Lifelong habit of coming to Jesus boldly, receiving revelation from God (Matthew 11:28–30, Hebrews 4:16)

...Jesus began to denounce the towns where he had done so many of his miracles, because they hadn’t repented of their sins and turned to God... “And you people of Capernaum, will you be honored in heaven? No, you will go down to the place of the dead. For if the miracles I did for you had been done in wicked Sodom, it would still be here today. I tell you, even Sodom will be better off on judgment day than you.”

At that time Jesus prayed this prayer: “O Father, Lord of heaven and earth, thank you for hiding these things from those who think themselves wise and clever, and for revealing them to the childlike. Yes, Father, it pleased you to do it this way!

“My Father has entrusted everything to me. No one truly knows the Son except the Father, and no one truly knows the Father except the Son and those to whom the Son chooses to reveal him.”

Then Jesus said, “Come to me, all of you who are weary and carry heavy burdens, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you. Let me teach you, because I am humble and gentle at heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy to bear, and the burden I give you is light.” - Matthew 11:20–30

This year's big message for me was to adjust myself to the yoke of Christ. This is done through hearing the word from Christ, to learn from Him. When he was frustrated with the reality of his day it drove him to prayer, seeing people from a heavenly perspective, from an eternal perspective. Jesus taught his disciples to prayer "forgive us our trespasses as we forgive those who trespass against us." As we come boldly to the throne of grace, receiving the living Word of God that changes us (Hebrews 4), it culminates in Hebrews 12:15. "Let no bitter root grow up", warning against harboring resentment, anger, or unforgiveness, which can take root in the heart, steal peace, and defile relationships. It emphasizes actively cultivating God’s grace and peace rather than letting past hurts poison one's spiritual life.

Christ’s yoke reshapes the heart through the Spirit, not self-regulation (Matthew 11:29-30)

The yoke is where healing becomes obedience, and obedience becomes joy. Yet I find myself drifting and breaking the habit of coming to Jesus with my heavy burdens, I forget the lessons he taught me and need others to help me find my way back. "Ask for the old, godly way, and walk in it. Travel its path, and you will find rest for your souls." Jer 6:16

Leaders unyoked to God, ruin generations by greed and dishonesty (Jeremiah 5:1-6:21, Matthew 11:28-30)

A) God sees our dishonest heart attitude (Jer 5:1-19)

B) Warning for God's People who rejected God's way (Jer 5:20-6:21)

• Stop, decide path of godly and find rest for your souls, all nations, fruit of schemes, rejecting God's word is disaster. Sacrifices are not pleasing to God. 

Promise of restoration, freedom and adoption (Matthew 11:28-30, Exodus 6:6-7)

"Jesus, where are we going?" Matthew 11:29-30

• The yoke changes, not the weight. Jesus doesn't remove burdens, He replaces a crushing yoke with one He carries alongside you. Religious performance piles on load; relationship with Christ redistributes it.
• Rest is learned, not escaped into. The rest Jesus offers comes through learning from Him, not stepping away from life. Sabbath, ancient paths, ongoing formation, rest is the fruit of walking rightly, not stopping.
• Humility is the entry point. Christ is gentle and humble in heart. Men who find no rest are often too proud to admit exhaustion. Weakness isn't disqualifying, it's where Christ's power actually lands (2 Cor. 12:9).
• Misplaced labor hollows you out. Ambition, approval, and achievement make heavy yokes because they never deliver what they promise. Isaiah 55:2 frames this precisely: a restless life is a worship problem before it is a schedule problem.
• Burden-bearing is a shared practice. Galatians 6:2 makes this communal. Rest isn't only found alone with God, it's experienced with men who know what you're actually carrying and show up anyway.

The Big Idea

Two invitations. One posture. Jesus says come to me. The writer of Hebrews says come boldly. Both assume you will come. Both promise you will not be turned away.

The question is not whether God is available. The question is whether you have made coming to him a habit of life.

Three Interlocking Themes

1. Access Is Already Open

The veil is torn. The throne is approachable. Jesus is not a distant high priest who sympathizes theoretically. He was tempted in every way (Heb 4:15). He knows weariness from the inside.

This means the invitation in Matthew 11 is not a one-time altar call. It is an open door that never closes. Access is not earned by spiritual readiness. It is given because of who he is.

Cross-thread: Hebrews 10:19–22 echoes this. The confidence to enter is grounded in the blood of Jesus, not the cleanliness of your conscience.

2. Rest Is Not Absence of Load, It Is the Right Yoke

Jesus does not say put down your burdens. He says take my yoke. A yoke is still work. But his yoke is fitted. His burden is proportioned. The rest he gives is not passive, it is the deep steadiness of a soul moving at the right pace with the right master.

The contrast is not burden vs. no burden. It is crushing yoke vs. gentle yoke. The striving life exhausts. The yielded life sustains.

Cross-thread: 2 Corinthians 12:9, "My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is perfected in weakness." Weakness is not disqualifying. It is the condition in which the yoke fits best.

3. Mercy and Grace Are Daily Provisions, Not Emergency Supplies

Hebrews 4:16 is often read as a crisis text, go to God when you're in trouble. But "time of need" is eukairia, the right moment, the opportune time. Every moment of honest need qualifies.

This reframes prayer. Mercy is for the morning before anything goes wrong. Grace is for the ordinary Tuesday. Both are available now, not only when you've run out of other options.

Cross-thread: Psalm 103:8–12, God is not measuring out grace reluctantly. He is "abounding in loving devotion." James 4:6 adds the condition: he gives more grace to the humble.

Lifelong Habits

These habits are not techniques. They are practiced orientations, ways of training the soul over years to move naturally toward what Jesus invites.

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Habit 1: Come First, Not Last

The pattern most people fall into: pray when all else fails.

The habit to build: make approach to God the first move, not the fallback.

Philippians 4:6 frames this: "in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving." Not after everything. In everything. The soul that has practiced coming first does not panic in crisis because it is already in the posture of dependence.

Practice: Begin each day with a conscious, brief act of approach. Not a performance. Just: "I am coming to you. I am not carrying this alone."

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Habit 2: Carry the Yoke, Not the Crowd

The pattern most people fall into: accumulating obligations, expectations, and identities until the weight becomes unbearable.

The habit to build: regularly ask whose yoke is this?

Jesus' yoke is singular. It is his call on your life, his pace, his priorities. The anxiety Jesus addresses in Matthew 11 often comes from carrying yokes that were never meant for you: approval, status, unresolved comparison.

Practice: Periodic simplification. Every season, ask: what am I carrying that he never asked me to carry? What have I added to his yoke that doesn't belong there?

God saved you by his grace when you believed. And you can’t take credit for this; it is a gift from God. Salvation is not a reward for the good things we have done, so none of us can boast about it. For we are God’s masterpiece. He has created us anew in Christ Jesus, so we can do the good things he planned for us long ago. Eph 2:8-10

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Habit 3: Approach with Boldness, Not Performance

The pattern most people fall into: approaching God when they feel spiritually worthy, withdrawing when they don't.

The habit to build: boldness rooted in who he is, not who you are.

The tax collector in Luke 18:13 did not approach because he was ready. He approached because he was desperate and honest. Jesus said he went home justified. The Pharisee, who had the credentials, went home empty.

Confidence at the throne is not confidence in your spiritual record. It is confidence in his mercy.

