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Fearless Discipleship: Insights from Matthew 10:26–33

On June 21, 2026June 21, 2026 By Heart, Mind and Soul CareIn UncategorizedLeave a comment

“Have No Fear”: An Exposition of Matthew 10:26–33

Matthew 10:26–33 stands at the heart of Jesus’ Mission Discourse, a moment when He prepares the Twelve for the realities of proclaiming the kingdom in a world that will not always welcome them. These verses form a pastoral hinge in the discourse: Jesus acknowledges the presence of fear, yet He calls His disciples into a deeper trust grounded in divine care, eternal accountability, and the courage to confess Him publicly. The passage is both comforting and sobering—an invitation to fearless witness and a reminder that discipleship always carries a cost.

Fear, Providence, and Confession: The Flow of the Passage

Jesus begins with the simple but demanding command: “Have no fear of them.” The “them” refers to those who oppose the gospel—persecutors, detractors, and all who resist the kingdom’s advance. Yet Jesus does not dismiss fear as irrational; instead, He reframes it. Human threats are real, but they are not ultimate. God alone holds eternal authority, and His providential care extends even to the smallest creatures. If not a single sparrow falls apart from the Father’s will, how much more attentive is He to those who bear His image and carry His mission.

This assurance becomes the foundation for the call to public confession. Jesus ties earthly witness to heavenly acknowledgment: “Whoever confesses Me before men, I will also confess before My Father.” The disciple’s loyalty to Christ in the present becomes the evidence of Christ’s loyalty to them in the age to come. Conversely, denial of Christ reveals a heart that has not truly embraced Him.

The passage ends with a striking juxtaposition: God’s intimate care for sparrows and the hairs of our head, alongside the eternal seriousness of acknowledging or denying Christ. Tenderness and gravity meet in the same breath.

A Reformed Reading: Providence, Perseverance, and the Fear of God

Within the Reformed tradition, this passage is often read through the lens of God’s exhaustive sovereignty. Calvin famously wrote that God’s providence “extends even to the smallest things,” and Matthew 10 echoes this conviction with poetic clarity. The fall of a sparrow is not random; the trials of the saints are not accidental. The command “Do not fear” rests not on human courage but on divine governance.

Confession of Christ, in this view, is the fruit of regeneration. It is not the cause of salvation but the evidence of it. The Spirit who grants new birth also grants boldness. Perseverance in witness flows from God’s preserving grace, not from human resolve. Even the fear of God in verse 28 is understood as a reverent awe rooted in God’s holiness and justice—a fear that liberates believers from the tyranny of human opinion.

The Reformed reading emphasizes that disciples can stand firm because God Himself stands behind them.

A Catholic Reading: Grace, Cooperation, and the Communion of Witness

Catholic theology approaches the same passage with a complementary but distinct emphasis. While affirming God’s providence, the Catholic tradition highlights the believer’s cooperation with grace. Fearless witness is not merely a sign of election but a grace-enabled act that participates in the believer’s growth in holiness.

Aquinas teaches that confessing Christ is a meritorious act—not because it earns salvation, but because it is performed in and through Christ’s grace. The Catechism frames this cooperation as the harmony of divine initiative and human freedom. The believer truly participates in the act of witness.

The Catholic tradition also situates this passage within the wider communion of saints. The disciple does not stand alone before persecutors; the Church stands with them. The “fear of the Lord” in verse 28 is read as a gift of the Holy Spirit, a filial reverence that draws the believer into deeper love for the Father.

Where the Reformed tradition stresses God’s sovereign preservation, the Catholic tradition highlights God’s empowering presence within the believer and the Church.

Shared Themes and Divergent Accents

Both traditions affirm God’s providence, the seriousness of confession, and the call to fearless discipleship. Yet they accent different aspects of the same truth:

Providence:
Reformed theology emphasizes God’s exhaustive sovereignty; Catholic theology emphasizes providence working in harmony with human freedom.
Confession:
For Reformed thinkers, confession reveals genuine faith; for Catholic thinkers, confession also contributes to the believer’s growth in holiness.
Fear of God:
Reformed theology stresses awe before God’s justice; Catholic theology frames it as a Spirit-given gift of filial reverence.
Perseverance:
Reformed theology sees perseverance as guaranteed for the elect; Catholic theology sees it as grace-enabled cooperation.
Judgment:
Reformed thought views Christ’s acknowledgment as confirmation of true faith; Catholic thought sees it as connected to the believer’s lived cooperation with grace.

