Merry Christmas! I’ve written a Christmas poem below to celebrate when the Word of God became flesh and was born among us. You can read it below or you candownload a printable copy here. The Christmas poem is based on the Gospel narratives. John 1 starts with creation and explains how the Word–Jesus–became flesh:
In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God… And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us.
John 1:1,14
Matthew 1:18-2:12; Luke 1:26-56; and Luke 2:1-21 begin much later in time. They start with the angel Gabriel’s visit to Mary and go on to explain the circumstances surrounding Jesus’s birth.
While they were there, the time came for the baby to be born, and she gave birth to her firstborn, a son. She wrapped him in cloths and placed him in a manger, because there was no room for them in the inn.
Luke 2:6-7
Without further ado, here is the poem.
A Christmas Poem
By Jean E. Jones
Word in beginning, all things through him made; Word was with God and was God, yet he weighed Cost of redeeming lost man from the grave: Word became flesh, so that man he could save.
God sent his angel called Gabriel down To the young Mary in Nazareth town. “Greetings,” said he, “highly favored you are!” Mary then wondered at message from far.
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“Will my husband remember me in heaven?” a grieving widow asked us. It’s a common question. Indeed, an internet search of “Will we recognize loved ones in heaven” resulted in over 10 million returns.
The concern over loved ones forgetting us comes from Isaiah 65:17:
For behold, I create new heavens and a new earth, and the former things shall not be remembered or come into mind.
Isaiah 65:17
Taken alone, this verse sounds like people’s memories might be erased in the eternal abode. But is that what this verse means?
Will Memories Be Erased So We Won’t Recognize Loved Ones in Heaven?
Let’s look at the context of verse 17.
Forget Can Mean No Longer Bring to Mind in Order to Act Upon
In verses 13-15, the Lord God warns that he will punish the wicked with curses and death, but he’ll reward his servants. Then he says this in verse 16:
The former troubles are forgotten and are hidden from my eyes.
Isaiah 65:16
Notice God says the former troubles are hidden from his eyes—he’s the one forgetting the “former troubles.” In the Bible, when God says he will no longer remember something, he doesn’t mean he gives up his omniscience. Rather, he means he will no longer remember it for the sake of acting on it. After the final judgment, there won’t be any reason to call to mind the sin and the troubles sin brought on this earth.
Since “forgotten” in verse 16 doesn’t mean memory erasure, we can expect the same in verse 17.
Our Former Failures and Troubles Will Fade from Mind
After the final judgment, God will create a new heaven and earth unspoiled by rebellious angels and humans. Gone are all causes of sin and any who don’t love God’s rule. Old Testament scholar Gary V. Smith writes:
This new world with its transformed people will be so completely different that God’s servants will not remember the “former world” (48:13) of sin, suffering, hunger, death, and destruction. In fact, this new world will be so different that even the more positive aspects of the former things will probably fade from memory.
Gary V. Smith,Isaiah 40-66, vol. 15B, The New American Commentary (Nashville, TN: Broadman & Holman Publishers, 2009), 718. Affiliate link.
Gary V. Smith, Isaiah 40-66, vol. 15B, The New American Commentary (Nashville, TN: Broadman & Holman Publishers, 2009), 718.
Just as God will put the failures and troubles of this world out of his mind, so will people. Perhaps the glorious new heavens and earth will soften our memories to something like a dream. We won’t have to recall what we don’t want to recall. But loved ones whom we want to remember? Yes, we’ll know them. That’s because…
The Righteous Are Eternal Beings, Not Former Things
Scholar Edward Young explains what “former things” refers to:
Strictly speaking, the words former things refer to former heavens and earth.
Edward Young, The Book of Isaiah, Chapters 40–66, vol. 3 (Grand Rapids, MI: Wm. B. Eerdmans Publishing Co., 1972), 514.
Those belonging to God are eternal beings. They won’t be part of the “former things” that are destroyed and pass from mind. And they’ll recognize loved ones in heaven.
The Bible Teaches Heaven’s Occupants Know Each Other
Other passages shed light on Isaiah 65:17 by showing us that heaven’s occupants retain their memories and recognize people.
Luke 24—After the Resurrection, Jesus Knew People
After Jesus’s resurrection, he recognized his followers and remembered what had happened to him on earth. Our resurrection bodies will be like his, so we can expect to recognize others as well.
Matthew 17:4—Peter Knew Who Moses and Elijah Were
And Peter said to Jesus, “Lord, it is good that we are here. If you wish, I will make three tents here, one for you and one for Moses and one for Elijah.”
Matthew 17:4
At Jesus’s transfiguration, Moses and Elijah appeared and talked to him. Peter knew who they were even though he’d never met them (Matthew 17:4). It stands to reason that we’ll know who others are then, even some whom we haven’t met.
Matthew 8:11—We’ll Know the Patriarchs
Many will come from east and west and recline at table with Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob in the kingdom of heaven.
Matthew 8:11
Jesus said many will recline at table with these three men. Surely the three patriarchs will not be the only people anyone knows. If memories were erased, however, no one would know even these three.
Revelation 14:13—The Deeds of the Righteous Will Follow Them
And I heard a voice from heaven saying, “Write this: Blessed are the dead who die in the Lord from now on.” “Blessed indeed,” says the Spirit, “that they may rest from their labors, for their deeds follow them!”
Revelation 14:13
The Spirit declares the deeds of those who die in the Lord will follow them. That would be impossible if no one remembers them.
Revelation 6:9-11—The Martyrs in Heaven Remember Their Lives
I saw under the altar the souls of those who had been slain for the word of God and for the witness they had borne. They cried out with a loud voice, “O Sovereign Lord, holy and true, how long before you will judge and avenge our blood on those who dwell on the earth?” Then they were each given a white robe and told to rest a little longer, until the number of their fellow servants and their brothers should be complete, who were to be killed as they themselves had been.
Revelation 6:9–11
Here, the martyrs in heaven remember their martyrdom and know that their deaths haven’t been avenged yet. If they remember their lives, they must remember people as well.
Codex Aureus Epternacensis (Golden Gospels), Illuminated Manuscript, c. 1035-1040 (Germanisches Nationalmuseum, Nuremberg). Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons.
Luke 16:22-23—Abraham Knows the Rich Man and Lazarus in Heaven
The poor man died and was carried by the angels to Abraham’s side. The rich man also died and was buried, and in Hades, being in torment, he lifted up his eyes and saw Abraham far off and Lazarus at his side.
Luke 16:22–23
In Jesus’s narrative, the spirit of the dead rich man recognizes Abraham and Lazarus. In verse 25, Abraham tells him to remember both his and Lazarus’s life on earth. This shows not only that people remember their lives in the afterlife, but Abraham knows details of others’ lives as well.
1 Thessalonians 4:13-14, 17—The Living Will Reunite with Dead Loved Ones
In 1 Thessalonians 4:13-14, Paul encourages those who are grieving over loved ones who have died by saying Jesus will bring their loved ones back with him when he returns.
But we do not want you to be uninformed, brothers, about those who are asleep, that you may not grieve as others do who have no hope. For since we believe that Jesus died and rose again, even so, through Jesus, God will bring with him those who have fallen asleep.… Then we who are alive, who are left, will be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air, and so we will always be with the Lord.
1 Thessalonians 4:13-14, 17
“Those who have fallen asleep” are those who have already died. When Jesus returns, he’ll bring them with him. Then those who are still alive will be caught up together with those returning with Jesus. That’s the hope to which Paul says the grieving should cling. What hope would there be in reuniting if we didn’t recognize each other?
Knowledge Increases in Heaven
We won’t be stupider in heaven than we are now.
Attributed to George MacDonald
Memories won’t be erased, causing people to know less than they do now. Rather, knowledge will increase.
For now we see in a mirror dimly, but then face to face. Now I know in part; then I shall know fully, even as I have been fully known.
1 Corinthians 13:12
This doesn’t mean we’ll be omniscient like God. But it does mean we’ll truly know God, his love, and his goodness. We’ll know ourselves clearly too. Additionally, exhaustion, illnesses, and aging won’t limit our thinking. We won’t fool ourselves into believing falsehoods. Neither will we encounter liars. We’ll remember those we knew on this earth and recognize loved ones in heaven and the future earth.
We Will Remember Why Jesus Died for Us
If people’s memories are erased, they’d no longer know what Jesus had done for them. Where would be the gratitude for having been saved from sins? Who would praise God for the mighty things he worked in their lives?
In Luke 7:47, Jesus said that those who have had many sins forgiven love much, “but he who is forgiven little, loves little.” If memories were erased, all would be in the position of loving Jesus little because they wouldn’t know what they’ve been forgiven for.
We will retain the spiritual growth God’s worked in us so far. We’ll understand the good God worked through our sufferings. We will rejoice in salvation because we’ll remember it is a costly and gracious gift we don’t deserve.
Memories Will Not Cause Pain
We will experience God’s perfect love, complete forgiveness, and final justice. Alan Gomes explains:
In the eternal state we will so see things from God’s perspective that we will no longer remember our past hurts and pain as we experienced them, but will see all from the divine vantage point. We will remember that these hurts occurred, but they will no longer ring us pain but rather praise, as we contemplate how God has worked all for good (Rom. 8:28) and brought us “beauty for ashes” and “the oil of joy for mourning” (Isa. 61:3, KJV).
Alan W. Gomes, 40 Questions About Heaven and Hell, 225.
Additionally, everyone in heaven will have been made perfect (Hebrews 12:23). That means when we see people who sinned against us in this life, they’ll be cognizant of their error, fully repentant, and fully transformed. We’ll see the qualities God has worked in them. Our hearts will be tender towards them, just as they are now when we see someone God has totally transformed. After all, we’ll have fully forgiven those who’ve hurt us, we won’t fear they’ll repeat their actions, and we’ll be transformed too.
We’ll Continue to Grow in Knowledge
Angels are perfect, yet they grow in knowledge (1 Peter 1:12). Likewise, we’ll be made perfect (Hebrews 12:23), yet will be able to continue to learn.
