Faithful Writers

The Question That Just Won’t Shut Up Photo by Transly Translation Agency on Unsplash W e’ve all heard the clichés: “ God has a plan, ” “ everything happens for a reason .” But when life actually breaks, those answers feel paper-thin. Let’s take a raw, honest look at why a good God allows suffering — and why the Bible doesn’t give us tidy answers, but something better. This is a question that doesn’t come up in a theology class with neat, certain answers. You know, the class with a whiteboard and bullet points. This is the painful question that shows up in hospice rooms and text messages that start with “I have bad news.” Why does a good God let this happen? You don’t ask that because you’re curious. You ask it because something inside you is crumbling with anguish. This isn’t really a question born from curiosity. It’s more like a scream we turned into words. Let’s Not Pretend the Answers Are Satisfying You’ve probably heard the usuals. Free will. Soul growth. It’s all part of God’s plan. One day it’ll all make sense. Maybe you even believed those at some point. Maybe you still try to. But when your kid’s in the ICU or the MRI scan comes back wrong or the earthquake kills 20,000 people overnight, none of those answers feel like enough. Because they’re not. The Bible Doesn’t Try to Tidy This Up (and neither should we) Here’s something people forget: the Bible doesn’t try to answer this question with a tight little bow either. It gives us Job , whose life collapses. His kids die. His health fails. And his friends try to explain it all away like they’ve got a theological flowchart. Job says, Nope. I didn’t do anything wrong. And — here’s the kicker — God agrees with Job , not the friends. ( Job 42:7 ) So what’s God’s answer to Job’s pain? A storm. Literally. A whirlwind. And basically a very long speech that says, “ This world is way more complicated than you can handle. ” Which is God’s way of saying: You don’t get the answers. You get Me. Courtesy of Lumo Project Films Jesus Doesn’t Explain Suffering — He Joins It If you grew up in church, you probably learned that Jesus died to “pay for our sins.” Fine. But there’s something deeper happening on the cross. Something that doesn’t fit on a Sunday school flannelgraph. Jesus isn’t just fixing a legal problem. He’s showing us what God is like. And what is God like? God bleeds. When Jesus says, “ My God, my God, why have you forsaken me? ” he’s quoting a Psalm ( 22:1 ). But he’s also doing something bigger — he’s giving us a picture of what it feels like when heaven seems to go silent. “Free Will” Only Explains So Much The free will argument gets used a lot. I’ve used to use it too. It seems to make sense, especially for the pain we cause each other — violence, greed, systemic injustice, all of it. But what about the other kind? Earthquakes don’t have free will. Neither does cancer. Or mental illness. At some point, “We chose this” doesn’t hold up. Some suffering just is. People try to bridge the gap with the “soul-making” idea — that God uses suffering to grow us. Yeah. Sometimes, maybe…although not always the things we apply it to. Try saying that to a mother who lost her baby. Or to someone who was abused. Or to someone whose life just never got easier and who dies bitter and alone. You start to see how shallow those slogans are. Maybe the World Isn’t a Blueprint Here’s something I wish more churches said out loud: Maybe this world isn’t tightly managed. Maybe it’s just really messy where God walks with us. Helping us through it. Theologian Greg Boyd has this picture of creation not as a blueprint, but as a battlefield. Not everything happens because God wanted it to. Some things just… happen. (Sounds heretical to the “God is always in control crowd.” But, the battlefield explanation doesn’t mean He’s out of control. Spiritual forces. Human choices. Random chaos. In that view, God isn’t the chess master moving pieces. God is the medic dragging bodies off the battlefield. Bleeding with them. Staying. No man left behind. “God doesn’t cause all things for a reason,” Boyd says.“ But God can bring reason out of all things.” Maybe the World Is Wild on Purpose We’re in a universe built on tectonic plates and cellular mutation and weather patterns that aren’t sentient. This world gives us wine and babies and sunsets — and also earthquakes and cancer and droughts. It’s all one system. Some people see that and say, “How could God make a world like this?” But maybe that’s the only way to have a real world at all. One that breathes, evolves, breaks, and heals. I’m not asking you to “buy” that. Just consider the possibility. Pain doesn’t mean the world is broken. Pain means the world is alive. And God? Still in It. Not Over It. Maybe what we need isn’t an explanation. Maybe what we need is to know that God is still here . Not as an idea. Not as a doctrine. But as someone who still walks into suffering and sits there with you. No escape plan. No platitudes. Just presence. “The cross is not the end,” Richard Rohr says. “It’s the beginning of a new way of seeing.” Faith Isn’t About Explaining Pain It’s about not turning away from it. The Bible doesn’t fix the problem of suffering. It just shows us that God doesn’t run from it . Jesus doesn’t promise we’ll understand it. He just promises we won’t go through it alone. “I have said these things to you, that in me you may have peace. In the world you will have tribulation. But take heart; I have overcome the world.” ( John 16:33 , ESV) It’s not a “cheer up, buddy” kind of thing — it’s more like a command to stand tall when the waves are pounding and your knees are knocking. It’s His way of saying, “I know it looks scary, but I’m here. Don’t let fear write the story.” And So… If you’re carrying pain and wondering where God is in it, I hope this gives you permission to stop pretending everything makes sense. And maybe a little comfort in knowing you don’t have to feel you’re alone. © Gary L Ellis

