Praying Pint

 

 1Timothy 6:6-10    But godliness with contentment is great gain,  for we brought nothing into the world, and we cannot take anything out of the world.  But if we have food and clothing, with these we will be content.  But those who desire to be rich fall into temptation, into a snare, into many senseless and harmful desires that plunge people into ruin and destruction.  For the love of money is a root of all kinds of evils. It is through this craving that some have wandered away from the faith and pierced themselves with many pangs.

It’s so easy to get caught up in all the “stuff” that the world tells us is essential to our happiness. The fancy new smartphones, the latest tech gadgets that will supposedly revolutionize the way we live, even bringing out a constant rotation of new home décor to make sure your living space reflects the latest trends. And to be honest, it’s not just physical things that we’re being sold. The world also tells us that we should have that perfect balance between work and home life, that we should only show our very best selves and hide anything that could be seen as imperfect. Or that we should all be hustling to be able to provide ourselves with the kind of life that everyone around us should envy.

It’s no wonder that so many of us are exhausted by the effort of it all. Especially when we know that the things that the world is telling us are so important, they don’t have any sort of eternal value. It will all end at some point. The gadgets will fail, the décor will go out of style, and the “rat race” you’re living in will never get you to where you think you should be. Instead, we should focus on the one thing guaranteed to last forever—our eternal relationship with Jesus Christ. What needs to change in your life this week to put your focus back on Jesus?  (Storm Watch)

 

 

1Peter 2:11  Beloved, I urge you as sojourners and exiles to abstain from the passions of the flesh, which wage war against your soul.

Romans 12:1     I appeal to you therefore, brothers, by the mercies of God, to present your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and acceptable to God, which is your spiritual worship.

Romans 12:1    I appeal to you therefore, brothers, by the mercies of God, to present your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and acceptable to God, which is your spiritual worship.

Ephesians 4:1     I therefore, a prisoner for the Lord, urge you to walk in a manner worthy of the calling to which you have been called,

1 Peter 4:2     so as to live for the rest of the time in the flesh no longer for human passions but for the will of God.

1 Peter 1:17     And if you call on him as Father who judges impartially according to each one’s deeds, conduct yourselves with fear throughout the time of your exile,

Romans 8:13     For if you live according to the flesh you will die, but if by the Spirit you put to death the deeds of the body, you will live.

1 John 2:15-17    Do not love the world or the things in the world. If anyone loves the world, the love of the Father is not in him.  For all that is in the world—the desires of the flesh and the desires of the eyes and pride of life—is not from the Father but is from the world.  And the world is passing away along with its desires, but whoever does the will of God abides forever.

In his epistles, Peter calls believers “strangers and pilgrims,” a timeless reminder that resonates powerfully in our modern age. This concept of pilgrimage signifies a journey—a transition from one country to another, with the present world not being our true home. Instead, we are travelers, passing through, with our eyes set on a greater destination: the city whose builder and maker is God (Hebrews 11:10).

The Pilgrim’s Hallmark: Dwelling in Tents

The imagery of a tent, as seen in the lives of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, is rich with meaning. Though Abraham was promised Canaan, he dwelt in tents, signifying his recognition of the land as foreign and temporary. His heart was set on something more permanent—a city with foundations, designed by God Himself. This refusal to settle marks the pilgrim as someone always on the move, never rooted in temporal passing things.

Traveling Light: The Pilgrim’s Burden

Pilgrims must travel light. The journey is long and demands mobility; unnecessary baggage can only hinder progress. In spiritual terms, this means letting go of material possessions and earthly attachments that weigh us down. The call is to jettison anything that impedes our journey homeward, focusing instead on what is truly essential.

Distinctiveness in an Alien Land

Pilgrims are different from the settled inhabitants of the land through which they pass. Their lifestyle, habits, and even worship stand apart. For the Christian, this means resisting the urge to conform to the world’s standards and desires. Peter’s admonition to abstain from “fleshly lusts, which war against the soul” is a call to spiritual integrity. The pilgrim does not let his character be shaped by his environment; he is in the world but not of it.

Faithfulness in Hostile Territory

Passing through enemy territory, the pilgrim is careful not to fraternize with those opposed to his cause. To do so would betray the leader—Christ Himself. The world did not welcome Jesus; it gave Him a cross and a grave. For the Christian pilgrim, to seek the world’s approval is to betray the Lord. The cross has severed all ties to the world’s values and judgments. We do not crave its praise nor fear its condemnation.

