Wigglesworth’s Birth and Boyhood:
The Salvation Army
When I was sixteen years of age the Salvation Army opened up a work in Bradford. I delighted to be with these earnest Salvation Army people. It was laid very deeply upon me to fast and pray for the salvation of souls in those days, and every week we saw scores of sinners yielding their hearts to Christ.
In the mill where I worked there was a godly man belonging to the Plymouth Brethren. He was a steam-fitter. I was given to him as a helper and he taught me how to do plumbing work. He talked to me about water baptism and its meaning. I can remember that he said to me: “If you will obey the Lord in this, you do not know what He may have for you.” I gladly obeyed the Word of the Lord to be buried with Him in baptism unto death and come forth from that symbolic watery grave to a newness of life in God. I was about seventeen at that time.
It was this good man who taught me about the Second Coming of the Lord Jesus. Again and again when I had a sense that I had failed God, I would be troubled with the thought that the Lord would come and I would not be ready to meet Him. From time to time it was a relief to me to go to work and find this godly man there. Then I knew the Lord had not come in the night and left me behind.
I continued with the Salvation Army because it seemed to me they had more power in their ministry than anybody else at that time. We used to have all nights of prayer. Many would be laid out under the power of the Spirit, sometimes for as long as twenty-four hours at a time. We called that the Baptism in the Spirit in those days. Those early Salvationists had great power and it was manifested in their testimony and in their lives. We would join together and claim in faith fifty or a hundred souls every week and know that we would get them. Alas, today many are not laying themselves out for soul-winning but for fleshly manifestations.
I looked to the Lord, and He surely helped me in everything. When I was eighteen years of age, I went to a plumber to ask for employment. I cleaned up my shoes with an extra shine, put on a clean collar, and applied at the home of this man. He said, “No, I don’t need anyone.” I said, “Thank you, Sir. I am sorry.” The man let me walk down to his gate and then called me back, saying:
“There’s something about you that is different. I just can’t let you go.” He sent me to do a job fitting a row of homes with water piping, which I finished in a week. The master was so amazed that he said, “It cannot possibly be done!” but he went and found the work perfect. He said he could not keep me employed at that speed.
When I was twenty years of age, I moved to Liverpool, and the power of God was mightily upon me. I had a great desire to help the young people. Every week I used to gather around me scores of boys and girls, barefooted, ragged, and hungry. I earned good money, but I spent all of it on food for those children. They would congregate in the sheds in the docks, and what meetings we had!
Hundreds of them were saved. A friend of mine and I devoted ourselves to visiting the hospitals and also the ships. God gave me a great heart for the poor. I used to work hard and spend all I had on the poor and have nothing for myself. I fasted all day every Sunday and prayed, and I never remember seeing less than fifty souls saved by the power of God in the meetings with the children, in the hospitals, on the ships, and in the Salvation Army. These were the days of great soul awakening.
At the Salvation Army meetings the officer in charge would constantly ask me to speak. I cannot tell why he should ask me, for my speech was always broken, weeping before the people. I could not hold back the tears. I would have given a world to be able to speak in a more eloquent way; but like Jeremiah I was a man with a fountain of tears. But as I wept before the people, this often would lead to an altar call. I thank God for those days because the Lord kept me in a broken, contrite spirit. The memory of those Liverpool days is very precious to me.
When I was about twenty-three years of age, I was led to go back to Bradford, and I was strongly led to open up a business for myself as a plumber and give my spare time to helping the Salvation Army. It was there I met the best girl in the world!

The Architecture of Reality: Beyond the Map of Theology

The tragedy of the modern seminary is the man who spends four years refining a blueprint he never intends to build. In the landscape of professional theological formation, a subtle but devastating crisis has taken root: the tendency to mistake the "blueprint"—the systematic loci and taxonomies—for the "architecture" of the reality of God. The distinction is vital: Nobody has ever lived in a drawing. You can study a blueprint for a lifetime without ever visiting the site, and nothing in that study will warn you that you remain outside.

To move beyond the taxonomy, we must engage the "Checkable Argument"—the exactly five sentences in the Johannine corpus where being is predicated of God absolutely: God is Love (twice), God is Light, God is Life, and God is Spirit. Crucially, Love is the only one repeated, once in a negative frame and once in a positive. This repetition is the strongest internal evidence that these declarations were given with a learner in view. Mistaking the map for the territory stalls spiritual perception; the five sentences are not a list to be filed, but a structure to be entered.