“Because you have obeyed my command to persevere (endure patiently), I will protect you from the great time of testing that will come upon the whole world to test those who belong to this world — Revelation 3:10 Another controversy among the Christian churches is what God commands according to the New Testament. Do we obey the Laws of Moses, do we create our own laws, or do we really know and understand what God requires of us? Such important questions need to be addressed, otherwise, everyone does what is right in their own eyes. A Lighthouse photo In this writing, I want to address a firm commandment of God for the church age — that is, to endure. [1] That is the very purpose why the Scriptures were written, as stated in Romans 15:4, “For whatever was written in former days was written for our instruction, that through endurance and through the encouragement of the scriptures we might have hope.” We also find endurance as a criterion for obtaining eternal life, as stated by Jesus in Matthew 24:13, “But the one who endures to the end will be saved.” Endurance in the Bible is the ability to persevere in a task or calling in the face of hardship and resistance. This is actually a hallmark of true Christian faith! It’s being willing to push forward in nearly insurmountable headwinds — winds a fierce as a hurricane and yet stay afoot. It should be clear that few, if any, can walk directly into the headwinds of a hurricane and stay afoot; such a feat would be impossible for a human. We must tap into God’s power through His Spirit to achieve the goal, and not by our own strength or knowledge. [2] The endurance God seeks in His children is the ability to do good in the face of evil, to stand tall when any unbeliever would fear to go. To say what must be said to power, even if it leads to punishment. Consider John the Baptizer; Jesus said of all men born of woman, there has not been one greater than John. [3] Yet, we know the fate that John faced after denouncing the sins of a ruler — Herod Antipas. John was beheaded. Standing tall for God will create conflict with power. We’ll take damage for doing it, if not physical pain, loss of reputation, ostracism, and separation from communities and cultural groups. The more those in Christ stand for good and speak out against evil, the more persecution will arise. Those who hold to the teaching of a pretribulation rapture hold the passage in Revelation 3:10 to mean the entire church, not just the one directed in the command — the church of Philadelphia, one of the seven churches that Jesus addressed. The reason is that the church is promised escape from the great testing that will come on the earth for unbelievers. We call this the wrath of God! However, the reason Jesus gives that assurance is that the church is already facing persecution. The church at Philadelphia had little power and was under heavy persecution — but they held onto the testimony of Jesus and never denied His name under fire. This is the reason Jesus gives them a pass from God’s wrath to come. This is true for all true believers as well — if we endure until the end or put to death holding on to the faith. However, do not confuse the wrath of satan/antichrist (the great tribulation) with the Great Day of the Lord’s Wrath. These are separate events, while close together in approximate time of the end of the age. The believers at that time will face the wrath of the antichrist, and many will perish holding on to the true faith. A careful reading of the Revelation shows a buildup of judgments starting with the house of faith via the antichrist and accumulating with God’s seven bowls of wrath, which test the remaining unbelievers after the sixth seal and seventh are broken, and the seven trumpets sound. It is within this interval that the hope of rapture and separation from the evils in this world. For this lesson, the important thing is to know that perseverance and endurance are direct commands of God through Christ our Lord. © Bob Russell Sources & References: [1] Romans 5:3–4; James 1:12–18; Hebrews 10:36; James 1:2–4; Colossians 1:11, Romans 12:12; 1 Corinthians 10:13; Galatians 6:9; Romans 2:7; Matthew 24:13 [2] Zechariah 4:6; 1 Corinthians 4:20; Philippians 4:13 [3] Matthew 11:11

Here’s the uncomfortable truth: a lot of what we were told about Jesus isn’t from Jesus. It’s our denominational image. Omni Modal AI It’s from church, family, culture, and fear. That complicated knot of expectations and shame. The things we picked up and carried because we thought they were sacred. Turns out, some of it was just heavy baggage. Here’s the reality: Holding on to Jesus does not mean holding on to everything you were taught about him. If you’re in midlife and feeling like your faith is cracking at the edges, that’s not a sign of failure. That’s the Spirit at work. You are not betraying God by letting go of things that no longer ring true. You are being invited into something deeper. Jesus didn’t hand you the baggage In Matthew 11, Jesus says, “Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you and learn from me… For my yoke is easy and my burden is light.” If what you’re carrying feels suffocating, maybe it didn’t come from him. Maybe it came from a system that needed you to be afraid. Maybe it came from a theology that prioritized control over compassion. Maybe it came from people who meant well but never questioned what they were handed either. Let’s not sugarcoat it. Letting go is hard. Especially if those beliefs were once lifelines. Especially if they still connect you to people you love. But there comes a point where you have to choose : cling to the baggage, or cling to Jesus. Jesus doesn’t need defending. He needs following The weird thing is, when you start to release the baggage, people might get nervous. You might get nervous. Why? Because baggage gives us a sense of belonging. It’s shared language, shared answers. But here’s the good news: Jesus didn’t ask you to have all the answers. He said, “Follow me.” Not, “Be right about everything.” Not, “Defend your theology at all costs.” Just follow. Dorothy Søelle put it like this: “The point of theology is not to prove God. The point is to participate in God.” And that means a shift. Away from certainty. Toward trust. Away from gatekeeping. Toward hospitality. Midlife is the perfect time to drop the act When you’re younger, you hold on tight to certainty. It keeps you grounded. Safe. You follow the map someone gave you because you trust they knew the terrain. But as you get older, you start to notice the map doesn’t match the landscape. And then you have a choice. You can keep pretending the map is right. Or you can actually walk with Jesus, even if that means going off-map. And let’s be honest: pretending is exhausting. That’s why Jesus said, “The truth will set you free.” But before it frees you, it messes you up. Because it wrecks the illusion. It asks for your honesty. And it gives you Jesus in return. So what does letting go look like? It looks like taking a deep breath and admitting: I don’t believe that anymore. It looks like skipping church some Sundays because your soul is tired and you meet God better in the woods. It looks like saying no to fear-based religion, even if it means losing status, relationships, or roles. It looks like trusting the Spirit to guide you, not just doctrine. It looks like grace. Holding on to Jesus looks like liberation Jesus didn’t come to endorse a system. Actually, He came to upend one. He didn’t show up to preserve tradition. He came to call people out of their comfort zones. He healed on the Sabbath. He talked to outsiders. He critiqued the religious elite. So if holding on to Jesus feels like disobedience to