Faithful Writers

Photo by Cody Otto on Unsplash Some days, it’s not about being strong. It’s about choosing not to let what hurts you harden you. Because the truth is that life has a way of shaping people. It makes pain become an armor, then disappointment becomes walls. And before you know it, your kindness starts to feel like a risk you can’t afford. You start speaking less, trusting more slowly, and loving with caution. Not because you stopped caring, but because caring has cost you before. Still, there’s a quiet kind of strength in refusing to become what broke you. When you stay gentle in a world that keeps testing you, that’s not weakness, that’s resistance. That’s choosing to heal differently. Anyone can grow colder after betrayal and shut down after rejection. But it takes courage to keep your heart open after being bruised by life. You can be wise without becoming bitter. You can draw boundaries without building walls. You can protect your peace without losing your softness. You can grow tougher without growing cold. And no, being kind doesn’t mean you let people walk over you. It means you rise above what tries to change your nature. It means you’re no longer reacting, you’re responding. From a place of love, not from pain. Because in the end, kindness isn’t naivety, it’s power under control. It’s your quiet rebellion in a world that keeps pushing you to be harder, louder, and meaner. So if today all you did was stay kind, stay patient, and human, you’ve already won something rare. You’ve proven that your heart is still yours. © Favour

Photo by ROBERTA CARVALHO on Unsplash I like to call them “fly-over chapters”. Maybe you have heard the expression referring to some American States. “Flyover states” describe the central regions of the United States that people typically fly over when traveling between the East and West Coasts, such as between New York and Los Angeles. These states are viewed as less significant culturally or economically by coastal elites. In other words: boring. Fly-over Bible chapters are the same. We start them, see there is a genealogy, and quickly lose interest, skipping to the next chapter. The action of the Bible is compelling. It’s sexy. Digging deep into the Word to find profound spiritual truths in genealogies is not. I wonder how many Bible readers skip the first nine chapters of 1 Chronicles to get to the death of King Saul in chapter 10. How many Christians blow through the genealogy of Jesus to get to the astonishing miracles? When I was new at Bible study, I would sometimes ask, “Why is that even in there?” and skip it. Now I ask God, “ Why is that even in there? Show me.” And He does. Numbers 33 is the story of your life. It starts this way: “These are the camping sites in the journey of the People of Israel after they left Egypt, deployed militarily under the command of Moses and Aaron. Under God’s instruction, Moses kept a log of every time they moved, camp by camp:” Vs 1–2 And then the chapter goes on to list all forty-two places the Hebrews stopped in their 40-year pilgrimage. Why? It states that God instructed Moses to list them all. What does God have in mind by making sure we know about every stop in the journey of His chosen people? Nothing in the Bible is wasted. Nothing is meaningless. There must be something in Numbers 33 for us now, today. If you Google the name of each place listed, most of them don’t even exist anymore. Some Bible scholars will speculate. But there are no archaeological ruins to pinpoint exact locations. Some of the names have changed. And many stops were in desolate, nomadic regions that leave little trace. Of the forty-two locations mentioned, only five can be identified on a map. Ten to fifteen of them have a strong traditional or historical case for the location. With at least twenty, we have no idea. Ramses, Succoth, and Nebo can be visited today. Hashmonah and Tahath, not so much. The Secret Must Be in the Math. There were fourteen stops in the first year alone after leaving Egypt. And there were eight stops in the last year after Aaron’s death. They were heading to Canaan. However, for most of their 38-year lives, they made twenty different stops. Each stop was different. Each one had challenges and joys. There were new neighbors, different views, and each could be considered a fresh start. God always provided for them. There was daily manna and water. They were covered by a cloud by day and a pillar of fire by night. Their clothes didn’t wear out. They had everything they needed. Living in twenty separate places in thirty-eight years meant there were no deep roots to lay down. Although two years is a long time to stay at a place, it was still temporary. They weren’t to be established there. They were on a journey. The deep roots would come when they reached their promised land. Canaan was destined to be the place where they could have lasting rest. The other stops were a part of a narrative of their lives. Did they ever sit around a campfire, reminiscing about their time at certain stops? Some places had ample wood. Others took arduous work to keep the family going. Did an aging Grampa recount the story about giving the Amalekites a serious beat-down at Rephidim to the young kids? How did they remember the golden calf? Or try to describe the day the earth swallowed Korah and family? Could they still hear the screams in their mind? Maybe That’s What God Is Showing Us in This Fly-Over Chapter. What if it is not a list of strange places? But the story of us. What if we are on a journey to a promised place of rest and peace? And with each stop in our lives, in each chapter, we have been led there for a reason. It was beautiful, but it was temporary. God doesn’t want to read about our birth, skip to the day Jesus became real to us, and then skip again to the day we joined Him in heaven. No, those Elementary School years, the dating tears, that failed business, being Angelically saved in a car wreck, the bad, the good, the rebellion, the promotion, and the bankruptcy are all important to Him. Because they are all stops in our Exodus through this age. Each experience is necessary. Every tear is important enough to be saved. “You keep track of all my sorrows. You have collected all my tears in your bottle. You have recorded each one in your book.” Psalm 56:8 Will God Fly Over Our Story at the Judgment? Imagine the scenario as recorded by John in Revelation: “I saw the dead, both great and small, standing before God’s throne. And the books were opened, including the Book of Life. And the dead were judged according to what they had done, as recorded in the books.” 