Practice: Name your weakness before you name your request. The posture of humility unlocks more grace (James 4:6), not less. Key Aspects of James 4:6:

• More Grace: God provides additional grace to overcome, even in challenging situations.
• The Proud vs. Humble: God actively resists (opposes) those who are arrogant, but extends favor (grace) to those who are humble.
• Context of Humility: This verse is a cornerstone of the passage (James 4:6-10), which instructs believers to submit to God, resist the devil, and draw near to Him

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Habit 4: Learn Continuously from Jesus

The pattern most people fall into: treating Jesus as Savior but not as Teacher.

The habit to build: sustained learning at his feet.

"Learn from me," Jesus says in Matthew 11:29. This is not a one-time transfer of information. It is a lifelong apprenticeship. He is gentle and humble in heart, and that character is what his yoke is slowly shaping in the learner.

Practice: Regular, unhurried time in the Gospels. Not only reading about Jesus. Watching how he moves, what he notices, who he stops for, how he prays. The habits of his life become the curriculum.

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Habit 5: Cast Before You Crack

The pattern most people fall into: waiting until anxiety becomes crisis before bringing burdens to God.

The habit to build: early and ongoing casting.

1 Peter 5:7 — "Cast all your anxiety on him, because he cares for you." This is not a one-time release. The Greek suggests a continuous action. Keep casting. Keep off-loading.

Matthew 7:7–8 reinforces the habit: ask, seek, knock — all three verbs are present-tense, continuous. This is the rhythm of a life lived in ongoing conversation with God, not occasional petition.

Practice: At the first sign of burden accumulation, bring it. Don't wait for the weight to become unbearable. The throne is accessible now.

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The Integrated Picture

Matthew 11:28–30	Hebrews 4:16
Come to me	Approach the throne
I will give you rest	Receive mercy and grace
Take my yoke	In your time of need
Learn from me	With confidence

These passages are not separate invitations. They are the same door, described twice. One from the lips of Jesus in Galilee. One from the theology of the cross looking backward and forward.

A soul shaped by both will be: approachable in spirit, humble in posture, rested in striving, and bold in need.

That is not a season of the Christian life. It is the whole thing.

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Mercy defines the Sabbath day, discover how to "delight in the Lord" (Isa 56:1–7,Isa 58:13–14)

This is what the Lord says:

“Be just and fair to all. Do what is right and good, for I am coming soon to rescue you and to display my righteousness among you. Blessed are all those who are careful to do this. Blessed are those who honor my Sabbath days of rest and keep themselves from doing wrong.

“Don’t let foreigners who commit themselves to the Lord say, ‘The Lord will never let me be part of his people. And don’t let the eunuchs say, ‘I’m a dried-up tree with no children and no future.’

For this is what the Lord says: 

I will bless those eunuchs who keep my Sabbath days holy and who choose to do what pleases me and commit their lives to me...“I will also bless the foreigners who commit themselves to the Lord, who serve him and love his name, who worship him and do not desecrate the Sabbath day of rest, and who hold fast to my covenant. I will bring them to my holy mountain of Jerusalem (Hebrews 12:22-25) and will fill them with joy in my house of prayer (1 Corinthians 6:19). I will accept their burnt offerings and sacrifices, because my Temple will be called a house of prayer for all nations. Isa 56:1–7

Over the past few months I've been looking at Stop in the Name of God with guys from Teen Challenge Portland house. I wanted to share with the guys that resting in the Lord is a great way to spend Saturday, healing and new paths open up as we rest in the Lord and focus on "seeking his face." in community. 

“Keep the Sabbath day holy. Don’t pursue your own interests on that day, but enjoy the Sabbath and speak of it with delight as the Lord’s holy day. Honor the Sabbath in everything you do on that day, and don’t follow your own desires or talk idly. Then the Lord will be your delight. I will give you great honor and satisfy you with the inheritance I promised to your ancestor Jacob. I, the Lord, have spoken!” - Isa 58:13–14

Sabbath is mentioned 154 time in the NIV. The "mercy defines the day" theme is perhaps the most continuous. Deuteronomy's Exodus-grounded rationale for Sabbath rest, "you were slaves, therefore your servants and animals rest" is not overturned by Jesus but drawn out to its logical conclusion. The healings are Deuteronomy in action, performed by the One who authored the Exodus.

The most surprising convergence is the mission column. Isaiah 56's vision of foreigners keeping the Sabbath at the mountain of prayer is so specific that Paul's synagogue strategy in Acts looks like deliberate fulfillment. He was not accommodating Jewish custom for pragmatic reasons, he was standing inside Isaiah's prophetic picture and announcing its arrival.

And the eschatological rest column shows the most sophisticated typological argument in the canon. Hebrews 4 is not proof-texting; it is reading Genesis 2, Psalm 95, and the Conquest narratives together and showing that the open-ended seventh day was always waiting for an antitype that only Christ's finished work could supply.

