Tag: Aaron Winner

The Workers are Fewer

Old Testament: Genesis 7-8

Poetry: Psalm 1

New Testament: Matthew 5:13-16

According to a study by the NORC at the University of Chicago, the last three decades have seen a rapid decline in those who confidently believe there is a God. In 1993, two-thirds of respondents answered “yes” to the claim they “know God exists and have no doubts.” In the most recent survey taken last year, this number has been reduced to 50%. That means in roughly a generation, 50 million Americans have reduced, abandoned, or failed to pass on their faith. No doubt, we are seeing the symptoms of this in our culture, where the most influential theology being preached is that each man or woman is their own idol and that their identity, narrative, or definitions supersede any relationships, including God.

“The Lord saw how great the wickedness of the human race had become on the earth, and that every inclination of the thoughts of the human heart was only evil all the time.” – Genesis 6:5

“Remember this! In the last days there will be many troubles because people will love themselves, love money, brag, and be proud. They will say evil things against others and will not obey their parents or be thankful or be the kind of people God wants. They will not love others, will refuse to forgive, will gossip, and will not control themselves. They will be cruel, will hate what is good, will turn against their friends, and will do foolish things without thinking. They will be conceited, will love pleasure instead of God, and will act as if they serve God but will not have his power. Stay away from those people.” – 2 Timothy 3:1-5

I would love to end this first week of 2024 on a more positive note, but here we are at the ministry of Noah, and I can’t help but see the correlations. I consider myself a church half-full, not half-empty type of person, so please understand I am not hanging an albatross around the neck of the place I call home. Recently, we have seen and could see more revival as people realize there is no salvation in pursuing self. Nevertheless, as it stands today, it seems like the wind is blowing hard in a different direction, and I can’t help but look at the forecast and know that the rain is coming. It may not be here or now, but it is. It is so disheartening to see people jump off the boat, abandon their God, so they can instead find their own way swimming to survive. I want none of us to be the next person overboard, so let us be ready to answer the challenges of the storm that very well may lie ahead, and be defiantly obedient as the prescriptions of Jesus in Matthew 6

Leave your righteousness at the door – Jesus says that if actions are done for the sake of being seen by others or if we are religiously pious thinking that we are worth saving and others are not, that we have already received our reward in full. Noah was the only righteous man left, but while building the boat, he did not tout his own righteousness. He preached to bring salvation to others, even if it fell upon deaf ears. We do not decide who is and isn’t worthy (see: Jonah). Our own righteousness is as filthy rags and none of us can be restored without the atonement of Jesus.

Extend the grace of forgiveness of God – If for no other reason, we should forgive because it is the measure for which we are forgiven; however, we forgive because we have the love of Christ that shows us mercy every time that we fall short. By simply listening and looking for those who thirst, we become more like Christ. A quote that has stuck with me by psychologist Russell Barkley, “The children who need love the most will always ask for it in the most unloving ways.” Do not let rhetoric or trespasses keep you from loving those who need Living Water. You can be the bearer of grace and forgiveness they are most desperately looking for if you cut through the crap and see the child of God.

Endure any suffering with joy – Those of us in the United States have enjoyed a pretty good run of Christian values as the dominant culture. While this run has been far from perfect, it has been easy to avoid persecution. It is very likely that my children will not live in this world. God, I pray that they will be able to declare you in a world that will try to snuff them out. For us all, may we endure the coming trials with joy. When we are persecuted because of the Gospel, we suffer alongside Him. What greater joy could there be than to live out the fullness of Christ?

Don’t worry about not going with the flow – God has promised to take care of our needs if we trust in Him and share His words. We may be unflatteringly categorized, lose our social standing, our job, live threatened, or the reality of violence. If God takes care of the flowers and the sparrows, He will take care of you in every single instance. Even though the traffic may be moving against you, be singularly focused on the Gospel of the Coming Kingdom, and everything else will be added unto you. Ask for your daily bread and then get to work for His Glory because the harvest is becoming more plentiful, but the workers are fewer.

