Does God Expect Perfection? - Friday Praise & Pray (for others) May 30, 2025

Permit me to say something that may be shocking to some. God doesn't expect His children to be perfect.

When the Lord helped me understand this (and I confess I'm still coming to grips with it), I was stunned into complete silence. My brain couldn't accept the notion at first. When we think about Christianity, we think about rules and the chase for perfection. That is the main reason why many people reject faith. From their perspective, they feel they can never measure up to the standards we Christians project into the world as what is required to be a part of our community.

But the real challenge, if we accept it, is to submit to the perfecting work God is doing in us through the Holy Spirit. The more we do this, the easier it is to live righteously. We'll find ourselves making choices that reflect God's word and purpose over the desires that lead us to sin. All because, as we submit, the Spirit of the Lord leads us, and the mind of Christ, which was given to us, can truly have an impact.​

Instead of letting go so God can lead us by way of His Spirit, we often choose to be 'religious,' thinking that following a set of strict rules will help us. However, God never intended things to be that way. He wants us to listen to His voice and do what He says, knowing there is grace. Our relationship with Him is supposed to be easy because Jesus died to make it that way. He also gave us His Spirit to teach and remind us of what we've forgotten. And as we read the scriptures and receive more godly input into our 'mainframe' (the gates of our eyes, mind, ears, heart), the easier it gets to obey God.

It seems many of us see the Spirit of God as an enemy who will take away everything we enjoy. However, we must remember that Jesus promised the Holy Spirit to those who believed in Him, and He never promised us anything bad. The Holy Spirit is tasked with getting us to heaven, so anything we give up for this will be well worth it, especially as we will receive the treasured fruits and gifts of the Spirit in return. The more we understand this, the less resistance there might be to letting God's Spirit lead in all truth. And more would seek to know Him, so He keeps them on God's path of righteousness.

When we allow the Spirit of the Lord to help us, we soon realize we don't need to be perfect. We need only to let Him perfect us throughout our lifetime, and the result will be that we enter a perfect place - heaven. We don't need to skip any steps in the development process by thinking we have to be perfect right now. We just need to let God have His way in us. He knows all of our struggles. Nothing about us surprises Him, and He's made accommodation to help through His Holy Spirit, whom we can only receive when we give our lives to Christ. The Lord will help us all, IJMN, Amen.

Fasting the Isaiah 58 Way - Tuesday Praise & Pray (for others) May 27, 2025

People talk about fasting, but what does that mean? Some think of fasting as a weight loss technique. Others consider it a means to better mental health, going on social media 'fasts' to reduce information overload and the anxiety it creates.

For Christians, fasting is a spiritual requirement instituted by God. Jesus said, "when you fast" in Matthew 6:16. This reveals that the issue isn't 'if' a believer should fast. It is only a matter of 'when'.

Jesus Himself fasted for 40 days and nights (Luke 4). Fasts were a regular part of the Jewish culture and faith to which He belonged. He even instructed His disciples (and all who would believe in Him) that certain problems would not be overcome without fasting (Matthew 17:21). The Bible also shows that long after He was gone, believers fasted (Acts 14:23).

Alas, we modern Christians seem to struggle to fast and have little understanding of what a spiritual fast entails. For instance, I only fasted for the first time seven years ago, despite being a Christian my entire life. Fortunately, the Lord used others to teach me and has continued to help me.

The Bible contains key guidance about what the practice requires in Isaiah 58. There, the Lord pointed out how the Israelites of old were fasting incorrectly. In so doing, He reveals His expectations for today's believers and highlights how we can fast in a way that pleases Him.

Many think fasting is a fasttrack to answered prayers. It surely can be. However, the essence of fasting is to quiet the flesh and submit to God completely. It enables individuals and groups to hear better from the Lord because the desires of the flesh are pushed down so God can be glorified.

God sees through people. Therefore, pretending to be humble while fasting will not move Him, as He noted in Isaiah 58:5. He wants believers to live a 'fasting lifestyle' that honors and obeys His word at all times, not just when they need something. It is not about being performative and 'packaging' like one is pious.

Hence, a person's heart posture is important. In Isaiah 58, God reminded us that we are not to complain and grumble. We are to reject pride, lies, deception, and slander. We are to treat others with complete respect and not exploit underlings or the vulnerable. He expects believers to avoid petty behavior, quarrels, physical fights, and all wickedness.

God's children are to be just and rely on scripture (not our understanding) to reject injustice. We cannot support unjust servitude and oppression. He expects believers to feed the hungry, clothe the naked, and care for their family members. Even the importance of the Sabbath is not to be ignored. God wants His children to enjoy rest, just as He did on the seventh day of creation.