Theme	Old Testament foundation	New Testament fulfillment
Lord of the Sabbath God's sovereign ownership of the day	Gen 2:2–3 · Ex 20:8–11 · Deut 5:12–15 · Ezek 20:12,20 The Sabbath belongs to YHWH — "a Sabbath to the LORD." God himself rested, blessed, and hallowed the seventh day. Ezekiel calls it his personal sign between himself and Israel. Sovereignty over the Sabbath is an exclusively divine attribute, not delegated to any human authority.	Mark 2:28 · Matt 12:8 · John 5:17–18 Jesus claims the identical sovereignty: "the Son of Man is Lord of the Sabbath." This is not a relaxation of the law but a Christological claim. John 5:17 makes the logic explicit — the Father's ongoing work grounds the Son's Sabbath activity. He who created the Sabbath now fulfills it in person. Type fulfilled in Christ's person
Mercy defines the day Liberation and rest for the powerless	Ex 23:12 · Deut 5:15 · Isa 58:13–14 · Lev 25 Deuteronomy grounds the Sabbath in the Exodus: "you were a slave in Egypt." Rest must therefore extend to servants, animals, and foreigners. The Sabbath year releases debts; the Jubilee restores land. Isaiah 58 redefines true Sabbath as justice. The day is structurally a liberation institution.	Matt 12:12 · Luke 13:16 · Luke 14:5 Jesus draws out the mercy logic already embedded in Deuteronomy. Calling the bent woman a "daughter of Abraham" deliberately echoes covenant identity and Exodus liberation. His ox-in-the-pit argument (Luke 14:5) appeals to mercy his opponents already practiced and extends it to a human being. OT humanitarian law → christological healing
Custom & practice The Sabbath as covenant identity	Ex 16 · Ex 31:12–17 · Num 15:32–36 · Neh 13:15–22 The manna narrative pre-Sinai established the weekly pattern before the law was given. Ex 31 makes the Sabbath a perpetual covenant sign. Violation was a capital offense in the wilderness (Num 15). Nehemiah enforced it at Jerusalem's gates as a marker of post-exilic covenant fidelity.	Luke 4:16 · Luke 23:56 · Matt 24:20 Jesus attended the synagogue "as was his custom" the covenant-keeper embodying the covenant sign. The women rested on the Sabbath even in their grief, honoring the commandment. Jesus' instruction to pray the flight not be on the Sabbath shows the rhythm still shaping his disciples' future. Covenant sign kept perfectly by the covenant Lord
Shadow & substance Critique and universalizing of observance	Isa 1:13–14 · Isa 56:2–7 · Amos 8:5 · Jer 31:31–34 The prophets already anticipated a deeper fulfillment. Isaiah condemns hollow Sabbath-keeping while simultaneously opening Sabbath participation to foreigners and eunuchs (Isa 56) — universalizing what Israel had privatized. Jeremiah's new covenant inscribes law on the heart, relativizing external observance as its ultimate form.	Col 2:16–17 · Rom 14:5 · Gal 4:10 Paul declares the Sabbath a "shadow" of the substance that is Christ (Col 2:17). The prophetic critique of empty observance is resolved: the reality the day pointed toward has arrived. Sabbath keeping becomes a conscience matter rather than a salvific one the OT itself prepared this trajectory. Prophetic anticipation → Pauline declaration
Eschatological rest The open-ended seventh day	Gen 2:2–3 · Ps 95:7–11 · Deut 12:9 · Lev 25The seventh day in Genesis uniquely has no closing formula ("evening and morning") — it is open-ended rest. Psalm 95 uses "my rest" as a future threat written after the Conquest, showing Canaan did not exhaust the promise. The Promised Land was called "rest" (Deut 12:9), but a greater rest still lay ahead. The Jubilee projects Sabbath rhythm onto a cosmic scale.	Heb 4:1–11 · John 19:30Hebrews weaves Genesis, Psalm 95, and Canaan into one typological argument: three Sabbath-rests (creation, land, Ps 95's future promise) converge on a single antitype — the rest believers enter by faith in Christ's finished work. "It is finished" is the ultimate Sabbath declaration. The rest that remains is eschatological, inaugurated now and consummated at the resurrection. Three OT types → one NT antitype
Mission platform All nations at God's Sabbath	Isa 56:2–7 · Isa 66:23 · Ezek 46:1–3 Isaiah 56 is striking: foreigners who keep the Sabbath will be welcomed at God's holy mountain, "for my house shall be called a house of prayer for all peoples." Isaiah 66 envisions all flesh coming to worship on new moons and Sabbaths in the new creation. Ezekiel 46 pictures the Sabbath as the rhythm of restored, universal worship.	Acts 13:14,42–44 · Acts 16:13 · Acts 17:2 · Acts 18:4 Paul built his entire Gentile mission around the Sabbath synagogue assembly. Isaiah's vision — foreigners gathering at God's house on the Sabbath — is precisely what Paul exploited across Antioch, Thessalonica, Corinth, and Philippi. The Sabbath gathering became the first and most natural platform for announcing that the One the Scriptures promised had come. Isaiah's vision → apostolic mission strategy

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Walking circumspectly without dissipation (Ephesians 5:15-20)

So be careful how you live (walk circumspectly kjv). Don’t live like fools (in dissipation), but like those who are wise. Make the most of every opportunity in these evil days. Don’t act thoughtlessly, but understand what the Lord wants you to do. Don’t be drunk with wine, because that will ruin your life. Instead, be filled with the Holy Spirit, singing psalms and hymns and spiritual songs among yourselves, and making music to the Lord in your hearts. And give thanks for everything to God the Father in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ. - Ephesians 5:15-20

In the Bible, "walking circumspectly," primarily from Ephesians 5:15, means to live with extreme care, watchfulness, and wisdom, like someone looking closely around them to avoid stumbling in darkness or folly, making the most of every opportunity in evil days, and understanding God's will, not as fools but as the wise. It involves deliberate, accurate steps, being alert to dangers, and diligently guarding against sin, often empowered by the Holy Spirit. 

Key Meanings and Implications

• Careful & Precise Living: Not rushing or being clumsy, but taking deliberate, thought-out steps in life and behavior. 
• Awareness & Watchfulness: Being alert to your surroundings, guarding against surprise, and being watchful in every direction. 
• Wisdom vs. Folly: Acting wisely by understanding and following God's will, in contrast to foolishness (dissipation). 
• Redeeming the Time: Making the most of every moment because the days are evil, buying back wasted time for good. 
• Spiritual Discernment: Living in the light, understanding God's plan, and being guided by the Holy Spirit to do good works. 

The passage moves from posture (how you walk) → urgency (why you walk carefully) → content (what you walk toward) → power (by what you walk). It is Paul's integrated vision of sanctification: attentive, urgent, discerning, and Spirit-empowered. The children of light do not drift — they choose, reclaim, understand, and yield.

The word circumspect also appears in Exodus 23:13 which commands Israelites to be diligent (circumspect) in following all of God's instructions, specifically forbidding them from invoking, mentioning, or letting the names of other gods be heard from their lips, emphasizing exclusive worship of Yahweh. 

Key Aspects of Exodus 23:13:

• Context: It concludes a section of laws, including the Sabbath rest, separating Israelites from pagan practices.
• The Command: To not just avoid worshipping other gods, but to avoid even speaking their names (e.g., Baal).
• Significance: This command prohibited elevating or validating foreign deities by mentioning them in a respectful or formal manner, reinforcing the first commandment.

In the Bible, dissipation refers to a reckless, wasteful, and dissolute lifestyle marked by self-indulgence, excess, and a lack of self-control, often leading to spiritual and moral ruin. Derived from the Greek asotia (meaning "unsaved" or "wasteful"), it represents the scattering of life, resources, and focus away from God and toward harmful worldly pleasures:

• Prodigal Living: The "wild living" or "dissipation" of the Prodigal Son in Luke 15:13 demonstrates the wasteful squandering of resources on selfish, temporary pleasures.
• Lack of Self-Control: It is linked with drunkenness, revelry, and immorality, often described as a "flood of dissipation" in 1 Peter 4:4 and 2 Peter 2:13
• Spiritual Obstacle: Jesus warns in Luke 21:34 that dissipation (along with drunkenness and anxieties) can weigh down hearts, distracting believers from spiritual readiness and God's kingdom.
• Contrast to Virtue: It opposes biblical virtues like temperance, sobriety, and diligence, as noted in Proverbs 21:17 and Ephesians 5:18
• Opposite of Spiritual Filling: Ephesians 5:18 contrasts being "drunk with wine" (a form of dissipation) with being filled with the Spirit. 

Ultimately, dissipation represents a life focused on worldly lusts rather than godly pursuits, often associated with a rejection of divine discipline.

Ephesians 5:15-18 Themes

1. The Contrast of Two Ways Paul structures the passage as a series of sharp antitheses — wise/foolish, circumspect/reckless, Spirit-filled/drunk. The believer's life is defined by choosing, not drifting.
2. Urgency Rooted in Cosmic Context "The days are evil" is not pessimism — it is situational awareness. Wise living is always eschatologically aware. Time is not neutral; it is contested.
3. Wisdom as Active Discernment Understanding God's will is not passive reception but active pursuit. Wisdom involves the mind, will, and renewed spiritual perception.
4. Spirit-Filling as the Alternative Governing Power The wine/Spirit contrast is not merely about sobriety — it is about what controls a person. The Spirit-filled life produces community, worship, and gratitude (vv.19-20), which drunkenness destroys.