Gomes distinguishes between perfect knowledge and exhaustive knowledge:
We can know something perfectly to the degree that we are capable of knowing it, without thereby knowing it exhaustively. Our knowledge may be “perfect” in the sense that it is fully true as far as it goes, without any admixture of error. Nevertheless, we may still be able to learn even more about the subject, or to develop an appreciation for it in new and different ways.
Alan W. Gomes, 40 Questions About Heaven and Hell, 223.
We can continue to learn about God, others, and creation for eternity.
Conclusion
Take comfort: We will recognize loved ones in heaven. We’ll rejoice in their transformation and our own. With them we’ll enjoy the glorious new heavens and earth. We’ll be together forever.
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Here are the 2024 books I recommended in my monthly newsletters along with updated recaps. The reviews are alphabetical by title within categories. The categories are:
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Christian Apologetics
“Apologetics” is the defense of the faith. Here are four noteworthy books that examine culture and present evidence for faith in Jesus.
Two friends asked me about people they’d run into who called themselves prophets and apostles. Since I had a relative who claimed to be a prophet and apostle despite false prophecies, I was eager to learn more. So I suggested this book to my book club. Pivec and Geivett do a solid job documenting the New Apostolic Reformation’s teaching and practices. They highlight areas that don’t align with Scripture. The book proved somewhat controversial in that one of our members had attended NAR meetings without encountering the more egregious teachings. And opinions differed on some matters. But our discussion was respectful and fruitful. We all agreed that someone who falsely prophecies shouldn’t be trusted as a prophet. I particularly recommend this book for Christian book clubs.
Natasha Crain has penned another terrific tome. This one looks at why secularism is blending with and supplanting the Christian worldview. Crain doesn’t stop there but explains what we as Christians can do about it. My entire book club loved this book. From the back cover: “In an increasingly secular society, those who have a biblical worldview are now a shrinking minority. As mainstream culture grows more hostile toward the Bible’s truths and those who embrace them, you’ll face mounting pressures—from family, friends, media, academia, and government—to change and even abandon your beliefs. But these challenges also create abundant opportunities to stand strong for Christ and shine light to those hurt by the darkness of our day.” I highly recommend this.
One thing the pandemic did was expose people’s innate fear of death. The answer to it is to enjoy the hope of a wonderful forever. That’s what Clay talks about in this book. With plenty of humor, he exposes the ways those without hope of eternal life try to gain some type of lesser immortality. And he describes the glories that await us. I highly recommend this book.
Bontrager and Duson deftly explain the reasoning behind secular culture’s current directives for bringing equity among races. They compare this with Scripture’s call for unity and finding identity in Christ rather than race. Handling difficult topics delicately, they offer biblically based solutions to hot-button issues. This is a fantastic book that I highly recommend.
I loved this book! Donna Jones has an easy, conversational style that drew me in. She identifies common conflict mistakes and explains how to fix them. Her suggestions on how to start difficult conversations are priceless. My favorite chapter is “How to Disagree Without Being Disagreeable.” Every chapter ends with a prayer and steps for “Putting Peace into Practice.” This is a book I intend to return to whenever I meet conflict. I wholeheartedly recommend it.
Love, love, love the prayers in this book. Their honesty reminds me of Psalms. I haven’t read the entire book because that’s not the kind of book it is. The prayers are divided into sections such as “Selfless Prayers for Self” and “Prayers You Pray You Never Have to Pray.” Pick a section and then pick a prayer, such as “While Doing Laundry.” Many are followed by actions like “Honest Journaling” and “Honest Step.” This is a good companion to Ferrer’s best-selling apologetics books.
I was intrigued by this book because before I broke my toe, I walked while praying nearly every day. McHenry humbly describes how she committed to getting up early each day to walk and pray, and how that erased her depression and drew her closer to God. Let this book inspire you to walk your neighborhood as you pray for your own needs and the needs of those around you.
Perfect for teens and twenty-somethings. Wallace gives fifteen life lessons, illustrating them with fascinating stories from his former homicide cases. He cites secular sources to support the lesson and then shows how the Bible already recommended what secular sages now advise. For example, the first chapter explains “How to Make Age-Appropriate Mistakes” since “You were created to learn.” Another counsels “How to Moderate Your Celebrity” since “You were created to pursue humility.” Unlike his former books, this is more of an advice book than an apologetics book. But like them, it contains captivating true crime stories.
This was one of my favorite resources when I wrote my book on the Psalms. I picked it back up recently for a talk I was preparing. There are chapters on praying the psalms, messianic psalms, ethics, and imprecatory psalms. I recommend this book for the thoughtful Christian who wants to take a scholarly dive into the longest book in the Bible. College level.
This is a good introduction to the entire Bible. When my church went through the series a decade ago, I wrote a study guide to go with it (see Digital Downloads). From the back cover: “God goes to great lengths to rescue lost and hurting people. That is what The Story is all about: the story of the Bible, God’s great love affair with humanity. Condensed into 31 accessible chapters, The Story sweeps you into the unfolding progression of Bible characters and events from Genesis to Revelation.” High school graduate level.
Who knew the Ten Commandments could be so interesting? Wilkin does a fantastic job fleshing them out and showing how they still apply today. From the back cover: “Jen Wilkin presents a fresh biblical look at the Ten Commandments, showing how they come to bear on our lives today as we seek to love God and others, to live in joyful freedom, and to long for that future day when God will be rightly worshiped for eternity. Learn to see the law of God as a feast for your famished soul, open to anyone who calls on the name of the Lord.”
Set in July 1912, England’s Secret Service Bureau dispatches Lady Hardcastle and her spunky lady’s maid (a former circus performer), Florence Armstrong, to prevent local police from uncovering too much about a murder victim. Soon they discover a link between the killer and an upcoming visit from an important Austrian guest. The cozy mystery series is clean and fun, sprinkled with witty repartee. A bonus: Kinsey ends each book with Author’s Notes that give a bit of related history.
In this charming story, Bostwick gives us the background to one of the colorful characters from the best-selling Cobbled Court Quilts series: Mary Dell Templeton. Bostwick always tackles difficult situations that Christian women face, and in this one, it’s parenting a special-needs child. The tone is warm, sweet, and hopeful throughout. From the back cover: “While Lydia Dale grows up petite and pretty, Mary Dell just keeps growing. Tall, smart, and sassy, she is determined to one day turn her love of sewing into a business. Meanwhile, she’ll settle for raising babies with her new husband, Donny. But that dream proves elusive too, until finally, Mary Dell gets the son she always wanted—a child as different as he is wonderful.”
This is a fun, cozy mystery set in Rome in the days of the apostles. Livia is a new Christian concerned about her upcoming arranged marriage when dad’s discovered dead. From the back cover: “When Livia’s father dies under suspicious circumstances, she sets out to find the killer before her innocent brother is convicted of murder. She may be an amateur when it comes to hunting dangerous criminals, but she’s determined, intelligent, and not afraid to break a convention or two in pursuit of the truth.” There’s a glossary in the back providing interesting historical details. This is book 1 in Betz’s series (see book 3 below).
A delightful story of plans failing, promises kept and broken, love and forgiveness, and finding one’s path in life. Bostwick deftly draws characters teeming with personality. From the back cover: “Esme Cahill thinks she has failed spectacularly: fired from her New York City publishing job, divorced from her husband, and possessing little more than a broken-down car and a pile of unfinished manuscripts, she drives home to Asheville at the request of her late grandmother, Adele, who had begged her, just before she died, to return to the place she grew up.”
Mrs. Plansky is a recent widow dealing with a curmudgeonly father and frequent requests for money from her beloved children and grandchildren. One day she takes a call from someone claiming to be her grandson desperate for emergency funds. She obliges. The next morning, her bank accounts are empty, and law enforcement gives her little hope for recovering her savings. But plucky Plansky heads to Romania to get her money back. I enjoyed the humor and insights into how scammers work. One reservation: this would be rated PG-13 if it were a movie.
This is a fun, clean cozy mystery set in first century Rome. Livia is a newlywed who’s already solved two murders when a new friend is poisoned. Livia’s husband is dismayed over some of the foolish risks she takes, but also needs her help to clear his brother’s name. What I enjoy most in Betz’s books is learning about the culture of the early Christians. There’s a helpful cast of characters and glossary. This is book 3 in Betz’s series (see book 1 above).
James continues her saga of the veterinarian Zoe who investigates murder yet again. This is a clean, fun cozy mystery. From the back cover: “A gunman targeting pet owners. A veterinarian determined to protect them. Can she ferret out the shooter’s identity before she ends up with a bullseye on her own back?” Meanwhile, her incarcerated birth mom is making demands before she’ll tell Zoe where to find the sister she never knew. James tucks in lots of pet advice and gives us glimpses of the foster care system. We were foster parents who took kids to visit mom in jail, so I could relate. This is the second in a series I recommended last September.
This murder thriller is taut. “While trying to debunk a controversial neurological research program, illusionist and filmmaker Jevin Banks uncovers a far-reaching conspiracy involving one of the world’s largest pharmaceutical firms.” James makes his characters grapple with thorny theological issues as they fight evil. James melds Christian themes into best-selling fiction. (I recommend his Patrick Bower series for non-Christian friends. There widower Bower hunts murderers while grappling with why the God his wife worshiped would let her die.)
When I saw this was on Kindle Unlimited, I thought, I’m in the mood to laugh, and snatched it up. This is Volume 1 of 9 volumes, and it’s hilarious. Besides a boy and tiger named after famous theologians, there’s a schoolteacher with the name of the junior tempter in C.S. Lewis’s Screwtape Letters. I think we have the paperback somewhere, but flipping from strip to strip using the Kindle app on my tablet was easy. Age 9 and up.
This is a delightful tale of a poor tailor who simply must finish a special garment for the mayor. But when he falls ill, kind mice try to outwit the tailor’s cat to help him out. Both the hardcover and Kindle editions have Potter’s lovely watercolors. The classic is for children 3-7.