The Problem of the Inverted Order

The sequence in which we learn determines the shape of what we know. Traditional formation begins with "Method" or "Prolegomena," attempting to fix the criteria of knowing before stating the nature of the One known. Strategically, this is an inversion: it establishes a "criterion in the dark" by which to evaluate the sun. When we master the map before we see the country, we become "filers" rather than "knowers," and our formation stalls in the lobby.

This inversion is exposed by the "Seam Test." Traditional theology "files" sin in one locus and God’s nature in another, leaving a gap where the two should meet. The Johannine Architecture closes these seams by recognizing that sin is simply the privation of what God IS. The difference lies in what governs the second step of inquiry:

* The Conventional Order: Revelation → Extraction of Propositions → Philosophical Categories → Systematic Organization → Application.
* The Revealed Order: Revelation → Revealed Pattern (The Triad) → Relational Reality → Integrated Understanding → Transformed Life.

The Triad: Light, Love, and Life

In the Johannine framework, God is defined by three co-inherent names: Light, Love, and Life. These are not attributes God has; they are names for what God is absolutely. They are not components, but a single movement where each grounds the next. We must distinguish between three deliberate orders:

1. The Nominal Order: (Love–Life–Light). The name as it rests in the ear, signifying a reality with no first and no last.
2. The Pedagogical Order: (Light → Love → Life). The path of learning for a creature standing outside. We begin with Light because nothing is loved which has not been shown. Light reveals reality; Love reorders the will toward it; and Life embodies it.
3. The Ontological Order (The Circle): The co-inherence of the divine nature where each is the whole of God under an aspect.

In the Ontological Order, the walls are the foundation. Because this is a circle, removing one element abolishes the others. Light without Life is merely "information"; Life without Love is a contradiction. To understand God is to enter the circle where the three imply and contain one another perfectly.

The Diagnostic Reversal: Evil as Privation

If God is Light and in Him is no darkness at all, then evil cannot be a rival substance or an independent kingdom. Grounding the definition of evil in the "Light axis" protects the sovereignty of God and removes the Manichaean threat of a competing power. Evil is not a "thing"; it is a privation—the absence and corruption of a good that ought to be present.

Using the imagery of Jeremiah, we see the contrast between the "fountain of living waters" and the "broken cisterns." Life is the running water; evil is the stale, leaking collection of the cistern that attempts to hold water apart from the source. This framework identifies three particular absences:

* Love Disordered: Desire misaligned and bent away from its proper object.
* Life Severed: The "broken cistern" attempting to hold existence apart from the Fountain.
* Movement into Darkness: The active hiding from the Light to avoid the exposure of deeds.

This necessitates a Diagnostic Reversal. Instead of hunting for "harmful substances," a community is directed to identify "absent goods." When we see evil as the privation of Light, Love, and Life, we move from a defensive posture of "hunting" to an architectural one of "building" the presence of the good.

The Final Provocation: Restoration through Sight

Theological formation is not a matter of habit-building or intellectual accumulation, but the reorientation of vision. Salvation is the restoration of a severed relation: to be loved, to participate in the divine life, and to see God as He is.

"Beloved, now are we the sons of God, and it doth not yet appear what we shall be: but we know that, when he shall appear, we shall be like him; for we shall see him as he is." (1 John 3:2)

Likeness follows sight. We do not become like God by cultivating capacities in the dark; we become like Him by looking at Him. The cost of ignoring this order is permanent: a man who waits for clarity before he obeys waits forever. The "map" is for the man who is outside, but once you enter the Architecture, the map is irrelevant. The road is a fact about travelers; it is not a fact about the destination.

The way, the truth, and the life. Nobody has ever asked which came first, and nobody ever should have asked it of the other three.

Guidelines for living.
August 27, 2026

Why You Should Cultivate Excellence in Your Life

Do your best to present yourself to God as one approved, a workman who does not need to be ashamed and who correctly handles the word of truth. 2 Timothy 2:15



The greatest accomplishments in life - believe it or not - are made not by the smartest people in the world but by those who didn't know enough to quit. They were the ones who kept trying, kept plodding, kept practicing, who kept investigating until they stumbled onto success. That fact was driven home to me when I was studying in the university. There were two men in my classes who were geniuses. Their IQs were way up there. At the end of a class, they slapped their books shut and generally didn't open them. They were smart.

