Faithful Writers

© Jane Isley It was much more than that. What do these names all have in common? Jesus loved them and died for their sins that day on the cross. While this can be hard for most to stomach the thought of this. It is true. We are all loved, regardless of what we have done. For God so loved this world that His Son came and died for each and every one of us. He carried the entirety of our sins, from the beginning of time until the end, while nailed to that cross for us. We have had many martyrs over the centuries who have died for one or many, but none of them carried our sins. When we die, we will awake anew. Our pain, sorrow, and misery will be gone. Jesus knows this, yet he He said, “My Father, if it is possible, may this cup be taken from me.” If He had died a death of just martyrdom for us, He would have known He would awaken resurrected in the blink of an eye, His pain gone and never lived over again. Yet he sweat blood — Why? Because it wasn’t simple martyrdom. He was carrying the weight of every single person’s sins from all time. Imagine taking the weight of all your sins and multiplying that by billions. Then willingly taking those upon yourself while being crucified? Hematidrosis. That is the name of the condition He had as He was praying to God the night Judas betrayed Him. This is a very rare condition where blood is excreted through sweat. All sources indicate that it is so rare that it is hard to research it properly, but there is one agreement amongst all the sources I have read. It can be caused by extreme stress, intense fear, severe anxiety, or facing death. To carry this for us, to love us so much to die for everyone, is love. Like I said earlier, it may be hard for people to stomach, but He died for the sinners; He died for what we call the worst of the worst. This wasn’t martyrdom, this was sacrifice for freedom from sin, death, and hell. This was love. He loves Judas, He loves Hitler, He loves John Gacy, He loves Herold. We all are loved, and He has carried the sins of everyone that day on the cross. When you remember this day, remember His love. Respect his sacrifice, respect what He did for all of us. This was not a simple death, this was pure hell He carried for us. Recommend reading this article , which adds further light on what He did for us. © Jane Isley Thank you for taking the time to read, and please consider  supporting my work . Your gift helps keep this work going, blesses others, and means the world to me. You can visit me at Faithful Writers  on Medium, where other Christian writers have joined me in sharing the word of God. You can also find me on   Tumblr  and   Facebook. Sources: Matthew 26:39 NIV Luke 22:44 NIV Department of Internal Medicine, Cascais Hospital; Haematidrosis: The Rare Phenomenon of Sweating Blood Healthline; Hematidrosis: Is Sweating Blood Real ? WebMD; What Is Hematidrosis ?

“And he lifted up his eyes and looked, and, lo, three men stood by him : and when he saw them, he ran to meet them from the tent door, and bowed himself toward the ground. " - Genesis 18:2 So, who were the three men who visited Abraham? The first simple fact that cannot be ignored is that in the original Hebrew, one of the men is called “Yahweh." “Yahweh” is God’s personal name. However, we are also told that no man can look upon God and remain alive. So this had to be some manifestation of Yahweh. However, Christians will say that this was Jesus. I don’t buy that. Jesus is never referred to by the Father’s personal name Yahweh. There is a lot more going on here than meets the eye, and it’s about to get even more complicated. Let’s take a look at verse 3. “He (Abraham) said, ‘My lords, if it please you, do not go on past your servant.’” The word for Adonai here is plural. Adon is singular. Adonai can have two meanings. It can refer to God (plural of majesty) or be used as an honorific title of respect to address a couple of gentlemen. So, which one is it in this case? Since the context clearly shows Abraham speaking to the three men, I would say this is a form of honorific usage. What makes things even more interesting is that in verse 2, where it says that Abraham “saw three men," the Hebrew word for men is “enosh." Enosh is a word that only refers to men, NEVER to spiritual beings. The Rabbis seem to be fairly split on the identities of these men. There is of course no doubt that one of the men is a manifestation of God since He is indeed called YHWH. However, with regard to the other two men, some of the sages say they were just regular men. Others say they were spirit beings, maybe angels. What complicates the situation even more is that the men were eating food Sarah prepared. Can you imagine Yahweh, the Father Almighty, and spiritual beings like angels eating food? Sources such as Josephus, the Targum Jonathan, and the Talmud couldn’t handle this idea. So their interpretation was that the three men only seemed to be eating but really weren’t. Maybe Abraham’s super subservient behavior hints at the supernatural nature of these three visitors? No such thing. The high degree of hospitality that he extends towards them was common protocol in the Middle East. Nevertheless, this is a twilight zone happening. One of the men is called Yahweh, and the three men had supernatural foreknowledge of things that were to occur. I believe scenes like this show how the Christian teaching of the Trinity is fallacious. I don’t think every manifestation of God in the Scriptures has to be one the trinitarian members of the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. All kinds of physical God manifestations don’t fit the trinity model. How about the burning bush that appeared to Moses? Or the cloud that led Israel in the desert? What about the spiritual being that wrestled with Jacob? An infinite God cannot be boxed into some limited trinity concept. Ya feel me? © Richoka