I just finished the fun and fantastic three-book series of which this is book 1. Although written for grades 3-6, I thoroughly enjoyed it. From the back cover: “There is trouble brewing in the Louisiana swamp — Bowser can smell it. Bowser is a very handsome and only slightly slobbery dog, and he can smell lots of things. Like bacon. And rawhide chews! And the sweat on humans when they’re lying. Birdie Gaux, the girl Bowser lives with, also knows something is wrong. It’s not just that her grammy’s stuffed prize marlin has been stolen. It’s the weird rumor that the marlin is linked to a missing treasure. It’s the truck that seems to be following Birdie and the bad feeling on the back of her neck. When Birdie and Bowser start digging into the mystery, not even Bowser’s powerful sniffer can smell just how menacing the threat is. And when the danger comes straight for Birdie, Bowser knows it up to him to sic ’em.”
This 514-page book explains how the Ottoman Empire fell in World War 1. I wanted to understand the Middle East situation, so I checked this book out of the library. It was so good I bought it. It has many photographs and excerpts of letters. The Kindle version allows you to highlight items (for example, a treaty name) and a popup window explains what they are. If you have the time for a long read, I highly recommend it.
This is a fun, easy read with lots of gorgeous photos. Its niche is families with limited space. There are no forms to fill out—just questions to ask yourself. Every room has a dedicated chapter filled with suggestions. Each chapter ends with a summary guideline list, making review easy. I’m using it as inspiration to purge things I no longer need.
I used this book to get my home office and files in order. It explains a three-part system that can be used anywhere: analyze, strategize, attack. The appendix has three forms to fill out for every area you’re going to tackle. Chapters cover the usual rooms plus briefcases and purses, home-based businesses, cubicle workstations, and photographs.
Wow, did I learn a lot from this book. The principles align well with biblical teaching. For example, Duhigg’s advice on how to match emotions reads like an expansion of “Rejoice with those who rejoice, weep with those who weep” (Romans 12:15). I hope to practice the principles more over the next few months. Here’s from the back cover: “Come inside a jury room as one juror leads a starkly divided room to consensus. Join a young CIA officer as he recruits a reluctant foreign agent. And sit with an accomplished surgeon as he tries, and fails, to convince yet another cancer patient to opt for the less risky course of treatment. In Supercommunicators, Charles Duhigg blends deep research and his trademark storytelling skills to show how we can all learn to identify and leverage the hidden layers that lurk beneath every conversation.”
https://i0.wp.com/www.jeanejones.net/wp-content/uploads/2024/12/2025-Books.jpg?fit=1200%2C628&ssl=16281200Jean E. Joneshttps://www.jeanejones.net/wp-content/uploads/2022/04/Logo-340x340-1.gifJean E. Jones2024-12-31 16:14:062024-12-31 16:14:0926 Great 2024 Books That Will Make You Think
Ever get confused over words like Hades, Sheol, paradise, and New Jerusalem?
Let’s clear up the confusion and make sense of where people will spend the afterlife. We’ll look first at neutral names for the realm of the dead. Then we’ll dive into designations for the places we don’t want to go. Finally, we’ll tackle the titles for the spaces of bliss.
Words Describing the Realm of the Dead
These words can mean simply the realm of the dead; that is, the place where a person’s spirit resides until the resurrection. The following verse explains what happens when the physical body dies:
The dust returns to the earth as it was, and the spirit returns to God who gave it.
Ecclesiastes 12:7
The Jews thought this realm was a place where spirits awaited the resurrection of their bodies, with a separation between the spirits of the righteous and the spirits of the wicked. Unfortunately, some translations (such as the King James Version) translate the words below as “hell,” causing confusion as to whether the righteous and even Jesus tarried in hell.
Sheol
In the Old Testament, Sheol refers to the realm of the dead, death, grave, or depths.1
I shall ransom them from the power of Sheol; I shall redeem them from Death. O Death, where are your plagues? O Sheol, where is your sting?
Hosea 13:14
Abaddon
Abaddon means destruction or death. It’s often another name for the realm of the dead.2
Sheol and Abaddon lie open before the Lord; how much more the hearts of the children of man!
Proverbs 15:11
The word is used only once in the New Testament. There it’s the name of “the angel of the bottomless pit” (Revelation 9:11).
Hades
Hades is the realm of the dead in the New Testament. When the New Testament quotes the Old Testament, it translates Sheol as Hades.3
For you will not abandon my soul to Hades, or let your Holy One see corruption.
Acts 2:27
Codex Aureus Epternacensis (Golden Gospels), Illuminated Manuscript, c. 1035-1040 (Germanisches Nationalmuseum, Nuremberg). Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons.
Words Describing Places of Punishment
There are current places of punishment where the wicked abide until the Judgment. After the Judgment, residents move to the final place of punishment.
The Current State of Hell
Hades
Sometimes Hades refers more specifically to the current place of punishment within the realm of the dead. For example, in the Parable of the Rich Man and Lazarus, the rich man recognizes Abraham and Lazarus and asks Abraham to send Lazarus to him with water. But Abraham says there is a great chasm between the two parts of the realm of the dead that no one can traverse.
The poor man died and was carried by the angels to Abraham’s side. The rich man also died and was buried, and in Hades, being in torment, he lifted up his eyes and saw Abraham far off and Lazarus at his side.
Luke 16:22–23
At other times, Hades refers to the final state of hell.4
And you, Capernaum, will you be exalted to heaven? You will be brought down to Hades. For if the mighty works done in you had been done in Sodom, it would have remained until this day.
Matthew 11:23
The Current Place of Imprisonment
Some fallen angels are described as imprisoned.
Abyss
The abyss is a place of imprisonment for demons. (In Romans 10:7, however, it’s another name for the current realm of the dead. Terms sometimes overlap.)5
And they begged him not to command them to depart into the abyss.
Luke 8:31
Tartarus
Tartarus is used only once in the New Testament. Although it’s translated “hell,” it speaks of a place of imprisonment for fallen angels.6
For if God did not spare angels when they sinned, but cast them into hell [tartarus] and committed them to chains of gloomy darkness to be kept until the judgment.
2 Peter 2:4
The Final State of Hell
Unbelievers will come before the Judgment Seat in either their disembodied state or reunited with their old bodies (reanimated rather than resurrected in the full New Testament sense). They will be judged and then confined to an eternity away from God’s presence.7
Hell (Gehenna)
The name Gehenna comes from the Valley of Hinnom, where apostate Jews offered human sacrifices. Jesus equates it with the final state of hell. In the verse below, Gehenna is translated “hell.”8
“And if your eye causes you to sin, tear it out. It is better for you to enter the kingdom of God with one eye than with two eyes to be thrown into hell, ‘where their worm does not die and the fire is not quenched.’”
Mark 9:47–48
Lake of Fire
This is synonymous with hell. It’s the final abode of the devil, the fallen angels, unbelievers, Death, and Hades.9
And the devil who had deceived them was thrown into the lake of fire and sulfur where the beast and the false prophet were, and they will be tormented day and night forever and ever.
Revelation 20:10
In this next passage, “the dead” refers to humans.
And the sea gave up the dead who were in it, Death and Hades gave up the dead who were in them, and they were judged, each one of them, according to what they had done. Then Death and Hades were thrown into the lake of fire. This is the second death, the lake of fire. And if anyone’s name was not found written in the book of life, he was thrown into the lake of fire.
Revelation 20:13–15
Death and Hades will have served their purpose, and so will enter hell.10
Words Describing Places of Comfort
When the physical bodies of saints die, their spirits go to a place of comfort within the realm of the dead. It goes by several names, including heaven. But the word heaven has five meanings in the Bible, three of which are unrelated to a place of comfort. Let’s look at these first.
Meanings of the Word “Heaven” Unrelated to Places of Comfort
Sky
In Jewish writings, the sky is called heaven or the first heaven.
Then he prayed again, and heaven gave rain, and the earth bore its fruit.
James 5:18
Physical Cosmos
The physical cosmos is called heaven or the second heaven. It contains the stars and planets.
In the beginning, God created the heavens and the earth.
Genesis 1:1
Figure of Speech for “God”
Heaven is often used as a substitution for “God” (a figure of speech known as metonymy). Thus, “kingdom of heaven” is synonymous with “kingdom of God.”
“Was the baptism of John from heaven or from man? Answer me.”
Mark 11:30
Sometimes kingdom of heaven refers to God’s current rule in believers’ hearts on earth.11
Again, the kingdom of heaven is like a net that was thrown into the sea and gathered fish of every kind.
Matthew 13:47
With those meanings of heaven out of the way, let’s turn to words describing the current place of comfort.
The Current State of Heaven
Heaven, Third Heaven
The fourth meaning of the word heaven is the unseen spiritual realm where God’s throne and celestial beings reside. This is sometimes called thethird heaven.
I know a man in Christ who fourteen years ago was caught up to the third heaven—whether in the body or out of the body I do not know, God knows.
2 Corinthians 12:2
Paradise
Paradise is synonymous with third heaven, as can be seen by the verse following the last quoted.
And I know that this man was caught up into paradise—whether in the body or out of the body I do not know, God knows
2 Corinthians 12:3
Jesus told the thief on the cross that he would take him to paradise that day (Luke 23:43).
Abraham’s Bosom
In the Parable of the Rich Man and Lazarus, angels carry Lazarus’s spirit to Abraham’s side (or bosom). This is synonymous with paradise and third heaven. A great chasm exists between the current state of hell and the current state of heaven such that no one can cross from one to the other (Luke 16:26).
The poor man died and was carried by the angels to Abraham’s side.
Luke 16:22–23
At Home with the Lord
Paul describes the current place of comfort as being away from the body but at home with Jesus.
So we are always of good courage. We know that while we are at home in the body we are away from the Lord, for we walk by faith, not by sight. Yes, we are of good courage, and we would rather be away from the body and at home with the Lord.
