Faithful Writers

“God’s thoughts and ways are not the same as those of humans, and are, in fact, much higher.” — Isaiah 55:8–9 As humans, we like to think we are doing good attempting to make God’s job easier — even when we are told not to! Humanity has free will and can self-motivate to take actions that God never authorized or even considered. [1] God has clearly taught us through Jesus, to not seek revenge for ourselves, to be kind to our enemies, to leave room for vengeance to God, and God alone. [2] Clearly, there are many verses in Scripture that confirm that those that follow Jesus must not be prone to anger or violence. No Christian who is elect of God seeks revenge or attempts to be a catalyst that encourages vengeance. This is not consistent with anyone born of the Spirit of God. However, today, as in the past, many so-called Christians have championed conflict, wars, and deaths. Seeking to enforce the commands of God on a fallen world through instruments of punishment. Some even hope to catalyze wars in the Holy Lands, hoping to encourage a swifter return of Jesus. They may not be directly killing, but they encourage others to do so. Here in America, this is a very heated, emotional, and dangerous subject. I prayed and thought hard about how or if I should address it at all. However, the prophet isn’t responsible for the outcome, but is responsible for not raising the warning. [3] Clearly God is aware of what we do and say. He is not mocked and will repay those that create discord and stir up violence. [4] If what a person does in the name of good results in evil, that evil will be held in judgement against that individual -not their good intent. We must all be extremely careful what stand we take as believers in the tribulations of this world! “There is a way that seems right to a man, but its end is a way of death!” — Proverbs 14:12 One of the most unimaginable outcomes is to have served zealously to encourage the return of Jesus, just to find yourself rejected. [5] We are to do what is good, kind, and just towards others, the lowly, the widow, and the stranger while we wait upon the return of Christ. Jesus doesn’t need our help to rush the end of this age. It will come at the appointed time. We, however, must not be among those who push, encourage, or manipulate the plans of God — especially if death and destruction come by our efforts. "Woe to the world because of offenses. For offenses will come, but woe to that person by whom the offense comes!” Matthew 18:7 [6] © Bob Russell Sources: [1] Jeremiah 19:5 [2] Romans 12:19; 1 Peter 3:9; 1 Thessalonians 5:15, 1:8; Deuteronomy 32:35; Hebrews 10:30; Leviticus 19:18; Proverbs 20:22; Proverbs 24:29; Romans 12:18–21; Psalms 94:1–2; Matthew 5:38–39; Luke 6:27–28 [3] Ezekiel 3:16–4:17; Ezekiel 33:6; James 4:17. [4] Galatians 6:7–8 [5] Proverb 14:12; Proverb 16:25 [6] Luke 171–4 MSG version has a slightly different translation: “He said to his disciples, 'Hard trials and temptations are bound to come, but too bad for whoever brings them on! Better to wear a concrete vest and take a swim with the fishes than give even one of these dear little ones a hard time!

God doesn’t wait for you to behave before He breathes life into you. Let’s get something straight right out the gate: Being truly alive — fully, deeply, soul-thumpingly alive — isn’t some prize we get handed for coloring inside the lines. It’s not a gold star God slips us when we finally behave, pray more than we cuss, or go three weeks without rolling our eyes at church folk. No, being truly alive is something far wilder. Far deeper. It’s not something earned. It’s something revealed. It’s what happens when the Spirit of God starts stirring the dust and breath of our everyday moments into something sacred. Something electric. Something real. This isn’t the kind of life you can fake with a forced smile or spiritual performance. This is the kind of life that seeps out of your pores, even when you’re tired, even when you’re flawed, even when you’re unsure. It’s the life that says, “God is here. And somehow, God is showing up in me, whether I feel holy or not.” Is Aliveness a Prize for the Holy? Growing up, I thought being “alive in the Spirit” was for the spiritually elite — the ones who woke up at 5 a.m. to pray, never doubted a single verse, and always knew the right Christian radio station to play. If I could just get my act together, maybe I could be one of them. Maybe I could unlock the aliveness I saw in others. Maybe God would notice and reward me with more joy, more peace, more of Himself. But let me tell you what I’ve learned: That’s not how love works. That’s not how God works. “God is not an idea to be agreed with but a presence to be experienced.” — Richard Rohr God isn’t dangling aliveness over our heads like a carrot on a stick, waiting to see if we’ll jump high enough. Instead, He’s pouring Himself out — right here, right now — through cracked voices, shaky faith, and even the middle-of-the-night ugly cries. To be alive in the Spirit isn’t a bonus round. It’s the main thing. It’s not something God gives us after we prove ourselves. It’s something that proves God is already at work in us. What If Aliveness Isn’t About Perfection? Let’s be honest. If aliveness were a prize for good behavior, most of us would’ve been disqualified years ago. I know I would have. I’ve questioned God’s timing. I’ve wanted to disappear instead of pray. I’ve doubted myself more times than I can count. But you know what? It was in those moments — not in my most put-together ones — that I caught a glimpse of something holy rising up inside me. “The glory of God is a human being fully alive.” — St. Irenaeus God’s glory isn’t seen in our spotless record. It’s seen in our aliveness. In our risk of being vulnerable. In our choice to keep showing up when the world says, “Why bother?” In our laughter that breaks through grief, in our compassion that surprises even us, in the tears we shed when we’re moved by beauty or heartbreak. Being alive is not the end result of a spiritual report card. It’s the sign that God’s fingerprints are all over us. What Does This Aliveness