Tag: Aaron Winner

Too Much Experience

1 Kings 15:1-24
2 Chronicles 13-16

I will be celebrating my 40th birthday in just a few short weeks. To be candid, I’m not exactly thrilled about this milestone—but one thing I am looking forward to is being able to say, “That was half a lifetime ago.” There’s something satisfying in acknowledging that with age has come experience.

One of the longest experiences I’ve had is playing guitar. For the last 1,352 weeks, I have averaged a few hours of play and have become masterful at my style. That’s not a gloat or a flex—just an illustration that I’m familiar with my craft. Much of what I do now is second nature, developed through repetition and refined over time. The same could be said of anyone who’s practiced a craft or trade for a significant portion of their life.

But experience is a double-edged sword. It gives us the ability to say things like, “I’ve seen this before,” or “We’ve already tried that,” or “We’ve made it through worse.” That can build confidence as we develop our approach. But when we rely solely on experience or live under the illusion there is nothing to learn, we may fail to consult the Word of the Lord. We make ourselves the master of our own fate, and in time, we are doomed to fail.

King Asa was a dependable leader. After the division of the kingdom, his reign represented a season of peace and prosperity.  These blessings came upon the whole of Judah because he “did what was good and right in the eyes of the Lord.” Asa tore down idols, repaired the temple, and called the people to return to God. He didn’t trust in his half-million soldiers alone.  He petitioned the Lord for help:

“Lord, there is no one like you to help the powerless against the mighty. Help us, Lord our God, for we rely on you, and in your name we have come against this vast army. Lord, you are our God; do not let mere mortals prevail against you.” – 2 Chronicles 14:11

As a result God delivered Asa and the people of Judah.  In gratitude and commitment, Asa responded in worship.  His people offered a tremendous sacrifice as a wholehearted oath to their Deliverer. Again, the Lord gave them a season of rest.

But in Asa’s 36th year—after decades of faithfulness—something changed. Faced with conflict, he no longer sought the Lord. Instead, he relied on his own strategy, forming a treaty with a foreign power. The prophet Hanani rebuked him:

“Were not the Cushites and Libyans a mighty army with great numbers of chariots and horsemen? Yet when you relied on the Lord, he delivered them into your hand. For the eyes of the Lord range throughout the earth to strengthen those whose hearts are fully committed to him. You have done a foolish thing, and from now on you will be at war.” – 2 Chronicles 16:8–9

The temptation to take matters into our own hands often comes not in times of scarcity, but in times of prosperity.  Our experience, knowledge, notoriety, or wealth can make us feel capable, but no matter our breadth or depth, we each have  blind spots and limitations that fall far short of the omniscience of our Heavenly Father.  This is the great irony: the more experienced we become in serving the Lord, the more we should rely on His voice. If anything, maturity should deepen our dependence, not diminish it.

God is ready to win battles for those who are whole-hearted committed to Him. May we be found among them—not only in our youth or our desperation, but even more in our decades of experience. Let us not confuse our  familiarity with faithfulness. And when we hear His voice—whether in instruction, correction, or comfort—may we respond with the same dependence that brought us to Him in the first place.

-Aaron Winner

Reflection Questions

  1. What did Asa do right? What did Asa do wrong? What might his thought process or motives been when he was doing right? And when he did wrong?
  2. Consider your own life – when did you seek the Lord and He blessed you for it? When did you NOT seek the Lord, but relied on your own strength, decision making skills, and human knowledge? What was the outcome?
  3. What does it look like to seek the Lord and rely on Him?
  4. In what areas are you currently relying on the Lord? Where are you in danger of falling into the “too experienced”, can-do-this-on-my-own trap?
SGL.2025.JuneFullPageDownload

Affirming Voices

2 Chronicles 10-12

You may be familiar with the book The 5 Love Languages by Dr. Gary Chapman, which gained some notoriety around the turn of the millennium. The premise is that each of us feels and expresses love primarily through one of five ways, and it benefits us not only to understand ourselves but also to learn how our spouse, family, and coworkers prefer to receive love and encouragement.

