Every Christian faces tests that challenge their faith. When we encounter these trials, we often ask ourselves: Is there really an answer to my problem? Will God truly provide?

While the Bible confirms God’s desire to care for us, His answers rarely arrive overnight. Often, the breakthrough happens when we least expect it or much later than we hoped. However, we can take heart knowing that God is never too late.

What is Biblical Faith?

Hebrews 11:1 tells us, “Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen.” In other words, faith is having a deep-seated confidence in what we hope for and a certainty about things we cannot yet see. Faith is the confidence that God will do what He promised in the future.

Even as we wait, God invites us to rejoice. True conviction means celebrating the promise as if we already possess it, even while it remains unseen.

Trusting God’s Creative Power

I remember a time when I was frustrated while waiting for my future wife. During that season, a verse about John the Baptist came to mind. He told the Pharisees that God could raise up “sons of Abraham from stones” (Matthew 3:9).

Intellectually, I knew that God could do ANYTHING. But when this verse walked into my consciousness, it declared that even though I didn’t know where my wife was coming from, God was able and willing to create something very special [i.e. a son of Abraham, born to special rights and privilege] from a STONE. This revelation blew me away!

I realized that if God can create life from a stone, He could certainly provide for my future. My only job was to wait.

Guarding Your Soul During Uncertainty

In Luke 21:19, Jesus says, “In your patience, possess ye your souls.” The soul—the seat of our mind, will, and emotions—is where worry and anxiety often take root.

When facing loss or sickness, it is easy to lose heart. In Psalm 42:5, the psalmist asks a vital question: “Why are you cast down, O my soul? And why are you disquieted within me?” When you feel this way, try “speaking” to your soul: remind your emotions of God’s character and the truth of His promises, choosing to anchor yourself in His Word rather than your feelings.

We must ask ourselves this same question. If God’s promises are “Yes and Amen” (2 Corinthians 1:20), why do we let doubt overshadow His Word? The “work of God” is simply to believe in Him (John 6:29), regardless of what the physical world says.

The Power of the “Wait” (Qavah)

We often hate waiting because it makes us feel vulnerable. However, the Hebrew word for wait, qavah, suggests something much deeper than just sitting around.

As Isaiah 40:31 promises, “They that wait upon the Lord shall renew their strength.” Waiting is an active part of our spiritual walk. When we seek Him during the delay, we are promised that we will never be put to shame.

Clearly one simply needs to do a word study to find these valuable reminders:

• Psalm 25:3
• Psalm 27:14
• Psalm 37:9
• Psalm 130:5
• Lamentations 3:25

These verses show that waiting [and seeking Him] are keen parts of our walk. if you are in a season of waiting, remember: those who hope in Him will never be disappointed.

If you have grown tired of waiting, leave a comment in the comments section. I will answer as soon as I can!

The holiday season that spans from the birth of Christ to His resurrection offers a unique opportunity for “live discussions” about the core of our faith. It is a time for deep conversations with children and seekers alike about why He came, how He lived, and why He died.

A local church Christmas play recently posed a fascinating question: “Why didn’t Jesus come as a Ninja superhero?” To understand the answer, we must look past the “titular” roles of a deity and examine the profound mystery of the Hypostatic Union: Christ as fully God and fully man.

A Voluntary Sacrifice: “I Lay Down My Life”

A common misconception is that Christ was a victim of circumstance or a crime. However, the Bible is clear that His death was a legal payment for a “sin debt” that humanity could not pay.

As a sinless man, Jesus was not subject to death as we are. He had no sin to make Him liable for the grave. Therefore, His death was a deliberate choice. In John 10:17-18, He declares:

“I lay down my life… no man taketh it from me.”

His sacrifice was not the act of someone being killed; it was the act of a King laying down His authority to ransom His people.

The Gethsemane Struggle: Surrendering the Will

Before the cross came the garden. In Gethsemane, we see the humanity of Christ in its most relatable state: reluctant, struggling, and seeking another way.

The Preparation

Jesus had been preparing for this moment for some time. At the Transfiguration, he received counsel from Moses and Elijah regarding His “departure” (the Greek word used is exodos). Even with this heavenly counsel, the weight of the task was immense.

The Decision

In Mark 14:36, Jesus asks the Father if the suffering can be removed, yet He concludes with the ultimate act of leadership:

“…nevertheless, not what I will, but what thou wilt.”

Jesus leads in a way we often fail to imagine—by giving up His will. This is a level of insight and submission that goes against human nature, yet it is the very thing that secures our freedom.