Look Like? It looks like quiet courage. Like forgiveness that doesn’t make sense. Like believing again after the last disappointment almost broke you. It’s the mom who keeps praying even when her kid won’t answer her texts. It’s the man who finally tells the truth, even though it costs him. It’s the teenager who stops pretending to be someone else and risks being real. It’s the doubter who says, “God, if You’re real, come find me,” and feels something stir inside. That’s not earned behavior. That’s God breaking through the cracks. That’s aliveness. Holy aliveness. Can We Choose to Be Alive? We can’t manufacture it.We can’t control it.But we can say yes to it. We can lean into the ordinary and expect the sacred. We can show up open-handed instead of clenched-fisted. We can trade perfection for presence. “It is no longer I who live, but Christ who lives in me.” — Galatians 2:20 Being truly alive is not about us muscling our way to holiness. It’s about letting Christ live through us — even in the mess, even in the mystery. The more I let go of trying to be “good enough,” the more I see God doing something good in me. It’s not flashy. It’s not loud. But it’s real. And it’s alive. The Takeaway? Aliveness in the Spirit is not a reward for spiritual gymnastics. It’s the quiet revolution of love unfolding in our lives when we finally stop striving and start surrendering. It’s the deep breath of grace. It’s the heartbeat of God pulsing in our own chest. Don’t wait until you feel worthy. You already are. The Spirit’s not asking you to behave. He’s asking you to breathe. © Gary L Ellis

Breaking the habit of transactional prayer here was a season when my prayers felt like I was emailing a customer support line in heaven. I’d close my eyes, exhale, and then — bam — launch into a bullet-pointed list of wants, needs, and stressors. It was fast. It was organized. And it was empty. But for a while, I felt like I was fulfilling my prayer obligation of being a good Christian. (Sad to say). “God, help me with this meeting. Help me sleep better.Fix this person. Open that door. Make it all work out. Amen.” I wasn’t trying to be shallow — I believed in God. But my prayer life had become mechanical. I wasn’t connecting. I was just managing spiritual tasks. And honestly? I was burned out on prayer. Wait — What Even Is Prayer? We often treat prayer like a spiritual vending machine. Insert request, expect result. But Jesus never modeled that. “Our Father in heaven, hallowed be your name…Your kingdom come, your will be done…” (Matthew 6:9–10) Jesus starts with a relationship. Not demands, not checkboxes. He begins with presence, reverence, and surrender. “Prayer is not asking. It is a longing of the soul.” Instead of longing of my soul, I had buried mine under efficiency. The Turning Point: When I Stopped Performing Somewhere along the way, I had to stop pretending I knew how to pray. I had to strip it all down. What I found was humbling — but healing. “Prayer is not so much about convincing God to do what we want as it is about letting God form us into the kind of people who want what God wants.” — Nadia Bolz-Weber I realized I was praying for outcomes, not transformation. For control, not connection. Small Changes That Shifted Everything I didn’t have a big spiritual breakthrough. No mountaintop moment. Just small shifts that started to feel holy: 1. I Quit Trying to Sound “Spiritual” Instead of reciting polished phrases, I just talked to God like I talk to a friend. Sometimes with frustration. Sometimes with silence. Sometimes with nothing but tears. 2. I Got Honest Like I Saw In the Psalms “ How long, O Lord? Will you forget me forever?” (Psalm 13:1) The psalms gave me language when I had none. They taught me that God doesn’t need polished; God wants real. Although seventy percent of the Psalms are honest lament, they also contain powerful praise. I also learned how to express that. Presence, Not Performance I stopped trying to pray “right.” I started showing up. And slowly, prayer started changing me — even when nothing around me changed. “Be still, and know that I am God.” (Psalm 46:10 That verse used to frustrate me. Now it frees me. Stillness is not laziness. It’s surrender. “To pray is to breathe in the Spirit of God.” — Richard Rohr To Wrap It Up: I Don’t Pray Like I Used To I still ask for things. I still write out hopes. But prayer is no longer my shopping list. Now, it’s my soul’s exhale. It’s not always profound. Sometimes it’s awkward. Sometimes it’s quiet. But it’s mine — and it’s honest. Because the best prayers aren’t the ones attempting to get what we want, they’re the ones that deepen our relationship with God. “Prayer is where the soul goes when it wants to love more deeply.” — Cole Arthur Riley, This Here Flesh © Gary L Ellis

Is grace unfair? Sweet Publishing For too much of my life, I read the Prodigal Son story and saw myself in the younger brother. Wild heart. Restless soul. I made my share of mistakes. Took some bad turns. Wandered far. Came back humbled, grateful. I thought that was the point of the story. Until one day, I read it again — and it hit differently. I wasn’t the younger brother anymore. I was the older one. Wasn’t Faithfulness Supposed to Feel Better Than This? Jesus tells the story in Luke 15. The younger brother demands his inheritance early, leaves home, wastes everything, and crawls back broke and starving. The father sees him coming, runs to meet him, hugs him, and throws a party. Meanwhile, the older brother is out in the field — working. Faithful. Consistent. Obedient. He hears the music and dancing. Finds out it’s for his little brother. And something inside him snaps. He refuses to go in. The father comes out to him, too. And the older brother lets it all out: “Look, all these years I’ve been slaving for you and never disobeyed your orders. Yet you never gave me even a young goat so I could celebrate with my friends.” (Luke 15:29) That was me. I didn’t say it out loud. But in my heart? I knew. When Did Grace Start to Feel Unfair? I’d been keeping score without realizing it. I stayed faithful. I kept showing up. I tried to do the right