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I. Walk Wisely — The Posture of the Disciple (v.15)

"See then that you walk circumspectly, not as fools, but as wise"

• "See then" (βλέπετε) — a call to conscious, attentive living; not sleepwalking through life
• "Walk circumspectly" (ἀκριβῶς) — precisely, carefully, with exact attention
• exactly, accurately, carefully, or diligently. It stems from a root meaning to ascertain, inquire diligently, or to know to the last point. 
• The fool assumes life is safe; the wise person knows it is not
• The walk is public witness — outsiders observe how believers navigate the world

Additional References:

• Proverbs 4:26 — "Give careful thought to the paths for your feet and be steadfast in all your ways"
• Psalm 119:9 — "How can a young man keep his way pure? By living according to your word"
• Galatians 5:16 — "Walk by the Spirit and you will not gratify the desires of the flesh"
• Luke 16:8 — Jesus notes that worldly people are sometimes shrewder than the children of light in their generation

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II. Redeem the Time — The Urgency of the Disciple (v.16)

"Redeeming the time, because the days are evil"

• "Redeeming" (ἐξαγοραζόμενοι) — buying back, reclaiming what is lost; a marketplace metaphor
• Time (καιρός) — not chronological time but appointed opportunity, the decisive moment, a "season" or "appointed time"
• "The days are evil" — not escapism but realism; the age is under hostile spiritual influence (cf. 2:2; 6:12)
• Every believer lives in a window of opportunity that will close
• The Christian Code of Conduct for the Church Militant (Ben Lorence)
  

Additional References:

• Colossians 4:5 — "Act wisely toward outsiders, redeeming the time"
• John 9:4 — "We must do the works of Him who sent Me while it is day; night is coming when no one can work"
• 1 Peter 4:2-3 — contrast of former life vs. life lived for the will of God
• 2 Timothy 4:2 — "Be ready in season and out of season"
• Psalm 90:12 — "Teach us to number our days that we may gain a heart of wisdom"
• 1 Corinthians 7:29-31 — "The time is short... the form of this world is passing away"

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III. Understand God's Will — The Mind of the Disciple (v.17)

"Therefore do not be foolish, but understand what the Lord's will is"

• "Do not be foolish" (ἄφρονες) — without reason, mindless; to drift is to be foolish
• "Understand" (συνίετε) — to bring together, to comprehend by synthesis; moral and spiritual intelligence
• Understanding God's will requires: Scripture (Col. 3:16), prayer (Col. 1:9), community (Heb. 10:24-25), and the Spirit (1 Cor. 2:12-16)
• This is the hinge verse — wisdom about time leads to discernment of will

Additional References:

• Romans 12:2 — "Be transformed by the renewing of your mind... that you may test and approve the will of God"
• Colossians 1:9-10 — being filled with the knowledge of His will in all wisdom
• James 1:5 — asking God who gives wisdom generously
• Proverbs 2:1-6 — the diligent pursuit of wisdom
• Psalm 143:10 — "Teach me to do your will, for you are my God; may your Spirit lead me on level ground"
• Hebrews 5:14 — mature believers have trained themselves to distinguish good from evil

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IV. Be Filled with the Spirit — The Power of the Disciple (v.18)

"Do not get drunk on wine, which leads to reckless indiscretion. Instead, be filled with the Spirit"

• The contrast is one of governance: what controls you? Wine diminishes judgment; the Spirit sharpens and empowers it
• "Reckless indiscretion" (ἀσωτία) — wastefulness, dissipation; the prodigal's lifestyle (Luke 15:13)
• "Be filled" (πληροῦσθε) — present passive imperative: continuous, ongoing, not a one-time event; it is a command, not a feeling
• Spirit-filling is evidenced communally (v.19 — speaking, singing), vertically (v.20 — thanksgiving), and relationally (vv.21ff — mutual submission)

Additional References:

• Acts 2:4, 13 — at Pentecost, observers mistook Spirit-filling for drunkenness (the comparison Paul may be invoking)
• Acts 4:31 — "They were all filled with the Holy Spirit and spoke the word of God boldly"
• Galatians 5:22-23 — the fruit of the Spirit as evidence of Spirit-control
• 1 Corinthians 14:15 — singing with both spirit and mind
• Colossians 3:16 — the parallel passage: "let the word of Christ dwell richly" produces identical outcomes to Spirit-filling (songs, gratitude, mutual instruction)
• Luke 1:41, 67 — Spirit-filling in the nativity narratives as models of Spirit-governed speech and praise
• Romans 8:5-6 — setting the mind on the Spirit produces life and peace

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The Primacy of God's Presence — Bill Johnson on Psalm 27

Enjoying Rooted at Grace and Stop in the Name of God at Teen Challenge. On the way this morning I heard this encouraging word from Bill Johnson's The Priority of the Presence of God. Our study in rooted was on the gifts we are given are meant to be put into practice to build up others (Love God, Love People). The sermon emphasis that Biblical waiting is not passive. We want to "ambush" God and meet him where he's going to be. Like running down the field and knowing that when I get to where we're going I can catch the "hail Mary" pass. 

Here's some of the highlights.

The central conviction of the sermon: nothing the believer has access to (power, strategy, resources, relationships) compares to the value of God's presence. David's declaration in Psalm 27:4 sets the tone. With a kingdom at his disposal, his singular ask was to dwell in the house of the Lord and gaze on His beauty. That priority, Johnson argues, is the organizing principle of a stable and fruitful life.

Intimacy over achievement. The biblical witness is consistent that God Himself is the reward, not merely what He provides. David writes in Psalm 16:11 that fullness of joy is in His presence. Moses, in Exodus 33:15, refuses to advance without God accompanying Israel — a remarkable posture given the urgency of leading a nation. Jeremiah 9:23–24 reinforces this by declaring that the only worthy boast is knowing God. Presence is the inheritance, not a means to something else.

Scripture as the believer's refuge in crisis. Johnson emphasizes an immediate turn to God's Word during difficulty, not as a last resort but as a first instinct. Psalm 119:105 describes the Word as a lamp to the feet. Joshua 1:8 connects courage and success directly to meditating on Scripture. Romans 10:17 reminds us that faith itself is generated by hearing the Word. The Word doesn't just comfort — it recalibrates perspective.

Devotion survives conflict. David's life proves that intimacy with God is not a luxury reserved for peaceful seasons. Hunted by Saul (1 Samuel 23:14–16), betrayed by Absalom (2 Samuel 15), and surrounded by enemies, David continued to seek the Lord before acting. Psalm 34:4 records his testimony: "I sought the Lord and He answered me." Psalm 57, written while hiding in a cave, opens with trust and ends in praise. Circumstances do not determine devotion — they reveal it.

Presence produces practical stability. This is not mysticism disconnected from daily life. Isaiah 26:3 promises perfect peace for the mind stayed on God. Philippians 4:6–7 describes the peace of God as a garrison — a military term — guarding hearts and minds in Christ Jesus. Proverbs 3:5–6 adds that trusting God with the whole heart, rather than leaning on human understanding, results in directed paths. The inner life becomes ordered when God is the center.

Waiting is weaponized expectation. Biblical waiting is not passivity. Isaiah 40:31 describes those who wait on the Lord as those who mount up with wings like eagles — an image of ascending strength, not stagnation. Lamentations 3:25–26 frames waiting as rooted in God's faithful character. Psalm 130:5–6 compares it to a watchman's alert, patient vigilance through the night. Waiting is active faith directed toward a trustworthy God.

