God Revealed

God Revealed Before Jesus came, to know God was to adhere to a strict set of laws. But with Jesus’ arrival, relationship was available as He revealed God to us! God desires to be known, and the Son shows us the way. In Luke 10, Jesus sent out seventy-two disciples to preach the gospel and heal the sick. When they returned, they rejoiced because even the demons submitted to them. What power! But Jesus did not come to give authority or power over demons. He came to offer us a lasting personal relationship—like that between a child and a parent. So He rejoiced along with the disciples, but for a different reason: that God chooses to reveal Himself to “little children.” Let’s walk as little children today, not relying on being “wise and learned,” but relying on Christ, who reveals God to us. Power, salvation, and closeness to God are unreachable by our efforts. But now Jesus has come near, and we are called to follow Him with childlike simplicity and faith. Though we didn’t earn or deserve it, heavenly citizenship is now available to the children of God.

‭‭Luke‬ ‭10‬:‭21‬ ‭NIV‬‬

‭‭Luke‬ ‭10‬:‭21‬ ‭NIV‬‬

Why It Matters

Why It Matters Waiting is hard, no matter what it is you’re waiting for. But, because of the very goodness of who God is, we can hold onto hope in the midst of the waiting, and we can rest in the knowledge that we are never left alone in it.

Stuck in a Season of Waiting

Stuck in a Season of Waiting By the time I was 30 years old, my closest friends were all married and I was not. I had embraced my singleness with a zeal I didn’t see from many others, and I dedicated myself to my education and mentoring the high school students at my church. Still, with every passing year and every bridesmaids dress I bought, I wondered when it was going to be my turn. When you see your friends getting married and having kids, it’s easy to feel like you’re somehow getting left behind, even when you’re so sure God’s called you to put your focus on other important work. When I would feel myself getting uneasy, or frustrated, or even cynical about waiting to meet someone, I would feel one word rise inside myself: hope. As David lays out in Psalm 52, because of God’s goodness, we can have hope. That meant that even in the waiting for it to be “my turn,” in the very midst of the frustration, I could hold onto the hope that God was present and working. I may not have known the “when” of things, but I could rest in knowing that I wasn’t alone in the waiting.

This is the Jesus I know...

This is the Jesus I know... The Jesus I know isn’t confined to the pages of Scripture or the walls of a church. No, I meet my friend Jesus in prayer, in worship, and sometimes in the faces of ordinary people who love just like He does. I remember one of the darkest moments of my life—standing before Laurel, before we were married, after my lies had broken her trust. She held a chain of jewelry that symbolized our fractured relationship in her hand and said through tears, “I have every reason to hate you, but for some stupid reason, I still love you.” That sentence cut through my shame. It was undeserved love—raw and costly—and I recognized immediately where it came from. It came from Jesus. That was Him. Jesus’ love sounds just like that—unearned, unrelenting, and full of grace. Later in my life, I saw Jesus again on Hollywood Boulevard. A college team from our church met a homeless man known as Bandana Jimmy. Walls of pain surrounded Jimmy, but through patient care and simple friendship, those walls began to fall. One student named Emily held Jimmy in her arms as he wept over his mother’s death. And in that quiet act of mercy, I thought again, that’s Him. That’s Jesus. “By this everyone will know that you are my disciples, if you love one another.” (John 13:35, NIV) So every time I see love that forgives, as Laurel did—or compassion that listens, like Emily did—or grace that simply holds someone close—I see Jesus. Because that’s Him. Lord Jesus, open my eyes to see You in the faces of those around me today. Let me recognize You in acts of mercy, in words of forgiveness, and in a simple kindness that can heal a broken heart. Help me to be Your reflection in someone else’s story today. In Jesus’ name, amen. Never forget, my friend, you are a miracle. Your friend, Grant Fishbook

Joy in Hard Times

Joy in Hard Times Nobody enjoys suffering. It’s hard to find joy in the midst of trials or difficult seasons—it’s much easier to feel sadness or misery. That’s why Paul’s encouragement in Romans 5 may sound contradictory. Paul was writing this to the church in Rome experiencing suffering from ungodly rulers, and yet he encourages them to rejoice in their suffering.  It wasn’t enough to just endure suffering—he tells them to have joy. Paul knew that it wasn’t natural to be joyful in hard times, but through the work of Jesus, Christians have peace with God and access to faith (Romans 5:1-2). Faith allows us to hold onto the hope that suffering isn’t the end of our story.  Because we know that God works within our difficult situations, we can have patience and perseverance for God to complete His work. Perseverance refines our character. As we wait on God, we become people who look more like Jesus, and our trust in God grows stronger. This increases hope within us.  It’s not easy to have hope when you're suffering. But as we trust in God, we are strengthened to continue to endure. When we look at suffering from God’s perspective, we begin to realize that He is working to bring glory to Himself in every situation. God has shown us through the Holy Spirit that He loves us. He suffered and gave Himself for us so that we could have a relationship with Him, and He will continue to give us everything we need to live a life that honors Him. So consider how God is working in your life, even through difficult seasons. Think about the ways God has poured His love into you through the Holy Spirit. Ask Him for strength to persevere, and let that perseverance develop into a strong character that hopes and trusts in God even in hard times. And when persevering gets difficult, hold onto this truth: God has given everything for you, and He will never leave your side.

“Not only so, but we also glory in our sufferings, because we know that suffering produces perseverance; perseverance, character; and character, hope.” ‭‭Romans‬ ‭5‬:‭3‬-‭4‬ ‭NIV‬‬

“Not only so, but we also glory in our sufferings, because we know that suffering produces perseverance; perseverance, character; and character, hope.” ‭‭Romans‬ ‭5‬:‭3‬-‭4‬ ‭NIV‬‬