thing. And I assumed that meant… something. Recognition. Reward. At least a little celebration. But it didn’t come. Instead, I watched people walk away from the church, come back, and get welcomed like heroes. I clapped on the outside. But inside, I was thinking: Really? That’s it? Just throw them a party and move on? I started to feel like grace was unfair. And then I realized — that’s the whole point. Can You Be Lost Without Ever Leaving? Jesus told this story to the Pharisees, who were mad that he was hanging out with sinners. They thought they had earned God’s approval. They thought grace had limits. So Jesus gave them a story about two lost sons. One ran away. The other stayed bitter. One left physically. The other left emotionally. I had never really left — but I was definitely far from joy, from celebration, from the Father’s heart. I was doing everything right. And I was still missing the party. What if I Already Had What I Was Looking For? The father says something to the older son that becomes personal: “My son, you are always with me, and everything I have is yours.” (Luke 15:31) I’d spent so long trying to earn something that was already mine. I had access to the Father. I just hadn’t enjoyed it. I’d made my faith into a job description. A checklist. And I let that quiet resentment fester. Sarah Bessey had this to say, “ The table of Christ is wide. It offends the rule-followers. It makes room for the mess-makers.” Will I Walk Into the Feast? Jesus leaves the story open-ended. We don’t know if the older brother goes inside. It’s like he’s looking at me, asking: What about you? Will you stay outside, clinging to your record? Or will you come inside, empty-handed? Will you be angry at Grace? Or will you be part of it?That’s the question I keep coming back to. I’ve been both sons. The runner and the resenter. The broken and the bitter. What Role Are You Playing Right Now? Ask yourself and think. Are you the younger brother — wondering if it’s safe to come home? Are you the older brother — standing outside, arms crossed, heart cold? Are you the father in someone else’s story — learning to open your arms when it’s hard? Wherever you are, grace is still available. Not as a prize. But as a party, you don’t have to earn. The only thing keeping us from joy might be our own pride. Let’s not miss the feast because you’re keeping score. © Gary L Ellis

So we can be made perfect! And this is only made possible by the blood of Jesus. “In fact, the Law requires that nearly everything be made “clean” with blood. Without the spilling of blood there is no forgiveness.” — Hebrews 9:22 NIV “the Life of the flesh is in the blood, and I have given it to you to make atonement for yourselves on the altar. It is the blood that makes atonement for one’s Life.” — Leviticus 17:11- 14 NIV Almighty God considers blood to be sacred. He in fact made consuming or drinking blood forbidden to Israel under the Law.[1] He also made the same command for Gentiles entering the faith as believers in Christ.[2] However, this command goes back before the Law itself. When God saved Noah and his family from the flood, God allowed for the first time the consumption of the flesh of animals but forbade the drinking of their lifeblood.[3] There are some who wonder why God made Jesus die on a cross and use His blood to sanctify Christian believers. Some even allude that Almighty God could have used many ways to save humankind that were less barbaric; that He just preferred blood! He did it for His own pleasure and entertainment — much like the gods of Olympus, He used humans for entertainment to amuse His boredom of eternity. That image of God is extremely offensive and brings to mind an evil and mean entity rather than a loving God. They question: I f God is so Almighty, He could simply ignore or wave His hand, and all sins would be forgiven. Our response to this question is to determine how true that statement is, or to refute such thinking. Why is this important? Because our very salvation is based on the sacrifice of Jesus and the cleansing we receive by His blood! There was and is no other way! The New Testament provides a visual of the impact of being washed in the blood of Jesus.[4] What benefits come from being washed in the blood of Jesus? · Forgiveness of sins · Being cleansed from all unrighteousness · Clothes us as to not be naked before Almighty God · Redeems us and makes it possible for us to stand before God · Sanctifies us as “holy “and sets us apart as a royal people qualified to serve Almighty God · Brings peace between us and God, and eliminates God’s wrath against our sins and trespasses · Allows access to the Throne of Almighty God to call Him our Father · Makes our fleshly bodies suitable for the indwelling of the Holy Spirit In consideration of all these mighty gifts, we should be extremely grateful to God, rather than taking offense of the cross.[5] This discussion is a complex mystery, and one that those mature in Christ can better understand. We can go back to Genesis and the Garden of Eden and learn the result of sin entering the world. Before sin, Adam and Eve were both naked and unaware and unashamed, as they were pure of heart and clean.[6] Immediately after eating the forbidden fruit, one of the first things they noticed was their nakedness. Sinning opened their eyes to being “Unclean and Exposed.” They immediately hid themselves, making coverings of fig leaves to hide their nakedness. When they heard God walking in the Garden, they hid themselves, afraid to expose themselves before Him. Isaiah 47:3 tells us, “ Your nakedness shall be uncovered and your disgrace shall be seen. I will take vengeance, and I will spare no one.” The implication of sin is being exposed naked before God. God will punish those who are naked before His great light that exposes everything, even the smallest blemish. Such nakedness made Adam, Eve, and their descendants unclean and exposed to spoil any possible close fellowship with God.