My love language happens to be “words of affirmation,” meaning I feel loved when people offer praise, encouragement, or a thoughtful compliment. While offering this kind of edification should be part of how we love others at some level, our attraction to affirmation can sometimes replace truth with feeling. When that happens, we may reject godly wisdom in favor of voices that echo our pride.

In 2 Chronicles 10–12, we revisit the story of the rhyming rulers: Jeroboam and Rehoboam. In yesterday’s account from Kings, we focused on Jeroboam’s role in rebelling against Solomon’s successor. Today, we focus on the critical crossroads of the kingdom, seen in Rehoboam’s response to the people’s request: “Please, lighten the load” (10:4).

At first, it appeared Rehoboam had inherited his father Solomon’s wisdom—he asked for time and consulted seasoned advisers. These elders urged compassion and mercy, suggesting he serve the people in order to win their loyalty. But Rehoboam rejected their counsel (10:8), choosing instead to listen to his inexperienced peers—yes-men and blowhards who flattered him for their own gain. He sought affirming voices, not truthful ones, and chose pride over prudence.

Let’s take a moment to reflect on the voices we allow into our ears.  When we struggle in our Christian walk, do we welcome critique from a brother or sister in Christ who lovingly holds us accountable? Or do we prefer the reassuring voice of a coworker who says, “You’re doing fine—no one can live like that all the time”? When God’s Word convicts us, are we willing to change? Or do we search for justifications that let us edit the commands of our Heavenly Father? Are we allowing ourselves to be sharpened by iron, or do we dull the blade with confirmation bias?

Spiritual maturity means knowing the voice of the Shepherd and following only Him. His voice convicts us through the Living Word, speaks to us through the faithful message of a pastor or prophet, and often appears in a candid conversation with a friend. Ready yourself to listen to the voices that challenge your sin, confront your plans, and redirect you toward obedience. God will be there in the battle to meet you, as he did a humbled Jeroboam, with a greater grace and divine deliverance.

“In the end, when Rehoboam and the leaders of Israel humbled themselves, they declared, ‘The Lord is just’ And the Lord, seeing their humility, relented: ‘Since they have humbled themselves, I will not destroy them but will soon give them deliverance’” 2 Chronicles 12:6, 7

-Aaron Winner

Reflection Questions

  1. From above “…do we welcome critique from a brother or sister in Christ who lovingly holds us accountable?”
  2. “When God’s Word convicts us, are we willing to change? Or do we search for justifications that let us edit the commands of our Heavenly Father?”
  3. “Are we allowing ourselves to be sharpened by iron, or do we dull the blade with confirmation bias?”
  4. What roles do pride and humility play in today’s passage? What roles do they play in your life today? What will it look like and sound like and feel like for you to humble yourself before God today?
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The Error of Innovation

1 Kings 12-14

If you’re like me, you’ve purchased an “assembly required” item and unpacked the contents without thumbing through the instructions. “How hard could it be to turn a few screws and boards into a bookshelf?” Halfway through the build, you realize you used the wrong board in one section, another is fitted upside down, and in your haste, you’re now down at least one screw. Necessity may be the mother of invention, but sometimes innovation comes from darker places—with consequences far greater than a shoddy IKEA build. Pride and fear can quickly lead us into folly as we try to adjust and adapt without seeking counsel. Likewise, our spiritual life was never meant to be self-driven, self-led, or self-defined. To build our relationship with God, we are called to be faithful to His instructions and selfless in their pursuit.

In today’s reading, King Jeroboam is appointed as the new leader of Israel. As he takes the reins, he surveys the political pieces of a recently split kingdom. His people had long worshiped in Jerusalem, which remained part of the rival kingdom of Judah. Jeroboam feared that his people’s loyalty would ultimately shift back to Rehoboam, king of Judah, from the anointed house of David. Instead of consulting the God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob or one of His prophets, Jeroboam devises his own solution to keep the people close to home.