These differences do not negate each other; they illuminate the richness of Christian reflection on Jesus’ words.

Questions for Reflection

This passage invites deep personal examination. Jesus’ words are not abstract theology; they are a summons to courage.

Where do I fear human opinion more than God’s call?

What situations tempt me to hide my faith? Do

I trust that God values me more than sparrows?

How does the reality of eternity shape my decisions?

What would it look like to confess Christ more openly, more joyfully, more consistently?

These questions are not meant to condemn but to draw you into deeper trust and clearer allegiance.

Practices for Integrating the Passage

To move from reflection to transformation, consider practices that help internalize Jesus’ teaching:

Fear Inventory Prayer:
Name your fears before God and release them with a simple breath prayer: “Father, I trust You; make me fearless in Christ.”
Lectio Divina:
Slowly read Matthew 10:26–33, allowing a single phrase—“Do not fear,” “acknowledge Me”—to speak to your heart.
Daily Examen of Witness:
At day’s end, ask when you confessed Christ and when you shrank back.
Contemplation on Providence:
Visualize sparrows in your hands and meditate on Jesus’ assurance that none fall without the Father’s will.
Public Goodness:
Choose one visible act of Christian witness—a prayer, a word of encouragement, a charitable act done explicitly in Christ’s name.

These practices help the passage move from the page into the rhythms of daily life.

Selected Quotations

“So have no fear of them.” — Matthew 10:26

“Nothing is more absurd than that men should fear those who can kill the body but cannot touch the soul.” — Calvin

“To confess Christ is itself a work of grace, yet one in which the believer truly participates.” — Aquinas

“Fear not, for I am with you.” — Isaiah 41:10

“The blood of the martyrs is the seed of the Church.” — Tertullian

Further Reading

Reformed: Calvin’s Commentary on the Synoptic Gospels; Bavinck’s Reformed Dogmatics; the Westminster Confession.

Catholic: Catechism of the Catholic Church; Aquinas’ Summa Theologiae; Augustine’s sermons; John Paul II’s Redemptoris Missio.

Ecumenical: N.T. Wright’s Matthew for Everyone; Craig Keener’s commentary; Raymond Brown’s Introduction to the New Testament.

Alive to God in Christ Jesus, Romans 6:11

On June 19, 2026 By Heart, Mind and Soul CareIn UncategorizedLeave a comment

Romans 6:11 (ESV): “So you also must consider yourselves dead to sin and alive to God in Christ Jesus.”

The Greek word for “consider” (logizomai) means to reckon, count as true, or regard as a fact what God has already accomplished in Christ. It is not primarily about striving to become something new, but believing and acting on the reality of your union with Christ’s death and resurrection, especially through baptism.

Reformed Understanding

Reformed theology (e.g., Calvin, R.C. Sproul, Ligonier) emphasizes that believers are definitively dead to sin’s dominion and alive to God through union with Christ. This is a finished reality in justification, worked out progressively in sanctification by the Holy Spirit. You do not achieve this by effort alone; God has done the decisive work.

Calvin on Romans 6:11: “Take this view of your case — that as Christ once died for the purpose of destroying sin, so you have once died, that in future you may cease from sin; yea, you must daily proceed with that work of mortifying, which is begun in you…”
R.C. Sproul: Paul commands us to “deem yourself” or “think of yourself as being dead to sin” because Christ died to sin once for all, and now lives to God. Freedom from sin opens the door to holiness and obedience.

Catholic Understanding

Catholic teaching stresses that baptism unites us with Christ’s death and resurrection, imparting sanctifying grace that truly makes us new and frees us from original sin’s guilt while empowering ongoing cooperation with grace against actual sin. “Reckoning” involves living out this baptismal reality through faith, sacraments, and moral effort.

USCCB on Romans 6: “Through baptism believers share the death of Christ and thereby escape from the grip of sin. Through the resurrection of Christ the power to live anew becomes reality for them…”
Catechism of the Catholic Church (CCC) links this to baptism as the sacrament of justification and new life, enabling growth in goodness through virtues and the Holy Spirit.

Practical, Strategic Bullet-Point Steps

These steps integrate the shared emphasis on faith in Christ’s finished work with ongoing obedience. Both traditions affirm the need for daily mortification (putting sin to death) and vivification (living to God).