20:12 Will God say: “Yeah, yeah, yeah, skip all that and cut to the good parts.” Nope! He knows the number of hairs on our head (Luke 12:7) , and all our days were planned before we were born (Psalm 39:4) . Each chapter of our lives is methodically woven into a tapestry of joy and sorrow, pain and pleasure, love and loneliness, freedom and bondage, lack and abundance, stress and peace… and ALL of them are important . They are a part of our story. They are a name in a list of a chapter called “Life”. Next time you come across a scripture like Numbers 33:24, “They left Mount Shepher and camped at Haradah ,” pause for a second. Don’t just fly over it. It’s important. They left a beautiful mountain to camp at a place called “Fear” before they headed to the next beautiful mountain. I would love to know more about that stop. Because we have all had seasons in a valley of fear before we headed to the safety of the next mountain. Wherever you are camped today, it is temporary. Stand firm. Rejoice always. Endure. Appreciate. Conquer. Love fiercely. Pray. Sing. Share. Believe. Help your fellow life campers. Because where you are, what you are doing, what you see, and who you are with is temporary. And when the cloud or pillar of fire moves, it’s time to go to your next assignment. You have a long chapter left to be written. Enjoy the trip. © I.M. Koen Thank you for reading to the end. You might also enjoy: Why God Eavesdrops on You. Why Did God Choose Me? I’m Broken. Does Your God Stoop? May God sing songs of love over you as you sleep. -Issachar

Photo by Joshua Hoehne  on Unsplash After I became saved in December of 1979, I tried to tithe or at least give some kind of offering. The problem was, I kept hearing different teachings on whether tithing was still required, so I was never fully sure I was doing it right, but I also never took the time to look into it for myself. Then I got married in September of 1981. My wife and I tithed, and sometimes we tithed if a pastor made a strong enough case for it. But for one reason or another, we always eventually stopped giving. It wasn’t until 1996 that everything changed, and God really started showing me the importance of tithing. My wife had been killed in a car accident, and my employer had laid me off. I was receiving $300 a week in unemployment at the time.  I felt convicted by God to give $30 a week to a ministry, so I did. Somehow, the money never ran out for my family. It just lasted and lasted, and there was no logical reason for how that happened. Eventually, I went back to work. My take-home pay was $500 a week. But again, I stopped giving altogether. Every Friday, I got paid, and by Monday, the money was gone.  I finally cried out to God, “What is going on?” I won’t lie, it took me a bit to see what He was trying to show me. I realized that the $30 I was giving before was a 10% tithe on my $300. So I started tithing again. Twice after learning this lesson, I convinced myself it was all just a coincidence and stopped tithing again.  Both times, everything in my life fell apart.  That’s when I finally, truly understood what He was telling me to do. That was 28 years ago, and I’ve faithfully tithed ever since. I do want to talk about something people often say, that a tithe has  to go to a church.  This is not true, and it’s not Biblical.  I give in many different ways, to many different people and places. I’ve given directly to people in need, to missionaries, to causes, to organizations, and to trustworthy Christian ministries. I even gave my tithe once to help someone buy new windows. My point is, God will direct you where your tithe needs to go, and He will bless that tithe when you give with a cheerful heart. Listen to His direction, not what people say or what a church tells you. He knows the needs of the world better than anyone on Earth. Another important thing is to be a good and wise steward when choosing where to give. These days, it’s easy to do research online before giving anywhere. When it’s laid on my heart to give to a specific cause or situation, I research those ministries or organizations to ensure they’re a good fit, and then I let God make the final decision. Matthew 5:17 “Do not think that I have come to abolish the Law or the Prophets; I have not come to abolish them but to fulfill them.” Malachi 3:10 “Bring the whole tithe into the storehouse, that there may be food in my house. Test me in this,” says the Lord Almighty, “and see if I will not throw open the floodgates of heaven and pour out so much blessing that there will not be room enough to store it.” If I were to reword this verse, I’d put it like this: “I will work things out for you.” Haggai 1:6 “You have planted much, but harvested little. You eat, but never have enough. You drink, but never have your fill. You put on clothes, but are not warm. You earn wages, only to put them in a purse with holes in it.” © Neil Allen

Photo by Diana Simumpande on Unsplash Making Your Heart His Home There’s a kind of peace that doesn’t just visit, it stays. Like, it lingers in your thoughts, it colors how you speak, it changes how you see the world. That’s what it feels like when you begin to host God’s Presence, not occasionally, but every single day. Most believers know how to visit God. We pray, we worship, we feel His nearness, and then we return to our routines as if His Presence is a place we check in and out of, but there’s a deeper call, which is the call to become a home for Him, not a hotel. More Than a Morning Devotion For years, I thought I could measure closeness to God by how long I spent in devotion, but the Presence doesn’t thrive on hours; it thrives on awareness. In my walk with Yeshua, I’ve seen that hosting Him daily isn’t about length, it’s about life. It’s the whispered prayer before a meeting, the calm refusal to gossip, the decision to forgive when your