Soul Restoration: Mind, Will, and Emotions

Biblical salvation is not just a ticket to heaven; it is the restoration of the soul. According to Scripture, the soul consists of three primary components: the mind, the will, and the emotions.

To be truly transformed, these three areas must be sacrificially given back to God:

1. The Mind: We are told we have the “mind of Christ” (1 Cor. 2:16) and must renew our thinking.
2. The Emotions: We develop the compassion of Christ as we are changed into His likeness.
3. The Will: Just as Christ did in Gethsemane, we must forfeit our own will to complete the restoration of our souls (Psalm 23:3).

The Passion of Surrender

What happened in Gethsemane was the ultimate example of “Passion.” It wasn’t just about the physical suffering of the body, but the total surrender of His everything for us.

By observing His surrender, we find the roadmap for our own lives. We aren’t called to be superheroes; we are called to be submitted, allowing our minds, wills, and emotions to be redeemed by the one who gave up His own for our sake.

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“Which part of the soul—the mind, the will, or the emotions—do you find the hardest to surrender to the Prince of Peace? Share your thoughts in the comments below.”

Painting by Enrique Simonet Lombardo {{PD-1996}} Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons

We were able to visit the world famous Prado Museum and yes, we waited for the free visit hours in a line for a while before we were let in. Now that everyone is carrying a camera at all times, all the visitors were compelled to comply with rule forbidding photography. I was excited but I wasn’t sure what to expect.

My wife and I wandered the rooms and halls knowing we couldn’t view everything, but relishing the incredible timeless paintings and sculpture. The Prado holds artwork from Spain’s own Goya as well as Rubens, Rafael and even Rembrandt.

The Painting

After walking through several rooms, I walked through one door way and my heart fell. Most of the gallery rooms are quite large and one of the main areas is literally several hundred feet long. I was entering one room when I saw the painting.

Previous visits to museums taught me that there is an optimal distance for viewing paintings. No painting [that I am aware of ] is meant to be viewed up close. One needs perspective to see the depth, shading and detail added by the artist.

This painting measures 18 feet by 10 feet high! Upon entering the room I was immediately entranced into the captured moment. I knew it was Christ and His disciples gazing over Jerusalem. I was then compelled to know what moment the artist had captured.

I assumed that the artist had chosen Matthew 23:37 “O Jerusalem, Jerusalem, thou that killest the prophets, and stonest them which are sent unto thee, how often would I have gathered thy children together, even as a hen gathereth her chickens under her wings, and ye would not!” [KJV]

That was not it.

For me the sense of sorrow was pervasive as the color of the sky helped deliver the tone and accented how He expressed his sorrow. It was as if the turmoil Jerusalem would experience was revealed to him at that moment.

Luke 19:41

In my mind, this was the time for the Matthew 23:37 speech, but according to some scholars, his admonishment for Jerusalem only came after entering the city. The artist cites Luke 19:41 as the inspiration which took place during the approach to the city known as the “Palm Sunday parade”.

One commentator declares that Jesus must have repeated some ideas on different occasions. It seems that all of this speech could have been shared in one extended reveal of Jerusalem’s future fate.

All of this cannot be allowed to overshadow the fact that Jesus, architect, creator & ruler of creation was moved to tears by compassion on the fate of the city. He gifted Simonet with a glimpse of his ongoing passion.

My Dungeons Shook is a James Baldwin essay dedicated to his namesake nephew. A recurring theme in Diasporic literature has an elder providing advice e.g. sage wisdom to a protégé that informs descent into manhood. Earlier versions in this genre include the book of Proverbs written by Solomon to his son.

Another modern and particularly popular iteration was written by Ta Nahisi Coates sharing his anxiety of living in these United States with his son. Freedom for the Jailer is dedicated to relatives that I would share with understanding that mothers and grandmothers already talk with girls and boys, warning them that they must be smart about problems that causes trouble. Because bad trouble could lead to jail.

Jail is where no one wants to land because not only will you be locked up, but your dreams will be locked up with you. Strange things happen in jail and no Black man can afford the risk of long-term incarceration. The jailers just don’t care.

One jailer that didn’t care had the tables turned. One night after midnight, an earthquake opened the doors to the jail and broke the chains. Sworn to duty, the jailer almost took his life as he assumed the prisoners had escaped. The prisoner named Paul shouted “We’re here, do no harm!”

The jailer took the prisoner to his home and received Christ that night. The jailer was freed.

Black people have been jailed for 400 years. The jailer must be freed so we can be freed. Sons, grandsons and friends: Here are five concepts that will support your successful career, better your life and keep you free.

i] We were always taught that Education was key to success in America. Betty Hayes went to her grave believing that the opportunity to move up was bound to being better prepared. Education is life giving. One learns and even what he doesn’t know gets revealed as he continues to learn.