Frankly, I was among those who had to dig it out. People thought I was really gifted; no, I just knew how to work and to study. My parents spent hard earned money and sent me to school to study, not party. I knew why I was there and I made the most of the opportunity.

Learning to apply myself was something I happened to grow up with, but everybody didn't have a dad who cut the handles off of brooms, making them short enough for me to use as a kid, or has you work alongside him. But you can learn to work. You can develop discipline yourself. You can set goals and eventually reach them.

One of my heroes was Sir Edmund Hillary, who along with his Sherpa guide, Tensing, crested Mount Everest for the first time. Awesome achievement, and that before a lot of high-tech gear which climbers use today. When asked how he accomplished this when others had failed, he replied that when he was tempted to turn back, he took just one more step.

William Carey, the father of modern missions, said that his greatest ability was to plod in the face of adversity. When Thomas Edison had tried 10,000 ways to produce an incandescent globe and hadn't succeeded, he was urged to quit. He responded that he had found 10,000 ways that wouldn't work. And he would eventually find one that did. He did! I've sometimes wondered how many determined, stubborn individuals we have today with that same tenacity.

The foundation of our modern achievements was laid by thousands of unknown individuals who lived in obscurity and died unknown, who faithfully contributed to what has enabled us to send men to the moon, to circle the globe with communication, and to accomplish great and mighty things through technology and science. They laid the foundation; we have built upon their research, hard work, and trial and error. Their strength and energy, like a gradually falling barometer, were meted out in hard work, years of often-unrecognized service, and yes, blood, sweat and tears. But they did not quit. They did not look for something with less work and more money attached to it.

I've been told that in an European Cathedral, high in the rafters where no one ever goes, are some intricate carvings of exquisite beauty, done by a master craftsman whose name has long since been lost to posterity. Why did he take time to do some of his finest work, using an abutment of wood that will never be seen by the public? He valued excellence. He took seriously the admonition of the Bible that instructs: "Whatever your hands find to do, do it with all your might, for in the grave, where you are going, there is neither working nor planning nor knowledge nor wisdom" (Ecclesiastes 9:10).

Cultivate excellence. Make it a passion. Refuse to let the world and our culture shove you into the mold of mediocrity. Thank God for teachers who inspire excellence, for mothers who have the patience to bring the best out of their children, for dads who have the patience to teach a little boy how to do something. Do it, friend. Someday, you will be very glad you did.

Resource Reading: Ecclesiastes 9:1-10

PROVERB OF THE DAY

(Proverbs 27)

1. Do not boast about tomorrow,
For you do not know what a day may bring forth.

2. Let another man praise you, and not your own mouth;
A stranger, and not your own lips.

3. A stone is heavy and sand is weighty,
But a fool’s wrath is heavier than both of them.

4. Wrath is cruel and anger a torrent,
But who is able to stand before jealousy?

5. Open rebuke is better
Than love carefully concealed.

6. Faithful are the wounds of a friend,
But the kisses of an enemy are deceitful.

7. A satisfied soul loathes the honeycomb,
But to a hungry soul every bitter thing is sweet.

8. Like a bird that wanders from its nest
Is a man who wanders from his place.

9. Ointment and perfume delight the heart,
And the sweetness of a man’s friend gives delight by hearty counsel.

10. Do not forsake your own friend or your father’s friend,
Nor go to your brother’s house in the day of your calamity;
Better is a neighbor nearby than a brother far away.

11. My son, be wise, and make my heart glad,
That I may answer him who reproaches me.

12A prudent man
foresees evil and hides himself;.
The simple pass on and are punished.

13. Take the garment of him who is surety for a stranger,
And hold it in pledge when he is surety for a seductress.

14. He who blesses his friend with a loud voice, rising early in the morning,
It will be counted a curse to him.

15. A continual dripping on a very rainy day
And a contentious woman are alike;

16. Whoever restrains her restrains the wind,
And grasps oil with his right hand.

17. As iron sharpens iron,
So a man sharpens the countenance of his friend.

18. Whoever keeps the fig tree will eat its fruit;
So he who waits on his master will be honored.

19. As in water face reflects face,
So a man’s heart reveals the man.

20. Hell and Destruction are never full;
So the eyes of man are never satisfied.

21. The refining pot is for silver and the furnace for gold,
And a man is valued by what others say of him.

22. Though you grind a fool in a mortar with a pestle along with crushed grain,
Yet his foolishness will not depart from him.