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

He said, “I will certainly return to you around this time next year, and Sarah your wife will have a son.” - Genesis 18:10 So one of the three mysterious visitors informs Abraham that he is coming back in a year, and that Sarah will have given birth to a son when he returns. There is an interesting logical progression in how God is bringing about his promises to Abraham that I want you to notice. FIRST PROMISE (Genesis 12:2) God informs Abraham that he will make him into a great nation. SECOND PROMISE (Genesis 15:4) Abraham is promised an heir. THIRD PROMISE (Genesis 18:10) God assures Abraham that this son will come from the womb of his wife, Sarah. See how all three of these promises are interconnected. Notice how they build upon each other. A later promise doesn’t cancel out an earlier promise. A later promise builds upon an earlier promise. This is a solid God -principle you can take to the bank, folks. This is precisely how covenants work. The new covenant based on Yeshua’s blood does NOT cancel out the covenants that came before. They are all interconnected. The New Covenant does NOT stand alone. It is dependent on everything that came before. This is also a great way to drive home the point to a Christian that Yeshua did NOT do away with the law. CONNECTING THIS TEACHING TO THE NEW TESTAMENT “Don’t think that I have come to abolish the Torah or the Prophets. I have come not to abolish but to fulfill. Yes indeed! I tell you that until heaven and earth pass away, not so much as a yud or a stroke will pass from the Torah — not until everything that must happen has happened.”- Matthew 5:17 © Richoka

I discovered some history, its impact, and a serious lack of critical thinking. © Jane Isley I got curious about the phrase “ right hand of God ” for two reasons. It came up one night in a Bible study, and my dad is left-handed and has alluded to a few things in his past. So, my curiosity led me down a few late-night rabbit holes, and boy, was I not disappointed in my quest for information. I knew some historical information on the matter, but admittedly not as much as I know now. This goes further back than I realized, to pre-Christian civilizations. My first thought when reading through everything was that being right-handed is simply more common than being left-handed. (The online consensus is 90%-ish of the population) This originates ultimately as a “people problem” right from the start. Ok, I can get my head around that. Simply put, people can be downright judgmental, biased, and critical in general to anyone “different” and cause problems where there were none to begin with. But that shouldn’t be a shocker for anyone reading this article. What does the Bible say about the “right hand?” There are countless references to the “right hand.” To me, this makes sense, it’s symbolism and one we would and should have understood because there was already that established cultural meaning and deference to the right hand. Symbolically , being on the right hand of God means being in His favor, it’s where Jesus sits beside God in equal power; it means authority, a place of honor, and strength. Then, of course, things were taken way too literally and abused. I won’t make this article heavy on theology or break down verses by translation, we all know being left-handed by now is not a sin. We have multiple factors that led to left-handed people getting a bad rap and going through abuse for it. There was a combination of cultures already being biased, superstitions, a serious lack of critical thinking, misreading of Scripture, and abuse of Scripture to perpetuate these injustices. This is an excellent example of bad theology that we should learn from. This horrible history in Christianity is an example of bad theology and people taking things too far simply because they thought they had an authoritative right to do so. I decided it was time to talk to my dad, I knew a little history just from an occasional comment here or there. What he told me surprised me; in 2nd and 3rd grade, he went through hell for being left-handed. No one stopped him or tried to retrain him, but he got picked on so badly by his teacher that he ended up despising school. He never went to college and still cringes at the thought of school. He told me the teacher was a “staunch Lutheran” and back then and in his area the Lutheran church saw being left-handed as being “retarded and mentally ill.” I don’t like that first word at