“Jeroboam thought to himself, ‘The kingdom will now likely revert to the house of David…'” So the king made two golden calves. He said to the people, ‘It is too much for you to go up to Jerusalem. Here are your gods, Israel, who brought you up out of Egypt.'” (1 Kings 12:26, 28)

Jeroboam took up his place as both the political and spiritual leader of Israel, but motivated by fear and a desire for control, he led God’s people astray. He created false idols, counterfeit altars, and bogus festivals—all in an attempt to keep his people from returning to the holy city of Jerusalem. Leaving behind the moral clarity of God’s commands, it became easier and more accessible to engage in a made-up religion that appeared similar on the surface to what they knew to be true. They were working with the same pieces, but some were flipped upside down, some placed in the wrong spot, and others lost along the way. As their worship moved farther from Jerusalem, the distance between Israel and God grew greater.

There is a stark warning here for the adjustments and innovations we see in the Church today. We must be careful that our worship, ministry, and evangelism do not favor convenience over obedience or comfort over conviction. If we fail to heed this warning, we may end up with well-developed systems that contain many of the same pieces—but are no longer building the Kingdom of God. Instead, we risk creating idols and events that offer no eternal hope. Granted, we may not be fashioning golden calves, but when we prioritize comfort over truth, we risk building spiritual lives rooted in fear, insecurity, and pride—lives that are void of God’s instruction.

It has never been about innovating what works for us or embracing a “you do you” mentality. God demands surrender and faithfulness in our daily worship, which means we will likely find ourselves worshiping in the city of our enemies from time to time. Resist the urge to craft a god who fits us. Instead, let us be molded to fit His purpose and to build His Kingdom according to His Gospel instructions.

-Aaron Winner

Reflection Questions

  1. What problems do you think God saw in Jeroboam? Do you think God ever sees these same problems in you?
  2. What does God desire from us – in our worship and in the way we live our lives?
  3. What are your thoughts about the following: “If we fail to heed this warning, we may end up with well-developed systems that contain many of the same pieces—but are no longer building the Kingdom of God” ? Have you seen this occur? How can we better heed this warning for our lives and for our church and for the Kingdom of God?
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Living Beyond Contentment

Proverbs 30-31

When eating, it takes our bodies roughly twenty minutes to register that we are full. During this window, it’s still easy to overindulge—residual hunger hormones convince our brains that we aren’t yet satisfied. Giving in to a few extra bites can become a few extra pounds, and even small overindulgences, even in the short-term, can harm our well-being.

In many ways, we are wired to live beyond contentment. We accumulate extra clothes, extra cars, and extra rooms. While I have certainly faced seasons where I have battled with “not enough,” more often, I’ve wrestled with “too much.” And the more I feed desire, the more ravenous it becomes. When indulgence becomes a habit, our appetite grows louder while our awareness of God’s provision grows quieter under the noise of stuff-shifting.

To be content at the dinner table is to put the silverware down and wait. It requires restraint—a virtue that feels increasingly radical in every facet of living. As we saw with Solomon’s story yesterday, prosperity can easily deceive us into thinking we are self-sufficient. In today’s reading, Agur’s prayer in Proverbs 30 echoes a more familiar prayer taught by Jesus to His disciples. Daily bread is the quiet miracle of enough. [1 Kings 17:13-16; Matt 6:9,10]

“Two things I ask of you, Lord; do not refuse me before I die:
Keep falsehood and lies far from me;
give me neither poverty nor riches,
but give me only my daily bread.
Otherwise, I may have too much and disown you
and say, ‘Who is the Lord?’
Or I may become poor and steal,
and so dishonor the name of my God.” (Proverbs 30:7–9)

Wisdom is a gift that Solomon received, and God still gives generously to those who expectantly ask (Jam 1:5-8). Contentment, too, is a gift from the Heavenly Father—who provided manna in the wilderness, the Bread of Life in Christ, and continues to meet our daily needs. Contentment stretches far beyond finances or hunger. It reaches into our identity, our roles, our relationships, even our location and life stage. Paul’s famous declaration—“I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me (Phil 4:11:13)”—wasn’t about achievement , but learning contentment even within prison walls, fully surrendering the perks of his previous identity.