Believers carry and host His presence. The New Testament transforms the temple metaphor. 1 Corinthians 6:19 declares that the body of the believer is a temple of the Holy Spirit. John 15:4–5 calls believers to abide in Christ as branches in a vine — presence is the condition for fruitfulness. 2 Corinthians 3:18 adds that beholding God's glory progressively transforms believers into that same image. Hosting presence is both a privilege and a calling.

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Core takeaway: Every biblical category of blessing — peace, strength, wisdom, fruitfulness, influence — traces back to the same root. A life arranged around seeking and dwelling in God's presence doesn't merely receive benefits; it becomes a demonstration of what that presence produces. As Matthew 6:33 frames it, seek first the kingdom, and everything else finds its proper place.

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True worship is submitting yourself to God wholeheartedly (Jer 17:11-18:17)

focus verse: 

O Lord, if you heal me, I will be truly healed; if you save me, I will be truly saved. My praises are for you alone! Jer 17:14

 Jer 17:11-18:17

• A) Worship the LORD with your whole self and find living water, healing, and salvation (Jer 17:11-18)
• B) Keep the Sabbath Holy and receive incalculable blessing (Jer 17:19-27)
• C) God molds us and re-molds us until he see repentance (Jer 18:1-17)

A) Worship the LORD with your whole self and find living water, healing, and salvation (Jer 17:11-18)

11-12) WORSHIP: Wealth by unjust means is lost by fools, worship LORD instead

• Devotion to God enables visibility and employment in his kingdom (Matthew 6-7)

13) APOSTASY: all who turn away/abandoned LORD (fountain living water) are disgraced, dead

• Jesus ministers to the Samaritan woman at the well
• Jesus teaches about Living Water at Festival of Tabernacles

14) FAITH: LORD, if you heal me, I'm truly healed, save me, I'm truly saved, I praise you alone

15) People scoff, what message from LORD, predictions don't come true

16) WORK: LORD, I've not abandoned my job as shepherd, patient, in your presence, hoping in you alone

17-18) Don't terrorize me but double on them, meshame/dismay on perecuters, not me.

B) Keep the Sabbath Holy and receive incalculable blessing (Jer 17:19-27)

19-23) LORD says: stop carrying your trade on Sabbath day, make it holy, pay attention, accept discipline 

• Love will slow you down - to your benefit
• Application: I'm here Lord

24-26) Obey me in Sabbath and city will be strong forever, blessing everyone with offering/thanksgiving to the LORD's Temple.

27) Refuse me in Sabbath and I will set fire to gates spreading to palaces

• Application: we have two choices in life, obedience or refusal

C) God molds us and re-molds us until he see repentance (Jer 18:1-17)

1-4) Potter working his wheel, jar didn't turn out, so he crushed it into a lump and started over

5-10) As clay in potter's hand so we are in God's hands; God announces destruction but if nation renounces evil ways, I won't destroy as planned. If announces blessing but then nation turns to evil and refuses to obey, I won't bless.

11-12) Jeremiah warns about disaster instead of good, turn from evil ways, do what's right

• Does God change his mind?

13-17) LORD, "snow capped mountains, reliable cold streams? not so, people deserted, incense worthless idols, muddy path, land desolate, stupidity, scattered - LORD turned back on them, refuse their distress

Diagnostics of a depraved psychology and consequences (Romans 1:18-32)

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Love will slow you down - to your benefit

My friend Kevin has me thinking more about Sanctification bringing me to Shabbat Rest, why you need it today Our culture tells us slow is bad but God says, Love is patient (1 Cor 13:3). 

The only one of the Ten Commandments we don't encourage each other to follow and actively help each other to break is "honor the Sabbath" 

We were made to work ANDS made to rest. 

Colossians 2:16, it's not about what others think about what you do or don't do on Sabbath, Col 2:17 - the substance belongs to Christ.

 - We can see Jesus in the Sabbath that you can't get without it. "I will give you rest...learn from me"   Matthew 11:28-30

Practice the Sabbath in communion with Christ. Internally slowing down. "He makes me lie down." Psalm 23:2

Big idea: We need to stop and be with the Lord, our design is 24 hours every week (Gen 2:1-4). I get to meet with Kevin and other friends around the world every Friday night with BSFonline.org. Our time together is God sanctifying me through an intentional commitment of weekly time. Where two or more are gathered in my name (Matthew 18:20, Matthew 28:20).

Application: who do I need to invite into a Sabbath rest, a community meal, bless the Lord, and bless each other intentionally with the guest of honor, the Lord. How do I see the Lord working in their lives? How can I communicate the love of God around the table and draw others in, receiving and giving blessings? Making divine connections.

Exodus 31:12, the Lord spoke to Moses. Sabbath is a sign, "I am the Lord who sanctifies you." 

HALT: Hungry, Angry, Lonely, Tired? These lead to sin, we are searching for rest.

People die because they don't adhere to resting. (Exodus 31:13-16,17) In six days he labored but the seventh day - he was refreshed. Not because he tired, he took a breath - catch your breath

Duet 5:12, Observe Sabbath  -keep it holy, Sabbath of Lord your God. Remember you were a slave, yet now rescued by God. God does it, Sabbath we remember. I don't do it God does it for me. Radical statement of faith to rest. 

When I slow down I see God provides, tangibly. Who am I, what is my identity? Is it my work or my position in the family of God? What will last forever? Jesus hung on the Cross the day of preparation: It is finished: Getting rest in Christ (Upperroom Sundays at 9pm)

 - Pastor had the thought "I live in many, but I rest in few." Will you become a place of rest for God? 

Application: Give Sabbath a chance for God to "surgically" remove besetting sin

Arm yourselves also with the same attitude as Christ (1 Peter 4:1-4)

Real Christianity, pursue holiness

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It's always right to help hungry people ( Matthew 9:13, 12:7)

 Matthew 9:13, 12:7

While Jesus was having dinner at Matthew’s house, many tax collectors and sinners came and ate with him and his disciples. When the Pharisees saw this, they asked his disciples, “Why does your teacher eat with tax collectors and sinners?” On hearing this, Jesus said, “It is not healthy who need a doctor, but the sick. But go and learn what this means: ‘I desire mercy, not sacrifice.’ For I have not come to call the righteous, but sinners.” - Matthew 9:10-13

 - Sinners break the law they didn't know about

 - Jesus didn't go into the place of sin (nightclub, riot), sinners came to a place of eating and fellowship 

At that time Jesus went through the grainfields on the Sabbath. His disciples were hungry and began to pick some heads of grain and eat them. When the Pharisees saw this, they said to him, “Look! Your disciples are doing what is unlawful on the Sabbath.”...If you had known what these words mean, ‘I desire mercy, not sacrifice,’ you would not have condemned the innocent. For the Son of Man is Lord of the Sabbath.” - Matthew 12:1-8

 - Trespassers break trust when they know better, Jesus explains why the Pharisees should know better.

 - God welcomes hungry people to glean on his word, I think his disciples understood this lesson but went over the Pharisees heads. 

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Getting rest in Christ (Upperroom Sundays at 9pm)

 Take my yoke, learn from me and you will find rest for your souls. 

"it is complete" on the seventh day, God rested (Gen 2). God made it holy. Sabbath rest is about sanctification. He rested not because he was tired, but because it was complete. Doesn't say evening and morning because it was completed, finished - forever - the whole story, now - us. 