flesh wants to fight. It’s knowing you’re not walking alone, even in the most ordinary moments. Speaking experimentally, I’ve come to the conclusion that God isn’t looking for grand performances; He’s looking for hearts that remember Him between the verses. The Secret Atmosphere There’s a quiet difference in those who carry Him. Their words heal instead of hurting, and their peace disturbs chaos. You just feel something sacred in their presence, not because they’re special, but because they’ve made room for Someone special, and that’s what daily hosting looks like. It’s room-making. When you guard your thoughts, when you silence your phone just to say “Thank You, Lord,” when you choose purity over popularity, you’re preparing a dwelling and not just a regular schedule. You don’t need to shout for the Presence; you just need to stop crowding the room. A Gentle Nudge for You Maybe this is your reminder that God doesn’t want to be part of your day; He wants to be in your day. He shouldn’t be an option, but your only choice. Start small, whisper His name more often, invite Him into conversations, decisions, and silence. You’ll begin to notice how the air around you changes, not necessarily dramatically, but deeply. The Presence was never meant to be a Sunday experience. It’s a daily reality for hearts that are ready to stay open. So today, host Him. Not out of duty, but out of sincere love, because when He’s welcome, everywhere becomes Holy ground. © Favour

Google Nano Banana “If God is real, why is there so much suffering?” “The Bible is full of contradictions.” “All religions are basically the same — why should Christianity be special?” You’ve heard these objections. Maybe you’ve asked them yourself. They sound intelligent, well-reasoned, like they’ve thoroughly dismantled Christianity. But here’s what I’ve discovered: Most objections to Christianity fall into two categories: Legitimate hard questions that deserve honest engagement. Surface-level arguments that sound profound but collapse when you actually think them through. The first category? Those are the questions that make faith deeper. Wrestling is part of the relationship with God. The second category? Those are the ones we need to talk about. Because too many people abandon Christianity over arguments that don’t actually hold up to scrutiny. Let me be clear: I’m not saying faith is easy or that all questions have neat answers. I’m saying some of the most popular objections to Christianity are built on misunderstandings, false premises, or logical fallacies. And if you’re going to reject Christianity, you should at least reject it for the right reasons. Objection 1: “If God Is Good, Why Is There Evil and Suffering?” This is the big one. The problem of evil. And honestly? It’s a legitimate question that deserves serious engagement. But here’s where the objection usually goes wrong: It assumes that a good God would create a world without the possibility of evil. Think about what that would actually require: Option A: God creates robots with no free will. You can’t choose to love. You can’t choose to do good. You’re programmed to be “perfect.” But is that actually good? Is forced love even love? Option B: God creates beings with free will. Which means they can choose love or hate. Good or evil. Selflessness or selfishness. And when people choose evil, suffering results. (Cough, Adam & Eve, cough ) The objection assumes Option A is better. But most people, when they think about it, don’t actually want to be robots. They value freedom, choice, and agency. So the real question isn’t “Why does evil exist?” The real question is “Can love exist without the possibility of its opposite?” What About Natural Evil? “Okay, but what about earthquakes? Cancer? Tsunamis? Those aren’t caused by human choice.” Fair point. Here’s where it gets complex: 1. We live in a fallen world. Christian theology teaches that sin didn’t just corrupt human hearts — it corrupted creation itself. (Romans 8:22: “The whole creation groans and suffers the pains of childbirth until now” & Genesis 1:29–30 when animals started to eat each other, aka the food chain) 2. Natural disasters create opportunities for sacrificial love. When tragedy strikes, humans have the choice to respond with compassion, generosity, and courage. Evil becomes the context where the highest forms of good can emerge. 3. God doesn’t promise comfort — He promises presence. The Christian claim isn’t “believe in God and nothing bad will happen.” It’s “God is with you in the suffering.” Does this answer every question about suffering? No. Does it make it easier when you’re in the middle of a tragedy? Not really. But it does show that the objection “evil disproves God” is built on a false premise — that a good God must prevent all suffering. That’s not what Christianity claims. Objection 2: “The Bible Is Full of Contradictions” This one always gets thrown around. Usually by people who haven’t actually read the Bible. Here’s the reality: Most “contradictions” are either: Different perspectives on the same event (not contradictions, just different angles) Translation issues Cultural context that’s misunderstood Intentional literary devices that modern readers miss Example: “How many angels were at Jesus’ tomb?” Matthew mentions one angel. John mentions two. CONTRADICTION! Except… no. If John saw two angels and Matthew focused on the one who spoke, they’re both accurate. It’s like two witnesses to a car accident — one says “a red car ran the light,” the other says “two cars were in the intersection.” Not contradictory. Different focus. Example: “God is love vs. God commands genocide in the Old Testament” This is a legitimate hard question about God’s character and the Canaanite conquest passages. But here’s what’s not legitimate: acting like these passages are hiding in obscurity and Christians just ignore them. Christians have wrestled with these texts for thousands of years. There are serious theological frameworks for understanding them: The judgment-on-systemic-evil interpretation The ancient Near Eastern warfare hyperbole interpretation The progressive revelation framework You can look these up and disagree with these interpretations. But you can’t claim Christians are just