstood, and used wrongly, can be viewed as laziness. But slow can be beautiful because you are deciding to be purposeful with your life. Moving forward at a hundred miles an hour is not your goal, rather you account that people and life, in general, are made for so much more than mere zooming by without the time for deep connections. So, you take the time to love, nourish, be intentional, and simply live and enjoy all the ways God has blessed you.

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You are cultivating, on purpose, the ground of your life to support more than agendas and achievements. The abundance you are desiring cannot be confined to such trivial things. The greatest example is in our relationship with Christ.

Jesus promised us an abundant life (John 10:10). That abundance is not about forcing or focusing on things we can gain in this world or material wealth. The richest thing one can invest in to be more intentional with the life they have been given is more of Him. That cannot happen if we are always distracted by constantly doing and never taking the time to sit and be where He is (Luke 10:40-42).

He says, “Be still, and know that I am God…” (Psalm 46:10).

Cultivating slow living is not about shirking responsibilities or approaching life with a lackadaisical attitude. This is about valuing everything I have been given, especially the people in my life, and I want to care for each and honor each in a way that lets them know I esteem them, I am here for them, and I love them. I want to use this life in a way that pleases God by stewarding well what He has given me and not have my focus continually on climbing some invisible ladder of success.

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Think about what pursuit has you running about at a hurried pace today? The Bible tells us, “He that followeth after righteousness and mercy findeth life, righteousness, and honour” (Proverbs 21:21).

It is so easy to get caught up in what has been dubbed “the rat race,” but our daily living is made for more. These days, people, and moments are gifts to us by our Heavenly Father and we are encouraged about how we spend our time with each (Ephesians 5:15, 16).

“To every thing there is a season, and a time to every purpose under the heaven”
Ecclesiastes 3:1

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Changing what we pursue and how we pursue it will make our lives a lot less stressful. Take time today to slow down, prioritize, and recenter on what matters most. There is so much more to life, and we don’t want to miss it.

So, how do we make this change?

  • Prioritize – Look where you are now and what you want your tomorrow to look like. To achieve your desired outcome, what can you let go of or shave down some so that you don’t always feel at your wit’s end. I can attest to the fact that often we take on more than we are capable of in any given season. Laying something aside right now doesn’t mean it’s not important; it just means it doesn’t fit in with the season of life I’m in right now. So we prioritize, bringing out the best without being overburdened with things that can wait.
  • Recenter – Once you have strained out the main priorities for your right-now season, you can recenter and mark your path forward. When using a GPS, sometimes I look at the overview screen of the trip to see the highways and streets we must travel ahead of us. But when I need to get back to dealing with where I am currently on my journey, I need to hit the recenter button. While it’s okay to think about the future (the Bible encourages this often), we must also pay attention to where we are in our present moment. What needs our immediate attention right now? How much strength, time, and commitment can I put into this right now? These are important questions to ask. We often get hurried and over-stressed because we want to deal with all the right-now stuff the along with the what-ifs of the future stacked on top of it. Most of the daily things we deal with can be broken down into more manageable tasks and delegated to other times. It doesn’t have to be all or nothing (an attitude that overworks us).
  • Go slow – take a deep breath and move forward at a manageable pace. There have been times I have prayed and asked God to help me steward this day or for the best way to handle the tasks in front of me. He, who is the “Ancient of Days” (Daniel 7:9), has the wisdom and strength your day needs. Trust Him with your schedule. We are given gifts to be productive, but remember, God, who is the Author of those gifts, is also the Author of rest (Genesis 2:2,3). Not just with the Sabbath, but throughout Scripture, His call to rest is a call to trust in what He is doing in your life during this season. We become filled with ideas and inspirations and want to put the pedal to the metal and give it our all. And that’s fine. But if you are feeling burned out and extremely overwhelmed, you have to question is this what God has for me in this season, or is it me rushing ahead? And if we feel it is the Lord’s leading, perhaps we need to revisit steps 1 and 2 to be sure we have shaved unnecessary things away for now.
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Don’t be disheartened. Schedules often need to be revisited to see if everything we have going on right now is for our optimal good. Recently, I have personally had to revisit how I approach certain tasks, and it is helping me see that although I love my routines, some routines or expectations may not work for certain periods of life. We must be willing to move and adjust when feeling led or if we feel like this particular thing isn’t working for now, and trust God with the outcome.

We want to cultivate a life where we are productive under God’s grace without completely feeling exhausted and stressed as if we are being buried under the burden of each day’s demands. Sometimes, slowing down will help us to do just that. Enjoy this life God has given.

Blessings ~

Quiet

Friends, there is a stillness of heart and soul one must appreciate and long for. When the world demands noise and roars its desires, the Lord beckons us to steal away in His presence and just be still (Psalm 46:10). It is in the quietness of this moment where we shut out the world’s demands and wrap ourselves in the familiar embrace of knowing our God.