We do not live to satisfy our cravings. To live beyond contentment is to collect moldy manna, an untrusting load that serves no purpose. Instead, we are invited to live as shrewd and savvy worshipers: disciplined with our efforts, generous with our resources, and joyful in simplicity (Proverbs 31). In this way, we show ourselves devoted and dependent—not on what we can store up, but on the One who supplies.  If we are to live in excess, let it be in the goodness of a Father who meets every need and has satisfied our debt with the death of His Son and whose grace is sufficient for every demand.

-Aaron Winner

Reflection Questions

  1. Are there instances/areas when you have lived, or are living, beyond contentment? Do you have a collection of moldy manna?
  2. What do you think the secret of contentment is?
  3. How does Proverbs 30:7-9 differ from “worldly wisdom”?
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Gifts, God and Glory

1 Kings 10-11
2 Chronicles 9

There are simply some things you have to see with your own eyes to understand what all the hype is about. To stand at the edge of the Grand Canyon or to gaze from the helm of a ship in the middle of the ocean are images that have been perpetuated as pinnacle experiences through pop culture. While it’s possible to be in awe while reading a description or gazing at a photo, the real deal—being present in these places—has left me in wonder at the work of the Almighty.

In a similar manner, the stories of Solomon’s wisdom had spread like wildfire, reaching as far as the Horn of Africa—which, in ancient historical terms, was viral. The tale of a singularly wise leader whose work had led Israel into a time of ultimate prosperity made all the hype seem too good to be true. The Queen of Sheba, having received these reports, had to hear and see for herself. What she found was that the blessings were abundant and beyond even what was reported. The sights and sounds of Israel were breathtaking, but none more than the wisdom of King Solomon. After taking it all in, the Queen acknowledged that the sovereign God of Israel had placed Solomon on the throne to rule at such a time.

“Praise be to the Lord your God, who has delighted in you and placed you on the throne of Israel. Because of the Lord’s eternal love for Israel, he has made you king to maintain justice and righteousness.”
—1 Kings 10:9

In contrast, in the very next chapter of 1 Kings, we watch the eyes of Solomon shift—from service of the Most High to service of his own flesh. From my own speculations, taken from the perspective in Ecclesiastes, it seems that for a season Solomon focused more on the gifts of God than on his relationship with Him. Israel began looking more like the king and less like its God under Solomon’s direction. He established altars for the gods of his wives and concubines, reshaping not only the physical locations but also the worship of the people. The evidence was in: the splendor of this kingdom, which once pointed to the protection of an undefeated Most High God, was now showing signs of the waning wisdom of a compromised king calling his own shots.

As we read these contrasting moments in Solomon’s life, we should turn and reflect on our own. We may not have the accolade of being the “-est” of anything, but there are tales that could be reaching far and wide about us. When we are visited, our “place settings inspected,” and people look at our sacrifice, what does all our effort and show point to? Are we encouraged—or offended—by those who look at the catalogue of our life’s work and give God the credit?

When God has His hand upon us, it can be recognized and sought by strangers from a distant land who hunger or thirst for answers to their questions. The truth is, sometimes from the outside looking in, the beauty of God’s hand in our lives is more clearly seen. Conversely, from the inside looking out, we may gaze upon the gifts of the Lord and mistakenly see them as our own handiwork, when it is by God’s glory that we are richly blessed. The warning given to us by Job is that the One who gives and multiplies can also take away and divide.