ignoring the problem. Ultimately, who you want God to be vs who He actually is is what this question wrestles with. I have my reasons and my own explanation, but others may not agree. If you’re taking Christianity seriously, then it's a question that God will help you with understanding through prayer. The Real Test Here’s how to tell if something is actually a contradiction: Can both statements be true at the same time from different perspectives or contexts? “Jesus wept” and “Jesus is God” — Both true. God incarnate experienced human emotion. “Faith alone saves” and “Faith without works is dead” — Both true. Saving faith produces works. Works don’t produce salvation. “God is love” and “God is just” — Both true. Love without justice isn’t actually loving. Justice without love isn’t actually just. If you can’t reconcile two statements without assuming one is false, THAT’S a contradiction. Most “Bible contradictions” fail this test. They’re reconcilable with context, cultural understanding, or basic reading comprehension. Objection 3: “All Religions Are Basically the Same / Many Paths to God” This sounds inclusive and tolerant. It’s actually deeply insulting to every religion. Because it requires you to ignore what each religion actually teaches about itself. Buddhism: There is no personal God. Enlightenment comes through eliminating desire. Salvation is escape from the cycle of rebirth. Hinduism: Multiple gods exist. Salvation is reincarnation until you achieve moksha (liberation from the cycle). Islam: One God (Allah). Salvation through submission and following the Five Pillars. Jesus was a prophet, not God. Christianity: One God in three persons. Salvation through faith in Jesus Christ’s death and resurrection. Jesus is God incarnate. These aren’t different paths up the same mountain. They’re completely different mountains. You can’t say “all religions teach the same thing” without either: Being ignorant of what religions actually teach Deciding that what religions say about themselves doesn’t matter (which is condescending) The Coexist Problem The popular objection is: “Can’t we all just coexist? Why does Christianity have to claim it’s the only way?” First: Christians absolutely should treat people of other faiths with respect and love. Religious disagreement doesn’t require hostility. Second: Every religion makes exclusive truth claims. Buddhism claims Hinduism is wrong about God. Islam claims Christianity is wrong about Jesus. They all think the others are mistaken about fundamental reality. Christianity isn’t uniquely arrogant for claiming to be true. It’s doing what every coherent worldview does — making claims about reality and standing by them. Objection 4: “Science Has Disproven Christianity” This one’s interesting because it reveals a fundamental misunderstanding of what science actually does. Science answers “how” questions. Religion answers “why” questions. Science: How did the universe begin? (Big Bang, physical laws, cosmic evolution) Christianity: Why does the universe exist? (God created it for a purpose) These aren’t contradictory. They’re answering different questions. Evolution vs. Creation? The supposed conflict here is overblown by both sides. What science claims: Life on Earth has developed over billions of years through natural selection and genetic mutation. What Christianity actually claims: God created the universe and everything in it. These can both be true. Many Christians (including respected theologians and scientists) believe God used evolutionary processes as His method of creation. The Bible says God created — it doesn’t specify the mechanism. Now, Young Earth Creationists like myself disagree with this. That’s our right. But my interpretation of Genesis isn’t the only Christian interpretation, and it never has been…. and it won’t define whether you go to heaven or hell because of it (in my opinion). Miracles vs. Natural Law? “Science shows the universe operates by natural laws. Miracles violate natural laws. Therefore, miracles are impossible.” The problem: This assumes natural laws are prescriptive (what MUST happen) rather than descriptive (what USUALLY happens). If God exists and created natural laws, He can obviously work outside them. That’s what makes miracles miraculous — they’re exceptions, not the rule. The objection is actually circular reasoning: Miracles can’t happen Why? Because natural laws can’t be violated Why can’t they be violated? Because miracles can’t happen You’re free to not believe in miracles. But you can’t use science to disprove them — science can only describe regular patterns, not rule out exceptions. Plus, doctors witness miracle healings all the time, if you just look it up. Objection 5: “Christians Are Hypocrites” This is less an objection to Christianity and more an observation about Christians. And honestly? It’s often true. Christians are frequently hypocritical. But here’s what that doesn’t prove: That Christianity is false. If Christianity claimed “humans are basically good and following Jesus makes you perfect,” then Christian hypocrisy would disprove Christianity. But Christianity claims the opposite: “All have sinned and fall short of the glory of God.” (Romans 3:23) Christians being hypocritical doesn’t disprove Christianity. It confirms Christianity’s diagnosis of human nature — we’re all broken, including religious people. The question isn’t “Are Christians perfect? “The question is, 'Is Jesus who He claimed to be?” Judge Christianity by Christ, not by Christians. Evaluate the message, not just the messengers. (Though yes, Christians should absolutely strive to live consistently with what they profess. The hypocrisy criticism should make us better, not defensive.) Objection 6: “A Loving God Wouldn’t Send People to Hell” This objection makes sense emotionally. It’s hard to reconcile “God is love” with “eternal punishment.” But it’s based on several assumptions that might not be true: Assumption 1: Hell is God actively torturing people. Many theologians understand hell differently — as a separation from God that people choose . C.S. Lewis described it as “the doors of hell are locked from the inside.” If God is the source of all goodness, love, and joy, then complete separation from