[7] We see symbolism of the coming of animal sacrifice and the spilling of blood to cover nakedness in God’s provision of animal skins to Adam and Eve to cover their nakedness in Genesis 3:21. Now, these things are great mysteries and connect many aspects of the Scriptures. Why did God condemn the spirits of angelic beings to the bottomless pit, completely separated in darkness? Because they had become unclean, blemished, and naked before God and his holy light. They could no longer stand before God as their spiritual natures were permanently tarnished. There was no redeeming blood for them as they were not created as creatures of flesh and blood. This is where we get the concept of Unclean Spirits or Demons. Once unclean, once holy spirits are forever unclean before God. I share this to shed light on the real consequences of sin. Sin completely separates us from God. People often wonder why God doesn’t show Himself in our natural world. There is a very good reason because if He did, we would immediately die in our sins. [8] God cannot and will not be in the presence of sin — period! We can’t see God as He is unless we are clean and sinless. Without the blood of the righteous being exchanged for the blemishes of sin in our fleshly bodies, there is no other means for salvation or restoring our relationship with God. His very nature forbids it. So yes, there are limits, even for Almighty God! To question and debate His nature only adds to our burden of sin and rebellious behaviors. Without faith, there is no way to please God.[9] We seldom appreciate why we were born in the flesh, but there is a wonderful benefit to having an earthly body. The most important aspect is unlike the spirit beings that sin, we can be separated from our unholy, decorated bodies in exchange for a clean, holy spiritual body! We can be made perfect, and this was and is only possible by the blood and exchange accomplished by Jesus. He died in a weak physical body — without sin, and was raised a spiritual body, holy, and everlasting! [10] Because Jesus provided the means and example, we too can rise in a clean and clothed spiritual body free from sin and able to stand before the righteous, Almighty light of God. This is the hope of the Gospel message. © Bob Russell Sources: [1] Deuteronomy 12:23 [2] Acts 15:29; Acts 21:25 [3] Genesis 9: 2–4 [4] Revelation 7:9–17; Hebrews 10:22–24; 1 John 1:7 [5] Galatians 5:11; 1 Corinthians 1:18; Galatians 5:13 [6] Genesis 2:25 [7] Exodus 20:26; Genesis 3:10–11; Leviticus 18:6–19; Revelation 3:17–18; Exodus 28:42; 2 Corinthians 5:2–3; Job 1:21; Hebrews 4:13 [8] 2 Kings 17:18; Psalms 5:4; Isaiah 59:2; Habakkuk 1:13 [9] Hebrews 11:6 [10] 1 Corinthians 15:44–58

Rethinking faith after the shutdowns, distractions, and overproduced Sunday mornings. Photo by Clem Onojeghuo on Unsplash Let me be clear: I’m not against campus-based churches. Not at all. I’ve been helped, encouraged, and challenged by them. I’ve served in them. I’ve found community, learned scripture, and seen people healed in their pews and lobbies. But if we’re honest — really honest — the COVID shutdowns pulled back the curtain. Not in a dramatic, “churches are evil” kind of way. But in the quiet, uncomfortable, “what are we even doing?” kind of way. Suddenly, we weren’t in buildings anymore.We weren’t being led by a stage team with fog machines and countdown timers. We weren’t sipping free coffee between services or navigating church apps to register for “authentic community.” And many of us didn’t miss it. What if leaving the building was God’s idea? I know, that sounds edgy. Maybe even sacrilegious. But hang with me. What if the forced simplicity of pandemic church — Zoom calls, long walks, awkward prayer circles over FaceTime — wasn’t a detour, but a divine redirection? What if the church, by losing its stage and systems for a moment, was invited back to something more raw, more human, more like Jesus? Because somewhere along the way, we confused the methods with the mission . We made “church” into a production.We called it community, but we scheduled every second.We said it was all about Jesus, but we often marketed it more like a brand. Don’t get me wrong — structure isn’t evil. Jesus taught in synagogues. Paul wrote to house churches with leadership and instruction. But they weren’t trying to run empires. They weren’t building campuses that rivaled college football programs. They were following Jesus in a complicated, ever-changing world. Simpler doesn’t mean smaller This isn’t a call to burn the whole thing down. (Though, let’s be honest, some of us flirted with that fantasy.) This is a call to return . Return to what matters: Gathering together, whether in a home or a parking lot. Breaking bread without an agenda. Carrying each other’s burdens (Galatians 6:2), not just reading each other’s prayer requests on a Facebook group. The early church had no buildings, no programs, no staff hierarchies.And yet “the Lord added to their number daily” (Acts 2:47). Why? Because it was real. It was present. It was enough. Richard Rohr puts it this way: “We worshipped Jesus instead of following him on the same path.” We learned to talk about grace instead of extending it.We formed committees on outreach instead of walking across the street.We taught people how to behave in church without ever teaching them how to be the church. Culture is shifting. Are we? Muh of the next generation isn’t buying what we’re selling. And frankly, I don’t blame them. They don’t want another “relevant” church that feels like a TED Talk and a Coldplay concert had a baby. They’re not looking for another coffee bar with a Bible verse on the sleeve. They want depth. They want honesty. They want space to ask questions without being labeled a “doubter.” They want to experience faith, not just consume it. And here’s reality: Jesus did all of that without a single Sunday morning service. A messy middle-aged confession I’ll be real. I’m not twenty-five anymore. I can’t keep up with TikTok theologians and exvangelical podcasts the way I used to. But I’ve got enough life behind me now to know when something feels off. I’ve seen churches with million-dollar budgets and zero relational depth. I’ve sat in leadership meetings where we planned sermon series down to the exact Instagram