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Written by J. I. Packer (1926-2020), a Canadian evangelical theologian, cleric, ad writer. This is an excerpt from his book “Knowing God.”

If the decisive factor was notional correctness, then obviously the most learned biblical scholars would know God better than anyone else. But it is not; you can have all the right notions in your head without ever tasting in your heart the realities to which they refer; and a simple Bible reader and sermon hearer who is full of the Holy Spirit will develop a far deeper acquaintance with his God and Savior than a more learned scholar who is content with being theologically correct.

For prophecy never came by the will of man, but holy men of God spoke as they were moved by the Holy Spirit. [2 Peter 1:21]

Written by John Ortberg, a contemporary pastor, speaker, and writer. This is an excerpt from his book “Steps.”

Fear seems to get into everything. We have a yellow lab named Baxter who is a wonderful dog except that he sheds recreationally…Fear is that way. It sheds. That little word somehow touches about every aspect of our lives. It is an evil and corroding thread; the fabric of our existence is shot through it. The first temptation in the Bible was based on FOMO (the fear of missing out): “Your eyes will be opened, and you will be like God.”  And then sin produced fear. “I was afraid because I was naked; so I hid.” FOMO – sin – guilt—fear—hide—repeat…Our fears have a way of hiding behind our actions…Don’t allow fear to exist as a vague, unnamed cloud of anxiety… As long as we are alive we will never live a fear-free life. Part of surrender involves the willingness to experience fear while we continue to seek to do God’s will…Fear rightly used, is a gift. It is the anticipation of harm. It’s designed to help us organize our response to threat and energize us to escape from danger. Without fear we wouldn’t survive…But as a general rule, fear paralyzes us…In the Bible “Do not fear” is the single most common command. But it pretty much never means “try really hard to not feel fear.” And it pretty much never means “God is now permitting you to avoid a fear-inducing situation so that you can be spared unpleasant fear.” It almost always means “Do the very thing you were afraid to do”: Don’t be afraid…The promise in not that we will be spared discomfort of fear. Quite the opposite. It’s that precisely in the midst of that discomfort we will discover that God is with us. When we turn our live over to Him, fear-avoidance no longer governs…Honestly facing up to your shortcomings is the most humbling and courageous thing you’ll ever do.

So do not fear, for I am with you; do not be dismayed, for I am your God. I will strengthen you and help you; I will uphold you with my righteous right hand.  [Isaiah 41:10]

Written by Laura Johnson, a contemporary writer.

We see evidence all throughout Scripture that Jesus was deeply concerned with matters of the heart. When we take a look at the life and ministry of Christ, we discover a man who saw people in their circumstances — stepping not only into their physical realities, but also their spiritual ones. But as we seek to learn from Jesus, we see Him offering us a new way to live and minister. Not only does He invite us to lean into His strength in our personal heart struggles, He also gives us the gift of stepping into others’ lives and inviting them to do the same. As we follow Christ and make Him known, we have the privilege of bringing people before Christ and watching how He cares for both our hearts and the hearts of those around us. Discipleship is not simply about giving tools for people to become better Christians; it is about being faithful to bring the people before you into the presence of Christ, walking with them while Christ changes their hearts and transforms their lives.

Bear one another’s burdens and so fulfill the law of Christ. [Galatians 6:2]

Written by Joseph Hellerman, a contemporary author and pastor.

Spiritual formation occurs primarily in the context of community. Persons who remain contented with their brothers and sisters in the local church almost invariably grow in self-understanding. And they mature in their ability to relate in healthy ways to God and to their fellow human beings. This is especially the case for those courageous Christians who stick it out through the often messy process of interpersonal discord and conflict resolution. Long-term interpersonal relationships are the crucible of genuine progress in the Christian life. People who stay grow. People who leave do not grow.

Two are better than one, because they have a good return for their labor: If either of them falls down, one can help the other up. But pity anyone who falls and has no one to help them up… A cord of three strands is not quickly broken. [Ecclesiastes 4:9-12]

Written by Paul David Tripp, a contemporary pastor, author, and speaker.

Here’s what every sufferer needs to understand: you never just suffer the thing that you’re suffering, but you also suffer the way that you’re suffering that thing. We never come to our suffering empty-handed. We drag a bag full of experiences, expectations, assumptions, perspectives, desires, intentions, and decisions into our suffering. So, our lives are shaped not just by what we suffer but by what we bring to our suffering. What you think about yourself, life, God, and others will profoundly affect the way you think about, interact with, and respond to the difficulty that comes your way.

Count it all joy, my brothers, when you meet trials of various kinds, for you know that the testing of your faith produces steadfastness. And let steadfastness have its full effect, that you may be perfect and complete, lacking in nothing. [James 1:2-4]

Written by Francois Fenelon (1651-1715), a French archbishop, theologian, poet, and writer.

Peace. Just sit in it. It’s not your job to work up passion and fiery devotion for God. It doesn’t depend on you. All you can do, all you are responsible to do, is to choose the one you will obey. Hand your will, your obedience, over to God. Don’t hold anything back. Frankly, it’s irrelevant how much intense feeling you have in your spiritual life right now. The more important question to ask is this: “Do I want what God wants?” Humbly confess your faults. Don’t hold onto your world. Abandon yourself to God. Choose to love God more than you love yourself. Desire God’s name to be great. Desire God to have God’s way—want that more than you want your own life. If you don’t feel these things, then just want to feel it, hoping you will someday. In the meantime, ask God to give you this kind of love for him. He will. God will love you, and he will pour peace into your heart.

