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01/01/2025 – Hope for an Unseeable Future

/ Chris Courtney / Leave a comment
By en:User:Timjarrett – http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Image:Tower_Optical_Binoculars.jpg, CC BY-SA 3.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=1903627

Happy New Year, friends! I hope you all remembered to set your calendars forward at midnight last night.

My beautiful wife and I saw the new year come in the same way as usual: at home, relaxing, watching the ball drop in Times Square at 11:00pm CST (being from Indiana – an hour ahead of Minnesota – we celebrate with our fellow Hoosiers).

Then we go to bed.

Party animals.

I went to bed last night with thoughts of hope for 2025. I mean, let’s face it: 2024 was what the Grateful Dead might have called “a long, strange trip”. Ugly and mean on a global scale. Hatred working overtime.

Maybe the New Year will see some of this ugliness abate.

I woke this morning and turned on the television to see that, while most of us slumbered, a terrorist drove a truck into a crowd of revelers on Bourbon Street, killing 10 (up to 15 as of last count) and injuring another 30.

So much for hate easing in the new year. Life just isn’t a 1970’s cola commercial.

Apple trees.

Honey bees.

Snow white turtle doves.

Kumbaya, my Lord. We need you more than ever.

I don’t think most of us who follow Jesus are naive enough to believe the world will suddenly be harmonious just because a new year has dawned. And, if any of us puts our hopes in hatred on earth being dispelled, we’re delusional or misinformed.

(Jesus said) “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)

Our hope is not to be found in this world. It never has been. Our hope is found in God through Jesus Christ. He is The One Who is sovereign over all – past, present and future. He is Love. He is Truth. He is our Father. He is far above and beyond any and every situation on this earth.

This year, put your hope firmly on things above. Set your eyes on Jesus Christ. Stay in God’s Word. Pray without ceasing. Trust Him completely. None of us needs to know what’s going to happen tomorrow. Just remember God is with us every second.

Christ with me,
Christ before me,
Christ behind me,
Christ in me,
Christ beneath me,
Christ above me,
Christ on my right,
Christ on my left,
Christ when I lie down,
Christ when I sit down,
Christ when I arise,
Christ in the heart of every man who thinks of me,
Christ in the mouth of everyone who speaks of me,
Christ in every eye that sees me,
Christ in every ear that hears me. – from St. Patrick’s Prayer

Keep hope in Christ for 2025!

Astonishing Humility

/ Chris Courtney / Leave a comment
Nativity of Jesus, Botticelli, c. 1473–1475

Astonishing! This business of Jesus being born of a virgin. Angels coming and going. Three magi arriving at His birthplace by following a star.

And what about His birthplace? Shouldn’t this child the Son of God be in a five-star presidential suite at the swankiest hotel in Bethlehem? Solid gold rattle? Crystal milk bottle? Satin sheets in his carved ivory crib?

No.

Not for this King.

This king came to walk among the people, to light the way, to be our salvation. And He could not truly walk among us if He wasn’t one of us. In other words, Jesus needed to be humble.

And, indeed, humble He was. He proved his humility during his 40 days of temptation, never once falling for any of Satan’s attempts to attract / trap Him with the stuff of this world. What good is anything on earth when you rule over ALL creation?

Jesus was humble throughout His life. Never one selfish act or thought. But don’t make the mistake of equating humility or meekness with weakness. Indeed, just the opposite. Jesus didn’t take the prideful bait of the devil, or the Pharisees or Sadducees, or the Romans, or even His own disciples.

He walked by the law of grace. He loved everybody, including His enemies. He rode into Jerusalem on a donkey, and left this world beaten and bloodied on a cross – not as a martyr, but a willing sacrifice for all who would follow Him.

And, as promised, He rose on the third day after His death. He came back.

He came back.

And He will come back again.

Astonishing! Read the gospels for the whole story. Jesus Christ – God incarnate, fully man and fully God. God Who created a perfect garden and, when we defiled His perfection, still made a way for our salvation. He could have just destroyed humanity at that point.