The Hope That Sustains

What keeps the pilgrim going is the hope of reaching home. Every day’s march brings him closer to his final destination. The hardships and dangers along the way will be forgotten in the joy of arrival. This hope is not wishful thinking but a confident expectation rooted in God’s promises.

Conclusion

Peter’s reminder is as vital today as ever. In a world that tempts us to settle, accumulate, and conform, we must remember our identity as pilgrims. Our journey is marked by lightness, distinctiveness, faithfulness, and hope. Each step brings us closer to the city built by God, where we will finally be at home.

 

1 Corinthians 8:1-13      Now about food sacrificed to idols:   We know that “We all possess knowledge.”   But knowledge puffs up while love builds up.   Those who think they know something   do not yet know as they ought to know.     But whoever loves God is known by God.     So then, about eating food sacrificed to idols:   We know that “An idol is nothing at all in the world”   and that “There is no God but one.”     For even if there are so-called gods,   whether in heaven or on earth (as indeed there are many “gods” and many “lords”),   yet for us there is but one God,   the Father,   from whom all things came   and for whom we live; and there is but one Lord,   Jesus Christ, through whom all things came   and through whom we live.   But not everyone possesses this knowledge.   Some people are still so accustomed to idols that when they eat sacrificial food they think of it as having been sacrificed to a god, and since their conscience is weak,   it is defiled.   But food does not bring us near to God;   we are no worse if we do not eat, and no better if we do.   Be careful, however, that the exercise of your rights does not become a stumbling block   to the weak.     For if someone with a weak conscience sees you, with all your knowledge, eating in an idol’s temple, won’t that person be emboldened to eat what is sacrificed to idols?     So this weak brother or sister, for whom Christ died, is destroyed   by your knowledge.   When you sin against them   in this way and wound their weak conscience, you sin against Christ.     Therefore, if what I eat causes my brother or sister to fall into sin, I will never eat meat again, so that I will not cause them to fall.

There is often a price to be paid in obtaining the truth of God, and we should be willing to pay the price, whatever it may be. Once having obtained the truth, we should not give it up.

The verse is not to be taken with such strict literalness that we would buy Bibles and Christian literature, but would not sell them under any circumstances. Buying the truth here means making great sacrifices to achieve the knowledge of divine principles. It may mean hostility from one’s family, loss of employment, separation from religious ties, financial loss, or even physical abuse.

To sell the truth means to compromise it or abandon it altogether. We should never be willing to do that.

In his book Church in the House, Arnot wrote: “It is a general law of human nature that what comes lightly, goes lightly. What we gain by a hard struggle, we retain with a firmer grasp, whether it be our fortune or our faith. Those men who have obtained great wealth without any trouble or toil of their own, often scatter it and die in poverty. It is seldom that the man who gains a fortune by gigantic labor wastes the wealth he has won. In like manner, give me the Christian who has fought his way to his Christianity. If it is through fire and water that he has reached the wealthy place, he will not lightly leave his rich inheritance.”

Saints of all ages have turned their back on family, fame and fortune in order to enter the strait gate and walk the narrow way. Like the Apostle Paul, they have counted all else but loss for the excellency of the knowledge of Christ Jesus the Lord. Like Rahab they have renounced the idols of paganism and acknowledged Jehovah as the only true God, even if it seemed like betrayal of their own people. Like Daniel, they have refused to sell the truth, even if it meant being thrown into a den of bloodthirsty lions.

But God will always have those choice souls who so value the hidden treasure of truth that they are willing to sell all that they have to buy it, and having bought it, they are unwilling to sell it at any price. (Miller)

 

Proverbs 23:23   Buy the truth and do not sell it— wisdom, instruction and insight as well.

Proverbs 2:2-4    making your ear attentive to wisdom and inclining your heart to understanding; yes, if you call out for insight and raise your voice for understanding,  if you seek it like silver and search for it as for hidden treasures,

Proverbs 4:5-7     Get wisdom; get insight; do not forget, and do not turn away from the words of my mouth. Do not forsake her, and she will keep you; love her, and she will guard you.  The beginning of wisdom is this: Get wisdom, and whatever you get, get insight.

Proverbs 16:16   How much better to get wisdom than gold! To get understanding is to be chosen rather than silver.

Proverbs 17:16     Why should a fool have money in his hand to buy wisdom when he has no sense?