Unfortunately, decades into the 21st century, the workplace and economy conceded the need for both academic and skill-based education for workplace success. Market forces have not managed to bring down the cost of a college education. This is a spurious combination in the light of falling demand as a result of the fear of long-term debt and layoffs of college-educated middle management in many sectors.

ii] The second tenet certainly falls in tandem with the first. Reflect on this statement: Hard work is an emblem to those around you. Humility is an emblem to God. Today there is constant temptation to cut corners and to take the ‘easy’ route. Those around you are influenced by your example. They will take cues from your performance. The Lord will give you favor to lead.

The world has grown comfortable with those who bully others and steamroll themselves to the top. Paul’s advice about leadership explains it well. A leader must be well-thought-of, committed to his wife, cool and collected, accessible, and hospitable. He must know what he’s talking about, not be overfond of wine, not pushy but gentle, not thin-skinned, not money-hungry. He must handle his own affairs well, attentive to his own children and having their respect.

[I Tim. 3:2-4 MSG]

iii] Charity begins with you, sharing with and loving on others with no expectation of return. The entire earth is the Lord’s and everything in it (which includes all of your little stuff too). There’s no need to hoard. The love of God is free. God is love.

iv] Your closest friend will let you down. Jesus never will.

This includes your wife; cherish her anyway. The better you know Jesus, the less likely you will feel disappointed. Spend time with him.



v] Learn the value and virtue of patience. Especially with yourself. Everyone has trials and various kinds of drama, but will you outlast it? “. . . trouble don’t last always” Will you demeanor and temperament be an example to peers and co-workers? Are you mindful that the Lord is always watching?

The Word of God is alive; sharper than a two-edged sword but is it really true?What is truth?Is the Bible really relevant?What do you believe – what are you willing to believe?Jonah and the whale? [This must be a biblical fairy tale]

Dinosaurs – they’re not really in the Bible, so where do they fit?Tithing [do you actually believe that God will meet all of your needs if you give Him the first 10 percent of your money?]God’s provision for healing – we know He can, but will He?Spanking and corporal punishment [it’s in the Bible but it can’t be true –can it?]Homosexuality [man-made or affliction?]There are so many dissenting words and diverse meanings in the world. People who say that they are Christians, religious, spiritual but they seem just as if not more confused than we are. Yet another sign that these are the last days – as Paul said there would be people who “have a form of godliness but deny the power thereof” [II Tim 3:5]Translations, canonical

“I believe the Bible but there are some parts that I don’t understand – there must have been something wrong in the translation”.I have a problem understanding people whose concept is so limited that the Almighty God of Hosts couldn’t make a way for His indelible word to be recorded and available for the entire world, to those who want it.We must remember I Corinthians 2:14 “. . the natural man receiveth not the things of the Spirit of God; for they are foolishness unto him: neither can he know them because they are spiritually discerned.”You may need to do a self-check; if you are having such difficulty with believing – It has been said that some Christians believe that the bible is inspired in spots, some spots are inspired by God and others are just wrong.If you have never taken a language course, especially Aramaic, Greek or Hebrew [the biblical languages] you might need to do so and find out not only the intricacy of the languages, but the clarity of the best known translations. One needs to be very clear that while there may be some difference in the nuance of how a phrase is rendered. There is very little difference between one translation and another in what is literally meant, especially in the exegetical light of historical context.This is a Faith FightUnfortunately, the less you know – the better it is for our adversary, who needs us to be ignorant to our rights, responsibilities and privileges as believers and heirs to the Kingdom. If you remain skeptical about the power of God’s word and its efficacy to assist and to conduct warfare – you will remain powerless.My one-word synonym for faith is “conviction”. Are you convinced that God can do what He says He will do? Are you convinced that His word is literally true? Do you think that He made promises for poetic value? Have you put God in a box?The writer of Hebrews states that “The word preached did not profit them, not being mixed with faith in them that heard it” [4:2]The word will only be profitable for us but it can only be if we place faith in it – if we are convinced that God’s word is alive [rendered quick in Heb. 4:12 ];

• enduring [“But the word of the Lord will last forever” – I Pet. 1:25];
• and powerful [“He sent his word and healed them and delivered them from all of their destructions” – Psa. 107:20]