post… but never stopped to ask how our people were actually doing. And after COVID?After the forced slow-down, the emptied sanctuaries, the eerie quiet of Easter 2020? I couldn’t go back to pretending that the way we did church wasn’t half the problem. The sacred shift: from attendance to attention Maybe the invitation now isn’t to rebuild the church as it was.Maybe it’s to reimagine it. Not around programs. Not around production. But around people. Henri Nouwen once said: “Community is the place where the person you least want to live with always lives.” True church is inconvenient.It ’s imperfect.It ’s vulnerable.And it doesn’t need fog machines or a killer worship set to be holy. It needs people who show up. Who stay. Who listen more than they lecture. Who break bread and let each other cry. Who share their doubts without shame and their hope without hype. Scripture, not as a script — but a story we live into The early church wasn’t trying to be relevant. They were just trying to survive. And yet they thrived because they were together . “Let us not give up meeting together… but encouraging one another.” (Hebrews 10:25) That verse has been used to guilt people back into pews. But it’s not about attendance. It’s about attention . Paying attention to one another.Bearing witness to the ordinary sacredness of life.Staying awake to the presence of God in each other. It’s about showing up for one another when the livestream ends and the kitchen sink is still full. So what now? Honestly, I don’t have a five-step solution. But maybe that’s the point. Maybe instead of asking “How do we get people back in church?”we start asking,“What kind of people are we becoming?” Are we loving well?Are we growing in mercy?Are we simplifying where we’ve complicated?Are we showing the next generation a faith that’s worth following? If we are, then it won’t matter where we meet. It’ll matter how we live. Because the real church was never a building. It was always us. So what’s your next step? Maybe it’s inviting someone over for dinner instead of waiting for the next church potluck. Maybe it’s starting a weekly walk-and-talk with two friends and calling it church. Maybe it’s finally letting go of the guilt that you don’t “go” to church anymore — because you’re already being it. Either way, the invitation is here. To simplify. To strip away. To begin again. Not because we’re rebels.But because we’re returning home. © Gary L Ellis

The First Instructions About Prayer. If you have already read a Holy Hormones article you know what to expect. If this is your first visit, click here , for "Prologue to Holy Hormone Study Posts." If you like what you read, there is more to be found in this LIBRARY . There have been a number of my Medium buddies going through some tough times. I don’t pretend to know why God just doesn’t do a better job of things. But I know it must be the best way because it has cost Him so much. But the Holy Spirit has left exquisite pearls of Wisdom in His Word, waiting to be found, which show that He is not a boring Teacher. unsplash.com He gives instruction on Prayer which show that He is the consummate Lateral Thinker. How? The Lord shows things first in the natural then in the spiritual so that we get some comprehension of what He is doing outside our spectrum of sight and sound — as is written in 1 Corinthians 15:46–47 || However, the spiritual is not first, but the natural, and afterwards the spiritual. The first man was of the earth, made of dust; the second Man is the Lord from heaven. On the topic of Prayer, there are a number of verses which liken the Prayers of the Saints to being a Sweet Savour to the Lord. One example that the prayers of the Saints are Incense to the Most High is written in Revelation 5:8 || Now when He had taken the scroll, the four living creatures and the twenty-four elders fell down before the Lamb, each having a harp, and golden bowls full of incense, which are the prayers of the saints. The recipe for the incense is written in Exodus 30:34–35 || And the Lord said to Moses: “Take sweet spices, stacte and onycha and galbanum, and pure frankincense with these sweet spices; there shall be equal amounts of each. You shall make of these an incense, a compound according to the art of the perfumer, salted, pure, and holy. A teaching by a Messianic Rabbi (Orthodox trained), Dick Reuben , describes the constituents of the recipe given by God. Stacte — it came from the resin of a pine tree. It was not difficult to collect — it came freely. This speaks of how God wants our incense to be given — freely and spontaneously. Onycha — Came from a particular shellfish. The shellfish was located deep in the ocean, and the men had to let down their nets to collect it. This speaks of how our prayer, worship and praise must come from the very depths of our heart, not because we are being pressured from the worship leader, but because we want to. Galbanum — Collected from the myrtle tree. The limbs were broken and the men would come back the next day to collect the sap that had issued forth from the broken area. This speaks of how our prayer, praise, worship, and intercession must come out of our brokenness. Frankincense — Collected from a tree that is split in the twilight hours of the evening. Nothing happens during the night, but in the early hours of the morning the resin begins to weep. The resin is the Frankincense. Out of our piercing and sorrows in the early hours of the morning comes our prayer, praise and worship and intercession. The Rabbi does an experiment to show that the chemistry is delicate. He grinds up the constituents (Of course, this is not exactly to the proportions given in Exodus 30. That is expressly forbidden by the Lord on the pain of death.) and tries to ignite the mix — to no avail, no matter how much heat is applied. But there is a commonly unnoticed component which is sitting in plain sight in the Written Word of the Living Word of God — salt. When a critical amount of salt is introduced into the mix it ignites easily and the Sweet Savour rises to fill the room. Obviously it is a vital ingredient which must be present. Salt –It