the religion you were raised with, you might just be on a better path. One that leads to the real Jesus. If your prayers have shifted from polished formulas to groaning sighs, God is still listening. If your theology is unraveling but your compassion is growing, Jesus is near. And here’s the clincher: you don’t owe anyone an explanation You don’t have to justify your spiritual journey to those who don’t see the terrain you’re walking. You don’t have to make your doubts palatable. You don’t have to fake it to protect someone else’s comfort. Paul said it in Galatians: “It is for freedom that Christ has set us free. Stand firm, then, and do not let yourselves be burdened again by a yoke of slavery.” Religious baggage is a kind of slavery. And you’re allowed to say no. So yes, it’s possible It’s possible to hold on to Jesus while letting go of fear. To hold on to Jesus while letting go of fundamentalism. To hold on to Jesus while walking away from certainty, rigidity, and shame. You can let go of what’s breaking you without letting go of Jesus. In fact, that might be the most faithful move you make. The baggage isn’t sacred — Jesus is. And he’s not asking you to carry it, explain it, or defend it. He’s just asking you to follow. © Gary L Ellis

10 Keys for Recovering the Voice of Scripture Omni Modal AI S cripture isn’t dead. But for many, it feels like it. Somewhere between childhood Bible stories and adult life’s chaos, the words hardened. They stopped surprising us. Familiarity bred distance. And the Book that once stirred something deep now sits still, closed, waiting. It doesn’t have to stay that way. Scripture can breathe again — not with magic, but with honesty. Not through force, but with permission. Here’s how. 1. Put Down the Performance For many of us, Scripture became a tool for being “good.” Read your Bible, pray, go to church — repeat. But what if we stop treating it like a test or task? What if we drop the performance? Progressive pastor and writer Nadia Bolz-Weber puts it like this: “The Bible is not an answer book. It’s a conversation starter.” Instead of asking, What does this verse tell me to do? try asking, What does this stir in me? Or even, What questions does this raise that I’ve been afraid to ask? Let Scripture start the conversation, not end it. 2. Read Slower. Much Slower. Speed kills intimacy. Rushing through Scripture is like skimming a love letter for grammar. You miss the heart. Try this: take one verse. Read it out loud. Sit with it. Ask it questions. Let it bother you. Let it comfort you. Write down what catches your attention — even if it doesn’t make sense right away. Lectio Divina, an ancient Christian practice, invites us into this kind of slow reading. It’s not about analyzing. It’s about listening. 3. Let Go of Certainty We were taught to find “the meaning.” One meaning. The correct interpretation. But Scripture is full of contradiction, mystery, and tension — not because it’s broken, but because it’s honest. Progressive theologian Rachel Held Evans wrote: “The Bible isn’t a flat, one-dimensional book. It’s a living, breathing, ancient library.” Let the contradictions speak. Let the paradox sit in the room with you. Scripture isn’t broken because it doesn’t always make sense. It’s human. It’s divine. It’s both. 4. Reclaim the Human Element We forget sometimes — the Bible was written by people. Real people. With fears, flaws, and agendas. Prophets, poets, exiles, rebels, mystics. When you read Scripture, you’re eavesdropping on voices from centuries ago. And they weren’t just writing doctrine. They were lamenting. Celebrating. Arguing with God. Crying out. Instead of trying to “figure out” what God is saying in every line, try asking: What is the human struggle behind these words? Scripture breathes when we stop polishing it and start honoring the raw. 5. Bring Your Whole Self to the Page Don’t leave your questions at the door. Don’t check your pain, your anger, or your joy. Bring it all. You don’t need to be in a “spiritual” mood to engage the Bible . You just need to show up. Tired, distracted, doubting — that’s all welcome. Author Brian McLaren encourages this kind of honest engagement: “Doubt isn’t the opposite of faith. It’s often where faith begins.” When you bring your real self, Scripture becomes a mirror — not a filter. 6. Use Different Translations The King James Bible may be poetic, but it’s not the only voice in the room. Try reading a passage in The Message or the New Living Translation. Use side-by-side versions. Different wording wakes up the text . What felt rigid in one translation may feel alive in another. And don’t be afraid to read the paraphrased versions. Sometimes Eugene Peterson’s paraphrasing in The Message is what it takes to cut through our spiritual autopilot. It can be the same with Brian Simmons’ The Passion Translation. 7. Read Outside the Lines Let other voices guide you. Not just commentaries, but poets, essayists, pastors, doubters, mystics. People who wrestle and question. People who bleed and laugh. Read the words of people from different cultures, generations, and walks of life. If the only voices you hear are ones like yours — the echo chamber — Scripture will stay boxed in. Progressive Christian voices like Cole Arthur Riley ( This Here Flesh ), Richard Rohr ( Falling Upward ), and Barbara Brown Taylor ( An Altar in the World ) offer ways of seeing Scripture that feel like breathing new air. 8. Make Peace with Not Knowing Some texts are hard. Violent. Confusing. And some days, Scripture may do nothing for you. That’s okay. Let it be. Let it lie dormant. Let it sit beside you in silence. You don’t need to crack the code. You don’t need to make it relevant. Sometimes letting Scripture breathe means letting it be more than you can control at the moment. If it’s become toxic, let it sit until it isn’t. 9. Read in Community Scripture wasn’t meant to be read in isolation. It came alive in gatherings — around fires, in homes, among the grieving and the hopeful. Find a group. Not one where everyone agrees — but one where people listen well, speak with care, and aren’t afraid of the hard stuff. When someone else shares what they see in a passage, it stretches your view. It reminds you the Spirit isn’t limited to your interpretation. 10. Let Scripture Shape You, Not Shame You Many of us carry wounds from Scripture being used as a weapon. Verses cherry-picked to shame, control, or exclude. But Scripture, when allowed to breathe, doesn’t shame. It calls. It invites. It opens up space for love to move. Progressive pastor Rob Bell once said: “The Bible is not a static, dead book. It’s a conversation that’s been going on for thousands of years. And you’re invited to join in.” Let it shape you — not into someone else’s image of faith, but into the person you’re already becoming. The Takeaway Letting Scripture breathe again isn’t about getting back to something old. It’s about starting fresh. It’s about giving up control and letting the words speak again — even if they whisper, even if they surprise you. You don’t have to feel holy. You don’t have to be certain. You just have to show up. Let Scripture be a companion. Let it breathe. And breathe with it. © Gary L Ellis