2 Corinthians 5:6–8
The Book of Revelation shows the current place of comfort as being in God’s presence. John writes:
After this I looked, and behold, a door standing open in heaven! And the first voice, which I had heard speaking to me like a trumpet, said, “Come up here, and I will show you what must take place after this.” At once I was in the Spirit, and behold, a throne stood in heaven, with one seated on the throne.
Revelation 4:1-2
While in the current state of heaven, John sees this:
I saw under the altar the souls of those who had been slain for the word of God and for the witness they had borne.
Revelation 6:9
The Final State of Heaven
God will resurrect the bodies of the spirits of those whose names are written in the Book of Life. The resurrected bodies will be glorious, immortal, and powerful. God will create new heavens and earth or renew the current heavens and earth. Then believers will dwell with the Lamb and God in the new heavens and earth.
Heaven
The fifth meaning of the word heaven is the final dwelling place of those who worship God. It is where believers receive their inheritance and rewards.
Do not lay up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust destroy and where thieves break in and steal, but lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust destroys and where thieves do not break in and steal.
Matthew 6:19–20
Heavenly Country
Hebrews calls our final abode a better, heavenly country.
But as it is, they desire a better country, that is, a heavenly one. Therefore God is not ashamed to be called their God, for he has prepared for them a city.
Hebrews 11:16
New Heaven and Earth, Holy City, New Jerusalem
The book of Revelation expands on believers’ final dwelling place as being in the new heaven and earth.
Then I saw a new heaven and a new earth, for the first heaven and the first earth had passed away, and the sea was no more. And I saw the holy city, new Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God, prepared as a bride adorned for her husband. And I heard a loud voice from the throne saying, “Behold, the dwelling place of God is with man. He will dwell with them, and they will be his people, and God himself will be with them as their God. He will wipe away every tear from their eyes, and death shall be no more, neither shall there be mourning, nor crying, nor pain anymore, for the former things have passed away.”
Revelation 21:1–4
Scholars differ as to whether the new Jerusalem refers to a place, a people, or both.12
In Summary
So there it is. Sheol and Hades are the main names in the Bible for the realm of the dead. Sometimes Hades describes the part of the realm of the dead where the wicked reside, known as the current state of hell, and sometimes it’s synonymous with the final state of hell. The final state of hell is called both hell and the lake of fire. The current state of heaven is called heaven, Paradise, and Abraham’s Bosom. The final state of heaven is called heaven, the new heaven and earth, the Holy City, and (perhaps) the new Jerusalem.
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Love, love, love the prayers in Honest Prayers for Mama Bears by Hillary Morgan Ferrer with Julie Loos. Their honesty reminds me of the psalms. I haven’t read the entire book because that’s not the kind of book it is. The prayers are divided into sections such as “Selfless Prayers for Self” and “Prayers You Pray You Never Have to Pray.” Pick a section and then pick a prayer, such as “While Doing Laundry.” Many prayers are followed by actions like “Honest Journaling” and “Honest Step.”
From the back cover: “In the everyday battle of raising kids who love Jesus while living in a world that doesn’t, God invites you to come to Him. No cleaning up, no pretenses, no fancy words–all you need is to tell Him what’s truly on your heart and then ask for the wisdom, encouragement, and protection that only He can provide.”
Honest Prayers for Mama Bears would make a terrific Mothers’ Day gift.
The authors have four goals. First, the prayers give readers permission to say things to God they might not have said before. Second, the prayers “model what it looks like to renew our minds (Romans 12:2), especially by focusing on gratitude.” Third, they wanted the book to be a communal experience, so there are quite a few contributors from different walks of life. Fourth, they wish to teach readers how to craft honest prayers for themselves.
Loos offers an afterword on creating a legacy of prayer. Ferrer pens an appendix on honest questions about prayer.
Excerpt from Honest Prayers for Mama Bears
Here’s an expert of one of my favorite prayers.
Eternal Perspective
God, I want to invest in what will last into eternity, but the petty things of the world keep taking my attention. I know this world is temporary and that all things here will eventually pass away, so please reform my perspective and help me prioritize what matters most. I pray that You would give me the spiritual eyes to see the things that will have eternal weight, no matter how mundane they may feel in the here and now. Lord, I know there are some battles that need to be fought, and other battles are just distractions. Please give me the wisdom to tell the difference. If there is anything I am fixating upon that’s keeping ne from eternal things, please reveal it to me.
You have put so many good things in my path, but they are not my ultimate things. Some good things may not be my responsibility. My primary tasks are being Your daughter, nurturing my marriage, and shepherding my children . Lord, may I be faith to that which You have give me, knowing the fruits of my obedience will last after I am gone. I praise You that I have more than just this life to live for. Help me to live it well, knowing that faithfulness in even the smallest of callings will echo long into eternity.
Honest Journaling
Read through Colossians 3:1-17 and meditate on it. In your journal, make a list of time-suckers in your life. Which of these things don’t really bring you refreshment or aren’t of eternal importance? Which one can you cut down on each day or week?
Hillary Morgan Ferrer with Julie Loos, Honest Prayers for Mama Bears (Harvest House, 2024)
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Passion Week is the eight days that begin with Palm Sunday and end with Easter. Here’s what the four Gospels tell us happened each day.
Palm Sunday
“Go,” Jesus tells two disciples. “In that village, you’ll find a donkey tied with her colt. Untie them and bring them to me.”
They find the donkey and colt just as Jesus said. Quickly, they untie them and bring them to Jesus. Then they lay their cloaks on them.
The large crowd at Jerusalem’s gate had heard Jesus was coming. They want to see this miracle worker who raised a man dead four days to life. Could he be the Messiah, the long-awaited King who would rule forever? Will he now lead an army to beat back Rome?
Jesus mounts the donkey colt, never before ridden. He arrives, not on a war horse but on a donkey colt, in peace. Nevertheless, the crowd sees him and rushes to place their cloaks on the road before him. Some run to cut palm branches from nearby trees and spread those before Jesus too. It is an honor fit for a king.
“Hosanna to the Son of David!” they shout. Hosanna means “God save us,” but Jesus knows they do not realize his true identity. Still, Son of David means they think he is the Messiah. They continue: “Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord! Hosanna in the highest!”
But even his disciples miss the full significance of what Jesus does. It is not until later that they realize he has just fulfilled the words of the prophet Zechariah:
Rejoice greatly, O daughter of Zion! Shout aloud, O daughter of Jerusalem! Behold, your king is coming to you; righteous and having salvation is he, humble and mounted on a donkey, on a colt, the foal of a donkey.
Zechariah 9:9
Passion Week: Monday
On Monday of Passion Week, Jesus taught the crowd gathered at the temple for Passover. When he heard that God-fearing Greeks sought him, he said this:
The hour has come for the Son of Man to be glorified. Truly, truly, I say to you, unless a grain of wheat falls into the earth and dies, it remains alone; but if it dies, it bears much fruit.
John 12:23-24
Those listening did not understand the significance of three things in his statement. First, “Son of Man” can mean simply “human,” but Jesus reveals elsewhere that he means the divine Son of Man whom Daniel prophesied about here:
I saw in the night visions, and behold, with the clouds of heaven there came one like a son of man, and he came to the Ancient of Days and was presented before him. And to him was given dominion and glory and a kingdom, that all peoples, nations, and languages should serve him; his dominion is an everlasting dominion, which shall not pass away, and his kingdom one that shall not be destroyed.
Daniel 7:13–14
Second, they did not know he meant he had come to die. The people wanted an earthly king who would deliver them from Roman rule. But Jesus was also the suffering servant about whom Isaiah wrote:
By oppression and judgment he was taken away; and as for his generation, who considered that he was cut off out of the land of the living, stricken for the transgression of my people?
Isaiah 53:8
Third, they did not know that Jesus came to save non-Jews. But this is what Isaiah prophesied about the suffering servant:
It is too light a thing that you should be my servant to raise up the tribes of Jacob and to bring back the preserved of Israel; I will make you as a light for the nations, that my salvation may reach to the end of the earth.
Isaiah 49:6
Jesus is the grain of wheat that fell into the earth and died. Then he rose and bore much fruit, bringing to God both Jews and non-Jews. While he died as the suffering servant who cleanses people’s transgression, he arose in glory. For he is also the Divine Son of Man whose dominion is everlasting.
Passion Week: Tuesday
Jesus’s words were puzzling: “You know that after two days the Passover is coming, and the Son of Man will be delivered up to be crucified” (Matthew 26:2). Whatever could he mean?
He had just been teaching about the kingdom of heaven and the final judgment. His disciples believed he was the Messiah—the anointed king who would rule forever. Surely, he meant something symbolic, as when he said they all must take up their cross and follow him.
Among his followers, perhaps only two glimpsed the reality: Mary of Bethany and Judas Iscariot.
Mary of Bethany Anoints Jesus
That night, Mary’s family held a banquet in honor of Jesus. Not long before, he had raised her brother Lazarus to life after he had been dead four days. Jesus, Lazarus, and the other men reclined at the low table, leaning on one arm, feet stretched out behind them. Mary’s sister Martha served the meal..
Customarily to honor a guest, a host anointed the guest’s head with olive oil and provided a servant to wash the guest’s feet with water and a towel. The Jews considered touching someone’s feet to be degrading, so the lowliest servant was assigned the job.
To Mary, olive oil, water, a towel, and the lowest servant did not honor this guest enough.
Mary approached Jesus with a creamy white alabaster flask in her hand. It contained a pound of ointment perfumed with nard, an expensive oil. She broke the flask’s long, thin neck and the spicy, earthy fragrance permeated the house. She poured the scented oil first on his head—just as a king was anointed with oil at his coronation. The scented oil flowed from his hair onto his body.
Then she poured the remaining nard on his feet and wiped them with her hair. She honored Jesus in every way she could and showed herself a servant to Jesus.