God IS hell. God doesn’t send people there — they choose it by rejecting Him. Assumption 2: Humans are basically good and don’t deserve judgment. Christianity teaches humans are made in God’s image (valuable) but also sinful (broken). If God is perfectly just, sin can’t just be ignored. There are real consequences. Assumption 3: A loving God wouldn’t allow anyone to reject Him forever. But love requires the possibility of rejection. If God forced everyone to be with Him, that wouldn’t be love — it would be coercion. Here’s the hard truth: If you believe people have genuine free will, then you have to allow for the possibility that people can use that freedom to reject God permanently. The Real Question The objection assumes God’s primary attribute is “niceness” — a cosmic grandfather who wants everyone comfortable. Christianity claims God’s primary attributes are love AND justice, AND holiness. A God who is only loving but not just would be a terrible God. A God who is only just but not loving would be a tyrant. The question isn’t “Would a nice God send people to hell?” The question is “What does a perfectly loving AND perfectly just God do with human rebellion?” Christianity’s answer: He takes the punishment Himself (the cross) and offers rescue to everyone (grace) . But He doesn’t force it on anyone (free will). The Objections That Actually Matter After all this, here are the questions that I think DO pose legitimate challenges to Christianity: Why this particular revelation? Why is Christianity true and not Islam or Buddhism? (This requires positive evidence for Christianity, not just debunking objections) How do we interpret difficult Old Testament passages? The Canaanite conquest, slavery regulations, etc., require serious engagement & not dismissal. What about people who have never heard the gospel? This is a theological puzzle Christians wrestle with and disagree about. How do we reconcile God’s sovereignty with human free will? This has been debated for 2,000 years, and Christians still don’t agree. Notice what these questions have in common: They’re hard, they require thought, and Christians who take them seriously don’t have neat answers. That’s different from the popular objections we covered, which sound smart but mostly reveal misunderstandings of what Christianity actually claims. So, What Now? If you’re going to reject Christianity, reject it because you’ve genuinely engaged with what it teaches and found it wanting. Don’t reject it because of arguments that dissolve under examination. Don’t reject it because of “contradictions” you haven’t actually researched. Don’t reject it because Christians are flawed (we are — that’s part of the point). Reject it, if you must, because you’ve considered the evidence and concluded Jesus wasn’t who He claimed to be. That’s the real question Christianity rises or falls on. Not whether Christians are perfect. Not whether every question has an easy answer. Not whether the faith is “scientific.” The question is: Did Jesus rise from the dead? If He did, everything else is secondary. If He didn’t, Christianity is false regardless of how many objections you can debunk. That’s where honest investigation should focus. Everything else is just a distraction. Which of these objections have you struggled with most? What questions about Christianity do you think ARE legitimately difficult? © Ashneil

There! He admits it Himself… Jesus isn't God?? There has recently been an exchange of opinions regarding Jesus between me and a Muslim student. It was a quiet encounter and quite interesting because it had a touch of déjà vu about it. When speaking about the New Testament, there were times it could have been a Jehovah’s Witness, Christadelphian, Atheist, or a graduate of Yale Divinity School at the other end. The common attribute between the Infidels and the Muslims was that neither of them demonstrated rigorous scrutiny. The same incomplete truths kept surfacing. The investigation doesn’t sift through all the evidence, which is common. This figure shows the frequency of the ordinary types of errors in the claims of error submitted to one of the Creation Websites. It can be seen that there are not that many, and one sticks out — lack of diligence — they stop too early. Another commonality is the recurring claim that Jesus could not be God because of what He said — He hoisted Himself with His own petard. Islam, in particular, applies the basic Laws of Logic to this. There is a lot of impressively heavy thinking. But there is an old proverb, ‘Paying attention is more important than thinking. You may end up thinking about the wrong thing.’ The difference between the pro-Christ and the anti-Christ is that the former searches for Truth and the latter halts at anything that could possibly be construed as a lie. Come on! Get to it. There are a number of instances where Jesus separates Himself from the Father in Heaven. These have been well covered by other contributors to Medium; this article by Hope You Are Curious , for instance, so there is no point in re-ploughing that ground. You are strongly advised to read it. The focus here will be on what is written in Mark 13:32–33 “But of that day and hour no one knows, not even the angels in heaven, nor the Son, but only the Father. Take heed, watch and pray; for you do not know when the time is.” The simple logic applied here is, “God knows everything. Jesus admits He doesn’t know; ipso facto He can’t possibly be God.” It is admitted that this verse, in particular, has vexed me for a long time. But this morning I was given an Ahasuerus (of Esther’s Xerxes fame) moment. The penny dropped at 02:10 am when the radio was switched on to hear the exact clip of this answer. It is written in Hebrews 2:14–18 " Inasmuch then as the children have partaken of flesh and blood, He Himself likewise shared in the same, that through death He might destroy him who had the power of death, that is, the devil, and release those who through fear of death were all their lifetime subject to bondage. For indeed He does not give aid to angels, but He does give aid to the seed of Abraham. Therefore, in all things He had to be made like His brethren , that He might be a merciful and faithful High Priest in things