-Aaron Winner

  1. Describe the world you live in today. What similarities do you see to the time of Noah?
  2. What do you admire most about Noah? What can you learn from him? What do you learn about God in Genesis 7 & 8?
  3. What is the problem of going with the flow? How can you help yourself, your family, your church stay in the boat?
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Pure of Heart

Old Testament: Genesis 5 & 6

Poetry: Psalm 1

New Testament: Matthew 5:1-12

There is so much to digest in the Sermon on the Mount. Jesus sets the standard of living in all aspects of life and slowly combats the legalistic Jewish culture of his time. Our Messiah makes us aware that His Father can see through our actions, straight to the root, or better yet, the heart of our motivation; this is truly convicting. What may look like altruism or mercy from the outside may, in fact, be manipulation and control in the mind. Out of all the qualities in the Beatitudes, it may be most rare to find someone who is pure of heart.

In Genesis 5, the great-great-great-great-grandson of Adam, Enoch, is given more than the standard father/age line. It states that Enoch walked faithfully with God and then God took him away. Many times the discussion around Enoch prioritizes “Where did he go?” The more important discussion is “How was he so faithful in his walk with God?” I don’t really have an answer to either question, but I will make an inference about the latter based upon the promise within the Beatitudes. Enoch faithfully walked with God because he was pure of heart and he has seen or will see God (Hebrews 11:5-6,39-40).

“Create in me a pure heart, O God, and renew a steadfast spirit within me. Do not cast me from your presence or take your Holy Spirit from me. Restore to me the joy of your salvation and grant me a willing spirit, to sustain me.” – Psalm 51:10-12

To gain further insight into what exactly is a pure heart, we can ironically turn to David at the moment he felt the most disconnected from the Almighty. David had accomplished so much in the name of the God of Israel. Fighting a giant in faith, leading Israel into battle, giving mercy to God’s anointed, becoming king of the chosen people, and writing a myriad of worship songs in honor of the Lord, yet, in his most impure moments, he had committed adultery, was responsible for a cold-blooded death of a man, and was delivered a bleak message by God through His prophet, Nathan. In reflection, David indirectly states that a pure heart is steadfast, focused on the joy that comes from God, and is in tune with the Holy Spirit. Ultimately, David is restored through repentance and the mercies of God and is still considered a man after God’s own heart, the purest of them all.

So what exactly does it take for each one of us to be pure of heart? First, we must be motivated by and steadfast in the love of God. If we are motivated for the glory it will bring to ourselves or in the indulgences of our flesh, we will never be satisfied. There are not enough likes or followers to replace the unconditional attention of your Heavenly Father. Next, we must be joyful in all seasons. When we become motivated by God, we are no longer victims of circumstance but part of God’s salvation plan. Our pressings and persecutions become opportunities to share our promise. Finally, purity is finding and following God’s will through receiving and responding to His Holy Spirit. Let His power lead your feet and the Gospel message . By remaining pure of heart, walking with God, we will see God move and experience the fullness of Him and live with the hope that our faith will be made sight, seeing Him face to face.

-Aaron Winner

Reflection Questions

  1. What grade would you give your heart’s purity (or lack thereof)? For you personally, what motivations, behaviors, attitudes get in the way of having a pure heart? In what ways can you work towards a more pure heart? 
  2. How would you describe each of the other Beatitudes in Matthew 5:1-12 – and the reward for each?
  3. Why do you think Jesus started his sermon this way?
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Breath of Life

Old Testament: Genesis 2

Poetry: Psalm 1

New Testament: Matthew 2

A little over five months ago, I experienced the scariest moment of my existence. I was awoken by my wife, in a growing panic, informing me that our two-day old newborn had stopped breathing.  I rushed to the desk to get help, and watched helplessly as nurses left our room with our baby who had turned purplish-blue that will be forever imprinted on my psyche.  Later we would be told that since she was born Cesarean, she didn’t get the benefit from a squeeze on her exit that would have expelled the amniotic fluid from her lungs that was now choking her.  Praise be to God, working through the practice of quick-acting nurses, that she again found breath to sustain her life.