In John 6:29, Jesus states “This is the work of God, that you believe on him whom he has sent” That is, believe that He is Messiah and ergo, believe in the intrinsic value of the work he performed while on earth. The trick [if you will] of the work is to remain convinced [without regard to circumstance]. This is more difficult than it sounds. Take for example: The Israelites when they left Egypt, they had just witnessed a great deliverance. They experienced the catastrophe of the Passover and the duress that the Egyptians felt as their sons and livestock died. They left Egypt and faced the first hurdle i.e. The Red Sea. They were ready to go back to Egypt.The Apostle Paul states: “Fight the good fight of faith, lay hold of eternal life” Although spiritually you will try to keep your faith, the nature of the fight continually works to shake your faith and confidence in the promises of God. The circumstances and appearances all work against faith but you have to know what you know. The substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen.To continue with this metaphor, we are in a fight using the weapons(s) given for the fight. The breastplate of righteousness, feet shod with the preparation of the gospel of peace, the helmet of salvation, loins gird with the truth, above all with the shield of faith.To open this up even more we need to understand:1] All items mentioned are defensive armamentNotice how the armor of God is used, the inner most garment is the truth.Jesus said “And you shall know the truth and the truth shall make you free” John 8:32A fighter who cannot get solid traction will surely get knocked out! The traction is the preparation of the good news of God’s peace with man. Above all using the shield of faith – your key defensive weapon because it’s a fight, a faith fight!!2] The only offensive weapon is the swordThe word of God is a sword, but not the leather and paper – the word that can be used as a weapon is the word that you have embedded in your heart. How is the word of God used? Mt. 4:4, 4:7, 4:10Jesus said, “heaven and earth will pass away but my word will not pass away” Mk. 13:31Reality exposed says that the word of God is real and true.

Discussions about the baptism of the Holy Spirit often spark conflict. This confusion is partly due to spiritual opposition—the “prince of the air” seeking to block God’s children from accessing this gift.

The Dual Metaphor: The Well and the River

Jesus addressed the nature of spiritual rebirth and gifting in two primary passages, which at first glance may appear contradictory but actually describe two separate spiritual experiences.

1. The Gift of Salvation (The Well)

In John 4:10–14, during His encounter with the Samaritan woman, Jesus offers the “gift of God,” characterized as “living water.”

“But the water that I give him shall be in him a well of water springing into everlasting life” (John 4:14).

This “well” represents the internal work of salvation—a self-contained source of eternal life that satisfies the individual’s spiritual thirst.

2. The Baptism of the Holy Spirit (The River)

Conversely, in John 7:37–39, during the Feast of Tabernacles, Jesus offers a more expansive promise:

“If any man thirst, let him come unto me, and drink. He that believeth on me, as the scripture hath said, out of his belly shall flow rivers of living water” (John 7:37–38).

The Apostle John clarifies parenthetically in verse 39 that Jesus “spake of the Spirit, which they that believe on him should receive.”

The Distinction: There is no contradiction here, but rather a distinction in volume and purpose. While both gifts involve the Holy Spirit (symbolized by water), the “well” represents the limitation of personal sustenance (salvation), whereas the “river” represents an endless, overflowing capacity intended for outward manifestation and ministry.

How do we receive these gifts that God has for us? Jesus appeared to understand this confusion we would have about receiving his gift. He responds in the 11^th chapter of Luke’s gospel in the midst of teaching on prayer: “If ye then, being evil, know how to give good gifts to your children; how much more shall your heavenly Father give the Holy Spirit to them that ask him?” (Vs. 13)[KJV]

The Gift of Tongues

Significant controversy surrounds the manifestation of “speaking in tongues.” This highly visible gift is often dismissed by those who haven’t experienced it and overemphasized by those who have. Paul’s letters to the Corinthian church address this very imbalance, reminding us that every gift is intended to bless the corporate church.

Paul’s discussions of the gifts of the spirit begin in Chapter 12 of the first Corinthian letter. He says he wants the church to understand the realities of those gifts. He discusses in detail the differences in administration of the gifts, how the church as a whole (metaphorically described as the ‘body of Christ’) needs the different gifts not only the manifestation gifts but also the gifts given as offices in the church i.e. pastors, prophets, etc. Barclay’s translation of verse 7 reads, “The visible effect which the Spirit produces in each of us is designed for the common good”. In other words, by whatever means the Spirit manifests himself, it is for the good of all.

God is sovereign and He will make himself known by His power working in the earth i.e. the Holy Spirit in whatever ways he see fit. The spirit world is not limited by time or space so the manifestation of the Spirit as exhibited in biblical times cannot be limited or relegated to those times. We must expect that as God lives, and more importantly, lives in us, His spirit will manifest himself in ways we have seen written in the word and in ways unimaginable.