Daily Reckoning (Mind Renewal): Start each morning by declaring the truth aloud or in prayer: “I am dead to sin and alive to God in Christ Jesus” (Romans 6:11). Meditate on your baptismal union with Christ’s death and resurrection. Reformed view: Rest in the objective reality God accomplished. Catholic view: Draw on the grace received in baptism. Strategy: Use a journal or app to log 3 truths from Romans 6 each day.
Know the Theological Foundation: Study Romans 6:1-11 regularly. Understand you have died with Christ (v. 2-8), so sin’s mastery is broken. Reformed: This is forensic and definitive. Catholic: This initiates a real transformation deepened by sacraments. Action: Read a short commentary (e.g., Sproul or a Catholic study Bible) weekly.
Identify and Starve Temptations: When temptation arises, immediately reckon: “I am dead to this” (e.g., lust, anger, greed). Do not feed it with attention or agreement. Practical: Remove triggers (apps, environments); replace with Scripture or prayer. As one source notes, “As soon as we become aware of a lust, we must reckon ourselves dead to sin.”
Present Yourself to God (Active Yielding): Follow Romans 6:13 — “Present yourselves to God as those who have been brought from death to life, and your members to God as instruments for righteousness.” Reformed: Driven by gratitude for grace. Catholic: Cooperate with infused grace through virtues. Strategy: Daily offer your body/mind in specific ways (e.g., “My eyes for purity, my words for encouragement”).
Mortify Sin and Pursue Holiness: Actively “put to death” sinful deeds (Colossians 3:5). Use accountability, confession (Reformed: to God/brothers; Catholic: Sacrament of Reconciliation), and community. Both views see this as necessary fruit, not root, of new life. Track progress on 1-2 habitual sins quarterly.
Live in Community and Sacraments/Means of Grace: Attend worship, receive the Lord’s Supper/Eucharist, pray, and serve. Reformed: Word, sacraments, prayer as means. Catholic: Full sacramental life. Join a small group for mutual encouragement in reckoning this identity.
Fight Discouragement with Gospel Truth: When you sin, confess quickly (1 John 1:9), then re-reckon your identity — do not let failure redefine you. Strategy: Have a “reset” verse or prayer ready. Martyn Lloyd-Jones and others stress this as present reality, not mere future hope.
Long-Term Strategy — Habit Formation: Build routines around “alive to God” (worship, service, gratitude). Review progress monthly. Remember: Progress is by the Spirit’s power, not self-will (Romans 8 follows Romans 6).

This “considering” is both a one-time mindset shift at conversion and a daily practice. It leads to freedom and fruitfulness because it roots obedience in what Christ has already done. Both traditions agree: Grace frees us from sin’s dominion for joyful obedience to God.

Leaders Pay the Price

On July 7, 2024 By Heart, Mind and Soul CareIn Moral Authority, Positional Authority, Spiritual Leadership, TemptationLeave a comment

I wrote this post back in 2015. I haven’t published anything since 2018. Perhaps I’ll pick up the blog again and give it a go. Enjoy this one . . . it hits me square in the gut.

May I ask you a question? What is your price? Have you identified your price point? The price point is the decisional crossroad where we will sell out our personal holiness for personal gain of some sort; it might be financial gain, pleasure of some kind, a power grab, you name it.

Because you are in a relationship with others, you inevitably exert influence. Some of us operate from positional authority: we exert over others because of our position (manager, parent, etc.) Others exert influence from moral authority: this is the influence or authority we exert because others believe in and trust us.

As a person of influence, we need to identify the price points that will sabotage our influence in the lives of others. We can very easily move from influencing others for good to influencing them for bad because we have sold out.

There are three questions you can ask to help you identify your price point:

What do I find myself thinking about the most?
As I look in the rearview mirror of my life, in what area of my life have I caved to temptation most often?
What destructive habits have I had little to no success stopping? Where in my life am I experiencing the most desolation in my soul when I cave into these destructive habits?

It might be we already know our price point but have not faced them squarely with any real intention of dealing with them.

No Longer Christian?

On March 14, 2018 By Heart, Mind and Soul CareIn Uncategorized1 Comment

Regardless of one’s career path, they inevitably come across mentors who speak truth into their prospective leadership development paths. This is no less true with my life; I have had countless mentors, both dead (through their writings) and living, who have spoken wise words of counsel. One such truth spoken into my prospective career was this: “Pastors are to be surgeons of the soul. And part of our work is to discern the culture in which a soul lives.”

The current climate of the soul in Western Christianity witnessed the rise of a person into political power who, in large part, used the Evangelical platform to gain his position. One need not be to the right, to the left, moderate, independent, socialist, or any other political affiliation to recognize the influence of Christian evangelism in the past election. The Evangelical Christian church worked hard to elect a particular candidate. This much is true.