23. Be diligent to know the state of your flocks,
And attend to your herds;

24. For riches are not forever,
Nor does a crown endure to all generations.

25. When the hay is removed, and the tender grass shows itself,
And the herbs of the mountains are gathered in,

26. The lambs will provide your clothing,
And the goats the price of a field;

27. You shall have enough goats’ milk for your food,
For the food of your household,
And the nourishment of your maidservants.

SELF-PITY IS ALSO A STRONGHOLD

There is a world people can build inside themselves. A world called self-pity.

Self-pity says: "Nobody understands me." "Nobody sees what I have suffered." "Nobody appreciates me." "Look at everything that has happened to me."

Now, there are real difficulties in life. People go through painful experiences. People have been hurt, but there is a difference between acknowledging pain and building your identity around pain.

Self-pity keeps bringing you back to yourself.

Everything becomes about your disappointment. Everything becomes about what people did to you. Everything becomes about what you did not receive. And slowly, you become trapped in a world where you are always the victim.

Look at Elijah. After Jezebel threatened him, he ran away and sat under a tree. When God asked him what he was doing there, Elijah answered by focusing on himself.

He said he had been very jealous for The Lord,.... but he was the only one left (1 Kings 19:10)

But Elijah was not seeing the situation correctly. God still had people, and He was still working.

The problem was not that Elijah had experienced difficulty. The problem was that his pain had become his entire perspective.

Self-pity can make you forget God's bigger picture. It can make you abandon your assignment.

You must burn down that world — not because your pain is fake, but because your pain cannot become your master.

You are not only what happened to you. You are not only what people did to you. You are a child of God with a purpose.

Do not allow self-pity to become a place you live. God has more for you than constantly looking at yourself and your wounds. Remember this Scripture and let The Word spoken there be your comfort:

Jeremiah 29:11
For I know the thoughts that I think toward you, saith The LORD, thoughts of peace, and not of evil, to give you an expected end.

Shalom!

EVIL DOERS AROUND NATIONS — GOD'S JUDGEMENT OF CORRECTION NOW SUBJECTED ON YOU

1 Pet 4:17 — For time has come for judgment to begin at house of God; and if it begins with us first, what will be end of those who do not obey gospel of God?

Hear me, evil doers — workers of iniquity — around nations — altars of darkness — voices — persecutors — lovers of sin.

God has judged His house first — and finished.

You saw Red 7 vision l saw in sky after vanished was first a disciplinary action of suffering , which was subjected on me His house that l had fallen. and I repented as his house of my fall + shame before God & got cleansed by his blood. 1john1:7 & his word in eph5:26-27 which made me pure before God. 1Tim4:5. Thus this discplined me, corrected me & restored holiness back to me— born again — true Israel — Believer not practising sin. His word says in 1peter4:17-18 after this judgement of correction made on His house-- me & done . Now subjected to evil doers now.. thus repent, obey & live pure before God through faith in Christ or refuse will perish in sin.

My hedge was bleached — not removed — to test — to purify.

Job 2:6 — Behold, he is in your hand, but spare his life.

I was wounded — motorcycle, dog, flesh torn — but not given to death — Ps 118:18 — Lord chastened me severely, but has not given me over to death.

My faith was tested by fire — 1 Pet 1:7 — but failed NOT — gold came out pure — Job 23:10 — I shall come forth as gold.

Red No.7 means complete — John 19:30 — It is finished. My correction is done.

NOW YOUR TURN — JUDGEMENT OF CORRECTION NOW ON YOU

1 Pet 4:17 — if it begins with us first, what will be end of you?

Because God finished with His house, He now turns to you.

Your judgement of correction is now set — now subjected on you — this is order of God — Ezek 18:30 — Repent, and turn from all your transgressions, so that iniquity will not be your ruin.

This is not accident — this is ORDER on you.

And hear warning: This punishment to you will be harsher than that subjected on His house.

Luke 12:47-48 — that servant who knew his master's will, and did not prepare... shall be beaten with many stripes. For everyone to whom much is given, much will be required.

To His house — bleach hedge — wound — but spare life — to preserve for calling.