Ultimately, Paul reminds us in 1 Corinthians 13 that without Agape (unconditional love), these gifts lose their relevance. Love is the “string” that ties everything together—it is the primary evidence of the “well of living water” within us.

Text: I John 2:12-14

In business, in politics, in any number of human endeavors we work to gauge our progress, our attainment, and our achievement. Many examine bank statements, time measurement, games won, awards garnered and other means by which we determine improvement.

Do we do so in spiritual matters? Is there a way that we can make a statement about the way that we have evolved in our spiritual affairs? While there may be some incremental growth that would be harder to determine over short periods of time, the Lord has provided a way to look at our growth over time that allows us to assess where we are and how we need to think about our next steps.

John describes how there are three major categories in the growth cycle of Christians:

Little Children

Young Men 

Fathers

Little Children

Examining the text, we find that the children have some clear defining characteristics. He doesn’t say that they are not saved!

Young Christians may say as the disciples said, “Lord, increase our faith” Luke. 17:5

The bible says that “faith cometh by hearing and hearing by the word of God” Romans 10:17

But it doesn’t come overnight, so then we have need of patience Hebrews 10:36

And again, Hebrews 6:12 “ … be ye followers of them who through faith and patience inherit the promises”

Faith and patience are the keys to growth in the long-term. Let’s define what patience is and how it figures into the growth equation. Patience is rendered “endurance and perseverance in many of the translations and dictionaries.

Even Jesus tells us that “In your patience, possess ye your souls” Luke. 21:19

They “have known the Father” and their ”sins are forgiven . . . for his name’s sake”

The trouble with babies and young children is that they are in danger from a number of dangerous things around that could potentially stunt their growth or endanger their lives! We grow on a physical level in spite of ourselves, in contrast with our spiritual selves that only readily grow as we are fed the Word. We can also gauge our growth against our response to life’s circumstances and temptation.

Didn’t Jesus pray “deliver us from temptation” – that we would fall prey to, “but deliver us from evil” Another translation says “Don’t let us yield to temptation, but deliver us from the evil one.” This prayer petitions the Father to give us the daily bread (feeding) that we need that allows us to grow, while asking His assistance to avoid the wrong things that we would encounter during our days on earth.

An interesting parallel verse is found in Hebrews 5:12,13 &14 where the writer explains that a young Christian whose stunted growth has kept him from teaching so he is forced to continue with the first principles (milk) rather than graduate to other profitable principles available.

He goes on to say that strong meat belongs to those who “by reason of use” [who are mature] who have trained themselves to recognize the difference between right and wrong . . . so then the parallel is in the Peter’s 2^nd epistle (1:4-7) where we are admonished to add to our faith virtue [moral excellence], and to virtue knowledge, and to knowledge temperance, and to temperance patience, and to patience godliness all of this to receive the exceeding great and precious promises.

Baby Christians end up trying to see how much wrong they can tolerate and still be Christians not knowing that these practices and philosophy keep them babies.

Young men

Are said to be “strong’ and have the word of God abiding in them. They also have “overcome the wicked one”.

This is a great testimony and of value as a measuring stick against which to gauge your enlistment in God’s army. Logically, one would have to have had some experience in battle with the wicked one to have overcome him. The experienced spiritual warrior understands the nature of spiritual warfare and is equipped with the tools [the Word] to be victorious.

This warfare means victory but that victory yields us the peace of God to continue in the struggle no matter what you encounter. So then the young men learn little by little, that the tribulations that they suffer is the cause for rejoicing. Romans 5:3-5 tells us that tribulations work patience and patience experience and experience hope,

Hope always keeps us looking at the future where we are expectant that God allows us to overcome once and for all.

Fathers

James writes that we may have a thousand instructors in Christ but not many fathers. Notice the single requirement of the Father – “You have known him that is from the beginning”

The spiritual father has a serene grace to his walk with God. He is not overwhelmed with the trappings of outward appearance. Neither is he trying to prove the veracity of his relationship.

He is much like the Husbandman [farmer] in James 5: 7-8 who waits patiently for his crops to grow. He waits for the rains (the enrichment of the Holy Spirit who acts and creates ways for God’s will to be performed on the earth.

Many of the other translations reiterate you have known him that is from the beginning. [Christ]. This statement begs the question of context. Spiritual fathers have a grasp of the nature of the origin of not only Christ but an awareness of his everlasting, unending nature. This is a source of great peace – because of covenant and relationship. There is no need to fear or be apprehensive. So then as James says early on “let patience have her perfect work, that ye may be perfect and entire wanting nothing.” One grows perfect and entire, complete and fully-grown. One is not anxious about external issues but assured that God remains on the throne and in charge. Forever! Amen!