The Holy Spirit helps in everything good — yes, even that. Let’s talk about the Holy Spirit. You know, that third member of the Trinity who sometimes feels like the “forgotten God” (as Francis Chan once put it) or that part of faith that some of us aren’t sure what to do with. I mean, sure, we know about the Father and Jesus, but the Spirit? That can feel a little more… abstract. But here’s the thing: According to 2 Peter 1:3, God has given us everything we need for life and godliness. Not some things. Not just the “spiritual” stuff. Not just the things that are obviously church-related. Everything. And if we’re taking this seriously, that means the Holy Spirit isn’t just here to nudge us during prayer times or convict us when we’ve binge-watched too many true crime documentaries. The Spirit is in all of it — the glorious, messy, confusing thing called life. What Does “Everything” Really Mean? So let’s break this down. When Peter says that God has provided everything for life and godliness, he’s not just talking about reading our Bibles, showing up to church, or making sure we don’t say bad words in traffic (though, let’s be honest, we could all use a little divine intervention there). He means that whatever it is we’re facing — the joy, the grief, the uncertainty, the “What am I even doing with my life?” moments — the Spirit is in it. This means that when we’re struggling to pay the bills, wrestling with doubt, trying to figure out what to do with our difficult relationships, or even just deciding whether it’s okay to order dessert ( spoiler: yes ), the Spirit is involved. In other words, the Holy Spirit isn’t just a “religious” thing. The Spirit is in the practical, everyday stuff, the stuff that makes up real life. The Spirit is in your decisions. Your questions. Your struggles. The Spirit is not waiting for you to be in a more “spiritual” headspace before showing up. But How Do We Know the Spirit is Helping? That’s the tricky part, right? Because the Spirit doesn’t always show up the way we expect. We want a booming voice, a divine sign, maybe something with flashing lights and a deep Morgan Freeman-esque narration. But more often than not, the Spirit’s help looks like: A sudden wave of peace when we expected anxiety. The right words coming out of our mouths when we had no idea what to say. That little nudge to reach out to someone we’ve been avoiding. A shift in our perspective that we didn’t see coming. The ability to breathe through a tough situation when we thought we’d fall apart. And honestly, sometimes the Spirit’s help is just the ability to keep going when we’d rather throw in the towel. (Or throw the towel at someone, depending on the day.) Life AND Godliness Notice that Peter says “life and godliness.” Because, let’s be honest, some of us have grown up in a faith that separates those two things — like “godliness” is the important stuff and “life” is just that thing we have to get through until we can finally focus on the real deal. But nope. That’s not what Peter is saying. Life and godliness are not two separate categories. The Spirit isn’t just hanging out in our morning devotions or our small group discussions. The Spirit is also in Our jobs, our parenting, Our friendships, Our stress, Our celebrations, Our heartbreaks. This means that when you’re making dinner for your family, when you’re dealing with an unexpected crisis, when you’re trying to be patient with that co-worker who drives you up the wall — God is there. You are not alone. And you don’t have to handle it on your own strength. A Different Kind of Help Here’s where things get interesting. When we think about the Spirit “helping,” we tend to assume that means fixing . Like, if God is really in this, then my problems should be solved, my anxiety should vanish, my relationships should be smooth sailing. But, “helping” means “one who comes along side and adds assistance. The Spirit’s help isn’t always about taking away the struggle. Sometimes it’s about changing us in the middle of it . It’s about giving us wisdom, resilience, a softened heart, or a different perspective. The Spirit’s job isn’t to make life easy; it’s to make us more alive — more present, more connected, more aware of the God who is already at work in us and around us. So What Do We Do? If the Spirit is already helping us in everything , then our job isn’t to make the Spirit show up. Our job is to pay attention . To lean in. To trust that God is already present and working — even when we don’t see it. So maybe today, instead of asking, God, will You help me? , we start asking, God, how are You already helping me? Or, begin thanking Him that He’s there to help you in (this), too, whatever it is. Because the Spirit is here. In all of it. Always. And that? That changes everything. © Gary L. Ellis

A Spirit-Filled Life: An essential ingredient missing in today’s Christian experience. The Light of the Spirit I have provided discussions on evil and spirituality, but I also must show the brighter side of spirituality. It’s not that believers in Jesus avoid being spiritual — absolutely the opposite! We should not hide from spirituality, but we must learn to discern good spirits from evil ones. There are signs of evil spirits in scripture whereby a believer can detect and know what they are dealing with. [1] Also, we must be aware that God provides His heavenly protection for those that belong to Him. The promise of good spirituality is contingent upon the believer being born of the Holy Spirit! Before taking any position on spirituality or the supernatural, the believer needs to be filled with God’s Spirit first. It’s an essential step, or you leave yourself wide open to spiritual attacks of all types and will be powerless to defeat them. Understanding spiritual things can be confusing; to some, it’s seen as “woo woo” or mystical stuff. It doesn’t translate into something this modern church generation can relate to; that is understandable, but totally undesirable. We may need to modernize the ancient terms and understandings to gain a better sense of spiritual life. Jesus spoke in parables in public but more plainly to his disciples. How can we understand this great mystery better? I have found a passage in John 14:17 as a profound, mysterious statement: “This is the Spirit of truth whom the world cannot receive because it neither sees nor knows him. You know him because he abides with you and will be in you.” Why is this a mystery? Because