To you evil doers — many stripes — because you knew — you built altars — you sent voices — Eph 6:12 — you fought calling that fights Satan — 1 John 3:8 — you persecuted to make calling fail — Rev 12:17 — you knew.

To me — chastening of son — Heb 12:6 — whom Lord loves He chastens.

To you — wrath of judge — Heb 12:8 — if you are without chastening... then you are illegitimate and not sons.

Matt 10:15 — it will be more tolerable for Sodom and Gomorrah in day of judgment than for that city.
Heb 10:29 — Of how much worse punishment, do you suppose, will he be thought worthy who has trampled Son of God underfoot?

Voices — of evil altars — the motorcycle accident — dog hit in accident— God counted them.

Now unless you repent and live pure before God through faith in Christ, harsher correction falls — disease beyond wound — torment beyond voices — shame beyond nakedness — loss beyond flesh — Ps 11:6 — Upon wicked He will rain coals; fire and brimstone and burning wind shall be portion of their cup.

WHAT GOD DEMANDS NOW:

Repent — Acts 17:30 — God now commands all men everywhere to repent.

Believe in faith — 1 John 1:7 — blood of Jesus Christ cleanses from all sin — 1 Tim 4:5 — sanctified by Word and prayer.

Live pure — Rev 14:4-5 — These are ones not defiled... without fault before throne of God — 1 John 3:9 — whoever born of God does not practice sin.

Be true Israel — not practising sin — Matt 6:33 — seek first Kingdom and His righteousness, and much more shall be added.

IF YOU REFUSE — JUDGEMENT OF DESTRUCTION FOLLOWS

If you refuse to repent now in this correction — judgement of destruction is already appointed.

Prov 11:21 — Though hand join in hand, wicked shall not go unpunished.
1 Pet 4:18 — If righteous one scarcely saved, where will ungodly and sinner appear?
2 Thess 1:8-9 — In flaming fire taking vengeance on those who do not know God, and on those who do not obey gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ. These shall be punished with everlasting destruction from presence of Lord.
Rev 20:15 — Anyone not found written in Book of Life was cast into lake of fire.
Gal 6:7 — Do not be deceived, God is not mocked; whatever man sows, that he will reap.

Seek God First (Matthew 6:33)

What are you chasing?

Success?

Money?

A better job?

A relationship?

Recognition?

A bigger house?

More followers?

A better future?

There is nothing wrong with having goals and dreams.

God has given us abilities, opportunities, and responsibilities that we should use wisely.

But there is a danger when the things we want become more important than the God who gave us the ability to pursue them.

Jesus said:

“But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well.”

Notice the order:

Seek God first.

Not after your career.

Not after your relationships.

Not after you've achieved your goals.

Not only when you are in trouble.

First.

The world tells us:

“Build your career first.”

“Make money first.”

“Become successful first.”

“Get everything you want first.”

Then we can easily begin treating God as something we fit into the remaining space in our lives.

But God doesn't want to be an afterthought.

He wants to be at the centre.

Think about your daily schedule.

What receives your best attention?

What occupies your thoughts?

What determines your decisions?

What do you spend most of your time pursuing?

Your priorities reveal what matters most to you.

You can say that God is first, but your life will eventually show whether that is true.

Seeking God first means making Him central to your decisions.

Before accepting an opportunity, ask:

“Does this honour God?”

Before entering a relationship, ask:

“Will this relationship help me grow closer to Christ?”

Before making a major financial decision, ask:

“Am I handling what God has given me responsibly?”

Before choosing how to use your time, ask:

“What does God want me to do with this day?”

Seeking God first doesn't mean abandoning your ambitions.

It means surrendering your ambitions to Him.

You can pursue a career and still honour God.

You can build a business and still honour God.

You can become successful and still remain humble.

You can have financial goals and still put God first.

The question isn't whether you have goals.

The question is:

Who is at the centre of those goals?

Are you pursuing success so people will admire you?

Or are you pursuing excellence so you can use your gifts to serve God and others?

Are you chasing money because you believe it will finally make you happy?

Or are you learning to manage resources faithfully and generously?

Are you seeking recognition?

Or are you content knowing that God sees your work even when people don't?

Jesus also warned us about constantly worrying about material things.

We worry about food.

Clothing.

Money.

Tomorrow.

Our future.

And sometimes our pursuit of these things becomes so intense that we forget the God who sustains us.

You don't have to ignore your responsibilities.

Work hard.