Gen 2:1-3) So the creation of the heavens and the earth and everything in them was completed. On the seventh day God had finished his work of creation, so he rested from all his work. And God blessed the seventh day and declared it holy, because it was the day when he rested from all his work of creation.

What about the gospel? Jesus said, the son of man has no place to lay his head Luke 9:58

"it is finished" John 19, Jesus rested his head

John 19:30-31) When Jesus had received the sour wine, He said, “It is finished.” And bowing His head, He yielded up His spirit. 31It was the day of Preparation, and the next day was a High Sabbath. In order that the bodies would not remain on the cross during the Sabbath

Same word for "Lay" in Luke 9 as "bowing" in John 19

https://biblehub.com/greek/2827.htm

resting waters - meditative streams. His voice is like the sound of many waters. 10 Minutes detoxing

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZjAUIZZrRZY

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Mercy and justice both come from God, so they are not competitors

Reading BeMature, he talks about Mercy and Justice. "Where God finds repentance and faith, He is able to show mercy; where He finds rebellion and unbelief; He must administer justice. It's the heart of the sinner that determines the treatment he gets. See Matthew 18:21-35"

This reminded me of Judging people in love, according to the faith and I was struck by how often the "day of Judgement" is talked about by Jesus and in the Bible. So I was reminded that Peter reminds us God is able to His fulfill his promises, patiently (2 Peter 3).

Prayer: Lord, thank you for praying for us (John 17), your prayers were clearly powerful and effective. Lord, clean me from the inside that my life shines and living water flows out to nourish those around me. Let your love, heal me, and bring new fruitfulness. Prune away what is not fruitful. So on that day when we are face to face, you will know me - unmistakably part of your body. Thank you Lord for giving me spiritual food. Let my work honor your name today. Amen.

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God promises today you can have faith to enter heavenly rest (Heb 4:1-13)

A) Why some people don't go to heaven (Heb 4:1-7)
Heb 4:1)Therefore, the promise of God's rest still stands, don' t be found having fallen short of it
 - falls short of the grace of God and that no bitter root grows up to cause (Heb 12:15)
 - 2) good news proclaimed had no value because they had no faith
 - 3-5) with faith enter rest, without faith never enter rest - finished since the creation, sabbath rest
 - They treated God with contempt (state of disgrace) (Num 14:23), grumbled against God (Num 14:29)
 6-7) same promise/good news for us TODAY but their disobedience prevented entrance
 - today if you hear his voice, don't harden your hearts (Psalm 95:7,8; Heb 3:7,8,15)
 - Application: God simply wants us to believe/trust Him with the same faith we have in direct deposit, the value of a dollar, the safety of a seat belt. Even more than that he wants us to stay near him like a toddler stays close to mom and dad. Will we let him show us? Will we walk in faith into his promises?
God empowers you to change the world

B) Why some people do go to heaven (Heb 4:8-13)
8-11) Joshua didn't bring rest, because they didn't keep commandments (Joshua 22:1-4,5), same apply to us: Love the Lord your God, walk in obedience to him, to keep his commands, hold fast to him and to serve him with all your heart and with all your soul.
 - in Faith, we rest from our work, when we die in the Lord (Lev 23:3, Rev 14:13)
 - 11) Let us make EVERY EFFORT to enter that rest, so no one will perish following examples of disobedience
Application: Grace and mercy are the two sides of the same coin. Living in grace and blessing is better than mercy and second chance. Will you decide to obey and follow through with obedience?  If you are not experiencing God's blessing, will you consider obeying God?
12) Word of God, alive, active, sword, penetrates soul and spirit, judges thoughts and attitudes of the heart
13) NOTHING is hidden from God's sight, EVERYTHING is uncovered and laid bare before his eyes, to him we must give account.
 - I saw a great illustration of the body, soul (mind/will) and spirit (life source) as three circles with spirit in the middle. As the Bible talks about the heart it shows the spirit is in the heart, but the heart is also intersecting with the soul. The idea is our heart influences our soul (mind and will), but also our body influences our soul. This is described in detail in Gal 5, flesh/body control rather than Spirit control.
Great words mistranslated to mean sentimentalism and reverence to ignorance

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A Bond Servant of Christ daily devotion

In a review of Peter shows how born again faith grows up into quality faith (2 Peter 1:1-11), I was drawn to how the apostles introduced themselves as a slave to Christ. This brought me to ask What is a bondservant / bond-servant? What does it look like?

• Abraham (Genesis 26:24; Numbers 12:7), Abraham was confidently looking forward to a city with eternal foundations, a city designed and built by God. Heb 11:10
• Joshua (Joshua 24:29), Now if Joshua had succeeded in giving them this rest, God would not have spoken about another day of rest still to come. Heb 4:8
• David (2 Samuel 7:5), So God’s rest is there for people to enter, but those who first heard this good news failed to enter because they disobeyed God. So God set another time for entering his rest, and that time is today. God announced this through David much later in the words already quoted: “Today when you hear his voice, don’t harden your hearts.” Heb 4:6-7, Psalm 95:7-8
• Isaiah (Isaiah 20:3), But not everyone welcomes the Good News, for Isaiah the prophet said, “Lord, who has believed our message?” (Romans 10:16), And later Isaiah spoke boldly for God, saying, “I was found by people who were not looking for me. I showed myself to those who were not asking for me.” (Romans 10:20)
• Messiah (Isaiah 53:11), And every day, in the Temple and from house to house, they continued to teach and preach this message: “Jesus is the Messiah.” Acts 5:42

Jesus taught about being a faithful servant in Matthew 25:14-30 and Luke 12:41-48. That greatest is “the servant of all” (Mark 9:35).

Yesterday our SALT and Light Bible verse was Philippians 2:3
Do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit. Rather, in humility value others above yourselves,
https://biblehub.com/philippians/2-3.htm

• But for those who are self-seeking and who reject the truth and follow wickedness, there will be wrath and anger. Romans 2:8 -God's righteousness can be applied to our hearts through repentance (Romans 2)
• Let us not become conceited, provoking and envying one another. Galatians 5:26
• Submit to one another out of reverence for Christ. Ephesians 5:21
• Be devoted to one another in brotherly love. Outdo yourselves in honoring one another. Romans 12:10

But the tax collector stood at a distance, unwilling even to lift up his eyes to heaven. Instead, he beat his breast and said, ‘God, have mercy on me, a sinner!’ I tell you, this man, rather than the Pharisee, went home justified. For everyone who exalts himself will be humbled, but the one who humbles himself will be exalted.” Luke 18:13-14

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Creation week is the most referenced theme in the Bible

I was working on a revised course for Discover your faith, SALT edition. The objective of the course is to understand how your worldview impacts life and work. We start by asking 4 questions that everyone regardless of background can answer. We give Bible basics and what it says about the topic of origins. We ask what people know about the words Genesis, Saturday, Creator and Alphabet, then give a little background on Hebrew and fulfilled prophecy, ending up with 2 Peter 3:1-11.

As I was working on this it occurred to me that Creation week is the most referenced theme in the Bible, it's included in every book that mentions the Sabbath,
https://www.gospelway.com/creation/creation_list.php

Here are the questions anyone can answer regarding origins and God:
1) where do you believe life came from and where did you get your information?
2) What makes humans different from other animals?
3) If you could ask one question of God that you knew would be answered. What would it be? What prompted this question?
4) When you think about who would answer this question, what comes to mind?