“Then the Lord God formed a man from the dust of the ground and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life, and the man became a living being.” – Genesis 2:7

Adam was born in a far more unique way.  God took a pile of minerals and animated it with his breath.  What was lifeless moments before became the image of the Creator.  Some might say that only Adam or Jesus are the ones that uniquely reflect our God, but Psalm 139 depicts God as a tailor, stitching us together.  Our Heavenly Father is intimate with the fabric that forms our thoughts because he picked it out Himself.  By creating a consciousness with this breath of life we now have the distinction, like Adam and Jesus, that we have a part to play in the purpose of God, and there are no understudies for your role.

You have been handed a script. By having access to the words of God, in some sense, you have life-giving power.  Since scripture is God-breathed (2 Tim 3:16)  it means it brings about the same igniting animation.  Jesus uses the Word of God to fight temptation, perform miracles, fulfill prophecy, and raise people from the dead.  Likewise we are told we can use it for teaching, correcting, training, and rebuking. Knowing His Word allows our life to perform our role now, but also gives us access to the Power of God.

Again Jesus said, “Peace be with you! As the Father has sent me, I am sending you.” And with that he breathed on them and said, “Receive the Holy Spirit. If you forgive anyone’s sins, their sins are forgiven; if you do not forgive them, they are not forgiven.” – John 20:21-23

Jesus Christ, the Living Water and Word of God, has demonstrated this new form of life.  It is not giving viability to a sandbox, but instead is a life-giving resurrection that brings on a new form not yet seen except by the firstfruits, Christ himself.  We are called to more than a single designed life-giving birth, but to be reborn, given life eternal.  While we cannot enter the womb a second time, the squeeze brought on by the conviction of the Living Word and the Holy Spirit is necessary to purge and refine, readying us for His Kingdom. Like Adam, we too, are made with a Promise to be placed alongside God, so let’s suck less air, and stay committed to filling our lungs and exhalations with His life-giving words.

-Aaron Winner

Reflection Questions

  1. Describe in what ways you have received life-giving breath from God?
  2. What do you think is God’s purpose for you? How are you doing at fulfilling that purpose? 
  3. How can you help pass along the breath of life to one in need of it? What is your life-giving power? 
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Day and Night

Old Testament: Genesis 1

*Poetry: Psalm 1

New Testament: Matthew 1


I am proud to say that I rang in 2024 without a resolution. In fact, I have been resolution-less for the last three years. In a manner of speaking, I have completely given up on goals and I have no innate desire to make my dreams come true. It all sounds a bit melancholy, but follow me for a moment as I explain this change in mindset.  A few years ago, I stumbled across How to Fail at Almost Everything and Still Win Big by Scott Adams, the author of the Dilbert comic strip.  In this book, Adams makes the case priorities and their processes have a much greater impact on success versus goal-driven behaviors.  I am not anti-goal or resolution, but when we resolve to make a checklist of accomplishment, no matter how big or small, that is a momentary celebration followed by a lingering aftertaste of, “Now what?”  

“Blessed is the one who does not walk in step with the wicked or stand in the way that sinners take  or sit in the company of mockers, but whose delight is in the law of the Lord, and who meditates on his law day and night. That person is like a tree planted by streams of water, which yields its fruit in season and whose leaf does not wither— whatever they do prospers.” – Psalm 1:1-3

Psalm 1 presents the idea that Delighting in God and meditating on His words are not quantifiable checklist items that earn badges or streaks.  These are the priorities that help develop processes, such as a daily visit to the Seek Grow Love blog, to help us live a more fulfilled life, whether it is star-studded or filled with very few accolades. Day and night, it becomes the rhythm to which we live our lives, alongside the very beating of our heart.  The only reprieve is a temporary status of death.  Any merit or notoriety we hope to achieve as Christians, such as sitting at the right hand of Jesus (Matt 20), is legalistic hoo-ha, and ironically, resolutions that may keep us away from the pursuit of the Kingdom of God.