pertaining to God, to make propitiation for the sins of the people. For in that He Himself has suffered, being tempted, He is able to aid those who are tempted. Now read the famous Kenosis , expressed in Philippians 2:5–8 . The key text is Philippians 2:7, where Paul writes that Chris t “ emptied himself ” by: • Taking the form of a servant • Being born in human likeness • Humbling himself to the point of death — even death on a cross Reading these two texts together shows that Jesus took on the natural abilities of a mortal human. The Kenosis shows He didn’t throw the baby out with the bathwater. In modern, cheap idiom, it could possibly be described as being in a Hiatus (between gigs). There was every intention of Him returning to His former Glory. For reasons best known to Himself, God has ordained His Redemption Plan to be as it is. [Don’t argue with me. Show Him where He is wrong when you get your chance.] So, for those who think along these lines, I have a question for YOU. Jesus was made to have the same natural abilities that YOU have. Can YOU tell the future? Remember, divination is a Capital Crime. [Guesses don’t count. YOU don’t even know if YOU will be alive tomorrow.] I’ll gladly respond to any remotely plausible counterargument. Otherwise there’s too much important work to do. The forgoing evidence has not been presented to convince any reader but to allow a personal decision to be made. There is much more to know about this subject. Perhaps you’ll pay another visit, sometime. If you have seen something you like, I encourage plagiarism. So, always check everything I say first, then please re-cycle, re-brand, re-structure, re-issue, re-label, or regurgitate in any manner you please. No need to acknowledge me because it is the Holy Spirit Who holds the Intellectual Rights. All Glory to the God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob. (We all have a plank in our eye. It’s bigger than we think.) © ネ   Brad Banardict

Photo by Guilherme Stecanella on Unsplash His voice isn’t always heard; sometimes, it’s felt in the quiet corners of life. I used to think hearing God meant waiting for something dramatic, a prophetic word, a dream, a voice that would make the room tremble. But as I’ve walked with Him longer, I’ve come to see that His voice is rarely loud. It’s gentle, intentional, and layered, especially tucked into ordinary conversations, heartbreaks, and still moments where only peace speaks. 1. Through People There was a season when I was uncertain about what to do next. I prayed, fasted, and waited for a sign from heaven, but none came. Days turned to weeks, and silence began to feel like rejection. Then one evening, while chatting with a friend about something completely unrelated, she said a simple line that cut straight to my heart. She had no idea what I’d been wrestling with, yet her words echoed the very thing I’d been asking God about. That moment reminded me of how God sent Nathan to David, not with thunder, but with truth wrapped in friendship. Sometimes His voice doesn’t come through prophets or pastors, but through people who don’t even know they’re speaking for Him. God often hides His voice in familiar faces. He sends kindness, counsel, or correction through people who become His echo. The key is to listen and discern, not just to what they say, but to the gentle nudge that comes with it. 2. Through Pain Pain has a strange way of quieting every other sound until the only thing left is God’s whisper. In a certain season, when everything I thought I’d built began to crumble. Dreams I’d prayed over, relationships I’d trusted, and plans I’d worked hard for had all gone. I couldn’t understand why God would let it happen, but in that ache, He began to teach me that His silence wasn’t absence. He was working, this time not around me, but in me. Through tears and confusion, I started to see that He was pruning pride, softening my heart, and rebuilding faith that wasn’t dependent on outcomes. It wasn’t punishment, but preparation. Like Job, I discovered that God sometimes speaks the loudest through brokenness, not because He wants to explain, but because He intends to transform. Pain has a way of revealing what comfort hides, and when everything else fades, His love remains the one voice that still holds you together. 3. Through Peace Now there’s peace, His final, unmistakable language. It’s not always the peace of perfect circumstances. Sometimes it’s the kind that makes no sense at all. The kind that settles over you in the middle of unanswered questions and uncertain futures. I’ve learned that when peace lingers after prayer, it’s often God’s quiet “yes.” When peace lifts, it might be His gentle “not this way.” Peace isn’t just passive; it’s God’s way of confirming His presence. I’ve noticed that the moment I finally stop trying to control everything, peace comes like still waters. Not because I now have all the answers, but because I am resting in the One who does. Sometimes, God’s voice isn’t one sound; it’s a harmony. He confirms through people, He refines through pain, and He assures through peace. And if we slow down long enough to listen beyond the noise, beyond fear, and beyond what we expect, we’ll realize He’s actually been speaking all along. © Favour

“Then the Lord said, ‘My Spirit will not contend with humans forever, for they are mortal; their days will be a hundred and twenty years.” Genesis 6:3 Originally, I wrote this article just for fun. Then, in conversation, someone asked a serious question: “What does this mean? Why does Genesis say this, yet people still lived past 120 years?” That got me thinking harder about this passage, so I dug and ignored my opinion. First and a big foremost.  