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Missing the rest of God

I finished listening to The Blessed Church by Robert Morris, narrated by Robert Morris on my Audible app.

Try Audible and get it free: https://www.audible.com/pd/B009PONHKW?source_code=AFAORWS04241590G4

Love the simple idea thar listening to what God has for us in the Bible then doing it makes our lives blessed.

When we don't take a Sabbath we miss the rest of God. Brilliant.

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Rule of Life Self Assessment (Judges 13:12)

My Rule of life has been, "God first, then family, then people, then work"

Judges 13:12 ESV: And Manoah said, “Now when your words come true, what is to be the child's manner of life (Rule of life), and what is his mission (Vocation NASB)?”

 Romans 8:11 If the Spirit of him who raised Jesus from the dead dwells in you, he who raised Christ Jesus from the dead will also give life to your mortal bodies through his Spirit who dwells in you.

1. What disciplines and specific practices are you attracted to and why you are
attracted to them?

• Prayer, because God hears me, refreshes my soul/spirit/body and guides me
• Bible Study, because it's God's general revelation that allows me to test if specific revelation is from him
• Fellowship with believers, because God works through people
• Church because worship together feels like "home"
• Serving because it feels good to help others and is my preferred "love language"

2. Where do you sense that God is calling you to stretch and grow? Where do you
want to change?

• Personal holiness, and Sabbath rest. God creates the new life just as he did all life in the beginning, I need to spend quality time resting in God's work, remembering him in his presence.
• Developing an outreach ministry stem fellowship

3. What kind of balance do you need in your life?

• Personal holiness, and Sabbath rest - not forced

4. If you could hear your own eulogy, what would you want to hear?

• From God: "Well done good and faithful servant, Come and share your master's happiness!"
• From People: "You don't know me, but because you helped my family - I was able to do the work God had planned for me"
• From Family: "Looking forward to seeing you soon"

5. Is your Rule realistic for you to commit to?

• Yes

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God's Day Planner: From Chaos to Very Good

Often in life, we can find ourselves in a rut. Going through the motions but not feeling like we are "getting anywhere". Over the past year, I've been studying and building a class on Origins, Morality, Meaning and Destiny as a tool to help people understand what they believe and what the Bible teaches on these topics. During Origins I was astounded by Creation week in Genesis 1, by what God said and what was created. He established the Sabbath as a lasting ordinance. The stars moon and sun were created to mark the time and seasons.

I got to thinking what if we modeled our days after the creation week. Would we be more productive, more fulfilled and have better relationships?
Sun 1. Team Vision Day: Seeing forward
Mon 2. Team Evaluation Day: The space between
Tue 3. Team Planning Day: Plant to produce
Wed 4. Teamwork Schedule Day: Lights, Separation, and Signals
Thu 5. Teamwork Day: Be fruitful and multiply
Fri 6. Teamwork Day 2: Be fruitful and multiply
Sat 7. Reflection Day: Look backward

1. Team Vision Day: Let there be light and there was light

Then God said, “Let there be light,” and there was light. And God saw that the light was good. Then he separated the light from the darkness. God called the light “day” and the darkness “night.”

Let there be light. Be honest, impartial, humble and see. What do you see around you? Start with God, what gifts have you been given that maybe you haven't opened to see what it is. 

Be nearsighted in thanksgiving, be farsighted in hope, be present in faith and love.  

Separate light from darkness. Spend time hearing from God, this is our Sunday. Remember we go to church Sunday to celebrate and remember the resurrection of Jesus Christ. 

2. Team Evaluation Day: The space between

Then God said, “Let there be a space between the waters, to separate the waters of the heavens from the waters of the earth.” And that is what happened. God made this space to separate the waters of the earth from the waters of the heavens. God called the space “sky.” And evening passed and morning came, marking the second day.

See space between heaven (desire) and water (life)

What's happened in the past week? What did you set out to achieve, what did you achieve? Did your actions result in the expected benefits? 

"You are here". Look at your roadmap or directory and see where you are. Take time to understand your cycle of life. In my job we have a Software Development Lifecycle, We also follow a Capability Maturity Model, in everything we look to make process improvements in our delivery. We use Six Sigma and build feedback mechanisms in order to help us make informed evaluations and develop recommendations for improvements. At other points in my career, we've had month end, quarter end cycles. At other points weekly staff scheduling and inventory management and coordinated product releases. 

As a Project Manager, I developed plans that help determine adjustments to time, cost and scope that are needed based on where we are according to plan. I've never seen a day go by without change, we want to identify, embrace and drive change for the benefit of God's plan in our lives. 

Let there be space between water (life) and earth (legacy)

Separate the water from the earth: In your evaluation see where water is stale and creating problems. Where is water needed, how can you create a channel for the water to flow from where it's a problem to where it's needed? Start with the end in mine.

3. Team Planning Day: Plant to produce (scope the work)

Then God said, “Let the waters beneath the sky flow together into one place, so dry ground may appear.” And that is what happened. God called the dry ground “land” and the waters “seas.” And God saw that it was good. Then God said, “Let the land sprout with vegetation—every sort of seed-bearing plant, and trees that grow seed-bearing fruit. These seeds will then produce the kinds of plants and trees from which they came.” And that is what happened. The land produced vegetation—all sorts of seed-bearing plants, and trees with seed-bearing fruit. Their seeds produced plants and trees of the same kind. And God saw that it was good. And evening passed and morning came, marking the third day.

Healthy ground is created when obstacles are removed and the field is level. Good leaders and managers see the vision, evaluate the place we are and create a healthy environment for plans to flourish and produce good results. 

Make good soil; the primary ingredients are organics and water. Organics can be created quickly by setting dead things on fire or overtime with composting. Fertilization adds something new to the mix. I think of fertilization as innovation, adding something external to an internal problem.

You may gather the food for six days, but the seventh day is the Sabbath. There will be no food on the ground that day. They must realize that the Sabbath is the Lord’s gift to you. That is why he gives you a two-day supply on the sixth day, so there will be enough for two days. On the Sabbath day you must each stay in your place. Do not go out to pick up food on the seventh day.” Exodus 16:26,29

4. Teamwork Schedule Day: Lights, Separation, and Signals

Then God said, “Let lights appear in the sky to separate the day from the night. Let them be signs to mark the seasons, days, and years. Let these lights in the sky shine down on the earth.” And that is what happened. God made two great lights—the larger one to govern the day, and the smaller one to govern the night. He also made the stars. God set these lights in the sky to light the earth, to govern the day and night, and to separate the light from the darkness. And God saw that it was good. And evening passed and morning came, marking the fourth day.

The night sky has bright stars that help give direction, but the brightest object appears once a month. The full moon. Every year constellations show us what time it is and predictable cycles of life emerge. We all have schedules but not all of the time we spend is spent well. Take time on Wednesday to evaluate your use of time. Looks at the bright lights in your industry to see what makes them shine brighter. If you can, ask them or read up on what they do - or who their inspiration is. 

Separation of duties is essential in providing a quality system. I work in software development and when a complete system is developed by one person it's almost always a mess to maintain. This is because they assume they're the only one who will work on it. They find it easier to "just do it" rather than following S.O.L.I.D principles and when the developer is the tester they typically don't include clear signals of success or failure. 