So what do processes look like that prioritize God, let His word speak, and lead to Living Water throughout 2024 and beyond? One example we have is the contrast of Mary and Martha in Luke 10. We must choose Jesus over the mundane daily grind. This means that when Jesus is speaking the words of God at your house, you stop what you are doing to sit down and listen. There will always be a nagging chore, entertainment, and distractions, but more than Martha, we have an opportunity to invite Jesus every single day into our home.  Don’t be in the next room working, literally or metaphorically, missing this opportunity. 

Another example might be more related to the execution.  As a parent to a couple of toddlers, I have  wryly pondered the question posed by Peter,  “How many times should I forgive brothers (or in my case, children) when they sin against me?”  The answer supplied by Jesus is 490, a number we have well-passed for the same offenses in my house. I think we all understand that this is not a literal number but a commitment to prioritizing love for others over indulgences of self.  Some of us may be asked to forgive more than others, whether in accumulation of trespasses or a single terrible, unspeakable offense, planting ourselves by the banks of Living Water is the way we have access to the infinite, inexhaustible grace of God and still find delight in the hardest of pills to swallow.

Trust the process of prioritizing and meditating on God’s word.  Find less resolution and rid yourself of the rote. Worry less about what you need to accomplish and look for opportunities, day and night, to spend time delighting in the Lord, who is watching over our way. This year, begin to leave the accolades to Him.

“For the Lord watches over the way of the righteous, but the way of the wicked leads to destruction.” – Psalm 1:6

-Aaron Winner

Reflection Questions

  1. What benefits do you see in living more of a priorities and processes life than a goals and resolutions life? 
  2. What are your priorities? What processes do you already do to keep your top priorities top? What tweaks or refinements could be helpful in keeping first things first? 
  3. What does it look like to Delight in the Lord? How does one meditate on His law day and night? What does the life look like that does these things? What does the life look like that doesn’t do these things? Where are you? Where do you want to be? How can you get there?
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Restoration in God’s Time

Old Testament: Job 19-21

Poetry: Psalm 40

New Testament: John 20

There is an expression about starting a family that has passed down from one generation to the next that goes something like this: “If you wait to start having children until you’re ready, you will never have them.”  There is much truth in this.  While you can prepare for being a parent by accumulating wealth, knowledge, and supplies, no one can really be prepared to take care of a tiny, fragile human 24 hours a day without on-the-job training.  Being that my wife and I’s first experience of inexperience was with twins, we felt conservatively confident that we could manage it when we found out child three was going to be a singleton birth.  However, I wasn’t ready for what would happen prior to Violet being born.

As I mentioned in the first blog in this series, my health spiraled out of control a couple months ago, which culminated in a scary visit to the ER.  Out of all the doubts and worries that penetrated my mind, I wondered how I would be an effective father when my heart was beating rapidly and I couldn’t catch my breath putting my children in their car seats. God, why now? My Heavenly Father and I talked a lot about it, and He gave me peace in my restlessness. How I see it now.  He placed me there to deliver me.  He broke me then to prepare me for my present. He worked through the people around me to heal me for my growing family. His timing is always perfect, and I wish I always saw it this clearly.

“I waited patiently for the Lord; he turned to me and heard my cry. He put a new song in my mouth, a hymn of praise to our God.” – Psalm 40:1,3

Throughout the course of this week, we have focused on Trusting God’s plan. He will most certainly take us where we need to go to align our steps closer to His.  It is possible we need to spend time in the desert to clearly focus on what God is calling us to. Sometimes, we need a season of mourning to remember His promise of the life to come. It could be that we need our possessions removed to see every good and perfect gift. God makes it clear He will deliver us, but He sets the schedule. He does not hang healing over our heads so we learn a lesson.  He helps us to see Him more clearly, and He uses both our struggle and restoration as a testimony to Him.  The words of Job ring true with this when he states, “I know that my Redeemer lives, and that in the end He will stand on the earth. Yet in my flesh I will see God.” (Job 19:25-27)  While this speaks of a promise to come, literal restored men and women being with their God, we can also see God as He works in us in the seasons of feast and famine.