The hype of God has been—and will continue to be—acknowledged by those who look at it from afar in awe. However, the goodness of God is best experienced firsthand, through encountering Him with every thought and action. Let us not forget that He is the provider of grace and the bestower of the fruits of His Spirit; we could never attain these through our own effort. Don’t be so entangled in the blessing that you forget the intention with which it was given: to demonstrate the glory of our Heavenly Father.

-Aaron Winner

Reflection Questions

  1. What thoughts, feelings, desires, or motives do you think led Solomon astray? Which of these same thoughts, feelings, desires, or motives do you see in yourself?
  2. In what ways would you like to be like Solomon? In what ways will you work at not being like Solomon?
  3. Are there gifts God has given you that you have mistakenly viewed as your own handiwork? What happens when we focus on the gifts rather than the Gifter? How can we better see what God has given and in return give to Him the credit, thanks and glory for all His wonderful gifts.
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Joy of Every Longing Heart

Job 1-5

Students may feel time stands still, waiting the release of a school day, but where reality is truly suspended is at a school dance.  I am no scientist, but I believe Albert Einstein must have been chaperoning teenagers when he discovered the theory of relativity.  It isn’t just one thing that makes it feel like you are locked into an eternal session on “Cotton-Eye Joe” on a Friday afternoon, but the combination of the shouting,  the music, the shouting, the running, the shouting, the smells, and the shouting, create a enormous sense of anticipation and longing for escape.

Today in our chronological study, we end up in a completely different book. Job is thought to historically settle in and around the time of Abraham, but there is room for debate. Personally, I like the fade to black, and the entry into another storyline.  Multiple narratives, whether in our texts or as we edify one another today, demonstrate that God is working to bring all things to one conclusion or resolution, which indeed is our great joy as we consider his uniting Kingdom.

Conversely, the vast majority of Job’s story is within the walls of great suffering, where time seemingly stands still; the playlist is that of devastating loss. Job’s health, his wealth, and his family are stripped from him.  He slowly and surely unpacks the persistence of physical and emotional pain, reminding us of the sovereignty of God: it is His prerogative to give and to take away.

Nonetheless, Job continues to seek joy and restoration with God, though time stands still in agonizing sorrow.  Leaning, reclining, and collapsing on God are the only available avenues to move forward through the most intense trials and longest of sufferings.  David says in Psalm 16:11: “You make known to me the path of life; in your presence there is fullness of joy; at your right hand are pleasures forevermore.” We long for security, satisfaction, and meaning, but the answer to these needs  do not come from momentary allowances. We can only attain this through God, who freely gives this and more through Jesus Christ.

Through His  life, death, and resurrection, we have abounding grace.  Through trials of every kind we can receive joy and develop perseverance because we know that our narrative is only one of many, tied to a single storyline about our Savior.  Though at times it feels like we will never move again, seeking God, we will be inspired to join in the conga-line with those before us who have died longing and waiting for their joy made complete.

Revelation 21:4 reminds us that eventually the noise and the music will stop, and we can finally go home  – “He will wipe away every tear from their eyes, and death shall be no more, neither shall there be mourning, nor crying, nor pain anymore, for the former things have passed away.”  Blessed be the name of the Lord! What great joy there is in eternity, to sustain us through the most taxing times where we feel the ticking of every second.  We will be in the presence of God. We will be made perfect and whole.  We will be reunited. Oh come, thou long expected Jesus.

-Aaron Winner

Reflection Questions

  1. What has God given to you? What has He taken away? Why and how can you praise Him for both? What “negative” things has He also taken away for you?
  2. Who or what else also shares responsibility for the suffering Job endures?
  3. Who do you know who has suffered much and continues to praise the name of the Lord?
  4. How can joy and perseverance grow in the face of trials, tears and suffering?