is written in Matthew 5:13 || “You are the salt of the earth. But if the salt loses its saltiness, how can it be made salty again? It is no longer good for anything, except to be thrown out and trampled underfoot.” Just as obviously, it is the prayers of salty Saints that attract God’s attention. The chemical structure of common salt (the context of the scriptures make it clear that the compound NaCl is the material being mentioned) is such that if another element is added it is no longer NaCl. The only way for salt to lose its saltiness, therefore, is by dilution. Two polar extremes of dilution are pure rain water and raw sewerage. One of these is less palatable than the other but that makes it the least dangerous because it is immediately recognised and spat out. However it is possible to gradually dilute with more and more rain water until the saltiness is lost, unnoticed. When the Disciples couldn’t cast out the demon, Mark 9:14–32, Jesus demonstrated that the way life is lived between prayer sessions is much more important than the eloquence of the prayers spoken — after all, He knows what you’re about to say before you do. Often the salt comes from the trembling prayers spoken through tears. But remember it is written in Psalm 56:8–9 || You number my wanderings; Put my tears into Your bottle; Are they not in Your book? When I cry out to You, Then my enemies will turn back; This I know, because God is for me. And in Joel 2:25–27 || So I will restore to you the years that the swarming locust has eaten. The crawling locust, The consuming locust, And the chewing locust, My great army which I sent among you. You shall eat in plenty and be satisfied, And praise the name of the Lord your God, Who has dealt wondrously with you; And My people shall never be put to shame. Then you shall know that I am in the midst of My Church: I am the Lord your God And there is no other. I will never reject My People. Oh, the depth of the riches of the wisdom and knowledge of God! 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

Restoring hope and strength. Can we face some facts? Sometimes, it hits you like a freight train you never saw coming — that moment when you realize you haven’t just stumbled, you’ve faceplanted. You didn’t just mess up a little. You feel like you’ve failed God. And in the process, you’ve failed yourself too. You think: “I should know better by now.”“How did I end up here again?”“God must be so disappointed in me.” Here’s what I want to encourage you with today: You haven’t ruined everything. You’re not beyond grace. Shame Is Not How God Works Let’s start here: Shame is a liar. It doesn’t convict you, it crushes you. And that’s not how God works. Romans 8:1 says, “There is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus.” Not less condemnation. Not postponed condemnation. No condemnation. When we mess up, it’s easy to believe the voice that says we’ve crossed some invisible line God won’t forgive. But that voice isn’t God. That’s fear. That’s toxic religion. Pastor Nadia Bolz-Weber once said, “God’s grace is not defined by our faithfulness but by God’s.” How about I say that again: “God’s grace is not defined by our faithfulness but by God’s.” God’s grace isn’t rationed out according to your performance. It flows because of who He is. You Are Not the Exception Moses killed a man. David abused his power and committed adultery. Peter denied Jesus three times — publicly. And yet God stayed with them. Worked through them. Loved them. You are not the exception to grace. You are the reason grace exists. Restoration Isn’t a Reset Button Here’s where it gets gritty. Restoration doesn’t mean you go back to how things were. It means God builds something deeper. Stronger. Truer. Psalm 34:18 says, “The Lord is close to the brokenhearted and saves those who are crushed in spirit.” If you’re crushed right now, God is close. Not distant. Not arms crossed, waiting for you to shape up. He’s Close. Restoration looks like God sitting with you in the ashes and saying, “We’re not done yet. I still have plans for you.” Stop Trying to Earn What’s Already Yours You can’t hustle your way back into God’s good graces. That’s religion, not relationship. And frankly, it’s exhausting. Richard Rohr puts it bluntly: “We cannot attain the presence of God. We’re already totally in the presence of God. What’s absent is awareness.” What restores you is not doing more.It ’s seeing clearer. You’re already loved. Already held. Already wanted. What to Do When You Feel Too Far Gone So what now? When you feel like you’ve failed too big, too often, too publicly? 1. Stop hiding. Bring it into the light. Pray the ugly prayers. Say the hard things to God. He’s not scandalized. He’s your Father, not your probation officer. 2. Stay in community. Don’t isolate. Shame festers in silence. Call someone. Text a friend. Find a someone who can hold space without judging. 3. Speak scripture over yourself. Not as a magic trick, but as truth therapy. Try Isaiah 43:1, “Do not fear, for I have redeemed you; I have called you by name, you are mine.” 4. Get honest about what led here. God doesn’t demand perfection, but He invites clarity. Were you burnt out? Wounded? Afraid? God wants your truth, not your filter. 5. Look for the rebuild. This isn’t the end. Restoration is real. Redemption is active. Your failure isn’t a dead end; it’s a doorway. You Haven’t Blown It Hear this clearly: You haven’t blown it. Not with God. Not in the way that counts. You might feel broken, but broken things in God’s hands become blessings. You don’t climb out of failure.You get carried. That’s the gospel. Not that we find our way back to God, but that He always, always comes for us. One More Word If you feel like you’ve failed God and yourself, you’re standing in the exact place where grace shows up the loudest. God doesn’t need you to pretend you’re fine. He needs you to remember that His strength is made perfect in your weakness (2 Corinthians 12:9). Don’t quit now. Don’t settle for shame.God isn’t done with you. Not even close. I hope this encouraged you, today! © Gary L. Ellis Published on Medium.com June 2nd 2025.