all and debated using it, but ultimately, it’s the truth. That and more was what was taught by a Christian church in his area. I have no idea if this article is about what my dad went through, a history lesson, or an article demonstrating the severity of what happens when people refuse to read all of the Bible and only use certain verses as an excuse to abuse and persecute. Maybe it’s simply an article about all three things. Before I leave you with this odd article, I want to share two things. God created us in His image, and Jesus was born with a left hand and a right hand, hence why this is a symbolic reference, not a literal one. I think Jesus would have been born with two right hands if this was indeed an actual concern God had. This is what was conveniently ignored in the Bible. “in truthful speech and in the power of God; with weapons of righteousness in the right hand and in the left;” 2 Corinthians 6:7 “Among all these soldiers there were seven hundred select troops who were left-handed, each of whom could sling a stone at a hair and not miss.” Judges 20:16 “Ehud reached with his left hand, drew the sword from his right thigh and plunged it into the king’s belly.” Judges 3: 21 “they were armed with bows and were able to shoot arrows or to sling stones right-handed or left-handed; they were relatives of Saul from the tribe of Benjamin):” 1 Chronicles 12:2 © Jane Isley First Published in Never Stop Writing on Medium. Thank you for taking the time to read, and please consider  supporting my work . Your gift helps keep this work going, blesses others, and means the world to me. You can visit me at Faithful Writers  on Medium, where other Christian writers have joined me in sharing the word of God. You can also find me on   Tumblr  and   Facebook.

You’ve clocked in for work, now what? Imagine that the kingdom of Jesus is like a corporation. And you were hired to help the company be efficient and profitable. It is a massive multinational initiative with branch locations all over the world. Is it profitable? You bet! Is there a dark competitor always trying to steal your fellow employees to deconstruct and come work for them? Absolutely. Jesus is the CEO. There is never any doubt who runs things. He heads all programs, hiring, growth, and employee personal development. His name is on everything. It is a well-recognized brand that is timeless and strong. His logo speaks of power, success, and victory. It’s Monday. Where do you go? You woke up, showered, ate a hearty breakfast, and arrived at work ready to give your best to the company. You clock in. What’s next? Do you head to a small cubicle to faithfully perform your duties? Or do you stop by the CEO’s open office door, knock, stick your head in, and say, “Good morning, boss?” Do you give him a quick update on your life and ask what’s happening with him? Or immediately bury your head in your work? Do you let him know what you need to be successful that day? Or assume he knows, and HR will provide it when they are ready? Jesus loves the assembly line workers and the remote salespeople who only check in occasionally via Zoom . But he delights in the worker who knocks in person. Imagine his smile when you put a couple of donuts on his desk. That’s the difference between a friend and an employee. They both produce impressive results for the company. But you are due for a promotion. And Jesus might be asking you to be his friend today. Here’s what he told his twelve coworkers: “I’m no longer calling you servants because servants don’t understand what their master is thinking and planning. No, I’ve named you friends because I’ve let you in on everything I’ve heard from the Father.” John 15:15 MSG The cultural context of that time hasn’t changed from what we understand today. A servant obeyed commands without necessarily understanding the master’s intentions. Jesus elevated His disciples from mere servants to a more intimate relationship. This shift signifies a deeper level of trust and intimacy. In the Hebrew scriptures, figures like Moses and David were called servants of God, highlighting their roles in God’s plan, but Jesus offers something greater. God spoke to Moses face to face. Moses climbed Mount Sinai several times, knocked on God’s office door, laid donuts on His desk, and had meetings that changed the world. Abraham is the VP of Faith and Obedience. His division has millions of employees, yet the CEO called Abraham his friend (Isaiah 41:8) . He was more than an acquaintance of God and more than a companion. He was a friend of God. Jesus had many followers. But how many of them did this: “Lying back on Jesus’ chest was one of His disciples, whom Jesus loved.” John 13:23 NASB How many employees lie their head on the chest of Jeff Bezos or Elon Musk during an executive meeting? Could you imagine sitting on the corner of Mark Zuckerberg’s or Tim Cook’s desk, telling them about your life? Would they even want to listen? I had to learn this lesson the hard way. I have only heard Jesus’s voice a couple of times. He said that His sheep hear His voice, right? (John 10:27) The first time was embarrassing, but a life-changing encounter. I was sitting in a men’s retreat when He