“‘Woman, why are you crying? Who is it you are looking for?’… Jesus said to her, ‘Mary.’ She turned toward him and cried out in Aramaic, ‘Rabboni!'” – John 20: 11, 16

God has promised to hear our cry, so why are we bemoaning? Why are we crying?  We don’t grieve like those who have no hope.  There is nothing that can be taken away that God cannot restore one-hundred-fold. Our Rabboni, Jesus Christ, is the firstfruits, and we will be restored like Him at the hour the Father has set.  We cannot accumulate enough wealth, knowledge, or supplies to be prepared  for every downfall or pitfall set before us, but in our dire circumstances, we can wait on the Lord for He will renew our strength in his perfect time.

-Aaron Winner

Reflection Questions

  1. As part of your personal testimony, can you tell of a time God has used both your struggle and your restoration to draw you closer to Him?
  2. What does waiting patiently on the Lord look and sound like?
  3. From God’s word and/or from your own life, what have you learned about God’s timing?
  4. What has God shown you about Himself in your Bible reading today?
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Holding Fast to Hope

Old Testament: Job 17 & 18

Poetry: Psalm 39

New Testament: John 19

The world is filled with a great deal of uncertainty and challenges, much like a battlefield.  At many times, life is so filled with ambushes and snares that we should abide by the military mantra, “expect the unexpected.”  Consequently, if we live our lives dodging bullets and treating everyone like they are the enemy, we may survive but we aren’t following orders.  You can desert God’s plan and work on one of your own but the glory of God cannot be yours without taking his marching orders.  Whatever unforeseen opposition comes our way, we shouldn’t change our battle plan.  We have to expect the expected, meaning what we hope for does not change by any circumstance that is thrown our way.  Our hope only grows closer in these circumstances, and our faith brings clarity in tumultuous times.

“Nevertheless, the righteous will hold to their ways, and those with clean hands will grow stronger.” – Job 17.9

In the midst of Job’s trials and sufferings, Job speaks that the righteous are true to their pledge.  The same hope exists in times of peace and times of war.   However, when we are battle-tested and endure, our faith is made stronger, much like tree roots that dig deeper into the soil during a storm. There will be waves of doubt and despair that will combat our hope, but when we are firmly planted in the ground with a source of Living Water, there is nothing that can make us shakeable, to lose the fruit of the Spirit that we bear.

“But now, Lord, what do I look for? My hope is in you.” – Psalm 39:7

Conversely, in the fog of war, there is confusion.  The next step can seem unclear. In the midst of doing ministry, fighting off sin, or disciplining your children, we must look to the Lord. His solutions are not based in our fleeting circumstances.  His answers are not temporary solutions to momentarily cover our wounds. His resolution will be based in eternity.  Our hope is in the one whose hands hold the world. We are secure in seeking Him because He is unchanging.  He clears the fog and leads us by our faith and not our sight.

“When he had received the drink, Jesus said, ‘It is finished.’ With that, he bowed his head and gave up his spirit.” – John 19:30

We must always bear in mind that Jesus Christ completes this hope.  He believed, he hoped that His death on the cross would not only lead to resurrection for himself, but resurrection for us all who put our faith in Him.  He fulfilled the hope of so many who were looking for a Messiah in the Old Testament, and he completes the hope of us all who desperately need a Savior.  What a great hope is this that while we still struggle with our sins, Christ has already died for us as an offering, so we can be in His kingdom.  The cross defeats addiction.  The cross defeats abuse.  The cross defeats poverty.  The cross defeats shame.  The cross defeats sin.  The cross defeats every power in this age, including the enemy of death.  It is in the power of the cross that we have a hope, so we can march on with our banner held high proclaiming the hope that we have and instilling fear in our enemies.