“N ow there arose a new King over Egypt, who did not know Joseph.” Exodus 1:8 unsplash.com Sadly, future generations seem doomed to repeat the most hideous errors of earlier generations. They ignore the lessons learned by their forefathers and instead listen to their peers lacking wisdom or experience. I did not start my walk of faith believing in the millennial kingdom of Christ. At best, I was postmillennial and looked forward to what singer Tommy James and the Shondell’s, “Crystal Blue Persuasion” considered a future awakening of love and brotherhood in this present age. It wasn’t until my studies of a book written in the late 1800s titled “The Thousand Year Reign of Christ” that I was convinced that a millennial kingdom would really occur. [1] The only clear teachings on the millennial kingdom is found in Revelation, Chapter 20; prior to that, there was precious little evidence in Scripture of its occurrence. There are short prophetic writings in the Old Testament that describe conditions living in the millennium[2], but nothing definitively describing a thousand-year period. The Kingdom of Christ is considered eternal and never-ending, as described in Daniel’s vision in Daniel 7:13–14. Revelation, chapter 20, seems an outlier among the Scripture narratives and a short chapter consisting mostly of a synopsis description. This is not unusual in Scripture as some of the most loaded messages with tremendous implications are very short, such as Genesis 6:1–2. That I will leave for another discussion. The thousand-year reign has a very purposeful reason to occur, as God has issued many promises of a better day for the nation of Israel that have not occurred. While some in Christendom debate that the church has replaced Israel in receiving God’s blessing, this is a terrible error, as God’s words cannot be wrong or unfulfilled. This is a major aspect of God for which, if wrong, everything God said is suspect. Losing the ultimate blessings God gave to the patriarch Abraham about his future children would render the enter Biblical narrative moot. For that very reason, Revelation 20 is a major addition to the end-time Biblical story that connects many prophetic oracles from Scripture together — another reason the book deserved to be added to the Biblical canon by early believers. I suspect also the reason some did not agree to include the book in the canon is given it apocryphal colorful writing style. However, Revelation, chapter 20, is one aspect of the book that is quite definite and distinctive in regard to a future event. The focus of this writing is not to extensively describe the kingdom as to share that the millennium also reflects a tragic ending . The story also shows how humankind easily forgets the past and are doomed to repeat it.I described in a recent Medium article, Published in The Dove who will live to enter the millennial kingdom. You can read it here: Those That Will Inherit The Earth. In that article I mentioned the meek will inherit the earth; that some will survive the great tribulation and the Wrath of God, and as mortals enter the kingdom. Also, that the church itself of this age will enter as resurrected/translated beings that will rule with Jesus. The focus of this article is on those humans who enter the kingdom. While Satan and his legions will be confined to the bottomless pit, human nature will remain. While conditions will be ideal on Earth during that time, the central rule of authority will come from Jerusalem and its king, Jesus Christ. Jesus will rule with an iron rod.[3] This indicates a firm rule with compliance as mandatory. Zechariah tells us that families will go up to Jerusalem to worship the Great King, but those who refuse to do so will not receive rain.[4] What this tells us is that those with human natures still resist righteousness on occasion, even in the millennial kingdom! WHY?! Because it is within the nature of mortals to sin -even without the temptations of Satan, we can become belligerent and stubborn. Much of this is because children are born during the millennium. Children who did not experience the hardships of the last age, did not face tribulation, or see the experience of those who disobeyed and experienced God’s wrath. Sadly, these children and their children will ignore the wisdom and teachings of their elders and prefer the influence of their peers — much as teenagers and young adults do so today. A time comes, as the people of the millennium multiply across the earth, that a people will arise with no memory of wrath and will disregard the commands of Jesus. They will have no mind of events as described in Revelation, chapter 19, or before. This leads to the very unfortunate events as the releasing of Satan and his hordes out of the bottomless pit; the tempting of humankind returns that further escalates the spirit of rebellion. Sadly, the experiences of the prior Armageddon will repeat itself. Armies will be raised that come to Jerusalem to once again assault the New Israel and the holy saints. This battle is titled God/Magog, which is very similar to the gathering of the antichrist against Jerusalem described in Revelation 19:19.[5] This second gathering will result in the prediction of the Apostle Peter being fulfilled in 2 Peter 3:10–14 where the world is finally consumed by fire. Everything is burned up, and the remaining mortal humans are destroyed. The events that follow include the second resurrection of the remaining dead that were not raised during the first resurrection preceding the millennial kingdom. We see the great white throne of God’s final judgement beginning. Finally, we see Satan, his hordes, all sinners, and unrepentant souls cast into the lake of fire as Revelation, chapter 20, concludes. The final Kingdom of God, then, is revealed in Revelation, chapters 21 and 22. In summation, while the saints of true believers look forward to the revealing of the millennial kingdom and their resurrection, the conditions of the thousand years are truly an intermediate state and not the final kingdom. It fulfills the promises of God for Israel as a nation and allows the Biblical story of fallen humankind to play out. God provides multiple chances for humankind to repent and put an end to sinning, but they continue to do so until the very end. Lastly, when I say the New Israel, I do not limit this to a glorification of only the Jews. Yes, repentant Jews and former Israelites of the twelve original tribes will be returned to Jerusalem and the Promised Land, but many Gentiles who chose Christ will be among them too. The New Israel is an inclusive nation of righteousness, as the Roman letter by Paul describes in chapters 9, 10, and 11. What I’ve described in this writing can be difficult for some, especially the novice Christian. This is a deep discussion for the spiritually mature to understand, having the wisdom and seasoning to comprehend. As we are near the times of the end of this age, we should reflect on how easy it is for succeeding generations of humans to fall back into the evils of the past. This is a very unfortunate situation and creates great anxiety, witnessing societal regressions towards barbarian practices of the past, regardless of technological advances. Humanity cannot escape its fallen nature, no matter how advanced we think we have become. The church is called to endure the age until Jesus returns. This may include persecution, martyrdom, captivity, loss of property, and finally rapture, but the call to endure is our final command for this age. [6] © Bob Russell Sources & References: [1] “The Thousand Year Reign of Christ,” by Nathaniel West, 1826–1906, The classic work on the Millennium, most current republishing date, September 2, 1993, by Kregel Classics [2] Isaiah 2:4; Isaiah 65:21–23; Micah 4:3; Joel 3:18; Ezekiel 34: 17–29; Amos 9:11–12; Micah 4:1–7; Zechariah 14:8–21; Daniel 7:13–14 [3] Revelation 2:27 [4] Zechariah 14: 16–19 [5] Revelation 16:13–14 [6] 1 Peter 3: 8–12; Revelation 12:17; Revelation 14:12; Revelation 13:9–10