Judas Iscariot Betrays Jesus
Judas Iscariot indignantly demanded why such an expensive ointment hadn’t been sold so the money could be given to the poor. But his indignation had a hidden meaning, for he was in charge of the moneybag and often helped himself from its contents.
Jesus rebuked him.
“Leave her alone. Why do you trouble her? She has done a beautiful thing to me … She has done what she could; she has anointed my body beforehand for burial.”
Mark 14:6,8
Angry, Judas departed and went to the Jewish leaders. He asked how much they would pay him to deliver Jesus to them. They were delighted. After all, they had already decided that the only way to stop the huge crowds from following Jesus was to kill both him and Lazarus..
And stop him they must. For if Jesus led an insurrection, the Romans would take away the Jewish leaders’ political power. It was also the only way they could get back all the followers they had lost to Jesus. Jesus, they reasoned, could not be the Messiah. He taught there was a resurrection, contradicting the Sadducees. And he belittled the Pharisees’ many rules as mere traditions of men. No, the real Messiah would be submissive to them. The crowds were foolish and should be listening to them. Jesus must be stopped.
Passion Week: Wednesday
Wednesday seems quiet, with the Gospels not identifying anything for that day. Was Jesus preparing for what was to come?
Jesus gathered his disciples in a large upper room of a house. There he removed his outer garment, tied a towel around his waist, and washed his disciples’ feet—normally the duty of the lowest household servant. Then he told his disciples that just as he served them, so must they serve each other.
The group then ate the Passover feast, commemorating how years before, lamb’s blood protected the Israelites from death so they could journey to the earthly promised land. Jesus testified that one of them would betray him. Peter motioned to John to ask Jesus who. John reclined next to Jesus and leaned over and asked quietly. Jesus replied, “It is he to whom I will give this morsel of bread when I have dipped it” (John 13:26). Then he dipped the morsel, gave it to Judas, and told Judas, “What you are about to do, do quickly.” Judas left to betray him.
Then Jesus told the Eleven that now he would be glorified. He began to teach them urgently:
“A new commandment I give to you, that you love one another: just as I have loved you, you also are to love one another.”
John 13:34
Jesus took bread, blessed and broke it, and gave it to his disciples, saying, “Take, eat; this is my body.” Then he took a cup of wine, gave thanks for it, and passed it to them, saying:
Drink of it, all of you, for this is my blood of the covenant, which is poured out for many for the forgiveness of sins.”
Matthew 26:28
Afterward, they went to a garden where Jesus frequently met with his disciples. It was not long before Judas appeared, leading a band of soldiers.
FUN FACT: This day is sometimes called “Holy Thursday” or “Maundy Thursday.” “Maundy” comes from the Latin mandātum, from which we get the word “mandate.” “Novum mandātum” refers to the new commandment Jesus gave.
Good Friday
Peter and John follow the soldiers at a distance. The rest of the disciples flee. John knows the high priest and gets them entrance to watch them try Jesus. Trials at night were illegal, but the Jewish leaders seem to have found a loophole. The former high priest Annas questions Jesus, trying to get him to incriminate himself. That is illegal too, and Jesus exhorts him to question witnesses instead. It is an opportunity to repent. But an officer strikes Jesus for impertinence and Annas sends him to the current high priest, Caiaphas, who sends him to the governor, Pilate, for crucifixion.
Pilate Interrogates Jesus
Pilate knows the Jews have delivered Jesus out of jealousy. So he sends Jesus to be flogged with the lightest form of flogging, the fustigatio. The soldiers put a crown of thorns on his head and a purple robe on his shoulders. They mock and beat him. Pilate shows the beaten, wounded Jesus to the Jews, demonstrating he is no threat and has now been publicly humbled. He declares Jesus’s innocence and his decision to release him. But the Jewish leaders threaten to report him for releasing someone who claims to be the Messiah, a king. Pilate takes Jesus within his headquarters again and asks him if he is king of the Jews. Jesus replies:
“My kingdom is not of this world.”
John 18:36
Torn, Pilate offers again to release Jesus, but the Jews will have none of it. Finally, Pilate gives in and sends Jesus for a second flogging, this time the most severe, the verberatio. It is the flogging that precedes crucifixion, ripping away flesh and exposing bones and muscles.
Soldiers Crucify Jesus
Pilate’s soldiers crucify Jesus, pounding nails through his wrists and feet, attaching him to a wooden cross. Two criminals hang on wooden crosses beside him. Above Jesus’s head, Pilate attaches a placard describing the crime for which he must die: Jesus of Nazareth, the King of the Jews.
Soldiers gamble for his clothes. The Jewish leaders mock him for not being able to save himself after all his claims.
Of the Eleven, only John witnesses the day’s horrific events. The women who travel with Jesus are there, as is Jesus’s mother. Seeing her, Jesus tells John to take her home and care for her as his own mother. He leads Mary away to his home. Even in Jesus’s time of greatest suffering, he cares for others’ needs.
“It Is Finished”
At noon, darkness covers the land. Sometime after, John leaves Mary and makes his way back to the cross. He hears Jesus say, “It is finished,” and watches him die. Just then, the curtain of the temple tears in two and a great earthquake shakes the land. The sun’s light returns.
The Jewish leaders want the bodies taken down because the next day is a Sabbath, a day of rest. So the soldiers break the legs of those crucified with Jesus so they will die quickly, no longer able to lift themselves to breathe. When the soldiers see that Jesus is already dead, they leave his legs unbroken. Instead, they pierce his side with a sword. John witnesses the blood and water pouring out. For as the Old Testament declared, the Passover Lamb’s bones could not be broken, and they will look on the one they have pierced (Exodus 12:46; Zechariah 12:10).
Two followers who were among the Jewish leadership, Nicodemus and Joseph, take down Jesus’s body and place it in a new tomb belonging to Joseph.
To his disciples, nothing seems to be going according to plan.
Passion Week: Saturday
On Saturday, Jesus’s bewildered followers wept in sorrow. They hid from the religious authorities as they tried to make sense of the crucifixion of their beloved leader. They had thought Jesus was the Messiah, the righteous king God had promised would rule forever (Isaiah 9:7). He had even affirmed privately that he was the Messiah.
Jesus had also seemed to be the promised prophet like Moses (Deuteronomy 18:15). All the signs were there, including miracles greater than had ever been seen before. He was a godly man and a brilliant teacher with the power to heal, cast out demons, and even raise the dead.
But now he lay dead in the tomb of a rich man, having been crucified between two criminals. He now seemed more like the Suffering Servant than the Messiah who would rule forever:
And they made his grave with the wicked and with a rich man in his death, although he had done no violence, and there was no deceit in his mouth.
Isaiah 53:9
.
Saturday was dark. But Sunday was coming.
Easter
“He is risen,” said the angel.
On the day of the Feast of Firstfruits, Jesus rose from the dead.
At the temple that Sunday, Jews would offer the firstfruits of barley that had risen to life in their fields. Most did not know that Jesus had that morning become the firstfruits of people to rise to life from this earth. As the firstfruits of barley anticipated the greater harvest to come, so the resurrection of Jesus anticipates the greater resurrection to come:
Christ has been raised from the dead, the firstfruits of those who have fallen asleep.
1 Corinthians 15:20
.Just as seed lay in the ground until life raised it up, so Jesus lay in the tomb until life raised him up. Just as the Jews raised the firstfruits of their harvest on Sunday before the Lord, so Jesus raised himself as the Firstfruits of the harvest of God’s children on Sunday.
He is risen!
“The Angel and Women at the Empty Tomb” by Gustave Doré (public domain)
Here are two creative devotional studies that walk you through an in-depth study of Scripture, including the resurrection. (These are affiliate links for which I receive a small commission at no cost to you.)
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That relationship. Yeah, that one. When you began the relationship, you didn’t sign up for heartache or headaches, did you?
Oh sure, you know conflict is part of life. Everyone knows. What you didn’t know then was how deeply the spouse, child, friend, coworker, or church would wound you.
But here you are. The conflict happened. Or is happening.
The hurt is real. So is the anger. And the confusion.
Conflict and the resulting hurt, resentment, disunity, and bitterness that often accompany it, is one of the devil’s most effective tools to destroy families, friendships, churches, our inner peace, and our witness to the world.
Enter the need for forgiveness.
Years ago, my husband and I worked for a thriving church. However, when the senior pastor decided to retire things changed. Factions developed as people jockeyed for power. We ended up devastated and deeply wounded.
As a result, I struggled with anger, resentment, and forgiveness. I knew Jesus commanded me to forgive as I had been forgiven, but I wrestled with how to forgive. Frankly, my heart felt like someone had taken a giant sledgehammer and shattered it into a million pieces. I often found myself wondering, how does a fractured person extend forgiveness?
In Matthew 6:12, Jesus taught us to pray: “Forgive us our sins, as we have forgiven those who sin against us.” In Colossians 3:13 we’re instructed to “[bear] with one another and, if one has a complaint against another, forgive each other; as the Lord has forgiven you, so you also must forgive.”
Forgiveness is a hallmark of a believer’s life.
But that doesn’t mean it’s always easy. Sometimes, forgiveness can be downright hard.
One evening I tiptoed my way into vulnerability and shared my private struggle with the worship pastor’s wife. “I know God tells me to forgive, and I want to forgive because I know I should. But I don’t know how. I don’t know if I can.” My confession revealed guilt and shame layered like globs of icky, black tar on my broken heart.
She placed her gentle hands on my shoulders, turned me to face her, eye to eye, and looked at me with complete compassion.
“I want you to listen to me. The fact that you want to learn to forgive pleases God. He’ll show you how.”
In that moment, the process of healing and forgiveness began.
The first step to forgiving is wanting to learn how—if only because God says we should.
But perhaps you’re in a place where your wounds are so deep you don’t want to forgive. Maybe the idea of forgiveness seems unfair. Possibly the thought of forgiveness makes you mad.
May I gently place my hand on your shoulders and whisper something to you? Pray for the “want to.” Start there.