It might seem like a lot to do, but God helps His children live righteously, so that making godly choices becomes natural to them (Philippians 2:13). And as we study the word with the help of the Holy Spirit, we'll learn how to do things in a way that pleases and obeys God. Every day, we'll become more like our Savior Jesus while on the journey to heaven, and our fasts will have the impact we desire. See you at Noon EST.

To learn more, please read:

1. Fasting Lifestyle

2. Don’t Give A Blemished Offering

Blindspots - Friday Praise & Pray (for others) May 23, 2025

Sometimes, there are problems in our spiritual walk that we can't see. It takes the grace of God to reveal them and provide understanding on how they interfere with our spiritual growth. These 'blindspots' are the sins, attitudes, and repeated behaviors we don't initially recognize as issues. Yet, they have long-lasting consequences that can quietly fester, taking us away from the Lord. They may not seem like a big deal because their negative consequences have not become apparent. Blindspots often only become clear when danger is imminent, and if care is not taken, the potential harm cannot be avoided.

King Solomon, like many people, had blindspots. The most glaring was his lust for women. 1 Kings 11:3 tells us he had 700 wives and 300 concubines and was unfamiliar with God's warning about the number of wives kings shouldn't have. Deuteronomy 17:17 - He must not take many wives, or his heart will be led astray. He must not accumulate large amounts of silver or gold. His choice to marry foreign women also reveals unfamiliarity with Deuteronomy 7:3-4 - Do not intermarry with them. Do not give your daughters to their sons or take their daughters for your sons, /for they will turn your children away from following me to serve other gods, and the LORD’s anger will burn against you and will quickly destroy you. Just as the Lord warned, King Solomon's wives brought the worship of their false gods into Israel, and he turned away from the Lord (1 Kings 11:4).

Sadly, the inability to resist his desire for women made a mockery of the great gift of wisdom the Lord gave him. Since he didn't read the Laws of Moses, which he was supposed to per Deuteronomy 17:18-20, he was ignorant of how his decisions brought sin into his life. His lifestyle reflected a level of indiscipline with women that did not complement the wisdom he received. That indiscipline, plus his worship of other gods, brought God's anger and cost his descendants the kingdom. Instead of 12 tribes, Solomon's house would only rule over two tribes. His son, Rehoboam, became king over a diminished nation, his inheritance squandered.

This is how blindspots sabotage the call of God upon a person's life. Having multiple women, what seemed unproblematic, spiraled into much more. King Solomon likely thought that marrying these women, many of whom were princesses, would ensure political alliances with other kingdoms. Alas, he forgot that obedience to God was all he needed. He disregarded God's warning that if he or his descendants ever stopped obeying Him, they and the people would lose His favor (1 Kings 9:3-9). And the Bible reveals that the consequences of King Solomon's blindspots lasted long past his reign, affecting not only his heirs but all the people of Israel for generations.

​Now think of your own life. Are there things you should be saying no to, the way Solomon should have resisted all those women? What about the things you do that disobey God's laws? Could your lack of knowledge about God's word be causing you to disobey Him? Are there people in your life to steer you toward the Lord instead of toward the world? Can you see how you might have blindspots - the invisible yet problematic aspects of your character that could lead you toward a dangerous end?

Like King Solomon, we all make mistakes. Glory to God that we have a chance to repent and change. We can ask God to reveal the blindspots causing problems or those that will in the future. The Lord desires us all to enjoy His blessings and favor all the day of our lives. Sin limits our access to such, and the blindspots only drive us into sin. However, God loves us and wants us to know the attitudes and behaviors that could sabotage the call upon our lives. He wants to deliver us from them and protect us from recurrences.

This is not to make anyone insecure in their walk with God. The believer's journey has enough complications, we don't need to add to them. Still, this message should encourage us all to recognize there is room to improve, so we aim to grow as children of God. We must let Him help us because we can't rely on our strength. Studying God's word and applying it in faith will help us. Jesus opened the minds of His disciples so they understood scripture, and when we pray for the same, we receive (Luke 24:45). Leaning on the Holy Spirit means we'll get those heavenly nudges we need as we drive on the streets and highways of life. Nudges that keep us safe so we don't collide with anything hidden in our blindspots.

May the Lord help us seek and receive His insight into the blindspots that need to go so we deepen in obedience and grow closer to Him. May He provide the strategy to eradicate the problems waiting to derail us, IJMN Amen. See you at Noon EST for fellowship. God bless you.

To learn more, please read:

1. The Saul Curse

2. Box of Fear

3. Have you changed?

4. Blindness

5. Sinful Desires

6. God of Strategy