My original   opinion was way off. Even I knew I didn’t quite understand it, hence why I said “I have my own thoughts” in the first place. Behold my excerpts below: “but I have my own thoughts  on the matter.” “Only God knows everyone’s age; there is no way in the world we could possibly know the oldest people still alive, what their ages are, and when they passed.” “ What if  the last person to live to 120 years old passes, and that’s the time God will come back?” Kind of embarrassing, but we’ll move on. Let’s look at my boring Canva image and read verses 1–6. Canva — Genesis 6:1–6 Now, I’m going to show only what the Bible is saying and nothing more. Also, for the sake of my sanity, I am not touching the Nephilim thing. Context is key. I took that section out of context and inserted a wild theory, but now let’s put it back into context, and what do we see? This was not a statement about mankind's lifespan being limited. This is a statement from God Himself about the situation happening on Earth. Some bad stuff was going down, God saw it and started setting a plan in motion. The topic of lifespans for humanity is actually not found in the flood story at all, and we are very aware that people lived way beyond 120 years.  That right there should have clued me into the “more” going on here. This “outlier” verse isn’t an outlier after all.  It’s to do with this situation. In fact, it is perfectly placed right in the middle of what’s going on. Apparent Contradiction? At the start of this passage, we see God talking about this situation that is unfolding before His eyes, and He is not pleased one bit.  And we know God doesn’t contradict Himself, so now the question becomes: What does this really mean?  Different translations render it as: NASB: “nevertheless his days shall be” NIV: “their days will be” ASV: “yet shall his days be” (If you caught it, sweet, if not….neither did I, so don’t feel bad.) This was a judgment.  Now things are making a bit more sense, but I do know this question will pop into heads. If there was judgment, how was that fair if there were no prophets, preachers, etc to speak God’s truth? Meet Methuselah. The son of none other than Enoch, the man who walked with God, and the Father of Lamech  (the good one) and grandfather of Noah.  In the 2nd Testament, we learn a few key things about these gentlemen.  (btw, this is an example of why the 1st Testament is still very relevant) “Noah with seven others, a preacher of righteousness ” 2 Peter 2:5 “And to these also Enoch, the seventh from Adam, prophesied ” Jude 1:14 Then Lamech made a prophecy about his son Noah when he was born: “He will comfort us in the labor and painful toil of our hands caused by the ground the Lord has cursed.” Genesis 5:29 Judgement was declared, they were warned, and Grace was given. They had 120 years of God’s grace to get their crap sorted out, and we all know how that went. So, that 120-year judgment wasn’t directly tied to the amount of time Noah had to build the ark because we don’t actually know when he started. God didn’t go to Noah and say,  "You have exactly 120 years to build the ark.” God first declared the judgment, then went to Noah, so Noah knew the timeline to be done by.  If you open your Bible and go to Genesis 6:13, read that, then go back to verse 6. Go back and forth a few times, and you’ll notice something neat. It’s very similar to Genesis 1 and 2, both saying the same thing just in different ways. One from God’s view (cosmic), the other from Noah’s. (personal) From the moment God declared 120 years, it was the beginning of His countdown to worldwide judgment. Something to think about. There was a clear, definitive time and date stamp on this judgment, with people preaching this. God gave a grace period.  And they didn’t listen. Maybe it is for the best that we don’t know the time and date stamp for us now. Because getting as close to that line as possible and being a willful sinner, then “repenting” will get you absolutely nowhere. Side Note: This whole article should show if you are not sure, state it as an opinion, thought, or possibly, or just say you're not sure, let’s find out.  I openly stated “ my own thoughts ” and “ what if ” because I was honest. But then when I was presented with the question, I went back into to Bible, dug around, and found the answer.  I did not double down and create my own doctrine, which very well could have led people way off course. There is absolutely nothing wrong with learning or re-learning something and admitting it. (definitely a big ole’ revision from the original) © Jane Isley Thank you for taking the time to read, and please consider  supporting my work . Your gift helps keep this work going, blesses others, and means the world to me. You can visit me at Faithful Writers  on Medium, where other Christian writers have joined me in sharing the word of God. You can also find me on   Tumblr  and   Facebook.

Miracles once moved me, but His silence changed me. This is what it means to stop tracing God by His works and start learning His ways. There was a season in my life when I could trace God by the miracles. Every answered prayer felt like a signpost of His presence and goodness. The provision that came just in time and with ease, the healings that couldn’t be explained, and the opportunities that came when I least expected them. I was in awe of His works and the visible fingerprints of His power. But there came a season where the miracles paused. The same God who once responded to my whisper now seemed silent. My prayers felt like they were bouncing off the ceiling, and I began to wonder if I had done something wrong It took me time to realize that God wasn’t punishing me; instead, He wanted more, and so He was inviting me deeper. The Difference Between Knowing His Acts and Knowing His Heart The Israelites knew God’s acts — the parting sea, the manna, and the fire by night, but Moses knew His ways (Psalm 103:7). While they marveled at what God did, Moses sought to understand why He did it, like what moved His heart, what grieved Him, what delighted Him. There’s a difference between being impressed by God and being intimate with Him. One builds awe, while the other builds relationship. Learning God’s ways means you stop treating Him like a performer and start walking with Him as a Person and friend. It’s the shift from chasing miracles to seeking His mind. When God Becomes Silent, Listen Differently I remember one quiet night, after praying endlessly with no clear answers, I felt an unfamiliar peace wash over me. Not because my situation changed, but because I finally stopped demanding explanations and just sat there still, aware, and honest. That’s when I began to sense His heart. Not through a thunderous voice, but through small nudges, as