visited me. I knew He was standing beside me, even though I couldn’t see Him with my physical eyes. Trust me: you just know. He told me clearly that He was proud of my service to the kingdom and then said something so startling I was stunned: “Now I’m asking you to be my friend.” My response brought out a darkness lying hidden and dormant within me. I said, “Jesus, if you really knew me, you wouldn’t ask me to become your friend.” Suddenly, He was gone. Poof! I don’t know if you have ever been in the presence of the Lord of Lords, and then suddenly not. But it is a sick feeling that cannot be put into words. I wish I could run Him down and apologize. But he seemed to be a million miles away. Ugh! I was a cubicle man. I clocked in and did my work to the best of my ability. But I saw myself as a broken man who had sinned so much that I could never have access to the top floor of the building, much less knock on the CEO’s door. Jesus saw me differently and knew what I could become if given the chance. I saw my rebellious past as a reason to stay distant. I didn’t want to get any of my dirt on his impeccable suit. He was watching me work with pure, heavenly eyes. He couldn’t even see my past. It had been removed as far as the east is from the west (Psalm 103:12) . He wanted to promote me, but I didn’t feel worthy. And I wasn’t…I never will be. But he made me worthy. (I’m tearing up as I write this.) You came across this article for a reason. You’re being promoted. You now have access to the executive floor. You will be friends with the CEO of a company that will never go out of business. He has always come down to your floor and knocked on the entrance to your cubicle. Now it is your turn to go up to the top floor and knock at the CEO’s door. He wants you to come in and sit down for a few minutes. Lay your donuts on his desk. He loves them. He’ll smile. Don’t forget to lay your head on his chest. And ask, “What do you have on the agenda for today, Boss?” You’ll strategize together. He loves your input. The same way God loved it when Adam named all the animals. (Gen 2:20) It is a team effort. Then it is time to leave and seize the day. The weekend is coming when we all get to rest and enjoy the company picnic. But for today, let’s go. You got this. God believes in you more than you believe in yourself. © I.M. Koen Thank you for reading this far. You might also like these articles: Jesus Wants to Make You Breakfast. Have You Looked at Your “Hineni” in the Mirror Lately? How Bright Are You? God loves you! -Issachar

Girl With a Pearl Earring , painted by Dutch artist Johannes Vermeer around 1665, is considered one of the most beautiful and priceless masterpieces in history. Now imagine someone taking that canvas and painting right over it, covering the unique brushstrokes, brilliant lighting, and her timeless expression.  The thought alone feels wrong to me. It would ruin everything unique about her and permanently erase the original. You don’t have to be an art lover or collector to know that would be a travesty. When we honor a masterpiece, we respect its story, its meaning, and its history. But when someone paints over it, they aren’t just adding their own “version.” They’re destroying the original and trying to replace it with something that never was. Now, to the point. Why is it that we wouldn’t dare do this to a painting, but so many are quick to hop on board and do this to the Bible? Scripture is being pulled apart, rewritten, and rebranded to suit feelings and modern taste buds. The truth is being stripped away, painted over with new ideas that are often unrecognizable from the original.  At this point, why not just write your own book and leave the Bible alone? If you dislike what it says so much, why attempt to rewrite history as though you can change God’s word and believe He’s going to let you? I’m baffled by it. I think people believe they can sanctify their sins by reshaping Scripture. Deep down, they still want the hope of Heaven, but don’t want to face the parts of God’s word that call for repentance and obedience. Then others use Christianity as a PR stunt, reshaping it for personal or political gain.  Whatever the reason, the result is the same: the truth is distorted, and what remains is no longer Christianity at all. The Bible is not meant to be cut up, relabeled, and stitched back together. That is what is called false teaching.  My faith cannot be rewritten. You can deny it, reject it, or ignore it, but you can’t change it into something it never was. If God’s word confronts you, that’s not a Bible issue; that’s a you issue. You can pander to feelings.  You can normalize sin.  You can try to bend truth into whatever shape makes you most comfortable.  But you can’t change the Bible and expect God to do a 👍🏻 © Jane Isley

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

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