~Word for Life Says

Conversations of the Heart

“Keep thy heart with all diligence; for out of it are the issues of life.” Proverbs 4:23

Conversations of the heart. What is your heart speaking or what is speaking to your heart today? What inner dialogue is taking place? Is it a place of questioning? Is it a pondering some great point? Is what is being spoken there offering you peace and comfort for the days you are facing?

There, in the deepest recesses of your being, in the only place God and you know of, is an exchange of ideas, intentions, thoughts, opinions, and beliefs.

It’s where we form a picture of our lives. It’s where we store wisdom to draw from, love to explore, feel, and give, and it is also where we find encouragement for those less-than-perfect days.

Our hearts need a constant filling of the things that will nurture the inner man. For the soul of a man is fed from the fruit thereof.

Today, I offer you encouragement that will help strengthen the conversation of your heart. May the voice and power of Scripture speak where you need it most.

Blessings~

“Trust in the Lord with all thine heart; and lean not unto thine own understanding. In all thy ways acknowledge him, and he shall direct thy paths.” Proverbs 3:5-6

“Peace I leave with you, my peace I give unto you: not as the world giveth, give I unto you. Let not your heart be troubled, neither let it be afraid.” John 14:27

“Be of good courage, and he shall strengthen your heart, all ye that hope in the Lord.” Psalm 31:24

“Delight thyself also in the Lord: and he shall give thee the desires of thine heart.” Psalm 37:4

“And thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind, and with all thy strength: this is the first commandment.” Mark 12:30

“My flesh and my heart faileth: but God is the strength of my heart, and my portion for ever.” Psalm 73:26

“Blessed are they that keep his testimonies, and that seek him with the whole heart.” Psalm 119:2

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Her Name Was Deborah!

I bet you’ve never seen a bee like this one before, but as sure as this is the meaning of her name, this industrious lady of the Bible took care of her hive.

Wayward in heart and misdirected by sinful intentions describes the children of Israel after prominent leaders such as Joshua passed off the scene. It was then, that the people found themselves in a vicious cycle of sin, repentance, and deliverance, only to be repeated over and over again.

When they continued to travel out of the will of God, God would allow His people to experience times of adversity through the means of some outside force, usually via oppression from other nations.  During this adverse period, the people would humble themselves before God, and God would extend His mercy by sending a deliverer their way in the form of what we call “judges.”  These leaders of the day would not only be conveyors of what God had to say to the people at that time, but they would also be the instruments God would use to orchestrate their deliverance and bring them out of whatever trouble they currently found themselves in due to their disobedience.

When the judge God used for a particular deliverance passed off the scene, the disobedient hearts of the people usually found themselves entangled once again in idol worshiping and sin, and suffered another set of adverse conditions until God called another judge into action to rise and bring the people out once more.

The choice of discipline the people faced in Judges 4 was through “Jabin king of Canaan, that reigned in Hazor” (Judges 4:2) who for twenty years “mightily oppressed the children of Israel” (4:3).

It was then, the Bible notes, that there was an unusual woman in the land of Israel.  She was not only a wife, being married to “Lapidoth,” but she was a judge, a leader, and considered a prophetess.  Her name was “Deborah” (Judges 4:4).

Not much is known personally of Deborah outside of Judges 4-5.  We are not exactly sure how she received her calling from God to step into this place of leadership, but we do know that her ears and her heart were opened to God and He used her in a mighty way to not only bring about deliverance for the children of Israel but to also effectively lead them when they “came up to her for judgment.”  She was likened, in her and Barak’s song found in chapter 5, as a mother who arose in Israel (Judges 5:7); a woman who cared for her people and her God, and believed through His leading and power they could do what God said they could do.

So, there she was found “under the palm tree of Deborah between Ramah and Bethel in mount Ephraim: and the children of Israel came up to her for judgement” (Judges 4:5).  I wish we had just an inkling of Deborah’s age (Was she aged with wisdom, or was she young and spunky, or was she somewhere in the middle but not given to mediocrity?), but we are not privileged with that information.  Her story is not about statistics or the status quo (of which she was not).  Her story was of faith and longing to do right for God and man.  By gender, she may not have been the typical deliverer for Israel, but by faith, her story shows that God doesn’t put limits on who He can use or not.  Sometimes, He thinks outside of the box and throws off the stereotypes to use the one whom we may least expect.

Are you a Deborah? Called into an unusual position during an unusual time?

Do you carry the burden of people and situations in your heart? Do you care about what God wants to do through the lives of others, and even your own life? Do you seek to be open to His services and to be helpful to those around you? Then, you may be a Deborah.

While your name may differ, the stirring in your heart is the same. While the roles you are functioning in may not look the same, the fact that you are seeking to function in His will for the benefit of God and man may qualify you as a Deborah.

In her, we see leadership.

In her, we see motivation.

In her, we see an open vessel ready to be used by the Master.

In her, we see a heart that will not fear or back down from the challenge.

In her, we see poise and caring, but she is also a force to be reckoned with.