Job 28:12-18.  “But where shall wisdom be found? And where is the place of understanding?  Man does not know its worth, and it is not found in the land of the living.  The deep says, ‘It is not in me,’ and the sea says, ‘It is not with me.’  It cannot be bought for gold, and silver cannot be weighed as its price.  It cannot be valued in the gold of Ophir, in precious onyx or sapphire.  Gold and glass cannot equal it, nor can it be exchanged for jewels of fine gold.  No mention shall be made of coral or of crystal; the price of wisdom is above pearls.

Psalms 119:72     The law of your mouth is better to me than thousands of gold and silver pieces.

Psalms 119:127    Therefore I love your commandments above gold, above fine gold.

Matthew 13:44     “The kingdom of heaven is like treasure hidden in a field, which a man found and covered up. Then in his joy he goes and sells all that he has and buys that field.

Philippians 3:7-8    But whatever gain I had, I counted as loss for the sake of Christ.  Indeed, I count everything as loss because of the surpassing worth of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord. For his sake I have suffered the loss of all things and count them as rubbish, in order that I may gain Christ

Revelation 3:18     I counsel you to buy from me gold refined by fire, so that you may be rich, and white garments so that you may clothe yourself and the shame of your nakedness may not be seen, and salve to anoint your eyes, so that you may see.

There is often a price to be paid in obtaining the truth of God, and we should be willing to pay the price, whatever it may be. Once having obtained the truth, we should not give it up.

We live in a day when the spirit of the martyrs is largely gone. Men would rather compromise their faith than suffer for it. The voice of the prophet is missing. Faith is lazy, flabby, neglected, and lukewarm. Truth is not proclaimed and shouted out with a even a slight hint of conviction for fear it would offend or be seen as intolerance, narrow-mindedness, and inflexibility. In order to achieve a show of unity, men are willing to sacrifice fundamental doctrines.

They sell (willingly dispose, trade, or exchange) the truth and buy (obtain, purchase, or secure) it not.

I wonder if the gold and silver being held out by some proclaiming to be pastors, deacons, elders, born-again Christians,  are just counterfeit because they have more worldly conviction and influence than the Word of God in its fullness of truth.
Pastors may feel inclined to preach and teach on the blessings of God through Jesus Christ, but fail to feed these souls with reminders of consistent living, being set apart, being a beacon of light, growth, maturity, theology, doctrine, visible fruits of the Holy Spirit, visible acts of faith, kindness, gentleness, joyfulness, proclaiming peace, generosity, holiness, sinfulness of sin, listening for and able to discern the quiet whispers of the Holy Spirit, confession, repentance of thoughts, words, and actions that are worldly and full of lust of the flesh, and practical application of God’s Word for everyday living……….
The shallowness of the depth of teaching on the need for repentance in our sanctification does not awaken the soul to true gold and silver, but rather a lukewarm, immature life void of its worth.
Don’t get me wrong, much of what is being taught and preached has value, but without the depth of the need for continual confession (recognized sin) and repentance (turning away), the quiet whispers of the Holy Spirit’s leading and conviction will not be recognized, nor will it transform, train, or grow that person into maturity.

 

Ephesians 5:25-29     Husbands, love your wives, just as Christ loved the church and gave himself up for her  to make her holy, cleansing her by the washing with water through the word,  and to present her to himself as a radiant church, without stain or wrinkle or any other blemish, but holy and blameless.  In this same way, husbands ought to love their wives as their own bodies. He who loves his wife loves himself.  After all, no one ever hated their own body, but they feed and care for their body, just as Christ does the church

 

The church is often described as the bride of Christ. Although Jesus was fully human and possessed all the attributes of a man, He chose not to marry any individual woman. Instead, His intention was to unite Himself with the entire church—the body of believers—as His bride. In essence, each local congregation serves as a reflection of the greater church, embodying the same spirit of surrender, submission, and willingness to yield to Christ. What is true for the universal church should also be evident in every local church: a heart of surrender and submission to God.

The church, which exists both in heaven and on earth, is collectively recognized as the bride of Christ. Jesus has cleansed, renewed, and prepared His bride, and He will one day return to take the whole church to Himself. Just as a local election mirrors the national election in its processes and expressions, so does each local church mirror the universal church in its devotion and submission—though on a smaller scale. All the qualities of the broader church are present in miniature within the local body.