And this truth has caused many to wonder if, the evangelical church endorses such a candidate, can they with integrity call themselves an Evangelical, or even a Christian, if the majority of so-called Evangelicals support the political party who won the election. I have wrestled with this myself and I have not come to any easy conclusions. But I do have a few thoughts.

In Robert Kegan and Lisa Laskow Lahey’s work, “Immunity to Change”, they explain that the complexity of our world demands an increase in our complexity to meet these challenges. I cannot imagine anyone would argue against this concept. The authors make a statement that helps to frame the struggle as religion and politics have become so entangled. They write, “True development is about transforming the operating system itself, not just increasing your fund of knowledge or your behavioral repertoire.” As the church wrestles with a culture that sees the decay of the core values of evangelical Christianity, we must work toward transformation rather than simply data downloading in our lives.

The National Association of Evangelicals include four statements which one must believe to be considered Evangelical. They are:

The Bible is the highest authority for what I believe.
It is very important for me personally to encourage non-Christians to trust Jesus Christ as their Savior.
Jesus Christ’s death on the cross is the only sacrifice that could remove the penalty of my sin.
Only those who trust in Jesus Christ alone as their Savior receive God’s free gift of eternal salvation.

I would say the NAE has done a spectacular job reducing to its most simple form the truths of evangelicalism, as well as the ideology of Christianity. When one reads over these four tenants, they can be inspired and encouraged. This is what we are about. Not politics nor politicians.

In meeting the demands of a complex culture, Kegan and Lahey describe three stages of mental complexity: 1.) The Socialized Mind, 2.) The Self-Authoring Mind and 3.) The Self-Transforming Mind.*

The third stage of mental complexity is fascinating as it applies to the transformation of the American religious landscape. They state, “The self-transforming mind can stand back from its own filter and look at it, not just through it. And why would it do so? Because the self-transforming mind both values and is wary about any one stance, analysis, or agenda. It is mindful that, powerful though a given design might be, this design almost inevitably leaves something out. It is aware that it lives in time and that the world is in motion, and what might have made sense today may not make as much sense tomorrow.”

So . . . four take-aways as I process my faith and the current political/religious climate:

One must adopt a more complex way of relating to the culture in which they live. This means, at the very least, the freedom to accept and reject terms that no longer serve the content as they once did.
If the church succumbs to a cultural identity of a certain political party, what is true is one need not throw their identity with the church out with the political party if they do not agree with the political party. It is possible to take a look at our lens, not just through our lens. If one feels uncomfortable, or even trapped, by the terms our culture is using to market religion, then don’t use the terms. It is possible to agree with the content without accepting the package with which the content was wrapped.
Moreover, if one agrees with the political party, it is wise and prudent to be wary of embracing a nationalism in one’s faith that can so easily ignore realities of injustice in the name of God. We will fail to see the historical landmarks in our faith if we think the Pope and the King will get along well all of the time.
Our faith influences our cultural engagement. If one’s faith requires we jump ship from the culture in which we leave, we disengage the calling given to us, as people of faith, to bring human flourishing to all areas of life. Engage in politics, but do not let one’s identity be political.

*I will not explain all of this because the book is readily available and if one is interested they can pick up the book and read it; it’s well worth the price.

Emotional Bank Account

On April 11, 2017April 12, 2017 By Heart, Mind and Soul CareIn UncategorizedLeave a comment

Your Emotional Bank Account

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Mr. Stephen R. Covey, in his book, “The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People”, identifies six ways to make deposits (or reduce withdrawals) in a relationship. Healthy relationships function when there is relational depth, when the well of the relationship is full and the trust is strong.

Here are the 6-ways to develop an emotionally healthy relational bank account:

1) Understanding the Individual. This means listening intently to what the other person is saying and empathizing with how they may feel. It’s important to care for others and act with kindness toward them.

2) Keeping Commitments. How do you feel when someone arrives right on time when you have a meeting? How about when people simply do what they say they will do? You build up an emotional reserve by keeping your commitments.

3) Clarifying Expectations. We are not mind readers, and yet we consistently expect others to know what we expect of them. Communicating our expectations can help create a higher level of trust. When we ask for what we want, and we get it, we can then trust a little more.

4) Attending to the Little Things. Don’t you find that the little things tend to become the BIG things when they do not receive our attention? Doing the little things is how we honor and show respect for others. Small kindnesses, a smile, a little extra effort, a hug, doing something you didn’t “have” to: these are the things that build trust.