in compassion for someone else, conviction about my own pride, and gratitude in a place of waiting. That was God teaching me His ways, reshaping my responses, refining my motives, and softening my tone. The works of God can change your situation. But the ways of God will change you completely. When the Miracles Seem To Pause, Don’t Panic Sometimes, the absence of wonders is the presence of a lesson. God hides His hand to reveal His heart. He wants sons and daughters, not spectators. He doesn’t want people who are only after his hand (what He can give), but He wants friends who truly love Him and are concerned about His burdens too. Unfortunately, many people are after what God can “offer” but don’t even care about Him or His ways. When you begin to learn His ways, you start recognizing His goodness, even when things don’t go your way, you start trusting His timing without resenting His silence. You begin to reflect Him not because life is perfect, but because you’ve seen His nature. And I’m beginning to learn that that is the truest miracle of all. Heart Response Don’t settle for knowing about God; lean in to walk with Him. Let this week be one where you listen more, question less, and pay more attention to His heart in the quiet. Let this be your prayer today: “Lord, I don’t just want to see what You do, I want to know who You are. Teach me Your ways until they become mine.” Then take a moment and sit in silence with God, not to ask, but to listen. Journal what you sense in your heart, and that’s how you start learning His ways. © Favour

I stare at the screen and let the words sink in. Probable carcinoma. Motionless, I try to grasp the meaning of those two words.   ‘Probable’.  Most likely.  Probably.  Chances are, I have cancer.  It’s not confirmed, but the balance is tilted in favor of the C-word. ‘Cancer’.  My first thought is Beth.  My dear friend Beth. We went to the Christian bookstore in Ashland and bought matching Bibles.  Months later, she was diagnosed with an aggressive form of breast cancer.  When my firstborn came out, so did all of Beth’s hair.  She sat in my brand-new glider rocker, head wrapped in a scarf, rocking so furiously I feared my weeks-old daughter would get motion sickness.  In many ways, the treatment was worse than the cancer.  She died within a year of the initial diagnosis and has been with Jesus for 28 years. But I have never foreseen cancer to be part of my story.  It’s nothing I have considered. Cancer is not in my family.  The cancer gene missed us.  I try my best to check off the boxes of healthy living to avoid cancer.  We eat our fruits and veggies, organically when possible.  We buy our meat from local farmers instead of the grocery store, and make all of our meals from scratch with real ingredients.  We drink our delicious well water, void of chemicals.  I  refuse to heat anything in the microwave with plastic.  We walk four miles a day and sleep eight hours a night.    Despite what we do, cancer can rear its ugly head. My phone rings out my beautiful Mozart Sonata ringtone.  It’s my doctor.  I’m thankful I read MyChart before she called.  I am prepared and calm.  She confirms the words in the report are alarming, yet sends messages of peace.  ‘Probable’ does not mean cancer; it means we need further testing.  ‘Probable’ means biopsy. Within hours, they call and schedule a biopsy for the next day, Friday.  It’s alarming that they need to see me the next day.  When my knee hurt, it was six weeks before the doctor could schedule me, but with cancer, there is an urgency.   I sit with my coffee and rock in the same chair Beth sat in decades ago.  Is this it?  Will cancer be my demise?  I am surprisingly calm.   Lord Jesus, your will be done. I nod my head.  Yes, that is the right prayer. At age 56, I have lived a full life.  I had an idyllic childhood, with a mom and dad who stayed married, even through the hardest of hards.  I graduated from college and married my best friend.  The Lord blessed me with four of the most amazing people on the planet for children.  He allowed me the privilege of homeschooling them, even though it meant driving rusty old minivans. He protected us in so many ways.   Yes, Lord, your will be done. Twenty years ago, I learned my lesson.  I selfishly prayed a Hezekiah prayer. Sick for over four years, I prayed the Lord would spare my life until my youngest graduated from high school.  (2 Kings 20:1-11) Just let me live for my kiddos.  Don’t let them grow up without a mom.  They need me. And just as God granted Hezekiah’s request, extending his life for fifteen years, so God allowed me to live a ‘normal’ life through surgeries and medication.  After so many years of selfish pleas to the Lord for Him to do what I want, my heart is now somehow completely surrendered to what He wants.   What if a cancer diagnosis leads my kiddos into a deeper relationship with Him?  What if people praying for me trust Jesus even more?  What if cancer and treatment mold me and shape me to look like Jesus?  Why would I not want that?  And when I die, I’ll be with the Lord.  I do want that, more than anything.  But what about Hubby?  I am prepared to meet the Lord today, but that means loneliness and pain for my best friend.  I have often said the best way for us to die would be together, that way neither of us needs to grieve alone, which is probably worse than the pain of dying.  Heavenly Father, your will be done. A Friday biopsy means my flesh is sitting in a lab somewhere, preserved for a tech to look at after the weekend break.  Hubby and I sit on the couch, holding hands in silence, Nuka at our feet.  I don’t cry. I remain surprisingly optimistic, even bordering on happy.  My trust in God’s future plans for me prevails over any fear.  He is in control, and He loves me.  Why should I be afraid? I keep my phone, with the ringer turned on, next to the piano.  I wait.  Monday. Tuesday. Wednesday. Thursday.  Friday, the call comes.  “As hoped for, the biopsy was benign.” “Behold, God is my salvation; I will trust, and will not be afraid; for the Lord God is my strength and my song, and he has become my salvation.” (Isaiah 12:2) First published in Pursuing Perfection on Substack by © Tessa Lind,  tessalind.substack.com