He could have destroyed us without sparing a remnant through Noah and his family when humanity became so evil and debased that the only way through was for God to destroy all people and the earth beneath our feet.

Instead the LORD made a way. That way led all the way to the Cross.

But the final leg of that journey started not at a hôtel haut de gamme or palatial residence. His nativity was a humble manger. A livestock stable. Far from the big city.

Our God – Creator and Sustainer of all, Who is Love itself, Who is Truth, Who is sovereign over all – humbled Himself, came to earth to live with us sinful, undeserving people, and provided us with the way to salvation.

He is the Way, the Truth and the Life.

Life everlasting.

Had there never been a Christmas, we would not have had an Easter.

Thank you Lord for all the astonishing work you have done for me. For being humble to love such an underserving sinner as me.

Merry Christmas!

PS: Bonus fun fact: the word “nativity” (which means “birthplace”) does not appear anywhere in the New Testament.

Give It Up

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Sleep well dear friends. The God of All Creation – Who is also our Heavenly Father- is at the helm. He is sovereign. He is in control.

Trust in The Lord. Instead of working so hard to understand it all, just surrender. Surrender your whole life- the good, the bad, and the ugly- to God. We are not called to fix it all. We are not expected to have all the answers. We are not in control of the outcome of our circumstances.

We are called to pray.

We are meant to rest in Christ.

We are told to take on Jesus’ yoke, to be tied to Him instead of enslaved to our sin, worries and doubts.

We are instructed to trust in The Lord wholeheartedly.

Entirely.

No ifs ands or buts. No “what ifs”.

Trust in God. Don’t rely on your flawed and limited perception and understanding.

Relax. Rest in Him. Surrender your whole life entirely 100% to our loving Father.

Trust Him.

Rest in Him.

Go to Him with gratitude and praise.

And sleep well.

You are loved beyond measure!

No Merimnaō 

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31 Therefore do not be anxious, saying, ‘What shall we eat?’ or ‘What shall we drink?’ or ‘What shall we wear?’ 32 For the Gentiles seek after all these things, and your heavenly Father knows that you need them all. 33 But seek first the kingdom of God and his righteousness, and all these things will be added to you. – Matthew 6:31-33 [ESV]

When you feel stressed…

When you experience anxiety…

When you are worried…

When the cares of life are dragging you down…

Whatever troubles or cares you are facing, remember: no merimnaō. In other words, do not be anxious. Take no thought. Do not worry. Don’t be filled with care.

The most comprehensive yet simple passage on the subject of worry and anxiety is Philippians 4:4-7. Let’s break it down:

4 Rejoice in the Lord always; again I will say, rejoice. 

Rejoice! Not just when life is going well. But always – regardless of circumstances. Despite troubles. No matter what we’re facing. Not because of our troubles.

Rejoice always – ALWAYS – in God, our Heavenly Father. James instructs us to “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, ESV]). For believers in God through Jesus Christ, the LORD works out the bad things in life to our good. Therefore, we have joy. We rejoice not in the pain but the blessings our Father brings through the circumstances of life.

5 Let your reasonableness be known to everyone. The Lord is at hand; 

Be peaceful and joyful, and set the example of walking through life guided by the LORD, filled with His Spirit and peace. We are called to be salt and light, the example of Jesus to the world. Abd remember the LORD is with us always. He is sovereign over all. He is faithful even when we are not. He is love.

He is love.

Trust in the LORD.

6 do not be anxious about anything, 

Do not be anxious about anything.

Do not be anxious about anything.

Fear nothing. Whatever issues or troubles or trials we face, God is sovereign. God is in control. He is greater than our cares or worries. He has our lives in His hands.

He is our Father.

Trust in the LORD.

but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God. 

Prayer. Connect with the LORD. Worship Him. Open your heart with joy and awe to our Father Who is the Creator and Sustainer of all things.