You know those Christians who are really good at being Christians but really bad at being humans? They know every Bible verse about holiness, but can’t have a normal conversation with their coworker who drinks. They post Scripture about love while judging their neighbor’s lifestyle choices. They attend every church service but can’t be bothered to learn their actual neighbor’s name. They’re so focused on being “set apart” that they’ve forgotten how to be present. So committed to avoiding worldly influence that they’ve lost all worldly relevance. These Christians aren’t bad people. They’re often sincere, devoted believers who genuinely want to honor God. But somewhere along the way, they confused biblical holiness with social isolation. They started believing that the best way to influence culture is to avoid it entirely. The result? They’ve become exactly the kind of people Jesus spent His ministry criticizing. “Separate and Holy”….While Killing Christian Credibility If we’re honest with ourselves, our churches have often taught us this through their actions: “The more separated you are from worldly people, the more holy you are.” What a load of rubbish. This toxic teaching suggests that spiritual maturity is measured by how little you associate with sinners. It implies that good Christians create walls between themselves and anyone who doesn’t share their faith or lifestyle choices. Churches reinforce this by creating Christian bubbles where believers only socialize with other believers, only shop at Christian businesses, only consume Christian media, and only send their kids to Christian schools. The goal becomes building a holy fortress where you can be spiritual without being contaminated by the world. I’m as guilty as the next Pharisee when it comes to this. When I first got saved, in the months after, I cut off so many people, burned so many bridges, and honestly just did the most in my search for purity. Now, some were indeed needed, but I can without a doubt say that I did go overboard with it. But this approach has a massive theological problem: Jesus did the exact opposite. What Jesus Actually Did With Sinners Jesus didn’t avoid sinners. He sought them out. He didn’t just tolerate their presence. He enjoyed their company. He didn’t lecture them about their lifestyle choices. He loved them as they were. Jesus ate with tax collectors. These were people who betrayed their own countrymen for profit. They were considered traitors and thieves. And Jesus chose to have dinner with them regularly. Jesus befriended prostitutes. He didn’t condemn their profession or demand they change before He would associate with them. He defended them against religious leaders and showed them dignity. Jesus hung out with drunkards. So much so that the Pharisees accused Him of being a drunkard Himself. His reputation was damaged by the company He kept, and He didn’t care. Jesus attended parties thrown by sinners. He didn’t just show up for evangelism purposes. He celebrated with people whose lifestyles violated religious standards. The religious leaders were scandalized. They couldn’t understand how someone claiming to represent God could be so casual about hanging around people who clearly didn’t represent God. Sound familiar? Why Modern Christians Avoid What Jesus Embraced Fear of contamination. Many Christians believe that spending time with non-believers will somehow pollute their faith or tempt them into sin. They treat faith like it’s fragile instead of transformative. Fear of appearance. Christians worry about what other believers will think if they’re seen associating with the “wrong” people. They prioritize religious reputation over relational ministry. Fear of compromise. They assume that loving sinners means approving of sin. They can’t distinguish between accepting people and endorsing behavior. Comfort in Christian culture. It’s easier to stay in environments where everyone shares your values, speaks your language, and validates your beliefs. Engaging with different people requires emotional energy and intellectual flexibility. Misunderstanding of holiness. They think holiness means moral purity achieved through isolation. They don’t realize that biblical holiness is moral purity maintained through engagement with the Holy Spirit. The Pharisee Problem in Modern Christianity The Pharisees were the “good Christians” of Jesus’ day. They were theologically correct, morally upright, and religiously committed. They knew Scripture, followed rules, and maintained high standards. They were also Jesus’ biggest critics. Because they had turned faith into a performance designed to impress God and other religious people. They had created a system where spiritual success was measured by moral superiority and social separation. Sound familiar? Modern Christianity has a Pharisee problem. We’ve created a culture where being a “good Christian” often means: Avoiding certain people rather than loving difficult people Judging cultural trends rather than understanding cultural needs Maintaining religious traditions rather than building authentic relationships Protecting church reputation rather than serving community needs Creating Christian alternatives rather than engaging secular spaces We’ve become so committed to being right that we’ve forgotten how to be loving. What Jesus Actually Said About Being In The World “I do not pray that you take them out of the world, but that you keep them from evil” (John 17:15). Jesus specifically