Plan wisely.

Save.

Learn.

Build.

Prepare.

But don't let anxiety become your master.

Trust God while you do your part.

There will always be something else to chase.

Another achievement.

Another purchase.

Another milestone.

Another level.

If your heart is always saying, “I'll be happy when I get that next thing,” you may spend your entire life waiting for happiness.

But contentment begins when you recognize that God is enough.

Paul learned this kind of contentment.

He experienced abundance and hardship, yet his confidence wasn't ultimately based on his circumstances.

His strength was found in Christ.

And that's the kind of foundation we need.

Because everything we own can disappear.

Positions can change.

Money can come and go.

People can leave.

Opportunities can close.

But God remains.

And if you have Jesus, you possess something far more valuable than anything this world can offer.

Salvation.

Forgiveness.

Grace.

A relationship with God.

A hope that extends beyond this temporary life.

So today, examine your priorities.

Maybe you've been so busy building your future that you've neglected your relationship with God.

Maybe your career has become your identity.

Maybe money has become your security.

Maybe your relationship has become your source of happiness.

Maybe social media has become your source of validation.

It's time to put things back in their proper place.

Seek God first.

Pray first.

Read His Word.

Listen to His voice.

Obey Him.

Serve Him.

Love people.

Work faithfully.

And trust Him with the results.

Don't build a successful life and discover later that you left God out of it.

Build your life with God at the centre.

When God is first, everything else can find its proper place.

Today, ask yourself:

“What has been competing with God for first place in my heart?”

Then surrender it to Him.

Not tomorrow.

Today.

#SeekGodFirst #Matthew633 #GodFirst #FaithOverMaterialism #TrustGod #ChristianLiving #KingdomOfGod #ChristianYouth #JesusSaves #ShareJesus #DailyFaith #Lordsbook #JMSM #KNKA

PROVERB OF THE DAY

(Proverbs 27)

1. Do not boast about tomorrow,
For you do not know what a day may bring forth.

2. Let another man praise you, and not your own mouth;
A stranger, and not your own lips.

3. A stone is heavy and sand is weighty,
But a fool’s wrath is heavier than both of them.

4. Wrath is cruel and anger a torrent,
But who is able to stand before jealousy?

5. Open rebuke is better
Than love carefully concealed.

6. Faithful are the wounds of a friend,
But the kisses of an enemy are deceitful.

7. A satisfied soul loathes the honeycomb,
But to a hungry soul every bitter thing is sweet.

8. Like a bird that wanders from its nest
Is a man who wanders from his place.

9. Ointment and perfume delight the heart,
And the sweetness of a man’s friend gives delight by hearty counsel.

10. Do not forsake your own friend or your father’s friend,
Nor go to your brother’s house in the day of your calamity;
Better is a neighbor nearby than a brother far away.

11. My son, be wise, and make my heart glad,
That I may answer him who reproaches me.

12A prudent man
foresees evil and hides himself;.
The simple pass on and are punished.

13. Take the garment of him who is surety for a stranger,
And hold it in pledge when he is surety for a seductress.

14. He who blesses his friend with a loud voice, rising early in the morning,
It will be counted a curse to him.

15. A continual dripping on a very rainy day
And a contentious woman are alike;

16. Whoever restrains her restrains the wind,
And grasps oil with his right hand.

17. As iron sharpens iron,
So a man sharpens the countenance of his friend.

18. Whoever keeps the fig tree will eat its fruit;
So he who waits on his master will be honored.

19. As in water face reflects face,
So a man’s heart reveals the man.

20. Hell and Destruction are never full;
So the eyes of man are never satisfied.

21. The refining pot is for silver and the furnace for gold,
And a man is valued by what others say of him.

22. Though you grind a fool in a mortar with a pestle along with crushed grain,
Yet his foolishness will not depart from him.

23. Be diligent to know the state of your flocks,
And attend to your herds;

24. For riches are not forever,
Nor does a crown endure to all generations.

25. When the hay is removed, and the tender grass shows itself,
And the herbs of the mountains are gathered in,

26. The lambs will provide your clothing,
And the goats the price of a field;

27. You shall have enough goats’ milk for your food,
For the food of your household,
And the nourishment of your maidservants.