Supplication. Let God know your needs. Ask Him in faith. “And my God will supply every need of yours according to his riches in glory in Christ Jesus” (Philippians 4:19 [ESV]). But don’t think Paul considers God to be some heavenly sugar daddy. God already knows what each of us needs before we ever ask. But He doesn’t dispense our every earthly desire. If He did, He would do us more harm than good. The LORD wants us to grow and learn. He is far more interested in our eternal lives, not just this short fraction of time we spend here on earth.

Thanksgiving. In God, we have everything we need. He has everything in our lives in His hands. Be thankful! We can do nothing on our own. We certainly can’t save ourselves. Only through the shed blood of Jesus can we attain salvation – an establishment of eternal relationship with God. Be grateful to our Father. If you feel He hasn’t answered your prayers, remember He is sovereign. We are not. He knows what’s best for His children. All things happen in His time, according to His will. Be thankful!

7 And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.

Lay down your worries. Cast off your cares. Go to the Lord with your needs in faith. Thank Him for all He is, all He does. Stop trying to figure out how it’s all going to work out and trust God. Trust Him with your circumstances. Trust Him with your life. Trust and recognize His sovereignty, His faithfulness and His mercy.

So remember: no merim. Be anxious for absolutely nothing. Don’t be afraid. Lay down your burdens and rest in Jesus. Let go of the control we try to cling to over our lives. Realize God is in control over everything. Fill your heart and mind with God’s Word. Seek the LORD first, focusing on our Father instead of our fears. In doing so, we will find the peace of Jesus Christ standing guard over our thoughts and emotions.

Good News for a Dry and Thirsty Soul

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Sometimes life can be harsh.

Hard.

Relentless.

Painful.

Soul draining.

Our souls just feel dry as a desert.

Life’s circumstances weigh us down.

We feel helpless. Hopeless. Confused. Worn down.

Don’t let these feelings get you down. Feelings do not necessarily equal reality.

Do you mind if i share some refreshment for your soul? Take a moment. Take your eyes off your troubles. Take your mind off your circumstances. Focus on Jesus. Focus on His great, unfailing love, grace, mercy and peace.

Take some time to read the below. Let the words soak into your very soul. Think about what the LORD will do for you. Take off the mind of flesh – the thoughts of anxiety or fear or unforgiveness or sorrows or anger or disappointment or what have you. Instead, ask the LORD to give you the mind of Christ.

Rest in the LORD. Entirely. Surrender to our Father. Entirely. Trust in God. Entirely. At all times. In all situations. We don’t have to understand. We just have to trust.

Good night dear friends. You are loved beyond comprehension by the One True and Sovereign Lord God through His Son Jesus,

26 Likewise the Spirit helps us in our weakness. For we do not know what to pray for as we ought, but the Spirit himself intercedes for us with groanings too deep for words. 27 And he who searches hearts knows what is the mind of the Spirit, because the Spirit intercedes for the saints according to the will of God. 28 And we know that for those who love God all things work together for good, for those who are called according to his purpose. 29 For those whom he foreknew he also predestined to be conformed to the image of his Son, in order that he might be the firstborn among many brothers. 30 And those whom he predestined he also called, and those whom he called he also justified, and those whom he justified he also glorified. 31 What then shall we say to these things? If God is for us, who can be against us? – Romans 8:26-31 (ESV)

One For My Son (and all of us!)

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Son, I love you so much that I never want you to fail.

But the reality is you will. At some point in life, you will fail.

Fall.

Face first into the mud.

SPLAT!

It will hurt.

It will be embarrassing.

It won’t be fun.

And, you know what? You’ll do it again. And again.

And again.

Sometimes life is like Charlie Brown playing football with Lucy. You’re running for that ball, giving it all you when -WHOOSH! – she jerks that ball right up off the ground while you’re in mid-kick.

SPLAT!

That’s the sound of your bottom – and your ego – hitting the grass.