-Aaron Winner

Reflection Questions

  1. Where do you put your hope? How would you describe it to an unbelieving neighbor?
  2. What can someone who feels they are in a hopeless situation learn from Job, David and Jesus?
  3. What do you learn about God from today’s passages?
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Finding Strength in the Struggle

Old Testament: Job 15 & 16

Poetry: Psalm 38

New Testament: John 18

It is easy to get to the end of our rope, to find that our cup is empty.  In moments like these we became frustrated at best.  Our weakness makes our goals out of our grasp.  Thankfully, we have someone on our side that can give us strength in our struggle and can fill our cup once more so we are not only capable, but we are ready to meet whatever challenge He has set before us.  So the question is, how can we access this power? Here are some scriptures to remind us to stop looking into ourselves but seek the strength of the Lord.

Cry out to the Ever-Present God:  We serve a God that is in every place at every moment. That means when his children cry out, He will answer them and can come quickly to their aid.  He welcomes our prayers, and our conversations with Him give us strength because we are reminded exactly who we are connected to.

“Where can I go from your Spirit? Where can I flee from your presence? If I go up to the heavens, you are there if I make my bed in the depths, you are there.  If I rise on the wings of the dawn if I settle on the far side of the sea, even there your hand will guide me, your right hand will hold me fast.” Psalm 139:7-10

“Lord, do not forsake me; do not be far from me, my God.  Come quickly to help me, my Lord and my Savior.” – Psalm 38:21-22

Embracing Jesus as Our Advocate:  In our trials and tribulations,  we can find strength knowing that Jesus Christ is at the right hand of God, and He understands our struggles. By petitioning in His name, He is mediating for us.  Because of this connection, we can speak directly to our Heavenly Father, and furthermore, access the power of His Holy Spirit, which has the power to comfort, heal, and protect those who are washed in the blood of the Lamb.

“Even now my witness is in heaven; my advocate is on high. My intercessor is my friend as my eyes pour out tears to God on behalf of a man he pleads with God as one pleads for a friend.” – Job 16:19-22

“Therefore [Jesus] is able to save completely those who come to God through him, because he always lives to intercede for them.” – Hebrews 7:25

Surrendering to God’s Will:  When we submit to the will of God, we are emulating Christ our Savior. Jesus submitted to the will of God every step of the way leading up to His death. God calls us all to be martyrs, not that we all give our lives on a cross, but that we all sacrifice our wills and intentions for Him.  God may call us to do a hard thing, but He also gives us the strength to accomplish it when we submit to His will.  His alone is sovereign and He alone can empower us to endure.

“Jesus commanded Peter, “Put your sword away! Shall I not drink the cup the Father has given me?” – John 18:11

-Aaron Winner

Reflection Questions

  1. Of the three steps Aaron shared: Cry Out to the Ever Present God, Embrace Jesus as Our Advocate and Surrender to God’s Will, which comes hardest for you?
  2. What would it look like for you to do each of these steps in whatever situation you find yourself in this week? What is the benefit to each of these steps?
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Glad in God’s Guidance

Old Testament: Job 13 & 14

Poetry: Psalm 37

New Testament: John 17

Whether it is my teenagers at school or my three-agers at home, much of my day is filled with offering corrections for behavior. I have often wondered how many times I say “no” within the course of 24 hours.  As both a teacher and a father, I know that the guidance that I offer is constructive and for the benefit of my children, but rarely is it received with thanks. I get it. When I am offered criticism, even more so when it is justified, I am defensive.  If I would put the same effort in my adjustment as I did my defense, I would find myself rapidly growing professionally, personally, and spiritually. For every one of us, we should be glad of just criticism with good intentions because someone has decided to improve us instead of letting us remain as we once were.