I think God, in His awesome ways, trains us in the dark. He allows things to happen, and we can’t see what’s in front of us. But we keep swimming from one side to the other because we trust Him and love Him. We know He has our backs because He was faithful to train and prepare us for unpredictable moments on our unpredictable journeys, even in the dark. Sometimes our vision gets blurry and we can’t see the next step, but that’s when we remember the training in faith that God has given us, and we know we will reach the finish line even though we don’t see what’s in front of us. Every stroke we take is a stroke of faith, knowing that the Master is leading the way. - JOHN RAMIREZ

Wednesday evening Bible study.
Bless us Lord. Continue The Book of Romans

“And so, dear brothers and sisters, I plead with you to give your bodies to God because of all he has done for you. Let them be a living and holy sacrifice—the kind he will find acceptable. This is truly the way to worship him. Don’t copy the behavior and customs of this world, but let God transform you into a new person by changing the way you think. Then you will learn to know God’s will for you, which is good and pleasing and perfect.”
‭‭Romans‬ ‭12‬:‭1‬-‭2‬ ‭NLT‬‬
*God wants our hearts in this relationship. To daily grow and learn how to Live, pleasing To God.

“Because of the privilege and authority God has given me, I give each of you this warning: Don’t think you are better than you really are. Be honest in your evaluation of yourselves, measuring yourselves by the faith God has given us. Just as our bodies have many parts and each part has a special function, so it is with Christ’s body. We are many parts of one body, and we all belong to each other. In his grace, God has given us different gifts for doing certain things well. So if God has given you the ability to prophesy, speak out with as much faith as God has given you. If your gift is serving others, serve them well. If you are a teacher, teach well. If your gift is to encourage others, be encouraging. If it is giving, give generously. If God has given you leadership ability, take the responsibility seriously. And if you have a gift for showing kindness to others, do it gladly.”
‭‭Romans‬ ‭12‬:‭3‬-‭8‬ ‭NLT‬‬
*it’s here we learn and grow how to Live. Trusting God.
God gives us what we need to serve Him.

“Don’t just pretend to love others. Really love them. Hate what is wrong. Hold tightly to what is good. Love each other with genuine affection, and take delight in honoring each other. Never be lazy, but work hard and serve the Lord enthusiastically. Rejoice in our confident hope. Be patient in trouble, and keep on praying. When God’s people are in need, be ready to help them. Always be eager to practice hospitality. Bless those who persecute you. Don’t curse them; pray that God will bless them. Be happy with those who are happy, and weep with those who weep. Live in harmony with each other. Don’t be too proud to enjoy the company of ordinary people. And don’t think you know it all! Never pay back evil with more evil. Do things in such a way that everyone can see you are honorable. Do all that you can to live in peace with everyone. Dear friends, never take revenge. Leave that to the righteous anger of God. For the Scriptures say, “I will take revenge; I will pay them back,” says the Lord. Instead, “If your enemies are hungry, feed them. If they are thirsty, give them something to drink. In doing this, you will heap burning coals of shame on their heads.” Don’t let evil conquer you, but conquer evil by doing good.”
‭‭Romans‬ ‭12‬:‭9‬-‭21‬ ‭NLT‬‬
*enthusiastically Rejoice. Keep on Praying.
Honorable
Peace.
Kindness
Do Good.

“Everyone must submit to governing authorities. For all authority comes from God, and those in positions of authority have been placed there by God. So anyone who rebels against authority is rebelling against what God has instituted, and they will be punished. For the authorities do not strike fear in people who are doing right, but in those who are doing wrong. Would you like to live without fear of the authorities? Do what is right, and they will honor you. The authorities are God’s servants, sent for your good. But if you are doing wrong, of course you should be afraid, for they have the power to punish you. They are God’s servants, sent for the very purpose of punishing those who do what is wrong. So you must submit to them, not only to avoid punishment, but also to keep a clear conscience. Pay your taxes, too, for these same reasons. For government workers need to be paid. They are serving God in what they do. Give to everyone what you owe them: Pay your taxes and government fees to those who collect them, and give respect and honor to those who are in authority.”
‭‭Romans‬ ‭13‬:‭1‬-‭7‬ ‭NLT‬‬
*do what is right. Bless those in authority.
Honor God do what is right.