Scripture instructs husbands to love their wives just as Christ loves the church—He gave Himself for her, purifies her, and presents her as radiant and blameless. This analogy from marriage is used unapologetically to illustrate the relationship between Jesus and His church. Just as a groom would not accept a bride who is unclean, Christ desires a church that is pure and glorious, free from any imperfection. His love for the church is as deep and devoted as a man’s love for his own bride, longing for her to be holy and radiant.  (Tozer)

 

In everything give thanks; for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus. –1 Thessalonians 5:18

What is the cure for complaining? In a word, it is gratitude. The cure for complaining is focusing on what God has done instead of what He hasn’t done. I think it’s tragic that after the Israelites’ songs of praise in Exodus 15, there is not a single recorded instance of the Israelites expressing heartfelt gratitude to God on their journey–only complaining and thanklessness. Pastor Mark Buchanan wrote that he once found himself stewing in thanklessness while doing mission work in Uganda. The local Christians gathered for worship every Sunday evening, but one Sunday he didn’t want to join. He was upset with someone on his team. He didn’t like the food. He was annoyed by the music. He wrote, “I was miserable, and I wanted to wallow in it.” Then the pastor of the Ugandan church asked if anyone had something to share. One woman came to the front and said, “Oh, brothers and sisters, I love Jesus so much!” The congregation shouted for more. So the woman continued, “He is so good. I praise Him all the time for how good He is. For three months, I prayed to Him for shoes. And look!” She revealed one of her feet. “He gave me shoes!” The congregation clapped and whistled and praised God loudly. “But not me,” Buchanan wrote. “I was devastated. I sat there broken and grieving. In an instant, God snapped me out of my self-pity and plunged me into repentance. In all my life, I had not once prayed for shoes. It never even crossed my mind. And in all my life, I had not even once thanked God for the many, many shoes I had. Thanklessness becomes its own prison.” Gratitude is the key that releases us from the prison of complaining and thanklessness. When you are tempted to complain about a loved one, take a moment to thank God for putting that person in your life. When you are tempted to complain about your job, thank God for providing a way for you to earn a living. We need to remember all the good things God has done for us. Thanks be to God for what He has done and for His undeserved blessings on our lives! (Jeffress)

 

If you spend yourselves in behalf of the hungry and satisfy the needs of the oppressed, then your light will rise in the darkness, and your night will become like the noonday. The Lord will guide you always.
Isaiah 58:10-11

Isaiah 58 is a remarkable chapter that promises God’s blessings on those who help the oppressed and correct injustice (verses 6, 10) and who share their bread with the hungry and clothe the naked (verse 7). The Lord’s righteousness will go before them and His glory behind them (verse 8). The Lord will answer their prayers (verse 9). The Lord will guide them always and satisfy their needs in a sun-scorched land.

It’s easy to take biblical promises out of context. For example, verse 11 says, “The Lord … will strengthen your frame. You will be like a well-watered garden, like a spring whose waters never fail” (NIV). But within the context of Isaiah 58, this is a promise specifically for those who care for the poor and oppressed.

Let’s be generous to those in need, allowing others to see the love of God through us. As we care for others, the Lord will care for us—like a well-watered garden. Whom can you help today?

 

Then He went into the temple and began to drive out those who bought and sold in it, saying to them, “It is written, ‘My house is a house of prayer,’ but you have made it a ‘den of thieves.’” (Luke 19:45-46)

On the Monday before He would be crucified, Jesus went into the temple – but not the actual temple building that had within it the holy place and the most holy place. Here, as often in the gospel accounts, temple is used to describe the whole temple complex, including the temple court, the court of the women, and the court of the Gentiles.

At the outer courts of the temple area – known as the court of the Gentiles, because it was as far as they were allowed to go – Jesus began to drive out those who bought and sold. There were merchants selling “approved” sacrificial animals and moneychangers offering “approved” currency for donations made at the temple, and Jesus shut them down, driving them from the area.

One reason Jesus did this was because they were charging prices far greater than what was fair or right. According to William Barclay, prices could be 20 times higher at the temple than they were outside the temple area. That’s worse than food prices at modern day airports or amusement parks!

Yet the anger of Jesus was against those who bought as well as those who sold in it. While the sellers deserved more blame, the buyers are also part of the corrupt scene that turned the temple of God into a place of haggling, deal-making, and dishonest business practices.

Jesus did something like this at the beginning of His ministry (John 2:13-22). The lesson was not learned some three years before, and those doing the selling and buying the temple courts would resume their business in a few days.