“Though He slay me, I will hope in Him. Nevertheless I will argue my ways before Him. This also will be my salvation, For a godless person cannot come before His presence.” Job 13:15-16

More than anyone else, our Heavenly Father is interested in improving the quality of our life we have now to prepare us for the life to come.  When we are in a rut, He doesn’t let us lay in the muck and the mire.  Our God is actively working on our hearts, imploring us to read His Holy Word or listen to His people speaking truth into our lives. Either one of these can be a tough pill to swallow. According to Hebrew chapter 4, the Word of God is a two-edged sword that cuts deeps, separating the bone and marrow.  It isn’t merely a flesh wound, but a fatal strike against our spirit of selfishness in order to die, so Christ may live in us. (Gal 2:20)

“They are not of the world, even as I am not of it. Sanctify them by the truth; your word is truth. As you sent me into the world, I have sent them into the world. For them I sanctify myself, that they too may be truly sanctified.” – John 17:16-19

But are we glad for this guidance? Are we asking for these amendments to be placed into our lives? Maybe this is where we need to change our prideful spirit in order to trust in God’s plan and walk closer to Him.  This means letting go of our justifications for the negligence and sin we continue to carry in our lives.  If you really are putting your hope in God Almighty, let Him slay your heart. He  is beckoning you to forgive your neighbor. He is challenging you to share the Gospel with your friends. He is calling you to set aside your ambition and choose church.  He is imploring you to seek help for addiction. He is challenging your will and way, so He can help you live your life more abundantly. 

“Take delight in the Lord, and he will give you the desires of your heart.  Commit your way to the Lord; trust in him and he will do this:  He will make your righteous reward shine like the dawn, your vindication like the noonday sun.” Psalm 37:4-6

The desires of our heart are on the other side of God’s guidance. To delight in God is to live the life He is setting before you.  Trust the process because the Lord will give you gains like no other. He will vindicate and exonerate those who choose Jesus Christ, His Son, above anything else.  Rejoice and be glad that our Heavenly Father is offering direction to help each one of us stay on His straight and narrow way that leads to the coming Kingdom.

-Aaron Winner

Reflection Questions

  1. What is your typical response to constructive criticism or guidance? Is your response sometimes prompted by selfishness or pride rather than truth?
  2. What do you think of Aaron’s statement: “More than anyone else, our Heavenly Father is interested in improving the quality of our life we have now to prepare us for the life to come”?
  3. How can you better seek God’s guidance, receiving it with gladness and acting upon it?
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Resting in Unfailing Love

Old Testament: Job 11 & 12

Poetry: Psalm 36

New Testament: John 16

There are few moments as peaceful as gazing at the stars on a clear evening.  While it is easy to feel insignificant as you consider expanse and distance of space, it can, ironically, make you feel closer and connected.  I contemplate how Abraham looked at the same stars as a promise of a nation, David pondered the same heavens in the Psalms, and wise men looked to the same sky to follow the sign that a Savior had been born.  While this backdrop has slightly changed since its inception from God, it is a constant source of contemplation of our Creator.

“Your love, Lord, reaches to the heavens, your faithfulness to the skies. How priceless is your unfailing love, O God! People take refuge in the shadow of your wings.” – Psalm 36:5, 7

How wonderful to know that our God’s love reaches to the heavens. It literally can find us up in a plane, on a rocket, or wherever the technology of our generation takes us; moreover, his love reaches as far as the heavens, meaning it can find us in any location at any time.  The same is true for his faithfulness.  It endures in any situation, setting, or circumstance.  This combination creates not only a love that can find us, but also a love that can sustain us.  The Love of God is our refuge.  He is our shelter from the storm and the sustenance through scarcity.  Jesus Christ speaks to the weariness of living in the present evil age when he pleaded, “Come to Me, all who are weary and burden, and I will give you rest (Matt 11:28).” In the ransom of our Savior, and in the comfort of the Spirit of God, we can find rest.

“”I have told you these things, so that in me you may have peace. In this world, you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world.” – John 16:33

Rest isn’t shut-eye.  It isn’t “me” time.  Finding rest in the unfailing love of God means spending time walking and talking with our Father.  If you want rest, set your alarm a few minutes early to pray over your day and your mission field.  If you want rest, offer praise to God in the middle of the night in the exhaustion of new parenthood.  If you want rest, spend your break at work reading a devotion.  If you want rest, ask for direction in your next steps under the stars. Even though we are guaranteed trouble in this life, when we live in the shadow of our God, we can solace in His enduring love in any time, in any condition, and in any place.