“Owe nothing to anyone—except for your obligation to love one another. If you love your neighbor, you will fulfill the requirements of God’s law. For the commandments say, “You must not commit adultery. You must not murder. You must not steal. You must not covet.” These—and other such commandments—are summed up in this one commandment: “Love your neighbor as yourself.” Love does no wrong to others, so love fulfills the requirements of God’s law. This is all the more urgent, for you know how late it is; time is running out. Wake up, for our salvation is nearer now than when we first believed. The night is almost gone; the day of salvation will soon be here. So remove your dark deeds like dirty clothes, and put on the shining armor of right living. Because we belong to the day, we must live decent lives for all to see. Don’t participate in the darkness of wild parties and drunkenness, or in sexual promiscuity and immoral living, or in quarreling and jealousy. Instead, clothe yourself with the presence of the Lord Jesus Christ. And don’t let yourself think about ways to indulge your evil desires.”
‭‭Romans‬ ‭13‬:‭8‬-‭14‬ ‭NLT‬‬
*don’t even allow it, give up sinning. Be Full of Christ.
*All Jesus, no more of the flesh.
*back to verse 2 Daily forever Transforming
*Life being pleasing and perfect

“Accept other believers who are weak in faith, and don’t argue with them about what they think is right or wrong. For instance, one person believes it’s all right to eat anything. But another believer with a sensitive conscience will eat only vegetables. Those who feel free to eat anything must not look down on those who don’t. And those who don’t eat certain foods must not condemn those who do, for God has accepted them. Who are you to condemn someone else’s servants? Their own master will judge whether they stand or fall. And with the Lord’s help, they will stand and receive his approval.”
‭‭Romans‬ ‭14‬:‭1‬-‭4‬ ‭NLT‬‬
*people having issue with meat offered to idols. Still hung up on religious customs.

*its all about the Heart.

“Who are you to condemn someone else’s servants? Their own master will judge whether they stand or fall. And with the Lord’s help, they will stand and receive his approval. In the same way, some think one day is more holy than another day, while others think every day is alike. You should each be fully convinced that whichever day you choose is acceptable. Those who worship the Lord on a special day do it to honor him. Those who eat any kind of food do so to honor the Lord, since they give thanks to God before eating. And those who refuse to eat certain foods also want to please the Lord and give thanks to God. For we don’t live for ourselves or die for ourselves. If we live, it’s to honor the Lord. And if we die, it’s to honor the Lord. So whether we live or die, we belong to the Lord. Christ died and rose again for this very purpose—to be Lord both of the living and of the dead. So why do you condemn another believer? Why do you look down on another believer? Remember, we will all stand before the judgment seat of God. For the Scriptures say, “‘As surely as I live,’ says the Lord, ‘every knee will bend to me, and every tongue will declare allegiance to God.’” Yes, each of us will give a personal account to God.”
‭‭Romans‬ ‭14‬:‭4‬-‭12‬ ‭NLT‬‬
*Jesus Standing in our Place. We’ve got to be assured of Living for Him.
It’s about our Heart.

“So let’s stop condemning each other. Decide instead to live in such a way that you will not cause another believer to stumble and fall. I know and am convinced on the authority of the Lord Jesus that no food, in and of itself, is wrong to eat. But if someone believes it is wrong, then for that person it is wrong. And if another believer is distressed by what you eat, you are not acting in love if you eat it. Don’t let your eating ruin someone for whom Christ died. Then you will not be criticized for doing something you believe is good. For the Kingdom of God is not a matter of what we eat or drink, but of living a life of goodness and peace and joy in the Holy Spirit. If you serve Christ with this attitude, you will please God, and others will approve of you, too. So then, let us aim for harmony in the church and try to build each other up.”
‭‭Romans‬ ‭14‬:‭13‬-‭19‬ ‭NLT‬‬
*be living and honorable.
Goodness and Peace.
Pleasing to God.

“Don’t tear apart the work of God over what you eat. Remember, all foods are acceptable, but it is wrong to eat something if it makes another person stumble. It is better not to eat meat or drink wine or do anything else if it might cause another believer to stumble. You may believe there’s nothing wrong with what you are doing, but keep it between yourself and God. Blessed are those who don’t feel guilty for doing something they have decided is right. But if you have doubts about whether or not you should eat something, you are sinning if you go ahead and do it. For you are not following your convictions. If you do anything you believe is not right, you are sinning.”
‭‭Romans‬ ‭14‬:‭20‬-‭23‬ ‭NLT‬‬

*do what is Right.
*Trust God… it’s about the Heart. Relationship with God, relationship with one another…