there are two aspects of the Spirit described: abiding with them and being in them . This is a great mystery, as those with the Holy Spirit’s gifts in the Old Testament had God’s Spirit abiding with them, but it wasn’t necessarily permanent, and it did not live within them. This could only be accomplished by Jesus by His death and resurrection. Only then could the sinful human be made purified as to become a temple, a dwelling place fit for the Spirit of Almighty God! Of course, in this passage, Jesus speaks directly to his inner disciples, the subject involves a difference the disciples experienced with Jesus being in His direct presence than what they would be after he returned to Heaven. So, what is that difference? This is complex as it doesn’t just involve miracles, healings, or casting out demons, as the disciples could do that when Jesus sent them out (Luke 10:9; Mark 6: 6–13; and Matthew 10: 1–8) . This is hardly discussed by today’s theologians, seemingly irrelevant, yet extremely important! To summarize, the disciples of Christ could perform certain miracles while Jesus was still on earth and with them. This indicated that the Holy Spirit was with them, but the Spirit had not yet established a residence or home within their bodies. The disciples had the Holy Spirit with them and performed signs and wonders while Jesus was still with them, so this wasn’t the critical sign of the Baptism of the Holy Spirit being in them. The difference was that Jesus himself was the principal teacher when Jesus was with them. Other than the words and instructions he gave them, the knowledge of God was in him, not in the disciples. The disciples questioned and argued, needing to grasp Jesus’ words meaningfully. This all changed when the Spirit fell upon them and dwelt within them, as seen on the day of Pentecost in the Book of Acts, Chapters 1–4. In Chapter 1, we see the disciples after Jesus returned to Heaven. They are frightened and leaderless. That had only one instruction — to wait for the Spirit. Only then would they become suitable to be his witnesses. These same disciples had done signs and wonders before that time, but now they were unsure of themselves and what to do next. Peter, being their assumed leader as Jesus foretold, demonstrated some knowledge of Old Testament prophecy regarding the fate of Judas. That was impressive, as he listened well when Jesus taught them. Also, Jesus stated that Peter had received impressions from God when he recognized Jesus as the Christ, the Son of God. I see Peter having heightened spiritual sensitivity, perhaps naturally, and open to receiving spiritual impressions. To paraphrase, they prayed and then rolled the dice to pick a disciple to replace Judas. This doesn’t appear to be by divine inspiration, but it did work in that situation — Matthias was chosen. Next, we see a transformation in Acts, Chapter 2. Over 100 individuals, both men and women, are in a crowded room when the Holy Spirit falls on each of them in a display of violent wind and tongues of fire resting on their heads. They then spoke in other languages as the Holy Spirit gave them the ability. This occurrence was not just speaking in unknown languages, as today’s Pentecostals insist. Some among them may have spoken in unknown tongues, but some were heard in natural languages spoken by various nations. The primary transformation was the knowledge the Spirit-filled disciples suddenly had and their ability to preach and teach with authority! Not just what they heard and previously learned, but also as those who understood the mysteries of God and the scriptures. Now, this is critically important! They had been taught by Jesus for nearly three years in his company. They had the scriptures of the Old Testament being taught from childhood as Jews, and the new concepts that Jesus added to that knowledge. However, that was not enough. Only the Spirit living within them opened the floodgates of the actual living understanding of the purpose of scripture and Christ. I propose this remains an essential ingredient in today’s Christian experience. We have the Scriptures — yes, but actual knowledge comes from the Holy Spirit (the author of Scripture) to handle Scripture knowledge in a right daily fashion. The Holy Spirit is not just a concept but a living guide in our daily lives, helping us understand and apply scripture in our actions and decisions. No amount of theology training or religious scholarship replaces the Holy Spirit’s rightful place. [2] How do we generally perceive spirits, if not by the Holy Spirit? First and foremost, the Holy Spirit is a spirit. This aspect is similar to other spirits in a common communication style, whether those spirits are good or evil. But its distinctiveness is what reassures us and helps us to discern spiritually. As an analogy, spirit is considered a form of invisible vibrations with varying frequencies. Modern science provides substantial evidence to support this theory. For instance, String Theory in physics and quantum mechanics demonstrates that all subatomic particles vibrate at specific frequencies. If we could perceive reality, everything would appear as a series of vibrating particles or energy waves. We are constantly surrounded by these invisible forces and particles, vibrating both around and within us. The unique vibration of each force and particle signifies its distinct identity. Some of these vibrations result in visible phenomena, while most are unseen but still impact on our environment. This is evident in forces like magnetism; although it’s invisible, its presence is unmistakable when two like-charged objects are brought together or two unlike-charged objects are brought together. We may not see anything between the objects, but we can feel the force of repulsion or attraction. Spirits are another example of usually unseen vibrations. These various strengths can overlap with our vibrations in a synergistic way or a repulsive fashion — good or bad vibrations that can be perceived as feelings, impressions, voices in our heads, dreams, visions, and number of ways. The origins of these forces and vibrations are fundamental to the unseen universe. They impact on our daily life, our well-being, and the environment around us. Today’s emerging theories on consciousness are starting to consider that the brain may not be the origin of consciousness but a transmitter that collects information from outside the body. The invisible spirit or soul within us is the origin of consciousness. As we exist as spirits within a body, it should not be a surprise that spirits outside a body may be able to communicate with us. We see how spiritual experiences and manifestations can occur regardless of religion or belief. Even the non-believers in the paranormal are impacted by spiritual forces of one type or another; they do not