In her, we see a faith that refuses to be extinguished by the circumstances of the day.

For one whom we don’t know much about, can we glean a lot from her short story represented in the pages of Scripture.

Unlike some around her, she was not a hesitant leader (Judges 4:6-8).  Her name may call her as a bee, but she was lionhearted, sure, confident, and decisive and she literally rose to the occasion when her people needed her the most.  She was a spiritual champion.  I don’t believe she would wield a sword, but she sure wielded her faith.  She had no qualms about going where God already told them they would have the victory (Judges 4:9-10).  She could readily agree with the psalmist, saying, “The LORD is on my side; I will not fear: what can man do unto me?” (Psalms 118:6).

Her confidence in God showed through her decisions, leadership, influence, judging, and prophecies (Judges 4:14).  “The fear of man bringeth a snare: but whoso putteth his trust in the LORD shall be safe,” (Psalms 29:25; see also Psalms 118:8).  She may have been a woman, but she was not a wavering woman.  She stood flat-footed and held on to the Word of God.

Through her guidance and encouragement as a godly leader, her people gained the victory over their oppressors and lived in peace for the next forty years (Judges 5:31).

Her name is Deborah. Read her story in Judges 4-5, and be encouraged by the tenacity of her life.

“The inhabitants of the villages ceased, they ceased in Israel, until that I Deborah arose, that I arose a mother in Israel.” Judges 5:7

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Everything Healed

The world we live in currently bears the scars of the travesty that has taken place. When sin entered, it did more than cause our separation from God (which was the worst). It also caused hurt, disorder, dysfunction, and disease where there was only to be peace, love, harmony, and health.

Our Garden of Eden has become a briar patch of thorns and pain that hurt and hinder where the Word was spoken for good. The truth of this condition is told in Scripture as the Apostle Paul says, “For we know that the whole creation groaneth and travaileth in pain together until now. And not only they, but ourselves also, which have the firstfruits of the Spirit, even we ourselves groan within ourselves, waiting for the adoption, to wit, the redemption of our body” (Romans 8:22, 23).

When something is groaning it means something is not right. Think along the lines of an upset stomach. People tend to groan and hold themselves tightly to express their utter discomfort at the wrong they feel going on inside themselves. Their body is in pain until that which caused the discomfort is cured and eased.

In the above verses, there is groaning seen in the state of man and creation alike. But the promise for those in Christ is that it will not remain as it is now. Healing is on the horizon. Nature will regain its right order. That which was called good will shine brighter than its original beauty before. And we, my friends, who have experienced and lived through the turmoil of this world, will finally find the ultimate peace and completion of true wholeness.

That which is flesh will be given over to the Spirit. That of the world will dissipate before glory. The enemy you see today, you will see no more for everything will be healed. You will be freer than you have ever been before as the burdens of this life are laid down once and for all, as the culmination of everything we have maintained this hope for comes to pass.

As we carry His Spirit in us today, we carry it with the knowing that our faith, although it has seen many trials, is not in vain. “For we know that if our earthly house of this tabernacle were dissolved, we have a building of God, an house not made with hands, eternal in the heavens” (2 Corinthians 5:1).

The promise is there, and the promise is real. Everything not fitted for the purpose of that glorious Kingdom will be done away with. Tears and death, hopelessness and despair, pain, and suffering – all will be passed away (Revelation 21:4). “And he that sat upon the throne said, Behold, I make all things new . . .” (Revelation 21:5). What was wrong will be righted. What was broken will be fully and completely healed as groanings are replaced by glory forever.

“For, behold, I create new heavens and a new earth: and the former shall not be remembered, nor come into mind.” – Isaiah 65:17

“But the God of all grace, who hath called us unto his eternal glory by Christ Jesus, after that ye have suffered a while, make you perfect, stablish, strengthen, settle you.” – 1 Peter 5:10

“For whatsoever is born of God overcometh the world: and this is the victory that overcometh the world, even our faith.” – 1 John 5:4

Daily

“Give us this day our daily bread.” Matthew 6:11

The soul must recognize, and the heart acknowledge, there is not a day that goes by when we don’t need the holy provisions that come from on high. The hope, joy, and peace of heaven – every good, and every perfect gift from above – all of it we need daily to feed this spiritual life (James 1:17).

You, O God, are the one true source of all. To look anywhere else to nourish our souls for these times would be a futile pursuit. It is in You that we find the freedom we so long for. It is before You, we lay our cares, our thoughts, our burdens at Your holy feet.

Whatever we place there may feel like a lot to us, but it is never too much for You. So, daily You invite us to come, ask, seek, knock, and believe in faith (Matthew 7:7-8).

Today, and every day, we know that we need You. You, who were the manna in the wilderness, are the daily, living bread we need for this life right now (John 6:47-51). As a man starved in appetite, let us look to You for our heavenly sustenance (Matthew 5:6). You are the hope we lean upon, daily.

Friend, go to Him, daily.