Biblically, to forgive means “to let go.” When we choose to forgive, we let go of our right to get even and we allow God to take over. We let go of our bitterness. We let go of our resentment. We let go of our propensity to bring up the past as an ongoing assault of guilt and shame.
It’s been said that “unforgiveness is like drinking poison and hoping the other person dies.” The consequences for unforgiveness are lethal.
If we refuse to forgive, we eventually become bitter, resentful, or self-righteous people. When unforgiveness reigns unfettered, our joy, contentment, and usefulness to God die slow, painful deaths. The conflict we wish would go away lives on in our hearts, minds, and souls. Ironically, our perpetrator pays no price for the poison in our soul.
As long as we cling to unforgiveness, we remain chained to past hurt. We live enslaved, revisiting the incident in our minds over and over, wondering how to unshackle the chain.
The choice to forgive loosens the chain and sets us free.
However, the choice to forgive will feel difficult—maybe even impossible—if we falsely believe (1) that forgiveness means offering the offender a free pass to hurt us again or (2) that forgiveness means saying, “What you did to me was no big deal.”
On the contrary: forgiveness means the offense was such a big deal it cost Jesus His life.
Since forgiveness is not giving our offender a free pass to hurt us again, the choice to forgive shouldn’t be equated with the choice to trust or be reconciled. Forgiveness takes one person, but trust and reconciliation take two.
After years of working through forgiveness, here’s what I know: forgiveness is a command, forgiveness is a choice, and forgiveness is a process.
Inviting Jesus into the process of forgiveness makes it easier. After all, Jesus is the Master Forgiver. What’s more, Jesus understands betrayal, heartache, rejection, being misunderstood, physical abuse, abandonment, being despised, and false accusations, just to name a few. Our Savior is called “a man of sorrows . . . acquainted with grief” (Isaiah 53:3 ESV). Hebrews 4:15 also tells us Jesus understands and empathizes with our human condition.
You can simply say, “Jesus, I invite You into my heartache.”
When we invite Jesus into our pain and ask Him to help us to forgive, Jesus doesn’t shame; Jesus sympathizes.
Jesus leans toward us, wraps His loving arms around us, and tenderly whispers, “I know. I’ve felt it too. I understand, and I can help.”
If you find yourself struggling with the forgiveness process, picture your hand in a clenched fist. Better yet, make a fist right now. Envision the issue that wounded you—the one you know you need to forgive but can’t quite find it in your heart to do so—inside your tightly held fingers, resting on your palm. Each finger represents a reason you haven’t let go: it wasn’t fair; they got away with it; they skipped off to a new life, leaving you with their baggage; you want them to feel as badly as you do; they sinned while you tried not to; they need to make it right; you want them to pay for what they did; they treated you wrong. The list could go on.
Now, gently unfurl each finger, one by one, until the core offense lays bare.
Turn your hand over and drop the offense into the nail-scarred hands of Jesus.
That’s forgiveness.
It’s important to give yourself grace as you navigate the process of forgiveness, but don’t throw up your hands in despair and stop choosing to forgive, even if it takes time. Remember, forgiveness is both a choice and a process. If you follow God’s ways, if you invite Him into your hurt, and if you keep choosing to forgive, one day you’ll wake up with the realization that unforgiveness no longer has a hold on you. The process of forgiveness will have morphed into actual forgiveness.
Donna Jones is a pastor’s wife, Bible teacher, national speaker, and author who’s passionate about helping others know God’s Word so it can change their life, their relationships, and their world. Find lots of free resources at www.donnajones.org, and connect with her on Instagram @donnaajones.
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Here are the 2023 books I recommended in my monthly newsletters. The categories covered include Christian apologetics, other Christian nonfiction, fiction, children’s, and more. In case you missed any, here’s a recap.
And if you’re not receiving my newsletter, sign up in the sidebar! You’ll receive a free download plus a monthly newsletter with encouragement, book recommendations, news, and more.
A touching story by Christian author Marie Bostwick and the inspiration for the Hallmark Hall of Fame film Christmas Everlasting. I absolutely loved this book about a political campaigner who is estranged from her family. But when her sister dies, she must return to her small hometown to meet the conditions of her sister’s odd will.
The best-selling author of Another Gospel has turned out another great book. With gentleness and splashes of humor, Alisa tackles cultural lies head on, such as “live your truth,” “authenticity is everything,” “you shouldn’t judge,” and “you are enough.” Outstanding! My entire book club raved over this book. If you’ve been wondering how to respond to things you hear that sound a bit off, but you’re not sure why, then this is the book for you.
In February I finished reading this fantastic study Bible. It’s hefty and I used a magnifier for most notes. But it was absolutely worth reading through the well-researched notes that trace grand biblical themes. Every book of the Bible has an introduction, outline, cross-references, text notes, and commentary notes. There are also 28 theological articles, numerous charts, and full-color illustrations. This is my favorite of all the study Bibles I’ve read.
This delightful cozy mystery is the first in a 13-part series. “When Nicole’s uncle dies and she inherits his maple syrup farm, she thinks it’s time to leave her career as a criminal defense attorney behind for a life that allows her to stay far away from murderers and liars.” But then “her uncle’s suicide looks like it wasn’t a suicide at all.” I was pleasantly surprised to find Christian themes woven throughout the series.
“Detective and bestselling author J. Warner Wallace investigates Jesus, the most significant person in history, using an innovative and unique approach he employs to solve real missing person murder cases. Wallace carefully sifts through the evidence from history alone, without relying on the New Testament. You’ll understand like never before how Jesus changed the world.” This book is fantastic! Wallace investigates the evidence using missing-body investigative techniques. I’ve never read the evidence presented in this way before and love it. This is the research he conducted beforethe research described in Cold-Case Christianity(another top-notch read).
This is a lovely fairy tale that teaches children (and adults) not to fear death but rather see it as transitioning to a beautiful land. I just read it for perhaps the third time and found it delightful once again. (It was George MacDonald’s fairy tale Phantastes that helped lead C.S. Lewis to Christ. In Lewis’s book, The Great Divorce, MacDonald is his guide to the outskirts of Paradise.)
This insightful and often funny collection of essays by women shows us how to recognize lies, offer discernment, argue for a healthier approach, and reinforce truth. They address false messages such as “Follow Your Heart—It Never Lies! Emotionalism” and “I’m Not Religious; I’m Spiritual! New Spirituality.” Chapters end with discussions to have with children. You can read my fuller review here.
I just finished reading this for perhaps the fourth time. I love this little book. In it, Lewis takes a trip from a shadowy town he later learns is hell to the outskirts of Paradise. The Great Divorce brilliantly answers the question, Why doesn’t God simply save everyone?
I got this as part of my research into a book I’m writing, and it’s turned out to be a gem. Ortlund compassionately examines the book of Job in large chunks: the introduction, the friends’ speeches, Job’s speeches, etc. He ends each chapter with tips for helping those who suffer. The section on Leviathan is particularly good.
July 2023 Books
Both books below blend non-fiction and fiction seamlessly. Both are also my first encounter with the author but certainly not the last.
Fantastic. This author’s prose is lyrical, the story is sweet, and the revelations about C.S. Lewis’s life are entertaining. Here’s the book cover blurb: “1950: Margaret Devonshire (Megs) is a seventeen-year-old student of mathematics and physics at Oxford University. When her beloved eight-year-old brother asks Megs if Narnia is real, logical Megs tells him it’s just a book for children, and certainly not true. Homebound due to his illness, and remaining fixated on his favorite books, George presses her to ask the author of the recently released novel The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe a question: ‘Where did Narnia come from?’”
Delightful and filled with fascinating facts about animals. “In the rolling dales of Yorkshire, a simple, rural region of northern England, a young veterinarian from Sunderland joins a new practice. A stranger in a strange land, he must quickly learn the odd dialect and humorous ways of the locals, master outdated equipment, and do his best to mend, treat, and heal pets and livestock alike. This witty and heartwarming collection, based on the author’s own experiences, became an international success, spawning sequels and winning over animal lovers everywhere. Perhaps better than any other writer, James Herriot reveals the ties that bind us to the creatures in our lives.”
This is a gripping tale of love and hate, forgiveness and revenge in the South after the Civil War, as seen through the eyes of a young British bride. L’Engle portrays people vividly and handles dialects deftly. I learned much about the complexities of the war’s aftermath.
A fun children’s tale that upholds virtues like honesty, kindness, and bravery. Five children receive golden tickets to visit Willy Wonka’s amazing chocolate factory. I waited months for this to come available at my library through Libby, and it was worth the wait.
This book is outstanding. The back cover copy says it well: “How did the idea arise that masculinity is dangerous and destructive? Bestselling author Nancy Pearcey leads you on a fascinating excursion through American history to discover why the script for masculinity turned toxic—and how to fix it.” Her chapter on how churches should deal with abuse is perhaps the best I’ve read.
This is the first of a new series about Zoe Stephenson, a veterinarian who must turn detective to save herself and those she loves. There are lots of fun animals and even sprinkles of advice for pet owners. From the back cover: “If you like adorable animals, quirky characters, and a twisty-turny plot, then you’ll love Emily James’ page-turning story.”
This is heart-warming, uplifting, and theologically rich. Seasons of Sorrowwill help both those who are working through sorrow and those who are comforting others. Pastor and theologian Challies chronicles working through his grief during the first year of loss. I heartily recommend it.
If you’re looking for something to relax and charm you, try these delightful stories about a country veterinarian. The novel is based on James Herriot’s life and is the second of four books in the “All Creatures Great and Small” series.
Here’s a historical romance of the WWII Air Force in England for a Christian audience. From the back: “Never pretty enough to please her gorgeous mother, Allie will do anything to gain her approval—even marry a man she doesn’t love.”
This is a terrific book by one of my favorite authors. From the back: “Our culture teaches us that it’s important for women to be strong. The Bible agrees. Unfortunately, culture’s idea of what makes a woman strong doesn’t always align with the Bible’s.”