5) Showing Personal Integrity. Integrity is the moral floor upon which trusting relationships are built. When we operate with sound moral character, it makes it so easy for others to trust us.

6) Apologizing When We Make a Withdrawal. We will make mistakes; it’s part of life. But when you see you have violated a trust, sincerely apologizing is how we make a deposit to counteract the damage we have done.

Developing the Character of Leaders

On May 29, 2016 By Heart, Mind and Soul CareIn Leadership Development, Spiritual Leadership, Uncategorized1 Comment

What comes to mind when you hear the word “leadership”? I wonder what some of the images are that are evoked when you talk about “leadership development”? Are there certain people that pop up in the discussion? Are there past or present leaders whose quotes are invoked like some kind of ancient incantation that adds gravitas to the conversation?

In one of my grad-school textbooks that I had to read (all 400-pages), Edgar Schein* proposes the leader’s role in understanding and changing the culture of an organization. The leader needs to understand the macro, sub and micro-cultures of an organization. He believes that a leader’s role is to embed and transmits culture; a leader can actually lead by changing the culture of the organization. He argues that a leader does this through charisma, “that mysterious ability to capture the subordinates’ attention and to communicate major assumptions and values in a vivid and clear manner”. (Schein, Organizational Culture and Leadership. 235)

Ronald Heifetz, Alexander Grashow and Marty Linsky*, in their book, The Practice of Adaptive Leadership outline a series of practices a leader must do to lead an organization through the changes necessary to execute on the organizations strategic objectives. As a leader learns the systems within an organization, he or she must diagnose potential challenges in the organizations political landscape. Other leadership activities, according to the authors, are to design interventions, orchestrate conflict, build a certain type of culture, identify loyalties within the organization, stay connected to the purpose, inspire people, and the list goes on. According to the authors, a leaders role is multi-faceted, requiring of searing intellect, and requires an inordinate amount of energy.

There is a lot that can be gleaned from the leadership literature being printed; wisdom is found in many places and on many faces. The leadership books being printed can seem boundless, and to be honest much of it focuses on the practices and behaviors of leadership. This is because practices can be observed and reproduced; their is an empirical essence to this type of leadership development. But what is missing is the sapient texture in leadership; in other words, leadership development must connect the heart with the head and the hand. While a lot of attention is focused on what a leader must do, and this is important, we also must focus attention on who a leader must be.

Ancient middle-eastern wisdom literature focused on the development of humility in the process of leadership development. The practice common at that time was called kenosis; the word kenosis comes from the Greek verb ekenosen. Paul, in his letter to the church in Phillipi, wrote, “Christ Jesus . . . heauton ekenosen -that is, stripped, humbled, emptied himself – “taking the form of a servant, being born in the likeness of men” (Philippians 2:7). Jesus reveals to us the human face of God, a God who, in the foolishness of love, empties himself so that I may accept him in all freedom and that I may find room for my freedom in him.*

The Great Spiritual Leader, Jesus Christ, demonstrated how humility is the root essence in the development of leadership character. One cannot be a great leader unless one is willing to look at others with a modicum of compassion, empathy, and a desire to serve. The example of Jesus* is to empty oneself of all perception of worth, value, the desire for recognition and prestige. When one is practicing humility, they are putting others ahead of their own agenda.

True leadership development seeks to develop others and bring the best out in others in a way that shows honor, value and dignity to others without the need for personal applause.

His love for me brought low his greatness.

He made himself like me so that I might receive him.

He made himself like me so that I might be clothed in him.

I had no fear when I saw him,

for he is mercy for me.

He took my nature so that I might understand him,

my face so that I should not turn away from him.

Odes of Solomon 7 (The Odes and Psalms of Solomon R. Harris and A. Mingana II, pp.

240-241.)

*Schein, Edgar H. Organizational Culture and Leadership. (San Francisco: Jossey-Bass. 2010.)

*Heifetz, Ronald and Alexander Grashow and Marty Linsky. The Practice of Adaptive Leadership. (Boston: Harvard Business Press. 2009.)

*Clement, Olivier. The Roots of Christian Mysticism. (New York: New City Press.1993.)

*Philippians 2:7.

A Brand New Day

On May 18, 2016 By Heart, Mind and Soul CareIn Uncategorized1 Comment

“Faith is the doorway to the mysteries. What the eyes of the body are for physical objects, faith is for the hidden eyes of the soul. Just as we have two bodily eyes, so we have two spiritual eyes, and each has its own way of seeing. With one we see the glory of God hidden in creatures: with the other we contemplate the glory of God’s holy nature when he deigns to give us access to the mysteries.” (Isaac of Nineveh Ascetic Treatises, 72 (p. 281.))