Failure is not a bad thing. It’s how we learn. There’s a reason God created birds to kick their chicks out of the nest at a certain point in their maturity. If they spend their lives lying around waiting for mama bird to spit chewed up worms in their mouths, they will never thrive.

Don’t view failure as an end. It isn’t. It’s a step forward. It’s a chance to learn and grow. When you fail, seek God. Ask for His wisdom. Ask Him to pick you up, dust you off and right your path.

Failure is only failure when you fail to grow from it. So seek God first. Be humble in how you deal with your failure. And smile. You’re a step closer!

Finding God in the Book of Romans

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Please join SOULCARE, Monday nights from 6:30-8:00pm at the Riverway Church Operations Center, 321 6th Ave SE, Osseo, MN 55369 We’ll begin our study FINDING GOD IN THE BOOK OF ROMANS. Bring your Bible, a notebook and pen, and an expectant heart, open and ready to hear from the LORD. We look forward to seeing you!

Sleep Well

/ Chris Courtney / Leave a comment

Good night dear friends. Today is done. Over. History. Done. Closed. Filed away. In the books. Fini.

It’s time for blessed rest and sleep. Rest secure in the love, mercy, grace and protection in God through Jesus Christ.

Put aside the heavy weight of the day. Think about God, meditate on His word.

Praise God! Recognize His sovereignty over everything. Praise God for His glory!

Pray. Talk to the Lord. Go to Him with a heart full of gratitude, recognizing all your Father has done – is doing – for you.

Think about the blessings in your life and thank God for them. Thank Him for sending His Son Jesus to die that you might have eternal life.

Trust in the Lord. Rest in Him. Remember our Heavenly Father loves you beyond comprehension. Remember that He is always with you wherever you “feel’ His presence or not.

Remember God turns what the enemy means for evil and makes it for good for His children, for those who love Him.

Rest in the Lord. Sleep well knowing the Lord never changes – He is a steady rock in a shaky world.

Sleep well dear friends. The Lord our Father is with you – now and always.

Just Trust

/ Chris Courtney / Leave a comment

Trust in the Lord with all your heart
    and lean not on your own understanding;
in all your ways submit to him,
    and he will make your paths straight. – Proverbs 3:5-6 (ESV)

You’re probably familiar with the poem “Footsteps in the Sand”. An individual is looking back at his path along the beach of life. He sees two sets of footprints, side by side, except when things were difficult. During hard times, the person noticed only one set of tracks. “Lord, when life was hard, why did you leave me?” “I didn’t”, Jesus responded. “Those are my footsteps. I was carrying you.”

When I look back, I see something a bit different. Before my footsteps disappear, there is a parallel set of deep ruts dug into the sand. This is where Jesus was dragging me along because I kust wouldn’t listen to Him.

More than once, I’ve had to stop and ask myself, once and for all – what’s it going to be?

Am I going to fully trust the Lord with all of my heart, or am I going to continue leaning on my limited, imperfect perceptions?

Am I going to let my Sovereign God run my life, or am I going to continue to foolishly advise Him on what I would do in my situations?

Am I going to be humble and quiet my mighty ego, or am I going to keep trying to do everything my way?

Am I going to put my full faith and trust in my Heavenly Father, or keep wringing my hands in anxiety, worry and fear?

Am I going to relinquish the idea that I have control over my life and recognize God is GOD, or keep frustrating myself with the troubles and trainwrecks self-reliance brings?

Am I ready to – once and for all – cast my cares upon Him, trust Him with all my heart, and realize God knows what’s going on, knows what I need, knows how to see me through any and all circumstances, or keep being stubborn?

If I stop and think about it logically, trusting God is the only choice that makes sense. God is sovereign, I am not. God is omniscient, omnipotent and omnipresent, I am not. God is love, I am not. God is truth, I am not.

God is God.

I am not.

And, for that, I’m thankful.

Trust in the Lord with all your heart. Lean not on your own understanding. God is our Father, our Abba. He is our Savior. He is ever-present and loves us beyond comprehension. Rest in Him.