And let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts, to which indeed you were called in one body. And be thankful. [Colossians 3:15]

Written by William Boekestein, a contemporary pastor and author. This is an excerpt from his work “Stubborn Prophet, Faithful God.”

Instead of using Scripture the way my kids use the “selected answers” section in the back of their math books, we should use it as an exercise regimen that fortifies us to make good decisions. Scripture informs our minds, shapes our hearts, and gives us the experience necessary to make good choices. The normal way of discerning God’s will is by transforming our minds …  Scripture isn’t like a horoscope for finding easy answers. It is nourishing food that strengthens us to walk the hard path God has prepared for us.

Therefore, I urge you, brothers and sisters, in view of God’s mercy, to offer your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and pleasing to God—this is your true and proper worship. Do not conform to the pattern of this world but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God’s will is—his good, pleasing and perfect will. [Romans 12:1-2]

Written by the Lead Like Jesus team, an organization founded by Ken Blanchard and Phil Hodges that promotes a transformational leadership model based on following Jesus.

Jesus, how good it is to be Your companion as I journey through life. Show me the path of life today, fill me with joy in Your presence, and lead me into the future You have planned. Help me to live, love, and lead like You as we walk together today. I pray in Your name, Amen.

Jesus answered, “I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me. [John 14:6]

Written by Sophia Bricker, a contemporary writer.

C. S. Lewis created the character of Aslan for The Chronicles of Narnia, the great Lion and Lord of the wood. Since the publication of the series, readers of various backgrounds have become enamored with the majestic Lion who offers himself in place of Edmund. The lovely mane and mighty roar. The gentle guiding, yet awesome power. And if readers reach the realization of who this Aslan really is – they find someone equally as lovable and powerful. For Lewis developed the character after asking himself what it might look like for Jesus to enter a different world to save it. God has revealed Himself to us in numerous ways. These appearances, referred to by scholars as theophanies, caught the attention of people in Scripture, but they also provide insights for us today about the Lord’s character. Why would He choose to show Himself, for instance, as a pillar of cloud and fire to the Israelites? He did not choose this depiction by mistake. It was intended…These appearances in the Bible, reveal…our Lord and His traits…Taken together, these appearances show us that our Lord is a holy, powerful, and loving God who cares deeply about His people. As Mr. Beaver said about the great Lion, “he isn’t safe. But he’s good. He’s the King, I tell you.”

They were all filled with awe and praised God. “A great prophet has appeared among us,” they said. “God has come to help his people.” [Luke 7:16]

Written by Uche Anizor, a contemporary professor of theology. This is an excerpt from his work “The Goodness of God in the Gift of Scripture.”

The first word in the book of Psalms is “blessed.” True blessedness is, in a sense, the theme of the Psalter…The theme of blessedness in Psalm 1 is linked to our attitude toward God’s law, and this is at the very beginning of Israel’s songbook. This should grab our attention because it signals that the blessedness of being God’s people—the blessedness from and about which we sing—is wonderfully connected to our relationship to his word…I have a nagging sense that when we read the word blessed, we either feel indifferent or suspicious. Both of these responses are likely the result of the way the term is (over)used in our day-to-day lives. Scrolling through social media, you’ll find pictures of people admiring themselves in the mirror with the caption “#Blessed.” … In our culture, to be blessed is to have something you know many others would want or something you know is beyond the experience of the average person. [One] writer quips, “There’s nothing quite like invoking holiness as a way to brag about your life.” While there are many examples of the term being used in appropriate and even humble ways, the omnipresence of its use, the things it is normally attached to, and the context in which it’s used has largely cheapened what should be a rich and meaningful term…There are two Hebrew terms normally translated “blessed.” The first, baruk, often refers to giving or receiving some kind of gift. In the creation account, the man and woman are “blessed” as those created in God’s image and called to carry out his mandate. Abraham is “blessed” as the partner in God’s covenant. In this case, blessing is about bestowing gifts from one party to another. The second term, ashre, refers to the state of true happiness…Now being “blessed” (baruk) and being happy (ashre) are clearly related. The one who experiences true blessedness (ashre) is certainly someone blessed (baruk) by God. The terms overlap but are distinct. Outward blessing is not an automatic indicator that someone’s life is truly blessed (ashre). Celebrity lives are a cautionary tale in this regard. This is also the sense of blessedness we find in the Beatitudes. Our Lord says, “Blessed are those who mourn. . . . Blessed are those who are persecuted for righteousness’ sake”… True happiness is not found in circumstances or in stuff. Mourning and persecution are not the kinds of things we would normally label with #Blessed. True happiness is being seen as we really are by God. In fact, true happiness is being connected to God despite our situation or feelings. To be blessed is to experience fullness of life.

Blessed is the one who does not walk in step with the wicked or stand in the way that sinners take or sit in the company of mockers, but whose delight is in the law of the Lord, and who meditates on his law day and night.  [Psalm 1:1-2]