There are seasons of the soul just as there are seasons in life. Times of stillness and waiting (Winter), times of rebirth and renewal (Spring), there are times of joy and beauty (Summer), and times of ending and death (Autumn). It is good to know the season of one’s soul. It is also good to be moving through the different seasons without stagnation. Often what is seen in the natural world is for one’s benefit, to understand what is taking place in the unseen spiritual world.

In the Spring of one’s soul, the LORD is giving birth to new things. Ideas, experiences with Him, a new place to be and to serve. It can be a very exciting. There can also be an internal angst when holy ambition is met with the waiting to give birth to the new season.With the eyes of faith, we must take hold of what it is that is being birthed in our soul. As it is with most things, before something takes hold in the natural world it must be birthed in the spiritual.

What is it the LORD wants to do through you? What fresh, new delight does He have in store for you today? How can you partner with Him in new ways? Is He calling you to take a step of faith into a new occupation? Or to serve a friend by taking on more of their burden through prayer or acts of service?

It’s a brand new day, what new gifts does He have for you in this season?

Change Your Affections, Change Your Life

On February 23, 2016 By Heart, Mind and Soul CareIn Uncategorized1 Comment

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Painful tragedy aside, there is little more frustrating in one’s life than the ongoing patterns of unwise decision making that derail our development. Habitual, ritual, destructive, willing yet despised ways of thinking, ways of relating, and ways of behaving that knowingly wreck one’s life.

Some of these can be caused by vice such as alcohol or other drugs; however, some of these patterns can be inward attitudes that are just as destructive such as judgmental thoughts toward others. We know they’re wrong; yet we are powerless to them. We may be able to go for a season while self-willing ourselves to be different, but sooner or later these attitudes and actions creep up on us and set us spiraling down in our development.

Ultimately, at the root of this issue is a love for one thing over another. We give in to plaguing attitudes and actions because there is a sense of satisfaction and delight we know we will get from such destructive patterns.

There is always a predictable result from participating; we know the result we will get from these well-worn trails. Albeit destructive in the end, they offer some sense of satisfaction and delight. Our brain begins to crave the satisfaction that will be achieved, so it marches down the well-worn road to destruction.

Life is a journey. Don’t give up. An old Puritan, Thomas Chalmers, wrote on this very issue in his book, An Expulsive Power of a New Affection;

There are two ways in which a practical moralist may attempt to displace from the human heart its love of the world— either by a demonstration of the world’s vanity, so as that the heart shall be prevailed upon simply to withdraw its regards from an object that is not worthy of it; or, by setting forth another object, even God, as more worthy of its attachment, so as that the heart shall be prevailed upon not to resign an old affection, which shall have nothing to succeed it, but to exchange an old affection for a new one.[1]

This is not easy; this requires time and effort. The issue is an issue of love. Because our affections are so attached to destructive attitudes and actions we will ultimately pursue them to our own demise. However, as Chalmers writes, “by setting forth another object, even God, as more worth of its attachment, so as that the heart shall be prevailed upon not to resign an old affection, which shall have nothing to succeed it, but to exchange an old affection for a new one.”

We must take stock of our life. It’s imperative we pay attention to those attitudes and actions that are debilitating to a healthy soul. As we do this, we will uncover the areas that have found a new love. What is it we are loving that leads us to destruction? The only way to root this out is to cultivate our love for God in increasing measure.

[1] Chalmers, Thomas (2014-11-22). THE EXPULSIVE POWER OF A NEW AFFECTION (Kindle Locations 29-32). Robert Carter. Kindle Edition.

4 Ways to Cling to the LORD

On January 13, 2016 By Heart, Mind and Soul CareIn UncategorizedLeave a comment

How To Maintain Your Devotion to God*

The temptation to forget God is always present. But there is a way to maintain one’s devotion to the Lord. Joshua’s counsel in Joshua 23:6-11 is especially helpful and can be summarized using four As.

1. Give attention to God’s Word (v. 6)

God never blesses disobedience. A mind filled with Scripture can critically evaluate secular society and can see through the empty values of the modern world and resist assimilation.

An unmistakable sign of impending abandonment of God is a diminishing respect for the authority of his Word. A disregard for biblical inspiration is always the first step toward spiritual rebellion. Joshua is talking about “keeping” and “doing” God’s Word, not simply giving tacit consent to its claims. We must be “strong” to keep it and do it and not deviate from it either to the right or to the left.