But what Jesus did was not wasted. He made it clear to all Israel that God’s house was a house of prayer: These merchants and moneychangers operated in the outer courts, the only area where Gentiles could come and pray. Therefore, this place of prayer was made into a marketplace, and a dishonest one (a den of thieves).

Mark’s record contains the more complete quotation of Jesus: Is it not written, “My house shall be called a house of prayer for all nations?” (Mark 11:17). The point was that the temple was to be a place for all nations to pray. The activity of all those who bought and sold in the outer courts made it impossible for any seeking Gentile to come and pray.

Here is a practical application from what Jesus did. When we come for worship, to bring a sacrifice of praise to God, to receive His word and gather with His people, we must be careful to never put an unnecessary obstacle in the way of those seeking God. May Jesus clear away anything that prevents our places of worship from being houses of prayer for all who seek Him. (Guzik)

 

Eph 6:13-15  Therefore take up the whole armor of God, that you may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand firm.   Stand therefore, having fastened on the belt of truth, and having put on the breastplate of righteousness,  and, as shoes for your feet, having put on the readiness given by the gospel of peace.

“Stand therefore.” What an incredible challenge! It takes courage to stand. Yet before courage comes determination. Human calculations will always find a thousand reasonable reasons to stand down or quit, which may sound good, but are usually wrong.

Imagine how Moses felt when God called him to lead the children of Israel and speak to Pharaoh. Moses convinced himself that he wasn’t eloquent enough because he stuttered. God’s answer? “Who has made man’s mouth? Or who makes the mute, the deaf, the seeing, or the blind? Have not I, the LORD? Now therefore, go….” (Exodus 4:11-12). And Moses went in God’s power.

When God called Jeremiah to be a prophet to the nations, he protested that he was too young (Jeremiah 1:6). Jeremiah felt unqualified and inadequate because of his lack of experience. God’s answer? “Do not say, ‘I am a youth,’ for you shall go to all to whom I send you, and whatever I command you, you shall speak” (Jeremiah 1:7-8). And Jeremiah spoke God’s words.

There is a story of a California miner who grew tired of chip, chip, chipping every day in his search for gold and gave up. He sold his claim to another, who soon discovered what the other had given up on. Remember, fear or feelings may tempt you to stop what you’re doing, but it is always too soon to quit.

God is calling you to stand. Whether it’s ministry, a hostile work environment, remaining steadfast in your marriage commitment, or some other arena, determine in your mind and heart to stand therefore. (Hibbs)

 

The people became like those who complain of adversity in the hearing of the LORD; and when the LORD heard it, His anger was kindled. –Numbers 11:1

Have you ever taken children on a road trip? Thirty minutes into the trip, what do they do? “I’m hungry!” “I’m tired!” “I need to go to the bathroom!” They complain, complain, complain. That’s what the Israelites did as they traveled toward the promised land. Three days into their journey from Mount Sinai, they started to “complain of adversity” (Numbers 11:1). Moving two million people through the desert is not an easy thing to do. I’m sure there were inconveniences. But the Israelites needed to keep that adversity in perspective. Think about what they had experienced: They had seen God spare their firstborn because of the lamb’s blood on the doorposts. They had seen God soften Pharaoh’s heart to let them go. They had seen God part the Red Sea. They had received God’s revelation from Mount Sinai. Yet instead of expressing gratitude to God for all He had done, they focused on the adversity. How did God respond when the Israelites complained? “His anger was kindled, and the fire of the Lord burned among them and consumed some of the outskirts of the camp. The people therefore cried out to Moses, and Moses prayed to the Lord and the fire died out” (vv. 1–2). The scorched earth was a visual reminder of how God deals with grumbling and ingratitude. Now, if you saw the fire of God consume everything around you, you might get the hint and stop complaining. Not the Israelites. In verses 4–6, the people went right back to complaining again. Sometimes we excuse people’s complaining by saying, “That’s just the way they are.” Or they excuse themselves by joking, “I’m a born complainer!” But God doesn’t laugh it off. God hates grumbling, and that is still true today. Maybe you have gotten into a habit of complaining. You complain about the weather. You complain about your family. You complain about your job. You complain about the government. You complain about your church. Don’t be surprised if you wake up one day and find that the mate you’ve been complaining about decides to leave, or the job you’ve said you hate is suddenly lost, or the family member you’ve been complaining about is taken from you. God doesn’t allow complaining to go unanswered. (Jeffress)