It is often said, “May your life be during interesting times.” However, is that statement actually true? We often wonder what it would be like to live during a time of major transitions. Some have seen wars and changes on a geopolitical scale. But up to now, we continue to forecast a time when Jesus will turn this world into his domain. This will come with an ending to all the current world order, dominions, and national power. It’s nearly inconceivable that this will actually happen outside the eyes of faith. Many today scoff at the idea, and some have grown weary listening to anyone claiming a literal end of the age is coming. However, it will occur, and when it does, there will be few, if any, prepared for the events of that critical point in time. We are now becoming a generation that might just witness the return of Christ! Being prepared is very important for the house of faith. God provides in His word examples of some who actually faced and lived through Biblical prophetic times of woe and destruction. As bad as it was, God found a way to help his people survive. This is an additional assurance, while some await a pre-tribulation rapture to rescue, we have to be ready to face those days, should it be God’s will. Being a prophet of the last days will be extremely difficult. Not only for lack of credibility, but for likely prosecution and heckling that will occur. It is not for the faint of heart. Of all the Spiritual Gifts listed in the New Testament, none are considered as important as Prophecy! The ability to see and foretell events to come with accuracy would seem quite important — provided anyone is around to believe. While prophecy is considered the greatest of spiritual gifts, [1] it comes with a tremendous burden. The mythological Greek tragedy of Casandra comes to mind. [2] In summary, Casandra was loved by the Greek god Apollos; she attempted to gain a gift from the god, but she rejected his pursuit. Apollos angrily gave Casandra the prophecy gift but condemned her so no one would believe or listen to her. She correctly prophesied the defeat of Troy and the legendary hero, Agamemnon. No one listened, and the defeat of Troy and the death of Agamemnon occurred as predicted. Her fate was to face humiliation, indignities, and death. As I have stated before, there are certain realities behind myths, including the existence of lower gods and their human targets, which are reasonably accurate. The fall of Troy is historically true. However, the story is quite illustrative for providing context on the dark side of the gift of prophecy. In Scripture, the Old Testament prophet Jeremiah is also a great example of prophecies going unheeded by leadership and authority, which resulted in a disaster for a nation. Jeremiah is the one who both predicted it and lived through the transition. This is very rare indeed! Scripture foretells of two prophets in the last days that attempt to warn humanity, only to be killed and left in a public forum to be sneered at and scoffed. [3] Just try to imagine what it would be like not only to be one of those individuals, but to suffer the fate of those remarkable saints! Jeremiah would have understood this, and to him we should look to help us better understand that: GOD IS OUR PROTECTOR Two Old Testament books are credited to Jeremiah — Jeremiah, the main text, and Lamentations. Lamentations are the prophet’s laments on the fall of the nation of Judah and Jerusalem. Jeremiah was an eyewitness to this event and warned of that outcome just before the occurrence. His feelings about the event are expressed as laments and sorrows. He describes the deserted city in a poetic fashion: its desolation, its miseries, and cries out to God for mercy.[4] He confirms that God’s warning was fulfilled with the humiliation of Zion.[5] However, he still affirms that God’s love endures.[6] The remainder of Lamentations details the destruction and the holy relics that were destroyed and plundered. This is a post-event reflection and shows great sorrow from the prophet. The book of Jeremiah describes the historical event leading up to the nation’s fall and how he pleaded with the people to repent and avoid the disaster — to no avail.[7] He goes through the history of Israel and its calling, as well as its lack of faithfulness to God, and a call to repent before it was too late. When it seemed no one heeded his warning, he tried to get the people to flee Jerusalem in haste as the invasion to come was imminent. [8] He cries out and mourns for the people, claiming, “My joy is gone, grief is upon me, and my heart is sick .”[9] Jeremiah was threatened not to speak of the destruction, or in the name of the Lord, he would die.[10] God further revealed the plot to kill Jeremiah to the prophet. The prophet complained to the Lord and wanted the Lord to do the right thing against those plotting his death and the evil things they committed. [11] God hears and responds to the prophet, assuring him that he will follow through on his judgment of Israel. He further warns the prophet that members of his family plot against him and do not trust them. The story shows false prophets springing up, telling leadership and the people that no evil would happen to them.[12] God promises Jeremiah that he will deliver him from the hands of those plotting against him.[13] I go into detail in this description of Jeremiah to show the trials of a prophet who is not believed to be rejected by his or her people or threatened by the people. It can produce great anguish and sorrow when facing such conditions. Worse, to witness the bad outcome of a prophecy come true. Jeremiah is placed in prison, and he speaks out against the false prophets and witnesses the arriving armies of Babylon, as well as the great battle and untold deaths.[14] Having found favor with the Lord, Jeremiah is taken captive by the Babylonians and then allowed to walk away.[15] He stayed with the remaining people in the land; the poorest and needy were left behind as the many in Judah and Jerusalem were taken into captivity. Those left were provided with plenty of food, drink, and shelter from the spoils of those who were taken away. God cares for the poor and humble. [16] He will rescue the humble and downtrodden too and escort them into the Millennial Kingdom! Prophecy can be a significant burden, but obeying the prophetic word can deliver the faithful during times of great upheaval and distress, such as the times we will soon experience. This example from Scripture also provides context on things that go wrong and how the faithful face these conditions. It’s now always sunny, and we can face great despair. It’s not uncommon to complain to God, but seeking his input is essential rather than rejecting Him when you don’t understand the circumstances. It will save you in the end. © Bob Russell Sources: [1] 1 Corinthians 12:1–11; 14:1- 24 [2] https://www.britannica.com/topic/Cassandra-Greek-mythology [ 3] Revelation 11: 3–14 [4] Lamentations 1:1–23 [5] Lamentations 2: 1–22 [6] Lamentations 3:1 [7] Jeremiah 2:1–37 [8] Jeremiah 6: 1–23 [9] Jeremiah 8:18–21 [10] Jeremiah 11:18–23 [11] Jeremiah 12:1–17 [12] Jeremiah 14: 13–16 [13] Jeremiah 15:19–21 [14] Jeremiah 39:1–18 [15] Jeremiah 40: 1–6 [16] Matthew 5:3–12