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Dear Desire of Every Nation

Genesis 8-11

If you have ever spent time in an airport terminal, you know how truly small the world can be. Travelers from all walks of life, zoom around in every direction.  Despite differences in cultures, status, and language, there is a common purpose among all: a deep desire to get somewhere.  While that “somewhere” might be to make a business deal, take a vacation, visit family, or relocate, each of us move to add value and meaning to our lives, to move to be a part of something greater than ourselves.

In Genesis 9, the world is a small place in a much different way. Those who survived the flood all belong to Noah’s family, who moved with a single purpose, obedience to the Creator.  God restored the connection in a covenant with all of creation.  A rainbow in the clouds became a sign of His promise, a reminder of both His faithfulness to a world, to redeem, restore, and sustain life, but also a reminder of the single sustaining purpose of humanity, to serve the Almighty God.  While God continues to uphold his side of the bargain, humanity once again falls into the trap of sin.  Noah and his family, like Adam and Eve, and like each one of us, are tempted by the self-serving desires of value, meaning, and knowledge that leads them astray from God’s command.

In Genesis 11, we see a culmination of humanity’s desire becoming misplaced. At Babel, people attempted to build a tower that reached the heavens. It is not to honor a God who created the Earth and flooded it at His command, but to make a name for themselves because they had moved some earth.  Was their longing for unity wrong? Absolutely not. God has given us an inmate desire to be connected, but the work of man without God, will never lead to Utopia.  Repeated time and again in history is the danger of groupthink that allows for and even endorses the most despicable behavior.  God’s response is to scatter these people and confuse their languages, reminding them that true unity and purpose can only be found in Him.

While the world still speaks some 7,000 languages, there is still a desire that binds each one of them. Jesus Christ has become the purification we receive in the flood and the desire for connection displayed in Babel.  He is both the covenant that brings us back to God, and the one who unites us as brothers and sisters in Him. The single purpose sought in Babel is now realized in the Church, where people of every nation, tribe, and tongue are united.  Like the airport, with a much greater sense of purpose and much less baggage, Jews, Greeks, slaves, free, men, women, impoverished and wealthy, and every other intersection of society are brought together.

Jesus Christ, and the purpose he brings to life, is the dearest desire of every nation.  The hope he brings, no matter the direction we are moving or even the trespasses accumulated against him, is the groaning inside each one of us. More than any other other time since Babel, we have an opportunity, to connect with people, nations, and even languages far beyond our own. Whether it is to our neighbor or the ends of the earth, let us continue to move for a single purpose, seeking and building the Kingdom of God.

-Aaron Winner

Reflection Questions

  1. Do you sometimes get moving…but forget what your purpose is? What is your greatest purpose today – and this year? How will you work towards fulfilling it?
  2. What went wrong at Babel? Have you ever been a part of a venture that crashed for the same reason? How do we proceed more carefully in the future?
  3. How might the stories of the flood and the tower of Babel have been different if Jesus had already been born, grown, baptized and was ministering at those respective times? How would your story be different if you had been born before Jesus?
  4. What do you desire that Jesus gives? What does your neighbor desire that Jesus has made available?

Download a print a yearly SGL Bible reading calendar…

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Hope of All the Earth Thou Art

Genesis 4-7

Jan 2, 2025 – Day 2 of the SeekGrowLove 2025 Chronological Bible Reading Plan

Just a few months ago, my family and I found ourselves in the path of Hurricane Helene. While the storm left widespread devastation, we were fortunate to remain safe, experiencing minimal damage, and counting our blessings. However, like millions of others in our region, we found ourselves without power. Looking back now, I can’t remember exactly how many days we spent unplugged (although I most certainly knew the number at that time with every passing day) As I witnessed the unprecedented number of power trucks traveling in every direction,  I most assuredly knew the power would be restored, it was just a matter of time.  

You better believe that Noah had hash marks on the side of the ark. Noah knew beforehand how many days it would rain, but he didn’t know how long he would be making his home with a boatload of animals.  On day 41, he saw with his own eyes the Word of God fulfilled, for He had completed an unprecedented thing.  So Noah waited, holding onto hope that God would provide a way to get off the ark.