recognize or discern the spirit or resist the spirit’s impressions or ideas. We are living in a paranormal, spirit-filled world. Today, secular thought and reductionist philosophies abound in the modern age within our educational systems. The real world is, however, a mysterious place. Those who claim to live in the mundane and predictable do not have eyes to see. Jesus often says, “ having eyes to see, and ears to hear. ” This means that not everyone can understand the deep meanings of the spiritual realm. Some, and perhaps a growing number, experience spiritual phenomena of one type or another but are reluctant to speak about it, fearing criticism. Some studies support that many face odd occurrences without causal explanations, but they feel isolated from sharing their experiences and suffer silently. Others seek out others with similar experiences, forming cults or new religions that help them understand what they are experiencing. This is terribly troubling trend, but a lot is connected to the lack of Spirit in the modern Christian churches — they have become dry and uninspiring leaving the door wide open for other spirits to fill the vacuum. © Bob Russell Sources & References: [1] 1 Corinthians 121:10; 1 John 4:1–3; 1 John 3:8; 2 Thessalonians 3:3; James 4:71 Timothy 4:1; Isaiah 8:19–20; Ephesians 6:10–18; 1 Peter 5:8; 2 Timothy 1:7; Leviticus 19:31; Galatians 1:8; 2 Corinthians 11: 14–15; Isaiah 54:17; Deuteronomy 18:11 [2] Proverbs 2:6; Proverb 1:7; Proverbs 18:151 Corinthians 1:2 6–28

“But you shall receive power, after the Holy Spirit comes upon you; and you shall be witnesses unto me both in Jerusalem, and in all Judea, and in Samaria, and unto the utmost part of the earth.” — Acts 1:18 Adobe Stock Ok, let’s face it. The Holy Bible doesn’t contain everything we need to both know and understand God. Many missing and incomplete stories leave open many questions. One great example is the story of Cain and Abel as found in Genesis, chapter 4. Up until this time, humankind were not meat eaters; yet Abel raised and herded sheep. Cain worked the fields and grew crops, which was expected at the time. However, when it came time to provide God an offering, Abel chose the most blemish-free lamb in his flock and offered it as a burnt offering before the Lord -and it was accepted. Cain, in turn, offered the best of his crop to the Lord, and it was not accepted. The missing piece is when did God require a burnt offering of animals? There is nothing prior to that event regarding animal sacrifice or the need for the blood of living things to atone for sins. This was well before the rise of Abraham and the nation of Israel. As we read further in chapter 4, God confronts Cain and tells him that his offering would have been accepted if he had done what was well. Now that’s really interesting, as this assumes that Cain knew what was right — to provide an animal offering to please God. The detail as provided is full of logic holes and begs for an answer. This is much like the parables Jesus used to teach with. They were hard to understand based on the context within the lesson. The lesson was a metaphor for something else — a spiritual message. We can see that Abel was an archetype of the future Israel; those with God, whereas Cain was an archetypal Gentile — those without God. There is much symbolism in the tale of Cain and Abel that only begins to make any sense if one has spiritual eyes to see. The Holy Bible is complete — for the purpose it serves! It doesn’t serve to answer every question or fill in the blanks. That job belongs only to the Holy Spirit of God! The purpose of Scripture is to lead us to God. Once we find God, the Holy Spirit is given to continue our training and learning in tandem with the Scriptures. So again, we see that mysterious fork in the road that determines those who will succeed in both their understanding and those who will be trapped in the details, trying to learn but never really understanding. [1] Only the Spirit of God brings peace and understanding to the believer. [2] Those outside lacking the Spirit will rave and blaspheme the words of God and contest the meanings over and over again, gaining nothing in the process. The more educated will lord it over the ignorant based on their many degrees and titles — but without the true Spirit of God, it’s all in vain; and worse, it misguides those who only see the outward person and their achievements. For those very reasons, we are told to watch and expect a growing trend of false prophets and preachers as time passes. Many will come seeking the kingdom, but few will actually posses it. Many will fake their conversion and speak with great influence and knowledge — but their hearts are contaminated and full of death and darkness as is their very words. The devil himself knows Scripture quite well — a so do his ministers! Speaking words from the Bible is not a sign of righteousness; its what the individual does with those words in the life they lead. Always recall — Good fruit doesn’t come from bad trees! No true believer in Jesus is prepared without first receiving the Holy Spirit — period! No other exceptions! This very thing is the essence of conversion and becoming a true child of God — the Elect! Only then will your eyes open to knowledge and complete the key to the door the Bible opens. A Light Behind the Clouds With this knowledge, no longer be confused by the dim arguments of so-called intellectuals. Do not get tangled up in vain philosophical bantering that leads to nothing. Dedicate instead your resolve to pray and seek God’s spiritual baptism instead. Go now and do this before any expectations of Biblical clarity or any other knowledge that God desires for you to know! © Bob Russell Sources: [1] 2 Timothy 3:7 [2] Romans 15:13; James 1:21

Contemplating the 3 men thrown into the blazing furnace and how it applies to us now. Lately, I've been thinking about three people: Hananiah, Mishael, and Azariah, or better known as Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego from the book of Daniel. As spring planting is approaching, I have been outside a lot, and even though my body is busy, my mind is still, and I use that time to talk to God and think on His word. Recently, it has been this story on my mind almost constantly. The more I reflect on their story, the more I see how it applies to today's world. This isn’t a story meant to stay in the distant past, but should be brought forward to the here and now.  Christians are battling the threat of blazing furnaces every day. Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego could have bowed down and worshipped that golden statue and saved themselves that day, but they didn’t. They chose God because they were faithful, steadfast and didn’t give a crap what others were doing around them. One thing I absolutely love about the Bible is that one story can have multiple meanings just waiting to be extracted when one takes the time to think on and contemplate a story, verse, or a person in the Bible. That’s when we begin to see more of how it applies to us, in the here and right now. I guess I’ll have to do this in a bit of a bullet-ish point situation, or I’ll be all over the place. “Blazing furnace” — “lake of fire” I love me some good symbolism. I never put two and two together before until contemplating their story. Their bodies weren’t on the line, their salvation was on the line. Yet they refused to bow down to anyone but God, even with their lives threatened. Losing their salvation, their place in Heaven, was not worth any temporary threat they received in this world. Jesus showed Himself.  Because they were faithful and trusting, Jesus was there. But He didn’t march in on a sparkly white steed, or with an imposing army. Nope, He was just there, standing beside them, quiet, just letting His glorious presence be seen.  How often do we forget Jesus will do this? Or better, how often do we not recognize when He’s doing this? God will show Himself to those around us through our actions. I call it “shine,” meaning — I stand out because I am faithful. His presence just sorta of oozes out of me, and people see this, whether they realize what they are seeing or not, they just know something is different. It’s also why you may rub people the wrong way. They feel the Holy Spirit, and that makes them uncomfortable and sometimes angry. When bumping up against God, people get uncomfortable because they are feeling their sin. They are feeling what is right, but internally they are fighting it with everything they have to continue with the life they are leading. Just look at how Nebuchadnezzar reacted: “ Furious with rage ” There were three of them. Community. Now, yes, we don’t always have people around us 24/7, but this is an example of support and why it is important to be in a community of friendship with other believers. We are made to connect not just with God but with others, we need this; this is a part of our being. Yes, we absolutely can stand on our own with God, but we also need to be a part of a group. This is emphasized in the Bible for a reason. "King Nebuchadnezzar, we do not need to defend ourselves before you in this matter. If we are thrown into the blazing furnace, the God we serve is able to deliver us from it, and he will deliver us from Your Majesty’s hand. But even if he does not, we want you to know, Your Majesty, that we will not serve your gods or worship the image of gold you have set up.” Powerful, trusting, and faithful words.  It took me a lot of storms, practicing faith, and intentionally remembering all the fires God either put out for me or stood next to me during to get to this point in my life where I can say, “But even if he does not.”  I have surrendered my wishes to God’s will, no matter where it takes me or the result. Because death is not the end, it is just the beginning, and if I can make a difference in even just one life by standing my ground on His foundation for others to see, then it is worth any temporary pain.  Every day is the threat of a blazing furnace to us, even more so than ever before. Around every corner — in every phone, across seas of pews, workplaces, every reel, every political agenda, friendships, and family dynamics. For every comprise you make, for every time the Bible is altered a wee bit to make it sweeter, for every time you don’t stand your ground out of fear or laziness, you edge yourself closer to throwing yourself in that furnace.  We are not here to compromise our faith, even a little, to make others happy. We are here to stand our ground in His foundation and spread His word.  Our salvation is on the line every time we edge closer to that furnace.  When you take your stand and hold true to His teachings and laws, remember He is right there with you during any flames someone may throw at you.  © Jane Isley If you enjoy my work and it has inspired a reevaluation of Scripture and a closer relationship with God, please consider  supporting my work . You can visit me at   Faithful Writers  on Medium.   You can also visit me on  Tumblr .

A great benefit to the church as well as a great burden. My Experience with Prophecy Prophecy is a mystery that many do not understand or experience. The Apostle Paul gives a great summary of the New Testament prophecy in 1 Corinthians 14:3, where he indicates the gift of prophecy edifies, comforts, and exhorts. This, however, isn’t all that prophecy does! Paul further indicates that prophecy reveals hidden secrets. [1]   One of the best examples of this is found in 2 Samuel 12; 1–15, where Nathan the prophet confronts David in regard to his sin of adultery with Bathsheba. David hid this sin, thinking he could stay ahead of it. He attempted to clean his tracks when he learned of her pregnancy by having the husband of Bathsheba killed. [2]   Afterwards, he married her to make it appear that the pregnancy occurred during their marriage and not by adultery. Nathan, being a prophet of God, knew what David had done and went to confront David. Worse, he presented a case for David as king to judge which was symbolic of David’s sin. David condemned the individual Nathan provided not knowing he was condemning himself. It was then that Nathan called David out. There is much learning in this case, including that while God forgave David upon confession, Nathan told him that the sword would never leave his house. Peace was removed from David and his Kingdom as sin has consequences. In the New Testament, we see prophecy at work in the life of Agabus in Acts 21:10–13, where he tells Paul he will be handed over to the Gentiles if he proceeds to go to Jerusalem. In this case, Paul himself was under the conviction of the Spirit that he had to go despite the warning. We see other acts of Agabus as a prophet in Acts 11: 27–30. Imagine having someone in your local congregation with such a gift? How difficult would it be to hide sins in our lives when someone could see us for who we really are? This gift is indeed a great benefit to the church as well as a great burden for the prophet. It can also be terrible for a church leader or member to be called out. I myself has faced such a dilemma. My Calling Out By Prophecy Being a member of a church has proven difficult for me. It seems that after a period, I wind up in conflict with the leadership, or they have conflict with me. I usually start to teach Bible classes, and while popular, somehow, what I say or even my presence causes distress. It is not a doctrinal issue, but I often get a sense of unease after a time. One such occurrence happened when me, my wife and family, joined a small Evangelical church. Shortly after, I felt totally at home and