-Aaron Winner

Reflection Questions

  1. What do you already know about the stars and heavens God has created? You might enjoy doing even just a few minutes of research on the stars. What impresses you most about the starry night sky God created?
  2. Have you experienced the rest and peace Jesus the Son of God offers? If you have, how would you explain it to someone who hasn’t? If you haven’t, how can you put yourself in a position to come to Jesus, listen to him and receive his peace and rest?
  3. How can you arrange your day – and night – to find more opportunities to find rest in the unfailing love of God?

(I am sorry this is arriving so late in your email inbox. I thought I had published this morning – but apparently had shut the computer before it completed. My apologies.)

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Transcendental Wisdom

Old Testament: Job 9 & 10

Poetry: Psalm 35

New Testament: John 15

I have never been mechanically minded.  I really don’t have a clue how engines or electronics work.  I know gas goes into a car and electricity goes to a TV, but I don’t really know what happens after that.  Inevitably, as a lower middle class family, something is bound to stop, break, and make a questionable noise. In these moments, I really don’t have a clue on where to begin. Thankfully, I live in the information age.  Some saints out there have encountered the same problem and recorded a video of him/herself repairing it.  Time and time again, I follow their instructions step by step, and, with a pretty good success rate, I make the repair without truly understanding every element along the way.

“He performs wonders that cannot be fathomed, miracles that cannot be counted.” – Job 9:10

“How then can I dispute with him? How can I find words to argue with him? Though I were innocent, I could not answer him; I could only plead with my Judge for mercy.” – Job 9:14-15

God makes it clear that we neither have the capacity nor the clearance to know all the inner workings of what is to come.  Job comes to this realization turned revelation that he isn’t, nor can he be, on the same level as God.  God not only created the universe and its governances, but also actively works in it, ordaining His will upon man. His work is endless, infinite, and interconnected through the story of salvation. So when we are faced with trials, decisions, and repair, He alone is the expert that we turn to.  Through His scriptures or through petition in prayer, God offers insight into a wisdom that transcends all others.If we want to know more, we, the branches, must stay connected to the vine, Jesus Christ. He has already given us revelation in the Gospels and through John, detailing the events leading up to the return of Christ.

“I am the vine; you are the branches. If you remain in me and I in you, you will bear much fruit; apart from me you can do nothing.” – John 15:5

“So my soul shall rejoice in the Lord; it shall rejoice in His salvation. All my bones will say, “Lord, who is like You, who rescues the afflicted from one who is too strong for him, and the afflicted and the poor from one who robs him?” – Psalm 35:9-10

Conversely, we don’t have to understand it all.  We can’t, at least not right now on this side of the Kingdom of God.  We have to follow the Fixer in faith, knowing that picking up the correct part number and knowing the specific function are less important than the repair that needs to take place in our hearts to get us back up and running.  In Psalm 35, David demonstrates this to us by calling upon the promises of God to sustain him and defeat his enemy.  He doesn’t ask to know how to move the pieces, He only wants to know the Mover better.

He knows what is on the other side of the mountain, therefore the steps He chooses for us lead us to His Kingdom. If we never received a new revelation and if God never revealed His specific will for us, we already have access to the saving knowledge of Jesus Christ, alongside the prescription to live a life for Him. This is eternal, transcendental wisdom, and thank you God for revealing it to us.

-Aaron Winner

Reflection Questions

  1. Do you spend enough time contemplating the majesty and greatness of God? What wonders and miracles can you thank Him for today?
  2. How often do you try to raise yourself to God’s level – or lower God to yours? What are the dangers of each?
  3. What wisdom has God already shared with you and how? What is currently beyond your capacity and clearance? Praise God for being who He alone is.
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