2. Avoid pagan influence (v. 7)

Note the relationship between verses 6 and 7. The way one avoids being shaped after the image of pagan society is precisely by keeping and doing God’s Word. There will always be a temptation to think the world has it better than we do (see Ex. 23:13). But if you have Scripture on your lips and the praise of God’s name in your mouth, you won’t have room or time for even so much as acknowledging anything else.

3. Attach yourself to God (v. 8)

The word “cling” in this verse is translated “hold fast” or “cleave” in Genesis 2:24, where God says a man should leave his father and mother and “cleave” to his wife (compare its use in Deut. 10:20-21; 11:22; and 13:4).

Envision the intimate embrace of a husband and wife, or a young child holding fast to his father’s hand. To “cling” to God is to stay so close to him that no sin can get between you and him. To “cling” to God is to strategically plan for time alone with him for prayer and praise and the study of his Word. To “cling” to God is to trust in his promises, to seek his favor, to care only for his approval and not for that of men, to invest time in his service, and to always keep his praise on your lips (Ps. 63:7-8).

4. Cultivate a deep affection for God in every way (vv. 9-11)

“Be very careful . . . to love the LORD your God” (v. 11). The emphasis is on a relationship of intimacy: “I am yours and you are mine!” God is not just God. He is “your” and “my” God because of his desire to give himself to us in covenant loyalty. His passion for us is undying.

Although the enemies we face today are not those that Joshua and the people of Israel encountered, the strategy for confronting them remains much the same:

Be attentive to God’s Word.
Avoid pagan influence.
Attach yourself to God.
Cultivate a deep affection for him.

by Sam Storms

Sam Storms (PhD, University of Texas at Dallas) has spent more than four decades in ministry as a pastor, professor, and the author of more than two-dozen books. He was visiting associate professor of theology at Wheaton College from 2000 to 2004, and is currently senior pastor at Bridgeway Church in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma. He is the founder of Enjoying God Ministries, the editor of the ESV Men’s Devotional Bible, and the author of numerous books, including Chosen for Life, Tough Topics, Kept for Jesus, and Packer on the Christian Life.

*https://www.crossway.org/blog/2016/01/4-ways-to-cling-to-the-lord/?utm_source=Crossway+Marketing&utm_campaign=1509b69f61-20160112+-+Bible+News&utm_medium=email&utm_term=0_0275bcaa4b-1509b69f61-283134525&mc_cid=1509b69f61&mc_eid=aa4315c37a

12 Promises for Perseverance in Bible Reading

On January 9, 2016 By Heart, Mind and Soul CareIn UncategorizedLeave a comment

One of the healthiest things we can do is to care for our soul. As the body is designed to need nutritional care on a daily basis, so too the soul is designed to need spiritual care on a daily basis. The way we feed the soul is through the spiritual practices. Scripture intake can be done many ways such as lectio divina, meditation and memorization, reading, etc. . .

John Piper, and his ministry Desiring God, has been a significant source of influence in my life. As I’ve started (again) reading through the Bible this year, I found this post from his ministry significantly helpful by its encouraging and motivating content.

Be encouraged in your pursuit of health and wholeness in your heart, mind and soul.

1. The Bible enables us to know and love Jesus more.

“You search the Scriptures because you think that in them you have eternal life; and it is they that bear witness about me [Jesus].” (John 5:39)

The Bible is not ultimate. Jesus, the Word of God incarnate, is ultimate. But the Bible is the place where we know for certain that we can see and savor Christ each day. The Old Testament writings promise him and point toward him. The Gospels show us his ministry here on earth leading to his death and resurrection. The letters show us the work he continues to do by his Spirit through his church, which is his body.

There is nothing and no one more valuable for you to know and love in 2016 than Jesus, and there is nowhere you’re more likely to encounter him than in this Book.

2. The Bible gives us hope in God no matter what is happening in our lives.

Whatever was written in former days was written for our instruction, that through endurance and through the encouragement of the Scriptures we might have hope. (Romans 15:4)

The Bible is the foundation under our feet that gives us the encouragement we need to remain hopeful in Christ through times of depression and suffering. We have a God who wrote a Book so that we might be people with hope. We should take advantage of that precious gift.

3. The Bible leads us to supreme happiness in God.

Blessed [this means happy!] is the man who walks not in the counsel of the wicked, nor stands in the way of sinners, nor sits in the seat of scoffers; but his delight is in the law of the LORD, and on his law he meditates day and night. (Psalm 1:1–2)

God has revealed himself in his word. In the Bible, discover the path of life that leads us to “fullness of joy” and “pleasures forevermore” (Psalm 16:11).