was brought on the ministerial staff as the adult Bible teacher. I enjoyed this position and was occasionally asked to deliver the sermon before the assembly. I had a good relationship with the pastor and head deacon, and enjoyed regular meetings and morning coffee. Within the first year of my working with the church, the pastor was accused of financial impropriety and, after an investigation, was told to leave. A vacuum in leadership resulted, and I was asked to fill in as head of the regular service. After a month, I was preaching and providing most of the adult bible classes. I was also being courted to consider becoming a full-time pastor. I had previously served as an assistant pastor in a different denomination and was ordained in the Baptist faith during my seminary days. This was a difficult period as I worked full-time in another town. I was stretched, but was compelled to continue as I felt God was behind my calling. I thought about leaving my job to pursue the call. It was then that the church invited a respected evangelist to speak. This evangelist was physically blind and thought of as a prophet. I was coincidentally teaching about the gift of prophecy and had reached the point of discussing the risks of false prophecy. When the evangelist arrived, he stayed at the home of one of the senior church members, and I received a call to meet with him. I had no idea why the meeting was called and had to shift my schedule to attend. The evangelist was quiet during the meeting, but asked a few probing questions about my faith and purpose. He listened intently and probed me to continue my responses. He seemed okay with my reactions, given the body language I observed, and I departed with no further clarity behind the meeting. During central worship the following Sunday, the evangelist was the featured speaker, and he called me up to the pulpit to stand at his side. I wondered what was occurring and had hoped to receive his approval for my ministry. Instead, the evangelist-prophet declared that I was not to become the congregation’s pastor but needed to focus on my marriage at home. I was astonished, humiliated, and furious! All the sacrifices I made for that church and this is how I’m treated! I did not even receive the Christian courtesy of a private meeting before being publicly shamed in front of the congregation. The assembly started to praise the prophetic message as I licked my wounded ego and departed out the back door. I never returned. I did not see how my marriage was implicated. My wife and I seemed to be doing well. We both engaged in the ministry of that local congregation, and I felt we were on the same page. I was angry with what I believed at the time, it was a false prophecy. It’s hard sometimes to see the truth when invested emotionally and extremely busy. It took some years and a subsequent divorce to convince me the prophet had been correct. I wasn’t called for that ministry; it was my ego combined with a sudden opportunity. While I felt I had been set up, the truth was that the ministry opportunity itself was my setup. It stroked my ego to be needed but closed my eyes to other urgent matters. Over the years, I have learned to respect prophetic gifts when employed with humility. It would have been more appropriate for the prophet to speak with me in private before announcing it to the entire assembly, but I do not question the conclusion. I should have listened then and taken more care of my personal life. Still, it may not have helped me even if I had taken the prophet’s advice. Prophecy reveals hidden truths, and that is precisely what it is meant to do. It’s not all about the future but about clarifying what is occurring now that may become a problem for the individual and the church. It alerts the church and its members to make corrections before issues get out of control, creating an opportunity for Satan. This is part of dynamic worship that is woefully missing in many churches. We can quickly become blindsided without careful guidance from the Holy Spirit. © Bob Russell Sources & References: [1]  1 Corinthians 14: 24–25 [2]  2 Samuel 11: 14–26

Getting an answer in the most unexpected way. This probably seems a bit of an odd image with my title, or an odd title with my image, but then I am odd, and there’s always a reason. © Jane Isley This image is called “Crushed Dreams,” created many years ago and the woman is my daughter. It is the beginning of who I am now. I created this during a particularly nasty storm in our lives. One I didn’t know how or even if we were going to make it through. I was carrying the weight of my daughter’s world on my shoulders because everyone else chicken crapped out when things went south for her. It was just me and her against an entire army of medical personnel and many unknowns, and I felt like I was buried alive, with barely enough air to breathe. And then God spoke to me, but not how you’d expect. See, I was born with a talent but never pursued it, just doodles and some paintings here and there. Definitely a world away from what I do now. I remember the night He set everything in motion. Imagine this: it’s about 1:30 in the morning, I'm sitting at my computer eating crackers, and I’m mad, feeling defeated, and tired. I didn’t pray anything out loud, just thought it. “I can’t do this, I don’t know what to do, no one is listening” (give or take, it’s been a few years) Here’s where His answer got interesting. A photography contest. I still don’t have a clue what I typed into that Google search that pulled that up, but it wasn’t anything to do with photography, I can tell you that. lol I can’t remember the name of the contest now, but something sparked to life in me at that moment. I had pictures of my daughter that fit the contest's brief. So, I asked my daughter if it was ok to do this, and she said go for it, so I played with the pictures and entered. Well………Did I win or lose? I lost😂 but I didn’t care one bit because all of a sudden, a whole new world just opened up because God hijacked Google for me. This unexpected answer led me to explore my talent wholeheartedly, and my daughter jumped right into this world of crazy with me. That’s when “Crushed Dreams” was created; it’s from both of us and for both of us. It tells a dual story of the burden and pains we each were carrying, her perspective and mine at the same time, all mixed together. We learned how to use art to vent, how to stand up and be heard. It’s been a long time since we created that, with a lot of battles in between then and now. We grew stronger in God individually and together, because of that night, and our art tells that story. God has many different ways of answering us through storms. Keep an eye out because you never know in what unusual ways He may do that. © Jane Isley First published in Never Stop Writing on Medium.