Noah’s enduring faith, to build the boat, to endure the storm, and to hang onto the promise, show the beautiful exchange of God’s grace and protection when we trust and hold onto hope. Noah found favor in God’s sight, but we can declare this to the world:  through Christ, we too can experience the fullness of God’s grace.  As we look to our Savior for this hope, we can emerge from the storms of life victorious.  Through the flooding waters of baptism we are cleansed.  But now, emerged from the flood, we wait.

There is still plenty of work to do.  We do not twiddle our thumbs until the return of Jesus. Noah continued his calling to give life and care for his flocks, herds, and packs while awaiting the return of a dove.  Like Noah, we have been given charge to continue the work of Jesus, giving hope to every nation.  If we are awaiting the return of Christ, we are approaching two-thousand years into our tally, but we are sustained, knowing the promise of God is not fleeting or pending.  It is fulfilled in its perfect time through Christ Jesus.

We would be crazy not to look to the horizon.  The fact that we do shows that we have a founded longing and are aware of the signs. We see the birth pains that lead to the return of Jesus with resurrection power, so let us declare and defend to every nation that He is the reason for the hope we have.

-Aaron Winner

Reflection Questions

  1. What have you waited for? While you were waiting what storms did you endure? What was the reason for your hope?
  2. What do we learn from Genesis about Noah? What do we learn about God from the account of Noah?
  3. How was Noah different from the rest of his generation? How can you be like Noah?

You can download and print the whole year’s Chronological Bible Reading Plan in a compact 1 page booklet form:

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Israel’s Strength and Consolation

Genesis 1-3

January 1, 2025 – Day 1 of the 2025 Chronological Bible Reading Plan

In case we have forgotten, we serve the Almighty God who created the heavens and the earth. By His word alone, He spoke the universe into existence, forming the earth and filling it with life. From eternity to today, His hands continue to hold the world as a loving Father to humanity, created in His image—the climax of His creative acts. As part of this creation, it is a powerful reminder that we are not the owners but stewards in our Heavenly Father’s domain. Yet, we can draw from the strength and power present from the very beginning. The same power that called light into darkness, parted the Red Sea, called fire from heaven, and raised Jesus from the dead is also available to us. We simply need to stop wandering aimlessly in the garden, worrying about what we will eat next, and turn to Him.

Ultimately, it is God who gave us free will—the freedom to wander or to follow. This choice is most simply expressed in whether we choose to worship and honor Him or to worship and honor something else, including ourselves. There are countless opportunities to follow our own flawed prerogatives that lead to peril because choosing sin over God is inherent in our nature. Genesis 3 presents the moment of humanity’s fall—a moment that could have marked the end of hope. Yet even in judgment, God extends consolation. He seeks Adam and Eve in their hiding, clothes their shame with garments of grace, and promises a future Redeemer who will crush the serpent’s head. This promise is repeated time and again to Israel, God’s chosen people (Isa 9:7; Gen 49:10, Deut 18:18-19), and now to us, His new nation (Rom 11:17,18, 1 Peter 2:9,10). This act of mercy reveals God’s goodness—His justice tempered with overwhelming compassion.

In our own failings, we find consolation in knowing that God pursues us in the same manner. He offers to cover our shame with the sacrifice of Jesus Christ, our Redeemer. This has been God’s plan from the beginning—that we would be redeemed and restored from our falls. In Christ, we are made a new creation. Yes, there is judgment and the penalty of death, but there is also the far greater promise of eternal life. Ultimately, we have a sustaining consolation like no other. God has given His Holy Spirit to us—not only as our Comforter as we await the fulfillment of His promises but also as a source of strength. Through the Spirit, we are empowered to reflect the fruits of our Creator and Father.