The happiness the Bible offers us is as unchanging and durable as the God who wrote it and who is himself our greatest Treasure.

4. The Bible arms us to kill our sin by the Spirit of God.

If by the Spirit you put to death the deeds of the body, you will live. (Romans 8:13)

The sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God. (Ephesians 6:17)

The word of God is the sword in the hands of the Spirit of God. The sword goes to work to hack up sin in our life that keeps us from God. The sword pierces through bone and marrow to reveal our hearts. With sin removed and cleansed, we can see Christ more fully and find greater holiness and happiness.

5. In the Bible, we hear directly from the mouth of the God of the universe.

All Scripture is breathed out by God. (2 Timothy 3:16)

May we never be bored reading the Bible. May we never forget that the almighty God of the universe is speaking directly to us in those moments.

There are probably people you are dying to meet in person. You would never miss the opportunity if it was given to you. You would clear your schedule of anything to be with them. Shouldn’t the God of the universe make that list? We meet him again and again in his word when we read our Bibles.

6. The Bible is a free course on life taught by God himself.

All Scripture is . . . profitable for teaching. (2 Timothy 3:16)

If God is speaking, and his word is profitable for teaching, then we get to go to class every day under the professorship of God himself. And it’s free. Indeed, God has given us his Spirit to teach us his secret and hidden wisdom (1 Corinthians 2:7, 10).

7. The Bible enlightens us to areas where we need to grow so that we can be changed and trained into the image of Christ.

We all, with unveiled face, beholding the glory of the Lord, are being transformed into the same image from one degree of glory to another. (2 Corinthians 3:18)

As we see Jesus in his word, we will also see that we don’t measure up. We will see sin and areas for growth. Jesus is the standard for change and the means of change. As we see him, the Spirit goes to work to change us more and more into his image, and to set us free from the silly little desires and idols we’ve been settling for.

8. The Bible equips us for good works that bring glory to our God.

All Scripture is breathed out by God . . . that the man of God may be complete, equipped for every good work. (2 Timothy 3:16–17)

The Bible stirs us up and equips us to do good works that beautifully adorn the gospel. And as we do these good works, others see them and give glory to our Father in heaven (Matthew 5:16; 1 Peter 2:12). We want our lives to count for his glory, and God gives us the guide for that great cause in his word.

9. The Bible produces healthy and happy families and relationships.

Children, obey your parents in the Lord, for this is right. . . . Fathers, do not provoke your children to anger, but bring them up in the discipline and instruction of the Lord. (Ephesians 6:1, 4)

We cannot know how and why we ought to obey our parents, at least in a way that honors God, if we do not know the word of God. And we cannot know how to raise our children to know, and love, and obey the Lord if we do not know the word of the Lord.

Families and church families will be much healthier and happier places, for all of the reasons already mentioned above, if we are people saturated with the Bible.

10. The Bible keeps us from being conformed to this world.

Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewal of your mind, that by testing you may discern what is the will of God, what is good and acceptable and perfect. (Romans 12:2)

The world bombards us with sinful and foolish temptations. The world screams for conformity to its systems and ways. We desperately need to be people who fix our eyes on Jesus, and meditate on all his words, so that we are not conformed to the world, but transformed to be more like him.

If you want to be average and irrelevant, ignore the word and fall in with the world. If you want to make an eternal difference for the world, be transformed by God’s word.

11. The Bible teaches us to pray.

If one turns away his ear from hearing the law, even his prayer is an abomination. (Proverbs 28:9)

Without the Bible, our prayers too easily drift into our own fleshly, sin-driven complaints, desires, and pity-parties. With the Bible, we can see reality, see our sin, even see the sins of others against us, and approach the throne of grace for help, with deep and lasting truths ringing in our ears.

12. The Bible spurs us toward genuine and healthy fellowship and accountability.

Let us consider how to stir up one another to love and good works. (Hebrews 10:24)

The Bible helps us in our families and churches to make God’s glory the goal, sin the enemy, and perseverance in our faith the priority. It gives us the courage and wisdom to humbly and lovingly admit our own wrongs to others and to confront sin in one another.

http://www.desiringgod.org/articles/12-promises-for-perseverance-in-bible-reading?utm_medium=feed&utm_source=feedpress.me&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+dg-articles

Heart, Mind & Soul Care

Author: Heart, Mind and Soul Care