December 2023 Books
This month I’ve got a children’s book you might consider as a Christmas gift as well as an amusing cozy mystery. (Also: Discovering Wisdom in Proverbs makes a great gift for teens and pre-teens just learning to read the Bible!)
What Is Truth? By Elizabeth Urbanowicz, illustrated by Miranda Duncan
This is a delightful book for children ages 3 to 8. The author is a friend of mine who writes and teaches Christian worldview curriculum. Here’s the back cover copy: “Join Sebastian and Gregg on a thrilling intellectual adventure in Elizabeth Urbanowicz’s captivating children’s book, vibrantly brought to life by Miranda Duncan’s illustrations. Our two charismatic characters guide young readers on a playful exploration of ‘truth,’ a word filled with profound meaning. With a blend of real-world examples and interactive participation, children are invited to discern what’s real and what’s not alongside their new friends.”
Braun’s cozy mysteries solved with the help of Siamese cats are just plain fun. I discovered the author earlier this year, and this is the second in a series of 29. “Jim Qwilleran isn’t exactly overwhelmed by his new assignment for the Daily Fluxion. Interior design has never been one of his specialties and now he’s supposed to turn out an entire magazine on the subject every week! But the first issue of Gracious Abodes is barely off the presses when Qwilleran finds himself back on more familiar territory—the exclusive residence featured on the cover has been burglarized and the lady of the house found dead.”
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Many Christmas carols celebrate the birth of Jesus and the reasons he came to earth. Some, like Handel’s “For Unto Us a Child Is Born,” quote Old Testament prophecies about Jesus.
That’s a good thing.
When times are tough and news is distressing, it helps to look at the way Jesus fulfilled Old Testament prophecy. Seeing the amazing ways God revealed the coming of Jesus sends faith soaring. That assures us God will manage the future well too.
God unfolded his plan in stages, beginning with a promise to Eve, the first woman.
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Thanksgiving is just around the corner, and it’s a day many people ponder reasons to be grateful. But how do you give thanks when life hurts?
Moreover, Philippians 4:4 tells us to “Rejoice in the Lord always.” It’s one thing to rejoice in the things we’re glad the Lord has done. But how do we take rejoicing to the next level—rejoicing in the midst of suffering?
This is important for several reasons.
Philippians 4:4 tells us to rejoice always.
Being grateful stops the grumbling and complaining that the Bible warns us against (Philippians 2:14).
The very act of rejoicing plants joy in us.
Being grateful reminds us of God’s past good care and that brings peace over knowing his good care will continue.
For example, in January, my husband Clay was diagnosed with stage 4 cancer. We immediately began praying Philippians 4:4-7 together daily—sometimes twice a day.
Rejoice in the Lord always; again I will say, rejoice. Let your reasonableness be known to everyone. The Lord is at hand; do not be anxious about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God. And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.
Philippians 4:4–7
We’d recite “Rejoice in the Lord always; again I will say, rejoice.” Then we’d take turns rejoicing in the Lord before continuing to recite and pray the rest of the passage. Being grateful before presenting our requests calmed our hearts. While we no longer pray this passage together daily, we each continue to pray it when disappointment derails our peace.
But what can we rejoice in when confronting dreaded news?
Here are four reasons to be grateful no matter what season of life you’re experiencing.
1) Be Grateful for Answered Prayers
Glorify the Lord with me; let us exalt his name together. I sought the Lord, and he answered me; he delivered me from all my fears.
Psalm 34:3-4
The book of Psalms has many thanksgiving songs that praise God for answered prayers, giving us examples to follow. Additionally, Jesus showed that he expects God’s people to praise God for answered prayers (Luke 17:17-18). Indeed, we can rejoice spontaneously as we see prayers answered. We can also rejoice deliberately by writing down our requests so we can later review them to mark those that God has answered and give thanks.
Indeed, just this morning I turned to where I’d written my prayer request, “Let insurance authorize liver radiation,” and wrote in the column next to it, “Yes! We got the approval on 10/31.”
2) Be Grateful for God’s Daily Provision
Sing to the Lord with grateful praise; make music to our God on the harp. He covers the sky with clouds; he supplies the earth with rain and makes grass grow on the hills. He provides food for the cattle and for the young ravens when they call.
Psalm 147:7-9
We can rejoice in every need that God meets: paychecks, gifts, meals, clothing, housing, and healing. We can rejoice in every delight: family, friends, bird songs, sunsets, flowers, and rain. We can rejoice that God gives us everything we have, including our strength, intelligence, and knowledge. We can start a habit of rejoicing in the Lord for every blessing the moment it arrives.
When the weather permits, I walk after lunch and pray. I rejoice in the weather that permits walking, in the blue flowers tumbling from a neighbor’s tree, and in the Anna’s hummingbirds flitting among its branches.
3) Be Grateful for Faith Purifiers
In all this you greatly rejoice, though now for a little while you may have had to suffer grief in all kinds of trials. These have come so that the proven genuineness of your faith—of greater worth than gold, which perishes even though refined by fire—may result in praise, glory and honor when Jesus Christ is revealed.
1 Peter 1:6-7
Sometimes God answers our prayers “No.” Sometimes we go through heartbreaking loss. But even in those times, we can rejoice because we know God is good and he will work good out of our current difficulties (Romans 8:28). When we face trials, we can rejoice that they prove our faith genuine, they purify our faith and motives, and they will bring us praise, glory, and honor when we go before Jesus at the end of times.
When we face difficulty, we can rejoice that God is building our character. When embarrassed, we can thank God for developing in us humility. In weakness, we can rejoice that God will either strengthen us or be our strength. Character lasts forever; difficulties do not.
Discovering Joy in Philippians
4) Be Grateful for God’s Eternal Promises
Praise the Lord, my soul; all my inmost being, praise his holy name. Praise the Lord, my soul, and forget not all his benefits— who forgives all your sins and heals all your diseases, who redeems your life from the pit and crowns you with love and compassion, who satisfies your desires with good things so that your youth is renewed like the eagle’s.
Psalm 103:1-5
This psalm reminds us, “Forget not all his benefits.” Forgetting God’s benefits makes us impatient, unfruitful, faithless, and fearful. It discourages. And forgetting makes us grumble and argue, like the Israelites in the desert.
Instead, we can remember and rejoice in God’s benefits, including his eternal promises. We can rejoice in his promise to forgive (1 John 1:9). When we recover from illness, we can give thanks for health and for our future imperishable body (1 Corinthians 15:42). Redemption is something for which we can always be grateful: he’s adopted us as his own and he promises eternal life. We can rejoice that he crowns us with love and compassion, and that he satisfies our desires with good things. We can give thanks that he will reward us for our faithful service.
In all circumstances, we can rejoice that one day God will resurrect our bodies and take us to a new heaven and earth (Revelation 21:1). We will reign with him in his kingdom. And there will be no more mourning, crying, or pain (21:4). This life of hardship ends, but the next life of glory is eternal.
Next Step
Get started today by giving thanks for something in each of these categories. Download this handy prayer guide to remind you of four great reasons to be grateful: Reasons to Be Grateful Prayer Guide.
This article was adapted from Discovering Joy in Philippians.This is an affiliate link for which I receive a commission at no cost to you.
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“This is almost certainly metastasized cancer,” our GP told my husband Clay. “We’re not talking cure here. We’re talking quality of life and length of life.” The words sliced like a knife through my chest.
A week later, an oncologist confirmed stage 4 cancer.
We responded the way we’ve learned through the years: first, by praying, giving thanks out loud to God, and asking God for help; and second, by each creating a Truth Journal.
What a Truth Journal Is
What we call a Truth Journal consists of four things: truths, remembrances, Scriptures, and prayers. Clay keeps his in a Word document and has a separate page for each. He changes the font color of anything related to eternity to purple, the color of royalty. Whenever he updates it, he prints a new copy.
I have a tab in the back of my daily planner labeled “TRUTHS.” This section has pages with these titles:
TRUTHS
REMEMBRANCES
SCRIPTURE
PRAYERS
The titles are in green ink because in my Bible, I underline God’s blessings in green. I placed a gold flower sticker next to the titles because gold reminds me that Jesus is King and sovereign, and flowers remind me of Jesus’s words, “unless a grain of wheat falls into the earth and dies, it remains alone; but if it dies, it bears much fruit” (John 12:24).
When we wake up sad or hear something that shakes us, we get out our truth journals and read through them. Sometimes item 3 will be just what we need. Other times it’s item 12. It’s important to regularly add to the journal and to keep it handy.
Previously I wrote about using a Truth Journal to combat doubts (“Does God love me?”) and false beliefs (“God let _____ happen so he must not care about me”). I’ll provide a link to that at the end of this post. Here, I’ll explain how to use a Truth Journal to find hope in time of crisis, such as a health crisis or loss of a loved one.
Let’s begin by looking at the four parts of a Truth Journal.
Truth Journal Section 1: Truths
These are personalized statements based on Scripture. When I previously wrote about Truth Journals, I suggested co-mingling truth statements and Scriptures. But Clay’s Scripture list was long and he ended up adding page breaks before and after it. After I made a mistake copying a longer passage, I decided to redo my Truths page and attach his list onto a separate Scripture page.
Truths page in Truth Journal
In my Bible I underline what we should do in blue, so I list truth statements in blue to remind me I must act on these truths.
Here’s a sample of what’s in our lists.
Clay’s List
The Lord is all-powerful, and He loves us.
Unless we die suddenly, everyone is going to have to go through this (“but such as is common to man,” 1 Corinthians 10:13).
We know that the Lord intends for us to suffer and that He expects us to handle it well.
Hardship is necessary for our spiritual growth and is preparing for us an eternal weight of glory.
The Lord is helping us not love this present world.
We don’t know the future—I could be healed—maybe forever—who knows what drugs will come up?
The Lord has brought us medical professionals to help us.
The Lord will take care of both of us no matter what.
The Lord will provide for Jean E., no matter what.