-Aaron Winner

Reflection Questions

  1. What is revealed about God Almighty in the first 3 chapters of Genesis?
  2. Do you sometimes forget some of the things that Genesis teaches us about God?
  3. What is revealed about man and woman in the first 3 chapters of Genesis?
  4. Do you sometimes forget some of the things that Genesis teaches about man and woman?
  5. What hope do you find in the first 3 chapters of Genesis?

You can download and print the whole year’s Chronological Bible Reading Plan in a compact 1 page booklet form:

SGL.2025.CalendarBookletDownload

Or download and print just one month at a time in an easier to read format:

SGL.2025.JanuaryFullPageDownload

Who would you like to invite to be a Bible reading buddy with you in 2025?

Let Us Find Our Rest in Thee

OLD TESTAMENT: Malachi 3-4

POETRY: Psalm 150

NEW TESTAMENT: John 21:15-25

Our bodies were designed to rest. It is a precedent set by the Heavenly Father on the seventh day and continued through the Law on the Sabbath. Whether it is sleep, a cup of coffee at work, or a walk between sets, taking a break gives us refreshment, repair, and a chance to catch our breath. Without this all-important pause, our bodies and minds suffer, leading to exhaustion, reduced cognitive function, and weakened resilience. But like all things, even our rest must be found in Jesus Christ.

In today’s reading, Peter has emerged not only from a day of hard labor but easily his most tumultuous season of life. He took up arms for Jesus, denied Him, went into hiding, grieved, and then saw his Risen Savior. Now, a moment to rest presents itself with a warm meal, a fire, and friends. Jesus seizes this restful moment to restore and recenter Peter. Rest and relaxation do not always go hand-in-hand.  A volley of questions and the allusion to a martyr’s death may seem more stressful than restful, but Peter receives His commission in a fireside chat—not in the labor of picking up loaves and fishes or walking on water. We need time to unpack the hard things away from the hard labor so our weary, heavy-laden souls can respond to the kindling of Christ’s call.

One of the most important elements of this rest is stillness. Unfortunately, distraction, coping, or physical stillness alone is incomplete when compared to God’s command of stilling oneself. Many times, we choose spiritual brain rot to fill our thoughts, keeping our minds occupied and leaving no vacancy for our Heavenly Father to speak. Today, in the repeated reading of Psalm 150, we have an opportunity to be still in the words and to meditate upon them. Just as sleep provides an opportunity for our brain to repair—removing waste, mitigating damage, regulating our mood, and increasing immune activity—meditation upon the words of God doesn’t ignore life’s challenges. Instead, it reframes our circumstances within the glory of God, offering many of the same benefits.

Finally, in God’s rest, there is peace—which is like rest, but sustainable alongside the most dire of circumstances, experienced by His treasured, faithful remnant. In the chaos of Judah and Israel’s departure from God, there is still a promise that our Heavenly Father will send His messenger to prepare the way for the Lord – and he did.  Now, we are now the messengers who battle with our own time and culture. Because we too have been filled with the Holy Spirit, we receive one of its many gifts, a peace that passes understanding. We can stand as the harbinger for the return of Christ in the unfair, the overwhelming, and the disastrous, because these things run parallel to our peace. Thank you, God, for standing as a defense and a mighty tower, so we can retreat into Your promises and find our rest in the arms of Jesus Christ.

-Aaron Winner

Reflection Questions

  1. How do you give your body rest? What can you do to improve in this area?
    How do you give your mind rest? What can you do to improve in this area?
  2. How can you/do you find rest in Scripture?
  3. If Jesus met you on the beach after one of your biggest failures what questions and directions do you think he would have for you?
  4. How can you tend/feed/shepherd Jesus’ sheep?

BE WATCHING FOR ANOTHER POST/EMAIL TO COME LATER TODAY WITH THE 2025 SeekGrowLove BIBLE READING PLAN! One little teaser word: chronological. Thank you for reading in 2024! May we continue to Seek Him, Grow in our faith, and Love the Almighty God, His Son, His people and His word – more and more!

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