asked God NOT to remove Christians from the world. He wanted His followers engaged with the world while being protected from its corrupting influence. “You are the salt of the earth… You are the light of the world” (Matthew 5:13–14). Salt only works when it’s mixed into food. Light only matters when it’s shining in darkness. Both metaphors require proximity and engagement, not separation and isolation. “Go into all the world and preach the gospel” (Mark 16:15). The Great Commission wasn’t “Wait for the world to come to church.” It was “Go where the world already is.” Jesus’ model was incarnational, not isolational. God didn’t save the world by staying in heaven and demanding that people come to Him. He came to earth and lived among the people He wanted to reach. How Good Christians Become Terrible Neighbors They prioritize theological correctness over relational connection. They’re more concerned with having the right beliefs than building genuine friendships. They judge lifestyle choices instead of addressing real needs. They notice what people do wrong more than they notice what people need. They offer religious solutions to practical problems. Instead of helping with tangible needs, they immediately jump to spiritual advice that feels irrelevant or judgmental. They treat relationships as evangelism projects. Every interaction has an agenda. They can’t just be friends without trying to convert. They withdraw when people don’t respond to their message. If neighbors aren’t interested in church or spiritual conversations, these Christians often distance themselves instead of maintaining the relationship . They create an “us vs. them” mentality. They talk about “the world” like it’s enemy territory instead of a mission field filled with people God loves. What Jesus-Style Neighboring Actually Looks Like Be genuinely interested in people’s lives without having an agenda. Ask about their work, their family, and their interests. Care about what they care about. Meet practical needs before addressing spiritual needs. Help with moving, babysit their kids, bring food during illness, and offer assistance during emergencies. Participate in community activities without requiring Christian alternatives. Attend neighborhood events, join community groups, and engage with local issues. Build friendships that aren’t dependent on shared beliefs. Enjoy people for who they are, not for their potential to become Christians. Defend people when they’re being judged by other Christians. Be the Christian who speaks up for the neighbor others are criticizing . Live in a way that makes people curious about your peace and joy. Let your different lifestyle attract questions rather than create barriers. Love consistently, whether people are interested in faith or not. Your kindness shouldn’t be contingent on their spiritual openness. The Revolutionary Idea That Christians Are FOR People Here’s what non-Christians need to experience from Christians: unconditional love from people who don’t need anything from them. Most people assume Christians are nice to them because they want to convert them. They expect the relationship to change if they show no interest in faith. But what if Christians loved their neighbors so genuinely that their love remained constant regardless of spiritual response? What if Christians became known as the people you could count on during a crisis, whether you believed like them or not? What if Christians were the first people you thought of when you needed help, because you knew they would help without lecturing you? What if Christians were so genuinely interested in your life that you felt valued as a person, not as a conversion project? This kind of love is revolutionary. It’s also exactly what Jesus demonstrated. Your Neighborhood Is Your Mission Field Stop waiting for your neighbors to come to church. Start going to your neighbors. Stop judging their lifestyle choices. Start serving their practical needs. Stop avoiding them because they’re different. Start learning from them because they’re different. Stop trying to fix their spiritual problems. Start being present in their real problems. Good Christians don’t make terrible neighbors because they care too much about faith. They make terrible neighbors because they care too little about people. But when Christians love their neighbors the way Jesus loved sinners, something amazing happens. People start asking questions about the source of that love. They become curious about a faith that produces such genuine care. They stop seeing Christianity as a judgment system and start seeing it as a love system. And that’s when real evangelism happens. Not through arguments or invitations, but through relationships. Not by being separate from the world, but by being different within the world. Your neighbors don’t need you to be a better Christian. They need you to be a better human. The kind of human Jesus was when He walked among people who desperately needed to know they were loved. How would your relationship with your neighbors change if you approached them the way Jesus approached sinners? What practical needs could you meet without expecting anything spiritual in return? © Ashneil