He is disciplining us not to look to the wind but to look at Jesus.
This is an opportunity for us to glorify the Lord.
No matter what happens, we will enjoy each other for eternity.
Jean’s List
Most of Clay’s are also in mine. Here are a few extras.
Everyone has to face suffering, death, and dying. Jesus shows us how to face it.
God has always worked good from the hard things that have happened. He won’t stop now.
The Lord worked great good out of Clay’s first bout with bone cancer.
We know people who have survived metastasized cancer for years.
As we realize more truths, we add to our lists.
Truth Journal Section 2: Remembrances
In my February newsletter, I wrote about how last summer, I was praying while walking when I saw a strange sight: a crow with white feathers in his wings. I snapped a few photos of him hopping among pine branches and headed home to get Clay. The pics were too fuzzy to see the white feathers, and the bird was gone by the time we got down to where I’d seen it. Clay teased that I must be making it up. (He didn’t mean it.)
With Wingtip, God answered prayer better than I asked
The next day as I headed out for my walk, I asked God to show me the crow again so I could call Clay and have him join me. But I didn’t see him during the one-mile walk. I came in through the back door and was telling Clay how I’d prayed to see the crow so he could see it, when I glanced out the window. There the bird was, perched on our fence! He stayed long enough for us to get good photos, then flew into the grapevine, giving us a chance to record him flying. When he flies, his white wingtips sparkle. I named him Wingtip.
What an amazing answer that was better than what I asked for! Instead of me finding Wingtip and calling Clay to quickly come see, God brought Wingtip to Clay.
Scripture tells us it’s essential to remember answered prayers like this.
So I have a section called REMEMBRANCES in which I’ve written these two verses:
I remember the days of old; I meditate on all that you have done; I ponder the work of your hands.
Psalm 143:5
My mouth will tell of your righteous acts, of your deeds of salvation all the day, for their number is past my knowledge.
Psalm 71:15
I have a two-column list of blessings God’s given us and prayers he’s answered in providential ways. I listed as many wonderful things God has done for us as I can remember as well as the ways God brought good out of past sufferings. That raises my confidence that God will work similarly in this circumstance. While I list just a word or phrase that reminds me of what God has done, Clay writes mostly sentences and uses one column. He entitles his Remembrances section “Remember how God has done amazing things for us—Thank You, Father!”
For both of us, “Wingtip” resides near the top of our remembrances. It assures us that even though God has said no to some of our prayers about Clay recently, he has good reason for it. He will give an answer that I expect to be better than what I asked for.
Truth Journal Section 3: Scripture
Both of us started writing beneficial Scriptures when we were young Christians in high school. This habit has greatly helped our spiritual growth. Prior to this week, I mingled verses with truth statements. But as I mentioned, I messed up a verse I was copying and decided to print Clay’s list and attach it to a separate page in my journal with washi tape (tape that can be lifted and reapplied). In an upcoming blog, I plan to list these comforting verses.
Our Scripture lists go on for pages. Here are a few favorites for finding hope in crises.
Favorite Verses for Truth Journals
I have said these things to you, that in me you may have peace. In the world you will have tribulation. But take heart; I have overcome the world.
John 16:33
Not only that, but we rejoice in our sufferings, knowing that suffering produces endurance, and endurance produces character, and character produces hope, and hope does not put us to shame, because God’s love has been poured into our hearts through the Holy Spirit who has been given to us.
Romans 5:3–5
So we do not lose heart. Though our outer self is wasting away, our inner self is being renewed day by day. For this light momentary affliction is preparing for us an eternal weight of glory beyond all comparison, as we look not to the things that are seen but to the things that are unseen. For the things that are seen are transient, but the things that are unseen are eternal.
2 Corinthians 4:16–18
The one who conquers, I will grant him to sit with me on my throne, as I also conquered and sat down with my Father on his throne. He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches.
Revelation 3:21-22
A Note on Conquering
Clay emphasizes the word conquer (Greek nike) in the Revelation passages because it’s what we need to do when we suffer. Nike in other versions is also translated “overcome” or “victorious” and is where Nike tennis shoes gets its name. We need to keep the faith by honoring God through every hardship, disease, persecution, and even to our own deaths. When we do that, we conquer and we will inherit the kingdom.
Truth Journal Section 4: Prayers
The first time Clay had cancer 19 years ago, I made the mistake of praying over every possible future I could think of. I thought praying over each to the point of peace would fill me with lasting peace. But it didn’t. Instead, I’d pray to the point of peace about one possible future only to have another possibility disrupt my peace.
My prayer section is labeled “PRAYERS” and begins with Philippians 4:4-7 broken into lines that I can pray. We’ve both memorized it so we can pray it aloud often. One of us will recite part of the verse and then both of us will pray according to what it says.
Philippians 4:4–7
Prayers page in Truth Journal
Here’s an example of how we might pray, with the Scripture in bold and our prayers in italics:
Rejoice in the Lord always; again I will say, rejoice.
Lord, we rejoice that this is the path you’ve set before us. We rejoice that the brain MRI showed no cancer. We rejoice in how you sent Wingtip to encourage us in how you answer prayers in better ways than we even ask. We rejoice [here we go through as many things from the Remembrances section as we can remember].
Let your forbearance be known to all.
Father, help us to forbear in this situation and to show others the forbearance you give us.
The Lord is at hand.
Lord Jesus, thank you that you are at hand, that you are right here with us now.
Do not be anxious about anything.
Father, forgive me for being anxious about the results taking so long. Help me not to be anxious, for you have this in your hand.
But in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God.
Lord, help the lab to correctly identify the molecular profile, and let it be one that is more easily treatable.
And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.
Psalm 71
Psalm 71’s theme is continual hope and it’s my favorite prayer for building hope. I plan to add a prayer based on Psalm 71 once we have the oncologist’s prognosis.
Prayer Requests and Answers
We both have a spot for prayer requests and answers. Clay entitles his “Recent Opportunities to Trust God.” I have mine on a separate page with two columns labeled “Prayer Requests” and “Answers.”
Conclusion
If you’re going through a crisis, try creating a Truth Journal and reading it often. Arrange it any way that works best for you, just as Clay and I have. It’ll calm fears and help you face crises with hope.
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Has your Bible reading plan got you yawning? Or do you lack a plan altogether? Here are ways to revitalize your Bible reading plan, whether you’re new to the Bible or have been reading it for decades. After all, Psalm 1 promises blessings on those who meditate on God’s words day and night. So start seeking those blessings with a new Bible reading plan.
Have You Never Read the New Testament All the Way Through?
If you’ve tried reading the New Testament books in order but got bogged down, here’s a method that starts with mostly short books so you build momentum. As you finish each book, mark it finished on the contents page.
Gospel of John: Jesus’s good news of salvation
Galatians through Philemon: Paul’s short letters explain how to live as Christians
Gospel of Mark: Jesus’s good news from Peter’s assistant
James through Jude: Other church leaders explain how to live as Christians
Gospel of Luke: Jesus’s good news from a Gentile perspective
Acts: The spread of Christianity from a Gentile perspective
I, II Corinthians: Paul’s long letters to a Gentile church on how to live as Christians
Gospel of Matthew: Jesus’s good news from a Jewish perspective
Romans: Paul’s long letter on how Jewish and Gentile Christians should do community together
Hebrews: Encouragement to Jewish Christians on perseverance through hardship
Revelation: John’s prophetic message of exhortation and expectation
Have You Read the Bible So Often the Same Way Your Eyes Glaze Over?
One person told me he reads the Bible through every year, and now it feels like he’s no longer taking it in. If you’re reading the same books in the same order every year, it’s time to shake things up. Here are some ways to do it.
Slow Down
Make your goal quality over quantity. Forget reading through the Bible in a year. Instead, take the time to dive into the material, look up cross-references, and use the index for further study. Create charts. Use colored pens or highlighters to mark anything you want to trace in Scripture. Use a blank page in the back of your Bible as a legend for themes you’re tracing (see the sample of one of mine). If you’re artistic, illustrate verses in a wide-margin Bible.
Switch to a New Translation
I switch the translation I use for my main reading every few years. The subtle differences catch my attention.
Change Your Reading Order
You can pray over what book to read next each time you finish one. Or try reading books chronologically. You can get a chronological Bible, although reading one can feel choppy. What I like better is to read books in the same time period. Either use a study Bible’s notes to figure out historical order or download my “Reading the Bible by Time Period.”
When you’ve read the Old Testament once from start to finish and once chronologically, try matching Old and New Testament books with similar themes, marking them on the contents page as you finish. Here are some examples:
Leviticus and Hebrews on the sacrificial system
Deuteronomy, Romans, Galatians, and James on the Mosaic Law
Proverbs, Ruth, and Ephesians on family
Proverbs and James on wisdom
Job and 1, 2 Peter on suffering
Read a New Study Bible
If you’ve never read all the notes in a study Bible, now’s the time. Read books all the way through including their introductions and notes. Then mark them complete on the contents page. Once you finish the entire Bible, including essays and articles, find a new study Bible and do the same. Here are some good options:
Life Application Study Bible, Kenneth N. Taylor, gen. ed. Evangelical. Multiple translations available. A good first study Bible.
NIV Study Bible, Kenneth L. Barker, gen. ed. Evangelical. Offers multiple viewpoints.
NIV Biblical Theology Study Bible (formerly NIV Zondervan Study Bible), D.A. Carson, gen. ed. Evangelical, leans Reformed. Offers multiple viewpoints on some topics.
ESV Study Bible, Wayne Grudem, gen. ed. Reformed. An ECPA Book of the Year.
Read Study Guides and Commentaries
Pick a book of the Bible to study deeply, get a good study guide or commentary on it, and read it alongside your Bible. This will greatly enhance your Bible reading and make it more interesting. I’ve written five in-depth study guides that can help you.
Here are some great commentaries in different price ranges. Some you can get electronically through Kindle or Logos. While most are pricey, single volumes are less than it costs to take a family out to lunch.
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