Signals are needed to tell you and your team what needed in the short term and long term. We call these leading indicators. Many people struggle with defining lead indicators but a simple starting point is who and when categories around your "what". Build categories of who (top, aspiring top, middle, at risk, in trouble) and categories of when (up to date, need status, stale, not being worked on). If your "what" is prioritized from Tuesday (because it's achieving your vision from Sunday) - now your signals will make Monday's evaluation a lot easier. I use Sharepoint modified date to enable this automatically. 

5. Teamwork Day: Be fruitful and multiply

Then God said, “Let the waters swarm with fish and other life. Let the skies be filled with birds of every kind.” So God created great sea creatures and every living thing that scurries and swarms in the water, and every sort of bird—each producing offspring of the same kind. And God saw that it was good. Then God blessed them, saying, “Be fruitful and multiply. Let the fish fill the seas, and let the birds multiply on the earth.” And evening passed and morning came, marking the fifth day.

I love how Jesus talks about living water and the image of waters swarming with life. I had the opportunity to swim in Maui Hawawii after Kim and I were married. It was one of the most amazing experiences I've had.

Being fruitful happens naturally when we've taken care of preparing for healthy growth and success. I think of a team building a sky scrapper. There is a clear order but once the foundation is laid - each floor goes through the process. the first floor can nearly be finished while the top floors are still being framed.

Being fruitful in our work means we are united in vision (long-term plan), aligned on evaluation (status),  know the scope of work for the next 90 days and who will do the work (roles).

6. Teamwork Day 2: Be fruitful and multiply

Then God said, “Let the earth produce every sort of animal, each producing offspring of the same kind—livestock, small animals that scurry along the ground, and wild animals.” And that is what happened. God made all sorts of wild animals, livestock, and small animals, each able to produce offspring of the same kind. And God saw that it was good.

Then God said, “Let us make human beings in our image, to be like us. They will reign over the fish in the seat, the birds in the sky, the livestock, all the wild animals on the earth, and the small animals that scurry along the ground.”
So God created human beings in his own image.
In the image of God he created them;
male and female he created them.
Then God blessed them and said, “Be fruitful and multiply. Fill the earth and govern it. Reign over the fish in the sea, the birds in the sky, and all the animals that scurry along the ground.”
Then God said, “Look! I have given you every seed-bearing plant throughout the earth and all the fruit trees for your food. And I have given every green plant as food for all the wild animals, the birds in the sky, and the small animals that scurry along the ground—everything that has life.” And that is what happened.
Then God looked over all he had made, and he saw that it was very good!
And evening passed and morning came, marking the sixth day.

• We learn from earth's ecosystems and natural production
• We reign over everything, bearing God's image
• We fill and govern the earth, everything that has life
• It's not good to be alone, we need husbands and wives, moms and dads and family

7. Reflection Day: Look backward

So the creation of the heavens and the earth and everything in them was completed. On the seventh day God had finished his work of creation, so he rested from all his work. And God blessed the seventh day and declared it holy, because it was the day when he rested from all his work of creation.

Exodus 13:8
“On the seventh day you must explain to your children, ‘I am celebrating what the Lord did for me when I left Egypt.’

“Remember the Sabbath (seventh) day to keep it holy (set apart, dedicated to God). For in six days the Lord made the heavens, the earth, the sea, and everything in them; but on the seventh day he rested. That is why the Lord blessed the Sabbath day and set it apart as holy. Exodus 20:8,11,
“You have six days each week for your ordinary work, but on the seventh day you must stop working. This gives your ox and your donkey a chance to rest. It also allows your slaves and the foreigners living among you to be refreshed. Exodus 23:12

On the seventh day the Lord called to Moses from inside the cloud. (Exodus 24:16)

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Humbly Grateful Or Grumbly Hateful?

THeard this wonderful song today, great intro to Exodus 16, the teaching...
Do you grumble and groan,
Or let it be known
You’re grateful for all God’s done for you?
Good article here:
http://carynchristensen.com/2015/11/02/are-you-humbly-grateful-or-grumbly-hateful/

Folks were hungry and complaining about Moses and Aaron, God spoke to Moses (not them)..

Then the Lord said to Moses, “Look, I’m going to rain down food from heaven for you. Each day the people can go out and pick up as much food as they need for that day. I will test them in this to see whether or not they will follow my instructions. (walk in my law or not. ESV)
Exodus 16:4 NLT

Sounds familiar,  Gen 2-3

We too grumble, we ask God to bless us, then complain about the blessings

So we are instructed.
Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God.
Philippians 4:6 NIV

Give us today our daily bread.
Matthew 6:11 NIV

Am I trusting God every day, (not just the big things)?
- God gives us what we need everyday.

“Do not store up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moths and vermin destroy, and where thieves break in and steal.  But store up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where moths and vermin do not destroy, and where thieves do not break in and steal.  For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.
Matthew 6:19‭-‬21 NIV

God is powerful and personal
He uses basic human needs, to show how to be satisfied in him

“Therefore I tell you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat or drink; or about your body, what you will wear. Is not life more than food, and the body more than clothes?  ...Can any one of you by worrying add a single hour to your life  ?
Matthew 6:25‭, 27

What life is all about? It's not about getting ahead, it's about resting in him. Manna and Sabbath = God is able too meet all our needs.

So they saved it until morning, as Moses commanded, and it did not stink or get maggots in it. “Eat it today,” Moses said, “because today is a sabbath to the Lord . You will not find any of it on the ground today. Six days you are to gather it, but on the seventh day, the Sabbath, there will not be any.”  Nevertheless, some of the people went out on the seventh day to gather it, but they found none. Then the Lord said to Moses, “How long will you refuse to keep my commands and my instructions? Bear in mind that the Lord has given you the Sabbath; that is why on the sixth day he gives you bread for two days. Everyone is to stay where they are on the seventh day; no one is to go out.” So the people rested on the seventh day.
Exodus 16:24‭-‬30 NIV

He humbled you, causing you to hunger and then feeding you with manna, which neither you nor your ancestors had known, to teach you that man does not live on bread alone but on every word that comes from the mouth of the Lord .
Deuteronomy 8:3 NIV

The tempter came to him and said, “If you are the Son of God, tell these stones to become bread.”  Jesus answered, “It is written: ‘Man shall not live on bread alone, but on every word that comes from the mouth of God.’  ”
Matthew 4:3‭-‬4 NIV

My ultimate need is to know God.

Crowds don't understand Jesus is the Bread of Life (John 6:22-40)
Jesus the Bread from Heaven, offered to all offensive to most (John 6:41-71)
Jesus teaches about Living Water at Festival of Tabernacles (John 7:1-52)

God provides and delivers
- you can't take it with you, use what you have today for today's needs.

Don't make the daily needs the pursuit of your life

Lamentations 3 show a man in pain, suffering and confusion. Yet he says...

The steadfast love of the Lord never ceases; his mercies never come to an end; they are new every morning; great is your faithfulness. "The Lord is my portion," says my soul, "therefore I will hope in him."
Lamentations 3:22‭-‬24 ESV

Therefore, as the Holy Spirit says, "Today, if you hear his voice, do not harden your hearts as in the rebellion, on the day of testing in the wilderness,
Hebrews 3:7‭-‬8 ESV

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